Michael Evans, a great supporter of Dorset tennis and who as a professional player represented Great Britain, passed away earlier this year aged 94.
Michael was heavily involved in the coaching set up of the LTA from 1950 until he retired. As a professional player, he represented Great Britain against France and Holland. He played in the British Professional Championships reaching the semi-finals of the singles and winning the doubles and also competed in the Slazenger Pro Tournament.
Michael was Yorkshire County Coach from 1950-1965 and worked alongside Dan Maskell with the LTA Winter Training Squads from 1964/65. He then went to The West Hants Lawn Tennis Club as Head Coach from 1965 to 1983. In his later years, he was heavily involved in the LTA Professional registration courses at all levels, examining in Part 1 and Part 2 becoming Chief Instructor. He worked with Roger Taylor, Elizabeth Starkie, Margaret Cooper, John Feaver and Andrew Phillips to name but a few.
In 1996, Michael received the LTA Meritorious Service Award in appreciation of the tremendous amount of work he had done for tennis coaches and coaching and for coach education in particular.
Michael will be remembered with great fondness by many people involved in the tennis world.
