David Wheaton
Encyclopedia
David Wheaton is a former professional tennis player from the United States.
Born in Minneapolis, Wheaton played in his first tournament at age eight, and won the Minnesota
State High School
tennis title in 1984, as a ninth grader. In 1987, he won the US Open junior title and was ranked the No. 1 junior player in the US. In 1988, he helped Stanford University
's tennis team win the NCAA
team title. He was married in 2009.
Wheaton turned professional in 1988 and won his first top-level singles title in 1990 at Kiawah Island, South Carolina
. He was also runner-up in the 1990 US Open men's doubles.
The most significant highlights of his career came in 1991. He won the Grand Slam Cup
in Munich
, beating Michael Chang
in straight sets in the final 7–5, 6–2, 6–4. He also reached the semi-finals of the men's singles at Wimbledon (beating Andre Agassi
in the quarter-finals before being knocked-out by Boris Becker
), and was a men's doubles runner-up at the Australian Open
(partnering his former Stanford team-mate Patrick McEnroe
). Wheaton reached his career-high singles ranking of World No. 12 in July 1991.
During his career, Wheaton won three top-level singles and three tour doubles titles. His career prize-money earnings total US$5,238,401. He retired from the professional tour in 2001 following a series of injuries during the late '90s.
Since retiring from the tour, Wheaton has taken on a new career as a Christian
radio talk-show host, producer and host of The Christian Worldview, a live call-in talk radio program on KKMS (AM 980)
in Minneapolis/St. Paul and 165 other stations in the US, as well as Sirius satellite ch 161, plus streaming on the web at AFR.NET. The program offers a biblical perspective on current events, culture and faith; he is also author of (University Of Destruction: Your Game Plan For Spiritual Victory On Campus), and motivational speaker, as well as contributing newspaper writer for the sport of tennis, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. He is also a frequent guest host on other talk radio shows.
He served on the board of Directors of the United States Tennis Association
(USTA) through 2006. He plays in professional tennis tour senior tournaments, and won the Wimbledon men's 35 doubles Championship title in 2004, and was runner-up in 2005 and 2006.
Born in Minneapolis, Wheaton played in his first tournament at age eight, and won the Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
State High School
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
tennis title in 1984, as a ninth grader. In 1987, he won the US Open junior title and was ranked the No. 1 junior player in the US. In 1988, he helped Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
's tennis team win the NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
team title. He was married in 2009.
Wheaton turned professional in 1988 and won his first top-level singles title in 1990 at Kiawah Island, South Carolina
Kiawah Island, South Carolina
Kiawah is a sea island, or barrier island, on the Atlantic coast of the United States. Located south of Charleston in Charleston County, South Carolina, it is operated today largely as a beach and golf resort — the Kiawah Island Golf Resort — with spacious villas, beaches, large and acclaimed golf...
. He was also runner-up in the 1990 US Open men's doubles.
The most significant highlights of his career came in 1991. He won the Grand Slam Cup
Grand Slam Cup
The Grand Slam Cup was a tennis tournament held annually at the Olympiahalle in Munich in Germany from 1990 through 1999. The event was organized by the International Tennis Federation , which invited the best-performing players in the year's Grand Slam events to compete in the Grand Slam Cup.The...
in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, beating Michael Chang
Michael Chang
Michael Te-Pei Chang is a former American professional tennis player. He is best remembered for becoming the youngest-ever male player to win a Grand Slam singles title when he won the French Open in 1989 at the age of 17....
in straight sets in the final 7–5, 6–2, 6–4. He also reached the semi-finals of the men's singles at Wimbledon (beating Andre Agassi
Andre Agassi
Andre Kirk Agassi is a retired American professional tennis player and former world no. 1. Generally considered by critics and fellow players to be one of the greatest tennis players of all time, Agassi has been called the best service returner in the history of the game...
in the quarter-finals before being knocked-out by Boris Becker
Boris Becker
Boris Franz Becker is a former World No. 1 professional tennis player from Germany. He is a six-time Grand Slam singles champion, an Olympic gold medalist, and the youngest-ever winner of the men's singles title at Wimbledon at the age of 17...
), and was a men's doubles runner-up at the Australian Open
Australian Open
The Australian Open is the only Grand Slam tennis tournament held in the southern hemisphere. The tournament was held for the first time in 1905 and was last contested on grass in 1987. Since 1972 the Australian Open has been held in Melbourne, Victoria. In 1988, the tournament became a hard court...
(partnering his former Stanford team-mate Patrick McEnroe
Patrick McEnroe
Patrick John McEnroe is a former professional tennis player and the former captain of the United States Davis Cup team.Born in Manhasset, New York, he is the younger brother of John McEnroe...
). Wheaton reached his career-high singles ranking of World No. 12 in July 1991.
During his career, Wheaton won three top-level singles and three tour doubles titles. His career prize-money earnings total US$5,238,401. He retired from the professional tour in 2001 following a series of injuries during the late '90s.
Since retiring from the tour, Wheaton has taken on a new career as a Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
radio talk-show host, producer and host of The Christian Worldview, a live call-in talk radio program on KKMS (AM 980)
KKMS
KKMS is a Salem Communications-owned radio station licensed to Richfield, Minnesota, United States and serving the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. Studios are located in Eagan, Minnesota...
in Minneapolis/St. Paul and 165 other stations in the US, as well as Sirius satellite ch 161, plus streaming on the web at AFR.NET. The program offers a biblical perspective on current events, culture and faith; he is also author of (University Of Destruction: Your Game Plan For Spiritual Victory On Campus), and motivational speaker, as well as contributing newspaper writer for the sport of tennis, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. He is also a frequent guest host on other talk radio shows.
He served on the board of Directors of the United States Tennis Association
United States Tennis Association
The United States Tennis Association is the national governing body for the sport of tennis in the United States. A not-for-profit organization with more than 700,000 members, it invests 100% of its proceeds to promote and develop the growth of tennis, from the grass-roots to the professional levels...
(USTA) through 2006. He plays in professional tennis tour senior tournaments, and won the Wimbledon men's 35 doubles Championship title in 2004, and was runner-up in 2005 and 2006.
Runner-ups
| Year | Championship | Opponent in Final | Score in Final |
| 1991 | Miami Miami Masters The Miami Masters is an annual tennis tournament for men and women held in Key Biscayne, Miami, Florida. It is an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event on the men's tour and a Premier Mandatory event on the women's tour and is played on hard courts at the Tennis Center at Crandon Park... |
 Jim CourierJim Courier James Spencer "Jim" Courier, Jr. is a former world no. 1 professional tennis player from the United States. During his career, he won four Grand Slam singles titles, two at the French Open and two at the Australian Open... |
6–4, 3–6, 4–6 |