Remembering Bernie Mitton, Former Top 50 Player
Former Top 50 player Bernard Mitton of South Africa passed away last Friday. He was 62. The 6'2” right-hander, who was born in Vryburg, South Africa, but had been living in Newport Beach, California, won two ATP World Tour singles titles and nine doubles crowns during his career, which started in 1973, only five years after the beginning of the Open Era (April 1968), and ended in 1984. Mitton's final tour-level match was against then-World No. 5 Jimmy Arias of the U.S. at 1984 Wimbledon. South Africa native and former World No. 7 Johan Kriek said Mitton led a generation of South African players. “Bernie was a very talented, smart and funny guy. He was the elder statesman of South African...