Kylie McKenzie

Kylie McKenzie
Country (sports) United States
Born (1999-03-21) 21 March 1999 (age 25)
PlaysRight-handed
Prize moneyUS$17,602
Singles
Career record80–62
Highest rankingNo. 644 (November 27, 2023)
Current rankingNo. 811 (October 21, 2024)
Grand Slam singles results
US Open JuniorQF (2015)
Doubles
Career record3–11
Highest rankingNo. 777 (March 6, 2017)
Current rankingNo. 1618 (October 21, 2024)
Grand Slam doubles results
US Open Junior1R (2015, 2016)
Last updated on: 21 October 2024.

Kylie McKenzie (born 21 March 1999) is an American tennis player from Arizona.[1]

Junior career

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From Phoenix, Arizona,[2] McKenzie joined the United States Tennis Association’s full-time training team in California at twelve years-old. She subsequently won the national under-16 championship at fifteen years-old.[3] McKenzie played in the 2015 US Girls’ singles, where she reached the quarter-final before losing to Fanny Stollar.[4]

Aged eighteen she transferred to the USTA facility in Orlando, Florida.[5] McKenzie alleged coach Anibal Aranda touched her vagina after a practice in November 2018 at the USTA's training center in Florida when she was nineteen years-old. McKenzie has since said that the sexual abuse had negatively affected her confidence, self-esteem and caused anxiety that had a detrimental effect on her tennis career.[6] The Police stated there was probable cause for a charge of battery, and turned the evidence over to the state attorney's office, which ultimately opted not to pursue a case. The coach was suspended and then fired by the USTA.[7]

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In March 2022 McKenzie filed a federal lawsuit against the United States Tennis Association after an investigation by SafeSport found it was "more likely than not" that she had suffered a sexual assault by a coach at a United States Tennis Association training centre.[8][9] In May 2024, a jury in Florida awarded McKenzie $3m in compensation with an additional $6m in punitive damages.[10]

Professional career

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McKenzie began a professional tennis career in August 2021, based at the iTUSA Tennis Academy in Glendale.[11][12] In March 2023 she reached the final of an ITF W15 event in Monastir before she was defeated by Nina Radovanovic in the final.[13]

ITF Circuit finals

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Singles: 1 (runner-up)

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Legend
W15 tournaments
Finals by surface
Hard (0–1)
Result No. Date Tournament Tier Surface Opponent Score
Loss 0–1 Mar 2023 ITF Monastir, Tunisia W15 Hard France Nina Radovanovic 2–6, 3–6

References

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  1. ^ "K.McKenzie". WTA. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
  2. ^ Perez, Angela (March 29, 2022). "Phoenix tennis player Kylie McKenzie sues USTA over alleged sexual assault from coach". AZ Central. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
  3. ^ "Tennis player Kylie McKenzie sues coach over sexual assault". Marca. March 30, 2023. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
  4. ^ Pratt, Steve. "Anthem's Kylie McKenzie sees U.S. Open Junior run end". azcentral. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
  5. ^ Redfern, Kevin (March 29, 2022). "Arizona tennis prodigy Kylie McKenzie sues USTA for failing to protect her from 'known sexual abuser'". cronkitenews.azpbs.org. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
  6. ^ "Kylie McKenzie sues USTA, says organization failed to protect her from abusive tennis coach". espn. March 29, 2023. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
  7. ^ Futterman, Matthew (March 23, 2022). "A Once Promising Tennis Player Speaks Out Against a Former U.S.T.A. Coach". New York Times. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
  8. ^ Futterman, Matthew (March 28, 2022). "Kylie McKenzie Sues U.S.T.A., Claiming It Failed to Keep Her Safe". nytimes. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
  9. ^ "Tennis Player Sues USTA Over Alleged Sexual Abuse by Coach". Sports Illustrated. March 29, 2022.
  10. ^ "USTA ordered to pay former top junior tennis player $9m in sexual abuse case". The Guardian. 7 May 2024. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  11. ^ "Local Tennis Star Signs With iTUSA Tennis Academy". Businesswire.com. August 27, 2021. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
  12. ^ "Tennis product turns to Glendale training center to go pro". Yourvalley.net. August 31, 2021. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
  13. ^ "Nina Radovanovic (CT Beaucourt) pockets a second ITF title". L'Est Républicain. March 19, 2023. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
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