He attended and graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles, where he won the NCAA men's singles and doubles with Ian Crookenden of New Zealand in 1966, one year after his friend and teammate Arthur Ashe won those titles. He reached No. 1 in the U.S. rankings in 1967 and became the first man in over 30 years to win the U.S. National Indoors in successive years. This tournament was the biggest indoor tournament in the world. While at UCLA, he received coaching from Pancho Segura at the Beverly Hills Tennis Club.