4/11/26

USTA Awards Grant for Women’s Initiative

USTA New England awarded $133,925 in 2026 National Micro-Grants to 22 organizations, ranking second nationally. The Friends of Newton Tennis (FoNT) is one of six recipients of the top $10,000 award, funding a new Women’s Initiative launching in January 2027.

As part of the initiative, FoNT will debut a new indoor women’s doubles tournament (date TBD) centered on mentorship and competition. The event will pair high school athletes with current and former college players to build connections, provide guidance, and strengthen the female player pipeline.

The program will feature two guaranteed matches and a “Big Sister–Little Sister” reception.

Designed to address the drop-off in girls’ participation during adolescence, the initiative aims to increase female participation in Boston-area tournaments by 25% within one year.

📧For more information, contact: Noura Guermazi at nouraguermazi@gmail.com

FoNT Advances Court Reservation Pilot

FoNT is working with the City on a pilot reservation system to address overcrowding at Newton North and South courts.

The proposed system would run June 1–Oct. 31, 2026 at Newton North (10 courts), allowing residents to reserve courts via mobile app. If successful, it will expand citywide. The model builds on Newton Centre clay court system and aligns with neighboring communities.

📧For more information, contact Brandon Harris at bdharris05@gmail.com

New FoNT Leadership and Committees

FoNT has announced new leadership as part of a transition to the next generation.

Co-presidents Vladan Jovanovic and Tom Friedman now lead the organization. New board members include Brandon Harris, Garry Miller, Tim Callahan, and Ty Collins.

Committee Leadership:

• Tim Callahan and Brandon Harris – Public Court Management
• Noura Guermazi & Ty Collins – Membership, Marketing & Fundraising
• Morgan Rich & Bek Rasamatov – Tournament Committee
• Bruce Baron and Eric Segal - Finance and Governance

This expanded structure supports FoNT’s continued growth and community impact.

📧For more information, contact Vladan Jovanovic at vladan.jovanovic@icloud.com

Garden City Tennis Series 2026 Schedule

• High Performance Singles: Aug. 15–16
• High Performance Doubles (Isadore Singer Cup): Sept. 5
• Advanced & Intermediate Doubles: Oct. 3
• Novice Doubles: Oct. 4

All events will take place at Newton South High School

👉Register early: www.gardencitytennisseries.com

🙌 Interested in volunteering? Click here to sign up!

Garden City Singles Championships Selected for UTR National Shootout Series

UTR Sports, in partnership with the HotelPlanner Tour, has added the Garden City Singles Championships (Aug. 15–17) to its national Shootout Series.

Launched just three years ago, the Garden City Singles Championships has quickly become a leading regional tournament. The partnership with UTR brings national exposure, operational support, and prize money.

Held at Newton South High School, the tournament features a 32-player draw with a back draw, offering multiple matches and verified UTR results. The event is part of the Garden City Tennis Series, supporting the Friends of Newton Tennis’ mission to improve and maintain public courts across the city.

👉To register early, please click here:

📧For more information, contact Morgan Rich:

richmo@belmonthill.org

Ask the Rules Expert

Why do we call them “lets”? Not because the net “lets” the ball through.

“Let” comes from the Old English lettan—to hinder or delay. A let is simply a brief interruption, and the server gets another try. In college tennis, there are no lets—play continues to keep things moving.

A strange word—until you realize it just means: pause.

Thanks to Eric Klein, Garden City Doubles Championships finalist and real estate agent with Engel & Völkers.

To submit questions, email ericklein1@gmail.com

Newton Clay Courts Open Soon

The Newton Centre clay courts are scheduled to be open May 2. Adult permits are $360 (residents) and $410 (non-residents); youth (6–17) are $190 and $240. Membership includes online reservations and social events.

To join, click here