May - June 2003
Vol. 14, No. 3 | Contents
by Ryan John
When Cliff Swain is inducted into the USRA Hall of Fame in May, many will ask, “How can Cliff go into the Hall of Fame? Isn’t he still playing?” Yes, Cliff is still playing, is currently ranked in the top three, and has no plans to retire anytime soon. But the minimum age for being nominated and considered for the honor is just 35, so another question could easily be, “Why wasn’t he inducted last year?”“It’s a huge honor and highly unexpected, especially since I am still playing,” Cliff said. “Playing racquetball for a living has been an incredible life. I feel like I should be saying ‘thank you’ instead of being honored.”
With over 80 professional tournament victories to his credit, Cliff Swain is considered by many to be the best racquetball player ever. He dominated the pro circuit throughout the 90’s and continues to do so into a new century. In 2002, at the age of 35, he became the first player to win six professional season-ending rankings titles (1990, ’93, ‘94, ’95, ’98, 2002).
He has also won two U.S. OPEN championships (1997, 2001) and as recently as last November reached the final of the sport’s only “grand slam” against rival Sudsy Monchik. A back injury during the third game hampered Cliff’s bid for a third U.S. OPEN crown, but he has since returned to the tour full-time to complete the current season.
Cliff actually could have earned many more tour victories, and possibly two more season-ending rankings titles, had he not quit racquetball for two years to pursue a pro tennis career. “I met Boris Becker and his coach one day and started playing tennis,” Cliff explained. “They thought I could get really good at it, really fast.”
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20 Questions … Cliff Swain |
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6 Time Pro Champion 2 Time U.S. OPEN Champion |
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Birthdate: March 21, 1966
(Age: 37) |
After his stint in tennis during the early ‘90’s Cliff returned to the indoor courts and promptly took back his No.1 ranking in the
first year. “I missed playing racquetball and the tour began to do a lot better,” referring to the turmoil of the IRT in the early 90’s.
He has been playing full time on the tour ever since then and shows no signs of slowing down. “I expect my best year yet, next year,” he said. “The tour is improving and Dave Negrete is doing a great job as commissioner. I am looking forward to many more years of playing.”
Swain & Yellen, circa 1988. National
Racquetball
When asked if he had an idea of how long he wanted to play on the IRT, Cliff replied, “I’m not putting a timeline on it. The reason people retire too early is because they feel they get old at a certain age. I hope that when I retire it’s to do something else, not because I can’t play anymore.”
But it looks like the only thing he won’t be able to play anymore is the field … he’s being taken off the market. Once regarded as one of Boston’s most eligible bachelors, Cliff will have to give up that distinction in May of next year, when he will marry Kristina Klimaitis at the Dews Mansion in downtown Chicago. “I met her at a tournament in Chicago and we started talking on the phone.” After a year of courtship, the two became engaged.
With seemingly all of his fellow top pros already starting families, Cliff thinks that he and Kristy will wait for a few years. “We’ve enjoyed the time we’ve had being engaged. I think we are going to enjoy a few years of being married and then enjoy the years of having children.”
So it seems that it’s full steam ahead for a racquetball icon, who’s now in the Hall of Fame with an unsurpassed record, and headed toward a full and happy married life. Not a bad way to start a new season.
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