Brian Edward Gottfried (born January 27, 1952) is an American retired tennis player who won 25 singles titles and 54 doubles titles during his professional career. He was the runner-up in singles at the 1977 French Open, won the 1975 and 1977 French Open Doubles as well as the 1976 Wimbledon Doubles. He achieved a career-high singles ranking on the ATP tour on June 19, 1977, when he became world No. 3, and a career-high doubles ranking on December 12, 1976, when he became world No. 2.

Tennis career Junior and college

Gottfried was born in Baltimore, Maryland, and is Jewish. He began playing tennis at the age of 5, after receiving a racquet as a gift. In all, Gottfried won 14 national junior titles. As a teen Gottfried attended Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Piper High School in Sunrise, Florida. 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.

Professional career

Gottfried began his professional tennis career in 1972. He won five tournaments in 1977 and was runner-up at the French Open to Guillermo Vilas, winning just three games. "I was powerless. Everything I tried he did something better", said Gottfried afterwards. Newsweek described him as the "best male tennis player in the world at the moment" in April 1977, while World Tennis and Tennis Magazine ranked him as No. 4 in their 1977's year-end rankings. He won the Italian Open doubles championship in four consecutive years (1974–1977). He won the men's doubles at the French Open in 1975 and 1977. In 1976, he won the men's doubles title at Wimbledon. He ended his career tied for 22nd in open era singles titles leaders, and tied for 12th in doubles.

Arthur Ashe liked to recall how Gottfried missed his daily practice session to get married, but atoned by doubling his practice time the next day.

Gottfried retired as the player with the greatest number of tour match victories among players who had never won a grand slam. He held this record for 32 years, eventually being succeeded by David Ferrer. He was also second to Ferrer for most titles by a player who never won a major.

Grand Slam finals

Singles: 1 (1 runner-up) ResultYearChampionshipSurfaceOpponentScoreLoss 1977 French Open Clay Guillermo Vilas 0–6, 3–6, 0–6

Doubles: 7 (3 titles, 4 runners-up) ResultYearChampionshipSurfacePartnerOpponentsScoreWin1975French OpenClay Raúl Ramírez John Alexander Phil Dent6–4, 2–6, 6–2, 6–4Loss1976French OpenClay Raúl Ramírez Fred McNair Sherwood Stewart6–7, 3–6, 1–6Win1976WimbledonGrass Raúl Ramírez Ross Case Geoff Masters3–6, 6–3, 8–6, 2–6, 7–5Win1977French OpenClay Raúl Ramírez Wojciech Fibak Jan Kodeš7–6, 4–6, 6–3, 6–4Loss1977US OpenClay Raúl Ramírez Bob Hewitt Frew McMillan4–6, 0–6Loss1979WimbledonGrass Raúl Ramírez Peter Fleming John McEnroe6–4, 4–6, 2–6, 2–6Loss1980French OpenClay Raúl Ramírez Victor Amaya Hank Pfister6–1, 4–6, 4–6, 3–6

Grand Slam tournament performance timeline

Singles Tournament 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984Australian Open A A A A A A A A A A A3R A A A A 0 / 1French Open A A2R2R2R4R AF3R3R4R3R2R4R4R 0 / 12Wimbledon A A2R A2R3R4R2RQF3RSF2R2R4R1R 0 / 12US Open1R1R2R3R2R2R4RQFQF4R4R4R2R2R2R 0 / 15Strike rate 0 / 1 0 / 1 0 / 3 0 / 2 0 / 3 0 / 3 0 / 20 / 3 0 / 3 0 / 3 0 / 4 0 / 3 0 / 3 0 / 3 0 / 3

Career finals

Singles: 51 (25 titles / 26 runner-ups) ResultW-L DateTournamentSurfaceOpponentScoreWin 1–0 Apr 1973 Johannesburg WCT, South Africa Hard Jaime Fillol WalkoverWin 2–0 May 1973Las Vegas, U.S. Hard Arthur Ashe 6–1, 6–3Loss 2–1 Oct 1973 Fort Worth, U.S. Hard Eddie Dibbs 5–7, 2–6, 4–6Loss 2–2 Nov 1973 Christchurch, New Zealand Grass Fred Stolle 6–7, 4–6, 1–6Win 3–2 Nov 1974 Paris Indoor, France Hard (i) Eddie Dibbs 6–3, 5–7, 8–6, 6–0Loss 3–3 Nov 1974 London, UK Carpet (i) Jimmy Connors 2–6, 6–7Win 4–3 Jan 1975 Baltimore, U.S. Carpet (i) Allan Stone 3–6, 6–2, 6–3Win 5–3 Feb 1975 Dayton, U.S. Carpet (i) Geoff Masters 6–4, 4–6, 6–4Loss 5–4 Apr 1975 Denver WCT, U.S. Carpet (i) Jimmy Connors 3–6, 4–6Win 6–4 Oct 1975 Melbourne, Australia Grass Harold Solomon 6–2, 7–6, 6–1Loss 6–5 Nov 1975 Johannesburg, South Africa Hard Harold Solomon 3–6, 2–6, 7–5, 2–6Loss 6–6 Feb 1976 Richmond WCT, U.S. Carpet (i) Arthur Ashe 2–6, 4–6Win 7–6 Sep 1976 Los Angeles, U.S. Carpet (i) Arthur Ashe 6–2, 6–2Loss 7–7 Oct 1976 San Francisco, U.S. Carpet (i) Roscoe Tanner 6–4, 5–7, 1–6Loss 7–8 Nov 1976 Johannesburg, South Africa Hard Harold Solomon 2–6, 7–6, 3–6, 4–6Win 8–8 Jan 1977 Baltimore, U.S. Carpet (i) Guillermo Vilas 6–3, 7–6Win 9–8 Feb 1977 Rancho Mirage, U.S. Hard Guillermo Vilas 2–6, 6–1, 6–3Loss 9–9 Mar 1977 Memphis, U.S. Hard (i) Björn Borg 4–6, 3–6, 6–4, 5–7Win 10–9 Mar 1977 Washington, U.S. Carpet (i) Robert Lutz 6–1, 6–2Win 11–9 Mar 1977 La Costa, U.S. Hard Marty Riessen 6–3, 6–2Loss 11–10 Apr 1977 Los Angeles, U.S. Carpet (i) Stan Smith 4–6, 6–2, 3–6Loss 11–11 Apr 1977 Denver, U.S. Carpet (i) Björn Borg 5–7, 2–6Loss 11–12 Jun 1977French Open, Paris Clay Guillermo Vilas 0–6, 3–6, 0–6Loss 11–13 Jul 1977Washington, D.C. Clay Guillermo Vilas 4–6, 5–7Loss 11–14 Aug 1977 Columbus, U.S. Hard Guillermo Vilas 2–6, 1–6Loss 11–15 Sep 1977 Los Angeles, U.S. Hard Raúl Ramírez 5–7, 6–3, 4–6Loss 11–16 Oct 1977 San Francisco, U.S. Carpet (i) Butch Walts 6–4, 3–6, 5–7Loss 11–17 Oct 1977 Maui, U.S. Hard Jimmy Connors 2–6, 0–6Win 12–17 Oct 1977 Vienna, Austria Hard (i) Wojciech Fibak 6–1, 6–1Loss 12–18 Nov 1977 Paris Indoor, France Hard (i) Corrado Barazzutti 6–7, 6–7, 7–6, 6–3, 4–6Win 13–18 Mar 1978 Washington Indoor, U.S. Carpet (i) Raúl Ramírez 7–5, 7–6Win 14–18 Apr 1978 Dayton, U.S. Carpet (i) Eddie Dibbs 2–6, 6–4, 7–6(7–4)Win 15–18 Apr 1978 Houston WCT, U.S. Clay Ilie Năstase 3–6, 6–2, 6–1Loss 15–19 Sep 1978 Los Angeles, U.S. Carpet (i) Arthur Ashe 2–6, 4–6Loss 15–20 Feb 1979 Rancho Mirage, U.S. Hard Roscoe Tanner 4–6, 2–6Loss 15–21 Mar 1979 Washington Indoor, U.S. Carpet (i) Roscoe Tanner 4–6, 4–6Win 16–21 Aug 1979 Columbus, U.S. Clay Eddie Dibbs 6–3, 6–0Win 17–21 Oct 1979 Basel, Switzerland Hard (i) Johan Kriek 7–5, 6–1, 4–6, 6–3Win 18–21 Jun 1980 Surbiton, UK Grass Sandy Mayer 6–3, 6–3Win 19–21 Jul 1980 Washington, D.C. Clay José Luis Clerc 7–5, 4–6, 6–4Win 20–21 Oct 1980 Vienna, Austria Hard (i) Trey Waltke 6–2, 6–4, 6–3Win 21–21 Nov 1980 Paris Indoor, France Hard (i) Adriano Panatta 4–6, 6–3, 6–1, 7–6Loss 21–22 Mar 1981 Brussels, Belgium Carpet (i) Jimmy Connors 2–6, 4–6, 3–6Loss 21–23 Jun 1981 London (Queen's), UK Grass John McEnroe 6–7, 5–7Win 22–23 Aug 1981 Stowe, U.S. Hard Tony Graham 6–3, 6–3Loss 22–24 Oct 1981 Vienna, Austria Hard (i) Ivan Lendl 6–1, 0–6, 1–6, 2–6Win 23–24 May 1982 Tampa, U.S. Hard Mike Estep 6–7(6–8), 6–2, 6–4Loss 23–25 Aug 1982 Columbus, Ohio, U.S. Hard Jimmy Connors 5–7, 0–6Win 24–25 Oct 1982 Vienna, Austria Hard (i) Bill Scanlon 6–1, 6–4, 6–0Loss 24–26 Nov 1982London (Wembley), UK Carpet (i) John McEnroe 3–6, 2–6, 4–6Win 25–26 Oct 1983 Vienna, Austria Hard (i) Mel Purcell 6–2, 6–3, 7–5

Doubles: 95 (54 titles / 41 runner-ups)