News
Adult Tennis News
HOW USTA ADULT LEAGUES BROUGHT THIS FATHER-DAUGHTER DUO CLOSER
For Kennett Lai and his daughter, Ashleen, Father’s Day isn’t celebrated around a backyard barbecue or on a phone call. It’s celebrated on a tennis court.
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.
Junior Tennis News
EIGHT CHAMPIONS CROWNED AT 124TH ANNUAL SOCAL JUNIOR SECTIONALS
The 124th SoCal Junior Sectionals crowned its newest group of champions on Sunday, concluding two weekends of competition that featured nearly 500 of the region’s top players.
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.
Community Tennis News
USTA SOCAL PRIDE MONTH FEATURE: THE GREAT NEUTRALIZER – RALPH NUNLEY
Ralph Nunley has spent decades building community and creating welcoming spaces for LGBTQ+ players. His story celebrates the power of inclusion and belonging on and off the court.
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.
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: SPENCER JOHNSON WINS FIRST PRO SINGLES AND DOUBLES TITLES
There is no shortage of cause for family celebration in the Johnson household, and Spencer Johnson couldn’t have come up with a better pair of gifts for his father on Father’s Day.
2026 WIMBLEDON QUALIFYING PREVIEW: SOCAL STARS EYE MAIN DRAW
Starting Monday, June 22, a field of 128 men and 128 women will battle through three rounds at Roehampton, all chasing just 16 coveted spots in their respective main draws.
SOCAL PRO SERIES: JOHNSON, CASTILLO MEZA TO COMPETE FOR IRVINE CROWNS
UCLA Bruin Spencer Johnson has been knocking on the door in search of his first professional championship on the SoCal Pro Series for the better part of a year.
SOCAL PRO SERIES: TANVI PANDEY, 14, CLAIMS FIRST WTA POINT IN IRVINE
Two players made their 2026 SoCal Pro Series debut this week on main draw wildcards offered by USTA Southern California. They both walked out with their first WTA points.
LAVER CUP COMING TO LA IN 2027, BRINGING GLOBAL TENNIS SPOTLIGHT TO SOCAL
Los Angeles has been selected to host the 10th edition of the Laver Cup, one of tennis’ premier international team events, from September 24 to 26, 2027 at Intuit Dome in Inglewood.
SOCAL PRO SERIES: KAYLAN BIGUN CAPTURES SECOND TITLE IN THREE WEEKS
Kaylan Bigun waited a little longer than expected to win his first ITF pro singles title two weeks ago at the opening week Lakewood SoCal Pro Series event. He didn’t wait long for his second.
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.
