Recently, Ronnie Maxwell was honoured at the prestigious Tennis Black List 2024 for his immense contribution to the sport over the past 25 years. The event, which took place at the National Tennis Centre, celebrated the achievements of tennis role models from the black and mixed black heritage community.
Maxwell was presented with the Coaching and Performance Award in recognition of his dedicated coaching, extensive travel, and meticulous scheduling of tennis players’ programmes. The event, which was held on 27 June 2024, was the second annual Tennis Black List and was supported by the LTA, Barclays, and YC Sports.
The awards aim to acknowledge the outstanding contributions of individuals and organizations within the tennis community, from grassroots level all the way up to the professional game in both the British and international tennis scenes. Inspired by the success of the Football Black List and the Rugby Black List, the Tennis Black List aims to showcase black excellence in the sport and inspire the next generation of tennis enthusiasts.
A total of eight awards were presented during the evening, with deserving recipients being honoured for their achievements on and off the court. The event served as a platform to celebrate and inspire the black and mixed-black heritage communities’ excellence in tennis.
Ronnie Maxwell’s impressive career includes his role as Head Performance Coach and Tennis Manager at Westway Sports Group, where he played a pivotal role in the facility’s transition from County Club status to High Performance Club status. Maxwell has also coached prominent players such as Emma Laine of Finland and Vishal Punjabi of India, both of whom achieved significant success under his tutelage.
In his role as the director of performance tennis at David Lloyd in Raynes Park, Maxwell continued to nurture the talents of rising stars such as Jodie Lawrence Taylor, Brandon Murphy, Jasmine Asghar, and many others, playing a significant part in shaping their careers.
Speaking about the awards, LTA Chief Executive Scott Lloyd expressed his admiration for the 2024 winners and highlighted the importance of celebrating the successes of role models from black and mixed-black heritage communities within the sport of tennis. He emphasized the LTA’s vision for the sport to be inclusive and inspiring for everyone, with the hope that the achievements of these role models will encourage more individuals to get involved in tennis, whether as players, coaches, or volunteers.
The 2024 Tennis Black List Awards was an inspiring and celebratory event that showcased the remarkable achievements and contributions of individuals within the black and mixed-black heritage communities in tennis. Through events like these, the tennis community aims to provide more opportunities and access to the sport for everyone, fostering a welcoming and enjoyable environment for all enthusiasts of the game.