Todd Witsken

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Todd Witsken
Country (sports)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States
Born(1963-11-04)November 4, 1963
Indianapolis, Indiana, US
DiedMay 25, 1998(1998-05-25) (aged 34)
Zionsville, Indiana, US
Turned pro1985
Retired1993
PlaysRight-handed (one-handed backhand)
CollegeUniversity of Southern California
Prize money$1,420,910
Singles
Career record115–135
Career titles0
Highest rankingNo. 43 (November 13, 1989)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open QF (1988)
French Open 2R (1988, 1989)
Wimbledon 2R (1986, 1989)
US Open 4R (1986)
Doubles
Career record222–148
Career titles12
Highest rankingNo. 4 (August 29, 1988)

Todd Witsken (November 4, 1963 – May 25, 1998) was an American tennis player.

Contents

Biography

He was one of eight children born to Marilyn and Henry Witsken in Carmel, Indiana.

He specialized in playing doubles and began his professional career in 1985. He was a three-time all-American at the University of Southern California. His career-high rankings were world No. 43 in singles and No. 4 in doubles. [1]

His biggest singles win was at the 1986 US Open, where he beat five-time US Open champion, Jimmy Connors, 6–2, 6–4, 7–5, in their third-round match. It was the first time since 1973 that Connors had failed to reach the US Open semifinals.

In 1989, Witsken lost to Greg Holmes 7–5, 4–6, 6–7(5), 6–4, 12–14, in the second round at Wimbledon, a match that was the longest men's singles match at Wimbledon, timed at 5 hours 28 minutes, until the record-breaking Isner-Mahut match in 2010.

Witsken retired just before the 1993 US Open and died from brain cancer on May 25, 1998, at the age of 34. [1]

Personal life

Witsken had four children. His nephew is professional tennis player Ben Shelton.

ATP career finals

Legend
Grand Slam (0)
ATP Masters Series (2)
ATP International Series Gold (0)
ATP Tour (10)

Doubles: 21 (12 wins, 9 losses)

ResultNo.DateTournamentSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Loss1.Oct 1987 San Francisco, USCarpet (i) Flag of the United States.svg Glenn Layendecker Flag of the United States.svg Jim Grabb
Flag of the United States.svg Patrick McEnroe
2–6, 6–0, 4–6
Loss2.Mar 1988 Indian Wells, USHard Flag of Mexico.svg Jorge Lozano Flag of Germany.svg Boris Becker
Flag of France.svg Guy Forget
4–6, 4–6
Loss3.May 1988 Charleston, USClay Flag of Mexico.svg Jorge Lozano Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Pieter Aldrich
Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Danie Visser
6–7, 3–6
Win1.May 1988 Forest Hills, USClay Flag of Mexico.svg Jorge Lozano Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Pieter Aldrich
Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Danie Visser
6–3, 7–6
Win2.May 1988 Rome, ItalyClay Flag of Mexico.svg Jorge Lozano Flag of Sweden.svg Anders Järryd
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Tomáš Šmíd
6–3, 6–3
Win3.Jul 1988 Boston, USClay Flag of Mexico.svg Jorge Lozano Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg Bruno Orešar
Flag of Peru.svg Jaime Yzaga
6–2, 7–5
Loss4.Jul 1988 Washington, USHard Flag of Mexico.svg Jorge Lozano Flag of the United States.svg Rick Leach
Flag of the United States.svg Jim Pugh
3–6, 7–6, 2–6
Win4.Jul 1988 Stratton Mountain, USHard Flag of Mexico.svg Jorge Lozano Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Pieter Aldrich
Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Danie Visser
6–3, 7–6
Loss5.Nov 1988 Itaparica, BrazilHard Flag of Mexico.svg Jorge Lozano Flag of Spain.svg Sergio Casal
Flag of Spain.svg Emilio Sánchez
6–7, 6–7
Win5.Apr 1989 Rio de Janeiro, BrazilCarpet (i) Flag of Mexico.svg Jorge Lozano Flag of the United States.svg Patrick McEnroe
Flag of the United States.svg Tim Wilkison
2–6, 6–4, 6–4
Win6.Jul 1989 Gstaad, SwitzerlandClay Flag of Brazil.svg Cássio Motta Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Petr Korda
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Milan Šrejber
6–4, 6–3
Win7.Aug 1989 Montreal, CanadaHard Flag of New Zealand.svg Kelly Evernden Flag of the United States.svg Charles Beckman
Flag of the United States.svg Shelby Cannon
6–3, 6–3
Win8.Nov 1989 Stockholm, SwedenCarpet (i) Flag of Mexico.svg Jorge Lozano Flag of the United States.svg Rick Leach
Flag of the United States.svg Jim Pugh
6–3, 5–7, 6–3
Loss6.Nov 1989Itaparica, BrazilHard Flag of Mexico.svg Jorge Lozano Flag of the United States.svg Rick Leach
Flag of the United States.svg Jim Pugh
2–6, 6–7
Loss7.Jul 1990Washington, USAHard Flag of Mexico.svg Jorge Lozano Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Grant Connell
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Glenn Michibata
3–6, 7–6, 2–6
Loss8.Oct 1990 Vienna, AustriaCarpet (i) Flag of Mexico.svg Jorge Lozano Flag of Germany.svg Udo Riglewski
Flag of Germany.svg Michael Stich
4–6, 4–6
Win9.Apr 1991 Hong Kong, UKHard Flag of the United States.svg Patrick Galbraith Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Glenn Michibata
Flag of the United States.svg Robert Van't Hof
6–2, 6–4
Win10.May 1991 Munich, GermanyClay Flag of the United States.svg Patrick Galbraith Flag of Sweden.svg Anders Järryd
Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Danie Visser
7–5, 6–4
Win11.Jul 1991 Montreal, CanadaHard Flag of the United States.svg Patrick Galbraith Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Grant Connell
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Glenn Michibata
6–4, 3–6, 6–1
Win12.Mar 1992 Key Biscayne, USHard Flag of the United States.svg Ken Flach Flag of the United States.svg Kent Kinnear
Flag of the United States.svg Sven Salumaa
6–4, 6–3
Loss9.Jul 1992Washington, USAHard Flag of the United States.svg Ken Flach Flag of the United States.svg Bret Garnett
Flag of the United States.svg Jared Palmer
2–6, 3–6

Singles: 1 (1 runner-up)

ResultNo.DateTournamentSurfaceOpponentScore
Loss1.Feb 1990 San Francisco, USHard (i) Flag of the United States.svg Andre Agassi 1–6, 3–6

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References

  1. 1 2 "Todd Witsken, 34, Champion in Tennis Doubles". New York Times . May 27, 1998. Retrieved March 21, 2008.