Peter Fleming (tennis)

Peter Blair Fleming (born January 21, 1955, in Chatham Borough, New Jersey) is an American former professional tennis player. In his doubles partnership with John McEnroe, he won 52 titles, of which seven were at Grand Slams (four at Wimbledon, three at the US Open). As a singles player, he peaked at world No. 8, winning three titles (including the 1979 Cincinnati Open).

Peter Fleming
Fleming and Guy Forget, Wimbledon 2010
Full namePeter Blair Fleming
Country (sports) United States
ResidenceGlen Cove, New York, US
Born (1955-01-21) January 21, 1955 (age 69)
Chatham Borough, New Jersey, US
Height6 ft 5 (1.96 m)
Turned pro1976
Retired1988
PlaysRight-handed (one-handed backhand)
Prize money$1,986,799
Singles
Career record224–213
Career titles3
Highest rankingNo. 8 (July 7, 1980)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open3R (1983)
French Open2R (1977, 1980)
WimbledonQF (1980)
US Open3R (1978)
Doubles
Career record507–177
Career titles60
Highest rankingNo. 1 (June 11, 1984)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open3R (1983)
French OpenSF (1987)
WimbledonW (1979, 1981, 1983, 1984)
US OpenW (1979, 1981, 1983)
Other doubles tournaments
Tour FinalsW (1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984)
Mixed doubles
Career record6–5
Career titles0
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
Wimbledon3R (1987)
US OpenF (1986)

Tennis career

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Fleming attended Chatham High School, where he won the New Jersey high school individual championship in 1972, during his junior year.[1] He won the men's singles in the Ojai Tennis Tournament in 1975.[2]

During the 1980s, Fleming teamed up with fellow American John McEnroe to dominate the men's doubles game. The duo won 52 doubles titles together, including four at Wimbledon (1979, 1981, 1983 and 1984), and three at the US Open (1979, 1981 and 1983). Fleming once said that "The best doubles pair in the world is John McEnroe and anyone".[3]

Fleming also played on three American Davis Cup winning teams (1979, 1981 and 1982), and helped the US win the World Team Cup twice (1984 and 1985). Fleming reached the World No. 1 doubles ranking in 1984. His career-high singles ranking was world No. 8 in 1980, the year in which he reached the quarter-finals at the Wimbledon championships. Over the course of his career Fleming won three top-level singles titles and sixty doubles titles. Prior to turning professional, Fleming played tennis for the University of California, Los Angeles (after transferring from the University of Michigan), and won the National Collegiate Athletic Association doubles title in 1976.

Since retiring as a player, Fleming has become a tennis commentator for Sky Sports, Eurosport and the BBC.

Fleming is a keen golfer (handicap 10) and is an active member of The Stage Golf Society.

He was inducted into the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Hall of Fame.[4] On July 30, 2011, Fleming, the Farmers Classic 1979 singles and 1983 doubles champion, was named 2011 Farmers Classic Tournament Honoree.[5]

 
Fleming's Wimbledon medals, as recorded by the Portable Antiquities Scheme

In 2020 five of Fleming's Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships Medals, dating from 1978 to 2002, were found in London and reported to the Portable Antiquities Scheme.

WCT, Grand Prix, and Grand Slam finals

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Doubles (60 wins, 21 losses)

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Result No. Date Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Loss 1. 1976 La Costa, U.S. Hard   Gene Mayer   Marty Riessen
  Roscoe Tanner
6–7, 6–7
Loss 2. 1977 Columbus, U.S. Clay   Gene Mayer   Robert Lutz
  Stan Smith
6–4, 5–7, 2–6
Loss 3. 1977 Laguna Niguel, U.S. Hard   Trey Waltke   James Chico Hagey
  Billy Martin
3–6, 4–6
Loss 4. 1977 Johannesburg WCT, South Africa Hard   Raymond Moore   Marty Riessen
  Roscoe Tanner
6–7, 6–7
Win 1. 1978 Monte Carlo WCT, Monaco Clay   Tomáš Šmíd   Jaime Fillol
  Ilie Năstase
6–4, 7–5
Loss 5. 1978 Wimbledon, London Grass   John McEnroe   Bob Hewitt
  Frew McMillan
1–6, 4–6, 2–6
Win 2. 1978 South Orange, U.S. Clay   John McEnroe   Ion Țiriac
  Guillermo Vilas
6–3, 6–3
Win 3. 1978 San Francisco, U.S. Carpet   John McEnroe   Robert Lutz
  Stan Smith
5–7, 6–4, 6–4
Loss 6. 1978 Maui, U.S. Hard   John McEnroe   Tim Gullikson
  Tom Gullikson
6–7, 6–7
Win 4. 1978 Cologne, West Germany Hard (i)   John McEnroe   Bob Hewitt
  Frew McMillan
6–3, 6–2
Win 5. 1978 Bologna, Italy Carpet   John McEnroe   Jean-Louis Haillet
  Antonio Zugarelli
6–1, 6–4
Win 6. 1978 Johannesburg, South Africa Hard   Raymond Moore   Bob Hewitt
  Frew McMillan
6–3, 7–6
Win 7. 1979 World Doubles WCT, London Carpet   John McEnroe   Ilie Năstase
  Sherwood Stewart
3–6, 6–2, 6–3, 6–1
Loss 7. 1979 Philadelphia, U.S. Carpet   John McEnroe   Wojtek Fibak
  Tom Okker
7–5, 1–6, 3–6
Win 8. 1979 New Orleans, U.S. Carpet   John McEnroe   Robert Lutz
  Stan Smith
6–1, 6–3
Win 9. 1979 Milan, Italy Carpet   John McEnroe   José Luis Clerc
  Tomáš Šmíd
6–1, 6–3
Win 10. 1979 Rotterdam, Netherlands Carpet   John McEnroe   Heinz Günthardt
  Bernard Mitton
6–4, 6–4
Win 11. 1979 San Jose, U.S. Carpet   John McEnroe   Hank Pfister
  Brad Rowe
6–3, 6–4
Win 12. 1979 Rome, Italy Carpet   Tomáš Šmíd   José Luis Clerc
  Ilie Năstase
4–6, 6–1, 7–5
Win 13. 1979 Wimbledon, London Grass   John McEnroe   Brian Gottfried
  Raúl Ramírez
4–6, 6–4, 6–2, 6–2
Win 14. 1979 Forest Hills WCT, U.S. Clay   John McEnroe   Gene Mayer
  Sandy Mayer
6–7, 7–6, 6–3
Win 15. 1979 South Orange, U.S. Clay   John McEnroe   Fritz Buehning
  Bruce Nichols
6–1, 6–3
Win 16. 1979 Toronto, Canada Hard   John McEnroe   Heinz Günthardt
  Bob Hewitt
6–7, 7–6, 6–1
Win 17. 1979 US Open, New York City Hard   John McEnroe   Robert Lutz
  Stan Smith
6–2, 6–4
Win 18. 1979 San Francisco, U.S. Carpet   John McEnroe   Wojtek Fibak
  Frew McMillan
6–1, 6–4
Win 19. 1979 Stockholm, Sweden Hard (i)   John McEnroe   Wojtek Fibak
  Tom Okker
6–4, 6–4
Win 20. 1979 Wembley, England Carpet   John McEnroe   Tomáš Šmíd
  Stan Smith
6–2, 6–3
Win 21. 1979 Bologna, Italy Carpet   John McEnroe   Fritz Buehning
  Ferdi Taygan
6–1, 6–1
Win 22. 1980 Philadelphia, U.S. Carpet   John McEnroe   Brian Gottfried
  Raúl Ramírez
6–3, 7–6
Win 23. 1980 Milan, Italy Carpet   John McEnroe   Andrew Pattison
  Butch Walts
6–2, 6–7, 6–2
Win 24. 1980 Forest Hills WCT, U.S. Clay   John McEnroe   Peter McNamara
  Paul McNamee
6–2, 5–7, 6–2
Loss 8. 1980 Columbus, U.S. Hard   Eliot Teltscher   Brian Gottfried
  Sandy Mayer
4–6, 2–6
Loss 9. 1980 US Open, New York City Hard   John McEnroe   Robert Lutz
  Stan Smith
6–7, 6–3, 1–6, 6–3, 3–6
Win 25. 1980 San Francisco, U.S. Carpet   John McEnroe   Gene Mayer
  Sandy Mayer
6–1, 6–4
Win 26. 1980 Maui, U.S. Hard   John McEnroe   Victor Amaya
  Hank Pfister
7–6, 6–7, 6–2
Win 27. 1980 Sydney Indoor, Australia Hard (i)   John McEnroe   Tim Gullikson
  Johan Kriek
4–6, 6–1, 6–2
Win 28. 1980 Hong Kong Hard   Ferdi Taygan   Bruce Manson
  Brian Teacher
7–5, 6–2
Win 29. 1980 Wembley, England Carpet   John McEnroe   Bill Scanlon
  Eliot Teltscher
7–5, 6–3
Win 30. 1981 Las Vegas, U.S. Hard   John McEnroe   Tracy Delatte
  Trey Waltke
6–3, 7–6
Win 31. 1981 Forest Hills WCT, U.S. Clay   John McEnroe   John Fitzgerald
  Andy Kohlberg
6–4, 6–4
Win 32. 1981 Wimbledon, London Grass   John McEnroe   Robert Lutz
  Stan Smith
6–4, 6–4, 6–4
Loss 10. 1981 Montreal, Canada Hard   John McEnroe   Raúl Ramírez
  Ferdi Taygan
6–2, 6–7, 4–6
Win 33. 1981 Atlanta, U.S. Hard   Fritz Buehning   Sammy Giammalva Jr.
  Tony Giammalva
6–4, 4–6, 6–3
Win 34. 1981 US Open, New York City Hard   John McEnroe   Heinz Günthardt
  Peter McNamara
DEF
Win 35. 1981 San Francisco, U.S. Carpet   John McEnroe   Mark Edmondson
  Sherwood Stewart
7–6, 6–4
Win 36. 1981 Sydney Indoor, Australia Hard (i)   John McEnroe   Sherwood Stewart
  Ferdi Taygan
6–7, 7–6, 6–1
Loss 11. 1981 Wembley, England Carpet   John McEnroe   Sherwood Stewart
  Ferdi Taygan
5–7, 7–6, 4–6
Win 37. 1982 Philadelphia, U.S. Carpet   John McEnroe   Sherwood Stewart
  Ferdi Taygan
7–6, 6–4
Loss 12. 1982 Memphis, U.S. Carpet   John McEnroe   Kevin Curren
  Steve Denton
6–7, 6–4, 2–6
Loss 13. 1982 Wimbledon, London Grass   John McEnroe   Paul McNamee
  Peter McNamara
3–6, 2–6
Loss 14. 1982 Toronto, Canada Hard   John McEnroe   Steve Denton
  Mark Edmondson
7–6, 5–7, 2–6
Win 38. 1982 Cincinnati, U.S. Hard   John McEnroe   Steve Denton
  Mark Edmondson
6–2, 6–3
Win 39. 1982 Wembley, England Carpet   John McEnroe   Heinz Günthardt
  Tomáš Šmíd
7–6, 6–4
Loss 15. 1983 Philadelphia, U.S. Carpet   John McEnroe   Kevin Curren
  Steve Denton
4–6, 6–7
Loss 16. 1983 Rotterdam, Netherlands Hard (i)   Pavel Složil   Fritz Buehning
  Tom Gullikson
6–7, 6–4, 6–7
Loss 17. 1983 Milan, Italy Carpet   Fritz Buehning   Pavel Složil
  Tomáš Šmíd
2–6, 7–5, 4–6
Win 40. 1983 Los Angeles, U.S. Hard   John McEnroe   Sandy Mayer
  Ferdi Taygan
6–1, 6–2
Win 41. 1983 Wimbledon, London Grass   John McEnroe   Tim Gullikson
  Tom Gullikson
6–4, 6–3, 6–4
Win 42. 1983 US Open, New York City Hard   John McEnroe   Fritz Buehning
  Van Winitsky
6–3, 6–4, 6–2
Win 43. 1983 San Francisco, U.S. Carpet   John McEnroe   Ivan Lendl
  Vincent Van Patten
6–1, 6–2
Loss 18. 1983 Stockholm, Sweden Hard (i)   Johan Kriek   Anders Järryd
  Hans Simonsson
3–6, 4–6
Win 44. 1983 Wembley, England Carpet   John McEnroe   Steve Denton
  Sherwood Stewart
6–3, 6–4
Win 45. 1984 Philadelphia, U.S. Carpet   John McEnroe   Henri Leconte
  Yannick Noah
6–2, 6–3
Win 46. 1984 Memphis, U.S. Carpet   Fritz Buehning   Heinz Günthardt
  Tomáš Šmíd
6–3, 6–0
Win 47. 1984 Madrid, Spain Carpet   John McEnroe   Fritz Buehning
  Ferdi Taygan
6–3, 6–3
Win 48. 1984 Wimbledon, London Grass   John McEnroe   Pat Cash
  Paul McNamee
6–2, 5–7, 6–2, 3–6, 6–3
Win 49. 1984 Toronto, Canada Hard   John McEnroe   John Fitzgerald
  Kim Warwick
6–4, 6–2
Win 50. 1984 San Francisco, U.S. Carpet   John McEnroe   Mike De Palmer
  Sammy Giammalva Jr.
6–3, 6–4
Win 51. 1984 Masters, New York City Carpet   John McEnroe   Pavel Složil
  Tomáš Šmíd
6–2, 6–2
Win 52. 1985 Toronto Indoor, Canada Carpet   Anders Järryd   Glenn Layendecker
  Glenn Michibata
7–6, 6–2
Win 53. 1985 Houston, U.S. Carpet   John McEnroe   Hank Pfister
  Ben Testerman
6–3, 6–2
Win 54. 1985 Dallas, U.S. Carpet   John McEnroe   Mark Edmondson
  Sherwood Stewart
6–3, 6–1
Win 55. 1986 La Quinta, U.S. Carpet   Guy Forget   Yannick Noah
  Sherwood Stewart
6–4, 6–3
Loss 19. 1986 Wimbledon, London Grass   Gary Donnelly   Joakim Nyström
  Mats Wilander
6–7, 3–6, 3–6
Win 56. 1986 Stratton Mountain, U.S. Hard   John McEnroe   Paul Annacone
  Christo van Rensburg
6–3, 3–6, 6–3
Loss 20. 1986 Los Angeles, U.S. Hard   John McEnroe   Stefan Edberg
  Anders Järryd
6–3, 5–7, 6–7
Win 57. 1986 San Francisco, U.S. Carpet   John McEnroe   Mike De Palmer
  Gary Donnelly
6–4, 7–6
Win 58. 1986 Paris Indoor, France Carpet   John McEnroe   Mansour Bahrami
  Diego Pérez
6–3, 6–2
Win 59. 1986 Wembley, England Carpet   John McEnroe   Sherwood Stewart
  Kim Warwick
3–6, 7–6, 6–2
Loss 21. 1987 Forest Hills, U.S. Clay   Gary Donnelly   Guy Forget
  Yannick Noah
6–4, 4–6, 1–6
Win 60. 1987 Washington, D.C., U.S. Hard   Gary Donnelly   Laurie Warder
  Blaine Willenborg
6–2, 7–6

Singles (3 wins, 5 losses)

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Result W/L Date Tournament Surface Opponent Score
Loss 0–1 1978 Maui, U.S. Hard   Bill Scanlon 2–6, 0–6
Win 1–1 1978 Bologna, Italy Carpet   Adriano Panatta 6–2, 7–6
Loss 1–2 1978 Montego Bay, Jamaica Hard   Ilie Năstase 6–2, 6–5, 2–6, 4–6, 4–6
Loss 1–3 1979 San Jose, U.S. Carpet   John McEnroe 6–7, 6–7
Win 2–3 1979 Cincinnati, U.S. Hard   Roscoe Tanner 6–4, 6–2
Win 3–3 1979 Los Angeles, U.S. Carpet   John McEnroe 6–4, 6–4
Loss 3–4 1979 San Francisco, U.S. Carpet   John McEnroe 6–4, 5–7, 2–6
Loss 3–5 1979 Maui, U.S. Hard   Bill Scanlon 1–6, 1–6

ATP doubles records

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Tournament Years Record accomplished Players matched
Grand Prix Tour Finals 1978–84 7 Titles John McEnroe
Grand Prix Tour Finals 1978–84 7 consecutive titles John McEnroe
Grand Prix Tour 1979 14 doubles titles in 1 season John McEnroe

Notes

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References

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  1. ^ Best Boys Tennis Team of the Century, The Star-Ledger. Accessed December 10, 2007.
  2. ^ "OJAI Records of Events Index" (PDF). The Ojai Tennis Tournament. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 22, 2022.
  3. ^ McEnroe, John; James Kaplan (2002). You Cannot Be Serious. New York: Berkley Books. p. 109. ISBN 0-425-19008-0.
  4. ^ ITA Men's Hall of Fame
  5. ^ 2011 Tournament Honoree: Peter Fleming Archived March 25, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, FarmersClassic.com, July 30, 2011
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