Q&A With Neil Thakur, Manager Schools and Community Tennis Coordinator, Long Island & Metro Region

The sport of tennis continues to grow and thrive throughout the country, and that is especially true here on Long Island. While we have seen the rise of other racquet and paddle sports during this time, tennis maintains its place as the sport of choice for many. From the extreme health benefits to the camaraderie it can provide and the life skills it helps foster, the benefits of tennis are immense.

At the heart of the sport’s growth here in our communities is the work done by USTA Eastern, the governing body of tennis in our area. The 2024 U.S. Open earlier this fall saw a record number of people come out for tennis, and once again USTA Eastern provided hundreds of juniors the opportunity to go on court prior to matches, one of the many unique initiatives conducted by Eastern to inspire kids to play tennis.

Neil Thakur is USTA Eastern’s Schools Manager and Community Tennis Coordinator for the Long Island and Metro Region, and is integral in organizing those pre-match clinics during the U.S. Open, as well as the many year-round programs that help grow tennis. Long Island Tennis Magazine spoke with Thakur about this year’s U.S. Open, the 2024 year overall, and how Eastern plans to continue its work into 2025.

LITM: As the Schools Manager and Community Tennis Coordinator for USTA Eastern, what is your role within the organization?

Thakur: I work with schools to help them introduce tennis in their PE and afterschool programs. We offer equipment, training for teachers and a K-12 curriculum all for free. We also connect them to a local school partner that can help implement an in school and/or after school program. In my CTC role, I work with all commercial and community organizations in the Metro and Long Island regions to grow tennis. This includes offering them support through grants, programming and whatever else they need.

LITM: How has USTA Eastern helped bring tennis into more schools in an effort to continue growing the game at the grassroots level?

Thakur: Having tennis in school PE helps expose kids in underserved communities to a game that they may not otherwise have access to. Studies show that students who play tennis perform better in school and go on to college. It also keeps them healthy and active. Many HS coaches see it as a feeder program for their tennis teams.

LITM: The Net Generation clinics prior to the U.S. Open matches are always a highlight of the event. How have you and Eastern helped grow that initiative over the last few years and what is the feedback you get from the tennis coaches/directors, as well as parents and the players themselves?

Thakur: We are very lucky to have the U.S. Open in our backyard and invite players and parents to attend for free. The Net Generation on court program has proven to be a very inspiring and memorable opportunity for our local clubs and community programs to have their juniors play where the professionals play. I get so much positive feedback from coaches, directors, parents and players throughout the year. Many say it inspired them to continue playing tennis and improve their game. I truly believe that we are changing lives!

LITM: What are some new initiatives, if any, you began in 2024? How did they align with the organization’s goals?

Thakur: The goal is always to grow the game, however we can. To do this, we have been trying to encourage more players to consider coaching as a career by attending our various coaching workshops. We also have been promoting social tennis programs which include having new players learn red ball which allows them to learn tennis in a simpler way while having fun. Tennis is a lifelong game that offers many health benefits and that is something that we want to continue to promote.

LITM: What is on the horizon for 2025? How will you continue to help grow the sport of tennis as we prepare for a new year?

Thakur: We want to collaborate with new organizations and players to grow the game and we will continue to do that in 2025. There are many pilot programs that were introduced this year and we hope to expand on those in the future.

LITM: What should the public-at-large know about what Eastern is doing, and what grant opportunities and others are available to them?

Thakur: The public at large should know that we are committed to help refurbish public tennis courts through our tennis venue services which includes grants and consulting services. We are engaging with local government and park agencies to identify tennis courts that are in need of repair. We rely on our volunteers to help us deliver programs so we are always looking for our players to get involved with us and support their community programs through various grants that we offer. We want to offer more free or low cost tennis opportunities during the outdoor season at parks and other community facilities.