SUMMER KIDS TENNIS CLINICS:
Summer is coming to an end and so have our Summer Kids Tennis Clinics we had at Indio & Rancho Mirage Highschool, Fritz Burns Park in La Quinta and Woodhaven C.C. I want to thank Rhenn Ramirez, my staff, Lynora Miller, D’Wayne Begay, Shaq Daffon, Allen Stecker and Miguel Nolasco for helping The Love & Love Tennis Foundation spread the love of tennis! We will be working on the Fall calendar and keep you posted for schedule of kids free Tennis clinics.
HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH TENNIS & CULTURA
FESTIVAL OCTOBER 7, 2023:
The Kids Tennis Fiesta is October 7, 2023, at the Civic Center Tennis Park in Palm Desert. We are looking forward to working with the city and Desert Recreation District.
About 120 kids from the Coachella Valley and the ASES Program will be participating in the morning clinic and the day’s festivities. Lunch for the kids hope to be catered by local Latin American Restaurants. After lunch we have Pinatas for the kids, music and Folklorico dance performances. A special Cocktail & Award Reception will take place in the evening (STD)where a local Latino will be honored for their contributions to the community.
The Fiesta Benefits: The Love & Love Tennis Foundation, Richard Pancho Gonzalez Youth Foundation, The Latin American Tennis Foundation
Wimbledon & 50th Anniversary Celebration of WTA:
Wimbledon and The WTA’s 50th Anniversary were the highlight of my trip to Wimbledon. We stayed in a flat close by and could hear Henman Hill loud and clear through our window. Going back to the Gloucester Hotel in London was amazing and it was a nice walk down memory Lane June 21, 1973, when the Women’s Tennis Association was started. It was a very good year for women’s tennis!
It was wonderful catching up with Betty Stove, Frankie Durr, Ingrid Bentzer and so many more that were there to attend the special celebration. Did I leave out Billie Jean King, Ilana Kloss, Sue Barker, Trish Bostrom, Ann Kiyomura, Penny Moore, Hekeb Gourlay, Christina Sandberg and more…that’s enough, I know I’ve left a lot out but not in my memories!! To the WTA Staff who today are the custodians of women’s tennis…. Thank you for your hard work in keeping us going!
BILLIE JEAN KING 16’S & 18’S NATIONALS:
San Diego bound next week to see the best juniors participating in the Billie Jean King Nationals at the Barnes Tennis Center. BJK and I will be doing the trophy presentation this weekend. Winners of both the 18’s Singles & Doubles will win Wild Cards into the US Open main draw. What an incentive!
WTA 50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION:
Another special moment for me as one of the “Founders” of WTA. Once again, a time to celebrate this wonderful memory and ultimate accomplishment. It’s amazing what 50 years the WTA has done for women’s tennis, and it started with all of us!
US OPEN 50TH ANNIVERSARY FOR EQUAL PRIZE MONEY:
IN 1973 the US Open was the first Grand Slam Tournament to give equal prize money to the women. in 1972 when Billie Jean won the women’s singles, she got $10,000 and Ilie Nastase got $25,000. Billie Jean told Billy Talbert, the US Open Tournament Director, that she had Ban Deodorant, the Brystol Myers Companies who would put up the money. It worked out well that Marv Koslow was a friend and CEO of the company who loved to play tennis and loved women’s tennis.
This year the US Open is celebrating with Billie Jean, 50 Years of Equal Prize!
1973 “Battle of The Sexes” Billie Jean King beats Bobby Riggs!
What happened at the Houston Astrodome in September didn’t just stay in the Astrodome. it went nationwide, worldwide and into the reaches of everyone that was curious about who was better…the 29-year-old Number 1 women’s player in the world or the 55 years old who had talked Margaret Court out of the match, but Billie Jean talked back with her racket and grit! She defeated the male chauvinist pig and liberated women all over the world. Where were you when this phenomenon happened? I was there as a color commentator with the “Great” Howard Cosell and ABC’s Wild World of Sports! All of it was a memorable experience.
Congratulations Billie Jean King for 50 years of change for women!
Love & Love Annalee Thurston Awards Reception Saturday, March 9 & March 10, 2024, The Rosie Cup Invitational:
We hope to have Martina with us in person for the Love & Love Annalee Thurston Awards Reception. We were so happy to know that she was cancer free and doing well. I saw her at Wimbledon playing Mixed with Mark Woodforde and she looked great!
We look forward to seeing her next March. We will also be announcing our other honoree very soon, so stay tuned.
The event will be at Palm Valley Country Club again and we will also have The Rosie Cup Invitational for all you tennis enthusiasts who would like to join me and others on the court Sunday, March 10 for a little doubles action.
The Love & Love Tennis Foundation appreciates your support and thanks you for your past and future contributions:
Rosie & Tory
http://www.lovelovetenisfoundation.com
(760) 772-9411