Ray Benton receives 2026 NJTL Founders’ Service Award

Ten advocates for the sport of tennis at the grassroots and local levels were honored with national awards at the 2026 USTA Annual Meeting and Conference in Orlando, Fla.

WATCH: Ray Benton honored with NJTL Founders’ Service Award

Ray Benton was honored with the NJTL Founders’ Service Award during the 2026 USTA Annual Meeting & Conference, held in Orlando, Fla. 

In 1971, Benton moved to Washington, D.C. and became a partner at Dell, Craighill, Fentress, and Benton, the first firm to represent professional tennis and basketball players. He also served as the first Executive Director of the National Junior Tennis & Learning (NJTL) network from 1971-77, using his visionary talents to expand it from four to 50 chapters, and exponentially increasing its impact in the lives of thousands of young people from under-resourced communities nationwide.

In 1993, Benton created the first worldwide senior tennis circuit, featuring players including Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg and other legends who competed in 24 events drawing more than 500,000 spectators annually.

Benton most recently spent 17 years as CEO of the Junior Tennis Champions Center (JTCC) in College Park, Md. During his tenure, JTCC developed high-achieving players on and off the court including more than 300 NCAA student-athletes who collectively earned over $26 million in college scholarships, and developed ATP and WTA players, including Frances Tiafoe, Hailey Baptiste, Denis Kudla, and Robin Montgomery. Benton championed JTCC’s mission of “Tennis for Everybody,” expanding access through community outreach to young people from under-resourced communities, adaptive programs for individuals with disabilities and veterans, and extensive beginner and adult programs.

Under Benton’s leadership, JTCC received national recognition from the USTA, earning Development Program of the Year, Organization of the Year, NJTL of the Year, and Facility of the Year honors, and solidified its reputation as a model for both tennis excellence and community impact. 

“Ray is a shining example of what it means to be a grassroots tennis hero,” said USTA Foundation CEO Ginny Ehrlich. “His passion and dedication to developing leaders on and off the court truly embody the vision of NJTL co-founders Arthur Ashe, Charlie Pasarell, and Sheridan Snyder. Ray’s work has opened doors and created opportunities for countless young people, and his legacy will resonate for generations to come.”

Established in 2010, the NJTL Founders’ Service Award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated a longstanding commitment to positive youth development through tennis and education, delivers outstanding service to young people from under-resourced communities with free or low-cost tennis, and provides education and life-skills programming. The NJTL network serves as the flagship program supported by the USTA Foundation.