Robert Unsworth loved tennis.

He loved slugging it out on the baseline. He loved rushing the net. He loved mixing strength and skill and making the racquet a part of his arm. As a youth player, he was nationally ranked while attending the famed and highly competitive Weil Tennis Academy in Ojai, Calif.

Robert Unsworth loved playing tennis. And he should have continued doing so for decades to come. But he died suddenly in September 2021 in his hometown of Reno. He was 22. And now his racquets sit in their covers, no longer used for matches or to teach tennis to kids. And his beloved family and friends have lost their favorite doubles partner.

To honor Robert’s memory — to put his racquets in play once more, in a sense — his family is creating the Robert Unsworth Foundation to introduce tennis to children who do not traditionally play the sport while also supporting their development as players.

“Tennis is not just for rich kids — it’s for all kids,” said Sandra Unsworth, Robert’s mother. “Tennis helps kids be healthier, learn new skills, learn about hard work and make new friends — all while having fun.”

The foundation will work with local public schools, youth organizations, and area tennis professionals and enthusiasts to provide instruction, mentoring and equipment. 

The annual fundraiser will be called Woods and Whites in a nod to the classic wooden tennis racquets Robert loved and to classic tennis dress. Eventually, the foundation hopes to expand beyond tennis to golf and fencing.

Kathleen T. Breckenridge, Esq., a Reno family law attorney; Ray Woolley, president of the Reno Tennis Club; and Jason Yelley, director of tennis at South Reno Tennis and Montrêux Golf & Country Club, will join the foundation as trustees, along with Robert’s grandmother, Beverley Unsworth, as President.

The foundation is in the early stages of organization and fundraising. For more information, please contact us by email at: hello@unsworthfoundation.org

About the Robert Unsworth Foundation

The foundation is a nonprofit entity formed under the laws of the state of Nevada. The organization honors the memory of Robert Unsworth, a talented young tennis player and instructor from Reno, Nev., who died suddenly at 22 in 2021. The foundation provides tennis instruction, mentoring and equipment for youth from communities that do not traditionally play tennis.