Mark Merklein (born June 28, 1972) is a Bahamian former college and professional tennis player. He played for the Bahamas Davis Cup team from 1999–2004.[1]
| Country (sports) |  Bahamas |
|---|---|
| Residence | Gainesville, Florida |
| Born | June 28, 1972 Freeport, Bahamas |
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Turned pro | 1994 |
| Retired | 2004 |
| Plays | Right-handed |
| Prize money | US$ 502,870 |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 10–21 |
| Career titles | 0 |
| Highest ranking | No. 160 (7 July 1997) |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| US Open | 1R (1994, 1998) |
| Doubles | |
| Career record | 88–104 |
| Career titles | 4 |
| Highest ranking | No. 37 (12 January 2004) |
| Grand Slam doubles results | |
| Australian Open | 3R (2003) |
| French Open | 2R (1998, 1999, 2005) |
| Wimbledon | 2R (1999, 2002) |
| US Open | 2R (1993, 1998) |
| Other doubles tournaments | |
| Olympic Games | QF (2000) |
| Mixed doubles | |
| Career record | 2–4 |
| Career titles | 0 |
| Grand Slam mixed doubles results | |
| Australian Open | 1R (2004) |
| Wimbledon | 3R (1999) |
| Team competitions | |
| Davis Cup | W/L (15–12) |
| Last updated on: December 21, 2014. | |
Merklein was born in Freeport, Bahamas. He grew up in Coral Springs, Florida, and attended St. Thomas Aquinas High School in nearby Fort Lauderdale. Playing for the St. Thomas Raiders high school tennis team, he won six Class 3A high school titles – two at No. 2 singles, one at No. 1 singles, and three at No. 1 doubles.[2]
Merklein accepted an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, where he played for the Florida Gators men's tennis team in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and Southeastern Conference (SEC) competition from 1991 to 1994. As a Gator, he won the NCAA national championship doubles title with partner David Blair in 1993. The following year, Merklein won the NCAA national championship singles title in 1994 in dominating fashion, losing only one set. Merklein was a four-time All-American, a three-time All-SEC selection, and the SEC Player of the Year in 1994. He was inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a "Gator Great" in 2005.[3][4]
Merklein turned professional in 1994, and won four doubles titles during his career. He won matches at all four Majors. On July 7, 1997, he reached his highest singles ranking of world No. 160, and reached his highest doubles ranking on January 12, 2004, when he became world No. 37.
On May 24, 2013, Merklein was hired as the University of Florida men's tennis assistant coach.[5]
Merklein currently resides in Gainesville, Florida.
Grand Slam tournament performance timelines
edit| W | F | SF | QF | #R | RR | Q# | DNQ | A | NH |
Singles
edit| Tournament | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Open | A | A | A | A | A |
| French Open | A | A | A | A | Q2 |
| Wimbledon | A | A | A | A | Q3 |
| US Open | 1R | Q1 | Q2 | Q1 | 1R |
Doubles
edit| Tournament | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Open | A | A | A | A | A | A | 2R | 1R | A | A | 3R | 1R | A |
| French Open | A | A | A | A | A | 2R | 2R | A | A | 1R | 1R | 1R | 2R |
| Wimbledon | A | A | A | A | A | 1R | 2R | A | 1R | 2R | 1R | 1R | Q2 |
| US Open | 2R | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | 2R | A | Q2 | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | A |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Mark Merklein Davis Cup bio". Retrieved 21 December 2014.
- ^ Dave Heeren, "Every Little Step He Takes Brings Mark Merklein Closer To His Goal Of Tennis Stardom," Sun-Sentinel (July 10, 1991). Retrieved July 26, 2014.
- ^ F Club, Hall of Fame, Gator Greats. Retrieved December 18, 2014.
- ^ "Nine Hall of Fame Inductees Announced Archived 2012-10-04 at the Wayback Machine," GatorZone.com (September 30, 2004). Retrieved July 26, 2014.
- ^ "Gator Great Mark Merklein Hired as Men's Tennis Assistant Coach," GatorZone.com (May 24, 2013). Retrieved May 24, 2013.
External links
edit- Mark Merklein at the Association of Tennis Professionals
- Mark Merklein at the International Tennis Federation
- Mark Merklein at the Davis Cup
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