Harvard Park Tennis Courts Renovated with $300,000 from the USTA Foundation

he USTA Foundation (USTAF) has contributed approximately $300,000 into the South Los Angeles community, with a total renovation of eight Los Angeles City tennis courts located within Harvard Park. The philanthropic support is part of USTAF’s National Court Refurbishment program that is anticipated to provide $3.3 million in funding over the next three years across the country with the goal of renovating 250 courts in under-resourced communities. 

USTAF is dedicated to expanding the reach of tennis by giving youth in these communities access to quality courts and tennis programs, with the overall mission of impacting young lives through tennis and education.

“USTAF believes that everyone should have access to the sport, and we work to provide youth in our programs with an opportunity to learn and love the game and pursue their dreams on and off the court,” stated Robert Howland, Senior Director, Head of Programs & Social Impact with USTAF.  “We strive to make tennis a community asset that is open to all, and we hope that not only the youth of the area, but the entire community will enjoy playing on these courts. To achieve this goal, residents can take advantage of free or low-cost programs offered by LA Rec and Parks, PlayLA and the Pete Brown Junior Tennis Program.”

The dedication ceremony included a special appearance by friend of the USTA Foundation and Top 10 tennis player Frances Tiafoe aka “Big Foe” who took part in on-court activities with members of the Pete Brown Junior Tennis Program, PlayLA and the community.  Tiafoe shares the same passion as the USTA Foundation – increase access to the sport by providing quality playing facilities in under-funded communities.

“I am very excited to participate in the dedication of the Harvard Park tennis courts.  I had quality courts to play on when I was growing up, and the USTA Foundation's funding of refreshed courts in under-resourced communities is very important to me,” explained Tiafoe.

The celebration also included tennis activities and exhibitions, and other fun games such as Tic Tac Toe and Red Light, Green Light. 

In collaboration with the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks, the revitalized courts will be accessible to the community and support local tennis programs. Notably, the Pete Brown Junior Tennis Program and PlayLA are programs available at Harvard Park to further enrich the tennis experience for local residents and youth.

Harvard Park is located at 1535 W. 62nd Street in LA. Visit USTAFoundation.org for more information on USTAF and its commitment to helping more youth become engaged in school and learning to assist them with succeeding in tennis and life. For more information on PlayLA and the Pete Brown Junior Tennis Program, visit laparks.org/play-la and pbjtp.com.