| Vic Seixas | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 30, 1923 Philadelphia, United States |
| Nationality | American |
Elias Victor Seixas, Jr. (born August 30, 1923) is an American former tennis player.
Seixas was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, of Portuguese Sephardi Jewish ancestry.[1] After serving in World War II, he attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC), where he was a member of Alpha Sigma of the Chi Psi fraternity. He graduated in 1949, the same year that UNC awarded him the Patterson Medal in athletics.
Thirteen times he was ranked in the Top Ten in the U.S. between 1942 and 1966. In 1951 Seixas was ranked # 4 in the world, two spots below Dick Savitt, while he was # 1 in the U.S. ranking, one spot ahead of Savitt. In 1953, Seixas was ranked # 3 in the world, his high point.
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In a very long career, Seixas won scores of singles, doubles, and mixed doubles titles. His career was interrupted for three years by World War II, during which he served as a pilot in the United States Army Air Forces. He also became an All-American during his years at UNC.
His major singles wins include Wimbledon in 1953 over Kurt Nielsen and the U.S. National (U.S. Open) in 1954 over Rex Hartwig.
He was also a great doubles and mixed doubles player, in which his major victories include: four consecutive mixed doubles crowns at Wimbledon from 1953–56, the first three with Doris Hart and the fourth with Shirley Fry; the U.S. National mixed doubles from 1953–55, all with Doris Hart; the U.S. National doubles in 1952 with Mervyn Rose and again in 1954 with Tony Trabert; the French National (French Open) doubles in 1954 and 1955, both with Trabert; the French National mixed doubles in 1953, with Doris Hart; and the Australian National (Australian Open) doubles in 1955, with Trabert.
In 1966, Seixas was rated as the Senior Squash Champion of America.
Seixas and Trabert won the Davis Cup in 1954, against Australia. Seixas is rated fifth in the category of Most Davis Cup Singles matches (24), just behind Bill Tilden (25) and Arthur Ashe (27). He served three times as Captain of the US Davis Cup team. He was 38-17 lifetime in Davis Cup matches.[2]
The 6-foot-1, 180-pound right-handed Seixas was an attacker who won more on determination and conditioning than on outstanding form. His volleying was exceptional, and he had an excellent match temperament, but a thrashing topspin forehand and sliced backhand were utilitarian.[3]
Seixas was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1971.[3]
He was inducted into the Blue Gray National Tennis Classic Hall of Fame.[4]
| Outcome | Year | Championship | Surface | Opponent in the final | Score in the final |
| Runner-up | 1951 | U.S. Championships | Grass | Frank Sedgman | 6–4, 6–1, 6–1 |
| Runner-up | 1953 | French Championships | Clay | Ken Rosewall | 6–3, 6–4, 1–6, 6–2 |
| Winner | 1953 | Wimbledon | Grass | Kurt Nielsen | 9–7, 6–3, 6–4 |
| Runner-up | 1953 | U.S. Championships | Grass | Tony Trabert | 6–3, 6–2, 6–3 |
| Winner | 1954 | U.S. Championships | Grass | Rex Hartwig | 3–6, 6–2, 6–4, 6–4 |
| Outcome | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents in the final | Score in the final |
| Runner-up | 1952 | Wimbledon | Grass | Eric Sturgess | Ken McGregor Frank Sedgman |
6–3, 7–5, 6–4 |
| Winner | 1952 | U.S. Championships | Grass | Mervyn Rose | Ken McGregor Frank Sedgman |
3–6, 10–8, 10–8, 6–8, 8–6 |
| Winner | 1954 | French Championships | Clay | Tony Trabert | Lew Hoad Ken Rosewall |
6–4, 6–2, 6–1 |
| Runner-up | 1954 | Wimbledon | Grass | Tony Trabert | Rex Hartwig Mervyn Rose |
6–4, 6–4, 3–6, 6–4 |
| Winner | 1954 | U.S. Championships | Grass | Tony Trabert | Lew Hoad Ken Rosewall |
3–6, 6–4, 8–6, 6–3 |
| Winner | 1955 | Australian Championships | Grass | Tony Trabert | Lew Hoad Ken Rosewall |
6–3, 6–2, 2–6, 3–6, 6–1 |
| Winner | 1955 | French Championships | Clay | Tony Trabert | Nicola Pietrangeli Orlando Sirola |
6–1, 4–6, 6–2, 6–4 |
| Runner-up | 1956 | U.S. Championships | Grass | Hamilton Richardson | Lew Hoad Ken Rosewall |
6–2, 6–2, 3–6, 6–4 |
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