Frances Tiafoe Pays It Forward with USTA Foundation and Delray Beach Youth Tennis Foundation

The USTA Foundation, the charitable arm of the United States Tennis Association Incorporated (USTA), along with two-time US Open semifinalist and world No. 17 Frances Tiafoe, joined a group of student-athletes from the Delray Beach Youth Tennis Foundation (DBYTF) Monday for a tennis clinic at the Delray Beach Tennis Center. The event was an activation of the USTA Foundation’s Frances Tiafoe Fund, a philanthropic initiative launched in 2023 that aims to support the USTA Foundation’s National Junior Tennis and Learning (NJTL) network and its programs, a nationwide group of more than 250 sports-based community organizations that use tennis as a tool to prepare young people from under-resourced communities for the challenges and opportunities of life.

The DBYTF chapter in the NJTL network serves over 1,000 young people in the Delray Beach area, providing them access to tennis, academic, life skills, and mentorship programs. During the clinic, students had the opportunity to meet and rally with Tiafoe, who is in South Florida preparing to compete in the upcoming Miami Open. Healthy snacks were also provided to participants by CLIF Bar, a supporter of USTA Foundation Frances Tiafoe Fund clinics.

Above: Frances Tiafoe works on a forehand with the kids. Photo credit: Robby Lllanes / Turtlebox Pictures via USTA.

As someone who grew up in the NJTL network, the mission of the USTA Foundation is personal to Tiafoe and pivotal to his tennis journey. He started playing the game at age four at a NJTL chapter in College Park, Md., where his father served as the head of maintenance after immigrating from Sierra Leone in 1996.

“I always love getting out onto the courts with these young people because I see so much of myself in them,” said Tiafoe. “The USTA Foundation and organizations like the DBYTF do great things to help expose kids to the game, but more importantly, they use tennis as the model for how to chase your dreams and succeed in whatever you set your mind to. My ultimate goal is to inspire the next generation not to be the next Frances Tiafoe, but to be the best version of themselves no matter where life takes them.”

Above: Frances Tiafoe is all smiles. Photo credit: Robby Lllanes / Turtlebox Pictures via USTA.

“Frances is such an incredible role model for young people, and we are fortunate to have his support through the USTA Foundation’s Frances Tiafoe Fund,” said USTA Foundation CEO Ginny Ehrlich. “To have already accomplished so much and use his platform to give back in this way is truly inspiring. Events like this are not just about tennis; they’re about helping young people realize that anything is possible with a little grit and determination.”

“Frances is the embodiment of what’s possible when a young person is given the tools to realize their talents and passions, and we are honored to have him visit with our NJTL students,” said Peg Perez, Executive Director, Delray Beach Youth Tennis Foundation. “We are grateful to Frances and the USTA Foundation’s Frances Tiafoe Fund for helping our organization provide Delray youth with the resources they need to achieve their goals through athletics and beyond.”

Above: Frances Tiafoe enjoying the big event yesterday. Photo credit: Robby Lllanes / Turtlebox Pictures via USTA.

Co-founded in 1969 by cultural icon Arthur Ashe, along with Charlie Pasarell and Sheridan Snyder, today the USTA Foundation’s NJTL network provides over 168,000 young people nationwide access to opportunities that reach far beyond the game of tennis, including social and emotional learning programs, academic support, scholarships, and career and college readiness services.

To learn more about the Frances Tiafoe Fund and the USTA Foundation, please visit ustafoundation.com and follow @USTAFoundation on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.

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Source: USTA. Photo credit (top): Robby Lllanes/ Turtlebox Pictures via USTA. For more coverage, photos, and quotes from the event, check out the Florida Tennis Facebook page.