USTA TEXAS ANNOUNCES JUNIOR TENNIS AWARDS AT 2017 TEXAS GRAND SLAM

ABILENE, Texas — USTA Texas announced its junior tennis award recipients on Sunday, June 11 at a player party held at Rose Park Tennis Center.

Pearland native Kevin Zhu took home the John McFarlin Award, presented to the outstanding junior boy in Texas who exemplifies outstanding sportsmanship and leadership, civic responsibility, character and a good tennis ranking due to superior tournament play. Opposite Zhu was Chelsea Kung of Fort Worth, who earned the Mary Lowdon Award, which honors an outstanding junior girl in Texas who has shown exceptional ability, a good ranking, a willingness to work with up-and-coming players, cooperation and proper respect, and a sportsmanlike and competitive spirit. Last month, Zhu and Kung were named to the USTA Junior Leadership Team.

Campbell Erwin of Olmos Park received the Art Foust Sportsmanship Award and Jacy Smith of Bryan received the Maureen Connolly Brinker Award.  These awards honor a Super Championship Boy and Girl for outstanding sportsmanship and fair play both on and off the court, with the final selection being made by the players at the Texas Summer Grand Slam. For Erwin, this is his third straight sportsmanship award.

Abhimanyu Ramireddy of Cypress and Kailey Evans of Ennis earned the Bob McKinley Sportsmanship Award and Zina Garrison Sportsmanship Award, respectively, given to a Super Championship 16s Boy and Girl for outstanding sportsmanship and fair play both on and off the court as voted on by the players.

Finally, Ellie Douglas of McKinney earned the Chuck McKinley award, honoring a USTA Texas Section junior tennis player who achieved the most outstanding results at the National and/or International level, during the previous calendar year. Douglas was unable to attend the awards ceremony as she was at Roland Garros for the French Open Juniors.