University of Memphis Athletics
Former Men’s Tennis Coach Being Inducted to Memphis Open Hall of Fame
Feb 15, 2017 | Men's Tennis
Former Memphis player went on to coach players to 10 all-conference honors.
MEMPHIS – Former Memphis men's tennis player and coach Phil Chamberlain will be inducted to the Memphis Open Hall of Fame on Thursday night as part of the 2017 Memphis Open festivities.
Chamberlain came to Memphis in 1973 from Perth, Australia to play under then-coach Tommy Buford, who was inducted to the inaugural Memphis Open Hall of Fame last February. As a member of the Tiger roster, Chamberlain won Metro Conference singles and doubles champions in 1975 and 1976 after teaming with Keith West to win the NCAA Southern Doubles Championship in 1974. With Chamberlain playing at one singles, the 1975 Tiger team ranked as high as 18th in the nation.
After graduating cum laude from Memphis State in 1976, Chamberlain went in to coaching. He served as an assistant coach at Memphis State from 1979-80, also serving as the head professional at The Racquet Club of Memphis starting in 1978. In 1979 and 1982, he was named the Tennessee "Professional of the Year" and received the STA Professional of the Year Educational Merit Award. He served as the head coach of the Tennessee Junior Davis Cup team in 1983 and from 1984-1998 coached that Tennessee Junior Davis Cup team and the Wightman Cup teams, including a 1998 Wightman Cup team that won the championship. In 1990, he also coached the STA Girls Intersectional Team.
In 1988, Chamberlain was inducted to the University of Memphis M Club Hall of Fame. In 1992, he was inducted to the Memphis City Amateur Hall of Fame. He added a third Hall of Fame honor, the Tennessee Tennis Hall of Fame, in 2001.
He served in various administrative and coaching positions in tennis in Memphis before returning to the now-renamed University of Memphis in 1998 as an assistant coach to Buford. On Buford's departure in 1999, Chamberlain took over the Memphis program, serving as the Memphis head coach from 1999-2004. He capped his coaching career at Memphis with a 100-59 record and with a top three-finish in the 2004 Conference USA standings. His teams at Memphis never won fewer than 15 dual matches in a season and in his six seasons, 10 Tigers were named all-Conference USA honorees.
In 2001, Chamberlain helped the Memphis men's tennis program come full circle, as the team made its first appearance in the ITA national team rankings (top 75) for the first time in 26 years. The following year, Chamberlain's Tigers were ranked among the ITA's best for the full season and sported nationally-ranked doubles players (Ben Stapp & Lee Taylor Walker) for the first time in the ITA rankings.
While serving as the Memphis men's tennis coach, Chamberlain continued his duties at The Racquet Club while also serving as an assistant tournament director for the tournament, now dubbed the Memphis Open. He served in various roles at the tournament for over 20 years before becoming the tournament director from 2005-2008. He has also served as tournament director for various NCAA Division II and III championships and junior college and NAIA championships. In the USTA, he also served as the tournament director for the National 18 Girls Clay Court Championships hosted each summer at The Racquet Club.
Chamberlain left the Racquet Club, and the tournament in 2008, and now serves as the director of the Dunavant-Wellford Tennis Center, which houses indoor and outdoor courts used by both Memphis University School and Hutchinson school. He currently coaches at Hutchinson and in his prep coaching career, has guided nine different players to teams where they have gone on to win an NCAA championship.
Chamberlain is also the first of three Chamberlains to suit up for Memphis. His son Michael, who is currently the Director of Tennis at The Racquet Club, was a two-time all-conference player under his dad from 2001-2002. Daughter Kristin suited up for the Lady Tiger Tennis program from 2008-09.
Chamberlain is joining last year's inaugural inductees in the Memphis Open Hall of Fame. Tommy Buford, William B. Dunavant and Mike and Bob Bryan were inducted to the hall last year.
Be the first to know what's happening with the Memphis Tigers -- Follow @TigersAthletics on Twitter, become a fan of Memphis Tigers Athletics on Facebook, and like the photos on our Instagram account. Be sure to visit our Social Media page and download our Memphis Tigers Gameday mobile app from the Apple Store and Google Play! To get involved with #GoTigersGo, become a season-ticket holder or join the Tiger Scholarship Fund!
Chamberlain came to Memphis in 1973 from Perth, Australia to play under then-coach Tommy Buford, who was inducted to the inaugural Memphis Open Hall of Fame last February. As a member of the Tiger roster, Chamberlain won Metro Conference singles and doubles champions in 1975 and 1976 after teaming with Keith West to win the NCAA Southern Doubles Championship in 1974. With Chamberlain playing at one singles, the 1975 Tiger team ranked as high as 18th in the nation.
After graduating cum laude from Memphis State in 1976, Chamberlain went in to coaching. He served as an assistant coach at Memphis State from 1979-80, also serving as the head professional at The Racquet Club of Memphis starting in 1978. In 1979 and 1982, he was named the Tennessee "Professional of the Year" and received the STA Professional of the Year Educational Merit Award. He served as the head coach of the Tennessee Junior Davis Cup team in 1983 and from 1984-1998 coached that Tennessee Junior Davis Cup team and the Wightman Cup teams, including a 1998 Wightman Cup team that won the championship. In 1990, he also coached the STA Girls Intersectional Team.
In 1988, Chamberlain was inducted to the University of Memphis M Club Hall of Fame. In 1992, he was inducted to the Memphis City Amateur Hall of Fame. He added a third Hall of Fame honor, the Tennessee Tennis Hall of Fame, in 2001.
He served in various administrative and coaching positions in tennis in Memphis before returning to the now-renamed University of Memphis in 1998 as an assistant coach to Buford. On Buford's departure in 1999, Chamberlain took over the Memphis program, serving as the Memphis head coach from 1999-2004. He capped his coaching career at Memphis with a 100-59 record and with a top three-finish in the 2004 Conference USA standings. His teams at Memphis never won fewer than 15 dual matches in a season and in his six seasons, 10 Tigers were named all-Conference USA honorees.
In 2001, Chamberlain helped the Memphis men's tennis program come full circle, as the team made its first appearance in the ITA national team rankings (top 75) for the first time in 26 years. The following year, Chamberlain's Tigers were ranked among the ITA's best for the full season and sported nationally-ranked doubles players (Ben Stapp & Lee Taylor Walker) for the first time in the ITA rankings.
While serving as the Memphis men's tennis coach, Chamberlain continued his duties at The Racquet Club while also serving as an assistant tournament director for the tournament, now dubbed the Memphis Open. He served in various roles at the tournament for over 20 years before becoming the tournament director from 2005-2008. He has also served as tournament director for various NCAA Division II and III championships and junior college and NAIA championships. In the USTA, he also served as the tournament director for the National 18 Girls Clay Court Championships hosted each summer at The Racquet Club.
Chamberlain left the Racquet Club, and the tournament in 2008, and now serves as the director of the Dunavant-Wellford Tennis Center, which houses indoor and outdoor courts used by both Memphis University School and Hutchinson school. He currently coaches at Hutchinson and in his prep coaching career, has guided nine different players to teams where they have gone on to win an NCAA championship.
Chamberlain is also the first of three Chamberlains to suit up for Memphis. His son Michael, who is currently the Director of Tennis at The Racquet Club, was a two-time all-conference player under his dad from 2001-2002. Daughter Kristin suited up for the Lady Tiger Tennis program from 2008-09.
Chamberlain is joining last year's inaugural inductees in the Memphis Open Hall of Fame. Tommy Buford, William B. Dunavant and Mike and Bob Bryan were inducted to the hall last year.
Be the first to know what's happening with the Memphis Tigers -- Follow @TigersAthletics on Twitter, become a fan of Memphis Tigers Athletics on Facebook, and like the photos on our Instagram account. Be sure to visit our Social Media page and download our Memphis Tigers Gameday mobile app from the Apple Store and Google Play! To get involved with #GoTigersGo, become a season-ticket holder or join the Tiger Scholarship Fund!
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