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Thomas Emmrich

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Thomas Emmrich
Country (sports) East Germany
Born (1953-07-21) 21 July 1953 (age 71)
Berlin, East Germany
PlaysRight-handed
Singles
Career record3–2
Career titles0
Doubles
Career record7–1
Career titles1
Medal record
Representing  East Germany
Summer Universiade
Silver medal – second place 1977 Sofia Doubles

Thomas Emmrich (born 21 July 1953) is a former tennis player for East Germany. Between 1970 and 1988, Emmrich won 46 German Democratic Republic (GDR) titles (17 singles and 29 in the doubles and mixed). He entered the tennis scene after the GDR had decided to promote only those sports which were relevant for the Olympics’ medals table. Thus, he was barred from international competitions outside the Eastern bloc countries and had to keep the status as an amateur. However, he gained some points at an ATP tournament in Sofia as GDR functionaries had not noticed that it had become part of the ATP tour. After this tournament, the ATP ranked him number 482—the only entry of a GDR tennis player in the ATP rankings.[1]

Martina Navratilova claimed that he could have become a top-ten player in the 1970s.[2]

After the German reunification in 1990, Emmrich proved that he could compete on a high international level as he won several titles, i.e. runners-up in the European Championships of the 35+ Seniors (1996), runners-up in the Doubles World Championships in 2003 (50+), European Champion (50+) in 2006. In addition, he gained many national titles after 1990 in senior competitions.

His daughter Manuela Emmrich also picked up the tennis sport and played college tennis in the US. She won the National Championship in 2005. His son, Martin Emmrich, is a professional tennis player and is successful on the doubles pro circuit.

Career finals

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Doubles (1 win, 1 loss)

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Result W/L Date Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Loss 0–1 Dec 1980 Sofia, Bulgaria Carpet Soviet Union Vadim Borisov West Germany Hartmut Kirchhübel
Austria Robert Reininger
6–4, 3–6, 4–6
Win 1–1 Dec 1981 Sofia, Bulgaria Carpet Czechoslovakia Jiří Granát Egypt Ismail El Shafei
United States Richard Meyer
7–6, 2–6, 6–4

Notes

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  1. ^ "ATP World Tour profile".
  2. ^ Molitor, P. (20 November 1989). kicker Sportmagazin. p. 74. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)

References

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  • Streppelhoff, R. (23 February 2007). Stadion. pp. 243–264. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
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