The Life of A USTA Official

For many tennis enthusiasts, traveling to tennis tournaments across the country and getting paid for it would be a dream come true. Omaha resident Lisa Rieff has been living that dream as a tennis official for the past ten years. She’s worked at the Cincinnati Open, the Citi Open, BNP Paribas Open, the US Open and US Open  USTA Wheelchair Championships in addition to the Big 10 Championships, Division II Championships, and Boys and Girls Nationals. 

“I love officiating for many reasons,” Rieff said. “It's really cool when you start officiating a junior player, then move on to see them play at the college level, then see them on the pro circuit. It feels like a complete journey to see them complete the dreams they had, and you feel like you've had a role in it as an official.”

Rieff began by working junior tournaments in Omaha. She then became an ITA (Intercollegiate Tennis Association) official to be able to work college matches. She either works as a chair umpire, or as a rover. After taking a line clinic to learn proper techniques, she then started working lower level Pro Circuit events, and moved up to higher level tournaments over the years as a Line Umpire. She said officiating is very humbling.

“What makes a good official isn't about if they'll make a mistake or not, because all officials do,” she said. “It comes down to how you handle things after the mistake. You need to put it out of your mind and immediately move on. If you dwell on it, another mistake will quickly follow. Keep your focus, clear your mind, and move on to the next point.”

Rieff’s interest in tennis started when she was nine years old. She went on to play in high school and started playing USTA when she was 30 years old and lived in Florida. She played on women’s teams as well as mixed doubles. Now at 48, she loves how she can travel to new locations and make new friends along the way in this career.

“I’m the only Nebraska official working the Pro Circuit right now,” she added. “A handful do ITA, and everyone else primarily focuses on our Juniors’ tournaments. If you’re up to traveling, the possibilities are endless.”