Q: When did you become an official?   A: I was certified in 2022 but didn't have my first officiating gig until April 2023. Q: What influenced you to become an official?   A: I first started playing tennis around age 10-11, and that's when I also became a huge fan of watching the major tournaments on television. I remember times when I would wake up very early just to catch the Wimbledon finals live. I've always wanted to know what it would be like to be at a Grand Slam, and

Meet Mariko: Tennis has been a driving force in my life since I was about 7 years old, when my parents first put a racket in my hands. My father told me that if I hit the ball over the fence, we’d go for ice cream. We went for ice cream. For anyone who has seen me play, this explains a lot. (For those who haven’t: I hit hard and flat.) We moved to Tokyo when I was 13 and I joined a tennis academy there. I started playing Jr. ITF tournaments shortly after, and within two year

Meet Lucia: A local tennis professional teaching at community parks in Brentwood and Discovery Bay. She has introduced more than 500 students to the game on a single court and is leading efforts to develop a dedicated tennis center. Q: What has your experience as a woman in the tennis community meant to you personally over the years? A: Being a woman in the NorCal Tennis Community means the doors are wide open for me to make a difference in allowing and growing the sport of

Meet Katie: A tennis entrepreneur and creator of a high-end tennis clinic brand. A recognized influencer in the tennis community and former Director of Tennis at the Silverado Resort and Spa. Q: What does being a woman in the NorCal tennis community mean to you? A: Being part of the NorCal community means carrying forward a rich legacy. So many incredible women have molded this region into what it is today; to be a part of it feels like holding a torch they lit. I see my rol

Meet Isabella: COO of Lifetime Activities, overseeing direct operations at six locations: Walnut Creek, Pleasanton, Cupertino, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, and Goldman Tennis Center in San Francisco. Q: What does being a woman in the NorCal tennis community mean to you? A: To me, being a woman in NorCal tennis means being part of a community that is both deeply supportive and constantly evolving. It means showing up not just as a player or professional, but as someone who contribu