Alex Olmedo facts for kids
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Alex Olmedo in Noordwijk (the Netherlands), 1964
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| Full name | Alejandro Olmedo Rodríguez |
|---|---|
| Country (sports) |  Peru United States |
| Born | March 24, 1936 Arequipa, Peru |
| Died | December 9, 2020 (aged 84) Los Angeles, California, US |
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) |
| Turned pro | 1960 |
| Retired | 1977 |
| Plays | Right-handed (one-handed backhand) |
| Int. Tennis HoF | 1987 (member page) |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 477–420 (53.1%) |
| Career titles | 21 |
| Highest ranking | No. 2 (1959, Lance Tingay) |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| Australian Open | W (1959) |
| French Open | 1R (1969, 1972) |
| Wimbledon | W (1959) |
| US Open | F (1959) |
| Professional majors | |
| US Pro | W (1960) |
| Wembley Pro | SF (1960, 1963) |
| French Pro | QF (1962, 1964) |
| Doubles | |
| Grand Slam doubles results | |
| US Open | W (1958) |
| Mixed doubles | |
| Grand Slam mixed doubles results | |
| US Open | F (1958) |
| Team competitions | |
| Davis Cup | W (1958) |
Alejandro "Alex" Olmedo Rodríguez (born March 24, 1936 – died December 9, 2020) was a famous tennis player. He was born in Peru but later became a citizen of the United States.
Alex Olmedo was a top amateur player in 1959, ranking as high as No. 2 in the world. He won two major tennis tournaments, called Grand Slams, in 1959: the Australian Championships and Wimbledon. He also won the U.S. Pro Championships in 1960. In 1987, he was honored by being added to the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
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Alex Olmedo's Early Life and College Tennis
Alex Olmedo was born and grew up in Arequipa, Peru. He later moved to Southern California in the United States. There, he was helped by Perry T. Jones, who was a big leader in Southern California tennis.
Alex played college tennis for the University of Southern California (USC). He was very successful there. He won the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Singles and Doubles Championships in both 1956 and 1958. He also earned a business degree from USC.
Playing for the United States
In 1958, Alex Olmedo was chosen to play for the United States in the Davis Cup. This is a major international team tennis competition. Even though he was not yet a U.S. citizen, he was allowed to play because he had lived in the U.S. for several years. Also, his home country, Peru, did not have a Davis Cup team at that time.
Alex played a key role in helping the U.S. team win the Davis Cup in 1958. He won all three of the matches needed for the U.S. to win the Cup: two singles matches and one doubles match. His teammates were Ham Richardson and Barry MacKay. Later in his life, Alex Olmedo did become a U.S. citizen.
Grand Slam Wins and Professional Career
Alex Olmedo had a fantastic year in 1959. He won the singles titles at the Australian Championships and Wimbledon. At Wimbledon, he beat the famous player Rod Laver in a quick match.
Later in 1959, he reached the final of the U.S. Championships. However, he lost to Neale Fraser, who he had beaten earlier that year in Australia.
In 1960, Alex Olmedo decided to become a professional tennis player. That same year, he won the U.S. Pro title. He beat Tony Trabert in the final match.
Life After Professional Tennis
After his playing career, Alex Olmedo spent more than 40 years teaching tennis. He taught at the famous the Beverly Hills Hotel in California. Some of his students were well-known actors like Katharine Hepburn and Robert Duvall.
Alex Olmedo passed away on December 9, 2020, at the age of 84. He died from cancer in Los Angeles. He had a son, Alejandro Jr., and two daughters, Amy and Angela, along with four grandchildren.
Grand Slam Finals
Singles (2 titles, 1 runner-up)
| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | 1959 | Australian Championships | Grass |  Neale Fraser |
6–1, 6–2, 3–6, 6–3 |
| Winner | 1959 | Wimbledon | Grass | Rod Laver |
6–4, 6–3, 6–4 |
| Loss | 1959 | U.S. Championships | Grass | Neale Fraser |
3–6, 7–5, 2–6, 4–6 |
Doubles (1 title, 1 runner-up)
| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 1958 | U.S. Championships | Grass |  Ham Richardson |
Sam Giammalva Barry MacKay |
3–6, 6–3, 6–4, 6–4 |
| Loss | 1959 | U.S. Championships | Grass | Butch Buchholz |
Roy Emerson Neale Fraser |
6–3, 3–6, 7–5, 4–6, 5–7 |
Mixed doubles (1 runner-up)
| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 1958 | U.S. Championships | Grass |  Maria Bueno |
Neale Fraser Margaret Osborne duPont |
3–6, 6–3, 7–9 |
See Also
In Spanish: Alex Olmedo para niños
