May 22nd, 2026
Florida’s Top Juniors Prepare for 2026 Bobby Curtis Junior State Championships
The countdown is on as USTA Florida’s most prestigious junior tournament, the Bobby Curtis Junior State Championships, returns to the USTA National Campus.
Format for 2026
Florida’s top junior tennis athletes will descend on the clay courts for two weeks of high-level competition, with division titles and bragging rights on the line. The 16s and 18s divisions will kick things off from June 5 to 9, followed by the 12s and 14s from June 12 to 17.
All rounds will be officiated by roving officials and court monitors, with chaired matches for main draw finals.
All players are required to sign in and register through the Match Tennis App, which will serve as the virtual tournament desk throughout the event. The app will be used for pre-tournament check-in, match check-in, court assignment text messaging, match score reporting, and viewing the waiting list and matches in progress.
College Tennis Panel
Outside of tournament play, USTA Florida is introducing something new this year with the College Tennis Panel held in conjunction with the Bobby Curtis. Taking place on June 4 at 6:00 PM, the virtual panel will focus on college tennis and modern-day recruiting, giving junior players and their families valuable insight into the pathway from competitive junior tennis to the collegiate level. The panel will run approximately 45 minutes to an hour, followed by a Q&A session.
This event is open to everyone, not just Bobby Curtis competitors. Parents are also encouraged to attend. The panel will feature two distinguished coaches from different levels of college tennis:
Damian Hume, Princeton University serves as the Cornelia Drake and John Van Ryn Jr. ’28 Assistant Coach of Tennis. A South African native who was once ranked No. 1 in his country and No. 37 in the world as a junior, Hume has helped guide Princeton to multiple NCAA Tournament appearances and wins over nationally ranked opponents. He joined the Princeton staff in 2015 after coaching stints at Michigan State and Boise State, where he also played at the No. 1 position in singles and doubles.
Trish Riddell, Florida Southern College has led the Moccasins’ women’s tennis program for 20 years, compiling 262 career wins in 2025 to become the winningest coach in program history. Under her leadership, Florida Southern has made 11 NCAA Tournament appearances, been nationally ranked every season and produced seven individual All-Americans. Riddell was named SSC Coach of the Year and has guided the program to upsets over top-10 opponents and Division I programs alike.
The Bobby Curtis has long been a proving ground for some of the biggest names in tennis. Former winners include Chris Evert (1971 18s, 1970-69 16s, 1968 14s, and 1966 10s champion), Jennifer Capriati (1986 12s champion), Jim Courier (1986 18s champion) and Andy Roddick (1996 14s, 1994 12s champion).
Other notable winners over the years include Danielle Collins (2011 & 2009 18s, 2006 12s), Amanda Anisimova (2014 14s, 2011 10s), and Sofia Kenin (2010 12s); three-time Grand Slam runner-up and two-time Olympic gold medalist Mary Joe Fernandez (1983 14s, 1982 12s); former world No. 8-ranked Carling Bassett (1980 12s); former world No. 7 and former US Billie Jean King Cup Coach Kathy Rinaldi (1980 14s, 1979 12s).
To stay updated with the 2026 Bobby Curtis Junior State Championships, follow USTA Florida on Instagram or view the draws below.
2025 Bobby Curtis Singles Winners
Boys’ 12s: Daniel Levine (Wellington)
Girls’ 12s: Emma Dobrean (Palm Beach Gardens)
Boys’ 14s: Robert Bouzi (Miramar)
Girls’ 14s: Melanie Constandache (Coconut Creek)
Boys’ 16s: Dhakshish Aryan (Parkland)
Girls’ 16s: Nikol Davletshina (Boca Raton)
Boys’ 18s: Alex Feies (Orlando)
Girls’ 18s: Lyla Messler (Largo)
