Former Wimbledon and U.S. Open champ Neale Fraser — one of the greatest Australian tennis players of all time — has passed away. He was 91.
Australia Tennis confirmed Fraser died on Monday … saying the sport has “lost one of its giants” with the passing.
Tennis legend Rod Laver — who Fraser beat in the 1960 Wimbledon and U.S. Finals — also paid tribute to the fallen star … calling Neale a “true gem in a golden era of Australian tennis legends.”
“Neale bested me in 2 major finals, pushing me to become a better player.”
Laver added, “I’ll miss you dearly, buddy. Rest in peace.”
Fraser, a left-hander widely regarded as one of the best servers in tennis history, won 19 major titles in his career, including 11 men’s doubles titles with wins at the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and the U.S. Open.
He is one of 20 men to win all four majors in doubles.
Fraser was also the Davis Cup captain for the Australian team for a record 24 years. He led the team to 24 campaigns, winning four titles (1973, 1977, 1983, 1986).
He was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1984 and the Australian Tennis Hall of Fame in 1994.
Fraser is survived by his wife Thea, children, and grandchildren.
R.I.P.