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Tons of tennis was played all over the country thanks to Universal Tennis providers creating events and matchplay opportunities. Universal Tennis is recognizing the latest club, event, and newcomer for June.
Club of the Month: Kent Yamazaki & Bob Brett Tennis Foundation (Perth, Australia)
The Digital Club gives tournament and match play opportunities to players in Perth. All profits of Universal Tennis events are donated to the foundation (an Australian Charity Organization) to support financially and socially disadvantaged junior players.
The foundation honors Kent Yamazaki, a top-ranked Australian junior who passed away tragically due to cardiomyopathy while practicing in Nepal in early 2020. He was 15 years old. The foundation also honors Bob Brett, the famous Australian tennis coach who died of cancer. Brett worked with Yamazaki and the likes of Boris Becker, Goran Ivanisevic, and Marin Cilic. The foundation was organized by Brett before he passed away in 2021 and Yamazaki's family.
Event of the Month: JTCC - ITF Wild Card Tournament (College Park, Maryland)
The Junior Tennis Champions Center is a nonprofit organization committed to transforming lives through tennis through their mission of "Tennis for Everybody", and the center happens to be where ATP pro Frances Tiafoe got his start.
Organizers hosted a tournament in August that attracted 69 players across girls' and boys' divisions and offered a main draw wild card into an ITF J1 tournament (also held at the JTCC) for later in August. The finalists were awarded wild cards into the qualifying event.
Newcomer of the Month: Salem Tennis & Swim Club (Salem, Oregon)
The Salem Tennis & Swim Club has three events already scheduled and all of their events are Universal Tennis Junior Circuits for young players. The first event, which has attracted over 20 players, is for juniors with UTR Ratings in the 1-2.99 range. Salem is one of many Junior Circuit host sites all over the world, and players that play two Circuit events will be eligible to qualify for the season-ending playoffs.
Stay tuned for more Monthly Spotlights from Universal Tennis every month.