# Phil Dent

Philip Clive Dent (born 14 February 1950) is a former professional tennis player. Dent's high water mark as a pro singles player was reaching the Australian Open final in 1974, which he lost to Jimmy Connors in four sets. Dent was also the men's doubles champion at the Australian Open in 1975 (with teammate John Alexander), and the mixed-doubles champion at the US Open in 1976 (with teammate Billie Jean King).

## Tennis career

As well as his victory in the 1975 Australian Open doubles, Dent reached six more men's doubles finals in Grand Slam Tournaments, finishing runner-up at the Australian Open in 1970, 1973, and 1977, the French Open in 1975 and 1979 and Wimbledon in 1977. Dent was a member of the Australian tennis teams that won the Davis Cup in 1977 and the World Team Cup in 1979.
Before turning professional, Dent won the boys' singles titles at both the Australian Open tournament and at the French Open in 1968.
During his professional career, Dent won three top-level singles titles (in Sydney and in Brisbane, Australia, both in 1979, and the former also in 1971) and 25 doubles titles (also winning the 1968 Australian Hard Courts singles event in Launceston). His career-high singles ranking was world No. 12 (in 1977). Dent retired from professional tennis in 1983.
Dent defeated Björn Borg in the third round of the 1974 Australian Open, the only Australian Open in which he competed.
After retiring as a player, Dent settled in Newport Beach, California. Dent was married to Betty Ann Grubb Stuart and their son, Taylor Dent was also a professional tennis player and citizen of the United States. Phil now lives in Texas, where he, his son, and his daughter-in-law Jennifer own a tennis academy.

## Grand Slam finals
### Singles: 1 (1 runner-up)

| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Opponent | Score |
| Loss | 1974 | Australian Open | Grass | Jimmy Connors | 6–7$^{(7–9)}$, 4–6, 6–4, 3–6 |

### Mixed doubles: 1 (1 title)

| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
| Win | 1976 | US Open | Grass | Billie Jean King | Frew McMillan Betty Stöve | 3–6, 6–2, 7–5 |

## Grand Slam performance timeline

Key :
| W | F | SF | QF | #R | RR | Q# | P# | DNQ | A | Z# | PO | G | S | B | NMS | NTI | P | NH |

### Singles

| Tournament | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | Career SR |
| Australian Open | 1R | QF | 2R | 3R | 2R | A | 1R | F | 2R | 2R | QF | 2R | 2R | QF | 3R | 3R | 4R | 2R | 0 / 17 |
| French Open | A | P1 | 2R | 3R | 1R | A | 3R | A | 1R | A | SF | SF | 1R | 1R | A | A | A | A | 0 / 8 |
| Wimbledon | A | 1R | 3R | 2R | 2R | A | A | 2R | 4R | 4R | QF | QF | 3R | 2R | 4R | 1R | A | A | 0 / 12 |
| US Open | A | A | 1R | A | 2R | 1R | 3R | A | 2R | 1R | 2R | 2R | 1R | 1R | A | 1R | 1R | A | 0 / 11 |
| Strike rate | 0 / 1 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 5 | 0 / 5 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 48 |
Note: The Australian Open was held twice in 1977, in January and December.

## Career finals
### Doubles (25 titles, 25 runner-ups)

| Result | No. | Year | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
| Loss | 1. | 1970 | Australian Open, Melbourne | Grass | John Alexander | Bob Lutz Stan Smith | 3–6, 6–8, 3–6 |
| Loss | 2. | 1970 | Hilversum, Netherlands | Hard | John Alexander | Bill Bowrey Owen Davidson | 3–6, 4–6, 2–6 |
| Win | 1. | 1970 | Kitzbühel, Austria | Clay | John Alexander | Željko Franulović Jan Kodeš | 10–8, 6–2, 6–4 |
| Win | 2. | 1971 | Sydney Outdoor, Australia | Hard | John Alexander | Mal Anderson Alex Metreveli | 6–7, 2–6, 6–3, 7–6, 7–6 |
| Win | 3. | 1971 | Gstaad, Switzerland | Clay | John Alexander | John Newcombe Tom Okker | 5–7, 6–3, 6–4 |
| Win | 4. | 1971 | Los Angeles, U.S. | Hard | John Alexander | Frank Froehling Clark Graebner | 7–6, 6–4 |
| Loss | 3. | 1971 | Vancouver WCT, Canada | | John Alexander | Roy Emerson Rod Laver | 7–5, 7–6, 0–6, 5–7, 6–7 |
| Loss | 4. | 1972 | St. Louis WCT, U.S. | Carpet | John Alexander | John Newcombe Tony Roche | 6–7, 2–6 |
| Win | 5. | 1972 | Louisville WCT, U.S. | Clay | John Alexander | Arthur Ashe Bob Lutz | 6–4, 6–3 |
| Loss | 5. | 1973 | Australian Open, Melbourne | Grass | John Alexander | Mal Anderson John Newcombe | 3–6, 4–6, 6–7 |
| Win | 6. | 1973 | Toronto WCT, Canada | Carpet | John Alexander | Roy Emerson Rod Laver | 3–6, 6–4, 6–4, 6–2 |
| Loss | 6. | 1973 | Brussels WCT, Belgium | Carpet | John Alexander | Bob Lutz Stan Smith | 4–6, 6–7 |
| Win | 7. | 1973 | Cincinnati, U.S. | Clay | John Alexander | Brian Gottfried Raúl Ramírez | 1–6, 7–6, 7–6 |
| Loss | 7. | 1974 | Richmond WCT, U.S. | Carpet | John Alexander | Nikola Pilić Allan Stone | 3–6, 6–3, 6–7 |
| Win | 8. | 1974 | Miami WCT, U.S. | Hard | John Alexander | Tom Okker Marty Riessen | 4–6, 6–4, 7–5 |
| Win | 9. | 1974 | Monte Carlo WCT, Monaco | Clay | John Alexander | Manuel Orantes Tony Roche | 7–6, 4–6, 7–6, 6–3 |
| Win | 10. | 1975 | Australian Open, Melbourne | Grass | John Alexander | Bob Carmichael Allan Stone | 6–3, 7–6 |
| Loss | 8. | 1975 | Fort Worth WCT, U.S. | Hard | John Alexander | Bob Lutz Stan Smith | 7–6, 6–7, 3–6 |
| Win | 11. | 1975 | San Antonio WCT, U.S. | Hard | John Alexander | Mark Cox Cliff Drysdale | 7–6, 4–6, 6–4 |
| Loss | 9. | 1975 | Tokyo Indoor, Japan | Carpet | John Alexander | Bob Lutz Stan Smith | 4–6, 7–6, 2–6 |
| Win | 12. | 1975 | Las Vegas, U.S. | Hard | John Alexander | Bob Carmichael Cliff Drysdale | 6–1, 6–4 |
| Loss | 10. | 1975 | French Open, Paris | Clay | John Alexander | Brian Gottfried Raúl Ramírez | 4–6, 6–2, 2–6, 4–6 |
| Win | 13. | 1975 | Chicago, U.S. | Carpet | John Alexander | Mike Cahill John Whitlinger | 6–3, 6–4 |
| Win | 14. | 1975 | Cincinnati, U.S. | Hard | Cliff Drysdale | Marcelo Lara Joaquín Loyo-Mayo | 7–6, 6–4 |
| Loss | 11. | 1975 | North Conway, U.S. | Clay | John Alexander | Haroon Rahim Erik van Dillen | 6–7, 6–7 |
| Win | 15. | 1976 | Atlanta WCT, U.S. | Carpet | John Alexander | Wojtek Fibak Karl Meiler | 6–3, 6–4 |
| Loss | 12. | 1976 | St. Louis WCT, U.S. | Carpet | John Alexander | Brian Gottfried Raúl Ramírez | 4–6, 2–6 |
| Win | 16. | 1976 | Denver WCT, U.S. | Carpet | John Alexander | Jimmy Connors Billy Martin | 6–7, 6–2, 7–5 |
| Loss | 13. | 1976 | Woodlands Doubles, Texas | Hard | Allan Stone | Brian Gottfried Raúl Ramírez | 1–6, 4–6, 7–5, 6–7 |
| Loss | 14. | 1977 | Jackson, U.S. | Carpet | Ken Rosewall | Bob Hewitt Frew McMillan | 2–6, 6–7 |
| Loss | 15. | 1977 | Houston WCT, U.S. | Hard | John Alexander | Ilie Năstase Adriano Panatta | 3–6, 4–6 |
| Loss | 16. | 1977 | Hamburg, Germany | Clay | Kim Warwick | Bob Hewitt Karl Meiler | 6–3, 3–6, 4–6, 4–6 |
| Loss | 17. | 1977 | Wimbledon, London | Grass | John Alexander | Ross Case Geoff Masters | 3–6, 4–6, 6–3, 9–8, 4–6 |
| Win | 17. | 1977 | Cincinnati, U.S. | Clay | John Alexander | Bob Hewitt Roscoe Tanner | 6–3, 7–6 |
| Win | 18. | 1977 | Washington, D.C., U.S. | Clay | John Alexander | Fred McNair Sherwood Stewart | 7–5, 7–5 |
| Win | 19. | 1977 | Louisville, U.S. | Clay | John Alexander | Chris Kachel Cliff Letcher | 6–1, 6–4 |
| Loss | 18. | 1977 | Adelaide, Australia | Grass | John Alexander | Syd Ball Kim Warwick | 6–3, 6–7, 4–6 |
| Win | 20. | 1977 | Sydney Outdoor, Australia | Grass | John Alexander | Ray Ruffels Allan Stone | 7–6, 2–6, 6–3 |
| Loss | 19. | 1977 | Australian Open, Melbourne | Grass | John Alexander | Ray Ruffels Allan Stone | 6–7, 6–7 |
| Loss | 20. | 1978 | Memphis, U.S. | Carpet | John Newcombe | Brian Gottfried Raúl Ramírez | 6–3, 6–7, 2–6 |
| Win | 21. | 1978 | Forest Hills WCT, U.S. | Clay | John Alexander | Fred McNair Sherwood Stewart | 7–6, 7–6 |
| Win | 22. | 1978 | Los Angeles, U.S. | Carpet | John Alexander | Fred McNair Raúl Ramírez | 6–3, 7–6 |
| Win | 23. | 1978 | Brisbane, Australia | Grass | John Alexander | Syd Ball Allan Stone | 6–3, 7–6 |
| Win | 24. | 1979 | Hobart, Australia | Grass | Bob Giltinan | Ion Țiriac Guillermo Vilas | 8–6 |
| Loss | 18. | 1979 | Dayton, U.S. | Carpet | Ross Case | Cliff Drysdale Bruce Manson | 6–3, 3–6, 6–7 |
| Loss | 19. | 1979 | French Open, Paris | Clay | Ross Case | Gene Mayer Sandy Mayer | 4–6, 4–6, 4–6 |
| Loss | 23. | 1979 | Adelaide, Australia | Grass | John Alexander | Colin Dibley Chris Kachel | 7–6, 6–7, 4–6 |
| Loss | 24. | 1980 | Brisbane, Australia | Grass | Rod Frawley | John McEnroe Matt Mitchell | 6–8 |
| Win | 25. | 1982 | Guarujá, Brazil | Clay | Kim Warwick | Carlos Kirmayr Cássio Motta | 6–7, 6–2, 6–3 |
| Loss | 25. | 1982 | Denver, U.S. | Carpet | Kim Warwick | Kevin Curren Steve Denton | 4–6, 4–6 |