British tennis stalwart

LONDON — Paul Hutchins, the former British Davis Cup captain who led the team to the final in 1978, has died. He was 73.

The Lawn Tennis Association and Mr. Hutchins’ family announced the death on Thursday. The family said in a statement to Britain’s Press Association that Mr. Hutchins, who had suffered from Lou Gehrig’s disease, died peacefully in his sleep on Wednesday.

Mr. Hutchins had a relatively modest career as a player but remained a key figure in British tennis for close to 50 years as a coach and administrator. He was honored by Queen Elizabeth with an MBE in 2017.

LTA chief executive Scott Loyd hailed him as “a true hero of tennis in Britain,” and added that “his lasting legacy to tennis will endure for a long time to come.”

Mr. Hutchins was Britain’s longest-serving Davis Captain and remained in charge of the team for 13 years.