We sat at the breakfast table in Bowie reading the sports page of the Washington Post. In between bites of Corn Flakes we read all about the Washington Star, who had qualified, who was injured (Connors). There was a story about the local kid doing well…Harold Solomon is from nearby Silver Spring and is ranked in the top 10 of the world. Top ranked Brian Gottfried is here, along with Raul Ramirez…Ive seen all of these guys on TV, I know their games and today I get to see them.
We went to the ticket office and picked up the camp tickets along with our tickets and they gave us the box seats, the lady asked when Mr. B was going to be down because she wants to say hi to him. Everyone knows Mr. B and his juice got us the courtside tickets, they’re treating us like VIP’s and we even got a pass to a hospitality tent!
We got down there at 1:30 and there were a lot of matches going on. I saw Chris Lewis, Jeff Austin, Larry Gottfried, Bruce Manson, Elliot Teltcher, Manuel Laura. While we were watching Larry Gottfried play his brother Brian showed up and sat right next to us. Mark Sanderson got his autograph and I chatted with him like a neighbor over a fence. He asked about us and I told him we were counselors from the Brennan Camp. He told us that he had met Mr. B at the Open a time or two.
At Rock Creek theres a Stadium Court that seats 7-thousand and then 5 outside courts that seat anywhere from a few hundred to a thousand. Then there are 6 practice courts to the side of court 4, all are har-tru synthetic clay and absolutely perfect. We went over there and watched Anand Armataj practicing with Tom Gulikson
We went to the ticket office and picked up the camp tickets along with our tickets and they gave us the box seats, the lady asked when Mr. B was going to be down because she wants to say hi to him. Everyone knows Mr. B and his juice got us the courtside tickets, they’re treating us like VIP’s and we even got a pass to a hospitality tent!
We got down there at 1:30 and there were a lot of matches going on. I saw Chris Lewis, Jeff Austin, Larry Gottfried, Bruce Manson, Elliot Teltcher, Manuel Laura. While we were watching Larry Gottfried play his brother Brian showed up and sat right next to us. Mark Sanderson got his autograph and I chatted with him like a neighbor over a fence. He asked about us and I told him we were counselors from the Brennan Camp. He told us that he had met Mr. B at the Open a time or two.
At Rock Creek theres a Stadium Court that seats 7-thousand and then 5 outside courts that seat anywhere from a few hundred to a thousand. Then there are 6 practice courts to the side of court 4, all are har-tru synthetic clay and absolutely perfect. We went over there and watched Anand Armataj practicing with Tom Gulikson
. I walked around the tournament almost in a daze.
Harold Solomon was playing on the grandstand court and we sat in the box. He is so short but does amazing things on the court. He can keep the ball on the baseline from anywhere on the court. He wins points off his depth and consistency, he is a backboard and a joy to watch. His serve is adequate but he seldom hit’s a second…almost all first serves but he can move the serve around the box, he can hit the T or the corner at will with good depth.
He played Chris Lewis first round and slaughtered him, he was so hot I think he beat him 2 and 1.
Elliot Teltcher was fun to watch, he has a big backhand and I call him a picker. He picks opponents apart, he doesn’t blow them away with anything he wears them down. I watched him through 2 sets and he I don’t think he made more than a handful of errors. Teltcher is a legend of the junior ranks, Ive heard stories about him for years, his gamesmanship and shot making…he very seldom loses a match, he easily beat Bruce Manson.
Vilas didn’t show at the tournament, he won a tournament in Europe over the weekend and wont be here until Tuesday night…so I wont get to see him in person. He’s been very hot lately and I would love to see him in person. I wish I could have caught Connors as well. Borg is staying in Europe, playing in some tournament in Germany, what a drag.
I walked around the Star with my Adidia’s warmup jacket and a towel around my neck. These little kids asked if I was anyone and I told them I was Eddie Dibbs, and before I knew it I was signing autographs…poor kids, I signed my own name.
2 comments:
LOL - trying to pass yourself off as a player -- That's chutzpah and very funny!
Brian Gottfried was born January 27, 1952 in Baltimore, Maryland and won 25 singles titles and 54 doubles titles during his professional career.
The righthander reached his highest ranking on the ATP Tour on June 19, 1977, when he became #3 in the world.
Junior & College
In all, Gottfried won 14 national junior titles including the 1962 National 12-and-under singles title and the doubles title with Jimmy Connors. He repeated the victory in 1963 with Dick Stockton. In 1964 he won the 12-and-under Singles crown.
In 1970, as a freshman at Trinity University in Texas, he won the USTA Boys 18s singles championship, as well as the doubles championship with Alexander Mayer.He was an All-American in 1971 and 1972. He was the runner-up in NCAA singles and doubles in 1972.
[edit] Professional career
Gottfried turned professional in 1972, and the following year he won his first career singles title in Las Vegas. In 1976 he reached 15 singles finals, winning 5, and was runner-up at the French Open. In April 1977, Newsweek said he was "simply the best male tennis player in the world at the moment."[citation needed] He won the Italian Open doubles championship for four consecutive years (1974-77). He won the men's doubles at the French Open in 1975 and 1977. In 1976 he won the men's doubles at Wimbledon. He finished his career ranked tied for 22nd in the 50 all-time open era singles titles leaders (16), and tied for 12th in the doubles leaders.
[edit] Grand Slam singles finals
[edit] Runner-ups (1)
Year Championship Opponent in Final Score in Final
1977 French Open Guillermo Vilas 0-6, 3-6, 0-6
[edit] Davis Cup
Gottfried was 7-7 in Davis Cup play for the US between 1975 and 1982.[2]
[edit] Halls of Fame & Awards
He received the ATP Sportsmanship award for 1984. Gottfried was inducted into the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's Intercollegiate Tennis Hall of Fame in 1990.[3] Gottfried, who is Jewish, was inducted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 1999.[4]
[edit] Miscellaneous
Seemingly addicted to practice, he skipped practice on his wedding day, but put in a double session the next day.[citation needed]
Gottfried now resides in Florida, works with the ATP tour, and occasionally plays on the senior circuit.
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