Kevin Ullyett

Zimbabwean professional tennis player Kevin Ullyett was a doubles specialist who won three Grand Slam titles during his career, earning more than $4 million in prize money. Ullyett achieved a career-best singles ranking of #107 in the world in May 2000 and a doubles ranking of #4 in the world in January 2005. He won two doubles titles with compatriot Wayne Black; the first at the 2001 US Open, followed by the pair’s second title at the 2005 Australian Open. Ullyett also won the mixed doubles title at the 2002 Australian Open with Slovakia’s Daniela Hantuchová.

Ullyett won his first of 34 titles on the ATP Circuit with Max Mirny of Belarus at the 1997 Shanghai Open. He then formed successful partnerships with South African players Grant Stafford and Pietie Norval before having a long partnership with Wayne Black. From October 2000 to August 2005 Ullyett and Black reached 25 finals together, winning 14 of them. Ullyett then played with the Australian Paul Hanley for the best part of two years, winning six titles, before later having success with both Bruno Soares (BRA) and Jonas Björkman (SWE).

In 2000 Ullyett played in the singles and doubles at the Sydney Olympics, once again pairing with Black in the latter. Four years later, Ullyett and Black reached the quarter-finals at the Athina Olympics, losing to the Indian pair of Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes. Ullyett came from a sporting family, with his father Robert playing field hockey for Rhodesia at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, as well as playing in almost 50 first-class cricket matches.