1971 Davis Cup put Olde Providence Racquet Club in the National Spotlight
By Mike Holder: The year was 1971. The venue was Julian J. Clark Stadium at Olde Providence Racquet Club. Less than a decade after breaking ground, Cliff Turner, and the founding members’ goal of bringing world-class tennis to the club were realized as it played host to the Davis Cup Final between the United States and Romania. And while the club had seen elite-level players such as Arthur Ashe, Chrissie Evert, and Tony Roche (to name a few) come through prior to the tie, nothing could match the prestigious competition that took place from October 8-10, 1971. Davis Cup was founded in 1900 and carries with it a sense of national pride, much like the Olympics, where it is an honor for participants to compete for their respective countries. Interestingly, from 1937- 1973, the title went to either the United States or Australia which speaks to the rich talent pool from those countries during that time period. Legendary Australians such as Roche, John Newcombe, Roy Emerson, Fred Stolle, and