The USTA Southern California junior staff selects one tournament director each month who goes above and beyond to run a successful and enjoyable tournament for our junior players. They demonstrate excellent communication, great customer service, and provide a positive experience for everyone. We would like to congratulate West Lake Village’s Chris Dudeck, the September 2023 recipient, on this recognition.

Chris is the Director of Tennis at Westlake Athletic Club and has been teaching as a USPTA certified professional for over 24 years in Southern California. As a Director, Chris enjoys organizing tournaments, managing club programming, events and member relations. Westlake Athletic Club is a second home to the entire Dudeck Family, as Chris is fortunate enough to have his wife and two kids playing at the club often. Along with Directing, Chris’s professional passions include deep diving the mental game of tennis, as well as running a very successful Hawaiian Tennis Travel Camp over the past eight years. At Westlake Athletic Club, Chris has directed USTA tournaments for over 15 years, which has provided him a wonderful opportunity to connect with many different members of the tennis community. With every tournament, Chris says there’s something new to learn and he hopes to be running tournaments for many years to come!

Chris is consistently praised for his exceptional tournament management. Players, coaches, and parents describe his events as the “best-run tournaments on the schedule,” attributing their success to the amazing facilities and warm hospitality he provides. Coach Dudeck and his team are noted for their class and friendliness, effectively handling challenging logistics and ensuring well-organized competitions. The tournaments are characterized by their great locations, good communication, and on-time matches, held in a nice club with excellent courts and tough yet enjoyable competition. Chris is recognized for his competence and his ability to create a beautiful tournament site, making his tournaments among the best-run of the year.

Chris is widely commended for his exceptional tournament management. Participants, coaches, and parents alike consistently hail his events as the “best-run tournaments on the schedule,” thanks to top-notch facilities, warm hospitality, and great communication. Coach Dudeck and his team excel in logistics and organization, while the tournaments stand out for their great locations, punctual matches, and ample and visible USTA officials, creating an enjoyable yet competitive atmosphere. Chris’s competence and ability to craft a beautiful tournament site place his events among the year’s favorite tournaments.