Greg Freeze, WOR Hall of Fame Inductee, Class of 2026

The WOR Hall of Fame this year welcomes Greg Freeze to its ranks. 

Steve Belmonte

Greg Freeze is one of the most consistent and respected competitors of the modern outdoor era, with more than three decades of outdoor dominance in California and beyond. His résumé reflects longevity, versatility in both singles and doubles, and the ability to compete across multiple generations of elite players.  He was a tireless competitor who never missed an event and was loved by his opponents for his humbleness on the court.Freeze is born and bred Orange County, learning to play racquetball in high school in the mid-1970s.  Once he got his drivers license, he became a fixture at Golden West College, which housed a huge outdoor community of players that would compete with the original Orange County College crew at California States and at Outdoor Nationals every year.  He played his first tournament in 1979 with a buddy and won “B” Doubles, which meant it was time to move up to Open.  In his first major tournament in 1980, he made the California State singles final before losing to his mentor and fellow Hall of Famer Dan Southern.  He quickly made waves at Outdoor Nationals, putting a loss on the 1980 finalist Bobby Stocker as his “coming out party,”  kicking off a 27-year history of competing in the event.

Freeze was known for his singles exploits, where he maintained a nearly 20-year span of reaching the quarters or better of Outdoor Nationals, an extraordinary display of durability at the highest level of outdoor play.  He won the 1990 Outdoor Singles title, defeating another Hall of Famer in Craig “Clubber” Lane in the final, made two other finals, and made the semis five times in a 20-year span.  He began his singles career mixing it up with the likes of Hawkes, Southern, and Lane, and ended it at the hands of Rocky Carson, who beat Freeze in his final competitive singles match in 2006 at the age of 47. 

In Doubles, Freeze proved adaptable with multiple partners across multiple eras. He won the title in 1994 with Southern, defeating the two legends Brian Hawkes and Clubber Lane in the final.  He also defended California’s pride in 1991, traveling to Florida to win the 1991 Penn National Outdoor Championships with Hawkes during the one year that AARA dabbled in outdoor national programming.  In doubles he exhibited tactical intelligence, court chemistry with different partners, and the ability to compete against Hall-of-Fame caliber opposition for decades.

Freeze describes himself as a “Rabbit” on the court, outworking opponents with fitness and hustle.  He was a shot maker, relying on shot making ability instead of abject power, and used that variety to counter the power players of his era.  He excelled at playing to his opponents’ weaknesses, winning ugly when he had to, and depending on heart and determination to win matches no one thought he could.  The longer the rally went, the more likely Freeze was going to win it.

Today, Freeze lives in Palm Springs and plays pickleball every day.  He is an avid traveler, often taking trips to South America where he is learning to speak Spanish and to play Padel.  Clearly, racquet sports remain in his blood.

Greg Freeze WOR Outdoor Nationals History

• Singles
  • 1 Title: 1990; beat Clubber Lane
  • 2 finals: 1991, 2000
  • 5 semifinals, between 1985 and 2007
• Doubles:
  • 2 titles: 1994 with Southern (beat Hawkes/Lane) and 2nd title: in Florida in 1991 with Hawkes.
  • 3 finals: 96,97,04 with Southern, Peters, Martin
  • 4 semis (3rd place in 2001)