Inducted into the Australian Tennis Hall of Fame in January 1995; inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1980.
A player who was admired for his attacking play, Lew Hoad was a feared foe on the court. Pancho Gonzalez was in awe of Hoad's talent: "When Lew's game was at its peak nobody could touch him." In 1956 he came close to completing the Grand Slam, but was defeated in the United States final by countryman Ken Rosewall. He had one last crack at the Grand Slam in 1957 (winning only Wimbledon), so then decided to turn pro in 1958.
Hoad and Ken Rosewall formed a formidable reputation in Davis Cup ties, with the two 19 year-olds successfully defending the Cup in 1953 against the Americans. Between 1952 and 1956 Hoad was involved in four Davis Cup victories, all over the United States. His career was cut short in the 1960s due to a back problem.