Australian tennis lost another great with the recent passing of Fred Stolle.
Aged 86, Stolle’s death at his Florida home on 5 March came only a few months after his contemporary and Davis Cup teammate Neale Fraser passed away in Melbourne.
Born in the New South Wales town of Hornsby in 1938, Stolle’s crowning moments in his career came in tournament singles victories at Roland Garros in 1965 and the US Nationals (now the US Open) in 1966.
He was a three time finalist in singles at Wimbledon having painfully lost the championship match at the All England Club three years in a row from 1963-65. He was also runner up in his home Grand Slam in Australia twice (1964-65).
In fact, Stolle lost his first five singles finals in Grand Slam singles (four of the losses to compatriot Roy Emerson) before his maiden major triumph on the clay in Paris.
Perhaps the most famous of these losses was the fifth of these finals – in January 1965 at Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club in Melbourne. Stolle led Emerson two sets to love before being overrun 9-7, 6-2, 4-6, 5-7, 1-6.
However, Stolle would show his resilience just a few months later advancing to his sixth major singles final on the clay at Roland Garros. There, he finally tasted major singles success in defeating fellow Australian Tony Roche in the final 3-6, 6-0, 6-2, 6-3.
The following year, he toppled yet another Australian, John Newcombe, on the grass at Forest Hills in New York, 4-6, 12-10, 6-3 ,6-4, to notch up his second major singles championship.
Doubles wise, Stolle had a tremendous career. He won 10 major doubles titles, combining with three different partners (Bob Hewitt, Emerson and Ken Rosewall), and won each of the four Grand Slam tournaments at least once.
Photo: Smith Archive
He was almost as successful in mixed doubles winning seven major titles and triumphing at the Australian, Wimbledon and US championships. Only Roland Garros eluded him after three defeats in the final in Paris.
After his playing career came to an end in the late 1970s, Stolle became part of the pioneering ESPN commentary team alongside Cliff Drysdale during the 1980s and 1990s as the network launched and then expanded its tennis coverage across the globe.
He was also a staple of the Nine Network’s coverage for many years of Wimbledon, the US Open and Roland Garros into his native Australia, forming a famous trio alongside Tony Trabert and John Newcombe.
Stolle played in three successive title winning Davis Cup teams for Australia under the captaincy of Harry Hopman from 1963-65. Overall, he composed an impressive 10-2 record in singles and a 3-1 record in doubles.
He made his debut in a volatile atmosphere on clay in Mexico in the semi final round in 1964 defeating Tony Palafox in the decisive fourth rubber – a day after winning a marathon doubles encounter with Emerson over Palafox and Rafael Osuna.
Source: Victorian Collections
Australia’s task in the 1964 Challenge Road was a tie on clay against reigning champion USA in Cleveland (no less). The Australians fell behind 2-1 in the tie, but Stolle then won a critical fourth rubber against Dennis Ralston 7-5, 6-3, 3-6, 9-11, 6-4. Emerson would complete the comeback by downing Chuck McKinley (who had upset Stolle in the Wimbledon final a year earlier) in the fifth rubber to round out a famous 3-2 triumph for Australia against their greatest rivals.
Spain was the opponent in the 1965 Challenge Round on grass at White City Stadium in Sydney (Stolle’s hometown) just after Christmas. Stolle produced a tremendous comeback in the opening rubber versus the reigning US Nationals’ champion Manuel Santana overhauling the Spaniard from two sets down to win 10-12, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, 7-5. Again teaming with Emerson over the course of the tie, the duo combined for a 4-1 victory.
Stolle’s third and final appearance in the Davis Cup Challenge Round came on the grass at Kooyong beginning on Boxing Day against surprise finalist India. He kicked off the tie with a 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 win over Ramanathan Krishnan (who had led India to victories over West Germany and Brazil en route to the tie in Melbourne). Despite Newcombe and Tony Roche losing the doubles, Emerson won the second and fourth rubbers to ensure the trophy was successfully defended. Stolle won the fifth match versus Jaidip Mukerjea in a five setter to make the scoreline 4-1.
Stolle lived for many years in Florida where he and his wife Pat had three children – Sandon, Monique and Nadine. Sandon would become a professional tennis player representing Australia in Davis Cup competition as well as winning the US Open doubles championship.
In 1985, Stolle was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame, then the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1988 and the Australian Tennis Hall of Fame in 1997.
Known universally on the tennis tour by his nickname “Fiery”, Stolle was known for his competitive instincts on the court. He was also admired for his honesty and straightforwardness in all facets of his life.
Title photo by Keystone Pictures USA