(l-r) Empire Head Coach Luke Walton, Bronx Parks Commissioner Iris
Rodriguez-Rosa, and tennis legend and WTT co-founder, Billie Jean King.
The Bronxer
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, J BTR UNE 28-JULY 4, 2019 15
Bronx to serve up
professional tennis thanks
to World Team Tennis
BY ALEX MITCHELL
Who says that Queens is
the tennis hub of New York
City?
The Bronx will soon be
serving up plenty of its own
tennis competition this summer.
Professional tennis team
New York Empire of the World
Team Tennis league announced
on Thursday, June 25
that it will call the Cary Leeds
Center for Tennis and Learning
in Crotona Park its new
home.
Making the announcement
was the one and only
Billie Jean King, a legend to
the sport and a co founder of
WTT.
“To have this facility in
the Bronx is absolutely major,”
King said upon the team’s
decision to set up shop in the
brand new, architectural marvel
of the somewhat unknown
Cary Leeds Center.
King continued on to explain
that putting a state-ofthe
art facility in the Bronx
would encourage the sport’s
growth at a youth level for the
borough.
“The youngsters don’t have
to be bussed over some place
else (to play),” she said.
Both King and Empire Head
Billie Jean King at New York Empire media day on Tuesday, June 25.
The Bronxer
Coach Luke Walton agreed
that seeing professionals play
live is such a large component
of youth development.
Not only will Bronx kids be
given the opportunity to see
the pros play fi rst (and back)
hand, but they’ll also be seeing
some of the world’s best
playing on the Empire Roster.
Number one ranked American
and top 12 world-ranked
John Isner will be taking the
court with the Empire on Sunday,
July 14 in an effort to
ground the San Diego Aviators.
Isner hasn’t played much
in the Bronx during his career
yet, but it’s something
he’s very eager to change.
“These kind of live matches
are great,” he said, while mentioning
that his American
matches usually make up a
hardcore season that helps to
prep for major tournaments.
Nothing’s more hardcore
than watching Isner’s powerhouse
serve at roughly 150
miles per hour that will be acing
up Wimbledon and the US
Open, in addition to the courts
at Cary Leeds, this summer.
He also acknowledged what
a role his appearance in the
borough means for youth tennis.
“The Bronx is full of tremendous
athletic talent,” Isner
said. “If we could get those
kids involved early and show
them how great tennis is then
we’re looking at something
great,” he continued.
Part of that youth infl uence
will come with the Empire’s
themed matches this
July as well. Community Hero
night will be on Tuesday July,
16 when Bronx emergency
responders, like NYPD and
FDNY, will be honored during
the match against the Vegas
Rollers. Two nights later
will be Taste The Bronx Night
on Thursday, July 18 where
Arthur Avenue and other borough
eateries will be catering
the match against the Orange
County Breakers. Meanwhile
Bronx Night will be on Monday,
July 29 against the Springfi
eld Lasers; that’s going to be
an all encompassing appreciation
of the Empire’s new home
borough.
“Getting the community
involved is going to be a lot of
fun,” Isner said.
Venus Williams will also
appear with the Washington
Kastles in the Bronx on Friday,
July 19.
For more information on
the Empire’s schedule, visit:
nyempiretennis.com
The lower court at Victor Kiam Stadium at the Cary Leeds center. The Bronxer
/nyempiretennis.com