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Former USTA president Katrina Adams headlines 2020 International Tennis Hall of Fame Awards

December 03, 2020


Katrina Adams, who served as USTA Chairman and President from 2015-2018, has been named the 2020 recipient of the International Tennis Hall of Fame’s Samuel Hardy Award, presented to a USTA volunteer in recognition of long and outstanding service at the national level to the sport of tennis. 

 

Adams, who was the first African-American, first former professional, and youngest-ever to head up the USTA, was recognized for her commitment and dedication to growing and diversifying tennis and using the sport to enhance lives and open doors of opportunity for others.

 

In addition to Adams, the Hall of Fame also recognized coaches Lynne Rolley and Dave Fish with its Tennis Educational Merit Awards, presented annually to a man and a woman who have made notable contributions at the national level and have demonstrated leadership and creative skills in such areas as instruction, writing, organization, and promotion of the sport of tennis. 

 

Rolley, who served as the USTA’s Director of Women’s Tennis for nearly two decades, also coached the U.S. Fed Cup, Pan American, and U.S. National teams. She has been involved in tennis for more than 50 years in a variety of roles, and is a world-renowned speaker and author, and member of the ITF’s International Coaches Commission.

 

Fish was the men’s varsity tennis at Harvard for 42 years, winning 21 Ivy League titles before retiring in 2018. He has long been dedicated to making tennis easier, more fun, and more accessible to all. Fish has been a frequent educational presenter at ITA conventions, high school association conventions and seminars, and also helped develop the Universal Tennis Rating system.

 

WATCH: Check out out the video presentations for all of the International Tennis Hall of Fame award winners below.

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