Francisco Segura
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Francisco Olegario Segura Cano (June 20, 1921 – November 18, 2017), better known as Pancho "Segoo" Segura, was a leading
tennis Tennis is a List of racket sports, racket sport that is played either individually against a single opponent (singles (tennis), singles) or between two teams of two players each (doubles (tennis), doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket st ...
player of the 1940s and 1950s, both as an amateur and as a professional. He was born in
Guayaquil Guayaquil (), officially Santiago de Guayaquil, is the largest city in Ecuador and also the nation's economic capital and main port. The city is the capital (political), capital of Guayas Province and the seat of Guayaquil Canton. The city is ...
,
Ecuador Ecuador, officially the Republic of Ecuador, is a country in northwestern South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and the Pacific Ocean on the west. It also includes the Galápagos Province which contain ...
, but moved to the United States in 1940. Throughout his amateur career he was listed by the USTA as a "foreign" player resident in the U.S. As a professional player, he was referred to as the "Ecuadorian champ who now lives in New York City". After acquiring U.S. citizenship in 1991 at the age of seventy, Segura was a citizen of both countries. Segura is the only player to have won the Cleveland/Forest Hills US Pro and International Pro titles on three different surfaces (which he did consecutively from 1950 to 1952). He won the inaugural professional
Tournament of Champions A tournament is a competition involving at least three competitors, all participating in a sport or game. More specifically, the term may be used in either of two overlapping senses: # One or more competitions held at a single venue and concentr ...
at Sydney in 1957. He won the L. A. Masters tournament in 1958. In 1950, 1951, and 1952, as a professional, he was the U.S. No. 1 professional player in the USPLTA rankings and was also ranked U.S. number one professional for 1950 and 1952 in the PTPA rankings. Segura's most potent shot was considered to be his double-handed forehand. His less-potent backhand was single-handed. He played collegiate tennis for the
Miami Hurricanes The Miami Hurricanes, known informally as The U, UM, or The 'Canes, are the intercollegiate sports teams that represent the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida. The Hurricanes compete in NCAA Division I, Division I of the National Coll ...
at the
University of Miami The University of Miami (UM, UMiami, Miami, U of M, and The U) is a private university, private research university in Coral Gables, Florida, United States. , the university enrolled 19,852 students in two colleges and ten schools across over ...
in
Coral Gables, Florida Coral Gables is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The city is part of the Miami metropolitan area of South Florida and is located southwest of Greater Downtown Miami, Downtown Miami. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 ...
.


Early life

Segura was born on a bus traveling from Quevedo to
Guayaquil Guayaquil (), officially Santiago de Guayaquil, is the largest city in Ecuador and also the nation's economic capital and main port. The city is the capital (political), capital of Guayas Province and the seat of Guayaquil Canton. The city is ...
, Ecuador, the first of seven children of Domingo Segura Paredes, Spanish in origin, and Fransisca Cano, an Indian from Quevedo. He almost died at his premature birth, then suffered from hernias and malaria. No more than 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) tall, he had badly bowed legs from the
rickets Rickets, scientific nomenclature: rachitis (from Greek , meaning 'in or of the spine'), is a condition that results in weak or soft bones in children and may have either dietary deficiency or genetic causes. Symptoms include bowed legs, stun ...
that he also had as a child. He learned playing tennis by hitting against a backboard at the Guayaquil Tennis Club where his father was the caretaker and he himself worked as a ball boy and servant. He decided to play with a double-handed forehand because it allowed him to hit with more power. Segura left school when he was 12 years old to earn money for his family who lived in poverty. As he developed his game in his early teens he began to get asked as a hitting partner by the club players. In 1938 he represented Guayaquil in their annual tennis match against Quito and after winning his three matched was invited by Galo Plaza Lasso to participate in the
Bolivarian Games The Bolivarian Games (Spanish: ''Juegos Bolivarianos'', full name ''Juegos Deportivos Bolivarianos'') are a regional multi-sport event held in honor of Simón Bolívar, and organized by the Bolivarian Sports Organization (''Organización Deporti ...
. Segura won the gold medal in the singles event after a win in the final against Jorge Combariza. On return to Guayaquil he was welcomed with a ticker-tape parade. By the time he was 17, Segura had won a number of titles in Latin America. In 1939 he planned to go to France to further develop his game but the outbreak of World War II prevented this. In the spring of 1940 he was visited by American player
Elwood Cooke Elwood Thomas Cooke (July 5, 1913 – April 16, 2004) was an amateur American tennis player in the 1930s and 1940s. Tennis career Elwood Cooke started playing tennis before his junior year at Benson Polytechnic High School. He played for the sc ...
, finalist at the
1939 Wimbledon Championships The 1939 Wimbledon Championships took place on the outdoor grass courts at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, London, United Kingdom. The tournament was held from Monday 26 June until Saturday 8 July 1939. It was the 59th ...
, on behalf of Wilson Sporting Goods. With their support Segura travelled to the United States in June 1940 and arrived in New York on July 29.


Amateur career


1940

Directly following his arrival in the United States Segura entered a grass court tournament at the Meadow Club in Southampton, Long Island. It was the first time he played on grass and he lost in both the singles and doubles events. At the Eastern Clay Court Championships in East Orange, New Jersey he took the first set against
Jack Kramer John Albert Kramer (August 1, 1921 – September 12, 2009) was an American tennis player of the 1940s and 1950s, and a pioneer promoter who helped drive the sport towards professionalism at the elite level. Kramer also ushered in the serve-an ...
but lost the match. In early September he entered the U.S. National Championships for the first time and was drawn against fourth-seeded Frank Parker. Segura lost in three straight sets despite leading 5–1 in the third set. In October he won his first grass court match against the Irish Davis Cup player
George Lyttleton Rogers George Lyttleton Rogers (10 July 1906 – 19 November 1962) was an Irish people, Irish tennis player, promoter and coach. He won the Irish Open (tennis), Irish Championships title three times, (1926, 1936–1937). He was the Canadian and Argenti ...
at the Hispanic Tennis Club.


1941

Segura won the Brooklyn clay court championships in May beating
Ladislav Hecht Ladislav Hecht (; ; August 31, 1909 – May 27, 2004) was a Jewish Czechoslovak-American professional tennis player. He won the gold medal in singles at the 1932 Maccabiah Games in Mandatory Palestine, and won the 1934 Hungarian Internationa ...
in the final. Hecht commented: "He'll be a great player in another year, just as soon as he makes circuit with older and smarter players. His baffling shots and unorthodox style will puzzle many a foe." He won the Hispano invitation event in August beating Frank Bowden in the final. Segura lost in the second round of the U.S. Championships to
Bryan Grant Bryan Morel "Bitsy" Grant Jr. (December 25, 1909 – June 5, 1986) was an American amateur tennis champion. At and , Grant was the smallest American man to win a championship on the international tennis circuit. A right-handed retriever, he wa ...
in five sets. "Segura had the usually sedate Forest Hills fans in the aisles with his attack, similar to that of Jack Bromwich, the double-fisted Australian. He was a strong crowd favorite but Grant drew a ringing round of applause for his comeback in the final set after Segura seemingly had him beaten down." Segura won the Dade County championships in December beating
Gardnar Mulloy Gardnar Putnam "Gar" Mulloy (November 22, 1913 – November 14, 2016) was a U.S. No. 1 tennis player primarily known for playing in doubles matches with partner Billy Talbert. He was born in Washington, D.C., and centenarian, turned 100 in Novem ...
in the final. He "captured a four-set battle which had several hundred wild-eyed spectators almost standing on their heads." Segura then lost in the final of the Sugar Bowl to
Ted Schroeder Frederick Rudolph "Ted" Schroeder (July 20, 1921 – May 26, 2006) was an American tennis player who won the two most prestigious amateur tennis titles, Wimbledon and the U.S. National. He was the No. 1-ranked American amateur player in 1942 ...
. "Segura, who amazed the crowd with his ability to retrieve seemingly impossible shots, won the first two sets before Schroeder, seeded No. 1, overcame wildness and began passing the Ecuadorean consistently".


1942

Segura won the Florida west coast title in February beating
George Lyttleton Rogers George Lyttleton Rogers (10 July 1906 – 19 November 1962) was an Irish people, Irish tennis player, promoter and coach. He won the Irish Open (tennis), Irish Championships title three times, (1926, 1936–1937). He was the Canadian and Argenti ...
in the final. Segura beat
Bill Talbert William Franklin Talbert (September 4, 1918 – February 28, 1999) was an American tennis player and administrator. Tennis career He was ranked in the U.S. top 10 from 1941 to 1954, and he was ranked World No. 3 in 1949 by John Olliff of ''The D ...
to win the Cincinnati event in June. Segura successfully defended his title at Brooklyn in July, beating Hecht in the final in four sets. At the New Jersey state tournament the following week, Segura beat
Vic Seixas Elias Victor Seixas Jr. ( ;
''Los Angeles Times''.
August 30, 1923 – July 5, 2024 ...
and
Budge Patty Edward John Patty (February 11, 1924 – October 4, 2021), better known as Budge Patty, was an American world no. 1 tennis player whose career spanned a period of 15 years after World War II. He won two Grand Slam singles titles in 1950. He wa ...
before a win in three straight sets over Hecht in the final without losing a single game. The following week Segura beat Schroeder to win the final of the
Eastern Clay Court Championships The Eastern Clay Court Championships was a combined men's and women's international tennis tournament on clay courts founded in 1927 by the Eastern Lawn Tennis Association of the USLTA. The championships were held in various locations in the New Yo ...
. "Segura's two-handed drives down the sidelines kept Schroeder on the defensive throughout and afforded the Californian few opportunities to move in close. While Segura's emphasis was on speed, he threw in an occasional dropshot to add to Schroeder's discomfiture". Segura beat Mulloy to win the Longwood Bowl in August 1942. At the U.S. Championships, Segura beat Talbert before losing to Parker in the semi-finals. "And, regardless as to any plan Segura may have had in mind before the match started, he was at Parker's mercy at every stage of the duel". Segura beat Earl Bartlett to win the Sugar Bowl in December. Segura was offered a tennis scholarship by
Gardnar Mulloy Gardnar Putnam "Gar" Mulloy (November 22, 1913 – November 14, 2016) was a U.S. No. 1 tennis player primarily known for playing in doubles matches with partner Billy Talbert. He was born in Washington, D.C., and centenarian, turned 100 in Novem ...
, tennis coach at the
University of Miami The University of Miami (UM, UMiami, Miami, U of M, and The U) is a private university, private research university in Coral Gables, Florida, United States. , the university enrolled 19,852 students in two colleges and ten schools across over ...
and he entered in the fall of 1942. He won the National Collegiate Singles Championship for three straight years: in 1943, 1944, and 1945.


1943

Segura won the Pan American championships in Mexico City in January beating Talbert in the final in five sets. He won the Miami tournament over Campbell Gillespie in February. Segura won New Jersey event in July over Robert Odman. Segura beat Joe Hunt in the final of the Eastern Grass Court Championships in August. "Segura, now a student In Florida, was on the top of his game while Hunt weakened rapidly following the first set. After being trounced soundly in the second, the sailor changed to spiked shoes in hopes of turning the tide but gained little benefit". The following week Segura beat Sidney Wood to win Southampton invitation. Despite having won several tournaments in the weeks before the U.S. Championships, Segura lost in the semi-finals of the event to
Jack Kramer John Albert Kramer (August 1, 1921 – September 12, 2009) was an American tennis player of the 1940s and 1950s, and a pioneer promoter who helped drive the sport towards professionalism at the elite level. Kramer also ushered in the serve-an ...
. Segura won the Pan American championships in Mexico City over Talbert in October (a familiar opponent in the final of this tournament).


1944

In June, Segura won US clay court event and the following week won at Cincinnati (both over Talbert). Pancho won the Western states tournament in July over Talbert in five gruelling sets in which both player had suffered leg injuries and had to take time out for treatment. Segura won Southampton invitation with a four set victory over McNeill in August. Segura lost to Talbert in five sets in the semi-finals of the U.S. Championships. "What made Talbert's victory so surprising was the fact that it was achieved in five strength-sapping sets. The Indianapolis lad was rated as a 'sprinter' by most experts, and figured to lack the vitality to win over the route. But Bill more than balanced in strategy what he spotted the energetic Ecuadorian in stamina." Segura won the Pan American championships at Mexico City in October (again beating Talbert in the final).


1945

Segura won the Roney Plaza event at Miami in May over Charles Harris. At the U.S. Clay Court Championships in July Talbert beat Segura in a five-set final. At the U.S. Championships, Segura beat
Bob Falkenburg Robert Falkenburg (January 29, 1926 – January 6, 2022) was a Brazilian-American amateur tennis player and entrepreneur. He is best known for winning the Men's Singles at the 1948 Wimbledon Championships and introducing soft ice cream and Amer ...
before losing again to Talbert in the semi-finals. "Charging the net with effectiveness as he and Talbert squared off in the famed center court, Pancho forged into a 4-to-l lead as Talbert netted shot after shot. But then Talbert rammed back through Segura's service three straight times, lost his own once and put the set away by ruining Segura's delivery with cross court drop shots in the twelfth game. From there on it was no contest. Pancho tried but he just didn't have it".


1946

Segura won the US Indoors event over defending champion McNeill in March. "The South American parlayed superb passing shot and an uncanny defensive game into the triumph that took the title out of the United States for the first time since
Jean Borotra Jean Laurent Robert Borotra (, ; 13 August 1898 – 17 July 1994) was a French tennis champion. He was one of the " Four Musketeers" from his country who dominated tennis in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Borotra was imprisoned in Itter Castle ...
carted it to France in 1931". In April he won the Miami tournament over Talbert. Segura won the title at Queens over
Dinny Pails Dennis "Dinny" Pails (4 March 1921 – 22 November 1986) was an Australian tennis champion. Pails was born in England, but moved to Australia in 1922 at age 1. Pails won the men's singles championship at the Australian Championships in 1947. ...
in June. "Segura walked off the court a very tired man. But, although near exhaustion, he summoned just sufficient reserve strength in the final set to retrieve enough shots to win". Segura lost in the third round of Wimbledon to Tom Brown. Segura lost in the last 16 of the French championships in July (held after Wimbledon this year) to eventual winner
Marcel Bernard Marcel Bernard (; 18 May 1914 – 29 April 1994) was a French tennis player. He is best remembered for having won the French Championships in 1946 (reaching the semifinals a further three times). Bernard initially intended to play only in the dou ...
. "In the most spectacular match of the tournament to date Roland Garros stadium echoed with Segura's cry of 'Oh Pancho' with which he berated his own mistakes." Segura lost to Mulloy in the quarter-finals of the U.S. Championships in four sets.


1947

Segura won La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club tournament over Tom Falkenburg in February. Segura lost to Drobny in the first round of Wimbledon. Kramer wrote that Segura lost "without distinction (to
Tom Brown Tom Brown may refer to: Arts and entertainment *Tom Brown (satirist) (1662–1704), English satirical writer *Tom Brown (trombonist) (1888–1958), American jazz trombonist and bandleader *Tom Brown (actor) (1913–1990), American film and televi ...
and
Jaroslav Drobný Jaroslav Drobný (; 12 October 1921 – 13 September 2001) was a world No. 1 amateur tennis and ice hockey champion. He left Czechoslovakia in 1949 and travelled as an Egyptian citizen before becoming a citizen of the United Kingdom in 1959, w ...
) the two times he played
Wimbledon Wimbledon most often refers to: * Wimbledon, London, a district of southwest London * Wimbledon Championships, the oldest tennis tournament in the world and one of the four Grand Slam championships Wimbledon may also refer to: Places London * W ...
, and really, nobody took Segoo seriously. He didn't speak English well, he had a freak shot, and on the grass while scooting around in his long white pants with his bowlegs, he looked like a little butterball. A dirty butterball: his pants were always grass-stained". Segura won Southampton invitation over Seymour Greenberg in August. Segura lost to Parker in the quarter-finals of the U.S. Championships. Segura won the title at São Paulo in November beating Parker in the final and beat Parker again later that month in the Rio de Janeiro final.


Professional career


1948

Long before
Open Tennis The racket sport traditionally named lawn tennis, invented in Edgbaston, Warwickshire, England, now commonly known simply as tennis, is the direct descendant of what is now denoted real tennis or royal tennis, which continues to be played today a ...
, Segura turned professional in 1947 and was an immediate crowd-pleaser with his winning smile, infectiously humorous manner, and unorthodox but deadly game. According to
Bobby Riggs Robert Larimore Riggs (February 25, 1918 – October 25, 1995) was an American tennis champion who was the world No. 1 amateur in 1939 and world No. 1 professional in 1946 and 1947. He played his first professional tennis match on December ...
, Jack Harris (the promoter of the forthcoming Riggs-Kramer tour for 1948) attempted to sign
Ted Schroeder Frederick Rudolph "Ted" Schroeder (July 20, 1921 – May 26, 2006) was an American tennis player who won the two most prestigious amateur tennis titles, Wimbledon and the U.S. National. He was the No. 1-ranked American amateur player in 1942 ...
to play the preliminary matches of the tour. Ultimately he failed and instead signed Segura to play the latest Australian amateur champion,
Dinny Pails Dennis "Dinny" Pails (4 March 1921 – 22 November 1986) was an Australian tennis champion. Pails was born in England, but moved to Australia in 1922 at age 1. Pails won the men's singles championship at the Australian Championships in 1947. ...
. Instead of a percentage of the gross receipts, as Riggs and Kramer were contracted for, Segura and Pails were each paid $300 a week. Segura lost the tour 44–26. At the US Pro championships at Forest Hills in June 1948, Segura lost in the quarter-finals against
Frank Kovacs Frank Kovacs (December 4, 1919 – February 1990) was an American amateur and professional tennis player in the mid-20th century. He won the U.S. National Indoor Tennis Championships singles title in 1941. He won the World Professional Champions ...
."Segura held command over Kovacs through the first two sets when the Californian was never able to break his opponent's service. But in the third game of the third set, Kovacs cracked through to assume a 2-1 lead and he grew progressively stronger from that point."


1949

Segura lost a tough match to Kramer in five sets in the semi-finals at the Wembley Pro championships in June. "When Kramer made a lot of bad shots at the beginning of the fifth set and Segura reached 3-1, it appeared as if the champion was facing a defeat. Yet it was the gallant little Segura who faltered and allowed the champion to crawl home." Kramer also beat Segura in the semi-finals of the tournament at Scarborough in July.


1950

Segura won the 1949–50 tour against Frank Parker 63–12 (they played the preliminary match each night before Kramer and
Pancho Gonzales Ricardo Alonso "Pancho" González (May 9, 1928 – July 3, 1995), known sometimes as Richard Gonzales, was an American tennis player. He won 15 major singles titles, including two U.S. National Championships in 1948 and 1949, and 13 Professi ...
took to the court). Segura won a four-man tournament at Paris in January. In the semi-final of the 1950 U.S. Pro Championship held in Cleveland on clay, Segura won a come-from-behind five set match over Kramer, and went on to beat Kovacs in the final. Segura was rated the U.S. number one professional for 1950 by the U.S. Professional Lawn Tennis Association as well as by the PTPA.


1951

In the 1950–1951 world professional tour in which Segura played the headline match against Kramer he was beaten 64 matches to 28, a noticeably better performance, however, than Gonzales's record of 29 victories and 94 defeats against Kramer the year before. Segura won the Canadian Professional Championships title in June beating Kovacs in the final, although he lost the Cleveland International Pro or U.S. Pro final to Kovacs in a close five-set match. Segura's won the 1951 U.S. Pro Championship, played on soggy grass courts at the
West Side Tennis Club The West Side Tennis Club is a private tennis club located in Forest Hills, a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens. The club has 38 tennis courts in all four surfaces (clay court, Har-Tru, grass court and hardcourt), a junior ...
in Forest Hills, over
Pancho Gonzales Ricardo Alonso "Pancho" González (May 9, 1928 – July 3, 1995), known sometimes as Richard Gonzales, was an American tennis player. He won 15 major singles titles, including two U.S. National Championships in 1948 and 1949, and 13 Professi ...
in the concluding round robin match. It was their first encounter on grass and
Allison Danzig Allison "Al" Danzig (February 27, 1898 – January 27, 1987) was an American sportswriter who specialized in writing about tennis, but also covered college football, squash, many Olympic Games, and rowing. Danzig was the only American sportswri ...
of the New Yourk Times commented: "Segura extracted the sting from Gonzales's potent service and net attack with virulence and accuracy of his calculated counter-measures until the big Californian was all but helpless under the relentless pressure on the wet turf in the final set." He was ranked the number one U.S. professional ranking by the USPLTA for 1951. He was ranked the No. 2 U.S. professional by the PTPA, behind Kovacs. Segura won a tournament at Berlin in September, beating Gonzales in the concluding round robin. Segura lost to Gonzales in four sets in the final at Wembley in September. Segura won a four-man tournament at the Bygdøhus Arena in Oslo in October beating
Carl Earn Carl Earn (March 7, 1921 – April 4, 2007) was an American tennis player who competed on the amateur and professional circuits in the 1940s and 1950s. He reached as high as world No. 7 in the professional ranks in 1946. Biography Earn grew up ...
in the semi-finals and Gonzales in the final.


1952

Segura won the U. S. Pro Clay Court title at St. Augustine in March beating Riggs in the final. Segura won the U. S. Pro or International Professional Championships (billed title) at Cleveland on cement in June over Budge and Gonzales. Segura won the Canadian Pro in June at Quebec City on clay beating Budge in the final. Segura won a three-day Roland Garros round-robin event in Paris in late June after victories against Budge, Gonzales and Kramer. Segura won a four-man event in Stockholm in October beating Riggs in the first match and Budge in the final. For the calendar year of 1952, Segura was ranked as the U.S. No. 1 professional player by the U.S. Professional Lawn Tennis Association for the third straight year, with Gonzales at no. 2. The PTPA ranked Segura as U.S. number one professional ahead of Gonzales in second place.


1953

In 1953, Segura was reduced to playing the preliminary match on the World Series tour, where he beat the Australian
Ken McGregor Kenneth Bruce McGregor (2 June 1929 – 1 December 2007) was an Australian tennis player from Adelaide who won the Men's Singles title at the Australian Championships in 1952. He and his longtime doubles partner, Frank Sedgman, are generally ...
72 matches to 24. In July, Segura won a round robin in Caracas beating
Frank Sedgman Francis Arthur Sedgman (born 29 October 1927) is an Australian former world No. 1 tennis player. Over the course of a three-decade career, Sedgman won five Grand Slam singles tournaments as an amateur as well as 9 Grand Slam doubles tourname ...
, McGregor and Kramer. On August 1, 1953, Segura won the Slazenger Professional Championship at Scarborough, England on grass (an event dubbed by the media "the pro Wimbledon"). He won come-from-behind five set matches over McGregor in the semi-final and Sedgman in the final, the latter at 8–6 in the fifth set. Segura won a four-man tournament in Munich in September beating Sedgman in the final. Segura beat Sedgman in the Lyon final (another 4-man event) in November to bring the year to a close. In June, the Players Committee of Jack March's Cleveland U. S. Pro or "World's Professional Championship" tournament ranked Segura second.


1954

Segura participated in a World Series tour with Gonzales, Sedgman and Budge (who was later replaced by Riggs and Earn). Gonzales won the series with Segura finishing in second place. Segura was runner-up to Gonzales in the 1954 U.S. Pro final at the Los Angeles Tennis Club, losing a two-hour five-set final. Segura won the Pacific Coast Pro at Beverly Hills in August over Gonzales in a three-set final. At the inaugural Australian Pro, held at the
Subiaco Oval Subiaco Oval (; nicknamed Subi) was a sports stadium in Perth, Western Australia, located in the suburb of Subiaco, Western Australia, Subiaco. It was opened in 1908 and closed in 2017 after the completion of the new Perth Stadium in Burswood, ...
in Perth in November, Segura beat Gonzales before losing in the final to Sedgman. Segura was ranked second in 1954 by International Professional Tennis Association.


1955

Segura faced Gonzales in the final at Cleveland in April 1955. This event was played under Van Alen Simplified Scoring System (VASSS) with 21-point sets and the server was only allowed one serve instead of two. In the final, Segura lost to Gonzales in five VASSS sets. Segura toured Europe with Gonzales, McGregor and
Fred Perry Frederick John Perry (18 May 1909 – 2 February 1995) was a British tennis and table tennis player and former World number 1 male tennis player rankings, world No. 1 from England who won 10 Majors, including eight Grand Slam (tennis), ...
in the summer of 1955. Segura was ranked second in 1955 by International Professional Tennis Association.


1956

In 1955–56, Gonzales and
Tony Trabert Marion Anthony Trabert (August 16, 1930 – February 3, 2021) was an American amateur world No. 1 tennis champion and long-time tennis author, TV commentator, instructor, and motivational speaker. Trabert was ranked world No. 1 amateur by many ...
played the feature match of the World Series tour. Segura beat
Rex Hartwig Rex Noel Hartwig (2 September 1929 – 30 December 2022) was an Australian tennis player. Early life Rex Hartwig was born on 2 September 1929 in Culcairn, New South Wales. Both parents played tennis and at age 10 he won a local tournament wit ...
56–22 (Segura and Hartwig played the preliminary match each evening, usually in a single set format). Segura beat Trabert in the final of the Hamilton Pro in Bermuda in April. Segura beat Trabert in the semi-finals at the VASSS event in April in Cleveland before losing to Gonzales in the final. "Although Gonzales said he would not 'participate in another championship if the ping-pong scoring system is used', Segura said he was for it, claiming it made the matches more even". The event returned to traditional scoring in 1957.


1957

In February 1957, Segura won the inaugural Ampol
Tournament of Champions A tournament is a competition involving at least three competitors, all participating in a sport or game. More specifically, the term may be used in either of two overlapping senses: # One or more competitions held at a single venue and concentr ...
at White City, Sydney, the richest tournament of the year. The TOC was the most prestigious series of pro tournaments in the late 1950s, and the Australian version was funded by Ampol, the Australian oil company. Segura defeated Hartwig in five sets in the first round, came from behind to beat Gonzales at 13–11 in the fifth set in the semi-final, and won in three straight sets over Sedgman in the final. Segura regarded this as his greatest tournament win. Kramer designated the Sydney tournament as one of the four major professional tournaments, together with Kooyong, Forest Hills, and L.A. Masters.World Tennis, November, 1958 Segura beat Pails in a North American tour that was the undercard tour for the World Series (the main contest featured Gonzales against
Ken Rosewall Kenneth Robert Rosewall (born 2 November 1934) is an Australian former World number one male tennis player rankings, world No. 1 professional tennis player. Rosewall won 147 singles titles, including 23 majors: a record 15 Major professional te ...
). Segura beat Rosewall in the semi-finals at Cleveland in April, but lost to Gonzales in the final. Segura beat Gonzales in the semi-finals at Wembley in September, but lost in the final to Rosewall in five sets.


1958

Segura lost a North American tour to Trabert by a narrow margin (this tour was a World Series undercard tour. The main contest featured Gonzales against
Lew Hoad Lewis Alan Hoad (23 November 1934 – 3 July 1994) was an Australian tennis player whose career ran from 1950 to 1973. Hoad won four Major singles tournaments as an amateur (the Australian Championships, French Championships and two Wimbledons ...
). In May, Segura won the Alaska Pro championships beating Trabert in the final. In July, Segura won the L.A. Masters Pro Championship in Los Angeles. Segura defeated all six opponents in a round robin format, Gonzales, Hoad, Rosewall, Trabert, Sedgman, and Hartwig. Kramer designated the L.A. Masters as one of the four major professional tournaments, together with Forest Hills, Kooyong, and Sydney.


1959

At the Wembley Pro in September, part of the Ampol world series of tournaments, Segura beat Hoad and Trabert before losing to
Mal Anderson Malcolm James Anderson (born 3 March 1935) is an Australian former tennis player who was active from the mid-1950s to the early 1970s. He won the singles title at the 1957 U.S. National Championships and achieved his highest amateur ranking o ...
in a two and a half hour five-set final. "Anderson's singles final with Segura was a memorable one, and not until the last few games of the deciding set did he really get on top of an opponent sixteen years older than himself". On October 25, 1959, Segura won the Ramat Gan tournament at Tel Aviv in Israel, beating Anderson, Ashley Cooper and
Mervyn Rose Mervyn Gordon Rose AM (23 January 1930 – 23 July 2017) was an Australian male tennis player who won seven Grand Slam titles (singles, doubles and mixed doubles). Career Rose was born in Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, and turned professiona ...
. Segura defeated Hoad (the winner of the Ampol series) three times that year in the series, at Melbourne for 3rd place, at Wembley in the 2nd round, and in the final event at Kooyong in the round robin.


1960

Segura participated in a 4-man World series with Gonzales (world champion since 1954), Rosewall and
Alex Olmedo Alejandro "Alex" Olmedo Rodríguez (March 24, 1936December 9, 2020) was a tennis player from Peru with American citizenship. He was listed by the USTA as a "foreign" player for 1958, but as a U.S. player for 1959. He helped win the Davis Cup f ...
(Trabert also played matches early on). Gonzales won the series. At Wembley Segura beat Hoad in the quarter-finals. "Segura twinkled and dazzled, scuttling about the court at a speed that made it impossible for anyone to believe that he was 39 years old". In the semi-finals, Segura overcame Sedgman. "Towards the end of his three-hour semifinal with Sedgman he showed signs of tiring. He missed chances that might have given him an earlier victory, yet he still was able to make the final effort that gave him a break in the ninth game of the fifth set and the match". Segura lost to Rosewall in the final.


1961

Segura won four-man tournaments in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro in May while touring South America with Cooper, Olmedo and
Butch Buchholz Earl Henry "Butch" Buchholz, Jr. (born September 16, 1940) is a former professional tennis player from the United States who was one of the game's top players in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Tennis career Juniors Buchholz was an outstanding ...
. Segura won the San Remo event in July over Hoad and
Andrés Gimeno Andrés Gimeno Tolaguera (3 August 1937 – 9 October 2019) was a Spanish tennis player. His greatest achievement came in 1972, when he won the French Open and became the oldest first-time Grand Slam champion in the Open era at 34 years of age. ...
and then won the Viareggio event over Hoad and Trabert. At Noordwijk in early August, Segura beat Gonzales, Trabert and Gimeno in the final to win the title.


1962

Segura lost to Buchholz in the Cleveland final in May 1962 when he was nearly 41 years old. On August 5, 1962, Segura won the Dutch Pro Championships at The Hague, Holland, on red clay, beating Ayala, Hoad, and Olmedo. At Cave de Tirreni in August, Segura beat Ayala, Olmedo and Anderson to win the title. On August 15, 1962, Segura won the pro tournament at Cannes, France, beating Ayala, Olmedo, and Hoad in the best-of-five set final in three straight sets.


1963–1970

Segura won the California State Pro Championships at Monterrey in August 1965 (beating Leonzie Collas in the final). He won the Fresno tournament in October 1965, beating Nick Carter in the final. At Binghamton Pro in July 1966, 45 year old Segura beat Rosewall in the semi-finals before losing in the final to
Rod Laver Rodney George Laver (born 9 August 1938) is an Australian former professional tennis player. Laver was ranked as the World number 1 ranked male tennis players, world number 1 professional player indisputably for five years from 1965 to 1969, ...
. At the Fresno tournament in October 1966, Segura retained his title (beating Barry MacKay in the final). Segura also won the USPLTA title at Milwaukee in November 1966 beating Mike Davies in the final. As the Open era arrived, Segura's career was coming to an end. He entered the 1968 US Open and after a bye in the first round and a straight-sets win against
Ian Crookenden Ian Sinclair Crookenden (born 10 December 1943) is a former professional tennis player from New Zealand. Crookenden currently serves as the Head Men's and Women's Coach at Saint Joseph's University. He is a member of the Intercollegiate Tennis ...
lost in the third round to Laver. His final Grand Slam singles appearance was at 1970 US Open aged 49, where he beat Atet Wijono (a man 30 years younger than him), before losing to Tito Vazquez in round two.


Playing style

He had extremely fast footwork and a devastating two-handed
forehand The forehand is a shot used in most racket sports, such as tennis, table tennis and pickleball, where the palm of the hand precedes the back of the hand when swinging the racket. In tennis, except in the context of the phrase ''forehand volley ...
that his frequent adversary and tennis promoter
Jack Kramer John Albert Kramer (August 1, 1921 – September 12, 2009) was an American tennis player of the 1940s and 1950s, and a pioneer promoter who helped drive the sport towards professionalism at the elite level. Kramer also ushered in the serve-an ...
once called the greatest single shot ever produced in tennis.
Ellsworth Vines Henry Ellsworth Vines Jr. (September 28, 1911 – March 17, 1994) was an American tennis champion of the 1930s, the World No. 1 player or the co-No. 1 in 1932 as an amateur, and in 1934, 1935, 1936 and 1937 as a professional. He won three Grand ...
gives an analysis of Segura's unusual playing style in his book ''Tennis: Myth and Method'' (1978):
Two-handed forehand is most outstanding stroke in game's history; unbeatable unless opponent could avoid it. Improved as a professional by taking advantage of volleying ability he rarely used as an amateur. Backhand also better later in career. Returns serve brilliantly, particularly off right side where quicksilver moves give him unusual positioning talent. Serve only average for his class of player but well placed, as is overhead. Very deft volleyer, particularly off forehand. Lob and dropshot unsurpassed. Superb passing shots, change of pace, and absolute consistency make him greatest "little man" to ever play the game.
Kramer and Hoad regarded Segura's two-handed forehand as the greatest single tennis stroke that they had ever faced. According to Kramer, Kramer goes on to say, however, that with Segura:


Career assessment

In his 1979 autobiography Kramer included Segura in his list of the 21 greatest players of all time. Kramer went on to say, "... and while his amateur record is of no consequence, he beat everyone in the pros but Gonzales and me. We beat him with good second serves". A year earlier, another World No. 1 player,
Ellsworth Vines Henry Ellsworth Vines Jr. (September 28, 1911 – March 17, 1994) was an American tennis champion of the 1930s, the World No. 1 player or the co-No. 1 in 1932 as an amateur, and in 1934, 1935, 1936 and 1937 as a professional. He won three Grand ...
, the man that Kramer called the greatest player of all time at the height of his game, had published a lesser-known book called ''Tennis: Myth and Method'', co-written with Gene Vier. Vines devotes the first part of the book to individual chapters about the ten greatest tennis players from
Don Budge John Donald Budge (June 13, 1915 – January 26, 2000) was an American tennis player. He is most famous as the first tennis player — male or female — to win all four Grand Slam tournaments in one year and complete the Grand Slam. Budge was ...
through the date of the book's publication. He considered Segura to be the fifth best of these ten great players, behind, in order, Budge, Kramer, Gonzales, and
Rod Laver Rodney George Laver (born 9 August 1938) is an Australian former professional tennis player. Laver was ranked as the World number 1 ranked male tennis players, world number 1 professional player indisputably for five years from 1965 to 1969, ...
. Segura, however, ranked above
Bobby Riggs Robert Larimore Riggs (February 25, 1918 – October 25, 1995) was an American tennis champion who was the world No. 1 amateur in 1939 and world No. 1 professional in 1946 and 1947. He played his first professional tennis match on December ...
,
Ken Rosewall Kenneth Robert Rosewall (born 2 November 1934) is an Australian former World number one male tennis player rankings, world No. 1 professional tennis player. Rosewall won 147 singles titles, including 23 majors: a record 15 Major professional te ...
,
Lew Hoad Lewis Alan Hoad (23 November 1934 – 3 July 1994) was an Australian tennis player whose career ran from 1950 to 1973. Hoad won four Major singles tournaments as an amateur (the Australian Championships, French Championships and two Wimbledons ...
,
Frank Sedgman Francis Arthur Sedgman (born 29 October 1927) is an Australian former world No. 1 tennis player. Over the course of a three-decade career, Sedgman won five Grand Slam singles tournaments as an amateur as well as 9 Grand Slam doubles tourname ...
, and
Tony Trabert Marion Anthony Trabert (August 16, 1930 – February 3, 2021) was an American amateur world No. 1 tennis champion and long-time tennis author, TV commentator, instructor, and motivational speaker. Trabert was ranked world No. 1 amateur by many ...
. Segura, says Kramer, probably played "more matches against top players than anyone in history. Besides my couple hundred, he must have played Gonzales a hundred and fifty, and Budge, Sedgman, Riggs, Hoad and Rosewall all around fifty apiece. I beat him about 80 percent of the time, and Gonzales also held an edge over him. Pails beat him 41–31 on the Kramer-Riggs tour, but that was when Segoo was still learning how to play fast surfaces. With everybody else, he had the edge: Sedgman, Rosewall, Hoad, Trabert,
McGregor McGregor may refer to: People * McGregor (surname) * Clan MacGregor, a Scottish highland clan * McGregor W. Scott (born 1962), U.S. attorney Places in Canada: * McGregor Lake, Alberta; a lake * McGregor, British Columbia * McGregor Plateau, Nec ...
".


Retirement

In 1962, on the recommendation of good friend Mike Franks, Segura became the teaching professional at the
Beverly Hills Tennis Club Beverly or Beverley may refer to: Places Australia *Beverley, South Australia, a suburb of Adelaide *Beverley, Western Australia, a town *Shire of Beverley, Western Australia Canada *Beverly, Alberta, a town that amalgamated with the City of E ...
, replacing
Carl Earn Carl Earn (March 7, 1921 – April 4, 2007) was an American tennis player who competed on the amateur and professional circuits in the 1940s and 1950s. He reached as high as world No. 7 in the professional ranks in 1946. Biography Earn grew up ...
. Most of Segura's students were movie stars such as
Dinah Shore Dinah Shore (born Frances Rose Shore; February 29, 1916 – February 24, 1994) was an American singer, actress, television personality, and the chart-topping female vocalist of the 1940s. She rose to prominence as a recording artist during the ...
,
Doris Day Doris Day (born Doris Mary Kappelhoff; April 3, 1922 – May 13, 2019) was an American actress and singer. She began her career as a big band singer in 1937, achieving commercial success in 1945 with two No. 1 recordings, "Sentimental Journey ...
,
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,
Richard Conte Nicholas Peter Conte (March 24, 1910 – April 15, 1975), known professionally as Richard Conte, was an American actor. He was known for his starring roles in films noir and crime dramas during the 1940s and 1950s, including '' Call Northside ...
,
Shelley Winters Shelley Winters (born Shirley Schrift; August 18, 1920 – January 14, 2006) was an American film actress whose career spanned seven decades. She won Academy Awards for ''The Diary of Anne Frank (1959 film), The Diary of Anne Frank'' (1959) and ' ...
,
Charlton Heston Charlton Heston (born John Charles Carter; October 4, 1923 – April 5, 2008) was an American actor. He gained stardom for his leading man roles in numerous Cinema of the United States, Hollywood films including biblical epics, science-fiction f ...
,
Barbra Streisand Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand ( ; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress, songwriter, producer, and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success across multiple fields of entertainment, being the ...
,
Dina Merrill Dina Merrill (born Nedenia Marjorie Hutton; December 29, 1923 – May 22, 2017) was an American actress. She had more than a hundred film and television credits from the late 1950s until 2000s. She married three times. Early life Merrill was ...
,
Kirk Douglas Kirk Douglas (born Issur Danielovitch; December 9, 1916 – February 5, 2020) was an American actor and filmmaker. After an impoverished childhood, he made his film debut in '' The Strange Love of Martha Ivers'' (1946) with Barbara Stanwyck. ...
,
Robert Evans Robert Evans (born Robert J. Shapera; June 29, 1930 – October 26, 2019) was an American film producer who worked on ''Rosemary's Baby (film), Rosemary's Baby'' (1968), ''Love Story (1970 film), Love Story'' (1970), ''The Godfather'' (1972), ...
,
Lauren Bacall Betty Joan Perske (September 16, 1924 – August 12, 2014), professionally known as Lauren Bacall ( ), was an American actress. She was named the AFI's 100 Years...100 Stars, 20th-greatest female star of classic Hollywood cinema by the America ...
,
Gene Hackman Eugene Allen Hackman (January 30, 1930 – ) was an American actor. Hackman made his credited film debut in the drama ''Lilith (film), Lilith'' (1964). He later won two Academy Awards, his first for Academy Award for Best Actor, Best Actor for ...
,
Carl Reiner Carl Reiner (March 20, 1922 – June 29, 2020) was an American actor, author, comedian, director and screenwriter whose career spanned seven decades. He was the List of awards and nominations received by Carl Reiner, recipient of many awards and ...
,
Barbara Marx Barbara Ann Sinatra (formerly Oliver and Marx, Blakeley; October 16, 1926 – July 25, 2017) was an American model, showgirl, socialite, and philanthropist and the fourth and last wife of Frank Sinatra. Early life Sinatra was born as Barbara ...
,
George C. Scott George Campbell Scott (October 18, 1927 – September 22, 1999) was an American actor. He had a celebrated career on both stage and screen. With a gruff demeanor and commanding presence, Scott became known for his portrayal of stern but complex ...
,
Janet Leigh Jeanette Helen Morrison (July 6, 1927 – October 3, 2004), known professionally as Janet Leigh, was an American actress. Raised in Stockton, California, by working-class parents, Leigh was discovered at 18 by actress Norma Shearer, who helped he ...
, and
Ava Gardner Ava Lavinia Gardner (December 24, 1922 – January 25, 1990) was an American actress during the Golden Age of Hollywood. She first signed a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1941 and appeared mainly in small roles until she drew critics' att ...
, as well as
Dean Paul Martin Dean Paul Martin Jr. (born Dino Paul Crocetti Jr.; November 17, 1951 – March 21, 1987) was an American pop singer and film and television actor. A member of the California Air National Guard, Martin died in a crash during a military training ...
. Segura also found time to coach
Jimmy Connors James Scott Connors (born September 2, 1952) is an American former professional tennis player. He was ranked as the List of ATP number 1 ranked singles players, world No. 1 in men's singles by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) for 2 ...
,
Tracy Austin Tracy Ann Austin Holt (born December 12, 1962) is an American former professional tennis player. She was ranked as the world No. 1 in women's singles by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) for 21 weeks. Austin won 30 WTA Tour-level singles tit ...
,
Charlie Pasarell Charles Manuel Pasarell Jr. (born February 12, 1944) is a Puerto Ricans, Puerto Rican-American former tennis player, tennis administrator and founder of the current Indian Wells Open, Indian Wells tournament. He has also commented for the Tennis ...
, and
Stan Smith Stanley Roger Smith (born December 14, 1946) is an American former professional tennis player. A world No. 1 player and two-time major singles champion (at the 1971 US Open and 1972 Wimbledon Championships), Smith also paired with Bob Lutz t ...
as well as his son Spencer Segura, who played at UCLA, and is a lawyer/investor. In 1971, he left Beverly Hills to become the head teaching professional at the La Costa Resort in
Carlsbad, California Carlsbad is a beach city in the North County area of San Diego County, California, United States. The city is north of downtown San Diego and south of downtown Los Angeles. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population of ...
, where he eventually retired. He is widely credited with having mentored and structured the playing game of
Jimmy Connors James Scott Connors (born September 2, 1952) is an American former professional tennis player. He was ranked as the List of ATP number 1 ranked singles players, world No. 1 in men's singles by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) for 2 ...
, starting at age 16, in 1968, when his mother, Gloria, brought him to Pancho in California for lessons. Dr.
Abraham Verghese Abraham Verghese (born May 30, 1955) is a Malayali-American physician and author, who was born in Ethiopia. He is the Linda R. Meier and Joan F. Lane Provostial Professor of Medicine, Vice Chair for the Theory & Practice of Medicine, and Intern ...
describes taking a tennis lesson from Segura during this period in his book '' The Tennis Partner''. Before the famous "Battle of the Sexes" tennis match between
Billie Jean King Billie Jean King (née Moffitt; born November 22, 1943), also known as BJK, is an American former World number 1 ranked female tennis players, world No. 1 tennis player. King won 39 Grand Slam (tennis), Grand Slam titles: 12 in singles, 16 in w ...
and
Bobby Riggs Robert Larimore Riggs (February 25, 1918 – October 25, 1995) was an American tennis champion who was the world No. 1 amateur in 1939 and world No. 1 professional in 1946 and 1947. He played his first professional tennis match on December ...
in 1973, Segura openly supported Riggs. When King won the match, Segura declared disgustedly that Riggs was only the third-best senior player, behind himself and
Gardnar Mulloy Gardnar Putnam "Gar" Mulloy (November 22, 1913 – November 14, 2016) was a U.S. No. 1 tennis player primarily known for playing in doubles matches with partner Billy Talbert. He was born in Washington, D.C., and centenarian, turned 100 in Novem ...
. He challenged King to another match, which King refused. In the 1966 episode of ''
I Dream of Jeannie ''I Dream of Jeannie'' is an American Fantasy television, fantasy sitcom television series created by Sidney Sheldon and starring Barbara Eden as a beautiful but guileless 2,000-year-old Jinn, genie and Larry Hagman as an astronaut with whom s ...
'' titled "Always on Sunday", Segura made a cameo appearance as himself. Segura retired from playing Singles after the 1970 US Open at Forest Hills at age 49. He was inducted into the
International Tennis Hall of Fame The International Tennis Hall of Fame is located in Newport, Rhode Island, United States. It honors both players and other contributors to the sport of tennis. The complex, the former Newport Casino, includes a museum, 13 grass tennis courts, an ...
in
Newport, Rhode Island Newport is a seaside city on Aquidneck Island in Rhode Island, United States. It is located in Narragansett Bay, approximately southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, Providence, south of Fall River, Massachusetts, south of Boston, and nort ...
, in 1984. Segura became an American citizen in 1991.


Death

Segura died on November 18, 2017, at the age of 96 at his home in Carlsbad, California, from complications related to
Parkinson's disease Parkinson's disease (PD), or simply Parkinson's, is a neurodegenerative disease primarily of the central nervous system, affecting both motor system, motor and non-motor systems. Symptoms typically develop gradually and non-motor issues become ...
. A memorial service for the celebration of his life was held at the Beverly Hills Tennis Club on December 17, 2017, with 200 in attendance. Spencer Segura was master of ceremonies, with 10 featured speakers including Burt Bacharach, Jimmy Connors, Mike Franks, Cliff Richey, Charlie Pasarell, Tracy Austin, and David Kramer.


Major career finals


Grand Slam


Doubles (2 runner-ups)


Mixed doubles (2 runner-ups)


Pro Slams


Singles (3 titles, 8 runner-ups)


Performance timeline


Singles

Segura joined the professional tennis circuit in 1948 and as a consequence was banned from competing in the amateur Grand Slams until the start of the Open Era at the
1968 French Open The 1968 French Open was a tennis tournament that took place on the outdoor clay courts at the Stade Roland Garros in Paris, France. The tournament was held from Monday 27 May until Sunday 9 June 1968. It was the 67th edition of the French Open, t ...
. Segura won one Tournament of Champions.
The results of the Pro Tours are not listed here.


Notes


References


Sources

* *


Further reading

* ''The Game, My 40 Years in Tennis'' (1979), Jack Kramer with Frank Deford () * ''Tennis: Myth and Method'', (1978) by Ellsworth Vines and Gene Vier, Viking Press, New York * ''Man with a Racket by Pancho Gonzales'', (1959) as told to Cy Rice * ''Mental Tennis'', (1994), by Vic Braden * ''Jimmy Connors, King of the Courts'', (1978) by Francene Sabin * ''Jimmy Connors Saved My Life'', (2004) by Joel Drucker * ''As it Was, (2009) by Gardnar Mulloy


External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Segura, Pancho 1921 births 2017 deaths American male tennis players Deaths from Parkinson's disease in the United States Ecuadorian emigrants to the United States Ecuadorian male tennis players Miami Hurricanes men's tennis players Sportspeople from Carlsbad, California Tennis players from Guayaquil International Tennis Hall of Fame inductees College tennis coaches in the United States Tennis players from California Professional tennis players before the Open Era American tennis coaches World number 1 ranked male tennis players Tennis coaches from California 20th-century American sportsmen