At the 2017 Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships last week at the Grand Harbor Golf & Beach Club, the eager young ballboys and ballgirls awaiting their chance to dash onto the court and retrieve errant tennis balls might one day be able to emulate their heroes thanks to the tournament’s generous sponsors, participants and ticketholders.
The youngsters were Kids on Court students, one of several Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation programs offered year-round to all kindergarten through eighth-grade students in Indian River County. Founded in 2007 by Vero’s own Mardy Fish, a former top 10 tennis star and 2004 Olympic silver medalist, MFCF also serves up Kids in Motion, providing afterschool exercise, nutritional and enrichment programs to more than 2,100 children in elementary and middle schools, and encourages Mardy’s Six Healthy Habits: Get Sleep; Drink Water; Exercise Daily; Eat Healthy; Brush and Floss; Make Friends.
In 2016, the MFCF took over management of the “Futures” tennis tournament, one of the longest running on the U.S. Tennis Association Pro Circuit, from its longtime director, Mike Rahaley.
After a weekend of qualifiers with a soggy Sunday, a Pro-Am and Tournament Party Monday afternoon drew 30 enthusiasts anxious to volley with 10 world-ranked players prior to the Main Draw, which began Tuesday.
“It’s a nice kickoff to the tournament,” said MFCF board member Joe Pappalardo. “We did it last year and sold out and it sold out again this year. In my opinion, Vero Beach is the best per capita tennis town in the country.”
Tennis aficionados welcomed the chance to meet the new crop of up-and-coming players, with many especially eager to see Britain’s Marcus Willis, who was dubbed last summer’s Cinderella story after he rose to a matchup against Roger Federer on Wimbledon’s Center Court.
Attendees were also there just to continue the legacy Mardy began. And with Mardy now residing in California, his parents, Tom and Sally Fish, have picked up the standard; Tom Fish is MFCF board chairman.
“Mardy said to me how grateful he is of his hometown community,” said Pappalardo. “He’s even more grateful that his parents are giving back to children who are not their own to help them achieve success. Although he’s not here helping, he’s its biggest cheerleader. All the leaders in the community are helping to grow and sustain the program and help these kids who have very little resources.”
According to Alet Filmalter, a financial advisor with Merrill Lynch who formerly competed on the pro women’s circuit, the players often struggle financially as well.
“I know how important it is for the players to get housing,” said Filmalter, who convinced her friends Libby Thompson and Bill King to hosting two players at their home. “Nowadays you have to be in the top 100 to make a living; endorsements are where you make your money.”
“They’re such sweet guys and they’re just starting out,” said Thompson. “We just can’t do enough for them.”
Newbies weren’t the only ones there. The celebrated brother-sister tennis duo,Cliff and Nancy Richey came to watch, sitting with Denise Capriati, mother of Olympic gold medalist and three-time Grand Slam title holder Jennifer Capriati.
“It’s amazing; they’re all hitting very well,” said Nancy Richey, who can boast two Grand Slam singles titles and four Grand Slam women’s doubles titles and, like Jennifer Capriati, was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
“One of the personal interests we all have is that Ivan Lendl coaches a few of the guys in this event. We all know him and hoped to see some of them play,” said Cliff Richie, who earned 45 tournament titles over his 26-year career. Now a mental-health activist, he authored the book “Your Playbook for Beating Depression.”
When asked if they were rooting for anyone in particular, Cliff Richie said with a laugh, “No, we’re too old and they’re too young. We really don’t know many of them.”
