News
Adult Tennis News
ROZ KING IS PROOF AGE IS NEVER A BARRIER TO COMPETITION OR SUCCESS
While most people fortunate enough to reach the age of 88 are content to enjoy quieter days, San Diego’s Rosalie ‘Roz’ King is doing quite the opposite.
ORANGE COUNTY HOSTS TWO WEEKENDS OF TRI-LEVEL SECTIONALS TO CAP 2025
Back-to-back weekends of Sectionals in Orange County marked the conclusion of the 2025 Adult League season, drawing nearly 1,200 competitors from all 13 areas of the section.
TINA KARWASKY AND TEAM CLINCH GOLD AT 65 & OVER INTERSECTIONALS
For nearly 15 years, Tina Karwasky has captained Southern California’s Women’s 55s and 65s teams to strong finishes at Intersectionals, yet the gold medal always remained just out of reach.
SUZANNE YOUNG NAMED SOCAL’S 2025 ADULT LEAGUE CAPTAIN OF THE YEAR
Chosen through a rigorous nomination process, the honor recognizes one captain whose leadership, sportsmanship, and service to the game best represent USTA League tennis.
FROM 35 TO 80: SOCAL TEAMS DELIVER A NATIONAL SHOWCASE OF EXCELLENCE
SoCal delivered one of its most impressive adult tennis seasons in recent memory, shining on the national stage at both the 2025 Donoff Cup and the USTA National Women’s Intersectionals.
TEAM SOCAL RESULTS FROM THE 2025 ADULT LEAGUE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
As the Adult League season wrapped up at the end of September, the excitement carried straight into the National Championships, which began the second weekend of October.
Junior Tennis News
THE SOCAL STANDARD: COMPETING WITH CHARACTER IN JUNIOR TENNIS
In SoCal, a global epicenter for tennis excellence, the community has long produced athletes who are not only accomplished competitors, but also respected leaders among their peers.
USTA SOCAL FEATURE: HOW TENNIS FUELS CAYNA GHALY’S VISION FOR SERVICE
With high school graduation just a month away, Cayna Ghaly is preparing herself to head to Amherst College in the fall, where she will continue both her academic and tennis careers.
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT CAMP BRINGS TOGETHER TOP PLAYERS IN CLAREMONT
For the third consecutive year, USTA SoCal hosted the National Player Development Section Camp at The Claremont Club, welcoming some of the region’s top junior players.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA’S JUNIORS EXCEL AT APRIL L3 TOURNAMENTS
SoCal juniors turned in impressive results across USTA L3 events in Irvine, Las Vegas, Long Beach, Lakewood, San Antonio, and Scottsdale, with great performances across every age division.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA’S FINEST SHINE AT 2026 EASTER BOWL IN INDIAN WELLS
In the final, unseeded wild card and 2025 Southern California Junior Sectionals champion Rishvanth Krishna from Irvine beat Arcadia’s Peter Jorniak, 6-4, 6-2.
EASTER BOWL TO ONCE AGAIN FEATURE FUTURE OF AMERICAN TENNIS
Two weeks after Taylor Fritz won the biggest title of his career in Indian Wells in 2022, another SoCal star Alex Michelsen was making headlines by winning the prestigious Easter Bowl.
Community Tennis News
USTA SOCAL STAFF FEATURE: BEYOND THE BASELINE – LEXIE WANNINGER
As USTA SoCal’s Integrated Marketing Manager and current Interim Marketing Director since April, Lexie Wanninger stands at the forefront of the organization’s media presence.
CAN TENNIS REALLY MAKE YOU HEALTHIER? DR. KYOUNGBIN IM EXPLAINS
For years, research has pointed toward tennis as the healthiest sport in the world. Studies have linked it to improved cardio health, better mental health, and longer life expectancy.
WHY THE TENNIS COURT CAN BE A POWERFUL MENTAL HEALTH TOOL
Beyond the physical benefits like cardio health and total body fitness, tennis also fosters mental and emotional well-being—such as better life satisfaction, self-confidence, and mental health.
QUIET ARCHITECT OF DESERT COURTS: REMEMBERING GORDON ZAWTUN
There are people who inhabit a tennis court, and then there are people who give a tennis court its soul. Gordon ZawTun was, by all definitions, the soul of the Coachella Valley tennis community.
IN LOVING MEMORY: ANNETTE BUCK, A MATRIARCH OF SOCAL TENNIS
Annette Buck, the longtime former Director of Adult and Senior Tennis for USTA Southern California, passed away on February 21, 2026, leaving behind a vast legacy.
USTA SOCAL PROFILE: HOW JASON HARNETT HELPED SHAPE WHEELCHAIR TENNIS
In the summer of 1984, the Olympic Games brought the world to Los Angeles, while an hour south in Orange County, 12-year-old Jason Harnett discovered a different kind of history.
College Tennis News
TREVOR SVAJDA JOINS FIELD FOR US OPEN COLLEGIATE WILD CARD PLAYOFFS
When SoCal’s Trevor Svajda steps onto the courts at the USTA National Campus this June, he’ll return as one of college tennis’ top players looking to take the next major step in his career.
HISTORIC OJAI TENNIS TOURNAMENT CONCLUDES WITH DRAMATIC FINISHES
It was another historic year at the Ojai Tennis Tournament as it delivered dramatic finishes and standout performances from Southern California players and programs.
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED FOR LA MISSION COLLEGE AS IT CLAIMS STATE TITLES IN OJAI
The L.A. Mission College women’s 2026 season was a dream run, finishing 25 straight wins against zero losses and a week at The Ojai the players will not soon forget.
THE OJAI WELCOMES BIG TEN MEN’S CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT THIS WEEK
The 124th edition of the Ojai Tennis Tournament begins this week, bringing a historic first as the tournament welcomes the Big Ten Conference Men’s Tennis Championship.
SOCAL ATHLETES COMPETE IN ITA COLLEGIATE WHEELCHAIR TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS
Collegiate wheelchair tennis’s national spotlight hits the USTA National Campus this weekend as the 2026 ITA National Collegiate Wheelchair Tennis Championships begin Friday, April 10.
UC SAN DIEGO SECURES THREE-PEAT AT 2026 TENNIS ON CAMPUS SECTIONALS
Fifteen universities competed in San Diego, many fielding multiple teams in pursuit of a spot at the 2026 USTA Tennis On Campus National Championships in Texas.
Pro Tennis News
SOCAL PRO SERIES: JEAN-BAPTISTE BADON COMES BACK TO WIN FIRST ATP POINT
Jean-Baptiste Badon took advantage of a wild card granted by the USTA SoCal and put it to good use on Wednesday in the first round of the Lakewood SoCal Pro Series.
KAYLAN BIGUN CLAIMS FIRST ITF PRO TITLE AT SOCAL PRO SERIES IN LAKEWOOD
Kaylan Bigun is the first to admit that transitioning to the pro tour after leaving UCLA after one year 12 months ago hasn’t exactly been smooth sailing.
KAYLAN BIGUN JOINS THREE OTHER BRUINS IN LAKEWOOD SINGLES SEMFINALS
Former UCLA standout Kaylan Bigun joined three other UCLA Bruins with victories on Friday at the SoCal Pro Series Lakewood ITF World Tennis Tour $15,000 event
KENZIE NGUYEN OPENS WITH SINGLES AND DOUBLES WINS AT PRO SERIES IN LAKEWOOD
Just ask 18-year-old recent high school graduate Kenzie Nguyen and she’ll choose playing tennis tournaments closer to home any day over traveling abroad.
SOCAL’S CLAY COURT CONTINGENT ARRIVES IN PARIS FOR 2026 FRENCH OPEN
After weeks of sliding through the European dirt, the 2026 Roland Garros main draw is locked. Success demands patience and precision, where slow clay turns matches into marathons.
TEAM SOCAL TARGETS A BREAKTHROUGH IN ROLAND GARROS 2026 QUALIFYING
The road to the main draw at the year’s second Grand Slam begins this week in Paris, France, as French Open qualifying gets underway at Stade Roland Garros.
Officiating News
GUARDIAN OF THE COURT: THE UNFILTERED JOURNEY OF MARCIA JONES
In the high pressure world of competition, a hand gesture can be the difference between celebration and confrontation. For Marcia Jones, that pressure is part of everyday life.
DWIGHT KUHLMAN’S MULTIFACETED JOURNEY INTO OFFICIATING
Throughout much of his life, Dwight Kuhlman has been driven by creativity, building a career rooted in production, voice acting, and bringing ideas to life across a wide range of mediums.
FROM BRONX RED CLAY TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA COURTS WITH LARRY CALDER
Tennis is defined by precision, sportsmanship, and respect. Officials embody these characteristics, working selflessly in the background to uphold the integrity of the sport.
A LITTLE HANDSHAKE GOES A LONG WAY FOR USTA OFFICIAL MAUREEN REGAN
Maureen Regan has had a front row seat to hundreds of congratulatory gestures and is used to both players then turning to her in the umpire chair and also extending a hand.
AVA SCHUMACHER CELEBRATES 45 YEARS OF OFFICIATING IN SOCAL
For nearly half a century, Ava Schumacher has been a respected USTA tennis official across Southern California. This year marks a significant milestone: her 45th anniversary officiating.
JANE ROBERTS PASSES TEST IN BECOMING A DEPENDABLE USTA OFFICIAL
If you were to list the qualities that define a great USTA Official, you’d probably start with someone who is calm and composed under pressure and knows the rules of tennis from cover to cover.
Women’s History Month Features
TRACY MACNAIR BURRELL: THE UNOFFICIAL TENNIS HISTORIAN OF BAKERSFIELD
Whether it’s the origins of Bakersfield Racquet Club, local player accomplishments, or longstanding exhibitions, the chances are Tracy knows the answer or statistic without hesitation.
WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH: HOW TENNIS TRANSFORMED MELISSA HOFFMAN’S LIFE
In many ways, tennis saved Melissa Hoffman—physically, emotionally, mentally. What began as a need to exercise after a diabetes diagnosis evolved into something more transformative.
DANIELLE LUGO ON EMPOWERING YOUNG GIRLS THROUGH SPORTS
Danielle Lugo holds a firm conviction that sport sampling is the key to building leadership and confidence in youth, particularly for girls who often face greater discouragement in athletics.
USTA SOCAL FEATURE: THE MULTIFACETED TENNIS CAREER OF SABASTIANI LEON
As we celebrate Women’s History Month, Sabastiani Leon stands as a powerful example of a woman chasing her dreams and succeeding on multiple fronts within the sport.
TRACY AUSTIN: THROUGH AND THROUGH A SOCAL TENNIS LEGEND
Nearly half a century later, she can still vividly describe, savor, and appreciate the many Southern California-based moments that helped pave her path to greatness.
MORE THAN RECORDS: INSIDE DANA MATHEWSON’S LASTING INFLUENCE
Dana Mathewson is one of the most influential figures in wheelchair tennis history: a former American #1, Grand Slam champion, Paralympian, and global tennis ambassador.
