Eliot Teltscher (born March 15, 1959) is a retired professional American tennis player. He won the 1983 French Open Mixed Doubles. His highest ranking in singles was No. 6 in the world and in doubles was No. 38 in the world.

Tennis career

Early years Teltscher was born in Palos Verdes, California, and lives in Irvine, California. His mother was born in Mandatory Palestine, and his father, Eric, of Austrian descent, was a Holocaust survivor who immigrated to Mandatory Palestine and joined the British military, ultimately becoming an industrial engineer. He began playing tennis when he was nine, and by the time he was 17, he was ranked along the top ten in the United States junior rankings.Teltscher, Eliot: Jews In Sports @ Virtual Museum

He attended UCLA in 1978 on a tennis scholarship, but dropped out to begin his professional tennis career.

Pro career In 1979, Teltscher turned pro. A worldwide top 10 player from 1980 to 1982. He reached his highest singles ATP-ranking on May 7, 1982, when he became ranked No. 6 in the world.

He and his partner Terry Moor made it to the finals of the French Open in 1981, and he and Barbara Jordan won the mixed doubles title in 1983. He made it to the quarterfinals at the US Open in 1980, 1981, and 1983, where each time he was defeated by Jimmy Connors. He won 10 singles titles during his professional career, which ended in 1988.

Davis Cup Teltscher was on the U.S. Davis Cup team in 1982, 1983, and 1985. His team defeated France in the 1982 tournament.

Coaching He served as a coach for Justin Gimelstob, Richey Reneberg (1997), Jeff Tarango (1995), Pete Sampras, Jim Grabb (1992), Phillip King and others.

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 was a coach of the US national team from 1998 to 2001, then he became the coach to Taylor Dent.

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

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

Jewish Sports Hall of Fame Teltscher, who is Jewish, was inducted into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 1991, into the Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 1998, and into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 2009.

Grand Slam finals

Doubles ResultYearChampionshipSurfacePartnerOpponentsScoreLoss 1981 French Open Clay Terry Moor Heinz Günthardt Balázs Taróczy 2–6, 6–7, 3–6

Mixed doubles ResultYearChampionshipSurfacePartnerOpponentsScoreWin 1983 French Open Clay Barbara Jordan Leslie Allen Charles Strode 6–2, 6–3

ATP Tour finals

Singles 24 (10–14) ResultW/L DateTournamentSurfaceOpponentScoreLoss 0–1 Aug 1978 Atlanta, U.S. Hard Stan Smith 6–4, 1–6, 1–2, ret.Win 1–1 Nov 1978 Hong Kong Hard Pat Du Pré 6–4, 6–3, 6–2Win 2–1 Sep 1979 Atlanta, U.S. Hard John Alexander 6–3, 4–6, 6–2Loss 2–2 Jan 1980 Birmingham, U.S. Carpet Jimmy Connors 3–6, 2–6Loss 2–3 Apr 1980 New Orleans, U.S. Carpet Wojciech Fibak 4–6, 5–7Win 3–3 Aug 1980 Atlanta, U.S. Hard Terry Moor 6–2, 6–2Loss 3–4 Sep 1980 San Francisco, U.S. Carpet Gene Mayer 2–6, 6–2, 1–6Win 4–4 Oct 1980 Maui, U.S. Hard Tim Wilkison 7–6, 6–3Loss 4–5 Oct 1980 Guangzhou, China Carpet Jimmy Connors 2–6, 4–6Loss 4–6 Oct 1980 Tokyo, Japan Clay Ivan Lendl 6–3, 4–6, 0–6Win 5–6 Jan 1981 San Juan, U.S. Hard Tim Gullikson 6–4, 6–2Loss 5–7 Aug 1981Montreal, Canada Hard Ivan Lendl 3–6, 2–6Win 6–7 Sep 1981 San Francisco, U.S. Carpet Brian Teacher 6–3, 7–6(7–4) Loss 6–8 Oct 1981 Tokyo Outdoor, Japan Clay Balázs Taróczy 3–6, 6–1, 6–7(3–7)Loss 6–9 May 1982Rome, Italy Clay Andrés Gómez 2–6, 3–6, 2–6Loss 6–10 Oct 1982 Melbourne Indoor, Australia Carpet Vitas Gerulaitis 6–2, 2–6, 2–6Loss 6–11 Feb 1983 La Quinta, U.S. Hard José Higueras 4–6, 2–6Win 7–11 Oct 1983 Tokyo, Japan Hard Andrés Gómez 7–5, 3–6, 6–1Loss 7–12 Sep 1984 Los Angeles, U.S. Hard Jimmy Connors 4–6, 6–4, 4–6Win 8–12 Oct 1984 Brisbane, Australia Hard Francisco González 3–6, 6–3, 6–4Win 9–12 Nov 1984 Johannesburg, South Africa Hard Vitas Gerulaitis 6–3, 6–1, 7–6Loss 9–13 Oct 1987 Scottsdale, U.S. Hard Brad Gilbert 2–6, 2–6Win 10–13 Nov 1987 Hong Kong Hard John Fitzgerald 6–7(6–8), 3–6, 6–1, 6–2, 7–5Loss 10–14 Feb 1988 Guarujá, Brazil Hard Luiz Mattar 3–6, 3–6

Doubles 14 (4–10) ResultW/L DateTournamentSurfacePartnerOpponentsScoreLoss 0–1 Aug 1978 Columbus, U.S. Clay Marcello Lara Colin Dibley Bob Giltinan 2–6, 3–6Win 1–1 Apr 1979 Tulsa, U.S. Hard (i) Francisco González Colin Dibley Tom Gullikson 6–7, 7–5, 6–3Loss 1–2 Sep 1979 Atlanta, U.S. Hard Steve Docherty Raymond Moore Ilie Năstase 4–6, 2–6Win 2–2 Apr 1980 New Orleans, U.S. Carpet Terry Moor Raymond Moore Robert Trogolo 7–6, 6–1Loss 2–3 May 1980 Rome, Italy Clay Balázs Taróczy Mark Edmondson Kim Warwick 6–7, 6–7Loss 2–4 Aug 1980 Columbus, United States Hard Peter Fleming Brian Gottfried Sandy Mayer 4–6, 2–6Loss 2–5 Oct 1980 Tokyo Outdoor, Japan Clay Terry Moor Ross Case Jaime Fillol 3–6, 6–3, 4–6Loss 2–6 Nov 1980 Wembley, England Carpet Bill Scanlon Peter Fleming John McEnroe 5–7, 3–6Loss 2–7 Jan 1981 San Juan, Puerto Rico Hard Tim Gullikson Tim Mayotte Chris Mayotte 4–6, 6–7Loss 2–8 Feb 1981 La Quinta, U.S. Hard Terry Moor Bruce Manson Brian Teacher 6–7, 2–6Loss 2–9 Jun 1981French Open, Paris Clay Terry Moor Heinz Günthardt Balázs Taróczy 2–6, 6–7, 3–6Win 3–9 Jan 1982 Delray Beach WCT, U.S. Clay Mel Purcell Tomáš Šmíd Balázs Taróczy 6–4, 7–6Win 4–9 Oct 1982 Maui, U.S. Hard Mike Cahill Francisco González Bernard Mitton 6–4, 6–4Loss 4–10 Nov 1984 Johannesburg, South Africa Hard Steve Meister Tracy Delatte Francisco González 6–7, 1–6

See also List of select Jewish tennis players

References

External links

USTA Teltscher v Onny Parun 1978 New Zealand Open final