USTA New England Inducts Hall of Fame Class of 2025

NEWPORT, RI - The United States Tennis Association of New England (USTANE) inducted its 2025 Hall of Fame Class on Sunday, June 8, in a ceremony at the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, RI. 

Standout players, Una Keyes Davis and Peter Lyons, along with longtime coach and club owner, Edmond “Ed” Pagano, were awarded the ultimate honor in New England tennis and have officially joined the ranks of the greats who paved the way before them. 

Francisco Montoya, longtime coach and academy director, received the Gardner Ward Chase Memorial Award for his lifetime contribution to New England tennis. 

Bill Mountford, Director of Tennis at the International Tennis Hall of Fame, served as the ceremony’s emcee and shared some personal remarks about the guests of honor.  

Friends, family, teammates and students gathered from near and far to support these unforgettable figures in New England tennis, all of whom are still active or involved in tennis today. 

Una Keyes Davis, of La Jolla, CA grew up in Massachusetts and achieved the No. 1 junior ranking in New England across multiple age divisions. She played college tennis at the University of Florida and had a short stint professionally, highlighted by her time on the Boston Lobsters in the World TeamTennis League.

Keyes Davis currently competes in senior tournaments, most recently becoming a world champion at the 2024 70 & Over Doubles ITF Masters World Individual Championships. 

She was introduced and presented into the Hall of Fame by her longtime friend and mixed doubles partner, Michael Beautyman (Hall of Fame Class of 2024). 

“This means the world to me. It’s incredible to come home to New England, my first tennis community and be honored. It’s so wonderful to see old faces, people who have come back from the past to honor this day with me and my family. I’m truly thankful for USTA New England,” Keyes Davis said.  

Peter Lyons, of Barrington, RI, was presented by his longtime Providence College teammate and friend, Brian Shanley. Lyons compiled an 82-8 NCAA record, earned the school’s athlete of the year honors as well as the Mal Brown Award, the highest honor a PC student-athlete can receive. 

Following a short professional career, Lyons went on to work in the tennis industry as a territory manager for Prince, Dunlop and Babolat. 

“This is an honor I’m going to cherish for the rest of my life and a day I’ll never forget. It’s the culmination of a playing career and 37 years of working in the industry, all in New England. All  the connections I’ve made through the tennis community have made it that much more fulfilling for me and my family,” Lyons said. 

Ed Pagano has been coaching in Connecticut since the late 1960s, focusing on developing junior players both on and off the court. His former student and 2020 New England Tennis Hall of Famer, Brian Barker, presented Pagano as part of this year’s class. Barker was the longtime coach of James Blake, who achieved the No. 4 ranking in the world under his tutelage. Pagano also worked as one of Blake’s childhood coaches. 

Pagano, of Easton, CT, has owned the Tennis Club of Trumbull since 1985. The club has boasted a number of highly successful players and teams, including national champions, and currently operates a high-performance junior program led by Barker.  

“I want to thank USTA New England for the honor of being inducted, and it’s something I will never forget. This is a lifetime, it’s something you can’t repeat, nor will you ever do again. This is so special, to be recognized for 50 years of work and to still be able to do it now, it’s incredible,” Pagano said.

Francisco Montoya, of Wenham, MA, received this year’s Gardner Ward Chase Memorial Award. He was presented by his longtime friend and colleague, Avis Murray (Hall of Fame Class of 2009). 

Montoya was the longtime Tennis Director at the Manchester Athletic Club, where for 20 years, he transformed a brand new junior program into one of the most prestigious tennis training centers in New England. He sent more than 150 players to compete in Division I college tennis and also trained a number of professional players. 

In 2023, he began his own high-performance academy, Montoya Tennis, which currently serves more than 120 active students. 

Montoya is a USTA National Faculty Coach and has earned a number of awards for his commitment to junior tennis development.  

“It’s so special to be at the Hall of Fame, and it’s amazing when you enter it and you see all of these people you have so much respect for sitting there. This gives me the confidence to keep doing what we’re doing. I always look forward to Mondays. There’s even more confidence now that what we’re doing is not going in vain,” Montoya said. 

To view photos from the 2025 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, click here. 

The USTA New England Hall of Fame exists to recognize and honor New England tennis players and non-players whose achievements or volunteer contributions in tennis-related activities have been outstanding over a significant period of time. 

Nominations are open for the Hall of Fame Class of 2026. To learn more about the Hall of Fame and to nominate, click here.