Following the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles, the WTA and its WTA Foundation swiftly took action to support the affected tennis communities, coinciding with the BNP Paribas Open in Palm Desert. WTA Legends Alexandra Stevenson and Gigi Fernandez spearheaded these vital support efforts.
Alexandra Stevenson, coaching six players from Palisades Charter High School which was tragically burned down, immediately recognized the severe impact on the school`s tennis teams. Many players were left without access to home courts and some even lost their homes.
Stevenson, in collaboration with Palisades coach Bud Kling and WTA Foundation Executive Director Ann Austin, organized a special visit for both the boys` and girls` teams to the BNP Paribas Open on March 7th. The players had the opportunity to meet World No. 5 Madison Keys, who joined them for photos and autographs. Furthermore, Maria Sakkari and Ann Austin, representing the WTA Foundation, presented a $10,000 donation to assist the students who were displaced by the fires.
Stevenson emphasized the importance of this support, stating, “It was crucial for these players to receive positive encouragement after experiencing nearly two months of disrupted lives. Witnessing top-tier competition at the BNP Paribas Open was truly inspiring and revitalizing for them.”
In a parallel effort, Gigi Fernandez partnered with the WTA Foundation to raise $50,000. This included a $10,000 contribution from USTA Southern California, all dedicated to the rebuilding of the Palisades Tennis Center and providing aid to the Altadena community, also heavily affected by the wildfires.
Fernandez shared her motivation to act: “Learning about the devastation in Los Angeles compelled me to help. Having personally experienced the impact of back-to-back hurricanes just months prior, which resulted in my house being flooded and car being lost, I was moved to take action. Ironically, I had already begun planning a non-profit organization before these events, and this reinforced my commitment to create one dedicated to assisting disaster victims.”
While in the process of establishing her non-profit `Tennis for Hope` and securing 501(c)(3) status, Fernandez collaborated with the WTA Foundation as a fiscal sponsor to initiate fundraising activities.
During a ceremony held at the WTA suite in Indian Wells, Fernandez, accompanied by Hall of Famer Pam Shriver, presented Mike Tomas, Director of the Palisades Tennis Center, with a $25,000 check to support reconstruction efforts. She also announced an additional $25,000 commitment to aid the Altadena tennis community.
Ann Austin highlighted the WTA Foundation`s core mission: “The WTA Foundation is dedicated to making a positive impact on lives. Our immediate response was to offer both financial and emotional support to those whose lives have been profoundly and permanently altered by these devastating wildfires.”
Jasper Hawthorne 
Dominic Ashworth