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Greg Holmes Inducted Into ITA Hall of Fame
5/29/2009 12:00 AM | Men's Tennis
May 29, 2009
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Utah tennis All-American and 1983 NCAA singles champion Greg Holmes was recently inducted into the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Hall of Fame in a ceremony at this year's NCAA Championships in College Station. Holmes becomes the third Ute inducted, joining Harry James (1987) and Jim Osborne (2005).
 Greg Holmes (third from left) with his fellow inductees and Hall of Fame curator Dan Magill (far right).  | |
"It is a great honor to be recognized for my college tennis accomplishments," said Holmes. "There are many great players who have been inducted into the ITA Hall of Fame and I feel very privileged to be among them. I have many fond memories playing and competing for the University of Utah tennis program. Head coach Harry James and assistant coach F.D. Robbins (the current head coach of Utah Men's Tennis) not only coached my tennis game but also taught me to be a better person and how to handle adverse situations. I have to give both of them a lot of credit for my induction."
Incidentally, the ITA Hall of Fame is located at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex on the campus of the University of Georgia, where Holmes won the 1983 NCAA singles title. Holmes became Utah's first NCAA tennis champion as he cruised through the singles draw as the No. 1 seed and dropped only one set during his championship run.
Holmes was the last player ever to win an NCAA title using a wooden racquet. His Jack Kramer Autograph racquet has been on display in the ITA Hall of Fame since his championship win, along with those of every other NCAA champion.
"To win the NCAA's as a No. 1 seed is a great accomplishment, it doesn't happen that often," said Magill, curator of the ITA Hall of Fame and host of the 1983 NCAA Championships. "I still have that Kramer Autograph racquet on the wall underneath his picture. That racquet won the NCAA's 16 times from 1950-1983, more than any other racquet, and that record still stands."
"It does feel special to know that I was the last one to win the NCAA's with the Jack Kramer Autograph," said Holmes. "At the time there were only a handful of us still playing with a wooden racket and I knew I was one of the dying breed of tennis players."
Holmes reflects on his No. 1 seeding, championship run and collegiate tennis career:
"It does not happen very often that the number one seed wins the NCAA's. But I remember thinking back then that being the number one seed really did not mean much. I was going to have to beat seven of the best players in college tennis in order to win the tournament and it really did not matter if I was the first seed or not. I also remember that I played extremely well the whole week. My first few rounds I was lucky and got off to quick starts. I was able to get through those matches fairly comfortably, so that helped with the pressure of the tournament quite a bit, being able to play well in the early few rounds.
"My toughest match with the most pressure came in the semifinals against David Pate who played for TCU," Holmes continued. "He was a friend of mine and I knew how well he could play. I was bit nervous for that match and definitely felt the pressure. That match went three sets and I won the third set at 7-6, 10-8 in the tiebreaker. It helped having coach Robbins on the court giving me advice and making sure I stayed calm.
"After winning that match, I was able to come out in the finals and play probably one of my best matches of the tournament. It felt great to win!
"Dealing with the pressure is one of the great things about college tennis. Playing and competing as a team makes you fight even harder knowing that you are not just playing for yourself but that the rest of your teammates are counting on you. That is what I love about college sports and is one of the many benefits you gain from competition¬ - the ability to handle adverse situations and deal with pressure."
Holmes' 1983 NCAA Title Track
Rd. of 64: def. Tarek El Sakka (SW Louisiana), 7-6 (4), 6-2
Rd. of 32: def. John Letts (Stanford), 6-0, 6-3
Rd. of 16: def. Tom Warneke (Trinity), 6-4, 6-4
Quarterfinals: def. Peter Doohan (Arkansas), 6-1, 6-1
Semifinals: def. David Pate (TCU), 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9)
Championship: def. Fredrik Pahlett (Minnesota), 6-3, 6-2
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