By Joel Drucker

As the second-oldest tournament in the United States, the SAP Open has a long, distinctive history. Many of tennis' greatest players have won this event. For many years, it was known as the Pacific Coast Championships. When tennis' Open era dawned in 1968, the tournament's growth accelerated, and it attracted a number of notable sponsors, including Redwood Bank, Fireman's Fund Insurance, Transamerica, Volvo, Sybase, Siebel Systems and SAP.

Over the last 30 years, many players who made their first big splash at this event as teenagers rapidly went on to win a Grand Slam. Within a year of reaching the finals or winning here, Bjorn Borg, John McEnroe, Stefan Edberg, Michael Chang all went on to win Grand Slam titles.

Here are profiles of a few notable champions.

Bill Johnston (1894 -1946)
The 1920's are often referred to as sport's Golden Age - a time when such athletes as Babe Ruth, Red Grange and Jack Dempsey turned sports from a sidelight into a main cultural attraction.

Tennis' king during that time was "Big Bill" Tilden, a player still considered one of the greatest ever. But Tilden only became big by dint of his ability to overcome the challenges of a tenacious San Francisco native, "Little Bill" Johnston. Indeed, in much the same way that a gritty Michael Chang would force Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi to improve their games, the 5' 8" Johnston was a classy champion who will likely be remembered even more for being a catalyst.

Raised on the public parks of Golden Gate Park, Johnston mastered a Western forehand that would resurface five decades after his glory days in the hands of Agassi, Jim Courier and others. Johnston's forehand and all-court prowess brought him an astounding ten Pacific Coast Championships, one Wimbledon ('23) and two U.S. titles ('15 and '19). The latter victory, a straight-sets triumph over Tilden, motivated Tilden to spend an entire winter strictly improving his backhand - a course of action that soon made him the world's top player. For much of the '20s, Johnston was number two, a formidable motivator and a Davis Cup stalwart. All of these attributes made him one of tennis' most-beloved players.

Don Budge (1915 - 2000)
As a boy growing up in Oakland, Don Budge played a wide range of sports. Baseball was his favorite, particularly when he had a chance to show off his left-handed swing. Years later, meeting another Bay Area sports legend, Joe DiMaggio, he would learn that the Yankee Clipper had also enjoyed tennis.

Don's older brother, Lloyd, played tennis. When young Don won the first tournament he ever entered, he was hooked. His southpaw batting style smoothly transitioned into one of the most powerful backhands in tennis history, a compact, unruffled motion. Working with his coach, the legendary Tom Stow, Budge built an all-court pressing game that made him the Andre Agassi of his day - a player with a one-two combo that would leave opponents helpless. By 1937, he'd arrived at the summit, winning Wimbledon, Forest Hills and helping the U.S. reclaim the Davis Cup for the first time in more than a decade. That same year he also won his third straight Pacific Coast Championship.

But those achievements were only prologue. Arriving at the Australian Championships in 1938, Budge commenced an extraordinary achievement, becoming the first player in tennis history - and only the second male to date - to earn all four Grand Slam singles titles in a calendar year. In an era of long-white flannels and country-club elegance, Budge ruled with class and style.

Jack Kramer (1921 - )
Jack Kramer has accomplished so much in so many areas - crusader for Open tennis, pro tour director, tournament director, club owner, Wilson Sporting Goods icon - that it's tempting to forget how effective he was as a player. A rangy athlete with a hearty work ethic and keen mind, Kramer became a strategic innovator. At a time when players like Budge, Ellsworth Vines and Fred Perry played primarily from the baseline, Kramer honed a serve-volley attack that was as revolutionary to tennis as the fast break was to basketball. Smothering opponents with pinpoint serves and crisp volleys, Kramer emerged from World War II as a dominant champion. In 1946 and '47, he lost but one match, his titles including one Wimbledon, two U.S., two Pacific Coast titles and the top dog role on two U.S. Davis Cup- winning squads.

As was the custom of the time, Kramer turned pro, commencing a worldwide barnstorming tour versus Bobby Riggs that he won handily. Future Kramer tours saw him vanquish such rough customers as Pancho Gonzales, Pancho Segura and Frank Sedgman. During all these years, Kramer also ran the business side of the pro game. Whether playing over ice skating rinks, on cow dung or any other surface, Kramer was indefatigable in his quest to make tennis a big-time sport. It was a long struggle. Twenty years after he'd turned pro, tennis at last went Open. Kramer's tenacity had at last opened the floodgates for today's multi-million dollar circuit. In 1972, Kramer - declining to accept a salary - became the ATP's first executive director. No man in tennis history has done more on and off the court.

Tony Trabert (1930 - )
An All-American crew cut, a clean, hard-hitting game and the logical approach of a mathematician made Tony Trabert such a comprehensive champion his brilliance was virtually overshadowed by his dominance. In winning Wimbledon ('55) and two U.S. titles ('53, '55), the tall Cincinnatian failed to drop a single set. Added to his resume were two French championships ('54-'55), making him the last American to win at Roland Garros until Michael Chang in 1989.

He'd begun playing tennis at age six. Thoroughly dedicating himself to the game, he became a strong, complete player, comfortable playing points from the baseline or at the net. His one-handed backhand was lethal, virtually always a hard, topspin drive. Under the tutelage of legendary doubles star Bill Talbert, he learned even more about mastering the angles and subtleties of tactics. Moreover, Trabert was willing to pay the price, putting in hours of time on the practice court and on conditioning. It made him a big-match player of the highest- caliber, as evidenced by his starring role on the 1954 U.S. Davis Cup-winning squad. After winning 17 tournaments in 1955, including his third straight Pacific Coast title, he was head and shoulders better than any amateur, and became a touring professional for eight years, eventually playing a role in running the tour as well.

Once retired, he brought trademark rigor and precision to a variety of duties. Whether starting his own tennis camp, captaining the U.S. Davis Cup team or stepping into the broadcast booth, Trabert maintained his steadfast commitment to thorough preparation and clean, straight talk.

Barry MacKay (1935 - )
Years later, he would be called "The Bear" with a laugh and a smile. An unquenchable schmooze factor has made Barry MacKay one of the most well liked people in tennis.

But bears are also capable of great powers, and as a tennis player, MacKay was a formidable foe. He had come from Ohio's Cincinnati, scarcely a tennis power, but one that had seen the emergence of such champions as Bill Talbert and Tony Trabert. Armed with a massive serve and a future promoter's willingness to take risks, the lanky MacKay was a born net rusher. Pacing the University of Michigan to the NCAA title in 1957, he rapidly ascended the tennis ladder. A year after graduating, he was a mainstay of the U.S. Davis Cup team that would pry the cup loose from Australia for only the third time over an 18-year period.

At Wimbledon 1959, MacKay knocked off second-seeded Neale Fraser, advancing to the semis before losing to Rod Laver in a five-set epic, 11-13, 11-9, 10-8, 7-9, 6-3. That same year he won the first of two straight titles at this event. In 1960, he was America's number one-ranked player. With great tenacity, he imposed his attacking game on slower surfaces, winning such prominent clay events as the Italian Championships and the U.S. Claycourts.

Joining the pros, MacKay toured the world diligently. Relocating to the Bay Area in 1966, MacKay took over the reigns of this tournament in 1970, steering its growth from the Berkeley Tennis Club to the HP Pavilion, where it's now seen in more than 40 countries.

Arthur Ashe (1943 - 1993)
Off the court, he was a wise man - reflective, pensive, carefully modulating thought before taking action. A keen intellect made Arthur Ashe one of tennis' most preeminent crossover figures. In 1973, he courageously played the South African Open, demanding that seating be integrated. Long associated with various aspects of civil rights, when his AIDS diagnosis went public, he rapidly became an activist for that cause. Author of a notable history of the African-American athlete, Ashe's mind carried him to places most tennis players will never see.

On the court, he was quite different - a bold, risk-taking shot maker who favored running backhand passing shots, second serve aces, angled volleys. It made him a beguiling champion. When he was on, such as when he stormed through the field to win the '68 U.S. Open, Ashe was sublime. When the muses weren't singing, Ashe's fragility made him a frustrated bridesmaid. In 1975, past the age of 30, he admitted his shortcomings - and then went on to have his best-ever year, most notably when he upset Jimmy Connors to win Wimbledon. That was a match where Ashe played a completely different game, defusing Connors with variations in pace and spin. The same style would also help him earn his second title here (the first was in '70) later that fall versus Guillermo Vilas.

Rod Laver (1938 - )
Perhaps hair color is destiny. The first man to win all four Grand Slams in a single year was a redheaded Don Budge. The second - and only other man to date -- was another redhead named Rod Laver, who doubled Budge's achievement by winning two calendar-year Slams.

A humble Australian from the rural province of Queensland, Laver's genius was not instantly apparent in his youth. Back then, his flicky topspin drives often sprayed like an aerosol can gone awry. But Harry Hopman, the majordomo of Australian tennis, had no doubts Laver would in time find the lines. When innate left-handed genius such as Laver's is wed to a hearty work ethic, it's hard to see him missing. And as Hopman predicted, Laver's shots found their mark with scintillating accuracy, bewitching opponents with striking winners hit from all over the court. At 24, in 1962, he earned his first Slam. Turning pro, though, he knew his game needed improvement - as evidenced when he was bombed off the court in his North American debut - by Barry MacKay. By the late '60s, though, Laver was the dominant pro. His Open-era Slam of 1969 is a feat unlikely to be matched. His Pacific Coast win in 1971 - the last time the event was played at the historic Berkeley Tennis Club - was an elegant straight-set triumph over his longstanding rival, Ken Rosewall. Many greats have earned their spurs by staying earthbound. Laver remains the one and only, "Rocket."

John McEnroe (1959 - )
One day in September 1977, a Stanford freshman walked into tournament director Barry MacKay's office and requested the few hundred dollars in expense dollars he knew he had coming to him. The rest of the world would learn in due time that John McEnroe had no qualms about making a demand.

The good news for Bay Area tennis fans was that the brilliance of his game was more than enough repayment. These being the years of Transamerica's sponsorship, McEnroe walked away with enough pyramids to make an Egyptologist envious. From his five singles titles (an Open era record) to eight wins in doubles, McEnroe's left hand turned the Cow Palace's indoor court into a personal canvas, painting it with deft angles, textured spins, under appreciated logic and overheated emotion. It was pretty much the same act he took all over the world, a carnival of commotion and competition. In 1979, one year after winning his first title here at 19, McEnroe returned as the U.S. Open champion, taking the first steps towards surpassing Jimmy Connors as the preeminent American of this day. By the end of 1980, having won five-set matches at the U.S. Open from Connors and Bjorn Borg on consecutive days, he was poised to become the number one player in the world. Attaining this stature in '81, he was also the worlds best in '83 and '84, all the while pacing the U.S. Davis Cup team. He remains one of the sport's most notable figures, if not quite an ambassador, then certainly an engaging emissary.

Andre Agassi (1970 - )
The journey continues. Only in an individual sport like tennis could an athlete have had such a roller coaster ride. From teen sensation to elder statesman, with plenty of ups, downs, chills, thrills and spills, Andre Agassi has never stopped commanding attention.

Bursting on the scene with a massive forehand and a flashy hairdo, Agassi was ranked number three in the world by age 18. Embracing many of the opportunities that came his way, he rapidly made millions more through endorsements. To his credit, though, Agassi used his fame as a platform for transformation - not just of his tennis game, but also of his community. The Andre Agassi Foundation has raised millions in funds for at-risk children in Agassi's hometown, Las Vegas, including the creation of a recreational center and a school. Many of these dollars have come directly out of Agassi's own pocket.

His financial future ensured by his early 20s, Agassi, a four-time champion here, has devoted considerable time over the last decade to making himself a consummate professional. From his eight-year run with Bay Area strategist Brad Gilbert, to his ongoing fitness commitment with Gil Reyes, Agassi has worked hard to harness his talents and prove he can be a champion not just for some time, but for all time.

Upon winning the French Open in 1999, he became only the fifth man in tennis history to have earned a career sweep of each of the Slams. Just this past year, at 32, he reached the finals of the U.S. Open, and was in the hunt for the top ranking until the very last week of the season. Then again, if your wife were Stephanie Graf, you'd likely want to make sure you left nothing on the table before calling it quits.

Pete Sampras (1971 - )
Tennis comes so smoothly to Pete Sampras that it's hard to believe he's put in so much work to become the greatest player in tennis history. But he has.

Even as a teenager, when his peers set their sites on junior titles in places like Kalamazoo and Burlingame, Sampras was looking further down the road - to Wimbledon and Flushing Meadows. At 14, armed with a stable baseline game and a two-handed backhand proficient enough to have earned him a college scholarship, Sampras ditched the two-hander, knowing that a one-handed backhand was more workable for winning Slams. Sprinting headlong into the pros at 17, Sampras' lanky build and fluid serve gave him the natural air of a Grand Slam champion. Two years later, he'd become the youngest U.S. Open men's winner in history, whipping Ivan Lendl, McEnroe and Agassi.

He would remark years later that at that point he was "nothing more than a pup going through a zone." Soon enough, he learned how to be not just a player, but a champion. The tale of his 20s was a public odyssey, Sampras accumulating triumphs with apparent ease. The belief grew that he was remote. But as events of more recent years have shown, Pete Sampras is exceptionally emotional. Never was this more apparent at the 2002 U.S. Open. Not having won a tournament for more than two years, Sampras surprised virtually everyone in tennis when he took the title. It was an amazing feat. Only Sampras and Ken Rosewall have won Slams in their teens, 20s and 30s.

Andy Roddick (1982 - )
The resume is barely formed, but if preliminary results are any indication, 2004 titlist Andy Roddick will likely be remembered as one of this event's more memorable champions.

He is the quintessential 21st century tennis star. From his jumpy, eager manner to his blazing serve and crushing forehand, every step Roddick takes is taken with a keen sense of urgency, as if his racket was programmed for nothing less than high-speed Internet access. He's a young man in a hurry, on a mission, primed to accelerate and destroy his opponents. But he also enjoys his life as a tennis pro, and is usually the first to mock himself.

Born in Omaha, briefly raised in Austin, Texas (where he now resides), Roddick cut his teeth in Florida. His older brother, John, a formidable junior who went to play for the University of Georgia, was one of my catalysts in young Andy's development.

A late bloomer, in 2000 Roddick emerged as the world's best junior, finishing the year ranked 158 in the world. Twelve months later, he'd rocketed 144 places, won three tournaments and reached the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open.

In 2003, he vaulted even higher - as high as you can go. After joining forces with Bay Area legend Brad Gilbert, he went on a tear, going 27-1 on the summer hardcourt tournament, capping it all by winning the U.S. Open.

From the get-go, Roddick has commanded attention. He loves throwing himself into the arena. When he won in San Jose last year over his close friend and former housemate, Mardy Fish, he played superb tennis to win a sparkling opening set tiebreak, 15-13, and then went on to take the second set, 6-4. That's surely not the last San Jose has seen from him.

Arthur Ashe photo courtesy of Russ Adams /RAP