USTA Celebrates World Tennis Day on March 8

The United States Tennis Association (USTA) hosts youth and family tennis events throughout the month of March in celebration of World Tennis Day today, March 8. The USTA is partnering with tennis facilities, parks and clubs nationwide to introduce tennis to the youth and family audience, while providing a platform to register for spring and summer programs. 

World Tennis Day is anchored by the BNP Paribas Showdown at New York’s Madison Square Garden featuring 21-time Grand Slam singles champion and world No. 1 Serena Williams, taking on former world No. 1, Caroline Wozniacki. Also featured will be current No. 4 men’s player Stan Wawrinka squaring off with French star Gael Monfils. As part of the evening’s celebration, a youth tennis exhibition will be held between the evening’s featured matches. 

“World Tennis Day is a unique opportunity to promote the accessibility of the sport and inspire kids and families to lead healthy lifestyles,” said Katrina M. Adams, Chairman, CEO and President of the USTA. “This special celebration throughout March is part of USTA’s commitment to create opportunities for families to engage in the sport and increase participation in local programs.” 

World Tennis Day annually serves as a kickoff for youth and family events held throughout the month of March. Since 2009, the USTA has leveraged World Tennis Day to launch thousands of youth events that provide a platform for facilities to register children for spring and summer tennis programs. In 2015, more than 50,000 young players participated in the youth events held in March, each designed to showcase how fun and easy it is for families to get into tennis. 

The BNP Paribas Showdown is a production of StarGames and Madison Square Garden. Tickets are on sale now at the Madison Square Garden box office, online at thegarden.com and at all Ticketmaster outlets.

To learn more about how families can get involved, visit youthtennis.com.

 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 with more than 715,000 members, it invests 100% of its proceeds in growing the game. It owns and operates the US Open, the highest-attended annual sporting event in the world, and launched the Emirates Airline US Open Series, linking seven summer tournaments to the US Open. In addition, it owns approximately 90 Pro Circuit events throughout the U.S. and selects the teams for the Davis Cup, Fed Cup, Olympic and Paralympic Games. The USTA’s philanthropic entity, the USTA Foundation, provides grants and scholarships and helps under-resourced youth and individuals with disabilities, and supports  wounded, ill and injured service members, veterans and their families. For more information on the USTA, log on to usta.com, “like” the official Facebook page, facebook.com/usta, or follow @usta on Twitter.