Who is your favourite foreign former player? Mens Round 1, Group 1

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Who is your favourite foreign former player? Mens Round 1, Group 1

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

I have to say, one name for me stood out, the Big Cat, Miloslav Mecir, one of my faves.

I had completely forgotten about Martin Verkerk though and his run to the FO final! A story to be told later!

indiana · Tennis legend

In an age of wham bam, Miloslav Mecir was a delight and gets my vote.

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Enjoyed watching Mecir play but Newcombe gets my vote. When I was at uni, the tennis coach was the spitting image of John Newcombe - so much so that on occasions that players managed to convince the opposing team that it actually was him.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

I recall watching Mark Edmondson play a Wimbledon quarter and last 4 match on court 1 (because of rain) on a Friday with the final intended to be the next day. The guy had grit, and a moustache

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Newcombe and Mecir lead, drysdale and philippoussis in equal 3rd

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

As I head to bed it is Newcombe, Mecir, and Philippoussis leading

-- Edited by JonH comes home on Tuesday 12th of May 2020 11:35:50 PM

-- Edited by JonH comes home on Tuesday 12th of May 2020 11:38:06 PM

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

No change overnight, John Newcombe sitting well on 7 votes here. Two players just one vote off the 3rd place tie

ROSAMUND · Futures level

Martin Verkerk was a Dutch player who appeared from nowhere to reach the final of the French Championships in 2003 losing to Ferrero. He never reached such heights again .

ROSAMUND · Futures level

Andres Gomez from Ecuador won the French Championships in 1990 beating the great Andre Agassi in the final.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

ROSAMUND wrote:
Martin Verkerk was a Dutch player who appeared from nowhere to reach the final of the French Championships in 2003 losing to Ferrero. He never reached such heights again .

yes, I meant to cmment on Verkerk. It was the most amazing of performances. His next best slam was a third round in Paris the following year. His best Masters Series performance was a QF in Rome, just before his Paris final, so maybe that was an indicator of something to come. He won 2 tour titles, in Milan indoors in 2003 and then in the summer of 2004, he won Amersfoort (Hilversum) and the Dutch Open title. And that was it!

I am struggling to think of anyone else who had such a one off super performance in recent times! Perhaps Chris Lewis, who never got beyond Round 3 in any other slam apart from his 1983 Wimbledon Final, but he did make 10 tour finals including Cincinnati and also Stuttgart Indoor, when they were biggish titles. Verkerk stands out alone! Deserves someone to vote for him!

ROSAMUND · Futures level

Fred Stolle had the misfortune to be runner up at Wimbledon 3 years in a row(1963 to 1965). However he did win the French in 1965 and the US in 1966. He was twice runner up in the Australian championship. Additionally he won the doubles twice at Wimbledon and the mixed three times including 1969 with Ann Jones. His son Sandon also played on the circuit.

ROSAMUND · Futures level

Zeljko Franulovic reached the final of the French championships in 1970 losing to Jan Kodes. He was also a semi finalist in 1971. Latterly he has been director of the Monte Carlo tournament.

ROSAMUND · Futures level

JonH comes home wrote:
I recall watching Mark Edmondson play a Wimbledon quarter and last 4 match on court 1 (because of rain) on a Friday with the final intended to be the next day. The guy had grit, and a moustache

Mark Edmondson is also the last Australian to win the mens singles at the Australian championships back in 1976.

ROSAMUND · Futures level

Kim Warwick was runner up in the 1980 Australian Open to Brian Teacher. He also won 4 Grand Slam mens doubles titles and 2 mixed doubles titles. I can vaguely remember his mixed doubles title in 1972 in Paris with Evonne Goolagong.