Eric Sturgess
Full name | Eric William Sturgess |
---|---|
Country (sports) | South Africa |
Born | (1920-05-10)10 May 1920 Johannesburg, South Africa |
Died | 14 January 2004(2004-01-14) (aged 83) Sunninghill, South Africa |
Plays | Right-handed (one-handed backhand) |
Singles | |
Career record | 292–55 (84.15%) |
Highest ranking | No. 6 (1948, John Olliff)[1] |
Grand Slam singles results | |
Australian Open | SF (1950) |
French Open | F (1947, 1951) |
Wimbledon | SF (1951) |
US Open | F (1948) |
Doubles | |
Career record | 0–1 |
Grand Slam doubles results | |
Australian Open | F (1950) |
French Open | W (1947) |
Wimbledon | F (1951, 1952) |
Grand Slam mixed doubles results | |
Australian Open | F (1950) |
French Open | W (1947, 1949) |
Wimbledon | W (1949, 1950) |
US Open | W (1949) |
Eric William Sturgess (10 May 1920 – 14 January 2004) was a South African male tennis player and winner of six Grand Slam doubles titles. He also reached the singles final of a Grand Slam tournament three times but never won. Sturgess was ranked World No. 6 by John Olliff of The Daily Telegraph in both 1948 and 1949.[1][2]
Biography
Eric Sturgess was born in Johannesburg, where he attended Parktown Boys' High School.[3] Sturgess joined the South African Air Force on the outbreak of World War II and became an instructor with No 4 Spitfire Squadron, SAAF. In October 1944 he was shot down by anti-aircraft fire, captured on landing and sent to the air force officers' prison camp, Stalag Luft III, in eastern Germany. In January 1945 he was transported to Stalag IIIA at Luckenwalde which was liberated two months later by the advancing Russian forces.[3]
He reached the singles final of the 1947 and 1951 French Championships but lost to Hungarian József Asbóth (6–8, 5–7, 4–6) and Jaroslav Drobný (6–3, 6–3, 6–3) respectively. In 1947 he won the doubles competition with countryman Eustace Fannin. In 1948 he reached the singles final at the U.S. National Championships but lost to American Pancho Gonzales.[4]
In 1947 and 1948 he won the British Hard Court Championships played in Bournemouth. He won the first three Swedish Open tournaments (1948, 1949, 1950), played in Båstad. Sturgess won a record 11 singles titles at the South African Championships between 1939 and 1957.
At both the 1951 and 1952 South African Open, he won in the finals playing Syd Levy of South Africa.
By the end of his career Sturgess had reached 15 Grand Slam finals (three in singles, six in doubles and six in mixed doubles). He won four titles (the 1947 French Championships doubles title, the 1949 French Championships mixed doubles title and the 1949 and 1950 Wimbledon mixed doubles title).[4]
He represented South Africa in the Davis Cup competition in six ties, compiling a 13–5 record in singles and doubles.[5]
Grand Slam finals
Singles (3 runner-ups)
Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Opponent | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Loss | 1947 | French Championships | Clay | József Asbóth | 6–8, 5–7, 4–6 |
Loss | 1948 | U.S. National Championships | Grass | Pancho Gonzales | 2–6, 3–6, 12–14 |
Loss | 1951 | French Championships | Clay | Jaroslav Drobný | 3–6, 3–6, 3–6 |
Doubles (1 title, 5 runner-ups)
Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Win | 1947 | French Championships | Clay | Eustace Fannin | Tom Brown Bill Sidwell | 6–4, 4–6, 6–4, 6–3 |
Loss | 1949 | French Championships | Clay | Eustace Fannin | Pancho Gonzales Frank Parker | 3–6, 6–8, 7–5, 3–6 |
Loss | 1950 | Australian Championships | Grass | Jaroslav Drobný | John Bromwich Adrian Quist | 3–6, 7–5, 6–4, 3–6, 6–8 |
Loss | 1950 | French Championships | Clay | Jaroslav Drobný | Bill Talbert Tony Trabert | 2–6, 6–1, 8–10, 2–6 |
Loss | 1951 | Wimbledon | Grass | Jaroslav Drobný | Ken McGregor Frank Sedgman | 6–3, 2–6, 3–6, 6–3, 3–6 |
Loss | 1952 | Wimbledon | Grass | Vic Seixas | Ken McGregor Frank Sedgman | 3–6, 5–7, 4–6 |
Mixed doubles (5 titles, 2 runner-ups)
Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Win | 1947 | French Championships | Clay | Sheila Piercey Summers | Jadwiga Jędrzejowska Cristea Caralulis | 6–0, 6–0 |
Win | 1949 | French Championships | Clay | Sheila Piercey Summers | Jean Quertier Gerry Oakley | 6–1, 6–1 |
Win | 1949 | Wimbledon | Grass | Sheila Piercey Summers | Louise Brough John Bromwich | 9–7, 9–11, 7–5 |
Win | 1949 | U.S. National Championships | Grass | Louise Brough | Margaret Osborne duPont Bill Talbert | 4–6, 6–3, 7–5 |
Loss | 1950 | Australian Championships | Grass | Joyce Fitch | Doris Hart Frank Sedgman | 6–8, 4–6 |
Win | 1950 | Wimbledon | Grass | Louise Brough | Pat Canning Todd Geoff Brown | 11–9, 1–6, 6–4 |
Loss | 1952 | French Championships | Clay | Shirley Fry | Doris Hart Frank Sedgman | 8–6, 3–6, 3–6 |
References
- ^ a b United States Lawn Tennis Association (1972). Official Encyclopedia of Tennis (First Edition), p. 426.
- ^ "Richard Gonzalez World's No. 1: Amateur Lawn Tennis Rankings", The Sunday Indian Express, 18 November 1949.
- ^ a b "Obituaries – Eric Sturgess". The Telegraph. 5 February 2004. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
- ^ a b Collins, Bud (2010). The Bud Collins History of Tennis (2nd ed.). [New York]: New Chapter Press. pp. 373, 387, 400, 436, 460. ISBN 978-0942257700.
- ^ "Davis Cup – Player Profile". International Tennis Federation (ITF).
External links
- Eric Sturgess at the Association of Tennis Professionals
- Eric Sturgess at the International Tennis Federation
- Eric Sturgess at the Davis Cup
- Telegraph obituary
- v
- t
- e
(national)
- 1891: B. Desjoyau / T. Legrand
- 1892: Diaz Albertini / J. Havet
- 1893: J. Goldsmith / Jean Schopfer
- 1894: Gérard Brosselin / J. Lesage
- 1895: André Vacherot / Christian Winzer
- 1896: Francky Wardan / Wynes
- 1897: Paul Aymé / Paul Lebreton
- 1898: Xenophon Casdagli / Marcel Vacherot
- 1899: Paul Aymé / Paul Lebreton
- 1900: Paul Aymé / Paul Lebreton
- 1901: André Vacherot / Marcel Vacherot
- 1902: Max Decugis / Jacques Worth
- 1903: Max Decugis / Jacques Worth
- 1904: Max Decugis / Maurice Germot
- 1905: Max Decugis / Jacques Worth
- 1906: Max Decugis / Maurice Germot
- 1907: Max Decugis / Maurice Germot
- 1908: Max Decugis / Maurice Germot
- 1909: Max Decugis / Maurice Germot
- 1910: Marcel Dupont / Maurice Germot
- 1911: Max Decugis / Maurice Germot
- 1912: Max Decugis / Maurice Germot
- 1913: Max Decugis / Maurice Germot
- 1914: Max Decugis / Maurice Germot
- 1915–1919: No competition (World War I)
- 1920: Max Decugis / Maurice Germot
- 1921: André Gobert / William Laurentz
- 1922: Jacques Brugnon / Marcel Dupont
- 1923: Jean-François Blanchy / Jean Samazeuilh
- 1924: Jean Borotra / René Lacoste
(international)
- 1925: Jean Borotra / René Lacoste
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- 1938: Bernard Destremau / Yvon Petra
- 1939: Don McNeill / Charles Harris
- 1940–1945: No competition (World War II)
- 1946: Marcel Bernard / Yvon Petra
- 1947: Eustace Fannin / Eric Sturgess
- 1948: Lennart Bergelin / Jaroslav Drobný
- 1949: Pancho Gonzales / Frank Parker
- 1950: Bill Talbert / Tony Trabert
- 1951: Ken McGregor / Frank Sedgman
- 1952: Ken McGregor / Frank Sedgman
- 1953: Lew Hoad / Ken Rosewall
- 1954: Vic Seixas / Tony Trabert
- 1955: Vic Seixas / Tony Trabert
- 1956: Don Candy / Bob Perry
- 1957: Mal Anderson / Ashley Cooper
- 1958: Ashley Cooper / Neale Fraser
- 1959: Nicola Pietrangeli / Orlando Sirola
- 1960: Roy Emerson / Neale Fraser
- 1961: Roy Emerson / Rod Laver
- 1962: Roy Emerson / Neale Fraser
- 1963: Roy Emerson / Manuel Santana
- 1964: Roy Emerson / Ken Fletcher
- 1965: Roy Emerson / Fred Stolle
- 1966: Clark Graebner / Dennis Ralston
- 1967: John Newcombe / Tony Roche
- 1968: Ken Rosewall / Fred Stolle
- 1969: John Newcombe / Tony Roche
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- 1997: Yevgeny Kafelnikov / Daniel Vacek
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- 2000: Todd Woodbridge / Mark Woodforde
- 2001: Mahesh Bhupathi / Leander Paes
- 2002: Paul Haarhuis / Yevgeny Kafelnikov
- 2003: Bob Bryan / Mike Bryan
- 2004: Xavier Malisse / Olivier Rochus
- 2005: Jonas Björkman / Max Mirnyi
- 2006: Jonas Björkman / Max Mirnyi
- 2007: Mark Knowles / Daniel Nestor
- 2008: Pablo Cuevas / Luis Horna
- 2009: Lukáš Dlouhý / Leander Paes
- 2010: Daniel Nestor / Nenad Zimonjić
- 2011: Max Mirnyi / Daniel Nestor
- 2012: Max Mirnyi / Daniel Nestor
- 2013: Bob Bryan / Mike Bryan
- 2014: Julien Benneteau / Édouard Roger-Vasselin
- 2015: Ivan Dodig / Marcelo Melo
- 2016: Feliciano López / Marc López
- 2017: Ryan Harrison / Michael Venus
- 2018: Pierre-Hugues Herbert / Nicolas Mahut
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- 2020: Kevin Krawietz / Andreas Mies
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