Brad Drewett
A tennis prodigy turned transformative administrator who guided the sport's global tour with a steady hand before a tragic early death.
1958–2013 (age 55)·Australian tennis player·Birthday: July 19·Baby Boomers
Biography
Brad Drewett's life in tennis had two distinct, impactful acts. The first was as a wunderkind from Australia, a left-handed serve-and-volleyer who, at just 17, stormed to the quarterfinals of the 1975 Australian Open, signaling a brilliant future. His playing career, solid but hampered by injuries, saw him win singles titles and reach a top-40 ranking. The second act, however, cemented his legacy. Moving into administration, he became a respected and pragmatic leader on the ATP Tour. As President from 2012, he was instrumental in securing a historic increase in prize money for players at Grand Slam tournaments, addressing long-standing grievances. His tenure was tragically cut short when he was diagnosed with motor neuron disease (ALS). He led the organization with public courage until his death in 2013, leaving a legacy of fairness and decisive growth for the professional game.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Brad was born in 1958, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Brad Was Born
The biggest hits of 1958
#1 Movie
South Pacific
Best Picture
Gigi
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Brad's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1958Born
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1963Started school
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1971Became a teenager
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1974Could drive
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1976Could vote
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1979Turned 21
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1988Turned 30
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1998Turned 40
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2008Turned 50
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2013Died at 55
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
Key Achievements
- As ATP Executive Chairman and President, he negotiated a major increase in Grand Slam prize money for players.
- Reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open in 1975 as a 17-year-old qualifier, a stunning debut.
- Won four ATP Tour singles titles during his playing career, peaking at World No. 34.
Did You Know?
He was the youngest Australian Open junior champion since Ken Rosewall and John Newcombe.
He captained the Australian Davis Cup team.
The ATP's 'Brad Drewett Award' for outstanding service to the sport is named in his honor.
“I was a lefty who loved to serve and volley, a game of touch and nerve.”
