Q&A With Neil Thakur, USTA Eastern’s Manager of Schools and Community Tennis Coordinator, Long Island 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 world’s most popular racquet sport. From the health benefits to the camaraderie it can provide as well as 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 2025 U.S. Open earlier this summer 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.

LITM: One of USTA Eastern’s goals in 2025 was to collaborate with more providers and organizations. How were you able to do that this year?

Thakur: We held meetings in our regions where we hosted our stakeholders and presented some of the new initiatives that the USTA has launched. We used these meetings as an opportunity to listen and learn what they needed from us. We also sent out surveys to club owners and managers to learn more about what they are doing and how we can support them to achieve their goals. It is important for the industry to work together and collaborate wherever possible in order to sustain our growth.

LITM: I know Red Ball for Adults has been a priority, how have you seen those programs/initiatives grow, and how are you and USTA Eastern doing more to expand on those?

Thakur: Yes, Red Ball for all ages is one of our top priorities. We have been expanding the game and it was also highlighted at the US Open. We want it to be seen as a social game as well as an entry point for those who want to learn tennis quickly and easily. The beauty of Red Ball tennis is that it can be played anywhere, tennis courts are not required. Even on a pickleball court!

LITM: Were you able to bring tennis into more schools this year? How do you plan to continue to expand on that mission?

Thakur: We have had steady growth in our school tennis program. I feel the best way to continue to expand the program is to connect our local clubs and community tennis associations to schools. This could include bringing them in to help with teaching tennis in PE classes or organizing after school programs. This is also a great way for them to gain new players for their own programs because many of these school students and their parents will want to learn beyond what is offered in the school environment.

LITM: What have you learned about the LI Tennis community through all these years?

Thakur: The LI tennis community is a very diverse one. There are many people playing at private clubs, parks and school courts. However, there are also many communities that do not have access to tennis for economic reasons. We want to grow the game in these areas by providing play opportunities and connecting them with providers who are willing to work with them. Compared to other regions, Long Island is definitely a robust tennis community but there is still plenty of room for continued growth.

LITM: Between Park Day, and the Kids Day events, among others, the LI Tennis community does a lot of work to grow the sport and expand its reach. Is that unique to LI do you think? What can other regions in the section learn from the success of these events?

Thakur: Yes, many of the events that take place on Long Island are very unique. We have a very active regional council made up of enthusiastic volunteers who support these activities and events. Each region has a different geographical makeup and demographics so it may be difficult to duplicate what LI does elsewhere.

LITM: On a personal level, what do you enjoy most about your job, and what keeps you motivated to keep doing the work?

Thakur: I consider myself very lucky to have the job that I have and I know that it has changed my life. Everyday is exciting and new because there are so many different opportunities to grow a game that I love. I have made great connections with so many people in the industry and they are always ready to support me and likewise they know that I’m a trusted resource for them. It is always rewarding to meet a parent or a player who has benefitted from some of our programs over the years and see how something I have done has made such an impact on their life. I also have the privilege to work at the US Open every year which is always the most exciting time of the year for any tennis player.

LITM: As we move towards the end of 2025 and head into 2026, what are some of your goals as the Community Tennis Coordinator?

Thakur: I would like to help grow our existing community tennis organizations and also find new areas to introduce tennis. Implementing our program into Long Island schools has always been a challenge since every school district operates differently so that is always a goal every year. I would like to increase more social play for those who are not looking for competitive tennis but a healthy activity. I am also involved with USTA Coaching so holding more workshops and showing that coaching is a very good career path for someone still trying to figure out what to do after high school or college. I would also like to ensure that everyone knows about all the resources available from the USTA and take advantage of them since we are a non-profit and our mission is to “grow tennis to inspire healthier people and communities everywhere”.