| Country (sports) |  Great Britain |
|---|---|
| Residence | Plymouth, England. |
| Born | (1946-02-19)19 February 1946 (age 79) Leeds, England |
| Plays | Right-handed |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 5–18 |
| Career titles | 0 |
| Highest ranking | No. 243 (3 June 1974) |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| French Open | 1R (1971) |
| Wimbledon | 2R (1971) |
| US Open | 1R (1971) |
| Doubles | |
| Career record | 8–15 |
| Career titles | 0 |
| Grand Slam doubles results | |
| Wimbledon | 3R (1973) |
| US Open | 1R (1971) |
John Clifton (born 19 February 1946) is a British former professionaltennis player.[1][2][3] He was born inEngland and grew up in Scotland.[4]
Clifton became the first player to start a match and win a point in theopen era of tennis when he playedOwen Davidson in the first round of theBritish Hard Court Championships in Bournemouth played on 22 April 1968. Clifton lost the match in four sets.[5][6][7]
With partnerJohn Paish, Clifton was a doubles runner-up atNewport in 1971.[1]
He made the second round of the singles at the1971 Wimbledon Championships and the third round of the men's doubles at the1973 Wimbledon Championships (withStanley Matthews).[1]
Clifton played a tie for theGreat Britain Davis Cup team in 1970, againstAustria. He took part in singles rubbers againstPeter Pokorny andHans Kary, but was unable to win either.[8]
| Outcome | No. | Year | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Runner-up | 1. | 1971 | Newport,Great Britain | Grass | John Paish |  Ken RosewallRoger Taylor | 5–7, 6–3, 2–6 |