2017 USTA Hawaii Pacific Yearbook September | Page 4

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE | Kevin Inn - President
It’s nice when a plan comes together!
In 2016, a new $150M retractable roof was completed over Arthur Ashe Stadium just in time for
the US Open. It was called into use for the first time during Rafael Nadal’s win over Andrea Seppi
and 7 1/2 minutes after it started to rain, the roof completely enclosed the stadium. This addition
is a remarkable feat given the architectural and engineering challenges due to the makeup of the
grounds of the USTA National Tennis Center.
In 2016, the Home of American Tennis was mostly completed in anticipation of its opening in
early 2017. This National Campus is housed on 64 acres of land and offers a total of 100 courts
including a mix of hard court, indoor courts, Terre Davis red clay, Har-Tru green clay, and a Family
Zone which features a grouping of short courts designed for kids who want to learn the sport on
a softer surface. The National Campus is also home to both Player Development and Community
Tennis staff geared towards developing the next generation of tennis champions.
Locally, the Holua Tennis Center at Holua Resort at Mauna Loa Village in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, played host to the first round
of Fed Cup World Group II featuring the United States vs Poland. The US swept Poland 4-0 behind the efforts of world No.
12 Venus Williams, along with CoCo Vendeweghe, Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Sloane Stephens. Hawaii is the 16th state to
host the Fed Cup, although Hawaii did previously host a Davis Cup match in 1992.
Meanwhile on Maui, the Tennis Championships of Maui added the $50,000 women’s Challenger to accompany the $50,000
men’s Challenger. The Royal Lahaina Resort on the beach in Ka’anapali, Maui hosted the event for the third year in a row.
In August of 2016, the staff moved into their new office space at the Waikiki Landmark. This was a strategic investment for
the Section, which will help to stabilize increasing costs normally associated with renting office space.
Looking ahead, we expect to hear more about “Net Generation,” the youth brand of the USTA, which embraces all aspects
of youth play for kids ages 5-18. This initiative seeks to continue to connect more kids to this sport that we all love!
See you on the court,
Kevin Inn
President | USTA Hawaii Pacific Section
2015- 2017 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Back Row (from left to right): Ron Romano, Walter Wong, Ray Hasegawa, Franklin Chee, Russell Lum, Kevin Inn, Dan Miyamoto,
Vince Baldemor, David Lam. Front Row (from left to right): Josh Potterton, Betsy Purpura, Ann Miller, Kris Oyama, Chris
Scharein, Windy Cummings, Donna Ede, Shari Fujita, Nick Yamasaki (Missing: Pom Luxton).
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HAWAII PACIFIC YEARBOOK 2017