In Memoriam: Barbara Smith

It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our dear friend, former USTA Texas President (1985-1986) and longtime tennis leader and volunteer, Barbara Smith of Austin, who passed away on Monday, April 27, 2026.

Smith was inducted into the Texas Tennis Hall of Fame in 2007 and was a prominent contributor to the game of Tennis not only in Texas, but across the United States and the world. She began volunteering in Austin with the Capital Area Tennis Association in 1976 and with USTA Texas (then known as the Texas Tennis Association) in 1979.

She served numerous leadership roles with USTA Texas culminating in her selection as President for the section in 1985. Since then she continued to serve tennis in Texas sharing her experience and wisdom with the next generations of leaders.

In a 2021 interview, Smith shared how and why she got involved in tennis volunteering: 

"Somebody asked. I think we all need to watch for talent and we need to encourage it. When somebody recognizes something in you, that they think you can do it -- I think it's really important to be asked. It gives you this sense of, 'oh they think I can do this.' and this is interesting to me. This is a challenge -- I want it, I'll do it and I think that's why I stayed so long and I kept getting interesting jobs. I was chairman of the Davis Cup, Fed Cup and Olympic Committee, I served on the International Tennis Federation Committee for 20 years and that's pretty interesting stuff,” she said.

Within USTA Texas, Smith held many leadership positions, including serving as the section’s delegate to the United States Tennis Association. She became a certified official and served on the section’s executive committee, helping guide the growth and governance of tennis throughout Texas. Her leadership extended to the national level, where she served on the USTA Board of Directors and was elected Vice President.