Tennis players

[The Old Crem 3,654]

On 25/09/2020 at 01:02, YoungWillz said:

Well this actually confirms that Bobby Wilson died on 21st September: http://announcements.telegraph.co.uk/deaths/244507/wilson

 

Note: Top English tennis player dies, so far as I know only covered in the Herald Scotland. Wow. That Dean Jones must have been really British.

 

Anyway, I got my hit and my QO without waiting months.

Times Obituary.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/register/bobby-wilson-obituary-vpjzckf8w

[Deathrace 1,177]

On 22/05/2020 at 11:15, Deathrace said:

I notice from Twitter that Chris Evert's mother is still going aged 91.

Now dead according to her famous daughter. Not a great few months for the Evert family 

[YoungWillz 21,267]

And more bad news for Chris Evert as her former coach Dennis Ralston she reports dead:

Grand Slam doubles champ, runner up at Wimbledon to Manuel Santana in 1966.

 

According to this the cancer took him: https://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2020/12/remembering-dennis-ralston-tennis-renaissance-man/92039/

[Spade_Cooley 9,641]

1 hour ago, YoungWillz said:

And more bad news for Chris Evert as her former coach Dennis Ralston she reports dead:

Grand Slam doubles champ, runner up at Wimbledon to Manuel Santana in 1966.

 

According to this the cancer took him: https://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2020/12/remembering-dennis-ralston-tennis-renaissance-man/92039/

 

First of the "Handsome Eight," the original breakaway players who formed the WCT tour, to die. Tennis players really do live a long fucking time.

[YoungWillz 21,267]

On ‎21‎/‎11‎/‎2018 at 13:09, Bibliogryphon said:

I have just done some research on winners of the Wimbledon singles titles and the results are the opposite to those that I observed in the actors category.

 

Here are the ten longest surviving since their first win players

 

Men

 

1959 Alex Olmedo (b.1936)

 

 

 

Alex Olmedo is dead: https://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2020/12/remembering-alex-olmedo-1936-2020-star-player-teacher-stars/92102/

[CoffinLodger 1,248]

The legendary tennis player Gordon Forbes has died at 85 https://supersport.com/tennis/news/201210_Tennis_legend_and_author_Gordon_Forbes_passes_away_aged_86

[Deathrace 1,177]

As an aside it is remarkable how much longevity tennis players have. I was recently writing an article on the 1974 Wimbledon Championships for a magazine and I checked if all the protagonists were still alive. Incredibly for (me at least), all of the 16 quarter finalists in the Men's and Women's tournament are still breathing as of this moment. Which considering it is 46 years ago and most of them are now well into their 70s (some are in their 80s) is quite remarkable. Tennis players generally appear a lot healthier than say footballers, rugby players or cricketers. 

 

I suppose what I am trying to say is expect a lot of geriatric tennis players over the next couple of decades as very few of the main players from the 1960s and 1970s have died yet. 

[RoverAndOut 4,758]

2 hours ago, Deathrace said:

As an aside it is remarkable how much longevity tennis players have. I was recently writing an article on the 1974 Wimbledon Championships for a magazine and I checked if all the protagonists were still alive. Incredibly for (me at least), all of the 16 quarter finalists in the Men's and Women's tournament are still breathing as of this moment. Which considering it is 46 years ago and most of them are now well into their 70s (some are in their 80s) is quite remarkable. Tennis players generally appear a lot healthier than say footballers, rugby players or cricketers. 

 

I suppose what I am trying to say is expect a lot of geriatric tennis players over the next couple of decades as very few of the main players from the 1960s and 1970s have died yet. 

 

Thanks for that very interesting piece of info, at the moment whenever this thread pops up I just think "who connected to Chris Evert has died now?!" But your point is well made and I've seen it made elsewhere hereabouts too. Off the top of my head, both singles winners from 1969 are still going too (Ann Jones and Rod Laver), as are the people they faced (Billie Jean and John Newcombe). When you consider Federer is still playing at the highest level at 39 (he's 40 in summer next year) I'd fully expect him to still be here into his 80s and 90s - as an aside, if he were to reach the Wimbledon Final next July (assuming Covid doesn't cancel it again of course and he overcomes his current knee issue) then I think he'd break Ken Rosewall's record for the oldest Grand Slam finalist. This would, of course hold true for any other Grand Slam final he managed post-Wimbledon next year.

[msc 18,565]

I had the mens Wimbledon winner for 1953 on my team this year (Vic Seixas) and the Wimbledon mens winner for 1950 (!), Budge Patty, is still with us.

[Deathrace 1,177]

3 minutes ago, msc said:

I had the mens Wimbledon winner for 1953 on my team this year (Vic Seixas) and the Wimbledon mens winner for 1950 (!), Budge Patty, is still with us.

As is the 1948 winner Bob Falkenburg, the 1951 winner Dick Savitt and the 1952 winner Frank Sedgman. Crazy given how long ago that was. All in their 90s. It appears the exceptions are those top male tennis players who don't make it into the 90s. And yet Jana Novotna is six feet under. 

[Deathrace 1,177]

25 minutes ago, RoverAndOut said:

 

Thanks for that very interesting piece of info, at the moment whenever this thread pops up I just think "who connected to Chris Evert has died now?!" But your point is well made and I've seen it made elsewhere hereabouts too. Off the top of my head, both singles winners from 1969 are still going too (Ann Jones and Rod Laver), as are the people they faced (Billie Jean and John Newcombe). When you consider Federer is still playing at the highest level at 39 (he's 40 in summer next year) I'd fully expect him to still be here into his 80s and 90s - as an aside, if he were to reach the Wimbledon Final next July (assuming Covid doesn't cancel it again of course and he overcomes his current knee issue) then I think he'd break Ken Rosewall's record for the oldest Grand Slam finalist. This would, of course hold true for any other Grand Slam final he managed post-Wimbledon next year.

On the Evert theme, this year alone her sister, mother and coach have died. One ex husband (Greg Norman) is in hospital with Covid and another ex husband (John Lloyd) has had cancer recently. 

[The Old Crem 3,654]

Bob Brett, former coach of Boris Becker and Goran Ivanisevic dies of cancer aged 67 (Wiki)

BBC

[Bentrovato 1,118]

From BBC News Feed: British tennis star Andy Murray has tested positive for coronavirus.

The 33-year-old Scot was set to fly out to Melbourne in the next 36 hours.

Instead he remains in quarantine and isolating at home in London.

Murray, a five-time runner-up in Melbourne, remains hopeful he will be allowed to travel at a later date and compete as planned.

Australian Open: Andy Murray tests positive for coronavirus - BBC Sport

[Ulitzer95 12,923]

Former World No. 1 turned commentator Tony Trabert (wiki) has died aged 90.

[Deathrace 1,177]

1 hour ago, Ulitzer95 said:

Former World No. 1 turned commentator Tony Trabert (wiki) has died aged 90.

Which by the standards of male tennis players is something of an early death. 

[Ulitzer95 12,923]

5 minutes ago, Deathrace said:

Which by the standards of male tennis players is something of an early death. 

So you’ve said before but off the top of my head I can’t think of one household name male tennis player who lived beyond 90?

[msc 18,565]

50 minutes ago, Ulitzer95 said:

So you’ve said before but off the top of my head I can’t think of one household name male tennis player who lived beyond 90?

 

Budge Patty - but his fame was 70 years ago, not so much today. (Still going btw, for deadpool watchers out there.)

 

Btw as the person to originally make the DL gag about tennis being good for longevity I clearly meant 80s, which a lot of the 50s/60s stars are now reaching, and obviously Trabert achieved that.

[Deathrace 1,177]

2 hours ago, Ulitzer95 said:

So you’ve said before but off the top of my head I can’t think of one household name male tennis player who lived beyond 90?

Rene Lacoste 

[YoungWillz 21,267]

Bill Scanlon, US Tennis player who in his day beat some of the greatest names around, reportedly dead at 64: 

 

Reached the semis of the US Open in 1983, best at Wimbledon was the quarters in 1979. 

[CaptainChorizo 2,000]

Shirley Fry Irvin

Tennis Hall Of Famer, and Winner of each of the 4 slams in singles  during the 1950's as well as 13 doubles slams is dead at age 94

[YoungWillz 21,267]

2 hours ago, CaptainChorizo said:

Shirley Fry Irvin

Tennis Hall Of Famer, and Winner of each of the 4 slams in singles  during the 1950's as well as 13 doubles slams is dead at age 94

Astonishingly not picked for the DDP this year. 

 

Was picked back in 2015 though, by the aptly named People Who Will Die Before An Englishman Wins Wimbledon (which, let's face it, could be the name of all the teams on the DDP): http://www.derbydeadpool.co.uk/deadpool2015/celebs_F.html#fryirs

 

So a List of the Missed.

[arghton 6,916]

40s Wimbledon Champions and Runner-ups still living:

Bob Falkenburg (1926-2022) Champion of the 1947 Men's doubles, Champion of the 1948 Men's singles.

Bill Sidwell (1920-2021) Runner-up of the 1947 and 1950 Men's doubles

Frank Sedgman (1927-) Champion of the 1948 Men's doubles, Runner-up of the 1948 Mixed doubles, Champion of the 1951 Men's doubles and the 1951 Mixed doubles, World no. 1 in 1951 (Pierre Gillou), Champion of the 1952 Men's singles, Champion of the 1952 Men's doubles, Champion of the 1952 Mixed doubles.

Christiane Mercelis (1931-2024) Champion of the 1949 Girls' singles

 

Bill Sidwell was also the Champion of the 1938 Boys' Doubles and the 1939 Boys' Singles in the Australian Open

[Ulitzer95 12,923]

Curious to know if Earl Cochell is still alive? He’d be 99 now. He was banned for life then fell off the radar though remains a talking point online.

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earl_Cochell

[Deathrace 1,177]

42 minutes ago, arghton said:

40s Wimbledon Champions and Runner-ups still living:

Geoff Brown (1923-) Runner-up of the 1946 Men's singles, also of the 1946 Men's doubles, the 1946 Mixed doubles, the 1950 Men's doubles, the 1950 Mixed doubles.

Bob Falkenburg (1926-) Champion of the 1947 Men's doubles, Champion of the 1948 Men's singles.

Bill Sidwell (1920-) Runner-up of the 1947 and 1950 Men's doubles

Frank Sedgman (1927-) Champion of the 1948 Men's doubles, Runner-up of the 1948 Mixed doubles, Champion of the 1951 Men's doubles and the 1951 Mixed doubles, World no. 1 in 1951 (Pierre Gillou), Champion of the 1952 Men's singles, Champion of the 1952 Men's doubles, Champion of the 1952 Mixed doubles.

Christiane Mercelis (1931-) Champion of the 1949 Girls' singles

Crazy how such longevity there is in men's tennis. No other men's sport has anything like this number of people from the 1940s still going. And the guys from the 1950s and 1960s are doing just as well. 

[Deathrace 1,177]

47 minutes ago, arghton said:

40s Wimbledon Champions and Runner-ups still living:

Geoff Brown (1923-) Runner-up of the 1946 Men's singles, also of the 1946 Men's doubles, the 1946 Mixed doubles, the 1950 Men's doubles, the 1950 Mixed doubles.

Bob Falkenburg (1926-) Champion of the 1947 Men's doubles, Champion of the 1948 Men's singles.

Bill Sidwell (1920-) Runner-up of the 1947 and 1950 Men's doubles

Frank Sedgman (1927-) Champion of the 1948 Men's doubles, Runner-up of the 1948 Mixed doubles, Champion of the 1951 Men's doubles and the 1951 Mixed doubles, World no. 1 in 1951 (Pierre Gillou), Champion of the 1952 Men's singles, Champion of the 1952 Men's doubles, Champion of the 1952 Mixed doubles.

Christiane Mercelis (1931-) Champion of the 1949 Girls' singles

You do Sedgman a bit of a disservice there as he won 5 Singles Grand Slams including the Australian Open in 1949 and Wimbledon in 1952.