It was five days before the US presidential election in 2000 when George W. Bush admitted to a drink-driving arrest which had remained secret for two decades.

"I was drinking beer, yes, with John Newcombe," George W told the press pack after the 1976 incident was exposed by a US television station.

Former US president George W. Bush. Credit:Reuters

The revelation that George W had been booked for driving under the influence after a night out with one of Australia's greatest tennis champions forced Newcombe into hiding until after the election.

Since then, Newcombe has never publicly revealed many of the details of what happened on that night. But that changed on Thursday evening, when Newcombe, with 26 grand-slam titles, was made an official legend of the Sports Australia Hall of Fame.