January Happenings at DTA

Serving Into the New Year: January News

Celebrating Our Award Winners

We are proud to recognize two outstanding members of the DTA community who were honored at our annual DTA Holiday Party for their incredible dedication and service.

Shawn Edwards, recipient of the Pro Volunteer Award, has gone above and beyond in giving his time, energy, and expertise to support our programs. His commitment to our mission and the players we serve continues to make a meaningful impact across our community.

Jacquie Gabbidon, recipient of the Merle Bellman Award, embodies the heart of DTA. Her unwavering passion, leadership, and dedication to serving the underserved tennis community in Dallas have left a lasting impression on everyone she works with.

Both awards celebrate individuals who selflessly dedicate their efforts to advancing our mission and strengthening our community. We are incredibly grateful for Shawn and Jacquie and the difference they make every day. Congratulations to both on this well-deserved recognition!

Attention All League Players, Flex League is Coming to Dallas in 2026!

Whether you prefer weekdays, weeknights, or weekends—and singles or doubles—we have a Flex League that fits your schedule.

Learn More

Pricing

• $25 for Singles

• $40 per Doubles team ($20 per player)

Why Join a USTA Flex League?

Round-Robin Match Play – Compete against 5–7 players at your skill level

Flexible Scheduling – You choose when to play: mornings, evenings, or weekends

Meet New Players – Sign up solo and finish the season with new hitting partners

How to Join

Open the USTA Flex app
Tap Browse
Enter your ZIP code
Select your "Dallas, TX" league
Hit Join

Play on your own schedule and see you on the courts!

Cotton Bowl Tennis Classic Presented by MCB

The Cotton Bowl Tennis Classic presented by MCB delivered an unforgettable three days of competition across four host sites. Players battled through sun, wind, and ever-changing conditions, bringing high energy, resilience, and determination to every match. The level of play was impressive, and the competition on court did not disappoint.

Congratulations to all of our winners for their outstanding performances throughout the tournament, and a huge thank-you to every player and participant who competed with us. We loved watching the action unfold and seeing the Dallas tennis community show up and show out.

The 2025 Cotton Bowl Tennis Classic was a huge success, featuring 47 events, 627 total entries, 506 matches played, and 72 champions crowned, making for an unforgettable weekend of competition and community.

Tournament Photos: Click here to view and download photos from the event.

Have photos of your own? Tag us on Instagram and Facebook @DallasTennisDTA—we’d love to share them!

We can’t wait to do it all again next year.

JTT Fall Sectionals Recap

Congratulations to all of the teams who proudly represented Dallas at the Fall 2025 JTT Sectionals, held in December at the John Newcombe Tennis Ranch in New Braunfels, TX. Our players brought incredible effort, teamwork, and sportsmanship to the courts, and we are proud to share that multiple Dallas teams finished as Sectional Finalists, with one bringing home the championship title.

Sectional Champion

18U Novice: Team LC (Las Colinas Country Club)

Sportsmanship Award

10U Green Ball: Ana Lucia Zambrana – Brookhaven Showstoppers

Division Finalists

10U Green Ball: Brookhaven Showstoppers
12U Intermediate: Brookhaven Court Queens
14U Novice: High Point Fighting Dragons
14U Intermediate: RGAC Angry Birds

We are incredibly proud of all teams for their hard work and dedication throughout the season. Looking ahead to the Spring 2026 JTT Season, we look forward to welcoming everyone back!

The Coach/Captain Informational Meeting will be held on Monday, January 12, from 11:30AM – 1:00 PM at High Point Tennis Center.

Please RSVP to Jenny Chung.

Adaptive Tennis Workshop Invitation

The Dallas Tennis Association invites you to join us for an Adaptive Tennis Workshop led by Cyndi Benzon, Adaptive Tennis Coordinator with USTA Texas. This hands-on, on-court workshop is designed for tennis professionals and volunteers who are interested in gaining practical tools and strategies for working with athletes with disabilities.

Cyndi will share teaching insights, on-court demonstrations, and best practices for adapting tennis instruction to meet the diverse needs of adaptive athletes. Participants will leave with actionable ideas they can immediately apply on the court.

Workshop Details:

Date: Wednesday, January 14

Time: 12:00–2:00 PM (please check in by 11:50 AM)

Location: Walnut Hill Recreation Center

RSVP by January 6 to Erica Goodman

What to Wear: This is an active, on-court workshop. Please wear athletic clothing and tennis shoes.

We look forward to seeing you on the court and continuing to grow adaptive tennis in our community.

Click Here to Sign Up

DTEA Player Spotlight

"Through tennis, I’ve learned consistency and endurance, but DTEA has helped me grow in so many other ways too. I’ve developed communication, problem-solving, and community skills that I use every day, both on and off the court. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is how to find solutions when things don’t go as planned — and to accept that not everything is within my control. One of my favorite memories is traveling to Georgetown with my teammate to compete in the JTT State Competition. Moments like that remind me how special this program is.

Programs like DTEA matter because we’re not just developing tennis players — we’re developing good people. And that’s more important than anything."

-Whisper Agyei, Freshman

Upcoming Tournaments

Get ready for an exciting slate of tournaments coming in 2026, offering competitive play for all levels across the Dallas tennis community.

Junior Tournament:

DTA Frisco Open L6
February 21-22, 2026
Boys' & Girls' 12-18
Singles only
Registration is OPEN | Closes February 15 at 4:59pm

We’re proud to partner with the Dallas Open this year and helping to kick off an exciting week of world-class tennis at Ford Center at The Star this February. As part of this partnership, we’re offering our community discounted tickets to select tournament sessions.

DTA Exclusive Ticket Offer

Our DTA discount code is valid for:

20% off tickets
Sessions 1–8, February 9th-12th
Monday–Thursday matches only

Discount Code: DOPartner26

This is a great opportunity to experience elite professional tennis in an energetic, family-friendly environment while supporting our mission and community. Whether you’re bringing your family, inviting friends, or attending your first professional tennis event, opening week offers something for everyone.

How to Use the DTA Discount Code

When purchasing tickets:

Scroll to the top right of the ticket page
Click “Access Code”
Enter DOPartner26 to unlock 20% off

Please note: This code is only valid for Sessions 1–8 (Monday–Thursday).

Meet us at the Open!

DTA will be on-site at the Dallas Open with our very tennis court! Stop by to check out our DTA activations, learn more about our programs and impact, and meet the people behind the passion who make our mission possible. We can’t wait to connect with you and celebrate tennis and community together.

We’d love to see our community out at The Star supporting professional tennis and celebrating the power of sport to bring people together. Grab your tickets, use the DTA code, and we can't wait to see you at the Dallas Open!

Get Your Tickets Here

Have You Followed Us Yet?

Stay connected with us on social media! We share photos from recent events, highlight tournament winners, post about upcoming opportunities to get involved, and even test your tennis knowledge with Trivia Tuesdays. It’s also a great place to ask questions and get quick updates. Follow us today to stay in the loop and be part of the action both on and off the court!