Davidson, Sven

Sven Davidson
Born: July 13, 1928
Died: May 28, 2008
Hometown: Boras, Sweden
Citizenship: Sweden
Handed: Right
Inducted: 2007

Grand Slam Record

French National Championships
1955, singles finalist
1956, singles finalist
1957, singles winner

Wimbledon
1953, singles quarterfinalist
1955, singles quarterfinalist
1957, singles semifinalist
1958, doubles winner
1958, singles quarterfinalist

U.S. National Championships
1953, singles quarterfinalist
1957, singles seminfinalist

Career Results
Davis Cup – Sweden
1950-1961 – Team Member
Win-loss record: 62-23 (39-14 singles; 23-9 doubles)
Holds Sweden’s record for most doubles wins with 23

1957, Highest World Ranking of No. 3
Ranked in the World Top 10 six straight years, 1953-1958
1953 – 9
1954 – 10*
1955 – 10**
1956 – 5
1957 – 3
1958 – 10

*No. 10 Ranking 3-way tie: Sven Davidson, Enrique Morea, Ham Richardson
**No. 10 Ranking 2-way tie: Sven Davidson, Mervyn Rose

Highest Ranking
1957, Highest World Ranking of No. 3
Ranked in the World Top 10 six straight years, 1953-1958
1953 – 9
1954 – 10*
1955 – 10**
1956 – 5
1957 – 3
1958 – 10

*No. 10 Ranking 3-way tie: Sven Davidson, Enrique Morea, Ham Richardson
**No. 10 Ranking 2-way tie: Sven Davidson, Mervyn Rose

Other
1947, Sweden’s Junior Champion

First Swede to win a Grand Slam Championship (French, 1957)

Holds Sweden’s Davis Cup record for most doubles wins (23)

Elected to Sweden’s Tennis Hall of Fame in 2004

Credited with initiating ITF general meeting (in 1968) where 47 countries agreed in principle to the idea of “open” tennis.

Created the Stockholm Open, the first tournament in northern Europe with official prize money (1969); served as the tournament’s Management Committee Chairman 1969-1972)
Sven Davidson was born July 13, 1928 and became Sweden’s junior champion in 1947. He became the first Swede to win a Grand Slam championship (French Championships, 1957). Davidson was the prominent Swedish singles champion from 1950 through 1960, prior to the reign of Bjorn Borg (Hall of Famer 1987).

“Sven the Swede” was ranked in the World Top 10 as an amateur for 6 years (1953-58), earning the world No. 3 ranking in 1957.  He was a finalist three consecutive years at the French Championships, claiming that major title in 1957. He also captured the Wimbledon Doubles Championships in 1958 (with partner Ulf Schmidt).

Davidson was a member of Sweden’s Davis Cup team from 1950-61 with a win-loss record of 62-23 (39-14 in singles; 23-9 in doubles).  He still holds Sweden’s record for most Davis Cup doubles match wins.

In addition, Davidson was successful playing on the Grand Masters tournament circuit — the first professional senior tour established in the sport, inaugurated in 1973 for ex-champions over the age of 45.  In 1978, Davidson became the Wimbledon Grand Masters Singles Champion, claiming victory over Neale Fraser 6-4, 3-6, 8-6.

After his playing career, Davidson went on to cover tennis for Swedish TV (1960-64). He  created and established Stockholm Open in 1969, the first tournament in Northern Europe with official prize money.  He chaired the tournament’s Committee on Management from 1969-1972, and then was designated Chairman Emeritus.

Davidson is also credited with initiating the first general meeting of the International Tennis Federation (Paris, 1968) where the advent of “open” tennis was discussed and where 47 countries agreed in principle to the idea.

Davidson died on May 28, 2008 in Arcadia, California of pneumonia at age 79. In 2007, Davidson had been diagnosed with initial stage of Alzheimer’s disease.

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