Chris Lewis (tennis player)
Encyclopedia
Chris Lewis is a former professional tennis player who was 1983 Wimbledon finalist as an unseeded player.
A world no. 1 junior player in 1975, the 5'11, 155 lbs. Lewis won 3 career singles titles with a career high ranking of World No. 19. His career singles tour record was 242 wins against 204 losses. He also won 8 doubles titles during his 12 years on the tour. During his career he was coached by Harry Hopman
and Tony Roche
.
In reaching the 1983 Wimbledon finals, with a five-set win over Kevin Curren
in the semi-finals, Lewis became the seventh unseeded man and only the second New Zealander after Tony Wilding
in 1913 to reach a Wimbledon singles final. He lost the final to John McEnroe
, 6–2 6–2 6–2. He also reached the finals at the Cincinnati Masters
in 1981, falling 6–3, 6–4 to John McEnroe.
In the 1999 New Zealand general election
, Lewis unsuccessfully stood for Parliament as a list candidate for the Libertarianz
party. Now resident in Irvine, California
, in addition to owning and operating Tennis-Experts.com, an online tennis equipment retailer, he coaches at the Woodbridge Tennis Club.
, New Zealand
and received his secondary education at Marcellin College
and Lynfield College
. He is the oldest of three sons. His brothers are David Lewis and Mark Lewis who also had significant competitive Tennis careers.
title (def. Ricardo Ycaza
) and was runner-up in the 1975 Junior US Open (lost to Howard Schoenfield).
, US Open) while using an over-size racquet
, a Prince
Original Graphite (Second only to Pam Shriver
in the 1978 US Open). He was also one of the first player's equipped with custom made shoes designed for the grass surface.
A world no. 1 junior player in 1975, the 5'11, 155 lbs. Lewis won 3 career singles titles with a career high ranking of World No. 19. His career singles tour record was 242 wins against 204 losses. He also won 8 doubles titles during his 12 years on the tour. During his career he was coached by Harry Hopman
Harry Hopman
Henry Christian Hopman, CBE was a world-acclaimed Australian-American tennis player and coach, born in Glebe, Sydney, New South Wales, and soon moving to Parramatta, a city adjoining Sydney and now effectively a suburb of the metropolis.Hopman was a student at Rosehill Public Primary school...
and Tony Roche
Tony Roche
Anthony "Tony" Dalton Roche is a former professional Australian tennis player, native of Tarcutta. He played junior tennis in the New South Wales regional city of Wagga Wagga. He won one Grand Slam singles title and twelve Grand Slam doubles titles. He is also very well known for coaching...
.
In reaching the 1983 Wimbledon finals, with a five-set win over Kevin Curren
Kevin Curren
----Kevin Melvyn Curren is a former professional tennis player. He played in two Grand Slam singles finals and won four Grand Slam doubles titles.-Career:...
in the semi-finals, Lewis became the seventh unseeded man and only the second New Zealander after Tony Wilding
Tony Wilding
Anthony "Tony" Frederick Wilding was a champion tennis player from Christchurch, New Zealand and a soldier killed in action during World War I near Neuve-Chapelle, Pas-de-Calais, France....
in 1913 to reach a Wimbledon singles final. He lost the final to John McEnroe
John McEnroe
John Patrick McEnroe, Jr. is a former world no. 1 professional tennis player from the United States. During his career, he won seven Grand Slam singles titles , nine Grand Slam men's doubles titles, and one Grand Slam mixed doubles title...
, 6–2 6–2 6–2. He also reached the finals at the Cincinnati Masters
Cincinnati Masters
The Cincinnati Open is an annual outdoor hardcourts tennis event held in the Cincinnati suburb of Mason, Ohio, USA. The event started on September 18, 1899 and is the oldest tennis tournament in the United States played in its original city., Between...
in 1981, falling 6–3, 6–4 to John McEnroe.
In the 1999 New Zealand general election
New Zealand general election, 1999
The 1999 New Zealand general election was held on 27 November 1999 to determine the composition of the 46th New Zealand Parliament. The governing National Party, led by Prime Minister Jenny Shipley, was defeated, being replaced by a coalition of Helen Clark's Labour Party and the smaller Alliance...
, Lewis unsuccessfully stood for Parliament as a list candidate for the Libertarianz
Libertarianz
Libertarianz is a political party in New Zealand that advocates libertarianism, favouring self-government and limiting the power of the government over the individual. Ayn Rand's philosophy of Objectivism is a major influence on the party...
party. Now resident in Irvine, California
Irvine, California
Irvine is a suburban incorporated city in Orange County, California, United States. It is a planned city, mainly developed by the Irvine Company since the 1960s. Formally incorporated on December 28, 1971, the city has a population of 212,375 as of the 2010 census. However, the California...
, in addition to owning and operating Tennis-Experts.com, an online tennis equipment retailer, he coaches at the Woodbridge Tennis Club.
Early life
Lewis was born in AucklandAuckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and received his secondary education at Marcellin College
Marcellin College, Auckland
Marcellin College is an integrated, co-educational college in Royal Oak, Auckland, New Zealand for students in Year 7 to Year 13. Marcellin College was founded by the Marist Brothers in 1958 as a secondary school for boys only. The school is located on spacious grounds which were formerly part of...
and Lynfield College
Lynfield College
Lynfield College is a secondary education provider in Lynfield, Auckland, New Zealand. It celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2008.The Principal of Lynfield College and head of the 130 teachers is Mr Steve Bovaird....
. He is the oldest of three sons. His brothers are David Lewis and Mark Lewis who also had significant competitive Tennis careers.
Junior career
Lewis was ranked world No. 1 Junior in 1975. The same year he won the 1975 Junior Wimbledon Championships1975 Wimbledon Championships
List of the 1975 Wimbledon champions:-Men's singles: Arthur Ashe def. Jimmy Connors, 6–1, 6–1, 5–7, 6–4*It was Ashe's 3rd career Grand Slam title, and his 1st Wimbledon title.-Women's singles: Billie Jean King def...
title (def. Ricardo Ycaza
Ricardo Ycaza
Ricardo Ycaza is an Ecuadorean tennis player who was a world top-ten junior, a Davis Cup stalwart, and a world top-fifty touring professional.His most noteworthy achievement was winning the 1976 US Open Junior tournament...
) and was runner-up in the 1975 Junior US Open (lost to Howard Schoenfield).
Equipment
Lewis was the first man in history to reach the final of one of the four tennis majors (Australian Open, French Open, WimbledonThe Championships, Wimbledon
The Championships, Wimbledon, or simply Wimbledon , is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, considered by many to be the most prestigious. It has been held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London since 1877. It is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, the other three Majors...
, US Open) while using an over-size racquet
Racquet
A racquet or racket is a sports implement consisting of a handled frame with an open hoop across which a network of cord is stretched tightly. It is used for striking a ball in such games as squash, tennis, racquetball, and badminton...
, a Prince
Prince Sports
Prince Sports, Inc., based in Bordentown, New Jersey, is a manufacturer of equipment for racquet sports, primarily for tennis, badminton, and squash....
Original Graphite (Second only to Pam Shriver
Pam Shriver
Pamela Howard Shriver Lazenby , is a former professional tennis player and is currently a sports broadcaster from the United States for ESPN2. During the 1980s and 1990s, she won 133 top-level titles, including 21 women's doubles titles and one mixed doubles title at Grand Slam tournaments...
in the 1978 US Open). He was also one of the first player's equipped with custom made shoes designed for the grass surface.
Grand Slam Singles Final
| Outcome | Year | Championship | Surface | Opponent in the final | Score in the final |
| Runner-up | 1983 1983 Wimbledon Championships The 1983 Wimbledon Championships was a tennis tournament played on :grass courts at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon in London in England... |
Wimbledon 1983 Wimbledon Championships - Men's Singles John McEnroe defeated Chris Lewis 6-2 6-2 6-2 in the final to win the Gentlemen's Singles title at the 1983 Wimbledon Championships. See also:-Key:* Q = Qualifier* WC = Wild Card* LL = Lucky Loser* r. = retired-Finals:-Section 1:-Section 2:... |
Grass |  John McEnroeJohn McEnroe John Patrick McEnroe, Jr. is a former world no. 1 professional tennis player from the United States. During his career, he won seven Grand Slam singles titles , nine Grand Slam men's doubles titles, and one Grand Slam mixed doubles title... |
6–2, 6–2, 6–2 |
Runner-ups (1)
| Outcome | Year | Championship | Surface | Opponent in the final | Score in the final |
| Runner-up | 1981 | Cincinnati Masters | Hard | John McEnroe John McEnroe John Patrick McEnroe, Jr. is a former world no. 1 professional tennis player from the United States. During his career, he won seven Grand Slam singles titles , nine Grand Slam men's doubles titles, and one Grand Slam mixed doubles title... |
6–3, 6–4 |
Wins (3)
|
|
Runner-ups (7)
|
|
| Outcome | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Prize Money | Opponent in Final | Score |
| Runner-up | 1. | 12 December 1977 | Adelaide Adelaide Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million... , Australia |
Grass | $ | Tim Gullikson Tim Gullikson Timothy Ernest "Tim" Gullikson was a tennis player and coach who was born in La Crosse, Wisconsin in the United States.In 1977, he won three tour singles titles and was named the ATP's Newcomer of the Year... |
6–3, 4–6, 6–3, 2–6, 4–6 |
| Runner-up | 2. | 23 March 1981 | Stuttgart Indoor Stuttgart Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million .... , Germany |
Hard (I) | $75,000 |  Ivan LendlIvan Lendl Ivan Lendl is a former world no. 1 professional tennis player. Originally from Czechoslovakia, Lendl became a United States citizen. He was one of the game's most dominant players in the 1980s and remained a top competitor into the early 1990s. He is considered to be one of the greatest tennis... |
3–6, 0–6, 7–6, 3–6 |
| Winner | 3. | 18 May 1981 | Munich BMW Open The BMW Open is a tennis tournament held in Munich, Germany. Held since 1900, the tournament is played on outdoor clay courts and is a part of the ATP Tour schedule.-History:... , Germany |
Clay | $ |  Christophe Roger-VasselinChristophe Roger-Vasselin Christophe Roger-Vasselin is a former tennis player from France.Vasselin won two doubles titles during his professional career. Notably in his singles career, he reached the semifinals of Roland Garros in 1983, , but lost to eventual champion and compatriot Yannick Noah... |
4–6, 6–2, 2–6, 6–1, 6–1 |
| Runner-up | 4. | 17 July 1981 | Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati Masters The Cincinnati Open is an annual outdoor hardcourts tennis event held in the Cincinnati suburb of Mason, Ohio, USA. The event started on September 18, 1899 and is the oldest tennis tournament in the United States played in its original city., Between... , United States |
Hard | $ | John McEnroe John McEnroe John Patrick McEnroe, Jr. is a former world no. 1 professional tennis player from the United States. During his career, he won seven Grand Slam singles titles , nine Grand Slam men's doubles titles, and one Grand Slam mixed doubles title... |
3–6, 4–6 |
| Runner-up | 5. | 5 October 1981 | Brisbane Brisbane Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of... , Australia |
Grass | $ |  Mark EdmondsonMark Edmondson Mark Edmondson is a former professional Australian male tennis player.... |
6–7, 6–3, 4–6 |
| Runner-up | 6. | 14 December 1981 | Sydney Outdoor, Australia | Grass | $ | Tim Wilkison Tim Wilkison Tim Wilkison is a former professional male tennis player from the United States.Wilkison was the #1 ranked junior in the United States and went on to play professional tennis for over 25 years. He won 6 singles titles and 9 doubles championships... |
4–6, 6–7, 3–6 |
| Runner-up | 7. | 27 April 1982 | Hilton Head WCT, South Carolina, United States | Clay | $ | Van Winitsky Van Winitsky Van Winitsky , is a former professional tennis player from the United States.Winitsky enjoyed most of his tennis success while playing doubles. During his career he won 9 doubles titles and finished runner-up an additional 11 times. Partnering Fritz Buehning in doubles, Winitsky finished... |
|
| Runner-up | 8. | 20 June 1983 | Wimbledon 1983 Wimbledon Championships The 1983 Wimbledon Championships was a tennis tournament played on :grass courts at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon in London in England... , London |
Grass | $ | John McEnroe John McEnroe John Patrick McEnroe, Jr. is a former world no. 1 professional tennis player from the United States. During his career, he won seven Grand Slam singles titles , nine Grand Slam men's doubles titles, and one Grand Slam mixed doubles title... |
2–6, 2–6, 2–6 |
| Winner | 9. | 7 January 1985 | Auckland Heineken Open (tennis) The Heineken Open is a tennis tournament on the ATP International Series played in Auckland, New Zealand. It was also a combined mens and womens tournament until 1981.-History:... . New Zealand |
Hard | $ | Wally Masur Wally Masur Wally Masur is a tennis coach, television commentator, and former professional tennis player from Sydney, Australia.... |
7–5, 6–0, 2–6, 6–4 |