| Country (sports) |  South Africa |
|---|---|
| Born | (1934-02-21)21 February 1934 Burgersdorp, Cape Province, South Africa |
| Died | 9 December 2020(2020-12-09) (aged 86) Plettenberg Bay, Cape Province, South Africa |
| Plays | Right-handed |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 342-217 (72%) |
| Career titles | 16 |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| Australian Open | 1R (1971) |
| French Open | 3R (1955, 1956, 1957, 1959) |
| Wimbledon | 4R (1956) |
| US Open | QF (1962) |
| Doubles | |
| Grand Slam doubles results | |
| Australian Open | 2R (1962) |
| French Open | F (1963) |
| Wimbledon | SF (1963) |
| Grand Slam mixed doubles results | |
| French Open | W (1955) |
| Wimbledon | QF (1962) |
| Team competitions | |
| Davis Cup | SFEu (1962, 1963) |
Gordon Forbes (21 February 1934 – 9 December 2020) was a South African professionaltennis player and author. Forbes won the singles title of theSouth African Championships in 1959 and 1961 and was runner-up in 1955, 1962, 1963 and 1964. He won the Tuscaloosa Grass Court Invitational in 1962, defeating Rod Laver in the final. During the 1950s and 1960s, he was the doubles partner of countrymanAbe Segal. They were considered one of the best doubles teams in the world.[1]
Forbes learnt to play tennis in his childhood on the family farm. At age 12, he played and won his first junior tournament inEast London.[2]
Forbes won the singles title of theSouth African Championships in 1959 and 1961 and was runner-up in 1955, 1962, 1963 and 1964. He won the Tuscaloosa Grass Court Invitational in 1962, defeating reigning U.S. No. 1 Whitney Reed in a marathon semifinal, and World No. 1 Rod Laver in a close four set final. He played for the South AfricanDavis Cup team in 14 ties in the period 1955 to 1963 and compiled a record of 20 wins and 11 losses.
After retiring from tennis, Forbes wrote three books about his experiences as a player, his contemporaries in the sport and other tennis topics.[3][4][5] He died fromCOVID-19 on 9 December 2020, at age 86, during theCOVID-19 pandemic in South Africa.[6]
| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 1963 | French Championships | Clay | Abe Segal |  Roy Emerson Manuel Santana | 2–6, 4–6, 4–6 |
| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 1955 | French Championships | Clay |  Darlene Hard | Jenny Staley Luis Ayala | 5–7, 6–1, 6–2 |
Abe Segal.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |