Tennis great Pancho Segura dies at age 96
CARLSBAD, Calif. — Pancho Segura, who rose from poverty to become one of the world’s greatest tennis players of the 1950s, has died in Southern California. He was 96.
His son, Spencer, says Segura died Saturday from complications of Parkinson’s disease at his home in the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad.
Segura was noted for his unique two-handed forehand and brilliant court strategy. He went from championship amateur to barnstorming pro and then honored coach, whose students included Jimmy Connors.
Born in Ecuador, he suffered from childhood rickets that bowed his legs. Too weak for soccer, he took to tennis.
In the 1940s and 1950s, he won three NCAA singles titles in a row, repeatedly reached the U.S. National finals and won U.S. Pro singles and doubles titles six times.
