Meet your Regional Representative for Europe: Eva-Maria Schneider, IC of Germany

Former professional tennis player and long-standing member of the IC movement, Eva-Maria Schneider, has spent decades combining her passion for tennis with a commitment to building international friendships through the sport. From competing on the world stage as a junior and professional player to helping connect IC members across Europe, Eva-Maria continues to play an active role in strengthening the global IC community.

Eva-Maria’s tennis journey began at an early age in Germany, where she became a member of the German junior national team. As a junior player, she travelled extensively and competed in tournaments around the world, including all four Grand Slam events. One of her standout moments came at Wimbledon in 1985, when she reached the semifinals of the girls’ doubles alongside Wiltrud Probst, who later went on to become a Top 50 WTA player and remains an active member of the IC of Germany.

After finishing school, Eva-Maria spent two and a half years competing professionally on the WTA Tour, achieving a career-high singles ranking of 234 and reaching around 200 in doubles. Alongside her professional career, she was also a member of the Bundesliga team of Bayer Leverkusen. During her university years, she continued combining academics with tennis while playing for the University of Arizona in Tucson.

Eva-Maria became a member of the IC of Germany around 2006, with one of her earliest experiences being competing for the Dunlop Trophy in Great Britain. She recalls being introduced to the IC through former president Alex Kurucz, whose invitation immediately appealed to her.

“What struck me right away was the unique spirit of the IC,” she explains. “It combines so many of the things I enjoy most about tennis and international friendships.”

For Eva-Maria, being part of the IC offers far more than just competition on court. She particularly values the opportunity to play high-level tennis in special and historic venues around the world, experiences that she says she may otherwise never have had. Equally important are the friendships and connections built through the organisation.

“Meeting up with like-minded people, many of whom I have known for years, is incredibly special,” she says. “And beyond that, it is simply a great honour to be part of such a unique group.”

Among her many memorable IC experiences, one stands above the rest: the celebrations marking the 100th anniversary of the IC of Great Britain. Spending a full week at Wimbledon and taking part in the extensive anniversary programme remains one of her favourite memories within the organisation.

Another recent highlight came in March 2025 during the founding session of the IC of Bolivia, where members gathered at the remarkable Club de Tenis La Paz at high altitude. The event further reinforced for Eva-Maria the international and inclusive spirit that makes the IC movement so distinctive.

Today, Eva-Maria serves as Regional Representative for the ICs of Europe, a role she greatly enjoys because it allows her to bring people together from different countries and backgrounds.

“I really enjoy connecting with people and learning about the different programmes and activities across the various ICs,” she says. “Our online meetings are always interesting and inspiring, and I learn something new every time.”

Through her experience as a player, organiser and ambassador for international tennis friendship, Eva-Maria Schneider continues to embody the values at the heart of the IC movement: sportsmanship, connection and a lifelong love of the game.

You can connect with Eva-Maria through Facebook.

Gabriela Sabatini Accepts 2017 CQS Jean Borotra Award

The Council of International Lawn Tennis Club is delighted to award the 2017 CQS Jean Borotra IC Sportsmanship Award to Gabriela Sabatini. 

The Award recognises outstanding sportsmanship throughout an individual’s playing career, which is consistent with the objectives and spirit of the now 40 International Clubs (ICs), as well as with a dedication to developing and encouraging participation in tennis across the world. 

Gabriela is a hugely deserving recipient of this prestigious award. Throughout her extremely successful playing career, she was known both on and off the court, no matter what the situation, for her kind, polite, respectful and genuine personality.  Gabriela even said of herself that she should “perhaps be a little more aggressive on the court”.  It was her graciousness and kind-heartedness, along with her natural elegance, which won over the hearts of world.

Since her retirement from the professional game, her contribution to many charitable projects highlight what a fantastic ambassador Gabriela is for both sport and for her country.

Gabriela is ambassador of the Fundación Argentina Contra el Cancer (FACEC), which promotes awareness and protection against breast cancer. (FACEC was founded, and is presided over, by Roman Rostagno, distinguished physician, former member of Argentina’s Davis Cup Committee, and a member of the IC of Argentina.) 

Gabriela has dedicated herself, especially, to supporting female athletes and to gender equality throughout the world.

Gabriela is also working on campaigns for UNICEF, UNESCO and the Special Olympics, as well as privately supporting education projects.  The Fundación Baccigalupo, which has been helping underprivileged children through sport for over 10 years, is another of Gabriela’s special interests. 

When the IC of Argentina hosted the South American qualifying rounds of the Compass IC Worldwide Junior Challenge in 2007, and again in 2015, Gabriela hosted IC Philanthropy tennis clinics alongside both events for underprivileged youngsters.  

Recently, Gabriela was selected as a role model for the 2018 Buenos Aires Youth Olympic Games. Such role models must exemplify the Olympic values both on and off the sporting field.  Accepting the role, Gabriela said: “Sport has provided me with tremendous opportunities throughout my life and I want to help inspire a new generation of players”. 

On the court, Gabriela’s talent for the game was demonstrated early, when she became the youngest player to win the Orange Bowl in Miami, at the age of only 13.  At 14, she won the French Open Under 18 Girls singles title and was the Junior World No. 1. A year later, in 1985, and still only 15, she became one of the youngest players ever to reach the semi-finals of the French Open.

Gabriela went on to win 27 titles throughout her tennis career, including the US Open in 1990, and two Masters titles, in 1988 and 1994.  She reached No. 3 in the world and won the Wimbledon doubles title with Steffi Graf in 1988. She was a 15 times Grand Slam semi-finalist, a US Open finalist in 1988, a Wimbledon finalist in 1991, and an Olympic silver medallist in 1988.  It was her consistency at the very top of the game which was particularly impressive. She spent 10 consecutive years in the Top 10 in the world, with six of them in the Top 5; and this was at a time when many other ‘legends of the game’ - Martina Navratilova, Steffi Graff and Monica Seles - were playing. 

Most importantly, and especially for this award, she was a true competitor and sportswoman both on and off the court - a great role model for women tennis players throughout the world.  She was inducted into the Tennis Hall of Fame in 2006.

Gabriela retired at the age of 26 and is now a business woman (she has her own lines of perfume). She still spends a significant amount of time giving back to tennis and loves doing sport herself as it allows her "to keep her feet on the ground".

We are thrilled that Gabriela has accepted the 2017 CQS Jean Borotra IC Sportsmanship Award.  We will be presenting it to her during the second week of The Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis Club in July 2018.