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{{Short description|Australian tennis coach and former tennis player}}
{{Use Australian English|date=February 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{Infobox tennis biography
|name                         = Paul McNamee
|image                        = Flickr - Carine06 - Paul McNamee.jpg
|caption                      = McNamee playing tennis in 2011
|country                      = Australia
|residence                    =
|birth_date                   = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1954|11|12}}
|birth_place                  = [[Melbourne, Victoria|Melbourne]], Australia
|death_date                   = 
|death_place                  = 
|height                       = {{height|m=1.78}}
|college                      = Monash University
|turnedpro                    = 1973
|retired                      = 1988
|plays                        = Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
<small>*single-handed until 1979</small><ref>Chang, Michael and Yorkey, Mike. "Holding Serve: Persevering on and Off the Court", Thomas Nelson Inc, 1 May 2002.</ref>
|careerprizemoney             = $1,233,615
|tennishofyear                = 
|tennishofid                  = 
|website                      = <!-- official web site address like this: [http://www.site.com www.site.com] -->
|singlesrecord                = 247–231
|singlestitles                = 2
|highestsinglesranking        = No. 24 (12 May 1986)
|AustralianOpenresult         = SF ([[1982 Australian Open – Men's singles|1982]])
|FrenchOpenresult             = 4R ([[1980 French Open – Men's singles|1980]])
|Wimbledonresult              = 4R ([[1982 Wimbledon Championships – Men's singles|1982]])
|USOpenresult                 = 2R ([[1979 US Open – Men's singles|1979]], [[1983 US Open – Men's singles|1983]], [[1984 US Open – Men's singles|1984]], [[1986 US Open – Men's singles|1986]])
|Othertournaments             = yes
|WCTFinalsresult              = 1R ([[1983 World Championship Tennis Finals – Singles|1983]])
|doublesrecord                = 306–163
|doublestitles                = 24{{efn|name=sanjuan}}
|highestdoublesranking        = [[List of ATP number 1 ranked doubles tennis players|No. '''1''']] (8 June 1981)
|AustralianOpenDoublesresult  = '''W''' ([[1979 Australian Open|1979]], [[1983 Australian Open|1983]])
|FrenchOpenDoublesresult      = SF ([[1986 French Open|1986]])
|WimbledonDoublesresult       = '''W''' ([[1980 Wimbledon Championships|1980]], [[1982 Wimbledon Championships|1982]])
|USOpenDoublesresult          = SF ([[1980 US Open (tennis)|1980]])
|OthertournamentsDoubles      = yes
|MastersCupDoublesresult      = F ([[1980 Volvo Masters|1980]])
|WimbledonMixedresult         = '''W''' ([[1985 Wimbledon Championships – Mixed doubles|1985]])
|Team                         = yes
|DavisCupresult               = '''W''' ([[1983 Davis Cup|1983]], [[1986 Davis Cup|1986]])
}}

'''Paul McNamee''' (born 12 November 1954) is an Australian former [[List of ATP number 1 ranked doubles tennis players|doubles world No. 1]] [[tennis]] player and prominent sports administrator.

==Junior career==
In his hometown, McNamee won the boys' singles tournament at the [[1973 Australian Open]].

==Professional career==
McNamee is the only player to switch a [[grip (tennis)|grip]] as a professional, changing from a [[one-handed backhand]] to two-handed in 1979.<ref name="steinberger20140824">{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/24/magazine/the-death-of-the-one-handed-backhand.html |title=The Death of the One-Handed Backhand |last=Steinberger |first=Michael |date=2014-08-24 |work=The New York Times Magazine |access-date=2018-07-25 |page=MM40 }}</ref> He won two singles and twenty-three doubles titles during his professional career. A right-hander, he reached his highest singles [[Association of Tennis Professionals|ATP]]-ranking on 12 May 1986 when he became the world No. 24. McNamee reached his highest doubles ATP-ranking on 8 June 1981 when he became the [[List of ATP number 1 ranked doubles players|world No. 1]]. McNamee won 24 men's doubles titles including four Grand Slam doubles titles in his career.  He won the 1979 [[Australian Open]] and the 1980 and 1982 [[Wimbledon Championships]] with [[Peter McNamara]] and the 1983 Australian Open with [[Mark Edmondson]]. He won the mixed-doubles title in Wimbledon with [[Martina Navratilova]] in 1985.

When [[John McEnroe]] won [[1984 Wimbledon Championships – Men's singles|Wimbledon in 1984]], McNamee was the only player to take a set off McEnroe throughout the entire championship when he won the third set of their first-round match.

McNamee was also a member of the [[Australian Davis Cup Team]] which won the [[Davis Cup]] in 1983 and 1986.

In 1987, McNamee became Melbourne's last officially crowned ''[[Moomba Festival|King of Moomba]]'', subsequently a ''Moomba Monarch'' was selected (male Monarchs were popularly, but unofficially, still called ''King of Moomba'').<ref>Craig Bellamy, Gordon Chisholm, Hilary Eriksen (17 February 2006) Moomba: A festival for the people.: {{cite web |url=http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/rsrc/PDFs/Moomba/History%20of%20Moomba.pdf |title=History of Moomba |access-date=2008-12-27 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091028203816/http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/rsrc/PDFs/Moomba/History%20of%20Moomba.pdf |archive-date=28 October 2009}} PDF pp 17–22</ref>

==Sports administrator==
McNamee played a key role in the founding of the [[Hopman Cup]] international tennis tournament in 1988. He served as tournament director of the Hopman Cup and [[CEO]] of the [[Australian Open]] until 2006.

From 2006 to 2008 he was the tournament director for [[Golf Australia]] of the [[Australian Golf Open]].<ref name="sydney">[http://www.theage.com.au/news/golf/sydney-to-keep-open-until-2009/2007/02/10/1170524347486.html "Sydney to keep Open until 2009"], Martin Blake, ''[[The Age]]'', 11 February 2007</ref> He also served as the CEO of the [[Melbourne Football Club]] from March to July 2008.<ref>AAP (2008). [http://www.realfooty.com.au/articles/2008/07/23/1216492505679.html McNamee dumped as Demons CEO]. Retrieved 23 July 2008.</ref>

In late 2008, it was revealed that McNamee has joined the push for Australia to field a cycling team at the Tour de France – with support from Cadel Evans as a consultant for Australian Road Cycling, a Melbourne-based consortium.<ref>[http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24781605-2863,00.html Cadel, McNamee support push for Australian Tour de France team Article].</ref>

==Career finals==
===Singles (2 titles, 5 runner-ups)===
{|class="sortable wikitable" style=font-size:97%
!style="width:40px"|Result
!style="width:20px"|No.
!style="width:40px"|Date
!style="width:160px"|Tournament
!style="width:50px"|Surface
!style="width:160px"|Opponent
!style="width:150px" class="unsortable"|Score
|-
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win
| 1.
| 1980
| [[Palm Harbor Open|Palm Harbor]], U.S.
| Hard
| {{flagicon|USA}} [[Stan Smith]]
| 6–4, 6–3
|-
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss
| 1.
| 1980
| [[Campionati Internazionali di Sicilia|Palermo]], Italy
| Clay
| {{flagicon|ARG}} [[Guillermo Vilas]]
| 4–6, 0–6, 0–6
|-
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win
| 2.
| 1982
| [[Baltimore WCT]], U.S.
| Carpet
| {{flagicon|ARG}} Guillermo Vilas
| 4–6, 7–5, 7–5, 2–6, 6–3
|-
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss
| 2.
| 1983
| [[River Oaks International Tennis Tournament|Houston]], U.S.
| Clay
| {{flagicon|TCH}} [[Ivan Lendl]]
| 2–6, 0–6, 3–6
|-
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss
| 3.
| 1983
| [[GWA Mazda Tennis Classic|Brisbane]], Australia
| Carpet
| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Pat Cash]]
| 6–4, 4–6, 3–6
|-
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss
| 4.
| 1986
| [[ATP Nice|Nice]], France
| Clay
| {{flagicon|ESP}} [[Emilio Sánchez]]
| 1–6, 3–6
|-
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss
| 5.
| 1986
| [[ATP Saint-Vincent|St. Vincent]], Italy
| Clay
| {{flagicon|ITA}} [[Simone Colombo]]
| 6–2, 3–6, 6–7
|}

===Doubles (23 titles, 15 runner-ups)===
{|class=wikitable style=font-size:97%
!style="width:40px"|Result
!width=25|No.
!width=50|Date
!width=200|Tournament
!width=60|Surface
!width=175|Partner
!width=175|Opponents
!width=160|Score
|-
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss
| 1.
| 1977
| [[Chilean Open|Santiago]], Chile
| Clay
| {{flagicon|USA}} [[Henry Bunis]]
| {{flagicon|CHI}} [[Patricio Cornejo]] <br> {{flagicon|CHI}} [[Jaime Fillol]]
| 7–5, 1–6, 1–6
|-
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win
| 1.
| 1979
| [[ATP Nice|Nice]], France
| Clay
| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Peter McNamara]]
| {{flagicon|TCH}} [[Pavel Složil]] <br> {{flagicon|TCH}} [[Tomáš Šmíd]]
| 6–1, 3–6, 6–2
|-
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win
| 2.
| 1979
| [[Cairo Open|Cairo]], Egypt
| Clay
| {{flagicon|AUS}} Peter McNamara
| {{flagicon|IND}} [[Anand Amritraj]] <br> {{flagicon|IND}} [[Vijay Amritraj]]
| 7–5, 6–4
|-
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win
| 3.
| 1979
| Palermo, Italy
| Clay
| {{flagicon|AUS}} Peter McNamara
| {{flagicon|EGY|1972}} [[Ismail El Shafei]] <br> {{flagicon|GBR}} [[John Feaver]]
| 7–5, 7–6
|-
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win
| 4.
| 1979
| [[1979 New South Wales Open|Sydney Outdoor]], Australia
| Grass
| {{flagicon|AUS}} Peter McNamara
| {{flagicon|USA}} [[Steve Docherty]] <br> {{flagicon|USA}} [[Christopher Lewis (tennis)|Christopher Lewis]]
| 7–6, 6–3
|- bgcolor="#f3e6d7"
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win
| 5.
| 1979
| [[Australian Open]], Melbourne
| Grass
| {{flagicon|AUS}} Peter McNamara
| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Cliff Letcher]] <br> {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Paul Kronk]]
| 7–6, 6–2
|-
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win
| 6
| Feb 1980
| [[San Juan Open|San Juan]], U.S.{{efn|name=sanjuan|1980 San Juan tournament was part of [[1980 Grand Prix (tennis)|Grand Prix circuit]] but doubles event not officially listed by the ATP.}}
| Hard
| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Paul Kronk]]
| {{flagicon|RSA|1928}} [[Robert Trogolo]] <br> {{flagicon|USA}} [[Mark Turpin (tennis)|Mark Turpin]]
| 7–6, 6–3
|-
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win
| 7.
| 1980
| Palm Harbor, U.S.
| Hard
| {{flagicon|AUS}} Paul Kronk
| {{flagicon|AUS}} Steve Docherty <br> {{flagicon|AUS}} [[John James (tennis)|John James]]
| 6–4, 7–5
|-
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win
| 8.
| 1980
| Houston, U.S.
| Clay
| {{flagicon|AUS}} Peter McNamara
| {{flagicon|USA}} [[Marty Riessen]] <br> {{flagicon|USA}} [[Sherwood Stewart]]
| 6–4, 6–4
|-
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss
| 2.
| 1980
| [[ATP Forest Hills|Forest Hills WCT]], U.S.
| Clay
| {{flagicon|AUS}} Peter McNamara
| {{flagicon|USA}} [[Peter Fleming (tennis)|Peter Fleming]] <br> {{flagicon|USA}} [[John McEnroe]]
| 2–6, 7–5, 2–6
|-
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss
| 3.
| 1980
| [[Queen's Club Championships|London/Queen's Club]], England
| Grass
| {{flagicon|USA}} Sherwood Stewart
| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Rod Frawley]] <br> {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Geoff Masters]]
| 2–6, 6–4, 9–11
|- bgcolor="#f3e6d7"
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win
| 9.
| 1980
| [[The Championships, Wimbledon|Wimbledon]], London
| Grass
| {{flagicon|AUS}} Peter McNamara
| {{flagicon|USA}} [[Robert Lutz (tennis)|Robert Lutz]] <br> {{flagicon|USA}} [[Stan Smith]]
| 7–6, 6–3, 6–7, 6–4
|-
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win
| 10.
| 1980
| [[Stockholm Open|Stockholm]], Sweden
| Carpet
| {{flagicon|SUI}} [[Heinz Günthardt]]
| {{flagicon|USA}} Robert Lutz <br> {{flagicon|USA}} Stan Smith
| 6–7, 6–3, 6–2
|-
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss
| 4.
| 1980
| [[ATP Bologna Indoor|Bologna]], Italy
| Carpet
| {{flagicon|USA}} [[Steve Denton]]
| {{flagicon|HUN}} [[Balázs Taróczy]] <br> {{flagicon|USA}} [[Butch Walts]]
| 6–2, 3–6, 0–6
|-
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss
| 5.
| 1980
| [[ATP Johannesburg|Johannesburg]], South Africa
| Hard
| {{flagicon|SUI}} Heinz Günthardt
| {{flagicon|USA}} Robert Lutz <br> {{flagicon|USA}} Stan Smith
| 7–6, 3–6, 4–6
|-
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win
| 11.
| 1980
| Sydney Outdoor, Australia
| Grass
| {{flagicon|AUS}} Peter McNamara
| {{flagicon|USA}} [[Vitas Gerulaitis]] <br> {{flagicon|USA}} [[Brian Gottfried]]
| 6–2, 6–4
|- bgcolor="#f3e6d7"
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss
| 6.
| 1980
| Australian Open, Melbourne
| Grass
| {{flagicon|AUS}} Peter McNamara
| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Mark Edmondson]] <br> {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Kim Warwick]]
| 5–7, 4–6
|- bgcolor="ffffcc"
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win
| 12.
| 1981
| [[Masters Doubles WCT]], London
| Carpet
| {{flagicon|AUS}} Peter McNamara
| {{flagicon|USA}} [[Victor Amaya]] <br> {{flagicon|USA}} [[Hank Pfister]]
| 6–3, 2–6, 3–6, 6–3, 6–2
|-
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss
| 7.
| 1981
| [[Hamburg Masters|Hamburg]], West Germany
| Clay
| {{flagicon|AUS}} Peter McNamara
| {{flagicon|CHI}} [[Hans Gildemeister]] <br> {{flagicon|ECU}} [[Andrés Gómez]]
| 4–6, 6–3, 4–6
|-
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win
| 13.
| 1981
| [[ATP Stuttgart|Stuttgart Outdoor]], West Germany
| Clay
| {{flagicon|AUS}} Peter McNamara
| {{flagicon|AUS}} Mark Edmondson <br> {{flagicon|USA}} [[Mike Estep]]
| 2–6, 6–4, 7–6
|-
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win
| 14.
| 1981
| Sydney Outdoor, Australia
| Grass
| {{flagicon|AUS}} Peter McNamara
| {{flagicon|USA}} Hank Pfister <br> {{flagicon|USA}} [[John Sadri]]
| 6–7, 7–6, 7–6
|-
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss
| 8.
| 1982
| Nice, France
| Clay
| {{flagicon|HUN}} [[Balázs Taróczy]]
| {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Henri Leconte]] <br> {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Yannick Noah]]
| 7–5, 4–6, 3–6
|-
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win
| 15.
| 1982
| [[Monte-Carlo Masters|Monte Carlo]], Monaco
| Clay
| {{flagicon|AUS}} Peter McNamara
| {{flagicon|AUS}} Mark Edmondson <br> {{flagicon|USA}} Sherwood Stewart
| 6–7, 7–6, 6–3
|-
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win
| 16.
| 1982
| [[British Hard Court Championships|Bournemouth]], England
| Clay
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Buster Mottram]]
| {{flagicon|FRA}} Henri Leconte <br> {{flagicon|ROU|1965}} [[Ilie Năstase]]
| 3–6, 7–6, 6–3
|- bgcolor="#f3e6d7"
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win
| 17.
| 1982
| Wimbledon, London
| Grass
| {{flagicon|AUS}} Peter McNamara
| {{flagicon|USA}} Peter Fleming <br> {{flagicon|USA}} John McEnroe
| 6–3, 6–2
|-
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win
| 18.
| 1983
| [[ATP Memphis|Memphis]], U.S.
| Carpet
| {{flagicon|AUS}} Peter McNamara
| {{flagicon|USA}} [[Tim Gullikson]] <br> {{flagicon|USA}} [[Tom Gullikson]]
| 6–3, 5–7, 6–4
|-
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win
| 19.
| 1983
| London/Queen's Club, England
| Grass
| {{flagicon|USA}} Brian Gottfried
| {{flagicon|RSA|1928}} [[Kevin Curren]] <br> {{flagicon|USA}} Steve Denton
| 6–4, 6–3
|-
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss
| 9.
| 1983
| [[Legg Mason Tennis Classic|Washington D.C.]], U.S.
| Clay
| {{flagicon|USA}} [[Ferdi Taygan]]
| {{flagicon|USA}} [[Mark Dickson (tennis)|Mark Dickson]] <br> {{flagicon|BRA|1968}} [[Cássio Motta]]
| 2–6, 6–1, 4–6
|-
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win
| 20.
| 1983
| [[GWA Mazda Tennis Classic|Brisbane]], Australia
| Carpet
| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Pat Cash]]
| {{flagicon|AUS}} Mark Edmondson <br> {{flagicon|AUS}} Kim Warwick
| 7–6, 7–6
|- bgcolor="#f3e6d7"
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win
| 21.
| 1983
| Australian Open, Melbourne
| Grass
| {{flagicon|AUS}} Mark Edmondson
| {{flagicon|USA}} Steve Denton <br> {{flagicon|USA}} Sherwood Stewart
| 6–3, 7–6
|-
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win
| 22.
| 1984
| Houston, U.S.
| Clay
| {{flagicon|AUS}} Pat Cash
| {{flagicon|USA}} [[David Dowlen]] <br> {{flagicon|NGR}} [[Nduka Odizor]]
| 7–5, 4–6, 6–3
|-
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win
| 23.
| 1984
| [[Aix-en-Provence Open|Aix-en-Provence]], France
| Clay
| {{flagicon|AUS}} Pat Cash
| {{flagicon|NZL}} [[Chris Lewis (tennis)|Chris Lewis]] <br> {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Wally Masur]]
| 4–6, 6–3, 6–4
|-
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win
| 24.
| 1984
| London/Queen's Club, England
| Grass
| {{flagicon|AUS}} Pat Cash
| {{flagicon|RSA|1928}} [[Bernard Mitton]] <br> {{flagicon|USA}} [[Butch Walts]]
| 6–4, 6–3
|- bgcolor="#f3e6d7"
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss
| 10.
| 1984
| Wimbledon, London
| Grass
| {{flagicon|AUS}} Pat Cash
| {{flagicon|USA}} Peter Fleming <br> {{flagicon|USA}} John McEnroe
| 2–6, 7–5, 2–6, 6–3, 3–6
|-
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss
| 11.
| 1984
| [[Hong Kong Open (tennis)|Hong Kong]]
| Hard
| {{flagicon|AUS}} Mark Edmondson
| {{flagicon|USA}} [[Ken Flach]] <br> {{flagicon|USA}} [[Robert Seguso]]
| 7–6, 3–6, 5–7
|-
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss
| 12.
| 1985
| [[ATP Rotterdam|Rotterdam]], Netherlands
| Carpet
| {{flagicon|USA}} Vitas Gerulaitis
| {{flagicon|TCH}} Pavel Složil <br> {{flagicon|TCH}} Tomáš Šmíd
| 4–6, 4–6
|-
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss
| 13.
| 1985
| [[U.S. Pro Tennis Championships|Boston]], U.S.
| Clay
| {{flagicon|AUS}} Peter McNamara
| {{flagicon|BEL}} [[Libor Pimek]] <br> {{flagicon|YUG}} [[Slobodan Živojinović]]
| 6–2, 4–6, 6–7
|-
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss
| 14.
| 1986
| [[ATP Fort Myers|Fort Myers]], U.S.
| Hard
| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Peter Doohan]]
| {{flagicon|ECU}} [[Andrés Gómez]] <br> {{flagicon|TCH}} [[Ivan Lendl]]
| 5–7, 4–6
|-
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss
| 15.
| 1986
| [[ATP Sydney Indoor|Sydney Indoor]], Australia
| Hard (i)
| {{flagicon|AUS}} Peter McNamara
| {{flagicon|FRG}} [[Boris Becker]] <br> {{flagicon|AUS}} [[John Fitzgerald (tennis)|John Fitzgerald]]
| 4–6, 6–7
|}

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{ATP}}
* {{ITF}}
* {{Davis Cup player}}

{{navboxes|title=Paul McNamee in the [[Grand Slam (tennis)|Grand Slam tournaments]]
|list1=
{{Australian Open men's doubles champions}}
{{Wimbledon men's doubles champions}}
{{Wimbledon mixed doubles champions}}
{{Australian Open boys' singles champions}}
}}
{{ATP World No.1 doubles players}}
<!-- For sorting purposes index on Macnamee, not McNamee -->

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:McNamee, Paul}}
[[Category:1954 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Australian male tennis players]]
[[Category:Australian Open (tennis) champions]]
[[Category:Australian Open (tennis) junior champions]]
[[Category:Melbourne Football Club CEOs]]
[[Category:People educated at St. Bernard's College, Melbourne]]
[[Category:Tennis players from Melbourne]]
[[Category:Wimbledon champions]]
[[Category:Grand Slam (tennis) champions in men's doubles]]
[[Category:Grand Slam (tennis) champions in boys' singles]]
[[Category:ATP number 1 ranked doubles tennis players]]
[[Category:Sportsmen from Victoria (state)]]