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John Newcombe

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John Newcombe is a famous tennis player from Australia. He was once the number one player in the world. He reached this top rank in both singles and doubles.

He won 26 major titles throughout his career. This includes seven singles titles and 17 doubles titles. He also won two mixed doubles titles. His skill helped him win five Davis Cup titles for Australia. These titles are very important in the world of tennis.

Newcombe had a very specific way to play the game. He used a powerful serve and volley style. This means he hit a strong serve and moved toward the net. He often hit an ace on his second serve. An ace is a serve that the other player cannot touch.

This attacking style was the backbone of his game. He could play on different surfaces too. He won many matches on grass courts. He also won the German Open and Italian Open on clay courts.

His journey in tennis began when he was a young boy. He played many sports before choosing tennis. He was the Australian junior champion from 1961 to 1963. In 1960, he played in the Australian Championships at age 15. He was one of the youngest players ever to enter. By 1964, he was already on a Davis Cup winning team. In 1967, he was the top ranked amateur in the world.

In 1968, Newcombe joined a professional group called the WCT. He was one of the original "Handsome Eight" players. He earned $135,000 every year with this contract. This was more than the best paid baseball player earned that year. He won many big matches against famous players. He beat players like Björn Borg and Jimmy Connors. In 1973, he won the US Open by hitting 15 aces.

He also won his first Australian Open singles title in 1973.

Newcombe left a huge mark on the history of tennis. He and Tony Roche won 12 Grand Slam doubles titles together. This was a record that lasted until 2013. He served as the Australian Davis Cup captain from 1995 to 2000. His team won the cup in 1999 by beating France. Many experts call him one of the greatest players ever. He is in the Sport Australia Hall of Fame. He is also in the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

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