Advocating for tennis courts
Talking Tennis Southern Style
We applaud anyone playing tennis in a driveway. But, realistically, 99% of tennis is played on courts. Paul Pittman, the long-time dominant force of tennis in Florence, S.C., is now chairing USTA Southern’s push to protect and increase the number of our tennis courts. Pittman speaks to grassroots tennis advocates who are working to ensure that new tennis courts are improved and built, and not turned into pickleball courts.
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Auburn’s Bobby Reynolds: from ATP to college
Talking Tennis Southern Style
In this episode, we chat with Bobby Reynolds, Auburn Men’s tennis head coach, a former No. 1 collegiate player at Vanderbilt and a former ATP player. He shares insights from coaching in the SEC and offers advice for aspiring players aiming for college and pro success, along with tips for competitive coaching. Reflecting on his pro tour days when he topped out at No. 63 in the world, coach Reynolds also touches on the broader impact of the sport. He grew up in metro Atlanta.
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National Tennis Month: Bob Willis
Talking Tennis Southern Style
Join us for an insightful episode featuring Bob Willis, President of the . Willis will host a National Tennis Month “Bring A Friend” lesson on May 25 at . He recounts last year’s experience with a successful NTM event. Don't miss out on Willis’s valuable tips and strategies for drawing new players to the sport with impactful tennis celebrations in your community!
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National Tennis Month: Kristie Flowers
Talking Tennis Southern Style
hosted a session during 2023 and plans more sessions next month during National Tennis Month (NTM). She gets people active at in Florence, S.C. Flowers has had as many 50 participants get their heart rates up. She cites USTA Southern Board Member Ernie James for promoting NTM events.
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Tennessee tennis recruiter: Tyler Strong
Talking Tennis Southern Style
How do you expand tennis in your state? A strategic focus of USTA is increasing the number of providers like parks and recreation departments, coaches, teachers, tournament directors and grassroots tennis associations. is using his knowledge of Junior Team Tennis to make connections with coaches and facilities. A nearly 10-year veteran of , Strong also celebrates tennis parents who assist coaches
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Tennis Channel on-court host Andrew Krasny
Talking Tennis Southern Style
is best known for his post-match interviews on court for . This week he is the host and emcee of , a tournament he considers among the best in the world for featuring the brightest women’s stars in the game. Over his storied career, Krasny has been one of the faces you've seen at , the and , connecting TV viewers with the world’s best tennis players.
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WHM: WTA player Arianne Hartono & Coach Jason Ontog
Talking Tennis Southern Style
Arianne Hartono, a Dutch professional tennis player ranked No. 140 in WTA singles, made history at the University of Mississippi by winning the , the first Dutch player to do so. She also received the for top female collegiate tennis player. Hartono is engaged to her coach Jason Ontog, a former USTA Tennessee staff member and known for his tennis achievements. He was the 2000 Southern Conference Freshman of the Year and rose to a national ranking of No. 67 in 2003. Together, they offer insights into the travel demands and life on the WTA Tour.
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Teaching: true passion for former UT coach Elizabeth Henderson
Talking Tennis Southern Style
Elizabeth Henderson’s life in tennis started by being No. 1 in numerous junior age levels in USTA Southern before being recognized as an All-American at the . She started her collegiate coaching odyssey at the University of North Carolina, followed by her first head coaching job at . That led to a four-year stint as women’s head tennis coach at the . She was inducted into the in 2011. For more than 30 years she has focused on her true passion: teaching young players at the in Knoxville.
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No-Cut Coach Starfish Award winner John Cox
Talking Tennis Southern Style
We chatted with John Cox, whose volunteer work covers many areas of tennis, including numerous posts in . Still, he has a soft spot for the students of in Cleveland, Miss., where he began coaching the tennis team in 2017. His goal is to make tennis “cool” and get players on court and practicing. Winning two state titles and being awarded the and awards is just an extra bonus.
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WHM: Local League Coordinator honoree Anna Martin
Talking Tennis Southern Style
We talk with the She is a veteran of more than 23 years of promoting and organizing USTA League, providing a rich history of tennis in Wilmington, N.C. She now supports nearly 200 adult recreational teams. Martin highlights the importance of playing against players with similar skill levels for the She also serves as a teacher and director at a local church school.
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Finishing our fourth season, “Talking Tennis Southern Style” wraps up 2023 with compelling excerpts of eight of our favorite interviews. We are proud to highlight insightful conversations with these guests:
- Michelle Curry of the Althea Gibson CTA
- Tennis memorabilia collector and USTA Kentucky Past President Mike Eden
- USTA Chairman of the Board and President Dr. Brian Hainline
- USTA Georgia’s Darren Potkey
- Jermaine Jenkins, practice partner of Serena and Venus Williams
- NJTL leader Belen Gomez-Jordana
- No. 1 Wheelchair Tennis player Zane Goodwin & mom Lara Polk
- Southern Hall of Famer Keith Richardson