Kids from Kings County Tennis League rally with Sloane Stephens, John Isner at U.S. Open • Brooklyn Paper

Brooklyn kids from the Kings County Tennis League join tennis champions Sloane Stephens and John Isner on court at Arthur Ashe Stadium during a U.S. Open clinic on Aug. 26.

Photo by Fernando Alonso, courtesy of Publicis Groupe

For a handful of Brooklyn kids, the last days of summer brought an unforgettable experience: stepping onto the court at Arthur Ashe Stadium to rally with tennis champions Sloane Stephens and John Isner.

The opportunity came through the Kings County Tennis League (KCTL), a Bed-Stuy-based nonprofit that has introduced kids in public housing to tennis for the past 15 years. The Aug. 26 clinic, held in partnership with Emirates and the U.S. Tennis Association, followed support KCTL received last year, when its courts were refurbished.

Six players represented the league at the stadium: Brooklyn kids DJ Robinson, Zoey Donadelle, Samuel Zhao, Sufi Broomes-Currie and Ariana Diaz. The group joined Stephens and Isner, who ran drills and offered pointers as the young players smiled through the early morning session.

The day didn’t end there for Donadelle. She later walked onto center court at the 11:30 a.m. U.S. Open match between Iga Światek and Emiliana Arango, where she performed the official coin toss.

For many families, the moment felt bigger than tennis.

Ajna Kramer, a Bed-Stuy resident and mother of Diaz, said she felt “lucky” to watch her daughter play on the storied court.

“KCTL has been a godsend for these kids,” she said. “It has just given them so many opportunities that otherwise they wouldn’t have.”

“I feel like tennis has always been more of an exclusive sport. You don’t find it in every school and it’s not something the kids grow up seeing,” Kramer continued. “Having this program right in our neighborhood just makes it super accessible for our kids.”

Kramer said her children joined KCTL during the COVID-19 pandemic and that the program has given them a “sense of community” and “something to dedicate them.”

Her story is echoed by many parents whose children have found a home on KCTL’s courts. Lia Broomes-Currie, whose daughter Sufi also participated in the clinic, said the program “helps build self-esteem and confidence.”

“Having KCTL every Saturday really helps her build self-confidence, which I think is going to equip her for a really wonderful future, not just in high school,” Broomes-Currie said.

Executive Director Joe Ceriello said moments like these show kids how far the game can take them.

“I know these kids are passionate about tennis from being in the program for so many years, and to have a U.S. Open champion here and somebody who’s beaten Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic,” Ceriello said. “It’s wildly inspiring and I hope it makes them play even harder in the program.”

KCTL recently celebrated its 15th anniversary, a milestone that highlights its growth since holding its first lessons with a handful of volunteers on a neglected court at Marcy Houses. Today, the league operates at six New York City Housing Authority developments, chiefly in Bed-Stuy, and serves hundreds of players each year. Since last year, it has expanded from one court to six.

From those first lessons to watching Brooklyn players stand at center court in Arthur Ashe Stadium, Ceriello said the grassroots journey reflects what KCTL is all about.

“Tennis is booming in Brooklyn. There’s a rich culture of tennis that’s going on with KCTL, and these kids are getting better and better. But the real dream is that they’re learning everything they can from tennis. They have healthy lifestyles that really develop critical thinking and a community through the sport.”