Fred Stolle

Frederick Sydney Stolle, AO (born 8 October 1938) is an Australian former tennis player and commentator. He was born in Hornsby, New South Wales, Australia. He is the father of former Australian Davis Cup player Sandon Stolle.

Stolle is notable for being the only male player in history to have lost his first five Grand Slam singles finals, the fifth of which he led by two sets to love. However, Stolle went on to win two Grand Slam tournament singles titles, the 1965 French Championships and the 1966 US Championships. At Wimbledon and the Australian Championships he finished as runner-up in these tournaments and losing to compatriot Roy Emerson on no fewer than five occasions. Lance Tingay of The Daily Telegraph ranked Stolle as World No. 2 in 1966.

Stolle won ten Grand Slam doubles titles, partnering with compatriots Bob Hewitt (4 titles), Roy Emerson (4 titles) and Ken Rosewall (2 titles). In addition Stolle won 7 Grand Slam mixed doubles titles.

As a member of the Australian Davis Cup team Stolle won the Davis Cup title in 1964, 1965 and 1966. In 1964 Stolle and Emerson were briefly suspended from the Australian Davis Cup team for going on an overseas tour in defiance of a Lawn Tennis Association of Australia order to remain in Australia until April.

Stolle turned professional in 1966, and as a pro won two singles and 13 doubles titles. He earned about US$500,000 in career prize money.

Stolle coached Vitas Gerulaitis from 1977 until 1983.

For many years, Stolle did TV commentary for CBS and other tennis broadcasts.He currently provides commentary on Grand Slam tennis tournaments for Australia's Fox Sports and the Nine Network.

For his contribution to the tennis sport Fred Stolle was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1985. In 1988 he was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame. He received an Australian Sports Medal in 2000 and was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2005.

Singles (2 titles, 6 runners-up)

Result	Year	Championship	Surface	Opponent	Score
Loss	1963	Wimbledon	Grass	Chuck McKinley	7–9, 1–6, 4–6
Loss	1964	Australian Championships	Grass	Roy Emerson	3–6, 4–6, 2–6
Loss	1964	Wimbledon	Grass	Roy Emerson	1–6, 10–12, 6–4, 3–6
Loss	1964	US Championships	Grass	Roy Emerson	4–6, 2–6, 4–6
Loss	1965	Australian Championships	Grass	Roy Emerson	9–7, 6–2, 4–6, 5–7, 1–6
Win	1965	French Championships	Clay	Tony Roche	3–6, 6–0, 6–2, 6–3
Loss	1965	Wimbledon	Grass	Roy Emerson	2–6, 4–6, 4–6
Win	1966	US Championships	Grass	John Newcombe	4–6, 12–10, 6–3, 6–4

Men's doubles (10 titles, 6 runners-up)

Result	Year	Championship	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Loss	1961	Wimbledon	Grass	Bob Hewitt	Roy Emerson Neale Fraser	4–6, 8–6, 4–6, 8–6, 6–8
Runner-up	1962	Australian Championships	Grass	Bob Hewitt	Roy Emerson Neale Fraser	6–4, 6–4, 1–6, 4–6, 9–11
Winner	1962	Wimbledon	Grass	Bob Hewitt	Boro Jovanović Nikola Pilić	6–2, 5–7, 6–2, 6–4
Win	1963	Australian Championships	Grass	Bob Hewitt	Ken Fletcher John Newcombe	6–2, 3–6, 6–3, 3–6, 6–3
Win	1964	Australian Championships	Grass	Bob Hewitt	Roy Emerson Ken Fletcher	6–4, 7–5, 3–6, 4–6, 14–12
Winner	1964	Wimbledon	Grass	Bob Hewitt	Roy Emerson Ken Fletcher	7–5, 11–9, 6–4
Runner-up	1965	Australian Championships	Grass	Roy Emerson	John Newcombe Tony Roche	6–3, 6–4, 11–13, 3–6, 4–6
Win	1965	French Championships	Clay	Roy Emerson	Ken Fletcher Bob Hewitt	6–8, 6–3, 8–6, 6–2
Win	1965	US Championships	Grass	Roy Emerson	Frank Froehling Charles Pasarell	6–4, 10–12, 7–5, 6–3
Win	1966	Australian Championships	Grass	Roy Emerson	John Newcombe Tony Roche	7–9, 6–3, 6–8, 14–12, 12–10
Win	1966	US Championships	Grass	Roy Emerson	Clark Graebner Dennis Ralston	6–4, 6–4, 6–4
Win	1968	French Open	Clay	Ken Rosewall	Roy Emerson Rod Laver	6–3, 6–4, 6–3
Loss	1968	Wimbledon	Grass	Ken Rosewall	John Newcombe Tony Roche	6–3, 6–8, 7–5, 12–14, 3–6
Runner-up	1969	Australian Open	Grass	Ken Rosewall	Rod Laver Roy Emerson	4–6, 4–6
Win	1969	US Open	Grass	Ken Rosewall	Charles Pasarell Dennis Ralston	2–6, 7–5, 13–11, 6–3
Loss	1970	Wimbledon	Grass	Ken Rosewall	John Newcombe Tony Roche	8–10, 3–6, 1–6

Singles

Note: The Australian Open was held twice in 1977, in January and December.