Dame Ruia Mereana Morrison has been inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame
Rotorua sporting legend Dame Ruia Mereana Morrison has been admitted to the International Tennis Hall of Fame, more than 60 years after she became the first Māori to play at Wimbledon.
Morrison is part of the Hall of Fame’s digital exhibition, Breaking Boundaries in Black Tennis, which features a collection of top global tennis players.
Her Hall of Fame profile says she is “still regarded as one of New Zealand’s best players of all time”.
The 87-year-old was given the prestigious accolade this month.
From her Rotorua home, Morrison said she was honoured.
“I’m just grateful to be asked to be part of this. That’s an honour in itself.
“And I have accepted, so that’s even better while I’m still alive.”
Morrison received a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) 61 years ago, shortly after becoming the first person of Māori heritage to play at Wimbledon in 1957.
Now 87, Morrison was made a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to tennis in 2021. She is also a life member of the Aotearoa Māori Tennis Association and Tennis New Zealand and has been inducted into the Māori Sports Hall of Fame.
She has been described as a tennis champion and influential trailblazer for Māori and non-Māori women in sports.
Morrison said she was “just grateful” to be admitted to the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
Asked about her impressive career and accolades, Morrison told the Rotorua Daily Post: “That wasn’t my intention, I just wanted to hit a ball.”
Dame Ruia Morrison has been inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Photo / Andrew Warner
Morrison, of Te Arawa and Ngāti Tūwharetoa heritage, was one of nine children. Her family lived in Te Koutu and Tikitere near Rotorua and also at coastal Maketū.
She competed at Wimbledon four times, making it to the fourth round in 1957 and 1959.
Her record and achievement highlights also include being a New Zealand champion 13 times, a Federation Cup player and captain, a coach, mentor, trailblazer and inspiration.
Dame Ruia Morrison playing tennis during the 1950s.
Morrison told the Rotorua Daily Post her “best game ever” was losing to legendary Australian tennis player Margaret Court (nee Smith) in the Federation Cup in 1965.
“Margaret came in and she said ‘Jesus, I was lucky to get away with that!’”
Court said in 2015 she always got on well with Morrison.
“I was only very young and she was well into her tennis career. I remember that she loved tennis and was a wonderful ambassador for her country.”
Dame Ruia Morrison (far left) played tennis during the 1950s and 1960s. Photo / Andrew Warner
Morrison told the Rotorua Daily Post another highlight from her career was when UK tennis player Fred Perry visited her in Rotorua when he was attending a function marking 100 years of tennis in New Zealand.
Perry, a multiple Wimbledon champion and world number one player, drove to Rotorua to meet with Morrison and congratulate her on her sporting achievements.
Morrison said she remembered Perry and his support fondly.
Dame Ruia Morrison (right) with tennis player Fred Perry in Rotorua. Photo / Andrew Warner
Morrison was not invited to the event Perry was attending. In a 2021 NZ Herald interview, it was reported she left it for others to comment as to the reason for this.
In recent years, Morrison met American tennis legend Serena Williams - the winner of 23 Grand Slam women’s singles titles - in Auckland and presented her with a cloak made by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei weavers.
Morrison was honoured in an Auckland Philharmonic Orchestra theatre production for children last year, alongside famed aviator Jean Batten and Nancy “White Mouse” Wake, the remarkable World War II French Resistance fighter.
Dame Ruia Morrison has been inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Photo / Andrew Warner
Morrison said in 2021: “I live for the moment... try to mind my own business, but the door keeps opening and shutting and the phone keeps going”.
Her memories of life in a very different tennis age were relentlessly warm.
“I had a God-given gift but I wasn’t alone - it was the mentors who opened the doors to make it happen,” she said.
“International tennis players are wonderful people.”
Māori Sports Awards chief executive Richard (Dick) Garratt said recognising Māori sports stars for their historical achievements, which may not have been formally recognised at the time, was one of the reasons Breaking Boundaries in Black Tennis was created.
Michaela Pointon is an NZME reporter based in the Bay of Plenty and was formerly a feature writer.
