UNIVERSAL TENNIS FOUNDATION PROGRAMS

SUPPORT FOUNDATION MISSION

The Universal Tennis Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Its federal tax identification number is 92-0791129. All checks can be written to Universal Tennis Foundation and mailed to Universal Tennis Foundation, c/o UTR Sports, 2100 Geng Road 2nd Floor, Palo Alto, CA 94303. If interested in donating through a Charitable Gift Fund, please contact info@universaltennis.foundation for more details.

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2025 Hurd Award Applications

The 2025 Hurd Award applications will open Monday, Jan. 6, 2025! More info will be available on this page. The 2024 Hurd Award recipients, Ethan Quinn and Fiona Crawley (above) were announced at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells.

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HIGH SCHOOL TENNIS GRANTS

The Scholars & Scores Count! High School Grants program supports tennis programs in schools with socioeconomic needs nationwide.

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SUPPORT COMMUNITY TENNIS

The Universal Tennis Foundation supports community tennis throughout the country, including the East Palo Alto Tennis & Tutoring and Acing Autism.

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2024 hurd award recipients announced

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Get to Know Ethan Quinn, 2024 Hurd Award Champion

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Meet 2024 Hurd Award Champion Fiona Crawley

HISTORY OF THE HURD AWARDS

HISTORY OF THE HURD AWARDS

In 2017, Mark Hurd, as co-CEO of Oracle Company launched the Oracle U.S. Tennis Awards: a pair of $100,000 grants given to two American college players who are continuing their professional development. The first recipients, UCLA Bruin Mackenzie McDonald and Virginia Cavalier Danielle Collins, each used the award funding to make substantial inroads in their first year on tour. In addition to the Oracle U.S. Tennis awards, Mark Hurd helped upgrade American players' developmental opportunities by creating an invaluable network of Challenger events in the U.S. and also was a huge proponent of the game-changing UTR Rating system.

    PAST AWARD RECIPIENTS

    PAST AWARD RECIPIENTS

    The complete list of award winners, their alma maters, and their career-high ATP/WTA singles rankings:

    • 2017: Mackenzie McDonald (UCLA, No. 37); Danielle Collins (University of Virginia, No. 7);
    • 2018: Christopher Eubanks (Georgia Tech, No. 29); Francesca di Lorenzo (Ohio State University, No. 118);
    • 2019: J.C. Aragone (University of Virginia, No. 224); Jamie Loeb (University of North Carolina, No. 132)
    • 2020: JJ Wolf (Ohio State, No. 39); Sophie Whittle (Gonzaga, No. 399).
    • 2023: Andrew Fenty (Michigan), Peyton Stearns (Texas, No. 43)

      Universal tennis foundation

      Hurd Awards Council

      Award recipients are evaluated by Paula Hurd (Chairperson of Universal Tennis Foundation & Member of Baylor's Board of Regents); Lindsay Davenport (former world No. 1 & 3-time Grand Slam singles champion); Tracy Austin (former world No. 1 & 2-time Grand Slam singles champion; Mary Joe Fernandez (former world No. 1 & 2-time Olympic doubles gold medalist); Peggy Michel (3-time Grand Slam doubles champion & Assistant Tournament Director of the BNP Paribas Open); Todd Martin (former world No. 4 & 2-time Grand Slam singles finalist); Gordon Uehling (former ATP pro & coaching advisor to Novak Djokovic); and Chase Hodges (UTR Sports Vice President).

      TESTIMONIALS

      How the foundation changes lives...

      Testimonial-image

      [The Hurd Award] makes it so much easier to be out there and compete and just focus on the tennis.

      Ethan Quinn
      2024 Hurd Award Recipient
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      This grant is really just going to change my life. Tennis is an expensive sport, and there's a lot more that goes into it than just playing the sport and being on court, which is my favorite part.

      Fiona Crawley
      2024 Hurd Award Recipient
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      My first thought was I can do something, I can get a physio. I can get a team around me, which is huge, and get a team that cares for what I'm doing on court and off.

      Peyton Stearns
      2023 Hurd Award Recipient
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      I am very pleased to continue this transition started by my late husband Mark and to partner with UTR Sports for these awards.

      Paula Hurd
      Chairperson, Universal Tennis Foundation
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      Mark Hurd was incredibly passionate about everything and did a tremendous job in tennis. He had a day job at Oracle, but his family and tennis were his passions. He gave so much back to college tennis.

      Mark Leschly
      Chairman & CEO, UTR Sports