Unheralded Jose Higueras

[kiki]

One of the best clay courters of the late 70´s-early 80´s, the bearded spanish had an exceptional BH and was very consistent from the backcourt, although later on he improved his serve and became a bit more comfortable on fast turf.

His cc record is really good.Tw FO sf, one IO F and one IO SF, two GO wins ( his second final against Mc Namara was the longest in the history of the Hamburg event), he won Boston,Houston,Indianapolis and lost twice the finals at the then prestigious Volvo International at North Conway.He won the Madrid GP but never reached the final of his favourite tournament outside Paris, the Spanish GP at Barcelona.

He also played and lost the doubles final at the French Open in 1980.He always failed on DC duty and, to end it up, Higueras played three Masters as he was a top tenner in 1979, 1982 and 1983.In the early 80´s married a Californian lass and opened a succesful tennis ranch around Palm Springs.In the 90´s he coached Jim Courier and, as results show, didn´t do a poor job at all...

Remember him?

 

[kiki]

Higueras beat Borg in 1973, Connors in 1982, Rosewall in 1977, Vilas and Tanner in 1979 and Newcombe in 1978.His two best years were clearly 1979 ( 3 tournaments) and 1982 ( 2 tournaments)

 

[KG1965]

Jose had a wonderful and a beautiful backhand.
I remember that about 100 shots it wrong ... zero .
Lost only if the opponent could press it , if pulled harder or coming to net .
He struggled in the majors . Perhaps because they lasted two weeks and 5 sets?

 

[kiki]

Jose had a wonderful and a beautiful backhand.
I remember that about 100 shots it wrong ... zero .
Lost only if the opponent could press it , if pulled harder or coming to net .
He struggled in the majors . Perhaps because they lasted two weeks and 5 sets?

Don´t know.He was also a RG QF twice.Lost very surprisingly to Phil Dent and not so surprisingly to the recent Rome champion Vitas Gerulaitis.Gerulaitis clay court game was excellent and underrated over here.

He had also rivlries with some reputed tough to beat baseliners like Corrado Barazutti, who stopped him at DC in 1977 and Harold Solomon, whom he beat in a five sets final at Hamburg.

 

[waarp]

Saw him at my first live tennis match at Forest Hills in '77. A night match. He got destroyed by Vilas but it was a sight. Sliding into every shot, so much top spin the ball was actually warbling in mid air.

 

[encylopedia]

Os.In the 90´s he coached Jim Courier and, as results show, didn´t do a poor job at all...

I think it was his successive coaching of Chang and then Courier to FO titles which really cemented his reputation as a clay court coaching guru. He has worked with an all-star cast over his coaching career: Todd Martin, Sampras, Federer.....and many, many others.

 

[chrischris]

Where does he work nowadays??

 

[Tshooter]

Where does he work nowadays??

I don't know.

I do know the USTA paid him approximately $475,000 in total compensation in 2013 (about $360K base + 50K bonus + other comp and deferred benefits). I couldn't (after a few seconds search) find the 2014 numbers which would show whether he's still on the payroll.

 

[kiki]

He also had a long lasting hepatitis, right after his best season, in 1979.He recovered from that around the end of 1981.

 

[halbrikj]

there was a Spaniard in the late 90s who played just like him.............Mantilla! yeah, Felix Mantilla.