Frank Sedgman

Francis Arthur Sedgman AO (born 29 October 1927) is an Australian former world No. 1 tennis player. Over the course of a three-decade career, Sedgman won five Grand Slam singles tournaments as an amateur as well as 9 Grand Slam doubles tournaments. He is one of only five tennis players all-time to win multiple career Grand Slams in two disciplines, alongside Margaret Court, Roy Emerson, Martina Navratilova and Serena Williams. In 1951, he and Ken McGregor won the Grand Slam^{[broken anchor]} in men's doubles. Sedgman turned professional in 1953, and won the Wembley World Professional Indoor singles title in 1953 and 1958. He also won the Sydney Masters tournament in 1958, and the Melbourne Professional singles title in 1959. He won the Grand Prix de Europe Professional Tour in 1959.

Sedgman was ranked as the world No. 1 amateur in 1950 by Harry Hopman and Ned Potter, in 1951 by Pierre Gillou, Hopman and Potter and in 1952 by Lance Tingay, Gillou, Hopman and Potter. Tennis de France magazine ranked Sedgman as the world No. 1 professional tennis player for the 1953 season. Jack Kramer, in his personal ranking lists, ranked Sedgman as the world No. 2 professional behind Pancho Gonzales for the 1958, 1959 and 1960 seasons.

Sedgman was a 180 centimetres (5 ft 11 in) right-hander who played the serve-and-volley game that had just been popularised by Jack Kramer. He was one of a number of Australian players who used the Continental grip in which the racquet is held the same way for both the forehand and the backhand. He was particularly known for his volleying and speed at the net. When asked in 2005 who was the best player he had ever faced, Mervyn Rose replied, "Hopman's pet, Sedgie."

Sedgman led the Australian Davis Cup team to victory in 1950, 1951, and 1952. In a five-year span from 1948 to 1952 Sedgman won 22 Grand Slam titles in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles. Sedgman and his partner Ken McGregor were the only men's doubles team to ever win the Grand Slam in a single year—they won all four majors in 1951. The following year they also won the first three majors, then, at Forest Hills, were upset by a pick-up team of another Australian, Mervyn Rose, and an American Vic Seixas, denying them eight consecutive Grand Slam victories. According to Rose in a 2005 interview, Harry Hopman, the coach of the Australian team, would not talk to him for two months afterwards.

Although still playing in the junior events in Australian tournaments in 1945, Sedgman began to enter the men's singles events as well. In June, he lost a close match to Jack Harper at the Elsternwick tournament. In December, at the Victorian championships, Sedgman beat Noel Kirkby before losing to Adrian Quist. Writing in The Melbourne Herald, renowned coach Harry Hopman called Sedgman a "potential champion". Hopman also said, "it is about a year ago that I advised him (Sedgman) to go to a gymnasium. The work he has done there – about three times a week after his work – has put on a stone in weight and improved him in many ways. His legs, wind and stamina are now first class. His temperament, too, is good".

Sedgman began the year by reaching the final of the South Australian championships in Adelaide, where he lost to John Bromwich. Writing in The Sydney Morning Herald, Bromwich said, "Sedgman was not inclined to induldge in long drawn-out-rallies, and after the ball crossed the net three or four times, he either endeavoured to force the play or strived for an outright placement". Sedgman made his debut at the Australian Championships in 1946. He won his first match against Reg Clements, but lost in the last 16 round, to Geoff Brown in straight sets. Brown played "faultlessly throughout", whilst Sedgman was "not able to settle down, and did not look comfortable".

In 1947, Sedgman lost in the opening round of the Australian Championships to Patrick Callaghan. It was his second appearance in the singles. He also won the Victorian Hardcourt Championships in June, beating Lionel Brodie in the final. The final was played in a strong wind. It was a "closely contested final, which produced some brilliant tennis under most difficult conditions". At the Australian hardcourt championships in Toowoomba in November, Sedgman was suffering from strained muscles in his right shoulder in the final against Quist and lost in straight sets.

At the 1948 Australian championships, Sedgman beat veteran former champion Jack Crawford before losing to Bromwich in the quarterfinals. At the West Australian championships in March, Sedgman beat Colin Long in straight sets in the final. According to the Melbourne Age, Sedgman's success was "due to stronger driving, more powerful service and greater all-court agility". At the French championships, Sedgman lost in the last 16 to Giovanni Cucelli. In June, Sedgman won the Kent championships, beating fellow Australian Jack Harper in the final. At Wimbledon, he lost in the last 16 to eventual winner Bob Falkenburg. At the U.S. Championships, Sedgman lost in the last 16 to Frank Parker. Sedgman lost in the final of the New South Wales championship to Bromwich.