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Sept. 12, 2000
FLUSHING, N.Y. – Third-year Virginia men’s tennis coach Dick Stockton teamed with Tom Gullikson to win the U.S. Open Men’s 45s Doubles Masters title at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing, N.Y., on Sunday, September 10. It marks the second-consecutive year that Stockton and Gullikson have won the U.S. Open Men’s 45s Doubles title. The duo defeated Sandy Mayer and Hank Pfister 6-1, 5-7, 7-6 (4) in the finals to earn the title.
Stockton and Gullikson advanced to the finals by winning their group with a perfect 3-0 record in round robin play. Mayer and Pfister won the other four-team group to advance to the finals. The Masters Championship is the sixth title that Stockton and Gullikson have combined to win, including the 1999 U.S. Open title. Stockton also captured the U.S. Open 45-and-Over Doubles Championship in 1996.
In addition to the three U.S. Open 45s Championships, Stockton won the 1997 Wimbledon 45-and-Over Doubles title as well as the 1997 World Doubles Championship. His dominating play in singles, doubles and mixed doubles earned him a ranking in the U.S. Top Ten six times. At the peak of his professional career, Stockton was ranked #8 in the world (1977). In 1986, he was ranked #1 in the world in the 35-and-Over Division and was ranked #4 in 1987.
In his first two seasons as a collegiate coach, Stockton has led the Virginia men’s tennis team to a 30-20 record. The Cavaliers garnered their fourth straight bid to the NCAA Team Championships and ninth overall this past spring. A pair of Stockton’s players were also invited to the NCAA Individual Championships. Brian Vahaly was selected to compete in both singles and doubles play, while Huntley Montgomery teamed with Vahaly in the doubles competition. Vahaly advanced to the quarterfinals of the singles draw. In doubles play, the UVa duo lost in the first round.
Virginia kicks off the 2000 fall men’s tennis season by competing in the National Clay Court Championships, in Baltimore, Md., September 21-24.