Fred Stolle

 ( 1938 Births ) 

Frederick Sydney Stolle, AO (8 October 1938 – 5 March 2025) was an Australian amateur world No. 1 tennis player and commentator. He was born in Hornsby, New South Wales, Australia. He was the father of former Australian Davis Cup player Sandon Stolle.

---

Career Stolle is notable for being the only male player in history to have lost his first five Grand Slam singles finals, all but one were to Roy Emerson, the fifth of which he led by two sets to love. However, Stolle went on to win two Grand Slam tournament singles titles, the 1965 French Championships and the 1966 US Championships. At Wimbledon and the Australian Championships he finished as runner-up in these tournaments and losing to compatriot Roy Emerson on no fewer than five occasions. World Tennis magazine ranked Stolle world No. 1 amateur in 1966.

Stolle won ten Grand Slam doubles titles, partnering with compatriots Bob Hewitt (4 titles), Roy Emerson (4 titles), and Ken Rosewall (2 titles). In addition Stolle won 7 Grand Slam mixed doubles titles.

As a member of the Australian Davis Cup team Stolle won the Davis Cup title in 1964, 1965 and 1966. In 1964 Stolle and Emerson were briefly suspended from the Australian Davis Cup team for going on an overseas tour in defiance of a Lawn Tennis Association of Australia order to remain in Australia until April.

Stolle turned professional in 1966, and as a professional, won two singles and 13 doubles titles. He earned about US$500,000 in career prize money.

Stolle coached Vitas Gerulaitis from 1977 until 1983.

---

Later life and death For many years, Stolle did television commentary for ESPN and other tennis broadcasts. He provided commentary on Grand Slam tennis tournaments for Australia's Fox Sports and the Nine Network.

Stolle died from cancer in Palm Desert, California, on 5 March 2025, at the age of 86. Fred Stolle, Australian tennis legend and beloved friend, dies at 86

---

Honours For his contribution to the tennis sport Stolle was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1985. In 1988 he was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame. He received an Australian Sports Medal in 2000 and was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2005. In 2020, Stolle was awarded the ITF Philippe Chatrier Award, for his contribution to tennis both during his career and post-retirement.

---

Grand Slam finals

---

Singles (2 titles, 6 runners-up)

7–9, 1–6, 4–6

3–6, 4–6, 2–6

1–6, 10–12, 6–4, 3–6

4–6, 2–6, 4–6

9–7, 6–2, 4–6, 5–7, 1–6

3–6, 6–0, 6–2, 6–3

2–6, 4–6, 4–6

4–6, 12–10, 6–3, 6–4

---

Doubles (10 titles, 6 runners-up)

4–6, 8–6, 4–6, 8–6, 6–8

6–4, 6–4, 1–6, 4–6, 9–11

6–2, 5–7, 6–2, 6–4

6–2, 3–6, 6–3, 3–6, 6–3

6–4, 7–5, 3–6, 4–6, 14–12

7–5, 11–9, 6–4

6–3, 6–4, 11–13, 3–6, 4–6

6–8, 6–3, 8–6, 6–2

6–4, 10–12, 7–5, 6–3

7–9, 6–3, 6–8, 14–12, 12–10

6–4, 6–4, 6–4

6–3, 6–4, 6–3

6–3, 6–8, 7–5, 12–14, 3–6

4–6, 4–6

2–6, 7–5, 13–11, 6–3

8–10, 3–6, 1–6

---

Open-era doubles titles (10)

1.	1968	French Open, Paris	Clay	Ken Rosewall	Roy Emerson Rod Laver	6–3, 6–4, 6–3
2.	1968	Los Angeles, US	Hard	Ken Rosewall	Cliff Drysdale Roger Taylor	7–5, 6–1
3.	1969	US Open, New York	Grass	Ken Rosewall	Charlie Pasarell Dennis Ralston	2–6, 7–5, 13–11, 6–3
4.	1971	Bologna Indoor, Italy	Carpet	Ken Rosewall	Robert Maud Frew McMillan	6–7, 6–2, 6–3, 6–3
5.	1972	Bretton Woods, US	Hard	John Alexander	Nikola Pilić Cliff Richey	7–6, 7–6
6.	1972	Vancouver WCT, Canada	Outdoor	John Newcombe	Cliff Drysdale Allan Stone	7–6, 6–0
7.	1972	Johannesburg-2, South Africa	Hard	John Newcombe	Terry Addison Bob Carmichael	6–3, 6–4
8.	1973	Chicago, US	Carpet	Ken Rosewall	Ismail El Shafei Brian Fairlie	6–7, 6–4, 6–2
9.	1973	Cleveland, US	Carpet	Ken Rosewall	Ismail El Shafei Brian Fairlie	6–2, 6–3
10.	1973	Bretton Woods, US	Clay	Rod Laver	Bob Carmichael Frew McMillan	7–6, 4–6, 7–5

---

Performance timeline

---

Singles

Grand Slam tournaments ! 2 / 41 !! 102–39 !! 72.3

1R

A

1R

SF

QF

SF

F

F

SF

A

A

QF

A

3R

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

0 / 10

23–10

69.7

French Open

A

A

2R

3R

4R

2R

4R

W

QF

A

2R

QF

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

1 / 9

23–8

74.2

Wimbledon

A

A

1R

2R

3R

F

F

F

2R

A

4R

4R

1R

4R

A

A

A

A

A

A

1R

0 / 12

31–12

72.1

US Open

A

A

A

A

2R

A

F

2R

W

A

2R

QF

3R

A

QF

A

A

1R

A

2R

A

1 / 10

25–9

73.5

Pro Slam tournaments ! 0 / 3 !! 4–3 !! 57.1

U.S. Pro

A

SF

Not a Major

0 / 1

2–1

66.7

French Pro

A

SF

Not a Major

0 / 1

2–1

66.7

Wembley Pro

A

1R

Not a Major

0 / 1

0–1

0.0

Win–loss

0–1

Note: The Australian Open was held twice in 1977, in January and December.

---

External links

Categories: 1938 Births, 2025 Deaths, Australian Championships Champions, Australian Male Tennis Players, Australian Open Champions, French Championships Champions, French Open Champions, People From The North Shore, Sydney, Tennis Players From Sydney, Australian Tennis Commentators, Officers Of The Order Of Australia, Recipients Of The Australian Sports Medal, International Tennis Hall Of Fame Inductees, Sport Australia Hall Of Fame Inductees, United States National Champions, Us Open Champions, Wimbledon Champions, Grand Slam Champions In Men's Singles, Grand Slam Champions In Mixed Doubles, Grand Slam Champions In Men's Doubles, Professional Tennis Players Before The Open Era, Australian People Of German Descent, World Number 1 Ranked Male Tennis Players, Sportsmen From New South Wales, 20th-century Australian Sportsmen, Place Of Death Missing

Post Comment