Rafael Osuna
Encyclopedia
Rafael Osuna Herrera is the most successful tennis player in the history of Mexico. He was born in Mexico City
, Mexico, and is best remembered for his singles victory at the U.S. Open Championships in 1963, winning Wimbledon Doubles championships twice, the U.S. Open Championships doubles once, and for leading Mexico to its only Davis Cup Final round appearance in 1962. He is the only Mexican to date to be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame
, in 1979.
He was awarded a full scholarship to attend the University of Southern California
(USC) in the U.S.A., by Head Coach George Toley
, who quickly identified Osuna as a major talent. Toley had to literally reteach Osuna how to play tennis because of his poor technique but, in Toley´s own words ¨he moves on the tennis court like a God¨. Osuna participated in the 1960 Wimbledon championships, competing only in the doubles category with Dennis Ralston
(soon to be his roommate at school). The two unknown youngsters soon made history, as the first unseeded pair to win the men's doubles at Wimbledon.
This victory marked the beginning of Osuna's career and fame. Described as an "agile and cerebral player" who "moves on the tennis court with the grace of a panther" (Tony Mottram), his subsequent achievements include:
, a dangerous unseeded opponent who had upset top-seeded Roy Emerson
in the semifinals. Collins describes Osuna's victory as a triumph of tactical play:
He is also remembered by his bold strategy against Bill Bowery on the 4th match of the Mexico vs Australia Davis Cup tie in 1969. Coming back after the obligatory break after three sets (Osuna leading 2 sets to one), after holding serve on the first game, Osuna hits out, going for the lineas and keeping the ball away from Bowery on each of all his service returns. While the knowledgeable public interprets this actions as trying to get loose, as the match progresses the public is baffled by Osuna continuing to do so after holding serve. Then, after holding serve and going up 4-3, Osuna changes his manner of play drastically by chipping in his return low to his opponents feet. At this precise moment Bowery, in the entire 4th set and coming out of the rest period, has not hit one volley after his service motion due to the ¨hitting out¨strategy that Osuna implemented on this set. Bowery is startled by the change of strategy on the first point. Osuna plays a superb second point to go up 0-30. Being love - 30 gets Bowery extremely tight and gets broken. Osuna closes the match on his next service game.
On November 2010 CNN Mexico selected Osuna´s accomplishments as one of the top 10 sports highlights of all time.
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
, Mexico, and is best remembered for his singles victory at the U.S. Open Championships in 1963, winning Wimbledon Doubles championships twice, the U.S. Open Championships doubles once, and for leading Mexico to its only Davis Cup Final round appearance in 1962. He is the only Mexican to date to be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame
International Tennis Hall of Fame
The International Tennis Hall of Fame is located in Newport, Rhode Island, United States. The hall of fame and honors players and contributors to the sport of tennis and includes a museum, grass tennis courts, an indoor tennis facility, and a court tennis facility.-History:The hall of fame and...
, in 1979.
Career
His first successes as an athlete occurred before he was ten years old, when he competed in the open category of the Mexican National Table Tennis Championships. In the course of the tournament, he upset the Mexico City Table Tennis Champion in singles, a feat remarkable both for Osuna's young age and the fact that it was his first tournament. Osuna also won the Doubles Championship, with Alfredo Ramos Uriarte as his partner. From age 10 to 14 he was ranked in the top 10 in Mexico's Open singles in table tennis.He was awarded a full scholarship to attend the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
(USC) in the U.S.A., by Head Coach George Toley
George Toley
George Andrew Toley was an American collegiate tennis coach at the University of Southern California from 1954 to 1980...
, who quickly identified Osuna as a major talent. Toley had to literally reteach Osuna how to play tennis because of his poor technique but, in Toley´s own words ¨he moves on the tennis court like a God¨. Osuna participated in the 1960 Wimbledon championships, competing only in the doubles category with Dennis Ralston
Dennis Ralston
Richard Dennis Ralston is an American former professional tennis player. He attended the University of Southern California and won NCAA championships under their legendary coach, George Toley. He was coached in his earlier years by the legendary tennis player, Pancho Gonzales...
(soon to be his roommate at school). The two unknown youngsters soon made history, as the first unseeded pair to win the men's doubles at Wimbledon.
This victory marked the beginning of Osuna's career and fame. Described as an "agile and cerebral player" who "moves on the tennis court with the grace of a panther" (Tony Mottram), his subsequent achievements include:
- He is the only Mexican tennis player ever ranked No. 1 in the world, in 1963, by the International Tennis Federation.
- He is the only Mexican tennis player ever to win a Grand Slam event singles title, The United States Tennis Association National Championships US Open Singles (1963). He is one of only Five Latin Americans to win the US Championships, along with Andres Gomez, Gaston Gaudio, Guillermo VilasGuillermo VilasGuillermo Apolinario Vilas is a retired and former World No. 2 professional tennis player from Argentina. He was the second Latin-American to win a Grand Slam tournament.-Career:...
and Juan Martín del PotroJuan Martin Del PotroJuan Martín del Potro is an Argentine professional tennis player. Del Potro achieved a top-10 ranking by the Association of Tennis Professionals for the first time on October 6, 2008. In January 2010, he reached a career-high ranking of world no. 4...
. - Osuna and Palafox are the only Mexican tennis players ever to win the US Open doubles title, in 1962.
- In 1962, as the leader of the Mexican Davis Cup Team, Osuna led the team to its only Davis Cup Final to date, and the first-ever final reached by a Latin American country.
- His last victory, two weeks before his death in a plane crash, was an almost single-handed defeat of Australia in Davis Cup competition; Osuna won both his singles matches and the doubles. At that time Australia had won the Davis Cup 17 times, and the defeat was considered a major upset.
- USTA National Hard Courts singles and doubles champion 1962 and doubles champion 1969.
- Osuna was NCAA singles champion in 1962, doubles champion from 1961 to 1963, and team champion in 1962-63. The 1963 USC tennis team is regarded by some as the best collegiate tennis team of all time.
- Osuna won Mexico's only Olympic gold medals in tennis, in singles and in men's doubles with Vincent Zarazúa in 1968.
- Osuna earned a Bachelor in Science in Business Administration from the University of Southern California in 1963. In that same year, the International Tennis Federation would declare him the year-end No. 1 player in the world.
Style
Osuna was known for his footspeed, touch, and tactical awareness. Commentator Bud Collins dubs him "Mexico's greatest player...Ubiquitous on court, confusing to foes, ever seeking the net". His U.S. Open victory came against big server Frank FroehlingFrank Froehling
Frank Froehling is a former American tennis player.Froehling recorded a 46-5 career in singles matches and won nine singles titles during college career at Trinity University. He was also runner-up at U.S. National Tennis Championships in 1963. That year Froehling was named No. 6 player in the...
, a dangerous unseeded opponent who had upset top-seeded Roy Emerson
Roy Emerson
Roy Stanley Emerson is an Australian former tennis player who won 12 Grand Slam singles titles and 16 Grand Slam men's doubles titles. He is the only male player to have won singles and doubles titles at all four Grand Slam tournaments. His 28 Grand Slam titles are an all-time record for a male...
in the semifinals. Collins describes Osuna's victory as a triumph of tactical play:
He is also remembered by his bold strategy against Bill Bowery on the 4th match of the Mexico vs Australia Davis Cup tie in 1969. Coming back after the obligatory break after three sets (Osuna leading 2 sets to one), after holding serve on the first game, Osuna hits out, going for the lineas and keeping the ball away from Bowery on each of all his service returns. While the knowledgeable public interprets this actions as trying to get loose, as the match progresses the public is baffled by Osuna continuing to do so after holding serve. Then, after holding serve and going up 4-3, Osuna changes his manner of play drastically by chipping in his return low to his opponents feet. At this precise moment Bowery, in the entire 4th set and coming out of the rest period, has not hit one volley after his service motion due to the ¨hitting out¨strategy that Osuna implemented on this set. Bowery is startled by the change of strategy on the first point. Osuna plays a superb second point to go up 0-30. Being love - 30 gets Bowery extremely tight and gets broken. Osuna closes the match on his next service game.
Death
Osuna was one of 79 people killed in the crash of Mexicana de Aviación Flight 704 on June 4, 1969. He was 30 years old.Posthumous honors
Osuna has received numerous posthumous honors, including:- During the 1969 National Championships, the Intercollegiate Tennis College Association NCAA instituted the Rafael Osuna Sportsmanship Award, the first new award added since 1881. Given to the most outstanding college tennis player, the criteria for the award are competitive excellence, sportsmanship, and contribution to tennis.
- During the 1969 US Open Championships at Forest Hills, two months after his death, the US Open Committee declared the 28 of August to be Rafael Osuna Day, honoring the memory of the former champion. This was the first time the tournament had honored a tennis player in this manner.
- In 1969 the Chapultepec Club, the cathedral of Mexican tennis and home to the majority of its history, named its stadium "Rafael Osuna".
- In 1972, with the intent to strengthen ties between the USA and Mexico and to honor the memory of the only player ever to win the US Championships and the Mexican Open championships in singles, the "Osuna Cup" event was instituted. It is disputed annually by the official teams from both nations, and is the longest international tennis event played on Mexican territory, and the only one sanctioned by the USTA and the MTF.
- In 1970 Mr. Joseph F. Cullman, Honorary Chairman of the Board of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, presented to the Chancellor of the National Autonomous University of Mexico, Ing. Javier Barrios Sierra, ten scholarships in the name of Rafael Osuna to be awarded to outstanding Mexican students.
- On July 14, 1979, Osuna was inducted as a member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, in Newport, Rhode Island. To date, Osuna is the only Mexican to receive this honor.
- In 1979, Mexican President José López Portillo y Pacheco unveiled an 8 feet (2.4 m) statue of Rafael Osuna, erected by the Mexican National Athletics Institute at the Olympic plaza at the Mexican Olympic Committee.
- In 1983, the Intercollegiate Tennis College Association (NCAA) inaugurated their Tennis Hall of Fame, in Athens, Georgia. The inaugural class was the All Time NCAA Champions of Excellence. with 10 Players and 5 Head Coaches. Osuna was one of the ten along with such other great players as: Arthur AsheArthur AsheArthur Robert Ashe, Jr. was a professional tennis player, born and raised in Richmond, Virginia. During his career, he won three Grand Slam titles, putting him among the best ever from the United States...
, Dennis RalstonDennis RalstonRichard Dennis Ralston is an American former professional tennis player. He attended the University of Southern California and won NCAA championships under their legendary coach, George Toley. He was coached in his earlier years by the legendary tennis player, Pancho Gonzales...
, Alex OlmedoAlex OlmedoAlejandro "Alex" Rodríguez Olmedo is a former tennis player from Peru, who was ranked as the top amateur player in the world in 1959. Although born and raised in Peru, he came to Southern California and was mentored by Perry T. Jones, President of the Southern California Tennis Association at the...
, Ted SchroederTed SchroederFrederick Rudolph "Ted" Schroeder was an American tennis player who won the two most prestigious amateur tennis titles, Wimbledon and the U.S. National. He was the No. 1-ranked American player in 1942 and the No. 2 for 4 consecutive years, 1946 through 1949...
, Tony TrabertTony TrabertMarion Anthony Trabert is a retired American tennis champion and long-time tennis author, TV commentator, instructor, and motivational speaker...
, and his Coach George ToleyGeorge ToleyGeorge Andrew Toley was an American collegiate tennis coach at the University of Southern California from 1954 to 1980...
.
- In 1990 Mrs. Elena Osuna de Belmar published the biography Rafael Osuna: Sonata in Set Mayor. The book has been included in the International Tennis Hall of Fame Museum, Wimbledon Museum, USTA library, and Doheney library at USC. It is a collector's item, with only 2000 copies in the first edition.
- On November 28, 2000, Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de Leon presented an homage to the most outstanding Mexican athletes of the 20th Century, awarded by the Secretary of Public Education of Mexico. Osuna was selected "Sportsman of the 20th Century" in the Category of Tennis.
- On October 14, 2006 the University of Southern California USC Hall of Fame Selection Committee selected Osuna to be inducted into the USC Athletic Hall of Fame on May 5, 2007.
On November 2010 CNN Mexico selected Osuna´s accomplishments as one of the top 10 sports highlights of all time.
Wins (1)
| Year | Championship | Opponent in final | Score in final |
| 1963 | US National Singles Championships |  Frank FroehlingFrank Froehling Frank Froehling is a former American tennis player.Froehling recorded a 46-5 career in singles matches and won nine singles titles during college career at Trinity University. He was also runner-up at U.S. National Tennis Championships in 1963. That year Froehling was named No. 6 player in the... |
7–5, 6–4, 6–2 |
Wins (3)
| Year | Championship | Partner | Opponents in final | Score in final |
| 1960 | Wimbledon The 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... |
 Dennis RalstonDennis Ralston Richard Dennis Ralston is an American former professional tennis player. He attended the University of Southern California and won NCAA championships under their legendary coach, George Toley. He was coached in his earlier years by the legendary tennis player, Pancho Gonzales... |
 Mike DaviesMike Davies (tennis) Mike Davies is a Welsh former professional tennis player. He has had a 60-year career in the tennis business, first as a tennis player, including a period as the number one ranked player in Great Britain and a member of the British Davis Cup team, then as an entrepreneur and one of the pioneers of... / Bobby Wilson Bobby Wilson (tennis) Robert Keith Wilson is a former top-ranking English tennis player. Wilson reached the quarter-finals of Wimbledon four times, Forest Hills twice, and Roland Garros once during the late 1950s and early 1960s... |
7–5, 6–3, 10–8 |
| 1962 | US National Doubles Championships |  Antonio PalafoxAntonio Palafox Antonio Palafox was a Mexican male tennis player. He and compatriot Rafael Osuna won the doubles at the U.S. Open in 1962 and at Wimbledon in 1963.He is a former coach of John McEnroe.-References:... |
Chuck McKinley Chuck McKinley Charles Robert "Chuck" McKinley Jr. was an American men’s amateur tennis player of the 1960s. He is remembered as an undersized, hard working dynamo, whose relentless effort and competitive spirit led American tennis to the top of the sport during a period heavily dominated by Australians.McKinley... / Dennis Ralston Dennis Ralston Richard Dennis Ralston is an American former professional tennis player. He attended the University of Southern California and won NCAA championships under their legendary coach, George Toley. He was coached in his earlier years by the legendary tennis player, Pancho Gonzales... |
6–4, 10–12, 1–6, 9–7, 6–3 |
| 1963 | Wimbledon The 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... |
Antonio Palafox Antonio Palafox Antonio Palafox was a Mexican male tennis player. He and compatriot Rafael Osuna won the doubles at the U.S. Open in 1962 and at Wimbledon in 1963.He is a former coach of John McEnroe.-References:... |
 Jean-Claude Barclay / Pierre DarmonPierre Darmon Pierre Darmon was a French tennis player.In 1963, he reached his highest world ranking, # 8. He was also ranked in the top 10 worldwide in 1958 and 1964.-Tennis career:... |
4–6, 6–2, 6–2, 6–2 |
Runners-up (2)
| Year | Tournament | Partner | Opponents in final | Score in final |
| 1961 | US National Doubles Championships | Antonio Palafox Antonio Palafox Antonio Palafox was a Mexican male tennis player. He and compatriot Rafael Osuna won the doubles at the U.S. Open in 1962 and at Wimbledon in 1963.He is a former coach of John McEnroe.-References:... |
Chuck McKinley Chuck McKinley Charles Robert "Chuck" McKinley Jr. was an American men’s amateur tennis player of the 1960s. He is remembered as an undersized, hard working dynamo, whose relentless effort and competitive spirit led American tennis to the top of the sport during a period heavily dominated by Australians.McKinley... / Dennis Ralston Dennis Ralston Richard Dennis Ralston is an American former professional tennis player. He attended the University of Southern California and won NCAA championships under their legendary coach, George Toley. He was coached in his earlier years by the legendary tennis player, Pancho Gonzales... |
3–6, 4–6, 6–2, 11–13 |
| 1963 | US National Doubles Championships | Antonio Palafox Antonio Palafox Antonio Palafox was a Mexican male tennis player. He and compatriot Rafael Osuna won the doubles at the U.S. Open in 1962 and at Wimbledon in 1963.He is a former coach of John McEnroe.-References:... |
Chuck McKinley Chuck McKinley Charles Robert "Chuck" McKinley Jr. was an American men’s amateur tennis player of the 1960s. He is remembered as an undersized, hard working dynamo, whose relentless effort and competitive spirit led American tennis to the top of the sport during a period heavily dominated by Australians.McKinley... / Dennis Ralston Dennis Ralston Richard Dennis Ralston is an American former professional tennis player. He attended the University of Southern California and won NCAA championships under their legendary coach, George Toley. He was coached in his earlier years by the legendary tennis player, Pancho Gonzales... |
7–9, 6–4, 7–5, 3–6, 9–11 |
External links
- Rafael Osuna biography and stats from the Davis CupDavis CupThe Davis Cup is the premier international team event in men's tennis. It is run by the International Tennis Federation and is contested between teams of players from competing countries in a knock-out format. The competition began in 1900 as a challenge between Britain and the United States. By...
website - International Tennis Hall of Fame