Cliff Richey

Cliff Richey is a retired American professional tennis player who was born on December 31, 1946, in San Angelo, Texas. He had a successful career on the ATP tour, winning a total of 45 singles titles and 3 doubles titles.

Richey turned professional in 1967 and quickly established himself as one of the top players on the tour. He reached his career-high singles ranking of World No. 6 in 1970. He was known for his aggressive baseline game and his strong mental toughness on the court.

Richey had his most successful year in 1970 when he won 9 singles titles, including the Rome Masters and the Cincinnati Masters. He also reached the semifinals of the US Open that year, losing to Ken Rosewall.

Off the court, Richey struggled with depression and other personal issues. He wrote a book about his struggles, titled “Acing Depression: A Tennis Champion’s Toughest Match,” which was published in 2015.

After retiring from professional tennis in 1981, Richey became a successful tennis coach and commentator. He was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2013 in recognition of his contributions to the sport.