Southern players and organizations are constantly making their mark in the world of tennis. Here's a list of recent awards, achievements and news in January 2020.
Juniors Win USTA Championships

Keshav Chopra, left, and Coy Simon

Mia Yamakita
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Fourth-seeded Keshav Chopra, of Marietta, GA, and Coy Simon, of Charleston, SC, won the USTA Winter National Boys' 18 Doubles crown when they defeated the third-seeded team of Aryan Chaudhary/Logan Zapp. Matches were played at the USTA National Campus, Orlando, FL.
Chopra, who also plays for Georgia Tech, was the third-place singles player. He defeated Benjamin Koch, of Abbeville, LA, 6-1, 1-0, retired. Chopra/Simon as defeated Wesley Hotard, of New Orleans, and Koch in the semis 6-1, 7-5.
In the Girls' 12s, played in Tucson, AZ, Mia Yamakita, of Johns Creek, GA, and Amy Lee, of Beverly Hills, CA, won a gold ball when they defeated Nguyen/Zhang 7-6,(4), 6-4 in the final. Lee/Yamakita were the top seeds.
Top-seeded Yamakita also finshed in sixth place in singles.
USTA Awards Wheelchair Grants
Eight organizations in USTA Southern were awarded USTA Wheelchair grants. The USTA awarded 33 grants from around the country. Here are the Southern recipients, locations and amounts:
- University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL; $5,500
- Clemson University; Anderson, SC; $3,500
- Helen Leonard, Kelly Flouhouse, Taylor Wingate; Charlotte, NC; $3,000
- USTA Southern; Peachtree Corners, GA; $3,000
- Mid-Carolina Tennis Association; Rock Hill, SC; $1,000
- Western Wake Tennis Association; Cary, NC; $1,000
- Bowling Green Parks and Recreation; Bowling Green, KY; $500
- CORTA; Columbus, GA, $500