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General First nameKenneth Eliot (Ken)
LastnameFlach
GenderMale
CountryUnited States of America
Date of birth1963-05-24
Place of birthSt Louis, United States of America
Date of death2018-03-12
Place of deathSan Francisco, California, United States of America


About

Kenneth Eliot Flach was born on May 24, 1963, in St. Louis and grew up in nearby Kirkwood, Missouri.

Before turning professional, Flach played tennis for Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville, where he won the NCAA Division II singles championships in 1981, 1982 and 1983, and teamed with Seguso to reach the 1983 Division I doubles final.

Flach married his first wife, model Sandra Freeman, in September of 1986 and had four children together.

Flach played doubles on the U.S. Davis Cup team from 1985–1991, compiling an 11–2 record. He was also a member of the U.S. team which won the World Team Cup in 1985.

During his career, Flach won 36 doubles titles (34 men's doubles and 2 mixed doubles). His final career title was won in 1994 at Scottsdale, Arizona.

Following his retirement from the professional tour in 1996, Flach devoted himself to coaching. He guided Vanderbilt University to its first NCAA tournament berth in 1999. In 2003, he led the team to Vanderbilt's first NCAA championship finals appearance in any sport. He had also played in seniors events, and won the Wimbledon 35-and-over men's doubles title in 1999 and 2000.

In 2010, after moving to California, he married makeup entrepreneur Christina Friedman, and became the director of tennis at Novato's Rolling Hills Club.
In early March of 2018, Flach became ill with bronchitis after playing 36 holes of golf. According to his widow, Flach's doctors at Kaiser Permanente failed to act with urgency allowing the infection to turn life-threatening. Christina Flach claims that rather than have Ken come in for an appointment, an advice nurse spent time assessing his health in a telephone conversation.

She claims that when Ken Flach began vomiting blood, he sent a desperate email to his doctor at Kaiser Permanente before the pair rushed to the emergency room, where he was intubated. He was later transferred to University of California San Francisco Medical Center with his organs failing.

Ken Flach was removed from life support and died of sepsis several days later, on March 12.

Christina Flach is now a volunteer with Sepsis Alliance working to educate others about the condition that killed her husband.

Media


Archive statistics Career1981 - 1995
Tournament wins1
Matches201
Match wins121


Tournament wins 1982 - United States 3 Satellite - Leg 3 (Open)


Tournaments Wimbledon - 1995 Wimbledon - 1990 Wimbledon - 1989 US Open - 1989 Wimbledon - 1988 Roland Garros - 1988 US Open - 1988 Australian Open - 1987 Wimbledon - 1987 US Open - 1987 Wimbledon - 1986 Roland Garros - 1986 US Open - 1986 Wimbledon - 1985 US Open - 1985 Canadian International Championships - 1985 Cincinnati - 1985 Pacific Southwest Championships - 1985 West of England Championships - 1985 Japan Open - 1985 Atlanta Open - 1985 Philadelphia Indoors - Qualifying - 1985 Las Vegas - 1985 Queens Club - Qualifying - 1985 Tokyo Indoor - 1985 Delray Beach - Qualifying - 1985 Indian Wells - Qualifying - 1985 Las Vegas - Qualifying - 1985 Montreal Challenger - 1985 Fort Myers - 1985 Fort Myers - Qualifying - 1985 Stratton Mountain - 1985 Australian Open - 1984 Wimbledon - 1984 US Open - 1984 New South Wales Championships - 1984 Roland Garros Qualifying - 1984 Wimbledon Qualifying - 1984 Japan Open - 1984 US Open Qualifying - 1984 Pacific Southwest - Qualifying - 1984 Queens Club - Qualifying - 1984 Taipei International - 1984 Italian International Championships - Qualifying - 1984 United States 1 Satellite - Leg 1 - 1984 United States 1 Satellite - Leg 2 - 1984 United States 1 Satellite - Leg 3 - 1984 United States 1 Satellite - Leg 4 - 1984 United States 1 Satellite - Masters - 1984 West of England - Qualifying - 1984 Hall of Fame - Qualifying - 1984 North Conway - Qualifying - 1984 Tokyo Indoor - Qualifying - 1984 New South Wales - Qualifying - 1984 Indian Wells - Qualifying - 1984 Amarillo Challenger - 1984 Australian Open - 1983 Australian Open Qualifying - 1983 Japan Open - 1983 US Open Qualifying - 1983 Intercollegiate Championships - 1983 South Orange Open - 1983 Cincinnati - Qualifying - 1983 United States 3 Satellite - Leg 1 - 1983 United States 3 Satellite - Leg 2 - 1983 United States 3 Satellite - Leg 3 - 1983 United States 3 Satellite - Leg 4 - 1983 United States 3 Satellite - Masters - 1983 US Clay Courts - Qualifying - 1983 Maui Classic - Qualifying - 1983 Japan Open - Qualifying - 1983 Taipei International - Qualifying - 1983 Dallas Open - Qualifying - 1983 US Open Qualifying - 1982 Intercollegiate Championships - 1982 Cincinnati - Qualifying - 1982 North Conway - 1982 United States 3 Satellite - Leg 1 - 1982 United States 3 Satellite - Leg 2 - 1982 United States 3 Satellite - Leg 3 - 1982 United States 3 Satellite - Leg 4 - 1982 United States 3 Satellite - Masters - 1982 North Conway - Qualifying - 1982 US Clay Courts - Qualifying - 1982 Cleveland Grand Prix - Qualifying - 1982 Netherlands 1 Satellite - Leg 1 - 1981 Netherlands 1 Satellite - Leg 2 - 1981 Netherlands 1 Satellite - Leg 4 - 1981 Netherlands 1 Satellite - Masters - 1981