Pancho Gonzales

Tennis Player

• Born: May 9, 1928
• Birthplace: Los Angeles, California
• Died: July 3, 1995
• Place of death: Las Vegas, Nevada

Sport: Tennis

Early Life

Richard Alonzo “Pancho” Gonzales was born on May 9, 1928, in Los Angeles, California. He was one of seven children, and although he grew up during the Great Depression, he never really knew poverty. His family always had plenty of food and clothing available but indulged in few luxuries. Tennis lessons with a top teaching professional were out of the question. Therefore, Pancho played and learned tennis in the public parks of Los Angeles. Pancho is one of the most talented players who ever lived, and although he never had a formal tennis lesson, his style was classic. Pancho, a Mexican American, went on to become one of the best amateur and the best professional tennis player in the world.

The Road to Excellence

Pancho had practically no tournament competition when he was growing up, but he was a great player. At the age of nineteen, he played his first major tournament. He defeated Herb Flam, the National Junior Champion, in the final of the Southern California Championships. This was the first in a long series of championship wins that established Pancho as a world-class player. After that victory, he decided to compete on grass and clay courts on the major Eastern circuit. Up to that point, he had only played on hardcourts, but he earned the ranking of seventeen nationally. In 1948, he again played the Eastern circuit. By this time he was unbeatable.

Pancho, a controversial personality, accomplished a great deal for tennis. He was admired by every top player and had no critics. He stands alone as a stylist, an unrelenting competitor, and a winner. He was always disciplined, dedicated, and determined, which accounts for his success on the court. Pancho had the temperament of a lion and took advantage of opponents’ weaknesses. He appeared to have a sixth sense that gave him the advantage over all other players.

The Emerging Champion

In 1948 and 1949, Pancho won the U.S. National Championship in singles at the Westside Tennis Club in Forest Hills, New York. He also won the U.S. Indoor Championship for 1949 and the U.S. Clay Court Championship for both 1948 and 1949. Pancho was equally proficient at doubles: In 1949, he won the Wimbledon doubles title with Frank Parker. He won the Professional World Doubles Tournament with Don Budge in 1950 and with Pancho Segura in 1951 and 1952. He and Jack Kramer together laid the foundation for modern professional tennis. They traveled around the world with the pro tour throughout the 1950’s and into the 1960’s. As a result of their efforts, open tennis finally became lucrative, and in 1968, the first U.S. Open was held at Forest Hills. Pancho’s magnetism and dynamic personality had provided the two items that tennis had needed for years, spectators and money. Stadiums, arenas, and parks throughout the country finally attracted vast audiences. As a result, more people participated, donated funds for youth development, and, in general, worked to promote the sport.

For more than twenty years, Pancho was a champion in the truest sense of the word and his initiative, motivation, or drive never diminished. In 1971, at forty-three years of age, he pushed himself harder than he had ever done before, as was evidenced by his Davis Cup play that year. Pancho’s dedication to tennis was not completely selfish. He conducted clinics, talked to American youngsters, and spent time at his tennis ranch for children in California. Pancho realized that the future of tennis lay in the hands of its young people. Many of the attributes that made Pancho a champion were the same needed to be a good citizen and student. His love of fair play, drive to excel, power of endurance, and excitement for life were just a few of his remarkable characteristics. After winning his first two amateur titles, Pancho turned pro and ruled professional tennis for the next ten years. Many experts believe that if open tennis had come in the early 1950’s, Pancho would have been ranked as the world’s greatest player. One of Pancho’s greatest attributes was his resilience.

Continuing the Story

In 1960, Pancho began his semiretirement, which meant that he came out of retirement at almost yearly intervals. In 1961, he came out of retirement to beat Frank Sedgman 6-3, 7-5, and win the U.S. Pro Championship for the eighth time. In May, 1964, having played only one tournament in the previous three years, he won the U.S. Pro Indoor Championship by defeating Rod Laver, Lou Hoad, and Ken Rosewall in successive days. In 1967, at thirty-nine years of age, a graying and gaunt Pancho beat Rod Laver in the final of the New York Professional Championship.

In 1968, at the age of forty, Pancho won the Birmingham Pro Classic by beating Roy Emerson in straight sets. In 1969, he took the Howard Hughes Invitational in Las Vegas by beating a young Arthur Ashe 6-0, 6-3, 6-4, and defeated Cliff Richey in the Pacific Southwest Open. In 1970, he won the Howard Hughes Invitational again, defeating Rod Laver 6-1, 7-5, 5-7, 6-3; in 1971, the “Old Lion,” at the age of forty-three, kept a young Jimmy Connors at bay to win the Pacific Southwest Open again. In 1972, at forty-four years of age, he was still the ninth ranked professional in America. After 1970, Pancho served as tennis director at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Summary

Pancho Gonzales was a legend who won tournaments over top-notch opponents. He was a man to be admired and appreciated because he made tennis more exciting and raised its cultural significance. He was elected to the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1968.

Bibliography

Collins, Bud. Total Tennis: The Ultimate Tennis Encyclopedia. Toronto: Sport Media, 2003.

Parsons, John. The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Tennis: The Definitive Illustrated Guide to World Tennis. London: Carlton, 2006.

Price, S. L. “The Lone Wolf.” Sports Illustrated 96, no. 26 (June 24, 2002): 68-76.