Möllner tennis referee decorated with the highest distinction
For the first time since 1995, membership increases, and with Olympic and world champion Alexander Zverev a new figurehead: tennis is booming again in Germany. While in 2020 1,366,137 people belonged to a tennis club, the number of club members playing tennis rose by around 17,000 despite the corona pandemic. In the shadow of the stars on the court, a Schleswig-Holstein woman has reached the top: Sabine Schulz from TK Mölln belongs to the small elite circle of tennis referees who were awarded the “Gold Badge” as the world’s highest award. A recognition that was previously only given to 15 women. The Lauenburger is the second German referee after Melanie Tabb, who has lived in the USA for years, and the first to have completed her training at the German Tennis Association. Worldwide there are a total of 69 head judges / referees who have the “Gold Badge”.
Tennis referee since 1987
“It is recognition for many years of work that makes me proud and happy,” says Sabine Schulz about the “Gold Badge”. She won over a cross-association committee made up of representatives from the ITF, WTA, ATP and the Grand Slams with her exceptionally good performance. Born in Munich, she has been a referee since 1987, was a line judge in Grand Slam tournaments, and worked for over 20 years as a chair referee, supervisor and review official – comparable to the video referee in football.
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At the first Grand Slam in Australia (January 17th to 30th), however, the 50-year-old will not be there. It will be used for the first time in February in Dubai, in March at a game in the Davis Cup and in May at a WTA tournament in Karlsruhe. In 2021 she was in 17 tournaments for around nine days each, after Athens 2004 again at the Paralympics in Tokyo – a very special experience: “You could still manage the blows,” says the women’s 40 regional league player. “But the coordination with the wheelchair requires extraordinary skill. Even if the games were very special under Corona conditions, we were almost only in the hotel or on the facility, the athletes and the tournament were very impressive. “
The tennis highlights in 2022
Despite the corona pandemic, the most important tennis events, the Grand Slams, are set to take place in 2022. The tournament series begins with the Australian Open in Melbourne from January 17th to 30th. This is followed by the French Open from May 16 to June 5 in Paris and Wimbledon from June 27 to July 10. The US Open will conclude from August 29th to September 11th in New York City.
The WTA final of the women’s tour, the unofficial world championship, will be held in Shenzen (China) from October 31 to November 6, the ATP final of the men’s tour will take place in Turin from November 13 to 20.
Sabine Schulz, who now lives almost across from the Möllner tennis club, started playing tennis in Munich at the age of nine. In 1987 she was noticed as a linesman at the BMW Open ATP tournament, became a referee in Bavaria, began referee training at the DTB in 1991 and at the ITF world association in 1994. Germany came to Bavaria, followed by Wimbledon, the US Open and the Australian Open – she was also there at the first Challenger tournament in Lübeck.
Schiedsen wasn’t really planned “
“As with many other colleagues, Schiedsen wasn’t really planned for me. I still enjoy it a lot today. In the beginning it was quite difficult to do this job as a woman, as it was still very unfamiliar for players and colleagues at the time – we were only two women in Germany – but that has tended to settle down to this day, “remembers Sabine Schulz.
“Emotions must remain allowed”
The referees’ guild does not divulge internal information about tournaments. When asked whether there are still such “tennis bulls” like John McEnroe, Sabine Schulz answers diplomatically: “There were certainly a few, especially at smaller tournaments. Emotions have to be allowed, but a lot has happened there over the years when it comes to respect. The players are behaving better today. ”Perhaps that is also thanks to the referees. Sabine Schulz volunteers for the regional association as a consultant for rules and refereeing: “We are always looking for new talent and would be happy if someone enjoys refereeing.” There is more information here.
From Christoph Staffen
Reference-www.ln-online.de