Chris Lewis (tennis)

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Chris Lewis
ONZM
Chris Lewis, New Zealand Tennis Player (February 1980) (24874283479).jpg
Country (sports)New Zealand
Residence Irvine, California, US
Born (1957-03-09) 9 March 1957 (age 68)
Auckland, New Zealand
Height1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) [1]
Turned pro1975
Retired1986
PlaysRight-handed (one-handed backhand)
Prize money$647,550
Singles
Career record237–196 (54.7%)
Career titles3
Highest rankingNo. 19 (16 April 1984)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open 3R (1977Dec, 1981)
French Open 3R (1977)
Wimbledon F (1983)
US Open 3R (1982)
Doubles
Career record183–161 (53.2%)
Career titles8 [1]
Highest rankingNo. 46 (14 January 1985)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open QF (1980)
French Open QF (1982)
Wimbledon QF (1981)
US Open 2R (1981)
Personal details
Relatives

Christopher John Lewis ONZM (born 9 March 1957) is a New Zealander former professional tennis player. Lewis reached the 1983 Wimbledon singles final as an unseeded player. He won three singles titles and achieved a career-high singles ranking of world No. 19 in April 1984. He also won eight doubles titles during his 12 years on the tour. Lewis was coached by Harry Hopman and Tony Roche.

Contents

Lewis is the third (and as of 2021 the most recent) man from New Zealand to reach a major singles final, after Anthony Wilding (several times) and Onny Parun at the 1973 Australian Open.

Early life

Lewis was born in Auckland, New Zealand, and received his secondary education at Marcellin College and Lynfield College. [2] He is the eldest of three sons. His brothers are David Lewis and Mark Lewis who also had competitive tennis careers. [3]

Tennis career

Juniors

Lewis reached the No. 1 junior world ranking in 1975, winning the Wimbledon boys' singles title (def. Ricardo Ycaza) and reaching the final of the US Open boys' singles (lost to Howard Schoenfield).[ citation needed ]

Pro tour

In reaching the 1983 Wimbledon final, after a five-set win over Kevin Curren in the semifinals, Lewis became the seventh unseeded man and only the second New Zealander after Anthony Wilding (who won four times between 1910 and 1913) to reach a Wimbledon singles final. He lost the final to John McEnroe in three sets. He also reached the final at the Cincinnati Masters in 1981, again losing to John McEnroe in straight sets.[ citation needed ]

After tennis

In the 1999 New Zealand general election, Lewis unsuccessfully stood for parliament as a list candidate for the Libertarianz party. Now a resident in Irvine, California, Lewis is the co-founder of the Brymer Lewis Tennis Academy, based at the Orange County Great Park Sports Complex in Irvine. His daughter Geneva Lewis, born 1998, is a violinist. [4]

In the 2024 King’s Birthday Honours, Lewis was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to tennis. [5]

Grand Slam finals

ResultYearChampionshipSurfaceOpponentScore
Loss1983 Wimbledon Grass Flag of the United States.svg John McEnroe 2–6, 2–6, 2–6

ATP Masters Series finals

ResultYearTournamentSurfaceOpponentScore
Loss1981 Cincinnati Masters Hard Flag of the United States.svg John McEnroe 3–6, 4–6

Career finals

Singles: 10 (3 titles, 7 runner-ups)

Winner – Legend (pre/post 2009)
Grand Slam tournaments (0–1)
ATP Masters Series /
ATP World Tour Masters 1000 (0–1)
ATP International Series Gold /
ATP World Tour 500 Series (0–1)
ATP International Series /
ATP World Tour 250 Series (3–4)
Finals by surface
Hard (1–2)
Clay (2–1)
Grass (0–4)
Carpet (0–0)
ResultW/LDateTournamentSurfaceOpponentScore
Loss0–1Dec 1977Adelaide, AustraliaGrass Flag of the United States.svg Tim Gullikson 6–3, 4–6, 6–3, 2–6, 4–6
Win1–1Jul 1978 Kitzbühel, AustriaClay Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Vladimír Zedník 6–1, 6–4, 6–0
Loss1–2Mar 1981 Stuttgart Indoor, West GermanyHard (i) Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Ivan Lendl 3–6, 0–6, 7–6, 3–6
Win2–2May 1981 Munich, West GermanyClay Flag of France.svg Christophe Roger-Vasselin 4–6, 6–2, 2–6, 6–1, 6–1
Loss2–3Aug 1981 Cincinnati, United StatesHard Flag of the United States.svg John McEnroe 3–6, 4–6
Loss2–4Oct 1981Brisbane, AustraliaGrass Flag of Australia (converted).svg Mark Edmondson 6–7, 6–3, 4–6
Loss2–5Dec 1981 Sydney, AustraliaGrass Flag of the United States.svg Tim Wilkison 4–6, 6–7, 3–6
Loss2–6Apr 1982 Hilton Head, United StatesClay Flag of the United States.svg Van Winitsky 4–6, 4–6
Loss2–7Jun 1983 Wimbledon, LondonGrass Flag of the United States.svg John McEnroe2–6, 2–6, 2–6
Win3–7Jan 1985 Auckland, New ZealandHard Flag of Australia (converted).svg Wally Masur 7–5, 6–0, 2–6, 6–4

Doubles: 16 (8 titles, 8 runner-ups)

ResultW–LDateTournamentSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Win1–0Jan 1977 Auckland, New ZealandGrass Flag of New Zealand.svg Russell Simpson Flag of Australia (converted).svg Peter Langsford
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jonathan Smith
7–6, 6–4
Loss1–1Apr 1977 Nice, FranceClay Flag of New Zealand.svg Chris Kachel Flag of Romania (1965-1989).svg Ion Țiriac
Flag of Argentina.svg Guillermo Vilas
4–6, 1–6
Win2–1Apr 1977 Florence, ItalyClay Flag of New Zealand.svg Russell Simpson Flag of Colombia.svg Iván Molina
Flag of Colombia.svg Jairo Velasco
2–6, 7–6, 6–2
Win3–1Jul 1978 Kitzbühel, AustriaClay Flag of the United States.svg Mike Fishbach Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Pavel Huťka
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Pavel Složil
6–7, 6–4, 6–3
Loss3–2Aug 1978 Indianapolis, USClay Flag of the United States.svg Jeff Borowiak Flag of the United States.svg Gene Mayer
Flag of the United States.svg Hank Pfister
3–6, 1–6
Win4–2Nov 1978 Buenos Aires, ArgentinaClay Flag of the United States.svg Van Winitsky Flag of Argentina.svg José Luis Clerc
Flag of Chile.svg Belus Prajoux
6–4, 3–6, 6–0
Loss4–3May 1980 São Paulo, BrazilCarpet Flag of New Zealand.svg David Carter Flag of India.svg Anand Amritraj
Flag of the United States.svg Fritz Buehning
6–7, 2–6
Loss4–4May 1980 Munich, West GermanyClay Flag of New Zealand.svg David Carter Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Heinz Günthardt
Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Bob Hewitt
6–7, 1–6
Loss4–5Jul 1980 Stuttgart, West GermanyClay Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg John Yuill Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Colin Dowdeswell
Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Frew McMillan
3–6, 4–6
Loss4–6Jul 1980 Kitzbühel, AustriaClay Flag of Brazil.svg Carlos Kirmayr Flag of Germany.svg Klaus Eberhard
Flag of Germany.svg Ulrich Marten
4–6, 6–3, 4–6
Loss4–7Apr 1981 Nice, FranceClay Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Pavel Složil Flag of France.svg Yannick Noah
Flag of France.svg Pascal Portes
6–4, 3–6, 4–6
Win5–7Oct 1981 Brisbane, AustraliaGrass Flag of Australia (converted).svg Rod Frawley Flag of Australia (converted).svg Mark Edmondson
Flag of the United States.svg Mike Estep
7–5, 4–6, 7–6(7–4)
Win6–7Jan 1983 Auckland, New ZealandHard Flag of New Zealand.svg Russell Simpson Flag of Australia (converted).svg David Graham
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Laurie Warder
7–6, 6–3
Win7–7May 1983 Munich, West GermanyClay Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Pavel Složil Flag of Sweden.svg Anders Järryd
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Tomáš Šmíd
6–4, 6–2
Loss7–8Apr 1984 Aix-en-Provence, FranceClay Flag of Australia (converted).svg Wally Masur Flag of Australia (converted).svg Pat Cash
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Paul McNamee
4–6, 6–3, 6–4
Win8–8Jan 1985 Auckland, New ZealandHard Flag of Australia (converted).svg John Fitzgerald Flag of Australia (converted).svg Broderick Dyke
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Wally Masur
7–6, 6–2

Grand Slam singles performance timeline

Key
W F SFQF#RRRQ#DNQANH
(W) winner; (F) finalist; (SF) semifinalist; (QF) quarterfinalist; (#R) rounds 4, 3, 2, 1; (RR) round-robin stage; (Q#) qualification round; (DNQ) did not qualify; (A) absent; (NH) not held; (SR) strike rate (events won / competed); (W–L) win–loss record.
Tournament 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 SR
Australian Open A 2R 1R 3R A 1R 1R 3R 3R 3R 2R 2R 0 / 10
French Open Q2 A 3R 2R 2R 2R 2R 2R 1R 1R 2R 0 / 9
Wimbledon Q3 2R 1R 1R A 2R 2R 3R F 2R 2R 0 / 9
US Open AAA 1R 1R A 2R 3R 2R 1R A0 / 6
Strike rate0 / 00 / 20 / 40 / 30 / 30 / 30 / 40 / 40 / 40 / 40 / 30 / 34

Note: The Australian Open was held twice in 1977, in January and December.

References

  1. 1 2 Player Profile
  2. Reidy, Jade (2013). Not Just Passing Through: the Making of Mt Roskill (2nd ed.). Auckland: Puketāpapa Local Board. p. 98. ISBN   978-1-927216-97-2. OCLC   889931177. Wikidata   Q116775081.
  3. Joseph Romanos, Chris Lewis: All the Way to Wimbledon, Rugby Press, Auckland, 1984, p. 43, ISBN   090863014X.
  4. Thomas, Robert D. (16 March 2015). "16-year-old violinist to perform with Pasadena Symphony". The Pasadena Star-News . Retrieved 25 July 2015.
  5. "King's Birthday Honours 2024: The full list of all recipients". The New Zealand Herald . 3 June 2024. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
Awards
Preceded by New Zealand Sportsman of the Year
1983
Succeeded by