Australian tennis player Owen Davidson, who won 13 Grand Slam doubles titles, dies at 79
The Hindu
Owen Davidson won 11 major titles in mixed doubles and two in men’s doubles. Davidson teamed with Billie Jean King to win eight of his Grand Slam trophies in a career that spanned from the early 1960s to mid-1970s
Australian tennis player Owen Davidson, who won 13 Grand Slam doubles titles, has died. He was 79.
The International Tennis Hall of Fame announced Saturday that Davidson died on Friday. Longtime friend Isabel Suliga said he died in Conroe, Texas.
He won 11 major titles in mixed doubles and two in men's doubles. Davidson teamed with Billie Jean King to win eight of his Grand Slam trophies in a career that spanned from the early 1960s to mid-1970s.
In 1967, Davidson became only the third player in tennis history to earn all four major mixed doubles titles in the same year, including three with King.
“Our hearts are broken, but we find peace in the lifetime of wonderful memories we shared with our friend Davo,” King said in a tweet.
Known for his strong lefty serve, Davidson won the 1972 Australian Open with Ken Rosewall and the 1973 U.S. Open with John Newcombe — when they beat Rod Laver and Rosewall.
In singles, he reached the 1966 semifinals of Wimbledon by upsetting two-time defending champion Roy Emerson. Davidson also reached the quarterfinals in singles at seven other majors — five times at the Australian Championships and twice at the U.S. Nationals, a precursor to the U.S. Open.