TA Australia Press Release, November 29, 2019

Tennis Australia’s new podcast series, Backstory, has landed, treating listeners to never-before-heard stories from the tennis world. 

The opening episode is entitled “A Movie and a Sleeping Pill”. 

It examines the 1959 Davis Cup Challenge Round, which became known as ‘Fraser’s Cup’, as Neale Fraser led Australia to a 3-2 victory over the United States in New York. 

America had claimed the Cup in Brisbane in 1958 with Peruvian-born Wimbledon Champion Alex Olmedo breaking Australia’s heart with his brilliance.

Determined to turn the tables on his rivals, Australian Captain Harry Hopman selected a young team including Queenslanders Rod Laver and Roy Emerson to try to recapture the cup. 

However, his ace was veteran left-hander Neale Fraser. 

In exclusive interviews, Fraser and Laver recount their memories of how Fraser went to extraordinary lengths to prepare for the final leg. 

Episode 1 – A Movie and a Sleeping Pill: Neale Fraser and the 1959 Davis Cup is available here and via all major podcast platforms. 

Future Backstory episodes will leave listeners amused and surprised by what went on behind the scenes. 

The podcast series, produced by Tennis Australia, ventures behind the headlines to divulge what went on behind the scenes.

Through first-hand accounts, listeners will journey through history, discovering details that, until now, have been known only by those who were there.