Susan Torrance, a tennis champion who won a state title and used the sport to transform lives in Corpus Christi, died Friday, Feb. 27, after a battle with cancer.
Her love for the game can be is best captured by a her personal voicemail greeting.
"Hello... I want to know why you're not on the tennis courts. Since you're not... leave me a message and I'll call you back," Torrance says on her voicemail.
Ronald Elizondo, who took over as director of the Al Kruse Tennis Center after Torrance retired, teared up hearing it on Monday.
"It makes me smile but it makes me sad hearing her voice right now," Elizondo said.
Elizondo's own life was shaped by Torrance. Tennis was never part of his plan — until Torrance and her mother, Sharon, stepped in.
"Her mom asked me again [a week after asking the first time] and Susan was there and they both talked to me and I said 'I don't have a shirt and shoes' and they said don't worry we'll take care of that. The rest is history I've been playing tennis since the 1990's," Elizondo said.
That introduction to the sport set Elizondo on a path that led him to found Tennis Success, a nonprofit program that has helped hundreds of Corpus Christi kids learn tennis while keeping them out of trouble.
"That changed my life I was able to teach thousands of kids and adults throughout my career," Elizondo said.
Torrance's generosity extended far beyond Elizondo. She made sure cost was never a barrier for anyone who wanted to play.
"She had a layaway plan for everybody no matter who you were. If you couldn't afford that racket those shoes shirt she would tell you give me 10 dollars and pay as you can. When she retired she had a stack of layaways," Elizondo said.
That stack of layaways stood alongside a remarkable list of career accomplishments. Torrance won the 1968 UIL State Singles Championship representing King High School, went on to become the No. 1 singles player at the University of Texas, and then competed professionally — including appearances at the U.S. Open, the French Open and Wimbledon.
"[She played] Very competitive tennis against adults here preparing for her national tournaments," Elizondo said.
Through it all, Torrance never lost sight of what mattered most to her — the community she served alongside the sport she loved.
"She didn't believe you should be out in the streets she wanted you on the tennis courts," Elizondo said.
For the latest local news updates, click here, or download the KRIS 6 News App.
Catch all the KRIS 6 News stories and more on our YouTube page. Subscribe today!
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
