1888 men's tennis season

The 1888 Men's tennis season was composed of the thirteenth annual pre-open era tennis circuit incorporating 78 tournaments.

The season began in April in London, England, and ended in December in Napier, New Zealand.

Season summary
In 1888 the twelfth edition of the 1888 Wimbledon Championships was held, this saw the victory of Ernest Renshaw who defeated the Briton Ernest Wool Lewis in the final of the preliminary tournament by 7–9, 6–1, 8–6, 6–4. Renshaw then defeated defending champion Herbert Lawford in the challenge round to claim the title for the first time. In the fourth edition of the men's doubles the brothers William Renshaw and Ernest Renshaw regained the title they had not been able to defend the previous year by beating the title holders Herbert Wilberforce and Patrick Bowes-Lyon in the challenge round per 2–6, 1–6, 6–3, 6–4, 6–3.

In 1888 the eighth edition of the Irish Championships was also played where the Briton Ernest Renshaw prevailed who defeated James Willoughby Hamilton 6-4 5-7 6-4 3-6 6–2 in the final. In the U.S. National Championships, (today known as the US Open) held on the grass courts of the Newport Casino in Newport in the United States, the American Henry Slocum prevailed in the men's singles, defeating his compatriot Howard Augustus Taylor in 3 sets in the final of the preliminary tournament with the score of 6-4 6-1 6–0. Richard Sears after his seventh consecutive victory at the US National Championships he no longer participated in the tournament so the victory was awarded to Taylor without playing the challenge round. In addition to the men's singles tournament at the Staten Island Cricket Club in New York, the doubles tournament was also held where Oliver Campbell and Valentine Gill Hall prevailed, beating Edward MacMullen and Clarence Hobart in the final.

In the New South Wales Championships in Sydney, the Australian Dudley Webb prevailed in the men's singles, beating his compatriot Charles W. Cropper in the final. In the British Covered Court Championships in London, one of the earliest tournaments in tennis history to be played on indoor courts, Ernest Lewis prevailed in the men's singles defeating Ernest George Meers.

Calendar
Included: Notes 1: Challenge Round: the final round of a tournament, in which the winner of a single-elimination phase faces the previous year's champion, who plays only that one match. The challenge round was used in the early history of tennis (from 1877 through 1921), in some tournaments not all. * Indicates challenger

Notes 2:'This is an incomplete roll of tournaments staged this year''

Key

January
No events

February
Nessun evento

November
No events