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NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2013 • New York Tennis Magazine

May/June 2013 Volume 3, Number 3 New York Tennis Magazine 1220 Wantagh Avenue • Wantagh, NY 11793-2202 Phone: (516) 409-4444 • Fax: (516) 409-4600 Web site: www.nytennismag.com

TABLE OF CONTENTS Cover story 18

Staff David Sickmen Publisher (516) 409-4444, ext. 309 • david@usptennis.com

Is this the year David Ferrer cracks the top three? We take a look at Ferrer’s chances, along with the rest of the men’s and women’s fields as the second Grand Slam of the year is played on the clay courts of Roland Garros.

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 Jon Blake Advertising Coordinator (516) 409-4444, ext. 301 • jonb@usptennis.com

NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2012 • New York Tennis Magazine

Emilie Katz Marketing Coordinator Beverly Koondel Office Administrator (516) 409-4444, ext. 316 Brent Shearer Editorial Contributor Gary Simeone Editorial Contributor

Advertising To receive any information regarding advertising rates, deadlines, and requirements, call (516) 409-4444 or e-mail info@usptennis.com.

Article Submissions/Press Releases To submit any material, including articles and press releases, please call (516) 409-4444 or e-mail info@usptennis.com. The deadline for submissions is the first of the month preceding the target issue.

Subscriptions To receive subscription information, contact (516) 409-4444 or email info@usptennis.com or check out our Web site: www.nytennismag.com. Fax subscription changes to (516) 409-1600. Statements of fact and opinion in New York Tennis Magazine are the responsibility of the authors alone and do not imply an opinion on the part of United Sports Publications Ltd. New York Tennis Magazine reserves the right to edit, reject and/or postpone the publication of any articles, information or data.

Photo credit: Hiroshi Sato

Feature Stories 6

The First Annual New York Tennis Expo Nick Bollettieri, Sean Hannity and Tim Mayotte to headline the First Annual New York Tennis Expo Speaker Session … these speakers and much more in store for Sunday, April 28 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

Adam Wolfthal Director of Business Development (516) 409-4444, ext. 330 • adam@usptennis.com Daisy Schwartz Editorial Coordinator (516) 409-4444, ext. 314 • daisy@usptennis.com

Stars to Shine Over Paris: 2013 French Open Preview

Additional Features 4 5 10 12 14 16 22 23 28 48 50 58

Off the Court & Under the Kit Beyond Technique By Tom Clear Wow … What a Great Split-Step By Tim Mayotte Keep Your Eye on the Ball By Richard Thater Verdasco Preps for Clay Court Season at Riverside Park Why People Should Watch College Tennis By Eric Rebhuhn 2013 French Open Apparel By Emilie Katz Unseeded Gage Brymer Wins Boys 46th Annual Easter Bowl OMG … I’m Nervous! By Rob Polishook The Serve: Immediate Results With Tips and Zone Practice By Lisa Dodson U.S. Open National Playoffs Set for National Tennis Center June 9-15 Building Game Equity and Personal Humility By Steven Kaplan

Columns 26 30 32 34 38 40 42 43 44 46 52 54 56 59 59 60 63

Tennis Travel Destination: TennisMom/SailingDad USTA Metro Region Court Six: New York Tennis Magazine’s Gossip Column By Emilie Katz Lessons Learned While Playing Tennis By Gilad Bloom College Tennis Spotlight: Mythbusters … Dick Gould By Ricky Becker The Jensen Zone By Luke Jensen Tips From the Tennis Pro: Tennis-Think … Shoulders By Bill Longua The Biofile: Christina McHale By Scoop Malinowski Metro Corporate League Recap, Presented by Advantage Tennis Clubs Focus on Tennis Apparel Providers: Mason’s Tennis Charitable Initiatives Adult League Recap By Deborah-Rose Andrews Literary Corner: The Making of a Winner by David E. Moe By Brent Shearer Upcoming Events New York Tennis Club Directory New York Rankings USTA/Metropolitan Region 2013 Tournament Schedule

NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2013 • New York Tennis Magazine

Off the Court & Under the Kit ince Novak Djokovic’s first appearance in UNIQLO at the French Open last May 2012, the tennis ace has had a hand in designing his signature tournament kits, working with UNIQLO’s design team and hightech fiber manufacturers to create the ultimate performance wear. Sound familiar? Now add innerwear. While performance wear has influenced ready-to-wear for decades, UNIQLO may be the first brand credited with creating underwear inspired by elite performance wear. Renamed “innerwear,” AIRism is a collection of t-shirts, underwear, boxers, camisoles, tanks, pants and tops for men, women and kids. This May, Djokovic fronts the ad campaign for UNIQLO’s innovative, performancedriven AIRism collection, along with American Ballet Theatre (ABT) principal dancer, Polina Semionova. “When I’m playing, the smallest things can get on my nerves,” said Djokovic. “Perspiration is one of them. But now, I don’t worry about it. I feel the perspiration drying instantly. AIRism also fits to the body really nicely and stretches to fit my most strenuous moves. This was a new sensation for me. I totally forgot I was wearing it.” Developed in Japan, AIRism was born out of a collaborative project between UNIQLO and two cutting-edge fabric manufacturers, Toray Industries and Asahi Kasei. The Djokovic performance wear collection (launched prior to the 2012 U.S. Open) utilized Toray Industries’ advanced technology. For men’s AIRism, UNIQLO used fibers that are a mere .008 millimeters thick, approximately 1/12 a strand of hair. Tiny spaces in the fabric make it ultra-absorbent and quick-drying, and the increased surface area in contact with air means that moisture is quickly dissipated. Djokovic says he wears AIRism both, on and off the court, “I don’t just wear AIRism during a match, but also in everyday life. At first, I thought it isn’t necessary to wear anything underneath, but actually, it’s very comfortable to wear AIRism under knits and shirts because it’s very thin.” For women’s AIRism, UNIQLO incorporated cupro, a derivative of cotton. Known as the breathable fiber, cupro possesses outstanding moisture absorption properties. Polina Semionova, principal dancer at the ABT, liked the results, “I was excited to try AIRism and experience it in training. I felt like I was born in it. I didn’t feel it on my body and at the same time, it was there.” Both agree that AIRism’s unique features are the fabric’s stretchiness which allows it to fit snuggly, but not tightly, and a cool-to-the-touch sensation that is smooth and soft against the skin. Six-time Grand Slam tournament champ thinks it’s alright? Principal dancer of the ABT? Looks like we’ll be getting our AIRism on. AIRism is available at UNIQLO stores in the U.S., as well as online at UNIQLO.com.

A year after signing with Japanese fashion retailer UNIQLO, Brand Ambassador Novak Djokovic fronts the label’s new AIRism collection of “innerwear” New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2013 • NYTennisMag.com

Beyond Technique you don’t recover properly, you will not be in position to hit the ball with that great hat is the most critical technique. World number one Novak Djokovic part of hitting a shot and playing a point? Tech- said, “If you cannot be in balance for the nique? No. In my opinion, ball, and to hit the ball, then everything the most critical part is reading your op- becomes twice as difficult.” Getting in ponent and recognizing your opponent’s position to hit the ball is the most imporball. Other critical components are the tant objective, and it all starts with reading your opponent and moving movement and adjustment to efficiently. the ball, the decision-makIn my experience diing process (aka shot “Getting in recting high-perforselection), the techposition to hit the mance elite training nique and finally the programs, we may recovery. So, why ball is the most important have to break down do so many objective, and it all starts the components coaches spend a and separate them disproportionate with reading your while teaching. For amount of time opponent and example, working on working almost exrecognizing the ball, clusively on techmoving efficiently.” working on technique, nique? etc., but the quicker we Hitting a good shot takes put all of the parts back tomore than good technique. You can have the best technique in the world, gether again in drills encompassing but if you don’t read your opponent’s ball, multiple factors, the better it is for our you have nothing! No matter how good students. There are many juniors worldwide your technique is, if you don’t move efficiently, you will not be successful. And if with good technique, but how many of By Tom Clear

those juniors truly know how to play tennis? How many of those juniors know how to play the ball and not just hit the ball? Tennis is a technical sport, but all components—reading, movement, decision-making, technique and recovery— together comprise one unit. If you separate them when you play tennis, you will not be successful. Tom Clear is a director of tennis for Gotham Tennis Academy at Stadium Tennis Center. Tom brings more than 25 years of industry experience as a coach and director. Most recently, Tom served as a coach at the USTA Player Development Training Center East, working with some of America’s most talented players. He is a member of the USTA Eastern Section Coaches Commission and was a head coach for the Eastern Section 12s National Zonals Team. Tom has served as a head coach at USTA/Eastern High Performance Camps and at USTA National Talent ID Camps. Tom can be reached by e-mailing tom@gothamtennis.com or by calling Stadium Tennis Center at (718) 665-4684.

NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2013 • New York Tennis Magazine

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Sunday, April 28, 2013 10:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Brought to You by New York Tennis Magazine and Long Island Tennis Magazine

FLUSHING MEADOWS, NY

Nick Bollettieri, Sean Hannity and Tim Mayotte to Headline First Annual New York Tennis Expo Speaker Sessions ong Island Tennis Magazine and New York Tennis Magazine have assembled an incredible slate of speakers for the First Annual New York Tennis Expo, set for Sunday, April 28 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, N.Y. Both Speaker Sessions will be headlined by world renowned Coach Nick Bollettieri and will feature former world top 10 player Tim Mayotte. Serving as emcee and moderator for both Sessions will be news anchor and political commentator Sean Hannity. Space will be limited for these Sessions and bracelets will be given out for those looking to attend the panels on a firstcome, first-serve basis on the day of the Expo. Attendees will be able to sign up and get their bracelets at the registration table. Please arrive early at the event to secure your spot for the Speaker Sessions as space will be sure to fill up quickly. Doors will open and the Expo begins at 10:30 a.m.

Schedule of Events Sunday, April 28, 2013 (Program is subject to change)

11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. Speaker Session #1: The Road to College Scholarships l Headline Speaker: Nick Bollettieri l Featured Speaker: Tim Mayotte l Emcee: Sean Hannity l Panel Speakers: Howie Arons, Clay Bibbee, Whitney Kraft, Jay Harris & Cory Parr

1:30 p.m.-3:00 p.m. Speaker Session #2: Taking Your Game to the Next Level l Headline Speaker: Nick Bollettieri l Featured Speaker: Tim Mayotte l Panel Speakers: Steve Kaplan, Lawrence Kleger, Tom Clear, Tina Greenbaum & Dr. Tom Ferraro

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2013 • NYTennisMag.com

New York Tennis Expo Sponsors PLATINUM SPONSORS

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Speaker Bios Nick Bollettieri Nick Bollettieri is one of the most influential people in the world of tennis, and a legend who has transcended the sport. In 1978, he founded the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy, now known as the IMG Academy Bollettieri Tennis program, in Bradenton, Fla. IMG Academy was the first full-time tennis boarding school to combine intense training on the court with a customdesigned academic curriculum. What was once a program of primarily on-court training, has evolved into a multi-faceted approach which includes blending technical and strategic on-court training with specialized performance physical training and mental conditioning. The Bollettieri approach is designed not only to build athletes on the court, but more importantly, prepare them for a successful life off the court as well. It was this proven method that Nick used to coach 10 number one players in the world, including Andre Agassi, Boris Becker, Jim Courier, Martina Hingis, Jelena Jankovic, Marcelo Rios, Monica Seles, Maria Sharapova, and Venus and Serena Williams, as well as a multitude of other world-class players, including Tommy Haas, Anna Kournikova, Jimmy Arias and Nicole Vaidisova, to name a few. IMG Academy quickly became synonymous with tennis excellence, and its coaches and students continue to reflect Nick’s passion for excellence and the game. Tim Mayotte Tim Mayotte was one of the nation’s best tennis players during the 1980s. Twice during the 1980s, 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, 8

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. Sean Hannity Sean Hannity joined Fox News Channel (FNC) in September 1996. He currently hosts his selftitled program, “Hannity” (Monday-Friday, 9:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. ET). He is one of the most prominent and influential conservative voices in the country and his program offers a mix of news, commentary, interviews and branded segments, such as the Great American Panel—made up of three nightly in-studio guests from across the political spectrum to discuss the issues of the day. Known for his provocative style freewheeling, passionate commentary on politics and the American agenda, Hannity has become one of the most popular radio personalities nationwide as the host of ABC Radio Networks’ “The Sean Hannity Show,” syndicated to more than 500 stations and heard in all of the top 50 markets with a loyal listener base of 13.5 million. Howie Arons For the past 37 years, Howie Arons has been one of the most successful coaches in the USTA Eastern Section. His programs have produced more than 75 Division I college players and hundreds of high school players. At Cardozo High School, where he has been the head coach for 37 years, his teams have won 18 PSAL Cham-

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2013 • NYTennisMag.com

pionships and 12 Mayor Cup Championships. Arons has the most wins of any high school tennis coach in New York State with 582. In 1989, he was recognized as ETA Coach of the Year, and in 2007, he was named Coach of the Year by the USPTA. Currently, Arons is the managing partner and tennis director of the New York Tennis Academy at Great Neck Estates. In addition, he runs The NY Tennis Academy Summer Tennis Day Camp at Shelter Rock Tennis and Country Club. Clay Bibbee Clay Bibbee is managing partner and senior director of player development and founder of The Academy at Centercourt, overseeing the development of more than 700 junior players. The Academy offers all facets of junior development, starting from a complete 10 & Under Tennis program and continuing upward to the development of high performance, nationally-ranked caliber players. Clay, along with his staff of trained tennis professionals, oversees the progress of elite junior players and the general Academy groups. Clay believes in building strong athletes on the courts, and coaching them for a successful life off the courts as well. He is responsible for the development of Centercourt Athletic Club in Chatham, N.J. Tom Clear Tom Clear is a director of tennis for Gotham Tennis Academy at Stadium Tennis Center. Tom brings more than 25 years of industry experience as a coach and director. Most recently, Tom served as a coach at the USTA Player Development Training Center East, working with some of America’s most talented players. He is a member of the USTA Eastern Section Coaches Commission and was a head coach

Speaker Bios for the Eastern Section 12s National Zonals Team. Tom has served as a head coach at USTA/Eastern High Performance Camps and at USTA National Talent ID Camps. Dr. Tom Ferraro Sports Psychiatrist Dr. Tom Ferraro has worked with major insurance companies and brokerage houses in how to set goals, maintain confidence and stay focused in order to achieve success. Dr. Ferraro has a degree in economics from a leading business school, a Ph.D. in applied psychology and a post-graduate degree in psychoanalysis. He has integrated his training in these three areas with his experience working with the nation’s leading athletes to bring to the business community this rare combination. Tina Greenbaum, LCSW Tina Greenbaum has been a practicing holistic psychotherapist for more than 30 years. Her interest in mind/body health and sports psychology merged when her children were engaged in the highly competitive sports arena. Since then, she has worked with athletes, actors, speakers, business executives and others who wish to improve their performance under pressure. Jay Harris Jay Harris is currently a regional manager and director of college consulting for Sportime. 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 program, having led the team to its highest national ranking ever (#33), two straight Ivy League Titles, and 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. He coached five singles players and 15 different doubles teams to the national rankings, including one All-American team. One of his players recently advanced to his second consecutive Wimbledon Quarterfinals appearance, having been ranked in the top 50 on the ATP Tour. Steven Kaplan 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 scholarships. Lawrence Kleger A native New Yorker, Lawrence Kleger is director of the John McEnroe Tennis Academy, and is recognized as one of the top developmental coaches in the U.S. He is a past recipient of the Tennis Professional of the Year Award in the USTA/Eastern Section/Long Island Region. Lawrence is also the personal coach of Noah Rubin, who trains at the John McEnroe Tennis Academy and who has been Lawrence’s student since the age of seven. Noah is a highly-ranked American tennis prospect and reached a career-best number six ITF junior world ranking at the age of 16. He has won two Level 1 ITF singles titles and reached the quarterfinals of the 2012 Junior French Open. Lawrence’s students have won countless national and regional championships and 18 USTA Eastern Year-End Sportsmanship Awards.

Whitney Kraft Since 2007, Whitney Kraft has been the director of tennis at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, N.Y. and director of player operations for the U.S. Open. Previously, he was director of tennis for the City of Fort Lauderdale Park & Recreation Department (1998-2007). He was a 1983 Singles All-American for Florida Atlantic University, and inducted into their inaugural Athletic Hall of Fame class in 2006. Whitney has been the tournament director for many prestigious events, including the National Public Parks Tennis Championships (2007), ITF World Championships (2002), the inaugural U.S. Open National Sectional Playoffs (2010), USTA Boys 14 National Clay Court Championships (2000-2007) and the USTA National Open Clay Court, and Indoor Championships (1998-present). Cory Parr Cory Parr is a coach with vast playing experience and knowledge from being an All-American at Wake Forest University and an ATP Tour Professional. Cory’s tennis playing career accomplishments include: being named a three-time All-American at Wake Forest University where he led Wake Forest in both career singles and doubles wins; ranking as high as ninth in college tennis singles rankings and first nationally in doubles; winner of the ITA National Doubles Championship in 2008; ranking as high as 272th worldwide in ATP doubles and 787th in singles; named to the All-Atlantic Coast Conference three times; and named ITA Mideast Regional Player of the Year in 2009. Similar to his success as a player, Cory believes in maximizing his player’s abilities through tactics and mental toughness.

NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2013 • New York Tennis Magazine

WOW …

What a Great Split-Step By Tim Mayotte had a problem with one of my students that drove me loco. An otherwise quick 12-year-old boy was confusingly slow on the court. One of the fastest sprinters in our program, he was slow and disorganized with in his movements. I was stumped until a friend of mine hinted I should look at his split-step.

The most undervalued skill a great player has mastered is the split-step. Have you ever heard an announcer on TV or coach, or a player say, “Wow, what a great splitstep?” The lack of a good split plagues the rest of the playing universe. Just watch hackers. At our public courts, I have seen a few decent forehands, a lot of good drop shots and lobs (as well as guys playing in old business suits and raccoon skin caps), but good splits are nowhere to be found. Look at your club. Nothing but dead feet as their opponent hits the ball. Now watch the pros. Besides not seeing many fur caps, you will likely see everyone splitting (with varying degrees of excellence of course). In my mind, it is quite simply the most overlooked aspect of the game by coaches. This deceptive and complicated skill demands more attention. Why is it so important? Simply put, a great split-step enables the potential for an explosive, quick and balanced first step to the ball. How can you get your pro to say “great split,” or what should teaching pros look for? 1. A wide base with good posture: The base should be just wider than the hips when landing with slightly bent knees and 10

the core centered directly above the hips. Venus Williams has extraordinary width, particularly on the return of serve. Christina McHale often bends excessively at the waist, thus inhibiting efficient movement, particularly to her forehand side. The width and bend of the knees is wider when at net. Watch old films of Stefan Edberg … he was the best! 2. Timing: Every teaching pro and player worth their weight in salt knows the splitstep should occur when their opponent makes contact. By making a small jump at the time of contact, a player’s weight is neutralized, and therefore, they can decide which way to go when he or she lands. The timing changes dramatically when you or your opponent comes to the net. Watch intermediate players try to drill with one person at net. Everyone appears slower. It’s usually because the timing of the split-step is off. If the rhythm of a split when both players are back is a waltz then when one player comes forward, it’s a fast rock song. Pete Sampras was the best guy I ever played at adjusting his timing. This often meant that he split very far back in no man’s land when he served and volleyed, but was closer than most when he made contact. 3. Pay attention to the height and stay on your toes as much as possible: The split gets the player’s weight going with the small jump. This movement makes the first step much easier. Think of how it’s much easier to move something heavy (I am speaking of me here!) once you get it moving even just a bit. The higher the jump, the more energy you produce that can help the first step. Obviously though, the height needs to be limited so that you do not lose time hanging in the air. I once played tennis with former NBA

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2013 • NYTennisMag.com

star and legendary leaper Spud Webb, who, at 5’ 5”, could touch the top of the backboard. He hung in the air way too long. Ironically, Michael Jordan, who I played earlier that day, did no split at all! Stay on those toes! That player I mentioned at the top of the article was slow because when he split, he first landed on his toes and then sunk back on his heels before moving. That loss of a split (no pun intended) second was enough to make him snail-like. Always check to see if a player stays up on the balls of their feet. Don’t be surprised if a younger person or intermediate player struggles to do this. It takes surprising strength to do and conditioning to maintain throughout a long point. Think of how heavyweight boxers start out a round light on their feet, and at the end of three minutes, are flat-footed. Also, watch out for the dreaded double-split. Often, players will bounce twice or even three times before moving to the ball. These are just the basics of a good split In the next issue, I will discuss more subtleties and how to develop a great split. Tim Mayotte was one of the nation’s best tennis players during the 1980s. Twice during the 80s, he finished the year ranked in the world’s top 10. 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. He may be reached by phone at (917) 596-0746 or visit 360Tennis.net.

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Keep Your Eye on the Ball By Richard Thater

ost of us have been told countless times to keep our eye on the ball. That’s good advice, but often hard to follow. If you are not a professional athlete with a retinue of specialists in support of your development, you probably do not know that you can improve your visual skills with training. Even a simple search of the Web will offer you many high-end gadgets and comprehensive training manuals for vision improvement. But I am not willing to spend unnecessarily and want results quickly. Improving vision and performance through technology has a solid history. President Theodore Roosevelt was severely nearsighted, and only became competent in physically active sports when he was prescribed prescription eyeglasses at the age of 14. I recently heard a behavioral optometrist who works with the Special Olympics tell the story of a young runner who always came in second in his races. After he finished a testing protocol, he was fitted with the appropriate eyeglasses and won his next competition. Apparently, his vision problems forced him to focus on the runner directly in front of him, which made him a perpetual second-place finisher. AllAboutVision.com offers some interesting and accessible tests and information 12

at no cost. They show an easy-to-follow Be careful when dealing with depth pervideo to determine which eye is your dom- ception. Young children do not compreinant eye. If you are not close to a com- hend depth perception easily, so we puter, simply make a triangle using your develop drills on-court to help them dethumbs and index fingers. Center this tri- velop this capability. A fun test for adults is angle over a distant object. Then shut your to hold a ballpoint pen and its cap about left eye. If the object stays centered, you six inches from your chest and put the cap are right-eye dominant. If the object moves on the pen. Then, extend both arms fully out-of-center, you are left-eye dominant. before putting the cap on. Be honest … When I teach a talented young student was it easy the first time? who is deciding whether to hit a backhand I have updated a traditional tennis drill with one or two hands, I want to know for developing a student’s focus. Using which of their eyes is dominant. If they are mini-court boundaries, I softly hit balls to right-handed and left-eye dominant students and ask them to watch (this is called “cross-domithe print on the ball. To nance”), I would recomit harder, I then mix “Be careful when make mend that they hit a up the brand of the dealing with depth two-hander. They can balls and the stuhit with a more perception. Young children dents have to call squared or open out which brand do not comprehend depth they are hitting. stance, and move their contact point Arthur Ashe’s perception easily, so we forward. This allows early teacher, Dr. R. develop drills on-court Walter Johnson, crethe dominant eye to to help them develop ated one of the toughfollow the ball throughout the stroke. est drills I have come this capability.” Focus flexibility is a skill across. Dr. Johnson cut that diminishes with aging. An down a broom handle to 27easy exercise to keep this skill viable is inches and had his students hit tennis to rapidly change your point of focus from balls with it off a rebound wall. Many peothe service line on your side of the court, to ple avoid me after I suggest they try this. the top of the fence behind the opposite If you wear eyeglasses, prescription or side of the court. Do this periodically to not, there are terrific choices available. keep this skill fresh. These glasses fall into two general cate-

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2013 • NYTennisMag.com

gories: Comfort or Performance Enhancing. If I were a deep-sea fisherman who spent my weekends on the open water, glasses designed for tennis would not work for me. I would get the darkest tint available and I would spend the extra money for

polarized lenses, which cut down the glare. Looking at all the open space to the horizon would not require glasses offering maximum visual acuity. For my tennis glasses, I would still want comfort, but I would consider glasses to

help my game. Back in 1976, American Optical sold eyeglasses made for tennis. The lenses were tinted yellow, and they were made in continued on page 14

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Keep Your Eye on the Ball continued from page 13

Centercourt Academy Complimentary Open House Centercourt organizes a week of training and try out for all the players who wish to discover the academy and the coaching staff: l Also available, Open House Complimentary Saturday “weekend” High Performance Weekly schedule: l Six hours of training per day including one hour of fitness l Video analysis from head coach l Full technical report l Weekly housing available in resident halls located directly across street from training facilities Training at our Morristown Tennis Center l Every Saturday now until Summer Academy Camp begins l 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. l Transportation available to and from New York (Pick up from Upper West Side and Upper East Side) The Open House weeks and weekend performance training are completely free of charge. To register, contact Clay Bibbee at clay@centercourtclub.com or 973-635-1222 ext. 12.

www.centercourtclub.com 14

the wire-frame aviator style. I found them uncomfortable in bright daylight, and too dark for indoor use. The yellow lenses were based on the glasses worn by competition shooters, who found the color enhanced the contrast between the black bull’s eye and the white background of the target. They were a gimmick that did not last. More recently, I have experimented with some modern performance enhancing lenses, with colors like turquoise, amber and rose. What follows are my opinions, and not a comprehensive survey. I enjoyed experimenting and I liked the styles, but I believe that these lenses added very little to my playing, maybe as little as changing my string tension by one pound. I am a long-time wearer of prescription eyeglass with established preferences. I like the Ray Ban G-15 lens, as well as the lenses that darken according to light conditions. The G-15 was designed for the U.S. Navy, whose pilots often had to suddenly take off on missions at night after spending their days in the sun. According to the manufacturer, human eyes do not respond equally to all colors in the visual spectrum, so the G-15 was formulated to emphasize the colors that

our eyes see most easily. The G stands for green, and my eyes adjust to this almost immediately—everything looks natural. The transition lens does not get as dark as the G-15, but because it can change, the lens has less tint on grey and foggy days. For extremely dark days, I keep a pair of nontinted glasses in my bag. Finally, let me recommend progressive, or multifocal, lenses for older players. These are lenses designed with channels that allow us to see clearly at different lengths. For tennis players, the important distance seems to be about three- to 10-feet in front of us. Reading glasses or distance-only lenses do not work in this range. This is 2013, so you probably should be choosing your eyewear as carefully as you do your sunscreen. If you do not need prescription lenses, you have plenty of choices. So remember to keep your eye on the ball. It may not be easy but it is always fun. Richard Thater is director of 10 & Under Tennis at the West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills N.Y. He is PTR-certified in Junior Development. He may be reached by phone at (917) 749-3255 or e-mail richthater@aol.com.

Verdasco Preps for Clay Court Season at Riverside Park here do top Spanish players train before the European spring clay court season that culminates with the French Open at Roland Garros? New York City public parks, of course! Fernando Verdasco stopped by the 96th Street public red clay courts in Riverside Park on April 1 for a two-hour work out. “He came by a couple of times last year,” said Mark McIntyre, executive director of the Riverside Clay Tennis Association, a non-profit group that maintains the courts for the NYC Parks Department. “It’s a real tribute to our grounds keeping staff that Fernando deems our courts worth using to train on. It’s taken years of hard work for our guys to get these courts up to this standard. We are very proud.”

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2013 • NYTennisMag.com

The Academy at Centercourt Athletic Club is the Northeast’s premiere High Performance Tennis Academy. As a USTA Certified Regional Training Center, we embrace our role as a member of the USTA coaching team and the mission to develop top student athletes. We offer a junior player pathway that can satisfy the high performance needs of nationally ranked juniors. The Academy offers an afterschool program, high performance summer programs, full-time homeschooling program and an Academy travel team.

The Centercourt Academy Summer Tennis Camp Why choose the Centercourt Tennis Academy:

l Train in a world class environment with high performance level coaching l Achieve significant individual improvement in all facets of your game; technically, physically, and mentally

l We are dedicated to meeting the individual needs of each and every one of our students

l Our Academy players are among some of the top section, national, and ITF ranked players from around the world

l We put the needs of the player first, in a development-focused model of training

l Each camp will be tailored to the skill level and goals of all players and also features small group training, match play, individualized fitness plans, mental coaching and video analysis

l Tournament coaching and travel l Players who commit to our training will see themselves develop life skills that will enable them to become champions on and off the court The Centercourt Academy Summer Tennis Camp offers three distinct levels: Academy I, Academy II, and Centercourt Advantage. The Camp also features an Overnight Camp option for those interested in the complete summer camp experience. For those looking for more specific and individualized one on one training, private instruction is offered before and after each camp day.

For more information on the Centercourt Academy Summer Tennis Camp, contact Clay Bibbee at clay@centercourtclub.com or 973-635-1222 ext. 12.

www.centercourtclub.com

NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2013 • New York Tennis Magazine

whycollege tennis people should watch

By Eric Rebhuhn 1. The game is played at a level that most people can relate to For many tennis fans who watch professional tennis, the hope of one day hitting that great forehand that they watched Novak Djokovic hit in the finals of the U.S. Open is only a dream. But for aspiring young players, playing college tennis is a realistic goal. By going out and seeing a live college tennis match, their future goals might be within reach! 2. The intensity and atmosphere of a college tennis match Tennis has long been a quiet cerebral sport, but college tennis is very much a boisterous, loud, and exciting sport that only a few people watch. College tennis possesses the intensity and excitement that few other sports possess. In some cases, college sports are even more fun to watch than professional sports.

3. The potential to see future ATP tour players before they make it Professional tennis players usually play juniors before becoming pro. But some players you have probably heard of have chosen to play college tennis before going on to the pros. John Isner at Georgia, James Blake at Harvard, Bob & Mike Bryan and John McEnroe at Stanford, they all played college tennis and became successful pros after. 4. For juniors, as well as their parents who want them to play college tennis, they can see the actually level of play College tennis gives you the opportunity to earn an academic degree, and at the same time, play tennis at a high level. Junior tennis players who would like to play collegiate tennis in the future should definitely go watch a college tennis game. Some rules changes such as the “let” rule, and the dynamics may be different, but the level is high and the atmosphere is great.

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New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2013 • NYTennisMag.com

5. Most matches are played on weekends and matches are usually free to watch! Going to a basketball game with your family or watching a hockey game with your friends is always fun, but can sometimes grow to be a little expensive. If you are a tennis fan, the chances to watch high-level tennis live are very limited. College tennis provides you with the opportunity to have a good time and enjoy good quality sports live almost every weekend. With more than 100 career wins and the 2011 Big East Coach of the Year Award under his belt, head men’s tennis coach Eric Rebhuhn has solidified himself as one of the most successful coaches in St. John’s tennis history. Last season, Rebhuhn’s squad finished with a 17-9 record, while peaking at number 50 in the national polls during the season, the highest ranking in school history. He may be reached by phone at (718) 990-5549 or e-mail rebhuhne@stjohns.edu.

SPORTIME RANDALL’S ISLAND

SUMMER CAMPS Offered Weekly: June 10th - August 30th With transportation available from Manhattan, SPORTIME Randall’s Island Summer Camps feature tennis pros from the John McEnroe Tennis Academy, and caring coaches and counselors who deliver an unforgettable experience to every camper! 2013 EXCEL Camp, for tennis players ages 7-16, features four hours of intensive coaching from the John McEnroe Academy professionals and two hours of fitness and cross-training. SPORTIME 2013 Tennis & Sports Camp, for kids 5-15, provides two hours of tennis and four hours of other sports, including basketball, softball, and soccer; plus an activity tent, slip n slide and more!

REGISTER TODAY! For more information email Camp Director Greg Evans at CampsRI@SportimeNY.com, call 212-427-6150, or log onto www.SPORTIMENY.com/Manhattan/Camps

212/427-6150 SportimeNY.com/Manhattan If you’re traveling east, check out our summer camp offerings at SPORTIME clubs in the Hamptons: SPORTIME Amagansett, 320 Abrahams Path, 631/267-3460, SportimeNY.com/Amagansett NYTennisMag.com 2013 •631/653-6767, New York Tennis Magazine 17 SPORTIME Quogue,• May/June Route 104, SportimeNY.com/Quogue

Stars to Shine Over Paris 2013 French Open Preview

Djokovic’s Search for Career Slam to End in Paris? orld number one Novak Djokovic has won six Grand Slam titles; four in Australia, one at Wimbledon and one at the U.S. Open. At 25-years of age, the Grand Slam that has eluded the Serbian has been the French Open and 2013 might be his best shot so far. In his last three visits to Roland Garros, Djokoivc has come one step closer to the elusive title. In 2010, he was a quarterfinalist, in 2011 a semifinalist, and in 2012, a finalist where he lost to Rafael Nadal. This year, taking one more step forward would make him the French Open champion and give him that elusive Grand Slam title he has been in search of. It’s no secret who Djokovic needs to knock off to win the French Open. Rafael Nadal has been the “King of Clay” for the last few years where he has been virtually unbeatable. Nadal is the three-time defending French Open champion and has lost only one match at Roland Garros since 2005. This year, Nadal comes to Roland Garros playing well, but still a bit more uncertain than in years past. Nadal has reached five consecutive ATP Tour finals since returning to the courts in February from a knee injury—winning three, and losing two. In late April, Djokovic avenged his loss in last year’s French Open finals, defeating Nadal on clay 6-2, 7-6(1) in the finals of the MonteCarlo Rolex Masters, and in the process, ended Nadal’s 81-match winning streak on clay in the month of April. With the win in MonteCarlo, Djokovic is now 15-19 head-to-head against Nadal, having avenged two runner-up finishes to Nadal in the 2009 and 2012 Monte-Carlo finals. Djokovic is number one in the world, and despite his Monte-Carlo finals loss, Nadal comes in as the French Open favorite. Will 2013 be the year Djokovic finally turns the table and hoists the Muskateer’s Cup at center court in Roland Garros? With his win over Nadal on clay just a few weeks prior, finishing off the career Grand Slam just may be in Novak Djokovic’s future in Roland Garros.

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2013 • NYTennisMag.com

Photo credit: Kenneth B. Goldberg

May 21-June 3, 2013 Roland Garros, France

2013 French Open: Facts and figures Red dirt

The French Open is played on clay, which owes its red color to the crushed brick which forms the upper layer of the surface. There are three layers in all—one of limestone, one of clinker and one of stone—as well as drainage pipes. Clay is the slowest of surfaces and much revered by Spanish and South American players who grew up playing on red dirt and know all its secrets inside and out. The first ever clay courts were constructed in Cannes in the South of France in 1880 by Ernest and William Renshaw, who were top players back in the day. Whilst European clay courts are red, the Americans play on (quicker) green clay, with the WTA tournament in Charleston, S.C. every April being the highlight of the green clay season. The “Sunday Start” Ever since 2006, the tournament has been spread over 15 days, rather than 14 days and started on a Sunday. May 26 will be

the opening day this year, with 32 firstround singles matches scheduled for what is called (even in French) the “Sunday Start.” The first round of singles competition stretches over three days, and one half of the draw plays on Sunday and Monday, the other half on Monday and Tuesday. As has always been the case, any player involved in matches at other tournaments on the Friday or Saturday before will not be scheduled to play before the Monday. In the city For the sixth year in a row, the “Roland Garros in the City” event will be set up on the esplanade outside Paris city hall throughout the French Open. The aim of this special event is to bring all the emotions of the tournament to the heart of the French capital. There will be all sorts of tennis-based activities on offer as well as a giant screen showing all the main matches from the tournament—and all free of charge, with the French Tennis Federation’s main aim being to share its love of the sport with as many people as possible. This special event is organized every spring in conjunction with Paris city hall, and will culminate with the Men’s Singles Final. Way back when … The stadium that stages one of the world’s four major tennis tournaments was built in 1928, but the French men’s singles championship goes back much further than that. Originally reserved for members of French clubs, it was first held on the courts of

Stade Francais Club in Paris in 1891. The women’s singles were added six years later, it was not until 1925 that the French Tennis Federation decided to open the event to the best foreign players. Thus, the French Internationals were born, and staged alternately at Stade Francais and Racing Club de France until the Roland Garros Stadium came into being in 1928.

2013 French Open contenders Women’s draw Photo credit: Kenneth B. Goldberg

Serena Williams, the current world number one is the favorite in France. If she plays her best and is on her game mentally and physically, there is no beating her. However, that is not always the case as we learned a year ago as Serena fell to Virginie Razzano of France in the first round. Certainly Serena will be looking forward to making amends for last year’s poor showing. The defending French Open champion Maria Sharapova defeated Sara Errani in last year’s final. She is curcontinued on page 20

NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2013 • New York Tennis Magazine

Stars to Shine Over Paris continued from page 19 rently the world’s number two-ranked player and is playing well. She has always struggled against Serena, but if she gets a good draw, a repeat run to the Roland Garros title is certainly a strong possibility. Victoria Azarenka was ranked number one at last year’s French Open, but she was upset in the fourth round by Dominika Cibulkova. She has fallen a bit to third in the world, but is still a strong contender to win it all. Men’s draw Photo credit: Kenneth B. Goldberg

Novak Djokovic has the chance to complete a Career Grand Slam by winning the French Open. He has previously won four Australian Open titles, as well as one Wimbledon and U.S. Open title each, but has never won the French Open. A year ago, he fell to Rafael Nadal in a four-set final. This year, he will look to take the next step and win it all.

Photo credit: Kenneth B. Goldberg

Rafael Nadal is the clear overall favorite to win the French Open title. Rafa has won 93 percent of his career singles matches on clay, and 52 of 53 singles matches at the French Open since 2005. In addition, Nadal holds the record for most career titles at four clay-court tournaments: Monte Carlo (eight), French Open (seven), Barcelona (seven) and Rome (six). He has won three straight French Open titles since 2010, seven of the last eight overall, and boasts a 21-match winning streak on the red clay of Paris. Plus, Rafa has never needed more than four sets to dispose of his opponent in any of his previous seven French Open finals.

2013 French Open sleepers Women’s draw Sloane Stephens is looking to build upon her upset win over Serena at the Australian Open. She made the fourth round of last year’s French Open before being defeated by

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2013 • NYTennisMag.com

Samantha Stosur. Currently ranked 16th in the world, Stephens is hoping that she can take another giant leap forward this year at Roland Garros. Photo credit: Kenneth B. Goldberg

Sara Errani was a finalist at last year’s French Open, and is currently ranked seventh in the WTA Women’s Singles Rankings. Last year, she came in to the tournament ranked 21st and upset Ana Ivanovic, Angelique Kerber and Samantha Stosur en route to the finals. The Italian plays well on the slower clay surface and is a threat to knock off any top seed again this year. Men’s draw Photo credit: Kenneth B. Goldberg

David Ferrer was a semifinalist a year ago at Roland Garros, defeating Andy Murray in the quarterfinals before losing to Nadal in straight sets. It’s hard to call a top five player a “sleeper,” but Ferrer has never won a Grand Slam and the “Big Four” have dominated the tour and specifically the Grand Slams for years. His game does fit nicely on to the red clay of Roland Garros though. Is this the year he wins a Slam?

Photo credit: Kenneth B. Goldberg

The only Frenchman to ever win on their home turf of Roland Garros was Yannick Noah. Is this the year they have another hometown hero in Jo-Wilfred Tsonga? With four of the top 25 players being French, there is a chance. Tsonga is the best of the bunch.

2013 French Open pretenders

through six matches against top players is too much to ask. She may win a few rounds, but the 24th-ranked player will have trouble making it through to the second week. Men’s draw Tomas Berdych has played his best tennis in the past year, but clay isn’t his best surface. He lost in the fourth round a year ago to Juan Martin del Potro in four sets. While he may win a few matches, don’t expect him to live up to the sixth seed he will receive.

Women’s draw Marion Bartoli is the top-ranked French player and comes into the 2013 French Open at 14th in the WTA Women’s Singles Rankings. Last year, she fell in the second round to Petra Martic. The weight and pressure of playing in front of her home country may once again be too much for Bartoli whose game has slipped a bit of late.

Big serves are great, but the slow clay will neutralize Milos Raonic’s big serves at Roland Garros. Raonic is not well-rounded enough at this point to overcome his serve not being dominant.

With Venus Williams, the name is there, but the game is not. While Venus has played well of late, expecting to get

PLAY ON RED CLAY

at this fabulous, public 10-court facility in Riverside Park along the Hudson River Greenway, maintained by the Riverside Clay Tennis Association. Present a NYC Parks Department tennis permit, or pay $15 at the gate to play on these courts. • The RCTA oﬀers clinics, tournaments, ladders and “speed tennis” meets. • FREE CONCERTS Saturday nights at 7pm throughout the summer!

Photo: Joe Josephs

Get more information about the RCTA and its programs at at www.rcta.info. For info on tennis summer camps in Riverside Park go to the “Summer Junior Tennis” page at www.rcta.info. Camps are oﬀered for 6 years-old and up. Ten-and-under formats used.

www.rcta.info NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2013 • New York Tennis Magazine

2013 French Open Apparel By Emilie Katz iming to reach his fourth straight grand slam final, U.S. Open and Olympic Gold winner Andy Murray will test his fitness and patience against the world’s best clay-courters at Roland Garros this year sporting an all-new adidas outfit.

The Barricade SemiFitted Murray Crew (pictured here) in dark blue w/prime blue and vivid yellow, which will be paired with the Barricade 9.5 Short in the same colorway. He will also wear the Barricade 7.0 clay shoe in prime blue and running white. French Open and Wimbledon winners Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal will be looking for further Grand Slam glory this summer as they debut their latest Nike Tennis 2013 apparel and footwear. Federer will arrive in Spain sporting the Premier RF Crew in tourmaline and midnight navy. Federer’s shorts for the clay season will be the All Court 10” Short in midnight navy

with stadium grey and his trendy warmup jacket, the RF Knit Jacket will be featured in light steel heather and midnight navy. The Swiss’ shoe on the dirt this year will be the Zoom Vapor Tour 9 in midnight navy, poison green with white. Nadal will begin his road to Roland Garros donning the Premier Rafa Crew (pictured here) in fiberglass with midnight turquoise, which will be paired with the Premier Rafa 8” Woven Short in midnight turq with total crimson and fiberglass. Rafa’s warmup through the French Open will be the Premier Rafa Woven Jacket in midnight turq with pure platinum and metallic pewter, while his latest colorway for the comfortable Air Max Courtballistec 4.3 will be sport turq, midnight turq, white with violet. Jo-Wilfred Tsonga will look to conquer the red clay while debuting new styles for adi-

das at the year’s second major at the end of May. Tsonga will be wearing a white, blue and yellow polo shirt. The shirt is 100 percent polyester and features a self-fabric collar with quarter zip- entry, color-blocking, applied three-stripes on the sleeves, mesh panel on the underarms and sides, contrast piping on the back and shoulders, and the adidas logo on the right chest. He will complete his adidas Roland Garros 2013 look with stylish Bermuda Shorts. This climacool short features an elastic waistband with internal drawcord, side pockets, contrast piping on back legs, stripe graphic on the sides, mesh on the inner legs, a printed Roland Garros insignia printed on the left leg and an adidas logo on his right leg. The shorts are 100 percent polyester and will be either blue and yellow or white and blue. This Ventilated ClimaCool technology will keep him cool and comfortable in even the warmest conditions by actively expelling heat and sweat away from his body. On the women’s side, 2008 French Open champion Ana Ivanovic will debut a new Adidas dress (pictured here) at this year’s clay court Grand Slam. Ana’s dress will be predominantly dark blue with an orange stripe contrast at the straps. Ivanovic wore the dress earlier this year in Indian Wells, Calif.; Miami, Fla.; and Monterrey, Calif.

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2013 • NYTennisMag.com

Unseeded Gage Brymer Wins Boys 46th Annual ASICS Easter Bowl New York well-represented at annual junior event ust because he won four of his six ASICS Easter Bowl matches after dropping the first set—and five total three-setters—doesn’t mean that Gage Brymer enjoys playing in them. “No, I don’t really like them,” was Brymer’s response to a question posed by USTA First Vice President Katrina Adams, who was handling Tennis Channel on-court commentating duties following the unseeded Brymer’s 3-6, 6-4, 6-1, win over Luca Corinteli in the Boy’s 18s ITF singles final on the final day of the 46th annual event that took place for the first time at the Sunrise Country Club. Adams called Brymer the “Marathon Man,” who later added in his post-match media interviews: “I wish I could get it done it two sets every match. It’s been quite a week, quite a grind.”

For the third straight year the boys’ 18s ITF singles was won by a UCLA Bruin recruit as Marcos Giron (2011), Mackenzie McDonald (2012) and now Brymer have captured the coveted title. It’s a junior title their coach Billy Martin, who many regard as one of the best junior players of all-time, never won. “I don’t think it’s that I’m getting warmed up because I feel good when I go on the court and I’m hitting good,” Brymer said. “I think the other guy just really comes out pumped up and it takes a little bit of time to get into the match. It’s funny because this is the first tournament where it’s been the case. It’s not that I’m known for losing the first set. It’s just been this week. It’s not too disheartening now when I lose the first set because I know I can come back.”

Corinteli from Alexandria, Va., who trains at the Junior Tennis Champions Center in College Park, Md., played a solid first set and used his big serve to take the early lead. “Maybe I thought in my head I really wouldn’t face any adversity and that it’s kind of going to go as smooth as it has the first set and a half,” said Corinteli. “But tennis is never like that and this has happened to me before. A couple of times you pass by it and think you’ve overcome it and then it happens again. You never really know what to expect in this sport because I was in cruise control and then a couple different points go his way and it’s a different match.” Brymer also won the ASICS Easter Bowl in 2011 in the Boys 16s. “I don’t like getting second place,” Brymer said. “I feel like once I get to the final I’m there to win it. A couple of weeks ago at the Claremont ITF I got second and that was my first second in a while. I really can’t remember the last time I got second place. I just hate it. I can’t stand going all that way and losing.” Brymer said he got a little nervous up 5-0 and then 5-1 in the final set. “It’s definitely an incredibly tough place to be up 5-0, 5-1, 5-2. Some people say, you’re up by so much and you’ve got nothing to lose and you’ve got nothing to be worried about, but I don’t think that’s the case at all,” said Brymer. “It’s much harder to get up 5-0 and close it out then to get up 5-0.” Brymer doesn’t have much time to rest before he returns to play for his high school team, University High in Irvine, Calif. just two days later. Then it was off to play the

NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2013 • New York Tennis Magazine

EASTER BOWL 113th Ojai Valley Championships Boys’ CIF Interscholastic Division April 25-28. This year, Brymer is trying to be the first player since Bobby Riggs to win three straight high school titles at The Ojai since Bobby Riggs did it from 1934-1936 playing for Franklin High School in Los Angeles. Two 14-year-olds battled for the Girls 16s singles title as last year’s ASICS Easter Bowl finalist CiCi Bellis, the number eight-seeded player from Atherton, Calif., defeated number seven Caroline Dolehide of Hinsdale, Ill., 6-4, 6-1. “I thought about it a little bit before the match,” Bellis said. “It was pretty disappointing. I didn’t want to think about that before the match.” Dolehide got down two breaks early in the match, but was able to come back and had game point at 4-all before Bellis was able close out the first set, 6-4. “I missed a little bit too much to stay in the match,” Dolehide said. “I didn’t feel tired but I felt like I had to pick it up to stay with her. All her balls were going pretty deep.”

Dolehide said she wasn’t nervous playing in the final, just “excited.” Dolehide later teamed with partner Brienne Minor to win the gold ball in doubles to go along with her singles silver as the pair beat Emma Higuchi & Rebecca Weissmann, 1-6, 6-4, 6-2 In the Boys 16s final, top-seeded Sameer Kumar of Carmel, Ind., won his second straight USTA Supernational with a 6-0, 6-0 win over Kalman Boyd of Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. “I just couldn’t hang with him,” Boyd said. “He was so fresh and mentally tough, and I just got too tired after every point. I was just dead and trying to recover. I never played on Stadium and I never played in front of a crowd all week. So I think that was a factor. I’m already looking forward to my next tournament.” Kumar said he and his coach actually hit on Stadium court late Saturday night just to get a feel for it. “We wanted to see how the conditions were,” said Kumar, who won the 16s Winternationals to start the year. “Today was tough, but obviously the scoreline doesn’t seem so.

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2013 • NYTennisMag.com

I played very well today.” Not even paired together until the day before the tournament, Jordi Arconada and Spencer Papa beat JC Aragone & Mackenzie McDonald, 6-1, 7-5 to win the Boys 18s doubles.

Locals at the 2013 Easter Bowl This year, 27 New York City tennis superstars have participated in this prestigious event. Grouped by borough, they are as follows: Brooklyn Daniel Kerznerman (Boys 18s) Denise Starr (Girls 18s) Jessica Livianu (Girls 16s) Arnelle Sullivan (Girls 16s) Elizabeth Tsvetkov (Girls 16s) Alexus Gill (Girls 14s) Brianna Williams (Girls 14s) Dasha Kourkina (Girls 12s) Bronx Isabella Tushaj (Girls 12s)

EASTER BOWL Manhattan Artemie Amari (Boys 16s) Oliver Sec (Boys 16s) James Wasserman (Boys 16s) Jessica Golovin (Girls 16s) Aleksandar Kovacevic (Boys 14s) Victoria Sec (Girls 14s) Alexander Chiu (Boys 12s) Dakota Fordham (Girls 12s)

Credit all photos to Radhi Majmudar

Dasha Kourkina of Brooklyn took part in the Girls 12s Division of the 2013 Easter Bowl

Queens Victor Miglo (Boys 16s) Sabrina Xiong (Girls 16s) Najah Dawson (Girls 12s) Christina Huynh (Girls 12s) Katherine Kachkarov (Girls 12s) Anastasia Koniaev (Girls 12s) Michelle Sorokko (Girls 12s) Shelly Yaloz (Girls 12s) Staten Island Kemal Aziz (Boys 12s) Miriam Aziz (Girls 12s)

Miriam Aziz of Staten Island, with Shelly Yaloz and Christina Huynh (seated) of Queens all represented New York at the 46th Annual ASICS Easter Bowl

NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2013 • New York Tennis Magazine

T E N N I S T R AV E L D E S T I N AT I O N

TennisMom/SailingDad

Let’s talk tennis and more! “Train in Spain Without the Rain; Play on Clay All Day!” ennisMom/SailingDad (TMSD) promotes youth tennis and sailing training in Javea, Spain. The David Ferrer Tennis Academy (DFTA) and TMSD are

T 26

your summer hosts, bringing Spanish tennis, culture, cuisine and the countryside at its finest to you! Experience “Perfect Technical Stroke Repetition,” “Strengthened Tennis Skills,” and “Hone Your Game and Strategy.” Spain has brought home 11 Grand Slam titles,

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2013 • NYTennisMag.com

seven French Opens, five Fed Cups, five Davis Cups, and one Olympic Gold Medal! Are you ready for the next step in life? Do you have an insatiable thirst to become a true champion? Are you the aspiring player who wants to make this journey with TMSD, while yearning to be the next great tennis player? TMSD is offering a full-service, chaperoned tennis excursion to Spain and the DFTA for 10 aspiring tennis players, ages 12 and up, from June to August 2013. TMSD will host three, three-week programs consisting of five weekday training sessions, with each day consisting of cardio, fitness and tennis training, match play and more. TMSD provides all housekeeping and laundry services, food provisions, cooking, chauffeuring, translation, and administration. TMSD offers an extended, loving and safe family environment which models the Spanish culture of kind heartedness and generosity. TMSD guides you through Spain’s

T E N N I S T R AV E L D E S T I N AT I O N countryside and coastlines discovering waterfalls, lakes, beaches and sea caves. You will socialize and learn to converse in Spanish within local communities and families throughout the Valencia Region. You will hike through ancient ruins, roam through museums, cities, towns, villages and partake in cultural festivals and dance, savoring local cuisines and sail/scuba dive/snorkel in the beautiful Mediterranean Sea! TMSD believes exercise, sports and travel foster and empower students to think critically and autonomously, while embracing compassion, generosity and accountability. It deepens commitments to pro-social values with respect for others and for themselves. As the youth journeys through life with these empowerments, they stand up for their beliefs, feel strength and confidence within themselves and make sound decisions through positive sports and travel inter-

action defining caring, mature and responsible nextgeneration role models.

“First say to yourself, what you would be Then do what you have to do.” —Epictetus

Hey adults, ask TMSD about TennisCations at the DFTA for you this fall!!! Bookings are now being accepted. For more information, call (917) 882-0901, e-mail info@tennismomsailingdad.com or visit www.tennismomsailingdad.com.

NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2013 • New York Tennis Magazine

OMG ...

I’m Nervous!

Five ways to work through pre-match jitters By Rob Polishook, Mental Training Coach MA, CPC ZZZZ, BZZZZZ. It’s usually a weekend in my world. I may have just stepped off a court after an enjoyable morning hitting session, or finished reading the New York Times over eggs and coffee. All is relaxed and status quo. Yet for the athlete on the other end of my buzzing cell phone, his or her world is anything but placid. Butterflies are fluttering through their stomach, their head is spinning with possible performance outcomes, and selfdoubt is creeping in. The concerned athlete wonders what is happening to them. Perhaps they are preparing to step onto the court to play someone seeded higher, or even way lower in a regional, sectional or national tournament. Or maybe the young player feels they need a big victory to change a recent string of bad results. No matter the situation, it can cause a level of anxiety, uncertainty and ultimately a feeling

even, “If I play tight, I’m going to lose.” This, in turns, sets off another negative spiral downward, and the player’s natural nervousness turns into a far more debilitating anxiety. In light of this, I want to share five ideas in which the nervous player can gain some perspective over what’s happening and be able to better manage and work through excessive nervousness.

of not having full control. It’s at this very moment our paths connect with a BZZZZ on the cell phone or a short, but direct, text message. It’s always the same as I listen intently or scroll down my phone: I hear/read “OMG … I’m nervous, What do I do?” As a sports psychology and performance coach, this is probably the most commonly asked and texted question I receive. As many players who have experienced such jitters can attest to, it’s usually not the nervousness which presents a problem, but all the accompanying thoughts, such as “Why am I nervous?” or “What happens if I’m still this nervous during the match?” or

1. It’s okay to be nervous … it’s perfectly normal and natural. In fact, even the top players in the world admit to some degree of nervousness. This self-acceptance of their nerves is actually the way they manage the situation. They don’t fight the tension, rather they accept it as “something inside of them is nervous.” How many of you have tried to resist a feeling or a thought? What happens? It usually gets bigger and bigger, and instead, looms in your mind. Remember … what you resist persists! Roger Federer said the following about nervousness: “I get nervous quite

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New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2013 • NYTennisMag.com

often on big occasions, especially at Grand Slams. You wait around, you hope to get to the finals … It’s really hard, it works you. You start asking yourself questions … the more you win, the more questions you ask.” Tiger Woods said, “I always feel pressure. If you don’t feel nervous, you don’t care about how you play. I care about how I perform. The day I’m not nervous playing is the day I quit.”

ponent! He or she accounts for 50 percent of the puzzle. In fact, that seemingly challenging figure across the net from you is very likely just as nervous as you are, perhaps even more so! He or she is trying to manage their nerves and play a good match, just like you. By being aware of this point, a player can reframe their focus away from themselves and onto the entire picture.

2. Nervousness is a sign you care. Nervousness isn’t bad, nervousness isn’t good, it simply exists. It’s your way of reacting to a situation. There are always two sides to everything, but when you are nervous, you usually only focus on the negative aspects of how you feel. However, what’s the other side? Aren’t you also excited, challenged and have a great opportunity in front of you? The great Billie Jean King wrote a book titled Pressure Is a Privilege. This was an acknowledgement that if you are feeling pressure, you have often put yourself in a privileged situation, such as the finals of a tournament. Similarly, if you are feeling nerves, you are usually feeling challenged. Remember to be proud of the fact that you have embraced this challenge and are attempting to succeed, and that your nerves are a simple byproduct of these positive choices.

4. What’s the worst that can happen? Alan Goldberg, a nationally-known sport psychologist and mentor of mine, tells the story of Greg Louganis, a famous diver who competed in the 1988 Olympics. Louganis climbed the ladder for his last dive. Knowing he needed a 10 to win the Gold Medal, Louganis thought to himself, “What’s the worst that can happen?” His answer was “Well, my parents will still love me, and I’ll still have my friends.” With this refreshing moment of perspective, he leapt off the board and nailed a perfect 10!

3. If you are nervous, who else is? When a player is nervous, their focus is usually entirely on themselves. In other words, they are not seeing the entire picture, rather just a small piece of it. Don’t forget about your op-

5. Why am I nervous? When I ask this question to players, they usually say it’s because “I want to win” or “I don’t know how I’m going to do” or “I’m not sure how good my opponent is.” Most of us have heard these responses so much that we accept them as routine. However, what’s important to understand is that the player’s focus is distracted or compromised before they walk on the court. Their focus is on something which they cannot control, which is winning (the result). More so, they are focusing on another uncontrollable … their opponent. With a

focus on these things, there is little time to focus on what they need to do to perform their best. It’s normal to be nervous, but the player falls into a trap if they become resultsoriented before play has even begun. Playing any sport requires the ability to accept and manage nerves and emotions. All great performers understand this is a part of their process and fighting it only makes things worse. John McEnroe said, “It’s not if you will choke, it’s how you handle it when it happens.” Nervousness is a natural emotion, the problem is not the nervousness that a player experiences. The issue becomes the negative reaction and fear derived from these nerves, which often leads to a downward spiral and a “frozen” player. The next time you are nervous or anxious, refer to the five techniques above to help you play your best game. 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) 723-0314, email rob@insidethezone or visit www.insidethezone.com.

NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2013 • New York Tennis Magazine

USTA METRO REGION

USTA Metro participates in National Meeting, Regional Winners Named By Mark McIntyre USTA Eastern Vice President New York City Mayor David Dinkins received the Samuel Hardy Award from the International Tennis Hall of Fame and the Awards Luncheon on March 16, during the USTA’s Annual Meeting in Westin, Fla. The Award is given each year to a USTA volunteer in recognition of long and outstanding service to Photo credit: Susan Mullane/Camerawork USA New York City Mayor David Dinkins, with tennis. Mayor Dinkins joins Elaine Monica Seles, received the Samuel Viebranz, the 2004 recipient, Hardy Award from the International Tenamong other illustrious USTA Eastnis Hall of Fame ern recipients since 1953. Lewis “Skip” Hartman received the NJTL Founders Service Award in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the National Junior Tennis & Learning (NJTL) network. Skip founded the New York chapter of the NJTL, which continues to be the largest chapter in the country. Skip received a lengthy standing ovation following a very moving, and at times, very funny, speech. Photo credit: Susan Mullane/ Camerawork USA

Skip Hartman was honored with the NJTL Founders Service Award

A Message From USTA Metro Region President Jackie Clark As USTA Eastern Metro Region president and a member of the National Membership Services Committee, I had the opportunity to participate in the USTA Annual Meeting and Conference. What an amazing experience it was to meet and share ideas with such a diUSTA Metro Region President Jackie Clark verse group of people from and USTA Eastern Long Island Region Pres- across the country from each ident Daniel Burgess in Westin, Fla. of the USTA’s 17 Sections who 30

share the same passion for tennis that I do. As the goal is to grow participation in tennis, it was very evident that working collaboratively and listening and learning from one another would be a major factor in growing the game. Aside from the Membership Services Committee Meeting, I was able to attend many other workshops and meetings that included NJTL, Diversity and Inclusion, Junior Competition, Sport Science, JTT, 10 & Under Tennis, and Adult Competition. It was incredible to be a part of this event and to meet and work alongside so many dedicated and talented individuals. Participating in the Section Showdown Tennis Tournament was also so much fun and having the opportunity to represent Team Eastern was quite an honor!

Battle of the Boroughs Tennis Challenge City Parks Foundation is proud to announce the inaugural launch of its Battle of the Boroughs Tennis Challenge. Tennis players from all five boroughs will have the opportunity to compete with one another as well as vie for neighborhood pride in their borough all while contributing to the nonprofit City Parks Foundation’s youth tennis program. USTA Eastern and City Parks Foundation are teaming up to present The Battle of the Boroughs Tennis Challenge, a new adult recreational tournament to be held in May and June in New York City parks. The tournament will feature the best of team competition and neighborhood pride, and support CityParks Tennis, which provides free tennis lessons and activities for children at 40 parks citywide. “We are so excited about the Battle of the Boroughs Tennis Challenge,” said Jenny Schnitzer, assistant executive director of USTA Eastern. “The event will showcase some of the best adult tennis players in New York City’s parks, and help create opportunities for children of all ages to learn the sport of a lifetime.” Adult teams of up to 10 players, 19-years-old and up, will compete against other teams in their borough before earning a slot in the citywide championship held at the USTA Billie Jean

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2013 • NYTennisMag.com

USTA METRO REGION

King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, N.Y. on June 15. Registration is $20 per person, and proceeds will support City Parks Foundation’s free youth tennis programs in all five boroughs. “This is a fun new opportunity for adult players in our parks to get together for a friendly competition representing their own neighborhoods and boroughs,” said Mike Silverman, director of sports for City Parks Foundation. “We hope this will grow into an annual event that helps support CPF’s free youth tennis instruction provided to over 7,000 players each year.” Borough Challenges will take place at the following locations: l Crotona Park, Bronx: Saturday, May 11 l Riverside Park, Manhattan: Saturday, May 11 l Flushing Meadows, Queens: Saturday, May 11 l College of Staten Island, Staten Island: Saturday, May 11 l Prospect Park, Brooklyn: Saturday, June 1 The Citywide Championship will take place Saturday, June 15 at Flushing Meadows, Queens. To learn more and to register for the 2013 Battle of the Boroughs Tennis Challenge, visit http://eastern.usta.com/boroughs.

tablished to promote tennis and preserve its history in New York. The organization will also support New York tennis programs offered to “at risk” youth. In addition to tennis, The New York Open at Forest Hills will feature a Four-Day Tennis Festival that will include jazz, film, and others family-friendly highlights. Schedule of events l Opening Day (July 4th) Play begins at 10:00 a.m.; New York Open Jazz Festival; New York Book Festival; New York Open Family Fun Festival; Player, VIP & Club Member Cocktail reception. l Day 2 (July 5) Play continues; New York Open Family Fun Festival continues l Day 3 (July 6) Play continues; David Dinkins Family Day; New York Open Film Festival; New York Open Book Festival, New York Open Family Fun Festival; New York Open Jazz Festival l Day 4 (July 7) “Breakfast at Wimbledon” viewing of Wimbledon Finals on large-screen TV, served up with traditional British strawberries and cream, followed by the New York Open Men’s & Women’s Finals. New York Open Family Fun Festival; New York Open Fashion Show.

Tennis in New York First Annual New York Open at Forest Hills July 4-7 The New York Open will be the first and only tennis tournament to offer New Yorkers a unique opportunity to express their passion for tennis by competing for New York’s “Golden Apple” Award and earning recognition as one of New York’s best tennis players. Former Mayor David N. Dinkins will serve as honorary chairman of the event. The mission of the New York Open is to offer a true open tournament that promotes tennis in New York City by providing a unique platform for players, and the highest-quality fan experience. The format will include Men’s and Women’s Open Singles and Doubles. Prize money will be offered. The organizer of the New York Open at Forest Hills is Tennis in New York Inc., a not-for-profit founded by Dale G. Caldwell, former president of USTA Eastern. Tennis in New York was es-

The West Side Tennis Club at Forest Hills was the original home of the U.S. Open. This Grand Slam event was played at Forest Hills from 1968-1977—when it moved to Flushing Meadows. Currently celebrating its 100th anniversary in Forest Hills, other moments from the Club’s historic past include: l Arthur Ashe broke the color barrier and won the first U.S. Open at Forest Hills in 1968 l Billie Jean King became the first American woman to win the U.S. Open at Forest Hills l Iconic American tennis champion Chrissie Evert played her debut match at Forest Hills.

NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2013 • New York Tennis Magazine

Checking Out the NBA World number one Novak Djokovic met up with Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat after the NBA reigning champions posted their 26th consecutive victory over the Charlotte Bobcats. The two-time defending Sony Open Tennis champion Djokovic arrived at the game in the third quarter after his 6-2, 6-4 third-round win over Somdev Devvarman. It was Djokovic’s 13th straight win at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament. Djokovic also met Miami Heat assistant coach, Bob McAdoo, who is an avid tennis fan. Former WTA world number one Caroline Wozniacki and her golfer boyfriend, Rory McIlroy, also watched the Heat-Bobcats game. Earlier in the year, Djokovic met Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard of the Los Angeles Lakers ahead of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells.

Going for a Bike Ride Serena Williams can claim another first and another victory: She beat the traffic by riding a bicycle to her match. With Key Biscayne’s main road in a traffic snarl on the Saturday night of her third round match, Serena borrowed a bike at her hotel, rode to her match and beat Ayumi Morita in the third round of the Sony Open, 6-3, 6-3. Serena’s match was sched32

uled to start at 8:00 p.m., and she learned about the gridlock before leaving her hotel. ‘’The traffic was crazy and everyone was like, ‘I have been here for an hour, and I’m staying like eight minutes away,’’’ Serena said. ‘’I’m like, ‘OK, I’m not going to make my match.’ So I asked for a golf cart, and the hotel didn’t have a golf cart. Then they were like, ‘We have a motor bike.’ I’m like, ‘I don’t do motor bikes, ‘We have a bicycle,’ they said, ‘I really don’t do bicycles, but I will today.’’’ Traffic jams are common on Key Biscayne, where only one road connects the island with the mainland and Miami. But Serena never had to resort to a bicycle before. ‘’It was fun,’’ she said. ‘’It was probably one of my best memories I think ever, riding a bike to a match. That’s pretty cool.’’

pened,” Henin said. “This afternoon a little fairy arrived to illuminate our lives. She is called Lalie, she is in top form and we are really delighted!” While Henin welcomed a girl, longtime rival Kim Clijsters and her husband Brian Lynch also gave birth to a baby boy.

Dinner With the Caps

Sony Open organizers have unveiled plans for a $50 million project to improve the tournament site at Crandon Park, with work expected to take three phases and be completed by the start of the 2017 tournament. The tournament’s vision includes an improved stadium court, three additional permanent show courts, increased landscaped green space, and the addition of new park facilities that will be open to the public when the Sony Open is not in session. The Sony Open’s owner, IMG, is prepared to begin construction on April 1, 2014, immediately following next year’s tournament and the project is to be completed in three phases taking ten months each. Miami-Dade county voters agreed last November to allow the $50 million makeover which will be financed solely by IMG and private Sony Open funds that include tournament revenues, such as ticket surcharges and parking fees.

Maria Kirilenko recently enjoyed a night out with her fiancée, Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals, along with Ovechkin’s teammate and fellow countryman Dimitry Orlov and his girlfriend Varya and took to Twitter for the photo opp.

Babies Born Justine Henin and her partner Benoit Bertuzzo have announced the birth of their daughter, Lalie. “We were anticipating this so much, and now it has hap-

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2013 • NYTennisMag.com

Sony Open to Get Facelift

Capriati Charged

Redfoo in the Open?

Former tennis star Jennifer Capriati has been ordered to appear in a Palm Beach County court to answer allegations she sent hundreds of texts to an exboyfriend and then punched him four times while he was working out. The former world number one tennis player was charged with misdemeanor battery and stalking by the Palm Beach County State Attorney’s Office, according to court records. Capriati, who lives on Singer Island in Florida was sent a summons to appear in county court in Palm Beach Gardens on April 17. Prosecutors filed the charges after a series of incidents in which an angry Capriati confronted ex-boyfriend Ivan Dwight Brannan after they broke up in February 2012. In addition to the alleged battery, Capriati also sent 283 texts to Brannan between Dec. 25, 2012 and Jan. 8, police said.

Rapper Redfoo, whose real name is Stefan Gordy, has officially begun an attempt to qualify for the 2013 U.S. Tennis Open in Flushing, N.Y. The LMFAO member, who is the son of Motown Records founder Berry Gordy, grew up playing tennis and has totally gotten back into the sport. Gordy has entered himself in the USTA Northern California Sectional Qualifying Tournament, which is scheduled to take place from June 18-23 in Salinas, Calif. The “Sexy and I Know It” singer is going to make a run in singles, and mixed-doubles with 17-year-old Ayaka Okuno, whom he is currently coaching. Redfoo has recently been party rocking the tennis circuit with “girlfriend” Victoria Azarenka. When asked about his goal, Redfoo said, “It’s always been a dream of mine to play professional tennis.”

Tweets from the tennis pros Maria Kirilenko (@MKirilenko): Looks like today will be a good shopping day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!??oh I need so many ... coats, boots, sweater...etc. Mardy Fish (@MardyFish): Venice Beach could be the most fun place in the world!

Caroline Wozniacki (@CaroWozniacki): Had fun at the @MiamiHEAT game tonight!

www.gothamtennis.com

WWW.GOTHAMTENNIS.COM NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2013 • New York Tennis Magazine

Lessons Learned While Playing Tennis

By Gilad Bloom ometimes, as a coach, you can run out of instruction. How many times can you give the same old lesson. Things can get a little boring, both for the tennis teaching pro and the student. When I run out of instruction, I have two back up plans. The first one is to physically demonstrate to the players what I want them to do, and the second one is to tell them stories about my experiences as a tour player and what I learned from it. It can be a nice change of pace during the session to take two to three minutes and tell them a story that has taught me something about the game. After all, you cannot replace experience. I have found that kids love those stories. In this article, will tell a few stories that have a point and are experiences to learn from.

Maintain quality and intensity in your practice When I was 12-years-old, I had the privilege of meeting the great Jimmy Connors. He came to play an exhibition in my hometown of Tel Aviv, and I was chosen to be one of the ball boys. Connors asked me how many hours I played each day, and I answered five to six hours. In return, I asked Mr. Connors how many hours he, as the number one player in the world at the 34

time, played each day. He replied, “One in the morning and one in the afternoon.” “What?” I replied. He put his arm around me and said, “Kid, my one hour is worth more than your six hours because I never stop running during practice, I try for every ball; I step into every shot; and I don’t ever take breaks. Trust me, you don’t need more than one hour twice a day.” A few years later, I joined the tour as a pro and played against Connors a few times, and also had the pleasure of training with him several times. He was not kidding! Jimmy could have been joking around and was relaxed until the moment we stepped on the court. But as soon as we started the session, it was all business—no resting except a quick sip of water every 20 minutes. Only three balls were in play, and if you miss (and you better not have), you had to run to get the balls. When we played sets, we were running to pick up balls and running to the other side when we switched sides. By far, it was the most intense onehour practice I have ever had. That regiment helped Jimmy Connors last 21 years on the tour and win 109 titles in his career, more titles than any man alive (more on title 109 later). I adopted that mentality as a player, and have been trying to preach it as a coach. I am not encouraging kids to play for more than two hours in a row. I believe that

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2013 • NYTennisMag.com

if you train with the right intensity, even two hours is too much, but you have to go all out. I don’t like to see kids train on cruise control, it’s less effective in my opinion. If you have a short ball and your opponent is at the net, the best way to win the point is to go right at your opponent I learned this lesson the hard way. In 1987, I finally made it to my first Wimbledon in the main draw. On the day before the event, they allow all players in the draw to hit for one hour on the brand new courts, it’s a great pleasure to play on the virgin courts, and I was assigned to play on the court with none other than number one-ranked Ivan Lendl. I was a rookie and was excited of course, but was not aware of Lendl’s sense of humor. During one point that we played, I came to the net and popped a short volley for a sitter, Lendl ran around his backhand and ripped a forehand right into my stomach which sent me down to the floor as he was laughing. “Bloomie, sorry to hit you, nothing personal, but it is the safest way to win the point”, Lendl explained. He continued, “If I went to either corner, you would have had a 50-50 chance to guess where I was going, but if I go to the middle and hit it right at you, I will win the point, for sure, plus I’m sending a mes-

sage to the guy across the net, just don’t forget to say sorry,” he added as he raised his racquet to apologize. I have used this many times in my career and it won me a lot of points and some dirty looks from opponents as well, but when you are playing to win, it’s a legitimate way to win the point.

Here is what Mats did … absolutely nothing! Not one muscle in his face moved, he paused for a second, gave me a blank look, turned around and got the ball from the ball boy, went on to beat me and then beat John McEnroe in the semis, and Andres Jarid in the finals to win the tournament. I may have lost, but I learned.

Never lose your cool no matter what In 1987, I made my first quarterfinal on the tour in Brussels, Belgium and drew Mats Wilander, ranked second in the world at the time. I lost in three sets and Mats didn’t play his best tennis in that match. During one point, we were both close to the net and Mats had the easiest put away volley that you could imagine. But somehow, this great player who won seven Grand Slams and was number one in the world managed to miss it. I will never forget what followed. As the crowd was murmuring in amazement at the sight of this miss, everyone was watching Wilander to see his reaction. I was just three-feet away and I too was wondering what he was going to do.

Never give up As a child, my coach always told me to never give up and fight for every point no matter what the score was. I was a good listener and that mentality won me a lot of matches coming from behind. The most memorable one was a match I had in the 1990 Australian Open against Christian Bergstrom from Sweden. It was a second round match and Begstrom, who was a top 20 player at his peak, was toying with me for two and a half sets, winning the first two sets and leading 4-1 in the third set with two breaks and five game points to go up 5-1. I basically had one foot in the locker room, but I was trained to fight until the end, no matter what the score was, so I just kept trying. At that

point, I was telling myself to try to win a few more games just so the score was not too embarrassing. After winning that long game and getting to 4-2, I noticed that Bergstrom didn’t look so good. What followed was a total collapse of the Swede, resulting in me winning the set 6-4 and winning the next two sets 6-2, 6-2 en route to a third round meeting with Yannick Noah. That long game at 4-1 down proved to be the turning point, and my coach was right! That match taught me that you always have to fight in order to give your opponent a chance to choke, screw up or cramp in this case, and you never know when that moment will come. Bergstrom was the better player that day, but I was the fitter player who didn’t give up. Mix up the pace of the ball In 1988, I played the Tournament of Champions in Forest Hills N.Y., former site of the U.S. Open. My second round match was against Richie Renenberg. Everyone knew that Richie had a great continued on page 36

NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2013 • New York Tennis Magazine

Lessons Learned While Playing Tennis continued from page 35 backhand, and the plan was to play to his forehand and apply pressure on that shot. The plan worked in the first set, which I won, but in the second, I kept hitting to his forehand and he started to punish me with winner after winner. His forehand was not a weakness anymore, as he hit too many forehands and got into a nice groove. As I went to towel off on the side of the court, I was looking at my mentor Dick Savitt (a Wimbledon and Australian Champ in 1951) who was sitting on the sideline. I said to him, “I keep hitting to his forehand, but it’s not working anymore.” He replied, “Mix it up, you are only hitting high top spins.” The score was 1-1 in the third set, and as soon as I started to mix up my shots and throw a few low slices his way, Renenberg started to miss and I won 6-1 in 10 minutes. It was amazing to me that such a subtle adjustment made such an impact on my opponent’s game. Today, I use the mix up when I play the

younger generation. The kids hate it when I mix it up, it throws them off, and I encourage them to do it to their opponents. It’s all mental In 1989, I had a long year, having played about 35 events. By November, I was burned out and could not wait for the year to end. I couldn’t even look at a tennis court! I was in Brazil with my coach, and we had one more tournament to play in Sao Paolo. I had to play the tournament in order to get a small bonus, but my mind was already in vacation mode. The night before, we both went out to celebrate and the coach said, “For me, the year is over, we can party tonight, you can go tomorrow and play the match without pressure because we are flying straight to Rio to hang out on the beach as soon as you lose the match.” My game plan for that match was very simple: Hit freely, go for winners, and do

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2013 • NYTennisMag.com

not worry about a thing, especially the score. I went to the game without a warm up and a loose smile on my face. To this day, it was the best tennis match I ever played in my entire life, winning 6-2, 6-1. I went for winners off of my opponent’s first serve and it worked. I went for my first serve and my second serve. I went for everything and it was breathtaking. My coach was laughing hysterically on the sideline and my opponent, who was an American rookie fresh off a run in the collegiate ranks, was in a state of shock. It was opposite to my usual style of play and my usual temperament. “I never thought that tennis like that was even possible,” my opponent said to me after we shook hands and I apologized for the ridiculous match I just played. After the match, I was so excited and told my coach that from now on, I’m just going to go for broke. It was so liberating not to think about anything, just to play. In the next round, I continued this new approach and won the first set, but then fatigue set in. I started to come down to Earth and all of the low percentage shots

started to go into the net or sail long. Before I knew it, I was back to being a burned out player that had a long season and needed a break. By the end of the match, which I lost and was on the verge of being defaulted because I was a mental wreck, all of that looseness was not really working for me. The lesson I learned was that it’s not enough to put up the physical effort, as there has to be a mental effort and a thought process to playing this game. Don’t celebrate before the match is over (back to Jimmy Connors) In 1989, I reached my first ATP Tour final in a tournament in Tel Aviv, held in the club where I first picked up a racquet at the age of nine. The setting was perfect, the stadium was full of my hometown fans and my opponent was the legendary Jimmy Connors. I got off to a dream start, winning the first set 6-2, and was up 1-0 in the second set. As I was sitting down and looking at the surroundings, I started to calculate how many points I will earn in this tournament, how much money I was going to make, and exactly what I was

going to say in my victory speech. I thought I had the match won, but Connors had other plans. Jimmy meant business, and from that point on, raised his level of play and started to attack my second serve. Before I knew it, I was holding the runnerup trophy and Connors lifted his 109th trophy for the final title of his career. I learned my lesson, and at least I made the history books! Always trust your instincts In 1990, I reached my second ATP Tour finals, this time, against Pete Sampras on the grass in Manchester, England. During the tournament, I had my coach give me signals before the serves, telling me where to serve, kind of like a catcher in baseball. It was great not having to think that much. I went with his calls and our system got me all the way to the finals. Against Sampras, both sets went to a tie-breaker, and there were no breaks the whole match. At 9-8 for me in the first set tie-breaker, I had an opportunity to serve at set point from my favorite ad side (I’m a lefty). The whole set, I was using the

lefty wide serve with great success. The coach wanted the wide serve on that crucial point, but my gut instinct was that Pete would wait for it and that this might be the right time to go down the middle. But I went with the coach’s decision and it turned out that I was right— Sampras was waiting for that serve and hit a backhand winner for the only time in the set. The next thing I remember was me holding the runner-up trophy and saying to myself that I should have trusted my instincts. That was one pretty expensive lesson. Gilad Bloom is a former ATP touring professional who, at his peak, was ranked 61st in singles and 62nd in doubles in the world. Five times an Israel’s Men’s Champion, three times in singles and twice in doubles, Gilad is currently the director of tennis at The Club of Riverdale. He was the director of tennis at John McEnroe Tennis Academy for two years, and before, that ran Gilad Bloom Tennis for nine years. He may be reached by phone at (914) 907-0041 or email bloom.gilad@gmail.com.

TThe he Open Open n for Business Corporate Corp o oratee Tennis Teennis Challenge Challeng provides provides sizes to companies of all sizes compete in a 2-day event a forum forum for for companies to compete 2-day event at Westside (original sitee of the US Open). at the W estside TTennis ennis e Club ((or iginal sit May M ay 4th Combination Team C ombina ombin

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MYTHBUSTERS:

Dick Gould—A Living Legend’s Take on College Tennis By Ricky Becker imply put … Dick Gould is college tennis and a living legend. He was the Stanford men’s tennis head coach for 38-years before becoming the John L. Hinds Director of Tennis at Stanford for the last nine years. Coach Gould’s career credentials are legendary. His teams won 17 NCAA team championships and he was the college coach of 50 All-Americans, 16 Davis Cup team members, 13 different Grand Slam Champions and eight Olympians. He was the ITA/Wilson Coach of the Decade for both the 1980s and 1990s. He was also my tennis coach in college and helped me develop as a tennis player, coach and human-being. Many times, situations in tennis arise now where I ask myself, “What would Coach do in this situation?” I cannot remember a time that the answer wasn’t correct. He is all class. No matter how difficult an opposing player or coach was personality-wise, he was always complementary and respectful towards them or the media. He wouldn’t let anyone change these traits in him. I find myself trying very hard to emulate, but not yet able to completely duplicate him in this regard. Dick is definitely qualified to give his views on the overall college tennis landscape and provide advice to aspiring college players. We are lucky to

hear what he has to say … What do you love about college tennis? Gould: I love the age group that college coaches work with … the players know it all, yet know so little! The fact that college players are just about at the peak of their physical growth and thus are no longer held back by what they can do relative to size and strength! I also enjoy the thrill of the battle—the pre-match expectations, the momentum sways back and forth in each match, the fact that one can “coach” point-by-point in a match and can thus REALLY help a player tactically, technically and mentally. A coach in a college match can have a big impact on the outcome of a match, other things being nearly equal. What are the major changes you have seen in college tennis over the last 40-years? Gould: Technically, there are many more western forehand grips, as well as open stance forehands (and backhands). Since the western grip offers so much more topspin opportunities, one may stay back and pound the ball! Tactically, there has been the demise of serve-and-volley, as well as, serve return and get in … smash-mouth tennis! There is now an overall decreased confidence in being able to finish points at the net.

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2013 • NYTennisMag.com

What if any future challenges are ahead for college tennis? Gould: There are so many challenges starting with the fact that so many programs are continuing to be dropped. The biggest single challenge any coach faces is to be able to fund-raise for Dick Gould the long term to secure the place of his sport—especially amongst the men’s programs! There MUST be a way to equalize the number of scholarships for men and women. Title IX MUST be interpreted as “equal opportunity for each gender within that sport.” (Note: As Title IX currently exists, every college’s athletic program, not sport, must equalize the number of scholarships for men and women. Because so many scholarships are given for football, other sports have an unequal amount of scholarships for men and women to make up the difference.) I am not sure how to handle this, but there are so many foreign players in college tennis. However, I do think we should stop complaining about it and make our American players better! I also think our collegiate schedule is too full—there are too many events now! I don’t believe in succumbing to the pressure of four- to five-hour dual matches by shortening matches too much though! (Note: A proposal for Division I was made last year and since rescinded that would have made doubles matches one six-game set, as well as

super tie-breakers for the third set of singles. Shortened changeovers and a shortened break between doubles and singles have been implemented changes. So has the elimination of the warm-up between opponents before singles and doubles.) What advice do you have for junior players who are looking ahead to college tennis? Gould: Keep as many options open as possible—start by taking challenging courses in high school/online and study hard! Be realistic in investigating schools where you can realistically contribute! Don’t get hung up on D-I, D-II or D-III there are great schools, coaches and programs at all levels! I still preach to develop an attacking game—even in the era of big groundies. Look to get in and finish the point at net—in other words, stay ready for opportunities by playing up near the baseline and have confidence to pressure by attacking at all realistic times, even with an occasional serve and volley!

Learn doubles, an important part of college tennis, and in doing so, respect the value of a lob. Along with under-spin from the backcourt, it is the most underused shot in tennis! Do you have coaching advice for junior players and college players in general? Gould: First … work VERY hard on net play skills and confidence at the net so that you have a means behind your big serve or forehand to finish the point! Second, as I mentioned before, remember the value of a defensive lob, especially in doubles. Third, work hard to develop a great down-the-line backhand to answer the inside-out forehand! Fourth, love the game—you are not playing for your parents; you are playing to enjoy the competitive experience—in meeting the challenge of getting a little better in some phase of your game every day! In college, the “team” experience can be a great one, if structured correctly—embrace it! Finally, have fun and don’t take

yourself too seriously. Have you found anything that college freshman aren’t prepared for when they arrive to college? Gould: First, remember that you are in college to “learn” in the classroom and from association with you fellow students! You are NOT in college just to become a better tennis player! It is difficult to balance studies and social life with you tennis, just as it will be to later “succeed” as a parent, a spouse and in your job … you must accept and embrace this challenge! 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 nationallyranked junior. He can be reached by email at rbecker06@yahoo.com, by phone at (516) 605-0420 or via JuniorTennisConsulting.com.

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516.239.2800 x 186 or membership@inwoodcc.org NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2013 • New York Tennis Magazine

Your Spring Cleaning Approach to Tennis This Season By Luke Jensen or many players in the north, our tennis is just starting to come out of our indoor hibernation to dealing with all of Mother Nature’s elements outside. This is one of the most frustrating aspects of the game. Indoor tennis is easy compared to the chaos of dealing with lobbing with your overhead in the sun. I would like to focus first on making sure your gear is up to speed. I’m a huge believer in a new restringing at least four times a year. A general rule is to take the number of days a week you play, and restring that number per year. If you play three times a week, string your frames three times a year. Juniors and massive hitters may break strings more than that and will have to adjust accordingly.

Investing in new sneakers is always wise. Just because the shoe does not have a hole yet, the inner support system of your shoe may have broken down and can be causing foot problems. Just be aware of any discomfort when you are playing. Rewrap your grip with a new overwrap for a better grip on your frame. These are cheap and can make your golden boy favorite frames feel new all over again. Finally, go to a local pro shop and demo out some new frames. I have my players play test new strings and frames all the time. New approaches to the game with new technologies are always evolving, and you never know when something new can make your game feel even better. A simple rule in trying new frames is to make sure the racquet fits your best shot. If a demo feels good in some areas of your game and not others, do not buy it. A frame is an extension of your body.

It should enhance your best weapon and clean up your weakest shots. If you feel that in the play test phase then you have found a winner! Now that you are all geared up for summer, make sure you set a simple goal for your game. I like to add a new shot every season to my player’s game. That would be four per year. This takes time, so I give my players a chance to try it in practice before using it in matches. A simple approach to this is to use a drop shot at least once a game to see if it works. Another is to lob high to your opponent’s backhand to see how they deal with it. It can go beyond tactical to technical. Let’s try getting out of the frying pan grip serve to hitting a real continental grip serve that will give you more options for various spin serves. Your approach is key. Success is making our game more complete. There is no such thing as a perfect tennis player, but if we strive for it, we are sure to achieve excellence! Keep going for winners … it is the American way! 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.

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2013 • NYTennisMag.com

COMING

J U LY

2013

Distribution scheduled for 06/01/13 This edition will feature: • Guide to the Top NY Sports Medicine Practices • New York Tennis Expo Recap • A look ahead to the 2013 U.S. Open • Wimbledon Preview • 2013 Boys High School Recap

Distribution across Long Island at 300+ locations: • Indoor tennis clubs • Country clubs • Tennis camps • Retail stores • Gyms • Restaurants and health food stores • Supermarkets and • Many more!

Don’t miss the advertising opportunities in the next edition of New York Tennis Magazine July/August 2013!

Submissions for both advertisingNYTennisMag.com and editorial•are due2013 by •June 1, Tennis 2013Magazine 41 May/June New York For more information, please call 516-409-4444 or e-mail Advertise@NYTennisMag.com

Tennis-Think … Shoulders By Bill Longua hat does throwing a great pitch, a touchdown pass, hitting a baseball, smacking a perfect drive in golf, scoring a hockey goal with a blazing slap shot or good tennis ground strokes all have in common? The answer for all these is a consistent shoulder rotation. When you have some time, watch some of these other sports and take note of where the shoulders are in relation to the ball just before the ball is thrown or struck. You will instantly pick up on the fact that the shoulders have rotated sideways and maintain that position until release or contact and then rotate forward for power and direction. The same holds true for all tennis strokes-shoulders are the key for power and consistency.

The forehand and backhand topspin ground strokes, whether you hit in a closed or open stance, need the shoulders to rotate sideways to the ball and then be at a 45-degree 42

angle at contact, turning towards the net when following through. The backspin, or slice, forehand and backhand ground strokes are hit in a closed stance and with turned shoulders. You should maintain that position through the contact point and not rotate the shoulders forward after the shot, but keep the shoulders sideways to the net until the follow through is completed. To hit the volley correctly, the opposite leg must step forward toward the ball and net, this will correctly force your shoulders to turn toward the ball and create a 45-degree angle at the point of contact. Again, maintain that angle until the ball has left the face of the racquet. When hitting the serve or overhead, begin with the front shoulder facing toward the net. As you coil and then reach up for the shot the shoulders should begin to rotate

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2013 • NYTennisMag.com

forward-be at a forty-five degree angle at contact and then rotate forward towards the net completing the follow through.

Remember, the shoulders are the key ingredient for keeping the face of the racquet level at contact, thus giving your shots more consistency and the rotation adds power. Think shoulders and your game will improve. Bill Longua is the tennis director/head pro at Palm Island Resort in Cape Haze, Fla. Bill is a member of the USPTA, has been teaching tennis for more than 35 years, and is the author of Winning Tennis Strokes. Bill also enjoys teaching tennis on his Web site, http://onlinetennistraining.com. To purchase Bill’s book, visit http://onlinetennistraining.com. He may be reached by e-mail at bill@onlinetennistraining.com.

the biofile: By Scoop Malinowski Status: Currently ranked 55th in the WTA Women’s Singles Rankings. A 2012 U.S. Olympian with wins over Caroline Wozniacki, Marian Bartoli, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Nadia Petrova, Daniela Hantuchova and Victoria Azarenka. Trains at Gordon Uehling’s Court Sense Facility in Tenafly, N.J. Height: 5’ 7” • Weight: 130 lbs. Date of birth: May 11, 1992 in Teaneck, N.J. First memory of tennis: My first memory of tennis was playing with my older sister Lauren at the tennis courts at our apartment complex in Hong Kong. I was probably around six- or seven-years-old. Tennis inspirations: My tennis inspirations growing up were Venus and Serena Williams. Last book read: The last book I read was The Cure by Krista White. She’s one of my favorite authors. Current car: Black Mercedes. First famous tennis player met or encountered: The first famous player I remember seeing in person was Venus Williams when she was playing an exhibition in Hong Kong. I was star-struck! Greatest moment of your career: The greatest moment of my career so far was attending the London Olympics (2012). I’ll never forget that experience.

Christina McHale ily the chair umpire was okay. Favorite sport outside tennis: Baseball. Three athletes you like to watch and follow: Derek Jeter, Rafael Nadal, and my sister Lauren McHale (who plays for the University of North Carolina).

Favorite tournament(s): My favorite tournament is the U.S. Open.

Favorite court to play on: Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Funniest players you’ve encountered on the tour: I’ve been to Fed Cup and the Olympics with Serena, and she is really one of the funniest players on the tour.

Best you have ever felt on court: When I played against (then WTA number one Caroline) Wozniacki in Cincinnati [won in straight sets in 2011]). Also, when I played Marion Bartoli at the U.S. Open (also 2011).

Funny tennis memory: Last year, I played an exhibition QuickStart tennis match for Arthur Ashe Kid’s Day on Arthur Ashe Stadium. It was the “pros” against the “little kids.” I still laugh about it today because I didn’t expect the little kids to be so good at the QuickStart tennis and they beat us [smiles]. Embarrassing tennis memory: I shanked a ball really badly one time in a doubles match and it hit the chair umpire right in the head. It was extremely embarrassing to say the least, but luck-

Fiercest competitors you’ve encountered in tennis: At this level, everyone wants to win, so every player is a fierce competitor. People/personality qualities most admired: I admire those who are extremely dedicated and have great fight and perseverance. Scoop Malinowski is the co-owner of Tennisprose.com. His book, Marcelo Rios: The Man We Barely Knew, is available at Amazon.com. He may be reached by e-mail at mrbiofile@aol.com.

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:

Most painful moment: My most painful moment was when I almost got a full body cramp during my first round match at the 2009 Australian Open (against Jessica Moore). Physically, it was extremely painful to endure the cramps, and on top of that, I lost the match 9-7 in the third set.

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NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2013 • New York Tennis Magazine

he Metro Corporate Tennis League presented by Advantage Tennis Clubs is a joint initiative of the Metrotennis Community Tennis Association (MCTA) and USTA/Eastern Metro Region. The League is divided into three levels of play, Intermediate (3.0-3.5 Levels), Advanced Intermediate (4.0 Level) and Advanced (4.5+ Level). The Metro Corporate Tennis League also offers an Advanced Beginner Clinic program for teams that are not ready to compete. The Winter 2013 season is currently in the playoffs stage. The following are our playoffs brackets. We wish all the teams good luck! As the Winter Season comes to an end, we will soon begin taking teams for the Summer 2013 season. Space is limited, and the season will kick-off in June and run until August.

For more information on the Metro Corporate Tennis League, visit www.metrotennis.com or e-mail Luis Espinoza at luis@metrotennis.com.

New York Tennis Magazine â&#x20AC;˘ May/June 2013 â&#x20AC;˘ NYTennisMag.com

NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2013 • New York Tennis Magazine

NEW YORK TENNIS MAGAZINE’S

Focus on Tennis Apparel Providers Mason’s Tennis ason’s Tennis, New York’s Finest Tennis shop, is located in midtown the heart of Manhattan. Mason’s Tennis has the latest racquets from Babolat, Dunlop, HEAD, Prince, Wilson and Volkl. A knowledgeable stringer is on staff and a complete demo program is available. This year, Mason’s Tennis has expanded its Squash Department. Their customers rave about the latest fashions and shoe selection, with over 20 styles to choose from for men and women. Each season, Mason’s Tennis receives the hottest collections from all

the finest companies and designers in tennis. For men, they have Nike, including the latest collection from Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, Adidas, Fred Perry and Fila. For women they have Nike, Fila, Polo, Lija, Gigi Active and Lucky in Love. They have the best kid’s shop, including junior racquets, clothing and shoes. Mason’s Tennis offers coveted tennis memorabilia, photographs, and an array of gift items for every tennis player and enthusiast. This is also the place to shop for official U.S. Open t-shirts, hats and accessories.

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2013 • NYTennisMag.com

For a full shopping experience with an experienced and friendly sales team, Mason’s Tennis is the place to go for tennis. Mason’s Tennis is located at 56 East 53rd Street (between Park and Madison Avenue), New York, N.Y. 10022. Store hours are as follows: Monday-Friday—10:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. Saturday—10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Sunday—Noon-6:00 p.m. For more information, call (212) 755-5805 or (888) 755-5805, visit www.masonstennis.com or e-mail info@masonstennis.com.

U.S. Open Prize Money to Reach $50 Million by 2017 he USTA has announced that in keeping with its mission to grow the sport of tennis, it has reached agreement with the ATP and WTA that ensures the vitality and competitiveness of the U.S. Open as a world class, premier event for many years to come. Presently, the USTA is in the midst of several strategic initiatives, all with a common goal of growing tennis at every level in the United States, from youth to seniors, and from those just starting out in the sport to professionals at the highest level of the game. For the U.S. Open and the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center the goal is twofold: To transform the National Tennis Center over the next several years into the most modern and fanand player-friendly tennis center in the world and to continue to attract the world’s best tennis players. In line with this goal, the USTA has reached a five year agreement with the ATP and WTA on U.S. Open prize money. As part of this long-term vision, the

USTA will provide $50 million in U.S. Open prize money by 2017. Additionally, the USTA will increase base prize money for the 2013 U.S. Open by an additional $4.1 million above the previously announced increase of four million dollars. The original announcement was made in December 2012. Base prize money for the 2013 U.S. Open will now total more than $33.6 million, a more than $8.1 million increase over the $25.5 million available to players at the 2012 U.S. Open. Also, beginning in 2015, the U.S. Open will conclude on the second Sunday of the two-week event with the men’s singles championship. To allow for a day of rest for the finalists, the men’s singles semifinals will be played on Friday. The women’s singles championship will be played on Saturday. “This excellent outcome for the sport of tennis wouldn’t have been possible without the open-mindedness and fairness of USTA President Dave Haggerty and the USTA

staff,” said Roger Federer, a 17-time Grand Slam champion and president of the ATP Player Council. “They approached our concerns with a true spirit of partnership, and as president of the ATP Player Council, I am personally grateful for their support. Everyone I have spoken with is excited about the increases in prize money, as well as the agreement to change the schedule for 2015 and beyond. The U.S. Open is very special, and we all look forward to great competition at Flushing Meadows later this year, and in the years yet to come.” The USTA will announce the exact round-by-round distribution of the total prize money increase for the 2013 U.S. Open this summer. Further year-by-year prize money increases are expected to be announced annually prior to that year’s U.S. Open. This year’s U.S. Open is scheduled for Aug. 26-Sept. 9, with the U.S. Open Qualifying Tournament beginning on Aug. 20.

NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2013 • New York Tennis Magazine

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By Lisa Dodson he serve is the most important and the most under-practiced shot in the game of tennis. We all want a blistering serve, but wanting and owning are two very different things. Personally, I think that most players don’t fully understand the importance of the serve, so don’t put the effort into fully developing it. Most serves remain ordinary and ineffective. When one really wants something, they do something about it. It’s time to feel that way about the serve, TODAY. It really isn’t difficult to greatly improve your serve. The serve has the reputation of being so hard to learn that players just stop attempting to do better. Don’t believe the hype

a s p i ith T

and don’t be afraid of the serve. The information below will give you the start you need.

Four great reasons to start improving your serve 1. Get cheap points: Your serve doesn’t have to be perfect. You don’t need the trifecta of factors: Power, spin and accuracy, although that would be great. A serve with spin, speed or direction will be returned less often and with less accuracy. Basically, you get free points. If you can count on two no-returns or weak returns per game, it’s the rough equivalent as starting the game at 30-love. 2. Shorten point length in your favor: This is an extension of point number one. If you are just putting the ball in the box, you are not forcing play in your favor. Your opponent can get a jump on you by making you run on the return or hit winners off of your weak serve. This is in their favor. A stronger serve starts the point in your favor potentially elim-

Brent Shearer

646.270.8371 tribecatennis@gmail.com 48

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2013 • NYTennisMag.com

e c i t c Pra

inating those pesky 30 ball rallies and giving you the opportunity to dictate play 3. Raise your overall confidence level: Go onto the court knowing that you can depend on your serve and your entire game will be elevated. There is nothing better than getting up to the line and feeling in control of the situation. It will give you newfound confidence and change your attitude towards the entire match. It also gives you the impression of being a formidable opponent. That’s always in your favor. 4. Be the “go to” doubles partner: Everyone will want to play with you and not against you. In doubles, the serve is particularly important for many reasons. First and foremost, you want your partner at the net to be a dominant, moving force. A strong serve will cause weaker returns and allow the partner to move and finish points quickly. Fast TIPS for immediate serve improvement

1. If you don’t throw well, start practicing throwing Throwing is the same action with the arm as serving and the same grip is held on the ball (see the photo above). Start with the correct grip, elbow back to the fence, with the triceps parallel to the ground. The non-dominant hand and arm are extended forward. Pull the non-dominant hand and arm to the same side of the body quickly before the throw arm moves. Aim to throw high rather than far using a very relaxed hand and arm. The fingers,

palm and inside wrist of the throwing hand will finish facing out away from the body just as they do when pronating to contact a ball with a racket. This all may sound complicated but it’s not. To use a well-known phrase … “Just Do It!” It’s far easier to throw than to serve and throwing will greatly improve your serve.

aim to the right (righties) of your target to allow for the curved flight of the ball. If you hit a slice and aim as though your ball will travel straight it will always go further left than you planned. If you don’t understand this, you will want to quit because your ball never lands in the service box.

2. Bite the bullet and change your grip

Effectively practice for short periods of time by using zones

There really is no choice in grip if you want a good serve. Move it over to Continental and practice the movements without hitting a ball. Get accustomed to what this grip feels like (see the photo above). Players often make a fatal error by trying to hit the serve without shadowing the motion or using a teaching tool to help them. As first the ball typically goes down, sharply to the left (for righty) and feels powerless. The player quits because it seems too difficult. Go through the motions first with the just the racket, toss arm and body without hitting a ball. When you do begin serving expect to spend some time “failing” before you start to improve. Results have nothing to do with learning correct technique. Making mistakes is essential to learning what is correct.

The Zone Practice article in the last issue (page 22 of the March/April 2013 issue) minimally covered the serve. Basically, the practice zone was depth in the service box not right, center or left directions. Now, we will get more specific on how to move the ball laterally in the service box. The photo above shows the deuce court service box marked off into three sections: Wide (forehand), At the Body and Up the Middle (backhand).

3. Hold a very loose and low grip on the racket A loose grip will ensure a loose arm and body. Since we are trying to gain racket head speed for power and spin, we need the racket head to move faster than the hand. A loose, low grip will let this happen 4. Understand that using the Continental grip you will naturally be putting spin on the ball (known as slice) for the serve This basically means that you are going towards the ball with the front edge of the racket. This spin makes the ball always travel in a right to left curve (righties) and left to right curve (lefties) towards the service box. If you are accustomed to your ball traveling flat and straight you aim directly for your target. With a slice serve, you must

30-Minute Serve Practice (10 minutes per zone) Start first in the deuce court hitting to the wide zone. Check your grip to make sure it is correct. Serve to the zone. If your ball goes to the left of the zone, simply aim more to the right as the picture shows by markings on

the net top. Aim at points on the net top net that will allow for the curve of the ball flight. You’ll have to use your “Mind’s Eye” to aim at a different target on the net other than the end point you want the ball to land. For example: If you want to hit a wide serve, aim to the center net strap and your ball will curve nicely into place. For a body serve, aim further right and even further right for up the middle. Eventually, you won’t have to think about aiming to right because your mind and body will assimilate the information and this will be your new and improved way of placing the ball. Remember … your ball will always curve right to left (righty) and left to right (lefty) with a slice serve. So, on the ad court, you will still aim to the right of your target zones (righty) and left of target zone (lefty). If you are up to it, switch to the ad court and spend another 30 minutes. Otherwise, save it for another day. Practicing is about quality and quantity, not just quantity. Practice in batches for best results. There is no reason for anyone to settle for just getting the ball in the box. With this information and Zone Practice, you have a huge head start to learning, changing and upgrading your serve. Stop making excuses and start getting free points now! Lisa Dodson is owner of The Total Serve, a USPTA Pro 1, and a formerly WTA worldranked player. She may be reached by e-mail at ldodson57@yahoo.com or visit www.thetotalserve.com.

Online Tennis Training with Bill Longua USPTA Free Online Membership Work with Bill one-on-one with tips, videos, and submit your personal questions on strokes, strategy, rules, and equipment. Go to http://onlinetennistraining.com/members for details. E-mail Bill at bill@onlinetennistraining.com for more info. NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2013 • New York Tennis Magazine

U.S. Open National Playoffs Set for National Tennis Center June 9-15 he USTA has announced that the U.S. Open National Playoffs will return for a fourth year to expand the footprint of the U.S. Open to cities nationwide by providing the opportunity for all players 14 years of age and older to earn a berth into the U.S. Open. For the USTA Eastern Section, playoffs are scheduled for Sunday-Saturday, June 9-15 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, N.Y. The U.S. Open National Playoffs will again include both men’s and women’s singles, as well as mixed-doubles in 2013. The U.S. Open National Playoffs men’s and women’s singles champions earn a wild card into the U.S. Open Qualifying Tournament, held the week prior to the U.S. Open. The U.S. Open National Playoffs mixed-doubles champions receive a wild card into the main draw of the 2013 U.S. Open.

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2013 • NYTennisMag.com

“Anyone who dreams of playing in the U.S. Open—top junior players, collegians, teaching professionals, ‘weekend warriors,’ or recreational players—can make that dream a reality through the U.S. Open National Playoffs,” said Dave Haggerty, USTA chairman, CEO, and president. “The level of singles and mixed doubles competition is always strong, while our committed USTA sections do a terrific job running the sectional qualifying tournaments. It all makes the event unique and special for our sections, U.S. Open fans and tennis players across the country.” Registration and additional information for each of the 13 sectional qualifying is available online at www.USOpen.org/NationalPlayoffs. The entry fee for each of the sectional qualifying tournaments is $100 for singles and $120 for each mixed-doubles team ($60 per player). All players competing must have a current USTA membership valid through Aug. 26, 2013. The U.S. Open National Playoffs begin as a series of sectional qualifying tournaments and will be held in 13 USTA Sections throughout the country. The 13 men’s, women’s and mixed doubles champions or top available finishers from each sectional qualifying tournament will advance to the U.S. Open National Playoffs–Men’s and Women’s Singles Championship, held Aug. 16-19, and the Mixed-Doubles Championship, held Aug. 21-24. All three tournaments will take place in conjunction with the New Haven Open at Yale presented by First Niagara, an Emirates Airline U.S. Open Series event. A player may only compete in singles and/or mixed doubles at one sectional qualifying tournament during a calendar year. Players competing in men’s singles or women’s singles and mixeddoubles may opt to compete at different sectional qualifying tournaments for each event (one for singles and one for mixed doubles). The draw size at each

sectional qualifying tournament will be a maximum of 256 for each singles event and a maximum of 128 teams for mixed doubles. Participants can be of any playing level, giving everyone an equal opportunity to advance. More than 1,200 players competed in the 2012 U.S. Open National Playoffs, ranging from experienced professionals who were once ranked in the Top 50, to upcoming junior players, to current and former college standouts to recreational players of all playing abilities and walks of life. Participants included those com-

peting for charities as well as pastors, musicians, lawyers, reporters and stayat-home mothers. Former notable participants include Olympic skier Bode Miller and ESPN’s Mike Greenberg, who teamed with six-time U.S. Open champion Chris Evert in mixed-doubles. The U.S. Open Qualifying Tournament will be held Aug. 20-23 and the U.S. Open Mixed-Doubles Championship begins Aug. 28 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, N.Y. The 2013 U.S. Open begins on Aug. 26.

Summer Tennis Academy @ ST. JOHN’S UNIVERSITY

July 8th thru August 23rd 2013

7 One-week Sessions

Best prices around for Weekly Tennis Camp, with discounts for siblings and St. John’s staff Our Director, Eric Rebhuhn is in his 12th season as Head Coach of the St. John’s Men’s Tennis Team. and has compiled a 132-117 record heading into the 2013 Spring Season. He has developed a high quality development program that includes:

Physical fitness and conditioning through focus on movement and ball control Stroke technique drills and competition to develop concentration and persistence Training for Rookies based on the USTA/French Method Training for Juniors, including game analysis, strategy sessions and college prep

Weekend Adult Intensives in July & August with maximum of 4 adults per court

www.ertennis.com Phone: 718-990-5549 Early Registration Discount

NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2013 • New York Tennis Magazine

Roosevelt Island Racquet Club Takes Part in the Fight Against Gastrointestinal Esophageal Cancer n early April at Roosevelt Island Racquet Club (RIRC), nearly 70 participants teamed up to fight against Gastrointestinal Esophageal Cancer (GE) and help Tennis Saves raise funds and awareness for this vicious disease. Jason Speirs, founder of Tennis Saves, director of tennis at RIRC, and USPTA Metropolitan president, organized an evening of fun, food and prizes. Between sign-ups, donations and a silent auction, Tennis Saves raised nearly $5,000 for the Esophageal Cancer Awareness Association (ECAA). “It’s so good to finally do something meaningful that is not only dedicated to my

late father who lost his battle with GE cancer, but to finally do something that can make a difference,” said Speirs. As close to home as this event was, amongst the crowd, there were several cancer survivors taking part in the event. Aside from the fun on the court, off the court, and in the Clubhouse, there were trivia questions, light music and fabulous food, thanks to the sponsors, Advantage Tennis Clubs, the USPTA, the USTA, Prince, Riverwalk Bar & Grill, Nonno’s Focacceria and Loriet. “This has to be one of the most fun and smoothest charity events I have ever been to,” said Brian Galgay, president of the ECAA. With little preparation, Brian was convinced to play

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2013 • NYTennisMag.com

in the Pro/Am Worst Team Tournament, and was victorious! Tennis Saves’ premier event was able to use the power of tennis to make a difference. Many thanks to the staff, sponsors and participants for presenting an evening that those on hand will never forget. Be on the lookout for future events organized by Tennis Saves soon to be announced. Credit all photos to Adam Wolfthal

Dr. Drew Tortoriello, M.D. Medical Director of SIRM New York Board Certiﬁed Reproductive Endocrinologist Sher Institute - New York State-of-Art Fertility Center

425 Fifth Avenue • New York, NY 10016 Toll Free: (866) 747-6692 Phone: (646) 792-7476 Fax: (646) 274-0600 newyork@haveababy.com “We help complete your journey to parenthood”

Sher Institute - Westchester Phone: (914) 696-7476

From the moment you walk into our state-of-the-art fertility center located on Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, you'll feel the warmth and compassion that will deﬁne your experience at our reproductive center. Our professional services include: General Infertility, In Vitro Fertilization, Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD), ICSI, Intrauterine Insemination (IUI), Reproductive Surgery, and Egg Donation and Surrogacy.

SIRM-NY Welcomes Metropolitan Acupuncture & Herbal Medicine We are pleased to welcome Michael Bennett L.Ac., Dipl. O.M. from Metropolitan Acupuncture & Herbal Medicine to our SIRM-New York office. Michael Bennett is a Licensed Acupuncturist in New York and New Jersey and is a Board Certified Herbal Medicine Consultant by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM). As our in-house acupuncturist and herbalist, Michael specializes in the treatment of female and male infertility, stress and pain. He offers free consultation to new patients.

Did you know that Acupuncture can positively impact your chances to conceive? It is a safe and scientifically-proven method to enhance fertility and increase your chances of conception! At Metropolitan Acupuncture & Herbal Medicine, we specialize in helping couples make the journey from infertility to family. We are conveniently located in Manhattan on the third floor of 425 Fifth Avenue at the corner of 38th street, across the street from Lord & Taylor. We are the official acupuncture and herbal medicine practice for the renowned Sher Institute for Reproductive Medicine in Manhattan.

To discuss your condition or to schedule an appointment call:

Michael Bennett L.Ac., Dipl. O.M. 347.565.4255 For more information, please visit: www.metropolitanacupuncture.com

Metropolitan Acupuncture & Herbal Medicine, LLC 425 Fifth Avenue at 38th St. | Third Floor | New York, NY 10016 | Office: 347.565.4255 NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2013 • New York Tennis Magazine 53

USTA Leagues Update BY DEBORAH-ROSE ANDREWS

he Manhattan Mixed Semifinals and Finals were held at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in early March. The 9.0 Jeffrey/Chua team and the 10.0 Jeffrey/DeVries team will be representing the Metro Regional at the Eastern Section Championship, May 31-June 2 in Schenectady, N.Y. The 6.0 Kates/Reckler team, 7.0 Dawes/Reid and 8.0 Davoren/Santana teams advanced to the Metro Regional Championship.

The Queens Mixed-Doubles Playoffs were held the weekend of April 20-21 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. The winners at the 6.0, 7.0 and 8.0 Levels in Manhattan, Queens and the Bronx will compete on May 5 for the chance to represent the Metro Region at the Eastern Section Championships in Schenectady, N.Y. Play begins at 10:00 a.m. outside at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Come out

METRO—MANHATTAN MIXED DOUBLES

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2013 • NYTennisMag.com

and cheer on the teams! We were very happy to offer the first 40 & Over League in the Eastern Section. We had 26 teams competing in this new league type. This was an interborough League with matches played in Queens, Manhattan and the Bronx. Thank you to all who participated. The 18 & Over League in Manhattan started on April 8, and this year, there are 87 teams competing. The Queens, Brooklyn and Staten Island Leagues will begin in May. If you are looking for a team, please contact the level coordinator through the www.metrotennis.com Web site. The 55 & Over League will begin in late June. This League type will use combined ratings at the 6.0, 7.0, 8.0 and 9.0 levels. The combined NTRP Rating of the partners cannot exceed the team NTRP Rating, and the difference between partners shall not exceed one point. For example, at the 8.0 Level you can have a 3.5 and 4.5 pairing, but cannot have a 3.0 and 5.0 pairing. In order to run any level, we require two independent teams.

ADULT LEAGUE RECAP Additional information will be posted on our Website, www.metrotennis.com, as it becomes available. Please be sure to “Like” us on Facebook-Metrotennis League Page. Enjoy the season!!!

Are you ready to play League Tennis? If you know your rating, you can contact the appropriate level coordinator through

METRO—MANHATTAN MIXED DOUBLES

our Web site, www.metrotennis.com. Click on USTA Leagues, and click the appropriate borough on the left, then “Coordinators.” Fill out the form completely, which will be sent on to the level coordinator. If you do not know your rating, please e-mail info@metrotennis.com with your full name, current age, area you wish to play in and tennis background. If you played college tennis, please include the college name, years played and position(s) played. A coordinator will get back to you. You can also go to TennisLink, complete your self-rating in advance of the league and then contact the appropriate level coordinator. Deborah-Rose Andrews is the Local League Coordinator for the Metro Region. She is also vice chair of the Adult League Committee and a member of the Metro Region board of directors. She may be reached by e-mail info@metrotennis.com.

METRO—MANHATTAN MIXED DOUBLES

NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2013 • New York Tennis Magazine

“The Making of a Winner: A Fable About the Power Within” By David E. Moe BY BRENT SHEARER “If you ding it, just re-swing it.” David E. Moe has written a book that will be of use to any tennis player if they are open to a multi-disciplinary guide to improving their game. The Making of a Winner: A Fable About the Power Within takes tidbits from sports psychology, biofeedback and Eastern religions, and weaves them into a short primer on how to play better tennis. This isn’t a book that concentrates on the virtues of an openstance forehand versus a closed-stance, it is concerned with the mental and emotional aspects of becoming a better player. Not surprisingly, it carries a blurb from one James E. Loehr, one of the leading sports psychologists working in tennis. Published in 1990, The Making of a Winner also carries a recommendation from Arthur Ashe. The book’s framework consists of a story about a young tennis player named John who has what we would now call anger management issues. His parents sign him up for lessons with a tennis teacher named Mr. Lovano who immediately gets to work on his bad attitude with a number of techniques that range from computerized personality assessments, to touches of Eastern mediation. As a tennis instructor, Mr. Lovano goes way beyond the approach you might encounter in USPTA or USPTR training videos. One tactic Mr. Lovano teaches his student is to re-swing the stroke after you make an error so that you are imprinting a more successful version of the shot you just screwed up. In the story, it works for John as he is able to beat a guy who is described as being more macho, at least in as far as he can hit the ball harder. But John is able to pull out a close match by using Mr. Lovano’s positive reinforcement principles. 56

Of course, there is a girl mixed in with the story as well. Marlene, another young player, wants to shape her own game so that it resembles Chris Evert’s. She takes lessons from Mr. Lovano. The guy he beats in the final also wants to hang with Marlene, but apparently using Mr. Lovano’s techniques not only helps the hero win the tournament, but also makes him a better boyfriend for Marlene. The Making of Winner would be a valuable addition to any young player’s library if they have the patience to absorb and practice the lessons that Mr. Lovano, who is basically a mouthpiece for the author, espouses. It’s the kind of book that can help a player reach their full potential. Even though most of the characters and situations are aimed at young players, there are tips here that could conceivably help people like myself who having been playing so long that I am the only player at the East River Park courts still using a continental grip. The author describes himself as a teacher, philosopher, counselor and mathematician. From these various backgrounds, he has put together a tennis instruction book that may well reach a studious young player or veteran who has tried other approaches from Zen Tennis to Brad Gilbert’s classic Winning Ugly. The Making of a Winner will probably not leap to the top of the tennis books bestseller list, but it is a valuable addition to a tennis player’s or a club’s library. It’s a shame it won’t get a marketing push from a big publishing house because I could imagine catchy commercials on Tennis Channel saying, “If you ding it, just reswing it.” Brent Shearer may be reached by e-mail at bbshearer@gmail.com.

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2013 • NYTennisMag.com

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Building Game Equity and Personal Humility By Steve Kaplan I have an idea for what could be the most boring video game of all time … imagine a large blob that doesn’t move, cannot fire back and you get unlimited opportunities to shoot it. Unfortunately, young players tell me that this game is not in the same league as Mortal Kombat because it presents no obstacle to success. They further explain that the fun of video games is in the thrill of challenge so it’s silly if you know you are going to win. Learning the process of understanding and welcoming challenge is a wise and productive outlook, and I wish more tennis players would internalize this developmental message and embrace the struggle as much as the thrill of victory. Winning is great, but the rewards of tennis can also be found in managing crisis, understanding strengths, overcoming weak-

nesses, recognizing opportunities and solving problems. Tennis is a game of crisis management and the best players are calm and skillful managers. This is a necessary skill since the margin of success and failure in most matches is remarkably narrow. A negative change in the outcome of just one of every 35 points, for example, would drop Novak Djokovic out of the top 100 in the world. Your play is defined by your ability to rise to the defining moments that turn failures into triumphs. If I had to identify the single most important developmental skill in tennis, it would not be a stroke, tactic or mental approach. The most vital, and perhaps most difficult, skill in the education of a rising player is the development and construction of game equity. Have the humility and courage to risk failure now in order to build a game for the future. A healthy forward outlook requires motivation and passion. It is nearly impossible to

stay focused and positive in the long run if you are not true to yourself and develop a style that reflects your personality. It is vital, therefore, to personalize the experience without taking the experience too personally or too seriously. Tennis is a great way to practice how to overcome challenges in life, and the consequences of failure are not so grave. It’s only a tennis match after all, and you have an almost limitless opportunity to both succeed and fail if you persevere. Tennis is part of a developing player’s education. It provides the opportunity to expand your understanding of yourself and the world, but also the danger of being a selflimiting dead end road. Surely it can help make you who are and define you as a person. Why not define yourself as a person who is not limited by fear and ego. I often repeat the lesson of humility given to one of my long-time students, a then 10year-old Sandra Birch by her father Bryan, over 30 years ago. He explained to his future two-time NCAA champion daughter, “You might be a better tennis player than many people, but that does not make you any better or more entitled than anyone.” To this day, I don’t think I’ve heard better advice. 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.

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2013 • NYTennisMag.com

UPCOMING

EVENTS

MAY 2013 Fridays, May 3, 10, 17, 24 & 31 and June 7, 14, 21 & 28 Round Robin Doubles Party Midtown Tennis Club 341 8th Avenue • New York, N.Y. 8:00 p.m.-11:00 p.m. 3.5-5.0 players For reservations, call (212) 989-8572, ext. 104.

Friday, May 31 Vintage Pro-Am Sportime Randalls Island 1 Randalls Island New York, N.Y. 8:00 p.m.-11:00 p.m. Attire: All-White For more information, call Lorelei Garrett at (212) 4276150 or e-mail TennisRI@SportimeNY.com.

Thursday, May 23 16th Annual “Say Yes to Tennis … No to Violence” USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center Flushing Meadows Corona Park Road • Flushing, N.Y. Tennis clinics for 1,000 kids. Kids will be introduced to tennis, encouraging them to choose sports as a positive alternative to violence. Culminating activity for the participants of the Queens DA’s year-long Star Track Program For more information, call (718) 760-6200, ext. 0.

JUNE 2013 Saturday-Sunday, June 1-9 Mayor’s Cup Interscholastic Tennis Championships USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center Flushing Meadows Corona Park Road Flushing, N.Y. Organized by New York Junior Tennis & Learning For more information, call (718) 760-6200, ext. 0.

Thursday-Sunday, June 6-9 13th Annual Jana Hunsaker Memorial Wheelchair Tennis Tournament Sponsored by the Wheelchair Sports Foundation USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center Flushing Meadows Corona Park Road • Flushing, N.Y. This annual ITF event brings some of the top wheelchair players in the world to the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center to compete for $8,000 in prize money. For more information, call (718) 760-6200, ext. 0. Sunday-Saturday, June 9-15 2013 U.S. Open National Playoff–Eastern Sectional Qualifier USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center Flushing Meadows Corona Park Road Flushing, N.Y. For more information, call (718) 760-6200, ext. 0. Thursday, June 20 2013 U.S. Open Tennis Championships Ballperson Tryouts USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center Flushing Meadows Corona Park Road Flushing, N.Y. Ages 4-18 (all levels) For more information, call (718) 760-6200, ext. 0.

NEW YORK TENNIS CLUB

DIRECTORY

360 Tennis @ Cunningham Tennis Center Tim Mayotte—Director of 360 Tennis Cunningham Park Tennis in Queens 718-740-6800 cunninghamsportscenter.com

Butch Seewagen Tennis Academy @ CATS of 49th St. Geri Goetz—Director 235 East 49th Street • New York, NY 10017 (212) 832-1833, ext. 222 catsturtlebay@gmail.com CATSNY.com

Manhattan Plaza Racquet Club Gertrud Wilhelm 450 West 43rd Street • New York, NY 10036 (212) 594-0554 g.wilhelm@mprcnyc.com ManhattanPlazaRacquetClub.com or AdvantageTennis NY.com Midtown Tennis Club Jennifer Brown—Director 341 8th Avenue • New York, NY 10001 (212) 989-8572 midtowntennis@netzero.com MidtownTennis.com

Clay Bibbee—Managing Partner and Academy Founder 222 N. Passaic Avenue Chatham, NJ 07928 (973) 635-1222 • clay@centercourtclub.com

New York Tennis Club Lauren Hartman 3081 Harding Avenue • Bronx, NY 10465 (718) 239-7916 lhartman.nytci@gmail.com NewYorkTennisClub.com or AdvantageTennisNY.com

Go! Tennis at North Shore Tennis & Racquet Club George Garland—Director of Tennis 34-28 214th Place Flushing, NY 11361-1720 (718) 224-6303 george@gotennisprograms.com

Prospect Park Tennis Center Paul Campbell—Director of Tennis 50 Parkside Avenue • Brooklyn, NY 11226 (718) 436-2500, ext. 300 pcampbell@prospectpark.org ProspectPark.org/Visit/Activities/Tennis

Centercourt Athletic Club

Roosevelt Island Racquet Club Tom Manhart—Assistant General Manager 281 Main Street Roosevelt Island, NY 10044 (212) 935-0250 tmanhart@rirctennis.com RIRCTennis.com or AdvantageTennis NY.com

The Country Club of Riverdale (TCR) Gilad Bloom—Director of Tennis 2600 Netherland Avenue Riverdale, NY 10463 (718) 796-9099 bloom.gilad@gmail.com TCR-NYC.com

SPORTIME Randall’s Island Ted Dimond—Director of Tennis 1 Randall’s Island • New York, NY 10035 (212) 427-6150 randallsisland@sportimeny.com SportimeNY.com/Manhattan

USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center Whitney Kraft—Director of Tennis Flushing Meadows Corona Park Flushing, NY 11368 (718) 760-6200 kraft@usta.com USTA.com

Stadium Tennis Center at Mill Pond Joel Kassan—Tennis Director 725 Gateway Center Boulevard Bronx, NY 10451 (718) 665-4684 joel@gothamtennis.com StadiumTennisNYC.com

West Side Tennis Club Bob Ingersole—Director of Tennis 1 Tennis Place • Forest Hills, NY 11375 (718) 268-2300 tennisdirector@foresthillstennis.com ForestHillsTennis.com/index.html

NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2013 • New York Tennis Magazine

NEW Boys & Girls Metro Rankings (as of 03/25/13)

BOYS Metro Boys 12 Singles Rank ..Name................................City 1 ........Igor Maslov ....................Brooklyn, N.Y. 2 ........Nicholas Pustilnik ..........Brooklyn, N.Y. 3 ........Alexander Petrov............Middle Village, N.Y. 4 ........Wesley Zhang ................Staten Island, N.Y. 5 ........Stevan Stojkovic ............Flushing, N.Y. 6 ........Shawn Jackson..............Staten Island, N.Y. 7 ........Henry Hochfelder ..........New York, N.Y. 8 ........Ryan McCook ................Saint Albans, N.Y. 9 ........David Krasner ................Staten Island, N.Y. 10 ......Peter Frelinghuysen ......New York, N.Y. 11 ......Joseph Wilkanowski ......Long Island City, N.Y. 12 ......Mizel Stevens ................New York, N.Y. 13 ......David Weiner ..................Rego Park, N.Y. 14 ......Sidharth Chawla ............New York, N.Y. 15 ......Blake Frank ....................New York, N.Y. 16 ......David Dylan Pines ..........New York, N.Y. 17 ......Christian Rabinowitz ......Bayside, N.Y. 18 ......Michael Cooper..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 19 ......Jacob Livianu..................Brooklyn, N.Y. 20 ......Pieter Wernink ................New York, N.Y. 21 ......Jeffrey Yu ........................Forest Hills, N.Y. 22 ......Leonidas Vrailas ............New York, N.Y. 23 ......Brandon Torres ..............Bronx, N.Y. 24 ......Isaac Rose-Berman ......Brooklyn, N.Y. 25 ......Anthony Cataldo ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 26 ......Noah Edelman................New York, N.Y. 27 ......Jonathan Glinsky............Brooklyn, N.Y. 28 ......Rudolph Merlin ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 29 ......Joseph Shulkin ..............Staten Island, N.Y. 30 ......Scott Fischer ..................New York, N.Y. 31 ......Jace Alexander ..............New York, N.Y. 32 ......Sadi Gulcelik ..................New York, N.Y. 33 ......John-Tomas Bilski..........New York, N.Y. 34 ......Landon Vass ..................Brooklyn, N.Y. 35 ......Eitan Trantz ....................Bronx, N.Y. 36 ......Gabriel Rissman ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 37 ......Winter Forest FagerbergNew York, N.Y. 38 ......Elias Rabayev ................Brooklyn, N.Y. 39 ......Alfi von Auersperg ..........New York, N.Y. 40 ......Noah Eisenberg..............New York, N.Y.

Metro Boys 14 Singles Rank ..Name................................City 1 ........Derek Lung ....................Brooklyn, N.Y. 2 ........Andrew Zucker ..............New York, N.Y. 3 ........Barak Harari....................Hollis, N.Y. 4 ........Adam Bernstein..............New York, N.Y. 5 ........Kermal Aziz ....................Staten Island, N.Y. 6 ........David Moldovan ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 7 ........Nicholas Pustilnik ..........Brooklyn, N.Y. 8 ........Robert Millman ..............New York, N.Y. 9 ........Kevin Yan ........................Brooklyn, N.Y. 10 ......Henry Hochfelder ..........New York, N.Y. 11 ......Ray Fishman ..................New York, N.Y. 12 ......Peter Frelinghuysen ......New York, N.Y. 13 ......Emil Nadyrbekov............Brooklyn, N.Y. 14 ......Mizel Stevens ................New York, N.Y. 15 ......Leaf Fagerberg ..............New York, N.Y. 16 ......Leonidas Vrailas ............New York, N.Y. 17 ......Daniel Corona ................Fresh Meadows, N.Y. 18 ......Wiley Schubert ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 19 ......Daniel Ertel......................New York, N.Y. 20 ......Tanner Ross Bhonslay ..New York, N.Y. 21 ......Noah Solano ..................Brooklyn, N.Y. 22 ......Jordan Rey-Anatole ......Brooklyn, N.Y. 23 ......Horia Negru ....................Middle Village, N.Y. 24 ......Jorge Arenas ..................Bronx, N.Y. 25 ......Christopher Toub............New York, N.Y. 26 ......Brandon Zhang ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 27 ......Zachary Portnoy ............New York, N.Y. 28 ......Max Lederman ..............New York, N.Y. 29 ......Robert Shinder ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 30 ......Daniel Schaw..................New York, N.Y. 31 ......Alex Huynh......................Astoria, N.Y.

YORK

32 ......Mark Karpovas ..............Staten Island, N.Y. 33 ......Jack Metzger..................New York, N.Y. 34 ......Christopher Kolesnik......Staten Island, N.Y. 35 ......Ben Warren ....................New York, N.Y. 36 ......Nicholas Kingsley ..........New York, N.Y. 37 ......Teddy Friedman..............New York, N.Y. 38 ......Jeffrey Yu ........................Forest Hills, N.Y. 39 ......Gabriel Sifuentes ............Flushing, N.Y. 40 ......Zachary Targoff ..............New York, N.Y.

Metro Boys 16 Singles Rank ..Name................................City 1 ........Kevin Huynh ..................Astoria, N.Y. 2 ........Samuel Caloras ..............Little Neck, N.Y. 3 ........Leonard Margolis............Brooklyn, N.Y. 4 ........David Farina....................New York N.Y. 5 ........Leonardo Escudero........Ozone Park, N.Y. 6 ........Christopher Huynh ........Astoria, N.Y. 7 ........Adam Bernstein..............New York, N.Y. 8 ........Michael Jasienowski......Middle Village, N.Y. 9 ........Kristjan Tomasson..........New York, N.Y. 10 ......Robert Millman ..............New York, N.Y. 11 ......Sam Krevlin ....................New York, N.Y. 12 ......Gabriel Kramer-Garcia ..New York, N.Y. 13 ......William Trang ..................Staten Island, N.Y. 14 ......Adam Borak....................Brooklyn, N.Y. 15 ......Peter Sillis ......................Brooklyn, N.Y. 16 ......Garrett Sopko ................Brooklyn, N.Y. 17 ......Bojidar Todorov ..............Rego Park, N.Y. 18 ......Kumiel Hosain ................New York, N.Y. 19 ......Douglas Nover................Bayside, N.Y. 20 ......Andrew Hauser ..............New York, N.Y. 21 ......Massimo DeCarvalho ....Forest Hills, N.Y. 22 ......Mitchel Voloshin ............Staten Island, N.Y. 23 ......Andreja Radevic ............New York, N.Y. 24 ......Sam Vagner ....................Staten Island, N.Y. 25 ......Adam Chan ....................New York, N.Y. 26 ......Christian Gloria ..............Queens Village, N.Y. 27 ......Evan Liberman................New York, N.Y. 28 ......Xavier Pacthod ................New York, N.Y. 29 ......Ray Fishman ..................New York, N.Y. 30 ......Ira Rey-Anatole ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 31 ......Marc Betito ....................Floral Park, N.Y. 32 ......Josh Charap ..................New York, N.Y. 33 ......Andrew Penn..................New York, N.Y. 34 ......Eric Ryklin ......................New York, N.Y. 35 ......Jordan Rey-Anatole ......Brooklyn, N.Y. 36 ......Tal Vicario........................New York, N.Y. 37 ......Jonathan Tse ..................Staten Island, N.Y. 38 ......Barak Harari....................Hollis, N.Y. 39 ......Michael Sklar ..................New York, N.Y. 40 ......Massimo Costantini ......New York, N.Y.

Metro Boys 18 Singles Rank ..Name................................City 1 ........David N. Zhukovsky ......Brooklyn, N.Y. 2 ........Jonathan Cohen ............New York, N.Y. 3 ........Joshua Freud..................New York, N.Y. 4 ........Jordan Selig....................New York, N.Y. 5 ........Stefan Radevic ..............New York, N.Y. 6 ........Kevin Ching ....................Bayside, N.Y. 7 ........Lorenzo Soo ..................New York, N.Y. 8 ........Justin Selig......................New York, N.Y. 9 ........Christopher Huynh ........Astoria, N.Y. 10 ......Michael Lesser ..............New York, N.Y. 11 ......Josh Weiner ....................New York, N.Y. 12 ......Sean Solomonoff............New York, N.Y. 13 ......Nolan Crawford ..............New York, N.Y. 14 ......Jordan Jordan ................Astoria, N.Y. 15 ......Matthew Glaser ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 16 ......Kumeil Hosain ................New York, N.Y. 17 ......Enrique Torres ................Brooklyn, N.Y. 18 ......Kristan Tomasson ..........New York, N.Y. 19 ......Kevin Huynh ..................Astoria, N.Y. 20 ......Michael Leon ..................Woodhaven, N.Y. 21 ......Alexander Fallone ..........New York, N.Y. 22 ......Zachary Kaplan ..............New York, N.Y.

RANKINGS GIRLS Metro Girls 12 Singles

38 ......Claire Bergerson ............Forest Hills, N.Y. 39 ......Rebecca Krupatkin ........Brooklyn, N.Y.

Rank ..Name................................City

Metro Girls 16 Singles

1 ........Nadejda Maslova ..........Brooklyn, N.Y. 2 ........Sabrina Boada................Woodhaven, N.Y. 3 ........Miriam Aziz ....................Staten Island, N.Y. 4 ........Isabella Cooper ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 5 ........Christina Huynh..............Astoria, N.Y. 6 ........Lorraine Bergmann ........Forest Hills, N.Y. 7 ........Theodora Vrailas ............New York, N.Y. 8 ........Karolina Lankamer ........Brooklyn, N.Y. 9 ........Dakota Fordham ............New York, N.Y. 10 ......Maryna Bohdanovska....Brooklyn, N.Y. 11 ......Anna Tselikovskaya........New York, N.Y. 12 ......Zoe Kava ........................New York, N.Y. 13 ......Kyra Bergmann ..............Forest Hills, N.Y. 14 ......Caroline Kantor ..............New York, N.Y. 15 ......Isabella Hartman ............New York, N.Y. 16 ......Anastasya Menshikova..Brooklyn, N.Y. 17 ......Diana Sosonkin ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 18 ......Lena Kovacevic..............New York, N.Y. 19 ......Elisabeth Schlossel ........New York, N.Y. 20 ......Tiana Fernandez ............Bronx, N.Y. 21 ......Shakima Hotaki ..............Flushing, N.Y. 22 ......Gabriella Kashulsky........Brooklyn, N.Y. 23 ......Jean Soo ........................Flushing, N.Y. 24 ......Naomi Park ....................New York, N.Y. 25 ......Steffi Antao ....................Briarwood, N.Y. 26 ......Daniella Benabraham ....New York, N.Y. 27 ......Julia Sachman................New York, N.Y. 28 ......Sofie Levine ....................New York, N.Y. 29 ......Rachel Rubenzahl ..........New York, N.Y. 30 ......Tomi Alalade ..................Rosedale, N.Y. 31 ......Maxine Zaretsky ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 32 ......Isabella Tushaj ................Bronx, N.Y. 33 ......Amy Kaplan ....................Brooklyn, N.Y. 34 ......Samantha Fischer ..........New York, N.Y. 35 ......Rebecca Sitkovetsky ....Staten Island, N.Y. 36 ......Danielle Kezeli ................Staten Island, N.Y. 37 ......Bella Kaplan....................New York, N.Y. 38 ......Diana McCready ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 39 ......Audrey Pacthod..............New York, N.Y. 40 ......Rebecca Fisch................New York, N.Y.

1 ........Hediye Karabay..............Flushing, N.Y. 2 ........Keri Anne Picciochi ........Flushing, N.Y. 3 ........Nicole Serras ..................Whitestone, N.Y. 4 ........Electra Frelinghuysen ....New York, N.Y. 5 ........Anika Pornpitaksuk ........Flushing, N.Y. 6 ........Emi Lewis........................New York, N.Y. 7 ........Jennifer Yu ......................Forest Hills, N.Y. 8 ........Erika Tinalli......................Brooklyn, N.Y. 9 ........Zorriana Johnson ..........New York, N.Y. 10 ......Nicole Schnabel ............Woodhaven, N.Y. 11 ......Alexus Gill ......................Brooklyn, N.Y. 12 ......Keren Khromchenko ......Staten Island, N.Y. 13 ......Alesssandra Ricciardi ....Howard Beach, N.Y. 14 ......Vania Savic......................Woodside, N.Y. 15 ......Anna Tselikovskaya........New York, N.Y. 16 ......Victoria Zezula ................Ridgewood, N.Y. 17 ......Kiarah Williams ..............Bronx, N.Y. 18 ......Anna Kaplan ..................New York, N.Y. 19 ......Sofia Aisiks......................New York, N.Y. 20 ......Paolina Zanki ..................Astoria, N.Y. 21 ......Gaelle Conille..................New York, N.Y. 22 ......Reena Sarkar..................New York, N.Y. 23 ......Jenna Borenstein ..........New York, N.Y. 24 ......Yifei Wang ......................Little Neck, N.Y. 25 ......Monique Magyar ............New York, N.Y. 26 ......Savannah George ..........Bronx, N.Y. 27 ......Lindsay Jadow ..............New York, N.Y. 28 ......Sarah Hirschfield ............New York, N.Y. 29 ......Alicia Ng..........................Howard Beach, N.Y. 30 ......Donna Episcopio............Bayside, N.Y. 31 ......Brittany Biggs ................Bronx, N.Y. 32 ......Marion Goldberg ............New York, N.Y. 33 ......Soraya Cornille ..............New York, N.Y. 34 ......Jade Barnett-Irons ........New York, N.Y. 35 ......Noa Haninovich..............New York, N.Y. 36 ......Bria Heyward..................Brinx, N.Y.

Metro Girls 14 Singles Rank ..Name................................City 1 ........Jennifer Yu ......................Forest Hills, N.Y. 2 ........Olivia Morris....................Floral Park, N.Y. 3 ........Victoria Zezula ................Ridgewood, N.Y. 4 ........Donna Marie Episcopio Bayside, N.Y. 5 ........Sarah Hirschfield ............New York, N.Y. 6 ........Christina Huynh..............Astoria, N.Y. 7 ........Nicole Khorosh ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 8 ........Marierose Apice ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 9 ........Veronika Semenova ......Brooklyn, N.Y. 10 ......Alice Pinho......................Woodside, N.Y. 11 ......Kyra Bergmann ..............Forest Hills, N.Y. 12 ......Isabelle Rovinski ............New York, N.Y. 13 ......Autumn Greco ................Staten Island, N.Y. 14 ......Amalia Parrish ................Queens Village, N.Y. 15 ......Alessandra Ricciardi ......Howard Beach, N.Y. 16 ......Brooke Jin ......................New York, N.Y. 17 ......Olga Drahanchuk ..........Brooklyn, N.Y. 18 ......Rosa Aksanova ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 19 ......Kayla Schumacher ........Brooklyn, N.Y. 20 ......Anna Maite Kaplan ........New York, N.Y. 21 ......Isabella Tushaj ................Bronx, N.Y. 22 ......Rachel Okin ....................New York, N.Y. 23 ......Jean Soo ........................Flushing, N.Y. 24 ......Rosie Garcia ..................New York, N.Y. 25 ......Alexandra Miasnikova....Rego Park, N.Y. 26 ......Anu Alalade ....................Rosedale, N.Y. 27 ......Maria Kogarova ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 28 ......Grace Parker ..................New York, N.Y. 29 ......Julia Sachman................New York, N.Y. 30 ......Victoria Judy Hanuman..Brooklyn, N.Y. 31 ......Emma Gray ....................New York, N.Y. 32 ......Miriam Aziz ....................Staten Island, N.Y. 33 ......Samantha Fischer ..........New York, N.Y. 34 ......Mia Simone Parrish........Queens Village, N.Y. 35 ......Cheyenne Jenkins..........Bronx, N.Y. 36 ......Julia Kirsh........................New York, N.Y. 37 ......Chloe Trang ....................Staten Island, N.Y.

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2013 • NYTennisMag.com

Rank ..Name................................City

Metro Girls 18 Singles Rank ..Name................................City 1 ........Nicole Serras ..................Whitestone, N.Y. 2 ........Hediye Karabay..............Flushing, N.Y. 3 ........Priscilla Signore ..............Staten Island, N.Y. 4 ........Bianca Signore ..............Staten Island, N.Y. 5 ........Alexus Gill ......................Brooklyn, N.Y. 6 ........Kyra Bergmann ..............Forest Hills, N.Y. 7 ........Champagne Mills ..........New York, N.Y. 8 ........Nicole Schnabel ............Woodhaven, N.Y.

Boys & Girls Sectional Rankings (as of 04/08/13)

BOYS Sectional Boys 12 Singles— Metro Region Rank ..Name ..........................City 3 ........Ethan Leon......................Woodhaven, N.Y. 10 ......Igor Maslov ....................Brooklyn, N.Y. 12 ......Shand Stephens ............New York, N.Y. 17 ......Steven Daniel Nazaroff ..Brooklyn, N.Y. 20 ......Jeffrey Fradkin ................New York, N.Y. 24 ......Derek Raskopf................New York, N.Y. 25 ......Jonah Jurick ..................New York, N.Y. 26 ......Christopher Tham ..........Flushing, N.Y. 27 ......Kemal Irfan Aziz..............Staten Island, N.Y. 32 ......Lantis Wang....................New York, N.Y. 36 ......Robbie Werdiger ............New York, N.Y. 41 ......Will Coad ........................New York, N.Y. 42 ......Nicholas Pustilnik ..........Brooklyn, N.Y. 50 ......Shawn Jackson..............Staten Island, N.Y. 53 ......Alexander Chiu ..............New York, N.Y. 54 ......Aleksa Pljakic..................Forest Hills, N.Y. 64 ......Harry Portnoy ................New York, N.Y. 68 ......Kai Yuminaga..................Little Neck, N.Y.

NEW 69 ......Jeffrey McCready ..........Brooklyn, N.Y. 70 ......Alex Portnoy ..................New York, N.Y. 72 ......Garrett Chao ..................New York, N.Y. 74 ......Alexander Nielsen ..........New York, N.Y. 75 ......Noah Edelman................New York, N.Y. 76 ......Alexander Petrov............Middle Village, N.Y. 79 ......Maxwell Kachkarov........Flushing, N.Y. 86 ......David Krasner ................Staten Island, N.Y. 87 ......Scott Fischer ..................New York, N.Y. 89 ......Brandon Cohen..............New York, N.Y. 91 ......Ameer Hossain ..............New York, N.Y. 94 ......Tristan Taylor ..................New York, N.Y. 95 ......Eitan Khromchenko........Staten Island, N.Y. 97 ......Derrick Mu ......................Oakland Gardens, N.Y. 100 ....Joseph Wilkanowski ......Long Island City, N.Y. 105 ....Teddy Brodsky................New York, N.Y. 108 ....Ethan Finley ....................New York, N.Y. 110 ....Michael Cooper..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 111 ....Wesley Zhang ................Staten Island, N.Y. 115 ....Stevan Stojkovic ............Flushing, N.Y. 120 ....David Weiner ..................Rego Park, N.Y. 121 ....Zachary Portnoy ............New York, N.Y. 128 ....Tyler Kats ........................Astoria, N.Y. 132 ....Jonathan Glinsky............Brooklyn, N.Y. 133 ....Jace Alexander ..............New York, N.Y. 140 ....Elias Rabayev ................Brooklyn, N.Y. 141 ....Marcos Lee ....................New York, N.Y. 146 ....Adam Sonntag ..............New York, N.Y. 147 ....Joseph Shulkin ..............Staten Island, N.Y.

Sectional Boys 14 Singles— Metro Region Rank ..Name ..........................City 7 ........Aleksandar Kovacevic ..New York, N.Y. 9 ........Jordan Jordan ................Astoria, N.Y. 14 ......Sumit Sarkar .................. New York, N.Y. 20 ......Calvin Chung ..................Bronx, N.Y. 41 ......Mitchell Ostrovsky..........Brooklyn, N.Y. 55 ......Max Prohorov ................Rego Park, N.Y. 56 ......Zachary Lieb ..................New York, N.Y. 71 ......James Dill........................New York, N.Y. 72 ......David Mizrahi..................Brooklyn, N.Y. 74 ......Tyler Pasko......................Staten Island, N.Y. 81 ......Gary Fishkin....................Staten Island, N.Y. 86 ......Ethan Moszkowski ........New York, N.Y. 92 ......Adam Bernstein..............New York, N.Y. 101 ....Jeffrey Gorilovsky ..........Brooklyn, N.Y. 104 ....Ethan Leon......................Woodhaven, N.Y. 109 ....Oliver Jevtovic ................Astoria, N.Y. 111 ....Kemal Irfan Aziz..............Staten Island, N.Y. 116 ....Jacob Kern ....................New York, N.Y. 119 ....Philip Raytburg ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 122 ....Jordan Rey-Anatole ......Brooklyn, N.Y. 123 ....Sam Vagner ....................Staten Island, N.Y. 126 ....Emil Nadyrbekov............Brooklyn, N.Y. 131 ....Christopher Kolesnik......Staten Island, N.Y. 133 ....Philip Belmatch ..............Staten Island, N.Y. 137 ....Giacomo Eisler ..............New York, N.Y. 140 ....Allan Magid ....................Brooklyn, N.Y. 141 ....Andreja Radevic ............New York, N.Y.

Sectional Boys 16 Singles— Metro Region Rank ..Name ..........................City 11 ......Oliver Sec........................New York, N.Y. 15 ......Artemie Amari ................New York, N.Y. 20 ......Cameron Daniels............Oakland Gardens, N.Y. 21 ......Victor Miglo ....................Kew Gardens, N.Y. 23 ......James Wasserman ........New York, N.Y. 25 ......Christopher Paul Auteri..Staten Island, N.Y. 27 ......Marcus Smith ................Little Neck, N.Y. 36 ......Felipe Osses-Konig........Rego Park, N.Y. 37 ......Edan Sossen ..................Oakland Gardens, N.Y. 39 ......Gal Sossen ....................Oakland Gardens, N.Y. 45 ......Alexander Thrane ..........New York, N.Y. 46 ......Ananth Raghavan ..........New York, N.Y. 53 ......Ethan Nittolo ..................Flushing, N.Y. 54 ......Jack Haroche ................New York, N.Y. 69 ......Jun Yuminaga ................Little Neck, N.Y. 72 ......Maurice Russo ..............New York, N.Y. 74 ......Alexander Pintilie............New York, N.Y. 83 ......Cole Gittens....................New York, N.Y. 84 ......Jacob Frisch ..................New York, N.Y.

YORK

86 ......Michael Anzalone ..........Howard Beach, N.Y. 88 ......Noah Sutter ....................New York, N.Y. 96 ......Jordan Jordan ................Astoria, N.Y. 97 ......Zachary Kaplan ..............New York, N.Y. 127 ....Antony Jippov ................New York, N.Y. 131 ....William Trang ..................Staten Island, N.Y. 134 ....Michael Pisarek ..............Forest Hills, N.Y. 142 ....Christian Gloria ..............Queens Village, N.Y. 147 ....Andrew Hauser ..............New York, N.Y. 148 ....Aleksandar Kovacevic ..New York, N.Y. 149 ....Alex Chao ......................New York, N.Y. 150 ....Evan Liberman................New York, N.Y.

RANKINGS 131 ....Anna Tselikovskaya........New York, N.Y. 134 ....Sophia Weiland ..............Ridgewood, N.Y. 139 ....Shakima Hotaki ..............Flushing, N.Y. 140 ....Isabella Sifuentes ..........Flushing, N.Y. 143 ....Theodora Vrailas ............New York, N.Y. 144 ....Rebecca Izyayeva ..........Staten Island, N.Y. 145 ....Elisabeth Schlossel ........New York, N.Y. 148 ....Anita Wright ....................New York, N.Y.

Sectional Girls 14 Singles— Metro Region Rank ..Name ..........................City

Sectional Boys 18 Singles— Metro Region Rank ..Name ..........................City 3 ........Joshua Yablon................New York, N.Y. 10 ......Justin Fields....................New York, N.Y. 12 ......Artemie Amari ................New York, N.Y. 15 ......Lucas Pickering..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 17 ......Courtney Jaycen Murphy Bronx, N.Y. 23 ......Richard Sec ....................New York, N.Y. 26 ......Sachin Raghavan ..........New York, N.Y. 39 ......Ryoma Haraguchi ..........New York, N.Y. 46 ......Daniel Kerznerman ........Brooklyn, N.Y. 47 ......Oliver Sec........................New York, N.Y. 52 ......Win Smith........................Brooklyn, N.Y. 78 ......Jonathan Selegean ........East Elmhurst, N.Y. 85 ......Zachary Yablon ..............New York, N.Y. 93 ......Steven Koulouris ............Long Island City, N.Y. 110 ....Victor Miglo ....................Kew Gardens, N.Y. 112 ....Christopher Auteri ..........Staten Island, N.Y. 123 ....Alexander Pintilie............New York, N.Y. 125 ....Michael Anzalone ..........Howard Beach, N.Y. 126 ....Mark Semerik ................Brooklyn, N.Y. 132 ....Alexis Cai ........................Woodhaven, N.Y. 143 ....Andrew Arnaboldi ..........New York, N.Y. 147 ....Jordan Selig....................New York, N.Y.

GIRLS Sectional Girls 12 Singles— Metro Region Rank ..Name ..........................City 3 ........Dasha Kourkina..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 4 ........Michelle Sorokko............Douglaston, N.Y. 7 ........Nicole Semenov ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 9 ........Shelly Yaloz ....................Little Neck, N.Y. 14 ......Chelsea Williams ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 20 ......Christina Huynh..............Astoria, N.Y. 22 ......Katherine Kachkarov......Flushing, N.Y. 23 ......Anastasia Koniaev..........Forest Hills, N.Y. 25 ......Miriam Aziz ....................Staten Island, N.Y. 28 ......Dakota Fordham ............New York, N.Y. 31 ......Kyra Bergmann ..............Forest Hills, N.Y. 32 ......Elvina Kalieva..................Staten Island, N.Y. 34 ......Rosie Gross ....................New York, N.Y. 42 ......Diana McCready ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 43 ......Marie Ivantechenko........Brooklyn, N.Y. 46 ......Isabella Tushaj ................Bronx, N.Y. 47 ......Najah Dawson ................Rosedale, N.Y. 52 ......Diana Sosonkin ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 54 ......Nadejda Maslova ..........Brooklyn, N.Y. 55 ......Carolyn Brodsky ............New York, N.Y. 56 ......Steffi Antao ....................Briarwood, N.Y. 57 ......Perene Wang ..................New York, N.Y. 60 ......Sonia Tartakovsky ..........New York, N.Y. 61 ......Amanda Solecki ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 71 ......Sabrina Boada................Woodhaven, N.Y. 73 ......Zoe Kava ........................New York, N.Y. 82 ......Gabriella Eitkis................Brooklyn, N.Y. 83 ......Audrey Pacthod..............New York, N.Y. 87 ......Giuliana Gibson..............Bayside, N.Y. 88 ......Isabella Cooper ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 94 ......Caroline Kantor ..............New York, N.Y. 95 ......Sarah Finley ....................New York, N.Y. 96 ......Sofie Levine ....................New York, N.Y. 100 ....Lorraine Bergmann ........Forest Hills, N.Y. 106 ....Anastasya Menshikova..Brooklyn, N.Y. 121 ....Emily Moczulski..............Oakland Gardens, N.Y. 124 ....Karolina Lankamer ........Brooklyn, N.Y. 125 ....Lena Kovacevic..............New York, N.Y. 127 ....Rebecca Fisch................New York, N.Y.

6 ........Brianna Williams ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 12 ......Aleksandra Bekirova ......Brooklyn, N.Y. 13 ......Alexus Gill ......................Brooklyn, N.Y. 19 ......Alexandra Koniaev ........Forest Hills, N.Y. 21 ......Nicole Semenov ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 22 ......Lauren Munari ................Middle Village, N.Y. 25 ......Regina Furer ..................Brooklyn, N.Y. 29 ......Victoria Sec ....................New York, N.Y. 39 ......Anastasiya Malinouskaya....Staten Island, N.Y. 42 ......Jennifer Yu ......................Forest Hills, N.Y. 44 ......Stephanie Li....................New York, N.Y. 47 ......Michelle Khaimov ..........Jamaica, N.Y. 48 ......Patricia Obeid ................New York, N.Y. 58 ......Michelle Sorokko............Little Neck, N.Y. 64 ......Lisa Marchelska..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 65 ......Sydney Katz....................New York, N.Y. 72 ......Isabel Balilo ....................Flushing, N.Y. 76 ......Christina Huynh..............Astoria, N.Y. 80 ......Sabrina Abrams..............New York, N.Y. 81 ......Dasha Kourkina..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 83 ......Chelsea Williams ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 88 ......Anna Kaplan ..................New York, N.Y. 93 ......Katherine Kachkarov......Flushing, N.Y. 106 ....Kyra Bergmann ..............Forest Hills, N.Y. 109 ....Alexa Nobandegani........New York, N.Y. 113 ....Anastasia Koniaev..........Forest Hills, N.Y. 116 ....Amalia Parrish ................Queens Village, N.Y. 117 ....Brittny Ferreira ................Brooklyn,, N.Y. 118 ....Shelly Yaloz ....................Little Neck, N.Y. 119 ....Lia Kiam ..........................New York, N.Y. 125 ....Olivia Morris....................Floral Park, N.Y. 126 ....Victoria Zezula ................Ridgewood, N.Y. 135 ....Olga Drahanchuk ..........Brooklyn, N.Y. 145 ....Yelizaveta Aginskaya......Brooklyn, N.Y.

Sectional Girls 16 Singles— Metro Region Rank ..Name ..........................City 6 ........Arnelle Sullivan ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 7 ........Jessica Golovin ..............New York, N.Y. 10 ......Sabrina Xiong ................Fresh Meadows, N.Y. 12 ......Elizabeth Tsvetkov..........Brooklyn, N.Y. 13 ......Jessica Livianu ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 17 ......Anna Ulyashchenko ......Brooklyn, N.Y. 25 ......Nia Rose ........................New York, N.Y. 26 ......Brianna Williams ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 31 ......Shayna Spooner ............New York, N.Y. 37 ......Sophia Kryloff ................Brooklyn, N.Y. 38 ......Isis Gill ............................Brooklyn, N.Y. 40 ......Christina Puccinelli ........New York, N.Y. 45 ......Stefani Lineva ................Middle Village, N.Y. 48 ......Anastasiya Malinouskaya ..Staten Island, N.Y. 53 ......Alexus Gill ......................Brooklyn, N.Y. 56 ......Jillian Auteri ....................Staten Island, N.Y. 63 ......Yuka Lin ..........................Kew Gardens, N.Y. 66 ......Michelle Khaimov ..........Jamaica, N.Y. 68 ......Illana Levich ....................Staten Island, N.Y. 75 ......Alexandra Koniaev ........Forest Hills, N.Y. 80 ......Tristan Lorich ..................New York, N.Y. 87 ......Julia Zbarsky ..................New York, N.Y. 100 ....Julia Fisch ......................New York, N.Y. 111 ....Keren Khromchenko ......Staten Island, N.Y. 112 ....Sofia Aisiks......................New York, N.Y. 113 ....Nicole Schnabel ............Woodhaven, N.Y. 123 ....Jenna Borenstein ..........New York, N.Y. 124 ....Erika Tinalli......................Brooklyn, N.Y. 125 ....Zorriana Johnson ..........New York, N.Y. 127 ....Champagne Mills ..........New York, N.Y. 134 ....Anika Pornpitaksuk ........Fkushing, N.Y. 135 ....Anna Kaplan ..................New York, N.Y. 138 ....Alana Davidson ..............Bayside, N.Y.

140 ....Jennifer Yu ......................Forest Hills, N.Y.

Sectional Girls 18 Singles— Metro Region Rank ..Name ..........................City 6 ........Ariana D. Rodriguez ......Bronx, N.Y. 10 ......Samantha P. Tutelman ..New York, N.Y. 13 ......Nadia Smergut................New York, N.Y. 15 ......Emily Safron....................New York, N.Y. 18 ......Hannah Shteyn ..............Staten Island, N.Y. 21 ......Jessica Golovin ..............New York, N.Y. 25 ......Lily Bondy ......................Brooklyn, N.Y. 26 ......Destiny Grunin................Brooklyn, N.Y. 28 ......Alexa Meltzer ..................New York, N.Y. 33 ......Denise Starr ....................Brooklyn, N.Y. 51 ......Paulina Velasquez ..........Kew Gardens, N.Y. 54 ......Kimberly Salkin ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 68 ......Ilana Levich ....................Staten Island, N.Y. 69 ......Anastasiya Malinouskaya ..Staten Island, N.Y. 73 ......Arnelle Sullivan ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 78 ......Nia Rose ........................New York, N.Y. 85 ......Isis Gill ............................Brooklyn, N.Y. 86 ......Anna Ulyashchenko ......Brooklyn, N.Y. 92 ......Elizabeth Tsvetkov..........Brooklyn, N.Y. 97 ......Shayna Spooner ............New York, N.Y. 100 ....Kyra Silitch......................New York, N.Y. 103 ....Sabrina Xiong ................Fresh Meadows, N.Y. 108 ....Laura Chitu ....................New York, N.Y. 111 ....Nakia Miller ....................Rosedale, N.Y. 113 ....Augusta Conway............New York, N.Y. 119 ....Vania Savic......................Woodside, N.Y. 138 ....Katie Derienzo ................Douglaston, N.Y. 140 ....Tristan Lorich ..................New York, N.Y. 144 ....Sophia Schlossel............New York, N.Y. 149 ....Victoria Zoha ..................New York, N.Y. 150 ....Anika Pornpitaksuk ........Flushing, N.Y.

Boys & Girls National Rankings (as of 04/10/13)

BOYS National Boys 12 Singles— Metro Region Rank ..Name ..........................City 96 ......Ethan Leon......................Woodhaven, N.Y. 149 ....Alexander Chiu ..............New York, N.Y. 180 ....Derek Raskopf................New York, N.Y. 298 ....Jeffrey Fradkin ................New York, N.Y. 347 ....Igor Maslov ....................Brooklyn, N.Y. 354 ....Shand Stephens ............New York, N.Y. 356 ....Kemal Aziz ......................Staten Island, N.Y. 374 ....Steven Nazaroff..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 442 ....Jonah Jurick ..................New York, N.Y. 454 ....Christopher Tham ..........Flushing, N.Y. 566 ....Nicholas Pustilnik ..........Brooklyn, N.Y. 575 ....Robbie Werdiger ............New York, N.Y. 673 ....Lantis Wang....................New York, N.Y. 674 ....Aleksa Pljakic..................Forest Hills, N.Y. 676 ....Will Coad ........................New York, N.Y. 721 ....Alexander Nielsen ..........New York, N.Y. 732 ....Shawn Jackson..............Staten Island, N.Y. 733 ....Tristan Taylor ..................New York, N.Y. 749 ....Garrett Chao ..................New York, N.Y. 761 ....Alex Portnoy ..................New York, N.Y. 784 ....Noah Edelman................New York, N.Y. 863 ....Harry Portnoy ................New York, N.Y. 922 ....Alexander Petrov............Middle Village, N.Y. 924 ....Derrick Mu ......................Oakland Gardens, N.Y. 974 ....Kai Yuminaga..................Little Neck, N.Y. 976 ....Richard Zusman ............Brooklyn, N.Y.

National Boys 14 Singles— Metro Region Rank ..Name ..........................City 61 ......Aleksandar Kovacevic ..New York, N.Y. 95 ......Jordan Jordan ................Astoria, N.Y. 145 ....Philip Raytburg ..............Brooklyn, N.Y.

NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2013 • New York Tennis Magazine

NEW

277 ....Justin Fields....................New York, N.Y. 416 ....Artemie Amari ................New York, N.Y. 467 ....Courtney Murphy ..........Bronx, N.Y. 484 ....Ryoma Haraguchi ..........New York, N.Y. 514 ....Sachin Raghavan ..........New York, N.Y. 596 ....Zachary Yablon ..............New York, N.Y. 611 ....Lucas Pickering..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 648 ....Richard Sec ....................New York, N.Y. 747 ....Win Smith........................Brooklyn, N.Y. 834 ....Jonathan Selegean ........East Elmhurst, N.Y.

147 ....Mitchell Ostrovsky..........Brooklyn, N.Y. 234 ....Sumit Sarkar ..................New York, N.Y. 556 ....Calvin Chung ..................Bronx, N.Y. 660 ....Gary Fishkin....................Staten Island, N.Y. 740 ....James Dill........................New York, N.Y. 768 ....Jeffrey Gorilovsky ..........Brooklyn, N.Y.

National Boys 16 Singles— Metro Region Rank ..Name ..........................City 64 ......James Wasserman ........New York, N.Y. 86 ......Oliver Sec........................New York, N.Y. 153 ....Victor Miglo ....................Kew Gardens, N.Y. 216 ....Cameron Daniels............Oakland Gardens, N.Y. 241 ....Artemie Amari ................New York, N.Y. 274 ....Christopher Auteri ..........Staten Island, N.Y. 351 ....Gal Sossen ....................Oakland Gardens, N.Y. 378 ....Felipe Osses-Konig........Rego Park, N.Y. 400 ....Marcus Smith ................Little Neck, N.Y. 404 ....Edan Sossen ..................Oakland Gardens, N.Y. 721 ....Maurice Russo ..............New York, N.Y. 773 ....Ananth Raghavan ..........New York, N.Y. 782 ....Alexander Thrane ..........New York, N.Y. 812 ....Cole Gittens....................New York, N.Y. 896 ....Jack Haroche ................New York, N.Y. 935 ....Noah Sutetr ....................New York, N.Y. 992 ....Alexander Pintille............New York, N.Y.

National Boys 18 Singles— Metro Region Rank ..Name ..........................City 24 ......Daniel Kerznerman ........Brooklyn, N.Y. 92 ......Joshua Yablon................New York, N.Y.

YORK

GIRLS National Girls 12 Singles— Metro Region Rank ..Name ..........................City 13 ......Dasha Kourkina..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 28 ......Michelle Sorokko............Little Neck, N.Y. 42 ......Chelsea Williams ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 58 ......Nicole Veronica SemenovBrooklyn, N.Y. 63 ......Shelly Yaloz ....................Little Neck, N.Y. 95 ......Katherine Kachkarov......Flushing, N.Y. 145 ....Anastasia Nicole Koniaev Forest Hills, N.Y. 296 ....Christina Huynh..............Astoria, N.Y. 303 ....Marie Ivantechenko........Brooklyn, N.Y. 384 ....Miriam Aziz ....................Staten Island, N.Y. 397 ....Dakota Fordham ............New York, N.Y. 472 ....Isabella Tushaj ................Bronx, N.Y. 530 ....Rosie Garcia Gross ........New York, N.Y. 560 ....Kyra Bergmann ..............Forest Hills, N.Y. 593 ....Elvina Kalieva..................Staten Island, N.Y. 662 ....Steffi Antao ....................Briarwood, N.Y. 675 ....Najah Dawson ................Rosedale, N.Y. 718 ....Sonia Tartakovsky ..........New York, N.Y. 725 ....Nadejda Maslova ..........Brooklyn, N.Y.

RANKINGS 755 ....Diana McCready ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 765 ....Perena Wang ..................New York, N.Y. 768 ....Diana Sosonkin ..............Brooklyn, N.Y.

National Girls 14 Singles— Metro Region Rank ..Name ..........................City 41 ......Brianna Williams ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 189 ....Regina Furer ..................Brooklyn, N.Y. 257 ....Alexandra Koniaev ........Forest Hills, N.Y. 271 ....Victoria Sec ....................New York, N.Y. 277 ....Alexus Gill ......................Brooklyn, N.Y. 373 ....Aleksandra Bekirova ......Brooklyn, N.Y. 486 ....Elizabeth Munari ............Middle Village, N.Y. 636 ....Patricia Obeid ................New York, N.Y. 713 ....Nicole Semenov ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 769 ....Anastasiya Malinouskaya ..Staten Island, N.Y. 796 ....Jennifer Yu ......................Forest Hills, N.Y. 822 ....Stephanie Li....................New York, N.Y. 843 ....Chelsea Williams ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 888 ....Dasha Kourkina..............Brooklyn, N.Y.

National Girls 16 Singles— Metro Region

486 ....Brianna Williams ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 640 ....Anna Ulyashchenko ......Brooklyn, N.Y. 651 ....Stefani Lineva ................Middle Village, N.Y. 663 ....Isis Gill ............................Brooklyn, N.Y. 666 ....Christina Puccinelli ........New York, N.Y. 910 ....Anastasiya Malinouskaya....Staten Island, N.Y. 976 ....Julia Fisch ......................New York, N.Y.

National Girls 18 Singles— Metro Region Rank ..Name ..........................City 38 ......Denise Starr ....................Brooklyn, N.Y. 84 ......Emily Safron....................New York, N.Y. 165 ....Samantha Tutelman ......New York, N.Y. 208 ....Jessica Golovin ..............New York, N.Y. 223 ....Ariana D. Rodriguez ......Bronx, N.Y. 230 ....Hannah Shteyn ..............Staten Island, N.Y. 417 ....Nadia Smergut................New York, N.Y. 440 ....Lily Bondy ......................Brooklyn, N.Y. 474 ....Alexa Meltzer ..................New York, N.Y. 747 ....Destiny Grunin................Brooklyn, N.Y. 954 ....Paulina Velasquez ..........Kew Gardens, N.Y. 976 ....Jessica Livianu ..............Brooklyn, N.Y.

Rank ..Name ..........................City 40 ......Jessica Golovin ..............New York, N.Y. 109 ....Arnelle Sullivan ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 114 ....Sabrina Xiong ................Fresh Meadows, N.Y. 115 ....Jessica Livianu ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 157 ....Elizabeth Tsvetkov..........Brooklyn, N.Y. 291 ....Shayna Spooner ............New York, N.Y. 343 ....Nia Rose ........................New York, N.Y. 438 ....Sophia Kryloff ................Brooklyn, N.Y.

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New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2013 • NYTennisMag.com

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USTA/Metropolitan Region

2013 TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE For detailed information on these and all USTA tournaments, visit tennislink.usta.com/tournaments. MAY 2013 Friday-Sunday, May 3-5 L2R BIYTC’s May Metro Regional New York Junior Tennis and Learning 58-12 Queens Boulevard, Suite 1 • Woodside, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate: BG(18-12)s, SE; QuickStart: BG(10 [60’Court/Orange Ball])s, SE; BG(8 [36’Court/Red Ball])sd, RR Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, Apr. 26 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, call (347) 417-8168.

Friday-Monday, May 24-27 L1B Cunningham Park May Challenger Cunningham Sports Center 19600 Union Turnpike Fresh Meadows, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger: BG(18-14)sd, SE; Open Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player for BG(18-14)sd, SE, Challenger. Maximum fee charged per player is $50 plus the processing fees for the number of events you select. (deadline for entries is Tuesday, May 21 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, call (718) 740-6800.

Friday-Sunday, May 10-12 & Friday-Sunday, May 17-19 L1 Sportime Randall’s Island May 2013 Championships Sportime at Randalls Island 1 Randalls Island • New York, N.Y. Divisions: Championships: B(18)s, SE; G(18-14)s, SE Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Fri, May 3) For more information, call (212) 427-6150.

Friday-Sunday, May 24-125 L3 Sportime at Randall’s Island May 2013 UPS Sportime at Randalls Island 1 Randalls Island New York, N.Y. Divisions: Novice: BG(12)s, RR Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $43.50 per singles player (deadline for entries is Friday, May 17 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, call (646) 783-5301.

Friday-Sunday, May 10-19 Sutton East Men’s May Open Sutton East Tennis Club 488 East 60th Street • New York, N.Y. Divisions: Ranked: M(Op)s, SE Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $70.38 per player (deadline for entries is Thursday, May 9 at 11:00 p.m.) For more information, call (212) 751-3452.

Friday-Sunday, May 31-June 2 L2R NYJTL June Metro Regional NYJTL 754 Thieriot Avenue Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate: Intermediate: BG(18-12)s, SE; QuickStart: BG(8 [36’Court/Red Ball])sd, RR; QuickStart: BG(10 [60’Court/Orange Ball])sd, SE Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $54.25 per player singles (deadline for entries is Saturday, May 25 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, call (347) 417-8176.

Friday-Sunday, May 17-19 & Friday-Sunday, May 24-26 L2O Sportime Randall’s Island April Open Sportime at Randalls Island 1 Randalls Island • New York, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate: BG(16-14)s, SE Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, May 10 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, call (646) 783-5301. Friday-Sunday, May 17-19 L2O Milton Alexander Tennis Championship Co-Op City Tennis Club, NJTL Chapter 100 Donizetti Place (Outdoor Courts behind IS 181) Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate: BG(18,14-12)s, SE Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player singles (deadline for entries is Sunday, May 12 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, call (917) 406-3260.

JUNE 2013 Saturday-Sunday, June 1-9 Mayor’s Cup New York City All-Scholastic Tennis Championship New York Junior Tennis and Learning 5812 Queens Boulevard, Suite 1 Woodside, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate: BG(18-12)sd Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $3.00 for first singles, $3.00 for additional singles/$3.00 for first doubles and $3.00 for additional doubles (entries open Tuesday, April 23) For more information, call (347) 417-8100.

Thursday-Sunday, June 6-9 Jana Hunsaker Memorial USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center Flushing Meadows, Corona Park Flushing, N.Y. Divisions: LM(A)s, FMLC; LM(B)s, FMLC; LM(C)s, FMLC; LM(D)s, FMLC; LW(A)s, FMLC; LM(A)d, SE; LM(B)d, SE; LM(C)d, SE; LM(D)d, SE; LW(A)d, SE; LMW(Op)sd, FRLC; LQ(Op)s, FRLC; LQ(Op)d, FRLC Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $134.88 per player for LM(A)s, FMLC; LM(B)s, FMLC; LM(C)s, FMLC; LM(D)s, FMLC; LW(A)s, FMLC. $3.00 for LM(A)d, SE; LM(B)d, SE; LM(C)d, SE; LM(D)d, SE; LW(A)d, SE. $161.75 per player for LMW(Op)sd, FRLC; LQ(Op)s, FRLC; LQ(Op)d, FRLC. Maximum fee charged per player is $375 plus the processing fees for the number of events you select (deadline for entries is Monday, May 6) For more information, call (718) 760-6200. Friday-Sunday, June 7-9 L1B Bronx International June Challenger + 8U Playday New York Junior Tennis and Learning 58-12 Queens Boulevard, Suite 1 Woodside, N.Y. Divisions: Ranked: Challenger: BG(14-12)s, SE; Challenger: BG(10 [78’Court/Green Ball])s, SE; Challenger: BG(8 [36’Court/Red Ball])sd, RR Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, May 24 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, call (347) 417-8100. Friday-Sunday, June 7-9 & Friday-Sunday, June 14-16 L2O Sportime Randall’s Island June Open Sportime at Randalls Island 1 Randalls Island New York, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate: B(16-14)s, SE; G(16,12)s, SE Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, May 31 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, call (646) 783-5301. Monday-Sunday, June 9-15 USONP—Sectional Qualifying (Eastern) USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center Flushing Meadows, Corona Park Flushing, N.Y. Divisions: USONPMSQ(Op)s, SE; USONPWSQ(Op)s, SE; USONPMDSQ(Op)d, SE Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $108.00 for first singles/$65.00 for first doubles (deadline for entries is Thursday, May 30 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, call (718) 760-6200.

NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2013 • New York Tennis Magazine

USTA/Metropolitan Region

2013 TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE For detailed information on these and all USTA tournaments, visit tennislink.usta.com/tournaments. Friday-Sunday, June 14-16 Sweet 16 Clay Courts Sportime at Randalls Island 1 Randalls Island • New York, N.Y. Divisions: Ranked: G(14)s, COMP; Ranked: G(14)d, SE Surface Type: Clay Entry Fee: $102.63 for one event, $103.12 for two events (deadline for entries is Monday, June 3 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, call (212) 427-5650.

Monday-Friday, June 24-28 L1 West Side June Tennis Championships The West Side Tennis Club 1 Tennis Place Forest Hills, N.Y. Divisions: Championships: BG(18-12)s, SE Surface Type: Clay Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, June 10 at 10:00 p.m.) For more information, call (718) 268-2300.

Friday-Sunday, June 21-23 & Friday-Sunday, June 28-30 L1B Sportime Randall’s Island June 2013 Challenger Sportime at Randalls Island 1 Randalls Island New York, N.Y. Divisions: Championships: BG(18-16)s, SE Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, June 7 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, call (212) 427-6150.

Friday-Sunday, June 25-30 L1B North Shore Towers June Challenger North Shore Towers and Country Club 27286 Grand Central Parkway Floral Park, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger: BG(18-12)s, SE Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $48.88 for first singles/$28.00 for first doubles (entries open Wednesday, April 24 at 7:00 p.m.) For more information, call (718) 428-5030.

Monday-Saturday, June 17-22 & Friday-Sunday, June 28-30 Roosevelt Island NTRP 3.5 Eastern Challenger Series Roosevelt Island Racquet Club 281 Main Street Roosevelt Island, N.Y. Divisions: Ranked: NM(3.5)s, SE Surface Type: Clay Indoor Entry Fee: $65.00 per player (entries close Tuesday, June 18) For more information, call (212) 935-0250.

Friday-Saturday, June 28-29 L3 Sportime RI June 2013 UPS Sportime at Randalls Island 1 Randalls Island New York, N.Y. Divisions: Novice: BG(12)s, RR Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $43.50 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, June 21 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, call (646) 783-5301.

Friday-Sunday, June 28-30 L2R Metro Region BIYTC June Regional NYJTL Bronx International Youth Tennis Center 754 Thieriot Avenue Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Championships: Intermediate: BG(18-12)s, SE; Intermediate: BG(8 [36’Court/Red Ball])sd, RR; Intermediate: BG(10 [78’Court/Green Ball])s, SE Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, June 14 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, call (347) 417-8176. Friday-Sunday, June 28-30 L1 Thomas Blake Championships Harlem Junior Tennis Program 40 West 143rd Street New York, N.Y. Divisions: Championships: BG(16-12)s, SE Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $43.50 per player (entries open Friday, Apr. 19 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, call (212) 491-3738.

USTA Flex League New York City Do you want to work on your singles game, without affecting your USTA rating? Does your schedule make it difficult to play on a USTA League team? USTA’s Flex League may be for you. Flex Leagues allow you to play when it’s convenient for you. The match day, time and location is mutually decided with you and your opponent. Court costs, if any, are split. Registration is now open online at

www.ustaflex.com. Once registration is closed, a schedule will be generated. You will receive a list of opponents and suggested play-by dates. Once the match is played, the scores are recorded online. There are USTA Flex Leagues open in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens. All players registered for Flex Leagues are entered into the USTA Flex League Sweepstakes where the grand prize is a trip

for two to the U.S. Open. Summer registration is open now and closes Friday, May 24 and play begins in June. Staten Island has now joined in on the fun. Men’s and Women’s Leagues are now open at the 3.0, 3.5 and 4.0 Levels. You can find the Staten Island League by searching www.ustaflex.com (NYC-Staten Island).

For more information, e-mail flexleague@live.com. 64

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2013 • NYTennisMag.com

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NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2013 • New York Tennis Magazine