Grant Connell


Grant Connell is a former professional tennis player from Canada, and has been a real estate agent for the past 14 years in Vancouver. He specializes in West Vancouver North Vancouver and Downtown properties real estate transactions. He is considered one of the world's top doubles player from the early to late -1990s, reaching the world No. 1 doubles ranking in November 1993.
Connell won 22 doubles titles during his eleven seasons on the ATP Tour. He won his first four with fellow Canadian Glenn Michibata. Upon Michibata's retirement from the tour, Connell joined Patrick Galbraith. The Connell-Galbraith tandem won 12 titles together, including the 1995 season ending Doubles Championships tournament. Connell's next main partner became Byron Black with whom he won four more titles. He also won a title each with Todd Martin and Scott Davis. He was a three-time Wimbledon doubles finalist, twice with Galbraith and once with Black.
A left-hander, Connell best singles ranking was world No. 67, which he reached in June 1991. His best tour singles results were reaching the semifinals of the 1991 Chicago, 1991 Singapore, and 1992 Auckland Grand Prix events.
Connell's best Grand Slam singles results were reaching the third round of the 1991 Australian Open and 1994 Wimbledon.
A solid grass-court player, Connell had Andre Agassi on the ropes in their first round encounter at Wimbledon in 1991. In that match, Connell served a gutsy second serve ace to win the third set tie-breaker and go up two sets to one. Agassi however won the final two sets 7–5, 6–3, to take the match.
As well, Connell reached five mixed semifinals at Wimbledon. The majority of those with his highly ranked partner Lindsay Davenport. Reporters have noted that neither one of them seemed too concerned about winning any title but had a lot of fun losing.
Connell played Davis Cup for Canada on numerous occasions posting a career 15–6 win-loss record in doubles and an equally impressive 8–3 record in singles. He was a member of Canada's 1991 and 1992 Davis Cup teams winning all three needed matches in each of those wins to put Canada in to the World Group for its first two times in canadian tennis history.
Awards: Winner of the “Spirit of Sport” national award for the athlete who gives back the most to charity and their sport;
Member of the Canadian Tennis Hall of Fame, Canadian Open Hall of Fame, BC Sports Hall of Fame, Texas A&M University Hall of Fame, and B.C. Summer Swimming Hall of Fame.

As a college player

Growing up in North Vancouver, Connell was an All-American in doubles in 1984 and in singles in 1985 at Texas A&M University. Ranked No. 5 in singles in NCAA‘s and undefeated in the SWC in singles play in ‘85 that same year before turning pro, he lost in the quarterfinals of the NCAA individual tennis championships to fellow future touring pro Mikael Pernfors.

As a touring pro

1984, 1985

While still an amateur, Connell played the Player's International twice as a wild card entry, losing in the first round of the main draw each time. In 1984 he lost to world No. 17, Joakim Nyström, 4–6, 3–6, while the following summer Connell fell to world No. 47, 6–7, 3–6.
On December 30, 1985, Connell was ranked by the ATP No. 570T in singles and No. 724T in doubles.

1986

Connell played the San Luis Potosí Challenger in March, reaching the second round in both singles and doubles. He defeated world No. 327, Evan Ratner, 6–1, 6–4, before losing to world No. 415, Karl Richter, 6–3, 6–7, 3–6, while in doubles, he and partner Mark Greenan, also Canadian, lost their second round match to Mark Wooldridge and Derek Tarr in a third set tie-break.
In July, Connell played two further Challengers. At the Schenectady Challenger, he and Greenan lost in the first round in doubles. At the Berkeley Challenger the following week, Connell and Greenan again lost in the first round, while in singles Connell reached the semifinals, defeating Charles Buzz Strode, Russell Simpson, and Paul Chamberlin all in straight sets before falling to Mike Bauer, 6–7, 2–6.
In August, Connell again played the Player's, but in doubles this time, again partnering Greenan. The pair lost, however, in the first round, to the pair of Ricardo Acuña and Bob Green, 6–1, 3–6, 4–6. Connell next saw action in three European Challengers in November. At the Helsinki Challenger, he lost in both singles and doubles in the first round. The following week at Bergen Challenger, he reached the second round of both, falling to Dan Goldie in three sets in singles and partnering Chamberlin in doubles. Connell finished 1986 on tour with a bang, reaching the semifinals at the Valkenswaard Challenger in both singles and doubles, again partnering Chamberlin.
On December 29, 1986, Connell was ranked world No. 191 in singles and No. 217 in doubles.

1987

Connell began 1987 playing in his first Grand Slam event, the Australian Open. He lost in singles in the first round, in straight sets, to world No. 116 Todd Nelson. In doubles, he and partner American Chris Kennedy reached the second round.
Connell's next main draw action was in March, at the Cherbourg Challenger.

1988

Connell began the year at the AAMI Classic in Sydney, Australia where he lost in the first round to Pete Sampras, 4–6, 7–5, 4–6.

1989–1994

Career finals

Doubles (22 titles)

ResultNo.DateTournamentSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Loss1.30 March 1987Nancy, FranceCarpet Larry Scott Ramesh Krishnan
Claudio Mezzadri
4–6, 4–6
Win1.22 August 1988Livingston, United StatesHard Glenn Michibata Marc Flur
Sammy Giammalva Jr.
2–6, 6–4, 7–5
Loss2.10 October 1988Brisbane, AustraliaHard Glenn Michibata Eric Jelen
Carl-Uwe Steeb
4–6, 1–6
Loss3.29 January 1990Australian Open, MelbourneHard Glenn Michibata Pieter Aldrich
Danie Visser
4–6, 6–4, 1–6, 4–6
Loss4.26 February 1990Philadelphia, United StatesCarpet Glenn Michibata Rick Leach
Jim Pugh
6–3, 4–6, 2–6
Win2.23 April 1990Seoul, South KoreaHard Glenn Michibata Jason Stoltenberg
Todd Woodbridge
7–6, 6–4
Win3.23 July 1990Washington, D.C., United StatesHard Glenn Michibata Jorge Lozano
Todd Witsken
6–3, 6–7, 6–2
Loss5.20 August 1990Indianapolis, United StatesHard Glenn Michibata Scott Davis
David Pate
6–7, 6–7
Loss6.14 January 1991Auckland, New ZealandHard Glenn Michibata Sergio Casal
Emilio Sánchez
6–4, 3–6, 4–6
Loss7.4 March 1991Chicago, United StatesCarpet Glenn Michibata Scott Davis
David Pate
4–6, 7–5, 6–7
Win4.29 April 1991SingaporeHard Glenn Michibata Stefan Kruger
Christo van Rensburg
6–4, 5–7, 7–6
Loss8.17 June 1991Queen's Club, EnglandGrass Glenn Michibata Todd Woodbridge
Mark Woodforde
4–6, 6–7
Loss9.29 July 1991Montreal, CanadaHard Glenn Michibata Patrick Galbraith
Todd Witsken
4–6, 6–3, 1–6
Loss10.12 August 1991Cincinnati, United StatesHard Glenn Michibata Ken Flach
Robert Seguso
7–6, 4–6, 5–7
Loss11.13 January 1992Auckland, New ZealandHard Glenn Michibata Wayne Ferreira
Jim Grabb
4–6, 3–6
Loss12.6 April 1992SingaporeHard Glenn Michibata Todd Woodbridge
Mark Woodforde
7–6, 2–6, 4–6
Loss13.24 August 1992Indianapolis, United StatesHard Glenn Michibata Jim Grabb
Richey Reneberg
6–7, 2–6
Win5.18 January 1993Auckland, New ZealandHard Patrick Galbraith Alex Antonitsch
Alexander Volkov
6–3, 7–6
Loss14.8 February 1993Dubai, UAEHard Patrick Galbraith John Fitzgerald
Anders Järryd
2–6, 1–6
Loss15.9 May 1993Hamburg, GermanyClay Patrick Galbraith Paul Haarhuis
Mark Koevermans
4–6, 7–6, 6–7
Loss16.5 July 1993Wimbledon, LondonGrass Patrick Galbraith Todd Woodbridge
Mark Woodforde
6–7, 3–6, 6–7
Loss17.26 July 1993Washington, D.C., United StatesHard Patrick Galbraith Byron Black
Rick Leach
4–6, 5–7
Loss18.8 August 1993Los Angeles, United StatesHard Scott Davis Wayne Ferreira
Michael Stich
6–7, 6–7
Win6.18 October 1993Tokyo Indoor, JapanCarpet Patrick Galbraith Luke Jensen
Murphy Jensen
6–3, 6–4
Win7.15 November 1993Antwerp, BelgiumCarpet Patrick Galbraith Wayne Ferreira
Javier Sánchez
6–3, 7–6
Loss19.17 January 1994Auckland, New ZealandHard Patrick Galbraith Patrick McEnroe
Jared Palmer
2–6, 6–4, 4–6
Loss20.21 February 1994Stuttgart Indoor, GermanyCarpet Patrick Galbraith David Adams
Andrei Olhovskiy
7–6, 4–6, 6–7
Win8.7 March 1994Indian Wells, United StatesHard Patrick Galbraith Byron Black
Jonathan Stark
7–5, 6–3
Loss21.4 July 1994Wimbledon, LondonGrass Patrick Galbraith Todd Woodbridge
Mark Woodforde
6–7, 3–6, 1–6
Win9.25 July 1994Washington, D.C., United StatesHard Patrick Galbraith Jonas Björkman
Jakob Hlasek
6–4, 4–6, 6–3
Win10.22 August 1994New Haven, United StatesHard Patrick Galbraith Jacco Eltingh
Paul Haarhuis
6–4, 7–6
Win11.17 October 1994Tokyo Indoor, JapanCarpet Patrick Galbraith Byron Black
Jonathan Stark
6–3, 3–6, 6–4
Loss22.9 January 1995Adelaide, AustraliaHard Byron Black Jim Courier
Patrick Rafter
6–7, 4–6
Win12.16 January 1995Auckland, New ZealandHard Patrick Galbraith Luis Lobo
Javier Sánchez
6–4, 6–3
Win13.13 February 1995Dubai, UAEHard Patrick Galbraith Tomás Carbonell
Francisco Roig
6–2, 4–6, 6–3
Win14.27 February 1995Stuttgart Indoor, GermanyCarpet Patrick Galbraith Cyril Suk
Daniel Vacek
6–2, 6–2
Win15.24 April 1995BermudaClay Todd Martin Brett Steven
Jason Stoltenberg
7–6, 2–6, 7–5
Loss23.9 October 1995Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaCarpet Patrick Galbraith Patrick McEnroe
Mark Philippoussis
5–7, 4–6
Win16.6 November 1995Paris Indoor, FranceCarpet Patrick Galbraith Jim Grabb
Todd Martin
6–2, 6–2
Loss24.13 November 1995Stockholm, SwedenHard Patrick Galbraith Jacco Eltingh
Paul Haarhuis
6–3, 2–6, 6–7
Win17.25 November 1995Doubles Championships, EindhovenCarpet Patrick Galbraith Jacco Eltingh
Paul Haarhuis
7–6, 7–6, 3–6, 7–6
Win18.19 February 1996Dubai, UAEHard Byron Black Karel Nováček
Jiří Novák
6–0, 6–1
Loss25.4 March 1996Philadelphia, United StatesCarpet Byron Black Todd Woodbridge
Mark Woodforde
6–7, 2–6
Win19.20 May 1996Rome, ItalyClay Byron Black Libor Pimek
Byron Talbot
6–2, 6–3
Win20.24 June 1996Halle, GermanyGrass Byron Black Yevgeny Kafelnikov
Daniel Vacek
6–1, 7–5
Loss26.8 July 1996Wimbledon, LondonGrass Byron Black Todd Woodbridge
Mark Woodforde
6–4, 1–6, 3–6, 2–6
Win21.22 July 1996Washington, D.C., United StatesHard Scott Davis Doug Flach
Chris Woodruff
7–6, 3–6, 6–3
Win22.19 August 1996New Haven, United StatesHard Byron Black Jonas Björkman
Nicklas Kulti
6–4, 6–4

Doubles performance timeline

A = did not participate in main draw of tournament
NH = tournament not held

Honours

Connell was inducted into the Canadian Tennis Hall of Fame in 1998.

After retiring as a tennis pro

Upon retiring from the tour in 1997, Connell became High Performance Director at Tennis BC as well as Davis Cup Captain. As captain he led the team to the World Group for only the third time. He was also the Tournament Director for Rogers Cup in Toronto in 2006 As of the last 14 years Grant has been selling real estate in Vancouver, BC.