Manuel Santana

Manuel Santana, also known as Manolo Santana, was a Spanish tennis player who was ranked as the world No. 1 in 1965 and 1966. He was the first Spaniard to win a Grand Slam singles title and one of the most influential figures in the history of Spanish tennis. Santana was born in Madrid in 1938, the son of a father imprisoned for his political beliefs during the early years of the Franco dictatorship. Santana began his career as a ball boy at a tennis club in Madrid and learned the game by watching and playing with the members. He soon showed his talent and was coached by Pedro Hernández and Reginald Doherty. Santana won his first Grand Slam title at the French Championships in 1961, defeating Nicola Pietrangeli in a five-set final. He repeated his triumph at Roland Garros in 1964, beating Pietrangeli again in four sets. He also won the French Open doubles title in 1963 with Roy Emerson. In 1965, Santana became the first European to win the U.S. Championships since 1928, defeating Cliff Drysdale in four sets. He also led Spain to its first Davis Cup final, beating the United States in Barcelona. The following year, he achieved his greatest feat by winning Wimbledon, becoming the first Spaniard to do so. He beat Dennis Ralston in straight sets in the final and was hailed as a national hero. Santana also won an Olympic gold medal in singles at the 1968 Mexico City Games, when tennis was a demonstration sport. He retired from professional tennis in 1977, having won 94 career titles. He was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1984. After his retirement, Santana became a successful businessman and tennis promoter. He was the captain of the Spanish Davis Cup team twice and the organizer of the Madrid Open until 2019. He also managed several tennis clubs and academies in Spain. Santana was married three times and had four children. He died of heart failure in Marbella on December 11, 2021, at the age of 83.