The U.S. Tennis Association (USTA) is seeking to overturn a $9 million verdict related to its failure to protect player Kylie McKenzie from sexual abuse by her coach, Anibal Aranda. In a motion filed with a Florida federal judge, USTA argued that the jury’s decision was “against the weight of the evidence.”
US Tennis Retrial Request : USTA’s Argument Against the Verdict
USTA contends that McKenzie did not meet the burden of proof required to demonstrate that the organization, as the national governing body for tennis, should have known about Aranda’s predatory behavior and failed to take adequate measures to protect her. The core of USTA’s argument is that the judge improperly found the organization negligent in relation to the 2018 assault on McKenzie, which they believe created confusion among the jurors regarding USTA’s culpability.
“By stating the court ‘found as a matter of law’ that negligence ‘has, in fact, occurred’ and limiting defendants’ closing to a ‘medical damages-related discussion,’ the court relieved plaintiff of its burden to establish causation,” USTA stated. They argue that the court’s handling of the case influenced the jury’s decision and led to the unfavorable verdict.
Claims of Reasonable Care
USTA emphasized that it took “reasonable care” to protect McKenzie by creating a safe environment, supervising players, instituting protective policies, and proactively informing the public about coaches accused of misconduct. They argue that the court misrepresented these efforts during the trial.