Leaches align forces with Breakers

When the Newport Beach Breakers open the World Team Tennis season Thursday against the host Springfield Lasers, the father-son tandem of Dick and Rick Leach will reunite as coach and player.

The last time they were in those roles was 1987, when Rick Leach played for the USC men’s tennis team and Dick Leach was the Trojans coach.

Rick Leach has played on several different World Team Tennis squads over 10 years, including Springfield, the Kansas City Lasers, the St. Louis Aces, a now-defunct Boise squad and the former Newport Beach Dukes.

Rick Leach, a member of both the Newport Beach Tennis Club and the Palisades Tennis Club, where the Breakers will play their home matches, is taking advantage of the opportunity to play both professionally and competitively under his father for perhaps the last time.

The Breakers open their home schedule Saturday against Kansas City.

With rising stars Ramon Delgado and Anastassia Rodionova back and Pete Sampras signed on for seven regular-season matches and the playoffs, Rick Leach hopes to go out in style by winning a World Team Tennis title with his father.

“This will most likely be the last time I play professionally, so I’d like to go out with a bang,” Rick Leach said.

Dick and Rick Leach have enjoyed a strong father-son bond throughout the years that tennis has helped cultivate.

“I think the most important thing is he somehow taught me to love the game,” Rick Leach said. “I don’t know how he did it, but he really gave me a passion for the game. I really respect that about him. He never forced me to play, so he made me really enjoy myself. That’s probably why I played for so long. I played for 18 years on the tour.”

Rick Leach retired from the ATP Tour last year after the U.S. Open in New York. Last season at age 40, Leach won the doubles title at the ATP Countrywide Classic ? then known as the Mercedes-Benz Cup ? with partner Brian MacPhie at UCLA. Leach and MacPhie, a wild-card team, defeated Jonathan Erlich and Andy Ram, 6-3, 6-4, in the championship match.

Leach and MacPhie upset No. 2-seeded Wayne Arthurs and Paul Hanley in the first round, 7-5, 4-6, 6-3.

“I’m 41 years old and I really haven’t lost my hands yet,” Rick Leach said. “I’m still able to volley really well and that’s my biggest strength. That’s why I played so long in doubles. I won the L.A. Open last year because I just haven’t lost my hands. I’ve still got quick hands and I really enjoy volleying. Obviously doubles is won at the net, so, luckily, that skill hasn’t left me yet.”

Leach, a left-handed swinger who resides in Laguna Beach, reached the quarterfinals or better in six ATP doubles events last year.

He won at least one ATP doubles title a year for 16 years (from 1987 to 2002), which is the longest streak on the tour.

Leach has five Grand Slam men’s doubles titles and four Grand Slam mixed doubles championships to his credit. He has won three Australian Open men’s doubles titles, twice with Jim Pugh and once with Ellis Ferreira; a Wimbledon men’s doubles title in 1990 with Pugh; and a U.S. Open men’s doubles championship in 1993 with Ken Flach.

“I’d have to say winning Wimbledon was a big thrill. And winning the U.S. Open ? because it’s the only Grand Slam event in the U.S. ? that was also a big thrill,” Leach said. “And being part of two winning Davis Cup teams, in 1990 and 1992. That was gratifying because it made so many other people happy, so many American tennis fans happy.

“Any time you win a Grand Slam or you’re playing for your country, it kind of makes everything worthwhile. All those long hours of training pay off.”

Leach also has teamed with his father to capture 10 United States Tennis Assn. age-group doubles titles. They competed together over Father’s Day weekend for the first time in six years, capturing second place at the 12th annual USTA national father and son hardcourt doubles championships at the Newport Beach Tennis Club.

Dick Leach retired in 2002 after coaching the USC men’s tennis team for 23 years. He guided the Trojans to 535 victories, including four NCAA titles and seven Pac-10 championships. Leach, who was diagnosed with diabetes in 1997, had a brush with death two years ago when a blood clot settled on his lung.

Even though the Leaches didn’t win, like they always had before, the fact that Dick Leach is able to compete again is a feat in itself.

“The last time I played was 1999,” Dick Leach said. “We won the U.S. Open father-son tournament in La Jolla. We’ve always won in father-son tournaments, [the Newport Beach Tennis Club event] was our first runner-up finish. I’ve got some health issues. I’m doing fine, but my shoulder was worn out. The doctor said I’d have to serve underhand, but I won’t do that.”

Rick Leach said playing with his father again was a huge thrill after all his father has been through.

“I asked him to play a couple months ago, and he didn’t think he could even get through the tournament,” Rick Leach said. “After we played the quarterfinals and semifinals on Saturday, the next day he couldn’t even raise his arm, so I knew we were in trouble in the final,” Rick Leach said. “But he did great. We lost, 7-5, 6-3, in the final, but what I tried to explain to him was that this is a national tournament. You get a silver ball. Getting a silver ball is not that bad. You’ve got people all over the country trying to do this.

“Even though we didn’t win, it was a thrill to be on the court with him. I told him, a couple of years ago, ‘When you were in the emergency room, almost dying, did you ever think you’d be competing for a national title again?’ He’s like, ‘No way.’

“That was a great Father’s Day for me to be on the same court with him, especially when you think those days are over.”

Dick Leach said that serving is the main part of his game that has fallen off, but he had a ball competing again. He has played competitively with his son, he has coached his son and he has even coached with his son ? at USC in 1991 when Rick took a year off from the pro circuit.

Which does he prefer?

“I love it all,” Dick Leach said. “Any time you do something you love more than anything in the world, it’s all good.”

Dick Leach, whose son John, a former ATP player, is married to Lindsay Davenport, is looking forward to coaching his son Rick in World Team Tennis.

“I told him he’d just be one of the team, like everyone else,” Dick Leach said.

Both father and son relish the opportunity, especially after being on different teams the last few years. Rick Leach played for Springfield the last two seasons while Dick Leach is entering his fourth season as Breakers coach.

“I’m really looking forward to Rick being on the team,” Dick Leach said. “I hated going against him. It was really difficult for me. It’s hard to root against your son. But we handled it professionally.”

Said Rick, “Last year I went against him when I played for Springfield, and I played for Kansas City one time against him in St. Louis. It has been weird playing against him. I haven’t liked it at all.

“This year is going to be fun. I’ll be spending more time with my dad, he’ll be coaching me on the court, and I’ll be home playing in front of my family and friends.”