Congratulations to Mark Bullock (Middlesex's Inclusive Tennis Co-ordinator) who wins the ITF Brad Parks Award for 2023. This recognition highlights Bullock’s unwavering commitment to the world of wheelchair tennis over more than 30 years.

The Brad Parks Award is presented annually to honour individuals or organisations that have significantly impacted the global landscape of wheelchair tennis.

Bullock’s journey in wheelchair tennis began in June 1991 when, at the age of 23, he was working as the Tennis Development Officer at Nottingham Tennis Centre, where a wheelchair tennis exhibition during the final day of that year’s Billie Jean King Cup (formerly known as the Federation Cup) ignited a passion, shaping his career for the next three decades.

Throughout the 1990s, Bullock played diverse roles within wheelchair tennis, serving as the personal coach to former British No.1 Jayant Mistry and initiating a wheelchair tennis programme in Cardiff, Wales. He also assumed the position of Great Britain's National Wheelchair Tennis Coach for a noteworthy three-year period.

Joining the ITF in 2001 as the Wheelchair Tennis Development Officer, Bullock dedicated 15 years to the Federation. His commitment and expertise led him to the role of ITF Wheelchair Tennis Manager in 2008, where he continued to make significant strides until July 2016.

Following his tenure with the ITF, Bullock pursued a self-employed career as an advisor in International Inclusive Sports Development, with wheelchair tennis remaining a central element of his work. Since 2018, he has been part of the Wimbledon team as coordinator for the wheelchair event, contributing to the sport’s growth through the expansion of the player field and increased exposure on one of the biggest stages in tennis.

In a career spanning over 30 years, Bullock’s influence reached more than 80 countries, where he tirelessly developed and promoted wheelchair tennis. His passion and advocacy for the sport persist, cementing him as a significant figure within the game and a deserving recipient of the Brad Parks Award for 2023.

On learning of the award, Mark Bullock said,

Winning the Brad Parks Award is for me the ultimate honour in wheelchair tennis, especially to receive an award in the name of the sport’s founder.  I would like to thank and recognise all the people that have supported and encouraged me on this journey, starting with the first player I coached, Will Behenna.  Influential figures like, Jayant Mistry, Martin McElhatton, the late Randy Snow, Ellen De Lange, Sue Wolstenholme, Brad Parks himself, Steve Everett, Rick Draney, Samanta Bullock, Dave Miley, Geoff Newton and countless players, coaches & administrators who have influenced my thinking and drive to see the sport develop.  I am very grateful for the award and to everyone that I have met on the way.

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From ITF website.