University of Tennessee Athletics
Former Tennis Coach Louis Royal Passes Away
February 07, 2017 | Men's Tennis
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Former men’s tennis head coach and team captain Louis Royal passed away Friday in Knoxville.
Royal coached the Vols from 1968-76, notably leading the team in an SEC team title in 1970 and three second-place finishes. He finished with an overall coaching record of 120-69-1, including a 27-2 mark in 1972.
“He is an inspired and hard-working mentor who expects, and receives, a corresponding effort from his players,” proclaimed the men’s tennis team brochure in Royal’s debut 1968 season.
Royal developed great talent during his years on Rocky Top. He coached two-time All-American Tommy Mozur (1968 and 1970), who won the SEC No. 1 singles title in 1968 and was ranked No. 15 in the country, the highest ever by a Vol at that time.
During his tenure, the Vols won eight SEC individual titles and the Vols earned 14 All-SEC titles.
Prior to serving as head coach, he was an assistant under legendary tennis and basketball coach Tommy Bartlett, who passed away last year. Royal was on staff when the Vols won their second-ever SEC title in 1966.
In addition to coaching, Royal was quite the tennis player himself. After winning the U.S. Army European singles championship in 1956, he returned to Knoxville to join the University of Tennessee squad, serving as captain of the 1960 team. He earned the No. 1 spot in the lineup as a sophomore and held that for the remainder of his career.
On the recreational circuit, Royal won the 1958 Tennessee Amateur championship and three consecutive Knoxville city titles.
He earned his degree in business administration from the University of Tennessee and spent many years working with the Knoxville recreation department as the director of tennis.
A memorial of life celebration will be held Saturday from 10 a.m.-noon at Meridian Baptist Church, 6513 Chapman Highway in Knoxville.
