Ray Ruffels
AIS Head Tennis Coach Ray Ruffels in 1981
Full nameRaymond Owen Ruffels
Country (sports) Australia
Born (1946-03-23) 23 March 1946
Sydney, Australia
Turned pro1968 (amateur from 1964)
Retired1980
PlaysLeft-handed (one-handed backhand)
Singles
Career record452-316
Career titles13
Highest rankingNo. 27 (12 December 1976)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian OpenSF (1968, 1969, 1975)
French Open4R (1968)
WimbledonQF (1967)
US Open4R (1966)
Doubles
Career record219–137
Career titles16
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian OpenW (1977)
Mixed doubles
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
WimbledonF (1978)
US OpenF (1978)

Raymond Owen "Ray" Ruffels (born 23 March 1946)[1] is an Australian former professional tennis player and coach.

Playing career

Ruffels was an Australian Open semi-finalist in 1968, 1969 and 1975, and a quarter-finalist in 1970 and 1977. In 1978, partnering with Billie Jean King in mixed doubles competition, Ruffels reached the final at Wimbledon and the US Open.

He was a member of the Australian Davis Cup team in 1968, 1969, 1970, and 1977.[1]

Career finals

Doubles (16 titles, 7 runner-ups)

Result W–L Date Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Win 1–0 1970 Merion, US Hard Australia Bill Bowrey United States Jim McManus
United States Jim Osborne		 3–6, 6–2, 7–5
Win 2–0 1970 Phoenix, US Hard Australia Dick Crealy Czechoslovakia Jan Kodeš
United States Charlie Pasarell		 7–6, 6–3
Win 3–0 1970 Buenos Aires, Argentina Clay Australia Bob Carmichael Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Željko Franulović
Czechoslovakia Jan Kodeš		 7–5, 6–2, 5–7, 6–7, 6–3
Win 4–0 1971 Auckland, New Zealand Grass Australia Bob Carmichael New Zealand Brian Fairlie
South Africa Raymond Moore		 6–3, 6–7, 6–4, 4–6, 6–3
Loss 4–1 1971 Tehran WCT, Iran Clay Australia Bob Carmichael Australia John Newcombe
Australia Tony Roche		 4–6, 7–6, 1–6
Loss 4–2 1971 Washington WCT, US Clay Australia Bob Carmichael Netherlands Tom Okker
United States Marty Riessen		 6–7, 2–6
Win 5–2 1972 Toronto WCT, Canada Carpet Australia Bob Carmichael Australia Roy Emerson
Australia Rod Laver		 6–4, 4–6, 6–4
Win 6–2 1972 Quebec WCT, Canada Indoor Australia Bob Carmichael Australia John Alexander
Australia Terry Addison		 4–6, 6–3, 7–5
Loss 6–3 1974 Christchurch, New Zealand Australia Syd Ball Egypt Ismail El Shafei
United States Roscoe Tanner		 W/O
Win 7–3 1975 Auckland, New Zealand Grass Australia Bob Carmichael New Zealand Brian Fairlie
New Zealand Onny Parun		 7–6, RET.
Win 8–3 1975 Baltimore WCT, US Carpet Australia Dick Crealy Egypt Ismail El Shafei
South Africa Frew McMillan		 6–4, 6–3
Win 9–3 1975 Dayton Indoor, US Carpet Australia Allan Stone United States Paul Gerken
United States Brian Gottfried		 7–6, 7–5
Loss 9–4 1975 Orlando WCT, US Hard Australia Colin Dibley United States Brian Gottfried
Mexico Raúl Ramírez		 4–6, 4–6
Win 10–4 1975 St. Louis, US Clay Australia Colin Dibley Australia Ross Case
Australia Geoff Masters		 6–4, 6–4
Win 11–4 1976 Dayton, US Carpet United States Sherwood Stewart Chile Jaime Fillol
United States Charlie Pasarell		 6–2, 3–6, 7–5
Win 12–4 1976 Little Rock, US Carpet Australia Syd Ball Paraguay Giuliano Pecci
Pakistan Haroon Rahim		 6–3, 6–7, 6–3
Win 13–4 1976 Boston, US Clay Australia Allan Stone United States Mike Cahill
United States John Whitlinger		 3–6, 6–3, 7–6
Loss 13–5 1976 Bermuda Clay Australia Dick Crealy United States Mike Cahill
United States John Whitlinger		 4–6, 6–4, 6–7
Win 14–5 1976 Bangalore, India Clay Australia Bob Carmichael India Chiradip Mukerjea
India Bhanu Nunna		 6–2, 7–6
Loss 14–6 1977 La Costa WCT, US Hard Australia Allan Stone South Africa Bob Hewitt
South Africa Frew McMillan		 4–6, 2–6
Win 15–6 1977 Perth, Australia Hard Australia Allan Stone United States Nick Saviano
United States John Whitlinger		 6–2, 6–1
Loss 15–7 1977 Sydney Outdoor, Australia Grass Australia Allan Stone Australia John Alexander
Australia Phil Dent		 6–7, 6–2, 3–6
Win 16–7 1977 Australian Open-2, Melbourne Grass Australia Allan Stone Australia John Alexander
Australia Phil Dent		 7–6, 7–6

Coaching career

Ruffels was appointed the inaugural Head Coach of the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) tennis program in 1981. He held this position until his retirement in January 1990.[2] Whilst at the AIS, Ruffels coached many young players that would have successful professional careers including: Pat Cash, Wally Masur, Darren Cahill, Todd Woodbridge, Richard Fromberg, Simon Youl and Johan Anderson.[3] After leaving the AIS, he coached Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde, who as a doubles team won many major titles including the gold medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.[4]

In 2009, he returned to Australia to work at the AIS after being a national coach for the United States Tennis Association player development program in California.[5]

In November 2016, he was awarded The President's Spirit of Tennis by Tennis Australia.

Personal

Ruffels married professional tennis player Anna-Maria Fernandez and they have two children, Ryan and Gabriela; both have taken up golf as a career.[6][7]

References

  1. 1 2 "Ray Ruffels". Tennis Australia. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  2. ↑ Australian Sports Commission. Annual report 1989-1990 (PDF).
  3. ↑ "Tennis at the Australian Institute of Sport". Australian Web Archive. Archived from the original on 19 January 2000. Retrieved 27 September 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  4. ↑ "Ray Ruffels wins The President's Spirit of Tennis Award". Tennis Australia website. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
  5. ↑ "Ruffels returns to coach Aussie youngsters". ABC News. 24 July 2009. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
  6. ↑ "The Inside Story: Ryan Ruffels". Golf Australia website. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
  7. ↑ "Little sister steals limelight". Golf Australia website. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.