The Open Era
Australia · Queensland · twice Australian boys' champion at Kooyong
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2
Australian boys' singles titles, 1976 and 1977
1
Australian boys' doubles title, December 1977
2
Best world junior ranking
288
Best senior singles ranking, December 1976
Ray Kelly, a Queenslander, won the Australian boys' singles on the grass at Kooyong in the 1976 championships and again in December 1977, the second of the two Australian Opens held that year, when he also took the boys' doubles with Geoffrey Thams. He was ranked as high as No. 2 in the world junior rankings. On the professional tour, which he played until 1981, he reached a best singles ranking of No. 288 in December 1976, reached the second round of Wimbledon qualifying in 1976 and 1978, and played in the Wimbledon doubles main draw in 1978 and 1979. His last recorded tour matches came on grass at Brisbane in 1981. He later coached, and was coach of the Hong Kong Davis Cup team from 2008 to 2010.
| Major singles titles | 2: Australian (1976, 1977) |
|---|---|
| Major doubles titles | 1: Australian (1977) |
| Australian junior titles | Boys' singles in the 1976 championships (26 December 1975 to 4 January 1976), beating Jay Dilouie 6-2, 6-4, and again in December 1977; boys' doubles in December 1977 with Geoffrey Thams, all at Kooyong |
| Wimbledon doubles | First round 1978 with Graeme Thomson, losing to the 12th seeds Colin Dowdeswell and Chris Kachel 6-2, 8-9, 6-1, 6-2. First round 1979 as a qualifier with Wayne Hampson, losing to John Newcombe and Owen Davidson 6-4, 6-0, 6-7, 6-4 |
| Wimbledon singles | Second qualifying round 1976 and 1978 |
| Australian grass tour events | Brisbane 1981: beat Greg Whitecross 6-7, 7-5, 6-2, then lost to Syd Ball 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 |
The person behind the player.
Kooyong, December 1977
A change of dates meant the Australian Open was played twice in 1977, in January and again from 19 to 31 December. Brad Drewett won the January boys' singles. Kelly took the December title, his second, and added the boys' doubles with Geoffrey Thams in the same fortnight.
Source: WikipediaWimbledon 1979
A year after a first-round loss with Graeme Thomson, Kelly came through qualifying for the men's doubles with Wayne Hampson and drew John Newcombe and Owen Davidson in the first round. The two Australian qualifiers took the third set 7-6 before losing 6-4, 6-0, 6-7, 6-4.
Source: WikipediaBrisbane 1981
His final recorded tour event was the grass-court tournament in Brisbane in October 1981. He came from a set down to beat Greg Whitecross 6-7, 7-5, 6-2, then pushed Syd Ball to a third set before losing 6-4, 4-6, 6-2.
Source: TennisMyLifeHong Kong 2010
Three decades after his junior titles, Kelly was coaching Hong Kong's Davis Cup team. In its preview of a tie against Sri Lanka in July 2010, the South China Morning Post recorded the coach's verdict in one line: "Hong Kong coach Ray Kelly also gave the team the thumbs up."
Source: South China Morning PostFree membership: player news, the grass court Atlas, the rankings and the grass season calendar.
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