Budge, Don (John Donald Budge), 1915–2000, American tennis player, b. Oakland, Calif. A powerful, consistent player, Budge was the first person to capture the sport's grand slam, winning the Australian, French, British, and U.S. singles championships in 1938. He was 19–2 in Davis Cup singles competition, and he also won a number of doubles titles, both in the men's and mixed divisions. He turned professional in 1939. Despite a World War II injury that diminished his abilities, he won the U.S. Clay Court Championships in 1955 at age 40. He wrote How Lawn Tennis Is Played (1937) and On Tennis (1939).

Budge, (John) Don(ald)

(born June 13, 1915, Oakland, Calif., U.S.—died Jan. 26, 2000, Scranton, Pa.) U.S. tennis player. He won his very first tournament, the California Boys State Singles title (1930). In 1936 he became the first lawn-tennis player to win the grand-slam (the Australian, French, British, and U.S. singles championships). At Wimbledon in both 1937 and 1938, he won not only the singles but also the men's doubles and mixed doubles. Representing the U.S. four times in the Davis Cup competition (1935–38), he won 25 of 29 matches. He turned professional in 1939. He is noted for having developed the backhand into an offensive stroke.

Budge, (John Donald) Don (1915– ) tennis player; born in Oakland, Calif. From the time he won his first California junior title (1930) until he turned professional (1939), he proved to be almost unbeatable, taking various national titles and helping to secure several Davis Cups. In 1938 he became the first player ever to win in the same year the four major championships that comprise the Grand Slam of tennis: the U.S., Australian, Wimbledon, and French titles. He won the U.S. professional title in 1940 and 1942, then served in the U.S. Army in World War II, after which he played exhibition matches around the world.