Stanley Roger Smith is a retired tennis pro who is known as one of the greatest Davis Cup competitors. Born in December 14, 1946 in Pasadena, California, Smith is an all-American boy whose 6-foot-3 frame came in handy as he hit the tennis ball with power serves and forceful volleys.
As a student at the University of Southern California, Smith won the U.S. Intercollegiate singles in 1968. He won the intercollegiate doubles in 1967 and in 1968 with longtime doubles partner Bob Lutz. After college he immediately resumed conquering the tennis world, being part of the United States Davis Cup team in 1968, and never leaving the team for eleven straight years. Smith played in a total of twenty-four (24) engagements, winning twenty-two (22) of them. Sixteen (16) times he was the clincher, he player responsible for driving home the winning point.
| Born | 14 Dec 1946 |
| Nationality |
United States
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This right-handed star athlete is best remembered for the 1972 victory in Bucharest, where the clay court proved to be quite a difficult but conquerable challenge. Smith proved resilient in winning the Cup, as he endured a three-day ordeal at Bucharest, where the loud crowd, favoring Romania, worked hard to break his tough reserve. In the end, however, Smith’s prowess as an athlete prevailed as he won seven singles titles (out of eight), and conquered all five doubles titles with partner Erik van Dillen. Smith said of the event, “I had to concentrate so hard I got a headache.”
Smith also won the U.S. title in 1971 and the Wimbledon top prize in 1972. He was consistently in the U.S. Top Ten between 1967 and 1980, and was ranked no. 1 in 1969, in 1971, in 1972 and in 1973. He was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1987.
