The 17-year-old Brit glanced at his opponent before unleashing a fast and accurate service. His Russian rival, Yaroslav Demin, could not control his return and the ball landed long, beyond the baseline. Henry Searle, from Wolverhampton, had become the Wimbledon boys' singles champion of 2023. It had been 61 years since a British teenager had claimed the title. The winner in July 1962 was Stanley Matthews Jr, son of one of the country's greatest-ever footballers.
Sir Stanley himself had been well aware of both the advantages and pitfalls of his son having to live in the shadow of football's "Maestro": "There is no doubt my reputation put some pressure on him. I knew it worried him a bit, being in my shadow. I hoped he might overcome it." When the famous footballer went to watch his son at tournaments, he wore dark glasses to avoid being recognised.
In fact, Stanley Jr's first love had been football but he got clobbered by other lads because of his name and soon turned to tennis. However, even in a different sport he was constantly being unfairly compared with the sporting prowess of his famous father.
But Stanley Sr encouraged his son's tennis ambitions right from the start. The family had their own tennis court in the garden of their home. Stanley Jr was later to call his dad a good club player, thanks to his general fitness level. Jean, his sister, was also a promising junior tennis player. At the age of 17 she had won the doubles title at her local club and was runner-up in the singles tournament. For his part, Stanley Jr, who was 10 at the time, won the under-15 and under-18 singles titles at the same tournament.
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Denne historien er fra July 2024-utgaven av Best of British.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Forties Post – Plastic Fantastic – Andrew Wilson shines the spotlight on a pioneering plastic surgeon
A hero in many people's books and even a war hero to others - John was recognised in his lifetime by his contemporaries, his patients and in letters that made their way into the local newspaper, the Staffordshire Sentinel. Over time that gradually fell away, to the point where, if asked, few people would ever have heard of John Grocott - apart from his former patients, for whom the universal question appears to have been: "How do you say thank you to someone who has made my life worth living?"
POSTCARD FROM HERTFORDSHIRE
Bob Barton makes plenty of connections to the film world as he returns to the county of his birth but still finds time for a vintage bus ride
Still Walking the Streets of London
Peter Robertson chats to Ralph McTell 50 years after his classic single became a hit
The Tears of a Clown
Chris Hallam remembers Bob Grant, a troubled star of On the Buses
David Wilkie
Peter Robertson pays tribute to one of Britain's most successful athletes
A Century of Smiles, Ceremonies and Celebrations
Claire Saul visits a new exhibition at Buckingham Palace's King's Gallery that reveals life on both sides of the lens of royal photography
A HARD DAY NIGHT
Greg Morse celebrates the 60th anniversary of the Beatles' first film
Terrific Tucktonia
Susan Brewer remembers the UK mainland's first theme park
A Chip Off the Old Block
Colin Allan looks back on the tennis career of Stanley Matthews Jr
The Bucolic Frolic
Martin Claytor celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Knebworth Festival
