Live Broadcast of Next Week’s USTA Florida ‘Bobby Curtis’ Boys’, Girls’ 18 Finals with Commentary

The USTA National Campus in Orlando

The cutting-edge technology at the USTA National Campus in Orlando features all courts streamed live via Playsight technology, but Wednesday, June 13 will see a first for a junior event from the campus — the girls’ and boys’ 18s finals of the Florida state championships broadcast live with commentary.

The 2018 USTA Florida “Bobby Curtis” Junior State Singles Championships will be contested on June 9-13 in age 18-12 divisions. The 18s finals will be broadcast live with commentary beginning at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, June 13 at www.ustaflorida.com/livestreams.

On the broadcast call will be USTA Florida Player Development Coordinator and tennis podcaster Andy Gladstone, and USTA Florida Marketing & Communications Coordinator and former ATP World Tour staffer Rick Vach.

“The live stream is very innovating and exciting, we’re looking forward to featuring the four future stars that reach the 18s finals this year,” said USTA Florida Director of Tennis Jason Gilbert. “Like past winners, these are the players you’ll next see starring in college tennis or on the pro tour in the next few years.”

Former “Bobby Curtis” champs who have gone on to rank No. 1 in the world on the ATP and WTA rankings:

* Chris Evert (1971 Girls’ 18, 1970-69 Girls’ 16, 1968 Girls’ 14, and 1966 Girls’ 10 champion)
* Jennifer Capriati (1986 Girls’ 12 champion)
* Jim Courier (1986 Boys’ 18 champion)
* Andy Roddick (1996 Boys’ 14, 1994 Boys’ 12 champion)

Other notable winners over the years have been current WTA players Bethanie Mattek-Sands (1998 Girls’ 14 champion) and Danielle Collins (2011 & 2009 Girls’ 18, 2006 Girls’ 12) ; three-time Grand Slam runner-up and two-time Olympic gold medalist Mary Joe Fernandez (1983 Girls’ 14, 1982 Girls’ 12); former world No. 8-ranked Carling Bassett (1980 Girls’ 12); former world No. 7 and current U.S. Fed Cup Captain Kathy Rinaldi (1980 Girls’ 14, 1979 Girls’ 12); former world No. 7 Jay Berger (1985-84 Boys’ 18, 1983 Boys’ 16); former world No. 3 and two-time Slam doubles winner Brian Gottfried (1970 Boys’ 18, 1966 Boys’ 14, 1963-64 Boys’ 12); former world No. 5 and two-time French Open semifinalist Eddie Dibbs (1969 Boys’ 18, 1967 Boys’ 16, 1965 Boys’ 14); and former ATP player and legendary tennis organizer Charlie Pasarell (1958 Boys’ 15, 1957 Boys’ 13).

In 2012 the tournament was renamed the USTA Florida “Bobby Curtis” Junior State Championships in honor of legendary Florida junior tennis organizer Bobby Curtis. To read this year’s tournament preview click here. 

Live broadcast of the girls’ and boys’ 18s finals with commentary will be on June 13 on the USTA Florida YouTube channel and the USTA Florida app beginning at 10 a.m. at www.ustaflorida.com/livestreams.