The Open Era
United States · born Bakersfield, California, 1953 · right-handed · Newport champion 1982 and three times an Australian Open semi-finalist on grass
All playersBack to the rankings
3
Australian Open singles semi-finals on grass: 1978, 1981, 1982
3
Newport singles finals, won in 1982
19
Career-high singles ranking, May 1983
11
ATP doubles titles, two of them at the French Open
4R
Best Wimbledon singles result: 1978, 1980, 1982
Hank Pfister was born in Bakersfield, California, in 1953, where his father coached tennis and basketball at the high school and the college. Tall, strong and a serve-and-volleyer, he played at San Jose State and was a touring professional from 1977 to 1988.
He won two singles titles, Maui in 1981 and Newport on grass in 1982, and 11 doubles titles, including the French Open in 1978 with Gene Mayer and in 1981 with Victor Amaya. He reached No. 19 in singles in May 1983 and No. 12 in doubles. His best Grand Slam results came on the grass of Kooyong, where he reached three Australian Open semi-finals. After his playing days he taught at the Stockdale Country Club in Bakersfield for close to three decades.
| Newport | Runner-up to Tim Gullikson in 1977 and to Johan Kriek in 1981 (3-6, 6-3, 7-5), then champion in 1982, beating Mike Estep 6-1, 7-5 |
|---|---|
| Australia | Australian Open singles semi-finalist in 1978, 1981 and 1982 on grass at Kooyong. Lost the 1979 New South Wales Open final in Sydney to Phil Dent 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 |
| Doubles finals lost on grass | Australian Open, January 1982, with John Sadri, to Mark Edmondson and Kim Warwick. Queen's Club 1982, with Victor Amaya, to John McEnroe and Peter Rennert 7-6, 7-5 |
| Wimbledon 1993 | Won the 35 and over gentlemen's invitation doubles with Peter Fleming, beating Peter McNamara and Paul McNamee 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 |
| New South Wales Championships | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Men's doubles New South Wales Open | with Sherwood Stewart |
| Newport, Rhode Island | ||
| 1982 | 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
"When you're done reaping the benefits of the game it's time to give a little bit back"
The person behind the player.
Bakersfield
Back home after his playing career, he taught at the Stockdale Country Club, the facility his father had started in 1972, for more than 25 years, and kept teaching the serve and volley. One of his pupils called him a "really old school guy".
Source: KERO 23ABC News BakersfieldKern County
Bakersfield College and the Kern Community Tennis Association named their annual tournament for the top junior college men's teams of Northern and Southern California after him, calling him "a lifelong Bakersfield resident and tennis icon".
Source: Bakersfield College AthleticsWimbledon 1993
Eleven years after his Newport title, he and Peter Fleming won the 35 and over invitation doubles at Wimbledon, beating the Australians Peter McNamara and Paul McNamee in three sets.
Source: Wimbledon Compendium 2025Free membership: player news, the grass court Atlas, the rankings and the grass season calendar.
Join freePage updated 4 November 2026. Spotted an error? Send a correction.
