Phyllis and William Dorman, residents of North Shore Towers in Floral Park, had a special visitor during the U.S. Open - former tennis champion John Newcombe.
Newcombe has been friends with the Dormans for about 35 years, beginning when they used to live in Kings Point, Long Island. The couple was friends with comedian Alan King, who used to hold a major tennis tournament in Las Vegas, which is where Newcombe met the Dormans.
The Australia native, who played both singles and doubles, is a former number one-ranked tennis player who won seven Grand Slam singles events and 17 Grand Slam doubles events. He began playing tennis when he was about five years old.
“I was born with very good hand-eye coordination so [I was very good at] all ball sports,” Newcombe said. “Tennis was a sport that just captured my imagination.”
From 1978 to 1988, Newcombe worked as a commentator for CBS television and currently works for an Australian television show.
“When you first stop playing a sport of course you miss it a little bit but I've really enjoyed the television side of it,” said Newcombe, who stays with the Dormans every year during the U.S. Open. “I enjoy getting into the match and trying to figure out what's going on in the players' heads, trying to give the viewer a little insight into what's happening.”
Newcombe said that each of the four grand slams - the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open - has its own character. He said that the U.S. Open is “more vocal” than some of the other tournaments.
“New Yorkers are sports fans,” he said. “They love their sports and they love a battle so they're good fans to play before.”
Along with his work as a commentator, Newcombe owns a marketing company and is also the owner of the John Newcombe Tennis Ranch, which is in New Braunfels, Texas. The ranch provides tennis players of all ages a place to work on their game and enjoy themselves.
Newcombe said that young tennis players looking to make it to the big time just need to work as hard as possible to make their dreams a reality.
“You can't beat hard work,” said Newcombe, who cited one of his tennis highlights as being the second time he won Wimbledon, describing it as a defining moment. “If you want to achieve your dream, you have to work harder than you could imagine you have to work.”
Lately, Newcombe said that he has been playing more golf than tennis due to having very little cartilage remaining in his left knee. During his stays at North Shore Towers, Newcombe has taken advantage of both the tennis courts and golf course, while also visiting many local restaurants.
“I played tennis here some years ago and I played golf here the last couple of years,” he said. “It's a lovely course here, very enjoyable. The location [of North Shore Towers] is fantastic….”
For more information on the John Newcombe Tennis Ranch visit www.newktennis.com or call 800-444-6204.