Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Success 2013: Tom Okker, a former Dutch tennis player. He was ranked World No. 1 in doubles in 1969, and among the world's top 10 singles players for seven consecutive years

Thomas Samuel "Tom" Okker (born 22 February 1944) is a former Dutch tennis player. He was ranked among the world's top 10 singles players for seven consecutive years, 1968–74, reaching a career high of World No. 3 in 1969. He also was ranked World No. 1 in doubles in 1969.

Okker was the Dutch champion from 1964 through 1968. In 1968, he turned professional and won his first important tournaments in singles and in doubles (with Marty Riessen) at the Italian Open. At Wimbledon, Okker reached the quarterfinals in 1968 and the semifinals in 1978.

He achieved his best result in a Grand Slam tournament at the 1968 US Open, where he reached the final after defeating Pancho Gonzales in the quarterfinal and Ken Rosewall in the semifinal. He lost the final to American Arthur Ashe in five sets, 12-14, 7–5, 3-6, 6-3, 3-6.
Okker won 31 singles titles. As of 2000, 20 years after his retirement, Okker's 31 career open tennis singles victories (combined ATP tour, Grand Prix, and WCT tournaments) still ranked 20th all-time. Among Okker's singles titles were the 1970 German Open and Belgian Open, 1973 Dewar Cup and Canadian Open, and 1974 WCT Rothmans.[4][5] He also was the runner-up in 24 singles tournaments.

Okker is also among the most successful men's doubles players of all time. Okker won two Grand Slam doubles titles, the US Open in 1976 (with Riessen) and the French Open (with John Newcombe) in 1973.

In total, Okker won 78 doubles events, a record that was finally broken by Todd Woodbridge in 2005. Okker's other doubles titles include the 1973 Italian Open, 1973 London Grass Courts (with Riessen), 1973 Spanish Open (with Ilie Năstase), 1975 Opel International (with Arthur Ashe), and 1978 WCT World Doubles (with Wojtek Fibak).

 One of the first tennis professionals to win at least US $1 million in career prize money, Okker's WTC career earnings stood at US $1,257,200 when he retired in 1980 ($3,502,998 today).
 Between 1964 and 1981, Okker represented The Netherlands in the Davis Cup, playing in 13 ties and accumulating a 15–20 win-loss record.
 Okker was a fan favorite with his animated, quick-footed play. He was a slight but canny player, who often defeated larger, more powerful opponents. He was among the first players of his era to hit the ball with heavy topspin.

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