Coco Gauff conducts clinic at renovated Joe W. Brown Park tennis courts in New Orleans as part of US Open Legacy Initiative – World Tennis Magazine

Two-time Major Singles champion Coco Gauff surprised a local tennis clinic in New Orleans East on Monday, November 24, during a visit to the tennis facility that was recently renovated in her honor.

The 10 courts at Joe Brown Park were renovated earlier this year as part of the US Open Legacy Initiative, which was launched in recognition of Gauff’s 2023 US Open women’s singles title. As part of the initiative, the USTA pledged $3 million – equal to Gauff’s 2023 prize money – to renovate public tennis courts across the country. The New Orleans project was handpicked by the Gauff family because of the family’s extensive ties to the city.

“New Orleans holds a very close place in my heart and to be able to be back here is really cool,” said Coco Gauff. “It’s great to be able to do this initiative together with the USTA.”

“The US Open Legacy Initiative and the celebration of 2023 women’s singles champion Coco Gauff have allowed us to support more than 100 facilities across the country and connect the highest levels of our sport with local communities,” said Brian Vahaly, chairman of the board and interim co-CEO of USTA. “By renovating the public courts at Joe W. Brown Park, we are expanding access to the game and giving more players a better place to play. We are grateful to partner with New Orleans on this project and are proud to support a facility that will benefit the community for years to come.”

Monday’s event featured a clinic from local nonprofit A’s and Aces, which offers programs and events at the Joe W. Brown Park courts. A’s & Aces is a division of the USTA Foundation’s National Junior Tennis & Learning network, which includes more than 270 organizations nationwide that provide free or low-cost tennis, education and life skills programs to youth from under-resourced communities.

“It was a great day to see someone like Coco come to our community and to our courts, which have been redesigned with funding from the USTA, in her name and in honor of her US Open victory,” said Anna Monhartova, co-founder of A’s & Aces. “It was just exciting to see all the kids, all the families and the community come together through our partnership with the city and the USTA. It’s just something that everyone will remember for the rest of their lives.”

“Seeing Coco Gauff on these courts is a powerful moment for New Orleans East,” said Larry Barabino, Jr., CEO of NORD Commission. “This community is full of potential and talent. These renovated courts give our youth the space to play, grow and be inspired, showing them that their hard work and dreams can lead to real success, and that champions can rise from neighborhoods like theirs. We are grateful to Coco, her family and USTA for their commitment to our young people, and we also greatly appreciate our partnership with A’s & Aces, whose support helps bring these programs and opportunities to life.”

The event not only served as a celebration of the New Orleans Project, but also marked the conclusion of the US Open Legacy Initiative, which reached its $3 million funding goal this summer. In total, the Legacy Initiative has impacted more than 100 facilities, funding improvements to more than 700 tennis courts across the country. Each affected facility received a plaque stating that the courts had been renovated in honor of Gauff’s victory at the US Open.