Ernest Lewis reached the final of the first
Wimbledon Championships gentlemen's doubles competition held in 1884. Partnering E.L. Williams they lost the final to the famous tennis brothers
Ernest Renshaw and
William Renshaw in four sets. With partner
George Hillyard he reached and lost the 1889 and 1890 gentlemen's doubles finals. In 1892 he won his first and only Wimbledon title when together with
Harry S. Barlow they defeated another famous team of tennis brothers,
Herbert Baddeley and
Wilfred Baddeley, in four sets. In total Lewis would reach seven doubles finals at the
Wimbledon Championships during his career (1884,1889, 1890, 1892, 1893, 1894, 1895). In the gentlemen's singles competition at Wimbledon his best result was reaching the final of the all-comers tournament on four occasions (
1886,
1888,
1892 and
1894). In 1886 Lawford beat
Ernest Renshaw from 2 sets to 0 down in the quarter-finals before losing the all comers final to
Herbert Lawford in five sets. In 1888 he lost the all comers final to Ernest Renshaw in four sets. In 1892 Lewis led 2 sets to 0 against
Joshua Pim in the all comers final but lost in five sets. Lewis won the singles title at the
Irish Championships in 1890 after a close–fought battle in the challenge round against
Willoughby Hamilton, 3–6, 3–6, 9–7, 6–4, 7–5. He defended his Irish title in 1891 in a straight sets victory over Irishman
Joshua Pim. In 1892 he was victorious at the
London Championships at the
Queens Club, defeating Joshua Pim in the final. He won the singles title at the
British Covered Court Championships seven times; in 1887, 1888, 1889, 1890, 1891, 1895 and 1896. The first five titles were won when the tournament was played at its original location in
Hyde Park, the last two titles were won at the
Queen's Club in London. He also won the
Middlesex Championships at Chiswick Park four times consecutively from 1887 to 1890, and fifth title again in 1892. His other career singles highlights include winning the
Gore Court Championships at
Sittingbourne in 1885, the
South Saxons Tournament at
St Leonards-on-Sea in 1889. ==Grand Slam finals==