Lengthy-time official and former WTA participant Pam Whytcross received prestigious Spirit of Tennis Award on the Australian Tennis Awards, recognising her unimaginable contributions to Australian tennis on and off the courtroom.
Melbourne, VIC, Australia, 9 December 2024 | Tennis Australia
Pam Whytcross has been honoured with the distinguished Spirit of Tennis Award, in recognition of her unimaginable contributions to Australian tennis each on and off the courtroom.
Grand Slam champion Samantha Stosur offered Whytcross, a long-time tennis official and former WTA Tour participant, with the award on the 2024 Australian Tennis Awards at Melbourne’s Palladium Ballroom on Monday night.
“The superb Pam Whytcross has fairly actually devoted her life to tennis,” mentioned Stosur, who herself received the Spirit of Tennis Award in 2019.
“From her days as a participant, profitable three doubles titles and doubles finalist on the Australian Open, to her decades-long profession with the WTA, she has been a tireless pillar of this sport for greater than 50 years.
“Pam’s dedication, kindness and unwavering dedication to tennis have made an indelible mark on this sport and on all of us who’ve had the privilege to know her.”
Spirit of tennis personified 💫
Thanks and really effectively deserved, Pam Whytcross!#Newks24 pic.twitter.com/Dpdd6rwgB6
— TennisAustralia (@TennisAustralia) December 9, 2024
As a trailblazer in tennis, Whytcross has impressed numerous gamers, officers, and followers all through her exceptional 50+ year-career.
Her lifelong dedication to the game features a skilled taking part in profession, together with being within the room for the historic forming of the WTA in 1973.
Whytcross has officiated on the highest degree of the game, at numerous Grand Slams, WTA Finals, Fed/BJK Cup Finals and as competitors supervisor for the Sydney Olympics.
“That is an absolute shock. We had no thought,” Whytcross mentioned. “I mentioned to our desk who do you assume it’s? Sam [Stosur] thanks for these phrases. Sadly, every thing that you just mentioned concerning the little tid bits is true.
“I didn’t realise I’ve completed a lot, fairly actually. But it surely’s been a very long time that I’ve been on the highway and performed the sport.
“Not typically a participant turns into an official, however I assume I had the eagerness for the sport, I had the love for the sport.”
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Whytcross continues to journey to occasions for greater than 25 weeks annually.
“I grew to become a WTA supervisor after which took a hiatus for a few years as a result of I’d been travelling for 25 years,” she mentioned. “I labored for the Olympics, which was a marvel ful expertise. After that I mentioned to the WTA ‘are you able to have me again?’ they usually mentioned ‘oh if we’ve to’ so I got here again to the tour and I’ve been there ever since.
“I’ve cherished each minute of it. It’s been my life.”
Discover your technique to play: Go to play.tennis.com.au to get out on courtroom and have some enjoyable!
