USTA Florida is saddened to learn of the passing of B.A. Grubbs, a former USTA Florida President, Hall of Famer, and an influential leader in the organization’s history.
Born September 28, 1932, B.A. Grubbs lived a life shaped by tennis, family, faith, and service. He passed away on May 18, 2026, at the age of 93.
For more than two decades, B.A. served the Florida Section on numerous USTA and sectional committees, including a successful two-year stint as President from 1984-85. During his presidency, he established symbiotic relationships with professional tennis organizations such as the USPTA, USPTR, and the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy. In the 1980s, when the USTA’s Education and Research Committee was selecting which two sections would launch a pilot Schools Program, it was B.A.’s winning presentation that earned Florida the right to implement the program. He was the Florida Section’s Merit Award winner in 1983 and was inducted into the Florida Section Hall of Fame in 1996.
Those who knew B.A. best describe a man who was always a gentleman, with a great sense of humor, a deep sense of fairness, and a way of treating everyone he met as equally important. Though many saw him as a conservative southern man, those closest to him knew him as bold, visionary, and unafraid to take risks. He didn’t play it safe, and he wasn’t in it for a popularity contest. Additionally, his faith and his church remained the foundation of his life.
He played tennis until he was 88, and his love of tennis was a gift passed down through generations. His father introduced him to the game as a boy, and B.A. carried that legacy forward with his daughter, Dana Andrews, who would go on to serve as President of the USTA Florida Board herself.
Dana Andrews was sworn in as USTA Florida President.Some of Dana’s most cherished moments on the court were with him. Every Saturday morning of her childhood, they would play a singles match against each other, battles that continued until she left for college. Together, they also won the Equitable Tennis Challenge in the Florida Section, a national tournament held in partnership between Equitable Insurance and USTA, earning a trip to play at the U.S. Open in Forest Hills as a father-daughter pair.
“This man was made for USTA Florida. I now know where I get my no-fear-of-failure mindset from,” Dana said. “Everything I am comes from him. We joke that I walk like him, I talk like him. If only I could be the person he was.”
Dana and her father, B.A. at the Equitable Family Challenge.
His heart for service stretched far beyond tennis. After stepping away from the sport, B.A. arranged with Panera Bread to pick up unsold loaves and distribute them to those in need.
“He was always trying to think of new ideas,” Dana said. “I probably didn’t appreciate that part of him when I was young, but as I got older, I thought, dang, this guy thinks out of the box.”
When B.A. was inducted into the Florida Section Hall of Fame in 1996, Dana was there to witness the moment. The trophy he received that night now sits in her office.
Robert Hollis, who served alongside B.A. on the Florida Section Board of Directors, reflected on his impact.
“Our tennis organization lost an icon of a man this past week with the passing of B. A. Grubbs. B. A. never met a human being he did not like. If you saw him at a meeting or a conference, he always made time for you and amazingly remembered your name,” Robert said. “He had that gift of genuine human compassion towards all of us. He was a great volunteer and a better man! He will be deeply missed.”
Jean Mills, a longtime friend who first met B.A. when she moved to Florida in 1980, shared what he meant to her both personally and professionally.
B.A. Grubbs with his family at the US Open.
“I was fortunate when I moved to Florida in 1980 to meet B.A. Grubbs as one of my first friends in Florida Tennis. Not only did he welcome me with his warm and charismatic personality, but he continued to inspire me and became a lifetime mentor,” Jean said. “B.A. was a visionary, a leader, and a gentleman. As President of Florida tennis, he led with a style of involving everyone and bringing out the best in every person he met. We worked together as a team and family. He has been one of the true blessings in my life. Thank you for making me a better person and sharing so much wisdom and fun. We will miss you.”
B.A. Grubbs leaves behind a legacy that continues to shape USTA Florida today, from the partnerships he forged and the Schools Program he helped launch, to the leaders, like his own daughter, who followed in his footsteps. His warmth, his vision, and his quiet bold leadership built a foundation the organization continues to build upon.
Toward the end of his life, B.A.’s love for USTA Florida never wavered. He listened to the Here To Serve podcast and continued to ask what was going on with the organization he had given so much of his life to. “He still cared, even in the end,” Dana said.
USTA Florida sends its deepest condolences to B.A.’s family, friends, and the countless members of the Florida tennis community whose lives were shaped by his service, kindness, and example.
