Antonio Palafox (born 28 April 1936) is a Mexican male former tennis player. He and compatriot Rafael Osuna won the doubles at the U.S. Open in 1962[2] and at Wimbledon in 1963. He is remembered along with Rafael Osuna, Francisco "Pancho" Contreras and Mario Llamas for guiding Mexico to the final of the Davis Cup in 1962.

Antonio Palafox
Full nameAntonio R. Palafox
Country (sports)Mexico Mexico
Born (1936-04-28) 28 April 1936 (age 88)
Guadalajara, Mexico
Singles
Career record267–158
Career titles14
Grand Slam singles results
French Open3R (1958, 1964)
Wimbledon4R (1961, 1963)
US OpenQF (1965)
Doubles
Grand Slam doubles results
WimbledonW (1963)[1]
US OpenW (1962)
Mixed doubles
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
WimbledonQF (1960)[1]
US OpenF (1960)
Team competitions
Davis CupFCh (1962)
Medal record
Representing  Mexico
Tennis
Pan American Games
Gold medal – first place 1959 Chicago Men's doubles

Palafox won the 1958 Mexican Championships defeating Pancho Contreras in the final and he won the Mexican title again in 1963 defeating Rafael Osuna in the final.

Also in 1958 Palafox won the Southern Championships defeating Frank Willett,[3] the defending champion, in the final.

Palafox won the Eastern Clay Court Championships in 1970 at Port Washington, N.Y. beating Sandy Mayer in the semifinal and Otokar Merunka in three straight sets in the final. He defended his title the following year defeating Steve Ross in the final in three straight sets.

He is a former coach of John McEnroe, and taught him to put yourself in an advantageous positions and putting your opponent in difficult positions.[4]

Grand Slam finals

edit

Doubles (2 titles, 2 runners-up)

edit
Result Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score
Loss 1961 U.S. National Championships Grass   Rafael Osuna   Chuck McKinley
  Dennis Ralston
3–6, 4–6, 6–2, 11–13
Win 1962 U.S. National Championships Grass   Rafael Osuna   Chuck McKinley
  Dennis Ralston
6–4, 10–12, 1–6, 9–7, 6–3
Win 1963 Wimbledon Grass   Rafael Osuna   Jean-Claude Barclay
  Pierre Darmon
4–6, 6–2, 6–2, 6–2
Loss 1963 U.S. National Championships Grass   Rafael Osuna   Chuck McKinley
  Dennis Ralston
7–9, 6–4, 7–5, 3–6, 9–11

Mixed Doubles (1 runner-up)

edit
Result Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score
Loss 1960 U.S. National Championships Grass   Maria Bueno   Margaret Osborne duPont
  Neale Fraser
3–6, 2–6

References

edit
  1. ^ a b Wimbledon Results Archive
  2. ^ "Men's Doubles Championships". US Open. Archived from the original on 25 October 2007. Retrieved 2 December 2010.
  3. ^ Frank Willett. https://dlg.usg.edu/record/geh_athpc_1388
  4. ^ "John McEnroe grapples with his legacy as tennis' bad boy". WESA. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
edit