The men's outdoor doubles' was one of six lawn tennis events on the Tennis at the 1908 Summer Olympics programme. Nations could enter up to 6 pairs (12 players).^[1] The event was plagued by withdrawals, with only 12 teams competing of the 21 that entered. There were 24 players from 8 nations.^[2] The event was won by Reginald Doherty and George Hillyard after defeating James Cecil Parke and Major Ritchie in the final. Clement Cazalet and Charles P. Dixon took the bronze medal without a bronze-medal match due to the withdrawal of an entire quadrant of the bracket. All three medal pairs were British. It was the second medal sweep in the men's doubles, after the United States did it in 1904, and it was also the last time that the men's doubles gold medal match was contested by pairs representing the same nation until Tokyo 2021. Doherty became the first man to win multiple men's doubles medals and gold medals, having earned gold with his brother Laurence Doherty in 1900.

Quick Facts Men's doubles tennis at the Games of the IV Olympiad, Venue ...

Men's doubles tennis at the Games of the IV Olympiad
The final between Doherty/Gillyard and Ritchie/Parke
Venue	All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club
Dates	6 July 1908 (round 1) 7 July 1908 (round 2) 9 July 1908 (quarterfinals) 10 July 1908 (semifinal) 11 July 1908 (final)
Competitors	12 teams from 8 nations
Medalists
Reginald Doherty George Hillyard  Great Britain James Cecil Parke Major Ritchie  Great Britain Clement Cazalet Charles P. Dixon  Great Britain
← 1904 1912 →

Close

This was the fourth appearance of the men's doubles tennis. The event has been held at every Summer Olympics where tennis has been on the program: from 1896 to 1924 and then from 1988 to the current program. A demonstration event was held in 1968. In 1908, for the first time of two, an indoor version was held concurrently. Teams of mixed nationality, which had been permitted in previous Games, were no longer allowed.

The British brothers Laurence Doherty and Reginald Doherty had been dominant for the late 1890s and early 1900s, winning the 1900 Olympic championship and eight consecutive Wimbledon titles. Laurence retired in 1906, however, leaving Reginald to search for other partners. He played with George Hillyard, an accomplished player past his prime, for the 1908 Olympic tournament.^[2] Arthur Gore and Herbert Roper Barrett, who had won the indoor doubles event, were among the most notable late scratches.^[3]

Austria, Bohemia, Canada, Hungary, the Netherlands, and South Africa each made their debut in the event. Germany and Great Britain each made their third appearance in the event, tied for most among nations.

The competition was a single-elimination tournament. A bronze-medal match was expected, but not played due to withdrawals.^[4] All matches were best-of-five sets. Tiebreaks had not been invented yet.

The Olympics started three days after the end of the 1908 Wimbledon Championships, a scheduling issue which the Official Report recommended avoiding in the future.^[5]