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Don Budge Grand Slam Record Extended in 2011   

Don Budge's tennis Grand Slam record set in 1938 still stands in 2011. He was the first man to win the Tennis Grand Slam. Rod Laver equaled the record by winning a Grand Slam as an amateur in 1962. But, Budge's record of being the only male U.S. Grand Slam winner still stands in 2011. No U.S. player can win a calendar year Grand Slam in 2011 because Novak Djokovic of Serbia and Andy Murray of Great Britain were the finalists. Djokovic won. The Budge record is one of the longest running major sports record in U.S. modern history. One of the great debates in tennis is who is the greatest male player. Among the names regularly raised in the U.S. are Don Budge, Pancho Gonzalez, John McEnroe and Pete Sampras. Aussies debate whether Rod Laver, Roy Emerson, Lew Hoad, Frank Sedgeman , Pat Rafter, or Lleyton Hewitt, among others, might qualify. Some add Bjorn Borg of Sweden to the list. Current tennis commentators consider Federer the most likely candidate, with the possibility that Rafael Nadal might surpass Federer's accomplishments. Federer has not had a Grand Slam year, but Nadal in 2010 won three out of four Grand Slam legs. 

Budge liked to think that winning the Grand Slam and being dominant on all tennis court surfaces should be a pre-condition of being considered the best or among the top few best players. No male professional tour player has ever won a calendar Grand Slam, all four major events in the  Grand Slam circuit, except Laver. Laver won Grand Slam as an amateur and one as a professional. The tour switched from an amateur Grand Slam circuit to the Open era in 1969, when amateurs and professionals could compete together on teh tour. 

Prior to 1969, only amateurs could compete in a Grand Slam event. During Budge's professional tennis career, he was the dominant amateur in the world before he turned professional. Pros could not compete for the Grand Slam crown. And, unfortunately, he was injured during World War II. Though he still won pro circuit events after the war, he was not as dominant after the injury. Budge never had the opportunity to go for a Grand Slam once he turned pro. The rules prevented him from doing so. Laver was in the era when he could win the crown as an amateur, which he did in 1962, and as a professional in 1969. 

Because of their Grand slam record, Budge and Laver are frequently mentioned as a possible number one all-time great players. Budge told me that he worked with Laver in 1962 just before the fourth and final Grand Slam leg at the U.S. Open, then held at Forest Hills, New York. During work outs, the two players competed in two exhibition sets, with Laver winning one and Budge the other. Budge was well past his prime at 45 at that time. At the Don Budge Grand Slam program, we think that Budge could have been very competitive had the two played in the same era as Laver. 

Budge said that many top pros who wanted to be considered as an all-time great were unable to dominate on one or more surfaces. Borg was weaker on hard courts and never won the U.S. Open. McEnroe and Sampras did not win the Roland Garros (French Open) in their careers. Andre Agassi accomplished a career Grand Slam, but he never tokk the calendar year crown. 

Also, Sampras held a 19-14 edge over Agassi in major tournaments, including three of four of the major Grand Slam events. Sampras held a dominating 53-1 Wimbledon record on grass. Federer was the only player to beat Sampras at Wimbledon. But, neither  Sampras nor Federer had won the Roland Garros as of 2007. Federer finaly got a Roland Garros in 2009, but he did not beat Rafael Nadal, who was injured and was knocked out. Federer had never beaten Nadal in his prime at Roland Garros. So unless they meet when Nadal is healthy, we will never know if Federer could beat Nadal at Roland Garros.

Roland Garros French Open remains the most challenging tournament on the pro circuit and the most difficult major tournament for U.S. players to win. Tony Trabert, Michael Chang, Jim Courier, and Andre Agassi are the only U.S. male players to have won at Roland Garros since Budge. But in recent years, even the Australian Open has posed an insurmountable hurdle for U.S. male players. 

The Budge record has rarely been under serious challenge in recent years because no U.S. male tennis player has copped the Australian Open. The rise of so many strong players internationally is making it difficult for a U.S. male player to accomplish a Grand Slam in the immediate future. John Issner is currently the strongest U.S. male player.  

Just before Don Budge died in January 2001, while in a hospital being treated for injuries sustained in an auto accident the month before, he expressed satisfaction that his record had endured into the 21st century. We, at the Don Budge Grand Slam Tennis Program, tip our tennis caps to Don Budge in 2010 for another year in which his record has survived.

To keep up with grand slam, other pro tour events, and tennis generally, check the links below.  For further news about other major tournaments our Newsfax and Don Budge Grand Slam Program site contains links to other tennis tournaments, events, player profiles, interviews, educational or coaching matters, and some local links from Budge's home community of Dingmans Ferry, which was his home for the second half of his life. He was a native of Oakland, California.

We welcome comments and appreciate your interest and hope you share our passion for Don Budge and his positive influence on the game. He set a standard for modern tennis that is still being felt and his accomplishments are major challenges for North American players.  His influence on Aussie players and coaches, like the great Harry Hopman was great for tennis. Hopman's proteges in the 1950's and 1960's went on to be Tennis Hall of Fame players and Rod Laver won the Grand Slam once as an amateur and once as a professional.

We acknowledge our gratitude for our friend and neighbor Don Budge for imparting to us personally his pursuit of excellence, peerless on-court sportsmanship, and of mentoring our head pro and programs. We also acknowledge our gratitude for the fine high standards of play and sportsmanship set by Aussie players and coaches of the golden era of Aussie tennis from the late 1940's to the 1970's, who also helped influence our playing, teaching, and coaching style. 

  EPD Click ball for Eastern Pensylvania Distict EPD, the primary community tennis organization (the USTA) in Don Budge's region. 

Silk Flower House: Long Lasting Flowers

Budge liked dropping by nearby Milford to have his morning breakfast in town. He also loved music. Apple Valley Restaurant and Alley Oops Club in Milford have supported the Don Budge Grand Tennis Slam program and Pike Tennis, two local tennis organizations. If you are visiting Milford, Pennsylvania, enjoy some local, regional, and national talent in blues, acoustic, eclectic, and soft rock ensembles, mostly on weekends at Apple Valley (check for schedule). 

*Don Budge Grand Slam Program is Based in Milford
Where Good Music Can Be Enjoyed at
(click) Apple Valley
for its Premier Music Menu

Mount Haven Restaurant Milford PA
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