Thousands of tennis competitors have flocked to the USTA National Campus this fall to participate in the USTA League National Championships, kicking off the final quarter of the year that is jam-packed with events in Lake Nona. Established in 1980, USTA League has grown from 13,000 players in a few parts of the country in its first year to more than 310,000 players across the nation today, making it the world’s largest recreational tennis league.
The USTA Junior Team Tennis (JTT) National Championships will headline the beginning of November, as the 32 best 14-and-under and 18-and-under JTT teams from around the country head to Lake Nona to battle for a national title.
Also, two of the biggest events in USTA National Campus history will be staged just a few weeks later. First, the NEC Wheelchair Tennis Masters, the International Tennis Federation’s official year-end singles championships on the UNIQLO Wheelchair Tennis Tour, will be held in Orlando for the first time. The event, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary, will take place Nov. 28-Dec. 2 and is free to the public.
This will be the second time in six years that the NEC Wheelchair Tennis Masters, which features the world’s top eight men, top eight women, and top six quad players, has been held in the United States, after Mission Viejo, Calif., staged the prestigious event in 2013.
“The USTA National Campus will provide the perfect venue for these world-class athletes as they all look to win the prestigious end-of-year championship. The Orlando community and especially Lake Nona have shown great support for the various types of events that have taken place at the campus, and these athletes will be sure to feel it as well,” said USTA chairman of the board and president Katrina Adams in April, when the event was announced.
Following the wheelchair masters, the USTA National Campus will host the 10th and final event on the 2018 Invesco Series QQQ tennis circuit. The one-night tournament, which will take place Dec. 6, will feature four American legends – former world No. 1 and two-time French and Australian Open champion Jim Courier, former world No. 1 and 2003 US Open champion Andy Roddick, former world No. 4 and U.S. Davis Cup star James Blake, and 2004 Olympic silver medalist and former U.S. Davis Cup star Mardy Fish.
The Invesco Series QQQ is the North American tennis circuit for champion tennis players over the age of 30. John McEnroe, Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, Marat Safin, Michael Chang, Tommy Haas, Lleyton Hewitt and Mark Philippoussis are among the other tennis legends who compete in the event. Each Invesco Series QQQ event features special VIP experiences, including hit-with-the-pro opportunities and special back-stage access. All ticket, experience and event information can be found at www.InvescoSeries.com.
This is the first time the USTA National Campus is hosting an event of this magnitude, giving local residents the opportunity to watch some of the game’s all-time greats play on the very same Lake Nona courts they utilize on a daily basis. For more information on USTA National Campus events, as well as programs including the newly available red clay courts, visit ustanationalcampus.com.
