Tennis News • Westside Tennis Cub / Forest Hills celebrates Althea Gibson and Lt. Joe Hunt on Saturday August 26

Tennis will celebrate the historic home of the US Open on Saturday.

The West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills will celebrate the iconic Forest Hills Tennis Stadium’s Centennial and Heritage Day on Saturday, August 26th.

The celebration of the 100-year anniversary of Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, home of the U.S. Nationals and later the US Open, will be held from 5 to 10 p.m.

Special appearances will be made by New York native Dick Stockton and the families of Lt. Joe Hunt and Althea Gibson.

10sBalls.com is proud to publish this statement from Joseph Hunt, the grand nephew of Lt. Joe Hunt:

The Forest Hills stadium at the Westside Tennis Club is the Mecca of American tennis, where great players through history either succeeded or failed to become champions. Joe’s biggest matches and greatest challenges were contested on that court.

In 1943 he wasn’t supposed to be able to play the United States, national championships, as he had been serving in the war for a year and a half. But when he was granted just enough leave between military assignments, he decided to play even though he was not given a chance to win. It is a tremendous honor that 80 years after his hard fought victory, his Banner will be raised and his memory cherished on the very court where he won his most important match and became the national champion.

We are thrilled to be attending and look forward to meeting Althea Gibson family. Thank you 10sBalls for always caring about the tennis players that helped form the current game.

Comment from • Lovey Jergens. I loved tennis at 8 years old. But after attending the US Open at The amazing Forest Hills at 10 I was hooked for life. Althea was my favorite women player and Pancho Gonzales My favorite men’s player. We applaud the membership at Westside. About a dozen years ago the setting was almost turned into condominiums. Thank you tennis Gods.