Sabin was the first female President of the LTA, the British tennis governing body, when she took the position in 2013 after becoming the Deputy President in 2011.

The former physical education teacher was also a member of the ITF Olympic Committee, and held her Presidential role for three years.

Sabin died after a long battle with cancer, passing away at a hospice in Shrewsbury in the United Kingdom.

Haggerty said: "It is with great sadness that we learnt of the passing of Cathie Sabin, whose lifelong dedication to tennis made her a role model for women in leadership and a champion for the unseen army of volunteers who form the bedrock of the sport.

"Beyond her commitment to the grassroots of the game in Great Britain, her legacy is the kindness and generosity of spirit known by all who met and worked with her. 

"Our thoughts are with her family and friends at this difficult time."

Her time in office at the LTA coincided with Britain's famous Davis Cup win in 2015 – their first in 79 years – and she would also receive an Order of the British Empire for her dedication to grassroots tennis in the UK.

As a PE teacher at Idsall College, she taught some of England's top football prospects including Joe Cole, Jermain Defoe and Michael Owen, who trained in the nearby national school of excellence.

"It is impossible to do justice to quite what Cathie contributed to tennis since she first picked up a racket aged seven," the LTA said.

"But at the centre of it lay a love of bringing more people into the sport and an incredible passion for recognising the people and volunteers from club to national level who help to grow tennis in Britain.

"Cathie was a great friend to LTA colleagues. 

"Her heart remained with county tennis and she considered clubs, schools and the county scene to be the bedrock of tennis and where the development of the game should be encouraged.

"Cathie had an infectious positive attitude and an ability to engage with people from all walks of life – qualities that were admired by all those who knew and worked with her.

"Quite simply, she will be sorely missed by all of us in tennis in Britain and beyond."

Sabin started her first role with the LTA in 2001 as a councillor representing the county of Shropshire.

In 2000 she received the Teacher of the Year award and in 2009 the National Volunteer of the Year award.