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Santa Ana’s Match Point Academy extends a valuable opportunity to stranded Ukrainian nationals
The consequences of the war in Ukraine extend into every corner of the world, including the world of tennis players here in Southern California. Players from Ukraine that might otherwise have journeyed back home this spring find themselves stranded in the United States, with their careers and livelihoods in tennis hanging in the balance. As…
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JR Sarmiento’s tennis rollercoaster starts and ends in Carson
The Director of Junior Excellence program at the First Break Academy in Carson, JR Sarmiento has been a staple on the courts in Carson since he was a child. “I’ve been playing tennis since five or six, at least as far as I can remember,” recalls Sarmiento. “There is a huge Filipino tennis community here…
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2022 Signature Series schedule kicks into high gear with Junior, Open Sectionals coming soon
Three of Southern California’s premier annual tournaments are on the horizon, each with its own storied history and roster of past winners that reads like a who’s who of American tennis. The most prolific of them all is Junior Sectionals (June 11-12, 17-19), returning for the 120th time in June. Players in age divisions 12-18…
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Eric Hahn’s lifelong tennis journey has no end in sight
Originally left on the sidelines as his dad and older brother practiced tennis together, seven-year-old Eric Hahn finally asked if he could tag along to practice one day and never looked back. That was when Hahn, now a graduating senior at UCLA, learned to love tennis. “My father was just taking my older brother out…
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The Legacy of Gideon Smith Lives on as the Pied Piper of the High Desert
By Karen Ronney Music made by the “Pied Piper of the High Desert” will be heard for generations to come in the Morongo Basin and beyond thanks to the legacy of tennis legend Gideon Smith. Always identified by his protective sun hat, tennis gear and sneakers, he was an unforgettable figure in the desert for…
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Tennis Fest San Diego Returns to Balboa Tennis Club on May 15
By Karen Ronney Tennis Fest is back for players of all ages and stages, families, fans, pros and enthusiasts from Noon to 4pm on Sunday, May 15 at Balboa Tennis Club in San Diego. The annual event is presented by the San Diego District Tennis Association and co-sponsored by the SCTA Foundation, USTA So Cal,…
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Tory Bailey Earns Second-Team All-Conference Honors at Howard University
By Karen Ronney The SCTA Foundation congratulates Tory Bailey for receiving Second-Team All-Mid-Eastern Athletic (MEAC) Conference honors for his freshman season at Howard University. Bailey, a Los Angeles native, is a former scholarship recipient from the SCTA Foundation and a proven winner on and off the tennis court. Photo credit: Howard University “We are so…
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Congratulations to the Spring Kramer Future Champions Scholarship Grant Recipients
By Karen Ronney The SCTA Foundation is pleased to announce the spring 2022 Kramer Future Champions Scholarship Grant recipients. Congratulations to 15 promising juniors between the ages of 8 and 18 from Southern California, who aspire to play high level or national juniors, collegiate and/or professional tennis. This impressive group shows significant promise on and…
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First Break Academy: Making a Lasting Impact on Kids In the Community
A tennis player since the age of twelve, Jerome Jones rose through the ranks of the USTA SoCal and National circuits, reaching number one in SoCal before going on to win an NCAA doubles title at Pepperdine. Now, his work as Executive Director of First Break Academy helps to create new generations of passionate tennis…
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Brother/Sister combo practice forehands on court, Korean heritage off court
Being well-rounded both in athletics and performing arts has always been important for members of the Suh family from the City of Orange. Fifteen-year-old Nathaniel holds a USTA national ranking and plays for the Villa Park High School team as a freshman, while 12-year-old Sophie is a sixth-grader at Tustin Connect and is among the…