Tennis

Championship summer looms ahead

Two of the greatest tennis players in history etched their names into Los Angeles sports history in the Sports Council's list of greatest moments, released in 1995. At no. 56 was Pancho Gonzales, whose come-from-behind, five-set win over fellow Angeleno Ted Schroeder in the 1949 U.S. Open cemented his status as one of the game's greats. At no. 76 was L.A. native Jack Kramer, who also stormed back from two sets down to win three straight sets and repeat as U.S. Open champion on September 14, 1947.

Links

• Southern California Tennis Association

Quick Facts

• The ATP stop in Los Angeles is the annual Mercedes-Benz Cup, held annually at UCLA's Los Angeles Tennis Center in late July. In 2002, Andre Agassi defeated Jan-Michael Gambrill in the featured men's singles final.
  
  

• The major WTA tournament in L.A. is the JP Morgan Chase Open, to be held in August at the new tennis center at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California. In 2002, the tournament saw an upset victory by Chandra Rubin over Lindsay Davenport.
  
  

• The season-ending Home Depot WTA Championship, presented by Porsche, was held for first time in the Staples Center in early November, with Belgium's Kim Clijsters upsetting Serena Williams in straight sets: 7-5, 6-3. The 2002 edition was the first of a multi-year run for the event at Staples Center.