Mark
Woodforde

Mark Woodforde, the southpaw side of one of the greatest doubles combinations in tennis history, known as the Woodies. Along with Todd Woodbridge, the imposing duo paired to win 61 ATP doubles titles, including 11 majors, which ranks second in history. Woodforde and Woodbridge held the record for the most doubles wins in ATP history until 2010, when it was eclipsed by Bob and Mike Bryan. They won five straight Wimbledon titles (1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997) and in a long line of great Aussie doubles combinations, were widely regarded in the best. Woodforde was a No. 1 ranked doubles player for 84 weeks, retiring in December 2000.

Overall, Woodforde won 12 major men’s doubles titles in his career (six Wimbledons, three US Opens, two Australian and one French Open) and 67 ATP titles. Eleven of those major victories were won with Woodbridge; his first major doubles title came with John McEnroe at the 1989 US Open. He added five major mixed doubles titles (two Australians and one at the other three majors). Woodforde compiled a career 647–248 record in doubles.

From 1996 to 1997, the Woodies came within one match of winning a “Woodies” Grand Slam in doubles, capturing Wimbledon (over Byron Black and Grant Connell, 4–6, 6–1, 6–3, 6–2), the US Open (over the Dutch team of Jacco Eltingh and Paul Haarhuis, 4–6, 7–6, 7–6) and the Australian Open (over Sébastien Lareau and Alex O'Brien, 4–6, 7–5, 7–5, 6–3). One win was needed to achieve that rare feat, but at the 1997 French, the Woodies were beaten by the Russian combination of Yevgeny Kafelnikov and Daniel Vacek, 7-6, 4-6, 6-3. The Woodies won two Olympic Medals, a Gold Medal at the 1996 Atlanta Games and a Silver Medal at Sydney in 2000.

Woodforde was vastly more successful in doubles than singles, but he did win four tour singles championships, the first three coming in Australia over a three-year span. He had solid efforts in the majors, his best showing coming at the 1996 Australian Open when he advanced to the semifinals. He made the fourth round of the French Open in 1997, Wimbledon’s fourth round in 1988, 1990, 1997, and the fourth round of the U.S. Open in 1987 and 1988.

As a ten-year member of the Australian Davis Cup team, he participated in three finals, helping clinch the championship in 1999 over France, the first for Australia in 13 years.

In January 2010, the Woodies were inducted to the Australian Tennis Hall of Fame, and bronzed statues were placed with other great Australian tennis players at Melbourne Park.