ITF

Elena Baltacha Former world No. 49 and British No. 1 Elena Baltacha passed away on 4 May aged 30 after a four-month battle with liver cancer. Baltacha led the Great Britain Fed Cup team for many years, playing 39 ties and compiling a 33-16 total win-loss record. She also set up the Elena Baltacha Academy of Tennis, which helps children from all backgrounds to learn and play the sport. Jacinta Beros Jacinta Beros passed away on 22 September in Perth, Australia. Jacinta was a long-time employee of the Hopman Cup, holding several positions, and was well known and liked by the tennis community. Vic Braden Renowned tennis coach Vic Braden died from a heart attack on 6 October aged 85. Braden devoted his life to teaching tennis after a three-year professional playing career. He studied all aspects of tennis and created a tennis college and research centre in Coto De Caza, California in 1980. He also had tennis colleges in St. George, Utah, and Kissimmee, Florida and wrote seven books. Louise Brough Louise Brough (known as Brough Clapp after 1958) passed away after a brief illness on 3 February aged 90. Brough was one of the most dominant female tennis players of the 1940s and 1950s. She won 35 Grand Slam titles – six in singles, 21 in doubles, and eight in mixed doubles. She and her contemporary Doris Hart are tied at fifth on the all-time list for winning the most major titles. She was ranked in the world's Top 10 from 1946 through to 1957 and captured the world No. 1 ranking in 1955. Manuel Carrera del Rio Manuel Carrera del Rio died on 13 October. President of the Ecuador Tennis Federation from 2002 to 2010, Carrera del Rio also served on the ITF Women's Circuit Committee from 2006 to 2011. Dodo Cheney Dorothy "Dodo" Bundy Cheney passed away at home in La Jolla, California on 23 November aged 98. Cheney played tennis for the majority of her life – including well into her 90s. She became the first American woman to win the Australian Championships in 1938 and finished a runner-up in three Grand Slam women's doubles tournaments and at four mixed doubles majors. She peaked at world No. 6 in 1946, featuring in the world's Top 10 throughout the late 1930s and mid-1940s and was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2004. John Davis John Davis, grandson of Davis Cup founder Dwight Davis, passed away in late November. Like his grandfather, Davis had a passion for racquet sports. He was principal designer for the Davis Cup room at the International Tennis Hall of Fame before going on to become Vice President. Stig Ericson Stig Ericson passed away on 8 May after a long illness. Ericson played a major role in the development of wheelchair tennis in his home nation of Sweden as an administrator, coach and ambassador for the sport. He was involved in the early years of the sport internationally and his tennis background and experience provided considerable insight to help the development of wheelchair tennis around the world. Ericson was presented with the 2014 Brad Parks Award shortly before he passed away. Arturo Grimaldi Arturo Grimaldi, President of the Argentine Tennis Association, (AAT) died on 26 October aged 63 following a battle with cancer. Grimaldi, a lawyer, was ranked Argentine No. 1 in the junior under 14 age group in 1963 and Argentine junior No. 7 in the under 18 age group in 1967. He became a board member of the AAT in 1996, having previously been President of the Tenis Club Argentino, and was elected AAT President in 2009. He was also President of the South American Tennis Confederation between 2011 and 2013. Erik Keller Erik Keller passed away on 17 May aged 65 after a serious illness. A long-time Vice President of Swiss Tennis, Keller also served as chairman of the Swiss Davis Cup and Fed Cup teams and served on the Professional Committee of Tennis Europe as well as being a long-time delegate at the ITF and Tennis Europe. Pablo Llorens Honorary ITF Life Vice President Pablo Llorens died on 18 November. A former President of the Spanish Tennis Federation, Llorens served as the Chairman of the ITF Olympic Tennis Committee and was instrumental, alongside former ITF President Philippe Chatrier, in re-establishing tennis as an Olympic Sport in Seoul in 1988. Llorens was awarded the ITF/International Tennis Hall of Fame Golden Achievement Award in 2001. Mohammed M'Jid Mohammed M'Jid passed away on 20 March aged 97. President of the Moroccan Tennis Federation for 53 years before stepping down in 2010, M'Jid was a leading figure in the development of tennis in Africa for over half a century. He is credited for his role in creating the Grand Prix Hassan II men's professional tournament, which began in 1986 and is to date the only ATP event on the African continent. He was honoured with an ITF Award for Services to the Game in 1993. 36 OBITUARIES OBITUARIES

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