Cooper Woestendick hoping to ‘do some damage’ at 2024 US Open

“To have the flag with your name, it’s really special,” Woestendick said. “Especially at the Open, hopefully you can get some fans for your matches and then hopefully they get a little rowdy, which is nice. I train at the USTA National Tennis Center in Orlando. That’s where it starts; that’s where they’re trying to create pros. It’s cool being an American being able to train there.”

Sandwiched around the Grand Slams are ample additional tournaments, which has afforded Woestendick the chance to travel the country and world doing what he loves.

“This year I’ve done a pretty good job of cherishing all the travel and cool experiences I’m getting,” he said. “It’s not normal being able to travel like this and get to see all these great places. It’s just been amazing.”

Woestendick noted his junior career within the USTA Missouri Valley helped lay the groundwork for the international success he’s now achieving. The USTA Heart of America competitor traveled the USTA Missouri Valley and nation participating in junior tournaments, and he appreciates the ongoing support he’s received from the section.

“It’s all stepping stones, and that was sort of the beginning,” Woestendick said. “I did pretty well in MoValley, won quite a bit. That’s when I kind of realized I can be pretty good at tennis. I was getting to play tournaments and see more of the competition around the states. MoValley has been great.”

Woestendick has fond memories competing in the USTA Missouri Valley Sweet 16s, now named Rally in the Valley, a gathering of the top junior players in the section. During his downtime at the Sweet 16s Woestendick would watch the older players, which helped him gauge what areas of his game needed improvement.

“All of those tournaments—the Futures, the Supers when I was younger—getting to travel and play those was a cool experience,” Woestendick said. “Getting to see all the kids, I enjoyed that quite a bit. And getting to go and compete around a lot of people from where you’re from was pretty cool. It definitely prepared me to go up and then play more national-wise.”

As Woestendick preps for his penultimate junior Grand Slam, he continues to set ambitious goals for his game. In addition to attempting to win the US Open this year in either singles or doubles alongside Exsted, Woestendick would like to finish the year ranked inside the top 10 globally. He wants to win a couple Futures tournaments and is excited to join a TCU program that captured its first NCAA team championship in May.

When he reflects on all he has accomplished to this point of his blossoming career, though, Woestendick is perhaps most proud of the strides he’s made as a person and not a player.

“I’m proud of the results I’ve had on court,” he said. “Seeing all the refs and all the tournament officials and me having a good relationship with them—a lot of people are telling my mom, ‘All right, thank you for your kid being nice on court.’

“Just the respectfulness; I feel like I’ve done a better job maturing as I’ve gotten older. Just maturing with the game and respecting the game quite a bit. I would say that’s one thing I’m kind of proud of—just to be a good student of the game and being quite respectful. … Shoutout to my mom and my dad, who have done a great job. I wouldn’t want anyone else as my parents.”