The Australian tennis community mourned one of its most popular members with the sudden passing of Steve Harris, a highly respected racquet stringer, on 9 June.
With more than 25 years in the industry, Harris established his successful Merchant of Tennis (also known as Harris Stringing) business in Cheltenham, Sydney, while forming strong connections at ATP and WTA-level tournaments.
He was also a prominent stringer at the Australian Open, having worked the event for 16 years.
“For many of us, Steve was much more than a teammate. He was a friend, a mentor, and one of the personalities that made every event better simply by being there,” said long-time colleague Stephan Mikhail.
“Steve brought energy, humour and passion wherever he went, and there was never a dull moment when he was in the room.”
While forging strong relationships with professional athletes, Harris was similarly adored for his impeccable service to social and developing players.
“Whether he was working with a Grand Slam champion or a junior playing one of their first professional events, every racquet received the same care and attention,” Mikhail related.
“What set Steve apart was his ability to make every player feel like they had their own personal stringer. He built trust through consistency, professionalism, and genuine care, always going the extra mile to ensure players had complete confidence in their equipment.”
Australian pro player Rinky Hijikata, – whose racquets Harris especially loved to string at tournaments – remembers those qualities well.
“I grew up 10 minutes away from his store in Sydney, so he used to always string my racquets when I was growing up,” Hijikata recalled. “I used to love going into the store and having a chat to him about tennis or whatever it was.
“He and his family have had such a big impact on tennis in New South Wales and my journey coming through, so I loved seeing him at all the different tournaments whether it was in Sydney, the Aussie Open or Burnie.
“He was just an absolute legend, always loved having a chat. Was so kind to everyone and passionate about the game and stringing. I’m sure that his legacy is going to be carried on by allt the people that he’s touched."
Those sentiments are echoed by those who experienced Harris' generosity in sharing his expertise to benefit the wider stringing community.
“One of the things I admired most about Steve was his willingness to help others. He never kept knowledge to himself,” said Mikhail.
“If he knew something that could help you become a better stringer, a better team member, or make an event run more smoothly, he'd make sure you learned it too. He genuinely wanted to see people succeed.”
Harris was fondly remembered for his work at recent editions of the Canberra International, where he was especially active in mentoring younger team members.
“He played a significant role in helping develop the next generation of stringers, sharing not only his technical knowledge but also his experience in running an event of that scale,” Mikhail added.
“The lessons he passed on will continue to benefit our team for many years to come.”
Harris leaves a lasting legacy through the countless players, colleagues and fellow stringers whose careers and lives he touched.