David Wheaton

Playing career

David Wheaton grew up on Lake Minnetonka near Minneapolis, the youngest of four children, and played his first tennis at four; he said winter ice hockey gave him his backhand. At 15 he went to Nick Bollettieri's academy in Florida, where he trained alongside Andre Agassi and Jim Courier. He was the world's No. 1 junior, won the 1987 US Open boys' title and, after a year at Stanford in which he won the 1988 NCAA team title, turned professional on 4 July 1988.

A tall serve-volleyer coached by his brothers John and Mark, he won three singles titles from seven finals. 1991 was his best year: he reached the Miami final, the Queen's final and the Wimbledon semi-finals, rose to No. 12 in July, and later that year won the Grand Slam Cup in Munich, beating Michael Stich and then Michael Chang in the final for a first prize of $2 million. He also reached the 1990 US Open doubles final with Paul Annacone and the 1991 Australian Open doubles final with Patrick McEnroe, and played Davis Cup for the United States in 1993.

Hip, Achilles and elbow injuries slowed the second half of his career, and he retired in July 2001. He has since worked as a Christian radio host and author, written about tennis for the Minneapolis Star Tribune and served on the board of the USTA.

On grass

Every grass title: 1

Show every title, tournament by tournament

Newport, Rhode Island
1994	Men's singles Hall of Fame Open

Leading grass titles only: the grass majors, tour-level grass events since 1968 and the leading grass championships before 1968. † single source; ‡ sources disagree. Roll of champions