Bob Mark

Bob Mark
Full nameRobert Ian Mark
Country (sports) Australia
Born(1937-11-28)28 November 1937
Albury, Australia
Died21 July 2006(2006-07-21) (aged 68)
South Africa
Singles
Highest ranking10
Grand Slam singles results
Australian OpenSF (1959)
French Open3R (1958)
Wimbledon3R (1958, 1960)
US OpenQF (1960)
Doubles
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian OpenW (1959, 1960, 1961)
French OpenF (1961)
WimbledonF (1959)
US OpenF (1960)
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
Australian OpenW (1959)
WimbledonSF (1959, 1960)
US OpenW (1961)

Robert 'Bob' Mark (28 November 1937 – 21 July 2006) was an amateur tennis player from Australia.

Mark won the Australian Men's Doubles title in 1959, 1960 and 1961 partnering Rod Laver. With Sandra Reynolds, he won the 1960 Australian Mixed Doubles, and in 1961, he teamed with compatriot Margaret Smith to win the U.S. National Championships Mixed Doubles.

At the 1959 Australian Championships, Mark beat Andrés Gimeno in four sets in the quarter finals. According to The Sydney Morning Herald, "Mark hit some wonderful passing shots, particularly off the forehand side. Frequently he ran around Gimeno's second service and clubbed it down the sideline for a winner".[1] He lost to Neale Fraser in the semi finals. At the US Championships in 1960, Mark beat third seed Barry MacKay in five sets (having completed the fifth set of his previous round win earlier the same day). The big serving MacKay served many double faults, but Mark served well and his backhand was in form.[2] He lost in the quarter finals to Dennis Ralston. In 1960 Mark won the Kent Championships at Beckenham beating Butch Buchholz in the final.[3] In 1962, he won the singles title at the South African Championships after a four-set victory in the final against Gordon Forbes.[4]

Grand slam finals

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Doubles (3 titles, 4 runner-ups)

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Result Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score
Loss 1958 Australian Championships Grass Australia Roy Emerson Australia Ashley Cooper
Australia Neale Fraser
5–7, 8–6, 6–3, 3–6, 5–7
Win 1959 Australian Championships Grass Australia Rod Laver Australia Don Candy
Australia Bob Howe
9–7, 6–4, 6–2
Loss 1959 Wimbledon Championships Grass Australia Rod Laver Australia Roy Emerson
Australia Neale Fraser
6–8, 3–6, 16–14, 7–9
Win 1960 Australian Championships Grass Australia Rod Laver Australia Roy Emerson
Australia Neale Fraser
1–6, 6–2, 6–4, 6–4
Loss 1960 US Championships Grass Australia Rod Laver Australia Roy Emerson
Australia Neale Fraser
7–9, 2–6, 4–6
Win 1961 Australian Championships Grass Australia Rod Laver Australia Roy Emerson
Australia Martin Mulligan
6–3, 7–5, 3–6, 9–11, 6–2

Mixed Doubles: (2 titles, 1 runner-ups)

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Result Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score
Win 1959 Australian Championships Grass South Africa Sandra Reynolds South Africa Renée Schuurman
Australia Rod Laver
4–6, 13–11, 6–1
Loss 1959 U.S. Championships Grass United States Janet Hopps United States Margaret Osborne
Australia Neale Fraser
5–7, 15–13, 2–6
Win 1961 U.S. Championships Grass Australia Margaret Smith United States Darlene Hard
United States Dennis Ralston
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References

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  1. ^ "Olmedo beats Schmidt - and injury". The Sydney Morning Herald. 23 January 1959. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
  2. ^ "Mark Upsets MacKay, U.S. No. 1". New York Daily News. 9 September 1960. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
  3. ^ "Bob Mark wins tennis final". The Canberra Times. 13 June 1960. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
  4. ^ Howard Jones (8 August 2006). "Tennis champ not forgotten". The Border Mail.
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