- Published:
- Wednesday 11 December 2024
A State Funeral Service to honour the life of tennis great Neale Fraser AO MBE will be held at 10.30am on Wednesday, 18 December at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Melbourne.
Neale Fraser was one of Australia’s tennis greats, winning 19 grand slams and leading Australia to four Davis Cup titles over his 24-year captaincy.
Learning to play tennis at 11 years old on the clay courts next door to his childhood home, Fraser went on to win his first tournament at just 12 years old before becoming an Australian National Junior Champion at 17.
During his acclaimed career, he won 19 titles in singles, doubles and mixed doubles across Australian, French, Wimbledon and US championships between 1956 and 1962, and is the most recent man in history to have completed the triple crown, which he achieved in 1959 and 1960 at the US Open.
For many, Neale Fraser’s captaincy of Australia in the Davis Cup is his greatest legacy, where he was a much-respected coach and teacher of the game for 24 years – inspiring generations of Australian players.
Neale Fraser was inducted to the International Hall of Fame in 1984, the Australian Tennis Hall of Fame in 1994, and received the Philippe Chatrier Award for outstanding achievements in tennis in 2008.
The funeral will be open to the public and live streamed online.
Further details about the service, including how to attend, make a donation in lieu of flowers, or view the live stream can be found at vic.gov.au/NealeFraser.
Quotes attributable to Premier Jacinta Allan
“Neale was one of Australia's great sportsmen, renowned for his career and contributions both on and off the court.”
“His legacy of perseverance, leadership and decency will be remembered by many in the tennis community and across our state.”