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Mel Purcell: From College to the Pros and Back Again By James H. DeLorenzo [Originally published in the ATP Tour's International Tennis Magazine March/April 1998 issue.] Clay courts are meant to be played on, not worn. Unless you are Mel Purcell, who regularly dives around in the stuff, coming up with more on his shirt than on his shoes. "I love to go out and hustle, just give my all out there," said Purcell. "Whether I'm 21 or 41, I'll still dive for balls. That's what I get for idolizing Cliff Ritchey." Purcell's been diving, hustling, and generally making a name for himself on the men's senior tennis circuit of late (the Nuveen Tour in the United States, the ATP Tour of Champions in Europe, and the Champions Tour in Asia). A veteran of the tennis world, Purcell also finds plenty of time to work on his game, and those of his students, as the men's tennis head coach at Murray State University in Murray, Kentucky. It is only fitting that Purcell has returned to coach in the college ranks, for it was in college that he had his earliest successes. "I played my first year at Memphis State under coach Tom Buford," Purcell said. "It was close to my home, and I was just a good old Southern boy who turned down offers from schools like UCLA and Texas to stay in the South. But I didn't get enough of the competition I was looking for there. "So I transferred to the University of Tennessee, and had to sit out a year," said Purcell. "When I finally got to play (1979-80), I won the NCAA indoor title in singles, and won the outdoor doubles title teamed with Rodney Harmon. I decided that turning pro might be possible after I lost to Marcel Freedman in the first round of the NCAA outdoor singles championships." Purcell's instincts must have been correct, for he was named the ATP Tour Rookie of the Year in 1980. "I turned pro in July 1980, after I beat Eddie Dibbs in a Junior Davis Cup match," Purcell said. "After the match they asked me if I was a pro or an amateur. I had written amateur on the entry, but the win over Dibbs gave me confidence, so I told them I was a pro. I knew I belonged. I had played a lot of good college players, and had always believed in myself. A lot of good players never make that breakthrough. "It's easy to get awed by your competition," said Purcell. "I mean, even now, when I'm out there against Jimmy Connors or Bjorn Borg, after all these years it's still mind boggling." During that debut season, Purcell advanced to the quarterfinals of three tournaments and the semifinals of two others (one in singles and one in doubles). He even reached his highest career ranking on the ATP Tour, moving from 230th to 21st by the end of the season. Purcell's crowning Grand Slam moment came in 1983, when he advanced to the quarterfinals at Wimbledon. He reached the round of 16 at the French Open twice, in 1981 and 1982. During this first phase of his career, Purcell captured three singles titles (Atlanta, Tampa Bay & Tel Aviv) and advanced to the finals of four other tournaments. His most impressive wins came over Ivan Lendl, Boris Becker, and future fellow Nuveen Tour players Yannick Noah, Ilie Nastase and Stan Smith. Purcell returned to the professional tennis ranks during the 1994-95 season on the senior circuit, not long after his 35th birthday. Currently ranked ninth in the 1997-98 Nuveen Masters Point Standings, the 39-year-old Purcell is always a crowd favorite wherever he plays. He is known for being one of the more flamboyant players, as well as one of the quickest. His most impressive moment on the senior circuit may have come last March at the season-ending Nuveen Masters in Naples, FL. There, he advanced to the singles final against the ever-tough Connors, eventually succumbing 6-2, 6-2. In competition during the current season, Purcell reached the singles semifinals at the Big Bear Champions event in Columbus, OH. The 5'10, 155 pound Purcell, who plays righthanded, is quick to credit coaches like John Newman (at Tennessee) and his own father, Bennie Purcell, for his success. "My father coached at Murray State since 1971," Purcell said. "He was always my coach from childhood, and he's the one who taught me the most about this game." Bennie Purcell compiled a remarkable 569-258 record in a 25-year coaching tenure with the Murray State Racers, guiding his student-athletes to 11 Ohio Valley Conference titles along the way. When his son would come home from senior tour matches, it wasn't unusual to find the younger Purcell assisting his dad. Finally, in 1996, Bennie decided to retire from the role as head coach, and Mel took over. But Bennie's still involved now as his son's assistant coach. "This is really the second phase of my career," Purcell said. "I want to teach and watch younger players develop like I did." Purcell started coaching not at Murray, but at Southern Methodist University back in 1990. "I stopped playing full-time in 1990," said Purcell. "My old doubles partner, Tony Delatt, was the interim head coach at Southern Methodist that spring, and I helped him out for four months. Then I started volunteering with my dad. "I wasn't having fun playing on the tour anymore, I was losing matches and I didn't care," Purcell said. "So I came back home to get back in the right frame of mind, and the next thing I know I'm running the program." Purcell's first full season as head coach was last year, and while he's not ashamed of his squad's 6-22 record during that inaugural campaign, he knows better days are ahead. "Things are starting to pick up this year," said Purcell. "It's the recruiting of new players that is the most difficult part of this job. I knew it was never going to be easy, but it is an honor to follow in my father's footsteps like this. I'm not afraid to lose a few more matches, though, because I'm going to schedule the toughest competition to give my players the same challenges I had coming up." Purcell continues to compete on the senior circuit, occasionally wearing a blue and gold Murray State sweatshirt during his warm-ups. "I'm glad I got a second chance," Purcell said. "It's been fun to be a part of the pioneering efforts for the senior tour, and I hope that my enthusiasm can rub off on some of my players at Murray."
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