Henri Leconte
![]() | |
Country (sports) | ![]() |
---|---|
Residence | Geneva, Switzerland |
Born | Lillers, France | July 4, 1963
Height | 1.84 m (6 ft 1⁄2 in) |
Turned pro | 1980 |
Retired | 1996 |
Plays | Left-handed (one-handed backhand) |
Prize money | $US3,440,660 |
Singles | |
Career record | 377–269 |
Career titles | 9 |
Highest ranking | 5 (September 22, 1986) |
Grand Slam singles results | |
Australian Open | 4R (1985) |
French Open | F (1988) |
Wimbledon | SF (1986) |
US Open | QF (1986) |
Doubles | |
Career record | 200–141 |
Career titles | 10 |
Highest ranking | 6 (1986) |
Last updated on: June 10, 2007. |
Henri Leconte (born July 4, 1963) is a former French professional tennis player. He reached the men's singles final at the French Open in 1988, won the French Open men's doubles title in 1984, and helped France win the Davis Cup in 1991.
Biography and career
Leconte first came to the tennis world's attention as an outstanding junior player who won the French Open junior title in 1981. He turned professional that year and won his first career doubles title at Bologna, and his first top-level singles title the following year, 1982, in Stockholm. Leconte played in the Davis Cup final for the first time in 1982, when France was defeated 4–1 by the United States.
Leconte teamed up with Yannick Noah to win the men's doubles title at the French Open in 1984. In 1985, Leconte and Noah reached a second Grand Slam doubles final at the US Open, where they finished runners-up. Leconte reached his career-high doubles ranking of World No. 6 in 1985.
1986 saw Leconte reach two Grand Slam singles semi-finals at the French Open and Wimbledon, and attain his career-high singles ranking of World No. 5. Leconte also played on the French team which won the World Team Cup in the same year.
In 1988, Leconte reached the men's singles final at the French Open. In the final, despite strong support from the French crowd, Leconte could not overcome two-time former champion Mats Wilander who defeated him in straight sets 7–5, 6–2, 6–1.
In 1991, Leconte was involved in the Davis Cup final for a second time where France again faced the US. And this time Leconte defeated Pete Sampras in straight sets in a critical singles rubber and also teamed-up with Guy Forget to win the doubles rubber as France upset the heavily-favoured US team to win 3–1.
In total, Leconte played for France's Davis Cup team for a total of 13 consecutive years, compiling a 41–25 record. He compiled a doubles record of 17–5 and was undefeated with Guy Forget (11 wins), having won his last 14 doubles (from March 1985 to July 1993).
Leconte won his final top-level singles title in 1993 in Halle. His final doubles title was also won that year at Indian Wells.
Leconte (Better known in some circles as Ryo), who currently sports a full beard, retired from the professional tour in 1996, having won a total of nine career singles titles and ten doubles titles. Playing on the ATP Champions Tour for over-35's, he formed a doubles partnership with the Iranian player Mansour Bahrami.
He is now the manager of an event company (HL Event) based in Belgium, and is due to open a tennis academy in Fès, Morocco, in 2006.
In 2010, Leconte appeared on Australian television as a commentator for the 2010 Australian Open. There, he obtained a cult following as a result of a zany exhibition doubles performance, and his passionate and often parochial commentary – especially for compatriot Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, whose winning shots he routinely described as "unbelievable!"[1]
Trivia
He participated in 2005 in La Ferme Célébrités season 2, a game of reality TV. In 2007, his son Maxime also participated in a game of reality TV, Secret Story, the French version of Big Brother.
Major finals
Grand Slam finals
Singles: 1 (0–1)
Outcome | Year | Championship | Surface | Opponent in the final | Score in the final |
Runner-up | 1988 | French Open | Clay | ![]() |
7–5, 6–2, 6–1 |
Doubles: 2 (1–1)
Outcome | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponent in the final | Score in the final |
Winner | 1984 | French Open | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–4, 2–6, 3–6, 6–3, 6–2 |
Runner-up | 1985 | Us Open | Hard | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–7(5), 7–6(1), 7–6(6), 6–0 |
Masters Series finals
Doubles: 2 (1–1)
Outcome | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponent in the final | Score in the final |
Runner-up | 1991 | Indian Wells | Hard | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
7–6(1), 3–6, 6–3 |
Winner | 1993 | Indian Wells | Hard | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–4, 7–5 |
Singles finals (16)
Wins (9)
No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent in Final | Score in Final |
1. | 1982 | Stockholm, Sweden | Hard (i) | ![]() |
7–6(4), 6–3 |
2. | 1984 | Stuttgart Outdoor, Germany | Clay | ![]() |
7–6(9), 6–0, 1–6, 6–1 |
3. | 1985 | Nice, France | Clay | ![]() |
6–4, 6–4 |
4. | 1985 | Sydney Outdoor, Australia | Grass | ![]() |
6–7(6), 6–2, 6–3 |
5. | 1986 | Geneva, Switzerland | Clay | ![]() |
7–5, 6–3 |
6. | 1986 | Hamburg, Germany | Clay | ![]() |
6–2, 5–7, 6–4, 6–2 |
7. | 1988 | Nice, France | Clay | ![]() |
6–2, 6–2 |
8. | 1988 | Brussels, Belgium | Carpet | ![]() |
7–6(3), 7–6(6), 6–4 |
9. | 1993 | Halle, Germany | Grass | ![]() |
6–2, 6–3 |
Runner-up (7)
No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent in Final | Score in Final |
1. | 1983 | Kitzbühel, Austria | Clay | ![]() |
7–6, 4–6, 6–4 |
2. | 1983 | Sydney Indoor, Australia | Hard (i) | ![]() |
6–1, 6–4, 7–5 |
3. | 1984 | Memphis, U.S. | Carpet | ![]() |
6–3, 4–6, 7–5 |
4. | 1985 | Sydney Indoor, Australia | Hard (i) | ![]() |
6–4, 6–4, 7–6(6) |
5. | 1986 | Bristol, United Kingdom | Grass | ![]() |
7–6(6), 1–6, 8–6 |
6. | 1988 | Hamburg, Germany | Clay | ![]() |
6–2, 6–1, 6–4 |
7. | 1988 | French Open, Paris | Clay | ![]() |
7–5, 6–2, 6–1 |
Doubles finals (19)
Wins (10)
No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents in Final | Score in Final |
1. | 1981 | Bologna, Italy | Carpet | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
7–6, 6–4 |
2. | 1982 | Nice, France | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
5–7, 6–4, 6–3 |
3. | 1982 | Basel, Switzerland | Hard (i) | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–2, 6–2 |
4. | 1982 | Vienna, Austria | Carpet | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–1, 7–6 |
5. | 1983 | Aix-en-Provence, France | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
2–6, 6–1, 6–2 |
6. | 1984 | French Open, Paris | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–4, 2–6, 3–6, 6–3, 6–2 |
7. | 1984 | Kitzbühel, Austria | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
2–6, 7–6, 7–6 |
8. | 1984 | Stockholm, Sweden | Hard (i) | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
3–6, 7–6, 6–4 |
9. | 1988 | Nice, France | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
4–6, 6–3, 6–4 |
10. | 1993 | Indian Wells, United States | Hard | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–4, 7–5 |
Runner-ups (9)
No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents in Final | Score in Final |
1. | 1982 | Bournemouth, England | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
3–6, 7–6, 6–3 |
2. | 1983 | Monte Carlo, Monaco | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–2, 6–4 |
3. | 1984 | Philadelphia, U.S. | Carpet | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–2, 6–3 |
4. | 1985 | U.S. Open, New York | Hard | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–7, 7–6, 7–6, 6–0 |
5. | 1988 | Monte Carlo, Monaco | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–0, 6–3 |
6. | 1990 | London/Queen's Club, England | Grass | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–2, 7–6 |
7. | 1991 | Indian Wells, U.S. | Hard | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
7–6, 3–6, 6–3 |
8. | 1992 | Toulouse, France | Hard (i) | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–1, 3–6, 6–3 |
9. | 1994 | Halle, Germany | Grass | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–4, 6–7, 6–4 |
References
- ^ "Henri Leconte in Fine Form in the Commentary Box During the Australian Open". Herald Sun. Published and accessed January 27, 2010.