Robert Ryland: A Tennis Original
- Ruffin Thornton
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
Robert Ryland is not a household name in tennis. That omission says more about the sport than it does about him.
Robert “Bob” Ryland was born in 1920 in Chicago, Illinois, where he learned to play the game at age 9 on public courts. Taught by his father, playing for the Chicago Prairie Tennis Club, his talent was evident. His talent was great enough to propel him to win the Illinois State High School title over Jimmy Evert, Chris Evert’s father, in 1939. He would later win the American Tennis Association’s (ATA) Boys’ 18-and-under singles title.
Bob attended Xavier University of Louisiana, an HBCU, on a tennis scholarship before serving in the United States Army from 1941 to 1945 during World War II.
After the war, Bob returned to collegiate competition and made history in 1946 by becoming the first Black man to compete in the NCAA National Championships, reaching the semifinals while representing Wayne State University. That same year, he also won the Men’s Singles Championship at the Detroit Public Parks integrated tournament, placing him among the nation’s top players.
In 1947, Bob competed in the Pacific Southwest Championship, losing to the No. 1-ranked US player, Ham Richardson, 4–6, 5–7. This marked a significant milestone at a time when Black players were still excluded from many top tournaments.
Bob continued his success in integrated events, winning the Los Angeles Industrial City Championships in 1952. His achievements continued in the ATA, where he won the Men’s Singles National Championship in 1955 and 1956 and reached the finals four other times.
While continuing to compete, Bob turned his attention to coaching and teaching. In 1955, he became the first Black male to be certified by the United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA) as a professional tennis instructor. In 1959, at age 39, he became the first Black male to break the tennis color barrier by competing in the World Professional Championships in Cleveland.
Beyond individual competition, Bob left a lasting mark on collegiate tennis. As a player-coach, he twice led Tennessee A&I (now Tennessee State University) to small college national championships.
Bob continued competing until the age of 85, living proof that tennis is a lifelong sport. In his later years, he coached and taught on public courts throughout New York City, becoming the city’s oldest instructor and a beloved figure in the tennis community.
Bob Ryland taught the right way for over six decades. He worked with players from every background, moving from public courts to private clubs in New York, Washington, and beyond. What set Bob apart was his calm presence, a great understanding of the game, and a strategic mind that saw the game clearly. Some of his most notable professional players included Harold Solomon, Leslie Allen, Serena and Venus Williams, and Arthur Ashe, who once said, “My only dream in tennis was to become good enough to beat Bob Ryland.”
Bob’s contributions cannot be measured by titles or who he taught. He opened doors for black coaches, players, and entrepreneurs at a time when black representation was excluded. Through his resilience, he demonstrated that talent knows no color and that the accurate measure of a tennis professional isn’t found in the barriers they face, but in how they overcome them.
His contributions earned him induction into the Black Tennis Hall of Fame, the USTA Eastern and Midwest Halls of Fame, and the Wayne State University Athletic Hall of Fame.
Robert “Bob” Ryland passed away on August 2, 2020, at the age of 100. He is permanently honored at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, where a paver reads: “Bob Ryland: Coach and Friend.” When asked how he hoped to be remembered, Bob said he wanted to be known as someone who played tennis well and “opened doors for the kids,” and he did.
As we continue to discuss inclusion, opportunity, and the growth of tennis through platforms like Which Side Do You Want? we honor pioneers like Robert “Bob” Ryland — whose courage and influence helped shape the game we love today. His legacy is one we should all respect and remember.
https://www.espn.com/tennis/story/_/id/29656729/robert-ryland-first-black-pro-tennis-player-dies-100
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