Rafael Osuna

Rafael Herrera Osuna was born on September 15, 1938 in Mexico, City and died on June 4, 1969. He was one of those few male tennis players who were fondly remembered. He is the first and only Mexican tennis player to ever earn a Grand Slam singles championship title in the United States Tennis Association National Championships event in 1963. He also won the 1962 U.S Open doubles title together with Palafox.

Osuna was ranked number one in the world by the International Tennis Federation in 1963. He was the only Mexican so far to take the position. His skills and professionalism helped led his country to the final round of the Davis Cup.

Osuna started competing as an athlete when was barely ten years old. Though it was his first event he upset the Mexico City Table Tennis. He took home both the singles and doubles championship titles and by the time he was fourteen he was in the top 10 ranking based on Mexico’s Open tournaments.

It was at University of Southern California, where he earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration under a full scholarship, that he met George Toley, head coach of the school team. Osuna’s unique talent where quickly spotted and eventually Osuna found himself competing in the Wimbledon championships in 1960. He and Dennis Ralston, who later became his roommate, became the first unseeded team to earn the doubles title.

Osuna’s victory included the 1962 and 1969 USTA National Hard Courts singles title and doubles title respectively; the 1962 NCAA singles titles; and 1961 to 1963 NCAA doubles titles. In 1963, his USC team was awarded the best tennis team of all time.

Osuna together with Vincent Zarazua won the Olympic gold medal in 1968. After a year, Osuna met his fate and died in a plane crash. But two weeks before his death, he defeated Australia in the Davis Cup team both in the single and doubles category. It was insofar a major upset for Australia since they have been winning 17 Davis Cup until Osuna came in.

In 1979, Osuna was inducted to the International Tennis Hall of Fame.