USTA Missouri Valley Hall of Fame: Dan Apted

Dan Apted’s name has been a staple in the St. Louis tennis community for many years. The tennis heritage runs deep in his family as his father, Steve Apted, instilled a love for tennis and sport in all four of his children. The family bond is very strong between those who share Dan’s last name, but he has also made it a point to invite many others into his circle. Employees, friends, business partners, and many others all proudly consider themselves a part of his wide-reaching tennis family.

Though Apted never took a formal tennis lesson in his life, he was fortunate to watch and learn from St. Louis tennis greats such as family friends Larry Miller and Mary Ann Eisel as well as professionals including Ken Rosewall and Jimmy Connors. Their examples carried Apted through his tennis journey, playing as a ranked doubles junior until a severe back injury at 16 years old sidelined him from all sports for nearly a decade. 

Despite no longer being able to play tennis, Apted spent his summer breaks working in tennis operations and teaching tennis at the family’s local club, Creve Coeur Racquet Club, and teaching hockey at Castle Oak (now known as the Chesterfield Racquet Club).

When Dan was still in his youth, Steve Apted and his business partner built the Creve Coeur Racquet Club. Today, Dan carries on the marvelous family tennis legacy through the club. Dan and his family continue to pour blood, sweat, and tears into the club to create one of the best tennis and private club environments in the region. This hard work was recognized in 2013 when Creve Coeur Racquet Club received the Member Organization of the Year award from USTA St. Louis.

In 2003, Apted joined the Dwight Davis Tennis Center Board of Directors and took over facility management one year later. Since then, he has selflessly served the facility at all levels, whether by providing staffing or personally hosing off the patio. Under his leadership, Dwight Davis Tennis Center has grown exponentially financially and been recognized for multiple awards. 

Apted doesn’t do all of this on his own, though. His family has been his support all along his journey. His daughter, Dani Apted Schlottman, gleaned a love of tennis from her dad and has since come alongside him as a business partner. 

“She likes to compete, she likes to get stuff done,” Apted said. “It’s just great to be around her and see the opportunities she’s taken with the Aces, etc. It’s great to have a fourth-generation family member involved in the business.”

The two, along with Dan’s wife Deb, and Dani’s husband Eric, joined forces to bring the St. Louis Aces World TeamTennis franchise to the city in 2005, which played at Dwight Davis Tennis Center for seven years. 

“It was probably one of the neatest and luckiest things I’ve ever been able to be involved with,” Apted said. “Going into a business opportunity with your daughter, her husband, and your wife and seeing each of them taking a leg of the business that I’m not very good at is special.”

Apted continues to donate court time, food, events, and more for dozens of local charities, provide scholarships for juniors through his club, and selflessly share the love of tennis with many in St. Louis. 

“I believe that you’ve gotta pay it forward, you’ve gotta help people,” Apted said. “To see kids who don’t have the opportunity to try something...if I can help, I’ve gotta jump in and help. It’s very fulfilling. If I couldn’t pay it forward, I wouldn’t be whole.”

His humble leadership, dedication to his facilities, and commitment to paying it forward earned him the Distinguished Service Award from USTA St. Louis and now will culminate with his induction into the USTA Missouri Valley Hall of Fame. 

“It’s humbling. It’s really an honor to be in the same group as so many people who I’ve watched get inducted and be involved in tennis. I thought it was an honor just to even be considered. I couldn’t even be having this conversation without my mom and dad, and Larry and Mary Miller, who really, 50+ years ago, took all the risk and the vision and worked day in and day out.”