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Guillermo Vilas US Open
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Guillermo Vilas: Detailed profile and career highlights


Guillermo Vilas is part of an elite club of 6 male players that have won more than 900 matches. Tennishead profiles his extraordinary career

 

Guillermo Vilas: 949 wins

Date of birth: 17 August 1952

Years played: 1968-1992

Matches won: 949

Matches lost: 291

Win percentage: 76.6

Singles titles won: 62

Grand Slam singles titles won: 4

Weeks as world No 1: 0

Career prize money: $4,923,882

 

Guillermo Vilas was the king of clay years before Rafael Nadal was even born. The Argentinian was the undisputed master of the surface and set many records, most of which were broken only when Nadal tore through the history books. Of the 62 titles Vilas won, 49 were on clay, though he won the French Open only once, when he beat Brian Gottfried in the 1977 final for the loss of only three games. He also lost in three finals at Roland Garros, twice to Bjorn Borg and once to Mats Wilander. The left-hander did nevertheless claim one other Grand Slam title on his favourite surface, winning the US Open in 1977 during a three-year period in which the tournament was played on clay.

Vilas won his two other Grand Slam titles on grass at the Australian Open, beating John Marks and John Sadri in the finals in 1978 and 1979 respectively. However, he never went beyond No 2 in the world rankings, even in 1977, when he won a staggering 16 titles, including the French and US Opens. The man who denied him top spot was Jimmy Connors, who was world No 1 for all but one week between July 1974 and April 1979.

An artist on the court who struck the ball with elegance and grace, Vilas was also a cultured man off it. He read widely and wrote screenplays and songs.


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Tim Farthing, Tennishead Editorial Director & Owner, has been a huge tennis fan his whole life. He's a tennis journalist and entrepreneur as well as playing tennis to a national standard. He also helps manage his local club and volunteers for his local tennis organisation. He's a specialist in content about the administration of professional tennis and tennis coaching for all levels.