Gene Mayer

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Gene Mayer
Gene Mayer, 1979 (cropped).jpg
Gene Mayer at the 1979 ABN Tennis Tournament
Country (sports)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States
Residence Mill Neck, New York, U.S.
Born (1956-05-11) May 11, 1956 (age 69)
Flushing, Queens, New York, U.S.
Height6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Turned pro1973
Retired1986 (brief comeback in 2001)
PlaysRight-handed (two-handed both sides)
Prize money $1,382,422
Singles
Career record317–158
Career titles14
Highest rankingNo. 4 (October 6, 1980)
Grand Slam singles results
French Open 4R (1979)
Wimbledon QF (1980, 1982)
US Open QF (1982, 1984)
Other tournaments
Tour Finals SF (1980)
WCT Finals QF (1979)
Doubles
Career record167–91
Career titles15
Highest rankingNo. 5 (July 9, 1979)
Grand Slam doubles results
French Open W (1978, 1979)

Gene Mayer (born May 11, 1956) is a former tennis player from the United States who won 14 professional singles titles during his career.

Contents

Mayer was born in Flushing, Queens, New York. He grew up in Wayne, New Jersey, [1] and played tennis at Wayne Valley High School, where he went unbeaten in his two years on the tennis team. [2] [3] He was a double hander on both forehand and backhand.

The right-hander Mayer reached his highest ranking on the ATP Tour on October 6, 1980, when he reached the rank of World No. 4.

Mayer has been a resident of Woodmere, New York. [4] In 2005, he was inducted into the Nassau County Sports Hall of Fame. [5]

Gene's older brother Sandy was also a tour player. He achieved the rank of World No. 7 in 1982. They met each other in the Stockholm Open final 1981 and won 5 doubles tournaments together, including 1979 French Open.

Career finals

Singles: 26 (14 wins, 12 losses)

ResultW/LDateTournamentSurfaceOpponentScore
Loss1.1976 Hamilton, Bermuda Clay Flag of the United States.svg Cliff Richey 6–7, 2–6
Win1.1978 Guadalajara, MexicoClay Flag of Australia (converted).svg John Newcombe 6–3, 6–4
Loss2.1979 Houston, U.S.Clay Flag of Spain (1977-1981).svg José Higueras 3–6, 6–2, 6–7
Win2.1979 Cologne, GermanyHard (i) Flag of Poland.svg Wojtek Fibak 6–3, 3–6, 6–1
Loss3.1979 Stockholm, Sweden Hard (i) Flag of the United States.svg John McEnroe 7–6, 3–6, 3–6
Win3.1980 Denver, U.S.Carpet Flag of the United States.svg Victor Amaya 6–2, 6–2
Loss4.1980 Rotterdam, Netherlands Carpet Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Heinz Günthardt 2–6, 4–6
Win4.1980 Metz, FranceCarpet Flag of Italy.svg Gianni Ocleppo 6–3, 6–3, 6–0
Win5.1980 Los Angeles Hard Flag of the United States.svg Brian Teacher 6–3, 6–2
Loss5.1980 Boston, U.S.Clay Flag of the United States.svg Eddie Dibbs 2–6, 1–6
Win6.1980 Cleveland, U.S.Hard Flag of the United States.svg Victor Amaya6–2, 6–1
Win7.1980 San Francisco, U.S.Carpet Flag of the United States.svg Eliot Teltscher 6–2, 2–6, 6–1
Loss6.1980 Wembley, United Kingdom Carpet Flag of the United States.svg John McEnroe4–6, 3–6, 3–6
Win8.1981 Memphis, U.S.Carpet Flag of the United States.svg Roscoe Tanner 6–2, 6–4
Win9.1981Denver, U.S.Carpet Flag of the United States.svg John Sadri 6–4, 6–4
Loss7.1981Rotterdam, NetherlandsHard (i) Flag of the United States.svg Jimmy Connors 1–6, 6–2, 2–6
Win10.1981Cleveland, U.S.Hard Flag of the United States.svg Dave Siegler 6–1, 6–4
Win11.1981 Stockholm, Sweden Hard (i) Flag of the United States.svg Sandy Mayer 6–4, 6–2
Loss8.1982 Las Vegas, U.S.Hard Flag of the United States.svg Jimmy Connors2–5, retired
Win12.1982 Munich, GermanyClay Flag of Germany.svg Peter Elter 3–6, 6–3, 6–2, 6–1
Loss9.1982 Sydney Indoor, AustraliaHard (i) Flag of the United States.svg John McEnroe4–6, 1–6, 4–6
Loss10.1983 Memphis, U.S.Carpet Flag of the United States.svg Jimmy Connors5–7, 0–6
Win13.1983 Rotterdam, Netherlands Hard (i) Flag of Argentina.svg Guillermo Vilas 6–1, 7–6
Win14.1983Los AngelesHard Flag of the United States.svg Johan Kriek 7–6, 6–1
Loss11.1984 Munich, GermanyClay Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Libor Pimek 4–6, 6–4, 6–7, 4–6
Loss12.1984 Stuttgart Outdoor, GermanyClay Flag of France.svg Henri Leconte 6–7, 0–6, 6–1, 1–6

Doubles: 24 (15 wins, 9 losses)

ResultW/LDateTournamentSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Loss1.1976 La Costa, U.S.Hard Flag of the United States.svg Peter Fleming Flag of the United States.svg Marty Riessen
Flag of the United States.svg Roscoe Tanner
6–7, 6–7
Loss2.1976 Charlotte WCT, U.S.Carpet Flag of the United States.svg Vitas Gerulaitis Flag of Australia (converted).svg John Newcombe
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Tony Roche
3–6, 5–7
Loss3.1977 Columbus, U.S.Clay Flag of the United States.svg Peter Fleming Flag of the United States.svg Robert Lutz
Flag of the United States.svg Stan Smith
6–4, 5–7, 2–6
Win1.1978 Mexico City WCT, MexicoHard Flag of India.svg Sashi Menon Flag of Mexico.svg Marcello Lara
Flag of Mexico.svg Raúl Ramírez
6–3, 7–6
Win2.1978 Miami, Florida, U.S.Carpet Flag of the United States.svg Tom Gullikson Flag of Australia (converted).svg Bob Carmichael
Flag of the United States.svg Brian Teacher
7–6, 6–3
Loss4.1978 Guadalajara, MexicoClay Flag of India.svg Sashi Menon Flag of the United States.svg Sandy Mayer
Flag of the United States.svg Sherwood Stewart
6–4, 6–7, 3–6
Win3.1978 San Jose, California, U.S.Carpet Flag of the United States.svg Sandy Mayer Flag of the United States.svg Hank Pfister
Flag of the United States.svg Brad Rowe
6–3, 6–4
Win4.1978French Open, ParisClay Flag of the United States.svg Hank Pfister Flag of Spain (1977-1981).svg Manuel Orantes
Flag of Spain (1977-1981).svg José Higueras
6–3, 6–2, 6–2
Win5.1978 Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.Clay Flag of Mexico.svg Raúl Ramírez Flag of Egypt (1972-1984).svg Ismail El Shafei
Flag of New Zealand.svg Brian Fairlie
6–3, 6–3
Win6.1978 Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.Clay Flag of the United States.svg Hank Pfister Flag of the United States.svg Jeff Borowiak
Flag of New Zealand.svg Chris Lewis
6–3, 6–1
Win7.1979 Rancho Mirage, California, U.S.Hard Flag of the United States.svg Sandy Mayer Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Cliff Drysdale
Flag of the United States.svg Bruce Manson
6–4, 7–6
Win8.1979 Houston, U.S.Clay Flag of the United States.svg Sherwood Stewart Flag of Australia (converted).svg John Alexander
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Geoff Masters
6–1, 5–7, 6–4
Win9.1979French Open, ParisClay Flag of the United States.svg Sandy Mayer Flag of Australia (converted).svg Ross Case
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Phil Dent
6–4, 6–4, 6–4
Loss5.1979 Forest Hills WCT, U.S.Clay Flag of the United States.svg Sandy Mayer Flag of the United States.svg Peter Fleming
Flag of the United States.svg John McEnroe
7–6, 6–7, 3–6
Win10.1979Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.Clay Flag of the United States.svg John McEnroe Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Jan Kodeš
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Tomáš Šmíd
6–4, 7–6
Win11.1979 Cologne, Germany Hard (i) Flag of the United States.svg Stan Smith Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Heinz Günthardt
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Pavel Složil
6–3, 6–4
Win12.1980 Metz, FranceCarpet Flag of Australia (converted).svg Colin Dibley Flag of the United States.svg Chris Delaney
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Kim Warwick
7–6, 7–5
Loss6.1980 Las Vegas, U.S.Hard Flag of Poland.svg Wojtek Fibak Flag of the United States.svg Robert Lutz
Flag of the United States.svg Stan Smith
2–6, 5–7
Win13.1980 Florence, Italy Clay Flag of Mexico.svg Raúl Ramírez Flag of Italy.svg Paolo Bertolucci
Flag of Italy.svg Adriano Panatta
6–1, 6–4
Win14.1980 Boston, U.S.Clay Flag of the United States.svg Sandy Mayer Flag of Chile.svg Hans Gildemeister
Flag of Ecuador.svg Andrés Gómez
1–6, 6–4, 6–4
Loss7.1980 Washington, D.C., U.S.Clay Flag of the United States.svg Sandy Mayer Flag of Chile.svg Hans Gildemeister
Flag of Ecuador.svg Andrés Gómez
4–6, 5–7
Loss8.1980 San Francisco, U.S.Carpet Flag of the United States.svg Sandy Mayer Flag of the United States.svg Peter Fleming
Flag of the United States.svg John McEnroe
1–6, 4–6
Win15.1981 Memphis, U.S.Carpet Flag of the United States.svg Sandy Mayer Flag of the United States.svg Mike Cahill
Flag of the United States.svg Tom Gullikson
7–6, 6–7, 7–6
Loss9.1981 Rotterdam, NetherlandsHard (i) Flag of the United States.svg Sandy Mayer Flag of the United States.svg Fritz Buehning
Flag of the United States.svg Ferdi Taygan
6–7, 6–1, 4–6

References

  1. "Vilas Extended by Mayer", The New York Times , February 13, 1977. Accessed December 10, 2007. "Guillermo Vilas, the Argentine left hander, had unexpectedly strong opposition, but ousted young Gene Mayer of Wayne, N.J., 7–6, 7–6, 6–1, in the semifinals of the $50,000 Springfield International, a Grand Prix tennis tournament."
  2. Best Boys Tennis Team of the Century, The Star-Ledger . Accessed December 10, 2007.
  3. Martin, Rachel (April 11, 2016). "Happy Birthday To Wayne's Gene Mayer". South Passaic Daily Voice. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
  4. Cavanaugh, Jack. "A TENNIS TOURNAMENT SERVES SOME ACES", The New York Times , August 23, 1987. Accessed September 16, 2008. "Most of what rooting interest developed focused on the closest thing to a homegrown product in the competition, Gene Mayer of Woodmere."
  5. "NC Sports Commission Invites Athlete and Coach Nominations From Community" Archived September 6, 2008, at the Wayback Machine , Three Village Times, January 28, 2005. Accessed December 22, 2007. "The NCSC is privileged to announce that four-time Track and Field Gold Medallist Al Oerter and former world ranked tennis professional Gene Mayer are scheduled, among others, to accept their induction into the Nassau County Sports Hall of Fame on April 11."