International Tennis Hall of Fame Launches Program to Inspire Student-Athletes

The International Tennis Hall of Fame has launched a new program aimed at promoting the sport to younger players by tapping into lessons from legends of tennis.

The “Be Legendary” program is designed to immerse young players ages 10–18 in the history of tennis, emphasizing the importance of perseverance and sharing the inspiring stories of legendary players who triumphed over adversity to achieve greatness. The Hall of Faming is aiming for the program to teach lessons about hard work, dedication and a passion for tennis and sport.

Under the program, student-athletes from local youth tennis programs will:

• Engage with lessons centered around a Hall of Famer to learn what makes them legendary and how they exemplify tennis values on and off the court.
• Meet the selected Hall of Famer and participate in a variety of tennis activities, including a circuit of tailored on-court drills and challenges.
• Visit their local professional tennis tournament to engage with current stars of the sport.

In 2025, the program will launch at events in Melbourne, Indian Wells and Miami. Hall of Famers scheduled to participate include Kim Clijsters, Arantxa Sánchez-Vicario and 2025 Inductees Mike and Bob Bryan, and Rosie Casals, among others. “Be Legendary” was piloted in 2024 with participation from Clijsters, Sánchez-Vicario, Andre Agassi, Chris Evert, Leander Paes, Martina Navratilova, Vijay Amritraj, Rick Draney, Tracy Austin, Gigi Fernandez and Stan Smith. Students in the pilot program had the opportunity to study those legends’ stories and then spend time with them in person, via Q & A sessions, one-on-one conversations and tennis programming.

“Be Legendary” was created by the International Tennis Hall of Fame to educate young players globally on both the history of the sport and the lessons learned by its legends,” said Clijsters. “Our goal is to do some good in the world, helping kids find their greatness by showing them what it means to be legendary, both on and off the court.”

The program will culminate with a “Legendary Weekend in Newport,” where outstanding participants selected from each youth organization will receive a trip to Newport, Rhode Island, to visit the International Tennis Hall of Fame during the 2025 Induction Celebration.

“At the International Tennis Hall of Fame, we believe the ability to be legendary lives in each of us,” said ITHF CEO Dan Faber. “That’s why we created this program — to leverage our platform in tennis to positively impact the lives of the next generation. By promoting the history of our sport, celebrating the champions who have paved the way, and providing memorable experiences, we can carry forward the legacy of tennis and deliver lasting impact that goes beyond the court.”