Gordon Forbes
South African tennis player and author (1934–2020)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gordon Forbes (21 February 1934 – 9 December 2020) was a South African professional tennis player and author. Forbes won the singles title of the South African Championships in 1959 and 1961 and was runner-up in 1955, 1962, 1963 and 1964. He won the Tuscaloosa Grass Court Invitational in 1962, defeating Rod Laver in the final. During the 1950s and 1960s, he was the doubles partner of countryman Abe Segal. They were considered one of the best doubles teams in the world.[1]
South Africa| Country (sports) | South Africa |
|---|---|
| Born | 21 February 1934 Burgersdorp, Cape Province, South Africa |
| Died | 9 December 2020 (aged 86) Plettenberg Bay, Cape Province, South Africa |
| Plays | Right-handed |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 342-217 (72%) |
| Career titles | 16 |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| Australian Open | 1R (1971) |
| French Open | 3R (1955, 1956, 1957, 1959) |
| Wimbledon | 4R (1956) |
| US Open | QF (1962) |
| Doubles | |
| Grand Slam doubles results | |
| Australian Open | 2R (1962) |
| French Open | F (1963) |
| Wimbledon | SF (1963) |
| Grand Slam mixed doubles results | |
| French Open | W (1955) |
| Wimbledon | QF (1962) |
| Team competitions | |
| Davis Cup | SFEu (1962, 1963) |
Career
Forbes learnt to play tennis in his childhood on the family farm. At age 12, he played and won his first junior tournament in East London.[2]
Forbes won the singles title of the South African Championships in 1959 and 1961 and was runner-up in 1955, 1962, 1963 and 1964. He won the Tuscaloosa Grass Court Invitational in 1962, defeating reigning U.S. No. 1 Whitney Reed in a marathon semifinal, and World No. 1 Rod Laver in a close four set final. He played for the South African Davis Cup team in 14 ties in the period 1955 to 1963 and compiled a record of 20 wins and 11 losses.
Later life
Grand Slam finals
Doubles (1 runner-up)
| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 1963 | French Championships | Clay | Abe Segal |  Roy Emerson  Manuel Santana | 2–6, 4–6, 4–6 |
Mixed doubles (1 title)
| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 1955 | French Championships | Clay |  Darlene Hard | Jenny Staley  Luis Ayala | 5–7, 6–1, 6–2 |
Bibliography
- Forbes, Gordon (1979). A Handful of Summers. Mayflower Books. ISBN 978-0-8317-4362-8.
- Forbes, Gordon (1995). Too Soon To Panic. Viking. ISBN 978-0-670-86329-7.
- Forbes, Gordon (2017). I'll Take the Sunny Side: A Memoir. Bookstorm. ISBN 978-1928257448.
