On January 4th 1976, Australia's Mark 'Eddo' Edmondson pulled off one of the biggest surprises in the history of tennis. A burly, moustached, big server from Gosford, 21 year old Mark came out of virtually nowhere to win the Australian Open. Ranked 212th in the world, his earnings were so meagre; he took a part-time job - the press dubbing him "the janitor."
To get to the quarters, Edmondson had to defeat many of the top Australian and international players.
From the Austrian Peter Feigl, to Phil Dent, then Kiwi Brian Fairlie in the third and former Open finalist Richard Crealy in the quarters.
He faced a much bigger task in the semis against number one seed and eight-times Grand Slam winner Ken Rosewall.
"Well it was very hard to beat Rosewall because he was such an idol, you know, and even though he was 41 years old I still think it's probably the greatest win I ever had."
Playing the final in windy conditions against defending champion John Newcombe, he prevailed 6-7, 6-3, 7-6, 6-1.
He'd won the 'battle of the moustaches' and the Australian Open title. So shocked, he couldn't find words.
"I bet you haven't even got a victory speech prepared, have you?" "Nah!"
After the match Edmondson took the tram home, just like all the fans leaving the Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club. And he was headline news.
"After the event they came to where I was staying with a family friend and they brought along a bucket and a mop and wanted me to throw it out of the door, as if I stopped being a cleaner."
Forty years later, Edmondson is still the last Australian to win the men's singles title and the lowest-ranked men's player to ever win a major. He thinks the record will last for a long time.
"You can't say it would never happen, but I think it'd be nearly impossible. I just can't see someone coming from never having played these people before, to suddenly beat them all, especially all in one tournament."
