FLUSHING, NY, October, 2023 – Bucks County residents took center stage on Author Ashe Stadium—the largest tennis stadium in the world—at the 2023 US Open Tennis championships in Flushing, New York. This past Labor Day, young Bucks County tennis players, all participants of Bucks County Tennis Association (BCTA) programs, participated in a Net Generation “Kids On Court” event.  Also in the US Open limelight was BCTA program director and co-founder Laura Canfield, who awarded US Open trophies to the main draw mixed doubles champions in front of an internationally televised audience. 

BCTA coaches Craig Batten and Steve Johnson led the 24 BCTA junior players, who demonstrated their tennis skills on 36-foot courts using red, low-compression balls and shorter rackets. “For them to go out into the largest tennis stadium in the world and get to play on that court…I think it just lights a fire under them,” said BCTA Coach Johnson.  After the Net Generation exhibition, BCTA’s Sydney Fitzgerald tossed the coin for the evening’s main match and posed for a photo with Aryna Sabalenka and Daria Kasatkina prior to their round-of-16 contest.

This is the third consecutive year, Canfield, who also serves as a Vice President on the United States Tennis Association (USTA) national Board of Directors, was selected to award championship trophies on Ashe Stadium. In 2021 and 2023, she awarded trophies to the runner-up and champion teams in the women’s doubles finals and this year to the mixed doubles teams. “It truly is an honor and a privilege to award trophies at the world’s most celebrated professional tournament.” Canfield said, “It is equally rewarding to have joined our BCTA public park tennis kids being show cased on the world’s largest tennis stage via Net Generation—we are so proud of them!”

Net Generation is a celebration of a game where no one sits on the sidelines. Tennis is easy to learn and tailored for all ages and abilities, giving kids a game that will help them build friendships and learn skills they’ll use for life. For more information, visit NetGeneration.com.  Athletes representing BCTA were:

Grace Byrne – Warrington

Kiera Check – Doylestown

Sofia Corbin – Warminster

Lily Cosenza - Richboro

Owen Czaplicki - Doylestown

Eric Escoto - Doylestown

Ethan Escoto -  Doylestown

Sydney Fitzgerald – Warrington

Violet Freeman - Perkasie

Tyler Higdon – Ivyland

Evaleigh Homa - Perkasie

Rosalyn Homa – Perkasie

Elliot Horner - Doylestown

Anastasia Korshun – Jamison

Matthew Lynch – Warrington

Lucas Munn - Warrington

Jason McFadden - Quakertown

Sarah Olguin – Chalfont

Aayush Patel – Warrington

Shane Riso – Doylestown

Asher Schmidt - Doylestown

Brad Schmidt - Doylestown

Brighton Schmidt – Doylestown

Maria Zavyazkina – Chalfont