Ken McGregor facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Ken McGregor

McGregor in 1950
Full name	Kenneth Bruce McGregor
Country (sports)	Australia
Born	(1929-06-02)2 June 1929 Adelaide, Australia
Died	1 December 2007(2007-12-01) (aged 78) Adelaide, Australia
Turned pro	1952 (amateur tour from 1948)
Retired	1957
Plays	Right-handed (one-handed backhand)
Int. Tennis HoF	1999 (member page)
Singles
Career record	152-62
Career titles	10
Highest ranking	No. 3 (1952, Lance Tingay)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open	W (1952)
French Open	SF (1951, 1952)
Wimbledon	F (1951)
US Open	4R (1951)
Doubles
Highest ranking	No. 1 (1951)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open	W (1951, 1952)
French Open	W (1951, 1952)
Wimbledon	W (1951, 1952)
US Open	W (1951)
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
US Open	W (1950)
Team competitions
Davis Cup	W (1950, 1951, 1952)

Kenneth Bruce McGregor (born June 2, 1929 – died December 1, 2007) was an Australian tennis star. He came from Adelaide and became famous in the 1950s. Ken won the Men's Singles title at the Australian Championships in 1952.

He was also a fantastic doubles player. With his partner, Frank Sedgman, they formed one of the best men's doubles teams ever. They even won the doubles Grand Slam in 1951. This means they won all four major tennis tournaments in one year! Ken was also part of three Australian teams that won the Davis Cup from 1950 to 1952. In 1953, he became a professional player. He was ranked as high as the World No. 3 tennis player in 1952.

Ken McGregor's Tennis Career

Ken McGregor and Frank Sedgman were an amazing doubles team. In 1951 and 1952, they won seven Grand Slam doubles titles in a row. No other team has done this since!

Singles Successes

Ken was also a very good singles player. In 1950, he reached the final of the Australian Championships. He beat a top player, Jaroslav Drobný, but then lost to his doubles partner, Frank Sedgman. The next year, in 1951, Ken reached the Australian Championships final again. He lost that match to Dick Savitt. Savitt also beat him in the final at Wimbledon.

But Ken didn't give up! He won the 1952 Australian Championships. He beat both Dick Savitt and Frank Sedgman to win the title. That same year, he also won the Belgian Championships and the Eastern Grass Court Championships.

Turning Professional

In early 1953, Ken McGregor and Frank Sedgman decided to become professional tennis players. They signed a contract to join Jack Kramer's professional tour. This meant they could no longer play in the amateur Grand Slam tournaments or the Davis Cup.

After turning pro, Ken played matches against other professional players. He played against Pancho Segura and Pancho Gonzales.

What Made Ken Great

Ken McGregor was a fantastic all-around athlete. He was good at cricket, Australian rules football, and tennis. He even played lacrosse! He was tall, at 6 feet 2 inches (188 cm), which helped him have a very powerful serve. He was also great at hitting the ball overhead.

Another famous tennis player, Ellsworth Vines, said that Ken was very fast and could jump high. He said Ken was hard to beat when he got to the net because he could reach so far. Jack Kramer, who brought Ken into professional tennis, said Ken was a very nice person. After retiring from tennis at age 25, Ken went back to playing Australian rules football. He played five seasons for the West Adelaide Football Club.

Awards and Recognition

Ken McGregor received many honors for his tennis career.

• In 1999, he was added to the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island.
• In 2000, he was also inducted into the Australian Tennis Hall of Fame.
• The Ken McGregor Foundation was created to help new tennis players in South Australia.

Grand Slam Finals

Ken McGregor played in many Grand Slam finals. These are the biggest tournaments in tennis.

Singles (1 Title, 3 Runner-up Finishes)

Result	Year	Championship	Surface	Opponent	Score
Loss	1950	Australian Championships	Grass	Frank Sedgman	3–6, 4–6, 6–4, 1–6
Loss	1951	Australian Championships	Grass	Dick Savitt	3–6, 6–2, 3–6, 1–6
Loss	1951	Wimbledon Championships	Gras	Dick Savitt	4–6, 4–6, 4–6
Win	1952	Australian Championships	Grass	Frank Sedgman	7–5, 12–10, 2–6, 6–2

Doubles (7 Titles, 1 Runner-up Finish)

Result	Year	Championship	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Win	1951	Australian Championships	Grass	Frank Sedgman	John Bromwich Adrian Quist	11–9, 2–6, 6–3, 4–6, 6–3
Win	1951	French Championships	Clay	Frank Sedgman	Gardnar Mulloy Dick Savitt	6–2, 2–6, 9–7, 7–5
Win	1951	Wimbledon	Grass	Frank Sedgman	Jaroslav Drobný Eric Sturgess	3–6, 6–2, 6–3, 3–6, 6–3
Win	1951	U.S. Championships	Grass	Frank Sedgman	Don Candy Mervyn Rose	10–8, 6–4, 4–6, 7–5
Win	1952	Australian Championships	Grass	Frank Sedgman	Don Candy Mervyn Rose	6–4, 7–5, 6–3
Win	1952	French Championships	Clay	Frank Sedgman	Gardnar Mulloy Dick Savitt	6–3, 6–4, 6–4
Win	1952	Wimbledon	Grass	Frank Sedgman	Vic Seixas Eric Sturgess	6–3, 7–5, 6–4
Loss	1952	U.S. Championships	Grass	Frank Sedgman	Mervyn Rose Vic Seixas	6–3, 8–10, 8–10, 8–6, 6–8

Mixed Doubles (1 Title)

Result	Year	Championship	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Win	1950	U.S. Championships	Grass	Margaret Osborne duPont	Doris Hart Frank Sedgman	6–4, 3–6, 6–3

Grand Slam Tournament History

This table shows how Ken McGregor performed in singles at the major Grand Slam tournaments each year.

Singles Performance

Ken McGregor's Life

Ken McGregor hitting a smash in the early 1950's.

Ken McGregor's parents were Bruce and Winnifred McGregor. His father, Bruce, was also a famous sportsman. He won awards in Australian rules football in 1926 and 1927. Bruce was a captain-coach for the West Adelaide Football Club and a coach for the Glenelg Football Club. Ken had one sister named Betty.

In 1953, Ken married Winifred Caro. Ken had some heart problems later in life. He was diagnosed with stomach cancer and passed away on December 1, 2007. He was 78 years old. Ken was survived by his wife, his two children, and five grandchildren.

See also

In Spanish: Ken McGregor para niños