Ryan Vannah, a 43-year-old man that won back to back national titles in tennis and played the sport for almost all of his life, using it to stay athletic into middle age, died after collapsing at Red Rock Country Club, where he was playing a match.
News on that comes from the Las Vegas Review Journal, which reports that Mr. Vannah was playing in a mixed doubles tennis match Sunday afternoon when, during the tiebreaker, he collapsed to a knee. Continuing to collapse, he placed his hands on the court and lay down, in obvious physical distress.
Fortunately, there were doctors watching the match who were able to perform CPR and try to keep Mr. Vannah alive for 55 long minutes. Unfortunately for all involved, Mr. Vannah didn’t survive. His heart, according to the Las Vegas Review Journal, “never restarted.”
Mr. Vannah’s death came as a shock to his family. Though his family has a history of high blood pressure and he was on medication for that issue, his sister, Tami Vannah Kang, said that he was healthy, fit, and showed noo signs of not managing the potential blood pressure issue.
Speaking on that, she said “He took impeccable care of his health. He was so fit. He lifted weights. He looked like a bodybuilder to me. He was huge. We did not see this coming.”
Indeed. Mr. Vannah, 43, not only was a lifelong tennis player, but his teams at the Red Rock Country Club had just won not a national championship, but a pair of national championships. The Las Vegas Review Journal, reporting on those victories, reported:
Last week, the Red Rock Country Club team gathered to celebrate its second consecutive national championship in the United States Tennis Association League in the 40-and-over age group and the 18-and-over age group.
Vannah was on both teams when they captured titles last year, and his sister said he smiled brightly surrounded by his teammates and friends.
So, though middle aged and in a family with some history of blood pressure problems, he was fit and in shape.
Outkick. reporting on the cause of his death, said “While the local coroner’s office has not yet ruled on an official cause and manner of death, according to the Review Journal, doctors and emergency medical staff said they believe Vannah was on the wrong medication for his blood pressure.”
Allen Morgan, one of Mr. Vannah’s friends, posted about his passing in a Facebook post, saying:
Had a really fun and awesome tennis match with my partner Ryan Vannah yesterday!!! And today our tennis community lost Ryan. He loved the game of tennis and had such an amazing fun personality to be around. We’re going to miss you buddy
Prayers to your friends and family during these tough times 
By: Will Tanner. Follow me on Twitter @Will_Tanner_1
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