Q&A: Madison Westby, former USC standout & Rally in the Valley champion

We caught up with Madison Westby, 2009 singles titlist and three-time doubles champ of the USTA Missouri Valley Rally in the Valley Championships (formerly Sweet 16). Westby was a standout player from Tulsa, Oklahoma who went on to play for the University of Southern California, earning multiple awards including Pac-12 Conference Freshman of the Year.

Learn more and register for the upcoming Level 3 Closed Rally in the Valley junior tournament, which takes place June 12-15 at Edmond Center Court in central Oklahoma, by clicking here.

Where do you live now?

Boston, Massachusetts

Where did you live when you competed at the Sweet 16?

Tulsa, Oklahoma

What is your favorite thing about the sport?

How many friends I made over the years and how we still connect over social media even all these years later! Tennis is such a great way to meet friends and find a community.

Favorite Rally in the Valley moment?

I can’t remember any moment in particular, but I can guarantee it probably involved Olivia Sneed. We played doubles together in every tournament and almost always ended up playing each other in singles as well. We traveled the country and world together through tennis, and I’m forever grateful for that friendship! Some of my best and hardest-learning moments involved Olivia … whether she was on my side of the net or across it.

Tell us about your experiences with Rally in the Valley and what made it stand out from other tournaments.

The Sweet 16 was a special tournament because all the best from all age groups came together in a really fun city. People typically stayed in hotels close to the site so you had the chance to mingle with more individuals throughout the weekend.

What were some of your standout accomplishments in tennis?

I’d say the highlight of my career was clinching the Pac-12 championship for USC. We were playing our rival, UCLA, and I had to play an entire third set to decide the match.

What are you doing now?

I now live in Boston where I work in medical device sales. I married Michael Peters who I met in OKC at the Supers Tournament. I actually met my husband on the Missouri Valley Summer Circuit back in 2013, and we’ve been together ever since! We have a 6-month-old baby girl, Riley, who already has her first Babolat racquet!

Lastly, do you have any advice for the junior players today?

Enjoy the journey and take a deep breath. At the end of the day and at the end of your tennis career, the people are what matters. So make friends and stay in touch with them even after your tennis days. You’ll be surprised who you meet and where you end up! Tennis is a small world!