Jimmy Arias
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| Country |  United States |
|
| Residence | Buffalo, New York | |
| Date of birth | August 16, 1964 | |
| Place of birth | Buffalo, New York | |
| Height | 5'9 (175 cm) | |
| Weight | 155 lbs (70 kg) | |
| Turned pro | 1980 | |
| Plays | Right-handed | |
| Career prize money | $1,834,140 | |
| Singles | ||
| Career record: | 286 - 223 | |
| Career titles: | 5 | |
| Highest ranking: | 5 (9-Apr-84) | |
| Grand Slam results | ||
| Australian Open | 3R (1991) | |
| French Open | QF (1984) | |
| Wimbledon | 4R (1984) | |
| US Open | SF (1983) | |
| Doubles | ||
| Career record: | 71 - 108 | |
| Career titles: | 0 | |
| Highest ranking: | 61 (11-May-87) | |
James ("Jimmy") Arias (born August 16, 1964) is a former top-ranked tennis touring professional player from the United States.
From Grand Island, near Buffalo, New York, Arias's peak year was 1983, when as a 19 year-old he finished the year ranked World No. 6, having reached the U.S. Open semi-finals, and winning the Italian Open and three other tour grand prix events. Arias is also credited to have first implemented the forehand swing style currently used in today's modern game [the "top spin" forehand]; this stroke is characterized by impacting the tennis ball with a racquet swing trajectory from low to high, thus resulting in high revolutions (rotations) per second on the tennis ball. After this impact, the aerodynamic effect of the rotations on the tennis ball causes it to descend inside the tennis court. It is rumored that Arias's father, an electrical engineer, helped to originate this stroke while he helped his son to modify and perfect this distinctive forehand swing.
A 5 ft. 7 in., 155lbs. right-handed baseliner, Arias was a tennis prodigy, turning pro at age 16 in 1980. He reached his career high ranking of World No. 5 in April 1984. He retired from the tour in 1994, having amassed a 286–223 singles playing record and over $1,800,000 in prize money.
With former World No. 2 tennis player, Andrea Jaeger, he won the 1982 French Open Mixed Doubles Championship.
Today, Arias serves as a commentator for ESPN International and the Tennis Channel.
Contents |
[edit] Career finals (17)
[edit] Singles (16)
[edit] Wins (5)
| Titles by Surface |
| Hard (0) |
| Grass (0) |
| Clay (5) |
| Carpet (0) |
| No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent in the final | Score |
| 1. | 18 October 1982 | Tokyo, Japan | Clay |  Dominique Bedel |
6–2, 2–6, 6–4 |
| 2. | 9 May 1983 | Florence, Italy | Clay |  Francesco Cancellotti |
6–4, 6–3 |
| 3. | 16 May 1983 | Rome, Italy | Clay |  José Higueras |
6–2 6–7 6–1 6–4 |
| 4. | 1 August 1983 | Indianapolis, U.S. | Clay |  Andrés Gómez |
6–4, 2–6, 6–4 |
| 5. | 12 September 1983 | Palermo, Italy | Clay |  José Luis Clerc |
6–2, 2–6, 6–0 |
