The Open Era

John Lloyd

Great Britain · born Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, 1954 · twice Wimbledon mixed doubles champion · 1977 Australian Open finalist

John Lloyd
Bert Verhoeff / Anefo, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

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2

Wimbledon mixed doubles titles with Wendy Turnbull, 1983 and 1984

3

Wimbledon mixed finals in a row, 1982 to 1984

1977

Australian Open final at Kooyong, the first by a British man since 1938

23

Career-high singles ranking, 1978

1

Singles title, on grass at Merion in 1974

Playing career

Lloyd was born at Leigh-on-Sea in Essex in 1954, the middle of three brothers who all became professionals; in 1977 John, David and Tony Lloyd all played the Wimbledon singles. He turned professional in 1973 and won his only singles title in 1974, on the grass of Merion, Pennsylvania.

In December 1977 at Kooyong he became the first British man since Bunny Austin in 1938 to reach a Grand Slam singles final, and came back from two sets down before losing to Vitas Gerulaitis in five. He reached No. 23 in 1978, the year he played in Britain's Davis Cup final against the United States, and the quarter-finals of the US Open in 1984 and the Australian Open in 1985. He played Davis Cup from 1974 to 1986.

His titles came in mixed doubles with Wendy Turnbull: the French Open in 1982 and Wimbledon in 1983 and 1984. He was married to Chris Evert from 1979 to 1987, captained Britain in the Davis Cup from 2006 to 2010, and has long worked as a commentator for the BBC.

On grass

Wimbledon mixed finals1982: lost with Turnbull to Kevin Curren and Anne Smith 2-6, 6-3, 7-5. 1983: beat Steve Denton and Billie Jean King 6-7 (5-7), 7-6 (7-5), 7-5. 1984: as top seeds beat Denton and Kathy Jordan 6-3, 6-3
Shortest semi-finalIn 1982 he and Turnbull beat Cliff Johnstone and Paul Whytcross 6-4, 6-0 in 52 minutes, the shortest mixed doubles semi-final on the Wimbledon record
Australian Open, December 1977Beat John Newcombe 3-6, 6-3, 7-5, 7-5 and Bob Giltinan 6-4, 6-2, 6-0, then lost the final to Vitas Gerulaitis 6-3, 7-6, 5-7, 3-6, 6-2
Merion, 1974Won the Pennsylvania grass court title, beating John Whitlinger 6-0, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 in the final
Wimbledon singlesNever passed the third round in 14 attempts; in 1975 he played the defending champion Jimmy Connors in the traditional opening match on Centre Court

Every grass title: 3

Show every title, tournament by tournament
Wimbledon
1983 Mixed doubles with Wendy Turnbull
1984 Mixed doubles with Wendy Turnbull
Pennsylvania Grass Court Championships (Merion)
1974 Men's singles

Leading grass titles only: the grass majors, tour-level grass events since 1968 and the leading grass championships before 1968. † single source; ‡ sources disagree. Roll of champions

"I loved it, we used to spend Christmas here and then you were ready to play on 26 December."

Lloyd in 2010, recalling the Australian grass court summer of the 1970s, quoted by Tennis Majors

Anecdotes

The person behind the player.

Kooyong 1977

Christmas in Melbourne

The December 1977 Australian Open was held between Christmas and New Year at Kooyong. Lloyd, ranked 49th, had spent the month on the Australian circuit and reached the final without meeting a seed, then took the top seed Vitas Gerulaitis to five sets on New Year's Eve.

Source: Tennis Majors, "December 30, 1977"

Commentary box

More mustard

On BBC commentary Lloyd is known for describing shots in the language of the kitchen: a weak shot is undercooked or needs more mustard, an overhit one is overcooked or has too much juice.

Source: John Lloyd (tennis), Wikipedia

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Page updated 4 November 2026. Spotted an error? Send a correction.

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