USTA FOUNDATION TO HOST THE FIRST EVER US OPEN EXCELLENCE CUP PRESENTED BY AMERICAN EXPRESS

24 National Junior Tennis and Learning Tennis Players From

13 Excellence Teams Will Compete In a Tournament at 2018 US Open

FLUSHING, N.Y., Sept. 06, 2018 – USTA Foundation, the national charitable arm of the United States Tennis Association (USTA), today announced that it will host the first ever US Open Excellence Cup presented by American Express at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center from Sept. 6-8. This three-day event is the final tournament of the National Junior Tennis and Learning (NJTL) Excellence Teams national series consisting of 24 student athletes from all 13 Excellence Teams. These athletes were selected by USTA Player Development and the USTA Foundation as the top Excellence Team students in the nation.

The US Open Excellence Cup presented by American Express is a new tournament that will round out three annual events held earlier this year, including the Capitol Cup, Washington; Jr. Orange Bowl, Miami; and the National Wild Card Playoffs at the USTA National Campus, Orlando, Fla.

The selected student athletes and their coaches will travel to New York City and participate in a highly-engaging and memorable weekend of competition and learning. Championship matches will be held at the US Open American Express Fan Experience on site at the US Open. The weekend will wrap-up with an awards luncheon on Sept. 8, hosted by the USTA Foundation. The luncheon will be held at the Grandstand Stadium Overlook at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Of the 24 participants, two will be awarded a Sportsmanship Award at the final tournament.

A 25-year US Open sponsor, American Express will award each team with an annual stipend for training and development, travel to the annual tournaments, and support for various community service projects.

USTA Foundation Incorporated (USTAF), the national charitable arm of the United States Tennis Association Incorporated (USTA), brings together the powerful combination of tennis and education to change lives of under-resourced youth. The Foundation utilizes financial grants, scholarship opportunities, curricula, technical assistance and training to make a lasting difference, and it’s with a primary focus is to develop and ensure the sustainability and effectiveness of the National Junior Tennis & Learning (NJTL) network. The NJTL network features more than 350 chapters that reach more than 200,000 youth on an annual basis. The Foundation raises money and public awareness to support these life-changing programs through private donations, corporate sponsorships and foundations, as well as its special fundraisers held throughout the year, including the US Open Opening Night Gala, the US Open Paver program, and Pro-Ams, to name a few. To date, the Foundation has awarded more than $28 million in grants and scholarships to more than 270 programs, helping to serve up dreams for thousands of children throughout the country. For more information on USTA Foundation, visit www.ustafoundation.com. Or stay connected through Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/USTA/, and on Twitter at @USTA.