Serving Up Summer:

Vermont Tennis News

HS State Champions Crowned, Team USA Takes the Friendship Cup, and Your Full July-August Event Calendar

USTA Vermont welcomes all tennis enthusiasts to our indoor and outdoor, public and private, competitive or just-for-fun opportunities to enjoy the game this summer. Whether you are picking up a racquet for the very first time through USTA's Tennis in the Parks program, playing in Vermont's youth tennis opportunities like Level 6 & 7 Youth Sanctioned tournaments, JTT, or Local League match play, celebrating 50 years of Wheelchair Tennis at the US Open or at The Hall of Fame Open in Newport, RI or attending closer-than-you think National Bank Open in Montreal and Toronto, Canada, competing in USTA League Sectional and District championships, we want to hear your stories, post your pictures, and support you as one of the over 1.7 million players who pick up a racquet to play competitive and recreational tennis in New England every year. Please reach out and let Joanna Beall, President, USTA Vermont , know what you are thinking at ustavtassoc@gmail.com.

VT High School State Champions

Congrats to this year's VT high school tennis champions!

Team Championships:

• D1 Girls: Essex High School
• D2 Girls: Rice High School
• Boys: Burlington High School

Individual Champions:

• Girls Singles: Hannah Knickerbocker (Essex High School)
• Boys Singles: Niah LeMay (Burlington High School)
• Girls Doubles: India Freund & Belle Gaines (Stowe High School)
• Boys Doubles: Ben Koh & Miles Kenny (Burlington High School)

The Friendship Cup Recap

After a one year hiatus, fourteen New England women traveled to Mont-Tremblant, Quebec to compete in the 42nd Friendship Cup Event on the weekend of June 26-28. This year eight of the fourteen team members were from Vermont. In addition, the team was accompanied by veteran Friendship Cup player Allyson Bolduc who truly embodies the spirit of the event. Although Allyson was not competing this year, her support helped ensure a smooth and enjoyable event for everyone.  

The competition included two New England players in each of seven age divisions from the 40s through the 70s (in five year increments). Each player competed in singles on Saturday before teaming up for doubles on Sunday.  

Following a 20-7 loss to Quebec in 2024, the New England team knew this year’s competition would be a challenge. On Saturday, the

team battled through several hard-fought matches and finished with an impressive 9-5 lead after singles. New England carried this momentum into Sunday’s doubles, ultimately earning a decisive 14-7 victory to reclaim the Friendship Cup. Vermont players and doubles teams were 10-3 overall. 

Vermonters Edie Perkins, Maggie Gettys, Emily Coolidge, and Keenan Weischedel joined 14 other players who all lit up the courts at this weekend’s 3 day All Comers Wheelchair Tennis Camp in Hanover, MA. Organized by USTA New England’s Social Impact Director Mavi Sanchez Skakle and South Coast Wheelchair President Thomas Dodd, players gathered to train, compete, and have fun around the sport we all love. Supported with scholarships from USTA Vermont, our athletes gained skills under leadership and guidance from USTA National Coaches Paul Walker and Brendan Fitzpatrick, USTA New England Coaches Thomas Dodd, Dick Lane, and Merc Evangelista. Thank you to coaches, players, organizers, and wheelchair tennis supporters!

Check out Edie Perkins, USTA Vermont Board Member, player spotlight interview! Link to interview & website!

USTA Vermont provided support for PTR Level 1 coaching training to five up-and-coming coaches on July 12 and 13 at Burlington Tennis Club. The event was organized by Errol Nattrass, DIrector.

Upcoming Events & Opportunities

• July 1–19: For the first time ever, nominations are open for USTA Vermont and USTA New England League Captain of the Year! Nominations open July 1 and close July 19. Nomination form & More information here!
• June 29–July 31: Bennington ACES Summer Camp — five week-long day sessions of tennis instruction and enrichment, Monday–Friday, 9:00 am–3:00 pm. Bennington Tennis Center info. Bonus: "The Bubble" at 200 Lovers Lane in Bennington now has newly installed lighting, funded in part by grants from USTA's Tennis Venue Services and Efficiency Vermont.
• July 5–12: WTA & ATP 125 Cerity Hall of Fame Open in Newport, RI. More info
• July 17–19: Vermont Senior Games at Middlebury College. More info & registration
• July 25–26: U14 Level 7 Edge in Essex. More info & registration
• July 25–26: U18 Level 6 Edge in Essex. More info & registration
• July 26: 50th Anniversary of Wheelchair Tennis & 10th Anniversary of the South Coast Wheelchair Tennis Foundation in partnership with USTA New England Location: Pawtucket, RI. Details: A historic double-anniversary celebration you won't want to miss! 
• July 30: Adult Rising Player Outreach Event at Davis Park in Shelburne, VT.
• August 1–13: National Bank Open — Montreal and Toronto. More info
• August 23–September 14: US Open. Tickets & info

Vermont's First ACEing Autism Chapter is Coming to Middlebury College

USTA Vermont is excited to help launch ACEing Autism at Middlebury College this fall— a new chapter of the national nonprofit that uses tennis to help children and adults with autism build skills, confidence, and community connections. The program will host weekly one-hour clinics on Sundays at Middlebury College starting October 11th, pairing each participant one-to-one with a trained volunteer. It's open to youth ages 11–18 and adults 18+ with autism or other neurodevelopmental disorders, and no tennis experience is required. Equipment and refreshments are provided.

Program organizers are currently gauging community interest to help plan logistics ahead of launch. If you know a family who might be interested, please share the participant interest form — it takes just a minute to fill out.

Interested in volunteering instead? Sign up here. No tennis experience required — just a willingness to encourage and support participants on the court.

If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to rliang@middlebury.edu