Gigi Fernández Expands Her Impact Through Tennis for Hope

Gigi Fernández’s impact on tennis extends far beyond her 17 Grand Slam titles. In recent years, her focus has expanded into community support and recovery efforts, shaped in part by personal experience.

Fernández, who lives in Tampa, described how Hurricane Helene flooded her home last year, damaging everything that touched the ground. “That was pretty devastating,” she said. While she was able to begin rebuilding quickly, she became aware of how many others in her community were still displaced months later. “I saw so many people that were not even close to being back in their house two months in, and some still weren’t a year later,” she said.

Photo courtesy of Tennis for Hope.

That experience led Fernández to create Tennis for Hope, an initiative designed to support members of the tennis community affected by natural disasters. The organization has provided assistance in several regions, including wildfire-affected areas in California, flooding in Central Texas, and storm damage in North Carolina. In Florida, Tennis for Hope has worked with clubs impacted by hurricanes, including facilities near Tampa that are still recovering.

Fernández said Tennis for Hope has partnered closely with the USTA Foundation to direct funding where it is most needed. “We’ve done a really good job fundraising,” she said. Through a membership-based model with multi-year commitments, the organization has raised nearly $700,000 in under a year. Those funds have helped support recovery efforts, though Fernández acknowledged that the scale of damage often exceeds what one organization can cover alone.

To expand support statewide, Fernández announced Rally for Florida, a series of fundraising tennis events planned for 2026. The initiative aims to host events at eight to ten clubs across the state, with target locations including Pensacola, Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa, Sarasota, Naples, Miami, West Palm Beach, and Vero Beach. The events will feature doubles play and be managed by Racket Wars, an organization that specializes in recreational competition formats.

“We’re looking for clubs that want to be part of this initiative,” Fernández said. She noted that players and clubs can express interest even if their city is not currently listed, with the goal of responding to local demand.

Fernández emphasized that restoring courts and programs is about more than infrastructure. “Pretty soon you realize you need an escape from the daily grind of recovering,” she said, reflecting on her own experience after the storm. For many people, she noted, tennis provides a critical outlet for mental health and routine during long recovery periods.

Her connection to Florida tennis spans decades. Fernández trained in the state during the early years of her career and later served as the head women’s tennis coach at the University of South Florida. “I’ve had deep roots in Tampa,” she said, adding that the statewide focus of Rally for Florida reflects her desire to support communities across the entire region.

The conversation also turned to the modern game of doubles, where Fernández remains an influential voice. She noted how advances in racket and string technology have changed positioning and tactics. “Now you can be standing three feet from the net and still be hitting volleys from shoulder height,” she said, describing how increased topspin has altered traditional doubles play.

Despite those changes, Fernández believes fundamentals still matter. “Getting to the net still wins the majority of points,” she said, adding that sound tactics continue to separate successful teams.

She also addressed recent experimentation with professional mixed doubles formats, including changes at the US Open. While she praised the increased visibility and prize money, Fernández suggested a hybrid approach that pairs top singles players with experienced doubles specialists to improve match quality and competitiveness.

At the recreational level, Fernández highlighted common mistakes she sees among club players, particularly positioning and movement at the net. She advocated for clearer role definition between partners, including staggered positioning to reduce confusion over middle balls.

As Tennis for Hope continues to grow, Fernández said the mission remains clear: providing relief, restoring access to tennis, and helping communities recover together. For her, the work reflects both personal experience and a lifelong connection to the sport.

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Written and edited by Associate Editor Osvaldo Godoy. Video editing by Assistant Editor Alex Binstok.