American tennis coach and former tennis player
David WittWitt in 2023 |
Country (sports) | United States |
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Residence | Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, U.S. |
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Born | (1973-06-02) June 2, 1973 (age 51) High Point, North Carolina, U.S. |
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Height | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) |
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Turned pro | 1991 |
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Plays | Right-handed |
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Prize money | US$ 295,543 |
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Singles |
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Career record | 15–23 |
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Career titles | 0 2 Challenger, 0 Futures |
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Highest ranking | No. 128 (8 November 1993) |
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Grand Slam singles results |
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Australian Open | 1R (1998) |
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French Open | Q3 (1994) |
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Wimbledon | 1R (1994) |
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US Open | 2R (1994) |
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Doubles |
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Career record | 13–17 |
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Career titles | 0 2 Challenger, 0 Futures |
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Highest ranking | No. 157 (22 August 1994) |
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Grand Slam doubles results |
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French Open | 1R (1994) |
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Wimbledon | Q3 (1993) |
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US Open | 3R (1993) |
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David Witt (born June 2, 1973) is an American tennis coach and former professional player. He is currently coaching Frances Tiafoe and is best known as the former long-time coach of Venus Williams and Jessica Pegula. He enjoyed a successful junior career, during which time he won the USTA Boys' 16s Clay, Hard and National Championships and was the top-ranked under-16 in the USTA in 1989.[1] He was also a semifinalist at the US Open Junior Boys Singles event in 1991.[2]
Career
His closest career win on the main tour was in the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships in Birmingham, Alabama, where he and Brian MacPhie were runners-up in the doubles in 1994. He did win two challenger-level events in his career: Guadalajara, Mexico in 1992 and the Levene Gouldin & Thompson Tennis Challenger at Binghamton, New York in 1997. He retired from professional tennis in 2005.
Coaching
In 2002, while working as the resident pro at the Deerwood Country Club in Jacksonville, Florida, Witt was approached by the Williams sisters to act as a hitting partner during their participation at the Bausch & Lomb Championships at nearby Amelia Island. In 2007, they asked him to accompany them to Charleston, South Carolina for the Family Circle Cup.[3] Since then he has acted as a travelling hitting partner for both women,[4] most notably for elder sister Venus.[5][6] In December 2018, Venus ended the 11-year partnership.[7] David Witt coached Jessica Pegula from July 2019[8] to January 2024. In March 2024, Witt began coaching Maria Sakkari,[9] and five months later, in July he started collaboration with Frances Tiafoe.[10]
ATP career finals
Doubles: 1 (runner-up)
Legend | Grand Slam Tournaments (0–0) | ATP Masters Series (0–0) | ATP Championship Series (0–0) | ATP World Series (0–1) | | Finals by surface | Hard (0–0) | Clay (0–1) | Grass (0–0) | Carpet (0–0) | | Finals by setting | Outdoors (0–1) | Indoors (0–0) | |
ATP Challenger and ITF Futures finals
Singles: 4 (2–2)
Legend | ATP Challenger (2–2) | ITF Futures (0–0) | | Finals by surface | Hard (1–2) | Clay (1–0) | Grass (0–0) | Carpet (0–0) | |
Doubles: 4 (2–2)
Legend | ATP Challenger (2–1) | ITF Futures (0–1) | | Finals by surface | Hard (1–1) | Clay (1–1) | Grass (0–0) | Carpet (0–0) | |
Key W | F | SF | QF | #R | RR | Q# | DNQ | A | NH |
(W) winner; (F) finalist; (SF) semifinalist; (QF) quarterfinalist; (#R) rounds 4, 3, 2, 1; (RR) round-robin stage; (Q#) qualification round; (DNQ) did not qualify; (A) absent; (NH) not held; (SR) strike rate (events won / competed); (W–L) win–loss record.
Singles
Doubles
References
- ^ "David Witt - Profile". Association of Tennis Professionals.
- ^ "U.S. Open Junior Championships 1991". International Tennis Federation.
- ^ "Witt is a hit with Venus and Serena", The Florida Times-Union, July 13, 2007
- ^ Vach, Richard (2007), "Family man Witt joins Williams tennis clan", JAX Tennis Magazine (July)
- ^ Harwitt, Sandra (June 26, 2008), "No tune-ups, no problem for the Williamses at Wimbledon", ESPN.com
- ^ Clarey, Christopher (July 6, 2008), "Venus rises in sister act", The New York Times
- ^ "REPORT: VENUS WILLIAMS PARTS WAYS WITH LONGTIME COACH DAVID WITT". Tennis. December 10, 2018. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
- ^ "Pegula steps up in WTT while looking to springboard into tour return".
- ^ "Maria Sakkari Hires New Coach David Witt in Bid for Return to Top".
- ^ "Tiafoe ready for U.S. swing with new coach (David Witt), confidence from Wimbledon". July 25, 2024. Retrieved July 31, 2024.
External links