Keith Richardson (tennis)

Last updated
Keith Richardson
Full nameKeith Richardson
Country (sports)Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Born1953
Rock Hill, South Carolina
Turned pro1976
Retired1979
PlaysRight-handed
Singles
Career record18–43
Career titles0
Highest rankingNo. 74 (December 31, 1977)
Grand Slam singles results
US Open 3R (1979)
Doubles
Career record19–44
Career titles0
Grand Slam doubles results
US Open 1R (1979)

Keith Richardson (born 1953) is a former professional tennis player from the United States. He is a member of both the North Carolina and South Carolina Tennis Hall of Fame.

Contents

Biography

Richardson grew up in Rock Hill, South Carolina and attended Rock Hill High School, where he was the state's 4A High School Tennis Champion in 1971. [1] He got an athletic scholarship to North Carolina's Appalachian State University where he played varsity tennis from 1971 to 1975, while he studied for a BSBA degree. During this time he was a three time Southern Conference Singles Champion (1973, 1974, 1975) and two time Doubles Champion (1974, 1975). [2]

In 1976, Richardson turned professional and began touring internationally. [3] By the end of the 1977 he had reached his highest ranking of 74 in the world. He twice featured in the US Open, in 1977 and 1979. In his first appearance in 1977 he lost in the opening round to Phil Dent, but in 1979 he was able to make the third round. [4] [5] He began the 1979 US Open with a five-set win over Dave Siegler, then defeated a young Kevin Curren in straight sets, before exiting in the third round with a loss to Dick Stockton. In 1979 he also played in the first round of the men's doubles, with John Yuill. [6] On the Grand Prix circuit his best performance came in 1979, a doubles final in Sarasota, which he and John James lost to Steve Krulevitz and Ilie Năstase. [7] He also made his only singles quarter-final that year, at Madrid. [8]

Richardson retired from the tour at the end of the 1979 season and then spent three years as the Head Tennis Professional at Benvenue Country Club. [9]

Since 1983 he has worked in the insurance industry and is currently at Peoples First Insurance in Rock Hill, South Carolina. [9] He is married with two children. [9] [10]

Grand Prix career finals

Doubles: 1 (0–1)

ResultW/LDateTournamentSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Loss0–1Feb 1979 Sarasota, U. S. Carpet Flag of Australia (converted).svg John James Flag of the United States.svg Steve Krulevitz
Flag of Romania (1965-1989).svg Ilie Năstase
6–7, 3–6

Challenger titles

Doubles: (2)

No.YearTournamentSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
1.1978 Tinton Falls, U. S. Hard Flag of the United States.svg John Sadri Flag of the United States.svg Scott Carnahan
Flag of the United States.svg Charles Strode
6–7, 6–3, 6–4
2.1978 Lincoln, U. S. Hard Flag of the United States.svg John Sadri Flag of the United States.svg Rick Meyer
Flag of the United States.svg Horace Reid
4–6, 6–3, 7–5

Related Research Articles

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) is the governing body of world tennis, wheelchair tennis, and beach tennis. It was founded in 1913 as the International Lawn Tennis Federation by twelve national tennis associations. As of 2016, there are 211 national and six regional associations that make up the ITF's membership.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kerry Melville</span> Australian tennis player

Kerry Melville Reid is a former professional tennis player from Australia. During her 17-year career, Reid won one Grand Slam singles title and 26 other singles titles and was the runner-up in 40 singles tournaments. Reid was included in the year-end world top-ten rankings for 12 consecutive years (1968–1979). She won at least one tournament annually from 1966 through 1979, except for 1975. Her career-high ranking was world No. 5 in 1971, behind Margaret Court, Billie Jean King, Evonne Goolagong, and Rosie Casals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nicholas Monroe</span> American tennis player

Benjamin Nicholas Monroe is an American former professional tennis player. Monroe was a doubles specialist. He reached a career-high ATP doubles ranking of No. 30 on 2 October 2017 and won four ATP Tour doubles titles and thirteen ATP Challenger Tour titles in his career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2011 ATP World Tour</span> Mens tennis circuit

The 2011 ATP World Tour was the elite men's professional tennis circuit organized by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) for the 2011 season. It was the 42nd edition of the tour and the calendar comprised the Grand Slam tournaments, supervised by the International Tennis Federation (ITF), the ATP World Tour Masters 1000, the ATP World Tour 500 series, the ATP World Tour 250 series, the ATP World Team Championship, the Davis Cup, and the ATP World Tour Finals. Also included in the 2011 calendar is the Hopman Cup, which does not distribute ranking points, and is organized by the ITF.

Pavel Huťka is a former professional tennis player from the Czech Republic who competed for Czechoslovakia, and is now a tennis trainer.

Erick Iskersky is a former professional tennis player from the United States and a three time All-American at Trinity University in Texas.

Luke Bourgeois is a former professional tennis player from Australia.

Omar Jasika is an Australian tennis player. He is the 2014 US Open boys' singles champion. Jasika along with Naoki Nakagawa also won the 2014 US Open boys' doubles title defeating Rafael Matos and João Menezes in the final. In winning both, Jasika became the first player in 28 years to win both the boys’ singles and doubles events at the US Open.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Claire Liu</span> American tennis player

Claire Liu is an American professional tennis player. On 30 January 2023, she reached her career-high singles ranking of world No. 52 by the WTA.

Emilio Montaño is a former professional tennis player from Mexico.

Grover Eugene "Raz" Reid is a former professional tennis player from the United States. He was born Grover Reid Junior, but is known as Raz Reid, a nickname he has had since he was a young.

Robert Bruce Kleege, known as Bruce Kleege, is a former professional tennis player from the United States.

Henry Bunis is a former professional tennis player from the United States.

Terence Ryan is a former professional tennis player from South Africa.

Jai DiLouie is a former professional tennis player from the United States.

Nicolas Tourte is a professional tennis player from France.

Alexis Hombrecher is a German born former professional tennis player from the United States.

Steven Downs is a former professional tennis player from New Zealand.

Nerida Gregory is a former professional tennis player from Australia.

Carlos Behar is a Colombian former professional tennis player.

References

  1. Hembree, Mike (June 1, 1975). "Richardson Faces 3 Junctures". Herald-Journal . p. C1. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  2. "Keith Richardson". USTA South Carolina. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  3. Cooper, Ray (April 23, 1978). "Appalachian State graduates struggling with success on tour". Star-News . Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  4. Mead, Doug (June 1, 1979). "Keith Richardson: Looking Ahead To Wimbledon, U.S. Open..." Herald-Journal . p. D1. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  5. "U.S. Open Tennis Championships". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette . August 31, 1979. p. 14. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  6. "ITF Tennis - Pro Circuit - U.S. Open - 28 August - 09 September 1979". International Tennis Federation. Archived from the original on 20 February 2017. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  7. Ellison, Jack (February 19, 1979). "Kriek masters Meyer". St. Petersburg Times . p. 5C. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  8. "ITF Tennis - Pro Circuit - Madrid - 24 September - 30 September 1979". International Tennis Federation. Archived from the original on 6 February 2016. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  9. 1 2 3 "Keith Richardson - Bio". ATP World Tour. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  10. Smith, Eileen (May 31, 1978). "Life Of Tennis Wife Not All Glamor". Herald-Journal . p. B2. Retrieved 29 January 2016.