Roger Taylor (tennis)
![]() Roger Taylor at the 1969 Dutch Open | |
Country (sports) | ![]() |
---|---|
Residence | Wimbledon, London, England |
Born | Sheffield, Yorkshire, England | 14 October 1941
Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) |
Turned pro | 1967 (amateur tour from 1960) |
Retired | 1980 |
Plays | Left-handed (1-handed backhand) |
Singles | |
Career record | 274–214 (78.10%) |
Career titles | 6 |
Highest ranking | No. 8 (1970, Lance Tingay)[1] |
Grand Slam singles results | |
Australian Open | SF (1970) |
French Open | QF (1973) |
Wimbledon | SF (1967, 1970, 1973) |
US Open | QF (1964) |
Other tournaments | |
WCT Finals | QF (1973) |
Doubles | |
Career record | 189-140 |
Career titles | 10 |
Grand Slam doubles results | |
Australian Open | QF (1962) |
French Open | 3R (1963) |
Wimbledon | QF (1968, 1969, 1973) |
US Open | W (1971, 1972) |
Roger Taylor (born 14 October 1941) is a British former tennis player. Born in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, he won 6 singles titles and 10 doubles titles during his career.[2] He achieved success at several Grand Slam tournaments, reaching the quarter-finals of the French Open in 1973, the semi-finals of Wimbledon during the same year and winning back to back US Open Men's Doubles titles in 1971 and 1972. He also enjoyed particular success in 1970, again reaching the semi-finals of Wimbledon, where he achieved a big upset win over defending champion Rod Laver en route, and the semi-finals of the Australian Open. Taylor also reached the semi-finals at Wimbledon in 1967. His career-high ATP singles ranking was World No. 11, though Taylor was ranked World No. 8 in 1970 before the ATP rankings began.[1]
Tennis career
Taylor was the sole British member of the so-called Handsome Eight (he was noted particularly for his massive eyebrows) signed by Lamar Hunt to compete in his newly created World Championship Tennis tour in 1968.
Notably, in a scene reminiscent of a bygone age of sportsmanship now all but absent in professional sport, Taylor endeared himself to millions of viewers during his 1973 Wimbledon quarter final match against the 17-year-old Wimbledon debutant Björn Borg. Having already been declared the match winner by the umpire following his match-point serve which was disputed by Borg, Taylor voluntarily offered to replay the point. The linesman then, questioned by the umpire as to whether he wished to reconsider his decision, changed his "in" call to "out" and the umpire requested that the point be replayed as a "let". Taylor subsequently went on to win the match.
He retired from professional tennis in 1980. He was Great Britain's Davis Cup captain from February 2000 until January 2004. Taylor also captained the British ladies Wightman Cup team; steering them to their last victory in the competition in 1978.
Grand Slam men's doubles titles
No. | Year | Championship | Surface | Partnering | Opponent in final | Score |
1. | 1971 | US Open | Grass | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–7, 6–3, 7–6, 4–6, 7–6 |
2. | 1972 | US Open | Grass | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–4, 7–6, 6–3 |
Career titles
Singles (6)
No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent in the final | Score in the final |
1. | 1963 | Surrey Grass Court Championships | Grass | ![]() |
10–8, 9–11, 10–8 |
2. | 1967 | Surrey Grass Court Championships | Grass | ![]() |
2–6, 6–4, 6–2 |
3. | 18 April 1971 | Palermo | Clay | ![]() |
6–3, 4–6, 7–6, 6–2 |
4. | 17 February 1973 | Copenhagen Open | Hard | ![]() |
6–2, 6–3, 7–6 |
5. | 2 February 1975 | Roanoke International Tennis Tournament | Indoor | ![]() |
7–6, 7–6 |
6. | 2 March 1975 | Fairfield | Carpet (i) | ![]() |
7–5, 5–7, 7–6 |
Doubles (8)
No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Partnering | Opponent in the final | Score |
1. | 5 January 1969 | Hobart | Grass | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
7–5, 6–3, 4–6, 1–6, 6–4 |
2. | 3 February 1969 | Auckland | Grass | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
13–15, 6–3, 8–6, 8–6 |
3. | 1 August 1969 | Hilversum | Unknown | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–3, 6–2, 6–4 |
4. | 10 July 1971 | Newport | Grass | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
7–5, 3–6, 6–2 |
5. | 12 September 1971 | US Open | Grass | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–7, 6–3, 7–6, 4–6, 7–6 |
6. | 10 September 1972 | US Open | Grass | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–4, 7–6, 6–3 |
7. | 1 April 1973 | Vancouver | Unknown | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
5–7, 6–3, 7–6 |
8. | 17 July 1977 | Kitzbühel | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
7–6, 6–4 |
References
- ^ a b United States Lawn Tennis Association (1972). Official Encyclopedia of Tennis (First Edition), p. 428.
- ^ "Roger Taylor". ATP World Tour. Retrieved 2009-06-30.
External links
- Roger Taylor at the Association of Tennis Professionals
- {{ITF profile}} template using deprecated numeric ID.
- Roger Taylor at the Davis Cup