Who was Lew Hoad?
Lew Hoad was an Australian tennis champion of the 1950s who won Wimbledon in 1956 and 1957. In 1956, he won three of the four Grand Slam singles titles, coming close to a calendar Grand Slam.
Hoad was born in Sydney in 1934, just a few weeks apart from Ken Rosewall. The two were childhood rivals and later became Davis Cup teammates, sometimes known as the Whiz Kids.
Hoad was a powerful player with a big serve and aggressive groundstrokes. Many of his peers considered him one of the most naturally gifted players ever.
The 1956 season
In 1956, Hoad won the Australian Championships, the French Championships and Wimbledon. He reached the US Championships final but lost to Rosewall, missing the Grand Slam.
He defended his Wimbledon title in 1957 and then turned professional, which meant he could no longer play in Grand Slam events. Back injuries affected his professional career.
Hoad helped Australia win the Davis Cup several times in the 1950s. He later moved to Spain, where he ran a tennis club with his wife, Jenny. He died in 1994 and was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1980.
Did You Know?
Hoad and Rosewall won several Grand Slam doubles titles together.