Mike Estep

Mike Estep (born July 19, 1949) is a former professional tennis player from the United States.

For the American football player, see Mike Estep (American football).
Mike Estep
Country (sports) United States
ResidenceHurst, Texas, USA
Born (1949-07-19) July 19, 1949
Dallas, Texas, USA
Height5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Turned pro1969 (amateur from 1966)
Retired1983
PlaysRight-handed
Singles
Career record117–179
Career titles2
Highest rankingNo. 59 (August 23, 1973)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open3R (1982)
French Open2R (1973, 1975)
Wimbledon4R (1975)
US Open2R (1975)
Doubles
Career record182–168 (Open era)
Career titles7 (Open era)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian OpenQF (1980, 1982)

During his career Estep won 2 singles titles and 7 doubles titles. He achieved a career-high singles ranking of World No. 59 in August 1973.

In 1983 until 1986 he coached Martina Navratilova. Later he worked with Carling Bassett, Hana Mandlíková, Jana Novotná and Arantxa Sánchez Vicario.

He was a board member of the Association of Tennis Professionals from 1982 to 1989, holding the position of chairman of the ATP ranking Committee at the same time. He also worked with the U.S. Tennis Association, creating a method for ranking juniors in 1999 that is now used nationwide, and serving on the junior development council for Texas from 1993 to 1995.[1]

Estep resides in Hurst, Texas.

Early life

Estep grew up in Dallas, where he graduated from the St. Mark's School of Texas. As a junior tennis player, Estep held a No 1 national ranking for five straight years (from 1963 to 1967). Estep was named the Texas High School Player of the Year, and led the U.S. to the Sunshine Cup Title and played on the U.S. Junior Davis Cup Team.[2] When Estep and George Taylor won the USTA national junior doubles tournament, they became the first team of Texans to win a national tennis championship. .[3]

College tennis

At Rice University, Estep was an All American tennis player for three years. As a senior in 1970, he won the Southwest Conference titles in both singles and doubles. At the NCAA Division 1 annual tournament, Estep was an NCAA doubles semifinalist (1968), a singles finalist (1969), and a singles semifinalist (1970). He graduated from Rice with a degree in political science.[4]

Grand Prix and WCT finals

Singles: 4 (2 titles, 2 runner-ups)
Result W/L Date Tournament Surface Opponent Score
Win 1–0 Aug 1973 Merion, U.S. Grass Gene Scott 7–5, 3–6, 7–6, 3–6, 7–5
Win 2–0 Feb 1976 Khartoum, Sudan Hard Thomaz Koch 6–4, 6–7, 6–4, 6–3
Loss 2–1 1982 Tampa, U.S. Hard Brian Gottfried 7–6, 2–6, 4–6
Loss 2–2 1982 Newport, U.S. Grass Hank Pfister 1–6, 5–7

Doubles: 16 (7 titles, 9 runner-ups)
Result No. Year Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Win 1. 1973 Omaha, U.S. Hard (i) William Brown Jimmy Connors
Juan Gisbert Sr.		 default
Win 2. 1973 Salt Lake City, U.S. Hard (i) Raúl Ramírez Jiří Hřebec
Jan Kukal		 6–4, 7–6
Win 3. 1973 Calgary, Canada Indoor Ilie Năstase Szabolcz Baranyi
Péter Szőke		 6–7, 7–5, 6–3
Win 4. 1973 Valencia, Spain Clay Ion Ţiriac Patrick Hombergen
Bernard Mignot		 6–4, 1–6, 10–8
Loss 1. 1973 Barcelona, Spain Clay Ion Ţiriac Juan Gisbert Sr.
Manuel Orantes		 4–6, 6–7
Win 5. 1973 Djakarta, Indonesia Hard Ian Fletcher John Newcombe
Allan Stone		 7–5, 6–4
Win 6. 1974 Philadelphia WCT, U.S. Carpet Pat Cramer Jean-Baptiste Chanfreau
Georges Goven		 6–1, 6–1
Loss 2. 1974 Hampton, U.S. Carpet Pat Cramer Željko Franulović
Nikola Pilić		 6–4, 5–7, 1–6
Loss 3. 1974 Melbourne, Australia Grass Paul Kronk Grover Raz Reid
Allan Stone		 6–7, 4–6
Loss 4. 1974 Manila, Philippines Hard Marcello Lara Syd Ball
Ross Case		 3–6, 6–7, 7–9
Win 7. 1975 Washington Indoor WCT, U.S. Carpet Jeff Simpson Anand Amritraj
Vijay Amritraj		 7–6, 6–3
Loss 5. 1975 Houston, U.S. Clay Jeff Simpson Robert Lutz
Stan Smith		 5–7, 6–7
Loss 6. 1975 Boston, U.S. Clay John Andrews Brian Gottfried
Raúl Ramírez		 6–4, 3–6, 6–7
Loss 7. 1976 Cologne, Germany Carpet Colin Dowdeswell Bob Hewitt
Frew McMillan		 1–6, 6–3, 6–7
Loss 8. 1981 Stuttgart Outdoor, Germany Clay Mark Edmondson Peter McNamara
Paul McNamee		 6–2, 4–6, 6–7
Loss 9. 1981 Brisbane, Australia Grass Mark Edmondson Rod Frawley
Chris Lewis		 5–7, 6–4, 6–7

Coaching

Estep entered coaching after retiring from competitive tennis in 1983.

He is best known for coaching Martina Navratilova during her rise to dominance.[5]

References
  1. Rice University Champions Book
  2. "Estep".
  3. St. Mark's School of Texas - Alumni Athletes
  4. "Estep".
  5. "Estep".
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