Game. Set. Career! 73
Long Island Tennis Magazine • November/December 2012 • LITennisMag.com
In This Issue: Long Island’s Top Coaches Roundtable Discussion
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Long Island Tennis Magazine • November/December 2012 • LITennisMag.com
By Luke Jensen “Tennis is a simple game played by very complicated people.” That is a quote my brother Murphy uses all the time when talking about tennis. At all levels of play, the game of tennis is more about the management of unforced errors. It is a simple formula … make sure your unforced error number is below that of your opponent at the end of the match. It seems simple enough, but I find many players are not aware of all the unforced errors they are making. I use video analysis on every match my players play and go over the match, win or lose, in film study sessions following the match. During the film sessions, I have the player chart their own matches and grade themselves on attitude and positive body language, as well the winners to unforced errors in the match. Using this time has made massive jumps in my players’ awareness of what is going on during their matches. Grading them is an easy way for them to use their classroom mindset and where they are rather, than the score of a match. Pros at the WTA and ATP levels have mastered this level of play and mental approach. Pros have solid overheads and groundies. Pros do not have glaring weaknesses or massive holes in their games. The players in the Grand Slams have the next level of play and the ability to manage offense. The Grand Slam players must navigate through the power and placement required to win at the highest level of the
game. There are the power ball players that grip it and rip it. They understand there is high risk in that approach, but high reward as well. There is the pro pusher that is using placement and precision as the weapon of choice. These players are the savvy strikers that will redirect pace to the open court or use a cut slice to disrupt their opponent. Both are different ways to attack, but the mindset is more about what you want to do to your opponent instead of not trying to beat yourself with silly errors during the course of the match. For you, it’s real simple … master the game of efficiency and simplicity. Don’t play the game that beats yourself. Just because the players on TV do it, doesn’t mean you should. I watch the Indianapolis 500 on TV, but that doesn’t mean I can drive 220 mph!
Let your opponent miss first in the rally and go home a winner! Fight to the last swing! Born in Grayling, Mich., Luke Jensen is head coach of the Syracuse University Women’s Tennis Team. Jensen’s resume includes 10 ATP Tour doubles titles and singles victories against Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, Ivan Lendl, John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg, Jimmy Connors, Boris Becker, Stefan Edberg and Jim Courier. Jensen and his brother, Murphy, won the 1993 French Open doubles title. He was also a member of the 1991 and 1992 Davis Cup Teams. His ambidextrous play, including his ability to serve the ball with either hand at 130 mph, earned him the nickname “Dual Hand Luke.” He may be reached by phone at (315) 443-3552 or e-mail lbjensen@syr.edu.
LITennisMag.com • November/December 2012 • Long Island Tennis Magazine
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November/December 2012 Volume 4, Number 6 Long Island Tennis Magazine 1220 Wantagh Avenue • Wantagh, NY 11793-2202 Phone: (516) 409-4444 • Fax: (516) 409-4600 Web site: www.litennismag.com
TABLE OF CONTENTS Cover story Cover photo credit: Kenneth B. Goldberg
18 Staff David Sickmen Publisher (516) 409-4444, ext. 309 • david@usptennis.com Joel M. Berman President (516) 409-4444, ext. 310 • joel@usptennis.com Eric C. Peck Editor-in-Chief (516) 409-4444, ext. 312 • eric@usptennis.com Joey Arendt Managing Art Director
Game. Set. Career! 65
Roddick and Clijsters Call It Quits at 2012 U.S. Open Andy Roddick and Kim Clijsters both played their final matches at the 2012 U.S. Open and said goodbye to the Flushing Meadows faithful, closing out their respective professional careers.
Long Island Tennis Magazine • July/August 2012 • LITennisMag.com
In This Issue: Long Island’s Top Coaches Roundtable Discussion
Feature Stories 10 Long Island Tennis Magazine’s Tennis Travel Destinations A guide to four locales that offer sun, relaxation and plenty of on-the-court tennis opportunities
Jon Blake Advertising Coordinator (516) 409-4444, ext. 301 • jonb@usptennis.com
30 Long Island Tennis Magazine’s 2012 Holiday Gift Guide
Adam Wolfthal Director of Business Development (516) 409-4444, ext. 330 • adam@usptennis.com
42 Coaches Roundtable Discussion
We provide you with a catalog of four tennis options for your holiday shopping needs.
We gather 16 of the area’s top coaches to discuss the sport and the development of players through the junior and collegiate ranks on through the pros.
Daisy Schwartz Editorial Coordinator (516) 409-4444, ext. 314 • daisy@usptennis.com Emilie Katz Marketing Coordinator Tara Cook Billing Coordinator (516) 409-4444, ext. 324 Beverly Koondel Office Administrator (516) 409-4444, ext. 316 Brent Shearer Editorial Contributor
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Long Island Tennis Magazine is published bi-monthly by United Sports Publications Ltd. Copyright © 2012 United Sports Publications Ltd. 2
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Additional Features 9 24 26 28 35 56
Professional Mindsets By Steven Kaplan USTA Honors Local Juniors During U.S. Open A Sad Goodbye to Misplaced Animosity in USTA By Miguel Cervantes III New 10 & Under Kid’s Department Opens at Grand Slam Tennis in Commack Inwood Country Club Wins 2012 NSMTL Championship Nadal to Face del Potro and Serena to Face Azarenka at 2013 BNP Paribas Showdown at MSG 60 Serve Yourself By Daniel Kresh 63 Syosset Girls Win Fourth Consecutive Nassau County Championship 64 Assets That Truly Pay Dividends By Lonnie Mitchel
Columns 1 3 4 6 8 12 14 32 38 39 54 58 66 67 70
The Jensen Zone By Luke Jensen Fitness and Nutrition: Nutrition for Varsity Tennis Players By Irina Belfer-Lehat Court Six: Long Island Tennis Magazine’s Gossip Column By Emilie Katz How Do I Get the Mental Edge? By Rob Polishook, MA, CPC Adult League Wrap-Up: Where Has Sportsmanship Gone? By Kathy Miller Long Island Tennis Magazine’s Coach’s Court: Robert Kendrick of Sportime Syosset and The John McEnroe Tennis Academy College Tennis Spotlight: Mythbusters … By Ricky Becker Long Island Tennis Magazine’s Literary Corner: Ray Benton Saved My Life By Brent Shearer Dr. Tom on the Importance of Hope in Tennis By Dr. Tom Ferraro USTA Eastern Long Island Region Update Off-the-Court Directory Tips From the Pro: What Does Racquet Head Speed Mean for the Serve? By Lisa Dodson Long Island Tennis Club Directory Long Island Rankings USTA/Long Island Region 2012 Tournament Schedule
Nutrition for Varsity Tennis Players By Irina Belfer-Lehat Proper nutrition is one of the most important components of a competitive tennis player. An athlete cannot achieve his or her full potential at any sport without fully understanding how their body works and what is needed in order to sustain the energy and prevent exhaustion, dehydration and cramping during athletic competition. Remember … it’s always the fittest athlete that comes first to the finish line. High school varsity tennis players often fail to compete at their highest performance due to simply not eating and drinking enough during the school day and after the match. Players complain of headaches and exhaustion, symptoms that are frequently mistaken for hunger and dehydration. More and more, athletes all over the world rely on the importance of proper nutrition and
hydration prior to an event. Athletes achieve peak performance by eating and drinking a variety of specific foods. High school players should not be different. As a nutritionist and mother of a high school player, I often observe girls competing on empty stomachs or fueled only by junk food. I also do not see girls drinking enough water before, during and after their matches. Here are some simple nutritional recommendations to improve your game: I Always bring two lunches to school. Eat your first lunch at regular time and your second 90 minutes prior to a match or practice session. A turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread with a slice of avocado and tomato is a perfect light lunch that will provide enough fuel and the proper vitamins to get you through. I Bring extra snacks to school and try to munch on them every two to three hours.
A granola bar, celery, carrots, banana, apple, dry fruits, nuts or dark chocolate are ideal for this type of situation. These snacks will provide enough fiber and potassium to prevent fatigue, cramps and headaches. I Drink at least two 16 ounce bottles of water during the school day and make sure to have Gatorade and additional water for the game. You will need to drink eight to 10 ounces for every hour spent on the court after the game for recovery. This is very important! For more information and specific meal plan options, please contact me by phone at (917) 769-8031 or e-mail irinalehat@gmail.com. Irina Belfer-Lehat is a New York State-licensed dietitian and certified dietitian-nutritionist. She may be reached by phone at (917) 769-8031 or e-mail irinalehat@gmail.com.
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LITennisMag.com • November/December 2012 • Long Island Tennis Magazine
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BY
Celebration! After his U.S. Open triumph, Andy Murray and 30 of his guests went to the trendy New York restaurant, Hakkasan, and racked up a sizeable bill of $6,448. The drinks alone contributed $1,408 to the total bill, and out of all those fancy drinks, including “Green Destinies” and “Zesty Martinis,” the only thing Andy drank was the $6 lemon soda!
E M I L I E
KAT Z
Sasha Vujacic. “It was obviously a challenging decision from both of our ends. It was a really nice period of time for both of us, but our career schedules just made it extremely difficult to see each other with the traveling,” said Sharapova. Vujacic, formerly with the Lakers and Nets, has been playing basketball overseas. “He wasn’t home one time during the 10 months that he was in Turkey, so that made it extremely difficult. But we have a tremendous amount of respect for each other. We spent really great years together.”
Andre loves NY It’s over Maria Sharapova has revealed that she has broken off her engagement to former NBA guard
On the very court where he played the final match of his storied career in 2006, Andre Agassi was inducted into the U.S. Open Court of
Champions at this year’s U.S. Open. The humbled Las Vegan told the New York fans that the reason he never skipped the event over a 21-year span “quite honestly, is you.”
Goodbye Cardinals Stanford standout Mallory Burdette, who, in her freshman year provided the clincher in the Cardinals’ 4-3 win over Florida in the national championship match, advanced to the third round of the 2012 U.S. Open in Flushing Meadows and subsequently turned pro, forgoing her senior year. “I am very sad to leave my coaches and teammates at Stanford, but excited to build upon my recent summer success,” said Burdette.
Baby on the way
Seven-time Grand Slam tennis champion Justine Henin is expecting her first child. The retired Belgian player announced that she is pregnant and the baby is due in March. Henin said she and her partner Benoit Bertuzzo “have some nice news to announce. Yes, soon there will be three of us.” 4
Long Island Tennis Magazine • November/December 2012 • LITennisMag.com
Moving on In addition to the departures of Andy Roddick and Kim Clijsters, another former number one, Juan Carlos Ferrero, said he will retire after playing in his hometown Valencia Open in late October. The 32year-old Spaniard moved to the top of the rankings in 2003 after winning the French Open and reaching the U.S. Open final, where he lost to Andy Roddick. In 14 years as a professional, he won 15 titles and helped Spain win two of its five Davis Cups.
Williams Sisters set for South African safari U.S. Open champion Serena Williams and sister Venus will play each other in an exhibition match on a visit to South Africa in early November. Organizers say the Americans will also attend a coaching clinic in the Soweto township when they travel to the country in support of a women’s charity.
Good sportsmanship recognized at U.S. Open
Caroline Wozniacki (@caro wozniacki): Kindles are so smart … don’t need to carry heavy books on the road! Great gift from your parents @mcilroyrory.
eral athletes model her clothing line. “I really don’t know why all of us athletes are doing [this]. I just know that I went to school and I love design,” Venus said. “I try to make a difference in things. This is a big show, but I wasn’t nervous.”
Melanie Oudin (@melanie_ oudin): Such a fun day shopping!
Tweets from the tennis pros Andy Roddick (@andyroddick): 1-0 in fantasy football!! ... How do you win a game when your QB throws one TD and no position players score? I’ll take it!
Lindsay Davenport (@LDavenport76): Congrats to Liezel Huber who adopted a beautiful baby boy this morning.
Justin Gimelstob (@justingimelstob): Beautiful day in Central Park.
Ryan Harrison (@ryanharrison92): At the airport, Headed to China! Watched Rush Hour 2 last night … perfect preparation!
Maria Kirilenko (@mkirilenko): Finally, I’m back home and having some rest!
Serena Williams (@serenawilliams): Ummmm … I’m kinda obsessed with “How I Met Your Mother!”
Victoria Azarenka (@vika7): It’s been an amazing three weeks in #NYC … I will always love you and will always come back :)))
Venus Williams (@venuseswilliams): I can’t believe #GREYGOOSE created a drink named after me! The guests at my EleVen by Venus Williams presentation seemed to love The MaVen!
Photo credit: John Foxx
U.S. Open men’s doubles champions Bob & Mike Bryan and 2011 women’s champion Samantha Stosur were the first recipients of the Grand Slam tennis tournament’s sportsmanship award. The USTA sportsmanship award comes with a $5,000 donation to the charity of the winner’s choice
Fashion Week Venus Williams debuted the latest collection of her clothing line EleVen by Venus at New York Fashion Week. Williams, who has an associate degree in fashion design from the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, stuck to her sporting roots by having sev-
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LITennisMag.com • November/December 2012 • Long Island Tennis Magazine
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How Do I Get the Mental Edge? Unlock the mystery of the mental game ... By Rob Polishook, Mental Training Coach, MA, CPC sk any athlete how important the mental game is and most would say it’s between 50 percent and 99 percent of competition. In individual sports like golf, running, swimming and tennis, the value always pushes the higher limits. In team sports like baseball, basketball, lacrosse and football, it has great relevance as well. Remember Yogi Berra’s famous quote, “Half of this game is 90 percent mental.” Many athletes don’t understand how to unlock the mystery of the mental game. The first secret begins by asking the right questions.
A
Who has the mental edge? Two modern-day tennis players come to mind. These icons are Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. These two players have been atop the men’s game for the previous seven and five years, respectively,
and have accounted for 22 of the past 27 Grand Slam titles. Most importantly, they both have demonstrated their will to compete, their respect for sportsmanship, opponents, and the game, and their ability to adjust to adversity. Similarly, the great NFL quarterback Tom Brady also comes to mind. Brady can often be observed inspiring teammates on the field, and appears generally unflappable after his own mistakes. He never seems concerned with the referee’s decisions, a raucous environment in a rival stadium, or a particularly aggressive defense. He simply controls what he can, raises his intensity level when he senses his teammates need it, and works with purpose and consistency during and after practice. What is the mental edge? Athletes with the mental edge rise under adversity and adapt to what’s happening in the present moment. Other character-
“Performing under adversity is truly the mark of a champion.” istics include patience, focus, calmness under pressure, focusing on what you can control, and getting comfortable being uncomfortable. These players also have the ability to raise their level when it’s needed most. Think about Pete Sampras serving his way out of a 040 hole. Or consider Michael Phelps, the great Olympic swimmer, before each race listening to his iPod, letting go of anxiety. At race time his mind was clear, and he performed with complete attention to the moment. When do you need the mental edge? Performing under adversity is truly the mark of a champion. This is the time the mental edge is imperative. Most players can win when they are playing well— they have the momentum and their confidence. However, the true champions are the ones who find a way to win when they are not playing their best. Athletes with the mental edge take little for granted, give a full effort, and trust their process no matter the score or situation. Where does the mental edge come from? The mental edge lies within each of us. It starts on the inside and can be cultivated on the outside by people and experiences. The key is to trust the process, do your best and learn from mistakes, setbacks, and obstacles. Refer to Michelangelo: He knew when he bought a block of
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Long Island Tennis Magazine • November/December 2012 • LITennisMag.com
marble that the David was inside, and chip-by-chip his masterpiece appeared for the world to see. The masterpiece already lay within the block of stone, but his genius rested in figuring how to uncover it! Why is the mental edge important? It’s the glue that holds everything together. When you have it, you exhibit flexibility in situations, accept imperfection, and work with what you have on that given day. This creates an ability to stay calm and centered under pressure. It is rare a winning performance is perfect; more often it is the “perfectly imperfect” shots and plays which change the course of a competition. A great mental approach is the most surefire way to walk into competition with an advantage. How do I get the mental edge? This is the million-dollar question. We know that having the mental edge is a crucial component of any elite athlete’s game. What many of us don’t understand is that, similar to confidence and winning, the mental edge is a consequence of actions, behaviors, commitment, experience, and discipline, to name a few. Great players are very aware and trusting of themselves, their sport, and their personal process. Much like practicing your technical skill set, commit yourself to entering each practice and competition with purpose, intention, and a focus on what you can control—and allow the results to follow. Rob Polishook, MA, CPC is the founder and director of Inside the Zone Sports Performance Group. As a mental training coach he works with athletes and teams of all levels. His work focuses on helping athletes gain the mental edge and letting go of blocks which get in the way of peak performance. He is a USTA Zonal Coach and has spoken and been published for the USTA, USPTA and ITA. Additionally, he has conducted workshops nationally and internationally in India and Israel. He may be reached by phone at (973) 7230314, e-mail rob@insidethezone or visit www.insidethezone.com.
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B Y K AT H Y M I L L E R
Congratulations to the Women’s 3.0 Senior Team from Point Set, captained by Marilyn Shimon, and the Women’s 3.5 Senior Team from Carefree Racquet, captained by Bonnie Kolenberg, for winning at Sectionals and advancing to the Nationals! A job well done! Also advancing to Nationals is the Super Senior 9.0 Men’s Team from Jericho-Westbury, captained by Ed Wolfarth. The Mixed-Doubles League will be starting in early November. There will be divisions at the 6.0 Level (two 3.0 players or a 2.5 and 3.5), 7.0 Level (two 3.5 players or a 3.0 and 4.0), 8.0 Level (two 4.0 players or a 3.5 and 4.5), 9.0 Level (two 4.5 players or a 4.0 and 5.0). A match consists of three courts of mixed-doubles, and matches will be played on the weekends. There is a $25 roster fee, and each time you play a match, it is $20 which is paid to the club where the match is being held. If you would like to be placed on a team, please e-mail me at
kathym65@aol.com and I will see if there are any teams still in need of players. As many players have already heard, the USTA League will undergo a major restructuring for the 2013 season. The USTA League has been the Adult League which featured players 18 years of age and older; the Senior League, for players 50 years of age and older; and the Super Senior League, for players 60 years of age and older. Going forward, the league will be as follows: I The 18 years of age and over division will be at the 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5 and 5.0+ Levels. Matches will consist of two courts of singles and three courts of doubles for the 3.0, 3.5, 4.0 and 4.5 Levels. The 2.5 and 5.0 Levels will consist of one court of singles and two courts of doubles. At the 5.0 Level, since it is the highest level, two 5.5 players may play on the team, although both cannot play
in the same match. When one of them does play, it must be in the singles position or in first doubles. I The 40 years of age and over division will be at the 3.0, 3.5, 4.0 and 4.5+ Levels. All the levels will consist of two courts of singles and three courts of doubles. Since the 4.5 Level is the highest level, two 5.0 players can play on the team. Since these are five court matches as opposed to the three court matches that the 5.0+ Level has, both players can play in the same match, but it must be at first doubles or in the first singles position. I The 55 years of age and over division will be combined levels of 6.0, 7.0, 8.0 and 9.0, which allows for player levels to follow the mixed levels outlined above. Matches will consist of three courts of doubles. I There will be a division of 65 and over which I will have more information on in the coming weeks. I am attending a workshop on Saturday, Nov. 3 where I will be getting all of the details for the new format and will hopefully be able to answer all questions then. Until then, Tri-Level matches are presently being played and mixed matches will be starting very shortly. Again, anyone interested in a mixed-doubles team, please let me know and I will see what spots are still available. Kathy Miller is the manager at Carefree Racquet Club and is also the Adult League Coordinator for USTA/Long Island. She may be reached at kathym65@aol.com.
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Long Island Tennis Magazine • November/December 2012 • LITennisMag.com
Professional Mindsets By Steve Kaplan Professional coaches are receptive students and as eager to receive information, critique and criticism as they are to give it. They think independently, solve problems creatively, and assimilate and integrate information into a message that works best for each student. Great coaches are constantly learning and growing by questioning teachings of the past and uncovering the most progressive methods. Evolving coaches do not accept the status quo in the development of their profession or the game of their students. They seek to deliver instruction that is best suited to the uniqueness of the student by breaking out of their teaching comfort zone to find messages with the greatest positive impact. Sadly, poor instruction is all too often given to students and repeated by coaches, who fail to question its validity. The common instruction of asking a student to perform a wrist snap on the serve is one of the many examples of teaching which focuses on isolated joint movement rather than integrated body systems. While top servers perform strong wrist snaps, the added power impact of a snap or pronation of the wrist is minimal. Studies indicate that the wrist is capable of adding just
10 percent of the power of the hit and even less in the most powerful serves. Elite men get under six percent added power from a wrist snap. The wrist snap when correctly integrated into the motion adds power but an isolated wrist snap, disconnected from the kinetic chain inhibits body linkage, reduces power and places tremendous and dangerous stress on the forearm and biceps areas. Clearly, wrist snaps do not cause great serves, rather, the result of great serving mechanics is a strong wrist snap. Powerful serving starts from the ground and works its way up the kinetic chain to the arm. Great serves send a great deal of force upward and a relaxed arm will accelerate more readily. Great servers fully extend their hitting arm to create a longer lever capable of doing more work and to allow the shoulder to internally rotate, thus furthering arm and racket speed. An extended, loose arm moving at a high speed while holding the mass of the racket cannot help but flex from the wrist. Therefore, the wrist snap can be better understood as a valuable assessment of well-linked serving mechanics rather than as an independent goal. The reasoning behind antiquated instruction that I’ve often heard is the circular logic of; “This is what I was taught, this is what I teach and I get results.” The error in thinking here is that when you begin with a false premise, you are bound to reach a fascicle conclusion.
Fifty years ago, legendary football coach Vince Lombardi, basketball’s Red Auerbach of the great Boston Celtics teams, and the head coaches of the United States and Russian Olympic teams could have used this same syllogism to defend their practice of denying water and providing salt pills to athletes during completions. Of course they got “results” despite doing that which we now know to be detrimental. In the classic John Ford western “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance,” James Stewart said, “When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.” It is easier to complacently reinforce myths than question them. Professional coaches, however, are not satisfied with fairy tales. They are always seeking to discover and unlock the truth. Steve Kaplan is the owner of Bethpage Park Tennis Center, as well as the director of Reebok Academy for New York City Parks Foundation. Over the last 33 years, Steve has been the longtime coach of more than 500 nationally-ranked junior players, 15 state high school champions, two NCAA Division 1 Singles Champions, and numerous touring professionals and prominent coaches. Steve’s students have been awarded in excess of $7 million in college scholarship money. He may be reached by e-mail at stevenjkaplan@aol.com.
LITennisMag.com • November/December 2012 • Long Island Tennis Magazine
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LONG ISLAND TENNIS MAGAZINE’S
Tennis Travel Destinations IMG Academy .
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Located in Bradenton, Fla., IMG Academy is home to the IMG Academy Bollettieri Tennis program. Under the guiding principles of its founder, Nick Bollettieri, and the leadership and direction of Rohan Goetzke, the IMG Academy Bollettieri Tennis program sets the standard by which all tennis academies are measured. With a collegiatestyle schedule that balances elite academics with a customized on-court and off-court training program, IMG Academy annually sends student-athletes to some of the nation’s highest-performing universities, including Brown, Cornell, Duke, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Princeton, Stanford and countless others. Many of the world’s top professionals have trained at IMG Academy, including Maria Sharapova, Kei Nishikori, Sabine Lisicki, Ryan Harrison and Andre Agassi, just to name a few. IMG’s student-athletes and alumni have won 939 singles titles, 441 doubles titles, 86 Grand Slam singles titles, 49 Grand Slam doubles titles, 12 Olympic Gold Medals, 10 have reached number one in the world in singles and four have been number one in the world in doubles. With more than 50 tennis courts, all students who attend IMG Academy will receive multiple hours of on-court training per day that includes match-simulation drills and match play. Off the court, students work with physical, mental, vision training and nutrition specialists to ensure a well-rounded game. In addition, to the Academy Program, IMG offers the following: • Five-week summer camps • Five-week summer camps with education options • Three-week camps (available in winter and summer) • Weekly camps (available year-round) • Holiday/Spring Break Camps • Adult camps • ATP/WTA training • Collegiate/team training
Luxury Italian Tours specializes in travel to Italy and offers a variety of unique, small group tours, as well as customized trips designed especially for individual clients. Our expert team looks forward to sharing Italy’s beauty, food and rich culture so you can discover new places without forgetting the lasting favorites. Luxury Italian Tours’ philosophy is to provide you with a glimpse of Italy from our local perspective to give you an experience that you will treasure for a lifetime. Luxury Italian Tours’ customized services cover an enormous range and cater to your specific interests—whether this is your first trip to Italy, a return visit, your honeymoon or even an offbeat adventure you have long desired. Luxury Italian Tours plans well-organized visits to all of the historic points of interest, but we also offer unique experiences throughout the country that other groups do not provide. There is probably no Italian experience you might want that we could not help you with. With our small group tours and individually-designed trips, you will experience the ultimate luxury of Italy whether it is over a bottle of wine, during a meal, or marveling at its simple beauty. So, whether you are interested experiencing Rome during the Italian Open, racing Ferraris on a Formula One track, going on a truffle hunt, learning how to make local specialties with professional chefs, wine-tasting at renowned vineyards or simply relaxing in an underground grotto with naturally heated spring waters, andiamo! For more information, visit www.luxuryitaliantours.com or call (855) 248-2542.
With programs available year-round for all ages and ability levels, IMG Academy has a program to help you become more! For more information, visit www.imgacademy.com or call (800) 872-6425 10
Long Island Tennis Magazine • November/December 2012 • LITennisMag.com
LONG ISLAND TENNIS MAGAZINE’S
Tennis Travel Destinations Mauna Kea Beach Hotel
Peter Kaplan’s Westhampton Beach Junior/Adult Tennis Academy.
. What makes Mauna Kea a “Top Tennis Destination?” The legendary Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, an architectural icon designed to coexist beautifully with the unforgettable landscape of the Kohala Coast is located on a silky white-sand crescent beach, Kauna’oa Bay. Escape to paradise where you will find 258 luxurious guest rooms, Laurance S. Rockefeller’s private collection of Asian and Pacific artwork, impeccable service, one of the world’s finest golf courses and tennis club plus tantalizing cuisine with unforgettable settings. The 11-court Seaside Tennis Club is one of the largest and most sought-after tennis experiences in Hawaii. Each one of the 11 courts offer an incredible view of the Pacific blue ocean and on a clear day, you can see Maui in the background. Craig Pautler and his team serve up some of the most thoughtful touches available at the best private luxury tennis clubs, as well as lessons and daily clinics, round robin tourneys, and a comfortable lanai to relax in the shade. Recent accolades include top 25 Tennis Resorts and World’s Top 100 Resorts, tennis resorts and camps by Tennis Resorts Online and Top 10 Resorts in the U.S. (bi-annual) by Tennis Magazine. Facilities and services include 11 ocean side tennis courts, a pro shop offering equipment and apparel, equipment rentals, men’s and women’s locker rooms, video instruction service, ball machine, tournament planning, racquet stringing, individual game-matching, customized special events, tennis clinics, round robin tournaments, private and group lessons. Enjoy the many other amenities offered at the resort, like the weekly Lu’au and Clambake, 2,500 square-foot fitness room, and spa just to mention a few. Enjoy some private time at this worldclass resort, improve your tennis game while taking in some of the most incredible views in the world and create memories that will be treasured for a lifetime. The club is open 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. daily, and can be reached at (808) 882.5420 or by visiting www.MaunaKeaBeachHotel.com.
Peter Kaplan’s Westhampton Beach Junior/Adult Tennis Academy, and the affiliated Grassmere Inn, is a wonderful destination for beginners to nationallyranked players of all ages. Private instruction and 90-minute clinics are offered daily. The flexibility of the programming enables participants to enjoy the nearby beautiful ocean beaches, charming village, Performing Arts Center, movie theatre, wine country, flower farms, shopping, cafes, restaurants, water park and other East End attractions. Peter Kaplan, an attorney, former New York State Tennis Champion, and a graduate of Cornell University, is on-site every day. Resident students/families/teams stay at the historic Grassmere Inn, located on quiet, tree-lined Beach Lane in Westhampton Beach, N.Y., only 50 yards from the beginning of the charming village, yet less than one mile from a beautiful ocean beach. The location could not be better. The Grassmere has 22 guest rooms, all with air conditioning, WiFi, cable television and private bathrooms. Ideal for families, are two suites or interconnected rooms. A delicious breakfast of fresh muffins, bagels, cereal, fruit, juice, coffee, tea, milk and yogurt is included daily. The Tennis Academy, located three miles away, is primarily a teaching center featuring 12 soft courts. We have welcomed participants from over 25 countries and 30 states since 2000. The Academy features an enthusiastic staff, renowned for its high-quality instruction and low student-tostaff ratio. The maximum ratio is 4:1, but the average ratio is 2:1. Serious junior players run three miles before breakfast and then 10 hours of instruction, running and matches. However, most participants seek a less intensive program, taking three to five hours of instruction daily. The staff is always accommodating and happy to tailor programs to fit the needs of the customer. The Academy’s staff is available to supplement visiting pros staff. The groups always have an incredible time, some having returned for 10 consecutive years. Tennis during the day, a trip to the beach in the late afternoon, perhaps a glass of wine at sunset, and then dining at a great restaurant, a movie or a show at the Performing Arts Center. For more information, call Peter Kaplan at (631) 288-4021 or (914) 234-9462, e-mail peterkaplan2002@yahoo.com or visit www.westhamptonbeachtennis.com.
LITennisMag.com • November/December 2012 • Long Island Tennis Magazine
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LONG ISLAND TENNIS MAGAZINE’S
coach’s court ROBERT KENDRICK, SPORTIME SYOSSET AND THE JOHN MCENROE TENNIS ACADEMY versity of Washington and at Pepperdine University, where he was ranked as high as number three in the nation. As a professional, he was ranked as high as 69th in the world in singles (taking Rafael Nadal to five sets at Wimbledon in 2006), and 77th in doubles. Since 2003, Robert has been a member of Sportime’s own New York Sportimes World TeamTennis franchise, and played in his last professional match at the WTT finals in September 2012!
Robert Kendrick is director of tennis at Sportime Syosset and co-director of the John McEnroe Tennis Academy Annex at Bethpage. Robert joined the Sportime team in the fall of 2012 after a decade as a successful singles and doubles player on the ATP Tour. Robert was an All-American at both the Uni-
What intrigued you about teaching at Sportime and the John McEnroe Tennis Academy? Kendrick: I have known Claude Okin, Sportime’s founder and CEO, since 2002, the first year I played World TeamTennis for New York when the team was the New York Hamptons and played at Claude’s original club in Amagansett, N.Y. He always told me that when I was done with my pro career he wanted me to be part of the company. So, 10 years later, that is exactly what we are doing. I have watched Sportime grow for the last 10 years, including its expansion into
B E AU T I F Y YO U R G A M E A more beautiful site for tennis simply doesn’t exist. The Seaside Tennis Club at the legendary Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, Kohala Coast, Island of Hawaii. 1.866.977.4589 MaunaKeaBeachHotel.com
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Long Island Tennis Magazine • November/December 2012 • LITennisMag.com
New York City and the creation of the John McEnroe Tennis Academy at Sportime Randall’s Island. I am very excited to get to be a part of it and to come to Long Island as we open the first JMTA Annex at Sportime Bethpage. Not every former pro player is well-suited to become a coach in a club or academy setting, but I think I have what it takes to make the transition. I have always liked helping recreational and aspiring players to enjoy their tennis and to improve, in addition to coaching top junior talent. How do you feel your experiences on tour will enable you to be a better coach? Kendrick: I learned a lot in my decade on the Tour. I changed how I did things as I matured. Fitness and mental preparation became a much bigger part of my approach, and I like to think I became a true professional, though I certainly struggled with my share of injuries. What it takes to compete as a professional player is really a different world from junior tennis. I think I can help serious juniors figure out the best approach and plan for them. Do they want to play college tennis as a way to support their educational goals, or as critical step towards a pro career, or both? One thing for sure on the Tour is that you have to learn how to get the most out of your practice time and to stay ready. That is exactly what we want our Sportime juniors to do, so it is really a matter of applying the same strategies in a different setting. How can junior tennis improve in the Long Island area? Kendrick: Long Island has a pretty great history of making a lot of serious and seriously good players, but it has been quite a while since we turned out some great ones. Obviously, Sportime is very
proud of Noah Rubin and what he has accomplished so far, and what we think he can accomplish. Noah was our male alternate this year for WTT, so I got to practice with him a few times and I look forward to working with him this year. I am hoping that JMTA at Sportime will really have an impact in the coming years and that I will be a big part of that. We need to find more great athletes and to get them started playing by the time they are six- or seven-years-old. Sportime will be doing our version of 10 & Under Tennis at JMTA, which we will call “MacStart.” We are hoping that we really start to build a foundation of serious young players that can be the next Johnny Mac, or the female equivalent. What are your thoughts on top junior players playing on their high school tennis teams? Kendrick: It depends on the player and the team, but in general, I support and I know Sportime and John agree, kids playing on their school team, and even playing additional team sports if they can make it work. You only get to be in high school once, and giving up that experience is no guarantee of tennis success. Many school coaches will work with serious players to allow them to continue to train with us, and to continue to play key tournaments, during the school season. Sometimes, the situation is not flexible or supportive and a junior will have to opt out. Do you feel that a top junior can achieve his or her maximum potential while training on Long Island, or do they need a warm weather academy? Kendrick: If you look at the world’s best players, they come from all different places and training experiences. Most did not leave home during their high school years to become world-class players and most did not go to large residential academies. Many did, but not most. I didn’t and a lot of my fellow American professionals did not either. I really believe it is the kid and the coaching and the support of the family that makes all the difference. We already develop loads of nationally ranked juniors at Sportime and on Long Island. We can absolutely develop world-class players in
New York. Many of the best players in the world come from countries in Europe or Asia where there is no such thing as a warm weather academy. Our philosophy at Sportime and at JMTA is that the best environment for a junior player, prior to college, is living with his or her family, going to a regular school and leading a normal life. And we don’t believe in over-training or playing 40 tournaments a year. We create a customized developmental plan for our top players that we believe creates the best pathway for their development and success. What players currently on tour would you want your students to emulate? Kendrick: There are so many players on tour that are so talented and work so hard that truly love the sport. Truly the amount of talent and effort is pretty awesome, and there are also so many players that show great sportsmanship and friendship with the other players. I always wanted to win and I always competed hard, but I like to think that my fellow players will remember me for my friendship as much as for my serve. We use technology at Sportime that allows our kids to compare their technique to that of the best players in the game. So, obviously, we would be happy if all of our players were as fit as Djokovic, served like Roddick, and had Murray’s defense, Roger’s movement and Nadal’s intensity. But our job is to help our students develop their game based on their strengths and weaknesses. The great thing about tennis is that it is so personal and that there are so many ways to play that can work. Should top junior players play college tennis or turn pro immediately? What factors in to that decision? Kendrick: I am a big fan of college tennis for most juniors. Most 18-year-olds are not physically mature enough to handle the rigors of the pro game, and many who turn pro too early burn out quickly or suffer serious and ongoing injuries. But there is no one answer. It depends on the individual player, his or her maturity and skill-set, and the family and financial situation. I look forward to helping some kids to make such decisions in the coming years.
What are some of your coaching philosophies? Kendrick: Have fun is the most important thing. I have trained with many coaches throughout my junior and pro career and I have taken a little bit from each of them. Good players can do that, and have to learn how to listen and be open to learning and then to use what works best and feels most comfortable. Some of my coaches that helped and inspired me the most were Peter Smith at USC; Richard Schmidt, Dustin Taylor and Matt Anger at U of Washington. All kids have different needs. I think I have the capacity to really get to know my students and I think I can give them each a clear path towards how they can play to be successful. Do you think it will be difficult to make the transition from ATP tour player to junior player coach? Kendrick: There are a lot of hard parts to being a pro tennis player. It can be lonely, frustrating, and even boring at times, but one thing for sure is that it is not a nine to five job. You have a lot of fun and freedom. You basically work only a few hours a day—maybe a little more with practice when you are still alive in a tournament playing singles and doubles. So the real world can definitely be a shock to former pros. But I have been working on the transition for a while and I think I will do very well with it. I like to interact with people, juniors and adults, and I really like the club environment. I have done quite a bit of coaching over the years; both helping other players on tour and working with juniors and adults during my time off. I like to think I am going to bring a lot of spirit and a very high level of coaching to my work at Sportime. At Sportime, I have the responsibility and privilege to direct a large staff of pros at Syosset and to co-direct at JMTA, and I have the support of some great colleagues. I really cannot wait to make an impact. What do you feel you will bring to JMTA/Sportime? Kendrick: Fun, intensity, a lifetime of experience as a top junior, collegiate player and touring pro, and, most of all, friendship.
LITennisMag.com • November/December 2012 • Long Island Tennis Magazine
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Mythbusters: You Cannot Beat the Top Players in the World if You Graduate College By Ricky Becker In this and the next edition of Long Island Tennis Magazine, I will be interviewing two former players who graduated from Stanford with me in 1996 and were my roommates/teammates. Both Jim Thomas and Jeff Salzenstein played professional tennis for 10-plus years after their four years of college and have some good insight and advice for today’s juniors about tennis life as a pro, college and junior player. This month’s interviewee, Jim Thomas, had quite a professional doubles record. After a surprising doubles loss to your humble interviewer, Thomas had quite a
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bounce-back. He notched professional doubles victories over Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Andy Roddick, Bob and Mike Bryan, Lleyton Hewitt, Max Mirnyi, Marat Safin, Pat Rafter, Yevgeny Kafelnikov and other top-10 world-ranked players.
Jim Thomas
What were the biggest differences between professional and college tennis on-and-off the court? Thomas: Off-the-court as a pro, I had to decide on a coach, how much did I want the coach to travel, how much could I
Long Island Tennis Magazine • November/December 2012 • LITennisMag.com
afford the coach to travel, a place to live and train, my schedule of tournaments/training/and off weeks. As a student-athlete, these decisions were made for me. As a pro, I had to become accustomed to being away from “home” for greater extended periods. I became accustomed to playing an average of 30-35 tournaments in a year which was more than college. I also had a lot more time to train. I had to figure out how best to use this time. As a pro, one needs to be able to dictate points and have a weapon(s). As a college player, you have the support of your college team. It is important to have a support group on the tour. If you can have a coach or friend travel with you, then I recommend reaching out.
What advice would you give to someone about whether he/she should go professional before attending college or while in college? Thomas: I would suggest that they play professional tournaments prior to making this decision. Either play the events prior to enrolling in college, or defer college for one year (or a certain amount of time), but do not accept prize money. If you are being offered money to turn pro, this is also another variable. It is really an individual, case-bycase decision. It is expensive to play professional tennis with all of the expenses (travel, coach, accommodation, etc.). Can I afford it or would I be better off in college where my expenses are covered and I can develop my game? If you know you want to play professional tennis, then actually playing tournaments is probably the best preparation. However, you must keep in mind that only a small percentage of players make a living at this. Did you have a preference between professional tennis, college tennis and junior tennis? Thomas: College tennis had been my goal
and pro tennis was a bonus. I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to develop my tennis talent over so many years, to compete against so many top level players, to meet so many wonderful people from various countries and to travel to and compete in 50 countries. My best college memories are of working towards a common goal and being fortunate enough to be on a team that won two NCAA Team titles. I feel that we developed a bond which will last a lifetime, and this is very special. I enjoyed junior tennis because I had the pleasure to travel with my mom, grandma and coach. These are fond memories, but this is also when I learned to compete, so this was an extremely important lesson. I do not think that I have a preference for one over the other. I am grateful that I had the opportunity to the extent I did at each level. What advice do you give to a junior player who is going through the recruiting process? Thomas: Enjoy it! For me, it has never happened again where I have been treated so well. Research the programs. Speak with as
many current and former players as possible. Ask a lot of questions about the coaches because you will be spending a lot of time with them. How long are the practices? What is expected of me during the summer? How do you decide the lineup? What advice do you give to a current college tennis player who may or may not try playing the circuit afterwards? Thomas: Go play! It may be expensive, but go and try. You have nothing to lose. Grab some of your teammates and make it an extension of your college days. But if you do go play, give it your full commitment. Otherwise, this may not be the best use of your time. Ricky Becker is founder of JuniorTennisConsulting LLC, which offers off-court college guidance services to junior tennis players. He is now director of tennis at Pine Hollow Country Club and will be running tennis programs at Glen Head Racquet Club in the winter. He can be reached by email at rbecker06@yahoo.com, by phone at (516) 605-0420 or via JuniorTennisConsulting.com.
LITennisMag.com • November/December 2012 • Long Island Tennis Magazine
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USTA U US STA TA EASTERN EA EAS AS STTER STER ERN ER R
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more than a game game.. IT’S A LI LIFESTYLE FEST YLE
Long Island Tennis Magazine • November/December 2012 • LITennisMag.com
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Hannah Camhi Excels on Court and in the Classroom annah Camhi credits tennis with helping her develop self-confidence, optimism, and perseverance. And it is those traits–along with her outstanding grades, leadership, and match play—that earned Camhi of Woodbury, N.Y., a 2012 USTA National Junior Scholar Athlete Award. “My longtime coach, Steve Kaplan, told me when I started as a competitive tennis player that ‘success is a marathon not a sprint’,” said Camhi, who just started her freshman year at Brown University. “I have learned that through dedication, organization, and goal setting that achievement is inevitable on and off the court.” To be considered for the award, juniors had to have a USTA national ranking in the top 100 of the Boys’ or Girls’ 18 and under division; have an un-weighted GPA of 3.75 (on a 4.0 scale); and demonstrate sports-
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manship, and leadership on and off the court. Camhi met all of the academic and athletic requirements, and was also active in giving back to the tennis community. For three years, Camhi taught tennis at the City Parks Foundation’s Reebok Junior Tennis Academy, a free tournament training program for talented New York City juniors held at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. She also cofounded and directed a “Peer Mentoring Tennis Program” at the Bethpage Park Tennis Center, in which older competitive tennis players shared knowledge, skills, and friendships with younger tournament players. In addition, Camhi was one of 27 juniors honored for their outstanding performance in section tournaments at the USTA Eastern Junior Awards Gala. The juniors, in the
12 to 18 age divisions, were also provided with free grounds passes to see the best players in the world compete on Opening Day of the U.S. Open. “Hannah has been a great representative for Eastern tennis,” said Julie Bliss, director of competition and player development for USTA Eastern. “On and off the court, in individual and team events, Hannah has been a role model for young women tennis players in our section and throughout the country.”
LITennisMag.com • November/December 2012 • Long Island Tennis Magazine
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Roddick and Clijs
CREDIT ALL PHOTOS TO KENNETH B. GOLDBERG
t the 2012 U.S. Open, two storied careers came to a close, as both American Andy Roddick and Belgium’s Kim Clijsters took to the court for the final time in their careers. Roddick’s career came to a close at the 2012 U.S. Open, when he was beaten 6-7, 7-6, 6-2, 64 by Juan Martin del Potro in the fourth round. Roddick’s last shot of his career was a running forehand that went long. After the match, he
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Roddick and Clijsters continued from page 18 was handed a microphone and emotionally addressed the Flushing Meadows crowd: “For the first time in my career, I’m not sure what to say. Since I was a kid, I’ve been coming to this tournament and I felt lucky just to sit where all of you are and watch this game and see the champions that have come and gone. And I’ve loved every minute of it.” Roddick ended a career which saw him win the 2003 U.S. Open and briefly reach the top of the ATP Tour World Rankings. He also made a second U.S. Open final and three Wimbledon finals, but lost them all to Switzerland’s Roger Federer. “I’m thankful for everything he’s done for the game, especially here for tennis in America,” said Federer. “It has not been easy after Agassi and Sampras, Courier, Chang, Connors, McEnroe, you name it … It’s been hard for him as well at times. I thought he always did the best he could; that’s all you can ask from a guy.” With his wife and parents watching from the stands, Roddick struggled to keep his emotions in check as the realization that his career was over began to
sink in. Del Potro and Roddick hugged at the net after the match, and del Potro allowed Roddick to have his final moment with the New York crowd. Roddick wiped away the tears as the crowd stood to applaud him. “It was really high intensity during all the match, and Andy played really well,” said del Potro. “But also he retired in fantastic shape. It’s amazing.” Clijsters was upset 7-6(4), 7-6(5) by 18-year-old Laura Robson of Great Britain in the second round of the U.S. Open and headed into retirement after she finished playing doubles at Flushing Meadows. She walked away from the sport once before, in May 2007, then returned after a hiatus of two-plus years. Now 29-years-old, the Belgian insisted this season that she means it this time, and decided the U.S. Open—and its hard courts that she conquered on the way to three championships—would be her final tournament. “I’m happy that in the last year and a half or even two years, it’s been kind of up and down, and I’m happy that I stuck through it and I was able to kind of live a lot of these
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Long Island Tennis Magazine • November/December 2012 • LITennisMag.com
emotions that I’ve had in these 18 months or so,” said Clijsters. “Kind of in a way proud of myself that I was able to do that. I feel happy. I have doubles tomorrow, so I have to stay focused.” The loss to Robson ended Clijsters’ 22match winning streak in New York, encompassing titles in 2005, 2009 and 2010, plus a first-round win at this year’s Open. “Kim always displayed grace and character on and off the court,” said USTA Chairman of the Board Jon Vegosen. “So it’s appropriate that Arthur Ashe Stadium brought out her best, because she embodies so many of Arthur’s qualities. We will miss this great champion, and wish Kim and her family all the best.” Clijsters and mixed-doubles partner Bob Bryan fell 6-2, 3-6, 12-10 to Eketerina Makarova & Bruno Soares, officially ending her professional playing career. The match went back and forth, but ended as Clijsters’ final shot as a pro hit the net. Even in defeat, Clijsters put on a show for the packed crowd on Court 17 and smiled through it all. Husband Brian Lynch was watching from the stands with the couple’s four-yearold daughter, Jada, in his lap playing with a stuffed animal. “I had a great night,” Clijsters said. “And I couldn’t have asked for a better way to finish here.” Clijsters finished her career with a 523-127 career record, notching 41 singles titles and 11 doubles titles along the way. The Belgian has been a well-respected figure on the WTA Tour throughout her career. She defeated Caroline Wozniacki twice in the U.S. Open final—in 2009 and 2010—and rose above Li Na in last year’s Australian Open. “Just kind of being home, I guess, being home and kind of having that routine for my family, you know, for our daughter,” said Clijsters on her post-tennis life. “I’m sure in two months I’m going to be like, ‘Ah...’ But I told my husband, ‘Look, I’ve been traveling since I’m 11 years old. Every so often I need to go stay in a hotel where I can just go and line up for breakfast and don’t have to set up and clean the table, make up the beds every
day, all that. I enjoy that. I enjoy it a lot when I come back from a long trip. I want to do it. I look forward to that next chapter, as well, where I can help younger kids and girls who would like to be in our shoes.”
Highlights of Andy Roddick’s retirement press conference …
Why now? Roddick: I just feel like it’s time. I don’t know that I’m healthy enough or committed enough to go another year. I’ve always wanted to, in a perfect world, finish at this event [U.S. Open]. I have a lot of family and friends here. I’ve thought all year that I would know when I got to this tournament. When I was playing my first round, I knew. Is there any way to quantify how much the health issue is versus the mental and emotional issue? Roddick: It’s tough to say. It’s kind of like the chicken or the egg. How much of mental fatigue is because you don’t feel like you can do what you want to do physically? You don’t know where it starts. But it’s tough to put a number. . What projects would you like to do now that the tennis career has come to an end? Roddick: We announced that we are building, with my foundation, a youth tennis and learning center in Austin, Texas. I’d like to be hands-on with that and not see it periodically. I’d like to be kind of on-site every day. There are some other projects, kind of side projects, that I’ve been doing. Those excite me a lot right now. So I’m looking forward to it.
don’t think I’m one of the guys who won’t pick up a racquet for three years. I still love the innocent parts of the game … I love hitting tennis balls. I love seeing the young guys do well. I’ll still have a lot of friends to watch. I’ll miss the relationships probably the most. As time passes, I’ll probably miss the tennis more, but immediately, that’s probably the thing that is toughest for me.
Like any other top American athlete, you’re praised and you’re criticized. What are you most proud of in your career? If you could point to one or two things that you might have changed, what would that be? Roddick: I don’t know that I would change much. Obviously, I think everybody would want to win a match or two more. Had I won a match or two more, we’d be looking back at something a little bit different. But that’s also shaped kind of who I am and how I’ve been able to learn. If everything would have been easy the whole way, who knows how you’d view things. I’m pretty content with the way I did it.
What does it mean to you to be the face of American tennis for the last eight years? Roddick: It’s been a pleasure. It’s not something that’s easy every day, for sure, especially when you get kind of anointed at a young age, 17, 18. It’s something you roll with. For the moments where it’s been hard, I’ve had 25 positive things that have come from it. Again, anything that people may view as tough, I’ve been very lucky and very fortunate. I’ve gotten a lot of opportunities. I wouldn’t trade away a day of it. I’ve loved every minute. There are plenty of athletes that make this kind of announcement in a flood of tears. You seem quite clear about it. Roddick: I feel clear. If I’m being honest, I would have bet against myself on getting through this without tears today. I must have already gotten them all out earlier. I feel pretty good today. This has been a huge part of my life always. But, I don’t know that it’s always been my entire life. So I do feel very confident in the things and the people that I have to fall back on. Do you think it’s going to be an adjustment to be at home? Roddick: You know, I don’t think I’m foolish enough to think that it’s all going to be easy for me. I don’t know that I would be that presumptuous. I love my home life, my friends, my wife. It will be an adjustment, continued on page 22
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What do you think you’ll miss the most? Roddick: I’m not sure. I am lucky enough that there are a lot of players where I live. I
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but hopefully if I ever want to come say hi to you all, they’ll give me a credential
Highlights of Kim Clijsters’ retirement press conference ‌
\ Were the emotions any different with your final singles match or doubles match? Clijsters: Of course. It was a lot more relaxed obviously than my singles. In my singles, I was still so focused. Even afterwards, I knew that my singles career was over, but I was really focused on trying to do well in doubles and mixed. There was no partying yet or anything. I kind of stayed in my same routine as usual. Now when I was in the shower ‌ it really felt like a big release.
We saw Jada in the crowd. Was she aware that you were going to be retiring soon? Clijsters: I’ve been telling her I’m going to be home a lot when this tournament is completely done. I don’t think she understands the meaning of the word “retirement.â€? But she will realize that we’re probably not going to be traveling as much as these last few years. How do you want to be remembered as a tennis player? Clijsters: I don’t think about that. I mean, that’s not important to me. You know, I always tried to give my best, even from when I was eight-years-old until my last match, I always tried to give my best in everything that I did, whether it was sitting here, on the practice court. That is something I would like to be remembered for. What was your main emotion? Are you relieved? Exhausted? Upset? Clijsters: No, not exhausted at all. Not upset. Happy ‌ I don’t know. It feels right. I cannot describe it in any other way. It’s surprising that I’ve kept it dry, I haven’t been crying. I think that’s just another sign that it’s the right choice.
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Roddick and Clijsters continued from page 21
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It’s a Wrap ... 2012 U.S. Open Sweeps Through Flushing Meadows Credit all photos to Kenneth B. Goldberg
he 2012 U.S. Open was a success across the board. From television ratings, to attendance totals, the annual event continues to up the ante each year. This year saw new winners, rising stars and great tennis dramatics from the sport’s top stars for two solid weeks of action in late August/early September. In addition to the curtain closing on the pro careers of Andy Roddick and Kim Clijsters, total attendance at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center topped the 700,000 mark for the fifth time, finishing at 710,803. Television viewership of the three-set women’s singles final featuring Serena Williams defeating Victoria Azarenka on CBS Sports was the highest since 2002, with 17.7 million viewers watching all or part of the match. The men’s five-set thriller where Olympic Gold Medalist Andy Murray captured his first Grand Slam victory by defeating Novak Djokovic was seen by 16.2 million viewers on CBS Sports, the most viewers to watch a men’s singles final since 2007. This year’s event was broadcast in 180 countries around the world, and aired on CBS Sports, ESPN and Tennis Channel in the U.S. Also on the digital media front, the tournament’s official Web site, USOpen.org, generated more than 325 million page views and was accessed by more than 11.7 million visitors worldwide; the fourth consecutive year that unique visitors have topped 10 million, with more than 2.8 million hours of free live streaming action, across computers, mobile devices and tablets, was viewed by fans domestically. The free streaming was available across computers, mobile devices and tablets.
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American Andy Roddick announced his retirement from the pro tour during the 2012 U.S. Open
Bob & Mike Bryan added another doubles title to their trophy case after their U.S. Open doubles finals 6-3, 6-4 win over the team of Leander Paes & Radek Stepanek
Great Britain’s Andy Murray built off his Gold Medal win at the 2012 London Games with a U.S. Open finals win over Serbian Novak Djokovic
American Serena Williams captured the 2012 U.S. Open women’s singles title after her 6-2, 2-6, 7-5 victory over Victoria Azarenka of Belarus Russia’s Maria Sharapova in action under the lights of Arthur Ashe Stadium
Long Island’s own Noah Rubin took part in the 2012 U.S. Open Junior event World number one-ranked Roger Federer in action against Bjorn Phau LITennisMag.com • November/December 2012 • Long Island Tennis Magazine
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USTA Honors Local Juniors During U.S. Open USTA Eastern honored 27 junior players, at the Indoor Training Center of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, for their outstanding performance in Sectional Tournaments and provided them with free grounds passes to see the best players in the world compete on Opening Day of the 2012 U.S. Open. The juniors, in the 12 to 18 age divisions, were honored at the Section’s Junior Awards Gala, an annual event recognizing those players who finished the best in Sectional Tournaments in the first half of the year. Among those honored were Jamie Loeb, who won her first pro tournament this summer and received a wild card into the Main Draw of the 2012 Junior U.S. Open, and Louisa Chirico, who received a wild card entry into the 2012 Junior U.S. Open Qualifying Tournament. In addition, many of the juniors being honored traveled across the country this summer to represent the Eastern Section in team competitions. “These juniors are not just great individual competitors, but also outstanding team players,” said Julie Bliss, director of com-
petition and player development for USTA Eastern. “They recognize the importance of playing local tournaments and representing the section on Eastern teams in places like Michigan, North Carolina and California.” This year, the Section is also recognizing 10 Eastern winners of the USTA NJTL Arthur Ashe Essay Contest. The winners were selected by a section committee of staff and volunteers, and wrote essays responding to the question: “If Arthur Ashe were alive today, what do you think would give him hope?”
Junior Award Gala Winners Boys 12 1. Gary Fishkin (Staten Island, N.Y.) 2. Brian Shi (Jericho, N.Y.) 3. Daniel Pellerito (Syosset, N.Y.) Girls 12 1. Dasha Kourkina (Brooklyn, N.Y.) 2. Aleksandra Bekirova (Brooklyn, N.Y.) 3. Hannah Zhao (Syosset, N.Y.)
Our facility features 18 outdoor courts, including 4 stadium courts, 12 indoor courts and 4 bubbled clay courts in our state of the art, 245,000 square foot indoor tennis facility. We are open 11 months of the year and offer the following: t :FBS SPVOE 1SPHSBNT GPS "EVMUT BOE +VOJPST t BOE 6OEFS t 4VNNFS $BNQT t 4FBTPOBM $BNQT t 0QFO $PVSU 5JNF t $POUSBDU $PVSU UJNF
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Long Island Tennis Magazine • November/December 2012 • LITennisMag.com
Boys 14 1. Sam Turchetta (Pound Ridge, N.Y.) 2. Matthew Gamble (Webster, N.Y.) 3. Alex Knaff (New York, N.Y.) Girls 14 1. Stephanie Schrage (Millburn, N.J.) 2. Brianna Williams (Brooklyn, N.Y.) 3. Courtney Provan (New Providence, N.J.) Boys 16 1. Shawn Hadavi (Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.) 2. Daniel Grunberger (Great Neck, N.Y.) 3. Kyle Mautner (Greenwich, Conn.) Girls 16 1. Jacqueline Urbinati (Harrison, N.Y.) 2. Eva Siskova (Cornwall, N.Y.) 3. Madison Stevens (Mendham, N.J.) Boys 18 1. Andrew Yaraghi (Mill Neck, N.Y.) & Josh Levine (Syosset, N.Y.) 2. Jonathan Carcione (Franklin Lakes, N.J.) 3. Vihar Shah (New Hyde Park, N.Y.) Girls 18 1. Emily Safron (New York, N.Y.) 2. Louisa Chirico (Harrison, N.Y.) & Hannah Camhi (Woodbury, N.Y.) 3. Jamie Loeb (Ossining, N.Y.) & Lexi Borr (Westfield, N.J.)
USTA Eastern Arthur Ashe Essay Contest Winners I Skyla Forrester, Girls, 10 and Under Bronx, N.Y. (New York Junior Tennis & Learning) I Brandon Torres (National Winner), Boys, 10 and Under Bronx, N.Y. (Co-Op City Tennis Club) I Asia Shedrick, Girls, 11-12 Queens, N.Y. (New York Junior Tennis & Learning)
I Zachary Arthur, Boys, 11-12 New York, N.Y. (Harlem Junior Tennis & Education Program) I Taylor Jean-Jacques, Girls, 13-14 Greenwich, Conn. (Jerry Alleyne Memorial Foundation) I Jonathan Agyeno, Boys, 13-14 Yonkers, N.Y. (Harlem Junior Tennis & Education Program) I Mindy Hugo, Girls, 15-16 Mount Vernon, N.Y. (Jerry Alleyne Memorial Foundation) I Jordan Drake-Griffiths, Boys, 15-16 Fayetteville, N.C.; formerly of Haverstraw, N.Y. (Reach for College) I Amina Dickson, Girls, 17-18 Maplewood, N.J. (Reach for College) I Christopher Charles, Boys, 17-18 Valley Stream, N.Y. (Long Island Junior Tennis League)
LI’s first Tennis Academy devoted to the USTA’s 10 & under Initiative.
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Private, Semi-Private and Small Group Lessons for Boys and Girls Ages 5-9.
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www.catsny.com LITennisMag.com • November/December 2012 • Long Island Tennis Magazine
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A Sad Goodbye to Misplaced Animosity in USTA By Miguel Cervantes III have been playing in USTA Adult Leagues for about seven years now, and not one season has passed where I can avoid an overwhelming amount of animosity at the age difference between myself and some of my opponents. This experience is not just an isolated one, but one that is common both inside and outside of tennis. In any competitive arena, a younger competitor will be the target of aspersion from older competitors. With the USTA making changes to the age restrictions in Adult Leagues, this conflict is prone to have a dramatic change in dynamic, and I for one am looking for-
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ward to these changes, but not all of its consequences. It’s important to look at the source of the tension in this debate. Folks who sign up to play in USTA Leagues are, for the most part, weekend warriors. These are people who are doing this (one would hope) for fun and for the love of the game. League players are adults who want to compete against other like individuals at their level. The precarious issue of balance and fairness at each level can be seen to be upset when the variable of youth is introduced. All things being equal, a 3.5 Level player who is 20-years-old should beat a 3.5 player who is 45-years-old due to their age, or so the 45-year-old would argue. The thought is not without merit, but I
Long Island Tennis Magazine • November/December 2012 • LITennisMag.com
“USTA and USTA League players should nurture and mentor younger players new to league play in order to solidify the future and encourage good sportsmanship.”
would argue that this advantage is more psychological than anything else. Speaking from my experiences, the players whom I worry about the most tend to be of an older demographic. Players who are older tend to have a maturity that gives them an advantage that cannot be quantified. The older
players tend to play a bit more relaxed, communicate with their partners more, have a better understanding of strategy, and are not as prone to the mercurial pitfalls of emotion which hamper every tennis player at one point or another. In contrast, when facing a younger player, I tend not to worry as much. I know that my experience will be an edge, that I will be able to take advantage of my opponent’s liabilities with greater ease as they are not used to problem-solving on the fly, and that my mental toughness will edge out the young fresh legs of a young and green USTA upstart. Everyone brings different skills and tools to the court, and while youth must be respected, age is not without its effectiveness. On the surface, it’s understandable that age will be an issue to players in the same league, but upon further review, it must be noted that youthful players cannot play in another league and also should be encouraged by older players. Let’s, for the sake of example, suppose that a 23-year-old signs up to play in a USTA League. He then is snickered at and made to play under the duress of a grumpy and sometimes nasty opponent whom is older than him. At what point is it okay to point out that there is no other league available to this 23-year-old? At what point can that very important fact be put out there?
The youthful players of USTA did not invade a league that is private or outside of their age requirements with malicious intentions. These players did not find a loophole to play in a senior league. These young players are playing in an open league, a league that anyone can join. Although it may be uncomfortable to say, the league belongs to the young players as much as the older players. It is not fair to the young player to be ridiculed and made to be a villain when, in truth, he does not have another option. Which leads to my next point … USTA and USTA League players should nurture and mentor younger players new to league play in order to solidify the future and encourage good sportsmanship. In creating this adversarial dynamic between young and old, it creates a rift where everyone loses. Older players should be teaching younger players about the difference in competitive USTA Adult Leagues and their high school teams. It does not profit anyone for a 23-year-old and/or a 45-year-old to make a fool of themselves acting as though they were 10. One match that stands out to me is when I had an opponent ask me, in a condescending way, if I just got out of school. I figured that I would just ignore him and continued warming up, but he would have none of that. He repeated himself louder going so far as to follow me to the bench repeating himself a
third and fourth time looking to get a rise out of me. There should be a big difference between how things go in high school between rival schools and how things should go in USTA leagues. Older players have the power to affect change more than anyone else in educating younger players, whether they are teammates or opponents. With the changes the USTA is making to age restrictions many, but not all, of the opponents I have played with over the last six years will disappear to the newly-formed leagues. Although it’s a good change that probably could have been made much sooner, I will regret not seeing them on the other side of the net from me. The friendships and relationships that I have built over these years with so many of my competitive peers is something that I cherish and are a large part of why I continue to register and play. Although I will not miss any of the snide comments and negative energy, I will miss playing the crafty, intelligent and classy older players which make league play a pure joy. Formerly with Daniel Burgess at Freeport Tennis, Miguel Cervantes III now teaches at Carefree Racquet Club and privately outdoors. Miguel specializes in teaching beginners, training juniors and coaching doubles. He may be reached by e-mail at understandingtennis@gmail.com.
LITennisMag.com • November/December 2012 • Long Island Tennis Magazine
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New 10 & Under Department Opens at Grand Slam Tennis in Commack
Kid’s
rand Slam Tennis Shop in Commack, N.Y. has unveiled their new 10 & Under Kid’s department to take advantage of the USTA’s major effort, on Long Island and around the country, to have more children discover the enjoyment and benefits of tennis. “The whole 10 & Under concept is a great idea,” said Jim Donnelly proprietor of Grand Slam Tennis Shop. “It will bring more kids in to the game and insure a strong future for the sport. I am a strong advocate of the effort.” According to Bill Mecca, Tennis Service Representative for the USTA Eastern Long Island Region, that future is getting brighter every day. “It’s a whole new ball game,” said Mecca. “The new modified equipment, smaller courts and racquets, and low compression balls are all designed to help kids find success and fun early.” To help move things along, the USTA has provided training to hundreds of local pros and recreational coaches. And USTA Eastern, Long Island area clubs, volunteers and pros have introduced tennis to literally
G
thousands of Long Island kids (and many adults) in the last few months, and they intend to continue providing free and low-
cost learning opportunities for both adults and children, across the Island. Join the boom ... ride the wave!
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Long Island Tennis Magazine • November/December 2012 • LITennisMag.com
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Distribution scheduled for 01/01/13 This edition will feature: • Guide to Long Island’s Top Tennis Clubs • 2012 Year In Review/2013 Preview • Girls High School Tennis Season Recap • Australian Open Preview
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BOLT B100.light Tennis Racquet The BOLT B100.light Tennis Racquet is a great racquet for any level of recreational play. Equipped with ZipStrips, BOLT’s cutting-edge technology which makes this racquet super-forgiving and super-comfortable. It’s powerful, but with great control as well, and it’s practically vibration and impact-shock free. It’s truly an Innovation You Can Feel. Go to www.boltadvance.com, and enter code: “metrotennismag” in the checkout cart coupon box to redeem the special holiday price of $189.95 (a $215 value), and to receive your free BOLT visor cap. Happy Holidays from BOLT! The BOLT B100.light Tennis Racquet features a 100-square inch/645 square centimeter area; weighs 10.5 ounces/298 grams strung; is three-points head-light in balance; measuring 27 inches/69 centimeters (standard) in length, with a beam of 23-25.5 millimeters.
For more information, visit www.boltadvance.com or e-mail info@boltadvance.com.
Love Tennis by hazel We are in love with this cool new line of tennis-inspired jewelry. We’re used to seeing the standard and boring racquet pendant, but were pleasantly surprised when we got a look at this collection. Here are a few of our favorites just in time for the holiday season! I Tennis Ball Stud Earrings: The perfect accompaniment to the Tennis Ball Pendant necklace, these earrings are a clever take on a timely classic ($150). I Sterling Silver Tennis Ball Icon Cufflinks: Invite him to wear his love of tennis on his sleeve. Playful yet understated, these sterling silver cufflinks rest on a 14K gold-plated base ($350). I Racquet & Ball Lariat Necklace: The hallmark of the New York Collection, a sterling tennis ball gently slips through the sweet spot of a sterling silver racquet with gold-plated handle on a sterling silver cable chain. Available in 20” and 24” lengths ($300). I Court Pendant Necklace: Zen-like in its simplicity and grace, this piece subtly reveals her love of the game ($200). I Racquet Icon Bracelet: A petite racquet on a silver chain that makes your forehand look even better than it already is ($125)! I Tennis Ball Pendant Necklace: What could be more iconic and elegant? A solitary tennis ball suspended on a sterling silver cable chain. Available in 16” and 18” lengths ($175). In all, there are a total of four collections each based on the Grand Slam host cities. The New York and Paris Collections are available now (Melbourne and London will launch next year in January and June, respectively). All items are Sterling Silver and are proudly made in the USA.
For more information, visit www.lovetennisbyhazel.com or e-mail info@lovetennisbyhazel.com.
Lupo Designs Lupo Designs’ Howling Wolf Polo is the perfect comfortable shirt to go straight from the court to the club. The polo sports a unique design of a howling wolf on the chest, with a moon on the collar. Whether you are going five sets, playing 18 holes or heading in for casual Friday, make an impression with Lupo Designs’ polo shirt. Check out the new Howling Wolf hoodies so you can stay warm and look stylish all winter long. Super soft and sized large for comfort, the hoodie sports the Howling Wolf logo with a big moon on the side of the hood. Tired of that plain black or white T-shirt? Try out a Howling Wolf T. Splash a little personality into your everyday T-shirts. Great to wear around the house, warming up on the court or under a blazer out at the club. Custom team colors are available. A portion of all profits generated by all Lupo Designs products will be donated to Defenders of Wildlife in order to protect our nation’s wolves.
For more information, visit www.lupodesigns.com or e-mail lupodesigner@gmail.com.
Give the Gift of Aces— Serving Made Easy With The Total Serve The Total Serve … it looks funny, but actually works. It is a flexible, handheld tool with a realistic grip and a weighted end that helps players understand what the serve should FEEL like. It is a user-friendly tool that can be used anywhere for practice, and it’s been tested and proven to accelerate understanding and improvement of the serve EASILY and QUICKLY. The Total Serve comes in three different sizes and weights, making it easy to teach the serve to 10 & Under kids all the way to advanced adult players. Why is it so difficult to master the service motion, gain power, spin and accuracy? The serve is very complex and must be hit with a very uncomfortable grip for success. Most players give up trying to improve because they simply don’t have enough time to practice the serve let alone make effective and long lasting changes. With The Total Serve, players of all levels and ages can teach themselves or practice what they are taught off of the court. It is also ideal for pros, instructors and coaches to teach their students and to give them a true understanding of the serve. Using The Total Serve, you can quickly develop the correct motion and use it for repetitive training, stretching, strengthening, injury prevention, overheads and even groundstrokes. If you are looking for that gift that every player will love and thank you for, The Total Serve is the answer! Help the tennis player in your life make those difficult breakthroughs and improvements that they’ve been struggling with. Give The Total Serve … the truly fun, fast and effective way to a killer serve! For more information, visit www.thetotalserve.com or e-mail lisa@thetotalserve.com.
Long Island Tennis Magazine’s
Literary Corner
By Brent Shearer Ray Benton Saved My Life: A Review of Joel Drucker’s “Jimmy Connors Saved My Life” By Brent Shearer
am supposed to review books about tennis in this space, but every so often, a book comes along that weaves the tennis content with so much other profound content that the tennis parts seem secondary. Joel Drucker’s Jimmy Connors Saved My Life is one such book. It’s a great title
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for starters. The book describes the author’s teenage and young adult years, as he and his family grapple with his brother’s mental illness. Like Frank Conroy‘s Stop-Time, Drucker’s book traces his development into an adult as he deals with normal adolescent crises and some that were specific to him and his family. To deal as sensitively with these issues, to be able to open up his life for his readers, and to use the tennis star who gave vulgarity a bad name as his sounding board is ironic on about a million levels, but Drucker pulls it off. But let’s give Connors some credit, too. Toward the end of the book, Drucker quotes him as saying, “Your story, that could be of interest. But not me. From me, they want only smut.” At first, Drucker wasn’t a fan of Connors. Then he was, and in a big way. In addition to Drucker’s struggles to find the appropriate role tennis should play in his life as he grows up, there is another theme that makes Jimmy Connors Saved My Life so affecting. As a young man, Drucker got to
Long Island Tennis Magazine • November/December 2012 • LITennisMag.com
know Connors, interviewed him a few times and wrote some stories about his hero. He dreamed of being Connors’ official biographer, but he could never get Connors to commit. In the truest punk rock ethos, when Connors balked, Drucker went ahead and wrote his book about him anyway. And make no mistake, even if readers of Jimmy Connors Saved My Life hear a lot about Drucker, the book is also a compelling history of the Connors era of tennis. The knowledgeable fan will learn things about Connors, Bjorn Borg, John McEnroe and Ivan Lendl that are fascinating. Today, the tennis world knows of Ray Benton, the chief executive officer of the Tennis Center in College Park, Md. as one of the country’s prime developers of tomorrow’s stars. Maybe we know that Benton has worn many hats in the game, including working with Donald Dell in early iterations of the tennis management business. But Drucker describes the moment in
1975 when Benton was in the middle of one of the sport’s many intense political battles. As director of the Denver World Championship Tennis event, to be televised by NBC (remember the networks used to have some power in American media), Benton had to watch as Connors entered the qualifying round of his Denver event. Connors was scheduled to play in the CBS-sponsored Challenge Match in Las Vegas shortly after. The two stars weren’t supposed to play each other in the weeks leading up to the CBS event. When Connors entered the qualifying event, John Newcombe had to drop out. Benton was on the scene trying to soothe the warring factions. One refreshing aspect of Jimmy Connors Saved My Life is that Drucker doesn’t see his hero through rose-colored glasses. After recounting the Benton story, he writes that Connors’ behavior at the Denver event was just the kind of craven act that made him so despised. Drucker also repeats the single quote that sums up his choice of White Whale the best. When Arthur Ashe was asked if
Connors was a pain in the neck, he replied, yes but he was his favorite pain in the neck. This isn’t to say that Drucker’s book is flawless. About halfway through it, he starts using the word tepid on every other page. Nor does he avoid the worst temptation of the tennis writer. If I had the ear of Wimbledon’s board, I’d tell them to take down the sign on the grounds that reads: “If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster, and treat these two Impostors just the same.” Drucker uses this riff himself, and then quotes another writer recycling these lines from Rudyard Kipling. By the power vested in me, this quote should never be used or referred to.
But, there is nothing tepid about Drucker’s book, either as a memoir of his coming of age or as a thorough recounting of the 70s and 80s glory days of our game. Even to the tennis-besotted, Jimmy Connors is an unlikely muse. But Drucker succeeds like in the jazz adage, “It don’t mean a thing, if it ain’t got that swing” and Jimmy Connors Saved My Life swings. Drucker’s book is a sublime accomplishment by a former tennis nerd. Of course, Connors used a straight backswing, while I prefer a loop, but … Brent Shearer may be reached by e-mail at bbshearer@gmail.com.
USTA/Long Island Region 2012
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE For detailed information on these and all USTA tournaments, see pages 70-72 or visit tennislink.usta.com/tournaments.
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2012 Legends Ball Held to Benefit the International Tennis Hall of Fame Singer Vanessa Carlton with Legends Ball co-Chair and Hollywood producer Todd Traina and his wife Katie
Photo Credit: Adam Wolfthal
Photo Credit: Jennifer Pottheiser
Photo Credit: Jennifer Pottheiser
Chris Evert and her sons at the 31st Annual Legends Ball in New York City
Photo Credit: Jennifer Pottheiser
ATP Tour star James Blake and his fiancée Emily Snider 2012 Hall of Fame inductee Gustavo “Guga” Kuerten
Photo Credit: Jennifer Pottheiser
Shari and John Vegosen (Chairman of the Board of the USTA) with Chris Evert Photo Credit: Jennifer Pottheiser
Former WTA star Eva Majoli with Jennifer Capriati and her father Stefano Singer Aaron Neville provided the entertainment along with Felix Caveliere best known for the song of “It’s A Beautiful Morning”
hile U.S. Open action heated up on the courts of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center for Finals Weekend, the tennis industry went glam off the court at the premier social event during the U.S. Open, the 31st Annual Legends Ball. Tennis legends, celebrity tennis fans, industry executives and VIPs honored the heroes of the game and celebrated its history to benefit the In-
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ternational Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City. The event featured a tribute to the Tennis Hall of Fame’s Class of 2012, including Jennifer Capriati and Guga Kuerten. In addition, Hall of Famer Billie Jean King presented the Eugene L. Scott Award to Chris Evert. The event was hosted by Liz Claman of Fox Business Network. The more than 500 guests included a dozen hall of famers
Long Island Tennis Magazine • November/December 2012 • LITennisMag.com
Photo Credit: Jennifer Pottheiser
like Martina Navratilova, Tracy Austin, Capriati, Evert, Billie Jean King, Stan Smith, Keurten and Donald Dell plus celebrity tennis fans like singers Aaron Neville, Felix Caveliere, Vanessa Carlton as well as NBA star Mike Dunleavy and more. An auction included more than 50 items such as golf and tennis vacations, lessons from tennis hall of famers and vacation packages to Grand Slam tournaments.
Inwood Country Club Wins 2012 NSMTL Championship
Inwood Country Club, captained by Jonathan Klee and co-captained by Lionel Goldberg, won the NSMTL Championship defeating the Shelter Rock Rebels, captained by Michael Zeller in the final held at Inwood Country Club on Aug. 21 nwood Country Club, captained by Jonathan Klee and co-captained by Lionel Goldberg, won the NSMTL Championship defeating the Shelter Rock Rebels, captained by Michael Zeller in the final held at Inwood Country Club on Aug. 21. Inwood Country Club finished in a three-way tie for second place in the regular season and defeated Piquet Lane in the Quarterfinals and Engineers Country Club in the semifinals on the way to their first ever NSMTL title. Shelter Rock made the final by defeating Country Estates in the quarterfinals, and Old Westbury Country
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Club in the semifinals. The Tuesday Night League or North Shore Men’s Tennis League (NSMTL) currently consists of 10 teams, with clubs and players from all over Long Island and New York City. Match play consists of five doubles courts on a Har-Tru surface and rosters are limited to 30 players per team. Each team plays a nine-match schedule with the top eight teams advancing to the playoffs. Limited to players 35 years of age and over (each team is allowed one player over 30 to play at one time), the teams are also limited to playing one teaching profes-
sional over the age of 50 and one USTA ranked 5.0 player at a time. Founded in 1983, prior winners of the NSMTL Championship include Piquet Lane, Shelter Rock, Roslyn Country Club, South Shore, North Shore, Fleetwood, Cove Tennis Center, Carefree, Great Neck Park, Country Estates, Woodbury and Cold Spring Valley. If you are interested in information about the league or are a club considering fielding a team during the 2013 season, please contact Steve Abbondondelo by e-mail at steveabby@optonline.net.
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Dr. Tom on the Importance of Hope in Tennis By Tom Ferraro, Ph.D.
The problem I recently had the chance to meet Taylor Stanton, head tennis pro at Cherry Valley Club, and asked him a simple question, “What is the most common psychological problem you encounter with your students?” He quickly answered, “Oh that’s an easy one. The biggest problem many have is when they lose one or two games. For some reason they automatically lose hope and give up.” Taylor has touched upon one of the central problems in tennis. Tennis players lose many matches because of the tendency to become discouraged after a few lost games. Many players will lose one game, get angry, get down and then give up. This is what we call a shortterm depressive episode in tennis. The cause The reason players lose hope so fast is that, deep inside, they are actually expecting to lose and it only takes the slightest setback to let this attitude of despair surface and take over. Tennis is extremely 38
competitive, and over time, we all lose our share of matches. This chips away at our confidence and we slowly build up an expectation that it will happen again. So, when you get down a game or two, you start to say to yourself, “Here we go again!” It’s a short trip between that statement and giving up all together. Most matches are lost because players quit on themselves when faced with adversity. The cure The cure for this is simple. First, you must realize that you have some control over this reaction. You need to see that the act of giving up is the cause of your losses and not the losing of two games in a row. Learn to keep at it. All champions have that quality of never giving up when down. They rarely beat themselves. Conversely, the players who never play to their potential are the ones who are giving up too fast. Teach yourself to say something like “Keep at it” when you lose a game or two. This is far better than losing hope and slouching around the court. The second thing to do is to make sure you are always building up
Long Island Tennis Magazine • November/December 2012 • LITennisMag.com
self-esteem when off the court. Always place trophies and signs of past achievements on the walls in your home so that you give yourself subliminal messages of your talent and strength. Hope is a word rarely used in sport psychology, but it is a key concept in sport. Rollo May was a great existential psychologist who emphasized this concept all the time. Hope springs eternal and is one of the greatest traits we have. Successful entrepreneurs always have hope and an optimistic air about them. So next time you play, bring this secret weapon along with you. Bring hope to your game, and when you fall behind, pull up this hope and it will keep you focused, optimistic and aggressive. Use this secret weapon and you will begin to win more matches starting today. For consultations, treatment or on-site visits, contact Dr. Tom Ferraro Ph.D., sport psychologist, by phone at (516) 248-7189, e-mail drtferraro@aol.com or visit www.drtomferraro.com.
USTA EASTERN LONG ISLAND REGION
LI Region and United Way Partner Baldwin Kids Win First on Second Annual Fundraiser for DOTS Invitational Baldwin Tennis Club took first place in the First Annual DOTS (DeMilitary Families The USTA Eastern Long Island Region will join with United Way of Long Island to host the Second Annual Club & Corporate Tennis Challenge, raising funds for recreational and rehabilitative tennis programs for returning military personnel and their families. The fundraiser/tennis tournament will take place Sunday, Dec. 9 from 4:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. at the Port Washington Tennis Academy, located at 100 Harbor Road in Port Washington, N.Y. The Club & Corporate Tennis Challenge is open to tennis players of all ranks and representing companies, corporations, tennis clubs or any other organization. Teams of 10 players will compete, with the winning teams in each category receiving a prize. The event features a one-and-a-half-hour tennis clinic plus Tri-Level round robin (6.0, 7.5-8.0, 8.5-9.0), buffet dinner, awards ceremony, gifts and prizes. The cost is $75 per player or $500 per team of 10 (including at least two women), as long as all 10 sign up together. Space is limited, so please register by Thursday, Nov. 15. “We used the proceeds from our first Tennis Challenge fundraiser last year to provide tennis clinics for the children of military veterans in Freeport,” said Marian Morris, event chair. “We are looking forward to being able to provide additional kids’ tennis clinics this year and we encourage tennis clubs and corporations to take up the challenge with us this December.” For more information or to register, please contact Marian by phone at (516) 241-0385, visit www.longisland.usta.com or e-mail ustaonlongisland@gmail.com.
velopmental On-Court Tennis Series) Invitational tennis tournament, a new kids tennis program designed to be a first introduction to match play in a less competitive format. Created by HD Tennis, Syosset, the first DOTS event took place at Cantiague Park in Hicksville and brought together teams from HD Tennis, Baldwin Tennis Club and Long Island Tennis and Learning Services, Freeport. “We created DOTS to help children learn the basics of match play, and aid them as they move to USTA Level 3 or Junior Team Tennis play, where less coaching is allowed,” said Martin DeVito a partner in HD Tennis. “This new format is designed to be fun for players, their parents and guests.” DeVito explained that in the first DOTS Invitational, each team played five games in three matches. The DOTS format is 16 points per game—each player “serves” four or eight times (2/4 on the deuce side, 2/4 on the ad side). A serve can be overhead, bounce and hit or by the court monitor. Coaching, helping and cheering are all allowed and encouraged, according to DeVito, adding that the court size and scoring are modified to accommodate newer tennis players and helpers are available on each court to aid the players. All participants received a goody bag and a USTA Long Island tshirt and enjoyed a pizza lunch. “We are planning an indoor event for January at a location to be announced,” said Herbert Harris, a partner in HD Tennis. “DOTS events are open to any club, Community Tennis Association (CTA) or youth tennis program.” Interested groups can call DeVito at (631) 806-6112 or Harris at (516) 852-1797 or e-mail hdtennisli@gmail.com.
The team from Carefree Racquet Club in Merrick was the overall winner of the First Annual Club & Corporate Tennis Challenge, co-sponsored by the USTA Eastern Long Island Region and the United Way of Long Island
Baldwin Tennis Club was the overall winner of the first DOTS Invitational Tennis Tournament created to introduce new tennis players to tournament play in a non-competitive and fun way
LITennisMag.com • November/December 2012 • Long Island Tennis Magazine
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USTA EASTERN LONG ISLAND REGION
Visit Our New Online Home Long Island tennis enthusiasts are encouraged to visit the USTA Eastern Long Island Region’s new online home at www.longisland.usta.com following a complete redesign of the Region’s Web site. The new site features a cleaner, more streamlined look and feel, with easy access to all Long Island news and photographs from Region events. Links on the left side of the page make it easy to learn about local tennis, including USTA leagues, tournaments, USTA programs, grants and much more. A comprehensive Calendar of Events shows where the Long Island Region can be found around town. Visitors can also look at the current and past issues of “On the Ball: News from LI,” the Long Island Region newsletter. For more information on Long Island Region events and activities, please email ustaonlongisland@gmail.com.
Long Island Region Plays at Local Fairs Volunteers from Bellmore’s Kennedy High School helped at the Bellmore Fair
Bellmore Fair attendees meet with Daniel Burgess, president of the USTA Eastern Long Island Region Ellen Siddiqui, owner and Jared Berse of Long Beach Tennis Center spent the afternoon giving lessons at the Family Festival By the Sea at Lido Beach The USTA Eastern Long Island Region has had a busy start to the fall season, giving 10 & Under Tennis lessons to hundreds of kids attending several street fairs around town. The Region brought its 10 & Under courts, balls, racquets and other equipment to the Merrick Fair, Bellmore Family Street Festival and Town of Hempstead Family Festival by the Sea, and introduced participants to the sport of a lifetime. Many of the children signed up for free USTA 10 & Under memberships. Melanie Rubin, community events chair for the USTA Eastern 40
Debbie Cichon; Ronnie D’Alessandro, head pro; and Kathy Miller, manager of Carefree Racquet Club spent the day giving lessons to new junior players at the Merrick Fair Long Island Region, worked with local clubs and their pros, as well as high school students and other volunteers to make the Region’s presence at the fairs fun for all the participants. Thanks to everyone who helped make the LI Region’s efforts so successful. Special thanks to Carefree Racquet Club and Long Beach Tennis Center for making sure that there were plenty of pros on hand to teach the tennis newcomers. For more information on USTA 10 & Under Tennis and to sign up for a free membership, visit www.10andundertennis.com.
Long Island Tennis Magazine • November/December 2012 • LITennisMag.com
USTA EASTERN LONG ISLAND REGION
USTA League Teams Excel During the Season Tricia Livingston and the USTA Ladies 3.5 team from Eastern Athletics
The Men’s 5.0 Long Island Champions from Carefree, led by Scott Chesney and Andy Schwartz
Captain Don Rodgers with members of the USTA 3.5 Men’s Team from Rockville Racquet
The Rockville Racquet Men’s 4.0, captained by Ian Shapiro and Mike Pavlides The Sportime Lynbrook Women’s 5.0 team, captained by Tina Buschi The USTA Eastern Long Island Region is proud to congratulate several local USTA League teams who achieved great things this season. Two Long Island teams, the 3.5 Men’s team from Rockville Racquet, captained by Don Rodgers and the Eastern Athletics 3.5 Women’s team, led by captain Tricia Livingston, are going to Nationals! Additional teams from Rockville Racquet, Carefree and Sportime Lynbrook won their respective Long Island Championships and went to Sectionals. I Rockville Racquet Men’s 3.5: A group of 12 men from the Five Towns and other local communities played in the Nationals on Oct. 5 after finishing the regular season undefeated, with a 14-0 record. This 3.5 team out of Rockville Racquet—captained by Don Rodgers—won Nassau County, Long Island and the Eastern Sectional Championships and will take their 22-0 record to the National Championships being held in Tucson, Ariz. Team members are: Rodgers, Earl Chin, Miguel Gordon, Ahearn, Prakash Pisipati, Jose Rosa, Robert Neuguth, Joseph Seplow, Jemal Creary, Rich Dacosta, Johan Lood, Gabe Moreira, Ravi Lam and Bruce Stegner.
I Eastern Athletics Women’s 3.5: The Eastern Athletic USTA 3.5 ladies’ night tennis team recently captured the Eastern Section Championship in Albany and will be heading to Nationals in October. The team is led by Captain Tricia Livingston and Coach Michael Hoffner. After winning the Suffolk County title with a 12-0 record, the team continued to dominate in Nassau County to win the Long Island Championship. Their winning streak continued in the Eastern Sectional tournament in Albany, ending with an undefeated season with a record of 20-0. Pictured here is Tricia Livingston, captain of the USTA Ladies 3.5 Team from Eastern Athletic. I Long Island Champs: Congratulations to the following teams who won Long Island and went to Sectionals: Rockville Racquet Men’s 4.0 captained by Ian Shapiro and Mike Pavlides; the Men’s 5.0 Long Island champions from Carefree, led by Scott Chesney and Andy Schwartz; and the Sportime Lynbrook Women’s 5.0 team captained by Tina Buschi.
LITennisMag.com • November/December 2012 • Long Island Tennis Magazine
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2012 LONG ISLAND TENNIS MAGAZINE’S
Coaches Roundtable Discussion he Long Island tennis community has some of the sport’s best facilities, both indoor and outdoor, and best coaches in the world. With this wealth of talent available right in our own backyard, Long Island Tennis Magazine recently took the opportunity to pock the brains of some of these top coaches. What you will find below are some of the sport’s top instructors sharing their ideas and strategies from how to handle juniors, the differences between coaching girls and boys, the singles and doubles games, the benefits of 10 & Under Tennis and much more. Even the best coach can always learn an extra tip or two, and the following article will provide all players and coaches with a chance to learn from the cream of the area’s crop.
T
Meet the participants … Howie Arons Great Neck Estates Tennis Center Howie Arons is the owner/director of Great Neck Estates Tennis Center as well as the Boys Tennis Coach of BN Cardozo High School in Bayside, N.Y. Howie has coached Cardozo for 36 years, and has the most tennis wins in New York State history with 584 wins. He was USTA Coach of the Year in 1988 and USPTA Coach of the Year in 2007. Carl Barnett Glen Head Racquet Club, Home of the Early Hit Training Center This is the 11th season of Carl Barnett’s Early Hit Training Center at Glen Head Racquet Club. Early Hit is dedicated to providing lessons, groups and training in its comprehensive ALPS program. Pat Etcheberry has worked with Carl as an advisor with the ALPS training program. Carl has concluded that students learn faster when they have core fitness, flexibility and explosive strength. Early Hit not only serves juniors as the program features nationally-ranked players in the USTA Open, 40s, 60s and 70s Divisions. Ricky Becker Pine Hollow Country Club Ricky Becker is the founder of JuniorTennisConsulting LLC, director of tennis at Pine Hollow Country Club, and high-performance manager at Glen Head Racquet Club. Ricky was named the Most Valuable Player for the 1996 NCAA Championship Stanford Tennis Team, and was a top-five nationally-ranked junior. He has won numerous junior and collegiate 42
sportsmanship awards and has a seat named in his honor in Stanford’s “Row of Champions.” Jared Berse Long Beach Tennis Center Twenty-six-year-old Jared Berse is currently director of junior development programs at Long Beach Tennis Center. Jared was Nassau County Doubles Champion and a state runner-up. He trained in Boca Raton, Fla. after high school, and then attended the State University of New York at Buffalo He has taught at Jericho-Westbury Indoor Tennis, as well as Camp Echo before joining Long Beach Tennis Center full-time. Ron D’Alessandro Carefree Racquet Club Ron D’Alessandro is the head pro and director of tennis at Carefree Racquet Club. Ron has more than 20 years of teaching experience, and is USPTA/USPTR Certified, specializing in teaching Cardio Tennis. Tracie Forsythe World Gym Bay Shore Tracie Forsythe is the director of tennis at World Gym Bay Shore and has been the head tennis pro there for eight years. She was a top 10 nationally-ranked junior, and after being sidelined by an injury, went on to play number one for her high school boy’s tennis team for all four years. Tracie enjoyed playing for NCAA Division 1 Hofstra before becoming a full-time instructor. She now dedicates her time to helping her students prepare for all levels of play and assists them with preparing for their college careers.
Long Island Tennis Magazine • November/December 2012 • LITennisMag.com
2012 LONG ISLAND TENNIS MAGAZINE’S
Coaches Roundtable Discussion Rohan Goetzke IMG Academy As director of the IMG Academy Bollettieri tennis program, Rohan Goetzke oversees all aspects of the tennis program and ensures delivery of the optimal training and highest level of development to each male and female tennis athlete at the junior, high school, postgraduate, collegiate and professional levels. A native of Australia, Goetzke joined IMG Academy from the Dutch Tennis Federation, where he was responsible for the development and implementation of the nation’s tennis program from the junior through professional ranks. Prior to joining the Dutch Tennis Federation as technical director, Goetzke served as the national head coach of the Federation, working with top professionals including Robin Haase, Michaella Krajicek, Thiemo De Bakker and Arantxa Rus. He also privately coached Mario Ancic for several years, during which Ancic rose to 17th in the world. Additionally, he served as Richard Krajicek’s coach for more than 10 years, during which Krajicek rose to a number four world ranking and captured the Wimbledon singles title in 1996. From a team perspective, Goetzke has served as the Dutch Davis Cup coach for the past six years, and the Fed Cup coach for the past two. Jay Harris Sportime
coached at Bowling Green State University, where one of his players was Sportime’s own Regional Director of Tennis Mike Kossoff. At Bowling Green, Harris was named the 2002 MidAmerican Conference Coach of the Year after leading his squad to MAC Titles in 2000 and 2002. A former successful collegiate player at the University of Cincinnati, Jay moved to Miami University where he was an assistant women’s tennis coach, while earning his master’s degree in 1996 with a concentration in sports psychology. In addition to coaching many of the nation’s top tennis players, Jay has also worked with many athletes as a Peak Performance Consultant to enhance psychological skills, such as visual imagery, anxiety regulation, self-talk and goal-setting. Steve Kaplan Bethpage Park Tennis Center Steven Kaplan is the owner of Bethpage Park Tennis Center, as well as the director of Reebok Academy for New York City Parks Foundation. Over the last 35 years, Steve has been the longtime coach of more than 500 nationally-ranked junior players, 14 state high school champions, two NCAA Division 1 Singles Champions, and numerous touring professionals and prominent coaches. Steve’s students have been awarded in excess of $7 million in college scholarship money.
Jay Harris is the regional manager of Sportime Syosset and Bethpage. Jay was the head men’s coach at Brown University for eight years prior to moving to New York. He left Brown in 2010 as the most successful coach in the 100-plus year history of that school’s program, having led the team to its highest national ranking ever (#33), to two straight Ivy League Titles, and to seven consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. In 2005, Harris was named the Northeast Region Coach of the Year and was a finalist for the National Coach of the Year Award. Jay coached five singles players and 15 different doubles teams to the national rankings, including one AllAmerican team. One of his players recently advanced to his second consecutive Wimbledon quarterfinal appearance, having been ranked in the top 50 on the ATP Tour. Before Brown, Harris LITennisMag.com • November/December 2012 • Long Island Tennis Magazine
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2012 LONG ISLAND TENNIS MAGAZINE’S
Coaches Roundtable Discussion Whitney Kraft USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center Whitney Kraft is director of tennis programs at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center and director of player operations for the U.S. Open. A native of Summit, N.J., Whitney brings more than 25 years of tennis experience to the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Prior to joining the USTA, Kraft served as director of tennis for the city of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. where he oversaw the daily programming and operations of more than 45 courts at nine different facilities. As a tennis player, Kraft was a four-time National Mixed-Open Champion and most recently in 2006, Kraft was the USPTA International Championship 45 Doubles Champion.
Tim Mayotte 360 Tennis Tim Mayotte was one of the United States’ best tennis players during the 1980s. Twice during the 80s, he finished the year ranked in the world’s top 10. Over the course of his career, he has recorded wins over the greatest players of his era, including Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, Boris Becker, Stefan Edberg and others. Besides reaching the semifinals of Wimbledon and the Australian Open, he also won a Silver Medal in the Olympics and represented his nation in Davis Cup action. For the last decade, Tim has shifted his focus to developing top American players and is currently running 360 Tennis at the Cunningham Tennis Center with his partners, Lee Hurst and Carl Thorsen.
Ed Krass College Tennis Exposure Camps Ed Krass is the former Harvard women’s tennis coach from 1986-1990 where the team won four consecutive Ivy League titles. He also was the assistant men’s tennis coach at Clemson University from 1984-1986, where the team won two ACC Team titles. Ed is the founder/director of the College Tennis Exposure Camps, a camp for juniors, taught by head college coaches. Ed is also the founder of One-On-One Doubles Tournaments in an effort to boost junior development.
Pat Mosquera Rockville Racquet Pat Mosquera is junior development director at Rockville Racquet. Pat is a USPTA- and USPTRcertified tennis professional and a certified QuickStart coach. He is also the coach of Rockville Racquet’s Championship Junior Team Tennis Program. In addition to 15-plus years at the Club, Pat has served as the director and head pro at Sun and Surf Beach Club for the past 16-plus summers. He is also the tennis director at the Ocean Club in Atlantic Beach, N.Y. and provides instruction to adults at Rockville Racquet through Adult Learning Leagues and Drills as well as private instruction.
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Long Island Tennis Magazine • November/December 2012 • LITennisMag.com
Butch Seewagen Butch Seewagen Tennis Academy Ranked number one in every age category in the East as a Junior and Men’s Open Division, Butch Seewagen was a finalist at the U.S. Nationals at Kalamazoo, and a two-time All-American from Rice University. Butch was a U.S. Amateur Champion before turning pro and was ranked in the top 70 in world and was holder of more than 15 national and international titles. A former coach of Ivy League Champion Columbia University and coach of four top 50 ATP players, Butch is co-owner of CATS: Children’s Athletic Training School Inc. and Butch
2012 LONG ISLAND TENNIS MAGAZINE’S
Coaches Roundtable Discussion Seewagen Tennis Academy in Rockville Centre and Manhattan for children three to nine years of age. Fred Sperber Tennis To The Max Fred Sperber did not start playing tennis until he was 29-years-old, when he started teaching at Comsewogue High School in Port Jefferson Station. Just 10 years, later Fred was coaching varsity girls and boys tennis at Comsewogue, and did so until he retired in 2000. After he retired, he returned to coaching tennis, first in the Plainview-Old Bethpage School District, and currently, at Oyster Bay High School. He began coaching full-time, first at Woodbury Racquet Club, where he ran the adult lesson programs and the
men’s leagues. He spent four years teaching and running the men’s leagues at Bethpage State Park. For the past five years, Fred has been teaching tennis and running the men’s leagues at Eastern Athletic in Melville. After teaching tennis for 28 years, Fred co-founded Tennis To The Max with his partner, Tina Greenbaum. Tonny van de Pieterman Point Set Indoor Racquet Club Tonny van de Pieterman is head tennis professional and program director at Point Set Indoor Racquet Club. Since 1998, he has worked with the best junior players of Long Island. Before that, Tonny worked at the Harry Hopman Tennis Academy in Saddlebrook, Fla.
The roundtable …
What do you think Americans coaches need to do to develop top professional players? Howie Arons: The United States has unquestionably some of the best tennis coaches in the world. For the U.S to continue developing top level players, these coaches need to periodically evaluate themselves and their methods of coaching. To develop top professional players, the coaches must continue to educate themselves in the newest worldwide techniques both in the game of tennis, and in tennis-specific fitness. For example, what are the Russian coaches doing correctly that produces so many of the world’s top-ranked women? Why are so many Spanish men in the top 20? What can we learn from their successes? In the same manner that we expect our players to continue to strive for excellence, so must the coach. Carl Barnett: The variety of team sports in America is what dilutes our talent pool. We are doing great things with and for our juniors. Our collegiate programs are so valuable they are full of students from around the world. Take a look at any major college program and half the team comes from outside the U.S. It then shouldn’t surprise us
that we are not the dominant force. Kids want to be with their friends. We need kids who just solely play tennis from a young age. You can’t be LeBron and Rafa it’s not going happen. Rohan Goetzke: I believe that American coaches are doing a good job developing top professional American and foreign players. I believe that a focus on strong fundamentals at an early age—practicing as much as possible on clay; starting young with age-appropriate tennis balls like we see in the U10s—helps develop good technique, and a long-term development plan. It’s important for the coach to establish that a player should not expect immediate success, but must stay focused on winning. The coaches also have to work with the parents of players to make sure they are consistent with their message and stay positive. Being too overbearing does not allow the player to develop their own personal confidence which is important in a player’s personal life and for their tennis career. The player also has to love the game, and finding a good coach and group training environment at an early age is beneficial.
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Coaches Roundtable Discussion Jay Harris: To me, one of the biggest things holding our American tennis players back is time wasted with bad coaching. It is far too easy to be named an instructional tennis pro. No certification is actually needed; many pros were never decent players (not always needed I realize), and some pros don’t even enjoy the game! Parents are uneducated in many instances when it comes to both the level of the pro they have hired, and with the true playing level of their child. Many pros, in turn, hold on to players as a piece of property long after an ability to actually promote further development has passed. In the end, you have wasted months and years of stagnant progress and that is happening far too often even with America’s top junior players. What needs to happen is a team-based approach. I am not sure the feasibility of this on a national level as there are, of course, an incredible amount of egos in the way, but at a local level, it is possible. When I was picking a club for my own kids to train at in Rhode Island, I looked for this atmosphere, and it was actually hard to find. Most clubs had pros that were individual proprietors and would let alone steal another pro’s student than make a comment that might help that student or that coach in the developmental process. When parents are choosing a training ground for their children, they need to find a cooperative environment where coaches are both trained in teaching the game, but also have a TEAM attitude. I love a club where the pros are communicating back and forth about each other’s students and are really working together to strive for improvement. A strong leader is needed to foster this kind of environment, but a club/academy has to have some great instructors whose prioritized goals center around growth in their students. If that is the focus, then all the success both with the players and the coaches will take care of itself. I would love to see America be able to produce this. Until we do,
we will have to rely on a bit of luck that the right players get connected with the right coaches before their development is stunted. Tim Mayotte: That is a very difficult question as the list is so long. Motivational skills and helping a kid nurture and grow a player’s passion is the most important thing. A big part of motivational skills would be to help the younger player learn to manage frustration and turn anger into focusing on the process. I also think an awareness of technical development is critical both in terms of the shape of swings and the technique of movement. Without great efficiency in these last two areas, a player’s game will stall somewhere along the line. Butch Seewagen: I don’t feel that the onus to develop top professional players falls primarily on coach’s teaching abilities. The level of coaching today is the highest it has ever been … never have there been so many qualified coaches. The mission is to increase the quality of the talent pool. The job is to identify great athletes and get them involved in tennis instead of traditional team sports. Tennis is huge in other countries, as in many places, tennis is the number one sport. They have the luxury of the best of the best going into tennis. The job of the USTA and the coaches is to get the best athletes to try tennis and then to keep them in the game. Once in our coaches’ hands, we will have no problem producing top players.
What qualities do you look for in a potential student that may set them apart from other juniors? Jared Berse: There are several qualities I look for in my students that set them apart from other juniors. Number one is confidence. Having a high level of confidence helps students in pressured situations and helps them when times are tough. Confidence is something that all great competitors possess and when you think you can win and become a top player, it’s a big positive. MoLearn how to manage your emotions tivation and self-driven work ethic are addiwith a credentialed Ph.D. level Sport Psychologist. tional qualities I look for. Children who want it and are not forced to play are the kids I Dr. Tom Ferraro is an international noted Sport Psychologist love to teach. When kids come to practice who has worked with professional and Olympic level with lists of things they want to improve athletes in many fields. He publishes internationally and upon, then you know you have something. appears both on television and radio. Great players always expect a lot from themselves and these are some important • Control anger • Cope with anxiety • Re-establish confidence qualities I look for. • Learn how to focus • Get proper diagnosis and treatment for your emotions
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1-1 consultations, phone consults, family counseling, on site visits Dr. Tom Ferraro (516) 248-7189 • 2 Hillside Avenue, Ste. E • Williston Pk, NY 11596 Drtomferraro.com • drtferraro@aol.com
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Long Island Tennis Magazine • November/December 2012 • LITennisMag.com
Jay Harris: In college coaching, recruiting is a major aspect leading to a level of success or failure. Coaches all look at different things, and most coaches’ ideals are centered around one word: Potential. Now, all coaches
2012 LONG ISLAND TENNIS MAGAZINE’S
Coaches Roundtable Discussion want the players with the best potential, but many different attributes are affiliated with expected future outcomes. I have the same desires in working with our John McEnroe Academy kids at Sportime as I did while coaching at Brown University. I look mostly at a player’s desire to truly want to develop. I love working with players who actually need to get better. I saw it in working with a guy like Jamie Cerretani, a former Brown player and now on tour having recently earned a win over Roger Federer, and I now see it with many of our players in the JMTA. There are, of course, physical athletic attributes that could raise or lower the potential of success, but to me, even with great athletes, it really comes down to that burning desire to be great. Those who settle will settle to be good. Those who will do anything it takes to be great will be great. Tim Mayotte: First, I look for a young person who can focus. One who has a desire to win, but can tolerate frustration. A well-rounded athlete can be developed over time given the capacity. Finally, if the child has supportive parents; that is critical. Butch Seewagen: Apart from the necessary athletic skill sets, the two qualities that are most important in a potential student are stomach and heart. The stomach is not the dog in the fight, but simply put, it is the fight in the dog. A student must enjoy the competition. It is from winning and losing that improvements are made. The heart involves the love of the game, and most importantly of all, determination. Calvin Coolidge said, “Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men/women with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.”
to get more from encouragement with girls. With boys, I can push, leverage and demand a little more vigorously. Ron D’Alessandro: I find the difference between coaching boys and girls is that boys tend to want to be more aggressive, while girls seem to play things safer, especially from the beginner to intermediate levels. Every student, whether they are a boy or a girl, has their own personality, skill level and ability. It is important as a coach to be able to adjust your teaching tactics for each individual player. Tracie Forsythe: There are many differences between teaching boys and girls that range from anatomy used for technique, to the mental aspect of the game. I believe the technique is a much easier area to tackle and the changing of a girl’s natural passive nature is the hardest. Boys seemed to be hard wired to be aggressive and competitive, and girls are usually not as inclined to have a “blood and guts” attitude. Of course, there are always exceptions, but you can see the difference just by practicing overheads. The boys are more likely to go for the shot with the mindset that they are going to win this point with a bone-crushing winner and girls will be much more timid with feelings of uncertainty and a hope they don’t miss the shot. I feel that getting a girl to really be aggressive and love the feeling of dominating an opponent with more than just a grunt and a consistent moon ball is much more difficult than trying to get a boy to have some patience and consistency. Steve Kaplan: While the technical demands of coaching girls and boys are similar, the interpersonal communication style needed is vastly different. At one time, solid groundstrokes, a reliable serve and good lateral movement were enough for success in women’s and girl’s
Fred Sperber: I love to work with juniors who simply love to play the game. It matters little how skilled they are. All I am looking for is the desire to learn and get better. I never want to feel that I am on the court with a youngster who is there simply because their parents want them to be there.
Is there a difference between coaching girls and boys? Carl Barnett: Every player is different. When coaching tournament players, you are developing skills, building fitness, scheduling and overcoming limitations. As director of tennis at Lutheran High School, I’d say the greatest difference with the boys versus girls is I tend LITennisMag.com • November/December 2012 • Long Island Tennis Magazine
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Coaches Roundtable Discussion tennis, but now, the athletic bar has been raised. Both girls and boys must learn a complete game to excel and reach their full potential. Interpersonally, however, coaching girls is a very different and perhaps a more challenging task then coaching boys. Girls need to like their coach to fully respect and accept them. The expression â&#x20AC;&#x153;no one cares how much you know until they know how much you careâ&#x20AC;? accurately describes the foundation of this relationship. Coaches who are patient, skilled and empathic listeners often excel at developing long-term positive coaching relationships with female students. The key here is to demonstrate that you understand your student, while leading them. If you agree and validate female students in excess, then you run the risk of undermining your role as a mentor. Successfully coaching boys is way more straightforward. The goal is to demonstrate strong leadership skills, since most boys will eagerly follow a confident and competent leader. Some of the best male players have alpha tendencies and a need to control. An astute coach will recognize these playersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; needs and know when to give them space to empower and when to reel them in to manage their anxiety. Ed Krass: The main difference I see is the style of presentation with your coaching, as it matters more to females. A coach needs to choose their words carefully when coaching girls. I found the girls to be very enjoyable to work with because they seem to listen to every word you say. Additionally, it is more â&#x20AC;&#x153;socialâ&#x20AC;? at the same age, for the girls than it is with the boys. One important note is to always give some positive feedback before making any corrections or providing advice. I know if this is not conducted in a sensitive manner, then most young females will deduct the coaching to be negative criticism! It is important, when coaching/teaching young females, that
your delivery counts the most and how it is perceived in regards to positive or negative feedback. Be careful not to â&#x20AC;&#x153;overcoachâ&#x20AC;? females, as this can and often backfires! Most importantly, make sure that the coach and the female player are both having fun on the drill court! I have found that you can demand more effort from the boys by raising your voice and throwing in the fear factor a little more than you would with the girls. The boys, by the whole, do not seem to have the same amount of listening skills as girls do â&#x20AC;Ś this is where external motivation comes into play. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get me wrong â&#x20AC;Ś there are plenty of internally motivated, young male players. It just seems that a coach can get his message across better to a group of boys by raising their voice and giving immediate feedback that is not always perceived as â&#x20AC;&#x153;positive.â&#x20AC;? I have found that the style in which the message is given doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t matter as much to the boys as it does with the girls. Coaching with substantial advice is paramount to coaching both the boys and girls, however, a coach needs to recognize that style of coaching and teaching counts for more with the girls than it does with the boys. Also, most girls want to know the reason why they are doing a certain swing, strategy or drill, whereas boys will just go with the flow of the instruction unless the player is 100 percent headed to the Ivy Leagues, then you better pack your lunch and be prepared to explain your method and reasoning.
#E
What should a parentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s role be in a childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s training? Jay Harris: This, of course, is greatly affected by the tennis/sports experiences a parent has had, but I truly feel that a parent has to have an important role in the athletic development of their child. We have all heard the stories around the sports world of the extremely volatile father, or the aggravating and over-controlling mother, but let me tell you, there is truly a place for a controlled level of this sort of behavior that is essenDennyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s is the destination for the coolest kids clothes tially needed for the positive development of and accessories! Stop in to check out the hottest a child. fashions for boys and girls of all ages! My dad came from the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Bobby Knight School of Coaching and Parenting.â&#x20AC;? He was tough, extremely tough! He had a way of To purchase Gift Cards, EARS IN +IDS &ASHI 9 ON looking at me that could immediately make G please call: N I RAT me cry. He had this effect even into my col(516) 935-1110 x127 LEB lege coaching days. My players at Bowling Layette ' Infant ' Toddler ' Girls 4-14 ' Boys 4-20 Green (my first college coaching spot) were Juniors ' Sleepwear ' Accessories ' Pro Team actually all terrified of him! Some may, and Socks & Underwear ' Special Occasion did, call some of his antics abusive, but to Join our VIP Email list at www.ShopDennys.com! me, no one could ever motivate me to seek New York: NJ: Englewood, Marlboro, Paramus success the way he did â&#x20AC;Ś no one! PA: Huntingdon Valley Bellmore Ă&#x201D; Cedarhurst (516) 295-0946 Now, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get me wrong, there were some FL: Aventura, Boca Raton Commack Ă&#x201D; Little Neck (718) 225-8833 things that even he would love to take back, Oceanside Ă&#x201D; Plainview (516) 681-4490 Follow us! and that is where the control comes in. ParScarsdale (914) 722-6077 ents need to control their own emotions, but
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Long Island Tennis Magazine â&#x20AC;˘ November/December 2012 â&#x20AC;˘ LITennisMag.com
2012 LONG ISLAND TENNIS MAGAZINE’S
Coaches Roundtable Discussion they also must learn to let go of a huge need to control everything that happens. This is the world of sports. Not only is it impossible to control everything, it is extremely unhealthy to try. A parent’s role is to only control what their own “personal role” is, be it the chief motivator, the travel coordinator, the psychologist, or even the tennis strategist if that is where their expertise lies. But once this role is defined, the parent must put together a team (or find help putting it together) that will fill the other roles that are needed in terms of building their child’s success. And then that parent needs to allow those professionals to take over their own areas. I am not saying the parent should ignore those roles. The parent is still the director of the overall operation, but that parent needs to allow the greatness of the other role players to shine through. Micro-managing parents often work against members of their own team, and thus, only work to impede their own child’s progress without even realizing that. Ricky Becker: Behind every really good player is a very involved parent. When a parent tells me that they want their child to be “a player,” I will always ask them if they are ready to change their lifestyle to the necessary level to ensure that it can happen. This means, among other things, driving to practices and spending weekend evenings in tennis club lobbies for tournaments more than restaurants with friends. It also includes updating the coach on what the parent observes from tennis sessions that the coach is not at. Where a parent should not go is to tell the child or coach what needs to be worked on. Jared Berse: Parents should have a major role in anything their children do. A parent should be very involved in a child’s tennis activity, but need to know how to do so in the right way. Let the coaches do the coaching, while you as the parents should play more of the managerial role. Give the coach a chance to work with your child, and if it doesn’t work out, then you have to do what’s best for your child. Support is the best thing a parent can offer. Be prepared to listen and learn, and avoid the mindset where you think you know everything about tennis. Children need to be rewarded for hard work and not just wins and losses, and as a parent of a child who plays tennis, you can control that. Support, support and most importantly SUPPORT! Rohan Goetzke: The role of the parent is very important. A player needs positive support from their parents. In most cases, parents are an important part of the equation. They fill many roles in driving the development of their child. They help their children by finding the best coaches, travel opportunities and providing the resources necessary for their child. At the same time, parents need to be aware of the boundaries that need to exist between being a supportive parent, allowing the player to develop, and allowing the coach to do their job. Oftentimes, the lines are blurred, and it creates a less-than-
optimal situation for everyone involved, and might be detrimental to the development of the player in some cases. Whitney Kraft: The recently-published USTA’s “Positioning Youth Tennis for Success” says it best stated with the following synopsis: “Good tennis parenting involves a combination of providing support, knowing when to push, and focusing on the development process rather than on winning.” The “optimal parent push” means motivating a child without placing undue pressure on the child to succeed. Tim Mayotte: The role of the parent is multi-faceted. At the core and most importantly, a parent must nurture a young player’s passion by providing unconditional support, regardless of results. The parent must also help a youngster learn to embrace the process of taking on something that takes great skill, and hence, requires sacrifice and the willingness to tolerate and work through fears.
In junior tennis, players make their own line calls. How do you tell your players to handle a situation where they feel like they are being blatantly cheated? Ricky Becker: Interestingly, this is the one area where the advice of a child’s parents trumps my advice as a coach. I have always been of the mindset that the first bad call should get the question, “Are you sure?” And the second bad call should get an umpire. After that, stay proactive and get the umpire on any close call thereafter if the umpire leaves. I also tell my students that if they are going to play someone who they know first-hand will make a bad call to quietly get an umpire on the first ball that is anywhere close to the line. This way, they are saving themself from that big point when nobody is there. Interestingly though, I find that if a parent advises their child “to cheat back,” that is what the child will do and I am pretty much powerless to do anything about it. This is the one area of coaching where this is the case. Steven Kaplan: You can cheat back, but you shouldn’t and here is why … it will define you as a player and a person, and ultimately, limit your opportunities to improve and progress both on and off the court. If you cheat, you will be known to everyone as a “cheater.” It will make no difference to the tennis world that you are fiercely competitive, incredibly fit, remarkably dedicated and athletically gifted. These qualities will be ignored when your name comes up in conversation, as you will be simply known as that kid who “cheats” or “hooks.” Perhaps your reputation is unimportant to you? Your reputation does matter to others, like college coaches for example, who seek players who will represent the team and school with honor, integrity and respect. Make no mistake about the extent to which your reputation for honesty is known to coaches, most check carefully and comprehensively.
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Coaches Roundtable Discussion As an honest player, you cannot completely stop others from cheating, but you can limit the extent and impact of those who would cheat you in the following ways. First, be polite and courteous to your opponent immediately before the match begins, as well as throughout play. It is human nature to treat others with respect when you are treated with respect. Cheaters will less likely cheat if you are nice. Second, question calls calmly, but firmly. Let your opponent know that you will not idly tolerate cheating, and you will not be bullied, but do so without bullying them. Third, if necessary, request a linesperson and ask for clarification on the rules they will use in calling lines. Sometimes, a linesperson calls every line, and other times, they just overrule calls. Sometimes, they will only be involved if you ask for an overrule. Four, have a rule book (A Friend at Court) with you at all times and know the rules. While many players and tournament officials do not know the rules, it is hard to argue with the rule book. Five, keep score and call it out clearly on every point. Be careful to not get too excited about calling out a winning score with too much enthusiasm. Remember, it is more difficult for an opponent to cheat you if you demonstrate empathy for their feelings. And six, be wary of opponents who question calls that are obviously correct. This is a rationalization for cheaters to begin cheating. Most cheaters do not believe that they cheat, rather, they see themselves as getting even by cheating back against those who are cheating them first. I have heard this called “reverse cheating” or “giveback cheating,” by parents, coaches and players. It is still cheating! Sadly, behind most children who cheat are adults who impose enormous pressure on these young players to win at any cost. If you play a cheater, be compassionate and be grateful that you do not act as they do. Your reputation is far more important than the score or result of any match. Pat Mosquera: I instill in my players the importance of having great body language to overcome any bad situation that can arise in a match. You can challenge a bad call firmly or you can get a referee, but nothing will make a stronger statement than showing your opponent a strong mental attitude. Let your opponent know that it will take more than bad calls to beat you. Showing strong body language will keep you in the game and will make you a winner both on and off the court. Tonny van de Pieterman: Preparation is the key. During a tennis match, a player’s ego is exposed. The insecurities he or she may have about their game are being exposed by the opponent and they are doing his best to keep it all together. Under these circumstances, it is extremely difficult to deal with a situation in which you feel mistreated. Any surprises that may arise, like being blatantly cheated, will severely hinder one’s performance. As a 50
coach, I try to prepare my players for these situations. If they are sure they are being cheated, they are to leave their racquet on the court and to go get a line judge. Just to have an objective person monitoring play should be enough to ease my player’s mind and set them free of any worries. I also try to instill in my players that the actual cheating of a few points, even if they are “key” points, will not be the difference in the outcome of the match. The reaction to it might make you lose a match you otherwise could have won. This is a much harder “sell,” however. How important do you think it is for a junior to participate in doubles as well as singles? Howie Arons: Learning to compete and developing as a solid doubles player can only improve the growth of a junior tennis player. Learning the skill set of doubles tennis is a “sure fire” way of also improving as a singles player as well. Volleying, approaching the net, finishing points at the net, and returning serve only help to improve the overall skills of a junior tennis player. College coaches are always looking for players who have doubles skills. Winning or losing a team match in college could very well depend on just one doubles point. Developing a doubles game and all the skills that go with it undoubtedly improve the overall growth of competitive junior players, and prepare them for the college tennis experience. Carl Barnett: Most players will play doubles at some point in high school. All players will play doubles in college as it is part of the format. I feel that playing doubles makes you a better all-around player. You will find that you will play more doubles than singles when you reach the age of 35. Ron D’Alessandro: I think it is important for juniors to play doubles, as well as singles. It helps improve your game in a different way than singles does. As a singles player, you can be primarily a baseliner, without having to get to the net all that often. Playing doubles tennis forces you to have better footwork, volleys and overheads. Also, since tennis is the sport of a lifetime, as you get older, playing doubles in inevitable. Rohan Goetzke: Playing doubles is very important for the development of junior players. It teaches social skills, teamwork and is fun. The strategy and skills necessary to be successful in doubles are different in comparison to singles. It offers the possibility to develop a broader skill set and different strategic perspective. It makes a player more complete. Jay Harris: It is a common thought that our American players do not play enough doubles tennis. I personally feel that not only is consistent doubles exposure and training important to develop
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Coaches Roundtable Discussion doubles skills, but also that these doubles skills are highly important in the overall development of a singles player. Many players have earned their way on to a college team based on their doubles ability. I have had three of my Brown graduates earn their way on the professional tour via doubles success, and I had plenty of doubles successes with teams at Brown, so I may be a little biased, but I am of course not in the minority when it comes to preaching about the importance of doubles. But what is being done about it? Are there junior coaches out there truly maintaining a consistent level of doubles skill training? It is all good for our junior players to be playing more doubles in tournaments than possibly they have in the recent future, but the training is where a majority of the true progression is going to take place. If players only really play doubles in tournaments, then they are really just becoming singles players playing doubles in tournaments. It isn’t hard for college coaches to see who has trained to develop doubles and attacking skills. Those players who do it will undoubtedly keep finding ways onto great college teams, and I truly believe that those players will also be poised to produce the all-important word: Potential. If you had to choose one player on the pro tour to be a role model for your students, which player would it be and why? Carl Barnett: I would say Roger Federer because of his focus, form, fitness and fortitude. Roger is a class guy who has stayed healthy, has a strong work ethic to admire and has results unlike anyone else. Ron D’Alessandro: If I had to choose one player on tour to be a role model for my students, it would be Roger Federer. He is an example of a true gentleman and an overall class act. You rarely see him argue or get upset with an official or even himself. When he wins, he is complementary towards his opponent and when he loses, he is just as gracious. He also seems to be a great family man, which depicts him in a completely different light, one other than just being a professional athlete. Tracie Forsythe: The player I would choose to be a role model for my students would be Novak Djokovic. I know that Roger Federer is the greatest player of all time with the game to more than back up that title, but I feel Djokovic’s story is more than inspiring to just tennis players. He was a young man who came from a war-torn and impoverished country, and carried the welfare of his family on his back from a very young age. He then left his family to train for a goal that a million kids have and are also much better funded to achieve. Despite everything he had stacked against him, he beat it all and became a champion. Not only is he an amazing tennis player, but it is so refreshing to see
a champion who expresses his happiness to be on the court. That’s what I would want my students to always feel, the love of the game. Fred Sperber: There are so many great players on the pro tour, but the one I really respected more than all the others was Andre Agassi. Being somewhat undersized, his stature never got in his way. As the game became more and more dominated by physically imposing players, Agassi never let it intimidate him. I could never get over how incredibly coordinated he had to have been when returning 140-mph serves by standing in front of the baseline, hitting the ball on the rise. But even more impressive than his tennis skills has been his willingness to give back to the tennis community beyond the confines of the sport. He is very active in projects for the less fortunate and especially endeavors involving children. How important is a strong playing background/ability to coaching juniors? Howie Arons: As both a tennis director of a large junior program and as a current high school tennis coach, I feel that a coach who regularly works with tournament level juniors should have a strong playing background to be able to deal with the ongoing growth of a junior player. Developmental coaches who are prepared can do a good job with young beginning players, but to be able to take a junior to the next level which includes a great deal of match play and competition, the coach himself needs to know what fierce competition is all about. The only way to be able to coach a junior in these situations is for the coach to feel what that player is feeling at all times. Coaches who have competed on a high level themselves whether in college, juniors, professional tennis or even open sectional tennis know more and have experienced many of the same feelings and therefore are better prepared to coach these high level juniors. Of course there are exceptions. Nick Bolletteri never played tournament tennis and became a great coach. However, coaches who have themselves competed in sectional and national events and struggled to become better players have a far greater insight into most aspects of tennis development. Tim Mayotte: I think it helps, but is not essential. Nick Bollettieri is an example of a great coach with no playing background. A coach must be able to motivate first and foremost. He did that. I do think having played does help one understand the specific struggles a player faces technically, tactically and emotionally. Having played myself, I am motivated to find out about technique and how to deal with frustration alone on a court. That last skill is very much singular to tennis. Even in boxing and golf, a player gets help.
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Coaches Roundtable Discussion Pat Mosquera: Coaching equals teaching and motivation. Being a good teacher and a great motivator can be more beneficial to a player’s development and performance. Being a strong player can help, but it’s not as important as having a great mentor and energetic person. Tonny van de Pieterman: As a player, I have only worked with coaches that had a strong playing background. I believe that coaches with a playing background might be able to relate better with the stress a player experiences in competition. They might recognize the phases of development a player works through a little better because of their own experience. With all this said, “Uncle Tony” Nadal seems to be doing alright without much of a playing background. Does a player learn more from a win or a loss, and why? Tracie Forsythe: In my opinion, as well as in experiences as a tennis player and teacher, losing is what you learn the most from. In an attempt not to sound too crass, but getting your butt kicked around can separate the whiners from the winners. Players can be cocky and concerned only about wins. I can watch a terrible shot hit for a winner, and all I hear when trying to correct the technical error is, “Why is that bad … I won the point.” Tennis is an ever-evolving game and what works against one player or for one age group will not always work against another. It is necessary to always have competition to show you weaknesses in your own game. Losing also teaches you to have a tough skin and to persevere if being the best is really what you want.
Ed Krass: I will suggest that juniors watch themselves compete in recent matchplay videos against players at their own level. If they watch this video and take good notes on how their technique/shot-making did or did not succeed, how their strategy worked or didn’t work, where the unforced errors lie, how their body language/intensity level was, then it doesn’t matter so much as to who won or lost the set or match. The truth is in watching yourself play a few matches, on video, and that will help a player grow and learn about their game in the most effective and efficient way. A player needs to be under pressure to see all the “blemishes” in their game, so it might be advisable to see yourself lose a set or two on video. The adage I like is that: “Winning gives a player an opportunity to gain confidence and losing allows a player to grow and learn more about the process needed to improve.” Players need to give credit where credit is due … the other player counts too … 50 percent of the match outcome depends on how the other player performs, so your job is to break the opponent down. Learn not to use excuses and admit that the other player was better that day, when you lose, and that you need to improve. A young junior must learn the proper balance of respect for their opponent if they are going to truly grow in this tough game of tournament tennis.
Steve Kaplan: Rather than ask which is a better learning experience, consider that both losing and winning are most valuable when they complement each other. In a great learning environment, both losing and winning are important experiences. Losing is more than worthwhile, it is a necessary for success. The ancient proverb, “Nothing ventured, nothing gained” is very valid when applied to tennis advancement. While every student is unique and responds differently to wins and losses if you read the autobiographies of the greatest athletes, it is clear that they hate to lose even more than they love to win. While losing can be a powerful motivator, nothing provides greater positive reinforcement than winning, and it’s an important measure of success. In a dysfunctional environment, winning is likely less harmful than losing, but each has it cost.
Butch Seewagen: Most coaches probably feel that players learn more from losing than winning, when in all actuality, both are very important. However, the timing of the discussion following a match is different. After a loss, a coach or parent should avoid any discussion of the match. Of course, polite, supercritical supportive comments are okay, such as: “Nice match,” “You’ll get ‘em’ next time,” etc. Any in-depth constructive criticism is best saved until the player has sufficiently recovered from the match and can rationally discuss exactly “what happened” with a clear mind. Although both winning and losing are “coachable” moments, I personally think that winning a tough match can have the most value. The caveat here is that the pupil did their own free-thinking in the match. A player is then able to intelligently discuss the strategy employed and the tactics used for the successful outcome. Giving a player a detailed game plan sometimes is useful, but often stunts the player’s development by prohibiting their ability to figure out “how to be successful” for themselves. When they do that, we see the most happy and empowered pupils.
Whitney Kraft: The player benefits from both winning and losing experiences. The important takeaway is that the player is competing, trying their best, and continuing to learn and develop. Playing the right amount of matches and at the correct level is of even greater importance.
Comment on the new proposed changes to college Division I Championships. Steven Kaplan: The NCAA proposal to shorten the length and duration of tennis matches to promote the popularity of the sport to fans is both misguided and stupid, and I am hoping it’s noth-
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Long Island Tennis Magazine • November/December 2012 • LITennisMag.com
2012 LONG ISLAND TENNIS MAGAZINE’S
Coaches Roundtable Discussion ing more than a short-sighed attempt to make the game shorter. It’s almost universally opposed by players and coaches, and it will have a chilling effect on the game. I hate to be cynical here, but I see a larger and more insidious trend. Two of the premier trustees of the game, the NCAA and the USTA, are advocating tennis shrinkage. While these organizations should have the game’s growth as their number one priority, they advocate that a more exclusive group of players, in shorter matches on smaller courts as progress. It’s a trend of dilution and it’s a greedy attempt at squeezing every last dollar out of the core of the tennis market and a step in the wrong direction. Of course, there is growth in some areas. Tuitions are skyrocketing, more foreign players are receiving scholarships that used to go to Americans and the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center is expanding its footprint. Expect ticket prices to rise as well. Give your overall opinion on 10 & Under Tennis being good or bad for the game? Ricky Becker: I think 10 & Under Tennis would be great if it was changed to seven- or eight-and-under tennis. I agree that younger kids need to feel some success to be drawn into the sport and the softer, slower equipment is great for that. What I think is a colossal failure though is that kids who are seventhrough 10-years-old who practice with regulation tennis balls are required to either play with the slower equipment or play in 12-and-under tournaments and be completely overmatched. This will turn kids away from tennis even more! I feel that if the USTA took all of the money dedicated to 10 & Under commercials during the U.S. Open and gave it to more volunteer umpires at the local levels for USTA junior tournaments, we would retain more kids in our great sport. I personally know more stories of great athletes who left tennis because of the frustration of a lack of competitive officiating than of great athletes who left tennis because the ball “bounces too high.” Pat Mosquera: Ten & Under tennis has been around for a long time, just under different names. Remember Pee-Wee Tennis? Ten & Under is a great tool to teach players at the beginning stages, regardless of their age. The key to produce better players is very simple … find a coach that will make learning fun and teach good technique. The kids will learn to love the game and get better by having a solid foundation at an early age. Instead of focusing on competing on smaller courts, focus on building a solid process. This will produce better players. Remember, find a fun and knowledgeable coach for your child … a bad coach will not succeed no matter how slow the ball bounces. What are some of your favorite drills? Ed Krass: My favorite drills, for advanced tournament juniors, are
match play-style, live-ball drills. I like singles drills where two players are playing out a singles point while the coach gets to start the feed with a variety of surprise placements to simulate real play, and the players can compete against each other for 45 points in-a-row, get an amazing workout, and learn at the same time! I also like two-on-two live ball doubles drills that spell winning! The variations of both teams starting at the net or one team closing in from the baseline or going back, to the baseline, to get that tough lob … teach the doubles teams about offense, defense and tracking assignments. It is important that the tactics are taught within a high-energy, electric training environment where players can feel the intensity and enthusiasm on the court! The teams that close the net fastest, with the right drills and coaching/teaching, will usually find themselves winning the majority of the doubles points, games and sets. To teach serve-and-volley doubles skills that college coaches covet, I really like my camp juniors to play One-On-One Doubles competitions, which teach them how to serve-and-volley, return and close … all on half-a-court with the alleys included. The importance of “forcing” players, males and females, to work on their mid-court volleys, only breeds more all-court confidence later in other matches! Jared Berse: I have lots of favorite drills. My favorite drill is a return of serve drill. Return of serve is one of the most important shots in tennis that I believe is not practiced enough. A drill I love is serving to my student from the middle of the court and having them return a ball cross-court or down the line, and then have them recover back to middle and give them a second shot. They then get to practice returning the serve and then prepare for that next shot to come back. This drill is done to both the deuce and ad court, and the second shot is either a forehand or backhand. Another drill I like is an approach-shot drill, followed by a reaction volley. It’s very important to give children-adults volleys when they don’t know if it’s coming to the forehand or backhand. Making them come in for an approach and then react quickly for a volley is a very helpful drill which I enjoy. Tonny van de Pieterman: Drills that result in having my students play “automatically,” without thinking, are my favorite. Often, one of the progressions in my drills have my students count while they are playing. This will preoccupy them from having more disrupting thoughts and often they will hit smoothly and effortlessly. Fred Sperber: I don’t necessarily have a favorite drill per se, but I certainly prefer drills that incorporate both the need for good footwork with lots of movement, and a variety of shots (forehands, backhands, volleys, etc.).
LITennisMag.com • November/December 2012 • Long Island Tennis Magazine
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Nadal to Face del Potro and Serena to Face Azarenka at
2013 BNP Paribas Showdown at MSG
ew York area tennis fans are in for another great night of tennis with some of the world’s top players scheduled to appear for the Sixth Annual BNP Paribas Showdown at Madison Square Garden on Monday, March 4. Victoria Azarenka, the reigning Australian Open champion and Olympic Bronze Medalist, will get the night started against Olympic Gold Medalist Serena Williams. Following the women will be Argentine Davis Cup star, 2009 U.S. Open champion and Olympic Bronze Medalist Juan Martin del Potro, who will step onto The Garden court against one of the game’s all-time greats, former world number one and 11-time Grand Slam champion, Rafael Nadal. The BNP Paribas Showdown is produced by MSG Sports and StarGames. One of the most exciting players of alltime, Nadal has won a total of 11 Grand
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Slam singles titles, including an all-time record seven French Open championships; the 2008 Olympic gold medal; and a record 21 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournaments; and was also part of the Spain Davis Cup team that won the finals in 2004, 2008, 2009 and 2011. del Potro broke the top-10 ranking in 2008 and reached his career-high ranking of fourth in 2010. He was named the Comeback Player of the Year in 2011 after rising from a low of 485th to finish the season at 11th in the world. In 2008, del Potro became the first player in ATP history to win his first four career titles in as many tournaments. del Potro captured his first Grand Slam title at the 2009 U.S. Open, defeating Nadal in the semifinal and Roger Federer in the final becoming the first man to defeat both heavyweights in the same Grand Slam tournament. Del Potro is the only player
Long Island Tennis Magazine • November/December 2012 • LITennisMag.com
other than Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Nadal and Federer to have won a Grand Slam singles title since 2005. He became the second Argentine and the fifthyoungest man to win the U.S. Open title in the Open Era. Del Potro recently captured the Bronze Medal at the London Olympics in 2012. “New York and the New York fans represent something special for me as I had my first Grand Slam win here,” said del Potro. “So it will be great to come to Madison Square Garden and play in a world famous arena against Rafa which should bring out a lot of flags from Spain and Argentina, making it an exciting night of entertaining tennis. I am really looking forward to playing in the Showdown.” Serena Williams has held the top ranking on five separate occasions, dating back to 2002 and is considered one of
the greatest players of all-time. Serena has won four Olympic Gold Medals, one in women’s singles and three in women’s doubles. During the 2012 London Olympics, she became the second player after Steffi Graf to win a career Golden Grand Slam after winning the Gold Medal and the first player in history, male or female, to win the Golden Grand Slam in both singles and doubles (with sister Venus Williams). “I always love playing in New York and at Madison Square Garden,” said Serena. “The last time I played there, I won the Billie Jean King Cup which was a huge honor for me. It will be exciting to be back at the Showdown with the other great players. I am sure it will be another fantastic night.” Azarenka won the 2012 Australian Open singles title, becoming the first Belarusian player to win a Grand Slam in singles. Her other achievements include winning the Bronze Medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, two mixed-doubles Grand Slam titles, the 2007 U.S. Open (Max Mirnyi), the 2008 French Open (Bob Bryan) and the Gold Medal in the mixed-doubles at the 2012 London Olympics (Max Mirnyi). “I have heard from some of the other players how exciting it is to play in the Showdown at Madison Square Garden so I am really looking forward to being part of the event,” said Azarenka. “It should be a great night for tennis.”
Victoria Azarenka, Juan Martin del Potro and Serena Williams visit the construction site of Madison Square Garden during its summer renovations as the trio prepares to take part in the Sixth Annual BNP Paribas Showdown at Madison Square Garden on March 4 “Tennis Night in America” has annually marked the start of the tennis season in the United States and begins a month of professional events that include the BNP Paribas Open and Sony Ericsson Open. “It is hard to believe that this is the sixth year of the BNP Paribas Showdown which has now established itself on the tennis calendar as one of the most enter-
taining nights of the year,” said Jerry Solomon, executive producer and president of StarGames. “We are honored to have Rafa, Serena, Juan Martin and Victoria join a list of only the very best in tennis who have played at the Showdown. It promises to be another ‘must see’ event for New York tennis fans.”
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www.juniortennisconsulting.com LITennisMag.com • November/December 2012 • Long Island Tennis Magazine
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What Does Racket Head Speed Mean for the Serve? By Lisa Dodson s a tennis professional, I always hear people use general terms and phrases to describe very specific actions. For example, you have probably read or heard the term “racket head speed.” This is just the common, quick reference to a very detailed and intricate action. One must understand the words mentally, physically and visually before any meaningful improvement can be made. Most of the time, teaching ends with repeated use of the term: “You need more racket head speed!” or “Snap your wrist for more racket head speed!” Repeating the term does nothing to get the real meaning across to the player. The serve is such a complex stroke that getting the correct sequence of actions leading to the point of contact can be very challenging. All combined com-
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ponents of the serve lead up to generating racket head speed. So, in order to be successful in creating faster racket head speed, we must consider a number of factors, including but not limited to: The grip (commonly referred to as Continental), an overall relaxed arm and body, and getting the racket head moving on a loose and determined path to contact point. So, what is the simple answer to “What is racket head speed?” How do we get more of it? Obviously, racket head speed is just that: The speed that the racket head travels during a swing to and through a ball. The average server moves their hand and racket head at the same speed from the shoulder. This is exactly the wrong way to produce racket head speed. This way, power is generated by the shoulder and bicep and a whip-like action cannot be produced. When trying to power through a ball with muscular action, we only slow down the racket head
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Long Island Tennis Magazine • November/December 2012 • LITennisMag.com
and beg for injury. The motion needs to be loose and independent, the racket head set on a path with the ball sitting in the way. The key to getting more speed on the serve is getting the racket head moving faster than the hand during the upswing and through the contact point of the ball. In order to understand this, we will look at four frames of the serve. What you will notice is that the elbow, wrist and hand move a far shorter distance than the end of the racket.
Picture 1: We see the racket head is dragging way behind the elbow and hand. The racket is cocked, the legs are driving up and the tossing arm is beginning to pull away. At this point, the chest is driving up, the hitting shoulder is coming forward and the elbow is coming with it. The KEY here is that the hand and racket are lagging way behind the elbow. The further the racket head is behind the hand, the more “sling” you will get. This principle is similar to using a “sling shot.” We load an object into an elastic band and catapult it away from its base. The correlation is that the catapulted object—the racket head, the elastic band—the arm and the base— the elbow.
Picture 2: Notice that the server is at full extension, the racket head is straight up and that the hand is pronated. The grip must be correct to achieve this position. This is the only time during the serve that the hand should be in a direct line under the racket head. By using the triceps and forearm to extend up and allowing the wrist and hand to move from an inside to an outside position (pronation) we reach contact point. It is critical to notice that the elbow has made no measurable forward movement, but the racket head has traveled all the way from the back of the swing to straight up contact point.
Picture 3: The racket head has “slung” up and forward. It is critical to notice
that the elbow has barely moved forward, but the racket head is continuing its free acceleration and is now fully in front of the body. The racket head is moving much faster than the hand to produce racket head speed. If the hand was going at the same speed as the racket head, we would see the hand in a direct line with the racket head and would achieve a far slower serve.
Picture 4: Here, we see that the elbow has finally lowered to around waist height and that the racket head has continued well past the opposite side hip. A critical error that most players make is swinging the serving hand all the way to the hip in a single motion. We want the racket head to keep moving as quickly as possible with the elbow, forearm and hand coming to an abrupt, slamming stop. This is known as deceleration. Please compare Picture 1 and Picture 4.
Notice that the racket head has traveled in approximately a 280-degree sweep while the elbow has made minimal forward movement to achieve a brilliant service motion. In summary, racket head speed on the serve is generated by making the racket head move very quickly up and through contact with little movement forward of the elbow. The hand moves by means of the elbow and forearm, and will travel roughly three times the distance of the elbow. Please notice that I have only mentioned use of the shoulder as a factor that will slow the serve down. Think of the shoulder as the hinge pin that holds the arm onto the body, not as a source of power. The less you use it, the longer it will last. In a very good service motion, the racket head will travel in a sweeping arc that starts back in a cocking position and finishes on the opposite side of the body with minimal movement of the elbow, forearm and hand. The further the hand moves, the slower the served ball will travel! So, get your grip, loosen up your hand and let the strings fly for maximum speed, power and spin on your serve! Lisa Dodson is owner of The Total Serve, a USPTA Pro 1, and a formerly WTA worldranked player. She may be reached by email at ldodson57@yahoo.com or visit www.thetotalserve.com.
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Serve Yourself By Daniel Kresh room full of tennis pros might argue on some points, but without question, they would all agree that the serve is the most difficult and most important shot in tennis. Simply put: (1) a player must hit a serve to start any point in match play and (2) it is the only shot in tennis where the hitting areas (behind the baseline) and the target areas (service boxes) are not the entire playing area. The serve has many steps, and it can take years to develop a reliable serve that can also be a weapon. Though there is no secret to a great serve, understanding certain things can allow any tennis player to improve their serve with a better understanding of the shot with respect to the game as a whole. The serve is unique since it is the only shot that is not reactionary. The player initiates the serve with the toss standing on the designated side behind the baseline. There are two completely unique and seemingly obvious facts about the serve that should help motivate a player to improve their serve. Since the target is smaller, it must be an accurate shot. Since it is not a reaction to an opponent, it can be practiced without a hitting partner! Many club and tournament “One major players have quirks in their caveat is that worktosses which cause reliaing on your serve bility issues with their
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Long Island Tennis Magazine • November/December 2012 • LITennisMag.com
alone can cause you to develop bad habits, so I strongly suggest working with a pro.”
serves. It is important that the serve, as with all shots in tennis, has a relaxed flow to it and this is true of the toss as well. In a full service motion, the toss should smoothly allow you to accelerate the racket as you simultaneously drop it back and load your legs, projecting your hips over the baseline making your body look like a bow. Though that may describe an ideal service preparation, the example is meant to illustrate that a service motion has a lot of moving pieces and the toss is a very important part of the chain, ergo, if the toss is not consistent, timing all of the other parts of the motion would become increasingly difficult. Most players favor serving from one side, usually the side of their dominant hand (righties deuce side/lefties ad side) since the motion moves naturally in the direction of the target boxes. It is important to be able to have strong serves to both sides, and also at a higher level, it is imperative that a player can move their serve around the box. It is also im-
portant to remember that more points which can win games (40-0, 0-40, 3040, 40-30 and advantage points) happen from the deuce court which is likely the less comfortable side for righthanded players. My biggest suggestion is to just simply practice, practice, practice. You don’t need a partner, grab some balls and hit some serves. There is no substitute for repetition! It is so important that I will say it again, there is no substitute for repetition! Take advantage of your ability to practice alone before or after your hitting sessions. One major caveat is that working on your serve alone can cause you to develop bad habits, so I strongly suggest working with a pro. A great pro will not only help your serve during a lesson, but over time, should give you the tools needed to understand the parts of your serve that tend to cause the stroke to break down. If that is not an option, working on tennis mutually with a friend can be helpful, an extra set of eyes will always see some-
thing. Also, filming your serve and taking a look at it every once in a while could give you some insight. Repetition is key in all parts of tennis and it may sometimes be difficult to find a partner when wanting to work on your game. Not to mention that it’s simply no fun to try and work on your serve only in matches when the stakes are high and the fear of missing will cause tension that works against you. A few serves here and there over time will help with consistency. Don’t be afraid of the serve … embrace its difficulties and remember that no matter your skill level, there is always room for improvement! Daniel Kresh is a USPTA-certified tennis professional who recently accepted the positions of director of junior tennis and assistant tennis professional at the Three Village Tennis Club in Setauket, N.Y. He is also the assistant professional at The Port Jefferson Country Club at Harbor Hills. He may be reached by email at dankreshtennis@gmail.com.
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Syosset Girls Win Fourth Consecutive Nassau County Championship BY GARY SIMEONE he Syosset High School Girls Tennis team has won their fourth straight Nassau County Championship, defeating the Port Washington Lady Vikings 5-2 at Wheatley High School. The win capped off an undefeated Nassau County season for Syosset. Syosset got strong performances from all of their doubles teams. The second doubles team of Paige Gindi & Joelle Porush, third doubles team of Stacy Denbaum & Kaitlin O’Rourke, and fourth doubles team of Jenna Poczik & Sarah White got the first three victories for the Lady Braves in straight sets, setting the tone for their teammates. With Syosset needing just one more win to clinch the title, they turned to first singles player Vivian Cheng and a short time later, Cheng was victorious securing Syosset the 2012 Nassau Championship after defeating Lauren Livingston, 6-1, 6-0. After the match was clinched, the drama didn’t end as both teams cheered on their first doubles squads as they played the longest match of the day. It went the distance, but in a third set tie-break Lexee Shapiro & Rhea Malhotra were able to pull out Syosset’s final win 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (5) over Emma Brezel &Holly Hubsher of Port. Syosset now advances to the Long Is-
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land Championship match where they will face the Suffolk Champion. Half Hollow Hills East is currently undefeated in Suffolk County and is a likely opponent in the Long Island Championship match, scheduled for Oct. 30 at Smithtown East High School. “I’m really proud of our team and how we all played,” said third doubles player, Stacy Denbaum. “I would like our team to take it
one step further with a win at the Long Island Championship.” Fourth doubles player, Jenna Poczik, said she was glad she ended her senior year on a good note with a Nassau County title, but would also like to win the Long Island Championship. “I’m looking forward to the Long Island championship next week and I know our team will play hard and do well,” said Poczik.
2012 Nassau County High School Girls Tennis Championship Final Scores I First singles: Vivian Cheng (Syosset) defeated Lauren Livingston (Port Washington) 6-1, 6-0 I Second singles: Ally Linder (Port Washington) defeated Rithika Reddy (Syosset) 6-3, 3-6(13-11) I Third singles: Liz Kallenberg (Port Washington) defeated Katie Cirella (Syosset) 1-6, 7-6(11-9) I First doubles: Rhea Malhotra & Lexee Shapiro (Syosset) defeated Emma Brezel & Holly Hubsher (Port Washington) 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 I Second doubles: Paige Gindi & Joelle Porush (Syosset) defeated Astrid Phillipson & Sarah Seeman (Port Washington) 6-1, 6-2 I Third doubles: Stacy Denbaum & Kaitlin O’Rourke (Syosset) defeated Chloe Klug & Alex Larizadeh (Port Washington) 6-3, 6-4 I Fourth doubles: Jenna Poczik & Sarah White (Syosset) defeated Rebecca Schaub & Amanda Rosenberg (Port Washington) 6-1, 6-1 LITennisMag.com • November/December 2012 • Long Island Tennis Magazine
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$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Asset$
That Truly Pay
Dividend$ By Lonnie Mitchel
In the past several articles, I have written that there is an underlying theme that resonates. There is so much more to tennis than just hitting a ball back and forth over the net. You also know that if you have been reading my articles that I am a huge proponent of the collateral benefits of our game. According to Dr. Jack Groppel, USPTA Master Professional and a USTA spokesman, major benefits come from
64
participation in tennis for a minimum of three hours a week with moderate intensity cut their risk of death in half from any cause. Tennis players score higher in vigor, optimism and self-esteem, while scoring lower in depression, anger, confusion, anxiety and tension than other athletes and non-athletes. Tennis requires alertness and tactical thinking, and therefore, may generate new connections between nerves in the brain and promote a lifetime of continuing development of the brain. Tennis outperforms golf and most other sports in developing
Long Island Tennis Magazine â&#x20AC;˘ November/December 2012 â&#x20AC;˘ LITennisMag.com
positive personality characteristics. Competitive tennis burns more calories than aerobics or cycling. In my efforts to be a self-appointed ambassador of the game, I am on an endless search for new reasons to play and get players from the other sports to join in. I have written in the past that tennis in much of the mass market still has a country club stigma attached to it, of which, our game really I think has to separate itself from. The team I coach at SUNY Oneonta recently had a match against SUNY Farmingdale on Long Island. After the match was over, we went to one of the parentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s home who graciously hosted us for a dinner. Among the dinner guests, some former alumni came with a former assistant coach and extended family members. As I was sitting inside with several of the parents, I looked out on the patio where I saw young men and women sitting outside sharing some laughs. I had another moment where I thought if I was a parent of one of these young men and women, I would have been so pleased that they had their own sorority or fraternity to which they belong to. Players from our program from past and present now have a foundation that was seeded and nurtured with tennis being the commonality. I am now adding another benefit to
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ the ones written earlier, that is developing social skills and nurturing a higher emotional IQ. Tennis is a skill that takes you well beyond the courts and enhances your professional skills to be used in any occupation. You will meet people through interaction and communication on the tennis court and beyond, and in turn, develop social skills and increase one’s confidence. That evening during a four-hour van ride back to Oneonta with 11 collegiate student athletes, I observed how valuable social skills can resonate from a common interest in the sport of tennis. A three-hour tennis match played earlier in the day was a valuable competitive experience. However, a much more valuable closeness that went well beyond the tennis court sidelines transpired. I cannot tell you how proud I was not only as the coach, but if I was a parent of one of these ladies, I would have thought every dime invested in the sport of tennis for my child was paying off. I thought maybe I should write about how to improve strategy, tennis skills and the mental approach to the game? After all … I have preached these tennis skills more than half of my life. However, there are thousands upon thousands of You Tube Videos, books, instructional articles available in the easily accessible
$ information world we live in on the subject of tennis improvement. The message I prefer to write about here offers more of a value I believe. I want players whom I work with privately and on my collegiate teams to enhance their lives beyond hit-
ting a forehand or backhand. As a tennis professional and college coach, that is my primary objective. If you are a tennis professional and are reading this, the skills taught to your students should go well beyond the tennis court. Teaching a forehand or a backhand is like teaching a potential carpenter how to hammer a nail, but teaching a carpenter to build a house that lasts for generations is the ultimate goal. Building a tennis player is the same … build a tennis player to completion. I am not talking about creating world champions here! I am talking about building a player who can add value to their lives, in the workplace, and socially for years. Assets that pay dividends far beyond the ability to skillfully hit a ball over the net are the absolute. Lonnie Mitchel is head men’s and women’s tennis coach at SUNY Oneonta. He has produced many high school and collegiate level tennis players, including his own children, Wayne (who plays at Muhlenberg College) and Trevor (who competes regularly on the USTA Long Island Junior Circuit, gaining the number one ranking in the 14s). His wife, Harriet, is a club level tennis player and can often be found on the court. Lonnie may be reached by phone at (516) 414-7202 or e-mail lonniemitchel@yahoo.com.
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LITennisMag.com • November/December 2012 • Long Island Tennis Magazine
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Bethpage Park Tennis Center Andrea Pappas—Manager 99 Quaker Meeting House Road #1 Farmingdale, NY 11735 516-777-1358 • bptcenter@aol.com
Robbie Wagner’s Tournament Training Center @ Glen Cove Stephen Alcala—Managing Partner 60 Sea Cliff Avenue • Glen Cove, NY 11542 516-759-0505 • www.rwtt.com
Butch Seewagen Tennis Academy @ Rockville Centre CATS Jami Madison—Director 188 Maple Avenue • Rockville Centre, NY 11570 516-763-1299, ext. 10 • CATSRVC@gmail.com
Robbie Wagner’s Tournament Training Center @ Glenwood Landing Adrian Chirici—Director of Tennis 142 Glenwood Landing Road Glenwood Landing, NY 11547 516-676-9107 • www.rwtt.com
Carefree Racquet Club Kathy Miller—Manager 1414 Jerusalem Avenue • Merrick, NY 11566 516-489-9005 • carefreetennis@aol.com
SPORTIME Lynbrook Jeff Morys—Director of Tennis 175 Merrick Road Lynbrook, NY 11563 516-887-1330 www.SportimeNY.com/Lynbrook jmorys@sportimetfm.com
Ross School Holly Li—Manager 18 Goodfriend Drive • East Hampton, NY 11937 631-907-5162 www.ross.org/tennis • hli@Ross.org
SPORTIME Massapequa Jordie Dolberg—Director of Tennis 5600 Old Sunrise Highway Massapequa, NY 11758 516-799-3550 www.SportimeNY.com/Massapequa jdolberg@sportimetfm.com
Eastern Athletic Club Gary Jones—Manager 100 Ruland Road • Melville, NY 11747 631-753-3696 • easternathleticclubs.com
SPORTIME Amagansett Sue De Lara—Co-General Manager Hana Sromova—Director of Tennis/Co-General Manager 320 Abrahams Path • Amagansett, NY 11930 631-267-3460 www.SportimeNY.com/Amagansett amagansett@sportimetfm.com
SPORTIME Randall’s Island Felix Alvarado—Assistant Director of Tennis 1 Randall’s Island New York, NY 10035 212-427-6150 www.SportimeNY.com/Manhattan falvarado@sportimeny.com
Glen Head Racquet Club Karl Sommer: 516-676-9849 Home of Early Hit Training Center glenheadrc@verizon.net Carl Barnett: 516-455-1225 95 Glen Head Road • Glen Head, NY 11545 earlyhit@optonline.net
SPORTIME Bethpage Tennis John McEnroe Tennis Academy Mike Kossoff—Director of Tennis 101 Norcross Avenue • Bethpage, NY 11714 516-933-8500 www.SportimeNY.com/Bethpage-Tennis mkossoff@sportimeny.com
SPORTIME Roslyn Adam Mandell—Director of Tennis Landing Road, PO Box 1 Roslyn, NY 11576 516-484-9222 www.SportimeNY.com/Roslyn amandell@sportimetfm.com
SPORTIME Bethpage Multi-Sport Randy Louie—General Manager 4105 Hempstead Turnpike • Bethpage, NY 11714 516-731-4432 www.SportimeNY.com/Bethpage-Multi-Sport rlouie@sportimeny.com
SPORTIME Syosset Tennis & Multi-Sport Robert Kendrick—Director of Tennis 75 Haskett Drive Syosset, NY 11791 516-364-2727 www.SportimeNY.com/Syosset-Tennis
SPORTIME Quogue Will Van Rensburg—Director of Tennis 2571 Quogue-Riverhead, Route 104 East Quogue, NY 11959 631-653-6767 www.SportimeNY.com/Quogue tdhamptons@sportimeny.com
USTA National Tennis Center Whitney Kraft—Director of Tennis Flushing Meadows Corona Park Flushing, NY 11568 718-760-6200 www.usta.com
Eastern Athletic Club Cira Jones—Manager 9 Montauk Highway #A • Blue Point, NY 11715 631-363-2882 • easternathleticclubs.com Eastern Athletic Club Betsy Johnson—Manager 854 Jericho Turnpike • Huntington Station, NY 11746 631-271-6616 • easternathleticclubs.com
Long Beach Tennis Center Sid Siddiqui—Director of Tennis 899 Monroe Boulevard • Long Beach, NY 11561 516-432-6060 • www.longbeachtenniscenter.com info@longbeachtenniscenter.com New York Tennis Academy at Great Neck Estates Howie Arons—Director of Junior Tennis Program 12 Shore Drive • Great Neck, NY 11021 516-233-2790 • bightennis@aol.com Point Set Indoor Tennis Tonny vandePieterman—Director of Tennis 3065 New Street • Oceanside, NY 11572 516-536-2323 www.pointsettennis.com • tonny@pointsettennis.com Port Washington Tennis Academy Manny Iqbal—Director of Tennis 100 Harbor Road • Port Washington, NY 11050 516-883-6425 • www.pwta.com • tennis@pwta.com
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Rockville Racquet Club Susan Alvy—Manager 80 North Centre Avenue • Rockville Center, NY 11570 516-764-5350 • rockvilletennis@optonline.net
SPORTIME Kings Park Jason Wass—Director of Tennis 275 Old Indian Head Road Kings Park, NY 11754 631-269-6300 www.SportimeNY.com/Kings-Park jwass@sportimetfm.com
SPORTIME at Harbor Island Cesar Andre—Director of Tennis In Harbor Island Park • Mamaroneck, NY 10543 914-777-5050 www.SportimeNY.com/Harbor-Island candre@sportimetfm.com
Long Island Tennis Magazine • November/December 2012 • LITennisMag.com
World Gym Bay Shore Tracie Forsythe—Director of Tennis 225 Howells Road Bay Shore, NY 11706 631-456-0994 www.WorldGymBayShore.com tracieforsythe@yahoo.com
LONG Boys & Girls Long Island Rankings (as of 09/24/12)
BOYS Long Island Boys 12 Singles Rank Name..................................City 1 ........Zachary Khazzam ................Roslyn Heights, N.Y. 2 ........Tommy George Srisuro ........Garden City, N.Y. 3 ........Abhinav Raj Srivastava ........Melville, N.Y. 4 ........Cameron Klepper ................Dix Hills, N.Y. 5 ........Connor Leaf ..........................Dix Hills, N.Y. 6 ........George Kaslow ....................Port Washington, N.Y. 7 ........Aman Sharma ......................Glen Head, N.Y. 8 ........Austin Pomerantz ................Old Westbury, N.Y. 9 ........Luke Karniewich ..................Glen Head, N.Y. 10 ......Arjun Sharma ........................Glen Head, N.Y. 11 ......Alexander Roti ......................Locust Valley, N.Y. 12 ......Daniel Meinster ....................South Setauket, N.Y. 13 ......Jackson Weisbrot ................Dix Hills, N.Y. 14 ......Evan Kirsh ............................Roslyn, N.Y. 15 ......Daniel Chikvashvili................Melville, N.Y. 16 ......Maxwell Moadel....................Brookville, N.Y. 17 ......Logan Paik Chang................Old Westbury, N.Y. 18 ......Karan Amin ..........................Roslyn, N.Y. 19 ......Preet Rajpal ..........................Syosset, N.Y. 20 ......Jack Flores............................Huntington, N.Y. 21 ......William Sepanski ..................Huntington, N.Y. 22 ......Benjamin Reichbach ............Syosset, N.Y. 23 ......Matthew Terlovsky................Merrick, N.Y. 24 ......Adam Wilck ..........................Dix Hills, N.Y. 25 ......Daniel Chang ........................Manhasset, N.Y. 26 ......Bradford Lin ..........................Kings Point, N.Y. 27 ......Matthew Roberts..................Setauket, N.Y. 28 ......Christopher Grisham............Huntington, N.Y. 29 ......Drew Ingall ............................Melville, N.Y. 30 ......Timothy Serignese................Port Washington, N.Y. 31 ......Zachary Berlin ......................Dix Hills, N.Y. 32 ......Kabir Rajpal ..........................Syosset, N.Y. 33 ......Matthew Catton....................Woodbury, N.Y. 34 ......Sujay Sharma........................New Hyde Park, N.Y. 35 ......Niles Ghaffar ........................Massapequa, N.Y. 36 ......Tyler Nierman ......................Dix Hills, N. Y. 37 ......Louie Kotler ..........................Roslyn, N.Y. 38 ......Ethan Ertel ............................Dix Hills, N.Y. 39 ......Sam Reichbach ....................Syosset, N.Y. 40 ......Alexander Karmen................Port Washington, N.Y.
Long Island Boys 14 Singles Rank Name..................................City 1 ........Arnav Raj Srivastava ............Melville, N.Y. 2 ........Harris Durkovic ....................Dix Hills, N.Y. 3 ........Zachary Khazzam ................Roslyn Heights, N.Y. 4 ........Serge Ushkevich ..................Sands Point, N.Y. 5 ........Spencer Lowitt......................Syosset, N.Y. 6 ........Connor Leaf ..........................Dix Hills, N.Y. 7 ........Jordan Diamond ..................Mount Sinai, N.Y. 8 ........Jake Spencer Grossman ....Sands Point, NY 9 ........Pete Siozios ..........................New Hyde Park, N.Y. 10 ......Kenneth Chiu ........................Holtsville, N.Y. 11 ......Jake Cohen ..........................Oceanside, N.Y. 12 ......Jay Burkett............................Syosset, N.Y. 13 ......George Carmi ......................Lloyd Harbor, N.Y. 14 ......George Kaslow ....................Port Washington, N.Y. 15 ......Zachary Mollo ......................Dix Hills, N.Y. 16 ......Christian Esposito ................Port Washington, N.Y. 17 ......JohnThomas Sepanski ........Huntington, N.Y. 18 ......Ben Snow..............................Water Mill, N.Y. 19 ......Marco Ammirati ....................Halesite, N.Y. 20 ......Joonho Ko ............................Huntington, N.Y. 21 ......Simar Sawhney ....................New Hyde Park, N.Y.
ISLAND
22 ......Vincent Chen ........................Hauppauge, N.Y. 23 ......Aaron Askowitz ....................Great Neck, N.Y. 24 ......Lucas Larese DeSanto ........Southampton, N.Y. 25 ......Mitchell Berger......................Lake Grove, N.Y. 26 ......Curran Varma........................Manhasset, N.Y. 27 ......Jake Sandler ........................Lynbrook, N.Y. 28 ......Austin Egna ..........................Port Washington, N.Y. 29 ......Jackson Weisbrot ................Dix Hills, N.Y. 30 ......Jason Gerber ........................Commack, N.Y. 31 ......Derek Menker ......................Great Neck, N.Y. 32 ......Vincent Tozzi ........................North Babylon, N.Y. 33 ......Nicholas Troiano ..................Oakdale, N.Y. 34 ......Ian Mitchell Capell ................Woodbury, N.Y. 35 ......Robert Sangirardi..................Lynbrook, N.Y. 36 ......Daniel Meinster ....................South Setauket, N.Y. 37 ......Alex Joseph Amadio ............Smithtown, N.Y. 38 ......Hunter Pomerantz ................Old Westbury, N.Y. 39 ......Jeremy Carlos ......................Dix Hills, N.Y. 40 ......Connor Dove ........................Baldwin, N.Y.
Long Island Boys 16 Singles Rank Name..................................City 1 ........Cole Laffitte ..........................East Setauket, N.Y. 2 ........Matthew Bahar ....................Woodbury, N.Y. 3 ........Dylan Granat ........................Woodbury, N.Y. 4 ........Nick John Stamatos ............Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. 5 ........Harris Durkovic ....................Dix Hills, N.Y. 6 ........Arnav Srivastava ..................Melville, N.Y. 7 ........Chirag Doshi ........................Sands Point, N.Y. 8 ........Zachary Chang ....................Massapequa, N.Y. 9 ........George Carmi ......................Lloyd Harbor, N.Y. 10 ......Kenneth Fox..........................Smithown, N.Y. 11 ......Joshua Fried ........................Plainview, N.Y. 12 ......Zane Siddiqui........................Long Beach, N.Y. 13 ......Evan Kober ..........................Wantagh, N.Y. 14 ......Ankur Kejriwal ......................Hewlett, N.Y. 15 ......Richard Spinelli ....................Sands Point, N.Y. 16 ......Milan Gunasekera ................Mount Sinai, N.Y. 17 ......Austin Ash ............................Syosset, N.Y. 18 ......Jeremy Grossman ................Woodbury, N.Y. 19 ......Ryan Diaz..............................Jericho, N.Y. 20 ......Benjamin Goldrich................Syosset, N.Y. 21 ......Joshua Sydney ....................East Northport, N.Y. 22 ......Jesse Richeimer ..................Merrick, N.Y. 23 ......Jason Gerber ........................Commack, N.Y. 24 ......Joseph D’orazio....................Saint James, N.Y. 25 ......Mitchell Berger......................Lake Grove, N.Y. 26 ......Faran Nazir............................Deer Park, N.Y. 27 ......Eric Ravens ..........................Merrick, N.Y. 28 ......Jack Ian Lindenman ............Roslyn Heights, N.Y. 29 ......Cory Seltman........................Dix Hills, N.Y. 30 ......Jack Vissicchio ....................Port Washington, N.Y. 31 ......Jake Sandler ........................Lynbrook, N.Y. 32 ......Raizada Vaid ........................Old Westbury, N.Y. 33 ......Roger Cheng ........................Melville, N.Y. 34 ......Cameron Posillico ................Bayville, N.Y. 35 ......Gregory Rosenthal................Syosset, N.Y. 36 ......Sam Kramer..........................Westhampton, N.Y. 37 ......Dylan Davis ..........................Dix Hills, N.Y. 38 ......Nicholas Fox ........................Commack, N.Y. 39 ......Nicholas Troiano ..................Oakdale, N.Y. 40 ......Connor Dove ........................Baldwin, N.Y.
Long Island Boys 18 Singles Rank Name..................................City 1 ........Richard Liell ..........................Nesconset, N.Y. 2 ........Sander Brenner ....................Port Washington, N.Y. 3 ........Brett Titcomb........................Lloyd Harbor, N.Y. 4 ........Anton Averin..........................South Setauket, N.Y. 5 ........Michael Vera..........................Bethpage, N.Y. 6 ........Craig Cusano........................Bellmore, N.Y.
RANKINGS
7 ........Brian Heinze..........................Garden City, N.Y. 8 ........Marco Betito ........................Floral Park, N.Y. 9 ........Ian Baranowski ....................Syosset, N.Y. 10 ......Samuel Hajibai......................Kings Point, N.Y. 11 ......Connor Gehrke ....................Miller Place, N.Y. 12 ......Milan Gunasekera ................Mount Sinai, N.Y. 13 ......Brett Edelblum......................Roslyn, N.Y. 14 ......Christopher Schwab ............Seaford, N.Y. 15 ......Richard Mitchell....................Franklin Square, N.Y. 16 ......Alex Philip Rosenfield ..........Holtsville, N.Y. 17 ......James Heaney......................Locust Valley, N.Y. 18 ......Zane Siddiqui........................Long Beach, N.Y. 19 ......Julian Koby Adler..................Roslyn, N.Y. 20 ......Ronald Spinelli......................Dix Hills, N.Y. 21 ......Jonathan Smucker ..............Lido Beach, N.Y. 22 ......Roger Young ........................Brookhaven, N.Y. 23 ......Daniel Baruch ......................East Meadow, N.Y. 24 ......David Kim..............................Commack, N.Y 25 ......Kush Dave ............................Syosset, N.Y. 26 ......Dylan Ander ..........................Hewlett, N.Y. 27 ......Jonathan Ochoa ..................Hicksville, N.Y. 28 ......John Reilly ............................Mount Sinai, N.Y. 29 ......Donald Charles Wunder ......West Islip, N.Y. 30 ......Benjamin Mermelstein..........Northport, N.Y. 31 ......Zachary Romanzi..................Brightwaters, N.Y. 32 ......Matthew Kantor....................Westhampton Beach, N.Y. 33 ......Troy Michael Haas ................Huntington Station, N.Y. 34 ......Jacob Rothstein....................Port Jefferson, N.Y. 35 ......Anurag Thotkura ..................Hicksville, N.Y.
GIRLS Long Island Girls 12 Singles Rank Name..................................City 1 ........Kaitlyn Byrnes ......................Massapequa, N.Y. 2 ........Denise Lai..............................Setauket, N.Y. 3 ........Ivanna Nikolic........................Glen Head, N.Y. 4 ........Evangelia Frankis..................Manhasset, N.Y. 5 ........Madeline Clinton ..................Manhasset, N.Y. 6 ........Madison Williams..................Glen Cove, N.Y. 7 ........Lucia Hu ................................Roslyn, N.Y. 8 ........Lauren Bishop ......................Woodbury, N.Y. 9 ........Morgan Voulo........................East Setauket, N.Y. 10 ......Kerri Goldfuss ......................Westbury, N.Y. 11 ......Samantha Galu ....................Jericho, N.Y. 12 ......Christina Jud ........................Glen Head, N.Y. 13 ......Marina Hilbert........................Locust Valley, N.Y. 14 ......Alexa Bracco ........................Freeport, N.Y. 15 ......Elena Vlamakis......................Garden City, N.Y. 16 ......Katelyn Walker......................Sands Point, N.Y. 17 ......Calista Sha............................Roslyn Heights, N.Y. 18 ......Sofia Anzalone......................Center Moriches, N.Y. 19 ......Madison Li ............................Old Westbury, N.Y. 20 ......Mina Sarcevic ......................Dix Hills, N.Y. 21 ......Allison Cooney......................Locust Valley, N.Y. 22 ......Lauren Cherkin......................Melville, N.Y. 23 ......Giuliana Gibson ....................Westbury, N.Y. 24 ......Brittany Polevikov ................Port Washington, N.Y. 25 ......Kimilya Egalite ......................West Hempstead, N.Y. 26 ......Rachel Arbitman ..................Hewlett, N.Y. 27 ......Kaitlyn Schwarz ....................Oceanside, N.Y. 28 ......Amy Delman ........................Great Neck, N.Y. 29 ......Grace Riviezzo......................Syosset, N.Y. 30 ......Julia Gentile ..........................Rockville Center, N.Y. 31 ......Julia Kepczynska..................Southampton, N.Y. 32 ......Morena DeVito......................Syosset, N.Y. 33 ......Alexia Marie Kotsailidis ........Manorville, N.Y. 34 ......Hannah Vinod Abraham ......Syosset, N.Y. 35 ......Gabrielle Sklar ......................Syosset, N.Y. 36 ......Julieta Eulau..........................Long Beach, N.Y. 37 ......Alexandra Dinowitz ..............Merrick, N.Y. 38 ......Ashley Mannetta ..................Islip, N.Y.
39 ......Alexis Madison Huber..........Melville, N.Y. 40 ......Ally Friedman ........................East Hampton, N.Y.
Long Island Girls 14 Singles Rank Name..................................City 1 ........Sabrina Ferretti ....................Setauket, N.Y. 2 ........Danielle Mirabella..................Wantagh, N.Y. 3 ........Michelle N. Carnovale ..........Massapequa, N.Y. 4 ........Rebecca Stern......................Dix Hills, N.Y. 5 ........Adele Sukhov........................Westbury, N.Y. 6 ........Katherine Changtroraleke ....Greenvale, N.Y. 7 ........Rosa LaCorte........................Merrick, N.Y. 8 ........Rachel Weiss ........................Great Neck, N.Y. 9 ........Emma Rosenberg ................Port Washington, N.Y. 10 ......Brooke Digia ........................Manhasset, N.Y. 11 ......Nikaylah Williams..................Wheatley Heights, N.Y. 12 ......Jennifer Berman ..................Jericho, N.Y. 13 ......Grace Graham ......................Rockville Centre, N.Y. 14 ......Elizabeth Sossan ..................Valley Stream, N.Y. 15 ......Emily Feingold ......................Roslyn, N.Y. 16 ......Jennifer Wang ......................Dix Hills, N.Y. 17 ......Juliana Shenker ....................Rockville Centre, N.Y. 18 ......Devika Kedia ........................East Norwich, N.Y. 19 ......Ellen Huhulea........................Rockville Centre, N.Y. 20 ......Stephanie Cole ....................Manhasset, N.Y. 21 ......Morgan Voulo........................East Setauket, N.Y. 22 ......Mara Stewart ........................Oceanside, N.Y. 23 ......Gabrielle Raziel ....................Melville, N.Y. 24 ......Courtney Connors................Manhasset, N.Y. 25 ......Rachel Collins ......................Port Jefferson, N.Y. 26 ......Nicole Vassalle......................Port Washington, N.Y. 27 ......Danah Han ............................Dix Hills, N.Y. 28 ......Emily Shutman......................Huntington, N.Y. 29 ......Emily Fernandez ..................Shirley, N.Y. 30 ......Theodora Brebenel ..............Glen Head, N.Y. 31 ......Ariana Fixon-Owoo ..............Lynbrook, N.Y. 32 ......Olivia Scordo ........................Glen Head, N.Y. 33 ......Kimilya Egalite ......................West Hempstead, N.Y. 34 ......Trinity Chow ..........................Glen Cove, N.Y. 35 ......Katelyn Walker......................Sands Point, N.Y. 36 ......Laura Halsey ........................Westhampton, N.Y. 37 ......Kerri Leah Goldfuss..............Westbury, N.Y. 38 ......Fiona Stocks-Lyons..............Glen Cove, N.Y. 39 ......Christina Jud ........................Glen Head, N.Y. 40 ......Sophie Grace Wilson............Oyster Bay, N.Y.
Long Island Girls 16 Singles Rank Name..................................City 1 ........Danielle Mirabella..................Wantagh, N.Y. 2 ........Rebecca Stern......................Dix Hills, N.Y. 3 ........Sabrina Ferretti ....................Setauket, N.Y. 4 ........Lauren Difazio ......................Greenlawn, N.Y. 5 ........Katherine Changtroraleke ....Greenvale, N.Y. 6 ........Julia Khan..............................Port Washington, N.Y. 7 ........Allison Gabrielle Huber ........Melville, N.Y. 8 ........Emily Rees ............................Rockville Centre, N.Y. 9 ........Laura Torsiello ......................Bayport, N.Y. 10 ......Sarah Seeman ......................Port Washington, N.Y. 11 ......Alexandra Linder ..................Sands Point, N.Y. 12 ......Michelle Haykin ....................Great Neck, N.Y. 13 ......Taylor Sim..............................Plainview, N.Y. 14 ......Stacy Denbaum....................Syosset, N.Y. 15 ......Grace Graham ......................Rockville Centre, N.Y. 16 ......Elena Nastasi ........................Bayville, N.Y. 17 ......Claudia Ruiz..........................Glen Head, N.Y. 18 ......Alexandra Lipps....................Roslyn, N.Y. 19 ......Elizabeth Kallenberg ............Port Washington, N.Y. 20 ......Angelika Rothberg................Centerport, N.Y. 21 ......Stefanie Ebo..........................Sayville, N.Y. 22 ......Alexandra Dananberg ..........Massapequa, N.Y. 23 ......Alanna Kane..........................Sea Cliff, N.Y.
LITennisMag.com • November/December 2012 • Long Island Tennis Magazine
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LONG 24 ......Gina Ciliberti..........................West Islip, N.Y. 25 ......Rini Halder ............................Huntington, N.Y. 26 ......Courtney Connors................Manhasset, N.Y. 27 ......Taylor Cosme........................New Hyde Park, N.Y. 28 ......Matilda Bros..........................Lloyd Harbor, N.Y. 29 ......Lindsay Haley ......................Hicksville, N.Y. 30 ......Alana Weitz............................Roslyn, N.Y. 31 ......Marianne Naleski..................Southold, N.Y. 32 ......Gina Paprella ........................Saint James, N.Y. 33 ......Jamie Brown ........................Huntington, N.Y. 34 ......Michelle Carnovale ..............Massapequa, N.Y. 35 ......Rhianna Fitzpatrick ..............Saint James, N.Y. 36 ......Elizabeth Gee........................Garden City, N.Y. 37 ......Kathryn Sinicropi ..................Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. 38 ......Campbell Howe....................Locust Valley, N.Y. 39 ......Teresa Dorothy Pinnola ........Islip, N.Y.
Long Island Girls 18 Singles Rank Name..................................City 1 ........Olivia Ammirati......................Halesite, N.Y. 2 ........Kerrin Toner ..........................West Babylon, N.Y. 3 ........Cameron Leigh Moskol........Wantagh, N.Y. 4 ........Emma Brezel ........................Port Washington, N.Y. 5 ........Jennifer A. Carnovale ..........Massapequa, N.Y. 6 ........Elena Nastasi ........................Bayville, N.Y. 7 ........Veronika Paikin......................Valley Stream, N.Y. 8 ........Laura Torsiello ......................Bayport, N.Y. 9 ........Bianca Posa..........................Valley Stream, N.Y. 10 ......Sara Finger............................Saint James, N.Y. 11 ......Kaitlyn Mead ........................Manorville, N.Y. 12 ......Amanda Gaimaro ................Lynbrook, N.Y.
Boys & Girls Sectional Rankings (as of 09/18/12)
BOYS Sectional Boys 12 Singles— Long Island Region Rank Name ............................City 3 ........Brian Shi................................Jericho, N.Y. 4 ........Daniel Eric Pellerito ..............Syosset, N.Y. 5 ........Alan Delman..........................Great Neck, N.Y. 6 ........Ryan Goetz ..........................Greenlawn, N.Y. 7 ........Cannon Kingsley ..................Northport, N.Y. 9 ........Steven Well Sun....................Glen Cove, N.Y. 12 ......Patrick F. Maloney ................Oyster Bay, N.Y. 17 ......Ronald P. Hohmann..............Oyster Bay, N.Y. 20 ......Michael Medvedev ..............Oceanside, N.Y. 25 ......Pete Siozios ..........................New Hyde Park, N.Y. 32 ......Benjamin Cole Grossman....Sands Point, N.Y. 34 ......Billy G. Suarez ......................Huntington, N.Y. 35 ......Neel Raj ................................Oyster Bay, N.Y. 37 ......Gardner Howe ......................Locust Valley, N.Y. 41 ......Abhinav Raj Srivastava ........Melville, N.Y. 54 ......Sujay Sharma........................New Hyde Park, N.Y. 59 ......Spencer Brachman ..............Commack, N.Y. 66 ......Niles Ghaffar ........................Massapequa, N.Y. 74 ......Oliver Worth ..........................Locust Valley, N.Y. 78 ......Karan Amin ..........................Roslyn Heights, N.Y. 83 ......Kabir Rajpal ..........................Syosset, N.Y. 84 ......Jeffrey McDonnell ................Glen Cove, N.Y. 88 ......Preet Rajpal ..........................Syosset, N.Y. 91 ......Maxwell Moadel....................Brookville, N.Y. 94 ......Eli Grossman ........................Woodbury, N.Y. 97 ......Logan Paik Chang................Old Westbury, N.Y.
Sectional Boys 14 Singles— Long Island Region Rank Name ............................City 6 ........Brenden Andrew Volk ..........Dix Hills, N.Y.
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ISLAND
19 ......Athell Bennett........................Valley Stream, N.Y. 20 ......Sean Mullins..........................Lloyd Harbor, N.Y. 21 ......Keegan Morris ......................Franklin Square, N.Y. 22 ......Sean Patrick..........................Oyster Bay, N.Y. 25 ......Chris Kuhnle..........................Shoreham, N.Y. 31 ......Alan Delman..........................Great Neck, N.Y. 36 ......Finbar Talcott ........................Sea Cliff, N.Y. 43 ......Nasser Ghaffar......................Massapequa Park, N.Y. 45 ......Daniel Shleimovich ..............Merrick, N.Y. 49 ......Alex Grossman ....................Sands Point, N.Y. 50 ......Colin Francis Sacco ............Brightwaters, N.Y. 55 ......Rajan Vohra ..........................Glen Head, N.Y. 61 ......Nicolas Demaria ..................New Hyde Park, N.Y. 63 ......Pete Siozios ..........................New Hyde Park, N.Y. 66 ......Yuval Solomon......................Plainview, N.Y. 81 ......Del Schunk............................Westhampton Beach, N.Y. 87 ......Dylan Granat ........................Woodbury, N.Y. 89 ......Ryan Goetz ..........................Greenlawn, N.Y. 90 ......Ben Snow..............................Water Mill, N.Y. 95 ......Andy Zhou ............................Commack, N.Y. 98 ......Mark Julian Baker ................North Baldwin, N.Y. 102 ....Daniel Weitz ..........................Roslyn, N.Y. 103 ....James Kyrkanides................Stony Brook, N.Y. 105 ....Austin Egna ..........................Port Washington, N.Y. 108 ....Ronald Hohmann ................Oyster Bay, N.Y. 114 ....Lucas Larese DeSanto ........Southampton, N.Y. 118 ....Aziz Rashidzada ..................Dix Hills, N.Y. 127 ....Patrick Maloney....................Oyster Bay, N.Y. 131 ....Joonho Ko ............................Huntington, N.Y. 136 ....Timothy Serignese ..............Port Washington, N.Y. 137 ....Max Egna..............................Port Washington, N.Y. 140 ....Daniel Meinster ....................South Setauket, N.Y. 149 ....George Kaslow ....................Port Washington, N.Y. 151 ....Jake Parker ..........................Oceanside, N.Y. 153 ....Brady Berman ......................Glen Head, N.Y. 158 ....Matthew Porges ..................Roslyn Heights, N.Y. 160 ....Carl Grant..............................Water Mill, N.Y. 161 ....Benjamin Tenner ..................Roslyn, N.Y. 162 ....Steven Sun............................Glen Cove, N.Y. 163 ....Daniel Eric Pellerito ..............Syosset, N.Y. 164 ....Jay Burkeyy ..........................Syosset, N.Y. 175 ....Garrett Malave ......................Laurel, N.Y. 176 ....Zane Siddiqui........................Long Beach, N.Y. 178 ....Alexander Reiley ..................Monorville, N.Y. 179 ....Aaron Briamonte ..................Great Neck, N.Y. 195 ....Brian Shi................................Jericho, N.Y.
Sectional Boys 16 Singles— Long Island Region Rank Name ............................City 3 ........Josh Silverstein ....................Great Neck, N.Y. 4 ........Daniel Grunberger ................Great Neck, N.Y. 12 ......Philip Daniel Antohi ..............Glen Head, N.Y. 13 ......Alexander Lebedev ..............Island Park, N.Y. 23 ......Brandon T. Stone..................Melville, N.Y. 29 ......Zain Ali ..................................Dix Hills, N.Y. 31 ......Douglas Notaris ....................Wantagh, N.Y. 35 ......Bryant Born ..........................Manhasset, N.Y. 41 ......Eric Wagner ..........................Roslyn Heights, N.Y. 44 ......Lubomir Cuba ......................Massapequa Park, N.Y. 52 ......Jared R. Halstrom ................Bellmore, N.Y. 56 ......Jonathan Paris......................Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. 62 ......Dylan Appel ..........................Locust Valley, N.Y. 64 ......Kyle Alper..............................Dix Hills, N.Y. 69 ......Fernando Fernandes Filho ..East Hampton, N.Y. 73 ......Justin Park ............................Huntington, N.Y. 75 ......Tripp Tuff................................Bridgehampton, N.Y. 76 ......Benjamin Rosen ..................Port Washington, N.Y. 78 ......Lamar Remy..........................Roslyn, N.Y. 81 ......Conor Mullins........................Lloyd Harbor, N.Y. 90 ......Jesse Levitin ........................Manhasset, N.Y.
RANKINGS
92 ......Cole Laffitte ..........................East Setauket, N.Y. 97 ......Cory Seltman........................Dix Hills, N.Y. 99 ......Palmer Clare ........................North Bellmore, N.Y.
Sectional Boys 18 Singles— Long Island Region Rank Name ............................City 2 ........Josh Levine ..........................Syosset, N.Y. 6 ........Andrew Yaraghi ....................Mill Neck, N.Y. 7 ........Noah Rubin ..........................Rockville Centre, N.Y. 12 ......Vihar Shah ............................New Hyde Park, N.Y. 13 ......Samuel Lam..........................Old Westbury, N.Y. 14 ......Brendan Henry......................Massapequa, N.Y. 15 ......Eric Rubin..............................Lido Beach, N.Y. 26 ......Josh Silverstein ....................Great Neck, N.Y. 27 ......Aidan Talcott ........................Sea Cliff, N.Y. 29 ......Ethan Bogard........................Lido Beach, N.Y. 30 ......Matthew O. Barry ................Lido Beach, N.Y. 31 ......Conor Dauer ........................Lloyd Harbor, N.Y. 32 ......Ofir Solomon ........................Plainview, N.Y. 33 ......Howard J. Weiss ..................Great Neck, N.Y. 48 ......Alex Sacher ..........................Glen Head, N.Y. 53 ......Zachary Lessen ....................Roslyn Heights, N.Y. 55 ......Austin Davidow ....................Glen Head, N.Y. 56 ......Tyler J. Hoffman....................Sayville, N.Y. 58 ......Kevin Katz ............................Woodbury, N.Y. 66 ......Dylan Appel ..........................Locust Valley, N.Y. 79 ......Matthew Demichiel ..............Hewlett, N.Y. 80 ......Alexander Schidlovsky ........Sea Cliff, N.Y. 84 ......John D’Alessandro ..............Northport, N.Y. 85 ......Sander Brenner ....................Port Washington, N.Y. 93 ......Clark Ruiz..............................Glen Head, N.Y. 96 ......Daniel Grunberger ................Great Neck, N.Y. 98 ......Sean Chhugani ....................Roslyn, N.Y.
GIRLS Sectional Girls 12 Singles— Long Island Region Rank Name ............................City 1 ........Hannah Zhao ........................Syosset, N.Y. 9 ........Lea Ma ..................................Dix Hills, N.Y. 22 ......Jasmine Olivia Abidi ............Glen Head, N.Y. 25 ......Alexa Susan Goetz ..............Greenlawn, N.Y. 34 ......Olivia Rose Scordo ..............Glen Head, N.Y. 40 ......Francesca Karman ..............Port Washington, N.Y. 42 ......Merri Kelly ............................Oyster Bay, N.Y. 43 ......Katelyn Walker......................Sands Point, N.Y. 51 ......Maryam Beshir Ahmad ........Albertson, N.Y. 57 ......Rachel Arbitman ..................Hewlett, N.Y. 61 ......Julia Kielan ............................Valley Stream, N.Y. 72 ......Trinity Chow ..........................Glen Cove, N.Y. 96 ......Madison Williams..................Glen Cove, N.Y. 97 ......Celeste Wang Traub ............Jericho, N.Y. 99 ......Kimberly Liao ........................Commack, N.Y.
Sectional Girls 14 Singles— Long Island Region Rank Name ............................City 5 ........Madison Battaglia ................Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y 9 ........Amber Nicole Policare ..........East Atlantic Beach, N.Y. 12 ......Alexa Graham ......................Garden City, N.Y. 13 ......Claire Handa ........................Rockville Centre, N.Y. 16 ......Taylor S. Cosme....................New Hyde Park, N.Y. 37 ......Ashley Lessen ......................Roslyn Heights, N.Y. 44 ......Stephanie Chikvashvili ........Melville, N.Y. 49 ......Esther Chikvashvili................Syosset, N.Y. 54 ......Celeste Rose Matute............Oyster Bay, N.Y. 58 ......Courtney Kowalsky ..............Oyster Bay, N.Y. 65 ......Josephine Winters................Elmont, N.Y. 84 ......Amanda Allison Foo ............Manhasset, N.Y. 87 ......Sarah Seeman ......................Port Washington, N.Y.
Long Island Tennis Magazine • November/December 2012 • LITennisMag.com
90 ......Brynn Maris April ..................Dix Hills, N.Y. 93 ......Adele Sukhov........................Westbury, N.Y. 94 ......Danielle Mirabella..................Wantagh, N.Y. 97 ......Dasha Dlin ............................Glen Head, N.Y.
Sectional Girls 16 Singles— Long Island Region Rank Name ............................City 19 ......Madison Battaglia ................Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. 21 ......Bridget Elaine Harding ........Northport, N.Y. 26 ......Mia M. Vecchio ....................Manhasset Hills, N.Y. 27 ......Sunaina Vohra ......................Glen Head, N.Y. 28 ......Aleksandra Mally ..................Franklin Square, N.Y. 32 ......Aimee N. Manfredo ..............Shoreham, N.Y. 39 ......Amber Policare ....................East Atlantic Beach, N.Y. 42 ......Alexa Graham ......................Garden City, N.Y. 44 ......Danielle Giannetti..................Oyster Bay, N.Y. 50 ......Paulina Tafler ........................Oceanside, N.Y. 53 ......Lauren Ann Livingston..........Sands Point, N.Y. 64 ......Claudia M. Ruiz ....................Glen Head, N.Y. 68 ......Esther Chikvashvili................Melville, N.Y. 72 ......Michele Lehat ......................Great Neck, N.Y. 83 ......Rithika Reddy........................Syosset, N.Y. 86 ......Claire Handa ........................Point Lookout, N.Y. 98 ......Alexandra Linder ..................Sands Point, N.Y.
Sectional Girls 18 Singles— Long Island Region Rank Name ............................City 6 ........Hannah L. Camhi..................Woodbury, N.Y. 9 ........Vivian Cheng ........................Woodbury, N.Y. 10 ......Katherine Yau........................Manhasset, N.Y. 12 ......Sophie Barnard ....................Mill Neck, N.Y. 22 ......Aleksandra Mally ..................Franklin Square, N.Y. 24 ......Nicholle Torres ......................North Hills, N.Y. 29 ......Mia Vecchio ..........................Manhasset Hills, N.Y. 38 ......Julia Elbaba ..........................Oyster Bay, N.Y. 43 ......Morgan Feldman ..................Glen Head, N.Y. 51 ......Claudia Ruiz..........................Glen Head, N.Y. 52 ......Sunaina Vohra ......................Glen Head, N.Y. 56 ......Melissa Carlay ......................New Hyde Park, N.Y. 60 ......Sara Finger............................Saint James, N.Y. 61 ......Taylor Diffley..........................Hampton Bays, N.Y. 63 ......Alexa Graham ......................Garden City, N.Y. 64 ......Stephanie Loutsenko ..........Bellmore, N.Y. 68 ......Aimee Manfredo ..................Shoreham, N.Y. 76 ......Rithika Reddy........................Syosset, N.Y. 82 ......Yuliya Astapova ....................Port Washington, N.Y. 86 ......Laura Torsiello ......................Bayport, N.Y. 87 ......Ashley A. Masanto................Baldwin, N.Y. 89 ......Gabrielle Leon ......................Woodmere, N.Y. 91 ......Esther Chikvashvili................Melville, N.Y. 93 ......Zenat Rashidzada ................Dix Hills, N.Y. 96 ......Olivia Ammirati......................Halesite, N.Y. 97 ......Bianca Posa..........................Valley Stream, N.Y.
9 ........Brian Shi................................Jericho, N.Y. 16 ......Ryan Goetz ..........................Greenlawn, N.Y. 31 ......Steven Well Sun....................Glen Cove, N.Y. 38 ......Alan Delman..........................Great Neck, N.Y. 64 ......Daniel Eric Pellerito ..............Syosset, N.Y. 66 ......Ronald P.Hohmann ..............Oyster Bay, N.Y. 71 ......Cannon Kingsley ..................Northport, N.Y. 84 ......Patrick Maloney....................Oyster Bay, N.Y. 223 ....Billy Suarez............................Huntington, NY 277 ....Gardner Howe ......................Locust Valley, N.Y. 285 ....Michael Medvedev ..............Oceanside, N.Y. 354 ....Benjamin Grossman ............Sands Point, N.Y. 382 ....Neel Raj ................................Oyster Bay, N.Y. 410 ....Pete Siozios ..........................New Hyde Park, N.Y. 423 ....Abhinav Raj Srivastava ........Melville, N.Y. 573 ....Niles Ghaffar ........................Massapequa, N.Y. 601 ....Spencer Brachman ..............Commack, N.Y. 840 ....Oliver Worth ..........................Locust Valley, N.Y. 954 ....Maxwell Moadel....................Brookville, N.Y. 958 ....Karan Amin ..........................Roslyn Heights, N.Y. 1049 ..Benjamin Reichbach ............Syosset, N.Y. 1054 ..Sol Yoon ................................Commack, N.Y.
National Boys 14 Singles— Long Island Players Rank Name ............................City 45 ......Brenden Andrew Volk ..........Dix Hills, N.Y. 194 ....Sean Patrick..........................Oyster Bay, N.Y. 204 ....Chris Kuhnle..........................Shoreham, N.Y. 211 ....Athell Patrick Bennett ..........Valley Stream, N.Y. 225 ....Sean Mullins..........................Lloyd Harbor, N.Y. 248 ....Colin Sacco ..........................Brightwaters, N.Y. 349 ....Finbar Talcott ........................Sea Cliff, N.Y. 452 ....Keegan Morris ......................Franklin Square, N.Y. 478 ....Ryan Goetz ..........................Greenlawn, N.Y. 502 ....Alan Delman..........................Great Neck, N.Y. 537 ....Nasser Abdel Ghaffar ..........Massapequa, N.Y. 1008 ..Alex Grossman ....................Sands Point, N.Y. 1009 ..Rajan Jai Vohra ....................Glen Head, N.Y. 1060 ..Aziz Rashidzada ..................Dix Hills, N.Y. 1065 ..Nicolas Demaria ..................New Hyde Park, N.Y. 1124 ..Daniel Shleimovich ..............Merrick, N.Y. 1128 ..Andy Zhou ............................Commack, N.Y. 1226 ..Pete Siozios ..........................New Hyde Park, N.Y. 1236 ..Carl Grant..............................Water Mill, N.Y. 1275 ..Patrick Maloney....................Oyster Bay, N.Y. 1487 ..Del Schunk............................Westhampton Beach, N.Y. 1541 ..Noah Reisch ........................Floral Park, N.Y. 1586 ..Jack Aaron Briamonte..........Great Neck, N.Y.
National Boys 18 Singles— Long Island Players Rank Name ............................City 6 ........Noah B. Rubin ......................Rockville Centre, N.Y. 26 ......Josh M. Levine......................Syosset, N.Y. 196 ....Andrew S. Yaraghi ................Mill Neck, N.Y. 202 ....Howard J. Weiss ..................Great Neck, N.Y. 231 ....Samuel Lam..........................Old Westbury, N.Y. 296 ....Aidan Talcott ........................Sea Cliff, N.Y. 304 ....Vihar Shah ............................New Hyde Park, N.Y. 307 ....Eric Rubin..............................Lido Beach, N.Y. 316 ....Brendan Henry......................Massapequa, N.Y. 375 ....Josh Silverstein ....................Great Neck, N.Y. 407 ....Dennis Uspensky..................Atlantic Beach, N.Y. 491 ....Lamar Remy..........................Roslyn, N.Y. 549 ....Conor Dauer ........................Lloyd Harbor, N.Y. 591 ....Ofir Solomon ........................Plainview, N.Y. 707 ....Ethan Bogard........................Lido Beach, N.Y. 729 ....Philip Daniel Antohi ..............Glen Head, N.Y. 733 ....Daniel Grundberger ..............Great Neck, N.Y. 758 ....Alexander Schidlovsky ........Sea Cliff, N.Y. 790 ....Austin Davidow ....................Glen Head, N.Y. 796 ....Alex Sacher ..........................Glen Head, N.Y. 962 ....Tyler Hoffman........................Sayville, N.Y. 1050 ..Brandon T. Stone..................Melville, N.Y. 1077 ..Kevin Katz ............................Woodbury, N.Y. 1284 ..Doron Saraf ..........................Great Neck, N.Y. 1315 ..Jeremy Dubin........................Southampton, N.Y. 1429 ..John P. D’Alessandro ..........Northport, N.Y. 1658 ..Dylan Hobbs Appel ..............Locust Valley, N.Y. 1900 ..Matthew Demichiel ..............Hewlett, N.Y. 2051 ..Benjamin Rosen ..................Port Washington, N.Y. 2052 ..Sander Brenner ....................Port Washington, N.Y.
GIRLS National Boys 16 Singles— Long Island Players Rank Name ............................City
Rank Name ............................City
National Girls 16 Singles— Long Island Players Rank Name ............................City 287 ....Madison Battaglia ................Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. 300 ....Bridget Harding ....................Northport, N.Y. 395 ....Sunaina Vohra ......................Glen Head, N.Y. 415 ....Aimee Manfredo ..................Shoreham, N.Y. 479 ....Danielle Giannetti..................Oyster Bay, N.Y. 480 ....Amber Policare ....................East Atlantic Beach, N.Y. 617 ....Mia Vecchio ..........................Manhasset Hills, N.Y. 667 ....Paulina Tafler ........................Oceanside, N.Y. 845 ....Olivia Funk ............................Hicksville, N.Y. 932 ....Claudia Ruiz..........................Glen Head, N.Y. 964 ....Aleksandra Mally ..................Franklin Square, N.Y. 970 ....Julia Khan..............................Port Washington, N.Y. 1013 ..Rithika Reddy........................Syosset, N.Y. 1072 ..Alexa Graham ......................Garden City, N.Y. 1284 ..Taylor Cosme........................New Hyde Park, N.Y. 1307 ..Lauren Ann ..........................Livingston, N.Y. 1339 ..Katie Jane Cirella..................Woodbury, N.Y. 1504 ..Karen Serina..........................Islip Terrace, N.Y. 1655 ..Nicole Koskovolis ................Manhasset, N.Y. 1723 ..Mara Danielle Stewart ..........Oceanside, N.Y.
National Girls 18 Singles— Long Island Players Rank Name ............................City
•
Uni
ted Sports
P
USP
ions, Lt
d.
44 ......Julia Elbaba ..........................Oyster Bay, N.Y. 52 ......Hannah L. Camhi..................Woodbury, N.Y. 146 ....Sophie Barnard ....................Mill Neck, N.Y. 166 ....Vivan Cheng..........................Woodbury, N.Y. 195 ....Katherine Yau........................Manhasset, N.Y. 543 ....Morgan Feldman ..................Glen Head, N.Y. 707 ....Nicholle Torres ......................North Hills, N.Y. 732 ....Ashley Masanto....................Baldwin, N.Y. 782 ....Stephanie Loutsenko ..........Bellmore, N.Y. 951 ....Melissa G. Carlay..................New Hyde Park, N.Y. 967 ....Taylor Diffley..........................Hampton Bays, N.Y. 968 ....Aleksandra Mally ..................Franklin Square, N.Y. 1089 ..Rithika Reddy........................Syosset, N.Y. 1179 ..Sunaina Vohra ......................Glen Head, N.Y. 1224 ..Zenat Rashidzada ................Dix Hills, N.Y. 1271 ..Claudia Ruiz..........................Glen Head, N.Y. 1430 ..Mia Vecchio ..........................Manhasset Hills, N.Y. 1593 ..Alison Wang..........................Great Neck, N.Y.
licat
12 ......Hannah Zhao ........................Melville, N.Y. 78 ......Lea Ma ..................................Dix Hills, N.Y. 204 ....Alexa Goetz ..........................Greenlawn, N.Y. 297 ....Merri Kelly ............................Oyster Bay, N.Y. 378 ....Olivia Scordo ........................Glen Head, N.Y. 441 ....Francesca Karman ..............Port Washington, N.Y. 511 ....Katelyn Walker......................Sands Point, N.Y. 682 ....Maryam Beshir Ahmad ........Albertson, N.Y. 709 ....Rachel Arbitman ..................Hewlett, N.Y. 721 ....Julia Kielan ............................Valley Stream, N.Y. 805 ....Celeste Wang Traub ............Jericho, N.Y.
40 ......Madison Battaglia ................Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. 99 ......Amber Nicole Policare..........East Atlantic Beach, N.Y. 105 ....Alexa Graham ......................Garden City, N.Y. 190 ....Claire Handa ........................Point Lookout, N.Y. 227 ....Taylor Cosme........................New Hyde Park, N.Y. 484 ....Celeste Rose Matute............Oyster Bay, N.Y. 600 ....Esther Chikvashvili................Melville, N.Y. 659 ....Dominique Woinarowski ......Syosset, N.Y. 671 ....Hannah Zhao ........................Melville, N.Y. 704 ....Courtney Kowalsky ..............Oyster Bay, N.Y. 707 ....Josephine Winters................Elmont, N.Y. 1110 ..Morgan Herrmann ................Garden City, N.Y. 1198 ..Ashley Lessen ......................Roslyn Hts, N.Y. 1370 ..Stephanie Chikvashvili ........Melville, N.Y. 1386 ..Jasmine Olivia Abidi ............Glen Head, N.Y. 1508 ..Ariel Natalie Eisenberg ........Valley Stream, N.Y.
ub
22 ......Josh Silverstein ....................Great Neck, N.Y. 57 ......Daniel Grunberger ................Great Neck, N.Y. 117 ....Alexander Lebedev ..............Island Park, N.Y. 201 ....Lamar Remy..........................Roslyn, N.Y. 206 ....Brandon T. Stone..................Melville, N.Y. 292 ....Julian Alexi Zlobinsky ..........Greenvale, N.Y. 320 ....Dennis Uspensky..................Atlantic Beach, N.Y. 363 ....Jonathan Paris......................Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. 486 ....Eric Wagner ..........................Roslyn Heights, N.Y. 521 ....Jared Halstrom ....................Bellmore, N.Y.
National Girls 12 Singles— Long Island Players
Rank Name ............................City
d.
Rank Name ............................City
National Girls 14 Singles— Long Island Players
ions, Lt
National Boys 12 Singles— Long Island Players
licat
BOYS
820 ....Kimberly Liao ........................Commack, N.Y. 924 ....Jacqueline Rae Bukzin ........Manorville, N.Y. 1105 ..Trinity Chow ..........................Glen Head, N.Y.
ub
(as of 10/10/12)
543 ....Zain Ali ..................................Dix Hills, N.Y. 544 ....Bryant Born ..........................Manhasset, N.Y. 642 ....Lubomir Cuba ......................Massapequa Park, N.Y. 660 ....Conor Mullins........................Lloyd Harbor, N.Y. 687 ....Brenden Andrew Volk ..........Dix Hills, N.Y. 829 ....Benjamin Rosen ..................Port Washington, N.Y. 1248 ..Sean Mullins..........................Lloyd Harbor, N.Y. 1321 ..Palmer Clare ........................North Bellmore, N.Y. 1358 ..Dylan Davis ..........................Dix Hills, N.Y. 1392 ..Andy Zhou ............................Commack, N.Y. 1397 ..Fernando Fernandes Filho ..East Hampton, N.Y. 1398 ..Henry Tell ..............................Woodbury, N.Y. 1407 ..Brian Shi................................Jericho, N.Y. 1425 ..Alex Brebenel........................Glen Head, N.Y. 1433 ..Cory Seltman........................Dix Hills, N.Y. 1434 ..Jesse Levitin ........................Manhasset, N.Y. 1435 ..Cooper Francis Lacetera ....Speonk, N.Y. 1581 ..Sean Patrick..........................Oyster Bay, N.Y. 1660 ..Kyle Alper..............................Dix Hills, N.Y. 1856 ..Colin Francis Sacco ............Brightwaters, N.Y. 1859 ..Cole Laffitte ..........................East Setauket, N.Y.
RANKINGS
nited Sports P
Boys & Girls National Rankings
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LITennisMag.com • November/December 2012 • Long Island Tennis Magazine
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USTA/Long Island Region 2012
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE For detailed information on these and all USTA tournaments, visit tennislink.usta.com/tournaments. NOVEMBER 2012 Friday-Sunday, November 2-4 L3 Lynbrook Sportime Eastern–UPS Sportime Tennis Lynbrook 175 Merrick Road • Lynbrook, N.Y. Divisions: QuickStart BG (14-12)s, RR; QuickStart BG(10 [60’ Court/Orange Ball])s, RR Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $43.50 per player per player (deadline for entries is Monday, Oct. 29 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, call (516) 887-1330. Friday-Sunday, November 2-4 L2O Sportime Massapequa November Open Sportime Massapequa 5600 Old Sunrise Highway • Massapequa, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate BG (18-16)s, SE Surface Type: Clay Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Tuesday, Oct. 23 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, call (516) 799-3550. Friday-Sunday, November 2-4 LBTC NTRP & Open Championships Long Beach Tennis Center 899 Monroe Boulevard • Long Beach, N.Y. Divisions: Ranked MW (Op)s, SE; M (Op)d, SE; NMW (3.04.0)s, SE; NM (4.0)d, SE; NW (3.0-4.0)d, SE; NX (Op, 3.04.5)d, SE Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Wednesday, Oct. 31 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, call (516) 432-6060. Friday-Sunday, November 2-4 & Friday-Sunday, November 9-11 +L1 Sportime Bethpage Eastern Designated Closed Chmps Level 5 FIC Sportime Tennis Bethpage 101 Norcross Avenue • Bethpage, N.Y. Divisions: Grand Prix G (16)s, FIC Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, Oct. 22 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, call (516) 933-8500. Friday-Sunday, November 2-4 L2O Sportime Syosset November Open Sportime Syosset 75 Haskett Drive • Syosset, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate BG (14-12)s, SE Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Tuesday, Oct. 23 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, call (516) 364-2727.
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Friday-Sunday, November 2-4 L2O EAC November Open Eastern Athletic Clubs 9 Montauk Highway, Unit A Blue Point, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate BG (16)s, SE Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $65 per player (deadline for entries is Sunday, Oct. 28 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, call (631) 363-2882.
Friday-Sunday, November 9-11 L3 Sportime Lynbrook Eastern UPS Sportime Tennis Lynbrook 175 Merrick Road Lynbrook, N.Y. Divisions: Novice BG (16)s, RR; QuickStart BG (10 [60’Court/Orange Ball])s, RR Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $43.50 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, Nov. 5 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, call (516) 887-1330.
Friday-Sunday, November 2-4 & Friday-Sunday, November 9-11 +L1 RWTTC Eastern Designated Closed Chmps Level 5 Robbie Wagner Tournament Training Center 60 Sea Cliff Avenue Glen Cove, N.Y. Divisions: Grand Prix B (16)s, FIC Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, Oct. 22 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, call (516) 759-0505.
Friday-Sunday, November 9-11 L3 Sportime Massapequa November UPS Sportime Massapequa 5600 Old Sunrise Highway Massapequa, N.Y. Divisions: Novice BG (14-12)s, RR Surface Type: Clay Indoor Entry Fee: $43.50 per player (deadline for entries is Tuesday, Oct. 30 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, call (516) 799-3550.
Friday-Sunday, November 2-4 & Friday-Sunday, November 9-11 +L1 Point Set Eastern Designated Closed Chmps Level 5 FIC Point Set 3065 New Street • Oceanside, N.Y. Divisions: Grand Prix B (12)s, FIC Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, Oct. 22 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, call (516) 536-2323.
Friday-Sunday, November 9-11 L2O Sportime Syosset November Open Sportime Syosset 75 Haskett Drive Syosset, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate G (18-12)s, SE Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Tuesday, Oct. 30 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, call (516) 364-2727.
Friday-Sunday, November 2-4 L1 Sportime Kings Park November Championships Sportime Kings Park 275 Old Indianhead Road Kings Park, N.Y. Divisions: Championships BG (10 [78’Court/Green Ball])s, SE Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, Oct. 26 at 5:00 p.m.) For more information, call (516) 484-9222.
Friday-Sunday, November 9-11 L2O Long Beach November Open Long Beach Tennis Center 899 Monroe Boulevard Long Beach, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate B (18-12)s, SE Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Wednesday, Nov. 7 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, call (516) 432-6060.
Friday-Sunday, November 9-11 L3 Sportime Kings Park’s Eastern UPS Sportime Kings Park 275 Old Indianhead Road Kings Park, N.Y. Divisions: Novice BG (14-12)s, RR; QuickStart BG (10 [60’Court/Orange Ball])s, RR Entry Fee: $43.50 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, Nov. 5 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, call (516) 484-9222.
Friday-Sunday, November 16-18 L1 Sportime Kings Park November Championships Sportime Kings Park 275 Old Indianhead Road Kings Park, N.Y. Divisions: Championships G (12)s, SE Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.24 per player singles (deadline for entries is Friday, Nov. 9 at 2:00 p.m.) For more information, call (516) 484-9222.
Long Island Tennis Magazine • November/December 2012 • LITennisMag.com
USTA/Long Island Region 2012
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE For detailed information on these and all USTA tournaments, visit tennislink.usta.com/tournaments. Friday-Sunday, November 16-18 L1 Sportime Lynbrook November Championships Sportime Tennis Lynbrook 175 Merrick Road • Lynbrook, N.Y. Divisions: Championships G (16)s, SE Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player singles (deadline for entries is Friday, Nov. 9 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, call (516) 877-1330. Friday-Sunday, November 16-18 L1 LBTC November Championships Long Beach Tennis Center 899 Monroe Boulevard Long Beach, N.Y. Divisions: Championships BG (18)sd, SE Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Wednesday, Nov. 17 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information call (516) 432-6060. Friday-Sunday, November 16-18 L1 RSTA November Championships Ross School Tennis Academy 18 Goodfriend Drive East Hampton, N.Y. Divisions: Championships B (12)s, SE; QuickStart: BG (10 [78’Court/Green Ball])s, SE; MW(Op)s, SE Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Sunday, Nov. 11 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, call (631) 907-5721.
DECEMBER 2012 Saturday-Sunday, December 1-2 L3 Sportime Bethpage Eastern UPS Sportime Bethpage 101 Norcross Avenue Bethpage, N.Y. Divisions: Novice: BG (14-12)s, RR Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $43.50 per player singles (deadline for entries is Friday, Nov. 23 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, call (516) 933-8500. Friday-Sunday, December 7-9 L2O Kings Park Sportime December Open Sportime Kings Park 275 Old Indianhead Road • Kings Park, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate B (14-12)s, SE; QuickStart: BG (10 [78’Court/Green Ball])s, SE Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, Nov. 30 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, call (516) 484-9222. Friday-Sunday, December 7-9 L3 Sportime Lynbrook Eastern UPS Sportime Tennis Lynbrook 175 Merrick Road Lynbrook, N.Y. Divisions: Novice: BG (14-12)s, RR Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $43.5 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, Dec. 3 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, call (516) 887-1330.
Friday-Sunday, November 16-18 L2O HLIT November Open Advantage Tennis Hempstead Lake Indoor Tennis 525 Eagle Avenue West Hempstead, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate BG(16)s, SE Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player singles (deadline for entries is Friday, Nov. 2 at 5:00 p.m.) For more information, call (516) 486-2165.
Friday-Sunday, December 7-9 L1 RSTA December Championships Ross School Tennis Academy 18 Goodfriend Drive East Hampton, N.Y. Divisions: BG (18-12)s, SE Surface Type: Clay Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, Dec. 1 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, call (631) 907-5721.
Friday-Sunday, November 16-18 L1 RWTTC November Championships Robbie Wagner Tournament Training at Glen Cove 60 Sea Cliff Avenue • Glen Cove, N.Y. Divisions: Championships B (16-14)s, SE Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, Nov. 2 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, call (516) 759-0505.
Friday-Sunday, December 7-9 L2R Sportime Bethpage December Regional Sportime Tennis Bethpage 101 Norcross Avenue Bethpage, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate G (14-12)s, SE Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Tuesday, Nov. 27 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, call (516) 933-8500.
Friday-Sunday, December 7-9 L1B Sportime Massapequa Winter Challenger 5600 Old Sunrise Highway Massapequa, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger: B (14-12)s, SE Surface Type: Clay Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Tuesday, Nov. 27 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, call (516) 799-3550. Friday-Sunday, December 7-9 L3 RWTT @ Glenwood Landing Eastern UPS Robbie Wagner Tournament Training Center 81 Round Hill Road Roslyn Heights, N.Y. Divisions: Novice: BG (14-12)s, RR Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $43.50 per player (deadline for entries is Wednesday, Dec. 5 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, call (516)759-0505. Friday-Sunday, December 7-9 L2O LBTC December Open Long Beach Tennis Center 899 Monroe Boulevard Long Beach, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate: BG (18-16)sd, SE Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player, $27.38 per doubles player (deadline for entries is Tuesday, Dec. 4 at 1:00 pm) For more information, call (516) 432-6060. Friday-Sunday, December 14-16 L1B Kings Park December Challenger Sportime Kings Park 275 Old Indianhead Road Kings Park, N.Y. Divisions: BG (10 [78’Court/Green Ball])s, FRLC Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, Dec. 7 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, call (516)484-9222. Friday-Sunday, December 14-16 L2R Sportime Lynbrook December Regional Sportime Tennis Lynbrook 175 Merrick Road Lynbrook, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate BG (16-14)s, SE Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, Dec. 7 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, call (516) 887-1330.
LITennisMag.com • November/December 2012 • Long Island Tennis Magazine
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USTA/Long Island Region 2012
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE For detailed information on these and all USTA tournaments, visit tennislink.usta.com/tournaments.
Sunday-Thursday, December 23-27 L1B LBTC Holiday Challenger Long Beach Tennis Center 899 Monroe Boulevard Long Beach, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger BG (14)sd, SE Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player singles (deadline for entries is Wednesday, Dec. 19 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, call (516) 432-6060.
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Long Island Tennis Magazine • November/December 2012 • LITennisMag.com
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Wednesday-Sunday, December 26-30 L1B Sportime Massapequa December Challenger Sportime Massapequa 5600 Old Sunrise Highway Massapequa, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger BG (12)s, SE Surface Type: Clay Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player singles (deadline for entries is Friday, Dec. 14 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, call (516) 799-3550.
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Friday-Sunday, December 21-23 L3 Sportime Kings Park Winter UPS Sportime Kings Park 275 Old Indianhead Road • Kings Park, N.Y. Divisions: Novice BG (16-12)s, RR; Quick Start BG (10 [60’Court/Orange Ball])s, RR Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $43.50 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, Dec. 17 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, call (516) 484-9222.
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Wednesday-Sunday, December 26-30 L1 Sportime Syosset December Championships Sportime Syosset 75 Haskett Drive Syosset, N.Y. Divisions: Championships B (14)s, SE Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player singles (deadline for entries is Friday, Dec. 14 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, call (516) 364-2727.
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Saturday-Sunday, December 15-16 L3 10U & 8U Sportime Syosset UPS Sportime Syosset 75 Haskett Drive • Syosset, N.Y. Divisions: Quick Start BG(10 [60’Court/Orange Ball],8 [36’Court/Red Ball])s, RR Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $43.50 per player (deadline for entries is Tuesday, Dec. 11 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, call (516) 364-2727.
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Sunday-Friday, December 23-28 L2O Point Set Holiday Open Point Set 3065 New Street • Oceanside, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate B (18-12)sd, SE; Intermediate BG (10 [78’Court/Green Ball])s, SE Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $48.88 per player singles (deadline for entries is Thursday, Dec. 20 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, call (516)536-2323.
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Friday-Sunday, December 14-23 LBTC December Men’s Open & NTRP Classic Long Beach Tennis Center 899 Monroe Boulevard Long Beach, N.Y. Divisions: Ranked M (Op)sd, SE; NMW (3.0-4.0)sd, SE; NX (3.0-4.5)d, SE Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player/$27.38 per doubles player (deadline for entries is Wednesday, Dec. 12 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, call (516) 432-6060.
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Friday-Sunday, December 14-16 L1B Sportime Bethpage Challenger Sportime Tennis Bethpage 101 Norcross Avenue Bethpage, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger BG (18-16)s, SE Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Tuesday, Dec. 4 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, call (516) 933-8500.
Friday-Sunday, December 21-23 L2O Sportime Lynbrook December Open Sportime Tennis Lynbrook 175 Merrick Road Lynbrook, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate BG (12)s, FRLC; QuickStart BG(10 [78’Court/Green Ball])s, FRLC Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $43.50 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, Dec. 17 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, call (516) 887-1330.
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Friday-Sunday, December 14-16 L3 Sportime Massapequa Eastern UPS Sportime Massapequa 5600 Old Sunrise Highway Massapequa, N.Y. Divisions: Novice BG (14-12)s, RR Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $43.50 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, Dec. 7 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, call (516) 799-3550.
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