Southern Tennis Patrons Foundation

Southern Tennis Patrons Foundation

Al Parker, Georgia, 2010

Al Parker, Georgia, inducted 2010Al Parker

  • Recognized as the most accomplished junior tennis player in history
  • Won 25 national junior titles
  • The only player to be ranked number nationally in all 4 junior age divisions….Boy’s 12U in 1981, 14U in 1982, 16U in 1985 and 18U in 1986
  • During 1980-81 won the Boy’s 12U singles and doubles titles at all 4 national tournaments, the only player ever to capture all available national championships in one age division in one year….called the “Double Grand Slam”
  • Competed in 66 national singles and/or doubles tournaments and either won or was a finalist 38 times
  • Played number 1 singles at the University of Georgia, was a 4 year All-American and won 2 National Collegiate Singles Championships and 10 other collegiate singles and doubles titles, never losing a finals match
  • Inducted into the Georgia Tennis Hall of Fame in 2003 and the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Hall of Fame in 2007

Jerry Caldwell, Georgia, 2010

Jerry Caldwell, Georgia, inducted in 2010Jerry Caldwell

  • Made his mark as a doubles player in the world of adult tennis, securing ranking of number 1, number 2 and number 3 in the South in 3 age groups in 1981 with 3 different partners
  • Won the 1986 National Men’s 45’s Clay Court Doubles Championship and played in 11 national doubles finals
  • Won over 25 Georgia championships and an equal number of Southern championships
  • Ranked number 1 in the nation once, in Southern 10 times and in Georgia 15 times in his age group and consistently ranked among the top 5 nationally
  • Served the sport as a distinguished volunteer, including President of the Atlanta Lawn Tennis Association, Vice-President of USTA Georgia and a founder of the Senior Tennis Players of Georgia and the Atlanta Cup
  • Member of USTA Southern’s Olympics Facilities, Information Technology and Marketing committees
  • Inducted into the Georgia Tennis Hall of Fame in 1997

Chanda Rubin, Louisiana, 2009

Chanda Rubin, Louisiana, inducted in 2009Chanda Rubin

  • Turned pro after winning the 1992 Wimbledon Junior Championships and played in all the grand slams, reached the singles semifinals of the 1996 Australian Open, the singles quarterfinals of the French Open 3 times and won the 1996 Australian Open doubles title
  • Won 7 singles titles on the WTA Tour, including Madrid, Los Angeles and Eastbourne (twice), 10 doubles titles, 399 singles matches, the 1995 WTA Most Improved Player Award, qualified for the season-ending Tour Championships 4 times and ranked number 6 in the world in singles and number 9 in doubles in 1996
  • Designated funds from her Federation Cup play to support the International Tennis Foundation junior circuit tournaments played in the South and founded the Chanda Rubin Tennis and Scholarship Foundation
  • Received the 1997 Arthur Ashe Leadership Award for commitment to community involvement and children’s programs and named 1998 Most Caring Athlete by USA Weekend for humanitarian efforts in working with disabled and disadvantaged children
  • Awards include 1995 ATA Athlete of the Year, 1996 U. S. Olympic Committee Female Athlete of the Year, 2003 USTA Service Bowl, 2008 Danzig Trophy and 2008 Gene Scott Renaissance Award
  • Served as an Elite Athlete on the USTA Board of Directors for 3 terms
  • Inducted into the Louisiana Tennis Hall of Fame in 2012 and the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in 2013

Jack Mills, South Carolina, 2009

Jack Mills, South Carolina, inducted in 2009Mills_Jack

  • Volunteer and leader at all levels of tennis since 1971 serving as Chairman of the Junior Tennis League in Columbia, President of the South Carolina Tennis Association, President of the Southern Tennis Association and Regional Vice-President of the USTA
  • Member of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness & Sports, board member of PE4Life and Chairman of the advisory board for the College of Hospitality, Retail & Sports Management at the University of South Carolina
  • Represented the USTA on the ITF Olympic Committee before and during the 1996 games in Atlanta and was an advisor to the Atlanta Committee focusing on the construction of the tennis stadium and complex
  • Member of the U. S. Open committee in 1993, worked to improve security and chaired the U. S. Open Project Committee during the planning and construction of Arthur Ashe Stadium and the renovation of Louis Armstrong Stadium
  • Chaired the USTA Public Affairs Committee and assisted in obtaining more than $700,000 in government grants as well as pro-bono USTA advertising appearances by Donald Trump and Jeff Gordon
  • Selected as one of the 25 most influential sports figures in South Carolina and among the top 100 sports figures for the millennium in the state, and received the Order of the Palmetto, South Carolina’s highest civilian award
  • Inducted into the South Carolina Tennis Hall of Fame in 1990 and received the USTA Southern Touchstone Award in 1991

 

Steve Duffel, Arkansas, 2009

Steve Duffel, Arkansas, inducted in 2009Steve Duffel

  • Played tennis for the University of Arkansas from 1965 to 1967
  • Ranked number 1 in Arkansas and number 1 in the South in senior doubles numerous times and won several Southern Senior Championships in doubles and mixed doubles
  • Played on and captained Southern teams to the title at the USTA National Intersectional Championships over 15 years
  • Active volunteer for USTA Arkansas, USTA Southern and USTA as a tournament director, serving on and chairing numerous committees and filling leadership positions since 1977, including President of Arkansas in 1981-1982, President of Southern in 1986-1987 and a member of the USTA Executive Committee in 1988-1989
  • Chaired the Southern Tennis Patrons Foundation, served on numerous Foundation boards as a trustee and advisor and (after his selection as a 2009 inductee) chaired the Hall of Fame Selection Committee for 6 years
  • Received the Victor Sheshunoff Educational Merit Award and President’s Award in Arkansas and the USTA Southern President’s Award and Jacobs Bowl
  • Inducted into the Arkansas Tennis Hall of Fame in 1998