Jim Nelson, Millennium Hall of Fame

Richard Dunn

If anyone understands the art of playing doubles, it’s senior

tennis phenom Jim Nelson of Palisades Tennis Club in Newport Beach.

A winner of about 85 United States Tennis Association gold balls --

the prize for a national championship on the amateur circuit -- Nelson

captured his third career Grand Slam in 2000, winning USTA titles on all

four surfaces (hard court, grass, clay and indoors).

As a veteran of the game who has learned to play the angles and slice

the ball, Nelson is a master at the net, according to longtime doubles

partner Lenny Lindborg.

“Jimmy’s like a surgeon -- I’m like a hustler. It works pretty well,”

said Lindborg, a first-year player in the men’s 65s, like Nelson.

Nelson, who didn’t start winning national championships until the 45s,

played tennis in high school (Huntington Park, circa ‘53) and college

(USC and the University of Utah). But never played junior tournaments.

Nelson, who played on the All-Army team in 1958-59, started traveling

to USTA tournaments in the 35s.

“I was doing all right, but I wasn’t winning any of the big ones,” he

said. “It just sort of came together for me when I hit the 45s.”

At that point, Nelson was eager and got himself in excellent physical

condition. In addition, some of the top national players in his age group

stopped playing competitively for various reasons.

“A lot of them played so much, they were not so interested in playing

seniors,” said Nelson, whose strong finesse game began to frustrate the

circuit’s power players.

“The older you get, your legs become the most important thing, and

guys with the big serve and big shots seem to lose it faster. The guys

who keep their legs do pretty good.”

Since 1970, Nelson has won six International Tennis Federation world

titles and 85 USTA championships, mostly in men’s doubles. Nelson also

has national titles in singles and mixed doubles.

A member of U.S. international Cup teams since 1982, when his amateur

career skyrocketed, Nelson won his first men’s doubles Grand Slam in ’82

with Newport Beach’s Bob Duesler in the 45s.

Nelson plays most national tournaments with Duesler. But Duesler is

one year younger, so when Nelson enters the first year of an age division

(like this year in the 65s), he plays with Lindborg.

In 1990, Nelson won his second Grand Slam, playing with Lindborg in

the 55s. Ten years later, they did it again, winning the USTA hard courts

at Huntington Beach in July, the indoors at Seattle in August, on grass

in early September at Seabright, N.J., and on clay in late September at

Knoxville, Tenn.

Nelson, who won seven straight national titles with Duesler in 1982

and ’83 (coming close to back-to-back Grand Slams), also triumphed in

singles at the 2000 USTA Indoor Championships and reached the finals on

grass in New Jersey, losing a third-set tiebreaker.

“I look at (doubles) like it’s more of a chess match,” Nelson said.

“You’ve got to have good chemistry with your partner, good movement on

the court and a good demeanor. Singles is more of a physical effort. In

doubles, you’re working, but not like in singles, and doubles really is a

team effort.

“It’s something I certainly enjoy playing more than singles, but I

like to keep my hand in singles.”

Along with his three Grand Slams, one of Nelson’s highlights was

winning an ITF world championship in England five years ago, his first

campaign in the 60s when he was ranked No. 1 in the U.S. and captured two

gold balls.

While playing international Cup events for the U.S., Nelson has played

on two winning Dubler Cup teams (45s), two winning Austria Cup teams

(55s) and three winning Von Cramm Cup teams (60s).

“Jimmy can put these little angles on you and he lobs well,” Lindborg

said. “He really can put the ball in a spot on the court where you can’t

get it.”

Nelson founded the Southern California Senior Tennis Society in 1972,

which grew to over 700 members by 1983. It later merged with the Southern

California Tennis Association.

Nelson, the latest honoree in the Daily Pilot Sports Hall of Fame, has

also been an active USTA volunteer, serving on a variety of committees.

A resident of Irvine, Nelson has been an independent stockbroker for

several years, based out of Port Securities, Inc., in Newport Beach. He

and his wife, Barbara, have two grown sons.