ATP Tour
Remembering John Beddington, longtime tennis administrator
Beddington was event director of occasion that turned the Nitto ATP Finals
October 21, 2025
Keith Beaty/Toronto Star by way of Getty Photos
Bjorn Borg and John Beddington at a draw ceremony in Canada in 1992.
By ATP Employees
John Beddington, the longtime tennis administrator who was one of many first event administrators of the occasion that’s now known as the Nitto ATP Finals, handed away final week aged 83.
For greater than 5 many years, Beddington was a key determine within the sport who formed many, together with the most effective gamers on the planet and kids in want. From laying the groundwork for a number of the sport’s largest occasions to giving again to the neighborhood, he has left tennis far higher than he discovered it.
Beddington was event director of the Business Union Grand Prix Masters from 1972 by 1976, and later performed a vital function in Barclays turning into the title sponsor of the event when it moved to The O2 in London.
Three years later, Beddington turned Govt Vice President of Tennis Canada and remained with the organisation till 1995. He was event director for what’s now the Nationwide Financial institution Open Introduced by Rogers.
In that capability, Beddington not solely constructed top-of-the-line tournaments on the planet — it’s now an ATP Masters 1000 and WTA 1000 occasion — however left a optimistic impression on the most important stars within the sport.
Ivan Lendl, a former No. 1 participant within the PIF ATP Rankings, gained the Canadian occasion six occasions between 1980 and 1989.
“I received to know John by the Canadian Open. We stayed in contact through the years,” Lendl mentioned. “John was an incredible man, I all the time loved seeing him on the All England Garden Tennis Membership. John did a incredible job in Toronto and Montreal. I appreciated his depraved humorousness and was very unhappy to listen to about John’s passing.”
Valerie Tetreault, Vice President of Communications, Skilled Occasions and Match Director of the Nationwide Financial institution Open in Montreal, mentioned that everybody related to Tennis Canada and Canadian tennis mourns Beddington’s passing.
“The phrase trailblazer is usually used too typically, however in John’s case it’s completely becoming. He devoted his life to the expansion of our sport each in Canada and on a world degree,” Tetreault. “His affect on our flagship WTA and ATP 1000 tournaments, the Nationwide Financial institution Open offered by Rogers in Toronto and Montreal, can’t be understated and their progress into the celebrated, world-renowned occasions they’re at the moment is largely all the way down to him.
“His legacy in Canadian tennis is gigantic, and he can be remembered for the unbelievable footprint he leaves behind on our sport.”
Two years in the past, Beddington was honoured at Wimbledon by the Worldwide Tennis Corridor of Fame and the Worldwide Tennis Federation with the Golden Achievement Award.
“I’ve been lucky to have had a really lengthy profession in tennis and was fortunate to be round when tennis went open in 1968,” Beddington mentioned on the time. “I’m grateful for the great mentors, colleagues, and nice associates I’ve made world wide within the sport through the years. It has been rewarding to see the game thrive globally and I’m completely satisfied to have been capable of play a task in tennis’ world growth.”
Beddington additionally was a co-founder of the longtime ATP Champions Tour occasion held at Royal Albert Corridor in London and helped launch numerous different tournaments.
All through his time within the sport, Beddington raised near £2 million for charity, supporting a number of causes and organisations, together with Give It Your Max, for which he was patron. The aim was to attempt to hold children off the road and as an alternative introduce them to sport.
Give It Your Max posted on Instagram: “John’s kindness, imaginative and prescient, and enthusiasm can be deeply missed, however his affect on the tennis world – and on the lives he helped to alter by our programmes – will proceed to be felt for a few years to come back.”
Beddington is survived by his spouse, Roseann Madden Beddington, and his sons, David Paul Madden Beddington and James Edward Beddington.
