Haroon Rahim

Haroon Rahim (born 12 November 1949) is a Pakistani former tennis player. The former Pakistan and Asian No. 1, Rahim was the youngest tennis player ever to play for Pakistan in the Davis Cup at 15 years of age. He was also the highest ranking Pakistani tennis player (a career-high singles ranking of World No. 34 in October 1977). He led the UCLA team to victory with Jeff Borowiak and Jimmy Connors in 1970–71 and was 1971 NCAA doubles champion with Jeff Borowiak.[1]

Haroon Rahim
Country (sports) Pakistan
Born (1949-11-12) 12 November 1949
Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
Height1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Turned pro1968
PlaysRight-handed
Singles
Career record119–150
Career titles2
Highest rankingNo. 34 (24 October 1977)
Grand Slam singles results
French Open2R (1975)
Wimbledon2R (1976, 1977)
US Open3R (1971)
Doubles
Career record101–127
Career titles3
Grand Slam doubles results
French Open2R (1972)
Wimbledon3R (1976)
US OpenQF (1971)

Career

Rahim was from the Punjab city of Lahore, from a large family of avid tennis players. His father, Mir Abdur Rahim, was a civil servant who encouraged his children, sons and daughters, to play tennis. Four of Haroon's elder siblings; M. Nasim, M. Naeem, Zulficar and Shahnaz were also national tennis champions. His father loved tennis so much that he said he wanted to die on the tennis court. In 1968, he died of a heart attack while playing doubles with friends at the picturesque Mayo Gardens, Lahore.

Haroon Rahim was only the second Pakistani after Khawaja Saeed Hai to make it to Wimbledon's main draw. After reaching the Wimbledon Junior Boys singles quarterfinals twice (1965 and 1967) he went on to play in many Grand Slams, in both singles and doubles. Rahim won two ATP titles, the first at Little Rock against former Wimbledon runner up Alex Metreveli of the Soviet Union and then the second at Cleveland against Colin Dibley, both in 1976.

He also lost a final to Spanish US Open winner and French Open finalist Manuel Orantes. He also won three doubles titles, at Oslo in 1974, North Conway in 1975, and Little Rock in 1978. In men's doubles at Grand Slam events he made it to the quarterfinals of the US Open, the third round of Wimbledon, and the second round of the French Open.[2]

Haroon Rahim is the winner of one of the closest matches ever played when he beat Tom Gorman 6–7(3–5), 7–6(5–1), 7–6(5–4) at the Pennsylvania Lawn Tennis Championships. As both players never lost their serve, each set went to a tie break with Haroon winning the match by just one point.

Last known to be in the U.S., Haroon retired from tennis at age 29, severed contact with his family, and his whereabouts are unknown.[3]

Grand Slams performance timelines
Key
W  F  SF QF #R RR Q# DNQ A NH
(W) winner; (F) finalist; (SF) semifinalist; (QF) quarterfinalist; (#R) rounds 4, 3, 2, 1; (RR) round-robin stage; (Q#) qualification round; (DNQ) did not qualify; (A) absent; (NH) not held; (SR) strike rate (events won / competed); (W–L) win–loss record.

Singles
Tournament1971 1972197519761977
Australian Open A A A A A
French Open A 1R 2R A A
Wimbledon A A A 2R 2R
US Open 3R A A A A

Doubles
Tournament197119721976
Australian Open A A A
French Open A 2R A
Wimbledon A A 3R
US Open QF A A

ATP career finals

Singles (2 titles, 3 runners-up)
Result W–L Date Tournament Surface Opponent Score
Loss 0–1 Mar 1972 Altamira International Invitation Hard Spain Manuel Orantes 4–6, 5–7, 4–6
Win 1–1 Jan 1976 National Tennis Foundation Open Carpet Soviet Union Alex Metreveli 6–4, 6–4
Win 2–1 Mar 1976 Arkansas International Tennis Tournament Hard (i) Australia Colin Dibley 6–4, 7–5
Loss 2–2 Jan 1977 Arkansas International Tennis Tournament Hard (i) United States Sandy Mayer 2–6, 4–6

Doubles (3 titles, 3 runners-up)
Result W–L Date Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Loss 0–1 Feb 1971 New York City, United States Carpet United States Jimmy Connors Spain Juan Gisbert Sr
Spain Manuel Orantes		 6–7, 2–6
Win 1–1 Nov 1974 Oslo, Norway Hard (i) West Germany Karl Meiler United States Jeff Borowiak
United States Vitas Gerulaitis		 6–3, 6–2
Win 2–1 Aug 1975 North Conway, United States Clay United States Erik van Dillen Australia John Alexander
Australia Phil Dent		 7–6, 7–6
Loss 2–2 Oct 1975 Maui, United States Hard United States Jeff Borowiak United States Fred McNair
United States Sherwood Stewart		 6–3, 6–7, 3–6
Loss 2–3 Mar 1976 Little Rock, United States Hard (i) Paraguay Giuliano Pecci Australia Syd Ball
Australia Ray Ruffels		 3–6, 7–6, 3–6
Win 3–3 Jan 1977 Little Rock, United States Hard (i) Australia Colin Dibley South Africa Bob Hewitt
South Africa Frew McMillan		 6–7, 6–3, 6–3

References
  1. "Haroon Rahim". Retrieved 1 December 2012.
  2. "Haroon Rahim". Retrieved 1 December 2012.
  3. Nadeem F. Paracha (1 November 2012). "Crazy Diamonds". DAWN.
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