Deborah Slaner Larkin, at 76, is a solid 4.5 tennis player, who enjoys playing for fun as well as in leagues and tournaments. She loves the game. Or as she succinctly puts it, “I’ve got tennis in my DNA.”

But that’s just the beginning of her partnership with tennis…

How many women at 88-years-old can claim to have been a junior tennis star, give it up for a while to go to college to become a physical therapist, become a nationally ranked badminton player, a golfer, taking up tennis again, and many years later, still being selected for USTA Cup Teams?

Liane Bryson’s energy is never-ending and inspiring. Here’s a day in her life:  “I play three sets of doubles, followed by an hour of pickleball, then I finish up my workout with half an hour on my Peloton...”

I spoke with Judy in May when she was relaxing on the porch of her home in Amherst, MA. She had just returned from the national hardcourt tourney in Kentucky where she won gold in the 75s singles and doubles. A successful day at the office you’d say.

Bryn Auld grew up in Atlanta, GA and started playing at age 11. She competed in both junior tournaments and high school matches. She went on to play her freshman year at Florida State University in 2001 but developed what she described as a heavy case of burnout from tennis…

I first met Kim Kouwabunpat like a lot of us tennis players do, as opponents, during the 2022 USTA Hard Court Championships in Palm Springs. When you first meet Kim, her laugh, warmth, and kindness shine through…

At the 2024 USTA National Clay Court Championships played in Palm Beach, a new champion emerged in the 70s division. Wendy McCloskey defeated Becky Timmis for the gold and silver, respectively, in the final. …

Heidi Clemmer’s life has always included tennis. Before she was born. When she was a toddler. When she was in school. In college. During her extended business career, though not as much as before or after. Now, even as her health has temporarily sidelined her from the courts, the National Women’s Tennis Organization is counting on her as its new treasurer…

Synonymous with the name Kathy Settles are the words “family” and “sports.” And as she prepares to serve as co-president of the NWTO next year, knowing this about our leadership ensures us Kathy is a perfect pick for the role…

What are the odds that an 83-year-old tennis player, teacher, always smiling, happy German who sings at the drop of a hat, could survive a tumor that was wrapped around her brain and probably should have killed her? Continue reading to find out…

As we think over which tournaments we are going to play in 2024 and how we will build our playing schedule, we’d like to introduce you to NWTO member Vickki Schlappi, who has spent her career as a licensed general contractor, building and remodeling homes…

Eventually, she started to play again and began competing in a local league…A gold ball and competing for the USA sounded pretty cool to Kristen so she began seeking out tournaments to play in 2023…

We’ll get to the improbable story of Birds Barbershop in Austin, Texas, in a moment, y’all (as its website says). But first, we’ll tell y’all about Erin Portman’s pandemic bicycle accident because, after all, Erin is the tennis player we’re spotlighting and the accident has everything to do with her spiraling tennis game…

Our Member Spotlight this month is Sheila Weinstock. The midget baseball team of Lancaster, Pa., lost out big in 1952. And it wasn’t the boys’ fault. They wanted then-11-year-old Sheila Allison on their team. She practiced with them at the field across from her family’s home. She was their best pitcher. Unfortunately, the team’s board decided that if Sheila were on the team “the boys would consider it a sissy sport.” …

Our Member Spotlight this month is Sarah Flood. A new member of NWTO, Sarah has had a lifelong passion for the sport of tennis. In many ways, it has been her saving grace. Life has thrown her many curveballs and seemingly insurmountable obstacles along the way, yet she has always sought to find the joy in life – and tennis has been a big part of that…