Mike Leach (tennis)
Encyclopedia
Michael E. Leach (born c. 1960) is a former collegiate and ATP Tour professional tennis
player who won the NCAA singles championship
in 1982 while attending the University of Michigan
.
outside Boston. He was the third child in a family of six and began playing tennis after he received a racket for his 11th birthday. He earned the No. 1 singles and doubles rankings in New England
's 14-and-under division, and upon moving to the 16-18 division, he was ranked No. 11 nationally.
n. He played for Michigan's tennis team from 1979 to 1982. As a sophomore, he was Michigan's top player with a 24-4 singles record, leading to the Big Ten
singles and doubles titles. As a junior, Leach won all but two individual matches and made the final 16 in the NCAA Tournament. His performance earned him All-America honors in 1981. In 1982, as an unseeded player, he was a long shot to win the NCAA singles title against future 12-year professional Brad Gilbert
of Pepperdine
. Leach pressured the usually consistent Gilbert into errors and thrilled the collegiate tennis world by winning the 1982 NCAA singles title in straight sets (7–5, 6–3). He became only the second Wolverine to win the national title, joining Barry MacKay
who won the singles title in 1957. He was also a two-time Big Ten Conference doubles champion with Matt Horwich in 1980 and with Mark Mees in 1982. In four years at Michigan, Leach had a record of 99-19 in singles competition and 80-15 in doubles competition.
in 1985, and his career highlights include victories over Stefan Edberg
, Pat Cash
and Mats Wilander
. During his five-year pro career, Leach also won four doubles titles.
Leach lived both in Ann Arbor and Ponte Vedra Beach.
. They were the top-ranked father-son doubles pair in New England from 1977–83 and earned eight national rankings from 1979-92. In 1990, they were the nation's No. 1 tandem and won the USTA's gold ball at the National Grass Court Championships. Leach and his father began playing together when Michael was 11, and his father was his practice partner. From 1979-1981, the two earned a national ranking of 3, 1 and 4 (consecutively) as a father/son doubles duo. After a hiatus from playing together, Leach and his father later returned to the tournament circuit and won the National Father/Son Grass Court Tournament in both 1990 and 1991. Leach and his father have each been separately inducted into the USTA New England Hall of Fame, with Michael being inducted in 2001 and his father in 2006.
. Since 1992, he has been the Director of Tennis at the prestigious Ponte Vedra Inn and Club
in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
. Leach has created a summer tennis event known as "Leach at the Beach." The event provides experienced and beginning players an opportunity to improve their skills through clinics, drills, match play and video analysis. Leach's hobbies are weight-training, inline-skating, reading, and dining out. He is five feet, eleven inches tall, weighs 165 pounds, and plays left-handed.
. At the time, Leach said: "I'm too darn young to be in any hall of fame, but obviously I'm thrilled and I know it's going to be something that with time I'm going to very much appreciate. I know my parents will [appreciate it], and I'm probably doing it more for them than anybody. They spent a lot of time driving me around various New England states when I was a kid." In February 2008, Leach was inducted into the University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor
along with Heisman Trophy
winner Desmond Howard
. Leach is also a past president of the Northern Florida Professional Tennis Association and tournament chairman of the Gate Petroleum Pro Tennis Open.
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
player who won the NCAA singles championship
NCAA Men's Tennis Championship
The NCAA Men's Tennis Championships are held to crown a team, individual, and doubles champion in American college tennis. The first intercollegiate championship was held in 1883, 23 years before the founding of the NCAA, with Harvard's Joseph Clark taking the singles title...
in 1982 while attending the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
.
Early years
Leach grew up in Weston, MassachusettsWeston, Massachusetts
Weston is a suburb of Boston located in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States in the Boston metro area. The population of Weston, according to the 2010 U.S. Census, is 11,261....
outside Boston. He was the third child in a family of six and began playing tennis after he received a racket for his 11th birthday. He earned the No. 1 singles and doubles rankings in New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
's 14-and-under division, and upon moving to the 16-18 division, he was ranked No. 11 nationally.
University of Michigan
Leach accepted a tennis scholarship to attend the University of Michigan, where he won the 1982 NCAA singles title and was a two-time All-AmericaAll-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n. He played for Michigan's tennis team from 1979 to 1982. As a sophomore, he was Michigan's top player with a 24-4 singles record, leading to the Big Ten
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
singles and doubles titles. As a junior, Leach won all but two individual matches and made the final 16 in the NCAA Tournament. His performance earned him All-America honors in 1981. In 1982, as an unseeded player, he was a long shot to win the NCAA singles title against future 12-year professional Brad Gilbert
Brad Gilbert
Brad Gilbert , is an American tennis coach, a television tennis commentator, an author and former professional tennis player. He was born in Oakland, California and graduated from Piedmont High School ....
of Pepperdine
Pepperdine University
Pepperdine University is an independent, private, medium-sized university affiliated with the Churches of Christ. The university's campus overlooking the Pacific Ocean in unincorporated Los Angeles County, California, United States, near Malibu, is the location for Seaver College, the School of...
. Leach pressured the usually consistent Gilbert into errors and thrilled the collegiate tennis world by winning the 1982 NCAA singles title in straight sets (7–5, 6–3). He became only the second Wolverine to win the national title, joining Barry MacKay
Barry MacKay
Barry MacKay is a former American tennis player and tournament director and a current tennis broadcaster. While competing in college for the University of Michigan, he won the singles title at the 1957 NCAA Men's Tennis Championship to clinch the team title for Michigan. He was also a finalist...
who won the singles title in 1957. He was also a two-time Big Ten Conference doubles champion with Matt Horwich in 1980 and with Mark Mees in 1982. In four years at Michigan, Leach had a record of 99-19 in singles competition and 80-15 in doubles competition.
ATP Tour
Leach played on the ATP Tour from 1982–1987 and had a career-high ranking of 5th in singles and 14th in doubles. He reached the final 16 at WimbledonThe Championships, Wimbledon
The Championships, Wimbledon, or simply Wimbledon , is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, considered by many to be the most prestigious. It has been held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London since 1877. It is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, the other three Majors...
in 1985, and his career highlights include victories over Stefan Edberg
Stefan Edberg
Stefan Bengt Edberg is a former World No. 1 professional tennis player from Sweden. A major proponent of the serve-and-volley style of tennis, he won six Grand Slam singles titles and three Grand Slam men's doubles titles. He also won one season ending championship title the Masters Grand Prix...
, Pat Cash
Pat Cash
Patrick Hart "Pat" Cash is a retired Australian professional tennis player who won the men's singles title at Wimbledon in 1987.-Early career:...
and Mats Wilander
Mats Wilander
Mats Wilander is a former World No. 1 tennis player from Sweden. From 1982 through 1988, he won seven Grand Slam singles titles , and one Grand Slam men's doubles title...
. During his five-year pro career, Leach also won four doubles titles.
Leach lived both in Ann Arbor and Ponte Vedra Beach.
Doubles play with his father
For many years, Leach played doubles with his father, Dr. Robert E. Leach, orthopedic surgeon for the Boston CelticsBoston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
. They were the top-ranked father-son doubles pair in New England from 1977–83 and earned eight national rankings from 1979-92. In 1990, they were the nation's No. 1 tandem and won the USTA's gold ball at the National Grass Court Championships. Leach and his father began playing together when Michael was 11, and his father was his practice partner. From 1979-1981, the two earned a national ranking of 3, 1 and 4 (consecutively) as a father/son doubles duo. After a hiatus from playing together, Leach and his father later returned to the tournament circuit and won the National Father/Son Grass Court Tournament in both 1990 and 1991. Leach and his father have each been separately inducted into the USTA New England Hall of Fame, with Michael being inducted in 2001 and his father in 2006.
Later years
After retiring from the ATP Tour, Leach worked from 1987-1992 at the Atlanta Health & Racquet Club in Atlanta, GeorgiaAtlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
. Since 1992, he has been the Director of Tennis at the prestigious Ponte Vedra Inn and Club
Ponte Vedra Inn and Club
The Ponte Vedra Inn & Club, located at Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, is a AAA Five Diamond Award resort and the first country club at Ponte Vedra. The 9th hole on the Ocean course has the distinction of having the first island green ever built.-History:...
in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
Ponte Vedra Beach is an unincorporated seaside community in St. Johns County, Florida, United States. Located eighteen miles southeast of downtown Jacksonville and north of St. Augustine, it is part of the Jacksonville Beaches area. It is an upmarket tourist resort area best known for its...
. Leach has created a summer tennis event known as "Leach at the Beach." The event provides experienced and beginning players an opportunity to improve their skills through clinics, drills, match play and video analysis. Leach's hobbies are weight-training, inline-skating, reading, and dining out. He is five feet, eleven inches tall, weighs 165 pounds, and plays left-handed.
Awards and honors
In 2001, Leach was inducted into the USTA New England chapter's Hall of Fame in Westborough, MassachusettsWestborough, Massachusetts
Westborough is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 18,272 at the 2010 census. The town is governed under the New England open town meeting system, headed by a five member elected Board of Selectmen whose duties include licensing, appointing various...
. At the time, Leach said: "I'm too darn young to be in any hall of fame, but obviously I'm thrilled and I know it's going to be something that with time I'm going to very much appreciate. I know my parents will [appreciate it], and I'm probably doing it more for them than anybody. They spent a lot of time driving me around various New England states when I was a kid." In February 2008, Leach was inducted into the University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor
University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor
The University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor, founded in 1978, recognizes University of Michigan athletes, coaches, and administrators who have made significant contributions to the university's athletic programs...
along with Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
winner Desmond Howard
Desmond Howard
Desmond Kevin Howard is a former NFL wide receiver, punt returner, and kickoff returner.He played football for the University of Michigan from 1989–1991 and won the Heisman Trophy in 1991...
. Leach is also a past president of the Northern Florida Professional Tennis Association and tournament chairman of the Gate Petroleum Pro Tennis Open.