Fairhope resident Tomas Catar is set to be inducted into the United States Tennis Association Alabama Tennis Hall of Fame next year.

A native of Šaľa, Slovakia, Catar has built an accomplished career in tennis as both a player and coach.

As a junior, Tomas reached the No. 1 ranking in the world on the ITF (now World Tennis) junior circuit and won a European junior championship.

He later competed professionally, reaching an ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) world ranking of No. 230, appearing in Grand Slam competition, and representing Slovakia in Davis Cup play.

Today, Tomas serves as the Director of Tennis at the Mike Ford Tennis Center in Fairhope, Alabama.

He is the only coach in Alabama to earn PTR’s (Professional Tennis Registry) Master of Tennis designation in Performance Coaching and was named the 2018 USTA Southern Tennis Professional of the Year.

Tomas has coached professional, collegiate, junior, and adult players while also educating fellow tennis professionals through national certification workshops.

He continues to serve Alabama tennis through his involvement with USTA Alabama and the tennis community along the Gulf Coast. 

Accomplishments/titles include:

• 2016 Alabama PTR Tennis Professional of the Year
• National tester and workshop clinician for PTR national coaching certification workshops
• USTA Alabama Junior Competition Committee member
• Founder and director of the Gulf Coast Tennis Association, registered with the USTA (the official governing body for the sport of tennis in the United States)
• 2018 USTA Southern Tennis Professional of the year
• 2018 USTA Alabama Tennis Professional of the year
• 2021 Alabama PTR Tennis Professional of the Year

The Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place at the Birmingham Country Club, February 13, 2027.