John Newcombe

Australian tennis player John Newcombe is undoubtedly one of the greatest tennis stars to have ever come out of the island nation. Newcombe is one of the very few players in the world who has had equally impressive singles and doubles careers. If there was a Mount Rushmore of doubles tennis, Newcombe’s face would definitely be on it. At the age of 21, he and Tony Roche, a young and relatively unknown pair at the time, won the Wimbledon in 1965. Many had called it a fluke, perhaps even the players. Little did they know that it would actually be the start of one of the greatest careers in the history of the sport.

Newcombe was already making inroads into the international tennis community with his performances long before he won the doubles at Wimbledon. Two years ahead of that doubles victory, the Aussie had become the youngest ever participant in the Davis Cup. He was also selected for the finale to play singles clashes against the U.S. Newcombe was beaten by the likes of Dennis Ralston and Chuck McKinley during a 3-2 U.S. victory. However, the fiery young Aussie laid down a marker when he pushed Wimbledon champion McKinley to four hard sets in the decisive fifth match.

Serving, volleying, and a hard-driving forehand propelled Newcombe to new heights; they were the foundations of his game. When he was younger, Newcombe used a kick serve, which evolved into a powerful flat serve over time. His speed was astonishing for a 6-footer of his size and strength. In a split second, the tennis star's forward serving motion propelled him onto the court and to the service box. Newcombe could then control the point by engulfing the net or dropping back to smash an overhead. On the court, he was in constant motion, always attacking and imposing his will.

The team of Newcombe and Roche would eventually go down as one of the greatest duos in the history of the sport. They won a whopping five Wimbledon titles, one US Open title, two French Open titles, and four Australian Open titles. Indeed, the team was one for the ages, the likes of which come around once in a generation.

The road to being the world number 1 in tennis is of course just as exceptional in the singles game. Although Newcombe at the time had been establishing himself as a part of one of the greatest teams of all time, he did not let that take priority over his singles career. At the end of the day, every single tennis player in the world wishes to be the best in the world.

Surprisingly enough, Newcombe did not make his name just playing doubles tennis. He did it with his exceptional displays in singles competition. The tennis star remains the only player in history, apart from the great Rod Laver, to have won the Wimbledon as an amateur. Newcombe, the last amateur champion at Wimbledon, beat the likes of Willy Bungert in 1967 and repeated in 1970 over Ken Rosewall, and 1971 over Stan Smith.

He possibly had one of the greatest seasons a singles player could ever have, in 1971. The Aussie managed to win an incredible 19 singles titles in a single season. His match record that year was 53-14. Newcombe won 73 pro titles in total, 32 in singles and 41 in doubles. Overall, amateur and pro, he won 66 singles titles. The Australian was inducted into the Hall of Fame along with his former teammate Roche in 1986.

Grand Slam singles record

Australian Open: W (1973, 1975)

French Open: QF (1965, 1969)

Wimbledon: W (1967, 1970, 1971)

US Open: W (1967, 1973)

Grand Slam doubles record

Australian Open: W (1965, 1967, 1971, 1973, 1976)

French Open: W (1967, 1969, 1973)

Wimbledon: W (1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1974)

US Open: W (1967, 1971, 1973)

Grand Slam mixed doubles record

Australian Open: W (1965)

US Open: W (1964)