Manolo Santana left this Saturday at the age of 83 in Marbella. Unanimously considered one of the pioneers of all Spanish sport and in particular tennis, he leaves behind a material legacy in the form of 58 amateur titles and another 16 in the Open Era, including two Roland Garros, a US Open and a Wimbledon. He was the first tennis player of our country champion in all of them. He also won a gold in singles and a silver in doubles at the 1968 Mexico Games, although tennis was then a demonstration sport. Only Davis resisted him: he lost the final in 1965 and 1967.
Roland Garros 1961
On the way to his first triumph on the clay of Paris, he left two Australian giants like Roy Emerson and Rod Laver on the road, and later beat Italian Nicola Pietrangelli (4-6, 6-1, 3) in a five-set final. -6, 6-0 and 6-2).
Roland Garros 1964
Second Cup of Musketeers and second victory in a final against Pietrangelli, whom this time he beat in four rounds (6-3, 6-1, 4-6 and 7-5). Before the French Darmon, the Brazilian Barnes or the Australian Hewitt fell.
US Open 1965
First pica on American soil. He made his way to the final, leaving several locals by the wayside, such as Osborne, Riessen or the idol Arthur Ashe, which today gives its name to the main track of the tournament. In the duel for the title, without the possibility of a tie-break to decide the sets, he defeated the South African Cliff Drysdale (6-2, 7-9, 7-5 and 6-1).
Wimbledon 1966
The Wimbledon grass didn’t resist him either. He stood in the final at the expense of rivals such as the Australians Davidson and Fletcher or the British Wilson and beat the American Ralston in a match with an epic second set that ended. 6-4, 11-9 and 6-4.
Olympic Games 1968
Although tennis was not then included as an official discipline of the Olympic program, Santana returned from Mexico with two medals. He won singles gold by defeating Manuel Orantes in a fratricidal final. In doubles he fell with Juan Gisbert against the local Osuna and Zarazúa, taking the silver.