Bob Lutz (tennis)

Bob Lutz
Country (sports) United States
Born (1947-08-29) August 29, 1947 (age 77)
San Clemente, California, United States
Height5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Turned pro1970 (amateur from 1965)
Retired1982
PlaysRight-handed (one-handed backhand)
Prize money$1,165,276
Singles
Career record468–303 in pre Open-Era & Open Era
Career titles11
Highest rankingNo. 7 (1972, Bud Collins)[1]
Grand Slam singles results
Australian OpenSF (1971)
French Open4R (1971)
WimbledonQF (1969)
US Open4R (1967, 1971, 1972, 1978, 1982)
Other tournaments
WCT FinalsSF (1976)
Doubles
Career record494–215
Career titles43
Highest rankingNo. 6 (April 30, 1977)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian OpenW (1970)
French OpenF (1974)
WimbledonF (1974, 1980, 1981)
US OpenW (1968, 1974, 1978, 1980)

Robert Lutz (born August 29, 1947) is an American former amateur and a professional tennis player of the 1960s and 1970s. He and Stan Smith were one of the best doubles teams of all time. Bud Collins ranked Lutz as world No. 7 in singles in 1972.[1] From 1967 to 1977, he was ranked amongst the top-10 American players eight times, with his highest ranking being No. 5 in both 1968 and 1970.

Career

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Lutz won the 1967 NCAA singles title, and with Stan Smith, won the NCAA doubles crown in 1967 and 1968. He won the men's singles in the Ojai Tennis Tournament in 1966.[2]

During his career, he won 11 singles titles, the most important being the U.S. Pro Tennis Championships in 1972 and the Paris Masters in 1978. He reached 15 other singles finals, including Cincinnati in 1974. He won 43 doubles titles, 37 of which were won with Stan Smith, and he reached 30 other doubles finals. With Smith, he formed the only team to win the doubles title at U.S. Championships on four different surfaces (clay, grass, hard and indoor).[3] His doubles titles include the US Open in 1980, 1978, 1974, and 1968; the Australian Open in 1970 and Cincinnati in 1969. In addition, he played on five winning Davis Cup teams between 1968 and 1981 and had a 14–2 record playing doubles.[4] Lutz was nominated for the ITF Tennis Hall of Fame thanks to these achievements.[5]

Honors and personal life

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He was inducted into the Collegiate Tennis Hall of Fame in 1984.[6] Lutz, a 1971 graduate of the University of Southern California, was inducted into the school's Hall of Fame in 2009.[7][8] He has been living in San Clemente, California since 1973 with his wife Sharon and their daughters Samantha and Allison.[9]

Career finals

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Singles

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Result W/L Date Tournament Surface Opponent Score
Loss 0–1 1968 U.S. Championships, Boston Grass United States Arthur Ashe 6–4, 3–6, 10–8, 0–6, 4–6
Win 1–1 1970 Manchester, England Grass United States Tom Gorman 6–2, 9–7
Win 2–1 1970 Columbus, U.S. Hard United States Tom Gorman 7–5, 1–6, 6–4, 6–2
Win 3–1 1971 Sacramento, U.S. Hard United States Alex Olmedo 3–6, 6–4, 6–3
Win 4–1 1971 Cologne WCT, West Germany Carpet (i) United States Jeff Borowiak 6–3, 6–7, 6–3, 6–2
Loss 4–2 1971 Barcelona WCT, Spain Clay Spain Manuel Orantes 4–6, 3–6, 4–6
Win 5–2 1972 Boston WCT, U.S. Hard Netherlands Tom Okker 6–4, 2–6, 6–4, 6–4
Loss 5–3 1972 Essen WCT, West Germany Carpet (i) Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Nikola Pilić 6–4, 4–6, 6–3, 4–6, 6–7
Loss 5–4 1972 Rome, Italy Carpet (i) United States Arthur Ashe 2–6, 6–3, 3–6, 6–3, 6–7
Loss 5–5 1973 Philadelphia WCT, U.S. Carpet (i) United States Stan Smith 6–7, 6–7, 6–4, 4–6
Loss 5–6 1974 Cincinnati, U.S. Hard United States Marty Riessen 6–7, 6–7
Win 6–6 1975 Tokyo WCT, Japan Carpet United States Stan Smith 6–4, 6–4
Loss 6–7 1975 Columbus, U.S. Clay India Vijay Amritraj 4–6, 5–7
Loss 6–8 1975 Sydney Indoor, Australia Hard (i) United States Stan Smith 6–7, 2–6
Loss 6–9 1976 Rome WCT, Italy Carpet (i) United States Arthur Ashe 2–6, 6–0, 3–6
Loss 6–10 1976 Rotterdam WCT, Netherlands Carpet (i) United States Arthur Ashe 3–6, 3–6
Loss 6–11 1976 Maui, U.S. Hard United States Harold Solomon 3–6, 7–5, 5–7
Loss 6–12 1977 Ocean City, U.S. Hard United States Vitas Gerulaitis 6–3, 1–6, 2–6
Loss 6–13 1977 Washington Indoor, US Carpet (i) United States Brian Gottfried 1–6, 2–6
Loss 6–14 1978 Columbus, U.S. Clay United States Arthur Ashe 3–6, 4–6
Win 7–14 1978 Paris Indoor, France Hard (i) United States Tom Gullikson 6–2, 6–2, 7–6
Win 8–14 1979 Taipei, Taiwan Carpet United States Pat DuPré 6–3, 6–4, 2–6, 6–3
Win 9–14 1980 Columbus, U.S. Hard Australia Terry Rocavert 6–4, 6–3
Win 10–14 1980 Stowe, U.S. Hard South Africa Johan Kriek 6–3, 6–1
Win 11–14 1980 Cologne, West Germany Carpet (i) United States Nick Saviano 6–4, 6–0
Loss 11–15 1983 Tampa, U.S. Carpet United States Johan Kriek 2–6, 4–6

Doubles

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Result W/L Date Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Win 1–0 1968 US Open, New York Grass United States Stan Smith United States Arthur Ashe
Spain Andrés Gimeno
11–9, 6–1, 7–5
Win 2–0 1969 Cincinnati, U.S. Clay United States Stan Smith United States Arthur Ashe
United States Charlie Pasarell
6–3, 6–4
Win 3–0 1970 Australian Open, Sydney Grass United States Stan Smith Australia John Alexander
Australia Phil Dent
8–6, 6–3, 6–4
Loss 3–1 1970 Los Angeles, U.S. Hard United States Stan Smith Netherlands Tom Okker
United States Marty Riessen
6–7, 2–6
Win 4–1 1970 Berkeley, U.S. Hard United States Stan Smith United States Roy Barth
United States Tom Gorman
6–2, 7–5, 4–6, 6–2
Loss 4–2 1971 Dallas WCT, U.S. Carpet (i) United States Charlie Pasarell Netherlands Tom Okker
United States Marty Riessen
3–6, 4–6
Loss 4–3 1971 Stockholm, Sweden Hard (i) United States Arthur Ashe United States Tom Gorman
United States Stan Smith
4–6, 3–6
Win 5–3 1972 Philadelphia WCT, U.S. Carpet (i) United States Arthur Ashe Australia John Newcombe
Australia Tony Roche
6–3, 6–7, 6–3
Loss 5–4 1972 Louisville WCT, U.S. Clay United States Arthur Ashe Australia John Alexander
Australia Phil Dent
4–6, 3–6
Loss 5–5 1972 Boston WCT, U.S. Hard United States Arthur Ashe Australia John Newcombe
Australia Tony Roche
3–6, 6–1, 6–7
Loss 5–6 1972 Rotterdam WCT, Netherlands Carpet (i) United States Arthur Ashe Australia Roy Emerson
Australia John Newcombe
6–7, 6–7
Win 6–6 1973 Brussels WCT, Belgium Carpet (i) United States Stan Smith Australia John Alexander
Australia Phil Dent
6–4, 7–6
Win 7–6 1973 Johannesburg WCT, South Africa Hard United States Stan Smith South Africa Frew McMillan
Australia Allan Stone
6–1, 6–4, 6–4
Win 8–6 1973 World Doubles WCT, Montreal Carpet (i) United States Stan Smith Netherlands Tom Okker
United States Marty Riessen
6–2, 7–6, 6–0
Win 9–6 1974 Atlanta WCT, U.S. Clay United States Stan Smith United States Brian Gottfried
United States Dick Stockton
6–3, 3–6, 7–6
Win 10–6 1974 New Orleans WCT, U.S. Other United States Stan Smith Australia Owen Davidson
Australia John Newcombe
4–6, 6–4, 7–6
Loss 10–7 1974 French Open, Paris Clay United States Stan Smith Australia Dick Crealy
New Zealand Onny Parun
3–6, 2–6, 6–3, 7–5, 1–6
Loss 10–8 1974 Nottingham, England Grass United States Stan Smith United States Charlie Pasarell
United States Erik van Dillen
4–6, 7–9
Loss 10–9 1974 Wimbledon, London Grass United States Stan Smith Australia John Newcombe
Australia Tony Roche
6–8, 4–6, 4–6
Win 11–9 1974 Boston, U.S. Clay United States Stan Smith West Germany Hans-Jürgen Pohmann
United States Marty Riessen
3–6, 6–4, 6–3
Loss 11–10 1974 Columbus, U.S. Hard United States Tom Gorman India Anand Amritraj
India Vijay Amritraj
def.
Win 12–10 1974 US Open, New York Grass United States Stan Smith Chile Patricio Cornejo
Chile Jaime Fillol
6–3, 6–3
Win 13–10 1974 San Francisco, U.S. Carpet United States Stan Smith Australia John Alexander
Australia Syd Ball
6–4, 7–6
Win 14–10 1975 Fort Worth WCT, U.S. Hard United States Stan Smith Australia John Alexander
Australia Phil Dent
6–7, 7–6, 6–3
Win 15–10 1975 Tokyo Indoor, Japan Carpet (i) United States Stan Smith Australia John Alexander
Australia Phil Dent
6–4, 6–7, 6–2
Win 16–10 1975 Houston, U.S. Clay United States Stan Smith United States Mike Estep
New Zealand Russell Simpson
7–5, 7–6
Win 17–10 1975 Washington D.C., U.S. Clay United States Stan Smith United States Brian Gottfried
Mexico Raúl Ramírez
7–5, 2–6, 6–1
Win 18–10 1975 Columbus, U.S. Clay United States Stan Smith West Germany Jürgen Fassbender
West Germany Hans-Jürgen Pohmann
6–2, 6–7, 6–3
Win 19–10 1976 Indianapolis WCT, U.S. Carpet (i) United States Stan Smith United States Vitas Gerulaitis
United States Tom Gorman
6–2, 6–4
Win 20–10 1976 Barcelona WCT, Spain Clay United States Stan Smith Poland Wojciech Fibak
West Germany Karl Meiler
6–3, 6–3
Win 21–10 1976 Rome WCT, Italy Clay United States Stan Smith Australia Dick Crealy
South Africa Frew McMillan
6–7, 6–3, 6–4
Loss 21–11 1976 World Doubles WCT, Kansas City Carpet (i) United States Stan Smith Poland Wojciech Fibak
West Germany Karl Meiler
3–6, 6–2, 6–3, 3–6, 4–6
Loss 21–12 1976 Las Vegas, U.S. Hard United States Stan Smith United States Arthur Ashe
United States Charlie Pasarell
4–6, 2–6
Win 22–12 1976 Los Angeles, U.S. Hard United States Stan Smith United States Arthur Ashe
United States Charlie Pasarell
6–2, 3–6, 6–3
Loss 22–13 1977 Memphis, U.S. Hard United States Stan Smith United States Fred McNair
United States Sherwood Stewart
6–4, 6–7, 6–7
Win 23–13 1977 Washington Indoor, U.S. Carpet (i) United States Stan Smith United States Brian Gottfried
Mexico Raúl Ramírez
6–3, 7–5
Loss 23–14 1977 Los Angeles PSW U.S. Hard United States Stan Smith South Africa Bob Hewitt
South Africa Frew McMillan
3–6, 4–6
Win 24–14 1977 Las Vegas, U.S. Hard United States Stan Smith South Africa Bob Hewitt
Mexico Raúl Ramírez
6–3, 3–6, 6–4
Win 25–14 1977 Columbus, US Clay United States Stan Smith United States Peter Fleming
United States Gene Mayer
4–6, 7–5, 6–2
Win 26–14 1977 Maui, U.S. Hard United States Stan Smith United States Brian Gottfried
Mexico Raúl Ramírez
7–6, 6–4
Win 27–14 1977 Johannesburg WCT, South Africa Hard United States Stan Smith United States Peter Fleming
South Africa Raymond Moore
6–3, 7–5, 6–7, 7–6
Win 28–14 1978 Springfield, U.S. Carpet United States Stan Smith Czechoslovakia Jan Kodeš
United States Marty Riessen
6–3, 6–3
Win 29–14 1978 Washington Indoor, U.S. Carpet (i) United States Stan Smith United States Arthur Ashe
United States John McEnroe
6–7, 7–5, 6–1
Loss 29–15 1978 Rotterdam WCT, Netherlands Carpet (i) United States Stan Smith United States Fred McNair
Mexico Raúl Ramírez
2–6, 3–6
Loss 29–16 1978 World Doubles WCT, Kansas City Carpet (i) United States Stan Smith Poland Wojciech Fibak
Netherlands Tom Okker
7–6, 4–6, 0–6, 3–6
Win 30–16 1978 US Open, New York Hard United States Stan Smith United States Marty Riessen
United States Sherwood Stewart
1–6, 7–5, 6–3
Loss 30–17 1978 San Francisco, U.S. Carpet United States Stan Smith United States Peter Fleming
United States John McEnroe
7–5, 4–6, 4–6
Loss 30–18 1978 Stockholm, Sweden Hard (i) United States Stan Smith Poland Wojciech Fibak
Netherlands Tom Okker
3–6, 2–6
Win 31–18 1979 Denver, U.S. Carpet (i) United States Stan Smith Poland Wojciech Fibak
Netherlands Tom Okker
7–6, 6–3
Win 32–18 1979 Washington Indoor, U.S. Carpet (i) United States Stan Smith Australia Bob Carmichael
United States Brian Teacher
6–4, 7–5, 3–6, 7–6
Loss 32–19 1979 New Orleans, U.S. Carpet United States Stan Smith United States Peter Fleming
United States John McEnroe
1–6, 3–6
Win 33–19 1979 Newport, U.S. Grass United States Stan Smith Australia John James
Australia Chris Kachel
6–4, 7–6
Win 34–19 1979 Columbus, U.S. Clay United States Brian Gottfried United States Tim Gullikson
United States Tom Gullikson
4–6, 6–3, 7–6
Win 35–19 1979 Cleveland, U.S. Hard United States Stan Smith Paraguay Francisco González
United States Fred McNair
6–3, 6–4
Loss 35–20 1979 Cincinnati, U.S. Hard United States Stan Smith United States Brian Gottfried
Romania Ilie Năstase
6–1, 3–6, 6–7
Loss 35–21 1979 US Open, New York Hard United States Stan Smith United States Peter Fleming
United States John McEnroe
2–6, 4–6
Win 36–21 1979 Hong Kong Hard United States Pat DuPré United States Steve Denton
United States Mark Turpin
6–3, 6–4
Loss 36–22 1979 Taipei, Taiwan Carpet United States Pat DuPré Australia Mark Edmondson
Australia John Marks
1–6, 6–3, 4–6
Win 37–22 1980 Tulsa, U.S. Hard (i) United States Dick Stockton Paraguay Francisco González
United States Fred McNair
2–6, 7–6, 6–2
Win 38–22 1980 Las Vegas, U.S. Hard United States Stan Smith Poland Wojciech Fibak
United States Gene Mayer
6–2, 7–5
Loss 38–23 1980 Wimbledon, London Grass United States Stan Smith Australia Peter McNamara
Australia Paul McNamee
6–7, 3–6, 7–6, 4–6
Win 39–23 1980 Stowe, U.S. Hard South Africa Bernard Mitton Romania Ilie Năstase
United States Ferdi Taygan
6–4, 6–3
Win 40–23 1980 US Open, New York Hard United States Stan Smith United States Peter Fleming
United States John McEnroe
7–6, 3–6, 6–1, 3–6, 6–3
Loss 40–24 1980 Sawgrass Doubles, U.S. Hard United States Stan Smith United States Brian Gottfried
Mexico Raúl Ramírez
6–7, 4–6, 6–2, 6–7
Win 41–24 1980 Vienna, Austria Carpet (i) United States Stan Smith Switzerland Heinz Günthardt
Czechoslovakia Pavel Složil
6–1, 6–2
Loss 41–25 1980 Stockholm, Sweden Carpet (i) United States Stan Smith Switzerland Heinz Günthardt
Australia Paul McNamee
7–6, 3–6, 2–6
Win 42–25 1980 Johannesburg, South Africa Hard United States Stan Smith Switzerland Heinz Günthardt
Australia Paul McNamee
6–7, 6–3, 6–4
Loss 42–26 1981 Wimbledon, London Grass United States Stan Smith United States Peter Fleming
United States John McEnroe
4–6, 4–6, 4–6
Loss 42–27 1981 Stowe, U.S. Hard United States Brian Gottfried South Africa Johan Kriek
United States Larry Stefanki
6–2, 1–6, 2–6
Loss 42–28 1981 Cincinnati, U.S. Hard United States Stan Smith United States John McEnroe
United States Ferdi Taygan
6–7, 3–6
Loss 42–29 1981 Sawgrass Doubles, U.S. Hard United States Stan Smith Switzerland Heinz Günthardt
Australia Peter McNamara
6–7, 6–3, 6–7, 7–5, 4–6
Loss 42–30 1982 La Costa WCT, U.S. Hard Mexico Raúl Ramírez United States Fritz Buehning
United States Johan Kriek
6–3, 6–7, 3–6
Win 43–30 1982 Hartford WCT, U.S. Carpet United States Dick Stockton United States Mike Cahill
United States Tracy Delatte
7–6, 6–3

Grand Slam finals

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Doubles

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Result Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score
Win 1968 US Open Grass United States Stan Smith United States Arthur Ashe
Spain Andrés Gimeno
11–9, 6–1, 7–5
Win 1970 Australian Open Grass United States Stan Smith Australia John Alexander
Australia Phil Dent
8–6, 6–3, 6–4
Loss 1974 French Open Clay United States Stan Smith Australia Dick Crealy
Australia Onny Parun
3–6, 2–6, 6–3, 7–5, 1–6
Loss 1974 Wimbledon Grass United States Stan Smith Australia John Newcombe
Australia Tony Roche
6–8, 4–6, 4–6
Win 1974 US Open (2) Clay United States Stan Smith Chile Patricio Cornejo
Chile Jaime Fillol
6–3, 6–3
Win 1978 US Open (3) Hard United States Stan Smith United States Marty Riessen
United States Sherwood Stewart
1–6, 7–5, 6–3
Loss 1979 US Open Hard United States Stan Smith United States Peter Fleming
United States John McEnroe
4–6, 4–6, 4–6
Win 1980 US Open (4) Hard United States Stan Smith United States Peter Fleming
United States John McEnroe
7–6, 3–6, 6–1, 3–6, 6–3
Loss 1980 Wimbledon Grass United States Stan Smith Australia Peter McNamara
Australia Paul McNamee
6–7, 3–6, 7–6, 4–6
Loss 1981 Wimbledon Grass United States Stan Smith United States Peter Fleming
United States John McEnroe
4–6, 4–6, 4–6

References

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  1. ^ a b Collins, Bud (2003). Total Tennis: The Ultimate Tennis Encyclopedia, p. 917.
  2. ^ Past championsojaitourney.org December 2012 Archived March 1, 2021, at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ Emery, David, ed. (1983). Who's Who in International Tennis. London: Sphere. p. 74. ISBN 9780722133200.
  4. ^ "Davis Cup player profile". International Tennis Federation (ITF).
  5. ^ "International Tennis Hall Of Fame Announces Ballot Names For 2010 Induction". Archived from the original on October 6, 2011.
  6. ^ "ITA Men's Hall of Fame". Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA). Archived from the original on July 3, 2017. Retrieved May 10, 2017.
  7. ^ Mark Garcia (July 17, 2009). "San Clemente's Lutz to be inducted into tennis hall of fame". The Orange County Register.
  8. ^ "USC Hall of Fame" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on November 12, 2012. Retrieved May 16, 2016.
  9. ^ "Tennis column: Q&A - Catching up with Bob Lutz". The Daily Courier. October 13, 2011.
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