Former Clemson Men?s Tennis All-American Lawson Duncan is Honored

GREENSBORO, NC – The North Carolina Tennis Foundation announced the addition of former Clemson Men’s Tennis All-American Lawson Duncan and Lindsey Linker into the North Carolina Tennis Hall of Fame.  The 2014 class will be officially inducted into the Hall of Fame during Tennis Weekend in January of 2014.  Duncan, a Cullowhee, NC native, was named ITA Rookie of the Year and an All-American during his freshman campaign at Clemson in 1984.  During that incredible season, he set the record for most singles wins in a season with 70 victories — a record that still stands today.  He was an NCAA Singles Tournament finalist, falling to Mikael Pernfors of Georgia.He was also named to the ACC 50th Anniversary team in 2003.  During his one year at Clemson he finished the 1983-84 season with a 70-14 record. “My Experience at Clemson showed me that I was good enough to compete at a high level for an extended time,” said Duncan. “Although, losing in the NCAA singles final was a huge disappointment.” After one year in college, Duncan quickly turned pro and joined the ATP tour where he climbed to as high as 47 in the world rankings. Injuries, however, forced him to retire from the tour early in 1988 with a world ranking of 59. His many accolades include captaining the United States Tennis Association Junior Davis Cup in 1983, as well as playing for the 1985 U.S. Davis Cup team vs West Germany. During his first year on tour he also reached three European Clay Court tournament finals. In 1987, he won the Agadir, Casablanca Challenger. Two years later he reached the fourth round of the 1989 French Open. “There have been a lot of great players, organizers, and promoters of NC tennis and to be recognized with them is a great honor,” said Duncan. “My father, hands down, had the biggest impact on my career. He supported me through thick and thin.” Today Duncan resides in Asheville, NC with his wife Kathy and 7-year-old twin sons, Logan and Kolby. He is currently a club professional at the Asheville Racquet Club Downtown. Charlotte’s Lindsey Linker has been a staple in North Carolina high school tennis for more than 30 years. While at Myers Park High School, Linker was named All-Conference three times and became a captain her senior year. Her success as a junior propelled her to UNC-Chapel Hill where she became a four-year letter winner for the Tar Heels. In 1977, she helped guide her team to an Atlantic Coast Conference championship. After graduating with a Masters of Arts in Teaching from UNC, she began coaching the men’s and women’s tennis teams at Chapel Hill High School where she also taught Physical Education classes. During her 10-year tenure with CHHS, she led her teams to a 294-39 record, including two Dual Team State 4A Championships. She also molded three individual state 4A champions and was named PAC 6 Coach of the year 13 times.