USTA to Provide $100,000 in Scholarships to Professional Tennis Management Students in 2021-22

Scholarships will support students looking to pursue careers in the tennis industry.

March 01, 2021

ORLANDO, Fla.; February 22, 2021 – The USTA today announced that it will partner with the U.S. Professional Tennis Association (USPTA) and Professional Tennis Registry (PTR) to grant up to $100,000 in scholarships to current or incoming college students enrolled in Professional Tennis Management programs, a move to support students looking to pursue careers in the tennis industry.

A total of 50 students can receive up to $2,000 in scholarship money for tuition, provided they are enrolled in a Professional Tennis Management program during the 2021-22 academic year. Ten universities and colleges in America have designed PTM programs for students who want to learn the coaching and business skills necessary to be successful in the tennis industry.

The USPTA and PTR are the two fully USTA-accredited organizations that certify coaches in the United States. The goal of this initiative is to work with the USPTA and PTR to provide scholarship opportunities for college students who choose tennis as a profession. This year, the three organizations (USTA, USPTA and PTR) have partnered to elevate the standards for coaching education for every certified tennis coach.

“With four million new tennis players in 2020, we have a unique opportunity to make sure we retain and engage our new players with the best experience possible,” said Martin Blackman, General Manager, USTA Player and Coach Development. “That means great coaches delivering the sport at every level, and Professional Tennis Management programs are a perfect launch pad for our next generation of coaches.”

“We need a pipeline of talented tennis teaching professionals to come into the profession to sustain the growth of our sport, and we need more of them,” said John Embree, CEO and Executive Director, USPTA. “PTM programs are the perfect bridge for aspiring junior players who have a passion for tennis and want a fabulous career.”

“PTR has enjoyed a 35-year relationship with PTM programs, and we’ve been fortunate to have several PTMers on staff during that time period,” said Dan Santorum, PTR CEO. “The quality and impact of PTM in our industry is evident, and we believe that the USTA’s grants will be a tremendous boost to increase the number of future tennis coaches attending PTM Programs.”

For more information and to apply, visit usta.com/ptm and click on Scholarships. The application deadline is April 24, 2021.

Visit the USTA’s Professional Tennis Management program homepage for more information.

The USTA is the national governing body for the sport of tennis in the U.S. and the leader in promoting and developing the growth of tennis at every level — from local communities to the highest level of the professional game. A not-for-profit organization with more than 655,000 members, it invests 100% of its proceeds in growing the game. It owns and operates the US Open, one of the highest-attended annual sporting events in the world, and launched the US Open Series, linking six summer WTA and ATP World Tour tournaments to the US Open. In addition, it owns approximately 90 Pro Circuit events throughout the U.S. and selects the teams for the Davis Cup, Fed Cup, Olympic and Paralympic Games. The USTA’s philanthropic entity, the USTA Foundation, provides grants and scholarships in addition to supporting tennis and education programs nationwide to benefit under-resourced youth through the National Junior Tennis & Learning (NJTL) network. For more information about the USTA, go to USTA.com or follow the official accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat.

About PTR

PTR is the largest global organization of tennis teachers/coaches, with more than 15,000 members in 133 countries. With the largest number of multicultural and women members in the tennis-teaching industry, PTR is dedicated to inspiring, educating, certifying, and serving tennis teachers/coaches in order to grow the game.

About the USPTA

Founded in 1927, the USPTA is the global leader in tennis-teacher certification and professional development. With more than 14,000 certified professionals worldwide and 17 divisions nationwide, the Association’s mission is to raise the standards of tennis-teaching professionals and coaches and to promote a greater awareness of the sport.

For more information, contact: Pat Mitsch, USTA Corporate Communications, [email protected].

Related COB Programs

• Professional Tennis Management