Todd Witsken Explained

Todd Witsken
Birth Date:4 November 1963
Birth Place:Indianapolis, Indiana, US
Death Place:Zionsville, Indiana, US
College:University of Southern California
Turnedpro:1985
Retired:1993
Plays:Right-handed (one-handed backhand)
Careerprizemoney:$1,420,910
Highestsinglesranking:No. 43 (November 13, 1989)
Singlestitles:0
Singlesrecord:115–135
Australianopenresult:QF (1988)
Frenchopenresult:2R (1988, 1989)
Wimbledonresult:2R (1986, 1989)
Usopenresult:4R (1986)
Highestdoublesranking:No. 4 (August 29, 1988)
Doublestitles:12
Doublesrecord:222–148

Todd Witsken (November 4, 1963 – May 25, 1998) was an American tennis player. He specialized in playing doubles and began his professional career in 1985. He was a three-time all-American at the University of Southern California. His career-high rankings were world No. 43 in singles and No. 4 in doubles.[1] Witsken retired just before the 1993 US Open and died from brain cancer on May 25, 1998, at the age of 34.[1]

His biggest singles win was at the 1986 US Open, where he beat five-time US Open champion, Jimmy Connors, 6–2, 6–4, 7–5, in their third-round match. It was the first time since 1973 that Connors had failed to reach the US Open semifinals.

In 1989, Witsken lost to Greg Holmes 7–5, 4–6, 6–7(5), 6–4, 12–14, in the second round at Wimbledon, a match that was the longest men's singles match at Wimbledon, timed at 5 hours 28 minutes, until the record-breaking Isner-Mahut match in 2010.

He was one of eight children born to Marilyn and Henry Witsken. His hometown was Carmel, Indiana, where he left behind four children. His nephew is Ben Shelton.

ATP career finals

Legend
Grand Slam (0)
ATP Masters Series (2)
ATP International Series Gold (0)
ATP Tour (10)

Doubles: 21 (12 wins, 9 losses)

ResultNo.DateTournamentSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Loss1.Oct 1987San Francisco, USCarpet (i) Glenn Layendecker Jim Grabb
Patrick McEnroe
2–6, 6–0, 4–6
Loss2.Mar 1988Indian Wells, USHard Jorge Lozano Boris Becker
Guy Forget
4–6, 4–6
Loss3.May 1988Charleston, USClay Jorge Lozano Pieter Aldrich
Danie Visser
6–7, 3–6
Win1.May 1988Forest Hills, USClay Jorge Lozano Pieter Aldrich
Danie Visser
6–3, 7–6
Win2.May 1988Rome, ItalyClay Jorge Lozano Anders Järryd
Tomáš Šmíd
6–3, 6–3
Win3.Jul 1988Boston, USClay Jorge Lozano Bruno Orešar
Jaime Yzaga
6–2, 7–5
Loss4.Jul 1988Washington, USHard Jorge Lozano Rick Leach
Jim Pugh
3–6, 7–6, 2–6
Win4.Jul 1988Stratton Mountain, USHard Jorge Lozano Pieter Aldrich
Danie Visser
6–3, 7–6
Loss5.Nov 1988Itaparica, BrazilHard Jorge Lozano Sergio Casal
Emilio Sánchez
6–7, 6–7
Win5.Apr 1989Rio de Janeiro, BrazilCarpet (i) Jorge Lozano Patrick McEnroe
Tim Wilkison
2–6, 6–4, 6–4
Win6.Jul 1989Gstaad, SwitzerlandClay Cássio Motta Petr Korda
Milan Šrejber
6–4, 6–3
Win7.Aug 1989Montreal, CanadaHard Kelly Evernden Charles Beckman
Shelby Cannon
6–3, 6–3
Win8.Nov 1989Stockholm, SwedenCarpet (i) Jorge Lozano Rick Leach
Jim Pugh
6–3, 5–7, 6–3
Loss6.Nov 1989Itaparica, BrazilHard Jorge Lozano Rick Leach
Jim Pugh
2–6, 6–7
Loss7.Jul 1990Washington, USAHard Jorge Lozano Grant Connell
Glenn Michibata
3–6, 7–6, 2–6
Loss8.Oct 1990Vienna, AustriaCarpet (i) Jorge Lozano Udo Riglewski
Michael Stich
4–6, 4–6
Win9.Apr 1991Hong Kong, UKHard Patrick Galbraith Glenn Michibata
Robert Van't Hof
6–2, 6–4
Win10.May 1991Munich, GermanyClay Patrick Galbraith Anders Järryd
Danie Visser
7–5, 6–4
Win11.Jul 1991Montreal, CanadaHard Patrick Galbraith Grant Connell
Glenn Michibata
6–4, 3–6, 6–1
Win12.Mar 1992Key Biscayne, USHard Ken Flach Kent Kinnear
Sven Salumaa
6–4, 6–3
Loss9.Jul 1992Washington, USAHard Ken Flach Bret Garnett
Jared Palmer
2–6, 3–6

Singles: 1 (1 runner-up)

Notes and References

  1. News: Todd Witsken, 34, Champion in Tennis Doubles . New York Times. May 27, 1998. March 21, 2008.