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Frank Sedgman In the briefest of amateur careers, which spanned four years (1949-1953) Frank Allan Sedgman became number one in 1951-1952, winning 22 major singles, doubles and mixed doubles titles, and Australia's saviour in Davis Cup battles. The athletic 5 foot 11-inch, right-hander, was born on October 29th, 1927, in Mount Albert, Victoria and finished his career third on the all-time male champions roll, behind John Newcombe and Roy Emerson, as he combined speed, with a brilliant volley and a heavy forehand.
In Harry Hopman's second try at captaining Australia, during their yearly Challenge Round battle with the USA, Sedgman, along with Mervyn Rose and Ken McGregor started the production line of talent that brought Hopman and Australia 15 Davis Cup victories between 1950 and 1967. In 1949 and 1950 Sedgman won his home Slam, the Australian Championships and in 1951 triumphed at Forest Hills in the U.S. Championships. He partnered McGregor scoring the only Grand Slam in men's doubles by winning all the majors (Australian, French, Wimbledon and U.S.) that year too. A year later he defended his U.S. singles crown, adding the prized Wimbledon triple-crown (singles, mixed and men's doubles) McGregor and Sedgman almost Grand Slam-med in 1952, where it took U.S. allies Rose and Vic Seixas five sets to beat them, during the last Slam of the year: the U.S. Championships. As it was the Australian duo had won seven straight major doubles, a male record and Sedgman had eight in a row, having taken the U.S. with John Bromwich in 1950. Jack Kramer the proprietor of the professional tour enticed Sedgman to become his challenger in 1953, and they played the head-to-head tour, with Kramer staying on top 54 wins to 41. Sedgman shared the gate receipts and became the first male player to earn more than $100,000 in a season during an illustrious pro career. Grand Slam Record Australian Singles 1949-50; Singles finalist 1952; Doubles winner 1951-52; Doubles finalist 1947-48; Mixed winner 1949-50 French Singles finalist 1952; Doubles winner 1951-52; Doubles finalist 1948; Mixed winner 1951-52; Mixed finalist 1948 Wimbledon Singles winner 1952; Doubles winner 1948, 1951-52; Mixed winner 1951-52 U.S. Championships Singles winner 1951-52; Doubles winner 1950-51; Doubles finalist 1949, 1952; Mixed winner 1951-52; Mixed finalist 1948 Tournament Record (inc. Davis Cup) Italian Championships Singles winner 1952; Doubles winner 1952 Australia Davis Cup team member 1949-52;
winning side 1950-52; losing side 1949
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