Peter Burwash (b. Brockville, Ontario) is Canadian former tennis player, and current tennis coach, television commentator, motivational speaker and writer.
Burwash played both tennis and ice hockey for the University of Toronto Varsity Blues from 1963 through 1967, earning a Bachelor of Physical Education degree. He was OUAA singles champion in tennis in 1963-4 and 1965-6 as well as member of back-to-back OUAA and CIAU hockey champions in 1965-6 and 1966-7. Several internet biographies of Burwash mention his having been selected in the NHL draft by the St. Louis Blues ice hockey club, but he is not listed as ever having been drafted by the Blues.
Burwash lost in the first round of the U.S.T.A. National amateur championship of 1968, played at the Longwood Cricket Club in early August, 0-6, 9-7, 3-6, 5-7 to Dick Stockton. Three weeks later at the inaugural U.S. Open, Burwash lost his opening main draw match soundly to Bob Lutz, 1-6, 1-6, 3-6.
1969
Burwash won his only professional tour match in the opening round of the 1969 Cincinnati Outdoor, defeating American Roy Sprengelmeyer, 6-3, 6-4, who himself never won a tour match. Burwash then lost in the second round, 1-6, 4-6, to No. 9 seed ?eljko Franulovi?. Burwash also played in the doubles main draw in Cincinnati where, with partner Stanley Pasarell, he lost in the first round.
The following month, Burwash played in the Canadian Open for the first time where after a first round bye, he lost to Brian Fairlie 6-2, 1-6, 0-6, 1-6. In doubles, he reached the second round partnering American Rudy Hernando.
Two weeks later, at his second U.S. Open, Burwash was soundly beaten by Jim Osborne, 2-6, 2-6, 2-6. Again partnering Hernando, as the pair lost their opening match by the exact same score, to the British pair of Mark Cox and Peter Curtis.
In October at the Barcelona Outdoor, Burwash lost in straight sets to Australian Allan Stone in singles. In doubles, he also lost in the first round, in 5 sets.
1970
In 1970, Burwash played in his only Davis Cup tie for Canada, winning a dead rubber against Caribbean Davis Cup team player Leo Rolle, 6-1, 6-1, 6-1. (Rolle, incidentally, had a career Davis Cup record of 0 wins, 22 losses). Canada won the North and Central America Semi-Final tie, played in June, 5-0.
In his only tournament main draw singles action for the year, at the U.S. Clay Court Championships in July, Burwash lost in the first round, to Terry Addison, 2-6, 3-6. He played one main draw in doubles, at the U.S. Open, again with partner Rudy Hernando, and lost by default to Roy Emerson and Rod Laver.
1971
Burwash competed in main draws at two events, the Canadian Open and the U.S. Open. In Montreal, he lost to Ismail El Shafei 3-6, 4-6 in singles, and partnering compatriot Ken Binns, lost to Bob Lutz and Charlie Pasarell in doubles. At Forest Hills, he was beat by Milan Hole?ek, 1-6, 0-6, 7-5, 4-6.
Burwash won the third annual Omnium de Tennis Labatt du Québec played at the Club de Tennis des Loisirs de Granby defeating Rudy Hernando of Detroit in the final 2-6, 6-1, 6-3.
1972
Burwash participated in the main draw in both singles and doubles at the Columbus Outdoor, losing to Charles Owens. In doubles he also lost in the first round, partnering Ian Fletcher. A week later at the U.S. Clay Court Championships, Burwash lost 1-6, 1-6 to Toshiro Takai. In doubles, he and partner William Higgins lost 2-6, 2-6 to Jim Delaney and James Chico Hagey. The following week at the Canadian Open, his last appearance there in a main draw, Burwash lost Jaime Fillol 6-7, 2-6, after a bye in the first round.
1973
Burwash was entered in the main draw of two grand prix events. At the Calgary Indoor, held in February, he lost in the first round to Nicholas Kalogeropoulos 4-6, 3-6. In doubles Burwash partnered Franklin Robbins and lost in the first round as well. In August, Burwash as set to play John Newcombe in the first round of the Louisville Outdoor but defaulted.
1974
Burwash lost by default to Bob Giltinan in the first round of the Calgary Indoor in what would be his last tour result. The computer rankings having been introduced only in September 1973, Burwash received his highest singles ranking in June, 1974, when he was ranked World No. 240. He never earned a doubles ranking, as they were not kept until 1978.
After retiring from professional tennis, in 1975 he founded Peter Burwash International, a tennis management company that operates in 32 countries. He remains its president. PBI's original concept of "taking tennis to every part of the globe" has since become one of providing opportunities for service-minded individuals who have a passion for tennis and travel.
Burwash is an United States Professional Tennis Association master professional and has coached many tennis players, including Venus Williams and Serena Williams, Greg Rusedski, and Sébastien Lareau, when he won the gold medal in doubles with Daniel Nestor at the 2000 Olympics.
Burwash is the author of 10 books on topics such as nutrition, exercise, personal development, teenagers, service and leadership. One of his most recent books, The Key to Great Leadership (1998), discusses the qualities that Burwash believes constitutes a great leader. He currently tours the World giving motivational speeches and also owns several tennis camps. Burwash is also an instructional editor for Tennis Magazine and is a certified sport physiologist and nutritionist. His latest book Becoming the Master of Your D-A-S-H was released in May 2007.
As well, Burwash is a TV commentator for The Sports Network (TSN) and CBC in Canada. He is known as a strong supporter of the USTA's decision to allow players to challenge calls using Hawk-Eye technology and believes that the current height of the net in men's professional matches could be raised a bit (similar to Men's Volleyball) to neutralise the power from the new technology and superbly fit and stronger players of this era.
Burwash was awarded the Educational Merit Award by the International Tennis Hall of Fame for his mentoring and teaching of tennis.
Burwash was inducted into the University of Toronto Sports Hall of Fame in 2004. He was also named winner of Tennis News' Tennis Person of the Year 2006.
According to the publication of Vegetarian Journal, Peter Burwash has been an advocate of vegetarianism for 35 years along with his sport career . As of 2006, Burwash resided in Carmel Valley, California.
