First Lady Cecile de Jongh was pleased to host two legendary women’s tennis champions on Monday evening at a reception held in their honor at Government House.

From left to right) Tennis legend Zina Garrison, First Lady Cecile de Jongh, motivational speaker Kim Davis, tennis champion Lori McNeil and VI tennis professional George Lewis at Government House on December 12, 2011.

Former World Tennis Association (WTA) legends Zina Garrison and Lori McNeil visited with the first lady and tennis enthusiasts in advance of leading a week-long tennis clinic on St. Thomas. 

The first lady expressed her delight in welcoming Garrison and McNeil to the Territory and applauded their outstanding individual and collective efforts on and off the court, notably for young athletes. She also discussed efforts via her Tennis in the Parks and Schools (TIPS) initiative to expand access to the sport throughout the Virgin Islands, especially amongst youth. 

First Lady Cecile de Jongh shares a light moment with tennis champions Zina Garrison (far right) and Lori McNeil (far left) on December 12, 2011.

Referring to Mss. Garrison and McNeil as role models, the first lady commended their efforts as “epitomizing youth mentorship” also stating, “Tennis is a great sport, but there is also life off the court. You both do so much for young athletes in total, and we are blessed to have you here.”

The tennis greats are in the Territory for seven days at the invitation of Virgin Islands tennis professional George Lewis, a partner on the first lady’s TIPS initiative, for the “Grand Slamming in the Islands: Beyond the Gold” tennis clinic at the St. Thomas Yacht Club courts.

This week, Mss. Garrison and McNeil are training junior girls with aspirations of playing tennis in college or on the pro circuit. Trainings run Monday, December 12-Friday, December 16, from 10:00-12:00 Noon; residents are invited to come out court-side to watch the sessions. 

The duo will also lead an instructional session for all ages and skill levels on Saturday, December 17 from 3:00-4:00 PM, as well as a special tennis tournament for clinic sponsors from 4:30-6:30 PM. All sessions will be held at the St. Thomas Yacht Club courts.

During Monday’s reception, Mss. Garrison and McNeil thanked the first lady for hosting the welcome tribute at Government House and highlighted the importance of helping youth achieve their athletic potential through the sport of tennis. 

The first lady echoed the sentiments expressed by the tennis champions, adding, “In cooperation with the VI Department of Housing, Parks and Recreation, the TIPS is working to incorporate tennis as part of the school curriculum, and continues taking steps to uplift tennis facilities in both districts, including through resurfacing and building courts in our parks. Tennis is a wonderful game that should be accessible to all.”

VI tennis professional George Lewis offered a preview of the clinic. “This week’s training sessions are for young kids coming up on the tennis scene, providing tips and strategies to help them be stronger physically and mentally on the courts, including in the competitive arena. We invite members of the community to join us court-side during the week and on Saturday for the training session available to the general public.”

Lewis was formerly ranked #1 in the Territory by the United States Tennis Association (USTA). 

Mss. Garrison and McNeil will also visit various public schools on St. Thomas this week to talk to students of all ages about leadership, empowerment, sports competition, and how to achieve high performance results on the court and in life.

Zina Garrison is a former Grand Slam winner and Olympic Gold Medalist who achieved the exclusive ranking by the WTA of 4th in the world. Lori McNeil is a former Grand Slam semi-finalist, who was once ranked 9th in the world by the WTA in singles and 4th in doubles. Both Garrison and McNeil have trained some of the best professional and amateur players in the world.

For more information on the tennis clinic, contact George Lewis at 690-5680.