Australian tennis legend Neale Fraser was honored with a state funeral Wednesday, with Roger Federer leading tributes to “a true legend.”
Fraser, a former world No. 1 and 19-time Grand Slam champion during the amateur era, died at 91 earlier this month.
Former Australian tennis stars Lleyton Hewitt, Todd Woodbridge, and John Fitzgerald were among those who gathered at Melbourne’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral to pay their respects.
Fitzgerald read a letter from Swiss legend Federer to Fraser’s widow, Thea, local media reported.
“I’m deeply saddened to hear of Neale’s passing… he was a true legend,” Federer wrote. “I always enjoyed his company when we met around the world.”
Fraser won three major singles titles, including a memorable Wimbledon final in 1960 when he beat Rod Laver, and 16 Grand Slam doubles titles.
Speaking soon after his death, Laver called Fraser “my dear mate” and “a true gem in a golden era of Australian tennis legends.”
In 1959, Fraser won all three U.S. titles – singles, doubles, and mixed – at Forest Hills and led Australia to glory in the Davis Cup, a competition he became synonymous with.
He captained the team for 24 years, steering them to four tournament wins, often saying: “I could never think of anything better than representing your country.”