In Memoriam: Andres Gimeno

Hall of Famer Andres Gimeno has passed away following a long illness. Gimeno, the 1972 Roland-Garros Champion, was 82 years old. 

One of Spain's earliest tennis players to compete on a global level, Gimeno had a lengthy tennis career that successfully spanned tennis' pre-Open Era years and into the Open Era. In 1972, he won the Roland-Garros title at 34 years of age. To this day, he holds the record as oldest champion at the clay court major.

“Andres was a tireless competitor in his day. Having faced him in some big matches, including the 1972 French Open, I can vouch for that for sure. He was also a very smart player, very strategic. Mostly though, I'll remember Andres as a really good guy. He was well liked by his peers. Whether you lost to him or you beat him, it was hard not to like Andres," stated Hall of Famer Stan Smith, who serves as president of the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

Gimeno made hist first big run in a major event at the 1960 French Nationals, where he was a doubles finalist alongside countryman José Luis Arilla. Later that year, he accepted a $50,000 contract to join Jack Kramer's World Championship Tennis (WCT) professional tour, competing with top players like Rod Laver, Pancho Gonzales, and Ken Rosewall. He garnered some of his best results in this time, including the WCT World Championship in 1966 and also winning the doubles title. 

Smith stated "Andres was part of a small group of guys who had success both before and during the Open Era. When faced with that challenge he displayed an inner drive to succeed that was an inspiring example to both his peers and to the generations that followed him, particularly in Spain. He was of a generation that led Spain to becoming one of the world’s great tennis nations, and he will always be remembered by the tennis world, and in particular, by the International Tennis Hall of Fame as one of our sport’s all-time greats and most inspiring champions.”

As a professional in those years, Gimeno was banned from competing in the major tournaments, which were limited to amateurs only at the time. When tennis' Open Era began in 1968, Gimeno was a competitive force among the players, albeit it a bit older than some of his opponents.

He was a finalist at the 1969 Australian Open, falling to Rod Laver, who won all four majors that year. At the 1972 French Open, Gimeno stunned the field and tennis fans when he clinched the trophy. Gimeno stoically made his way through the draw including two five-setters and a four-set quarterfinal versus Smith, to earn a place in the final against Frenchman Patrick Poisy. After dropping the first set, Gimeno went onto blaze through three straight, winning his first and only Grand Slam trophy, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1, 6-1.

Together with countryman and great friend Manolo Santana (1961 and 1964 Champion) as a winner on the clay courts, Gimeno laid a foundation for clay court greatness in Spaniards that we still see today. Since Santana's win in 1961, the Roland-Garros men's trophy has been won by a Spaniard 20 times.

Additionally, Gimeno was a dedicated Davis Cup competitor for Spain, recording and 18-5 singles record and 5-5 doubles record.

Gimeno retired from competition in 1974. He remained highly engaged in the sport as a coach, broadcaster, and the owner and operator of a tennis club in Spain.

Andres Gimeno was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2009. 

1972 French Open Champion Andres Gimeno 

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