USTA Kansas SuperSport winners honored for good sportsmanship

Maya Angelou once said: “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

While tennis is a competitive sport and tensions can run high in the throes of a match, players’ actions on the court can leave a lasting impression on their opponents, the fans and coaches. By practicing good sportsmanship, tennis players help ensure a fair and friendly experience for everyone, regardless of the outcome of the match. And that makes everyone feel great.

The USTA Missouri Valley understands and embraces the importance of good sportsmanship. The section, in collaboration with the Match Tennis App, launched a new initiative in 2024 called SuperSport. The campaign aims to create a positive environment for all players, regardless of age or skill level, by encouraging individuals to nominate others who have displayed good sportsmanship during tournaments.

Individuals can win prizes throughout the year as part of a tiered award system for being nominated as good sports at both the district and section levels. A grand prize award is given to one junior and one adult with the highest number of qualified nominations from Jan. 1 to July 31. The grand prize is a trip for two to the 2024 US Open. It includes ground pass tickets for two, $800 in airfare, a $500 hotel grant and a $30 US Open Store gift card.

USTA Kansas is proud to announce the following junior players have earned SuperSport recognition:

Nadia Kaewsai was nominated at the USTA Heart of America Boys’ and Girls’ 16s/18s tournament for making fair calls on the court and for being “genuinely nice.”

Kenadie Dugan was nominated to be a SuperSport winner for April 6 to May 5 during the USTA Missouri Valley Girls’ 12s to 18s tournament for “making great line calls, (being) so kind on and off court and very fun to talk to. Overall amazing sportsmanship.”

Dugan was nominated a second time at the same tournament, with the nominator having this to say: “Kenadie had an amazing weekend of tennis! She had a great match with my daughter and was complimentary throughout. (She) exchanged pleasantries during rigorous play and was friendly and encouraging throughout the rest of the tournament. Great tennis plus good sport.”

What’s more, Dugan received a prestigious sportsmanship award for Girls’ 12s at this year’s USTA Missouri Valley Rally in the Valley Championships in Edmond, Okla. Nominations were made by tournament staff, spectators, coaches and players, and the award was given to just one player in each age group.

Additionally, Fletcher Dunn-Knuth was nominated for SuperSport at the USTA Heart of America Level 7 Boys’ 12s to 18s tournament. "He is always a fair player and good sport,” his nominator said.

Congratulations to Kaewsai, Dugan and Dunn-Knuth on their SuperSport recognition. We’re proud to have such great sports representing USTA Kansas. For complete details on the 2024 SuperSport campaign—including an explanation of how to nominate a player—click here.