# 1956 Wimbledon Championships – Men's singles

In the 1956 Wimbledon Championships men's singles, Lew Hoad defeated Ken Rosewall in the final, 6–2, 4–6, 7–5, 6–4, to win the gentlemen's singles tennis title. It was the first of three years in which Australian players dominated the Wimbledon Men's Singles final. Tony Trabert was the defending champion, but was ineligible to compete after turning professional. The competition lasted from Monday 25 June to Saturday 7 July 1956.
Ulf Schmidt, from Sweden, was the only player from outside Australia and the United States to reach the quarterfinal stage.
It was the first Wimbledon tournament in which Australian Rod Laver competed in senior competition; 17-year-old Laver, a qualifier, was defeated in the first round by Orlando Sirola.

## Seeds

    01. Lew Hoad (champion)
    02. Ken Rosewall (final)
    03. Sven Davidson (second round)
    04. Budge Patty (second round)
    05. Jaroslav Drobný (first round)
    06. Ham Richardson (semifinals)
    07. Kurt Nielsen (third round)
    08. Vic Seixas (semifinals)
Click on the seed number of a player to go to their draw section.

## Draw
### Key

* Q = Qualifier
* WC = Wild card
* LL = Lucky loser
* Alt = Alternate
* SE = Special exempt
* PR = Protected ranking
* ITF = ITF entry
* JE = Junior exempt
* w/o = Walkover
* r = Retired
* d = Defaulted
* SR = Special ranking

### Finals

| Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final | Final | Final | Final | Final |
| 1 | Lew Hoad | 4 | 6 | 6 | 13 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Mal Anderson | 6 | 1 | 1 | 11 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Mal Anderson | 6 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 1 | Lew Hoad | 3 | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 6 | Ham Richardson | 6 | 4 | 2 | 4 | | | | | | | |
| | Neale Fraser | 3 | 11 | 5 | 4 | 6 | Ham Richardson | 6 | 4 | 2 | 4 | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Ham Richardson | 6 | 9 | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Ham Richardson | 6 | 9 | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | 1 | Lew Hoad | 6 | 4 | 7 | 6 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Ken Rosewall | 2 | 6 | 5 | 4 |
| 8 | Vic Seixas | 13 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Ken Rosewall | 2 | 6 | 5 | 4 |
| | Allen Morris | 11 | 0 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Allen Morris | 11 | 0 | 3 | | 8 | Vic Seixas | 3 | 6 | 8 | 3 | 5 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 2 | Ken Rosewall | 6 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 7 | | | | | | |
| | Ulf Schmidt | 1 | 3 | 2 | | 2 | Ken Rosewall | 6 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 7 | | | | | | |
| 2 | Ken Rosewall | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

### Top half
#### Section 1

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round |
| 1 | Lew Hoad | 9 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Don Fontana | 7 | 2 | 0 | | | 1 | L Hoad | 9 | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | Peter Wooller | 3 | 3 | 2 | | | | T Fancutt | 7 | 3 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Trevor Fancutt | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | 1 | L Hoad | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | |
| | Dean Brinkman | 3 | 6 | 9 | 3 | | | | | | | | J Fleitz | 3 | 2 | 0 | | | | | | | |
| Q | Dennis Hughes | 6 | 4 | 11 | 6 | | Q | D Hughes | 2 | 4 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Emilio Martínez | 3 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 3 | | J Fleitz | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | John Fleitz | 6 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | L Hoad | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| | Gilbert Shea | 6 | 6 | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | J O'Brien | 4 | 1 | 4 |
| | Orlando Garrido | 4 | 4 | 6 | | | | G Shea | 4 | 5 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Søren Højberg | 3 | 4 | 4 | | | | R Perry | 6 | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Bob Perry | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | R Perry | 2 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 4 | | | | | |
| | Pablo Eisenberg | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | J O'Brien | 6 | 6 | 8 | 2 | 6 | | | | | |
| | Josip Palada | 2 | 4 | 2 | | | | P Eisenberg | 0 | 1 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | John O'Brien | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | J O'Brien | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Billy Knight | 4 | 2 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

#### Section 2

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round |
| 5 | Jaroslav Drobný | 1 | 6 | 1 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Ramanathan Krishnan | 6 | 4 | 6 | 6 | | R Krishnan | 1 | 7 | 2 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Don Candy | 12 | 6 | 6 | | | D Candy | 6 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Pierre Darmon | 10 | 2 | 2 | | | | | | | | | R Krishnan | 4 | 4 | 1 | | | | | | |
| | Mal Anderson | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | M Anderson | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | |
| | Gino Mezzi | 1 | 2 | 4 | | | M Anderson | 6 | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Gunnar Sjøwall | 7 | 6 | 6 | | | G Sjøwall | 1 | 1 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Khwaja Saeed | 5 | 3 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | M Anderson | 9 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 6 |
| | Nicola Pietrangeli | 6 | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | N Pietrangeli | 7 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 2 |
| | Brian Bowman | 2 | 4 | 5 | | | N Pietrangeli | 7 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Geoffrey Paish | 4 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 1 | I Pimentel | 5 | 3 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Isaías Pimentel | 6 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 6 | | | | | | | N Pietrangeli | 9 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | |
| | Dick Potter | 4 | 1 | 4 | | | | | | | | | S Stockenberg | 7 | 4 | 4 | | | | | | |
| | Buster Farrer | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | W Farrer | 4 | 2 | 10 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Fred Dehnert | 6 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 4 | S Stockenberg | 6 | 6 | 12 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Staffan Stockenberg | 1 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

#### Section 3

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round |
| 4 | Budge Patty | 6 | 6 | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Freddie Huber | 2 | 4 | 7 | | | 4 | J Patty | 10 | 6 | 3 | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Bobby Wilson | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | R Wilson | 12 | 2 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Paul Willey | 4 | 1 | 1 | | | | | | | | | R Wilson | 6 | 5 | 3 | | | | | |
| | Gardnar Mulloy | 11 | 4 | 1 | | | | | | | | | N Fraser | 8 | 7 | 6 | | | | | |
| | Neale Fraser | 13 | 6 | 6 | | | | N Fraser | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Andrés Hammersley | 6 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 5 | Q | J Blatchford | 1 | 1 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | Joe Blatchford | 2 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | N Fraser | 6 | 6 | 7 |
| | Roy Emerson | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | R Howe | 2 | 4 | 5 |
| Q | Brian Page | 1 | 1 | 2 | | | | R Emerson | 6 | 6 | 3 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Tony Pickard | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | A Pickard | 1 | 4 | 6 | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| LL | Derek Collins | 3 | 2 | 2 | | | | | | | | | R Emerson | 2 | 6 | 1 | 4 | | | | |
| | Bob Howe | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | R Howe | 6 | 2 | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | Robert Abdesselam | 1 | 4 | 4 | | | | R Howe | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| LL | Eddie Ford | 5 | 7 | 0 | 8 | 2 | | F Feldbausch | 4 | 2 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Franz Feldbausch | 7 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

#### Section 4

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round |
| 6 | Ham Richardson | 6 | 9 | 11 | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Jack Arkinstall | 4 | 7 | 13 | 6 | 6 | H Richardson | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| LL | Derrick Lester | 1 | 3 | 1 | | Q | G Mudge | 1 | 1 | 0 | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | Gordon Mudge | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | 6 | H Richardson | 6 | 10 | 6 | | | | |
| | Barry MacKay (tennis) | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | T Ulrich | 4 | 8 | 3 | | | | |
| | Geoff Cass | 1 | 2 | 4 | | | B MacKay | 5 | 4 | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Vladimir Petrović | 1 | 2 | 2 | | | T Ulrich | 7 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Torben Ulrich | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | 6 | H Richardson | 7 | 0 |
| | Jiří Parma | 4 | 5 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | A Segal | 5 | 0$^r$ |
| | Alan Mills | 6 | 7 | 6 | | | A Mills | 3 | 2 | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Bernard Destremau | 3 | 1 | 0 | | | A Segal | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Abe Segal | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | A Segal | 6 | 6 | 22 | | | | |
| | Arthur Marshall | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | A Marshall | 0 | 2 | 20 | | | | |
| | Kamel Moubarek | 0 | 1 | 1 | | | A Marshall | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| LL | Munir Pirzada | 6 | 6 | 8 | | LL | M Pirzada | 0 | 2 | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | Ralph White | 3 | 1 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

### Bottom half
#### Section 5

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round |
| | Ilija Panajotović | 4 | 2 | 6 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Ivor Warwick | 6 | 6 | 4 | 6 | | | I Warwick | 10 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Hans Redl | 2 | 3 | 1 | | | | J Horn | 8 | 2 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | John Horn | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | I Warwick | 0 | 2 | 1 | | | | | | |
| | Eduardo Argon | 3 | 3 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | G Forbes | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | |
| | Sam Giammalva | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | S Giammalva | 1 | 7 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Gordon Forbes | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | G Forbes | 6 | 9 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Wayne Van Voorhees | 1 | 1 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | G Forbes | 2 | 1 | 6 |
| | Tony Vincent | 6 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 8 | V Seixas | 6 | 6 | 8 |
| | Peter Scholl | 3 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 3 | | A Vincent | 3 | 7 | 3 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Irvin Dorfman | 4 | 4 | 3 | | | | H Flam | 6 | 5 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Herbie Flam | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | H Flam | 6 | 1 | 1 | 8 | | | | | |
| | Jean-Claude Molinari | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | 8 | V Seixas | 4 | 6 | 6 | 10 | | | | | |
| | Howard Walton | 4 | 4 | 1 | | | | J-C Molinari | 5 | 3 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Malcolm Fox | 1 | 2 | 3 | | | 8 | V Seixas | 7 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Vic Seixas | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

#### Section 6

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round |
| | Michael Hann | 3 | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| LL | Roche Goosen | 6 | 3 | 4 | 2 | | | M Hann | 5 | 5 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Robin Kipping | 4 | 1 | 8 | 6 | 6 | | R Kipping | 7 | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | Kamilo Keretić | 6 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 4 | | | | | | | | R Kipping | 4 | 5 | 7 | | | | | | | | |
| | Bruce Gulley | 6 | 1 | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | A Morris | 6 | 7 | 9 | | | | | | | | |
| | Reg Bennett | 4 | 6 | 0 | 5 | | | B Gulley | 2 | 3 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Allen Morris | 7 | 6 | 5 | 6 | | | A Morris | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Eric Bulmer | 5 | 3 | 7 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | A Morris | 1 | 12 | 8 | 3 | 6 |
| | Peter Moys | 5 | 6 | 7 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | A Cooper | 6 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 3 |
| | Oliver Prenn | 7 | 8 | 5 | 6 | | | O Prenn | 6 | 4 | 0 | 9 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Don Black | 6 | 3 | 6 | 10 | | | D Black | 4 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Gerry Oakley | 2 | 6 | 4 | 8 | | | | | | | | | D Black | 2 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 7 | | | | | | |
| | Ashley Cooper | 4 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | A Cooper | 6 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 9 | | | | | | |
| | Mike Davies | 6 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 3 | | A Cooper | 6 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Geoffrey Owen | 5 | 1 | 3 | | | 3 | S Davidson | 3 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 3 | Sven Davidson | 7 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

#### Section 7

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round |
| | Finn Søhol | 0 | 4 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Andrés Gimeno | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | A Gimeno | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Graham Regan | 6 | 6 | 1 | 8 | | G Regan | 2 | 2 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Hans van Dalsum | 3 | 3 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | A Gimeno | 6 | 3 | 1 | 4 | | | | | | |
| | Julian Mayers | 1 | 2 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | U Schmidt | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | |
| | Ian Vermaak | 6 | 6 | 7 | | | I Vermaak | 6 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Hugh Sweeney | 0 | 3 | 3 | | | U Schmidt | 8 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Ulf Schmidt | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | U Schmidt | 7 | 5 | 6 | 6 |
| | Ibrahim Badreldin-Sayed | 1 | 3 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | L Ayala | 5 | 7 | 4 | 2 |
| | Luis Ayala | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | L Ayala | 1 | 4 | 12 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Joe Hackett | 4 | 1 | 3 | | | R Becker | 6 | 6 | 10 | 2 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Roger Becker | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | L Ayala | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 6 | | | | | |
| | Tony Clayton | 4 | 3 | 10 | | | | | | | | | 7 | K Nielsen | 7 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 4 | | | | | |
| Q | Akhtar Ali | 6 | 6 | 12 | | Q | A Ali | 1 | 10 | 2 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | Bob Mark | 0 | 2 | 3 | | 7 | K Nielsen | 6 | 8 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Kurt Nielsen | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

#### Section 8

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round |
| | Kevin Meyer | 3 | 3 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Hugh Stewart | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | H Stewart | 3 | 2 | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Ronnie Holmberg | 7 | 3 | 4 | 3 | | A Larsen | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Art Larsen | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | A Larsen | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| | Lawrence Barclay | 6 | 7 | 1 | 6 | | | | | | | | | J Brichant | 3 | 3 | 1 | | | | | |
| | Mustapha Belkhodja | 1 | 5 | 6 | 3 | | L Barclay | 4 | 7 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Jacques Brichant | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | J Brichant | 6 | 9 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | John Ward | 4 | 2 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | A Larsen | 5 | 5 | 3 |
| | Orlando Sirola | 7 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | K Rosewall | 7 | 7 | 6 |
| Q | Rod Laver | 5 | 4 | 2 | | | O Sirola | 2 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 8 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Armando Vieira | w/o | | | | | N Kumar | 6 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Naresh Kumar | | | | | | | | | | | | | O Sirola | 5 | 4 | 7 | | | | | |
| | Clive Bernstein | 3 | 6 | 3 | 2 | | | | | | | | 2 | K Rosewall | 7 | 6 | 9 | | | | | |
| | Geoff Ward | 6 | 2 | 6 | 6 | | G Ward | 2 | 1 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | John Barrett | 2 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 2 | K Rosewall | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 2 | Ken Rosewall | 6 | 6 | 2 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |