Some of them were very accomplished-a couple of 5.0s, even one or two 5.5s-who had raised the club’s competitive metabolism and made it a more attractive option for other strong players. One reason for the turnaround, he said, was that the club had lately attracted a “slew of young players,” as he put it. Over lunch on the terrace, tennis director Bob Ingersole told me about the club’s revived fortunes. Photos of past champions-Henri Cochet and Alice Marble, to name just two-cover its walls.* * History abounds at West Side, especially in its clubhouse. A word of advice: playing once at Forest Hills should be a bucket-list item for every tennis enthusiast. The staircase leading to the men’s locker room, lined with black-and-white photos of the greats who played there (Laver, Ashe, Connors, McEnroe) gave me chills all over again. The clubhouse was just as elegant and cozy as I remembered it. The courts-38 in total, eight of them grass, three synthetic grass, 21 Har-Tru, two red clay, and four hard-were in excellent shape. Kids, all dressed in whites-it is still a requirement-were everywhere, their laughter echoing across the grounds. The news is even better: I’m happy to report that the club is enjoying a renaissance, albeit one with an unexpected twist (more about that in a moment). It was midday when I arrived, and summer tennis camp was in session. My timing was good: not only is it the 40th anniversary of the final US Open played there, it is also the West Side Tennis Club’s 125th birthday. Open and the culmination of Maureen Connolly's and Rod Laver's calendar-year Grand Slams.*Ĭurious to find out where things stood now, I returned to Forest Hills this August. Nationals Arthur Ashe's triumph at the 1968 U.S. * Built in 1923, the stadium at West Side has been the scene of some of tennis' most important moments, including Althea Gibson's barrier-breaking entry into the 1950 U.S. But the outlook for the stadium and for the club seemed bleak. Two years earlier, club members had narrowly rejected a proposal to sell the stadium to a developer who wanted to replace it with condos. The stadium, scene of so many historic matches, was in total disrepair and looked like a Roman ruin.
It had an aging membership and had experienced financial difficulties. As part of my reporting, I paid a visit to the West Side Tennis Club. The famed Tudor clubhouse was as stately as ever, but the club was struggling. In addition to the gunfire, the tournament was marred by racial and transgender controversies, boorish on-court behavior, unruly fans and an uproar over a newfangled racket-with so-called spaghetti strings-that would soon be banned because of all the crazy spin it generated.įive years ago, I wrote an article looking back at the raucous ’77 Open. Between the citywide blackout and the Son of Sam killer, it had been a summer of mayhem in New York, and the 1977 Open was not spared. It went out with a bang-literally.ĭuring a night match between Eddie Dibbs and an 18-year-old local kid who had just made a run to the semifinals at Wimbledon, John McEnroe, a spectator was shot in the leg, the bullet apparently fired from a nearby apartment complex. Written by Michael Steinberger photos, videos and captions by Ed McGroganįorty years ago this summer, the US Open was held for the last time at the West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, Queens.
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