McNamee playing tennis in 2011 | |
| Country (sports) | Australia |
|---|---|
| Born | (1954-11-12)12 November 1954 (age 71) Melbourne, Australia |
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) |
| Turned pro | 1973 |
| Retired | 1988 |
| Plays | Right-handed (two-handed backhand)*single-handed until 1979[1] |
| College | Monash University |
| Prize money | $1,233,615 |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 247–231 |
| Career titles | 2 |
| Highest ranking | No. 24 (12 May 1986) |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| Australian Open | SF (1982) |
| French Open | 4R (1980) |
| Wimbledon | 4R (1982) |
| US Open | 2R (1979,1983,1984,1986) |
| Other tournaments | |
| WCT Finals | 1R (1983) |
| Doubles | |
| Career record | 306–163 |
| Career titles | 24[a] |
| Highest ranking | No.1 (8 June 1981) |
| Grand Slam doubles results | |
| Australian Open | W (1979,1983) |
| French Open | SF (1986) |
| Wimbledon | W (1980,1982) |
| US Open | SF (1980) |
| Other doubles tournaments | |
| Tour Finals | F (1980) |
| Grand Slam mixed doubles results | |
| Wimbledon | W (1985) |
| Team competitions | |
| Davis Cup | W (1983,1986) |
Paul McNamee (born 12 November 1954) is an Australian formerdoubles world No. 1tennis player and prominent sports administrator.
In his hometown, McNamee won the boys' singles tournament at the1973 Australian Open.
McNamee is the only player to switch agrip as a professional, changing from aone-handed backhand to two-handed in 1979.[2] He won two singles and twenty-three doubles titles during his professional career. A right-hander, he reached his highest singlesATP-ranking on 12 May 1986 when he became the world No. 24. McNamee reached his highest doubles ATP-ranking on 8 June 1981 when he became theworld No. 1. McNamee won 24 men's doubles titles including four Grand Slam doubles titles in his career. He won the 1979Australian Open and the 1980 and 1982Wimbledon Championships withPeter McNamara and the 1983 Australian Open withMark Edmondson. He won the mixed-doubles title in Wimbledon withMartina Navratilova in 1985.
WhenJohn McEnroe wonWimbledon in 1984, McNamee was the only player to take a set off McEnroe throughout the entire championship when he won the third set of their first-round match.
McNamee was also a member of theAustralian Davis Cup Team which won theDavis Cup in 1983 and 1986.
In 1987, McNamee became Melbourne's last officially crownedKing of Moomba. AMoomba Monarch was subsequently selected. (However, male Monarchs were popularly, but unofficially, still calledKing of Moomba).[3]
McNamee played a key role in the founding of theHopman Cup international tennis tournament in 1988. He served as tournament director of the Hopman Cup andCEO of theAustralian Open until 2006.
From 2006 to 2008 he was the tournament director forGolf Australia of theAustralian Golf Open.[4] He also served as the CEO of theMelbourne Football Club from March to July 2008.[5]
In late 2008, it was revealed that McNamee has joined the push for Australia to field a cycling team at the Tour de France – with support from Cadel Evans as a consultant for Australian Road Cycling, a Melbourne-based consortium.[6]
| Result | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 1. | 1980 | Palm Harbor, U.S. | Hard | 6–4, 6–3 | |
| Loss | 1. | 1980 | Palermo, Italy | Clay | 4–6, 0–6, 0–6 | |
| Win | 2. | 1982 | Baltimore WCT, U.S. | Carpet | 4–6, 7–5, 7–5, 2–6, 6–3 | |
| Loss | 2. | 1983 | Houston, U.S. | Clay | 2–6, 0–6, 3–6 | |
| Loss | 3. | 1983 | Brisbane, Australia | Carpet | 6–4, 4–6, 3–6 | |
| Loss | 4. | 1986 | Nice, France | Clay | 1–6, 3–6 | |
| Loss | 5. | 1986 | St. Vincent, Italy | Clay | 6–2, 3–6, 6–7 |
| Result | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 1. | 1977 | Santiago, Chile | Clay | 7–5, 1–6, 1–6 | ||
| Win | 1. | 1979 | Nice, France | Clay | 6–1, 3–6, 6–2 | ||
| Win | 2. | 1979 | Cairo, Egypt | Clay | 7–5, 6–4 | ||
| Win | 3. | 1979 | Palermo, Italy | Clay | 7–5, 7–6 | ||
| Win | 4. | 1979 | Sydney Outdoor, Australia | Grass | 7–6, 6–3 | ||
| Win | 5. | 1979 | Australian Open, Melbourne | Grass | 7–6, 6–2 | ||
| Win | 6 | Feb 1980 | San Juan, U.S.[a] | Hard | 7–6, 6–3 | ||
| Win | 7. | 1980 | Palm Harbor, U.S. | Hard | 6–4, 7–5 | ||
| Win | 8. | 1980 | Houston, U.S. | Clay | 6–4, 6–4 | ||
| Loss | 2. | 1980 | Forest Hills WCT, U.S. | Clay | 2–6, 7–5, 2–6 | ||
| Loss | 3. | 1980 | London/Queen's Club, England | Grass | 2–6, 6–4, 9–11 | ||
| Win | 9. | 1980 | Wimbledon, London | Grass | 7–6, 6–3, 6–7, 6–4 | ||
| Win | 10. | 1980 | Stockholm, Sweden | Carpet | 6–7, 6–3, 6–2 | ||
| Loss | 4. | 1980 | Bologna, Italy | Carpet | 6–2, 3–6, 0–6 | ||
| Loss | 5. | 1980 | Johannesburg, South Africa | Hard | 7–6, 3–6, 4–6 | ||
| Win | 11. | 1980 | Sydney Outdoor, Australia | Grass | 6–2, 6–4 | ||
| Loss | 6. | 1980 | Australian Open, Melbourne | Grass | 5–7, 4–6 | ||
| Win | 12. | 1981 | Masters Doubles WCT, London | Carpet | 6–3, 2–6, 3–6, 6–3, 6–2 | ||
| Loss | 7. | 1981 | Hamburg, West Germany | Clay | 4–6, 6–3, 4–6 | ||
| Win | 13. | 1981 | Stuttgart Outdoor, West Germany | Clay | 2–6, 6–4, 7–6 | ||
| Win | 14. | 1981 | Sydney Outdoor, Australia | Grass | 6–7, 7–6, 7–6 | ||
| Loss | 8. | 1982 | Nice, France | Clay | 7–5, 4–6, 3–6 | ||
| Win | 15. | 1982 | Monte Carlo, Monaco | Clay | 6–7, 7–6, 6–3 | ||
| Win | 16. | 1982 | Bournemouth, England | Clay | 3–6, 7–6, 6–3 | ||
| Win | 17. | 1982 | Wimbledon, London | Grass | 6–3, 6–2 | ||
| Win | 18. | 1983 | Memphis, U.S. | Carpet | 6–3, 5–7, 6–4 | ||
| Win | 19. | 1983 | London/Queen's Club, England | Grass | 6–4, 6–3 | ||
| Loss | 9. | 1983 | Washington D.C., U.S. | Clay | 2–6, 6–1, 4–6 | ||
| Win | 20. | 1983 | Brisbane, Australia | Carpet | 7–6, 7–6 | ||
| Win | 21. | 1983 | Australian Open, Melbourne | Grass | 6–3, 7–6 | ||
| Win | 22. | 1984 | Houston, U.S. | Clay | 7–5, 4–6, 6–3 | ||
| Win | 23. | 1984 | Aix-en-Provence, France | Clay | 4–6, 6–3, 6–4 | ||
| Win | 24. | 1984 | London/Queen's Club, England | Grass | 6–4, 6–3 | ||
| Loss | 10. | 1984 | Wimbledon, London | Grass | 2–6, 7–5, 2–6, 6–3, 3–6 | ||
| Loss | 11. | 1984 | Hong Kong | Hard | 7–6, 3–6, 5–7 | ||
| Loss | 12. | 1985 | Rotterdam, Netherlands | Carpet | 4–6, 4–6 | ||
| Loss | 13. | 1985 | Boston, U.S. | Clay | 6–2, 4–6, 6–7 | ||
| Loss | 14. | 1986 | Fort Myers, U.S. | Hard | 5–7, 4–6 | ||
| Loss | 15. | 1986 | Sydney Indoor, Australia | Hard (i) | 4–6, 6–7 |