During 10 year career defeated Grand Slam champions Jan Kodes (Toronto 1975), Guillermo Vilas (Johannesburg 1976), Ivan Lendl (Barcelona 1978), Roscoe Tanner (London 1982), Pat Cash (Wimbledon 1982), Vitas Gerulaitis (Johannesburg 1983), Johan Kriek (Johannesburg 1984). Member of British Davis Cup team. Member of the ATP Board of Directors until 1990. Colin Dowdeswell's abilities are both physical and mental. He emerged as one of the world's top junior players in 1973, and over the years has shown the ability to beat virtually anyone, provided his confidence is up. He is also a man of considerable intellect. In 1981, after having served as treasurer of the ATP, he decided he wanted to seek his fortune in the world of finance, securing a position with a major brokerage firm in London. For nearly two years, Dowdeswell abandoned tennis shorts for three piece suits. Yet mid-way through 1983 Colin yearned for competition again, and came back on the circuit. The layoff did not diminish his deft hands at the net or his competitive spirit. The crowning achievement of his '83 comeback was reaching the final at Johannesburg, where he beat Kevin Curren, Vitas Gerulaitis, and then staged a four-hour, five set struggle with Kriek in the final. Born in London, Colin was reared in Zimbabwe, and lived for a time in Switzerland. In 1987, he graduated with a MBA degree from the European Business School(INSEAD) in France. He was a member of Great Britain's Davis Cup team from 1983-86 and ranked No. 1 in that country in 1984.
Personal: retired from the pro circuit in 1986...1990 was appointed Sports Director of the Hurlingham Club where he supervised the club's $10 million sports development program...1994 joined Merrill Lynch Private Banking and became First Vice President of Investments in 2004... Retired from Merrill Lynch in 2012... now living and working in Monaco as an Investment Advisor. Wife, Marie-Christine; children, Emily, Timothy and Peter; grandchildren, Ilona, Joachim and Cicely.