Pancho Gonzales
Ricardo Alonso "Pancho" González (May 9, 1928 – July 3, 1995), known sometimes as Richard Gonzales, was an American tennis player. He won 14 major singles titles (12 Pro Slam events, 2 Grand Slam events).
Full name | Ricardo Alonso González |
---|---|
Country | United States |
Born | Los Angeles, California, U.S. | May 9, 1928
Died | July 3, 1995 Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. | (aged 67)
Height | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) |
Turned pro | 1949 |
Retired | 1974 |
Plays | Right-handed (one-handed backhand) |
Int. Tennis HOF | 1968 (member page) |
Singles | |
Career record | 1250–561 (69.05%)[1] |
Career titles | 111[1] |
Highest ranking | No. 1 (1952, Tennis Hall of Fame) |
Grand Slam Singles results | |
Australian Open | 3R (1969) |
French Open | SF (1949, 1968) |
Wimbledon | 4R (1949, 1969) |
US Open | W (1948, 1949) |
Other tournaments | |
Professional majors | |
US Pro | W (1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1961) |
Wembley Pro | W (1950, 1951, 1952, 1956) |
French Pro | F (1956, 1961) |
TOC | W (1957, 1958 Forest Hills, 1959 Sydney) |
Doubles | |
Grand Slam Doubles results | |
French Open | W (1949) |
Wimbledon | W (1949) |
Grand Slam Mixed Doubles results | |
Wimbledon | QF (1968) |
Gonzales was the world's leading professional player at a time when almost all players were amateur. His peak was from about 1952 to about 1958. He won many professional and open titles. He was always a serve-and-volley player at a time when many amateurs played a baseline game.
When he first turned professional, the reigning top man was Jack Kramer. At first, Kramer crushed him. Gonzales semi-retired in 1950/51. When he came back in late 1951, Gonzales was much improved. He reached the top in 1952, winning the professional hard-court title in Los Angeles.
The Tennis Hall of Fame says Gonzales rose to the rank of number one in 1952.[2]
Pancho Gonzales Media
Pancho Segura (left) and Gonzales (right) at the Professional Championship in Noordwijk, Netherlands in August 1961.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Pancho Gonzales: Career match record". thetennisbase.com. Tennis Base. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 3 November 2017.
- ↑ "Tennis Hall of Fame bio". Retrieved 21 April 2020.