Adult Tennis News
40 & OVER RECAP: OC LEADS CHARGE AS FOUR AREAS CAPTURE FIRST TILES OF 2025
Held at premier San Diego venues, including Barnes Tennis Center, the event featured spirited match play across the 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, and Capstone 40 & Over Divisions.
MIXED 18 & OVER KICKS OFF 2025 SOCAL ADULT LEAGUE SECTIONALS SEASON
The start of the 2025 Adult Sectionals season began April 25–27 with over 500 USTA League players converging on Orange County for three days of competition.
USTA SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FEATURE: BEYOND THE BASELINE – ANTHONY SHIRLEY
Family, community, and connection have always been central to Anthony Shirley’s life, continuing to guide him today as he leads USTA SoCal’s Adult Tournament landscape.
MARCH MADNESS, SOCAL STYLE: USTA NATIONAL INVITATIONALS RECAP
With this USTA National Championship year in the books, the stage is set for a fresh season of League play in Southern California and another year of unforgettable competition.
IN WAKE OF FIRES, ALTADENA & MALIBU TEAMS POWER THROUGH ADULT SECTIONALS
USTA Adult League teams from Altadena and Malibu, which had been deeply affected by the recent LA fires, banded together to compete at SoCal Doubles Sectionals in the desert.
USTA SOCAL FEATURE: BEYOND THE BASELINE – INDIA HOFFMANN
Nearing her fourth year with the SoCal section, and seventh total working for the USTA, India Hoffman has firmly established herself as a pillar of excellence in Adult League Tennis.
Junior Tennis News
HOW KIANA AND PAOLO HUERTA ARE SERVING UP A TENNIS DREAM TOGETHER
San Diego’s Kiana and Paolo Huerta are more than just siblings—they’re tennis training partners, fierce competitors, and supportive cheerleaders for one another.
FROM TRAGEDY TO TRIUMPH: KEISARI PENMAN’S JOURNEY OF RESILIENCE
Keisari Penman is not your typical teenager. The sixteen year old has been through the unimaginable after tragically losing her home to the Eaton Fire in Altadena in January 2025.
NAVIGATING TENNIS TOURNAMENTS: A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE
Before reaching the world’s biggest stage at Grand Slams, the top professional players around the globe all competed in local or regional junior tennis tournaments.
RECOVERY LIKE A PRO: SLEEP, STRETCHING, AND REFUELING AFTER A MATCH
Whether you’re a junior player pushing for your next win or a casual player who just wrapped up a friendly match, recovery is the key to staying strong and maintaining your love for the game.
USTA SOCAL RENEWS STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH WEIL TENNIS ACADEMY
USTA Southern California is proud to announce the renewal of its partnership with Weil Tennis Academy, one of the West Coast’s premier tennis academies.
MORE THAN A TROPHY: HOW SPORTSMANSHIP SHAPES YOUR CHARACTER
In tennis, sportsmanship can take many forms: accepting a loss gracefully, being honest about line calls, or fostering a positive environment through kind words and actions.
Community Tennis News
HOW ANGIE DEL GAUDIO IS REDEFINING INCLUSION THROUGH MOVEMENT
When Angie Del Gaudio created Rams Without Limits—now The Without Limits Foundation—during her junior year at Millikan High School, she had no idea what it would become.
USTA SOCAL COMMUNITY FEATURE: BEYOND THE BASELINE – SAMMIE XIAO
As a Community Coordinator with USTA SoCal, Sammie Xiao has made a positive impact, working daily to help expand tennis accessibility across the section.
USTA SOCAL FEATURE: LOVE OF TENNIS RUNS DEEP FOR USTA OFFICIAL TERRY CHAN
For Terry Chan, the game of tennis isn’t just a hobby or vocation and a casual game just to be played on weekends. The love of tennis for Chan runs much deeper than that.
FRED GUERRA LEAVES LECACY OF COMMUNITY IN ALTADENA AFTER EATON FIRE
Often described as a sleepy town nestled in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains, Altadena was jolted awake on January 7th, 2025 when fierce Santa Ana winds fueled the Eaton Fire.
APPROACHING 90, RICHARD ALSTON REMAINS THE HEART OF EL DORADO PARK
Most people would consider it a blessing just to reach their 90s. For those who are lucky enough to be able to, the pace of life usually slows, as days are filled with quiet routines.
CYNTHIA NEIMAN ELECTED USTA SOCAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS PRESIDENT
Breaking from tradition, the USTA SoCal board of directors elected Cynthia Neiman as president, marking the first time in the section’s 138-year history that a woman will lead the board.
College Tennis News
KATE FAKIH’S AANHPI ROOTS, JUNIOR DOMINANCE, AND COLLEGE ASCENSION
A winner at every stage of her young life, UCLA Bruin Kate Fakih has already built a résumé on the tennis court that many dream of, and she’s done it all by the age of 18.
BIG CHANGES, BIG DESCISION LOOMS FOR LONG BEACH’S ANDY NGUYEN
Andy Nguyen was happy with the way his first two years went playing for UC-Irvine. He liked the fun and carefree nature of his teammates. He liked his coach. But something was missing.
SOCAL SCHOOLS WIN BIG AT NCAA DIVISION I CONFERENCE TOURNAMENTS
Whether it was UCLA’s historic Big Ten title, UC Irvine’s comeback in the Big West, or San Diego State’s grit in the Mountain West, Southern California tennis stood tall.
NEW-LOOK OJAI TOURNAMENT FIRST TO FEATURE BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIP
While some things never change in Ojai, for the first time ever there will be new school banners lifted in historic Libbey Park with the Big Ten hosting their women’s championship.
UC SAN DIEGO REPEATS AS TENNIS ON CAMPUS SECTIONAL CHAMPIONS
Fourteen unique schools were represented in San Diego, with many sending multiple teams from their clubs to compete, all vying for the opportunity to advance to 2025 Nationals.
BIG TEN WOMEN COMING WEST FOR CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT AT THE OJAI
USC and UCLA will still remain part of the storied tradition of The Ojai as women’s teams from the Big Ten Conference will be part of the 123rd Annual Ojai Tennis Tournament.
Pro Tennis News
ZACH SVAJDA HONORS FATHER WITH WIN AT NEWPORT HALL OF FAME OPEN
Pacific Beach native Zach Svajda, 22, reached a major milestone in his ascending career by capturing the men’s title at the ATP Challenger 125 Hall of Fame Open in Newport, RI.
SOCAL PRO SERIES: TIANMEI WANG WINS FIRST PRO TOURNAMENT AT SDSU
Tianmei Wang is exactly the type of player USTA Southern California had in mind when it created the SoCal Pro Series and launched its spring/summer collection of tournaments.
SOCAL PRO SERIES: KAYLA DAY CONTINUES COMEBACK BY MAKING SEMIFINALS
Typically not one to play at the entry level of pro tournament tennis anymore, Kayla Day viewed her SoCal Pro Series tournament entry this week at SDSU’s Aztec Tennis Center twofold.
SOCAL PRO SERIES: KAYLAN BIGUN WINS IN MAIN DRAW DEBUT AT SDSU
UCLA graduate Keegan Smith, along with returning Bruins Spencer Johnson and Kaylan Bigun, all won first-round men’s singles matches in the $15,000-purse Futures tournament.
TAYLOR FRITZ MOVES INTO THE WIMBLEDON SEMIFINALS TO FACE CARLOS ALCARAZ
In the sun-soaked cathedral of No. 1 Court, Taylor Fritz finally broke through, inching closer to becoming the first American man in 25 years to win tennis’ most prestigious tournament.
SOCAL PRO SERIES: KYLE KANG WINS FIRST PRO TITLE AT JACK KRAMER CLUB
The first thing Kyle Kang wanted to do after winning his first professional tennis title was hug his mother Aeri, who was brought to tears by her son’s stunning on-court display.
