Southern

Georgia Teenager Gifts Racquets for Special Pops

Ron Cioffi


What to do when you have a garage filled with used tennis racquets? Linden Patterson, of Marietta, GA, had a solution to involved her passion for tennis with a spirit of generosity.

 

Patterson had collected a box full of racquets after playing numerous USTA junior tournaments and competing on her high school team. She connected with the USTA and began giving away racquets to special pops and other young tennis players in need.

 

Here is a link to the story by CBS This Morning. Reporter Jessi Mitchell interviewed Patterson on the court and in her garage surrounded with racquets set to be shared.

 

"I going to play tennis and, hopefully, working on my game," Patterson said. "At the same time, between matches I'm going to pick up boxes" of used racquets from other players.

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Patterson has donated many racquets to special pops players. USTA Southern Specail Pops/Adaptive Committee Chair was also interviewed about the mission of the committee. Talking of special pops players, he said, "They have been around tennis courts but very few are invited to be on tennis courts." 

 

CBS This Morning reported that the teenager has donated more than 2,000 racquets with the Love All Tennis organization she founded.

 

As a lead-in to the story, the anchor said American tennis particiaption rose more than 20 percent in 2020. He added that he also took up the sport last year.

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