Former Tennessee tennis coach Louis Royal dies at 82

Remembered for his passion for teaching and outgoing personality, former University of Tennessee men's tennis coach Louis Royal died last Friday in Knoxville. He was 82.

Mr. Royal had a stroke in 2014, according to his family, and had been at Ben Atchley State Veteran’s Home for the last few years.

Mr. Royal was the fourth men’s tennis coach in program history. He coached the Vols from 1968-76 and had a 120-69-1 record, including 38-24 in the SEC. UT won the SEC championship in 1970 and finished second three times.

Mr. Royal led Tennessee to the NCAA tournament twice (1973 and 1974).

“He wanted to really get to know whoever he was coaching and would do anything for his players,” said Mr. Royal’s daughter, Tse Lan Kunian, who played at UT from 1989-93. “Some coaches just coach the sport and the good ones are the ones that do much more than just that. They take an interest in your life. He did that.”

Mr. Royal grew up playing tennis in Chattanooga and was a star player at Baylor School, where he also played middle linebacker on the football team and was a second baseman in baseball.

Mr. Royal won the Tennessee state boys championship at age 14 and won the 18-and-under division state title in 1959 at Tyson Park.

He played tennis at Vanderbilt as a freshman in 1954 before serving two years in the Army. Mr. Royal resumed his college career at Tennessee. He was the Vols’ No. 1 singles player for three seasons.

Along with coaching at UT, Mr. Royal ran the City of Knoxville’s tennis program at Tyson Park for nearly 24 years.

“He was a talented teacher and he worked hard at that, both at the youth level and once he came to Tennessee,” said Bud Ford, a former UT sports information director. “He was enthusiastic and really worked at trying to help improve the players and teach them as a teacher. I think that was his biggest strong suit. He loved to teach.”

Even after his coaching career was done, Mr. Royal remained heavily invested in the Knoxville community.

“An interesting fact is that he ran for Mayor of Knoxville because he just always wanted to be involved,” Mr. Royal’s daughter said. “He never met a stranger and had an incredibly outgoing personality. He just loved people and took an interest in them.”

A memorial of life celebration will be held Saturday from 10 a.m.-noon at Meridian Baptist Church, 6513 Chapman Hwy in Knoxville.