1/7/24
First Racquet hit the ground running in 2024 with our latest New
Years UTR Charity Open, held at the tennis courts of Round Rock High School in the Greater Austin Area. The tournament marked the inaugural event not only of the new year but also organized by our Austin Team, consisting of Directors Dillon Beckles and Aayush Parikh and Assistant Directors David Beckles and Kavish Parikh.
On January 7th, First Racquet members, including our Founder who drove in from Houston, braved the near freezing temperatures to show up bright and early for set up at Round Rock High School. As players trickled in early, eagerly anticipating the start time, members and volunteers graciously offered players to warm up with them while waiting. In many ways, this act set the tone for the rest of the day by creating a warm and lively atmosphere for players and their friends and families to enjoy despite the cold.
It came as no surprise that members and volunteers executed their responsibilities flawlessly from start to finish, with zero delays or disturbances. In interacting with spectating friends and families, we were honored to learn that a number of players traveled f
rom out of town and / or were participating in their first ever UTR tournament. Once again, the event highlighted one of our core values and goals in hosting tournaments, which is to cultivate a deeper level of inclusion and community within the world of tennis.
As the tournament concluded, our Austin Team carried out an enchanting award ceremony per First Racquet tradition. The deserving winners and runner ups of each draw were presented with their prize of choice, ranging from lessons with renowned coaches to a round of golf (with carts!) at Georgetown Country Club.
As always, our heartfelt appreciation goes to our sponsors, volunteers, and enthusiastic participants. Thank you all for making our first event of 2024 and in the Greater Austin Area one to remember!
