Mervyn Gordon Rose AM (23 January 1930 – 23 July 2017) was an Australian male tennis player who won seven Grand Slam titles (singles, doubles and mixed doubles).

Career Rose was born in Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, and turned professional in 1959. He was ranked inside the world's Top 10 throughout much of his tennis career and represented Australia in the Davis Cup from 1951 to 1957. He was ranked World No. 3 in 1958 by Lance Tingay of The Daily Telegraph.

Rose won the singles title at the 1954 Australian Championships in Sydney, defeating compatriot Rex Hartwig in the final in four sets. Four years later, in 1958, he became the French singles champion after a straight-sets victory in the final against Luis Ayala.

Rose won the 1953 Canadian Open singles title, defeating Hartwig in the final in three straight sets. His other career singles highlights include winning the Deauville Tennis Cup three times 1955, 1957, and 1958.

Rose became a professional in 1959 and played in tournaments with Kramer's group of contract players. He was officially ranked No. 9 in Kramer's point ranking system for 1959.McCauley, Joe (2000). The History of Professional Tennis. Windsor: The Short Run Book Company Limited. pp. 97, 99.Kramer Fall Tour Brochure, 1959

He coached numerous female and male players, including Billie Jean King, Margaret Court, Ernie Ewart, Michael Fancutt, Brett Prentice, Arantxa Sánchez Vicario, Eleni Daniilidou, Nadia Petrova, Magdalena Grzybowska and Caroline Schnieder.

Rose was awarded the Australian Sports Medal in 2000, inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2001 and the Australian Tennis Hall of Fame in 2002. He was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the 2006 Australia Day Honours for service to tennis, particularly as a competitor at national and international levels and as a coach and mentor to both amateur and professional players. Rose died on 23 July 2017 at the age of 87.

Grand Slam finals

Singles (2 titles, 1 runner-up)

ResultYearChampionshipSurfaceOpponentScoreLoss 1953 Australian Championships Grass Ken Rosewall 0–6, 3–6, 4–6Win 1954 Australian Championships Grass Rex Hartwig 6–2, 0–6, 6–4, 6–2Win 1958 French Championships Clay Luis Ayala 6–3, 6–4, 6–4

Doubles (4 titles, 7 runners-up) ResultYearChampionshipSurfacePartnerOpponentsScoreLoss 1951 US Championships Grass Don Candy Ken McGregor Frank Sedgman 8–10, 4–6, 6–4, 5–7Loss 1952 Australian Championships Grass Don Candy Ken McGregor Frank Sedgman 4–6, 5–7, 3–6Win 1952 US Championships Grass Vic Seixas Ken McGregor Frank Sedgman 3–6, 10–8, 10–8, 6–8, 8–6Loss 1953 Australian Championships Grass Don Candy Lew Hoad Ken Rosewall 11–9, 4–6, 8–10, 4–6Loss 1953 French Championships Clay Clive Wilderspin Lew Hoad Ken Rosewall 2–6, 1–6, 1–6Loss 1953 Wimbledon Grass Rex Hartwig Lew Hoad Ken Rosewall 4–6, 5–7, 6–4, 5–7Win 1953 US Championships Grass Rex Hartwig Gardnar Mulloy Bill Talbert 6–4, 4–6, 6–2, 6–4Win 1954 Australian Championships Grass Rex Hartwig Neale Fraser Clive Wilderspin 6–3, 6–4, 6–2Win 1954 Wimbledon Grass Rex Hartwig Vic Seixas Tony Trabert 6–4, 6–4, 3–6, 6–4Loss 1956 Australian Championships Grass Don Candy Lew Hoad Ken Rosewall 8–10, 11–13, 4–6Loss 1957 French Championships Clay Don Candy Malcolm Anderson Ashley Cooper 3–6, 0–6, 3–6

Mixed doubles: 5 (1 title, 4 runner-ups) ResultYearChampionshipSurfacePartnerOpponentsScoreLoss 1951 French Championships Clay Thelma Coyne Long Doris Hart Frank Sedgman 5–7, 2–6Loss 1951 Wimbledon Grass Nancye Wynne Bolton Doris Hart Frank Sedgman 5–7, 2–6Loss 1951 U.S. Championships Grass Shirley Fry Doris Hart Frank Sedgman 3–6, 2–6Loss 1953 French Championships Clay Maureen Connolly Doris Hart Vic Seixas 6–4, 4–6, 0–6Win 1957 Wimbledon Grass Darlene Hard Althea Gibson Neale Fraser 6–4, 7–5

Grand Slam tournament performance timeline

Singles Tournament 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972Australian Open3RQFQFSFFWQFQF ASF A A A A A A A A A A A A1R2R 1 / 11French Open A3RQF4R4RQFQF ASFW A A A A A A A A A A A A A A 1 / 8Wimbledon A3R1RSFSFQF2R AQFSF A A A A A A A A A A A A A A 0 / 8US Open A2R4RSF4R A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A 0 / 4Strike rate 0 / 1 0 / 4 0 / 4 0 / 4 0 / 4 1 / 3 0 / 3 0 / 1 0 / 2 1 / 3 0 / 0 0 / 0 0 / 0 0 / 0 0 / 0 0 / 0 0 / 0 0 / 0 0 / 0 0 / 0 0 / 0 0 / 0 0 / 1 0 / 1

Other tournament records Italian Championships Singles champion: 1958 Mixed Doubles runner-up: 1953, 1955 German Championships Singles champion: 1957 Men's Doubles champion: 1957 Mixed Doubles champion: 1957 Canadian Championships Singles champion: 1953 Men's Doubles champion: 1953

References

External links

Wimbledon Website. All England Lawn Tennis Club Australian Open. Tennis Australia