Dick Crealy

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

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Column 1
Richard D. Crealy
Australia
Sydney, Australia
(1944-09-18) 18 September 1944Sydney, Australia
1969 (amateur tour from 1963)
1981
Right-handed (one-handed backhand)
274–277 (Open era)
5
No. 21 (7 September 1970)
F (1970)
4R (1970)
3R (1967, 1969, 1974)
2R (1969, 1973, 1978)
262–240 (Open era)
6
W (1968)
W (1974)
SF (1975)
W (1969)
W (1968)
QF (1971, 1974)
QF (1969)

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

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 team mate Allan Stone in doubles. He also won the mixed doubles with Billie Jean King. At the 1970 Australian Open Crealy beat Stan Smith in straight sets by "matching Smith's serving and volleying power at every turn". He lost the final to Arthur Ashe in straight sets, played in a light drizzle, making the grass surface slippery.

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 final 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 its annual tournament in Sydney.

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

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 championship. 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 agreed, as the latter were two of the great Australian players and because "tennis was played with much goodwill in those days."

ResultYearChampionshipSurfaceOpponentScore
Loss1970Australian OpenGrassArthur Ashe4–6, 7–9, 2–6
ResultYearChampionshipSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Win1968Australian ChampionshipsGrassAllan StoneTerry Addison Ray Keldie10–8, 6–4, 6–3
Win1974French OpenGrassOnny ParunRobert Lutz Stan Smith6–3, 6–2, 3–6, 5–7, 6–1
ResultYearChampionshipSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Win1968Australian ChampionshipsGrassBillie Jean KingMargaret Court Allan Stonewalkover

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Column 1Column 2Column 3Column 4Column 5Column 6Column 7Column 8Column 9Column 10
WFSFQF#RRRQ#DNQANH

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Note: The Australian Open was held twice in 1977, in January and December.

Column 1
Grand Slam (0–1)
Tennis Masters Cup (0–0)
ATP Tour (2–1)
ResultW/LDateTournamentSurfaceOpponentScore
Loss0–1Jan 1970Australian OpenGrassArthur Ashe4–6, 7–9, 2–6
Win1–1Jul 1970Båstad, SwedenClayGeorges Goven6–3, 6–1, 6–1
Loss1–2Jul 1972Kitzbühel, AustriaClayColin Dibley1–6, 3–6, 4–6
Win2–2Mar 1975Nice, FranceClayIván Molina7–6, 6–4, 6–3
ResultW/LDateTournamentSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Win1–0Jan 1968Australian ChampionshipsGrassAllan StoneTerry Addison Ray Keldie10–8, 6–4, 6–3
Win2–01969US Amateur ChampionshipsGrassAllan StoneBill Bowrey Charlie Pasarell9–11, 6–3, 7–5
Win3–0Jan 1969Victorian Open, AustraliaGrassAllan StoneRay Ruffels Bill Bowrey9–7, 6–4, 6–4
Loss3–1Jul 1969Indianapolis, U.S.ClayAllan StoneBill Bowrey Clark Graebner4–6, 6–4, 4–6
Win4–1Jul 1970Båstad, SwedenClayAllan StoneŽeljko Franulović Jan Kodeš6–2, 2–6, 12–12, ret.
Win5–1Oct 1970Phoenix, U.S.HardRay RuffelsJan Kodeš Charlie Pasarell7–6, 6–3
Loss5–2Jul 1973Washington, D.C., USClayAndrew PattisonRoss Case Geoff Masters6–2, 1–6, 4–6
Win6–2Feb 1974Hempstead WCT, U.S.HardJeff BorowiakRoss Case Geoff Masters6–7, 6–4, 6–4
Win7–2Jun 1974French OpenGrassOnny ParunRobert Lutz Stan Smith6–3, 6–2, 3–6, 5–7, 6–1
Loss7–3Sep 1974Cedar Grove, U.S.HardBob TanisSteve Siegel Kim Warwick6–4, 2–6, 1–6
Loss7–4Nov 1974Bombay, IndiaClayOnny ParunAnand Amritraj Vijay Amritraj4–6, 6–7
Win8–4Jan 1975Baltimore, U.S.Carpet (i)Ray RuffelsIsmail El Shafei Frew McMillan6–4, 6–3
Loss8–5May 1975Bournemouth, UKClaySyd BallJuan Gisbert Manuel Orantes6–8, 3–6
Loss8–6Aug 1975South Orange, U.S.ClayJohn LloydJimmy Connors Ilie Năstase6–7, 5–7
Loss8–7Feb 1976Rome WCT, ItalyCarpet (i)Frew McMillanBob Lutz Stan Smith7–6, 3–6, 4–6
Loss8–8May 1976Hamburg, West GermanyClayKim WarwickFred McNair Sherwood Stewart6–7, 6–7, 6–7
Loss8–9Aug 1977Indianapolis, U.S.ClayCliff LetcherPatricio Cornejo Jaime Fillol7–6, 4–6, 3–6
Loss8–10Sep 1976Hamilton, BermudaClayRay RuffelsMike Cahill John Whitlinger4–6, 6–4, 6–7(6–8)
Loss8–11Jul 1979Kitzbühel, AustriaClayTonino ZugarelliŽeljko Franulović Heinz Günthardt2–6, 4–6
Loss8–12Jan 1980Perth, AustraliaGrassDale CollingsSyd Ball Cliff Letcher3–6, 4–6

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  • Dick Crealy at the Association of Tennis Professionals
  • Dick Crealy at the International Tennis Federation
  • Dick Crealy at the Davis Cup (archived)
  • Dick Crealy at Tennis Australia