“He learned the game young, long before it was a look or a lifestyle. I grew up chasing the same rhythm, the same standards, the same love for the sport. Different eras, same court. Family tradition, inherited backhand.”
— Carly Semack
Phil Slotin, Navy-strong, staring down match point like it owed him money. Wins the Third Naval Tennis Tournament.
Trophy secured. Legacy intact.
His official statement?
“I thought I was gonna die.”
Greatness is dramatic. Queens, New York 1946