Southern Tennis Hall of Fame

Nehemiah Atkinson, Louisiana, 1997

Nehemiah Atkinson, Louisiana, inducted in 1997

Avid tennis player since the 1940’s who specialized in singles competition
Director of Tennis for the City of New Orleans for 22 years
Won over 15 Southern Singles Championships and several Silver Balls as a finalist at USTA National Championships
Represented Louisiana at Senior Cup competition, captain of the Southern 75’s team at the USTA Intersectional Team competition, 1993 USPTR Player of the Year and winner of the 1996 USPTR Men’s 70 singles title
Recipient of the inaugural Kennedy Ripple of Hope Award and the T. N. Touchstone Memorial Trophy presented annually to a Southern senior player who displays outstanding sportsmanship and support of tennis in the South
Played on the 1999, 2000 and 2001 United States Gardner Mulloy Cup Team which won the competition in 2001 to become world champions in the Men’s 80’s
Inducted into the Louisiana Tennis Hall of Fame in 1986

Ernest M. Sutter, Louisiana, inducted in 1996 Ernest Sutter

All-American at Tulane University
Won 2 consecutive National Intercollegiate Singles Championships in 1936 and 1937
Won the 1936 Southern Singles and Doubles Championships and the 1937 Southern Doubles Championships
Ranked in the top 6 in singles in the South between 1934 and 1939 and #1 in the South in doubles in 1935, 1936, 1937 and 1939
Ranked #21 in the nation in 1936 and #22 in 1937
Won the 1961 National Senior Doubles Championships with his brother Cliff
Inducted into the National Collegiate Hall of Fame, the Tulane Athletic Hall of Fame and the Louisiana Tennis Hall of Fame

Eugene Ray. Georgia, inducted in 1996

Involved as a local competitor, teacher and organizer and known as “Mr. Tennis” in Clayton County
Devoted much of his time to introducing tennis to local residents, maintaining the only 2 courts in the county, giving free lessons to juniors and adults and running tournaments
Began playing senior tournaments at age 60 and restricted himself to 10 tournaments per year, but still earned 21 number 1 Georgia rankings and 9 number 1 Southern rankings
Won all 6 Southern tournaments he entered in 1984 at age 80
Played few national tournaments, but earned wins over several nationally ranked players, including Bitsy Grant
Attained his highest national singles ranking of number 5 in the 85’s in 1990
Inducted into the Georgia Tennis Hall of Fame in 1995

Jane Crofford, Tennessee, inducted in 1996

Involved in tennis at the local, sectional and national levels
Helped start junior programs in Nashville and became President of the Nashville Tennis Association and the Tennessee Tennis Association
Chaired the Southern Tennis Junior Tennis Council and served as the Tournament Director for the Southern Boys & Girls 16 and 18 Closed Championships for several years
Served on the USTA Senior Tennis Council and the Sanction and Schedule Committee
Began playing competitively in her mid-30’s and won over 40 national championships
Represented the United States at multiple international team events and was World Tennis Magazine’s Player of the Year in 1968
Inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 1986 and the Tennessee Tennis Hall of Fame in 1993

Linda Tuero , Louisiana, inducted in 1995

Won 6 national junior titles, including the USTA Girls 14U Singles Championships, Girls 16U Singles and Doubles Championships and the Girls 18U Clay Court Championships
First woman to receive an athletic scholarship to Tulane University, first woman to play on a varsity team and the first woman to receive a varsity letter
While at Tulane achieved a #1 women’s world ranking in the 21U division and won the 1969 and 1970 U. S. Amateur and 1970 U. S. Open Clay Courts
Turned pro in the early 1970’s and reached a ranking of number 10 in the world in 1972 when she won the Italian Open
Member of the 1972 and 1973 United States Wightman Cup and Federation Cup teams and served as captain of the Federation Cup team in 1973
Competed in all the grand slam tournaments, advancing to the quarterfinals of the 1971 French Open
Inducted into the Tulane University Athletic Hall of Fame and the Louisiana Tennis Hall of Fame in 1985