Emirates, together with the USTA Foundation and the Sloane Stephens Foundation, has opened newly refurbished tennis courts in Miami Gardens under the airline's "Force for Good" community programme, the Dubai-based carrier said in a statement Monday.

Emirates contributed 500,000 US dollars toward the project at Buccaneer Park, part-funding one of two new courts built in the city this year along with youth development programmes, according to the airline's media centre.

The initiative forms part of Emirates' broader effort to support under-resourced communities across the United States by expanding access to tennis and education, the carrier said. Two courts were renovated in Miami this year, and roughly 1,000 students and young people from the Miami Gardens community have benefited so far.

Sloane Stephens, founder of the Sloane Stephens Foundation, and Sybil Smith, the foundation's executive director, said the courts represented an opportunity for young people to build confidence and "dream bigger," according to the statement.

Emirates said it has committed to fund further projects over the next two years in partnership with the USTA Foundation. At this year's US Open, six young players from Miami Gardens, the Kings County Tennis League and East Palo Alto Tennis and Tutoring are set to take part in a VIP clinic on Arthur Ashe Stadium court, selected by the USTA Foundation based on academic performance, leadership, community service and tennis ability.

Emirates has been the Official Airline of the US Open since 2012. The airline began US operations with flights to New York's JFK airport in 2004 and now serves 12 American gateways, including Miami and Orlando in Florida, as well as Boston, Houston, Chicago, Washington, Seattle, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Newark and Dallas.

Source: PR