Elaine Mason (1926-2023)

Written by Leslie Airola-Murveit

NWTO life member Elaine Mason passed away on May 31, 2023, at the age of 97.

Elaine grew up on a small family farm in Fresno County. She graduated from Washington Union High School in Easton, received her BA in Physical Education from Fresno State College and obtained her MA Degree in education from Stanford University.  She taught secondary education from 1947 through 1955 and physical education at Fresno State from 1956 until retirement in 1979.  She served as the Women's Tennis Team Coach from 1971-1978.

Elaine was a tennis legend, a senior world tennis champion and educator. Her contributions to the tennis world include designing and patenting the first children's "Shorty" tennis racquet in 1963. It is now displayed at the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport RI. She also published "Tennis" in 1974, a manual used in college to teach tennis. Following her "retirement" from Fresno State University, Elaine began playing tennis competitively at age 65.  In the years that followed she won 98 national "Gold Balls" and 14 World Championship senior titles from 1995-2006.

She served as captain of the Friendship Cup in Austria from 2002-2011, sponsored by the owners of the Buffalo Bills Football Team. Her most prized award was the USTA Service Bowl awarded at the 2010 US Open, where she had an honorary seat. Other awards include the Fresno County Athletic Hall of Fame, and she is a Fresno State Top Dog. She was awarded the Fresno State University Athlete of the Year at the age of 90 in 2015.  After competing throughout the U.S., England, Austria, Spain, Turkey, South Africa and Australia, Elaine was ranked: #1 in the world (60's division) in 1991, #1 (70's division) in 1995, #1 (80's division) 2006, and the Grand Slam Winner 2000-2003.

Elaine is fondly remembered by the tennis players at Copper River CC, Sierra Sport and Racquet Club, Clovis Tennis Club and at Fig Garden Swim and Racquet Club where a bust of her (Clement Renzi School) overlooks the tennis courts.  Elaine devoted her life to the love of the tennis game, giving all an extra spring in their step when she was on the court.  She continued to coach women at Copper River CC  into her 90’s including NWTO members Camilla Sutherland, Jean Ainger and Joan Avedian. NWT0 member Irene Harris said “Many of her former students are still actively playing in USTA leagues and in tennis tournaments. She instilled in them a love of the game.”