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Dear Tennis Player,
I enjoy reading Ed Atkinson's stories about the great players, including the latest on Frank Sedgman. But like most Americans I believe Mr Atkinson over-rates the influence of Harry Hopman on Australian players of the 1950s. Frank Sedgman was not "discovered" by Hopman, but was sent by his mother to join one of Hopman's squads. Sedgman was already by then a very gifted junior player. He later said that Hopman really played no part in his tennis development. Similarly Ken Rosewall had already won the Australian and French Championships before he came under Hopman's wing for the first time, as part of the famous 1953 Davis Cup team. Rod Laver was "discovered" (if anyone discovered him) by Adrian Quist who recommended Hopman have a look at this amazing youngster from north Queensland. Hopman was initially unimpressed.
Harry Hopman did influence Australian tennis in three important ways: he taught a never-say-die attitude, he was a stickler for physical fitness, includeing gymnasium work at a time when it was unfashionable for tennis players, and he demanded a very high standard of court demeanour and sportsmanship. The great players like Sedgman, McGregor, Rosewall, Hoad, Laver and Emerson would all have been great players if there had been no Harry Hopman. At the same time he had a serious negative impact in that he was one of the most influential officials who held back Open tennis long after it should have been introduced. Thus all of the players mentioned above, with the exception of Roy Emerson, would today have won many more Grand Slam titles, had they not turned pro as young men and been denied entry to the tournaments.
Cheers,
Yorkgum
I enjoy reading Ed Atkinson's stories about the great players, including the latest on Frank Sedgman. But like most Americans I believe Mr Atkinson over-rates the influence of Harry Hopman on Australian players of the 1950s. Frank Sedgman was not "discovered" by Hopman, but was sent by his mother to join one of Hopman's squads. Sedgman was already by then a very gifted junior player. He later said that Hopman really played no part in his tennis development. Similarly Ken Rosewall had already won the Australian and French Championships before he came under Hopman's wing for the first time, as part of the famous 1953 Davis Cup team. Rod Laver was "discovered" (if anyone discovered him) by Adrian Quist who recommended Hopman have a look at this amazing youngster from north Queensland. Hopman was initially unimpressed.
Harry Hopman did influence Australian tennis in three important ways: he taught a never-say-die attitude, he was a stickler for physical fitness, includeing gymnasium work at a time when it was unfashionable for tennis players, and he demanded a very high standard of court demeanour and sportsmanship. The great players like Sedgman, McGregor, Rosewall, Hoad, Laver and Emerson would all have been great players if there had been no Harry Hopman. At the same time he had a serious negative impact in that he was one of the most influential officials who held back Open tennis long after it should have been introduced. Thus all of the players mentioned above, with the exception of Roy Emerson, would today have won many more Grand Slam titles, had they not turned pro as young men and been denied entry to the tournaments.
Cheers,
Yorkgum
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