Russ Adams (tennis photographer)
Russ Adams (July 30, 1930 – June 28, 2017) was an American photographer. He was called by his peers the "dean" of modern tennis photography. In a Boston Globe profile (July 12, 2007) of Russ Adams regarding his July 2007 induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island, Billie Jean King stated: "Russ is a national treasure." "He's our dean, our guru, our guardian. Believe me, the players look for him and love him," King added.
He covered the sport for 50 years and created *ociated tennis photography rules. He was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island in July 2007 along with players Pete Sampras, Arantxa Sánchez Vicario, and Sven Davidson.
Adams spent the last 50 years of his life visually do*enting the history of tennis at over 400 events. He is the face behind the camera and his work has illuminated the greatest moments and stories in the sport.
Adams photographed Grand Slam Tournaments, the World Championship Tour (WCT), all major United States Tennis *ociation (USTA) tournaments, Fed Cup, Davis Cup, and tennis at the Olympic Games. Watch five video vignettes about the Australian Open that show Russ and highlight his work, produced and aired by The Tennis Channel, that ran on TV during this year's tournament.
Adams credited learning tennis photographer from 17-time Grand Slam Champion, the "Queen Mother of American Tennis," Hazel Wightman, at Longwood Criket Club in Chestnut Hill, MA, where Wightman was a member.
In 1967 he became the official (volunteer) photographer of the U.S. National Championship at Forest Hills. At the birth of Open Tennis he developed and implemented the system for on-court photographers at the 1969 U.S. Open Championship in tandem with the tournament director Bill Talbert.
He served as director/liaison of photographers for the U.S. Open, and was instrumental in developing the universal "Code of Conduct" in conjunction with the Professional Tennis Council to be used by photographers covering tennis events around the world.
He was a founding member of the International Tennis Federation Media Commission and served on the Board for 17 years.
Adams's collection of tennis images was considered the largest privately held source of images in the tennis world. "His portfolio of photos is probably the most comprehensive volume chronicling the game of tennis from its professional infancy," stated fellow International Tennis Hall of Famer Jim Courier in a Northeast Tennis Magazine (Summer 2007) cover profile of Adams.
Adams died on June 28, 2017, at age 86.
Awards
References
External links
- International Tennis Hall of Fame
- Source of Adams learning tennis photography
- Russ Adams' tips article in USTA Magazine
- Russ Adams
- George Adee
- Lawrence Baker
- John Barrett
- Nick Bollettieri
- Vic Braden
- Jane Brown Grimes
- Butch Buchholz
- Philippe Chatrier
- Gianni Clerici
- Bud Collins
- Joseph Cullman
- Allison Danzig
- Mike Davies
- Herman David
- Donald Dell
- Cliff Drysdale
- Steve Flink
- David Gray
- Clarence Griffin
- Gustaf V
- Derek Hardwick
- Gladys Heldman
- William Hester
- Lamar Hunt
- Nancy Jeffett
- Robert Walter Johnson
- Perry T. Jones
- Robert J. Kelleher
- Peachy Kellmeyer
- Al Laney
- Alastair Martin
- Dan Maskell
- William McChesney Martin
- Mark McCormack
- Julian Myrick
- Arthur Nielsen
- Mary Ewing Outerbridge
- Brad Parks
- Charlie Pasarell
- Gene Scott
- Lance Tingay
- Ted Tinling
- Ion Țiriac
- Brian Tobin
- Jimmy Van Alen
- Walter Clopton Wingfield
- Martina Hingis
- Gustavo Kuerten