Luis Ayala (tennis)

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Luis Ayala
Luis Ayala (1956).jpg
Full nameLuis Alberto Ayala
Country (sports) Chile
ResidenceUnited States
Born (1932-09-18) 18 September 1932 (age 89)
Santiago, Chile
Height1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Turned pro1962 (amateur from 1950)
Retired1970
PlaysRight-handed (one-handed backhand)
Singles
Career record626–353 (63.9%) [1]
Career titles43
Highest rankingNo. 5 (1958, Lance Tingay)[2]
Grand Slam singles results
French OpenF (1958, 1960)
WimbledonQF (1959, 1960, 1961)
US OpenQF (1957, 1959)
Professional majors
US ProQF (1965, 1966, 1967)
Wembley Pro1R (1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965)
French ProQF (1961, 1965)
Doubles
Grand Slam doubles results
French Open1R (1969)
Wimbledon1R (1968, 1969)
US Open2R (1968, 1969, 1970)
Mixed doubles
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
French OpenW (1956)
WimbledonSF (1957)
In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Ayala and the second or maternal family name is Salinas.

Luis Alberto Ayala Salinas (born 18 September 1932) is a former Chilean tennis player who competed in the 1950s and 1960s.[3] He was twice a singles runner-up at the French Championships. In 1958 he was seeded fifth and reached the final after a victory against first-seeded and world No. 1 Ashley Cooper in the semifinal. In the final, however, he was defeated in straight sets by Mervyn Rose while in 1960 he lost the final in five sets to Nicola Pietrangeli.[4] Together with Thelma Coyne Long, he won the mixed doubles title at the 1956 French Championships. He won the prestigious singles title at the Italian Open in 1959, defeating Neale Fraser in the final in four sets. The following year, 1960, he again reached the final but lost in five sets to Barry MacKay.

Luis Ayala in 1964

Between 1952 and 1960 Ayala played in 18 ties for the Chilean Davis Cup team and compiled a record of 37 wins and 14 losses. During this period the best performance was reaching the semifinal of the Europe zone in 1955 which they lost to Sweden, despite Ayala winning both his singles matches against Lennart Bergelin and Sven Davidson.[5]

In 1961 he turned professional and joined Jack Kramer's tour.[6] When he retired, he became a tennis professional at River Oaks Country Club in Houston, Texas. Currently, he is the director of tennis at the Forest Club in Houston, Texas.

Ayala was ranked world No. 5 for 1958 by Lance Tingay of The Daily Telegraph (and No. 6 for 1959, No. 7 for 1960 and 1961).[2]

Grand Slam finals[]

Singles (2 runners-up)[]

Result Year Championship Surface Opponent Score
Loss 1958 French Championships Clay Australia Mervyn Rose 3–6, 4–6, 4–6
Loss 1960 French Championships Clay Italy Nicola Pietrangeli 6–3, 3–6, 4–6, 6–4, 3–6

Mixed doubles: (1 title, 2 runner-up)[]

Result Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score
Loss 1955 French Championships Clay Australia Jenny Staley Hoad United States Darlene Hard
South Africa Gordon Forbes		 7–5, 1–6, 2–6
Win 1956 French Championships Clay Australia Thelma Coyne Long United States Doris Hart
Australia Bob Howe		 4–6, 6–4, 6–1

References[]

  1. ^ "Luis Ayala: Career match record". thetennisbase.com. Tennismem SL. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
  2. ^ a b United States Lawn Tennis Association (1972). Official Encyclopedia of Tennis (First Edition), p. 427.
  3. ^ "Mackay, Ayala Tennis Winners". The Telegraph. Associated Press. 15 July 1965. Retrieved 13 February 2011.
  4. ^ "Luis Ayala: El chileno que descolló en Roland Garros" (in Spanish). Guioteca. 31 May 2012.
  5. ^ "Davis Cup players – Luis Ayala". International Tennis Federation.
  6. ^ "Ayala Looking To Future". The Miami News. Associated Press. 24 September 1961. p. 4C.

External links[]

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