Byron Black

Byron Hamish Black (born 6 October 1969) is a Zimbabwean tennis and Davis Cup player for Zimbabwe.

Personal life

Born 6 October 1969, in Harare, Black is the son of Donald Black and Velia Black and brother to Wayne Black and Cara, who were also professional tennis players. He is married to Fiona Black, and has children. He attended the University of Southern California and was named an All-American by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA).

Tennis career

Black started playing tennis at a young age at his father's grass court in Highlands, and played the game for Lewisham Primary School in his hometown. He played for the tennis team when he moved to the Oriel Boys High School, where he was exposed to other future Davis Cup players for Zimbabwe, like Greig Rodgers and Mark Gurr.

Pro tour

In 1995, Black was a US Open quarterfinalist, and in 2000, he reached the same round at Wimbledon. His career-high singles ranking was world No. 22, which he achieved in June 1996.

An accomplished doubles player, Black became world No. 1 in doubles in February 1994. He won the 1994 French Open partnering Jonathan Stark. Black was a doubles finalist in three other majors, the 1994 and 2001 Australian Opens and the 1996 Wimbledon Championships.

Black is one of the few professional players to have played with a double-handed forehand.

Black formed the core of the Zimbabwe Davis Cup team with his brother Wayne.

Career finals

Doubles: 41 (22 titles, 19 runner-ups)

Legend Grand Slam (1–3) ATP Masters Series (5–5) ATP Championship Series (3–4) ATP Tour (13–7) Finals by surface Hard (14–12) Clay (4–2) Grass (1–2) Carpet (3–3) ResultNo.DateTournamentSurfacePartnerOpponentsScoreLoss 1. Apr 1992 Hong Kong Hard Byron Talbot Brad Gilbert Jim Grabb 2–6, 1–6Win 1. Apr 1993 Durban, South Africa Hard Lan Bale Johan de Beer Marcos Ondruska 7–6, 6–2Loss 2. Jul 1993 Newport, U.S. Grass Jim Pugh Javier Frana Christo van Rensburg 6–4, 1–6, 6–7Win 2. Jul 1993 Washington, D.C., U.S. Hard Rick Leach Grant Connell Patrick Galbraith 6–4, 7–5Loss 3. Aug 1993 Schenectady, U.S. Hard Brett Steven Bernd Karbacher Andrei Olhovskiy 6–2, 6–7, 1–6Win 3. Oct 1993 Basel, Switzerland Hard (i) Jonathan Stark Brad Pearce Dave Randall 3–6, 7–5, 6–3Win 4. Oct 1993 Toulouse, France Hard (i) Jonathan Stark David Prinosil Udo Riglewski 7–5, 7–6Win 5. Oct 1993 Vienna, Austria Carpet (i) Jonathan Stark Mike Bauer David Prinosil 6–3, 7–6Win 6. Nov 1993 Paris, France Carpet (i) Jonathan Stark Tom Nijssen Cyril Suk 4–6, 7–5, 6–2Loss 4. Jan 1994 Adelaide, Australia Hard David Adams Mark Kratzmann Andrew Kratzmann 4–6, 3–6Loss 5. Jan 1994 Australian Open, Melbourne Hard Jonathan Stark Jacco Eltingh Paul Haarhuis 7–6, 3–6, 4–6, 3–6Loss 6. Feb 1994 San Jose, U.S. Hard (i) Jonathan Stark Rick Leach Jared Palmer 6–4, 4–6, 4–6Win 7. Feb 1994 Memphis, U.S. Hard (i) Jonathan Stark Jim Grabb Jared Palmer 7–6, 6–4Loss 7. Feb 1994 Indian Wells, U.S. Hard Jonathan Stark Grant Connell Patrick Galbraith 5–7, 3–6Win 8. Jun 1994 French Open, Paris Clay Jonathan Stark Jan Apell Jonas Björkman 6–4, 7–6Win 9. Aug 1994 Toronto, Canada Hard Jonathan Stark Patrick McEnroe Jared Palmer 6–4, 6–4Loss 8. Oct 1994 Sydney Indoor,[Australia Hard (i) Jonathan Stark Jacco Eltingh Paul Haarhuis 4–6, 6–7Loss 9. Oct 1994 Tokyo Indoor, Japan Hard (i) Jonathan Stark Grant Connell Patrick Galbraith 3–6, 6–3, 4–6Loss 10. Nov 1994 Paris, France Carpet (i) Jonathan Stark Jacco Eltingh Paul Haarhuis 6–3, 6–7, 5–7Loss 11. Jan 1995 Adelaide, Australia Hard Grant Connell Jim Courier Patrick Rafter 6–7, 4–6Loss 12. May 1995 Hamburg, Germany Clay Andrei Olhovskiy Wayne Ferreira Yevgeny Kafelnikov 1–6, 6–7Win 10. May 1995 Bologna, Italy Clay Jonathan Stark Libor Pimek Vince Spadea 7–5, 6–3Win 11. Nov 1995 Moscow, Russia Carpet (i) Jonathan Stark Tommy Ho Brett Steven 6–4, 3–6, 6–3Win 12. Feb 1996 Dubai, UAE Hard Grant Connell Karel Nováček Jiří Novák 6–0, 6–1Loss 13. Mar 1996 Philadelphia, U.S. Carpet (i) Grant Connell Todd Woodbridge Mark Woodforde 6–7, 2–6Loss 14. Apr 1996 New Delhi, India Hard Sandon Stolle Jonas Björkman Nicklas Kulti 6–4, 4–6, 4–6Win 13. May 1996 Rome, Italy Clay Jonathan Stark Libor Pimek Byron Talbot 6–2, 6–3Win 14. Jun 1996 Halle, Germany Grass Grant Connell Yevgeny Kafelnikov Daniel Vacek 6–1, 7–5Loss 15. Jul 1996 Wimbledon, England Grass Grant Connell Todd Woodbridge Mark Woodforde 6–4, 1–6, 3–6, 2–6Win 15. Aug 1996 New Haven, U.S. Hard Grant Connell Jonas Björkman Nicklas Kulti 6–4, 6–4Loss 16. May 1997 Rome, Italy Clay Alex O'Brien Mark Knowles Daniel Nestor 3–6, 6–4, 5–7Win 16. Apr 1998 Hong Kong Hard Alex O'Brien Neville Godwin Tuomas Ketola 7–5, 6–1Loss 17. Mar 1999 London, England Carpet (i) Wayne Ferreira Tim Henman Greg Rusedski 3–6, 6–7(6–8)Win 17. Aug 1999 Los Angeles, U.S. Hard Wayne Ferreira Goran Ivanišević Brian MacPhie 6–2, 7–6(7–4)Loss 18. Aug 1999 Montreal, Canada Hard Wayne Ferreira Jonas Björkman Patrick Rafter 6–7(5–7), 4–6Win 18. Aug 1999 Cincinnati, U.S. Hard Jonas Björkman Todd Woodbridge Mark Woodforde 6–3, 7–6(8–6)Win 19. Nov 1999 Stuttgart Indoor, Germany Hard (i) Jonas Björkman David Adams John-Laffnie de Jager 6–7(6–8), 7–6(7–2), 6–0Win 20. Feb 2000 Mexico City, Mexico Clay Donald Johnson Gastón Etlis Martín Rodríguez 6–3, 7–5Win 21. Jan 2001 Chennai, India Hard Wayne Black Barry Cowan Mosé Navarra 6–4, 6–3Loss 19. Jan 2001 Australian Open, Melbourne Hard David Prinosil Jonas Björkman Todd Woodbridge 1–6, 7–5, 4–6, 4–6Win 22. Sep 2001 Shanghai, China Hard Thomas Shimada John-Laffnie de Jager Robbie Koenig 6–2, 3–6, 7–5

Singles: 10 (2 titles, 8 runner-ups)

Performance timelines

Doubles