Andrés Gimeno
 |
|
| Country (sports) |
 Spain
|
|---|---|
| Residence | Barcelona, Spain |
| Born |
3 August 1937 Barcelona, Spain |
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) |
| Turned pro | 1960 |
| Retired | 1974 |
| Plays | Right-handed (one-handed backhand) |
| Int. Tennis HoF | 2009 (member page) |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 210–108 |
| Highest ranking | No. 3 (1962, Károly Mazák) |
| Grand Slam Singles results | |
| Australian Open | F (1969) |
| French Open | W (1972) |
| Wimbledon | SF (1970) |
| US Open | 4R (1969, 1972) |
| Other tournaments | |
| Tour Finals | RR (1972) |
| Professional majors | |
| US Pro | F (1967) |
| Wembley Pro | F (1965) |
| French Pro | F (1962, 1967) |
| Doubles | |
| Career record | 94–60 |
| Career titles | 3 |
| Grand Slam Doubles results | |
| French Open | F (1960) |
| US Open | F (1968) |
Andrés Gimeno Tolaguera (born 3 August 1937) is a retired Spanish tennis player. His greatest achievement came in 1972, when he won the French Open.
Andres came from a family that loved tennis and his father Esteban supported him to play tennis. Esteban had been a good tennis player and he became Andres' coach. They practiced at Real Club de Tenis Barcelona. At an early age Andres started to become a really good tennis player, winning some important tournaments in his region. At age sixteen he won the U-18 Championship of Spain. In 1954 he won the Championship of Spain in the doubles’ category playing with Juan Manuel Couder. At the same time, he stopped studying to focus on his tennis’ career.
He was a successful tennis player in Spain, but also represented his country throughout Europe. He played in the Galea's Cup, the European Championship U21, and won it in 1956 and 1957. He was the runner-up in 1958. After that, he decided to go to Australia to play with the man who was considered the best tennis coach in the world, Harry Hopman. He increased his tennis level and soon, he had two important victories in the championships in Perth and in Sidney.
Gimeno went back to Spain in 1960 where he then did his best year as an amateur, winning the titles in Barcelona, Caracas, Monte Carlo, and Queen's. In Barcelona, he became the first Spanish player to win the Torneo Conde de Godó, beating the Italian player Giuseppe Merlo. That same year he reached the doubles final too, but failed to win in that category, losing to an Australian duo in the final. After that year, he joined the professional group “World Championship Tennis”, where Jack Kramer offered him $50,000 for three years, and more money for each victory. The group consisted of some of the best tennis players in history such as Rod Laver, Pancho Gonzalez, Ken Rosewall. Gimeno won the World Championship in 1966, beating Rod Laver in five sets and the same tournament in doubles. He also won the Netherlands' Open, the Madison Square Garden's Championship in 1969, the Dakar and Hamburg in 1971.
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Wikipedia