Harold Solomon

Harold Solomon

Five foot six with two hands on the backhand, Harold Solomon was the human backboard: everything came back, much of it as the moonball, the high, heavy topspin loop that became his signature. It carried him to the 1976 Roland Garros final, where Adriano Panatta beat him 6-1, 6-4, 4-6, 7-6, and to three more major semifinals, twice more in Paris and once at the 1977 US Open. In September 1980 he reached No. 5 in the world. With Eddie Dibbs he formed a doubles pair nicknamed the Bagel Twins.

Solomon won 22 career titles and served as ATP president from 1980 to 1983, helping run the tour while still playing it. Coaching became the second act, out of his Fort Lauderdale academy: five years steering Mary Joe Fernandez into the top ten, spells with Jim Courier and Monica Seles, and the fitness-first rebuild of Jennifer Capriati across 1999 and 2000 that set up her 2001 Grand Slam revival, though the two had parted before the trophies arrived.