Ricardo Alonso Gonzalez (May 9, 1928 - July 3, 1995), usually known as Pancho Gonzales, and sometimes as Richard Gonzales, was an American tennis player who has been rated one of the greatest in the history of the sport. He won 14 major singles titles (12 Pro Slam, 2 Grand Slam) and was the dominant professional of the 1950s; he still holds the men's all-time record of being ranked world No. 1 for eight years. Gonzales was a ruthless competitor with a fierce temper. Many of his peers on the professional circuit were intimidated by him, and he was often at odds with officials and promoters.
Most of Gonzales's career as a professional took place before the start of the open era of tennis in April 1968, and he was therefore ineligible to compete at the Grand Slam events between the end of 1949 (when he turned pro) and the start of the open era in April 1968. As has been observed about other great players such as Rod Laver, Gonzales almost certainly would have won a number of additional Grand Slam titles had he been permitted to compete in those tournaments during that 18-year period. Jack Kramer, for instance, has speculated in an article about the theoretical champions of Forest Hills and Wimbledon that Gonzales would have won an additional 11 titles in those two tournaments alone. In May 1968, he was the first professional to lose to an amateur, the British player Mark Cox. The then-24-year-old Cox beat Gonzales at the British Hard Court Championships at Bournemouth, 0-6, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, in two and a quarter hours. The first major open tournament was the 1968 French Open, when Gonzales had just turned 40. In spite of the fact that he had been semi-retired for a number of years and that the tournament was held on slow clay courts that penalize serve-and-volley players, Gonzales beat the 1967 defending champion Roy Emerson in the quarterfinals. He then lost in the semifinals to Rod Laver. He lost in the third round of 1968 Wimbledon but later beat the second-seeded Tony Roche in the fourth round of the 1968 US Open, before losing an epic match to the Netherlands' Tom Okker.

Q: When did he play open tennis
A: Most of Gonzales's career as a professional took place before the start of the open era of tennis in April 1968,

Q: What happened in that year
A: In May 1968, he was the first professional to lose to an amateur, the British player Mark Cox.

Q: why was he ineligible to compete
A: unknown

Q: What happened after that
A: In May 1968, he was the first professional to lose to an amateur, the British player Mark Cox.
who did he lose to
the British player Mark Cox. the British player Mark Cox. the British player Mark Cox. British player Mark Cox. British player Mark Cox.
British player Mark Cox.