Herbert Flam facts for kids
Flam, circa 1950
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| Country (sports) |  United States |
|---|---|
| Born | November 7, 1928 New York City, United States |
| Died | November 25, 1980 (aged 52) |
| Turned pro | 1945 (amateur tour) |
| Retired | 1963 |
| Plays | Right-handed (one-handed backhand) |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 382-131 |
| Career titles | 20 |
| Highest ranking | No. 4 (1957, Lance Tingay) |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| Australian Open | SF (1956) |
| French Open | F (1957) |
| Wimbledon | SF (1951, 1952) |
| US Open | F (1950) |
| Team competitions | |
| Davis Cup | W (1956, 1957) |
Herbert Flam (born November 7, 1928 – died November 25, 1980) was an American tennis player. He was considered one of the best amateur players in the world. In 1957, a tennis expert named Lance Tingay ranked him as the World No. 4 amateur player.
Contents
Tennis Career Highlights
Herbert Flam was born in New York City. He made it to his first major tennis final, called a Grand Slam final, at the U.S. Championships in 1950. To get there, he beat strong players like Bill Talbert and Gardnar Mulloy. He then lost to Art Larsen in the final match. That year, he was ranked as the number 2 player in the United States.
In 1951, Flam won the men's singles title at the Ojai Tennis Tournament. Later that year, at the famous Wimbledon tournament, he defeated Frank Sedgman. He then lost in the semifinals to Dick Savitt. He was ranked number 4 in the U.S. that year.
In 1952, Flam played well at Wimbledon again. He beat Gardnar Mulloy and Vic Seixas before losing in the semifinals to Jaroslav Drobny. He was ranked number 5 in the U.S. for 1952.
At the Australian Championships in 1956, Flam won against Ashley Cooper. He then lost in the semifinals to the legendary Ken Rosewall. In September 1956, Flam won the singles title at the Pacific Southwest Championships. He beat Rosewall in a tough five-set final match. This strong performance helped him become the number 2 ranked player in the U.S. that year.
In 1957, Flam reached the final of the French Championships. He had a challenging five-set semifinal win against Mervyn Rose. However, he lost the final match to Sven Davidson. At the U.S. Championships that same year, Flam defeated Vic Seixas. He then lost to Ashley Cooper in the semifinals. He finished 1957 ranked number 2 in the U.S., just behind Vic Seixas.
Awards and Recognition
Herbert Flam's achievements in tennis were recognized many times. He was inducted into several Halls of Fame:
- The International Tennis Association Collegiate Tennis Hall of Fame in 1987.
- The Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 1990.
- The International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 1992.
- The University of California at Los Angeles Hall of Fame in 2006.
- The Southern California Tennis Association Hall of Fame in 2017.
Grand Slam Finals
A Grand Slam final is the championship match at one of the four biggest tennis tournaments in the world: the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open. Herbert Flam reached two Grand Slam singles finals during his career.
Singles (Two Runner-up Finishes)
| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 1957 | French Championships | Clay |  Sven Davidson |
3–6, 4–6, 4–6 |
| Loss | 1950 | U.S. National Championships | Grass |  Art Larsen |
3–6, 6–4, 7–5, 4–6, 3–6 |
See also
- List of select Jewish tennis players
