Paul Gerken
| Country (sports) |  United States |
|---|---|
| Residence | East Norwalk, Connecticut |
| Born | March 15, 1950 New York |
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| Turned pro | 1972 |
| Plays | Right-handed |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 109–112 |
| Career titles | 0 |
| Highest ranking | No. 35 (August 23, 1973) |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| French Open | 4R (1973) |
| Wimbledon | 2R (1975) |
| US Open | 3R (1968, 1972, 1974) |
| Doubles | |
| Career record | 56–90 |
| Career titles | 0 |
| Grand Slam doubles results | |
| French Open | 3R (1974) |
| Wimbledon | 2R (1972) |
| US Open | 2R (68, 70, 71, 73, 74, 75, 77) |
Paul Gerken (born March 15, 1950) is a former professional tennis player from the United States.[1]
Early life and career
Gerken was born in New York but his family moved to
College years
Gerken attended
Professional career
Gerken competed in the main singles draw at the
He never won a Grand Prix or WCT title during his career, but reached six finals, two in singles and four in doubles.[4]
Gerken had a winning record against Björn Borg, beating him twice, in 1973 and 1974, and losing just once.[4] He also defeated Ilie Năstase at Salt Lake City in 1973, John Newcombe at Hamburg the same year and Arthur Ashe at a Tokyo WCT tournament in 1974.[4]
He had surgery in 1975 for a torn rotator cuff and as a result didn't feature at all in the 1976 tennis season. His comeback in 1977 was unsuccessful and he retired the following year.[5]
Coaching
Gerken was the head tennis coach for the men's team at Columbia University from 1979 to 1982.[6] He continued to coach in the New England area until 2011.[7]
Paul Gerken was also the Head Tennis Professional at the Westside Tennis Club in Forest Hills NY
Grand Prix/WCT career finals
Singles: 2 (0–2)
| Result | W/L | Year | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 0–1 | 1973 | Salt Lake City, United States | Hard | Jimmy Connors
|
1–6, 2–6 |
| Loss | 0–2 | 1973 | Calgary , Canada
|
Carpet |  Ilie Năstase
|
4–6, 6–7 |
Doubles: 4 (0–4)
| Result | W/L | Year | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 0–1 | 1972 | Cincinnati , United States
|
Clay |  Humphrey Hose
|
 Bob Hewitt Frew McMillan
|
6–7, 4–6 |
| Loss | 0–2 | 1973 | Baltimore , United States
|
Hard | Sandy Mayer
|
Jimmy Connors Clark Graebner
|
6–3, 2–6, 3–6 |
| Loss | 0–3 | 1973 | Hong Kong | Hard | Brian Gottfried
|
 Colin Dibley Rod Laver
|
3–6, 7–5, 15–17 |
| Loss | 0–4 | 1975 | Dayton , United States
|
Carpet | Brian Gottfried
|
Ray Ruffels Allan Stone
|
6–7, 5–7 |
References
- ^ ITF Pro Circuit Profile
- ^ The Hour, "Who - Paul Gerken - When", September 30, 2001, pg. 43
- ^ USTA New England: Paul Gerken
- ^ a b c d e f ATP World Tour Profile
- ^ The New York Times, "Former Tennis Pros Share Their Talents", October 24, 1993, Jack Cavanaugh
- Columbia Spectator, "For Jacobs men, Columbia tennis runs in the family", October 5, 2011, Mia Park
- ^ The Hour, "Yesterday’s stars: Gerken looks back at his Wimbledon days", George Albano, July 8, 2016
