.jpg) Ayala in 1956 | |
| Full name | Luis Alberto Ayala |
|---|---|
| Country (sports) |  Chile |
| Residence | United States |
| Born | (1932-09-18)18 September 1932[citation needed] |
| Died | 4 September 2024(2024-09-04) (aged 91) |
| Height | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) |
| Turned pro | 1961 (amateur from 1950) |
| Retired | 1970 |
| Plays | Right-handed (one-handed backhand) |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 626–353 (63.9%)[1] |
| Career titles | 43 |
| Highest ranking | No. 5 (1958,Lance Tingay)[2] |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| French Open | F (1958,1960) |
| Wimbledon | QF (1959,1960,1961) |
| US Open | QF (1957,1959) |
| Professional majors | |
| US Pro | QF (1965,1966,1967) |
| Wembley Pro | 1R (1961,1962,1963,1964,1965) |
| French Pro | QF (1961,1965) |
| Doubles | |
| Grand Slam doubles results | |
| French Open | SF (1956) |
| Wimbledon | QF (1956,1959,1961) |
| US Open | 2R (1968,1969,1970) |
| Mixed doubles | |
| Grand Slam mixed doubles results | |
| French Open | W (1956) |
| Wimbledon | SF (1957) |
Luis Alberto Ayala Salinas (18 September 1932 – 4 September 2024) was a Chilean tennis player who competed during the 1950s and 1960s.[3]
Ayala was a two-time singles runner-up at theFrench Championships. In 1958, as the fifth seed, he reached the final after defeating the top-seeded and world No. 1 player,Ashley Cooper, in the semifinals. However, he was defeated in straight sets byMervyn Rose in the final. In 1960, Ayala again reached the final, losing in five sets toNicola Pietrangeli.[4] He won the mixed doubles title at the1956 French Championships withThelma Coyne Long.[citation needed]
Ayala secured the gold medal in singles at the1959 Pan American Games in Chicago, defeating Canadian playerRobert Bédard in the final.[5]
He claimed the prestigious singles title at theItalian Open in 1959, overcoming Nicola Pietrangeli in the semifinals andNeale Fraser in the final, both in four sets. The following year, he reached the final again but was defeated in five sets byBarry MacKay (tennis).[6]
Ayala won the 1960Argentina International Tennis Championships in Buenos Aires, defeatingRon Holmberg in the semifinals andManuel Santana in the final.[7] This was his third Argentina title, having previously won in 1955 (defeatingArt Larsen) and 1957 (defeatingEnrique Morea).[8]
In 1960, Ayala also won the Madrid Championships, defeatingAndrés Gimeno in the final. In 1961, he won the Hanover Championships, overcomingRamanathan Krishnan in the final.[9]
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In 1961, Ayala turned professional and joinedJack Kramer's tour.[10]
In 1964, he won the La Baule Professional Championships on clay, defeatingRod Laver in the semifinals andLew Hoad in the final.[11]
After retiring from professional play, Ayala became a tennis professional at theRiver Oaks Country Club inHouston, Texas. He later served as the director of tennis at the Forest Club in Houston.[12]
Ayala representedChile in the Davis Cup from 1952 to 1960, participating in 18 ties and compiling a record of 37 wins and 14 losses. His most notable performance came in1955 when Chile reached the semifinals of the Europe Zone, where they were defeated by Sweden despite Ayala winning both of his singles matches againstLennart Bergelin andSven Davidson.[13]
Ayala died on 4 September 2024, at the age of 91.[14]
Ayala was consistently ranked among theworld's top ten tennis players by both Ned Potter andLance Tingay between 1956 and 1961. Tingay ofThe Daily Telegraph ranked him as world No. 5 in 1958, and he was ranked No. 6 in 1959, No. 7 in 1960, and No. 7 again in 1961.[2]
| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 1958 | French Championships | Clay |  Mervyn Rose | 3–6, 4–6, 4–6 |
| Loss | 1960 | French Championships | Clay |  Nicola Pietrangeli | 6–3, 3–6, 4–6, 6–4, 3–6 |
| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 1955 | French Championships | Clay | Jenny Staley Hoad |  Darlene Hard Gordon Forbes | 7–5, 1–6, 2–6 |
| Win | 1956 | French Championships | Clay | Thelma Coyne Long | Doris HartBob Howe | 4–6, 6–4, 6–1 |
