Lew Hoad
Powerful Australian who came within one match of the 1956 Grand Slam
Overview
Hoad won the Australian, French and Wimbledon titles in 1956 and lost the US final to his friend and rival Ken Rosewall, one match short of a calendar Grand Slam. He defended Wimbledon in 1957 with a crushing final display and then turned professional. Contemporaries including Rod Laver regarded him at his best as the most gifted player they faced, though back trouble shortened his peak.
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