Tom Okker

Tom Okker

The first Open-era US Open final, in September 1968, split its spoils in two: Arthur Ashe won the title and Tom Okker took the money. Ashe was still an amateur, so the $14,000 first prize went to the beaten finalist, a 24-year-old registered pro from Amsterdam who had stretched him to 14-12, 5-7, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. They called Okker the Flying Dutchman for his speed, and his whipping topspin forehand arrived years before the shot became standard. Together they carried him to 37 career titles, a career-high of world No. 3 in March 1974 and seven straight seasons in the top ten.

The quickness worked double duty. Okker won two doubles majors, Roland Garros 1973 with John Newcombe and the US Open 1976 with Marty Riessen, and stood as the best Dutch player until Richard Krajicek won Wimbledon in 1996. Tennis done, he built a second career as an art dealer, co-founding Amsterdam's Jaski gallery and specialising in the CoBrA movement.