Andrés Gimeno facts for kids
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| Country (sports) | Spain |
|---|---|
| Residence | Barcelona |
| Born | 3 August 1937 Barcelona, Spain |
| Died | 9 October 2019 (aged 82) Barcelona, Spain |
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) |
| Turned pro | 1960 |
| Retired | 1974 |
| Plays | Right-handed (one-handed backhand) |
| Int. Tennis HoF | 2009 (member page) |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 935-535 (63.6%) |
| Career titles | 41 (11 open era titles listed by ATP) |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| Australian Open | F (1969) |
| French Open | W (1972) |
| Wimbledon | SF (1970) |
| US Open | 4R (1969, 1972) |
| Other tournaments | |
| Tour Finals | RR (1972) |
| Professional majors | |
| US Pro | F (1967) |
| Wembley Pro | F (1965) |
| French Pro | F (1962, 1967) |
| Doubles | |
| Career record | 94–60 |
| Career titles | 3 |
| Grand Slam doubles results | |
| French Open | F (1960) |
| Wimbledon | QF (1959) |
| US Open | F (1968) |
Andrés Gimeno Tolaguera (born August 3, 1937 – died October 9, 2019) was a famous tennis player from Spain. He is best known for winning the French Open in 1972. At 34 years old, he became the oldest first-time Grand Slam champion in the modern era of tennis.
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Early Years in Tennis
Andrés grew up in a family that loved tennis. His father, Esteban, was a good tennis player himself and became Andrés's first coach. They practiced at the Real Club de Tenis Barcelona. Andrés quickly became a very skilled player.
- At 16, he won the U-18 Championship of Spain.
- In 1954, he won the Spanish doubles championship with Juan Manuel Couder.
- He stopped studying to focus completely on his tennis career.
Andrés also played for Spain in tournaments across Europe. He won the Galea's Cup (the European Championship for players under 21) in 1956 and 1957. After this, he traveled to Australia to train with Harry Hopman, who was known as the best tennis coach in the world. This helped Andrés improve his game even more, leading to important wins in Perth and Sydney.
Professional Tennis Career
Andrés returned to Spain in 1960, which was his best year as an amateur player. He won big tournaments in Barcelona, Caracas, Monte Carlo, and at Queen's Club. In Barcelona, he was the first Spanish player to win the Torneo Conde de Godó. He also reached the doubles final of the French Open that year.
After 1960, Andrés joined a professional tennis group called World Championship Tennis. He was offered a large sum of money to play, plus more for each victory. This group included some of the best tennis players ever, like Rod Laver, Pancho Gonzales, and Ken Rosewall.
Andrés won many professional tournaments during the 1960s. He beat top players like Rod Laver and Ken Rosewall in several finals. Some of his notable wins include:
- Poertschach (1963)
- Genoa Pro (1963)
- College Park Pro (1964)
- Milan Pro (1965)
- US Pro hardcourt event at St. Louis (1966)
- World Pro Championships in Oklahoma City (1966)
- Cincinnati Pro (1967)
Grand Slam Success
In 1968, the "Open era" began, allowing professional players to compete in Grand Slam tournaments. This was a big change for players like Gimeno.
- His first major Grand Slam result was reaching the final of the Australian Open in 1969. He lost to the legendary Rod Laver.
- Andrés's greatest achievement came in 1972 when he won his first and only Grand Slam title at the French Open in Paris. He was 34 years old, making him the oldest male player to win the French Open until 2022. He beat French player Patrick Proisy in the final.
- He also reached the semifinals at Wimbledon in 1970.
Andrés was an important player for the Spanish Davis Cup team. He won 18 singles matches and 5 doubles matches for his country. He later coached the Spanish and Swiss tennis federations. In 1973, he had a knee injury and decided to stop playing tennis professionally.
After Retiring from Tennis
After his professional career, Andrés Gimeno continued to be involved in tennis.
- He played in the "Legends Championship" for retired players.
- In 1974, he started his own tennis club called "Club de Tenis Andres Gimeno" in Castelldefels, near Barcelona.
In 2009, Andrés was honored by being chosen for the International Tennis Hall of Fame. He was the fourth Spanish tennis player to receive this honor, following Arantxa Sánchez Vicario, Manuel Alonso, and Manuel Santana.
Personal Life
Andrés Gimeno married Cristina Corolla in 1962. They had three children: Alejo, Andrés Jr., and Cristina.
In 2011, Andrés faced financial difficulties. To help him, some of Spain's best tennis players, including Rafael Nadal, Tommy Robredo, Feliciano López, and David Ferrer, played a special exhibition tournament at Palau Blaugrana to raise money for him. This showed the great respect and support he had from the tennis community.
Death
Andrés Gimeno passed away on October 9, 2019, at the age of 82, after a long illness.
See also
In Spanish: Andrés Gimeno para niños
