Victor Amaya Explained

Victor Amaya
Residence:Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S.
Birth Date:1954 7, mf=yes
Birth Place:Denver, Colorado, U.S.
Turnedpro:1973
Retired:1984
Plays:Left-handed (one-handed backhand)
Careerprizemoney:$694,304
Singlesrecord:186–173
Singlestitles:3
Highestsinglesranking:No. 15 (August 4, 1980)
Australianopenresult:SF (1979)
Frenchopenresult:3R (1976, 1979)
Wimbledonresult:3R (1981)
Usopenresult:3R (1977, 1979, 1980)
Doublesrecord:193–170
Doublestitles:6
Highestdoublesranking:No. 16 (January 3, 1983)

Victor Amaya (born July 2, 1954) is a retired tennis player from the U.S.

The left-handed Amaya's career-high singles ranking was world No. 15, attained in August 1980. During his career he won three ATP singles titles and six doubles titles, including the 1980 French Open doubles title with partner Hank Pfister. With Pfister he was runner-up in doubles at the 1982 US Open.

One of Amaya's memorable matches was a loss to Björn Borg in the first round of the 1978 Wimbledon Championships. With his 135 mph serve, he led Borg two sets to one and was up a break in the fourth set, but ultimately lost in five sets. After the match Borg, who was the defending champion and seeded first, commented “It was his match, if he wins one point for 4‐1 and two breaks, he doesn't lose the match.”.[1]

He played college tennis at the University of Michigan[2] and was inducted into the USTA/Midwest Hall of Fame in 2016.[3] [4]

Career finals

Singles (3 titles, 5 runner-ups)

ResultW-L DateTournamentSurfaceOpponentScore
Win1–0Jan 1977Adelaide, AustraliaGrass Brian Teacher6–1, 6–4
Loss1–1Aug 1978New Orleans, U.S.Carpet Roscoe Tanner3–6, 5–7
Loss1–2Feb 1979Denver, U.S.Carpet Wojciech Fibak4–6, 1–6
Win2–2Jun 1979Surbiton, U.K.Grass Mark Edmondson6–4, 7–5
Loss2–3Feb 1980Denver, U.S.Carpet Gene Mayer2–6, 2–6
Win3–3Mar 1980Washington, D.C., U.S.Carpet Ivan Lendl6–7, 6–4, 7–5
Loss3–4Apr 1980Johannesburg, South AfricaHard Heinz Günthardt4–6, 4–6
Loss3–5Aug 1980Cleveland, U.S.Hard Gene Mayer2–6, 1–6

Doubles (6 titles, 7 runner-ups)

ResultW-L DateTournamentSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Loss0–1Jul 1978Louisville, U.S.Clay John James Wojciech Fibak
Víctor Pecci
4–6, 7–6, 4–6
Loss0–2Aug 1979Lafayette, U.S.Clay Eric Friedler Marty Riessen
Sherwood Stewart
4–6, 4–6
Win1–2Jun 1980French Open, ParisClay Hank Pfister Brian Gottfried
Raúl Ramírez
1–6, 6–4, 6–4, 6–3
Loss1–3Oct 1980Maui, U.S.Hard Hank Pfister Peter Fleming
John McEnroe
6–7, 7–6, 2–6
Win2–3Nov 1980Tokyo Indoor, JapanCarpet Hank Pfister Marty Riessen
Sherwood Stewart
6–3, 3–6, 7–6
Loss2–4Jan 1981Masters Doubles WCT, LondonCarpet Hank Pfister Peter McNamara
Paul McNamee
3–6, 6–2, 6–3, 3–6, 2–6
Win3–4Oct 1981Tokyo Indoor, JapanCarpet Hank Pfister Heinz Günthardt
Balázs Taróczy
6–4, 6–2
Win4–4Feb 1982Monterrey, MexicoCarpet Hank Pfister Tracy Delatte
Mel Purcell
6–3, 6–7, 6–3
Loss4–5Jun 1982London/Queen's Club, U.K.Grass Hank Pfister John McEnroe
Peter Rennert
6–7, 5–7
Loss4–6Aug 1982Columbus, U.S.Carpet Hank Pfister Tim Gullikson
Bernard Mitton
6–4, 1–6, 4–6
Win5–6Aug 1982Cleveland, U.S.Hard Hank Pfister Matt Mitchell
Craig Wittus
6–4, 7–6
Loss5–7Sep 1982U.S. Open, New YorkHard Hank Pfister Kevin Curren
Steve Denton
2–6, 7–6, 7–5, 2–6, 4–6
Win6–7Aug 1983Cincinnati, U.S.Hard Tim Gullikson Carlos Kirmayr
Cássio Motta
6–4, 6–3

Notes and References

  1. News: Neil Amdur . Borg wins, escaping an upset . The New York Times . June 27, 1978 . C11.
  2. Web site: About the Blue Gray National Tennis Classic. Blue Gray Tennis .
  3. Web site: Western Michigan Hall of Fame . USTA.
  4. Web site: Grand Rapids' Victor Amaya to be inducted into USTA Hall of Fame . MLive.com . September 27, 2016.