This film is part of Free

Lew Hoad v Pancho Gonzalez on the Pro Tennis Tour

Pro game is an exhibition of the greatest talents

Sport 1964 20 mins

From the collection of:

Logo for South West Film and Television Archive

Overview

Lew Hoad faces Ricardo Pancho or Gorgo Gonzalez in a professional match at the Riviera Club in Carlyon Bay in Cornwall. Sports commentator David Vine interviews the Australian Lew Hoad after his win. Ranked tenth in the world of amateur tennis Hoad reached the number one spot in 1956 and turned professional in 1957. Back problems caused him to retire in 1967 but the Open Era began the following year and he returned to competition. Hoad went on to run a Tennis Academy in Spain.

Of Mexican parents the American Gonzalez had a fiery temperament on and off the court. He isolated himself from other players on tour and discrimination may have shaped his persona; he believed he was paid less than other professionals and disliked the contract he had with the promoter and one time adversary Jack Kramer. A successful amateur in the late 1940s he went on to be ranked world number one from 1952 to 1960, he won seventeen major singles titles, fifteen pro-slams and two Grand Slams. He toured on and off professionally in the 1960s and was the top American money-winner for 1969 with fifty thousand dollars. He went on to coach tennis in Las Vegas and his sixth marriage was to Andre Agassi's sister Rita.