BTI's Rants and Ramblings: Honoring Julie Ditty-Qualls, One of Kentucky's Greatest Athletes

When you talk about the state of Kentucky’s greatest athletes you certainly have some common names. Muhammed Ali, Paul Hornung, Wes Unseld, etc. are no brainers. But I think we should take a moment to honor what is almost unquestionably the state’s greatest female tennis player, Julie Ditty-Qualls, who passed away at 42 from cancer on Tuesday. As someone who works in the tennis community, I can tell you that this loss has left a hole in our state that won’t be replaced. Her career is unparalleled in tennis in Kentucky but her impact expands far beyond that.

Julie Ditty-Qualls, an Ashland Legend

How good was Ditty-Qualls as a junior player? She made the Russell High School varsity team as a second-grader. She would go on to win three high school singles state championships and was the #1 ranked 14U player and would win 13 different national junior championships in singles doubles. There have been very few junior players to ever make #1 nationally in any age division and Julie put herself there for years. The Ashland Tennis Center inducted Julie as their first-ever member of their Hall of Fame in May. USTA Southern inducted her into their Hall of Fame in 2019.

Success Continued in College and Pros

Julie Ditty-Qualls attended Vanderbilt University, becoming a three-time All-American there. She won 114 matches during her career at Vandy, which is the second-most in school history. She led the team to an NCAA Runner-Up finish in 2001 and was inducted into that school’s Hall of Fame in 2009. Her pro career is one of the best in this state’s history. She holds the record for most USTA Pro Circuit titles, with 39. She competed in three of the sport’s four major tournaments: Australian Open, French Open, and Wimbledon.

Ditty-Qualls Gave Back to Kentucky

Following her pro career, Ditty-Qualls came back to impact the game of tennis in Kentucky. She had stints as an assistant coach at a couple of universities, including the University of Louisville, and also taught tennis in Louisville and Lexington as well. But her major impact was back in her hometown of Ashland. I witnessed firsthand the impact that Julie had in Ashland with the junior players of that area. She was a tremendous teacher and role model. She recently gave an interview to former UK Tennis Coach Dennis Emery chronicling her career and post-tennis life.

Better Person than Player

This is the part where I give you my experience with Julie. I came to know Julie well through my job with USTA Kentucky. She coached one of our elite junior teams in 2019, she worked with me on getting junior programs off the ground in Lexington and Ashland. She served on boards and committees whenever asked. I can honestly say that Julie was one of the most gracious people I have ever known. It is one of the most unfair things this world has ever done to take her away this early. But her impact will continue to be seen for years and years. I ask everybody to keep the city of Ashland, Vanderbilt University, and the Kentucky tennis community in their thoughts due to this tragic loss. My hope is that we honor and celebrate Julie like we do the great male athletes in basketball and football. Her career takes a backseat to almost no one. But for those of us who knew her personally, her on-court accomplishments mean very little compared to her off-the-court impact.