Editing Lew Hoad (section)

===Amateur career: 1950–1957===

;1950
Hoad lost to [[Dick Savitt]] in four sets in round one of the New South Wales State championships in November.  In his match report, [[Adrian Quist]] said, "Hoad played well, and held a lead of 4-2 in the third set after winning the second. At present he makes too many errors. He will have to learn good control from the ground before his game will reach great heights."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/123928721/ |title=Larsen well below form |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=18 November 1950 |page=10 |via=Newspapers.com }}</ref> Hoad reached the semi-finals of County of Cumberland championships in Sydney in December, losing to [[Bill Sidwell]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/123941630/ |title=Tennis County of Cumberland Championships |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=29 December 1950 |page=6 |via=Newspapers.com }}</ref> "It was apparent from the start of play that Sidwell did not intend to take the youngster lightly. He served with pressure and followed the majority of his returns to the net. The first set was very evenly contested. Had Hoad not fallen into easy errors he may well have won the opening set. The experience of Sidwell, however, prevailed during the important exchanges", said Adrian Quist.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/123941641/ |title=Sidwell was determined |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=29 December 1950 |page=8 |via=Newspapers.com }}</ref>

;1951
Hoad's first [[Grand Slam (tennis)|Grand Slam]] tournament appearance was at the [[1951 Australian Championships]] held in January at the White City Tennis Club in Sydney. He won his first match against [[Ron McKenzie (tennis)|Ronald McKenzie]] in straight sets but lost in the following round to defending champion and countryman [[Frank Sedgman]].<ref name=ausopen>{{cite web|title=Australian Open players results archive – Lew Hoad|url=http://www.ausopen.com/en_AU/event_guide/history/players/10641.html|publisher=Tennis Australia}}</ref> It was the only Grand Slam tournament he played that year.
Hoad won his first men's singles title, the Brisbane Exhibition tournament at Milton, on grass, on 11 August 1951, defeating Rosewall in the final in four sets.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article230225748 |title=Hoad beats Rosewall |work=The Sun |date=11 August 1951 |page=6 |via=Trove }}</ref> In September, Hoad won New South Wales hardcourt championships beating George Worthington in the final.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/126110336/ |title=Hoad takes tennis final |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=11 September 1951 |page=10 |via=Newspapers.com }}</ref>

;1952
In 1952, Hoad reached the third round of the [[1951 Australian Championships|Australian Championships]] in Adelaide. In April, he was selected by the [[Tennis Australia|Australasian Lawn Tennis Association]] as member of the team to play in overseas tournaments.{{sfnp|Davidson|1970|p=109}} In May, before departing to Europe, he won the singles title at the [[Australian Hard Court Championships|Australian Hardcourt Championships]] on clay after a five-set win in the final against Rosewall.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18505117 |title=Hoad Narrowly Beats Rosewall. |work=The Sunday Herald  |date=4 May 1952 |page=5 Section: Sports Section |via=Trove}}</ref> Hoad, who had never played a tournament on European red clay courts, received a walkover in the first round of the [[1952 French Championships (tennis)|French Championships]] and lost in straight sets to sixth-seeded and 1947 and 1951 finalist [[Eric Sturgess]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article133183387 |title=3 Australians Beaten In Paris Tennis. |work=Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate |date=23 May 1952 |page=4 |via=Trove}}</ref>{{sfnp|Davidson|1970|p=109}} In only their second appearance as a doubles team at a Grand Slam event, Hoad and Rosewall reached the French semifinal.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article96514734 |title=French Cheer Hoad, Rosewall After Brilliant Win. |work=The Northern Star |date=31 May 1952 |page=5 |via=Trove}}</ref> Hoad lost in the quarterfinal of the Belgian championships in Brussels in early June, where he was defeated by [[Budge Patty]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47417467 |title=Rosewall, Hoad Beaten In Belgian Tennis. |work=The Advertiser  |date=7 June 1952 |page=4 |via=Trove}}</ref>
Hoad's first entry at the [[grass court]] [[Queen's Club Championship]] in June 1952 ended in the quarterfinal against eventual champion Frank Sedgman.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article23184880 |title=Australian final likely in tennis. |work=The Argus  |date=21 June 1952 |page=12 |via=Trove}}</ref> A week later, he played his first match at the [[Wimbledon Championships]] defeating [[Beppe Merlo]] in a nervous and unimpressive five-set encounter.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article23191788 |title=Italian star fights back, but — Hoad lazes way to singles win. |work=The Argus  |date=25 June 1952 |page=20 |via=Trove}}</ref>{{sfnp|Davidson|1970|pp=109, 110}} Wins against [[Rolando Del Bello]] and [[Alfred Huber (tennis)|Freddie Huber]] were followed by a fourth round loss against second-seeded and eventual finalist [[Jaroslav Drobný]].{{sfnp|Davidson|1970|p=110}} Hoad and Rosewall caused an upset when they defeated second-seeded [[Gardnar Mulloy]] and [[Dick Savitt]] in the third round of the doubles event, but lost in the semifinal against [[Vic Seixas]] and Eric Sturgess.{{sfnp|Davidson|1970|pp=110, 111}}<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article96517702 |title=Shock defeat by Hoad and Rosewall of top American doubles pair. |work=The Northern Star |date=30 June 1952 |page=5 |via=Trove}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article57105860 |title=Rosewalll. Hoad make history. |work=The Morning Bulletin  |date=30 June 1952 |page=7 |via=Trove}}</ref>

After a semifinal result at the Swedish championships in July, and an exhibition between Australia and West Germany, Hoad and the Australian team traveled to the United States under the guidance of coach [[Harry Hopman]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article27099128 |title=Rose Narrowly Beats Hoad. |work=The Mercury  |date=14 July 1952 |page=17 |via=Trove}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article61212655 |title=DAVIS CUP MEN REACH N. YORK. |work=The Barrier Miner |date=30 July 1952 |page=12 |via=Trove}}</ref> As a preparation for his first [[1952 U.S. National Championships (tennis)|U.S. Championships]] he played the Meadow Club Invitational (Southampton), [[Eastern Grass Court Championships]] (South Orange), and Newport Invitational before teaming up with Rosewall to reach the semifinal of the U.S. National Doubles Championships in [[Brookline, Massachusetts]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article27103199 |title=Hoad out in first round. |work=The Mercury  |date=6 August 1952 |page=24 |via=Trove}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article122034249 |title=Rose beaten by Seixas. |work=The Queensland Times  |date=16 August 1952 |page=3|edition=Daily|via=Trove}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article50519546 |title=3 Australians in tennis final. |work=The Courier-Mail  |date=25 August 1952 |page=7 |via=Trove}}</ref> Hoad was the eighth seeded foreign player at the U.S. Championships.{{efn|name=seeding|The U.S. Championships used separate seeding lists for U.S. and foreign players between 1927, the first year seeding were used, and 1956.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18280890 |title=Sedgman Hits At Split Seeds. |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=9 September 1952 |page=8 |via=Trove}}</ref>}}<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article61215739 |title=Tennis seedings. |work=The Barrier Miner |date=28 August 1952 |page=2 |via=Trove}}</ref> He won four matches to reach his first Grand Slam quarterfinal but due in part to making 64 errors could not overcome Sedgman who would win the tournament without losing a set.{{sfnp|Davidson|1970|p=111}}<ref name=talbert>{{cite book|last=Talbert|first=Bill|title=Tennis Observed|year=1967|publisher=Barre Publishers |page=127|oclc=172306}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article61216825 |title=Rosewall, Hoad eliminated in U.S. title games. |work=The Barrier Miner |date=6 September 1952 |page=2 |via=Trove}}</ref> With [[Thelma Coyne Long]] he reached the final of the mixed doubles event, the first Grand Slam final of his career, but they lost in straight sets to [[Doris Hart]] and Frank Sedgman.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article138571108 |title=Sedgman and Doris Hart win mixed doubles. |work=Cootamundra Herald |date=9 September 1952 |page=1 |via=Trove}}</ref> An early loss at the [[Pacific Southwest Championships]] in September concluded his first overseas tour.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2864262 |title=Hoad beaten in Pacific Championships. |work=The Canberra Times |date=16 September 1952 |page=6 |via=Trove}}</ref> In September, he was jointly ranked No. 10 in the world for 1952 with Rosewall by [[Lance Tingay]] of ''The Daily Telegraph''.<ref name=collins>{{cite book|last=Collins|first=Bud|title=The Bud Collins History of Tennis|year=2010|publisher=New Chapter Press |isbn=978-0942257700|pages=715–718, 754|edition=2nd}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article194579346 |title=Australians head tennis rankings |work=Daily Examiner |date=17 September 1952 |page=5 |via=Trove}}</ref>

;1953
[[File:Lew Hoad 1953.jpg|thumb|upright=1.15|Hoad in 1953]]
Hoad started 1953 poorly in the singles with a second-round exit against [[Clive Wilderspin]] at the [[1953 Australian Championships|Australian Championships]] in Melbourne after playing an uncharacteristic baseline game.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18504560 |title=Hoad Defeated By Unseeded W. Australian. |work=The Sunday Herald  |date=11 January 1953 |page=1 |via=Trove}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18353380 |title=Instructions beat Hoad. |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=12 January 1953 |page=7 |via=Trove}}</ref> He was more successful in doubles where he and Rosewall became the youngest team to win the [[List of Australian Open men's doubles champions|Australian doubles]] title after a victory in the final against [[Mervyn Rose]] and [[Don Candy]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article27130798 |title=Rosewall, Hoad take doubles title |work=The Mercury |date=17 January 1953 |page=23 |via=Trove}}</ref> In March, Hoad defended his singles title at the Australian Hardcourt Championships, defeating Rosewall in a five set semifinal in which he survived six matchpoints, and 34-year-old [[John Bromwich]] in the final.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18502363 |title=Hoad Proves Too Strong For Bromwich In Final. |work=The Sunday Herald  |date=15 March 1953 |page=6 Section: Sports Section |via=Trove}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article42766939 |title=Brilliant tennis by Lewis Hoad. |work=The Cairns Post |date=14 March 1953 |page=5 |via=Trove}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article118400435 |title=Hoad Saved Six Match Points |work=The Queensland Times  |date=13 March 1953 |page=3|edition=Daily|via=Trove}}</ref> Two weeks later, Hoad lost the final of the N.S.W. Hardcourt Championships against Mervyn Rose.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article134822729 |title=Rose in first major win. |work=Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate |date=24 March 1953 |page=10 |via=Trove}}</ref>

Hoad's second overseas tour started in late April, and after an exhibition in Cairo at the Gezira Sporting Club, he reached the final at [[Italian Open (tennis)|Italian Championships]] in Rome losing to Drobný in straight sets but won the doubles title with Rosewall.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article132607463 |title=Austn. tennis stars to play in Cair. |work=The Dubbo Liberal and Macquarie Advocate |date=30 April 1953 |page=3 |via=Trove}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18510292 |title=Australians Should Do Well On Tennis Tour. |work=The Sunday Herald  |date=26 April 1953 |page=11 Section: Sporting Section |via=Trove}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article27170292 |title=Hoad trounced by Drobny in singles. |work=The Mercury  |date=13 May 1953 |page=28 |via=Trove}}</ref> At the [[1953 French Championships (tennis)|French Championships]] in May, Hoad was seeded fourth and made it to the quarterfinals in which he lost to [[Vic Seixas]] due to overhitting and an unreliable serve.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article75736356 |title=Tennis World:. |work=The Mirror  |date=16 May 1953 |page=20 |via=Trove}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article27167095 |title=Hoad overwhelmed by Seixas in three sets. |work=The Mercury  |date=28 May 1953 |page=28 |via=Trove}}</ref> Hoad and Rosewall won the doubles title with a three-set win in the final against countrymen Rose and Wilderspin.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18369304 |title=Rosewall And Hoad Win Doubles Title In Three Easy Sets. |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=1 June 1953 |page=7 |via=Trove}}</ref> In June, Hoad's attacking serve-and-volley game proved too good for Wimbledon favorite Rosewall in the final of the Queen's Club Championship and he won the tournament without losing a set.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article69477450 |title=Hoad is too good for Rosewall. |work=The Advocate  |date=22 June 1953 |page=10 |via=Trove}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article145491522 |title=Another Hoad-Rosewall duel. |work=Daily Advertiser  |date=22 June 1953 |page=4 |via=Trove}}</ref> At Wimbledon, Hoad was seeded sixth, and as at the French, Vic Seixas defeated him in the quarterfinal, this time in a close five-set match that ended on a Hoad double fault.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article69476681 |title=Rosewall seeded Wimbledon No. 1. |work=The Advocate  |date=17 June 1953 |page=20 |via=Trove}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article69478690 |title=Hoad, Rosewall lose singles matches. |work=The Advocate  |date=30 June 1953 |page=16 |via=Trove}}</ref> In an all-Australian doubles final Hoad and Rosewall defeated Hartwig and Rose.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article61084374 |title=Rosewall and Hoad Win Doubles. |work=The Examiner |date=6 July 1953 |page=19 |via=Trove}}</ref> Hoad lost to [[Enrique Morea]] in the final of the Dutch Championships in mid July.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article134208544 |title=Morea beats Lew Hoad|work=The News |date=13 July 1953 |page=19 |via=Trove}}</ref> He won his first title on U.S. soil in [[South Orange]] at the [[Eastern Grass Court Championships]] in mid August, defeating compatriot [[Rex Hartwig]] in the final.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article48260977 |title=Hoad Stops Hartwig's Winning Run. |work=The Advertiser |date=11 August 1953 |page=13 |via=Trove}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article134208044 |title=Hoad Trounces Hartwig |work=News |volume=61 |issue=9360 |date=10 August 1953 |access-date=15 October 2016 |page=20 |via=Trove}}</ref> In the semifinal against Rosewall, he pulled a back muscle.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18385537 |title=Hoad injures muscle in back. |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=11 August 1953 |page=10 |via=Trove}}</ref> Hoad and Rosewall's hopes of winning the doubles Grand Slam, two years after fellow Australians [[Ken McGregor]] and Frank Sedgman had first achieved that feat, were dashed when they lost surprisingly in the third round of the U.S. Doubles Championships.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article100389509 |title=Hoad And Rosewall Down To U.S. Pair. |work=Goulburn Evening Post  |date=21 August 1953 |page=3|edition=Daily and Evening |via=Trove}}</ref> At the [[1953 U.S. National Championships (tennis)|U.S. Championships]]<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article27165702 |title=Australians top U.S. seedings. |work=The Mercury  |date=27 August 1953 |page=24 |via=Trove}}</ref> Hoad (second foreign seed) won four matches to reach the semifinal where for the third time in 1953 he lost in a Grand Slam event to Vic Seixas.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article130777857 |title=Rosewall, Hoad failL. |work=The News  |date=7 September 1953 |page=1 |via=Trove}}</ref> Following his defeat, and that of Rosewall in the other semifinal, there was criticism in the press that both 18-year-old players were physically and mentally worn out due to the intensive schedule imposed by coach Harry Hopman.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18383562 |title=Strong attack on Hopman. |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=9 September 1953 |page=10 |via=Trove}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article48921437 |title='Hopman Ruined Players' Morale'|work=The Advertiser  |date=11 September 1953 |page=3 |via=Trove}}</ref> In September, Seixas again beat Hoad, this time in the semifinal of the Pacific Southwest Championships in Los Angeles.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article48933520 |title=Rosewall Beats Trabert|work=The Advertiser  |date=21 September 1953 |page=3 |via=Trove}}</ref>

Hoad was rested a few weeks upon his return to Australia and then won the Queensland Championships in early November in a 41-minute final against Hartwig.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article131248258 |title=Win to Hoad in straight sets. |work=The News  |date=7 November 1953 |page=7 |via=Trove}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article23319376 |title=Hoad invincible in smashing singles victory. |work=The Argus  |date=9 November 1953 |page=17 |via=Trove}}</ref> Two weeks later, Hoad won the N.S.W. Championships after four-set victories over Tony Trabert in the semi-final and over Rosewall in the final in front of a 10,000 Sydney crowd but had trouble with a sore right elbow.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article58877927 |title=Hoad, 18, youngest player to win NSW singles title. |work=The Mail  |date=21 November 1953 |page=4 Section: SPORTS SECTION |via=Trove}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18397547 |title=Heat treatments for Hoad's elbow. |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=23 November 1953 |page=8 |via=Trove}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18397369 |title=Hoad Has Sore Elbow. |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=21 November 1953 |page=1 |via=Trove}}</ref> In early December at the Victorian Championships he defeated Rosewall in the final.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article58876086 |title=Hoad beats Rosewall; both in great form. |work=The Mail |date=5 December 1953 |page=42 |via=Trove}}</ref> The much anticipated [[1953 Davis Cup|Davis Cup]] challenge round match against the challenging team from the United States took place at the Melbourne [[Kooyong Stadium]] in late December. Surprisingly Hartwig was selected to partner Hoad in the doubles instead of Rosewall, a decision widely criticized in the press.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article223423316 |title=Australia's Cup doubles pairing roasted overseas |work=Lithgow Mercury |date=30 December 1953 |page=1 |via=Trove}}</ref>

In the opening singles matches, Hoad defeated Seixas, his nemesis that season, in straight sets, while Trabert defeated Rosewall, also in straight sets. Hoad and Hartwig lost the doubles match against Seixas and Trabert and Australia trailed 1–2 at the start of the final day.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article132597738 |title=Selectors should resign says Davis Cup critic. |work=The Dubbo Liberal and Macquarie Advocate  |date=30 December 1953 |page=1 |via=Trove}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article100391794 |title=Tennis Critics Hit at "Boner". |work=Goulburn Evening Post |date=30 December 1953 |page=3|edition=Daily and Evening |via=Trove}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2913849 |title=The Cup selectors' "Mistake". |work=The Canberra Times |date=30 December 1953 |page=2 |via=Trove}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18402731 |title="Biggest tragedy of tennis". |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=30 December 1953 |page=1 |via=Trove}}</ref> Hoad is remembered for his match as a 19-year-old amateur against the United States champion [[Tony Trabert]]. In front of a 17,000 crowd, he defeated Trabert in five sets to help his country retain the Cup.{{efn|name=rosewall|Ken Rosewall won the deciding rubber, played on the next day due to rain, against Vic Seixas in four sets.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article131241965 |title=Rosewall's great battle. |work=The News  |date=31 December 1953 |page=16 |via=Trove}}</ref>}}<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47584376 |title="Best Tennis I Have Ever Seen". |work=The Advertiser  |date=31 December 1953 |page=3 |via=Trove}}</ref>{{sfnp|Davidson|1970|pp=102–104, 113-114}} It was seen as one of the best Davis Cup matches in history.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article23305909 |title='Topped all games'. |work=The Argus  |date=31 December 1953 |page=13 |via=Trove}}</ref>{{sfnp|Davidson|1970|p=105}} Directly following the final, Hoad received his call-up papers for [[Conscription in Australia#National Service in the 1950s|National Service]].{{sfnp|Davidson|1970|p=114}}

Hoad was ranked world No. 5 amateur for 1953 by Lance Tingay in his September rankings.{{efn|name=tingay|The annual Tingay September amateur rankings from 1952–1967 were also published in USLTA/USTA official encyclopedias,<ref>Official Encyclopedia of Tennis, United States Lawn Tennis Association (1972)</ref> Bud Collins' tennis encyclopedia in the 1985 and later editions, the Italian annual Almanacco illustrato del tennis and other publications.<ref>The Guinness Book of Tennis Facts and Feats, Lance Tingay (1983)</ref>}}<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article69489881 |title=Trabert is No. 1 tennis player |work=The Advocate |date=16 September 1953 |page=16 |via=Trove}}</ref><ref name=collins/> At the end of the year, Hoad was ranked world No. 1 amateur for the complete season of 1953 by Harry Hopman,<ref>{{cite news|date=15 January 1954|title=HOAD JUST HEADS TRABERT|page=13|newspaper=[[The Herald (Melbourne)]]|issue=23,912|location=Victoria, Australia|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article245148632|via=National Library of Australia|access-date=25 November 2021}}</ref> by Noel Brown<ref name=":brownrevised1953">{{cite magazine |date=March 1954 |title=Revised World Rankings |url=https://archive.org/details/sim_tennis-illustrated_1954-03_1_10/page/12/ |magazine=World Tennis |location=New York |publisher= |volume=1 |issue=10 |page=12 |access-date=}}</ref> and by the editors of ''Tennis de France'', published by [[Philippe Chatrier]].<ref>{{cite magazine|editor1=Philippe Chatrier|title=Annual rankings|magazine=Tennis de France|date=February 1954|issue=10|pages=3–5}}</ref><ref>The Tennis de France rankings for 1953 were determined by Philippe Chatrier and his editorial team, results  as follows 1) Hoad 2) Trabert 3) Rosewall 4) Seixas 5) Drobny 6) Patty 7) Rose 8) Larsen 9) Nielsen 10) Davidson</ref> Tingay stated in September 1954 that Hoad in 1953 had  "played so well during the Australian season that his status as best in the world was axiomatic." He added that for the 1954 season, "His form since has been almost disastrous. Hoad's decline has been a mystery."<ref>{{cite web|title=The News (Adelaide), 14 September 1954|work=News |date=14 September 1954 |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/130986277|via=Trove}}</ref> Hoad was the youngest tennis player ever at 19 years 38 days to achieve world No. 1 rankings, a record which still stands.{{citation needed|date=February 2024}}

;1954
[[File:Ken Rosewall Lew Hoad 1954 Davis Cup.jpeg|thumb|Ken Rosewall (left) and Hoad at the [[1954 Davis Cup]] challenge-round match against the US at [[White City Stadium|White City]], Sydney]]
In January, Hoad played just one tournament before entering his National Service training. At the [[South Australian Championships]] in Adelaide he reached the final but sub-par play led to a straight-sets defeat to Trabert.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article58094803 |title=Hoad far below best; volleying poor, backhand wilted. |work=The Mail  |date=9 January 1954 |page=7 Section: Sports section |via=Trove}}</ref> On 13 January, Hoad joined the 13th National Service Training battalion in [[Ingleburn, New South Wales|Ingleburn]] for a period of 98 days and commented that "It will be a welcome break from tennis".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article69882269 |title=Lew Hoad in camp. |work=The Advocate  |date=14 January 1954 |page=7 |via=Trove}}</ref> As a consequence, Hoad was unable to participate in the [[1954 Australian Championships|Australian Championships]]. At the end of February, Hoad received a leave from service to play for the Australian team at Kooyong stadium in the third Test match against South Africa in front of the [[Queen Elizabeth II|Queen]] and the [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh|Duke of Edinburgh]]. He won a singles match against [[Abe Segal]], won a doubles match with Rosewall and lost a mixed-doubles match with his girlfriend [[Jenny Staley]].<ref>At 32:40 point in the official film. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_EXTWvPDeQ&t=2056s</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article26593422 |title=Africa leads in Test. |work=The Argus  |date=27 February 1954 |page=48 |via=Trove}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article26593556 |title=Africa shocks Aussie stars in tennis Test. |work=The Argus  |date=28 February 1954 |page=21 |via=Trove}}</ref> When Hoad returned to service, he was bitten by a spider while on maneuvers which caused him to become ill and hospitalized him for ten days.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article130870595 |title=Hoad's stay in hospital extended. |work=[[The News (Adelaide)|The News]]  |date=5 March 1954 |page=3 |via=Trove}}</ref> He spent two days in coma which was not made public.{{sfnp|Hoad|Pollard|2002|p=22}}

While he was in service, Hoad devised a weight-lifting exercise, doing push-ups with round 50 lb. weights placed on his back, which Hoad later believed probably initiated his back trouble. Hoad left the National Service at the end of April and his third overseas tour with an Australian team started on 5 May.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article96266821 |title=Australians Leave For Tour. |work=[[The Examiner (Tasmania)|The Examiner]]  |date=6 May 1954 |page=28 |via=Trove}}</ref> For the first time in his career, Hoad was the top-seeded player at a Grand Slam tournament at the [[1954 French Championships (tennis)|French Championships]] but he lost in the fourth round to 40-year-old [[Gardnar Mulloy]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article96390951 |title=Hoad Seeded No. 1 in France. |work=[[The Northern Star]] |date=17 May 1954 |page=3 |via=Trove}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article84598242 |title=Hoad out of French tournament |work=[[The Singleton Argus]] |date=24 May 1954 |page=1 |via=Trove}}</ref> Hoad lost the doubles final with Rosewall to Seixas and Trabert in 56 minutes. Partnering [[Maureen Connolly]], who had won the women's singles title, Hoad won the mixed-doubles final against [[Jacqueline Patorni]] and [[Rex Hartwig]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article131395496 |title=Australians eclipsed. |work=[[The News (Adelaide)|The News]]  |date=31 May 1954 |page=28 |via=Trove}}</ref> In June, Hoad overcame countryman Rose in the final of the Queen's Club Championship to successfully defend his title.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article59690815 |title=Hoad's second successive Queen's Club singles win. |work=[[The Sunday Times (Western Australia)|Sunday Times]]  |date=20 June 1954 |page=8|edition=Country edition, Section: Sporting Section|via=Trove}}</ref> Hoad was seeded second behind Trabert at [[1954 Wimbledon Championships|Wimbledon Championships]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article69976463 |title=Trabert seeded No. 1 for Wimbledon: Hoad second. |work=[[The Advocate (Tasmania)|The Advocate]]  |date=16 June 1954 |page=20 |via=Trove}}</ref> In the fourth round, Hoad avenged his loss to Mulloy at the French Championships, defeating him in four sets.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article48106135 |title=Hood Avenges Defeat In French Championship. |work=The Advertiser  |date=28 June 1954 |page=8 |via=Trove}}</ref> In the quarterfinal the powerful service and excellent returns of Drobný proved too much for Hoad and he was beaten in straight sets within an hour.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article69978489 |title=Rosewall only Australian not beaten at Wimbledon. |work=The Advocate  |date=29 June 1954 |page=16 |via=Trove}}</ref> Hoad and Rosewall were unable to defend their Wimbledon doubles title after losing in five sets in the semifinal to Seixas and Trabert.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article69853286 |title=U.S. pair beats Hoad-Rosewall |work=The Advocate  |date=2 July 1954 |page=20 |via=Trove}}</ref> A surprise loss to [[Roger Becker]] in the semifinal at the Midlands Counties Championships in Birmingham was followed in mid-July by winning the singles title at the [[Swiss Open (tennis)|Swiss Championships]] in Gstaad.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article134755237 |title=Hoad beaten in UK tennis. |work=The News  |date=10 July 1954 |page=11 |via=Trove}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article27215021 |title=Hoad too strong for Fraser. |work=The Mercury  |date=20 July 1954 |page=23 |via=Trove}}</ref> As in the previous year, Hoad met Rosewall in the [[Eastern Grass Court Championships]] in August, this time in the final, and again the titleholder was victorious, overpowering Rosewall to win the singles title in three straight sets.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article134654652 |title=Eastern Title Win To L. Hoad. |work=Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate |date=10 August 1954 |page=10 |via=Trove}}</ref> At [[Newport, Rhode Island|Newport]] in mid August, Hoad was beaten by 17-year-old compatriot [[Roy Emerson]] who won the deciding set 8–6.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article103499346 |title=Hoad Down To Junior. |work=Goulburn Evening Post  |date=13 August 1954 |page=3|edition=Daily and Evening |via=Trove}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18430366 |title=Emerson's Victory Is Praised. |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=14 August 1954 |page=11 |via=Trove}}</ref> For the third time in 1954, Seixas and Trabert defeated Hoad and Rosewall at a Grand Slam doubles event, winning the U.S. Doubles Championships in Brookline.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article131253523 |title=Seixas and Trabert win U.S. doubles. |work=[[The News (Adelaide)|The News]]  |date=23 August 1954 |page=28 |via=Trove}}</ref>
[[File:Lew Hoad 1954 Kooyong.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.9|Hoad at [[Kooyong Stadium|Kooyong]] in 1954]] 
Hoad, no. 1 foreign seed at the [[1954 U.S. National Championships (tennis)|U.S. Championships]], lost to [[Ham Richardson]] in a five-set quarterfinal.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article130985870 |title=Hoad downed in five sets by Richardson. |work=The News  |date=4 September 1954 |page=6 |via=Trove}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article81665161 |title=Trabert, Hoad Classed No. 1. |work=The Northern Miner  |date=26 August 1954 |page=1 |via=Trove}}</ref> His lackluster form continued when he was defeated by unseeded [[Luis Ayala (tennis)|Luis Ayala]] in the quarterfinal of the Pacific Southwest Championships in mid-September.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article134087011 |title=Hoad, Rosewall Lose In Singles. |work=Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate |date=20 September 1954 |page=8 |via=Trove}}</ref> After returning to Australia at the end of September, Hoad scheduled extra practice to work on his serve and volley but subsequently lost to [[Don Candy]] in the semifinal of the Sydney Metropolitan Championships.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article131212231 |title=Hoad keen to regain form. |work=The News  |date=2 October 1954 |page=3 |via=Trove}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18446419 |title=Hoad lethargic in semi-final defeat. |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=14 October 1954 |page=12 |via=Trove}}</ref> In early November, matters briefly improved. In the final of the Queensland Championships in Brisbane, he overcame a sunstroke and the loss of sets three and four by 0–6 to defeat Hartwig in five sets.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article50613583 |title=Hoad takes title. |work=The Courier-Mail  |date=8 November 1954 |page=7 |via=Trove}}</ref> In mid-November, he was upset by veteran [[John Bromwich]] who better exploited the windy conditions in the quarterfinal of the N.S.W. Championships.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article50622279 |title=Hoad's form worst for year. |work=The Courier-Mail  |date=17 November 1954 |page=15 |via=Trove}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article50610467 |title=Hopman: not worried over Hoad's defeat. |work=The Courier-Mail  |date=18 November 1954 |page=13 |via=Trove}}</ref> At the Victorian Championships, the last significant tournament before the Davis Cup Challenge Round, Hoad was defeated in straight sets in the semifinal by Seixas. As in the previous match against [[Sven Davidson]] he showed such poor form and at times an apparent lack of interest that he was jeered by the crowd and several left after he smashed a ball into the stands.{{sfnp|Hoad|Pollard|2002|pp=26, 27}}<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18453564 |title=Quist's advice on Hoad: "Must leave him alone". |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=2 December 1954 |page=13 |via=Trove}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article23453632 |title='No solution at present,' says Hopman. |work=The Argus  |date=3 December 1954 |page=32 |via=Trove}}</ref>

The [[1954 Davis Cup]] Challenge Round was played on 27–29 December on the grass courts at the [[White City Stadium (Sydney)|White City Stadium]] in Sydney between title holders Australia and the United States. Hoad lost the first rubber to Trabert, in front of a record crowd of 25,000, in a high-quality four-set match.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article0 |title=[No heading]. |work=The News |date=27 December 1954 |page=1 |via=Trove |access-date=12 June 2014 |archive-date=11 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200311001016/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/0 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{dead link|date=May 2020}}</ref> Rosewall also lost his singles match and the United States won back the cup after Seixas and Trabert defeated Hoad and Rosewall in four sets in the doubles rubber.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18443930 |title=U.S. wins back Davis Cup after lapse of 4 years. |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=29 December 1954 |page=1 |via=Trove}}</ref>

In a season review article in the ''Dunlop Lawn Tennis Annual & Almanack'' editor and former tennis player [[Pat Hughes (tennis)|G.P. Hughes]] mentioned that "Hoad in particular had a bad year".<ref name="almanack1955">{{cite book|title=Dunlop Lawn Tennis Annual and Almanack 1955|date=1955|publisher=Ed. J. Burrow & Co. Ltd. |page=10|editor=[[Pat Hughes (tennis)|G.P. Hughes]]}}</ref> In a 1956 interview, Hoad admitted that especially in 1954 he often got fed-up with tennis and didn't care whether he played or not.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article41851758 |title=The Hoads go on living in cases. |work=The Australian Women's Weekly | date=11 July 1956 |access-date=9 July 2014 |page=12 |via=Trove}}</ref> In September, Hoad's world ranking had slipped to No. 7 in Tingay's ranking. Tingay, Chatrier and other writers ranked Hoad world No. 5 in a collaborative ranking.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article130986277 |title=Writer lists his 10 best: Hoad seventh. |work=The News  |date=14 September 1954 |page=36 |via=Trove}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article130983653 |title=Hopman surveys tennis tour. |work=The News  |date=27 September 1954 |page=24 |via=Trove}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article50609509 |title=Hoad was never in best form. |work=The Courier-Mail  |date=29 September 1954 |page=12 |via=Trove}}</ref>{{efn|name=ranking|An alternative ranking compiled by an international team of tennis writers placed Hoad as No. 5.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article69867758 |title=Trabert and Connolly head tennis ranking. |work=The Advocate  |date=30 November 1954 |page=19 |via=Trove}}</ref>}} However, Hoad was ranked world No. 4 in Ned Potter's rankings for 1954 in ''World Tennis'', which was a higher ranking than Potter had given Hoad in 1953 at No. 5.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Potter|first=Edward C.|date=February 1955|title=The World's First Ten|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_tennis-illustrated_1955-02_2_9/page/n13/mode/2up|magazine=World Tennis|location=New York|publisher=|volume=2|issue=2|page=10|access-date=}}</ref>

;1955
Hoad was unable to play the South Australian tennis championship in early January due to a torn ligament.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article42851270 |title=Lewis Hoad not to play. |work=The Cairns Post |date=31 December 1954 |page=1 |via=Trove}}</ref> To some surprise he entered the mixed doubles event at the [[1955 Australian Championships]] with his girlfriend [[Jenny Staley]] and the pair finished as runner-ups to [[Thelma Coyne Long]] and [[George Worthington (tennis)|George Worthington]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article71688321 |title=Lew and Jenny cause a stir. |work=The Argus  |date=7 January 1955 |page=1 |via=Trove}}</ref> In the singles event, he reached his first Grand Slam tournament final after solid wins over Seixas (quarterfinal) and Hartwig (semifinal). In the final Rosewall's accuracy and control were too strong for him and he lost in three straight sets.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article75434956 |title=Rosewall Beats Hoad In Australian Tennis Final. |work=The Central Queensland Herald |date=3 February 1955 |page=12 |via=Trove}}</ref> Hoad did not participate in the [[1955 French Championships (tennis)|French Championships]] as the Davis Cup team that he was part of only left for Europe at the end of May during the Championships.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article91199733 |title=Davis Cup squad leaves for U.K. |work=The Canberra Times |date=31 May 1955 |page=1 |via=Trove}}</ref> In the singles final of the Queen's Club Championship in mid-June Hoad, who was married earlier that day, lost his service seven times and lost to Rosewall in two straight sets but won the doubles event with Hartwig.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article91201060 |title=Rosewall Wins Pre-Wimbledon Singles Title. |work=The Canberra Times |date=20 June 1955 |page=5 |via=Trove}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article71889118 |title=2-day honeymoon-then tennis. |work=The Argus  |date=20 June 1955 |page=5 |via=Trove}}</ref> Hoad was the fourth-seeded player at the [[1955 Wimbledon Championships|Wimbledon Championships]] at the end of June. In his quarterfinal match against seventh-seeded [[Budge Patty]], his game lacked accuracy and he conceded a break in each set resulting in a loss in straight sets.<ref>{{cite news|title=Budge Patty Upsets Hoad|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=OfpXAAAAIBAJ&sjid=svYDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6406%2C3529679|work=Spokane Daily Chronicle|date=27 June 1955}}</ref>

Having lost the Davis Cup in 1954, Australia had to play through the [[1955 Davis Cup]] preliminary rounds to challenge holders United States. In July, Australia defeated Mexico, Brazil and Canada to win the Americas Zone and subsequently beat Japan and Italy in the Inter-zone matches in August.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article71674083 |title=U.S. morale slumps as Hoad hits form. |work=The Argus  |date=17 August 1955 |page=24 |via=Trove}}</ref> In the Challenge Round at the West Side Tennis Club, Forest Hills from 26 to 28 August, Hoad defeated the French and Wimbledon champion Trabert in four sets in his first singles rubber and with Hartwig won the doubles match to reclaim the Davis Cup for Australia. These were the first ever tennis matches televised in colour, on the first national colour broadcast by NBC television.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article91207884 |title=Second Singles Wins Sweep Australia To Five-nil Triumph. |work=The Canberra Times |date=30 August 1955 |page=8 |via=Trove}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|author1=Alfred Wright|title=Lew Hoad's big serve carried the load|magazine=Sports Illustrated|date=5 September 1955|volume=3|issue=10|url=https://www.si.com/vault/1955/09/05/666998/lew-hoads-big-serve-carried-the-load}}</ref><ref>Lew Freedman, "The 100 Most Important Sporting Events in American History". Santa Barbara, California: Greenwood, 2015, p. 28</ref>

Hoad was no. 2 foreign seed at the [[1955 U.S. National Championships (tennis)|U.S. Championships]] held from 2 to 11 September, immediately after the Davis Cup Challenge Round, on the muddy courts of Forest Hills. In the quarterfinal, he lost his service three times in succession in the third set and suffered a straight-sets defeat in 50 minutes against Trabert, the first-seeded U.S. player, and eventual champion.<ref>{{cite book|editor1-last=Hughes|editor1-first=G.P.|title=Dunlop Lawn Tennis Annual and Almanack 1956|date=1956|publisher=Dunlop Sports Co. Ltd. |page=185|oclc=877780619}}</ref>  In his first significant tournament after the U.S. Championships, Hoad won the New South Wales Championships in November after a win in the final against Rosewall.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article71781303 |title='Killer' Hoad fights for pro. offer. |work=The Argus  |date=21 November 1955 |page=18 |via=Trove}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article71784888 |title=Rose must beat Lew for a career. |work=The Argus  |date=8 December 1955 |page=24 |via=Trove}}</ref> In December, he won the singles title at the Victorian Championships after a tough five-sets final win over 19-year old [[Ashley Cooper (tennis)|Ashley Cooper]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article71785669 |title=Cooper heads for top of tennis. |work=The Argus |date=12 December 1955 |page=22 |via=Trove}}</ref>

In September 1955, he was ranked No. 3 in the world according to Tingay,<ref name=collins/> and was ranked world No. 3 for 1955 by Ned Potter in ''World Tennis''.<ref>Potter, Edward C. (November 1955). "The World's First Ten of 1955". World Tennis. Vol. 3 no. 6. New York. p. 44.</ref>

;1956
[[File:Hoad Rosewall Wimbledon.jpg|thumb|Hoad (left) and Rosewall playing doubles at the Wimbledon Championships in the mid-fifties]]
Hoad started the year with a five-set defeat in the final of the South Australian Championships against countryman [[Neale Fraser]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article138116102 |title=Fraser Beats Hoad For S.A. Singles Title. |work=The Canberra Times |date=3 January 1956 |page=3 |via=Trove}}</ref> At the following Manly tournament, the crowd overflowed the stands during the final hindering Rosewall's "baseline defensive game" more than Hoad's attacking style, resulting in a straight-sets win for Hoad in 35 minutes.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article72529273 |title=Crowd hinders title tennis. |work=The Argus  |date=9 January 1956 |page=15 |via=Trove}}</ref> At the [[1956 Australian Championships|Australian Championships]] in Brisbane, Hoad overcame a two sets to one deficit against [[Mervyn Rose]] in the quarterfinal and beat Neale Fraser in the semifinal to reach his second consecutive Australian final, where he overcame titleholder Rosewall in four sets to win his first Grand Slam singles title.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article138118099 |title=Australian title to Lew Hoad. |work=The Canberra Times |date=31 January 1956 |page=5 |via=Trove}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article72533139 |title=A few faces were red as.. Tired Lew takes first big title. |work=The Argus  |date=31 January 1956 |page=16 |via=Trove}}</ref> He won the doubles title with Rosewall against Don Candy and Mervyn Rose. At the beginning of March, Hoad and his wife left for an overseas private tour (a tour sanctioned but not organised by the Australian tennis federation).<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article79260823 |title=Hoads' tennis tour approved. |work=The Central Queensland Herald |date=23 February 1956 |page=19 |via=Trove}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article75863577 |title=Australian ace on "Pot-Hunting" tour. |work=The Mirror  |date=28 April 1956 |page=14 |via=Trove}}</ref> First stop of the tour was Cairo where Hoad won the singles title at the Egyptian Championships against [[Sven Davidson]] followed by a tournament win in Alexandria over [[Fred Kovaleski]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article79261724 |title=Egyptian Tennis Championships. |work=The Central Queensland Herald  |date=15 March 1956 |page=29 |via=Trove}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article71794205 |title=Lew to play in final. |work=The Argus  |date=26 March 1956 |page=17 |via=Trove}}</ref> At Monte Carlo in late March, he was surprisingly beaten by [[Tony Vincent (tennis)|Tony Vincent]] in the quarterfinal.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article79262527 |title=Vincent beats Hoad. |work=The Central Queensland Herald  |date=5 April 1956 |page=18 |via=Trove}}</ref> In the Australian ranking published in April, reflecting the season until the end of March, Hoad overtook Rosewall as No. 1.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article138122648 |title=Hoad Heads Rankings. |work=The Canberra Times |date=17 April 1956 |page=8 |via=Trove}}</ref> Singles titles at the Lebanese Championships and at the Connaught Club in Essex followed in April but the month ended with a semifinal loss to [[Ham Richardson]] at the [[British Hard Court Championships]] in Bournemouth.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article71796881 |title=Hoad tokes two titles. |work=The Argus  |date=11 April 1956 |page=26 |via=Trove}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article79263324 |title=Hoad In Three Title Wins. |work=The Central Queensland Herald  |date=26 April 1956 |page=18 |via=Trove}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article75863630 |title=Lew Hoad beaten. |work=The Mirror  |date=28 April 1956 |page=16 |via=Trove}}</ref>

Hoad won his first [[Italian Open (tennis)|Italian Championships]] on red clay at the [[Foro Italico]] in Rome in early May when he outplayed [[Sven Davidson]] in straight sets.<ref>{{cite news|title=Aussie Lew Whips Sven|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=p8gxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=HeMFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4254%2C1928494|work=Ottawa Citizen|date=9 May 1956}}</ref> At the [[1956 French Championships (tennis)|French Championships]] at Roland Garros, Hoad survived a five-set scare against [[Robert Abdesselam]] in the third round before winning the final against Sven Davidson in straight sets to claim his second consecutive Grand Slam singles title.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article71803802 |title=Hoad and Cooper win. |work=The Argus  |date=19 May 1956 |page=33 |via=Trove}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article79264549 |title=Hoad takes French title. |work=The Central Queensland Herald  |date=31 May 1956 |page=18 |via=Trove}}</ref> Unknown to the public, Hoad had stayed up the night previous to the final, invited by a Russian diplomat, and was drunk when he came home. An intensive workout by [[Rod Laver]] got him into a state that allowed him to play the final.{{sfnp|Hoad|Pollard|2002|p=47}} Following the win in Paris, Hoad stated his intention to remain amateur after 1956, "Even if I win the three big tournaments,<ref>Star News (UPI), 4 September 1951.  "Savitt was seeking the third grand slam in tennis annals, for the Australian, Wimbledon and United States titles had been won previously only by Fred Perry in 1934 and Don Budge in 1938". https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=pGlgAAAAIBAJ&sjid=N3INAAAAIBAJ&dq=grand%20slam%20tennis&pg=822%2C345156</ref> even if Kramer raised his offer, I still wouldn't turn pro for at least two or three seasons."<ref>World Tennis, July 1956</ref> In May, Hoad won the International Golden Ball tournament in [[Wiesbaden]], West Germany after a straight-sets victory in the final over [[Art Larsen]] but at the [[Barcelona Open (tennis)|Trofeo Conde de Godó]] in Barcelona, he lost in the quarterfinal to [[Robert Howe (tennis)|Bob Howe]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Hoad beats Larsen to win Wiesbaden tennis tourney|url=http://www.stripes.com/news/from-the-s-s-archives-hoad-beats-larsen-to-win-wiesbaden-tennis-tourney-1.78573|work=Stars and Stripes|date=15 May 1956}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=El gran triunfo de Bob Howe sobre Lew Hoad ayer en el Trofeo Conde de Godo de Tenis|url=http://hemeroteca.lavanguardia.com/preview/1956/05/25/pagina-28/32769566/pdf.html|work=La Vanguardia|author=Jaime Bartroli|date=2 June 1956|page=28 |language=Spanish}}</ref> As a preparation for Wimbledon, Hoad played the singles event at the [[Northern Lawn Tennis Championships|Northern Championships]] in Manchester but lost to 34-year old Jaroslav Drobný in the final 7–5 in the deciding set.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article71808212 |title=Our Lew is beaten by Drobny. |work=The Argus  |date=11 June 1956 |page=18 |via=Trove}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article91215723 |title=Rosewall favoured in Queen's tourney. |work=The Canberra Times |date=19 June 1956 |page=11 |via=Trove}}</ref> Hoad was seeded first for the [[1956 Wimbledon Championships|Wimbledon Championships]]. He lost two sets en route to the final, one to [[Mal Anderson]] in the quarterfinal and one to [[Ham Richardson]] in the semifinal. In the final he faced Rosewall. In the first all-Australian final since 1922, Hoad was victorious in four sets to gain his first Wimbledon and third successive Grand Slam championship title.<ref>{{cite news|title=Hoad Wins Wimbledon Singles Tennis Crown|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=nxkgAAAAIBAJ&sjid=iGYFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1688%2C644949|work=The Lewiston Daily Sun|date=6 July 1956}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Lew Hoad at Wimbledon crushes Rosewall for singles title|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ncgxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=HuMFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5125%2C679369|work=Ottawa Citizen|date=6 July 1956}}</ref><ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPkGg5Lcgfk Henley and Wimbledon 1956:London, British Pathe, July 1956</ref> Hoad also won the doubles title with Rosewall, their third Wimbledon title, defeating [[Orlando Sirola]] and [[Nicola Pietrangeli]] in the final in straight sets.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article79266105 |title=Wimbledon Tennis Hoad-Rosewall have grand doubles win. |work=The Central Queensland Herald  |date=12 July 1956 |page=19 |via=Trove}}</ref> Following his Wimbledon title he lost in the semi-final of the Midlands tournament to [[Mike Davies (tennis)|Mike Davies]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article71646237 |title=He beat Lew —but lost. |work=The Argus  |date=16 July 1956 |page=24 |via=Trove}}</ref> In August, Hoad won the singles title at the [[German Open Tennis Championships|German Championships]], on clay at [[Hamburg]], with a four-set defeat of [[Orlando Sirola]] in the final.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article79267163 |title=Mrs Long, Hoad Win Finals. |work=The Central Queensland Herald  |date=9 August 1956 |page=19 |via=Trove}}</ref>

Immediately after Wimbledon, Hoad experienced severe pain and stiffness in his lower back, at a level higher than before the tournament.{{sfnp|Hodgson|Jones|2001|p=113}} He arranged to travel to the U.S. by boat on the {{RMS|Queen Mary}} rather than suffer a long plane trip.{{sfnp|Hodgson|Jones|2001|p=113}} However, the pain continued and reduced the level of his play for the remainder of the year and into 1957.{{sfnp|Hodgson|Jones|2001|pp=114–116}}

After arrival in New York on 21 August, Hoad travelled to Brookline to partner Rosewall in the U.S. Doubles Championships which they won to complete their career doubles Grand Slam. From there he went to the Forest Hills stadium in New York to play his first match in the singles U.S. Championships. He had missed the preparatory grass court tournament at Newport.<ref>Sports Illustrated, 3 September 1956</ref> Having won the first three stages of the Grand Slam, Hoad was favoured to win the fourth and then turn professional for a lucrative contract offered by [[Jack Kramer]], although Hoad himself claimed that he never thought about the Grand Slam and did not hear of it before he arrived in New York. Hoad lost the U.S. Championships final at Forest Hills in four sets to Rosewall.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article79268582 |title=Rosewall Great In Defeating Hoad. |work=The Central Queensland Herald  |date=13 September 1956 |page=19 |via=Trove}}</ref> Hoad and Rosewall won the doubles title against Seixas and Richardson.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article91221586 |title=Hoad, Rosewall Win U.S Doubles Title. |work=The Canberra Times |date=28 August 1956 |page=12 |via=Trove}}</ref> In September Hoad defeated Luis Ayala in the semifinal and Sven Davidson in a four set final at the O'Keefe Invitational at the Toronto Lawn Tennis Club in Rosedale, Toronto on red clay <ref>New York Times, 14 September 1956, p. 18</ref> and at the [[Pacific Southwest Championships]], the last leg of his overseas tour, Hoad was beaten by [[Alex Olmedo]] in the third round.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article79269227 |title=Hoad Defeated. |work=The Central Queensland Herald  |date=27 September 1956 |page=19 |via=Trove}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article91224212 |title=Hoad Back From Tour. |work=The Canberra Times |date=29 September 1956 |page=16 |via=Trove}}</ref> In November he lost the final of the Queensland Championships to Ashley Cooper in five sets and was hindered by numbness in the serving arm between the elbow and the wrist.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article71763923 |title="Killer Coop" beats Hoad. |work=The Argus  |date=5 November 1956 |page=18 |via=Trove}}</ref> In mid December Hoad and Rosewall competed in the final of the Victorian Championships which was their last final as amateurs as Rosewall turned professional at the end of the month. The final started late due to rain and was stopped due to darkness at two sets to one for Hoad but the following day Rosewall won the last two sets and the title.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article71771837 |title=The rains came to rob Rosewall. |work=The Argus  |date=17 December 1956 |page=16 |via=Trove}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article71771913 |title=Tennis writer Ron asks: Why make enemies, Mr. Hoad?. |work=The Argus  |date=18 December 1956 |page=18 |via=Trove}}</ref> In late December, Hoad was part of the Australian Davis Cup team which defended the Cup in the Challenge Round against the United States. Hoad was confined to bed with back pain for the two days prior to the Davis Cup matches, and was relieved to find that he could play well.{{sfnp|Hodgson|Jones|2001|p=115}} In his last Davis Cup appearance, Hoad won both his singles rubbers, against [[Herbie Flam]] and Seixas, as well as his doubles match with Rosewall to help Australia to a 5–0 victory.<ref>Davis Cup 1956. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwWJ1I9kSxA</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article91230758 |title=Australia Wins Challenge Round 5-Love. |work=The Canberra Times |date=29 December 1956 |page=1 |via=Trove}}</ref>

Hoad was ranked world No. 1 amateur by Lance Tingay in September,<ref name=collins/> by Ned Potter in October in ''World Tennis''<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Potter|first=Edward C.|date=November 1956|title=The World's First Tens of 1956|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_tennis-illustrated_1956-11_4_6/page/12/mode/2up|magazine=World Tennis|location=New York|publisher=|volume=4|issue=6|page=13|pages=|access-date=}}</ref> and at the end of the year by ''Tennis de France''.<ref>Tennis de France, No. 46, "1956 Annual Rankings", February 1957.</ref> Hoad won 16 tournaments in 1956, and 17 doubles titles.<ref name="independent_obit"/>

;1957
Hoad played poorly in early 1957, due to back trouble, and was placed in an upper body cast for six weeks, following which he slowly returned to tennis competition in April 1957.{{sfnp|Hodgson|Jones|2001|p=115}} He then experienced a period of pain-free playing for 11 months. He won the [[Northern Lawn Tennis Championships|Northern Championships]] in Manchester, beating [[Ramanathan Krishnan]] in the final. Hoad won his second successive Wimbledon singles title, defeating [[Ashley Cooper (tennis)|Ashley Cooper]] in a straight-sets final that lasted 57 minutes.