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Butch Walts

{{Short description|American tennis player (born 1955)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2013}}

{{Infobox tennis biography

|name= Butch Walts

|image=

|fullname= Kenneth B. Walts

|country={{flagu|United States}}

|residence= Scottsdale, Arizona, US

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|mf=yes|1955|6|4}}

|birth_place= Modesto, California, US

|height= {{height|ft=6|in=4}}

|turnedpro= 1975

|retired= 1984

|plays= Right-handed (one-handed backhand)

|careerprizemoney= $454,343

|singlesrecord= 137–134

|singlestitles= 4

|highestsinglesranking= No. 30 (April 16, 1979)

|AustralianOpenresult=

|FrenchOpenresult= 1R (1979)

|Wimbledonresult= 2R (1977)

|USOpenresult= QF (1978)

|Othertournaments=

|doublesrecord= 172–146

|doublestitles= 15

|highestdoublesranking= No. 23 (June 18, 1984)

|AustralianOpenDoublesresult =

|FrenchOpenDoublesresult = 1R (1984)

|WimbledonDoublesresult = 2R (1977)

|USOpenDoublesresult = QF (1980)

}}

Butch Walts (born June 4, 1955){{Cite web |last=Images |first=Historic |title=1975 Press Photo BUTCH WALTS TENNIS PLAYER GOLD MEDAL DEFEAT GONZALEZ |url=https://historicimages.com/products/rse18779 |access-date=2023-12-05 |website=Historic Images |language=en}} is a former professional tennis player from the United States.

During his career, Walts won 4 singles titles and 15 doubles titles. He reached the quarter finals of the 1978 US Open, beating defending champion Guillermo Vilas before losing to John McEnroe. He achieved a career-high singles ranking of world No. 32 in 1979 and a career-high doubles ranking of world No. 23 in 1984. In 1981 Walts overcame testicular cancer and had surgery and chemotherapy.{{cite news|date=2 February 1983|title=Walts advances|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/02/02/sports/walts-advances.html|accessdate=16 October 2024}}

Career finals

=Singles (4 titles, 1 runner-up)=

class="sortable wikitable"

!Result

!style="width:35px" class="unsortable"|W-L

!style="width:50px"|Year

!style="width:160px"|Tournament

!style="width:50px"|Surface

!style="width:150px"|Opponent

!style="width:160px" class="unsortable"|Score

style="background:#98fb98;"|Win

| 1–0

| 1976

| Boca Raton, U.S.

| Hard

| {{flagicon|USA}} Cliff Richey

| 3–6, 6–4, 6–4

style="background:#98fb98;"|Win

| 2–0

| 1977

| San Francisco, U.S.

| Carpet

| {{flagicon|USA}} Brian Gottfried

| 4–6, 6–3, 7–5

style="background:#98fb98;"|Win

| 3–0

| 1979

| Dayton, U.S.

| Carpet

| {{flagicon|USA}} Marty Riessen

| 6–3, 6–4

style="background:#98fb98;"|Win

| 4–0

| 1979

| Bologna, Italy

| Carpet

| {{flagicon|ITA}} Gianni Ocleppo

| 6–3, 6–2

style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss

| 4–1

| 1983

| Ferrara, Italy

| Carpet

| {{flagicon|SWE}} Thomas Högstedt

| 4–6, 4–6

=Doubles (15 titles, 8 runner-ups)=

class="sortable wikitable"

!Result

!style="width:35px" class="unsortable"|W-L

!style="width:50px"|Year

!style="width:160px"|Tournament

!style="width:50px"|Surface

!style="width:150px"|Partner

!style="width:150px"|Opponents

!style="width:180px" class="unsortable"|Score

style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss

| 0–1

| 1976

| Boca Raton, U.S.

| Hard

| {{flagicon|USA}} Bruce Manson

| {{flagicon|USA}} Vitas Gerulaitis
{{flagicon|USA}} Clark Graebner

| 2–6, 4–6

style="background:#98fb98;"|Win

| 1–1

| 1976

| Hong Kong

| Hard

| {{flagicon|USA}} Hank Pfister

| {{flagicon|IND}} Anand Amritraj
{{flagicon|ROU|1965}} Ilie Năstase

| 6–4, 6–2

style="background:#98fb98;"|Win

| 2–1

| 1977

| Dayton, U.S.

| Carpet

| {{flagicon|USA}} Hank Pfister

| {{flagicon|USA}} Jeff Borowiak
{{flagicon|Rhodesia}} Andrew Pattison

| 6–4, 7–6

style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss

| 2–2

| 1978

| Dayton, U.S.

| Carpet

| {{flagicon|USA}} Hank Pfister

| {{flagicon|USA}} Brian Gottfried
{{flagicon|AUS}} Geoff Masters

| 3–6, 4–6

style="background:#98fb98;"|Win

| 3–2

| 1978

| Atlanta, U.S.

| Hard

| {{flagicon|AUS}} John Alexander

| {{flagicon|USA}} Mike Cahill
{{flagicon|MEX}} Marcello Lara

| 3–6, 6–4, 7–6

style="background:#98fb98;"|Win

| 4–2

| 1978

| Taipei, Taiwan

| Carpet

| {{flagicon|USA}} Sherwood Stewart

| {{flagicon|AUS}} Mark Edmondson
{{flagicon|AUS}} John Marks

| 6–2, 6–7, 7–6

style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss

| 4–3

| 1980

| Frankfurt, West Germany

| Carpet

| {{flagicon|ZIM}} Andrew Pattison

| {{flagicon|IND}} Vijay Amritraj
{{flagicon|USA}} Stan Smith

| 7–6, 2–6, 2–6

style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss

| 4–4

| 1980

| Milan, Italy

| Carpet

| {{flagicon|ZIM}} Andrew Pattison

| {{flagicon|USA}} Peter Fleming
{{flagicon|USA}} John McEnroe

| 2–6, 7–6, 2–6

style="background:#98fb98;"|Win

| 5–4

| 1980

| Los Angeles, U.S.

| Hard

| {{flagicon|USA}} Brian Teacher

| {{flagicon|IND}} Anand Amritraj
{{flagicon|USA}} John Austin

| 6–2, 6–4

style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss

| 5–5

| 1980

| Surbiton, U.K.

| Grass

| {{flagicon|ZIM}} Andrew Pattison

| {{flagicon|AUS}} Mark Edmondson
{{flagicon|AUS}} Kim Warwick

| 6–7, 7–6, 7–6, 6–7, 13–15

style="background:#98fb98;"|Win

| 6–5

| 1980

| Newport, U.S.

| Grass

| {{flagicon|ZIM}} Andrew Pattison

| {{flagicon|USA}} Fritz Buehning
{{flagicon|USA}} Peter Rennert

| 7–6, 6–4

style="background:#98fb98;"|Win

| 7–5

| 1980

| Atlanta, U.S.

| Hard

| {{flagicon|USA}} Tom Gullikson

| {{flagicon|IND}} Anand Amritraj
{{flagicon|USA}} John Austin

| 6–7, 7–6, 7–5

style="background:#98fb98;"|Win

| 8–5

| 1980

| Bologna, Italy

| Carpet

| {{flagicon|HUN}} Balázs Taróczy

| {{flagicon|USA}} Steve Denton
{{flagicon|AUS}} Paul McNamee

| 2–6, 6–3, 6–0

style="background:#98fb98;"|Win

| 9–5

| 1981

| Denver, U.S.

| Carpet

| {{flagicon|ZIM}} Andrew Pattison

| {{flagicon|USA}} Mel Purcell
{{flagicon|USA}} Dick Stockton

| 6–3, 6–4

style="background:#98fb98;"|Win

| 10–5

| 1981

| Tampa, U.S.

| Hard

| {{flagicon|RSA|1928}} Bernard Mitton

| {{flagicon|AUS}} David Carter
{{flagicon|AUS}} Paul Kronk

| 6–3, 3–6, 6–1

style="background:#98fb98;"|Win

| 11–5

| 1981

| Frankfurt, West Germany

| Carpet

| {{flagicon|USA}} Brian Teacher

| {{flagicon|USA}} Vitas Gerulaitis
{{flagicon|USA}} John McEnroe

| 7–5, 6–7, 7–5

style="background:#98fb98;"|Win

| 12–5

| 1981

| Los Angeles, U.S.

| Hard

| {{flagicon|USA}} Tom Gullikson

| {{flagicon|USA}} John McEnroe
{{flagicon|USA}} Ferdi Taygan

| 6–4, 6–4

style="background:#98fb98;"|Win

| 13–5

| 1983

| Ferrara, Italy

| Carpet

| {{flagicon|RSA|1928}} Bernard Mitton

| {{flagicon|TCH}} Stanislav Birner
{{flagicon|SWE}} Stefan Simonsson

| 7–6, 0–6, 6–3

style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss

| 13–6

| 1983

| Toulouse, France

| Hard (i)

| {{flagicon|RSA|1928}} Bernard Mitton

| {{flagicon|SUI}} Heinz Günthardt
{{flagicon|TCH}} Pavel Složil

| 7–5, 5–7, 4–6

style="background:#98fb98;"|Win

| 14–6

| 1984

| La Quinta, U.S.

| Hard

| {{flagicon|RSA|1928}} Bernard Mitton

| {{flagicon|USA}} Scott Davis
{{flagicon|USA}} Ferdi Taygan

| 5–7, 6–3, 6–2

style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss

| 14–7

| 1984

| Florence, Italy

| Clay

| {{flagicon|RSA|1928}} Bernard Mitton

| {{flagicon|USA}} Mark Dickson
{{flagicon|USA}} Chip Hooper

| 6–7, 6–4, 5–7

style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss

| 14–8

| 1984

| London/Queen's Club, U.K.

| Grass

| {{flagicon|RSA|1928}} Bernard Mitton

| {{flagicon|AUS}} Pat Cash
{{flagicon|AUS}} Paul McNamee

| 4–6, 3–6

style="background:#98fb98;"|Win

| 15–8

| 1984

| Honolulu, U.S.

| Hard

| {{flagicon|USA}} Gary Donnelly

| {{flagicon|USA}} Mark Dickson
{{flagicon|USA}} Mike Leach

| 7–6, 6–4

References

{{reflist}}

External links

  • {{ATP}}
  • {{ITF}}

{{NCAA Division I tennis men's doubles champions}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Walts, Butch}}

Category:1955 births

Category:Living people

Category:American male tennis players

Category:Sportspeople from Modesto, California

Category:Tennis players from Arizona

Category:Tennis players from California

Category:USC Trojans men's tennis players

Category:Tennis players at the 1975 Pan American Games

Category:Pan American Games gold medalists for the United States in tennis

Category:20th-century American sportsmen