Lorne Main was a highly successful junior competitor who won his first championship at age nine. In 1944 he captured four “Under 15” championships: BC, Washington, Oregon, and the Pacific Coast. By age sixteen, he was Canada’s top ranked junior tennis player. From 1949-51, he studied in California on tennis scholarships and was ranked as the number one singles and doubles player. His two-handed grip was considered quite unorthodox, but it quickly proved effective as evidenced by his consistent wins

Main held the BC, Canadian, and Washington junior men’s “Under 18” singles titles in 1946-48. He was also ranked as the number one junior in Canada for the same three-year period. In 1949, he captured the Vancouver City men’s singles championships, was a finalist in the Canadian singles championships, and was ranked number one in BC.

Main was a member of Canada’s Davis Cup team from 1949-55 and continued as the non-playing captain from 1958-61.

In 1950, he became the BC men’s singles champion on clay court and lawn, and Western Canada’s lawn tennis champion. He was ranked the number one singles tennis player in Canada in 1951, 1953, and 1954, as well as being ranked number two in 1952.

Main captured the 1951 Canadian doubles championships with partner, Brendan Macken. He won the Quebec indoor championships in 1951 and the outdoor titles in 1953-54. He also took the Ontario singles championships from 1951-54.

Main was also very active internationally. He competed at Wimbledon in 1951 and 1954. He captured numerous international championships in 1954: doubles in Orlando with G. Shea of the US and singles in St. Petersburg, Florida; open doubles in Jamaica with H. Burrows of the US; singles in Monte Carlo; singles in Belgium; and the open doubles in Ireland with G. Shea.