World Tennis Day headlines youth, family tennis events

March 8 is World Tennis Day. To celebrate, the USTA will hold youth and family tennis events throughout the month to showcase how fun and easy it is to get into the sport for a lifetime.

The USTA is joining forces with facilities and parks across the country to introduce children and their parents to tennis, all while making it simpler than ever to register for spring and summer programs.

Since 2009, the USTA has utilized World Tennis Day to launch thousands of annual youth events nationwide. In 2015 alone, more than 50,000 young players participated in these events.

“World Tennis Day is a unique opportunity to promote the accessibility of the sport as well as to inspire kids and families to lead healthy lifestyles,” said USTA Chairman, CEO and President Katrina Adams. “This special celebration throughout March is part of USTA’s commitment to create opportunities for families to engage in the sport and increase participation in local programs.”

World Tennis Day is anchored by the BNP Paribas Showdown at Madison Square Garden in New York City on March 8. The exhibition features 21-time Grand Slam women’s singles champion Serena Williams against former world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki and two-time Grand Slam men’s single champion Stan Wawrinka squaring off with two-time US Open quarterfinalist Gael Monfils.

As part of the evening’s celebration, a youth tennis exhibition will be highlighted between the matches.

The USTA Foundation, the national charitable arm of the USTA, is the official charity of the BNP Paribas Showdown. The Foundation provides grants and support to more than 4,500 tennis and education programs nationwide on an annual basis and awards scholarships to thousands of under-resourced youth and individuals with disabilities.

The BNP Paribas Showdown is a production of StarGames and Madison Square Garden. Tickets are on sale at the Madison Square Garden box office, online at thegarden.com and all Ticketmaster outlets.

To find youth tennis events near you and for more information how families can get involved, visit youthtennis.com.