Kevin Curren

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Kevin Curren
Kevin Curren (1982).jpg
Curren in 1982
Country (sports) Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg South Africa
Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States (1985-)
Residence Austin, Texas
Born (1958-03-02) 2 March 1958 (age 67)
Durban, Natal, South Africa
Height1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Turned pro1979
Retired1993
PlaysRight-handed (one-handed backhand)
Prize money$3,055,510
Singles
Career record339–234 (59.1%)
Career titles5
Highest rankingNo. 5 (22 July 1985)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open F (1984)
French Open 2R (1992)
Wimbledon F (1985)
US Open 4R (1981, 1990)
Other tournaments
Grand Slam Cup 1R (1990)
WCT Finals SF (1984)
Doubles
Career record430–249 (63.3%)
Career titles26
Highest rankingNo. 3 (3 January 1983)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open SF (1981)
French Open QF (1984)
Wimbledon SF (1982, 1983)
US Open W (1982)
Mixed doubles
Career titles3
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
Wimbledon W (1982)
US Open W (1981, 1982)

Kevin Melvyn Curren (born 2 March 1958) is a South African former professional tennis player. He played in two Grand Slam singles finals and won four Grand Slam doubles titles, reaching a career-high singles ranking of world No. 5 in July 1985. During his career he won 5 singles and 16 doubles titles.

Contents

Personal life

Curren was born in South Africa, and he became a naturalized American citizen in April 1985. [1]

Tennis career

Curren played both tennis and cricket at Glenwood High School in Durban. He also quickly rose among the ranks as a junior at Montclair Lawn Tennis Club in Montclair, Durban. At college he played tennis for the University of Texas at Austin in the United States and won the NCAA singles title in 1979. He turned professional later that year, and won his first top-level singles title in 1981 in Johannesburg.

In 1983, Curren reached his first Grand Slam semifinal at Wimbledon, served 33 aces in beating defending champion, Jimmy Connors in the fourth round, snapping Connors' streak of 27 consecutive major quarterfinals appearances. [2] It went on to be his only 4th round loss in 35 Grand Slam tournaments appearances. Curren lost to unseeded New Zealander Chris Lewis in a five-set semifinal match which allowed Lewis to become only the seventh unseeded player to reach the Wimbledon final. In 1984, Curren played Mats Wilander in the final of the Australian Open, after beating Lendl in the fourth round [3] and making a comeback from two sets down to defeat Ben Testerman in the semifinals. Wilander won the match, played on the grass courts at Kooyong, in four sets, returning Curren's big service well. [4]

In 1985, after becoming an American citizen, Curren reached the final at Wimbledon with the help of coaching from Tony Roche. After defeating Larry Stefanki, Mike De Palmer, David Mustard and then future champion Stefan Edberg in the fourth round in straight sets, he eliminated the then-world No. 1, John McEnroe, in the quarterfinals. He "bewildered" world No. 3 Jimmy Connors in the semifinals, allowing him just five games. [5] Curren was the first player to beat both American players in the same Grand Slam event. McEnroe commented that he felt overpowered. [6] In the final, he lost in four sets to Boris Becker, in a match best remembered for making the 17-year-old Becker the youngest male Grand Slam champion (a record which was later eclipsed by Michael Chang in 1989 at the French Open). The final was intense, and Becker sent several hostile glares to Curren before and after points. On one of the final change-overs, Becker bumped Curren's shoulder as they passed one another. [7] After his defeat, Curren was noted as saying that he thought the game would see an increase in the number of successful young players and predicted that they would have more intense, but shorter careers. [8] Curren was the last American man to reach the final at Wimbledon until Andre Agassi did so seven years later in 1992.

He followed his second Grand Slam singles finals appearance by being upset in straight sets by Guy Forget on Grandstand court in the first round of the US Open. Frustration got the best of the fifth-seeded Curren at the post-match press conference when he commented, "I hate the city, the environment and Flushing Meadows. There is noise, the people in the grandstand are never seated and it takes an hour and a half in traffic to get here. It's sickening that with all the money they get from TV, the USTA doesn't build a better facility. The USTA should be shot. And they should drop an A-bomb on the place." [9]

Though he never won a Grand Slam singles title, Curren did win four Grand Slam doubles titles. In 1981, he won the US Open mixed doubles, and in 1982 he won the Wimbledon mixed doubles and both men's doubles and mixed doubles at the US Open. During his career, Curren won five top-level singles titles and 26 doubles titles. His career-high rankings were world No. 5 in singles and world No. 3 in doubles. His final career singles title came in 1989 at Frankfurt, and his last doubles title was won in 1992 in Seoul. Curren retired from the professional tour in 1993.

Since retiring from the tour, Curren has served as captain of the South Africa Davis Cup team.

Grand Slam finals

Singles: 2 (2 runner-ups)

ResultYearChampionshipSurfaceOpponentScore
Loss 1984 Australian Open Grass Flag of Sweden.svg Mats Wilander 7–6(7–5), 4–6, 6–7(3–7), 2–6
Loss 1985 Wimbledon Grass Flag of Germany.svg Boris Becker 3–6, 7–6(7–4), 6–7(3–7), 4–6

Doubles: 1 (1 title)

ResultYearChampionshipSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Win 1982 US Open Hard Flag of the United States.svg Steve Denton Flag of the United States.svg Victor Amaya
Flag of the United States.svg Hank Pfister
6–2, 6–7(4–7), 5–7, 6–2, 6–4

Mixed doubles: 3 (3 titles)

ResultYearChampionshipSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Win 1981 US Open Hard Flag of the United States.svg Anne Smith Flag of the United States.svg JoAnne Russell
Flag of the United States.svg Steve Denton
6–4, 7–6
Win 1982 Wimbledon Grass Flag of the United States.svg Anne Smith Flag of Australia (converted).svg Wendy Turnbull
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg John Lloyd
2–6, 6–3, 7–5
Win 1982 US OpenHard Flag of the United States.svg Anne Smith Flag of the United States.svg Barbara Potter
Flag of the United States.svg Ferdi Taygan
6–7, 7–6(7–4), 7–6(7–5)

ATP career finals

Singles: 13 (5 titles, 8 runner-ups)

ResultW/LDateTournamentSurfaceOpponentScore
Win1–0Apr 1981 Johannesburg, South AfricaHard Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Bernard Mitton 6–4, 6–4
Loss1–1Sep 1982Los Angeles-2 WCT, U.S.Carpet (i) Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Ivan Lendl 6–7(5–7), 5–7, 1–6
Loss1–2Oct 1982Amsterdam WCT, NetherlandsCarpet (i) Flag of Poland.svg Wojciech Fibak 5–7, 6–3, 4–6, 3–6
Win2–2Nov 1982 Cologne, West GermanyCarpet (i) Flag of Israel.svg Shlomo Glickstein 2–6, 6–2, 6–3
Loss2–3Mar 1983 Milan, ItalyCarpet (i) Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Ivan Lendl7–5, 3–6, 6–7(4–7)
Loss2–4Dec 1984 Australian Open, MelbourneGrass Flag of Sweden.svg Mats Wilander 7–6(7–5), 4–6, 6–7(3–7), 2–6
Win3–4Feb 1985 Toronto, CanadaCarpet (i) Flag of Sweden.svg Anders Järryd 7–6(8–6), 6–3
Loss3–5Mar 1985 Houston WCT, U.S.Carpet (i) Flag of the United States.svg John McEnroe 5–7, 1–6, 6–7(4–7)
Loss3–6Jul 1985 Wimbledon, U.K.Grass Flag of Germany.svg Boris Becker 3–6, 7–6(7–4), 6–7(3–7), 4–6
Win4–6Apr 1986 Atlanta, U.S.Carpet (i) Flag of the United States.svg Tim Wilkison 7–6(7–5), 7–6(7–2)
Loss4–7Oct 1986 Scottsdale, U.S.Hard Flag of the United States.svg John McEnroe3–6, 6–3, 2–6
Loss4–8Aug 1988 Toronto, CanadaHard Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Ivan Lendl6–7(10–12), 2–6
Win5–8Oct 1989 Frankfurt, West GermanyCarpet (i) Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Petr Korda 6–2, 7–5

Doubles: 53 (26 titles, 27 runner-ups)

ResultNo.DateTournamentSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Win1.1980 Denver, U.S.Carpet (i) Flag of the United States.svg Steve Denton Flag of Poland.svg Wojciech Fibak
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Heinz Günthardt
7–5, 6–2
Loss1.1980Washington D.C., U.S.Carpet (i) Flag of the United States.svg Steve Denton Flag of the United States.svg Ferdi Taygan
Flag of the United States.svg Brian Teacher
6–4, 3–6, 6–7
Loss2.1980 North Conway, U.S.Clay Flag of the United States.svg Steve Denton Flag of the United States.svg Jimmy Connors
Flag of the United States.svg Brian Gottfried
6–7, 3–6
Win2.1980 Indianapolis, U.S.Clay Flag of the United States.svg Steve Denton Flag of Poland.svg Wojciech Fibak
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Ivan Lendl
3–6, 7–6, 6–4
Win3.1980 Basel, SwitzerlandHard (i) Flag of the United States.svg Steve Denton Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Bob Hewitt
Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Frew McMillan
6–7, 6–4, 6–4
Win4.1981 Monterrey WCT, MexicoCarpet (i) Flag of the United States.svg Steve Denton Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Johan Kriek
Flag of New Zealand.svg Russell Simpson
7–6, 6–3
Loss3.1981 Brussels, BelgiumCarpet (i) Flag of the United States.svg Steve Denton Flag of the United States.svg Sandy Mayer
Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Frew McMillan
6–4, 3–6, 3–6
Loss4.1981 Queen's Club, U.K.Grass Flag of the United States.svg Steve Denton Flag of the United States.svg Pat DuPré
Flag of the United States.svg Brian Teacher
6–3, 6–7, 9–11
Loss5.1981 Newport, U.S.Grass Flag of the United States.svg Billy Martin Flag of Australia (converted).svg Brad Drewett
Flag of the United States.svg Erik van Dillen
2–6, 4–6
Win5.1981Indianapolis, U.S.Clay Flag of the United States.svg Steve Denton Flag of Mexico.svg Raúl Ramírez
Flag of the United States.svg Van Winitsky
6–3, 5–7, 7–5
Win6.1981 Stockholm, SwedenHard (i) Flag of the United States.svg Steve Denton Flag of the United States.svg Sherwood Stewart
Flag of the United States.svg Ferdi Taygan
6–7, 6–4, 6–0
Loss6.1982 Masters Doubles WCT, LondonCarpet (i) Flag of the United States.svg Steve Denton Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Heinz Günthardt
Flag of Hungary.svg Balázs Taróczy
7–6, 3–6, 5–7, 4–6
Win7.1982Denver, U.S.Carpet (i) Flag of the United States.svg Steve Denton Flag of Australia (converted).svg Phil Dent
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Kim Warwick
6–4, 6–4
Win8.1982 Memphis, U.S.Hard (i) Flag of the United States.svg Steve Denton Flag of the United States.svg Peter Fleming
Flag of the United States.svg John McEnroe
7–6, 4–6, 6–2
Loss7.1982 Munich WCT, West GermanyCarpet (i) Flag of the United States.svg Steve Denton Flag of Australia (converted).svg Mark Edmondson
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Tomáš Šmíd
6–4, 5–7, 2–6
Loss8.1982 Rotterdam, NetherlandsCarpet (i) Flag of the United States.svg Fritz Buehning Flag of Australia (converted).svg Mark Edmondson
Flag of the United States.svg Sherwood Stewart
5–7, 2–6
Win9.1982 Houston, U.S.Clay Flag of the United States.svg Steve Denton Flag of Australia (converted).svg Mark Edmondson
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Peter McNamara
7–5, 6–4
Win10.1982 US Open, New YorkHard Flag of the United States.svg Steve Denton Flag of the United States.svg Victor Amaya
Flag of the United States.svg Hank Pfister
6–2, 6–7, 5–7, 6–2, 6–4
Win11.1982Los Angeles-2 WCT, U.S.Carpet (i) Flag of the United States.svg Hank Pfister Flag of the United States.svg Andy Andrews
Flag of the United States.svg Drew Gitlin
4–6, 6–2, 7–5
Loss9.1982Amsterdam WCT, NetherlandsCarpet (i) Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Buster Mottram Flag of the United States.svg Fritz Buehning
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Tomáš Šmíd
6–4, 3–6, 0–6
Win12.1983 Philadelphia, U.S.Carpet (i) Flag of the United States.svg Steve Denton Flag of the United States.svg Peter Fleming
Flag of the United States.svg John McEnroe
6–4, 7–6
Win13.1983Munich WCT, West GermanyCarpet (i) Flag of the United States.svg Steve Denton Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Heinz Günthardt
Flag of Hungary.svg Balázs Taróczy
7–5, 2–6, 6–1
Win14.1983Houston WCT, U.S.Clay Flag of the United States.svg Steve Denton Flag of the United States.svg Mark Dickson
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Tomáš Šmíd
7–6, 6–7, 6–1
Win15.1983 Las Vegas, U.S.Hard Flag of the United States.svg Steve Denton Flag of the United States.svg Tracy Delatte
Flag of the United States.svg Johan Kriek
6–3, 7–5
Loss10.1983 Forest Hills WCT, U.S.Clay Flag of the United States.svg Steve Denton Flag of the United States.svg Tracy Delatte
Flag of the United States.svg Johan Kriek
7–6, 5–7, 3–6
Loss11.1983Queen's Club, U.K.Grass Flag of the United States.svg Steve Denton Flag of the United States.svg Brian Gottfried
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Paul McNamee
4–6, 3–6
Loss12.1984 Richmond WCT, U.S.Carpet (i) Flag of the United States.svg Steve Denton Flag of the United States.svg John McEnroe
Flag of the United States.svg Patrick McEnroe
6–7, 2–6
Loss13.1984Brussels, BelgiumCarpet (i) Flag of the United States.svg Steve Denton Flag of the United States.svg Tim Gullikson
Flag of the United States.svg Tom Gullikson
4–6, 7–6, 6–7
Win16.1984Rotterdam, NetherlandsCarpet (i) Flag of Poland.svg Wojciech Fibak Flag of the United States.svg Fritz Buehning
Flag of the United States.svg Ferdi Taygan
6–4, 6–4
Loss14.1984 Milan, ItalyCarpet (i) Flag of the United States.svg Steve Denton Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Pavel Složil
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Tomáš Šmíd
4–6, 3–6
Loss15.1985Memphis, U.S.Hard (i) Flag of the United States.svg Steve Denton Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Pavel Složil
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Tomáš Šmíd
6–1, 3–6, 4–6
Loss16.1985Brussels, BelgiumCarpet (i) Flag of Poland.svg Wojciech Fibak Flag of Sweden.svg Stefan Edberg
Flag of Sweden.svg Anders Järryd
3–6, 6–7
Win17.1986Queen's Club, U.K.Grass Flag of France.svg Guy Forget Flag of Australia (converted).svg Darren Cahill
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Mark Kratzmann
6–2, 7–6
Win18.1987 Tokyo Outdoor, JapanHard Flag of the United States.svg Paul Annacone Flag of Ecuador.svg Andrés Gómez
Flag of Sweden.svg Anders Järryd
6–4, 7–6
Win19.1987 Los Angeles, U.S.Hard Flag of the United States.svg David Pate Flag of the United States.svg Brad Gilbert
Flag of the United States.svg Tim Wilkison
6–3, 6–4
Win20.1987Johannesburg, South AfricaHard (i) Flag of the United States.svg David Pate Flag of the United States.svg Eric Korita
Flag of the United States.svg Brad Pearce
6–4, 6–4
Win21.1988Memphis, U.S.Hard (i) Flag of the United States.svg David Pate Flag of Sweden.svg Peter Lundgren
Flag of Sweden.svg Mikael Pernfors
6–2, 6–2
Loss17.1988Philadelphia, U.S.Carpet (i) Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Danie Visser Flag of New Zealand.svg Kelly Evernden
Flag of the United States.svg Johan Kriek
6–7, 3–6
Loss18.1988 Vienna, AustriaCarpet (i) Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Tomáš Šmíd Flag of Austria.svg Alex Antonitsch
Flag of Hungary.svg Balázs Taróczy
6–4, 3–6, 6–7
Win22.1988Stockholm, SwedenHard (i) Flag of the United States.svg Jim Grabb Flag of the United States.svg Paul Annacone
Flag of Australia (converted).svg John Fitzgerald
7–5, 7–5
Win23.1988Johannesburg, South AfricaHard (i) Flag of the United States.svg David Pate Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Gary Muller
Flag of the United States.svg Tim Wilkison
7–6, 6–4
Loss19.1989 Indian Wells, U.S.Hard Flag of the United States.svg David Pate Flag of Germany.svg Boris Becker
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Jakob Hlasek
6–3, 3–6, 4–6
Loss20.1989Tokyo Outdoor, JapanHard Flag of the United States.svg David Pate Flag of the United States.svg Ken Flach
Flag of the United States.svg Robert Seguso
4–6, 4–6
Win24.1989 Tokyo Indoor, JapanCarpet (i) Flag of the United States.svg David Pate Flag of Ecuador.svg Andrés Gómez
Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg Slobodan Živojinović
4–6, 6–3, 7–6
Loss21.1989 Frankfurt, West GermanyCarpet (i) Flag of Germany.svg Eric Jelen Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Pieter Aldrich
Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Danie Visser
6–7, 7–6, 3–6
Loss22.1989 Wembley, U.K.Carpet (i) Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jeremy Bates Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Jakob Hlasek
Flag of the United States.svg John McEnroe
1–6, 6–7
Loss23.1990 Toronto Indoor, CanadaCarpet (i) Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Neil Broad Flag of the United States.svg Patrick Galbraith
Flag of Australia (converted).svg David Macpherson
6–2, 4–6, 3–6
Loss24.1990 Hong Kong, UKHard Flag of the United States.svg Joey Rive Flag of Australia (converted).svg Pat Cash
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Wally Masur
3–6, 3–6
Win25.1990Queen's Club, U.K.Grass Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jeremy Bates Flag of France.svg Henri Leconte
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Ivan Lendl
6–2, 7–6
Loss25.1990 West Berlin, West GermanyCarpet (i) Flag of the United States.svg Patrick Galbraith Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Pieter Aldrich
Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Danie Visser
6–7, 6–7
Loss26.1991 Lyon, FranceHard (i) Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jeremy Bates Flag of the United States.svg Steve DeVries
Flag of Australia (converted).svg David Macpherson
6–7, 6–3, 3–6
Loss27.1992Memphis, U.S.Hard (i) Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Gary Muller Flag of Australia (converted).svg Todd Woodbridge
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Mark Woodforde
5–7, 6–4, 6–7
Win26.1992 Seoul, South KoreaHard Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Gary Muller Flag of New Zealand.svg Kelly Evernden
Flag of the United States.svg Brad Pearce
7–6, 6–4

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.
South AfricaUnited States
Tournament 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 SRW–L
Australian Open AAA 2R AA F ANH 3R AAAAA0 / 39–3
French Open AAAAAAAAAAAAAA 2R 0 / 11–1
Wimbledon AA 4R 2R 3R SF 4R F 1R 2R 1R 3R QF 2R 1R 0 / 1328–13
US Open 2R 2R A 4R 1R A 2R 1R 2R A 2R A 4R 2R 1R 0 / 1112–11
Win–loss1–11–13–15–32–25–110–36–21–23–21–22–17–22–21–30 / 2850–28

References

  1. "ITF Tennis – Mens Circuit – Player Biography". Archived from the original on 25 January 2022. Retrieved 18 August 2012.
  2. "Connors bundled out as his tricks fail to work". The Glasgow Herald. 28 June 1983. Retrieved 24 August 2025.
  3. "Lendl out in Australia". The Spokesman-Review. 5 December 1984. Retrieved 7 August 2025.
  4. "Wilander outlasts Curren for second successive Open". The Canberra Times . 10 December 1984. Retrieved 24 August 2025.
  5. "Curren defeats Connors". The Courier. 5 July 1985. Retrieved 24 August 2025.
  6. "McEnroe Gets What He Had Coming: a Loss", Los Angeles Times, 4 July 1985.
  7. Robert Armstrong (8 July 2020). "Boris Becker wins Wimbledon - archive, 1985". The Guardian.
  8. "1985: Boris Becker wins Wimbledon at 17". BBC. 7 July 1985. Retrieved 18 October 2008.
  9. Alfano, Peter. "Sports of The Times: Unhappy Time for Kevin Curren," The New York Times, Thursday, August 29, 1985. Retrieved February 1, 2025.