| Donald indeed went on to win all four
tournaments in 1938 and relatively easily. He also went on to help his
country win the Davis Cup! As a result, the American journalist Allison
Danzig created the expression the "Grand Slam" in his honour as a statement
that he hadn't left anything for anybody else to win!! Donald didn't lose
one official match that season.
When Donald Budge thought of winning
these four tournaments they represented the only four countries to have
won the prestigious Davis Cup at that time. The five champions he mentioned
had all been great players in their day and had always played strongly
for their respective countries in the Davis Cup. It was at the beginning
of the last century and international travel was not widespread like it
is today. Players were only starting to compete as individuals in the national
championships of other countries through their travels to compete in the
Davis Cup. The change in venue of the Cup between American, Australia,
Great Britain and later on France, helped to see the status of these four
national tournaments grow to what they remain today… "GRAND".
Tennis historians typically cite the
origins of the Grand Slam as 1925. This was when the French championship
was "internationalised" and joined the other three championships in allowing
top foreign nationals to enter. Hence, in the strictest sense of the term
as given to it by the journalist Danzig in 1938, the Grand Slam was not
possible prior to this time since only three of the four tournaments had
been open to everybody. There were other opportunities to achieve the equivalent
but travel was prohibitive. The voyage by boat to Australia from Europe
or America took three weeks in those days. Few people undertook such adventures
unless they were either to play in the Davis Cup or confident of being
able to win the championship of those countries!
Before 1925, players who won both the
world championship on grass (i.e. Wimbledon) and on clay (at Paris until
1923) as well as going on to win the Davis Cup with their national team,
have passed into history as all time greats in much the same light as Donald
Budge. The Olympic Games of 1896 to 1924, which then included tennis, were
another occasion for players to achieve international recognition. Finally,
one should not forget the women who, just like the men, have very much
played their own part in the development of the great game of tennis.
So, if you're still interested we can
go on to tell you more of the detail to the myths and legends of :
The Grand Slam
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