 | |
| Full name | Mervyn Gordon Rose |
|---|---|
| Country (sports) |  Australia |
| Born | (1930-01-23)23 January 1930 Coffs Harbour,New South Wales, Australia |
| Died | 24 July 2017(2017-07-24) (aged 87) Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, Australia |
| Turned pro | 1959 (amateur tour from 1949) |
| Retired | 1972 |
| Plays | Left-handed (one-handed backhand) |
| Int. Tennis HoF | 2001(member page) |
| Singles | |
| Highest ranking | No. 3 (1958,Lance Tingay)[1] |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| Australian Open | W (1954) |
| French Open | W (1958) |
| Wimbledon | SF (1952,1953,1958) |
| US Open | SF (1952) |
| Other tournaments | |
| Professional majors | |
| Wembley Pro | QF (1959) |
| French Pro | QF (1959) |
| TOC | 1R (1959FH) |
| Doubles | |
| Grand Slam doubles results | |
| Australian Open | W (1954) |
| French Open | F (1953, 1957) |
| Wimbledon | W (1954) |
| US Open | W (1952, 1953) |
| Grand Slam mixed doubles results | |
| French Open | F (1951, 1953) |
| Wimbledon | W (1957) |
| US Open | F (1951) |
Mervyn Gordon RoseAM (23 January 1930 – 23 July 2017) was an Australian maletennis player who won seven Grand Slam titles (singles, doubles and mixed doubles).
Rose was born inCoffs Harbour,New South Wales, and turned professional in 1959. He was ranked inside the world's Top 10 throughout much of his tennis career and represented Australia in theDavis Cup from 1951 to 1957. He was ranked World No. 3 in 1958 byLance Tingay ofThe Daily Telegraph.[1]
Rose won the singles title at the1954 Australian Championships in Sydney, defeating compatriotRex Hartwig in the final in four sets.[2][3] Four years later, in 1958, he became the French singles champion after a straight-sets victory in the final againstLuis Ayala.[4][5]
Rose won the 1953Canadian Open singles title, defeating Hartwig in the final in three straight sets. His other career singles highlights include winning theDeauville Tennis Cup three times 1955, 1957,[6] and 1958.[7]
Rose became a professional in 1959 and played in tournaments with Kramer's group of contract players. He was officially ranked No. 9 in Kramer's point ranking system for 1959.[8][9]
He coached numerous female and male players, includingBillie Jean King,Margaret Court, Ernie Ewart, Michael Fancutt, Brett Prentice,Arantxa Sánchez Vicario,Eleni Daniilidou,Nadia Petrova,Magdalena Grzybowska and Caroline Schnieder.
Rose was awarded theAustralian Sports Medal in 2000, inducted into theInternational Tennis Hall of Fame in 2001 and theAustralian Tennis Hall of Fame in 2002. He was appointed aMember of the Order of Australia (AM) in the2006 Australia Day Honours for service to tennis, particularly as a competitor at national and international levels and as a coach and mentor to both amateur and professional players.[10][11] Rose died on 23 July 2017 at the age of 87.[4][5]
| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 1953 | Australian Championships | Grass | Ken Rosewall | 0–6, 3–6, 4–6 |
| Win | 1954 | Australian Championships | Grass | Rex Hartwig | 6–2, 0–6, 6–4, 6–2 |
| Win | 1958 | French Championships | Clay |  Luis Ayala | 6–3, 6–4, 6–4 |
| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 1951 | US Championships | Grass | Don Candy | Ken McGregorFrank Sedgman | 8–10, 4–6, 6–4, 5–7 |
| Loss | 1952 | Australian Championships | Grass | Don Candy | Ken McGregorFrank Sedgman | 4–6, 5–7, 3–6 |
| Win | 1952 | US Championships | Grass |  Vic Seixas | Ken McGregorFrank Sedgman | 3–6, 10–8, 10–8, 6–8, 8–6 |
| Loss | 1953 | Australian Championships | Grass | Don Candy | Lew HoadKen Rosewall | 11–9, 4–6, 8–10, 4–6 |
| Loss | 1953 | French Championships | Clay | Clive Wilderspin | Lew HoadKen Rosewall | 2–6, 1–6, 1–6 |
| Loss | 1953 | Wimbledon | Grass | Rex Hartwig | Lew HoadKen Rosewall | 4–6, 5–7, 6–4, 5–7 |
| Win | 1953 | US Championships | Grass | Rex Hartwig | Gardnar MulloyBill Talbert | 6–4, 4–6, 6–2, 6–4 |
| Win | 1954 | Australian Championships | Grass | Rex Hartwig | Neale FraserClive Wilderspin | 6–3, 6–4, 6–2 |
| Win | 1954 | Wimbledon | Grass | Rex Hartwig | Vic SeixasTony Trabert | 6–4, 6–4, 3–6, 6–4 |
| Loss | 1956 | Australian Championships | Grass | Don Candy | Lew HoadKen Rosewall | 8–10, 11–13, 4–6 |
| Loss | 1957 | French Championships | Clay | Don Candy | Malcolm AndersonAshley Cooper | 3–6, 0–6, 3–6 |
| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 1951 | French Championships | Clay | Thelma Coyne Long |  Doris HartFrank Sedgman | 5–7, 2–6 |
| Loss | 1951 | Wimbledon | Grass | Nancye Wynne Bolton | Doris HartFrank Sedgman | 5–7, 2–6 |
| Loss | 1951 | U.S. Championships | Grass | Shirley Fry | Doris HartFrank Sedgman | 3–6, 2–6 |
| Loss | 1953 | French Championships | Clay | Maureen Connolly | Doris HartVic Seixas | 6–4, 4–6, 0–6 |
| Win | 1957 | Wimbledon | Grass | Darlene Hard | Althea GibsonNeale Fraser | 6–4, 7–5 |
| W | F | SF | QF | #R | RR | Q# | DNQ | A | NH |
| Tournament | 1949 | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Open | 3R | QF | QF | SF | F | W | QF | QF | A | SF | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 1R | 2R | 1 / 11 |
| French Open | A | 3R | QF | 4R | 4R | QF | QF | A | SF | W | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 1 / 8 |
| Wimbledon | A | 3R | 1R | SF | SF | QF | 2R | A | QF | SF | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 0 / 8 |
| US Open | A | 2R | 4R | SF | 4R | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 0 / 4 |
| Strike rate | 0 / 1 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 4 | 1 / 3 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 2 | 1 / 3 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 1 | 2 / 31 |
