Hello Everyone:

My weekend in Charleston, S.C. was lots of fun as some of the Past Champions Celebrated 50 years at WTA Credit One Charleston Open this past weekend. Those in attendance were Tracy Austin, Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario, Mary Pierce, Sabine Lipsicki, Jelena Jankovic, Madison Keys & Sloane Stephens. We were wined and dined and spent some time together talking about some of our fun times at the tournament here in Charleston and Hilton Head. For me it was the first one in 1973 at Hilton Head known as The Family Circle Cup and the first time a women’s tournament nationally televised “live” on NBC.

Winning the first is always thrilling as I recall being down 5-2 in the 3rd set to Nancy Richey who was a terrific player on clay. Thanks to my drop shots and lobs I was able to make a great comeback and win the largest prize money ever awarded to either a man or woman of $30,000. When I got back to California and since I was spending some time in LA I was driving down Wilshire Blvd and spied a beautiful Fire Engine Red MZB 450 SL in the window of the dealership and promptly purchased it for $22,000. I was in 7th heaven and I don’t know that any other sum of prize money ever felt as good as this one.

Many thanks go to the tournament owner the Navarro Family and Tournament Director Bob Moran & Eleanor Adams along with NetResults Marketing (Jeremy Steindecker & Rosie Crews) for making our weekend so enjoyable and memorable.
Here are some photos I’d like to share with all of you: