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2012 TENNIS HALL OF FAME

The 2012 inductees are two exceptional individuals.

Kahiau: A Tennis Foundation is honored to induct Jane Sakakihara, for the SERVICE award and Sinclair Bill, for the PLAYER award into 2012 USTA Hawaii Pacific Section Tennis Hall of Fame.

JANE SAKAKIHARA – 2012 Service Award

Jane Sakakihara is the behind-the-scenes soul of Maui tennis and the most respected and beloved USTA Hawaii Pacific Official.

Her involvement in tennis began with her daughter’s love for the game. Jane volunteered at Wailuku Junior Tennis Club where her daughter Lori played, and eventually Jane began playing herself. Jane captained her first novice team and her roles grew into planning, coordinating and officiating.

Since the early 1990s, Jane has volunteered for many roles in the tennis community. She served as Maui District Tennis Association president, chairperson for the USTA Officials Committee, chairperson for the Adult Development Committee, and member of the Adult League and Competitive Committees.

Most of all Jane is known for being the consummate USTA Official. She is renowned for her professionalism, tactfulness, knowledge and dependability to players and fellow officials. Jane wears her official’s uniform with pride and has raised the bar of excellence for the Officials Code of Conduct. She has set a high standard for other officials to model.

Alongside her various responsibilites, Jane continues to play as often as she can. She is captain and coach for numerous teams. She and and her teammates are competitive players who work hard to successfully advance to League Section Championships several times.

Jane is dedicated to helping others enjoy the game through fairness and respect. Her service to the Hawaii’s tennis community has made a tremendous and positive impact for the sport.

SINCLAIR BILL – 2012 Player Award

Anne Sinclair Knudsen "Sinc" Bill is Hawaii’s most accomplished female tennis player to date. She reached 37 national age-group finals and in her lifetime, acquired 18 gold balls for national championships and 19 silver balls for national finalists.

She was born and raised in Honolulu and was introduced to tennis by her father. She played tennis at Punahou School and was one of the first Hawaii juniors to be sponsored by the Hawaii Tennis Patrons (now Kahiau: A Tennis Foundation) for a trip to California to compete. She won the 3rd Annual Dillingham High School tournament to earn her sponsorship.

Sinclair continued to play competitively her entire life. She moved to California and was the coach for Santa Barbara High School’s girls’ tennis team for many years. She would train relentlessly for national age-group events and won her first two silver balls at the age of 43 in doubles. At 50, she won the grand slam of singles national tournaments. That same year, she was the doubles champion of the indoors and the doubles finalist in all three additional national categories.

Sinclair and her family moved back to Kauai in 2002. Since then, she won seven more gold balls and six silver balls. At the age of 70, she was the champion of both singles and doubles at the indoor nationals, and the finalist in singles and champion for doubles at the national Hardcourts. She was also an esteemed member of the Connolly Cup, Marble Cup and Godfree Cup for many Years.

Surrounded by her friends, children, grandchildren and husband Michael Bill, Sinclair passed away last November at her Koloa home, at 71.

Her spirit and love for tennis lives on through the Muriel Osborne Hawaii Tennis Fund that she, and fellow Hall of Fame recipient, Hattie Somerville established with Osborne's twin daughters. She is an honorable woman and true champion on the court and in life.