Lendl, Ivan

Lendl, Ivan ēvänˈ lĕnˈdəl [key], 1960–, Czech-American tennis player. After leading Czechoslovakia to its only Davis Cup championship (1980), he moved to the United States, and became one of the dominant singles players in professional tennis during the 1980s. Lendl was noted for his powerful forehand and serve and for his steely court demeanor, a marked contrast with the behavior of his early rivals Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe. He won eight major titles (the French Open in 1984 and 1986–87, the U.S. Open in 1985–87, and the Australian Open in 1989–90), among a total of 94 professional tour victories.

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