Dick Crealy
Encyclopedia
Richard Crealy is a former Australian tennis player most notable for reaching the finals 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 and in 1968 he achieved his first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open
with his fellow countryman and teammate Allan Stone
in doubles. He also won the mixed doubles with Billie Jean King
. In 1969, Crealy again combined with Stone to win the US Open Doubles, a title that is often mistakenly credited to Ken Rosewall
and Fred Stolle
.
In 1970, Crealy had his most successful season, reaching No. 5 on the Grand Prix rankings. In this year, he reached the singles finals 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 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 their annual tournament in Sydney.
Dick Crealy is a Life Member of the Australian Davis Cup Foundation.
Australian Open
The Australian Open is the only Grand Slam tennis tournament held in the southern hemisphere. The tournament was held for the first time in 1905 and was last contested on grass in 1987. Since 1972 the Australian Open has been held in Melbourne, Victoria. In 1988, the tournament became a hard court...
in 1970, being a member of the 1970 Australian Davis Cup
Davis Cup
The Davis Cup is the premier international team event in men's tennis. It is run by the International Tennis Federation and is contested between teams of players from competing countries in a knock-out format. The competition began in 1900 as a challenge between Britain and the United States. By...
Team and winning four Grand Slam
Grand Slam (tennis)
The four Major tennis tournaments, also called the Slams, are the most important tennis events of the year in terms of world tour ranking points, tradition, prize-money awarded, strength and size of player field, and public attention. They are the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon, and...
titles in doubles.
Crealy was born in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
in 1944 and in 1968 he achieved his first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open
Australian Open
The Australian Open is the only Grand Slam tennis tournament held in the southern hemisphere. The tournament was held for the first time in 1905 and was last contested on grass in 1987. Since 1972 the Australian Open has been held in Melbourne, Victoria. In 1988, the tournament became a hard court...
with his fellow countryman and teammate Allan Stone
Allan Stone
----Allan Stone played amateur and professional tennis in the 1960s and 1970s. He was ranked as high as World No. 38 in singles on the ATP Rankings , although Stone played for many years before the ATP Rankings were instituted.Stone found the majority of his success on the doubles court...
in doubles. He also won the mixed doubles with Billie Jean King
Billie Jean King
Billie Jean King is a former professional tennis player from the United States. She won 12 Grand Slam singles titles, 16 Grand Slam women's doubles titles, and 11 Grand Slam mixed doubles titles. King has been an advocate against sexism in sports and society...
. In 1969, Crealy again combined with Stone to win the US Open Doubles, a title that is often mistakenly credited to Ken Rosewall
Ken Rosewall
Kenneth Robert Rosewall AM MBE is a former world top-ranking amateur and professional tennis player from Australia. He won 23 Majors including eight Grand Slam singles titles and before the Open Era a record fifteen Pro Slam titles . Rosewall won 9 slams in doubles with a career double grand slam...
and Fred Stolle
Fred Stolle
Frederick "Fred" Sydney Stolle is an Australian tennis player. He was born in Hornsby, New South Wales, Australia. He is the father of former Australian Davis Cup player Sandon Stolle....
.
In 1970, Crealy had his most successful season, reaching No. 5 on the Grand Prix rankings. In this year, he reached the singles finals at the Australian Open
Australian Open
The Australian Open is the only Grand Slam tennis tournament held in the southern hemisphere. The tournament was held for the first time in 1905 and was last contested on grass in 1987. Since 1972 the Australian Open has been held in Melbourne, Victoria. In 1988, the tournament became a hard court...
, where he lost to American player Arthur Ashe
Arthur Ashe
Arthur Robert Ashe, Jr. was a professional tennis player, born and raised in Richmond, Virginia. During his career, he won three Grand Slam titles, putting him among the best ever from the United States...
, as well as the quarter-finals of the French Open. He also won the Swedish Open
Swedish Open
The SkiStar Swedish Open is an ATP World Tour 250 series tennis tournament on the ATP Tour held in Båstad, Sweden in July each year.The Collector Swedish Open Women is a tennis tournament held in Båstad, Sweden...
in Båstad and represented Australia in the Davis Cup
Davis Cup
The Davis Cup is the premier international team event in men's tennis. It is run by the International Tennis Federation and is contested between teams of players from competing countries in a knock-out format. The competition began in 1900 as a challenge between Britain and the United States. By...
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
Onny Parun
Onny Parun is a former tennis player of Croatian descent from New Zealand, who was among the world's top 20 for five years and in 1971 and 1972 he reached the quarterfinals at Wimbledon. He made the final of the Australian Open in 1973, losing to John Newcombe in four sets, and was a U.S...
in the French Open.
Crealy retired from the ATP 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 their annual tournament in Sydney.
Dick Crealy is a Life Member of the Australian Davis Cup Foundation.
Reached Singles Final (1)
| Year | Tournament | Opponent in Finals | Results |
| 1970 | Australian Open Australian Open The Australian Open is the only Grand Slam tennis tournament held in the southern hemisphere. The tournament was held for the first time in 1905 and was last contested on grass in 1987. Since 1972 the Australian Open has been held in Melbourne, Victoria. In 1988, the tournament became a hard court... |
 Arthur AsheArthur Ashe Arthur Robert Ashe, Jr. was a professional tennis player, born and raised in Richmond, Virginia. During his career, he won three Grand Slam titles, putting him among the best ever from the United States... |
6-4, 9-7, 6-2 |
Doubles Championships (2)
| Year | Tournament | Partner | Opponent in Finals | Results |
| 1968 | Australian Open Australian Open The Australian Open is the only Grand Slam tennis tournament held in the southern hemisphere. The tournament was held for the first time in 1905 and was last contested on grass in 1987. Since 1972 the Australian Open has been held in Melbourne, Victoria. In 1988, the tournament became a hard court... |
 Allan StoneAllan Stone ----Allan Stone played amateur and professional tennis in the 1960s and 1970s. He was ranked as high as World No. 38 in singles on the ATP Rankings , although Stone played for many years before the ATP Rankings were instituted.Stone found the majority of his success on the doubles court... |
Terry Addison / Ray Keldie |
10-8 6–4 6–3 |
| 1974 | French Open |  Onny ParunOnny Parun Onny Parun is a former tennis player of Croatian descent from New Zealand, who was among the world's top 20 for five years and in 1971 and 1972 he reached the quarterfinals at Wimbledon. He made the final of the Australian Open in 1973, losing to John Newcombe in four sets, and was a U.S... |
Robert Lutz / Stan Smith Stan Smith Stanley Roger "Stan" Smith is a former American tennis player and two time Grand Slam singles champion who also, with his partner Bob Lutz, formed one of the most successful doubles teams of all time. Together, they won many major titles all over the world... |
6–3 6–2 3–6 5–7 6–1 |
Mixed Doubles Championships (1)
| Year | Tournament | Partner | Opponent in Finals | Results |
| 1968 | Australian Open Australian Open The Australian Open is the only Grand Slam tennis tournament held in the southern hemisphere. The tournament was held for the first time in 1905 and was last contested on grass in 1987. Since 1972 the Australian Open has been held in Melbourne, Victoria. In 1988, the tournament became a hard court... |
Billie Jean King Billie Jean King Billie Jean King is a former professional tennis player from the United States. She won 12 Grand Slam singles titles, 16 Grand Slam women's doubles titles, and 11 Grand Slam mixed doubles titles. King has been an advocate against sexism in sports and society... |
Margaret Court / Allan Stone Allan Stone ----Allan Stone played amateur and professional tennis in the 1960s and 1970s. He was ranked as high as World No. 38 in singles on the ATP Rankings , although Stone played for many years before the ATP Rankings were instituted.Stone found the majority of his success on the doubles court... |
walkover |
Singles (2)
| Grand Slam (0) |
| Tennis Masters Cup (0) |
| ATP Tour (2) |
| Nº | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent in Finals | Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 11 July 1970 | Båstad Båstad Båstad is a locality and the seat of Båstad Municipality, Skåne County, Sweden with 4,793 inhabitants in 2005.-Geography:The town of Båstad is located in a sheltered bay with the Hallandian ridge stretching behind it... , Sweden |
Clay | Georges Goven Georges Goven Georges Goven is a retired tennis player from France.Goven won the French Championships junior title in 1964, 1965, and 1966, and the Australian Championships juniors in 1964.... (France) |
6–3 6–1 6–1 |
| 2. | 28 March 1975 | Nice Nice Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of... , France |
Clay | Iván Molina Iván Molina Iván Molina is a former professional Colombian tennis player.Molina and Martina Navratilova teamed to win the 1974 French Open mixed doubles title, beating Rosie Reyes Darmon and Marcelo Lara 6–3, 6–3 in the final. Together with Florenţa Mihai, he reached the French Open mixed doubles final in... (Colombia Colombia Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the... ) |
7–6 6–4 6–3 |
Singles Finals (2)
- 1970: Australian Open (against Arthur AsheArthur AsheArthur Robert Ashe, Jr. was a professional tennis player, born and raised in Richmond, Virginia. During his career, he won three Grand Slam titles, putting him among the best ever from the United States...
) - 1972: Kitzbühel (against Colin DibleyColin DibleyColin Dibley is a former tennis player from Australia.Dibley once held the title for the fastest serve in the world at 148 m.p.h. During his professional career, he also won four singles and seventeen doubles titles...
)