How Tennis Serves Inspiration in the Palisades Rebuild

The Palisades Tennis Center is more than a park that has produced many top-ranked players over the past 60 years. The Center is also home to the creation of the Tennis Channel and is the birthplace of Liveball.

Most importantly, it is the heartbeat of an idyllic community. However, the devastating wildfires in January turned the dream tennis location into a nightmare.

Many Pacific Palisades residents lost their homes and were displaced. The Palisades Tennis Center courts survived, but the shop burned to the ground.

While the heartbeat of the community is faint, Mike Tomas is using tennis to help keep nurse it back to health in the face of a years-long rebuild.

Tomas, Operator of the Palisades Tennis Center, took over the facility in 2008 and has seen the importance of tennis in the community.

"It's a magical spot. It's still inoperable. But the courts are still okay; miraculously, the courts survived. The plan is to try to get back up there as soon as possible. Get some kind of temporary pro shop going and start programming again."

His strong connections in the tennis world has helped bring in donations for the LA Fire Tennis Rebuild, including efforts spearheaded by Pam Shriver and Gigi Fernandez with the WTA, International Tennis Hall of Fame, and UTSA.

Unfortunately, fundraising is just one part of a daunting challenge. The center operates on public courts. So, the government and decision-makers have to figure out their next steps in a massive rebuild.

Tomas said, "People's homes burned down. It's not going to be easy to remove debris, and the toxicity, the safety factor. We're married to that neighborhood coming back."

Tomas explained, "The park can be a big step to help the neighborhood recover. I've heard people say things like, 'The park is the heartbeat of the neighborhood.' So, if we can get the park back, we can get the neighborhood back. And if the neighborhood is back, the park is back."

While tennis legends like Novak Djokovic and Naomi Osaka have spent time on the courts and in the neighborhood, so have amateur athletes and people of all ages who fall in love with the sport.

For example, one local resident started playing tennis every single day and wanted to return to the court. An official from the US Army Corps of Engineers denied his request, but the man insisted, "This was my life every day." The sergeant acquiesced and filmed the video.

Tomas said, "There's our little tennis shop and our wonderful tennis community, but there's a neighborhood that is part of Los Angeles that people are trying to make decisions on how to best help that neighborhood.

"I'm hoping our little tennis shop helps people get back. It helps the neighborhood recover."

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