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

tennis Tennis is a List of racket sports, racket sport that is played either individually against a single opponent (singles (tennis), singles) or between two teams of two players each (doubles (tennis), doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket st ...

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 Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...

, 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 The Davis Cup is the premier international team event in men's tennis. It is organised by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and contested annually between teams from over 150 competing countries, making it the world's largest annual ...

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 The International Tennis Hall of Fame is located in Newport, Rhode Island, United States. It honors both players and other contributors to the sport of tennis. The complex, the former Newport Casino, includes a museum, 13 grass tennis courts, an ...

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 The Military Cross (MC) is the third-level (second-level until 1993) military decoration awarded to officers and (since 1993) Other ranks (UK), other ranks of the British Armed Forces, and formerly awarded to officers of other Commonwealth of ...

for "conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty" as an officer in the Royal Field Artillery at Messines.

Grand Slam finals

Gerald Patterson playing a forehand stroke

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

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

Mixed doubles: 1 (1 title)

Grand Slam singles performance timeline

Events with a challenge round: (W_C) won; (CR) lost the challenge round; (F_A) all comers' finalist (OF) only for French players ¹Patterson was the first tennis player to play in three Grand Slam singles tournaments within one calendar year.

References

External links

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Australian Dictionary of Biography article
{{DEFAULTSORT:Patterson, Gerald 1895 births 1967 deaths Australasian Championships (tennis) champions Australian Championships (tennis) champions Australian male tennis players Tennis players from Melbourne International Tennis Hall of Fame inductees United States National champions (tennis) Wimbledon champions (pre-Open Era) People educated at Scotch College, Melbourne People educated at Trinity Grammar School, Kew Grand Slam (tennis) champions in men's singles Grand Slam (tennis) champions in mixed doubles Grand Slam (tennis) champions in men's doubles Australian recipients of the Military Cross World number 1 ranked male tennis players People from Preston, Victoria Royal Field Artillery officers Australian military personnel of World War I Military personnel from Melbourne Australian people of Scottish descent Australian people of English descent Sportsmen from Victoria (state) 20th-century Australian sportsmen