Australian tennis has lost a giant of the sport with 19-time Grand Slam winner and Davis Cup titan Neale Fraser announced dead at 91.
The Aussie tennis champion won a total of 19 titles across both the singles and doubles in Grand Slams across his decorated career, but it was in the Davis Cup where he really made a name for himself.
He led the Australian team to four consecutive Davis Cup titles during the years when it was fiercely contested and won a legion of supporters for his commitment to the Aussie cause.
‘I could never think of anything better than representing your country,’ was a popular catchphrase the Aussie tennis great would say at almost any opportunity.
He provided inspiration to generations of Australian tennis players, including Pat Cash.
‘He was like a father to me,’ Cash said.
Fraser Neale was a giant of Australian tennis who won 19 Grand Slams and led the Aussie team to four consecutive Davis Cup titles
Neale receives the Wimbledon trophy from Prince Philp when he was Duke of Edinburgh
Neale Fraser and his wife Thea attend the Annual Legends lunch at the 2018 Australian Open
‘He just knew how to make you feel important and play your best.’
The tributes have started to flow for the Aussie tennis great, who touched so many lives in his 91 years.
‘A true legend of Australian tennis, who will be missed by so many around the world,’ one supporter group posted.
‘If there’s one person who embodied Davis Cup, it was Frase. Condolences to his beautiful wife Thea, and to his extended family. The tennis world thanks you deeply, and will miss you Frase,’ a supporter added.
‘I am so, so incredibly sad to hear the great Neale Fraser has passed away. Praise as we all called him because he loved strawberries (French for strawberries). Thoughts are with Thea and his family. RIP friend,’ posted another.
Fraser began playing tennis at age 11 in Melbourne and attended St Kevin’s College, where he captained the tennis team.
A left-handed player known for his powerful serve and athleticism, Fraser achieved significant success in both singles and doubles competitions.
He won the US National Championships singles titles in 1959 and 1960, and the Wimbledon singles title in 1960.
In doubles, Fraser secured multiple Grand Slam titles: the Australian Championships in 1957, 1958, and 1962; the French Championships in 1958, 1960, and 1962; Wimbledon in 1959 and 1961; and the U.S. National Championships in 1957, 1959, and 1960.
Fraser would inspire generations of young tennis players to take up the sport and to value the Davis Cup
Fraser leaves a legacy that is unlikely to ever be repeated by another Australian in the Open era
Neale also excelled in mixed doubles, winning titles at the Australian Championships in 1956, Wimbledon in 1962, and the U.S. National Championships in 1958, 1959, and 1960.
Notably, Fraser is the last male player to achieve the ‘triple crown’ – winning the singles, doubles, and mixed doubles titles at a single Grand Slam event – accomplishing this feat consecutively at the US National Championships in 1959 and 1960.
Representing Australia in the Davis Cup from 1958 to 1963, he contributed to victories in 1959, 1960, 1961, and 1962.
After retiring from professional play, Fraser served as Australia’s Davis Cup captain from 1970 to 1994, leading the team to titles in 1973, 1977, 1983, and 1986.
His contributions to tennis were recognised with his induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1984 and the Australian Tennis Hall of Fame in 1994.
In 2008, Fraser received the International Tennis Federation’s Philippe Chatrier Award for outstanding achievement in tennis.
He also served as President of the Australian Davis Cup Tennis Foundation from 1997 until 2019, continuing his involvement in the sport.
Fraser’s career was marked by his dedication to tennis both on and off the court, leaving a lasting impact on Australian tennis.