From Dubai to Omaha: Bea Acena's tennis path leads to award-winning recognition

Bea Acena grew up in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates and started playing tennis when she was 8 years old. From that time, she fell in love with the sport, started playing competitively and climbed the junior circuits.

“I expanded my competition to the Philippines and the Asian junior circuits before eventually stepping onto the ITF international junior stage,” she said. “After graduating high school, I moved to the United States in 2019 to play Division I college tennis on a full athletic scholarship at Alabama State University.”

Acena now works as a tennis pro at Genesis Westroads in Omaha. She won the 2025 USTA Nebraska award for Outstanding Contributor to Youth Tennis Programs.

As a teaching professional, she trains a new generation and gives back to the sport that has given her so much. She doesn’t just teach the technical skills; she teaches the discipline, resilience and mindset that tennis taught her over the years.

“Seeing their growth and passion develop reminds me why I fell in love with the game in the first place,” she said. “Beyond developing better players, my goal is to use the sport as a platform to help shape strong values and character. I want to inspire young athletes to grow not just on the court but as individuals who can positively contribute to society in the future.”

AAPI Heritage Month

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, which recognizes the contributions, achievements and rich history of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders among other communities.

“This celebration also helps challenge and address racial bias and discrimination against these communities, while recognizing the vital role they continue to play across all areas of society,” Acena said.

Months like AAPI Heritage Month help bring awareness to diversity, she said, and there are other ways to do that as well. This can be through multicultural tennis events, junior tournaments that highlight heritage months and community outreach programs that introduce tennis to underrepresented groups.

“Tennis clubs and academies can also play a role by hosting cultural appreciation days, inviting players from diverse backgrounds to share their stories and creating an environment where diversity is visible and valued,” Acena said.

Not only does this raise cultural awareness, but it also builds and strengthens the community by making it more inclusive and welcoming.

Check out more stories from across the USTA Missouri Valley celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month here.