ITHF President Stan Smith to Retire at Year’s End
International Tennis Hall of Fame President and Hall of Famer Stan Smith recently announced that after 11 years of service to the International Tennis Hall of Fame, he will be retiring at the conclusion of 2021.
Smith has served as President of the organization since 2011, succeeding fellow Hall of Famer Tony Trabert in the role. Smith’s successor will be named at a later date.
During this time, Smith has also served as Chairman of the Enshrinee Nominating Committee, which oversees the Hall of Fame induction process. Additionally, he served as and co-chair of the highly successful Match Point Capital Campaign, which led to the complete renovation and modernization of the Hall of Fame’s museum and significant expansion of the Hall of Fame tennis facilities.
As President, Smith has served as a spokesperson for the International Tennis Hall of Fame throughout the tennis world, and has been an instrumental part of the organization’s growth in recent years, with specific emphasis on international outreach and development of digital programming to enable sharing the inspiring stories of tennis history with fans around the world.
"It's a bittersweet moment for me because of all my experiences with the Hall of Fame, and it's been an honor and a privilege to serve the Hall of Famers and all those people that support the Hall of Fame."
- ITHF President & Hall of Famer Stan Smith
The news of Smith’s retirement was shared at the ITHF’s Annual Meeting and the Legends Ball by BNP Paribas, both held in New York City during the US Open.
Smith received a standing ovation at the events, where he stated, “It's a bittersweet moment for me because of all my experiences with the Hall of Fame, and it's been an honor and a privilege to serve the Hall of Famers and all those people that support the Hall of Fame.
“Todd Martin and his team have done an unbelievable job navigating the last two years. I really believe in our mission, and I also believe in the vision going forward. I will continue to be an advocate for the Hall of Fame, and I encourage you all to be as well.”
Smith was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1987 following a tennis career that spanned two decades and saw him win more than 90 titles in singles and doubles. Among those he captured seven major titles, including the 1971 US Open and 1972 Wimbledon singles titles, as well as five doubles championships with partner Bob Lutz. Smith was a Davis Cup stalwart for the United States, instrumental leading the team to seven championships.
