
The 1965 Wimbledon Men’s Singles Final, held on 3 July that year, is a great example of the dominance of Aussie athletes in tennis during the 1960s. Playing on a grass court, Roy Emerson defeated Fred Stolle in straight sets to claim his second Wimbledon title, an event that would have given Stolle deja vu – the same thing had happened the previous year, with Emerson defeating Stolle to claim his first Wimbledon title in 1964.
With his signature serve-and-volley style of playing, Emerson was a powerhouse on the court, becoming the first male tennis player in history to claim 12 singles majors' titles. In 2012, he was ranked the 11th greatest male tennis player of all time.
Beyond its significance to Australian sporting history, this clip offers us a glimpse into the tennis of old, giving off an air of elegance, style and decorum that we still associate with Wimbledon today.
The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia acknowledges Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we work and live and gives respect to their Elders both past and present.