Vivian McGrath

Vivian McGrath was a tennis champion from Australia, born in Merrendee, near Mudgee, New South Wales, on 17 February 1916 and died of heart disease at Burradoo on 9 April 1978. With John Bromwich he was one of the early great players to use a two-handed backhand, and his name was pronounced McGraw. He went to Sydney Boys High School, won the Australian junior singles in 1932 and the French junior singles in 1933, and was a member of the Australian Davis Cup team from 1933 to 1937. In 1935 he won the Australian Open doubles with his friend Jack Crawford, and in 1937 he won the Australian Open singles title against John Bromwich. He was ranked world number eight in 1935. The Second World War interrupted his career, and afterwards injuries kept him from regaining his form, so he became a coach.