The USTWA Writing Contest recognizes the best tennis writing. The annual contest is open to all writers who are compensated for their work; it is not necessary to be a member of the USTWA.
The contest was founded in 1998 by member Herb Branham, who served as administrator for that year until he, unfortunately for us, got assigned to cover NASCAR instead of tennis. Since 1999 the contest has been managed by Liza Horan.
Over the years the categories have evolved. In the early years submissions were reviewed by a single judge (a long-time acclaimed tennis writer who also was a USTWA member). For the last several years the contest has been judged by a panel of two or three writers or editors who are renowned within the journalism and publishing fields and often associated with the Columbia University School of Journalism.
Participation in the contest has grown each year and the 10th annual USTWA Writing Contest, for work published in 2008 and the awards presented in 2009, drew about 100 submissions from 30 writers.
Beautiful beveled and engraved acrylic awards are presented to first- and second-place winners each year at the U.S. Open annual meeting of the organization; third-place winners receive a certificate suitable for framing.
2009: Entry form will be posted on USTWA.org by Dec. 1, 2009. Deadline for submissions is Feb. 1, 2010.
2008: To be announced in late July 2009 and presented at the USTWA Annual Meeting during the U.S. Open.
| 2007 USTWA Writing Contest |
 Bruce Jenkins (San Francisco Chronicle), Cindy Shmerler (Tennis Magazine) and Art Spander (Oakland Tribune) are among the winners in the Ninth Annual USTWA Writing Contest. Also collecting awards in Interview Room 2 at the 2008 U.S. Open were Doug Robson (USA Today) and Bill Simons (Inside Tennis). Yes, that's Bruce again (below middle)...he's our winningest tennis writer. Congrats to all! |
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2007: Click here for press release
SERVICE
1. Paul Fein for "Playing Drop Shots" in Sportstar
2. Robin Bateman for "Blue Chip Investment" in Racquet Sports Industry
3. n/a
HARD NEWS/ENTERPRISE
1. Cindy Shmerler for "15 Minutes of Fame" in TENNIS Magazine
2. Paul Fein for "How Successful Is the U.S. Open Series?" in The Sportstar
3. Cindy Cantrell for "PTR on Campus Program Trains and Certifies Full-Time Students" in Racquet Sports Industry
COLUMN/COMMENTARY
1. Bill Simons for "Beauty Will Save the World" in Inside Tennis
2. Doug Robson for "Sister of No Mercy" in TENNIS Magazine
3. Bruce Jenkins for "Joke-a-Who? Tennis World Welcomes Serbian Cut-Up" in San Francisco Chronicle
FEATURE (Non-Pro)
1. Doug Robson for "Could This 5-year-old Be the Future of Tennis?" in USA Today
2. Richard Osborn for "Miracle at San Quentin" in Inside Tennis
3. Cindy Cantrell for "He Shot to the Top" in The Boston Globe
FEATURE (Pro)
1. Steve Tignor for "Scot of Potential" in TENNIS Magazine
2. Paul Fein for "Tennis for the Bloody Fun of It" in Black Rock Masters souvenir program
3. Paul Newman for "Landmark Victory in a War Still to be Won" in The Independent (London)
GAME STORY
1. Bruce Jenkins for "5-for-5 for Federer" in San Francisco Chronicle
2. Art Spander for "Venus Stars in Grand Day of Tennis" in The Oakland Tribune
3. Cindy Shmerler for "Fish Lets Robredo Get Off the Hook" in The Boston Globe
2006: Click here for press release
HARD NEWS/ENTERPRISE
1. Lawrence Jeziak for "The Ubiquitous Fan" in Tennis Week
2. Kent Oswald for "Tennis No Longer a Scarlet Letter at Rutgers" in Tennis Week
3. Liza Horan for "Federer Uses Media Spotlight to Help Children" on TennisWire.org
Feature
1. Peter Bodo for "Tennis in the Green Zone" in TENNIS Magazine
2. Bill Dwyre for "Sampras Plays Tour Guide" in Los Angeles Times
3. n/a
COLUMN/COMMENTARY
1. Bruce Jenkins for "A Match that Sweetly Recalls an Earlier Time" in San Francisco Chronicle
2. Bruce Jenkins for "A Breach in the Royal Tennis Halls?" in San Francisco Chronicle
3. Richard Deitsch for "Reflections on Andre"on SI.com
GAME STORY
1. Bruce Jenkins for "A Fond Farewell" in San Francisco Chronicle
2. Bruce Jenkins for "What We All Wanted: Nadal-Federer at Centre Court" in San Francisco Chronicle
3. Bruce Jenkins for "Women's Final is a Jewel" in San Francisco Chronicle
2005: Click here for press release
FEATURE
1. Paul Fein for "Who is the Greatest Tennis Player Ever" in Advantage Tennis Grand Slam Yearbook 2004
2. Joel Drucker for "Once Upon a Time, Before He was a Stadium" in Tennis Week
3. Mark Winters for "Life Could be a Dream" in Tennis Week
HARD NEWS/ENTERPRISE
1. Richard Vach for "Doubles, Doubles Toil and Trouble" in Tennis Week
2. Richard Pagliaro for "Now up for Bids" in Tennis Week
3. Richard Evans for "Tennis's Best Serve" in Tennis Week
COLUMN/COMMENTARY
1. Michael Mewshaw for "Not Carping, Caring" in Tennis Week
2. Marcia Frost for "Open the Door to College Players" in Racquet Sports Industry
3. Art Spander for "Tursunov's Victory Rings from Russia to Roseville" in The Oakland Tribune
GAME STORY
1. Bruce Jenkins for "Federer leaves Mortals Behind" in San Francisco Chronicle
2. Bruce Jenkins for "Agassi Wins One for the Ages" in San Francisco Chronicle
3. Whit Sheppard for "Roddick, U.S. Beat Old Foe--the Clay Court" on ESPN.com
2004
2003
HARD NEWS
1. Soman Chainani for "When Two Are One" in Tennis Week
2. Raymond Thibodeaux for "Tennis in Africa" in Tennis Week
FEATURE
1. Paul Fein for "When They Were Kings" in The Sportstar
2. Cindy Shmerler for "Not Bigger, Just Better" in TENNIS Magazine
GAME STORY
1. Bruce Jenkins for "Federer Paints His Mona Lisa" in San Francisco Chronicle
2. Bruce Jenkins for "All Roddick All the Time" in San Francisco Chronicle
COLUMN/COMMENTARY
1. Bruce Jenkins for "Federer Is Fabulous on Centre Stage" in San Francisco Chronicle
2. Allex Fox for "Breach of Confidence" in Tennis Week
2002
FEATURE
1. Allen St. John for "Boy Meets World" in TENNIS Magazine
2. Joanne Gerstner for "Tennis Clinic Gives Love" in The Detroit News
GAME STORY
1. Bruce Jenkins for "Hewitt Strips Men's Final of Any Drama" in San Francisco Chronicle
2. Ossian Shine for story on how Sampras "scorched" Roddick as published by Reuters
COLUMN/COMMENTARY
1. Edwin Pope for "The Real Sampras is Intense, Not Dull" in Herald Square
2. Bruce Jenkins for "Tennis' Saving Graces" in San Francisco Chronicle
2001
GAME STORY
1. Bruce Jenkins for "Martin Reaches Semis" in San Francisco Chronicle
2. Bruce Jenkins for "New Characters in Men's Tennis" in San Francisco Chronicle
HARD NEWS/ENTERPRISE
1. Paul Fein for "The Color of Tennis" in Tennis Week.
2. Janet Graham for "Who's No. 1? Who Cares!" in Cincinnati Post
FEATURE
1. Cindy Shmerler for "Sorry, Mates" in Tennis Magazine
2. Richard Deitsch for "Russia's New Rising Star" in SI for Women
COMMENTARY
1. Bill Dwyer for "Matchless Frustration" in LA Times
2. Art Spander for "Venus Williams Wins Wimbledon" in Oakland Tribune
2000
FEATURES
1. Paul Fein for "Speaking her Mind and Speaking the Truth (Navratilova story)" in The Sportstar
2. Steve Wilstein for "Vic Seixas" feature as published by AP
COLUMN/COMMENTARY
1. Bill Dwyre for "Few Sprinkles on Just a Perfect Day in Melbourne" in LA Times
2. Bruce Jenkins for "Father Has Seen Enough (Williamses)" in San Francisco Chronicle
GAME STORY
1. S.L. Price for "Wimbledon 2000" in Sports Illustrated
2. Bruce Jenkins for "Sampras Enters Record Book" in San Francisco Chronicle
HARD NEWS/ENTERPRISE
1. Elizabeth Clarke for "Prize Money Inequity" in Palm Beach Post
2. Ray Bowers for "Suzanne Lenglen and the First Pro Tour" in tennisserver.com
(Judge: Steve Flink)
1999
HARD NEWS/ENTERPRISE
1. Bud Collins for "Curse of Blackbutt" in The Boston Globe
2. Paul Fein for "On-Court coaching" (publication TK)
FEATURE
1. Cindy Shmerler for "Daddy Dearest" in TENNIS Magazine
2. Curtis Zanone for feature on Clemson coach Chuck Kriese in College Tennis Weekly
GAME STORY
1. Bud Collins on U.S. vs. Great Britain Davis Cup tie in The Boston Globe
2. Bruce Jenkins for "Agassi-Kucera on a Stormy Day" in San Francisco Chronicle
COLUMN/COMMENTARY
1. Paul Fein for "Woman Power" in S.A. Sports Illustrated
2. Shaun Powell for "Significance of Serena's Open" in Newsday
1998
NEWS
1. Meri-Jo Borzilleri for "Is This the End of an Orange Bowl Era" in Miami Herald
2. Meri-Jo Borzilleri for "Obituary: Jorge Paris" in Miami Herald
EVENT COVERAGE
1. Sandy McKee for a story on Korda's upset of Sampras in The Baltimore Sun
2. Bruce Jenkins for story on Wimbledon men's final in San Francisco Chronicle
ENTERPRISE
1. Elizabeth Clarke for "Still on the Outside Looking In" in Palm Beach Post
2. Bud Collins for "Tennis Was EasyAfter the Titanic" in Sports Illustrated
FEATURE
1. Curry Kirkpatrick for "Swiss Bliss" in Sport magazine
2. Elizabeth Clarke for "Making Good on Dad's Dream" in Palm Beach Post
COLUMN/COMMENTARY
1. Bruce Jenkins for "Tennis Needs a Tiger" in San Francisco Chronicle
2. Curry Kirkpatrick for "Whinespotting" in Tennis Week