Christo van Rensburg

South African tennis player

Christo van Rensburg
Country (sports)South Africa/ South Africa
ResidenceAustin, Texas, United States
Born (1962-10-23) 23 October 1962 (age 61)
Uitenhage, South Africa
Height1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Turned pro1983
Retired1997
PlaysRight-handed (one-handed backhand)
Prize money$1,907,831
Singles
Career record166–160
Career titles2
Highest rankingNo. 19 (29 February 1988)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open4R (1989)
Wimbledon4R (1986, 1989)
US Open4R (1990)
Other tournaments
Olympic Games1R (1992)
Doubles
Career record293–216
Career titles20
Highest rankingNo. 5 (4 May 1987)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian OpenW (1985)
French OpenQF (1985)
WimbledonSF (1986)
US OpenSF (1989)
Other doubles tournaments
Tour FinalsSF (1985)
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
Australian Open1R (1990, 1997)
French Open2R (1996)
WimbledonSF (1991, 1996)
US OpenSF (1991, 1996)

Christo van Rensburg (born 23 October 1962) is a former professional tennis player from South Africa.

Van Rensburg turned professional in 1983. He won his first doubles title on ATP Tour later that year at Cleveland.

Van Rensburg won 20 top-level doubles titles during his career, including one Grand Slam men's doubles title at the Australian Open in 1985, partnering Paul Annacone. He also won two ATP singles titles at Orlando in 1987, and at Johannesburg in 1989. Van Rensburg's career-high rankings were world No. 19 in singles (achieved in 1988) and world No. 5 in doubles (achieved in 1987). He retired from the professional tour in 1995.

Van Rensburg is one of only two men to beat Pete Sampras in straight sets at Wimbledon (doing so in 1990, where Sampras was the No. 12 seed), the other being 1996 champion Richard Krajicek.

ATP career finals

Singles: 6 (2 titles, 4 runner-ups)

Legend
Grand Slam Tournaments (0–0)
ATP World Tour Finals (0–0)
ATP Masters Series (0–0)
ATP Championship Series (0–0)
ATP World Series (2–4)
Finals by surface
Hard (2–3)
Clay (0–0)
Grass (0–1)
Carpet (0–0)
Finals by setting
Outdoors (1–3)
Indoors (1–1)
Result W–L Date Tournament Tier Surface Opponent Score
Win 1–0 Mar 1987 Orlando, United States Grand Prix Hard United States Jimmy Connors 6–3, 3–6, 6–1
Loss 1–1 Nov 1988 Johannesburg, South Africa Grand Prix Hard Switzerland Jakob Hlasek 7–6(7–1), 4–6, 1–6, 6–7(4–7)
Loss 1–2 Jun 1989 Queen's, United Kingdom Grand Prix Grass Czech Republic Ivan Lendl 6–4, 3–6, 4–6
Win 2–2 Nov 1989 Johannesburg, South Africa Grand Prix Hard United States Paul Chamberlin 6–4, 7–6, 6–1
Loss 2–3 Apr 1990 Orlando, United States World Series Hard United States Brad Gilbert 2–6, 1–6
Loss 2–4 Oct 1991 Tel Aviv, Israel World Series Hard Mexico Leonardo Lavalle 2–6, 6–3, 3–6

Doubles: 32 (20 titles, 12 runners-up)

Legend
Grand Slam Tournaments (1–0)
ATP World Tour Finals (0–1)
ATP Masters Series (2–1)
ATP Championship Series (0–0)
ATP World Series (17–10)
Finals by surface
Hard (9–6)
Clay (4–0)
Grass (3–1)
Carpet (4–5)
Finals by setting
Outdoors (16–8)
Indoors (4–4)
Result W–L Date Tournament Tier Surface Partner Opponents Score
Win 1–0 Aug 1983 Cleveland, United States Grand Prix Hard South Africa Mike Myburg Paraguay Francisco González
South Africa Matt Mitchell
7–6, 7–5
Win 2–0 Dec 1984 Sydney, Australia Grand Prix Grass United States Paul Annacone United States Tom Gullikson
South Africa Scott McCain
7–6, 7–6
Win 3–0 Apr 1985 Delray Beach, United States Grand Prix Masters Hard United States Paul Annacone United States Sherwood Stewart
Australia Kim Warwick
7–5, 7–5, 6–4
Win 4–0 Apr 1985 Atlanta, United States WCT Carpet United States Paul Annacone United States Steve Denton
Czechoslovakia Tomáš Šmíd
6–4, 6–3
Loss 4–1 May 1985 Las Vegas, United States Grand Prix Hard United States Paul Annacone Australia Pat Cash
Australia John Fitzgerald
6–7, 7–6, 6–7
Loss 4–2 Jul 1985 Newport, United States Grand Prix Grass United States Paul Annacone Australia Peter Doohan
United States Sammy Giammalva Jr.
1–6, 3–6
Loss 4–3 Sep 1985 Los Angeles, United States Grand Prix Hard United States Paul Annacone United States Scott Davis
United States Robert Van't Hof
3–6, 6–7
Win 5–3 Sep 1985 San Francisco, United States Grand Prix Carpet United States Paul Annacone United States Brad Gilbert
United States Sandy Mayer
3–6, 6–3, 6–4
Win 6–3 Oct 1985 Johannesburg, South Africa Grand Prix Hard West Germany Colin Dowdeswell Israel Amos Mansdorf
Israel Shahar Perkiss
3–6, 7–6, 6–4
Win 7–3 Dec 1985 Melbourne, Australia Grand Slam Grass United States Paul Annacone Australia Mark Edmondson
Australia Kim Warwick
3–6, 7–6, 6–4, 6–4
Loss 7–4 Jan 1985 London, United Kingdom WCT Carpet United States Paul Annacone Switzerland Heinz Günthardt
Hungary Balázs Taróczy
4–6, 6–1, 6–7, 7–6, 4–6
Loss 7–5 Aug 1986 Stratton Mountain, United States Grand Prix Hard United States Paul Annacone United States Peter Fleming
United States John McEnroe
3–6, 6–3, 3–6
Win 8–5 Nov 1986 Johannesburg, South Africa Grand Prix Hard United States Mike De Palmer Ecuador Andrés Gómez
United States Sherwood Stewart
3–6, 6–2, 7–6
Win 9–5 Mar 1987 Miami, United States Grand Prix Masters Hard United States Paul Annacone United States Ken Flach
United States Robert Seguso
6–2, 6–4, 6–4
Loss 9–6 Mar 1987 Orlando, United States Grand Prix Hard United States Paul Annacone United States Sherwood Stewart
Australia Kim Warwick
6–2, 6–7, 4–6
Win 10–6 Apr 1987 Chicago, United States Grand Prix Carpet United States Paul Annacone United States Mike De Palmer
United States Gary Donnelly
6–3, 7–6(7–4)
Loss 10–7 Oct 1988 Paris, France Grand Prix Masters Carpet United States Jim Grabb United States Paul Annacone
Australia John Fitzgerald
2–6, 2–6
Win 11–7 Feb 1989 Memphis, United States Grand Prix Hard United States Paul Annacone United States Scott Davis
United States Tim Wilkison
7–6, 6–7, 6–1
Win 12–7 Feb 1989 Philadelphia, United States Grand Prix Carpet United States Paul Annacone United States Rick Leach
United States Jim Pugh
6–3, 7–5
Loss 12–8 Mar 1989 Scottsdale, United States Grand Prix Hard United States Paul Annacone United States Rick Leach
United States Jim Pugh
7–6, 3–6, 2–6, 6–2, 4–6
Loss 12–9 Oct 1989 San Francisco, United States Grand Prix Carpet United States Paul Annacone South Africa Pieter Aldrich
South Africa Danie Visser
4–6, 3–6
Win 13–9 Sep 1990 Basel, Switzerland World Series Hard South Africa Stefan Kruger United Kingdom Neil Broad
South Africa Gary Muller
4–6, 7–6, 6–3
Win 14–9 Oct 1990 Tel Aviv, Israel World Series Hard Nigeria Nduka Odizor Sweden Ronnie Båthman
Sweden Rikard Bergh
6–3, 6–4
Loss 14–10 Apr 1991 Singapore, Singapore World Series Hard South Africa Stefan Kruger Canada Grant Connell
Canada Glenn Michibata
4–6, 7–5, 6–7
Loss 14–11 Oct 1992 Taipei, Taiwan World Series Carpet Germany Patrick Baur Australia John Fitzgerald
Australia Sandon Stolle
6–7, 2–6
Loss 14–12 Feb 1993 Marseille, France World Series Carpet United States Ivan Lendl France Arnaud Boetsch
France Olivier Delaître
3–6, 6–7
Win 15–12 Apr 1993 Osaka, Japan World Series Hard United States Mark Keil Canada Glenn Michibata
United States David Pate
7–6, 6–3
Win 16–12 Jul 1993 Newport, United States World Series Grass Argentina Javier Frana Zimbabwe Byron Black
United States Jim Pugh
4–6, 6–1, 7–6
Win 17–12 Apr 1994 Birmingham, United States World Series Clay United States Richey Reneberg United States Brian MacPhie
United States David Witt
2–6, 6–3, 6–2
Win 18–12 Nov 1995 Buenos Aires, Argentina World Series Clay United States Vincent Spadea Czech Republic Jiří Novák
Czech Republic David Rikl
6–3, 6–3
Win 19–12 May 1996 Atlanta, United States World Series Clay United States David Wheaton United States Bill Behrens
United States Matt Lucena
7–6, 6–2
Win 20–12 Jun 1996 Bologna, Italy World Series Clay South Africa Brent Haygarth Morocco Karim Alami
Hungary Gábor Köves
6–1, 6–4

ATP Challenger and ITF Futures finals

Singles: 6 (5–1)

Legend
ATP Challenger (5–1)
ITF Futures (0–0)
Finals by surface
Hard (4–1)
Clay (0–0)
Grass (1–0)
Carpet (0–0)
Result W–L    Date    Tournament Tier Surface Opponent Score
Win 1-0 Apr 1989 Cape Town, South Africa Challenger Hard South Africa Pieter Aldrich 6–3, 6–1
Win 2-0 Jul 1991 Newcastle, United Kingdom Challenger Grass Netherlands Michiel Schapers 6–4, 6–0
Loss 2-1 Sep 1991 Singapore, Singapore Challenger Hard Australia Mark Woodforde 1–6, 4–6
Win 3-1 Oct 1991 Jerusalem, Israel Challenger Hard South Africa Clinton Marsh 2–6, 6–2, 6–3
Win 4-1 Dec 1991 Bossonnens, Switzerland Challenger Hard Germany Patrick Baur 6–4, 7–6
Win 5-1 Sep 1993 Singapore, Singapore Challenger Hard United States Jonathan Canter 6–2, 5–7, 6–2

Doubles: 8 (6–2)

Legend
ATP Challenger (6–2)
ITF Futures (0–0)
Finals by surface
Hard (2–1)
Clay (2–0)
Grass (1–1)
Carpet (1–0)
Result W–L Date Tournament Tier Surface Partner Opponents Score
Loss 0–1 Jul 1991 Newcastle, United Kingdom Challenger Grass South Africa John-Laffnie De Jager United Kingdom Nicholas Fulwood
Sweden Peter Nyborg
6–7, 1–6
Win 1–1 Oct 1992 Jerusalem, Israel Challenger Hard South Africa John-Laffnie De Jager Nigeria Nduka Odizor
United States Bryan Shelton
6–2, 6–4
Win 2–1 Jul 1992 Newcastle, United Kingdom Challenger Grass Argentina Javier Frana United States Kent Kinnear
Sweden Peter Nyborg
7–6, 7–6
Win 3–1 Nov 1992 Aachen, Germany Challenger Carpet South Africa Grant Stafford Denmark Michael Mortensen
Germany Christian Saceanu
6–1, 6–3
Win 4–1 Sep 1993 Singapore, Singapore Challenger Hard United Kingdom Jeremy Bates Netherlands Sander Groen
South Africa Grant Stafford
6–3, 6–4
Loss 4–2 Sep 1995 Aruba, Aruba Challenger Hard Spain Jose-Antonio Conde India Mahesh Bhupathi
India Leander Paes
4–6, 6–4, 6–7
Win 5–2 Mar 1996 Agadir, Morocco Challenger Clay United States Jared Palmer Sweden Patrik Fredriksson
Sweden Magnus Norman
3–6, 6–3, 6–2
Win 6–2 May 1997 Bratislava, Slovakia Challenger Clay United States Jared Palmer Spain Joan Balcells
United States Devin Bowen
4–6, 6–3, 7–5

Performance timelines

Key
W  F  SF QF #R RR Q# DNQ A NH
(W) winner; (F) finalist; (SF) semifinalist; (QF) quarterfinalist; (#R) rounds 4, 3, 2, 1; (RR) round-robin stage; (Q#) qualification round; (DNQ) did not qualify; (A) absent; (NH) not held; (SR) strike rate (events won / competed); (W–L) win–loss record.

Singles

Tournament 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 SR W–L Win %
Grand Slam tournaments
Australian Open A A 2R A A 3R 3R 4R 2R 2R 1R A 1R A 0 / 8 9–8 53%
French Open A A A A A A A A A A A A A A 0 / 0 0–0  – 
Wimbledon Q2 Q2 3R Q3 4R 3R 1R 4R 2R 3R 2R 3R A A 0 / 9 16–9 64%
US Open A A A 1R 3R A A 2R 4R 1R 1R A Q2 A 0 / 6 6–6 50%
Win–loss 0–0 0–0 2–2 0–1 5–2 4–2 2–2 7–3 5–3 3–3 1–3 2–1 0–1 0–0 0 / 23 31–23 57%
Olympic Games
Summer Olympics NH A Not Held A Not Held 1R Not Held 0 / 1 0–1 0%
ATP Masters Series
Indian Wells A A A A A 2R 2R 2R 2R A 2R Q1 A Q1 0 / 5 5–5 50%
Miami A A A 1R 2R 1R 1R 3R 3R A 1R 1R 1R A 0 / 9 4–9 31%
Monte Carlo A A A A A A A A 1R A A A A A 0 / 1 0–1 0%
Hamburg A A A A A A A A A A 1R A A A 0 / 1 0–1 0%
Rome A A A A A A A A A A 1R A A A 0 / 1 0–1 0%
Canada A A A A A A A A A A 1R A A A 0 / 1 0–1 0%
Cincinnati A A A A 3R 2R A A 1R A 1R A A A 0 / 4 3–4 43%
Paris A A A A A 1R A 1R A A A A A A 0 / 2 0–2 0%
Win–loss 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–1 3–2 2–4 1–2 3–3 2–4 0–0 1–6 0–1 0–1 0–0 0 / 24 12–24 33%

Doubles

Tournament 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 SR W–L Win %
Grand Slam tournaments
Australian Open A A QF W A SF 3R 3R 2R 1R 2R A 3R 2R 1R 1R 1 / 12 20–11 65%
French Open A A 1R QF A 2R A A A A 1R A 1R A 2R 2R 0 / 7 6–7 46%
Wimbledon Q1 1R Q2 QF SF QF 2R 1R 1R 1R 2R 1R 2R A 1R 1R 0 / 13 13–13 50%
US Open A 1R 2R 3R 3R A A SF QF 2R A 3R A 1R 2R A 0 / 10 16–10 62%
Win–loss 0–0 0–2 4–4 13–3 6–2 7–3 3–2 6–3 4–3 1–3 2–3 2–2 3–3 1–2 2–4 1–3 1 / 42 55–41 57%
ATP Masters Series
Indian Wells A A A A A SF 1R QF 2R A 1R A A 1R A 1R 0 / 7 4–7 36%
Miami A A A W 1R W SF 3R 2R A 1R A 1R 1R A 1R 2 / 10 18–8 69%
Monte Carlo A A A A A SF A A 1R A 1R A A A A A 0 / 3 2–3 40%
Hamburg A A A A A A A SF A A A A A A A A 0 / 1 2–1 67%
Rome A A A 1R A A A QF A A A A A A 2R A 0 / 3 3–3 50%
Canada A A A QF A QF A A A A A A A A A A 0 / 2 3–2 60%
Cincinnati A A A 1R A A A A 1R A Q1 A A A A A 0 / 2 0–2 0%
Paris A A A A A SF F 1R 1R A A A A A A A 0 / 4 5–4 56%
Win–loss 0–0 0–0 0–0 8–3 0–1 13–4 7–3 7–5 1–5 0–0 0–3 0–0 0–1 0–2 1–1 0–2 2 / 32 37–30 55%

Mixed doubles

Tournament 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 SR W–L Win %
Grand Slam tournaments
Australian Open A A A A A A A 1R A A A A A A 1R 0 / 2 0–2 0%
French Open A 1R 1R A A A A 1R A A A A A 2R A 0 / 4 1–4 20%
Wimbledon 2R 1R 2R 3R 2R 1R A 2R SF A 2R 3R A SF 1R 0 / 12 17–12 59%
US Open A A A A A A A 1R SF A A A A SF A 0 / 3 6–3 67%
Win–loss 1–1 0–2 1–2 0–0 1–1 2–2 0–0 1–4 7–2 0–0 1–1 2–1 0–0 8–3 0–2 0 / 21 24–21 53%

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