The WTA Foundation’s community outreach program, WTA Come Play Presented by Morgan Stanley, came to New York for a week of pre-US Open activities bringing the sport of tennis to communities citywide. The initiative, which started in 2018, utilizes tennis to positively impact communities by encouraging youth of all ages and abilities, with a focus on girls, to lead healthy and productive lives on and off the court.
With a shared vision for expanding access to the game of tennis, WTA Foundation and Morgan Stanley were proud to join the Harlem Junior Tennis & Education Program (HJTEP) and the New York City Parks Foundation by offering tennis clinics to New York City youngsters.
On Wednesday, the first WTA Come Play clinic presented by Morgan Stanley got underway at Howard Bennett Playground in Harlem where HJTEP girls and boys were treated to a tennis clinic led by Judy Murray who was joined by WTA stars Caroline Garcia and Olympic silver medalist Donna Vekic. HJTEP, which is run by WTA legend and Executive Director, Katrina Adams, has served more than 20,000 youth since 1972 using tennis as a tool for positive behavior and fitness and offering educational programs emphasizing academic excellence and emotional resiliency.
“We thank Morgan Stanley and the WTA Foundation for once again providing this valuable experience for our coaches and kids,” Adams said. “The opportunity for HJTEP coaches to learn the latest teaching techniques from one of the world’s top coaches is especially valuable to their professional development, while giving our kids the chance to take the court and hit with top ranked WTA Tour players including Olympic silver medalist Donna Vekic and Caroline Garcia is a memory for a lifetime and an inspiration for what is possible.”
The week of events continued on Thursday at Astoria Park in Queens with WTA Foundation and Morgan Stanley teaming up with the City Parks Foundation for a second clinic led by Murray. 2019 US Open champion, Bianca Andreescu and American Taylor Townsend assisted Murray surprising kids from community tennis programs in Queens. The City Parks Foundation provides free tennis instruction year-round to thousands of kids in more than 30 parks throughout the five boroughs. Their free sports programs transform parks into centers for recreation to create vibrant and healthy urban communities.
“Alongside the WTA, we’re thrilled to team up with organizations like the Harlem Junior Tennis & Education Program and the City Parks Foundation to make a real impact right here in our own backyard,” Morgan Stanley’s CMO Alice Milligan said. “What better way to take part in the tennis buzz in New York City right now than investing in the next generation of players and showing them what’s possible?”
The New York events were a continuation of a yearlong program that will see the WTA Come Play presented by Morgan Stanley program brought to communities worldwide to engage people of all ages and abilities and provide access and opportunity through tennis. The first activations of the 2024 program took place in Melbourne, San Diego and London.
To learn more about WTA Foundation or make a donation, visit wta.foundation today.
