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John Lloyd (tennis player)
Encyclopedia
John Lloyd is a former professional tennis
player and current television commentator.
During his career, he reached one Grand Slam
singles final and won three Grand Slam mixed doubles titles. He was the first husband of the former top woman player Chris Evert
and is the younger brother of the former British Davis Cup
captain David Lloyd.
John Lloyd is a fervent supporter of the football team Wolverhampton Wanderers. It is due to Lloyd's influence that Andy Murray is also a Wolves fan and is often seen wearing the Wolves shirt that was presented to him by Lloyd.
in 1977, Lloyd became the first British male tennis player in the Open era to reach a Grand Slam singles final. He lost in five sets to America's Vitas Gerulaitis
6–3, 7–6, 5–7, 3–6, 6–2. He never progressed beyond the third round in singles play at Wimbledon.
Though he never won a Grand Slam singles titles, Lloyd did win three Grand Slam mixed doubles titles partnering Australia's Wendy Turnbull
, beginning with the French Open mixed doubles in 1982. The pair finished runners-up in the mixed doubles at Wimbledon that year, and then went on to win the Wimbledon mixed doubles crown in both 1983 and 1984.
Lloyd's career-high singles ranking was World No. 21 in 1978. His career-high doubles ranking was World No. 34 in 1986. As a player, he competed the British Davis Cup
for 11 years.
In 1979, Lloyd married the World No. 1 woman player, American Chris Evert
(who became Chris Evert-Lloyd). The media-styled "golden couple" of tennis enjoyed several years in the limelight before a separation, a short-lived reconciliation, and eventual divorce in 1987. After the divorce, Lloyd refused large offers from the British tabloids eager for the "dirt" on his ex-wife.
As his playing career came to an end, Lloyd stayed within the tennis world, finding work as a coach and television commentator, and appearing on the veterans circuit.
In 2006, Lloyd was appointed the captain of Great Britain's
Davis Cup
team, replacing Jeremy Bates. Lloyd's reign started very well, with successive victories taking the team back into the World Group, but after the retirement of both Greg Rusedski
and Tim Henman
in 2007 the team suffered five successive defeats, their worst run in Davis Cup history, to drop back down to the third tier of the competition. Lloyd resigned as coach in mid-2010.
tennis coverage, particularly at Wimbledon
. Lloyd is known for his trademark catchphrases, using the analogy of food and drink to describe tennis shots. For example, if a shot is too weak he will claim that it was "undercooked" or "needed more mustard." Conversely, if a shot is overhit he will describe it as "overcooked," having "too much juice," or "having too much mustard."
He worked for Sky Sports on their coverage of the US Open 2009.
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
player and current television commentator.
During his career, he reached one Grand Slam
Grand Slam (tennis)
The four Major tennis tournaments, also called the Slams, are the most important tennis events of the year in terms of world tour ranking points, tradition, prize-money awarded, strength and size of player field, and public attention. They are the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon, and...
singles final and won three Grand Slam mixed doubles titles. He was the first husband of the former top woman player Chris Evert
Chris Evert
Christine Marie "Chris" Evert is a former world number 1 professional tennis player from the United States. She won 18 Grand Slam singles championships, including a record seven championships at the French Open and a record six championships at the U.S. Open. She was the year-ending World No...
and is the younger brother of the former British Davis Cup
Davis Cup
The Davis Cup is the premier international team event in men's tennis. It is run by the International Tennis Federation and is contested between teams of players from competing countries in a knock-out format. The competition began in 1900 as a challenge between Britain and the United States. By...
captain David Lloyd.
John Lloyd is a fervent supporter of the football team Wolverhampton Wanderers. It is due to Lloyd's influence that Andy Murray is also a Wolves fan and is often seen wearing the Wolves shirt that was presented to him by Lloyd.
Career
At the Australian OpenAustralian 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...
in 1977, Lloyd became the first British male tennis player in the Open era to reach a Grand Slam singles final. He lost in five sets to America's Vitas Gerulaitis
Vitas Gerulaitis
Vytautas Kevin Gerulaitis was a Lithuanian–American professional tennis player. He is known for winning the men's singles title at one of the two Australian Open tournaments held in 1977. Gerulaitis won the tournament held in December, while Roscoe Tanner won the earlier January tournament...
6–3, 7–6, 5–7, 3–6, 6–2. He never progressed beyond the third round in singles play at Wimbledon.
Though he never won a Grand Slam singles titles, Lloyd did win three Grand Slam mixed doubles titles partnering Australia's Wendy Turnbull
Wendy Turnbull
Wendy Turnbull, MBE, is a retired Australian professional tennis player. During her career, she won 9 Grand Slam titles, 4 of them in women's doubles and 5 of them in mixed doubles. She also was a 3-time Grand Slam singles runner-up and won 13 singles titles and 55 doubles titles.-Career:Turnbull...
, beginning with the French Open mixed doubles in 1982. The pair finished runners-up in the mixed doubles at Wimbledon that year, and then went on to win the Wimbledon mixed doubles crown in both 1983 and 1984.
Lloyd's career-high singles ranking was World No. 21 in 1978. His career-high doubles ranking was World No. 34 in 1986. As a player, he competed the British Davis Cup
Davis Cup
The Davis Cup is the premier international team event in men's tennis. It is run by the International Tennis Federation and is contested between teams of players from competing countries in a knock-out format. The competition began in 1900 as a challenge between Britain and the United States. By...
for 11 years.
In 1979, Lloyd married the World No. 1 woman player, American Chris Evert
Chris Evert
Christine Marie "Chris" Evert is a former world number 1 professional tennis player from the United States. She won 18 Grand Slam singles championships, including a record seven championships at the French Open and a record six championships at the U.S. Open. She was the year-ending World No...
(who became Chris Evert-Lloyd). The media-styled "golden couple" of tennis enjoyed several years in the limelight before a separation, a short-lived reconciliation, and eventual divorce in 1987. After the divorce, Lloyd refused large offers from the British tabloids eager for the "dirt" on his ex-wife.
As his playing career came to an end, Lloyd stayed within the tennis world, finding work as a coach and television commentator, and appearing on the veterans circuit.
In 2006, Lloyd was appointed the captain of Great Britain's
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
Davis Cup
Davis Cup
The Davis Cup is the premier international team event in men's tennis. It is run by the International Tennis Federation and is contested between teams of players from competing countries in a knock-out format. The competition began in 1900 as a challenge between Britain and the United States. By...
team, replacing Jeremy Bates. Lloyd's reign started very well, with successive victories taking the team back into the World Group, but after the retirement of both Greg Rusedski
Greg Rusedski
Gregory "Greg" Rusedski is a British Canadian former tennis player who turned professional in 1991 and played until his retirement on 7 April 2007, at the age of 33...
and Tim Henman
Tim Henman
Timothy Henry "Tim" Henman OBE is a retired English professional tennis player and former British Number One. Henman played a serve-and-volley style of tennis that suited the grass courts of Wimbledon. He was the first player from the United Kingdom since Roger Taylor in the 1970s to reach the...
in 2007 the team suffered five successive defeats, their worst run in Davis Cup history, to drop back down to the third tier of the competition. Lloyd resigned as coach in mid-2010.
Commentator
Since the 1990s, Lloyd has been a commentator and analyst for the BBC'sBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
tennis coverage, particularly at Wimbledon
The Championships, Wimbledon
The Championships, Wimbledon, or simply Wimbledon , is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, considered by many to be the most prestigious. It has been held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London since 1877. It is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, the other three Majors...
. Lloyd is known for his trademark catchphrases, using the analogy of food and drink to describe tennis shots. For example, if a shot is too weak he will claim that it was "undercooked" or "needed more mustard." Conversely, if a shot is overhit he will describe it as "overcooked," having "too much juice," or "having too much mustard."
He worked for Sky Sports on their coverage of the US Open 2009.
Runner-ups (1)
| Year | Championship | Opponent in Final | Score in Final |
| 1977 1977 Australian Open (December) - Men's Singles Vitas Gerulaitis defeated John Lloyd 6–3 7–6 5–7 3–6 6–2 in the final to win the Men's Singles title at the December, 1977 Australian Open.See also:# Roscoe Tanner, # Tony Roche, # Ken Rosewall, ... |
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... (December) |
 Vitas GerulaitisVitas Gerulaitis Vytautas Kevin Gerulaitis was a Lithuanian–American professional tennis player. He is known for winning the men's singles title at one of the two Australian Open tournaments held in 1977. Gerulaitis won the tournament held in December, while Roscoe Tanner won the earlier January tournament... |
6–3, 7–6(1), 5–7, 3–6, 6–2 |
Wins (3)
- 1982: French Open (w/Wendy TurnbullWendy TurnbullWendy Turnbull, MBE, is a retired Australian professional tennis player. During her career, she won 9 Grand Slam titles, 4 of them in women's doubles and 5 of them in mixed doubles. She also was a 3-time Grand Slam singles runner-up and won 13 singles titles and 55 doubles titles.-Career:Turnbull...
) - 1983: Wimbledon (w/Wendy Turnbull)
- 1984: Wimbledon (w/Wendy Turnbull)
Singles (1)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent in the final | Score in the final |
| 1. | 25 August 1974 | Merion | Unknown | John Whitlinger John Whitlinger John Whitlinger is a former professional tennis player from the United States.Whitlinger enjoyed most of his tennis success while playing doubles. During his career he won one doubles title.-Doubles titles :... |
6-0 4-6 6-3 7-5 |
Doubles (2)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Partnering | Opponent in the final | Score |
| 1. | 6 November 1976 | London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... |
Carpet |  David LloydDavid Lloyd (tennis) David Lloyd is a former professional English tennis player and businessman.He was born in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex. He and his younger brother John Lloyd became two of the most successful British tennis players throughout the 1970s and 1980s. David captained the British Davis Cup team and became a... |
John Feaver John Feaver John Feaver is a former professional tennis player from the United Kingdom.Feaver enjoyed most of his tennis success while playing doubles. During his career he won 1 doubles title and finished runner-up another 9 times. He achieved a career-high doubles ranking of World No...  John JamesJohn James (tennis) John James , is a former professional tennis player from Australia.James enjoyed most of his tennis success while playing doubles. During his career he won 2 doubles titles.-Doubles titles :-Runner-ups :... |
6-4 3-6 6-2 |
| 2. | 7 October 1979 | Hawaii Hawaii Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of... |
Hard | Nick Saviano Nick Saviano Nick Saviano is a former tennis player from the United States.Saviano won one singles title during his career as a pro... |
Rod Frawley Rod Frawley Rod Frawley is a former tennis player from Australia, who won one singles title and five doubles titles during his professional career...  Francisco Gonzalez |
7-5 6-4 |