Tennisarchives.com

General First nameGraham Rodney
LastnameStilwell
GenderMale
CountryEngland
Date of birth1945-11-15
Place of birthDenham, England
Date of death2019-01-31
Place of deathLondon, England


About

From https://www.atptour.com/en/news/graham-stilwell-2019-obituary

Obituary

By James Buddell

Graham Stilwell, a founding member of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), as well as an outstanding British junior player and doubles finalist at the 1964 US Nationals, has passed away aged 73. He had been suffering from a neuro-muscular disorder that resulted in loss of mobility.

Educated at Parmiter’s school in East London, the stocky 5’8” Stilwell won British under-18 (1963) and under-21 titles (1965), finished runner-up to John Newcombe in the 1963 junior Australian Championships final and, the following year, in the junior doubles final (with Stanley Matthews).

Aged 18, he partnered Mike Sangster to the 1964 US National doubles final, where they lost to Chuck McKinley and Dennis Ralston 6-3, 6-2, 6-4, and in 1967 picked up the New Zealand title with Mark Cox and reached the Wimbledon semi-finals with Peter Curtis.

Mark Cox told ATPTour.com, “Graham was a very talented and gifted player, who arguably could have gone much further in the game than he did. He enjoyed life. Easygoing would be an understatement, always enjoying a glass of beer and very good fun to be around.”

In the first full year of Open Tennis, 1969, Stilwell beat Manuel Santana and Fred Stolle en route to the Internazionali BNL d’Italia quarter-finals (lost to Tom Okker), and recorded five Davis Cup singles rubber wins (10-2 overall record), including wins over Ilie Nastase and Ion Tiriac, to take Great Britain to the brink of the Challenge Round. He was adjudged by Lance Tingay, the tennis correspondent of The Daily Telegraph of London, to have finished the season at No. 10 in the world.

Mark Cox added: “The year when he made a huge impact in British tennis was 1969 when Great Britain reached the round before the Davis Cup final, with a singles record of 10 wins and two losses. In those days we had five rounds to get to that stage. Graham virtually single-handedly carried Great Britain to that stage and even in that key round against Romania he beat both Tiriac and Nastase. The Davis Cup captain, Healey Baxter, had embarked early in the year upon a serious fitness campaign to get Graham fit, which he did, and his results illustrated, that in peak condition, he had the ability to beat some of the very best. This performance contributed to him being invited to join WCT.”

His best Grand Slam championship singles performances came in fourth-round exits at the 1966 US Nationals, when he lost to seventh seed Clark Graebner 9-11, 8-6, 6-3, 7-5 and in June 1975, four months before he retired, at Wimbledon. He lost in the fourth round 6-2, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 to eventual Wimbledon champion and sixth seed Arthur Ashe, six years on from a 12-10 fifth set exit to the same player.

Stilwell signed as a contract pro for World Championship Tennis (WCT) on 1 February 1970 for a reported £9,000 plus a year, for four years. The best singles victories of his career came over Newcombe (Queensland State), Stolle and Santana (1969 Rome), Rod Laver (1970 Paris Indoors), Andres Gimeno (1971 London), Ashe (1972 Toronto-WCT) and Guillermo Vilas (1975 Stockholm).

The right-hander, who possessed a dry sense of humour, won two tour-level doubles titles in 1973, at Columbus (with Gerald Battrick) and Cologne-WCT (with Cox). He also finished runner-up at Stockholm in 1969 (with Gimeno) and at three events in 1973 – London, Chicago (both with Battrick) and Copenhagen-WCT (with Cox). In 1974, Stilwell played for the Chicago Aces in the inaugural World Team Tennis season.

In playing retirement, Stilwell coached in Great Britain and in the United States. He had recently coached young tournament players at the 4 Star Tennis Academy in Merryfield, Virginia, and at Onelife Fitness Skyline, in Falls Church, Virginia. He is survived by five children: two sons and three daughters.

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Archive statistics Career1960 - 1975
Tournament wins6
Matches737
Match wins370


Tournament wins 1969 - Catania (Open)
1966 - Cannes Carlton (Amateur)
1966 - Beaulieu (Open)
1966 - Cumberland Hard Courts (Amateur)
1965 - North of England Championships (Open)
1965 - Under 21 Championships of Great Britain ()


Tournaments Wimbledon - 1975 Roland Garros - 1975 US Open - 1975 Canadian International Championships - 1975 Pacific Coast Championship - 1975 Pacific Southwest Championships - 1975 River Oaks Tournament - 1975 US Pro Championships - 1975 German International Championships - 1975 Kent Championships - 1975 Conde de Godo - 1975 Wimbledon Qualifying - 1975 Madrid Open - 1975 Gstaad - 1975 Turkish International Championships (Turkey Open) - 1975 Florence International - 1975 Philadelphia Indoors - 1975 Atlanta Open - 1975 Toronto Indoor - 1975 Washington Indoor - 1975 WCT - Tokyo - 1975 German International Championships - Qualifying - 1975 WCT - Fort Worth - 1975 WCT - San Antonio - 1975 WCT - Memphis - 1975 North Conway - 1975 Stockholm Open - 1975 Dewar Cup - 1975 Wimbledon - 1974 River Oaks Tournament - 1974 US Pro Championships - 1974 Conde de Godo - 1974 Coupe Faulcombridge - 1974 Madrid Open - 1974 Oslo International - 1974 Philadelphia Indoors - 1974 WCT - London - 1974 WCT- Sao Paulo - 1974 Bologna Indoor - 1974 Denver - 1974 WCT - Tokyo - 1974 WCT - Barcelona - 1974 Tucson - ATP - 1974 WCT - Palm Desert - 1974 Roland Garros - 1973 US Open - 1973 Canadian International Championships - 1973 US Clay Courts - 1973 Irish Championships - 1973 Italian International Championships - 1973 British Hard Court Championships - 1973 River Oaks Tournament - 1973 US Pro Championships - 1973 South African Championships - 1973 Nottingham - 1973 South of England Championships - 1973 Charlotte - 1973 Washington Open - 1973 Paris Indoor - 1973 Milano Indoors - 1973 WCT - London - 1973 Dewar Cup Finals - 1973 WCT-Quebec - 1973 WCT - Chicago - 1973 Washington Indoor - 1973 Columbus Open - 1973 WCT - Vancouver - 1973 Tanglewood - 1973 WCT Cologne - 1973 Denver - 1973 WCT-Cleveland - 1973 Rainier Classic - 1973 WCT - Copenhagen - 1973 Palmetto Tennis Classic - 1973 Chicago International Open - 1973 Prague Open - 1973 Stockholm Open - 1973 US Open - 1972 Eastern Grass Court Championships - 1972 Pacific Southwest Championships - 1972 River Oaks Tournament - 1972 US Pro Championships - 1972 Philadelphia Open - 1972 ABN AMRO Rotterdam - 1972 Richmond Indoor Championships - 1972 Macon Indoor - 1972 Charlotte - 1972 Washington Open - 1972 Colonial Pro Invitation - 1972 WCT - St. Louis - 1972 Toronto Indoor - 1972 Louisville Open - 1972 WCT-Quebec - 1972 WCT - Chicago - 1972 WCT - Vancouver - 1972 WCT - Miami - 1972 Denver - 1972 Las Vegas - 1972 Bretton Woods International - 1972 WCT-Cleveland - 1972 WCT Montreal - 1972 WCT Alamo - 1972 WCT Essen - 1972 WCT - Gothenburg - 1972 Stockholm Open - 1972 Australian Open - 1971 Wimbledon - 1971 Monte Carlo - 1971 Roland Garros - 1971 US Open - 1971 Canadian International Championships - 1971 Pacific Coast Championship - 1971 Eastern Grass Court Championships - 1971 Italian International Championships - 1971 International Championships of Egypt - Cairo - 1971 River Oaks Tournament - 1971 US Pro Championships - 1971 West of England Championships - 1971 Championships of Wales - 1971 South of England Championships - 1971 Conde de Godo - 1971 Wimbledon Plate (Consolation) - 1971 US Hard Courts - 1971 Midland Invitation - 1971 Washington Open - 1971 Philadelphia Indoors - 1971 Colonial Pro Invitation - 1971 Bologna Indoor - 1971 Louisville Open - 1971 WCT-Quebec - 1971 WCT - Chicago - 1971 Rothman International Tournament - 1971 WCT - Vancouver - 1971 Dakar - 1971 Aventura Classic - 1971 WCT Dallas - 1971 Aryamehr Cup - 1971 WCT Cologne - 1971 British Covered Court Championship - Qualifying - 1971 Stockholm Open - 1971 Wimbledon - 1970 Monte Carlo - 1970 US Open - 1970 Irish Championships - 1970 Italian International Championships - 1970 Pacific Southwest Championships - 1970 British Hard Court Championships - 1970 US Pro Championships - 1970 German International Championships - 1970 South African Championships - 1970 West of England Championships - 1970 Belgian International Championships - 1970 South of England Championships - 1970 Conde de Godo - 1970 British Covered Court Championships - 1970 Natal Championships - 1970 Wimbledon Plate (Consolation) - 1970 Eastern Province second edition - 1970 Philadelphia Open - 1970 Western Province - 1970 Gstaad - 1970 Tucson - 1970 Midland Pros - 1970 Orange Free State - 1970 WCT - St. Louis - 1970 Paris Indoor - 1970 Casablanca Pros - 1970 WCT - London - 1970 Dunlop Slazenger International Open - 1970 Midland Open - 1970 National Tennis Classic - 1970 WCT - Vancouver - 1970 Paris Indoor - Qualifying - 1970 Wimbledon - 1969 US Open - 1969 French Covered Court Championships - 1969 Italian International Championships - 1969 German International Covered Court Championships - 1969 British Hard Court Championships - 1969 International Championships of Egypt - Cairo - 1969 International Championships of Egypt-Alexandria - 1969 Surrey Championships - 1969 Championships of Wales - 1969 British Covered Court Championships - 1969 Palace Hotel - 1969 Scandinavian Championships - 1969 Heart of America - 1969 Northern Lawn Tennis Association Tournament - 1969 Sicilian International Championships - 1969 Catania - 1969 London Hard Courts - 1969 Reggio Calabria - 1969 Parioli - 1969 Dewar Cup First Leg - 1969 Dewar Cup Second Leg - 1969 Dewar Cup Third Leg - 1969 Dewar Cup Fourth Leg - 1969 King's Cup - Semi-Final b - 1969 La Costa Invitation - 1969 Border Championships - 1969 King's Cup - Second Round d - 1969 King's Cup - Quarter Final c - 1969 Australian Open - 1968 Wimbledon - 1968 St. Moritz - 1968 Queens Club Tournament - 1968 River Oaks Tournament - 1968 German International Championships - 1968 Kent Championships - 1968 Essex Championships - 1968 British Covered Court Championships - 1968 Northern Lawn Tennis Association Tournament - 1968 Tasmanian Championships - 1968 Auckland - 1968 East of England Championships - 1968 Western Australia Championships - 1968 Concord Indoor Championships - 1968 Dewar Cup First Leg - 1968 Dewar Cup Second Leg - 1968 Dewar Cup Third Leg - 1968 Dewar Cup Fourth Leg - 1968 Dewar Cup Finals - 1968 Australian Open - 1967 Wimbledon - 1967 South Australian Championships - 1967 Roland Garros - 1967 Victorian Championships - 1967 New South Wales Championships - 1967 New Zealand Championships - 1967 Austrian International Championships - 1967 Queens Club Tournament - 1967 US International Indoor Championships - 1967 British Hard Court Championships - 1967 German International Championships - 1967 Championships of Berlin - 1967 Queensland Championships - 1967 Kent Championships - 1967 Championships of Wales - 1967 Essex Championships - 1967 South of England Championships - 1967 International Club Matches - GBR - 1967 Bavarian International Championships - 1967 Romanian International Championship - 1967 North Island Champiosnhip - 1967 Auckland - 1967 Pittsburgh Indoor - 1967 Cumberland Hard Courts - 1967 Wellington Championships - 1967 Surrey - 1967 Concord indoor invitation - 1967 Elbe Cup - 1967 New South Wales - Under 23\'s - 1967 Wimbledon - 1966 South Australian Championships - 1966 Roland Garros - 1966 US Open - 1966 Victorian Championships - 1966 New South Wales Championships - 1966 Beaulieu - 1966 Cannes Carlton - 1966 Newport Casino - 1966 Pacific Coast Championship - 1966 Eastern Grass Court Championships - 1966 Irish Championships - 1966 Queens Club Tournament - 1966 Italian International Championships - 1966 Pacific Southwest Championships - 1966 British Hard Court Championships - 1966 Queensland Championships - 1966 Southampton Invitation (Long Island) - 1966 Essex Championships - 1966 Menton - 1966 Wimbledon Plate (Consolation) - 1966 Scandinavian Championships - 1966 Surrey Hard Court Championships - 1966 Cumberland Hard Courts - 1966 Queensland Hardcourts - 1966 Bielefeld - 1966 Baltimore Invitation - 1966 Australian Open - 1965 Wimbledon - 1965 Roland Garros - 1965 Queens Club Tournament - 1965 US International Indoor Championships - 1965 British Hard Court Championships - 1965 Dixie Championships - 1965 North of England Championships - 1965 Surrey Championships - 1965 Midland Counties Championships - 1965 Essex Championships - 1965 South of England Championships - 1965 British Covered Court Championships - 1965 Canterbury Championships - 1965 Palace Hotel - 1965 Northern Lawn Tennis Association Tournament - 1965 Tasmanian Championships - 1965 Good Neighbor Tournament - 1965 Auckland - 1965 Western Australia Championships - 1965 Surrey Hard Court Championships - 1965 Altamira International Invitation - 1965 Colombia International - 1965 London Hard Courts - 1965 Ilkley - 1965 Budleigh Salterton - 1965 Surrey - 1965 Carlyon Bay Covered Court Championships - 1965 Trinidad International - 1965 Under 21 Championships of Great Britain - 1965 Australian Open - 1964 Wimbledon - 1964 South Australian Championships - 1964 Roland Garros - 1964 US Open - 1964 Victorian Championships - 1964 New South Wales Championships - 1964 Nassau Bowl - 1964 Newport Casino - 1964 Eastern Grass Court Championships - 1964 Queens Club Tournament - 1964 Italian International Championships - 1964 South African Championships - 1964 Queensland Championships - 1964 Kent Championships - 1964 Southampton Invitation (Long Island) - 1964 Southern Transvaal Championships - 1964 British Covered Court Championships - 1964 Natal Championships - 1964 Wimbledon Plate (Consolation) - 1964 Northern Lawn Tennis Association Tournament - 1964 East of England Championships - 1964 Western Province - 1964 Surrey Hard Court Championships - 1964 Orange Free State - 1964 Lowther - 1964 Eastern Transvaal - 1964 Newport - Consolation - 1964 Northern Transvaal - 1964 New South Wales - Under 23\'s - 1964 Australian Open - 1963 Wimbledon - 1963 South Australian Championships - 1963 New South Wales Championships - 1963 Queens Club Tournament - 1963 British Hard Court Championships - 1963 Kent Championships - 1963 Surrey Championships - 1963 Championships of Wales - 1963 Midland Counties Championships - 1963 British Covered Court Championships - 1963 International Club Matches - GBR - 1963 Northern Lawn Tennis Association Tournament - 1963 Auckland - 1963 Manly Seaside Tournament - 1963 Western Australia Championships - 1963 Surrey Hard Court Championships - 1963 Cumberland Hard Courts - 1963 London Hard Courts - 1963 Sutton Hard Courts - 1963 Under 21 Championships of Great Britain - 1963 South Australian Championships - 1962 Victorian Championships - 1962 New South Wales Championships - 1962 Cannes Championships - 1962 British Hard Court Championships - 1962 Menton - 1962 British Covered Court Championships - 1962 Wimbledon Qualifying - 1962 East of England Championships - 1962 Western Australia Championships - 1962 London Hard Courts - 1962 Under 21 Championships of Great Britain - 1962 Queens Club Tournament - 1961 Kent Championships - 1961 Surrey Championships - 1961 Palace Hotel - 1961 London Hard Courts - 1961 St. Anne's on Sea - 1961 Surrey - 1961 Palace Hotel - 1960