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Grant Connell

Grant Connell
Country (sports) Canada
ResidenceVancouver, British Columbia
Born (1965-11-17) November 17, 1965 (age 59)
Regina, Saskatchewan
Height6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Turned pro1986
Retired1997
PlaysLeft-handed (one-handed backhand)
Prize money$2,911,097
Singles
Career record75–100
Career titles0
Highest rankingNo. 67 (17 June 1991)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open3R (1991)
French Open1R (1990, 1992)
Wimbledon3R (1994)
US Open2R (1988)
Other tournaments
Olympic Games2R (1988)
Doubles
Career record398–237
Career titles22
Highest rankingNo. 1 (29 November 1993)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian OpenF (1990)
French OpenSF (1991, 1994)
WimbledonF (1993, 1994, 1996)
US OpenSF (1995)
Other doubles tournaments
Olympic Games2R (1996)
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
Australian OpenSF (1995)
French Open2R (1993, 1994)
WimbledonSF (1991, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997)
US OpenQF (1993)

Grant Connell (Pronounced: KAHN-nell[1]) (born November 17, 1965) is a former professional tennis player from Canada, who retired in 1997 and in 1999 started working as a real estate agent in Vancouver.[2] He specializes in West Vancouver North Vancouver and Downtown properties real estate transactions. He is considered one of the world's top doubles player from the early to late -1990s, reaching the world No. 1 doubles ranking in November 1993.

Connell won 22 doubles titles during his eleven seasons on the ATP Tour (1986 to 1997). He won his first four with fellow Canadian Glenn Michibata. Upon Michibata's retirement from the tour, Connell joined Patrick Galbraith. The Connell-Galbraith tandem won 12 titles together, including the 1995 season ending Doubles Championships tournament. Connell's next main partner became Byron Black with whom he won four more titles. He also won a title each with Todd Martin and Scott Davis. He was a three-time Wimbledon doubles finalist, twice with Galbraith and once with Black.

A left-hander, Connell best singles ranking was world No. 67, which he reached in June 1991. His best tour singles results were reaching the semifinals of the 1991 Chicago, 1991 Singapore, and 1992 Auckland Grand Prix events.

Connell's best Grand Slam singles results were reaching the third round of the 1991 Australian Open and 1994 Wimbledon.

A solid grass-court player, Connell had Andre Agassi on the ropes in their first round encounter at Wimbledon in 1991. In that match, Connell served a gutsy second serve ace to win the third set tie-breaker and go up two sets to one. Agassi however won the final two sets 7–5, 6–3, to take the match. (The following year at Wimbledon saw Agassi win his first Grand Slam event.) As well, Connell reached five mixed semifinals at Wimbledon. The majority of those with his highly ranked partner Lindsay Davenport. Reporters have noted that neither one of them seemed too concerned about winning any title but had a lot of fun losing.

Connell played Davis Cup for Canada on numerous occasions posting a career 15–6 win–loss record in doubles and an equally impressive 8–3 record in singles. He was a member of Canada's 1991 and 1992 Davis Cup teams winning all three needed matches in each of those wins to put Canada in to the World Group for its first two times in canadian tennis history. Awards: Winner of the “Spirit of Sport” national award for the athlete who gives back the most to charity and their sport; Member of the Canadian Tennis Hall of Fame, Canadian Open Hall of Fame, BC Sports Hall of Fame, Texas A&M University Hall of Fame, and B.C. Summer Swimming Hall of Fame.

As a college player

Growing up in North Vancouver, Connell was an All-American in doubles in 1984 and in singles in 1985 at Texas A&M University. Ranked No. 5 in singles in NCAA‘s and undefeated in the SWC in singles play in ‘85 that same year before turning pro, he lost in the quarterfinals of the NCAA individual tennis championships to fellow future touring pro Mikael Pernfors.

As a touring pro

1984, 1985

While still an amateur, Connell played the Player's International twice as a wild card entry, losing in the first round of the main draw each time. In 1984 he lost to world No. 17, Joakim Nyström, 4–6, 3–6, while the following summer Connell fell to world No. 47, 6–7, 3–6.

On December 30, 1985, Connell was ranked by the ATP No. 570T in singles and No. 724T in doubles.

1986

Connell played the San Luis Potosí Challenger in March, reaching the second round in both singles and doubles. He defeated world No. 327, Evan Ratner, 6–1, 6–4, before losing to world No. 415, Karl Richter, 6–3, 6–7, 3–6, while in doubles, he and partner Mark Greenan, also Canadian, lost their second round match to Mark Wooldridge and Derek Tarr in a third set tie-break.

In July, Connell played two further Challengers. At the Schenectady Challenger, he and Greenan lost in the first round in doubles. At the Berkeley Challenger the following week, Connell and Greenan again lost in the first round, while in singles Connell reached the semifinals, defeating Charles Buzz Strode, Russell Simpson, and Paul Chamberlin all in straight sets before falling to Mike Bauer, 6–7, 2–6.

In August, Connell again played the Player's, but in doubles this time, again partnering Greenan. The pair lost, however, in the first round, to the pair of Ricardo Acuña and Bob Green, 6–1, 3–6, 4–6. Connell next saw action in three European Challengers in November. At the Helsinki Challenger, he lost in both singles and doubles in the first round. The following week at Bergen Challenger, he reached the second round of both, falling to Dan Goldie in three sets in singles and partnering Chamberlin in doubles. Connell finished 1986 on tour with a bang, reaching the semifinals at the Valkenswaard Challenger in both singles and doubles, again partnering Chamberlin.

On December 29, 1986, Connell was ranked world No. 191 in singles and No. 217 in doubles.

1987

Connell began 1987 playing in his first Grand Slam event, the Australian Open. He lost in singles in the first round, in straight sets, to world No. 116 Todd Nelson. In doubles, he and partner American Chris Kennedy reached the second round.

Connell's next main draw action was in March, at the Cherbourg Challenger.

1988

Connell began the year at the AAMI Classic in Sydney, Australia where he lost in the first round to Pete Sampras, 4–6, 7–5, 4–6.

1989–1994

Career finals

Doubles (22 titles)

Legend
Grand Slam (0)
Tennis Masters Cup (1)
ATP Masters Series (3)
ATP Championship Series (8)
ATP Tour (10)
Titles by surface
Hard (13)
Clay (2)
Grass (1)
Carpet (6)
Result No. Date Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Loss 1. 30 March 1987 Nancy, France Carpet (i) United States Larry Scott India Ramesh Krishnan
Switzerland Claudio Mezzadri
4–6, 4–6
Win 1. 22 August 1988 Livingston, United States Hard Canada Glenn Michibata United States Marc Flur
United States Sammy Giammalva Jr.
2–6, 6–4, 7–5
Loss 2. 10 October 1988 Brisbane, Australia Hard (i) Canada Glenn Michibata Germany Eric Jelen
Germany Carl-Uwe Steeb
4–6, 1–6
Loss 3. 29 January 1990 Australian Open, Melbourne Hard Canada Glenn Michibata South Africa Pieter Aldrich
South Africa Danie Visser
4–6, 6–4, 1–6, 4–6
Loss 4. 26 February 1990 Philadelphia, United States Carpet (i) Canada Glenn Michibata United States Rick Leach
United States Jim Pugh
6–3, 4–6, 2–6
Win 2. 23 April 1990 Seoul, South Korea Hard Canada Glenn Michibata Australia Jason Stoltenberg
Australia Todd Woodbridge
7–6, 6–4
Win 3. 23 July 1990 Washington, D.C., United States Hard Canada Glenn Michibata Mexico Jorge Lozano
United States Todd Witsken
6–3, 6–7, 6–2
Loss 5. 20 August 1990 Indianapolis, United States Hard Canada Glenn Michibata United States Scott Davis
United States David Pate
6–7, 6–7
Loss 6. 14 January 1991 Auckland, New Zealand Hard Canada Glenn Michibata Spain Sergio Casal
Spain Emilio Sánchez
6–4, 3–6, 4–6
Loss 7. 4 March 1991 Chicago, United States Carpet (i) Canada Glenn Michibata United States Scott Davis
United States David Pate
4–6, 7–5, 6–7
Win 4. 29 April 1991 Singapore Hard Canada Glenn Michibata South Africa Stefan Kruger
South Africa Christo van Rensburg
6–4, 5–7, 7–6
Loss 8. 17 June 1991 Queen's Club, England Grass Canada Glenn Michibata Australia Todd Woodbridge
Australia Mark Woodforde
4–6, 6–7
Loss 9. 29 July 1991 Montreal, Canada Hard Canada Glenn Michibata United States Patrick Galbraith
United States Todd Witsken
4–6, 6–3, 1–6
Loss 10. 12 August 1991 Cincinnati, United States Hard Canada Glenn Michibata United States Ken Flach
United States Robert Seguso
7–6, 4–6, 5–7
Loss 11. 13 January 1992 Auckland, New Zealand Hard Canada Glenn Michibata South Africa Wayne Ferreira
United States Jim Grabb
4–6, 3–6
Loss 12. 6 April 1992 Singapore Hard Canada Glenn Michibata Australia Todd Woodbridge
Australia Mark Woodforde
7–6, 2–6, 4–6
Loss 13. 24 August 1992 Indianapolis, United States Hard Canada Glenn Michibata United States Jim Grabb
United States Richey Reneberg
6–7, 2–6
Win 5. 18 January 1993 Auckland, New Zealand Hard United States Patrick Galbraith Austria Alex Antonitsch
Russia Alexander Volkov
6–3, 7–6
Loss 14. 8 February 1993 Dubai, UAE Hard United States Patrick Galbraith Australia John Fitzgerald
Sweden Anders Järryd
2–6, 1–6
Loss 15. 9 May 1993 Hamburg, Germany Clay United States Patrick Galbraith Netherlands Paul Haarhuis
Netherlands Mark Koevermans
4–6, 7–6, 6–7
Loss 16. 5 July 1993 Wimbledon, London Grass United States Patrick Galbraith Australia Todd Woodbridge
Australia Mark Woodforde
6–7, 3–6, 6–7
Loss 17. 26 July 1993 Washington, D.C., United States Hard United States Patrick Galbraith Zimbabwe Byron Black
United States Rick Leach
4–6, 5–7
Loss 18. 8 August 1993 Los Angeles, United States Hard United States Scott Davis South Africa Wayne Ferreira
Germany Michael Stich
6–7, 6–7
Win 6. 18 October 1993 Tokyo Indoor, Japan Carpet (i) United States Patrick Galbraith United States Luke Jensen
United States Murphy Jensen
6–3, 6–4
Win 7. 15 November 1993 Antwerp, Belgium Carpet (i) United States Patrick Galbraith South Africa Wayne Ferreira
Spain Javier Sánchez
6–3, 7–6
Loss 19. 17 January 1994 Auckland, New Zealand Hard United States Patrick Galbraith United States Patrick McEnroe
United States Jared Palmer
2–6, 6–4, 4–6
Loss 20. 21 February 1994 Stuttgart Indoor, Germany Carpet (i) United States Patrick Galbraith South Africa David Adams
Russia Andrei Olhovskiy
7–6, 4–6, 6–7
Win 8. 7 March 1994 Indian Wells, United States Hard United States Patrick Galbraith Zimbabwe Byron Black
United States Jonathan Stark
7–5, 6–3
Loss 21. 4 July 1994 Wimbledon, London Grass United States Patrick Galbraith Australia Todd Woodbridge
Australia Mark Woodforde
6–7, 3–6, 1–6
Win 9. 25 July 1994 Washington, D.C., United States Hard United States Patrick Galbraith Sweden Jonas Björkman
Switzerland Jakob Hlasek
6–4, 4–6, 6–3
Win 10. 22 August 1994 New Haven, United States Hard United States Patrick Galbraith Netherlands Jacco Eltingh
Netherlands Paul Haarhuis
6–4, 7–6
Win 11. 17 October 1994 Tokyo Indoor, Japan Carpet (i) United States Patrick Galbraith Zimbabwe Byron Black
United States Jonathan Stark
6–3, 3–6, 6–4
Loss 22. 9 January 1995 Adelaide, Australia Hard Zimbabwe Byron Black United States Jim Courier
Australia Patrick Rafter
6–7, 4–6
Win 12. 16 January 1995 Auckland, New Zealand Hard United States Patrick Galbraith Argentina Luis Lobo
Spain Javier Sánchez
6–4, 6–3
Win 13. 13 February 1995 Dubai, UAE Hard United States Patrick Galbraith Spain Tomás Carbonell
Spain Francisco Roig
6–2, 4–6, 6–3
Win 14. 27 February 1995 Stuttgart Indoor, Germany Carpet (i) United States Patrick Galbraith Czech Republic Cyril Suk
Czech Republic Daniel Vacek
6–2, 6–2
Win 15. 24 April 1995 Bermuda Clay United States Todd Martin New Zealand Brett Steven
Australia Jason Stoltenberg
7–6, 2–6, 7–5
Loss 23. 9 October 1995 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Carpet United States Patrick Galbraith United States Patrick McEnroe
Australia Mark Philippoussis
5–7, 4–6
Win 16. 6 November 1995 Paris Indoor, France Carpet (i) United States Patrick Galbraith United States Jim Grabb
United States Todd Martin
6–2, 6–2
Loss 24. 13 November 1995 Stockholm, Sweden Hard (i) United States Patrick Galbraith Netherlands Jacco Eltingh
Netherlands Paul Haarhuis
6–3, 2–6, 6–7
Win 17. 25 November 1995 Doubles Championships, Eindhoven Carpet (i) United States Patrick Galbraith Netherlands Jacco Eltingh
Netherlands Paul Haarhuis
7–6, 7–6, 3–6, 7–6
Win 18. 19 February 1996 Dubai, UAE Hard Zimbabwe Byron Black Czech Republic Karel Nováček
Czech Republic Jiří Novák
6–0, 6–1
Loss 25. 4 March 1996 Philadelphia, United States Carpet (i) Zimbabwe Byron Black Australia Todd Woodbridge
Australia Mark Woodforde
6–7, 2–6
Win 19. 20 May 1996 Rome, Italy Clay Zimbabwe Byron Black Belgium Libor Pimek
South Africa Byron Talbot
6–2, 6–3
Win 20. 24 June 1996 Halle, Germany Grass Zimbabwe Byron Black Russia Yevgeny Kafelnikov
Czech Republic Daniel Vacek
6–1, 7–5
Loss 26. 8 July 1996 Wimbledon, London Grass Zimbabwe Byron Black Australia Todd Woodbridge
Australia Mark Woodforde
6–4, 1–6, 3–6, 2–6
Win 21. 22 July 1996 Washington, D.C., United States Hard United States Scott Davis United States Doug Flach
United States Chris Woodruff
7–6, 3–6, 6–3
Win 22. 19 August 1996 New Haven, United States Hard Zimbabwe Byron Black Sweden Jonas Björkman
Sweden Nicklas Kulti
6–4, 6–4

Doubles performance timeline

Key
W  F  SF QF #R RR Q# DNQ A NH
(W) winner; (F) finalist; (SF) semifinalist; (QF) quarterfinalist; (#R) rounds 4, 3, 2, 1; (RR) round-robin stage; (Q#) qualification round; (DNQ) did not qualify; (A) absent; (NH) not held; (SR) strike rate (events won / competed); (W–L) win–loss record.
Tournament 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 Career SR Career W-L
Grand Slam tournaments
Australian Open A A NH 2R QF QF F 3R 3R 2R 1R 2R 2R 3R 0 / 11 21–11
French Open A A A A 1R 1R 3R SF 2R 1R SF 2R 2R A 0 / 9 13–9
Wimbledon A A A 1R 3R 1R QF SF 2R F F 1R F 2R 0 / 11 26–11
US Open A A A 1R 1R 1R 3R 2R 3R 2R 1R SF 1R 3R 0 / 11 11–11
Grand Slam SR 0 / 0 0 / 0 0 / 0 0 / 3 0 / 4 0 / 4 0 / 4 0 / 4 0 / 4 0 / 4 0 / 4 0 / 4 0 / 4 0 / 3 0 / 42 N/A
Annual win–loss 0–0 0–0 0–0 1–3 5–4 3–4 12–4 11–4 6–4 7–4 9–4 6–4 7–4 4–3 N/A 71–42
ATP Masters Series
Indian Wells These Tournaments Were Not

Masters Series Events

Before 1990
2R 2R QF 2R W QF SF 2R 1 / 8 11–7
Miami 3R 2R 3R 2R 2R SF SF QF 0 / 8 7–8
Monte Carlo A A A 2R QF 2R SF A 0 / 4 4–4
Rome A A A 1R 1R 2R W 2R 1 / 5 7–4
Hamburg A A A F 2R QF QF 1R 0 / 5 7–5
Canada SF F 1R SF 2R SF QF A 0 / 7 10–7
Cincinnati 2R F 2R SF QF QF QF A 0 / 7 9–7
Stuttgart (Stockholm) SF 2R SF SF 2R SF 2R A 0 / 7 9–7
Paris 2R 2R 2R QF SF W SF A 1 / 7 9–6
Masters Series SR N/A 0 / 6 0 / 6 0 / 6 0 / 9 1 / 9 1 / 9 1 / 9 0 / 4 3 / 58 N/A
Annual win–loss N/A 6–6 7–6 7–6 12–9 9–8 13–8 16–8 3–4 N/A 73–55
Year-end ranking 758 724 217 96 32 48 10 10 27 1 7 5 3 100 N/A

Honours

Connell was inducted into the Canadian Tennis Hall of Fame in 1998.[3]

After retiring as a tennis pro

Upon retiring from the tour in 1997, Connell became High Performance Director at Tennis BC as well as Davis Cup Captain. As captain he led the team to the World Group for only the third time. He was also the Tournament Director for Rogers Cup in Toronto in 2006 [4] As of the last 14 years Grant has been selling real estate in Vancouver, BC.[5]

References

  1. ^ ATPWorldTour.com - Players - Profile
  2. ^ Connell, Grant. "Grant Connell Personal Real Estate Corporation". Retrieved 10 February 2013.
  3. ^ "Tennis Canada Hall of Fame - Grant Connell". Retrieved 30 January 2013.
  4. ^ "Canadian Tennis Hall of Fame - Grant Connell". Retrieved 30 January 2013.
  5. ^ "Meet Our Associates". Angell Hasman & Associates Realty. Retrieved 20 June 2014.
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