Athletic prowess and enduring family passion is on full display at Somerset West tennis courts where Denley Richards and his son Clinton, a duo whose names have become synonymous with excellence in South African tennis, are in action.
Both currently hold the coveted number-one ranking in their respective age categories, a testament to decades of dedication and an unbreakable bond forged on the court.
Denley’s (81) journey with tennis began at the tender age of 10. His love for the sport deepened over the years, leading him to represent the Eastern Province (EP) provincial team in Port Elizabeth (now Gqeberha). Since 1995, when Tennis South Africa formed its masters’ division, Denley has been a consistent and dominant force.
He has proudly represented SA eight times as a masters’ player, travelling the globe to compete in world championships in India, the USA and Europe.
A testament to his mastery, Denley once reached the finals of a world championship and achieved a world ranking of third at age 55. Last year, he clinched a significant victory in Cape Town.
Even now, he prefers to play down two age groups (10 years younger) in tournaments, seeking tougher competition to fuel his enduring passion.
For Clinton (55), tennis has been a lifelong companion. “Since Clinton was born, he’s been coming to tennis clubs with us his whole life,” Denley recalls.
Clinton’s own career blossomed, becoming a junior under-18 doubles champion and representing Gauteng East inter-provincially. As a senior, he has been a fixture in Cape Town tennis for about 25 years, becoming a national champion and representing the country in 2017.
The Richards father-and-son duo are not just individual stars; they are a formidable doubles team. They are the current doubles champions of the Somerset West Country Club – a title Clinton has remarkably won 10 times.
“It’s a passion growing up,” Clinton reflects on his tennis journey. “[There has been] tremendous highs and tremendous lows. It’s the coming back from defeats and setbacks that has helped me not to give up in life. I’m disciplined and committed.”
This discipline extends to their training, as both amateurs play three to four days a week.
Denley, a retired project manager, cherishes the competitive aspect of the game. “I enjoy the competition and tough games. It promotes a healthy lifestyle and I’m still enjoying it after all these years,” he points out.
Remarkably, Denley’s path to continued success has not been without its hurdles. A decade ago, he snapped a tendon in his left foot, with doctors advising he would never play tennis again.
Undeterred, Denley defied the prognosis, proving the medical personnel wrong to return to the court and reclaim his number one ranking. “Be prepared to start from ground zero,” he advises, highlighting the mental fortitude required to overcome such setbacks.
For both Denley and Clinton, the mental game and strategy of tennis are key as they’ve grown older. “A lot of it is mental and strategy; you can feel you are getting on top of your opponent mentally and it gives you drive,” Denley relates.
Clinton recently achieved his personal milestone of reaching the number one ranking in his age group for the first time. Denley, on the other hand, has held the top spot on and off since 1995.
The younger Richards openly acknowledges his father’s influence in his tennis career, stating: “He inspires me, he’s my hero and mentor and I look up to him, with regard to his achievements in the sport. He’s made me a better player and a better person.”
The Richards’ legacy extends beyond the father-son duo, with Clinton noting he has a nephew also playing tennis in Johannesburg.
Looking ahead, the Richards pairing have more competitions on the horison, and continue to play in the Cape Winelands and Cape Town league. Their shared ambition is to continue their dominance locally and nationally, and potentially compete in the world championships.
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