Christo van Rensburg

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Christo van Rensburg bigraphy, stories - Tennis player

Christo van Rensburg : biography

23 October 1962 –

Christo van Rensburg (born 23 October 1962 in Uitenhage, South Africa) is a former professional tennis player from South Africa.

Van Rensburg turned professional in 1983. He won his first tour doubles title later that year at Cleveland.

Van Rensburg won 20 top-level doubles titles during his career, including one Grand Slam men’s doubles title at the Australian Open in 1985, partnering Paul Annacone. He also won two ATP singles titles at Orlando in 1987, and at Johannesburg in 1989. Van Rensburg’s career-high rankings were World No. 19 in singles (achieved in 1988) and World No. 5 in doubles (achieved in 1987). His career prize-money totalled $1,928,431. He retired from the professional tour in 1995.

Van Rensburg is one of only two men to beat Pete Sampras in straight sets at Wimbledon (doing so in 1990, where Sampras was the No. 12 seed), the other being 1996 Champion Richard Krajicek.

Doubles finals (32)

Legend
Grand Slam (1)
Tennis Masters Cup (0)
ATP Masters Series (0)
ATP Tour (19)
Titles by Surface
Hard (9)
Clay (4)
Grass (3)
Carpet (4)
Outcome No. Year Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Winner 1. 1983 Cleveland, United States Hard RSA|1928}} Mike Myburg PAR}} Francisco González Matt Mitchell 7–6, 7–5
Winner 2. 1984 Sydney Outdoor, Australia Grass USA}} Paul Annacone USA}} Tom Gullikson Scott McCain 7–6, 7–5
Winner 3. 1985 Delray Beach, United States Hard USA}} Paul Annacone USA}} Sherwood Stewart Kim Warwick 7–5, 7–5, 6–4
Winner 4. 1985 Atlanta, United States Carpet USA}} Paul Annacone USA}} Steve Denton Tomáš Šmíd 6–4, 6–3
Runner-up 1. 1985 Las Vegas, United States Hard USA}} Paul Annacone AUS}} Pat Cash John Fitzgerald 6–7, 7–6, 6–7
Runner-up 2. 1985 Newport, United States Grass USA}} Paul Annacone AUS}} Peter Doohan Sammy Giammalva Jr. 1–6, 3–6
Runner-up 3. 1985 Los Angeles, United States Hard USA}} Paul Annacone USA}} Scott Davis Robert Van’t Hof 3–6, 6–7
Winner 5. 1985 San Francisco, United States Carpet USA}} Paul Annacone USA}} Brad Gilbert Sandy Mayer 3–6, 6–3, 6–4
Winner 6. 1985 Johannesburg, South Africa Hard GBR}} Colin Dowdeswell ISR}} Amos Mansdorf Shahar Perkiss 3–6, 7–6, 6–4
Winner 7. 1985 Australian Open, Melbourne Grass USA}} Paul Annacone AUS}} Mark Edmondson Kim Warwick 3–6, 7–6, 6–4, 6–4
Runner-up 4. 1986 Masters Doubles WCT, London Carpet USA}} Paul Annacone SUI}} Heinz Günthardt Balázs Taróczy 4–6, 6–1, 6–7, 7–6, 4–6
Runner-up 5. 1986 Stratton Mountain, United States Hard USA}} Paul Annacone USA}} Peter Fleming John McEnroe 3–6, 6–3, 3–6
Winner 8. 1986 Johannesburg, South Africa Hard USA}} Mike De Palmer ECU}} Andrés Gómez Sherwood Stewart 3–6, 6–2, 7–6
Winner 9. 1987 Key Biscayne, United States Hard USA}} Paul Annacone USA}} Ken Flach Robert Seguso 6–2, 6–4, 6–4
Runner-up 6. 1987 Orlando, United States Hard USA}} Paul Annacone USA}} Sherwood Stewart Kim Warwick 6–2, 6–7, 4–6
Winner 10. 1987 Chicago, United States Carpet USA}} Paul Annacone USA}} Mike De Palmer Gary Donnelly 6–3, 7–6
Runner-up 7. 1988 Paris Indoor, France Carpet USA}} Jim Grabb USA}} Paul Annacone John Fitzgerald 2–6, 2–6
Winner 11. 1989 Memphis, United States Hard (i) USA}} Paul Annacone USA}} Scott Davis Tim Wilkison 7–6, 6–7, 6–1
Winner 12. 1989 Philadelphia, United States Carpet USA}} Paul Annacone USA}} Rick Leach Jim Pugh 6–3, 7–5
Runner-up 8. 1989 Scottsdale, United States Hard USA}} Paul Annacone USA}} Rick Leach Jim Pugh 7–6, 3–6, 2–6, 6–2, 4–6
Runner-up 9. 1989 San Francisco, United States Carpet USA}} Paul Annacone RSA|1928}} Pieter Aldrich Danie Visser 4–6, 3–6
Winner 13. 1990 Basel, Switzerland Hard (i) RSA|1928}} Stefan Kruger RSA|1928}} Neil Broad Gary Muller 4–6, 7–6, 6–3
Winner 14. 1990 Tel-Aviv, Israel Hard NGR}} Nduka Odizor SWE}} Ronnie Båthman Rikard Bergh 6–3, 6–4
Runner-up 10. 1991 Singapore Hard RSA|1928}} Stefan Kruger CAN}} Grant Connell Glenn Michibata 4–6, 7–5, 6–7
Runner-up 11. 1992 Taipei, Taiwan Carpet GER}} Patrick Baur AUS}} John Fitzgerald Sandon Stolle 6–7, 2–6
Runner-up 12. 1993 Marseille, France Carpet USA}} Ivan Lendl FRA}} Arnaud Boetsch Olivier Delaître 3–6, 6–7
Winner 15. 1993 Osaka, Japan Hard USA}} Mark Keil CAN}} Glenn Michibata David Pate 7–6, 6–3
Winner 16. 1993 Newport, United States Grass ARG}} Javier Frana ZIM}} Byron Black Jim Pugh 4–6, 6–1, 7–6
Winner 17. 1994 Birmingham, United States Clay USA}} Richey Reneberg USA}} Brian MacPhie David Witt 2–6, 6–3, 6–2
Winner 18. 1995 Buenos Aires, Argentina Clay USA}} Vincent Spadea CZE}} Jiří Novák David Rikl 6–3, 6–3
Winner 19. 1996 Atlanta, United States Clay USA}} David Wheaton USA}} Bill Behrens Matt Lucena 7–6, 6–2
Winner 20. 1996 Bologna, Italy Clay RSA}} Brent Haygarth MAR}} Karim Alami Gábor Köves 6–1, 6–4

Singles finals (6)

Legend
Grand Slam (0–0)
Tennis Masters Cup (0–0)
ATP Masters Series (0–0)
ATP Championship Series (0–0)
ATP Tour (2–4)
Outcome No. Date Tournament Surface Opponent Score
Winner 1. 22 March 1987 Orlando Hard USA}} Jimmy Connors 6-3, 3-6, 6-1
Runner-up 1. 14 November 1988 Johannesburg Hard (i) SUI}} Jakob Hlasek 7-6, 4-6, 1-6, 6-7
Runner-up 2. 18 June 1989 London (Queen’s Club) Grass TCH}} Ivan Lendl 6-4, 3-6, 4-6
Winner 2. 19 November 1989 Johannesburg Hard (i) USA}} Paul Chamberlin 6-4, 7-6, 6-3
Runner-up 3. 8 April 1990 Orlando Hard USA}} Brad Gilbert 2-6, 1-6
Runner-up 4. 13 October 1991 Tel Aviv Hard MEX}} Leonardo Lavalle 2-6, 6-3, 3-6