Vitas Gerulaitis

Vytautas "Vitas" Kevin Gerulaitis (July 26, 1954 – September 17, 1994) was an American professional tennis player. He was ranked world No. 3 in men's singles by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) in 1978. Gerulaitis won the men's singles title at the December 1977 Australian Open, and the men's doubles title at the 1975 Wimbledon Championships, partnering with Sandy Mayer. Gerulaitis also won two Italian Opens in 1977 and 1979, and the 1978 WCT Finals.

Early life Gerulaitis was named for 15th century Lithuanian King Vytautas the Great, a name Gerulaitis shared with his father. Born to Lithuanian immigrant parents in Brooklyn, New York, Gerulaitis grew up in Howard Beach, Queens, attended Archbishop Molloy High School in Queens, and graduated in 1971. He attended Columbia College of Columbia University for one year, before dropping out to pursue his tennis career full-time.

Gerulaitis was nicknamed "The Lithuanian Lion". His younger sister Ruta was also a professional tennis player; both siblings' native language was Lithuanian.

Career highlights Gerulaitis led the Pittsburgh Triangles to the World TeamTennis championship title at Pittsburgh's Civic Arena in 1975. Gerulaitis played for the Triangles from 1974 until 1976. He also played for the league's Indiana Loves franchise in 1977.

Gerulaitis was coached by Fred Stolle from 1977 until 1983.

He also won the men's doubles title at Wimbledon in 1975. He was a singles semifinalist at Wimbledon in both 1977 and 1978. In 1977 he lost a Wimbledon semifinal to his close friend and practice partner, Björn Borg, 6–4, 3–6, 6–3, 3–6, 8–6, a match considered one of the greatest ever, with journalist Curry Kirkpatrick stating shortly thereafter that it may have "been the finest ever played at Wimbledon".

In December 1977, Gerulaitis won the most significant title of his career at the Australian Open, when he defeated John Lloyd in the men's singles final in five sets on New Year's Eve, despite suffering from leg cramps in the last two sets. He lost in the 1981 Masters final against Ivan Lendl after leading 2 sets to 0 and match point.

During his career, Gerulaitis won 25 top-level singles titles and eight doubles titles. His career-high singles ranking was world No. 3, which he reached on February 27, 1978.

Gerulaitis was known for his exceptionally quick hands at the net and his outstanding court coverage. In 1985, Gerulaitis teamed with Bobby Riggs to launch a challenge to female players after the famous Battle of the Sexes. The stunt, however, was short-lived when Gerulaitis and Riggs lost a doubles match against Martina Navratilova and Pam Shriver.

He retired from the professional tour in 1986 and was a regular tennis commentator on the USA network between 1988 and 1994.

Gerulaitis coached Pete Sampras during the 1994 Italian Open in Rome, when Sampras's coach, Tim Gullikson, was on a family vacation. Sampras won the title by defeating Boris Becker in the final in straight sets. Personal life Gerulaitis was known for his larger-than-life persona, long blonde hair, and hard partying almost as much as he was for his tennis. At the same time, he took the sport very seriously, not letting his extravagances get in the way of doing his utmost to excel as a player. Gerulaitis's remains were interred in Saint Charles Cemetery in Farmingdale, New York.

Criminal charges of negligent homicide were later brought against the pool mechanic and the company he worked for. Both he and the company were acquitted in October 1996. Jurors heard testimony that a technician from the heater manufacturer had made adjustments several days before Gerulaitis's death and that even if an exhaust pipe had been longer, carbon monoxide (colorless and odorless) would have still been drawn into the air-conditioning vent because it is denser than air at low temperatures. Arthur M. Luxenberg, a lawyer for the Gerulaitis family, stated that Gerulaitis's mother and sister believed the verdict to be fair, and he went on to state that the testimony at the trial "confirmed to us what we always knew: that there were a lot of other people involved in this matter."

The Gerulaitis family reached a confidential settlement with some of the defendants in their civil case by 2002.

Grand Slam finals

Singles: 3 (1 title, 2 runner-ups)

Doubles: (1 title) ResultYearChampionshipSurfacePartnerOpponentsScoreWin 1975 Wimbledon Grass Sandy Mayer Colin Dowdeswell Allan Stone 7–5, 8–6, 6–4

Singles performance timeline

Career finals

Singles: 56 (26 titles, 30 runner-ups) ResultNo.DateTournamentSurfaceOpponentScoreLoss 1. Mar 1974 Salt Lake City, US Hard (i) Jimmy Connors 6–4, 6–7, 3–6Win 1. Nov 1974 Vienna, Austria Hard (i) Andrew Pattison 6–4, 3–6, 6–3, 6–2Loss 2. Jan 1975 Philadelphia WCT, US Carpet Marty Riessen 6–7(1–7), 7–5, 2–6, 7–6(7–0), 3–6Loss 3. Feb 1975 Roanoke, US Hard (i) Roger Taylor 6–7, 6–7Loss 4. Feb 1975 Salisbury, US Carpet Jimmy Connors 7–5, 5–7, 1–6, 6–3, 0–6Win 2. Mar 1975 New York City, US Carpet Jimmy Connors walkoverLoss 5. Mar 1975 Orlando WCT, US Hard Rod Laver 3–6, 4–6Win 3. Apr 1975 St. Louis, US Clay Roscoe Tanner 2–6, 6–2, 6–3Loss 6. Sep 1975 Bermuda Clay Jimmy Connors 1–6, 4–6Loss 7. Jan 1976 Indianapolis WCT, US Carpet Arthur Ashe 2–6, 7–6(8–6), 4–6Loss 8. Feb 1976 Toronto Indoor WCT, Canada Carpet Björn Borg 6–2, 3–6, 1–6Loss 9. Apr 1976 Charlotte WCT, US Carpet Tony Roche 3–6, 6–3, 1–6Loss 10. Feb 1977 Richmond WCT, US Carpet Tom Okker 6–3, 3–6, 4–6Win 4. Feb 1977 Ocean City, US Hard Robert Lutz 3–6, 6–1, 6–2Loss 11. Mar 1977 Monterrey WCT, Mexico Carpet Wojciech Fibak 4–6, 3–6Loss 12. Apr 1977 London WCT, UK Hard (i) Eddie Dibbs 6–7(2–7), 7–6(7–5), 4–6Loss 13. Apr 1977 Houston WCT, US Hard Adriano Panatta 6–7(4–7), 7–6(7–3), 1–6Win 5. May 1977 Rome, Italy Clay Tonino Zugarelli 6–2, 7–6(7–2), 3–6, 7–6(7–5)Win 6. Oct 1977 Brisbane, Australia Grass Tony Roche 6–7, 6–1, 6–1, 7–5Win 7. Oct 1977 Perth, Australia Hard Geoff Masters 6–3, 6–4, 6–2Win 8. Dec 1977 Australian Open, Melbourne Grass John Lloyd 6–3, 7–6(7–4), 5–7, 3–6, 6–2Win 9. Fev 1978 Richmond WCT, US Carpet John Newcombe 6–3, 6–4Loss 14. Mar 1978 Las Vegas, US Hard Björn Borg 5–6(5–7), 6–5(7–5), 4–6, 5–6(4–7)Loss 15. Apr 1978 Milan WCT, Italy Carpet Björn Borg 3–6, 3–6Win 10. May 1978 WCT Finals, US Carpet Eddie Dibbs 6–3, 6–2, 6–1Win 11. Jul 1978 Forest Hills, US – WCT Invitational Clay Ilie Năstase 6–2, 6–0Win 12. Feb 1979 Arkansas, Little Rock US Carpet (i) Butch Walts 6–2, 6–2Loss 16. Feb 1979 Dorado Beach, Puerto Rico Hard Jimmy Connors 5–6, 0–6, 4–6Loss 17. Apr 1979 Monte Carlo, Monaco Clay Björn Borg 2–6, 1–6, 3–6Win 13. May 1979 Rome, Italy Clay Guillermo Vilas 6–7(4–7), 7–6(7–0), 6–7(5–7), 6–4, 6–2Win 14. Jul 1979 Kitzbühel, Austria Clay Pavel Složil 6–2, 6–2, 6–4Loss 18. Sep 1979 US Open, New York Hard John McEnroe 5–7, 3–6, 3–6Win 15. Oct 1979 Sydney Indoor, Australia Hard (i) Guillermo Vilas 4–6, 6–3, 6–1, 7–6Loss 19. Jan 1980 Masters, New York Carpet Björn Borg 2–6, 2–6Loss 20. Feb 1980 Pepsi Grand Slam, Boca Raton Clay Björn Borg 1–6, 7–5, 1–6Win 16. May 1980 WCT Tournament of Champions, US Clay John McEnroe 2–6, 6–2, 6–0Loss 21. Jun 1980 French Open, Paris Clay Björn Borg 4–6, 1–6, 2–6Win 17. Jul 1980 Stuttgart Outdoor, Germany Clay Wojciech Fibak 6–2, 7–5, 6–2Loss 22. Oct 1980 Sydney Indoor, Australia Hard (i) John McEnroe 3–6, 4–6Win 18. Oct 1980 Melbourne Indoor, Australia Carpet Peter McNamara 7–5, 6–3Loss 23. Jan 1981 Monterrey WCT, Mexico Carpet Johan Kriek 6–7, 6–3, 6–7Loss 24. Oct 1981 Melbourne Indoor, Australia Carpet Peter McNamara 6–4, 1–6, 5–5 retiredWin 19. Nov 1981 Johannesburg, South Africa Hard Jeff Borowiak 6–4, 7–6, 6–1Loss 25. Jan 1982 Masters, New York Carpet Ivan Lendl 7–6(7–5), 6–2, 6–7(6–8), 2–6, 4–6Loss 26. Feb 1982 Genova WCT, Italy Carpet Ivan Lendl 7–6, 4–6, 4–6, 3–6Win 20. Mar 1982 Brussels, Belgium Hard (i) Mats Wilander 4–6, 7–6, 6–2Loss 27. Apr 1982 Zürich WCT, Switzerland Carpet Bill Scanlon 5–7, 6–7, 6–1, 6–0, 4–6Win 21. May 1982 Florence, Italy Clay Stefan Simonsson 4–6, 6–3, 6–1Win 22. Aug 1982 Toronto, Canada Hard Ivan Lendl 4–6, 6–1, 6–3Win 23. Oct 1982 Melbourne Indoor, Australia Carpet Eliot Teltscher 2–6, 6–2, 6–2Win 24. Nov 1982 Johannesburg, South Africa Hard Guillermo Vilas 7–6, 6–2, 4–6, 7–6Loss 28. May 1983 Forest Hills WCT, US Clay John McEnroe 3–6, 5–7Win 25. Oct 1983 Basel, Switzerland Hard (i) Wojciech Fibak 4–6, 6–1, 7–5, 5–5 retiredLoss 29. Aug 1984 Toronto, Canada Hard John McEnroe 0–6, 3–6Win 26. Nov 1984 Treviso, Italy Carpet Tarik Benhabiles 6–1, 6–1Loss 30. Nov 1984 Johannesburg, South Africa Hard Eliot Teltscher 3–6, 1–6, 6–7

Doubles: 21 (9 titles, 12 runner-ups) ResultNo.DateTournamentSurfacePartnerOpponentsScoreWin 1. Jan 1974 Roanoke, US Carpet Sandy Mayer Ian Crookenden Jeff Simpson 7–6, 6–1Loss 1. Feb 1974 Little Rock, US Carpet Bob Hewitt Jürgen Fassbender Karl Meiler 0–6, 2–6Win 2. Mar 1974 Salt Lake City, US Indoors Jimmy Connors Iván Molina Jairo Velasco Sr. 2–6, 7–6, 7–5Loss 2. Nov 1974 Oslo, Norway Indoor Jeff Borowiak Karl Meiler Haroon Rahim 3–6, 2–6Win 3. Feb 1975 Roanoke, US Carpet Sandy Mayer Juan Gisbert Ion Țiriac 7–6, 1–6, 6–3Win 4. Jul 1975 Wimbledon, London Grass Sandy Mayer Colin Dowdeswell Allan Stone 7–5, 8–6, 6–4Loss 3. Jan 1976 Indianapolis WCT, US Carpet Tom Gorman Robert Lutz Stan Smith 2–6, 4–6Win 5. Feb 1976 Boca Raton, US Clay Clark Graebner Bruce Manson Butch Walts 6–2, 6–4Win 6. Feb 1976 Fort Worth WCT, US Carpet Sandy Mayer Eddie Dibbs Harold Solomon 6–4, 7–5Loss 4. Apr 1976 Charlotte WCT, US Clay Gene Mayer John Newcombe Tony Roche 3–6, 5–7Loss 5. Aug 1976 South Orange, US Clay Ilie Năstase Fred McNair Marty Riessen 5–7, 6–4, 2–6Loss 6. May 1977 Masters Doubles WCT, New York Carpet Adriano Panatta Vijay Amritraj Dick Stockton 6–7, 6–7, 6–4, 3–6Win 7. Oct 1977 Brisbane, Australia Grass Bill Scanlon Mal Anderson Ken Rosewall 7–6, 6–4Win 8. Jan 1978 Birmingham WCT, US Carpet Sandy Mayer Frew McMillan Dick Stockton 3–6, 6–1, 7–6Loss 7. Jan 1978 Philadelphia WCT, US Carpet Sandy Mayer Bob Hewitt Frew McMillan 4–6, 4–6Loss 8. Feb 1978 Richmond WCT, US Carpet Sandy Mayer Bob Hewitt Frew McMillan 3–6, 5–7Win 9. Feb 1979 Arkansas, U.S. Hard (i) Vladimír Zedník Phil Dent Colin Dibley 5–7, 6–3, 7–5Loss 9. Apr 1980 Monte Carlo, Monaco Clay John McEnroe Paolo Bertolucci Adriano Panatta 2–6, 7–5, 3–6Loss 10. Dec 1980 Sydney Outdoor, Australia Grass Brian Gottfried Peter McNamara Paul McNamee 2–6, 4–6Loss 11. Apr 1981 Frankfurt, Germany Carpet John McEnroe Brian Teacher Butch Walts 5–7, 7–6, 5–7Loss 12. Mar 1985 Rotterdam, Netherlands Carpet Paul McNamee Pavel Složil Tomáš Šmíd 4–6, 4–6

Commemoration The Vitas Gerulaitis Memorial Tennis Centre was opened in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania. Also, a street in Vilnius is named after him. The song An Outbreak of Vitas Gerulaitis by Birkenhead band Half Man Half Biscuit, from their 1991 album McIntyre, Treadmore and Davitt also references the player, albeit obliquely.

In 2023, the book "Vitas Gerulaitis: Portrait of a Champion" was published, and in the text, both Jimmy Connors and Björn Borg said that if Gerulaitis was not inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame, they both would consider rescinding their inductions.

Quote

"And let that be a lesson to you all. Nobody beats Vitas Gerulaitis 17 times in a row!" – after finally defeating Jimmy Connors at the January 1980 Masters.