26/04/2010

tecnifibre

Volley

Bates turned professional in 1982. Partnering his fellow British player Jo Durie, he won the mixed doubles titles at Wimbledon in 1987 and the Australian Open in 1991. He was also a men's doubles runner-up at the Australian Open in 1988 (partnering Sweden's Peter Lundgren). He reached the fourth round in the mens singles at Wimbledon twice – in 1992 and 1994 – losing on both occasions to France's Guy Forget. He won the title In Seoul in 1994 when he was aged 31 (he was the oldest champion on the tour that season). He also won three men's doubles titles at Tel Aviv (1989), Queen's Club (1990), and Rotterdam (1994). He was the British national champion 6 times, and played in 20 Davis Cup ties for Britain. Bates retired from the professional tour in 1996. Since leaving the tour, he has served as captain of Britain's Davis Cup team as well as playing in ATP Champions Tour events. He left the Lawn Tennis Association in January 2007 and in September 2007, Bates was appointed Director of Tennis at the Sutton Tennis Academy in London. He is now slowly becoming addicted to touchtennis and may soon give up tennis full time to concentrate on becoming the touchtennis world No.1!