Rafael Osuna

Long considered the greatest player in Mexican history, Osuna had an illustrious career at Southern California. But before he was a Trojan, he and future USC teammate Dennis Ralston won the men’s doubles title at Wimbledon in 1960. He also led Mexico to the finals of the Davis Cup in 1962. At USC, Osuna and Ralston led the Trojans to NCAA team championships in 1962 and ’63. Osuna also won the NCAA singles title in 1962. In doubles, Osuna and Ramsey Earnhart win back-to-back NCAA titles in 1961-62, and then Osuna and Ralston teamed up again to win the title in 1963. While still at USC, Osuna led the Mexican Davis Cup team to its only appearance in the finals. Also in 1962, he won the doubles title at the U.S. Championships, what is now the U.S. Open. In 1963, Osuna won the singles title at the U.S. Championships, added a second men’s doubles championship at Wimbledon, and became the No. 1-ranked player in the world. As if that wasn’t enough, he also earned his degree from USC in 1963. When Mexico City hosted the Summer Olympics in 1968, Osuna won the doubles gold medal when tennis was an exhibition event. Osuna was just 30 years old in 1969 when he died in a plane crash. He was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1979.