Farewell to the Chief: Olmedo passes

Peruvian-born Alex Olmedo, who won Wimbledon and the Australian Championships in 1959, becoming the first Latin American man to win a Grand Slam singles title has died died aged 84.

Olmedo passed on December 9, of brain cancer, his son Alex Jr said.

Known as “Cacique” or “Chief” because of his Inca heritage, Olmedo, an amateur, was a classy right-hander in the late 1950s, winning big tournaments and considered the top amateur in the USA at the time, ranked at No. 2 in the world.

Olmedo grew up playing at a local club in Arequipa, Peru, the son of the local club groundskeeper. Local supporters raised $700 to send him to the US in 1954 via a boat to Havana, Cuba, a plane to Miami and bus to Los Angeles. At the time he spoke no English.

He won his first Grand Slam singles championship in 1959, beating Neale Fraser in Australia, then defeating a 20-year-old Rod Laver in straight sets at Wimbledon months later.

He passed away three days after another US Hall of Famer, California tennis star, Dennis Ralston died.

Peter Rowe

Recent Posts

Nadal goes down in final match

Rafael Nadal lined up for what was to be the final match of his career…

2 days ago

Sinner flattens de Minaur in runaway home start

Jannik Sinner took charge in front of his home crowd on Sunday, crushing ATP Finals…

2 weeks ago

Madcap Medvedev suffers temperamental Turin Finals loss

Daniil Medvedev went into meltdown mode on Sunday during a highly charged 6-4, 6-3 loss, with opponent…

2 weeks ago

Team Sinner considering skipping Monte Carlo

Jannik Sinner could well be missing from the opening European clay event of next season…

2 weeks ago

Davis Cup Final to mark Nadal goodbye to tennis

Rafael Nadal will bring down the curtain on his career next month as he plays his…

1 month ago

Wimbledon lowers the boom on human linecalling

Wimbledon on Wednesday brought an end to human linecalling at the most traditional of the…

1 month ago