Greatest Players of the Decade

[Virginia]

Originally Posted by Dan Lobb

You've come to the right place.
Lew Hoad's career highlights are as follows (do I hear groans?):

1953 Davis Cup Hoad wins two singles, including a famous match against Trabert, to lead Australia to victory in the Davis Cup final at Kooyong stadium

1955 Davis Cup Hoad wins two singles to recover the Davis Cup for Australia, the match against Trabert televised IN COLOR by NBC and drawing over 10 million viewers, the first mass TV audience for tennis. Vice-President Richard Nixon awards the trophy, and says that Hoad and Trabert "have shown that tennis is not a game for sissies."

1956 Hoad wins the Australian, French, and Wimbledon titles, beating Rosewall in two of the finals, before losing to Rosewall in the US final
(Hoad's back injury flared up right after Wimbledon, but was kept quiet)

1957 Hoad defends Wimbledon title against Cooper, turns pro

1958 Hoad starts strongly against Gonzales in a head to head series, but recurrent back trouble and pulled thigh muscles cause a long losing stretch, resulting in a 51-36 loss

1958 Hoad wins Ampol world championship, a five tournament series, winning at Kooyong, overall match record of 13 wins and 10 losses, winning over Gonzales at Forest Hills, Roland Garros, Kooyong, losing at Los Angeles Masters.
Hoad finishes the season as the leading money-winner.

1959 Hoad plays a four-man (two-man?) American championship series beating Gonzales 15-13, Cooper 18-2, Anderson 9-5, for a 42-20 record. Gonzales has more overall wins at 47, but claims that he lost the tour to Hoad.

1959 Hoad wins Ampol world championshp, winning at Forest Hills Tournament of Champions, Kooyong 1960, four other tournaments, overall match record 34 wins and 13 losses.
Hoad finishes the season as the leading money-winner, having played over 150 matches (Laver played 122 matches in 1969).

In the two world championship series of 1959, Hoad's record is a combined 76 wins and 33 losses, by far the best numbers on the tours. The pro tour that year included Hoad, Gonzales, Rosewall, Sedgman, Trabert, Segura, Cooper, Anderson, Rose, McGregor, Hartwig, Giammalva, the strongest collection of pro players ever, all in prime form.
Hoad's results for 1959 are probably superior to Laver's in 1969, given the strength of the field.

1960 Hoad semi-retires, to spend more time with wife and kids, having earned $250,000 in 2 1/2 years on tour, plus much more in endorsements and other enterprises (worth about twenty times that in today's dollars).

In 1961, 1962, 1963 Hoad finishes runner-up to Rosewall at Wembley, and in 1960 at Roland Garros, and 1962 at Kooyong.
His conditioning is suspect, as he carries extra pounds and tires in long matches.

1963 Hoad undergoes fitness training for eight weeks to prepare to face Laver in a head to head series (8 matches? 14 matches?), and wins all the matches in the series.

1964 Hoad's last important success in March 1964 wins four-man tour of New Zealand against Laver (whom he beats 3 matches to 1), Rosewall (he loses the first 3 matches against Rosewall, but wins the fourth and series-deciding match), and Anderson (beating him 3 to 1).
The final standings:
Hoad 7 wins 5 losses
Laver 7 wins 5 losses
Rosewall 6 wins 6 losses
Anderson 4 wins 8 losses
Hoad was awarded first place with the 3 to 1 edge against Laver.

1965 Hoad loses a large toe to amputation.

1966 Hoad's last win over Laver, at Sydney.

1967 Hoad's last win over Gonzales, 3-6, 11-9, 8-6 at Wimbledon.

1970 Hoad outlasts Orantes on clay at Italian Open in five sets.
Hoad wins last title, doubles victory with Santana over Laver and Gimeno in Barcelona.

Hoad and Rosewall played only a few years together as a doubles team, but won 15 major titles, more than any other doubles team. Hoad won innumerable doubles titles with other partners.

Hoad is also credited as being the "father of Spanish tennis", as he coached the Davis Cup team and made many contributions to Spanish players.

I didn't know about him losing a toe though - I don't think that's mentioned in his biographies and certainly not in Jenny's book.

[Limpinhitter]

Originally Posted by Dan Lobb

You've come to the right place.
Lew Hoad's career highlights are as follows (do I hear groans?):

1953 Davis Cup Hoad wins two singles, including a famous match against Trabert, to lead Australia to victory in the Davis Cup final at Kooyong stadium

1955 Davis Cup Hoad wins two singles to recover the Davis Cup for Australia, the match against Trabert televised IN COLOR by NBC and drawing over 10 million viewers, the first mass TV audience for tennis. Vice-President Richard Nixon awards the trophy, and says that Hoad and Trabert "have shown that tennis is not a game for sissies."

1956 Hoad wins the Australian, French, and Wimbledon titles, beating Rosewall in two of the finals, before losing to Rosewall in the US final
(Hoad's back injury flared up right after Wimbledon, but was kept quiet)

1957 Hoad defends Wimbledon title against Cooper, turns pro

1958 Hoad starts strongly against Gonzales in a head to head series, but recurrent back trouble and pulled thigh muscles cause a long losing stretch, resulting in a 51-36 loss

1958 Hoad wins Ampol world championship, a five tournament series, winning at Kooyong, overall match record of 13 wins and 10 losses, winning over Gonzales at Forest Hills, Roland Garros, Kooyong, losing at Los Angeles Masters.
Hoad finishes the season as the leading money-winner.

1959 Hoad plays a four-man (two-man?) American championship series beating Gonzales 15-13, Cooper 18-2, Anderson 9-5, for a 42-20 record. Gonzales has more overall wins at 47, but claims that he lost the tour to Hoad.

1959 Hoad wins Ampol world championshp, winning at Forest Hills Tournament of Champions, Kooyong 1960, four other tournaments, overall match record 34 wins and 13 losses.
Hoad finishes the season as the leading money-winner, having played over 150 matches (Laver played 122 matches in 1969).

In the two world championship series of 1959, Hoad's record is a combined 76 wins and 33 losses, by far the best numbers on the tours. The pro tour that year included Hoad, Gonzales, Rosewall, Sedgman, Trabert, Segura, Cooper, Anderson, Rose, McGregor, Hartwig, Giammalva, the strongest collection of pro players ever, all in prime form.
Hoad's results for 1959 are probably superior to Laver's in 1969, given the strength of the field.

1960 Hoad semi-retires, to spend more time with wife and kids, having earned $250,000 in 2 1/2 years on tour, plus much more in endorsements and other enterprises (worth about twenty times that in today's dollars).

In 1961, 1962, 1963 Hoad finishes runner-up to Rosewall at Wembley, and in 1960 at Roland Garros, and 1962 at Kooyong.
His conditioning is suspect, as he carries extra pounds and tires in long matches.

1963 Hoad undergoes fitness training for eight weeks to prepare to face Laver in a head to head series (8 matches? 14 matches?), and wins all the matches in the series.

1964 Hoad's last important success in March 1964 wins four-man tour of New Zealand against Laver (whom he beats 3 matches to 1), Rosewall (he loses the first 3 matches against Rosewall, but wins the fourth and series-deciding match), and Anderson (beating him 3 to 1).
The final standings:
Hoad 7 wins 5 losses
Laver 7 wins 5 losses
Rosewall 6 wins 6 losses
Anderson 4 wins 8 losses
Hoad was awarded first place with the 3 to 1 edge against Laver.

1965 Hoad loses a large toe to amputation.

1966 Hoad's last win over Laver, at Sydney.

1967 Hoad's last win over Gonzales, 3-6, 11-9, 8-6 at Wimbledon.

1970 Hoad outlasts Orantes on clay at Italian Open in five sets.
Hoad wins last title, doubles victory with Santana over Laver and Gimeno in Barcelona.

Hoad and Rosewall played only a few years together as a doubles team, but won 15 major titles, more than any other doubles team. Hoad won innumerable doubles titles with other partners.

Dan wrote this from memory.

[kiki]

Santana won his last important tournament im the 1970 final crushing Laver 6-3 6-4 6-3
Laver did not play with Gimeno in that tourney if memory serves

[BobbyOne]

Originally Posted by kiki

Santana won his last important tournament im the 1970 final crushing Laver 6-3 6-4 6-3
Laver did not play with Gimeno in that tourney if memory serves

No, he did play with him.

[kiki]

Originally Posted by Virginia

Hoad is also credited as being the "father of Spanish tennis", as he coached the Davis Cup team and made many contributions to Spanish players.

I didn't know about him losing a toe though - I don't think that's mentioned in his biographies and certainly not in Jenny's book.

True since he and wife Jenny were much loved in Southern Spain where they lived

[kiki]

Originally Posted by BobbyOne

No, he did play with him.

Ok I really never checked.By that time Gimeno' s usual partners included Okker,Barthes,Gonzo and sometimes Ashe

[Dan Lobb]

Originally Posted by Virginia

Hoad is also credited as being the "father of Spanish tennis", as he coached the Davis Cup team and made many contributions to Spanish players.

I didn't know about him losing a toe though - I don't think that's mentioned in his biographies and certainly not in Jenny's book.

It is in McCauley's book.

[Dan Lobb]

Originally Posted by Limpinhitter

Dan wrote this from memory.

I have a good memory.

[Dan Lobb]

Originally Posted by kiki

Santana won his last important tournament im the 1970 final crushing Laver 6-3 6-4 6-3
Laver did not play with Gimeno in that tourney if memory serves

I checked the official website for this result. Before, I thought that Hoad/Santana beat Laver/Stolle, but the official website tells otherwise.

[kiki]

Originally Posted by Dan Lobb

I checked the official website for this result. Before, I thought that Hoad/Santana beat Laver/Stolle, but the official website tells otherwise.

I am sure of Santana win since I watched it and Santana proved being one of the best ever cc players