Tony Roche

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**Tony Roche**

Country	Australia
Residence	-
Date of birth	May 17, 1945 (1945-05-17) (age 63)
Place of birth	Wagga Wagga, Australia
Height	5'10 (177 cm)
Weight	175 lbs (79 kg)
Turned pro	-
Plays	Left-handed
Career prize money	US$529,199
Singles
Career record:	235-114
Career titles:	7
Highest ranking:	8 (16-Nov-75)
Grand Slam results
Australian Open	QF (1964)
French Open	W (1966)
Wimbledon	F (1968)
US Open	F (1969, 1970)
Doubles
Career record:	208-94
Career titles:	18
Highest ranking:	748 (25-Jun-84)
Infobox last updated on: January 26, 2007.

Anthony "Tony" Dalton Roche (born May 17, 1945) is a former professional Australian tennis player, born in Tarcutta. He played junior tennis in the New South Wales regional city of Wagga Wagga.^[1] He is also very well known for coaching multi-grand slam winning World Number Ones Ivan Lendl, Patrick Rafter, Roger Federer and Lleyton Hewitt.

1 Playing career
2 Coaching career
3 Honours
4 Grand Slam singles finals
- 4.1 Wins (1)
- 4.2 Runner-ups (5)
5 Grand Slam men's doubles finals (14)
- 5.1 Wins (12)
- 5.2 Runner-ups (2)
6 Grand Slam mixed doubles finals (5)
- 6.1 Wins (2)
- 6.2 Runner-ups (3)
7 Grand Slam record
8 References
9 External links

[edit] Playing career

Roche grew up playing in Australia under the tutelage of Harry Hopman, who also coached other Australian greats such as Rod Laver and Ken Rosewall.

Roche had a successful singles and double career. He won a single singles Grand Slam - the 1966 French Open at Roland Garros. He was 5 times runner-up - at Roland Garros in 1965 and 1967, Wimbledon in 1968, and US Open in 1969 and 1970. With John Newcombe dominated the men's doubles Grand Slams with a total of 12 Grand Slam titles.

In 1968 Roche turned pro, signing with World Championship Tennis, joining other pros like Cliff Drysdale, Nikki Pilic, and Roger Taylor to form the "Handsome Eight."

Perhaps one of his greatest achievements came in 1977, being called up to play singles in the finals of the Davis Cup tournament versus Italy, nearly 10 years since he had last played for Australia. In the tie, Roche upset top Italian Adriano Panatta in straight sets 6–3,6–4,6–4 to lead Australia to a 3–1 victory, winning the Davis Cup. Shoulder and elbow injuries cut short his career after having finished in the top 10 for 6 straight years.

[edit] Coaching career

After completing his playing career Roche has developed a highly successful career as a tennis coach. Ivan Lendl hired Roche as a full-time coach for Roche's advice on volleying (Lendl dreamed of winning Wimbledon, and because Roche had been a fine grass court player, he sought his tutelage). Roche also coached former world No. 1 Patrick Rafter from 1997 to the end of his career in 2002. Roche coached current World No. 1 Roger Federer from 2005 to May 12, 2007. It is reputed this was on a "handshake agreement" with no contract - Roche is paid by the week. Federer hired Roche for the opposite reason that Lendl hired him: to work on his clay court game (as Roche had won the French Open). He is currently coaching two-time grand-slam winner Lleyton Hewitt, who is aiming to get his career back on track after a number of unsuccessful years on the tour.^[2]

[edit] Honours

Roche entered the Tennis Hall of Fame alongside doubles partner and close friend John Newcombe in 1986.

[edit] Grand Slam singles finals

[edit] Wins (1)

Year	Championship	Opponent in final	Score in final
1966	French Championships	Istvan Gulyas	6–1, 6–4, 7–5

[edit] Runner-ups (5)

Year	Championship	Opponent in final	Score in final
1965	French Championships	Fred Stolle	6–3, 0–6, 2–6, 3–6
1967	French Championships	Roy Emerson	1–6, 4–6, 6–2, 2–6
	↓ Open Era ↓
1968	Wimbledon	Rod Laver	3–6, 4–6, 2–6
1969	U.S. Open	Rod Laver	9–7, 1–6, 2–6, 2–6
1970	U.S. Open	Ken Rosewall	6–2, 4–6, 6–7, 3–6

[edit] Grand Slam men's doubles finals (14)

[edit] Wins (12)

Year	Championship	Partnering	Opponents in Final	Score in Final
1965	Australian Championships	John Newcombe	Roy Emerson Fred Stolle	3–6, 4–6, 13-11, 6–3, 6–4
1965	Wimbledon^[3]	John Newcombe	Ken Fletcher Bob Hewitt	7–5, 6–3, 6–4
1967	Australian Championships (2)	John Newcombe	Bill Bowrey Owen Davidson	3–6, 6–3, 7–5, 6–8, 8–6
1967	French Championships	John Newcombe	Roy Emerson Ken Fletcher	6–3, 9–7, 12-10
1967	U.S. Championships^[4]	John Newcombe	Bill Bowrey Owen Davidson	6–8, 9–7, 6–3, 6–3
1968	Wimbledon (2)	John Newcombe	Ken Fletcher Ken Rosewall	3–6, 8–6, 5–7, 14-12, 6–3
1969	French Open (2)	John Newcombe	Roy Emerson Rod Laver	4–6, 6–1, 3–6, 6–4, 6–4
1969	Wimbledon (3)	John Newcombe	Tom Okker Marty Riessen	7–5, 11-9, 6–3
1970	Wimbledon (4)	John Newcombe	Ken Rosewall Fred Stolle	10-8, 6–3, 6–1
1971	Australian Open (3)	John Newcombe	Tom Okker Marty Riessen	6–2, 7–6
1974	Wimbledon (5)	John Newcombe	Bob Lutz Stan Smith	8–6, 6–4, 6–4
1976	Australian Open (5)	John Newcombe	Ross Case Geoff Masters	7–6, 6–4

[edit] Runner-ups (2)

Year	Championship	Partnering	Opponents in Final	Score in Final
1964	French Championships	John Newcombe	Roy Emerson Ken Fletcher	7–5, 6–3, 3–6, 7–5
1966	Australian Championships (2)	John Newcombe	Roy Emerson Fred Stolle	7–9, 6–3, 6–8, 14-12, 12-10

[edit] Grand Slam mixed doubles finals (5)

[edit] Wins (2)

Year	Championship	Partnering	Opponents in Final	Score in Final
1966	Australian Championships	Judy Tegart Dalton	Bill Bowrey Robyn Ebbern	6–1, 6–3
1976	Wimbledon	Françoise Durr	Rosie Casals Bob Stockton	6–3, 2–6, 7–5

[edit] Runner-ups (3)

Year	Championship	Partnering	Opponents in Final	Score in Final
1965	Wimbledon	Judy Tegart Dalton	Ken Fletcher Margaret Court	12-10, 6–3
1967	Australian Championships	Judy Tegart Dalton	Owen Davidson Lesley Turner Bowrey	9–7, 6–4
1969	Wimbledon (2)	Judy Tegart Dalton	Ann Jones Fred Stolle	6–2, 6–3