AZ Tennis Classic hosts Serve the Future AZ, awards the nonprofit $10,000
Serve the Future’s underserved students invited to experience professional tennis event.
PHOENIX (March 16, 2025) – Serve the Future AZ, a nonprofit organization that brings tennis and life coaching to Phoenix youth who normally wouldn't have the means to experience the sport, received a $10,000 award from the Arizona Tennis Classic at its 2025 tournament. The organization's students also attended the event, giving them a rare opportunity to witness high-level tennis competition firsthand.4
The $10,000 donation from the Arizona Tennis Classic, combined with other funds raised throughout the year, will significantly boost Serve the Future AZ's capabilities. The organization plans to use these resources to create more opportunities for students from elementary age to former graduates to learn and play with coaches and mentors, purchase equipment, and provide more essentials that allow the organization's services to remain freely available for schools throughout the Valley.
"It has been a beautiful experience to be at this tournament and see professional players," said Serve the Future student Alitzel Gonzalez. "It inspires and motivates me to play better and gives me an idea of what it's like to play professionally."
Serve the Future AZ's program welcomes students of all skill levels, teaching them the importance of exercise and tennis, while demonstrating how these skills apply to other aspects of their lives. The organization's approach combines physical activity with mentorship, fostering discipline, teamwork and personal responsibility.
"Our students are given the unique opportunity to learn aspects of life through the lens of tennis," said Leslie Banks, founder and executive director of Serve the Future AZ. "They will cherish the Arizona Tennis Classic experience for years to come, especially as they continue to learn the game."
The Arizona Tennis Classic, an ATP Challenger Tour event, has become a staple in the Phoenix tennis community since its inception in 2019.
"We're eager to contribute to Serve the Future AZ's mission," said Jonathan Levine, AZ Tennis Classic Tournament Director. "Their work aligns perfectly with our goal of growing the sport and making it accessible to all."
The award and tournament experience align with Serve the Future AZ's mission to use tennis as a vehicle for personal growth and development among underserved youth in the Phoenix area. Since its founding in 2020, the organization has expanded its reach to include elementary schools in the Isaac School District, charter school Academia Del Pueblo, high schools in the Phoenix Union School District, and several other schools throughout the Valley.
About Serve the Future AZ
Serve The Future AZ is a certified 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Its core mission is to positively impact youth from underserved communities. Building self-confidence, perseverance and responsibility through the game of tennis. By providing positive opportunities to learn and grow through the sport of tennis they develop a healthier lifestyle which impacts their family, peers and community. Consistency and repetition through a yearlong tennis academy complemented by transformative and engaging programs is the path to achieving change. By specifically choosing youth from the Elementary, Middle and High School Districts within the Phoenix Union, the organization hopes to alleviate some of the disparities noted above. The pandemic has exacerbated this well-documented academic and social gulf among school districts. Serve the Future AZ wants to contribute to the solution by giving these youth healthy and positive opportunities and environments on and off the tennis court. Learn more at servethefuture.org.
About the Arizona Tennis Classic:
The Arizona Tennis Classic is part of the ATP Challenger Tour — the second highest level of men's professional tennis tournaments in the world. The ATP Challenger Tour, which began in 1978, has been the starting platform for a number of international tennis greats for more than 40 years. The Arizona Tennis Classic is an extension of that mission, designed to help discover and develop the emerging generation of young tennis stars who will propel this sport into the future. For more: arizonatennisclassic.com.
