Colin Dowdeswell
![]() Colin Dowdeswell (1983) | |
Country (sports) | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
---|---|
Born | London, England | 12 May 1955
Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
Plays | Right-handed |
Prize money | $327,277 |
Singles | |
Career record | 113–171 |
Career titles | 1 |
Highest ranking | No. 31 (12 December 1983) |
Grand Slam singles results | |
Australian Open | 2R (1984) |
French Open | 2R (1977, 1978, 1979) |
Wimbledon | 2R (1977, 1978, 1979, 1982, 1986) |
US Open | 4R (1976, 1978) |
Doubles | |
Career record | 216–162 |
Career titles | 11 |
Highest ranking | No. 24 (24 March 1980) |
Grand Slam doubles results | |
Australian Open | 3R (1984, 1985) |
French Open | QF (1977) |
Wimbledon | F (1975) |
US Open | SF (1976) |
Mixed doubles | |
Grand Slam mixed doubles results | |
French Open | F (1976) |
Wimbledon | QF (1976, 1980) |
US Open | SF (1984) |
Colin Dowdeswell (born 12 May 1955) is a former professional tennis player who represented, at different times, Rhodesia, Switzerland and the United Kingdom,[1] and who achieved rank as UK No. 1. During his time on the world tour, he won one singles title and eleven doubles titles.[2] The highlight of his career was reaching the men's doubles final of Wimbledon.
Early life
[edit]Dowdeswell was born in London but grew up in Rhodesia. He was educated at Prince Edward School and The University of the Witswatersrand.[3]. He also received an MBA at Insead business school in 1987.
Tennis career highlights
[edit]Partnering Australian Allan Stone, Dowdeswell finished runner-up in doubles at Wimbledon in 1975. Unseeded, after two straight sets wins, they defeated the No. 7 seeds Tom Okker and Marty Riessen in the round of 16 in four sets. They did likewise in eliminating the No. 3 seeds, Bob Hewitt and Frew McMillan, in the quarterfinals. It took Dowdeswell and Stone then five sets to overcome the unseeded team of Dick Crealy and Niki Pilic in the semifinals. They lost the final to another unseeded tandem, Vitas Gerulaitis and Sandy Mayer, 5–7, 6–8, 4–6.[4]
Dowdeswell achieved a career-high singles ranking of world No. 31 in 1983 and a career-high doubles ranking of world No. 24 in 1980.[2]
Career finals
[edit]Grand Prix and WCT finals (4)
[edit]Singles: 4 (1 title)
[edit]Result | W–L | Year | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Loss | 0–1 | 1974 | Dublin, Ireland | Hard | ![]() |
3–6, 8–9 |
Win | 1–1 | 1975 | Istanbul, Turkey | Clay | ![]() |
6–1, 6–4, 6–2 |
Loss | 1–2 | 1978 | Johannesburg, South Africa | Hard | ![]() |
2–6, 4–6 |
Loss | 1–3 | 1983 | Johannesburg, South Africa | Hard | ![]() |
4–6, 6–4, 6–1, 5–7, 3–6 |
Grand Slam, Grand Prix, and WCT finals
[edit]Doubles: 28 (11 titles)
[edit]Result | No. | Year | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Win | 1. | 1974 | Dublin, Ireland | Hard | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–3, 6–2 |
Loss | 1. | 1975 | Birmingham, U.S. | Carpet (i) | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
1–6, 6–3, 6–7 |
Loss | 2. | 1975 | Wimbledon, London | Grass | ![]() |
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5–7, 6–8, 4–6 |
Loss | 3. | 1975 | Gstaad, Switzerland | Clay | ![]() |
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4–6, 7–9, 1–6 |
Loss | 4. | 1975 | Istanbul, Turkey | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
2–6, 2–6, 2–6 |
Loss | 5. | 1976 | Nuremberg, Germany | Carpet (i) | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–7, 4–6 |
Loss | 6. | 1976 | Barcelona, Spain | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
2–6, 3–6 |
Loss | 7. | 1976 | Cologne, Germany | Carpet (i) | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
1–6, 6–3, 6–7 |
Loss | 8. | 1977 | Gstaad, Switzerland | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
4–6, 6–7 |
Loss | 9. | 1977 | Kitzbühel, Austria | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–7, 4–6 |
Win | 2. | 1978 | Sarasota, U.S. | Carpet | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
2–6, 6–3, 6–2 |
Loss | 10. | 1978 | Lagos, Nigeria | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
3–6, 6–3, 5–7 |
Win | 3. | 1978 | Berlin, Germany | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–3, 6–4 |
Loss | 11. | 1978 | Toronto, Canada | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
3–6, 6–7 |
Win | 4. | 1979 | Johannesburg, South Africa | Hard | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–3, 7–6 |
Win | 5. | 1979 | Stuttgart Outdoor, Germany | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–4, 6–2, 2–6, 6–4 |
Loss | 12. | 1980 | Johannesburg, South Africa | Hard | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
4–6, 3–6 |
Win | 6. | 1980 | Gstaad, Switzerland | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–4, 6–4 |
Win | 7. | 1980 | Stuttgart Outdoor, Germany | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–3, 6–4 |
Loss | 13. | 1983 | Gstaad, Switzerland | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
7–6, 4–6, 2–6 |
Loss | 14. | 1983 | Kitzbühel, Austria | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
5–7, 2–6 |
Win | 8. | 1983 | Tel Aviv, Israel | Hard | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–4, 7–5 |
Loss | 15. | 1984 | Kitzbühel, Austria | Clay | ![]() |
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6–2, 6–7, 6–7 |
Loss | 16. | 1984 | Tel Aviv, Israel | Hard | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
3–6, 4–6 |
Win | 9. | 1985 | Palermo, Italy | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–4, 6–7, 7–6 |
Win | 10. | 1985 | Johannesburg, South Africa | Hard | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
3–6, 7–6, 6–4 |
Win | 11. | 1986 | Milan, Italy | Carpet (i) | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–3, 4–6, 6–1 |
Loss | 17. | 1986 | Nice, France | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
3–6, 6–4, 9–11 |
Davis Cup
[edit]Dowdeswell participated in one Davis Cup tie for Rhodesia in 1976, posting a 2–0 record in singles and an 0–1 record in doubles. He participated in six Davis Cup ties for Great Britain from 1984 to 1986, posting an 0–2 record in singles and a 5–1 record in doubles.
Life outside tennis
[edit]Dowdeswell completed his tennis career in 1986 and began a career in financial services and private banking with Merrill Lynch.[2] Married with three children,[2] he resides in Monaco.
References
[edit]- ^ "ITF Men's Circuit Biography of Colin Dowdeswell". ITF Tennis. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
- ^ a b c d "ATP.com Colin Dowdeswell profile". ATP.com. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
- ^ Official website: Biography Archived 10 September 2014 at the Wayback Machine. Accessed 11 July 2014
- ^ "1975 Wimbledon Men's Doubles drawsheet". ATP.com. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
External links
[edit]- Colin Dowdeswell at the Association of Tennis Professionals
- Colin Dowdeswell at the International Tennis Federation
- Colin Dowdeswell at the Davis Cup
- Official website Archived 10 May 2010 at the Wayback Machine
- British emigrants to Rhodesia
- English expatriates in Monaco
- English male tennis players
- People from Wimbledon, London
- Sportspeople from the London Borough of Merton
- Rhodesian male tennis players
- Tennis players from London
- Swiss male tennis players
- Swiss people of English descent
- Zimbabwean male tennis players
- Zimbabwean people of English descent
- British male tennis players
- 1955 births
- Living people