USTA Southern California

10/17/2026

The next generation of SoCal tennis talent is on the rise! 🎾

USTA SoCal’s top 12 boys and girls born in 2014 and 2015 came together October 3 and 4 for Fall National Section Camp, a weekend packed with learning, development, and inspiration. Players heard from Paul Annacone about the Player, Parent, Coach Triangle and Jose Caballero, USTA National’s Senior Director of Player ID, about the junior tennis pathway.

👏 Meet the players: Anara Ah Kam, Serena Chen, Kaydence Chu, Ethan Herrault, Ryan Hoang, Aksh*ta Iyer, Evelyn Kan, Claire Kang, Aman Kaul, Timothy Kolomeyer, Lyara Le, Courtney Lin, Philip Mai, Marina Martirosyan, Ryland Mock, Anna Mushyan, Jonathan Qu, Ahren Rafiq, Tavish Sharma, Maya Sokhikyan, Andrew Tseng, Mila Valkanov, Wilber Wu and Stephanie Zhang.

A huge thank you to lead coaches Morisa Yang and Danielle Lao, working coaches Robert Chu, Barry Friedman, John Lee, Gerald Mathews, Mark McCampbell, Alex Menichini, Chris Numbers, Darren Richer and Ivan Thamma, and USTA staff member Paige Hassenplug for making this experience possible.

The future of tennis starts here!

10/16/2026

“It’s about letting the players shine.”

After reaching No. 152 on the WTA Tour, Danielle Lao shifted her focus from competing to coaching. Today, she’s helping young athletes build the confidence to make their own decisions, push through adversity, and find their identity through tennis.

This Coach Appreciation Month, discover the experiences that shaped her approach to developing the next generation.

Discover how former USC All American and WTA pro Danielle Lao uses her playing experience to inspire player first coaching and develop the next generation.

10/16/2026

10/15/2026

American stars Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff are headed to the WTA Finals in Indian Wells! They’ll join two BNP Paribas Open champions, Mirra Andreeva (2025) and Aryna Sabalenka (2026), along with 2026 Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova and World No. 1 Elena Rybakina for the November 8 to 15 showdown.
With the final singles and doubles spots still up for grabs, the race is on.

Secure your tickets now and catch the world’s best in action: https://www.axs.com/events/1504630/wta-finals-tickets?skin=wtafinals

10/15/2026

Do you know an extraordinary leader, volunteer, or organization elevating tennis in SoCal? Every year, USTA Southern California honors the incredible people driving our sport forward. Help us celebrate the legends in our tennis community by submitting a nomination for the Annual Service Awards!

Explore this year’s categories and submit your nomination by Monday, November 16 at 11:59 PM
https://ustasocal.com/serviceawards/

Selected honorees will be celebrated in February 2027.

Service Awards Nominations USTA SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 2026 Service Awards USTA SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Nominations Open! The nomination period for the 2026 Service Awards is now open. Please submit your nominations using […]

10/15/2026

Tennis can open doors far beyond the court. The San Diego Padres’ Comunidad Award recognizes organizations making a meaningful difference in San Diego’s Hispanic community, including Teens Rise Foundation.

Through free tennis programming, mentorship, and educational opportunities, Teens Rise Foundation helps South Bay youth build confidence, develop life skills, and discover new possibilities on and off the court. With support from USTA Southern California and SoCal Tennis Association Foundation, the organization continues to expand access to tennis and create pathways for young people to thrive.

Read the full story: https://ustasocal.com/news/2026-hispanic-heritage-month-teens-rise-foundation/

Discover how Teens Rise Foundation uses free tennis programs to empower South San Diego youth, build community, and create opportunities beyond the court.

10/14/2026

Meet Taylor Rayfield, USTA SoCal’s new Beach Cities Area League Coordinator!

Taylor brings a lifelong love of sports, a background as a trial attorney, and plenty of firsthand league experience to her new role. Since picking up tennis in 2019, she’s become a 4.0 player and team captain competing in the Beach Cities and Los Angeles leagues.

She knows how much great captains and teammates contribute to the league experience, and she’s looking forward to building relationships with captains, helping navigate challenges, and making league tennis a rewarding experience for everyone.

Help us give Taylor a warm welcome!

10/13/2026

A tennis racquet changed David Santos’s life. Now, he’s helping young athletes discover what the sport can do for them.

From coaching high school teams to expanding access for families with limited financial resources, David is working to make tennis more welcoming and accessible across San Diego’s South Bay.

His goal? Build a community where every young athlete has the chance to fall in love with the game.

Read David’s story and see how he’s making a difference:

Discover how Coach David Santos is expanding tennis access, mentoring young athletes, and building a more inclusive tennis community in San Diego’s South Bay.

10/12/2026

What do you get when you combine a love of sports, creativity, and a passion for sustainability? Meet Julien Grigaux!

As USTA SoCal’s Coordinator of Special Projects, Julien is finding innovative ways to repurpose tennis equipment, turning used balls into event backdrops, retired banners into player bags, and discarded cans into championship medals.

When he’s not making tennis greener, you might find him surfing, playing soccer, exploring the ocean, or baking croissants from scratch.

Get to know Julien and the ideas driving a more sustainable future for tennis in our latest Beyond the Baseline feature: https://ustasocal.com/news/beyond-the-baseline-julien-grigaux

10/09/2026

We’re throwing it back to the inaugural Coaches Open, a three day event focused on education, networking, professional development, and the coaching community. Here’s a look at the crew who made the trip to New York!