Lengthy-time Wimbledon match referee Alan Mills has died on the age of 88, the ATP Tour has introduced.
Mills was the All-England Membership’s referee from 1983 to 2005, incomes the nickname of ‘Rain Man’ for ordering the covers on when rain stopped play.
He was awarded an OBE in 1996 and a CBE in 2006.
In a press release confirming Mills died on Thursday, the ATP described him as having “an impeccable character and integrity”.
One other former Wimbledon referee, Gerry Armstrong, stated: “Alan was a fantastic affect on myself and plenty of officers around the globe.
“He was all the time useful and inspiring through the years we labored collectively at Wimbledon and on the ATP Tour. It was a fantastic honour to work alongside him in skilled tennis for a lot of a long time.”
Mills, who continued to behave as referee at some ATP, WTA and ATP Champions Tour occasions till 2015, was well-known for his clashes with John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors.
The Lancastrian additionally disqualified Tim Henman from Wimbledon in 1995 after the Briton smashed a ball in frustration on the head of a ball woman.
Previous to his off-court function, Mills had been a participant and coach himself, reaching the Wimbledon males’s doubles semi-finals in 1966, whereas he additionally made the third spherical of the French Open twice.