Frew McMillan

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Frew Donald McMillan (born 20 May 1942) is a former professional male tennis player from South Africa who won five grand slam doubles titles including three Wimbledons with Bob Hewitt. All together, he won 63 doubles titles, surpassed only by the Bryan brothers, Mark Woodforde, Todd Woodbridge, John McEnroe and Tom Okker. He was also ranked No.1 in Doubles on the ATP Computer for a significant period from 1977 to 1979 when he was aged 37.

Frew McMillan
Full nameFrew Donald McMillan
Country (sports)South Africa South Africa
ResidenceBristol, England
Born (1942-05-20) 20 May 1942 (age 82)
Springs, South Africa
Height1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Turned pro1969 (amateur tour from 1961)
Retired1983
PlaysRight-handed (two-handed both sides)
Prize money$609,072[1]
Int. Tennis HoF1992 (member page)
Singles
Career record142–213 (Open era)[2]
Career titles2
Highest rankingNo. 39 (6 March 1974)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open1R (1971)
French Open3R (1967, 1971)
Wimbledon3R (1970, 1978)
US OpenQF (1972)
Doubles
Career record552–207
Career titles64
Highest rankingNo. 1 (23 August 1977)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open1R (1971)
French OpenW (1972)
WimbledonW (1967, 1972, 1978)
US OpenW (1977)
Other doubles tournaments
Tour FinalsW (1977)
Mixed doubles
Career titles5
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
French OpenW (1966)
WimbledonW (1978, 1981)
US OpenW (1977, 1978)
Team competitions
Davis CupW (1974)

Biography

McMillan was born in Springs, South Africa. Aside from his considerable success as a doubles player, he had a singles career with good results mostly in South Africa.

He played in 38 Grand Slam singles events with a 28 to 38 win–loss record, first playing in 1961 at Wimbledon and last at the first US Open at Flushing Meadows in 1978. His best results in both came at the US Open reaching the quarter finals in 1972 and the last 16 in 1976. Arguably his greatest result was reaching the final of the 1970 South African Open held at Ellis Park. He beat a raging Pancho Gonzales in the semi-final before losing to world no.1 Rod Laver in four sets in the final.[3][4] At the time, the South African, Italian and German Opens were rated the top three tournaments beneath the Grand Slams. As late as 1979 McMillan reached the quarter-finals of the Fischer Open in Vienna.

McMillan continued to play the tour for many years. In doubles, he played his last Wimbledon with Bob Hewitt in 1979 reaching the semi-finals. They made a last appearance together in the main draw at Flushing Meadows in 1980 reaching the quarter-finals with a nostalgic victory over fellow veteran Americans Clark Graebner and Charlie Pasarell. McMillan won his last tour title at the 1982 South African Open with Brian Gottfried.

McMillan played for many years on the seniors tours and was runner-up at the inaugural "Wimbledon over 35's" to John Newcombe in 1982 after good wins against Tony Roche, Mark Cox and Ismail El Shafei. In 1988 he and Hewitt, older by 20 years between them, beat the Gullikson twins Tim and Tom in the 35's doubles final at Wimbledon.

The most notable aspect of his game was that he had both a two-handed backhand and forehand, which increased his power while restricting his mobility. In the 1967 Wimbledon, he and Hewitt did not lose a set, and McMillan did not once lose a service game.

McMillan was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island, in 1992. He now works as a tennis commentator for Eurosport and on BBC Radio 5.

Grand Prix Championship Series singles finals

Runner-up (1)

Result Year Tournament Opponent Score
Loss 1970 Johannesburg   Rod Laver 6–4, 2–6, 1–6, 2–6

Career titles

Singles (2 titles)

No. Date Tournament Surface Opponent Score
1 1974 Munich WCT Carpet   Nikola Pilić 5–7, 7–6(7–4), 7–6(7–4)
2 1976 Nuremberg Carpet   Thomaz Koch 2–6, 6–3, 6–4

Doubles (63 titles)

No. Date Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
1. 1970 Washington, D.C., US Hard   Bob Hewitt   Ilie Năstase
  Ion Ţiriac
7–5, 6–0
2. 1970 Hamburg, Germany Clay   Bob Hewitt   Tom Okker
  Nikola Pilić
6–3, 7–5, 6–2
3. 1972 Bournemouth, United Kingdom Clay   Bob Hewitt   Ilie Năstase
  Ion Ţiriac
7–5, 6–2
4. 1972 French Open, Paris Clay   Bob Hewitt   Patricio Cornejo
  Jaime Fillol
6–3, 8–6, 3–6, 6–1
5. 1972 Bristol, United Kingdom Grass   Bob Hewitt   Clark Graebner
  Lew Hoad
6–3, 6–2
6. 1972 Wimbledon, London Grass   Bob Hewitt   Stan Smith
  Erik van Dillen
6–2, 6–2, 9–7
7. 1972 Cincinnati, Ohio, US Clay   Bob Hewitt   Paul Gerken
  Humphrey Hose
7–6, 6–4
8. 1972 Indianapolis, Indiana, US Clay   Bob Hewitt   Patricio Cornejo
  Jaime Fillol
6–2, 6–3
9. 1972 Albany, New York, US Carpet   Bob Hewitt   Ove Nils Bengtson
  Björn Borg
6–4, 6–2
10. 1973 Jackson, US Hard (i)   Zan Guerry   Jaime Pinto-Bravo
  Tito Vázquez
6–2, 6–4
11. 1973 Tanglewood, US Other   Bob Carmichael   Ismail El Shafei
  Brian Fairlie
6–3, 6–4
12. 1973 Indianapolis, Indiana, US Clay   Bob Carmichael   Manuel Orantes
  Ion Ţiriac
6–3, 6–4
13. 1973 Quebec City, Canada Other   Bob Carmichael   Jimmy Connors
  Marty Riessen
6–2, 7–6
14. 1974 Salisbury, Maryland, US Carpet   Jimmy Connors   Byron Bertram
  Andrew Pattison
3–6, 6–2, 6–1
15. 1974 Washington WCT, US Carpet   Bob Hewitt   Tom Okker
  Marty Riessen
7–6, 6–3
16. 1974 Rotterdam, Netherlands Carpet   Bob Hewitt   Pierre Barthès
  Ilie Năstase
3–6, 6–4, 6–3
17. 1974 Munich WCT, Germany Carpet   Bob Hewitt   Pierre Barthès
  Ilie Năstase
6–2, 7–6
18. 1974 Johannesburg WCT, South Africa Hard   Bob Hewitt   Jim McManus
  Andrew Pattison
6–2, 6–4, 7–6
19. 1974 World Doubles WCT, Montreal Carpet   Bob Hewitt   Owen Davidson
  John Newcombe
6–2, 6–7, 6–1, 6–2
20. 1974 Johannesburg, South Africa Hard   Bob Hewitt   Tom Okker
  Marty Riessen
7–6, 6–4, 6–3
21. 1975 Rotterdam WCT, Netherlands Carpet   Bob Hewitt   José Higueras
  Balázs Taróczy
6–2, 6–2
22. 1975 Munich, Germany Carpet   Bob Hewitt   Corrado Barazzutti
  Antonio Zugarelli
6–3, 6–4
23. 1975 Monte Carlo WCT, Monaco Clay   Bob Hewitt   Arthur Ashe
  Tom Okker
6–3, 6–2
24. 1975 Stockholm, Sweden Hard (i)   Bob Hewitt   Charlie Pasarell
  Roscoe Tanner
3–6, 6–3, 6–4
25. 1976 Columbus WCT, US Carpet   Bob Hewitt   Arthur Ashe
  Tom Okker
7–6, 6–4
26. 1976 Baltimore WCT, US Carpet   Bob Hewitt   Ilie Năstase
  Cliff Richey
3–6, 7–6, 6–4
27. 1976 Toronto Indoor WCT, Canada Carpet   Jaime Fillol   Alex Metreveli
  Ilie Năstase
6–7, 6–2, 6–3
28. 1976 Rotterdam WCT, Netherlands Carpet   Rod Laver   Arthur Ashe
  Tom Okker
6–1, 6–7, 7–6
29. 1976 Basel, Switzerland Carpet   Tom Okker   Jiří Hřebec
  Jan Kodeš
6–4, 7–6, 6–4
30. 1976 Nuremberg, Germany Carpet   Karl Meiler   Colin Dowdeswell
  Paul Kronk
7–6, 6–4
31. 1976 Vienna, Austria Hard (i)   Bob Hewitt   Brian Gottfried
  Raúl Ramírez
6–4, 4–0 retired
32. 1976 Cologne, Germany Carpet   Bob Hewitt   Colin Dowdeswell
  Mike Estep
6–1, 3–6, 7–6
33. 1976 Stockholm, Sweden Hard (i)   Bob Hewitt   Tom Okker
  Marty Riessen
6–4, 4–6, 6–4
34. 1977 Philadelphia WCT, US Carpet   Bob Hewitt   Wojtek Fibak
  Tom Okker
6–1, 1–6, 6–3
35. 1977 Springfield, Massachusetts, US Carpet   Bob Hewitt   Ion Ţiriac
  Guillermo Vilas
7–6, 6–2
36. 1977 San Jose, California, US Hard   Bob Hewitt   Tom Gorman
  Geoff Masters
6–2, 6–3
37. 1977 Palm Springs, California, US Hard   Bob Hewitt   Marty Riessen
  Roscoe Tanner
7–6, 7–6
38. 1977 Johannesburg, South Africa Hard   Bob Hewitt   Charlie Pasarell
  Erik van Dillen
6–2, 6–0
39. 1977 La Costa, California, US Hard   Bob Hewitt   Ray Ruffels
  Allan Stone
6–4, 6–2
40. 1977 Pacific Southwest Championships, US Carpet   Bob Hewitt   Robert Lutz
  Stan Smith
6–3, 6–4
41. 1977 Jackson, US Carpet   Bob Hewitt   Phil Dent
  Ken Rosewall
6–2, 7–6
42. 1977 US Open, New York City Clay   Bob Hewitt   Brian Gottfried
  Raúl Ramírez
6–4, 6–0
43. 1977 Los Angeles Hard   Sandy Mayer   Tom Leonard
  Mike Machette
6–2, 6–3
44. 1977 Madrid, Spain Clay   Bob Hewitt   Antonio Muñoz
  Manuel Orantes
6–7, 7–6, 6–3, 6–1
45. 1977 Vienna, Austria Hard (i)   Bob Hewitt   Wojtek Fibak
  Jan Kodeš
6–4, 6–3
46. 1977 Cologne, Germany Carpet   Bob Hewitt   Fred McNair
  Sherwood Stewart
6–3, 7–5
47. 1977 Wembley, United Kingdom Hard (i)   Sandy Mayer   Brian Gottfried
  Raúl Ramírez
6–3, 7–6
48. 1978 Baltimore, Maryland, US Carpet   Fred McNair   Roger Taylor
  Antonio Zugarelli
6–3, 7–5
49. 1978 Philadelphia WCT, US Carpet   Bob Hewitt   Vitas Gerulaitis
  Sandy Mayer
6–4, 6–4
50. 1978 Richmond WCT, US Carpet   Bob Hewitt   Vitas Gerulaitis
  Sandy Mayer
6–3, 7–5
51. 1978 St. Louis WCT, US Carpet   Bob Hewitt   Wojtek Fibak
  Tom Okker
6–3, 6–2
52. 1978 Denver, Colorado, US Carpet   Bob Hewitt   Fred McNair
  Sherwood Stewart
6–3, 6–2
53. 1978 Johannesburg, South Africa Hard   Bob Hewitt   Colin Dibley
  Geoff Masters
7–5, 7–6
54. 1978 Queen's Club Championships, London Grass   Bob Hewitt   Fred McNair
  Raúl Ramírez
6–2, 7–5
55. 1978 Wimbledon, London Grass   Bob Hewitt   Peter Fleming
  John McEnroe
6–1, 6–4, 6–2
56. 1979 Stuttgart Outdoor, Germany Clay   Colin Dowdeswell   Wojtek Fibak
  Pavel Složil
6–4, 6–2, 2–6, 6–4
57. 1979 Basel, Switzerland Hard (i)   Bob Hewitt   Brian Gottfried
  Raúl Ramírez
6–3, 6–4
58. 1979 Vienna, Austria Hard (i)   Bob Hewitt   Brian Gottfried
  Raúl Ramírez
6–4, 3–6, 6–1
59. 1979 Johannesburg, South Africa Hard   Bob Hewitt   Mike Cahill
  Buster Mottram
1–6, 6–1, 6–4
60. 1980 Johannesburg, South Africa Hard   Bob Hewitt   Colin Dowdeswell
  Heinz Günthardt
6–4, 6–3
61. 1980 Stuttgart Outdoor, Germany Clay   Colin Dowdeswell   Chris Lewis
  John Yuill
6–3, 6–4
62. 1981 Brussels, Belgium Carpet   Sandy Mayer   Kevin Curren
  Steve Denton
4–6, 6–3, 6–3
63. 1982 Johannesburg, South Africa Hard   Brian Gottfried   Shlomo Glickstein
  Andrew Pattison
6–2, 6–2

Grand Slam doubles finals

Doubles (5 wins)

Result Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score
Win 1967 Wimbledon Grass   Bob Hewitt   Roy Emerson
  Ken Fletcher
6–2, 6–3, 6–4
Win 1972 French Open Clay   Bob Hewitt   Patricio Cornejo
  Jaime Fillol
6–3, 8–6, 3–6, 6–1
Win 1972 Wimbledon (2) Grass   Bob Hewitt   Stan Smith
  Erik van Dillen
6–2, 6–2, 9–7
Win 1977 US Open Hard   Bob Hewitt   Brian Gottfried
  Raúl Ramírez
6–4, 6–0
Win 1978 Wimbledon (3) Grass   Bob Hewitt   Peter Fleming
  John McEnroe
6–1, 6–4, 6–2

Mixed doubles (5 wins, 6 losses)

Result Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score
Win 1966 French Championships Clay   Annette Van Zyl   Ann Haydon Jones
  Clark Graebner
1–6, 6–3, 6–2
Loss 1970 US Open Grass   Judy Tegart Dalton   Margaret Court
  Marty Riessen
4–6, 4–6
Loss 1976 US Open (2) Grass   Betty Stöve   Billie Jean King
  Phil Dent
6–3, 2–6, 5–7
Loss 1977 Wimbledon Grass   Betty Stöve   Greer Stevens
  Bob Hewitt
6–3, 5–7, 4–6
Win 1977 US Open Grass   Betty Stöve   Billie Jean King
  Vitas Gerulaitis
6–2, 3–6, 6–3
Win 1978 Wimbledon Grass   Betty Stöve   Billie Jean King
  Ray Ruffels
6–2, 6–2
Win 1978 US Open (2) Hard   Betty Stöve   Billie Jean King
  Ray Ruffels
6–3, 7–6
Loss 1979 Wimbledon (2) Grass   Betty Stöve   Greer Stevens
  Bob Hewitt
5–7, 6–7(7–9)
Loss 1979 US Open (3) Hard   Betty Stöve   Greer Stevens
  Bob Hewitt
3–6, 5–7
Loss 1980 US Open (4) Hard   Betty Stöve   Wendy Turnbull
  Marty Riessen
5–7, 2–6
Win 1981 Wimbledon (2) Grass   Betty Stöve   Tracy Austin
  John Austin
4–6, 7–6(7–2), 6–3

References

  1. ^ "Players | ATP Tour | Tennis".
  2. ^ Player profile: Frew McMillan. itftennis.com.[bare URL]
  3. ^ "Laver Routs Foe, Wins Tennis Title". The Morning Record. 4 April 1970.
  4. ^ "Laver Captures So. Africa Title". The New York Times. 4 April 1970.