UT Martin alum Tom Wride, (’01), teamed with Duncan Howell and won the United States Tennis Association (USTA) Men’s National 30’s Hard Court Doubles Championship at the Westwood Country Club in Austin, Texas, in March.
It was quite an accomplishment for Wride, who played tennis at UT Martin and now resides in Memphis.
The chemistry between Wride and Howell was evident from the beginning. Their journey began with a 6-2, 6-2 victory in the quarterfinals, then a 6-3, 6-0 win in the semifinals led to the championship showdown.
“Duncan is a friend of mine whom I met on the tennis circuit,” Wride said. “We have worked together coaching junior tennis players in Memphis, and it was through Duncan that I met my wife, Erin.”
Born in Birmingham, England, Wride was the first-ever left-handed player to play for head coach Dennis Taylor at UT Martin. Taylor, who is in his 23rd season at the helm of the Skyhawk tennis program, was not shocked to hear the news of Wride’s magical run through the tournament. “He was left-handed, and he seemed to have an advantage playing doubles,” Taylor said. “He would get tremendous angles on his shots that would draw his opponents off the court.”
Wride put together a 75-71 overall record at UT Martin, earning All-Ohio Valley Conference honors as a freshman in 1998 and again as a senior in 2001. He played the majority of his singles career at No. 1 (35 of 78 matches), but it was evident that doubles was his specialty. He held a 40-28 career doubles record as a Skyhawk, playing 47 of his 68 matches at No. 1.
Before joining the UT Martin program, Wride was the Birmingham Player of the Year and was ranked among the top 25 players in England in 1996.
After graduating, Wride has coached tennis and competed in tournaments. Off the court, he earned his master’s degree from the University of Memphis in 2005 and was employed as a research associate at the school from 2004 through 2007. Currently, he is the lead clinical research associate at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, a position he has held since 2007.
“I am glad to see Tom having success after college,” Taylor said. “So many times an athlete’s career ends once they leave college, but I’m glad Tom has found a venue to showcase his talents.”
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