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General First nameVivian Erzerum Bede (Viv)
LastnameMcGrath
GenderMale
CountryAustralia
Date of birth1916-02-17
Place of birthMerrendee, Australia
Date of death1978-04-09
Place of deathChevalier College, Burradoo, Australia


About

From The Australian Dictionary of Biography:
https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/mcgrath-vivian-erzerum-bede-10960

By Kerry Regan

Vivian Erzerum Bede McGrath (1916-1978), tennis player, was born on 17 February 1916 at Merrendee, near Mudgee, New South Wales, fourth child of native-born parents Herbert Francis McGrath, hotelkeeper, and his wife Florence Sophia, née Smith. Vivian was recognized as a tennis prodigy while at Sydney Boys’ High School, where he also excelled at cricket. He won the special singles event at the State championships in 1931, the Australian junior singles in 1932 and the French junior singles in 1933. A member of the Davis Cup squad from 1933 until 1937, he made several overseas tours, but never played in a Challenge-round final.

Good looking, with a dark complexion and hazel-coloured eyes, McGrath was 5 ft 10 ins (178 cm) tall, slightly built and a “terrier” on the court. He worked his double-handed backhand, which opponents regarded as a weakness, into his trademark. Seemingly indifferent to training, he was criticized for modelling himself on his great friend Jack Crawford. A habit McGrath developed early was to drop one ball if his first serve went in; since no one protested, it was ignored by the umpires.

Although he had beaten many leading players overseas, including Fred Perry, Christian Boussus and Ellsworth Vines, he had more success at home: with Crawford, he won five consecutive New South Wales doubles titles (1933-37) and the Australian doubles in 1935. His greatest victory came in the Australian singles in 1937 when he defeated John Bromwich in five sets.

McGrath was generous in his commitment to the sport, playing many exhibition games for his employers – A.G. Spalding & Bros (N.S.W.) Pty Ltd – and at weekends in local Badge matches in Sydney. World War II interrupted his career. He silenced his critics by enlisting in the Australian Imperial Force on 19 November 1941 and serving in transport units in Australia, mainly in the Northern Territory; he was allowed leave to play exhibition matches with visiting American servicemen.

After Sergeant McGrath was discharged on 14 May 1946, he never recaptured his previous form. Constant tennis-playing in his youth had caused a run of injuries; he was plagued by arthritis in his wrist and feet, and by bouts of asthma. He continued to work for Spalding Bros until the late 1950s when he started tennis-coaching. Based in the Southern Highlands, he taught in private schools at Bowral and Moss Vale. For many years he travelled to Canberra once a week to coach at the Japanese Embassy. He also had more time to pursue his interest in horse-racing and follow the Dragons (Saint George Rugby League team).

Promising at an early age, McGrath was called the “Wonder Boy”, but failed to fulfil expectations. He died of a coronary occlusion on 9 April 1978 at Chevalier College, Burradoo, and was buried with Catholic rites in Botany cemetery.

Media


Archive statistics Career1931 - 1946
Tournament wins29
Matches292
Match wins219


Tournament wins 1940 - Manly Seaside Tournament (Open)
1940 - City of Orange (Amateur)
1940 - Northern Suburbs (Amateur)
1939 - Northern Suburbs (Amateur)
1939 - New South Wales Hard Court Championships (Amateur)
1939 - Manly Seaside Tournament (Open)
1939 - Riverina (Amateur)
1939 - Australian Hard Courts Championship (Amateur)
1939 - Brisbane Exhibition (Amateur)
1938 - Manly Seaside Tournament (Open)
1938 - Metropolitan Grass Court Championships of Sydney (Amateur)
1937 - Westende Tournament (Amateur)
1937 - Northern Suburbs (Amateur)
1937 - Australian Open (Grandslam)
1936 - Cessnock (Amateur)
1936 - Northern Suburbs (Amateur)
1936 - New South Wales Hard Court Championships (Amateur)
1936 - Queensland Championships (Amateur)
1935 - Midland Counties Championships (Amateur)
1935 - New South Wales Hard Court Championships (Amateur)
1935 - New Zealand Championships (Amateur)
1935 - Perth International (Amateur)
1934 - South Australian Championships ()
1934 - Dorset County Championships (Amateur)
1934 - Hampshire Championships (Amateur)
1932 - County of Northumberland (Aus) (Amateur)
1932 - City of Sydney Championships (Amateur)
1932 - New South Wales Hard Court Championships (Amateur)
1932 - Riverina (Amateur)


Tournaments New South Wales Hard Court Championships - 1946 Victorian Championships - 1941 New South Wales Championships - 1941 Darling Downs - 1941 Queensland Patriotic Tournament - 1941 Manly Seaside Tournament - 1941 Maroochy Championships - 1941 Australian Open - 1940 City of Sydney Championships - 1940 Queensland Patriotic Tournament - 1940 Manly Seaside Tournament - 1940 Northern Suburbs - 1940 Brisbane Exhibition - 1940 City of Orange - 1940 South Wagga Championships - 1940 Australian Open - 1939 Victorian Championships - 1939 New South Wales Championships - 1939 Queensland Championships - 1939 City of Sydney Championships - 1939 Australian Hard Courts Championship - 1939 New South Wales Hard Court Championships - 1939 Manly Seaside Tournament - 1939 City of Perth - 1939 Northern Suburbs - 1939 Brisbane Exhibition - 1939 Riverina - 1939 Australian Open - 1938 New South Wales Championships - 1938 Queensland Championships - 1938 City of Sydney Championships - 1938 Australian Hard Courts Championship - 1938 Metropolitan Grass Court Championships of Sydney - 1938 New South Wales Hard Court Championships - 1938 Manly Seaside Tournament - 1938 Brisbane Exhibition - 1938 Singleton Easter Tournament - 1938 South Wagga Championships - 1938 Australian Open - 1937 Wimbledon - 1937 Victorian Championships - 1937 New South Wales Championships - 1937 German International Championships - 1937 Queensland Championships - 1937 Westende Tournament - 1937 GB vs AUS Exhibition - 1937 Metropolitan Grass Court Championships of Sydney - 1937 Manly Seaside Tournament - 1937 County of Cumberland - 1937 Northern Suburbs - 1937 Australian Open - 1936 Wimbledon - 1936 New South Wales Championships - 1936 Queensland Championships - 1936 Metropolitan Grass Court Championships of Sydney - 1936 New South Wales Hard Court Championships - 1936 Northern Suburbs - 1936 Cessnock - 1936 Riverina - 1936 Australian Open - 1935 Wimbledon - 1935 South Australian Championships - 1935 Roland Garros - 1935 New South Wales Championships - 1935 New Zealand Championships - 1935 Midland Counties Championships - 1935 New South Wales Hard Court Championships - 1935 Macomber Cup - Monte Carlo 23's - 1935 Monte Carlo Easter Tournament - 1935 Perth International - 1935 Houlgate - 1934-2 Australian Open - 1934 Wimbledon - 1934 South Australian Championships - 1934 Roland Garros - 1934 Hampshire Championships - 1934 Dorset County Championships - 1934 Australian Open - 1933 Wimbledon - 1933 Roland Garros - 1933 US Open - 1933 Victorian Championships - 1933 New South Wales Championships - 1933 British Hard Court Championships - 1933 Great Britain vs. Australia Test Match 1 - 1933 Great Britain vs. Australia Test Match 2 - 1933 Great Britain vs. Australia Test Match 3 - 1933 Winchester - 1933 Metropolitan Cricket (MCC ) Autumn Tournament - 1933 New Forest Tournament - 1933 New South Wales Championships - 1932B Australian Open - 1932 Victorian Championships - 1932 New South Wales Championships - 1932 Queensland Championships - 1932 City of Sydney Championships - 1932 Metropolitan Grass Court Championships of Sydney - 1932 New South Wales Hard Court Championships - 1932 County of Northumberland (Aus) - 1932 Metropolitan Cricket (MCC ) Autumn Tournament - 1932 Riverina - 1932 New South Wales Championships - 1931 Queensland Championships - 1931 New South Wales Hard Court Championships - 1931