Ivan Lendl

Ivan Lendl is a retired Czech-American professional tennis player. He is often considered among the greatest in the sport's history. During his career, Lendl captured eight Grand Slam singles titles, and reached an astounding 19 Grand Slam singles finals. He first attained the World No. 1 ranking on the men's professional tour in February 1983. He continued to be ranked No. 1 for much of the next eight years through to 1990. He finished four years ranked as the world's top player - in 1985, '86, '87, and '89 - and was ranked World No. 1 for a total of 270 weeks, breaking the record previously held by Jimmy Connors.

Lendl first came to the tennis world's attention as an outstanding junior player. In 1978, he won the boy's singles titles at both the French Open and Wimbledon, and was ranked the World No. 1 junior player. He made an almost immediate impact on the game after turning professional. After reaching his first top-level singles final in 1979, he went on to win seven singles titles in 1980, including the highly-impressive feat of winning three tournaments in successive weeks on three different surfaces. The success continued as he won 10 titles in 1981. In 1982, Lendl won 15 of the 23 singles tournaments he entered and achieved a 44-match winning streak. He won another seven tournaments in 1983. In an era when tournament prize money was rising sharply, Lendl's impressive haul of titles quickly made him the highest-earning tennis player of all time.

Lendl's first Grand Slam title came at the 1984 French Open, where he defeated John McEnroe in an epic final to claim what was arguably his most memorable victory.

1985 was among Lendl's best years on the tour, as he captured 11 singles crowns in 17 tournament appearances. In 1986 and 1987 he won both the French and U.S. Open titles. In 1989, he started the year by capturing his first Australian Open title with a straight sets final victory over Miloslav Mecir, and went on to claim 10 titles out of 17 tournaments he entered. Lendl successfully defended his Australian Open title in 1990.

Lendl was also part of the Czechoslovakian team that won the World Team Cup in 1981. He won the tour's year-end Masters championship five times in 1981-2 and 85-7. Lendl's success in the game had a lot to do with his highly meticulous and intensive training, his physical conditioning regime, the scientific approach to preparing for and playing the game, and an incredible desire to put in whatever it took to be successful.

Lendl retired from the professional tour in 1994. He had won a total of 94 career singles titles and 6 doubles titles, his earned prize money totaling US$21,262,417 (a record at the time). In 2001, he was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

In December 2011, Lendl was appointed coach to Andy Murray. Lendl has been credited with improving Murray's maturity and consistency, guiding the Scot to his first two Grand Slam victories in the 2012 US Open, and 2013 Wimbledon Championship, thereby ending the 77-year-old wait for a male British tennis player to win a Grand Slam Major. After coaching Murray for two years, Lendl transitioned to headlining motivational speeches, clinics, media functions, and meet and greets for companies such as Lexus, Adidas, Taylor Made, Continental, and American Express.

Besides motivational speaking, Lendl also took up golf after finishing his tennis career. He quickly earned a handicap of 0 and achieved a win on the Celebrity Tour. In 2004, he organized a charity competition called the "Ivan Lendl Celebrity Golf Tournament". The Ivan Lendl Golf Classic, which raises funds for the HFSC Ivan Lendl Adaptive Sports Camp and year-round adaptive sports programs that give children and adults the opportunity to participate in competitive and recreational sports and fitness programs, celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2020. Still competitive at the mini-tour levels, Lendl now spends much of his time managing his daughters' golfing careers.

Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Ivan Lendl and other top speakers and celebrities.