A Look Back on 2022 and a Glimpse at 2023

The end of a year is always filled with fond memories, as well as great anticipation for the future. As USTA Kansas looks back on the action-packed year that was 2022, one common theme is how engaged our tennis community is. From awards and tournaments to community programs and initiatives, here are some highlights of the past year.

Wichita Tennis Open

In April, all eyes were on Wichita as it played host to the Wichita Tennis Open. Rising stars on the circuit and established tennis pros battled it out on the courts for the grand prize of $25,000, so you can imagine how fierce the competition was! Read more about it here.

Nick Taylor wins Brad Parks Award

Wichita’s own Nick Taylor, a highly decorated wheelchair tennis tennis player with an incredible professional resume that includes winning gold three times in men’s doubles at the Paralympics and 11 Grand Slam titles (among many others), was honored with the Brad Parks Award for outstanding contributions to the sport of wheelchair tennis. Check out our interview with him here.

USTA Kansas at the USA Games

In June, five talented players from Kansas participated in the tennis competition of the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games in Orlando. We were able to catch up with the players and coach Sid Kanter to hear all about their love of tennis and of representing the state of Kansas. You can read the player profiles here.

MoKanNeb Tournament Series

Each year, the MoKanNeb Tournament Series brings intense competition to four tournaments across Missouri, Kansas, and Nebraska. Players compete to earn points–winning gets the most–and the men’s and women’s players with the most points at the end of the series win a $500 cash prize. USTA Kansas participated in the series by hosting the Open-level Jayhawk Open in May at Kossover Tennis Center in Topeka. Learn more here.

Looking Ahead to 2023

The year ahead looks like the best yet for USTA Kansas. With tournaments, junior and community tennis programs, leagues, and plenty of fun-filled events being planned, we have no doubt you’re going to have no problem filling your planner with all things tennis! Watch out for our monthly newsletter for the latest USTA Kansas updates.

Thank you for being a member of our tennis community. USTA Kansas wishes you a happy and healthy New Year. See you on the courts!