Gerald Patterson

Gerald Patterson

Country	Australia
Born	(1895-12-17)17 December 1895 Preston, Australia
Died	13 June 1967(1967-06-13) (aged 71) Melbourne, Australia
Turned pro	1914 (amateur tour)
Retired	1928
Plays	Right-handed (1-handed backhand)
Singles
Highest ranking	No. 1 (1919, A. Wallis Myers)[1]
Grand Slam Singles results
Australian Open	W (1927)
French Open	4R (1928)
Wimbledon	W (1919, 1922)
US Open	SF (1922, 1924)
Doubles
Grand Slam Doubles results
Australian Open	W (1914, 1922, 1925, 1926, 1927)
Wimbledon	F (1922, 1926)
US Open	W (1919)
Mixed Doubles
Grand Slam Mixed Doubles results
Wimbledon	W (1920)

Gerald Leighton Patterson MC^[2] (17 December 1895 – 13 June 1967) was an Australian male tennis player who was active in the decade following World War I. During his career he won three Grand Slam tournaments in the singles event as well as six titles in the doubles competition. He was born in Melbourne, educated at Scotch College, Melbourne^[3]and died in Melbourne in 13 June 1967. He was the co-World No. 1 player for 1919 along with Bill Johnston.

History

Tall and well-built, Gerald Patterson played a strong serve-and-volley game that won him three major singles. Patterson was known as the "Human Catapult" for his powerful serve that many of the top players had trouble returning. He also enjoyed great success representing Australia in Davis Cup and amassed a 32–14 win–loss record (singles 21–10, doubles 11–4) and was part of the winning team in 1919. Patterson played Davis Cup in 1920, 1922, 1924, 1925, 1928 and finally as captain in 1946. He was a player ahead of his time, playing with a steel racquet strung with wire in 1925.

He was inducted into the Sport Australia Home of Fame in December 1986.^[4] This was followed by induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1989 and the Australian Tennis Hall of Fame in August 1997.^[5]

Patterson was the nephew of Australian opera singer Dame Nellie Melba and father of racing driver Bill Patterson.^[3] Patterson was awarded the Military Cross for bravery as an officer in Royal Field Artillery in 1917 at Messines.

Grand Slam finals

Gerald Patterson playing a forehand stroke

Singles: 7 (3 titles, 4 runners-up)

Result	Year	Tournament	Opponent in final	Score
Runner-up	1914	Australasian Championships	Arthur O'Hara Wood	4–6, 3–6, 7–5, 1–6
Winner	1919	Wimbledon	Norman Brookes	6–3, 7–5, 6–2
Runner-up	1920	Wimbledon	Bill Tilden	6–2, 2–6, 3–6, 4–6
Runner-up	1922	Australasian Championships	James Anderson	0–6, 6–3, 6–3, 3–6, 2–6
Winner	1922	Wimbledon	Randolph Lycett	6–3, 6–4, 6–2
Runner-up	1925	Australasian Championships	James Anderson	9–11, 6–2, 2–6, 3–6
Winner	1927	Australian Championships	John Hawkes	3–6, 6–4, 3–6, 18–16, 6–3

Doubles: 14 (6 titles, 8 runners-up)

Result	Year	Tournament	Partner	Opponents in final	Score
Winner	1914	Australian Championships	Ashley Campbell	Rodney Heath Arthur O'Hara Wood	7–5, 3–6, 6–3, 6–3
Winner	1919	U.S. National Championships	Norman Brookes	Vincent Richards Bill Tilden	8–6, 6–3, 4–6, 4–6, 6–2
Winner	1922	Australian Championships	John Hawkes	James Anderson Norman Peach	8–10, 6–0, 6–0, 7–5
Runner-up	1922	Wimbledon	Arthur O'Hara Wood	James Anderson Randolph Lycett	6–3, 9–7, 4–6, 3–6, 9–11
Runner-up	1922	US Championships	Arthur O'Hara Wood	Vincent Richards Bill Tilden	6–4, 1–6, 3–6, 4–6
Runner-up	1924	Australian Championships	Arthur O'Hara Wood	James Anderson Norman Brookes	2–6, 4–6, 3–6
Runner-up	1924	US Championships	Arthur O'Hara Wood	Howard Kinsey Robert Kinsey	5–7, 7–5, 9–7, 3–6, 4–6
Winner	1925	Australian Championships	Pat O'Hara Wood	James Anderson Fred Kalms	6–4, 8–6, 7–5
Runner-up	1925	US Championships	John Hawkes	Richard Norris Williams Vincent Richards	2–6, 10–8, 4–6, 9–11
Winner	1926	Australian Championships	John Hawkes	James Anderson Pat O'Hara Wood	6–1, 6–4, 6–2
Winner	1927	Australian Championships	John Hawkes	Pat O'Hara Wood Ian McInness	8–6, 6–2, 6–1
Runner-up	1928	Wimbledon	John Hawkes	Jacques Brugnon Henri Cochet	11–13, 4–6, 4–6
Runner-up	1928	US Championships	John Hawkes	John Hennessey George Lott	2–6, 1–6, 2–6
Runner-up	1932	Australian Championships	Harry Hopman	Jack Crawford Gar Moon	10–12, 3–6, 6–4, 4–6

Mixed doubles: 1 (1 title)

Result	Year	Tournament	Partner	Opponents in final	Score
Winner	1920	Wimbledon	Suzanne Lenglen	Elizabeth Ryan Randolph Lycett	7–5, 6–3

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gerald Patterson.

• "Gerald Leighton Patterson". International Tennis Hall of Fame. 
• ADB biography
• Davis Cup player profile