Clem Hopp
Clem Hopp Passes away on August 31, 2025 at the age of 97.
The tennis world lost one of its oldest and most accomplished members with the recent passing of NMTA Honorary Member Clem Hopp of Sarasota, FL. He was 97, and had played until he was 94. (Even after that, he still captained league teams!) He is survived by Roz, his dear wife of 56 years, as well as children Gary, Bobbi, and Lizzie Miller.
Born and raised in Detroit, he played his college tennis at Florida Southern. Due to a shoulder injury when he was 23, he stopped playing tennis and worked on his golf game for the next 25 years. Upon moving his family from Detroit to Sarasota in 1976, his love of tennis kicked back in, and you might say the rest is history. Even after the long hiatus, he started winning age group tournaments. He just might lend credence to the old saying “It’s just like riding a bike!”
His record in the senior ranks is stellar. Despite his small stature, his groundstrokes were laser-like, and his court coverage superb. He won 3 ITF World Singles Championships in the 80’s and 85’s, and was ranked #1 in the world 5 times. He was ranked #1 in the US multiple times, and also won 5 European Championships. In the process, he accumulated 17 gold balls, and represented the US on 6 World Cup teams.
Shortly before his passing, he told me that he was “about ready to take a long rest.” You deserve it Clem!
Jimmy Parker