Brian Reginald Tobin AM (5 December 1930 – 22 April 2024) was an Australian tennis player and executive who was the president of the International Tennis Federation from 1991 to 1999. He was awarded the Order of Australia in 1986 and the Olympic Order in 1999. Apart from awards, he was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2003 and the Australian Tennis Hall of Fame in 2004.

Brian Tobin
AM
Full nameBrian Reginald Tobin
Born(1930-12-05)5 December 1930
Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Died22 April 2024(2024-04-22) (aged 93)
Int. Tennis HoF2003 (member page)
Singles
Career record4–6
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open4R (1957, 1960, 1961)
French Open1R (1964)
Doubles
Career record1–3
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian OpenSF (1963)

Early life and education

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Tobin was born on 5 December 1930 in Perth, Western Australia.[1] As a teenager, Tobin played Australian rules football before switching to tennis. He attended Christian Brothers' College, Perth for his post-secondary education.[2]

Career

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As a tennis player, Tobin appeared at his first Grand Slam tournament during the 1949 Australian Championships. During the 1950s and 1960s, he played in multiple Australian Championships in singles and doubles events. Outside of Australia, Tobin participated at the 1964 French Championships where he reached the first round in doubles.[3]

Apart from playing tennis, Tobin was the captain of the Australian team that won the 1964 Federation Cup.[4] He began his executive career as a member of Tennis Australia in 1965. He was promoted to president in 1977 and remained with the organization until 1989. He later became president of the International Tennis Federation from 1991 to 1999.[5]

Death

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Tobin died on 22 April 2024, at the age of 93.[6][7]

Awards and honours

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Tobin was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the 1986 Australia Day Honours, "for service to tennis, particularly in the field of administration";[8] he was additionally awarded the Olympic Order in 1999.[9] Tobin was first inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1991.[10] Subsequent hall of fame inductions for Tobin were the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2003 and the Australian Tennis Hall of Fame in 2004.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Brian Tobin". Tennis Australia. Retrieved 17 November 2018.
  2. ^ Tobin, Brian (17 March 2008). "Brian Tobin interviewed by Rob Linn for the Sport oral history project [sound recording] Session 1" (Interview). Interviewed by Rob Linn. Brighton, Victoria: Trove.
  3. ^ "Brian Tobin". International Tennis Federation. Retrieved 17 November 2018.
  4. ^ "History – Fed Cup". Tennis Australia. Retrieved 18 November 2018.
  5. ^ "Brian Tobin". International Tennis Hall Of Fame. Retrieved 18 November 2018.
  6. ^ "Obituary: Brian Tobin". International Tennis Federation. 23 April 2024. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
  7. ^ "Brian Tobin, former president of the International Tennis Federation, dies at age 93". Associated Press News. 23 April 2024. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
  8. ^ "Australia Day Honours". The Canberra Times. 25 January 1986. p. 12. Retrieved 17 November 2018.
  9. ^ "Olympic Order. (News flash)". Olympic Review. Vol. XXVI, no. 29. October–November 1999. p. 68. Retrieved 17 November 2018.
  10. ^ "Brian Tobin". Sports Australia Hall of Fame. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
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