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By Ryan Wolfington

In the 1980's one of the biggest names in tennis was our own David Pate. Now Director of Tennis at the Famingo and Bally's Resorts, Pate put Las Vegas tennis on the map in the 80's and no year was better for the former #1 player then 1987.

With wins over Conners, Sampras, Agassi, Chang, Gilbert, Gullikson and most notably Lendel when he was #1, and Edberg when he was #2 in the world, Pate had one of the fastest serves on the tour at 137 mile an hour.
His greatest title took place at the LA open when he beat Michael Chang, Peter L undgren, life long friend Andre Agassi, Brad Gilbert and then #2 Stephan Edberg in one draw!. This helped propel Pate to a career high #18 in the world. In 1991 Pate played as a member of the Davis Cup team with Agassi and Courier.

Soon enough his shoulder took the beating those serves would give it and Pate focused on doubles with partner Scott Davis (now at Newport Racket Club.) Pate won over eighteen doubles titles during his career, most with Davis. The pair became #1 in the world after winning the Australian Open in 1991. Pate's lifetime earnings were over 2 million dollars and even after retiring continues to plays the game at a high level. Davis and Pate have won countless US OPEN and Wimbledon men's 35 events, one as recently as a few years ago.

The Pate family has a long tennis tradition that goes way back to exhibition park in Los Angeles where Pate's father, Chuck Pate, taught former #1 player in the world Poncho Gonzales how to play the game. Gonzales at the peak of his career recruited Pate's father to run Caesars Palace tennis in the 70's. Further, his brother Jack and he collectively won 6 state championships playing for Clark high school. Both went on to play for Texas Christian University with honors, achieving All-American twice, a Hall of Fame induction and David Won the 1981 NCAA Doubles title with Carl Richter.

David's older brother Chuck Pate Jr. also played tennis on scholarship at BYU , won some father and son national title, and the family won the 1978 Equitable family tennis challenge title. Chuck Jr. now owns the Tustin Hills Racquet Club in California. David's wife Debbie plays USTA-Nevada 3.5 league and runs the Tennis shops at Bally's and Flamingo. Their son Dakota is playing at Tennessee Chattanooga on scholarship and Colton Pate plays for Coronado high school team as a senior. Daughter Sarah is an accomplished soccer player at Coronado and plays tennis as well.

Pate's annual Charity Tennis Classic has been raising funds for charities for close to 15 years. This year proceeds go to benefit the USTA-Nevada junior programs.
Connections Academy
Tennis Warehouse
Dartfish
Great Harvest Bread Co.
Marty Hennessy Foundation
Tennis Training Aid - AceBuilder Service Target
The Volley Cam
2400 Expert

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