Full name | Clarence Alley Thompson IV |
---|---|
Country (sports) | United States |
Residence | Venice, Los Angeles,U.S. |
Born | Venice, Los Angeles, U.S. | May 4, 1992
Height | 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) |
Retired | 2017 (last match 2019) |
Plays | Right-handed (two handed-backhand) |
Coach | Scott Bailey |
Prize money | $30,094 |
Singles | |
Career record | 0–1 (at ATP Tour level, Grand Slam level, and in Davis Cup) |
Career titles | 0 |
Highest ranking | No. 408 (May 2, 2016) |
Doubles | |
Career titles | 0 |
Highest ranking | No. 760 (March 20, 2017) |
Last updated on: March 27, 2020. |
Clarence Alley "Clay" Thompson IV (born May 4, 1992) is an American former professional tennis player. Thompson was born in Venice, CA, and attended 6-12th grade at Crossroads School for Arts and Sciences in Santa Monica, CA. He was a top-ranked national junior and ended his high school career as the #3 recruit in the country,[1] choosing to play for Billy Martin at UCLA. During his tenure at UCLA, Thompson earned a BFA in creative writing with a minor in Film/TV, and during the entirety of his 2014 senior season, was the #1 ranked NCAA tennis player.[2][3] Thompson holds a 119–35 record, one of the highest number of wins for a UCLA player in the school's history.[4][5][6][7]
Thompson enjoyed a brief career on the ATP Tour, reaching a high singles ranking of #408 in the world,[8] during which he amassed a cult following as a charismatic and fun player to watch.[9][10] Thompson also participates in various charity events and has been a positive influence in the Los Angeles tennis community.[11] Following his own playing career, Thompson returned to professional tennis as the coach for fellow Crossroads alumnus Nicole Gibbs.[12]
Beginning in 2016, Thompson has been involved with a number of companies as an investor, advisor, and consultant. Notable companies include Snapchat, Jaunt, K-Swiss, and Tennacity. In June 2020, Thompson announced that he was co-founding and leading MProoV, a self-improvement platform and marketplace.