Ivan Lendl, a former world number one professional tennis player and holder of eight Grand Slam singles titles, is widely regarded as one of the greatest tennis players of all time. With a career spanning the 1980s and early 1990s, Lendl dominated the sport and achieved the top spot in tennis for a total of 270 weeks. He holds numerous records, including competing in at least one Grand Slam final consecutively for eleven years and winning over 1000 singles matches. Lendl’s remarkable achievements led to his induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2001. In addition to his playing career, Lendl has also made a significant impact as a coach, most notably coaching Andy Murray starting in 2012.
Quick Facts
- Age: 63 Years, 63 Year Old Males
- Family: Spouse/Ex-: Samantha Frankel, father: Jiri Lendl, mother: Olga, children: Caroline, Daniela, Isabelle, Marika, Nikola
- Born Country: Czech Republic
- Tennis Players
- American Men
- Height: 6’2″ (188 cm), 6’2″ Males
- Ancestry: Czech American
- Awards: Australian Open (1989 1990), French Open (1984 1986 1987), US Open (1985 1986 1987)
Childhood & Early Life
Ivan Lendl was born on March 7, 1960 in Ostrava, Czechoslovakia (now Czech Republic). He was the only child of Jiri Lendl and Olga Lendlova. His father was a lawyer and a chess master, while his mother was a former tennis player who achieved the number two ranking in Czechoslovakia. Ivan showed his talent for tennis at a young age, becoming the national age group champion at 12 years old and defeating his mother in a tennis game at 14. At the age of 15, he was sent to Florida for a 6-week training program by the Czechoslovakian tennis federation.
Career
In 1978, Ivan Lendl began playing tennis professionally and quickly made a name for himself in the sport. He won both the Wimbledon and French Open junior titles for boys that year and became the world number one ranked junior player. He continued to have success in the game, winning multiple titles and reaching his first top-level singles final in 1979. In 1980, he achieved 7 singles titles, including 3 consecutive tournament victories. In 1981, he won 10 more titles, including his first season-ending Masters Grand Prix tour title. However, he faced defeat in his first Grand Slam final at the French Open that year.
In 1981, Lendl moved to the US and began living with his mentor and friend, former Polish tennis player Wojtek Fibak. He had a successful run in the World Championship Tennis (WCT) tournaments, winning all ten he competed in and claiming his first WCT final victory in 1982. He also won the Masters Grand Prix final in the 1982 Volvo Masters singles tennis tournament. Lendl’s winning streak and success in these tournaments made him the highest-earning tennis player at the time. He continued to have success in 1982, winning 15 out of the 23 tournaments he competed in, but fell short in the US Open final against Jimmy Connors.
In 1983, Lendl was the runner-up at both the US Open and the Australian Open. However, he won his first Grand Slam title in 1984, defeating John McEnroe in the French Open. He won the French Open again in 1986 and 1987, defeating Mikael Pernfors and Mats Wilander, respectively. Lendl also achieved success in other tournaments, winning three consecutive Masters Grand Prix titles and five Grand Prix wins in total. In 1989, he won his first Australian Open title and defended it in 1990. Throughout his career, Lendl reached the semi-finals and finals of Wimbledon multiple times but was unable to secure a victory.
Lendl retired from professional tennis on December 21, 1994 due to chronic back pain. After his retirement, he played exhibition matches and took up golf, earning a handicap of 0. He also became the coach of Scottish tennis player Andy Murray in 2011, but their coaching partnership ended in 2014.
Personal Life & Legacy
Ivan Lendl married Samantha Frankel on September 16, 1989. They have five daughters named Marika, Nikola, Daniela, Isabelle, and Caroline. Lendl is an art enthusiast and collector, particularly of posters by Czech Art Nouveau painter Alfons Mucha. He has also been involved in charitable work, organizing the Ivan Lendl Celebrity Golf Tournament in 2004 and participating in the Gary Player Invitational charity Pro-Am.