ANTHONY DEVINCENZO

1925 - 2023

DeVINCENZO--Anthony "Tony Vincent." On Friday, March 10, 2023, Anthony DeVincenzo passed away at the age of 97 in Miami, FL. Anthony was born on September 17, 1925, in the Bronx, NY, to Salvatore and Mary (Campanella) DeVincenzo. After high school, Anthony joined the Army Air Corps and was a bombardier during WWII. He was awarded his Silver Wings and appointed a flight officer in the Army Air Forces. After the war, Anthony attended the University of Miami and graduated in 1950. Following graduation, he worked as a Wall Street investment broker for Dreyfus and Co. and as a consultant for RJR Nabisco for twenty years. Anthony enjoyed playing chess and gin rummy and was a master backgammon player. In fact, he twice reached the finals of the World Backgammon Championships in 1966 and 1970. Anthony also won the U.S. National Paddle Ball singles and doubles (with Bobby Riggs) in 1967. But, by far, his greatest passion was tennis. Anthony began playing tennis when he was about 14 years old after seeing some other young teens hitting tennis balls around in a local park. It did not take him long to join in. Although he was self-taught and never had any professional training, he made it to the finals of the park's tournament. Soon afterwards, he went on to win the New York City High School Tennis Championships. He was the captain of both his Newtown High School and University of Miami tennis teams. That was the beginning of a tennis career for Anthony that would span the next 65 years. During those 65 years, Anthony (or "Tony Vincent" as he was called in the tennis circuit) played in nearly 500 professional tennis tournaments all over the world and with the world's best tennis players. He played in three Grand Slam events, the U.S. Open, the Roland Garros French Open, and in 1971, he won Wimbledon's Senior Doubles Champion with Gardnar Mulloy. Anthony also recorded several wins over French champions Nicola Pietrangeli and Andres Gimeno. He defeated Wimbledon champ Lew Hoad of Australia, Italy's No. 1 Fausto Gardini and England's Tony Mottram. At Forest Hills, Anthony defeated Tony Trabert and won the National Men's Clay Court Championship nine times. For seven years, Anthony was ranked one of the top fifteen U.S. players and holds twenty-five U.S. National Titles as well as twelve International Championships, one of which was in a double's tournament in Bermuda with Althea Gibson in 1956. He also won the Men's Open New England Championship five times and the Senior Grand Slam Doubles Title six times. These are just a few of his numerous accomplishments. Anthony was preceded in death by his parents, Salvatore and Mary; sister, Rosemarie Kasy; two brothers-in-law, Mel Kasy and Joseph Neglia; and long-time significant other, Coila Sturdevant. He is survived by his brother, Salvatore DeVincenzo (wife Mary Sandra); sister, Frances Neglia; sweetheart, Suzanne Janssen-Coteata; as well as many loving nieces and nephews. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, April 15, 2023, at 10:30am at Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Catholic Church located at 110-06 Queens Blvd., Queens, NY 11375, followed by an interment ceremony at St. John's Cemetery located at 80-01 Metropolitan Ave., Queens, NY 11379.