Schalk van der Merwe
| Country (sports) |  South Africa |
|---|---|
| Born | 16 April 1961 Robertson, Cape Province |
| Died | 24 January 2016 (aged 54) Ireland |
| Plays | Right-handed |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 10–20 |
| Career titles | 0 |
| Highest ranking | No. 157 (3 January 1983) |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| Wimbledon | 2R (1982) |
| US Open | 3R (1982) |
| Doubles | |
| Career record | 23–32 |
| Career titles | 0 |
| Highest ranking | No. 81 (3 January 1983) |
| Grand Slam doubles results | |
| French Open | 2R (1982) |
| Wimbledon | 2R (1981, 1982) |
| Mixed doubles | |
| Grand Slam mixed doubles results | |
| Wimbledon | 3R (1982) |
| US Open | 1R (1982) |
Schalk van der Merwe (16 April 1961 – 24 January 2016) was a professional tennis player from South Africa.
Career
Van der Merwe was a junior quarterfinalist at the 1978 US Open and 1979 Wimbledon Championships.[1]
At the 1982 Wimbledon Championships, van der Merwe lost a marathon second round match to Steve Denton, which had to be stopped due to darkness when the scores were level at 10–10 in the fifth set.[2] Play resumed the following day and Denton finished on top, 13–11.
His best performance in a grand slam tournament was a third round appearance at the 1982 US Open, where he had wins over Derek Tarr and Raúl Ramírez.[3]
Death
While in Ireland, where he was working as a medical doctor, Van der Merwe was found dead in his car. The cause of death is still unknown, although he had apparently suffered from high blood pressure in the time preceding his death.[4]
Career finals
Doubles: 1 (0–1)
| Result | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 1. | Jul 1982 | Boston, United States | Clay | Freddie Sauer
|
 Steve Meister Craig Wittus
|
2–6, 3–6 |
Challenger titles
Doubles: (1)
| No. | Year | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 1982 | Johannesburg, South Africa | Hard | Freddie Sauer
|
Tian Viljoen Danie Visser
|
6–2, 6–1 |
References
- ^ ITF Junior Profile
- ^ Lewiston Daily Sun, "King Moves to Quarterfinals", 30 June 1982
- ^ "U.S. Open 1982". www.itftennis.com.
- ^ Mostert, Herman (26 January 2016). "Former SA tennis pro dies". Sport24. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
