Clark Graebner
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Clark Graebner (born November 4, 1943), is an American professional tennis player who won a number of championships; he was originally from Cleveland, Ohio. He graduated from Northwestern University and joined The Delta Upsilon Fraternity.
He is now perhaps best known as one of the protagonists of John McPhee's book, Levels of the Game, about a semi-final match played between Graebner and Arthur Ashe at the 1968 U.S. Open Championship at Forest Hills, which Ashe won.
Graebner and Ashe went on to lead the U.S. team to victory in the 1968 Davis Cup, the first victory it had won in five years (and the start of a string of five victories for the U.S.).
His most significant championship was probably the 1966 French Doubles Championship, where he and Dennis Ralston beat Ion Ţiriac and Ilie Năstase in the final. He also won the 1968 U.S. Men's Clay Court singles Championship, the 1969 and 1970 U.S. Men's Clay Court Doubles Championship (with William Bowrey and Arthur Ashe, respectively), and the 1963 doubles title at Cincinnati.
He also reached the singles quarterfinals in Cincinnati in 1970, knocking off Bob McKinley, Barry MacKay, and Ray Ruffels before falling to eventual singles champ Ken Rosewall.
He still ranks 31st on the list of best career set win/loss records in Grand Slam events, at 108-58, for a 65% record. [1]
[edit] Bibliography
- Clark Graebner, Carole Graebner, Mixed Doubles Tennis (McGraw-Hill, New York, 1973)
