A look back at Midwest tennis in 2025: There are MANY ways to play!

All are welcome on the tennis court, and 2025 certainly exemplified the versatility and inclusivity of tennis. Just look at Red Ball Tennis—a low-pressure version of the classic game we all love—passionately advocated for by our USTA Midwest Ambassadors who planned events across Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin.

Eager to embrace many play pathways, Jeff Stassen of the USTA Southeastern Michigan District was elected to serve as USTA Midwest Chairman of the Board and President for the 2025-26 term. Over the years, he's worked with Community Tennis Associations (CTAs), park and recreation programs, and schools. At the beginning of his term, Stassen stated his focus is to increase our tennis-playing population in the Midwest from 2,786,000 to 3 million by the end of 2026.

Kicking off 2025, we announced the Provider Growth Fund, a commitment of $90,000 to schools, organizations and providers who simply wanted to bring tennis to courts near them. A fifth of those funds were awarded towards National Tennis Month events—celebrations of the sport at the grassroots level. Throughout the month, our districts served more than 1,500 players of all backgrounds. Participation at the Carmel, Ind. event alone led to more than 200 kids receiving new tennis racquets at zero cost to families.

And it's the passionate fans and local legends that contribute to the unique and collaborative nature of tennis. To better reflect our commitment to the well-being of our Midwest communities, the section updated its mission statement on its 130th anniversary to, "Growing tennis to inspire healthier people and communities everywhere."

You can enjoy more of our favorite moments from 2025 by watching our recap video! The Cincinnati Open was absolutely buzzing, two of our game-changing volunteers became national award winners, and Taylor Townsend achieved a World No. 1 doubles ranking. Speaking of Townsend, she gave an inspiring message with Evan King after the Chicago duo placed second at the 2025 Roland Garros Mixed Doubles Championship.

"This means a lot to me personally because Evan and I grew up on the South Side of Chicago. We said Tuley Park all the way to Roland Garros. So I hope that us standing here is inspiration for people to know that you can do it and it's possible no matter where you come from."