Eric Clifford Drysdale (born 26 May 1941) is a South African former tennis player. After a career as a highly ranked professional player in the 1960s and early 1970s, he became a tennis commentator.

Life and career Born Eric Clifford 'Cliff' Drysdale in Nelspruit (today known as Mbombela, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa) on May 26, 1941 and completed his high school at Grey High School, Port Elizabeth.

Drysdale won the singles title at the Dutch Open in 1963 and 1964. In 1965, he reached the singles final of the 1965 U. S. Championships and he won the singles title at the German Championships. He defeated Rod Laver in the fourth round of the first US Open in 1968. During his Open-era career, Drysdale captured five singles titles and six doubles titles, including the 1972 US Open doubles crown with Roger Taylor. He was a pioneer of the two-handed backhand shot, which he used to great effect during his playing career.

Drysdale was included among the Handsome Eight, a group of players signed by Lamar Hunt in 1968 for the newly formed professional World Championship Tennis group. He became president of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), an association that Drysdale had formed in 1972 with Jack Kramer and Donald Dell.

Following retirement, Drysdale became a naturalized American citizen. He was a tennis commentator for ESPN from the network's inception in 1979. Following the retirement of Bob Ley in 2019, Drysdale became the longest serving commentator at ESPN. He commentated on his last match for ESPN at the US Open on September 4, 2025, calling the semi-final match between Aryna Sabalenka and Jessica Pegula. ESPN did an extensive tribute to his career that aired during his last match. In 1998, the USTA awarded Drysdale the William M. Johnston award for his contribution to men's tennis. In 2013, he was elected into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

Grand Slam finals Singles: (1 runner-up) ResultYearChampionshipSurfaceOpponentScoreLoss 1965U.S. Championships Grass Manuel Santana 2–6, 9–7, 5–7, 1–6

Doubles: (1 title) ResultYearChampionshipSurfacePartnerOpponentsScoreWin1972US OpenGrass Roger Taylor Owen Davidson John Newcombe6–4, 7–6(7–3), 6–3

Open Era finals Singles: 18 (5 titles, 13 runner-ups) ResultW-L DateTournamentSurfaceOpponentScoreWin 1–0 Jul 1968 Gstaad, Switzerland Clay Tom Okker 6–3, 6–3, 6–0Loss 1–1 Aug 1968 Hamburg, Germany Clay John Newcombe 3–6, 2–6, 4–6Loss 1–2 May 1969 Berlin, Germany Clay Ray Moore 6–1, 1–6, 5–7, 8–6, 5–7Loss 1–3 Apr 1970 Durban, South Africa Hard Bob Hewitt 4–6, 6–3, 4–6, 3–6Win 2–3 Apr 1971 Miami WCT, US Hard Rod Laver 6–2, 6–4, 3–6, 6–4Loss 2–4 Apr 1971 Denver, US Carpet (i) Ken Rosewall 2–6, 2–6Win 3–4 May 1971 Brussels, Belgium Clay Ilie Năstase 6–0, 6–1, 7–5Loss 3–5 Jul 1971 Louisville WCT, US Clay Tom Okker 6–3, 4–6, 1–6Loss 3–6 Aug 1971 Boston WCT, US Hard Ken Rosewall 4–6, 3–6, 0–6Loss 3–7 Feb 1972 Richmond WCT, US Carpet Rod Laver 6–2, 3–6, 5–7, 3–6Loss 3–8 Mar 1972 Miami WCT, US Hard Ken Rosewall 6–3, 2–6, 4–6Loss 3–9 May 1972 Las Vegas, US Hard John Newcombe 3–6, 4–6Loss 3–10 Oct 1972 Alamo WCT, US Hard John Newcombe 1–6, 1–6, 5–7Win 4–10 Mar 1974 Miami WCT Hard Tom Gorman 6–4, 7–5Loss 4–11 Apr 1975 Houston WCT, US Clay Ken Rosewall 3–6, 6–3, 1–6Loss 4–12 Feb 1976 Barcelona, Spain Clay Eddie Dibbs 1–6, 1–6Loss 4–13 Apr 1976 Johannesburg, South Africa Hard Onny Parun 6–7, 3–6Win 5–13 Jan 1978 Baltimore, US Carpet (i) Tom Gorman 7–5, 6–3

Doubles: 22 (7 titles / 15 runner-ups) ResultW-L DateTournamentSurfacePartnerOpponentsScoreLoss 0–1 Sep 1968 Los Angeles, US Hard Roger Taylor Ken Rosewall Fred Stolle 5–7, 1–6Win 1–1 Apr 1969 Durban, South Africa Hard Keith Diepraam Bob Hewitt Frew McMillan 3–6, 9–7, 3–6, 9–7, 6–3Loss 1–2 Jun 1969 Bristol, UK Grass Roger Taylor John Newcombe Marty Riessen 6–4, 13–15, 3–6Win 2–2 Jul 1970 Gstaad, Switzerland Clay Roger Taylor Tom Okker Marty Riessen 6–2, 6–3, 6–2Loss 2–3 Aug 1970 Toronto, Canada Clay Fred Stolle Bill Bowrey Marty Riessen 3–6, 2–6Loss 2–4 Oct 1971 Barcelona WCT, Spain Clay Andrés Gimeno Željko Franulović Juan Gisbert 6–7, 2–6, 6–7Win 3–4 Aug 1972 Cleveland, US Hard Roger Taylor Frank Froehling Charlie Pasarell 7–6, 6–3Win 4–4 Sep 1972US Open Grass Roger Taylor Owen Davidson John Newcombe 6–4, 7–6(7–3), 6–3Loss 4–5 Oct 1972 Vancouver WCT, Canada Carpet (i) Allan Stone Bill Bowrey Clark Graebner 6–7, 0–6Loss 4–6 Apr 1973 Munich WCT, Germany Carpet (i) Cliff Richey Niki Pilić Allan Stone 5–7, 7–5, 4–6Loss 4–7 Feb 1975 San Antonio WCT, US Hard Mark Cox John Alexander Phil Dent 6–7, 6–4, 4–6Loss 4–8 Mar 1975 Memphis, U.S. Carpet (i) Mark Cox Erik van Dillen Dick Stockton 6–1, 5–7, 4–6Loss 4–9 Mar 1975 Atlanta WCT, U.S. Carpet (i) Mark Cox Anand Amritraj Vijay Amritraj 3–6, 2–6Loss 4–10 May 1975World Doubles, Mexico Carpet (i) Mark Cox Brian Gottfried Raúl Ramírez 6–7(6–8), 7–6(7–5), 2–6, 6–7(6–8)Loss 4–11 May 1975 Las Vegas, US Hard Bob Carmichael John Alexander Phil Dent 1–6, 4–6Win 5–11 Aug 1975 Cincinnati, U.S. Hard Phil Dent Marcelo Lara Joaquín Loyo-Mayo 7–6, 6–4Win 6–11 Aug 1975 Toronto, Canada Hard Raymond Moore Jan Kodeš Ilie Năstase 6–4, 5–7, 7–6Loss 6–12 Sep 1975 Los Angeles, US Hard Marty Riessen Anand Amritraj Vijay Amritraj 6–7, 6–4, 4–6Loss 6–13 Mar 1976 Washington WCT, US Carpet (i) Mark Cox Eddie Dibbs Harold Solomon 4–6, 5–7Loss 6–14 Jan 1979 Baltimore, US Carpet (i) Anand Amritraj Marty Riessen Sherwood Stewart 6–7, 4–6Loss 6–15 Feb 1979 Rancho Mirage, US Hard Bruce Manson Gene Mayer Sandy Mayer 4–6, 6–7Win 7–15 Apr 1979 Dayton, US Carpet Bruce Manson Ross Case Phil Dent 3–6, 6–3, 7–6

Grand Slam singles performance timeline

Tournament 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 Australian Open A A A A A A A A AQF A A A A A A A A A A 0 / 1 French Open1R2RQFSFSF A A1R A A A2R A A AA A A A 0 / 7 Wimbledon1R1R2RSFSF4R3RQF3R1R A A3R A2R3R A1R2R 0 / 15 US Open3R2R3RF3R2RQF1R2R A4R3R A2R A1R1R A A 0 / 14Strike rate 0 / 3 0 / 3 0 / 3 0 / 3 0 / 3 0 / 2 0 / 2 0 / 3 0 / 2 0 / 2 0 / 1 0 / 2 0 / 1 0 / 1 0 / 10 / 2 0 / 1 0 / 1 0 / 1 Note: The Australian Open was held twice in 1977, in January and December.

References

External links

Biography and images of Cliff on the Cliff Drysdale site Red Ledges Cliff Drysdale Tennis Academy in Utah ESPN's Cliff Drysdale to emcee "Legends Ball" Cliff Drysdale ESPN Bio