Peter Doohan
Australian tennis player (1961–2017)
Why this is trending
Interest in “Peter Doohan” spiked on Wikipedia on 2026-02-25.
Categorised under Science & Nature, this article fits a familiar pattern. Interest in science articles on Wikipedia often follows major discoveries, published studies, or tech industry news.
By monitoring millions of daily Wikipedia page views, GlyphSignal helps you spot cultural moments as they happen and understand the stories behind the numbers.
Key Takeaways
- Peter Leslie Doohan (2 May 1961 – 21 July 2017) was an Australian tennis player who won three consecutive Australian Hard Court Championships singles titles (1984, 1985, 1986), which remains an Open era record for that tournament.
- He also won five doubles titles during his career.
- 43 in August 1987.
- Her sisters were Cathie Roff and Margaret Knight.
- Doohan died on 21 July 2017 from motor neurone disease.
Peter Leslie Doohan (2 May 1961 – 21 July 2017) was an Australian tennis player who won three consecutive Australian Hard Court Championships singles titles (1984, 1985, 1986), which remains an Open era record for that tournament. He won a further two singles titles at the South Australian Open in 1984 and San Louis Potosí tournament in Mexico in 1988. He also won five doubles titles during his career. The right-hander reached his highest Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) singles ranking of world No. 43 in August 1987.
Early and personal life
Peter Leslie Doohan was born on 2 May 1961 in Newcastle, New South Wales, to Paul and Thelma Doohan. Her sisters were Cathie Roff and Margaret Knight. His sons include tennis coach John Doohan and American actor Hunter Doohan.
Doohan died on 21 July 2017 from motor neurone disease.
Career
At the 1987 Wimbledon Championships, he unexpectedly defeated two-time defending champion and top-seeded Boris Becker in the second round, earning himself the nickname "The Becker Wrecker" at home in Australia.
Doohan played collegiately in the United States with the University of Arkansas where he won the NCAA doubles title in 1982. Also a successful singles player, he won three Australian Hard Court Championships consecutively from 1984 to 1986. In 1984, he won the South Australian Open singles title. In 1988, he won the San Louis Potosí singles title on clay in San Luis Potosí, Mexico. He also coached high school tennis at Donoho High School in Anniston, Alabama, for several years in the mid-1990s.
Content sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0
