Los Angeles is a hotbed of tennis legends. Some of the best professional players have come from this region. The likes of Billie Jean King and the Bryan brothers are sure to inspire you to hop on the court now and train to become the next best Los Angeles-born tennis star. Just take a look at these tennis legends!
Bobby Riggs
Bobby Riggs was born in Pasadena, CA in 1918. He was considered too small by many while growing up, but he made up for it with his speed and control. He went on to hold the #1 spot for three years, one year in amateurs and 2 years at the professional level.
Riggs is most well known for his “Battle of the Sexes” in 1973 against Billie Jean King. He declared that women were inferior to men and that a top female tennis player wouldn’t be able to beat him even at age 55. After she witnessed Margaret lose to Riggs fairly easily, King took on the challenge and went on to defeat him 6-4 6-3 6-3.
Pancho Gonzales
Pancho Gonzales was born in Los Angeles, CA in 1928. At 12 years old, he was given a 51 cent racket. He then started obsessively watching and analyzing tennis and primarily taught himself the sport.
Gonzales is considered one of the players in the history of tennis. He held the #1 spot for a record 8 years, from 1952-1960. Still today, commentators such as Bud Collins say, “If I had to choose someone to play for my life, it would be Pancho Gonzales.” Decades after his time, he is still regarded as one of the most solid tennis players.
Billie Jean King
Billie Jean King was born in Long Beach, CA. She bought herself her first tennis racket and learned to play tennis on the public courts of Long Beach. She went on to be one of the best female tennis players of all time, winning a total of 39 Grand Slam titles in her career.
She was and still is a big advocate for sexual equality. She beat Bobby Riggs in The Battle of the Sexes in 1973 and silenced his sexist comments. She is a global celebrity both for her success for women on the tennis court and in society. She is the founder of multiple associations, foundations, and the popular World TeamTennis.
Lindsay Davenport
Lindsay Davenport grew up in Palos Verdes, CA. While her family specialized in volleyball, Davenport instead picked up a tennis racket at age 6 and didn’t look back. Her height and power gave her a great advantage and great success on the WTA tour.
Davenport held the #1 spot four different times. She won every Grand Slam but the French Open and held the Olympic gold for singles at the 1996 games. You can now find her commentating at many of the Grand Slams, and she has just started coaching the American rising star Madison Keys.
Bryan brothers
Known for their victory chest bumps, the Bryan brothers are the most successful doubles team of all time. They were born in Camarillo, CA, and trained all around the Los Angeles area. They made their Grand Slam doubles debut at the 1995 US Open.
These twin brothers have held the #1 doubles spot for a record 422 weeks and still hold the coveted spot even now. They have won a record 16 Grand Slam titles and even have a Career Golden Slam with an Olympic gold from the 2012 games. The Bryan Brothers have been in the professional game for over 20 years and don’t show signs of slowing down!
