1969 Australian Open

1

The 1969 Australian Open was the first Australian Open and the final Grand Slam tournament to allow both amateur and professionals. The tournament was played in Brisbane on Milton's grass courts between a men's field of 48 and a women's field of 32. It was the 57th edition of the tournament, the 7th and last one held in Brisbane, and the first Grand Slam tournament of the year.

Tournament

The semi-final between Rod Laver and Tony Roche was played in 105-degree heat. That contest dragged on for more than four hours, both players putting wet cabbage leaves in their hats to help them keep cool. The Men's singles title was eventually won by Rod Laver defeating Andrรฉs Gimeno. Margaret Court took her 8th singles title and the $1,500 prize from Billie Jean King and swept the tournament with Women's doubles and Mixed. The 1969 Australian Open was the only year in the Open era that a mixed doubles championship was staged, until resumption in 1987. Marty Riessen and Margaret Court shared the title with Fred Stolle and Ann Haydon-Jones because the final was not played due to a lack of time. It was also the last year that a junior mixed doubles championship was played, Australians Geoff Masters and Barbara Hawcroft taking the title. Laver's win was the first step towards his second Grand Slam.

Seniors

Men's singles

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Rod Laver defeated ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ Andrรฉs Gimeno, 6โ€“3, 6โ€“4, 7โ€“5

Women's singles

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Margaret Court defeated ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ Billie Jean King, 6โ€“4, 6โ€“1

Men's doubles

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Rod Laver / ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Roy Emerson defeated ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Ken Rosewall / ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Fred Stolle, 6โ€“4, 6โ€“4

Women's doubles

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Margaret Court / ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Judy Tegart-Dalton defeated ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ Rosemary Casals / ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ Billie Jean King, 6โ€“4, 6โ€“4

Mixed doubles

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Margaret Court / ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ Marty Riessen and ๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ง Ann Haydon-Jones / ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Fred Stolle (Shared title โ€“ final not played)

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