Arthur Nielsen

Arthur Nielsen was an American businessman, electrical engineer, and market research analyst who was also a notable tennis player and a significant contributor to the sport. He was posthumously inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1971.

Player Profile and Personal Life

Arthur Charles Nielsen Sr. was born on September 5, 1897, in Chicago, Illinois, United States of America. He was an alumnus of the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

He was married to Gertrude Nielsen, and they had a son, Arthur Nielsen Jr., who also became a successful tennis player. In 1990, the Nielsen family established the A.C. Nielsen Center for Marketing Analytics and Insights at the University of Wisconsin in his honor. A small tennis center in Winnetka, Illinois, is also named after him.

Tennis Career

Nielsen was a successful tennis player in the mid-20th century. His greatest achievement on the court was winning the U.S. Father and Son doubles tennis titles with his son, Arthur Nielsen Jr., in both 1946 and 1948.

Beyond his playing career, Nielsen was a major contributor to the sport. In recognition of his work as a tennis administrator and philanthropist, he was elected to the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1971. He and his wife, Gertrude, also donated the Nielsen Tennis Stadium to the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Other Achievements

Nielsen's professional career was as an electrical engineer and market research analyst. He is best known as the founder of the A.C. Nielsen Company, which created the Nielsen ratings, a tool still used today to measure television viewership.

For his accomplishments, he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Science by the University of Wisconsin in 1974 and was appointed a Knight of the Order of the Dannebrog by the King of Denmark in 1961.