A Revivalist : Davis Ascends to the Top of His Game After Rejoining His Favorite Racket

Gordon Davis took his first tennis lesson at the age of 13. It was a private lesson.

So private, in fact, that Davis was not even there.

It was 40 years ago and Davis was walking through a park near his Santa Monica home when he spotted an instructor giving a lesson on a public court. Davis did not know the instructor, but he liked what he saw. He admired the smooth motion of the serve, ending with an explosion of power.

So he crouched behind a bush and watched.

Day after day.

“I would see how he did it,” Davis said, “and then go home and try to copy it. The instructor didn’t mind I was there, but I stayed behind the bushes because I felt like I was getting something for nothing.”

It did not take long for Davis to graduate from the bush leagues. For him, tennis was love at first peek and he worked hard to hone his game.

This week, Davis is the top-seeded player in the Men’s 50-and-over division of the 55th Southern California Sectional Tennis Championships, which run through Sunday at the Racquet Centre in Universal City.

He has been an accomplished player for more than 30 years. After attending Santa Monica City College, Davis was good enough to earn a tennis scholarship to USC in 1957.

Once there, however, he had a rude reception. USC, guilty of violating NCAA rules in football, had been put on probation. In those days, probation in one sport meant probation in all sports.

“Here I finally go there,” Davis said, “and I immediately lose a year because of what happened in some other sport.”

That left Davis only his senior year to compete, but he made the most of it. The Trojans won the NCAA tennis title with Davis winding up the squad’s No. 2 player behind Alex Olmedo. Davis advanced to the quarterfinals in the NCAA individual championships that year.

The next logical step would seem to have been turning professional. But not then. And not for a man starting a family.

“There was not that much money in it,” Davis said of professional tennis. “I don’t feel I would have done that well because I think I would have been a secondary player. Today, a player who is not at the top can still make some money. It’s like being in the Navy. You get to see the world and make some money.”

Instead, Davis became a stockbroker. There also was marriage and kids. Soon Davis was back on the court as a teacher, working with sons Gordon Jr. and Scott.

Scott became the family’s guiding light. He beat his father at age 14, a sign of things to come.

“I can still beat most 14-year-olds,” said Gordon Sr., now 53. “But in Scott’s case, he would hit the ball sharp and fast to a point where I just couldn’t reach it.”

Gordon was not alone. Scott, 26, is still doing that to most of his opponents. He has been ranked as high as 11th in the world and is currently rated among the top 90 players on the professional tour.

His sons grown, Gordon decided to find out if there was still life left in his own game. He resumed a heavy tournament schedule several years ago and quickly moved all the way to the top. He was ranked No. 1 nationally among men 45 and over in 1986, and No. 1 last year among those 50 and over. He has won three national tournaments--the National Hardcourt in Huntington Beach in 1986 in the 45-and-over category, and twice last year at 50-and-over, in singles in Westlake on a hardcourt and in doubles in Philadelphia on grass. He was also one of three Americans to represent his country in the Dubler Cup in 1986, playing a series of matches in Austria.

After a quarter century as a stockbroker, Davis has immersed himself in the racket he wanted all along. He gave up his business career, moved to Encino and teaches tennis when he is not playing it, giving private lessons to about 30 students.

It has not been all fun and games. Davis was sidelined for nearly five months two years ago with an elbow injury that left him unable to serve.

Unwilling to quit the game, he taught himself to serve left-handed. “But I could never really get the snap in my wrist left-handed,” he said.

So he stayed away from tournaments to allow the injury to heal.

“It’s a lot better now,” Davis said, “but I still have to exercise my arm half an hour a day, take lots of aspirin and wear a brace.”

Recently, Davis has had trouble with his knees. “I’ve been getting a few twinges,” he said. “But I’m happy to take my lumps just so long as I win more than I lose.”

If he never wins again, he will still be way ahead. After all, how many guys can say they stooped under a bush and found a 40-year career.