Jump to content

Dick Crealy: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Content deleted Content added
Line 82: Line 82:
| 1968 || [[1968 Australian Championships|Australian Championships]] || {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Allan Stone]] || {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Terry Addison]] / {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Ray Keldie]] || 10–8, 6–4, 6–3
| 1968 || [[1968 Australian Championships|Australian Championships]] || {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Allan Stone]] || {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Terry Addison]] / {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Ray Keldie]] || 10–8, 6–4, 6–3
|-bgcolor="#FFFFCC"
|-bgcolor="#FFFFCC"
| 1969 || [[1969 US National Doubles, Boston (US Open)]] || {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Allan Stone]] || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Charlie Pasarell]] / {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Bill Bowrey]] || tba
| 1969 || [[1969 US Open (tennis)|1969 US National Doubles, Boston (US Open)]] || {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Allan Stone]] || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Charlie Pasarell]] / {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Bill Bowrey]] || tba
|-bgcolor="#FFFFCC"
|-bgcolor="#FFFFCC"
| 1974 || [[1974 French Open|French Open]] || {{flagicon|NZL}} [[Onny Parun]] || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Bob Lutz (tennis)|Robert Lutz]] / {{flagicon|USA}} [[Stan Smith]] || 6–3, 6–2, 3–6, 5–7, 6–1
| 1974 || [[1974 French Open|French Open]] || {{flagicon|NZL}} [[Onny Parun]] || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Bob Lutz (tennis)|Robert Lutz]] / {{flagicon|USA}} [[Stan Smith]] || 6–3, 6–2, 3–6, 5–7, 6–1

Revision as of 22:51, 11 June 2015

Dick Crealy
Full nameRichard D. Crealy
Country (sports) Australia
ResidenceSydney, Australia
Born (1944-09-18) 18 September 1944 (age 80)
Sydney, Australia
Turned pro1969 (amateur tour from 1963)
Retired1981
PlaysRight-handed (one-handed backhand)
Singles
Career record274–277 (Open era)
Career titles5
Grand Slam singles results
Australian OpenF (1970)
French Open4R (1970)
Wimbledon3R (1967, 1969, 1974)
US Open2R (1969, 1973, 1978)
Doubles
Career record262–240 (Open era)
Career titles6
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian OpenW (1968)
French OpenW (1974)
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
Australian OpenW (1968)

Richard Crealy (born 18 September 1944) is a former Australian tennis player most notable for reaching the finals of the Australian Open in 1970, being a member of the 1970 Australian Davis Cup Team and winning four Grand Slam titles in doubles.

Tennis career

Crealy was born in Sydney in 1944 and in 1968 he achieved his first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open with his fellow countryman and teammate Allan Stone in doubles. He also won the mixed doubles with Billie Jean King. There is some confusion over the 1969 US Open Championship title, which is held by Crealy and Allan Stone conjointly with Ken Rosewall and Fred Stolle. The era of Open Tennis commenced in 1968 and at that time, Boston was the home of the US National Doubles. However, the agents of some contract professionals demanded guaranteed prize money which could not be covered by the tournament. Accordingly, contract professionals boycotted the tournament, with many playing instead at Forest Hills which was won by Rosewall and Stolle. Crealy and Stone won the Doubles in Boston in 1969 as professionals, defeating Charlie Pasarell and Bill Bowrey.

In 1971, the USTA and ATP decided to combine the winners of both tournaments to make the Grand Slam tournament. This was not an issue for the winners of 1968 as both tournaments were won by Smith and Lutz. Crealy and Stone were asked if they would agree to share the title with Rosewall and Stolle - they readily agreed, especially as the latter were two of the great Australian players and because "tennis was played with much goodwill in those days."

Crealy won the Men's Doubles at the 1974 French Open with Onny Parun over Stan Smith and Bob Lutz. In 1970, Crealy had his most successful season, reaching No. 5 on the Grand Prix rankings. In this year, he reached the singles finals at the Australian Open, where he lost to American player Arthur Ashe, as well as the quarter-finals of the French Open. He also won the Swedish Open in Båstad and represented Australia in the Davis Cup with a 4–2 singles record and 2–0 doubles record. In 1974, he won another Grand Slam Title in doubles, combining with New Zealander Onny Parun in the French Open.

Crealy retired from the ATP in 1978, but continued having success for many years on the Veteran's Tour, playing in many of the "Legends" tournaments at the Australian Open. He also still plays Pro-Ams, often supporting The Starlight Foundation in their annual tournament in Sydney.

Dick Crealy is a Life Member of the Australian Davis Cup Foundation.

Grand Slam finals

Singles

Runners-up (1)

Year Tournament Opponent Score
1970 Australian Open United States Arthur Ashe 4–6, 7–9, 2–6

Doubles

Titles (2)

Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score
1968 Australian Championships Australia Allan Stone Australia Terry Addison / Australia Ray Keldie 10–8, 6–4, 6–3
1969 1969 US National Doubles, Boston (US Open) Australia Allan Stone United States Charlie Pasarell / Australia Bill Bowrey tba
1974 French Open New Zealand Onny Parun United States Robert Lutz / United States Stan Smith 6–3, 6–2, 3–6, 5–7, 6–1

Mixed Doubles

Titles (1)

Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score
1968 Australian Championships United States Billie Jean King Australia Margaret Court / Allan Stone walkover

Open era titles (8)

Singles (2)

Grand Slam (0)
Tennis Masters Cup (0)
ATP Tour (2)
Date Tournament Surface Opponent in Finals Results
1. 11 July 1970 Båstad, Sweden Clay France Georges Goven 6–3, 6–1, 6–1
2. 28 March 1975 Nice, France Clay Colombia Iván Molina 7–6, 6–4, 6–3

Singles Finals (2)

Template:Persondata