Gerald Patterson

Gerald Leighton Patterson MC (17 December 1895 – 13 June 1967) was an Australian tennis player.

Patterson 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 and one title in mixed doubles. He was born in Melbourne, educated at Scotch College and Trinity Grammar School and died in Melbourne on 13 June 1967. He was the co-World No. 1 player for 1919 along with Bill Johnston.

Playing career

Tall and well-built, Patterson played a strong serve-and-volley game. At Wimbledon 1919, Patterson beat 41-year-old Norman Brookes, who was defending champion (Brookes' 1914 title was the last held before World War 1) in the Challenge Round. At Wimbledon 1922, the Challenge Round was abolished and Patterson won the title (the first to be held at the current site at Church Road) beating Randolph Lycett in the final. In 1927, Patterson was five championship points down in the Australian singles final against Jack Hawkes, but won in five sets.

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. This was followed by induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1989 and the Australian Tennis Hall of Fame in August 1997.

Personal life

Patterson was the nephew of Australian opera singer Dame Nellie Melba and father of racing driver Bill Patterson. In 1917, Patterson was awarded the Military Cross for "conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty" as an officer in the Royal Field Artillery at Messines.

Grand Slam finals

File:Gerald Patterson playing a forehand stroke.jpg

Gerald Patterson playing a forehand stroke

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

Result	Year	Championship	Surface	Opponent	Score
Loss	1914	Australasian Championships	Grass	Template:Flagicon Arthur O'Hara Wood	4–6, 3–6, 7–5, 1–6
Win	1919	Wimbledon	Grass	Template:Flagicon Norman Brookes	6–3, 7–5, 6–2
Loss	1920	Wimbledon	Grass	Template:Flagicon Bill Tilden	6–2, 3–6, 2–6, 4–6
Loss	1922	Australasian Championships	Grass	Template:Flagicon James Anderson	0–6, 6–3, 6–3, 3–6, 2–6
Win	1922	Wimbledon	Grass	Template:Flagicon Randolph Lycett	6–3, 6–4, 6–2
Loss	1925	Australasian Championships	Grass	Template:Flagicon James Anderson	9–11, 6–2, 2–6, 3–6
Win	1927	Australian Championships	Grass	Template:Flagicon John Hawkes	3–6, 6–4, 3–6, 18–16, 6–3

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

Result	Year	Championship	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Win	1914	Australasian Championships	Grass	Template:Flagicon Ashley Campbell	Template:Flagicon Rodney Heath Template:Flagicon Arthur O'Hara Wood	7–5, 3–6, 6–3, 6–3
Win	1919	U.S. National Championships	Grass	Template:Flagicon Norman Brookes	Template:Flagicon Vincent Richards Template:Flagicon Bill Tilden	8–6, 6–3, 4–6, 4–6, 6–2
Win	1922	Australasian Championships	Grass	Template:Flagicon John Hawkes	Template:Flagicon James Anderson Template:Flagicon Norman Peach	8–10, 6–0, 6–0, 7–5
Loss	1922	Wimbledon	Grass	Template:Flagicon Pat O'Hara Wood	Template:Flagicon James Anderson Template:Flagicon Randolph Lycett	6–3, 9–7, 4–6, 3–6, 9–11
Loss	1922	U.S. National Championships	Grass	Template:Flagicon Pat O'Hara Wood	Template:Flagicon Vincent Richards Template:Flagicon Bill Tilden	6–4, 1–6, 3–6, 4–6
Loss	1924	Australasian Championships	Grass	Template:Flagicon Pat O'Hara Wood	Template:Flagicon James Anderson Template:Flagicon Norman Brookes	2–6, 4–6, 3–6
Loss	1924	U.S. National Championships	Grass	Template:Flagicon Pat O'Hara Wood	Template:Flagicon Howard Kinsey Template:Flagicon Robert Kinsey	5–7, 7–5, 9–7, 3–6, 4–6
Win	1925	Australasian Championships	Grass	Template:Flagicon Pat O'Hara Wood	Template:Flagicon James Anderson Template:Flagicon Fred Kalms	6–4, 8–6, 7–5
Loss	1925	U.S. National Championships	Grass	Template:Flagicon John Hawkes	Template:Flagicon R. Norris Williams Template:Flagicon Vincent Richards	2–6, 10–8, 4–6, 9–11
Win	1926	Australasian Championships	Grass	Template:Flagicon John Hawkes	Template:Flagicon James Anderson Template:Flagicon Pat O'Hara Wood	6–1, 6–4, 6–2
Win	1927	Australian Championships	Grass	Template:Flagicon John Hawkes	Template:Flagicon Ian McInness Template:Flagicon Pat O'Hara Wood	8–6, 6–2, 6–1
Loss	1928	Wimbledon	Grass	Template:Flagicon John Hawkes	Template:Flagicon Jacques Brugnon Template:Flagicon Henri Cochet	11–13, 4–6, 4–6
Loss	1928	U.S. National Championships	Grass	Template:Flagicon John Hawkes	Template:Flagicon John Hennessey Template:Flagicon George Lott	2–6, 1–6, 2–6
Loss	1932	Australian Championships	Grass	Template:Flagicon Harry Hopman	Template:Flagicon Jack Crawford Template:Flagicon Edgar Moon	10–12, 3–6, 6–4, 4–6

Mixed doubles: 1 (1 title)

Result	Year	Championship	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Win	1920	Wimbledon	Grass	Template:Flagicon Suzanne Lenglen	Template:Flagicon Elizabeth Ryan Template:Flagicon Randolph Lycett	7–5, 6–3

Grand Slam singles performance timeline

Template:Performance key Events with a challenge round: (W_C) won; (CR) lost the challenge round; (F_A) all comers' finalist

(OF) only for French players

Tournament	1914	1915	1916	1917	1918	1919	1920	1921	1922	1923	1924	1925	1926	1927	1928	SR	W–L	Win %
Australian	F	A	not held			3R1	A	A	F	A	2R	F	1R	W	QF	1 / 8	21–6	77.8
French	OF	not held					OF					A	A	A	4R	0 / 1	2–1	66.7
Wimbledon	A	not held				WC	CR	A	W	A	A	A	A	A	4R	2 / 4	17–2	89.5
U.S.	A	A	A	A	A	4R	A	A	SF	A	SF	A	A	A	A	0 / 3	10–3	76.9
Win–loss	3–1	0–0	0–0	0–0	0–0	11–1	0–1	0–0	13–2	0–0	5–2	5–1	0–1	6–0	7–3	3 / 16	50–12	80.6

¹Patterson was the first tennis player to play in three Grand Slam singles tournaments within one calendar year.

External links

• Template:Tennis Hall of Fame
• Template:ATP
• Template:ITF
• Template:Davis Cup player
• Template:Tennis Australia
• Australian Dictionary of Biography article