View source for Ken Fletcher

{{Short description|Australian tennis player (1940–2006)}}
{{other people||Kenneth Fletcher (disambiguation){{!}}Kenneth Fletcher}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox tennis biography
| name                  = Ken Fletcher
| image                 = Kenneth Norman Fletcher.jpg
| caption               = Fletcher in 1965
| fullname              = Kenneth Norman Fletcher
| country               = {{flag|Australia}}
| residence             =
| birth_date             = {{birth date|df=yes|1940|6|15}}
| birth_place            = [[Brisbane]], Queensland, Australia
| death_date             = {{death date and age|df=yes|2006|2|11|1940|6|15}}
| death_place            = Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| height                =
| weight                =
| turnedpro             = 1968 (amateur from 1958)
| retired               = 1973
| plays                 = Right-handed (1-handed backhand)
| careerprizemoney      =
| tennishofyear         =
| tennishofid           =
| singlesrecord         =
| singlestitles         =
| highestsinglesranking = No. 10 (1966<small>, [[Lance Tingay]]</small>)<ref name="USLTAEncyclopedia">United States Lawn Tennis Association (1972). ''Official Encyclopedia of Tennis'' (First Edition), p. 428.</ref>
| AustralianOpenresult  = F ([[1963 Australian Championships – Men's singles|1963]])
| FrenchOpenresult      = QF ([[1963 French Championships – Men's singles|1963]], [[1966 French Championships – Men's singles|1966]])
| Wimbledonresult       = QF ([[1962 Wimbledon Championships – Men's singles|1962]], [[1966 Wimbledon Championships – Men's singles|1966]], [[1967 Wimbledon Championships – Men's singles|1967]])
| USOpenresult          = 3R ([[1963 U.S. National Championships – Men's singles|1963]])
| doublesrecord         =
| doublestitles         =
| highestdoublesranking = No. '''1''' (1964)
|AustralianOpenDoublesresult       = F ([[1963 Australian Championships – Men's doubles|1963]], [[1964 Australian Championships – Men's doubles|1964]])
|FrenchOpenDoublesresult           = '''W''' ([[1964 French Championships – Men's doubles|1964]])
|WimbledonDoublesresult            = '''W''' ([[1966 Wimbledon Championships – Men's doubles|1966]])
|USOpenDoublesresult               =
|Mixed = yes
| AustralianOpenMixedresult    = '''W''' ('''[[1963 Australian Championships – Mixed doubles|1963]]''', [[1964 Australian Championships – Mixed doubles|1964]])
| FrenchOpenMixedresult        = '''W''' ('''[[1963 French Championships – Mixed doubles|1963]]''', [[1964 French Championships – Mixed doubles|1964]], [[1965 French Championships – Mixed doubles|1965]])
| WimbledonMixedresult         = '''W''' ('''[[1963 Wimbledon Championships – Mixed doubles|1963]]''', [[1965 Wimbledon Championships – Mixed doubles|1965]], [[1966 Wimbledon Championships – Mixed doubles|1966]], [[1968 Wimbledon Championships – Mixed doubles|1968]])
| USOpenMixedresult            = '''W''' ('''[[1963 US Open – Mixed doubles|1963]]''')
| updated               = 14 September 2012
}}

'''Kenneth Norman Fletcher''' (15 June 1940 – 11 February 2006) was an Australian [[tennis]] player who won numerous doubles and mixed doubles [[Grand Slam (tennis)|Grand Slam]] titles.

==Biography==
He was born in [[Brisbane]], Queensland, Australia to parents Norm and Ethel Fletcher. He was educated at [[St Laurence's College]] and showed early promise as a championship tennis player there.

Fletcher won the 1963 [[Kent Championships]] on grass at Beckenham, defeating [[Owen Davidson]] in the semifinal and [[Martin Mulligan]] in the final.

Fletcher won the 1966 [[British Hard Court Championships]] at Bournemouth on clay, defeating [[Tom Okker]] in the final.

Also in 1966, he defeated [[John Newcombe]] at [[Wimbledon (tennis)|Wimbledon]] in the third round in five sets, but lost the quarterfinal to eventual champion [[Manuel Santana]] also in five sets.

His greatest success as a tennis player came in 1963, when he became the only man to win a calendar year [[Grand Slam (tennis)|Grand Slam]] in mixed doubles, partnering fellow Australian [[Margaret Court]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Ken Fletcher, former doubles champ, dies at 65|url=https://www.espn.com/sports/tennis/news/story?id=2328937|publisher=ESPN|access-date=17 April 2012|date=13 February 2006}}</ref> He reached the final of the Australian Open in 1963, losing to [[Roy Emerson]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Park honour planned for great Brisbane larrikin|url=http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/sport/tennis/park-honour-planned-for-great-brisbane-larrikin-20111130-1o66y.html|work=Brisbane Times|access-date=17 April 2012|author=Tony Moore|date=30 November 2011}}</ref>

After this achievement, he went on to record mixed doubles championships in the [[Australian Open (tennis)|Australian Open]] in 1964, [[French Open (tennis)|French Open]] in 1964 and 1965, and [[Wimbledon Championships|Wimbledon]] in 1965, 1966, and 1968. All of his mixed doubles [[Grand Slam title]]s were in partnership with Smith Court.

He also achieved a Grand Slam title in men's doubles in the 1964 French Open, playing with Emerson. At the Wimbledon men's doubles championship, he was a finalist with [[Bob Hewitt|Robert Hewitt]] in 1965, the champion in 1966 partnering [[John Newcombe]], and a finalist again in 1967 with Emerson. In total, Fletcher won 27 international tennis titles. He was ranked World No. 10 in 1966 by [[Lance Tingay]] of ''The Daily Telegraph''.<ref name="USLTAEncyclopedia"/>

Ken was a [[larrikin]] by nature, and many of his exploits feature in [[Hugh Lunn]]'s books, especially ''Over the Top with Jim'' and ''Head Over Heels''. In later years, he was instrumental in gaining significant funding for medical research in Australia, through his association with [[Chuck Feeney]]. In 2008, Hugh Lunn published ''The Great Fletch'', a book on Ken's life around the globe.<ref>{{cite web|title=Life was a racket for Ken Fletcher|url=http://www.couriermail.com.au/spike/columnists/life-was-a-racket-for-fletch/story-e6frerf6-1111117787554|publisher=The Courier-Mail|access-date=17 April 2012|author=Mike Colman|date=17 October 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title='The Great Fletch' : a story of a tennis player and a larrikin|url=http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2008/s2387019.htm|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|access-date=17 April 2012|date=9 October 2008}}</ref>

Fletcher died of cancer at the age of 65 and was buried at the Mount Gravatt Lawn Cemetery, Brisbane.

In January 2012, Ken Fletcher was inducted into the [[Australian Tennis Hall of Fame]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Ken Fletcher inducted into Australian Tennis Hall of Fame|url=http://www.tennis.com.au/news/2012/01/27/ken-fletcher-inducted-into-australian-tennis-hall-of-fame|publisher=Tennis Australia|access-date=17 April 2012}}</ref> 
[[File:Ken Fletcher Memorial, Tennyson 02.JPG|thumb|150px|right| Ken Fletcher Memorial, Tennyson]]
In 2013, the Ken Fletcher memorial was erected in the park, outside the [[Queensland Tennis Centre]], named in his honour. He is the only player in the history of tennis, to win a grand slam, in mixed doubles in 1963, that is not enshrined in the [[International Tennis Hall of Fame]].

==Grands Slam finals==

===Singles: 1 (1 runner-up)===
{| class='sortable wikitable' 
|-
!style="width:40px"|Result
!style="width:30px"|Year
!style="width:190px"|Championship
!style="width:50px"|Surface
!style="width:160px"|Opponent
!style="width:170px" class="unsortable"|Score
|-style="background:#ffc;"
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss  || [[1963 Australian Championships|1963]] || [[Australian Championships]] || Grass || {{flagicon|Australia}} [[Roy Emerson]] || 3–6, 3–6, 1–6
|}

===Doubles: 9 (2 titles, 7 runners-up)===
{| class='sortable wikitable' 
|-
!style="width:40px"|Result
!style="width:30px"|Year
!style="width:190px"|Championship
!style="width:50px"|Surface
!style="width:160px"|Partner
!style="width:160px"|Opponents
!style="width:183px" class="unsortable"|Score
|-style="background:#ffc;"
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss|| 1963 || [[Australian Championships]] || Grass|| {{flagicon|Australia}} [[John Newcombe]] || {{flagicon|RSA|1928}} [[Bob Hewitt]] <br> {{flagicon|Australia}} [[Fred Stolle]] || 2–6, 6–3, 3–6, 6–3, 3–6
|-style="background:#ffc;"
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss|| 1964 || Australian Championships ||Grass||  {{flagicon|Australia}} [[Roy Emerson]] || {{flagicon|RSA|1928}} Bob Hewitt <br> {{flagicon|Australia}} Fred Stolle || 4–6, 5–7, 6–3, 6–4, 12–14
|-style="background:#ebc2af;"
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win || 1964 || [[French Open|French Championships]] || Clay|| {{flagicon|Australia}} Roy Emerson || {{flagicon|Australia}} [[John Newcombe]] <br> {{flagicon|Australia}} [[Tony Roche]] || 6–3, 6–4
|-style="background:#cfc;"
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss|| 1964 || [[Wimbledon Championships|Wimbledon]] ||Grass||  {{flagicon|Australia}} Roy Emerson || {{flagicon|RSA|1928}} Bob Hewitt <br> {{flagicon|Australia}} Fred Stolle || 5–7, 9–11, 4–6
|-style="background:#ebc2af;"
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss|| 1965 || French Championships ||Clay||  {{flagicon|RSA|1928}} [[Bob Hewitt]] || {{flagicon|Australia}} [[Roy Emerson]] <br> {{flagicon|Australia}} Fred Stolle || 8–6, 3–6, 6–8, 2–6
|-style="background:#cfc;"
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss|| 1965 || Wimbledon || Grass || {{flagicon|RSA|1928}} Bob Hewitt || {{flagicon|Australia}} John Newcombe <br> {{flagicon|Australia}} Tony Roche || 5–7, 3–6, 4–6
|-style="background:#cfc;"
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win || 1966 || Wimbledon || Grass || {{flagicon|Australia}} John Newcombe || {{flagicon|Australia}} [[William Bowrey]] <br> {{flagicon|Australia}} [[Owen Davidson]] || 6–3, 6–4, 3–6, 6–3
|-style="background:#ebc2af;"
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss|| 1967 || French Championships || Clay || {{flagicon|Australia}} Roy Emerson || {{flagicon|Australia}} John Newcombe <br> {{flagicon|Australia}} Tony Roche || 3–6, 7–9, 10–12
|-style="background:#cfc;"
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss|| 1967 || Wimbledon || Grass || {{flagicon|Australia}} Roy Emerson || {{flagicon|RSA|1928}} Bob Hewitt <br> {{flagicon|Australia}} [[Frew McMillan]] || 2–6, 3–6, 4–6
|}

=== Mixed doubles: 11 (10 titles, 1 runner-up)===
{| class='sortable wikitable' 
|-
!style="width:40px"|Result
!style="width:30px"|Year
!style="width:190px"|Championship
!style="width:50px"|Surface
!style="width:160px"|Partner
!style="width:160px"|Opponents
!style="width:170px" class="unsortable"|Score
|-style="background:#ffc;"
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win  || 1963 || [[Australian Open|Australian Championships]] ||Grass|| {{flagicon|Australia}} [[Margaret Court|Margaret Smith]] || {{flagicon|Australia}} [[Fred Stolle]]<br>{{flagicon|Australia}} [[Lesley Turner Bowrey|Lesley Turner]] || 6–4, 6–4
|-style="background:#ebc2af;"
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win  || 1963 || [[French Open|French Championships]] ||Clay|| {{flagicon|Australia}} Margaret Smith || {{flagicon|Australia}} Fred Stolle<br> {{flagicon|Australia}} Lesley Turner || 6–1, 6–2
|-style="background:#cfc;"
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win  || 1963 || [[The Championships, Wimbledon|Wimbledon]]||Grass || {{flagicon|Australia}} Margaret Smith || {{flagicon|South Africa|1928}} [[Bob Hewitt]]<br>{{flagicon|USA}} Darlene Hard || 11–9, 6–4
|-style="background:#ccf;"
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win  || 1963 || [[US Open (tennis)|US Championships]] <small> (3)</small> ||Grass|| {{flagicon|Australia}} Margaret Smith || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Ed Rubinoff]] <br> {{flagicon|United States}} [[Judy Tegart]] || 0–6, 6–4, 6–4
|-style="background:#ffc;"
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win  ||1964 || Australian Championships <small> (2)</small> ||Grass|| {{flagicon|Australia}} Margaret Smith || {{flagicon|UK}} [[Mike Sangster]]<br>{{flagicon|Australia}} [[Jan Lehane]] || 6–4, 6–4
|-style="background:#ebc2af;"
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win  || 1964 || French Championships <small> (2)</small> ||Clay|| {{flagicon|Australia}} Margaret Smith || {{flagicon|Australia}} Fred Stolle<br> {{flagicon|Australia}} Lesley Turner || 6–3, 4–6, 8–6
|-style="background:#cfc;"
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss  || 1964 || [[The Championships, Wimbledon|Wimbledon]]||Grass || {{flagicon|Australia}} Margaret Smith || {{flagicon|Australia}} Fred Stolle<br>{{flagicon|Australia}} Lesley Turner || 6–4, 6–4
|-style="background:#ebc2af;"
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win  || 1965 || French Championships <small> (3)</small> ||Clay || {{flagicon|Australia}} [[Margaret Smith Court]] || {{flagicon|Australia}} John Newcombe<br> {{flagicon|Brazil}} [[Maria Bueno]] || 6–4, 6–4
|-style="background:#cfc;"
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win  || 1965 || Wimbledon <small> (2)</small> ||Grass|| {{flagicon|Australia}} Margaret Court || {{flagicon|Australia}} [[Tony Roche]]<br>{{flagicon|Australia}} Judy Tegart || 12–10, 6–3
|-style="background:#cfc;"
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win  || 1966 || Wimbledon <small> (3)</small> ||Grass || {{flagicon|Australia}} Margaret Court || {{flagicon|USA}} Dennis Ralston<br>{{flagicon|United States}} [[Billie Jean King]] || 4–6, 6–3, 6–3
|-
| align=center colspan=7|'''↓ Open Era ↓'''
|-style="background:#cfc;"
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win  || 1968 || Wimbledon <small> (4)</small> ||Grass|| {{flagicon|Australia}} Margaret Court || {{flagicon|Soviet Union}} [[Alex Metreveli]]<br>{{flagicon|Soviet Union}} [[Olga Morozova]] || 6–1, 14–12
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{cc}}
* {{ATP}}
* {{ITF}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20091014230334/http://hughlunn.com.au/news.html Hugh Lunn's Website, Vale by Hugh Lunn]
* [http://www.australianopen.com/en_AU/event_guide/history/players/8208.html Australian Open Player Profile]

==Further reading==
Lunn, Hugh (2008). ''The Great Fletch: The Dazzling Life of Wimbledon Aussie Larrikin Ken Fletcher'' {{ISBN|0-7333-2209-3}}

{{navboxes|title=Ken Fletcher in the [[Grand Slam (tennis)|Grand Slam tournaments]]
| list1 = 
{{French Open men's doubles champions}}
{{Wimbledon men's doubles champions}}
{{Australian Championships mixed doubles champions}}
{{French Open mixed doubles champions}}
{{Wimbledon mixed doubles champions}}
{{U.S. National Championships mixed doubles champions}}
}}
{{Tennis Career Grand Slam Champions}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fletcher, Ken}}
[[Category:1940 births]]
[[Category:2006 deaths]]
[[Category:Australian Championships (tennis) champions]]
[[Category:Australian male tennis players]]
[[Category:Deaths from cancer in Queensland]]
[[Category:French Championships (tennis) champions]]
[[Category:Tennis players from Brisbane]]
[[Category:United States National champions (tennis)]]
[[Category:Wimbledon champions (pre-Open Era)]]
[[Category:Grand Slam (tennis) champions in mixed doubles]]
[[Category:Grand Slam (tennis) champions in men's doubles]]
[[Category:Sportsmen from Queensland]]
[[Category:People educated at St Laurence's College]]
[[Category:20th-century Australian sportsmen]]