Ken Flach
Kenneth Eliot Flach was a professional tennis player from the United States. A doubles specialist, he won four Grand Slam men's doubles titles, and two mixed doubles titles. He also won the men's doubles gold medal at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, partnering Robert Seguso. Flach reached the world No. 1 doubles ranking in 1985.
Early life
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 1986 and had four children together.
Career
Flach played doubles on the US Davis Cup team from 1985–1991, compiling an 11–2 record. He was also a member of the US team which won the World Team Cup in 1985.During his career, Flach won 36 doubles titles. 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.
Death
In early March 2018, Flach became ill with bronchitis after playing 36 holes of golf. According to his widow, his 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.
Major finals
Grand Slam finals
Men's doubles: 6 (4 titles, 2 runner-ups)
Mixed doubles: 2 (2 titles)
Olympic men's doubles final
Doubles finals (58)
Wins (34)
| Outcome | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
| Runner-up | 1. | December 12, 1983 | Taipei, Taiwan | Carpet |  Robert Seguso |  Wally Masur Kim Warwick | 6–7, 4–6 |
| Winner | 1. | June 11, 1984 | Rome, Italy | Clay | Robert Seguso | John Alexander Mike Leach | 3–6, 6–3, 6–4 |
| Runner-up | 2. | July 16, 1984 | Newport, United States | Grass | Robert Seguso | David Graham Laurie Warder | 4–6, 6–7 |
| Winner | 2. | July 23, 1984 | Boston, United States | Clay | Robert Seguso | Gary Donnelly  Ernie Fernandez | 6–4, 6–4 |
| Winner | 3. | August 13, 1984 | Indianapolis, United States | Clay | Robert Seguso |  Heinz Günthardt  Balázs Taróczy | 7–6, 7–5 |
| Winner | 4. | September 17, 1984 | Los Angeles, United States | Hard | Robert Seguso |  Wojtek Fibak Sandy Mayer | 4–6, 6–4, 6–3 |
| Winner | 5. | October 29, 1984 | Hong Kong | Hard | Robert Seguso | Mark Edmondson Paul McNamee | 6–7, 6–3, 7–5 |
| Winner | 6. | November 6, 1984 | Taipei, Taiwan | Carpet | Robert Seguso | Drew Gitlin Hank Pfister | 6–1, 6–7, 6–2 |
| Winner | 7. | January 6, 1985 | Masters Doubles WCT, London | Carpet | Robert Seguso | Heinz Günthardt Balázs Taróczy | 6–3, 3–6, 6–3, 6–0 |
| Runner-up | 3. | February 25, 1985 | La Quinta, United States | Hard | Robert Seguso | Heinz Günthardt Balázs Taróczy | 6–3, 6–7, 3–6 |
| Winner | 8. | April 1, 1985 | Fort Myers, United States | Hard | Robert Seguso | Sammy Giammalva Jr. David Pate | 3–6, 6–3, 6–3 |
| Runner-up | 4. | April 8, 1985 | Chicago, United States | Carpet | Robert Seguso | Johan Kriek  Yannick Noah | 6–3, 6–4, 5–7, 1–6, 4–6 |
| Winner | 9. | May 13, 1985 | Forest Hills, United States | Clay | Robert Seguso |  Givaldo Barbosa Ivan Kley | 7–5, 6–2 |
| Runner-up | 5. | May 20, 1985 | Rome, Italy | Clay | Robert Seguso |  Anders Järryd Mats Wilander | 6–4, 3–6, 2–6 |
| Winner | 10. | June 17, 1985 | Queen's Club, England | Grass | Robert Seguso | Pat Cash John Fitzgerald | 3–6, 6–3, 16–14 |
| Winner | 11. | July 29, 1985 | Indianapolis, United States | Clay | Robert Seguso |  Pavel Složil Kim Warwick | 6–4, 6–4 |
| Runner-up | 6. | August 12, 1985 | Stratton Mountain, United States | Hard | Robert Seguso | Scott Davis David Pate | 6–3, 6–7, 6–7 |
| Winner | 12. | August 19, 1985 | Montreal, Canada | Hard | Robert Seguso | Stefan Edberg Anders Järryd | 5–7, 7–6, 6–3 |
| Winner | 13. | September 9, 1985 | US Open, New York | Hard | Robert Seguso | Henri Leconte Yannick Noah | 6–7, 7–6, 7–6, 6–0 |
| Winner | 14. | October 28, 1985 | Tokyo Indoor, Japan | Carpet | Robert Seguso | Scott Davis David Pate | 4–6, 6–3, 7–6 |
| Winner | 15. | February 10, 1986 | Memphis, United States | Carpet | Robert Seguso | Guy Forget Anders Järryd | 6–4, 4–6, 7–6 |
| Winner | 16. | March 31, 1986 | Chicago, United States | Carpet | Robert Seguso |  Eddie Edwards  Francisco González | 6–0, 7–5 |
| Winner | 17. | October 20, 1986 | Tokyo Outdoor, Japan | Carpet | Matt Anger | Jimmy Arias Greg Holmes | 6–2, 6–3 |
| Runner-up | 7. | March 9, 1987 | Miami, United States | Hard | Robert Seguso | Paul Annacone Christo van Rensburg | 2–6, 4–6, 4–6 |
| Runner-up | 8. | April 27, 1987 | Seoul, South Korea | Hard | Jim Grabb | Eric Korita Mike Leach | 7–6, 1–6, 5–7 |
| Winner | 18. | July 6, 1987 | Wimbledon, London | Grass | Robert Seguso |  Sergio Casal Emilio Sánchez | 3–6, 6–7, 7–6, 6–1, 6–4 |
| Runner-up | 9. | July 20, 1987 | Livingston, United States | Hard | Robert Seguso | Gary Donnelly Greg Holmes | 6–7, 3–6 |
| Winner | 19. | August 24, 1987 | Cincinnati, United States | Hard | Robert Seguso | Steve Denton John Fitzgerald | 7–5, 6–3 |
| Runner-up | 10. | September 14, 1987 | US Open, New York | Hard | Robert Seguso | Stefan Edberg Anders Järryd | 6–7, 2–6, 6–4, 7–5, 6–7 |
| Runner-up | 11. | November 16, 1987 | Wembley, England | Carpet | Robert Seguso | Miloslav Mečíř Tomáš Šmíd | 5–7, 4–6 |
| Runner-up | 12. | December 13, 1987 | Masters Doubles, London | Carpet | Robert Seguso | Miloslav Mečíř Tomáš Šmíd | 4–6, 5–7, 7–6, 3–6 |
| Runner-up | 13. | March 28, 1988 | Miami, United States | Hard | Robert Seguso | John Fitzgerald Anders Järryd | 6–7, 1–6, 5–7 |
| Winner | 20. | June 13, 1988 | Queen's Club, England | Grass | Robert Seguso |  Pieter Aldrich Danie Visser | 6–2, 7–6 |
| Winner | 21. | July 4, 1988 | Wimbledon, London | Grass | Robert Seguso | John Fitzgerald Anders Järryd | 6–4, 2–6, 6–4, 7–6 |
| Runner-up | 14. | August 2, 1988 | Indianapolis, United States | Hard | Robert Seguso | Rick Leach Jim Pugh | 4–6, 3–6 |
| Winner | 22. | August 15, 1988 | Toronto, Canada | Hard | Robert Seguso |  Andrew Castle Tim Wilkison | 7–6, 6–3 |
| Winner | 23. | September 26, 1988 | Seoul, South Korea | Hard | Robert Seguso | Sergio Casal Emilio Sánchez | 6–3, 6–4, 6–7, 6–7, 9–7 |
| Winner | 24. | November 14, 1988 | Wembley, England | Carpet | Robert Seguso | Martin Davis Brad Drewett | 7–5, 6–2 |
| Runner-up | 15. | November 21, 1988 | Detroit, United States | Carpet | Robert Seguso | Rick Leach Jim Pugh | 4–6, 1–6 |
| Winner | 25. | April 24, 1989 | Tokyo Outdoor, Japan | Hard | Robert Seguso | Kevin Curren David Pate | 7–6, 7–6 |
| Winner | 26. | August 21, 1989 | Cincinnati, United States | Hard | Robert Seguso | Pieter Aldrich Danie Visser | 6–4, 6–4 |
| Runner-up | 16. | September 11, 1989 | US Open, New York | Hard | Robert Seguso | John McEnroe Mark Woodforde | 4–6, 6–4, 3–6, 3–6 |
| Runner-up | 17. | October 9, 1989 | Orlando, United States | Hard | Robert Seguso | Scott Davis Tim Pawsat | 5–7, 7–5, 4–6 |
| Runner-up | 18. | March 25, 1991 | Miami, United States | Hard | Robert Seguso | Wayne Ferreira Piet Norval | 7–5, 6–7, 2–6 |
| Winner | 27. | May 6, 1991 | Tampa, United States | Clay | Robert Seguso | David Pate Richey Reneberg | 6–7, 6–4, 6–1 |
| Runner-up | 19. | July 22, 1991 | Washington, D.C., United States | Hard | Robert Seguso | Scott Davis David Pate | 4–6, 2–6 |
| Winner | 28. | August 12, 1991 | Cincinnati, United States | Hard | Robert Seguso |  Grant Connell Glenn Michibata | 6–7, 6–4, 7–5 |
| Winner | 29. | August 19, 1991 | Indianapolis, United States | Hard | Robert Seguso | Kent Kinnear Sven Salumaa | 7–6, 6–4 |
| Runner-up | 20. | November 24, 1991 | Doubles Championships, Johannesburg | Hard | Robert Seguso | John Fitzgerald Anders Järryd | 4–6, 4–6, 6–2, 4–6 |
| Winner | 30. | March 23, 1992 | Miami, United States | Hard | Todd Witsken | Kent Kinnear Sven Salumaa | 6–4, 6–3 |
| Runner-up | 21. | July 20, 1992 | Washington, D.C., United States | Hard | Todd Witsken | Bret Garnett Jared Palmer | 2–6, 3–6 |
| Winner | 31. | April 12, 1993 | Tokyo Outdoor, Japan | Hard | Rick Leach | Glenn Michibata David Pate | 2–6, 6–3, 6–4 |
| Winner | 32. | June 21, 1993 | Manchester, England | Grass | Rick Leach | Stefan Kruger Glenn Michibata | 6–4, 6–1 |
| Runner-up | 22. | August 23, 1993 | Indianapolis, United States | Hard | Rick Leach | Scott Davis Todd Martin | 4–6, 4–6 |
| Winner | 33. | September 13, 1993 | US Open, New York | Hard | Rick Leach |  Martin Damm Karel Nováček | 6–7, 6–4, 6–2 |
| Winner | 34. | February 28, 1994 | Scottsdale, United States | Hard | Jan Apell | Alex O'Brien Sandon Stolle | 6–0, 6–4 |
| Runner-up | 23. | May 16, 1994 | Coral Springs, United States | Clay | Stephane Simian | Lan Bale  Brett Steven | 3–6, 5–7 |
| Runner-up | 24. | May 13, 1996 | Pinehurst, United States | Clay | David Wheaton | Pat Cash Pat Rafter | 2–6, 3–6 |
Doubles performance timeline
A = did not attend tournamentNH = tournament not held