Mark Cox (born 5 July 1943) is a former tennis player from England, who played professional and amateur tennis in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. He was ranked as high as world No. 12 on the ATP rankings, achieving that ranking in October 1977.
| Country (sports) |  United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Born | 5 July 1943 Leicester, England |
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| Turned pro | 1970 (amateur from 1958) |
| Retired | 1981 |
| Plays | Left-handed (one-handed backhand) |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 593–370 (61.5%) in pre Open-Era & Open Era[1] |
| Career titles | 24[1][2][3] |
| Highest ranking | No. 12 (3 October 1977) |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| Australian Open | QF (1967, 1971) |
| French Open | 3R (1968) |
| Wimbledon | 4R (1968, 1977, 1979) |
| US Open | QF (1966) |
| Other tournaments | |
| WCT Finals | QF (1975) |
| Doubles | |
| Career record | 142–157 (Open era) |
| Career titles | 3 (Open era) |
| Team competitions | |
| Davis Cup | F (1978) |
Education
editCox was educated at Wyggeston Grammar School in Leicester and Millfield School in Somerset. He obtained an economics undergraduate degree from Downing College, Cambridge, where he was a member of the Cambridge University Lawn Tennis Club.
Career
editCox played his first tournament on 3 November 1958 at the Torquay Indoor Championship.[4] During his career, he won twenty-four singles titles[4][2][3] and three doubles titles spanning both the pre-Open Era and Open Era, and reached the quarterfinals of the U.S. National Championships (in 1966) and the Australian Open (in 1971). He also played for Great Britain's Davis Cup team, and was on the team that reached the 1978 final against the United States.[5]
Following the establishment of the Open Era in men's tennis in 1968, Cox went down in history as the first amateur player to beat a professional when he defeated the American Pancho Gonzales in the first round of the British Hard Court Championships at Bournemouth in May of that year, in a match that went to five sets and lasted two and a quarter hours.[6][7] Cox also achieved big upset wins over No. 1 seed, Rod Laver, at the 1971 Australian Open,[8] and over No. 2 seed, Ken Rosewall, at the 1972 US Open.[9] Cox also defeated future world No. 1 Jimmy Connors in his debut Grand Slam match at the 1970 US Open.
Some of Cox's finest victories came late in his career; a notable moment was at the 1976 Stockholm Open, when at the age of 33 he won the title after knocking out Connors and Manuel Orantes (respectively the reigning and previous US Open champions) in succession.[10] Although able to win on all surfaces he was especially adept at playing on indoor carpet courts, and was the last British player to win back-to-back professional titles (at the Washington Indoor WCT and London WCT events in 1975) until Andy Murray repeated the feat in 2008.[11] To date, Cox is also the last English-born male to win a top level UK tournament on grass (Eastbourne in 1973). After his final title in 1977 it would take another 17 years for a British player to win a top-level tour title (Jeremy Bates at Seoul in 1994). Cox retired from playing in 1981, losing to Yannick Noah in his last ever competitive match at that year's Paris Indoor Open.[12] During his latter playing years and after his retirement, he worked as a coach and also as a television commentator for the BBC.
Personal life
editCox is a Patron of a charity "CRY" (Cardiac Risk in the Young) and an ambassador for the Win Tennis Academy at Bisham. He lives with his wife Susie in London.[citation needed]
Career finals
editSingles: 42 (24 titles, 18 runner-ups)
edit| Finals by surface |
|---|
| Hard (7–5) |
| Grass (4–4) |
| Clay (3–6) |
| Carpet (10–3) |
| Result | No. | Year | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 1. | 1962 | Budleigh Salterton, England | Grass | 4–6, 6–0, 2–6[2] | |
| Loss | 2. | 1962 | Eastbourne, England | Grass | 6–4, 2–6, 4–6[2] | |
| Loss | 3. | 1963 | Manly, Australia | Grass | 2–6, 2–6[13] | |
| Win | 1. | 1963 | Eastbourne, England | Grass | 1–6, 7–5, 6–2[3] | |
| Loss | 4. | 1965 | Chingford, England | Clay | 2–6, 6–8[2] | |
| Win | 2. | 1966 | Baltimore, U.S. | Grass | 6–3, 6–2, 6–3[13] | |
| Loss | 5. | 1967 | East London, South Africa | Clay | 7–9, 5–7[13] | |
| Win | 3. | 1968 | San Juan, Puerto Rico | Hard | 6–2, 6–1, 4–6, 2–6, 6–2[13] | |
| Open era | ||||||
| Loss | 6. | 1968 | London, England | Carpet (i) | 4–6, 4–6[13] | |
| Win | 4. | 1968 | Eastbourne, England | Grass | 6–4, 6–4[13] | |
| Win | 5. | 1968 | Istanbul, Turkey | Clay | 6–3, 6–3, 2–6, 6–4[13] | |
| Win | 6. | 1968 | Perth, Scotland | Carpet (i) | 6–3, 6–4[13] | |
| Win | 7. | 1969 | Bloemfontein, South Africa | Hard | 6–2, 7–5[13] | |
| Loss | 7. | 1968 | Buffalo, New York, U.S. | Hard (i) | 8–6, 9–7, 6–2[13] | |
| Loss | 8. | 1969 | Macon, U.S. | Carpet (i) | 8–10, 5–7, 6–4, 7–9[13] | |
| Loss | 9. | 1969 | Caracas, Venezuela | Clay | 6–8, 3–6, 6–2, 4–6[13] | |
| Loss | 10. | 1969 | Willemstad, Curaçao | Clay | 4–6, 3–6, 3–6[13] | |
| Win | 8. | 1969 | Charlotte, U.S. | Clay | 13–11, 6–2[13][14] | |
| Win | 9. | 1969 | Stalybridge, England | Carpet (i) | 6–4, 6–3[13] | |
| Win | 10. | 1969 | Torquay, England | Hard (i) | 8–6, 6–3[13] | |
| Win | 11. | 1969 | London, England | Carpet (i) | 4–6, 9–7, 6–2[13] | |
| Win | 12. | 1969 | Perth, Scotland | Carpet (i) | 3–6, 14–12, 6–1[13] | |
| Win | 13. | 1970 | Hutt Valley, Australia | Hard | 6–2, 6–4 | |
| Win | 14. | 1970 | Bournemouth, England | Clay | 6–1, 6–2, 6–3 | |
| Loss | 11. | 1971 | Midland, U.S. | Hard | 6–7, 6–7, 3–6[2] | |
| Win | 15. | 1972 | Macon WCT, U.S. | Carpet (i) | 6–3, 6–7, 6–3 | |
| Loss | 12. | 1972 | Louisville WCT, U.S. | Clay | 4–6, 4–6 | |
| Win | 16. | 1972 | Cleveland WCT, U.S. | Hard | 6–3, 4–6, 4–6, 6–3, 6–4 | |
| Loss | 13. | 1973 | London WCT, England | Hard (i) | 6–2, 2–6, 2–6, 6–7 | |
| Win | 17. | 1973 | Denver WCT, U.S. | Carpet (i) | 6–1, 6–1 | |
| Win | 18. | 1973 | Eastbourne, England | Grass | 6–2, 2–6, 6–3 | |
| Win | 19. | 1973 | Dublin, Ireland | Hard | 7–5, 3–6, 11–9[2] | |
| Loss | 14. | 1974 | Bologna WCT, Italy | Carpet (i) | 4–6, 5–7 | |
| Loss | 15. | 1974 | London WCT, England | Hard (i) | 7–6, 6–7, 4–6 | |
| Win | 20. | 1975 | Washington Indoor WCT, U.S. | Carpet (i) | 6–2, 7–6 | |
| Win | 21. | 1975 | London WCT, England | Carpet (i) | 6–1, 7–5 | |
| Win | 22. | 1975 | Atlanta WCT, U.S. | Carpet (i) | 6–3, 7–6 | |
| Win | 23. | 1976 | Stockholm, Sweden | Hard (i) | 4–6, 7–5, 7–6 | |
| Win | 24. | 1977 | Helsinki, Finland | Carpet (i) | 6–3, 6–3 | |
| Loss | 16. | 1977 | Queen's Club, England | Grass | 7–9, 5–7 | |
| Loss | 17. | 1977 | Cincinnati, U.S. | Clay | 2–6, 3–6 | |
| Loss | 18. | 1980 | Stuttgart, West Germany | Hard (i) | 1–6, 3–6, 7–5, 6–1, 4–6 | |
Doubles: 11 (3 titles, 8 runner-ups)
edit| Result | No. | Year | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 1. | 1973 | Copenhagen, Denmark | Carpet (i) | 4–6, 4–6 | ||
| Win | 1. | 1973 | Cologne, West Germany | Carpet (i) | 7–6, 6–3 | ||
| Win | 2. | 1973 | London, England | Carpet (i) | 6–4, 8–6 | ||
| Loss | 2. | 1974 | Denver WCT, U.S. | Carpet (i) | 3–6, 6–7 | ||
| Loss | 3. | 1975 | San Antonio WCT, U.S. | Hard | 6–7, 6–4, 4–6 | ||
| Loss | 4. | 1975 | Memphis, U.S. | Carpet (i) | 6–1, 5–7, 4–6 | ||
| Loss | 5. | 1975 | Atlanta WCT, U.S. | Carpet (i) | 3–6, 2–6 | ||
| Loss | 6. | 1975 | World Doubles WCT, Mexico | Carpet (i) | 6–7, 7–6, 2–6, 6–7 | ||
| Loss | 7. | 1976 | Washington WCT, U.S. | Carpet | 4–6, 5–7 | ||
| Loss | 8. | 1977 | London WCT, England | Hard (i) | 6–7, 7–6, 3–6 | ||
| Win | 3. | 1977 | Basel, Switzerland | Carpet (i) | 7–5, 6–4, 6–3 |
References
edit- ^ a b "Mark Cox: Career match record". thetennisbase.com. Tennismem SL. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Mark Cox [GBR] - Titles/Finals". tennisabstract.com. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
- ^ a b c "Cox Rallies to Beat Australian". Liverpool Daily Post. 16 September 1963. p. 8.
- ^ a b "Mark Cox: Tournament activity/results". thetennisbase.com. Tennismem SL. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
- ^ Wilmington Morning Star. "Davis Cup players named". 17 November 1978, p. 3-C. Retrieved on 15 July 2013.
- ^ Spartanburg Herald-Journal. "Mark Cox Is Tennis Champ". 3 May 1970, p. B4. Retrieved on 15 July 2013.
- ^ Montreal Gazette. He followed this up for good measure by beating two times Wimbledon Champion Roy Emerson in the next round. "British Tennis Amateur Mark Cox Upsets U.S. Pro Pancho Gonzales". Associated Press, 25 April 1968, p. 14. Retrieved on 15 July 2013.
- ^ Stone, Peter. "Laver leaves tired, beaten". The Age, 12 March 1971, p. 24. Retrieved on 15 July 2013.
- ^ Times Daily (Florence, South Carolina). "The 'Giant Killer': Mark Cox Upsets Rosewall In U.S. Open Tennis Play". Associated Press, 3 September 1972, p. 16. Retrieved on 15 July 2013.
- ^ "1976: No One Expected Cox". bnppnordicopen.com. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
- ^ "Mark Cox". atptour.com. Retrieved 9 November 2024.
- ^ "1981 Paris – Singles draw". Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP).
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r "Mark Cox: Tournament results titles/finals". thetennisbase.com. Tennismem SL. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
- ^ "Britain's Cox Wins Charlotte Tennis Tourney". The Shreveport Journal. Shreveport, Louisiana: The Wikipedia Library - newspapers.com. 14 April 1969. p. 18. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
External links
edit- Mark Cox at the Association of Tennis Professionals
- Mark Cox at the International Tennis Federation
- Mark Cox at the Davis Cup