Southern Tennis Patrons Foundation

Southern Tennis Patrons Foundation

Timothy M. Wilkison, North Carolina, 2000

Timothy M. Wilkison, North Carolina, inducted in 2000

  • Joined the professional tour at age 17 in 1976 and made his first big mark in 1978 when he upset Guillermo Vilas in the second round at Wimbledon
  • Noted for his toughness, tenacity and all-out style of play, he was appropriately nicknamed “Dr. Dirt”
  • Won 6 singles and 9 doubles titles in his career on the Men’s ATP Tour and reached his higher career ranking of 21 in 1986
  • Began playing the Nuveen Senior Tour in 1995 and reached number 4 in the Masters point standings
  • Won the 1996 Wimbledon Men’s 35’s Doubles Championship
  • Served on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the USTA
  • Inducted into the North Carolina Tennis Hall of Fame in 1987

Charles B. Morris JR, North Carolina, 2000

Charles B. Morris JR, North Carolina, inducted in 2000Charles Morris

  • Helped spearhead the opening of the Raleigh Racquet Club and served on the Board of Directors from 1971 to 1977 and as President from 1972 to 1975
  • Volunteered at the state and section levels for 25 years, served as Treasurer of the North Carolina Tennis Association for 15 years and later as Treasurer and President of the Southern Tennis Association and Chairman of the Southern Tennis Patrons Foundation
  • Received the North Carolina Outstanding Tennis Personality Award in 1983, the President’s Award in 1982, 1985 and 1990 and the Special Service Award in 1991
  • Received the USTA Southern Jacobs Bowl in 1984 and the Touchstone Award in 1985
  • Served in various capacities on numerous USTA committees and chaired the Budget and Finance Committee, the Nominating Committee and the Governance and Planning Committee
  • The Charles B. Morris, Jr. Volunteer Service Award was established by USTA Southern in his memory in 1995 and is presented to a volunteer who has contributed outstanding service at the local, state, sectional and national levels
  • Inducted into the North Carolina Tennis Hall of Fame in 1983

M. Marshall Happer III, North Carolina, 1995

M. Marshall Happer III, North Carolina, inducted in 1995

Won the North Carolina Junior Championships and 2 state high school championships and played at the University of North Carolina

Served as President of the Raleigh Community Tennis Association, the North Carolina Tennis Association and the Southern Tennis Association

Founder and President of the Raleigh Racquet Club, a 25-court non-profit tennis facility, in 1968

Member of the USTA Executive Committee and nominated for USTA Treasurer in 1981

Chief Operating Officer of the Men’s Tennis Council, the international governing body for men’s tennis, from 1981 until it dissolved in 1989

Executive Director of USTA from 1990 to 1995 and continued to serve as an outside counsel to the USTA after his retirement involved in television contracts, sponsorships and other business contracts for the U. S. Open through 2009

Inducted into the North Carolina Tennis Hall of Fame in 1981 and the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame in 2014

Richard O. “Dick” Covington JR, North Carolina, 1995

Richard O. “Dick” Covington JR, North Carolina, inducted 1995Richard O Covington Jr

  • Junior standout at Tate Prep School and Carolina Military Naval Academy and reached the singles semifinals and doubles quarterfinals in the National Indoor Junior Championships in the early 1920’s
  • Played tennis at the University of North Carolina
  • Selected to represent the United States in major tournaments in Europe in the late 1920’s advancing to the third round at the French Open and Wimbledon
  • Won the Asheville City Open 9 times between 1929 and 1945 and earned a ranking of #6 in Southern Men’s Singles
  • Served as a referee, an umpire and a consultant in tennis court maintenance
  • Inducted into the Western North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame, the North Carolina Tennis Hall of Fame in 1977 and recognized as the Asheville Parks and Recreation Volunteer of the Year
  • Asheville Racquet Club’s tennis stadium was named in his honor in 1983

A.W. “Buck” Archer, North Carolina, 1993

A.W. “Buck” Archer, North Carolina, inducted in 1993Buck Archer

  • Started playing tennis when he was 8 and continued through high school, prep school and while attending Davidson College
  • Following college he returned to Shelby, N. C. where he was the volunteer coach of the Shelby High School tennis team and the Cleveland County Country Club team
  • Played on two championship United States Austria Cup teams, an international team competition for 55-and-over men
  • Captain of the United States Osuna Cup team for 45-and-over men from 1987 to 1991, leading the American team to victory over Mexico four of the five years
  • Won two National Clay Court Championships
  • Won 11 national doubles titles
  • Inducted into the North Carolina Tennis Hall of Fame in 1977