William McNeill

William Donald McNeill was the second male American player to win the French championships in his generation. His victory rallied behind Don Budge. Since the start of American tennis history seven male players earned the French singles championship title.

William was born on April 30, 1918 in Chickasha, Oklahoma and died on November 28, 1996 in Vero Beach, Florida, United States.

In 1938, he won a game over Frank Bowden and in 1939 he earned the French singles championship title defeating Bobby Riggs. During his university days, William won the Intercollegiate title for tiny Kenyon in Ohio in 1940 and defeated Riggs again. He also garnered the doubles championship titles that same year. William may have been unable to pull up his sports career because he was appointed as the U.S. Naval Intelligence but in 1940, he won the U.S. title at Forest Hills on the grass court and clay at the Roland Garros. He was the only U.S. player to win an indoor game after the war. He succeeded Don Budge, Frank Parker and Tony Trabert. William also won the U.S. singles title and doubles title in 1944 with Bob Falkenburg while he was on leave from military service. He was a runner-up in U.S championship mixed doubles in 1944 and a runner-up in the men’s double in 1946. In 1950 he won a game over Fred Kovaleskie with a score of 11-9, 4-6, 6-2, 6-2.

William stands 5-foot-10 and has a very sharp backhand and right hand forehand. During the U.S. quarterfinals, Joe Hunt was completely challenged with his game against McNeill’s with the score of 6-4, 15-13, 8-10, 4-6, 6-1 in a more than 3 hour game spread over two days.

McNeill was in the U.S. top 10 at least six times between 1937 and 1946. Specifically, he ranked number 1in 1940 and number 7 in 1939.