Tennis Channel Live: Rock Star, Loyal Friend: Remembering Vitas Gerulaitis

Subscribe to Tennis Channel on KZbin: kzbin.info_c...

[@andreascala2663]

a man who was a good friend of Connors Borg and McEnroe.....and also a good opponent.....unique

[@danielemartinelli2397]

Great great talent ! For me a legend . Daniele Martinelli

[@bsoz9759]

I had always admired Vitas for his tenacity. He never gave up in a match, even when he was about to lose. I recall several times he would battle back and win. His never give up attitude was something I embraced as a player, even though I was just a high school player.

[@iconicetiquette4546]

I got to meet him in hyde park London he was jogging, what a gentleman 😀

[@mariobrandsma9830]

Vitas the best !

[@michaelbarlow6610]

Vitas Gerulaitis had enormous tennis talent and sadly, because of his personal problems, wasted that talent. Plus he lacked the passionate desire to dominate tennis like Connors, Borg, McEnroe, Lendl, Sampras and other all-time greats!

[@Radnally]

I remember watching vitas playing Wimbledon with a tennis ball in his left hand.

[@kennethstokes5102]

Back in the old days, some players would serve while having two balls in their left hand, in case they had to hit a second serve. Vitas was one of them.

[@samcolbeck]

@@kennethstokes5102 Most players did, including the women. I'm still playing in my 60s and it never occurs to me to do anything else. I don't want a lump in my pocket.

[@kennethstokes5102]

@@samcolbeck I'm doing the same thing in my 60s, so high five!

[@thomashumphrey7395]

I still have my framed VG poster from 1978 or so on my wall of him hitting a backhand on a grass court with perfect form of knees bent and follow-through. One thing you don't hear anything about that was important to my tennis generation was beautiful strokes, technique, and form. And Vitas had beautiful, orthodox strokes to study and watch. His game was perfectly suited for a tennis textbook or instructional guide on perfect stroke production.

[@alessandroosandrini7090]

R.I.P. Vital

[@rootdoc1997]

Love Vitas Gerulaitis, was fun to watch play and he was fun and had Charisma. Played at the 1982 US Open and he was walking around the grounds and took a pic with me. Was just a great friendly guy

[@ramonsanchez5411]

It's such his destiny. Nevertheless, he was once and amongst the greatest in LawnTennis. I was an avid of his skill and most particularly his court/playing attitude.

[@normadesmond6017]

Vitas like partying and coke a bit more then he liked tennis.... But these were the great days a tennis. Today it....is.....boring......

[@thebiofile17]

Vitas Gerulaitis Portrait of a Champion amazon books $8.99!!

[@ianrodd9232]

All the best people are taken too soon.

[@theoriginalthinker9199]

The interesting thing I'll always remember about Vitas, is in his prime he played with a Stan Smith autograph wood racket, while Stan Smith was still a touring pro, and had switched to another rackets!

[@melvinlew6624]

Quite ironic. Smith switched to a Fischer because it was easier on his arm and elbow the the wooden Wilson Stan Smith Autograph.

[@Billy-Box]

BJÖRN BORG

[@normadesmond6017]

and he was major into coke. And introduced it to best friend Borg as well...

[@MrBjorn6]

I thought he was into Pepsi 🤣