Tony Roche

About

Tony Roche is a renowned Australian tennis player and coach, born on May 17, 1945, in Tarcutta, New South Wales. He began playing tennis at a young age and joined the Wagga Wagga Tennis Club in 1958. Roche's career was marked by significant achievements, including winning the 1966 French Open and reaching a world ranking of No. 2 in 1969. He formed a successful doubles partnership with John Newcombe, winning numerous Grand Slam titles together. Roche transitioned into coaching after his playing career, achieving great success. He coached several world No. 1 players, including Ivan Lendl, Patrick Rafter, Lleyton Hewitt, and Roger Federer. His coaching tenure with Federer focused on improving his clay-court game. Roche has been recognized for his contributions to tennis, being inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1986 and receiving honors such as the MBE and AO. He continues to mentor junior players and remains a respected figure in Australian tennis.