Mike Davies (tennis)
Mike Davies ( born January 9, 1936 in Swansea ) is a former British tennis player and businessman from Wales.
Career as a player
In 1960, Davies lost at Wimbledon along with his compatriot Bobby Wilson in the finals of the doubles competition against the Mexicans Rafael Osuna and the American Dennis Ralston in three sets 7:5, 6:3 and 10:8. In addition, he stood in the individual finals of San Jose in 1958 and Gstaad 1960. During the years 1957, 1959 and 1960, he was out in the British rankings at number one. Between 1955 and 1960, Davies played 16 matches for the British Davis Cup team. He won 15 of his 22 singles matches and nine of his 15 double batches.
After moving into the doubles final of Wimbledon Davies took advantage of an offer of £ 4,500 per year by Jack Kramer, the amateur gave him the existence of the professional athletes. This was contrary to the then rules of the International Tennis Federation, which did not allow professional players in their competitions. Consequently Davies further participation in the Davis Cup and Grand Slams was prohibited. Davies led from then on with other professional players through their own tournaments and was the first speaker of early players' union, which was a forerunner of today's ATP. The marketing of professional tournaments was one of his tasks.
1967 ended Davies first his active career. As at Wimbledon in 1968 but the first time professional players have been permitted, Davies celebrated a one-time comeback. Between the Championships in 1960 and 1968 were thus twelve Grand Slams that Davies had missed during his suspension.
Career as an entrepreneur
After his playing career, Mike Davies operated in the official environment. So he was taken from the early World Championship Tennis tour under contract as their manager, he worked for 13 years. His many innovations and new regulations around the sport of tennis attributable to modernize the sport. These include colored game balls and the introduction of the tie- breaks. His biggest success was a TV contract with NBC, the tennis made accessible for the first time the masses on television. From 1981 to 1984 Davies worked for the ATP as manager and led them from the impending bankruptcy towards an association capable of action. From 1987, Davies worked for the ITF as a marketing director and excelled for triplication of sponsorship and TV revenue that flowed to the ITF responsible. During this time he also founded the Grand Slam Cup.
1995 Davies retired at the ITF and is active to this day as the tournament director of the former ATP tournament in New Haven. In 2012, Davies was recorded for his contributions to the ATP and the ITF into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.