Beyond her own success on the courts, for decades, she spent time at the Al Kruse Tennis Center coaching and mentoring the next generation of players.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The tennis community in Corpus Christi is mourning the loss of one of its most influential figures, Texas tennis legend Susan Torrance.

A member of the Texas Tennis Hall of Fame, Torrance was known not only for her achievements on the court, but also for the mentorship and encouragement she gave to generations of players across the Coastal Bend.

At the Al Kruse Tennis Center, her presence is still deeply felt. Former students say even her voicemail reflected her lifelong dedication to the sport.

“Hello, I wanna know why you’re not on the tennis court. Since you’re not, leave me a message and I’ll call you back.”

Former student Will Storbeck says the message perfectly captured Torrance’s personality and passion.

“At first, when you first call you think she’s like, ‘hello, why are you not on the tennis court?’ I wanted to ask you something or find something out, but that is just who she was,” said Storbeck.

Torrance’s journey in the sport began early. She won a state championship while playing at King High School before continuing her career at the University of Texas at Austin.

Her talent eventually carried her to the professional tour, where she broke into the world’s top 100 players 

She also played in qualifying events at Wimbledon, the U.S. Open, and the French Open according to the Texas Tennis Museum and Hall of Fame.

But those who knew her say Torrance’s greatest impact happened off the professional stage back home in Corpus Christi.

For decades, she coached and mentored young players at local courts, including Storbeck, whom she began training when he was just eight years old.

“She taught me since I was 8 years old and ended up teaching me up until now all my life” he said. “She’s always been there to give me pointers and give me wisdom and she was just a great woman of faith,” said Storbeck.

Former coach Ken De Koning says Torrance believed tennis was about far more than competition.

“She got so many people into tennis,” he said. “She loved tennis.  She thought tennis did a lot of good things for people, with the right perspective, people were happier that way. It built friendships.”

Cher-ri Pena knew Susan from Tennis Success and called her a ‘light’ to the organization. 

“Being a mentor to our coaches and then coming in to talk to our kids, giving them a brand new perspective on the game of tennis and in life. It was amazing to see some transformations on the court and in the classroom,” Pena said.

Kristy Hardcastle remembers watching Torrance coach from nearby courts.

“I just wanted to be over there,” Hardcastle said. “It warmed my heart.”

Years later, Torrance encouraged Hardcastle to become a certified coach herself, mentoring her throughout the process.

“One thing I take from her, is how positive she was. She could turn any negative into a positive,” Hardcastle said. “Not yell. Not scream at somebody. It’s just amazing you can have a coach that doesn’t need to do that.”

Susan Liberto says she grew up with Susan in the tennis world. She played doubles and even against each other. “She won most of the time.” Liberto joked.

She said Susan cared about everyone she ran into or ever crossed paths with.

“She wanted to make an impact and encourage them in life and in her later years especially she really wanted to encourage them to know her Lord. I I’ve known her young but then I was really with her just a few weeks ago and had some special times with her,” said Liberto.

Former players say Torrance lived by the phrase “love all.”

Torrance was open about her faith and used tennis as a way to encourage others, especially young players.

The longtime advocate passed away last month after a battle with cancer and fittingly, she didn’t want a traditional funeral.

Instead, she asked for people to gather on the courts to play.

For the countless lives she touched in Corpus Christi and far beyond, the message she left behind is simple.

“Why are you not on the tennis court?”

Her friends are planning a ‘play day’ to honor her memory.