World Tennis Magazine

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Mardy Fish Children's Foundation Tennis Championships

When Ben Shelton’s Serve Literally Caused Property Damage

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By Randy Walker

@TennisPublisher

During his run at the 2023 U.S. Open, there has been much discussion about Ben Shelton’s devastating serve.

His fastest serves have been in the 140s – causing fans to gasp and scream in delight and awe.

Against Tommy Paul in the fourth round, Shelton hit two aces that registered 149 mph – both in the same game! The serves were among the fastest ever recorded in tennis history and three miles per hour shy of the U.S. Open record set by Andy Roddick.

Observers have called the Shelton serve “destructive” and it LITERALLY was destructive when Shelton played in the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships $15,000 U.S. Tennis Association ITF World Tennis Tour “Futures” entry-level pro event in Vero Beach, Florida in October of 2021, just seven months before Shelton won the NCAA singles title for the University of Florida.

Shelton’s serve was so devastating that when he hit aces (or long or wide serves) on the deuce court at The Boulevard Tennis Club’s Stadium Court the ball slammed into the event’s backwall signage. The repeated blows caused for the John’s Island Real Estate signage to be shattered by the hand of Shelton.

Shelton was confronted about his property destruction following his second round win over Blaise Bicknell at the event as you can watch on YOUTUBE here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oonrh9t4osQ

Shelton then posed for photos with the shattered signage with the director of John’s Island Real Estate Bob Gibb following his win.

The sponsor signage had to be taken down and tournament organizers considered putting a target in its place, trying to solicit donations to the non-profit Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation for every Shelton serve that hit the target. The pieces of the John’s Island Real Estate sponsor board were kept and after Shelton lost in the singles quarterfinals and doubles final at the event, he signed each piece of the board. One of the pieces was framed and then presented to Gibb and John’s Island Real Estate.

The story is documented in the ATP Tour website here: https://www.atptour.com/en/news/shelton-us-open-2023-feature?fbclid=IwAR1sWaBCUMAB23aB32Eh1c6zcK-Ej4Xna8oD7KuIYQ7e0mIDS5G7p1JkHXI

For more information on the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation, go to www.MardyFishChildrensFoundation.org

Ben Shelton poses with Bob Gibb of John’s Island Real Estate after his serve caused damage to his sponsorship sign at the 2021 Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championship in Vero Beach, Florida

Wild Card Tournaments To Help Provide Playing Opportunities On New ITF World Tennis Tour

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By Randy Walker

@TennisPublisher

 

The new ITF World Tennis Tour is what was formerly known as the ITF Pro Circuit or the “Futures” tour. It’s basically the minor leagues of pro tennis. In a baseball term, it is like “A” level baseball.

The newly-branded and restructured circuit is in its immediate infancy, starting January 1, 2019. As with most new initiatives and changes to established and long-running programs, it’s not always perfect for starters and tinkering needs to be done.

For starters, ATP points are no longer offered at these level events, except for a singles finalists at 25K level events, but just for 2019 as of now. Qualifying tournaments, that used to have draws as big as 128 players, now only feature 24 players playing for six spots. It’s tougher for players to get into the main draw at these events, based on increased sports for top junior players based on ITF world junior rankings. It’s even tougher for many players to also get into the qualifying events with their being, in some cases, 104 fewer spots in the draw.

Wrote top Australian player John Millman on Twitter “A friend of mine who is ATP670 showed me his entry list coming up for futures. When he once would be seeded in these events he’s now Alternate for qualifying in all but one… seems like less opportunities with the new system?”

Top WTA coach Sarah Stone wrote on her Facebook page that a player ranked No. 250 in the world was 13 slots out of qualifying for a 25K event.

German tennis coach Dirk Hordorff has also been quite critical of the changes on social media.

A “Change.org” petition has also been created to change the rules as seen here: https://www.change.org/p/itf-international-tennis-federation-help-us-save-the-future-of-professional-tennis?recruiter=false&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=psf_combo_share_initial.pacific_post_sap_share_gmail_abi.gmail_abi&recruited_by_id=f3451070-2bb7-11e9-92c9-594963e723a1&utm_content=fht-13037724-en-us%3Av2&fbclid=IwAR0sPVNOE6JKOfckSry2dCnAJOHl6MyJU_eeTcfuwtp40CVD5fQvYpv30NQ

While the main draw entry system will be up for debate and potential change, the fewer opportunities in the qualifying rounds can be partially rectified by tournament directors creating a qualifying wild card event or a pre-qualifying event, where the winner of the event receives a direct entry into the qualifying tournament. Entry fees for the pre-qualifying tournament go to the promoter to help the bottom line. This, of course, can and should be done for the main draw wild cards as well.

As the co-tournament director of the men’s circuit event in Vero Beach, Florida, – the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships – I have championed wild card events since I started running the event in 2016, as I wrote about here: http://www.worldtennismagazine.com/archives/13906

We will be hosting a main draw wild card event in Vero Beach, February 27 – March 1, as you can read about here http://tennisverobeach.com/sea-oaks-to-again-host-wild-card-tournament-for-mardy-fish-childrens-foundation-tennis-championships/ and sign up for here: https://tennislink.usta.com/Tournaments/TournamentHome/Tournament.aspx?T=235635#&&s=1

We will also host a pre-qualifying event the week starting Wednesday, April 24 before our main draw event which starts on Monday, April 29. We will also host a main draw doubles wild card event during this time period as well. (if you are interested in entering, email me at Rwalker@NewChapterMedia.com).

So, while there are fewer opportunities for players to play these events, it’s also up to tournament directors and promoters to create additional opportunities for these players, via these wild card events.

Wild Card For Mardy Fish Children's Foundation Tennis Championships in Vero Beach, Florida
Wild Card For Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships in Vero Beach, Florida

American Junior Sam Riffice Has Breakthrough Week In Vero Beach At Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships

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Tennis fans should keep their eye on Sam Riffice.

The 18-year-old from Roseville, Calif., had a breakthrough tournament at the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships, a $15,000 USTA Pro Circuit event at Grand Harbor Golf & Beach Club in Vero Beach, Fla., advancing into his first professional final from the qualifying rounds where he lost to Calvin Hemery of France.

Riffice was part of a group of young Americans, that included 17-year-old Patrick Kypson and 18-year-old Vasil Kirkov, who were being tutored by USTA Player Development consultant Ivan Lendl in Vero Beach. Riffice won eight straight matches en route to the final – four in the qualifying tournament and five in the main draw – before he ran out of gas in the final against the 22-year-old Hemery, who beat him 6-3, 6-1, winning 11 of the last 12 games of the match.

Riffice earned 10 ATP World Tour ranking points and will move into the top 1,000 in the professional rankings. As the No. 30-ranked junior player in the world, he will compete in junior Grand Slam tournaments at the French Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open.

“I know that when I play my game, I have a chance against the top players,” Riffice said of his week in Vero Beach. “I take a lot of positives from this.”

The Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships has been played in Vero Beach since 1995 and is regarded as one of the best entry-level professional tennis tournaments in the world. Proceeds from the event benefit the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation (www.MardyFishFoundation.com), the non-profit tennis foundation benefiting children, named for Vero Beach native son Mardy Fish, the former top 10 tennis star and a U.S. Davis Cup standout.

Some of the past competitors at the USTA Vero Beach Futures have gone on to succeed at the highest levels of professional tennis, winning major singles and doubles titles, Olympic medals and Davis Cup championships and earning No. 1 world rankings. Andy Roddick, the 2003 U.S. Open champion who attained the world No. 1 ranking and helped the United States win the Davis Cup in 2007, competed in Vero Beach in 1999. Thomas Johansson of Sweden, who reached the second round of the Vero Beach Futures in 1995, won the Australian Open seven years later in 2002. Nicolas Massu, the 1998 singles runner-up in Vero Beach, won the singles and doubles gold medals at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, beating Fish in the gold medal singles match. Kyle Edmund, the 2013 champion in Vero Beach, helped Great Britain to the Davis Cup title in 2015. Other notable former competitors in Vero Beach include former world No. 2 Magnus Norman, former world No. 4 Tim Henman, 2016 Wimbledon finalist Milos Raonic among others. Former Vero Beach competitors have combined to win 19 titles in singles, doubles and mixed doubles at Grand Slam tournaments. Six former Vero Beach players have gone on to play Davis Cup for the United States – Roddick, Fish, Taylor Dent, Jared Palmer, Donald Young and Ryan Harrison.

Corporate sponsors and donors for the 2017 tournament include PNC Bank, Boston Barricade, George E. Warren Corporation, Indian River Medical Center, Jake Owen Foundation, Syde Hurdus Foundation, Indian River Oxygen, Citrus Grillhouse, Coastal Van Lines, Rossway Swan, Publix, Ryan A. Jones and Associates, Tom Collins Insurance Agency, Vocap Partners, Riverside Café, Center Court Outfitters, David Walsh and Associates Real Estate, Peter Bernholz Family, John’s Island Real Estate, Gene Simonsen, Michael & Kathleen Pierce, Steve and Karen Rubin, Rob and Mickey Stein, William Barhorst, Dan Holman, John Klein, Mello Financial Services, Ocean Drive Elite Physiques, Rosato Plastic Surgery, Captain Hiram’s Resort, Absolute Protection Team, Minuteman Press, Technifibre, TeamChristopher.com, Fit for Life Strength, Diamond Resorts International, Wilson, Don Herrema and Lori Ford.

Founded in 2007, the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation (www.MardyFishFoundation.com and @MardyFishFound on Twitter) currently supports over 2,100 children in 15 elementary schools and six middle schools in Indian River County, Florida by providing after-school exercise, nutritional and enrichment programs in a safe environment to prepare them for healthy, productive and successful lives. The Foundation introduced the “Six Healthy Habits” in 2012 which are Get Sleep; Drink Water; Exercise Daily, Eat Healthy; Brush and Floss; Make Friends

 

Sam Riffice
Sam Riffice

Wimbledon Cinderella Marcus Willis Gets To Play On Another Famous Grass Tennis Court – At The Jack Nicklaus Home

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Ten months after playing all-time great tennis player Roger Federer on Centre Court at Wimbledon, Marcus Willis almost got a chance to play another grass-court tennis match against an equally legendary figure from golf – Jack Nicklaus.

While in Florida to compete in the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships USTA Pro Circuit “Futures” event at Grand Harbor Golf & Beach Club Vero Beach, Fla., Willis received an invitation to play tennis on the private grass tennis courts at the home of Nicklaus in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., from Fish Foundation Board Member Bill Meyer.

Willis, good friend and sometimes doubles partner Josh Milton and Meyer drove an hour south to the Nicklaus home in Palm Beach Gardens from Vero Beach with Meyer two days after Willis was eliminated in the event to be part of a Sunday game on the two grass courts at the Nicklaus home.

Nicklaus, due to a bad shoulder, did not play in the matches, but was a gracious host and watched Willis and Milton play with the amateurs and among against themselves.

“He showed me his golf trophies,” said Willis. “He’s a lovely guy. He said if I was ever in Florida again and needed to practice on grass courts then I was more than welcome.”

Willis reached the quarterfinals of singles and doubles in Vero Beach, his first tournament since he became a father in March.

While in Vero Beach, Willis also spoke with Jon Wertheim of Sports Illustrated for his weekly podcast and also with Tennis.com

Last summer, Willis, inspired by meeting a new romantic partner Jennifer Bate at a concert, won six matches in pre-qualifying and qualifying rounds to advance into the main draw of Wimbledon, where he reached the second round before losing to Federer on Centre Court. The story of Willis was one of the best stories in tennis in 2016 – receiving global media coverage, a standing ovation from the Centre Court crowd and high praise from Federer.

“This story is gold” Federer said last summer of the Willis Cinderella story. “I think it’s one of the best stories in a long time in our sport. This is the kind of stories we need in our sport.”

The Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships has been played in Vero Beach since 1995 and is regarded as one of the best entry-level professional tennis tournaments in the world. Proceeds from the event benefit the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation (www.MardyFishFoundation.com), the non-profit tennis foundation benefiting children, named for Vero Beach native son Mardy Fish, the former top 10 tennis star and a U.S. Davis Cup standout.

Marcus Willis, Jack Nicklaus, Mardy Fish Children's Foundation Board member Bill Meyer
Marcus Willis, Jack Nicklaus, Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Board member Bill Meyer

Wimbledon Cinderella Marcus Willis To Play First Event As A Dad In Vero Beach, Florida

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Marcus Willis, the inspiring Cinderella story from Wimbledon last summer, leads the list of entries into the 2017 Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships, the $15,000 USTA Pro Circuit event to be played April 21-30 at Grand Harbor Golf & Beach Club.

Last summer, Willis, inspired by meeting a new romantic partner Jennifer Bate at a concert, won six matches in pre-qualifying and qualifying rounds to advance into the main draw of Wimbledon, where he reached the second round before losing to Roger Federer on Centre Court. The story of Willis was one of the best stories in tennis in 2016 – receiving global media coverage, a standing ovation from the Centre Court crowd and high praise from Federer.

“This story is gold‚“ Federer said last summer of the Willis Cinderella story. “I think it’s one of the best stories in a long time in our sport. This is the kind of stories we need in our sport.”

Other leading entries into the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships include Peter Nagy, a member of Hungary’s Davis Cup team, Naoki Nakagawa, the 2014 U.S. Open junior doubles champion from Japan, Connor Smith, a former Ohio State All-American and the 2014 singles champion in Vero Beach, and Facundo Mena, the 2014 and 2015 singles runner-up in Vero Beach from Argentina.

Willis is currently ranked No. 409 in the ATP World Tour rankings and will be competing in his first tournament since he became a father to a baby girl last month with Bate, now his wife.

“We are excited to welcome these amazingly talented players from all around the world to Vero Beach where they continue their pursuit of ATP ranking points, prize money and tennis glory in their professional tennis careers,” said Tom Fish, co-tournament director of the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation. “It’s exciting to have in our field someone as inspiring as Marcus Willis, whose run last year at Wimbledon was something right out of a Hollywood screenplay. It proves that there is very little that separates players competing in events like our Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships and having the opportunity to play at Wimbledon on Centre Court against Roger Federer.”

Play will begin at Grand Harbor on Friday, April 21 at 8 am for the opening round of the 128-player qualifying tournament, which in 1998 featured future U.S. Open champion Andy Roddick playing his first ever professional matches. The qualifying rounds will continue Saturday, April 22, Sunday, April 23 and Monday, April 24 with play starting at 10 am. The 32-player singles and 16-team doubles main draw tournament will start on Tuesday, April 25 with matches starting at Noon each day through the finals on Sunday, April 30. Special 7 pm night matches will be played Tuesday, April 25 through Friday, April 28, with special “Happy Hour” night tickets being sold starting at 5 pm.

The Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships has been played in Vero Beach since 1995 and is regarded as one of the best entry-level professional tennis tournaments in the world. Proceeds from the event benefit the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation (www.MardyFishFoundation.com), the non-profit tennis foundation benefiting children, named for Vero Beach native son Mardy Fish, the former top 10 tennis star and a U.S. Davis Cup standout.

Advance tickets – and sponsorships – for the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships are available at www.VeroBeachTennisTickets.com. Season tickets for all 10 days of the competition are available for $100. Daily buy-one-get-one free tickets for the qualifying rounds April 21-24 are for sale for $10, with daily tickets for the main draw sessions April 25-30 for sale for $20. A special “Happy Hour” ticket is available for $10 after 5 pm for night sessions on Tuesday, April 25 – Friday, April 28 that includes a featured 7 pm night match. Admission for children 18 and under is free. Tickets are also sold at the front gate. Approximately 3,000 fans annually attend the event, which is seen as one of the best-attended events in the world on the “Futures” level of professional tennis tournaments. The 2016 event featured 13 players who played Davis Cup for their country and was won by Jonas Luetjen of Germany, who defeated Latvian Davis Cupper Martins Podzus in the final.

Some of the past competitors at the USTA Vero Beach Futures have gone on to succeed at the highest levels of professional tennis, winning major singles and doubles titles, Olympic medals and Davis Cup championships and earning No. 1 world rankings. Andy Roddick, the 2003 U.S. Open champion who attained the world No. 1 ranking and helped the United States win the Davis Cup in 2007, competed in Vero Beach in 1999. Thomas Johansson of Sweden, who reached the second round of the Vero Beach Futures in 1995, won the Australian Open seven years later in 2002. Nicolas Massu, the 1998 singles runner-up in Vero Beach, won the singles and doubles gold medals at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, beating Fish in the gold medal singles match. Kyle Edmund, the 2013 champion in Vero Beach, helped Great Britain to the Davis Cup title in 2015. Other notable former competitors in Vero Beach include former world No. 2 Magnus Norman, former world No. 4 Tim Henman, 2016 Wimbledon finalist Milos Raonic among others. Former Vero Beach competitors have combined to win 19 titles in singles, doubles and mixed doubles at Grand Slam tournaments. Six former Vero Beach players have gone on to play Davis Cup for the United States – Roddick, Fish, Taylor Dent, Jared Palmer, Donald Young and Ryan Harrison.

Corporate sponsors and donors for the 2017 tournament include PNC Bank, Boston Barricade, George E. Warren Corporation, Indian River Medical Center, Jake Owen Foundation, Syde Hurdus Foundation, Indian River Oxygen, Citrus Grillhouse, Coastal Van Lines, Rossway Swan, Publix, Ryan A. Jones and Associates, Tom Collins Insurance Agency, Vocap Partners, Riverside Café, Center Court Outfitters, David Walsh and Associates Real Estate, Peter Bernholz Family, John’s Island, Gene Simonsen, Michael & Kathleen Pierce, Steve Rubin, Rob Stein, William Barhorst, Dan Holman, John Klein, Mello Financial Services, Ocean Drive Elite Physiques, Rosato Plastic Surgery, Captain Hiram’s Resort, Absolute Protection Team, Minuteman Press, Technifibre, TeamChristopher.com, Fit for Life Strength, Diamond Resorts International, Wilson, Don Herrema and Lori Ford.

Founded in 2007, the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation (www.MardyFishFoundation.com and @MardyFishFound on Twitter) currently supports over 2,100 children in 15 elementary schools and six middle schools in Indian River County, Florida by providing after-school exercise, nutritional and enrichment programs in a safe environment to prepare them for healthy, productive and successful lives. The Foundation introduced the “Six Healthy Habits” in 2012 which are Get Sleep; Drink Water; Exercise Daily, Eat Healthy; Brush and Floss; Make Friends.

Marcus Willis (right) with Roger Federer
Marcus Willis (right) with Roger Federer

Vero Beach, Florida – Where Andy Roddick’s Professional Tennis Career Began

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By Randy Walker

@TennisPublisher

 

Do a little digging and you just might find a gem!

That’s what happened when news broke that Andy Roddick was elected for induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

As co-tournament director for the $15,000 USTA Pro Circuit event in Vero Beach, Florida – the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships – I am always looking for ways to promote our event. Drawing back to an event’s history is a great way to promote and event to remind fans and sponsors how important your event is. This is a practice I employed passionately when I served in roles as the press officers for the U.S. Davis Cup team, U.S. Olympic tennis team and the U.S. Open.

One of the first duties I assigned our fantastic Vero Beach press aide and University of Central Florida student Kevin Craig was for him to create a master list of all the players who had competed in our Vero Beach event since it was first played in 1995. Andy Roddick was one of the most prestigious names who had played the event, along with other players like Tim Henman, Thomas Johansson, Milos Raonic Nicolas Massu among others. Roddick competed in the event in 1999, losing in the first round and when the news came out of his Hall of Fame induction, I thought “I wonder where his appearance in Vero Beach landed in his career arc? Perhaps it was one of the first ten professional events or so.”

While visiting the ATP World Tour website, I was startled to realize that the Vero Beach Futures in 1999 was actually Andy Roddick’s VERY FIRST professional tournament. What a great story and storyline for our event. Roddick actually advanced into the main draw via the qualifying rounds as a 16-year-old hot shot before losing in the first round to Nicolas Todero of Argentina 6-3, 6-3.

So now, our event has a special tagline in tennis history – the first professional tennis tournament that Andy Roddick ever played. Sponsors and fans can identify with this and hold competing players and matches in a higher reverence knowing that “the next Andy Roddick” might be playing in front of their eyes.

The 2017 Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships will be held April 21-30 at the Grand Harbor Golf & Beach Club in Vero Beach, Florida. Tickets are available for advanced sale at www.VeroBeachTennisTickets.com with admission for children 18 and under being free. Approximately 3,000 fans annually attend the event, which is seen as one of the best-attended events in the world on the “Futures” level of professional tennis tournaments. The 2016 event featured 13 players who played Davis Cup for their country and was won by Jonas Luetjen of Germany, who defeated Latvian Davis Cupper Martins Podzus in the final. Fans can follow news and developments on the tournament on Facebook and on Twitter at @VeroFutures.

Some of the past competitors at the USTA Vero Beach Futures have gone on to succeed at the highest levels of professional tennis, winning major singles and doubles titles, Olympic medals and Davis Cup championships and earning No. 1 world rankings. Andy Roddick, the 2003 U.S. Open champion who attained the world No. 1 ranking and helped the United States win the Davis Cup in 2007, competed in Vero Beach in 1999. Thomas Johansson of Sweden, who reached the second round of the Vero Beach Futures in 1995, won the Australian Open seven years later in 2002. Nicolas Massu, the 1998 singles runner-up in Vero Beach, won the singles and doubles gold medals at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, beating Fish in the gold medal singles match. Kyle Edmund, the 2013 champion in Vero Beach, helped Great Britain to the Davis Cup title in 2015. Other notable former competitors in Vero Beach include former world No. 2 Magnus Norman, former world No. 4 Tim Henman, 2016 Wimbledon finalist Milos Raonic among others. Former Vero Beach competitors have combined to win 19 titles in singles, doubles and mixed doubles at Grand Slam tournaments. Six former Vero Beach players have gone on to play Davis Cup for the United States – Roddick, Fish, Taylor Dent, Jared Palmer, Donald Young and Ryan Harrison.

All proceeds for the event benefit the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation (www.MardyFishFoundation.com and @MardyFishFound on Twitter) the non-profit founded in 2007 benefiting children, named for Vero Beach native son Mardy Fish, a former top 10 tennis star, U.S. Davis Cup hero and silver medalist at the 2004 Olympic Games. The foundation currently supports over 2,100 children in 15 elementary schools and six middle schools in Indian River County, Florida by providing after-school exercise, nutritional and enrichment programs in a safe environment to prepare them for healthy, productive and successful lives. The Foundation introduced the “Six Healthy Habits” in 2012 which are Get Sleep; Drink Water; Exercise Daily, Eat Healthy; Brush and Floss; Make Friends.

 

Andy Roddick
Andy Roddick

Popular Long-Time Vero Beach Doubles Tournament Now Doubles Qualifier For Mardy Fish USTA Futures

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The Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships announced today that the winner and runner-up of the 22nd annual “King of the Hill” tennis tournament that starts Tuesday, January 17 at The Moorings Club in Vero Beach, Fla., will receive a main draw doubles wild card into its annual U.S. Tennis Association (USTA) Pro Circuit “Futures” event to be held April 21-30 at Grand Harbor Golf & Beach Club.

“The King of Hill” (KOTH) is the annual doubles competition featuring tennis professionals from the Vero Beach area who compete in round-robin competitions on Tuesday nights to the determine the “king” of the local tennis professional. Proceeds from “King of the Hill” benefit the Youth Guidance Mentoring & Activities Program.

The Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships is the USTA’s $15,000 Futures-level tournament played in Vero Beach since 1995 and regarded as one of the best entry-level professional tennis tournaments in the world. Proceeds from the event benefit the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation, the non-profit tennis foundation benefiting children, named for Vero Beach native son Mardy Fish, the former top 10 tennis star and a U.S. Davis Cup standout.

“We are happy to award a main draw doubles wild card to the winner and runner-up of the annual ‘King of the Hill’ competition that showcases the top tennis talent in the Vero Beach area,” said Tom Fish, Chairman of the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation. “We are happy to work and partner with King of the Hill founder and organizer Gigi Casapu to work together to promote our respective events that are contested and promoted to raise funds to help the youth of our area.”

Many former KOTH champions and competitors have played in the Vero Beach USTA Futures, including four-time champion Robert Kowalczyk, the former USTA National Boy’s 18 Hard Court Champion, four-time champion Aldo Burga, now of The Legacy club, two-time champion Kriegler Brink, a singles semifinalist at the Vero Beach Futures in 2011, and defending KOTH champion Mike Alford, a former standout at the University of Florida, among others.

KOTH matches run every Tuesday starting at 6 pm from January 17 through February 21 at The Moorings club. Admission is $8.

Advance tickets for the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships are available at www.VeroBeachTennisTickets.com. Admission for children 18 and under is free. Approximately 3,000 fans annually attend the event, which is seen as one of the best-attended events in the world on the “Futures” level of professional tennis tournaments. The 2016 event featured 13 players who played Davis Cup for their country and was won by Jonas Luetjen of Germany, who defeated Latvian Davis Cupper Martins Podzus in the final.

Some of the past competitors at the USTA Vero Beach Futures have gone on to succeed at the highest levels of professional tennis, winning major singles and doubles titles, Olympic medals and Davis Cup championships and earning No. 1 world rankings. Andy Roddick, the 2003 U.S. Open champion who attained the world No. 1 ranking and helped the United States win the Davis Cup in 2007, competed in Vero Beach in 1999. Thomas Johansson of Sweden, who reached the second round of the Vero Beach Futures in 1995, won the Australian Open seven years later in 2002. Nicolas Massu, the 1998 singles runner-up in Vero Beach, won the singles and doubles gold medals at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, beating Fish in the gold medal singles match. Kyle Edmund, the 2013 champion in Vero Beach, helped Great Britain to the Davis Cup title in 2015. Other notable former competitors in Vero Beach include former world No. 2 Magnus Norman, former world No. 4 Tim Henman, 2016 Wimbledon finalist Milos Raonic among others. Former Vero Beach competitors have combined to win 19 titles in singles, doubles and mixed doubles at Grand Slam tournaments. Six former Vero Beach players have gone on to play Davis Cup for the United States – Roddick, Fish, Taylor Dent, Jared Palmer, Donald Young and Ryan Harrison.

 

"King of the Hill" at The Moorings Club, Vero Beach, Florida
“King of the Hill” at The Moorings Club, Vero Beach, Florida

Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation USTA Futures Event Moves To Carl Icahn Property Grand Harbor In Vero Beach, Florida

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VERO BEACH, Fla. — The Grand Harbor Golf & Beach Club will return as the host venue for the 2017 Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships, the $15,000 “Futures” tennis tournament – one of the longest-running and best attended events on the U.S. Tennis Association (USTA) Pro Circuit.

Grand Harbor previously hosted the event from 1995 to 2009 before being played the last seven years at The Boulevard tennis club. The 2017 tournament will be held Friday, April 21 to Sunday, April 30. The event benefits the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation, the non-profit tennis foundation benefiting children, named for Vero Beach native son Mardy Fish, a former top 10 tennis star, U.S. Davis Cup hero and silver medalist at the 2004 Olympic Games.

“We are excited to bring the tournament back to its original home at Grand Harbor, where we will look to continue to improve the event and expand the experience for our fans and players,” said Tom Fish, Chairman of the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation. “The expanded space and resources at Grand Harbor are a better fit for our long-term vision for the event and will help us in our goal to raise more money for our foundation while also leveraging the tournament to promote tennis to all demographics of our Treasure Coast community. We are very thankful to The Boulevard for being a terrific site for this community event for the last seven years and we look forward to continuing our strong relationship with other Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation activities.”

“We want to expand this event beyond tennis and Grand Harbor provides us with a lot more resources,” said co-tournament director Randy Walker to VeroNews.com

Walker said to VeroNews.com that the return to Grand Harbor, a full-service club owned by billionaire Carl Icahn via Icahn Enterprises, allows for the tournament to expand to offer improved dining, beverage and non-tennis offerings, including live music and youth activities. There will also be more room for parking and other amenities and more room to wander the tournament grounds.

“A big part of my background is the US Open, which made a very successful transformation from a tennis tournament to an entertainment event,” Walker said to VeroNews.com “People go there to watch tennis have lunch or dinner, have cocktails, walk around the grounds, listen to music… You don’t need to be a tennis fan to have a good time. We want to do the same thing here. Albeit on a much smaller scale.”

Founded in 2007, the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation (www.MardyFishFoundation.com and @MardyFishFound on Twitter) currently supports over 2,100 children in 15 elementary schools and six middle schools in Indian River County, Florida by providing after-school exercise, nutritional and enrichment programs in a safe environment to prepare them for healthy, productive and successful lives. The Foundation introduced the “Six Healthy Habits” in 2012 which are Get Sleep; Drink Water; Exercise Daily, Eat Healthy; Brush and Floss; Make Friends.

Tickets for the qualifying rounds of the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships from April 21 – April 24 will cost $10, while tickets for the main draw of singles and doubles from April 25 – 30 will be $20. Season tickets that include both the qualifying and main draw events cost $100. Advance tickets can be purchased at www.VeroBeachTennisTickets.com. Admission for children 18 and under is free. Fans can follow news and developments on the tournament on Facebook and on Twitter at @VeroFutures.

The annual USTA Vero Beach Futures has an economic impact of approximately $500,000 per year on the Vero Beach local economy. Approximately 3,000 fans annually attend the event, which is seen as one of the best-attended events in the world on the “Futures” level of professional tennis tournaments.

Some of the past competitors in Vero Beach have gone on to succeed at the highest levels of professional tennis, winning major singles and doubles titles, Olympic medals and Davis Cup championships and earning No. 1 world rankings. Andy Roddick, the 2003 U.S. Open champion who attained the world No. 1 ranking and helped the United States win the Davis Cup in 2007, competed in Vero Beach in 1999. Thomas Johansson of Sweden, who reached the second round of the Vero Beach Futures in 1995, won the Australian Open seven years later in 2002. Nicolas Massu, the 1998 singles runner-up in Vero Beach, won the singles and doubles gold medals at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, beating Fish in the gold medal singles match. Kyle Edmund, the 2013 champion in Vero Beach, helped Great Britain to the Davis Cup title in 2015. Other notable former competitors in Vero Beach include former world No. 2 Magnus Norman, former world No. 4 Tim Henman, 2016 Wimbledon finalist Milos Raonic among others. Former Vero Beach competitors have combined to win 19 titles in singles, doubles and mixed doubles at Grand Slam tournaments. Six former Vero Beach players have gone on to play Davis Cup for the United States – Roddick, Fish, Taylor Dent, Jared Palmer, Donald Young and Ryan Harrison.

The 2016 event featured 13 players who played Davis Cup for their country and was won by Jonas Luetjen of Germany, who defeated Latvian Davis Cupper Martins Podzus in the final.

Grand Harbor Golf & Beach Club is majestically set upon the Indian River in Vero Beach, and overlooks a mile of scenic Intracoastal Waterway. Grand Harbor presents exceptional value with two nationally acclaimed golf courses, an oceanfront beach club, a richly appointed Mediterranean-style clubhouse, 10 Har-Tru court tennis complex and fully equipped fitness center. A diverse enclave of home designs captures the essence of a romantic Mediterranean Village. A 144-slip, deep water protected, Marina is also located in the Grand Harbor Community for boating enthusiasts. Exciting new construction began in 2016 with plans for more than 200 new residences including condominiums, courtyard homes, estate homes and direct riverfront homes with prices from the mid 400’s to over two million. Dale Sorensen Real Estate is the exclusive broker onsite for new construction sales as well as resales in the community. For more information please visit www.GrandHarbor.com, www.grandharborverobeach.com, www.grandharborsalescenter.com, www.sorensenrealestate.com

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