Vitas Gerulaitis
Vitas Gerulaitis at the 1978 ABN World Tennis Tournament
|
|
| Country (sports) |
 United States
|
|---|---|
| Born |
July 26, 1954 Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Died | September 17, 1994 (aged 40) Southampton, New York, U.S. |
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) |
| Turned pro | 1971 |
| Retired | 1986 |
| Plays | Right-handed (one-handed backhand) |
| Prize money | $2,778,748 |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 520–223 (Grand Prix, WCT and Grand Slam level, and in Davis Cup) |
| Career titles | 25 |
| Highest ranking | No. 3 (February 27, 1978) |
| Grand Slam Singles results | |
| Australian Open | W (1977Dec) |
| French Open | F (1980) |
| Wimbledon | SF (1977, 1978) |
| US Open | F (1979) |
| Other tournaments | |
| Tour Finals | F (1979, 1981) |
| WCT Finals | W (1978) |
| Doubles | |
| Career record | 164–123 (Grand Prix, WCT and Grand Slam level, and in Davis Cup) |
| Career titles | 8 |
| Highest ranking | No. 43 (May 20, 1985) |
| Grand Slam Doubles results | |
| Australian Open | 1R (1983) |
| French Open | QF (1980) |
| Wimbledon | W (1975) |
| US Open | 3R (1972) |
Vytautas Kevin Gerulaitis (July 26, 1954 – September 17, 1994) was an American professional tennis player. In 1975, Gerulaitis won the men's doubles title at Wimbledon, partnering with Sandy Mayer. He won the men's singles title at one of the two Australian Open tournaments held in 1977 (Gerulaitis won the tournament that was held in December, while Roscoe Tanner won the earlier January tournament). Gerulaitis also won two Italian Open titles, in 1977 and 1979, and the WCT Finals in Dallas, in 1978.
Gerulaitis, a Lithuanian American, was born on July 26, 1954, in Brooklyn, New York, to Lithuanian immigrant parents, and grew up in Howard Beach, Queens. He attended Archbishop Molloy High School in Queens, graduating in 1971. He attended Columbia College of Columbia University for one year before dropping out to pursue tennis full-time. Gerulaitis was nicknamed "The Lithuanian Lion".
Gerulaitis led the Pittsburgh Triangles to the World TeamTennis championship title at Pittsburgh's Mellon Arena in 1975.
Gerulaitis was coached by Fred Stolle from 1977 until 1983.
He also won the men's doubles title at Wimbledon in 1975. He was a singles semi-finalist at Wimbledon in both 1977 and 1978. In 1977 he lost a Wimbledon semifinal to his close friend and practice partner, Björn Borg, 6–4, 3–6, 6–3, 3–6, 8–6, a match later considered one of the greatest of the decade.
In 1977 Gerulaitis won the most significant title of his career at the Australian Open, when he defeated John Lloyd in the men's singles final in five sets.
...
Wikipedia