Marilyn Fernberger

Marilyn Fernberger is an extraordinary woman who has attained international acclaim and respect for her achievements in both the tennis and civic communities. Yet, this Philadelphian continues to make a difference by giving back to tennis at many levels. For this, USTA/Middle States salutes Fernberger as the subject of its next "People Who Make it Happen" spotlight. Fernberger is mostly known for the 25 years she was tournament director of the US Pro Indoor Tennis Championships, for which she became a role model for running successful professional events. Her involvement in tennis, however, is much more extensive. She founded the Eastern Pennsylvania Boys’ Championships and ran the program for 15 years; has been active in Philadelphia’s National Junior Tennis League Program; is an integral member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame board of directors; and has served on USTA committees at the international, national, and sectional levels for over 40 years. When USTA/Middle States caught up with this dynamo and asked what drives her, her response was simple: "Because I love it. I care about tennis and have given my life to it." A born leader and athlete who is listed in four Who’s Who publications including Who’s Who in the World, Fernberger has used her talents philanthropically. She raised hundreds of thousands of dollars annually for public junior programs in the USTA/Middle States Section during the US Pro Indoor years, and has donated much of her acquired tennis memorabilia to the International Tennis Hall of Fame Museum in Newport, Rhode Island. Tennis for Fernberger began at 6 years of age, when her mother gave her tennis lessons. At the Philadephia High School for girls and at University of Pennsylvania, she was on the tennis, swimming, and field hockey teams. "My best friends were the boys, and they would tease me that I was the best athlete. As a woman, I never felt that I was incapable of competing, be it men or women," recalls Fernberger, whose degree was in English and political science. Fernberger’s leadership skills perhaps started with her parents – her father was an attorney and her mother had a construction business. At 16 as the eldest of five children, the responsibility of running the household was put on her. "I was given the opportunity to lead, which felt natural. I’m so accustomed to doing it." After marrying Ed, whom she met at Penn, the two embarked on media careers that took them all over the world – Ed as a tennis photographer and Marilyn as a writer. "Under the tutelage of Allison Danzig of the New York Times while covering the Pennsylvania Grass Courts Championships at Merion Cricket Club, I learned how to properly chart a tennis match," said Fernberger.

Ed and Marilyn have been married for 56 years and have been partners in most all of their endeavors. They have attended 43 Wimbledon Championships, as well as many at Roland Garros, Australia, and of course, the US Championships at West Side Tennis Club and now at Flushing Meadow. By the time they became involved in helping to run the Philadelphia Indoor for men in 1962, they were able to bring a knowledge of tournaments from all over the world to help that event. By 1968 when the Indoor made its momentous move into the Spectrum after being at St. Joseph's College, The Arena, and Cheltenham High School, they were ready for the big challenge. In moving to the newly-opened Spectrum, they became one of the three sports then played there, alongside the Philadelphia Flyers and the Warriors basketball team, later to be known as the 76ers. The tournament grew rapidly and became an integral part of the winter sports scene. Similarly, the tournament organized a very strong board of directors composed of civic and business leaders representing the best brains in the legal, financial, corporate, communications, and public relations fields, all dedicated to the cause of having an internationally recognized tennis event in Philadelphia for the benefit of free public tennis programs for children. With their acquired knowledge of public relations and the growing number of important tennis people they called friends, the Fernbergers brought the international media into Philadelphia and sold them simultaneously on tennis, as well as the history and culture of Philadelphia, which the media in turn publicized around the world. Fernberger was the only woman on the board of the North American Tennis Tournament Directors Association for 25 years, as well as on the board of the International Tennis Tournament Directors Association. She served as secretary-treasurer on both. It should also be noted that Gladys Heldman, the editor and publisher of World Tennis, provided the prize money to introduce women's professional tennis at the Spectrum in 1970. Margaret Court defeated Billie Jean King in the final of this women's event, which was held alongside the men in the first US tournament where the 12 point tiebreaker was introduced. After a second year at the Spectrum, the women moved into the Palaestra for an eight-year run that was sponsored by Virginia Slims. In November of this year, Fernberger is back at the Advanta Championships as a consultant for the women's professional event at Villanova University. The Fernbergers three children all acquired their parent's love for tennis. Ted, Ellen, and Jim were all ranked as juniors in Middle States, captained their respective teams at Germantown Friends School, and went on to play for their college teams. Among the Fernbergers’ best friends are the "Aussies" – John Newcombe, Rod Laver, Ken Rosewall, Geoff Pollard, and Tony Roche, plus Arthur Ashe, Marty Riessen, Ilie Nastase, Ion Tiriac, and Billie Jean King, who were all guests in their home, as were many others over the years. In addition, they gave 16-year-old Pete Sampras his start by giving him a wild card into the qualifying tournament. Two years later, he won the tournament for his first men's tour title, and six months after that he won his first Slam at the US Open. The Fernbergers ran the US Pro Indoor until 1992 and haven’t skipped a beat. They have taken their extensive knowledge of running events, fundraising, and much more to USTA/Middle States, as well as Philadelphia civic and cultural circles. The sum of Fernberger’s experiences has also given her extensive legal knowledge. "I know how to read and write contracts. I’ve been practicing without a license since I graduated," she jokes. For USTA/Middle States, Fernberger worked some 25 years on the junior ranking committee, was part of the founding group of the Gold Cup program, is on the Patrons’ Foundation board, is chair of the Development Committee, and has served on the Public Relations Committee. Most recently, Fernberger has assumed the chair of the Membership Committee, one that is new to her but she looks upon as a challenge. "I have always enjoyed challenges, participation, and being a part of things," she summed up. Fernberger has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the International Tennis Hall of Fame's Chairman's Award. She was also inducted into the USTA/MS Hall of Fame. USTA/MS has been blessed to have benefited from the knowledge and experiences of Marilyn Fernberger, who can really "make it happen."