Tony Trabert

Marion Anthony Trabert (August 16, 1930 – February 3, 2021) was an American amateur world No. 1
Tony Trabert
tennis champion and long-time tennis author, TV commentator, instructor, and motivational speaker.[3]

Trabert was ranked world No. 1 amateur by many sources in 1953, by Ned Potter and The New York Times
in 1954 and by Lance Tingay and Ned Potter in 1955. He was the winner of ten Grand Slam titles – five in
singles and five in doubles. He won two French singles championships, two U.S. National Men's Singles
Championships, and one Wimbledon gentlemen's singles championship.[3] Until Michael Chang won the
French Open in 1989, Trabert was the last American to hoist the championship trophy. He turned
professional in the fall of 1955. He won the French Professional Championships at Roland Garros in 1956
and 1959.

Tennis career

Amateur
Trabert was a stand-out athlete in tennis and basketball at the
University of Cincinnati, and was a member of Sigma Chi
Fraternity.[4] In 1951, he won the NCAA Championship Singles
title.[5] He played doubles with Bob Mault and was coached by
George Menefee, who later became the head trainer for the Los
Angeles Rams. Trabert was also a starter on the Cincinnati Bearcats
basketball team at the University of Cincinnati.[6] Previously, at
Walnut Hills High School in Cincinnati, he had been Ohio Trabert in 1960
scholastic champion three times and played guard on the 1948 Full name Marion Anthony Trabert
basketball team that won the District Championship.[6] Country (sports) United States

A native of Cincinnati, Trabert grew up two houses down from a Born August 16, 1930
public park. It had clay courts that helped hone his groundstrokes.[7] Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
By age 11, Trabert was winning junior tournaments. Trabert honed Died February 3, 2021 (aged 90)
Trabert (left) with Jack Kramer in
his tennis skills on the courts of the Cincinnati Tennis Club with the Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida,
1955
help of another member of that club, fellow International Tennis United States
Hall of Famer Billy Talbert. Talbert became Trabert's mentor. In Height 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
1951, Trabert posted his first win over Talbert in the final of Cincinnati's international tennis tournament
Turned pro 1955 (amateur from 1945)
(now known as the Cincinnati Masters). In the midst of his amateur career, Trabert's game was interrupted
Retired 1963
by a two-year stint in the Navy, serving on the aircraft carrier USS Coral Sea during the Korean War, but
this did not stop him.[8][6] In 1953, Trabert won the men's singles in the Ojai Tennis Tournament.[9] After Plays Right-handed (one-handed
winning his first Grand Slam singles title at the U. S. Championships in 1953 (over Vic Seixas in the final), backhand)
Trabert was ranked the world No. 1 amateur for 1953 by Lance Tingay in The Daily Telegraph,[2] Ned Int. Tennis HoF 1970 (member page ([Link]
Potter in World Tennis,[10] Gardnar Mulloy,[10] Bill Talbert,[10] Ham Richardson,[10] Hal Burrows[11] and [Link]/hall-of-fa
Grant Golden.[10] In 1954 Trabert won the French Championships (over Mervyn Rose, Budge Patty in the mers/inductees/tony-trabert/))
semifinal and Arthur Larsen in the final) and was ranked world number one amateur by Ned Potter in Singles
World Tennis[12] and by panel of 8 experts in The New York Times.[13][14][a] In 1955, Trabert won three
Career record 766–456 (62.6%)[1]
consecutive Grand Slam singles titles: the French (over Rose in the semifinal and Sven Davidson in the
Career titles 56[1]
final), Wimbledon (beating Kurt Nielsen in the final) and U. S. Championships (over Rosewall in the final).
He was ranked world number one amateur for 1955 by Lance Tingay[15] and by Ned Potter.[16] Highest ranking No. 1 (1953, Lance Tingay)[2]
Grand Slam singles results
Trabert's record in 1955 was one of the greatest ever by an American tennis player.[4] He won the three
Australian Open SF (1955)
most prestigious tournaments in amateur tennis—the French, Wimbledon, and American
Championships.[17] He won Wimbledon and the US in 1955 without losing a set (the only time it has ever French Open W (1954, 1955)
been done in consecutive majors).[7][8] He is one of only ten male players to have won three Grand Slam Wimbledon W (1955)
singles title in a year.[18][7] Trabert's own chance at a Grand Slam was stopped with a loss to Ken Rosewall US Open W (1953, 1955)
in the semifinals at the Australian Championships.[19] Trabert won 18 tournaments in 1955, compiling a
Other tournaments
match record of 106 wins to 7 losses, which included a 38-match winning streak.[5]
Professional majors
Trabert, along with Vic Seixas, was an American Davis Cup team mainstay during the early 1950s, during US Pro F (1960)
which time the Americans reached the finals five times, winning the cup in 1954. It was one of only two Wembley Pro F (1958)
victories over the dominant Australian teams during the decade (the other being in 1958). He called the
French Pro W (1956, 1959)
1954 Davis Cup win the "biggest thrill in my tennis career".[8] Trabert turned pro after winning the ’55
U.S. Championships because he had a wife and two children to support. Other pro events
TOC SF (1959FH)

Professional Doubles
Career record 2–4
Highest ranking No. 1 (1955)
Having reached the top amateur ranking in 1955, Trabert turned professional in the fall of that year. Trabert Grand Slam doubles results
explained: “When I won Wimbledon as an amateur, I got a 10-pound certificate, which was worth $27 Australian Open W (1955)
redeemable at Lilly White’s Sporting Goods store in London. Jack Kramer offered me a guarantee of
French Open W (1950, 1954, 1955)
$75,000 against a percentage of the gate to play on his tour." With a wife and two children to support, the
[20] Wimbledon F (1954)
decision was clear. In 1956, he was beaten on the head-to-head world pro tour by the reigning king of
professional tennis Pancho Gonzales, 74–27, consisting mostly of indoor matches on a portable loose US Open W (1954)
canvas surface.[4] Forty years after his matches with Gonzales, Trabert told interviewer Joe McCauley "that Team competitions
Gonzales' serve was the telling factor on their tour—it was so good that it earned him many cheap points. Davis Cup W (1954)
Trabert felt that, while he had the better ground-strokes, he could not match Pancho's big, fluent
service."[21] However, he beat Gonzales in five sets at Roland Garros in the final of the 1956 French Pro
title.[7] Trabert also won a South American tour over Gonzales, Sedgman, and Kramer in 1956, winning six matches against Gonzales, and losing three matches
indoor, for a 6–3 edge over Gonzales on that tour.[22] For the year 1956 as a whole, Trabert had an edge over Gonzales in outdoor matches of 16-11 (1-1 on
grass, 4–5 on cement, and 11–5 on clay).

In the 1958 pro tour, Trabert won a personal series against Segura 34–31, showing that he had adjusted to the portable canvas surface used by the Kramer pros
in small indoor venues and gyms.[23] In the Wembley Pro in 1958, he defeated Rosewall in the semi-final and was runner-up to Sedgman . In the French Pro at
Roland Garros in 1959, Trabert beat Rosewall in the semifinal and then defeated Frank Sedgman in the final, to win his fourth title at the red clay venue.[7] In
the 1960 US Pro (billed as Cleveland World Pro), he was runner-up to Alex Olmedo. In November 1961, Trabert led the United States team into the Kramer
Cup final (the pro equivalent of the Davis Cup) at Ellis Park in Johannesburg. Trabert defeated Rosewall in four sets, but lost the fifth and deciding rubber to
Lew Hoad in four sets.[24] The following week, Trabert won the Western Province Pro in Cape Town, beating Rosewall in the final.[25] In October 1962, Trabert
won the South African Pro Championships on the cement courts of Ellis Park in Johannesburg by defeating Hoad in the final in five sets.[26] Trabert also had
wins over Hoad at the Forest Hills Tournament of Champions in 1957 and 1958.[27]

In his 1979 autobiography The Game Jack Kramer, the former world No. 1 player, included Trabert in his list of the 21 greatest players[b] of all time.

Post-playing career
After retiring from the game, Trabert enjoyed a 33-year career (1971–2004) as a tennis and golf analyst for CBS,
covering events such as the US Open. During many of those years, he teamed with Pat Summerall and was the lead
commentator at the US Open.[29] The popularity of their broadcasts helped propel the US Open into an annual financial
success for CBS and the United States Tennis Association. He was also the US Davis Cup team captain from 1976 to
1980.[3] Trabert's captaincy is remembered by his frustration in dealing with the egos of younger players like John
McEnroe and for his racket-wielding expulsion of anti-apartheid protesters who ran onto the court during a Davis Cup
match against South Africa at the Newport Beach Tennis Club in California in April 1977.[3][30]

In 1980 he had a small cameo role on the television show "Hart to Hart", Season 1, episode 24. He played a tennis pro at
a tennis club.

He was also a tennis author and was a motivational speaker. In 1988, he published the book Trabert on Tennis, sharing
his insights on the game from a player's, coach's, and commentator's standpoint.[7] In 1970, with the encouragement of
Trabert with wife Shauna in 1953
[Link] Freedman and Dale Jensen, Trabert opened the Tony Trabert Tennis Camp in Ojai, California at Thacher School,
and then one in Pebble Beach, California for ages 8–18.[8]

Trabert served as president of the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island from 2001 to 2011.[8]

In 2004, he announced his retirement from broadcasting while commentating at the Wimbledon Championships.[7]

Trabert resided in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida with Vicki Trabert, his wife of 30 years, and their grandchildren.[6] They had five children (two of his and three of
hers) and 14 grandchildren.[6]

Trabert died at age 90 at his home in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, on February 3, 2021.[6][31]

Awards and honors

In 1970, Trabert was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island.[7] He was enshrined into the Cincinnati Tennis Hall of Fame
in 2002 together with Billy Talbert.[32] On September 8, 2014, Trabert was inducted into the United States Tennis Association's Court of Champions prior to the
US Open men's singles final.[8]

Major finals
Source:[33]

Grand Slam tournaments

Singles: 5 (5 titles)

Result Year Championship Surface Opponent Score

Win 1953 U.S. Championships Grass Victor Seixas 6–3, 6–2, 6–3
Win 1954 French Championships Clay Arthur Larsen 6–4, 7–5, 6–1

Win 1955 French Championships (2) Clay Sven Davidson 2–6, 6–1, 6–4, 6–2

Win 1955 Wimbledon Grass Kurt Nielsen 6–3, 7–5, 6–1

Win 1955 U.S. Championships (2) Grass Ken Rosewall 9–7, 6–3, 6–3

Doubles: 6 (5 titles, 1 runner-up)

Result Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score

Jaroslav Drobný
Win 1950 French Championships Clay Bill Talbert 6–2, 1–6, 10–8, 6–2
Eric Sturgess

Lew Hoad
Win 1954 French Championships Clay Vic Seixas 6–4, 6–2, 6–1
Ken Rosewall

Rex Hartwig
Loss 1954 Wimbledon Grass Vic Seixas 4–6, 4–6, 6–3, 4–6
Mervyn Rose

Lew Hoad
Win 1954 U.S. Championships Grass Vic Seixas 3–6, 6–4, 8–6, 6–3
Ken Rosewall
Lew Hoad
Win 1955 Australian Championships Grass Vic Seixas 6–3, 6–2, 2–6, 3–6, 6–1
Ken Rosewall

Nicola Pietrangeli
Win 1955 French Championships Clay Vic Seixas 6–1, 4–6, 6–2, 6–4
Orlando Sirola

Pro Slam tournaments

Source:[34]

Singles: 4 (2 titles, 2 runner-ups)

Result Year Championship Surface Opponent Score

Win 1956 French Pro Clay Pancho Gonzales 6–3, 4–6, 5–7, 8–6, 6–2

Loss 1958 Wembley Pro Indoor Frank Sedgman 4–6, 3–6, 4–6
Win 1959 French Pro Clay Frank Sedgman 6–4, 6–4, 6–4

Loss 1960 U.S. Pro Indoor Alex Olmedo 5–7, 4–6

Singles performance timeline

Trabert joined the professional tennis circuit in 1955 and as a consequence was banned from competing in the amateur Grand Slams until the start of the Open
Era at the 1968 French Open.

Key
W F SF QF #R RR Q# DNQ A NH

(W) winner; (F) finalist; (SF) semifinalist; (QF) quarterfinalist; (#R) rounds 4, 3, 2, 1; (RR) round-robin stage; (Q#) qualification round; (DNQ) did not qualify;
(A) absent; (NH) not held; (SR) strike rate (events won / competed); (W–L) win–loss record.
 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 SR
Grand Slam tournaments 5 / 16
Australian Open A A A A A A 2R SF not eligible 0/2

French Open A A 4R A 4R A W W not eligible 2/4

Wimbledon A A 2R A A A SF W not eligible 1/3
US Open 3R 2R 1R QF A W QF W not eligible 2/7
Pro Slam tournaments 2 / 19
U.S. Pro A A A A A A A A SF SF SF A F A A QF 0/5
French Pro not held W NH QF W SF SF 1R 1R 2/7
Wembley Pro NH A A A A A NH NH SF A F SF QF QF QF QF 0/7

Win–loss 2–1 1–1 3–3 4–1 3–1 6–0 16–3 23–1 6–2 1–1 4–3 6–1 5–3 3–2 1–2 1–3 7 / 35

The results of the Pro Tours are not listed here.

Source:[35]

Notes
a. Lance Tingay, London Telegraph; CM Jones, British Lawn Tennis; Réné Mathieu, Smash magazine; Philippe Chatrier, Tennis de France;
Umberto Mezzanote, Tennis Italiano; Arthur Goldman, Anson Press; Allison Danzig, New York Times; Jack Russell, Tennis Australia
b. Kramer considered the best player ever to have been either Don Budge (for consistent play) or Ellsworth Vines (at the height of his game).
The next four best were, chronologically, Bill Tilden, Fred Perry, Bobby Riggs, and Pancho Gonzales. After these six came the "second
echelon" of Rod Laver, Lew Hoad, Ken Rosewall, Gottfried von Cramm, Ted Schroeder, Jack Crawford, Pancho Segura, Frank Sedgman,
Tony Trabert, John Newcombe, Arthur Ashe, Stan Smith, Björn Borg, and Jimmy Connors.[28]

References
1. "Tony Trabert: Career match record" ([Link] 13. "Trabert and Miss Connolly Head Writers' World Tennis Ratings;
m/?enlace=playern&player_input_enc=TRABERT%2C+TONY&play Five Men and Seven Women From America Are Among Leaders
er_input=TRABERT%2C+TONY&sub=2#aSubmenu). Chosen Under New International Consensus" ([Link]
[Link]. Tennismem SL. Retrieved September 22, 2021. com/1954/11/29/archives/trabert-and-miss-connolly-head-writers-w
2. "WRITER RANKS ROSEWALL SECOND TO TRABERT" ([Link] [Link]). The New York Times. November 29,
[Link]/[Link]-article130779484). The News (Adelaide). Vol. 61, 1954. p. 29.
no. 9, 391. South Australia. September 15, 1953. p. 1. Retrieved 14. "Trabert, Connolly Ranked No. 1" ([Link]
November 22, 2021 – via National Library of Australia. 27245947). The Mercury (Hobart). Vol. CLXXVI, no. 26, 187.
3. "Memories Of My Friend – Tony Trabert" ([Link] Tasmania, Australia. November 30, 1954. p. 27. Retrieved
mories-of-my-friend-tony-trabert/). WLM Tennis. December 28, November 22, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
2021. Retrieved December 28, 2021. 15. Collins (2016), p. 758
4. Collins, Bud (2016). The Bud Collins History of Tennis (3rd ed.). 16. Potter, Edward C. (November 1955). "The World's First Ten of
New York: New Chapter Press. p. 694. ISBN 978-1-937559-38-0. 1955" ([Link]
5. Keith Jenkins (February 4, 2021). "Tennis Hall of Famer, former 6/page/44/mode/2up). World Tennis. Vol. 3, no. 6. New York. p. 44.
Cincinnati Bearcats standout Tony Trabert dies at 90" ([Link] 17. "Happy 90th birthday, Tony Trabert" ([Link]
[Link]/story/sports/college/university-of-cincinnati/2021/02/04/t ws/atp-heritage-trabert-90th-birthday). ATP Tour. Association of
ony-trabert-tennis-hall-famer-uc-bearcat-standout-dies-90/4390978 Tennis Professionals (ATP). August 20, 2020.
001/). [Link]. 18. Crawford, Perry, Budge, Trabert, Hoad, Laver, Wilander, Federer,
6. Richard Goldstein (February 4, 2021). "Tony Trabert, a Two-Time Nadal, Djokovic
No. 1 in Men's Tennis, Dies at 90" ([Link] 19. "Trabert hopes crash over Rosewall" ([Link]
2/04/sports/tennis/[Link]). The New York Times. cle71692564). The Argus (Melbourne). January 31, 1955. p. 23 –
7. James Buddell (February 4, 2021). "Tony Trabert, Major champion via National Library of Australia.
& tennis icon, dies aged 90" ([Link] 20. "Tony Trabert" ([Link]
-trabert-obituary-2021). ATP Tour. Association of Tennis s/tony-trabert). International Tennis Hall of Fame.
Professionals (ATP).
21. McCauley, Joe (2000). The History of Professional Tennis. The
8. Mark Preston (February 4, 2021). "Remembering Tony Trabert" (htt Short Run Book Company Limited.
ps://[Link]/en/home/stay-current/national/remembering-ton 22. Ned Cronin (July 30, 1956). "Cronin's corner" ([Link]
[Link]). USTA. [Link]/newspage/381164115). Los Angeles Times. p. 3 part II –
9. Images of America – Ojai ([Link] via [Link].
XafmtgPsC&dq=ojai+tennis+tournament+jack+kramer&pg=PA112).
23. McCauley, p.208
Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing. 2007. p. 112.
ISBN 9780738555775. 24. McCauley, p115
10. Potter, Edward C. (November 1953). "World Rankings: An Analysis 25. The History of Professional Tennis, Joe McCauley, 2003, p.223
of The Best Players in 1953" ([Link] 26. McCauley, p.120
llustrated_1953-11_1_6/page/14/mode/2up). World Tennis. Vol. 1, 27. McCauley, pp. 206, 209
no. 6. New York. pp. 14–16. 28. Kramer, Jack (1981). The Game : My 40 Years in Tennis. London:
11. "Revised World Rankings" ([Link] Deutsch. pp. 43–45. ISBN 978-0233973074.
strated_1954-03_1_10/page/12/). World Tennis. Vol. 1, no. 10. New 29. Mark Schmetzer (January 15, 2016). "Tennis legend Tony Trabert
York. March 1954. p. 12. enjoying retirement" ([Link]
12. Potter, Edward C. (February 1955). "The World's First Ten" (https:// 15/tennis-legend-tony-trabert-enjoying-retirement/78864774/).
[Link]/details/sim_tennis-illustrated_1955-02_2_9/page/n13/m [Link].
ode/2up). World Tennis. Vol. 2, no. 2. New York. p. 10.
30. Lorge, Barry (February 1, 1978). "USTA: No Choice On Davis Clash 33. "Tony Trabert" ([Link]
With [Link]" ([Link] s/tony-trabert). International Tennis Hall of Fame. Retrieved
8/02/01/usta-no-choice-on-davis-clash-with-s-africa/290ff3e4-d0f7-4 February 5, 2021.
14b-82d7-65f9b201a735/). The Washington Post. Retrieved 34. McCauley, Joe (2000) The History of Professional Tennis. The
July 10, 2017. Short Run Book Company Limited, pp. 205, 211, 214, 217
31. Buddell, James (February 4, 2021). "Tony Trabert, Major Champion 35. "Tony Trabert – Player Activity" ([Link]
& Tennis Icon, Dies Aged 90" ([Link] tony-trabert/t094/player-activity). ATP Tour. Retrieved February 5,
y-trabert-obituary-2021). ATP Tour. Retrieved February 4, 2021. 2021.
32. "Cincinnati Tennis GCTA Hall of Fame" ([Link]
[Link]/ugd/a77af6_39919825aad7491
[Link]) (PDF). Greater Cincinnati Tennis
Association.

General sources
The Game: My 40 Years in Tennis (1979), Jack Kramer with Frank Deford (ISBN 0-399-12336-9)
Little Pancho (2009), Caroline Seebohm
Man with a Racket: The Autobiography of Pancho Gonzales (1959), as told to Cy Rice
Trabert Cup (2000), Men's 40 and over International Competition
Cincinnati Tennis Hall of Fame (2002)

External links
Tony Trabert ([Link] at the Association of Tennis Professionals
Tony Trabert ([Link] at the International Tennis Federation
Tony Trabert ([Link] at the Davis Cup
Tony Trabert ([Link] at the International Tennis Hall of Fame
Image of tennis players Tony Trabert and Pancho Gonzales with Beans Reardon at Bond Club luncheon in Los Angeles, California, 1955 (htt
p://[Link]/[Link]?ark=21198/zz0002t8fh). Los Angeles Times Photographic Archive (Collection 1429). UCLA Library
Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, University of California, Los Angeles.

Retrieved from "[Link]