Alex Metreveli
Soviet tennis player
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Alexander Irakliyevich Metreveli (Georgian: ალექსანდრე მეტრეველი, romanized: aleksandre met'reveli, pronounced [alekʰsandɾe metʼɾeveli]; Russian: Александр Ираклиевич Метревели ⓘ; born 2 November 1944) is a Georgian former professional tennis player who represented the Soviet Union. He was the runner-up in men's singles at the 1973 Wimbledon Championships.
Александр Метревели
Soviet Union| Native name | ალექსანდრე მეტრეველი Александр Метревели |
|---|---|
| Country (sports) | Soviet Union |
| Born | 2 November 1944 |
| Turned pro | 1962 |
| Retired | 1979 |
| Plays | Right-handed (one-handed backhand) |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 474–161[1] |
| Career titles | 62[1] |
| Highest ranking | No. 9 (3 June 1974) |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| Australian Open | SF (1972) |
| French Open | SF (1972) |
| Wimbledon | F (1973) |
| US Open | QF (1974) |
| Doubles | |
| Career record | 81–90 |
| Career titles | 1 |
| Grand Slam doubles results | |
| Australian Open | SF (1973) |
| French Open | SF (1974) |
| Wimbledon | 3R (1965, 1971, 1972, 1973) |
| US Open | 3R (1974) |
| Grand Slam mixed doubles results | |
| Wimbledon | F (1968, 1970) |
Personal info
Metreveli is an honorary citizen of Australia.[citation needed] He was active from 1962 to 1980 and won 62 singles titles.[1]
His grandson Aleksandre Metreveli, also a professional tennis player, has represented Georgia in the Davis Cup.[2]
Career
In 1962, aged 17, Metreveli lost 8–10, 6–3, 4–6[3] to Stanley Matthews in the final of the Wimbledon boys' championship.[4]
He is best known for making the final at Wimbledon in 1973, where he lost to Jan Kodeš of Czechoslovakia.[5] Metreveli became then the first Soviet tennis player to reach a Grand Slam singles final and, as of 2025, he remains the only player from USSR or ex Soviet countries to reach Wimbledon men's final.
Another spotlight of his career is his performance at Australian Open with 3 appearances where he never lost before quarter-finals and reached semi-final once.
He reached a career-high singles ranking of world No. 9 in 1974 and won 9 ATP singles titles in his career. Metreveli was a member of the Dynamo sports society. He competed in professional tour events during the 1970s.
Grand Slam finals
Singles: 1 (1 runner-up)
Mixed doubles: 2 (2 runner-ups)
| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 1968 | Wimbledon | Grass | Olga Morozova |  Margaret Court Ken Fletcher | 1–6, 12–14 |
| Loss | 1970 | Wimbledon | Grass | Olga Morozova |  Rosemary Casals Ilie Năstase | 3–6, 6–4, 7–9 |
Grand Slam singles performance timeline
| W | F | SF | QF | #R | RR | Q# | DNQ | A | NH |
