
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