Save 10% When You Register For 4+ Weeks of Summer Camp
Potomac Champs Future Champs

Junior Tennis Champions Center

Tennis For Everyone

Events

JTCC Marketing

JTCC Hosts Inaugural Veterans Tournament

Posted on by JTCC Marketing

Eighteen proud Military Veterans came together September 20-22 to compete in the first JTCC Veterans Tennis Championships for a memorable weekend dedicated to honoring those who have served our country.

Players were treated to Paisano’s on Friday night as a social event before the tournament kicked off during the weekend with singles and doubles action both days.

Longtime JTCC member 92-year-old Dick Charlton excelled in the 70+ Singles and Doubles divisions reaching the finals in both events, while Sam Williams, a regular in the free weekly Veterans program at JTCC won the 70+ Singles Division with a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Charlton.

JTCC wants to thank the Department of Veterans Affairs for sponsoring the JTCC Veterans Tennis Corps program, which makes events like this tournament possible.

If you are interested in joining our program, click here.

ITA Bedford Cup Attracts Record Draw

Posted on by JTCC Marketing

Eighty-two NCAA Division I female players from 11 area universities enjoyed abundant sunshine and perfect tennis weather September 13-15 at JTCC in the eighth Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Bedford Cup.

“It was an incredible field this year,” commented JTCC President Vesa Ponkka. “Looking across the courts to see more than 80 women representing the highest level of intercollegiate tennis was inspirational for the young girls who play at JTCC year-round.”

The field increased in 2024 from 56 players representing eight universities in 2023.

Players from Coppin State University, George Mason University, West Virginia University, George Washington University, Howard University, Loyola University Maryland, University of Maryland, Morgan State University, Delaware State University, Towson University and Mount St. Mary’s University competed in singles and doubles matches in draws based on their World Tennis Number (WTN).

Finalists in each flight earned trophies for their outstanding performances. All players, coaches and guests received JTCC bags and towels commemorating the event.

Four JTCC alumnae and two University of Maryland players had the “home court” advantage. Maryland’s Katherine Hung placed third in Flight 1 singles competition, while Howard’s Imani Jean (JTCC ‘23) and Morgan State’s Lauryn Hall (JTCC ‘21) placed fourth in Flight 2 and Flight 5 singles action, respectively.

Howard’s Jordan Grayson (JTCC ‘21), Mount St. Mary’s Amari O’Brien (JTCC ‘24), and Maryland’s Aida Essa competed in singles and doubles matches.

JTCC Hosts 200 International Players In Pre-US Open Junior ITF Tournament

Posted on by JTCC Marketing

In preparation for the Junior Boys’ and Girls’ US Open, 200 of the Top Junior players in the world from 35 different countries battled at JTCC and competed in the J300 ITF Wayne K. Curry Prince George’s County International Junior Tennis Championships presented by Laurel Springs School.

Twenty JTCC players contended in the event, with Kase & Erik Schinnerer, Michael Chen, Nico Pedraza, and Jordan Papadopolous participating in the Boys’ main draw and Reiley Rhodes, Shivaani Selvan, Carolina Castro playing in Girls’ main draw action.

“This year’s ITF was successful. We fielded the strongest lineup of players we have ever had and the level of play was extremely high all week,” JTCC Director of International Operations Asaf Yamin said. “We are grateful to have amazing sponsors, staff, and volunteers who help make the event a success each year, and we hope to continue to grow and make this a special week.”

In Girls’ Singles, world #6 Teodora Kostovic from Serbia defeated American Thea Frodin 7-5, 6-2 to capture the girls title.

In Boys’ Singles, world #16 Rafael Jodar from Spain beat Charlie Robertson from Great Britain 6-3, 6-1 to win the boys championship.

Special thanks to Asaf Yamin who served as Tournament Director and John Niswander who served as Assistant Tournament Director for their dedication and hard work, as well as the sponsors, officials, staff, and volunteers who made the event a success on and off the court.

Frances Tiafoe Soars To US Open Semifinals

Posted on by JTCC Marketing

Demonstrating the skills that make him one of the world’s top players, JTCC alumnus Frances Tiafoe advanced to the US Open semifinals for the second time in three years earning him the distinction of being the only American man to reach the semifinals two times since 2000.

In 2022, Tiafoe secured his spot in the penultimate round after famously defeating 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal in the Round of 16.

A fan favorite known for his charismatic personality and indomitable spirit, Tiafoe captured the hearts of fans worldwide with his gritty determination, exquisite shot making, and effervescent smile during his fantastic run in 2024 before falling in a five-set thriller to Taylor Fritz.

In the first two rounds, Tiafoe defeated opponents Aleksander Kovacevic and Alexander Shevchenko, losing only one set in the two matches. In the third round, Tiafoe avenged last year’s US Open quarterfinal loss to Ben Shelton, by defeating him in his first five-set match of the tournament that played out for nearly four hours.

In the Round of 16, Tiafoe knocked off Australian Alexei Popyrin, who had previously taken out 25-time Grand Slam Champion Novak Djokovic. After defeating Grigor Dimitrov in the quarterfinals, Tiafoe faced Fritz in the first All-American semifinals since 2005.

JTCC held a watch party at CP Hall in College Park, MD to support Frances in his bid to advance to the US Open Championship. More than 300 Tiafoe and JTCC supporters packed the venue for the historic semifinal matchup. ESPN was also on-site filming and showed Tiafoe fans cheering exuberantly after he won the third set.

Tiafoe and his twin brother, Franklin, have been fixtures at JTCC since their childhood. Their family’s journey began when they immigrated from war-torn Sierra Leone in West Africa to the United States during the 1990s. At JTCC, their father, Constant, was in charge of maintenance, and the Tiafoe twins could often be found traversing JTCC grounds with tennis racquets in hand, observing and emulating the coaches and players.

Tiafoe initially joined the JTCC afterschool training program. As his tennis skills flourished within this nurturing environment, Tiafoe progressed through the JTCC development pathway and began training as a full-time participant. After becoming the youngest winner of the prestigious Junior Orange Bowl at age 15, it wasn’t long before his prodigious talent propelled him into the world of professional tennis world in 2015 at the age of 17.

Tiafoe’s next challenge will be to represent Team World at the seventh edition of the Laver Cup, which will be held at Uber Arena in Berlin, from September 20-22, 2024.

JTCC Players Well-Prepared for Wimbledon

Posted on by JTCC Marketing

JTCC players certainly didn’t let any grass grow under their feet at Wimbledon as three alumni raced to victories on the hallowed grass courts. Robin Montgomery fought through three matches in qualifying to earn her first entry into the women’s singles main draw. She followed up with an impressive first round defeat of Olivia Gadecki, 6-4, 6-4, to achieve a personal milestone winning her first Grand Slam main draw match.

The 19-year-old ascending star has achieved a career-high #138 WTA ranking in 2024 after reaching her first Hologic WTA Tour quarterfinal at the Libema Open in the Netherlands and advancing to the third round of the WTA 1000 Madrid Open where she lost to two-time Grand Slam champion Aryna Sabalenka in a tightly contested three-set match.

JTCC alumnus Frances Tiafoe also impressed on the grass, registering two wins over Matteo Arnaldi and Borna Coric before falling to eventual 2024 Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz in a thrilling five-set match 5-7, 6-2, 4-6, 6-7, 6-2. Tiafoe, who defeated Rafael Nadal en route to reaching the 2022 US Open semifinals, is ranked #29 in the ATP world rankings and will compete in the Mubadala Citi DC Open beginning July 27.

In Boys’ Singles, JTCC High Performance player Kase Schinnerer made history of his own, registering his first main draw win at a Junior Grand Slam event. Schinnerer won two qualifying matches to gain entry into the 18 & Under Junior Boys main draw and has attained an ITF Junior world ranking of #57.

“We are thrilled to have three JTCC players perform so well at Wimbledon, and I’m personally very pleased I was able to attend Frances’ wonderful two sets to love comeback victory in the first round and also witness Robin Montgomery’s first Grand Slam victory,” said JTCC CEO Ray Benton.

Game On! Program Celebrates More Than 250 Graduates

Posted on by JTCC Marketing

After a fun-filled session learning the game of tennis, 262 students, ages 6-12, graduated from the Spring Game On! session that wrapped up June 9.

Held at 14 locations across Washington, DC and Prince George’s County Schools and Recreation Centers, students were immersed in tennis fundamentals and at two sites, 40 students also engaged in Academic Creative Engagement (ACE) educational activities in weekly classroom sessions.

Classes are led by JTCC coaches assisted by volunteers from the community and JTCC Champs players who serve as role models and mentors for the dedicated young players.

Excited to continue to practice the new skills they’ve learned, 68 students from the past session and Phase 2 programming throughout the year have continued their training at JTCC starting this summer.

Congratulations to all of the students, and thank you to all the dedicated coaches who continue to make the program successful!

Ali Agnamba Leads Team Togo In Historic Billie Jean King Cup Appearance

Posted on by JTCC Marketing

JTCC High Performance Coach Ali Agnamba made history earlier this month by training the Togolese women’s team as they prepared for their country’s first appearance in the Billie Jean King Cup!

Agnamba, who hails from the small town of Kodjoviakope, Togo, coached the squad of five players during their two-week visit to JTCC as prior to their return to Africa for the 2024 Africa IV tournament that took place June 10-15 at the Ecology Club Kigali in Kigali, Rwanda.

The Billie Jean King Cup, formerly known as the Federation Cup, is regarded as a highly prestigious event and recognized as the world’s largest annual women’s international team sports competition.

For Togo Team player Chakira Dermen, the opportunity to be part of her country’s historic appearance was special.

“It’s a big honor, because it’s our country and we know there will be a lot of people watching us, and we’re representing everyone from Togo,” stated the 21-year-old Derman who came to the United States last year to play collegiate tennis for Concordia University Nebraska.

Dermen and her teammates undoubtedly made their country proud.

In the Africa IV tournament, Togo got off to a fantastic start, winning all four matches in Pool A to dominate the competition. However, their great run ended with a tough loss in the promotional play-off against Pool B winner Algeria.

“Overall I was very satisfied with how everything went,” JTCC Senior Director of Player Development Ali Agnamba said. “I was very proud to represent my country and being chosen by the Togo Tennis Federation President to serve as captain was amazing. We competed very well to win our group and reach the finals.”

Five Former JTCC Players Have Strong Showings In NCAA Division I Championships

Posted on by JTCC Marketing

Three former JTCC players and two alumni had strong showings at the NCAA Division I Championships in Stillwater, OK recently, with Alexa Noel capturing the Women’s Singles Championship.

Noel rallied from a set and 3-1 down to capture the title with an impressive 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 come-back victory over Georgia’s Anastasiia Lopata.

“Alexa has had great success from her junior days winning the National Clay Court Championships in the Girls’ 14s to now having won an NCAA Singles Championship,” JTCC President Vesa Ponkka said, who worked with Alexa during her developmental years at JTCC. “There’s no question in my mind that she will be a successful WTA player because she’s one of the most competitive players I have ever had a chance to work with.”

Two former JTCC players, Elizabeth Scotty (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill), and Elise Wagle (University of California, Los Angeles), and two JTCC alumni, Ayana Akli (University of South Carolina) and Ryan Colby (University of Georgia) also competed at the NCAA Division I Championships and were integral members of their teams’ success this season.

Wagle helped lead the Bruins to the NCAA Division I Team Championships Quarterfinals, while Scotty reached the Sweet 16 with the Tar Heels.

JTCC Salutes Class Of 2024

Posted on by JTCC Marketing

Thirteen JTCC graduates in attendance were dressed to impress in front of the more than 100 proud parents, families, alumni, and friends who gathered in the JTCC lobby for the May 29 graduation ceremony for the Class of 2024.

The new alumni received their diplomas and portraits which will hang on the JTCC Walk of Fame hallway. This year’s class included four additional graduates who were unable to attend. The group joined the more than 330 other successful alumni.

“The JTCC graduation is a capstone event that our entire staff looks forward to every year,” Director of School Mark Santangelo commented. “We are always excited to celebrate the accomplishments of our graduates, both on and off the courts, and this year’s class has impressed us in every way. We’re proud of the Class of 2024 as they wrap up years of hard work and head off to college and beyond.”

JTCC Head of Wheelchair & Adaptive Tennis Gabby Hesse introduced special guest speaker Nicky Maxwell, a JTCC MedStar Para Standing athlete, who encouraged the graduates to “go for your dreams and work hard to achieve what you set out to do.”

Amari O’Brien, who will be playing NCAA Division I tennis for Mount St Mary’s University, spoke on behalf of the graduating class.

“A lot of things we have learned at JTCC can be used in every aspect of our lives,” said O’Brien, who delivered a heartfelt speech. “I’m excited to see what the future holds, and I know we are going to move on and do great things.”

Following the ceremony, attendees enjoyed dinner courtesy of Paisano’s Pizza.

Congratulations to the Class of ‘24, and good luck in your future endeavors!

JTCC Alumna Imani Jean Named MEAC Rookie Of The Year

Posted on by JTCC Marketing

Imani Jean’s freshman season at Howard University was memorable and one for the history books.

The JTCC alumna, who finished her first collegiate season 13-3 overall in singles, was recognized for her stellar performance being named Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference’s (MEAC) 2024 Rookie of the Year and was a MEAC First Team selection.

“I officially found out that I was named Rookie of the Year at the MEAC awards ceremony right before the tournament,” Jean said. “To hear I won the award was reassuring to me that everything I worked hard for was not for nothing.”

Jean trained at JTCC from 2019-23 in the Full-Time Champions program. The Brooklyn, NY native is grateful for her time at JTCC shaping her into the person and player she is today.

“My time at JTCC positively impacted my character, and the tennis training and coaches helped me with my discipline on and off the court,” Jean stated.

After being named MEAC Rookie of the Week five times and finishing 5-0 in conference singles play, Jean is excited to work hard this offseason and continue to improve.

“One of the best parts about my freshman year was how much support I’ve been getting. It’s amazing to have your team there for you no matter what,” Jean said. “This accomplishment is only going to push me to train hard for the summer and prove to people that this award was well deserved so I can come into next season even stronger.”

Geico Champions Celebration Raises $584,000 for JTCC 25th Anniversary

Posted on by JTCC Marketing

JTCC was transformed for an unforgettable evening on April 10 to salute JTCC’s 25th Anniversary honoring alumnus Frances Tiafoe and University of Maryland President Darryll Pines at the GEICO Champions Celebration presented by Amazon and the Bisnow Family.

The honorees shared inspiring messages to an energetic crowd of more than 400 JTCC supporters, who raised an impressive $584,000 benefitting JTCC’s GEICO Game On! community programs.

Guests enjoyed cocktails and hors d’oeuvres during the pre-dinner reception while being entertained by impressive match play featuring JTCC Adaptive athletes, High Performance and Junior Champs players.

The dynamic dinner program was filled with impactful speeches, touching tributes, amusing anecdotes, distinguished awards, and captivating videos that paid homage to JTCC’s growth over the past 25 years and showcased what’s coming in the future.

GEICO Game On! provides a pathway for youth who may not otherwise have the opportunity to play tennis, starting as beginners and progressing to earning college scholarships. Since its inception in 2009, more than 8,000 youth have been introduced to tennis through GEICO Game On!

Check out the videos shown at the Gala by watching Part 1 and Part 2 here.

JTCC “Blacks Out The Bubble” To Support University of Maryland

Posted on by JTCC Marketing

JTCC is home to the University of Maryland (UMD) women’s varsity tennis team, and it was jam-packed with more than 100 spectators wearing black to “Black Out” the bubble on March 2 when the Lady Terps took on Liberty University.

Fans cheered outstanding National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I tennis and were delighted at the outcome when Maryland cruised to a 4-0 shutout victory in front of the energetic crowd.

“This year’s event grew in attendance from last year, and it was awesome to see everyone supporting the Lady Terps,” exclaimed John Dominguez, a JTCC member for more than 20 years. “The matches are free to attend, and there was standing room only which spoke to the overall success of the event again this year.”

Four lucky fans won free raffles that included a UMD book bag, UMD Men’s Basketball tickets, a JTCC drawstring bag, and a Wilson Burn racquet. Spectators had the opportunity to purchase Jersey Mike’s Subs food and drinks as well.

“Huge thank you to John Niswander and his staff at JTCC in helping organize and promote “Black Out” the Bubble. This was our second year in a row organizing a match promotion specific to JTCC members, and it was a great success,” UMD Head Coach Katie Dougherty said. “The match with Liberty was a blast for the student-athletes and fans. The JTCC ball kids were outstanding, and the crowd was energized and made the atmosphere so much fun to play in. Our team greatly appreciates the support we get from the JTCC community and look forward to seeing folks out at our future matches.”

Contact Details

Get In Touch

Get In Touch Footer