Published: July 01, 2009 12:34 am      

ENGLE: 30-love: Three decades of memories at ITC

Watching tennis in Indianapolis is a treat

The Indianapolis Tennis Championships (the name has changed but the quality and admission price have not changed much over the years) has been on my schedule of summer events since 1979.

I am always amazed when someone says there is no one there worth watching. Nearly everyone in the main draw and some in the qualifying events would not lose a game to the best player in the entire state. Also, without television angles slowing down the flight of the ball, I get the feel of how hard the players are hitting with their pinpoint accuracy.

I have been often asked to list my favorite tournament memories. It was difficult to narrow down the list, but I came up with my top seven.

7) Jeff Tarango autograph

Players are very accessible after matches. All of my children have gotten up close to many great players including Agassi, Sampras, Becker and Roddick. However, my son Ken’s autograph from the notorious Jeff Tarango in 1995 was especially memorable.

Just a couple weeks earlier, Tarango had quit a match at Wimbledon because he felt he was being cheated by the chair umpire. After he lost his match in Indy, he stormed off the court only to be greeted by Ken with his tournament program. Tarango stopped and said, “Sure.” He then proceeded to ask Ken if he played tennis, what his favorite stroke was, and if he would be playing any tournaments. I remembered Tarango’s magnanimous gesture because I knew of his explosive nature, but Ken just remembered how this player who had just lost took some extra time to talk.

6) Fun for the fans

During practice sessions fans are encouraged to watch the players prepare for their matches. Jimmy Connors came over to the sideline and was joking with the fans. Many fans were taking his photo when he pointed to the lady standing next to me and said, “Hey, you still have your camera lens on.” Everyone laughed and he had the lady go on the court and I took Connors and the lady’s photo with her camera lens off.

5) 1979 tourney

In 1979, I attended my first tournament. My brother Scott and I wanted to see our favorite player, Connors. He was scheduled to play the fourth match of the day on the Stadium Court. After the first three matches went long, Connors was warming up on one of the side courts. We raced over to the court and stood on the baseline just a few feet from the action. Having a playful nature, Connors was fun to watch and he won easily over a young 17-year-old Czech named Ivan Lendl who would later go on to win eight Grand Slam titles.

4) Sampras practice

We were watching Sampras from behind the baseline practice fence. Sampras was hitting serves, nothing too fast, just warming up. A lady beside me said, “I wonder if he can hit much harder than that.” Sampras must have heard her; he smashed his next serve, probably in the 130 mph range. The rocket serve landed in the service box, kicked high and hard off the court, and rattled the fence a foot above the lady’s head.

“I guess he can hit it a little harder,” she said.

3) Taking on a pro

In 1994 I was a USPTR teaching professional. On USPTR day several teaching pros gave lessons on the courts. After the lessons, we were given an opportunity to play some of the professionals in a couple games. I played Jaime Yzaga. Oh, you do not remember him. Two weeks later he beat Sampras at the U.S. Open. Anyway, in my four games with him, I had the time of my life racing around the court trying to track down his shots.

2) The broken racket

Being the biggest draw of most tournaments, Andy Roddick is usually on center court when playing singles. However, two years ago he was playing doubles on a side court so several Cass players and I were just a few feet from the action. After one of several poor shots, Roddick slammed his racket to the court. As he came to the sideline to get a new racket, my son Doug said from the crowd, “Can I have your racket?” Roddick ignored Doug’s first request and then his second and then his third. You can never dismiss the Engle persistence.

Roddick grabbed the mangled racket from his bag. “Who said he wanted this racket?”

“I did,” Doug said.

Roddick tossed the frame into the crowd and Doug caught it over several outstretched hands. Having a future Hall of Famer’s mangled racket is a great souvenir.

1) Sharing the experience

My best experience is actually combined into several years. I have always enjoyed taking kids or even adults who have never seen tennis in person to this tournament. In person the game becomes more alive than on television, and the responses I have gotten from these individuals have always been my best memories. I will not coach tennis forever, but I will play tennis forever mainly because of my first experience in ’79.