Southern Tennis Patrons Foundation

Southern Tennis Patrons Foundation

J. Randolph Gregson, Louisiana, 1987

J. Randolph Gregson, Louisiana, inducted in 1987Randolph Gregson

  • Played college tennis at Arkansas State and won several military titles while serving five years in the United States Navy.
  • Won the USTA Southern Senior Doubles and National Clay Court Doubles in 1964.
  • Wimbledon Senior Doubles semi-finalist in 1965.
  • Served as USTA President, Southern President, and Louisiana President, as part of his decades of service.
  • Graduated from the University of Texas as a petroleum engineer.
  • Won two Southern Father-Son Doubles tournaments with Randy Gregson II.
  • Helped “rebuild” tennis in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.  He passed away there in 2010.

Frank Willett, Georgia, 1986

Frank Willett, Georgia, inducted in 1986Frank Willett

  • Won 1940 National Indoor Boys title.
  • Received USTA’s Jacobs Bowl and Touchstone Sportsmanship Awards.
  • Played on Earl Bortell’s Georgia Tech teams of the mid 1940s.
  • Went undefeated in regular season dual matches for four years at Georgia Tech.
  • Reached the NCAA Singles Semi-finals in 1945.
  • President of the Chattanooga Tennis Patrons Foundation and president of the Southern Tennis Association from 1961-62.
  • Member of six Halls of Fames.

Randolph S. Reynolds, Alabama, 1986

Randolph S. Reynolds, Alabama, inducted in 1986Randolph Reynolds

  • Inducted into the Alabama Tennis Foundation Hall of Fame in 1986.
  • President of USTA Southern in 1962.
  • Southern Patrons Foundation Trustee 1984.
  • Founder and President of the Alabama Tennis Association in 1957.
  • Founded Reynolds Insurance Agency in Anniston, Alabama in 1951.
  • Served in the United States Navy during WWII in the Pacific Theatre.
  • Mr. Reynolds passed away in 1994 in his hometown of Anniston, Alabama.

Roscoe Tanner, Tennessee, 1990

Roscoe Tanner, Tennessee, Inducted in 1990Roscoe Tanner

  • Ranked #1 in the nation in the Boy’s 18-and-under and led the Baylor School team to two straight High School National Championships and was considered the best junior player ever from the South
  • Three time All-American at Stanford, runner up in the NCAA Singles Championships twice and won the NCAA Doubles champion once
  • Turned pro in 1972 and over the course of his 10 year career won 15 ATP championships and was runner up in over 20 other tournaments
  • Grand Slam record stands at 90-32, including the singles championship at the 1977 Australian Open, a finalist at the 1979 Wimbledon Championships where he lost a classic 5-set match to Bjorn Borg and a quarterfinalist or semifinalist at 9 other Grand Slam events
  • Represented the United States on the Davis Cup team 5 times, including the 1981 championship team
  • 1981 WCT Tour Champion whose fastest serve was clocked at 153 MPH
  • Inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 1992, the Intercollegiate Tennis Hall of Fame in 1993 and the Tennessee Tennis Hall of Fame in 1994

Tommy Bartlett, Tennessee, 1990

Tommy Bartlett, Tennessee,inducted in 1990Tommy Bartlett

  • Captained both the basketball and tennis teams at the University of Tennessee where he was undefeated in singles or doubles
  • Tennis coach for the men and women at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga compiling an overall record of 579-92, an 86% winning percentage
  • While coaching college tennis, he held teaching pro positions at several prestigious tennis facilities including the Chattanooga Tennis Club, Cherokee Country Club and Manker Patten Tennis Club
  • Recognized by fellow coaches and players as an outstanding teacher, coach and competitor winning numerous USPTA awards including Coach of the Year (3 times), Pro of the Year (3 times) and Player of the Year (6 times)
  • Held numerous USPTA offices, including Florida President and Regional Vice-President and was a member of the NCAA Selection Committee
  • Outstanding player winning 27 national championships, 35 Southern championships and 60 state championships
  • Inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 1986, was a member of the first class inducted in the Tennessee Tennis Hall of Fame in 1992 and was inducted in the Intercollegiate Tennis Hall of Fame in 1993