| Full name | Frederick Sydney Stolle |
|---|---|
| Country (sports) |  Australia |
| Residence | Aventura, Florida, US |
| Born | (1938-10-08)8 October 1938 Hornsby, New South Wales, Australia |
| Died | 5 March 2025(2025-03-05) (aged 86) Palm Desert, California, U.S. |
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)[1] |
| Turned pro | 1966 (amateur from 1958) |
| Retired | 1978 |
| Plays | Right-handed (one-handed backhand) |
| Int. Tennis HoF | 1985(member page) |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 860–442 (66.0%)[2] |
| Career titles | 39[2] |
| Highest ranking | No.1 (1966,World Tennis)[3] |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| Australian Open | F (1964,1965) |
| French Open | W (1965) |
| Wimbledon | F (1963,1964,1965) |
| US Open | W (1966) |
| Professional majors | |
| US Pro | SF (1967) |
| Wembley Pro | 1R (1967) |
| French Pro | SF (1967) |
| Doubles | |
| Career record | 189–101 |
| Highest ranking | No.1 (1964) |
| Grand Slam doubles results | |
| Australian Open | W (1963, 1964, 1966) |
| French Open | W (1965, 1968) |
| Wimbledon | W (1962, 1964) |
| US Open | W (1965, 1966, 1969) |
| Mixed doubles | |
| Grand Slam mixed doubles results | |
| Australian Open | W (1962, 1969) |
| French Open | F (1962, 1963, 1964) |
| Wimbledon | W (1961, 1964, 1969) |
| US Open | W (1962, 1965) |
Frederick Sydney Stolle,AO[4] (8 October 1938 – 5 March 2025) was an Australian amateur world No. 1tennis player and commentator. He was born inHornsby, New South Wales, Australia. He was the father of former AustralianDavis Cup playerSandon Stolle.
Stolle is notable for being the only male player in history to have lost his first fiveGrand Slam singles finals, all but one were toRoy Emerson, the fifth of which he led by two sets to love. However, Stolle went on to win two Grand Slam tournament singles titles, the1965 French Championships and the1966 US Championships.[5] At Wimbledon and the Australian Championships he finished as runner-up in these tournaments and losing to compatriotRoy Emerson on no fewer than five occasions.World Tennis magazine ranked Stolle world No. 1 amateur in 1966.[6]
Stolle won ten Grand Slam doubles titles, partnering with compatriotsBob Hewitt (4 titles), Roy Emerson (4 titles), andKen Rosewall (2 titles). In addition Stolle won 7 Grand Slam mixed doubles titles.
As a member of the AustralianDavis Cup team Stolle won the Davis Cup title in 1964,[7] 1965 and 1966.[8] In 1964 Stolle and Emerson were briefly suspended from the Australian Davis Cup team for going on an overseas tour in defiance of a Lawn Tennis Association of Australia order to remain in Australia until April.[9]
Stolle turned professional in 1966,[1] and as a professional, won two singles and 13 doubles titles. He earned about US$500,000 in career prize money.[10]
Stolle coachedVitas Gerulaitis from 1977 until 1983.
For many years, Stolle did television commentary forESPN and other tennis broadcasts. He provided commentary onGrand Slam tennis tournaments for Australia'sFox Sports and theNine Network.
Stolle died from cancer in Palm Desert, California, on 5 March 2025, at the age of 86.[11][12][13][14][15]
For his contribution to the tennis sport Stolle was inducted into theInternational Tennis Hall of Fame in 1985.[16] In 1988 he was inducted into theSport Australia Hall of Fame.[17] He received anAustralian Sports Medal in 2000 and was made an Officer of theOrder of Australia in 2005.[4][18] In 2020, Stolle was awarded theITFPhilippe Chatrier Award, for his contribution to tennis both during his career and post-retirement.[19]
| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 1963 | Wimbledon | Grass |  Chuck McKinley | 7–9, 1–6, 4–6 |
| Loss | 1964 | Australian Championships | Grass | Roy Emerson | 3–6, 4–6, 2–6 |
| Loss | 1964 | Wimbledon | Grass | Roy Emerson | 1–6, 10–12, 6–4, 3–6 |
| Loss | 1964 | U.S. Championships | Grass | Roy Emerson | 4–6, 2–6, 4–6 |
| Loss | 1965 | Australian Championships | Grass | Roy Emerson | 9–7, 6–2, 4–6, 5–7, 1–6 |
| Win | 1965 | French Championships | Clay | Tony Roche | 3–6, 6–0, 6–2, 6–3 |
| Loss | 1965 | Wimbledon | Grass | Roy Emerson | 2–6, 4–6, 4–6 |
| Win | 1966 | U.S. Championships | Grass | John Newcombe | 4–6, 12–10, 6–3, 6–4 |
| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 1961 | Wimbledon | Grass | Bob Hewitt | Roy EmersonNeale Fraser | 4–6, 8–6, 4–6, 8–6, 6–8 |
| Loss | 1962 | Australian Championships | Grass | Bob Hewitt | Roy Emerson Neale Fraser | 6–4, 6–4, 1–6, 4–6, 9–11 |
| Win | 1962 | Wimbledon | Grass | Bob Hewitt |  Boro JovanovićNikola Pilić | 6–2, 5–7, 6–2, 6–4 |
| Win | 1963 | Australian Championships | Grass | Bob Hewitt | Ken FletcherJohn Newcombe | 6–2, 3–6, 6–3, 3–6, 6–3 |
| Win | 1964 | Australian Championships | Grass | Bob Hewitt | Roy Emerson Ken Fletcher | 6–4, 7–5, 3–6, 4–6, 14–12 |
| Win | 1964 | Wimbledon | Grass | Bob Hewitt | Roy Emerson Ken Fletcher | 7–5, 11–9, 6–4 |
| Loss | 1965 | Australian Championships | Grass | Roy Emerson | John NewcombeTony Roche | 6–3, 6–4, 11–13, 3–6, 4–6 |
| Win | 1965 | French Championships | Clay | Roy Emerson | Ken FletcherBob Hewitt | 6–8, 6–3, 8–6, 6–2 |
| Win | 1965 | U.S. Championships | Grass | Roy Emerson | Frank FroehlingCharles Pasarell | 6–4, 10–12, 7–5, 6–3 |
| Win | 1966 | Australian Championships | Grass | Roy Emerson | John Newcombe Tony Roche | 7–9, 6–3, 6–8, 14–12, 12–10 |
| Win | 1966 | US Championships | Grass | Roy Emerson | Clark GraebnerDennis Ralston | 6–4, 6–4, 6–4 |
| Win | 1968 | French Open | Clay | Ken Rosewall | Roy EmersonRod Laver | 6–3, 6–4, 6–3 |
| Loss | 1968 | Wimbledon | Grass | Ken Rosewall | John Newcombe Tony Roche | 6–3, 6–8, 7–5, 12–14, 3–6 |
| Loss | 1969 | Australian Open | Grass | Ken Rosewall | Rod Laver Roy Emerson | 4–6, 4–6 |
| Win | 1969 | US Open | Grass | Ken Rosewall | Charles Pasarell Dennis Ralston | 2–6, 7–5, 13–11, 6–3 |
| Loss | 1970 | Wimbledon | Grass | Ken Rosewall | John Newcombe Tony Roche | 8–10, 3–6, 1–6 |
| No | Year | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 1968 | French Open, Paris | Clay | Ken Rosewall | Roy EmersonRod Laver | 6–3, 6–4, 6–3 |
| 2. | 1968 | Los Angeles, US | Hard | Ken Rosewall |  Cliff Drysdale Roger Taylor | 7–5, 6–1 |
| 3. | 1969 | US Open, New York | Grass | Ken Rosewall | Charlie PasarellDennis Ralston | 2–6, 7–5, 13–11, 6–3 |
| 4. | 1971 | Bologna WCT, Italy | Carpet | Ken Rosewall | Robert MaudFrew McMillan | 6–7, 6–2, 6–3, 6–3 |
| 5. | 1972 | Bretton Woods, US | Hard | John Alexander | Nikola PilićCliff Richey | 7–6, 7–6 |
| 6. | 1972 | Vancouver WCT, Canada | Outdoor | John Newcombe | Cliff DrysdaleAllan Stone | 7–6, 6–0 |
| 7. | 1972 | Johannesburg-2, South Africa | Hard | John Newcombe | Terry AddisonBob Carmichael | 6–3, 6–4 |
| 8. | 1973 | Chicago WCT, US | Carpet | Ken Rosewall |  Ismail El Shafei Brian Fairlie | 6–7, 6–4, 6–2 |
| 9. | 1973 | Cleveland WCT, US | Carpet | Ken Rosewall | Ismail El ShafeiBrian Fairlie | 6–2, 6–3 |
| 10. | 1973 | Bretton Woods, US | Clay | Rod Laver | Bob CarmichaelFrew McMillan | 7–6, 4–6, 7–5 |
| W | F | SF | QF | #R | RR | Q# | DNQ | A | NH |
| 1958 | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | SR | W–L | Win % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Slam tournaments | 2 / 41 | 102–39 | 72.3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Australian Open | 1R | A | 1R | SF | QF | SF | F | F | SF | A | A | QF | A | 3R | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 0 / 10 | 23–10 | 69.7 |
| French Open | A | A | 2R | 3R | 4R | 2R | 4R | W | QF | A | 2R | QF | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 1 / 9 | 23–8 | 74.2 | |
| Wimbledon | A | A | 1R | 2R | 3R | F | F | F | 2R | A | 4R | 4R | 1R | 4R | A | A | A | A | A | A | 1R | 0 / 12 | 31–12 | 72.1 | |
| US Open | A | A | A | A | 2R | A | F | 2R | W | A | 2R | QF | 3R | A | QF | A | A | 1R | A | 2R | A | 1 / 10 | 25–9 | 73.5 | |
| Pro Slam tournaments | 0 / 3 | 4–3 | 57.1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| U.S. Pro | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | SF | Not a Major | 0 / 1 | 2–1 | 66.7 | |||||||||||
| French Pro | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | SF | Not a Major | 0 / 1 | 2–1 | 66.7 | |||||||||||
| Wembley Pro | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 1R | Not a Major | 0 / 1 | 0–1 | 0.0 | |||||||||||
| Win–loss | 0–1 | 0–3 | 6–3 | 8–4 | 9–3 | 19–4 | 18–3 | 15–3 | 4–3 | 4–3 | 13–4 | 1–2 | 4–2 | 4–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 2 / 41 | 106–42 | 71.6 | |||||
Note: The Australian Open was held twice in 1977, in January and December.
