Jack Crawford, champion

This newsreel segment from 1933 profiles Australian Jack Crawford, the world No. 1 men’s tennis player that year.

He won the Australian Open, the French Open and Wimbledon but fell short of being the first player to win the Grand Slam when he was beaten by Fred Perry in five sets at the US Championships. American Don Budge accomplished the feat for the first time in 1938.

Crawford’s game may not have been as fast or powerful as other players, but he successfully relied on technical skill and accuracy with excellent anticipation of his opponent’s strokes. He was also known for taking shots of whisky in breaks during particularly tense matches.