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NYC PARKS CELEBRATES RECONSTRUCTION OF KISSENA PARK TENNIS COURTS IN QUEENS

The $320,000 project funded by USTA Eastern brings premier tennis spaces to Queens community with new playing surfaces, painted lines, and nets

On Friday, October, NYC Parks Commissioner Iris Rodriguez-Rosa joined leaders from the United States Tennis Association (USTA), Assemblymember Nily Rozic, Queens Borough Commissioner Jacqueline Langsam and members of the Queens community to celebrate the completion of newly reconstructed tennis courts at Kissena Park in Queens. Joined by Daniel Zausner, Chief Operating Officer of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, and Jennifer Schnitzer, Executive Director & CEO of USTA Eastern, Commissioner Rodriguez-Rosa cut the ribbon on the renovated courts, which will now provide players with a premium playing experience.

"While Kissena Park has long been a destination for tennis players in Queens, we are excited to elevate that experience and unveil upgraded, world-class courts, courtesy of funding by USTA,” said NYC Parks Commissioner Iris Rodriguez-Rosa. “This investment demonstrates the power of partnership in bringing transformative infrastructure improvements to facilities that meaningfully benefit our communities. These renovated courts will further solidify Queens as a hub for tennis excellence and serve players at all levels for years to come.”

The newly reconstructed tennis courts at Kissena Park now feature pristine playing surfaces, crisply painted lines, and brand-new nets that deliver a premium playing experience. These world-class upgrades will provide tennis enthusiasts with exceptional court conditions that match the standards of the USTA.

The Kissena Park project was made possible through NYC Parks collaboration with the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center (NTC) and the USTA Eastern Section. The NTC, which is home to the annual US Open and also serves as a year-round public tennis facility for the Queens community, sought to identify nearby tennis facilities that could benefit from improvements. Once Kissena Park was identified, the NTC staff worked with USTA Eastern, NYC Parks and local stakeholders who worked together to ensure the project was completed on time and to the standards of the USTA..

The project was funded by USTA Eastern, which has increased its commitment to improving tennis infrastructure across the region over the past year. Kissena Park joins a growing list of facilities throughout the USTA Eastern Section that have received significant funding towards refurbishment and other infrastructure improvements.

"The USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center is committed to being an active community partner in the borough that it has called home for more than a century, and this project is the perfect example of the good that can come from good neighbors working together," said Daniel Zausner, Chief Operating Officer of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. "We look forward to continuing this work throughout the Queens community well into the future."

"We are so grateful to NYC Parks and the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center for working with us to revive these courts and we look forward to more projects like this in New York City," said Jennifer Schnitzer, Executive Director & CEO, USTA Eastern. "Establishing strong tennis park programming is a critical component of our mission at USTA Eastern to grow tennis that inspires healthy people and communities. We are committed to collaborating with municipalities, the private sector and grassroots organizations to ensure that public infrastructure supports grassroots tennis."

"Kissena Park is one of our most cherished green spaces. The reconstruction of its tennis courts is an ace for our community; a meaningful investment in the health, recreation, and well-being of Queens residents. I am grateful to the NYC Parks Department and the USTA for their partnership and commitment to ensuring residents have access to safe, high-quality facilities for years to come," said Assemblywoman Nily Rozic.

The reconstruction of the courts comes on the heels of other critical capital projects in Kissena Park including the $760,000 construction of the Boat House Roof, the $480,000 stormwater capture infrastructure project, and the current construction projects to reconstruct the retaining wall and park paths.

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Credit: NYC Parks / Daniel Avila

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