the first American men's singles champion in lawn tennis (1881) and winner of that title for each of the six following years. His record has never been equaled by any other amateur player. Sears also won the U.S. men's doubles championship for six straight years (1882–84 and 1886–87, with James Dwight, and 1885, with Joseph Sill Clark). He retired from lawn-tennis competition in 1888 because of an injury, but he won the first U.S. men's singles championship in court tennis four years later.