81-year-old Fred Drilling adds to tennis legacy with latest Team USA win

Author: Zach Oliveri
Published: Updated:

Fred Drilling of Naples has been hitting tennis balls basically his entire life.

“My dad played number one for Michigan State University,” Drilling recalled. “I figure he had a racquet in my hand when I was three. So been playing for 75 years at least.”

His life in the sport is stuff of legends. From teaching the sport to the Bush family, to helping start the FGCU women’s tennis program and even battling with some of the best.

“I played against Arthur Ashe when Arizona played UCLA,” Drilling said. “And had a good close match with him. Lost the first set 6-3. And was up 5-2 in the second set and I guess he decided he didn’t want to lose to me. So he turned it on and won the second set.”

Drilling, 81, is still on the top of his game.

“Sometimes people hit a winner shot lob it over Fred’s head,” Clive Kileff, Drilling’s tennis partner, explained. “And the other team will turn around thinking they won the point, he’ll run back there and hit a winner back. So it’s an inspiration to see how he moves.”

Drilling showcased that ability on the world stage with Team USA. He went to Turkey to compete in the International Tennis Federation Masters Team World Championships. As team captain, he helped Team USA capture the Gardner Mulloy Cup for the 80 and over group.

“We got a great crew and everyone’s really tough,” Drilling said. “I beat one player from Australia and it was the first time I’ve ever beaten him. Those are the types of things that we look forward to. It’s you know improving getting wins we haven’t before or keeping wins we’ve had before.”

This is the third year in a row Drilling’s team has won and he has no plans of stopping.

“We’re all looking forward to the 85s the 90s and hopefully the 95s,” Drilling said.

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