Justin Gimelstob: Difference between revisions

Justin Gimelstob (b. 26 January 1977, Livingston, New Jersey) is an American tennis player.

Justin Gimelstob

Country (sports)	United States
Residence	Morristown, New Jersey, USA
Height	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Turned pro	1996
Plays	Right-handed
Prize money	US$2,425,972
Singles
Career record	106-160
Career titles	0
Highest ranking	63 (19 April 1999)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open	-
French Open	-
Wimbledon	-
US Open	-
Doubles
Career record	168-147
Career titles	13
Highest ranking	18 (8 May 2000)
Last updated on: January 24, 2007.

Gimelstob began to play tennis at the age of eight. He was coached by Stuart Gerechoff.

In 1991, he was ranked # 1 in the USTA Boys' 14 age group.

Gimelstob achieved the # 1 ranking again in the USTA Boys' 16 age group, winning the USTA championship, in 1993.

He then won the 1995 USTA National Boys' 18 Championships.[1]

Gimelstob attended Newark Academy in Livingston, New Jersey, and graduated in 1995.

In January 1995, Gimelstob enrolled at UCLA and completed his first semester with a 4.0 GPA.

Known to many as "The Most Quotable Guy on the ATP Tour," he earned this title with many interesting interviews. After reaching the U.S. Open as a wild-card in 1995, he said, "I'm only seven matches away from my first Grand Slam title."

In September 1995, after pulling off one of the biggest upsets in history by defeating No. 65 David Prinosil in the first round of the U.S. Open (it was Justin's first Grand Slam event and he was ranked # 1,154), Gimelstob was featured in Sports Illustrated. The September 11, 1995, issue asked, "Eighteen-year old UCLA frosh, with 4.0 GPA in first term, aces U.S. Open debut. Could he be tennis' Tiger Woods?"

In 1996, his second (and final) year at UCLA, Justin won the NCAA doubles championship and helped lead the Bruins' to a runner-up finish in the team competition (they lost to Stanford).

After turning professional later in the year, Gimelstob began to steadily move up the world rankings.

In 1997, he defeated Andre Agassi at the ATP event in Los Angeles, played on the campus of UCLA. Following the match, Justin said, "I feel great to have a win like this on my home court in front of my family, my friends, and every girl who denied me my first two years of college."

Gimelstob reached the 3rd round at the 1997 U.S. Open.

Gimelstob subsequently established himself chiefly as a doubles specialist, winning 12 titles. In 11 appearances at the US Open, he partnered 11 different players.

He won the 1998 Australian Open and French Open mixed doubles titles with Venus Williams as his partner.

In 1998 Gimelstob also won his second career ATP doubles title (his first was in 1997, and as of February 2001, he had 9 career doubles titles).

In 1999, he reached his highest world singles ranking in April (# 63) and won an additional five doubles titles with four different partners (he has been ranked as high as # 18 in the world in doubles).

In 2001, he had the best Grand Slam performance of his career, reaching the semifinals of the Australian Open with partner Scott Humphries.

At the 2002 U.S. Open, Gimelstob was eliminated in the first round of the singles competition by No. 6 seed Andre Agassi in straight sets, 0-6, 1-6, 0-6. In doubles, he and partner Jeff Tarango reached the 2nd round before losing to Brian MacPhee and Nenad Zimonjic, 7-5, 2-6, 6-7 (5-7).

At Wimbledon in 2003, he competed in both the singles and doubles events. He upset No. 15 seed Arnaud Clement of France in the 2nd round (2-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-7 (2-7), and 6-1). In the third round, Gimelstob lost to Jonas Bjorkman of Sweden, 1-6, 3-6, and 3-6.

In September 2003, he won the International Series Gold tournament in Tokyo with Nicolas Kiefer as his partner. They beat Scott Humphries and Mark Merklein 6-7, 6-3, 7-6.

In Wimbledon 2004, Gimelstob teamed up with his old friend Scott Humphries. The duo faced the dynamic Bryan brothers, ranked second, in the 2nd round. Gimelstob and his partner upset Mike and Bob Bryan 6-3, 3-6, 6-4. Unfortunately they met Mark Knowles and Daniel Nestor in the quarterfinals and lost 3-6, 2-6.

Gimelstob won two singles titles in 2004. In July he competed at Forest Hills, New York and beat Dusan Vemic 7-6(7) 6-2 in the final. In September he competed in a hard-court tournament in Beijing. He beat Florent Serra of France 6-2 6-2 in the quarterfinals, and Alex Bogomolov Jr. 6-1, 6-3 in the final.

Gimelstob won both doubles titles as well at Forest Hills and Beijing in 2004. In China, he was paired with Graydon Oliver as they defeated Alex Bogomolov Jr. and Taylor Dent 4-6 6-4 7-6(6) in the final.

He won the Nashville hard court title in November 2004.

Gimelstob had a good run in the hard court tournament in Tallahassee, during April 2005, losing in the finals.

Gimelstob faced 29th seed Nicolas Massu in the 2nd round of Wimbledon 2005 and upset the highly rated Chilean 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (7-0). He was eliminated in the 3rd round by Lleyton Hewitt (seeded 3rd) 7-6 (7-5), 6-4, 7-5.

In 2006, Gimelstob reached his first ATP Tour Singles Final at The Hall of Fame Championships in Newport, Rhode Island, losing to Mark Philippoussis.

Gimelstob played for the US Davis Cup team in 1998 and 2001.[2]

Gimelstob was inducted into the MetroWest Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 2006.[3]

• Gimelstob is well-known as a blogger for Sports Illustrated.

• ATP Tennis Profile
• Davis Cup bio
• Jews in Sports bio