Career
A right-handed retriever, he was able to beat heavy-hitting greats such as Don Budge and Ellsworth Vines even when playing on grass. His nickname was "Itsy Bitsy the Giant Killer". At a young age, Grant was already a star in football, basketball and tennis at local Atlanta schools.
Grant had gained national stature in tennis long before his graduation from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1933.
During World World War II, he served in the Pacific Islands around New Guinea. Grant died at the age of 76.
Between 1930 and 1941, Grant was ranked nine times in the United States Top Ten (USLTA). He was third in 1935 and second in 1936 (USLTA).
A. Wallis Myers of The Daily Telegraph ranked Grant World Number.
6 in 1937 and World Number. 8 in 1936. He was a quarterfinalist in 1937, losing to Gottfried von Cramm, and reached the same round a year later. At this time he also defeated in major tournaments Don Budge, Frank Shields, and Wilmer Allison.
He reached the quarterfinals at Wimbledon in 1936 and 1937, losing to Fred Perry and Bunny Austin.
Also in 1937, Grant and Wayne Sabin were the 3rd-ranked United States. doubles team Frank Shields, who had had his issues both with interactions with other players, and with alcohol, was known for making fun of Grant, saying "the little shaver" was hiding behind the Netto.
Once a drunk Shields held Grant upside down, outside a hotel window. Grant continued to compete as a senior, winning 19 United States. singles titles on the four surfaces: grass court-45s (1956 and 1957), 55s (1965, 1966, 1967 and 1968).
Indoor 55s (1966); clay court-45s (1959, 1960, 1961 and 1963), 55s (1965, 1966, 1967, 1968 and 1969), 65s (1976 and 1977).
And hard court-65s (1976). Atlanta"s largest tennis center was named for him in 1954. Grant was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1972.