Jane Harvey recognised in King’s Birthday Honours 2026
• 2 minute read
Tennis official Jane Harvey has been recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours list, which was published over the weekend.
Harvey has been awarded an MBE in recognition of services to tennis, through a career that has spanned 45 years as an umpire, and more recently, a referee.
The announcement came during the HSBC Championships at The Queen’s Club, where Jane was acting as tournament referee for the WTA event. Jane said: “I am delighted to be awarded an MBE for services to tennis in the King’s Birthday Honours list.
“It has been a privilege to contribute to the sport that I love as an official for 45 years, and have the opportunity to travel the world and work with some incredible people.
“A life in tennis has brought me so much joy, and I am honoured to be recognised in this way.”
Jane has made a huge contribution to the sport as an umpire and referee, both domestically and internationally. She is one of only a handful of international officials to be simultaneously classified as a Gold Badge Chair, Referee and Chief Umpire.
Congratulating Jane Harvey MBE on her recognition, LTA Chief Executive Scott Lloyd said: “on behalf of the LTA and everyone involved in British tennis, huge congratulations to Jane for her recognition with an MBE in the King’s Birthday Honours list.
“Jane has made an enormous contribution to tennis as an umpire and referee, both in Britain and internationally, and is one of our most successful tennis officials. Her recognition is thoroughly deserved for her service to our sport.”
Jane’s journey as a tennis official began when she was recruited from a tennis tournament in Wembley, which she attended as a fan in 1980, subsequently acting as a line umpire at a number of tournaments in Britain.
Jane qualified as an International Chair Umpire in 1986, chairing her first grand slam singles final at the Australian Open in 1988, as well as the first of three gold medal women’s singles Olympic finals in Seoul, going on to chair the Barcelona and Sydney singles finals as well as the Atlanta women’s doubles final.
In 1989 she was the first woman to be assigned by the ITF to be a neutral Chair Umpire at a Davis Cup World Group tie, and in 1990 she was one of only two women appointed to the newly formed professional ITF and Grand Slam Chair Umpire team. In the same year she was promoted to be a Gold Badge Chair Umpire, the highest level of umpire in the sport. Jane would go on to chair five Wimbledon women’s singles finals, before retiring as a chair umpire in 2002.
In 1995 Jane qualified as an ITF International Referee and Chief Umpire. After retiring as a Gold Badge Umpire, Jane has continued to referee a range of events including Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup ties, and was referee for the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in 2003, 2010, 2018, 2021 and 2022.
