The four Grand Slam tournaments are the most prestigious events in tennis where the best players in the world compete.
At the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open, just 128 players qualify to compete for the title.
Only 64 of those players win a match at the tournament, with 32 winning two, 16 winning three, and eight winning four.
Winning four matches at a Grand Slam qualifies you for the quarterfinals, an impressive feat which is considered a real landmark for the stars of the ATP Tour.
Some players reach many quarterfinals in their career, while others are only able to make a singular trip to the last eight.
One such player did so with the odds stacked against him in 1987, when he made a sensational run to the Australian Open quarterfinals.
Kelly Evernden: The man who reached the Australian Open quarterfinals with one lung
New Zealand’s Kelly Evernden was born in September 1961 and sustained injuries during his teenage years that had long-lasting effects.
At 16, Evernden was hit by a motorist, picking up several injuries that took some time to recover from.
- Punctured lung (had to be removed)
- Broken arm
- Broken leg
- Broken ribs
- Heart stopped twice in five days
For most, those injuries would put an end to any dreams of becoming a professional tennis player, but Evernden was not prepared to give up that easily.
Embodying the spirit of his Maori name, ‘Young Warrior’, Evernden recovered from his injuries and turned professional on the ATP Tour in 1985.
Two years later, Evernden enjoyed his career-best Grand Slam result when he made the trip to Melbourne for the Australian Open.
The New Zealander had failed to win a match at the Australian Open on his one previous visit to the tournament, but quickly turned his fortunes around in 1987.
In straight sets, Evernden defeated Jonathan Canter 7-6, 6-3, 6-4, to book his place in the second round.
There, he took on two-time Australian Open champion (1981, 1982) and number ten-seed Johan Kriek.
Producing one of the biggest wins of his tennis career, Evernden stunned Kriek, securing his place in round three with a four-set victory over the American.
Carrying that momentum forward, Evernden knocked out two more Americans, Brad Pearce and Derrick Rostagno, en route to the quarterfinals.
With one lung, the ‘Young Warrior’ had made it through to the last eight, where he was joined by elite tennis stars such as Ivan Lendl, Pat Cash, and Stefan Edberg.
It was there, however, that his run came to an end, losing out to Australia’s Wally Massur in straight sets 3-6, 5-7, 4-6.
Evernden never returned to a Grand Slam quarterfinal, nor the third or fourth round of a major, for that matter, but had more than left his mark.
Speaking in an interview with The Post earlier this year, Evernden revealed whether having one lung affected him during his tennis career.
“The beauty of lungs is if you’re young enough, they tend to develop into the space that’s been vacated by the rest of the lung,” he said.
“I’ve had CO2 measurements and I moved as much or more oxygen with one lung than I do with two. I don’t think in the end it was a hindrance.”
The New Zealander also enjoyed a successful career away from the Slams, picking up several titles, all whilst breaking into the world’s top 50.
Kelly Evernden’s tennis achievements
Throughout his career, Evernden contested seven ATP finals, picking up three titles, in Bristol, Brisbane, and Wellington.
| Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Result | Score |
| 1985 Brisbane | Carpet | Paul Annacone | Loss | 3-6, 3-6 |
| 1985 Sydney | Grass | Henri Leconte | Loss | 7-6, 2-6, 3-6 |
| 1987 Bristol | Grass | Tim Wilkison | Win | 6-4, 7-6 |
| 1987 Brisbane | Hard | Eric Jelen | Win | 3-6, 6-1, 6-1 |
| 1989 Wellington | Hard | Shuzo Matsuoka | Win | 7-5, 6-1, 6-4 |
| 1989 Vienna | Carpet | Paul Annacone | Loss | 7-6, 4-6, 1-6, 6-2, 3-6 |
| 1990 Schenectady | Hard | Ramesh Krishnan | Loss | 1-6, 1-6 |
Enjoying his most consistent year in 1989 (reaching two finals, winning one), Evernden reached a career-high singles ranking of 31st in the world.
He was even more successful in the doubles, reaching the quarterfinals of four Grand Slams and picking up a Masters 1000 title at the 1989 Canadian Open alongside Todd Witsken.
Representing New Zealand, Evernden played 54 Davis Cup matches, winning 27 (50%), and was a member of the 1990 team which qualified for the quarterfinals.
Retiring from professional tennis in 1995, Evernden remained involved with the sport and became New Zealand’s Davis Cup captain for a brief stint beginning in 2023.
The 62-year-old may not have won majors or been ranked number one in the world, but will forever be remembered by the people of his country as the man who reached a Grand Slam quarterfinal, with just one lung.
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