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Frank Sedgman: Australia’s Tennis Legend and Grand Slam Champion

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Frank Sedgman is one of the best tennis players born in Australia. He is a tennis legend whose marvelous contribution to the sport in the 1950s needs to be celebrated all over the world.

Born on October 29, 1927, in Melbourne, Victoria, Sedgman proved himself as an absolute and outstanding tennis player.

At home both as an amateur as well as a professional in the world of tennis that gave him a name and popularity which resonates with this very sport.

1958 to 1960, he maintained a high ranking, reaching the world’s No. 2 professional spot.

Early Successes and Grand Slam Titles

“Sedgman’s victories established him as a dominant force in the world of tennis, showcasing unmatched skill and tenacity.”

Sedgman stormed his way into the world tennis limelight with spectacular versatility. The first important success was for him at the Australian Championships in 1949.

There, he showed some exciting tennis and won the title to become the first of his five Grand Slam singles winners.

He went from there on to successfully defend the Australian Championships in 1950 against fellow Aussie Ken McGregor, thus demonstrating supremacy in Australian tennis.

One of the most prominent events in his career was when he won the US National Championship in 1951, defeating Vic Seixas of America in straight sets: 6-4, 6-1, 6-1.

This victory positioned him on a track to becoming the world’s No. 1 amateur player, which he dominated from 1950 through 1953.

He repeated as US National Championship champion in 1952 when he defeated in a straight set Gardner Mulloy for the last time. He was going to win before turning professional as an amateur Grand Slam singles player.

Related Article : Rafael Nadal Announces Retirement After 22 Grand Slam Titles, Final Match at Davis Cup

Achieving Singles Mastery

His success on the tennis court was not just in the singles.

He often reminds people of his career in doubles, where he earned 22 Grand Slam titles in doubles, paired with some of the big shots in tennis at that time.

One of his famous duos was with Ken McGregor; they were one heck of a team that conquered the doubles tournaments by taking the calendar-year Grand Slam in 1951.

Sedgman led Australia in the Davis Cup

Another platform on which Sedgman wrote his name is the Davis Cup. He contributed greatly to the Australians winning the trophy consecutively for three years, from 1950 to 1952.

He really put up a fight for the United States in those consecutive years and contributed to the match-winning factor for Australia.

The match he played in 1951 is the match that actually won the entire match for him as he beat Vic Seixas with a score of 6-4, 6-2, 6-2.

Turning Pro

Sedgman turned pro in 1953. It was quite a big step for anyone to make, as at that time, it generated much commotion.

While as a pro, he kept playing great tennis, his ranking between 1958 and 1960 positioned him as the world’s No. 2 professional player.

Of course, it meant leaving the amateur circuit, where Grand Slam tournaments were off-limits since, during this period, the latter belonged only to the amateurs.

His exploits on the court remain unforgettable. Sedgman inspired generations of Australian tennis to come with his flair for skill, versatility, and sportsmanship. A testament to Australia’s tennis tradition, Sedgman has lived to be 96.

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Reference: On this day

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