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Fowler wins 2015 ‘Tennis Media Award’

April 14, 2015

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. — Scott Fowler, a sports columnist for The Charlotte Observer, is the winner of the 2015 Tennis Media Award, presented by the Tennis Industry Association (TIA) in conjunction with the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association (NSSA). Fowler will be recognized at the NSSA’s 56th annual NSSA Awards Weekend in Salisbury, N.C., June 6-8.

Fowler’s story, which was published in August, is about his attempts to return the serve of tour pro John Isner. The 6-foot-10 Isner, who currently is the highest ranked American men’s tennis player, is known for his big serve, which routinely speeds past his opponents at 130 m.p.h. For Fowler, standing across the net from a world-class player such as Isner is something most recreational players can only dream of. “I play a lot of tennis at an amateur level and have run up against a lot of former college players over the years,” Fowler wrote. “But I have never seen anything like this.” Fowler managed to get his racquet on two of the eight serves Isner hit. For his winning entry, Fowler will receive a cash award and travel expenses to the NSSA Awards Weekend.

In addition, the TIA will honor two other journalists for their runner-up entries. Chuck McGill of the Charleston (W.Va.) Daily Mail, who won the inaugural Tennis Media Award last year, is a runner-up in 2015 with his story on a recreational player who delayed a critical transplant of his stomach and intestines so he could play tennis, something doctors told him he won’t be able to do after the surgery. Another runner-up winner is Jack Thompson, whose story about “overly involved tennis parents” appeared in TennisPro magazine, which is the membership publication of the Professional Tennis Registry.

“Congratulations to Scott and all the winners for helping to spread the word about tennis and its benefits, for both adults and children,” said TIA Executive Director Jolyn de Boer. “The TIA, which is the main source for all types of tennis information and research, is looking forward to continued collaboration with the NSSA and its members.”

“The Tennis Media Award is a great addition to our annual NSSA Awards Weekend,” said NSSA Executive Director Dave Goren. “We’re excited that the TIA has offered this annual award opportunity to NSSA-member sportswriters and sportscasters.”

About the TIA

The Tennis Industry Association, the not-for-profit trade association for tennis, is THE unifying force in the tennis industry whose mission is to promote the growth and economic vitality of tennis by working closely with the U.S. Tennis Association and industry partners to develop and implement initiatives to increase tennis participation and improve the health of industry businesses. Core TIA activities include producing more than 70 research reports annually on participation and consumer/trade research, in addition to Grow the Game Initiatives such as PlayTennis.com, Try Tennis Free, Youth Tennis, the GrowingTennis Systemâ„¢, Tennis Welcome Centers, Cardio Tennis, Careers in Tennis and Tennis Tune-Up Campaign. Visit TennisIndustry.org or call 866-686-3036.

About the NSSA

The National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association consists of more than 1,000 leading sportscasters and sportswriters from around the United States. More than 90 sports media legends have been inducted into the organization’s Hall of Fame, which began in 1962 with the induction of Grantland Rice. The NSSA is the largest and oldest professional organization in the U.S. dedicated to the crafts of sportscasting and sportswriting and is the point organization for AIPS.