John Feaver

John Feaver
Country (sports) United Kingdom
ResidenceWimbledon, London
Born (1952-02-16) 16 February 1952 (age 72)
Fleet, Hampshire
Height6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
PlaysRight-handed (one-handed backhand)
Singles
Career record67–167
Career titles0
Highest rankingNo. 91 (3 October 1977)[1]
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open2R (1974)
French Open1R (1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1982, 1983)
Wimbledon4R (1973)
US Open4R (1977)
Doubles
Career record126–171
Career titles1
Highest rankingNo. 69 (12 December 1976)[1]
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open2R (1974, 1977Jan)
French OpenSF (1982)
WimbledonQF (1981)
US Open3R (1977)
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
WimbledonQF (1981)

John Feaver (born 16 February 1952) is a former professional tennis player from the United Kingdom.[2][3]

Career

Feaver attended Millfield School in Somerset, which produced a number of male tennis players from the 1950s to the 1970s, including Mark Cox and Paul Hutchins. He turned professional in 1971, and enjoyed most of his tennis success while playing doubles.[4][5] During his career he reached 10 doubles finals, achieving a career-high doubles ranking of 69, and was a semi-finalist in the men's doubles at the French Open in 1982.[1][6] Feaver's highest singles ranking was 91, which he reached in 1977 after making it to the fourth round of the US Open and competing in his only singles final at the Florence Open (where he was defeated by the reigning champion Paolo Bertolucci in straight sets).[1] His best results were on grass and clay courts, achieving more wins on the latter than on any other surface.

For over 20 years (1976 to 1997), Feaver held the record for serving the most aces in a single Wimbledon match, 42, achieved against John Newcombe.[7] He also represented Great Britain in the Davis Cup between 1977 and 1983.[8] He also achieved the remarkable distinction of beating five-times Wimbledon champion Bjorn Borg twice in a week at the Beckenham grass court exhibition tournament in the mid-1970s.

Personal life

Feaver married South African Alison Braatvedt and has two children Lucinda and James, who is also a tennis player.

John enjoyed a successful career in sport and business after his tennis days, and now lives between Wimbledon and Somerset.[9][10] He is an accomplished golfer and cricketer and works closely with sports agencies and charities StreetGames and Performance Plus Sport.[11]

Grand Prix and WCT finals

Singles: 1 (1 loss)

Result W-L Year Tournament Surface Opponent Score
Loss 0–1 1977 Florence, Italy Clay Italy Paolo Bertolucci 4–6, 1–6, 5–7[12]

Doubles: 10 (1 win, 9 losses)

Result W-L Year Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Loss 0–1 1974 Jackson, U.S. Carpet South Africa Byron Bertram United States Fred McNair
United States Grover Raz Reid
6–3, 3–6, 3–6
Loss 0–2 1975 Istanbul, Turkey Carpet Rhodesia Colin Dowdeswell Australia Colin Dibley
Brazil Thomaz Koch
2–6, 2–6, 2–6
Loss 0–3 1976 London, England Carpet Australia John James United Kingdom David Lloyd
United Kingdom John Lloyd
4–6, 6–3, 2–6
Loss 0–4 1977 Basel, Switzerland Carpet Australia John James United Kingdom Mark Cox
United Kingdom Buster Mottram
5–7, 4–6, 3–6
Loss 0–5 1979 Palermo, Italy Clay Egypt Ismail El Shafei Australia Peter McNamara
Australia Paul McNamee
5–7, 6–7
Loss 0–6 1979 Madrid, Spain Clay United Kingdom Robin Drysdale Brazil Carlos Kirmayr
Brazil Cássio Motta
6–7, 4–6
Loss 0–7 1980 Båstad, Sweden Clay Australia Peter McNamara Switzerland Heinz Günthardt
Switzerland Markus Günthardt
4–6, 4–6
Win 1–7 1980 Bordeaux, France Clay France Gilles Moretton Italy Gianni Ocleppo
Ecuador Ricardo Ycaza
6–3, 6–2
Loss 1–8 1981 Nancy, France Hard (i) Czechoslovakia Jiří Hřebec Romania Ilie Năstase
Italy Adriano Panatta
4–6, 6–2, 4–6
Loss 1–9 1981 Tel Aviv, Israel Hard United States Steve Krulevitz United States Steve Meister
United States Van Winitsky
6–3, 3–6, 3–6

References

  1. ^ a b c d "John Feaver". www.atptour.com. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
  2. ^ Wilson, Bill (16 June 2011). "BBC News – From tennis court to business deals". Bbc.com. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  3. ^ http://www.itftennis.com/procircuit/players/player/profile.aspx?playerid=10002243 [bare URL]
  4. ^ "StreetGames' John Feaver featured on BBC News". StreetGames. 17 June 2011. Archived from the original on 13 September 2011. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  5. ^ "Wimbledon 97: Feaver's record safe for a while – Sport". The Independent. 24 June 1997. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  6. ^ "BBC talk to Team Bath tennis". Team Bath. 28 January 2014. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  7. ^ Steinberger, Michael (23 August 2012). "Queens Was Burning, Too". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
  8. ^ Wilson, Bill (23 May 2014). "BBC News – Sporting chance for disadvantaged youth". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  9. ^ "Feaver Head To Head | John Feaver vs I. Nastase H2H". Stevegtennis.com. 16 February 1952. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  10. ^ Eleanor Preston (29 June 2005). "Wimbledon: Others jest but McEnroe has to be serious | Sport". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  11. ^ Baker, Andrew (10 April 2001). "Henman thrives as single man". Telegraph. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  12. ^ "John Feaver: Matches - Finals". www.ultimatetennisstatistics.com. Retrieved 4 December 2024.