It used to be run of the mill for an Australian to win at Wimbledon. Even today their names evoke fond memories of players who not only played to win, but also knew how to enjoy themselves. Theirs’ is a bygone era for currently we are overrun by professionalism and a dedication to winning virtually at all costs.

Lleyton Hewitt is the latest Australian to successfully climb the Wimbledon pinnacle and surprisingly – in view of the likes of Ken Rosewall, Pat Rafter and Mark Philippoussis – he is the first Aussie to achieve that in 31 years, since John Newcombe back in 1971.

Newcombe was the last player to win The Championships as an amateur, the year before the game went ‘Open’ in 1968. He again reached the final two years later, bowing to the superiority of a rampant Rod Laver. In 1970 he regained the crown and safely defended it the following year.

He might have made it three in a row but for administrative and political wrangles on the Tour. Players who were contracted to certain circuits were banned from The Championships. Newcombe fell in that category, having signed up with WCT. As a result ‘Newk’, as he was affectionately known, was unable to defend his title in 1972.

Then came the ‘Year of the Boycott’, 1973, with Newcombe, a title favourite along with defending champion Stan Smith, opting out in support of their ATP colleagues in their fight with the ILTF; so again Newcombe missed out.

But Newk, with his famous Mexican moustache, was not just a singles player. He also collected six doubles title at The Championships, five in partnership with Tony Roche, and the other with Ken Fletcher, all part of a doubles record that he admits, he is probably more proud of than his singles – bearing in mind he also won five Australian, three US Open and three French Open doubles titles. No mean feat.

A gifted serve-and-volleyer, Newcombe had the perfect game for grass, always advancing quickly to the net where he was quick to kill off any point. He was equally devastating overhead and, when playing doubles with Roche, their combined efforts provided a wall for opponents to try to penetrate.

Newcombe also collected two US Championships, one as an amateur (1967) and the other as a professional (1973). His two Australian Open titles followed (1973 and 1975) but he never took the title in France, where his best result was a quarter-final appearance in 1969. In all he won 25 Grand Slam titles in singles, doubles and mixed, more than any other player except fellow Aussie Roy Emerson, who totalled 28.

Davis Cup also played an important part in his tennis life. As a member of four winning Australian teams (1965-67 and 1973), he played 32 matches and won 22 of them.

Late in the 1990s he became Davis Cup captain and led the team to two finals, in 1999 and 2000. The team won in 2000.

The big Aussie with a big heart retired as a player in 1978, the year he was awarded the OBE for services to tennis. His rugged style of play made him popular with spectators around the world and he can still be seen contesting the ‘senior’ events at Wimbledon.

Indeed Wimbledon – and the Davis Cup – have played important parts in Newcombe’s life. “The history of Wimbledon is what is special to me as it goes back to when the game started. It is all very special and when you look up and see your name on the roll of honour with all those great names of tennis, the feeling is very, very special. It is an event immersed in history and tradition and you English, unlike any other country, know how to preserve it.”

Newcombe believes that the surface is what makes Wimbledon special and the tournament should continue to be played on grass. “It must never change from grass because it provides players with a whole new contest for them to challenge. Tennis at the end of the day is a game and it should be played because of one’s love for the game.”