The U.S. Tennis Association was ordered to pay a former rising star $9 million in damages on Monday, after a jury found that the organization had failed to protect her from a coach she said had sexually abused her. In a 2022 lawsuit, Kylie McKenzie said her coach, Anibal Aranda sexually abused her, and alleged that USTA had failed to protect her against Aranda, who had previously assaulted a USTA employee. “I couldn’t be happier with the outcome. I feel validated,” McKenzie said. Chris Widmaier, a spokesperson for USTA, said the organization would appeal the decision on the grounds that it was not aware of Aranda’s previous misconduct against an employee, because that employee did not report the incident until after he was removed. “We do not—and have never—disputed her allegations against a coach,” Widmaier said. “This sets a new and unreasonable expectation for victims, one that will deter them from coming forward in the future.” The 25-year-old McKenzie was once ranked in the top 10 female tennis players in the U.S.
