Dick Crealy

Dick Crealy
Full name Richard D. Crealy
Country (sports)  Australia
Residence Sydney, Australia
Born (1944-09-18) 18 September 1944
Sydney, Australia
Turned pro 1969 (amateur tour from 1963)
Retired 1981
Plays Right-handed (one-handed backhand)
Singles
Career record 274–277 (Open era)
Career titles 5
Highest ranking No. 21 (7 September 1970)
Grand Slam Singles results
Australian Open F (1970)
French Open 4R (1970)
Wimbledon 3R (1967, 1969, 1974)
US Open 2R (1969, 1973, 1978)
Doubles
Career record 262–240 (Open era)
Career titles 6
Grand Slam Doubles results
Australian Open W (1968)
French Open W (1974)
Grand Slam Mixed Doubles results
Australian Open W (1968)

Richard Crealy (born 18 September 1944) is an Australian former tennis player most notable for reaching the finals of the Australian Open in 1970, being a member of the 1970 Australian Davis Cup Team, and winning four Grand Slam titles in doubles.

Tennis career

Crealy was born in Sydney in 1944. In 1968 he achieved his first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open with his fellow countryman and teammate Allan Stone in doubles. He also won the mixed doubles with Billie Jean King.

There is some confusion over the 1969 US Open Championship title, which is held by Crealy and Allan Stone conjointly with Ken Rosewall and Fred Stolle. The era of Open Tennis commenced in 1968 and at that time, Boston was the home of the US National Doubles. However, the agents of some contract professionals demanded guaranteed prize money which could not be covered by the tournament. Accordingly, contract professionals boycotted the tournament, with many playing instead at Forest Hills which was won by Rosewall and Stolle. Crealy and Stone won the Doubles in Boston in 1969 as professionals, defeating Charlie Pasarell and Bill Bowrey. In 1971, the USTA and Association of Tennis Professionals decided to combine the winners of both tournaments to make the Grand Slam tournament. This was not an issue for the winners of 1968 as both tournaments were won by Smith and Lutz. Crealy and Stone were asked if they would agree to share the 1969 title with Rosewall and Stolle - they readily agreed, especially as the latter were two of the great Australian players and because "tennis was played with much goodwill in those days."

Crealy won the Men's Doubles at the 1974 French Open with Onny Parun over Stan Smith and Bob Lutz. In 1970, Crealy had his most successful season, reaching No. 5 on the Grand Prix rankings. In this year, he reached the singles finals at the Australian Open, where he lost to American player Arthur Ashe, as well as the quarter-finals of the French Open. He also won the Swedish Open in Båstad and represented Australia in the Davis Cup with a 4–2 singles record and 2–0 doubles record. In 1974, he won another Grand Slam Title in doubles, combining with New Zealander Onny Parun in the French Open.

Crealy retired from the ATP Tour in 1978, but continued having success for many years on the Veteran's Tour, playing in many of the "Legends" tournaments at the Australian Open. He also still plays Pro-Ams, often supporting The Starlight Foundation in their annual tournament in Sydney.

Dick Crealy is a Life Member of the Australian Davis Cup Foundation.

Grand Slam finals

Singles

Runners-up (1)

Outcome Year Championship Surface Opponent Score
Runner-up 1970 Australian Open Grass United States Arthur Ashe 4–6, 7–9, 2–6

Doubles

Titles (2)

Outcome Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score
Winner 1968 Australian Championships Grass Australia Allan Stone Australia Terry Addison
Australia Ray Keldie 		10–8, 6–4, 6–3
Winner 1974 French Open Grass New Zealand Onny Parun United States Robert Lutz
United States Stan Smith 		6–3, 6–2, 3–6, 5–7, 6–1

Mixed Doubles

Titles (1)

Outcome Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score
Winner 1968 Australian Championships Grass United States Billie Jean King Australia Margaret Court
Australia Allan Stone 		walkover

Open era titles (8)

Singles (2)

Grand Slam (0)
Tennis Masters Cup (0)
ATP Tour (2)
Outcome No. Date Tournament Surface Opponent Score
Winner 1. 11 July 1970 Båstad, Sweden Clay France Georges Goven 6–3, 6–1, 6–1
Winner 2. 28 March 1975 Nice, France Clay Colombia Iván Molina 7–6, 6–4, 6–3

Singles Finals (2)

References

    External links


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