William Bowrey
Encyclopedia
William "Bill" Bowrey is a former Australia
n male tennis
player.
Bowrey was born in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
and is best remembered as the last amateur to win the Australian Championships
in 1968 before the tournament opened itself for professional tennis players in 1969.
), 1966 (losing to Roy Emerson
) and 1967 (losing to Emerson) and the US Open quarters in 1966 (losing to Manuel Santana
). At the 1967 US Open - Doubles Bowrey and partner Owen Davidson
lost the final to Newcombe and Roche 6-8 9-7 6-3 6-3. At the end of 1967, John Newcombe, Roy Emerson and Tony Roche
had all signed professional contracts, which left the amateur game devoid of talent. A poor quality field lined up for the 1968 Australian championships, which were held at Melbourne's historic Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club
. Bowrey was the top seed. In the final Bowrey met the Spaniard Juan Gisbert, which he won in four sets: 7–5, 2–6, 9–7, 6–4. A month after his Australian triumph Bowrey married the women’s player Lesley Turner
. The game went open in April that year and at the first Open Wimbledon Bowrey lost in the second round to Andres Gimeno
. Defending his Australian title the following year Bowrey blew a two sets to love lead in the quarters against Ray Ruffels
. Bowrey represented Australia in two Davis Cup
rounds, the first against the U.S in the World Group Final in December 1968
, where he lost to Clark Graebner
in five sets and beat Arthur Ashe
in four sets. The second in the North & Central America draw in May 1969
versus Mexico, where he won against Joaquin Loyo-Mayo
and lost to Rafael Osuna
.
Bowrey was also involved in one of the longest matches in tennis history at Wimbeldon in 1970
against Patricio Cornejo
that consumed nearly four hours and took 84 games. In 1970 Bowrey with partner Marty Riessen
won the Rogers Cup (formerly Canadian Open) in two sets against Fred Stolle
and Cliff Drysdale
6–3, 6-2. He also won the Rome ATP World Tour Masters - Doubles that year with Owen Davidson
.
Bowrey married fellow tennis professional Lesley Turner in 1968 and went into semi-retirement in 1972 at the age of just 28 and became a coach.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n male tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
player.
Bowrey was born in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and is best remembered as the last amateur to win the Australian Championships
Australian Open
The Australian Open is the only Grand Slam tennis tournament held in the southern hemisphere. The tournament was held for the first time in 1905 and was last contested on grass in 1987. Since 1972 the Australian Open has been held in Melbourne, Victoria. In 1988, the tournament became a hard court...
in 1968 before the tournament opened itself for professional tennis players in 1969.
Biography
Bowrey reached the quarters of the Australian (international amateur) Championships in 1965 (losing to John NewcombeJohn Newcombe
John David Newcombe, AO, OBE is a former World No. 1 tennis player.-Biography:He won seven Grand Slam singles titles, A natural athlete, Newcombe played several sports as a boy until devoting himself to tennis. He was the Australian junior champion in 1961, 1962, and 1963 and was a member of...
), 1966 (losing to Roy Emerson
Roy Emerson
Roy Stanley Emerson is an Australian former tennis player who won 12 Grand Slam singles titles and 16 Grand Slam men's doubles titles. He is the only male player to have won singles and doubles titles at all four Grand Slam tournaments. His 28 Grand Slam titles are an all-time record for a male...
) and 1967 (losing to Emerson) and the US Open quarters in 1966 (losing to Manuel Santana
Manuel Santana
Manuel Martínez Santana, best known as Manolo Santana, is a former tennis champion from Spain. He was born in Madrid....
). At the 1967 US Open - Doubles Bowrey and partner Owen Davidson
Owen Davidson
' was a professional tennis player of the 1960s and 1970s.Partnering Billie Jean King, Davidson managed to win eight grand slam mixed doubles titles. Davidson was one of very few to win a calendar year slam for mixed doubles, when he won the Australian Championships, French Championships,...
lost the final to Newcombe and Roche 6-8 9-7 6-3 6-3. At the end of 1967, John Newcombe, Roy Emerson and Tony Roche
Tony Roche
Anthony "Tony" Dalton Roche is a former professional Australian tennis player, native of Tarcutta. He played junior tennis in the New South Wales regional city of Wagga Wagga. He won one Grand Slam singles title and twelve Grand Slam doubles titles. He is also very well known for coaching...
had all signed professional contracts, which left the amateur game devoid of talent. A poor quality field lined up for the 1968 Australian championships, which were held at Melbourne's historic Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club
Kooyong Stadium
Kooyong Stadium, at the Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club, is a tennis venue, located in Melbourne, Australia. The stadium was built in 1927 and has a capacity of 8,500....
. Bowrey was the top seed. In the final Bowrey met the Spaniard Juan Gisbert, which he won in four sets: 7–5, 2–6, 9–7, 6–4. A month after his Australian triumph Bowrey married the women’s player Lesley Turner
Lesley Turner Bowrey
Lesley Rosemary Turner Bowrey AM is an Australian female tennis player.Bowrey won 13 Grand Slam titles during her career: two in singles, seven in women's doubles, and four in mixed doubles. She lost in the final of 14 other Grand Slam events.Bowrey twice won the singles title at the French...
. The game went open in April that year and at the first Open Wimbledon Bowrey lost in the second round to Andres Gimeno
Andrés Gimeno
Andrés Gimeno Tolaguera is a retired Spanish tennis player. He major achievement came in 1972, when he won the French Open....
. Defending his Australian title the following year Bowrey blew a two sets to love lead in the quarters against Ray Ruffels
Ray Ruffels
Ray Ruffels is a former professional tennis player.Ruffels was an Australian Open semi-finalist in 1969 and 1975, and a quarter-finalist in 1968, 1970 and 1977....
. Bowrey represented Australia in two Davis Cup
Davis Cup
The Davis Cup is the premier international team event in men's tennis. It is run by the International Tennis Federation and is contested between teams of players from competing countries in a knock-out format. The competition began in 1900 as a challenge between Britain and the United States. By...
rounds, the first against the U.S in the World Group Final in December 1968
1968 Davis Cup
The 1968 Davis Cup was the 57th edition of the most important tournament between national teams in men's tennis. 49 teams would enter the competition, 32 in the Europe Zone, 9 in the Americas Zone, and 8 in the Eastern Zone....
, where he lost to Clark Graebner
Clark Graebner
Clark Graebner , is a retired American professional tennis player, originally from Cleveland, Ohio, who won a number of championships. He graduated from Northwestern University, where he joined the Delta Upsilon fraternity. Graebner's deceased wife, Carole, was also a successful touring tennis...
in five sets and beat Arthur Ashe
Arthur Ashe
Arthur Robert Ashe, Jr. was a professional tennis player, born and raised in Richmond, Virginia. During his career, he won three Grand Slam titles, putting him among the best ever from the United States...
in four sets. The second in the North & Central America draw in May 1969
1969 Davis Cup
The 1969 Davis Cup was the 58th edition of the most important tournament between national teams in men's tennis. 51 teams would enter the competition, 34 in the Europe Zone, 9 in the Americas Zone, and 8 in the Eastern Zone....
versus Mexico, where he won against Joaquin Loyo-Mayo
Joaquin Loyo-Mayo
Joaquin Loyo-Mayo played amateur and professional tennis in the 1960s and 1970s.Born in Veracruz, Mexico, Loyo-Mayo's playing career was coming to an end as the ATP Rankings were coming into being. He achieved a World No...
and lost to Rafael Osuna
Rafael Osuna
Rafael Osuna Herrera is the most successful tennis player in the history of Mexico. He was born in Mexico City, Mexico, and is best remembered for his singles victory at the U.S. Open Championships in 1963, winning Wimbledon Doubles championships twice, the U.S...
.
Bowrey was also involved in one of the longest matches in tennis history at Wimbeldon in 1970
1970 Wimbledon Championships - Men's Singles
John Newcombe defeated Ken Rosewall 5-7 6-3 6-3 3-6 6-1 in the final to win the Gentlemen's Singles title at the 1970 Wimbledon Championships.-Seeds:...
against Patricio Cornejo
Patricio Cornejo
Patricio Cornejo is a retired Chilean professional tennis player of the 1970s. He competed at the 1975 Davis Cup with Jaime Fillol and played the longest Davis Cup rubber in terms of games, eventually losing to Stan Smith/Erik Van Dillen of the 9–7, 39–37, 6–8, 1–6, 3–6 in the 1973 American Zone...
that consumed nearly four hours and took 84 games. In 1970 Bowrey with partner Marty Riessen
Marty Riessen
Marty Riessen played amateur and professional tennis in the 1960s and 1970s. He was ranked as high as No. 11 in the world in singles on the ATP Rankings...
won the Rogers Cup (formerly Canadian Open) in two sets against Fred Stolle
Fred Stolle
Frederick "Fred" Sydney Stolle is an Australian tennis player. He was born in Hornsby, New South Wales, Australia. He is the father of former Australian Davis Cup player Sandon Stolle....
and Cliff Drysdale
Cliff Drysdale
Cliff Drysdale is a former top-ranked professional tennis player of the 1960s and early 1970s who became a well-known tennis announcer. He was one of the Handsome Eight, signed by Lamar Hunt in 1968 for the newly formed World Championship Tennis group...
6–3, 6-2. He also won the Rome ATP World Tour Masters - Doubles that year with Owen Davidson
Owen Davidson
' was a professional tennis player of the 1960s and 1970s.Partnering Billie Jean King, Davidson managed to win eight grand slam mixed doubles titles. Davidson was one of very few to win a calendar year slam for mixed doubles, when he won the Australian Championships, French Championships,...
.
Bowrey married fellow tennis professional Lesley Turner in 1968 and went into semi-retirement in 1972 at the age of just 28 and became a coach.
Singles: 1 (1-0)
| Outcome | Year | Championship | Surface | Opponent in the final | Score in the final |
| Winner | 1968 1968 Australian Championships - Men's Singles Roy Emerson was the defending champion but did not compete that year.William Bowrey won in the final 7–5, 2–6, 9–7, 6–4 against Juan Gisbert, Sr..-Seeds:... |
Australian Championships Australian Open The Australian Open is the only Grand Slam tennis tournament held in the southern hemisphere. The tournament was held for the first time in 1905 and was last contested on grass in 1987. Since 1972 the Australian Open has been held in Melbourne, Victoria. In 1988, the tournament became a hard court... |
Grass |  Juan Gisbert, Sr. |
7–5, 2–6, 9–7, 6–4 |