Richard Dennis Ralston “Denny”
Born: July 27, 1942
Hometown: Bakersfield, California, United States
Citizenship: United States
Handed: Right
Inducted: 1987
Grand Slam Record
French Doubles 1966
Wimbledon Singles finalist 1966
Doubles 1960
Doubles finalist 1971
Mixed finalist 1962, 66
U.S. Doubles 1961, 63-64
Doubles finalist 1962, 66, 69
Mixed finalist 1961, 69
Tournament Record
Intercollegiate Singles 1963-64
Doubles 1963-64
Davis Cup Team Member 1960-66
Captain 1972-75
Robert Dennis Ralston was one of those rare men who was a Davis Cup winner both as player and captain. He was considered a stormy figure early in his career although his actions seem tame in comparison with numerous who came after, and he has made a name as an outstanding educator and influence while varsity tennis coach at Southern Methodist University.
It was as a doubles player, in the right court alongside Chuck McKinley, that he made his strongest showing. They won the U.S. title thrice (1961, 1963, 1964) and were in the final in 1962.
Wimbledon and the tennis public first heard from him in 1960. As a 17-year-old joined with his University of Southern California teammate, 21-year-old Rafe Osuna, he took the doubles prize. Unseeded, they were the youngest to win at the Big W, 7-5, 6-3, 10-8, over Mike Davies and Bobby Wilson. He suffered many frustrations as a Davis Cup player, but it all came together for him and McKinley as they pried the punchbowl away from Australia, 3-2, at Adelaide in 1963.
During an arduous campaign he won six of seven singles and all five doubles, four McKinley. He led off in a difficult win over rookie John Newcombe, firming up when all seemed lost, 6-4, 6-1, 3-6, 4-6, 7-5, and teamed with McKinley for the go-ahead doubles point. After he lost to Roy Emerson, McKinley clinched against Newcombe. They lost the to the Aussies the following year, 3-2, though winning the doubles–he and McKinley were 8-2 in Cup doubles.
Between 1968 and 1971 he served as coach of winning U.S. teams and in 1972 he became captain for a four-year term. His coolness and calming manner in the face of an uproarious crowd and patriotic local line judges in Bucharest was a highlight of the 1972 Cup victory over Romania.
A slim 6’2″ tall, Ralston was a stylish stroker with a piercing forehand, a fine server and excellent volleyer who was in the U.S. Top Ten for seven straight years from 1960. He was, the first to be No. 1 three straight years (1963-65) since Don Budge (1936-38). His career spanned the amateur and open eras and he made the World Top Ten in both: 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966 and 1968, No. 5 in 1966 when he lost the final to Manolo Santana.
He had one pro singles title, five in doubles. Denny was an unseeded U.S. semifinalist in 1960, losing to the champ, Neale Fraser. But his best Forest Hills moment was a 7-6 (5-3), 7-5, 5-7, 4-6, 6-3 triumph in 1970 over No. 1 Rod Laver, the defender, to reach the quarters, where he lost to Cliff Richey. He and his dad, Bob Ralston, won the U.S. Father and Son title in 1964. He was born July 27, 1942, in Bakersfield, CA. He entered the Hall of Fame in 1987 and now is tennis director at the Broadmoor resort at Colorado Springs, CO. He was the first of three men to have won U.S. doubles titles on the four surfaces (grass, clay, indoor, hard), followed by Stan Smith and Bob Lutz.
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