• Home
  • popular
  • EVENTS
  • submit-new-event
  • CHARITY GUIDE
  • Children
  • Education
  • Health
  • Veterans
  • Social Services
  • Arts + Culture
  • Animals
  • LGBTQ
  • New Charity
  • TRENDING NEWS
  • News
  • City Life
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • Home + Design
  • Travel
  • Real Estate
  • Restaurants + Bars
  • Arts
  • Society
  • Innovation
  • Fashion + Beauty
  • subscribe
  • about
  • series
  • Embracing Your Inner Cowboy
  • Green Living
  • Summer Fun
  • Real Estate Confidential
  • RX In the City
  • State of the Arts
  • Fall For Fashion
  • Cai's Odyssey
  • Comforts of Home
  • Good Eats
  • Holiday Gift Guide 2010
  • Holiday Gift Guide 2
  • Good Eats 2
  • HMNS Pirates
  • The Future of Houston
  • We Heart Hou 2
  • Music Inspires
  • True Grit
  • Hoops City
  • Green Living 2011
  • Cruizin for a Cure
  • Summer Fun 2011
  • Just Beat It
  • Real Estate 2011
  • Shelby on the Seine
  • Rx in the City 2011
  • Entrepreneur Video Series
  • Going Wild Zoo
  • State of the Arts 2011
  • Fall for Fashion 2011
  • Elaine Turner 2011
  • Comforts of Home 2011
  • King Tut
  • Chevy Girls
  • Good Eats 2011
  • Ready to Jingle
  • Houston at 175
  • The Love Month
  • Clifford on The Catwalk Htx
  • Let's Go Rodeo 2012
  • King's Harbor
  • FotoFest 2012
  • City Centre
  • Hidden Houston
  • Green Living 2012
  • Summer Fun 2012
  • Bookmark
  • 1987: The year that changed Houston
  • Best of Everything 2012
  • Real Estate 2012
  • Rx in the City 2012
  • Lost Pines Road Trip Houston
  • London Dreams
  • State of the Arts 2012
  • HTX Fall For Fashion 2012
  • HTX Good Eats 2012
  • HTX Contemporary Arts 2012
  • HCC 2012
  • Dine to Donate
  • Tasting Room
  • HTX Comforts of Home 2012
  • Charming Charlie
  • Asia Society
  • HTX Ready to Jingle 2012
  • HTX Mistletoe on the go
  • HTX Sun and Ski
  • HTX Cars in Lifestyle
  • HTX New Beginnings
  • HTX Wonderful Weddings
  • HTX Clifford on the Catwalk 2013
  • Zadok Sparkle into Spring
  • HTX Let's Go Rodeo 2013
  • HCC Passion for Fashion
  • BCAF 2013
  • HTX Best of 2013
  • HTX City Centre 2013
  • HTX Real Estate 2013
  • HTX France 2013
  • Driving in Style
  • HTX Island Time
  • HTX Super Season 2013
  • HTX Music Scene 2013
  • HTX Clifford on the Catwalk 2013 2
  • HTX Baker Institute
  • HTX Comforts of Home 2013
  • Mothers Day Gift Guide 2021 Houston
  • Staying Ahead of the Game
  • Wrangler Houston
  • First-time Homebuyers Guide Houston 2021
  • Visit Frisco Houston
  • promoted
  • eventdetail
  • Greystar Novel River Oaks
  • Thirdhome Go Houston
  • Dogfish Head Houston
  • LovBe Houston
  • Claire St Amant podcast Houston
  • The Listing Firm Houston
  • South Padre Houston
  • NextGen Real Estate Houston
  • Pioneer Houston
  • Collaborative for Children
  • Decorum
  • Bold Rock Cider
  • Nasher Houston
  • Houston Tastemaker Awards 2021
  • CityNorth
  • Urban Office
  • Villa Cotton
  • Luck Springs Houston
  • EightyTwo
  • Rectanglo.com
  • Silver Eagle Karbach
  • Mirador Group
  • Nirmanz
  • Bandera Houston
  • Milan Laser
  • Lafayette Travel
  • Highland Park Village Houston
  • Proximo Spirits
  • Douglas Elliman Harris Benson
  • Original ChopShop
  • Bordeaux Houston
  • Strike Marketing
  • Rice Village Gift Guide 2021
  • Downtown District
  • Broadstone Memorial Park
  • Gift Guide
  • Music Lane
  • Blue Circle Foods
  • Houston Tastemaker Awards 2022
  • True Rest
  • Lone Star Sports
  • Silver Eagle Hard Soda
  • Modelo recipes
  • Modelo Fighting Spirit
  • Athletic Brewing
  • Rodeo Houston
  • Silver Eagle Bud Light Next
  • Waco CVB
  • EnerGenie
  • HLSR Wine Committee
  • All Hands
  • El Paso
  • Avenida Houston
  • Visit Lubbock Houston
  • JW Marriott San Antonio
  • Silver Eagle Tupps
  • Space Center Houston
  • Central Market Houston
  • Boulevard Realty
  • Travel Texas Houston
  • Alliantgroup
  • Golf Live
  • DC Partners
  • Under the Influencer
  • Blossom Hotel
  • San Marcos Houston
  • Photo Essay: Holiday Gift Guide 2009
  • We Heart Hou
  • Walker House
  • HTX Good Eats 2013
  • HTX Ready to Jingle 2013
  • HTX Culture Motive
  • HTX Auto Awards
  • HTX Ski Magic
  • HTX Wonderful Weddings 2014
  • HTX Texas Traveler
  • HTX Cifford on the Catwalk 2014
  • HTX United Way 2014
  • HTX Up to Speed
  • HTX Rodeo 2014
  • HTX City Centre 2014
  • HTX Dos Equis
  • HTX Tastemakers 2014
  • HTX Reliant
  • HTX Houston Symphony
  • HTX Trailblazers
  • HTX_RealEstateConfidential_2014
  • HTX_IW_Marks_FashionSeries
  • HTX_Green_Street
  • Dating 101
  • HTX_Clifford_on_the_Catwalk_2014
  • FIVE CultureMap 5th Birthday Bash
  • HTX Clifford on the Catwalk 2014 TEST
  • HTX Texans
  • Bergner and Johnson
  • HTX Good Eats 2014
  • United Way 2014-15_Single Promoted Articles
  • Holiday Pop Up Shop Houston
  • Where to Eat Houston
  • Copious Row Single Promoted Articles
  • HTX Ready to Jingle 2014
  • htx woodford reserve manhattans
  • Zadok Swiss Watches
  • HTX Wonderful Weddings 2015
  • HTX Charity Challenge 2015
  • United Way Helpline Promoted Article
  • Boulevard Realty
  • Fusion Academy Promoted Article
  • Clifford on the Catwalk Fall 2015
  • United Way Book Power Promoted Article
  • Jameson HTX
  • Primavera 2015
  • Promenade Place
  • Hotel Galvez
  • Tremont House
  • HTX Tastemakers 2015
  • HTX Digital Graffiti/Alys Beach
  • MD Anderson Breast Cancer Promoted Article
  • HTX RealEstateConfidential 2015
  • HTX Vargos on the Lake
  • Omni Hotel HTX
  • Undies for Everyone
  • Reliant Bright Ideas Houston
  • 2015 Houston Stylemaker
  • HTX Renewable You
  • Urban Flats Builder
  • Urban Flats Builder
  • HTX New York Fashion Week spring 2016
  • Kyrie Massage
  • Red Bull Flying Bach
  • Hotze Health and Wellness
  • ReadFest 2015
  • Alzheimer's Promoted Article
  • Formula 1 Giveaway
  • Professional Skin Treatments by NuMe Express

    ROCC stars

    Ken Hoffman on Houston's iconic Clay Court Championship — and how he enraged tennis' most hot-headed legend

    Ken Hoffman
    Apr 3, 2023 | 2:30 pm

    This is my favorite sports week of the year in Houston: the Fayez Sarofim & Co. U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships going on through Sunday, April 9 at River Oaks Country Club.

    It’s a beautiful way to spend an afternoon, sitting in the stands of historic center court at River Oaks watching some of the greatest tennis players do what hackers like me can only dream about. At night, the court looks like something from a Norman Rockwell painting, its dusty brown surface (I don’t know why they call it red clay) in sharp contrast to the antique green seats and throwback stadium facade under a cool spring Houston sky.

    Frances Tiafoe
      

    Frances Tiafoe/Instagram

    American Frances Tiafoe bested Rafael Nadal and is a rising star.

    Indeed, the tournament offers an entertaining mix of tradition and old world charm plus modern speed and raw power. Tickets are still available online.

    This year’s field of players includes electrifying young American Frances Tiafoe who defeated Rafael Nadal enroute to the semifinals of the 2022 U.S. Open; rising star and 2023 Australian Open semifinalist Tommy Paul, the all-time service ace boomer John Isner, and an interesting blend of international clay court veterans and hard-hitting American newcomers.

    Defending champion Reilly Opelka is unable to play this year because of injury.

    Grand slam show

    This is the 111th edition of the clay court championship held along the way in several different U.S. cities. The event moved to Houston in 2001, first to Westside Tennis Club and finally to River Oaks Country Club in 2008.

    Champions who’ve lifted the U.S. Men’s Clay Court trophy include Hall of Fame legends like Big Bill Tilden, Bobby Riggs (yes, he was a legit incredible player before losing his match and dignity to Billie Jean King in the Battle of the Sexes), Pancho Gonzalez, Jimmy Connors, Andre Agassi, and Andy Roddick.

    Odd note: Ryan Sweeting won his only tour-level pro tournament at this event in 2011. Two years later, he married Big Bang Theory star Kaley Cuoco. Sadly, both his tennis career and marriage ended in 2015.

    Ken's racket

    On a personal level, I’ve had an, let’s say, "unusual" relationship with River Oaks' center court. First, it’s been my privilege to write a story for the tournament program the past 14 years. But more fun, I’ve gotten a chance to live out a weekend public court player’s fantasies there.

    One year, Dustin Brown, the German-Jamaican player with 3-foot dreads, hit a serve as hard as he could (at least he said so) at me and I actually got a racket on it. I fouled it into the stands, but, let the record show: he didn’t ace me.

    Feeling rather full of myself, the tournament organizer got Australian tennis star Sam Groth to crank up his serve at me the following year. He holds the pro mark for fastest serve ever: 163 mph at a tournament in South Korea in 2012.

    They turned on the radar gun at River Oaks. Bam! I didn’t see the ball, but I sure heard it. It sounded like a gun going off when the ball smacked the wall behind me.

    I checked the sign indicating the speed of his serve: 145 mph, which at the time would have been the fifth-fastest serve ever hit.

    Another time, ambidextrous Luke Jensen hit blasted four straight aces at me, two righty and two lefty. He told me not to feel so bad, he had done that to professional players.

    Talk about a fan’s dream, I took River Oaks center court for an entire set against my favorite player ever (at least then), the legendary, ice-in-his veins, 5-time Wimbledon champion Bjorn Borg. It was a weekday morning, the place was empty except for my friend Reg “Third Degree” Burns who took photos of the match. I won the first point.

    Borg won the next 24 points and I nearly collapsed from exhaustion trying to return his loopy topspin shots to my backhand. I thoroughly enjoyed every point I lost.

    Meeting Johnny Mac

    But the topper was when River Oaks invited Hall of Fame legend turned announcer John McEnroe and Mardy Fish to play an exhibition match during the invitational tournament it hosted before landing the U.S. Men’s Clay Court event.

    What happened that year was so bizarre, even I can’t believe it happened, and it happened to me.

    After Fish beat McEnroe in their one-set duel, they had a special doubles match. The pairing was McEnroe and the River Oaks club champion vs. Fish and me.

    I’m going to play tennis with John McEnroe!? I love John McEnroe!

    Two days before our match, I did a phone interview with McEnroe to hype his appearance at River Oaks. He was as nice and pleasant as could be. He even told me to take as much time as I wanted since he was driving one of his kids to school. McEnroe was his usual funny, insightful self.

    Right before our match at River Oaks, in front of a couple thousand fans, someone had the brilliant idea to put a microphone on me, with the transmitter in my right front pocket. I was told, during the match, start making jokes at McEnroe’s expense, get him angry so he responds to me and loses his temper. The fans will think it's funny.

    I told the person, but I don’t wanna be a pirate! I’m not doing that. Have you lost your mind? McEnroe already was in a foul mood from losing to Fish. He didn't need any riling up.

    Game. Set. John McEnroe.

    I didn’t say a peep. Anyway, first point, McEnroe served to me and I hit a lucky winner. I've got to stop winning the first point against my heroes.

    Fish told me to play close to the net. I said no, he said yes, so there I was on top of the net. McEnroe served to Fish, Fish returned it cross court …

    And McEnroe cracked a forehand that hit me so hard that it broke the plastic case of the transmitter in my pocket. He did it on purpose.

    A few inches to the left and I would have woke up in the Ben Taub Hospital urology wing. I swear, I was shaking with fear after McEnroe hit me. McEnroe just turned and went back to serve the next point.

    After our set, I gave McEnroe my copy of his autobiography and asked him to sign it. It’s one of my favorite sports books. As he was scribbling his name, I told him, “You know, I’m not a professional tennis player, right? I’m just a newspaper guy. Why did you hit me?”

    McEnroe never looked up from autographing my book. “I’ve been in therapy for 35 years. I couldn’t let you get away with winning that point.”

    That’s when John McEnroe replaced Bjorn Borg as my favorite player ever.

    news/city-life
    popular
    series/hoffmans-houston
    series

    most read posts

    Ben Berg's New York-inspired, fancy burger joint will soon shutter

    New owner of Texas Renaissance Festival revealed in our top 5 stories

    Winner of Ren Fest lawsuit plans to keep the event mostly unchanged

    the search is on

    Game-changing leader of Houston Parks Board to retire after 10 years

    Jef Rouner
    May 21, 2025 | 10:00 am
    Houston Parks Board CEO Beth White stands at a podium at the Captain Herod Memorial, Houston Mayor John Whitmire is seated nearby.
    Photo by Melissa Taylor
    Beth White speaking at the Captain Herod Memorial on January 28,2025

    It's the end of an era at the Houston Parks Board (HPB). CEO Beth White announced Wednesday, May 21 that she will be retiring on January 1, 2026.

    "As I reflect on my career, one of the most rewarding decisions I have made was coming to Houston," White said in a statement. "The entrepreneurial drive in this city is very powerful, our public-private partnership model is second to none, and the creativity at play is a model for the nation."

    White began her stewardship of the HPB in 2016. Before coming to Houston, she oversaw Chicago's Trust for Public Land, guiding the development of the city's famous elevated trailway, the 606. Her experience made her perfect to lead the HPB as Houston dedicated itself to a radical improvement of its park spaces. With HPB responsible for 3,300 acres across 250 parks, as well as coordinating access to another 14,000 acres, it was an executive position for an area physically larger than many cities.

    White proved herself a competent and visionary general of Houston's greenspaces. During her time, she led the revitalization of 30 Houston parks, mostly in marginalized and underserved communities. Her work netted her an appointment to the chair of the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) by former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden in 2021, where she helped federal agencies make long-term plans about public space usage.

    Perhaps her greatest accomplishment as CEO of HPB is the Bayou Greenway project, a bold re-imagining of Houston's waterways. The project has built 150 miles worth of trails that hug the various bayous and creeks meandering through Houston, turning what were often foot traffic barriers into an artery system of green trails connecting various park spaces across the city. Isolated pockets of community space are now linked through easy to use trail systems, making foot traffic across Houston simpler and more beautiful to experience.

    “It is very gratifying to see that Houstonians are embracing parks and greenspace as an essential part of the region’s infrastructure. I am proud to have played a part in Houston’s green renaissance and look forward to continued progress thanks to the talented and dedicated staff and board at Houston Parks Board,” said White.

    Cory King, president and CEO, and Ben Feit, principal, at Kittleman and Associates, are leading the search for suitable candidates to fill White's very big shoes. In the meantime, White will continue to lead the organization for the rest of the year.

    "Houston Parks Board would not be in the position it is today without the guidance and leadership of Beth White. As we commemorate her throughout this year, we are grateful that Beth’s vision has helped transform our organization into a regional and national leader for parks and greenspace,” said Houston Parks Board chair Cullen Geiselman Muse. “We are also excited to begin the search for her successor. Houston is a unique region that offers different opportunities to maximize available space and create multi-purpose greenspaces that make real, lasting impacts on our communities. We look forward to sharing more information as the search progresses."

    parkshouston parks boardbeth white
    news/city-life
    popular
    series/hoffmans-houston
    series
    Loading...