Tennis: Lewis, Cordwell get the call

Even though they do not have formal voting rights, former tennis champions Chris Lewis and Belinda Cordwell are delighted with their elevation to the board of New Zealand Tennis.

NZT chairman David Howman confirmed yesterday that at its first meeting earlier this week the board had resolved to invite Lewis, of Auckland, and Cordwell, of Wellington, to be co-opted members.

The call-up for Lewis and Cordwell is an about-turn by NZT, which was criticised for not including Lewis or Onny Parun on the board when it was selected.

Lewis said he had decided to accept after having spoken to Howman and two of the new board members, Gerald Siddall and Wayne Bezzant.

Any reservations he had had about the new direction of tennis in this country had now been allayed.

"I'm exceptionally pleased," he said. "I think both of us, myself and Belinda, bring a certain amount of tennis expertise to the board. I'm very impressed in many respects with the board's qualities."

The other tennis icon originally overlooked for the new board, Onny Parun, though not getting an invitation, has also given the latest measures his approval.

"What Onny was seeking wasn't so much a position on the board but some balance," Lewis said. "I think he'll be happy that balance is now in place."

Howman said Parun had been consulted and was supportive, and there was no doubt that former players such as Parun and others would be effectively used.

"There's plenty of work for all of us to do," he said.

Howman envisaged that one fresh project for the new board might be the introduction of some sort of think-tank involving the likes of Parun in an exercise similar to what New Zealand rugby had done recently.

Howman was emphatic that to have an effective role at board level neither Lewis nor Cordwell would be handicapped by not having formal votes.

"That's not an issue," he said. "Frankly I don't think I've ever been on the board where things are decided by votes. It's not the way things are done now. You have discussions and generally reach a consensus."

Cordwell, who returns to the board after an absence of three years, said she was happy to be involved without necessarily having ultimate responsibility.

"I'm rapt and really excited," she said.

While tennis had many problems, she thought they were not insurmountable.

"I think it's definitely been a time for some change and some fresh ideas," she said. "But I think there are some very good skills on the board, and a lot of people with sound business acumen."

She believed her main value would be her experience at an international level.

New Zealand as a whole, and probably only since rugby turned professional, was only now starting to understand what was involved in being a professional athlete. For many years New Zealand's only real professionals were golfers and tennis players, most of whom, through necessity, were based overseas.

- NZPA