Sergey Leonyuk

Sergey Leonyuk (born 3 April 1960) is a former professional tennis player from Belarus.

Sergey Leonyuk
Full nameSergey Leonyuk
Country (sports) Soviet Union
Born (1960-04-03) 3 April 1960
Minsk, Soviet Union
Singles
Career record0–1
Career titles0
Highest rankingNo. 327 (10 June 1985)
Doubles
Career record4–5
Career titles0
Highest rankingNo. 245 (25 May 1987)

Biography

Leonyuk was born in Minsk, the capital of the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, modern day Belarus. He represented the Soviet Union during his career and was a nine time Soviet champion.[1]

In 1978 he played in a Grand Prix tournament in Calcutta, India. He lost in the first round of the singles to Ramesh Krishnan and also featured in the doubles draw with Igor Tihonenko.[2]

He won a bronze medal in singles and silver medal in doubles at the Friendship Games, held in Poland in 1984, for nations that boycotted the Summer Olympics.[3]

A regular Davis Cup representative for the Soviet Union, he appeared in a total of 13 ties in the 1980s, including stints in the World Group. In 1985 he and Alexander Zverev came from two sets down to win a doubles match over Czechoslovakia's Tomáš Šmíd and Libor Pimek in Tbilisi.[4] At the time Smid was the number one ranked doubles player in the world.

He won one Challenger title, the Tampere Open in 1986, which he and Ģirts Dzelde won with a walkover in the final.

In the wake of the Chernobyl disaster, Leonyuk moved to Brooklyn, New York to ensure his children's safety. He brought with him a promising 15-year old junior from Minsk, Vladimir Voltchkov, who he housed and coached.[5] The pair separated before Voltchkov, a Wimbledon semi-finalist, turned professional.

In the 1990s, Leonyuk was an assistant coach of the Russian Davis Cup team.[6] He has also served as the tournament director of the Kremlin Cup.

Challenger titles

Doubles: (1)
No. Year Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
1. 1986 Tampere, Finland Clay Ģirts Dzelde Alessandro de Minicis
George Kalovelonis		 (W/O)

See also

References
  1. Fyodorov, Gennady (30 November 1995). "Russians '50-50' for Cup, Coach Says". The Moscow Times. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  2. "ITF Tennis - Pro Circuit - Indian Open - 27 November - 03 December 1978". International Tennis Federation. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  3. Trzciński, Tomasz; et al. (1985). Gwiazdy sportu '84 (in Polish). Warsaw: Krajowa Agencja Wydawnicza. p. 91. ISBN 83-03-01177-4.
  4. "Flach, Seguso Finish Japan in Straight Sets". The Washington Post. 10 March 1985. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  5. Cyphers, Luke (6 September 1996). "For Vladimir, Court is held in Brooklyn". New York Daily News. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  6. Clarey, Christopher (30 November 1995). "Moscow Embraces Showdown With U.S." New York Times. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
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