THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE ATLANTA LAWN TENNIS ASSOCIATION, INC.
ALTA, WHERE ATLANTA COMES TO PLAY
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021
2021 PHOTO CONTEST WINNERS
2022 ALTA Executive Committee p. 36 Captain’sCorner p. 42 2021 Gift Guide p. 60
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CONTENTS
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 VOLUME 31 NUMBER 6
40
52
FEATURES
LEAGUE NEWS
36 The ALTA Executive Committee
46
38
ALTA Foundation
40 It’s Win Win for this Unique, High-Performance Tennis Academy
Junior Challenge Ladder
IMPROVING YOUR GAME
4
President’s Letter
8
ALTA Calendars
52
Improve Your Tennis With Better Serve Mechanics
12
Heard Around Atlanta
22
Tennis Headlines
48
Good Question
45
The User Spectrum of the Ball Machine
HEALTH & FITNESS
60
2021 Gift Guide
54
28 Net News Trivia Contest
Enter our trivia contest for a chance to win a prize pack, including a new bag from Adidas!
30 2021 Photo Contest Winners
IN EVERY ISSUE
How To Turn Pre-Match Nerves Into Excitement
Serving Reaches A Whole New Level
Meet Liz Robin, Chimney Springs Women’s B4, the winner of last issue’s trivia contest.
Baked Goods
50
44
Trivia Contest Winner
58
Jensen Zone
Captain’s Corner
28
COURT CUISINE
49
42
EXTRAS
58
My Favorite Gifts For The Active Tennis Athlete To Better Help You Recover
NUTRITION 56
How To Become A Sport Nutrition Intuitive Tennis Player In The New Year
71 Classifieds 72
About ALTA ON THE COVER Our 2021 Photo Contest Overall Winner is Danny Everett with his submission (humor category) of “How to intimidate your opponent!” Turn to p. 30 for all of the winners.
Net News, USPS 553-850, is mailed bimonthly by New South Publishing Inc., 9040 Roswell Road, Suite 210, Atlanta, GA 30350 and is the official publication of the Atlanta Lawn Tennis Association, Inc., © Copyright 2021. Copies are mailed to members as part of their annual dues. Periodicals postage paid at Atlanta, Georgia and additional mailing offices. All rights reserved. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: ALTA, 300 Colonial Center Parkway, Suite 140, Roswell, GA 30076. 2
NETNEWS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021
BLADE V8
RETURN TO THE WILD The new Blade v8 celebrates the return to your natural element of competitive tennis — renewed and reconnected to the game you love.
PRESIDENT’S LETTER
It Has Been An Honor To Serve
O
ur 50th year of league play is
to facilitate play in the leagues they love. Many
wrapping up and so is my term
of our volunteers begin working well before
as ALTA president. We began the
each season starts and continue to assist
year with optimism that things
teams and captains throughout the season.
would slowly return to normal, and many things
Most of our volunteers play in our leagues,
have done just that. We’ve returned to our
and some of them have been volunteering
original format of best two out of three sets. We’ve seen some teams and facilities begin to offer food and
for more than 30 years. This volunteer force, along with a small but mighty office staff, keep ALTA
refreshments at the matches. Our City Finals are once again
running smoothly. I know that I would have been lost this year
being held at neutral sites, with a slightly modified format to
without the support of many of them.
keep spectator loads more manageable. While the pandemic
Going into 2022 and our second 50 years, the future looks
is certainly not over, we appreciate that so many of our
bright for ALTA. I know that 2022 ALTA President Lamar
members feel safe playing tennis in our leagues.
Scott will do an excellent job. His enthusiasm for tennis
ALTA has certainly grown since league play was first
and commitment to service will make him an outstanding
introduced. At the conclusion of our first season of league
representative of our organization. It has been an honor to
play back in 1971, we had approximately 900 members. There
serve as your ALTA president in 2021. Tennis has positively
were only two leagues that year — Thursday Women and
impacted so many aspects of my life, and it has been my
Men’s. As we wrap up our 50th year, we will hold City Finals in
privilege to give back to the organization that has made it
11 leagues, as well as conclude play in our Junior Challenge
possible.
Ladder, Run ‘N Roll, and Wheelchair Leagues. In 2021, we registered more than 175,000 players on 9,500 teams for our membership of nearly 60,000 tennis enthusiasts.
Debbie Gaster, 2021 ALTA President
None of this could have been accomplished without our
For the latest news, information and events.
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NETNEWS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021
altatennis.org facebook.com/Atlanta Lawn Tennis Association instagram.com/ALTA_tennis netnewsmag.com
Photo by LaRuche Creative
volunteers. This year, 145 volunteers worked countless hours
2021 ALTA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 300 Colonial Center Parkway, Suite 140, Roswell, GA 30076 Phone: 770.399.5788 Website: altatennis.org President Debbie Gaster
First Vice President Lamar Scott Secretary Camille Puckett
Treasurer John Lowell
VP Men’s League Mitch Falkin
VP Thursday Keri Beck Women’s League
VP Sunday Linda Shepherd Women’s League
VP Senior Day Leagues Cathy Gonzales
VP Senior Leagues Roger Dennington
VP Mixed Cameron Turner Doubles League
VP Junior Leagues Tammi Copelli VP Junior Brenda Maddaleni Challenge Ladder VP Special Programs Lynn Lee VP Media Barbara Ingram
Appointed Member Mimi McFall
2020 President Sandy Depa
2019 President Bill Price ALTA Foundation Rep Rita Maloof
2021 ALTA BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chairman Joyce Vance
2019 ALTA President Bill Price
2020 ALTA President Sandy Depa
2021 ALTA President Debbie Gaster
The ALTA Foundation Diana Burger President 2020 Elected Member Larry Waters
COURT CUISINE
2021 Elected Member Chequetta Allen
Sausage Muffins
California Quinoa Salad
Linda Smith West Smyrna S&T Thursday Women C4 1 lb. ground sausage 1 can cheddar cheese soup 3 cups Bisquick 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, finely grated soup Brown and drain sausage. Mix with mixing and Bisquick. Add 3/4 can water, regular or well. Drop in greased muffin tins, bake at mini. Top with grated cheese and 375 15-20 minutes, or until brown.
Peanut Butter Balls
Lisa Gravlee, Woods of Parkview Sunday Women B1 1 cup large flake rolled oats 1/2 cup all natural peanut butter 1/4 cup honey 2 Tbsp. ground coffee 2 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, chopped 2 oz. white chocolate, chopped Mix ingredients together well. Refrigerate (makes for 20 minutes. Roll into 1-inch balls approximately 20).
72
Jenni Steines, Parkbrooke Sunday Women AA2
2 cups mixed quinoa 4 cups water 1 pkg. frozen mango or 2-3 diced fresh mangoes 1/2 large red onion, diced 1 medium to large red pepper, diced 1 small bunch cilantro, chopped 1-2 cups shredded, unsweeted coconut 3/4-1 cup unsalted, dry-toasted slivered almonds 1/2 cup raisins 2-3 cups frozen edamame, thawed 4-5 limes, juiced 1-4 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar When Rinse quinoa well, cook as directed. Add all done, fluff and spread out to cool. cold. other ingredients and toss. Enjoy
Chocolate Chip Cookie
Taylor Aycock, Buford City Parks Juniors 12U [pls ck] 1 3/4 3/4 1 2 2 1/4 1 1 2
cup butter, softened cup white sugar cup brown sugar, packed tsp. vanilla extract eggs cups all purpose flour
NOW YOU CAN SHARE YOUR FAVORITE COURT CUISINE RECIPES ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER
Treasurer John Lowell Secretary/ Lamar Scott
2021 THE ALTA FOUNDATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS
tsp. salt tsp. baking soda cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
and In a large bowl, beat butter, sugars Add vanilla extract until ight and fluffy. Gradually eggs, one at a time, beating well. until well add flour, salt and baking soda Spread in blended. Stir in chocolate chips. for 14-inch pizza pan. Bake at 375 degrees cooling 20-25 minutes. Cool in pan or on rack. Decorate as desired.
SHARE YOUR RECIPES! at via email to Lindsay Penticuff Send your recipes for Court Cuisine Court by mail to New South Publishing, lindsay@knowatlanta.com or 210, Atlanta, GA 30350. Cuisine, 9040 Roswell Road, Suite
First Vice President
President Diana Burger Treasurer John Lowell Secretary Rita Maloof
2017 NETNEWS MARCH/APRIL
NEW SOUTH PUBLISHING, INC. 9040 Roswell Road, Suite 210, Atlanta, GA 30350 Phone: 770.650.1102 President Larry Lebovitz Vice President/Publisher John Hanna
Visit netnewsmag.com for our published Court Cuisine recipes.
NETNEWSMAG.COM 6
NETNEWS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021
Net News Editor Emmy Powell Features Editor Cory Sekine-Pettite
Art Director Tracy Stalling
Advertising & Megan Willis Production Manager
Account Executives Jennifer Gonzalez Sherry Gasaway
Circulation Manager Amy Fine
Accounting Marilyn Walker Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Direct all advertising, circulation and editorial inquiries to 770.650.1102. All information herein has been checked for accuracy to the best of the publisher’s ability. No responsibility is accepted for deletions, omissions, errors and/or inaccuracies. Printed in U.S.A. The ALTA logo is a protected trademark™.
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2021-22 ALTA CALENDAR
NOVEMBER 2021
7 8 10 11 13 14 25 26
Senior Mixed Doubles Tournament - Fall Mixer Mixed Doubles Sunday Women - Fall playoffs (rain date 11-9) Senior Day Women - Fall City Finals (rain date 11-15) Senior Day Men - Fall City Finals (rain date 11-17) ALTA Annual Meeting Men - Fall City Finals for levels A, B and C (rain date 11-20) Juniors - Fall City Finals (rain date 11-14) Sunday Women - Fall City Finals for A, B and C (rain date 11-21) Office Closed - Thanksgiving holiday Office Closed - Thanksgiving holiday
DECEMBER 5 23 24
Junior Challenge Ladder - Ladder closes All Winter Leagues - Schedules available online Office Closed - Christmas holiday Office Closed - Christmas holiday
JANUARY 2022
NOVEMBER 1 2 3 4 6
8
Senior Day Women - Fall playoffs (rain date 11-3) Senior Day Women - City Finals (rain date 11-10) Thursday Women - Fall playoffs (rain date 11-4) Senior Day Men - Fall playoffs (rain date 11-12) Thursday Women - Fall City Finals for all levels (rain date 11-11) Men - Fall playoffs (rain date 11-7) and City Finals for AA (rain date 11-7) Juniors - Fall City Finals (rain date 11-7) Juniors - Fall playoffs (rain date 11-9) Sunday Women - Fall City Finals for AA (rain date 11-7)
NETNEWS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021
1 3 8 9 20 28
All Spring Leagues - Roster registration begins Office Closed - New Year’s Day holiday Senior Mixed - Winter play begins Mixed Doubles - Winter play begins Adult Spring Leagues - Roster registration ends Junior Spring leagues - Roster registration ends
FEBRUARY
19 Senior Mixed - Winter play ends 20 Mixed Doubles - Winter play ends 21 Office Closed - President’s Day 26 Mixed Doubles - Winter playoffs (rain day 2-27) 27 Mixed Doubles - Winter playoffs (rain date 3-5) Senior Mixed - Winter playoffs (rain date – first clear evening)
S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
DECEMBER 2021 S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
MARCH 3 4 5 12 12 15 16 17 19 20 22
All Spring Leagues - Spring schedules go online All Spring Leagues - Spring team add-ons begin Mixed Doubles - Winter playoffs and City Finals for AA (rain date 3-6) Senior Mixed - Winter City Finals (rain date 3-6) Mixed Doubles – Winter City Finals for A, B, and C (rain date 3-13) Junior Leagues - Spring play begins. Senior Day Women - Spring play begins Wheelchair - Spring play begins Senior Day Men - Spring play begins Thursday Women - Spring play begins Men - Spring play begins Sunday Women - Spring play begins All Summer Leagues - Roster registration begins
Dates are subject to change.
2021-22 ALTA CALENDAR BY LEAGUE SENIOR LEAGUES Jan. 8 Feb. 19 Feb. 26 Feb. 27
Winter play begins for Senior Mixed Winter play ends for Senior Mixed Winter playoffs (rain date 2-27) for Senior Mixed Winter playoffs (rain date – first clear evening) for Senior Mixed
MIXED DOUBLES Jan. 9 Feb. 20 Feb. 26 Feb. 27 Mar. 5 Mar. 12
Winter play begins Winter play ends Winter Playoffs (rain date 2-27) Winter playoffs (rain date 3-5) Winter playoffs and City Finals for AA level (rain date 3-13) Winter City Finals for A, B, and C levels (rain date 3-13)
SUNDAY WOMEN Nov. 6 Nov. 7 Nov. 14 Jan. 1 Jan. 20
Fall City Finals for AA level (rain date 11-7) Fall playoffs (rain date 11-9) Fall City Finals for A, B, and C levels (rain date 11-21) Spring roster registration begins Spring roster registration ends
JUNIOR LEAGUES Nov. 6 Nov. 6 Nov. 13 Jan. 1 Jan. 28
Fall City Finals (rain date 11-7) Fall playoffs (rain date 11-9) Fall City Finals (rain date 11-14) Spring roster registration begins Spring roster registration ends
JUNIOR CHALLENGE LADDER Dec. 5 Dec. 12
Ladder Closes Awards Banquet
MEN Nov. 6 Nov. 6 Nov. 13 Jan. 1 Jan. 20
Fall playoffs (rain date 11-7) Fall City Finals for AA (rain date 11-7) Fall City Finals for A, B, and C levels (rain date 11-20) Spring roster registration begins Spring roster registration ends
THURSDAY WOMEN Nov. 2 Nov. 4 Jan. 1 Jan. 20
Fall playoffs (rain date 11-4) Fall City Finals Spring roster registration begins Spring roster registration ends
SENIOR DAY WOMEN Nov. 1 Nov. 1 Nov. 8 Jan. 1 Jan. 20
Fall playoffs (rain date 11-3) Fall City Finals (rain date 11-8) Fall City Finals (rain date 11-15) Spring roster registration begins Spring roster registration ends
SENIOR DAY MEN Nov. 3 Nov. 10 Jan. 1 Jan. 20
Fall playoffs (rain date 11-5) Fall City Finals (rain date 11-17) Spring roster registration begins Spring roster registration ends
WHEELCHAIR/RUN ‘N ROLL Mar. 15 Apr. 26
Spring play begins Spring play ends
Dates are subject to change.
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 NETNEWS
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NETNEWS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 NETNEWS
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HEARD AROUND ATLA NTA REPORTED BY EMMY POWELL, CORY SEKINE-PETTITE AND JOHN HANNA
The Ansley Golf Club held its Annual Charity Pro-Am weekend from Aug. 19-22, 2021. This year’s event included a Tennis Pro-Am for 160 men and women players, a golf Pro-Am for 95 players, and a pickleball tournament that included 24 teams and hot air balloon rides for spectators. One of the highlights of the weekend was the Saturday night gala that included live music, silent auctions, cash calls, and some of the best food in town prepared by the club’s master chef. The membership was extremely excited about the ability to “feel like normal” for a night at the club that raised approximately $100,000 for charity. The funds raised will support the Southeastern Brain Tumor Foundation, Our House, and Folded Flag Foundation. This Pro-Am has earned multiple awards over the past few years, including the USPTA National Charity Event of the Year. Organizers look forward to continuing this event and know that the efforts put into this will benefit deserving groups in the future.
Tennis Industry United Comes to Atlanta As part of a nationwide tour by Tennis Industry United partners, events are being held in several cities across the country to provide, fun, interactive on-court sessions to help tennis professionals attract new players. Some of the top USTA, GPTA, USPTA-Georgia and other key tennis leaders in Georgia met for this special event at the Atlanta Athletic Club on Oct. 1, 2021. The main objective was to help tennis professionals grow their programs and keep their customers healthy and active in tennis for years to come. In addition to the on-court sessions, local manufacturer and industry representatives were on hand to discuss the latest tennis gear, provide demo opportunities, and share new resources to help tennis professionals expand their business. 12
NETNEWS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021
Photo provided by Country Club of Roswell
Ansley Golf Club Hosts 28th Annual Charity Pro-Am Weekend
Country Club of Roswell’s Charity Pro-Am Raises More than $60K The Country Club of Roswell held its 43rd Annual Charity Pro-Am from Aug. 6-8, 2021. One of the longest running Pro-Am’s in Atlanta has a history of creating an exciting event for the tennis community. After a year off in 2020, this year’s event came roaring back with a 20’s theme party featuring a live and silent auction with amazing “Roaring 20’s” themed costumes and entertainment! The event saw 56 members playing with 56 pros from the local Atlanta area in a round robin flighted event with playoffs. Charity beneficiaries were Special Pops Tennis and Stand Up for Kids. Fundraising efforts this year saw a record of more than $60,000 raised for these two charities. Next year’s event is due to be held August 5-7.
TELL US! Send your stories, compliments, complaints and questions to altaeditor@altatennis.org.
Serving for Jesse's House There is still time to enter the 3rd Annual Round Robin Tennis Tournament, which benefits Jesse’s House, a Forsyth County emergency shelter for adolescent girls who have experienced abuse and neglect. This year’s event features the following: Women’s Doubles Friday, November 12 8:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. Fieldstone Tennis Center and Windermere Tennis Center $50 tax-deductible donation includes registration, box lunch, gift, swag bag, and raffle ticket for raffle baskets.
Junior’s Event Friday, November 12 5:30 p.m.- 8:00 p.m. Fieldstone Tennis Center $20 tax-deductible donation includes registration, pizza, gift, and raffle ticket.
Men’s Doubles Saturday, November 13 5:00 p.m.- 9:00 p.m. Fieldstone Tennis Center $25 tax-deductible donation includes registration, drinks, snacks, and gift.
To sign up, please go to jesseshouse.org.
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 NETNEWS
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HEARD AROUND ATLA NTA
Mizuno/Net News Contest Renewed for 2022
The popular Mizuno and Net News contest from this year, in which one ALTA team was chosen and outfitted with new shoes, will return for 2022 — but this time Mizuno will outfit two teams. One lucky spring Sunday Women's team and one summer Mixed Doubles team will be selected by the shoe manufacturer and provided with new shoes for their entire team. More details and the official rules will be announced in the next issue of Net News. Meanwhile, check out the latest offerings from Mizuno and other major manufacturers in the annual Net News Gift Guide, beginning on page 60.
ALTA — The Game Keeps Growing We want to give a special shout out to RJ Dunkle and all the tennis professionals with White Columns and ClubCorp. We have seen the growth of the Sunday Women’s League and Thursday Women’s League, as at least three new ALTA teams were added in 2021. You just never know when the ALTA marketing team will show up with some great swag and giveaways, so keep up the great work. We are especially proud of all our Atlanta area tennis professionals and appreciate everything they do to grow the game of tennis. We’ll be sending out more information for a big spring league membership drive, so be sure to go to our website at altatennis.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
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NETNEWS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021
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HEARD AROUND ATLA NTA
Northside Hospital’s Tennis Against Breast Cancer Program Supports UnderInsured Women Each year, the Northside Foundation dedicates every Friday in October to fundraise for the hospital’s Breast Care Program through a fabulous tennis and pickleball event. All the funds raised through the Tennis Against Breast Cancer (TABC) program support screening mammograms and transportation assistance for under-insured women in the community. This year’s events, which were held across Atlanta in Cherokee, Forsyth, North Fulton, and Gwinnett counties, were a great success. To learn more about TABC, please visit: give.northside.com/events/tabc.
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TECH TALK Keep Your ALTA Profile Information Current! Member Portal > My Account > My Profile Increased communication options on altatennis.org make your profile information more important than ever before! Please continue to update your mailing address/phone number(s)/email address. Updating your mailing address ensures you will continue to receive Net News Magazine. Updating your phone number(s) ensures your number(s) will display correctly on the Schedule, Roster Member Info sheet, and the Availability page. Updating your email address ensures: • You will receive notice of important ALTA calendar dates/events. • Correct email display on the Schedule – My Account > My Preferences to show email on the schedule. • Correct display on the Roster Member Info sheet. • Emails through the ALTA system from Schedules, My Rosters, the Communicate Message Board, Players Looking for Teams & Teams Looking for Players will be sure to get to you. • Emails from the coordinator will get to captains. Updating the system default birthdate ensures you can play on all teams for which you qualify. Please contact the ALTA office to assist with this update. —Joan Appelbaum, ALTA IT Manager
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 NETNEWS
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HEARD AROUND ATLA NTA
TPC Sugarloaf ProAm Raises $120K for Charity The 2021 TPC Charity Pro-Am came roaring back after a hiatus in 2020. The annual charity event at TPC Sugarloaf contributes to Birdies for the Brave and the Vigilant Torch foundation. These organizations help support members of the military. This year, through the course of golf, tennis, and an auction, the charity weekend was able to raise more than $120,000 for these organizations. “The tennis staff at TPC Sugarloaf is thrilled to be able to contribute to these great organizations through tennis,” says Mike Robertson, director of tennis at the Duluth-based club.
A Big Success for the 23rd Annual Falls of Autry Mill Charity Pro-Am Tennis Tournament and Monte Carlo Night In conjunction with the Johns Creek Police Department, the Falls of Autry Mill, an active swim-tennis community of nearly 500 homes, raised $15,000 for Special Olympics Georgia and their related athlete training programs: Special Pops Tennis and Special Ks. This year’s event was chaired by ALTA member Diana Burger and the Falls Tennis Director, Blagi Jurjec, with the help of Johns Creek Police Officer Min Cha, and philanthropist Wendy Green, who did much of the heavy lifting to make this event such a success. The weekend of charity kicked off on Friday, October 15 with “An Evening at Monte Carlo.” Attendees enjoyed dinner, drinks, wine & bourbon pulls, a silent auction, and casino games. Special guest Jimmy Rice, a Special Olympic athlete with the Special Ks group, briefly spoke to the crowd about his athletic experiences with Special Olympics Georgia. Rice participates in five different sports, including long-distance running and soccer. The tennis portion of the weekend began on Saturday with 32 women (amateurs and pros) playing in the A or B divisions. Special Pops Tennis put on an exhibition match during the lunch break, before the semi-final and final matches were played. Two Special Olympics/Special Pops players, Mimi Ngo and Jamie Gillispie, played a short singles match and then paired up with two of the pros on-site, Megan Cozad and Bailey Lina, to demonstrate a short Special Olympics style unified partners doubles match. The day concluded with Sandra Pastorello and her pro, Lyn See Cho, winning the A division over Mindy McCorvey and Calena Redondo. In the B
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NETNEWS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021
division, Elena Chung and her pro, Megan Cozad, edged out a win over Chen Hu and her pro, Kayla Dean. The men’s tournament was played on Sunday with 40 players (amateurs and pros) who also played in A and B divisions. An ALTA Run ‘N Roll wheelchair league exhibition match was played over lunch. ALTA wheelchair players, Mark LaRotonda and Stacey Rice, played the short pro-set match with visiting pros, Asim Sidigi and Inus Daneel stepping in as their “run” partners. The duos put on a great match for the crowd. Sunday concluded with some great men’s finals matches. The A division was won by Joe Buckley with pro, Blagi Jurjec, over Aashish Patel and Zane Krog; while in the B division, winners were Rob Glazier and Salif Kantevic over Bruce Grantham and his pro, Jared Bones. All amateur men and women participating in this tournament are proud ALTA members who play in a variety of leagues.
HEARD AROUND ATLA NTA
Chattahoochee Country Club Hosts 27th Annual ProAm Chattahoochee Country Club hosted its 27th Annual Pro-Am on Saturday, Oct. 9, 2021. Forty-eight members participated (24 men and 24 women), along with 24 pros coming from all over North Georgia. The Pro-Am was organized as a six-team round robin tournament. This event is a charity fundraiser for a different local charity each year in the Gainesville, Georgia area. This year, the tournament benefited North Georgia Works! North Georgia Works! is a 501(c)(3) Christian Ministry & Transitional Workforce Development Center for Men. North Georgia Works! addresses two problems: hundreds of unemployed able-bodied men in Hall County and a labor shortage in many industries. Its goal is to help the men who need help the most to become productive, tax-paying
members of society by getting a full-time job and a non-subsidized place to live. Chattahoochee Country Club sits on Lake Lanier and has a tennis program that is growing rapidly. In addition to tennis, pickleball has been a big hit since being added earlier this year.
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NETNEWS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021
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TENNIS HEADLINES
FILA Celebrates 110th Anniversary With New Collections To honor the 110th anniversary of the brand, FILA recently released two, all-new collections worn on court by select sponsored tennis players at the final Grand Slam of the season. World No. 1 Ash Barty and Americans John Isner, Reilly Opelka, and Sam Querrey donned the exclusive “110 Year Collection,” while Sofia Kenin, Karolina Pliskova, and Diego Schwartzman sported the new Wildcard Collection in New York City. The 110 Year Collection celebrates the brand’s signature style with fashionforward designs inspired by sketches from the FILA archives. The classic line features a color palette of FILA Navy/White/Marina Blue, harkening back to the brand’s roots in tennis, which includes some of the most iconic and recognizable styles in history. All pieces in the 110 Year Collection feature a special FILA x 110 Anniversary logo, including three upgraded footwear styles that are ready to play both on and off the court. The Wildcard Collection features modern takes on styles of the past with a color palette of rattan/dusk blue/stucco/black and moonlight. FILA sponsored athletes who wore the Wildcard Collection in New York also debuted two limited-edition styles of the Axilus 2 Energized shoe, dominated by either a white palette or a statement-making stucco colorway. See more in the Gift Guide, beginning on page 60.
Did You Know: 35 of the Top 100 Players at This year’s US Open Competed with Babolat Racquets According to Babolat, its racquets were used by 35 of the Top 100 players in this year’s US Open. Seventeen players in the men’s draw (excluding two top players who missed the tournament due to injury) and 18 players on the women’s side are sponsored by Babolat. The French manufacturer’s data reports that its Pure Aero models are the most popular among professional players.
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‘Point of Impact’ Added to Library at International Tennis Hall of Fame Author Roy Barth’s book, “Point of Impact,” has been added to the permanent collection of the library at the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island. Barth’s book is his personal story woven though the history of tennis and a series of life lessons. Part One is The Game of Tennis, and Part Two is The Business of Tennis, but the lessons are the same. Tennis enthusiasts — from the casual spectator, to the game’s facilitators, to the professional-level player — will enjoy this narrative and identify with Roy’s insights, his obstacles, and his commitment to the game. From 1969 through 1975, Barth played on the professional tennis tour where he was ranked as high as #8 in men’s singles and #2 in men’s doubles in the United States, and Top 40 in the world. He retired from the professional tennis tour in 1975 and settled in Charleston, South Carolina, where he became the resident tennis professional at the Kiawah Island Golf and Tennis Resort until his retirement from coaching in 2018. Learn more about Barth and his book at roybarth.com.
Desirae Krawcyzk Makes History at US Open American Desirae Krawcyzk (27, Palm Desert, Calif.) made history at the US Open by winning the mixed doubles title with Joe Salisbury (GBR), defeating Marcelo Arevalo (ESA) and Giuliana Olmos (MEX), 7-5, 6-2. With the victory, the Arizona State alum achieved the rare feat of winning three of four Grand Slam mixed doubles titles in the same year, after she won the French Open with Salisbury and Wimbledon with Neal Skupski (GBR). She became the seventh player, male or female, who has accomplished that in the Open Era: • 2015 – Martina Hingis and Leander Paes • 1985 – Martina Navratilova • 1979 – Bob Hewitt • 1969 – Marty Riessen and Margaret Court Meanwhile, Salisbury is the first man to win both the men’s and mixed doubles titles at the US Open since Bob Bryan in 2010. NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 NETNEWS
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Slinger to Acquire Sports Tech Company PlaySight Slinger, a leading connected sports company known for its portable ball machines, has agreed to acquire PlaySight Interactive Ltd. for $82 million. PlaySight is a pioneer and leader across sports video technology, data capture, highperformance analytics, and automated video production. Coupled with the recent acquisitions of Foundation Tennis and GAMEFACE.AI, the acquisition of PlaySight immediately expands Slinger’s footprint in the global tennis market, significantly enhances its R&D and AI video capabilities, taps into automated production, live streaming, data and analytics, as well as media and content opportunities and accelerates its growth into new sports with a proven and industry-leading global platform. PlaySight will bring a growing, recurring revenue stream of sports clients and content subscribers to Slinger. “Our goal is to create a full suite of ‘Watch, Play and Learn’ solutions, the three largest commercial activities in every sport,” said Mike Ballardie, CEO of Slinger. “To accomplish this, we are building a 360-degree platform of products and services to meet the needs of our tennis consumers today, and for other major sports over the next few
years. With the acquisition of Foundation Tennis and the announced deals to acquire PlaySight and GameFace.AI, we now have the pieces in place to serve today’s sports consumer in a multitude of ways, from a SaaS business platform to video, streaming and production to artificial intelligence.” Selected twice by Fast Company as one of the Most Innovative Companies in Sports, PlaySight first launched its proprietary SmartCourt™ platform in tennis, its flagship sport. Today, hundreds of thousands of athletes, coaches, and fans use PlaySight each day across all major sports, from leading tennis federations, academies, colleges, and multi-sport destination venues to NBA Champions and professional sports clubs and leagues. “Slinger is the right company to take our technology platform to new heights in tennis and other sports,” said PlaySight Interactive Co-Founder and CEO, Chen Shachar. “We share many commonalities from the launch in tennis to the focus on consumer and sports connectivity. Mike and his team have very bold aspirations to build a leading global brand powered by AI technology, and we are thrilled to join their team and add our capabilities and experience.”
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TENNIS HEADLINES
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Seasons Greetings fellow ALTA members. As we were able to celebrate live tennis events returning in 2021, including our Truist Atlanta Open presented by Fiserv, more good news on the horizon is that according to the Sports Marketing Survey tennis participation continues to be growing as well! Plans are well under way for an exciting 2022 Truist Atlanta Open presented by Fiserv, once again to be held at Atlantic Station, so please hold the dates of July 23-31. ALTA members should know that we are already underway with productive player conversations hoping to bring the best field possible to Atlanta once again. Feedback has been extremely positive on our 2021 enhancements, specifically our venue layout and stadium court design. We welcome your constructive feedback since this is the only way we can make positive changes each year. Our ATP player field that competed in Atlanta this past summer has seen continued success in other ATP events such as Reilly Opelka and John Isner representing Team World in Laver Cup. Additionally, impressive results were seen later in the summer and fall by Jannik Sinner, Frances Tiafoe, Brandon Nakashima and Taylor Fritz, to name a few. As we like to introduce fans to the “Future of American Tennis,”
each year look for more young stars coming to Atlanta next summer. With the Holiday season upon us, there’s no better way to show your love of tennis than getting in early and giving the gift of tennis with our current Holiday Package promotion offer. We love “serving” up this deal! Not only does our holiday package include tickets, but also a tournament cap and a can of official ATP Tour Dunlop balls, all for a great price of $100! Visit www.atlantaopentennis.com for more Holiday Pack information and other tournament updates! We are thankful for another healthy year due to our friends at OrthoAtlanta, our trusted and reliable medical partner who keep our ATP players on-court competing. They are available to help ALTA players of all ages and levels stay on-court competing as well! Remember, tennis is a proven safe and “lifetime” sport and we hope to see you soon on the courts and July 23 -31, 2022 for the Truist Atlanta Open presented by Fiserv! — Eddie Gonzalez Truist Atlanta Open presented by Fiserv Tournament Director gonzalez@atlantaopentennis.com
A good orthopedist gets you back in the game. A great one gives you back YOUR LIFE. Official Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Provider of the Truist Atlanta Open
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Last Issue’s Trivia Contest Winner Is … Congratulations! We drew our winner from a pool of readers who submitted correct answers, and Liz Robin, Chimney Springs Women’s B4, won a pair of Wave Exceed SL2 shoes from Mizuno! Try your luck with this issue’s contest and see if you can join the ranks of our previous trivia contest winners. Here is the original quiz and the correct answers: 1. Who won the Truist Atlanta Open singles champion and how many times has he won this ATP title? John Isner and 6 2. What is the name of the company who awarded their tennis shoes to a Sunday Women’s ALTA Team which had the best team name? Mizuno 3. What are the dates of the Special Pops Fall Classic? Sept. 24-26
January/February Trivia Contest Enter for your chance to win a prize pack of tennis gear, including a new bag from Adidas! To enter the contest, correctly answer the following three questions, in addition to submitting a new favorite courtside recipe, and mail it to New South Publishing, Attn: Cory Sekine-Pettite, 9040 Roswell Road, Suite 210, Atlanta, GA 30350. Answers and recipes may also be submitted online at netnewsmag.com. Hint: The answers can be found in this issue. Entry deadline: Monday, December 6.
1. What is the name of the Tennis Director at Windy
Please submit a favorite courtside recipe along with
Hill Athletic Club and where was he born?____________
this entry to be eligible.
________________________________________________________
Name______________________________________________________________
2. Which two tennis professionals were featured in
Address____________________________________________________________
this issue’s GPTA Spotlight? __________________________ ________________________________________________________ 3. What is the name of the organization which is benefitting from the Fieldstone Tennis Center’s
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City___________________________________ State________ ZIP______________ Email_______________________________________________________________ Phone______________________________________________________________
fundraiser? ____________________________________________
League_____________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
Team___________________________________________________Level________
NETNEWS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021
A TENNIS MATCH MADE IN PARADISE INNOVATING THE GAME OF TENNIS FASHION
The 18th Annual Net News
Photo Contest
Best Overall Winner HUMOR How To Intimidate Your Opponent Danny Everett
Prizes courtesy of
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Net News
Photo Contest
Runner Up HUMOR Rain Delay Shenanigans Donna Davis
Runner Up CHILDREN All About the Net Chelsea Young-Edwards
Winner CHILDREN First Tennis Balls Emma Cai
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-
Winner ACTION Smash Turner Krueger
Winner COURTSIDE Friday Night Lights – Summer Senior Style Sonny Pieper 32
NETNEWS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021
Net News
Runner Up
Photo Contest
ACTION Backhand Strike Jonathan Ginsberg
Runner Up COURTSIDE Somewhere Over the Rainbow Lyuda Spiegal
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 NETNEWS
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Winner PETS Look! We Match! Vivaan Sethi
Runner Up PETS Cat Nap Brenda Garrett 34
NETNEWS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021
Net News
Photo Contest Winner STILL LIFE Bug Off! Suzie Gioia
Runner Up STILL LIFE Courtside Clouds Gabriella Rico
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 NETNEWS
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Nominees Announced for 2022 Executive Committee
T
he nominations are in, and ALTA’s Board of Directors has approved the slate of nominees for the 2022 Executive Committee. They are:
President (not to be voted on) First Vice President
Lamar Scott Linda Shepherd
Secretary
Mimi McFall
Treasurer
Larry Waters
Vice President Men’s League Vice President Thursday Women’s League
Mitch Falkin Karen Sullivan
Vice President Sunday Women’s League
Susan Levin
Vice President Senior Leagues Vice President Senior Day Leagues Vice President Junior Leagues
Gina Clance Cathy Gonzales Tammi Copelli
Vice President Mixed Doubles League Vice President Junior Challenge Ladder Vice President of Media
John Lowell Anthony Swatski Barbara Ingram
Vice President of Special Programs
Congratulations
Congratulations to the Atlanta Tennis community for helping make Atlanta’s only ATP event such a success!
Signature Tennis Courts Proud builder of the courts … since its inception! mike@signaturetennis.com
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Lynn Lee
This group of volunteers work tirelessly the entire year to run the ALTA leagues. The officers are voted on by the general membership at the 2021 ALTA Annual Meeting. 2021 ALTA Annual Meeting Date: November 11 Time: 7:00 p.m. Place: The Metropolitan Club 5895 Windward Parkway Alpharetta, GA 30005 Items included on the agenda are set forth in ALTA’s bylaws and include approval of the minutes from the last EC meeting, the Chairman’s Report, Treasurer’s Report, President’s Report, and other ALTA business.
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 NETNEWS
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The ALTA Foundation Lending a Charitable Hand BY DIANA BURGER, ALTA FOUNDATION PRESIDENT
proud to be the title sponsor for the day. Special Pops also was able to host its annual Fall Classic again in September of this year, and once again we were happy to lend support to this fabulous event! Keeping Pace, a month-long summer learning program held at Pace Academy for middle school kids from the Peoplestown area of Atlanta, also was able to conduct camp again. In addition to supplemental reading, writing and arithmetic classes, the kids in this program are introduced to tennis. With support from the ALTA Foundation, a certified tennis 38
NETNEWS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021
coach is on hand daily to run drills and teach the fundamentals of tennis to these kids, some of whom have never picked up a racquet. Firsts for the foundation this year include support for Tennis People and Blaze Sports. Both organizations provide adaptive sports and recreational programs to youth and adult athletes. Additionally, Blaze Sports offers a new, weekly tennis program for disabled veterans. We look forward to a long and successful relationship with both organizations. In another first, the foundation sponsored a junior tennis clinic at Sugar Creek Tennis Center with more than 60 participating community tennis association players as part of “An Evening with Katrina Adams” event in August.
For the sixth year, L. Keith Wood Memorial Scholarships were awarded by the ALTA Foundation. We are grateful to the family of our former ALTA President and Board Chairman, Keith Wood, for their continued support and funding of this program. Thanks to the Wood Family’s generous donations, more than $100,000
in college scholarship funds have been awarded to outstanding high school graduates who have played in ALTA Junior leagues. It has been my honor and pleasure to help select some of these amazing kids as our scholarship winners. Our START program, created in 2019 to help Title I high school tennis programs in need of assistance obtain and fund a certified tennis coach, continues to show promising results. Piloted in Cobb County, we are now planning to expand this program into other Title I high schools in other metro-Atlanta area counties.
While 2020 was a year of uncertainty, we’re glad to be moving forward in 2021. The ALTA Foundation was created to help provide tennis to underserved, physically and intellectually challenged communities. If you see a need that fits our mission, we would love to hear from you. It’s the support of our ALTA members that make these programs such a great success. Donations are always welcome. For more information, please contact foundationpresident@altatennis.org.
Photo by Laura Barnard
I
t seems everyone bid a fond farewell to 2020, in which the pandemic reached far and wide to disrupt the lives of people across the globe. Fortunately for the ALTA Foundation, 2021 proved to be much more positive and upbeat, as many of the programs we support were able to return to servicing their communities. Plus, we were thrilled to have several new partnership opportunities arise. We had hoped to see the Georgia Special Olympics return in 2021, but due to continued COVID-19 restrictions, it again was postponed. But when one door closes, another one opens; thanks to Jim Hamm and Special Pops, the Spring Classic, a one-day, competitive tennis event for the intellectually disabled community, was born. Reduced in size and scale from the Special Pops Annual Fall Classic, this event made some Special Olympic tennis players very happy. The foundation was
It’s Win Win for This Unique, High-Performance Tennis Academy BY EMMY POWELL, NET NEWS EDITOR
Marcelo Ferreira has come a long way to build champions and a winning tennis program for special, young athletes.
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Photos by Laura Barnard
M
arietta, Georgia is a far cry from his native Brazil, but Marcelo Ferreira has come a long way to build champions and a winning tennis program for special, young athletes at Windy Hill Athletic Club. His humble beginnings in Sao Paulo included working 10-hour days as a tennis academy ball boy. “Whenever I had a quick break, I would take my beat-up aluminum racquet and go hit against the wall,” recalls Ferreira. That is how he first learned to play tennis as his family could not afford a coach. Ferreira says he had a great childhood but didn’t get to travel the world, wear brand-name clothing, or go to fancy schools. “When I decided to come to America, my parents had to make some major financial sacrifices in order to pay for my SAT and other tests as I had failed several times, and my English was non-existent,” he said. The cost of the flight alone was so expensive that his parents sold their car to provide extra money for Ferreira to follow his passion for tennis. These hardships didn’t prevent Ferreira from becoming a great tennis player. He was recruited in 2002 to play at Georgia College in Milledgeville. He graduated in 2006 and stayed on for a few years to help coach the tennis team. “My years at Georgia College made me fall in love with this amazing country, and I decided that I wanted to stay here and become a college coach,” Ferreira said. That passion for tennis helped him become a student of the game as he felt he needed to think like a coach all the time. That way of thinking paid off. He went on to coach at top Division 1 collegiate tennis programs, including Texas Tech and Pepperdine. After years of coaching college teams, Ferreira says he realized that God was showing him a different path. He and his wife, Jesse, whose family lives in Auburn, Alabama, wanted to be closer to relatives so they moved back to Atlanta. “It is a mecca for tennis in America and in the world,” he said. “And for me, it had a special meaning because coming back to Georgia felt like my life would be going full circle. It’s where this entire adventure started.” He took a job with Universal Tennis Academy and worked out of Bitsy Grant and Chastain Park before he received his true calling. That true calling was to start molding the game and the minds of young tennis players before they reach college. In March of this year, Ferreira started a College Prep High Performance program that includes a full fitness component. His partnership with Tiago Kulaif, who has been in the fitness industry for decades, is one to admire. Kulaif is the Windy Hill fitness manager and conducts all of the strength and conditioning programs for the academy. “My approach is very specific to the game of tennis. I’ve become a student of the game to better understand the movement mechanics necessary to play at a high level,” he says.
Photos by Laura Barnard
Kulaif says their focus is on improving these young athletes’ ability to efficiently accelerate and decelerate movements, change directions with body control, and improve tennis-specific endurance, strength, and power. Kulaif also is from Brazil but didn’t meet Ferreira until he joined Windy Hill. “We had so much in common that it felt that we knew each other for 20 years,” Kulaif recalls, adding that Ferreira’s commitment to excellence is contagious. “His high expectations on the court matches my high expectations in the gym. Together, we push these young athletes to deliver their best each and every day.” That mindset has produced some top junior players in the country. One player who has seen tremendous improvement through the program is Henry Miller, who is in the top 100 in Boys 12’s. Jill Miller, Henry’s mother, says Ferreira has a tireless work ethic. “That creates a positive environment within the junior program that focuses on inspiring excellence in all areas of the player,” she said. Miller says while the growth on the court is impressive, it’s the growth she has seen off the court while Henry has been under Ferreira’s mentorship that has been the most meaningful. Amy Ayrault would agree. Her daughter, Hannah, who is only 10, is another academy player rising in the ranks at 47 in the country in the Girls 12’s. Ayrault says Hannah is learning to hold herself and others accountable and learning how to work hard and be a leader. “She is learning how to lead by example and also support the other kids as they try to reach their goals,” Ayrault said. While Ferreira is demanding, many parents agree that he cares about the kids improving their tennis, but also cares about the people they become. There are many great tennis coaches out there, but these families are finding that Ferreira is much more. He is driving excellence on the court while inspiring greatness in the kids as individuals … and they all win together.
“My approach is very specific to the game of tennis. I’ve become a student of the game to better understand the movement mechanics necessary to play at a high level.” Tiago Kulaif
Hannah Ayrault
Henry Miller
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CAPTAIN’S CORNER
Marie Gaffney Cooper
E
very person who volunteers for the captain role on an ALTA team brings a unique set of skills, abilities, and personality. When someone stays in this role for many seasons, that kind of dedication, volunteer effort, and love for ALTA earns that person the spotlight in our Captain’s Corner. Marie Gaffney Cooper’s teammates describe her as “the best captain ever,” “the complete package,” and “the real deal.” Teammate Diana Myers shares: “I joined ALTA in 1982. Because tennis is such a huge community, it is like family and we all share this love of tennis year-round.” She met Cooper through two good friends — Melziner “Mel” Stover Culbreath, who is no longer with us, and Melvina “Mel” Jefferson, who was on the team with Cooper. These two ladies asked Myers to join their Tolleson Park Tennis Center team (Smyrna) in 2006. “This was an awesome tennis team, and it was not about winning all the time, but it was about having fun
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and that you gave it your best,” says Myers. One trait of Cooper that stands out is her willingness to always put others first. “When she made the lineup every week, she made sure everyone had a chance to play,” says Myers. She adds that Cooper made sure that teammates had directions to away matches and if the team was home, she made sure that everything was in place for the visiting team before they arrived. Cooper always gives 110 percent to this day, and she truly is dedicated and loyal to everyone on her team. “She is the real deal, never sweats the small stuff, and is the best tennis captain ever,” exclaims Myers. Another teammate, Jane Warren, who met Cooper in the late 1990s, also has tremendous respect for her and says: “Since then, she has played on Senior Women’s teams, has played and captained Mixed Doubles teams, captained my Sunday Women’s team for the past 15 years, and also had a several-year stint as an ALTA coordinator. She is the complete package as an ALTA teammate and captain. In addition to being a great player and tough competitor, I have seen her support the team in countless ways both on and off the court.” Over the years, Cooper has become a family member to many of the players on her team. She has been to numerous weddings and funerals; she has hosted retirement parties, wedding showers, and baby showers; and she has provided countless hours of babysitting so that the moms on her team can play when childcare is scarce. A couple of years ago, one of her teammates passed away, and the family asked Cooper to deliver some remarks at the funer-
al. “As expected, Marie did a wonderful job. These are just a few of the examples where Marie has made a difference in our lives,” says Warren. Cooper’s magic is her perseverance, grace, and ability to nurture relationships on and off the court. Warren remarks, “When Marie got married in late 2019, there were about forty people at the wedding who had met her through tennis.” There would have been more had it not been on a holiday weekend. On the court, Cooper has had some big wins, but what Warren remembers more is that she is a good sport and is graceful in both victory and defeat. She also can be stubborn. During one match, she broke a bone in her foot, but she would not quit — and she came close to winning the match. Several times, she has run a 10K or half-marathon and then rushed to the courts so that the team could avoid a default. Warren says the team often jokes that the one word that defines Cooper is “bossy,” but the truth is she has kept them together through thick and thin. “We have been so lucky to have had such a wonderful captain and friend,” she says. Thank you, Marie Gaffney Cooper, for all the special ways you have given so much to your teammates and others. This is the hallmark of being an outstanding ALTA captain.
Photos by Laura Barnard
AMY BERGIN, NET NEWS CONTRIBUTOR
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Serving Reaches A Whole New Level BY MURPHY MCCULLOUGH, NET NEWS CONTRIBUTOR
T
hroughout its 50-year history, ALTA has provided so much more than tennis to its thousands of members. And for at least one Atlanta native, playing ALTA has added a new, amusing dimension to his interesting life. Meet Alex Hicks. After finishing high school, Hicks enlisted in the military and served eight years in the Army. He then returned to Atlanta as an Army reservist and joined the police force. When asked about why he choose this line of work, he replied, “It was an easy decision for me. I liked the sense of brotherhood and comradery it has.” Hicks currently works for the Cobb County School District Police Department as a canine officer. His partner is a firearms detection dog, who searches public school campuses across the metropolitan area. Hicks finds being a police officer a rewarding job, especially in his current role. When he is not serving his community or hunting down firearms, you can find Hicks at his neighborhood tennis courts. He joined ALTA in 2019 after being encouraged by his wife to play. “Tennis was a good excuse to help get fit, but I really loved going out and meeting new people,” Hicks said.
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Being new to the game, he started on a C8 team playing out of his neighborhood of Legacy Park. Hicks quickly found success with this Mixed Doubles team in the summer of 2020, winning line 5 to help his team clinch the City Championship. He went on to play in the City Finals again this past winter and secured his mixed team’s first and only overall point. Even though the team didn’t get the result it wanted, Hicks said going to the City Finals was a great experience. He describes it as “having a great atmosphere … an x-factor that is hard to replicate.” It also was his first time at the event outside of the pandemic. ALTA, by definition, is just a tennis
league, but for many people, including Hicks, it can serve a greater purpose. “Sometimes you get a call at 7 p.m. and have to deal with a serious situation, but then you are out playing tennis the next day at 8 am. Tennis helps keep me grounded,” Hicks explained. Additionally, ALTA allows people like Hicks to learn from the sport itself. He says tennis has helped him become more patient and has taught him how to persevere. He stated, “Tennis isn’t easy, and when I first started it was frustrating, but I just stuck with it and it’s been a fun thing to tackle. “Tackling tennis and protecting the public … nice work, Officer Hicks.
The User Spectrum of the Ball Machine FROM THE TEACHING PROS TO BEGINNERS BY MATT LEVINSON, LEVINSON ATHLETICS
A
s a recreational tennis player, the not only focus on their stokes, but on their benefits of using a ball machine ball recognition as well. are both obvious and mystifying Advanced players tend to be more sucto me. It stands to reason that practice cessful with their ball recognition skills; does indeed make perfect, so 200 tennis however, what often is lacking is the numballs fed to you at a consistent rate may ber of shots in their repertoire. They may yield, at the very least, some minor muscle have mastered the groundstroke, but how memory. But in addition to the repetitive is the high or low approach shot? Can features we find in ball mathey handle that wicked slice? chines, how do we make use of The advanced player should be AS IT TURNS it to reach the next level? Can using a ball machine to pracOUT, ALL it meet the more technical tice as many different shots as PLAYERS needs of an advanced player, possible to increase their comSHOULD BE TRAINING ON A or benefit the pro player? I did pliment of shots. BALL MACHINE. some digging to find out. Did you know that tennis is one of the only sports where As it turns out, all players the coach actually competes against the should be training on a ball machine. student in an attempt to improve the How each level of player trains on the student’s game? Although it is fun for machine should be quite different. For the student to play or engage in some beginners, finding the strike zone and way with a far more experienced player, the footwork are imperative to improvit doesn’t necessarily give them the best ing their game. We need to work on the chance at learning. stroke production of a particular shot, When teaching a lesson using a ball as well as focus on movement to the ball. machine alongside traditional coaching, Footwork and recovery also are importit allows a coach to lose the “fluff” of feedant. Ball machines can throw at different heights, speeds, spin, frequency, and ing and micro-managing their student’s directions in sequence and at random. strokes and forces them to teach while Being able to practice hitting balls of difstanding beside their student. The pro is now free to physically show how to hold ferent characteristics allows players to
the racquet correctly or to even record their movements to play back to them afterward. When using a machine, the coach quickly discovers that being next to their students accelerates their learning development. It allows them to coach from both sides of the net. In further regards to the teaching pro, the ball machine can be a valuable asset. The number of powerful tools a teaching pro has not only enhances the student’s game but gives the immediate perception of professionalism. For example, would you rather hire a carpenter who shows up with a truck full of power tools, or the one who only has a hammer and hand saw? In summary, I have found that in the lifelong game of tennis, ball machines are here to serve players from the whole spectrum of skills. From kids to seniors, newbies to the pros, and tennis clubs to freelance teachers, this is the tool for the job. If I have convinced you to at least start looking into a machine, my first recommendation would be the Playmate Tennis line. When it comes to these performance machines, you get what you pay for. Remember that and have fun! NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 NETNEWS
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LEAGUE NEWS
It Takes A Village BY BRENDA MADDALENI, JUNIOR CHALLENGE LADDER VICE PRESIDENT
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Junior Challenge Ladder Managers Depria Jones – Boys Lower Ladder Manager Michelle McKinnon – Boys Upper Ladder Manager Stacey Simmons – Girls Upper Ladder Manager Anthony Swatski – Girls Lower Ladder Manager Community support is a key component of the JCL season. We also gather players for the opening kick-off, several round robins across the city, and an end-of-season banquet. Cindy Pietkiewicz supports this endeavor by working with facility directors to donate the use of their courts for round robins. She sets up the events and coordinates with the JCL volunteer team to run the events. New this year, we have parent volunteers assisting to help make the event run smoothly to allow players to get in as much match play as possible. We could not pull this off without the support of facility directors in the community.
NETNEWS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021
2021 Upcoming ALTA JCL Events Riverside Club – November 12 Sandy Springs Tennis Center – November 13 Harrison Tennis Center – December 12 Players and parents are the main ingredients to ensure a successful season. We teach the kids to take ownership of their scheduling via Tennis Rungs and their ladder manager. This requires independence and initiative. Many of our players are under 16 and need their parents’ help to transport them to their matches. There is no coaching allowed or provided, which enables players to work on their skills and enforce good sportsmanship on their own with their parents on the sidelines cheering on both players. The Truist Atlanta Open provides a unique opportunity for JCL players to participate in a clinic with tennis professionals. Players are recognized during the event and receive complimentary tickets to a match during the tournament. This year, the players met Luke Jensen and enjoyed great tennis on the Stadium Court. For a sneak peek at their experience, scan this QR code. This is my second year as the vice president, and 2021 marks my sixth year volunteering for the Junior Challenge Ladder. It is an amazing experience for the players, volunteers, parents, and community supporters. I am grateful to have the opportunity to volunteer for this league. Thank you, players, parents, JCL volunteers, ALTA, community partners, and the Truist Atlanta Open. It truly does take a village.
Photo by Laura Barnard
JUNIOR CHALLENGE LADDER
T
he 2021 season of the ALTA Junior Challenge Ladder (JCL) is off to a gangbuster start! There are a combined 177 girls and boys participating in the 14-week season. The goal of the ladder is to provide match play opportunities in an environment outside of tournament and school team play. The purpose is to get more practice and meet other players in a low-pressure environment. There will be well over 1,000 matches played during the season! Accomplishing this takes a village. The ladder is supported by ALTA volunteers who work as coordinators of their portion of the ladder. They work with the players and their families to get matches scheduled and played, and they often provide support, advice, and mentoring to players and parents.
BOYS
GIRL S
1
JOHN LASANAJAK
48 DHRUVSAI DHULIPUDI
1
LEEZA KURTZ
49 WANGESHI MACHARIA
2
ANDREW PIETKIEWICZ
49 RAYMOND GABLER
2
MICHELLE JONES
50 MEGHNA BAISHYA
3
REESE PHILIP HILSEN
50 ANDREW GODBEY
3
JENSEN DIIANNI
51 CAROLINE MALCOM
4
DEAN KINGSLEY
51 LOGAN GILLELAND
4
LAUREN KHOU
52 VIRGINIA FISHER
5
STEPHEN ZHU
52 ADITYA BHOTI
5
FRANCHESCA BROWN**
53 CALI CROUCH
6
ROBERT BAUER
53 WILL GRABLE
6
MADISON ANDREWS
54 ANSLEY KING
7
LONDON VASILESCU
54 JEFFREY HALLETT
7
JAALA SCREWS
55 KATIE KOENNING
8
REILLY MCNAMARA
55 RYAN THOMPSON
8
SYDNEY BRANTLEY
56 JAMAYA WILLIAMS
9
PARTH MODY
56 WILLIAM MILLER
9
MCKENZIE SHELTON
57 LILLIAN LEE
10 MATTEO MADDALENI
57 MATTHEW MUI
10 SASHA DIMITROV
58 LILY KATE BELL
11 JASON EIGBEDION
58 AARYAN RALKAR
11 AMA WHITE
59 GRACE HAUGE
12 ETHAN SWATSKI
59 LANDON MARCUS
12 MANA FAWCETT
60 LILIANNA LAVELLE
13 KELLEN SIMMONS
60 ALEX BARBER
13 SAMANTHA SLATON
61 LILY MEYERS
14 ROBERT FRIERSON
61 LUCAS VASILESCU
14 FATIMAH BUTT
62 JAIDEN PALMER
15 MADDOX ILIESCU
62 NICHOLAS PATE
15 MYRA WU
63 CLAIRE MORRIS
16 JACK MILLER
63 MACSEN HIGGINS
16 AMANDA TANAKA
64 DIYA KHURANA
17 JACKSON BRADY
64 EVERETT WENZEL
17 PRISHA MODY
65 KAIYA SHARP
18 BRANDON KIM
65 JACK XU
18 ALYSSA KHOU
66 NYAH RALKAR
19 JUSTIN WILSON
66 NISHIT KADIYALA
19 LAURYN SWATSKI
67 SHRESTA GUNDA
20 COOPER DAVIS
67 RYAN HALLIGAN
20 MARY JACOPPO
68 KEZA MACHARIA
21 KEVIN SCREWS
68 BRENNAN DAVENPORT
21 TRINITY PORTER
69 BELLA LOTZ
22 ANDREW MUNN
69 GAVIN KOCH-YIP
22 KYLIE JOHNSON
70 KENDALL COLEMAN
23 AYDEN MAMAGHANI
70 DALE HUERTAS
23 BERNADETTE KOTSCHER
71 CAITLIN JOHNSON
24 TYLER AUSTIN
71 KARAYA MACHARIA
24 JIGISHA SINGH
72 ASHLEIGH GRABLE
25 CHINGIZ NADYRSHIN
72 ANDREW HALLIGAN
25 KIMAYA PARANJPE
73 ALEXIS TAYLOR
26 TOM HUGHES
73 ETHAN SANDERS
25 SYDNEY WSZOLEK
74 ISABELLA MASSAY
27 BRYAN POWELL
74 TRACE WOOD
26 KENNEDY TALBERT
75 AUDREY PAK
28 ASHER NEGANDHI
75 MARC MALDONADO
27 TERI BRANTLEY
76 AVA MCKAY
29 SHIV SIJU
76 JACK COLE REARDON
28 ISABELLE COURSEY
77 BROOKE MARSDEN
30 VIVAAN SETHI
77 ISSAC OLGUIN
30 MANAVI BEDI
78 SCARLETT HILL
31 GRAYSON PERLMAN
78 BUDDY CASON
31 MANASI BEDI
79 ELLIANA CRISTADORO
32 ALEXANDER SLOAN
79 JORDAN LEON*
32 TANIKA SARAVANAN
80 LILY MCLAUGHLIN
33 DEVESH VENKATESWARAN
80 LEVI HOWARD
33 ALYSSA BRAUDE
81 MARYSA MANSFIELD
34 MIKE HUGHES
81 GARRATT BUILDER
34 MEGAN MCKINNON
82 MAHI RAVI
35 RYALS EARNHARDT
82 EZRA BROOKS
36 JULIANA DIIANNI
83 KAVYA MISTRY
36 JACOB DORLAND
83 MICHAEL MULDOON
37 MOLLY MCWETHY
84 GABRIELLE CHRISTIE
37 BENJAMIN KREBS
84 JACKSON BENNETT
38 STEPHANIE MALCOM
85 NATASHA VARAS
38 CONNOR MOWREY
85 NIKESH PATEL
39 ATHITHI AYYAPPAN
86 VERA KOCH-YIP
39 MOULIK JAIN
86 SUMANT BAISHYA
40 ISHITA RAVI
40 AYAAN VALIANI (GACS)
87 VIHAAN BODDULA
41 LAUREN POWELL
41 RYLAND HOOVER
88 ORION CARMONA
42 DEEKSHU DEVARASETTY
42 NICHOLAS IVCHENKO
89 GRAYSON RADI
43 CHRISTINA SLATON
43 GENE YUN
90 SYMON SEDIKI
44 M’KENZI PATE
44 HARRISON ODOM
91 NICHOLAS HALLIGAN
45 SAMANTHA RUDER
45 GRAHAM ANTIN
46 JOIYA MIDDLEBROOKS
46 ASHRITH VEMIREDDY
47 VALERIA BAZAN
47 WILLIAM HACKNEY
48 ISABELLA LUCE
JUNIOR CHALLENGE LADDER
Junior Challenge Ladder Mid-Season Standings
*Sugar Hill **Snellville NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 NETNEWS
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GOOD QUESTION
ACCIDENTAL CONTACT During a point in a recent match, all four players made their way to the net and the point resulted in one reflex volley after another. During one player’s follow-through, his racquet hit an opponent in the arm and incapacitated him. After a medical time out, the incapacitated player could not resume play within the time limit and called for his team to win the match due to being struck by his opponent’s racquet. Was this the correct call? Mitch Falkin, Men’s League Vice President This is a very unfortunate incident, but according to The Code (USTA), Section 38, “When a player accidentally injures an opponent, the opponent suffers the consequences.” In this case, the opponent is unable to resume play. Even though the player caused the injury, that player wins the match by retirement, so the call that was made was incorrect. On another note, if a player deliberately injures an opponent and affects the opponent’s ability to play, then the opponent wins the match by default. Hitting a ball or throwing a racquet in anger is considered a deliberate act.
During a recent doubles match, one opponent continuously foot-faulted a majority of her serves. My partner and I brought it to the opponent’s attention twice (after each set). The only response we received was, “It’s because I haven’t played in a while. My serve is off-balance.” What other actions could my partner and I have taken, and should we have been awarded the point(s), especially after the foot faults were pointed out twice? Lamar Scott, First Vice President According to the ITF Rules of Tennis (Part 23), it is against the rules and considered a foot fault “when a foot touches the line, even when the player does not follow the serve to the net.” The receiver or the receiver’s partner may call foot faults only after all reasonable efforts, such as warning the server, have failed and the foot fault is so flagrant as to be clearly perceptible from the receiver’s side. 48
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LIMIT ON LETS?
HIT BY A BALL
How many service lets are allowed during a point (ball hits the tape but lands in)?
During our match, an opponent hit a ball to our side of the court, which clearly appeared to be going out. My partner, who was standing behind the baseline and not within the confines of the court, was unable to move fast enough and was hit by the ball before it hit the ground. Who gets the point?
Lamar Scott, First Vice President According to USTA Rules, there is no limit to the number of serve let calls during any given point. Keep in mind that if the ball hits the net and doesn’t land in the correct service box, it’s not a let. Serena Williams once had four service lets in a row during a point.
Tammi Copelli, Junior League Vice President According to USTA Rule 24i, “a player loses the point if a ball touches the player or anything the player is wearing.” In this case, the opponent wins the point as soon as the ball hit your partner.
DID YOU EVER WONDER ABOUT … ? If you’ve ever had a situation occur in a match where no one on the court knew the rule that applied, send your inquiry to Good Question. ALTA officials answer questions in each issue of Net News and yours could be chosen next. Submit your question, along with your name, league, team name and level to altaeditor@altatennis.org.
Head shots by LaRucheCreative
FLAGRANT FOOT FAULTS
JENSEN ZONE
Luke Jensen
Tremendous Personal Confidence Pays Off
T
ennis fans, did you see the amazing US Open? At the beginning of the last major of the calendar year it seemed with Federer, Serena, Nadal, Venus, Thiem (last year’s men’s US Open champion) and other notables not playing would bring down the energy of what traditionally is a powerhouse event. But after this year’s tournament, I will never again underestimate what new faces and story lines can emerge when there is enormous opportunity. The new kids on the women’s side did not disappoint — with two teenagers reaching the final and British phenom Emma Raducanu bringing home the beautiful Tiffany Trophy. Going into the US Open, Raducanu
had only won seven matches at the tour level in only two events. She was awarded a last-minute wild card entry into Wimbledon and made the most of it by reaching the round of 16. After that run, she did not do much in “minor league” events and then got hot going to the finals in a WTA event in Chicago before heading to the Big Apple for US Open Qualifying. I want to stress Raducanu’s extraordinary accomplishment. She is the first qualifier to win a major in tennis history. Raducanu did not drop a set in her 10 matches to the victory. The closest set was in the second round of qualifying and that was 7-5. So, let’s break it down: How does a teenage girl who just finished high school
have such a massive rise to the top of the game? As an ESPN tennis analyst, I was able to interview Raducanu at both Wimbledon and the US Open during her wonderful runs at those events. The first thing that jumped out at me was her ability to embrace the pressure of being a main draw player. I have always believed there are many players who have the ability to win majors, but few who have the mental approach to actually win it. Raducanu would consistently say how much fun she was having and how much she enjoyed playing on the biggest stages in the world. I think with her US Open victory we will see more youngsters who say, “It’s my time!” They will accept the challenge mentally, emotionally, and tactically when they step into that arena. The ATP saw this in the late 1980s and early 1990’s when Michael Chang won the French Open in 1989, then Pete Sampras won the US Open in 1990 followed by Jim Courier and Andre Agassi winning majors by 1992. Finally, having vaccinated fans at the US Open making so much noise was a memorable experience. The Australian Government mandating players to be vaccinated to compete in the 2022 Australian Open is another step toward global safety and a path forward to normalcy. Meanwhile, keep an eye on the tournament teenagers in your area; they will use Raducanu’s example of what can happen with tremendous personal confidence and hard work. Maybe … just maybe the Cinderella glass slipper will fit once again!
— LUKE JENSEN FRENCH OPEN DOUBLES CHAMPION
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 NETNEWS
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IMPROVING YOUR GA ME
How To Turn Pre-Match Nerves Into Excitement BY REBECCA JAMESON, DIRECTOR OF 10U PROGRAMMING, SCENEY TENNIS AT CROOKED CREEK
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e all know the feeling: Sweaty palms, elevated heart rate, stomach butterf lies… t he hall-mark symptoms of nervousness. Whether you are facing the pressures of a playoff match or anticipating a difficult conversation with your boss, the warm wash of anxiety is unmistakable. Feeling a little nervous before a match is perfectly normal; it shows that the outcome of what you are doing is important to you. But too much nervousness can cripple athletic performance and leave you feeling like you need to break out the Heimlich for the imminent choking that’s about to transpire. Think back to the last time you felt truly nervous before an important match or a big presentation. Remember that wave of anxiety that began to build as the moment of truth was approaching? Like most people, you probably had the instinct to tell yourself to calm down (or, in my case, “Chill out, Girl Scout”). But this approach often can backfire. Making the switch from a negative state of nervousness to a calm, positive state is difficult. The function of this cascade of hormones is to keep us alert and ready for battle. These hormones affect everything from our breathing rate to our heart rate. The momentum is both powerful and irreversible. In other words, your deep breathing and Enya playlist aren’t going to stop your body’s stress response. Furthermore, resisting the state of anxiety also is counterproductive. We need to be in a state of arousal and activation to perform at our best. Fighting our anxiety also can lead to feeling anxious about our anxiety, which causes more anxiety and makes things feel worse. So much for “Keep calm and carry on.” Well, it turns out that you can trick 50
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your brain into interpreting that biological cascade into something positive. According to a study by Harvard Professor Allison Wood Brooks, we have it all backwards when it comes to dealing with anxiety. She found that individuals who reappraised their anxiety as excitement performed better than those who acknowledged their nervousness or actively tried to repress it. In one study, which could just as easily have been conducted at the local pub on a Saturday night, participants performed Journey’s hit song “Don’t Stop Believing.” Beforehand, they were instructed to say out loud “I am anxious,” “I am excited,” or nothing at all. Brooks used a computer program to measure pitch and volume, and found that individuals who said they were excited sang better, in spite of their nerves. Furthermore, these individuals expressed a heightened belief in their ability to perform well in the future. I suppose it could be said that individuals who engage in a little positive self-talk don’t stop believing in themselves. How does this little trick work? The physiological response that your body has to anxiety is nearly identical to that of excitement. Those sweaty palms and stomach butterf lies are all symptoms that result from arousal of the nervous system. You can trick yourself into believing that your heightened state is simply proof of how excited you are for your upcoming performance. So, the next time you feel those prematch nerves, why not run a little experiment? Tell yourself that you are SO EXCITED that clinching the City Finals for your team hinges upon the outcome of your match. While this won’t guarantee the victory, it will help you to perform at your best and will pave the way for your future endeavors.
USTA GEORGIA-GPTA TEACHING PROFESSIONAL SPOTLIGHT: REBECCA JAMESON Hometown (City/State): Marietta How did you get involved in teaching tennis? The summer after I graduated from Davidson, I was asked to help out for one week of summer camp at Harrison Tennis Center. One week turned into the whole summer, which turned into a career, and I haven’t looked back since! Best part of your game? Forehand groundstroke Dream doubles match would be me and… My mom! We never had a chance to play doubles together when she still lived in Atlanta. When I’m not teaching tennis, I’m… Hiking, backpacking, or trail running. So basically, I’m in the woods. My favorite tennis memory is: I will always cherish my memory of the first time we won State while I was at Walton High School, because it helped me to appreciate the value of succeeding as part of a team. My favorite professional player is: Roger Federer. He is a role model on and off the court! #1 reason why I enjoy teaching & coaching tennis: I love watching people fall in love with the sport … those “Aha moments” when a new player realizes that tennis is fun, or when a returning player remembers how much they have missed the sport. I live for those moments! What important tennis message do you want to promote? Never lose sight of your love for the sport. The wins and the losses and the long days of training are always more palatable when flavored with appreciation.
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IMPROVING YOUR GA ME
Improve Your Tennis With Better Serve Mechanics BY MICHAEL GREENE, ADULT/JUNIOR DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, WINDWARD LAKE CLUB
F
or too many recreational players, having a reliable serve is more elusive than winning the lottery. One of the biggest reasons for this is an improper grip coupled with poor serving mechanics. While all of us would like greater consistency, better depth, pinpoint accuracy, increased power and diabolical spin from our serves, none of this is attainable without proper technique. In addition, many players try to go for too much too soon without first understanding the process of building/developing a skill like the serve. When it comes to your serve, picture a ladder where each rung represents increasingly more difficult aspects of the serve such as consistency, depth, placement, power, and spin. All of these performance-based goals are only achievable by first starting at the ground level and learning the proper fundamentals. This essential piece is easily overlooked because of the ever-increasing opportunities and pressure to play competitively. Such players will become increasingly frustrated and may open themselves up to acute or chronic injuries. For those who take the time to first establish the right grip and quality serve mechanics, climbing the ladder of skill 52
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development will result in a serve that is not only effective and reliable under pressure, but also a lifelong weapon. Here are some practical exercises for beginners and anyone whose serve may need a refresher: For those who have difficulty… 1. Maintaining the proper service grip, spend time off the court holding the racquet in the continental/hammer grip. A great time to do this is at the end of the day when you are watching your favorite show. Do this a few minutes each day and before you know it, it will become second nature. 2. With the throwing motion associated with serving, practice throwing a spiral with a small hand-sized football. 3. With the rhythm of the arms working together, make your own “serving sock” by placing a tennis ball inside a sock that stretches to about 27”, the length of a standard racquet. Practice the rhythm of the arms going down together/up together along with the entire swing as you feel the weight of the ball at the end of the sock move through the air without any hitches.
USTA GEORGIA-GPTA TEACHING PROFESSIONAL SPOTLIGHT: MICHAEL GREENE The following is a simple on-court progression for developing your service motion. Court Position: Start half-way between the service line and the net for Steps 1 & 2 Step 1: Toss-Turn-Catch (For right-handed players, start sideways to the net and your right hand by your right ear.) a) Toss to the imaginary 1 o’clock spot in the air b) Turn your body to the front c) Catch the ball at the 1 o’clock spot in the air with your right arm fully extended Step 2: Toss-Turn-Tap Same as Step 1, except start your racquet by your right ear. Court Position: Move back to the service line for Step 3 Step 3: Toss-Turn-Tap and Follow Through (This is commonly known as the half serve.) Make sure to finish your follow-through on the opposite side of your body with your racquet on edge between your arm and side. Court Position: Move back half-way between the service line and baseline for Step 4 Step 4: The “bridge” between the half serve and full serve a) Start the hands together, but only move the racquet arm down and around into the half serve position. b) Pause for 3 seconds c) Toss-Turn-Tap and Follow Through Court Position: Move back to the baseline for Step 5 Step 5: Full Serve – Rhythm of the arms along with the hitting portion. *Remember to take your time, be smooth and fluid, and repeat each step until you have a consistent toss and are balanced when you are finished.
Hometown (City/State): Suwanee, Georgia How did you get involved in teaching tennis? My first experience teaching tennis was at the age of 16 as a summer camp counselor where tennis was one of the many scheduled activities. However, I would say my official training began at the age of 18 when one of the local pros, Poncho Sanhueza, took me under his wing at the public tennis courts in Signal Mountain, Tennessee. Best part of your game? The Mental Side: Analyzing my opponent’s weaknesses; then planning and executing a winning strategy. Dream doubles match would be me and… My dad; a great athlete who I idolized growing up, but never got a chance to compete with due to the crippling effects of Rheumatoid Arthritis at a young age. When I’m not teaching tennis, I’m… Spending quality time with my family, watching previous seasons of “Survivor,” or playing too many games on my phone. My favorite tennis memory is: There are so many, but one of the top tennis memories is attending both the Australian Open and US Open in the same year, 1992. My favorite professional player is: I typically like to cheer for the underdog. However, it was Roscoe Tanner when I was growing up, since I am also from the Chattanooga area and attended the same high school, Baylor. #1 reason why I enjoy teaching & coaching tennis: My ultimate passion for people. Tennis allows me the opportunity to not only develop relationships with people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds, but to be a positive influence in their tennis games and overall lives. What important tennis message do you want to promote? Tennis is more than a sport. No matter what age, tennis serves as a pathway for a longer, more enjoyable and meaningful life.
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HEALTH & FITNESS
My Favorite Gifts
For The Active Tennis Athlete To Better Help You Recover
BY DR. MARK KOVACS, CTPS, MTPS; CEO, KOVACS INSTITUTE; EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR INTERNATIONAL TENNIS PERFORMANCE ASSOCIATION
A
t Kovacs Institute, we get asked all the time about the best recovery tools that we use with our professional athletes. So, what can ALTA players learn from the pros that can help them recover faster? Our list is rather long, and it varies in price from “free” to over $100,000. Depending on your budget, there are plenty of things that can help you in your journey to play more tennis and recover faster. Below are a few items that can be part of your personal recovery routine.
FREE • Contrast showers. The purpose of this strategy is to expand and contract blood vessels to help pump more blood in and out of working muscles. This is a strategy where you alternate between hot and cold water in the shower. We use a few different protocols, but the easiest is a 3:1 hot/cold ratio. So, this would be three minutes of hot water with one minute of cold water. This would be repeated for three to four rotations. • Stretching. Having a daily stretching routine on the major muscles used in tennis is cheap (free) and easy to implement without any equipment. • Sleep. Improving your sleep habits will improve your recovery. Go to bed earlier, avoid looking at your phone 30 minutes before sleeping and keep your room cool to avoid overheating and waking up during the night.
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UNDER $100 • Protein. Adding some extra protein to your diet will aid in muscle recovery. Make sure that you are consuming a good amount of protein throughout the day (including in your snacks). • Hydration. Drink. Drink. Drink. Make sure you are hydrating well. Most tennis players do not realize how much they sweat during tennis. Many hours after the tennis match/practice, they will also have an elevated body temperature and continue to lose fluid. • Foam roller or lacrosse ball. A foam roller (or the use of a lacrosse ball) is something that is inexpensive and can provide immediate relief for tight and sore muscles. However, you need to be aware that it provides some positive sensory responses and can help, but make sure you figure out why you are getting tight and sore, and get on a full tennis-specific fitness program to address it.
UNDER $500 • Percussive therapy. These have become popular in the last few years. Nearly every professional athlete travels with these and it provides an immediate sensation and analgesic response. These devices come in many varieties, but the concept is the same. Provide a vibrating/percussive response to the muscle, which can result in a reduction in pain sensation (analgesic response) and also can improve immediate range of motion. • Electronic Muscle Stimulation (EMS). This is a technology that allows you to place pads/sensors on various muscles and across joints to provide an electronic current which will allow for mild, involuntary muscle contractions. The goal here is to provide a non-fatiguing contraction that creates constant blood flow throughout the area. The objective is to move deoxygenated blood from the area and move “fresh” oxygenated blood to the area.
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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 NETNEWS
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NUTRITION
How To Become A Sport Nutrition Intuitive Tennis Player In The New Year BY PAGE LOVE, MS, RDN, LD, CSSD, USPTA
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body to peak to play your best tennis? The answer is to learn how to be more a fuel-based eater, sensing when your body needs fuel and honoring that, not depriving yourself of needed nutrients as a sacrifice to lose weight in the New Year! Here are my top 5 screening questions to consider as you enter your path to a healthier, more nutritionally intuitive top tennis shape in 2022:
hat is normal fueling for tennis? As a sport dietitian working with both the ATP and WTA Tours, I have had a chance to observe the eating habits of some of the best players in the world. Many, but not all of them, do a very good job being intuitive with their sport nutrition fueling. This holiday season, how can you approach your eating in a less judgmental way, still enjoy the celebrations, and still help your
1
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5
Do you feel you eat in response to your tennis training needs, pre- and postfueling and hydrating for your tennis and additional tennis training workouts?
Are you open to all foods, trying not to categorize foods as good or bad, and eating a full variety of foods that your tennis body needs from all major nutrient categories?
Are you struggling with any physical symptoms from any nutrient deficiencies or excesses, for example, low iron or high lipids or blood sugar?
Do you feel you have established normal tennis training sport fueling behavior (eating regular meals, not skipping meals, eating every 3-4 hours, open to snacking when hungry)?
Are you able to partake normally in social eating events around tennis — snacking from the ALTA food tables at matches, as well as able to celebrate with your teammates on occasion such as holiday and end-of-season celebratory events?
So, lets back this up with a few reminders from previous articles that have hopefully laid the groundwork for being able to answer “yes” to each of the self-care fueling for tennis questions above. It is necessary to allow both a high carbohydrate pre-fueling snack before matches and practices such as: salty, grainy snacks like pretzels or a high-carb energy bar with 20-24 oz. of hydrating liquids one hour before you play. If it is breakfast, toast and dab of peanut butter with a glass of juice can work too. Allow a quickly digestible food for recovery, such as chocolate milk or a smoothie with protein, within 30 minutes after your match. Don’t avoid important food groups that are critical for maintaining your muscle mass and helping you to recover. For example, allow dairy nutrition to help your bone health, if not 56
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Don’t avoid important food groups that are critical for maintaining your muscle mass and helping you to recover. cow’s milk, consider protein- and calcium-fortified non-dairy alternatives like oat milk or almond milk. If you are vegetarian, also make sure to eat adequate protein to meet your body’s needs; most adults need 20-25 grams of high-quality protein at mealtime. This could mean a can of beans or 1/2 block of tofu or better yet, a high-protein veggie burger such as Beyond Meat or Impossible Burger. If you are iron deficient, you may not be eating enough protein, especially red meat protein. As a sport dietitian, I recommend that athletes eat lean red meats once a week for an iron boost. If you are vegetarian, take a multi-vitamin with 10-15 mg iron (minimum), plus consume more fortified sources in cereals, energy bars, and noodles at the same time as consuming a vitamin C source. If you have high cholesterol or blood sugar, be reasonable about your intake of these nutrients. You can choose more unsaturated fats to lower your cholesterol such as olive and avocado. If you have high blood sugar, choose more whole grains and natural sugars, but still allow the occasional holiday treat to not feel deprived. But do so after a meal so you won’t have as much of an elevated blood sugar response. Aim to eat every 3-4 hours to fuel your body for a tennis training diet. For most of us, this means eating three meals and one or two snacks per day. There’s no room for skipping meals; and ideally responding to your hunger within a short period of time allows an extra snack or serving if you have had a heavier training day or longer match — which may mean an extra-high carbohydrate bar or an extra scoop of pasta or beans at your dinner meal. Don’t deprive yourself when it comes to social eating, but if you tend to splurge at special events or buffet tables, don’t arrive hungry to the meal or match. You need to arrive in a well fueled state. You will find that you can be more moderate with your choices and be more portion aware. For example, if you have your prematch snack the hour before you arrive to the courts, the cookies on the ALTA match table will not be calling your name and one will be satisfying and not spoil your play! In conclusion, I want to share with you “Page’s Definition of Being An Intuitive Tennis Fueler”: Being an intuitive fuel-based tennis player is using a hunger-based fueling approach to balancing your food intake to your training level. It is eating when you are hungry, but also eating when you feel more hunger after you have trained more or had a longer match. Don't second-guess yourself. Instead, feel comfortable that you have given your body what it needs to be fueled and recover. It is allowing an appropriate high-carbohydrate energy
source before you play tennis and an appropriate recovery source within a reasonable time after you play. It also is not compensating in any other part of your energy intake when you allow extra food for training, but instead trusting your body to use this extra intake for fueling and be stored as needed energy. Fueling for your tennis training also means eating freely without judgment or comparison to others based on daily training needs — even if you have multiple training sessions in your day. It is not cutting back your intake significantly if you have an off day, trusting that you need that stable nutritional intake to help your body be refueled for the next day. Normal tennis fueling means that you will not exercise off your caloric intake for your day and that you value that your body needs a baseline energy intake just for normal functioning. You also acknowledge that you must fuel enough to cover both normal daily activity needs and your tennis training needs, which are in addition to this baseline. It is being comfortable with your food intake for your training level and being positive about your athletic body, knowing that it is the shape and size it needs to be, based on your self-care patterns of fueling your body properly. Page Love is an avid ALTA participant and sport dietitian/nutrition advisor for the WTA and ATP professional tours, served on the USTA sport science committee for 25 years and has a private practice in Sandy Springs. You can reach her at nutrifitga.com. NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 NETNEWS
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COURT CUISINE
Baked Goods
With cooler temps and all the upcoming holidays, many of us certainly will be giving our ovens a workout through the New Year. Besides, who doesn’t love baking? In fact, it has become a newfound hobby for people across the nation. Thus, we are sharing some of your favorite recipes on the next two pages. If you haven’t made these before, try them out and let your fellow ALTA members know your favorites!
Simple & Delicious
Making This Now!
S’il Vous Plaît
Mexican Fiesta Bowl Trish Kent, Creekstone Estates, Thursday Women C1
Sausage Bread JoAnne Di Dio, Riverside (Holly Springs) Sunday Women B5
Banana Nut Bread Beth Stewart, Woods of Parkview Senior Women A7
1 1 1 1 4 ½ ½ 1
1 lb. frozen dough 1 lb. Italian sausage 8 oz. pkg. Italian pizza cheese (shredded) 1 egg yolk
Tbsp. margarine large tube buttermilk biscuits small tube buttermilk biscuits (totaling 13 biscuits) jar Pace medium thick and chunky salsa cups of shredded cheese cup chopped green onion cup chopped green bell pepper small can sliced black olives
Preheat oven at 375°F. Melt margarine in 9x13-inch pan. Cut the biscuits into eighths, put in a large bowl and mix with salsa. Spread into pan evenly. Top with remaining ingredients. Bake for 35-45 minutes, until golden brown. Set aside for 10 minutes. Serve with extra salsa, if desired.
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Remove sausage from casing and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. When cooled, crumble sausage and set aside. Roll out dough in a rectangle (approx. 16x12). Rub dough with olive oil. Sprinkle one cup of cheese on dough to cover. Mix remaining cheese into crumbled sausage. Spread sausage mixture over dough to cover. Roll dough like a jelly roll. Rub dough with an egg yolk. Cut slits on top of dough. Cook seam-side down on a greased cookie sheet at 400 degrees for 30 minutes on top rack of oven.
2 ½ ½ ½ 3½ 1 3 2-3 1 1
cups all-purpose flour cup sugar cup brown sugar tsp. baking powder tsp. salt Tbsp. vegetable oil cup milk medium bananas, mashed egg cup chopped nuts (optional)
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom only of 9x3-inch loaf pan or two, 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 loaf pans. Mix all ingredients, beat 30 seconds. Pour into pan(s). Bake until toothpick comes out clean (large pan = 55-60 minutes, smaller pans = 45-50 minutes).
Best In Zest Lavender-Lemon Shortbread Donna Schaaf, Jefferson Township, Senior Day Women B5
¾ ½ 1 ½ 1½ ¼ 1½ 1 3
cup unsalted butter cup confectioners’ sugar tsp. vanilla extract tsp. lemon extract cups all-purpose flour tsp. salt tsp. dried lavender Tbsp. fresh lemon zest Tbsp. granulated sugar
In a medium bowl, beat butter, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon extract with a mixer at medium speed until creamy. In a separate medium bowl, sift together flour and salt. Slowly add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating until combined. Fold in lavender and lemon zest. Shape dough into a ball or disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/4inch thickness. Using a 2-inch round fluted cutter, cut cookies, retooling remaining dough only once. Place cookies on prepared pan and evenly sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake until edges of cookies are slightly browned, 10-12 minutes. Let cool on pan for 1 minute; transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
Timeless Treat Cheddar Cheese Scones Helen Joyce, Polo Golf and Country Club, Women’s C6
2 ¼ 2 2½ ¼ ½ ½ 1 1 1
cups all-purpose flour Tbsp. granulated sugar tsp. baking powder tsp. cayenne pepper tsp. salt cup cold butter, cubed cup cheddar cheese, shredded cup buttermilk egg, lightly beaten
Preheat oven at 425°F. In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cayenne pepper, and salt. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Stir in the cheese. Add the buttermilk all at once, stirring with a fork to make a soft, sticky dough. With lightly floured hands, press the dough into a ball. On a lightly floured surface, knead gently 10 times. Pat out the dough into a 3/4-inch-thick round. Using a 2 1/2-inch floured cutter, cut out rounds. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Gather up the scraps and repeat dough once; cut out more rounds. Brush the tops of the scones with egg. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden.
Irresistible Flavor! Chocolate Orange Scones David Keong, Woodbine Station, Senior Men B5 4 cups all-purpose flour ¾ cup granulated sugar 1 Tbsp. baking powder 1 ½ tsp. kosher salt ¾ cup cacao nibs 1 Tbsp. lemon zest 1 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed ¾ cup fresh orange juice from 2 lg oranges ²⁄ ³ cup + ¼ cup heavy cream, divided 2 Tbsp. turbinado sugar In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cacao nibs and lemon zest. Cut butter into flour mixture with a pastry cutter. It should resemble coarse cornmeal when thoroughly combined. In a medium bowl, whisk together orange juice and 2/3 cup of heavy cream. Once combined, stir in half of cream mixture into the flour mixture, slowly adding remaining cream mixture, a little at a time, until dough just begins to come together. It should remain slightly dry and crumbly; not sticky. Lightly coat a rimmed 9-inch baking sheet with cooking spray and line with parchment paper. Press dough into pan so that it fills completely. Chill 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut into 9 (3x3-inch) pieces. Line another baking sheet with parchment paper. Place chilled dough squares 3 inches apart on sheet. Brush with remaining 1/4 cup of heavy cream; sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake until golden brown and firm, approx. 20-25 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
FROM THE VAULT Reprinted from ALTA: Its History, Humor & Hors D’Oeuvres by John Williams.
You’ll Dream About These Cream Cheese Pastry Submitted by Robin Prater, Buford City Park 1997 2 2 2 1¾ 1 ¼
packages crescent rolls, regular or low fat 8-oz. packages cream cheese, regular or low fat eggs, separated cup sugar tsp. vanilla cup margarine or butter, melted Cinnamon, to taste
Unroll crescent dough and place one package into bottom of ungreased 9” X 13” pan. Combine cream cheese, egg yolks, 1 cup sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Spread over dough. Spread remaining dough over cream cheese mixture. Beat egg white slightly. Brush some of the whites over pastry. Mix together the remaining 3/4-cup sugar with cinnamon and margarine. Sprinkle over the top crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Cool and refrigerate.
SHARE OUR RECIPES ON SOCIAL MEDIA! Check out previously published Court Cuisine recipes online at netnewsmag.com. NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 NETNEWS
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Holiday Gift Guide
HO, HO, HO Apparel 1 FILA Slice Collection Ash Barty sports the FILA Slice collection, a limited-edition offering created for the year-end WTA Tour Finals. Featured is an upgraded chic Halter Tank, paired with a 13.5-inch skort in a mystifying all-black color palette. fila.com 2 FILA Wild Card Collection Sofia Kenin dons FILA’s standout Wild Card tennis collection, featuring a Full Coverage Tank and contrasting Side Wrap Skort in a color palette of dusk blue/ moonlight/black. fila.com 3 Sofibella UV The Sofibella UV Collection is crafted with soft, breathable, and stretchy fabric that’s available in a variety of colors and prints that look fantastic on or off the court! tennis-point.com 4 Lucky In Love Patch Me If You Can Set Lucky In Love took its best-selling pleated tiered skirt and updated it with eclectic floral patchwork. Five prints of florals ordain four layers of super lightweight pleats to create a romantic botanical garden that completely redefines the typical floral tennis skirt. Plus, the romantic V-neck tank with engineered prints on form-fitting Performance Rib fabric begs to be frolicked through. Available Dec. 1, 2021. shopluckyinlove.com 5 Lucky In Love Patch Me If You Can Set This vintage-inspired look will make a statement before your tennis game gets a chance to. Beautiful floral patchwork and border print come together on the lightweight performance Jersey. A contemporary smocked
waistband brings fresh style to tennis fashion you won’t find anywhere else. The Long Flower Patch Smocked Skirt and Pleats Please Tank are sold separately. Available Dec. 1, 2021. shopluckyinlove.com 6 Lucky In Love x K-Swiss Bring the party to the court or wherever you go in this engineered printed dress. This two-tier dress contours the body with adjustable reflective crossing straps that will let everyone know how much you shine as you walk away. Part of the Lucky In Love and K-Swiss “Nice to pleat you” collection. Available Nov. 15, 2021. shopluckyinlove.com
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7 Lucky In Love x K-Swiss This romantic silhouette with a kick-you-know-what attitude redefines the classic tennis dress. This Black dress is part of the Lucky In Love and K-Swiss “Nice to pleat you” collection and features an engineered, printed ombre and a lightweight pleated skirt all done on a sleek textured knit fabric. Available Nov. 15, 2021. shopluckyinlove.com 8 Uniqlo RF Hat The PERFECT gift for any Roger fan! The RF logo is embroidered on the face of the hat, while a message of “Go Roger” is embroidered on the back. tennis-warehouse.com 9 Sofibella Rose Garden Collection A collection for the young at heart. This eclectic collection features lightweight colorful tops and contemporary printed skorts. Discover them all. pgatoursuperstore.com
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Yonex VCORE PRO 97 With 36 percent more racquet flex, the thirdgeneration VCORE PRO racquet is for players looking to gain precise control over all aspects of ball movement: from the ball’s trajectory, speed, spin, bounce, to ball placement. yonex.com/us
Racquets
Babolat Pure Aero Team Rafa Co-designed with Rafael Nadal, the Babolat Pure Aero Rafa family of racquets bring Nadal fans one step closer to the legendary champion. The colors of this racquet were specifically chosen to embody Rafa and his fighting spirit. All technologies and specs are the same as the 2019 Pure Aero family. babolat.com/us 62
Babolat Pure Aero USA Edition Up your game with the Babolat Pure Aero USA flag colorway. Babolat has redesigned and re-engineered the Pure Aero, featuring more control plus a better feel — remaining the gold standard frame for players who use spin as their weapon of choice to dominate the court. tennis-point.com
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HEAD Prestige Tour The legendary Prestige Tour 2021 comes with the new Auxetic technology, and the trusted Graphene 360+ technology, a new mold, and a new design identity for the experienced player seeking absolute precision. head.com/en_US/tennis
Wilson Clash 98 Featuring the smallest head size of the revolutionary Clash franchise, the Clash 98 lies at the peak of confidence and control. The 98-sq-in head delivers laser-like precision for players who consistently hit the sweet spot, while the very head-light balance reduces swing weight and adds control through the swing. pgatoursuperstore.com
Babolat Pure Aero Lite Rafa Co-designed with Rafael Nadal, the Babolat Pure Aero Rafa family of racquets bring Nadal fans one step closer to the legendary champion. The colors of this racquet were specifically chosen to embody Rafa and his fighting spirit. All technologies and specs are the same as the 2019 Pure Aero family. babolat.com/us
Holiday Gift Guide
HO, HO, HO
HEAD Radical Pro The Radical Pro 2021, equipped with Graphene 360+, comes with a vibrant and daring new design and a new frame for improved playability to enhance your versatile, all-court game. head.com/en_US/tennis
HEAD Prestige Pro The legendary Prestige Pro 2021 comes with the new Auxetic technology, and the trusted Graphene 360+ technology, a new mold, and a new design identity for the experienced player seeking absolute precision. head.com/en_US/tennis
HEAD Prestige MP The legendary Prestige MP 2021 comes with the new Auxetic technology, and the trusted Graphene 360+ technology, a new mold, and a new design identity for the experienced player seeking absolute precision. head.com/en_US/tennis
Wilson Blade 98 v8 The Blade 98 (16x19) v8 pairs captivating design with a new layup to better accommodate the more modern, vertical swing path commonly used by competitive players. wilson.com/en-us/tennis
Prince Vortex With this innovative and eye-catching racquet, Prince delivers an explosive, modern player’s frame that combines spin and power with impressive feel and touch. tennis-warehouse.com
Yonex EZONE FEEL The EZONE FEEL features award-winning power and comfort, and is geared toward juniors transitioning to an adult-sized racquet or for recreational players looking for easy power. yonex.com/us
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Stocking Stuffers 1 Babolat RPM Soft Because strings are your racquet’s “engine,” it is important to choose them well and change them often. Do your multifilament strings break too quickly? Are you looking for a more arm-friendly monofilament? The new RPM Soft polyamide monofilament combines the best of both worlds, making it more durable than a multi and more comfortable than a typical mono. babolat.com/us 2 GAMMA TNT2 React Pro GAMMA TNT2 React Pro features a new, proprietary low-friction coating that facilitates grip by quickly snapping back as the ball slides over the cross strings. An enhanced outer wrap with wearresistant microfibers further prevents notching and providing high levels of durability. This string provides comfort, control, and long-lasting performance. gammasports.com 3 GAMMA Typhoon The Typhoon Pickleball Paddle is a midweight paddle designed with extra width at the top of the head. The extra width creates a powerful, oversized sweet spot that pulls energy through your shot, while the textured fiberglass face creates an extra pop while promoting spin and control. gammasports.com 4 GAMMA Two-Tone Training Pickleballs The new Two-Tone Training Pickleball helps players of all levels learn the art of putting spin on a pickleball and allows players to easily visualize spin as the ball comes back over the net. The ultra-balanced two-piece construction creates a consistent, stable, and accurate ball flight. gammasports.com
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5 Garmin Venu SQ The Garmin Venu® SQ Fitness Watch is a GPS Smartwatch and blends everyday style with fitness monitoring to keep you going. You’ll be able to track your health 24/7 and never have to worry about missing a beat. tennisexpress.com 6 HEAD Hawk Touch Designed for high-level tour and tournament players, the elasticity of Hawk Touch allows for accurate feedback and exquisite
NETNEWS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021
feel so you can follow through with your versatile game and perfectly control every stroke and, ultimately, the match. head.com/en_US/tennis 7 RIA Eyewear Model One Model One by RIA Eyewear is a line of handmade Italian performance sunglasses that feature ZEISS™ lenses built through extensive color science research to enhance ball contrast while combating fog, glare, and 100% of UVA/B rays. The Model
One is currently available in six colorways and comes complete with a hard-shell case, soft bag, lens wipes, cleaning cloth, and personalized name card for gifting. riaeyewear.com 8 Selkirk Pickleball Paddles Your Serve Tennis offers a great selection of Pickleball paddles from Selkirk, Wilson, Head, Babolat and more. The Amped Epic is Selkirk’s most versatile, all-around paddle. yourserve.com
Holiday Gift Guide
HO, HO, HO 9 TOURNA MEGA TAC 30 Pack Winter is the perfect season for Mega Tac. Extra tacky to help your hand stay attached to your grip in the chilly temps. Mega Tac is a must-try this season — it’s the tackiest grip ever made! uniquesports.us
Tennis Bags
Wilson Super Tour Blade Backpack Defined by rich, dynamic design and bestin-class functionality for tennis players, the Blade Super Tour Backpack is a perfect option for any and all Blade fans. wilson.com/en-us/tennis
10 Tennis-Point Gift Card The perfect gift idea for the tennis player on your list. With the best selection of the top tennis brands, you’re sure to choose a winner. Great prices on tennis racquets, shoes, apparel and even pickleball gear! tennis-point.com 11 Dot Shot The anti-inflammatory benefits of turmeric (curcumin) are well-documented. Tennis players and other active athletes certainly could use a little extra support when it comes to joint health and achy muscles. The lime-flavored Dot Shot offers up to 39 times faster and better absorption in the body — compared to turmeric extract in tablet or capsule form — with quicker benefits as a result. Give it a shot! mydotshot.com 12 Wilson Luxilon Alu Power Black Now available in a black coating, ALU Power is the top string on tour for a reason — the aluminum present in the string enhances playability to go along with an impressive blend of power and control. wilson.com/en-us/tennis
Babolat RH6 Pure Aero Rafa The RH6 Pure Aero Rafa protects and organizes your gear for a day on the courts. With room for up to six racquets, an insulated Isothermal compartment protects your equipment from extreme temperatures while the zippered accessory pockets keep you organized. The bag features a breathable shoe bag, padded shoulder straps, and its beautiful, bold colors match the Pure Aero Rafa family of racquets. babolat.com/us
Tennis Express Bags Rep your favorite online tennis store with the Tennis Express Tennis Backpack and 3 Pack bags. The backpack is perfect for the player who likes to travel a little lighter to the courts. The 3 Pack bag offers more substantial storage options with an additional compartment for extra accessories. tennisexpress.com
13 Wilson Triniti Tennis Balls Between a combination of innovative ball technology and unique sustainable packaging, Triniti ushers in a new era for performance tennis balls both on and off the court. wilson.com/en-us/tennis 14 Your Serve Tennis Gift Cards These always fit! Available in any amount and never expire, these YST Gift cards are the perfect gift for the tennis player in your life. yourserve.com 15 Yonex POLYTOUR REV Available in purple, white, and bright orange, POLYTOUR REV is a shaped polyester string, offering intense bite and absolute control for baseliners with medium-to-fast swing speeds. yonex.com/us
Oliver Thomas Bags Life’s a racquet ... so Oliver Thomas is here to help you get through it in style! This machine washable backpack is that friend that helps you look great while keeping your stuff together. This bag has so much function it will keep you organized on the court and beyond. yourserve.com
HEAD Djokovic 6R Combi The Djokovic 6R Combi is a high-quality racquet bag that contains two main compartments. Equipped with inside and outside accessory pockets, a climatecontrolled compartment, and the backpack carry system, it has enough room to carry everything you need on court. head.com/en_US/tennis NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 NETNEWS
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Women’s Shoes Adidas Avacourt Show your colors with the all new Avacourt from adidas! This performance-boosting shoe is made in part with 50-percent recycled materials and designed specifically for the women’s game. The lightweight mesh upper, enhanced midfoot support, and Bounce Pro midsole and Torsion System, makes for the perfect combination of cushioning and stability. adidas.com/us/tennis
Experience This!
Truist Atlanta Open Treat them to tennis this holiday season. The Truist Atlanta Open is taking place July 23-31, 2022 at Atlantic Station. With the special Holiday Pack, you can get 2 tickets + a hat + a can of Dunlop tennis balls for just $100! (A $50 savings). Get your pack now, while supplies last, at atlantaopentennis.com.
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K-Swiss Ultrashot Team The Ultrashot Team is a new addition to the Ultra family that incorporates key visual elements such as the 5 chevron stripes on the quarter, enlarged shield logo on the heel for on-court brand visibility. The Ultrashot Team is supportive and incorporates the Surgelite midsole combined with the same Dragguard 7.0 rubber outsole and 180 Plantar Chassis Support for lateral movement from the Ultrashot 3, creating a comfortable, stable and durable platform. It also has a breathable mesh upper with translucent paneling for a modern sophisticated design. kswiss.com
Asics Women’s Gel-Game 8 Both durable and comfortable, the Gel-Game 8 tennis shoe is versatile for the recreational athlete who’s playing several times per week. pgatoursuperstore.com
K-Swiss Ultrashot 3 The new Ultrashot 3 is built for the younger generation of competitive, aggressive, and powerful tennis players who demand a shoe with the highest level of performance, support, and durability for their on-court movement. Worn by ATP and WTA professional athletes, the Ultrashot 3 offers maximum energy return with Surge 7.0 midsole technology, 360 Plantar Chassis Support for unlimited lateral movement, and Dragguard 7.0 incorporated into a new durable outsole with superior grip and traction. Comes with a 6-Month Outsole Guarantee. kswiss.com
Mizuno Wave Exceed Tour 4 AC Lightweight, fast, and with needed stability to handle the demands of high-speed court performance, the Wave Exceed Tour 4 AC tennis shoe delivers a powerful combination of speed, performance, and comfort — all in one package. The Wave Exceed Tour 4 AC comes equipped with an ultralightweight sole featuring Mizuno Wave technology, allowing for powerful, quick turns and acceleration at max speeds. Superior cushioning, an improved wider forefoot comfort fit and DuRubber for durability keep your mind focused on the match, not your footwear. 6-month outsole guarantee. mizunousa.com
Holiday Gift Guide
HO, HO, HO
Men’s Shoes
Adidas Barricade The Barricade is back, and ready to make a great gift this year! Keeping the best-in-class support, stability, and durability that made Barricade a tennis icon, Adidas updates the 2021 Barricade with the step-in comfort and locked-in fit needed for the fast-paced, modern game. tennis-warehouse.com
Asics Gel-Resolution 8 The Gel-Resolution 8 promotes a responsive stride with a closeto-the-court feel. The Flexion Fit upper provides form-fitting support with the integration of Dynawall technology, which offers added midfoot stability during lateral movements and coast-tocoast coverage. Implementing a torque control feature in the heel counter, this shoe is also designed to help maintain a locked-in feel during quick transitions. tennis-point.com
FILA Men’s 110 Year Tennis 88 One of FILA’s most popular shoes — inspired by the brand’s very first tennis shoes from the 1980s — is back and creatively constructed to celebrate the brand’s 110th anniversary. The men’s sneaker includes an allnew 110 Year logo located on the tongue and woven back counter stripe, in a classic color palette of white/navy/marina. fila.com
FILA Axilus 2 Energized Perfect to pair with any on-court tennis attire, FILA’s leading performance tennis shoe, the Axilus 2 Energized, is featured here in one of the brand’s newest colorways of white/black/stucco. fila.com
K-Swiss Hypercourt Express 2 The Hypercourt Express incorporates new technologies, including Surge 7.0 for maximum energy return and Dragguard 7.0, elevating outsole durability. Additionally, a comfortable upper bootie construction ensures a secure fit. pgatoursuperstore.com
K-Swiss Ultrashot Team The Ultrashot Team is a new addition to the Ultra family that incorporates key visual elements such as the 5 chevron stripes on the quarter, enlarged shield logo on the heel for on-court brand visibility. The Ultrashot Team is supportive and incorporates the Surgelite midsole combined with the same Dragguard 7.0 rubber outsole and 180 Plantar Chassis Support for lateral movement from the Ultrashot 3, creating a comfortable, stable and durable platform. It also has a breathable mesh upper with translucent paneling for a modern sophisticated design. kswiss.com
K-Swiss Ultrashot 3 The new Ultrashot 3 is built for the younger generation of competitive, aggressive, and powerful tennis players who demand a shoe with the highest level of performance, support, and durability for their on-court movement. Worn by ATP and WTA professional athletes, the Ultrashot 3 offers maximum energy return with Surge 7.0 midsole technology, 360 Plantar Chassis Support for unlimited lateral movement, and Dragguard 7.0 incorporated into a new durable outsole with superior grip and traction. Comes with a 6-Month Outsole Guarantee. kswiss.com
HEAD Brazer 2.0 The Brazer 2.0 offers exceptional value on performance, and is exclusive at Tennis Express. Its lightweight properties are immediately apparent, while comfort and stability still score well. The Brazer takes a minimalist approach and integrates the core features of what makes a great weekend matchday shoe. Available in white/pink for women. tennisexpress.com
Mizuno Wave Exceed Tour 4 AC Lightweight, fast, and with needed stability to handle the demands of high-speed court performance, the Wave Exceed Tour 4 AC tennis shoe delivers a powerful combination of speed, performance, and comfort — all in one package. The Wave Exceed Tour 4 AC comes equipped with an ultralightweight sole featuring Mizuno Wave technology, allowing for powerful, quick turns and acceleration at max speeds. Superior cushioning, an improved wider forefoot comfort fit and DuRubber for durability keep your mind focused on the match, not your footwear. 6-month outsole guarantee. mizunousa.com
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Holiday Gift Guide
HO, HO, HO All the Extras
GAMMA EZ Travel Cart XD The EZ Travel Cart XD is a lightduty Ball Hopper cart used to easily transport balls across the court. The new EZ Travel Cart features an improved wheel assembly designed with added reinforced aluminum sleeves around the wheel insert. Includes a carrying case and holds 150 tennis balls. gammasports.com
Slinger Bag Slam Pack The Slinger Bag Slam Pack is an affordable, portable, and versatile tennis ball launcher that enables users to play tennis anytime without the need of a partner, at half the price as Slinger’s other launchers! The Slam Pack also comes with a remote control, oscillator, ball tube, and camera holder. slingerbag.com 68
Hyperice Hypervolt Plus Enjoy the Hyperice Hypervolt Plus With Bluetooth Percussion Massage Device to target sore and tight muscles! This powerful and quiet device will dig into soft tissue to relieve muscle tension. Seamlessly change between the five head attachments and adjust speeds for a customized massage experience. tennisexpress.com
Theragun Elite Felt, Not Heard. Premium. Effective. Elevated. The Theragun Elite is Therabody’s quietest smart percussive therapy device. The elegantly designed ultimate wellness partner is quieter than ever. It integrates with a personalized app experience to reduce your tension, whether it comes from everyday life, work, or workouts. therabody.com
NETNEWS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021
Theragun PRO Powerful, quiet, and commercialgrade. The professional percussive therapy device in a league of its own. Top-of-the-line, commercial-grade deep muscle treatment meets personalized, guided app experiences that help to reduce muscle soreness, improve mobility, and increase relaxation. With a rotating arm, two swappable batteries for continuous run-time, and an industry-leading 2-year warranty, the Theragun PRO is the advanced, professional-grade recovery tool of choice for professionals and everyday people worldwide. therabody.com
Theragun mini Small Device. Big Performance.™ Portable treatment packed with power. Theragun quality, anytime, anywhere. Theragun mini is your pocket-sized partner, giving you Theragun quality muscle treatment with unparalleled portability. Compact but powerful, Theragun mini is the most agile massage device that goes wherever you do. therabody.com
Theragun RecoveryAir Advanced compression simplified for everybody. This pneumatic compression system makes it easy for anybody to experience the benefits of clinically proven recovery technology. Sit back, relax, and recover faster as each boot compresses the leg to increase circulation and reduce soreness and fatigue. Unlike other devices, RecoveryAir reaches the optimal point for a full and rapid pressure release every 60 seconds — making it 2-3x more efficient than other devices. It’s also easy to clean with its four internal overlapping chambers. therabody.com
Tourna Ballport The hottest hopper on two wheels. Lightweight and loaded with patented features like legs that actually lock in place, a top that closes securely, and also includes wheels to make this the easiest to use hopper on the market. uniquesports.us
WHERE ATLANTA COMES TO
PLAY
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ON THE LIGHTER SIDE
CLASSIFIEDS Employment
Your Serve Tennis – We are looking for new members of the YST team. YST provides a relaxed, fun work environment where our focus is the game we all love — TENNIS! Flexible hours available and weekend availability is required. We have positions available at all of our locations (Buckhead, East Cobb, Johns Creek, Milton, Sandy Springs, Suwanee and West Cobb), ranging from part-time stringers to store managers. We are also hiring for office and shipping/receiving positions out of our Roswell Home Office. For more information visit yourserve.com/jobs or submit your resume/application to jobs@yourserve.com. PGA TOUR Superstore is looking for fun, energetic tennis enthusiasts to join our team. We are seeking part-time and seasonal sales associates and experienced racquet stringers for our Duluth, Roswell, and Kennesaw locations. For more information, please inquire in person to one of our stores.
Services
RACQUET TECH.COM and the US RACQUET STRINGERS ASSOCIATION are looking to make you a “KNOW IT ALL PRO”—Get connected to the most up-todate interactive information for racquet sports professionals at racquettech.com. Membership also includes the Stringers Digest, Racquet Sports Industry magazine, manufacturer discounts, free marketing samples, and the only racquet service certification program in the industry. All benefits are available with USRSA Membership - $129. Contact: USRSA, P.O. Box 3392, Duluth, GA 30096, (760) 536-1177, FAX: (760) 536-1171, Email: USRSA@RacquetTECH.com, WEBSITE: RacquetTECH.com.
ATLANTA LAWN TENNIS ASSOCIATION
Statement of Ownership, Management and Circulation Title of Publication: Net News: Atlanta Lawn Tennis Association. Publication Number: 553850. Date of filing: Oct. 21, 2021. Frequency of issue: Bi-monthly. Number of issues published annually: Six. Location of known office of publication: New South Publishing, Inc., 9040 Roswell Road, Suite 210, Atlanta, Ga 30350. Owner: Atlanta Lawn Tennis Association, 300 Colonial Parkway, Suite 140, Roswell, GA 30076. Extent and Nature of Circulation: Circulation of single issue published nearest to filing date: Total copies printed, 44,125. Sales through vendors, dealers, carriers and over the counter: 0. Mail subscriptions, 43,925. Total paid circulation, 43,925. Free distribution (by mail, carrier or other means, including samples) 30. Total distribution, 43,955. Copies not distributed (office use, unaccounted for) 170. Average circulation for each issue in preceding 12 months. Total copies printed, 41,428. Sales through vendors, dealers, carriers and over the counter, 0. Mail subscriptions, 41,149. Total paid circulation, 41,149. Free distribution (by mail, carrier or other means, including samples) 109. Total distribution, 41,258. Copies not distributed (office use, unaccounted for) 170. Percent paid and/or requested circulation: 99.7%.
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Enter the Net News Trivia Contest Enter the Net News Annual Photo Contest Find past Court Cuisine recipes Read the digital version of Net News
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DEADLINE: January/February 2022 issue: Friday, December 3, 2021 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 NETNEWS
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ABOUT ALTA Contact Us at 770.399.5788
Questions?
ll ALTA vice presidents (below) have phone extensions at the ALTA office, but do A not work in the office on a regular basis. Voice messages are checked frequently and answered in a timely manner. n The phone number of your league coordinator is in your captains’ packet. n To contact a member of the Executive Committee, call the ALTA office at 770.399.5788 and dial the extension listed next to the officer’s name.
ALTA office personnel cannot answer your league-related questions. Team members should first contact their captain. If unable to answer, the captain should contact a league official. n Questions about rules must be directed to league officials, which include coordinators, overall coordinators and league vice presidents. n Concerns about team placement and levels should be directed to league officials. n Credit card questions? Call ext. 107. n Want information about new facility requests? Contact the First Vice President at ext. 114. n IT issues? Contact Joan Appelbaum at ext. 103.
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EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
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President – Debbie Gaster
ALTAPresident@altatennis.org
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First Vice President – Lamar Scott
FirstVP@altatennis.org
114
VP Men’s League – Mitch Falkin
MensVP@altatennis.org
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VP Thursday Women’s League – Keri Beck
ThursdayVP@altatennis.org
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VP Sunday Women’s League – Linda Shepherd SundayVP@altatennis.org
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VP Senior Day Leagues – Cathy Gonzales
SeniorDayVP@altatennis.org
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VP Senior Leagues – Roger Dennington
SeniorVP@altatennis.org
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VP Mixed Doubles League – Cameron Turner
MixedVP@altatennis.org
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VP Junior Leagues – Tammi Copelli
JuniorVP@altatennis.org
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VP Junior Challenge Ladder – Brenda Maddaleni JrChallengeVP@altatennis.org
123
VP Special Programs – Lynn Lee
SpecialProgramsVP@altatennis.org 124
VP Media – Barbara Ingram
MediaVP@altatennis.org
Georgia’s Most Trusted Tennis – Pickleball Construction and ReSurfacing Court Company.
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Directions & General Information The ALTA office is located at 300 Colonial Center Parkway, Suite 140, Roswell, GA 30076. From GA 400 North, take exit 8 (Mansell Road) to Colonial Center Parkway (1.3 miles west). ALTA office: 770.399.5788 ALTA office hours: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. n Membership dues: Adults – $30, Juniors (18 and under) – $15. Dues are for the calendar year and expire at the end of the fall league season. n ALTA website: altatennis.org n ALTA’s calendar of important dates can be found on the website and in each issue of Net News. n Your membership number is printed on the Net News mailing label and is also available on the ALTA website. n To update your mailing address, log in to your account on the ALTA website and go to My Profile. n n
Simply, the Best Hard Court Crack Repair System.
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NETNEWS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021
Spec’d for Long–Lasting Color & Perfomance.
TRY YONEX S T R I N G T O D AY
D E N I S S H A P OVA LOV ( C A N )
Yonex professional players may use a string with different specifications to the model displayed.
