Don Budge
First tennis player to win all four Grand Slams in one year.
John Donald Budge (June 13, 1915 – January 26, 2000) was an American tennis player. His greatest claim to fame is being the first tennis player, regardless of gender, to sweep all four Grand Slam tournaments in a single calendar year, achieving what is known as the Grand Slam. He also became the second man, following Fred Perry, to secure a career Grand Slam. Over his career, Budge won ten major titles: six were Grand Slam events (taken consecutively, a record for men), and four were Pro Slams, won on three different surfaces. His backhand is widely regarded as one of the finest in tennis history, with most experts rating it superior to that of later player Ken Rosewall.
Budge holds a unique distinction as the only man to win the Triple Crown—taking singles, men's doubles, and mixed doubles at the same tournament—on three separate occasions: at Wimbledon in 1937 and 1938, and at the U.S. Championships in 1938. He is also the only man to accomplish this feat twice in a single year. He was ranked world No. 1 amateur in 1937 and 1938, and world No. 1 professional in 1939, 1940, and 1942.
Born in Oakland, California, Budge was the son of Scottish immigrant John "Jack" Budge, a former footballer who played reserve matches for Rangers before moving to the U.S., and Pearl Kincaid Budge. He grew up playing various sports but took up tennis at 13, encouraged by his older brother Lloyd, who played for the University of California team. He also had an older sister. With red hair, a tall, slim build, and a height that contributed to what is still considered one of the most powerful serves ever, Budge briefly attended the University of California, Berkeley in late 1933 before leaving to play for the U.S. Davis Cup auxiliary team.
Accustomed to hard courts in California, Budge initially struggled on eastern grass courts. In 1932, he reached the West Canada championships semi-finals, losing in five sets to Henry Prusoff. The next year, he won the Del Monte championships over Wallace Bates in straight sets, then took the California State championship by beating John Murio. Observers noted his calm, strategic play and called him a natural champion. He also won the Colorado championships over Jack Tidball in five sets.
In 1934, Budge retained his California State title by defeating Bud Chandler in five sets, relying on a baseline game while Chandler attacked the net. The
- born
- June 13, 1915
- died
- January 26, 2000
- field
- Tennis
- nationality
- American
- known_for
- First player to win the Grand Slam in one year; only man to achieve the Triple Crown three times
Lore & Background
Budge was born in Oakland, California, the son of a Scottish immigrant and former footballer. He took up tennis at age 13 at the urging of his elder brother, Lloyd, who played for the University of California team. Budge studied at the University of California, Berkeley, in late 1933 but left to play tennis with the U.S. Davis Cup auxiliary team. He was red-headed, tall and slim, and his height contributed to what is considered one of the most powerful serves of all time.
Budge won ten majors: six Grand Slam events (consecutively, a men's record) and four Pro Slams on three different surfaces. He is considered to have had one of the best backhands in tennis history, with most observers rating it better than that of later player Ken Rosewall. He was world Number 1 amateur in 1937 and 1938 and world Number 1 professional in 1939, 1940 and 1942.
In 1938, Budge defeated John Bromwich in the Australian final, Roderick Menzel in the French final, Henry 'Bunny' Austin at Wimbledon (without losing a set), and Gene Mako in the U.S. Championships final to become the first person to win the Grand Slam. He completed the career Grand Slam on June 11, 1938, two days before his 23rd birthday, a record that stood until 2026.
Reader's Guide
Don Budge's significance lies in his historic achievement of winning all four major championships in a single calendar year, a feat no tennis player had accomplished before. His 1938 Grand Slam set a benchmark for excellence and remains a rare milestone in the sport. Budge also dominated as a professional, winning four Pro Slams on three surfaces and being ranked world No. 1 professional in multiple years. His backhand is widely regarded as one of the finest in tennis history. Budge's legacy includes being the only man to achieve the Triple Crown (winning singles, men's doubles, and mixed doubles at the same tournament) on three separate occasions, and the only man to do so twice in one year. His Davis Cup victory against Gottfried von Cramm in 1937, where he came back from 1–4 in the final set to win 8–6, is remembered as a pivotal moment that helped the U.S. win the Cup for the first time in 12 years. Budge was named Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year and received the James E. Sullivan Award as America's top amateur athlete.
Did You Know?
- Budge was the first tennis player—male or female—to win all four Grand Slam tournaments in one year.
- He is the only man to achieve the Triple Crown (singles, men's doubles, mixed doubles) at the same tournament three times.
- Budge's height contributed to what is considered one of the most powerful serves of all time.
- He was the youngest man to complete the career Grand Slam until Carlos Alcaraz in 2026.
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