Issue link: http://itf.uberflip.com/i/315708
14 ITFWORLD SPRING 2014 "Winning Wimbledon for the sixth time as well," Woodforde added. "Again it was my final year of playing, two weeks after winning Roland Garros for the first time. It also came after a two-year drought from winning it five consecutive times." Woodforde said his father Ray was a huge influence. "He laid out the strong base to begin with as a little tacker, work ethic and so on," Woodforde said. "Barry phillips-Moore took me away in a team of tennis hopefuls outside of the Tennis Australia system, I wasn't good enough to be in the player development programme. Yet he gave me the belief I was good enough." As for doubles, said Woodforde, "Ray Ruffels was the man behind Todd and myself. He kept us focused, developed our games in singles and doubles, pushed us to raise the bar higher and higher. Mark Waters was part of the team that Ruff developed for us. He came on board with us almost from the start and kept us healthy, fit and competitive." "How can I not point towards Todd as well? We have experienced so much together," Woodforde added. "There were times I felt like I had to keep up with him, and I was grateful having the exuberant youth on my team, yet I'm sure there were times he was thankful he had the wily experienced 'lefty' on his team." "Our career paths were almost identical during the Woodies' time frame — singles results, singles ranking, similar style of trying to win, winning mixed doubles as well. He provided that motivation for me to stay young and eyes on the ball." pHILIppE CHATRIER AWARD On court at the Sydney Olympics, where the Woodies won silver In 1995, celebrating the fi rst of two US Open victories 14 ITFWORLD SPRING 2014