Australia Has Not Won An Australian Men’s Singles Tournament Since 1976

Victor P Taffa

Australian Open Male Singles Tennis Champions Before And After Introduction Of Open Era In May 1968

• 6 is Number Of Australian Open Champions 1969-2019
• 44 is Number Of Australian Open Champions 1905-1968
• 45 is Number Of Opens Australians Did Not Win 1969-2019
• 12 is Number Of Opens Australians Did Not Win 1905-1968
• 51 is Total Number Of Opens Contested 1969-2019
• 56 is Total Number Of Opens Contested 1905-1968
• 3 is Number Of Opens Missed During World War I
• 5 is Number Of Opens Missed During World War II
• 1 is Number Of Opens Missed By Moving Open Date in 1986

Prior to the introduction of the Professional era in Tennis from 1968 Australia dominated in all of the Major Championships whether it was singles or doubles.

Yet once players were paid a professional wage Australia’s performance began to decline and other countries that had never been a force in Tennis began to improve.

Some people might try to say that the introduction of the Open Era improved Australian Tennis. Yet the opposite has occurred. While reading and entering in names of Championship winners it is quite obvious to see periods of rivalry between players and periods of domination in victories by players. Australian Tennis has gone backwards since 1968 and the introduction of the Open Era.

People who thought that the introduction of the Open Era in 1968 would continue our golden age of success in Tennis have proved to be wrong. Quite clearly competitiveness and rivalry was as strong in Major Championships before 1968 as much as after 1968 yet Australia as a Tennis Nation has declined.

However if everyone from the very top of Tennis Australia cared then this can be turned around. One or two players having success is not exactly what I mean. Tennis Australia needs to ensure that our years of dominance are restored by making Tennis the game of choice for young people to play. Restored domination of tennis by Australia will not be achieved overnight.

Earning a professional wage is not to be looked down upon. However once players such as John Newcombe, Tony Roche, Ken Rosewall and Margaret Court had retired and who played beyond 1968 there was no succession plan for the next golden era of Australian Tennis.

Rather than a succession plan for a golden era it was a succession plan of failure for Australian Tennis.

Along with this Tennis Administrators have been more interested in

• Changing the Australian Open from Grass to Hard Court,
• Changing the month that the Open was held in 1977,
• Changing the month that the Open was held leaving 1986 without an Open,
• No Mixed Doubles Australian Open played from 1970-85 that affected continuity of performances.

Australian Open was held from 19-29 January 1968. Open Era began with French Open in 1968. Yet there were 2 Australian Opens in 1977 and none in 1986 while wondering why Australian Tennis is failing. Not to mention that no Australian Open Mixed Doubles were held from 1970-85. Australian Tennis Administration has been a big part of the problem.

World Wars I & II

Gaps caused by World Wars 1 & II were entirely different situations to a lack of performance by Australia in Major Championships since 1976. Players who won Major Championships before World War II returned to form and dominated after the war.

John Bromwich and Adrian Quist

John Bromwich and Adrian Quist won Australian Open Men’s Doubles in 1938, 39 and 1940. Competitions were not played in 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944 and 1945 yet they both returned to dominate Australian Open Mens Doubles in 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949 and 1950.

If these two men can maintain form given a 5 year gap of World War II what does that say about Australian Tennis in 2019?

Thelma Coyne Long and Nancye Wynne Bolton

Thelma Coyne Long and Nancye Wynne Bolton won Australian Open Women’s Doubles in 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939 and 1940. Competitions were not played in 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944 and 1945 yet they both returned to dominate Australian Open Womens Doubles in 1947, 1948, 1949, 1951 and 1952.

If these two ladies can maintain form given a 5-year gap of World War II what does that say about Australian Tennis in 2019?

Historic Tennis venues such as White City in Sydney have been lost which means more than just nostalgia. When you chip away at a house foundation you weaken the structure and the house ends up falling down.

Some reasons for the ongoing failure of Australian Tennis Players at Major Championships include:

• Player tantrums resulting from lack of mental discipline,
• Coaching Failures,
• Entry of Tennis into Olympic Games again,
• Increased competition from other sports,
• Lack of Hunger from Players,
• Lack of Player motivation,
• Level of Money not balanced towards winning a Major Championship,
• Level of Money offered seen as a sign of success and unrelated to winning a Major Championship,
• Poor Tennis Administration not focused on Player success,
• Surface of Australian Open switched away from Grass,
• Tennis Courts ripped up and replaced with Blocks of Home Units,
• Tennis seen as an old sport.

Tennis is similar to running a Marathon Running Event of 42 Km.

Running for 5 Sets requires stamina, fitness and explosive speed.

Editor Victor P Taffa includes his sporting background to add weight to his comments on the lack of success by Australian Tennis Players at Major Championships since 1969.

Sporting Background Of Editor Victor P Taffa includes:

• 1972 Played as a Rugby Union Breakaway with St. Therese Denistone Primary School
• 1977 North Melbourne v Collingwood VFL Grand Final Watched for First Time Live on Colour TV in Sydney
• 1978 Started Following Richmond Tigers VFL
• 1980 Played at Right Forward Pocket with UAFSC
• 1990 Became Member of Richmond Tigers AFL
• 1990-95 Swimmer with Balmain Leagues Swimming Club Best Times 50 Metres in 50 Seconds
• 1996 Began Richmond Tigers Greater Sydney Supporters Club
• 2000 Boundary Umpire with the Sydney Premier Division Competition
• 2001 City-Surf 14 Km Run Time: 79 min 36 sec
• 2002 City-Surf 14 Km Run Time: 74 min 28 sec
• 2001 Gladesville Fun Run 10 km Time: 53 min 04 sec
• 2001 Sydney Marathon 42 km Time: 4.09.33
• 2002 Sydney Marathon 42 km Time: 4.07.09

Hardest job to do in Australian Rules Football is Boundary Umpire as it requires the most amount of running.

Best Footballers are those who are the Fittest.

Best Tennis Players are those who are the Fittest.

In decades past this was not the case however the way Football and Tennis has gone means a Player fitness level has to increase.

In running the 2001 and 2002 City-Surf came from weeks of training and Victor did not have a coach.

In running the 2001 and 2002 Sydney Marathon came from weeks of training and Victor did not have a coach.

However Victor only ran both events in the following year to see if my first effort wasn’t a fluke.

Victor ran a PB in both events.

Tennis in Australia it would appear is going backwards. If Australia was producing a succession of players who were winning any of the 4 Major Championships in recent years then people could say Victor is wrong.

Tennis in Australia needs to lift its game and results.

Australian Open Men’s Singles Champion

Australian Open is an annual tennis tournament created in 1905 and played on outdoor Hardcourts at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia.

Australian Open is played over a two-week period beginning in mid-January and has been chronologically the first of the four Grand Slam tournaments each year since 1987.

Event was not held from 1916-1918 because of World War I, from 1941-1945 because of World War II and in 1986.

Timing of the Australian Open has changed several times. In 1977, the date of the final moved from January to December, which resulted in having two Australian Opens in 1977; there was a January edition and a December edition that year.

Originally planned December 1986 edition was moved forward to January 1987, resulting in no Australian Open in 1986.

Australian Open Playing Surfaces

Australian Open court surface changed once, from grass courts to hard courts in 1988.

Mats Wilander was the only tennis player to win the event on grass and on Rebound Ace surfaces, which he won twice on grass and once on Rebound Ace.

Roger Federer is the only player to have won on both Rebound Ace and Plexicushion tennis surfaces.

Champions

Year                Champion                                      Runner-up

2019                Novak Djokovic (SER)                       Rafael Nadal (SPA)

2018                Roger Federer (SWI)                          Marin Cilic (CRO)

2017                Roger Federer (SWI)                          Rafael Nadal (SPA)

2016                Novak Djokovic (SER)                       Andy Murray (UK)

2015                Novak Djokovic (SER)                       Andy Murray (UK)

2014                Stan Wawrinka (SWI)                        Rafael Nadal (SPA)

2013                Novak Djokovic (SER)                       Andy Murray (UK)

2012                Novak Djokovic (SER)                       Rafael Nadal (SPA)

2011                Novak Djokovic (SER)                       Andy Murray (UK)

2010                Roger Federer (SWI)                          Andy Murray (UK)

2009                Rafael Nadal (SPA)                            Roger Federer (SWI)

2008                Novak Djokovic (SER)                       Jo-Wilfred Tsonga (FRA)

2007                Roger Federer (SWI)                          Fernando Gonzalez (CHL)

2006                Roger Federer (SWI)                          Marcos Baghdatis (CYP)

2005                Marat Safin (RUS)                              Lleyton Hewitt (AUS)

2004                Roger Federer (SWI)                          Marat Safin (RUS)

2003                Andre Agassi (USA)                          Rainer Schuttler (GER)

2002                Thomas Johansson (SWE)              Marat Safin (RUS)

2001                Andre Agassi (USA)                          Arnaud Clement (FRA)

2000                Andre Agassi (USA)                          Yevgeny Kafelnikov (RUS)

1999                Yevgeny Kafelnikov (RUS)               Thomas Enqvist (SWE)

1998                Petr Korda (CZE)                               Marcelo Rios (CHL)

1997                Pete Sampras (USA)                           Carlos Moya (SPA)

1996                Boris Becker (GER)                           Michael Chang (USA)

1995                Andre Agassi (USA)                          Pete Sampras (USA)

1994                Pete Sampras (USA)                           Todd Martin (USA)

1993                Jim Courier (USA)                             Stefan Edberg (SWE)

1992                Jim Courier (USA)                             Stefan Edberg (SWE)

1991                Boris Becker (GER)                           Ivan Lendl (CZE)

1990                Ivan Lendl (CZE)                               Stefan Edberg (SWE)

1989                Ivan Lendl (CZE)                               Miloslav Mecir (CZE)

1988                Mats Wilander (SWE)                       Pat Cash (AUS)

1987                Stefan Edberg (SWE)                         Pat Cash (AUS)

1986                None

1985                Stefan Edberg (SWE)                         Mats Wilander (SWE)           

1984                Mats Wilander (SWE)                       Kevin Curren (SA)

1983                Mats Wilander (SWE)                       Ivan Lendl (CZE)

1982                Johan Kriek (USA)                             Steve Denton (USA)

1981                Johan Kriek (SA)                                Steve Denton (USA)

1980                Brian Teacher (USA)                          Kim Warwick (AUS)

1979                Guillermo Vilas (ARG)                      John Sadri (USA)

1978                Guillermo Vilas (ARG)                      John Marks (AUS)

1977 (Jan)       Roscoe Tanner (USA)                        Guillermo Vilas (ARG)

1977 (Dec)      Vitas Gerulaitis (USA)                       John Lloyd (UK)

1976                Mark Edmondson (AUS)                   John Newcombe (AUS)

1975                John Newcombe (AUS)                      Jimmy Connors (USA)

1974                Jimmy Connors (USA)                       Phil Dent (AUS)

1973                John Newcombe (AUS)                      Onny Parun (NZ)

1972                Ken Rosewall (AUS)                          Malcolm Anderson (AUS)

1971                Ken Rosewall (AUS)                          Arthur Ashe (USA)

1970                Arthur Ashe (USA)                            Dick Crealy (AUS)

1969                Rod Laver (AUS)                               Andres Gimeno (SPA)

Australian Open 1969-

Open Era Tennis Begins May 1968

1968 Australian Open Held From 19-29 January 1968

1968                William Bowrey (AUS)                      Juan Gisbert (SPA)

1967                Roy Emerson (AUS)                          Arthur Ashe (USA)

1966                Roy Emerson (AUS)                          Arthur Ashe (USA)

1965                Roy Emerson (AUS)                          Fred Stolle (AUS)

1964                Roy Emerson (AUS)                          Fred Stolle (AUS)

1963                Roy Emerson (AUS)                          Ken Fletcher (AUS)

1962                Rod Laver (AUS)                               Roy Emerson (AUS)

1961                Roy Emerson (AUS)                          Rod Laver (AUS)

1960                Rod Laver (AUS)                               Neale Fraser (AUS)

1959                Alex Olmedo (USA)                           Neale Fraser (AUS)

1958                Ashley Cooper (AUS)                        Malcolm Anderson (AUS)

1957                Ashley Cooper (AUS)                        Neale Fraser (AUS)

1956                Lew Hoad (AUS)                                Ken Rosewall (AUS)

1955                Ken Rosewall (AUS)                          Lew Hoad (AUS)

1954                Mervyn Rose (AUS)                           Rex Hartwig (AUS)

1953                Ken Rosewall (AUS)                          Mervyn Rose (AUS)

1952                Ken McGregor (AUS)                       Frank Sedgman (AUS)

1951                Dick Savitt (USA)                               Ken McGregor (AUS)

1950                Frank Sedgman (AUS)                       Ken McGregor (AUS)

1949                Frank Sedgman (AUS)                       John Bromwich (AUS)

1948                Adrian Quist (AUS)                            John Bromwich (AUS)

1947                Dinny Pails (AUS)                              John Bromwich (AUS)

1946                John Bromwich (AUS)                       Dinny Pails (AUS)

1945                No competition

1944                No competition

1943                No competition

1942                No competition

1941                No competition

1940                Adrian Quist (AUS)                            Jack Crawford (AUS)

1939                John Bromwich (AUS)                       Adrian Quist (AUS)

1938                Don Budge (USA)                              John Bromwich (AUS)

1937                Vivian McGrath (AUS)                      John Bromwich (AUS)

1936                Adrian Quist (AUS)                            Jack Crawford (AUS)

1935                Jack Crawford (AUS)                         Fred Perry (UK)

1934                Fred Perry (UK)                                  Jack Crawford (AUS)

1933                Jack Crawford (AUS)                         Keith Gledhill (USA)

1932                Jack Crawford (AUS)                         Harry Hopman (AUS)

1931                Jack Crawford (AUS)                         Harry Hopman (AUS)

1930                Edgar Moon (AUS)                            Harry Hopman (AUS)

1929                John Colin Gregory (UK)                   Richard Schlesinger (AUS)

1928                Jean Borotra (FRA)                            Jack Cummings (AUS)

1927                Gerald Patterson (AUS)                      John Hawkes (AUS)

Australian Championships 1927-1968

1926                John Hawkes (AUS)                           James Willard (AUS)

1925                James Anderson (AUS)                      Gerald Patterson (AUS)

1924                James Anderson (AUS)                      Richard Schlesinger (AUS)

1923                Pat O’Hara Wood (AUS)                   Bert St. John (AUS)

1922                James Anderson (AUS)                      Gerald Patterson (AUS)

1921                Rhys Gemmell (AUS)                        Alf Hedeman (AUS)

1920                Pat O’Hara Wood (AUS)                   Ronald Thomas (AUS)

1919                Algernon Kingscote (UK)                  Eric Pockley (AUS)

1918                No competition

1917                No competition

1916                No competition

1915                Gordon Lowe (UK)                            Horace Rice (AUS)

1914                Arthur O’Hara Wood (AUS)            Gerald Patterson (AUS)

1913                Ernie Parker (AUS)                            Harry Parker (NZ)

1912                James Cecil Parke (UK)                     Alfred Beamish (UK)

1911                Norman Brookes (AUS)                     Horace Rice (AUS)

1910                Rodney Heath (AUS)                         Horace Rice (AUS)

1909                Anthony Wilding (NZ)                       Ernie Parker (AUS)

1908                Fred Alexander (USA)                       Alfred Dunlop (AUS)

1907                Horace Rice (AUS)                            Harry Parker (NZ)

1906                Anthony Wilding (NZ)                       Francis Fisher (NZ)

1905                Rodney Heath (AUS)                         Albert Curtis (AUS)

Australasian Championships 1905-1926

Multiple Champions

Player                                Amateur Era Open Era   All-Time     Years

Novak Djokovic (SER)           0                      7                      7                      2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2019,

Roy Emerson (AUS)              6                      0                      6                      1961, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967,

Roger Federer (SWI)              0                      6                      6                      2004, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2017, 2018,

Jack Crawford (AUS)             4                      0                      4                      1931, 1932, 1933, 1935,

Andre Agassi (USA)              0                      4                      4                      1995, 2000, 2001, 2003,

Ken Rosewall (AUS)              2                      2                      4                      1953, 1955, 1971, 1972,

James Anderson (AUS)          3                      0                      3                      1922, 1924, 1925,

Rod Laver (AUS)                     2                      1                      3                      1960, 1962, 1969,

Adrian Quist (AUS)                3                      0                      3                      1936, 1940, 1948,

Mats Wilander (SWE)           0                      3                      3                      1983, 1984, 1988,

Boris Becker (GER)               0                      2                      2                      1991, 1996,

John Bromwich (AUS)           2                      0                      2                      1939, 1946,

Ashley Cooper (AUS)            2                      0                      2                      1957, 1958,

Jim Courier (USA)                 0                      2                      2                      1992, 1993,

Stefan Edberg (SWE)             0                      2                      2                      1985, 1987,

Rodney Heath (AUS)             2                      0                      2                      1905, 1910,

Johan Kriek (SA, USA)          0                      2                      2                      1981, 1982,

Ivan Lendl (CZE)                   0                      2                      2                      1989, 1990,

John Newcombe (AUS)          0                      2                      2                      1973, 1975,

Pete Sampras (USA)               0                      2                      2                      1994, 1997,

Frank Sedgman (AUS)           2                      0                      2                      1949, 1950,

Guillermo Vilas (ARG)          0                      2                      2                      1978, 1979,

Anthony Wilding (NZ)           2                      0                      2                      1906, 1909,

Pat O’Hara Wood (AUS)       2                      0                      2                      1920, 1923,

Abbreviations

AUS                Australia

AU                  Austria

BAH               Bahamas

BEL                Belarus

BE                   Belgium

BRA                Brazil

CAN               Canada

CHL                Chile

CRO                Croatia

CYP                Cyprus

CZE                Czech Republic

CZE                Czechoslovakia

DEN                Denmark

ECU                Ecuador

FIN                 Finland

FRA                France

GER                Germany

HUN               Hungary

IND                 India

ISR                  Israel

ITA                 Italy

JAP                 Japan

MEX               Mexico

NAZ                Nazi Germany

NET                The Netherlands

NZ                   New Zealand

PER                 Peru

POL                Poland

ROM               Romania

RUS                Russia

SA                   South Africa

SER                 Serbia

SPA                 Spain

SWE                Sweden

SWI                 Switzerland

UK                  United Kingdom

URU               Uruguay

USA                United States of America

YUG               Yugoslavia

ZIM                 Zimbabwe

PB                   Personal Best

UAFSC           United Australian Football Sports Club

VFL                Victorian Football League (Preceded the AFL)

AFL                Australian Football League