Tennis Talks: Voices from Houston’s Tennis Community
NWTO Houston Ambassadors Lori Johnson and Norrie Collier developed a fresh take on what an NWTO Ambassador Event could be. Drawing on Houston’s extraordinary community of professional women tennis players, they organized a series of conversations highlighting each woman’s compelling story and the meaningful role tennis has played in her life.
The first Tennis Talk featured Pam Diepraam, who has retired from competition but remains an enthusiastic supporter of the sport. As Pam put it, “Tennis is the love of my life.” Raised in South Africa, Pam competed in the era of Billie Jean King, Margaret Court, Virginia Wade, Rosie Casals, and other greats, and she met her husband, Keith Diepraam, while on tour. Among the stories she shared was a vivid Wimbledon memory: being picked up at her flat in a Rolls-Royce bearing the Wimbledon shield on the hood. Through the tinted windows, she could see passersby trying to catch a glimpse of the player inside. In those days, the Rolls-Royce drove through the gates and onto the grass beside the court, allowing players to step directly from the car onto the court.
The Pam Diepraam Tennis Talk event drew over 30 women, five of whom became new NWTO members. Many attendees were learning about NWTO and its age-level tournaments for the very first time.
The next Talk in the series showcased the popular Irish tennis professional, Philippa Palmer.
