www.BXTimes.com BRONX WEEKLY June 30, 2019 6
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-of-theart
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
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
Billie Jean King at New York Empire media day on Tuesday, June 25.
The Bronxer
(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
The lower court at Victor Kiam Stadium at the Cary Leeds center. The Bronxer
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