The almost retreat of Newcombe that led him to No. 1 World Cup | ATP Tour

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Listen to your wife: the almost remote of Newcombe that led him to No. 1 World

The Australian was the second player capable of playing the top of the PIF ATP Rankings

April 09, 2025

John Newcombe was about to withdraw from professional tennis before reaching the top of the sport.

Frustrated and full of uncertainty, the Australian was close to hanging the racket in 1973. Instead, he returned strongly and, in 1974, became the second player capable of occupying No. 1 of the PIF ATP Rankings.

“I was prepared to leave the sport. I returned to my Texas ranch and my wife told me: ‘Think about it for a couple of days.’ I hadn’t played much that year, so my ranking had collapsed,” says Newcombe.

“I told myself, ‘Well, if I’m going to play, I have to get serious. I will play for nine months and then I will retire.”

What began as a last effort to retire by its own means became an exceptional state, demonstrating that Newcombe was much less finished.

“It was the 10th standard head in the US Open [1973] And he was champion. Then, I won most of the tournaments that I played on the way to the WCT Finals [1974] In Dallas and I also left champion. After this I became No. 1 World Cup, “said Newcombe.

Just 10 days after his 30th birthday, Newcombe happened to Ilie Nastase as No. 1 of the PIF ATP Rankings. The Australian remained at the top of June 3 to July 28, 1974, when the American Jimmy Connors took the witness at the top.

With his iconic mustache and a game as hard as his image, Newcombe was a classic serve and volley player. The Australian surprised his rivals with a relentless activity on the network, imposing his right -wing volley to finish the points on the half track.

Newcombe, who played his last professional party in 1981, was the living image of the hardness of the old school. He analyzed exceptionally well to his rivals and disassembled tactically. However, not everything revolved around the strategy. Newcombe resistance also allowed him to overcome battles before anyone.

The Australian lifted 41 individual titles, including seven Grand Slam glasses, adding 468 victories in the circuit throughout his brilliant career.

It seems fair to recognize that he did well to follow his wife’s advice and postpone his withdrawal in the early 1970s for almost a year.

“It is a huge honor to have been crowned No. 1 of the world,” said Newcombe. “There are not too many people who can say it. I am a privileged.”