Pat Cash

Patrick Hart Cash (born 27 May 1965) is an Australian former professional tennis player and coach. He reached a career-high ATP singles ranking of world No. 4 in May 1988 and a career-high ATP doubles ranking of world No. 6 in August 1988. Upon winning the 1987 singles title at Wimbledon, Cash climbed into the stands to celebrate, starting a tradition that has continued ever since.

Early life

Cash is the son of Pat Cash Sr., who played for the Hawthorn Football Club in the 1950s.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He grew up in Melbourne and was educated at Marcellin College and Whitefriars College.

Career

Junior years

Cash came to the tennis world's attention as a prominent and promising junior player in the early 1980s. He was awarded a scholarship at the Australian Institute of Sport. He was ranked the No. 1 junior player in the world in 1981.

In June 1982, Cash won the junior doubles title at the French Open partnering John Frawley. In July he won the junior singles title at Wimbledon, and while partnering Frawley, he also won the junior doubles title at the same tournament. In September, he won the junior singles title at the US Open, and while partnering Frawley, he was also the runner-up of the junior doubles at the same tournament.

Professional years

Cash turned professional in late 1982 and won his first top-level singles title that year in Melbourne.

In 1983, Cash became the youngest player to play in a Davis Cup final. He won the decisive singles rubber against Joakim Nyström as Australia defeated Sweden 3–2 to claim the cup.<ref name="tennismajors">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 1984, Cash reached the singles semifinals at both Wimbledon and the US Open, beating Mats Wilander in both.<ref name=":caswil1984">Template:Cite news</ref> He lost in three sets in the Wimbledon semifinals to John McEnroe and was defeated in the semifinals at the US Open by Ivan Lendl, who won their match in a fifth-set tiebreaker after saving a match point.<ref name=":caslen1984">Template:Cite news</ref> This day is regarded as one of the greatest days in US Open history because it featured the three set thriller women's final Chris Evert vs Martina Navratilova and a John McEnroe vs Jimmy Connors five set marathon semifinal – creating the day now known as 'Super Saturday'. Cash finished the year in top 10 for the first time.

Cash was the runner-up in the doubles competition at Wimbledon in both 1984 with Paul McNamee and 1985 with John Fitzgerald.

In 1986, just prior to Wimbledon, Cash had an emergency appendix operation. He reached the quarterfinals, playing "breath-taking tennis" to beat Mats Wilander in the fourth round in only his sixth match (excluding 1986 World Team Cup) in 12 months.<ref name=":caswil1986">Template:Cite news</ref> During the championship he started the now common tradition of throwing wristbands and headbands into the crowd. Cash helped Australia regain the Davis Cup with a 3–2 victory over Sweden. Cash again won the decisive singles rubber, recovering from two sets down against Mikael Pernfors.

1987 was a particularly strong year for Cash. He reached five singles finals, of which two were Grand Slam finals. Cash reached his first Grand Slam singles final at the Australian Open, beating Ivan Lendl in a four hour, four set semi final.<ref name=":caslen1987aus">Template:Cite news</ref> He lost the final in five sets to Stefan Edberg. This was the last Australian Open played at Kooyong on a grass court. The crowning moment of Cash's career came in 1987 at Wimbledon. Having already beaten Marcel Freeman, Paul McNamee, Michiel Schapers, Guy Forget, Mats Wilander in the quarterfinals and Jimmy Connors in the semifinals, Cash defeated the world No. 1, Ivan Lendl, in the final in straight sets. Cash sealed the victory by climbing into the stands and up to the player's box at Centre Court, where he celebrated with his family, girlfriend, and coach, Ian Barclay. He thus started a Wimbledon tradition that has been followed by many other champions at Wimbledon and other Grand Slam tournaments since. He only dropped one set during the entire tournament.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name="atp1987">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He finished the year ranked at No. 7.

In 1988, Cash reached the Australian Open final for the second consecutive year, beating Ivan Lendl in five sets in the semis, as Lendl struggled in the latter stages due to heat and Cash repeated his tactics of the 1987 Wimbledon final.<ref name=":caslen1988">Template:Cite news</ref> He faced Mats Wilander in the final. It was the first men's singles final played at the new Melbourne Park venue on hard court, and Wilander won in a four-and-a-half-hour encounter, taking the fifth set 8–6. There were two rain delays during the final but the roof was not closed after controversy the previous day when it was closed for the women's final.<ref name="WLM Tennis">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="upi">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="theage">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Cash also reached his career-high ranking of world No. 4 in May.

Coming in as the defending champion in 1988 at Wimbledon, Cash was seeded fourth and only dropped two sets (both during the second round) en route to the quarterfinals, but his run came to an end when he lost to sixth seed and eventual runner-up Boris Becker. It was the last time he reached the quarterfinals at a Grand Slam tournament in singles. 1988 was the last time Cash ended the year in the top 20, finishing the year ranked 20th, after having been ranked inside the top 10 from the start of the year until 21 November.

In April 1989, Cash ruptured his Achilles tendon at the Japan Open and was out of action until March 1990.<ref name="upi1990">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Cash played in his third Davis Cup final in 1990. This time, Australia lost 2–3 to the United States.

Cash continued to play on the circuit on-and-off through the mid-1990s. A series of consecutive injuries to his Achilles tendon, knees, and back prevented him from recapturing his best form after winning Wimbledon in 1987. He won his last top-level singles title in April 1990 at the Hong Kong Open.<ref name="upi1990"/> His last doubles title came in 1996 at the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships with Pat Rafter.

Cash established a reputation on the tour as a hard-fighting serve-and-volleyer and for wearing his trademark black-and-white checked headband and his cross earring.<ref name="aeltc2020">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> For most of his career, Cash was coached by Melbourne-born tennis coach Ian Barclay.

Post-retirement

File:Pat Cash at 2010 US Open.jpg

Cash in 2010

Since his retirement from the tour in 1997, Cash has resided mainly in London. He is the host of CNN's tennis-focused magazine show Open Court,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and has also worked as a TV co-commentator, primarily for the BBC. Cash continues to be a draw card on both the ATP and Champions Cup legends tours.Template:Citation needed He won the Hall of Fame event in Newport Rhode Island in 2008 and 2009. He has coached top players including Greg Rusedski and Mark Philippoussis.

Cash opened a tennis academy on the Gold Coast of Australia and is also opening academies in Ko Samui, Thailand and in the Caribbean St Vincent, St Lucia and Dominican Republic.Template:WhenTemplate:Citation needed

Cash was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 2005.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Cash won the over-45s Wimbledon doubles title with fellow Australian Mark Woodforde in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013. In November 2014, he played in the inaugural Champions Tennis League in India.

In 2022, Cash appeared on the third British series of The Masked Singer masked as "Bagpipes". He was fourth to be unmasked.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Personal life

In his early twenties, Cash had two children with his then-girlfriend, Norwegian model Anne-Britt Kristiansen. They have a son and a daughter. From 1990 through 2002 Cash was married to Brazilian Emily Bendit. They have twin boys. In 2010, Cash became a grandfather at age 45 when his daughter gave birth to a daughter.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Cash was criticised for stating in an August 2021 interview with The Conservative Woman, broadcast online, that he had been taking Ivermectin for more than 15 months, claiming that "I'm living proof that I have been in the worst areas everywhere around the world and I haven't come close to getting COVID", despite the lack of evidence for the safety or efficacy of the drug for such measures.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Cash and former American surfer Kelly Slater were labelled "cookers" (conspiracy theorists) after they exchanged views on Twitter about the concept of the 15-minute city in February 2023.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Grand Slam finals

Singles: 3 (1 title, 2 runner-ups)

Result	Year	Championship	Surface	Opponent	Score
Loss	1987	Australian Open	Grass	Template:Flagicon Stefan Edberg	3–6, 4–6, 6–3, 7–5, 3–6
Win	1987	Wimbledon	Grass	Template:Flagicon Ivan Lendl	7–6(7–5), 6–2, 7–5
Loss	1988	Australian Open	Hard	Template:Flagicon Mats Wilander	3–6, 7–6(7–3), 6–3, 1–6, 6–8

Doubles (2 runner-ups)

Result	Year	Championship	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Loss	1984	Wimbledon	Grass	Template:Flagicon Paul McNamee	Template:Flagicon Peter Fleming Template:Flagicon John McEnroe	2–6, 7–5, 2–6, 6–3, 3–6
Loss	1985	Wimbledon	Grass	Template:Flagicon John Fitzgerald	Template:Flagicon Heinz Günthardt Template:Flagicon Balázs Taróczy	4–6, 3–6, 6–4, 3–6

ATP career finals

Singles: 11 (6 titles, 5 runner-ups)

Legend
Grand Slam (1–2)
Year-end championship (0–0)
Grand Prix Super series (0–0)
Grand Prix Championship series (0–0)
Grand Prix Tour (5–3)

Result	W-L	Date	Tournament	Surface	Opponent	Score
Win	1–0	Dec 1982	Melbourne Outdoor, Australia	Grass	Template:Flagicon Rod Frawley	6–4, 7–6
Win	2–0	Oct 1983	Brisbane, Australia	Carpet (i)	Template:Flagicon Paul McNamee	4–6, 6–4, 6–3
Loss	2–1	Oct 1984	Melbourne Indoor, Australia	Carpet (i)	Template:Flagicon Matt Mitchell	4–6, 6–3, 2–6
Loss	2–2	Jan 1987	Australian Open, Melbourne	Grass	Template:Flagicon Stefan Edberg	3–6, 4–6, 6–3, 7–5, 3–6
Win	3–2	Mar 1987	Lorraine Open, France	Carpet (i)	Template:Flagicon Wally Masur	6–2, 6–3
Win	4–2	Jun 1987	Wimbledon	Grass	Template:Flagicon Ivan Lendl	7–6(7–5), 6–2, 7–5
Loss	4–3	Oct 1987	Australian Indoor Championships	Hard (i)	Template:Flagicon Ivan Lendl	4–6, 2–6, 4–6
Win	5–3	Nov 1987	South African Open	Hard (i)	Template:Flagicon Brad Gilbert	7–6(9–7), 4–6, 2–6, 6–0, 6–1
Loss	5–4	Jan 1988	Australian Open, Melbourne	Hard	Template:Flagicon Mats Wilander	3–6, 7–6(7–3), 6–3, 1–6, 6–8
Loss	5–5	Apr 1990	Seoul Open, South Korea	Hard	Template:Flagicon Alex Antonitsch	6–7(2–7), 3–6
Win	6–5	Apr 1990	Hong Kong	Hard	Template:Flagicon Alex Antonitsch	6–3, 6–4

Doubles (11 titles, 6 runner-ups)

Legend
Grand Slam (0–2)
Year-end championship (0–0)
Grand Prix Super series (1–0)
Grand Prix Championship series (0–0)
Grand Prix Tour (11–4)

Result	W-L	Date	Tournament	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Win	1–0	Dec 1982	Adelaide, Australia	Grass	Template:Flagicon Chris Johnstone	Template:Flagicon Broderick Dyke Template:Flagicon Wayne Hampson	6–3, 6–7, 7–6
Loss	1–1	Jun 1985	London/Queen's Club, UK	Grass	Template:Flagicon John Fitzgerald	Template:Flagicon Ken Flach Template:Flagicon Robert Seguso	6–3, 3–6, 14–16
Loss	1–2	Jul 1985	Wimbledon, London	Grass	Template:Flagicon John Fitzgerald	Template:Flagicon Heinz Günthardt Template:Flagicon Balázs Taróczy	4–6, 3–6, 6–4, 3–6
Win	2–2	Oct 1983	Brisbane, Australia	Carpet	Template:Flagicon Paul McNamee	Template:Flagicon Mark Edmondson Template:Flagicon Kim Warwick	7–6, 7–6
Win	3–2	Dec 1983	Sydney, Australia	Grass	Template:Flagicon Mike Bauer	Template:Flagicon Broderick Dyke Template:Flagicon Rod Frawley	7–6, 6–4
Win	4–2	Apr 1984	Houston, US	Clay	Template:Flagicon Paul McNamee	Template:Flagicon David Dowlen Template:Flagicon Nduka Odizor	7–5, 4–6, 6–3
Win	5–2	Apr 1984	Aix-en-Provence, France	Clay	Template:Flagicon Paul McNamee	Template:Flagicon Chris Lewis Template:Flagicon Wally Masur	4–6, 6–3, 6–4
Win	6–2	Jun 1984	London/Queen's Club, UK	Grass	Template:Flagicon Paul McNamee	Template:Flagicon Bernard Mitton Template:Flagicon Butch Walts	6–4, 6–3
Loss	6–3	Jul 1984	Wimbledon, London	Grass	Template:Flagicon Paul McNamee	Template:Flagicon Peter Fleming Template:Flagicon John McEnroe	2–6, 7–5, 2–6, 6–3, 3–6
Win	7–3	May 1985	Las Vegas, US	Hard	Template:Flagicon John Fitzgerald	Template:Flagicon Paul Annacone Template:Flagicon Christo van Rensburg	7–6, 6–7, 7–6
Loss	7–4	Nov 1986	Hong Kong, Hong Kong	Hard	Template:Flagicon Mark Kratzmann	Template:Flagicon Mike De Palmer Template:Flagicon Gary Donnelly	6–7, 7–6, 5–7
Loss	7–5	Nov 1986	Stockholm, Sweden	Hard	Template:Flagicon Slobodan Živojinović	Template:Flagicon Sherwood Stewart Template:Flagicon Kim Warwick	4–6, 4–6
Win	8–5	Aug 1987	Montreal, Canada	Hard	Template:Flagicon Stefan Edberg	Template:Flagicon Peter Doohan Template:Flagicon Laurie Warder	6–7, 6–3, 6–4
Win	9–5	Jan 1990	Sydney, Australia	Hard	Template:Flagicon Mark Kratzmann	Template:Flagicon Pieter Aldrich Template:Flagicon Danie Visser	6–4, 7–5
Win	10–5	Apr 1990	Hong Kong, Hong Kong	Hard	Template:Flagicon Wally Masur	Template:Flagicon Kevin Curren Template:Flagicon Joey Rive	6–3, 6–3
Loss	10–6	Apr 1996	Bermuda	Clay	Template:Flagicon Pat Rafter	Template:Flagicon Jan Apell Template:Flagicon Brent Haygarth	6–3, 1–6, 3–6
Win	11–6	May 1996	Pinehurst, US	Clay	Template:Flagicon Pat Rafter	Template:Flagicon Ken Flach Template:Flagicon David Wheaton	6–2, 6–3

Junior Grand Slam finals

Boys' singles: 3 (2–1)

Result	Year	Championship	Surface	Opponent	Score
Loss	1981	Wimbledon Jrs.	Grass	Template:Flagicon Matt Anger	6–7(3–7), 5–7
Win	1982	Wimbledon Jrs.	Grass	Template:Flagicon Henrik Sundström	6–4, 6–7(5–7), 6–3
Win	1982	US Open Jrs.	Hard	Template:Flagicon Guy Forget	6–3, 6–3

Performance timelines

Singles

Template:Performance keyWalkovers are neither official wins nor official losses.

Tournament	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	SR	W–L
Grand Slam tournaments
Australian Open	1R	QF	4R	QF	A	NH	F	F	4R	A	3R	2R	A	A	1R	A	1R	0 / 11	26–11
French Open	A	A	1R	1R	A	A	1R	4R	A	A	2R	A	A	A	A	A	A	0 / 5	4–5
Wimbledon	A	A	4R	SF	2R	QF	W	QF	A	4R	2R	2R	A	A	1R	A	1R	1 / 11	29–10
US Open	A	1R	3R	SF	A	1R	1R	A	A	3R	A	A	A	A	A	1R	A	0 / 7	9–7
Win–loss	0–1	3–2	8–4	13–4	1–1	4–2	12–3	13–3	3–1	5–2	4–3	2–2	0–0	0–0	0–2	0–1	0–2	1 / 34	68–33
Year-end ranking	–	342	34	10	67	24	7	20	368	81	108	203	–	511	250	765	379
National representation
Davis Cup	A	A	W	SF	SF	W	SF	QF	PO	F	A	A	A	A	A	A	A	2 / 8	23–7

Top 10 wins

Season	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	Total
Wins	0	0	1	4	0	2	8	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	16

#	Player	Rank	Event	Surface	Rd	Score	Cash rank
1983
1.	Template:Flagicon Vitas Gerulaitis	9	Queen's Club, London	Grass	2R	5–7, 6–3, 6–3	61
1984
2.	Template:Flagicon Mats Wilander	4	Wimbledon, London	Grass	2R	6–7(2–7), 6–4, 6–2, 6–4	33
3.	Template:Flagicon Andrés Gómez	6	Wimbledon, London	Grass	QF	6–4, 6–4, 6–7(3–7), 7–6(7–5)	33
4.	Template:Flagicon Mats Wilander	4	US Open, New York	Hard	QF	7–6(7–3), 6–4, 2–6, 6–3	18
5.	Template:Flagicon Jimmy Connors	2	Davis Cup, Portland U.S.	Carpet (i)	RR	6–4, 6–2	10
1986
6.	Template:Flagicon Mats Wilander	2	Wimbledon, London	Grass	4R	4–6, 7–5, 6–4, 6–3	413
7.	Template:Flagicon Stefan Edberg	5	Davis Cup, Melbourne	Grass	RR	13–11, 13–11, 6–4	24
1987
8.	Template:Flagicon Yannick Noah	4	Australian Open, Melbourne	Grass	QF	6–4, 6–2, 2–6, 6–0	24
9.	Template:Flagicon Ivan Lendl	1	Australian Open, Melbourne	Grass	SF	7–6(7–1), 5–7, 7–6(7–5), 6–4	24
10.	Template:Flagicon Stefan Edberg	4	Queen's Club, London	Grass	QF	7–6, 7–6	13
11.	Template:Flagicon Mats Wilander	3	Wimbledon, London	Grass	QF	6–3, 7–5, 6–4	11
12.	Template:Flagicon Jimmy Connors	7	Wimbledon, London	Grass	SF	6–4, 6–4, 6–1	11
13.	Template:Flagicon Ivan Lendl	1	Wimbledon, London	Grass	F	7–6(7–5), 6–2, 7–5	11
14.	Template:Flagicon Boris Becker	4	Sydney, Australia	Hard (i)	SF	6–3, 2–6, 7–6	8
15.	Template:Flagicon Miloslav Mečíř	6	Masters, New York	Carpet (i)	RR	7–5, 6–4	7
1988
16.	Template:Flagicon Ivan Lendl	1	Australian Open, Melbourne	Hard	SF	6–4, 2–6, 6–2, 4–6, 6–2	7

Senior Tour titles

• 2000 – London Masters, UK (Blackrock Tour of Champions)
• 2001 – Graz, Austria (Blackrock Tour of Champions)

External links

• Template:Official website – official site
• Template:ATP
• Template:ITF
• Template:Davis Cup player
• Template:Tennis Australia
• Pat Cash at the ATP Champions Tour
• Template:Sport Australia Hall of Fame