HighFIVE: Tony Graziano

Graziano's lifetime love of tennis helps tennis thrive in Colorado

They say tennis is the sport of a lifetime, and while Tony Graziano didn’t start playing tennis until his late teenage years, he has fully embraced the motto, weaving his life and tennis together in many ways.

Tony, a Philadelphia native, didn’t catch the tennis bug until he moved to California after high school. His dad introduced him to the sport at that time and Tony quickly fell in love with tennis. He heard about the Vic Braden Tennis College in Coto de Caza, an instructional facility for tennis players of every range of ability, beginners to pros, and he started taking lessons there. After two years of community college in Southern California and lots of court time with the legendary Braden, Tony transferred to Mt. St. Mary’s University in Maryland, and had gained enough tennis skills to play for the college team. 

“I really enjoyed playing in college,” says Tony. “The best part was the camaraderie, fun and competition with the other players on the team.”

After graduating from Mt. St. Mary’s, Tony wanted to continue his journey with the Vic Braden Tennis College and was hired as an instructor. He spent a year traveling around Europe and teaching at Vic Braden Tennis College locations in Reit im Winkle, Hamburg and Sylt, Germany. Once back in the states, Tony continued to teach, and tennis again lead him somewhere new in his life. 

“One of my students was a Regional Manager for a major car brand. He introduced me to the car business, which I’ve been part of for the last 37 years” says Tony, who is now Vice-President, Subaru Western Region.

In 2005, Tony and his wife, Eileen, moved to Denver where they raised their three children. Although he no longer plays leagues or tournaments, Tony is still an active 4.5 player. His daughter also caught the tennis bug and played for Mullen High School as well as UC Santa Cruz.

Through his tennis connections in Denver, Tony has been instrumental in growing Subaru’s sponsorship of USTA Colorado and the Colorado Youth Tennis Foundation’s Racquets for All program. 

“Subaru’s partnership originated in 2005, and their longtime involvement has helped make tennis accessible for many people over the years. Tony makes all of this possible and truly cares about the impact being made through their investment in tennis,” says Lisa Schaefer, USTA Colorado & Colorado Youth Tennis Foundation Associate Executive Director.

“We, at Subaru, see our relationship with USTA Colorado as a terrific partnership,” says Tony. “Tennis is such a great way to stay active and meet new friends. Plus, you never know how tennis can open doors for someone. I am so pleased to even be able to be a small part of the role that tennis can play for those in Colorado.” 

Thanks to Tony’s passion for the sport and Subaru’s commitment to USTA Colorado, many Coloradans will have the opportunity to experience tennis as the sport of a lifetime.

MidFirst Bank is one of the largest privately owned banks and this combination of size and private ownership provides our customers with a special brand of banking. We are a strong supporter of the communities we serve, investing time and money in important educational, charitable and civic organizations. Our volunteerism is powered by our employees from all of the communities in which we live and share with our customers. MidFirst Bank is a proud partner of USTA Colorado.