News & Features

Tennis fans might want to thank Brenda Jenkins for Jarmere Jenkins' tennis court success.

As the mother of nine children, of whom Jarmere is the youngest, Brenda has instilled in her son the tenacity and dogged will to work through the toughest matches and to find a way to win - propelling the blue-chip recruit to number two in the nation and a career-high 18 ITF ranking.

"You don't even want to know what she says," Jarmere laughs. She gives him a piece of her mind in a speech that sometimes will go on for four or five hours. Sometimes it spills over the next day. Okay, maybe Jarmere is exaggerating just a bit.

But let's not get the wrong idea about Mother Jenkins: her heart is made of gold and her intentions pure. She and her husband, Jackie Sr., have not only provided a warm, loving home for the nine children - four of whom are foster and two adopted - they have raised a tennis dynasty.

The oldest Jenkins child, Jackie Jr., played for Northwestern. Jarmaine played for Clemson. Terrance and Richard are in college in Atlanta and play the local circuit. Deangelo is on his high school tennis team.

Now the family is preparing for another fall sendoff: Jarmere has signed a National Letter of Intent with the Virginia Cavaliers and has the hallowed Grounds of Charlottesville all abuzz. Just when it seemed that Hoo tennis couldn't get any better after the accomplishments of Somdev Devvarman (whom some claim may be one of the most successful collegiate tennis players of all time), 2009 welcomes Jarmere Jenkins.