Donald Young, the talented left-handed former U.S. Olympic and Davis Cup team member, has been added to the singles field at the $15,000 Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships that begins Monday at The Boulevard Tennis Club. Young, who was ranked as high as No. 38 in the world, was added as a late wild card entry into Vero Beach’s annual pro tennis tournament, part of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) World Tennis Tour and U.S. Tennis Association Pro Circuit. Ranked as high as No. 38 in the world in 2017, Young is currently ranked No. 432 and will be the top-seed in this “minor league” pro tennis tournament. While Young was added to the Mardy Fish field, Ryan Harrison, also a former U.S. Olympian and Davis Cup team member and previously announced as the event’s headliner, withdrew from the event.
“It’s so exciting for our tournament that a player with the resume of Donald Young will be competing this year,” said Tom Fish, President Emeritus of the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation and the father of Mardy Fish. “It’s not every day that a player of Donald’s stature plays at this level of tournament, but it shows the dedication of love of the game that Donald has to return to the top levels of the sport. It’s very admirable of him. It’s a bit reminiscent when Andre Agassi dropped down to minor league events before he returned to the top of the game. We hope that Vero Beach can be a springboard for Donald for the future. I know fans in Vero Beach will appreciate having the opportunity to see him play.”
Young, 31, reached the fourth round twice at the U.S. Open, in 2011 and 2015, defeating future U.S., Australian and French Open Stan Wawrinka in a memorable and high-charged five-setter in 2011. He represented the U.S. at the Olympic Games in 2012 and was named to the U.S. Davis Cup team in 2014 and 2015. He reached two ATP singles finals, falling to Andy Murray in the Thailand Open final in 2011 and losing to Ivo Karlovic in the Delray Beach Open final in 2015.
Due to COVID protocols, limited seating is available via reserved tickets and sponsorships. No daily tickets are being sold. Those interested in reserved tickets or sponsorships can contact Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Executive Director Lynn Southerly at LSouth1072@gmail.com The tournament is traditionally held in late April but was postponed to October due to COVID-19.
Play beings Monday at Noon with the start of the qualifying round. Main draw doubles play begins Tuesday and main draw singles play starts Wednesday.
Some of the past competitors at the USTA Vero Beach Futures have gone on to succeed at the highest levels of professional tennis, winning major singles and doubles titles, Olympic medals and Davis Cup championships and earning No. 1 world rankings. Andy Roddick, the 2003 U.S. Open champion who attained the world No. 1 ranking and helped the United States win the Davis Cup in 2007, competed in Vero Beach in 1999. Thomas Johansson of Sweden, who reached the second round of the Vero Beach Futures in 1995, won the Australian Open seven years later in 2002. Nicolas Massu, the 1998 singles runner-up in Vero Beach, won the singles and doubles gold medals at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, beating Fish in the gold medal singles match. Kyle Edmund, the 2013 champion in Vero Beach, helped Great Britain to the Davis Cup title in 2015. Other notable former competitors in Vero Beach include former world No. 2 Magnus Norman, former world No. 4 Tim Henman, 2016 Wimbledon finalist Milos Raonic and most recently new top 10 start Denis Shapovalov, who played in Vero Beach in 2016. Former Vero Beach competitors have combined to win 19 titles in singles, doubles and mixed doubles at Grand Slam tournaments. Eight former Vero Beach players have gone on to play Davis Cup for the United States – Roddick, Fish, Taylor Dent, Jared Palmer, Donald Young, Ryan Harrison, Frances Tiafoe and Tommy Paul.
Founded in 2007, the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation (www.MardyFishChildrensFoundation.org and @MardyFishFound on Twitter) currently supports over 2,400 children in 15 elementary schools, six middle schools, and several other community organizations in Indian River County, Florida by funding after-school exercise, nutritional and enrichment programs in a safe environment to prepare them for healthy, productive and successful lives. The Foundation introduced the “Six Healthy Habits” in 2012 which are Get Sleep; Drink Water; Exercise Daily, Eat Healthy; Brush and Floss; Make Friends.
Leading tournament sponsors for 2021 include Presenting Sponsor: PNC Bank, Grand Slam Sponsors: Boston Barricade, George E. Warren Corporation, The Jake Owen Foundation, John’s Island Real Estate, Tom Collins Insurance, Cabana/Box Seat Sponsors: Michael and Kathleen Pierce, Gene Simonsen, John and Charlotte Klein, Peter and Maureen Lee, John’s Island Real Estate, Wilmington Trust, Bob and Lace Milligan, Micky and Rob Stein, Bob and Emilie Burr, Lynn Southerly, John and Sara Marshall, John and Marie McConnell, Shirley Becker, Hadleigh Investments and Supporting Sponsors: Syde Hurdus Foundation, Mike and Meg Hickey/The M&M Group, Nalzarro Music, Flat Rock Global, LLC, Hoskins, Turco, Lloyd & Lloyd, Kitchens by Design, Diamond Resorts, Center Court Outfitters, Foglia Contracting, Offfutt, Barton, Schlitt, Inc, Joe and Gloria Papalardo, Dave and Nina Piacquad, Baerbel O’Haire, Dr. Curtis Dalili, Line Ory, Rebecca Emmons, Linda Johnson, Pene Chambers, Felicia Payton, Kaye Manly, Kathy Silloway, Willem and Marion DeVogel, Ron Chesley, Dr. Collin Kitchell and Minuteman Press.
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