Dori DeVries – NorCal’s Player of the Year
Recently, we had a chance to catch up with Dori, between matches, in Palm Desert, CA. Her story, besides being incredibly inspirational and motivating, is truly a dream come true for amateur tennis players.
Dori started playing tennis at age 38. She played softball until a grade school friend asked her to join their “D” level tennis team to fill out the roster. She had never played tennis, but borrowed a racquet from a neighbor, and began hitting balls against a wall. Five days later she was hooked. That was 42 years ago.
In 2015 Dori won all four National Championships, (Clay, Grass, Hardcourt and Indoors) in doubles, a Gold Slam. In 2016 she won all four National Championships in singles, a second Gold Slam. She was elected into the NorCal USTA Hall of Fame in 2004. Her three most memorable years.
In 2017, Dori was selected as the NorCal USTA Player of the year, for a second time, after winning the ASICS World Tennis Classic W75 Doubles, the USTA National Hard Court W80 Doubles Championship, the USTA National Grass Court W80 Singles Championship, the USTA National Indoor W80 Doubles Championship and compiling an overall 29-9 record in USTA National events. Dori also reached the finals of the ITF Super-Senior World Individual Championship. But she doesn’t play for the trophies and awards. She plays for the love of the game.
Dori was selected to represent the United States 18 of the last 19 years in international tennis play. Her 2017 Doris Hart Cup team cruised to the finals without losing a match, before winning a close match-up with the Canadian team and bringing home seven out of a possible nine trophies. Dori won both her singles and doubles matches in the finals for the Team USA victory.
Dori, 80 years young, attributes her longevity to good genes and luck. She stretches daily, plays almost every day and sometimes twice a day. She calls her serve “puny”, but the spins drive opponents crazy. And after her matches, she enjoys a margarita … on the rocks, no salt. Congratulations, and thank you, Dori, for being an inspiration to us all!
