Ray Ruffels

Template:Short description Template:EngvarB Template:Use dmy dates Template:Template other Raymond Owen "Ray" Ruffels (born 23 March 1946) is an Australian former professional tennis player and coach.

Playing career

Ruffels was an Australian Open semi-finalist in 1968, 1969 and 1976, and a quarter-finalist in 1970 and 1977. In 1978, partnering with Billie Jean King in mixed doubles competition, Ruffels reached the final at Wimbledon and the US Open. Ruffels beat newly crowned US Open champion Stan Smith at the Wembley tournament in 1971. He had two wins over Ken Rosewall and one over John Newcombe in ATP events. He won five open era ATP singles titles at Hobart in 1968, Brisbane in 1969, Haverford in 1970, Auckland in 1972 and Perth indoors in 1976.

He was a member of the Australian Davis Cup team in 1968, 1969, 1970, and 1977.

Career finals

Doubles (16 titles, 7 runner-ups)

Result	W–L	Date	Tournament	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Win	1–0	1970	Merion, US	Hard	Template:Flagicon Bill Bowrey	Template:Flagicon Jim McManus Template:Flagicon Jim Osborne	3–6, 6–2, 7–5
Win	2–0	1970	Phoenix, US	Hard	Template:Flagicon Dick Crealy	Template:Flagicon Jan Kodeš Template:Flagicon Charlie Pasarell	7–6, 6–3
Win	3–0	1970	Buenos Aires, Argentina	Clay	Template:Flagicon Bob Carmichael	Template:Flagicon Željko Franulović Template:Flagicon Jan Kodeš	7–5, 6–2, 5–7, 6–7, 6–3
Win	4–0	1971	Auckland, New Zealand	Grass	Template:Flagicon Bob Carmichael	Template:Flagicon Brian Fairlie Template:Flagicon Raymond Moore	6–3, 6–7, 6–4, 4–6, 6–3
Loss	4–1	1971	Tehran WCT, Iran	Clay	Template:Flagicon Bob Carmichael	Template:Flagicon John Newcombe Template:Flagicon Tony Roche	4–6, 7–6, 1–6
Loss	4–2	1971	Washington WCT, US	Clay	Template:Flagicon Bob Carmichael	Template:Flagicon Tom Okker Template:Flagicon Marty Riessen	6–7, 2–6
Win	5–2	1972	Toronto WCT, Canada	Carpet	Template:Flagicon Bob Carmichael	Template:Flagicon Roy Emerson Template:Flagicon Rod Laver	6–4, 4–6, 6–4
Win	6–2	1972	Quebec WCT, Canada	Indoor	Template:Flagicon Bob Carmichael	Template:Flagicon John Alexander Template:Flagicon Terry Addison	4–6, 6–3, 7–5
Loss	6–3	1974	Christchurch, New Zealand		Template:Flagicon Syd Ball	Template:Flagicon Ismail El Shafei Template:Flagicon Roscoe Tanner	W/O
Win	7–3	1975	Auckland, New Zealand	Grass	Template:Flagicon Bob Carmichael	Template:Flagicon Brian Fairlie Template:Flagicon Onny Parun	7–6, RET.
Win	8–3	1975	Baltimore WCT, US	Carpet	Template:Flagicon Dick Crealy	Template:Flagicon Ismail El Shafei Template:Flagicon Frew McMillan	6–4, 6–3
Win	9–3	1975	Dayton Indoor, US	Carpet	Template:Flagicon Allan Stone	Template:Flagicon Paul Gerken Template:Flagicon Brian Gottfried	7–6, 7–5
Loss	9–4	1975	Orlando WCT, US	Hard	Template:Flagicon Colin Dibley	Template:Flagicon Brian Gottfried Template:Flagicon Raúl Ramírez	4–6, 4–6
Win	10–4	1975	St. Louis, US	Clay	Template:Flagicon Colin Dibley	Template:Flagicon Ross Case Template:Flagicon Geoff Masters	6–4, 6–4
Win	11–4	1976	Dayton, US	Carpet	Template:Flagicon Sherwood Stewart	Template:Flagicon Jaime Fillol Template:Flagicon Charlie Pasarell	6–2, 3–6, 7–5
Win	12–4	1976	Little Rock, US	Carpet	Template:Flagicon Syd Ball	Template:Flagicon Giuliano Pecci Template:Flagicon Haroon Rahim	6–3, 6–7, 6–3
Win	13–4	1976	Boston, US	Clay	Template:Flagicon Allan Stone	Template:Flagicon Mike Cahill Template:Flagicon John Whitlinger	3–6, 6–3, 7–6
Loss	13–5	1976	Bermuda	Clay	Template:Flagicon Dick Crealy	Template:Flagicon Mike Cahill Template:Flagicon John Whitlinger	4–6, 6–4, 6–7
Win	14–5	1976	Bangalore, India	Clay	Template:Flagicon Bob Carmichael	Template:Flagicon Chiradip Mukerjea Template:Flagicon Bhanu Nunna	6–2, 7–6
Loss	14–6	1977	La Costa WCT, US	Hard	Template:Flagicon Allan Stone	Template:Flagicon Bob Hewitt Template:Flagicon Frew McMillan	4–6, 2–6
Win	15–6	1977	Perth, Australia	Hard	Template:Flagicon Allan Stone	Template:Flagicon Nick Saviano Template:Flagicon John Whitlinger	6–2, 6–1
Loss	15–7	1977	Sydney Outdoor, Australia	Grass	Template:Flagicon Allan Stone	Template:Flagicon John Alexander Template:Flagicon Phil Dent	6–7, 6–2, 3–6
Win	16–7	1977	Australian Open-2, Melbourne	Grass	Template:Flagicon Allan Stone	Template:Flagicon John Alexander Template:Flagicon Phil Dent	7–6, 7–6

Coaching career

Ruffels was appointed head national tennis coach of Tennis Australia in 1980. He was appointed the inaugural Head Coach of the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) tennis program in 1981. He held this position until his retirement in January 1990. Whilst at the AIS, Ruffels coached many young players that would have successful professional careers including: Pat Cash, Wally Masur, Darren Cahill, Todd Woodbridge, Richard Fromberg, Simon Youl and Johan Anderson. After leaving the AIS, he coached Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde, who as a doubles team won many major titles including the gold medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

In 2009, he returned to Australia to work at the AIS after being a national coach for the United States Tennis Association player development program in California.

In November 2016, he was awarded The President's Spirit of Tennis by Tennis Australia.

Personal

Ruffels married professional tennis player Anna-Maria Fernandez and they have two children, Ryan and Gabriela; both have taken up golf as a career.

External links

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