1954 Wimbledon Championships - Men's Singles

Men's Singles
	1954 Wimbledon Championships
Champion	Jaroslav Drobný
Runner-up	Ken Rosewall
Final score	13–11, 4–6, 6–2, 9–7
Draw	128 (10 Q )
Seeds	12

In the 1954 Wimbledon Championships – Gentlemen's Singles competition, Jaroslav Drobný defeated Ken Rosewall in the final, 13–11, 4–6, 6–2, 9–7 to take the Gentlemen's Singles tennis title.^[1] It was Drobný's third singles final and second win at Wimbledon. Vic Seixas was the defending champion, but lost in the quarterfinals to Budge Patty.

It was the first of 19-year-old Rosewall's Wimbledon singles finals, all of which he lost. This resulted in Rosewall being considered by many to be the greatest player never to win Wimbledon.^[2]

Progress of the competition

Jaroslav Drobný, who was 32 at the time of the competition, was Czech-born but was said to play "like an Englishman".^[3] Drobný was extremely popular with British tennis fans, and no British player had made it to the 1954 quarterfinals, the longest-surviving home player in the men's singles being 18-year-old Mike Davies, who was knocked out in the fourth round by Budge Patty. The Daily Herald reported that nearly everyone wanted to see Drobný win the title.^[3] No unseeded players made it to the quarterfinals, the stage at which second-seeded Lew Hoad was knocked out in straight sets by Drobný. Top seed Tony Trabert was defeated in the semifinal by Rosewall.

Seeds

01.

Tony Trabert (Semifinals)

02.

Lew Hoad (Quarterfinals)

03.

Ken Rosewall (Final)

04.

Vic Seixas (Quarterfinals)

05.

Mervyn Rose (Quarterfinals)

06.

Art Larsen (Third round)

07.

Budge Patty (Semifinals)

08.

Rex Hartwig (Quarterfinals)

09.

Sven Davidson (Fourth round)

10.

Kurt Nielsen (Fourth round)

11.

Jaroslav Drobný (Champion)

12.

Gardnar Mulloy (Fourth round)

Click on the seed number of a player to go to their draw section.

Draw

Key

Q = Qualifier
WC = Wild Card
LL = Lucky Loser
Alt = Alternate
SE = Special Exempt
PR = Protected Ranking
ITF = ITF entry
JE = Junior Exempt
w/o = Walkover
r = Retired
d = Defaulted

Finals

Quarterfinals							Semifinals							Final


2	Lew Hoad	4	3	3

11	Jaroslav Drobný	6	6	6
							11	Jaroslav Drobný	6	6	4	9

							7	Budge Patty	2	4	6	7
4	Vic Seixas	5	6	3	2

7	Budge Patty	7	4	6	6
														11	Jaroslav Drobný	13	4	6	9

														3	Ken Rosewall	11	6	2	7
8	Rex Hartwig	3	6	6	3	1

3	Ken Rosewall	6	3	3	6	6
							3	Ken Rosewall	3	6	4	6	6

							1	Tony Trabert	6	3	6	1	1
5	Mervyn Rose	2	2	5

1	Tony Trabert	6	6	7

Top half

Section 1

First Round						Second Round						Third Round						Fourth Round

2	Lew Hoad	6	6	7
	Giorgio Fachini	3	2	5		2	L Hoad	6	6	6
Q	Wayne Van Voorhees	2	7	6			I Tłoczyński	0	3	1
	Ignacy Tłoczyński	6	9	8								2	L Hoad	6	6	1	6
	Robert Bédard	6	7	6	6								R Bédard	3	0	6	1
Q	Gordon Forbes	3	9	1	3		R Bédard	6	6	6
	Cyril Kemp	3	1	3			E Argon	2	4	3
	Eduardo Argon	6	6	6														2	L Hoad	4	6	7	6
12	Gardnar Mulloy	6	6	7														12	G Mulloy	6	0	5	3
	Tim Lewis	4	0	5		12	G Mulloy	6	6	6
	Bernard Crouch						B Crouch	2	4	1
	Sima Nikolić	w/o										12	G Mulloy	6	10	8
	Ivor Warwick	8	6	2	6								P Molloy	4	8	6
	Alain Lemyze	6	3	6	1		I Warwick	4	6	5	4
	Peter Molloy	4	6	6	6		P Molloy	6	0	7	6
	Ilija Panajotović	6	1	1	2

Section 2

First Round							Second Round						Third Round						Fourth Round

6	Art Larsen	6	6	10
	Clive Bernstein	2	4	8			6	A Larsen	7	6	6
	Narendra Nath	4	3	6	6	6		N Nath	5	3	3
	Bob Howe	6	6	3	4	2							6	A Larsen	12	5	2	7
	Jean-Claude Molinari	3	6	6	8	0								P Washer	10	7	6	9
	Ip Koon-Hong	6	1	4	10	6		K-H Ip	7	2	7	1
	Finn Søhol	1	2	3				P Washer	9	6	5	6
	Philippe Washer	6	6	6																P Washer	6	8	3
11	Jaroslav Drobný	6	6	6															11	J Drobný	8	10	6
	Jack Arkinstall	3	3	3			11	J Drobný	6	6	6
	Billy Knight	6	4	6	2	1		T Ulrich	2	0	4
	Torben Ulrich	2	6	3	6	6							11	J Drobný	6	6	6
	Franz Saiko	3	1	6	1									L Bergelin	4	2	2
	Czesław Spychała	6	6	3	6			C Spychała	1	2	2
	Lennart Bergelin	6	6	6				L Bergelin	6	6	6
	Pedro Guimarães	1	2	1

Section 3

First Round						Second Round							Third Round					Fourth Round

4	Vic Seixas	6	6	6
Q	Geoff Cass	1	0	1		4	V Seixas	6	6	6
	Nicola Pietrangeli	6	9	6			N Pietrangeli	3	4	1
	Matthew Murphy	2	7	0									4	V Seixas	6	6	9
	Laurie Proctor	3	1	6	3									M Otway	3	4	7
	Basil Katz	6	6	4	6		B Katz	6	9	1	1	4
	Mark Otway	6	6	6			M Otway	3	7	6	6	6
	Christian Grandet	1	4	2														4	V Seixas	6	7	6	5	6
	Jacques Brichant	6	6	12															J Brichant	8	5	2	7	2
	Julius Heldman	1	4	10			J Brichant	6	6	6
	Geoffrey Paish	6	8	6			G Paish	1	3	2
Q	Robin Kipping	2	6	2										J Brichant	7	6	6
	Arnaldo Moreira	1	1	4										S Stockenberg	5	1	1
	Staffan Stockenberg	6	6	6			S Stockenberg	7	9	3	6
	David Samaai	6	6	6			D Samaai	5	7	6	3
	Rupert Huber	2	1	2

Section 4

First Round							Second Round						Third Round						Fourth Round

7	Budge Patty	6	6	6
	Basil Bucknell	1	0	0			7	J Patty	10	4	6	6
	Hugh Stewart	6	6	6				H Stewart	8	6	3	4
	Leon Norgarb	4	3	1									7	J Patty	6	6	6
	Bruce Robinson	0	0	3										N Kumar	1	3	4
	Naresh Kumar	6	6	6				N Kumar	6	6	6
	Josip Palada	6	4	6	4	6		J Palada	4	4	0
	Tony Pickard	4	6	2	6	1													7	J Patty	7	6	7
	Eric Bulmer	4	2	1																M Davies	5	1	5
	Mike Davies	6	6	6				M Davies	4	7	10	6
Q	John Ward	6	6	6			Q	J Ward	6	5	8	1
	Claude Lister	0	4	3										M Davies	4	6	6	6
	Erwin Balestra	0	1	3										R Becker	6	4	1	3
	Roger Becker	6	6	6				R Becker	6	6	6
	Francis Nys	6	6	6				F Nys	3	0	2
Q	Philip Wooldridge	2	0	2

Bottom half

Section 5

First Round							Second Round							Third Round							Fourth Round

	Colin Hannam	1	3	6
	Gilbert Shea	6	6	8				G Shea	4	4	6	6	6
	Orlando Sirola	4	7	9	4			G Oakley	6	6	1	4	4
	Gerry Oakley	6	9	7	6										G Shea	6	7	5	1	6
	Henry Billington	2	3	2											L Main	1	5	7	6	1
	Lorne Main	6	6	6				L Main	6	6	7	7
	Jeff Robson	3	6	6	3	4		A Hammersley	1	3	9	5
	Andrés Hammersley	6	4	2	6	6																G Shea	4	6	1	4
	Howard Walton	6	6	0	3	3															8	R Hartwig	6	1	6	6
	John Ager	4	3	6	6	6		J Ager	4	6	2	3
	Geoff Ward	4	6	4				H Burrows	6	3	6	6
	Hal Burrows	6	8	6											H Burrows	3	4	3
	Matthew Mohtadi	3	3	4										8	R Hartwig	6	6	6
	Edwin Tsai	6	6	6				E Tsai	1	5	3
	Hans Redl	0	1	3			8	R Hartwig	6	7	6
8	Rex Hartwig	6	6	6

Section 6

First Round						Second Round					Third Round						Fourth Round

	Ashley Cooper	6	6	6
	Ivan Plećević	0	2	4			A Cooper	6	6	6
	Roy Emerson	6	6	8			R Emerson	1	1	3
	Malcolm Fox	1	3	6								A Cooper	6	7	11
	Tony Vincent	6	6	3	6							A Vincent	3	5	9
	Ivan Devroe	2	4	6	3		A Vincent	6	6	6
	Norman Kitovitz	6	6	6			N Kitovitz	4	2	3
Q	Martin Hime	2	2	3														A Cooper	2	3	6	8
	Ralph Oliver	0	2	2													3	K Rosewall	6	6	4	10
	Paul Rémy	6	6	6			P Rémy	4	4	6
	Beppo Pottinger	4	4	1			R Falkenburg	6	6	8
	Bob Falkenburg	6	6	6								R Falkenburg	2	6	1	4
	Herbie Flam	6	6	8							3	K Rosewall	6	4	6	6
	Darrell Shaw	4	3	6			H Flam	2	6	4
	Abe Segal	5	6	6	6	3	K Rosewall	6	8	6
3	Ken Rosewall	7	4	8	8

Section 7

First Round							Second Round							Third Round						Fourth Round

	Jaime Bartrolí	0	2	4
	Dawson Hamilton	6	6	6				D Hamilton	6	2	4	6	1
	Doug Reid	0	2	7				J Barrett	4	6	6	4	6
	John Barrett	6	6	9											J Barrett	6	3	4	4
	Andy Paton	8	7	6	4	6								10	K Nielsen	4	6	6	6
Q	Peter Moys	6	9	3	6	3		A Paton	3	10	6	6	4
	Fred Dehnert	3	4	4			10	K Nielsen	6	12	4	4	6
10	Kurt Nielsen	6	6	6																10	K Nielsen	6	3	7	4
	Don Butler	1	6	6	3															5	M Rose	4	6	9	6
	Doug Scharenguivel	6	8	3	6			D Scharenguivel	2	3	2
	Ramanathan Krishnan	6	6	6				R Krishnan	6	6	6
	Gene Garrett	3	3	2											R Krishnan	3	1	3
	Bob Lee	2	3	3										5	M Rose	6	6	6
	Neale Fraser	6	6	6				N Fraser	6	3	1
	Tony Mottram	1	2	3			5	M Rose	8	6	6
5	Mervyn Rose	6	6	6

Section 8

First Round							Second Round						Third Round					Fourth Round

	Robin Condy	6	4	6	4	4
Q	Geoff Pryor	3	6	1	6	6	Q	G Pryor	6	5	4	6
	Guy Jackson	4	4	10	6	5		J-N Grinda	0	7	6	8
	Jean-Noël Grinda	6	6	8	3	7								J-N Grinda	1	2	4
	Don Black	3	6	3	0^r								9	S Davidson	6	6	6
	Jacques Peten	6	2	6	0			J Peten	4	1	2
	Ian McDonald	2	5	3			9	S Davidson	6	6	6
9	Sven Davidson	6	7	6														9	S Davidson	6	10	0	9	3
	Armando Vieira	7	3	6	6													1	A Trabert	3	12	6	7	6
	John Barry	5	6	4	1			A Vieira	5	3	3
	Bobby Wilson	6	6	6				R Wilson	7	6	6
	Vladimir Petrović	4	3	1										R Wilson	8	6	2
	Philippe Chatrier	4	0	3									1	A Trabert	10	8	6
	Owen Williams	6	6	6				O Williams	5	2	5
Q	Peter Wooller	0	2	2			1	A Trabert	7	6	7
1	Tony Trabert	6	6	6

References

^ Barrett, John (2014). Wimbledon: The Official History (4th ed.). Vision Sports Publishing. ISBN 9-781909-534230.
^ Paul Snowdon (4 July 2009). "Why Ken Rosewall was Wimbledon's greatest ever loser". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
^ ^a ^b Robert J. Lake (3 October 2014). A Social History of Tennis in Britain. Routledge. pp. 188–. ISBN 978-1-134-44557-8.

External links

Source for the draw at Wimbledon.com

[Barrett-1] Barrett, John (2014). Wimbledon: The Official History (4th ed.). Vision Sports Publishing. ISBN 9-781909-534230.

[2] Paul Snowdon (4 July 2009). "Why Ken Rosewall was Wimbledon's greatest ever loser". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 16 July 2019.

[Lake2014-3] Robert J. Lake (3 October 2014). A Social History of Tennis in Britain. Routledge. pp. 188–. ISBN 978-1-134-44557-8.

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