Top Junior Players in the World Coming to Forest Hills

August 17, 2018 | By Press Release
little mo

 

The Maureen Connolly Brinker Tennis Foundation (MCB) will be hosting its 7th Annual “Little Mo” Internationals at the historic West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, New York from August 20-25, 2018. This year’s tournament is also very special as MCB is celebrating its 50th anniversary of promoting junior tennis development and sportsmanship worldwide. The event will feature over 160 players from 12 countries worldwide! 

MCB will be unveiling a five-foot bronze plaque at the Forest Hills Stadium Court on Tuesday, August 21 from 5:30-6:00pm. This plaque will be dedicated in honor of Maureen “Little Mo” Connolly and her Grand Slam win on the Forest Hills Stadium Court in 1953. MCB is thrilled to announce that Glynnis O’Connor (star of the “Little Mo” movie) will be making a Guest Appearance and unveiling the bronze plaque. Following the plaque unveiling, there will be a dinner party with music on the grass courts in front of the iconic West Side clubhouse from 6:30-8:30pm. There will also be a Silent Auction with U.S. Open Box tickets, vacation packages, autographed memorabilia, and for the players: laser tag, video game van, and other fun activities!

The “Little Mo” Internationals is one of the premier junior tournaments for boys and girls ages 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12. The “Little Mo” is also unique in that players compete against others born in the same year from around the world. These events are designed to provide good competition for the younger player while also encouraging players to develop new friendships, learn good sportsmanship, and most of all, have fun. Maureen Connolly was known for her exemplary sportsmanship on and off the court.

To honor this legacy, the “Little Mo” offers special “Mo Coins” to players who display good sportsmanship and who are respectful and kind to others. Many well-known collegiate players and famous tennis professionals have participated in the “Little Mo” program over the years including Andy Roddick, Ryan Harrison, Taylor Townsend, Vasek Pospisil, Borna Coric, Madison Keys, Donald Young, Steve Johnson, Sonya Kenin, Denis Kudla, CiCi Bellis, Ana Konjuh, and Belinda Bencic.

Roddick won the “Little Mo” event in 1992 at 10 years of age and said, “the ‘Little Mo’ was my first big win!”

The “Little Mo” tournaments are hosted by MCB in memory of its tennis champion namesake Maureen Connolly. Known by her nickname “Little Mo”, she was the first woman to win the Grand Slam in 1953 – winning all four major tournaments (Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and U.S. Open) in the same year. She is still the only American woman and the youngest at age 18 to have accomplished this magnificent feat. Only five players in the history of tennis have won the calendar Grand Slam.

 


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