 | |
| Full name | Rex Noel Hartwig |
|---|---|
| Country (sports) |  Australia |
| Born | (1929-09-02)2 September 1929 Culcairn, New South Wales, Australia |
| Died | 30 December 2022(2022-12-30) (aged 93)[1] |
| Turned pro | 1950 (amateur tour) |
| Retired | 1962 |
| Plays | Right-handed (1-handed backhand) |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 172–70 |
| Career titles | 14 |
| Highest ranking | No. 5 (1954,Lance Tingay)[2] |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| Australian Open | F (1954) |
| French Open | 4R (1953,1954) |
| Wimbledon | QF (1954) |
| US Open | F (1954) |
| Other tournaments | |
| Other pro events | |
| TOC | RR (1958FH) |
| Doubles | |
| Grand Slam doubles results | |
| Australian Open | W (1954) |
| Wimbledon | W (1954, 1955) |
| US Open | W (1953) |
| Grand Slam mixed doubles results | |
| Australian Open | W (1953, 1954) |
| French Open | F (1954) |
| Wimbledon | QF (1954) |
| Team competitions | |
| Davis Cup | W (1953,1955 ) |
Rex Noel Hartwig (2 September 1929 – 30 December 2022) was an Australiantennis player.[3]
Rex Hartwig was born on 2 September 1929 inCulcairn, New South Wales. Both parents played tennis and at age 10 he won a local tournament with his father. At 13, Hartwig began competing in afternoon competitions and took a job managing tennis courts in Albury. He formed a doubles team withAllan Kendall Jr. and won the NSW, Victorian and Australian Junior titles.[4][5]
Hartwig was ranked World No. 5 in both 1954 and 1955 byLance Tingay ofThe Daily Telegraph.[2]
He won the doubles inWimbledon twice: in 1954 withMervyn Rose and in 1955 withLew Hoad.[6][7]
In 1954 Hartwig was runner-up at the Australian championships to his Davis Cup teammateMervyn Rose.
In 1953, he won the doubles with Rose and the mixed doubles withJulia Sampson Hayward.[8] In 1954 he again won the mixed doubles title inMelbourne, this time partneringThelma Coyne Long.[9][10][11]
In 1953, he won the doubles title at theU.S. Championships with Mervyn Rose, defeatingGardnar Mulloy andBill Talbert in the final that lasted 77 minutes.[12][13]
Playing singles, he made the final in 1954, defeatingTony Trabert andKen Rosewall but losing in the final toVic Seixas.[14]
Hartwig was member of theAustralian Davis Cup team in 1953, 1954 and 1955. In1953, he played the doubles match withLew Hoad in thechallenge round against the US and lost toVic Seixas andTony Trabert. This was Hartwig's onlyDavis Cup defeat. In1954, he defeated Seixas in the challenge round that Australia lost to the U.S. In1955, he made a significant contribution toward Australia's Cup win, playing 11 matches in six ties and winning all of them. He compiled a 12–1 win–loss record in the Davis Cup (6–0 singles, 6–1 doubles).[15][16][17]
In March 1952 Hartwig won theSouth Australian Championships at Milton Courts, Adelaide defeatingKen McGregor in the semifinal and Rose in the final in a close five-set match.
In November 1954, Hartwig won the singles title at theNew South Wales Championships in Sydney. He defeated Rosewall in the semifinal and Rose in the final in three straight sets.[18]
In November 1955, Hartwig turned professional by signing a contract with tennis promoterJack Kramer for a fixed amount of $30,000 plus a percentage of the gate receipts of the professional tour.[19][20]
Hartwig was known for his well-timed groundstrokes and his crisp and accurate volleys. Australian tennis player and coachHarry Hopman characterized Hartwig as a great stylist.[21]
| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 1954 | Australian Championships | Grass | Mervyn Rose | 2–6, 6–0, 4–6, 2–6 |
| Loss | 1954 | U.S. Championships | Grass |  Vic Seixas | 6–3, 2–6, 4–6, 4–6 |
| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 1953 | Wimbledon Championships | Grass | Mervyn Rose | Lew HoadKen Rosewall | 4–6, 5–7, 6–4, 5–7 |
| Win | 1953 | U.S. Championships | Grass | Mervyn Rose | Gardnar MulloyBill Talbert | 6–4, 4–6, 6–2, 6–4 |
| Win | 1954 | Australian Championships | Grass | Mervyn Rose | Neale FraserClive Wilderspin | 6–3, 6–4, 6–2 |
| Win | 1954 | Wimbledon Championships | Grass | Mervyn Rose | Vic SeixasTony Trabert | 6–4, 6–4, 3–6, 6–4 |
| Win | 1955 | Wimbledon Championships | Grass | Lew Hoad | Neale Fraser Ken Rosewall | 7–5, 6–4, 6–3 |
| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 1953 | Australian Championships | Grass |  Julia Sampson | Maureen ConnollyHam Richardson | 6–4, 6–3 |
| Loss | 1953 | U.S. Championships | Grass | Julia Sampson | Doris HartVic Seixas | 2–6, 6–4, 4–6 |
| Win | 1954 | Australian Championships | Grass | Thelma Coyne Long | Beryl PenroseJohn Bromwich | 4–6, 6–1, 6–2 |
| Loss | 1954 | French Championships | Clay |  Jacqueline Patorni | Maureen ConnollyLew Hoad | 4–6, 3–6 |
