Ivan Lendl
Ivan Lendl is a retired Czech-American professional tennis player.
He was world No. 1 for 270 weeks and won 94 singles titles. At the majors he won eight titles and was runner-up a record 11 times. He also won seven year-end championships.
In each year from 1985 through 1987, Lendl's match-winning percentage was over 90%. This record was equaled by Roger Federer in 2004-2006, but Lendl remains the only male tennis player with over 90% match wins in five different years (1982 was the first, 1989 the last). From the 1985 US Open to the 1988 Australian Open, Lendl reached ten consecutive Grand Slam singles semifinals, a record that was broken by Federer at the 2007 Australian Open.
Lendl pioneered a new style of tennis; his game was built around his forehand, hit hard with heavy topspin, and his success is cited as a primary influence in popularizing the common playing style of aggressive baseline power tennis. After retirement he became a tennis coach of multiple players, and has helped Andy Murray win three major titles and reach the No. 1 ranking.
He was world No. 1 for 270 weeks and won 94 singles titles. At the majors he won eight titles and was runner-up a record 11 times. He also won seven year-end championships.
In each year from 1985 through 1987, Lendl's match-winning percentage was over 90%. This record was equaled by Roger Federer in 2004-2006, but Lendl remains the only male tennis player with over 90% match wins in five different years (1982 was the first, 1989 the last). From the 1985 US Open to the 1988 Australian Open, Lendl reached ten consecutive Grand Slam singles semifinals, a record that was broken by Federer at the 2007 Australian Open.
Lendl pioneered a new style of tennis; his game was built around his forehand, hit hard with heavy topspin, and his success is cited as a primary influence in popularizing the common playing style of aggressive baseline power tennis. After retirement he became a tennis coach of multiple players, and has helped Andy Murray win three major titles and reach the No. 1 ranking.
