Filipino nurse Edward Lu. Photo courtesy of Lu
NEW YORK — Edward Lu came to the US Open as a spectator with a big heart for tennis, but the story he carries with him goes beyond being just a fan.
The 46-year-old cardiovascular ICU nurse at HCA Florida JFK Hospital is also a USTA-certified coach, a newly certified official umpire, a tennis club president, a Miami Open ball person for seven consecutive years, and the founder of a charity that has been sending over 200 tennis equipment to underprivileged communities across the Philippines.
The charity is called No Excuse Tennis Outreach Philippines (NETOP) and has been donating every year since 2019.
"Sa tulong ng mga kaibigan ko, mga tennis players dito sa Amerika. Filipino, Filipino-American, American. I run a tennis charity named No Excuse Tennis Outreach Philippines," said Lu. "So pinapadala ko ay mga used and old usable tennis rackets. Used tennis balls, Tennis ball machine, Tennis nets, at nagpapintura na kami ng tennis court sa Iloilo, Gimbal, tiyaka sa Misamis Occidental."
Lu started playing tennis at 20 years old in Valenzuela City before migrating to the United States in 2007. He passed his nursing boards, lived in Chicago, then moved to Florida in 2012 where he fell completely in love with the sport.
In 2024, Lu became the No. 1 ranked player in Florida in the USTA National Tennis Rating Program at the 3.5 level, 40-plus category, winning the Florida State Championship in Tampa in January of that year. He then went on to finish fourth at the USTA National Championship.
He is also a graduate of the USTA Florida Leadership Academy Class of 2024 and serves as president and administrator of the Nautica Isles Tennis Club in Greenacres, Florida.
But behind all of it is a reason that goes deeper than trophies.
"Namatay po yung kapatid ko, si architect Clifford Manuel Lu," Lu said. "He had a heart attack while driving his car in Doha, Qatar back in 2020. He's an architect, so building... Naisipan ko na mag-build through tennis. In memory of my dearest brother, Clifford."
Through NETOP, Lu collects used but usable tennis rackets, balls, machines, and nets from doctors, nurses, fellow tennis players, and members of his club and ships them to coaches and communities across the Philippines in balikbayan boxes.
More than 200 items go out every year, reaching Laguna, Cavite, Iloilo, Davao, Bukidnon, Albay, Tangub in Misamis Occidental, and more. Local coaches distribute the equipment and conduct free tennis clinics for underprivileged children.
He has not yet been able to visit any of the communities he has helped as family and work have kept him stateside since 2019, but the photos his contacts send back keep him going.
"Tuloy-tuloy po. Maraming tennis racket na sa garahe ko," he said with a smile.
His next milestone is already in the works as Lu plans to travel to his alma mater, the Philippine Cultural College in Caloocan City, to build two tennis courts in honor of his late brother. He also aims to conduct a free tennis clinic there himself.
He is also set to become an umpire in USTA Orlando, after having been a ball person at the Miami Open every year since 2019.
It was there that Lu first got a glimpse of Filipino tennis star Alex Eala.
"Sumisingkaw na ako agad — let's go, Alex! Tumingin siya. Nagulat siguro, may kilala siya," he said. "Ngayon, noong lumaban siya kay Jessica Pegula last year sa semifinals, nandoon kami. Siguro ako yung pinakamalakas sa sumisigaw."