A perfect match: Scott Sutter steps up to lead USTA St. Louis as president

When you’re dedicated to a craft, it’s not uncommon to hear that you’re “married” to that pursuit. Scott Sutter, new president of the USTA St. Louis Board of Directors, put an interesting twist on it.

Sutter and his wife, Anne, met on the tennis court when they started playing together in a mixed doubles league. They were successful and didn’t want to get split up. So, they kept winning matches and eventually figured out that love meant more than shutting out their opponents in a game.

When they decided to get married, they talked to Judy Dippold — the director of Dwight Davis Tennis Center and a USTA Missouri Valley Hall of Famer — and told her they wanted to get married at the stadium court.

“She booked center court for us,” Sutter said. “It was kind of fun, because the people who attended the wedding all sat in the stands. We were on the court with the pastor.

“It was in October, so the court had lots of leaves and brush blowing around on it. Judy actually swept the court for us before we got there so the court looked pristine.”

Junior Player to Leader

Sutter is anything but a gimmick as the USTA St. Louis president. He has been on the board for a little more than a year, where he served as vice president of juniors. In that role, he worked closely with the USTA St. Louis staff.

He began playing tennis at age 11 as a junior competitor in St. Louis. You can say he grew up in the sport.

He attended Southern Methodist University in Texas, where he didn’t play college tennis but won the intramural doubles championship. Sutter continues to play competitive tennis in USTA St. Louis leagues. The Sutters were selected as the USTA St. Louis Family of the Year and the USTA Missouri Valley Family of the Year in 2021.

Sutter also coaches the boys’ tennis team at powerhouse John Burroughs School. He’s actually an assistant coach, as Anne is the head coach. As an assistant, Sutter is willing to go along with the head coach’s decisions, including her idea of getting married on a tennis court.

A Vision for Growth

Sutter’s full-time job is as an operations consultant for commercial wineries. Much like it takes years from planting the vines to grape cultivation to fermentation to the finished product, Sutter has a long-term plan for USTA St. Louis.

“The organization really needs to have a five- and 10-year plan so that we stay relevant in the Missouri Valley and in the USTA overall,” he said. “That includes facilities. It includes corporate support.