Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships Underway

The 2021 Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships kicks off today, Monday, Oct. 18, at The Boulevard Tennis Club in Vera Beach, Fla. 

The annual tournament, which runs through Oct. 24, is being held in October for the second consecutive year — rather than its traditional April date — due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s event will be a $15,000 tournament on the ITF World Tennis Tour as part of the USTA Pro Circuit, where players will compete for ATP ranking points.

Former French Open doubles champion and U.S. Olympic and Davis Cup team member Ryan Harrison is among the leading entries into the tournament this year. Other leading entries include No. 476-ranked Patrick Kypson of Raleigh, N.C., the winner of the 2017 USTA National Boy’s 18 Championships who competed in the main draw of the 2017 U.S. Open; University of Florida standout Ben Shelton of Gainesville, who clinched the NCAA team title for the Gators in May; and Liam Draxl of Canada, who was the No. 1 seed at the 2021 NCAA singles championship competing for the University of Kentucky.

The Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships is considered Vero Beach’s most prestigious international sporting event, held on the Treasure Coast since 1995. The tournament serves as the largest fundraiser for the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation, which helps at-risk children in Indian River County by supporting after-school exercise, nutritional and enrichment programs in a safe environment to prepare them for healthy, productive and successful lives. The non-profit organization was founded in 2007 by Vero Beach native Mardy Fish, the former top 10 tennis star, 2004 Olympic silver medalist and the current U.S. Davis Cup captain.

For more information, visit MardyFishChildrensFoundation.org.