Hall of Fame Inductees
A top-ranked tennis player in his youth, Alan was the United States and Canadian National Boys Singles Champion in the 15-and-under division. During his freshman year at Wesleyan, Roberts went on to capture the United States National Junior Singles Championship in the 18-and-under division, and the U.S. #1 junior ranking as well.
He grew up in Brooklyn, New York in a small, one-bedroom apartment with his mother and younger sister. Alan chose to attend Wesleyan for its educational value, knowing that it would set him up for a professional life in the field of medicine.
Losing only one match during his time at Wesleyan, Roberts achieved All-American honors as a Third Team selection in the 1959-60 season. Never short on strategy, his successful style as a baseliner and counterpuncher, along with his exceptional one-handed backhand and fierce competitive nature, helped him qualify for the United States National Lawn Tennis Association (USNTLA) championships in 1957. In 1959 and 1962, he advanced to the second round at the USNLTA championships, later renamed the U.S. Open Tennis Championships in 1968. By the end of his senior year at Wesleyan (1960), he was ranked 27th in men’s singles in the U.S.
After graduating from Wesleyan, Alan attended Jefferson Medical School in Philadelphia, did his residency at Tulane, then moved to Los Angeles where he worked as an orthopedic surgeon.
Alan loved tennis and played almost every day throughout his life. In 1978, he was ranked 7th in the U.S. in 35-and-over men’s singles. Roberts coached his two sons through the tennis ranks, as well; both went on to play Division I college tennis. He authored Insights on Tennis: A Guide for the Aspiring Champion and Parent, a book that provides insight to competitors and their parents on the advantages of tennis and the importance of fundamentals.
Roberts died earlier this year before learning of his Hall of Fame status, but his son, Dan, shared that Alan would have been thrilled to be honored in the sport that had given him so much.
