Peter Cawthorn

John W. Peter Cawthorn (17 February 1931 – 1999) was an Australian amateur tennis player who later turned professional in 1953. As an amateur he competed at the 1950 Australian Championships and the 1951 Wimbledon Championships. As a professional he was a two time quarter finalist at the Wembley Professional Championships in 1957 and 1958, and a quarter finalist at the French Professional Championship in 1956. He was active from 1949 to 1968 and won 21 career amateur and pro singles titles. He later became a tennis coach.

Tennis career Amateur Peter was born in Melbourne, Australia in 1931. In the 1940s he was educated at Box Hill High School, where he became captain of the football, tennis and swimming teams.

Cawthorn played his first senior tournament in 1949 at the New South Wales Hard Court Championships where he reached the quarter finals. He then competed in Australian state and national tournaments over the next two years. In July 1951 he took part in the Wimbledon Championships, but lost in the second round to French player Paul Rémy.

In 1952 Cawthorn won eight titles including the Cinque Ports Championships, Cumberland Hard Court Championships, Sutton Coldfield Hard Courts, East Gloucestershire Championships, Havant Open, Worthing Hard Courts, Hull Open and Worthing Open. He also competed at 1952 Wimbledon Championships, where he was in the top half of the draw, but lost in the first round to the American player Harry Likas.

In major professional tournaments of the time he was a two time quarter finalist at the Wembley Professional Championships in 1957 and 1958, and a quarter finalist in singles at the French Professional Championship in 1956, and a semi-finalist in the men's doubles partnering Tony Mottram.

Coaching During his amateur period he was hired as a short term coach for the Irish and Pakistan Davis Cup teamsvarious Davis Cup teams in 1955, 1951 Sutton Coldfield Hard Courts Championship Sutton Coldfield Clay Ignacy Tloczynski 6–2, 8–10, 6–3

3. 1951 Ulster Grass Court Championships Belfast Grass Albert Hartley Maggs 4–6, 6–0, 6–0

4. 1951 South Shore Open Blackpool Grass Adel Ismail 6–2, 6–4

5. 1951 Bedford Open Bedford Grass Dick Guise 6–0, 6–3

6. 1951 Moseley Championship Moseley Grass Owen Williams 6–2, 6–2

7. 1952 Cinque Ports Championships Folkestone Grass Derrick Layland 6–1, 6–1

8. 1952 Cumberland Hard Court Championships Hampstead Clay Gerry Oakley 6–3, 6–1

9. 1952 Sutton Coldfield Hard Courts Championship (2) Sutton Coldfield Clay Don Tregonning 6–4, 6–4

10. 1952 East Gloucestershire Championships Cheltenham Grass Basil Katz 6–0, 6–3

11. 1952 Havant Open Havant Grass Bill Threlfall 6–1, 4–6, 6–2

12. 1952. Worthing Hard Courts Worthing Clay Bosse Andersson 6–3, 6–2

13. 1952 Hull Open Kingston upon Hull Grass Stephen Potts 6–2, 7–5

14. 1952 Worthing Open Worthing Grass Erik Bullmer 6–2, 8–10, 6–4

Professional (7)

Family Peter Cawthorn announced his engagement to the English tennis player Lorna Cornell in January 1953, and they married on 18 February 1953 in Kensington, London. They had three children but later divorced.