Vitas Gerulaitis Quiz Questions and Answers
Q1. What was Vitas Gerulaitis’s full birth name and date of birth?
A. Vytautas Kevin Gerulaitis, July 26, 1954
B. Vitas Gerulaitis, June 26, 1954
C. Vytautas Gerulaitis, August 15, 1955
D. Kevin Vitas Gerulaitis, September 17, 1954
Answer: A. Vytautas Kevin Gerulaitis, July 26, 1954
Q2. Where was Vitas Gerulaitis born?
A. Vilnius, Lithuania
B. Brooklyn, New York, USA
C. Howard Beach, Queens, New York
D. Los Angeles, California
Answer: B. Brooklyn, New York, USA
Q3. Vitas Gerulaitis was nicknamed “The Lithuanian Lion” primarily because of his:
A. Aggressive playing style
B. Roaring celebrations on court
C. Lithuanian immigrant heritage and long blondish hair
D. Coaching methods
Answer: C. Lithuanian immigrant heritage and long blondish hair
Q4. Who taught Vitas Gerulaitis tennis as a child?
A. His sister Ruta
B. His father, who was a tennis instructor
C. Fred Stolle
D. Pancho Gonzalez
Answer: B. His father, who was a tennis instructor
Q5. Before turning professional, Vitas Gerulaitis attended which university for one year?
A. Harvard University
B. UCLA
C. Stanford University
D. Columbia University
Answer: D. Columbia University
Q6. In what year did Vitas Gerulaitis turn professional?
A. 1970
B. 1971
C. 1973
D. 1975
Answer: B. 1971
Q7. What was Vitas Gerulaitis’s career-high singles ranking, and when did he achieve it?
A. World No. 3 in 1978
B. World No. 2 in 1977
C. World No. 1 in 1980
D. World No. 4 in 1979
Answer: A. World No. 3 in February 1978
Q8. How many ATP singles titles did Vitas Gerulaitis win during his career?
A. 18
B. 21
C. 32
D. 26
Answer: D. 26
Q9. Vitas Gerulaitis won his only Grand Slam singles title at which event?
A. 1977 Wimbledon
B. December 1977 Australian Open
C. 1980 French Open
D. 1979 US Open
Answer: B. December 1977 Australian Open
Q10. Who did Vitas Gerulaitis defeat in the final of the 1977 Australian Open?
A. Bjorn Borg
B. John McEnroe
C. John Lloyd
D. Jimmy Connors
Answer: C. John Lloyd
Q11. In the 1977 Australian Open final, Vitas Gerulaitis won in how many sets against John Lloyd?
A. Straight sets
B. Four sets
C. Five sets
D. Three sets
Answer: C. Five sets
Q12. What doubles title did Vitas Gerulaitis win at a Grand Slam, and with whom?
A. 1975 Wimbledon doubles with Sandy Mayer
B. 1977 Australian Open doubles with John Lloyd
C. 1980 French Open doubles with Bjorn Borg
D. 1979 US Open doubles with Jimmy Connors
Answer: A. 1975 Wimbledon doubles with Sandy Mayer
Q13. Vitas Gerulaitis reached the singles final at the 1980 French Open but lost to whom?
A. Jimmy Connors
B. John McEnroe
C. Bjorn Borg
D. Ivan Lendl
Answer: C. Bjorn Borg
Q14. At which Grand Slam did Vitas Gerulaitis reach the final in 1979, losing to John McEnroe?
A. Australian Open
B. French Open
C. Wimbledon
D. US Open
Answer: D. US Open
Q15. Vitas Gerulaitis was a semifinalist at Wimbledon in which two consecutive years?
A. 1976 and 1977
B. 1977 and 1978
C. 1978 and 1979
D. 1979 and 1980
Answer: B. 1977 and 1978
Q16. The 1977 Wimbledon semifinal between Vitas Gerulaitis and Björn Borg is often remembered as:
A. One of the greatest matches ever played at Wimbledon
B. A straight-sets victory for Gerulaitis
C. A default due to injury
D. Played on clay courts
Answer: A. One of the greatest matches ever played at Wimbledon
Q17. Vitas Gerulaitis played a key role in the United States winning the Davis Cup in which year?
A. 1977
B. 1978
C. 1979
D. 1981
Answer: C. 1979
Q18. In the 1979 Davis Cup final, Vitas Gerulaitis contributed by winning how many singles rubbers against Italy?
A. One
B. Two
C. Three
D. None
Answer: B. Two
Q19. What famous quote did Vitas Gerulaitis deliver after defeating Jimmy Connors in the semifinals of the 1980 Masters (following 16 prior losses)?
A. “Nobody beats Vitas Gerulaitis 17 times in a row!”
B. “You cannot be serious!”
C. “Ice cream!”
D. “I am the greatest!”
Answer: A. “Nobody beats Vitas Gerulaitis 17 times in a row!”
Q20. Vitas Gerulaitis won the year-end WCT Finals in 1978 by defeating whom in the final?
A. John McEnroe
B. Eddie Dibbs
C. Björn Borg
D. Ivan Lendl
Answer: B. Eddie Dibbs
Q21. After retiring from playing in 1986, Vitas Gerulaitis worked as a television commentator for which network?
A. ESPN
B. NBC
C. BBC
D. USA Network (and later CBS)
Answer: D. USA Network (and later CBS)
Q22. In 1994, shortly before his death, Vitas Gerulaitis briefly coached which future tennis star at the Italian Open?
A. Andre Agassi
B. Pete Sampras
C. Jim Courier
D. Michael Chang
Answer: B. Pete Sampras
Q23. How did Vitas Gerulaitis tragically pass away on September 17, 1994?
A. Heart attack during a match
B. Carbon monoxide poisoning from a faulty pool heater
C. Car accident
D. Overdose
Answer: B. Carbon monoxide poisoning from a faulty pool heater
Q24. At what age did Vitas Gerulaitis die?
A. 35
B. 38
C. 40
D. 42
Answer: C. 40
Q25. Where was Vitas Gerulaitis staying when the carbon monoxide incident occurred?
A. His home in Brooklyn
B. A friend’s guesthouse in Southampton, New York
C. A hotel in Melbourne
D. The Wimbledon grounds
Answer: B. A friend’s guesthouse in Southampton, New York