During a 24-year tenure as team captain, Neale Fraser led Australia to four Davis Cup victories and won three Grand Slam singles titles. He passed away at the age of 91. According to a statement issued by Tennis Australia on Tuesday, the sport “has lost one of its giants.”
Between sweeps at the US Open, when he won the singles, men’s doubles, and mixed titles in 1959 and 1960, Fraser defeated Australian tennis legend Rod Laver to win Wimbledon in 1960. At least two of his eleven major men’s doubles championships came from each of the four Grand Slam events. Also read: Tomas Machac tops Carlos Alcaraz in Shanghai Quarterfinals
Laver paid homage to his “dear mate and fellow lefty” on social media. Laver is the only athlete to have won all four singles majors twice in a year. Murray “was a true gem in a golden era of Australian tennis legends — an incredible World No. 1, a Grand Slam champion, and a Davis Cup icon,” Laver wrote in X
“Neale defeated me in two major finals, which motivated me to improve as a player. I will really miss you, friend.
Fraser helped Australia win four consecutive Davis Cup titles as a player and rejected lucrative offers to turn professional in a quest to succeed Harry Hopman as the national team captain. Also read: Wimbledon Tennis Tournament to Replace Line Judges with AI Technology Starting in 2025
“That ambition was fulfilled in 1970 and he remained in the position until 1993, helming 24 Davis Cup campaigns during which Australia won the title four times,” Tennis Australia said. “Generations of players were inspired by his leadership including John Newcombe, John Fitzgerald and Pat Cash.”