Fred Stolle

Fred Stolle
AO
Full nameFrederick Sydney Stolle
Country (sports) Australia
ResidenceAventura, Florida, US
Born (1938-10-08) 8 October 1938 (age 86)
Hornsby, New South Wales, Australia
Height6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)[1]
Turned pro1966 (amateur from 1958)
Retired1976
PlaysRight-handed (one-handed backhand)
Int. Tennis HoF1985 (member page)
Singles
Career record860–442 (66.0%)[2]
Career titles39[2]
Highest rankingNo. 1 (1966, World Tennis)[3]
Grand Slam singles results
Australian OpenF (1964, 1965)
French OpenW (1965)
WimbledonF (1963, 1964, 1965)
US OpenW (1966)
Professional majors
US ProSF (1967)
Wembley Pro1R (1967)
French ProSF (1967)
Doubles
Career record189–101
Highest rankingNo. 1 (1964)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian OpenW (1963, 1964, 1966)
French OpenW (1965, 1968)
WimbledonW (1962, 1964)
US OpenW (1965, 1966, 1969)
Mixed doubles
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
Australian OpenW (1962, 1969)
French OpenF (1962, 1963, 1964)
WimbledonW (1961, 1964, 1969)
US OpenW (1962, 1965)

Frederick Sydney Stolle, AO[4] (born 8 October 1938) is an Australian former amateur world No. 1 tennis player and commentator. He was born in Hornsby, New South Wales, Australia. He is the father of former Australian Davis Cup player Sandon Stolle.

Career

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Stolle is notable for being the only male player in history to have lost his first five Grand Slam singles finals, all but one were to Roy Emerson, the fifth of which he led by two sets to love. However, Stolle went on to win two Grand Slam tournament singles titles, the 1965 French Championships and the 1966 US Championships.[5] At Wimbledon and the Australian Championships he finished as runner-up in these tournaments and losing to compatriot Roy Emerson on no fewer than five occasions. World Tennis magazine ranked Stolle world No. 1 amateur in 1966.[6]

Stolle won ten Grand Slam doubles titles, partnering with compatriots Bob Hewitt (4 titles), Roy Emerson (4 titles) and Ken Rosewall (2 titles). In addition Stolle won 7 Grand Slam mixed doubles titles.

As a member of the Australian Davis Cup team Stolle won the Davis Cup title in 1964,[7] 1965 and 1966.[8] In 1964 Stolle and Emerson were briefly suspended from the Australian Davis Cup team for going on an overseas tour in defiance of a Lawn Tennis Association of Australia order to remain in Australia until April.[9]

Stolle turned professional in 1966,[1] and as a pro, won two singles and 13 doubles titles. He earned about US$500,000 in career prize money.[10]

Stolle coached Vitas Gerulaitis from 1977 until 1983.

For many years, Stolle did TV commentary for ESPN and other tennis broadcasts. He currently provides commentary on Grand Slam tennis tournaments for Australia's Fox Sports and the Nine Network.

Honours

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For his contribution to the tennis sport Fred Stolle was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1985.[11] In 1988 he was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.[12] He received an Australian Sports Medal in 2000 and was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2005.[4][13] In 2020, Stolle was awarded the ITF Philippe Chatrier Award, for his contribution to tennis both during his career and post-retirement.[14]

Grand Slam finals

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Singles (2 titles, 6 runners-up)

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Result Year Championship Surface Opponent Score
Loss 1963 Wimbledon Grass United States Chuck McKinley 7–9, 1–6, 4–6
Loss 1964 Australian Championships Grass Australia Roy Emerson 3–6, 4–6, 2–6
Loss 1964 Wimbledon Grass Australia Roy Emerson 1–6, 10–12, 6–4, 3–6
Loss 1964 US Championships Grass Australia Roy Emerson 4–6, 2–6, 4–6
Loss 1965 Australian Championships Grass Australia Roy Emerson 9–7, 6–2, 4–6, 5–7, 1–6
Win 1965 French Championships Clay Australia Tony Roche 3–6, 6–0, 6–2, 6–3
Loss 1965 Wimbledon Grass Australia Roy Emerson 2–6, 4–6, 4–6
Win 1966 US Championships Grass Australia John Newcombe 4–6, 12–10, 6–3, 6–4

Doubles (10 titles, 6 runners-up)

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Result Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score
Loss 1961 Wimbledon Grass Australia Bob Hewitt Australia Roy Emerson
Australia Neale Fraser		 4–6, 8–6, 4–6, 8–6, 6–8
Loss 1962 Australian Championships Grass Australia Bob Hewitt Australia Roy Emerson
Australia Neale Fraser		 6–4, 6–4, 1–6, 4–6, 9–11
Win 1962 Wimbledon Grass Australia Bob Hewitt Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Boro Jovanović
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Nikola Pilić		 6–2, 5–7, 6–2, 6–4
Win 1963 Australian Championships Grass Australia Bob Hewitt Australia Ken Fletcher
Australia John Newcombe		 6–2, 3–6, 6–3, 3–6, 6–3
Win 1964 Australian Championships Grass Australia Bob Hewitt Australia Roy Emerson
Australia Ken Fletcher		 6–4, 7–5, 3–6, 4–6, 14–12
Win 1964 Wimbledon Grass Australia Bob Hewitt Australia Roy Emerson
Australia Ken Fletcher		 7–5, 11–9, 6–4
Loss 1965 Australian Championships Grass Australia Roy Emerson Australia John Newcombe
Australia Tony Roche		 6–3, 6–4, 11–13, 3–6, 4–6
Win 1965 French Championships Clay Australia Roy Emerson Australia Ken Fletcher
Australia Bob Hewitt		 6–8, 6–3, 8–6, 6–2
Win 1965 US Championships Grass Australia Roy Emerson United States Frank Froehling
United States Charles Pasarell		 6–4, 10–12, 7–5, 6–3
Win 1966 Australian Championships Grass Australia Roy Emerson Australia John Newcombe
Australia Tony Roche		 7–9, 6–3, 6–8, 14–12, 12–10
Win 1966 US Championships Grass Australia Roy Emerson United States Clark Graebner
United States Dennis Ralston		 6–4, 6–4, 6–4
Win 1968 French Open Clay Australia Ken Rosewall Australia Roy Emerson
Australia Rod Laver		 6–3, 6–4, 6–3
Loss 1968 Wimbledon Grass Australia Ken Rosewall Australia John Newcombe
Australia Tony Roche		 6–3, 6–8, 7–5, 12–14, 3–6
Loss 1969 Australian Open Grass Australia Ken Rosewall Australia Rod Laver
Australia Roy Emerson		 4–6, 4–6
Win 1969 US Open Grass Australia Ken Rosewall United States Charles Pasarell
United States Dennis Ralston		 2–6, 7–5, 13–11, 6–3
Loss 1970 Wimbledon Grass Australia Ken Rosewall Australia John Newcombe
Australia Tony Roche		 8–10, 3–6, 1–6

Open-era doubles titles (10)

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No Year Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
1. 1968 French Open, Paris Clay Australia Ken Rosewall Australia Roy Emerson
Australia Rod Laver 		6–3, 6–4, 6–3
2. 1968 Los Angeles, US Hard Australia Ken Rosewall South Africa Cliff Drysdale
United Kingdom Roger Taylor 		7–5, 6–1
3. 1969 US Open, New York Grass Australia Ken Rosewall United States Charlie Pasarell
United States Dennis Ralston 		2–6, 7–5, 13–11, 6–3
4. 1971 Bologna WCT, Italy Carpet Australia Ken Rosewall South Africa Robert Maud
South Africa Frew McMillan 		6–7, 6–2, 6–3, 6–3
5. 1972 Bretton Woods, US Hard Australia John Alexander Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Nikola Pilić
United States Cliff Richey 		7–6, 7–6
6. 1972 Vancouver WCT, Canada Outdoor Australia John Newcombe South Africa Cliff Drysdale
Australia Allan Stone 		7–6, 6–0
7. 1972 Johannesburg-2, South Africa Hard Australia John Newcombe Australia Terry Addison
Australia Bob Carmichael 		6–3, 6–4
8. 1973 Chicago WCT, US Carpet Australia Ken Rosewall Egypt Ismail El Shafei
New Zealand Brian Fairlie 		6–7, 6–4, 6–2
9. 1973 Cleveland WCT, US Carpet Australia Ken Rosewall Egypt Ismail El Shafei
New Zealand Brian Fairlie 		6–2, 6–3
10. 1973 Bretton Woods, US Clay Australia Rod Laver Australia Bob Carmichael
South Africa Frew McMillan 		7–6, 4–6, 7–5

Performance timeline

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Key
W  F  SF QF #R RR Q# DNQ A NH
(W) winner; (F) finalist; (SF) semifinalist; (QF) quarterfinalist; (#R) rounds 4, 3, 2, 1; (RR) round-robin stage; (Q#) qualification round; (DNQ) did not qualify; (A) absent; (NH) not held; (SR) strike rate (events won / competed); (W–L) win–loss record.

Singles

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1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 SR W–L Win %
Grand Slam tournaments 2 / 41 102–39 72.3
Australian Open 1R A 1R SF QF SF F F SF A A QF A 3R A A A A A A A A 0 / 10 23–10 69.7
French Open A A 2R 3R 4R 2R 4R W QF A 2R QF A A A A A A A A A 1 / 9 23–8 74.2
Wimbledon A A 1R 2R 3R F F F 2R A 4R 4R 1R 4R A A A A A A 1R 0 / 12 31–12 72.1
US Open A A A A 2R A F 2R W A 2R QF 3R A QF A A 1R A 2R A 1 / 10 25–9 73.5
Pro Slam tournaments 0 / 3 4–3 57.1
U.S. Pro A A A A A A A A A SF Not a Major 0 / 1 2–1 66.7
French Pro A A A A A A A A A SF Not a Major 0 / 1 2–1 66.7
Wembley Pro A A A A A A A A A 1R Not a Major 0 / 1 0–1 0.0
Win–loss 0–1 0–3 6–3 8–4 9–3 19–4 18–3 15–3 4–3 4–3 13–4 1–2 4–2 4–1 0–1 1–1 0–1 2 / 41 106–42 71.6

Note: The Australian Open was held twice in 1977, in January and December.

References

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  1. ^ a b "Fred Stolle". atpworldtour.com. Association of Tennis Professionals. Retrieved 9 July 2015.
  2. ^ a b "Fred Stolle: Career match record". thetennisbase.com. Tennis Base. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
  3. ^ "The Sacramento Bee, 24 November 1966". newspapers.com. 24 November 1966.
  4. ^ a b "STOLLE, Frederick Sydney, AO". It's an Honour. Archived from the original on 15 October 2020. Retrieved 23 December 2013.
  5. ^ Frank Deford (19 September 1966). "A forgotten Aussie refreshes the memory". Sports Illustrated. Vol. 25, no. 12. pp. 105–109.
  6. ^ "The Sacramento Bee, 24 November 1966". newspapers.com. 24 November 1966.
  7. ^ Frank Deford (5 October 1964). "Failure of a Winning Formula". Sports Illustrated. Vol. 21, no. 14. pp. 30–31.
  8. ^ Ernest Shirley (10 January 1966). "¡Olé! Manolo—a little bit too late". Sports Illustrated. Vol. 24, no. 2. pp. 48–49.
  9. ^ John Lovesey (13 July 1964). "The Outcasts Are Counted In". Sports Illustrated. Vol. 21, no. 2. pp. 22, 25.
  10. ^ "ATP Player Profile". Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP). Retrieved 30 March 2012.
  11. ^ "Tennis Hall of Fame – Fred Stolle". Newport International Tennis Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 22 March 2012. Retrieved 30 March 2012.
  12. ^ "Fred Stolle". Sport Australia Hall of Fame. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  13. ^ "Staale, Fred: Australian Sports Medal". It's an Honour. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 24 December 2013.
  14. ^ "SANTANA AND STOLLE HONOURED WITH ITF PHILIPPE CHATRIER AWARD". ITF Website. 31 March 2020. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
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