A South Florida attorney said the “victim-shaming” strategy the United States Tennis Association allegedly used throughout a federal district court trial in Orlando was key to jurors returning a $9 million award to a once-rising tennis prospect, who was allegedly sexually assaulted by one of the organization’s coaches at its training center.
Amy Judkins, a partner at Newsome Melton in Orlando, was the lead attorney for the plaintiff, Kylie McKenzie, 25, who sued the defendant, the USTA, following findings by the U.S. Center for SafeSport, which found that McKenzie was likely assaulted by her then 34-year-old coach, Anibal Aranda, when McKenzie was 19 years old.
