Tossed his first balls at age four on the neighborhood tennis courts, taught the fundamentals of the game by his family, groomed during high school at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy, polished for the pro tour at Stanford University, David Wheaton’s rise to the upper bracket of professional tennis is unique indeed.
Read the story of David’s tennis career that took him from the public courts of Lake Minnetonka to the Centre Court of Wimbledon.
Career Highlights
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Career High Ranking |
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2006 Wimbledon Over 35 Doubles
Final
Todd Woodbridge/Mark Woodforde def. David Wheaton/TJ Middleton
6-7 (5), 7-5, 7-6 (4)
Semi-Final
David Wheaton/TJ Middleton def.
Anders Jarryd/Cedric Pioline 6-3, 7-6 (3)
Third Round
David Wheaton/TJ Middleton def.
Neil Broad/Mark Petchey 6-3, 6-2
Second Round
David Wheaton/TJ Middleton def.
Goran Ivanisevic/Henri Leconte 6-4, 6-4.
First Round
David Wheaton/TJ Middleton def.
Gary Donnelly/SlobodanZivojinovic 7-6 (4), 6-1
View the Men's Over 35 Doubles draw.
Read David's 2006 Wimbledon Preview: A Grass Court Mystery.Solved!
The Woodies Champions Again
Written by Eileen O'Hely of www.wimbledon.org
Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde, playing together for the first time since their Olympic gold medal winning match in Sydney, faced their toughest challenge yet in the final of the Men’s 35 and Over Invitational Doubles against 2004 champions and 2005 runners-up T.J. Middleton and David Wheaton. After a first set scare, the 
Woodies emerged the victors 6-7 (5-7), 7-5, 7-6 (7-4).
The Woodies came out first to huge applause, however the applause from the not quite capacity No.1 Court crowd was rivalled by oohs and ahhs issuing from the crowd on Henman Hill who were watching “the other” final on the big screen.
The first set saw no breaks of serve but plenty of classic doubles play with fast volley interchanges, scrambling for dropshots and lobs, and the occasional passing shot.
The Woodies got off to a good start in the tie-break with Woodbridge pelting Middleton’s serve back across court for a winner, but two points later he landed a volley into the net. Wheaton seized the opportunity to surge ahead on serve, but a lucky net cord from Woodforde took the Americans off-guard and brought up the opportunity for the winner.
The small lead was wasted by a double fault from Woodbridge. Points went with serve until Woodforde fumbled an approach shot to trail 4-6 and bring up two set points for the opposition. A Woodbridge smash saved the first point, but an ace from Wheaton claimed the set.
As always, the Woodies were first out of their chairs after the break and a faultless service game from Woodbridge gave them an early lead. Wheaton responded in kind, acing the former server twice. Aces were plentiful throughout the set, all players holding serve until Middleton in the twelfth game. At set point, Middleton served hard at Woodbridge who returned just as hard. Middleton had no reply but to dump the ball into the net, giving the Woodies the set.
A lucky lob from Wheaton drew chalk from the baseline and brought a break of the Woodforde serve in the third game. At 0-40 in the eighth game, Woodbridge intercepted and pummelled the next few volleys to break back.
Games went with serve. At 5-6, the Woodies took Middleton to deuce on serve. They then had the advantage and championship point twice, before Middleton served himself out of trouble, the Woody returns finding the net or landing wide, and forcing the tie-break.
With Woodbridge serving at 5-3, a return over the baseline brought up three championships points. The Woodies needed two of them to win the tie-break and the championship.
Wheaton, Pernfors Capture Doubles Title
Minneapolis Star Tribune, August 13, 2007
Minnesota's David Wheaton teamed with Sweden's Mikael Pernfors for the first time to capture the senior doubles title at the Western and Southern Masters tournament in Cincinnati. Wheaton, a singles semifinalist at Wimbledon in 1991, and Pernfors, a singles finalist at the 1986 French Open, defeated Americans Luke and Murphy Jensen, the 1993 French Open doubles champions, 6-4, 6-4, on Saturday night. Wheaton is slated to team with Martina Navratilova in the "Huggy Bears" doubles tournament Aug. 22-26 in Southampton, N.Y.
2005 US Open Over 35 Doubles Results
David and doubles partner, Robert Seguso, were finalists in this year's
US Open Men's 35 Masters Doubles!
FINALS
Scott Davis/David Pate def. David Wheaton/Robert Seguso
6-3, 6-22nd Match
Jim Grabb/Richey Reneberg def. David Wheaton/Robert Seguso
6-2, 5-7, 7-6 (10-6)1st Match
David Wheaton/Robert Seguso def. Jimmy Arias/Donald Johnson
7-6 (11-9), 6-2
2005 Wimbledon Over 35 Doubles Results
1st Round Victory:
TJ Middleton/David Wheaton def. Peter Aldrich/Danie Visser
6-3, 6-42nd Round Victory:
TJ Middleton/David Wheaton def. Joakim Nystrom/Mikael Pernfors;
7-5, 6-33rd Round Victory:
TJ Middleton/David Wheaton def. Scott Davis/David Pate
6-7(8),7-6(4), 6-3Semi-Final Victory:
TJ Middleton/David Wheaton def. Gary Wayne Donnelly/Rick Leach
6-2, 6-3Final:
Ellis Ferreira/Paul Haarhuis def. TJ Middleton/David Wheaton
6-3,6-4
Champions Lose Their Crowns
Sunday, July 3, 2005
The Gentlemen's 35 & Over Doubles champions David Wheaton and TJ 
Middleton have lost their Wimbledon crowns after being defeated by Ellis Ferreira and Paul Haarhuis in straight sets.
Exactly a year ago the former champions were competing on an outside show court with just a handful of spectators looking on. Today they found themselves on the more prestigious No. 1 Court but the grandiose setting did little to help their performance.
Their South African and Dutch opponents immediately rose to the occasion, producing an energetic performance comprising angled drives and winning volleys. It was enough to secure them a 3-0 lead in just nine minutes.
On the other side of the net, Middleton appeared slow and out of breath, while Wheaton zipped around the service box in an attempt to cut off volleys. At 5-2 down on Middleton's serve, sharp volleying by Wheaton saved a handful of set points to bring the match back to 5-3.
But it wasn't enough and soon the favourites were a set down. At this stage Ferreira and Haarhuis looked unstoppable, having made nearly 80 per cent of their returns compared with 48 per cent by their 
opponents. They had also fired an impressive 90 per cent of first serves in.
The second set proved to be much the same. Despite a brief fightback from the Americans, the Wimbledon title was handed over to Ferreira and Haarhuis on a 6-3, 6-4 scoreline.
Written by Helen Gilbert
2004 Wimbledon Over 35 Doubles Results
June 26-July 4 Wimbledon 35 and Over Doubles Champions! w
David and partner T.J. Middleton won the Gentlemen's Over 35 Doubles title at Wimbledon.
Photo by Getty Images.
