LEFTWICH TENNIS CENTER RECEIVES USTA'S HIGHEST FACILITY HONOR; NAMED FEATURED FACILITY OF THE YEAR

Memphis facility is one of 41 recipients of the

USTA's 2024 Outstanding Facility Award

Memphis, Tenn., August 29, 2024- The USTA today announced that the Leftwich Tennis Center in Memphis, Tenn., was named the Featured Facility of the Year, the highest honor bestowed by the USTA on a tennis facility. The Leftwich Tennis Center was one of 41 winners of the USTA's annual Outstanding Facility Awards program, which recognizes excellence in the construction and/or renovation of tennis facilities throughout the country.

All 41 recipients were honored yesterday at an awards reception held at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York as part of the 2024 US Open.

The Leftwich Tennis Center completed a multimillion-dollar renovation and expansion in 2023. The joint venture by the City of Memphis, the University of Memphis, and Tennis Memphis, a non-profit affiliated with the USTA's Foundation, boasts 24 outdoor and 12 indoor tennis courts. Beyond the new courts, which all featured covered viewing areas, the facility includes space for the University of Memphis varsity tennis teams, a pro shop, public locker rooms, a VIP suite and an educational space for Tennis Memphis' after-school programs.

"The Leftwich Tennis Center is a great example of the ways in which a well-managed, world-class facility can enhance lives through the sport of tennis," said Theodore Loehrke, Managing Director, Section Partnerships, USTA. "Facilities like this one are integral in the USTA's mission of growing tennis to inspire healthier people and communities everywhere. We are proud to recognize their remarkable efforts and we salute all 41 of these facilities for the impact each has made on their respective communities."

Facilities were judged on the following criteria: overall layout and adaptation to site; excellence of court surface and lights; ease of maintenance; accommodations for players, spectators and press/officials; aesthetics; graphics (including the use of signs and landscaping); amenities such as casual seating for spectators, food services and social areas; and the facilities' participation in grassroots tennis programs.

"We are super proud that Leftwich Tennis Center has been recognized as the Featured Facility of the Year by the USTA. This award is a testament to the collaborative effort and commitment to excellence by the City of Memphis, the University of Memphis, and Tennis Memphis," said Memphis Mayor Paul Young. "The center's renovation and expansion reflect our dedication to providing a world-class tennis facility for our community and will allow us to invite more tennis enthusiasts from around the county to play here. We are grateful for this recognition and look forward to continuing to foster the growth of tennis in our city."

Nominated facilities were voted on in the following categories: Public Courtsthat are either small tennis centers with 2-11 courts or large tennis centers with 12 or more courts; Private Facilitiesthat offer both USTA and public programming designed to help grow tennis (small: 2-11 courts; large: 12 or more courts); and Educational Institutionssuch as colleges, universities, public and private grade schools, middle schools, or high schools. All 2024 award winners will receive a wall plaque and an all-weather sign, which can be mounted at the facility.

"I think that this award recognizes what all Memphians know, Leftwich Tennis Center is a world-class, municipally owned facility that will serve the needs of countless members of the community for generations. We could not be prouder of the partnership that led to its construction and the team that brought this jewel to the people of Memphis."

The 2024 USTA Outstanding Facility Award winners are:

Public Courts: Small Tennis Centers (2 to 11 courts)

Academia Puertorriqueña de Tenis (San Juan, P.R.)

Casper Tennis Complex (Casper, Wyo.)

Center Recreation Complex Gallagher Tennis Courts (Lexington, Mass.)

Littleton Golf and Tennis (Littleton, Colo.)

Schaumburg Tennis Plus (Schaumburg, Ill.)

Telluride Racquet Club (Telluride, Colo.)

Waveland Triangle Clay Tennis Courts (Minneapolis)

Public Courts: Large Tennis Centers (12 or more courts)

Arthur L. Allen Tennis Center (Naples, Fla.)

Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning (Bronx, N.Y.)

Darling Tennis Center (Las Vegas)

Denton Tennis and Pickleball Center (Denton, Texas)

Frank Veltri Tennis Center (Plantation, Fla.)

H-E-B Tennis Center Harlingen (Harlingen, Texas)

Leftwich Tennis Center (Memphis, Tenn.)

O'Connor Tennis Center (Montgomery, Ala.)

Pelham Racquet Club (Pelham, Ala.)

Pompano Beach Tennis Center (Pompano Beach, Fla.)

Sioux Park Tennis Facility (Rapid City, S.D.)

Washington Tennis & Education Foundation East Campus (Washington, D.C.)

Small Private Facilities (2-11 courts)

Alpine Hills Tennis & Swimming Club (Portola Valley, Calif.)

CourtSense at Bogota Racquet Club (Bogota, N.J.)

Dedham Health and Athletic Complex (Dedham, Mass.)

Forest Highlands Golf Club (Flagstaff, Ariz.)

Life Time Frisco (Frisco, Texas)

North Carolina State University Club (Raleigh, N.C.)

Pearson Automotive Tennis Club (Zionsville, Ind.)

Sea Pines Country Club (Hilton Head Island, S.C.)

Tennis Addiction Sports Club (Exton, Pa.)

Large Private Facilities (12 or more courts)

Austin Tennis Academy (Austin, Texas)

Canebrake Country Club (Hattiesburg Miss.)

Genesis Health Clubs - Saw Mill Club (Mt. Kisco, N.Y.)

Germantown Cricket Club (Philadelphia)

New Orleans Lawn Tennis Club (New Orleans)

Omni Amelia Island Resort (Fernandina Beach, Fla.)

Educational Institutions

Barbara S. Wynne Tennis Center (Indianapolis)

Grand Haven High School (Grand Haven, Mich.)

IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)

Lichtenberg Tennis Center (West Point, N.Y.)

Mark Reilly Tennis Center (Jeffersonville, Ind.)

Middle Tennessee State University Tennis Complex

PayCargo Tennis Center (Miami)

The USTA is the national governing body for the sport of tennis in the U.S. and the leader in promoting and developing the growth of tennis at every level - from local communities to the highest level of the professional game. A not-for-profit organization, it invests 100% of its proceeds in growing the game. It owns and operates the US Open, one of the highest-attended annual sporting events in the world, and launched the US Open Series, linking seven summer WTA and ATP World Tour tournaments to the US Open. In addition, it owns approximately 120 Pro Circuit events throughout the U.S. and selects the teams for the Davis Cup, Billie Jean King Cup, Olympic and Paralympic Games. The USTA's philanthropic entity, the USTA Foundation, provides grants and scholarships in addition to supporting tennis and education programs nationwide to benefit under-resourced youth through the National Junior Tennis & Learning (NJTL) network. For more information about the USTA, go to USTA.com or follow the official accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.

For more information, contact:

Dan Pyser, USTA Corporate Communications, (407) 462-3184, [email protected]

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