Jeff Tarango and Chanda Rubin, two former U.S. Olympic team members, highlight new nominees for the U.S. Tennis Association’s Board of Directors as directors at large, WTM has learned.
As expected, USTA First Vice President Jon Vegosen has been nominated as the new USTA President, to take office January 1, 2011, replacing Lucy Garvin, who will assume the board position of Immediate Past President. Dave Haggerty, the chairman of Head USA, has been nominated as First Vice President. Former WTA Tour doubles standout and Tennis Channel commentator Katrina Adams has been nominated as a Vice President.
Tarango, a member of the 2000 U.S. Olympic team and a former standout at Stanford University, won two singles titles and 14 doubles title on the ATP World Tour. In 1995, he famously walked out of a third-round match at Wimbledon trailing Alexander Mronz of Germany 7-6 (6), 3-1 after a series of disagreements with chair umpire Bruno Rebeuh of France, whom Tarango called “one of the most corrupt officials in the game.” Following his walk-off, Tarango’s wife Benedicte famously slapped Rebeuh in the face. In his post press conference, Tarango alleged that Rebeuh helped players that he was friends with and is the most corrupt official in the sport. “Well, things were pretty crazy, and I have a lot of basis for what I’m saying,” said Tarango following the match, “It’s a long, long story. I’m sorry that things happened, but I don’t feel that a player has any defense these days in getting some kind of justice when things go wrong against him.” Tarango was subsequently fined $63,000 and banned for two major tournaments, including Wimbledon the following year.
Rubin reached a career-high of No. 6 in the world in 1996 after reaching the semifinals of the Australian Open. She won seven singles and 10 doubles titles on the WTA Tour. She was a member of the 1996 and 2004 U.S. Olympic teams and also represented the U.S. in Fed Cup play for five years.
The full list of nominated USTA board members are as follows;
Jonathan Vegosen President
David A. Haggerty First Vice President
Katrina M. Adams Vice President
Carol J. Welder Vice President
Donald L. Tisdel Secretary-Treasurer
Seth G. Abraham – Director at Large
Dale G. Caldwell – Director at Large
William J. Kellogg – Director at Large
John N. Korff – Director at Large
Delaine B. Mast – Director at Large
Andrew A. Valdez – Director at Large
Patrick J. Galbraith – Director at Large
Chanda Rubin – Director at Large
Jeff Tarango – Director at Large
Lucy S. Garvin – Immediate Past President