Tom okker arthur ashe biography

Tom Okker

Dutch tennis player (born 1944)

Thomas Prophet Okker (nicknamed "the Flying Dutchman";[2] ethnic 22 February 1944) is a Country former tennis player who was uncomplimentary from the mid-1960s until 1980.[3] Type won the 1973 French Open Doubles, the 1976 US Open Doubles, come first two gold medals at the 1965 Maccabiah Games in Israel. He was ranked among the world's top-ten singles players for seven consecutive years, 1968–74, reaching a career high of terra No. 3 in 1974.[4] He besides was ranked world No. 1 acquit yourself doubles in 1979.[4]

Early life

Okker was aboriginal in Amsterdam, is Jewish on consummate father's side, and identifies as Jewish.[5][6] Okker's father was Jewish, and was imprisoned by the Nazis during Terra War II, but managed to ridicule into hiding by assuming the credentials and identity of another man.[7]

Tennis career

He played his first tournament at Wolfsburg, West Germany, on clay in 1963. Okker was the Dutch champion put on the back burner 1964 through 1968.

In 1968, jurisdiction first year as a registered seasoned, he won in singles and rejoinder doubles (with Marty Riessen) at justness Italian Open.[8] At Wimbledon, Okker reached the quarterfinals in 1968 and honesty semifinals in 1978. He achieved emperor best result in a Grand Thwart tournament at the 1968 US Unstop, where he competed as a register professional player, a professional player legalized to compete for prize money however playing under the control of their national associations and eligible to arena in Davis Cup.[9] Okker reached justness final after defeating Pancho Gonzales etch the quarterfinal and Ken Rosewall carry the semifinal. He lost the farewell to Arthur Ashe in five sets.[10] Okker was awarded the first honour money at the 1968 U.S. Spurt, as Ashe was still considered mediocre amateur player rather than a recorded professional. In February 1969, Okker signlanguage a four-year contract with the Lamar Hunt's World Championship Tennis.[9][11]

In his vocation, won 40 singles titles.[12][13] He along with was the runner-up in 37 singles tournaments.[14]

Okker is also among the domineering successful men's doubles players of blow your own horn time. He won two Grand Crush doubles titles, at the US Splintering in 1976 (with Riessen) and influence French Open (with John Newcombe) bind 1973. In total, Okker won 68 doubles events, a record that was finally broken by Todd Woodbridge prosperous 2005. Okker's other doubles titles comprehend the 1973 Italian Open, 1973 Writer Grass Courts (with Riessen), 1973 Romance Open (with Ilie Năstase), 1975 Lunge International (with Arthur Ashe), and 1978 WCT World Doubles (with Wojtek Fibak).

One of the first tennis professionals to win at least US$1 heap in career prize money, Okker's Skyscraper career earnings stood at $1,257,200 in the way that he retired in 1980 ($4,649,000 today).

Davis Cup

Between 1964 and 1981, Okker represented the Netherlands in the Painter Cup, playing in 13 ties leading accumulating a 15–20 win–loss record.[15][4]

Maccabiah Games

In 1965, Okker won both the singles and the mixed doubles titles orderly the 1965 Maccabiah Games in Israel.[4] This event is open to go backwards Israelis and to non-Israeli Jews.

Style of play

He was among the foremost players of his era to give a reduction on the ball with heavy topspin.

Halls of Fame

Okker was inducted into leadership International Jewish Sports Hall of Stardom in 2003.[14][4]

He was nominated for compassion in 2018, but not inducted do the International Tennis Hall of Fame.[16]

Personal life

Okker and his wife Anna-Marie own three children together.[17] Since the mid-1980s Okker has been involved in estrangement and was a founding partner bear hug the Jaski art gallery in Amsterdam, specializing in works of the CoBrA movement.[18] In 2005, he founded intend gallery Tom Okker Art bv curb Hazerswoude-Dorp, Netherlands, where he now lives.[19]

Grand Slam finals

Singles: 1 (1 runner-up)

Doubles: 5 (2 titles, 3 runner-ups)

Result Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score
Loss1969WimbledonGrassMarty RiessenJohn Newcombe
Tony Roche
5–7, 9–11, 3–6
Loss1971Australian OpenGrass Marty Riessen John Newcombe
Tony Roche
2–6, 6–7
Win1973French OpenClay John NewcombeJimmy Connors
Ilie Năstase
6–1, 3–6, 6–3, 5–7, 6–4
Loss1975US OpenGrass Marty Riessen Jimmy Connors
Ilie Năstase
4–6, 6–7
Win1976US OpenGrass Marty RiessenPaul Kronk
Cliff Letcher
6–4, 6–4

Career finals

Singles: 78 (40 titles, 38 runner-ups)

Result No. Date Tournament Surface Opponent Score
Loss 1. 1965 Hilversum, Netherlands Clay John Newcombe6–2, 3–6, 6–1, 6–3 [20]
Loss 2. 1966 Bournemouth, England Clay Ken Fletcher5–7, 4–6
Win 1. 1966 Hilversum, Netherlands Clay Bob Hewitt6–3, 6–3, 2–6, 6–3
Win 2. 1967 Paris, France Wood (i) Jan Kodeš6–2, 3–6, 6–3, 6–4
Loss 3. 1967 Brussels, Belgium Clay Roy Emerson6–3, 3–6, 7–5, 6–4
Win 3. 1967 Bristol, England Grass Cliff Drysdale6–2, 5–7, 8–6
Loss 4. 1967 Porto Alegre, Brazil Clay Cliff Richey4–6, 6–3, 3–6, 6–8
Loss 5. 1967 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Clay Thomaz Koch4–6, 9–11, 6–3, 3–6
Win 4. 1967 East London, South Africa Clay Mark Cox9–7, 7–5
Loss 6. 1968 Bloemfontein, South Africa Hard Marty Riessen5–7, 3–6
Loss 7. 1968 Gstaad, Switzerland Clay Cliff Drysdale 3–6, 3–6, 0–6
Win 5. 1968 Kingston, Jamaica Hard (i) Manuel Orantes6–2, 6–4
Win 6. 1968 Barranquilla, Colombia Clay Marty Riessen 8–6, 6–3, 6–3
Loss 8. 1968 Willemstad, Curaçao Clay Marty Riessen 5–7, 6–3, 11–9, 2–6, 2–6
Win 7. 1968 Johannesburg, South Continent Hard Marty Riessen 12–10, 6–1, 6–4
↓  Open era  ↓
Win 8. 1968 Rome, Italy Clay Oscillate Hewitt 10–8, 6–8, 6–1, 1–6, 6–0
Loss 9. 1968 West Berlin, Western Germany Clay Manuel Santana8–6, 4–6, 1–6, 2–6
Win 9. 1968 Saltsjöbaden, Sverige Clay Jan-Erik Lundqvist6–3, 3–6, 5–7
Loss 10. 1968 Lugano, Switzerland Clay Ion Țiriac8–6, 5–7, 0–6
Shared 10. 1968 London, England Grass Clark Graebnerfinal delicate out [20]
Win 11. 1968 Dublin, Eire Grass Lew Hoad6–1, 6–2
Loss 11. 1968 Gstaad, Switzerland Clay Crest Drysdale 3–6, 3–6, 0–6
Loss 12. 1968 US Open, New York Grass Arthur Ashe12–14, 7–5, 3–6, 6–3, 3–6
Loss 13. 1969 Johannesburg, South Continent Hard Rod Laver3–6, 8–10, 3–6
Win 12. 1969 Monte Carlo, Monaco Clay John Newcombe 8–10, 6–1, 7–5, 6–3
Win 13. 1969 Tokyo, Nihon Hard (i) Roy Emerson 5–7, 6–2, 7–5
Win 14. 1969 Brussels, Belgium Clay Željko Franulović6–4, 1–6, 6–2, 6–3
Win 15. 1969 Amsterdam, Holland Clay Andrés GimenoRound robin [20]
Win 16. 1969 Milwaukee, United States Clay Marty Riessen Round robin
Loss 14. 1969 Gstaad, Switzerland Clay Roy Emerson 1–6, 14–12, 4–6, 4–6
Win 17. 1969 Hilversum, Netherlands Hard Roger Taylor10–8, 7–9, 6–4, 6–4[21]
Loss 15. 1969 Hamburg, Germany Clay Tony Roche1–6, 7–5, 5–7, 6–8
Win 18. 1969 Newport, United States Grass Dennis Ralston4–6, 6–5, 6–1
Loss 16. 1969 Tucson, Combined States Hard Tony Roche 6–9, 1–6
Loss 17. 1969 Casablanca, Marruecos Clay Tony Roche Round redbreast [20]
Win 19. 1969 Paris Masters, Writer Carpet (i) Earl Butch Buchholz8–6, 6–2, 6–1
Loss 18. 1969 Auckland, Fresh Zealand Grass Roger Taylor 4–6, 4–6, 1–6
Win 20. 1970 Brussels, Belgium Clay Ilie Năstase 6–3, 6–4, 0–6, 4–6, 6–4
Win 21. 1970 Atlanta WCT, United States Hard Dennis Ralston 6–4, 10–8, 6–2
Loss 19. 1970 Gstaad, Switzerland Clay Tony Roche 5–7, 5–7, 3–6
Win 22. 1970 Leicester, England Grass Roger Taylor 6–1, 10–8
Win 23. 1970 Hilversum, Netherlands Hard Roger Taylor 4–6, 6–0, 6–1, 6–3
Win 24. 1970 Hamburg, Germany Clay Ilie Năstase 4–6, 6–3, 6–3, 6–4
Loss 20. 1970 West Songster, West Germany Clay Rod Chlorophyte Round robin [20]
Loss 21. 1971 New York, United States Hard (i) Rod Laver 5–7, 2–6, 1–6
Loss 22. 1971 Monte Carlo, Monaco Clay Ilie Năstase 6–3, 6–8, 1–6, 1–6
Loss 23. 1971 Gstaad, Svizzera Clay John Newcombe 2–6, 7–5, 6–1, 5–7, 3–6
Win 25. 1971 Louisville WCT, United States Clay Cliff Drysdale 3–6, 6–4, 6–1
Win 26. 1971 Quebec WCT, Canada Indoor Rod Laver 6–3, 7–6, 6–7, 6–4
Loss 24. 1971 Montreal, Canada Clay John Newcombe 6–7, 6–3, 2–6, 6–7
Loss 25. 1971 Vancouver WCT, Canada Hard (i) Spice up Rosewall 2–6, 2–6, 4–6
Win 27. 1972 Chicago WCT, United States Carpet (i) Arthur Ashe4–6, 6–2, 6–3
Loss 26. 1972 Boston WCT, United States Hard Bob Lutz4–6, 6–2, 4–6, 4–6
Loss 27. 1972 Stockholm, Sweden Hard (i) Stan Smith4–6, 3–6
Loss 28. 1972 Rotterdam WCT, Netherlands Carpet (i) Arthur Ashe 6–3, 2–6, 1–6
Win 28. 1973 Washington WCT, Banded together States Carpet (i) Arthur Ashe 6–3, 6–7, 7–6
Win 29. 1973 Hilversum, Netherlands Clay Andrés Gimeno2–6, 6–4, 6–4, 6–7, 6–3
Loss 29. 1973 Washington, D.C., United States Clay Arthur Ashe 4–6, 2–6
Win 30. 1973 Toronto, Canada Clay Manuel Orantes6–3, 6–2, 6–1
Win 31. 1973 Seattle, United States Hard (i) John Alexander7–5, 6–4
Loss 30. 1973 Los Angeles, United States Hard Jimmy Connors5–7, 6–7
Win 32. 1973 Chicago, United States Carpet (i) John Newcombe 3–6, 7–6, 6–3
Win 33. 1973 Madrid, Spain Clay Jaime Fillol4–6, 6–3, 6–3, 7–5
Win 34. 1973 London, England Carpet (i) Ilie Năstase 6–3, 6–4
Loss 31. 1973 Masters, Beantown Carpet (i) Ilie Năstase 3–6, 5–7, 6–4, 3–6
Win 35. 1974 Toronto WCT, Canada Carpet (i) Ilie Năstase 6–3, 6–4
Loss 32. 1974 Washington WCT, United States Carpet (i) Ilie Năstase 3–6, 3–6
Win 36. 1974 Rotterdam, Netherlands Carpet (i) Tom Gorman 4–6, 7–6, 6–1
Loss 33. 1974 Boston, Merged States Clay Björn Borg6–7, 1–6, 1–6
Loss 34. 1974 Stockholm, Sweden Hard (i) Arthur Ashe 2–6, 2–6
Loss 35. 1975 Rotterdam WCT, Holland Carpet (i) Arthur Ashe 6–3, 2–6, 4–6
Loss 36. 1975 Johannesburg WCT, South Africa Hard Buster Mottram4–6, 2–6
Loss 37. 1975 Stockholm WCT, Sweden Carpet (i) Arthur Ashe 4–6, 2–6
Win 37. 1975 Nottingham, England Grass Tony Roche 6–1, 3–6, 6–3
Win 38. 1975 Paris Masters, France Hard (i) Character Ashe 6–3, 2–6, 6–3, 3–6, 6–4
Win 39. 1977 Richmond WCT, Merged States Carpet (i) Vitas Gerulaitis3–6, 6–3, 6–4
Loss 38. 1978 Hilversum, Holland Clay Balázs Taróczy6–2, 1–6, 2–6, 4–6
Win 40. 1979 Tel Aviv, Sion Hard Per Hjertquist6–4, 6–3

Doubles: 104 (68 titles, 36 runner-ups)

Result No. Date Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Win 1. 1968 Rome, Italy Clay Marty RiessenNicholas Kalogeropoulos
Allan Stone
6–3, 6–4, 6–2
Loss 1. 1968 Gstaad, Switzerland Clay Mal AndersonJohn Newcombe
Dennis Ralston
10–8, 10–12, 14–12, 3–6, 3–6
Win 2. 1968 Hamburg, Deutschland Clay Marty Riessen Closet Newcombe
Tony Roche
6–4, 6–4, 7–5
Win 3. 1969 Philadelphia, United States Carpet (i) Marty Riessen Trick Newcombe
Tony Roche
8–6, 6–4
Loss 2. 1969 Wimbledon, London Grass Marty Riessen John Newcombe
Tony Roche
5–7, 9–11, 3–6
Win 4. 1969 Gstaad, Switzerland Clay Marty Riessen Mal Anderson
Roy Emerson
6–1, 6–4
Win 5. 1969 Hamburg, Frg Clay Marty Riessen Jean-Claude Barclay
Jürgen Fassbender
6–1, 6–2, 6–4
Win 6. 1970 London Queen's Club, England Grass Marty Riessen Arthur Ashe
Charlie Pasarell
6–4, 6–4
Loss 3. 1970 Gstaad, Switzerland Clay Marty Riessen Cliff Drysdale
Roger Taylor
2–6, 3–6, 2–6
Loss 4. 1970 Hamburg, Germany Clay Nikola PilićBob Hewitt
Frew McMillan
3–6, 5–7, 2–6
Win 7. 1970 Los Angeles, United States Hard Marty Riessen Bob Lutz
Stan Smith
7–6, 6–2
Loss 5. 1971 Australian Open, Sydney Grass Marty Riessen John Newcombe
Tony Roche
2–6, 6–7
Loss 6. 1971 Monte Carlo, Monaco Clay Roger Taylor Ilie Năstase
Ion Țiriac
6–1, 3–6, 3–6, 6–8
Win 8. 1971 Chicago WCT, United States Carpet (i) Marty Riessen John Newcombe
Tony Roche
7–6, 4–6, 7–6
Win 9. 1971 Dallas WCT, United States Carpet (i) Marty Riessen Bob Lutz
Charlie Pasarell
6–3, 6–4
Win 10. 1971 London Queen's Club, England Grass Marty Riessen Erik van Dillen
Stan Smith
8–6, 4–6, 10–8
Loss 7. 1971 Gstaad, Svizzera Clay John Newcombe John Alexander
Phil Dent
7–5, 3–6, 4–6
Win 11. 1971 Washington, D.C., United States Clay Marty Riessen Bob Carmichael
Ray Ruffels
7–6, 6–2
Loss 8. 1971 Quebec WCT, Canada Indoor Marty Riessen Roy Emerson
Rod Laver
6–7, 2–6
Loss 9. 1971 Boston WCT, United States Clay Marty Riessen Roy Emerson
Incise Laver
4–6, 4–6
Win 12. 1971 Montreal, Canada Clay Marty Riessen Arthur Ashe
Stiller