Vic Seixas, Davis Cup Legend, Passes Away at 100

Vic Seixas, a legendary tennis player who dedicated his career to the Davis Cup, passed away at the age of 100. From 1951 to 1957, Seixas represented the United States in the Davis Cup final, facing the formidable Australians.

In 1954, Seixas and his team achieved a historic victory in Sydney, breaking Australia's dominance. Seixas played a pivotal role, defeating Ken Rosewall in a thrilling four-set match. The Americans emerged victorious in the doubles as well, securing the Davis Cup for the first time since 1949.

Seixas' Davis Cup record stands at an impressive 38-17. Beyond the Cup, he won the Wimbledon singles title in 1953 and the U.S. Championships singles title in 1954. He also claimed 13 Grand Slam doubles titles, including five in men's doubles and eight in mixed doubles.

Born in Philadelphia in 1923, Seixas began playing tennis at the age of five. He excelled in various sports at Penn Charter, including tennis, baseball, track, squash, and basketball. Despite his love for baseball, he pursued tennis due to his superior skills.

Seixas' tennis career was interrupted by World War II, during which he served in the Army Air Corps and Air Force. After returning to college, he continued to excel in tennis, basketball, and squash.

In 1950, Seixas embarked on a global tour, reaching the quarterfinals at Roland Garros and the semifinals at Wimbledon. He supplemented his income by working in his father's store, despite being one of the top ten players in the world.

Seixas' greatest triumph came at Wimbledon in 1953, where he defeated Lew Hoad and Mervyn Rose in thrilling five-set matches. He went on to win the singles title, earning a 25-pound gift certificate as his reward.

A year later, Seixas won the U.S. Nationals singles title at the age of 31. He also won the men's doubles with Tony Trabert and the mixed doubles with Doris Hart. Seixas played in the event a record 28 times, even defeating a young Stan Smith in 1966 at the age of 42.

Outside of competition, Seixas served as the U.S. Davis Cup captain three times and held various positions in tennis administration. He was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1971.

Tags: #VicSeixas, #DavisCup, #TennisLegend, #Wimbledon, #USChampionships