Former GB National Wheelchair Tennis Coach Mark Bullock receives ITF Brad Parks Award for 2023
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The International Tennis Federation (ITF) has announced that Mark Bullock, a former Great Britain National Wheelchair Tennis Coach and coach to former British wheelchair tennis No.1, Jayant Mistry, as the recipient of the esteemed 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 Mistry and initiating a wheelchair tennis programme in Cardiff, Wales. He also assumed the position of Great Britian’s National Wheelchair Tennis Coach for a noteworthy three-year period.
Winning the Brad Parks Award is for me the ultimate honour in wheelchair tennis.
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.
Bullock has continued to inspire more people to play disability tennis through his current role as the LTA Open Court lead for Middlesex. The LTA Open Court programme is national scheme that actively promotes and delivers opportunities for disabled people to get involved in tennis.
He is also a member of our IDEA Group to help drive inclusion and diversity in tennis and has previously sat on our Wheelchair Advisory Board.
On learning of the award, 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 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."
