Byron Black


Byron Black is a former touring professional tennis and Davis Cup player for Zimbabwe.

Personal life

He is the son of Donald Black and Velia Black and brother to Wayne Black and Cara, who were also professional tennis players. He attended the University of Southern California and was named an All-American by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association.

Tennis career

Black started playing tennis at a young age at his father’s grass court in Highlands, and played the game for Lewisham Primary School in his hometown. He played for the tennis team when he moved to the Oriel Boys High School, where he was exposed to other future Davis Cup players for Zimbabwe like Greig Rodgers and Mark Gurr.

Pro tour

In 1995, Black was a US Open quarterfinalist, and in 2000, he reached the same round at Wimbledon. His career-high singles ranking was world No. 22, which he achieved in June 1996.
An accomplished doubles player, Black became world No. 1 in doubles in February 1994. He won the 1994 French Open partnering Jonathan Stark. Black was a doubles finalist in three other majors, the 1994 and 2001 Australian Opens and the 1996 Wimbledon Championships.
Black is one of the few professional players to have played with a double-handed forehand.
Black formed the core of the Zimbabwe Davis Cup team with his brother Wayne.

Career finals

Doubles: 41 (22 titles, 19 runner-ups)

ResultNo.DateTournamentSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Loss1.Apr 1992Hong Kong, UKHard Byron Talbot Brad Gilbert
Jim Grabb
2–6, 1–6
Win1.Apr 1993Durban, South AfricaHard Lan Bale Johan de Beer
Marcos Ondruska
7–6, 6–2
Loss2.Jul 1993Newport, U.S.Grass Jim Pugh Javier Frana
Christo van Rensburg
6–4, 1–6, 6–7
Win2.Jul 1993Washington, D.C., U.S.Hard Rick Leach Grant Connell
Patrick Galbraith
6–4, 7–5
Loss3.Aug 1993Schenectady, U.S.Hard Brett Steven Bernd Karbacher
Andrei Olhovskiy
6–2, 6–7, 1–6
Win3.Oct 1993Basel, SwitzerlandHard Jonathan Stark Brad Pearce
Dave Randall
3–6, 7–5, 6–3
Win4.Oct 1993Toulouse, FranceHard Jonathan Stark David Prinosil
Udo Riglewski
7–5, 7–6
Win5.Oct 1993Vienna, AustriaCarpet Jonathan Stark Mike Bauer
David Prinosil
6–3, 7–6
Win6.Nov 1993Paris, FranceCarpet Jonathan Stark Tom Nijssen
Cyril Suk
4–6, 7–5, 6–2
Loss4.Jan 1994Adelaide, AustraliaHard David Adams Mark Kratzmann
Andrew Kratzmann
4–6, 3–6
Loss5.Jan 1994Australian Open, MelbourneHard Jonathan Stark Jacco Eltingh
Paul Haarhuis
7–6, 3–6, 4–6, 3–6
Loss6.Feb 1994San Jose, U.S.Hard Jonathan Stark Rick Leach
Jared Palmer
6–4, 4–6, 4–6
Win7.Feb 1994Memphis, U.S.Hard Jonathan Stark Jim Grabb
Jared Palmer
7–6, 6–4
Loss7.Feb 1994Indian Wells, U.S.Hard Jonathan Stark Grant Connell
Patrick Galbraith
5–7, 3–6
Win8.Jun 1994French Open, ParisClay Jonathan Stark Jan Apell
Jonas Björkman
6–4, 7–6
Win9.Aug 1994Toronto, CanadaHard Jonathan Stark Patrick McEnroe
Jared Palmer
6–4, 6–4
Loss8.Oct 1994Sydney Indoor, AustraliaHard Jonathan Stark Jacco Eltingh
Paul Haarhuis
4–6, 6–7
Loss9.Oct 1994Tokyo Indoor, JapanHard Jonathan Stark Grant Connell
Patrick Galbraith
3–6, 6–3, 4–6
Loss10.Nov 1994Paris, FranceCarpet Jonathan Stark Jacco Eltingh
Paul Haarhuis
6–3, 6–7, 5–7
Loss11.Jan 1995Adelaide, AustraliaHard Grant Connell Jim Courier
Patrick Rafter
6–7, 4–6
Loss12.May 1995Hamburg, GermanyClay Andrei Olhovskiy Wayne Ferreira
Yevgeny Kafelnikov
1–6, 6–7
Win10.May 1995Bologna, ItalyClay Jonathan Stark Libor Pimek
Vince Spadea
7–5, 6–3
Win11.Nov 1995Moscow, RussiaCarpet Jonathan Stark Tommy Ho
Brett Steven
6–4, 3–6, 6–3
Win12.Feb 1996Dubai, UAEHard Grant Connell Karel Nováček
Jiří Novák
6–0, 6–1
Loss13.Mar 1996Philadelphia, U.S.Carpet Grant Connell Todd Woodbridge
Mark Woodforde
6–7, 2–6
Loss14.Apr 1996New Delhi, IndiaHard Sandon Stolle Jonas Björkman
Nicklas Kulti
6–4, 4–6, 4–6
Win13.May 1996Rome, ItalyClay Jonathan Stark Libor Pimek
Byron Talbot
6–2, 6–3
Win14.Jun 1996Halle, GermanyGrass Grant Connell Yevgeny Kafelnikov
Daniel Vacek
6–1, 7–5
Loss15.Jul 1996Wimbledon, EnglandGrass Grant Connell Todd Woodbridge
Mark Woodforde
6–4, 1–6, 3–6, 2–6
Win15.Aug 1996New Haven, U.S.Hard Grant Connell Jonas Björkman
Nicklas Kulti
6–4, 6–4
Loss16.May 1997Rome, ItalyClay Alex O'Brien Mark Knowles
Daniel Nestor
3–6, 6–4, 5–7
Win16.Apr 1998Hong KongHard Alex O'Brien Neville Godwin
Tuomas Ketola
7–5, 6–1
Loss17.Mar 1999London, EnglandCarpet Wayne Ferreira Tim Henman
Greg Rusedski
3–6, 6–7
Win17.Aug 1999Los Angeles, U.S.Hard Wayne Ferreira Goran Ivanišević
Brian MacPhie
6–2, 7–6
Loss18.Aug 1999Montreal, CanadaHard Wayne Ferreira Jonas Björkman
Patrick Rafter
6–7, 4–6
Win18.Aug 1999Cincinnati, U.S.Hard Jonas Björkman Todd Woodbridge
Mark Woodforde
6–3, 7–6
Win19.Nov 1999Stuttgart Indoor, GermanyHard Jonas Björkman David Adams
John-Laffnie de Jager
6–7, 7–6, 6–0
Win20.Feb 2000Mexico City, MexicoClay Donald Johnson Gastón Etlis
Martín Rodríguez
6–3, 7–5
Win21.Jan 2001Chennai, IndiaHard Wayne Black Barry Cowan
Mosé Navarra
6–4, 6–3
Loss19.Jan 2001Australian Open, MelbourneHard David Prinosil Jonas Björkman
Todd Woodbridge
1–6, 7–5, 4–6, 4–6
Win22.Sep 2001Shanghai, ChinaHard Thomas Shimada John-Laffnie de Jager
Robbie Koenig
6–2, 3–6, 7–5

Singles: 10 (2 titles, 8 runner-ups)

Performance timelines

Doubles

A = did not attend tournament