Long Island Tennis Magazine January / February 2025

Distribution scheduled for 03/01/25

This edition will feature:

• Guide to the Top Tennis Camps

• Guide to the Top Court Builders & Manufacturers

• Boys’ High School Season Preview

• 2025 Australian Open Recap

• And Much More!

Print distribution across New York at 300+ locations.

Digital distribution across website and social media pages, and the e-Edition will be e-mailed out to our full data base.

Don’t miss the advertising opportunities in the next edition of Long Island Tennis Magazine March/April 2025!

Facebook-www.Facebook.com/Long IslandTennis Instagram-@LITennisMag • Twitter-@LITennisMag Submissions for both advertising and editorial are due by February 3, 2025 For more information, please call 516-409-4444 or e-mail Advertise@LITennisMag.com

Eisenhower Park was the setting for a special day last fall as Gainbridge Capital, the Women’s Sports Foundation and USTA Eastern teamed up to host the first ever Girls’ Day, an afternoon filled with tennis drills, games and more.

USTA Eastern Teams With Gainbridge Capital and Women’s Sports Foundation To Host First-Ever Eastern Girls Day at Eisenhower Park

The event was held as part of Gainbridge Capital’s Parity Week where it donated $150,000 in grants and other funding to organizations supporting girls and women through sports and education. During the event, a check was presented in the amount of $50,000 which will be used to refurbish the tennis courts at Eisenhower Park.

“Girls’ Day was an incredible collaboration between several different organizations to not only celebrate the very generous donation from Gainbridge, but also to demonstrate in one afternoon exactly what their generosity means for the future,” said Jenny Schnitzer, Executive Director & CEO of USTA Eastern. “Around 75 girls got the chance to pick up a racquet and try out the sport, many for the first time. Some got to hit with Genie Bouchard, a Wimbledon finalist, and I know so many of them walked away thinking about playing again, and that was the ultimate goal of the event.”

Bouchard and former WNBA star Epiphanny Prince were on hand to speak with the kids about their life journeys, and how sports played a crucial role in their early formative years.

“It’s so special. I remember when I started playing tennis when I was fiveyears-old, and how important it was to

have events to go or tournaments to play, and having idols to look up to. It motivated me to want to play even more,” said Bouchard. “I think the most important thing is just getting as many kids as possible interested in the sport, getting them off the couch, off their phones and on a tennis court being active.”

Olga Harvey, the Chief Operating Officer for the Women’s Sports Foundation, added:

“Maybe one of the girls here today will go on to be the next Billie Jean King, the next Genie [Bouchard] or the next Epiphanny [Prince], someone who will use sports to do good. Most of these girls will end up going pro in something other than sports, but it’s our goal to help them become leaders in their respective communities.”

The goal of these events is to empower young girls to get involved with sports, and use sports as a pathway towards future success, whether that is in sports or another field. Sports can provide valuable life

lessons, including discipline, selfconfidence, time management and more, things that can help a person no matter where they choose to go.

“Follow your dreams,” Bouchard’s advice to the kids was. “I had dreams as a kid, and sometimes I was unsure if I could achieve them, but even if you don’t you will still be much closer to them than if you hadn’t tried. It’s about having big dreams and working hard to achieve them.”

For USTA Eastern, being able to inspire more and more kids to give tennis a try is at the heart of its goal as an organization, and the first-ever Girls’ Day was just the latest installment of that pursuit, and the funds going towards fixing local public courts is crucial.

“We wanted these young girls to experience how fun the sport can be and realize that it’s something they can enjoy, and excel at, for a lifetime. It’s like Billie Jean King says, ‘If you can see it, you can be it’”, Schnitzer added. “It was an inspiring day. Our mission as an organization is to grow tennis, but ultimately we can only accomplish that if the communities we serve can easily access high-quality courts. That’s why we’re so thankful to Gainbridge for providing this funding to help us refurbish the tennis courts at Eisenhower Park, so that we and the other great tennis coaches and instructors can continue to offer local programming for nearby residents for many years to come.”

Long Island Tennis Magazine’s 2024 Event Series Wraps Up With Sold-Out Thanksgiving Tennis Challenge

Thefourth and final Long Island Tennis Magazine Challenge of 2024 brought together men’s and women’s doubles teams for a fun and competitive Saturday hosted on the courts of Sportime Syosset.

Fresh off Thanksgiving celebrations, it was time for everyone to get back on the tennis court and work off their holiday meal, and the LITM Thanksgiving Challenge provided the perfect opportunity to do so. Featuring good competition on the court and a festive, social atmosphere off it, the Thanksgiving Challenge was the ideal way to wrap up the 2024 Long Island Tennis Magazine event series.

“There are many options for local players when it comes to racquet sports, and we are appreciative that so many players came out and chose our event. To get a sold-out draw into this tournament on a holiday weekend was a real success. I believe this is an indication that players see the professionalism and quality we bring to the events we host, and that they have a great time on and off the court,” said David Sickmen, co-tournament director of

the Long Island Tennis Magazine Challenge.

In the Men’s 7.0 – 7.5 Doubles Division, Ray Omid & Ed Mulhern teamed up for the first time as a doubles pair and came away victorious by earning the title.

Despite never playing together, the two quickly found chemistry on court, and gave credit to one another for their success.

“We usually play against each other, but came together for this,” said Mulhern. “Ray was super

consistent and he hit every shot we needed him to.”

Omid added:

“Ed made it really easy…These tournaments are a lot of fun. There is always great competition, the people are chill and all of that makes these events enjoyable.”

For Jieying Mao & Anna Tortorici, the chemistry on the court together has been there for awhile now as the two have played together on USTA Leagues teams for years. That rapport on court proved to be

Men’s 7.0 – 7.5 Doubles Division Champions: Ed Mulhern & Ray Omid

Women’s 7.0 – 7.5 Doubles Champions: Jieying Mao & Anna Tortorici

important as the pairing captured the title in the Women’s 7.0 – 7.5 Doubles division.

It was especially integral when they fell behind 0-2 in the championship match, before making the necessary adjustments to make the comeback and win the championship.

“In the beginning I was at the net, but I moved back to the baseline, and she went to the net whenever she had the chance so she could put it away,” said Tortorici. “We got back to our strengths. We tried to send them deep so that Jieying could poach and put it away.”

“Consistency was the key, we played our strengths to their weaknesses,” said Mao. “We play together a lot in different leagues so we know how to play together.”

The holidays are the time for families coming together, and that’s what Albert Cheng & Roger Cheng did when they joined forces in the Men’s 8.0 – 8.5 Doubles division.

The two had not played doubles together prior to this tournament which made for up-and-down results during the round-robin stages, but they found their stride in the knockout rounds, playing great tennis en route to winning the championship.

“I think when we started we were slow to get warm, but once we were able to take advantage of our service games, especially Albert because he has a really big serve, we found ways to play points a little better,” said Roger. “It was a great tournament; the competition was great, everyone was social, and it was just a really fun time especially after Thanksgiving.”

Albert talked about both the positives and negatives of playing together as a doubles team.

“This was our first time playing together so there were definitely times we were laughing, but also

times when I was like, ‘Oh, dude, you should have made that shot’,” he said. “We can call each other out when we need to, and that dynamic helps, holding each other accountable. I think we were able to step up when we needed to.”

A couple of former high school standouts from Suffolk County took to the court in the Women’s 8.0 – 8.5 Doubles division as Onalee Batcheller & Gabrielle Vailiant paired up and ultimately won the division’s title.

“Our groundstrokes were very good, and we poached smartly when we needed to, especially in that last match,” said Vailiant. “I felt like there were some really long rallies in the finals and so we had to be strategic with our net game.”

Batcheller added:

“We knew we could trust each other, and our communication was key. This was our first time playing doubles together but we do practice a lot, so we know each other’s styles and we relied on each other…The tournament

Tennis Court Equipment &

Men’s 8.0 – 8.5 Doubles Division Champions: Albert Cheng & Roger Cheng

Women’s 8.0

Doubles Division: Champions Gabrielle Vailiant & Onalee Batcheller

was great, and we were able to meet a lot of new people. Sometimes it’s easy and convenient to stay in your own little tennis group, so to play against different competition was great. Everyone was welcoming and it was very well-run.”

The Thanksgiving Challenge was the final installment of the 2024 Long Island Tennis Magazine Event Series, putting a bow on another successful year as we prepare to continue to grow our events in the New Year.

“I certainly want to thank our host facility, Sportime Syosset, for being such gracious hosts and Mike Kossoff for helping us put on this special event, as well as my co-director Michelle Stoerback, whose passion and energy for adult tennis is second to none,” added Sickmen. “We look forward to more community involvement moving into the New

Year. We have many events planned, and are excited to see everyone on the courts in 2025.”

Paul Stratta, CEO & Co-Founder of iPlayMe2, was on-hand to display the

results of the tournament using its innovative software so players can track their matches in real-time. For full score results visit the tournament’s brackets on the iPlayMe2 app or website.

LITM’s Tennis Challenge Digitizes Its Way Forward

Asour readers know, we’ve been running our Long Island Tennis Magazine Challenges for years, and until recently, these tennis and pickleball tournaments had been run manually using pen and paper, while not leveraging tech tools.

Throughout the year, and most recently, during our Thanksgiving Tennis Challenge at SPORTIME Syosset, featuring four divisions of Men’s Doubles and Women’s Doubles, we decided to use the iPlayMe2 app-centric platform to see what more it could do, how it could ease administration, and deliver a better player experience, during and after the tournament.

iPlayMe2 easily handled the set-up of all the rounds, allowing us to quickly schedule the doubles teams matches, noting for everyone what start-time, and court number, for each of the “pool play” matches, basically a type of round-robin. Players were automatically notified via e-mail, and text, of their matches, confirming on which court to play, at what time, and against whom.

Those players already on the free iPlayMe2 app were able to enter their match scores directly after every round, and then move on to their next match. Other players, who hadn’t downloaded the app, simply reported the scores to us at the Tournament Desk, where we entered their match scores in seconds.

The group play standings were kept up to date, and allowed us to quickly see after the morning’s group play, which teams advanced to the knock-out stage. Those brackets were also quickly generated, and updated on the fly, allowing every team, and the visitors, to see from the external TV monitors, who plays against whom, when, and on which court. And which teams within each group began to pull away from the others.

At the end of an enjoyable afternoon, the brackets had been filled out, scores entered, and overall division winners declared.

iPlayMe2’s tournament manager

By Brian Coleman

function includes a private URL (website) which displays all the group rounds, and knockout stage brackets, easily accessible by viewers, and even printable if desired.

Michelle Stoerback, an Adult Tennis Director at SPORTIME and cotournament director of the LITM Challenge Series, loved this “cool tech” solution, and sees iPlayMe2 as a great tool to use to run tournaments as it allows the players themselves to selfschedule their matches, when mutually convenient at the club, and then self-report the match scores, especially if the competition spans a longer timeperiod than just a day.

Michelle shared her interesting take, about leveraging iPlayMe2’s app-centric solution.

“With smartphones in everyone’s hands and the rise of remote work, schedules have become more flexible yet less predictable,” said Stoerback.

“When iPlayMe2 introduced us to their self-scheduling tournament software— designed to be app-centric and player-focused—we couldn’t resist exploring what they had to offer.”

iPlayMe2’s club admin portal cranked out the Pool Play groups, and then the knock-out positions, seeded those elimination brackets, with players then seeing on their app, the specific draws, and receiving e-mails, and/or texts, about whom their first round or next round opponent is.

By using iPlayMe2, players can stay ‘old-school’, messaging each other to coordinate when to play, while others will embrace this innovative app, by efficiently accepting or countering each other’s propositions on when to play at

our club, all through the iPlayMe2 player app. Eventually, memberplayers will be jumping on the app, and making short work of the scheduling headache of offering convenient play times that suited their personal schedules.

iPlayMe2 built this app to be as easy as ordering up an Uber... tap, swipe and a click.

Members will love entering their own scores, particularly when they won, and club staff will save incredible amounts of time; iPlayMe2’s tournament brackets are always fully up-todate, and visible to all of the members through the club’s private page within iPlayMe2’s ecosystem.

iPlayMe2 also handles flex leagues, round-robins, traditional club championships, as well as can generate player rankings / ratings across the entire club. It even handles Compass Draw type tournaments, doubleelimination formats, and simple “back-draw” formats, for those first-round losing players. iPlayMe2 has integrated all other racquet sports as well, including of course pickleball, padel, and beach tennis to name just a few.

Michelle summed it up:

“iPlayMe2 is incredibly user-friendly. It took just minutes to set up our group play and transition into elimination ‘knock-out’ rounds. The platform handles everything seamlessly, from organizing matches to creating brackets and even updating scores in real time for players to track. Some participants now think I’m a genius— but I can only take half the credit. Thanks, iPlayMe2, for making it all so easy!”

I'vewatched tennis for 55 years and have seen players from multiple generations and from all over the world. It's difficult to avoid noticing that the sport has changed in so many ways, from advancements in technology, athleticism and the evolution of training. Most fascinating is that it has remained static in one very important area.

There is a good reason for this constant.

As a preface to this area it's important to know that the average ratio of play to in between points is about 7:1.

So if we watch a video of Rod Laver or Jannik Sinner, we will usually see just about 17 or 18 minutes of live play spread out over a two hour match. While we will also see a tremendous variation of in play style during points, we might also notice a remarkable

We Really Can Fake It Until We Make It

By Steve Kaplan

uniformity of behaviors in between points.

Typically, expert players will remove the racket from their playing hand and hold the racket securely with the head upward while they walk with poise, posture and purpose to ready themselves for the next shot.

Before we ask why this matters, let's consider that if our behavior in between points didn't matter, it would be an extraordinary coincidence that players from all over the world across multiple generations were so unvarying in this set of behaviors. To answer why it matters, we might look to the work of physiologists like Aaron Beck who is the father of modern cognitive behavioral theory. He believed, and it is well accepted, that there is a powerful neuropsychological connection loop

between thoughts, emotions and behaviors.

Simply stated, while thoughts create emotions and behaviors, behaviors also create thoughts and emotions. If you want to feel more confident on the tennis court, you can act more confidently on the tennis court.

Not many players can play Like Roger Federer for the 18 minutes of tennis in a two hour match.

However, anyone can be as professional as the most professional athletes in the history of the sport for the remaining one hour and 42 minutes of in between points just by making the choice to do so.

So act the way you would like to feel, and you will increase the possibility that you will bring that feeling into reality. We are not our thoughts and emotions; we are the observer, creator and ruler of our thoughts and emotions. And control of these is the nexus to mastering our behaviors.

Steve Kaplan is the owner and managing director of Bethpage Park Tennis Center, as well as director emeritus of Lacoste Academy for New York City Parks Foundation, executive director and founder of Serve & Return Inc. and codirector of The City Classic Junior Tennis Academy. Steve has coached more than 1,100 nationallyranked junior players, 16 New York State high school champions, two NCAA Division 1 Singles Champions, and numerous highly-ranked touring professionals. Many of the students Steve has closely mentored have gone on to achieve great success as prominent members of the New York financial community, and in other prestigious professions. He may be reached by e-mail at StevenJKaplan@aol.com.

The SPORTIME World Tour made its way onto the courts of SPORTIME Port Washington, home of the John McEnroe Tennis Academy earlier this winter with a Beijing-themed event.

“Beijing was the first stop of the World Tour this indoor season, and it was just a tremendous success for everyone involved,” said Jared El-Gayeh, General Manager at SPORTIME Syosset.

The event features players from all of the Sportime facilities and includes an array of on-court games, as well as plenty to take part in off the court. This includes a bounce house, food area, music/dancing and more, to create a fun tennis experience for Sportime’s youngest players.

Parents are invited to be

SPORTIME World Tour Rolls On With Beijing-Themed Event In Port Washington

spectators on the court and are able to see how much progress their child has made during their

classes and lessons at Sportime. The coaches first run out with the players onto the courts as all the parents cheer them on, and the coaches then guide the players through different drills and games.

“These events are invaluable for our youth and junior players as they create a fun and memorable environment to showcase the skills they’re developing in our SPORTIME programs,” El Gayeh added. “With this event being an absolute hit among players, parents, and coaches, we are excitedly looking forward to the next stop in Melbourne at SPORTIME Syosset on January 25.”

To learn more about the Melbourne event, and the World Tour overall, you can visit SportimeNY.com/WorldTour.

LITM and UJA Partner For Sushi and Sake-Themed Version of Courts & Cocktails

Our Courts & Cocktails event series has provided a change-of-pace to the typical Saturday night dinner plans and enabled adults to play tennis and socialize with old friends and also meet new ones, while helping to raise money for worthy causes.

For the latest Courts & Cocktails night, Long Island Tennis Magazine partnered with UJA Federation of New York to host a Sushi & Sakethemed version of the event at SPORTIME Syosset which raised money for the organization’s mission. UJA is the world’s largest

local philanthropy, caring for Jews everywhere and New Yorkers of all backgrounds, responding to antisemitism and global crises, and strengthening Jewish life.

“The event was a huge success, and we’re thrilled to have brought people together in support of UJA’s critical work,” said Jessica Grossman, the co-chair of UJA’s New Leadership campaign (which oversees the Rising Leaders group), along with her husband Matthew. “Through UJA’s efforts, we stand strong in our commitment to support Israel, fight antisemitism, and create

a vibrant Jewish future for our children.”

This event was hosted by UJA’s Long Island Rising Leaders, a dedicated group of individuals in their 30’s and 40’s who connect through the shared values of philanthropy and social action. The Rising Leaders take part in volunteer projects with their family, attend programs with inspirational and influential speakers, and more, all with the intention of making a positive impact in our community.

Tennis professionals led the players through a variety of drills

and games across the six courts, while players enjoyed an array of drinks including our version of the Honey Deuce, the famed drink of the U.S. Open. Following the oncourt time, there was an expansive catered sushi dinner which featured a plethora of different kinds of sushi, edamame, salads and more.

“We were proud to partner with UJA and its Long Island Rising Leaders group for this version of our Courts & Cocktails event series,” said David Sickmen, Publisher of Long Island Tennis Magazine. “We target young adults for a fun way to meet people, exercise, play tennis and give back, so partnering with the Long Island Rising Leaders of UJA was a perfect fit. Being able to bring this group together for an exciting night of

tennis, food and drinks, while also raising money for UJA was the best of both worlds. Everyone had a

great time and we’re looking forward to continuing this partnership in 2025.”

at the

Mike Levy National Metal Industries net

By Brian Coleman

Eversince he can remember, Mike Levy has been a part of the family business.

When he was two-years-old, he started hanging around the hardware store his dad founded in East New York back in 1950, a store that would ultimately become National Metal Industries (NMI).

“I was always there when I was younger but really began working there around 13 or 14,” Levy recalls. “I got into working full-time when I was 18 and I’ve been here ever since.

NMI began its journey by offering a complete line of commercial hardware

and fence supplies, and expanded its business in 1980 and moved out to Oceanside where it operates from today. NMI is still a family-owned business with no outside partners or stockholders, and for four generations

it has taken pride in the fact that its products are all American made.

“Great products, great service and fair pricing is the foundation of our business and is directly responsible for our success,” is NMI’s tagline.

Levy takes a great deal of pride in the fact the business has always stayed in the family. Officially, his title is the Vice President of Sales, but at a familyrun business, Levy is a part of all aspects of his company’s tasks.

“I basically wear all hats; whether it’s sales, purchasing, or just the day-to-day processes. I’m basically a CEO-type,” explains Levy. “I get my hands into everything, and oversee the day-to-day happenings here. My mom still owns the company, and we continue the mission that my father had when he founded it all those years ago.”

NMI provides fencing supplies and more all across the country, ranging from commercial to residential properties, creating customized options depending on the needs of the client. This includes any supplies needed for the creation and renovations of tennis and other racquet sport courts.

“As a supplier, we never know exactly what our products are going towards, but we know that they are oftentimes being used for the purposes of tennis courts,” said Levy. “We create a hedge that can go inside of chain

link fences so that the whole fence looks like a hedge, which are used on a lot of tennis courts, as well as windscreens. We can do custom windscreens for your school or country club.”

And Levy says the key thing that sets them apart from the competition and larger companies is the personalized service, and unmatched customer support they are able to offer as opposed to big corporations.

“We can move faster than those major companies because their lead times are usually further out, and there are other moving parts that they have to go through,” said Levy. “We have a flexible pricing structure we are able to work through that allows us to work directly with customers to ensure their satisfaction and a job done on time.”

Levy’s tennis connection goes beyond his company supplying materials for courts. Growing up, he always enjoyed playing tennis, taking lessons at Point Set Tennis in Oceanside as well as Hofstra Day Camps.

And while he loved playing tennis, he admits he wasn’t the best athlete,

something that can’t be said about his daughter, who is an avid tennis player. This past fall, she competed on the Oceanside junior varsity team and has been playing tennis all of her life.

“Even though she is on JV, when she plays against players on the varsity team, she can hold her own. I’m watching her grow as a player and person, and she loves tennis, which makes me very proud,” says Levy. “Just like any sport, young players move at their own pace, and they get stronger at certain points, so it’s been cool to watch that process.”

She takes lessons at Point Set just like her dad all those years ago.

“She loves competing, and it’s just a great sport for her.”

That family connection is an important one for Levy, and it carries

its way from the tennis court into the business world, which is something that Levy does not take for granted.

It’s that authenticity and commitment that makes NMI stand out amongst the rest, and why it has remained a stalwart in its industry for nearly a century.

Levy says:

“We have products for all types of properties; whether it’s a home or a country club, we can customize solutions for any customer needs, and can outfit any property.”

While we are in the midst of the indoor tennis season here on Long Island, the spring and warm weather is not too far away on the horizon, which means it’s almost time to prepare those outdoor courts. Levy and his team are happy to discuss all the options they have available to get your outdoor tennis season started the right way.

Visit NMIFence.com, e-mail mike@nmifence.com or call (516) 594-0365 to learn more about what the Long Island-based, family-owned business has to offer.

This time of year always provides a moment of reflection. As I look back, Long Island has so much to be proud of. There are many achievements, but here are a few to hold onto as we begin a new year and set our sights on more tennis success.

Long Island had six teams travel to Nationals this past fall. Laura Crain has earned a trifecta of sorts: of the 3 teams she has captained thus far in her short tennis tenure, all three teams have advanced to Nationals! It was only last year that her 18+ 2.5 team won the National title and many of those same players represented Long Island this year at both the 18+ 3.0 Women’s National and the 40+ 3.0 National. Her 40+ team had a

Adult League Wrap-Up

By Becky Bellino

great showing, finishing third overall.

David Ng and Peter Tam’s 40+ 6.0 mixed doubles team had the

Christopher Morley Tennis offers year round Juniors and Adults tennis programs for all levels. Summer Camps, Holidays Mini-Camps and Tournaments, Fitness, Special events and more.

Ricardo Aguirre

strongest finish of all the Long Island teams that traveled to Nationals this year. Their team was just shy of walking away with the National title. Of the three flights of doubles in the final matchup against Northern California, two went to third set super tie-breakers, proving that it really could have been anyone’s match to win.

Marc Mandelbaum and Shyam Shivdasani teamed up this year to captain the Men’s 55+ 8.0 team out of Sportime Roslyn. The team advanced to the semi-finals and had a tough loss against the eventual champion team from the Southern Section. In the consolation round, Midwest came out on top.

The remaining three teams that advanced to Nationals all placed within the top eight in the country. A well deserved salute to the

below teams:

• 18+ 4.0 Men - Steve Weiss and Neil Hyman from Syosset

• 18+ 3.0 Women - Laura Crain from Point Set

• 18+ 9.0 Mixed - Roslyn ChuaMcAlonie from Deer Park

The Invitational Tournaments are coming up in the winter and spring of 2025:

• Sam Lamba and Harish Khullar’s team from Sportime Syosset will represent Eastern for the 65+ 8.0 Men’s League

• Lydia Eitel’s team out of Sportime Syosset will represent Eastern for the 65+ 8.0 Women’s League (the second year in a row for this team)!

• Jen Mao and Dawn Shosberg’s team from Sportime Syosset will represent Eastern for the 55+ 7.0 Mixed League

The region continues to dominate in the Adult League sector of our Section. The grit and determination does not go unnoticed, and all players should be proud!

Now that we have peered into the past and took a glimpse into the future, let’s visit the present!

The 2024 18+ Mixed Doubles Leagues continue on and will go through the winter, and the 2024 4.5 Tri-Level leagues for the men and women are close to finishing. Winners will be determined in mid-December and then embark onto Sectionals in January.

Tri-Level leagues are open for registration, and we are still in search of a second team for both the men and women’s 5.0 tri-level league, as is the 18+ 10.0 Mixed League. It would be great to have our region represented in these leagues!

Captain registration is now open for thr 40+ and 55+ Mixed Leagues. If you are interested in forming a team, please reach out to me ASAP (leagues begin in February and March).

Happy New Year!

Last Of A Dying Breed

As he continues to inch closer to 40, Novak Djokovic is still on top

By Brian Coleman

Like every year, the professional tennis calendar begins on the other side of the world in Australia. There are several tournaments in the early part of January which ultimately feed into the year’s first major, the Australian Open, an event that has been dominated by one man over the last 15 years.

That man is Novak Djokovic.

“I’m just hoping I can start the season in a way I’ve been starting most of my seasons throughout my career—with a win in Australia, in Melbourne,” Djokovic said prior to the start of the Australian Open in 2024. “My favorite place, no doubt. The court where I’ve done great things and achieved my greatest Grand Slam results.”

Djokovic’s prowess in Melbourne doesn’t match his rival Rafael Nadal’s achievements at the French Open, but it is the next best thing. 10 times the Serb has left the country of Australia with the Aussie Open title, and he is aiming to make it 11 when he arrives Down Under to begin his 2025 campaign.

It’s hard to imagine, but Djokovic may be more motivated than ever in this new season, something he spoke about as he prepared to embark on the 22nd year of his professional tennis career.

“Tennis is still my focus. I am going at full throttle in the offseason, we go for another ride,” he said. “I just needed to recharge and refresh a bit after an exhausting year. I am going to play in the first week of the season, I am just not sure yet where. Then, of course, [the] Australian Open.”

The notion of Djokovic going full throttle should put the tour on notice, especially considering coming off a down year, by his standards. He did not win a single major in 2024, which came on the heels of a dominant 2023 where he nearly won the Calendar Slam by winning the Australian Open, French Open and U.S. Open titles. This was the first time since 2017 and only the second time since 2011 that Djokovic went through an entire season without winning one of the tour’s four majors, and it resulted in his ranking falling to seventh in the world.

Towards the end of the season, he withdrew from the Paris Masters and eventually the continued on page 18

last of a dying breed

continued from page 16

Nitto ATP Finals, citing an ongoing injury. It was a strategic maneuver for Djokovic, one that allowed him to get more rest before gearing up for the 2025 season.

And in this new season, there will be a new but familiar face in his coaching box: longtime rival Andy Murray, who recently retired from his own playing career who is now diving into the coaching pool.

many extraordinary moments throughout our careers.”

“I’m excited to have one of my greatest rivals on my team, on the same side of the net, this time as my coach,” Djokovic said in an official statement release on his website. “I’m looking forward to starting the season together with Andy and having him by my side in Melbourne where we’ve shared

The two players, who were born just a week apart, competed 36 times against each other at the tour level, including 10 times at majors. Djokovic was 25-11 alltime in the series, and 8-2 over Murray in those 10 major meetings.

But Murray came out on top in one of the most memorable

matches of the rivalry when he beat Djokovic at the 2013 Wimbledon Championships, becoming the first British man to win Wimbledon since 1936.

“I’ll be joining Novak’s team during the preparation period, helping him to get in the best possible shape for the Australian Open,” said Murray. “I’m very excited about it and I am looking forward to being on the same side of the net for a chance. I’m also grateful for the opportunity to assist him in achieving his goals for the coming year.”

When asked more specifically about what led the decision to inquire with Murray about joining his coaching team, Djokovic explained:

“I was going through a process of thinking about next season in the past couple of months and figuring out what I needed as I stopped with my coach Goran Ivanisevic, who I was successful with,” Djokovic told Sky Sports. “I took about six months to think if I really needed a coach and if yes, who is that going to be and the profile of the coach. We were going through different names and I realised at this point the perfect coach would be someone who has been through the experiences I have been through. A multiple Grand Slam winner and I was thinking about a few and the Andy Murray discussion appeared on the table with my team. I decided I would give him a call and see how it goes. It caught him off guard a little bit as he wasn’t expecting it. We connected really fast and he accepted it after a few days. I can’t be more excited about it. This collaboration is a surprise to me as well, to everyone, but it is exciting for tennis. He has been one of my greatest rivals, we are at the same age. We played in all the biggest stages in our sport so I can’t wait to be out there next season.”

At 37-years-old, Djokovic has to figure out how to navigate the long season and compete for majors

against the young stars in their early 20s such as Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, because as he has said many times over the last couple of years, at this point in his career, it’s all about the Grand Slams for him.

He is owner of 24 Grand Slam titles, the most all-time by any man, and has strong desires to add to that in 2025. With a new-look coaching staff and added motivation from an uncharacteristic season in 2024, Djokovic will be a force to be reckoned with in Melbourne to start the year. He is currently the third-highest favorite to

win the tournament, before the aforementioned Sinner and Alcaraz, respectively.

Men’s tennis is currently in a transition phase with Djokovic the last holdover of the previous generation, regarded as one of the greatest eras in tennis history, as new stars are set to grab the baton from players like Djokovic and the rest of his Big Four colleagues, Murray, Nadal and Roger Federer. However, Djokovic is not ready to let go of that proverbial baton just yet, and how he start ins Australia will go a long way towards potentially proving that.

PARSA’s picks

How Tennis Teaches Skills Beyond The Court

Tennis is the sport of a lifetime, and we see that manifested throughout the lives of so many people, especially here in our local community.

The lessons learned and skills developed from being a tennis player can stay with you throughout your life and have benefits no matter what field you enter into professionally.

Parsa Samii was a high-level junior tennis player from Long Island who went on to play collegiate tennis at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. Samii became a high-performance tennis coach before entering the real estate business, and is now a Licensed Real Estate Salesperson and a Member of the Compass Sports & Entertainment Division.

Long Island Tennis Magazine spoke with Parsa about his tennis background, what he does for a living, and how the former has helped him succeed in the latter.

LITM: Talk about your tennis background. Where did you play as a junior growing up, what that experience was like and did you play in high school/college?

Parsa: I actually started playing tennis pretty late, at the age of 13. I started at Port Washington Tennis Academy which at the time was where all the best players in New York trained. It was on the heels of the Harry Hopman era there, and it was just a mecca for tennis. It was an incredible place; between the chocolate chip cookies and milk that were always there, and the chess games that were played between practices, and what felt like an unlimited amount of open court time and people to play with, many of whom were following and pursuing a passion just like you were. It was an incredible way to grow up. I was more of a basketball player initially, and so I was a bit behind when I got into tennis, but I was very competitive. I really just enjoyed the struggles, to be honest with you; the suffering that I went through because of that and wanting to be the best. Being years behind my competitors was something that I still value and cherish to this day, and the lessons that I've learned that I continue to lean on and use in my business today.

High school tennis and college tennis was interesting because it helped me get that team aspect. You are still competitive and fight for your position with your teammate, but then the next day, you play a match against a different school, and now you're brothers again. And so it's an interesting arena to be in with, competing with your brothers and acting like they're your brothers, and then the next day playing a ladder match to see where your position is going to

be. So there’s a lot to that. And the same thing happened in college. You know, all of it was rooted in passion and desire to continue to improve at something that was really difficult. I can't say that at the time it was the most fun thing in the world, but reflecting back on it, they were the best years of my life and some of the best moments of my life, and I wouldn't change it for the world.

LITM: What did being a competitive junior tennis player teach you about yourself?

Parsa: Ever ything. I attribute my fitness level, my physicality, my mentality and my emotional intelligence largely in part to the years I spent playing junior tennis. At a young age, you're forced to reflect and see how you can improve. You're forced to deal with your emotions, and in order to perform at a higher level, you have to tackle all of these things that arise that you normally don't deal with as a kid. Whether it's anger, frustration, success or improvement, each and every day has its own challenge, and to learn to overcome those challenges and to live in the moment are some of the greatest tools that were given to me as a junior tennis player. And there is a lot of virtue in the experience. Without experiencing it, I couldn't really gain it. And I think that's a really important statement.

LITM: What lessons or life skills did you take from tennis?

Parsa: A great question. I would say almost ever ything, but the major one is to have the sense of never quitting. I don't even think it's in my blood to quit at something, and a large part of that is because of these initial struggles in tennis. It’s a funny sport in that even if you play and do the right things, you can still lose. And you have to be able to reflect on it, make sure that you did what you needed to do in order to be successful, and that you performed well even though the result wasn’t what you wanted. Either the quality of the shots that you were hitting, or the tactics that you were playing, weren't exactly where they needed to be, despite your physical level being there. And so what that means is that you have to get back on the practice court tomorrow and keep getting better. So I think it also on a more macro level taught me that you could do a lot of the right things, and it could still not work out for you. What you really need to do is pick yourself back up, get back to work, do what you know is going to get you to the end goal, and continue to do the best you can.

LITM: How have those lessons helped you in the business and real estate arena?

Parsa: To be honest with you, being a player then being a coach, and then moving into a completely different industry, I

PARSA’s picks

had no fear, and I think that is probably the greatest gift that tennis gave me. I feel like I failed at every level, and as funny as that sounds to say, it's actually given me a ton of strength, because I approached real estate with that same mentality. I had already failed so many times that when people would tell me that real estate is a failure type of arena, and most people don't make it, it did not deter me. I said, ‘Alright, cool. I don't care. I'm just going to keep doing what I do. I'm going to keep doing the lessons that I learned on the tennis court, which are my daily habits, my daily practice, my due diligence every single day for every piece of business that I have. And I promise you, I will turn around more than the average agent does’. And the data shows that that is exactly what I've been able to do for the last three years. I finished last year as the number one agent on Long Island by sales volume, and that's strictly because of the little work that I do on a daily basis, and that comes from all the habits I built on the tennis court.

LITM: What makes tennis the ideal sport for people of all ages to play? What do you love most about it, and why is it great for someone who requires a work-life balance?

Parsa: Tennis is a sport where you're challenging so many different aspects like the physical test of your hand-eye coordination, movements on the courts, bending and loading of your legs, hip turns, upper body strength, to the tactics and strategy that it that it takes in order to play and the emotional control required.

Tennis forces you, despite your frustration or despite your

exuberance, to stay level-headed. I think all of these things, no matter stage of life or your level, makes it a challenge. And you can always find that challenge out there, and it doesn’t always have to be in a competitive arena. It could just be playing with a friend, or taking a lesson.

I would like to play more, but I try to play once a week when I'm healthy, and it's a great outlet. Just this morning, I warmed up with my buddy and we hit back-and-forth for five straight minutes. It was the quietest my mind has been in a week since the previous time I played with him, and it's truly a remarkable gift that tennis has given me. When I get to step on a court, I get to lock life out and just focus on feeling the ball, feeling my body and feeling my breath. Being able to just take a step back and reflect is what makes tennis truly a gift for me. Unfortunately, schedules get very busy, especially with a family and young children, but I do try to make a point to play as much as I can.

Tennis has so many levels that it can be difficult to get into, but on the inverse, I think that’s what makes it so unique because there is always a level for you. What I love the most about tennis is pretty simple. It's the crack of the ball, it's the hitting of the strings, it's the silence that it creates; it's a space that nobody can enter. It's me, the ball and the opponent across the net, and really nothing else. It is one of the more simple things in life, at least for me. And the objective is to hit the ball over the net and inside the lines, and to do it better than the person on the other side. When I look at it like that, it's a refresher. Every single time I step on the court, I come back and I'm in a much better mindset and ready to tackle the day. I have always appreciated that and will continue to.

spotlight Junior Player

By Brian Coleman

Bethpage Park Tennis Center

Evan Lee, Junior, Syosset High School

Oneof the best qualities any young tennis player can have is the ability to be coached. The desire to get better and improve one’s game means sometimes listening to those trying to help you, and then taking that information and applying it to the court.

And that doesn’t imply that you should follow your coach blindly and not process what they are saying to you, just the opposite. As a dedicated player, the onus is on you to understand the teaching you are receiving and confirm it for yourself, otherwise you are not truly learning.

That is a quality that Evan Lee has, and something that has impressed longtime tennis coach Steve Kaplan, the Founder and Owner of Bethpage Park Tennis Center, who has worked with Lee, now a high school junior, since he first began playing tennis.

“I think Evan is a great example of someone who has that ability. He is somebody who is a very good student in the classroom, very thoughtful, and he’s always asking questions,” said Kaplan. “He is a very inquisitive person, and doesn’t take anything for

granted. He wants to know the why, not just the what. I always tell him that when I give him information, I want you to question it internally, and verify it for yourself. You’re responsible for your own education, so go on your phone or computer, look at the best players in the world, and does what I say reinforce what you see in the fundamentals of what they do. Evan is someone who is great at integrating his desire to be a great student into his desire to be a great player.”

Lee has always taken his academics very seriously, and there are a lot of similarities between the traits needed to both succeed in the classroom and on the tennis court.

“I believe that academics are very important, and things such as discipline and hard work are needed to be a good student and a good tennis player,” said Lee. “Time management is really important and tennis has taught me how to handle that. I think I have improved in that aspect over the years. Just balancing my training and my tournament schedule with school is something I have gotten better at.”

That time management is even more crucial for someone like Lee, who unlike a lot of players at his tennis level, attends school in-person and takes a full course load, rather than being homeschooled or taking classes online.

While other juniors his age may be prioritizing practice or tournaments above their education, Lee has found the balance and ability to do both, while not missing a beat in terms of his training regimen or tournament results.

“I want to strike a balance between success in tennis and academics, which isn’t always the easiest,” said Lee. “It can make it difficult to travel to tournaments, and I may not train as much as some of my peers. But I strive to make it work.”

And make it work he has. Lee is currently ranked second on Long Island in the Boys 16s category, and ranked 15th in the Eastern section. It’s a tennis journey that began when he was fiveyears old, and one made possible by the many who have helped him along the way. It takes a village. In addition to his long standing relationship with Kaplan, Lee trained at John McEnroe Tennis Academy with coach Paul Koenke.

Lee can recall going through the USTA’s pathway progression with the different colored balls, and took part in the USTA’S Early Development Camps when he was younger.

“When I was younger I was playing tennis and swimming, and I realized I just loved tennis so much more,” Lee said. “I chose to stick with tennis, I just had a lot more fun playing it, and I appreciate all the opportunities I have had to train with some great coaches and top juniors over the years.”

Kaplan is one of those coaches and someone Lee has worked with for many years. Both place a strong emphasis on education which is what has made their relationship so successful, and Lee knows how much he has learned about the insand-outs of tennis from Kaplan.

“He has been a longtime mentor of

mine, and he helps me way beyond the tennis court,” explains Lee. “He has always emphasized the value of academics, and in terms of tennis, he has helped me with technique and the mechanics and fundamentals of tennis, which helped me build a foundation.”

Additionally, Lee credits Koenke with further strengthening his game: “Coach Paul has helped me with tactics and strategy and adding variety to my game.”

On improving his tennis, Lee has been

working a lot on building up his fitness and conditioning to supplement his talent. His speed and relentlessness on the court makes him a difficult opponent, and something he continues to build up during in his training.

“The focus has been not so much on strength, but on function, getting him to be more symmetrical and moving effectively from side-to-side, front-to-back,” said Kaplan. “The last couple of years he has done a lot of functional movement training which has made him a lot stronger in his core, and it’s been paying off on the court.”

Lee’s unrelenting work ethic both on and off the tennis court continues to pay off, and he is excited to continue taking the next steps in his tennis journey. As we begin 2025, he is preparing for the final half of his junior year in high school with an eye towards his future.

“Right now, I am just looking forward to improving my game, and it’s a short-term goal I have to get to my long-term goal, which is to play college tennis,” he explains. “I’m just starting to explore my college options, and I’m in the early stages of that, and at this moment, I’m focused on my training and tournament schedule which will help me get to that level.”

USTA Eastern Long Island Region

Klee Selected As USTA Eastern Vice President

JonathanKlee (left), longtime USTA Long Island Regional Council member and avid tennis player, and most recently Secretary of the USTA Eastern Board of Directors since 2022, will advance to Vice President of USTA Eastern in 2025.

Klee was USTA Long Island Regional Director from 20172022 and USTA Eastern Grievance Chair for 4 years. He has served on numerous USTA committees over the years including the USTA National Constitution and Rules Committee and those of USTA Eastern and USTA Long Island.

In September, he received the Vitas Gerulaitis “For the Love of Tennis” Award from USTA Long Island at its annual awards event.

Tennis has been an important part of Klee’s life since his time as an All Conference tennis player for Oceanside High School. He has been USTA league captain and player for decades in many country club leagues and pickup games. He not only plays tennis but has volunteered much of his adult life to the game he loves.

“I’m very excited to be part of the Eastern leadership team next year as Vice President and to work with Ari

Roberts, the incoming President,” Klee said. “Ari and I have worked together on many task forces on the Eastern Board for a number of years, and he and I are in lockstep on the goals we want to implement in the Section. These include grassroots tennis programming, upgrading park facilities, working with state and local governments for both junior and adult league programming, and providing good governance for the Section as we restructure its bylaws.

“The Nominating Committee did a great job with the volunteers chosen for the next Eastern Board; I have worked with many of them previously. It’s an honor to be chosen to represent Long Island on the Eastern Board in such a pivotal role.”

In other USTA Eastern volunteer news, Mike Pavlides (right) will add another term as Long Island Regional Director to his resume. Pavlides has been leading the LI Council since 2022, and has held many USTA LI Island volunteer positions including High Schools Tennis Liaison.

Claude Okin (center), CEO of Sportime, with locations across Long Island as well as Westchester and New York City, has been appointed USTA Eastern Member at Large.

USTA Eastern to Honor Long Islanders

USTA Eastern will recognize several Long Islanders for their outstanding commitment to tennis in the region at the annual USTA Eastern Awards in January in Westchester. Honorees are:

Lauren Norris: Courage Award

This award is presented to a tennis enthusiast or advocate who has overcome adversity and displayed strength and optimism along the way. Norris also was honored by the USTA Long Island in September with the Charles Karp Memorial Award for Overcoming Adversity.

Roger Rubin: Press Service Award

This award is presented to a member of the press corps for excellence in reporting on tennis in the Section. Rubin also received Long Island’ Press Service Award in September for his ongoing commitment to coverage of Long Island High School tennis for Newsday.

Gigi Banks: USTA League Award

This award is given to a captain or coordinator who has made a significant contribution to the growth and development of USTA League Tennis in the Eastern Section. Banks is a longtime tennis player, captain and volunteer in USTA Adult Leagues.

Linda Bracco: Louise Cilla Award

Recognizing a female adult (senior) player who has exemplified outstanding sportsmanship both on and off the court and who has contributed much to the game, this award will be presented to longtime league participant Linda Bracco. Bracco has been a constant force in Long Island

tennis. At 75 years young and a 3.0 player, she is no stranger to playing in 18+ leagues or playing up a level, or doing both simultaneously. Of all the leagues that Long Island offers, there is not one in which Linda does not participate.

Stephen Green: Eastern Regional Award for Long Island

Green has been a longtime volunteer with the USTA Long Island Council, always ready to offer his time to support Long Island events and programs such as summer kids’ days, the awards evening and much more. Stephen is a hardworking volunteer who can always be counted on to help.

High School Girls’ Honored For Sportsmanship

Sportsmanship is always an important part of tennis competition, and the 2024 Girls’ High School Tennis season saw many players recognized for their outstanding sportsmanship. As in years past, the USTA Long Island Regional Council

provided plaques to each high school coach who wanted one, to present to a member of his or her team. To see a complete list of 2024 season sportsmanship honorees, as well as photos, please visit www.longisland.usta.com.

Long Island Regional Council Executive Committee

Mike Pavlides, Regional Director

Jonathan Klee, Past Regional Director

Sunny Fishkind

Tito Perez

Jason Wass

Randi Wilkins

Neil Thakur, Manager, Schools Tennis and Long Island & Metro Region CTC Becky Bellino, USTA Eastern Leagues Coordinator, bellino@eastern.usta.com

OKI admit it. I was excited to watch the Mike Tyson - Jake Paul fight. And yes, when it was all over, I felt like an idiot for having expected anything riveting. As an avid sports fan but only a casual fan of boxing when it was big 30years ago, I was curious as to whether a mid-50’s legend well past his prime and grew up with boxing could defeat a very athletic newcomer to the sport. It wasn’t about the participants to me; it was more about that question. Whether the rumors of the fight being rigged are true, it was pretty clear to me that Jake Paul, the younger and less experienced boxer, was the better fighter.

Let’s revert to tennis. Let’s say Andre Agassi or Boris Becker were to play an extremely athletic person, like Patrick Mahomes, who picked up tennis five years ago and trained hard over those

Mythbusters

The 10/80/10 Percent Talent Theory

By Ricky Becker

five years. Would Mahomes win? Not even close. The tennis legend would win hands down.

This comparison gives more evidence to the 10 percent/80 percent/10 percent talent theory that is not quantifiable but one I think exists in tennis for junior players.

10 percent of your children have won the genetic lottery. Congratulations! They can do less than the rest of us to achieve their goals. Your child stepped onto the soccer field at 5-years old and scored goals at will. I consider athletic talent to be: hand-eye coordination, speed, size, agility and a natural athletic sense whether it be anticipation or sizing up an opponent. They will have a leg-up on everybody.

I truly believe that a kids’ success in tennis among the middle 80 percent is solely determined by how badly they want it, how badly the parents want it

for the child, how much the child enjoys competing, good team leadership and sometimes, unfortunately, resources. The most dedicated 80 percenters will often, but not always, surpass the top 10 percenters who put in less effort. The ceiling is below making it as a pro however.

10 percent of your children were just not made for tennis. It doesn’t mean they can’t play and enjoy it. It just means that some goals will be out of their reach.

What does it take to make a competitive middle school team or junior varsity high school team?

Top 10 percent: Taking a couple of lessons at some point and knowing how to keep score.

Middle 80 percent: Taking a weekly lesson for a few years.

Bottom 10 percent: Playing 5 or 6 days a week for a few years.

What does it take to make your high school varsity team?

This depends of course on the level of your high school team. Most teams in divisions 4 and 5 don’t have cuts. The below assumes the team is competitive Top 10 percent: Can just play during the school season.

Middle 80 percent: Needs to play between 1-6 days a week out of season. Should play tournaments to prepare for the season as well.

Bottom 10 percent: Arguably will not be able to make a competitive high school team or more likely will get frustrated and quit before putting it all out there to find out.

What

Does

It Take To Play For A

Major College Division 1 School or a strong Division 3 School?

Top 10 percent: Can pick up tennis at the relative late age of 10, go to regular school and play four or five times a week with some fitness mixed in. Or pick up the game before 10, go to regular school, play a few days a week and not spend much time on fitness while maintaining a busy social life outside of tennis.

Middle 80 percent: Will need to start playing tennis by age eight or younger, play 5-6 days a week, focus on fitness and most likely be homeschooled or at least be on a hybrid school schedule. They will need to possess strong mental character traits on the court like resiliency, calmness, emotion management and adaptability, and will need to put tennis ahead of everything else.

Bottom 10 percent: Not within reach.

What does It Take To Be a Top-

100 Pro?

Top 10 percent: You are competing with the other top 10 percenters here. So what’s going to set you apart? In this day and age of specialization, it is of my opinion that the child and family need to know by the age of ten that they want to make a go of it and literally put tennis ahead of everything else. Home schooling is a prerequisite now as is spending 10,000 purposeful hours on the court to achieve true mastery. This isn’t going to happen without parental push as well. Both the child and the parent need to share the goal of the child to be number one in the world one day. I imagine everyone that is top-100 in the world today had the dream and

ambition to be number one in the world someday. So is accepting and embracing the belief that “Hard work won’t guarantee you anything but without it you will never stand a chance.”

Middle 80 percent: Not within reach.

Bottom 10 percent: Not within reach

You can’t watch an Islanders game without seeing a Snoop Dogg commercial in which he calls it “Blunt Marketing.” I guess this is “Blunt Assessing.”

With that said, 90 percent of people who pick up a racquet before age 9 can get a college scholarship or play Ivy League Tennis if they really work at it!

Ricky Becker is The Director of Tennis at the prestigious Glen Oaks Club and independently coaches high-performance juniors year-round at Bethpage State Park. As a player, Becker was ranked number four in the United States in the 18-and-unders and awarded Most Valuable Player for the 1996 NCAA Championship Stanford Tennis Team and 1989-1992 Roslyn High School Teams. If you have any topics you would like written about, he can be reached at rbecker06@yahoo.com.

An in-depth look at Pickleball on Long Island In the Kitchen

The Spirit of the Swing: How To Get The Mental Edge?

By Rob Polishook

Infull disclosure, this series of articles for 2025 will focus on pickleball.

Now, please don’t stop reading because you are a tried-and-true tennis player. Rather, recognize the similarities of all racket sports. On an applied level, there is much to learn from other sports which require a racket or paddle. And from a mental perspective the similarities also far outweigh the differences. I play tennis, pickleball, beach tennis and table tennis. I learn from each sport and always apply bits and pieces to the other. In short, any racket sport is connected by the Spirit of the Swing!

Ask any athlete how important the mental game is, and most would say it’s between 50 percent and 99 percent of competition. In individual sports like pickleball, tennis, running and swimming, the value always pushes the higher limits. In team sports like baseball, basketball, lacrosse and football, it also has great relevance.

Remember Yogi Berra’s famous and funny quote, “Baseball is 90 percent

mental. The other half is physical.”

However, many pickleball players don’t understand how important the mental game is, and ultimately, how to unlock the mystery of it. I believe that the first step is to take a step back and ask yourself some very important questions. By doing this, not only will you have a better understanding of the mental game, but you will also understand how it specifically applies to you and how to unlock it.

Who has the mental edge? Three top pickleball players come to mind: Ben Johns, Simone Jardin and Anna Leigh Waters. Look past Ben’s cat-like reflexes, Simone’s amazing consistency, and Anna’s impressive aggressive style and you will notice a common theme: their mental calmness and presence of mind even under highpressure situations. These players have dominated the game since its inception, demonstrating their passion to compete, perseverance to learn, and ability to ride the ups and downs of the game.

Similarly, other great athletes like NFL quarterback Patrick Mahomes, NBA star Stephen Curry, and recently retired tennis legend Roger Federer come to mind. These players inspire everyone around them; they never seem concerned with what they cannot control, whether it’s a bad call, a raucous environment in a rival stadium, or a particularly aggressive opponent. They play in the moment and compete with purpose, persistence, and patience, while also showing respect for their opponents, the game, and themselves.

What is the mental edge? The mental edge is the ability to consistently manage and rise above adversity, adapt to challenges, and play in the present moment. Other characteristics include patience, calmness under pressure, letting go of what they cannot control, and being ok when in challenging, uncomfortable situations. Athletes with the mental edge always seem to play within themselves and have the ability to raise their level when it’s needed most.

When do you need the mental edge?

Really, all the time. It’s necessary when you are drilling, playing games or reflecting on your performance after a match. Staying mentally balanced and composed under adversity is truly the mark of a champion. Most pickleball players can win when they are playing well, with momentum and their confidence. They are also fine when far out in front. However, the true champions are the ones who find a way to win when they are not playing their best or down a game or game points. Athletes with the mental edge take nothing for granted, give a full effort, and trust their process no matter the score or situation.

Where does the mental edge come from? The mental edge lies within each of us. It starts on the inside and can be cultivated on the outside by people who inspire us, other competitors, and experiences. The key is to trust your individual process and focus on being your best while learning from mistakes, setbacks, obstacles and successes.

Think of Michelangelo: when he bought a block of marble, he knew that the David was inside! Chip by chip, just like dink by dink, his masterpiece appeared for the world to see. In his mind, the masterpiece already lay within the block of stone, but his genius rested in figuring how to uncover it!

Why is the mental edge important? It’s the glue that holds everything together. When you have it, everything flows. The player exhibits flexibility in all situations, accepts imperfection, manages adversity, and never gives away free points. The ability to stay calm, centered and concentrated is what sets apart the best players. We all know that it’s impossible to be perfect; however, players with the mental edge may not like imperfection, but they give themselves permission to miss and then play the next shot. Cutting themselves this slack allows them to relax, and paradoxically they don’t miss! A great mental approach is the most surefire way to walk into competition calmly

and with an advantage.

How do I get the mental edge? Many pickleball players don’t understand that, similar to confidence and winning, the mental edge is a consequence of actions, behaviors, commitment, experience, and discipline, among other factors. Great players are highly self-aware and trust themselves, their sport, and their personal process. Just like practicing your technical skill set, commit to each workout, practice and compete with purpose, intention, passion, and a focus on what you can control.

Rob Polishook, MA, CPC is the founder of Inside the Zone Sports Performance Group. Rob is author of 4 best-selling books including: Tennis Inside the Zone, Pickleball Inside the Zone, Golf Inside the Zone and Baseball Inside the Zone. All books are available on Amazon. Rob actively plays Tennis, Pickleball, Table Tennis and Beach Tennis and loves the “Spirit of the Swing.” He can be reached by phone at (973) 723-0314, by e-mail rob@insidethezone.com, by visiting insidethezone.com, following on Instagram @insidethezone.

There Is Only One Way To Get To The Top

By Dr. Tom Ferraro

Everyone wants fame, glory and wealth. America is a culture that celebrates achievement which means we need to prove our worth and earn our status. We go about earning our station in life by winning trophies, getting scholarships to college, driving a new car, and living in a golden zip code neighborhood. Teenagers are just as caught up with this as adults. This used to be called the rat race and in 2024, it’s the only game in town. If we don’t get to the top, we enter the waste bin of society, filled with what society views as the losers.

And the world of tennis is not exempt from all this. What makes this issue more problematic is that the modern world is an entertaining place rife with a variety of distractions, opportunities and funfilled experiences that can get you off task and into the world of pleasure seeking.

So it’s no surprise that one of the biggest issues to emerge in the world of sports recently is mental health. When Naomi Osaka, Michael Phelps and Simone Biles all collapsed with anxiety, the world took notice. The result of this continuous pressure to succeed, which is in conflict with the world of distraction, pleasure and entertainment, is a new cultural syndrome characterized by restlessness, rushing, lack of focus, irritability, exhaustion and sleep deprivation. Let’s call this the “21st Century Syndrome.”

This is burnout on steroids. I would suggest that this new syndrome is even worse than burnout since we now have trainers, chiropractors, doctors, physical therapists and a variety of medicines to keep the athlete moving. I know

Dr. Gary Wadler, the noted sports medicine physician who does incredible behind the scenes work during the U.S. Open to keep his players moving.

Let us take a moment to assess how top figures in any field have made it to the top without succumbing to burnout, distractions, exhaustion, injury or depression. It seems that it would be impossible to avoid these conflicts. Everyone wants fame and everyone wants fun. How do the greats in any field do it?

1) Sports: One of the most famous athletes on earth is Tiger Woods. Tiger trained endlessly, ate a restricted diet and transformed golf into a sport of fit athletes. Tiger knew one thing only and that was golf. His fund of knowledge in other areas was extremely limited.

2) Literature: Henry David Thoreau, the transcendental writer became famous when he published Walden in 1854, a book that is considered to be one of the great pieces of American literature. Thoreau performed a social experiment by living in a little shack in the woods for two years, two months and two days. He was cut off from human society and kept a journal of his two years in nature. This book became America’s most important treatise on how to live simply and in solitude, with selfreliance and as a part of mother nature. This social experiment is closely aligned with ancient stoicism as well as with Buddhism.

3) Dance: Paul Taylor, was one of America’s most famous and wellknown choreographers. Taylor did only one thing which was to

choreograph dances. When Christmas came along each year, Paul Taylor was shocked and angered that his dance troop decided to go home for Christmas since this meant he would not be able to work that week.

4) Art: Norman Rockwell was the famed illustrator that did all those Saturday Evening Post magazine covers and his popular, family oriented and wholesome images of Americans helped define our national identity. But in reality he worked every day of the year including Christmas. One Christmas morning his wife entered his studio and pleaded with him, “Norman, please join us for Christmas dinner this year”, to which he retorted “But I’m under a deadline to finish this painting.”

5) Music: Jimmy Hendrix is known as one of the world’s greatest guitarists. I was lucky enough to see one of his concerts in the late 1960s and also got to meet him backstage. The sound he made on stage almost knocked you over is was so masterful and loud. And meeting him in person was another revelation. He was odd, shy and almost schizoid in character. He was better suited to being on stage with a guitar rather than backstage talking to people.

All of these exemplars of fame, fortune and mastery of their craft demonstrate what we call in psychoanalysis asceticism. The defense of asceticism is the elimination of pleasurable pursuits in an effort to achieve pride and efficacy by renouncing things. The word asceticism derives from the

ancient Greek word ‘to exercise’ or ‘to train’, which implies that athletes are ascetic by nature in order to attain their goals. Saints, monks, world renowned athletes and super stars in any field are models of the ascetic lifestyle. They have immersed themselves in their field to the exclusion of all other things. They have successfully renounced the distraction of pleasure to achieve their dream of transcendence, be that spiritually, intellectual, athletic or aesthetic.

In high school we were all forced to read the epic poem, “The Iliad” by Homer. At the beginning of this story Achilles, who is on the verge of becoming a great warrior, must decide whether he will go to war against the Trojans. He asks his mother, the goddess Thetis, to help him decide what to do. She tells him this: “My son, all men must choose between one of two paths in life. One path leads to the battle field

where they will obtain fame, glory and immortality but they will lead short lives and die young. The other path is to remain in your homeland take a wife, raise a family, have many friends and live a long life. You must decide which of the two paths you want. I cannot decide this for you.” Achilles chose the former path and we still know his name do we not?

The reality is you can’t have it both ways and you can’t have it all. Just like young Achilles, we all must choose between one of these two paths. One is the one less traveled and it may lead to fame and fortune, but usually it is a lonely path and difficult path to travel. This is the path that monks and saints and

super star athletes have been on. They have renounced the simple life and they have renounce many of the small pleasures of life like free time, getting up late and eating cake. This is the ascetic life and this road is taken by the pathfinders, the pioneers and the game changers. The other path is more frequently traveled. It is the life of leisure and fun, pleasure and friendships galore. That is by far the easier life to live. I am not sure which one is right for you but what I do know for certain is that you can’t have it both ways. Like Achilles, you either go to war and seek out fame or stay home and live a long and easy life. It’s up to you, your passion, your talent and your ability to choose wisely.

ll listing of SPORTIME, JM ing and competing for t ning, exclusive member and paddle sports expe MTTA A and Pickleball locat he entire family, includi benefits, online court b erience is waiting for yo ions, visit us online at w p ng our trademarked booking and account ou at SPORTIME. timeNYwww.Spor Y..com

Top Clubs & Programs

Your 2025 Guide to Long Island Tennis Magazine’s Top Clubs & Programs

Long Island tennis players have great choices when it comes to where to play tennis. We have compiled a list of some of the top clubs and programs with descriptions of what each has to offer.

Bethpage Park Tennis Center

99 Quaker Meeting House Road, Building #4

N.Y. l (516) 777-1358

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 court opportunities, Men's and Women's leagues, Lesson and Junior Development Programs, Quickstart, Zone tennis and walk-on court opportunities. New this year is the addition of Pickleball and Saturday night tennis/pickleball parties. It’s free and low-cost program for special populations and veterans 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 coach Steve Kaplan who has developed more top players than anyone else in the East. Steve is the owner of Bethpage Park Tennis Center, director emeritus of City Parks Foundation Lacoste Academy and Executive Director of Serve and Return Inc. Steve has been the long-time coach of more than 1,100 nationally-ranked junior players, 16 state high school singles champions, two NCAA Division I Singles Champions, and numerous touring professionals, prominent coaches and many prominent members of the New York financial. Steve's students have been awarded in excess of $11 million in college scholarship money.

In the summer, the finest players in the East join Bethpage Park Tennis Center for summer camp on four indoor hard courts, four indoor red clay courts that are air-conditioned, 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 values all of its beginners equally with its nationally-ranked players.

Carefree Racquet Club is Long Island’s premier indoor tennis club, offering seven indoor tennis courts, two half-court basketball courts and four pickleball courts.

Carefree is managed by Samantha Perri, who prides herself on the organization of quality programs and smooth running of the club which has never and continues to not charge membership fees.

League Coordinator Kristen Cassidy offers adult singles, doubles and team doubles leagues that are always on the correct level to ensure you have a good game every time you play. Carefree has many USTA teams in the 18 & Over, 40 & Over, 55 & Over Men's, Women's and Mixed Doubles Leagues, along with 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 Luis Vivas. Players get an hour lesson each week, along with a free 90 minutes practice session each week.

For junior players, Ben Marks, Carefree’s director of tennis, coordinates the Junior Development Program with two 14week sessions starting at the age of five, running through the age of 18. Children can take group, semi-private or private lessons, along with 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, which uses props to keep the children’s attention while building their hand eye coordination and is coordinated by Kristen Cassidy.

Carefree offers a summer camp for Juniors from the end of June until mid August. We offer a Red Ball Camp (10 years of age and under) on Monday, Wednesday and Friday's from 9am to noon with Kristen Cassidy. In addition we have a camp for all ages (6-18) that runs Monday- Friday 1:00-5:00 run by Luis Vivas. Call us for more details!

So if you are looking to join a program or just rent a court now and then, come down and visit Carefree Racquet Club!

Chris Lewit Tennis Academy (CLTA) is a serious high performance academy set in the natural paradise of Vermont. The club offers European style red clay courts and indoor hard courts, gym and clubhouse. We never get rained out! Families love to visit nearby Manchester, Vermont, known internationally as a mountain tourist destination for its quaint village and charming shops and restaurants. We are also looking for families to move to Manchester full-time to train with Chris personally every day!

CLTA offers year-round full-time training, short-term training, and a world-famous high performance boarding summer camp. We have holiday and school break camps running all fall, winter, and spring. Players get to work on court directly with Chris. Chris is not just a figurehead; he is active on court working with players in the trenches daily. That’s what makes CLTA unique and special, and that’s why players come to train with Chris from all over the world.

Chris Lewit is one of leading high-performance junior development coaches in the United States. Author of the best-selling book, The Secrets of Spanish Tennis 2.0 and Winning Pretty, Chris has spent the last 20 years studying with many of the legendary coaches in Spain and Europe. He brings the most cutting-edge training methods from Europe back to the U.S. for his students. Chris is known as an expert in technique and biomechanics, and in Spanish training methods. He has recently coached the number 1 player in the US and gold ball winner Maggie Sohns, Ukrainian phenom Vlada Hranchar, and numerous top 10 nationally-ranked juniors, one Little Mo National champ Elana Zaretsky, and one national finalist Henry Holtz, and many elite players now graduating to the pro circuit. He also has unmatched experience building the foundations of young prodigies.

CLTA offers a unique teaching system based on the Bruguera Method, Toni Nadal Method, and the system of William Pato Alvarez—all from legendary coaches in Spain. Chris is one of the only coaches in the world who has attained certification in these three systems, and he brings unparalleled experience to this who want to train authentically the Spanish Way.

Chris is known internationally for his expertise in technique and biomechanics, and he is currently studying for an advanced degree in kinesiology. CLTA features cutting edge sports science, athletic assessment and training, talent identification, injury prevention, high speed video technical analysis, and more.

Come experience the best in Spanish training or technical/biomechanical development year-round at the CLTA. You will be treated like part of the family!

Christopher Morley Tennis (CMT), the premier tennis facility on the North Shore of Long Island, is conveniently located north of the Long Island Expressway in Christopher Morley Park, a beautiful 98-acre park with golf, basketball, athletic fields, swimming and more. The state-ofthe-art tennis facility features five new indoor hard courts and five HarTru courts for year-round play.

Christopher Morley Tennis offers court rentals, adult and junior private and group lessons, 10U after school enrichment, leagues, cardio tennis and high-performance training. Christopher Morley Tennis is known to have one of the best high performance and home-schooling junior programs on Long Island with CMT’s top nationally-ranked juniors, Cannon Kingsley (18’s #5), Neel Rajesh (18’s #13) Spencer Brachman (16’s #10) and Rachel Arbitman (16’s #8).

In addition, CMT’s Red, Orange and Green Ball groups cater to junior players at all levels. CMT is proud to be the home club to more than 25 USTA teams, including Junior Team Tennis which compete in local, regional, sectional and national competition. Due to exceeding demand, CMT has collaborated with Port Washington Tennis Academy to offer programming at their facility, providing access to an additional 17 courts.

Throughout the year, Christopher Morley Tennis hosts mixed-doubles parties, round-robin mixers, club tournaments, special events, and holiday camps for both adults and juniors. During the summer, CMT has an intensive training camp specifically designed for players competing in USTA sectional, USTA national and ITF tournaments, and those interested in playing high school tennis, college tennis and beyond. CMT summer and school-break camps, including red, orange, green and yellow ball junior development groups, utilize fun and fastpaced training methods, competitive games, technical instruction and tactical training for match play, as well as off court training and fitness.

At Christopher Morley Tennis, we strive to offer an array of recreational and competitive programming options under the direction of top-notch pro staff, with no membership fees. For more information, e-mail Info@CMTtennis.com.

Eastern Athletic is family-owned and is one of the New York’s original and finest tennis and fitness facilities, offering a wide variety of programs for the tennis enthusiast and fitness buffs. Offering two locations in Suffolk County to accommodate the ever changing needs of our clientele, Eastern Athletic has 12 Nova Ultra cushion indoor tennis courts, pickleball, racquetball, fitness and much more. To find out about all we have to offer, visit us at EasternAthleticClubs.com or call 631-363-2882, 631-2716616.

Eastern Athletic Tennis offers season and open court rentals, private and group instruction for the pee-wee through the seasoned octogenarian. All programs, lessons, drills, clinics, zones, leagues, performance training, ladders, parties and camps are offered year-round in climatecontrolled facilities. Our Blue Point location has a USTA 10 and under program with over 120 students and room for more! We host one of the largest Men’s Singles Flex Ladder/Leagues on Long Island, as well as highly competitive men's and women's leagues, ladders and are host more than 15 USTA teams. Many of our teams have competed in regional, sectional and national competition.

In addition, Eastern Athletic has one of the best performance training programs, integrating tennis with athletic performance programs. Eastern Athletic has produced some of the top tennis players on Long Island under the direction and supervision of Gary Guadio at our Blue Point location, Laurie Tenney Fehrs and Michael Fehrs at our Dix Hills Location with their renowned tennis staff. Eastern Athletic has programs for Juniors and Adults of all ages and level of play, and is confident there is something for you.

For more information and to join our growing family, e-mail EACTennis@yahoo.com or visit:

• EAC in Blue Point: 9A Montauk Highway, Blue Point, N.Y. - (631) 363-2882

• EAC in Dix Hills: 854 East Jericho Turnpike, Dix Hills, N.Y. - (631) 773-6293

The Evert Tennis Academy (ETA) is located in the Mission Bay area of Boca Raton, Fla. With 23 courts, pristine grounds, state-of-the-art-equipment, a caring staff and family atmosphere combine to make ETA a beautiful and unique training environment.

As the proud home to more than 15 Grand Slam participants and over 100 Division I college athletes, the Evert Tennis Academy has a proven record of success in developing champions at the highest levels. Chris Evert, tennis legend and winner of 18 Grand Slam titles, and John Evert, world-renowned developmental coach and academy director, believe in designing personalized programs that consist of a strategic balance between technical, tactical, mental and physical training. They pride themselves on handpicking some of the finest developmental coaches working in the sport who are dedicated to the instruction, development and success of each athlete

Academy and Developmental Programs

The Academy Program at Evert systematically addresses every aspect of a player’s game through a daily regimen of technical, tactical, mental and physical training. The Morning Training Session is composed of drilling, and strength and conditioning. The program is continued in the afternoon with a focus towards competition and tactics. The Developmental Program at Evert Tennis Academy is designed to take players to the next level by providing a very exclusive, individualized program and the difference between it and the Academy Program lies within the daily 1:1 lesson. Boarding students ages 12 to 17 enrolled in the Full-Time, Weekly or Camp programs, stay in our on-campus three-story dormitory. Each dorm room houses up to two students during the school year and up to four students during Camp and Summer Sessions with boys and girls being housed in separate buildings.

Evert Tennis Academy conveniently provides one-on-one airport transportation for its boarding students, for a fee (subject to change), to all three area international airports: (PBI) West Palm Beach (35 minutes), (FLL) Fort Lauderdale (35 minutes), (MIA) Miami International (55 minutes).

All transportation coordination is handled directly through the Academy, making it stress-free and easy for you. Please contact Evert Tennis Academy at (561) 488- 2001 for more information or e-mail mateo.garces@EvertAcademy.com.

More than a decade ago, Point Set underwent a state-of-the-art, spare no expense renovation out of respect to our customers, and that philosophy remains the same today. 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 now offers pickleball! With eight, newly-lined pickleball courts, Point Set is proud to offer clinics, lessons and tournaments, as well as court rentals on Fridays through Sundays.

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.

Robbie Wagner’s is a premier tennis training center located in Long Island, New York features 13 Har-Tru indoor courts and 4 indoor hard courts. We not only teach the game of tennis...we live it. We are totally committed to helping every child strive to reach their full playing potential. We encourage players of all ages and levels to train with us.

Robbie Wagner’s stellar reputation speaks for itself within the tennis industry. We are totally committed to helping make your child be the best player that he or she can be and strive to help them reach their full potential. Our motivation for success and dedication to helping your children achieve their goals is unrivaled in the industry. The personal relationships that we form with parents help us guide you and your children in the right direction. Whether it's their first Level II tournament or a national event, we have the ability, experience and professional staff to help your child achieve success. Our staff of world-renowned tennis professionals has the knowledge and capability to give you and your child the proper guidance toward a career in college tennis. Visit our Glen Cove location and see our “Wall of Fame” which lists the players we have helped place in top level Colleges and Universities around the country. Come visit our Glenwood Landing facility where we proudly hang all the banners of our winners of National and Sectional Level I & II tournaments from the rafters and on the walls. (We ran out of room on the rafters!) They speak for themselves.

If you are interested in being the best you can call Robbie Wagner’s for a complimentary private evaluation from Robbie or one of our head tennis professionals or even try one of our tournament training groups. Give us a call on 516-759-0505 so you can see why we are the only place to train.

Ross School Tennis Center

Ross School Tennis Center (RSTC) is the premiere training center in the Hamptons, boasting a beautiful tennis facility that is open to the public and located on the Ross Upper School Campus in East Hampton, N.Y. The Tennis Center features six HarTru courts that are enclosed by a bubble from mid-fall through mid-spring, allowing for year-round play. The Tennis Center features state-of-the-art amenities such as spacious locker rooms, lower level lounge, convenient snack bar, and ping-pong tables, and the staff provides a fun and supportive atmosphere that allows for the greatest amount of success.

After-school programming, a dynamic program for junior players, and specialized summer programs are offered to make Ross Tennis Center the place to play tennis in the Hamptons.

After-school Programs (Pre-K–Grade 12)

• Nursery–Grade 4: Specialized one-hour training program where players build a strong foundation through a variety of game-based and cooperative activities using 10U age-appropriate (Red, Orange, or Green) balls and nets that will prepare them for eventual full-cour t play.

• Grade 5–Grade 12: Players build off their 10U foundation to further develop fundamental skills and techniques as they transition into yellow balls and prepare for full-cour t tournament competition. Ball control, strategy, and work ethic are all emphasized in this 90-minute session of drills and point play. Players in kindergarten and higher are required to play twice per week in this program.

• RSTC Yellow+ is for players over 12 years old who play either on a JV or Varsity school team. There will be practice ever y day for two hours after school. Tryouts can also be evaluated by an RSTA coach if you are not yet a team member. Participation at both UTR and USTA tournaments is encouraged but not a requirement.

• Lessons and Court Rentals: Ross School Tennis Center also offers adult clinics, court rentals, and private and group instruction for all ages and levels. The Tennis Center is also used for a variety of special events and is available for private parties.

SPORTIME Tennis & Pickleball Clubs

Home of the John McEnroe Tennis Academy 18 locations across Long Island, Manhattan, Westchester and the Capital Region, and in Northern New Jersey

698-3664

SPORTIME’s facilities, programs and coaches have set the racket sports standard of excellence in New York since 1994. Featuring 192 indoor and outdoor tennis courts and 111 dedicated and hybrid pickleball courts, we offer exceptional facilities at which our members and guests can rent courts, participate in cutting-edge programs, including summer and school break tennis training camps for players of all ages and abilities, and the John McEnroe Tennis Academy at five locations, in NYC, on Long Island at Amagansett, Syosset and now at Port Washington, and in Westchester. Programs for everyone include:

• Juniors: From Bounce for preschoolers, to the SPORTIME U10 tennis pathway for red and orange level players, to SPORTIME EXCEL for green and yellow level juniors, to the ultimate opportunity to train with tennis icon Johnny Mac and the John McEnroe Tennis Academy (JMTA) team, SPORTIME offers a complete menu of tennis programming for every level of junior development and play. Our curricula also include world-class, age and level appropriate athletic training, mental toughness training, and more, reflecting our commitment to developing complete players. SPORTIME/JMTA’s approach gets kids playing fast and blends technical and tactical coaching from the very first lesson. Students benefit from a full competitive pathway, starting with our World Tour events, designed to create the perfect first competitive experience, through Junior Team Tennis and Team Cup, plus an extensive calendar of UTR and USTA events. SPORTIME is not just the best place to learn the game, it’s the best place to play it too!

• Adults: SPORTIME’s Adult Tennis Kinetics is the largest adult group tennis lesson program in New York. Other Adult Programs include League Tennis, Cardio Tennis and SPORTIME’s signature “Zone” high-intensity, competitive games program. All provide great workouts combined with skills development and lots of fun!

• SPORTIME Pickleball: With 111 courts at 13 SPORTIME locations, SPORTIME Pickleball offers players of all ages and skill levels diverse opportunities to learn, compete or just play for fun with friends. So join a clinic, take a lesson, play in a tournament or rent a court, and get in on the fastest growing sport in the nation!

• SPORTIME Summer and School Break Camps and JMTA Tennis Training Camps: SPORTIME offers the best tennis and sports camps anywhere, and there is 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, including competitive games, technical instruction and tactical training for match play, as well as off-court athletic and mental toughness training. Multi-Sport, Preschool, Volleyball and Hockey camps are also offered.

USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center

The USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, home of the US Open Tennis Championships, is the largest public tennis facility in the world. It is, most certainly, a “Tennis Welcome Center.” The Tennis Center is open to the public year-round for court rentals 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 of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center also conducts community tennis programs, including 11 & Under Tennis for children 11 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.

There is an extensive summer camp program which provides basic tennis instruction starting as young as 11 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 of all ages and levels. These services are provided at a 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 and the game 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.

beyondthebaseline

Shauna Devardo, 40 Love Lifestyle

By Brian Coleman

This spring, 40 Love Lifestyle, the boutique store located in the heart of Manhasset, will celebrate its third anniversary, marking an important milestone for co-founders Shauna Devardo and Fiona Branchinelli.

The store officially opened in May of 2022, and since then, it has become a staple amongst tennis lovers on Long Island, providing a unique shopping experience that has truly made 40 Love an important part of the community in which it resides, not simply a place

to buy your products from. What began as two friends entering into a business space they were not familiar with, has blossomed into a thriving “Sportique”, and they are excited for continued growth in 2025.

“I feel like in the first year it was just a lot of learning and figuring out what to order and what not to order,” said Devardo. “After the first year we had a lot of inventory left over because we were still figuring out how to stay with the current trends, and learning that trends

change pretty fast. That’s the case for apparel, where it can lose value fast; even with racquets, you can buy a bunch of them to stock your store, and then all of a sudden there’s a new version of it. So when we first opened the store we didn’t know all those little things. I remember at the beginning looking at our leftover inventory and saying, ‘What were we thinking?’, so that was one of the challenges in the beginning, and something we have done a good job of doing since.”

40 Love is not your typical tennis or pickleball pro shop; it is “pretty” on the inside, Devardo says, and has an upscale feel to it when you walk in, while still maintaining competitive pricing to keep its customers coming back.

Devardo and her staff make a point to be honest with their customers and not simply push products upon them. If someone comes in wanting to buy a racquet, that person receives tips and suggestions on racquet size, the correct grip and things of that nature. This desire to customize service for each customer is something Devardo takes a lot of pride in.

“I have kids that come in after their coach sends them to get an adult racquet, but they are still a developing player and aren’t ready for a racquet of that size yet,” said Devardo. “ ‘Do you want more weight on your smaller racquet? We can add tape to it or change the grip size to make it work.’ That’s just an example of the types of things I have learned and try to impart on anyone that comes in. I think people appreciate that, and at the same time there are people who come in and know what

they want, and I don’t argue with them. So it’s just about personalizing the service and customer service for each person.”

That notion derives from Devardo’s own experience as a tennis player. She got into tennis during the COVID pandemic nearly five years ago, and quickly fell in love. She went through the same

trials and tribulations a lot of new players go through, not knowing the nuances of what racquet and other accessories would benefit her the most.

“As a new player, I just wanted a pretty racquet. What color can I pick that will match my outfit, things like that,” she said. “I didn’t know anything, and I was lucky to have a coach who knew the size and weight I needed, and helped me with that.”

And as we fast-forward to 2025, Devardo’s tennis journey has come along immensely, and she is now a true tennis aficionado. Beyond loving to play tennis, she is now a part of the industry, which is something she has fallen in love with. She has learned the intricacies of the different technologies behind racquets, how to string and more, which is a constantly evolving process.In fact, she was invited by Tecnifibre to the Citi Open in Washington, D.C. last summer, which provided her an invaluable experience on improving her own skills as a stringer and retailer.

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beyond the baseline

continued from page 47

“I follow everything that’s going on, I’m kind of obsessed with it,” she confesses. “I am always paying attention to the new things that are going on and what the players are doing. Going to the Citi Open with Tecnifibre and hanging out with the stringers there who were preparing the racquets for the players. I was able to talk with them and learn about the new technologies, what they were doing, how to balance racquets, it was just constantly informative. You have to keep learning while you are doing because it’s always evolving. What makes this new racquet better than the previous one? Why did they change it? Things like that, and learning all of that makes it easier for me as a retailer to give our customers the best possible information and the products that fit them the best.”

Devardo has embraced the everchanging landscape of the tennis industry and is using it to make informed business decisions at 40 Love, and it’s those types of

experiences, like going to the Citi Open, or even attending her favorite player Aryna Sabalenka’s U.S. Open championship last September, that have continued to

reinforce her love of tennis.

“These things are my obsession. Despite being in the tennis world every day, when the U.S. Open comes, I’m like a kid in a candy store, and I’m there as much as I can be,” she said. “I spend a vacation’s worth of money on going to see these players, because I want the best seats possible, and I want to be right there seeing the sweat dripping off of their face, and being a part of the action.”

That love of tennis infiltrates her conversations and dealings with customers. She is invested in the results and progress of all her customers, and even gets calls from some of her younger players who are competing in tournaments that broke the strings on their racquet and there are no strings available at the club they are at. It’s little things such as that that make 40 Love stand out to its customers.

As it prepares to celebrate its third anniversary in May, 40 Love has come a long way in a very short period of time. It is not a stroke of luck, it’s the product of hard work and dedication, and the result of a true passion project. They are not prepared to stop here, though, with the goals of continued growth including possible franchising out to other stores, or expanding and adding tennis or pickleball play areas within its Manhasset location.

“We want people to walk through our store like it’s Disneyland, with bars, restaurants and courts, that would be ideal,” Devardo says.

“That’s the big, big goal, and maybe it’s just a dream, but it’s about taking baby steps. There’s still so much room for us to grow, and we’re excited to figure those things out and work towards those goals.”

By Tonny van de Pieterman

The word urgency came up several times during my lessons recently.

When I'm playing out practice points versus my clients, I sense their urgency in the decision-making process of their play.

This urgency is limiting their improvement; it is an obstacle to them reaching their potential.

Urgency is a pressing need; an insistence on taking action or else. On the tennis court this urgency is often based on a limiting belief. Limiting beliefs, ideas, or assumptions are baseless, or nonsensical, and need to be challenged to free yourself from this limitation.

When I asked one of my most driven clients where her urgency to score came from, she told me after some reflection:

"I am afraid that if I don't do something first, they will do something".

What is implied in this answer is that she believes that her opponent will do something that will be the end of her. I am intentionally using dramatic language here to point out the origin of the urgency.

I tried to balance out her view of this by offering that her opponent indeed could do something first, but perhaps that it would be the wrong thing! She might go for a risky shot and miss! We don't know. We cannot know! (You don't need to know)

The faulty and limiting assumption is that you are assuming that your opponent will score if you don't score

first. By seeing through this you can be more patient. (Patience = Power)

In a different lesson, I was playing out some rally-points against an excellent player but noticed his urgency to attack the net on illadvised shots. The shots he was approaching the net on were not opportunities in my view, which I made clear by passing him or by returning shots that were nearly impossible for him to volley.

"Why the urgency to attack, Allstar?" I asked jokingly after “burning” him with another wideopen passing shot. His verbatim

response was:

"Because if I stay in the rally with you any longer, I will have a heartattack."

I did not dramatize the language here, and it is baseless of course. He is in tip-top shape, but if you believe it, or at least the sentiment that you cannot last longer in the rally, you will make decisions based on that limiting view. Your riskreward assessment will be off.

So here is Tonny’s tip of the day: Try and manage your urgency level by understanding the self-limiting beliefs they are built on.

Tonny van de Pieterman is a tennis professional at Point Set Indoor Racquet Club in Oceanside, N.Y.. In his long coaching career, he was honored with the USTA Tennis Professional of the Year for the USTA Eastern Long Island Region. He may be reached by phone at (516) 536-2323 or e-mail Tonny@PointSetTennis.com.

Let’s look at this hypothetical interview with a tennis coach:

Interviewer: It's often difficult and uncomfortable when a coach has to part ways with a player. What's your perspective on the termination of a playercoach agreement?

Coach: It depends on the situation. I don't always see termination as unfavorable; sometimes, it's a natural part of growth. For example, termination becomes essential for their development if you work with a young athlete who has outgrown your capabilities. There are instances where the player-coach relationship has simply run its course, and the player has reached a point where a change of coach is necessary because the coach has taken them as far as possible.

All terminations are challenging moments for any coach because we often feel a strong attachment due to the time and energy invested, making it hard to let go, even when we know it's the right time deep down. I'm not opposed to termination if handled thoughtfully. The key is in the approach. Having an open, healthy discussion is essential, framing it as a natural step in the player's progression toward success.

Interviewer: Do past terminations affect the way you approach working with future athletes? If so, how?

Coach: Absolutely. Past terminations, like all life experiences—positive or negative—play a crucial role in shaping the person I become. For

Parent vs. Coach: Completion/Termination

By Eldad Campbell

future athletes, I may take precautionary steps to safeguard my mental health if I observe similar negative patterns— whether from the player or their parents—that contributed to past terminations. I might also be less inclined to work with athletes who resist putting in the necessary effort or habitually make excuses. On the other hand, having experienced termination has deepened my appreciation for working with committed athletes who value my input and respect the time and energy invested in their development.

Interviewer: What advice would you give players, parents, and coaches on the equitable and most respectful way to end a coach-player relationship?

Coach: The best advice I can offer players, parents, and coaches on ending a relationship equitably and respectfully is an open, honest conversation free from blame or accusator y language. If warranted, the parent and the player should express gratitude for the coach's input and commitment to the player's improvement. Correspondingly, the coach should thank the parent and the player for the opportunity to work together and highlight their achievements during the relationship. This approach may sound idealistic, and terminations don't always go this smoothly. However, when respect and appreciation are at the forefront, it creates a positive atmosphere even during a difficult transition.

Interview to be continued….

This article, Player vs. Coach: Completion/Termination, marks the fifth

and final installment in my Player vs. Coach series. Aptly titled, it signifies not only the conclusion of this series but also the closure of the player, parent, and coach relationship. Our exploration began with coach selection, emphasizing the importance of choosing the right mentor, and progressed through long-term commitment, competition, and complication, culminating in completion/termination.

This progression can be framed as the 5 C's of the Player-Parent-Coach Lifecycle: Coach Selection, Commitment, Competition, Complication, and Completion/Termination. In this concluding chapter, we offer a nuanced framework to guide parents, players, and coaches through the complexities of termination scenarios while shedding light on the potential positive outcomes that can arise from such transitions. We delineate the essential mental models for each group—parent, player, and coach—detailing how they should approach termination and emphasizing its role as a natural and inevitable progression in a player's journey and an intrinsic component of the broader tapestry of life.

The mock interview above offers a window into a coach's mindset, capturing the emotional and professional nuances accompanying a coaching relationship's end. This insight serves as a prelude to understanding the complexities of completion/termination, where respect, reflection, and mutual growth can ultimately define a favorable resolution.

The Parent

As a parent, when it becomes necessar y to end a coaching arrangement,

engaging in a direct and respectful conversation with the coach is indispensable, clearly explaining the grounds for the termination. The coach should be the first party in the communication chain to be informed, as this provides an opportunity for resolution and ensures that the decision is made with transparency before involving others. Ideally, the player should not be notified until a concrete decision is made, and it is preferable to do so after the semester or season to safeguard their emotional well-being.

Of course, there may be unusual circumstances where immediate closure is required due to an irreconcilable conflict, in which case the coach may not be notified in advance. However, such instances are relatively rare. Once the termination is finalized, it is noble to refrain from speaking negatively about the coach or the experience. Instead, focus on moving forward with a sense of closure and optimism, allowing your child to continue their journey toward achieving their dreams, unencumbered by past conflicts.

The Player

Providing clear and straightfor ward information is critical when a player is discussing the termination details with their parent. It's natural for a player to

have strong feelings about what transpired, so expressing any emotions—whether frustration, confusion, or something else—is essential. However, focusing on specific details or placing blame on anyone is not necessary. The goal is to acknowledge the feelings and release any built-up anxiety.

By reflecting on the situation this way, the player will be better equipped to move forward with a clearer sense of understanding and emotional balance.

The Coach

When a coach is informed of a potential cessation, it is vital for them to remain emotionally composed and, if appropriate, seek clarification to understand the reasons behind the decision entirely. This provides an opportunity for reflection and personal growth and allows for resolving misunderstandings or uncovering previously unknown factors. Should the termination proceed, it is equally essential for the coach to refrain from speaking negatively about the player or client. Engaging in disparaging remarks undermines professionalism and creates a toxic, non-constructive environment, ultimately hindering the potential for growth and progression for all parties involved.

Completion/Termination is an inherent aspect of a tennis player's natural progression. For every player a coach works with, or every coach a player works with, there is always an opportunity cost—the possibility that a better-suited player or coach exists who may align more closely with the individual's needs and aspirations. Termination, while challenging, can catalyze bringing both parties closer to that ideal fit. It provides an opportunity to start anew, armed with the insights and lessons learned through prior experiences, both positive and challenging.

This process sharpens our intuition and enhances our expertise, empowering us to become more competent decision-makers. With each completion/termination, we refine our ability to select the right coach or, in the coach's case, the right student. This brings us full circle to the beginning of our Player vs. Coach series, where coach selection was the first pivotal topic. Selecting the right coach is fundamentally a learning process, and learning thrives on frequent practice and immediate feedback.

While completion/termination may initially feel uncomfortable or disheartening, it ultimately brings us closer to making informed and successful choices in future coachplayer relationships.

Character Building: Toni Nadal's Six Core Values

By Chris Lewit

The below is an excerpt from Chris Lewit’s new book, The Secrets of Spanish Tennis 2.0, which was released in December and is now available in bookstores and on Amazon

First and foremost Toni lives by a strict moral code. “Even if the world is finished tomorrow, I do the right thing—that’s values. Values affect everyone and everything in the world.”

In addition, his system is not only a powerful way to develop good tennis players, but it is a pathway to develop good human beings and a better society-better citizens of the world. To me, this is part of the genius of his approach and the value his principles hold for others, whether they are coaches or parents. Toni himself has said, "It is more important to be a good person than a good player.”

Based on this core belief, Toni has created a six point development model for the players he oversees at the academy. Here is my interpretation of these points, based on talking to Toni and on other reading and research into his thoughts.

1. Humility

The value of humility is very commonly taught in Spanish tennis. Humility can be exemplified by champions like Nadal, Carlos Moya and Juan Carlos Ferrero. “Humble is the way you have to be, period,” Toni says. He continues, “Everybody should know their place in the world. The point is that the world is quite big enough already without you imagining that you're big too.”

Rafa himself has argued that humility is a key component to his motivation and competitiveness because his humility never allows him to overestimate an opponent and become complacent going into battle.

2.

Overcoming Obstacles

Toni believes that life in general has gotten faster, and that children and sometimes

parents expect instant results and gratification … quick fixes. But for Toni, the things that have the most value in life are difficult and take a long time to achieve. Thus, having the perseverance to overcome obstacles is a very important value and overcoming challenges is what helps to build a strong character.

3. Respect

“Respect for other people, for everyone irrespective of who they might be or what they might do, is the starting point of everything,” Toni tells John Carlin in an interview for the book, Rafa. “What is not acceptable is that people who have had it all in life should behave coarsely with other people. No, the higher you are, the greater your duty to treat people with respect.”

Furthermore, Toni believes that if you respect others, you will be happier in life, and thus happier on the difficult journey towards becoming a champion.

4. Patience

Patience is a common value taught to players in Spain. For Toni, one must, of course, be patient on the court to develop one's strategy. Moreover though, in life, one must never become impatient on the long and difficult journey towards achieving greatness; patience is thus interlinked with persistence.

5. Tolerance

Tolerance, for Toni, is connected to the value of respect. For Toni, people in life who have a high tolerance of those around them are more respectful and peaceful, and thus happier in their life. But Toni also believes tolerance is an important character trait in champions on the court. Tolerance, in this case, means how a player handles the stress and mental/emotional challenges of the battle. Strong players are able to tolerate

more stress and pressure than weaker players. Therefore, tolerance is also interwoven with the concept of selfcontrol. Toni says, “Self-control is critical to becoming a champion. A player must control their mind, body and emotions. Without this, he cannot control the ball.”

6. Fighting Spirit

For Toni, fighting spirit means being willing to "suffer.” Sometimes he calls it "enduring."

Toni believes champions must endure and suffer--they must fight to the end to achieve greatness. Fighting spirit means never cave in.

Rafa says his uncle taught him this: “Endure, put up with whatever comes your way, learn to overcome weakness and pain, push yourself to the breaking point, but never cave in. If you don't learn that lesson, you'll never succeed as an elite athlete.”

These six core values are the infrastructure around which a coach can build a champion's mind and spirit, one that dominates without making excuses. Above all else, Toni says, “Champions must find solutions, not excuses. Whining and complaining never helped us win a match or championship.”

Three Nadal Principles of Player Development

In addition to his model of six core values for players, Toni has also summarized his player development philosophy with the following three overarching principles: Technique, Character, and Propriety.

Technique

Technique for Toni Nadal, means developing all the skills a player needs to control the ball and to make the ball go where he or she wants. For Toni, this does not mean the strokes have to be

perfect--far from it.

He has always emphasized being able to put the ball where a player wants and finding the right skills for a player's personality and style--a practical approach to technical development, rather than forcing every player to achieve some abstract perfect form.

“But what is that, technique? Is it hitting the ball very hard and with a beautiful movement but once out of every two hits, it lands outside the court? Is it to have a very good forehand, a very good serve but no backhand? No. For me, technique is about being able to place the ball wherever you want it to land no matter what shot.”

Character

Character, for Toni, very simply means working relentlessly towards achieving one's goals. He states, “A well-formed character is one that has been prepared to withstand the harshness of daily effort, the will, the development of selfimprovement capabilities, and, not least,

the enthusiasm to do so.” Character relates directly to: Overcoming Obstacles, Patience, and Fighting Spirit.

Propriety

Toni Nadal believes that propriety-respect and good manners--is critical to achieving a happy life and good performance on the court. He says, "Respect and good manners bring happiness in one's life."

The efforts of Toni Nadal with Rafa have been well documented, but his teaching method and philosophy have been more obscured over the years. This chapter has shared some insight into the approach and philosophy of

the man who has had the greatest grand slam success with his player of any coach in Spain’s history. Nadal’s method interweaves the six secrets of Spanish tennis with his strict moral code. Toni’s unique brilliance can be found in his character building and the strategic vision for his players. He delivers his method with an economy of words, no excuses, hard work and a willingness to suffer.

Learn more about the drills and philosophy of Toni Nadal and many other leading Spanish coaches in the new book, Secrets of Spanish Tennis 2.0, the second edition of the original best-seller and classic. Available at local bookstores and all online outlets like Amazon.

Chris Lewit is a leading high-performance coach, educator and author of the best-selling book, The Secrets of Spanish Tennis, and a new technique book, Winning Pretty, which will be published in 2025. Secrets of Spanish Tennis, Second Edition will be published in September 2024. As a coach, he has trained hundreds of nationally ranked juniors. He directs a full-time academy for homeschool/online players and a high performance summer camp program, as well as bespoke high performance training for all ages and levels, all at his club in the beautiful green mountains of Vermont. Contact Chris directly by phone/WhatsApp 914-462-2912 or chris@chrislewit.com.

FULL-TIME ACADEMY FOR HOMESCHOOL PLAYERS WEEKEND HIGH PERFORMANCE ACADEMY TRAINING FOR ALL LEVELS HIGH PERFORMANCE SUMMER CAMP IN VERMONT TRAIN WITH THE BEST— CHRIS HAS RECENTLY COACHED SEVERAL #1 PLAYERS IN THE US!

2024 Long Island Girls’ High School RECAP

Garden City’s Bravo Wins Nassau County Singles Title

Angelina Bravo is now the owner of two Nassau County Individual titles.

Bravo backed up her doubles title in 2023 with the singles title in 2024, defeating Alex Raikos of Mepham 6-4, 6-0 in the championship match at Eisenhower Park in East Meadow.

“It feels great,” she said. “After playing doubles last year, I knew I wanted to come out here and play singles this year. I’ve been training a lot, every day for almost four hours, and I think all of that has paid off. Winning last year in doubles helped me realize I can win, even though I am younger, and that I can compete with the girls at this level.”

Prior to the season, Bravo was unsure if she would even be able to play for Garden City this fall due to her rigid training schedule outside of school. But Bravo and her team were able to work it out, and she was thrilled to play high school tennis for another year.

“Last year I made so many friends and the vibe of the team was amazing,” said Bravo. “I think the team aspect is a huge reason a lot of girls decide to play.”

Seeded fourth in the Individual Championships, Bravo defeated top-seed Angel Walia of Herricks in the semifinals before meeting the third-seeded Raikos in the finals. She knew that Raikos was one of the more consistent players in the entire tournament, which forced her to pick her spots on when to be aggressive, including mixing in drop shots from time to time.

“My strategy was to play the balls in and not try to over hit, because she is such a consistent player,” she explained. “I had to be more consistent and find my opportunities to attack. I had to be smart about it. I have some pretty good touch and it’s a weapon I like to use. When you move players side-to-side, they eventually hit short, and when there’s less pace on the ball coming back, it’s a great time to drop shot.”

Bravo and Raikos advanced to the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Individual Championships, and were joined by Walia, who won the first two games of the third-place match before Roslyn’s Anika Tolat was forced to retire with an injury.

A year after winning the doubles title, Garden City’s Angelina Bravo captured the Nassau County Singles title

Alex Raikos of Mepham finished as the runner-up in Nassau County

The top three finishers in Nassau County. From left to right: Angel Walia (Herricks), Alex Raikos (Mepham), Angelina Bravo (Garden City)

Great

Neck South’s Lee, Villegas Take Nassau County Doubles Title

TheGreat Neck South duo of Madison Lee & Gabrielle Villegas captured the Nassau County Doubles title, defeating Chloe Gross & Alexandra Krol of Roslyn 6-3, 6-2 in the championship match at Eisenhower Park.

Lee, a junior, and Villegas, a seventh-grader, quickly developed a rapport on court together after competing atop the Rebels’ singles lineup throughout the season.

“Coming in, I knew I had a great partner, and we were able to practice a lot together before this tournament which helped a lot,” said Lee. “It was fun playing with Gabbi, we get a long really well on court.”

Despite being a seventh-grader, Villegas showed no signs of nerves as she competed in her first ever county tournament, and teaming up with a more experienced player, who also reached the singles final two years ago was helpful for her.

“It was a lot of fun. I loved playing with Madison,” said Villegas. “Coming into the year I didn’t envision being a county champion, but it’s great. Madison sets me up a lot, she hits a nice heavy ball which gives me the opportunity to poach.”

Lee from the baseline and Villegas coming to net was the

key to success for the Great Neck South pairing. They were forced to come back from a set down in their semifinal against Port Washington’s Evie Loewy & Catherine Karman, but got off to a fast start in their championship match against the Roslyn pairing.

“It’s all confidence,” said Great Neck South head coach Andrew Tuomey. “Once they were able to be aggressive and saw it was working, they stuck with it. They got better and better as the tournament went on, and it culminated with their play in the finals.”

Lee added:

“I have a lot of confidence in her net game, she’s consistent with her volleys and puts points away nicely. I have total confidence that she poaches at the right time, even if she misses, I have confidence that she’ll make the right play.”

Lee & Villegas were the Nassau County champion representatives at the NYSPHSAA Individual Championships, while Gross & Krol also qualified for the States with their runner-up finish, as did Loewy & Karman who defeated Syosset’s Elaine Liu & Hannah Wang 6-2, 63 to secure the final spot.

Great Neck South’s Madison Lee (right) & Gabrielle Villegas (left) were the 2024 Nassau County Girls’ Doubles Champions

Chloe Gross (left) & Alexandra Krol (right) of Roslyn finished as doubles runners-up, and also earned the Sportsmanship Award

The top four finishers in the doubles tournament. From left to right: Port Washington’s Catherine Karman & Evie Loewy; Great Neck South’s Madison Lee & Gabrielle Villegas; Roslyn’s Chloe Gross & Alexandra Krol; Syosset’s Hannah Wang & Elaine Liu

2024 long island girls’ high school recap continued from page 55

Smithtown East’s Konopka Secures Second Straight Suffolk Singles Title

Playingat her own school and on the court she plays her team matches on, Smithtown East’s Anya Konopka captured her second straight Suffolk County singles title. Konopka repeated as champion with a 75, 6-0 victory over Mt. Sinai’s Sofia Perez.

“This was the first time we’ve ever had the finals here. I live two minutes away so I was able to take a nap and then come here and play,” said Konopka. “I do enjoy playing matches on the road though, it actually helps me stay focused.”

That could have been a factor early on, as Perez came out fighting and made Konopka work for every point she got. Eventually, Perez broke to take a 5-4 advantage and had an opportunity to serve for the set.

But Konopka dug deep, and after a long deuce game, was able to grab the break back to even things at 5-5, and she never looked back. From 4-5 down, the Smithtown East senior won the final nine games of the match to defend her title.

“Sofia runs down every ball, she’s always giving 100

percent, even in practices,” said Konopka. “So I had to keep that in mind and just stay with it, and not let the mental game affect my play. I put a lot of pressure on myself in the first set, but then let it go and played freer. At 4-5, my coach told me I just need to win one more game and I’d be back in this. I was able to do that.”

Konopka said winning her second-straight title felt tougher than her first.

“Last year I was a junior and Maria [Perez] was a senior, so I knew I had another year to try for this if I lost,” she explained. “This year, she was the younger player and I was the older player, so I felt the pressure was on me.”

Konopka handled the pressure like a champion, and qualified for the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Individual Championships as the section champion.

Joining Konopka and Perez at States was Sofia Matos of Longwood, who defeated Copiague’s Victoria Abayev in the third-place match.

Smithtown East’s Anya Konopka defended her Suffolk County singles title in 2024

Mt. Sinai’s Sofia Perez took home second place at the Suffolk County Individual Championships

Longwood’s Sofia Matos was the third-place winner to qualify for the New York State Championships

Bayport-Blue Point’s Romano Sisters Capture Suffolk County Doubles Championship

Ayearago, Emilia and Evie Romano of Bayport-Blue Point came up just short in pursuit of the Suffolk County doubles title, falling to eventual New York State Champions Matilda Buchen & Julia Stabile of Westhampton Beach in the finals.

This time around, however, playing a Westhampton Beach pairing once again, (Matilda Buchen & Ava Borruso), the Romanos would not be denied. Utilizing the effective strategy of Evie at the baseline and Emilia at net, the two captured the county doubles title with a 6-3, 6-4 victory in the finals at Smithtown East High School.

“She’s the stronger baseline player, and I’m stronger at net. You put those two together and you have a doubles team,” said Romano. “Our games complement each other very well. Evie set me up the entire time; if she gave the other team a bad ball I wouldn’t be able to put it away. In the semifinals, we were setting each other up perfectly, and I knew we could carry that over into the match today.”

Evie added:

“It feels really good to win this,” said Emilia. “Last year was really upsetting and we’ve been thinking about it ever since. We wanted to come back, try our hardest and we knew we could do it.”

With Evie remaining consistent rallying from the back, and Emilia being incredibly aggressive putting points away at the net, the Romanos dictated the play throughout the match.

“Her being aggressive poaching at net makes things easier for me, and she helps me stay confident throughout the matches. We told ourselves we could get here and win this.”

The Romanos qualified for the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Individual Championships at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center as the Suffolk champions. Joining them was Buchen & Borruso, as will the Ross School duo of Luanna Carmo & Lillien Weiss, who defeated Emma Wilck & Samantha Heyman of Hills East in the third-place match.

The Bayport-Blue Point sister pairing of Emilia Romano (left) & Evie Romano (right) won the Suffolk County doubles title Ava Borusso & Matilda Buchen of Westhampton Beach were the doubles runners-up

Ross School’s Luanna Carmo & Lillien Weiss finished in third place to qualify for the New York State Individual Championships

2024 long island girls’ high school recap

continued from page 57

Bayport-Blue Point Claims Its First Long Island Small School Title

The Phantoms can now call itself the Long Island Champions.

Bayport-Blue Point captured the Long Island Division 2 Championship (Small School), edging Cold Spring Harbor 3-2 at Shoreham-Wading River High School in a rematch of the 2023 final.

“It feels so good, four years later and we finally got the Long Island Championship,” said senior Emilia Romano, referring to Bayport-Blue Point reaching the final each of the last four years.

“I have spent my whole high school career with the team, and I really felt that this was our year. We beat the two [Suffolk County] Large School finalists during the season so I knew we could do it. We came here and did what we had to do.”

Romano helped lead the way for her team by notching a 6-2, 6-1 victory in the first singles position.

Prior to that, Cold Spring Harbor jumped out to the early lead as Dylan Savarese & Kaitlynn Hanna posted a 6-3, 6-0 victory at first doubles.

“I think we strategized more today than we usually do,” said Hanna. “We practiced a lot of match play during the weeks off and were able to be aggressive at net today.”

With two matches in the books, the second double pairing of Stevie Sullivan & Sylvana Guariglia held on to win 6-2, 0-6, 6-1 to bring the Seahawks within one court of another Long Island title.

With two courts remaining, Bayport-Blue Point needed to rely on the third doubles team, the eighth-grade duo of Leila Rogers & Jordana Heller, and sophomore Lily Castka at second singles.

“There was quite a momentum shift there, and even though we were down, I was confident,” said Bayport-Blue Point head coach John Selvaggio. “The girls were playing with a lot of

energy and a lot of enthusiasm. It’s a mental game. The records and UTRs can be overrated, you have to go out there and play. I knew there would be three-set battles, but I was confident in my girls.”

After falling down 1-0 in the third set, Heller & Rogers completed their comeback and posted a 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 victory to even up the overall match.

On the second singles court, Castka found herself down 0-3, and needed to reset herself as she knew the magnitude of the result of her match.

“I took a couple of deep breaths on that changeover, and told myself to just get every ball back into the court, and wait for my opportunity to put balls away, but not rush it,” said Castka. “I told myself to get one game and start from there. Once I was able to get that game, I could feel the momentum, and took it point-by-point.”

That approach proved to be successful, as Castka proceeded to rattle off the next six games from 0-3 down, winning her court and sealing her team’s first Long Island Championship.

“Their girl fought her tail off, and she was extremely consistent,” Selvaggio said of Kami Cotek, Castka’s second singles opponent. “Lily was able to overcome it, she’s our Division Champion for a reason, and that experience in big matches paid off.

It means everything to be able to win one for the former coach [Keith Scharf] who put 20 years into this program. We’re excited for this opportunity [to go to States], and are going to embrace the moment. These girls are creating memories for themselves right now, and win, lose or draw, we are going to enjoy it.”

Sophomore Lily Castka held on to win at second singles to clinch the Long Island title for the Phantoms

Sylvana Guariglia & Stevie Sullivan celebrate after winning their second doubles match for Cold Spring Harbor

Syosset Beats Hills East To Win Back-to-Back Long Island Large School Titles

Syosset won the Long Island Division 1 (Large School) Championship for the second straight season as the Braves defeated Hills East 61 at Shoreham-Wading River High School.

“I think all of us are really excited for this opportunity,” said junior Julia Isham. “We didn’t do as well at States last year, so we wanted another chance to go back and try to win it for our seniors.”

Isham and her partner Hannah Wang gave Syosset the early lead with their 6-1, 6-1 triumph at third doubles.

“We were able to set up points well,” said Wang. “I stayed consistent at the baseline and Julia was able to put points away at the net.”

The Syosset singles lineup, as it has done throughout the playoffs, came up big for their team, posting straight-set wins on all three courts. Stephanie Marcheret was a 6-0, 6-2 winner at first singles, Zia Mukherjee won 6-1, 6-4 at second singles, and

Shubhangi Pradhan posted a 6-4, 6-3 victory in the third singles spot.

“Overall, our singles lineup is the strongest we’ve had,” said Syosset head coach Shai Fisher. “We always have depth in our doubles, but our singles lineup made a big difference for us this year.”

At fourth doubles, Manasi Pradhan & Kayla Lo delivered a 6-3, 6-2 victory, while Elaine Liu & Selena Wang were 6-0, 6-0 winners at second doubles.“

“I think we hyped each other up after every point. This is our first playing doubles together, so we just tried to match each other’s energy,” said Liu.

Liu & Wang didn’t play doubles together during the season, but their win was symbolic of the chemistry up and down the Syosset lineup.

“Our entire team is really close to one another so that makes it easy for us to adjust to having a different doubles partner.”

Hills East’s Samantha Heyman & Emma Wilck won 64, 6-1 at first doubles to round out the scoring.

Syosset won the Long Island Large School Championship for the second consecutive season

Shubhangi Pradhan hits a forehand during her win at third singles for Syosset

Hills East finished its season as the Suffolk County Champions and Long Island Runners-Up

2024 long island girls’ high school recap continued from page 59

Herricks’ Walia Wins New York State Singles Title

Angel Walia capped off her high school tennis career in the best way possible as the senior from Herricks captured the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Singles Title at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens.

Walia won her fifth consecutive match of the week as she defeated Olivia Dartawan of Niskayna High School 6-2, 7-6(4) in the final, winning Herricks’ first state title in tennis since Liz Jaffee won in 1981.

Just 10 days prior, Walia finished in third-place at the Nassau County Individual Championships, which qualified her for the state tournament, but left her wanting more as she prepared for the final tournament of her high school career.

“This is the perfect way to end it,” Walia said. “I was hoping to win [Nassau] Counties, but when that didn’t happen, I just worked hard the whole week leading up to this, fixed my mentality, and reminded myself that I could do it. During counties, I was making a bunch of errors on both sides, forehand and backhand, so I went back to my training, back to the lab, and I worked on both of them. Today I can say that both my backhand and forehand were pretty good. I’m really happy with my performance.”

Walia’s strong mental game was on full display across the three-day tournament in Queens. She reached the finals without dropping a set, and from 2-all in the first set of the final, she rattled off four consecutive games to move within one set of the state title.

A mid-set break set her up with a 5-3 lead and an opportunity to serve for the championship, even setting up a championship point at 5-3, 40-30. But Dartawan would save that point, and go on to break serve as part

of a run of three straight games to go ahead 6-5, ultimately resulting in the set heading into a tiebreaker.“After I lost that match point, I just went back to the curtain and told myself, ‘Come on, you can do this. It’s just one point’,” she said. “I also did not want to play a third set. A third set can go either way.”

Early on in the tiebreak, it looked as if the final was destined for a third set.

Dartawan used her strong groundstrokes to move Walia side-to-side and built a 4-1 advantage in the breaker.

However, it was now time for Walia to make her run; she won the final point before the changeover, and after the two switched sides, the Herricks’ senior won the ensuing five points, closing out the match by winning six straight points to seal the title.

“I just fought for every point, moved my feet as well as I could, and played as aggressive as I could,” explained Walia. “At 6-4 in the tiebreaker, I knew I couldn’t let it go, because if I lost that point, she gets two serves and it can go either way. I put everything into that one point and had to play defense. I was just imagining myself on that stage and holding that trophy. When I saw her hit that shot into the net, it was relief.”

The victory puts a bow on a decorated high school career for Walia:

“It means a lot to me because I’ve been playing for six years and this is my last year in high school tennis, so I really wanted to end it on a good note, and I think this is the best note I could possibly go out on.”

Joy Solomon, Herricks’ head coach, has been coaching Walia for the last six years, and gave her player positive affirmation when she came to the bench at 5-6 in the second set.

“With her, it’s point blank, and I told her, ‘You got

Angel Walia of Herricks won the New York State Singles Championship, while Horace Greeley’s Allison Tsai & Michelle Rosenblit took home the doubles title

this. It’s in front of you, you control your own destiny’,”

Herricks’ head coach Joy Solomon said. “She regrouped herself, and played with aggression with a capital A.”

Solomon reflected on the six years her and Walia have been together, and the impact she has had on the Herricks’ program.

“She’s just an amazing person. As good as she is on the court, she’s even better off of it,” said Solomon.

“She’s caring, kind and loves her fellow teammates. It’s just wonderful having her for six years, it’s bittersweet for

me, but she has been a joy to coach and be around.”

Below are the Top 8 Finishers in the 2024 NYSPHSAA Individual Singles Championships:

1) Angel Walia (Herricks)

2) Olivia Dartawan (Niskayna)

3) Leyla Tozin (Brighton)

4) Sakura Hino (Keio Academy of New York)

5) Giana Marks (Scarsdale)

6) Angelina Bravo (Garden City)

7) Anya Konopka (Smithtown East)

8) Syanne Tyson (Williamsville South)

Roslyn’s Brian Hoffner, Bayport-Blue Point’s John Selvaggio Earn Long Island Tennis Magazine Coach of the Year Honors

Long Island Tennis Magazine is proud to announce its Coach of the Years for the Long Island high school girls season: Briann Hoffner of Roslyn and John Selvaggio of Bayport-Blue Point.

Hoffner led his Roslyn Bulldogs to a 12-5 record in 2024 which earned the third seed in the county tournament. Roslyn would reach the semifinals in the county tournament. At the Individual Championships, Chloe Gross & Alexandra Krol finished as runners-up in the doubles event and ultimately advanced to the New York State Championships.

Hoffner and his team also continued its great work in its community, which this year included a Tennis with the Teachers fundraiser doubles tournament.

“His outstanding commitment to the girls tennis program, which has translated to yearly success on the court as his team is always in the mix for a county title,” Nassau County Girls’ Tennis Coordinator Shai Fisher said of what makes Hoffner invaluable to tennis in the county. “Additionally, his contributions to Nassau County girls’ tennis off the court, as well as getting his team involved in various community service opportunities, makes Brian a great leader in our community.”

“I embrace being the coach of Roslyn, and being able to work with these girls and watch them grow is something I don’t take for granted,” said Hoffner. “It’s a privilege to be able to be a

leader here at Roslyn, and I look forward to many more years coaching the girls tennis team here.”

John Selvaggio led the Phantoms of Bayport-Blue Point to its best season in program history. For the fourth time in a row, Bayport-Blue Point won the Suffolk County small school girls tennis title, and took it one step further this year, winning the Long Island small school title to move into the New York State Team Championships, where it finished as runners-up.

In addition, Emilia & Evie Romano captured the Suffolk County doubles title in the Individual Championships.

“This past season was an incredible season for all those involved. What made it extra special was the former coach, Keith Sharf, who helped build this entire thing, was there every step of the way,” said Selvaggio. “He stuck around as a volunteer assistant and his presence was a big part of this team's success. From a tennis standpoint, the most memorable moment was in the LIC when we were on the brink of elimination. Lily Castka had a very tough second set and the weight of the match was on her shoulders. She came out in the third set with a fire in her belly and ran away with it. The most memorable for the team and probably the best part of the season was the bonding we did throughout. Specifically, Family Game Night in the hotel prior to states when the seniors destroyed everyone in Family Feud.”

Nassau County Coach of the Year: Brian Hoffner, Roslyn

Suffolk County Coach of the Year: John Selvaggio, Bayport-Blue Point

Thebeginning of a New Year is also exciting. People make resolutions and commit to bettering themselves, and for the world’s top tennis players, a fresh start and a blank slate presents itself as a new season begins.

And that new season begins in the land down under at the Australian Open, the first of the tour’s four majors. Last year’s event played host to a new champion on the men’s side and a repeat champion on the women’s side, with Italy’s Jannik Sinner capturing the first major of his career, while Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka defended her 2023 title.

To preview the 2025 Australian Open, Long Island Tennis Magazine examined the contenders, pretenders and sleepers for the Men’s Singles and Women’s Singles events:

Men’s Singles Contenders

Jannik Sinner

The current world number one had one of the best seasons in recent memory in 2024, and it all began at the Australian Open for the Italian. In a remarkable run, he knocked off Novak Djokovic, who had not lost in Melbourne since 2018, in the semifinals before coming back from two-sets-to-love down against Daniil Medvedev in the finals. That triumph kicked off a year where Sinner would win 73 matches, losing just six, and won eight titles, including the U.S. Open, the ATP Finals in his home country of Italy, and leading his nation to its second consecutive Davis Cup title. Sinner is the betting favorite to repeat as Australian Open champion.

Tommy Paul

2024 was an exciting year of tennis and especially so for the Americans, with Tommy Paul being a crucial part of the success on the men’s side. Paul won three titles last year and finished the season ranked 12th in the world, his career-high ranking, and begins the new year in a spot where he has found success before. The lone major semifinal of his career was at the Australian Open, in 2023, and he will look to build on that at this year’s Aussie Open. Paul is one of the most

athletic players on tour and has shown he is capable of beating the best players in the world, with wins over Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev, among others, which makes him a threat to win the title Down Under in 2025.

Novak Djokovic

The most dominant player in Australian Open history returns to the site where he has lifted 10 titles in his career, and coming off of a rather unsuccessful season, by his standards, is eager to reclaim his throne. When Novak Djokovic has been asked over the last couple of years how he remains motivated with all he has achieved over, he has been clear: winning majors. That is what keeps him going, and he plans his scheduling and training around that desire. With Andy Murray joining his coaching team, and a restful end to 2024, Djokovic could be fresher than he has been in recent years to begin a season. The key will be can his 37-year-old body hold up over the course of a two-week Grand Slam event, especially when most of his opponents are a decade younger than he is. But if anyone can do it, it’s Djokovic, and the Australian Open has been the major where he has found the most success over the courts of his career.

Pretenders

Carlos Alcaraz

There is no disputing Carlos Alcaraz status among the world’s best, however, there is one thing missing from his resume, and that is an Australian Open title. It’s the one major that Alcaraz has not yet won, and the Spaniard has never made it out of the quarterfinals Down Under. Other than that one quarterfinal result, Alcaraz has been eliminated in the second round and the third round in his other trips to the Aussie Open. While he is the No. 3 player in the world, and has the second shortest odds to win the event, he has not yet proven he can lift the trophy in Melbourne.

Casper Ruud

Casper Ruud enjoyed a return to form in 2024 following an injury-rattled season the year prior, and the Norwegian finished the year as the sixth ranked player in the world. He won 51 matches and reached the semifinals of the French Open, a place where he reached the finals the previous two seasons. But his lack of success on hard courts continued, which included a third-round exit at the Australian Open to begin the year and a fourth-round exit at the U.S. Open in September. Before he won a couple of round-robin matches at the ATP Finals, Ruud had lost seven of eight hardcourt matches at the end of the season, a slump that could continue in the new year. Ruud has never made it past the fourth-

round in Melbourne, and with his struggles on hard court still persisting, that may continue at the 2025 Australian Open.

Andrey Rublev

If you have ever played video games, you know how frustrating it is when you reach a level that you just can’t beat and get past. No matter what you do, it seems like you are doing something wrong or there is something you just aren’t able to figure out. That’s what it feels like with Andrey Rublev and major quarterfinals. He has reached that stage 10 times in his career and has been in the final eight at all four of the majors, but he has not been able to move past that point and play in a semifinal. Rublev has been mainstay in the Top 10 for years and currently sits at eighth in the world; but until Rublev shows he has figured out how to beat the quarterfinal level, he won’t be considered a serious contender to win a major title.

Sleepers

Jack Draper

It was a breakthrough year for Jack Draper of Great Britain, one he aims to use as a stepping stone entering 2025. Draper won two titles and posted a record of 39-22, finishing the season with a careerhigh ranking of 15th in the world. He really came into his own in the second half of the year which was highlighted by a run to the U.S. Open semifinals before he lost to the eventual champion Sinner. Draper followed that up with a title in Vienna, and had multiple wins over Top 10 players in the latter stages of the year. While his previous two trips to Melbourne did not yield great results, after proving he can make a deep run at a major with his performance in New York, Draper is a threat to do the same Down Under.

Jakub Mensik

The youngest player inside the Top 50 is Jakub Mensik of the Czech Republic. Still just a teenager, Mensik burst onto the scene in 2024, winning 25 tour-level matches after entering the year with just three tour-level victories in his career. He has a massive serve and plays extremely aggressively from the baseline, and thrives on putting pressure on his opponents. Mensik has the style of play that is built for the hard-courts, and two years ago, he reached the finals of the 2022 Australian Open junior singles final. At last year’s U.S. Open, Mensik won two matches to reach the third-round, and with a year of professional tennis under his belt, the Australian Open could be his coming out party on the international stage.

Alexei Popyrin

The last time an Australian man won the Australian Open? Mark Edmondson in 1976. Could that change in 2025? The Aussies have three men ranked inside the Top 26, with Alexei Popyrin being one of those three and checking in at 24th in the world. The big-serving Popyrin powered his way into the U.S. Open fourth round a year ago which was highlighted by a win over defending champion Novak Djokovic. Popyrin has the game to upend anyone on hard courts and he demonstrated that fact in New York last year. With the Aussie crowd getting behind him, Popyrin will have home-court advantage in his matches, and if he can channel the consistency he had at the U.S. Open, could be due for a big run in his home country.

Women’s Singles Contenders

Aryna Sabalenka

Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka will arrive in Australia as the twotime defending Australian Open champion and will be in pursuit of a third consecutive title, something that has not been done on the women’s side since Martina Hingis in the late 1990s. Sabalenka established herself as the best player in the world in 2024 and is firmly entrenched atop the WTA Rankings. She bookended her season last year with the U.S. Open title to add a third major to her resume, and is the favorite to win her fourth to kick off 2025.

Qinwen Zheng

2024 was the best season of Zheng’s career and it sets up what could be an even bigger one this year. Zheng was the runner-up at the Australian Open, losing to Sabalenka in the finals, and while she did not compile great results at the French Open or Wimbledon, still had a successful summer. Zheng captured the Olympic Gold Medal in Paris, becoming the first Asian player to win an Olympic Gold Medal in a singles event. At the U.S. Open, she reached the quarterfinals for the second straight season before falling to Sabalenka once again, and made a run to the WTA Finals championship match to wrap up her season. Another deep run at the Australian Open could be in the cards for Zheng.

Coco Gauff

While the young American was unable to repeat as the U.S. Open champion last year, Coco Gauff still finished her year in a strong manner. Gauff won the WTA Finals in Saudi Arabia in a thrilling three-set match over Qinwen Zheng, and

concluded the season as the third-ranked player in the world. Gauff has continued to make strides to fine-tune her game, which includes shoring up her forehand and ridding her service games of double-faults, and the more consistent she gets, the more dangerous it is for her competition. Gauff reached the semifinals at the Australian Open in 2024, and has her sights set on returning to that spot and hopefully beyond at this year’s installment of the tournament.

Pretenders

Jasmine Paolini

The 28-year-old Jasmine Paolini was a revelation in 2024. She began the season ranked 29th in the world and had never made it past the second round at any of the four majors. But that quickly changed as Paolini put together the best year of her career, reaching the finals of both the French Open and Wimbledon, and concluded the year as the fourth-ranked player in the world. While she was great last year, it could just be a flash in the pan. Before reaching the fourth round in Melbourne last year, she had never won a match at the event. Paolini will have to show she is ready to back up her 2024 season before being considered a contender.

Iga Swiatek

While the aforementioned Paolini enjoyed the best year of her career, 2024 was a strange year for Poland’s Iga Swiatek. Yes, she did repeat as the French Open champion, winning the event for the third consecutive time, but did not find much success at the other three majors. That was coupled by the fact that she was handed a one-month suspension by the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme for a test that she had failed back in August. The Australian Open has never been Swiatek’s best major and she has lost in Melbourne in the third-round and fourth-round, respectively, the last two seasons. When you factor that alongside this recent suspension, Swiatek could be set up for an early exit at the year’s first major.

Daria Kasatkina

The ninth-ranked player in the world Daria Kasatkina is been a consistent player atop the WTA Rankings, yet has been unable to translate that into meaningful success at the majors. Each of the last two seasons, Kasatkina did not make it out of the fourth round out at any of the majors, and in her career, she has never advanced past the third-round at the Australian Open. Kasatkina has a crafty game that utilizes a lot of variety, which makes her a difficult opponent on clay and grass surfaces, but does not have the same power as some of

the other women inside the Top 10. While Kasatkina is one of the more consistent players on tour, her struggles at the Australian Open could continue in 2025.

Sleepers

Donna Vekic

At the Paris Olympics last summer, Donna Vekic became the first woman from her native Croatia to reach even the medal stage, before winning her semifinal match and ultimately earning the Silver Medal. That result came on the heels of a run to the Wimbledon semifinals, and it proved to be one of the best summers of Vekic’s career. Vekic had ambitions of making a deep U.S. Open run, but ran into Qinwen Zheng in the fourth round, falling in a hard-fought three-set match. Vekic has reached the quarterfinals at the Australian Open before, in 2023, and brought in Sascha Bajin to be her new coach heading into the new season. Bajin was previously the hitting partner for Serena Williams during some of her dominant years, and coached Naomi Osaka while she was winning two of her Grand Slam titles, and Vekic hopes he can have a similar effect on her results in 2025.

Madison Keys

When the American arrives in Melbourne it will make the 10th anniversary of her surprise run to the Australian Open semifinals. Keys was just 19 at the time and shocked everyone by reaching the final four. While injuries have slowed her down in recent years, Keys has refound the form that made her a top player in the world, and she is a dark horse to make another deep run at the year’s first major. Few players possess more power than Keys from the baseline, and she has demonstrated the ability to go deep into the Grand Slams, evidenced by two Australian Open semifinals, a Wimbledon semifinal, and a U.S. Open runner-up finish. If Keys is healthy, look for her to potentially be one of the last women standing.

Leylah Fernandez

It seems like a lifetime ago that Leylah Fernandez came out of nowhere to reach the finals of the U.S. Open in 2021. Since then, the road has been a bit bumpy for the left-handed Canadian who now finds herself ranked 31st in the world, but 2025 could be a springboard to the next stage of her career. Fernandez won seven of her final 10 matches of the season so she should be feeling good about her tennis as we head into the new year. She has shown she is capable of making a deep run at the majors, with also a Wimbledon quarterfinal result to her name, and could be a sneaky pick to make the second week at the Australian Open.