The Ojai - by Steve Pratt (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Since 1896, The Ojai has stood as one of America's most treasured tennis traditions. Nestled beneath the majestic Topa Topa Mountains in the picturesque town of Ojai, California, this remarkable tournament has become far more than a competition-- it is a celebration of community, sportsmanship, history, and the enduring spirit of the game. The Ojai: Celebrating Tennis, Tradition and Champions takes readers on a captivating journey through the tournament's extraordinary legacy. From its humble beginnings at the dawn of the 20th century to its evolution into one of the nation's premier amateur tennis festivals, this richly illustrated history tells the stories of the champions, volunteers, families, and generations of players who have made The Ojai a cherished institution. There are 51 International Tennis Hall of Famers who count themselves among the past competitors at The Ojai, including a who' s-who list of Grand Slam champions like Bill Tilden, Jack Kramer, Bobby Riggs, Stan Smith, Arthur Ashe, Billie Jean King, Jimmy Connors, Tracy Austin, Pete Sampras, Michael Chang, Lindsay Davenport and Mike and Bob Bryan, just to name a few.

Review Quotes

"If you grow up in Southern California, playing in Ojai is almost like a rite of passage for a tennis player. My career was enriched with the great memories from the event."

--Billie Jean King

About the Author

Tracy Austin burst onto the scene as a teenage prodigy, winning her first professional singles title at just 14 years old in 1977, the same year she came to The Ojai winning the first of her two titles. In 1979, she defeated Chris Evert to become the youngest-ever US Open singles champion at 16 years and 9 months, a title she would capture again in 1981 by defeating Martina Navratilova. The wins propelled her to the World No. 1 ranking in 1980, the same year she teamed up with her brother, John, to win the Wimbledon mixed doubles title. Austin captured 30 WTA singles titles during her career and in 1992, at the age of 29, she became the youngest player ever inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.