Australian tennis great Fred Stolle has died at age 86

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Fred Stolle, a winner of two Grand Slam singles titles and 17 major doubles trophies, has died, Tennis Australia said Thursday. He was 86.

Stolle was an "iconic figure" in tennis as a player and later as a commentator for Australia's Nine Network and U.S. broadcasters, Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley said. Tiley did not provide a cause of death.

The 1.91-meter (6-foot-3) Stolle was part of Australia's successful era in the 1960s as tennis progressed from an amateur to professional sport.

Nicknamed "Fiery Fred" or "Fiery" for short, he lost the first five Grand Slam singles finals he reached — four of them to fellow Australian Roy Emerson. He also fell in consecutive Wimbledon finals in 1963, 1964 and 1965.

He broke through on his least favorite surface, on clay at the 1965 French Championships, beating Tony Roche in the final.

"I lost a bunch of those to Emmo but against anybody else I felt comfortable," Stolle told the Tennis Channel. "The French was not the one I was supposed to win, but it was exciting for me."

At the 1966 U.S. Championships in Forest Hills, he beat John Newcombe in another all-Australian final, becoming only the second unseeded champion. Newcombe was also unseeded. Stolle beat three seeds to reach the final. Afterward, he held the No. 1 ranking and turned pro.

He won 10 men's doubles titles at Grand Slams from 1962-69, four each with Bob Hewitt and Emerson and two with Ken Rosewall. He's one of the few to win all four doubles majors.

Stolle also won seven mixed doubles majors, his partners including Margaret Court, Lesley Turner Bowrey and Ann Haydon Jones.

He won the Davis Cup in 1964, 1965 and 1966. His most notable win was in 1964 in Cleveland where, with Australia 2-1 down, he beat American Dennis Ralston 7-5, 6-3, 3-6, 9-11, 6-4. The following year, he launched Australia's defense in Sydney by overcoming Spain's Manolo Santana 10-12, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, 7-5.

Stolle coached American Vitas Gerulaitis to the 1977 Australian Open title, and would continue playing singles on tour until 1982.

"His legacy is one of excellence, dedication, and a profound love for tennis," Tiley said. "His impact on the sport will be remembered and cherished by all who had the privilege to witness his contributions.

"A star member of Australia's Davis Cup team, Fred made significant contributions to the sport following his decorated career, as a coach and astute commentator."

Rod Laver, an Australian who won 11 major titles including the calendar-year Grand Slams in 1962 and 1969, posted a tribute to Stolle on X.

"As I wrote in my book on the Golden Era of Aussie tennis, Fred Stolle was too nice a guy to hold a grudge. He won many Grand Slams and was in the finals of many more. It took the best to beat the best," Laver posted. "We never tired of reliving the past as we travelled the world looking into the future with an enduring love of the sport."

Stolle was born in Sydney but lived in the United States after his playing career.

Tennis Australia said Stolle is survived by his wife, Pat, his son Sandon — a U.S. Open doubles winner — and daughters Monique and Nadine.

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