Déjà vu all over again.
A year ago, Laura Crain and her team from Point Set Tennis represented the USTA Eastern Section at the USTA National Championships. The team would go on to capture the national title in the 18+ 2.5 category. This year, Crain will actually be taking 2 teams to the National Championships as her Women’s 18+ 3.0 team and Women’s 40+ 3.0 team won their respective Sectional Championships.
The National Championships will be held in San Diego, Calif. At the time of publication, they had not been played yet. There will be a follow up story in the January/February 2025 edition.
“Since we won Nationals last year, a lot of our friends that played at the clubs we are a part of in Garden City and at Point Set got really excited and wanted to become a part of it,” Crain explained. “We will have our core group of six players, and many players who were on the team last year but were unable to come on the road and travel with us to Nationals. We also added a few friends and competitors this season that really helped us get enough key wins to reach this point.”
In total, the team consists of 24 players who have been dedicated and working together since May. Bringing together new players to a team that already had success can be a difficult task for team captains, but as Crain said, the chemistry the team had was established early and everyone on the team had the same mission.
“Most new additions this year were friends from our country club teams that
I had either played with or against so I knew 99 percent of them. The other players that joined were those that we met at Point Set tennis through drills and leagues and honestly they fit right in,” explained Crain. “Everyone that joined this team had a strong work ethic and a desire to play the game fairly and competitively, and take it as far as we could go.”
The road to Nationals is oftentimes not a linear one, and it took a lot of effort from the top of the roster down to win at Sectionals, for both of Crain’s teams.
“Both 18+ and 40+ sectionals came down to the very last matchup. It was a story that everyone there, other than us perhaps, had hoped for. Two undefeated 4-0 teams going head to head in the final battle, winner takes all! I guess it was good to feel that pressure early on to prepare us for Nationals,” she said. “The 18+ Sectionals final matchup came down to court one singles. Sam Bidermann, our top seeded singles player, put the team on her shoulders and came through with the most clutch 15–13 tiebreak win
to push us to nationals. She is a superstar and I’m so glad I met her in USTA Tri-Level last winter and asked her to join the team. You never know where you will find connections. It also helped to have the full support of Point Set Tennis. Lori and Melissa are an incredible USTA support system. Our group chat was filled with daily texts asking teammates to play pickup games. Lessons were taken, and then practice matches were played to put to use what we learned before USTA play.”
Crain and her team are hoping to lean on their championship experience from last year to rekindle that success this time around when they head to San Diego, Calif. in an attempt to repeat as champions. Knowing that it takes the whole team, and anyone can be asked to step up at any moment, will help them succeed.
“We are chameleons. You need a singles player and someone has never played singles, they’re going to rise to the occasion. Someone gets hurt an hour before the match, someone else is going to raise their hand, step up and fill that spot. We don’t let each other down,” Crain said. “I try and be as fair as possible with my teams because I need their trust and they come through every time. Captaining has been one of the most rewarding experiences in my 40 years. I can’t wait to see what happens in California and Arizona. Even if we don’t get the title this year, the journey has been nothing short of incredible, and these teams will remember this for a really long time. That’s the best part.”
Usingtennis as a platform for positive change is the primary mission behind Grow Tennis
New York, the charitable arm of Long Island Tennis Magazine. By raising money through various events throughout the year, Grow Tennis New York is able to provide resources and opportunities to underprivileged and special needs individuals and communities.
And one of the ways the organization raises money is through the Courts & Cocktails events, the adult tennis social featuring on-court play and an off-
court party that have become increasingly popular over the last few years, with the latest one held in late September at SPORTIME Syosset.
“Our Courts & Cocktails events continue to reinforce the need for social tennis options, and we embrace using them as a way to help those less fortunate experience the benefits of tennis,” said David Sickmen, Publisher of Long Island Tennis Magazine . “We love being in the community and bringing players of all different levels from all across New York together. These nights
allow for everyone to meet new people and get away from the monotony of typical Saturday night plans. We know for a fact that many of our attendees have enjoyed our events so much that they have begun playing more tennis outside of Courts & Cocktails which is one of our goals.”
At our latest C&C event, a great group of people came out to enjoy more than two hours of tennis, featuring drills and games across six courts. The events are an ideal way to spend a Saturday night, and serve as both a great way for tennis
players to remain active in the winter months, and also benefit newer tennis players as well.
A full catered dinner was provided to players post-event as attendees were treated to both delicious food and amazing drinks from the bar throughout the night, all making for a wonderful evening of good times with good people.
This installment of Courts & Cocktails was made more special thanks to a partnership with USTA Eastern, who helped welcome in author Robert Lopez as a part of Hispanic Heritage Month. He spoke to the attendees about his journey and his new book, while also hitting the courts to meet some new friends.
"It was great to work with Long Island Tennis Magazine to provide a unique opportunity that brings together
the tennis community," said USTA Long Island Regional Director Mike Pavlides.
"We were able to recognize Hispanic Heritage Month with the tennis-playing community and author Robert Lopez, whose book is about finding his own community through tennis."
“I want to thank Mike Kossoff and the Sportime Syosset staff who were perfect hosts, and USTA Eastern Long Island for their collaberation,” Sickmen added.
“We look forward to a full calendar of Courts & Cocktails events where we will help raise funds for multiple charities!”
Whilethe 2024 U.S. Open was wrapping up in Queens, Long Island Tennis Magazine was putting a bow on the summer and kicked off the fall out in The Hamptons, as nearly 100 players from all over the tri-state area came together at SPORTIME Quogue for the Long Island Tennis Magazine Challenge.
Across 20 har-tru courts, players competed in seven different divisions of play, with the day highlighted by great play on the courts, and a lively atmosphere off the courts, with players and spectators alike watching matches and socializing on the pool deck while enjoying a large lunch spread and margaritas.
“The Long Island Tennis Magazine September Challenge was a resounding success, and we were proud to once again provide our players with a professionally-run event that included all the amenities they’ve been accustomed to,” said David Sickmen, co-tournament director.
“Each tournament, we continue to see returning faces, but are also pleased to keep seeing new players join us, which is a great indication of the
event’s growth.”
Players came from all across the Eastern Section to participate including Long Island, New York City, Westchester and New Jersey, which made for a fun day with lots of participants meeting and competing against players they have never played with or met before.
In the Women’s 6.0 – 6.5 Division, Melissa Scheinman & Carrie Lishinsky played their best tennis in the biggest moments of the knockout rounds. After defeating Teresa Mertz & Aly Ahn in
the semifinals, the duo beat Amy Gillen & Simona Doboli 6-4 in the championship match.“We tried to keep it simple, and did a great job of finishing off the points, and hitting it to the part of the court where they weren’t,” said Scheinman.
Lishinsky added:
“The tournament was fantastic. It’s always a great day of tennis with wonderful people, and it was just a fun time overall.”
Cenzig Karakaya & Ray Omid won the Men’s 7.0 – 7.5 title at the Long
Island Tennis Magazine July Challenge. The duo came out this time looking to defend that title, and did just that.
After moving past Chris Garfield & Sung Kwon in the semifinals, Karakaya & Omid out dueled Stephen Weiss & Greg Parks 6-4 in the championship match to win the title for the second straight tournament.“It was just about being patient, a lot of their points came from a style we weren’t quite used to, a lot of lobs and great placement, but my partner played great, his pace was really strong,” said Omid. “We stayed steadfast and it worked out in our favor.”
The pair has been playing doubles together for two years and has developed a great chemistry together, which has manifested in successful results on the court.
“We feel really confident together, and we are able to cover each other really well,” said Karakaya. “We know each other’s weaknesses, and what we’re good at. Ray is always being positive and coming up with good strategies, and we continue to get better together. Our goal now is to go for that three-peat.”
Competing in their first ever Long Island Tennis Magazine Challenge event, Ashley Freger & Kimberly Gershon would walk away with the title in the Women’s 7.0 – 7.5 division, first ousting Shannon Becker & Misha Monticello 6-2 in the semifinals before taking down Pam Widener & Grace Nikki Appel 6-4 in the championship match.“The competition was great, it was such a fun time,” said Gershon. “We would do these tournaments again for sure.”
The pair only recently began playing doubles together, and as they continue to get better as a team, a result like this goes a long way in building confidence.
“We’re getting better, learning each other’s games and understanding
where the other is going to be moving to, and which balls I should go for and which to leave for her, and we did a good job of that today,” added Freger.
Francois Vernet was one of those players who came a long way to compete in Sunday’s tournament as he made the trek from New Jersey to the Hamptons. It paid off as he and Jeff Silverman captured the title in the Men’s 8.0 – 8.5 division, first defeating Dan Kresh & Darren Brachman in a tiebreaker in the
semifinals, and then former champions Raimundas Rakauskas & Marijus Kuzava in the finals.“It was definitely worth coming all the way from New Jersey; the weather was awesome, the food and drinks are such a great addition, it was a really fun time,” said Vernet.
Silverman added:
“We go back a long way and know each other really well, so even though we get on each other’s case during matches, we are able to stay focused. We’re like brothers, there were some
tactics we had to discuss and get right.”
Hayley Mink & Marija Vareikiate played in their first Long Island Tennis Magazine Challenge back in July and after winning the title and having a great time, they decided to head out to Quogue to defend their title.
Mink & Vareikiate were the champions in the Women’s 8.0 – 8.5 division, first outlasting Cecilia Davoli & Jennifer Hurford in the semifinals, before defeating Lisa Trujillo & Rene Trujillo 7-6(2) in the championship.“We played the LITM Challenge at Hempstead Lake with a few people we knew, and they said we should come back for this event, which is what we did,” said Mink. “Marija’s idea was to bring some people we knew from the City and make a weekend out of it, so it was such a great time.”
Having competed in various tournaments across NYC and beyond, the pairing gave rave reviews to the Long Island Tennis Magazine Challenge series.
“We like this format a lot. You get plenty of tennis, no matter how far you advance in the tournament,” Vareikiate added. “The competition is
strengths together again, movement patterns and things like that.”
very good, and since we live in the Metro area, it’s great being able to meet new people from Long Island, and compete against different players.”
An injury kept Atara Simpson out of the Challenge events last year, but played on Sunday alongside her coach Dillon McKenzie in the Mixed Doubles 8.0 – 9.0 division. The duo found their on-court chemistry again to take home the title.“It’s like riding a bike; a confusing bike,” said McKenzie. “We had to figure out our
Simpson added:
“It was an awesome event. We haven’t gotten to play together in awhile so it was fun to be able to play together in the Mixed draw. The event was really well run, it was a lot of fun, and we’d definitely do it again.”
In the top level of the tournament, Chris Kolesnik & Dylan Friedman teamed up for the first time in years to capture the title in the Men’s 9.0 – 9.5 division, as they defeated Junji Nakamura & Koichi Nakamura in the finals.
“We played years ago, but we’re best friends since we were nine so finding that chemistry again was easy,” said Kolesnik. “We know each other’s games, strengths and weaknesses, and how to play next to one another. It’s always interesting playing with your friend, and I think we struck a good balance of having fun while being serious and focusing on winning.”Friedman won a Challenge event with his father last year, and now adds another trophy to his collection, this time with Kolesnik.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better day, we had so much fun,” Friedman said. “The weather was beautiful, the atmosphere was great, and the hospitality here is wonderful. We couldn’t ask for more.”
The next Long Island Tennis Magazine Challenge will be our annual Thanksgiving Challenge as we move indoors to host the event on Saturday, November 30 at SPORTIME Syosset. To register, visit LongIslandTennisMagazine.com/Events/ 2024ThanksgivingChallenge.
“These events are always so well put together, and they do such a great job of organizing the draws,” said Omid. “There is great food, drinks, and a warm welcoming atmosphere. The LITM Challenges are different than your normal tournament and are phenomenal.”
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Inany successful business or organization, the ability to surround yourself with like-minded people who share the same goals is essential. Just like a professional sports team, it can only work if everyone is pulling in the same direction.
By Brian Coleman
For the last 40 years, Future Stars has provided a summer home for countless children on Long Island. It began as a passion for the game of tennis and sharing a desire to illustrate its benefits to the public at large.
The first camp hosted a modest amount of campers while soccer star Pele ran a very successful soccer camp at the same Manhattanville College facility. When the soccer camp did not return the following year, Future Stars filled that void, and expanded into the world of soccer camps in addition to tennis.
Those humble beginnings have morphed into one of the most prominent camps in all of the tri-state area, with 30-40 different programs at ten unique locations. And while Future Stars provides camps and programming for an array of sports, tennis remains the nucleus of its offerings, and its success is guided by the strength of its team.
“Our incredible team is the backbone of our organization, driven by a passion to inspire everyone
involved,” said Pablo Montesi, the Director of Tennis at Future Stars. “We live by our S.T.A.R.S. protocol, which emphasizes Safety, Teamwork, Attitude, Responsibility and Sportsmanship. These core values guide us in creating a positive and supportive environment, ensuring that every experience is not only enjoyable but also enriching for all.”
Montesi has been at the forefront of growing Future Stars programming, and its desire to expand upon just offering summer camps. It offers tennis camps all-year round, and has branched out to hosting programming beyond camps, including private and group lessons, as well as tournaments.
In 2024, Future Stars implemented tournaments to offer its campers the opportunity to showcase what they have learned and improved on during the summer months.
“Our tennis tournaments are expanding, reflecting our belief that children are eager to put their skills to the test in a match setting,” Montesi added. “Kids thrive on competition, and we’re dedicated to fostering this excitement and growth through wellorganized, engaging tournaments.
We’re committed to creating more opportunities for young players to showcase their abilities and enjoy the thrill of the game.”
Montesi says that a commitment to year-round programming is a key part of the Future Stars mission, and the latest evidence of its desire to meet the needs of its clientele, something it has been dedicated to doing since its inception nearly a half-century ago.
In addition to tournaments, Future Stars has added an expanded pro shop, mini-camps which it runs during breaks in the school year, and increased junior programming.
“Our junior program is constantly evolving to provide the best experience for our participants,” Montesi said. “We’ve expanded our class offerings, placing greater emphasis on tournaments and events. Our curriculum is always being refined to ensure it meets the needs of our students, keeping them engaged, challenged and excited about their progress.”
Future Stars hasn’t just grown its junior offerings, but has also successfully navigated the the world of adult tennis, introducing clinics and leagues for adult players.
“We’ve refined our adult clinics by leveling them and creating a rating system for all players, using the USTA tennis rating as a guide to help players find the right fit and improve their
game,” Montesti said. “We offer a variety of weekly match play opportunities tailored to adults of all skill levels. With three dynamic doubles leagues and one singles league for both men and women. With over 70 active players, these leagues provide the perfect setting not just for improving your game, but for building lasting friendships through tennis.”
Building friendships through tennis is one of the redeeming aspects of our sport, and something that Future Stars has been able to do throughout these years. The values that continue to drive the Future Stars team forward have been instilled from the top down, and remains the impetus in providing its customers with whatever they need.
“These efforts reflect our commitment to delivering an exceptional experience for all of our members, and ensuring there’s always something exciting happening at our club,” said Montesi.
One of the camp directors
underneath Montesi, Omar Lopez, emphasized this:
“That comes from the top down and Pablo really sets that example. We share the same values and have the same goals, and everybody is able to bring their own piece to the puzzle. Even though we have a large number of kids across so many different locations, we maintain that personal connection to our campers, we know their names and their parents’ names, and I think that goes a long way towards families trusting us with their kids.”
For the last 40 years, Future Stars has grown significantly to offer its customers everything they need, but have never forgotten its roots, and never abandoned the values which were at the heart of why it was created in the first place.
The benefits of tennis are farreaching, and the Future Stars team is dedicated to sharing those benefits with as many people as it can. As we head into the winter months, the Future
www.pinehollowclub.com
Stars mission will continue, and Montesi and the rest of his staff are excited to maintain its growth beyond being a summer camp.
What began as one small camp 40 years ago has grown into multiple locations scattered throughout Long Island, in both Suffolk and Nassau County, as well as in Westchester. While Future Stars has blossomed into one of the premier choices for parents and kids alike, it has not abandoned the values that it was born out of.
“Our dedicated team and love for the sport are what keep our clients coming back,” concluded Montesi.
“We listen closely to what our players are looking for, and always strive to find solutions that meet everyone’s needs. We take pride in what we do, constantly challenging ourselves to improve and deliver the best experience on the courts. We stay busy year-round because we love what we do: bringing people together on the tennis courts!”
The Long Island Pickleball Challenge which is organized and operated by Long Island Tennis Magazine was held at SPORTIME Hempstead Lake, as players competed across four different doubles divisions.
Each division consisted of roundrobin play with the top teams in each divisions advancing to the knockout rounds. Throughout the morning, a breakfast spread of
bagels, muffins and fruit was available to players, and in the afternoon, as the tournament concluded, participants enjoyed cocktails which helped create a festive atmosphere for all to enjoy.
“I think the organizers did a great job with this event as it was very well-run,” said Richard Nessim. “You get a lot of matches, even in the round-robin play. I’ve played in other tournaments where you don’t
get to play a lot and there’s a long wait in between matches, but not here. The games moved smoothly, and there was great competition. A+.”
Nessim competed in the Men’s 3.5 – 4.0 division alongside Nick Gambina in their first tournament together as a doubles tandem. The pairing used what they worked on during practice sessions and recreation play to come away with
the title, as they defeated Chris Biscuiti & Daniel Palumbo 13-8 in the championship match.“I loved the style of play and formatting of the event,” said Gambina. “I was a bit nervous in the beginning with it being my first tournament, but I loved playing and we were able to win.”
Nessim added:
“It was about being patient in the finals. We like to hit a lot from the back, but we got into some dinking games there, and had to play solid until they made the mistakes. We had to change our style a bit but I think we did a good job with that.”
In the Men’s 4.0 – 4.5 division, Roey Heymann & Brad Berger effectively utilized their strategy coming in to claim the title, as the duo beat Anthony DiGuiseppe & Robby Falvo 15-9 in the championship match.
“We wanted to attack the middle with our forehands, and we were able to do that well,” said Heymann. “We said whoever found themselves in the middle during a point, just keep the ball low and down the middle.”The pairing had to dig deep in order to win, as DiGuiseppe & Falvo built an early lead in the finals.
“They played great, but we were able to come through,” added Berger. “We were down 2-8, but
didn’t give up and stayed with it.”
For Jennifer Walsh & Corinne D’Andrea, employing a strategy of not over thinking and just playing proved to be a smart one, as they won the Women’s 3.5 – 4.0 Championship. The pairing defeated Emilie Katz & Abby Lerner 15-9 in the finals.“We’ve been playing doubles for quite some time together, and our motto is ‘don’t think, just play’, and we were able to do that,” said Walsh.
“We complement each other well, and we know where the other is going to be on the court. Our games work well together. Playing with her was the best part of the day, we always have fun together. This was a great day and we’ll be back for another title.”
Kattie Figgie captured the title in a Women’s Doubles division in the Long Island Pickleball Challenge that took place in June, and this time tried her hand in the Mixed Doubles 3.5 – 4.0 division, pairing with Brett Epstein.After advancing to the knockout stages as the top-seed, Figgie & Epstein finished their day off with a 15-8 victory over Kim Pflaumer & Eric Chaffer in the finals.
“It was a really fun day, and we were able to play consistently throughout the day,” said Figgie. “Being able to play with Brad was great.”
Epstein added:
“I leaned on her in the big moments and we were able to play well when it was needed most.”
The Long Island Pickleball Challenge was the latest event in the Long Island Tennis Magazine Event Series, and continued the magazine’s commitment to providing the community with top-tier tournaments in multiple racquet and paddle sports.
“The entire tournament ran smoothly and featured great competition,” said LI Tennis Magazine Owner and cotournament director David Sickmen.
“As we continue our foray into the pickleball world, we have received great feedback from players and spectators which only motivates us to use our platform and media apparatus to run more pickleball events. Thank you to SPORTIME Hempstead Lake for their hospitality, and my co-tournament director Michelle Stoerback for helping us put on another professionally run event. I also want to show our gratitude to SassyLI who set up a booth with their latest pickleball apparel, Town Bagel for providing the breakfast spread, and iPlayMe2 for featuring the tournament results on their website. We are excited to host more tournaments to close out this year and into 2025.”
The sport of tennis continues to grow and thrive throughout the country, and that is especially true here on Long Island. While we have seen the rise of other racquet and paddle sports during this time, tennis maintains its place as the sport of choice for many. From the extreme health benefits to the camaraderie it can provide and the life skills it helps foster, the benefits of tennis are immense.
At the heart of the sport’s growth here in our communities is the work done by USTA Eastern, the governing body of tennis in our area. The 2024 U.S. Open earlier this fall saw a record number of people come out for tennis, and once again USTA Eastern provided hundreds of juniors the opportunity to go on court prior to matches, one of the many unique initiatives conducted by Eastern to inspire kids to play tennis.
Neil Thakur is USTA Eastern’s Schools Manager and Community Tennis Coordinator for the Long Island and Metro Region, and is integral in organizing those prematch clinics during the U.S. Open, as well as the many year-round programs that help grow tennis.
Long Island Tennis Magazine spoke with Thakur about this year’s U.S. Open, the 2024 year overall, and how Eastern plans to continue its work into 2025.
LITM: As the Schools Manager and Community Tennis Coordinator for USTA Eastern, what is your role within the organization?
Thakur: I work with schools to help them introduce tennis in their PE and afterschool programs. We offer equipment, training for teachers and a K-12 curriculum all for free. We also connect them to a local school partner that can help implement an in school and/or after school
program. In my CTC role, I work with all commercial and community organizations in the Metro and Long Island regions to grow tennis. This includes offering them support through grants, programming and whatever else they need.
LITM: How has USTA Eastern helped bring tennis into more schools in an effort to continue growing the game at the grassroots level?
Thakur: Having tennis in school PE helps expose kids in underserved communities to a game that they may not otherwise have access to. Studies show that students who play tennis perform better in school and go on to college. It also keeps them healthy and active. Many HS coaches see it as a feeder program for their tennis teams.
LITM: The Net Generation clinics prior to the U.S. Open matches are always a highlig ht of the event. How have you and Eastern helped grow that initiative over the last few years and what is
the feedback you get from the tennis coaches/directors, as well as parents and the players themselves?
Thakur: We are very lucky to have the U.S. Open in our backyard and invite players and parents to attend for free. The Net Generation on court program has proven to be a very inspiring and memorable opportunity for our local clubs and community programs to have their juniors play where the professionals play. I get so much positive feedback from coaches, directors, parents and players throughout the year. Many say it inspired them to continue playing tennis and improve their game. I truly believe that we are changing lives!
LITM: What are some new initiatives, if any, you began in 2024? How did they align with the organization's goals?
Thakur: The goal is always to
grow the game, however we can. To do this, we have been trying to encourage more players to consider coaching as a career by attending our various coaching workshops. We also have been promoting social tennis programs which include having new players learn red ball which allows them to learn tennis in a simpler way while having fun. Tennis is a lifelong game that offers many health benefits and that is something that we want to continue to promote.
LITM: What is on the horizon for 2025? How will you continue to help grow the sport of tennis as we prepare for a new year?
Thakur: We want to collaborate with new organizations and players to grow the game and we will continue to do that in 2025. There are many pilot programs that were introduced this year and we hope to
expand on those in the future.
LITM: What should the publicat-large know about what Eastern is doing, and what grant opportunities and others are available to them?
Thakur: The public at large should know that we are committed to help refurbish public tennis courts through our tennis venue services which includes grants and consulting services. We are engaging with local government and park agencies to identify tennis courts that are in need of repair. We rely on our volunteers to help us deliver programs so we are always looking for our players to get involved with us and support their community programs through various grants that we offer. We want to offer more free or low cost tennis opportunities during the outdoor season at parks and other community facilities.
After best run yet at a major, American Taylor Fritz has high hopes for 2025
By Brian Coleman
The stage was set.
An American man was in the finals of a Grand Slam 21 years in the making and on an early Sunday afternoon in September, the drought had never been closer to ending. It was a script meant for Hollywood, with American Taylor Fritz inside Arthur Ashe Stadium, with a chance to win the U.S. Open title.
“Walking on the court and hearing the crowd go crazy and soaking in the moment like ‘I’m walking out to play a match on Ashe in the U.S. Open finals; it’s what I dreamed about my whole life,” said Fritz. “It almost got me emotional, but I was just really happy and ready to enjoy the moment.”
But unlike Hollywood, this story would not have the happiest of endings. Fritz would lose in straight sets to the top-seed Jannik Sinner of Italy, continuing the streak of no major titles for American men in two decades.
“It was a really tough match for me,” Fritz reflected in his post-match press conference. “I think I had a plan of what I wanted to do going out. Some parts of it I did well, and a lot of parts of it I didn’t, I definitely didn’t hit the ball as well as I expected to.”
In truth, Fritz really did not play a poor match in the finals. He struggled a bit with his serve, providing Sinner with 12 break point chances, and he was unable to win some of the match’s key points. This was evident late in the third set when he had a 5-3 advantage and an opportunity to extend the match into a fourth set, but would end up losing the final four games of that set to close out the final.
He spoke about his disappointment in his post-match press conference:
“There’s obviously a lot of positives, and when I get some time to cool down, then I’ll be happy about the fact that I made it to the finals and stuff like that,” said Fritz. “But right now I’m just disappointed in how I played, how I [hit] certain shots. It sucks. I’m not saying that it necessarily would have made a difference. But I just would have liked to have played better and given myself a better chance. It’s really disappointing right now. I feel like the fans, American fans, have been wanting a men’s champion for a long time, and I’m just pretty upset with how I played. I feel like I almost let a lot of people down.”
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While Fritz was not happy with himself after the loss, both due to his own expectations but also the immense pressure he inevitably felt from the weight of the drought of American men at the majors. However, Fritz made a point to walk away from the U.S. Open finals with a positive mindset rather than basking in the defeat.
“I think that’s just extremely reassuring to me that I was able to get to this point, just playing solid tennis. I know that there’s still a lot of room for improvement,” he said. “And something I’ve said throughout my entire career, whether it’s when I won my first ATP point or I won my first challenger or I made my first round of 16 or whatever it is, I’ve always said once
I do something once, I just feel a lot more confident in being able to do it again. Sometimes it’s taken me some time to get to a certain achievement but I’ve always felt like once I’ve done something, I gain a lot of confidence that I can do it again. It is a great feeling to have gotten to this point, knowing that I’m playing well, but I’m playing very within myself, and I feel like it’s repeatable.”
That being the top takeaway will be important for Fritz, because as he said, once the sting of the loss evaporates, he will be able to get back to work and build on his twoweeks of success in New York. It was the best result at a Grand Slam in his career, having never reached a semifinal before this September, and he became the first American man to play in a major final since 2009.
His result was also symbolic of how successful of a year it has been for American men. Led by Fritz, there are five men ranked inside the Top 20.
The General Manager of Player Development, Martin Blackman, spoke about the success of the American men at the U.S. Open, and the outlook for them moving forward.
“American tennis, men and women, is in the best place it's been since 1996,” Blackman said. “We've spent 15 years trying to get here. I believe all five [of the topranked male players] can win a Slam. That may not happen, but I believe that all five of them are capable of it. They've all been willing to sacrifice and fully commit to this and they're not just happy or content to reach the quarters or the round of 16.”
Following the U.S. Open, Fritz did some much-earned unwinding. He participated in Fashion Week in Milan, Italy, joining his secondround opponent Matteo Berrettini in donning some of the latest trends in fashion.
“Tennis fashion has become a big thing,” Fritz said. “A lot of people like to do the tennis looks, and a lot of brands as well have gotten into that. It works because its stuff that you can wear to play tennis and stuff that you can wear when you're not playing tennis, so it just works for everything. I definitely think that fashion in tennis is becoming bigger and bigger.”
After that, he headed to London to participate in the Laver Cup, the star-studded exhibition event that pits Team World against Team Europe, before representing the
United States in the Davis Cup in November.
Competing in multiple team events following what must have been an exhausting and stressful two weeks in New York may be just what the doctor ordered as he aims to rest his mind and body.
Speaking about the Laver Cup, specifically, Fritz said:
“It’s amazing. I’m going to get to go play a really fun event that I enjoy with all of my friends. Because it’s pretty impossible for me not to be fired up, playing a match when I have all these guys on the bench going crazy for me,” Fritz said. “It’s
just a fun tournament to compete in and be with the guys. It’s a good time in the calendar for this. Just play that and almost recharge a little mentally.”
While Fritz wasn’t on the USA Davis Cup roster for the September tie when the Americans advanced to the quarterfinals, he will join them in Malaga, Spain for their clash against Australia in November.
Fritz compiled the best result of his career here in New York, and the expectations will only increase as we enter 2025, something that Fritz embraces and will use as motivation moving forward.
Aswinter approaches, many tennis players shift their games indoors, while others focus on off-season training to prepare for the next competitive season. Transitioning to indoor play and managing off-season workouts requires smart adjustments to avoid injuries and maintain peak performance. Understanding these changes and how to adapt can make all the difference in staying healthy and strong year-round.
Playing tennis indoors presents a new set of challenges that players must adapt to for optimal performance and injury prevention. Indoor courts typically have slicker surfaces, which means the ball moves more quickly, offering less time to react compared to outdoor play on clay courts. This shift can increase the risk of repetitive stress injuries if players don't modify their technique.
One of the simplest yet most effective adaptations is adjusting racket tension. By loosening the strings, players can create more control and absorb some of the impact from the faster ball speed on indoor courts.
Gear adjustments are just as important. When playing indoors, invest in indoor tennis shoes that offer better traction.
If indoor play presents more challenges than benefits, consider using the offseason to recover, rebuild, and strengthen your body for the next competitive season. After months of intense play, this downtime allows you to address any nagging overuse injuries –
like tendinitis and muscle strains – while focusing on targeted conditioning that can help improve your game.
Low-impact activities such as swimming, cycling, and Pilates are excellent ways to stay fit while giving your joints and muscles a break from the repetitive motions of tennis. These exercises improve cardiovascular endurance and strengthen important muscle groups, particularly the core and back, which are crucial for generating power on the court.
Incorporating flexibility exercises, such as yoga, can also help improve mobility and reduce the risk of injury during the season. A balanced training regimen focusing on different muscle groups ensures your body stays strong, flexible, and injury-free.
If you experience chronic pain or lingering injuries, the off-season is an ideal time to address these issues. Heat therapy can help increase blood flow and reduce stiffness, especially in the colder months when the body tends to tighten up. Stretching and mobility work are also critical to maintaining flexibility and preventing injuries.
It’s essential to listen to your body during the off-season. Pushing through pain or ignoring discomfort can lead to more severe injuries that could sideline you for months. Instead, set realistic shortterm goals that build toward a successful return to the court. Working with a
By Julian J. Sonnenfeld, M.D.
physical therapist or sports medicine specialist can help you develop a personalized treatment plan that targets your weaknesses while building your strengths.
The off-season is also a great time to focus on nutrition and wellness. With fewer daylight hours in the winter and weather conditions that force outdoor activities inside, it’s easy for athletes to experience dips in vitamin D levels, which can affect energy and recovery. Supplements like omega-3 fatty acids can support cardiovascular health, while maintaining a balanced diet ensures your body has the fuel to recover and perform.
Don’t overlook the importance of mental health during this time. The off-season can feel like a lull for athletes, but it’s an opportunity to reset mentally and physically. Changing your routine with new activities or exploring different sports can keep things fresh and exciting, preventing burnout.
By making smart adjustments during indoor play and focusing on balanced offseason training, athletes can prevent injuries and come back stronger in the spring.
At Orlin & Cohen, we’re here to support you year-round, whether you need help recovering from an injury or want to create a personalized training plan.
Visit orlincohen.com to learn more and schedule an appointment with our sports medicine specialists.
LongIsland native Parsa Samii was a top junior tennis player who went on to have a successful collegiate playing career before becoming a high-performance tennis coach here on Long Island.
Now, Parsa is one of the area’s most respected real estate agents, and is using a lot of what he learned as a high-level tennis player and coach to find success in the real estate industry. We spoke with him about the state of the market as we wrap up 2024 and head into 2025.
LITM: As we approach the end of 2024, how has the real estate market changed and evolved from the beginning of the year until now?
Parsa: I would say it was a normal spring market, we had plenty of transactions and homes being sold and bought because of high interest rates. You still only saw that people who needed to buy and sell were the ones that were transacting in the marketplace. As the year has gone on, it has definitely slowed down as we’re in an election cycle, and I think people are holding out to see what happens, that plus geopolitical considerations. And even with the good news of interest rates starting to fall, it hasn't really fallen to a point where it entices the people that had their 3 percent or below loans during Covid. It still hasn't motivated those people to sell, upgrade or downgrade or move to a different state. So far, we're still in a bit of a holding pattern, but it looks like there should be some positives on the horizon soon.
LITM: How do those changes affect things for buyers? How about sellers?
Parsa: So depending on the hyper local market, buyers are still either paying through the nose because inventor y is still low, or if they go to other areas that are not as robust, they are finding some opportunities. But you're still rampant with high pricing from Covid in certain markets that are not as robust, and they haven't come down to expectations. So the markets have slowed up, but in certain towns that are coveted they are still trading hundreds of thousands of dollars over the asking price. They are having long lines out of an open house and multiple bids that are being placed for sellers. It really depends on where you are. So hyper local is the word of the market in the current state. Each one of the towns is really behaving differently. And again, as I always say in these articles, it really important to pair yourself with the expert in your local marketplace as they know how the market is transacting.
LITM: Specifically regarding Long Island, and I know it varies depending on town/county, etc., what's the current state of the market here in our community?
Parsa: It is depending on the town and the county, because it is hyper local. When you're talking about the Hamptons market, it's a secondary market, a vacation home, and in certain price points in the luxury spaces, people still don't care, and they're still transacting. You've got a lot more happening off market right now. And I would say that's across all of Long Island. Some people don't want to be bothered. Some people want the quick out. Some people don't want a lot of people walking through their house and are satisfied with a number they never thought they would get that they're getting today. If anyone has any questions, they can always pick up the phone, give me a call, and I’m happy to talk real estate.
LITM: What are some things a buyer should be aware of as we move through the end of 2024 and into 2025? What sellers should know?
Parsa: What sellers should know is that as of August 17, the way the buyer compensation structure is for buyer agents has changed. There was a Department of Justice lawsuit that basically is attempting to make sellers and buyers have their own representation, and as a result of that, buyers are obligated to pay their agents their commission. And in a lot of ways, it's scary for a buyer who's got closing costs and other things, and now an additional fee. However, so far, as a result, sellers have still been picking up their commission 95 percent of the time as they want the most buyers through their house, and the best way to do that is to offer compensation for a buyer's agent. So far, although there's a lot of news and, this is constantly changing, but it is something to definitely be aware of as a buyer. In addition, this year, in the state of New York, there's something called the property condition statement, which requires the homeowner to write as much as they know about the property. And it's about 56 questions or so that they have to answer truthfully. It's something new that a lot of other states do, that we have not done in New York until this year. And all of these are works in progress. Again, I would say the most important thing is to find an expert, a professional who buys and sells real estate as a career, and they can explain how these nuances are changing the marketplace little by little, but nothing to be alarmed about. You just need to know, and that's the most important part.
LITM: On a more general note, how has the increase in private equity's ownership of homes affected the landscape for buyers?
Parsa: This is a really interesting one, and I think it's one
that is really pertinent to nationwide inventory. Often you hear private equity purchasing homes in the news and things like that. In our area, it's definitely very expensive to own homes, and it's not so lucrative to necessarily hold them to try to make a profit. I think, if anything, perhaps there's a few hedge fund portfolios and such that are just trying to hedge their portfolios with the real estate market. So they're not necessarily so heavy into Wall Street, and they look for other opportunities. I think that happens, and it's always been a part of the market. It's just, again, there’s more coverage in the news towards it. And obviously in other parts of the United States, there's heavy private equity ownership throughout multi-family homes and distressed properties so it’s definitely something to keep a note on, but not so much affecting the Long Island landscape.
LITM: Is there anything else you would like to add?
Parsa: I think the number one thing that is the most pressing to know is the changes that have happened in the real estate market. In the real estate world, how buyer brokers or buyer agents are compensated so I think it's really important to
have that expert with you in your hyper local market that really understand the subtleties and nuances of what's happening. It's more important than ever to have an expert on your side to have the greatest real estate success possible. Oftentimes, I see sellers saying it’s such a hot market, I could sell it on my own. And yes, there are exceptions where some owners can sell their home by themselves, but it's a lot of work. And generally they don't get as much money. They don't have a great understanding of what the modern day buyer is looking for. What an agent does today is vastly different than what it was 20 years ago. And there's so much that goes into it, from the first meeting all the way to the closing table and beyond. There's so much that is intricate and involved, and it's so helpful to know to have someone by your side that knows what they're doing, just like any other profession. There are great agents and not so great agents, just like there are great lawyers and not so great lawyers and great physicians and not so great physicians, so you have to really search to find the best. It will make a difference for your bottom dollar and for your own sanity.
By Brian Coleman
“Why not me? Why not you? Why not us?”
That’s the caption that concludes a lot of Instagram posts from Reagan Chou, a 10-year-old tennis player from Long Island. Chou has become one of the best players on Long Island for his age, and uses his social media channels to not only share his tennis voyage with the world, but also to help him track his own progression.
“The point is to share my journey and it’s great to see others in their journey as well,” Chou said. “It is so cool to use social media to be able to look back at what I did when I started and where I am now. I also don’t have enough room on my iPad to save all these photos and memories.”
His page is full of a combination of intense training videos, positive messaging, practice shots and funny family moments, creating an overall channel that represents exactly what we want to see out of our young junior players: having fun while navigating the competitive world of junior tennis.
And make no mistake, Chou is a competitive junior tennis player. He began playing tennis when he was four-years-old
through the Net Generation programs. He can remember hitting a balloon over the net with his coaches, and he immediately was hooked.
Fast-forward just a few years, now 10years-old, Chou competes against older players. He is currently ranked 18th on Long Island in the Boys’ 12s division, and he embraces the competitiveness that tennis brings out of him.
This fall, he traveled to Austin, Texas to compete in the “Little Mo” Nationals. While he did not achieve the exact result he wanted, being able to travel across the country, and see new places is one of the best aspects of being a competitive junior player for Chou.
“I love meeting new friends, and I love traveling around the United States to play,” he says. “It’s amazing. I am lucky to go with my whole family. It’s really cool to see how great some kids are and even cooler to see some friends that I have met at other tournaments as well. We root for each other, and it’s a great bonding experience.”
If you scroll through Chou’s Instagram page, you can see the enthusiasm he has for the sport of tennis, and how he shares his tennis journey with his older sister, Lilliana. Tennis is
a family endeavor for the Chou’s, and having a big sister who also plays tennis gives him somebody to lean on.
“She is the reason why I play, seeing some of her successes made me want to play and try harder,” he said. “I am very lucky to have Lilly as a big sister she makes time to hit with me and I get to hit really hard with her, so I am prepared during the tournaments.”
One of Chou’s main training homes is Carefree Racquet Club in North Merrick. Chou plays in many of the club’s group lessons that are run by Director of Tennis Ben Marks.
“I play there twice a week, and I love being there because the people are super nice and supportive,” he explains. “Ben just makes it fun, and creates the perfect balance for me. I get to practice with too much pressure. They challenge me, but also know when to make it really fun which is a perfect environment to learn and grow.”
to beat his opponent!”
Chou’s biggest strength is his effort on the court. He won’t be outworked or outhustled during a match, which provides an ideal foundation to build from. He admits that his mental game is something he can improve on, and is something he is working on. Staying calm during a match, and not getting too high or too low, is an area of focus in his training right now.
In discussing Chou, Marks said: “Reagan works extremely hard and you can see his desire to improve every time he is out there, especially when the points start! At such a young age, his
fight and his grit definitely makes him stand out. He definitely makes you forget his young age when he is out there on the court especially when he plays with players much older than him. We try to encourage Reagan especially in group sessions to try and play a little more offensively and take a few more risks here and there. He loves to compete and he loves to win, so its finding a balance between practicing new things that may not be successful right away and his desire
In addition to tennis, Chou plays soccer competitively. When he scores, he likes to celebrate like his favorite player, Ronaldo. And when he isn’t playing sports, he enjoys hanging out with his friends and eating his favorite food, ice cream, as well as watching his favorite YouTube channels, which provides inspiration for his own pages.
At just 10-years-old, the future is bright for Chou, and it will be exciting to follow his tennis journey through his popular social media pages, as he aims to become the best tennis player he can.
“I want to be one of the best tennis players at each age I turn,” he says. “I want to play Carlos Alcaraz one day. Why not me?”
What a great night celebrating the best of Long Island tennis at the 34th USTA LI Awards Ceremony in September!
A full house enjoyed recognizing all of the wonderful honorees who were awarded for the on-court achievements or their community-focused work. Prestigious award winners were:
The Eranis were recognized for their lifetime of support for and contributions to the local tennis community and worthy causes. They have hosted their annual Erani Tennis Invitational tournament for more than 30 years, first at their home in the Hamptons and more recently at Sportime Quogue. The competitive event has raised money for many worthy charities.
Vitas Gerulaitis “For the Love of Tennis” Award— Jonathan Klee
AnAll-Conference Tennis player for Oceanside High School, USTA league captain and player for decades in many country club leagues and pickup games Jonathan not only plays tennis but has volunteered much of his adult life to the game he loves. He served as USTA Long Island Regional Director from 2017-2022 and was USTA Eastern's Grievance Chair from 2008-2012. He currently serves on the USTA Eastern Board of Directors as Secretary, has been a member of the USTA National Constitution and Rules Committee since 2015 and has served on other committees for USTA National, USTA Eastern and USTA Long Island.
TheDonnelly family has been a fixture of the Long Island tennis retail scene for nearly 50 years. With two stores in Commack and Miller Place, their Grand Slam Tennis is the place to go for personalized attention and all the tennis equipment one might need. They are always quick to help and provide services to those in need, and can be counted on when something is required at the last second.
TheCity of Glen Cove has been offering low-cost tennis lessons to children part of its Summer Rec program for several years. Programs are offered for children starting at age 6 and taught by Coach Chris McDonald.
Special congratulations to the sportsmanship awardees:
Birdie Tarulli League Captain Sportsmanship Award:
Karen Cadorette
Blane Magee League Captain Sportsmanship Award:
Alan Turkiewicz
Anuj Agarwal Junior Sportsmanship Award: Noah
Martinez
Jennifer Sherry Junior Sportsmanship Award: Blake Chang
To see the complete list of honorees as well as photos from the evening, please visit our website.
Eastern brings back its Eastern College Showcase on November 11th at the Genesis Health Club @ Saw Mill in Mt. Kisco. This event is targeted for high school juniors and seniors who are considering college tennis. High school freshmen and sophomores can participate in the College Showcase Camp. For more information visit www.eastern.usta.com or scan the QR code.
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
to All Award Winners from The USTA Eastern Long Island Region’s 34th Annual Awards Ceremony
Congratuations to all the winners, especially our SPORTIME Members, Players and Coaches, for being recognized at the
For a full list of SPORTIME/JMTA honorees, please scan the code or visit www.sportimeny.com HOME OF
Great tennis players and even better kids! We are proud of both the Boys’ and Girls’ tennis teams and head coach Steve Ferrantello at
Half Hollow Hills East for being named the Long Island High School Tennis Team of the Year!
to All Award Winners from The USTA Eastern Long Island Region’s 34th Annual Awards Ceremony
To someone who is always striving to grow our sport and lives up to the award’s namesake.
Congrats Hamlet Phillip on winning the Daniel Burgess Sr. Community Service Award.
We are proud of Sanam Mehta for giving back to her community and spreading the joy of tennis. Congrats on winning Junior Volunteer of the Year, keep up the great work!
This tennis community would not be the same without your contributions and self-less commitment.
Congrats to Jonathan Klee on the Vitas Gerulaitis “For The Love Of Tennis” Award!
The perfect example of never giving up and never stop fighting.
Lauren Norris, congrats on your Charles Karp Memorial Award For Overcoming Adversity, and see you on the court soon!
Forthe last half century, Eastern Athletic Clubs have been a haven for tennis lovers on Long Island. At its numerous Suffolk County locations, Eastern Athletic Clubs has been at the forefront of providing its customers with top-tier amenities, tennis instruction and more.
The flagship location is in Dix Hills, but over the last several years, the Blue Point facility of Eastern Athletic Clubs has made a strong push to develop a high-level junior program. Eastern Athletic has always been known for its adult tennis programming and catering towards the recreational player. While it continues to do so, the impetus to raise the profile of its junior program has been a core mission at Blue Point.
Long Island Tennis Magazine sat down with Gary Gaudio, the Director of Tennis at Eastern Athletic Club in Blue Point, to discuss his role there, how they continue the mission of EAC, and how he and his team have made a push to enhance its junior tennis programming.
LITM: How would you describe Eastern Athletic Blue Point? If you were trying to explain your mission statement, philosophy, etc. to someone, what would you say?
Gaudio: Our mission at Eastern Athletic Club Blue point is to provide a fun tennis experience where players learn, improve, and develop a love for
tennis. We have a family friendly atmosphere and a team oriented approach to coaching our junior tennis players and leading our programs. The players who play in our program come from such wonderful families, the parents are very supportive and the kids are respectful and fun to coach. The coaches all get along, support each other, and are all committed to the development and improvement of our players.
LITM: You said that EAC Blue Point has undergone a bit of a transformation in recent years, can you explain to me what that was and what that entailed?
Gaudio: Historically, the club has primarily been a recreational adult tennis club. The club has always had numerous adult tennis leagues and several USTA teams. Many of the teams over the years have won sectionals and nationals championships. I had started working at the club in 2015 as a staff pro and came in with a vision to build up the junior program. After a year and a half of coaching in 2017 I felt in my
heart that I wanted to do more at the club and with the junior tennis program. I was offered the opportunity to be the Tennis Director. The opportunity allowed me to maximize both the potential of our coaching staff and the potential playing ability of our players with changes to the structure of our programs.
LITM: What are the tenants of the junior program? What do you think makes Blue Point stand out?
Gaudio: Fun is number one for us. Tennis is a game and above all it needs to be fun for the players no matter what level they are or how serious they want to take it, there has to be a love for playing the game. The energy, enthusiasm and passion that the coaches bring to the court has been monumental for our program that makes it stand out. Alex Weinum has been coaching at Eastern Athletic for over 20 years and has brought a wealth of experience and knowledge from coaching at a top national facility in Michigan and coaching at the U.S. Open. His energy and creativity on the court and his psychological approach to coaching tennis have had a profound impact on hundreds of players. Myself and coaches Dylan Roberts and Ciro Baldinucci all grew up in Suffolk County playing high school tennis and have a relatable experience for the players we coach and to the local tennis community of school tennis teams and coaches.
LITM: How has the junior program grown over the last several years? Explain the growth and what you think has been the impetus behind it?
Gaudio: Seven years ago when I became tennis director we had around 150 junior tennis players playing in our program. and as of last spring we had around 230 players participating in our programs. The impetus behind the growth has been the hard work of myself and the coaches, and providing both competitive and recreational opportunities to our players. We have had Junior Tennis Holiday parties for parents and players, Halloween parties, Friday Night tennis drills with music, junior zones, junior team tennis tournaments and matches, interclub matches, clinics with the Stony Brook University Team, and junior league match play on Sundays. Making tennis fun for the players at a young age has fostered their love for the sport. Our 10U players who participated in all of
our fun events are now years later winning USTA tournaments and earning All County recognition in High School tennis.
LITM: How does having successful players have a contagious effect on the other players in the program? Do you think there is a motivating factor, an iron sharpening iron sort of effect?
Gaudio: The success of our players has been contagious for the development of other players in our program. Seeing the higher level of players at the club provides motivation for the younger ones. We even have had some of our high performance players in the past hop in and play with our younger players to give them that interaction, build upon the team atmosphere that we have and help inspire them. A lot of our high performance players have younger brothers, sisters and cousins that are
also in the program which has also been key. We now have a number of talented players ages 8-12 that love the sport and are up and coming. We are excited about what the future has for them.
LITM: EAC are one of the longest standing tennis clubs on Long Island. How proud are you to be able to work under that umbrella, and help continue that legacy?
Gaudio: EAC is an amazing place to work, and to build the program and see the success of the players has been incredibly rewarding for our coaching team. To see so many junior tennis players representing EAC in USTA tournaments and Varsity Tennis has now added junior tennis to the legacy of EAC that goes alongside with its strong history of adult teams. We are all excited for what the future holds for all of our players because it's all about them!
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The local tennis community boasts some of the top coaches in the world, and with this wealth of talent available, Long Island Tennis Magazine took the opportunity to pick the brains of some of these coaches. These coaches share their thoughts on a wide variety of tennis topics and issues, ranging from junior tennis to the professional game.
Ricky Becker is The Director of Tennis at the Glen Oaks Club. He also coaches highperformance juniors throughout the year and has been the Director of Tennis at three of Long Island’s biggest junior programs. As a player, Becker was the Most Valuable Player for the 1996 NCAA Championship Stanford Tennis team and ranked in the top-five nationally as a junior.
Jared Berse is the Head Tennis Professional at Nassau Tennis & Sports Center in Inwood as well as the Director of Tennis at Inwood Country Club.
Eldad Campbell is the High Performance Talent Development Specialist at Robbie Wagner Tournament and Training Center. He is a four-time representative of the Jamaican Men’s Davis Cup, Junior Davis Cup, World Youth Cup, and Pan American Games team and a former number-one junior tennis player in Jamaica. He currently counsels high-performance tennis players, parents, and coaches, helping them navigate the different terrains of the tennis industry.
Dale Evans is the Director of Tennis Operations at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
Originally from Oakland, CA, he is a 2-time tennis industry national award winner and 2time national coaching champion who has spoken at several conferences and USPTA World Conferences. After playing collegiate tennis at Jackson State University (MS), he has spent an extensive amount of time coaching players and leading high-performing teams throughout the tennis industry. He holds a B.S. in Management and M.S. in Sports Management and certifications from USPTA, PTR, Academia De Sanchez-Casal, and IPTPA.
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 co-director of The City Classic Junior Tennis Academy. Steve has coached more than 1,100 nationally- ranked junior players, 16 New York State high school champions, two NCAA Division 1 Singles Champions, and numerous highly-ranked touring professionals. In 2017, Steve was awarded the Hy
Zausner Lifetime Achievement Award by the USTA.
Paul Koenke is the Global Off-site Tournament Coordinator & Assistant Academy Director of the John McEnroe Tennis Academy. A native of Denver, Colorado, he was ranked in the Top 10 national in the Boys 16s and Boys 18s before going on to play collegiately at Clemson University and Boise State University. Koenke has coached across the United States for more than a decade.
Ed Krass coached the Harvard Women’s Tennis Team to four consecutive Ivy League titles from 1986-1990. Ed is the founder and director of the Annual College Tennis Exposure Camps, which are taught exclusively by all head college coaches for high school-aged players (15-18). Ed is also the founder of One-On-One Doubles tournaments, which have been played at USTA, ATP, ITA and USPTA national events.
Saloman Levy is the Co-Director of Tennis at Christopher Morley Tennis. Levy is originally from Colombia where he served as coach and captain of the National teams. He attended the Wingate Institute for Sports Science in Israel, and has gone on to coach many players who have played at the national and collegiate levels.
Chris Lewit is a former number one for Cornell and pro circuit player. He is a highperformance coach, educator, and the author of two best-selling books: The Secrets of Spanish Tennis and The Tennis Technique Bible. He has coached numerous top 10 nationally- ranked players and is known for his expertise in building the foundations of young prodigies. Chris coaches in NYC and year-round at his high performance tennis academy in Manchester, VT, where players can live and train the Spanish Way full- time or short-term.
Omar Lopez is a fulltime tennis professional at Future Stars in Southampton during the winter and the Assistant Tennis Director at Future Stars Southampton in the summer.
Ben Marks is Director of Junior Tennis at Carefree Racquet Club, and Director of Tennis at Cold Spring Harbor Beach Club. He previously worked at the JohnMcEnroe Tennis Academy, and was the Cold Spring Harbor Varsity Head Coach for
three years, earning Nassau County Coach of the Year Honors in 2014. He played number one and number two singles for Norfolk State University, and number one doubles— reaching a career-high regional ranking of ninth in the Atlantic Region. He is a 2015 National Open Doubles Champion. In 2018, he was named USTA Long Island’s Tennis Professional of the Year.
David Nisenson is the director of junior development at Point Set Tennis. With more than 25 years of playing and coaching experience and an unmatched competitiveness, David has quickly become one of the driving forces behind Point Set’s junior development program.
Dylan Roberts is a tennis teaching professional at Eastern Athletic Clubs in Blue Point. Roberts previously served as an assistant coach for the Hofstra University tennis teams, after a four-year collegiate career competing for Siena College.
Samantha Siegel is a Tennis Coordinator and Coach at SPORTIME Syosset, A native of Houston, Texas, Siegel was a nationally-ranked junior player before playing singles and doubles at McKendree University. Before joining SPORTIME, Siegel coached at the IMG Academy and the Naval Academy.
Alina Volman is the Director of Racquet Sports at Pine Hollow Club. She was a standout tennis player at the University of South Alabama, and she now takes all of her experiences as a player and coach in her role as the director of racquet sports, helping coach and running club events.
Jason Wass is the Director of Summer Programs at LuHi, a position he’s held since 2020. Wass also serves on the USTA Eastern Long Island Regional Council, and has been a tennis and camp director here on Long Island for more than a decade.
Mental health is an important topic that has been brought to the forefront of athletics recently. How often and how do you engage your players on their mental well-being, both on and off the court?
Krass: Mental health is always a top priority. Since I run a two day College Tennis Exposure Camp, I do not get the privilege of knowing everyone's current state of mental health; However, I do think it is of utmost importance to put our players into a learning and training atmosphere fostered with love, respect and enthusiasm for them as people FIRST!
Levy: I pay close attention to my players' mental health, as it directly impacts performance, well-being, and overall quality of life. Athletes with good mental health will be more resilient and focused on enhancing their performance through decisionmaking in practice and matches. Good mental health fosters motivation, goal-setting, and commitment to training and competition. Effective mental health strategies help manage stress and anxiety reducing burnout and promoting longevity in their careers. Prioritizing mental health
leads to improved life satisfaction and helps prevent issues such as anxiety and depression which can affect players off the field.
Lewit: Player welfare and mental health is paramount. When you get to know a player well, you can feel if they are struggling with something that may be bigger than just tennis. That’s a daily assessment. In those cases, I will try to work with the parents to assess what we can do to help the player or seek help from a professional mental health provider. I believe parents know best, and I always look to the parents for insight and guidance on my student’s mental health.
Roberts: Mental health is a priority to myself as a coach and is one of the primary reasons that I only take on a limited number of players per season. This allows more time to understand each player on a deeper level and know how they operate not only on the court but off it as well. By doing so, we create a consistent healthy environment which can maximize their potential while still pushing them to reach their goals. With the smaller number of players, it also allows for constant check-ins with their overall mental health and well-being.
Volman: I engage my players regularly on their mental well-being by incorporating mental conditioning exercises like visualization and breathing techniques into our training sessions. Off the court, I encourage open conversations and check-ins to ensure they feel supported beyond just their athletic performance. I believe creating a balanced, open environment helps players perform at their best both mentally and physically.
Gamesmanship and cheating are always controversial topics at the junior level. How do we begin to try and eliminate those sorts of things from the game?
Campbell: While cheating and gamesmanship exist at the junior level, we must acknowledge that players are not inherently dishonest or manipulative. To tackle this issue effectively, focus should be placed on promoting mental training alongside oncourt practice and off-court fitness. Incorporating mental training with a sports psychologist will provide the necessary education concerning the adverse long-term effects of gamesmanship and cheating while also equipping players with the tools needed to navigate and manage unsportsmanlike behavior when they
arise. This approach addresses the issue at the source and facilitates a healthy path forward to correct the undesirable behavior.
Nisenson: Tennis stands out as the only youth sport where players act as their own referees. From an early age, players may face internal, parental, and coaching pressures that foster a win-at-all-costs mentality, sometimes leading to cheating. While we strive to encourage more children to take up tennis, a negative experience can deter newcomers, pushing them towards other sports. In high school, I officiated youth sports, and it begs the question: why doesn’t the USTA employ high school students to help mitigate this issue? While they wouldn't need to officiate entire matches, having someone present on the court to assist with disputes could significantly improve these situations. Often, at tournaments, the only authority figure is the tournament director, who typically remains in the lobby and only intervenes once issues arise—by which point, the damage is often already done.
Roberts: I think the availability of additional roaming umpires would increase the overall gamesmanship of matches at the junior level. There are various times when a line judge would have to leave a court when asked for assistance to oversee another match that may be for example, going into a match tiebreak and therefore the integrity of the match the line judge left now suffers.
What is the current state of tennis on Long Island? How do we continue growing and improving?
Berse: In my 16 years of coaching,
tennis has never been more popular on Long Island than it is now. There are so many more facilities and programs which cater to all ages and skill level and the growth has been great to see! In order to keep growing the sport, we need to increase accessibility and expand partnerships with organizations and local communities to make tennis more inclusive, and exciting for people of all ages and backgrounds.
Campbell: The current state of Long Island tennis is strong and wellpositioned for continued growth. Thanks to the region’s lucrative tennis nature and vibrant tennis scene, the territory attracts talented national and international personnel. To ensure future success, it is imperative to continue attracting, retaining, and assisting in the talented workforce's personnel development. Maintaining a meritocratic environment and encouraging healthy competition among the workforce, clubs, and players is also essential for continued prosperity.
Koenke: I think tennis on Long Island is really thriving right now. Every club I’ve been to has packed courts and programming. Staying current and continuing to offer new events and programs that tennis players are hungry for will keep us on the right track of growing tennis even further in the community.
Marks: We are still seeing really strong numbers in the indoor club world and outdoor country club space. Participation is high across all levels and ages from what I am seeing. Both adults and kids have so much choice nowadays in the activities they choose to spend their money on, so it is up to us to keep offering great value to our
players, whether it is a great workout they are looking for, to remodel their serve or to reach that next level of competition, we have to understand exactly what our clients want and try to deliver on that each and every time.
Where do you stand on players overly celebrating points/being animated and showing emotions during matches?
Lewit: Every player is different. Some players are very animated and outgoing and others are more reserved. McEnroe versus Borg. Alcaraz versus Sinner.. As long as the player is courteous and respectful I give him or her broad parameters about how to express themselves. There is not only one way. The player needs to express themselves in a way that optimizes psychological flow. You can’t force all players to fit one model of behavior. I want to help my students find the best way to express their emotions in a constructive and positive way to help them play better.
Lopez: In tennis, celebrating and showing emotions is natural and reflects passion, competitiveness and drive, but it should be balanced with respect for opponents. While animated reactions can energize players and entertain fans, overly excessive celebrations may be seen as unsportsmanlike and disrespectful. Ultimately, a balance is important. Players should have the freedom to express themselves and celebrate, but within the bounds of respect and sportsmanship. If done in a way that maintains the dignity of the match and the opponent, showing emotion can enhance the sport rather than detract from it.
Marks: That’s a tough one! I think it all depends on the situation and the environment you are in. In team tennis I
think it is much more acceptable, but I still think there are respectful and disrespectful ways of celebrating. In college I will admit I often wasn't thinking about anything but my team and our goal when playing my matches, just like my opponents were too. That would I am sure come across at times as being overly animated, but such was the environment. Players at times are expected to be these emotionless robots and are targeted when they show any kind of joy/anger/frustration which is perhaps not great for our sport’s survival in this day and age. We want to be entertained and connect with the stars of our sport, and players wearing their emotions on their sleeves helps us to make those connections.
What do you find most rewarding about being a tennis coach?
Lopez: Seeing players improve and grow, both on and off the court. Watching them develop their skills, gain confidence, and overcome challenges is very fulfilling. Additionally, the relationships built and the positive impact on people’s lives is something very unique. I have had the pleasure of meeting some amazing people throughout my years as a coach, both as coworkers and students, and it’s very gratifying to see years later how far they’ve come and to know I was part of their journey.
Nisenson: Being a tennis coach has enabled me to forge numerous meaningful relationships both on and off the court. The rewards of being a tennis coach transcend the sport itself. It is more about positively impacting someone's life or influencing a student in a constructive and uplifting way.
Wass: Building relationships with players and teams that aid in their personal growth has become one of the most rewarding aspects of coaching to me. Sports in general have so much to teach young people and helping players navigate the journey is an honor and a privilege.
What is something you think you can improve on as a coach?
Becker: Everything! Seriously, I hope I never get to the point where I don't think I can get better in any area. What fun would that be for anyone who is passionate in their profession? I do wish I can have 20-year old legs to beat up on the top Eastern players but I can't do much about that!
Evans: As tennis coaches, we have all honed our skills as being great in delivering tennis to many ages and levels. With the game continuing to grow, I believe there are two areas that we can improve on to help reach our USTA goal of “35 by 35”, which is a target of 35 million players in the U.S. by 2035. Those areas are in diverse communication – we can always improve our N.Y.C. community marketing and on-court delivery when working with different demographics, and coach development–we can always help the next generation of tennis providers build sound tennis knowledge which will help our players improve that much more.
Marks: I think I'm going to come at this question from an industry as a whole perspective (not because I don't have any weaknesses but I think this is an important topic!). I think as a group of clubs and coaches here on Long Island, we can definitely do a better job of working together for the benefit of our players. We see it time and time
again with clubs wrestling for players especially at the junior level. Instead of looking at a player and what your club can offer, and what other clubs can offer that may be more beneficial in that moment, we just sell sell sell. I was chatting with a parent the other day about their children who were "banned" from taking private lessons elsewhere if their child wanted to play in their groups. Is that for the player's benefit? Or the clubs and their owners? We can all do better at taking a step back and doing what is right for our students.
Volman: As coaches, we are always working to better tailor our approaches to the unique learning styles and personalities of each player. Improving how we communicate complex strategies and adapting to individual needs is an ongoing focus. We also aim to stay updated on advancements in sports science and mental conditioning to further enhance our coaching techniques.
What advice would you give a former player who has desires to go into coaching?
Krass: My advice to players wanting to enter the coaching profession is to choose the right one or two mentors who are very successful in their tennis niches. Try to study, over the course of a year, what they do, how they do it and how they respond to people and any problems that arise. It's important to read coaching books, as well. Becoming a certified coach will add knowledge and credibility.
How do you feel about students who question you?
Berse: As a tennis coach, I encourage and enjoy when students ask questions. It shows that they are invested in learning, and are motivated to improve their game. I believe that open communication
creates a healthy relationship between a coach and their student.
Levy: I like to communicate openly with my students and get their feedback during the learning process. When a student questions me, It is a great opportunity to see the situation from a different perspective, which I can learn and use in the future when I have a similar situation again.
Siegel: I think it's great when students ask questions! I believe it shows they are engaged, curious, and want to improve. It's an important part of the learning process. Respectful dialogue fosters better understanding, while disrespectful questions undermine that. It’s all about creating a positive environment where both players and coaches can grow.
Wass: Students should question you, but respectfully. Part of the journey is to provide guidance and thought-provoking conversations. This is not a one way street, players who ask questions respectfully stand to gain the most in the long run, just as a student in any subject matter would. Early in a relationship I believe is the time where boundaries should be established and as trust builds, the player/coach relationship is unique and can really be a training ground for many endeavors on and off the court.
Do you see any trends in technique used by the top players that you now use in your teaching? Or any tendencies from today’s stars that you see junior players using?
Becker: The two main trends I see juniors copying is the revival of the drop shot (Carlos Alcaraz) and returners way behind the baseline (Andrei Medvedev.) I haven't bought in to the deep return
position for many reasons but I like the return of the drop shot as well as bringing opponents in on "your terms”.
Kaplan: The most current trend is the distinction and use of what has been termed the ATP, WTA and NEXT GEN forehands. Some coaches advocate that some of these styles are superior to others and they may be correct.... or they may not. As they are unproven I think that teaching such a style would be first an experiment and further not a most efficient or effective use or progression of our lesson time. My focus is on what I believe are universal fundamentals that include, balance, movement synchronization, movement efficiency, movement effectiveness, reactivity, tracking, ball receptive skills, spacing , rhythm, tempo, timing power, power endurance, and high percentage body, racket positioning and ball placement to help develop tactical, and strategic problem solving abilities.
Lewit: Absolutely. I just finished my new book Winning Pretty, which features cutting-edge technique and biomechanics. The technical game has changed dramatically in the past few decades. I can give a long list of answers, but four examples are the ATPtype forehands and backhands are standard on the men’s tour and the percentage of women using this type of short range of motion, whippy technique is rising quickly; open stance backhands and. two-handed backhands have become almost universal on both tours, and drop shots and swinging topspin volleys are now used routinely to attack. Alcaraz has inspired a generation of kids to work on their drop shot now!
Volman: One technique trend I’ve adopted is focusing on aggressive baseline play with fast transitions to the
net, something many top players excel at today. I’ve also noticed junior players trying to emulate the heavy topspin forehand popularized by stars like Nadal and Djokovic. While it’s a great tool, I stress the importance of versatility, teaching players to use variety and not rely solely on one style of play.
In what way has the milder climate in recent years in NY affected the landscape of the local tennis business? Do you see any tendency toward people staying outside to play more? Any change to programming/camps/etc?
Evans: The milder climate has increased the window of outdoor tennis, therefore allowing many facilities to be creative in this new space for the time being. Noticeable trends are players playing outdoors later into the year and venturing outdoors earlier. Here at the National Tennis Center, we’ve welcomed the opportunity to run camps indoors and outdoors, along with creating memorable experiences when teaching outdoor clinics on our stadium courts.
Kaplan: A milder climate as well as the pandemic have contributed to the trend for many players to extend their outdoor play for as long as they are able. I believe that the industry is well advised to respect and accommodate this trend with flexible programs . I can understand that this may be costly in the short run for some clubs and programs . However tennis is a service business and seen as a luxury by many. Our willingness to be adaptable to a changing climate, changing demographics, changing health concerns and changing market preferences is going to be good for the sport and in the long run help the industry do well.
Koenke: The milder climate is definitely driving a bigger interest to stay outside longer and longer. The winter months can be long here in NY, with indoor programming running at many clubs for the better part of 9 months. I think it is important that clubs with access to outdoor courts work on ways to keep their players outside whenever possible. Additionally, adding in weekend camps in late spring and early fall months could help boost interest and revenue for many facilities.
How do you think Pickleball has affected the local tennis landscape both positively and negatively?
Kaplan: Pickleball is a natural progression for the aging population of the sport and it provides a low cost and low commitment alternative for many tennis clubs to fill otherwise unused court time . While some in the industry see tennis participation as a zero sum with Pickleball converts taking players away from tennis, I see this differently. Pickleball is in many ways the "quickstart" of mature participants with adapted rules, equipment and modified court. If embraced by tennis enthusiasts and managed well, Pickleball can add to the use of courts and the enjoyment of racket sports.
Koenke: I think pickleball has, actually, really helped the tennis community for the most part. While pickleball takes some players (and courts) away from tennis, it has undoubtedly drawn more interest and participation in the racket sports industry, and thus, inundated facilities and clubs with a larger and more diverse community than before. Pickleball hits some key demographic
groups that tennis wasn’t reaching as successfully. It also has created an instant need for many clubs to update and upgrade their facilities, which in turn, benefits the tennis players at those clubs as well. I’d say the positive noise it generates within the community far outweighs the noise of the paddles.
What does having the world’s biggest tennis event (The U.S. Open) being held here in New York do for tennis locally? What benefits do you see?
Berse: The U.S. Open being held in New York has had a huge impact on tennis locally. The tournament has brought so much excitement to the area, and provides fun opportunities for fans from various backgrounds and ages to get involved. The U.S. Open gives local kids an opportunity to be inspired by talented young players and motivates them to take up the game.
Campbell: One of the most significant impacts the U.S. Open has on tennis locally is its ability to reach a broad audience, sparking interest and curiosity in the sport through its massive marketing campaign and global prestige. Further benefits include first-hand exposure to the lifestyle the best tennis players enjoy. Coaches, players, and parents can glean priceless information from the operational models showcased by the professionals and integrate practical observations into their training regimen.
Levy: The U.S Open being held here is a unique opportunity for local tennis fans to see the world's greatest players compete in the final Grand Slam of the year.. The U.S Open raises awareness
and interest in tennis among local communities, inspiring more people to take up our sport. The tournament also gives New York a great economic boost from the influx of visitors to the event that supports local businesses, including hotels, restaurants, and shops, contributing to the economy. Hosting a major tournament enhances New York's reputation as a global sports hub, attracting future events and investments in sports infrastructure. Overall, the US Open catalyzes growth and development in local tennis benefiting players and the community alike.
Siegel: The excitement of the tournament encourages more people to try tennis, leading to more players at local clubs and courts, especially kids who are inspired to join tennis programs. Watching the world’s best players compete in their city motivates local kids to take tennis more seriously and pursue it as a sport. Overall, the U.S. Open brings energy, investment, and opportunities for tennis to grow in New York.
Wass: During the U.S. Open, I couldn't find an open court at the local park near my house. The excitement the U.S. Open brings to the area every Late August is palpable. Obviously this is an opportunity to get people hooked on the sport. Hoping that we can create sustainable programming as an industry that allows everyone to get and stay involved.
What impact do you think the success of the American men at this year's U.S. Open will have on tennis popularity here in the States?
Lopez: The success of American men at this year's U.S. Open will likely boost tennis popularity in the U.S. It gives
young players relatable role models and inspires them to pursue the sport, showing that Americans can succeed on the global stage. This achievement can increase interest in tennis, drawing more fans, media attention, and participation in local tennis programs. It could also create a resurgence in support for the sport, fueling growth at both the grassroots and professional levels across the country.
Nisenson: It's about personalities and relatability. If children can see themselves in these professional tennis players, they'll aspire to emulate them. This connection will not only increase the sport's popularity but also encourage more kids to take up tennis.
Roberts: As with any sport, whenever players from your respective country have success, it tends to grab attention across various media platforms. Regarding this particular U.S. Open, I think the fact that we had two American semifinalists not only in the men’s draw but the women’s draw as well provided an opportunity for the “recreational” viewer to watch tennis later into the tournament. Overall, the U.S. Open had some highly entertaining matches with a few of them being American battles and it definitely helped raise interest for tennis within the States.
The U.S. Open raised ticket prices across the board this year, but also saw a record number of people attend the event. What do you think this indicates about tennis' standing comparatively to other sports?
Becker: The U.S Open is simply the best. I do think the USTA has done a great job revenue and attendance wise by expanding and selling tickets to premium seats in Armstrong and the
Grandstand without granting admittance to Ashe. The U.S.Open is also undoubtedly more and more of a tourist destination for people who are ready to spend money. So, I actually think the success of the Open is more about the popularity of the U.S Open than it is about tennis.
Evans: Simply stated, this indicates our popularity is growing. In my opinion, tennis is most captivating when multiple generations can share in the love of the game and many of the current up and coming American stars are products of this in various ways. Take for example Ben Shelton and Sebastian Korda, who both have former ATP fathers and combine that with Jessica Pegula who has the Buffalo Bills faithful behind her. All these factors, along with tennis adding 9.7 years to your life potentially, contribute better emotional connections to what is recognized as the most popular individual sport in the world.
Kaplan: The growing demand for U.S Open tickets says a lot about USTA's skill in marketing this event as the place to be. Many, like myself, remember the time when the ticket prices were lower, the crowds were not crushing and you felt like you were attending an event to watch tennis rather than go shopping and take a picture to post on Instagram. I can't blame the USTA for going the route of income maximization however, and I think that moving toward sports entertainment can be enriching. I do hope that the tournament solves its crowd management issues. Some of the crowd bottlenecks are inconvenient at best, and a stampede in the making at worst.
Krass: It seems like there has been a huge surge of interest in tennis once
again! I think the U.S. Open is the top sports and entertainment event in the world–with sell out crowds and folks attending from all over the world. Tennis is certainly one of our world's top sports to play and watch!
Would junior tennis benefit from having more team events and tournaments like other sports? Do you think the isolation/individualism of tennis can deter young players from playing?
Becker: Junior tennis seems to have more team events than ever before. Some kids are more into that than other kids. I do think the individualism of tennis can deter young kids from playing but at the same time, I think a certain type of kid is sometimes drawn to tennis for that reason. I think cheating, bad sportsmanship and intense parents in the lobby at tournaments are the biggest deterrent to kids that are also being pulled into team sports at a young age.
Siegel: Junior tennis would definitely benefit from more team events, as they create a sense of community and make the sport more enjoyable for young players. Team events help reduce the pressure that comes with individual matches, allowing kids to rely on their teammates for support and motivation. This social aspect keeps players engaged and helps prevent burnout, which can be common in individual sports. As someone in charge of Junior Team Tennis and UTR Team Leagues in Sportime, I see firsthand how team competitions foster friendships, encourage cooperation, and motivate players to stay involved in the sport longer. These events not only improve their tennis skills but also teach valuable life lessons about teamwork and collaboration.
TheTAF Tennis Ladders of Long Island concluded its 25th season this fall, as the Adult (18+) league and non-profit association that runs from April through September and includes seven ladders of competition.
Below are the top three finishers for each ladder in 2024:
Men’s Singles
Terry Kossegi
Adam Waterhouse
Jose Galvez
Women’s Singles
Zabeeda DeSouza
Shirley Ng
Kitty Galvez
Men’s Doubles
Gary Simeone/Larry Pleener
Adam Waterhouse/Rich Hume
Hani Morsi/Cary Markowitz
Women’s Doubles
Men’s Senior Singles
Vladimir Galatsky
Frank Benavides
Robert Santoro
Women’s Senior Singles
Clair Nicholas
Jeanne Birkel
Claudia Cala
Sherry DeSouza/Zabeeda DeSouza
Karen Massa/Karen Hermann
Aki Bowman/Kathy Rzonca
Mixed Doubles
Cari Solomon/Larry Pleener
Debbie Kolomick/Cary Markowitz
Kitty Galvez/Jose Galvez
While this was the 25th season of TAF Tennis, the organization has existed since 1976 and will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2025. The current membership of the organization is nearly 250, with more than 100 of them joining in 2024, an indication of the group’s growth.
In addition to the over 2,000 matches that have been played this year across all the ladders, the league also organizes annual community events. These include the Kick Off in April, featuring a meet and greet, tennis drills, and free play to welcome new members to TAF. Additionally, there is an annual picnic in June that offers drills, doubles matches, and raffles.
“The intent of our founding members was to create a community based, grass roots organization to afford its members the opportunity to enjoy and grow the game they love” said Rich Hume, President of TAF Tennis. “Today, TAF Tennis includes members from all over Nassau and Suffolk, and even a few hardy souls from Queens and Brooklyn! The ladders are made up of a wide variety of players, both in age, expertise, and experience.”
The league welcomes new members, and anyone interested in obtaining more information can visit www.taftennis.org to learn more, or you can join them on social media and message us on Facebook at TAFTennis or on Instagram @taftennis. While it is an 18+ league, children between the ages of 15 -17 are permitted to join TAF doubles ladders with a parent.
“Set a reminder to join TAF Tennis in early 2025 and celebrate our 50th year with us!” Hume concluded.
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By Brian Coleman
Inthe 2011 film, Moneyball, Billy Beane, played by Brad Pitt, turns to his assistant, played by Jonah Hill, and asks, ‘How can you not be romantic about baseball?’.
It’s a famous quote from that movie that baseball fans enjoy, but I think that quote also applies to tennis, maybe more appropriately.
How can you not be romantic about tennis?
It’s a sport played with grace, elegance and class, oftentimes played in a one-on-one setting, and even the scoring includes ‘love’ in it.
For Chintan and Pavitra Trivedi, it’s impossible not to be romantic about tennis. More than 30 years ago their journey began on a court in the small Indian town where they both lived, as Chintan was a tennis coach and Pavitra was taking a lesson.
“I don’t think I could have imagined we would be where we are today, but I did envision us both working hard and earning all of our success together,” reflects Pavitra. “I knew the road to achieve our goals was tough, but that as long as we
were together, it would never be impossible. Through love and time, all is achievable.”
What began as one coach giving one player a lesson has blossomed into a lifelong partnership, one that has overcome cultural differences and moves to multiple countries. After leaving India, they first moved to Canada before arriving here in New York. Throughout their journey, the two have remained steadfast in their commitment to one another, which has helped them thrive not only as a couple, but also as
business partners.
It’s a delicate balance, juggling both being life partners and business partners, but the Trivedi’s have managed to make it work.
“I believe one of the key elements that has worked for the last 25 years of our journey is trust between each other, and respecting each other’s space,” Pavitra added. “I think we have figured out each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and complement each other, instead of simply supplementing advice. In doing so, we have essentially integrated the two seamlessly into everything we do; in the sense that our personal and business life have been so thoroughly intertwined with each other they
blend in easily. We could be at one moment talking about what’s for dinner tonight or who will pick the kids up, and then switch to talking about how to handle the upcoming winter season (Nassau Tennis & Sports Center) to make it better and
more successful in all facets.”
That trust has gone a long way in making them successful in business but also keeping them together as a tight-knit family, along with their two children, Riya and Rishabh. Nassau Tennis & Sports Center is one of the business ventures the Trivedi’s have undertaken in addition to Chintan’s Real Estate business and Pavitra being a lawyer.
Together, the two have helped transform Nassau Tennis into a thriving business, helping modernize the facility and adding a number of new initiatives to help revive the club into a top destination for tennis players on Long Island.
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Chintan gives his wife much of the credit for the direction in which Nassau has gone since they started it a few years ago.
“I’m the one who orchestrated taking over the business, but my wife is the one who has executed our vision here,” he says. “She’s the manager, she is in charge of hiring the staff and training them; she handles the nitty-gritty and the day-to-day stuff at the club. People joke about it, but it’s true, everyone knows who the real boss here is. Not because she’s my wife, but because she is the one in charge here. She’s truly the backbone of the business.”
additional lights and upgrading the clubhouse for its customers to enjoy.
Under its new management and spearheaded by Pavitra, Nassau Tennis has adjusted with the ever changing tide of tennis here on Long Island. They have implemented UTR tournament and other match plays, instituted an easy booking system that allows customers to book courts and lessons, increased pay for teaching professionals, and infrastructure upgrades such as
“Nassau Tennis is such a great place to play because we have all of the amenities of a country club, plus indoor courts with alwaysmaintained clay surfaces, as well as amazing and experienced professionals who offer group lessons plus private lessons,” Pavitra added. “We are constantly offering promotions and packages to appeal to our vast customer base and ensure we are always providing them with the best experience possible.”
One of the highlights of Nassau Tennis’ upgrades has been its strategic partnerships with local school and groups in the area, to help grow the sport of tennis in its local community. The primary partnership is with the TGA Premier Sports, a youth sports provider for tennis, golf, pickleball and other athletics.
Earlier this year, TGA of Nassau County and Nassau Tennis entered into a partnership as Nassau Tennis would provide tennis programming for the kids in the TGA groups. TGA of Nassau County was formed in February, and the Trivedi’s wanted to do their part to help them create sustainable tennis events.
“We held our first spring camp in March, and as we were looking to develop more relationships, I visited different sites, and it was at this time that I met Chintan,” said Moronke Oshin-Martin, the Owner & Director of TGA of Northern Nassau County. “I approached Chintan for help and he said he’d absolutely love to do
so. I told him I wanted to create a pipeline of confident, proficient athletes who could then move into programs at facilities such as his. He was trying to grow his junior programming at the time, so it was a perfect match.”
This was the first year of the TGA of Nassau County and Nassau Tennis & Sports Center partnership, and the two entities are excited about what’s to come in the future.
They have already begun planning programming for this winter as well as the Summer of 2025, as Oshin-Martin wants to introduce tennis to as many new players as possible, both to instill the lifelong benefits of the sport to the new generation, but also to create a larger talent pool for programs such as Nassau Tennis.
“Our goal is to bring tennis to them in a fun way, where they learn the fundamentals of the game, and help them become proficient and skilled so that they want to pursue it competitively,” she explained. “We want them to become lifelong lovers of the sport, and we can pass them on to academies and high-level tennis programs, such as the one at Nassau Tennis. We want to give them tennis instruction where there is no pressure, as well as combining athletic skills development alongside academic learning.”
She continued:
“Their facilities are just fabulous, and as the kids graduate from our programs into theirs, it will only benefit tennis in the long term, and provide these kids with a structured pathway towards success. We run a lot of our TGA programs at Nassau Tennis already, so they are familiar with the facilities, so this partnership has just been such a natural fit. It fits the goals and desires of each respective partner, and even though it has only been around for one year, it’s been fantastic and we’re excited for the future.”
Teaming up with TGA was a smart decision for the Trivedis, and is just one of the primary examples of their desire to build Nassau Tennis & Sports Center into a true community hub, something they envisioned all along.
What began as a chance meeting on a tennis court decades ago has blossomed into a lifelong partnership, and they have passed their love of tennis onto their kids as well. While they don’t hit the courts the same amount as they used to, tennis will always be an integral component of their lives, and a key tent pole in their love story.
“I unfortunately don’t play tennis like I used to anymore due to my ankle injury, but I do play from time to time with my family for fun and
enjoy it,” said Pavitra. “I plan to start playing more so I can begin to be competitive with my family; we believe that tennis is a sport that can played for life and that’s exactly what Chintan and I intent to do with our kids. They love tennis. They both play; our oldest daughter Riya is in her second year at Fordham School of Business, while our younger son Rishabh just began his junior year of high school. Both have big dreams and we are happy to dream with them, and each has been amazingly supportive to our success. They truly have supported and sacrificed a lot in their childhood, and taken on lots of responsibilities to help us get to the next level. Our kids have always been kind and hardworking, and we know they will go on to do amazing things. Our parents have supported us as well; they allowed us to come to this country to start a new path together.”
The Trivedi’s journey is an inspiring one that embodies everything that is great about this country, as an immigrant couple arrived here in the States and created successful lives. It all began with tennis, and the sport of a lifetime continues to be a part of their relationship, helping forge a bond, and spread their love of tennis to the people in their community.
Not all those that wander are lost.
Traveling the world is one of those unseen desires that all of us have as human beings; to see all parts of the globe and immerse yourself in cultures, cuisines, landscapes and more is an urge we all have.
And helping people have those desires met is Christopher’s Travel Consulting, Inc. and A Beautiful Travel. Founded by luxury travel connoisseur Christopher Savino, A Beautiful Travel offers bespoke travel planning services for the discerning globetrotter, and specializes in crafting travel experiences that are as unique as its clients.
At the heart of A Beautiful Travel lies a singular, unwavering philosophy: the travel experience must be a reflection of the client’s innermost desires and dreams. We believe that true luxury is not defined by a price tag or a brand name, but by the depth of
personalization and the resonance of the experience with your individual aspirations.
Our approach is rooted in the understanding that each traveler is unique, with their own set of passions, preferences, and fantasies about what a perfect journey entails. Whether it’s the thrill of adventure, the pursuit of gastronomic excellence, the serenity of secluded natural beauty, or the richness of cultural immersion, your vision sets the compass for our itinerary design.
Translating your dreams into reality requires a meticulous and thoughtful process. It begins with a conversation, a deep dive into what stirs your soul when you think of traveling. A Beautiful Travel listens intently, not just to what you say, but to what your heart communicates. This understanding becomes the foundation upon which
they build your custom travel experience.
From there, every element of your trip is handpicked and woven into a seamless itinerary. A Beautiful Travel considers the rhythms of the local culture, the hidden gems that elude the typical tourist’s eye, and the exclusive experiences that can elevate your journey from memorable to transformative. Their commitment to this client-centric philosophy ensures that each itinerary is not just planned, but is crafted with the precision and care of a master artisan.
At A Beautiful Travel, your dreams are the blueprint. Their expertise, passion, and global network are the tools with which they construct your perfect travel story, ensuring that each journey is as individual as you are.
To learn more and craft your unique journey, contact A Beautiful Travel at (843) 422-0915, ABeautifulTravel.com, or ctc.abeautifultravel@gmail.com.
WoodyHarrelson said to Wesley Snipes in the great movie, White Men Can’t Jump, “You’d rather look good and lose than look bad and win.”
Most people wouldn’t consciously make this decision, although I did once have an adult student who swore to me he only wanted to look good while he played. I do really believe to my core though that many players, especially adults, do subconsciously play doubles with this mantra.
The “embarrassment” of getting passed in your alley
When you get passed in your alley it is embarrassing! It is your fault! Your opponents know it, your partner knows it and you knew the ball went by you on your side of the court. You were the reason that your team lost the point!
When I ask players how their doubles match went, I have had on more than one occasion the player boast “Well, I did well at the net and never got passed in my alley.”
I got news for you, unless you are playing with Roger Federer and your job is to stay in the corner and not mess up, to be a good doubles player you need to own the middle of the court at the net.
What you are actually doing by caring too much about getting passed in your alley.
• You are making life tougher for your partner by not getting opportunities to finish points at the net for them.
• You are allowing your opponents to hit winners in the middle of the court that are your responsibility but looks like they are both you and your
By Ricky Becker
partners responsibility equally.
• You are giving your opponents peace of mind when they are at the baseline that all they have to do is hit the ball cross court and not worry about avoiding a volleyer.
You are probably losing six times the amount of points with these three things than you actually do by getting passed in your alley.
The “embarrassment” of getting lobbed over your head
Similarly to getting passed in the alley, when you are at the net and somebody hits over your head over your head for a winner, it doesn’t feel very good. You feel short and you feel dumb. Everyone knows it’s your fault because they ball was hit over your head and you couldn’t get to it.
Just move on. You will lose a lot more points playing further back from the net. What you are actually doing by worrying about getting lobbed and as a result standing further back is:
1.You are going to just return the volleys you do have rather than put them away. Your opponents have a lot more time to get back your volleys when it takes longer for your volleys to cross the net
2.You are not able to reach as many shots at the net and therefore missing opportunities to put the ball away.
3.You are hitting more low volleys that are going to look like you missed because your opponent hit a good low shot rather than you were too far back.
Once again none of the above results are as transparently bad as getting lobbed over your head but over the course of a match these things happen way, way more.
Along these lines, I used to have a running joke with an old friend of mine, Janine Sadaka, who played high school tennis at Great Neck South, that everybody hit the ball higher over the net at Great Neck South because nobody wanted to hit in the net. We joked the reason was because Great Neck South didn’t have nets. They had small fences in place of nets. Every time someone hit the ball into the fence, there would be a loud, obnoxious “CLANK!” Not only did you get the loud annoying negative reinforcement every time you hit into the net, but everyone around knew you hit the ball in the net.
Just because it was more noticeable when you hit the ball in the fence should the “shame” of hitting the ball into the fence prevent you from trying to win?
Of course not.
But neither should the “shame” of getting passed in your alley or getting lobbed over your head!
Nearly30 years ago, Chrissie, John and their father Jimmy established the Evert Tennis Academy in Boca Raton, Florida. By combining the experience of a champion with world-class coaching, cutting-edge training methods and premier facilities the Evert Tennis Academy is able to offer unrivaled programs for players of all ages and abilities.
The Evert Tennis Academy (ETA) is located in the Mission Bay area of Boca Raton, Fla. With 23 courts, pristine grounds, state-of-the-artequipment, 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
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 age 18 and younger 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 rachelle.borges@EvertAcademy.com
Traditional tennis instructional wisdom on the serve has maintained that it's important to “snap the wrist” for power. More recently, it's become vogue to question this idea first because the wrist as a small weak joint cannot impart much independent power. Further high speed video confirms that the wrist is positioned neutral in top servers, and so recent theories suggest that the wrist plays a minor or even no role in serving fundamentals.
If we use causal, observational inference, this might seem to be the case. It's “I know this from my many years of experience syndrome”, and with social media this malady is highly contagious.
Upon closer inspection we see top servers at a full 60 degrees of wrist extension at about the time the elbow first aligns on the same axial plane as the shoulders. As we begin to approach the ball our wrist reduces down 60 degrees to its neutral position at impact. So why is the wrist neutral at impact if it is active?
Very simply because the ball imparts a resistance force which momentarily retards the movement of the wrist into flexion. This is why we see the wrist begin to reduce its extension , pause and continue into flexion after the hit. It's active throughout the movement and if it wasn't imparting a force at impact, the wrist would be pushed back into extension by the ball. Why do we use the wrist on a serve
By Steve Kaplan
if it imparts little force?
The answer is that from BioMechanics we know that the wrist acts as a trigger in the Open Kinetic chain to greatly aid and promote the full and free Internal Shoulder Rotation and Forearm Pronation. Internal Shoulder Rotation and Forearm Pronation act as part of the Closed Kinetic chain to carry ground and elastic force and to
display these forces as both Velocity and Acceleration to achieve greater Work and thus impart greater Power.
Try this experiment: Attempt to freely internally rotate the shoulder and pronate the forearm with a locked wrist and then with an active and relaxed wrist. I think you will quickly understand this biomechanical theory.
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 co-director of The City Classic Junior Tennis Academy. Steve has coached more than 1,100 nationally- ranked 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.
40 Love Lifestyle
39 Plandome Rd. Manhasset, NY 11030 (516) 570-0781
Instagram: @40LoveLifestyle
Hit the courts in style and come in to 40 Love Lifestyle for the top gifts this holiday season. Take the Sporty Spice Pickleball Bag from ThinkRoyln for example. Fashion and form meet in a Think Royln signature bag perfect for all-day play or a quick date on the court. Wear it your way...together or apart... this is the perfect match of tote and paddle bag...GAME...SET...STYLE!
• Double zipper closure on pickleball cover (allowing for 2 paddles)
• Outside pockets on tote bag include: back slip pocket with magnetic closure, front slip pocket
• Outside pockets on racket bag: back mesh zipper pocket, zipper pocket
• Inside pockets include on tote include: 2 side accessory pockets, side zipper pocket, 2 side slip pockets and mesh pocket ideal for water bottle
• Includes 1 detachable and adjustable luxe trim crossbody strap to be used on tote or pickleball cover
• Tote bag and pickleball cover attach to be worn as one via snaps and D-ring
• Tote and pickleball cover detach and can be worn separately
• For mirror fabrics: This specialized mirror fabric has unique characteristics and may crack and weather over time Come into 40 Love today and grab the latest gear this holiday season!
www.inphormnyc.com (214) 749-0300
inPhorm NYC, renowned for its "simple elegance and classic" activewear for tennis, pickleball, and golf, introduces a striking new addition to its Holiday 2024 collection: golden-hued earthy camouflage.
Inspired by the Hudson Valley's Autumn Splendor:
The "Autumn Blaze" collection pays homage to the breathtaking natural beauty of Columbia County and the Hudson Valley region, where inPhorm's Creative Director, Saad Hajidin, finds inspiration during fall and winter. Featuring earthy tones and organic textures, the collection evokes the peacefulness and serenity of the Hudson Valley's diverse landscapes.
Staying true to inPhorm's DNA, the "Autumn Blaze" collection offers traditional and classic styling with a modern twist. Expect pieces that seamlessly transition from the court or course to evening activities, ensuring you look and feel your best throughout the day.
Customer-Centric Design:
inPhorm prioritizes customer feedback and continuously gathers reviews on product fit, functionality, and style. This commitment to listening to their customers ensures their designs stay relevant and meet the needs of active individuals.
Explore the full "Autumn Blaze" collection and discover inPhorm's range of stylish and functional activewear at www.inphormnyc.com.
By Author Rob Polishook Facebook.com/InsideTheZone rob@insidethezone.com
When you play pickleball, wouldn’t you like to be able to:
• Adapt and adjust when your opponent dinks?
• Bounce back effortlessly after losing a game?
• Manage adversity after missing that third shot drop?
• Avoid getting emotionally down and overthinking after losing a lead?
• Stay focused in the moment, not the past point or future game?
• Compete like a champion despite who your opponent or partner is?
• Focus on what you can control and let go of what you cannot?
Pickleball Inside the Zone: 32 Mental Training Workouts for Champions is the first book of its kind that allows you to be the player, coach and champion of your own game! It inspires, empowers and guides you to look deep inside yourself to play and be your best. The highly interactive format offers individualized mental training articles, quotes, stories and exercises which encourage you to reflect, highlight, and journal your personal experiences in drills, practice and competitive situations.
Then, ultimately, creating your best mental practices specific to you which will help you compete and be the best version of yourself.
You are a Whole Human Athlete-Person First. Get ready to bring who you are to what you do. Get ready to unlock your potential in ways you never thought possible!
Lili@sassyli.com
Instagram: @SassyLi.tennis
Pickleball Bag/Travel Bag: Machine washable, large compartments, Removable pouch padded, Crossbody strap, cell phone pocket, water bottle holder. This bag is large enough to carry six pickleball paddles, and is made of a special light weight and durable material, and comes in fuschia and black colors. The main compartment offers more than enough space for pickleballs, golf shoes, tennis shoes, etc as well as built-in pockets for keys, cell phones, and the side water bottle holder.
The adjustable strap allows you to wear the bag tight or loose.
• Hold up to 6 paddles
• Adjustable shoulder straps
• Built in cell phone, key storage
• Side water bottle holder
• Machine washable
• Holds tennis shoes, golf shoes, pickleball shoes.
For more information and to see more bags, visit SassyLi.com, or contact lili@sassyli.com or 888-8083664
By Author Dr. Tom Ferraro Dr.TomFerraro.com drtferraro@aol.com
Renowned sport psychologist, Long Island’s Dr. Tom Ferraro, has been at the forefront of helping athletes, and recently published his latest book: “The Athlete and Their Mechanisms of Defense: A Psychoanalytic Approach to Sport Psychology”
This groundbreaking book not only identifies the root causes of these behaviors, but also provides practical strategies and techniques for addressing them. Readers will gain a deeper understanding of the defense mechanisms that athletes use to cope with pressure, fear, anxiety, loss of confidence, performance slumps, and other psychological challenges. Dr. Ferraro offers valuable insights and tools to help athletes overcome these challenges in order to improve their athletic performance and their mental health to reach their full potential.
Drawing from his extensive background in both sport psychology and psychoanalysis, The Athlete and Their Mechanisms of Defense is a comprehensive and insightful guide for anyone looking to understand and improve their mental game. As a leading authority in the field of sport psychology, Dr. Tom Ferraro’s latest book is sure to make a significant impact on athletes and coaches worldwide. The book became available in August; you can learn more about Dr. Ferraro and his new book by visiting www.drtomferraro.com.
218 Jericho Turnpike Syosset, N.Y.
(516) 364-9470
TopSpinTennisLI.com
This holiday season, TopSpin has you covered for all of your tennis and pickeleball needs.
Featuring all the brands and styles the tennis or pickleball lover in your life likes, TopSpin is conveniently located on Jericho Turnpike in Syosset, and has a wide array of Selkirk paddles which make the perfect gift for the pickleball lover in your life.
Selkirk Sport has designed the top pickleball paddles with cutting-edge technology, enlarged sweet spots, sleek graphics, and ultra-comfortable grips. All Selkirk pickleball paddles are USAPA-approved and come in a variety of specialty shapes, thicknesses, and grips in our Selkirk pickleball paddle collection and see why pro players choose Selkirk Sport.
Combining optimal performance technology for control, power, or something in between, Selkirk’s paddles range from the original, groundbreaking AMPED Series, to the LUXX Control and SLK by Selkirk collections, and the VANGUARD paddle series, and Selkirk has a paddle for pickleball players of every skill level and every player preference, whether you are a beginner pickleball player or a pro.
TopSpin offers personalized customer service on this and all rackets, including stringing and demos. Come in today and grab that tennis, pickleball or other racquet sport enthusiast in your life the best gift this holiday season.
By Dr. Tom Ferraro
occurs in all walks of life and it seems to be getting worse day by day. Everyone who uses the internet is faced with daily threats, scams and schemes designed to trick you out of your hard-earned money. In business, we hear about the Enron scandal, Bernie Maddoff and clever Ponzi schemes. In presidential politics, Clinton cheated on his wife which led to his impeachment, and Nixon was such a cheat that he was forced out of office.
Sports also have its share of cheating and it comes in a variety of forms. Despite the belief that sports instill sportsmanship, the reality is that some athletes cheat. We had the steroid scandal in baseball which led to televised Senate hearings and the public humiliation of Mark McGwire. Lance Armstrong used blood doping to gain an illegal advantage. Tiger Woods cheated on his wife and his multiple affairs cost him upwards of $700 million in lost endorsements.
But of all sports, I think that youth tennis has the most rampant and outrageous cheating. One frequently sees or hears about players making questionable calls, suggesting either that their ball is in or their opponent’s ball is out. Sometimes there are attempts to intentionally change the score. Frequently the player who is being victimized loses focus, fails to express or assert themselves, internalizes their rage, falls into shock and despair and proceeds to lose the match.
The reason young players cheat is because they want to win, want to improve their ranking, want to acquire scholarship money, or have sociopathic parents who may encourage cheating or model
Cheating has a damaging and shocking impact on players and they need to learn how to manage it so they don’t get unfocused and lose the match
immorality for the child. There are many ways kids can be helped to manage this experience so that it doesn’t get under their skin and cause losses.
Here is a definitive plan that all parents should use to help their child prepare for these inevitable events. We shall employ the strategies of anticipation and assertiveness, both of which are considered high level and mature defenses. As the child moves up the ranks and faces tougher competition they will face cheaters from time to time. This plan will help them remain cool and win matches.
1) Sit with your child and tell them you are going to help them to develop a plan to manage the occasional cheat.
2) Explain that most players don’t cheat but some do and not to be surprised by this.
3) When they experience a questionable call tell them to say loudly and firmly “I disagree! If you do that again I’m calling a line judge!” Ask your son or daughter to rehearse that at least three times, with you, encouraging them to increase their tone of voice if it is too weak. You need to role model the right tone of voice for them.
4) If a bad call happens again tell your son or daughter to call for a line judge.
5) If no line judge is available, ask a neutral parent in the stands to step in as a line judge.
6) If you are there at the match tell your child that you will also film the match and make sure the cheater sees you taping it.
These moves, when rehearsed and executed, are very helpful to the child. They will prevent them from falling into despair and losing focus.
Many players will resort to the talionic eye for an eye response and cheat back but this is a primitive response and not as effective as the plan I just outlined. By using the mature defenses of anticipation and assertiveness, your child will not only win more but they can use this method in other areas of their life when they feel someone tries to cheat or victimize them. For more details on the mature defenses that athletes need to learn you can find my last book titled Athletes and Their Mechanisms of Defense through Amazon books.
For consultations, treatment or on-site visits, contact Dr. Tom Ferraro Ph.D., Sport Psychologist, by phone at (516) 248-7189, e-mail DrTFerraro@aol.com or visit DrTomFerraro.com.
By Chris Lewit
Manytennis families consider homeschooling or online schooling for their son or daughter. Parents ask me all the time whether I think it's a good idea or if it's the right time, etc. For serious kids who want to compete and win nationally and internationally, I generally advise that it's a great option. Interestingly, I also believe that homeschooling can be an excellent choice for younger players under 10 and for less gifted players.
Why is homeschooling so beneficial for tennis?
To become a world or even national champion requires an incredible amount of work and time. Homeschooling frees up the schedule and opens up new possibilities for training days and weeks. In short, time is money. Time is valuable. Homeschooling creates more time in the training week to add more volume and variety to the player's regimen. Of course, homeschooling allows players to travel nationally and internationally to tournaments and still get schoolwork done, which is another important plus.
Training twice a day
I tell parents all the time that training twice a day for tennis is the gold standard. While it's possible to become good training once per day as most kids do, nothing compares to a daily double dose of high quality tennis training. Coaches, players, and parents often try to argue that they can squeeze in the training they need after school, but it's almost always better to train twice per day. There is a special magic that occurs with a solid twice a day training program. In a typical schedule, there is a practice in the morning followed by lunch and rest and then a practice in the afternoon. Regardless of the timing,
having two practice blocks is a huge advantage.
As a coach, I love having two sessions a day to work with my players. We can focus on nuances and details and cover more topics for the student. With my high performance students who only train one block a day, I always feel like we are rushing and squeezing things into practice. They may not play enough matches, for example, or the players don’t develop an all-court game. The players may have some technical or tactical holes, simply because they do not have enough time to master the elements necessary.
I know many players whose training week is comprised of a couple hours of group class daily after school, and maybe one private with limited fitness training. Does that sound like a familiar schedule to you if you are a player, parent or coach? That's a very common plan for the typical junior who is trying to get a good ranking. This type of schedule is about 10 hours a week of tennis plus maybe a weekend tournament. Players can become good with this typical schedule, maybe even reach a solid national ranking, but you can't become a national champion, D1 blue chip recruit, or pro player with this amount of training time per week. To become top in the country or world is going to require doubling this commitment, at least 20 hours a week. Homeschooling frees up time to double the training workload easily with less scheduling stress.
Playing twice a day at a high intensity is going to make your player fitter. There is a physical fitness component to playing twice a day that makes a kid stronger, and develops more endurance. This tennis specific fitness is a big
advantage. Players who homeschool also have more time in the day to work on flexibility, mobility and injury prevention, and will have more time to go to the gym to build power and strength, work on agility and movement, or develop stamina. It is common for players who have limited time and long, tough school days to skip some of these important physical training areas. I regularly see schooled kids who skip fitness and injury prevention, which can lead to injuries and underperformance, and thus frustration.
In my experience, players who homeschool and train twice a day are often less stressed about their tennis and life in general. The reason is that they are not rushing around trying to squeeze in training and other activities. They have more time to breathe and relax. This is conducive to better player welfare, and mental health. Kids are so overscheduled and rushed these days, especially Eastern kids, that they are often loaded up with pressure and anxiety, which can affect their performance on the court. Parents or kids themselves who try to stuff all the necessary training into a regular school schedule often find that the player gets injured or stressed out because they are trying to fit too much training into a schedule that does not have enough time. Sometimes the kid sleeps less and gets poor recovery. Sometimes they skip practices or fitness. Trying to squeeze in elite tennis training along with a rigorous schooling schedule can be a disaster.
But my kid should be older, serious, and at a high level before starting homeschool, right?
Sometimes I recommend parents wait
until a player is very serious and older to homeschool. I like to see that the kids prove they are ready. The reason is that sometimes players will not deserve homeschooling because they don't work hard enough in even one session per day. Watch out for this trap. Many parents think homeschooling should be only for elite, super talented players or for those competing at the ITF level, which is typically ages 13 and up. Lately, I have changed my mind about this.
I have been working with homeschooled kids who train full-time at young ages. It's been eye-opening and positive overall. For example, I coach two highly-talented young players, Vlada Hranchar from Ukraine and Sofia Houlbert from France, the past two years full-time daily, along with others, and it's a very healthy and positive way to work. Contrary to a lot of recommendations about limiting volume and training time at these young ages, I have found that homeschooling and
training twice daily is a great way to build the technical, tactical, mental, and physical foundation of an elite player at a young age. While these two players I mentioned are gifted, even less talented kids can benefit from training twice a day. In fact, I would argue that the less talent your kid has, the more they need to train twice a day to get an advantage over the others.
It's true that homeschooling or online schooling is not for every kid. I have four kids myself, and during the pandemic, two of my kids did not like online learning. Some kids may have special learning disabilities or struggle
with certain online formats. True homeschooling with a private teacher or parent helping at home can be a solution. Technology and advances in online education are rapidly changing the landscape and possibilities. The quality and effectiveness of online education as grown immensely over the past decades and will continue to do so. Another alternative is to find a brick and mortar private or public school that will allow a kid to get out early. This can sometimes be a good compromise, but it's hard to find schools that will be flexible. If a kid can get out at noon or 1pm, it's possible to create a pretty good schedule for the rest of the day, even two training blocks, which is the gold standard.
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.
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! CHRISLEWIT.COM 914.462.2912 CHRIS@CHRISLEWIT.COM
Dear Long Island Tennis Magazine,
I hope this message finds you well. I am reaching out as a concerned parent of two children currently engaged in tennis, and I would like to share my observations regarding their training.
We have been working with their coach for three years, and initially, the relationship was very productive. However, I have noticed some minor complications emerging that warrant attention.
Firstly, it appears that my children's progress has stagnated. While I understand that long-term improvement takes time, I have observed some changes in the coach's attitude, including fluctuating energy levels and occasional tardiness to lessons. Additionally, I believe that the drill groups should be more appropriately
By Eldad Campbell
matched to my children's skill levels.
I also have concerns about the transparency of the coach regarding my children's performance assessments and potential. The results in tournaments have not met our expectations, leading to considerable discouragement. Furthermore, I have been approached by other coaches, both within and outside of our current club, who are suggesting they could provide better guidance.
The conflicting information I receive from other parents and players has left me uncertain about how to proceed. I sense a lack of unity among the coaching staff, with some players appearing to receive preferential treatment. Given that my children are dedicating over seven hours per week to tennis, including private lessons and drills, I am eager to ensure they receive the support they need.
I would appreciate any guidance or
advice on how to navigate this situation. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Complication is the fourth installment of our Parent vs. Coach (P vs.C) series. In the previous series, we probed the complexities surrounding the coach selection process, the importance of long-term commitment, and the dynamics of competition. P vs. C Complication will attempt to answer the troubles outlined in the fictional email above that can shatter the relationship between children, coaches, and parents.
As we unpack the issues presented in the mock e-mail above, it is critical to highlight that complications are a prerequisite for any successful endeavor. The email reveals dissensions within the tennis community, effectively introducing a moral quandary that spotlights the difficulty of navigating a path toward a successful resolution. This ethical dilemma is analogous to a three-body problem: coaches act on the instinct of self-preservation, as their livelihood depends on their positions; parents are driven by self-interest and their child's welfare, given the high cost of playing tennis; and the child tussles with a moral impasse, weighing accountability and honesty against the fear of jeopardizing influential relationships.
This narrative illuminates the thorny challenges children, coaches, and parents face when their ethical principles clash with self-preservation evocative of Socrates and Plato Buridan's bridge plight, which examines the themes of ethics, decision-making,
and the complexities of human behavior.
Providing specific strategies to the moral quagmire illustrated above would be irresponsible, as attainable solutions require a combination of proactivity and reactivity when dealing with sensitive human emotions. Instead, we present four efficacious steps to decrease friction and foster a healthy resolution: self-reflection, open and candid conversation, decisionmaking, and trusting your instincts.
Self-reflection is tantamount to any conflict resolution agenda. It mandates a reevaluation of your initial sentiment toward the problem. As a paying customer, this reevaluation can be difficult, resulting in a default reaction to assign blame without the consideration that you or your child may have contributed to the circumstances. From the coach's outlook, an overinflated belief in capabilities and qualifications paired with ego-driven tendency could cloud judgment, resulting in criticism toward the child and parent. It is critical to selfassess, reflect, take responsibility where warranted, and avoid the blame game. Question the hypotheses that led you to this juncture and reframe the problem, acknowledging your involvement.
Step two requires the immediate initiation of open and candid
conversations following self-reflection. The conversation should begin with the coach working with your child, not external parties. Respect, understanding, and empathy, devoid of accusatory language that may prevent constructive dialogue, should be the cornerstone of the exchanges. It is also imperative that the coach feels empowered to speak freely despite the employee-employer dynamic. If healthy communication is unachievable, it may be time for the parent to consider finding a new coach. Likewise, the coach should discontinue working with the child if positive engagement is unattainable. Extended exposure to a complicated environment can cause damaging effects on your child's longterm development.
Step three involves deciding the path forward. Having engaged in selfreflection, taken responsibility, and held an open conversation, a decision is a critical next step in the process. Each decision should aim to create a mutually advantageous outcome, ensuring both parties are satisfied with the suggested course of action. The agreed plan should be tailored to the interrelationships, as each complication stems from unique interactions within the agreement. An inability to arrive at an equitable resolution indicates that the partnership is not conducive to success. In such
cases, termination may be the best option.
Lastly, trust your instincts. Decisions involving personal relationships, financial commitments, and a degree of ambiguity can create a value conflict, resulting in self-doubt. Trust your guts and confront the challenge directly. While it is difficult to specify a precise evaluative timeline to assess the effectiveness of the agreed-chosen path, a semester provides a suitable period to reflect on your satisfaction with the outcome. Additionally, ask yourself whether continuing on the current path will yield the desired effect and assess the progress made on the resolution journey. This approach will likely provide clarity in your choice.
Complications are bound to arise when developing and championing a tennis player. How we handle these complications dictates the future success or failure of the effort. As you attempt to solve problems, remember to treat others with respect. If both parties integrate faith and appreciation during interactions, overcoming difficulties and problematic events will become glorified symbols of your future triumphs. To our concerned parent above - what should you do? Question assumption, engage in dialogue, pursue virtue, seek knowledge, and trust your instincts. And remember, complications are part of the human experience.
By Brian Coleman
Withthe country in the midst of celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month, USTA Eastern welcomed author Robert Lopez to Grow Tennis New York’s Courts & Cocktails event at SPORTIME Syosset.
Lopez spoke to the sold-out crowd of participants about his book, Dispatches From Puerto Nowhere: An American Story of Assimilation and Erasure, which tells the story of Lopez’s disconnect from his family’s heritage, and how the sport of tennis has helped him in his journey to reclaim his identity.
He analogizes it by saying:
“I go back and forth with what I’ve lost through erasure and what I’ve gained by assimilation and what it all means,” he writes in the book’s prologue. “The back and forth is like a tennis rally and how different shots behave on the court. Mario’s flat backhand will rush through the air and stay low, whereas the topspin Teddy puts on his forehand will have the ball kangaroo past shoulder level. Wayne’s backhand slice skids off the ground and eats you up if you’re not ready for it.
In Brooklyn, I live in the American melting pot exemplified by the diverse tennis community of which I’m a part. Most everyone has a history or at least a mythology, the stories we tell each other and ourselves, idealized narratives that we can talk about during changeovers and water breaks. Even I
play the game, but it’s a hollowed-out mythology when I tell it, and almost entirely a fiction.”
It’s a fascinating dynamic that immigrants have to grapple with when arriving in the United States; toeing the thin line between assimilating while not abandoning their heritage and culture. Even arriving in a place as diverse as New York City, it’s a juggling act that all immigrant populations are forced to engage in.
For Lopez specifically, he explains: “It seems like recent immigrant populations do a much better job of holding onto their cultures, and I think diversity of culture is what makes life
interesting and rich,” he said. “But both sides of my family, Puerto Rican on my father, Italian on my mother, threw themselves wholly into assimilating when they arrived in the early part of the 20th century. Working class people were all about assimilation for a long time and as a result, the language, customs and mores, music and history, above all, were lost. It’s the loss of history that feels particularly unfortunate.”
As Lopez embarked on the journey to bridge the past and present of his family’s legacy, tennis has become an integral part of that path as well as his life. Growing up, he played many sports across the vast parks that inhabit NYC. But tennis wasn’t one of those, and it was only later in life that he engaged with the sport.
While he had always watched tennis on television, and attended the U.S. Open a couple of times, it wasn’t until he was 40 that he began playing.
“The truth is, I picked it up in the wake of a failed relationship, and figured that was the best way to turn the focus elsewhere,” he says. “The journey has been extraordinary. I started hitting with one friend and before long I had a dozen or so partners. The community in Fort Greene was glorious back then and very welcoming.”
Lopez has seen his game get better and better, and he now finds himself
fully assimilated into the tennis world, providing a scouting report of sorts on his own game.
“It’s truly something to feel yourself improving in various aspects of the game if you play often enough,” Lopez explained. “I showed up to the sport with a big two-handed backhand and take a lot of pride in how far the forehand has progressed. I do regret not picking up the game earlier to an extent, but I also think everything in its time is a valuable way to think about one’s own life.”
Tennis has not just been a way for Lopez to meet new people and develop friendships, it has also been a source of relief and a therapeutic outlet for him. In his book, he recounts a time when he was playing at Fort Greene Park with his friend Mario Aguilar, when he received a phone call from his sister alerting him that their mother was being rushed to the hospital.
He tried to do anything to keep his mind from sorting through all the negative thoughts that naturally arise in a time like that, and while he doesn’t exactly remember what he thought about, he recalls how often tennis has been his meditation and provided solace.
“For most of the past ten years, tennis has been the ultimate distraction. It’s soul-saving therapy four or five times a week, as there is nothing like running around and smacking the hell out of a ball. It’s the best way I know to kill time,” he writes. “I was on the train, trying to kill time, my mother was in a hospital, maybe having a stroke or some other brain-related catastrophe. I didn’t want to think about how this might change her life, change everything. I certainly didn’t want to
think the worst, so I tried not to think about anything, which I’ve never been good at. I tried meditation once or twice and the whole time kept thinking about ways to handle Kenny’s left-handed serve spinning out wide in the ad court or how next time I’ll come to the net more often against Mario to shorten the rallies and I’ll hit two first serves because you have to take chances when you play someone like him.”
These are the types of thoughts and internal discussions tennis players have with themselves as they navigate the day-to-day existence, and Lopez is no
different. Tennis has become an integral component of what makes Lopez who he is, and he embraces what the sport represents, and the impact it can have on communities like the one he is a part of.
“The USTA has done a great job with outreach into communities where tennis isn’t a big part of people’s lives, and local groups here in Brooklyn have done likewise,” he said. “And we’re seeing the results on the court. The diversity in New York City is great. Tennis has this country club image, of course, but that isn’t the case here on our public courts. And even on the pro tour, we’re seeing more and more diversity, and it makes the sport better as well as the culture at large. Of course, there’s more work to be done, but it’s a good start.”
By Rob Polishook
Everyyear I receive numerous calls from college freshman who seemingly out of the blue have lost their feel, instincts and confidence. Their mental game used to be reliable and now they are experiencing anxiousness, anger, and an unstable attitude playing for their new team. They can’t believe what they are experiencing; some describe it as becoming mechanical and tight. Others describe it as overthinking and over trying. After listening to their experiences, I usually ask them “what has changed?” and “when was the last time you had that feel of playing loose, relaxed and with ease?” Then I’ll dig a bit further and ask “what was happening during the last time they were playing relaxed both on and off the court?”
In the case of Ari, he told me that he was coming off a great summer of training and was really looking forward to his upcoming freshman year at college. He was eager to play in a new environment and crack the line-up as a freshman. He also shared with me how his support system on the court was rock solid and off the court he also felt very connected to friends that always went out together. He also shared how his tournament results were more about the process and focusing on little goals. His youth coaches not only knew about his tennis game, but they knew what motivated him, and what drove him to grind and never give up.
Then he shared what he was experiencing currently, as a new college freshman in the Fall season. He said, “I’m constantly worried about how I’m playing, what a missed shot means for my position on the team,
what the coach thinks of me, and whether I’m doing what the coach wants.” He mentioned that his ankle is a bit sore but doesn’t want to say anything to his coach or teammates for fear of being seen as weak. Further, he said “practice and challenge matches feel all about the outcome. If I win, I’m happy, If I lose, I’m depressed, I’ve lost my balance” Lastly, he shared, “off the court, I don’t have non tennis friends that I can decompress with, my girlfriends at another school and classes are way more challenging than I thought.”
Teddy Roosevelt once said, “Nobody cares how much you know, until they know how much you care.” Why is this important from a coach’s perspective? Simply put, it can help put the new recruit at ease. When the coach has the best interests of their players in mind (as a person, not just an athlete) then the relationship will not be all about the results. If the coach doesn’t, then the relationship will be unstable, unpredictable and have no foundation of belief, trust and support. It’s imperative for the coach to recognize that the athlete they recruited is the same kid they spoke to, saw play, and tracked their results. The only changes, and they are huge, are the new stakes, new teammates, and new coaches. Add to this the new environment, school challenges, new friends, living alone and there is a lot going on below the surface in the mind of this player.
This article will discuss three ways in which coaches, and in this instance college coaches can support to their players during a challenging transition. Not just as a tennis player but as whole human beings.
Connection: This may sound so basic, in fact because it is, it’s often overlooked. Val Kondos, the infamous UCLA gymnastics coach shared in her TED talk how she thought she could connect to her kids through knowledge of the sport, until they asked for a team meeting to tell her that she didn’t “get them.” Certainly, this is every coach’s nightmare. So how can you create connections? A great place to start is discussing with your individual players exactly what motivates them? That intrinsic reason of “why” they play the game that has nothing to do with winning and losing. I call this their Big Y (see Tennis Inside the Zone Chapter 2, How to get and stay motivated). Often times players don’t even know their Big Y. They allow their wins/losses to dictate their mood and daily activities. I have had clients tell me their Big y is: love the competition, love the problem solving, love the fitness, and others the comradery. A solid Big Y should have nothing to do with the outcome, but solely the process. A player’s Big Y will remain constant, despite the instability of wins or a tough loss. Discussing a Big Y allows a coach to connect with their players and will help them remember why they are playing the game, beyond the outcomes.
Understand: So often we label people like jars… And more often, do the same for athletes! It’s so important to know that tennis isn’t who the player is, but rather what they do. Often times, the players themselves lose sight of this! When a coach understands and reminds their players about this their focus is on more than tennis but on caring, developing and empowering the whole human athlete: Person first. It encourages the player and the coach to
not only recognize a player’s talent, technique and skills but equally uncover their intangible values, attributes and characteristics (V.A.C’s) that they bring to life both on and off the court. V.A.C’s don’t make someone better or worse than others, but rather make them who they are. These intangible things are prevalent in a player’s performance. Think Rafa and his heart, energy and spirit. Similarly, I would also encourage any players to reflect on how they could bring their heart, energy and spirit to competition.
Balance: Just because something is hard to explain, doesn’t mean it is less important. In fact, in the instance of staying balanced regarding one’s mental health, well-being, and resiliency both on and off the court, I would say it’s of paramount importance. As coaches it’s imperative to recognize players (especially freshman) are balancing many off and on court issues. Off court it may be living alone for first time, new academic requirements, new friends and relationships, and family.
On court it may be working with a new coach, navigating new tennis friendships, being part of a team, and playing the game style which helped them gain the coaches attention. Add all of these elements together and there is a lot for the freshman to balance. Key for the coach is to support their players so they can help them navigate these new demands. Equally, for the players to remember what got them there in the first place, that is focusing on what they can control, focusing on what’s important now, bringing their personal talents to the court and playing their game.
In summary, tennis doesn’t define who a person is, tennis is what they do. Apollo Ohno, the famous
Olympic speed skater in his recent book Hard Pivot said “success and failures come and go and they never define who you are. Tennis players are whole human athletes- person first. They are not only bringing tennis talent but also their personal talents. It’s key for a coach to connect to their players by identifying their Big Y for playing. Understanding them and encouraging them to bring their values, attributes and characteristics to competition, and lastly, helping them to find balance both on and off the court. Not only will this strategy contribute to their mental well-being but also as a natural consequence it will help motivate them to bring their best self to challenges both on and off the court.
Rob Polishook, MA, CPC is the founder of Inside the Zone Sports Performance Group. As a mental training coach, he works with the whole human athlete helping them to unleash their mental edge (heart.energy.spirit) through mindfulness, somatic psychology, animal wisdom and mental training skills. Rob is author of 2 best-selling books: Tennis Inside the Zone and Baseball Inside the Zone: Mental Training Workouts for Champions. He can be reached by phone at (973) 723-0314, by e-mail rob@insidethezone.com, by visiting insidethezone.com, following on Instagram @insidethezone
“I am going to be a 5.0 player”, she said confidently.
It was a brash statement for a 40-yearold beginner tennis player.
We had just finished a group lesson with three other players, in which despite being the worst player there, she had shown tremendous determination, and great concentration, but also a myriad of athletic challenges; she was not blessed with natural athleticism. She had not played any ball-sports as a child, so she could also not rely on any skills that would cross over. That makes the journey to become a good tennis player even harder.
Initially I took her comment as an innocent joke, and I chuckled immediately. This was not received well. She looked at me with a death stare and continued with her thick Eastern European accent:
“I’m telling you, just wait and see. I am gonna be a 5.0 player.”
There was anger in her voice. I had woken up the beast!
It was a test from the universe. I know now, 10 years later. I failed with flying colors.
I’m not sure why I considered it threatening to me, but somewhere I
By Tonny van de Pieterman
thought. How dare she? Doesn’t she know that from the age of 11, I spent countless hours slaving and torturing myself, trying to become a professional tennis player?
Apparently not.
All the sacrifices I made, the parties and social occasions I missed, the impeccable lifestyle. All for nothing, other than on my way back, in my forties now myself, competing at the 5.0 level, which is still a respectable level I would say.
My ego-repair came swiftly and was vicious:
“You will never be a 5.0 player”, I snapped back. “Let’s get real here”.
Shock all around! Shots fired! I knew I was right, and I felt very righteous about it. The other people from the drill were amused by the altercation, had more experience in the game than her, and were on my side. Some of my colleagues, after hearing the story, got a kick out of my brutal honesty. Nobody likes a bragger, and her statement was fueled by ego and was therefore grandiose.
But I failed a test. I knew it, and I have always known it.
Her ego woke up my ego, so I entered
fantasy land, the place where I know and predict things that cannot possibly be known.
Her grandiose prediction or promise of an unknown future triggered me into making my own idiotic prediction of the same unknowable future. I had been honest, but not truthful, and there is a difference; I spoke my beliefs, but my words were hurtful and not based in reality. Who am I to tell someone else what they can and cannot accomplish!
Ten years later, I get a second chance, the universe tests me again, to see if I have grown maybe.
A different player of mine made the exact same statement! A 30-year-old beginner this time, with more athletic skills, which is beside the point. Internally, I laughed at the similarities, I couldn’t believe it. I looked around to make sure I wasn’t being punked.
After an initial moment of soul searching, my thoughts landed on the fact that goal setting can be helpful, but is also a restriction of the freedom of possibilities. It creates a ceiling that is limiting.
“Why did you pick 5.0?,” I asked her. “Why not 5.5, or 6.0? Why do you think that only reaching the 5.0 level will make you happy? Why not 4.5 or 3.5? Why don’t we explore and see how good you can be? Let’s see how good you can be today, in this hour that we are spending together?”
She happily agreed.
Ahh, the sweet taste of reality. I have arrived. Thank you, universe, for giving me a do-over.
I love working with players that have big aspirations, but I only want to be with them in the reality of this moment.
