Champion on the Court

SARASOTA — Erik Luxembourg appeared relaxed as he shuffled across the clay court at Sarasota Bath and Racquet Club, firing the ball back over the net with ease, his demeanor never changing. 

What the 150 spectators couldn't have known was that Luxembourg’s body was churning with nervous anticipation. 

It wasn’t until Luxembourg and his doubles partner, Harvest United Methodist Church co-pastor and Lakewood Ranch resident Steve Price, put away the No. 1 seed in the quarterfinals of the USTA National Men’s 50 Doubles Clay Court Championships, which ran Oct. 11 through Oct. 18, that Luxembourg’s nervous energy began to dissipate. 

Luxembourg and Price went on to win the semifinals and finals, knocking off the tournament’s No. 3 and No. 4 seeds, 6-3, 6-2 and 6-3, 6-4 respectively, to win tennis’ coveted gold ball. It was Luxembourg’s seventh time winning a gold ball, but his first with Price. 

“Beating the No. 1 seed was a big hurdle for us," Luxembourg said. "Everything sort of unfolded for us after that. It’s such a nice feeling to win the game we love and have played our whole lives.” 

Following their victory, Luxembourg and Price celebrated in center court with their customary fist bump before receiving their gold balls and $750 cash prizes from Sarasota Bath and Racquet Club Director of Tennis and Head Tennis Professional Steve Getchell. 

“He’s been a member here for a long time, so for him to win it in front of all of his friends and people who admire his game was a big deal,” Getchell said. “They work well together, and that’s a testament to teamwork, dedication and partnership. 

Luxembourg’s father, Bob Luxembourg, who built Westhampton Racquet Club Resort on Long Island in 1962, gave his son his first racket when he was 3. 

With constant access to the club, a young Luxembourg would spend hours hitting and tossing balls around the tennis court. 

“I didn’t know a life without tennis,” Luxembourg says. “I didn’t want something else.” 

Luxembourg played a variety of sports growing up, but in his freshman year of high school, he was forced to choose between tennis and baseball. Luxembourg chose the former, mainly because he was better at tennis at the time. 

He played tennis all through high school and spent a year playing tennis at Appalachian State University before the sport took a toll on him. It was while he was playing at Appalachian State that Luxembourg first met Price, who played for Furman University. 

The two schools were both in the Southern Conference and played against each other every year, but Luxembourg and Price never actually played head-to-head in college. 

Following his year at Appalachian State, Luxembourg took a break from tennis and didn’t compete again until he was 32. Luxembourg began gearing up for senior tennis, which begins at 35, and spent two years practicing extensively and playing countless tournaments. The sport, along with the travel, time and cost associating with competing, began to wear on Luxembourg once again. At that point, Luxembourg decided to continue practicing and focused solely on playing local events. 

During that time, in June 1997, that Luxembourg reconnected with Price, who had recently moved to Florida and was looking for practice partners. The two began practicing together at Sarasota Bath and Racquet Club and have been practicing and playing doubles together the vast majority of the time ever since. 

Luxembourg and Price practice together every Tuesday night for roughly two hours and in turn have developed a friendship centered around tennis. 

Having spent nearly 20 years playing together on the same side of the net, Luxembourg and Price share an unspoken bond on the court, which allows them to remain both focused and relaxed. 

“As a team, we play pretty well together,” Luxembourg said. “We both understand doubles, and we understand each other’s feelings and motivations out there.

“We’re solid in all areas, and we trust each other and know how each other competes," he said. "We both want to win and we don’t have to push one other.” 

Their ability to place shots based on what the other one is going to do and strategically communicate on the court has allowed them to find success more often than not. 

“Our styles compliment each other really well,” Price said. “We know each other so well, and we have really good synergy on the court.” 

In addition to practicing with Price, Luxembourg spends an additional three days a week out on the court at Sarasota Bath and Racquet Club, where he has been a member for about four years, playing both singles and doubles match for fun and exercise. 

Luxembourg won his first of six gold balls with his father at the 2002 National Super Senior Father/Son Championships, at the Meadows Racquet Club. The Luxembourgs had won a number of silver tennis balls, which are awarded for finishing second, but the gold ball had continually eluded them until then. 

“It was exhilarating,” Luxembourg said. “It was a big culmination of all the tournaments we had played together and hadn’t won. It was a big joyous moment.” 

Bob Luxembourg agreed. 

“It was the highlight of my long tennis career,” Bob Luxembourg said. 

During that tournament, the Luxembourgs were unseeded and beat three of the top seeds in the tournament, which coincidentally was the same scenario Luxembourg and Price faced last month. 

Through it all, tennis has taught Erik Luxembourg to enjoy the highs that come with winning and to not let the little things bother him. 

“It’s taught me that I’m a big whiny cry baby, but I’m getting over that and learning to live with it,” Luxembourg said. “I love the competition, and it’s given me an outlet for it.” 

Luxembourg plans to compete in several local tournaments and charity events in preparation to defend his gold ball next year. Bob Luxembourg deemed tennis the sport of a lifetime, and it’s a mantra Erik Luxembourg continues to embrace. 

“I’m 50 years old and still competing,” Luxembourg said. “I don’t know any college football players at 50 who are out there playing pickup games.”

Contact Jen Blanco at [email protected].