John Alexander AO

John Alexander is a former international tennis professional, Davis Cup representative, sports commentator, and former Member of the Australian Parliament. His tennis career, spanning the late 1960s to the mid-1980s, saw him win seven singles titles and 27 doubles titles, reach a career-high world ranking of No. 4 in 1975, and serve as the youngest and one of the longest-tenured members of Australia’s Davis Cup team, competing from 1968 to 1982 and helping secure the 1977 Davis Cup in a legendary victory over Italy. A three-time World Championship Tennis finalist and twice Australian Open doubles champion, John was also Australia’s top-ranked player three times during his career.

Following retirement from competitive tennis, John became a respected sports commentator for the BBC and the Seven Network, covering Wimbledon and the Australian Open for over 20 years. He co-founded Next Generation Clubs Australia, redeveloping historic tennis venues such as Royal Kings Park in Perth and Memorial Drive in Adelaide, and as Chair of Tennis Australia’s Player Development Board, he created the Lipton Ice Million Dollar Challenge to incentivise young Australian talent.

In 2010, John transitioned to politics, winning the federal seat of Bennelong as a member of the Liberal Party, which he held until 2022. In Parliament, he focused on addressing housing, urban congestion, and strategic settlement through initiatives including high-speed rail and Parliamentary Inquiries, all of which achieved unanimous reports. John also founded the Calwell Menzies Club to foster bipartisan collaboration and promote productive governance.

John Alexander’s life has been defined by excellence on and off the court, combining elite sports achievement with public service and a commitment to creating lasting social and community impact.