Hoad, Lewis Alan

▪ 1995

      ("LEW"), Australian tennis player (b. Nov. 23, 1934, Sydney, Australia—d. July 3, 1994, Fuengirola, Spain), with his frequent doubles partner and sometime rival Ken Rosewall, dominated amateur tennis in the mid-1950s. The "Sydney twins," as the two were labeled almost from the beginning, led Australia to the Davis Cup championship in 1953, 1955, and 1956. Hoad won 13 Grand Slam events: the Australian singles (1956) and men's doubles (1953, 1956, and 1957); the French singles (1956), doubles (1953), and mixed doubles (1954); the All-England (Wimbledon) singles (1956 and 1957) and doubles (1953, 1955, and 1956); and the U.S. doubles (1956). At his peak in 1956, he captured 15 singles and 17 doubles titles, and he just missed a Grand Slam sweep when he lost the French doubles (with Ashley Cooper) in the final and then lost the U.S. singles final to Rosewall. Hoad turned professional in 1957. He was known for the strength of his wrists and the power of his serve; however, recurring back problems ended his career and plagued his attempted comeback (1968-72). In 1968 Hoad and his wife opened a tennis camp in Spain. He was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1980. In January 1994 Hoad was diagnosed with a rare, virulent form of leukemia.

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