U.S. Tennis Association of New England

Sunday was an extremely special day in Newport as three remarkable individuals received the ultimate honor in New England tennis! June Ferestien, Peter Francesconi and Jeff Landau were inducted into the USTA New England Hall of Fame Class of 2026 during a ceremony at the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

All three have been integral in contributing to the growth of tennis in New England, from playing and coaching to advocating and more!

Alongside the inductees, Paul Sullivan was honored posthumously as the Gardner Ward Chase Memorial Award Winner for his lifetime of service to New England. His five children received the award on his behalf.

Thanks to everyone who came to Newport and celebrated with us!

🎾 Congratulations to Traci Green on recently being named the recipient of the WeCOACH 2026 NCAA Academy 2.0 Class #9 Cecile Reynaud Coaching Mastery Award 🏆

Selected by her fellow classmates, this prestigious award recognizes coaches who exemplify outstanding leadership, a commitment to personal growth, a passion for developing others and a deep respect for the game.

As the longtime Head Women's Tennis Coach at Harvard University, a member of the Black Tennis Hall of Fame and the USTA Middle States Hall of Fame, Traci has dedicated her career to empowering student-athletes and advancing the sport ❤️

🙌 We were thrilled to join The Learning Community’s annual Let’s Move Fitness Festival in Central Falls, RI in May 🎾

Students, families, and staff came together at Macomber Field to try tennis and explore a wide range of sports and activities as part of this community-wide celebration promoting healthy, active lifestyles 💪🏃‍♀️

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You could already be earning points to go towards leagues fees, section branded merchandise and MORE! Redeem rewards for perks you’ll actually use, just for doing what you love.

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🎾 We're celebrating the life and legacy of Harry Kirsch, who passed away earlier this year at the age of 94. A former USTA New England President, Hall of Fame inductee, accomplished player and visionary leader, Harry was one of the most influential figures in the history of our sport.

A standout competitor who achieved top New England rankings as an adult, Harry's passion for tennis extended far beyond the court. Through his leadership, service and vision, he helped shape the future of tennis in New England and across the country.

Serving on several key USTA committees, as President of USTA New England (formerly NELTA) and later as USTA Vice President, Harry was a driving force behind the transition to Open tennis in 1968. Alongside legendary tennis journalist and friend Bud Collins, he helped champion the adoption of the tiebreak. These landmark changes modernized the sport and laid the foundation for the tennis boom of the 1970s, when participation in the United States grew from roughly 10 million to more than 35 million players.

Harry's extraordinary contributions were recognized with the Gardner Chase Memorial Award for outstanding lifetime service to New England tennis and the Marlboro Award, presented by World Tennis Magazine for exceptional contributions and achievements in the sport.

Known by Bud Collins as a "living archive" of tennis history, Harry leaves a lasting legacy of leadership, innovation and dedication that continues to influence our game today ❤️🎾

🎾🌳 Tennis in the Parks in Hampton, NH is off to another great start this spring!

🙌 One of New England’s longest-running Tennis in the Parks programs, Hampton has offered programs at the Tuck Field courts since 2020. This season, Lars Sorenson is leading the adult programs, while Michael Brousseau is coaching the youth programs, with 31 players participating throughout the spring.

Tennis in the Parks is proudly presented by Wilson ❤️

🎾 In collaboration with USTA Coaching, we hosted two successful Coach Symposiums last weekend at Lyme Shores Racquet Club (CT) and Longfellow Wellesley (MA), helping train the next generation of coaches. Many of the 60 in attendance were high school and college students preparing to work this summer at their local clubs.

📋 Participants were trained on organizing and managing players of all ages and skill levels, leading effective group lessons, and creating supportive environments that help players thrive both on and off the court 👏

Thank you to New England Coach Developers, Carole Waite and Sharon Murphy, and USTA Florida's Michael Harper Jr., for leading the sessions and making it a great weekend of learning and growth 🙌🎾

We have 7 more Coach Symposiums scheduled through the end of June!

💙🎾 Tennis truly is the ultimate family sport!

🌳 Since 2023, Xavier Claret Torrents has been coaching Tennis in the Parks in Maine. This spring, he's sharing the court with a new coaching partner: his daughter, Sara, a high school tennis player at Scarborough High.

Together, they're coaching Tennis in the Parks programs in Scarborough and S**o, introducing more than 90 new and beginner players to the game 👏

For Xavier and Sara, it's a unique opportunity to coach side by side. And for the kids, it's a chance to learn from both an experienced coach and a student-athlete who can relate to where they are in their tennis journey.

Way to go, Xavier and Sara 🌟

🎾 That's a wrap on the Mixed 18 & Over 7.0/8.0 District Championships in Eastern Massachusetts!

A total of 550 players on 53 teams competed for 13 Sectional Championship spots later this month. Congratulations to our 12 flight winners and one wild card team who have advanced 🏆👏

Thank you to our host facilities: Spark Fitness & Tennis (Andover & North Andover), Bass River Tennis Club and Newburyport Tennis Club 🙌