▁his ▁ob itu ary ▁in ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁Times , ▁he ▁. ▁. ▁. ▁ ▁Professional ▁hope ▁Following ▁his ▁W im ble don ▁victory , ▁R ig gs ▁and ▁K ram er ▁offered ▁Sch ro eder ▁$ 2 5 , 0 0 0 ▁to ▁turn ▁pro ▁after ▁he ▁won ▁the ▁up - coming ▁ 1 9 4 9 ▁U . S . ▁Championships ▁and ▁Sch ro eder ▁accepted . ▁But ▁Gonz ales ▁ups et ▁their ▁plans ▁by ▁be ating ▁the ▁heavily ▁fav ored ▁Sch ro eder ▁in ▁a ▁five - set ▁final ▁— ▁it ▁has ▁been ▁called ▁the ▁ 1 1 th ▁greatest ▁match ▁of ▁all ▁time . ▁Gonz ales ▁lost ▁the ▁ 1 - hour ▁and ▁ 1 5 - min ute ▁first ▁set ▁ 1 6 – 1 8 ▁but ▁finally ▁managed ▁to ▁prev ail ▁in ▁the ▁fifth ▁set . ▁ ▁K ram er ▁writes ▁that ▁in ▁spite ▁of ▁his ▁friendship ▁with ▁Sch ro eder , ▁he ▁has ▁always ▁felt ▁that ▁Sch ro eder ▁sub cons ci ously ▁" t ank ed " ▁the ▁match , ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁avoid ▁the ▁rig ors ▁of ▁the ▁professional ▁tour . ▁ ▁In ▁any ▁event , ▁Gonz ales ▁was ▁now ▁the ▁two - time ▁American ▁champion ▁and ▁K ram er ▁and ▁R ig gs ▁were ▁obliged ▁to ▁sign ▁him , ▁instead ▁of ▁Sch ro eder , ▁to ▁a ▁professional ▁contract . ▁ ▁Post - war ▁Sch ro eder ▁was ▁never ▁much ▁more ▁than ▁a ▁part - time ▁player ▁after ▁the ▁War , ▁being ▁pre