Dick Savitt
An American tennis champion who, in a single stunning year, captured both Wimbledon and the Australian Open, then stepped away at his peak.
1927–2023 (age 96)·American tennis player·Birthday: March 4·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Dick Savitt’s narrative in tennis is compact and brilliant, a supernova that burned intensely before he chose to walk away. A natural athlete from New Jersey, he didn’t focus solely on tennis until his late teens, but his powerful serve-and-volley game developed with startling speed. In 1951, he authored one of the most dominant single seasons in the sport’s history. Seemingly out of nowhere, the tall, forceful player stormed to victory at Wimbledon, defeating Ken McGregor in straight sets. Months earlier, he had already claimed the Australian Championships. He was the first Jewish man to win Wimbledon and briefly stood as world number two. Yet, at just 25 and at the height of his powers, Savitt left the amateur circuit, later citing a mix of politics, personal ambition, and a desire to build a life beyond the baseline. He remained connected to the game as a businessman and occasional Davis Cup advisor, but his legacy is forever that of a champion who defined his own terms of engagement.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Dick was born in 1927, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Dick Was Born
The biggest hits of 1927
#1 Movie
Wings
Dick's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1927Born
Lindbergh flies solo across the Atlantic; The Jazz Singer premieres
President: Calvin Coolidge"My Blue Heaven" — Gene Austin
1932Started school
Amelia Earhart flies solo across the Atlantic
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Night and Day" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Grand Hotel
1940Became a teenager
The Blitz: Germany bombs London
Gas: $0.18/galHome: $2,938Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I'll Never Smile Again" — Tommy DorseyBest Picture: Rebecca
1943Could drive
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1945Could vote
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1948Turned 21
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1957Turned 30
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1967Turned 40
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1977Turned 50
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1987Turned 60
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 70
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 80
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2023Died at 96
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
Key Achievements
- Won the Wimbledon gentlemen's singles title in 1951, defeating Ken McGregor in the final.
- Captured the Australian Championships men's singles title in the same dominant 1951 season.
- Was ranked the World No. 2 amateur player in 1951 by Lance Tingay of The Daily Telegraph.
Did You Know?
He was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1976.
Before focusing on tennis, he was a standout basketball player at Cornell University.
He served as a non-playing captain of the United States Davis Cup team in the 1960s.
“I hit the ball hard and went to the net; that was always the plan.”
