ITF

ITF World Winter 2021 43 others. In recent years, she was a Ph.D. candidate at Cambridge University, where she had done substantial work on a doctorate focused on women's tennis history. Former International Tennis Hall of Fame CEO Mark Stenning, who worked closely with Brown Grimes for more than three decades, Jane Brown Grimes, a transformative tennis industry leader who held roles as President and CEO of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, Managing Director of the Women's Professional Tennis Council (precursor to today's WTA), and Chairman of the Board, President, and CEO of the United States Tennis Association, died at home in New York City on 2 November. Brown Grimes, a lifelong New Yorker, was 80 years old. In 2014, Brown Grimes was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in recognition of her extraordinary contributions to the sport. She was also highly active with the ITF, serving on the Junior Competitions Committee, Billie Jean King Cup Committee and the Rules of Tennis Committee, among stated: "As the leader of three major tennis organisations, Jane had a tremendously positive and wide-ranging impact across the sport. She was an astute leader who approached everything with the highest level of grace, skill, and intelligence. I am grateful to have counted her as my friend and mentor." OBITUARY JANE BROWN GRIMES In October, Great Britain became the latest nation to launch ITF World Tennis Number after the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), a key strategic partner in its development, introduced the global rating for all tennis players in Britain. LTA launch ITF World Tennis Number in Great Britain The new, inclusive, innovative and modern rating system has been designed to provide a significant boost to grassroots participation and recreational competition. Tennis players with an existing rating will now receive their ITF World Tennis Number, with straight sets. Althaus also won the S1000 Capdepera 85 event the previous week to underline his world No. 1 ranking. In the longest men's match of the day, Italian Antonio Claudi prevailed in a tense battle over Chris Ornstien. Briton Ornstien battled until the end, but Claudi proved too strong in a gripping final to capture the Men's 75 singles. Claudi then teamed up with countryman Paolo Lazzari in the 75 doubles to add to his gold medal haul. The women's singles had been decided on the previous day. A strong German presence throughout the finals bore fruit for Reinhilde Adams in the Women's 70 singles and Gudula Eisemann in the Women's 75 event, both defeating compatriots to take the title. However, it was not to be for Irmgard Gerlatzka in the Women's 80 singles, the German retiring in the second set to give American Donna Fales the victory and an eighth world title. Elsewhere, Brazilian Patricia Medrado comprehensively defeated American Carolyn Nichols to cap an impressive week. Medrado followed up the singles title with a doubles gold medal – also over Nichols – to reflect her status as one of the standout players of the week. Medrado now has 14 world titles in total. A full round-up of the draws and results from the event is available here. players of all levels across Great Britain having the opportunity to sign up to receive a Number and access a personalised Game zONe to identify evenly-matched opponents. The ITF World Tennis Number provides a single global tennis rating for players of all ages, genders and abilities, creating a global community of tennis players and enabling more people at all levels to play and enjoy the sport, More than 130 national associations are now signed up and sharing their match data as the first stage of the process towards launching to their players. This means currently up to 75 million tennis players (86% of the global playing population) will have the opportunity to gain an ITF World Tennis Number as more nations join Great Britain, Singapore, Ireland, Lithuania and Mexico in launching the platform to their players. R E A D M O R E

• Cover