The most stylish tennis tournament ever saw Arnie strip off and meet his wife, Muhammad Ali and Hollywood elite pick up rackets
Golf’s Pebble Beach may be by far the biggest sports-celebrity crossover, but in the 1970s it had some serious competition.
And while Soccer Aid might stake its claim with Usain Bolt and Will Ferrell, when it comes to aesthetics, nothing quite compares to The Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Tennis Tournament.
The New York series took place every year, usually ahead of the prestigious US Open, to remember the former United States attorney general who was assassinated in 1968.
Raising money for a number of different charities, celebrities and fans had to pay for access to the West Side Tennis Club, and certainly got their money’s worth.
Even without the tennis stars on show, fans and photographers were witness to some of the most incredible celebrity crossovers, including boxing GOAT Muhammad Ali and ‘The King of Pop’ Michael Jackson.
Oscar winners Dustin Hoffman, Clint Eastwood and James Caan were regulars, wearing some of the most stylish tennis outfits fit for a runway.
Outshining them all, though, was one world famous actor who even ditched his polo.
A shirtless Arnold Schwarzenegger was a highlight for many fans as the professional bodybuilder, who later became the ultimate Hollywood action star, showed off his extraordinary physique, which even landed him his ex-wife Maria Shriver.
Recalling their first encounter in 1977, The Terminator told Netflix documentary Arnold: “Before the actual tennis tournament, there was a big party. All of the Kennedys were there.
“Eunice [Kennedy Shriver, sister of former president John F. Kennedy] came up to me and said, ‘Oh, hi, it’s so good to have you here. By the way, this is my daughter, Maria Shriver’.”
