Klaus honoured with Germany's National Order of Merit

Ulrich Klaus, the President of the German Tennis Federation, has been honoured with the National Order of Merit from the Federal Republic of Germany in recognition of his service to society.

Awarded for special services to the nation in the charity and social sectors, the award is the highest recognition that the Federal Republic of Germany can bestow for such work.

“The award is a huge honour for me,” said Klaus. “I am extremely proud that my years of voluntary work has been recognised. The Federal Cross of Merit is a great incentive for me to continue my voluntary work and to continue the tasks I have started in a third term of office at the DTB.”

Klaus, 70, has dedicated his life to voluntary work in sport, especially tennis, over the past four decades. He was elected as president of the German Tennis Federation – the third-largest sports governing body in Germany – in 2014, and formerly held the position of President of the Rhineland-Palatinate Tennis Association for 12 years, having started as a manager of youth sports.

“In addition to my job, getting involved [in voluntary work] needed a lot of energy on the one hand, but also gave me so many positive experiences on the other,” said Klaus. “Youth and recreational sports in particular need volunteers, and that's my goal for the future. My aim is that more people recognise the incomparable value of voluntary work, by getting involved in society and taking responsibility.”