Origins & Early Life

John David Newcombe AO OBE (born 23 May 1944) is an Australian former professional tennis player. He was ranked as the world No. 1 in both men's singles and men's doubles. Newcombe won a combined 26 major titles: seven in singles, a former record 17 in men's doubles, and two in mixed doubles.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

He also contributed to five Davis Cup titles for Australia during an age when the Davis Cup was deemed as significant as the majors. Newcombe played several sports as a boy before devoting himself to tennis. Newcombe's powerful serve and volley was the backbone of his attacking game. He frequently came up with a second-serve ace. He was the Australian junior champion from 1961 to 1963 and was a member of Australia's Davis Cup winning team in 1964.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

In singles, Newcombe entered the Australian Championships in January 1960 aged 15 years and 8 months and lost in the first round to Bob Mark. He was younger than three other 15 year old entrants: Vivian McGrath in 1932, Dinny Pails in 1937 and Lleyton Hewitt in 1997. Newcombe's first Grand Slam singles final was at the US championships in 1966 when he lost in four sets to Fred Stolle (both players were unseeded). Newcombe's...

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