Robert 'Bob' Mark (28 November 1937 – 21 July 2006) was an amateur tennis player from Australia.
Mark won the Australian Men's Doubles title in 1959, 1960 and 1961 partnering Rod Laver. With Sandra Reynolds, he won the 1960 Australian Mixed Doubles, and in 1961, he teamed with compatriot Margaret Smith to win the U.S. National Championships Mixed Doubles.
At the 1959 Australian Championships, Mark beat Andrés Gimeno in four sets in the quarter finals. According to The Sydney Morning Herald, "Mark hit some wonderful passing shots, particularly off the forehand side. Frequently he ran around Gimeno's second service and clubbed it down the sideline for a winner". He lost to Neale Fraser in the semi finals. At the US Championships in 1960, Mark beat third seed Barry MacKay in five sets (having completed the fifth set of his previous round win earlier the same day). The big serving MacKay served many double faults, but Mark served well and his backhand was in form. He lost in the quarter finals to Dennis Ralston. In 1960 Mark won the Kent Championships at Beckenham beating Butch Buchholz in the final. In 1962, he won the singles title at the South African Championships after a four-set victory in the final against Gordon Forbes.
Grand slam finals
Doubles (3 titles, 4 runner-ups)
ResultYearChampionship SurfacePartnerOpponentsScoreLoss 1958 Australian Championships Grass Roy Emerson Ashley Cooper Neale Fraser 5–7, 8–6, 6–3, 3–6, 5–7Win 1959 Australian Championships Grass Rod Laver Don Candy Bob Howe 9–7, 6–4, 6–2Loss 1959 Wimbledon Grass Rod Laver Roy Emerson Neale Fraser 6–8, 3–6, 16–14, 7–9Win 1960 Australian Championships Grass Rod Laver Roy Emerson Neale Fraser 1–6, 6–2, 6–4, 6–4Loss 1960 US Championships Grass Rod Laver Roy Emerson Neale Fraser 7–9, 2–6, 4–6Win 1961 Australian Championships Grass Rod Laver Roy Emerson Martin Mulligan 6–3, 7–5, 3–6, 9–11, 6–2Loss 1961 French Championships Clay Bob Howe Roy Emerson Rod Laver 6–3, 1–6, 4–6
Mixed Doubles: (2 titles, 1 runner-ups) ResultYearChampionship SurfacePartnerOpponentsScoreWin 1959 Australian Championships Grass Sandra Reynolds Renée Schuurman Rod Laver 4–6, 13–11, 6–1Loss 1959 U.S. Championships Grass Janet Hopps Margaret Osborne Neale Fraser 5–7, 15–13, 2–6Win 1961 U.S. Championships Grass Margaret Smith Darlene Hard Dennis Ralston default
References
External links
Biography of Bob Mark