Ken McGregor: Difference between revisions
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[[Image:Ken_McGregor_Circa_1950.jpg|140px|right|thumb|McGregor hitting a smash in the early 1950s]] | [[Image:Ken_McGregor_Circa_1950.jpg|140px|right|thumb|McGregor hitting a smash in the early 1950s]] | ||
'''Kenneth Bruce McGregor''' (June 2, 1929, Adelaide, Australia – December 1, 2007) was an Australian [[tennis]] player who won the Men's Singles of the [[Australian Open]] in 1952. He and his longtime partner, [[Frank Sedgman]], are generally considered to be one of the greatest doubles teams of all time. In 1951 and 1952 they won seven consecutive [[Grand Slam (tennis)|Grand Slam]] doubles titles, a feat that has never been matched. At the end of 1952 [[Jack Kramer]] induced both Sedgman and McGregor to turn professional, where his success was much more limited. In the 1952-1953 tour against [[Pancho Segura]], which served as the warm-up event to the Kramer-Sedgman headline match, McGregor was beaten by the little Ecuadorian-American 71 matches to 25, losing the first 18 matches. The following year, 1953–1954, in a brief tour with [[Pancho Gonzales]], who was the threshold of becoming the greatest player in the world, he was beaten 15 matches to 0.<ref>''The History of Professional Tennis'', Joe McCauley, page 199.</ref> | '''Kenneth Bruce McGregor''' (June 2, 1929, Adelaide, Australia – December 1, 2007) was an Australian [[tennis]] player who won the Men's Singles of the [[Australian Open]] in 1952. He and his longtime partner, [[Frank Sedgman]], are generally considered to be one of the greatest doubles teams of all time. In 1951 and 1952 they won seven consecutive [[Grand Slam (tennis)|Grand Slam]] doubles titles, a feat that has never been matched. At the end of 1952 [[Jack Kramer]] induced both Sedgman and McGregor to turn professional, where his success was much more limited. In the 1952-1953 tour against [[Pancho Segura]], which served as the warm-up event to the Kramer-Sedgman headline match, McGregor was beaten by the little Ecuadorian-American 71 matches to 25, losing the first 18 matches. The following year, 1953–1954, in a brief tour with [[Pancho Gonzales]], who was on the threshold of becoming the greatest player in the world for the rest of the decade, he was beaten 15 matches to 0.<ref>''The History of Professional Tennis'', Joe McCauley, page 199.</ref> | ||
[[Image:McGregor_and_Rosewall_1952.jpg|140px|left|thumb|Ken McGregor (right) with [[Ken Rosewall]] in 1952]] | [[Image:McGregor_and_Rosewall_1952.jpg|140px|left|thumb|Ken McGregor (right) with [[Ken Rosewall]] in 1952]] | ||
McGregor was a fine all-round athlete excelling in | As a youth, McGregor was a fine all-round athlete, excelling in cricket, Australian-rules football, and tennis. [[Harry Hopkins]], the face of the Australian [[Davis Cup]] team for many years, induced him to devote himself exclusively to tennis, and as an amateur he was near the top of game. Besides winning the Australian championship, he lost the 1951 Wimbledon finals to [[Dick Savitt]] and played on three winning Davis Cup teams. By beating the favored Sedgman in the 1952 Australian tournament, he deprived Sedgman of the opportunity to win the coveted Grand Slam of tennis—Sedgman subsequently went on that year to win the three final events. At 6'3", he had a powerful serve and overhead. [[Ellsworth Vines]], an even great player, said of him: "He was the same height as [[Pancho Gonzales]], faster, moved as well and could jump higher, and once he got to the net he was difficult to pass because of his prehensile reach. The handsome Aussie had the most extraordinary overhead of all time." In his 1979 autobiography Jack Kramer, the long-time tennis promoter and great player himself, who brought McGregor into professional tennis, wrote that "McGregor was one of the weakest players but one of the nicest guys who ever played for me in the pros. As nearly as I could tell, all he wanted to do was save up some money, go back Down Under and play Australian-rules football, which in fact, he played better than he did tennis. And that's what he did." | ||
He played 52 games in five seasons with West Adelaide in the main South Australian competition, and was a member of the club's 1954, 1956 and 1958 Grand Final sides, as well as representing South Australia. When he was inducted into the US-based Tennis Hall of Fame in 1999, McGregor presented its museum with a West Adelaide | He played 52 games in five seasons with West Adelaide in the main South Australian competition, and was a member of the club's 1954, 1956 and 1958 Grand Final sides, as well as representing South Australia. When he was inducted into the US-based Tennis Hall of Fame in 1999, McGregor presented its museum with a West Adelaide | ||
Revision as of 15:37, 8 June 2011
Kenneth Bruce McGregor (June 2, 1929, Adelaide, Australia – December 1, 2007) was an Australian tennis player who won the Men's Singles of the Australian Open in 1952. He and his longtime partner, Frank Sedgman, are generally considered to be one of the greatest doubles teams of all time. In 1951 and 1952 they won seven consecutive Grand Slam doubles titles, a feat that has never been matched. At the end of 1952 Jack Kramer induced both Sedgman and McGregor to turn professional, where his success was much more limited. In the 1952-1953 tour against Pancho Segura, which served as the warm-up event to the Kramer-Sedgman headline match, McGregor was beaten by the little Ecuadorian-American 71 matches to 25, losing the first 18 matches. The following year, 1953–1954, in a brief tour with Pancho Gonzales, who was on the threshold of becoming the greatest player in the world for the rest of the decade, he was beaten 15 matches to 0.[1]
As a youth, McGregor was a fine all-round athlete, excelling in cricket, Australian-rules football, and tennis. Harry Hopkins, the face of the Australian Davis Cup team for many years, induced him to devote himself exclusively to tennis, and as an amateur he was near the top of game. Besides winning the Australian championship, he lost the 1951 Wimbledon finals to Dick Savitt and played on three winning Davis Cup teams. By beating the favored Sedgman in the 1952 Australian tournament, he deprived Sedgman of the opportunity to win the coveted Grand Slam of tennis—Sedgman subsequently went on that year to win the three final events. At 6'3", he had a powerful serve and overhead. Ellsworth Vines, an even great player, said of him: "He was the same height as Pancho Gonzales, faster, moved as well and could jump higher, and once he got to the net he was difficult to pass because of his prehensile reach. The handsome Aussie had the most extraordinary overhead of all time." In his 1979 autobiography Jack Kramer, the long-time tennis promoter and great player himself, who brought McGregor into professional tennis, wrote that "McGregor was one of the weakest players but one of the nicest guys who ever played for me in the pros. As nearly as I could tell, all he wanted to do was save up some money, go back Down Under and play Australian-rules football, which in fact, he played better than he did tennis. And that's what he did."
He played 52 games in five seasons with West Adelaide in the main South Australian competition, and was a member of the club's 1954, 1956 and 1958 Grand Final sides, as well as representing South Australia. When he was inducted into the US-based Tennis Hall of Fame in 1999, McGregor presented its museum with a West Adelaide
McGregor was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island, in 1999.
Notes
- ↑ The History of Professional Tennis, Joe McCauley, page 199.
Sources
- The Game, My 40 Years in Tennis (1979), Jack Kramer with Frank Deford (ISBN 0-399-12336-9)
- The History of Professional Tennis (2003) Joe McCauley