Todd Witsken
American tennis player / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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]
Country (sports) | ![]() |
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Born | (1963-11-04)November 4, 1963 Indianapolis, Indiana, US |
Died | May 25, 1998(1998-05-25) (aged 34) Zionsville, Indiana, US |
Turned pro | 1985 |
Retired | 1993 |
Plays | Right-handed (one-handed backhand) |
College | University of Southern California |
Prize money | $1,420,910 |
Singles | |
Career record | 115–135 |
Career titles | 0 |
Highest ranking | No. 43 (November 13, 1989) |
Grand Slam singles results | |
Australian Open | QF (1988) |
French Open | 2R (1988, 1989) |
Wimbledon | 2R (1986, 1989) |
US Open | 4R (1986) |
Doubles | |
Career record | 222–148 |
Career titles | 12 |
Highest ranking | No. 4 (August 29, 1988) |
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.