USTA honors founder of W.H. indoor tennis

The U.S. Tennis Association recently awarded John Dunn, founder of Hempstead Lake Indoor Tennis in West Hempstead, the Hy Zausner Lifetime Achievement award.

Dunn, 90, of St. James, has been on the Long Island tennis scene for more than seven decades. He was born in Montreal, Canada, and raised in South Hempstead with a tennis court in his backyard. Dunn first began playing tennis in the 1930s and played for Southside High School, in Rockville Centre, in the 1940s on their undefeated championship tennis team.

After serving in World War Two, Dunn returned to Long Island to teach multiple collegiate tennis championships. Later, he partnered with the late Paul Lynner and won numerous local and national tournaments. Dunn was well known on Long Island as a tennis professional and US Open qualifier.

Dunn was the first tennis pro that Hempstead Lake State Park hired, and he ran the tennis program, set up clinics and maintained the courts. He was known for his innovative style and many of his students went on to play the U.S. Open and Wimbledon. In 1970, he founded, with the help of his partner, the Hempstead Lake Indoor Tennis in West Hempstead, which was the first indoor tennis facility on Long Island’s south shore. Since it was opened, the club has served tennis stars such as John McEnroe, Vitas Gerulaitis and tennis coach Ron Holmberg. The facility can still be found on Eagle Avenue today. Dunn also opened two other tennis clubs on Long Island.