Frank Sedgman
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Frank Allan Sedgman, born October 29, 1927, in Mt. Albert, Victoria, Australia, was a tennis player of the very highest quality. In a 4-year span from 1949 through 1952 he won 22 Grand Slam titles in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles, 3 less than John Newcombe and 6 less than Roy Emerson won over longer periods of time. He won the doubles Grand Slam in 1951 with his partner Ken McGregor and was the major force in the first three years of the Australian domination of the Davis Cup matches in which they won 15 victories in an 18-year span from 1950 through 1967.
Sedgman was an extremely fast, slim, 5'11" (1.80 m) right-hander known for his fitness. 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. He was also extremely graceful in his footwork and strokes, with a severely classical style that was a model to other players for many years. Although largely forgotten today, Sedgman is almost certainly one of the 20 greatest male tennis players to have ever played.
In the days before the Open era of tennis, he turned professional in 1953 and became the first tennis player to make more than $100,000 in a single year. He was, however, narrowly beaten that first year by the reigning king of professional tennis, Jack Kramer, 54 matches to 41.
Sedgman was the winner of three major titles in pre-open tennis era professional tennis and was the runner-up in four more. He continued to play professionally well into the 1960s. He was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island, in 1979.
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Grand Slam wins
Australian Championship
- Singles champion, 1949-50
- Doubles champion, 1951-52
- Mixed Doubles champion, 1949-50
- Singles finalist, 1952
- Doubles finalist, 1947-48
Wimbledon Championships
- Singles champion, 1952
- Doubles champion, 1948, 51-52
- Mixed Doubles champion, 1951-52
U.S. Championship
- Singles champion, 1951-52
- Doubles champion, 1950-51
- Mixed Doubles champion, 1951-52
- Doubles finalist, 1949, 1952
- Mixed Doubles finalist, 1950
French Championship
- Doubles champion, 1951-52
- Mixed Doubles champion, 1951-52
- Singles finalist, 1952
- Doubles finalist, 1948
- Mixed Doubles finalist, 1948
Professional World Singles Tournament wins
- United States Professional Championship
- Finalist, 1956, 1961
- French Professional Championship
- Champion, 1953
- Finalist, 1959
- Champion, 1953