Abe Segal facts for kids
| Full name | Alan Abraham Segal |
|---|---|
| Country (sports) |  South Africa |
| Born | 23 October 1930 Johannesburg, South Africa |
| Died | 4 April 2016 (aged 85) Cape Town, South Africa |
| Plays | Left-handed (one-handed backhand) |
| Singles | |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| Australian Open | 2R (1954) |
| French Open | 3R (1955, 1957, 1961, 1962) |
| Wimbledon | QF (1964) |
| US Open | 4R (1956) |
| Doubles | |
| Grand Slam doubles results | |
| Australian Open | QF (1954) |
| French Open | F (1958, 1963) |
| Wimbledon | SF (1963) |
| Mixed doubles | |
| Grand Slam mixed doubles results | |
| Australian Open | QF (1964) |
| Wimbledon | QF (1964) |
| Team competitions | |
| Davis Cup | FEu (1965) |
Alan Abraham Segal (born October 23, 1930 – died April 4, 2016), known as Abe Segal, was a talented tennis player from South Africa. He was known for his strong doubles play and his stand against unfair rules in sports.
Contents
Abe Segal's Early Life and Tennis Career
Abe Segal was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. He was a Jewish athlete.
During the 1950s and 1960s, Abe Segal became a well-known doubles player. He often teamed up with Gordon Forbes. They were considered one of the best doubles teams in the world.
In 1951, Abe Segal won the singles title at the Irish Open. He beat Guy Jackson in the final match.
He also played for the South African Davis Cup team many times. From 1955 to 1965, he played in 19 Davis Cup matches. He won 24 games and lost 14.
Standing Up for Fairness in Sports
Abe Segal did not agree with apartheid, which was a system of racial separation in South Africa. Because of this system, some tennis players refused to play against white South Africans.
In 1964, two players, Alex Metreveli and István Gulyás, would not play against Segal at Wimbledon. They did this because of South Africa's apartheid policy.
However, another famous tennis player, Arthur Ashe, had a different view. He said he would play Segal anytime. Ashe believed that politics should not stop athletes from competing.
Weeks later, Segal and Ashe played a match in Illinois, and Segal won. This event led the International Tennis Federation to make an important rule. The rule said that players could not refuse to compete because of racial discrimination. They could only withdraw for health or family reasons.
Grand Slam Achievements
Abe Segal reached the finals of two major tennis tournaments, known as Grand Slams, in doubles.
- In 1958, he was a runner-up in the doubles final at the French Open. He played with his partner, Robert Howe.
- In 1963, he reached the doubles final of the French Open again. His partner was Gordon Forbes.
He also had good results in singles at Grand Slams:
- He reached the quarterfinals at Wimbledon in 1964.
- He made it to the fourth round at the US Open in 1956.
Life After Tennis
After he stopped playing tennis professionally, Abe Segal found a new passion. He became a painter. In 2008, he wrote a book about his life called Hey Big Boy!.
Abe Segal passed away on April 4, 2016, at the age of 85. He died from cancer.
See also
- List of select Jewish tennis players
