1931 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.
Francis "Frank" Arthur Sedgman is an Australian former world No. 1 tennis player. Over the course of a three-decade career, Sedgman won five Grand Slam singles tournaments as an amateur as well as 22 Grand Slam doubles tournaments. He is one of only five tennis players all-time to win multiple career Grand Slams in two disciplines, alongside Margaret Court, Roy Emerson, Martina Navratilova and Serena Williams. In 1951, he and Ken McGregor won the Grand Slam in men's doubles. Sedgman turned professional in 1953, and won the Wembley World Professional Indoor singles title in 1953 and 1958. He also won the Sydney Masters tournament in 1958, and the Melbourne Professional singles title in 1959. He won the Grand Prix de Europe Professional Tour in 1959.
Coral Annabell Buttsworth was a female tennis player from Australia who won the singles title at the Australian Championships in 1931 and 1932 and the women's doubles title there in 1932. In 1933 she again made the final of the Australian Championships but was defeated in straight sets by first-seeded Joan Hartigan.
Marjorie Cox Crawford was an Australian tennis player who reached at least the singles quarterfinals at the Australian Championships seven out of the nine times she played the event. Her best result was a runner-up finish in 1931, losing to Coral McInnes Buttsworth in three sets.
Jack Crawford defeated Harry Hopman 6–4, 6–2, 2–6, 6–1 in the final to win the men's singles tennis title at the 1931 Australian Championships.
Coral Buttsworth defeated Marjorie Crawford 1–6, 6–3, 6–4, in the final to win the women's singles tennis title at the 1931 Australian Championships.
Coral Buttsworth defeated Kathleen Le Messurier 9–7, 6–4, in the final to win the women's singles tennis title at the 1932 Australian Championships.
The 1929 Australian Championships was a tennis tournament that took place on outdoor Grass courts at the Memorial Drive, Adelaide, Australia from 19 January to 28 January. It was the 22nd edition of the Australian Championships, the 4th held in Adelaide, and the first Grand Slam tournament of the year. The singles titles were won by British Colin Gregory and Australian Daphne Akhurst.
The 1930 Australian Championships was a tennis tournament that took place on outdoor Grass courts at the Kooyong Stadium in Melbourne, Australia from 18 January to 27 January. It was the 23rd edition of the Australian Championships, the 6th held in Melbourne, and the first Grand Slam tournament of the year. Australians Gar Moon and Daphne Akhurst won the singles titles.
The 1932 Australian Championships was a tennis tournament that took place on outdoor Grass courts at the Memorial Drive, Adelaide, Australia from 6 February to 13 February. It was the 25th edition of the Australian Championships, the 5th held in Adelaide, and the first Grand Slam tournament of the year. The singles titles were won by Australians Jack Crawford and Coral McInnes Buttsworth.
The 1933 Australian Championships was a tennis tournament that took place on outdoor Grass courts at the Kooyong Stadium in Melbourne, Australia from 20 January to 31 January. It was the 26th edition of the Australian Championships, the 7th held in Melbourne, and the first Grand Slam tournament of the year. Australians Jack Crawford and Joan Hartigan won the singles titles.
The 1936 Australian Championships was a tennis tournament that took place on outdoor Grass courts at the Memorial Drive, Adelaide, Australia from 18 to 27 January. It was the 29th edition of the Australian Championships, the 6th held in Adelaide, and the first Grand Slam tournament of the year. The singles titles were won by Australians Adrian Quist and Joan Hartigan.
The 1937 Australian Championships was a tennis tournament that took place on outdoor Grass courts at the White City Tennis Club, Sydney, Australia from 22 January to 1 February. It was the 30th edition of the Australian Championships, the 8th held in Sydney, and the first Grand Slam tournament of the year. The singles titles were won by Australians Vivian McGrath and Nancye Wynne.
The 1940 Australian Championships was a tennis tournament that took place on outdoor Grass courts at the White City Tennis Club, Sydney, Australia from 19 January to 29 January. It was the 33rd edition of the Australian Championships, the 9th held in Sydney, and the first Grand Slam tournament of the year. The singles titles were won by Australians Adrian Quist and Nancye Wynne.
In the fifth consecutive final appearance, Marjorie Crawford and Jack Crawford successfully defended their title for a third consecutive year by defeating Midge Van Ryn and Ellsworth Vines 3–6, 7–5, 13–11, to win the mixed doubles tennis title at the 1933 Australian Championships.
Second-seeded Coral Buttsworth and Marjorie Crawford defeated the fourth seeds Kathleen Le Messurier and Dorothy Weston 6–2, 6–2 in the final, to win the women's doubles tennis title at the 1932 Australian Championships.
Marjorie Crawford and Jack Crawford successfully defended their title by defeating Meryl O'Hara Wood and Jiro Sato 6–8, 8–6, 6–3 in the final, to win the mixed doubles tennis title at the 1932 Australian Championships.
The third seeds Charles Donohoe and Ray Dunlop defeated the defending champions Jack Crawford and Harry Hopman 8–6, 6–2, 5–7, 7–9, 6–4 in the final, to win the men's doubles tennis title at the 1931 Australian Championships.
Nell Hall and Harry Hopman were the defending champions and the second seeds, but they lost in the semifinals.
In the duel between future married couples and multiple winners Nell Hall and Harry Hopman defeated Marjorie Cox and Jack Crawford 11–9, 3–6, 6–3 in the final, to win the mixed doubles tennis title at the 1930 Australian Championships.
Jack Crawford