United States Tennis Association facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
United States Tennis Association

Sport	Tennis
Abbreviation	(USTA)
Founded	1881
Affiliation	International Tennis Federation (ITF)
Location	Purchase, New York
President	Brian Hainline
CEO	Lew Sherr
Secretary	Gregory Metz
Official website

The United States Tennis Association (USTA) is the main organization for tennis in the United States. It's a non-profit group with over 700,000 members. The USTA uses all its earnings to help tennis grow, from local community games to professional tournaments. It was started to make tennis rules the same for everyone and to help the sport become more popular across the country.

The USTA also runs the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. This is where the famous US Open tournament happens every year! The USTA helps organize tennis leagues for adults of all skill levels. They also host many tournaments for both club players and professionals throughout the year.

History of the USTA

The USTA began in 1881. It was first called the United States National Lawn Tennis Association (USNLTA). A small group of tennis club members in New York City created it. Back then, most tennis was played on lawns. In 1920, the word 'National' was removed from the name. Then, in 1975, the word "Lawn" was also officially dropped. This is how it became the United States Tennis Association, or USTA.

How the USTA is Organized

The USTA is made up of 17 different areas across the country. It has over 700,000 individual members and 7,000 groups that are also members. The USTA has two main offices. One team is in White Plains, New York. The other main team is at the National Campus in Orlando, Florida.

USTA Areas Across the USA

Court 4 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. You can see Arthur Ashe Stadium in the background.

The USTA divides the country into 17 different sections. This helps them manage tennis programs everywhere. Here are some of these sections:

• USTA Caribbean
• USTA Eastern
• USTA Florida
• USTA Hawaii Pacific
• USTA Intermountain
• USTA Mid-Atlantic
• USTA Middle States
• USTA Midwest
• USTA Missouri Valley
• USTA New England
• USTA Northern
• USTA Northern California
• USTA Pacific Northwest
• USTA Southern
• USTA Southern California
• USTA Southwest
• USTA Texas

NTRP Ratings: Your Tennis Skill Level

A view of the USTA National Campus in 2019.

The USTA created something called the National Tennis Rating Program (NTRP). This system helps place players into different skill levels. It makes sure you play against people with similar abilities. NTRP ratings start at 1.5 for beginners and go up to 7.0 for world-class players.

These ratings are used for leagues and tournaments. They help create fair and fun matches. At the end of each year, the USTA shares everyone's updated rating online. Your rating changes based on how you play in matches. It looks at how your actual results compare to what was expected. This means winning or losing isn't the only thing that matters. The computer also looks at the skill difference between players. If you are new or your rating has expired, you can "self-rate." You answer some questions, and the computer suggests a starting rating for you.

USTA Programs for Players

The USTA offers many programs for tennis players. They host adult tournaments in most big cities. Leagues for adults are organized in the spring and fall. These leagues are for players with ratings from 2.5 to 5.0. You can play singles, doubles, or mixed doubles. Some areas also have special leagues like "combo" or "tri-level."

Most states have several tournaments each weekend. Adults with ratings from 3.0 to 4.5 can usually join these events. The USTA also has leagues for different age groups:

• 10 and under
• Juniors (teenagers)
• Adults 18-40
• Adults 40 or older (but those over 40 can choose to play in the 18-40 league if they want!)

Major Tennis Tournaments in the USA

Tennis legends Martina Navratilova and Arantxa Sánchez Vicario getting ready to play at the 2019 US Open.

The United States hosts 11 big ATP tournaments for men's professional tennis. Most of these are played on hard courts. One is on clay, and one is on grass. The USA is home to one Grand Slam tournament, which is the biggest kind. It also hosts three Masters events, two 500 level events, and five 250 level events.

Here are some of the well-known tournaments held in the USA:

• Dallas
• Delray
• Indian Wells Masters
• Miami Masters
• Houston (on clay courts)
• Newport (on grass courts)
• Atlanta
• Washington
• Cincinnati Masters
• Winston-Salem
• US Open (a Grand Slam!)

The USTA also supports other important tennis events:

• Boys' Junior National Tennis Championship – for players under 16 and under 18
• USTA Pro Circuit – tournaments for rising professional men and women
• USTA Tennis on Campus – for college club tennis teams

USTA Presidents Through the Years

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry watching a match with Katrina Adams, who later became the USTA President.

The USTA has had many leaders since it started. Here is a list of the people who have served as president:

• Judy Levering was the first woman to be elected USTA president.
  • Katrina Adams was the first African-American and first former professional tennis player to be elected USTA president.

Awards and Recognition

A full crowd at the Louis Armstrong Stadium in 2009.

The USTA gives out many awards to celebrate people who help tennis grow. These awards recognize volunteers, players, and programs. They honor those who show great sportsmanship, leadership, and dedication to the sport.

Here are some of the awards:

• Samuel Hardy Award: Given to a USTA volunteer for long and amazing service to tennis.
• Tennis Educational Merit Awards: Honors people who have made big contributions to tennis education.
• USTA Volunteer Service Award: Recognizes volunteers for their years of service to the USTA.
• Ralph W. Westcott USTA Family of the Year Award: Celebrates a family that has done a lot to promote tennis, often by volunteering.
• Service Bowl Award: Given to a player who shows great sportsmanship and helps others in tennis.
• President's Award: Honors someone who has given special and extraordinary service to tennis.
• Eve Kraft USTA Community Service Award: Recognizes people who help develop tennis in their local communities.
• USTA Adaptive Tennis Community Service Award: Honors individuals or programs that help people with disabilities play tennis.
• USTA CTA of the Year Award: Celebrates a Community Tennis Association (CTA) for growing tennis in its area.
• USTA NJTL of the Year Award: Recognizes an outstanding National Junior Tennis League (NJTL) chapter.
• Seniors’ Service Award: Given to someone who has greatly helped senior tennis.
• Super Senior Service Award: Honors those who promote tennis for players aged 55 and over.
• Barbara Williams Leadership Award: Recognizes a female volunteer who inspires others to become leaders in tennis.
• Brad Parks Award: Celebrates contributions to wheelchair tennis.
• John T. McGovern Award: Honors an umpire or linesperson who has done the most for tennis officiating.
• Jr. McGovern Award: Similar to the McGovern Award, but for younger tennis officials.
• Jack Stahr Award: Given to an umpire who shows hard work and professionalism at the US Open.
• Nicholas E. Powel Award: Recognizes the importance of officiating at local tennis events.
• Bill Talbert Junior Sportsmanship Awards: Honors junior players who show outstanding sportsmanship.
• USTA Girls’ 18 National Championship Sportsmanship Award: Given to a girl at the national championships who shows great sportsmanship.
• Dr. Allen B. Stowe Sportsmanship Award: Honors a junior boy player who combines sportsmanship with great tennis ability.
• Bobby Kaplan Sportsmanship Award: Given to a boy at the USTA Boys’ 16 National Championships for sportsmanship and tennis skill.
• Maureen Connolly Brinker Outstanding Junior Girl Award: Recognizes a junior girl player for her amazing performance, sportsmanship, and competitive spirit.
• Tennis On Campus Club of the Year Award: Honors a college club tennis team for their contributions to the Tennis On Campus program.
• Member Organization of the Year Award: Recognizes a USTA member organization for its service to the tennis community.
• Tennis Facility Award: Honors excellent tennis facilities and encourages good design in new or renovated courts.

See also

In Spanish: Asociación de Tenis de los Estados Unidos para niños

• American Tennis Association
• United States Professional Tennis Association
• History of tennis