Dick Norman
 |
|
| Country (sports) |
 Belgium
|
|---|---|
| Residence | Waregem, Belgium |
| Born |
1 March 1971 Waregem, Belgium |
| Height | 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) |
| Turned pro | 1991 |
| Retired | 17 June 2013 |
| Plays | Left-handed (two-handed backhand) |
| Prize money | $1,309,890 |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 30–69 |
| Career titles | 0 |
| Highest ranking | No. 85 (6 November 2006) |
| Grand Slam Singles results | |
| Australian Open | 2R (2006) |
| French Open | 3R (1997) |
| Wimbledon | 4R (1995) |
| US Open | 2R (2002) |
| Doubles | |
| Career record | 53–47 |
| Career titles | 4 |
| Highest ranking | No. 10 (26 April 2010) |
| Grand Slam Doubles results | |
| Australian Open | 2R (2006, 2013) |
| French Open | F (2009) |
| Wimbledon | SF (2009, 2010) |
| US Open | QF (2009, 2010) |
Dick Norman (born 1 March 1971) is a Belgian former professional tennis player. He achieved a degree of folk popularity among tennis fans due to his height (6 feet 8 inches), his left-handed power game and, in the last few years, his age (between late 2006 and his retirement in June 2013 he was the oldest player on the ATP tour).
Turning professional in 1991, Norman notched up only his 14th Grand Slam appearance at the 2006 Wimbledon, where, at 35, he was the second oldest male competitor, to Andre Agassi. With Agassi's retirement immediately following the 2006 US Open, Norman succeeded him as the oldest active player on the ATP tour.
In 1995, he made it to the fourth round at Wimbledon, despite qualifying out of the lucky loser's draw. He defeated successive but aging former Wimbledon Champions Pat Cash and Stefan Edberg in the first and second rounds respectively, then doubles guru Todd Woodbridge in the third round, before falling to another former champion Boris Becker in the fourth round. It was the furthest that any player had ever advanced in a Grand Slam Tournament coming out of the lucky loser draw. This feat was equalled by compatriot David Goffin at the 2012 French Open.
He disappeared from the tennis scene after a few unimpressive seasons, but has made a resurgence starting in 2003, at the age of 32, a common retirement age. He qualified for three of the four annual Grand Slam tournaments in 2003, 2005, and 2006. Nine of his 14 Grand Slam appearances have come after his 32nd birthday, although except for a surprise run in doubles at the French Open in 2009, none as successful as his 1995 Wimbledon run. He mostly lost in the first or second round. Still he has exceeded $1 million in career earnings, in large part due to his Grand Slam successes.
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