ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — The US Open may be over, but interest in youth tennis is only growing across metro Atlanta.
“I’m just excited to see tennis just sprouting in the community,” said Mackenzie Stewart, director of tennis at the LEAD Center for Youth.
The nonprofit LEAD Center for Youth partners with Atlanta Public Schools to introduce sports and break down barriers for Black youth—focusing on baseball for boys and tennis for girls.
“Particularly around cost and access, to make sure that that doesn’t keep a child from being able to play the sport for enjoyment, or even competitively and play at the collegiate level, like I did, or even beyond professionally,” Stewart said. “I definitely think that a lot of times it’s a right place, right time situation to be able to be exposed to tennis and access it, especially if you are a Black girl.”
Stewart, a former collegiate tennis player at Southern University, said seeing Black girls at tournaments or training facilities was rare when she was growing up.
“I think it’s really important for them to see me in this role and know that they can do whatever they set their mind to,” Stewart said. “Black youth, Black girls in particular, have all sorts of interests, and they shouldn’t be put into a box just because certain opportunities aren’t accessible to them.”
Stewart credited her own Black coaches with giving her a sense of belonging in a sport that historically lacked diversity. That experience inspired her to lead the organization’s Lady Ambassadors program and bring introductory clinics directly into local schools.
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The school-based clinics serve dozens of students each year, offering a bridge to more intensive instruction.
“The students can sign up for the class there, and then for girls that seem like they’re interested in taking tennis further and have a real commitment to the sport, then they’re invited to join our Lady Ambassadors tennis program,” Stewart said. “From there, we do year-round training, but also mentorship, character building, team building, all sorts of activities to prepare them to be major league citizens.”
Atlanta’s tennis roots run deep. The Atlanta Lawn Tennis Association, commonly known as ALTA, is one of the largest recreational tennis organizations in the country.
Local youth are also drawing inspiration from the sport’s highest levels. Whether watching Atlanta native Ben Shelton reach the 2026 US Open final, Atlanta-based Taylor Townsend capture a US Open doubles title, or Coco Gauff compete on the global stage, young players are finding representation at the top of the game.
“Just seeing all these positive examples of Black people and Black women in particular in the sport, I think it’s very important for my girls,” Stewart said. “When we show them these clips, and then we bring the tennis program into their schools, I definitely think it really spikes an interest and makes them want to possibly play long term.”
Participation in the LEAD Center for Youth tennis program is free for families. In exchange, student-athletes are expected to maintain strong grades, attendance, and good behavior at school and during program activities, as well as complete regular community service.
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