Roscoe Tanner

Roscoe Tanner (born October 15, 1951) is an American former professional tennis player, who turned pro in 1972[1] and reached a career high world singles ranking of World No. 4 on July 30, 1979.

Tanner was famous for his big left-handed serve, which was clocked at 153 mph at Palm Springs in 1978 during the final against Raúl Ramírez.[2][3][4] He is also known for winning the men's singles title at one of the 2 Australian Open tournaments held in 1977. Tanner won the tournament held in January, Vitas Gerulaitis won the later December tournament.

Tanner has been in the news in recent years for his legal problems.

Contents

Early life

Leonard Roscoe Tanner III[5] was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, graduated from the Baylor School, and with teammate Sandy Mayer, helped to lead Stanford University's rise to the number one ranking in collegiate tennis in 1973. Tanner played number one singles, with Mayer playing number two. The team also featured Rick Fisher, Stanley Pasarell, Jim Delaney, James "Chico" Hagey, Gery Groslimond, Pat DuPre, Tim Noonan and Paul Sidone. Of the winning 1973 Stanford tennis team, Tanner, Mayer and DuPre were all brothers in the Zeta Psi fraternity.

Playing history

Tanner defeated Haroon Rahim 10–8 in the fifth set to win the 1970 United States Amateur Championships (Men's Tennis).

Tanner defeated Guillermo Vilas in three straight sets in the 1977 Australian Open (January) final, to win his first and only grand slam title. Tanner lost a five set match to Björn Borg in the 1979 Wimbledon final, which was the first Wimbledon final to be broadcast live in the United States as part of Breakfast at Wimbledon. Tanner avenged this loss to Borg by beating him in four sets in the US Open quarter finals two months later, a match where Tanner's 140 mph serve brought the net down during the fourth set.[6] Tanner lost to Vitas Gerulaitis in the semi finals. Tanner described his 1979 US Open win over Borg and loss to Gerulaitis in his autobiography as "the highest of my highs and the lowest of my lows on a tennis court within two days of each other".[2]

Tanner's strong left-handed serve was thrown very low and struck with a lunge involving the whole body, earning him the nickname "The Rocket".[5] His booming 153 mph serve was the fastest ever recorded in tournament competition from February 1978[2][3][4] until Andy Roddick posted a 155 mph serve[7] in a Davis Cup tournament in September 2004.

Grand Slam singles tournament timeline

Tournament 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 Career SR Career Win-Loss
Australian Open (Jan) A A A A A A A A W - - - - - - - 1 / 1 6–0
French Open A A A A A 1R 3R A A 4R A A A A A A 0 / 3 5–3
Wimbledon A A A 3R A 4R SF SF 1R 4R F QF 2R 4R QF A 0 / 11 36–11
US Open 1R 2R 3R QF 3R SF 3R 4R 4R 4R SF QF QF 2R 3R 1R 0 / 16 40–16
Australian Open (Dec) - - - - - - - - 1R A A A 2R A 3R A 0 / 3 3–3
Grand Slam Win-Loss 0–1 0–1 2–1 6–2 2–1 8–3 9–3 8–2 9–3 9–3 11–2 8–2 6–3 4–2 8–3 0–1 N/A 90–33
Grand Slam SR 0 / 1 0 / 1 0 / 1 0 / 2 0 / 1 0 / 3 0 / 3 0 / 2 1 / 4 0 / 3 0 / 2 0 / 2 0 / 3 0 / 2 0 / 3 0 / 1 1 / 34 N/A

– = tournament did not take place at this time

A = did not participate in the tournament

SR = the ratio of the number of Grand Slam singles tournaments won to the number of those tournaments played.

Grand Slam finals

Singles: 2 (1–1)

Outcome Year Championship Surface Opponent in the final Score in the final
Winner 1977 Australian Open (January) Grass Guillermo Vilas 6–3, 6–3, 6–3
Runner-up 1979 Wimbledon Grass Björn Borg 7–6(4), 1–6, 6–3, 3–6, 4–6

Singles titles (16)

Outcome No. Date Championship Surface Opponent in the final Score in the final
Runner-up 1. 1972 Albany, U.S. Carpet Jimmy Connors 2–6, 6–7
Runner-up 2. 1972 Los Angeles WCT, U.S. Hard Stan Smith 4–6, 4–6
Runner-up 3. 1973 Milan WCT, Italy Carpet Marty Riessen 6–7, 0–6, 6–7
Runner-up 4. 1974 Palm Desert WCT, U.S. Hard Rod Laver 4–6, 2–6
Winner 1. 1974 Denver WCT, U.S. Carpet Arthur Ashe 6–2, 6–4
Runner-up 5. 1974 Columbus, U.S. Hard Raúl Ramírez 6–3, 6–7, 4–6
Runner-up 6. 1974 Maui, U.S. Hard John Newcombe 6–7, 6–7
Winner 2. 1974 Christchurch, New Zealand  ??? Ray Ruffels 6–4, 6–2
Runner-up 7. 1975 St. Petersburg WCT, U.S. Hard Raúl Ramírez 0–6, 6–1, 2–6
Runner-up 8. 1975 St. Louis, U.S. Clay Vitas Gerulaitis 6–2, 2–6, 3–6
Runner-up 9. 1975 Charlotte, U.S. Clay Raúl Ramírez 6–3, 4–6, 3–6
Winner 3. 1975 Las Vegas, U.S. Hard Ross Case 5–7, 7–5, 7–6
Winner 4. 1975 Chicago, U.S. Carpet John Alexander 6–1, 6–7, 7–6
Runner-up 10. 1975 Los Angeles, U.S. Hard Arthur Ashe 6–3, 5–7, 3–6
Runner-up 11. 1976 Birmingham, U.S. Carpet Jimmy Connors 4–6, 6–3, 1–6
Runner-up 12. 1976 Palm Springs, U.S. Hard Jimmy Connors 4–6, 4–6
Winner 5. 1976 Cincinnati, U.S. Clay Eddie Dibbs 7–6, 6–3
Winner 6. 1976 Columbus, U.S. Hard Stan Smith 6–4, 7–6
Runner-up 13. 1976 South Orange, U.S. Clay Ilie Năstase 4–6, 2–6
Winner 7. 1976 San Francisco, U.S. Carpet Brian Gottfried 4–6, 7–5, 6–1
Winner 8. 1976 Tokyo Outdoor, Japan Clay Corrado Barazzutti 6–3, 6–2
Runner-up 14. 1976 Wembley, U.K. Carpet Jimmy Connors 6–3, 6–7, 4–6
Winner 9. 1977 Australian Open−1, Melbourne Grass Guillermo Vilas 6–3, 6–3, 6–3
Runner-up 15. 1977 South Orange, U.S. Clay Guillermo Vilas 4–6, 1–6
Runner-up 16. 1977 WCT Challenge Cup, Las Vegas Carpet Jimmy Connors 2–6, 6–5, 6–3, 2–6, 5–6
Winner 10. 1977 Sydney Outdoor, Australia Grass Brian Teacher 6–3, 3–6, 6–3, 6–7, 6–4
Runner-up 17. 1978 Philadelphia WCT, U.S. Carpet Jimmy Connors 2–6, 4–6, 3–6
Winner 11. 1978 Palm Springs, U.S. Hard Raúl Ramírez 6–1, 7–6
Winner 12. 1978 New Orleans, U.S. Carpet Victor Amaya 6–3, 7–5
Winner 13. 1979 Rancho Mirage, U.S. Hard Brian Gottfried 6–4, 6–2
Winner 14. 1979 Washington Indoor, U.S. Carpet Brian Gottfried 6–4, 6–4
Runner-up 18. 1979 New Orleans, U.S. Carpet John McEnroe 4–6, 2–6
Runner-up 19. 1979 Wimbledon, London Grass Björn Borg 7–6, 1–6, 6–3, 3–6, 4–6
Runner-up 20. 1979 Cincinnati, U.S. Hard Peter Fleming 4–6, 2–6
Runner-up 21. 1980 Richmond WCT, U.S. Carpet John McEnroe 1–6, 2–6
Winner 15. 1980 Manchester, U.K. Grass Stan Smith 6–3, 6–4
Winner 16. 1981 Philadelphia, U.S. Carpet Wojtek Fibak 6–2, 7–6, 7–5
Runner-up 22. 1981 Memphis, U.S. Carpet Gene Mayer 2–6, 4–6
Runner-up 23. 1981 Bristol, U.K. Grass Mark Edmondson 3–6, 7–5, 4–6
Runner-up 24. 1981 Sydney Indoor, Australia Hard (i) John McEnroe 4–6, 5–7, 2–6
Runner-up 25. 1982 La Costa WCT, U.S. Hard Johan Kriek 0–6, 6–4, 0–6, 4–6

Doubles titles (13)

Outcome No. Date Tournament Surface Partner Opponents in the final Score in the final
Runner-up 1. 1971 Cincinnati, U.S. Clay Sandy Mayer Stan Smith
Erik Van Dillen		 4–6, 4–6
Runner-up 2. 1971 Columbus, U.S. Hard Jimmy Connors Jim McManus
Jim Osborne		 6–4, 5–7, 2–6
Runner-up 3. 1973 London WCT, U.K. Hard (i) Arthur Ashe Tom Okker
Marty Riessen		 3–6, 3–6
Runner-up 4. 1973 Washington WCT, U.S. Carpet Arthur Ashe Tom Okker
Marty Riessen		 6–4, 6–7, 2–6
Runner-up 5. 1973 Houston WCT, U.S. Clay Arthur Ashe Tom Okker
Marty Riessen		 5–7, 5–7
Winner 1. 1973 Denver WCT, U.S. Carpet Arthur Ashe Tom Okker
Marty Riessen		 3–6, 6–3, 7–6
Runner-up 6. 1973 Paris Indoor, France Hard (i) Arthur Ashe Juan Gisbert, Sr.
Ilie Năstase		 2–6, 6–4, 5–7
Runner-up 7. 1974 Bologna WCT, Italy Carpet Arthur Ashe Ove Nils Bengtson
Björn Borg		 4–6, 7–5, 6–4, 6–7, 2–6
Winner 2. 1974 Barcelona WCT, Spain Carpet Arthur Ashe Tom Edlefsen
Tom Leonard		 6–3, 6–4
Runner-up 8. 1974 Houston, U.S. Clay Arthur Ashe Colin Dibley
Rod Laver		 6–4, 6–7, 4–6
Winner 3. 1974 Denver WCT, U.S. Carpet Arthur Ashe Mark Cox
Jun Kamiwazumi		 6–3, 7–6
Winner 4. 1974 Maui, U.S. Hard Dick Stockton Owen Davidson
John Newcombe		 6–3, 7–6
Winner 5. 1974 Christchurch, New Zealand Ismail El Shafei Syd Ball
Ray Ruffels		 W/O
Winner 6. 1974 Jakarta, Indonesia Hard Ismail El Shafei Jürgen Fassbender
Hans-Jürgen Pohmann		 7–5, 6–3
Runner-up 9. 1975 St. Petersburg WCT, U.S. Hard Charlie Pasarell Brian Gottfried
Raúl Ramírez		 4–6, 4–6
Runner-up 10. 1975 La Costa WCT, U.S. Hard Charlie Pasarell Brian Gottfried
Raúl Ramírez		 5–7, 4–6
Winner 7. 1975 Nottingham, U.K. Grass Charlie Pasarell Tom Okker
Marty Riessen		 6–2, 6–3
Runner-up 11. 1975 Stockholm, Sweden Hard (i) Charlie Pasarell Bob Hewitt
Frew McMillan		 6–3, 3–6, 4–6
Runner-up 12. 1976 Memphis WCT, U.S. Carpet Marty Riessen Anand Amritraj
Vijay Amritraj		 3–6, 4–6
Winner 8. 1976 La Costa WCT, U.S. Hard Marty Riessen Peter Fleming
Gene Mayer		 7–6, 7–6
Winner 9. 1976 Johannesburg WCT, South Africa Hard Marty Riessen Frew McMillan
Tom Okker		 6–2, 7–5
Winner 10. 1976 San Francisco, U.S. Carpet Dick Stockton Brian Gottfried
Bob Hewitt		 6–3, 6–4
Runner-up 13. 1976 Maui, U.S. Hard Dick Stockton Raymond Moore
Allan Stone		 7–6, 3–6, 4–6
Winner 11. 1976 Perth, Australia Hard (i) Dick Stockton Bob Carmichael
Ismail El Shafei		 6–7, 6–1, 6–2
Winner 12. 1976 Wembley, U.K. Carpet Stan Smith Wojtek Fibak
Brian Gottfried		 7–6, 6–3
Runner-up 14. 1977 Palm Springs, U.S. Hard Marty Riessen Bob Hewitt
Frew McMillan		 6–7, 6–7
Runner-up 15. 1977 Cincinnati, U.S. Clay Bob Hewitt John Alexander
Phil Dent		 3–6, 6–7
Runner-up 16. 1977 Hong Kong Hard Marty Riessen Syd Ball
Kim Warwick		 6–7, 3–6
Winner 13. 1978 Palm Springs, U.S. Hard Raymond Moore Bob Hewitt
Frew McMillan		 6–4, 6–4
Runner-up 17. 1980 Manchester, U.K. Grass Dennis Ralston John Sadri
Tim Wilkison		 3–6, 4–6

Personal life

Tanner has been married three times, first to Nancy, next to Charlotte and finally to Margaret. He has five children.[5]

In 2005, Triumph Books published an autobiography Tanner wrote in collaboration with Mike Yorkey, Double Fault: My Rise And Fall, And My Road Back.[2]

Legal problems

Tanner has an extensive record of conflicts with the law. He was first arrested in 1997 for failure to pay child support to Connie Romano, with whom he fathered a child in the early 1990s.[8] Tanner was arrested again in Karlsruhe in June 2003 on a fugitive warrant. He had fled from Florida after felony charges were filed against him. In this case, the charges related to passing a bad check to purchase a yacht in 2000 and to further nonpayment of child support to Romano.[3] He pled guilty and received an initial sentence of probation. After violating the terms of his probation, Tanner was sentenced to two years in the custody of the Florida Department of Corrections. He was released one year early for "good behavior".[9]

In May 2008, Roscoe Tanner was arrested in Knoxville, Tennessee for the felony of writing US$72,000 in worthless checks as payment for two Toyota Highlanders.[10] The felony charge was dismissed on August 14, 2008 after the dealership obtained return of the vehicles, which were taken out of town, and upon Tanner's payment of US$5,000 in restitution to the dealership for the reduced value of the vehicles after their recovery.[11] Several years before, Tanner had been arrested in Knoxville for violating probation resulting from his guilty pleas in Florida relating to felony worthless checks and grand theft.[10]

Tanner was recently evicted from his residence in Florida pursuant to an order of the Indian River County Court, and Tanner is currently in hiding from another warrant for his arrest, according to NewsChannel9 television in his hometown of Chattanooga, Tennessee. Roscoe Tanner: A Wanted Man (Again)

References

  1. ^ "The Big Interview Roscoe Tanner". The Times (London). December 5, 2004. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/article399169.ece. 
  2. ^ a b c d Yorkey, Mike; Roscoe Tanner (2005). Double Fault: My Rise And Fall, And My Road Back. Liguori, Mo: Triumph Books. ISBN 1-57243-779-0. 
  3. ^ a b c "Outside Looking In", by L. Jon Wertheim, Sports Illustrated, November 29, 2004.Retrieved April 15, 2009.
  4. ^ a b Wimbledon '99: Secrets of an express delivery, by Ronald Atkin, The Independent, June 20, 1999 Retrieved 12/9/09.
  5. ^ a b c Wigmore, Barry (August 8, 2003). "How the rocket crashed to earth". The Times (UK). http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/article860214.ece. Retrieved November 10, 2009. 
  6. ^ "Powering up". St. Petersburg Times. August 27, 2007. http://www.sptimes.com/2007/08/27/Sports/_Powering_up.shtml. Retrieved November 10, 2009. 
  7. ^ "Serving up a tennis treat...". The Press. October 24, 2009. http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/sport/4701422.Serving_up_a_tennis_treat_at_the_IT_Sports_York___District_Mixed_Tennis_League___s_end_of__season_trophy_presentation_night/. Retrieved November 10, 2009. 
  8. ^ Jailed Tanner's losses: Game, set, match ...family, ESPN, June 24, 2006. Retrieved July 8/09
  9. ^ "Roscoe Tanner in Trouble With Law, Again". WTVC. May 29, 2008. http://www.newschannel9.com/news/tanner_969021___article.html/court_florida.html. Retrieved November 10, 2009. 
  10. ^ a b Tanner accused of not returning vehicles after check bounced, Associated Press, May 28, 2008. Retrieved April 15, 2009.
  11. ^ "Theft Charges Dismissed Against Roscoe Tanner After Restitution Made". The Chattanoogan. August 14, 2008. http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_133270.asp. Retrieved November 10, 2009.