West Philly native Tauheed Browning is making waves in the tennis world: ‘I know there’s still work to be done’

Tauheed Browning sat on the bench outside a West Philly tennis court watching his sister, Nadiyah, practice. Five-year-old Browning’s introduction to the sport was gathering up loose balls on that court.

He didn’t always enjoy it. In fact, the frustration he felt from the sidelines affected his ability to enjoy the sport. Browning told his father, who was a full-time tennis coach, “It’s dumb.” But that didn’t stop him from coming around.

“Finally, after learning how to play, he started to enjoy it,” said Browning’s father, Tauheed R. Browning. “Sometimes when you teach kids tennis, they’re not striking the ball, they’re missing it because it comes with a lot of eye coordination. … Even with adults, they’re like, it’s no fun, because they can’t keep the ball in play.”

Now, Browning, 19, has developed a deep love for the sport and plays professionally, building up a number of accolades throughout his journey. Most recently, he won the American Tennis Association National Championships men’s open title in Orlando, Fla., on July 31.

While his tennis career is just getting started, Browning has already made sacrifices along the way.

The Arthur Ashe Tennis Center in East Falls, now called Legacy Youth Tennis and Education, is a familiar stomping ground for the Browning family. Tauheed R. Browning played tennis there when he was 11 years old and stayed with the program up until he received a tennis scholarship at Hampton University.

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He saw the sport as an opportunity to get a paid education, so when Tauheed R. Browning had a family of his own he tried to ensure they would have success in tennis. He then became a full-time coach at Legacy Youth Tennis, which provided his children with further exposure to the sport.

Once Browning’s father taught him the basics, he wanted to practice more often. Even on days off, he would run past the jungle gym to the tennis court.

His talent became apparent when he started competing. When Browning was 9 years old, he won championships in singles and doubles in the 10-and-under competition at the ATA national tournament in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., defeating No. 2 seed Mikeal Carpenter of Suitland, Md.

After the competition, he spoke to his father about the doors tennis could open. Browning realized he wanted to play tennis professionally and that he would have to cut out other sports to get there.

“I started to see the level I was progressing,” Browning said. “I wasn’t just playing tennis at the time, I was playing boxing, I did basketball and swimming. Then I kind of stopped all sports and just focused on tennis.”

Top coaches from the U.S. Tennis Association told Browning, who possessed solid movement and technique at 12 years old, that he had the tools to make it professionally. Browning also opted for homeschooling after sixth grade to spend more time training, leaving Global Leadership Academy for good.

“I think for me it was because I wanted to play tennis more,” Browning said. “I knew that if I played more tennis, it would definitely help me. But my dad says that it wasn’t for tennis. He just wanted something different.”

As Browning got older, his size and strength developed as workouts with his father and Legacy Youth Tennis and Education coach Charles “Cha’” Goods became more intense.

“We developed an all-court player,” Browning’s father said. “That means this guy has a big forehand, he has a big serve. Most coaches have said you have those two, you can make a lot of things work as long as it lines up.”

Browning tested his game on a new level as a part of the USTA Foundation Excellence Team. At age 16, he won the Wild Card Shootout in Orlando at the USTA All-American College Combine in 2019, earning a USTA Pro Circuit wild card.

Although he didn’t win in his pro debut, Browning realized he had the skills to play at a higher level. In 2021, Browning moved to Florida, where he currently trains at BillAdams International Tennis Academy.

“Competition definitely is higher,” Browning said. “The training is everything, just a high level of quality. I’ve been competing against players in the top-200 ATP down here. It just gave me a lot of confidence knowing I can definitely compete with these guys.”

Browning’s focus at the moment is to become physically stronger to better compete against older players. He also reminds himself to stay humble and continue to learn.

“I know there’s still a lot more work to be done,” he said. “I have to take it in and acknowledge it, because not everyone is capable of doing it. Again, I know there’s a lot more work that can be accomplished, so I’ll continue to work hard and just stay in the moment.”