Long Island Tennis Magazine January / February 2017 by United Sports Publications

LITennisMag.com â&#x20AC;˘ November/December 2016 â&#x20AC;˘ Long Island Tennis Magazine

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Table Of Contents Wozniacki Rolls Into New Year By Brian Coleman

The resurgent Caroline Wozniacki looks to build upon a comeback 2016 and storm into t winning ways. See page 14

Highlights 6

2017 Australian Open Preview By Brian Coleman The 2017 Aussie Open gets underway in January, as the sport’s top stars take to the court in Melbourne. We take a closer look at the year’s contenders, pretenders and sleepers as they vie for victory in the first Grand Slam of 2017.

24 BNP Paribas Showdown: A Decade of Tennis at the World’s Most Famous Arena Pro action returns to the Big Apple for the annual gathering of the stars at Madison Square Garden on March 6 for the 10th anniversary of the BNP Paribas Showdown.

28 Your 2017 Guide to Long Island’s Top Clubs & Programs We present the area’s top clubs and programs all in one handy guide. Whether it’s a local adult league program or a junior program to get your child started in the sport, our guide to the top clubs will brings together the area’s top picks.

Features 4 10 12 18 21 22 27 36

Across Long Island … News and Notes From Across the L.I. Tennis Community Junior Tennis Spotlight: Mythbusters … Which States Do the Strongest Junior Players Live In? By Ricky Becker Ten Things to Consider When Choosing a Coach: Part Two of a Two-Part Guide By Steven Kaplan Beyond the Baseline: PGA Tour Superstore The Jensen Zone: “The Happy Slam” to Kick Off 2017 By Luke Jensen 2016 Long Island Girls High School Recap Move Into the Net Gradually By Steve Annacone USTA Eastern Long Island Region Update

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Long Island Tennis Magazine is published bi-monthly by United Sports Pub

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JAN/FEB 2017 Vol 9, No 1

Long Island Tennis Magazine

MAGAZINE

Long Island Tennis Magazine 1220 Wantagh Avenue • Wantagh, NY 11793-2202 Phone: (516) 409-4444 • Fax: (516) 409-4600 Web site: www.litennismag.com

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

orm into the new year to return to her

Joel M. Berman President (516) 409-4444, ext. 310 • joel@usptennis.com Cover photo credit: Sidney Beal III

39 42 44 48 51 52 54 57 58 59 60 62 64 66 67 68 70 71 72 74 77

Tennis Medicine: Stem Cell Therapy for Joint Pain By Dr. Eric Price & Dr. David Zaret At the Net With Noah Rubin By Brian Coleman Fitness & Nutrition: Your New Year’s Resolution for a Healthier 2017 Court Six: Long Island Tennis Magazine’s Gossip Column By Emilie Katz Tennis Injury Prevention: Shoulder Labrum Tears and Tennis Players—Four Things to Know By Dr. Charles Ruotolo, MD, FAAOS I’m Hearing Voices By Tonny Van de Pieterman A Look Back at the Year That Was 2016 By Emilie Katz Adult League Wrap-Up By Kathy Miller Riding the Waves of a Match: Using Emotional Energy to Win By Rob Polishook, MA, CPC Racquet Stringing: An Art or a Science? By Barbara Wyatt USTA Eastern Hosts Annual College Showcase Day Meditation in Sports: A Hoax or a Help? By Dr. Tom Ferraro An Election Just Finished, So What Does It Have to Do With Tennis? By Lonnie Mitchel A Change of Rules By Jimmy Delevante Long Island Tennis Magazine’s Charitable Initiatives: Shelter Rock Hosts Annual Play for Pink Tournament College Tennis Spotlight: Elizabeth Tsvetkov of Stony Brook By Brian Coleman In Memoriam … Former Adelphi, Forest Hills Standout Stefani Lineva Killed in Binghamton Long Island Tennis Club Directory Transitioning From Outdoor to Indoor Tennis By Todd Widom Long Island Rankings USTA/Long Island Region 2017 Tournament Schedule

Eric C. Peck Editor-in-Chief (516) 409-4444, ext. 312 • eric@usptennis.com Joey Arendt Managing Art Director Brian Coleman Senior Editor (516) 409-4444, ext. 326 • brianc@usptennis.com Francine Miller Advertising Coordinator (516) 409-4444, ext. 301 • francinem@usptennis.com Emilie Katz Assistant Marketing Coordinator Scott Koondel VP of Operations (516) 409-4444, ext. 324 Sidney Beal III Staff Photographer Lee Seidner Staff Photographer

Advertising To receive any information regarding advertising rates, deadlines, and requirements, call (516) 409-4444 or e-mail info@usptennis.com. Article Submissions/Press Releases To submit any material, including articles and press releases, please call (516) 409-4444 or e-mail info@usptennis.com. The deadline for submissions is the first of the month preceding the target issue. Subscriptions To receive subscription information, contact (516) 409-4444 or e-mail info@usptennis.com or check out our Web site: www.litennismag.com. Fax subscription changes to (516) 409-1600. Statements of fact and opinion in Long Island Tennis Magazine are the responsibility of the authors alone and do not imply an opinion on the part of United Sports Publications Ltd. Long Island Tennis Magazine reserves the right to edit, reject and/or postpone the publication of any articles, information or data.

Across Long Isla Locals commit to Wake Forest

Palay Twins help team capture Futures League title The Futures League at Point Set in Oceanside wrapped up, as the white team squeaked out a close win. Twins Julia and Jake Palay helped the white team pick up the close 4-2 team victory.

The Wake Forest Men’s Tennis team will have some Long Island flavor on its roster next season, as two former Nassau County standouts will embark on their college careers as Demon Deacons. New York State Singles Champion Yuval Solomon from Plainview JFK, and former New York State doubles runnerup Patrick Hannity from Cold Spring Harbor will be heading down to Winston-Salem to continue their tennis careers.

Carefree helps raise breast cancer awareness

East Quogue couple wins National Husband Wife Mixed Combo title Judy and Alan Schreiber won yet another tournament on the Husband and Wife Circuit, as the East Quogue natives won the USTA National Husband Wife Mixed Combo 140 Hard Court Championships in Southern California.

Carefree Racquet Club continued its good work in the community by hosting its annual Rally for the Cure event to raise money for the Susan G. Komen Foundation for breast cancer research.

Northport VA unveils new tennis courts The new renovated tennis courts at the Northport VA Medical Center were unveiled with a ribboncutting ceremony, as the brand new courts were officially opened for use with the help of United Way LI, USTA Eastern, USTA Long Island and the Serve and Return charity. 4

Long Island Tennis Magazine • January/February 2017 • LITennisMag.com

land

… News and notes from across the L.I. tennis community

Bethpage Park’s Goetz crowned L1 Huntington November champ

Commack Tennis holds Athletics for All clinic

Alexa Goetz of Bethpage Park Tennis Center continued her outstanding play, winning the L1 Huntington November Championships. As the top-seed, Goetz won all four of her matches in straight sets, culminating in a 7-5, 6-4 win over Lina Mohamed in the final. The Commack Varsity Tennis team held its annual tennis clinic for the Athletics for All club at Commack High School. Commack Head Coach Jackie Clark said, “We all had a great time and will have more tennis clinics throughout the year. The Varsity Girls Team loves volunteering and giving back.”

Ross Academy’s Gould wins L1B Cary Leeds Championships At the L1B Cary Leeds Championships, Ross School Tennis Academy’s Vitalina Gould entered as the tournament’s top seed and showed why, winning all of her matches in straight sets, posting a 63, 6-1 win over Ariella Zagorsky in the final.

Contest winners take part in Q&A with Rubin Some of the winners of HEAD’s “Next Novak” contest began their first days of John McEnroe Tennis Academy Training Camp, and were able to take part in a question and answer session with Long Island’s own Noah Rubin, who recently wrapped up his first year on the ATP Tour.

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@ JMTANY LITennisMag.com • January/February 2017 • Long Island Tennis Magazine

2017 Austra Credit photos to ATPWorldTour.com

n the world of tennis, the Australian Open is the first major stop of the new year. Players on both the men’s and women’s side will converge on Melbourne aiming for Grand Slam glory after a lengthy layoff. Will Serena regain her number one ranking from Angelique Kerber on the women’s side? Will Andy Murray prove he is the true number one in the world? Who will be the sport’s new blood on the Tour this year looking to make their mark? These and many other questions will be answered starting in Melbourne, Jan. 16-29 as the Australian Open will crown the first major champions of 2017.

The men’s side of the draw Contenders Andy Murray Andy Murray enters 2017 in an unfamiliar position, as the number one ranked player in the world. Murray enjoyed a fantastic campaign in 2016 that saw him reach new heights in his career, a second Wimbledon title, a triumph at the end of the year ATP Finals and the yearend number one ranking. Murray now shifts from the hunter to the hunted and that will begin with the Australian swing to start the year. He has been a Melbourne finalist five times, yet has never lifted the trophy, as he will be out to claim the fourth Grand Slam of his career and continue to try and hold off Novak Djokovic and others from jumping him in the rankings.

Milos Raonic The big-serving Canadian enjoyed the best year of his young career in 2016, reaching his first Grand Slam final and finishing the year ranked third in the world. Originally known for his big serves, Milos Raonic has continued to add new wrinkles to his game, and that was evident this past year, as he was more comfortable from the baseline and at the net, skill sets that he needs to keep improving if he wants to take his game to the next level. That balance helped him reach the Australian Open semifinals, defeating Roger Federer, Stan Wawrinka and Gael Monfils on the way to the final four. He eventually lost to Andy Murray after leading two-setsto-one, but an injury limited his movement in the final two sets. That loss wouldn’t stop him from having an excellent 2016 season, which included a trip to the Wimbledon finals. Raonic called the loss to Murray in the Aussie semifinals the most heartbreaking of his career, and you can bet that he has not forgotten it and will be motivated to build on that in his 2017 run in Melbourne. Novak Djokovic Much like Murray, Novak Djokovic enters 2017 in an unfamiliar position. The Serb lost his grip on the world’s top ranking, a distinction he held since June 2014. But there may be an ironic sense of relief for Djokovic this year who, as his former coach Boris

Long Island Tennis Magazine • January/February 2017 • LITennisMag.com

Becker, indicated by saying that there may have been a lack of motivation for him following the French Open last year, the fourth of four straight Grand Slam titles. He now has a clear goal: Get back to number one in the world. We should see a recharged and refocused Djokovic this year, and he will begin that by shooting for his seventh career Melbourne title. Pretenders Tomas Berdych Tomas Berdych is a tough player to figure out. The tools and gifts are evident to even the novice tennis fan: A huge serve, big forehand and great movement. But he has never really put it completely together to break through at a Grand Slam. He did reach the semifinals in Melbourne in 2014 and 2015, and lost to Roger Federer in the quarterfinals in 2016. His 2016 season was very mundane; posting a record of 39-20 and winning just one title. His best showing was reaching the Wimbledon semifinals before losing to the eventual champion Andy Murray, and he didn’t play in the U.S. Open due to appendicitis. With inconsistent match play and a tough time against some of the top players, Berdych could be an early out in Melbourne. Kei Nishikori Kei Nishikori has been a staple in the top 10 for a couple of years now since his run to the U.S. Open final back in 2014, but nagging injuries have limited his consistency at the Grand Slams since that Flushing Meadows run. Nishikori has reached the quar-

ralian Open Preview BY BRIAN COLEMAN

terfinals in Melbourne in back to back seasons, but that streak may come to an end in January. He has one of the best return games on the tour and is a relentless worker, so he will not be an easy out for anyone, but that elusive Grand Slam title will continue to elude him at 2017’s first major championship.

Grand Slam. The talent is undeniable, but Kyrgios’ issues stem from consistency, or a lack thereof. The 21-year-old has been accused of tanking matches, most recently at the Shanghai Rolex Masters, but Kyrgios could put it together for a two-week stretch in Melbourne to finally silence some of his sharpest critics.

Stan Wawrinka The winner of the most recent Grand Slam at the U.S. Open, Stan Wawrinka made his breakthrough at the Australian Open three years ago. He enters 2017 as the fourth ranked player in the world and always seems to play his best tennis on the biggest stage. But it is his consistency that still holds him back, and that was evident in his play following his Flushing Meadows triumph as he went just 7-6 in his five tournaments after the U.S. Open, including winning just one of his three matches at the ATP World Tour Finals. He was bounced from the first round of the French Open after winning his first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open and lost in the Wimbledon quarterfinals after winning the 2015 French Open, and another quick exit could be in store for Wawrinka in Melbourne.

Jack Sock An American man has not won a Grand Slam title since Andy Roddick won the 2003 U.S. Open, and many people believe that Jack Sock could be the man to snap that streak. He has struggled at the Australian Open, only reaching the second round in his two main draw appearances in Melbourne, but 2017 has the makings of a breakout season for the Nebraska native. He has one of the sharpest forehands in the game and can get easy points on his serve. If the 24-year old can limit his errors and play consistent and smart tennis, his power and talent will

translate perfectly to the fast Australian Open courts, and could make his deepest Grand Slam run yet. Marin Cilic Marin Cilic may be the least talked about top 10 player in the world, but he has the Grand Slam pedigree to do damage in Melbourne. The 2014 U.S. Open champion’s power game is perfectly suited for the hard-courts at the Australian Open. His best showing was a semifinal result at the 2010 Australian Open, but he has struggled in Melbourne since, including a disappointing thirdround exit a year ago. Cilic performed well at the ATP Finals and fought hard while representing Croatia in the Davis Cup final towards the end of 2016, and after recharging his batteries, should be ready for a deep run in Melbourne.

Sleepers Nick Kyrgios The player many people love to hate, Nick Kyrgios is undoubtedly one of the most gifted players on tour, and the Aussie hopes to have the backing of his home crowd in 2017’s first LITennisMag.com • January/February 2017 • Long Island Tennis Magazine

2017 Austra Credit photos to WTATennis.com

The Women’s side of the draw Contenders Angelique Kerber The German took over the number one ranking in the world at the U.S. Open and had a remarkable 2016 season overall, winning two Grand Slam titles, including the Australian Open, and earning the silver medal at the Olympic games in Rio. Her calm and steady presence makes her such a tough out, especially at the Grand Slams, and that was evident during her U.S. Open semifinal. She found out minutes before walking onto the court that she would be taking over the number one spot, but there was no complacency and she delivered a dominant straight-sets win over Caroline Wozniacki. Her even-keeled temperament, coupled with her rock-solid game, makes her the favorite in Melbourne, the tournament which began her breakthrough season a year ago. Serena Williams The year 2017 will no doubt be an important one for a very motivated Serena Williams. The American will start the year as the second ranked player in the world after losing her grip on the top ranking for the first time in nearly three years. She won her 22nd career Grand Slam title at Wimbledon, tying Steffi Graff’s Open Era record, but barely played any tennis following that win. Serena was 8

upset by Elina Svitolina in the Round of 16 at the Olympics, and then fell in the semifinals at the U.S. Open, which turned out to be the last tournament of her season. A shoulder injury kept her out of the WTA Finals, but she should be recharged and healthy heading into 2017. Potentially playing with a chip on her shoulder, look for Serena Williams to bring her power game to the fast courts of the Australian Open and make a deep run in the year’s opening major tournament. Simona Halep Romanian Simona Halep had a great finish to the 2016 season and saw her ranking creep back up to fourth in the world to finish the season. The aggressive baseliner lost a shocker in the opening round of the Australian Open last year, falling to Shuai Zhang in the opening round, but she was still recovering from an Achilles injury, and also revealed a nose issue which required surgery. Injuries and a lack of match play gave way to an up and down start to the year, but she captured the Madrid title and went on to reach the Wimbledon quarterfinals. She won the title in Montreal and had a lot of momentum heading into the U.S. Open. While she lost a heartbreaking quarterfinal matchup to Serena Williams, her play in the second half of the year illustrated what the Romanian could do when healthy. Halep is a two-time quarterfinalist in Melbourne, but should have the best Melbourne showing of her career in 2017.

Long Island Tennis Magazine • January/February 2017 • LITennisMag.com

Pretenders Karolina Pliskova The big-serving Czech enjoyed the best run of her career towards the end of 2016. Karolina Pliskova won her biggest title at the Western and Southern Open in Cincinnati, beating Kerber in straight sets. She parlayed that into a run to the U.S. Open final, by far her best result at a major tournament, beating both Serena and Venus Williams in the process. That may have been an aberration though, as Pliskova has always struggled at the Grand Slams. Despite her run at the 2016 U.S. Open in Flushing Meadows, it is tough to imagine her stringing together victories like that down in Melbourne, where she can no longer sneak up on people after ending the year ranked sixth in the world. Garbine Muguruza Garbine Muguruza probably has some mixed feelings about 2016. The year saw the 23-year-old break through with her first Grand Slam title, a stunning victory over Serena Williams in the French Open final, but after that, Muguruza struggled. She posted a 13-11 record in her matches following her Roland Garros triumph, which includes the Olympics and WTA Finals, including shocking early losses at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. The pressure of being a Grand Slam champion was something that weighed on her in the second half of the year, something she admitted following some losses, and while she still possess loads of talent, the Spaniard could get tripped up early in Melbourne.

ralian Open Preview Agnieszka Radwanska A g n i e s z k a Radwanska is one of the WTA Tour’s most popular players, as her crafty shot-making and creative moves on the court make her one of the most entertaining players in the world. She has been named the WTA Tour’s Fan Favorite award for six consecutive years, and won the WTA Shot of the Year Award four straight years, but she has yet to reach a Grand Slam final since her run to the Wimbledon final in 2012. The third-ranked Radwanska has reached the semifinals in Melbourne twice, including last year, but the fast courts Down Under may make for a difficult run for her in 2017. She has one of the slowest serves on Tour and has a hard time winning free points with her power. As the temperature rises in Australia, defensive style of play may be unsustainable for two weeks, and she could be on upset-alert early on. Sleepers Dominika Cibulkova Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova may be the one player that none of the other top players want to face in a big match at a Grand Slam. She has a relentless energy and great ground strokes which make her a tough out, and she has the pedigree to make a deep run in Melbourne, as she has done so before when she reached the final in 2014. She enjoyed a resurgent 2016 campaign that saw her reach a career high ranking of eighth in the world. She qualified for the WTA Finals for the first time in her career, and went on to win the whole thing

to earn the biggest title of her career. Cibulkova will carry her 2016 momentum into next season, and don’t be shocked to see her repeat her Melbourne success of a couple of years ago. Belinda Bencic It is hard to believe that Belinda Bencic is still just 19-years-old, but the Swiss teenager flew a bit under the radar last season. Bencic cracked the top 10 for the first time in her career, but injuries forced her to miss a lot of the clay-court season, causing her ranking to drop. The second half of the season was mainly for her to get back into matchform, and thus she played some up and down tennis. She finished the season ranked 43rd in the world, and you can bet she will be motivated to get back to where she belongs inside the top 20. Entering 2017 fully healthy, Bencic is a dark horse candidate to make a deep run at the Australian Open.

Johanna Konta Great Britain’s Johanna Konta had the best year of her career in 2016, winning her first WTA title, reaching her first Grand Slam semifinal and breaking into the top 10, where she will look to ride that momentum into the new year. That semifinal was at the Australian Open when she took out top players such as Venus Williams and Ekaterina Makarova before falling to eventual champion Angelique Kerber. Because of her outstanding play, she was named the WTA’s Most Improved Player and she finished the year ranked 10th in the world. She announced she would be parting ways with her coaching team of Esteban Carril and Jose-Manuel Garcia, so it will be interesting to see how she opens up the season, but Konta has demonstrated the ability to have success at the Grand Slams, and that should continue at the 2017 Australian Open.

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www.sagharborparktennis.com LITennisMag.com • January/February 2017 • Long Island Tennis Magazine

junior tennis spotlight

MYTHBUST ERS

Which States Do the Strongest Junior Players Live In? B Y R I C K Y BE C K E R

ome information probably won’t actually help you much, but may still be interesting. The table on page 11 is probably just that. Have you ever wondered which states are the biggest

producers of top junior tennis players? The table is a fairly empirical way of ranking the states. The list was compiled by taking the top 150 kids in the Tennisrecruiting.com national junior rankings for both genders in all four high school grades (Senior, Junior, Sophomore and Freshman) and assigning

Long Island Tennis Magazine • January/February 2017 • LITennisMag.com

a point value for each child. The state where the number one player in the country lives got 150 points, number two player 149 points, etc. There were eight lists in the calculation: Boys for all-four classes and Girls for all four classes. Would you have predicted it to fall something like this?

Rank 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 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45-51 45-51 45-51 45-51 45-51 45-51 45-51

State Total Points California 19,711 Florida 14,390 Texas 6,782 New York 5,171 Georgia 5,029 New Jersey 3,493 South Carolina 3,324 Illinois 2,671 Virginia 2,252 Ohio 2,200 North Carolina 2,113 Michigan 2,108 Arizona 2,044 Maryland 2,039 Massachusetts 1,623 Washington 1,577 Pennsylvania 1,470 Indiana 1,319 Connecticut 963 Louisiana 855 Kansas 754 Alabama 743 Oklahoma 675 District of Columbia 642 Nevada 600 Colorado 589 Puerto Rico 542 Tennessee 517 Minnesota 495 Arkansas 477 Oregon 408 New Mexico 403 Wisconsin 363 Missouri 304 Mississippi 303 Iowa 298 Utah 273 Kentucky 272 Hawaii 254 West Virginia 211 Nebraska 170 Maine 68 Rhode Island 67 South Dakota 47 Alaska 0 Idaho 0 Montana 0 New Hampshire 0 North Dakota 0 Vermont 0 Wyoming 0

Boys Rank 1 2 3 5 4 7 6 16 11 12 15 8 13 9 16 10 14 20 18 19 25 31 24 21 39 22 40 35 23 27 28 42-51 30 35 37 38 26 29 33 31 34 42-51 42-51 41 42-51 42-51 42-51 42-51 42-51 42-51 42-51

Boys Points 9,614 7,471 3,183 2,772 2,882 1,318 1,975 650 1,028 954 902 1,249 942 1,173 650 1,080 920 538 649 586 308 211 336 369 139 343 125 155 340 244 227 0 223 155 148 142 249 226 198 211 170 0 0 47 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Girls Rank 1 2 3 4 6 5 8 7 10 9 11 15 12 14 13 19 17 16 26 28 22 18 20 27 20 29 23 25 33 30 31 24 36 35 33 32 42 41 39 43-51 43-51 37 38 40 43-51 43-51 43-51 43-51 43-51 43-51 43-51

Girls Points 10,097 6,916 3,594 2,394 2,147 2,175 1,349 2,021 1,224 1,246 1,211 859 1,102 866 973 497 550 781 314 269 446 532 461 273 461 246 417 362 155 233 181 403 140 149 155 156 24 46 56 0 0 68 67 47 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Ricky Becker is director of tennis at Pine Hollow Country Club and independently coaches high-performance juniors year-round at Bethpage State Park and Jericho/Westbury Tennis where he is the junior tournament director. He can be reached by phone at (516) 6050420, e-mail rbecker06@yahoo.com or visit JuniorTennisConsulting.com. LITennisMag.com â&#x20AC;˘ January/February 2017 â&#x20AC;˘ Long Island Tennis Magazine

Ten More Things to Consider When Choosing A Coach (Part Two of a Two-Part Guide) By Steve Kaplan he selection of a coach is one of the most important decisions that can be made for a young player. There is no perfect coach or coaching style, as each relationship is unique and must be a strong fit. I have listed 10 categories to consider when evaluating the suitability of a coach, but of course each of these factors will be weighted differently by each player and their family (note that the first five categories ran in the November/December 2016 edition of Long Island Tennis Magazine).

6. Ability to communicate Because everyone learns differently, it’s important to find a coach that recognizes and adapts their teaching methods to best suit each student’s unique learning style. For example, many boys are primarily visual learners, while girls tend to be more auditory in their learning preference. Younger and less advanced players often learn best from getting kinesthetic feedback in which the instructor prompts the student to experience what the movement feels like. The first thing I do when I get a new student on the court is to evaluate exactly how they learn best to increase the quality of our communication. Coaches can be fluid in their style and methods of message deliv-

Long Island Tennis Magazine • January/February 2017 • LITennisMag.com

ery, while still resolved in the content and goals of their instruction. 7. Connection Students have different needs, and coaches have different styles of teaching. Here again, it’s vital to find synergy in this match. As explained in Part One of this article, some students are motivated by a rigid, demanding drill sergeant on the court, while others might be intimidated and unmotivated by this interaction for example. Culture, age background and gender often play a part. For example, girls usually need to first like and emotionally connect with their coach to accept, respect and trust them. Boys often care more about finding a strong leader that they

can feel comfortable following. As a parent, it’s important to recognize that the style of coach you hire should fit your child’s needs first, and your personal preference second. Coaching is more than just teaching the “X’s and O’s” of the sport, it’s about providing confidence inspiration and positive identity. 8. Integration It’s a given that tennis coaches need to have a strong understanding of tactics and mechanics to provide the most helpful information to students. As the bar for top level performance is raised, however, ambitious players are also seeking training and guidance off the court from physical trainers, nutritionists and sports physiologists. While a coach does not need to be an expert in any of these fields, they do need to have a functional background and knowledge in each discipline to best coordinate, reinforce and integrate off-court training with on-court practices. An expert coach interacts closely and frequently with experts in other areas to ensure that their students experience the best possible learning environment. It takes a community

to help a player achieve their potential. 9. College contacts The long-term goal for most top junior tennis players is to play college tennis. Junior tennis success is an enormously valuable tool to help gain a scholarship or admission to an otherwise unattainable school. A junior coach well-versed in the process of finding, selecting and gaining admission to college via tennis will be a great help to aspiring players. Additionally, junior coaches with a network of college coaches who know and respect them will be a valuable resource to navigating and negotiating the college process. 10. Life after tennis A great coach is also a powerful mentor helping to align students goals and objectives both on- and off-the-court. This service to students does not end the day they leave to play college tennis or even the day they hang up their racket from competitive play. A top coach will be a friend, advisor and resource to former players. Personally, I have found that feedback from former students to be invaluable to me professionally and my

friendships with former players are some of the strongest friendship bonds that I have. Want to find a great tennis coach? You could ask a current player for a recommendation, but most will be loyal to their own coach. You could ask a parent of an avid junior player, but here again, many parents have a bias out of loyalty, validation of their choices and even financial incentives for recommendations. Perhaps the best resource for finding a great coach is to ask former players no longer in the tennis world who they would send their children to for coaching. The omniscience of life experience and time provides great clarity. Steve Kaplan is owner of Bethpage Park Tennis Center, as well as director of Lacoste Academy for New York City Parks Foundation. Steve has been the longtime coach of more than 600 nationally-ranked junior players, 16 state high school champions, two NCAA Division 1 Singles Champions, and numerous touring professionals and prominent coaches. He may be reached by e-mail at StevenJKaplan@aol.com.

LITennisMag.com • January/February 2017 • Long Island Tennis Magazine

Long Island Tennis Magazine • January/February 2017 • LITennisMag.com

Wozniacki Rolls Into New Year

Strong finish to 2016 has the Dane looking up By Bri an C ol eman

aroline Wozniacki had one of her toughest years as a professional in 2016, and the Danish star hit a bit of a crossroads in the middle of the season when an ankle injury forced her out of action for months. But her mental fortitude and fighters mentality allowed her to have a resurgent conclusion to the year. The former number one began the year ranked 17th in the world and played her first tournament in Auckland, New Zealand. She won the first three matches of the year and reached the semifinals of that tournament before falling to American Sloane Stephens. That defeat was the first of three straight losses for Wozniacki, including a first-round exit at the Australian Open to Yulia Putintseva after winning the first set comfortably. She followed that up by losing in straight sets to Dominika Cibulkova in St. Petersburg for a rocky opening month to open up her season. Her ranking continued to slip, as her inconsistent play reared its ugly head, and after losing her opening match at Indian Wells, she fell down to 25th in the world. The real adversity surfaced after an ankle injury in practice sidelined her for much of the clay-court season, including being forced to withdraw from the French Open,

the first Grand Slam she had missed in her pro career. The long layoff caused her ranking’s free fall to persist, and she dropped down to 34th in the world, her lowest ranking since May of 2008. She returned after 10 weeks to the Nottingham Open and won her first match back, knocking off Turkey’s Cagla Buyukakcay. “It’s nice to be back, it felt nice to be back on court, there are always things I want to do better but all in all for a first match back in 10 weeks, it’s just great,” said Wozniacki at the Nottingham Open. “I felt a little bit rusty but at the same time it could have been a lot worse so I am pleased with result and pleased with how I fought.” Those good vibes would not last long, however, as she was defeated in the second round of the Nottingham Open, and headed into Wimbledon unseeded for the first time in her career. Her Wimbledon run was short-lived and she was bounced by Svetlana Kuznetsova in straight sets in the opening round. “It kind of just sucks right now to be out of the tournament,” said a somber Wozniacki after the defeat. “I thought I played some really good tennis in Eastbourne and obviously was hoping I could continued on page 16

LITennisMag.com • January/February 2017 • Long Island Tennis Magazine

wozniacki rolls into new year continued from page 15

step up from there and do more damage today. But it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t enough. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been a tough year in general. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been some injuries; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been some bad draws. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been uphill. But it has to turn, it has to go the other way eventually. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m just going to take the punches Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m getting and just try and learn from it and try and move forward. I know that by now I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t expect an easy draw. I just need to be ready and improve my game even more so that I can beat the top players in the earlier rounds, then it can kind of open up from there.â&#x20AC;? That fighterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mentality from Wozniacki wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t something that happened overnight, it was instilled in her years prior when she was a little girl in Denmark. She began her

practices at 6:00 a.m. and would return to the club after 11:00 p.m. for more practice. As she got better, she would travel the world competing in junior tournaments, while her parents sacrificed to be able to afford the travel and court time. From an early age, Wozniacki knew she wanted to be a tennis player, and worked diligently to make her dream a reality. When she won the Danish Junior Under 12 championships, she told a TV reporter her goal was â&#x20AC;&#x153;To be the best in the world.â&#x20AC;? She reached that goal late in 2010, becoming the world number one, a distinction she would hold until January of 2012. But since that point, there was a steady decline in her performance and it reached its

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apex in the middle of 2016, dropping out of the top 50 for the first time since February of 2008. She would have to channel the mentality that helped her rise to stardom in the first place, and coming back to a familiar setting would help her regain her form. Entering the U.S. Open as the 74th ranked player in the world, there werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t many people who were expecting the Dane to make much noise in the yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s final Grand Slam. She escaped a scare in the opening round, coming back from a set down to beat American qualifier Taylor Townsend 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, and then followed that up with a 6-4, 6-4 triumph, and a bit of revenge, over ninth-seed Svetlana Kuznetsova in the second round. Wozniacki then defeated Romaniaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Monica Niculescu 6-3, 6-1 to move into the Round of 16, and afterwards, she talked about her mentality and motivation prior to the U.S. Open. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Having to skip the whole clay season and still not feeling 100 percent going into the grass season, I started thinking during the grass season that Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m going to get some matches in here and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going to get me really into the hard court season and I will be 100 percent ready for that,â&#x20AC;? said Wozniacki. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So I went into the grass season just trying to get momentum going. Then hurting myself in Washington wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really part of the plan. I was like, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;You know what? Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m just going to take it as it comes. I know that Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m going to get a tough opponent early on in the draw. If I play well, I know I can beat her and then it can open up for me a little. Coming

here, I had been hitting well in practice, so it’s all about the mental game now. My body feels good, so there’s no reason why I shouldn’t be able to play well here.” The former number one shook off the injuries, the inconsistent play and even rumors about her potential retirement to play some of her best tennis over the two weeks in Queens, following up her victory over Niculescu with a clinical straight-set win over eighth-seeded American Madison Keys to reach the U.S. Open quarterfinals for the first time since she made the 2014 final. After losing just two games in a route over Anastasija Sevastova, Wozniacki’s run came to an end when she lost to eventual champion Angelique Kerber in the semifinals. Despite the defeat, Wozniacki has a lot to take away from her run at the U.S. Open. “Obviously, right now I’m a little disappointed, but at the end of the day, it was a good tournament. Something I can be proud of,” Wozniacki reflected. “I came into this tournament ranked 74th, and a lot of people were probably ruling me out, but it’s nice to prove people wrong once again. I had a nice run.” So while 2016 was a year Wozniacki would most likely like to forget, there is a lot for her to build off of heading into the 2017 campaign. She is still just 26-yearsold and despite rumors swirling around during the U.S. Open of her imminent retirement, Wozniacki has plenty left in the tank. Following the U.S. Open, Wozniacki continued her resurgent play, winning titles in Tokyo and Hong Kong, before finishing her season in Luxembourg. With a new found mindset and injury-free body, Wozniacki has rediscovered the fight that helped a little girl from Denmark achieve her dreams, and she hopes to use it to fight her way back into the top of the rankings, and eventually lift her first Grand Slam trophy. “Before, it was all about, ‘Okay, I have to win this; I have to do that,’” said Wozniacki of her mentality. “Now I’m like, I don’t have to do anything. You know, whatever is meant to be, it’s going to be, and I’m just going to give myself the best shot out there. And I think I’m enjoying the whole atmosphere and everything else so much more.” Brian Coleman is senior editor for Long Island Tennis Magazine. He may be reached by phone at (516) 409-4444, ext. 326 or email BrianC@USPTennis.com.

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BE Y O ND T H E B A S E L I N E

PGA TOUR SUPERSTORE GA TOUR Superstore in Westbury, N.Y. is a reputable golf retail destination, but if you walk the store floor, engage with its staff and ask around, this national retail chain that specializes in golf is quickly making a name for itself in tennis and with the tennis community. “Tennis is an important part of our business and an area where we offer personalized service and expertise,” said Jamie Keitz, who runs the Tennis Department at PGA TOUR Superstore Westbury. “We are focused on expanding our presence and growing the tennis business by providing an unmatched experience in tennis retail that will attract customers and keep them coming back.” Whether you’re in the market for the best racquet and stringing advice for your game, Keitz and her staff are educated and

P 18

informed in all aspects of tennis retail. They stay up-to-date on the latest rackets, strings, grips, accessories and stringing techniques.

Long Island Tennis Magazine • January/February 2017 • LITennisMag.com

“We have USRSA Master Racquet Technicians who work to fit you with the racquet, string and tension that are right for your game,” said Keitz, who spent nearly

two decades working on the pro tennis circuit. “After working the U.S. Open and at other events, I was eager to switch gears, travel less and focus on retail. After coming back to work from a big knee surgery last December, I noticed after six months off, a tremendous increase in tennis traffic here, and it was more and more apparent tennis customers were visiting and visiting us often.” Keitz’s team includes another industry veteran, Adam Moramarco, who has been in retail for 20-plus years on the equipment side. Together, the experienced duo is generating momentum for the retail chain’s tennis business and in the community. “Our company has always offered golf and tennis,” said Anthony Chiofalo, tournaments and events marketing manager. “One of the keys to our success is our people, and when it comes to tennis, we have the best in the business from master stringers to those who understand equipment and retail and that’s what Jamie and Adam bring.” Many PGA TOUR Superstore customers play both golf and tennis. And whether they are looking for expertise in one sport or the other, the national retail chain is changing the reputation of traditional big box stores by providing personalized customer service often found at smaller, local (tennis and golf) pro shops. “We don’t just sell products here, we fit people for the things they need,” said

Chiofalo. “If someone comes in and wants to try something on, our certified people help them out. Jamie and Adam are always giving advice to customers on whether they should use a lighter racket, or use a heavier racket, and it works the same way on the golf side. We aren’t here to sell you a product; we are here to help you. We are tennis players and golfers just like you are, so we enjoy helping each other out.” One of the major offerings the store and staff prides itself on is its presence in the community, and the variety of services it offers. If you are hosting a tennis tournament, they offer packages where you can distribute gift cards or products such as

a tennis towel or restringing to your participants, and even year-long memberships to the store. The memberships can cover re-stringing, court rentals and free shipping on all orders. In addition, PGA Superstore hosts instore events, such as contests, clinics, fundraisers, parties and many more functions, which can enhance your cause. The store is involved with numerous charities, such as the Ronald McDonald House and Tuesday’s Children, and takes great pride in being a part of and contributing to the betterment of the community. “In the last year, we did close to 3,000 continued on page 20

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LITennisMag.com • January/February 2017 • Long Island Tennis Magazine

beyond the baseline continued from page 19

events. Everything from golf, tennis, fundraisers, even fashion shows,” added Chiofalo. “We host in-house events, and even did one for the Nassau County Museum of Art, where we helped them raise $30,000. We open up the store as a great

venue for events; we are so much more than retail, we are a part of the community.” In the future, Chiofalo, Keitz and the rest of the staff hope to get involved with local leagues, schools, and country clubs, helping them with services and products, with

Long Island Tennis Magazine • January/February 2017 • LITennisMag.com

the goal of continuing to benefit the tennis community on Long Island. PGA Superstore is located at 1254 Corporate Drive in Westbury, N.Y. For more information, you can reach them at (516) 824-3000 or visit PGATourSuperstore.com/Tennis.

“The Happy Slam” to Kick Off 2017 Tennis fans, I am going to tell you about the biggest secret in professional tennis. Wherever I go in the world, tennis fans talk about their amazing adventures to tournaments like Wimbledon, the French Open, Indian Wells, Miami, the U.S. Open … But I never hear about the warmest tennis hotspot: The Aussie Open! If you ask any player or any fan who has experienced the Grand Slam Down Under, they will say how much fun they had going to the Aussie. Now I realize Australia is on the other side of the world, but once you get there, you will find a nation of people who are a throwback to amazing hospitality. The Aussies are people who love to have fun and have a drink with ya’. The Aussies are

proud of their country and their culture. Tennis Down Under is woven into the fabric of their DNA. From Rod Laver to Margaret Court and the many hall of famers in between, tennis is an Aussie religion! From the tour events to the exhibitions leading up to the Aussie Open, the momentum builds to what Roger Federer calls “The Happy Slam.” If you want to experience a Grand Slam just a walk away from downtown, look into a trip to the land of wonder … the land Down Under! So now for the tennis … heads up because Roger Federer is back! The Fed Express was sidelined in late 2016 with injuries, but things look good for him rolling into Melbourne. Andy Murray just rose to world number one, but he has never won an Aussie Open title. I like Stan the Man to take his second Aussie this year. I also like a very

aggressive Serena Williams to take another Grand Slam and break her title record tie with Steffi Graf. There are some solid players who will challenge, but Serena is still Serena! I cannot wait … bring on the 2017 season! Living large with the chip and charge to the Aussie Open. Born in Grayling, Mich., Luke Jensen’s resume includes 10 ATP Tour doubles titles and singles victories against Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, Ivan Lendl, John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg, Jimmy Connors, Boris Becker, Stefan Edberg and Jim Courier. Jensen and his brother, Murphy, won the 1993 French Open doubles title. Luke is currently director of tennis at Sea Island Tennis Center in Georgia. He may be reached by phone at (315) 443-3552 or e-mail LukeJensen84@yahoo.com.

LITennisMag.com • January/February 2017 • Long Island Tennis Magazine

2016

LONG ISLAND GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL RECAP Wilkins, Sha Win New York State Doubles Title Marks third straight year a Nassau duo has won State Title

Calista Sha & Morgan Wilkins of the to one another and continued to get Friends Academy completed its imbetter match to match. probable run as a doubles tandem, “I think we got more comfortable winning the New York State Public playing with each other as it went on,” High School Athletic Association said Sha. “We got to know each (NYSPHSAA) Doubles Title with a 1-6, other’s games. When Morgan was at 7-5, 6-4 comeback victory over the net, I can be at the baseline, and Vanessa Ciano & Laina Campos of when I’m at the net, she can be at the Ursuline at South Shore Indoor Tenbaseline. We trust each other either nis in Port Chester, N.Y. way.” “It means everything, it’s really exA Nassau County doubles tandem citing,” said Wilkins, a senior. “It’s has now won the last three NYSPHawesome to be able to do it for our SAA titles, as Oyster Bay’s Courtney coach for our team.” Kowalsky & Celeste Matute won the The Wilkins-Sha duo struggled early state title the previous two years. on in the match, as Ciano & Campos Kowalsky, playing in the singles took the opening set and got out to an Calista Sha & Morgan Wilkins of the Friends Academy captured draw, concluded her high school tenearly lead in the second set, but turned the 2016 New York State Public High School Athletic nis career with a third-place finish at the tables midway through the second Association Doubles Title the state tournament. Kowalsky deset, and the senior-sophomore pairing feated her best friend, Cold Spring stormed back to win the final two sets and wanted to stay in it, because it is never over Harbor’s Merri Kelly Hannity, 6-2, 6-1 in the until it is over.” claim the state championship. third-place match in a rematch of the NasWilkins & Sha hadn’t played much dou- sau County Singles Final. “After being down so much in the first set and even at the start of the second set, we bles together leading up to the Nassau The North Shore pair of Olivia Scordo & knew it was important to just stay focused County tournament, but the two, who are Lucia Hu won two matches in the tournaand stay positive,” Wilkins added. “We just normally top singles players, easily adapted ment, including one over Half Hollow Hills East’s Alexis Huber & Gina LaRusso in the second round, before being eliminated in the quarterfinals. The Hills East duo of Ariana Malik & Lauren Cherkin put together a great comeback to win 1-6, 6-0, 6-4 in the opening round, but were defeated in the second round, while the Manhasset pair of Madeline Clinton & Kyleigh Harmon also won their first round match. Commack freshman Kimberly Liao adCome in and get your Winter Tennis On ... vanced to the quarterfinals before falling to Racquet Tune Up, New Tennis Outﬁt and Tennis Sneakers, Hannity, while Suffolk County singles Restring and Regrip! champion Jackie Bukzin reached the final On the spot racquet stringing (1 hour or less) eight before losing to eventual runner-up Julia Andreach of Our Lady of Mercy. Ward Melville’s Denise Lai won her firstround match and was able to reach the $0.."$, 30"% t $0.."$, (1/2 MILE SOUTH OF JERICHO TPKE) second-round of the state tournament.

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Long Island Tennis Magazine • January/February 2017 • LITennisMag.com

2016

LONG ISLAND GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL RECAP Holy Trinity’s Syzmanska Wins Federation Cup Holy Trinity senior Julia Syzmanska Holy Trinity’s Julia wrapped up her high school career in grand Syzmanska fashion, defeating Yorktown’s Caitlin defeated Ferrante 7-6(4), 2-6, 6-3 in the New York Yorktown’s Caitlin State Federation Cup Singles Finals. Ferrante to win the “It felt great,” Syzmanska said. “I felt a lot 2016 New York of pressure because it was my last year and State Federation I knew this would be my last opportunity at Cup Singles states. I was the oldest one there so that Championship may have given me a little advantage.” Syzmanska edged out the opening set in a tie-breaker, but her back started to bother her during that set. She was able to serve and Ferrante was able to take advantage of well enough to win the opening set, but the it to force a deciding third. pain slowed her down in the second set “We got a 10-minute break after the sec-

ond set I got some treatment from my coach,” said Syzmanska. “It still didn’t feel great but I felt a little better and so that helped me refocus for the third set. I knew she had just played three sets in her previous match, so I figured she would be a little tired. It was a tough match, she is a very good player, but I knew I could be more mentally strong and had to just keep playing my game.” Syzmanska did just that and played a fantastic third set to win the first ever Federation Cup singles final. Prior to beating Ferrante, Syzmanska knocked off the PSAL champion Daniela Hernandez of Cardozo 6-3, 6-0 in the semifinals.

Suffolk County Girls Honored at Annual Awards Dinner

Suffolk County’s high school girls tennis players, along with their families and coaches, came together at Villa Lombardi’s in Holbrook for the 2016 Suffolk County Girls Varsity Tennis Awards Dinner, organized by the Suffolk County Girls Varsity Tennis Coaches Association. The annual event is an evening when the shining stars of the local high school tennis scene are awarded and praised for all they put forth both on and off the court over the past season. Approximately 500 attendees came out to show their support for the local players. The dinner was a great opportunity for these scholar-athletes to set their rackets aside and befriend the girls who, in the weeks prior, were standing across the net in compe-

tition and become a family of tennis players. Awards were distributed to All-Division, County and State recipients for their tennis playing, as well as Sportsmanship Awards for each team. Each Division crowned a Coach of the Year which honored those coaches who went above and beyond their responsibilities to take their team to the next level. Community service was also recognized and “Scholar-Athlete Community Service”-driven scholarships were awarded. “The girl’s awards dinner is put together by Bob Davis, Neil Bernstein and Kevin Lewis and it had been run for many years by Dave Norman, who was a coach at Port Jefferson High School,” said Joe Arias, event coordinator. “I became involved a few years ago

when I started getting involved with the Suffolk County Girls Varsity Tennis Coaches Association. We revived the Boy’s Suffolk County dinner. Last spring, we held our 6th Annual Boys Awards Dinner, and then I started to get involved with the girls dinner and we began using our resources to get more people to attend and have a bigger event. I think this event means a lot to the student-athletes. The girls have a certain pride in tennis, and not having an awards dinner for all their hard work would be denying them that pride. I know from my days in high school, I always enjoyed my awards dinner and I still remember them to this day. I know the coaches, parents and players have a great time.”

LITennisMag.com • January/February 2017 • Long Island Tennis Magazine

BNP Paribas Show

A Decade of Tennis at the W

he 10th anniversary of the BNP Paribas Showdown will bring past, current and future stars to the Madison Square Garden court for a terrific night of tennis on Monday, March 6. Juan Martin del Potro, Kei Nishikori, Venus Williams, Garbiñe Muguruza, Nick Kyrgios, Jack Sock and a legends matchup to be named later, will square off in the 10th anniversary edition of the annual tennis showcase. Del Potro, the 2016 Olympic silver medalist will take on world number five Nishikori, while former world number one Venus Williams will square off against reigning French Open champion, Muguruza. Kyrgios and Sock, two exciting young stars on the rise, will provide a glimpse of what the fu-

ture has in store for tennis fans. Over the course of its decade at Madison Square Garden, the BNP Paribas Showdown has become a must-see event, from superstar Pete Sampras showing a younger Roger Federer he can still play in the inaugural matchup in 2008, to last year’s electrifying performances by Serena Williams, Caroline Wozniacki, Stan Wawrinka and Gael Monfils. The event has also hosted a who’s who in the world of tennis, including: Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Rafael Nadal, Andre Agassi, Ivan Lendl, Mike and Bob Bryan, John and Patrick McEnroe, Maria Sharapova, Kim Clijsters, Victoria Azarenka, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Ana Ivanovic, Jelena Jankovic, Monica Seles and Gabriela Sabatini. “Since 2008, playing the Showdown at

Long Island Tennis Magazine • January/February 2017 • LITennisMag.com

The Garden has become a ‘must’ amongst the biggest stars in the game, and as we celebrate the 10th Showdown we’re looking forward to another special night of tennis,” said Joel Fisher, executive vice president, Marquee Events/Operations, The Madison Square Garden Company. “The Showdown has continually entertained thousands of tennis fans and provided many lasting moments. And, how can we forget Ben Stiller, Rory McIllroy and Redfoo taking to the Garden court? You never know what or who you’ll see when tennis comes to The World’s Most Famous Arena.” Showdown Creator Jerry Solomon said, “It is incredible to think this will be our 10th Showdown. We have been fortunate to continued on page 26

owdown Preview

World’s Most Famous Arena 10th Annual BNP Paribas Showdown TA L E O F THE TAPE

JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO

vs.

Country: Argentina

KEI NISHIKORI Country: Japan

Birth Place: Tandil, Argentina

Birth Place: Matsue, Shimane, Japan

Birth Date: September 23, 1988

Birth Date: December 29, 1989

Residence: Tandil, Argentina

Residence: Bradenton, Florida

Turned Pro: 2005

Turned Pro: 2007

2016 Year-End Ranking: 38

2016 Year-End Ranking: 5

Career Singles Record: 346-140

Career Singles Record: 301-142

Career Singles Titles: 19

Career Singles Titles: 11

Grand Slam Singles Titles: 1

Grand Slam Singles Titles: 0

VENUS WILLIAMS

vs.

Country: United States

GARBINE MUGURUZA Country: Spain

Birth Place: Lynwood, California

Birth Place: Caracas, Venezuela

Birth Date: June 17, 1980

Birth Date: October 8, 1993

Residence: Palm Beach Gardens, Florida

Residence: Geneva, Switzerland

Turned Pro: 1994

Turned Pro: 2011

2016 Year-End Ranking: 17

2016 Year-End Ranking: 7

Career Singles Record: 731-202

Career Singles Record: 264-130

Career Singles Titles: 49

Career Singles Titles: 3 Grand Slam Singles Titles: 1

Grand Slam Singles Titles: 7

JACK SOCK

vs.

Country: United States

NICK KYRGIOS Country: Australia

Birth Place: Lincoln, Nebraska

Birth Place: Canberra, Australia

Birth Date: September 24, 1992

Birth Date: April 27, 1995

Residence: Kansas City, Kansas

Residence: Canberra, Australia

Turned Pro: 2011

Turned Pro: 2013

2016 Year-End Ranking: 23

2016 Year-End Ranking: 13

Career Singles Record: 115-82 Career Singles Titles: 1 Grand Slam Singles Titles: 0

Career Singles Record: 75-45 Career Singles Titles: 3 Grand Slam Singles Titles: 0

LITennisMag.com • January/February 2017 • Long Island Tennis Magazine

bnp paribas showdown continued from page 24 have had just about every tennis superstar of the last 30 years play at Madison Square Garden, and this year will be no different, with our compelling slate of great players spanning eras. And we’ll also be including some twists on the traditional tennis format that will allow fans to see more action than ever before in a more compact schedule. On March 6, the BNP Paribas Showdown and The Garden will once again be the place to be for the most exciting tennis.” Nishikori, currently ranked fifth in the world, is the only male Japanese player to ever be ranked in the top 10. He has compiled 11 singles titles and was a finalist in the 2014 U.S. Open, making him the first Asian player to compete in a Grand Slam singles final. Del Potro, the 2009 U.S. Open champion, returns to Madison Square Garden for his second appearance at the BNP Paribas Showdown. The 6’6” Argentine, who is playing strong and blazing the

comeback trail after three wrist operations that sidelined his career, is currently ranked 42nd in the world and recently captured the Stockholm Open for his first ATP Tour title since 2014. Venus, arguably one of the greatest female players of all time, is a seven-time Grand Slam champion, five-time Wimbledon Champion, four-time Olympic Gold Medalist, and winner of 49 singles titles. She is currently ranked 15th in the world and will be making her third Showdown appearance. Current world number six Muguruza beat Serena Williams in the finals of the 2016 French Open to capture her first Grand Slam title. She holds 10 career singles titles and was runner-up at the 2015 Wimbledon Championships. She will make her Madison Square Garden debut as she tries to beat Venus for the first time in four attempts. Two rising ATP Tour stars, Sock and

Kyrgios, will compete in their first ever match-up at Madison Square Garden. Kyrgios, ranked 13th in the world, was listed as the number one world junior in 2013, and has already recorded several top 10 wins, including a victory against world number three Stan Wawrinka at an ATP Masters 1000 tournament early in the year. He will play Sock, one of the top-ranked American players at world 22. Sock is a former junior U.S. Open champion and has been in three finals on the ATP Tour. The BNP Paribas Showdown will apply several new innovative formats currently being experimented in the world of tennis to help speed up the game. The format enhancements will make the Showdown an even more fast-paced, exciting event for the fans. The BNP Paribas Showdown at Madison Square Garden will once again headline a full day of worldwide activities as part of “World Tennis Day,” a global tennis participation effort. All events promote tailoring the game to players 10 & Under with kidfriendly effort, including smaller racquets, lighter balls and modified scoring.

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Move Into the Net Gradually By Steve Annacone If you watch professional tennis these days, it is pretty obvious that many points in both the men’s and women’s game are played from on or behind the baseline. The game has become extremely fast, the players are better athletes, and the equipment is very conducive to more points being a battle from the baseline. I have never seen a ball I didn’t like to move forward on. My mantra is: “Try not to let too many balls bounce and get the ball back to my opponent as quickly as possible.” My brother Paul played professional tennis (very successfully) like this for more than 10 years. The game has changed and the idea has to be adjusted.

Move in to the net gradually When you are trying to be aggressive and move forward to attack the net, go a little at a time. Focus on hitting your shot well, and then take a few steps forward towards the ball. Try to time your split-step so that you are stopped and balanced just before the opponent is about to strike the ball. Regardless of where you are, this will make it easier to react to the opponent’s shot. After the ball is hit, react to the direction and repeat the same process again. Plan on hitting three or four shots each time you play a point, even if your second shot is a volley. The key to the success of this strategy is to be committed to it—being stopped and balanced, further back in the court is much better than being closer in and off

balance. Gradual movement forward is the key to success when attacking the net in the modern game. I think you will see more and more players moving forward in this manner, and many of the best players in the world already do as Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer all use this idea. The next great player might just be the one who perfects this method and advances to the net more than anyone else. Steve Annacone is president of Annacone Tennis Management LLC. He has been involved in many different aspects of the tennis industry for the last 40-plus years, including eight years coaching his brother, Paul, on the ATP Tour. He is currently the tennis director of Sag Harbor Park Tennis in the Hamptons.

T E N N I S

R U S H

Come play where the surf applauds every shot. The Seaside Tennis Club at the legendary Mauna Kea Beach Hotel on Hawaii Island. 866.977.4589 I MaunaKeaBeachHotel.com Director of Tennis, Craig T. Paulter

LITennisMag.com • January/February 2017 • Long Island Tennis Magazine

Your 2017 Guide to Long Island Tennis 2016 Guide to the Top Clubs/Programs for New York Tennis Players Magazine’s Top Clubs & Programs

Long Island tennis players have great choices when it comes to where to play tennis. Below is a list of Long Island Tennis Magazine’s top clubs and programs with descriptions of what each has to offer.

Bethpage Park Tennis Center 99 Quaker Meeting House Road, Building #4 l Farmingdale, N.Y. l (516) 777-1385 Bethpage Park Tennis Center is located just a few hundred feet from the Black Course at beautiful Bethpage State Park. Four indoor hard courts and four indoor red clay courts are air-conditioned for year-round play, along with two outdoor Har-Tru courts. Bethpage Park Tennis Center offers an array of adult seasonal, leagues, lessons and walk-on court opportunities. It’s free and lowcost program for seniors and special populations is perhaps the largest of its kind in New York State. The Center is best known for its renowned junior development program, led by top coaches Steve Kaplan and Keith Kambourian. Collectively, they have developed more players than anyone else in the east. Steve is the owner of Bethpage Park Tennis Center, as well as the director of City Parks Foundation Lacoste Academy. Steve has been the long-time coach of more than 800 nationally-ranked junior players, 16 state high school singles champions, two NCAA Division I Singles Champions, and numerous touring professionals and prominent coaches. Steve’s students have been awarded in excess of $8 million in college scholarship money. Keith, co-owner of the club, has exceled as both a player and a coach. He was ranked in the top 30 nationally in the Boy’s 18 Division and received a full scholarship to Duke and was ranked nationally among the best collegiate players. He directed the Reebok Urban Youth Tennis Academy at Flushing Meadows, N.Y. and has since coached players from beginners to international touring professionals. In 1998, he was awarded the ETA Long Island Region Tennis Professional of the Year Award. Keith has a master’s degree in sports management. His level-headed approach to junior tennis ensures that students develop and maintain a positive and productive mental outlook. In the summer, the finest players in the east join us for summer camp on four indoor hard courts four indoor red clay courts that are airconditioned, along with two outdoor Har-Tru courts and six nearby outdoor hard courts. Lunch is included and transportation is available. Bethpage Park Tennis Center charges no membership fee and encourages and values beginners equally with our nationally-ranked players. 28

Long Island Tennis Magazine • January/February 2017 • LITennisMag.com

Your 2017 Guide to Long Island Tennis Magazine’s Top Clubs & Programs

Butch Seewagen Tennis Academy 188 Maple Avenue l Rockville Centre, N.Y. l (516) 763-1299, ext. 10 CATSNY.com l CATSRVC@gmail.com The Butch Seewagen Tennis Academy is proud to be the first of its kind on Long Island devoted entirely to the USTA’s 10 & Under Tennis Program. The Academy features three state-of-the-art, QuickStart, U.S. Open blue green courts. The Academy offers professional tennis programs for group, semi-private and private lessons, plus birthday parties and special events. Directed by former U.S. National Amateur Champion and former top 70 player, the Butch Seewagen Tennis Academy uses USTA and the International Tennis Federation (ITF) QuickStart tennis guidelines. This progressive curriculum focuses on developing children’s tennis skills on a size-appropriate scale, utilizing smaller courts, low compression balls and smaller rackets. Drills and games are played with an emphasis on developing skill sets in a fun environment.

Carefree Racquet Club 1414 Jerusalem Avenue, #1 l North Merrick, N.Y. l (516) 489-9005 l CarefreeTennis.com Carefree Racquet Club is Long Island’s premier indoor tennis club. We offer seven indoor tennis courts, two racquetball courts and a half-court basketball court. League Coordinator Debbie Cichon offers adult singles, doubles and team doubles leagues that are always on level to insure you a good game every time you play. Carefree has many USTA teams in the adult, senior, mixed-doubles and Tri-Level leagues. For those new to the game or just want to improve, Carefree offers two 14-week sessions of learn and play groups coordinated by Louis Vallejo. Players get an hour lesson each week, along with 90 minutes of practice time each week. For players looking for a more relaxed social atmosphere, Karen Guigliano hosts parties on Friday/Saturday nights where food is served and Karen arranges all games for the night. Jean Tanklowitz, senior program coordinator, has many retirees who simply have a flexible schedule, playing Monday through Thursday in the afternoon. All games are arranged by Jean. For junior players, Ben Marks, Carefree’s director of tennis, coordinates the Junior Development Program with two 14-week sessions starting at the age of five and running through the age of 18. Children can take group, semi-private or private lessons and get practice time and ladder match play as well. Ben also runs a high-school prep program and an Elite program. Carefree is very proud of its QuickStart tot program for children ages three- to five-years-old. This adorable program uses all the props to keep the children’s attention and is unmatched. Carefree Racquet Club is managed by Kathy Miller, who is also the Long Island USTA Adult League Coordinator. Kathy, along with her assistant manager, Pat McIlwee, pride themselves on the organization and smooth running of the best indoor club on Long Island that has never and continues to not charge membership fees. So if you are looking to join a program or just rent a court now and then, we would love to see you at Carefree!

LITennisMag.com • January/February 2017 • Long Island Tennis Magazine

Your 2017 Guide to Long Island Tennis Magazine’s Top Clubs & Programs

Early Hit Training Center 95 Glen Head Road l Glen Head, N.Y. l (516) 455-1225 The Early Hit Training Center is located at 95 Glen Head Road in Glen Head, N.Y. Home of the ALPS Program, Early Hit Training Center specializes in accelerated learning through a combination of private lessons, group sessions and physical training in tennis-specific exercises. The program was designed by Carl Barnett, with the help of Pat Etcheberry. The program focuses on the players and their need for accessible court time, coupled with a flexible schedule and parent-friendly budget. Early Hit Training Center features a fabulous summer camp, pro shop, restaurant and private training all year long.

Great Neck Estates Tennis Club 12 Shore Drive l Great Neck, N.Y. l (516) 233-2790 Great Neck Estates Tennis Club is located in the scenic Great Neck Estates Waterfront Park. The lobby and front desk area of the Club provides players with an incredible view of New York City. This new tennis center features a brand-new, fully-insulated air structure and five Har-Tru courts. The air structure, manufactured by the world famous Farley Group of Canada, is the most advanced air structure of its kind and provides a tennis experience second to none. When players walk onto the court, they are instantly amazed by the quality of the lighting system. What truly makes a facility excellent are the people who create, direct and instruct the programs. From QuickStart to tournament training, New York tennis at Great Neck Estates is striving to offer junior tennis players the best tennis experience. The Club’s weekend junior tournament training programs is its trademark. On both Saturdays and Sundays, a three-hour tournament training program is offered, consisting two-hour lesson/drill followed by a full set of tennis. The session includes rigorous competitive drills, point play and fitness, and then each player participates in a ladder match. The results of the ladder match determines the player’s court next week. This type of experience weekly prepares juniors for both high school and tournament tennis. During the mornings and early afternoons, Willie Notar organizes and directs programs for adult players. To burn calories, there is Boot Camp and for players in the evenings, there are men’s drill and play leagues.

Nassau Indoor Tennis Club 73 Fern Place l Inwood, N.Y. l (516) 239-8303 l NassauIndoorTennis.com l Info@NassauIndoorTennis.com For more than 30 years, Nassau Indoor Tennis Club has been the tennis club to go to in the Five Towns area of Nassau County. Conveniently located on the South Shore, 30 minutes from Manhattan and 10 minutes from JFK Airport in Inwood, N.Y., Nassau In30

Long Island Tennis Magazine • January/February 2017 • LITennisMag.com

Your 2017 Guide to Long Island Tennis Magazine’s Top Clubs & Programs door Tennis Club is easily accessible from anywhere on Long Island or New York City. Under new ownership, the recently reconditioned Har-Tru Tennis Courts are the perfect venue for the tennis enthusiast. Proud members of the USTA, Nassau Indoor Tennis Club offers something for everybody. Looking for an outstanding youth program, private lessons, adult leagues, seasonal or hourly court time? Looking to throw a tennis party and cannot find a facility to rent? Nassau Indoor is available for all-sized parties, big or small. Nassau Indoor Tennis is happy and able to accommodate your tennis needs. The Club is proud host to USTA-sanctioned junior tournaments and USTA Adult League Teams. Nassau Indoor Tennis Club provides unparalleled professional instruction to children and adults of all skill levels and abilities. The Club’s pros include David Brent, head pro at Inwood Country Club; Mark Harrison, head pro at Seawane Country Club; Eric Morales, head pro at Woodmere Country Club; and Chris Morales, head pro at the Village of Lawrence Country Club. Rest assured, when you join Nassau Indoor Tennis Club, you’ll get hands-on instruction from some of the region’s best and nationallyranked professionals. Whether you are taking up tennis for the first time or have been playing for a long time, Nassau Indoor Tennis is available for all of your tennis needs. Just let them know if you want an individual or group lesson and Nassau Indoor Tennis Club’s pros will do the rest. Nassau Indoor Tennis Club is open seven days a week, and hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m.-11:00 p.m., and on Saturdays and Sundays from 7:00 a.m.-11:00 p.m. Hourly and seasonal court time is also available. Whether you would like to sign up for individual or group lessons, rent hourly or seasonal court time, join a league, or need some questions answered, Nassau Indoor Tennis’s friendly staff is available to assist you. For more information, visit NassauIndoorTennis.com.

Point Set Indoor Racquet Club 3065 New Street l Oceanside, N.Y. l (516) 536-2323 l PointSetRacquetClub.com Extreme makeover … tennis club edition! Upgrade yourself by enjoying the all new U.S. Open blue tennis courts, gleaming locker rooms, renovated lobby/office and redesigned social space of post-storm Point Set Indoor Racquet Club! A state-of-the-art, spare no expense renovation out of respect to our customers! With 350-plus juniors in developmental programs, 60-plus QuickStart Pee-Wees, 500-plus adult players in leagues/contracts/drills, Point Set Racquet Club is working towards fulfilling its mission statement: Point Set aspires to be the most vibrant tennis club on the South Shore by integrating heart with sport in the community. The dedicated dream team staff of tennis professionals administers a top tier Tournament Training Program (TTP) for three levels of junior competitors. It addresses all aspects of competition: drills, match play, fitness and mental toughness. See what a difference the Point Set staff delivers as the facility has added air-conditioning for a controlled climate for play year-round! Point Set Indoor Racquet Club recognizes that customers are its most important asset. The collegial relationship of the staff, on- and off-the-court, translates into a friendly environment for its customers. Point Set is a full-service club and your gateway to challenging yourself to explore, enjoy and improve yourself through the great sport of tennis. Experience the difference a supportive environment makes! Come play at Point Set, where fun meets fitness.

LITennisMag.com • January/February 2017 • Long Island Tennis Magazine

Your 2017 Guide to Long Island Tennis Magazine’s Top Clubs & Programs

Port Washington Tennis Academy 100 Harbor Road l Port Washington, N.Y. l (516) 883-6425 l PWTA.com Port Washington Tennis Academy (PWTA) is dedicated to young people, primarily from the ages of four through 18. PWTA was created in 1966 as a non-profit facility to use tennis as a means of fostering educational success for children, by developing a stimulating lifelong activity that is fun, healthy, and scholastically and socially beneficial. This is accomplished by utilizing specialized techniques with a wide range of instructional programs, special in-house competitions and several USTA-sanctioned tournaments. Additionally, graduating high school seniors get the benefit of PWTA’s many years of experiences and up-to-date knowledge of schools, teams and coaches when it comes to identifying, selecting and the eventual placement at a university meeting their individual capabilities and goals. While PWTA is well-known for many world-class professional players graduating from its programs, encouraging educational excellence will always be the club’s main focus. PWTA also offers an extensive variety of adult programs at all levels. Men’s and women’s daytime and evening leagues, private lessons, group clinics (three players plus a professional), seasonal courts, including instructional and season-ending doubles play sessions, are just part of the club’s broad spectrum of activities. PWTA is the largest indoor tennis facility on the East Coast, with 17 indoor courts (four hard and 13 Har-Tru) and a unique elevated quarter mile-long indoor running track. PWTA also provides many extras not found as part of a teaching program, such as an international teaching staff, closed-circuit TV for each court, upper TV lounge for relaxed viewing, spectator viewing galleries to ensure full visibility of every court, comfortable lounge areas, extensive men’s and women’s locker rooms, meeting rooms, etc. Complimentary coffee, tea, milk, cookies, juice and potassium rich bananas are always available to PWTA members. In addition, the Academy has a fullystocked pro shop to meet the needs of members. For more information, call (516) 883-6425 or visit PWTA.com.

Ross School Tennis Center 18 Goodfriend Drive l East Hampton, N.Y. l (631) 907-5162 l Ross.org/Tennis TennisAcademy@Ross.org The Ross School Tennis Center, located on the Ross Upper School campus in East Hampton, N.Y., is a wonderful resource in the Hamptons open to seasonal and year-round residents. The Center features six Har-Tru tennis courts that are enclosed by a bubble from mid-fall through mid-spring, allowing for year-round play. The courts are directly adjacent to the beautiful, state-of-the-art Field House, featuring amenities such as locker rooms, lounge, snack bar, and ping-pong tables. The Field House is also used for a variety of special events and is available for private parties. Junior Tennis Programs (Nursery–Grade 6) Using the QuickStart method and low-pressure balls, this program for students up to age 10 develops strong foundations in our youngest players through fun, level-appropriate games and drills. This program develops spatial awareness and locomotor skills and is designed to motivate young players into continuing the sport and taking it to the next level. Junior Tennis Academy (RSJTA) (Grades 7-8) This program offers the same intense training program as Tennis Academy (below), but caters specifically to players in grades seven and eight. 32

Long Island Tennis Magazine • January/February 2017 • LITennisMag.com

Your 2017 Guide to Long Island Tennis Magazine’s Top Clubs & Programs Tennis Academy (RSTA) Grades 9-12 and Post-Graduate Featuring intense and demanding training for national and international high school students already playing in USTA or ITF tournaments, this unusual and dynamic program combines an engaging, global curriculum with the highest level of competitive tennis training available. Designed for USTA/ITF players in grades seventh through 12th and post-graduates, the RSTA is the first in the New York City area to augment a full academic program with a complete physical and mental conditioning program. Boarding options are available, as is a tennis-only (no academics) program. Lessons and Court Rentals Private instruction is available for all ages and levels of play. The Tennis Center staff provides a fun and supportive atmosphere that allows for the greatest amount of success. Guests can also rent courts during the weekday, weekend, or seasonally. Call (631) 907-5162 or e-mail TennisAcademy@Ross.org for more information or to make reservations.

Sag Harbor Park Tennis 395 Main Street l P.O. Box 2988 l Sag Harbor, N.Y. l (631) 725-7275 Sag Harbor Park Tennis is located in Mashashimuet Park on Main Street in Sag Harbor, N.Y., approximately one mile south of the village. Sag Harbor Park Tennis provides the highest level of services and programs in a unique setting and environment, convenient for players from Southampton to Amagansett, with the best value in the Hamptons. The facility has four HydroCourt (watered from under the surface) and four traditional Har-Tru clay courts. There are also two hard courts available for play and/or instruction. Beautiful 100-plus year-old elm trees provide great shaded areas on those hot summer days experienced on the court. Sag Harbor’s professional staff, selected by Annacone Tennis Management, includes current and past Division I college players, ATP Tour professionals, and USPTA & USPTR Professionals with more than 50 years of tennis teaching experience. The staff is led by Steve Annacone, tennis director and president of Annacone Tennis Management. Steve has more than 40 years of experience in all facets of the tennis industry. His first teaching position was at the Park in 1976, so this facility has a deep place in his heart. After coaching his brother, Paul, on the ATP Tour for eight years, Steve served as tennis director, head professional and manager at numerous clubs, mainly in the state of Tennessee. In 2011, when his main focus switched to management of tennis facilities, Sag Harbor Park Tennis was the first program he agreed to manage in the New York area. Annacone Tennis Management has managed 15 facilities in the past 10 years and Sag Harbor Park Tennis is the centerpiece and model for these endeavors. The Sag Harbor Park tennis professionals are known for their instructional expertise. Sag Harbor’s world-class staff offers a variety of adult and junior tennis programs for all ages and levels. They offer numerous programs for all ages and abilities, including the Annacone Tennis Academy and Camp. Membership is not required, but members do receive many advantages in reserving courts, scheduling and participating in lessons, as well as access to special events. Game matching and group matching, as well as hitters, are available for all of our members. E-mail SagHarborTennis@aol.com or visit SagHarborParkTennis.com for more information. See you on the courts!

LITennisMag.com • January/February 2017 • Long Island Tennis Magazine

Your 2017 Guide to Long Island Tennis Magazine’s Top Clubs & Programs

SPORTIME Tennis Clubs–Home of the John McEnroe Tennis Academy 11 locations across Long Island, Manhattan, Westchester and the Capital Region (888) NY-TENNIS l SportimeNY.com/Tennis l JMTA.com l Info@SportimeNY.com SPORTIME’s courts, programs, coaches, facilities and club environments have set the standard of excellence since 1994, and we are getting better every year. With more than 150 hard and soft surface courts, indoors and outdoors, we offer great tennis programs and facilities for players of all ages and abilities. To find out more, go to SportimeNY.com. Programs for everyone l Juniors: From the Tennis Whizz program for preschoolers, to the SPORTIME U10 tennis pathway for red and orange level players, to the Junior Tennis Kinetics and Excel Tennis programs for green and yellow level juniors, to the ultimate opportunity to train with New York tennis icon Johnny Mac and the John McEnroe Tennis Academy (JMTA) team, SPORTIME offers a complete menu of tennis programming for every level of play. SPORTIME Randall’s Island is the flagship home of JMTA, with JMTA satellite locations in Syosset on Long Island, Amagansett on Long Island (summer only) and at Lake Isle, Eastchester in Lower Westchester. Our curriculums include world-class, age and level appropriate athletic training, mental toughness training, and more, reflecting our commitment to developing complete players. SPORTIME/JMTA’s games approach gets kids playing fast and blends technical and tactical learning and coaching from the very first lesson. SPORTIME students turn their weaknesses into strengths, and their strengths into winning games! l Adults: SPORTIME‘s Adult Tennis Kinetics is the largest adult group lesson program in the country. Major League Tennis, Cardio Tennis, and SPORTIME’s signature “Zone” high-intensity competitive games program all provide great workouts, combined with skills development, and are a lot of fun! For those looking for the ultimate challenge, SPORTIME offers Adult Excel, modeled after the highly successful Junior Excel and JMTA programs. Mixed-doubles parties, round-robin mixers, club tournaments and other special events round out the adult schedule throughout the year. l SPORTIME Camps: SPORTIME offers the best tennis camps anywhere and has a camp location near you! SPORTIME summer and school-break camps, including U10, Excel and JMTA player development camps, utilize fun and fast-paced training methods, competitive games, technical instruction and tactical training for match play, as well as off-court athletic and mental toughness training. Multi-Sport camps are also offered.

happy new year!

Long Island Tennis Magazine • January/February 2017 • LITennisMag.com

Your 2017 Guide to Long Island Tennis Magazine’s Top Clubs & Programs

USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center Flushing Meadows Corona Park l Flushing, N.Y. l (718) 760-6200 l NTC.USTA.com The USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, home of the U.S. Open Tennis Championships, is the largest public tennis facility in the world. The Tennis Center is open to the public year-round and offers exciting programming, as well as numerous events throughout the year. Programs are offered for all ages and levels, as well as clinics, private lessons, leagues, tours, field trips, summer camps, corporate events, birthday parties and tournaments. The NTC also supports all USTA Community Tennis and Player Development initiatives. The professional staff also conducts community tennis programs, including 10 & Under Tennis for children 10 years of age and under to learn tennis in a fun and dynamic way; USTA Junior Team Tennis for youth match play; USTA League Tennis for competitive, level-of-play competition, and an official Cardio Tennis site for on-court heart pumping fitness. Initiatives for USTA Player Development include an Invitational USTA Competition Training Center for ranked players, Player Development programs for top-ranking juniors in the Northeast, and a year-round USTA Tournament Training Program for ranked juniors. The NTC also provides for diverse community outreach programs including; the New York Junior Tennis League (NYJTL), the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation, the Queens District Attorney’s Star Track/Say Yes to Tennis, No to Violence program for Queens at-risk youth. The NTC also hosts various tennis opportunities for special populations, including wheelchair tennis instruction for the physically-challenged from the months of October through July, HERO (Help Expand Recreational Opportunities) for developmentally challenged adults and tennis for autistic children through NYFAC (New York Families for Autistic Children). There is an extensive summer camp program which provides basic tennis instruction starting as young as 10 and under up through and including Academy level players. Camps include instruction and fitness programs; the encouragement of good sportsmanship leading to general character building for the children. These services are provided at nominal cost, making it affordable for youngsters who would not otherwise get the chance to attend camp or receive tennis instruction. Lastly, the Project ACES (Alternative Classroom Environment for Students), implemented at the NTC in 2009, is geared towards children from schools from the New York City Metropolitan Area. This program provides students the opportunity to visit the NTC and learn about the history of tennis. The kids are given a tour of the entire site, including Center Court in Ashe, a video presentation on the history of tennis and the great players of the sport, followed by an hour of on-court tennis instruction.

ar! from long island tennis magazine litennis Long Island Tennis Magazine

LITennisMag.com • March/April 2016 • Long Island Tennis Magazine

MAGAZINE

LITennisMag.com • January/February 2017 • Long Island Tennis Magazine

USTA Eastern Lon Locals to be honored by USTA Eastern The USTA Eastern Section will close out its year with its Annual Eastern Conference and Awards Ceremony the weekend of Jan. 27-29, 2017. Several Long Islanders will be honored at the Junior and Adult Awards programs, including:

on Long Island and the Eastern Section. She currently is administrator for the LI Region Competition Training Center, and volunteers on the LI Region board, where she serves as Competition Training Chair. She has been a referee for numerous national tournaments. In 2011, Leonard received the USTA’s Nicholas E. Powel 2016 Junior Awards Award for working primarily at sectional/amateur events, her supl E. Hawley Van Wyck Jr. Boys’ 14 Sportsmanship Award: Jared portive attitude toward grassroots programming, and being a positive role model. Phillips l Edith Martin Girls’ 18 Sportsmanship Award: Elysia Bolton l Henry Benisch Scholarship Award: Clare Handa Special Service Awardee Craig Fligstein was instrumental in bringing revamped tennis courts and ex2016 Adult Awards panded tennis programming to veterans at the l George Seewagen Award: Howie Arons Veterans Administration Hospital in Northport, N.Y. In addition to being a longtime executive with the l Umpire Service Award: Eileen Leonard United Way of Long Island, Fligstein has volunteered with the l Special Service Award: Craig Fligstein USTA Long Island Region since 2004, including six years as a Rel Regional Volunteer of the Year Long Island: Randi Wilkins gional board member and six years (and currently) as treasurer. A The George Seewagen Award is given to a USTA Eastern USPTA member, he also volunteers his time in helping children teaching professional who exemplifies excellence in from economically challenged households to receive free lessons. competition, sportsmanship and love of the game. It will He has helped to cultivate the talent of low-income children to pobe presented in memoriam to Howie Arons, who passed sition them for college scholarships, volunteers with kids in foster away recently. Arons, owner-operator of Great Neck Es- care, at the Northport VA Medical Center and at the Milton Olive tates Tennis in Kings Point for 10 years, was a beloved tennis coach to Middle School in Wyandanch, N.Y. both children and adults. He had a successful 36-year coaching career of the Cardozo Boys Tennis Team in Queens, with 582 career wins Randi Wilkins, Regional Volunteer of the Year for Long against only 51 defeats. His teams won 18 New York City ChampiIsland, serves the USTA Long Island Region Board as onships. Arons received the Vitas Gerulaitis for the Love of Tennis Suffolk County Community Development Chair. Her Award from the USTA Long Island Region in 2015. accomplishments include bringing tennis to children in Suffolk County and launching the USTA LI Region Kids’ Eileen Leonard will receive the Umpire Service Award in Day in Suffolk in 2015. That event, which was successful in its first recognition of her many contributions to the field of ten- year despite a major storm downing trees and electrical lines the nis officiating. Leonard has officiated at countless junior night before, was even more successful in its second year, with over and adult tournaments in Nassau and Suffolk Counties 150 children attending. Wilkins is a tireless volunteer who always over the years and has volunteered at many tennis events helps at Long Island Region events and programs.

Manhasset hosts “Serve-a-Thon” for breast cancer awareness High school tennis players and teams, as well as tennis clubs, from across the Long Island Region participated in breast cancer awareness and fundraising during the fall. Manhasset’s varsity and junior varsity teams held a “Serve-a-Thon” that raised $2,665 for the Manhasset Women’s Coalition Against Breast Cancer. Pictured left, Manhasset’s JV team wears pink in support of breast cancer awareness.

Long Island Tennis Magazine • January/February 2017 • LITennisMag.com

ong Island Region Gold Balls premiere features local senior tennis players Members of the Eastern Section Champion 65and-Over 7.0 team out of Sportime Lynbrook: Captain Pat Molloy, Ginny McGowan, Captain Leslie Wecksler, Julia Berkowitz and Sue Dalessandro Five members of a National Champion Senior USTA League team were in the audience at the recent Gold Coast International Film Festival premiere of Gold Balls, a quirky and charming feature-length documentary offering unique insight into the lives of elite tennis athletes—who just happen to be over the age of 80. The movie presentation was sponsored by the USTA Long Island Region. Team captains Leslie Wecksler and Pat Molloy participated in a panel discussion following the movie’s presentation at Bow Tie Cinemas in Manhasset, N.Y. The women lead a team of 65-and-over women who are several-time National Champions and will head to Nationals again in May 2017 in Surprise, Ariz. They were asked to give their perspective on the film’s themes, including being a successful senior tennis player. “We were amazed that these tennis players were still competing at singles (sometimes doubles) at the age of 80 and above! One of the players was 94! We enjoyed discussing the film with its many similar-

USTA LI Region volunteers at the Gold Balls premiere: Mike Pavlides, Marian Morris, Sunny Fishkind, Daniel Burgess and Eddie Fishkind

ities between the players showcased and the players on our team,” Wecksler said. “All of us absolutely love the game of tennis, and we set goals to be the best players we can be. Also, we have a desire to continually improve and an understanding that our strategies and choice of shots evolve as we age and as we continue to learn new strokes. In addition, we realize the importance of taking care of ourselves by staying fit and by using cross-training techniques to reduce injuries related to repetition and age. Molloy and Wecksler’s team plays out of Sportime Lynbrook and is the current USTA Eastern Section champion. “Our team is fortunate because we have the support of each other as teammates and friends,” Wecksler continued. “We also enjoy the camaraderie and respect that has developed between our opponents and our team. Although we want to win, sometimes, we are just happy to be playing competitive tennis. There is something very special and satisfying about playing tennis as a senior.”

Friends Academy captures inaugural Executive Cup Nassau County Champion Friends Academy defeated Suffolk Champ Commack High School 5-2 in the Inaugural Long Island High School Tennis Executive Cup, an event piloted by the USTA Long Island Region and sanctioned by Section VIII Athletics. Pictured here, Friends Academy celebrates its championship season and Long Island Executive Cup win.

Coming Soon … Please visit LongIsland.USTA.com for details on these and other local events: l Saturday, Jan. 7: Powershares Series Legends at Barclay’s Center, Brooklyn, N.Y. l Friday-Sunday, Jan. 27-29: USTA Eastern Annual Conference at the Renaissance Hotel, White Plains, N.Y. l Monday, March 6: BNP Paribas Open at Madison Square Garden, New York, N.Y. LITennisMag.com • January/February 2017 • Long Island Tennis Magazine

Long Island Tennis Magazine • January/February 2017 • LITennisMag.com

TENNIS MEDICINE

By Dr. Eric Price & Dr. David Zaret rthritis treatments include cortisone and lubricating shots, oral medications, physical therapy, and even surgery (joint replacement). Stem cell therapy is a promising alternative to surgery for people with joint and musculoskeletal pain. Stem cells are the body’s repair cells which can differentiate or change into other tissues depending upon where they are placed. New techniques allow us to harvest them for use in areas in need, for example, an arthritic knee. Stem cells, when combined with growth factors, can help rejuvenate damaged tissue. Stem cells are found in bone marrow, fat and blood. In our practice, we harvest the stem cells from the fat around the belly. A small liposuction procedure is performed and six to 10 teaspoons of fat are removed.

Stem Cell Therapy for Joint Pain

The fat is placed into a machine (a centrifuge) that separates the stem cells from the rest of the fat. We also draw blood to make PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma). PRP is a liquid concentrate of platelets. Platelets contain hundreds of growth factors that are very important in the healing of injuries. We then add the PRP to the stem cells and inject the mixture into the area in need. By using the patient’s own cells, there is no risk of rejection. The patient then comes back to the office about one month later to give another PRP injection as a booster to help stimulate the stem cells. The procedure is done in the office setting under local anesthesia. The entire process takes less than 45 minutes. Most people notice improvement about five weeks from the date of the procedure PRP injections can also be used by to help treat other soft tissue problems. Conditions such as plantar fasciitis, tennis elbow, Achilles tendonitis and patellar tendonitis can all be treated with this technique. By using PRP in these situations,

surgery can sometimes be avoided. New techniques such as Stem Cell Therapy and PRP can be very useful in treating a variety of musculoskeletal problems. While these techniques should not be considered the “Fountain of Youth,” they can be an excellent alternative for patients who are trying to avoid surgery. Dr. Eric Price is a board-certified, fellowship-trained sports medicine specialist with Orlin & Cohen Orthopedic Group. Dr. Price’s expertise includes shoulder arthroscopy for repair of rotator cuff tears, dislocations, knee arthroscopy, including ACL and meniscus surgery. Dr. David Zaret is one of Long Island’s leading board-certified, fellowship-trained foot and ankle specialists. He possesses extensive expertise in total ankle replacement surgery, as well as other more common foot and ankle procedures, such as fusions, tendon repairs and bunion corrections. For more information, call (516) 546-7846 or visit OrlinCohen.com.

LITennisMag.com • January/February 2017 • Long Island Tennis Magazine

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JOHN McENROE TENNIS ACADEMY LOCATIONS Long Island/Syosset - 516-364-2727 Manhattan/Randall’s Island - 212-427-6150 Westchester/Lake Isle - 914-777-5151 LITennisMag.com • January/February 2017 • Long Island Tennis Magazine

at the net wit h

n o a h

r u b i n

by bri an co l em an

oah Rubin just wrapped up his first full year as a professional tennis player and, as the Long Island native will admit, it was an up and down season, but he is chomping at the bit to get back onto the court in 2017. “It really opened up my eyes,” Rubin told Long Island Tennis Magazine. “I was used to the daily grind to an extent, and living out of my bag was fun, but also tough. I had a couple of good wins to start the year, and I was playing some pretty good tennis through the first few months. I was feeling confident. I got hurt and it set me back the next few months, both physically and mentally. But I don’t regret anything. It was very enjoyable, and I was able to learn a lot from just being out there and travelling, and witnessing what the top players do on a daily basis.” Rubin’s year started off with a bang as he upset then-18th ranked Benoit Paire of France in the opening round of the Australian Open, beating the Frenchman in straight sets for the biggest win of his young career. “You know, everybody says that they believe in themselves, and we all should to a certain extent. But that win helped consolidate my ideas on the player I knew I could

be,” said Rubin. “I went to college, and people either forgot about me or maybe didn’t think I would make it after that, so that win really helped bring me back into the picture.” The win not only helped Rubin’s confidence, but also helped guide his ascent up the rankings. After reaching the semifinals of the Maui Challenger, Rubin went on to notch another big win, knocking off 76th ranked Sam Groth in the Round of 32 at the Delray Beach Open in early February. His ranking continued to rise as the 20year-old competed mainly on the Challenger Tour and in ATP qualifying tournaments, until an ankle injury halted his progress mid-summer. “It took a lot out of me. It was my first real injury as a professional, and it stopped my momentum,” Rubin recalled. “Before that, I was moving up almost 100 spots a month from when I started. It hurt me more mentally than anything else.” Because of a lack of match play, Rubin saw his ranking, which had climbed to a career high of 166, drop back out of the top 200. “After his injury he lost a few matches, and I think he lost a little confidence,” said

Long Island Tennis Magazine • January/February 2017 • LITennisMag.com

Rubin’s longtime coach and JMTA Director of Tennis Lawrence Kleger. “And that has always been his biggest strength, his mental toughness, his compete level.” He returned to the tour and qualified for the Abierto Mexicano Mifel tournament in Los Cabos, Mexico, where he qualified for the main draw, before coming home to compete in the U.S. Open Qualifying Tournament. Rubin’s presence in Flushing Meadows attracted the buzz of the city and provided one of the largest audiences you will find at a qualifying match. After advancing in just three games due to a retirement from Yan Bai in the opening round of qualifiers, Rubin took on 145th-ranked Michael Berrer, a bigserving German. He would outlast Berrer and a rain delay to push into the final round of qualifying, where he lost a hard-fought three-set match to Russia’s Karen Khacharov, who would go on to reach the second round of the main draw tournament, even taking a set off eventual semifinalist U.S. Open Kei Nishikori. While he may not have achieved the results he was looking for, playing at the U.S. Open continues to hold a special sentiment for Rubin.

“It’s full of emotion for me and everyone around me. It’s a time where all my family is in the same place, so there is a lot of pressure that comes with it, but there is also a lot of thrill because of what I’ve accomplished and what I am trying to do,” reflected Rubin. “So it’s fun to be able to showcase that there. Obviously I had a tough loss in the third round, and I really thought I had it when I broke him in the third set. But it was a good match and he did really well after that.” Rubin was still rounding himself into shape following the injury at the time of the U.S. Open, and he would continue to do so to wrap up 2016. He did well to reach the finals of the Stockton Challenger, and concluded the year ranked 201st in the world. “To be honest, I got to 166, and now, I’m back down to 201, but I almost feel like I’ve done nothing,” said Rubin. “And I don’t mean to down anyone else who is ranked behind me, but just in my head, I feel like there were so many matches here and there that I feel I could have won. So the fact that I am at 200 and haven’t reached the tip of the iceberg yet is encouraging going forward. I’m putting in a lot of effort and I have a fuller head of information to use. I’m excited to see what I can do with that and try and have a great season.”

Rubin spent a few weeks down in Boca gearing up for his 2017 campaign before spending a little time at home for the holiday season and working with his coaches and team at the John McEnroe Tennis Academy. “Yes, I feel like I can be top 100 by the end of next year. But I think the goal is more to play my game for the whole year and just enjoy myself,” said Rubin. “There were points during this past season where I don’t think I was enjoying it as much as I should.

My mental game, along with my speed, are two things that I think makes me stand out as a player, so I just really want to get back to where I was. I’m feeling the ball really well right now and putting in a lot of hours of work. I feel great and I’m ready to play my game.” Brian Coleman is senior editor for Long Island Tennis Magazine. He may be reached by phone at (516) 409-4444, ext. 326 or email BrianC@USPTennis.com.

LITennisMag.com • January/February 2017 • Long Island Tennis Magazine

Your New Year’s Resolution for a Healthier 2017 How to Cut Calories From Your Holiday Dishes By Irina Belfer-Lehat RD, CDN he holidays can be overwhelming and extremely caloric, but you don’t have to gain weight! Here are some tips and suggestions on how to celebrate and enjoy family gatherings without gaining a pound. Portion control is always your number one concern! Regardless of what you eat, please measure your food using your hand as a guide: l Three to four ounces of protein = A deck of cards l One cup of rice or pasta = A tennis ball l One ounce of cheese = Three dice

Go easy on desserts Focus on smaller portions. Instead of chocolate cake, go with strawberries dipped in chocolate. Substitute cream cheese with Greek yogurt when making cheesecakes. You will cut down on overall calories and also on fat. Remember, after a big meal, all you need is a small taste of sweets to go home completely satisfied! Choose roasting and grilling This simple switch in cooking methods will cut a lot of fat calories. Casseroles 44

and frying will add unwanted calories to any dish and are easy to overeat.

and you will cut your caloric intake in half!

Sip your holiday beverages smartly Eggnog and apple cider can add a lot of calories to your diet even without alcohol. Spritz it up by diluting 50 percent of your drink with sparkling water

Irina Belfer-Lehat of Nutrition Solutions PC in Great Neck, N.Y. is a New York State-licensed dietitian and certified dietitian-nutritionist. For more information, call (917) 769-8031, e-mail IrinaLehat@gmail.com or visit IrinaLehat.com.

Long Island Tennis Magazine • January/February 2017 • LITennisMag.com

Sugar: Food or Drug? By Carly Feigan ow many times have you tried to resist the last chocolate chip cookie on the plate and succumbed to your craving? Or, how many times have you tried to resist the scoop of ice cream that has your name on it and ended up with a triple scoop sundae when you are clearly determined to reduce some weight. Or, what about the time you ate the beautifully decorated donut with pink frosting and rainbow sprinkles for lunch? Don’t feel defeated! The sweet dessert always wins! Why? Because refined sugar is a drug! A very powerful drug. It is seductive, addictive, irresistible and insidious— especially when it touches your tongue. It triggers cravings for more! From the moment it hits your taste buds to the second it hits your blood stream, you will be hooked. The problem is, sugar is found everywhere in our food supply: In our cereals, in our ketchup, in our bread and worst of all, in our kitchen pantry. Why is this innocuous looking white granular food so addictive? Here are a few reasons: 1. It leads to dopamine release in the brain (directly at the pleasure and reward center), and we develop a tolerance to it, so

more is needed to create that sense of pleasure. 2. It tastes so good that that we feel we want a constant supply. 3. It creates a chemical addiction and we feel a rush of pleasure that makes us want to “binge” on it. Sugar creates a similar but lesser effect on the brain as does heroin. And that’s not all, the health problems associated with sugar consumption are numerous. Research has linked excess sugar consump-

tion to dangerous levels of LDL cholesterol (the bad type!), increased plaque deposits in the arteries, breast cancer, colon cancers and diabetes. High fructose corn syrup— that insidious ingredient found in many salad dressings, ketchup, coffee creamers, etc., has been linked to increased heart disease and stroke. There is evidence that some tumors have insulin receptors that feed on glucose, sucrose, etc. Not to mention that sucrose and glucose are empty continued on page 46

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fitness & nutrition... sugar: food or drug? continued from page 45 calories and have no value other than to create short bursts of energy which immediately wanes. All foods containing refined sugar will produce a spike in insulin levels … and then a quick drop in insulin levels, creating a cycle of blood sugar imbalance. What are we supposed to do? Avoid sugar completely? Stop eating sweets? Bring a microscope with us when we shop so that we can read the fine print on the labels? The best solution is to get your sugar

from natural, unrefined sources, like fresh fruit and do not add refined sugar to anything you eat or drink. A few good substitutes for refined sugar that do not have toxic effects on the brain/body are: 1. Stevia: A plant-based sweetener that contains no chemicals and has a minimum impact on blood sugar. 2. Honey: A non-addictive sweetener that has a slightly higher impact on blood sugar. 3. Agave: A non-addictive plant-based

sweetener that also has a slightly higher impact on blood sugar. In conclusion … how would you vote? Is sugar a food or a drug? You decide. Carly Feigan is owner of Head to Health. She is a native New Yorker, trained as a clinical nutritionist and certified naturopath in New York City. She has a bachelor’s degree in nutrition and is RD eligible. She can be reached by e-mail at Carly@HeadToHealth.com.

Cryotherapy: Revolutionizing Athletic Recovery he world of athletics is always looking for new and innovative ways to enhance performance and decrease recovery time for injuries. Most athletes, across all sports, have used ice to decrease inflammation following a performance. Some hop in ice baths for long periods of time after a game and baseball pitchers throw bags of ice onto their arms after pitching. While these methods are effective, they may be a bit archaic. A new technology is expediting this process by accessing the same medical responses within the body: Cryotherapy. “Cryotherapy is when a person goes into an enclosed cryosauna, and the temperature gets very cold: -240 degrees,” said Dr. Konstantinos Zarkada, who operates KryoMed L.I. “It’s the coldest place on Earth.” A person or patient enters the enclosed chamber for just three minutes, while the body does the work. “What that does is trigger your body that it is freezing and it’s going to die. It turns on the fight or flight responses, which produces hormones like epinephrine and endorphins to keep the body alive, shuttling the blood from the extremities to the vital organs,” Dr. Zarkadas added. “Afterwards, you do a little exercise on the treadmill or elliptical to get warmed up, and all that oxygen-enriched blood leaves the core or-

gans and goes back to the extremities, creating a sort of euphoria and reducing the inflammation.” What separates some Cryotherapy practices from others is that the medical supervision, something that is essential for safety purposes. “Before you even go in there, you have to be medically cleared. Before every session, we take your blood pressure. It’s all about safety,” said Dr. Zarkadas. “This is the reason it’s medically supervised. We go over everything to avoid any accidents and to make sure the therapy is right for you.” Cryotherapy has benefits beyond just recovery for athletes. It can help with cellulite

Long Island Tennis Magazine • January/February 2017 • LITennisMag.com

reduction, boosted metabolism promoting weight loss, production of collagen and anti-aging. This new technology is being used by some of the world’s top athletes, and can serve as a more efficient and effective way to recover from injuries, as well as numerous other benefits in a safe, supervised manner. “Athletes jump into ice baths and they try to get their inflammation down in one to two hours, but it’s tough to stay in there that long,” Dr. Zarkadas added. “We can reach that same solution in three minutes. This helps athletes get back onto the court or field faster and it’s all about the safety of our patients.”

Finding Your Breath and Finding Acceptance By Carl Barnett nyone who has had to speak publically to a large assembly of people has experienced the uncertainty of performance. The average person stumbles through the “ums” and “ahs” between thoughts, until they find their comfort zone and begin to breathe a bit more regularly. This is the same thing juniors go through during USTA matches at all levels. They may rush when they should slow down, or go too slow when the have an opponent who is unfit. They may be upset by an opponent’s slow tempo or bad line calls. They may even fail to see opportunities or explore preplanned strategies. Finding one’s breath is key to relaxation. When your heartbeat is in excess of 150 beats per minute at the start of a point, you will lose 95 percent of those points. You also will lack the ability to see the trees from the forest. Little details will seem obscure and leave you little chance for adjustment. You will also miss the big picture and fail to see the forest from the trees. Recently, while listening to an interview of a top golfer during the rain delay of a PGA event, he was asked: “What will you be working on when you get back on the course in the final round?” His response was, “I will be working on my breathing, that’s what everyone on the pro tour is working on these days.” Paul Annacone, former player, coach and current commentator for the Tennis Channel, spoke recently of his use of breathing meditation as a method of staying calm, regulating his heartbeat and being clear on his tasks during matches. As an introduction, you can find many tutorials on YouTube on proper breathing techniques. You must look for focus methods because there are many other techniques, including those for sleep which may only be appropriate for the night before a match. As you will hear me say again these techniques must be practiced just like your serve to be effective. After finding one’s breath, the second most important technique is the use of the 20- second rule. Coupled with breathing techniques, the slowing of one’s tempo of play could have a posi-

tive effect on the game of most juniors. Patrick Allen of SPMI wrote a wonderful article at Tennis Recruiting.com regarding the exercise of the 20-second rule. Players experience a multitude of emotions including negative ones. “A critical skill that a tennis player must learn in emotionally challenging situations is acceptance,” said Allen. “Acceptance is defined as the ability to see things as they are and not as they should be. When players learn how to accept they are able to stay more emotionally in control and win points they may otherwise lose. The challenge with acceptance is that it is a skill that must be practiced.” As I have said here before, Allen goes on to say, “These skills must be practiced often, and

in many cases, does not work like a simple light switch that can be turned on and off.” The best way to slow a player down is have two matches on the same court playing concurrently. When the players have to wait to alternate their match with one another, they experience that tempo without having it enforced. During the winter when court costs can be high, it’s a great way to save at the same time. Good luck! Carl Barnett started the Early Hit Training Center over 10 years ago. He has coached countless ranked pre-college tennis players. He may be reached by phone at (516) 4551225 or e-mail EarlyHit@optonline.net.

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www.headtohealth.com LITennisMag.com • January/February 2017 • Long Island Tennis Magazine

Kvitova injured during robbery attempt

E M I L I E

KAT Z

but fortunate to be alive,” said Kvitova. “The injury is severe, and I will need to see specialists, but if you know anything about me, I am strong and I will fight this.”

Azarenka gives birth to baby boy

Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova was attacked in her Czech home by a knife-wielding attacker in an attempted burglary. The Czech star suffered cuts to her left-hand, and is hoping to make a full recovery and return to the WTA Tour. “In my attempt to defend myself, I was badly injured on my left hand. I am shaken,

Victoria Azarenka, who has been off the WTA Tour since July when she announced her pregnancy, gave birth to a healthy boy on Dec. 19th. “Today I had my hardest fight and my very best victory,” Azarenka said. “Our son was born healthy and happy! So thankful and blessed! Thank you.”

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Long Island Tennis Magazine • January/February 2017 • LITennisMag.com

Dimitrov steps into the fashion world Grigor Dimitrov is keeping himself busy during the tennis offseason, as the 25-yearold Bulgarian had the honor of attending The Fashion Awards at the Royal Albert Hall in London, escorting Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, her niece Ellie Wintour and his girlfriend, Nicole Scherzinger.

Fun in the sun for Wozniacki and Gibbs at Necker Cup

The British Virgin Islands played host to the 2016 Necker Cup, an all-inclusive pro-am, and some of the pros, most notably Caroline Wozniacki (above left) and Nicole Gibbs (above right), made sure they enjoyed themselves while on Necker Island for the week.

Gold Medalist Mattek-Sands honored on The Frozen Tundra

Troicki weds model Aleksandra Djordjevic

Rinaldi. The former Wimbledon semifinalist is replacing Mary Joe Fernandez, who spent the last eight years as the team’s captain. Rinaldi has been working in the USTA’s Player Development Program, and will make her coaching debut with the team when the U.S. hosts Germany in February.

USTA President Katrina Adams interviews Phil Jackson

American Bethanie Mattek-Sands, who won the Olympic Gold Medal in MixedDoubles with Jack Sock and spent much of her childhood living about 40 miles from Green Bay, was honored by the Packers on Lambeau Field prior to their game against the Houston Texans.

IPTL in jeopardy The International Premier Tennis League (IPTL) has helped fill the gap in between the tennis seasons for the last couple of years, but the league’s financial instability has hurt its popularity, and that was no more evident than this season, when its two most marketable players, Serena Williams and Roger Federer, pulled out. “We have had challenges this year, and we were hoping to get past them,” said Mahesh Bhupathi, founder and managing director of IPTL. “With the current economic climate in India and the uncertainty of spending money, I reached out to both Roger and Serena to explain situation. They have been very supportive of the IPTL the first two seasons and we look forward to bring them in future years.”

Serbia’s Viktor Troicki, ranked 29th in the world, married his girlfriend, model Aleksandra Djordjevic in Belgrade, and was joined by fellow Serbs Novak Djokovic and Janko Tipsarevic. The newlyweds are also reportedly expecting their first child.

Rinaldi replaces Fernandez as U.S. Fed Cup captain

The United States Fed Cup team has a new captain, former top 10 player Kathy

USTA Chairman and President Katrina Adams had the chance to interview New York Knicks President Phil Jackson on her show, “We Need To Talk,” which she hosts with Andrea Kramer, Tracy Wolfson and Lisa Leslie on the CBS Sports Network.

continued on page 50

LITennisMag.com • January/February 2017 • Long Island Tennis Magazine

court six continued from page 49

Tweets from the pros Stanislas Wawrinka (@StanWawrinka): Eyes on the ball—Keep life fun !

Ana Ivanovic (@AnaIvanovic): Theatre night! Thank you @MammaMiaMusical London for an amazing performance! #AboutLastNight #LondonWestEnd Noah Rubin (@NoahRubin33): A fulfilling off season that will hopefully lead to a thrilling 2017. What a way to end my time here than with the reigning #1 @andy_murray

Christina McHale (@ChristinaMcHale): Practicing at the new Home of American Tennis @usta #hoat

Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal): Check out the new charity products we’ve worked with my Foundation. These ones for the younger kids! Caroline Wozniacki (@CaroWozniacki): Back to training, missing the beach already!

John Isner (@JohnIsner): My bro and I at the @BassProShops in Cary, today. A toy store for adults. BEST PLACE EVER!

Eugenie Bouchard (@GenieBouchard): Should I open it, or keep it in pristine condition? So excited to have my own one-of-akind Diet Coke Bottle! #sp

Roger Federer (@RogerFederer): Crazy cool first F1 experience. Congrats to world champ @nico_rosberg and @MercedesAMGF1. Big respect to all the drivers. Venus Williams (@VenusesWilliams): Court dedication at Luders Park in Compton. #Compton #proud

Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole): Stefan’s 2nd birthday! Balloons and face paint :))

Petra Kvitova (@Petra_Kvitova): Dear @clublasanta thanks for being the best possible place to train. It’s starting to feel like home so we’ll just have to come back Kei Nishikori (@KeiNishikori): Loving the support today! Thank you. @ATPWorldTour #ATPfinals

Long Island Tennis Magazine • January/February 2017 • LITennisMag.com

TENNIS INJURY PREVENTION

Shoulder Labrum Tears and Tennis Players: Four Things to Know By Dr. Charles Ruotolo, MD, FAAOS What is the labrum? The labrum is a type of cartilage found in the ball and socket joint of the shoulder where it meets the arm bone. The labrum is the cartilage that surrounds the socket making the socket deeper and adding stability to the ball (the head of the humerus) sitting on the socket (the glenoid). These two bones are connected by strong ligaments, which hold the bones in place. How does it affect my game? The labrum plays an especially pivotal role during the serve as it provides stability and flexibility to the shoulder joint during the five kinetic phases of the overhand motion of the serve: 1. Wind up (knee flexion, trunk rotation); 2. Early cocking; 3. Late cocking (position of maximal abduction—external rotation); 4. Acceleration phase (including long axis rotation); and 5. Follow through. When any area of the shoulder is damaged it may cause pain, which causes an alteration of the five phases. When the motions are altered, due to pain or loss of mobility, the body tends to compensate by placing the extra load on the other ligaments

and tendons in the shoulder. This is known as the “catch up” phenomenon, and is very common in tennis players with a decreased range of motion in the shoulder. Over time, this pattern of dysfunction can cause injury not only to the shoulder cartilage but also to the surrounding ligaments, tendons and even the lower back. What causes these injuries? Labral tears can have two separate mechanisms of injury. The first, and less common in tennis players, is a traumatic injury in which the cartilage is severely damaged due to one exaggerated motion (a hard swing) or as a result of a fall onto the outstretched arm. The more common mechanism of injury is small tears (known as microtraumas) to the cartilage that begin to multiply over time and compromise the strength of the cartilage. Several clinical studies have shown that athletes who do repetitive overhand motions are more susceptible to these injuries with one of the most common areas of injury being superior labrum of the shoulder (SLAP Tear). In tennis players, this repetitive injury occurs with the forceful overhead motion of the tennis serve. However, these microtraumas are not always the result of just the direct force on the cartilage. As mentioned above, decreased range of motion places excess stress on the tendons, ligaments and cartilage. One study suggested that even a 10 percent decrease in range of motion in the shoulder joint in-

creases the risk of injury for tennis players. It may seem simple, but warm ups and stretches are one of the most effective ways to avoid injuries to the labrum. What are the treatment options? Treatment is often based on the location and severity of the injury, but is important to consult an orthopedic specialist at the first sign of injury, so that further injury can be prevented. If the damage is not severe, a combination of rest and physical therapy is often used. A physical therapist will create a regimen that not only strengthens the cartilage, but also work with the athlete on correcting defects in the kinetic chain so that future injury can be avoided. Specific stretches focusing on improving motion defects can decrease pain and risk for further injury. In instances where the damage is severe, an arthroscopic procedure may be recommended to repair the cartilage, as well as trim damaged cartilage. Fortunately, studies have shown that 87 percent of patients who underwent labrum repair surgery were able to return to their pre-injury level of play. Dr. Charles Ruotolo is a Board-Certified Orthopedic Surgeon and the founder of Total Orthopedics and Sports Medicine with locations in Massapequa, East Meadow and the Bronx, N.Y. For more information, call (855) 321-ORTHO or visit TotalOrthoSportsMed.com.

LITennisMag.com • January/February 2017 • Long Island Tennis Magazine

I’m Hea

By Tonny van de Pieterman n October, I had a nice tennis moment I would like to share. I competed at Nationals in La Quinta, Calif., as part of the Long Island team that represented the Eastern Section. It was a great trip. On the last day of competition, I played at number one singles against a tough player from the New England Section. Before the match, I spent some time thinking about my match. I wanted to approach my match with a healthy dose of curiosity, as opposed to the paralyzing anxiety I have felt in the past. My plan was to not judge myself on my bad shots or tactics, but instead to observe myself, to see if I would be able to make adjust-

ments when needed, to try and be effective with my game, and to really enjoy the opportunity. The experience was a great one. I started poorly, falling behind 0-3. I noticed that my inner voice was harsh in its criticism, however, since I was in “Observer Mode, it was a somewhat muted voice pushed to the background: “Boy, you are slow, fat and old. You can’t even track down shots in the corner anymore. And how about your backhand? It’s ready to break down any second now. And forget about your second serve: What a sitter!” What can you do to be effective? A smile appeared on my face, I felt it … I was laughing at myself!

Long Island Tennis Magazine • January/February 2017 • LITennisMag.com

I guess I had no “Observer Voice” that I had chosen to listen to today. Yes, you can choose that. In any case, I got myself into the match, and was seeing and reacting to the ball better and better. It became a 5-7, 7-5, 103 match. Afterwards, people told me it was a quality match. I was just so pleased that I had prepared the way I did, it worked for me and that I enjoyed it so much. I was proud of my performance. In hindsight, it is hard to know if I would have felt the same way had I lost the match, but I felt pride during the match, so I would have been okay with losing the match … I was really doing the best I could at that particular moment. Fast forward to Tuesday of last week … I am training with one of my best students, an NCAA college player. I am trading

aring Voices groundstrokes with him as if I am 18-yearsold again. The pace is furiously high, and my legs were burning. After a while, I start noticing my net-errors. They start to bother me. Somehow,” my Inner Voice thinks I am 18-years-old again as well. “Every other ball is in the net. At this pace, you really have to bend low, and you cannot because you are too fat. You suck!” I hear it loud and clear, but somehow still continues for a while longer somewhat unnoticed. The net errors did not get any better, and as a result, my Inner Voice gets even meaner and louder. I am scolding myself for being imperfect and I am ready to crack my racquet over my own head. Then it happens … I remember Nationals. “Hang on,” I think to myself. “Who are you?”

I instantly crack a smile when I am observing my ridiculous behavior. My Judging Voice loses all of its power. I choose to make a change to see if I can raise my level of play. I conclude that I must not be seeing the ball very well because of that dark cloud of negativity. I start to really, really watch the ball. I decide that if I consider the ball extra low, I will tell myself to bend those old knees a little more to get under the ball and to add some topspin, and that if I consider it a ball of medium height, I will just drive right through the heart of the ball. Within minutes, I am not missing anymore. I am seeing the ball great. I feel like a young Andre Agassi blasting shots from the back court, unleashing laser shots from both wings. Boy, this is fun! Meanwhile, perhaps since I am not

missing much anymore, my student is starting to notice his errors. I can see they are starting to bother him. His body language tells me the story of his inner game. He must be listening to the wrong voice. He must not be seeing the ball very well. He is ready to explode at any moment now. “Hey pal, let’s take a break for a minute … I want to tell you a story about my singles match at Nationals in October!” Tonny van de Pieterman is director of tennis at Point Set Indoor Racquet Club. He was recently named USTA Tennis Professional of the Year for the USTA/Eastern-Long Island Region and helped the Eastern Section win this year’s Talbert Cup. He may be reached by phone at (516) 536-2323 or email tonny@pointsettennis.com.

LITennisMag.com • January/February 2017 • Long Island Tennis Magazine

A Look Back at the Year That Was 2016 By Emi l i e K at z

2016 Grand Slam Winners

Wimbledon 2016

Australian Open 2016 Champions

January 18-31, 2016 Melbourne Park—Melbourne, Australia l Men’s Singles: Novak Djokovic (SRB) l Men’s Doubles: Jamie Murray (GBR) & Bruno Soares (BRA) l Women’s Singles: Angelique Kerber (GER) l Women’s Doubles: Martina Hingis (SUI) & Santa Mirza (IND) l Mixed-Doubles: Elena Vesnina (RUS) & Bruno Soares (BRA) French Open 2016

June 27-July 10, 2016 The All-England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club Wimbledon, London, England l Men’s Singles: Andy Murray (GBR) l Men’s Doubles: Pierre-Hughes Herbert (FRA) & Nicholas Mahut (FRA) l Women’s Singles: Serena Williams (USA) l Women’s Doubles: Serena Williams (USA) & Venus Williams (USA) l Mixed-Doubles: Heather Watson (GBR) & Henri Kontinen (FIN) 2016 U.S. Open

May 22- June 5, 2016 Roland Garros—Paris, France l Men’s Singles: Novak Djokovic (SRB) l Men’s Doubles: Feliciano Lopez (ESP) & Mark Lopez (ESP) l Women’s Singles: Garbine Muguruza (ESP) l Women’s Doubles: Caroline Garcia (FRA) & Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) l Mixed-Doubles: Martina Hingis (SUI) & Leander Paes (IND)

August 29-Sept. 11, 2016 USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center Flushing Meadows, N.Y. l Men’s Singles: Stan Warwinka (SUI) l Men’s Doubles: Jamie Murray (GBR) & Bruno Soares (BRA) l Women’s Singles: Angelique Kerber (GER) l Women’s Doubles: Bethany Mattek-Sands (USA) & Lucie Safarova (CZE) l Mixed-Doubles: Laura Siegemund (GER) & Mate Pavic ( CRO)

Long Island Tennis Magazine • January/February 2017 • LITennisMag.com

ATP Year-End Award Winners

the Stefan Edberg ATP Sportsmanship Award for a sixth year in a row, and the 12th time overall.

ATP Star of Tomorrow Award: Taylor Fritz This Award is given to the youngest player in the top 100 of the Emirates ATP rankings. American Taylor Fritz, who celebrated his 19th Emirates ATP World Tour Number One: birthday at the end of October, became the youngest ATP finalists Andy Murray Andy Murray clinched the year-end number one ranking on the final since 2008 when he finish runner up at the Memphis Open. The Calday of the season at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals. He defeated ifornia native won 15 tour-level matches and reached a career high Novak Djokovic 6-3, 6-4 to become the first Brit to achieve the year-end of number 53 in the ATP Men’s Singles Rankings in August. world number one ranking. The 29-year-old enjoyed a career-best season, capturing nine titles including Wimbledon, three ATP World Tour Most Improved Player of the Year: Lucas Pouille Masters 1000s, an Olympic Gold Medal and the World Tour Finals. The 22-year-old Frenchman continued his steady improvement in his fifth professional season, climbing from a number 91 Emirates ATP World Tour Number One Doubles Team: ATP ranking in February to a career-high number 15 by the end of Jamie Murray & Bruno Soares Jamie Murray & Bruno Soares received the 2016 ATP World Tour Num- 2016. Pouille clinched his first ATP World Tour title in September at ber One Doubles Team Trophy. The British-Brazilian team captured the Moselle Open, five months after reaching his first tour level final three titles in 2016 at the Australian Open, the U.S. Open and the Apia at the BRD Nastase Titian Trophy in Bucharest. In between, he reached consecutive Grand Slam quarterfinals at Wimbledon and Sydney International. the U.S. Open and an ATP Worlds Tour Masters 1000 semifinal in Comeback Player of the Year: Rome. Pouille compiled a 34-22 match record, nearly tripling his Juan Martin Del Potro match wins total from last season. Juan Martin Del Potro began the year ranked 590th in the world and made his season debut at the Delray Beach Open in February. The for- Arthur Ashe Humanitarian of the Year: mer U.S. Open champion went 30-12 on the year, winning the Stock- Marin Cilic holm Open for his first title since 2014, and finished 2016 ranked The Croatian established the Marin Cilic Foundation this year, with number 38. The Argentine won a Silver Medal at the Summer Olympics the goal of supporting educational projects around the world, the in Rio, upsetting Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal in the process. He Foundation has a special emphasis on giving youth in Croatia imalso reached the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open. The 28-year-old who proved access to school and university education: “The main recovered, from multiple surgeries to repair his left wrist, also won this focus is to try to help kids as much as we can,” Cilic said upon the award in 2011. Foundation’s formal launch in June. “I want to give something back and also give some opportunities for some people who don’t Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award: have as many possibilities to pursue their dreams.” Roger Federer continued on page 56 Roger Federer has been selected by fellow players as the winner of

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a look back at 2016 continued from page 55 ATP Coach of the Year: Magnus Norman Magnus Norman has been Stan Warwinka’s coach since 2013, and the 40year-old Swede is a first-time winner in this new category. Norman, a former secondranked player in the world and winner of 12 ATP World Titles, guided Warwinka back to a number three ranking and four titles, including his third Grand Slam title at the U.S. Open.

golf, football, rowing and four Olympic games, and served as the chief cricket writer for nine years.

ATPWorldTour.com Fans Favorite Singles: Roger Federer The 35-year-old Swiss has been voted fan favorite for a record 14th straight year, receiving 56 percent of all votes cast. ATPWorldTour.com Fans Favorite Doubles: Bob & Mike Bryan The 38-year-old duo of Bob & Mike Bryan were named winners of this award for a record 12th time.

WTA Player of the Year: Angelique Kerber Angelique Kerber led the WTA with the most main draw match wins this year, posting a record of 59 wins and only 17 losses. Her 2016 season was highlighted by winning two Grand Slam titles: Her first career Grand Slam championship at the Australian Open, as well as winning the title at the U.S. Open. Kerber won the Silver Medal at the Rio Olympic Games and finished the year as the world’s top ranked player.

Ron Bookman Media Excellence Award: Mike Dickson Mike Dickson has been a tennis correspondent for nearly two decades, with The Daily Mail, the most visited newspaper Web site in the world. He’s also covered

Doubles Team of the Year: Caroline Garcia & Kristina Mladenovich The duo of Caroline Garcia & Kristina Mladenovich won their first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros, becoming the first all-French team to reach the French Open

WTA Year-End Award Winners

Doubles Finals since 1971. They made it to their second major final at the U.S. Open, as well as reaching the finals at Apia International Sydney, Dubai Duty-Free Tennis Championship and the China Open in Beijing. Newcomer of the Year: Naomi Osaka The 19-year-old Japanese player has enjoyed a breakthrough year on the WTA Tour in 2016, rising to a career high ranking of 40th in the world after finishing 2015 ranked number 203. Naomi Osaka made an impact at the Grand Slams, reaching the third round at all three she played in, the Australian Open, French Open and U.S. Open. Comeback Player of the Year: Dominika Cibulkova The Slovak was one of the brightest players on the tour in 2014, as she reached three finals, including the Australian Open, her first Glam Slam final appearance. Dominika Cibulkova narrowly missed out on qualifying for the WTA Finals in Singapore in 2014 and endured a frustrating start to the 2015 season. She elected to undergo surgery on her Achilles in February, forcing her to miss three months of action. During her absence, her ranking dropped outside the top 50, but she didn’t stay there long, and in 2016, Cibulkova rediscovered her form, returning to the top 10 and qualifying for the WTA Finals in Singapore for the first time in her career. WTA Diamond Aces Award: Simona Halep The Diamond ACES Award was first introduced in 1995 in memory of former WTA CEO Jerry Diamond and is presented to the player who consistently goes above and beyond in promoting the sport of women’s tennis to fans, media and local communities by performing off-the-court promotional and charitable activities. Romanian Simona Halep has earned the ACES Award for the first time in her career, having participated in numerous kids’ clinics throughout the globe, charitable activities such as the Charity Day Clinic in Madrid, as well as fanfare events, including the Sydney Festival to help bring the game closer to the community.

Long Island Tennis Magazine • January/February 2017 • LITennisMag.com

B Y K AT H Y M I L L E R

or the first time, Long Island had a 40 & Over USTA Mixed-Doubles League coordinated by Jamie Stickney. We had a total of 28 teams participate at the 6.0, 7.0, 8.0 and 9.0 Levels. The 6.0 winning team plays out of Christopher Morley Park and is captained by Sharon Tai-Yap. The 7.0. 8.0 and 9.0 Levels are too close to call at the time this article went to print. Good luck to all of our teams advancing to the Sectional Championship. We also had a Men’s and Women’s TriLevel League this fall. The Tri-Level League consists of three courts of doubles, with one court at the 3.5 Level, one at the 4.0 Level and one at the 4.5 Level. The playoffs will be played in mid-December, with the winning men’s team and winning women’s team advancing to the Sectional Championships in January. Good luck to all of the Long Island teams! The 18 & Over Mixed-Doubles League is

underway, with matches already in progress. We have teams at the 6.0, 7.0, 8.0 and 9.0 Levels. Matches take place on weekends, and will be played through the end of April, with the playoffs beginning in May. The winning Long Island teams will play at the Sectional Championships in June. For additional information on the 18 & Over Mixed-Doubles League, you can contact Jamie at LIMixedUSTA@gmail.com. Next up will be the Men’s and Women’s USTA Leagues with the organizing starting in February and play starting in May. We will have teams in the 18 & Over League (must turn 18 in the 2017 calendar year) at the 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5 and 5.0+ Levels. The 40 & Over League (must turn 40 in the 2017 calendar year) will field teams at the 3.0, 3.5, 4.0 and 4.5+ Levels. Teams at the 2.5 and 5.0 Levels will play one court of singles and two courts of doubles. The remaining Levels play two courts of singles and three courts of doubles.

Long Island also runs the 55 & Over League, and for the first time last season, we fielded a Women’s Division in the 65 & Over League. Both the 55 & Over and the 65 & Over Leagues consist of three courts of doubles at the 6.0 Level (combined ratings of 2.5 and 3.5 or two 3.0 players), the 7.0 Level (a 3.0 and 4.0 or two 3.5 players), the 8.0 Level (a 4.5 and 3.5 or two 4.0 players) and the 9.0 Level (a 4.0 and 5.0 or two 4.5 players). Registration for all leagues will begin in February. All teams must be entered no later than March 1, 2017 to be in the league. For more information or to enter a team in the League, please contact Kathy Miller at Kathym65@aol.com. Looking forward to a successful 2017 of USTA League tennis on Long Island! Kathy Miller is manager of Carefree Racquet Club and is also the Adult League Coordinator for USTA/Long Island. She may be reached by e-mail at KathyM65@aol.com.

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Sign-Up at usta.com or contact rbecker06@yahoo.com with any questions! LITennisMag.com • January/February 2017 • Long Island Tennis Magazine

Riding the Waves of a Match Using emotional energy to win By Rob Polishook, Mental Training Coach MA, CPC Remember the last time you turned on the lights? It’s a mindless activity, we do it all the time. When the lights go on, we don’t give it another thought. But, what about when the lights don’t go on? Usually, we may flip the switch a few times, trying to “will” the lights on. Let’s also assume it’s a new bulb. What we do know is that, we cannot see the problem; it’s behind the wall, below the surface, and having something to do with the wiring. So what do lights have to do with the mental game? Actually, a lot! What allows a player to manage the ups and downs of competition is usually not at the surface level (technique, skills or talent); but below the surface, behind the wall pertaining to the player’s mental game and their emotional range of resiliency. That is, their ability to manage their range of emotions during the turbulence of a match without getting overwhelmed. All players have their own emotional energy that is based on previous experiences and their unique story. Players also have their own triggers that can stress them. When emotion meets stress, things get interesting, and this all happens below the surface. Imagine these three scenarios: In your first round of a tournament, you’re playing in control, seeing the court well with a calm awareness of what’s happening. You’re feeling relaxed, balanced and can be described as playing “Inside the Zone.” Now, in the second round, you realize your opponent is the number one seed! You might be a bit tentative, even feeling a bit slow and sluggish. To get back to a place of balance, you will need to energize yourself, maybe shuffle your feet, 58

shake your arms, and even reframe things so you look at the match as a challenge. Now, let’s assume you pulled off the upset. Great job! In the next round after beating the top seed, you’re expected to win—lots of pressure on you. The match is very close, and the score is 5-5 in the third set. Your opponent hits three straight lines and then closes the game out with a bad call. Emotionally, you’re in rage mode, barely able to control yourself as you walk over to the chair during the change-over, now down 5-6. So, what’s the trick to insuring a player doesn’t go into overwhelm and/or shutdown mode under pressure? How can they hang in there, reset and continue to play through adversity, ultimately regaining that place of balance? We have all seen players bounce back in the face of adversity, while other players seem to spiral out of control. Why is this? Going back to the light switch metaphor, the key is the player’s ability to ride the wave and manage their emotional energy without getting too charged or discharged before short-circuiting (overwhelm/shutdown). Players of all levels know that tennis matches can be emotional and akin to riding the waves in an ocean. I often tell my clients to expect a match to be difficult, expect adversity, and momentum shifts, this way it is not a surprise and they can spend their energy competing, problem solving, and focusing on what they can control versus being angry that the score is not how they expected. Clearly, focusing on what you cannot control like the weather, opponent, fans and outcome can trigger a player and take them out of their comfort zone. Now, seasoned players like Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and top juniors alike usually put errors behind them, absorb uncontrollable situ-

Long Island Tennis Magazine • January/February 2017 • LITennisMag.com

ations, and regain their refocus on the next point or shortly thereafter. While players like Nick Kyrgios, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Gael Monfils, and the next level of juniors usually don’t do as well. The top players show us that it’s key to be aware of emotional energy and how certain triggers impact the ability to stay balanced. When players non-judgmentally view challenge as just that, they can choose how to best channel their energy for the next point. Wins and losses tell us that in an evenly skilled match, the player that stays within their emotional range of resiliency will have the adaptability to absorb the “momentum waves” of a match. When a player demonstrates a range of emotional resiliency, they don’t get overwhelmed. They can be okay with being on edge, especially when it counts the most under pressure. In turn, this gives them the best chance to make high percentage choices and compete. I remember watching a documentary about Roger Federer. His coach said, “What makes Roger so great is that he always knows where he is and then subsequently knows what he needs.” I believe this takes great awareness and allows Roger to channel his energy and play within his emotional range of resiliency. Essentially, “riding the waves of the match.” Rob Polishook, MA, CPC is founder and director of Inside the Zone Sports Performance Group. As a mental training coach, he works with athletes and teams, focusing on helping athletes gain the mental edge. Rob is author of Tennis Inside the Zone: Mental Training Workouts for Champions. He may be reached by phone at (973) 723-0314, e-mail Rob@InsideTheZone.com or visit InsideTheZone.com.

Racquet Stringing An Art or a Science? By Barbara Wyatt substitute player joined our tennis group for the third week in a row. At a set break, he asked me, “Would you like to play better tennis?” “Of course,” I told him. What else could I say? “No?” “Hand me your racquet,” he said. My eyes narrowed with suspicion. “Trust me,” he said. “I understand your swing, your aggressive net play. I know what you need to make it sing.” I handed him my racquet with trepidation. The following day, he returned it with new hybrid strings. This new player was a professional stringer. I was a naïve stringee. As a 4.0 Level player, I am not sophisticated enough to understand more than to re-string according to my frequency of play per week. Play four times a week; re-string four times a year. (By the way, this is no longer the preferred practice.) By the end of our warmup, I loved my new hybrid string bed. The balls landed inside the white lines. There was less vibration up my arm. A warm balanced harmonic thwack sang out when the ball hit the sweet spot. Was this science or was this an art form? My racquet was performing like the winning chantress from the television program “America’s Got Talent.” According to the book, The Physics and Technology of Tennis by Howard Brody, Rod Cross and Crawford Lindsey: “The life’s purpose of a tennis racquet is to change the speed and direction of a tennis ball.” The strings, ball, and racquet engage in a mad mix of physics as they stretch, vibrate, twist about, store and release energy. The ball zips away “like vibrating jelly.” This mad mix of physics is taught by the

United States Racquet Stringers Association, which offers certifications for Professional Racquet Advisor (PRA), Certified Stringer (CS), and Master Racquet Technician (MRT). Members use the USRSA database to scientifically sort through more than 1,100 different strings and select a perfect balance of string material, matching stiffness, elasticity, and durability to a client’s tennis style. Racquet stringing is neither science nor an art. It is a craft. Most people can learn it and with care, education and experience, first-class stringers do a better and more consistent job. Stringing is not merely the installation of the strings, but knowing what strings work best for what person. It’s the ability to know when something isn’t working. It’s the mastery to duplicate that magic mix to perfection—on every court surface, against different opponents, in humid or dry weather, at sea or at high altitudes. Science provides the consistency so that the racquet, string and tension setting combination provide the same result every time. First-class stringers gather a deep

understanding of your game, strokes, style and then balance those nuances against the calibrated scientific choices. When should you re-string? That is your decision based on the loss of tension of your racquet’s string bed. Do you notice 15 percent loss from the initial stringing? Or is it a 25 percent loss? Test the racquet tension by using a pro shop’s racquet diagnostic equipment, ERT 300 Tennis Computer, or the mobile app, RacquetTune. Strings lose their tension at different rates based on time, frequency of play, durability attributes of the string, and style of play. Choose your stringer carefully … they can make your game sing. Barbara Wyatt is a writer, photographer, USTA official and app developer for iKnowTennis!, the mobile app for advanced players, beginners, coaches and professionals to learn and understand tennis rules. She discovered the game of tennis about 10 years ago and is striving to hit the little yellow ball inside the white lines—in both games. She can be reached by e-mail at BarbaraW@iKnowTennis.com.

The Most Underused Weapon In Tennis

Gino Fava To see how your game can be improved dramatically by this one simple skill, visit me on YouTube. LITennisMag.com • January/February 2017 • Long Island Tennis Magazine

USTA Eastern Hosts Annua

STA Eastern hosted its annual College Showcase Day at the Saw Mill Club in Mount Kisco, N.Y., bringing together high school-aged players from the Eastern Section and college coaches from across the country in order to ease the difficult process of college recruiting. “The goal of College Showcase Day is to provide valuable information for students and their parents on the collegiate tennis recruitment process, while also givi n g c o l l e g e c o a c h e couns fro try the opportunity to further develop their

teams,” said Kelsey Clark, USTA Eastern’s manager of public relations and communications. “This year’s College Showcase Day proved to be a success as approximately 80 high school students were able to learn from former Eastern players who now compete in college, gain important recruitment information and connect with college coaches. In addition, approximately 60 college coaches took the opportunity to explain their programs and speak with potential players.” m Recently a c r oretired s s ATP t h eWorld Tour professional Eric Butorac once again spoke to the

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Long Island Tennis Magazine • January/February 2017 • LITennisMag.com

players and parents in a helpful seminar. “The task for these kids to find the right college fit is a really daunting one, so what Julie [Bliss-Beal] has been able to do here at the Eastern Section should be used as a model across the country on how to pair up tennis players with college coaches,” said Butorac, who was also on hand to give a doubles clinic. “For a lot of these players who want to play college tennis, this is a great opportunity for them to meet so many coaches at one time. And for coaches to be able to see so many kids interested in playing college tennis at one time, as opposed to traveling around the country, it is beneficial.” Butorac, who owns 18 career ATP doubles titles, shared his experiences from his tennis career, which began at Division I Ball State University before transferring to Gustavus Adolphus College. “I hope it motivates them a little. But more so than that, I hope they understand that there are a lot of different paths to finding success in tennis,” Butorac said of his unique tennis journey. “Yes, I was able to make it on the tour and that’s great, but that’s not really what it was about. It’s about finding that right fit. I experienced multiple programs before finding my fit. And now, looking back, I can understand what I was going through at the time a little better, so I hope that I am able to help the kids here dive into that process.”

ual College Showcase Day

In addition to Butorac, Intercollegiate Tennis Association Membership Coordinator Mary Edman also spoke to the kids at the seminar. Former Eastern players Shanice Arthur and Lars Olson also took part in a Q&A session with the players to share their college recruiting experiences. After 30 years, it’s so great to see that the College Showcase is still going strong. This year’s event included high school sophomores, and we opened up the networking with coaches to both juniors and seniors,” said Bliss-Beal, USTA Eastern’s senior director of competition.

“Each time we run this event, my hope is that families walk away feeling more educated and confident about the recruiting process and that college coaches can showcase their programs and pick up some new recruits.” Throughout the all-day event, the players played on various courts in both singles and doubles matches, as the college coaches in attendance made their rounds through the club. The coaches also set up tables with information regarding their program and institutions, and players and parents were able to speak directly

with the coaches and ask questions. “It’s great. It gives us a chance to pick up some late seniors, players who are still undecided, and they have a chance to look at some more colleges,” said Rob Burnley, head tennis coach at SUNY New Paltz. “And over my 20 years of coming to this event, the junior pool has gotten bigger and bigger, and they have added sophomores now as well. It gives us an opportunity to compete with some of the private schools and talk to the players and parents about what we offer. This is definitely an important event for me.”

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Meditation By Dr. Tom Ferraro t this point in time, every athlete has heard of meditation and some have tried it on for size. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s take some time to review the history of meditation and assess some of its benefits and its limitations.

The history of meditation Meditation has been around for a long time, a very long time. There is evidence from 5,000 BC on wall paintings of the familiar sitting, hands on knees and eyes half shut posture that we associate with meditation. The Hindus in India began to systematize the practice at around 1,500 BC and Buddhism started using this method at about 600 BC. Meditation was used almost exclusively by monks, priests and other ascetics in order to gain spiritual transcendence to rise above human suffering. The practice was used as a part of the monastic life, which also included living apart from regular life and devoting oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life to the pursuit of wisdom and peace. Meditation remained as a practice within Eastern religious orders until fairly recently when Herman Hesse wrote Siddhartha in 1922. This novel was about the life of Buddha and was widely read and loved by many students in the West. And then came Deepak Chopra, the extremely charismatic and gifted Indian physician who opened his institute in America which trained many in the ways of meditation. Finally, we have Herbert Bensen, M.D. from Harvard Medical School with his relaxation therapy which really is yet another form of meditation. Today, the practice in the West is largely secular and used for self-improvement and stress reduction, rather than for spiritual enlightenment or transcendence. The benefits of meditation for the athlete: Tiger Woods, who was raised a Buddhist, may be the most famous athlete to use meditation. He was trained in how to meditate from the age of five and when I have ob-

on in Sports: A Hoax or a Help? served Tiger in person, his ability to focus and concentrate is notable. When I asked him about this ability, he told me he was always highly focused, but I am sure this was the result of his meditation training learned from such a young age. One can be trained to meditate in different ways. I was trained to mediate by Reverend Roger Joslin, who was an author and world-class runner. He emphasized meditation as you ran or walked by simply listening for God to speak to you. Caroline Carpentiere is my Pilates instructor at Healthtrax, and she is also a meditation teacher. She teaches the traditional stance with eyes shut and hands on knees, and said that meditation is connecting to the awareness within and this can be spiritual or just a form of focused concentration. You may have heard of floatation therapy, which is referred to as Reduced Environmental Stimulation Therapy. You float in an enclosed chamber of Epsom Salt where there is no light or sound for one hour. This form of meditation relaxes the body and the mind and clears the busyness out. I like to train my athletes to incorporate some form of meditation prior to every match they play. It gives them a chance to remove themselves from the pre-tournament chaos, gives them a chance to settle down and begin to get in touch with their power, desire to win and their detachment from all other distractions and people in life. As an example, if you stand next to Tiger Woods even an hour before he is to tee off, his level of detachment is so profound that you actually feel like you’re invisible to him. It’s obvious that when sports-related meditation is learned and

practiced correctly, it can produce profound focus and a strong will to win. Limitations of meditation As a trained psychoanalyst and experienced sport psychologist, I can see both the benefits of meditation, as well as its limits. The benefits were outlined above. The primary weakness of meditation or repetitive prayer is that it cannot really penetrate into the athletes’ unconscious, and therefore, they will still be faced with unconscious issues during play. They have a low self-image, a fear of success, a feeling of guilt or an inability to separate from the opponent in order to defeat them. These can often be subtle, but surprisingly powerful emotional dynamics and no matter how much training, fitness, meditation or talent one possesses, the unconscious will eventually emerge and snatch victory away at the last moment. This could happen in the form of an injury during training, sudden mistakes during play, an outburst of anger or passivity when you need aggression. The world of sports is fun, but it surely must be considered the crucible of stress. It’s good to see how the calming power of Eastern meditation has been converted into a method that athletes now use to protect themselves from the crushing effects of competition, and I predict it will be used as another useful tool that athletes and coaches will rely on in times of pressure. For consultations, treatment or on-site visits, contact Dr. Tom Ferraro Ph.D., sport psychologist, by phone at (516) 248-7189, e-mail DrTFerraro@aol.com or visit DrTomFerraro.com.

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LITennisMag.com • January/February 2017 • Long Island Tennis Magazine

An Election Just Finished, So What By Lonnie Mitchel am obliged to write about tennis of course. However, a Presidential Election just finished with the two opponents trading blows back and forth much like a tennis match until the two combatants battled to completion with Donald Trump claiming victory. Have you ever played against an opponent who pulls everything out of the hat to beat you? That same player maintains a hold on you and playing that individual is a painful ordeal. That’s tennis, you have to sometimes do what is not comfortable and analyze and reevaluate the tactics throughout a match. Donald Trump reminds me of that type of tennis player in a figurative sense; someone on a mission to win and focused only on getting the triumphant result. In a way, you have to admire that, but only up to a point. So where does tennis fit into all of this after my long preamble? As one of the 20th Century’s most respected and influential people, Billie Jean King has long been a champion for social change and equality. She created new inroads for both genders in and out of sports during her legendary career and continues to do so today. In August of 2009, King was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor. The award was presented to King by President Barack Obama on Aug. 12, 2009 in ceremonies at The White House. Named one of the “100 Most Important Americans of the 20th Century” by Life Magazine in 1990. I could not imagine the greatness of a woman who came from our tennis fraternity stooping to the level of Mr. Trump to accomplish what she has done. The National Tennis Center adorns her name here in the New York area. She rose above discrimination as a woman and lesbian, and overcame unimaginable hurdles. As one of Title IX’s top advocates, I along with many others, are able to coach wonderful young athletes and women in college U.S. Open and Wimbledon Champion Arthur Ashe, who died from complications of AIDS in 1993, was known for his accom-

hat Does It Have to Do With Tennis? plishments off the court, including his involvement in the Black Freedom Movement, his connections to human and civil rights activism in the United States and South Africa, and his gradual integration into a community of Black activists and intellectuals. From our great game of tennis emerged a black man from Richmond, Va. who helped change the landscape of human rights. I wonder what Arthur Ashe would have thought of Mr. Trump? Renée Richards is a Jewish woman who became a transgender icon in 1977 when she won a lawsuit against the United States Tennis Association. Richards sued the USTA for its refusal to let her compete in the U.S. Open women’s division following male-to-female gender reassignment surgery. In a landmark decision, the New York Supreme Court ruled in Richards’s favor. At the height of her tennis career, Richards ranked 20th in the nation. She reached the

semifinals in the U.S. Open women’s doubles competition. Following retirement, Richards coached tennis star Martina Navratilova. In 2000, the USTA inducted Richards into its Hall of Fame. Richards has published two autobiographies: Second Serve Renée in 1986, also a TV-movie, and No Way Renée: The Second Half of My Notorious Life in 2007. She is a renowned eye surgeon and professor of ophthalmology at the New York University School of Medicine. Mr. Trump, do you have something to say? Martina Navratilova, one of the greatest champions of our game, has lived an equally successful life. As one of the first openly gay sports figures, Navratilova has spent much of her career overcoming prejudices and stereotypes, losing millions of dollars in endorsement deals along the way just because of her sexual orientation. Since coming out in 1981, she has been a vocal advocate for equal rights and strong supporter of chari-

ties which directly benefit the LGBT community. She has received numerous awards from many of the largest organizations within the LGBT community, and donates much time and money to the cause. Our game is full of greatness, and some of our greatest icons and champions have changed the world and made it a better place. Please remember some of the great ambassadors of world activism came from tennis. Mr. Trump, please take an example from these tennis icons who changed the world for the better and have made us proud. Lonnie Mitchel is head men’s and women’s tennis coach at SUNY Oneonta. Lonnie was named an assistant coach to Team USA for the 2013 Maccabiah Games in Israel for the Grand Master Tennis Division. Lonnie may be reached by phone at (516) 414-7202 or e-mail LonnieMitchel@yahoo.com.

LITennisMag.com • January/February 2017 • Long Island Tennis Magazine

A Change of By Jimmy Delevante s of September of this year, the USTA changed the rules for junior tournament play. Players under 10-years-old are now required to compete in several Orange Ball Tournaments before they are allowed to progress to Green Ball Tournaments and finally to Yellow Ball Tournaments. Most tennis clubs in the area have already been using these developmental balls in their lessons, group lessons and match play programs for several years. Now, with the structured backing and support from USTA, it makes the efforts of these clubs even more valid. In order to standardize our sport and pick up momentum with these developmental tools, it is my hope that middle school tennis will be the next entity follow suit and change their rules. Middle school tennis in the Long Island area has always been played with full compression yellow tennis balls, much like ten-

Rules

nis clubs and USTA tournaments have also done in the past. However, with the advent of these new developmental balls, it is my assertion that the rules of middle school tennis need to be changed as well. There is no doubt that using green balls instead of yellow balls will promote longer rallies, better and more competitive matches and more exciting points. The purpose of using the developmental balls (Red, Orange and Green, or ROG) is to develop skills faster, maintain proper technique, and also to improve the quality of rallies and match play. In years past, it was difficult to imagine that two beginners could learn to sustain a long rally after only a few weeks of lessons and practice. However, with the ROG balls, which slow rally speeds down and have a softer bounce, there is a much higher potential for exciting match play and competition. As a teaching professional, I am fortunate to have all of these tennis balls at my disposal. I have seen how these balls impact the play of my students, and how dra-

matically they can change the quality of their ball-striking and match tactics. At this point in time, changing the rules for middle school tennis is the next step to helping our players become more successful in connecting all of the dots. With middle school tennis still using yellow balls in competition, it makes it more challenging for us to develop players. For example, if a new player joins a tennis club at the age of 11 or 12 with the goal of playing on their middle school team, it forces the club and the coaches to rush that player through to Yellow Ball in order to prepare for their tryouts when they really should be spending more time with an orange or green ball. These types of situations are very common, and ultimately, all parties end up losing. The coaches rush these players along too fast to get them ready, the player never really develops the fundamentals and the level of middle school tennis declines as a result. If middle school tennis were to change its rules and play with green balls, everyone would win in the end. The level of middle school tennis would rise substantially, fewer players would drop out of tennis because of frustration with their progress and results, and the level of high school tennis would also rise as a result of players coming up with a better skill set and more experience. It is my hope to gain more support in this area, and help us provide a consistent pathway for young players to pass through. Jimmy Delevante is a USPTA-certified teaching professional and a National HighPerformance Coach. He is the director of tennis at the Suffolk County Junior Tennis League Training Center, a former ATP professional tennis player, and master pro at Sportime Kings Park. He may be reached by e-mail at QCtennis5@yahoo.com.

Long Island Tennis Magazine â&#x20AC;˘ January/February 2017 â&#x20AC;˘ LITennisMag.com

L O N G

I S L A N D

T E N N I S

M A G A Z I N E ’ S

charitable initiatives Shelter Rock Hosts Annual Play for Pink Tournament

he Fourth Annual Play for Pink Tennis Tournament was held at the Shelter Rock Tennis and Country Club in Manhasset, N.Y., as 160 enthusiastic tennis players came out to participate in this charity event. The tournament was created after Shelter Rock’s Head Pro, Robin DeitchNogrady, was diagnosed with breast cancer and it helps support Play for Pink, a nationwide charity that raises money solely for breast cancer research. The money raised goes to grants for the specific purpose of finding cures for cancer.

Each player in the men’s doubles, women’s doubles and mixed-doubles received a gift bag, a bright pink tee shirt, along with pink wrist bands, and the winners of each flight were presented with a silver picture frame as a memento at the club’s awards dinner. The women of Shelter Rock spent months planning this event, and had corporate banners surrounding all of the courts. In addition, Shelter Rock members sponsored and provided t-shirts, wrist bands, pink champagne, bottled water and themed candy. Raffles were sold for prizes,

and vendors were invited to come on down as volunteers walked around handing out water, towels and snacks for the tournament’s players. Following the tournament, a barbeque dinner was held for more than 200 people. The members and guests who attended were treated to a champagne toast, as speeches were made and the awards and raffle prizes were presented. This year’s contributions exceeded $70,000, which ranked Shelter Rock as the most generous tennis club in the nation for the Play for Pink Foundation.

LITennisMag.com • January/February 2017 • Long Island Tennis Magazine

College Te Elizabeth Tsvetkov of Stony Brook By Brian Coleman

ver the last few years, the women’s tennis team at Stony Brook has been one of the top programs in the Northeast, winning 25 of its 34 matches over the last two seasons, including an America East title and a trip to the NCAA Tournament. Much of that success can be attributed to standout junior Elizabeth Tsvetkov, the Brooklyn native who plays first singles for the Seawolves. “She is probably one of the most unorthodox players I have ever seen, and can hit shots that her opponent isn’t expecting,” said Stony Brook Head Coach Gary Glassman. “She can do things you just cannot teach.” Tsvetkov began playing tennis when she was around six-years-old, as her and her sister attended an after-school program which had tennis as one of its activities. But it was inside a basketball gym, and there was just a line and a wall for her to practice on, so her development as a player would not come overnight. “My dad was very big on sports,” said Tsvetkov of her father, Valeri Tsvetkov. 68

“He was an Olympic skier from Russia, and he always wanted me to be active.” She first got onto an actual tennis court when she was 10-years-old, and it would be a few more years after that when she began taking lessons with Lawrence Kleger, the current director of tennis at the John McEnroe Tennis Academy. “Her mom asked if I could look at her daughter and see what was wrong with her game. I hit the first ball to her, it was probably about four feet away, and she

Long Island Tennis Magazine • January/February 2017 • LITennisMag.com

literally stands there and watches it go by,” Kleger recalls. “I hit another ball, same thing. I hit another, and she sort of bumps it into the net. I said to myself: ‘I need to get this girl going,’ so I had her do an agility drill, and she basically walked through the whole thing. I said there is nothing wrong with her game … she just doesn’t want to play.” But as the weeks went on and she began to attend group training sessions, Tsvetkov opened up more to the coaches and other players around her, and her game began to blossom. She captured her first few doubles titles and advanced a couple of rounds at the Easter Bowl in singles, and as more success came, her confidence continued to grow. She enjoyed a fantastic career at Leon M. Goldstein High School for the Sciences in Brooklyn, where she helped lead the Dolphins to two PSAL titles, and would play alongside future Stony Brook teammate Becky Shtilkind. Her junior year in high school would turn out to be one of the toughest for Tsvetkov, as her father tragically passed

ennis away. And just a short time after, she tore her ACL, halting the tennis progress she made. But the tough-minded Tsvetkov was resilient and pushed through these difficult times. “She tore her ACL right around the time I was talking to college coaches about recruiting her,” Kleger said. “She had the surgery, and went through rehab like someone in the NFL trying to get back— with 100 percent dedication and discipline.” Because of her dedication, Tsvetkov was given clearance to return to the court by the beginning of the following summer, but it was tough to get a college coach to offer her a scholarship due to the fact she hadn’t played in a year. But Kleger placed a call to Glassman, and gave his highest recommendation for Tsvetkov, and she joined the Seawolves program. “I definitely wanted to stay close to home because of the way my junior year ended, with my dad passing away and tearing my ACL,” Tsvetkov recalls. “I didn’t really want to go far. I knew Stony Brook was a great school and had a Division I tennis program. I knew Becky [Shtilkind] and Nadia [Smergut], we played when we were younger. I went there for a visit and liked it right away.” By the fall of her freshman year, Tsvetkov was already in the singles

lineup, playing fifth singles for a Stony Brook team that would eventually win the America East Championship and reach the NCAA Tournament. “I really wasn’t expecting much in my freshman year, I was just happy to be playing in the lineup. We had a really competitive team,” said Tsvetkov. “We had Polina Movchan and Christina Vozniak was also there. It was tough in the beginning to get adjusted to it, but I saw what I was capable of, and I just wanted to improve on that in my sophomore and junior years.” She posted a 22-7 mark in singles play her freshman year and that only contributed to her growing confidence, and her sophomore campaign is where Tsvetkov really took her game to the next level. She moved up the lineup to first singles and didn’t miss a beat, going 226 and becoming the star of the Stony Brook program. At just 5’6”, Tsvetkov does not seem physically imposing on the court, but her unique style makes her a fun player to watch. She possess a great forehand from the left-hand side and loves to get around the ball to get to that forehand, and has the ability to hit the ball flat and low up the line for winners. She has also developed a great spin serve, particularly on the ad side of the court, and utilizes that lefty spin to devastate opponents. “I don’t play beyond the baseline, I’m

Credit photos to Stony Brook Athletics

almost always in front of the baseline,” said Tsvetkov of her style of play. “When I was younger, I started playing in a basketball gym, and there was just a line and a wall, so I had no other choice but to stand in front of the line. My game has been that way ever since. It takes time away from the opponent. I don’t think they expect it a lot of time and I think that works to my advantage.” So as we approach the spring season, Tsvetkov hopes to lead Stony Brook, now in the Missouri Valley Conference, to a conference championship and a potential trip to the NCAA Tournament. “A lot of what we need from her is oncourt leadership with the other players,” said Glassman. “Being a junior and one of our top players, it is important to instill that into the rest of the team. And personally, I think if she continues to improve, she’ll qualify for the NCAAs.” Tsvetkov will assume the leadership role of her team as she has come a long way from the quiet kid who first started training with Kleger. But if you ask anyone around the John McEnroe Tennis Academy or the Stony Brook program, with her personality and sense of humor, she will have no problem leading the Seawolves. Brian Coleman is senior editor for Long Island Tennis Magazine. He may be reached by phone at (516) 409-4444, ext. 326 or email BrianC@USPTennis.com.

LITennisMag.com • January/February 2017 • Long Island Tennis Magazine

in memoriam... Former Adelphi, Forest Hills Standout Stefani Lineva Killed in Binghamton he New York tennis community joins Binghamton University in mourning the loss of Stefani Lineva, a 20-year-old tennis standout for the Bearcats who was recently found dead. A native of Forest Hills, N.Y., Lineva played her high school tennis at Forest Hills High School where she was in the top singles spot and reached the finals of the PSAL Individual Tournament in 2014. Following high school, Lineva went to Adelphi University, where she won Northeast-10 (NE-10) Rookie of the Year honors, going 14-4 in the first singles flight and posting a 17-2 record in doubles. In her sophomore year, Lineva helped Adelphi clinch its first NE-10 Conference Championship, posting a straight-sets win at first singles in the conference title match. “We are saddened to learn of the passing of former women’s tennis student-athlete Stefani Lineva,” said Danny McCabe, Adelphi University director of athletics and campus recreation. “Stefani was an exceptional young woman, and an important member of the women’s tennis program. She led the team to an NE-10 Championship with her outstanding play and competitive spirit. She will be deeply missed by all who knew her in the Adelphi community.” Stefani transferred to Binghamton this year. According to police, Lineva was found around 2:00 a.m. lying on Route 384 in an apparent hit-and-run. She had severe injuries which investigators say were consistent with being a hit by car, but no car or driver had been found. She was taken to UHS Wilson Hospital where she was pronounced dead. “It is with deep sadness that I share news of the death of a student, Stefani Lineva, said Binghamton University President Harvey Stenger. “It was Stefani’s first semester on campus. The loss of someone so young and talented is almost impossible to imagine and impacts our entire community. We will miss Stefani’s spirit, passion and engagement with everyone she touched on our campus. On behalf of the University community, I offer my deepest condolences to Stefani’s family, teammates, classmates and all who knew and loved her. Please keep her and her family in your thoughts as we all mourn her loss.”

Long Island Tennis Magazine • January/February 2017 • LITennisMag.com

LONG ISLAND TENNIS CLUB

directory Bethpage Park Tennis Center Andrea Pappas—Manager 99 Quaker Meeting House Road #1 Farmingdale, NY 11735 (516) 777-1358 BPTCenter@aol.com Butch Seewagen Tennis Academy @ Rockville Centre CATS Jami Madison—Director 188 Maple Avenue Rockville Centre, NY 11570 (516) 763-1299, ext. 10 CATSRVC@gmail.com Carefree Racquet Club Kathy Miller—Manager 1414 Jerusalem Avenue Merrick, NY 11566 (516) 489-9005 CarefreeTennis@aol.com Deer Park Tennis Club Afzal Ali—Director of Tennis 30 Burt Drive Deer Park, NY 11729 (631) 667-3476 DeerParkTennis.com Early Hit Training Center at Glen Head Racquet Club 95 Glen Head Road Glen Head, NY 11545 Carl Barnett: (516) 455-1225 EarlyHit@optonline.net Glen Head Racquet Club 95 Glen Head Road Glen Head, NY 11545 Stephanie Leo: (516) 676-9849 GlenHeadRC@verizon.net Huntington Indoor Tennis Club Richard Rottkamp—Manager/Owner 100 Broadway Huntington Station, NY 11746 (631) 421-0040 HITennis@myway.com New York Tennis Academy at Great Neck Estates Brian Stein and Chris Tasso—Co-Directors of Junior Tennis Programs 12 Shore Drive Great Neck, NY 11021 (516) 233-2790 Point Set Indoor Tennis Tonny vandePieterman—Director of Tennis 3065 New Street Oceanside, NY 11572 (516) 536-2323 Tonny@PointSetTennis.com PointSetTennis.com

Port Washington Tennis Academy Manny Iqbal—Director of Tennis 100 Harbor Road Port Washington, NY 11050 (516) 883-6425 Tennis@PWTA.com PWTA.com Robbie Wagner’s Tournament Training Center at Glen Cove Stephen Alcala—Managing Partner 60 Sea Cliff Avenue Glen Cove, NY 11542 (516) 759-0505 RWTT.com Ross School Holly Li—Manager 18 Goodfriend Drive East Hampton, NY 11937 (631) 907-5162 HLi@Ross.org Ross.org/Tennis Southampton Racquet Camp & Club 665 Majors Path Southampton, N.Y. (631) 488-4700 SouthamptonRCC.com SPORTIME Amagansett (Open Seasonally) Sue de Lara—General Manager 320 Abrahams Path Amagansett, NY 11930 (631) 267-3460 Amagansett@SportimeNY.com SportimeNY.com/Amagansett SPORTIME Bethpage Tennis Chris Leahy—Co-General Manager Chelsea Riccio-Co-General Manager Emmanuel Ponce—Director of Tennis 101 Norcross Avenue Bethpage, NY 11714 (516) 933-8500 CLeahy@SportimeNY.com SportimeNY.com/Bethpage-Tennis SPORTIME Kings Park Bea Bielik—General Manager Jason Wass—Director of Tennis 275 Old Indian Head Road Kings Park, NY 11754 (631) 269-6300 JWass@SportimeNY.com Sportimeny.com/Kings-Park

SPORTIME Lynbrook Bea Bielik—General Manager Vicki Weiss—Assistant General Manager Jeff Morys—Director of Tennis 175 Merrick Road Lynbrook, NY 11563 (516) 887-1330 JMorys@SportimeNY.com SportimeNY.com/Lynbrook SPORTIME Quogue Rene Bond—General Manager Greg Meyer—Director of Tennis 2571 Quogue-Riverhead Road East Quogue, NY 11942 (631) 653-6767 RBond@SportimeNY.com SportimeNY.com/Quogue SPORTIME Randall’s Island Flagship Home of the John McEnroe Tennis Academy Allison Hodgkins—Assistant General Manager Jared Karlebach—Assistant General Manager One Randall’s Island New York, NY 10035 (212) 427-6150 AHodgkins@SportimeNY.com/JKarlebach@SportimeNY.com SportimeNY.com/Manhattan SPORTIME Roslyn Jay Harris—General Manager Chris Pagoto-Assistant General Manager Jordan Dolberg—Director of Tennis 1 Landing Road Roslyn, NY 11576 (516) 484-9222 JHarris@SportimeNY.com SportimeNY.com/Roslyn SPORTIME Syosset Tennis & Multi-Sport John McEnroe Tennis Academy, Long Island Joe Siegel—General Manager Chelsea Riccio—Assistant General Manager Mike Kossoff—Director of Tennis/JMTA 75 Haskett Drive Syosset, NY 11791 (516) 364-2727 MKossoff@SportimeNY.com SportimeNY.com/Syosset-Tennis USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center Whitney Kraft—Director of Tennis Flushing Meadows Corona Park Flushing, NY 11568 (718) 760-6200 USTA.com

LITennisMag.com • January/February 2017 • Long Island Tennis Magazine

Transitioning From Outdoor to Indoor Tennis By Todd Widom What kind of adjustments does it take for a student who is playing well outdoors to go to an indoor environment? It is much easier to go from playing outdoors to indoors versus transitioning from indoors to outdoors. Playing indoors is very controlled and pure. You can control the climate, there is no wind or sun, and wherever you hit the ball, it will go since there are no elements whatsoever to affect the ball. About a week before my players are planning to go back to play an indoor tournament, I start to alter the way they train. We start working on taking the ball a bit earlier, court positioning, serve and volley options, slice backhands, body serves, transitioning to the net, return of serve, first ball after the serve and of course, the most important shot in tennis—the serve. The game and strategy changes when transitioning from outdoor play to indoor play and vice-versa. The speed of the court the player is going to play on is important. This is going to be 72

key in constructing a game plan as to how the player is going to construct points to give themselves the best possible chance to be most successful. Typically, indoor courts will be faster than outdoor courts, but that is not always the case. If this is the case, the player may need to shorten their backswings a bit as well. As a kick serve is a great play outdoors, if the court is speedy indoors, a slice or sliding serve would be a better play than a kick serve. Using the court to your advantage is very important. What does this mean exactly? One needs to devise a plan that works for the given type of surface. If the indoor court is fast, you will most likely need to play pretty close to the baseline to take time away from your opponent. If the indoor court is not fast, you could play a game style similar to how you would play outdoors where you would have a chance to play more of a multidimensional game style. This could include playing a little further behind the baseline, play a bit more defense, and even add height to the ball if that works against your opponent. Further, to understand how the particular player is going to play that particular indoor

Long Island Tennis Magazine • January/February 2017 • LITennisMag.com

tournament, I usually have my students get to the tournament site at least two days in advance so they can get their timing down and devise a plan on how they are going to construct points. It takes a much longer time for one to become used to an outdoor court coming from an indoor environment, compared to coming from an outdoor environment and adjusting to an indoor environment. It all depends on the speed of the court to whether there are major or minor adjustments needed. What makes tennis such an intriguing sport is that there are so many variables that one must take into account to play at their best level week in and week out. Every tournament a junior tennis player plays in takes proper preparation so that they can play at their optimal level for that given event. Best of luck adapting! Todd Widom is a former top 200 ATP professional in both singles and doubles, and owner of TW Tennis, South Florida’s top small group/private tennis training geared exclusively for the high-performance junior, collegiate or professional tennis player. Todd may be reached by e-mail at Todd@TWTennis.com or visit TWTennis.com.

COMING IN MARCH

Distribution scheduled for 03/01/17

This edition will feature: • Guide to the Top Tennis Camps • Guide to the Top Court Builders and Manufacturers • Boys High School Tennis Season Preview • Australian Open Recap

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Submissions for both advertising and editorial are due by February 2017 LITennisMag.com • January/February 2017 • Long Island1,Tennis Magazine 73 For more information, please call 516-409-4444 or e-mail Advertise@LITennisMag.com

LONG Boys & Girls Long Island Rankings

ISLAND

RANKINGS

17.. Yonathan Glattman..................Hewlett, N.Y.

Long Island Boys 18 Singles

10.. Charlotte Goldbaum.............. Old Westbury, N.Y.

18.. Zachary Emmanuel Stern...... Dix Hills, N.Y.

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

11.. Lydia Mercante........................Lido Beach, N.Y.

19.. Brian Rex Kornreich................ Great Neck, N.Y.

1.... Avi Anand................................ Dix Hills, N.Y.

12.. Emma Sy................................ Port Washington, N.Y.

20.. Rahul Mathur.......................... Dix Hills, N.Y.

2.... Brandon James...................... Wheatley Heights, N.Y.

13.. Jacqueline Zambrotto............ Kings Park, N.Y.

21.. Gabriel Chan............................Commack, N.Y.

3.... Patrick James Bodovitz..........Garden City, N.Y.

14.. Jordanna Estelle Rosati.......... Melville, N.Y.

BOYS Long Island Boys 12 Singles

22.. Alex Eli Vinsky..........................Westbury, N.Y.

4.... Hunter Jacob Lazare.............. Jericho, N.Y.

15.. Caroline Young Lee................ Syosset, N.Y.

23.. Jared Lake.............................. Hewlett, N.Y.

5.... Malik Bass.............................. Rockville Centre, N.Y.

16.. Maggie Wang.......................... Dix Hills, N.Y.

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

24.. Gavin Park.............................. Roslyn, N.Y.

6.... Steven Gaudio........................ Miller Place, N.Y.

17.. Hailey Stoerback.................... Saint James, N.Y.

1.... Daniel Beckles........................ Roslyn, N.Y.

25.. Alexander G. Davis..................Oyster Bay, N.Y.

7.... Parker A. Tuthill........................Cutchogue, N.Y.

18.. Olivia N. Fermo........................Smithtown, N.Y.

2.... Ajer Sher.................................. Jericho, N.Y.

27.. Ryan E. Shayani...................... Old Westbury, N.Y.

8.... Nicholas Mark Newell............ Huntington Station, N.Y.

19.. Bianca Banilivi........................ Great Neck, N.Y.

3.... Ryan Newitz............................ Melville, N.Y.

28.. Ian Kaish.................................. Northport, N.Y.

9.... Garrett Joseph Sebold............Centerport, N.Y.

20.. Christasha McNeil.................. Massapequa, N.Y.

4.... Jeffrey Rosario........................ Dix Hills, N.Y.

29.. Samuel Perlman......................Great Neck, N.Y.

5.... Aaron Rittberger...................... Huntington, N.Y.

30.. Christopher Hugh Lo.............. Roslyn, N.Y.

6.... Jeremy Levine........................ Woodbury, N.Y.

31.. Andrew Cyril Mancheril.......... New Hyde Park, N.Y.

GIRLS Long Island Girls 12 Singles

7.... Ian Kaish.................................. Northport, N.Y.

32.. Ryan Newitz............................ Melville, N.Y.

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

24.. Kelsey Sy................................ Port Washington, N.Y.

8.... Benjamin Grushkovskiy.......... Woodmere, N.Y.

33.. Brando Fabri Corigliano..........East Hampton, N.Y.

1.... Nicole Pinkus.......................... Valley Stream, N.Y.

25.. Lisa Baldinucci........................ Ronkonkoma, N.Y.

9.... Colin Liotta.............................. East Williston, N.Y.

34.. Dylan D’Agate..........................Melville, N.Y.

2.... Kira Sydney Kronenberg........ East Setauket, N.Y.

26.. Emily Moran............................ Rockville Centre, N.Y.

10.. Julian Daniele Messina.......... Oyster Bay, N.Y.

35.. Liam Thomas Schmidt............Wantagh, N.Y.

3.... Emma Sy................................ Port Washington, N.Y.

27.. Sarah Ashley Schwartz.......... Syosset, N.Y.

11.. Alexander G. Davis..................Oyster Bay, N.Y.

36.. Joseph Monticciolo................ Coram, N.Y.

4.... Ellie Ross..................................Port Washington, N.Y.

28.. Kiera Agic................................ Miller Place, N.Y.

12.. Evan Joseph Rupolo.............. East Patchogue, N.Y.

37.. Michael Ryan Safir.................. Old Westbury, N.Y.

5.... Catherine Karman.................. Port Washington, N.Y.

29.. Sarah Elizabeth Lane.............. Garden City, N.Y.

13.. Joshua Kaplan........................ East Quogue, N.Y.

38.. Drew Meinster........................ South Setauket, N.Y.

6.... Isabella Zhang........................ Roslyn Heights, N.Y.

30.. Anastasia Hoffman..................North Massapequa, N.Y.

14.. Sebastian Bielen......................Glen Cove, N.Y.

39.. Joshua Kaplan........................ East Quogue, N.Y.

7.... Hailey Stoerback.................... Saint James, N.Y.

31.. Lauren Zola..............................Rockville Centre, N.Y.

15.. Aryan Badlani.......................... Roslyn, N.Y.

40.. Mitchell Klee............................ East Rockaway, N.Y.

8.... Christasha McNeil.................. Massapequa, N.Y.

32.. Ariella Sakhai.......................... Great Neck, N.Y.

9.... Maggie Wang.......................... Dix Hills, N.Y.

33.. Megan Kim.............................. East Islip, N.Y.

(as of 12/21/16)

16.. Ethan Rabinowitz.................... Great Neck, N.Y.

21.. Victoria Pensiero......................Commack, N.Y. 22.. Nicole Pinkus.......................... Valley Stream, N.Y. 23.. Ada Maria Amarghioalei..........Port Washington, N.Y.

17.. Ansh Chadha.......................... Westbury, N.Y.

Long Island Boys 16 Singles

10.. Alexa Reese Brecher.............. Syosset, N.Y.

34.. Meegan L. Galante..................Huntington, N.Y.

18.. Andre Insalaco........................ Quogue, N.Y.

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

11.. Olivia Tiegerman......................Jericho, N.Y.

35.. Dara Berman.......................... Setauket, N.Y.

19.. Andrew Cyril Mancheril.......... New Hyde Park, N.Y.

1.... Yoel Andre Yamus.................. Deer Park, N.Y.

12.. Kiera Agic................................ Miller Place, N.Y.

36.. Anna Vanessa Malin................Oceanside, N.Y.

20.. Aidan Garvey.......................... New Hyde Park, N.Y.

2.... Andrew Lin.............................. Commack, N.Y.

13.. Talluiah Pitti.............................. Huntington, N.Y.

37.. Kira Sydney Kronenberg........ East Setauket, N.Y.

21.. John Harold Adamo................East Williston, N.Y.

3.... Deven Andrew Wackett.......... Setauket, N.Y.

14.. Skyler Brown.......................... Glen Head, N.Y.

38.. Kelsey Bundrick...................... Mattituck, N.Y.

22.. Conrad Kulikowski.................. North Bellmore, N.Y.

4.... Putimet Inroon........................ Greenvale, N.Y.

15.. Sarah Elizabeth Lane.............. Garden City, N.Y.

23.. Michael Chan.......................... Commack, N.Y.

5.... Ciro Baldinucci........................ Ronkonkoma, N.Y.

16.. Pressley Fortunato.................. Rockville Centre, N.Y.

Long Island Girls 16 Singles

24.. Gregory Baldinucci..................Ronkonkoma, N.Y.

6.... Danny Tocco............................East Quogue, N.Y.

17.. Alexandra Kaylee Ho.............. Syosset, N.Y.

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

25.. Dhruv Gandhi.......................... Glen Head, N.Y.

7.... Pranav Vallapragada.............. Nesconset, N.Y.

18.. Rylie Stam................................Roslyn, N.Y.

1.... Daniella Victoria Paikin............Valley Stream, N.Y.

26.. Ezra Loewy.............................. Port Washington, N.Y.

8.... Kian Ziari.................................. Locust Valley, N.Y.

19.. Tara Andrea Lurepa................ Westbury, N.Y.

2.... Emily Austin............................ Woodmere, N.Y.

27.. Joseph Michael Wilson.......... East Hampton, N.Y.

9.... Tavish McNulty........................ Bay Shore, N.Y.

20.. Tola Pola Glowacka................ Jericho, N.Y.

3.... Brianna Rienzi..........................Manhasset, N.Y.

28.. Aiden Patel.............................. New Hyde Park, N.Y.

10.. Malik Bass.............................. Rockville Centre, N.Y.

21.. Sophia Nina Karmazin............ Hewlett, N.Y.

4.... Alexa Villez.............................. West Sayville, N.Y.

29.. Aaron Raja.............................. Old Westbury, N.Y.

11.. Zachary Emmanuel Stern...... Dix Hills, N.Y.

22.. Megan Riley Availone..............Lloyd Harbor, N.Y.

5.... Natalia Caroline Krol................Greenvale, N.Y.

30.. Jordan Heyman...................... Melville, N.Y.

12.. Joshua Rothbaum.................. Great Neck, N.Y.

23.. Amanda Huang...................... Syosset, N.Y.

6.... Kaitlyn Byrnes..........................Massapequa, N.Y.

31.. Murray Eric Litman..................Roslyn Heights, N.Y.

13.. Jonathan Brandon Lum..........Albertson, N.Y.

24.. Ada Maria Amarghioalei..........Port Washington, N.Y.

7.... Jessica Emma Lustig..............Dix Hills, N.Y.

32.. Joshua Cyril Mancheril............New Hyde Park, N.Y.

14.. Theodore Tae Kim.................. West Hempstead, N.Y.

25.. Elizabeth Becker......................Jericho, N.Y.

8.... Rose B. Hayes........................ East Moriches, N.Y.

33.. Dillon Lev Beckles.................. Roslyn, N.Y.

15.. Aaron Marcos Vinsky.............. Westbury, N.Y.

26.. Martina Eulau.......................... Oceanside, N.Y.

9.... Maya Aerin Masheb................Jericho, N.Y.

34.. Justin Wong............................ Roslyn Heights, N.Y.

16.. Matthew Southard.................. Islip, N.Y.

27.. Natalie Phillips........................ Plainview, N.Y.

10.. Morgan Voulo.......................... East Setauket, N.Y.

35.. Matthew Kalfas........................Merrick, N.Y.

17.. Ishan G. Varma........................Dix Hills, N.Y.

28.. Kady Tannenbaum.................. Commack, N.Y.

11.. Taylor Grace Hanscom.......... Patchogue, N.Y.

36.. Kevin Chen.............................. Smithtown, N.Y.

18.. Austin Du Lai............................Manhasset, N.Y.

29.. Sydney Seid............................ Dix Hills, N.Y.

12.. Kristen D. Cassidy.................. Wantagh, N.Y.

37.. Branden A. Sattier.................. East Meadow, N.Y.

19.. Hunter Jacob Lazare.............. Jericho, N.Y.

30.. Andrea Martinez de los Rios.. Glen Head, N.Y.

13.. Jill Olga Lawrence.................. Hauppauge, N.Y.

38.. Daniel Kong............................ Commack, N.Y.

20.. Cameron Dahl..........................Massapequa, N.Y.

31.. Katherine Tang........................ Great Neck, N.Y.

14.. Marina Hilbert.......................... Locust Valley, N.Y.

39.. Quinn Winter............................Brightwaters, N.Y.

21.. Michael Wexler........................ Old Westbury, N.Y.

32.. Tara Torosian............................West Hempstead, N.Y.

15.. Kaitlyn Schwarz...................... Oceanside, N.Y.

40.. David Anosov.......................... Oceanside, N.Y.

22.. Deven Madan.......................... Great Neck, N.Y.

33.. Skylar Blake Semon................Melville, N.Y.

16.. Anna J. Martorella.................. Wantagh, N.Y.

23.. Arin Siriamonthep....................Greenvale, N.Y.

34.. Hailey Lessen.......................... Old Westbury, N.Y.

17.. Jade Eggleston........................Stony Brook, N.Y.

Long Island Boys 14 Singles

24.. Alexander Benanti.................. East Setauket, N.Y.

35.. Meghan Sherlock....................Rockville Centre, N.Y.

18.. Onalee Batcheller....................Westhampton, N.Y.

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

25.. Rohan Dayal............................ Great Neck, N.Y.

36.. Dasha Perfiliev........................ Port Washington, N.Y.

19.. Sophia Elizabeth Schutte........Great Neck, N.Y.

1.... Ajer Sher.................................. Jericho, N.Y.

26.. Evan Brady.............................. Glen Head, N.Y.

37.. Celine Thomas........................ Valley Stream, N.Y.

20.. Jennifer Rose Cox.................. West Islip, N.Y.

2.... Max Daniel Safir...................... Old Westbury, N.Y.

27.. Pius Lo.................................... Massapequa, N.Y.

38.. Ashley Kessler........................ Oceanside, N.Y.

21.. Julia Kielan.............................. Valley Stream, N.Y.

3.... Joseph Perry Boyle................ Setauket, N.Y.

28.. Ravi MacGum..........................Amagansett, N.Y.

39.. Samantha Rose Zeltser.......... Great Neck, N.Y.

22.. Sarah Khan..............................Manhasset Hills, N.Y.

4.... Nate Hanley............................ Rocky Point, N.Y.

29.. Jack Tipiere..............................Hewlett, N.Y.

40.. Katie Kors................................ Port Washington, N.Y.

23.. Daniela Tedoldi........................ Smithtown, N.Y.

5.... Aaron Rittberger...................... Huntington, N.Y.

30.. Bilal Rashidzada......................Dix Hills, N.Y.

6.... Luca Anton Johnson.............. Syosset, N.Y.

31.. Matthew Evan Kronenberg.... East Setauket, N.Y.

Long Island Girls 14 Singles

25.. Ruth Vinod Abraham.............. Syosset, N.Y.

7.... Logan Fliegel.......................... Lynbrook, N.Y.

32.. Jake William Buckley.............. Sound Beach, N.Y.

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

26.. Ida Nicole Poulos.................... Manhasset, N.Y.

8.... Brian Gao................................ Syosset, N.Y.

33.. Ashkan Moghaddassi............ Woodbury, N.Y.

1.... Daniella Victoria Paikin............Valley Stream, N.Y.

27.. Ashlyn Jane Hu...................... Jericho, N.Y.

9.... Alejandro Pablo Perez............ Selden, N.Y.

34.. Sampath Srungaram.............. Smithtown, N.Y.

2.... Jennifer Rabinowitz................ Great Neck, N.Y.

28.. Alexandra Nicole Yiachos...... Manhasset, N.Y.

10.. Arin Siriamonthep....................Greenvale, N.Y.

35.. Gavin Small..............................Huntington, N.Y.

3.... Mary Theresa Madigan.......... Sayville, N.Y.

29.. Alexa Lynn Bracco.................. Freeport, N.Y.

11.. Matthew Evan Kronenberg.... East Setauket, N.Y.

36.. Vincent Avallone......................Smithtown, N.Y.

4.... Sophia Elizabeth Schutte........Great Neck, N.Y.

30.. Dara Berman.......................... Setauket, N.Y.

12.. Nicholas Harbans Sathi.......... Port Jefferson, N.Y.

37.. Julian Mercante...................... Lido Beach, N.Y.

5.... Anna J. Martorella.................. Wantagh, N.Y.

31.. Kelsey Bundrick...................... Mattituck, N.Y.

13.. Austin Du Lai............................Manhasset, N.Y.

38.. Jack Louchheim......................Sagaponack, N.Y.

6.... Alexandra Nicole Yiachos...... Manhasset, N.Y.

32.. Shreya Rao.............................. Roslyn, N.Y.

14.. Jeremy Levine........................ Woodbury, N.Y.

39.. Alexander Stephen Rzehak....Centerport, N.Y.

7.... Jennifer Perper........................ Valley Stream, N.Y.

15.. Luke Louchheim......................Sagaponack, N.Y.

40.. Benjamin Weisbach................ Roslyn, N.Y.

8.... Ida Nicole Poulos.................... Manhasset, N.Y.

16.. Justin Y. Shen.......................... Glen Head, N.Y.

24.. Rose Ellen Peruso.................. Westhampton, N.Y.

9.... Christine Kong........................ Commack, N.Y.

Long Island Tennis Magazine • January/February 2017 • LITennisMag.com

LONG

ISLAND

RANKINGS

Sectional Boys 16 Singles— Long Island Players

20.. Sean Mullins............................ Lloyd Harbor, N.Y.

34.. Isabella Sha............................ Roslyn Heights, N.Y.

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

29.. Sean Patrick Hannity.............. Oyster Bay, N.Y.

37.. Ava Thunder Scordo.............. Glen Head, N.Y.

1.... Jillian Rebecca Shulder.......... Setauket, N.Y.

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

36.. Mark Julian Baker....................North Baldwin, N.Y.

40.. Ines Roti.................................. Locust Valley, N.Y.

2.... Morgan Wilkins........................Huntington, N.Y.

2.... Cannon Kingsley.................... Northport, N.Y.

40.. Rajan Jai Vohra........................Glen Head, N.Y.

63.. Skylor Wong............................ Mount Sinai, N.Y.

3.... Kristen D. Cassidy.................. Wantagh, N.Y.

4.... Patrick Maloney...................... Oyster Bay, N.Y.

42.. Daniel Weitz............................ Roslyn, N.Y.

67.. Kady Tannenbaum.................. Commack, N.Y.

4.... Maya Aerin Masheb................Jericho, N.Y.

6.... Daniel Eric Pellerito..................Syosset, N.Y.

58.. Carl Grant................................ Sagaponack, N.Y.

71.. Tatiana Georgie Lorich............ Southampton, N.Y.

5.... Jasmine Olivia Abidi................Glen Head, N.Y.

10.. Ronald P. Hohmann................ Oyster Bay, N.Y.

59.. Keegan James Morris............ Franklin Square, N.Y.

80.. Hailey Stoerback.................... Saint James, N.Y.

6.... Brooke Delprete...................... Westhampton, N.Y.

22.. Spencer Brachman................ Commack, N.Y.

60.. Andrew Marc Nakhjavan........ Dix Hills, N.Y.

82.. Alexandra Kaylee Ho.............. Syosset, N.Y.

24.. Neel Raj....................................Oyster Bay, N.Y.

61.. Pete Siozios............................ New Hyde Park, N.Y.

83.. Nicolette Loeffler.................... Laurel Hollow, N.Y.

26.. Karin K. Amin.......................... Roslyn Heights, N.Y.

64.. Pieter Alexander Wernink...... Glen Cove, N.Y.

84.. Kira Sydney Kronenberg........ East Setauket, N.Y.

30.. Logan Paik Chang.................. Old Westbury, N.Y.

71.. Daniel Shleimovich..................Syosset, N.Y.

93.. Emma Sy................................ Port Washington, N.Y.

31.. David Raphael Weiner............ Glen Head, N.Y.

72.. Alexander Roti........................ Locust Valley, N.Y.

127 Olivia Tiegerman......................Jericho, N.Y.

(as of 12/0916)

34.. Abhinav Raj Srivastava.......... Melville, N.Y.

73.. Alan Delman............................ Great Neck, N.Y.

135 Natalie Phillips........................ Plainview, N.Y.

BOYS

35.. Alexander Roti........................ Locust Valley, N.Y.

75.. Michael Medvedev..................Albertson, N.Y.

137 Ellie Ross..................................Port Washington, N.Y.

Sectional Boys 12 Singles— Long Island Players

44.. Kabir Rajpal............................ Syosset, N.Y.

79.. Brian Shi.................................. Jericho, N.Y.

52.. Rohan Gaddam Reddy.......... Glen Head, N.Y.

85.. George Kaslow........................Port Washington, N.Y.

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

54.. Maxwell Moadel...................... Oyster Bay, N.Y.

89.. Leonard Lazar Koblence........ Jericho, N.Y.

11.. Mark Ryan Taranov................ Valley Stream, N.Y.

60.. Niles Ghaffar............................ Massapequa, N.Y.

94.. Danuel Meinster...................... South Setauket, N.Y.

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

12.. Max Daniel Safir...................... Old Westbury, N.Y.

64.. Michael Medvedev..................Albertson, N.Y.

105 Matthew Kolkhorst..................Sea Cliff, N.Y.

4.... Rachel Arbitman......................Hewlett, N.Y.

15.. Michael Ryan Safir.................. Old Westbury, N.Y.

65.. Brian Shi.................................. Jericho, N.Y.

108 Sangjin Song.......................... Roslyn Heights, N.Y.

7.... Maryam Beshir Ahmad.......... Albertson, N.Y.

20.. Ty Nisenson............................ Port Washington, N.Y.

72.. Billy G. Suarez........................ Huntington, N.Y.

109 David Raphael Weiner............ Glen Head, N.Y.

21.. Amy Delman............................ Great Neck, N.Y.

35.. Stephan M. Gershfeld............ Hewlett, N.Y.

73.. Adrian Kristofer Tsui................ Roslyn Heights, N.Y.

110 Lazar Ivan Markovic................ Lattingtown, N.Y.

38.. Madison Jane Williams.......... Glen Cove, N.Y.

46.. Jordan Reznik..........................Great Neck, N.Y.

74.. Luke Karniewich......................Glen Head, N.Y.

117 Julian Thomas MacGurn........ Amagansett, N.Y.

39.. Kimberly Liao.......................... Commack, N.Y.

53.. Aron Bursztyn..........................South Setauket, N.Y.

84.. Jack Flores.............................. Huntington, N.Y.

121 Nicholas Gajda........................ Smithtown, N.Y.

41.. Rose B. Hayes........................ East Moriches, N.Y.

56.. Matthew Strogach.................. Commack, N.Y.

91.. Matthew Charles Cashin........ Syosset, N.Y.

123 Abhinav Raj Srivastava.......... Melville, N.Y.

54.. Janelle Chen............................Dix Hills, N.Y.

67.. Candrin Chris.......................... Port Washington, N.Y.

100 David Ammendola.................. Massapequa, N.Y.

125 Max Egna................................ Port Washington, N.Y.

61.. Kavina Amin............................ Roslyn Heights, N.Y.

77.. Dylan D’Agate..........................Melville, N.Y.

102 Lazar Ivan Markovic................ Lattingtown, N.Y.

128 Timothy Serignese.................. Port Washington, N.Y.

66.. Gabriela Glickstein.................. Commack, N.Y.

79.. Luke Louchheim......................Sagaponack, N.Y.

114 Evan Brady.............................. Glen Head, N.Y.

129 Bruno Paolino Alves................East Hampton, N.Y.

70.. Kaya Amin................................Roslyn Heights, N.Y.

82.. Aiden Patel.............................. New Hyde Park, N.Y.

127 Griffin Schlesinger.................. Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.

132 Timothy Hayden Nacca..........Garden City, N.Y.

75.. Sadhana Sridhar......................Stony Brook, N.Y.

85.. Matthew Leonard Zeifman.... Roslyn Heights, N.Y.

136 Avi Anand................................ Dix Hills, N.Y.

137 Matthew Franklin Porges........Roslyn Heights, N.Y.

77.. Soraya Koblence.................... Jericho, N.Y.

90.. Nicolas O. Hull........................ Locust Valley, N.Y.

137 Danny Tocco............................East Quogue, N.Y.

140 Maxwell Moadel...................... Oyster Bay, N.Y.

78.. Sofia Rose Anzalone.............. Center Moriches, N.Y.

101 Daniel Beckles........................ Roslyn, N.Y.

146 Nicholas Wernink.................... Glen Cove, N.Y.

149 Chris Kuhnle............................ Shoreham, N.Y.

84.. Emily Tannenbaum..................Commack, N.Y.

106 Jeffrey Rosario........................ Dix Hills, N.Y.

150 Yoel Andre Yamus.................. Deer Park, N.Y.

Long Island Girls 18 Singles

Boys & Girls Sectional Rankings

96.. Tatiana Robotham Barnett......Port Washington, N.Y.

GIRLS

108 Malik Trail................................ Mill Neck, N.Y. 114 Daniel Kong............................ Commack, N.Y. 125 Julian Daniele Messina.......... Oyster Bay, N.Y.

Sectional Girls 14 Singles— Long Island Players

Sectional Girls 12 Singles— Long Island Players

Sectional Boys 18 Singles— Long Island Players

100 Alexis Madison Huber............ Melville, N.Y. 114 Sarah Gunasekera.................. Mount Sinai, N.Y. 116 Rebecca Suarez......................Huntington, N.Y.

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

4.... Athell Bennett.......................... Valley Stream, N.Y.

4.... Rose Hayes............................ East Moriches, N.Y.

118 Daniella Victoria Paikin............Valley Stream, N.Y.

Sectional Boys 14 Singles— Long Island Players

7.... Finbar Talcott.......................... Sea Cliff, N.Y.

18.. Rebecca Suarez......................Huntington, N.Y.

120 Anna J. Martorella.................. Wantagh, N.Y.

8.... Patrick F. Maloney.................. Oyster Bay, N.Y.

19.. Olivia N. Fermo........................Smithtown, N.Y.

135 Grace Isabel Riviezzo..............Syosset, N.Y.

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

12.. Yuval Solomon........................ Plainview, N.Y.

21.. Gabriela Glickstein.................. Commack, N.Y.

141 Jennifer Rabinowitz................ Great Neck, N.Y.

3.... Spencer Brachman................ Commack, N.Y.

14.. Brenden Volk.......................... Dix Hills, N.Y.

27.. Ariana O. Pursoo.................... Westbury, N.Y.

4.... Billy G. Suarez........................ Huntington, N.Y.

16.. Cannon Kingsley.................... Northport, N.Y.

30.. Tola Pola Glowacka................ Jericho, N.Y.

5.... Logan Paik Chang.................. Old Westbury, N.Y.

17.. Daniel Eric Pellerito..................Syosset, N.Y.

32.. Theadora Yael Rabman.......... Port Washington, N.Y.

136 Benjamin Grushkovskiy.......... Woodmere, N.Y.

117 Andrea Irta Brazyte..................Ronkonkoma, N.Y.

8.... Kabir Rajpal............................ Syosset, N.Y. 9.... Sujay Sharma.......................... New Hyde Park, N.Y. 23.. Alexander Karman.................. Port Washington, N.Y. 25.. Maxwell Moadel...................... Oyster Bay, N.Y. 35.. Jared M. Phillips...................... Plainview, N.Y. 43.. Justin Benjamin Oresky.......... Syosset, N.Y. 48.. George Scriber Bader............ Water Mill, N.Y. 49.. Anthony Casale...................... Old Bethpage, N.Y. 54.. Aman K. Sharma.................... Glen Head, N.Y. 67.. Pius Lo.................................... Massapequa, N.Y. 69.. Michael Weitz.......................... Roslyn, N.Y. 72.. Alex Eli Vinsky..........................Westbury, N.Y. 83.. Joseph Monticciolo................ Coram, N.Y. 95.. Ryan E. Shayani...................... Old Westbury, N.Y. 100 Matthew Evan Kronenberg.... East Setauket, N.Y. 101 Max Daniel Safir...................... Old Westbury, N.Y. 104 Taylor Brooks Thomas............ Water Mill, N.Y. 106 Bilal Rashidzada......................Dix Hills, N.Y.

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110 Ian Schunk.............................. Westhampton Beach, N.Y. 111 Joseph Perry Boyle................ Setauket, N.Y. 120 Max Daniel Safir...................... Old Westbury, N.Y. 136 Alejandro Pablo Perez............ Selden, N.Y. 143 Arin Siriamonthep....................Greenvale, N.Y.

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LITennisMag.com • January/February 2017 • Long Island Tennis Magazine

LONG

ISLAND

RANKINGS GIRLS

Sectional Girls 16 Singles— Long Island Players

63.. Kimberly Liao.......................... Commack, N.Y. 67.. Amanda Allison Foo................Manhasset, N.Y.

National Boys 16 Singles— Long Island Players

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

68.. Nicole Kielan............................Valley Stream, N.Y.

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

National Girls 12 Singles— Long Island Players

9.... Merri Kelly................................ Oyster Bay, N.Y.

89.. Steffi Antao.............................. New Hyde Park, N.Y.

11.. Cannon Kingsley.................... Northport, N.Y.

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

21.. Lea Ma.................................... Dix Hills, N.Y.

121 Vitalina Golod.......................... Setauket, N.Y.

36.. Patrick F. Maloney.................. Oyster Bay, N.Y.

48.. Rose B. Hayes........................ East Moriches, N.Y.

22.. Rachel Arbitman......................Hewlett, N.Y.

125 Maryam Beshir Ahmad.......... Albertson, N.Y.

54.. Daniel Eric Pellerito..................Syosset, N.Y.

119 Rebecca E. Suarez..................Huntington, N.Y.

23.. Maryam Beshir Ahmad.......... Albertson, N.Y.

131 Olivia Rose Scordo..................Glen Head, N.Y.

78.. Ronald P. Hohmann................ Oyster Bay, N.Y.

253 Olivia N. Fermo........................Smithtown, N.Y.

26.. Alexa Susan Goetz..................Greenlawn, N.Y.

135 Courtney Provan.................... Dix Hills, N.Y.

165 Spencer Brachman................ Commack, N.Y.

259 Gabriela Glickstein.................. Commack, N.Y.

31.. Francesca Karman..................Port Washington, N.Y.

138 Nicole Rezak............................Merrick, N.Y.

232 Brian Shi.................................. Jericho, N.Y.

470 Theadora Yael Rabman.......... Port Washington, N.Y.

34.. Jacqueline Rae Bukzin............Manorville, N.Y.

243 Neel Raj....................................Oyster Bay, N.Y.

570 Isabella Sha............................ Roslyn Heights, N.Y.

41.. Steffi Antao.............................. New Hyde Park, N.Y.

280 Logan Paik Chang.................. Old Westbury, N.Y.

602 Tola Pola Glowacka................ Jericho, N.Y.

309 Abhinav Raj Srivastava.......... Melville, N.Y.

633 Ava Thunder Scordo.............. Glen Head, N.Y.

375 Karan K. Amin..........................Roslyn Heights, N.Y.

(as of 12/14/16)

674 Ariana O. Pursoo.................... Westbury, N.Y.

492 Rohan Gaddam Reddy.......... Glen Head, N.Y.

803 Ines Roti.................................. Locust Valley, N.Y.

BOYS

610 Billy G. Suarez........................ Huntington, N.Y.

950 Nicolette Loeffler.................... Laurel Hollow, N.Y.

National Boys 12 Singles— Long Island Players

615 Adrian Kristofer Tsui................ Roslyn Heights, N.Y.

956 Kady Tannenbaum.................. Commack, N.Y.

712 Alexander Roti........................ Locust Valley, N.Y.

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

976 Natalie Phillips........................ Plainview, N.Y.

100 Sofia Rose Anzalone.............. Center Moriches, N.Y.

739 Lazar Ivan Markovic................ Lattingtown, N.Y.

977 Alexandra Kaylee Ho.............. Syosset, N.Y.

118 Gabriela Sciarrotta.................. Woodmere, N.Y.

108 Mark R. Taranov...................... Valley Stream, N.Y.

790 Luke Karniewich......................Glen Head, N.Y.

978 Hailey Stoerback.................... Saint James, N.Y.

121 Emily Tannenbaum..................Commack, N.Y.

132 Max Daniel Safir...................... Old Westbury, N.Y.

820 David Raphael Weiner............ Glen Head, N.Y.

980 Kira Sydney Kronenberg........ East Setauket, N.Y.

123 Madeline Sarah Richmond.... Syosset, N.Y.

208 Michael Ryan Safir.................. Old Westbury, N.Y.

959 Maxwell Moadel...................... Oyster Bay, N.Y.

981 Victoria Matos..........................Coram, N.Y.

128 Kaitlyn Schwarz...................... Oceanside, N.Y.

237 Ty Nisenson............................ Port Washington, N.Y.

130 Janelle Chen............................Dix Hills, N.Y.

469 Matthew Strogach.................. Commack, N.Y.

136 Madeline A. Clinton................ Manhasset, N.Y.

578 Malik Trail................................ Mill Neck, N.Y.

139 Trinity Chow............................ Glen Cove, N.Y.

666 Stephan M. Gershfeld............ Hewlett, N.Y.

144 Julia Kielan.............................. Valley Stream, N.Y.

833 Aron Bursztyn..........................South Setauket, N.Y.

148 Soraya Koblence.................... Jericho, N.Y.

986 Jordan Reznik..........................Great Neck, N.Y.

44.. Calista Sha.............................. Roslyn Heights, N.Y. 47.. Kimberly Liao.......................... Commack, N.Y. 51.. Amy Delman............................ Great Neck, N.Y. 74.. Vitalina Golod.......................... Setauket, N.Y. 78.. Denise Lai................................ Setauket, N.Y. 89.. Madison Jane Williams.......... Glen Cove, N.Y.

Boys & Girls National Rankings

National Boys 18 Singles— Long Island Players Rank Name...................................... City 63.. Athell Patrick Bennett..............Valley Stream, N.Y. 70.. Finbar Talcott.......................... Sea Cliff, N.Y. 109 Brenden Volk.......................... Dix Hills, N.Y.

982 Emma Sy................................ Port Washington, N.Y.

National Girls 14 Singles— Long Island Players Rank Name...................................... City 7.... Rachel Arbitman......................Hewlett, N.Y. 33.. Maryam Beshir Ahmad.......... Albertson, N.Y.

National Boys 14 Singles— Long Island Players

147 Cannon Kingsley.................... Northport, N.Y.

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

200 Patrick F. Maloney.................. Oyster Bay, N.Y.

5.... Elysia Bolton............................Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.

4.... Spencer Brachman................ Commack, N.Y.

226 Yuval Solomon........................ Melville, N.Y.

19.. Claire Handa............................Westbury, N.Y.

36.. Logan Paik Chang.................. Old Westbury, N.Y.

257 Daniel Eric Pellerito..................Syosset, N.Y.

20.. Courtney B. Kowalsky............ Oyster Bay, N.Y.

40.. Billy G. Suarez........................ Huntington, N.Y.

332 Sean Patrick Hannity.............. Oyster Bay, N.Y.

22.. Jacqueline Rae Bukzin............Manorville, N.Y.

47.. Sujay Sharma.......................... New Hyde Park, N.Y.

382 Rajan Jai Vohra........................Glen Head, N.Y.

24.. Emma Scott............................ Syosset, N.Y.

136 Kabir Rajpal............................ Syosset, N.Y.

450 Brian Shi.................................. Jericho, N.Y.

27.. Rachel Arbitman......................Hewlett, N.Y.

157 Alexander Karman.................. Port Washington, N.Y.

739 Ryan Goetz..............................Greenlawn, N.Y.

National Girls 16 Singles— Long Island Players

31.. Ashley Lessen..........................Old Westbury, N.Y.

534 Justin Benjamin Oresky.......... Syosset, N.Y.

803 Jonas Erdmann...................... East Hampton, N.Y.

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

33.. Lea Ma.................................... Dix Hills, N.Y.

604 Maxwell Moadel...................... Oyster Bay, N.Y.

822 Mark Julian Baker....................North Baldwin, N.Y.

33.. Lea Ma.................................... Dix Hills, N.Y.

41.. Merri Kelly................................ Oyster Bay, N.Y.

647 Jared M. Phillips...................... Plainview, N.Y.

828 Andrew Marc Nakhjavan........ Dix Hills, N.Y.

138 Merri Kelly................................ Oyster Bay, N.Y.

48.. Samantha Lena Galu.............. Jericho, N.Y.

747 George Scribner Bader.......... Water Mill, N.Y.

867 Alexander Karman.................. Port Washington, N.Y.

169 Rachel Arbitman......................Hewlett, N.Y.

53.. Francesca Karman..................Port Washington, N.Y.

975 Pius Lo.................................... Massapequa, N.Y.

918 Billy G. Suarez........................ Huntington, N.Y.

191 Maryam Beshir Ahmad.......... Albertson, N.Y.

937 Spencer Brachman................ Commack, N.Y.

280 Francesca Karman..................Port Washington, N.Y.

943 Daniel Weitz............................ Roslyn, N.Y.

282 Alexa Susan Goetz..................Greenlawn, N.Y.

971 Alan Delman............................ Great Neck, N.Y.

375 Steffi Antao.............................. New Hyde Park, N.Y.

Sectional Girls 18 Singles— Long Island Players

57.. Julia Klara Szymanska............Elmont, N.Y. 60.. Alexa Graham..........................Garden City, N.Y.

156 Sean M. Mullins...................... Lloyd Harbor, N.Y.

224 Amy Delman............................ Great Neck, N.Y. 336 Madison Jane Williams.......... Glen Cove, N.Y. 730 Kavina Amin............................ Roslyn Heights, N.Y. 882 Janelle Chen............................Dix Hills, N.Y. 901 Soraya Koblence.................... Jericho, N.Y. 905 Rebecca E. Suarez..................Huntington, N.Y.

481 Calista Sha.............................. Roslyn Heights, N.Y. 508 Jacqueline Rae Bukzin............Manorville, N.Y.

2013 ETA Recipient “Innovative Tennis Program of the Year” LI’s first Tennis Academy devoted to the USTA’s 10 & under Initiative. Butch Seewagen is a former varsity coach at Columbia University. He holds over 15 national and international titles and is the owner/program director of the Children’s Athletic Training Schools.

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Long Island Tennis Magazine • January/February 2017 • LITennisMag.com

786 Amy Delman............................ Great Neck, N.Y.

National Girls 18 Singles— Long Island Players Rank Name...................................... City 9.... Elysia Bolton............................Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. 146 Lea Ma.................................... Dix Hills, N.Y. 243 Claire Handa............................Westbury, N.Y. 256 Alexa Graham..........................Garden City, N.Y. 356 Courtney B. Kowalsky............ Oyster Bay, N.Y. 377 Rachel Arbitman......................Hewlett, N.Y. 406 Emma Scott............................ Syosset, N.Y. 506 Jacqueline Rae Bukzin............Manorville, N.Y. 566 Ashley Lessen..........................Old Westbury, N.Y. 777 Julia Klara Szymanska............Elmont, N.Y. 845 Amanda Allison Foo................Manhasset, N.Y.

USTA/Long Island Region 2017

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE For detailed information on these and all USTA tournaments, visit tennislink.usta.com/tournaments. JANUARY 2017 Friday-Sunday, January 20-22 L1B Bethpage State Park Winter Challenger Bethpage Park Tennis Center 99 Quaker Meeting House Road Farmingdale, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 12 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Sunday, Jan. 15 at 10:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail RBecker06@yahoo.com or call (516) 359-4843. Friday-Sunday, January 20-22 L2 Sportime Syosset January Open Sportime-Syosset 75 Haskett Drive Syosset, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 12 (FMLC) and Intermediate Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 14-18 (SE) Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 for first singles/$28 for first doubles (deadline for entries is Sunday, Jan. 15 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail KSorokko@SportimeNY.com or call (516) 364-2727. Saturday, January 21 Youth Progression Orange L2: East Hampton Ross School Tennis Academy 18 Goodfriend Drive East Hampton, N.Y. Divisions: Orange Level 2 Boys’ & Girls’ 10 and Under Singles: 60’ Orange Ball 10 (NEF) Surface Type: Clay Entry Fee: $48.88 per player (deadline for entries is Sunday, Jan. 15 at 11:59 p.m.) For more information, e-mail PWilliamson@Ross.org or call (631) 907-5162. Saturday, January 21 Youth Progression Orange L1 East Quogue Sportime of The Hamptons 2571 Quogue Riverhead Road East Quogue, N.Y. Divisions: Orange Level 1 Boys & Girls 10 and Under Singles 60’ Orange Ball 10 (NEF) Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $48.88 per player (deadline for entries is Sunday, Jan. 15 at 11:59 p.m.) For more information, e-mail GMeyer@SportimeNY.com or call (631) 653-6767.

Saturday-Sunday, January 21-22 Youth Progression L1 Green Ball-Glen Cove Robbie Wagner Tournament Training at Glen Cove 60 Sea Cliff Avenue Glen Cove, N.Y. Divisions: Green Level 1 Boys & Girls 10 and Under Singles 78’ Green Ball 10 (FRLC) Surface Type: Clay Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Sunday, Jan. 15 at 11:59 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Superscoot@aol.com or call (516) 759-0505.

Friday-Sunday, January 27-29 L1B PWTA January Challenger Port Washington Tennis Academy 100 Harbor Road Port Washington, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 14 (SE) Surface Type: Clay Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Sunday, Jan. 22 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Ruiz.Clark@yahoo.com or call (516) 883-6425.

Friday-Sunday, January 27-29 L2 Winter Whiteout Open Long Beach Tennis Center 899 Monroe Boulevard Long Beach, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 12 (FRLC); Intermediate Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 14-18 (SE); and Intermediate Boys & Girls Doubles 78’ Yellow Ball 12-18 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 for first singles/$28 for first doubles (deadline for entries is Wednesday, Jan. 25 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Andrew@LongBeachTennisCenter.com or call (516) 432-6060.

Friday-Sunday, January 27-29 & February 3-5 L2 Long Island Regional at Deer Park TC Deer Park Tennis Center 30 Burt Drive Deer Park, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate Boys & Girls Singles & Doubles 78’ Yellow Ball 14-18 (SE); and Intermediate Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 12 (FMLC) Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 for first singles/$28 for first doubles (deadline for entries is Friday, Jan. 20 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail DeerParkTennis@optimum.net or call (631) 667-3476.

Friday-Sunday, January 27-29 L1B Bethpage State Park Winter Challenger Bethpage Park Tennis Center 99 Quaker Meeting House Road Farmingdale, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 18 (SE) Surface Type: Clay Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Sunday, Jan. 22 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail RBecker06@yahoo.com or call (516) 359-4843. Friday-Sunday, January 27-29 L1B Point Set January Challenger Point Set Tennis 3065 New Street Oceanside, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 12,16 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Sunday, Jan. 22 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Ruiz.Clark@yahoo.com or call (917) 991-0088.

FEBRUARY 2017 Friday-Sunday, February 3-5 L1B GHRC January Challenger Glen Head Racquet Club 95 Glen Head Road Glen Head, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 16 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, Jan. 27 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail TennisCoach.mc@gmail.com or call (516) 676-9849. Friday-Sunday, February 3-5 L3 RWTTC January UPS Robbie Wagner Tournament Training at Glen Cove 60 Sea Cliff Avenue Glen Cove, N.Y. Divisions: Entry Level Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Green Ball 12, 78’ Yellow Ball 14-18 (RR) Surface Type: Clay Indoor Entry Fee: $43.50 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, Jan. 27 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail RWagner968@aol.com or call (516) 759-0505.

LITennisMag.com • January/February 2017 • Long Island Tennis Magazine

USTA/Long Island Region 2017

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE For detailed information on these and all USTA tournaments, visit tennislink.usta.com/tournaments. Friday-Sunday, February 3-5 L1B Bethpage State Park February Challenger Bethpage Park Tennis Center 99 Quaker Meeting House Road • Farmingdale, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 18 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, Jan. 30 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail RBecker06@yahoo.com or call (516) 359-4843.

Friday-Sunday, February 3-5 L1B Sportime Bethpage February Challenger Sportime Bethpage 101 Norcross Avenue Bethpage, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Green Ball 12 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player For more information, e-mail KSorokko@SportimeNY.com or call (516) 933-8500.

Friday-Sunday, February 3-5 L2 Roslyn Sportime Open Friday-Sunday, February 3-5 Sportime Roslyn L1B World Gym February Challenger 1 Landing Road • Roslyn, N.Y. World Gym Racquet & Sports Arena Divisions: Intermediate Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 12 384 Mark Tree Road • East Setauket, N.Y. (FMLC); and Intermediate Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball Divisions: Challenger Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 16-18 (SE) 12,16 (SE) Surface Type: Clay Indoor Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, Entry Fee: $54.25 per player Jan. 27 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Vtapr@hotmail.com or call (631) For more information, e-mail GAshley@SportimeNY.com or 751-6100. call (516) 484-9222. Friday-Sunday, February 3-5 Friday-Sunday, February 3-5 Eastern Empire Cup National Doubles at PWTA Eastern Empire Cup National Doubles at Point Set Port Washington Tennis Academy Point Set Tennis 100 Harbor Road • Port Washington, N.Y. 3065 New Street • Oceanside, N.Y. Divisions: Advanced Boys Singles & Doubles 78’ Yellow Ball Divisions: Advanced Girls Doubles 78’ Yellow Ball 14 (MFIC) 14 (MFIC) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Surface Type: Clay Indoor Entry Fee: $48.88 per player (deadline for entries is WednesEntry Fee: $48.88 per player (deadline for entries is day, Jan. 25 at 1:00 p.m.) Wednesday, Jan. 25 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Ruiz.Clark@yahoo.com or call For more information, e-mail Ruiz.Clark@yahoo.com or call (917) 991-0088. (516) 883-6425.

Friday-Sunday, February 10-12 L2 Sportime Syosset February Open Sportime-Syosset 75 Haskett Drive • Syosset, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate Boys & Girls Singles & Doubles 78’ Green Ball 14-16 (SE) Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 for first singles/$28.88 for first doubles For more information, e-mail KSorokko@SportimeNY.com or call (516) 364-2727.

Friday-Sunday, February 3-5 L1B February Blue Starz Challenger Long Beach Tennis Center 899 Monroe Boulevard • Long Beach, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys & Girls Singles & Doubles 78’ Yellow Ball 14 (SE); Challenger Mixed-Doubles 78’ Yellow Ball 14 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 for first singles/$28 for first doubles (deadline for entries is Wednesday, Feb. 1 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Andrew@LongBeachTennisCenter.com or call (516) 432-6060.

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Long Island Tennis Magazine • January/February 2017 • LITennisMag.com

Friday-Sunday, February 10-12 L1B Sportime at Kings Park February Challenger Sportime Kings Park 275 Old Indianhead Road Kings Park, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 14 (SE) Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Sunday, Feb. 5 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, call (631) 269-6300. Friday-Sunday, February 10-12 L1B GHRC February Challenger Glen Head Racquet Club 95 Glen Head Road • Glen Head, N.Y. Divisions: Championships Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 12 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player For more information, e-mail TennisCoach.mc@gmail.com or call (516) 676-9849. Friday-Sunday, February 10-12 L1B World Gym Winter Challenger World Gym Racquet & Sports Arena 384 Mark Tree Road East Setauket, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 12-14 (SE) Surface Type: Clay Entry Fee: $54.25 per player For more information, e-mail TJakl@verizon.net or call (631) 751-6100.

USTA/Long Island Region 2017

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE For detailed information on these and all USTA tournaments, visit tennislink.usta.com/tournaments. Friday-Sunday, February 10-12 L2 Bethpage State Park February Open Bethpage Park Tennis Center 99 Quaker Meeting House Road Farmingdale, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 12 (FMLC) Surface Type: Clay Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Sunday, Feb. 5 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail RBecker06@yahoo.com or call (516) 359-4843. Friday-Sunday, February 10-12 L1A Deer Park January Championships Deer Park Tennis Center 30 Burt Drive Deer Park, N.Y. Divisions: Championships Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 14 (SE) Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Thursday, Feb. 2 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail DeerParkTennis@optimum.net or call (631) 667-3476. Friday-Sunday, February 10-12 L1B Roslyn Sportime Challenger Sportime Roslyn 1 Landing Road Roslyn, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 16 (SE) Surface Type: Clay Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, Feb. 3 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail GAshley@SportimeNY.com or call (516) 484-9222. Friday-Sunday, February 10-12 L1B Point Set Challenger Point Set Tennis 3065 New Street Oceanside, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 18 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player For more information, e-mail Ruiz.Clark@yahoo.com or call (917) 991-0088.

Saturday-Monday, February 11-13 USTA National Level 2 Tournament Robbie Wagner Tournament Training at Glen Cove 60 Sea Cliff Avenue Glen Cove, N.Y. Divisions: National Level 2 Boys Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 1618 (FIC-R16); and National Level 2 Boys Doubles 78’ Yellow Ball 16-18 (SE) Surface Type: Clay Indoor Entry Fee: $145.63 for one event; $146.12 for two events; additional fees may apply if registered in three or more events (deadline for entries is Thursday, Jan. 19 at 11:59 a.m.) For more information, e-mail Superscoot@aol.com or call (516) 759-0505. Saturday-Sunday, February 11-12 Youth Progression Green L1: East Hampton Ross School Tennis Academy 18 Goodfriend Drive East Hampton, N.Y. Divisions: Green Level 1 Boys & Girls 10 and Under Singles 78’ Green Ball 10 (FMLC) Surface Type: Clay Entry Fee: $48.88 per player For more information, e-mail PWilliamson@Ross.org or call (631) 907-5162. Saturday-Sunday, February 11-12 Youth Progression Green L1: Long Beach February Open Long Beach Tennis Center 899 Monroe Boulevard Long Beach, N.Y. Divisions: Green Level 1 Boys & Girls 10 and Under Singles 78’ Green Ball 10 (NEF) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $48.88 per player For more information, e-mail Andrew@LongBeachTennisCenter.com or call (516) 432-6060. Saturday, February 11 Youth Progression Orange L2, East Setauket World Gym Racquet & Sports Arena 384 Mark Tree Road East Setauket, N.Y. Divisions: Orange Level 2 Boys & Girls 10 and Under Singles 60’ Orange Ball 10 (RR) Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $48.88 per player For more information, e-mail Vtapr@hotmail.com or call (631) 751-6100.

Friday-Monday, February 17-20 L1 Sportime Bethpage Presidents’ Championships Sportime Bethpage 101 Norcross Avenue Bethpage, N.Y. Divisions: Championships Boys Singles 78’ Green Ball 18 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, Feb. 10 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail KSorokko@SportimeNY.com or call (516) 933-8500. Friday-Sunday, February 17-19 L2O Eastern Athletic Winter Open Eastern Athletic Clubs-Blue Point 9 Montauk Highway, Unit A Blue Point, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate Boys & Girls Singles & Doubles 78’ Yellow Ball 14-18 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 for first singles/$28.88 for first doubles (deadline for entries is Monday, Jan. 23 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail EACJRTennis@gmail.com or call (631) 363-2882. Friday-Sunday, February 17-19 L1 Point Set Presidents’ Championships Point Set Tennis 3065 New Street Oceanside, N.Y. Divisions: Championships Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 18 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, Feb. 10 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Ruiz.Clark@yahoo.com or call (917) 991-0088. Friday-Sunday, February 17-19 L1 GHRC Winter Championship Glen Head Racquet Club 95 Glen Head Road Glen Head, N.Y. Divisions: Championships Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 12 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, Feb. 10 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail TennisCoach.mc@gmail.com or call (516) 676-9849.

LITennisMag.com • January/February 2017 • Long Island Tennis Magazine

USTA/Long Island Region 2017

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE For detailed information on these and all USTA tournaments, visit tennislink.usta.com/tournaments. Friday-Sunday, February 17-19 L1B World Gym Feb Freeze Challenger World Gym Racquet & Sports Arena 384 Mark Tree Road • East Setauket, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 12, 16 (SE) Surface Type: Clay Entry Fee: $54.25 per player For more information, e-mail Vtapr@hotmail.com or call (631) 751-6100. Friday-Sunday, February 17-19 L2 Roslyn Sportime Open Sportime Roslyn • 1 Landing Road • Roslyn, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate Boys & Girls Singles & Doubles 78’ Yellow Ball 18 (SE) Surface Type: Clay Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, Feb. 10 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail GAshley@SportimeNY.com or call (516) 484-9222. Friday-Sunday, February 17-19 L2 LBTC February Freeze Long Beach Tennis Center 899 Monroe Boulevard • Long Beach, N.Y. Divisions: Level 2 Boys & Girls Singles & Doubles 78’ Yellow Ball 12-16 (SE) and Level 2 Mixed-Doubles 78’ Yellow Ball 1216 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 for first singles/$28.88 for first doubles (deadline for entries is Monday, Feb. 13 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Sid@LongBeachTennisCenter.com or call (516) 432-6060. Friday-Sunday, February 17-19 L1B Port Washington February Challenger Port Washington Tennis Academy 100 Harbor Road • Port Washington, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 14 (SE) Surface Type: Clay Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, Feb. 3 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Tennis@PWTA.com or call (516) 883-6425. Friday-Monday, February 17-20 L1 Huntington Presidents’ Championships Huntington Indoor Tennis 100 Broadway • Huntington Station, N.Y. Divisions: Championships Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 16 (SE) Surface Type: Clay Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, Feb. 10 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, call (631) 421-0040. 80

Friday-Sunday, February 24-26 Eastern Super Six at RWTTC (National L4) Robbie Wagner Tournament Training at Glen Cove 60 Sea Cliff Avenue Glen Cove, N.Y. Divisions: Super 6 Event Boys Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 12 (FIC-R16) Surface Type: Clay Indoor Entry Fee: $124.13 per player (deadline for entries is Wednesday, Feb. 8 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail SuperScoot@aol.com or call (516) 759-0505. Friday-Sunday, February 24-26 Eastern Super Six at GHRC (National L4) Glen Head Racquet Club 95 Glen Head Road Glen Head, N.Y. Divisions: Super 6 Event Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 18 (FIC-R16) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $124.13 per player (deadline for entries is Wednesday, Feb. 8 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail TennisCoach.mc@gmail.com or call (516) 676-9849 Friday-Sunday, February 24-26 Eastern Super Six at Port Washington (National L4) Port Washington Tennis Academy 100 Harbor Road Port Washington, N.Y. Divisions: Super 6 Event Boys Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 14 (FIC-R16) Surface Type: Clay Indoor Entry Fee: $124.13 per player (deadline for entries is Wednesday, Feb. 8 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Ruiz.Clark@yahoo.com or call (516) 883-6425. Friday-Sunday, February 24-26 Eastern Super Six at Point Set (National L4) Point Set Tennis 3065 New Street Oceanside, N.Y. Divisions: Super 6 Event Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 12 (FIC-R16) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $124.13 per player (deadline for entries is Wednesday, Feb. 8 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Ruiz.Clark@yahoo.com or call (917) 991-0088.

Long Island Tennis Magazine • January/February 2017 • LITennisMag.com

Friday-Sunday, February 24-26 L3 LBTC February Spectacular Long Beach Tennis Center 899 Monroe Boulevard Long Beach, N.Y. Divisions: Entry Level Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Green Ball 12, 78’ Yellow Ball 14-18 (RR) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $48.88 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, Feb. 20 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Andrew@LongBeachTennisCenter.com or call (516) 432-6060. Saturday-Sunday, February 25-26 Youth Progression L1 Green Ball @ Glenwood Robbie Wagner Tournament Training at Glen Cove 60 Sea Cliff Avenue Glen Cove, N.Y. Divisions: Green Level 1 Boys & Girls 10 and Under Singles 78’ Green Ball 10 (FRLC) Surface Type: Clay Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player For more information, e-mail RWTennis@hotmail.com or call (516) 759-0505. Saturday, February 25 Youth Progression Orange Level 1 Kings Park Sportime Kings Park 275 Old Indianhead Road Kings Park, N.Y. Divisions: Orange Level 1 Boys & Girls 10 and Under Singles 60’ Orange Ball 10 (NEF) Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $48.88 per player For more information, call Tvanepps@SportimeNY.com or call (631) 269-6300. Saturday, February 25 Youth Progression Orange Ball L2 Syosset Sportime-Syosset 75 Haskett Drive Syosset, N.Y. Divisions: Orange Level 2 Boys & Girls 10 and Under Singles: 60’ Orange Ball 10 (NEF) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $48.88 per player For more information, e-mail KSorokko@SportimeNY.com or call (516) 364-2727.

LITennisMag.com â&#x20AC;˘ November/December 2016 â&#x20AC;˘ Long Island Tennis Magazine

Long Island Tennis Magazine â&#x20AC;˘ November/December 2016 â&#x20AC;˘ LITennisMag.com