Eliot Teltscher

Infobox Tennis player
playername = Eliot Teltscher


nickname =
country = USA
residence = Irvine, California, USA
datebirth = birth date and age|1959|3|15
placebirth = Rancho Palos Verdes, California, USA
height = height|m=1.778
weight = convert|68|kg|lb st|abbr=on|lk=on
turnedpro = 1977
retired = 1988
plays = Right-handed
careerprizemoney = $1,653,997
singlesrecord = 399–216
singlestitles = 10
highestsinglesranking = No. 6 (May 7, 1982)
AustralianOpenresult = QF (1983)
FrenchOpenresult = 4R (1979, 1982, 1983)
Wimbledonresult = 3R (1977)
USOpenresult = QF (1980, 1981, 1983)
doublesrecord = 161–164
doublestitles = 4
highestdoublesranking = No. 38 (August 26, 1985)
updated = June 15, 2008

Eliot Teltscher (born March 15, 1959, in Rancho Palos Verdes, California) is a retired professional American tennis player.

Tennis career

Early years

Teltscher's mother was born in Israel; his father emigrated there during the Holocaust, and joined the British army. They moved to the United States, where Teltscher was born, and encouraged him to take up tennis, which he began playing at the age of nine.

By the time he was 17, Teltscher was ranked in the top 10 nationally in junior rankings.

He was an All-American in his only year at UCLA (1978), which he attended on a tennis scholarship.

Pro career

In 1979, Teltscher turned pro. A worldwide top 10 player from 1980-82, he was ranked no lower than #15 from through 1984. He reached his highest singles ATP-ranking on May 7, 1982, when he became ranked #6 in the world.

He reached the French Open doubles final with partner Terry Moor in 1981, and won the French Open mixed doubles title with Barbara Jordan two years later. He also reached the quarterfinals at the U.S. Open three times (1980, 1981, and 1983 -- losing to Jimmy Connors all three years), and the quarterfinals at the 1983 Australian Open. In March 1987 he beat Connors, ranked # 8 in the world, in Chicago 6–3, 6–1. He won 10 singles titles during his professional career, which ended in 1988.

Looking back at his career, Teltscher expressed pride at the time his honesty took over from his competitive nature. During a match at the Masters Tournament against Vitas Gerulaitis, his racket grazed the net while it was match point. No one, including Gerulitis, was aware of the rule violation except for Teltscher. Rather than let it pass, however, he informed the judges of the infraction and lost the point, and maybe the match, because of his honesty. His parents are most proud of him for that action.

Davis Cup

Teltscher was on the U.S. Davis Cup team in 1982, 1983, and 1985. He had a combined record of 5–4 in singles play, and helped the U.S. win the Davis Cup in 1982 over France. [http://www.daviscup.com/teams/player.asp?player=10001671]

Grand Slam men's doubles final (1)

Runner-up (1)

Runner-ups (14)

Coaching

Among others, he served as a traveling personal coach from 1992 to 1997 for Justin Gimelstob, Richey Reneberg (1997), Jeff Tarango (1995), Pete Sampras, and Jim Grabb (1992).

Teltscher served as a head men’s tennis coach at Pepperdine University for the 1991-92 school season, and as a tennis coach at the Manhattan Beach Country Club from 1992 to 1997.

He served as a USA Tennis National Coach from 1998 to 2001, but in 2001 he resigned from to become 19-year-old Taylor Dent's personal coach.

He was named USTA Director of Tennis Operations in December 2002.

Teltscher was named the 2003 Pan American Games Men's Coach.

Hall of Fame

Teltscher, who is Jewish, was inducted into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 1991.

Miscellaneous

*Upon his retirement, Teltscher became a member of the ATP Players board in 1989.

*Teltscher resides in Irvine, California.

External links

* [http://www.atptennis.com/en/players/playerprofiles/default2.asp?playersearch=telt Profile at ATP-site]
* [http://www.usta.com/news/fullstory.sps?iNewsID=40546&itype=&iCategoryID= USTA]
* [http://www.daviscup.com/teams/player.asp?player=10001671 Davis Cup record]
* [http://www.jewsinsports.org/profile.asp?sport=tennis&ID=49 Jews in Sports bio]