From: clc5q@uvacs.cs.Virginia.EDU (Clark L. Coleman)
Subject: Grand Slams (and almost Grand Slams)
Originator: clc5q@hemlock.cs.Virginia.EDU
Organization: University of Virginia Computer Science Department
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1992 20:26:57 GMT

Instances in men's tennis that were, or came close to being, calendar year
Grand Slams (asterisks mark the actual Grand Slams) :

1933: Jack Crawford, Australia
------------------------------
Australian Open final : Crawford def. Keith Gledhill  2-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-2
French Open final     : Crawford def. Henri Cochet    8-6, 6-1, 6-3
Wimbledon final       : Crawford def. Ellsworth Vines 4-6, 11-9, 6-2, 2-6, 6-4
U.S. Open final       : Fred Perry def. Crawford      6-3, 11-13, 4-6, 6-0, 6-1

Cochet and Vines were defending champions. Perry's win was his first major.

1938: Don Budge  **********************
---------------
Australian Open final : Budge def. John Bromwich   6-4, 6-2, 6-1
French Open final     : Budge def. Roderick Menzel 6-3, 6-2, 6-4
Wimbledon final       : Budge def. Henry Austin    6-1, 6-0, 6-3
U.S. Open final       : Budge def. C. Gene Mako    6-3, 6-8, 6-2, 6-1

1951: Ken McGregor/Frank Sedgman, Australia  ******************
-------------------------------------------
Australian Open final : McGregor/Sedgman def. John Bromwich/Adrian Quist
French Open final     : McGregor/Sedgman def. Gardnar Mulloy/Dick Savitt
Wimbledon final       : McGregor/Sedgman def. Jaroslav Drobny/Eric Sturgess
U.S. Open final       : McGregor/Sedgman def. Don Candy/Mervyn Rose

1952: Frank Sedgman, Australia
------------------------------
Australian Open final : Ken McGregor def. Sedgman    7-5, 12-10, 2-6, 6-2
French Open final     : Jaroslav Drobny def. Sedgman 6-2, 6-0, 3-6, 6-4
Wimbledon final       : Sedgman def. Jaroslav Drobny 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-3
U.S. Open final       : Sedgman def. Gardnar Mulloy  6-1, 6-2, 6-3

1952: Ken McGregor/Frank Sedgman
--------------------------------
Australian Open final : McGregor/Sedgman def. Don Candy/Mervyn Rose 
French Open final     : McGregor/Sedgman def. Gardnar Mulloy/Dick Savitt
Wimbledon final       : McGregor/Sedgman def. Vic Seixas/Eric Sturgess
U.S. Open final       : Vic Seixas/Mervyn Rose def. McGregor/Sedgman

1956, Lew Hoad, Australia:
--------------------------
Australian Open final : Hoad def. Ken Rosewall 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, 7-5
French Open final     : Hoad def. Sven Davidson 6-4, 8-6, 6-3
Wimbledon final       : Hoad def. Ken Rosewall 6-2, 4-6, 7-5, 6-4
U.S. Open final       : Ken Rosewall def. Hoad 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-3

1956, Lew Hoad (doubles):
-------------------------
Australian Open final : Hoad/Rosewall def. Don Candy/Mervyn Rose
French Open final     : Don Candy/Robert Perry def. Hoad/Ashley Cooper
Wimbledon final       : Hoad/Rosewall def. Nicola Pietrangeli/Orlando Sirola
U.S. Open final       : Hoad/Rosewall def. Hamilton Richardson/Vic Seixas

1962: Rod Laver, Australia   ********************
--------------------------
Australian Open final : Laver def. Roy Emerson     8-6, 0-6, 6-4, 6-4
French Open final     : Laver def. Roy Emerson     3-6, 2-6, 6-3, 9-7, 6-2
Wimbledon final       : Laver def. Martin Mulligan 6-2, 6-2, 6-1
U.S. Open final       : Laver def. Roy Emerson     6-2, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4

Roy Emerson finished with a 12-3 record in finals of slam events --- the 3
losses coming to Laver in 1962, none in straight sets.

1969: Rod Laver, Australia   ********************
--------------------------
Australian Open final : Laver def. Andres Gimeno   6-3, 6-4, 7-5
French Open final     : Laver def. Ken Rosewall    6-4, 6-3, 6-4
Wimbledon final       : Laver def. John Newcombe   6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4
U.S. Open final       : Laver def. Tony Roche      7-9, 6-1, 6-3, 6-2

1974: Jimmy Connors, USA
------------------------
Australian Open final : Connors def. Phil Dent     7-6, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3
French Open final     : Bjorn Borg def. Manuel Orantes 6-7, 6-0, 6-1, 6-1
Wimbledon final       : Connors def. Ken Rosewall  6-1, 6-1, 6-4
U.S. Open final       : Connors def. Ken Rosewall  6-1, 6-0, 6-1

Connors was not allowed to play in the French Open because his contract
with World Team Tennis made him a "contract professional" in the eyes of
the French Open officials. The French Open and Wimbledon announced in 1972
that they were closed to "contract professionals" (the kind of professional
players who played under a fixed contract fee before the open era started
in 1968.) Wimbledon officials ruled that World Team Tennis was not covered
by this clause; the French Open officials ruled otherwise.

Would Connors have won the 1974 French Open? On the one hand, people at the
time did not realize how great Bjorn Borg would become. He was young and
had not won a grand slam event before this one, so people tended to claim
that Connors would have won. Connors never made it past the semifinals of
the French Open, and had lost in the first round in 1973. On the other hand,
Connors did not play the French from 1974 through 1978, his best years; he
made the semifinals 4 times (1979, 1980, 1984, 1985) and the quarterfinals
4 times (1981, 1982, 1983, 1987). His 1973 results were only quarterfinal
losses at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, yet he breezed through both in 1974,
so his pre-1974 French results are not necessarily relevant.

Interestingly, 6 weeks after the 1974 French Open, Connors met Borg on clay
and beat him handily in the finals of the U.S. Clay Court Championships in
Indianapolis on August 11. Connors and Nastase also won the doubles there.
Borg had not won a title before 1974, but won 3 before the French Open,
including the Italian Open (over Nastase) and two more after it. Borg finished
#3 in the year end rankings (behind Connors and Newcombe) and #4 in prize
money (behind Connors, Vilas and Newcombe).

The closest to a Grand Slam since 1974 were Ivan Lendl in 1986 (won the French
and U.S. Opens, lost the final at Wimbledon, no Australian Open held that year
because they were switching from December to January); Lendl again in 1987
(semifinals at the Australian, finals at Wimbledon, won the French and U.S.
Opens); and Mats Wilander in 1988 (won the Australian, French and U.S. Opens,
quarterfinals at Wimbledon.)
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"It is seldom that any liberty is lost all at once." David Hume
|||  clc5q@virginia.edu (Clark L. Coleman)