Meet Pete
Pete Francis is joining the USTA Missouri Valley as the digital assistant covering USTA Heart of America and USTA Kansas.
One thing I’ve always regretted was not playing tennis earlier. I grew up across the street from tennis courts. Growing up, I was very active playing sports.
However, when I was younger, I found tennis more difficult to pick up than other sports. I realized very quickly that tennis is a mental game.
When I got to a high school, a friend of mine convinced me to join our school tennis team. I finally began to take advantage of living within walking distance of tennis courts and spent my summers working hard on my game.
Suddenly, the mental part of the game became a challenge I really enjoyed. To be successful at tennis, you need to be mentally tough. Learning that skill through the game of tennis is something I feel that’s carried over in my everyday life in a positive way.
Following high school, I spent two summers teaching tennis lessons which was a rewarding experience.
Since then, I’ve spent my career working in news covering sports on television. Tennis is such a great game and I’m thrilled to be joining USTA Missouri Valley to showcase some of the great local stories the sport has to offer.
Related Articles
-
Sutherland Serves WichitaMarch 12, 2026For a decade-plus, Lisa Sutherland has helped grow the Wichita Tennis Open into a community tradition—bringing tennis, youth programs and inclusive events to Wichita. Read More -
Play During The DayFebruary 24, 2026More chances to play are coming to USTA Kansas, including a new daytime league pilot, upcoming team tournaments and USTA Flex Leagues. Read More -
Tennis Fun All MonthJune 09, 2025USTA Kansas celebrated National Tennis Month with a series of events—including a proclamation, tourneys and social gatherings—with plenty of play opportunities available this summer. Read More