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Lot Essay
The Renshaw Cup was won outright annually from 1905 to 1949. The original cup was presented to The All England Lawn Tennis Club in 1905 by members of the family of Ernest and William Renshaw (who contributed so much to lawn tennis in the 1880's) as First Prize to the winner of the All Comers' Singles.
After two Wimbledon championship victories in 1934 and 1935, Fred Perry went into the 1936 championships hoping to add a third consecutive victory to his title. Although dropping a set to Don Budge in the Semi-Final, he won 5/7, 6/4, 6/4, 6/4, and faced the injured Gottfried Von Cramm in the Final. Perry went on to convincingly win the Championship defeating Von Cramm 6/1, 6/1, 6/0, becoming Wimbledon champion for a record third consecutive year, and, most remarkably, without losing a set in any of the three finals. The 1936 Wimbledon Championships proved to be Perry's last Men's Singles Championships before turning professional.
As Max Robertson states, "Fred Perry joined the immortals in 1936 when he won the Singles title for the third year running, a feat not repeated since the Challenge Round was abolished until Borg equalled it in 1978 and, of course, went on to beat ... an accident during the year before, which had undoubtedly cost Perry the American title for the third year in succession, had kept him out of tennis for seven months. He had lost to von Cramm in the French final and he was not match-tight. He needed reassurance from his friends at the beginning of the fortnight but his results soon re-established his own confidence. By the final it was the old Perry, certain of winning" (Max Robertson, Wimbledon, p. 99).
The title has not been won by a British player since Perry's triumph in 1936 and it is fitting that this trophy is now being offered on the 70th anniversary of Perry's final Wimbledon victory.
After two Wimbledon championship victories in 1934 and 1935, Fred Perry went into the 1936 championships hoping to add a third consecutive victory to his title. Although dropping a set to Don Budge in the Semi-Final, he won 5/7, 6/4, 6/4, 6/4, and faced the injured Gottfried Von Cramm in the Final. Perry went on to convincingly win the Championship defeating Von Cramm 6/1, 6/1, 6/0, becoming Wimbledon champion for a record third consecutive year, and, most remarkably, without losing a set in any of the three finals. The 1936 Wimbledon Championships proved to be Perry's last Men's Singles Championships before turning professional.
As Max Robertson states, "Fred Perry joined the immortals in 1936 when he won the Singles title for the third year running, a feat not repeated since the Challenge Round was abolished until Borg equalled it in 1978 and, of course, went on to beat ... an accident during the year before, which had undoubtedly cost Perry the American title for the third year in succession, had kept him out of tennis for seven months. He had lost to von Cramm in the French final and he was not match-tight. He needed reassurance from his friends at the beginning of the fortnight but his results soon re-established his own confidence. By the final it was the old Perry, certain of winning" (Max Robertson, Wimbledon, p. 99).
The title has not been won by a British player since Perry's triumph in 1936 and it is fitting that this trophy is now being offered on the 70th anniversary of Perry's final Wimbledon victory.