Mitton was able to win two individual titles on the ATP Tour in the course of his career , three more times he was in an individual final. In 1978 he lost in the final of San José against Arthur Ashe , in 1979 against Kim Warwick in the final in Adelaide and in 1981 against his compatriot Kevin Curren in Johannesburg . He was successful in the doubles, where he won 1,979 to 1,984 with changing partners a total of nine tournaments, including the Masters tournament of Indian Wells . He reached his highest ranking in the tennis world rankings in 1980 with position 48 in singles and 1984 with position 19 in doubles.
His best individual result at a Grand Slam tournament was twice reaching the round of 16 of the Wimbledon Championships in 1973 and 1976 (here he beat the number 10 seeded John Newcombe in the third round ), as well as the round of 16 at the 1980 US Open , where in the first round he defeated the number 12 seeded José Luis Clerc in five sets. In the doubles competition he reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open in 1982 alongside Tim Gullikson . In 1976 he was in the quarter-finals of the US Open with his compatriot Byron Bertram , and in Wimbledon he reached the second round twice. In the mixed competition he was twice in the quarterfinals of Wimbledon; In 1973 at the side of Ilana Kloss and ten years later with Pam Teeguarden .
Mitton played eight singles and one doubles game between 1973 and 1978 for the South African Davis Cup team . He was only able to win one of his individual games, in the 1976 game against Chile . He played his only doubles game for South Africa in 1973; alongside Deon Joubert , he defeated the Argentines Ricardo Cano and Guillermo Vilas in five contested sets.
South Africa
Newport
San Jose
Auckland
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Ilie Năstase Ferdi Taygan
Cologne
Jan Kodeš Tomáš Šmíd
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Raymond Moore
Ferrara
