Florida’s Crawford Wins US Open Tennis Wild Card; July Community Grants

Bunnell, Miami, St. Augustine Orgs. Receive Community Tennis Grants from USTA Florida Foundation

Three community tennis organizations received community tennis grants in the month of July from the USTA Florida Foundation, the charitable arm of the United States Tennis Association-Florida Section (USTA Florida).

Recipients of grants were organizations in Bunnell (First Baptist Tennis), Miami (tennis for under-served children) and St. Augustine (Harbour Island Tennis Center).

USTA Florida Foundation grants offer funding for youth tennis programs, adaptive tennis programs for those with special needs, community tennis programs in economically challenged areas, along with facility assistance in the renovation, refurbishment and building of quality public tennis facilities.

“I want you to know how much the USTA Florida grant means,” said past recipient Janet Raney, who started a middle school tennis club in Deland. “These little children have no experience with tennis and they had so much fun. I am working with another preschool starting next week — the equipment is invaluable. I could not do this without the equipment, big thanks to the USTA Florida Foundation!”

Since 2010, USTA Florida and the USTA Florida Foundation have awarded more than $1,000,000 in grants for tennis programs serving people of all ages and abilities throughout Florida.

USTA Florida Foundation grants in July:

Bunnell — First Baptist Tennis Program
Grant: Equipment grant for the new after-school tennis program.

Miami — Creative Works, LLC
Grant: Equipment grant for the Fun Kid Fit – Kids 10 and Under Tennis program to provide beginner tennis lessons to under-served children in the Miami area.

St. Augustine — Harbour Island Tennis Center
Grant: Equipment grant for the USTA Florida 10 and Under Youth Tennis Tournament Pathway initiative to be implemented at the center.

The USTA Florida Foundation’s mission is “Changing Lives Through Tennis,” providing financial support through organizational grants that help Floridians of all ages and abilities improve their health and quality of life through the game of tennis. It is the USTA Florida Foundation’s belief that tennis provides opportunities for healthy social, emotional, physical and educational development, and encourages peer and family participation.

For more information on individual grants or for more information on the USTA Florida Foundation go to www.ustafloridafoundation.com.

Florida’s Crawford Earns 2015 US Open Tennis Wild Card

Samantha Crawford of Tamarac, Fla., will compete in the US Open women’s main draw for the second time in her career after finishing as the top point-earner in the USTA Pro Circuit US Open Wild Card Challenge.

The 20 year old finished the three-tournament challenge with 49 points after reaching the final of the $50,000 Kentucky Bank Tennis Championships in Lexington, Ky., this past weekend, and competing in the $50,000 events in Stockton, Calif., and Sacramento, Calif.

The US Open girls’ junior champion in 2012, the 6-foot-2 Crawford also qualified to the main draw that year, losing in the first round to Britain’s Laura Robson.

This year she won her fourth and fifth career USTA Pro Circuit doubles titles, improving to 5-1 in career ITF doubles finals. She also reached three USTA Pro Circuit singles finals this year. Crawford is currently No. 223 in the world, reaching a career-high No. 218 last month on the WTA Rankings.

The men’s USTA Pro Circuit US Open Wild Card Challenge is ongoing, with part-time Naples, Fla., resident and former French Open Juniors champion Bjorn Fratangelo leading Mitchell Krueger in the race for the US Open men’s main draw wild card. The men’s US Open Wild Card Challenge concludes the week of Aug. 10 with the Comerica Bank Challenger in Aptos, Calif.

USTA Player Development awards a US Open main draw wild card to one American man and one American woman who earn the most ATP World Tour and WTA ranking points in a series of USTA Pro Circuit hard-court events this summer. Men’s events include $50,000 Challengers in Binghamton and Lexington, Ky., as well as a $100,000 Challenger in Aptos, Calif. Women’s tournaments include $50,000 events in Stockton, Sacramento, and Lexington.

All matches will be streamed live on www.procircuit.usta.com.