Flashback 100: Todd Martin’s Road to Greatness Starts at East Lansing
September 20, 2024
Todd Martin is widely recognized for his successful professional tennis career, and that success was rooted in mid-Michigan.
He excelled on the tennis court for East Lansing, winning the Class A No. 1 singles title in 1987 after finishing as the flight runner-up in 1986. His flight championship also helped the Trojans secure second place as a team.
After graduating from high school, Martin continued his tennis journey at Northwestern University, where he played for two years before turning professional in 1990.
His breakthrough came in 1993, with five victories over top-10 players, solidifying his rise in the sport. Martin represented the United States in the Davis Cup for nine consecutive years and was part of the championship-winning team in 1995. He reached his first Grand Slam final at the Australian Open in 1994 and made it to the finals of the U.S. Open in 1999, where he lost to Andre Agassi in a five-set match - watch here. Martin achieved a career-high ranking of World No. 4 in 1999 and won a total of eight career titles.
Beyond his on-court achievements, Todd Martin is also known for his philanthropic efforts. He founded the Todd Martin Youth Leadership program, which provides educational and athletic opportunities to underserved youth in Michigan. His commitment to both the sport of tennis and his community has left a lasting legacy, both during his playing career and in his post-professional life.
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Previous "Flashback 100" Features
Sept. 13: James Earl Jones, Dickson High Hoops to Hollywood Legend - Read
Sept. 6: Pioneers' Unstoppable Streak Stretches 9 Seasons - Read
Aug. 30: Detroit dePorres Rushes to 1995 Class CC Football Championship - Read
PHOTOS At left, Todd Martin, and at right Martin (back row, center) stands among 1986 WMTA District Qualifier champions. (Photos courtesy of the Todd Martin Youth Leadership Program.)
Performance of the Week: Midland Dow's Austin King
September 1, 2022
Austin King ♦ Midland Dow
Tennis ♦ Sophomore
Over three days last week, Midland Dow played six opponents – including five ranked among the top 10 in Lower Peninsula Division 2. The No. 2-ranked Chargers won five of those matches and tied the sixth, paced by King’s 6-0 performance at No. 1 singles. Dow tied then-No. 1 Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern, and defeated No. 3 Birmingham Groves, No. 4 Birmingham Seaholm, No. 5 Mattawan, No. 9 Traverse City Central and Gibraltar Carlson, catapulting the Chargers into the top spot in this week’s coaches association poll.
King lost only one set over those six matches – the first against Groves’ Nolan Kovan, last season’s LPD2 Finals runner-up at No. 1 singles. King is 13-1 this season with his only defeat to Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood’s Owen DeMuth, the LPD3 No. 1 singles runner-up the last two seasons. King was 28-7 as a freshman when he also played No. 1 singles and reached the quarterfinals as the sixth seed at the Finals.
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2022-23 Honorees
Aug. 25: Olivia Hemmila, Troy Athens golf - Report
(Photos courtesy of the Midland Dow boys tennis program.)