Obituary: David Mercer

The ITF is saddened to learn of the death of broadcaster and former tennis umpire David Mercer, who died on 26 August at the age of 70.

Mercer, who had a distinguished broadcasting career lasting over 40 years, umpired the 1984 Wimbledon final between John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors in a notable example of his varied and far-ranging career. He wore several other hats in his professional life, and as well as being a regular speaker, he was also a qualified solicitor and a former parliamentary candidate.

Mercer, whose broadcasting career began in 1979, went on to become the BBC’s tennis correspondent in 1990 and remains the only person to have umpired a Wimbledon men’s singles final and commentated on them both for radio and television.

A regular fixture behind the microphone during the grass court season and notable for his distinctive voice and warm commentary style, Mercer was synonymous with the grass court Grand Slam – certainly for British television audiences.  

He was an active member of tennis’ Joint Media Commission for two decades, and his impact on the sport, and his peers, was evident in the reaction to the news amongst his broadcasting colleagues on social media.