UCLA standout and College Tennis Great Roy Barth is sharing the lessons he learned through tennis in his new book, Point of Impact. Barth explores his relationships with his friends and family, his experience playing on the professional tour, his perspective living through important milestones in tennis history, and his involvement in growing the new Kiawah Tennis Resort into one of the top tennis resorts in the world.
“You never know where the most important lessons in your life will come from,” Barth said. “Mine came from the tennis court — where I learned about sportsmanship, competition, character, quality relationships, and positive thinking. At the time I thought I was just focusing on a sport, but later in life I realized those lessons were not just about tennis. My on-court development “served” me well in my off-court success.
Tennis was my backdrop, but the lessons are universal. Perhaps another ambitious athlete will learn to set mini-goals, or an aspiring musician will embrace lessons from the ‘greats’ of the time. Or perhaps a junior partner will learn to concentrate on one challenge at a time and avoid burning out while advancing within the company. There are lessons here for everyone.”
Barth spent four years playing for the UCLA Bruins. During his time with the Bruins, he was named an ITA All-American twice and reached the semifinals and finals of the NCAA Doubles Championship. Barth’s highest rankings in college were No. 8 and No. 2 in singles and doubles, respectively. After college tennis, he went on to compete professionally for 10 years. At the 1969 US Open, Barth reached the Round of 16. Barth made it to the top 50 singles ranking during his professional career. Outside of his impressive playing career, Barth was a founding member of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) and served as Treasurer on the Board of Directors for the PTR. He currently serves as Director Emeritus of Tennis at the Kiawah Island Golf Resort, where he has been for over 40 years.
