Frederick Howard Hovey grew up in Newton Centre, Massachusetts, and as a student at nearby Brown University, Hovey become a two-time U.S. Intercollegiate champion in 1890 and 1891. As a bonus, Hovey teamed with Harvard's Bob Wrenn to win a doubles championship in 1891. Hovey later attended law school at that Massachusetts institution close to where he was raised.
Hovey played his first U.S. National Championship in 1892, losing to Oliver Campbell in four sets, 7-5, 3-6, 6-3, 7-5. He faced his college chum Wrenn in the 1893 final and was defeated in a four-setter, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4. Hovey reached the pinnacle of success in 1895, whipping Wrenn, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4, to win his first and only U.S. National Men’s Singles Championship. The rubber match between the two rivals was played in 1896, and Wrenn held the upper hand, winning a topsy-turvy five set match, 7-5, 3-6, 6-0, 1-6, 6-1.
In both 1893 and 1894 Hovey teamed with Clarence Hobart to win the U.S. National Men’s Doubles Championship, and they were finalists in 1895. Between 1890 and 1896, he was ranked in the U.S. Top 10 seven times and was No. 1 in 1895.
