Vic Seixas

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Vic Seixas
Born	August 30 1923 (1923-08-30) (age 85) Image:Flag of the United States.svg Image:Flag of Pennsylvania.svg Philadelphia, PA
Nationality	Image:Flag of the United States.svg United States

Elias Victor Seixas, Jr. (born August 30, 1923) is a former American male tennis player.

Seixas was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, of Portuguese Jewish ancestry.^[1]

After serving in World War II, he attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC). He was a member of Alpha Sigma of the Chi Psi fraternity and graduated in 1949, the same year that UNC awarded him the Patterson Medal in athletics.

Thirteen times he was ranked in the Top Ten in the U.S. between 1942 and 1966.

In 1951 Seixas was ranked # 4 in the world, two spots below Dick Savitt, on the world roster, while he was ranked # 1 in the US, one spot ahead of Savitt, in the US rankings.

In 1953, he was considered # 3 in the amateur world, his high point.

1 Career
2 External links
3 References

[edit] Career

In a very long career, Seixas won scores of singles, doubles, and mixed doubles titles at many important tournaments. His career was interrupted for three years by World War II, during which he served as a pilot in the United States Army Air Forces.

His major singles wins include Wimbledon in 1953 over Kurt Nielsen and the U.S. National (U.S. Open) in 1954 over Rex Hartwig.

He was also a great doubles player, with numerous doubles and mixed doubles titles to his credit, of which the major ones include: four consecutive mixed doubles crowns at Wimbledon from 1953-56, the first three with Doris Hart and the fourth with Shirley Fry; the U.S. National mixed doubles from 1953-55, all with Doris Hart; the U.S. National doubles in 1952 with Mervyn Rose and again in 1954 with Tony Trabert; the French National (French Open) doubles in 1954 and 1955, both with Trabert; the French National mixed doubles in 1953, with Doris Hart; and the Australian National (Australian Open) doubles in 1955, with Trabert.

In 1966, Seixas was rated as the Senior Squash Champion of America.

[edit] Davis Cup

Seixas and Trabert won the Davis Cup in 1954, against Australia. Seixas is rated fifth in the category of Most Davis Cup Singles matches (24), just behind Bill Tilden (25) and Arthur Ashe (27). He served three times as Captain of the US Davis Cup team. He was 38-17 lifetime in Davis Cup matches.^[2]

[edit] Style of play

The 6-foot-1, 180-pound right-handed Seixas was an attacker who won more on determination and conditioning than on outstanding form. His volleying was exceptional, and he had an excellent match temperament, but a thrashing topspin forehand and sliced backhand were utilitarian.^[3]