Mansour Bahrami
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Country (sports) | ![]() ![]() |
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Residence | Paris, France |
Born | Arak, Iran | 26 April 1956
Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) |
Turned pro | 1974 |
Retired | 1995 (singles) 2003 (doubles)[N 1] |
Plays | Right-handed (one-handed backhand) |
Prize money | $368,780 |
Singles | |
Career record | 23–47 (32.9%) |
Career titles | 0 |
Highest ranking | No. 192 (9 May 1988) |
Grand Slam singles results | |
Australian Open | Q1 (1977) |
French Open | 2R (1981) |
Wimbledon | Q1 (1976) |
Doubles | |
Career record | 108–139 (43.7%) |
Career titles | 2 |
Highest ranking | No. 31 (6 July 1987) |
Grand Slam doubles results | |
Australian Open | 1R (1977Jan) |
French Open | F (1989) |
Wimbledon | 2R (1988) |
US Open | 3R (1987) |
Mixed doubles | |
Grand Slam mixed doubles results | |
Wimbledon | 1R (1990) |
Mansour Bahrami (
Early life
As a child in Iran, Mansour Bahrami taught himself to play tennis using an old metal frying pan and other kitchen utensils and did not own his first tennis racquet until he was aged 13.
In his early 20s, following Iran's
France offered Bahrami the opportunity to play small tournaments, but he saw that the cost of living was quite high and needed a way to maintain his finances until he could begin winning prize money. He gambled his savings in a casino in Nice and lost the lot on his first night. When his French visa ran out and without a carte de séjour (residence permit), he became a political refugee, an illegal immigrant, was constantly in fear of the police, regularly slept rough, and was forced to make food last for days. He relied on the financial support of friends until he was able to support himself.
In May 2023, he was featured on HBO’s Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel describing his early life.[2]
Tennis career
Mansour Bahrami reached the Davis Cup team at the age of 16.
Due to the forced break in his tennis play from the Islamic revolution fallout, his potential in singles was never fully realized. He became a successful doubles player, winning two tournaments and reaching the 1989 French Open doubles final with Éric Winogradsky.[3][4]
Senior tournaments
Bahrami has been a mainstay of the seniors invitational tennis circuit for more than 25 years.[1] Bahrami is considered to have "found his niche" on the ATP Champions Tour,[4] where his flamboyant, humorous style and propensity for trick shots make him a crowd favorite in the tour's more entertainment-oriented sphere. In reference to his showmanship, his 2009 English-language autobiography was titled The Court Jester.[5] His comic turns on the court often include faking serves; slow-motion miming; hitting balls backwards between his legs, over his shoulder, or from the back; and playing while lying down, seated, or kneeling.
ATP career finals
Doubles: 12 (2–10)
Winner – Legend |
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Grand Slam (0–1) |
Tennis Masters Cup (0–0) |
ATP Masters Series (0–2) |
ATP Tour (2–7) |
Challenger finals
Doubles: 5 (3–2)
Outcome | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Partnering | Opponents | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Runner-up | 1. | 1986 | Chartres, France | Clay | ![]() |
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2–6, 4–6 |
Winner | 1. | 1986 | Neu-Ulm, West Germany | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
7–5, 6–1 |
Winner | 2. | 1987 | Clermont-Ferrand, France | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–3, 7–5 |
Runner-up | 2. | 1987 | Neu-Ulm, West Germany | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
WEA |
Winner | 3. | 1990 | Dijon, France | Carpet (i) | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
7–5, 6–2 |
Bibliography and filmography
- Bahrami, Mansour (2006). Le court des miracles (in French). Paris: Le Cherche Midi. ISBN 2749107652.
- Bahrami, Mansour; Issartel, Jean (2009). The court jester : my story. Central Milton Keynes: TennisMania Trust, in association with AuthorHouse. ISBN 978-1438987941.
- The Man behind the Moustache, DVD (2009).
Notes
References
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- ^ a b Tilley, Joanna (3 July 2013). "Bahrami: Iran's solo tennis representative". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
- ^ HBO’s Real Sports Profiles Mansour Bahrami Tomorrow at 10
- ^ MacDonald, Geoff (30 January 2010). "Islamic Republic Crushed the Dreams of Iran's Top Tennis Players". New York Times. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
- ^ a b ATP profile
- ISBN 978-1438987941.