Cliff Richey
Cliff Richey in 1972
Full nameGeorge Clifford Richey Jr.
Country (sports) United States
ResidenceSan Angelo, Texas, US
Born (1946-12-31) December 31, 1946
San Angelo, Texas, US
Height1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Turned pro1962 (amateur)
Retired1979
PlaysRight-handed (one-handed backhand)
Singles
Career record761–322 (70.3%)[1]
Career titles45[1]
Highest rankingNo. 6 (1970, Martini-Rossi panel)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian OpenQF (1967)
French OpenSF (1970)
WimbledonQF (1971)
US OpenSF (1970, 1972)
Other tournaments
Tour FinalsRR (1971)
Doubles
Career record62–100
Career titles1
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian OpenQF (1967)
French OpenQF (1971)
Wimbledon2R (1967, 1968, 1969)
US Open2R (1971)
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
French OpenQF (1969)
Wimbledon2R (1964, 1966, 1967)
US OpenQF (1970)
Team competitions
Davis CupW (1969, 1970)

George Clifford Richey Jr. (born December 31, 1946) is an American former amateur and professional tennis player who was active during the 1960s and 1970s. Richey achieved a highest singles ranking of World No. 6 and reached at least the quarterfinal stage of the singles event at all four Grand Slam tournaments.

Career

Richey was the American junior national tennis champion in 1962 (16 years) and 1963 (18 years) and in 1964 he won the boys' singles title at the French Championships.[2][3][4] He won his first senior singles in October 1962 at the Permian Basin Invitation in Midland, Texas against Butch Newman.[1]

Richey was a member of the American team which won the 1969 Davis Cup against Romania but did not actively participate. He was an active member of the team that won the 1970 Davis Cup, winning both his singles matches in the final against West Germany, and was voted the most valuable player.[5] In September 1971, Richey quit the Davis Cup team before the final against Romania citing his disagreement with the USLTA over the choice of surface and the lack of consultation with players.[6] In total, Richey played in seven Davis Cup ties between 1966 and 1970 and compiled a record of ten wins and three losses.[7]

Richey was the winner of the first Grand Prix tennis circuit, organized in 1970, finishing ahead of Arthur Ashe and Ken Rosewall.[8] His career-high singles ranking was World No. 6, achieved in 1970, and No. 1 in the U.S for that same year. The No. 1 ranking was decided by the outcome of the semifinal match at the Pacific Coast Championships against his direct competitor, Stan Smith, and ultimately came down to just a single point when both players had a match-point at 4–4 in the sudden death tiebreak of the final set.[9][10][11]

Richey reached the semifinal of a Grand Slam tournament on three occasions. His first semifinal appearance was at the 1970 French Open where he lost to Yugoslav Željko Franulović in a five-set match after leading two-sets-to-one and 5–1 in the fourth set and having failed to convert two match points.[12] At the 1970 US Open later that year Richey again reached the semifinal which he lost in straight sets to Australian Tony Roche. His last Grand Slam semifinal appearance came two years later at the 1972 US Open where he defeated Rod Laver in the fourth round but was beaten in the semis in straight sets by compatriot Arthur Ashe.[13] His best singles result at the Wimbledon Championships was reaching the quarterfinal in 1971 in which he lost to Ken Rosewall in a close four-hour five-set match.[14][15]

During the first years of the Open Era, which started in 1968, Richey chose to be an independent professional but in April 1972 he became a contract professional when he signed a four-year contract with Lamar Hunt to join the World Championship Tennis tour.[16][17]

He is the brother of Nancy Richey, a Hall of Fame tennis player who won two Grand Slam singles tournaments.[18] They were the first brother-sister combination to both be concurrently ranked in the US Top Ten.[19] They were ranked in the Top Three concurrently in 1965, 1967, 1969 and 1970.[20] He won his final singles title at the Johannesburg Open in 1978 against Colin Dowdeswell.[1]

Career finals

Singles: 72 (45 titles, 27 runners-up)

Category + (Titles)
ILTF Circuit (27)
ILTF Grand Prix/ILTF Independent/WCT Circuit (18)
Titles by surface
Clay – outdoor (24)
Grass – outdoor (3)
Hard – outdoor (10)
Carpet – indoor (3)
Hard – indoor (3)
Result No. Date Tournament Location Surface Opponent Score
Win 1.[1] 1962 Permian Basin Invitation Midland Clay United States Butch Newman 6–3, 8–10, 8–6
Win 2.[1] 1962 San Angelo Open San Angelo Hard United States David Kent 6–2, 6–1
Win 3.[1] 1963 Texas State Championships Dallas Hard United States Bill Lust 6–2, 6–2, 6–4
Loss 1.[1] 1963 Sugar Bowl Invitation New Orleans Clay United States Ham Richardson 8–6, 5–7, 6–3, 4–6, 1–6
Win 4.[1] 1964 Pittsburgh Golf Club Invitation Indoors Pittsburgh Hard (i) United States Butch Newman 6–3, 4–6, 7–5
Win 5.[1] 1964 Sugar Bowl Invitation New Orleans Clay United States Ham Richardson 6–0, 6–2, 9–11, 4–6, 8–6
Loss 2.[1] 1965 Pittsburgh Golf Club Invitation Indoors Pittsburgh Grass United States Ron Holmberg 6–4, 5–7, 1–6
Win 6.[1] 1965 Dallas Invitation Dallas Clay United States Ham Richardson 4–6, 6–4, 6–2
Loss 3.[1] 1965 River Oaks Championships Houston Grass India Ramanathan Krishnan 4–6, 6–2, 4–6, 3–6
Win 7.[1] 1965 Western States Championships Milwaukee Clay United States Marty Riessen 5–7, 6–4, 6–3, 6–3
Loss 4.[1] 1965 U.S. Clay Court Championships Houston Clay United States Dennis Ralston 4–6, 6–4, 4–6, 3–6
Win 8.[1] 1966 South American Championships Buenos Aires Clay Brazil Thomaz Koch 6–3, 6–2, 2–6, 6–0
Loss 5.[1] 1966 St. Petersburg Masters Invitational St. Petersburg Clay Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Niki Pilic 7–9, 5–7, 6–8
Loss 6.[1] 1966 Caribe Hilton International San Juan Hard United States Arthur Ashe 6–3, 4–6, 3–6
Loss 7.[1] 1966 Western Australian Championships Perth Grass United States Arthur Ashe 6–3, 2–6, 3–6, 4–6
Win 9.[1] 1966 West of England Championships Bristol Grass Canada Mike Belkin 6–1, 6–3
Win 10.[1] 1966 Western States Championships Indianapolis Clay United States Dennis Ralston 6–1, 1–6, 6–1, 6–2
Loss 8.[1] 1966 Newport Casino Invitational Newport Casino Grass United States Dennis Ralston 12–14, 9–11, 6–8
Win 11.[1] 1966 U.S. Clay Court Championships Houston Clay United States Frank Froehling 13–11, 6–1, 6–3
Win 12.[1] 1967 Peru International Championships Lima Clay Chile Patricio Cornejo (2nd) Round Robin
Win 13.[1] 1967 Porto Alegre International Porto Alegre Clay Netherlands Tom Okker 4–6, 6–3, 3–6, 6–8
Win 14.[1] 1967 Tulsa Invitation Tulsa ? United States Clark Graebner 6–2, 6–1
Win 15.[1] 1967 South American Championships Buenos Aires Clay Brazil José Mandarino 7–5, 6–8, 6–3, 6–3
Loss 9.[1] 1967 Atlanta Invitation Atlanta Hard United States Marty Riessen 5–7, 2–6, 4–6
Win 16.[1] 1967 River Plate International Championships Buenos Aires Clay United States Clark Graebner 3–6, 6–4, 7–5
Loss 10.[1] 1967 Pacific Coast Championships Berkeley Hard United States Charles Pasarell 5–7, 6–8
Win 17.[1] 1967 Permian Basin Invitation Midland Clay United States Jim Parker 6–4, 6–4
Loss 11.[1] 1968 Altamira International Invitation Caracas Hard United States Marty Riessen 1–6, 6–8, 1–6
Win 18.[1] 1968 River Oaks Championships Houston Grass Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Boro Jovanović 6–4, 6–1, 6–0
Win 19.[1] 1968 U.S. National Indoor Championships Houston Hard (i) United States Clark Graebner 6–4, 6–4, 6–4
Loss 12.[1] 1968 Western States Championships Indianapolis ? Chile Jaime Fillol 1-6, 5–7, 2–6
Win 20.[1] 1968 Sugar Bowl Tennis Classic New Orleans Clay United States Ron Holmberg 6–4, 6–4, 4–6, 8–6
↓  Open era  ↓
Win 21.[1] 1969 Omaha International Omaha Clay Mexico Joaquín Loyo-Mayo 6–4, 6–2
Win 22.[1] 1969 Curaçao International Championships Willemstad Hard United Kingdom Mark Cox 6–4, 6–2
Win 23.[1] 1969 Thunderbird Invitational Phoenix Hard Spain Manuel Santana 6–4, 6–4
Win 24.[1] 1969 Pennsylvania Grass Court Championships Haverford Grass Australia Robert Carmichael 6–4, 7–9, 6–2, 6–4
Loss 13.[1] 1969 Pacific Southwest Championships Los Angeles Hard United States Pancho Gonzales 0–6, 5–7
Win 25.[1] 1969 Western Championships Cincinnati Clay Australia Allan Stone 6–1, 6–2
Win 26.[1] 1969 Sugar Bowl Tennis Classic New Orleans Clay United States Jim Osborne 6–4, 6–4, 6–2
Loss 14.[1] 1969 Pacific Coast International Open Berkeley Hard United States Stan Smith 2–6, 3–6
Win 27.[1] 1969 Canadian Open Toronto Clay United States Butch Buchholz 6–4, 5–7, 6–4, 6–0
Win 28.[1] 1970 Carolinas International Classic Charlotte Hard United States Erik van Dillen 6–3, 7–6
Win 29.[1] 1970 Washington Star International Washington, D.C. Clay United States Arthur Ashe 7–5, 6–2, 6–1
Win 30.[1] 1970 Charlotte Invitation Charlotte Clay Australia Robert Carmichael 6–4, 6–4
Loss 15.[1] 1970 Caribe Hilton International Championships San Juan Hard United States Arthur Ashe 4–6, 3–6, 6–1, 3–6,
Win 31.[1] 1970 Austin Smith Championships Fort Lauderdale Clay United States Clark Graebner 6–3, 7–5
Win 32.[1] 1970 Macon Indoor Macon Carpet (i) United States Arthur Ashe 3–6, 6–3, 8–6
Loss 15.[1] 1970 British Covered Court Championships London Carpet (i) Australia Rod Laver 3–6, 4–6, 5–7
Loss 16.[1] 1970 River Oaks International Houston Clay United States Clark Graebner 6–2, 3–6, 7–5, 3–6, 2–6
Win 33.[1] 1970 Atlanta Invitational Atlanta ? United States Frank Froehling 6–2, 6–2
Loss 17.[1] 1970 U.S. International Indoor Championships Salisbury Hard (i) Romania Ilie Năstase 6–8, 3–6, 6–4, 9–7, 6–0
Win 34.[1] 1970 U.S. Clay Court Championships Indianapolis Clay United States Stan Smith 6–2, 10–8, 3–6, 6–1
Loss 18.[1] 1970 Western Championships Cincinnati Clay Australia Ken Rosewall 9–7, 7–9, 6–8
Loss 19.[1] 1970 Pacific Coast International Open Berkeley Hard United States} Arthur Ashe 4–6, 2–6, 4–6
Win 35.[21] 1971 Des Moines International Indoors Des Moines Carpet (i) Czechoslovakia Vladimír Zedník 6–1, 6–3
Loss 19.[1] 1971 Midlands International Omaha Carpet (i) Romania Ilie Năstase 4–6, 3–6, 1–6
Win 36.[1] 1971 Fort Lauderdale Open Fort Lauderdale Clay South Africa Pat Cramer 6–7, 6–7, 6–3, 6–4, 6–2
Win 37.[1] 1971 Glenwood Manor Invitation Overland Park ? Peru Alex Olmedo 7–5, 5–7, 6–2
Loss 20.[1] 1971 Caribe Hilton International Championships San Juan Hard United States Stan Smith 3–6, 3–6
Win 38.[1] 1971 River Oaks International Houston Clay United States Clark Graebner 6–1, 6–2, 6–2
Loss 21.[1] 1971 U.S. International Indoor Championships Salisbury Hard (i) United States Clark Graebner 6–2, 6–7, 6–1, 6–7, 0–6
Loss 22.[1] 1971 U.S. Clay Court Championships Houston Clay Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Željko Franulović 3–6, 4–6, 6–0, 3–6
Win 39.[22] 1972 Bretton Woods WCT Bretton Woods Clay United States Jeff Borowiak 6–1, 6–0
Win 40.[23] 1972 Rothmans International Tennis Tournament London Carpet (i) United States Clark Graebner 6–1, 6–0
Loss 23.[1] 1972 Carolinas International Tennis Tournament Charlotte Clay Australia Ken Rosewall 6–2, 2–6, 2–6
Win 41. 1972 South African Open London Hard Spain Manuel Orantes 6–4, 7–5, 3–6, 6–4
Loss 24.[1] 1973 WCT Munich Charlotte Carpet (i) United States Stan Smith 1–6, 5–7
Win 42.[24] 1974 Lakeway WCT Lakeway Hard Australia John Alexander 7–6, 6–1
Loss 25.[1] 1974 Australian Indoor Championships Charlotte Hard (i) Australia John Newcombe 4–6, 3–6, 4–6
Loss 26.[25] 1976 Boca Raton IPA Classic Boca Raton Clay Australia Butch Walts 6–4, 4–6, 4–6
Win 43.[26] 1976 Bermuda Tennis Classic Hamilton Hard United States Gene Mayer 7–6, 6–2
Loss 27.[1] 1976 Sun Devil Open Tempe Hard (i) Australia Dick Stockton 1–6, 4–6
Win 44.[27] 1977 Bahamas International Open Freeport Hard United States John McEnroe 7–5, 4–6, 6–2
Win 45.[28] 1978 Johannesburg Open Johannesburg Hard United Kingdom Colin Dowdeswell 6–2, 6–4

Personal life

Golf highlights:

  • Founding member, Celebrity Players' Tour (1997)[29]
  • Played celebrity golf tour for 15 years (1992–2007)
  • Won tour events in Jamaica (2004) and Baltimore (2006)
  • Scratch golfer (74.5 career stroke average; career best round 63)

Mental health awareness fundraising and activism:

  • Richey organized tennis and golf tournaments to benefit charities:
  • Angelo Catholic School (1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990)
  • James Phillips Williams Memorial [Dyslexia] Foundation (1991, 1992, 1993)
  • Mental Health/Mental Retardation (MHMR) (1999)
  • United Way (2005, 2006, 2007, 2009)
  • Nominated for Frank M. Adams Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service (2000)

Public lectures and presentations:

  • Keynote presentation, Texas state convention for executive directors of MHMR (2000)
  • Community legislative forums (1999, 2000)
  • Invited lectures to college campuses and psychology classes (2006, 2007, 2008)
  • Keynote address, MHMR banquet (Palestine, TX, 2000)
  • 2010 Mental Health America/TX Boots, Bells, and Hearts award
  • 2010 Texas Council of MHMR's Annual Conference, Keynote Speaker, Woodlands TX
  • 2010 National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) National Convention, breakfast presentation
  • Fourteen-city book tour for Acing Depression: A Tennis Champion's Toughest Match, 2010
  • 2010 Lecture at the Grand Rounds, New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University to Faculty and trainees
  • 2010 Keynote speaker Montana State Convention on Mental Illness, Billings, Montana

Works

  • Richey, Cliff; Kallendorf, Hilaire Richey; Connors, Jimmy (April 1, 2010). Acing Depression: A Tennis Champion's Toughest Match. New Chapter Press. ISBN 978-0-942257-66-3.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 "Players: Richey, Cliff". The Tennis Base. Madrid: Tennismem SL. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  2. ↑ "U.S. Junior National Championships" (PDF). USTA. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 30, 2005. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
  3. ↑ "Junior and Boys Tennis Champs are Crowned". The Owosso Argus-Press. August 2, 1963.
  4. ↑ "Velotti Wins Boys Championship". The New York Times. June 6, 2010.
  5. ↑ Grimsley, Will (September 9, 1970). "Four Americans in Tennis Quarter-final". The Day.
  6. ↑ "Bitter Richey Quits Davis Cup Squad". Daytona Beach Morning Journal. September 22, 1971.
  7. ↑ "Davis Cup player profile – Cliff Richey". ITF.
  8. ↑ John Barrett, ed. (1971). World of Tennis 1971. London: Queen Anne Press. pp. 133–135. ISBN 978-0362000917.
  9. ↑ Bud Collins (2010). The Bud Collins History of Tennis (2nd ed.). [New York]: New Chapter Press. pp. 706, 707. ISBN 978-0942257700.
  10. ↑ United States Tennis Association (1979). Bill Shannon (ed.). Official Encyclopedia of Tennis (Rev. and updated 1st ed.). New York: Harper & Row. p. 427. ISBN 0060144785.
  11. ↑ Richey, Cliff; Hilaire Richey Kallendorf (2010). Acing Depression : A Tennis Champion's Toughest Match. New York: New Chapter Press. pp. 1–4. ISBN 978-0942257663.
  12. ↑ "The Analysis of the Choke". World Tennis Magazine. June 4, 2010. Retrieved September 23, 2012.
  13. ↑ Bud Collins (2010). The Bud Collins History of Tennis (2nd ed.). [New York]: New Chapter Press. p. 462. ISBN 978-0942257700.
  14. ↑ "Wimbledon draws archive – 1971 Gentlemen's Singles". AELTC.
  15. ↑ "Cliff Richey Loses Match To Rosewall". Gettysburg Times. June 30, 1971. p. 22.
  16. ↑ "Cliff Richey Says he May Earn Less but prefers to be his own Boss in Tennis". Gettysburg Times. February 18, 1971. Retrieved September 25, 2012.
  17. ↑ "Richey Goes Over To Hunt's Group With 4-Year Pact". The New York Times. April 12, 1972. Retrieved September 25, 2012.
  18. ↑ "Sports briefs". The Leader-Post. July 11, 1966. p. 24. Retrieved March 17, 2011.
  19. ↑ "ATP player profile – Cliff Richey". ATP.
  20. ↑ Bill Shannon, ed. (1981). Official Encyclopedia of Tennis (3rd, Revised and updated ed.). New York [u.a.]: Harper & Row. pp. 427, 433, 434. ISBN 9780060148966.
  21. ↑ Staff, S. I. (April 19, 1971). "A roundup of the sports information of the week: TENNIS—CLIFF RICHEY defeated Vladimer Zednick of Czechoslovakia 6-1, 6-3 to win the Des Moines International singles". Sports Illustrated Vault. Sports Illustrated Inc. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  22. ↑ "Bretton Woods WCT: Results 1972". ATP Tour. Association of Tennis Professionals. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  23. ↑ "Bretton Woods WCT: Results 1972". ATP Tour. Association of Tennis Professionals. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  24. ↑ "Results Archive : ATP Tour 1974: Lakeway WCT". ATP Tour. Association of Tennis Professionals. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  25. ↑ "Boca West: Results 1976". ATP Tour. Association of Tennis Professionals. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  26. ↑ "Bermuda : Results 1976". ATP Tour. Association of Tennis Professionals. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  27. ↑ "Richey Cops Bahamas Tennis". European Stars And Stripes. Washington, DC: Newspaper Archives. December 20, 1977. p. 20.
  28. ↑ "Results: Johannesburg I". ATP Tour. Association of Tennis Professionals. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  29. ↑ McCarton Ackerman (June 12, 2012). "The Alcoholism of a Tennis Great". TheFix.
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