As a junior at the Sydney Tennis Club (1934)
HOF

John Bromwich

John Edward Bromwich

AUS AUS Born: Nov 14, 1918, Kogarah, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Died: Oct 21, 1999 (aged 80) Plays: Both-handed Turned Pro: 1935

Grand Slam Singles

2 Titles
AO 2
112
Matches
90
Wins
80.4%
Win Rate

ATP Ranking

-
Peak
-
Current
0
Weeks #1

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Biography

Australian tennis player who was natural left-hander but he served with a his right hand, hit a two-handed stroke (along with his countryman Vivian McGrath, was one of the first players!!) from his right side, and used only his left hand from that side of his body.
Despite his idiosyncrasies, Bromwich fit right into the tradition of Australian tennis, comporting himself honorably on the international circuit

Bromwich twice won the Australian Championships singles title, in 1939 (over Adrian Quist in a straight sets final) and in 1946 (a thrilling 5-set final victory over Dinny Pails). He was ranked World No. 3 by A. Wallis Myers in 1938 and again by Harry Hopman in 1947.

Although a fine singles player, Bromwich was primarily known as being a brilliant doubles player, winning 13 men's doubles titles and 4 mixed doubles titles in the majors.
Tennis great (and near contemporary) Jack Kramer writes in his 1979 autobiography that if "Earth were playing in the all-time Universe Davis Cup, I'd play Budge and Vines in my singles, and Budge and Bromwich in the doubles. That's what I think of Johnny as a doubles player."

In the 1939 Davis Cup final, just as World War II was starting, Bromwich played arguably the match of his life in beating the American, Frank Parker, in straight sets, to clinch the Cup for Australia. Australia had trailed 0–2 after the first day, and came back to win the tie, 3–2. This remains the only time in Davis Cup history where the winning team has won a Davis Cup final after trailing 0–2.

In 1948, Bromwich played the American Bob Falkenburg in the Wimbledon final, and had a championship point at 5–3 in the fifth set. He came to the net for a volley but decided that Falkenburg's ball would go long and let it go by. It landed on the baseline and Falkenburg fought his way back into the match. Bromwich later had another two championship points, but was unable to take those either, and Falkenburg came back to win the championship, taking the last four games to win the fifth set, 7–5.
Kramer later wrote that "...it never seemed to me that he was the same player after that. He doubted himself. He was a precision player to start with – he used a terribly light racket weighing less than twelve ounces, and it was strung loosely. He could put a ball on a dime, and I suppose after he misjudged that one shot, the most important in his life, he never possessed the confidence he needed." Also worth noting is that Bromwich also missed a championship point in losing the 1947 Australian Championships final to Dinny Pails.

Bromwich gained some revenge against Falkenburg in the 1949 Wimbledon quarter finals, coming back from two sets down to win in five sets. Bromwich then lost to Jaroslav Drobný in the semi finals.

Bromwich was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1984.

Grand Slam Tracker

AO RG W US Total
Career
Age at 1st GS PRO
Age at Last GS PRO
Appearances 13 2 5 5 25
Match Stats
Matches 59 5 24 24 112
As Seeded PRO
Highest Seed PRO
Win/Loss 48-11 4-1 19-5 19-5 90-22
Sets Played 188 15 81 75 359
Results
Finals 7 - 1 - 8
Titles 2 - - - 2
Runner-Up 5 - 1 - 6
Advanced
Tiebreaks PRO
Super TB PRO
Retirements PRO
Walkovers PRO
Opponents PRO
Countries PRO
Wins over #1 Seed PRO
vs L/R Hand PRO
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