Photo credit: International Tennis Hall of Fame
Legendary Australian player, coach, and commentator Fred “Fiery” Stolle, winner of 19 major titles and a 1985 International Tennis Hall of Fame inductee, died on March 5th at the age of 86.
One of the remarkable cadre of Australians who dominated tennis from 1950-75, Stolle was renowned for his bullet serves, crisp volleys, sharp service returns and superb court sense. Like all of his compatriots, Stolle had a nickname – “Fiery,” an ode to everything from his competitive tenacity to penchant for candor.
But while such Australian greats as Ken Rosewall and Lew Hoad were precocious, touted prodigies, Stolle’s career arc was just the opposite – a late-bloomer who often thrived on being underestimated.
One signature moment came in the 1964 Davis Cup Challenge Round. A year earlier, despite clearly being Australia’s second-best player, Stolle had been left off the team – and Australia had been beaten that year by the United States. But in ’64, he was a mainstay of the team all year long. In the Challenge Round versus the U.S., Australia went behind 2-1, one defeat away from losing the Cup for the second year in a row.
Stolle took on Dennis Ralston and won the first two sets. Ralston rallied to even the match and then broke Stolle at 1-1 in the fifth. On the changeover, Stolle told Aussie captain Harry Hopman, “I’m going to break right back and even up the match, and then I’m going to win it.” That he did – 7-5, 6-3, 3-6, 9-11, 6-4. With the tie now levelled, Stolle’s doubles partner, Roy Emerson, went on to take the decider. Once again, the Davis Cup made its way Down Under. Stolle also starred on Australia’s winning teams in ’65 and ’66.
Months after that big Davis Cup victory, Stolle won his first major singles title. Remarkably, it came not on the grass where he was so comfortable, but on the clay at Roland-Garros. By early 1965, Stolle had lost five major singles finals, but that year in Paris he earned a long-due breakthrough victory, beating fellow Australian Tony Roche in a four-set final.
Even still, a year later, despite having finished ‘65 ranked No. 3 in the world, Stolle was unseeded at the U.S. Nationals (what’s now the US Open).
“I did not appreciate the snub and took the whole matter rather personally,” Stolle wrote in his 1985 memoir, Tennis Down Under. “By the time we reached New York, my dander was up and I went into the tournament very motivated to make a good showing and prove a point.”
Having made his way to the semis without the loss of a set, Stolle then played one of the best matches of his career to beat Emerson in straight sets. In the finals, Stolle won a tight four-setter over his compatriot, John Newcombe.
“Well, I guess the Old Hacker can still play a bit,” said Stolle following the most satisfying of his 33 singles title runs.
In addition to singles triumphs at Roland-Garros and the U.S. Nationals, Stolle won 10 men’s doubles majors (three Australian, two at Roland-Garros, two Wimbledon and three U.S.) and seven mixed (two Australian, three Wimbledon, two U.S.).
Though his best singles days were over by the early ‘70s, Stolle remained a force in doubles for many more years. Twice in his 40s, Stolle reached the semis at the US Open, including a run in 1981 with Newcombe that thrilled fans with its mix of friendly humor and lively net play.
Fred Stolle was born on October 8, 1938 in Sydney. His father, Bill, worked for the railroad, and was a fine tennis player. Inspired by Bill, Fred took to the game, learning to play on a makeshift asphalt court. Tennis in the ‘40s in Australia was largely a middle-class sport, highly accessible to boys and girls of all ages. But while many promising Australian juniors were given jobs by sporting goods companies that allowed them ample time for tennis, Stolle never received such an offer. Instead, at 14, he went to work as a bank teller.
Not until Stolle turned 21 did he have the chance to travel overseas and compete. Stolle’s skill was apparent rapidly, particularly on his second trip to Wimbledon, where, in 1961, Stolle won the mixed doubles title and reached the men’s doubles final.
Making a seamless transition into a career as a coach, Stolle held jobs in Tucson and the Miami area. His most notable charge was Vitas Gerulaitis, the two working together from 1977-83. Like Stolle, Gerulaitis was a Hopman-trained net-rusher. Alongside Stolle, Gerulaitis enjoyed his best years, in 1978 reaching a career-high ranking of No. 3 in the world. Stolle often referred to Gerulaitis as his second son.
Quite remarkably, Stolle’s first son, Sandon, won 22 ATP doubles titles, including the 1998 US Open. That achievement made the Stolles the only father and son duo to have each earned Grand Slam championships.
In addition to his work as teacher and coach, for more than 40 years, Stolle was one of the sport’s premier broadcasters, working for such outlets as America’s ESPN and Australia’s Channel Nine. In the United States, his partnership with Cliff Drysdale became an iconic, must-listen commentary for tennis aficionados.
One of the highest forms of praise one tennis player can give to another is to say, “He lived his life in the game.” You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who personified this premise more than Fred Stolle.
He is survived by his wife, Pat; children, Sandon, Monique, and Nadine.