Byron Black
# Byron Black

Byron Hamish Black (born 6 October 1969) is a former touring professional tennis and Davis Cup player for Zimbabwe.

## Personal life

He is the son of Donald Black and Velia Black and brother to Wayne Black and Cara, who were also professional tennis players. He is married to Fiona Black, and has children. He attended the University of Southern California and was named an All-American by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA).

## Tennis career

Black started playing tennis at a young age at his father’s grass court in Highlands, and played the game for Lewisham Primary School in his hometown. He played for the tennis team when he moved to the Oriel Boys High School, where he was exposed to other future Davis Cup players for Zimbabwe, like Greig Rodgers and Mark Gurr.

### Pro tour

In 1995, Black was a US Open quarterfinalist, and in 2000, he reached the same round at Wimbledon. His career-high singles ranking was world No. 22, which he achieved in June 1996.

An accomplished doubles player, Black became world No. 1 in doubles in February 1994. He won the 1994 French Open partnering Jonathan Stark. Black was a doubles finalist in three other majors, the 1994 and 2001 Australian Opens and the 1996 Wimbledon Championships.

Black is one of the few professional players to have played with a double-handed forehand.

Black formed the core of the Zimbabwe Davis Cup team with his brother Wayne.

## Career finals

### Doubles: 41 (22 titles, 19 runner-ups)

* Legend
* Grand Slam (1–3)
* ATP Masters Series (5–5)
* ATP Championship Series (3–4)
* ATP Tour (13–7)
* Finals by surface
* Hard (14–12)
* Clay (4–2)
* Grass (1–2)
* Carpet (3–3)

| Result | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Loss | 1. | Apr 1992 | Hong Kong, UK | Hard | Byron Talbot | Brad Gilbert Jim Grabb | 2–6, 1–6 |
| Win | 1. | Apr 1993 | Durban, South Africa | Hard | Lan Bale | Johan de Beer Marcos Ondruska | 7–6, 6–2 |
| Loss | 2. | Jul 1993 | Newport, U.S. | Grass | Jim Pugh | Javier Frana Christo van Rensburg | 6–4, 1–6, 6–7 |
| Win | 2. | Jul 1993 | Washington, D.C., U.S. | Hard | Rick Leach | Grant Connell Patrick Galbraith | 6–4, 7–5 |
| Loss | 3. | Aug 1993 | Schenectady, U.S. | Hard | Brett Steven | Bernd Karbacher Andrei Olhovskiy | 6–2, 6–7, 1–6 |
| Win | 3. | Oct 1993 | Basel, Switzerland | Hard (i) | Jonathan Stark | Brad Pearce Dave Randall | 3–6, 7–5, 6–3 |
| Win | 4. | Oct 1993 | Toulouse, France | Hard (i) | Jonathan Stark | David Prinosil Udo Riglewski | 7–5, 7–6 |
| Win | 5. | Oct 1993 | Vienna, Austria | Carpet (i) | Jonathan Stark | Mike Bauer David Prinosil | 6–3, 7–6 |
| Win | 6. | Nov 1993 | Paris, France | Carpet (i) | Jonathan Stark | Tom Nijssen Cyril Suk | 4–6, 7–5, 6–2 |
| Loss | 4. | Jan 1994 | Adelaide, Australia | Hard | David Adams | Mark Kratzmann Andrew Kratzmann | 4–6, 3–6 |
| Loss | 5. | Jan 1994 | Australian Open, Melbourne | Hard | Jonathan Stark | Jacco Eltingh Paul Haarhuis | 7–6, 3–6, 4–6, 3–6 |
| Loss | 6. | Feb 1994 | San Jose, U.S. | Hard (i) | Jonathan Stark | Rick Leach Jared Palmer | 6–4, 4–6, 4–6 |
| Win | 7. | Feb 1994 | Memphis, U.S. | Hard (i) | Jonathan Stark | Jim Grabb Jared Palmer | 7–6, 6–4 |
| Loss | 7. | Feb 1994 | Indian Wells, U.S. | Hard | Jonathan Stark | Grant Connell Patrick Galbraith | 5–7, 3–6 |
| Win | 8. | Jun 1994 | French Open, Paris | Clay | Jonathan Stark | Jan Apell Jonas Björkman | 6–4, 7–6 |
| Win | 9. | Aug 1994 | Toronto, Canada | Hard | Jonathan Stark | Patrick McEnroe Jared Palmer | 6–4, 6–4 |
| Loss | 8. | Oct 1994 | Sydney Indoor, Australia | Hard (i) | Jonathan Stark | Jacco Eltingh Paul Haarhuis | 4–6, 6–7 |
| Loss | 9. | Oct 1994 | Tokyo Indoor, Japan | Hard (i) | Jonathan Stark | Grant Connell Patrick Galbraith | 3–6, 6–3, 4–6 |
| Loss | 10. | Nov 1994 | Paris, France | Carpet (i) | Jonathan Stark | Jacco Eltingh Paul Haarhuis | 6–3, 6–7, 5–7 |
| Loss | 11. | Jan 1995 | Adelaide, Australia | Hard | Grant Connell | Jim Courier Patrick Rafter | 6–7, 4–6 |
| Loss | 12. | May 1995 | Hamburg, Germany | Clay | Andrei Olhovskiy | Wayne Ferreira Yevgeny Kafelnikov | 1–6, 6–7 |
| Win | 10. | May 1995 | Bologna, Italy | Clay | Jonathan Stark | Libor Pimek Vince Spadea | 7–5, 6–3 |
| Win | 11. | Nov 1995 | Moscow, Russia | Carpet (i) | Jonathan Stark | Tommy Ho Brett Steven | 6–4, 3–6, 6–3 |
| Win | 12. | Feb 1996 | Dubai, UAE | Hard | Grant Connell | Karel Nováček Jiří Novák | 6–0, 6–1 |
| Loss | 13. | Mar 1996 | Philadelphia, U.S. | Carpet (i) | Grant Connell | Todd Woodbridge Mark Woodforde | 6–7, 2–6 |
| Loss | 14. | Apr 1996 | New Delhi, India | Hard | Sandon Stolle | Jonas Björkman Nicklas Kulti | 6–4, 4–6, 4–6 |
| Win | 13. | May 1996 | Rome, Italy | Clay | Jonathan Stark | Libor Pimek Byron Talbot | 6–2, 6–3 |
| Win | 14. | Jun 1996 | Halle, Germany | Grass | Grant Connell | Yevgeny Kafelnikov Daniel Vacek | 6–1, 7–5 |
| Loss | 15. | Jul 1996 | Wimbledon, England | Grass | Grant Connell | Todd Woodbridge Mark Woodforde | 6–4, 1–6, 3–6, 2–6 |
| Win | 15. | Aug 1996 | New Haven, U.S. | Hard | Grant Connell | Jonas Björkman Nicklas Kulti | 6–4, 6–4 |
| Loss | 16. | May 1997 | Rome, Italy | Clay | Alex O'Brien | Mark Knowles Daniel Nestor | 3–6, 6–4, 5–7 |
| Win | 16. | Apr 1998 | Hong Kong | Hard | Alex O'Brien | Neville Godwin Tuomas Ketola | 7–5, 6–1 |
| Loss | 17. | Mar 1999 | London, England | Carpet (i) | Wayne Ferreira | Tim Henman Greg Rusedski | 3–6, $6–7^{(6–8)}$ |
| Win | 17. | Aug 1999 | Los Angeles, U.S. | Hard | Wayne Ferreira | Goran Ivanišević Brian MacPhie | 6–2, $7–6^{(7–4)}$ |
| Loss | 18. | Aug 1999 | Montreal, Canada | Hard | Wayne Ferreira | Jonas Björkman Patrick Rafter | $6–7^{(5–7)},$ 4–6 |
| Win | 18. | Aug 1999 | Cincinnati, U.S. | Hard | Jonas Björkman | Todd Woodbridge Mark Woodforde | 6–3, $7–6^{(8–6)}$ |
| Win | 19. | Nov 1999 | Stuttgart Indoor, Germany | Hard (i) | Jonas Björkman | David Adams John-Laffnie de Jager | $6–7^{(6–8)},$ $7–6^{(7–2)},$ 6–0 |
| Win | 20. | Feb 2000 | Mexico City, Mexico | Clay | Donald Johnson | Gastón Etlis Martín Rodríguez | 6–3, 7–5 |
| Win | 21. | Jan 2001 | Chennai, India | Hard | Wayne Black | Barry Cowan Mosé Navarra | 6–4, 6–3 |
| Loss | 19. | Jan 2001 | Australian Open, Melbourne | Hard | David Prinosil | Jonas Björkman Todd Woodbridge | 1–6, 7–5, 4–6, 4–6 |
| Win | 22. | Sep 2001 | Shanghai, China | Hard | Thomas Shimada | John-Laffnie de Jager Robbie Koenig | 6–2, 3–6, 7–5 |

### Singles: 10 (2 titles, 8 runner-ups)

| Result | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Loss | 1. | Jan 1996 | Adelaide, Australia | Hard | Yevgeny Kafelnikov | 6–7, 6–3, 1–6 |
| Loss | 2. | Apr 1996 | New Delhi, India | Hard | Thomas Enqvist | 2–6, 6–7 |
| Win | 1. | Apr 1996 | Seoul, South Korea | Hard | Martin Damm | 7–6, 6–3 |
| Loss | 3. | Apr 1998 | Hong Kong | Hard | Kenneth Carlsen | 2–6, 0–6 |
| Loss | 4. | Apr 1998 | Tokyo, Japan | Hard | Andrei Pavel | 3–6, 4–6 |
| Loss | 5. | Jun 1998 | Nottingham, England | Grass | Jonas Björkman | 3–6, 2–6 |
| Win | 2. | Apr 1999 | Chennai, India | Hard | Rainer Schüttler | 6–4, 1–6, 6–3 |
| Loss | 6. | Nov 1999 | Moscow, Russia | Carpet (i) | Yevgeny Kafelnikov | 6–7, 4–6 |
| Loss | 7. | Feb 2000 | Memphis, USA | Hard (i) | Magnus Larsson | 2–6, 6–1, 3–6 |
| Loss | 8. | Jun 2000 | Nottingham, England | Grass | Sébastien Grosjean | 6–7, 3–6 |

## Performance timelines

Key :

| W | F | SF | QF | #R | RR | Q# | DNQ | A | NH |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |

### Doubles

| Tournament | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | Career SR | Career win–loss |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Grand Slam tournaments |||||||||||||||||
| Australian Open | A | A | A | 2R | 1R | F | 1R | 2R | 3R | 1R | 2R | 2R | F | 3R | 0 / 11 | 18–11 |
| French Open | A | A | A | 1R | 1R | W | 2R | 2R | 1R | 1R | 2R | 2R | 1R | 3R | 1 / 11 | 12–10 |
| Wimbledon | A | A | 2R | 1R | QF | 3R | 3R | F | 2R | 1R | 1R | 3R | 1R | 2R | 0 / 12 | 17–12 |
| US Open | 2R | A | A | 1R | 2R | 3R | QF | 1R | 1R | 3R | SF | 1R | 2R | A | 0 / 11 | 14–11 |
| Grand Slam SR | 0 / 1 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 4 | 1 / 4 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 3 | 1 / 45 | N/A |
| Annual win–loss | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 4–4 | 15–3 | 6–4 | 7–4 | 3–4 | 2–4 | 6–4 | 4–4 | 6–4 | 5–3 | N/A | 61–44 |
| ATP Masters Series |||||||||||||||||
| Indian Wells | NME | 2R | A | A | A | F | 2R | SF | 2R | 2R | 1R | 1R | QF | A | 0 / 9 | 9–8 |
| Miami | NME | A | A | A | SF | SF | SF | SF | QF | 3R | 1R | QF | 2R | A | 0 / 9 | 17–9 |
| Monte Carlo | NME | A | A | A | A | A | 2R | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 0 / 1 | 0–1 |
| Rome | NME | A | A | A | A | A | 1R | W | F | A | A | QF | A | A | 1 / 4 | 11–3 |
| Hamburg | NME | A | A | A | A | A | F | A | A | A | A | 2R | A | A | 0 / 2 | 4–2 |
| Canada | NME | A | A | A | 2R | W | 2R | QF | 1R | 1R | F | A | 1R | A | 1 / 8 | 9–7 |
| Cincinnati | NME | A | A | A | A | QF | SF | QF | 1R | 1R | W | A | 2R | A | 1 / 7 | 10–6 |
| Stuttgart (Stockholm) | NME | A | A | A | A | A | QF | 2R | A | 1R | W | A | A | A | 1 / 4 | 5–3 |
| Paris | NME | A | A | A | W | F | 2R | SF | 1R | 2R | 2R | 1R | A | A | 1/ 8 | 11–7 |
| Masters Series SR | N/A | 0 / 1 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 0 | 1 / 3 | 1 / 5 | 0 / 9 | 1 / 7 | 0 / 6 | 0 / 6 | 2 / 6 | 0 / 5 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 0 | 5 / 52 | N/A |
| Annual win–loss | N/A | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 9–2 | 14–4 | 9–9 | 12–6 | 6–6 | 4–6 | 13–4 | 5–5 | 3–4 | 0–0 | N/A | 76–46 |
| Year-end ranking | 586 | 381 | 149 | 90 | 5 | 6 | 18 | 4 | 70 | 70 | 10 | 53 | 34 | 106 | N/A | N/A |
