Tennis lost an imposing friend last week with the death of Edward A. Turville.
Mr. Turville, who died on his 89th birthday, was a volunteer in the sport for 55 years at the local, state and national levels.
From 1948 when the St. Petersburg lawyer discussed forming the Florida Lawn Tennis Association to his term as president of the U.S. Tennis Association in the early 1960s, Mr. Turville was an advocate for the game he loved.
"Ed Turville certainly left his mark in tennis in a lot of different ways," U.S. Tennis Association president Alan Schwartz said. "When I think of Ed, I think of vision and passion."
Schwartz referred to Mr. Turville's leadership while president of the USTA in 1962-63 and electing to have the U.S. participate among eight countries in the Federation Cup, the women's counterpart of Davis Cup.
This year, Schwartz said, the Fed Cup is celebrating its 40th anniversary with 100-plus countries competing.
"Ed laid the groundwork for open tennis, even though it took two more USTA presidents after him to get it up and running," Schwartz said. "And Ed led the campaign for Florida to become its own section within the USTA." Beginning in 1949, when Florida separated from the USTA Southern Section to form its section, Mr. Turville served as its president for five years. He joined the USTA Executive Committee in 1952. He was captain of the Davis Cup team in 1970-71 and a key to the Davis Cup competition coming to St. Petersburg in 1954, 1990 and '95. "Ed was important to tennis, not only in St. Petersburg but in the whole state," said Al Sarmiento, a former area teaching professional. "His dedication and commitment to tennis is incredible. I met him about 30 years ago and am very proud to have known him. We all owe him a lot for what he did for tennis," Sarmiento said.
Even while serving at the national level, Mr. Turville always was sensitive to local tennis.
"My association with Ed came about pretty soon after I came here in 1959," Dr. Paul "Doc" Thompson said. "He played regularly at the St. Petersburg Tennis Center and had both his sons learning there, along with his stepchildren.
"Ed was a real fixture at the center. I would consider him a tennis political power."
In 1971, Mr. Turville was instrumental in getting a pro women's event at the center that featured then 17-year-old Chris Evert winning her first match over Billie Jean King.
"When there was something that needed to be done, Ed was the one to ask," said Don Kaiser, an ex-Shipwatch Tennis Club director.
"From being my best man at my wedding in 1968 to helping with the professional tournament three years later, he was there, ready and willing to do whatever needed to be done."
Mr. Turville arrived in St. Petersburg with his family in 1929 at the age of 15 and played for St. Petersburg High and St. Petersburg Junior College. His sons, Edward and Larry, surpassed their dad's skills and achieved college and national age-division rankings.
"Dad had an important role in creating an atmosphere at the old Bartlett Park (St. Petersburg Tennis Center) for kids of all levels to learn tennis," Larry said. "There were a whole bunch of kids that learned and enjoyed playing tennis without going on to play in college.
"Tennis there was more of a neighborhood thing. It seemed that whenever there was something that needed to done, Dad stepped up to the plate and was the leader."
Mr. Turville's received the state's Merit Award in 1953 and '56 and the Lifetime Achievement Award in 1995.
"Ed holds a very special place in all our hearts, as he did for Florida tennis," USA Tennis Florida president Bruce Boiko said.
NET SHOTS: Scoring victories in last weekend's SPTC Junior Super Series in St. Petersburg were locals Alamgir Wali, boys 18-and-under singles; Wali and Christian Yepes, 18 doubles; and Joel Samaha and Austin Krajicek, 14. Krajicek (12 singles), Kara Kucin (girls 12) and Julia Sikorski (10) were finalists. Tuesday, No. 5 Samaha and No. 3 Philip Barlow were to be in a playoff for the 16 title. ... In the River Hills Junior Summer Classic, Dalila Chiadmi played to the girls 16 final, in which she won by default. ... Kelly Boudreau captured the girls 14 round-robin crown in the Hunter's Green Rookie I. Sankar Kannusamy defended his boys 12 top seed, and No. 2 Manoj Kannusamy was a 14 finalist.
