ABOUT UNIVERSAL TENNIS
Our mission is to grow the sport of tennis by connecting players globally through level-based play, innovative events and a digital marketplace.
In everything we do, we believe in building new models that break down old barriers. We believe that everything we do should be about the passion and love of the sport, about the will to improve, to have fun and to find friendship.
It’s how we are transforming tennis.
Mark Leschly
Mark Leschly is Chairman and CEO of Universal Tennis. Mark is also a Managing Partner/Founder of Iconica Partners and a Managing Partner and owner of Rho Capital Partners, a venture capital and growth equity firm with over $2.5B of assets under management. Mark is a former touring ATP professional tennis player, previously selected to the Danish Davis Cup team. He is a Champions Council member of USTA Player Development and on the board of the USTA Foundation. He is a founding partner and owner of Professional Fighters League (PFL), minority owner in the Los Angeles Football Club (MLS), and the Oklahoma City Dodgers, a AAA Minor League baseball team.
Jeff Blackburn
Jeff Blackburn is Senior Vice President of Global Media & Entertainment for Amazon.com, managing one of the company’s fastest growing segments – the consolidated media group which encompasses Prime Video, Amazon Studios, Amazon Music, Wondery, Audible, Twitch, and Amazon Games. He previously was Senior Vice President, Worldwide Business Development where he led Amazon’s worldwide Advertising, Digital Video and Music businesses, as well as all Corporate Development/M&A activities. Prior to joining Amazon.com, Mr. Blackburn held various positions with Morgan Stanley, Interpublic Group/Marketing Corporation of America, and Bridgewater Associates. He also served as an Associate for Deutsche Bank Technology Group, focusing on Internet software, eCommerce and Media companies.
Ken Hao
Ken Hao is a Managing Partner at Silver Lake, a global private equity investor in technology. Ken was a member of original team that started Silver Lake in 1999 and has led large-scale investments in a broad range of tech sectors including e-commerce, electronics, enterprise software and semiconductors. Mr. Hao was a former tennis player at Harvard College and serves on the Executive Council and Board of Overseers at UCSF Health.
Jan Leschly
Jan Leschly is a former Top 10 ATP player and US Open semifinalist. After his playing career, Mr. Leschly served as CEO of SmithKline Beecham and President and COO of Squibb Corporation. Mr. Leschly has been a Director at Maersk, American Express and Viacom, and he is a past Chairman of the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
Ken Solomon
Ken Solomon is President of Tennis Channel. Under Mr. Solomon’s leadership, Tennis Channel has become the most watched tennis network, home of the Grand Slams and exclusive US home of the Women’s Tennis Association. Tennis Channel was acquired in 2016 by Sinclair Broadcasting.
John Thornton
John Thornton is professor and director of global leadership at Tsinghua University and Executive Chairman at Barrick Gold. He is a former President of Goldman Sachs, past Chairman of the Board at the Brookings Institution and a former tennis player at Harvard University.
About the UTR Pro Tennis Tour
Universal Tennis is the owner and organizing body of the UTR Pro Tennis Tour (PTT), with responsibility for its Rules and Regulations, Code of Conduct, Tournament Format and related streaming and commercial rights. We partner with Federations and organizers to bring the tournaments to life in order to create a development tour to support players. With fewer events and matches and substantially reduced prize money, aspiring pros are increasingly struggling in pursuit of their dreams. The PTT provides additive and complimentary events to help emerging players and the sport broadly.
STRATEGIC PARTNERS
