Tennis Anyone?

Tennis at The Boca Raton has a long and storied legacy.

By Susan Gillis

Local tennis aficionados know that The Boca Raton has long been the place to go for the finest courts and spectacular tournaments. The first courts at the hotel opened in about 1930 and were southeast of the hotel, north of today’s Harborside Pool Club; they have been relocated many times over the years. The earliest known “pro” was a man named Val Yavorsky. A World War I veteran loyal to the czar, he made his way to the U.S. in 1922 and by 1934 was working as the winter tennis pro at the Boca Raton Club. By the 1960s he moved to Boca Raton full-time, where he taught mechanical drawing, tennis and art at Saint Andrew’s School. (The Historical Society owns some of his artwork.)

Fred Perry, considered by many one of the greatest players of all time, hailed from Britain, and became a U.S. citizen in 1939. In the 1930s he was ranked the No. 1 amateur in the world for three years; he would win eight Grand Slam tournaments and two Pro Slams, among many other titles. He joined the hotel as tennis pro in the late 1940s. The Boca Raton Historical Society has a photo of Fred with golf pro Tommy Armour and the Duke of Windsor, a frequent visitor to the hotel.

All-around athlete Ted Withall started teaching tennis in Beverly Hills after World War II. He would later serve as president of the U.S. Professional Tennis Association (USPTA) and was among the first members to be honored as a master pro. He was also president of the Florida Professional Tennis Association and the first member to be inducted into its Hall of Fame. With a young family in tow, he came to Boca Raton in 1957 and remained as pro for 13 years.

The hotel hosted a number of tournaments under Withall’s watch. In 1967, the U.S. Professional Lawn Tennis Association (USPLTA) played there November 21-26. By that time the courts had moved to the north side of the hotel campus. Sam Giammalva took the singles crown and, along with James Morton, the doubles title as well.

In 1972, the inaugural Virginia Slims Championship tournament (now the Women’s Tennis Association tourney) was played on the hotel courts. Seventeen-year-old Fort Lauderdale native Chris “Chrissie” Evert blew the crowd away by defeating Kerry Melville 7-5 and 6-4 to win the singles championship. The Boca Raton Historical Society has photos of this event, including a photograph of Chrissie using her then-notorious double-handed backhand to return a shot from Billie Jean King, who can be seen on the other side of the net. Evert was unable to claim the prize, however, as she was not yet 18 and was classified as an amateur. Chrissie did return the following year to win the singles title, her first professional win. Evert’s thrilling career helped make women’s tennis the major sporting event it is today. She still resides in Boca Raton.

The 1973 Slims, held in October, was preceded by a pro- celebrity tournament to draw the crowds. Bobby Riggs, fresh off his defeat by Billie Jean King in the so-called “Battle of the Sexes” match, was the big draw. Other celebrities included such diverse participants as old-time crooner Rudy Vallée and former Monkees drummer Micky Dolenz, plus many television actors. One viewer was less than impressed. His letter to the Boca Raton News claimed the celebrity tournament was “just awful. If it hadn’t been for Bobby Riggs, the matches of the first weekend would have been one great big flop.” In true hotel style, the festivities also included a clambake on the beach, a fashion show, an art show, a philharmonic concert and a boxing match. The hotel continued to host a pro-celebrity tournament for 20 years.

Speaking of Chrissie Evert, her former fiancée Jimmy Connors appeared on the courts during the Corel Champions Tour in April of 1995. Connors co-founded the event, which featured former male champions 35 and older—“the senior citizens” of the tennis world.

The event was a sellout for the then Boca Raton Resort & Club. Connors, at the age of 42, won the event handily, collecting the $40,000 prize. Björn Borg and Evert-ex John Lloyd also competed. Connors also brought the “Jimmy Connors Fantasy Camp” for kids to the courts from 2018-2020.

Tennis continues to be a major draw for The Boca Raton. Longtime current Director of Tennis Erik Silver actually moved to Florida to study under his predecessor, Australian player Warren Woodcock, who joined the staff in 1975. Today, the resort’s 16 high-tech “Hydro-Grid” clay courts (and six pickleball courts) are faster drying, more “forgiving” and 20 degrees cooler than conventional courts—very important in the South Florida heat. The tennis program includes clinics and play for youngsters 3 to 16 years old, including a high-performance academy. Adult clinics are available each week, there are monthly member events, and The Boca Raton can boast that it is one of the top 10 tennis destinations in the country.