Ray Casey
Encyclopedia
Raymond J. Casey was a top-ranked tennis
player and coach
.
A large and very powerful man for his time, Casey was a 12-letter man in athletics at the University of California, Berkeley
. A left-hander, he was considered to have one of the fastest serve
s in the world. Although he won numerous tournaments on the West Coast
, he played only twice in any of the four major Grand Slam
tournaments. In the summer of 1925 he travelled with an American contingent to England. According to the Official Encyclopedia of Tennis, at the Eastbourne
tournament Casey beat J.D. Patrick Wheatley of Great Britain
in a 6–0 set that took only 9 minutes. This is still considered the fastest set ever played in a tournament match. Later, Casey and John Hennessey reached the finals of the Wimbledon
doubles. In an era in which tournament doubles matches were considered almost as important as singles, they lost one of the most famous matches in the early history of tennis, being beaten 4–6, 9–11, 6–4, 6–1, 3–6 by one of the great French teams of Jean Borotra
and René Lacoste
. Later that summer, Casey won his opening matches in the American championship
in New York but was forced to withdraw by a sudden case of appendicitis
.
In the 1950s and 1960s Casey was a successful tennis coach in Santa Monica
, California
, his most noted pupils being Bob Lutz
and Julie Anthony
. He is a member of the Northern California Tennis Hall of Fame.
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 and coach
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
.
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
. A left-hander, he was considered to have one of the fastest serve
Serve (tennis)
A serve in tennis is a shot to start a point. A player begins a serve by tossing the ball into the air and hitting it into the diagonally opposite backside box without being stopped by the net. The ball can only touch the net on a return and will be considered good if it falls on the opposite side...
s in the world. Although he won numerous tournaments on the West Coast
West Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...
, he played only twice in any of the four major Grand Slam
Grand Slam (tennis)
The four Major tennis tournaments, also called the Slams, are the most important tennis events of the year in terms of world tour ranking points, tradition, prize-money awarded, strength and size of player field, and public attention. They are the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon, and...
tournaments. In the summer of 1925 he travelled with an American contingent to England. According to the Official Encyclopedia of Tennis, at the Eastbourne
Eastbourne
Eastbourne is a large town and borough in East Sussex, on the south coast of England between Brighton and Hastings. The town is situated at the eastern end of the chalk South Downs alongside the high cliff at Beachy Head...
tournament Casey beat J.D. Patrick Wheatley of Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
in a 6–0 set that took only 9 minutes. This is still considered the fastest set ever played in a tournament match. Later, Casey and John Hennessey reached the finals of the 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...
doubles. In an era in which tournament doubles matches were considered almost as important as singles, they lost one of the most famous matches in the early history of tennis, being beaten 4–6, 9–11, 6–4, 6–1, 3–6 by one of the great French teams of Jean Borotra
Jean Borotra
Jean Robert Borotra was a French champion tennis player. He was one of the famous "Four Musketeers" from his country who dominated tennis in the late 1920s and early 1930s.-Career:...
and René Lacoste
René Lacoste
Jean René Lacoste was a French tennis player and businessman. He was nicknamed "the Crocodile" by fans because of his tenacity on the court; he is also known worldwide as the namesake of the Lacoste tennis shirt, which he introduced in 1929.Lacoste was one of The Four Musketeers, French tennis...
. Later that summer, Casey won his opening matches in the American championship
U.S. Open (tennis)
The US Open, formally the United States Open Tennis Championships, is a hardcourt tennis tournament which is the modern iteration of one of the oldest tennis championships in the world, the U.S. National Championship, which for men's singles was first contested in 1881...
in New York but was forced to withdraw by a sudden case of appendicitis
Appendicitis
Appendicitis is a condition characterized by inflammation of the appendix. It is classified as a medical emergency and many cases require removal of the inflamed appendix, either by laparotomy or laparoscopy. Untreated, mortality is high, mainly because of the risk of rupture leading to...
.
In the 1950s and 1960s Casey was a successful tennis coach in Santa Monica
Santa Mônica
Santa Mônica is a town and municipality in the state of Paraná in the Southern Region of Brazil.-References:...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, his most noted pupils being Bob Lutz
Bob Lutz (tennis player)
Robert Lutz was a top amateur and professional tennis player of the 1960s and 1970s. He and his longtime partner Stan Smith were one of the best doubles teams of all time. Together they won many major titles all over the world. In 1972 Lutz was briefly the World No. 7 ranked male player in the...
and Julie Anthony
Julie Anthony (tennis player)
Julie Anthony is a former professional American tennis player of the 1970s. She played college tennis at Stanford University. Her coach for many years was Ray Casey.Anthony, who earned a Ph.D...
. He is a member of the Northern California Tennis Hall of Fame.