An emotional day filled with good memories took place on October 31st in the city of Arequipa, located in the southern Peruvian highlands, 7,800 feet above sea level.
It was here, in March 1936, that Alejandro Olmedo, The Chief, the great Peruvian tennis player, was born.
In 1958, Alejandro "Alex" Olmedo became a Davis Cup champion as a key figure on the United States team, and in 1959, he won two Grand Slam singles titles: in Australia and at Wimbledon where he defeated the young Rod Laver in the final.
The Chief, an NCAA champion in singles and doubles at USC, passed away in December 2020 in Los Angeles, his home for over sixty years.
The people of Arequipa, of course, have not forgotten who Olmedo is. However, the city had a debt to settle with him. For years: No street, no plaza bore his name.
For several months, two Arequipeños from Olmedo's generation insisted on paying this debt. Aníbal Pepper, a doctor residing in the United States, a friend and admirer of The Chief, and Alejandro Vivanco, from Arequipa himself, joined forces to convince local authorities and raise funds to build a statue in honor of the great Peruvian tennis player.
And they succeeded in making it a reality.
The unveiling of the statue took place on a sunny morning in Arequipa. The location could not have been better: on the Bolognesi Boulevard, along the Chili River, very close to the entrance of the International Club.
It was at this club that Alejandro Olmedo played his first tennis matches and won his first tournament in 1950. It was also here that The Chief grew up, in a small house beside the club, where he lived with his parents, Don Salvador and Doña Fortunata, and six siblings. His father, Don Salvador, was a tennis teacher at the club and was the one who taught him how to play.
Photo credit: Luis Carlos Arias Schreiber
The ceremony was attended by more than one hundred people: city officials, tennis players from both older and newer generations, friends of The Chief, three of his siblings—Mario, Jaime, and Ruth—several nephews, and his daughter Angela Williams, who came from the United States.
Also present was Don José García Calderón, who was over one hundred years old and had been the mayor of Arequipa when the city welcomed Olmedo in 1959 with great enthusiasm. Olmedo had come to display the Davis Cup, recently won against powerful Australia, before his fellow countrymen. He was accompanied by the U.S. team captain, Perry T. Jones, and his teammate, Butch Buchholz.
During the ceremony, speeches were made by Sergio Bollinger, the mayor of Yanahuara district, and Luis Aguad, the president of the International Club. Of course, Alejandro Vivanco and Aníbal Pepper also spoke, with the latter connected via video call from the United States.
The great triumphs of The Chief were remembered, especially his 1959 Wimbledon final victory over Rod Laver and his triumphs in the Davis Cup final in Brisbane, defeating Ashley Cooper and Mal Anderson in singles, and partnering with Ham Richardson to win the doubles match.
Olmedo’s pride in being from Arequipa and being Peruvian was also highlighted, a nationality he never renounced (being a US citizen was not a requirement to play in the Davis Cup for the United States, he only needed to have lived there for over three years).
Alejandro Olmedo's daughter, Angela Williams, gave an emotional speech emphasizing her father's legacy.
Presently, she serves on the advisory board for the Latin American Tennis Foundation (LATF), working to raise awareness of past and current players and create development opportunities for Latin American tennis players of all ages.
“The incredible journey my father started on these courts was very difficult," Angela Williams said. "With open hearts and minds, and the support of this amazing community in Arequipa, and with the love of his family, he had the strength to persevere.
"My father was always amazed by his life. He achieved his dream through tennis and lifted up his family forever. This statue will be a wonderful monument and inspiration for the Arequipa community.
"Thank you all for sharing this emotional and meaningful moment with my family and me in honor of the legacy of our beloved Alejandro Olmedo.”
Photo credit: Luis Carlos Arias Schreiber
Photo credit: Luis Carlos Arias Schreiber
A large red cloth was then pulled away, revealing the statue in honor of Alejandro Olmedo.
It was created by young local sculptor Luis Sarmiento.
The Chief is immortalized striking a backhand, wearing a shirt with the International Club's crest. The statue stands over nine feet tall, weighs 350 pounds, and is made of fiberglass. The beautiful location where it stands will now be called the Alejandro Olmedo Park.
From the statue, one can see the Alejandro Olmedo Tennis Complex at the International Club, which has fifteen clay courts.
One can also see the place where the Olmedo family house once stood.
A beautiful place for Arequipa to remember its greatest sport idol, Alejandro Olmedo, he deserves and keep his legacy alive.
Luis Carlos Arias Schreiber is an author, who is currently completing a biography of Alejandro Olmedo.