2024 Midwest Awards

2024 Fall Award Winners

Family of the Year Award

This award is presented to the family in the USTA Midwest Section that has contributed the most toward tennis through the years. The family members are all involved in tennis serving their local area or district in promoting and perpetuating the development of tennis on all levels.

2024 Recipient: Haber Family (Chicago District)

The Haber family–Mike, Tanya and their children Hanna and Nico, have made significant contributions to USTA programming and the growth of tennis. 

Mike Haber, a certified tennis professional, served as the USTA Chicago president from 2017-2018, promoting the health benefits of tennis and building community. He remains an active board member and currently serves as the chair of the Junior Play Committee, while also leading various initiatives in the USTA Midwest Section.

Tanya Haber, also a certified tennis professional, coaches Early Development Camps in Chicago, helping kids learn the fundamentals of tennis. Her dedication to growing the game spans from private to community clubs, and she works to foster a love for tennis when volunteering in the Chicago parks.

Their passion for player development and junior tennis is evident in their active volunteer work with USTA Chicago. The Haber family volunteers with The ACE Project, supports local tennis charity events and helps to coach military heroes and war veterans. Their dedication to the sport has not only benefited the Chicago community but also contributed to NCAA collegiate success for Mike, Tanya and Hanna.

Stanley Malless - District Diamond Service Award

This award is presented to a volunteer for distinguished service in his or her district. The award especially honors the individual who has contributed to the development of tennis programs from the grassroots up for five years or more. Stanley Malless, who has contributed a great deal to tennis from the grassroots to the national level, was President of both the USTA Midwest Section and the USTA.

2024 Recipient: Tiffany Squires (Central Indiana District)

Tiffany Squires learned tennis from her husband, Jamey, who has played competitively since he was young. She began playing competitively in 2009 as a 2.5 and is currently a 4.5, having participated several times in USTA Midwest Sectional matches and at the NTRP National Singles Championships. For the past 12 years, she has continuously captained various USTA League teams. As a captain, she helped establish a USTA 40 & Over 9.0 Mixed League, which facilitated the implementation of several singles leagues in the Central Indiana District. Squires also serves as a mentor for new captains and won the USTA Central Indiana Joe Graham Memorial Award in 2021.

She is the immediate past president of the USTA Central Indiana Board of Directors. During her time on the board, she served on several committees, including chair of the Awards Committee, Nominating Committee, Management Committee and Adult Tennis Committee. She was also a long-standing board member at Five Seasons.

Currently, she is a USTA Midwest Delegate-at-Large and is slated to serve as chair next year. Previously, she served on the USTA Midwest Social Committee and the Tennis On Campus Committee. She participated in a USTA National project to design adult programming that launched in 2018. Additionally, Squires has volunteered for the past seven years with the Special Olympics of Hamilton County.

Mel Bergman - Section Diamond Service Award

The USTA Midwest Section's most prestigious award, the Mel Bergman Award, is given in recognition of continuous and distinguished service to the USTA Midwest Section in an unselfish, dedicated manner for 10 years or more. Mel Bergman, an extremely dedicated volunteer, was a President of the USTA Midwest Section who served on the USTA Executive Committee.

2024 Recipient: Paul Farah (Northeastern Michigan District)

Paul Farah is well known to those in the USTA Midwest Section. Farah has been an active volunteer for the section for nearly two decades and, according to the 2025-2026 USTA Midwest President-Elect Jeff Stassen, “He has left a positive and indelible mark on the organization.”

Farah served as president of the USTA Midwest for three years during the COVID-19 pandemic and led the organization during a critical time. He has served in numerous positions in the section and in the Northeastern Michigan District. He will soon serve as the USTA/Midwest Tennis & Education Foundation (MTEF) president. 

Farah is also highly regarded by his peers for his innovation and leadership when it comes to advising districts on how to spend their reserves while promoting the game. He is a strong voice for fiscal responsibility and long-term vision.

Awards Presented Earlier this Year

In addition to the CTA Award, the Coulee Region Tennis Association (CRTA) received the 2023 Wisconsin Tennis Association Member Organization of the Year Award. The association has played an instrumental part in growing the game in Wisconsin. One way the CRTA helped grow the game was by assisting in the addition of Green Island Tennis Courts. These courts ended up receiving the 2021 USTA National Outstanding Facilities Award.

The Coulee Region Tennis Association also offers tennis programming for all ages and abilities in the La Crosse area. The association runs several tennis events and programs throughout the year, including social events during National Tennis Month and year-round tournament play for members.

Molly Bellia is a decorated female student-athlete in Northern Indiana. She was recently named valedictorian of Saint Joseph High School in South Bend, Indiana, awarded Academic All-State in cross country and tennis and named a 2024 Indiana Academic All-Star. 

On the court, Molly continues to shine being awarded several conference, district and state awards. For conference awards, she has won NIC 1st Singles Champion (2021-2024), NIC Conference MVP (2021-2024), NIC First-Team All-Conference (2021-2024) and NIC Team Champion (2021-2024). For district awards, she is recognized as First Team All-District. And for the competitive state awards, Molly holds the title of 2021 Indiana Individual Singles State Champion, 2022 Indiana Individual Singles Quarterfinalist, 2023 Indiana Individual Singles Runner-Up and she was also awarded First Team All-State (2021- 2023). 

Molly has also been awarded the USTA Joe Saine Sportsmanship Award for her leadership and outstanding character on and off the court. Her passion for giving back to the community is admirable. She helped organize “Smash Cancer” matches that raised approximately $13,000 in the fight against cancer. We are proud to honor Molly with this award and are excited to see her continue on a path toward success.

The Chicago Park District Tennis Association’s mission is to build a strong, active and engaging tennis community in Chicago. They strive to create a fun organization, with a focus on growth and inclusivity for all players and levels. The association aims to improve existing USTA programming with a focus on USTA League play. New programs and play formats encourage players to step into the social side of tennis.

The association was awarded Organization of the Year in 2023 by the USTA Chicago District. The district is ever thankful for the park's partnership as this entire volunteer-run organization allows outdoor play opportunities not just for USTA players, but also for the public. The Chicago Park District Tennis Association is living out its mission of building a strong tennis community in the Chicagoland area. They currently serve around 2,000 tennis players. 

James Patton started officiating in the fall of 1978 after the Greater Columbus Tennis Association came to The Ohio State University to recruit people to become tennis officials. The university was slated to host the men’s Big Ten Conference Championships in the spring of 1979. Thus, Patton embraced officiating at the professional level from the beginning. 

Later, Patton moved to Indianapolis where he joined the city’s umpires and began officiating there. He has officiated at every level and is a tireless worker who strives to provide the best possible environment for players. He expects the highest standard of sportsmanship and players quickly learn he will settle for nothing less.

James Patton recently became the Chicago District’s Chair of Officials. He has not taken this task lightly. He has brought with him a wealth of knowledge; he has educated new officials, undergone the officials' certification process, contributed towards a positive, officiating community, and provided leadership at tournaments and events. James Patton is an example of strength, endurance and stability.

Sikora’s energy and enthusiasm for tennis are next to none. He fosters an amazing environment and introduces players to the many benefits of tennis—physical, mental and emotional. He shows players the camaraderie of tennis, something that is often not available for kids with differing needs. Players never want to miss a session with Coach Zack! He provides relentless support and has a true passion for making tennis accessible to everyone.