Tributes stream as Australian tennis nice Owen Davidson dies, aged 79

Rod Laver and Billie Jean King have paid tribute to Australian tennis participant Owen Davidson, who has died aged 79.

Davidson — who gained 13 main doubles titles throughout his profession — died in Conroe, Texas on Friday (US time).

He claimed 11 main titles in blended doubles and two in males’s doubles. Davidson teamed with Billie Jean King to win eight of his main trophies in a profession that spanned from the early Sixties to the mid-Nineteen Seventies.

In 1967, Davidson grew to become solely the third participant in tennis historical past to earn all 4 main blended doubles titles in the identical yr, together with three with King.

Laver described his countryman Davidson as one of many biggest doubles gamers of his time.

“He was a fellow leftie, nice sporting champion, one of the best in doubles, and above all, a terrific mate,” Laver tweeted.

“Relaxation in peace Davo.”

King warmly remembered her former blended doubles accomplice.

“Our hearts are damaged, however we discover peace within the lifetime of great recollections we shared with our buddy Davo,” King mentioned in a tweet.

Identified for his robust left-arm serve, Davidson gained the 1972 Australian Open males’s doubles with Ken Rosewall and the 1973 US Open with John Newcombe.

In singles, he reached the 1966 semifinals of Wimbledon by upsetting two-time defending champion Roy Emerson.

Davidson additionally reached the quarterfinals in singles at seven different majors — 5 occasions on the Australian Championships and twice on the US Nationals, a precursor to the US Open.

He performed within the first match of the Open period, defeating John Clifton within the first spherical of the British Onerous Court docket Championships on April 22, 1968.

Davidson and King mixed to win 4 main titles at Wimbledon, three on the US Open and one on the French Open.

Within the 1971 Wimbledon closing, they outlasted Margaret Court docket and Marty Riessen 3-6, 6-2, 15-13. He was inducted into the Worldwide Tennis Corridor of Fame in 2010.

A yr later, Davidson was added to the Australian Tennis Corridor of Fame.

Melbourne-born Davidson was coached by compatriot and fellow Corridor of Famer Mervyn Rose, and labored with Davis Cup captain Harry Hopman as a member of the Australian Davis Cup staff.

He’s survived by his son Cameron and brother Trevor Davidson.

AP/ABC

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