The Greater Cincinnati Tennis Association (GCTA) was founded in 1980 as the official community tennis organization of Cincinnati, Ohio. A non-profit organization, its mission is to foster and promote interest in tennis in Cincinnati on all levels by honoring outstanding players, supporting league play, encouraging junior player development, and providing assistance to tournaments. The organization’s continuing goal is to help effect a steady and annual increase in the number of active players in Cincinnati in the lifelong sport of tennis.
Its location makes the GCTA a part of the United States Tennis Association's Ohio Valley district and Midwest section. It is the largest community tennis association in the Ohio Valley, and the Midwest section is the USTA's second-largest section (behind only the Southern section).
Cincinnati has a long history as a traditional tennis hotbed. It boasts one of the oldest and most prestigious tennis tournaments in the world (the Western & Southern Open), has produced two International Tennis Hall of Famers (Bill Talbert and Tony Trabert), and has one of the oldest active tennis clubs in the United States (the Cincinnati Tennis Club).
In 1989, the city was honored by International Tennis Hall of Fame by being named that organization's first "Tennis City of the Year."
The city also has hosted Davis Cup ties (in 1952 at the Cincinnati Tennis Club and in 1981 at Riverfront Coliseum), and the United States Clay Court Championships (in 1914 and 1917). The United States Tennis Association's National Father & Son Clay Court Championship has been hosted annually since 1974 at the Cincinnati Tennis Club.
Past Presidents edit
- W. Joseph Dehner (1980-1981)
- Geoffrey Crawford (1981-1983)
- Jack Guggenheim (1983-1985)
- Tom Bohmer (1985-1986)
- Dr. John H.K. Yuan (1986-1987)
- Bill Lofgren (1988-1989)
- Marlin Marshall (1989-1991)
- Douglas Corn (1991-1992)
- Kevin Molony (1992-1994)
- Thomas Guenther (1994-1996)
- Heather Hairston (1996-1998)
- Brian Nester (1998-2000)
- Jim Farley (2000-2003)
- Brett DeCurtains (2003-2005)
- Brian Leshner (2005-2006)
- Joy Albi (2006-2008)
- Phillip S. Smith (2008-2009)
- Carol Meldon (2009-Present)
Cincinnati Tennis Hall of Fame edit
The Cincinnati Tennis Hall of Fame was established in 2002 to honor outstanding individuals who have contributed to the history, tradition and legacy of tennis in Cincinnati. It is a committee of the GCTA. The enshrinees have been:
- Enshrined in 2002: Bill Talbert & Tony Trabert
- Enshrined in 2003: Alvin W. Bunis, Ruth Sanders Cordes, Nathaniel C. Emerson, Paul M. Flory, Kathy Graeter, Barry MacKay & Thomas E. Price
- Enshrined in 2004: J. Howard “Bumpy” Frazer, Bill Lofgren, Marty Wolf & Clara Louise Zinke
- Enshrined in 2005: Jim Brockhoff, Andrea Farley, Jack Guggenheim, Reuben A. Holden, Jr. & Caroline Kuhlman
- Enshrined in 2006: Carol Brestel, Henry Bunis, Steve Contardi & Winona Closterman
- Enshrined in 2007: Joe O’Brien, Heather Hairston-Prop, David Power, Carol Tanner
- Enshrined in 2008: Charles Thomas, Carl Lindner, Rich Lindner & Jeff Wolf
- Enshrined in 2009: John Cook, Lynn Nabors-McNally, John Peckskamp, Angela Farley Wilson
- Enshrined in 2010: Joe Leytze, Jim Meakin, Kara Molony-Hussey, Bill Pendl
- Enshrined in 2011: Dan Kronauge, John David Rauh, Bobbie Farley, Jim Farley
References edit
- Greater Cincinnati Tennis Association Yearbooks