By Randy Walker
@TennisPublisher
Neale Fraser, one of the greatest Australian tennis icons, died on December 2, 2024 at the age of 91. One of the biggest legacies may be his achievements – and experiences – at the 1960 U.S. Championships, the modern-day U.S. Open.
In 1960, Fraser, described as the “crack southpaw from Australia” and “sharp-shooting stylist” by Michael Strauss in the New York Times, won his third and final major singles title when he defeated fellow Australian left-hander Rod Laver in the final. The title is historic in that it marked the last time that a man won the U.S. singles title without losing a set. Fraser opened his campaign by beating a curious opponent in American Richard Raskin 6-0, 6-1, 6-1. Raskin, of course, later competed against another reigning Wimbledon champion at the U.S. Championships 17 years later – but as a woman – when she lost to Virginia Wade at the 1977 U.S. Open as Renee Richards. He then defeated Crawford Henry 6-1, 6-1, 6-1, Gerald Moss 6-3, 6-2, 6-4, Mike Sangster 6-2, 6-1, 6-4, Chuck McKinley 6-2, 6-4, 6-2, Dennis Ralston 11-9, 6-3, 6-2 and then Laver in the final 6-4, 6-4, 10-8.
Fraser’s final-round win over Laver was also historic in that it was delayed by an entire week due to Hurricane Donna striking the New York City area. Fraser’s final-round win over Laver was played exactly a week after his semifinal-win over Ralston.
Not only was Fraser’s singles final delayed by the hurricane but his mixed doubles final with Margaret Osborne DuPont, which also proved to be historic. He and duPont won the title by beating Tony Palafox and Maria Bueno 6-3, 6-2. The mixed title for Fraser also became historic as it gave him the rare “Triple Crown” at the U.S. Championships, winning the singles, doubles and mixed titles as he also won the doubles title with Roy Emerson weeks earlier in the separately played doubles event at the Longwood Cricket Club in Boston. It marked only the eighth time a man has won the U.S. “Triple Crown” (Fraser also did it the previous year at the U.S. Championships in 1959) and no man has turned the trick since. It is unlikely that it will ever happen again as, due to the increased physicality of the sport (as well as vastly increased singles prize money), top male players playing both singles and doubles at Grand Slam tournaments is increasingly rare and virtually extinct in the mixed doubles.
To read more about Fraser and the history of tennis, buy or download “The Bud Collins History of Tennis” here: https://a.co/d/gdHTXfS
