Haroon Rahim

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Haroon Rahim
Country (sports)Flag of Pakistan.svg  Pakistan
Born (1949-11-12) 12 November 1949 (age 74)
Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
Height1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Turned pro1968
PlaysRight-handed
Singles
Career record119–150
Career titles2
Highest rankingNo. 34 (24 October 1977)
Grand Slam singles results
French Open 2R (1975)
Wimbledon 2R (1976, 1977)
US Open 3R (1971)
Doubles
Career record101–127
Career titles3
Grand Slam doubles results
French Open 2R (1972)
Wimbledon 3R (1976)
US Open QF (1971)

Haroon Rahim (born 12 November 1949) is a Pakistani former tennis player. The former Pakistan and Asian No. 1, Rahim was the youngest tennis player ever to play for Pakistan in the Davis Cup at 15 years of age. He was also the highest ranking Pakistani tennis player (a career-high singles ranking of World No. 34 in October 1977). He led the UCLA team to victory with Jeff Borowiak and Jimmy Connors in 1970–71 and was 1971 NCAA doubles champion with Jeff Borowiak. [1]

Contents

Career

Rahim was from the Punjab city of Lahore, from a large family of avid tennis players. His father, Mir Abdur Rahim, was a civil servant who encouraged his children, sons and daughters, to play tennis. Four of Haroon's elder siblings; M. Nasim, M. Naeem, Zulficar and Shahnaz were also national tennis champions. His father loved tennis so much that he said he wanted to die on the tennis court. In 1968, he died of a heart attack while playing doubles with friends at the picturesque Mayo Gardens, Lahore.

Rahim was only the second Pakistani after Khawaja Saeed Hai to make it to Wimbledon's main draw. After reaching the Wimbledon Junior Boys singles quarterfinals twice (1965 and 1967) he went on to play in several Grand Slams, in both singles and doubles. Rahim won two ATP titles, the first at Little Rock against former Wimbledon runner up Alex Metreveli of the Soviet Union and then the second at Cleveland against Colin Dibley, both in 1976.

He lost a final to Spanish US Open winner and French Open finalist Manuel Orantes. He won three doubles titles, at Oslo in 1974, North Conway in 1975, and Little Rock in 1978. In men's doubles at Grand Slam events he made it to the quarterfinals of the US Open, the third round of Wimbledon, and the second round of the French Open. [2]

Rahim is the winner of one of the closest matches ever played when he beat Tom Gorman 6–7(3–5), 7–6(5–1), 7–6(5–4) at the Pennsylvania Lawn Tennis Championships. As both players never lost their serve, each set went to a tie break with Haroon winning the match by just one point.

Last known to be in the U.S., Haroon retired from tennis at age 29, severed contact with his family, and his whereabouts are unknown. [3]

Grand Slams performance timelines

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.

Singles

Tournament 1971 1972 1975 1976 1977
Australian Open AAAAA
French Open A 1R 2R AA
Wimbledon AAA 2R 2R
US Open 3R AAAA

Doubles

Tournament 1971 1972 1976
Australian Open AAA
French Open A 2R A
Wimbledon AA 3R
US Open QF AA

ATP career finals

Singles (2 titles, 3 runners-up)

ResultW–LDateTournamentSurfaceOpponentScore
Loss0–1Mar 1972 Altamira International Invitation Hard Flag of Spain (1945-1977).svg Manuel Orantes 4–6, 5–7, 4–6
Win1–1Jan 1976 National Tennis Foundation Open Carpet Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Alex Metreveli 6–4, 6–4
Win2–1Mar 1976 Arkansas International Tennis Tournament Hard (i) Flag of Australia (converted).svg Colin Dibley 6–4, 7–5
Loss2–2Jan 1977 Arkansas International Tennis Tournament Hard (i) Flag of the United States.svg Sandy Mayer 2–6, 4–6

Doubles (3 titles, 3 runners-up)

ResultW–LDateTournamentSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Loss0–1Feb 1971 New York City, United StatesCarpet Flag of the United States.svg Jimmy Connors Flag of Spain (1945-1977).svg Juan Gisbert Sr
Flag of Spain (1945-1977).svg Manuel Orantes 		6–7, 2–6
Win1–1Nov 1974 Oslo, NorwayHard (i) Flag of Germany.svg Karl Meiler Flag of the United States.svg Jeff Borowiak
Flag of the United States.svg Vitas Gerulaitis 		6–3, 6–2
Win2–1Aug 1975 North Conway, United StatesClay Flag of the United States.svg Erik van Dillen Flag of Australia (converted).svg John Alexander
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Phil Dent 		7–6, 7–6
Loss2–2Oct 1975 Maui, United StatesHard Flag of the United States.svg Jeff Borowiak Flag of the United States.svg Fred McNair
Flag of the United States.svg Sherwood Stewart 		6–3, 6–7, 3–6
Loss2–3Mar 1976 Little Rock, United StatesHard (i) Flag of Paraguay.svg Giuliano Pecci Flag of Australia (converted).svg Syd Ball
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Ray Ruffels 		3–6, 7–6, 3–6
Win3–3Jan 1977 Little Rock, United StatesHard (i) Flag of Australia (converted).svg Colin Dibley Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Bob Hewitt
Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Frew McMillan 		6–7, 6–3, 6–3

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References

  1. ↑ "Haroon Rahim" . Retrieved 1 December 2012.
  2. ↑ "Haroon Rahim" . Retrieved 1 December 2012.
  3. ↑ Nadeem F. Paracha (1 November 2012). "Crazy Diamonds". DAWN.
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