Robert Fahey

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Robert Fahey
Full nameRobert Leo Fahey
Country (sports) Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia
Residence Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom
Born (1968-04-30) 30 April 1968 (age 56)
Turned pro1987
PlaysRight-handed
Club Oratory School, Woodcote, Berkshire
World Championships
Open SinglesW (1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2018)
Open DoublesW (2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013)
Singles
Career titles50
Highest ranking1
Current ranking4
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open W (1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018)
British Open W (1995, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2018)
French Open W (1993, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2015)
US Open W (2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008)
Doubles
Career titles40
Highest ranking1
Current ranking4
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open W (1992, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2008,2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2016, 2018)
French Open W (2006, 2009, 2010, 2015)
British Open W (1995, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2018, 2021)
US Open W (1990, 1992, 1993, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2018)


Robert Leo Fahey MBE OAM (born 30 April 1968, in Hobart, Tasmania), nicknamed "Bag", is an Australian real tennis player and the former World Champion of the sport, holding the title from 16 March 1994 to 21 May 2016 and again from 28 April 2018 to September 2022. Fahey retired from competitive Real Tennis following his loss to Camden Riviere in the 2022 World Championship.

Contents

Career

On 27 April 2006, at the Oratory Tennis Club in Woodcote, South Oxfordshire, he matched the great Pierre Etchebaster's feat of seven consecutive defenses of the real tennis singles World Championship. The defence was against Tim Chisholm in the latter's third consecutive challenge. In May 2008 he again successfully defended his title, thus breaking Etchebaster's record, against Camden Riviere on the historic court at Fontainebleau Palace, France, winning 7 sets to 5 (6/1 3/6 5/6 6/4, 6/2 6/3 5/6 6/0, 6/1 2/6 1/6 6/5). In May 2010 he retained his title for a record ninth time, defeating Steve Virgona 7 sets to 2. [1] In April 2012 he retained his title for the 10th consecutive time, again defeating Steve Virgona 7 sets to 3 (6/5 3/6 6/1 6/3 6/4 6/3 3/6 5/6 6/2 6/3). [2] He successfully defended his title in May 2014, at the Royal Melbourne Tennis Club, for the eleventh time, defeating Camden Riviere seven sets to three.

Fahey was finally defeated in the 2016 Real Tennis World Championship, by Camden Riviere by 7 sets to 2, at the National Tennis Club in Newport, Rhode Island (Riviere's home court).

Fahey regained the World Championship singles title on 28 April 2018, defeating Camden Riviere by 7 sets to 5, at The Queen's Club, London.

In 2000 and 2001 he won back-to-back Grand Slams, and a third in 2008. In 2003 (Hobart), partnered with Steve Virgona, he won the World Doubles Championship; the pair successfully defended the title in 2005 (Fontainebleau), 2007 (Boston), 2009 (Seacourt - Hayling Island) and 2011 (RMTC - Melbourne).

A portrait of Fahey by Rupert Alexander was shortlisted for the BP Portrait Award 2012. [3]

Fahey was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2017 British New Year Honours for services to sport. [4]

In the 2019 Australian Queen's Birthday Honours List Fahey was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to Real Tennis. [5]

Singles titles

Source: [6]

Personal life

He is married to fellow real tennis player Claire Fahey [7] and they have two children. [8]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Real tennis</span> Racquet sport played in a walled court.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pierre Etchebaster</span> French real tennis player

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Oratory School</span> Public school in Woodcote, Oxfordshire, England

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The 2016 Real Tennis World Championship was a real tennis tournament held at the National Tennis Club in Newport, Rhode Island. 12-time world champion Rob Fahey lost the championship for the first time since 1994 to challenger Camden Riviere by a score of 7–2.

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John Colin Lumley is a British professional real tennis player currently ranked at number 2 in the world. He unsuccessfully challenged Camden Riviere for the 2023 Real Tennis World Championship at Westwood Country Club in Vienna, Virginia. He currently works as the assistant professional at the Racquet Club of Philadelphia.

Nick Howell is a professional real tennis player based at the Aiken Tennis Club in Aiken, South Carolina. Howell currently ranked number 3 in the world in both singles and doubles and won the French Open in 2023. Howell has challenged for the Real Tennis World Championship on two occasions, playing in the First Round Eliminator in 2020 and the Final Eliminator in 2023.

The 2023 Real Tennis World Championship was a real tennis tournament held at the International Tennis Club of Washington in McLean, Virginia in September 2023. Reigning champion Camden Riviere was challenged by first-time challenger John Lumley. Riviere won his third World Championship title, and his first successful defense, defeating Lumley 7 sets to 3.

The 2023 French Open also known as the 2023 Open de France du Jeu de Paume was the 41st edition of the real tennis French Open. The event was held at the Société Sportive du Jeu de Paume & de Racquets in Paris between September 24 and October 1, 2023, and was organised by the Comité Français de Courte-Paume, forming part of the qualifying series for the 2025 Real Tennis World Championship. The event was held days after the 2023 Real Tennis World Championship meaning that world top 2 Camden Riviere and John Lumley were not in attendance. The men's draw was the third grand slam event of the year.

Chris Chapman is an Australian professional real tennis player formerly ranked world number 3 and currently based at the Royal Melbourne Tennis Club. Chapman challenged for the Real Tennis World Championship on three occasions, reaching the Final Eliminator in 2020. Over his career, he won three Open singles titles, two at the Australian Open and one at the French Open. He also holds three four Open doubles titles. In 2023 during the British Open he announced his retirement from international competitions, although he still competes in Australian competitions.

Bryn Sayers is a British professional real tennis player currently ranked at number seven in the world. He unsuccessfully challenged for the Real Tennis World Championship on four occasions, reaching the Final Eliminator in 2014 against Camden Riviere. He holds two singles Open titles, having won both in 2012. He works as the senior professional at the Queen's Club in London.

References

  1. ↑ Richard Allen. "A Great Champion". Archived from the original on 11 September 2010. Retrieved 19 May 2010.
  2. ↑ "Rob Fahey wins his 11th World Championship Title". Archived from the original on 24 July 2012. Retrieved 25 June 2012.
  3. ↑ "BP Portrait Award 2012". National Portrait Gallery.
  4. ↑ "No. 61803". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 2016. p. N18.
  5. ↑ Tasmanians awarded a 2019 Queen's Birthday Honour: Full List. Retrieved 10 June 2019.
  6. ↑ "Historical Results". IRTPA. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  7. ↑ "Claire Fahey". www.irtpa.com. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  8. ↑ Ledwith, Mario (20 August 2022). "Couple's long reign in favourite royal sport". The Times. ISSN   0140-0460 . Retrieved 5 November 2022.


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