Remembering Neale Fraser, 1933-2024: Hall of Famer defeated Rod Laver in two Grand Slam finals

Neale Fraser, a 1984 International Tennis Hall of Fame inductee who won three Grand Slam singles titles and was also the Australian Davis Cup team captain for 24 years, died on December 2 at the age of 91.

“I am deeply saddened to hear of the passing of my dear mate and fellow lefty, Neale Fraser,” wrote his compatriot, Rod Laver, on X (formerly Twitter) upon hearing the news. “He was a true gem in a golden era of Australian tennis legends—an incredible World No.1, a Grand Slam champion, and a Davis Cup icon. Neale bested me in two major finals, pushing me to become a better player.”

Armed with a serve often considered one of the best in tennis history, the left-handed Fraser’s singles majors came in a flurry—two straight U.S. Nationals (now the US Open) in 1959 and 1960, as well as a title run at Wimbledon, also in 1960. Seeded first that year at the All England Club, Fraser earned a four-set triumph over Laver in the final. Fraser that year also beat Laver in the US final.

As Laver wrote about “Frais” in his book, The Golden Era, “His serve was venomous; his volley sharp and forceful.”

Fraser also won an additional 16 Grand Slam doubles titles. Eleven came in men’s doubles: three apiece at the Australian (1957-’58, ’62), Roland Garros (1958, ’60, ’62) and U.S. Nationals (1957, ’59, ’60) and two at Wimbledon (1959, ’61). Five were earned in mixed doubles: three at the U.S. Nationals (1958-’60) and one at both Wimbledon (1962) and the Australian (1956).

Fraser’s U.S. Nationals runs in 1959 and ’60 make him the last man in tennis history to have earned all three titles at a single major in the same year.

But all of Fraser’s personal triumphs took a back seat to national pride and Australia’s ceaseless pursuit of victory in the Davis Cup. Fraser was a vital member of the Australian cadre that traveled the world, practiced hard by morning, competed harder by day, and thoroughly enjoyed themselves by night. Speaking of such mates as Lew Hoad, Ken Rosewall, Roy Emerson and others, Fraser said in Laver’s book, “I learned from them, they were like my brothers.”

Fraser played on four Australian Davis Cup championship teams (1959-’62), compiling a match record of 18-3 (11-1 in singles, 7-2 in doubles).

His finest Davis Cup moment came in 1959. Australia that year had trekked all over the world, eager to regain the title it had lost to the United States. With the Challenge Round deadlocked at two wins apiece, Fraser took two days to overcome the big serves of Barry MacKay, earning a four-set victory.

“My parents were there to see it all,” said Fraser in The Golden Era. “I would win Wimbledon and that was an enormous thrill but Davis Cup, playing with my teammates for my country, was the ultimate for me.”

Having so thoroughly immersed himself in Davis Cup as a player, it was easy for “Frais” to transition into the role of team captain. Taking over the position from the legendary Harry Hopman in 1970, Fraser led the Aussies to four titles (1973, ’77, ’83, ’86). Pat Cash, who played on Australia’s 1983 and ’86 championship teams, said on the Tennis Australia website, “He was like a father to me. He just knew how to make you feel important and play your best.”

Neale Andrew Fraser was born on October 3, 1933. Fraser’s father Archibald was a barrister who also served as a minister and a judge. Neale was sent to St. Kevin’s College in Melbourne, where he was captain of the tennis team. His younger brother, John, was also a world-class player who reached the Wimbledon singles semis in 1962.

In addition to John and other family members, Fraser is survived by his wife, Thea.