Ashley Cooper

Ashley Cooper was an Australian tennis legend who achieved fame and success in the 1950s and early 1960s. He was one of the few players who have won all four Grand Slam singles titles in the same calendar year, a feat he accomplished in 1958. He was also a member of the Australian Davis Cup team that dominated the competition in that era. Cooper was born on 15 September 1936 in Melbourne, Victoria, as the youngest of three children. He grew up in a sporting family and learned to play tennis at a young age. He attended Melbourne High School and showed great talent and potential as a junior player. He won the Australian Open boys' singles title in 1954 and reached the final of the Wimbledon boys' singles in the same year. Cooper turned professional in 1954 and quickly rose to prominence in the international circuit. He won his first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in 1957, defeating compatriot Neale Fraser in the final. He also won the Wimbledon doubles title that year with Fraser, and helped Australia retain the Davis Cup against the United States. In 1958, Cooper achieved one of the greatest feats in tennis history by winning all four Grand Slam singles titles in one year. He defeated Malcolm Anderson at the Australian Open, Mervyn Rose at the French Open, Fraser again at Wimbledon, and Roy Emerson at the US Open. He also won three Grand Slam doubles titles that year with Fraser (Australian Open and Wimbledon) and Anderson (French Open). He was ranked world No. 1 by Lance Tingay at the end of the year. Cooper continued to dominate the men's game in 1959, winning his fourth Australian Open singles title and his second US Open singles title. He also won his third Wimbledon doubles title with Fraser, and led Australia to another Davis Cup victory over the United States. He was ranked world No. 1 again by Tingay. Cooper retired from professional tennis in 1959 at the age of 23, after marrying Helen Wood, a former Miss Australia. He moved to Brisbane, Queensland, where he ran a business and worked as an administrator and mentor in the sport. He was involved in moving the state's main tennis facility from Milton to Tennyson, where Pat Rafter Arena is now the venue for the annual Brisbane International. Cooper was honoured with many awards and recognitions for his achievements and contributions to tennis and society. He was appointed as an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2007 for his service to tennis as a player, administrator and mentor, as well as for his support of charitable organisations. He was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1987 and the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1991. Cooper died on 22 May 2020 at the age of 83 after a long illness. He was survived by his wife Helen, their five children and their grandchildren. He was widely regarded as one of the greatest tennis players of all time and one of the most iconic figures in Australian history and culture. He was admired for his skillful and aggressive style of play, his humble and friendly personality, and his courage and resilience in overcoming challenges and barriers.