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Tom Okker
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Medal record | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Maccabiah Games | |||
| Men's tennis | |||
| Gold | 1965 Israel | Men's Singles | |
| Gold | 1965 Israel | Mixed Doubles | |
Tom Okker (born February 22, 1944, in the Netherlands), nicknamed The Flying Dutchman and Tom the Twitch, is a former Dutch tennis player.
Okker was ranked (ATP) among the World's Top 10 Singles players for seven consecutive years, 1968 thru 1974. He reached # 3 in singles in 1969 (ATP rankings began in 1968.) In 1969 he was ranked # 1 in doubles.
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He was Dutch champion from 1964 to 1968, when he turned professional.
In 1968, he turned professional and won his first major tournament at the Italian singles and doubles championship (with Marty Riessen).
In 1968 Okker then reached the quarter final of Wimbledon, and in 1978 he reached the semifinals. He achieved his best result in a grand slam tournament in 1968, when he lost the five-set final of the US Open against Arthur Ashe(14-12, 5-7, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3).
Okker won 22 singles titles. At the millennium (year 2000), 20 years after his retirement, Okker’s 31 career “open tennis” Singles victories (combined ATP Tour, Grand Prix, and WCT tournaments) still ranked 20th all-time. Among Okker’s singles titles: 1968 Italian Open, 1970 German Open and Belgian Open, 1973 Dewar Cup and Canadian Open, and 1974 WCT Rothmans. He was also a runner-up in 24 singles events.
Despite his success in singles, Tom Okker is mostly remembered as one of the most successful doubles player of all times, winning 78 doubles titles. Okker won two grand slam doubles titles, the U.S. Open in 1976 (with Marty Riessen) and Roland Garros in 1973. In total, Okker triumphed at 69 doubles events. This record was only broken by Todd Woodbridge in 2005. Okker’s doubles titles include: both the 1973 Italian Open and French Open Doubles (with John Newcombe); 1973 London Grass Court Doubles (Marty Riessen); 1973 Spanish Open Doubles (Ilie Nastase); 1975 Opel International ( Arthur Ashe); 1976 U.S. Open Doubles (Reissen); and 1978 WCT World Doubles (Wojtek Fibak).
One of pro-tennis’ first millionaire winners, his WTC career earnings stood at $1,257,200 when he retired in 1980.
Between 1964 and 1981, Okker represented The Netherlands in Davis Cup play, where he was 15-20.[1]
In 1965 Okker won both the singles and the mixed doubles titles at the Maccabiah Games in Israel.
Okker was a fan favorite with his animated, quick-footed play. He was a slight but canny player who often defeated larger, more powerful opponents.
| Year | Championship | Opponent in Final | Score in Final |
| 1968 | U.S. Open |  Arthur Ashe |
14-12, 5-7, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 |
| Preceded by Jan Janssen |
Dutch Sportsman of the Year 1969 |
Succeeded by Ard Schenk |
Okker, who is Jewish, was inducted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 2003.
Although officially retired, Okker continues to play in senior tennis tournaments, and owns an art gallery in Amsterdam.
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