General Frederick Sidney (Fred)
Stolle
Male
Australia
1938-10-08
Hornsby, Sydney, NSW, Australia
2025-03-05
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia


About

From The Guardian: Fred Stolle obituary | Tennis | The Guardian

Obituary – Fred Stolle

By Richard Evans

The Australian tennis player Fred Stolle, who has died aged 86, won the French Championship in 1965 and the US Championship in 1966, along with a hatful of doubles titles around the world. But he could never quite get over the line at Wimbledon, where he lost in three consecutive finals between 1963 and 1965.

Typically, however, Stolle did not allow his frustrating failure to win Wimbledon to deter him from making the most of his ability as a world-class player, or to douse the huge enjoyment he derived from being one of the game’s most popular personalities. He played in an era when, outside Wimbledon and a couple of other grand slams, the nocturnal hours were to be enjoyed as much as sunlit days on the courts of the world’s most glamorous locations.

This did not mean the players of his era were unfit. Far from it. Unlike today, practically every tournament insisted on matches that were best of five sets, and all the top singles stars automatically played doubles as well. The beer from the night before was simply removed from the system by punishing early morning runs and tough work on the practice court. Stolle’s great Aussie friend Roy Emerson, who beat him at Wimbledon in the 1964 and 1965 finals, led the way in that department, with Stolle following closely behind.

In retrospect, Stolle’s success was largely forged out of two incidents that he rightly considered to be unfair and publicly embarrassing slights from the powers that governed the game before it professionalised in 1968.

The first came when he was trying to make his mark as a Davis Cup player for Australia under the stern and demanding captaincy of Harry Hopman. He was the junior member of the team that beat Italy in the challenge round in 1961 and, as such, was ordered to go to the umpire’s dinner after the victory. It was at the dinner that Hopman stood up and praised the other members of the squad, but offered the opinion that Stolle would never be good enough to make the grade.

Stolle was crushed and humiliated, but Emerson, who had experienced his own problems with Hopman, tried to console his friend by telling him it was just the captain’s way of seeing if he could take it. Intellectually, Stolle understood what Emerson was saying but, as he wrote in his autobiography, “emotionally it was very difficult to listen to Harry Hopman tell the world I was not good enough”.

Stolle had to live with that assessment until 1964, when Hopman pulled off a surprise by selecting him for the singles and doubles matches in a tough tie against Mexico in Mexico City. Although he lost to the brilliant Rafael Osuna on the first day, Stolle proved his worth by teaming up with Emerson to win a marathon doubles game then complete Australia’s victory with a reverse singles win against Antonio Palafox. Proving he was, indeed, good enough, Stolle finished with a career Davis Cup record of 13 wins out of 16 singles and doubles matches.

The second public slight came in 1966 when the seeding committee for the US Championships at Forest Hills in New York omitted him from the list of eight seeds. There were no computerised ranking lists in those days and a player’s career was in the hands of faceless officials. Stolle, who had been playing well, was furious. Determined to prove the committee wrong, the lanky serve-and-volley expert cut a swathe through the draw on the slick grass, playing what he described as the best match of his life to beat Emerson 6-4, 6-1, 6-1 in the semi-finals, and John Newcombe 4-6, 12-10, 6-3, 6-4 in the final.

Although that triumph probably gave Stolle the greatest personal satisfaction, his surprise victory at the French Championship the previous year was undoubtedly his finest achievement. European clay was never the easiest surface for Australians, but Stolle stayed true to his attacking instincts to battle his way past a gaggle of Europeans before beating his fellow Australian Tony Roche 3-6, 6-0, 6-2, 6-3 in the final.

In addition to his two grand slam singles titles, Stolle was one of the leading doubles experts of the 60s, winning three US men’s doubles titles, two with Emerson and one with Ken Rosewall; three Australian, two with his original partner, Bob Hewitt, and one with Emerson; two French (Emerson and Rosewall) and two at Wimbledon with Hewitt. He also won seven mixed doubles titles, including Wimbledon with the British player Ann Jones in 1969, the year she won the singles title.

Born in Hornsby, Sydney, Stolle benefited from the fact that in Australia – unlike many other countries in the world – tennis was a pastime for all classes. His father, Bill, was a labourer on the railways, but that did not stop him playing competitive doubles at the local club on Sunday mornings, and young Fred was soon joining in.

Although Stolle quickly began winning local junior titles, his early progress did not quite warrant the corporate sponsorship offer that would have enabled him to play tennis almost full time. Instead he took a job at a bank and was lucky enough to choose one that had Cliff Sproule, a leading International Tennis Federation official, among its directors. Sproule eased Stolle’s way on to the travelling tennis circuit, and as a bright and charming young man with a special Aussie line in sardonic humour, he never looked back.

With his wife, Pat, and young family in tow, Stolle quickly took to life in the US and, once he turned pro, accepted a series of jobs as a tennis director at country clubs, beginning in Tucson, Arizona, and eventually settling at Turnberry Isle near Miami.

For several years Stolle was also chief summariser on ESPN’s tennis broadcasts, which were headed by one of his old rival players, Cliff Drysdale. It was with Drysdale that he set up Grand Slam Sports, a company offering corporate hospitality outings all over the US.

The business’s partners included such well-known names as Emerson, Rosewall, Marty Riessen, John Lloyd and Owen Davidson, who would offer their services. Most of them were capable speakers, none more so than Stolle himself, whose personality enabled him to “roast” his guests and still retain their friendship and respect. He was made an officer of the Order of Australia in 2005.

Stolle is survived by Pat and their children, Sandon (also a professional tennis player), Monique and Nadine.



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Archive statistics 1955 - 1982
44
1152
776


Tournament wins 1981 - Bahamas Classic (Open)
1973 - Northern Territory Championships ()
1973 - Benson & Hedges Classic (Grand Prix Circuit)
1969 - Incline Village Pro Invitation (Professional)
1969 - Queens Club Tournament (ATP)
1969 - Tasmanian Championships (Amateur)
1968 - Oakland Pros (Professional)
1968 - Kent Championships (Open)
1967 - Manly Seaside Tournament (Open)
1967 - Brussels Professional Autumn Championships (Professional)
1966 - German International Championships ()
1966 - Pacific Coast Championship (Amateur)
1966 - New South Wales Championships (Amateur)
1966 - Manly Seaside Tournament (Open)
1966 - US Open (Grandslam)
1965 - Baltimore Invitation (Amateur)
1965 - Eastern Grass Court Championships (Amateur)
1965 - River Plate Championships (Amateur)
1965 - Roland Garros (Grandslam)
1964 - New South Wales Championships (Amateur)
1964 - Queensland Championships (Amateur)
1964 - Midland Counties Championships (Amateur)
1964 - Catania (Open)
1964 - Auckland (ATP World Tour 250 series)
1964 - Manly Seaside Tournament (Open)
1963 - Dallas Invitation (Amateur)
1963 - Auckland (ATP World Tour 250 series)
1963 - West of England Championships (Amateur)
1963 - Austrian International Championships (Grand Prix Circuit)
1963 - Düsseldorf International ()
1963 - Villars (Amateur)
1963 - Western Australia Championships (Open)
1963 - Graz (Amateur)
1962 - International Championships of Egypt - Cairo (Open)
1962 - West of England Championships (Amateur)
1962 - Eastern Grass Court Championships (Amateur)
1962 - Southampton Invitation (Long Island) (Amateur)
1962 - Metropolitan Grass Court Championships of Sydney (Amateur)
1962 - Punjab Championships (Amateur)
1961 - Elbe Cup (Amateur)
1959 - Bellingen District (Amateur)
1959 - North Coast Championships (Open)
1958 - North Coast Championships (Open)
1957 - City of Orange (Amateur)


Tournaments WCT - Baltimore - 1982 Bahamas Classic - 1981 Bahamas International - 1980 Bahamas International - 1979 Wimbledon - 1978 Wimbledon Plate (Consolation) - 1978 Pacific Coast Indoors - 1978 US Open - 1977 Bahamas International - 1977 Tucson - 1976 Philadelphia Open - 1976 Tempe - 1976 Bakersfield - 1976 US Open - 1975 Charlotte - 1975 Jackson - 1975 New South Wales Championships - 1974B New South Wales Hard Court Championships - 1974 Djakarta Raya Open - 1974 Hong Kong Open - 1974 WCT - Tokyo - 1974 Australian Indoors - 1974 Tucson - ATP - 1974 Benson & Hedges Classic - 1974 River Oaks Tournament - 1973 Charlotte - 1973 Indian International Championships - 1973 Milano Indoors - 1973 WCT - London - 1973 Hong Kong Open - 1973 WCT - Chicago - 1973 Washington Indoor - 1973 WCT - Vancouver - 1973 Aryamehr Cup - 1973 WCT Cologne - 1973 Denver - 1973 Las Vegas - 1973 WCT-Cleveland - 1973 WCT - Copenhagen - 1973 Australian Indoors - 1973 Northern Territory Championships - 1973 Benson & Hedges Classic - 1973 US Open - 1972 Pacific Southwest Championships - 1972 River Oaks Tournament - 1972 US Pro Championships - 1972 Auckland - 1972 Richmond Indoor Championships - 1972 Macon Indoor - 1972 Charlotte - 1972 Washington Open - 1972 Philadelphia Open - 1972 Colonial Pro Invitation - 1972 WCT - St. Louis - 1972 Toronto Indoor - 1972 Louisville Open - 1972 WCT-Quebec - 1972 WCT - Chicago - 1972 WCT - Vancouver - 1972 WCT - Miami - 1972 WCT-Hilton Head - 1972 Denver - 1972 Las Vegas - 1972 Bretton Woods International - 1972 WCT-Cleveland - 1972 WCT Montreal - 1972 WCT Alamo - 1972 WCT - Tokyo - 1972 WCT Essen - 1972 WCT - Gothenburg - 1972 Johannesburg Open - 1972 Australian Open - 1971 Wimbledon - 1971 Canadian International Championships - 1971 Pacific Coast Championship - 1971 Irish Championships - 1971 Italian International Championships - 1971 US Pro Championships - 1971 South African Championships - 1971 West of England Championships - 1971 South of England Championships - 1971 Conde de Godo - 1971 British Covered Court Championships - 1971 Washington Open - 1971 Philadelphia Open - 1971 Colonial Pro Invitation - 1971 Bologna Indoor - 1971 Louisville Open - 1971 WCT-Quebec - 1971 WCT - Chicago - 1971 Rothman International Tournament - 1971 WCT - Vancouver - 1971 Aventura Classic - 1971 WCT Dallas - 1971 Aryamehr Cup - 1971 WCT Cologne - 1971 Stockholm Open - 1971 Wimbledon - 1970 US Open - 1970 Canadian International Championships - 1970 Pacific Southwest Championships - 1970 US Pro Championships - 1970 West of England Championships - 1970 South of England Championships - 1970 South Texas Pros - 1970 Philadelphia Open - 1970 WCT - St. Louis - 1970 Atlanta Open - 1970 Montgomery Ward Cup - 1970 WCT - London - 1970 Dunlop Slazenger International Open - 1970 Dallas Morning News Classic - 1970 Howard Hughes Pro Invitation - 1970 National Tennis Classic - 1970 Mount Washington Invitation - 1970 Fort Worth Pros - 1970 WCT - Vancouver - 1970 World Cup - 1970 Los Angeles Tennis Classic - 1970 Australian Open - 1969 Wimbledon - 1969 Monte Carlo - 1969 Roland Garros - 1969 US Open - 1969 New South Wales Championships - 1969 Queens Club Tournament - 1969 Italian International Championships - 1969 Pacific Southwest Championships - 1969 British Hard Court Championships - 1969 US Pro Championships - 1969 South African Championships - 1969 British Covered Court Championships - 1969 Tasmanian Championships - 1969 Aix-en-Provence - 1969 Madison Square Garden Fields - 1969 Gstaad - 1969 Midland Pros - 1969 Oakland Pros - 1969 Los Angeles Professional Championships - 1969 Colonial Pro Invitation - 1969 WCT - St. Louis - 1969 Incline Village Pro Invitation - 1969 Chicago Planters Pro Tourney - 1969 Howard Hughes Open - 1969 Barcelona Pros - 1969 Stockholm Open - 1969 Wimbledon - 1968 Roland Garros - 1968 US Open - 1968 Queens Club Tournament - 1968 Pacific Southwest Championships - 1968 British Hard Court Championships - 1968 Kent Championships - 1968 French Professional Championship - 1968 Madison Square Garden Fields - 1968 Buenos Aires Pro Championships - 1968 Bogota Pro Championships - 1968 Cannes Pro Championships - 1968 Paris Pro Championships - 1968 Wembley Invitation - 1968 South American Championship - 1968 Midland Pros - 1968 South Texas Pros - 1968 Pacific Coast Professionals - 1968 Sao Paulo Pros - 1968 Wembley Professional Championships - 1968 Oakland Pros - 1968 Binghampton Pro Championships - 1968 Colonial Pro Invitation - 1968 Lima Pro - 1968 French Professional Championship - 1967 Madison Square Garden Pro Championships - 1967 Manly Seaside Tournament - 1967 Orlando Professional Championships - 1967 Paris Pro Championships - 1967 Durban Pros - 1967 Port Elizabeth Pros - 1967 Wembley Professional Championships - 1967 Los Angeles Professional Championships - 1967 New York Pro Tournament - 1967 San Juan Pros - 1967 Planters Pro Challenge Cup - 1967 Boston Pros - 1967 Pacific International Pro Tournament - 1967 US Pro Hardcourts - 1967 International Pro Cup - 1967 World Pro Championships - 1967 US Pro Grasscourt Championships - 1967 Binghampton Pro Championships - 1967 Cincinnati Pro Championships - 1967 Wimbledon Pros - 1967 Colonial Pro Invitation - 1967 Marseille Pros Autumn - 1967 Prague Pros - 1967 Brussels Professional Autumn Championships - 1967 Barcelona Pros - 1967 Marseille Pros Spring - 1967 Australian Open - 1966 Wimbledon - 1966 South Australian Championships - 1966 Roland Garros - 1966 US Open - 1966 Victorian Championships - 1966 New South Wales Championships - 1966 Pacific Coast Championship - 1966 Queens Club Tournament - 1966 Italian International Championships - 1966 Pacific Southwest Championships - 1966 German International Championships - 1966 South African Championships - 1966 Queensland Championships - 1966 Kent Championships - 1966 Conde de Godo - 1966 Auckland - 1966 New South Wales Hard Court Championships - 1966 Manly Seaside Tournament - 1966 Gstaad - 1966 Queensland Hardcourts - 1966 Antwerpen International - 1966 Knokke Le-Zoute - 1966 Le Touquet August - 1966 Båstad Champions Cup - 1966 Australian Open - 1965 Wimbledon - 1965 South Australian Championships - 1965 Roland Garros - 1965 US Open - 1965 Victorian Championships - 1965 New South Wales Championships - 1965 Swiss International Championships - 1965 Newport Casino - 1965 Eastern Grass Court Championships - 1965 Queens Club Tournament - 1965 River Plate Championships - 1965 Pacific Southwest Championships - 1965 River Oaks Tournament - 1965 Queensland Championships - 1965 Kent Championships - 1965 Southampton Invitation (Long Island) - 1965 Championships of Wales - 1965 Australian Hard Courts Championship - 1965 Metropolitan Grass Court Championships of Sydney - 1965 Tasmanian Championships - 1965 Caribe Hilton Championships - 1965 Good Neighbor Tournament - 1965 Pennsylvania Lawn Tennis Championship - 1965 Auckland - 1965 Western Australia Championships - 1965 Altamira International Invitation - 1965 Colombia International - 1965 Mexico International - 1965 Bastad - 1965 San Antonio Invitation - 1965 Fort Worth - 1965 Baltimore Invitation - 1965 Santiago International - 1965 Trinidad International - 1965 Australian Open - 1964 Wimbledon - 1964 Monte Carlo - 1964 Roland Garros - 1964 US Open - 1964 Victorian Championships - 1964 New South Wales Championships - 1964 Canadian International Championships - 1964 Italian International Championships - 1964 Netherlands International Championships - 1964 Pacific Southwest Championships - 1964 Dixie Championships - 1964 Championships of Berlin - 1964 Queensland Championships - 1964 Kent Championships - 1964 Midland Counties Championships - 1964 San Remo - 1964 Australian Hard Courts Championship - 1964 Metropolitan Grass Court Championships of Sydney - 1964 Sicilian International Championships - 1964 Napoli - 1964 Auckland - 1964 New South Wales Hard Court Championships - 1964 Manly Seaside Tournament - 1964 Catania - 1964 Reggio Calabria - 1964 Australian Open - 1963 Wimbledon - 1963 South Australian Championships - 1963 Roland Garros - 1963 Victorian Championships - 1963 New South Wales Championships - 1963 Austrian International Championships - 1963 Italian International Championships - 1963 British Hard Court Championships - 1963 River Oaks Tournament - 1963 Dixie Championships - 1963 German International Championships - 1963 Championships of Berlin - 1963 Queensland Championships - 1963 West of England Championships - 1963 Australian Capital Territory Championships - 1963 Metropolitan Grass Court Championships of Sydney - 1963 Napoli - 1963 Caribbean Championships - 1963 Caribe Hilton Championships - 1963 Düsseldorf International - 1963 Auckland - 1963 Manly Seaside Tournament - 1963 Western Australia Championships - 1963 Altamira International Invitation - 1963 Colombia International - 1963 Viareggio - 1963 Oslo International - 1963 Masters Invitation - 1963 Gstaad - 1963 Dallas Invitation - 1963 Graz - 1963 Hanover International - 1963 Saltsjoebaden - 1963 Villars - 1963 Australian Open - 1962 Wimbledon - 1962 South Australian Championships - 1962 Monte Carlo - 1962 Roland Garros - 1962 US Open - 1962 Victorian Championships - 1962 New South Wales Championships - 1962 Newport Casino - 1962 Eastern Grass Court Championships - 1962 US Clay Courts - 1962 Queens Club Tournament - 1962 Italian International Championships - 1962 Pacific Southwest Championships - 1962 International Championships of Egypt - Cairo - 1962 International Championships of Egypt-Alexandria - 1962 Queensland Championships - 1962 Southampton Invitation (Long Island) - 1962 West of England Championships - 1962 Baden-Baden - 1962 Conde de Godo - 1962 Australian Hard Courts Championship - 1962 Northern India - 1962 Metropolitan Grass Court Championships of Sydney - 1962 Sicilian International Championships - 1962 Napoli - 1962 Düsseldorf International - 1962 Pennsylvania Lawn Tennis Championship - 1962 Asian Championships - 1962 Reggio Calabria - 1962 Nations' Cup (Egypt) - 1962 Punjab Championships - 1962 Central India Championships - 1962 Fort Worth - 1962 Sorrento - 1962 Australian Open - 1961 Wimbledon - 1961 Roland Garros - 1961 Victorian Championships - 1961 New South Wales Championships - 1961 Queens Club Tournament - 1961 Italian International Championships - 1961 Venezia (Venice International Tournament) - 1961 German International Championships - 1961 Queensland Championships - 1961 Kent Championships - 1961 Mediterranean Championships - 1961 Oostende - 1961 Conde de Godo - 1961 Lebanon International Championship - 1961 Bavarian International Championships - 1961 New South Wales Hard Court Championships - 1961 Gstaad - 1961 Turkish International Championships (Turkey Open) - 1961 Queensland Hardcourts - 1961 Brumana International - 1961 South Australian b - 1961 Elbe Cup - 1961 Australian Open - 1960 Wimbledon - 1960 Roland Garros - 1960 Victorian Championships - 1960 New South Wales Championships - 1960 Queens Club Tournament - 1960 Italian International Championships - 1960 German International Championships - 1960 Queensland Championships - 1960 Czechoslovakian International Championships - 1960 Roland Garros Qualifying - 1960 Metropolitan Grass Court Championships of Sydney - 1960 Sicilian International Championships - 1960 New South Wales Hard Court Championships - 1960 Turkish International Championships (Turkey Open) - 1960 International Championshps of the Ruhr-Area - 1960 Brumana International - 1960 Bad Neuenahr - 1960 Western Australia Championships b - 1960 Elbe Cup - 1960 Victorian Championships - 1959 New South Wales Championships - 1959 Queensland Championships - 1959 Metropolitan Grass Court Championships of Sydney - 1959 Auckland - 1959 New South Wales Hard Court Championships - 1959 Manly Seaside Tournament - 1959 Sydney Metropolitan Hard Courts - 1959 North Coast Championships - 1959 Bellingen District - 1959 Australian Open - 1958 Victorian Championships - 1958 New South Wales Championships - 1958 Queensland Championships - 1958 Metropolitan Grass Court Championships of Sydney - 1958 North Coast Championships - 1958 New South Wales - White City - 1958 South Australian Championships - 1957 Victorian Championships - 1957 Queensland Championships - 1957 Australian Hard Courts Championship - 1957 Metropolitan Grass Court Championships of Sydney - 1957 Sydney Metropolitan Hard Courts - 1957 City of Orange - 1957 Australian Hard Courts Championship - 1956 Australian Capital Territory Championships - 1955

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