By Ashley Marshall, USTAFoundation.com
Deserving young tennis players will get even more opportunities to stay in the game after the USTA Foundation announced it has been selected as the official charity of the 2016 BNP Paribas Showdown.
The Foundation, the national charitable arm of the USTA, will also host the annual World Tennis Day Awards fundraising reception with the players, including 21-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams, former world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki, two-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka and two-time US Open quarterfinalist Gael Monfils.
Proceeds from both the reception, held at the Essex House Hotel in New York City on Monday, March 7, 2016, and the BNP Paribas Showdown at Madison Square Garden the following day, will benefit tennis and education programs across America.
This marks the third consecutive year the USTA Foundation will serve as the event’s official charity.
The events will raise funds to support the organization’s funding of scholarships and programming grants to under-resourced youth attending tennis and education programs around the country, primarily through the National Junior Tennis and Learning (NJTL) network.
“The BNP Paribas Showdown is a great platform for the USTA Foundation to share its message of using tennis to provide safe, healthy and educational opportunities for youth across America,” said Dan Faber, executive director of the USTA Foundation. “We are grateful to StarGames and MSG for once again selecting our organization as the official charity for the BNP Paribas Showdown. It demonstrates that they believe in our work and the positive impact it provides. Together, we are serving up dreams through the sport of tennis."
Supporters can purchase a variety of packages that include a VIP meet-and-greet with the players during the USTA Foundation Awards Celebration, courtside tickets to attend the 2016 BNP Paribas Showdown and an exclusive opportunity to watch the players practice just before the event.
“This event will not only showcase the best of the best in the sport of tennis," said Faber, "but will allow us to share our accomplishments and efforts with some of the best tennis fans in New York City.”
The USTA Foundation supports programs nationwide that leverage tennis, education and life skills to prepare under-resourced youth for college and beyond. To date, the Foundation has awarded more than $19 million, benefitting thousands of children and adults through tennis, education and health programs and college scholarships.
"The USTA Foundation's efforts in providing educational support go hand-in-hand with the objectives of World Tennis Day,” said Jerry Solomon, executive producer of the BNP Paribas Showdown and creator of World Tennis Day. “Tennis serves as a medium for delivering many positive messages to people around the world. We applaud the USTA Foundation for its efforts and are honored to have them as our partner once again."
Tickets for the BNP Paribas Showdown are available at the Madison Square Garden Box Office or through any Ticketmaster outlet. All packages as well as sponsorship opportunities are available at www.ustafoundation.com/worldtennisday.