New York Tennis Magazine Novermber / December 2024 by United Sports Publications

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Rob Polishook

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Highlights

American Woman

4Six Honored at Annual Eastern Tennis Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

6Alcaraz, Pegula, Shelton and Navarro Highlight The Garden Cup At Madison Square Garden on December 4

8Sold-Out Player Field Highlights LI Tennis Magazine’s Challenge

12Q&A With Gustavo Loza, USTA Eastern

16Junior Player Spotlight: Abigail Tak, USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center By Brian Coleman

23Winter Season Preparations With The Farley Group

322024 New York Tennis Magazine’s Coaches Roundtable Discussion

44Summer 2024 Season Wraps Up With End-Of-Season Finals & Party

48SPORTIME Introduces Road to NYC Tournament Series To Provide Unforgettable Experience for Juniors

49Centercourt Chatham Welcomes In Top Coaches For U.S. Open Coaches Workshop

50Celebrity Chefs, Tennis Stars Merge For Annual Citi Taste of Tennis New York

52Top Juniors Compete in “Little Mo” Internationals in New Jersey

54Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning Hosts “Little Mo” North Regionals

60At The Net With Robert Lopez By Brian Coleman

Features

3More Than $600,000 Raised For JMTP At Annual Pro-Am

14Across Metro New York…News and Notes from The Tennis Community

19Evert Tennis Academy: A Florida Tennis Haven

20Parsa’s Picks

22Say Farewell To One-On-One Sessions By Tony Huber

24USTA Eastern Metro Region Pages

27USTA Metro Region Adult League Wrap-Up

42Future Stars Camps Expansion Fueled By Tennis By Brian Coleman

46Coaching The Whole Human Athlete By Rob Polishook

51The Imperfect Battle By Daniel Bednarek

55A Beautiful Travel

56Sports Vision and Eye Dominance By Chris Lewit

58The Importance Of Strength In Tennis By Steven Forte

59Green Ball Tactical Fundamentals By Cinto Casanova

62Cheating In Tennis: Here Is The Best Way To Deal With It

Photo credit: Garrett Ellwood/USTA

Event

More Than $600,000 Raised for JMTP At Annual Pro-Am

TheJohnny Mac Tennis Project (JMTP) transforms young lives by removing the economic, racial and social barriers to success through tennis. Young tennis players face tremendous economic barriers to success, and the JMTP offers an accessible, funded tennis pathway for student athletes.

In order to succeed in that mission, the JMTP hosts a number of fundraisers throughout the year, which includes the Annual Pro-Am at SPORTIME Amagansett.

The 10th annual Pro-Am took place and was a resounding success, raising more than $600,000 which will all go

towards providing those invaluable tennis opportunities and life-changing experiences to children in New York City and the surrounding areas.

“A huge thank you to everyone who made our 10th Annual Pro Am on August 24th an incredible success,” said Ryann Cuttilo, the Executive Director of the JMTP. “With the amazing support, we raised over $600,000 to provide tennis opportunities and lifechanging experiences to under-resourced children in NYC and the surrounding areas. Your participation is making a real impact, and we couldn’t have done it without

you - whether you were a player in the tournament, a spectator, or an after-party attendee.”

The Pro-Am was sold out and featured tennis legends including John McEnroe and Patrick McEnroe, as well as Christina McHale, Coco Vandeweghe, Mats Wilander, Andrea Petkovic and Milos Raonic.

Throughout the day, raffle prizes were available for attendees. After the on-court play, an after-party was held at a private residence in Amagansett.

“Stay tuned for details about next year’s event,” Cutillo added. “We can’t wait to see you in 2025!”

USTA

Eastern and the Junior Tennis Foundation (JTF) welcomed in six new members to the Hall of Fame at the 37th Eastern Tennis Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at the River Club of New York in Manhattan.

The 2024 class includes longtime NYC facility director Hemel Meghani Cosme, former ATP player and Navy head coach Chris Garner, esteemed photographer Edward Goldman, renowned instructor Antonio Palafox, promoter and activist Christine Schott, and longtime Capital Region tournament director Nitty Singh.

“These six extraordinary individuals have committed their lives to growing and enriching our sport,” said Junior Tennis Foundation Executive Director Mark McIntyre. “Tennis would not be what it is in our corner of the world without their immense contributions to our sport—each in their own way, each with their unique talents. We were thrilled to be able to formally recognize them for remarkable achievements.”

2024 Inductees:

Hemel Meghani Cosme: A former top Eastern junior and WTA tour player, Cosme has managed several

Six Honored at Annual Eastern Tennis Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

major tennis facilities in New York, including the Central Park Tennis Center in Manhattan and the Alley Pond Tennis Center in Queens. She currently manages the Active Pickleball and Tennis Center at Queens College.

Chris Garner: A Long Island native and former top-ranked junior, Garner reached a career-high of world No. 120 on the ATP tour in 1991. Today, he serves as the head coach of the men’s tennis team at Navy. In this role, he has amassed a230-118 record over the past decade.

and Vitas Gerulaitis. At 87, he continues to teach tennis in Atlanta.

Edward Goldman: Known as “Eastern’s Photographer,” Goldman has photographed players at the US Open since 1976 and has captured countless moments at Eastern Tennis Hall of Fame ceremonies and various New York tennis events for over 40 years.

Antonio Palafox: A two-time Grand Slam doubles champion, Palafox became an influential coach at Port Washington Tennis Academy, developing players like John McEnroe

Christine K. Schott: With a deep family history in tennis, Schott played a key role in preserving the Forest Hills Stadium at the West Side Tennis Club, the former home of the US Open. She has directed major national grass court championships and worked closely with Junior Tennis Foundation founder Gene Scott at Tennis Week.

Nitty Singh: A pioneering tennis entrepreneur, Singh was the first woman to serve as a tournament director for an ATP Tour event. She

PHOTO CREDIT: Joshua Mateo

offered wild cards to teenagers Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras before they were superstars and continues to promote tennis in the Capital Region.

With their induction, the 2024 class joins tennis luminaries such as Arthur Ashe, Mary Carillo, Althea Gibson, Billie Jean King, John McEnroe, and former USTA President Katrina Adams in the Eastern Tennis Hall of Fame.

“The Hall of Fame ceremony is always fun. It’s a good feeling to recognize deserving inductees, who’ve done so much for tennis. This year, I think we made it even more fun with live music and dancing, and the River Club is such a fun and elegant place to be, not to mention historic,” McIntyre

added. “This was a particularly special class in that the inductees covered the whole range of eligibility: players, coaches, tournament directors, facility operators, volunteers. Plus, this class brought a lot of diversity to the Hall, with three women, two of whom are Asian-American, so that was pretty nice.”

Proceeds from the induction

ceremony benefit the JTF, which provides grants and financial assistance to tennis programs and organizations that focus on underserved and at-risk youth and people with disabilities. Since its incorporation in 1982, JTF has provided over $2 million for programs and scholarships in the Eastern Section.

“All of the net proceeds, from tickets, program ads and direct contributions, go to support the Foundation’s mission of providing assistance to tennis programs that serve underprivileged youth and people with disabilities,” McIntyre explained. “Because of the respect and recognition for the contributions of this year’s inductees, we received $25,000 in direct donations from people wanting to honor one or more of the inductees.”

Alcaraz, Pegula, Shelton and Navarro Highlight The Garden Cup at Madison Square Garden on December 4

Thetradition of world class tennis returns to Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, December 4 with The Garden Cup. Four-time Grand Slam Champion, Carlos Alcaraz, US Open Finalist, Jessica Pegula and US Open Semifinalists, Ben Shelton and Emma Navarro will make their Madison Square Garden debuts in a special one-night tennis exhibition starting at 7:00 pm ET.

Alcaraz, No. 3 on the ATP Tour rankings and the defending French Open and Wimbledon champion, will lead the elite players into Madison Square Garden and face 2023 US Open semifinalist, Ben Shelton. The two young stars met once before in 2023 during the ATP Masters 1000 event in Canada where Alcaraz beat the current No. 17 Shelton in straight sets.

The young Spanish champion has quickly become one of tennis’s biggest stars and has captured four Grand Slam titles by the age of 21. At 19 years old he won his first Grand Slam title at the 2022 US Open followed by a Wimbledon title in 2023 and earlier this year, in the span of five weeks, he won the French Open and his second Wimbledon title. At the 2024 Summer Olympics, Alcaraz represented Spain and became the third youngest male to win a singles Olympic medal, winning the silver.

Buffalo, New York native Jessica Pegula, is coming off her best Grand Slam appearance playing in the US Open championship match for the first time in her career. The WTA Tour No. 3 ranked and No. 1 ranked American will step onto The Garden court and take on No. 8 ranked player, Emma Navarro, who played to the semifinal round of the US Open marking her finest Grand Slam appearance as well.

The two American women recently

teamed up to represent Team USA in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Their one and only career meeting took place in the 2024 Miami Open Round of 16 where Pegula got the better of Navarro.

“I am looking forward to returning to New York on December 4 to play Ben at Madison Square Garden,” said Alcaraz. “Playing in front of the New York fans at The World’s Most Famous Arena will be an unforgettable night. It will be a great experience.”

Pegula said “As a New York tennis player you dream of playing in the US Open final and playing at Madison Square Garden. To be able to do both in one year just shows dreams can come true. Really looking forward to coming back to New York and playing Emma in front of the best fans in the world.”

Shelton added, “I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to play at Madison Square Garden, one of the most iconic venues in the world. New York has always been a special place for me, and I can’t wait to play in front of an electric New York crowd with Carlos. It’s going to be an incredible experience playing in front of a packed house!”

“I’m really excited, said Navarro.

“We’re in one of the most iconic arenas in the world. And to be able to share the stage with fellow American Jess, and put on a show in the US, in New York City, is special. I’m really looking forward to it.”Tennis returns to The World’s Most Famous Arena for the first time since 2018 when Serena and Venus Williams, Elina Svitolina, Coco Vandeweghe, Shuai Zhang, Marion Bartoli, Daniela Hantuchova and Sorana Cirstea took to The Garden court.

Beginning in 2008 Madison Square Garden hosted a ten-year run of special events featuring exciting players such as Roger Federer, Pete Sampras, the Williams sisters, Kim Clijsters, Ana Ivanovic, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Rafael Nadal, Andre Agassi, Ivan Lendl, Mike and Bob Bryan, John and Patrick McEnroe, Stan Wawrinka, Gael Monfils, Jack Sock, Nick Kyrigos, Caroline Wozniacki, Maria Sharapova, Kim Clijsters, Victoria Azarenka, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Ana Ivanovic, Jelena Jankovic, Monica Seles and Gabriela Sabatini.

From 1972-2001, the seasonending women’s tournament was played at Madison Square Garden and featured the top 16 singles players in the world.

Sold-Out Player Field Highlights New York Tennis Magazine’s Fall Challenge

While the 2024 U.S. Open was wrapping up in Queens, New York 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 tristate 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.

“Our event 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

The Men’s 7.0 – 7.5 Division Champions: Cenzig Karakaya & Ray Omid

The Women’s 7.0 – 7.5 Division Champions: Ashley Freger & Kimberly Gershon

The Women’s 6.0 – 6.5 Division Champions: Melissa Scheinman & Carrie Lishinsky

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

The Men’s 8.0 – 8.5 Division Champions: Francois Vernet & Jeff Silverman

The Women’s 8.0 – 8.5 Division Champions: Hayley Mink & Marija Vareikiate

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 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 strengths together again, movement patterns and things like that.”

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 LongIslandTennis Magazine.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.”

The Men’s 9.0 – 9.5 Division Champions: Chris Kolesnik & Dylan Friedman

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Q&A

With Gustavo Loza, USTA Eastern

Thesport of tennis here in the USTA Eastern Section is in an incredibly healthy position, as we have seen the general growth of tennis in terms of increased participation, and also the success of the junior and adult players across all competitions. This continues to showcase Eastern as a top tennis destination.

In order to break down what was done in Eastern in 2024 and looking ahead to 2025, New York Tennis Magazine spoke to Gustavo Loza, the Manager of Youth Programs and Competition for the Metro Region of USTA Eastern about that growth, the impact of the success of American players, and what the USTA’s plans and goals are as we head into the new year.

NYTM: The USTA recently changed its mission statement. What is the new mission, and what goals does it aim to achieve?

Loza: The USTA has recently updated its mission statement to “grow tennis and inspire healthier people and communities everywhere” - and we are fully committed to realizing that vision. We are creating and expanding access at all levels and ages so anyone that wants to play tennis has exciting opportunities to do so, with the goal of transforming those initial

play opportunities into memorable experiences, hopefully sparking a lifelong connection to the sport.

NYTM: What factors have contributed to the consistent growth of tennis participation?

Loza: Tennis has experienced consistent growth in participation for the past 5 years in multiple age groups in the section. This trend is driven by the many dedicated industry professionals that facilitate opportunities to learn and play at all levels, combined with other factors like the exposure and success of the US Open and even the growth of health focused initiatives and athleisure trends that motivate people to get active. We need to capitalize on this organic momentum to attract and bring new

people into the tennis community and continue creating exciting events to turn today’s players into lifelong enthusiasts.

NYTM: How does the USTA view competition with other racquet sports and what strategies are being considered?

Loza: Competition is always positive, welcomed and essential as it pushes innovation. Tennis is the king of racquet sports, but can’t rest on its laurels, particularly when other racquet sports grow. Tennis not only competes with other sports and recreational activities but it also does now with digital entertainment. There are many people that start playing tennis in the warmer months but don’t continue in the winter due to the cost. We need to explore creative ways to offer more affordable options and form strategic partnerships that make year round tennis more accessible.

NYTM: What are USTA Eastern’s key initiatives for 2025?

Loza: Two of the big areas of focus for 2025 and beyond are increasing our court inventory and enhancing coach education. The first initiative entails identifying abandoned courts to refurbish, explore installing bubbles in existing courts to turn them into year-long sites or even building new ones. This

project is a collaboration with multiple internal and external stakeholders, government agencies and the private sector with the support and guidance of the USTA Foundation and USTA Venue Services. We believe there is significant potential in underutilized public courts, particularly in parks, that could help us accommodate more players and programs. On the coaching side, the USTA plans to become a more prominent force in the coaching education space. Coaches play a pivotal role in igniting that initial passion for tennis and we aim to empower them with the necessary resources to elevate the sport’s quality delivery.

NYTM: In what ways does the success of American and Eastern players inspire youth participation in tennis?

Loza: The biggest motivator for kids to play tennis will always be the success and inspiration of their idols and peers.

TENNIS A FUL L CENTE R

Currently, U.S. tennis is enjoying a strong moment, with multiple players reaching Grand Slam finals. Women’s tennis and doubles teams have achieved remarkable success over the last two decades and in the post-Big 3 era, it is a matter of time before men’s tennis catches up. In the Eastern section, we have recently had junior slam champions, multiple ITF top-ranked players, winners of prestigious events like Les Petit As, and NCAA champions and finalists. The high level of competition and success not only showcases the potential in the section but also serves as a powerful source of motivation for young players. I firmly believe that many of these talented Eastern juniors have the potential to continue their success from the junior and college levels at the professional level.

NYTM: How does USTA Eastern support competitive players in their training and development?

Loza: We are committed to create

Managing all these aspects is

which is why we aim to provide support to alleviate that burden. We have created a dedicated pathway of training camps designed to bring the best players together within specific age groups for specific targeted training with specialized coaches and topics. These training camp environment foster competitiveness and camaraderie, enhancing the support network among players. We believe these experiences are positive and can help players and coaches in their journey while simultaneously strengthening our community as a whole.

Reyniak Plays Well In ITF Junior Events In DR

15-year-old Matias Reyniak, who trains with Gilad Bloom Tennis, played in 2 J30 ITF events in the 18 & Under divisions in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. He finished as the runner-up in the first event, and followed it up with a title victory the next week, winning the semifinals and finals in three sets.

Chris Lewit Brings Students To Train The Spanish Way

Chris Lewit took a couple of his players to Spain to train the Spanish way, the teaching method that Lewit learned during his years traveling to Spain. Lewit visited the famed Lluis Bruguera who had a huge impact on his coaching career, and was able to introduce his students to the red clay of Spanish tennis and the coaches that shaped his philosophy. Lewit and his students will bring that knowledge back here to the States and implement it to his academy.

National Tennis Center Hosts Doubles Workshop

Across Metro N

Current Boise State head coach and longtime tennis coach Greg Patton visited the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center for a doubles workshop. Patton brought his expertise and passion for tennis to inspire the coaches at NTC, teaching the coaches clinics, drills and other exercises to teach proper doubles.

Ugel Wins L4 Event

Luca Ugel, who trains at MatchPoint NYC, captured the title at the L4 Open in Pennsylvania, bringing home the title in the Boys 18s division. Ugel fought back from a set down in his semifinal victory before winning a three-set match in the championship match to secure the win.

New York

Kwak Brings Home Two Doubles Titles

Evelynn Kwak was victorious in two doubles tournaments, bringing home both a Girls’ Doubles and Mixed Doubles trophies. Kwak, who trains at CourtSense Training Center, paired with Molly Martin to win the Girls 16s Doubles crown, and teamed with Rafael Pawar to win the Mixed Doubles 16s title at the L4 WOTC Open.

Singh Carvajal Earns Back-To-Back L4 Titles

Valentina Singh Carvajal, a Centercourt Tennis Academy FullTime

Athlete, won back-toback singles titles in the Girls 12s division. First, she won the L4 Open in Maryland before returning to New Jersey and winning the L4 Closed event.

Both times, Singh Carvajal came back from a set down in the finals to win!

… News and notes from across the N.Y. Metro tennis community

Adachi Wins L6 Event

John McEnroe Tennis Academy (JMTA) player Kei Adachi was the winner of the L6 Ramapo Open, bringing home the title in the Boys 12s singles division. Adachi was the tournament’s top-seed and backed it up by winning the championship.

spotlight Junior Player

By Brian Coleman

Abigail Tak USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center

Atthe beginning of each year, when the clock changes from 11:59 p.m. on December 31 to 12:00 a.m. on January 1, millions of people across the world make New Year’s Resolutions. For some, that is exercising more and eating healthier, for others it could be pursuing a new career or changing daily habits.

For Abigail Tak, it was to become the best tennis player she possibly could be. The seventh-grader had been taking lessons since she was four-years-old, but as 2022 turned into 2023, she wanted to take it further.

“We went around the dining table announcing our new year’s resolutions, and that was when I announced my resolution was to become the best tennis player I could be,” Tak said. “So my mom signed me up for a bunch more tennis lessons, and after her and my dad learned more about USTA junior tournaments, they started signing me up for those as well. My dad also started playing with me after school, and we love to watch tennis on television or even in-person when we have time. Even when I go on vacation, I always have one of my racquets with me to play.”

a player, which only continues to push her.

“I think tennis is a very motivating sport. Each time I focus on something to improve, I can literally see the improvement happen, and then I can test everything during my weekend matches,” she said. “It’s super encouraging to see something that I’ve worked on and improved on actually deliver results when it matters. There’s something very satisfying about the whole process. It’s a lot like putting puzzle pieces together. Each area of improvement just adds on to the next, and the picture becomes clearer every day. That’s why I love tennis. There’s so much to keep working on and improving on.”

That mindset has helped Tak thrive, and her motivation is on display each time she hits the tennis court for practices or training sessions.

Her primary training home is the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens. In addition to the top-level coaching and expertise, it’s the balance between serious tennis training and fun that makes it the ideal place for her to go.

And so for the last 2 years, Tak has dedicated herself to that resolution, immersing herself in a training regimen and tournament schedule that has helped her continue to improve as she aims to take her tennis to the next level.

The more she practices, the more she sees herself growing as

“The best thing about the NTC is the people,” she said. “The coaches here are really great, plus they’re a ton of fun and super friendly. We make jokes here and there during fitness or during training, or when I see one of them walking by in the halls. They really know how to encourage me and push us players to improve our games. They are also super-focused on making sure we develop an all-court ability with strengths in every part of the court,

not just the baseline. They take their time to always provide good feedback whenever they see something wrong, and just seem to always have the perfect solution.”

Another benefit of training at the NTC, Tak says, is being surrounded by other top players who are pursuing similar goals to herself.

“I’ve made friends with many of them, and even my parents get to become friends with the other parents. It’s kind of like a growing tennis family at NTC,” she said. “It’s a lot of tough work when we’re training, but it’s also super fun to be here every day. I love walking through the entrance to begin my sessions and seeing photos of different tennis legends everywhere or getting a glimpse of live matches on one of the main TV screens around the facility.”

On the court, Tak is an aggressive player who goes for her shots. That approach comes from her dad, Isaac,

who would always encourage her to hit the ball as hard as she can and test her margins. His philosophy was that if she wasn’t hitting the net, she wasn’t learning

anything.

Even if that approach led to a loss in a match, it was something to build off and learn from, which can only help in the long run.

“I think his philosophy really helped me because, for instance, my second serve is now one of the highlights of my game. This surprises my opponents sometimes. I’ve seen some of them come into the court to receive my second serves only to find out they should probably have stayed back behind the baseline,” said Tak. “I’ve spent a lot of time working on my serves including targeting and incorporating slices and kicks. I like to keep my opponent guessing.”

In addition to her effective serve, Tak has excellent ground strokes and uses a ton of variety in her game. Even when she is at school she is looking to improve her tennis. If she has a free period or during lunch, she’ll play tennis with other boys and girls,

continued on page 18

which has helped her develop the ability to both hit with high topspin like a lot of boys do, but also flatten out her shots when she needs to.

An area of focus most recently is putting together an effective net game, something that participating in clinics and lessons at NTC has helped cultivate.

“They had a really great doubles clinic recently, and I learned that it is pretty much an all-net game, and that really helped me improve,” said Tak. “I’m now very comfortable at the net, but I do have to get better being more strategic about when to come in. Sometimes I come in at the wrong time only to realize that I’ve given my opponent a winner opportunity against me.”

That perhaps is the best part about Tak’s game. While she knows she is one of the better players her age, she is not naïve about the need to add to her game and improve on a consistent basis.

All of that tennis training can take a toll on a young player, so Tak makes sure tennis isn’t the only thing she enjoys doing. While she plays tennis any chance she gets, she also likes to spend time in the winter going skiing. Other than tennis, Tak says skiing is her favorite sport, and she oftentimes takes a week off from tennis during the winter to hit the slopes.

She is also an avid writer, who loves reading books which has fueled her desire to craft her own writing voice, and she also plays violin in her school’s orchestra.

“But even when I’m not playing tennis, it’s pretty hard to keep me away from it,” she admits. “I started a tennis club at my middle school last year. I thought it’d be a great way to get together with others like me that want to talk about tennis even when we’re not playing.”

At the beginning of last year, Abigail Tak committed herself to being the best

tennis player she could be, and has put that plan into practice in the 24 months since that resolution. She rightfully has lofty goals for herself as she moves forward, and for now, is just focused on the day-to-day process of improving on anything she can.

“For now, my goal is to just keep getting better,” she said. “I do want to play tennis in college, especially after participating in team events like the L4 Intersectionals we had here at the NTC. I also play for my school team which has been a lot of fun, and it makes me eager to be part of a great college team when I graduate high school. It’s super cool being able to play at the same place that the pros do during the U.S. Open, and I’ve even had the chance to play inside some of the big stadiums like Grandstand and Court 17. I can’t wait to come back as a competitor in the U.S. Open one day.”

CHRIS LEWIT TENNIS

FULL-TIME ACADEMY FOR HOMESCHOOL PLAYERS

WEEKEND HIGH PERFORMANCE ACADEMY TRAINING FOR ALL LEVELS

HIGH PERFORMANCE SUMMER CAMP IN VERMONT TRAIN WITH THE BEST— CHRIS HAS RECENTLY COACHED SEVERAL #1 PLAYERS IN THE US!

Evert Tennis Academy A Florida Tennis Haven

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

PARSA’s picks

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.

NYTM: 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.

NYTM: 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.

NYTM: 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.

NYTM: 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

PARSA’s picks

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.

NYTM: 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.

Say Farewell to One-on-One Sessions:

Why Group Coaching is Your Ultimate Advantage (and How to Master It!)

By Tony Huber

It’sTony Huber here, and today I want to share something that’s reshaped my approach to coaching: group sessions. For many of us, private lessons have been the cornerstone of our coaching careers. They offer personalized attention, clear structure, and a nice hourly rate. But if you haven’t considered the power of group coaching yet, you’re missing out on a dynamic way to engage more players, build a sense of community, and even increase your earnings. It might sound a little chaotic at first, but trust me, once you embrace it, group coaching can be your ultimate advantage.

Now, group coaching isn’t just about packing as many players as possible onto the court. It’s about delivering the same (or even greater) value that players get in private lessons, while keeping the session fun, interactive, and educational. This shift can be a challenge, but with the right mindset and approach, it’s a change worth making.

The Secret to Successful Group Coaching: The Three Essential Roles

Here’s where things often go wrong for coaches transitioning to group sessions. To truly master group coaching, you need to embrace three key roles: Educator, Motivator, and Entertainer. If you leave out any of these roles, your sessions won’t have the same impact, and you could lose the engagement and trust of your players. Let’s break down what happens when coaches miss the mark:

1. Educator: Make It Clear and Accessible

As an Educator, your role is to simplify complex concepts and teach in a way that everyone in the group can understand. Group settings often fail when coaches don’t adapt their teaching style to the group format. Some coaches stick to jargon or over complicate drills, assuming everyone is on the same level. The result? Players feel lost, frustrated, and disengaged.

To succeed, you need to break down techniques into bite-sized, manageable pieces. Avoid jargon, use visual aids, and explain things in ways that cater to different learning styles. Some players are visual learners, some need repetition, and some just need to get out there and try it. A good educator adapts and delivers clear, concise instructions so everyone benefits.

2. Motivator: Keep the Energy High

One of the biggest challenges in group coaching is maintaining energy and motivation throughout the session. Coaches who fail to motivate the group will quickly lose the players' attention. If the energy on the court dips, players will disengage, stop pushing themselves, and may not come back for future sessions.

As a Motivator, your job is to keep the group pumped and energized, even when things get tough. A missed shot or a frustrating drill can throw a player off, but a quick word of encouragement can bring them right back. Celebrate small wins. "Nice shot!" "Great effort!" You’ve got to be the one who keeps them believing in their progress. Introduce friendly competition, like minitournaments or team challenges, to drive that competitive spirit.

Coaches who overlook this role often struggle with player retention because players don’t feel supported or inspired. In group settings, the coach sets the tone, and it’s your job to keep that tone positive and energetic.

3. Entertainer: Make It Fun!

Let’s be honest: no one wants a boring coach. Group coaching fails when the sessions are dry, repetitive, or too serious. Players come to have fun, and

when they’re enjoying themselves, they learn faster and play harder. If you don’t bring an element of fun to your group sessions, players will get bored, lose interest, and stop showing up.

As an Entertainer, you need to inject fun and excitement into the drills. Make them laugh, turn drills into games, or add a playful challenge. Tell a story, crack a joke, or create a game that rewards creativity on the court. You don’t have to be a comedian, but you do need to create an atmosphere where players are relaxed and enjoying themselves. When your sessions are fun, players stay engaged and are more likely to keep coming back for more.

Coaches who leave out this role often find that their group sessions feel stale and lack the vibrancy that draws players in. Tennis should be fun, and it’s up to you to make sure your players feel that excitement every time they step on the court.

Why Coaches Fail Without These Three Roles

Many coaches struggle with group coaching because they fail to balance these three roles. They either focus too much on technical details and forget to engage the group, or they’re too focused on fun and lose the educational value of the session. It’s crucial to strike a balance. A successful group coach is a master of these three roles, creating an environment where players are learning, motivated, and having fun all at once.

Coaches who fail at group coaching often do so because they overlook one or more of these critical elements. Maybe they’re great at teaching the technical side but can’t keep the group motivated. Or maybe they’re great motivators but struggle to simplify their instruction for different learning levels.

Tony Huber is the Head Professional & Adult Program Director for Advantage Tennis Clubs in New York City. Prior to coming to Advantage Tennis Clubs, Tony was the Director of High Performance at the Cary Leeds Tennis Center in The Bronx. Tony is a PTR Certified Professional and started his coaching career in 1993, at Van der Meer Tennis on Hilton Head Island. His accomplishments include coaching Liezel Huber to #1 in the world(doubles) for 199 weeks, as well as numerous other top players during his 15 years on the WTA Tour. He coached in two Olympic Games (Sydney and London) and developed many top juniors who earned college tennis scholarships.

Q&A Winter Season Preparations With The Farley Group

Aswe move into the colder winter months here in the Northeast, that means the indoor season is upon us. This is when local clubs and facilities have to prepare their bubbles and the influx of players moving indoors.

New York Tennis Magazine sat down with Bob Jessome, Service Manager for The Farley Group, one of the leading manufactures and servicers of bubbles and structures in North American, to discuss how to prepare for the winter season, and what to know when gearing up for the cold weather.

NYTM: As we move into the indoor racquet sports season, what should clubs and facilities do to ensure their bubbles are up-to-date?

Jessome: The first step is to prepare with preventive maintenance, focusing on gas and electrical checks. Once the dome is up, it's essential to ensure any lighting is cleaned properly before installation, particularly with clay surfaces. Additionally, domes should be stored dry and clean. Keeping interior accessories to a minimum enhances the appearance and reduces clutter, promoting safety. Key items to include are nets and some seating to maintain functionality while preserving space.

NYTM: What are some of the biggest mistakes companies make when putting up a bubble

for the winter? What should they know before committing to a project?

Jessome: Accessibility is crucial! Companies need to thoroughly review the site plan to ensure adequate access for installation and takedown. Snow removal is often a challenge when fences are too close to the dome, limiting removal options to manual methods. Flipup fences can mitigate this issue, allowing easier access. Additionally, companies should account for operational expenditures, such as storage on-site or off-site.

NYTM: Besides weather conditions, what are some of the benefits of getting a dome or bubble for your facility?

Jessome: Domes enable year-round play with climate control, minimizing cancellations due to weather. They foster a sense of community, allowing members to gather and enjoy sports throughout the year. In regions like Guelph, domes particularly appeal to all generations, providing a comfortable environment and encouraging camaraderie among players.

NYTM: Do you see a lot of interest in pickleball-related projects? How has the rise in pickleball popularity impacted what you do?

Jessome: Absolutely! Pickleball projects have increased dramatically, with a significant rise in the past five years. The demand has led to numerous

conversations about upgrading existing courts or constructing new domes to accommodate pickleball. Since pickleball courts require less space, they allow for more courts within a given dome footprint compared to traditional tennis layouts. Although pickleball is currently trending, the interest in tennis remains strong, with renewed growth this year.

NYTM: What differentiates your services from competitors in the industry?

Jessome: The Farley Group has the largest service department in the air-supported structure industry, offering 2-3 times the capacity of competitors. Our mobile service and high level of expertise set us apart. We have built a culture centered around service, focusing on building lifetime relationships with clients. While many companies provide emergency-only support, we prioritize both ongoing maintenance and emergency response.

NYTM: How important are customer service and open communication to your work?

Jessome: Customer service and open dialogue are fundamental to our approach. Feedback from customers drives continuous improvements in maintenance, design, and innovation. Customer insights have directly influenced our product offerings, such as direct lighting and insulation solutions. By maintaining open communication, we ensure that we meet customer needs and adapt to emerging trends. This commitment to listening and evolving has earned us ongoing customer referrals.

USTA Eastern Metro Region

Former NYC-based athletes cause a stir at the 2024 US Open

Truehome favorites.

Players who developed their games in the NYCmetro area brought the heat at the 2024 US Open, held earlier this summer at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

Dominick Mosejczuk, of Queens, produced the first big upset of the boys’ singles junior draw when he defeated No. 7 seed Hayden Jones of Australia, 6-3, 7-6(10), in the first round.

“I mean, it’s an unbelievable experience because this is my home slam,” he said after that match. “I’ve been training [at the NTC] since I was three-and-a-half years old, so it was definitely a big moment for me, [and] I was very excited to be out here.”

Still, even though the venue was familiar, Mosejczuk admitted that he was not immune to some first-juniorgrand-slam-ever jitters.

“I was definitely nervous in the beginning,” he said. “Throughout the whole match as well…my serve is a big part of my game, and even though I was really nervous, that was the one thing that kept me alive. I didn’t get broken at all, so that was an important factor.”

Mosejczuk ended up reaching the Round of 16, losing to eventual champion Rafael Jodar of Spain.

Eliot Spizzirri—another player who trained at the NTC as a junior—also sent New York fans into a frenzy. In the third round of the qualifying draw, the former University of Texas standout battled the 2023 US Open boys’ singles champion Joao Fonseca over three sets and two hours and 37 minutes, ultimately emerging victorious, 76(8), 6-7(5), 6-4, to advance to the main draw of the Grand Slam for the very first time. Fonseca—ranked 179 spots higher in the rankings—was in the midst of a breakout year; he’d collected wins over top players

Arthur Fils and Cristian Garin earlier in the season and became the youngest player to reach the quarterfinals of an ATP 500 tournament since Alexander Zverev achieved the feat in 2014. The Brazilian initially looked like he might pull off the comeback of the tournament, erasing a 25 deficit in the second to claim the set in a tiebreak and saving four match points along the way. Ultimately, the former Texas Longhorn shook off the disappointment of that momentum shift, regrouped and proved too tough in the third. The encounter drew an enormous—and enormously raucous— crowd to Court 5, as Brazilian and American fans loudly cheered for their respective player after just about every single point played. So “instant classic” did this battle become on that Thursday afternoon that Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey tweeted about it.

Spizzirri wasn’t the only former Eastern junior who caused a stir at the final Grand Slam of the year. New York native Aleks Kovacevic—the world No. 76—took a set off former Top 10 player Frances Tiafoe during their first-round clash inside Louis Armstrong Stadium. (During that match, he also went “around the net” to produce one of the shots of the tournament.) Even though he ultimately lost to the No. 20 seed and eventual semifinalist, Kovacevic still found himself in the second week at Flushing Meadows, reaching the semifinals of the mixed doubles tournament with partner Tyra Caterina Grant.

Other Eastern-affiliated participants at the 2024 US Open: Claire An; Louisa Chirico; Leena Friedman; Ronit Karki; Jack Kennedy; Shannon Lam; Christasha McNeil; Alexa Noel; Maggie Sohns; and Michael Zheng.

In his first-ever junior Grand Slam appearance, Queens resident Mosejczuk reached the Round of 16 in the boys’ singles event. Photo Credit: Manuela Davies/USTA

We’re

USTA Eastern Metro Region

USTA Eastern Grants Still Available

Attendees smile after participating in a cardio tennis event

all in this together. Several USTA Eastern grants are still available for tennis providers in 2024. Find more information and the application link at usta.com/gttgrant. Hurry! The deadline to apply is November 18.

2024 Youth Tennis Growing Tennis Together Grant

This grant is awarded to tennis providers hosting a flexible format event or series of events for juniors. The offering should be geared toward those who have recently entered the sport; the ideal participant is a player who is just starting out and who can effectively serve, rally and keep score. As an example, a tennis provider could offer recreational team tennis for players ages 11-16. Such an offering would serve young players who enjoy tennis but also want to be a part of a team.

Youth Tennis Growing Tennis Together Grants are available for up to $500. This grant is not retroactive. We will only fund programs/events that have not yet occurred. We also require those participating to utilize our USTA registration platforms.

Grant Amount: $500 maximum award

Applications Due: Ongoing (Final date to submit: November 18, 2024)

2024 High School Tennis Growing Tennis Together Grant

This award is for high school tennis programs looking to increase tennis participation and enhance team support. Funding can go toward improving program development, supporting additional coaching needs and/or improving junior varsity programs. Schools that can apply should be within the New York State Public High School Athletic Association, PSAL High School teams, or the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. New teams, coaches currently developing a high school team or teams that support a no-cut policy are also eligible to apply. This grant cannot be used for transportation, memberships or registration fees.

Grant Amount: $500 maximum award

Applications Due: Ongoing (Final date to submit: November 18, 2024)

2024 Cardio Tennis Growing Tennis Together Grant

This award is for tennis providers hosting a cardio tennis program or event in 2024. This grant is not retroactive. We will only fund programs/events that have not yet occurred.

Grant Amount: $500 maximum award

Applications Due: Ongoing (Final date to submit: November 18, 2024)

USTA Eastern Metro Region

continued from page 00

How young athletes can benefit from playing tennis

Tennisis as much a mental game as it is a physical one, and USTA Eastern aims to support local players as they handle all of the rigors of the sport. Recently, we spoke with Dr. Anthony Puliafico, a clinical psychologist who specializes in child and adolescent psychiatry for The Center for Youth Mental Health at NewYork-Presbyterian. Dr. Puliafico shares his insights about the many mental health benefits of the sport and how young tennis players can manage the internal and external pressures associated with junior competition.

How can playing tennis positively impact mental health in adolescents?

DR. PULIAFICO: There are countless positive effects. First, exercise is associated with improved mood. [But] involvement in sports also provides young people with structure, as well as the opportunity to develop mentor relationships and engage in a real meaningful and values-filled activity. Kids set goals for themselves to improve, and then they work to gradually meet those goals. Another huge [benefit] is that many junior athletes find meaning in the sport. They care about being good at it, and they care about [developing] good relationships with their teammates and their coaches. As someone who participated in youth sports, and as a parent of children in youth sports, I see these benefits firsthand.

Dr. Puliafico’s advice for parents who want to support their kids as they play tennis competitively? “Number one is that they should really focus on the player’s effort and less so on final results,” he says

If you are operating from a growth mindset, you might say, “I lost this match and I wish I hadn’t. What did I learn from this to become a better player?” That’s opposed to a fixed mindset where you might say “I lost, and that means I’m no good and I stink.” It’s about focusing on the process, rather than the final result. Of course players want to win, and coaches want to see their players win. But sometimes winning isn’t 100% in a kid’s control. What they can control is maintaining a consistent effort, focusing on their form, and doing the things they’ve been taught to do.

At the same time, junior players in a competitive atmosphere might get anxious about their per formance. What are some tips for best managing the pressure, expectations and other stressors on the court?

DR. PULIAFICO: It’s all about a growth mindset versus a fixed mindset. [Psychologist] Carol Dweck brought this concept to the forefront, and I think it has real value for kids in all areas of life, but in sports particularly. What a growth mindset means is that we can learn from every experience.

When you are working directly with young athletes, what do you specifically tr y to emphasize?

DR. PULIAFICO: Playing a competitive spor t, being on a team, that all has so much value. And yet, the more competitive a player gets, the more pressure they might feel. We want to help kids find all those positives in sport without burning out, because that’s my biggest concern— we see kids who love a sport and the pressure leads them to lose the love for it. So for me, it's about helping kids really maintain the passion and love for the game that drew them in from an early age.

adult leaguewrap-up

participated in the National Championships in Surprise Arizona and narrowly lost in the finals 3-2

WhileBy Ainslie Ellis

gentlemen participated in the National championships and were a respectable 2-2, the highlight being defeating a very skilled Florida team.

the fall leagues and the indoor tennis season are under way, we wanted to recognize the success of the Metro region’s Spring & Summer League Champions and their postseason endeavors. Congratulations to the following teams who placed in the top two of the Sectional Championships played in August and September.

We wish the winners participating in the National Championship Tournaments the best of luck and look forward to the 2025 season!

18 & over 4.0 Metro Women Sectional Championscaptained by Rita Zhang and Anna Tang. The team

55 & Over 9.0 Metro Men Sectional Finalists - captained by Lawrence Lehman

40 & over 3.5 Metro Men’s Sectional Championscaptained by Tom Rinaldi. The

40 & over 8.0 Metro Mixed Doubles Sectional Championscaptained by Michael Valdellon and Aki Ogata

18 & Over 4.5 Metro Women Sectional Finalists - captained by Huan Zhou

40 & Over 7.0 Metro Mixed Doubles Sectional Finalists - captained by Shanon Blue

55 & Over 8.0 Metro Men Sectional Finalistscaptained by Howard Helene and Daniel Katz

40 & Over 4.0 Metro Men Sectional Finalistscaptained by Daniel Bindler

American Woman

After reaching first major final, Jessica Pegula looks to take next step in 2025

By Brian Coleman

It’shard to put into words or fathom the sheer destruction and devastation caused by Hurricane Helene this fall. The storm ravaged a significant portion of the southeastern region of the United States with hundreds of fatalities, thousands displaced, and immeasurable damage to infrastructure.

The footage of the aftermath of the storm had a profound impact on a lot of people, with one of them being American tennis star Jessica Pegula. She married her husband in Asheville, one of the many cities and areas hit hard by the storm, and the place holds a special place in Pegula’s heart.

Upon seeing the news, Pegula tweeted out:

“Asheville always holds a special place in my heart because it’s where I got married. I can’t believe the devastation right now. So many people stranded and missing. I hope everyone is staying as safe as they possibly can. What are some ways we can help?!”

It’s a fine example of how athletes can use their platform to help those in need, and is something Pegula has tried to always be conscious of, especially factoring in the means from which she comes from.

The Buffalo native is the daughter of extremely wealthy parents, Terry and Kim, who own the Buffalo Bills of the NFL, the Buffalo Sabres of the NHL, and the Buffalo Bandits of the National Lacrosse League; in all, the family’s net worth is north of $7 billion.

During the U.S. Open, Pegula did an interview while taking a subway into Queens, and she discussed some of the “annoying” things she has to deal with from the public when they view her family

“It's that people think I have a butler, that I get chauffeured around. I have a private limo, that I fly private everywhere. I'm definitely not like that,” Pegula said. “People can think what they want. I don't know. I think it's kind of funny. A butler? Like, I read these comments, ‘she probably has this and that and that’. I'm, like, no, not at all. Maybe I should. I don't know at this point. Is that what you want me to do, do all these crazy things? Yeah, it's a little annoying, but honestly I just think it's

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kind of funny because I don't really even know anyone that lives like that. It's outrageous.”

Sports remain and will always be the ultimate meritocracy. And while having access to money and resources can put you on the track to success, in sports, and especially in tennis, climbing through the ranks is something that is earned, not given. No amount of money can help you advance deep into a Grand Slam event, when the only thing standing in your way is the opponent on the other side of the net.

For Pegula, on the court, there seemed to be a roadblock barring her from entering the semifinals at the majors as she went 0-6 in her first six quarterfinal matches.

At this year’s U.S. Open, after she defeated Diana Shnaider to

reach the seventh major quarterfinal of her career, she spoke that very subject.

“I know you don’t want the cliché answer, but it’s just kind of one match at a time, and every day kind of feels different,” she said. “It depends on who you are playing, how the conditions are when you’re playing. There are so many variables day-to-day. I think I’ll just try to draw on that experience and how maybe I’ve handled it in the past, and what I’m looking to try and do mentally different this time. It’s really not that much different.

I feel like this time, I don’t know, maybe a little less pressure in a way. I think I’m just happy that I’ve been able to give myself another opportunity I guess.”

That mental preparation and not

over thinking the pressure of the situation would pay off, as Pegula stormed past world number one and four-time major champion Iga Swiatek 6-2, 6-4 to reach the final four at a Grand Slam for the first time in her career.

“I would like to say I’m so happy that you guys cannot ask me about making it to the semis,” she said jokingly in her post-match press conference. “It wasn’t even a me thing. It was more people asking me. I’m really happy to be through to the semifinals.”

Pegula would take it one step further by winning her semifinal match against fellow American Emma Navarro, before losing in the championship to Aryna Sabalenka.

Despite the finals defeat, Pegula

departed New York with her head held high and a positive outlook on what she was able to accomplish, and what it means for her moving forward.

“I always have a quiet confidence, I’m pretty calm and I feel like I’m good at being aware of what my journey has been like and what it’s been for me,” she said. “I don’t know. Maybe I’m just someone that sees things in perspective, that sees things a bit differently. Obviously mt family is a little bit different and I think I have a good sense of where that fits into my life, and what it’s going to be after tennis. What’s always helped me, I think, as I have gotten higher ranked and become a better player is just keeping that perspective. That’s helped me a lot to become a better player. Just having that awareness and perspective of what tennis is for me.”

Pegula understands where she comes from and the privilege her

and her family have enjoyed, which can help put tennis in perspective for her. She has chosen to remain humble and the results have been there as she continues to put her head down and work hard. She also understands the impact she can have as a person of means and someone in the spotlight, and has used that to try to generate good.

2024 has been one of the best seasons in Pegula’s career, and she is at the forefront of the recent success of Americans both on the men’s and women’s side. Pegula’s journey is different than the one many of her peers have had, but as she says, it has helped her develop an outlook that will carry her to greater heights in her career.

Coaches Roundtable Discussion

Thelocal tennis community boasts some of the top coaches in the world, and with this wealth of talent available, New York 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.

Meet the participants …

Gilad Bloom is a former Israeli Davis Cup player and two-time Olympian, played on the ATP Tour 1983-1995, reached the fourth round of the U.S. Open in 1990, reached a highest ranking of 61 in singles, was Israel Singles Champion three times. Bloom has been running his own tennis program since 2000 and also was director of tennis at John McEnroe Tennis Academy for two years.

Vinicius Carmo is the Director of Tennis at the Ross School Tennis Academy. A former standout player from Brazil, Carmo attended the University of Tennessee on a full tennis scholarship, before moving on to direct several prestigous tennis programs in the Hamptons before going to RSTA. Carmo has expanded the program to include events, competitive training techniques and more, using his NCAA experience and extensive connections to help RSTA graduates in the next stage of their tennis careers.

Yesica De Lucas is the Director of Junior Programming at The Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning.De Lucas has previously coached at the Rafa Nadal Academy

in Spain, and recently completed an outstanding career competing for the St. John’s Tennis Team.

Ion Efrim is the Senior Assistant Director, Camp Director, On-Site Tournament Director for Sportime Randall’s Island and the John McEnroe Tennis Academy (JMTA). Originally from Romania, Efrom was a top-ranked junior in his home country, as well as the European Champion in the Boys’ 14s Division. As a senior at Alabama State University, he was named Player of the Year and MVP of the SWAC Conference Tournament, as well as Student-Athlete of the Year at ASU. Ion spent three summers at the SPORTIME/JMTA during college, before joining the team full-time as a tennis coach and the site’s Tournament Director in 2020.

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.

Coaches Roundtable Discussion

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.

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 OneOn-One Doubles tournaments, which have been played at USTA, ATP, ITA and USPTA national events.

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 fulltime 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.

Ognen Nikolovski is the general manager of CourtSense and director of tennis at Bogota Racquet Club. He is a former top junior from Yugoslavia who went on to play college tennis at Rollins College where he became an all-American. He went on to become a world-ranked singles and doubles player on the ATP Tour and was a captain of the Macedonia Davis Cup team. He joined CourtSense in 2008 where his passion and experience has become instrumental in developing the program.

Danny Ostrometsky is the Director of the 10U program at MatchPoint NYC in Brooklyn. A USPTR Certified Coach, he is a former Top 30 player in the Eastern Section in both the 16s and 18s category, before playing collegiately at George Washington University.

Conrad Singh is the CEO at Centercourt Tennis Academy in New Jersey. He has recruited and developed a team of coaches who have produced two junior Wimbledon finalists and one champion, as well as countless athletes competing at the highest college levels. Singh is a renowned Biomechanist with degrees in Sports Science and Education. As a Grand Slam Master Coach at over 50 Grand Slams, he has a passion for Elite Player Development. Singh is a former National Coach that is heavily involved in Coach Education and holds Elite credentials from Australia, Europe and USA. He is a regular Keynote Speaker at Global Coaches Conferences and currently has multiple Touring Professionals which he is Specialist Coach and Advisor to.

Coaches Roundtable Discussion

The roundtable ...

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?

De Lucas: Every day, I ask my players how their day went at the beginning of class and then I pay close attention to their behavior during practice. Sometimes, players may be going through something they don’t verbalize, so observing their body language and mood is essential. Even young players, who often seem carefree, are forming ideas about themselves and others that may influence their future mental health, so creating an atmosphere of respect, teamwork, and support every day is crucial. I like reminding them that I’m here to listen if anything, whether on or off the court, is making them feel sad, frustrated, or overwhelmed.

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!

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.

Nikolovski: At CourtSense we have a mental strength coach whose services are part of our High Performance program on a weekly basis. We are strong believers that mental health is just as important an aspect of every athlete's life as any physical or technical component, and it is key that each athlete works on this on a daily basis, similar to how they would work on their serve or footwork. Our players are taught from a

young age to follow certain rituals while playing, but also before and after playing, and in reality most of these mental techniques could be applied to their daily life, in school or at other activities.

Ostrometsky: I speak regularly about mental health with the players in our programs, as well as those players who I work with personally. During camps, or longer practices, we meditate and learn to be mindful about what kind of energy were carrying. Journaling is something I've found incredibly useful both for myself and for the students who are willing to commit a few minutes each day to the practice. Whether it's journaling about their most recent tennis tournament, or the practice they just had, or something that's happened in their lives, writing can be super helpful in venting, working out complicated emotions, easing anxiety, and problem solving. We practice breathing techniques and coping strategies that players can use to regulate their emotions on court.

Gamesmanship and cheating are always controversial

Coaches Roundtable Discussion

topics at the junior level. How do we begin to try and eliminate those sorts of things from the game?

De Lucas: We need to emphasize good behavior and fair play not only during competitions but also at practice. When someone cheats during practice you should call them out and talk to them separately, without necessarily punishing them. Ask them if they would like to be on the other side, discuss the potential ramifications of inappropriate behavior during competitions, and maybe let them be the referee of a practice match.

Efrim: There should be more educational opportunities for players and parents, whether in the form of webinars or live conversations with former pros or high level coaches. It becomes engrained in many juniors to be obsessed with winning, and unfortunately with that, comes a lot of blatant cheating. If kids learned the importance of gamesmanship along with being exposed to how they can and should react to cheating, there would be less, and it would be dealt with more efficiently. We should consider more severe suspensions for juniors who are repeat offenders of cheating.

What do you find most rewarding about being a tennis coach?

Bloom: For me the most rewarding aspect of coaching is the personal relationship that I develop with the students. As a junior coach I get the privilege to watch the kids grow as players and humans and to be a part of their development and to contribute to their life, there is no

greater satisfaction for a teacher. I enjoy the process of developing the kids through the daily routine and it is extra satisfying when they end up fulfilling their goals and do well on and off the court. When they end up doing well in college or on the tour, I remember where they started and what a long way we went through together from the early days.

Carmo: The most rewarding to me is the fact that I can have an impact on people's lives. It can be physically or mentally. I love when I see a difference in someone's motivation about the sport or life. Of course I want the players who I coach to win and I am super competitive, but it is more rewarding when I see them learning about themselves and making small daily improvements or big ones that they will carry for the rest of their lives.

De Lucas: Seeing players build confidence and believe in themselves is incredibly rewarding. In Junior Development, success varies for each child: for some, it might mean simply getting their serve over the net, while for others, it’s winning their first tournament. Regardless of the achievement, it’s fulfilling to witness how something they achieved on the court makes them feel strong, self-assured, and happy. Knowing that this confidence extends beyond the tennis court into their lives is what makes coaching so meaningful to me.

Lopez: The most rewarding part of being a tennis coach is 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.

What is something you think you can improve on as a coach?

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.

Singh: As a coach for over 3 decades, I am always seeking opportunities to learn and to attend conferences, seminars and also to present where needed. My biggest area of challenge these days is to remain up to speed on Technological, Innovative and new ways of coaching and or adding value to

Coaches Roundtable Discussion

the Tennis Development of the athletes I work with.

What advice would you give a former player who has desires to go into coaching?

Carmo: My advice is that they need to like working with people and have the will to help others. Being a coach can be as frustrating as being a tennis player. The difference is that you can teach your students from the mistakes that you made and learned from them.

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.

Singh: Do the hard yards and treat this the same as you would your own development as a former player. It takes years and hours of dedicated training to become an elite tennis player, just as it does to be a professional coach. Take every opportunity to learn, be mentored and to attend Training and Official Coach Education programs. Playing well absolutely does not determine being a great coach and on-court teacher. I have met more great coaches that don’t play at a high level than I have great players who immediately translate to great coaches, but playing well certainly gives you a great head start. Also use your best skills to connect and win the respect of your players.

How do you feel about students who question you? Efrim: It is frustrating when it happens, but it is par for the course. I don't get upset because I feel disrespected or insulted, but because I know that down the road, they will understand where their coach was coming from. My goal and hope is always to strengthen my relationship with my players, both on and off the court, so they believe in the work we are doing together. The more a player trusts their coach, the better the journey and tennis career will end up being down the line.

Lewit: Questions are usually good. As a coach it’s important to listen to your player and be attentive to concerns. Sincere questions give me a lot of insight into what the player is concerned about and what he or she needs to hear. Questions help guide the pathway forward. In general, I don’t think coaches should shut down the lines of communication by discouraging questions. If a player is asking questions to be snarky, rude, or to interfere with training, that’s a different situation entirely.

Nikolovski: Every time a student questions a coach I look at it as an opportunity to learn and also strengthen the relationship with the student. In reality if a player is questioning the coach, and it is coming from a good place, it means that the player is engaged, and simply needs further clarification or a different approach from the coach. As a coach I have understood a long time ago that every player/student is different, and as a coach you always have to be willing to adapt and simply learn

from the player, which does not necessarily mean that the coach has to change his/hers principles, but simply look into other ways to present them. Ultimately it is all about the student/player, and whenever they question something, we have to take it with the utmost respect.

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?

Bloom: As a coach I always look to the young stars on the tour for new trends, the game is constantly evolving and every new champion brings something unique that you can learn from. The current “big 2”, Sinner and Alcaraz, are dominating the game and there is certainly a lot to learn from their technique and style. Sinner’s consistency and agility on the court and his ability to control the baseline rallies by taking time away from the opponent is something that I try to teach my students.. Alcaraz possesses a different style altogether and plays an all court style, he mixes up the styles, he can play from the baseline and defend when necessary but he likes to come in a lot and basically tries to sneak at any opportunity. There is much to learn from the top players and naturally I always look at the ones on the top of the ranking for examples of how to maximize your talent.

Kaplan: The most current trend is the distinction and use of what has been termed the ATP, WTA and

Coaches Roundtable Discussion

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 ATP-type 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!

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?

Carmo: After Covid, people got used to playing outside longer in the fall and earlier in the spring. The myth that going indoors as soon as the temperature drops is necessary has changed and affected how people play tennis in New York. I do see more clubs waiting longer to install their bubble and other clubs offering fall programs outdoors.

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.

Huber: It's been pretty cool to see how the nicer weather we've been getting in New York lately has changed the game for local tennis. Seriously, it feels like everyone's itching to stay outside and hit the courts as much as they can, way past summer and into what used to be the time we'd all pack up and head indoors. And it's not just about more folks playing casually. Clubs and coaches are getting super creative with what they offer. This shift's been awesome for players wanting to soak up every bit of court time under the sky and great for the business side of things too, keeping the courts full and the community buzzing.

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.

How do you think Pickleball has affected the local tennis landscape both positively and negatively?

Efrim: I initially thought pickleball would have a negative effect on tennis. I do think that was the case for a short period of time, but at the end of the day, they are quite different sports. I think tennis and pickleball can coexist and benefit from one another to get people excited about both games and racket sports in general. I have played a few times in the last year now that we have dedicated pickleball courts at the academy, but I still maintain that tennis is number one!

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

Coaches Roundtable Discussion

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.

Singh: I am a believer that we are similar to snowboarders and skiers who need the same or similar resources but can co-exist very well. For me pickleball is not a substitute sport to choose one or the other. But to mix into your week and for kids to develop other skills. I think Pickleball is a very good thing and eventually will be in College Sports. Padel is another sport we need to embrace. People being active, playing racquet sports and socializing is a very good thing on many levels.

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?

De Lucas: It is very important for kids to see that the players that they see on TV are real people just like them. Some of the kids from our NYJTL Scholar-Athlete Program got to meet and play tennis with Coco Gauff and Billie Jean King during the 2024 U.S. Open, and that really inspired them. The proximity of such a major event also gives families easy access to world-class matches and experiences, which can ignite kids’ passion for the sport. It encourages them to dream

about their own potential and believing they could one day compete at that level can be a powerful motivator.

Huber: Having the U.S. Open right here in New York is like hitting the jackpot for the local tennis scene. It's not just about having a front-row seat to the biggest tennis party on the planet; it's about what it does for us here on the ground. There's the boost it gives to all the local tennis businesses and coaches. You've got more people wanting to learn, play, and get better, hoping maybe they'll play on those courts one day. It’s good for business, sure, but it also means more opportunities for everyone to get involved in the sport. And let's not forget the community vibe it brings. Whether you're watching the matches, hitting the local courts more, or just feeling proud to be part of the New York tennis scene, it's a time when tennis isn’t just a sport; it's a celebration.

Lopez: In my time in New York, I've noticed that kids often participate in multiple sports simultaneously. Many sports have professional games almost every week, allowing young players and fans to watch professionals regularly, which draws their interest and attention. Tennis, however, is different and doesn’t offer such frequent opportunities. Having the U.S. Open in New York significantly benefits tennis locally by increasing the sport's visibility and inspiring new players. It creates excitement around the game, encouraging more people, especially young athletes, to take it up. The event also supports local tennis programs, clubs, and

businesses while attracting global attention to the city’s tennis culture.

Nikolovski: The U.S. Open definitely has a tremendously positive impact on our immediate tri-state area, and just the energy that is created around the event the few weeks before and also during the event in the tennis world is very positive for tennis in general, and then with all the exposure in the media, TV and also for the people that are able to attend the event, it simply breathes life into our sport. I sincerely wish that the event itself could be more accessible for the general public as the reality is that it has become a little too expensive to attend for a normal family, however there is no question that during the three weeks of the event, and this includes the week of qualifying, it is tough for anyone not be exposed to at least some tennis, which hopefully translates to more people falling in love with our great sport.

Singh: It is obvious that kids see and want to play, which for me leads to more players entering the participation pipeline. It is then OUR job as coaches to inspire and get these new players to fall in love with the sport. Our area is so fortunate to have this incredible opportunity and we need to make sure we get all players young and old to experience the energy and excitement that saturates the city. Americans doing so well is also a great thing, this is the ultimate role model situation with the

Coaches Roundtable Discussion

players being so close. Don’t miss the chance to expose your players, kids, adults and anyone else in your club. It’s also a great date on the calendar to build a community within your academies.

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?

Bloom: It was certainly exciting for American tennis to have Tiafoe and Fritz go so deep, it can give the young aspiring Americans who are trying to become pros hope that it is possible for this country to produce a major champion. There is certainly a buzz and a positive feeling about US tennis, however in the grand scheme of things nationally, tennis is and was still in the same place it always have been: somewhere in the second tier of popular sports .It would take a special champion to change this reality, someone with the personality of a Connors, McEnroe or Agassi to make any impact or to change the status of the game, someone who can attract fans who don’t normally watch tennis.

Huber: The American guys shining at this year's U.S. Open is huge for tennis back home. Seeing our own players tear it up on such a big stage pumps everyone up, making more folks, especially kids, want to grab a racket and hit the courts. When American players do well, especially at home, it gets more eyes on the sport. That means more coverage on TV, more social media hype, and more conversations around water coolers. All this attention translates

into more people wanting to play, watch, and get involved in tennis in some way. Success like this can lead to better funding for tennis programs, nicer courts in the neighborhood, and maybe even more tennis events throughout the year. It's all about building a stronger tennis community.

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.

Ostrometsky: My hope is that the success of both male and female American players will increase the popularity of the sport in the states. It's awesome having such a massive global event take place in our city, helping to showcase our best players, as well as providing a chance to American wildcards, standout juniors and collegiate players, but I don't believe the players' nationality has as much to do with the popularity of the sport so much as the relatability and marketability of the players themselves. Tennis needs to be interesting, engaging and most importantly cool in order for kids to want to play. The more American personalities in the sport, the better I think it would be for its growth in America.

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?

Efrim: Tennis is booming, especially with so many Americans being successful on tour following full collegiate tennis careers. People are excited about that and it brings some hype to the American turf. The fans want to see the budding rivalry between Alcaraz and Sinner, which reminds them of the Nadal vs. Federer rivalry. They are the future of tennis, and people are here for it, which brings so much incredible and much needed attention to the game.

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

Coaches Roundtable Discussion

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!

Ostrometsky: It was nice to have seen so many people at the Open this year despite the rising prices. Some very hectic days, but I suppose record attendance reflects the fact that the US Open is a mustsee event, and therefore gets a lot of eyeballs on the tennis itself. Tennis' main obstacle, in my opinion, is that training is often very expensive and in the Northeast, court time comes at a premium, whereas team sports like football, basketball, and soccer are much more accessible and easier to get into to begin with. It's reassuring to see a Grand Slam event get such crowds and be in such high demand with the fans, but I think there is a long way to go for

an individual sport like tennis to be as popular as the major team sports, particularly in America.

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?

Carmo: I believe that all children under 10 years old should only compete in team events in tennis. I do think that the isolation/individualism of tennis makes kids choose other sports. Tennis associations all over the world should work very hard to offer more team competitions. USTA has offered some team competitions and it is great for juniors. The environment is always much lighter and you see kids laughing and having fun.

Nikolovski: Junior team events are simply a must have. There is no question in my mind that most of the players enjoy them, which makes it easier on the coaches and parents to be part of it. Obviously tennis for the most part is an individual sport, and at the end of the day one of the best attributes of junior tennis is that the players learn from very young age to deal with problem solving on their own, and this can be challenging at times as some juniors at a young age are still not ready for it. However, when the individual match is part of a team competition, and it really counts for the overall score of the team, in most cases juniors are willing to dig a little deeper, as they can feel the support of their teammates or simply feel the responsibility to give a little

extra effort. Also, from a fun perspective, juniors love the social aspect of being on a team which simply attaches them more to the sport.

Ostrometsky: I think there are pros and cons to tennis being an individual sport. There are definitely kids who thrive without the pressure of letting their teammates down and on the flip side, players who have a hard time being out there on the court by themselves. Ultimately, the nature of the sport is pretty lonely and regardless of playing on a team or not, athletes are alone with their actions on the court during a match. I love the incorporation of team events in the Junior schedule throughout the year. Kids can't wait to participate and the team events are a highlight of the year for many juniors I work with. I think if there were more professional team events that were taken more seriously, like the Davis Cup used to be, perhaps with ranking points and standings on the line, it would be great for the sport globally.

Distribution scheduled for 01/06/25

This edition will feature:

• Guide to the Top Tennis Clubs/Programs

• Girls’ High School Recap

• Australian Open Preview

• Look Ahead to 2025

• Mental Tennis Roundtable

• And Much More!

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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.

Future Stars Camps Expansion Fueled By Tennis

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

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!”

Summer 2024 Season Wraps Up With End-Of-Season Finals and Party

TheMetro Corporate League’s Summer 2024 season came to a close in grand fashion as Roosevelt Island Racquet Club hosted the end-of-season finals and party, bringing together the two finalists from each respective division, as well as players from other teams throughout the league.

The end-of-season finals is the culmination of a long season in the Metro Corporate League and features not only the championship matches in three of the league’s divisions, but also welcomes players and teams who did not reach the finals for an evening of catered dinner, open bar and fun atmosphere. While the players competed on courts, spectators were able to watch the matches and enjoy each other’s company in the viewing area of Roosevelt Island Racquet Club.

As happens in each season, the winners of the Advanced Division earns the trophy and keeps it at their corporate offices until the end of the following season, while the winners of the Advanced Intermediate moves up to the Advanced Division, and the winners of the Intermediate Division move into the Advanced Intermediate.

Intermediate Championship: Goldman Sachs d. Ropes & Gray

Advanced Intermediate Championship: Bloomberg d. Mizuho

Advanced Championship: AlphaSights d. Bloomberg

“I would say consistency,” said Eric Pelletier, captain of the Goldman Sachs team, when asked about the key to his team’s victory. “We have a great group of six to eight core players who, despite having full workloads, have consistently shown up for this season.”

When asked what he enjoys most about competing in the Metro Corporate League, Pelletier added:

“I enjoy facing off against a wide range of teams from banks, law firms, and consulting companies, among others. Each match affords me the opportunity to meet new people and face opponents I haven't played before. Joining this league has also been a way for me to meet great people from my own company that I otherwise may never have met,” he said. “I would recommend this league to current and former tennis players alike because it provides busy professionals with an outlet to play tennis, meet new people, and have fun!”

Shelly Yaloz, who captained the Advanced champions AlphaSights, said:

“We always have a lot of fun competing in the Corporate League, AlphaSights has been participating in this league for quite some time and we get to play against strong players, including former college athletes, while improving our own game and forming new tennis relationships,” Yaloz said. “In addition, the event helps us meet and bond with colleagues from other firms and meet other industry participants which makes it even more fun.”

PHOTO CREDIT: Joshua Mateo

Intermediate Division Champions: Goldman Sachs

Advanced Intermediate Champions: BloombergAdvanced Champions: AlphaSights

Coaching the Whole Human Athlete From Hot Head to Hero

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

Asa tennis community, we are lucky to have the U.S. Open take place right here in our backyard, bringing the eyes of the tennis world to New York for an exciting three-week long tennis extravaganza.

With it, not only do the top professional tennis stars come to town to compete at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, but opportunities for local players to have unforgettable experiences present themselves.

This year, SPORTIME launched the inaugural Road to NYC Nationals junior tournament series, which consisted of a series of tournaments throughout the Eastern Section which started in January and ran through July. Players competed in various tournaments at SPORTIME locations and accumulated points, with the top finishers earning the chance to compete at SPORTIME Randall’s Island, the flagship location of the John McEnroe Tennis Academy, in the Masters tournament.

“I think it was definitely a successful first year,” said Jason Pasion, the Director of Tennis at SPORTIME Lynbrook and the Road to NYC Tournament Director. “We had over 500 participants play in the tournaments and more than 16 different tournaments leading up to the Masters event.”

The tournaments were Level 6 Boys and Girls Singles events in the 12s and 14s age division, with the winners of the Masters events in August earning the chance to do the honorary coin

SPORTIME Introduces Road to NYC Tournament Series To Provide Unforgettable Experience For Juniors

With a successful 2024 event series, SPORTIME is excited for its growth in 2025

toss at a U.S. Open match.

The Masters Finals took place at SPORTIME Randall’s Island in late August. Competing on the courts adjacent to where the professionals were practicing ahead of the U.S. Open and being provided their own credentials gave the juniors the sense they were competing in a professional tournament themselves.

“They felt like they were playing at that level, and it was such a great experience for them,” Pasion added. “Some got to meet Billie Jean King, and have moments like that. Being able to go on court and do the coin toss is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I remember back to my first time going to the U.S. Open and how it helped solidify my love for tennis. So I hope these kids were able to feel that same way, and stand on the court with those pros and be able to see up close their goals and the level they are trying to get to.”

Below are the results of the first ever Road to NYC Masters

Championship matches:

Boys 12s Singles

Lazar Vladicic (Forest Hills, N.Y.) d. Liam Seshadri (New York, N.Y.) 6-1, 6-2

Girls 12s Singles

Logan Greene (New York, N.Y.) d. Clare Seo (Roslyn Heights, N.Y.) 6-1, 6-3

Boys 14s Singles

Jackson O'Connor (Pelham, N.Y.) d. William Pietrzak ( New York, N.Y.) 6-4, 6-2

Girls 14s Singles

Daniella Youngman (Flushing, N.Y.) d. Lola Dangin (Amagansett, N.Y.) 6-1, 6-3

The first-ever Road to NYC was a success, and Pasion and his team are excited to be able to use this year as a building block to continue expanding on 2024’s series. The goal is to provide junior players with pro-like experiences throughout the year, and reward them at the end for their dedication and results.

Thegoal of any tennis coach is to maximize the experience of their students and players, and help their clientele develop the proper skills that will help them develop. That requires a commitment to teaching but also the ability to adapt and evolve as coaches and not be opposed to learning new ways to do so.

With that in mind, the Centercourt Performance Tennis Academy relishes the role of having their team of coaches learn from not only each other, but also experts coming in from the outside. Ths past fall, Centercourt Chatham hosted the U.S. Open Coaches Conference, a day filled with a tour of the Chatham facility so external coaches can see how one of the top academies in the country operates, as well as insightful demonstrations, workshops and more from top-tennis coaches in the industry, highlighted by Simon Wheatley and Chris Lewit.

“I think it’s a great thing that under Conrad’s leadership, Centercourt embraces the idea of bringing in external consultants, and having his team learn from people who go around the world helping academies, federations, players, parents, etc.” said Wheatley. “By doing so you can gain insights from around the world and share the best practices. If you can increase the performance of his team, then the players will get better, the members will be happy and the parents will feel more fulfilled.”

That leadership comes from Centercourt Tennis Academy CEO Conrad Singh, who came to Centercourt with his own rich

Centercourt Chatham Welcomes In Top Coaches for U.S Open Coaches Workshop

background in tennis coaching and development in many stops around the world, including Australia, China, Japan, Spain and more. That international approach and collaboration is an integral part of Singh’s approach at Centercourt, and is demonstrated in his desire to have his team always learning from the best.

Wheatley brought his knowledge from his extensive background as the Education Manager for the Lawn Tennis Association, the governing body of tennis in Great Britain, the author of two best-selling coaching books, and has trained more than 10,000 coaches throughout 40 different countries.

Lewit is an expert in the Spanish Training Method, which he has harnessed over countless visits to Spain over the years, and learning under some of that nation’s most famed tennis coaches and legends. He spoke at length about the different methods and philosophies of the

Spanish method, and why a small European nation has produced some of the world’s best tennis players over the last few decades.

Lewit even brought some players from his academy to demonstrate different drills and ways to teach under the umbrella of the Spanish method, things that coaches can take with them and use with their own players.

In all, the event reinforced Centercourt’s commitment to educating not just their own coaches, but the tennis coaches all across the Northeast, in an effort to keep moving the sport forward.

“The injection of energy, passion and the reinvigoration of our teams ideas keeps everyone fresh,” said Singh. “We have seen that each time we bring in an outside expert, our coaches begin to exchange more ideas and are working very well together on court. They become more creative by seeing how many ideas the top experienced educators possess.”

Astar-studded

affair was held at

The Gotham Hall in New York City, as AYS World presented the annual Citi Taste of Tennis New York, bringing together celebrity chefs and stars of the tennis world for an unforgettable evening of dancing, laughs, and of course, incredible food and drinks.

The celebration was hosted by former tennis player and current Tennis Channel commentator and analyst, Prakash Amritraj, and included pro tennis players Andre Agassi, Qinwen Zheng, Taylor Fritz, Aurthur Fils, Alexander Zverev, Alycia Parks, Zhizhen Zhang, Clervie Ngounoue, Caroline Dolehide and more who sampled incredible cuisine including Kafta Sliders and King Salmon Kabob courtesy of Chef Antonio Bachour of Bachour, The Traveller Ceviche Tuna and The Fake Fish courtesy of Chef Tom Goetter of Scenic Cruises, BVI Painkiller Skewer and Local Lobster & Shrimp Roll courtesy of Chef Andy Gaskin of Rosewood Little Dix Bay and so much more!

DJ Irie brought the energy, while tennis icon Andre Agassi took on the role of judge for an engaging cooking demo. Executive Chef Cedric Tovar of The Palace Lotte Hotel guided Olympic gold medalist, Qinwen Zheng and American #1, Taylor Fritz through crafting a delectable dish, blending culinary skill with sportsmanship for a truly memorable evening.

Throughout the evening, guests sipped on delicious cocktails from Segafredo Zanetti Coffee, Liquid Death and Brackish, one-of-a-kind craft

Celebrity Chefs, Tennis Stars Merge For Annual Citi Taste of Tennis New York

drinks by Alexander Davinci courtesy of Barbados, along with wine by Catena Zapata and beer by Heineken. Additionally, guests were treated to a Red Hibiscus Deuce and Set Point Passionfruit Sour crafted by James Beard Award-Winning Sommelier, Belinda Chang, presented by Mastercard.

“This year’s Citi Taste of Tennis, featuring 8-time Grand Slam Champion Andre Agassi, Olympic

Gold Medalist Qinwen Zheng, Taylor Fritz, Caroline Wozniacki and many other top players may have been our best event to date,” said Penny Lerner, CEO of AYS Sports Marketing and Executive Producer of the event. “Each year the event grows in popularity among the media, players, chefs and sponsors. We are already setting our sights on 2025 and hosting an epic 25th Anniversary Taste of Tennis celebration!”

Throughout my years of coaching tennis I’ve come across many players of all ages and levels that are ‘perfectionists’ in other areas of their lives (school, work, extracurricular activities, etc). Often, this leads to challenges in their tennis development because they are scared of change, risk, discomfort, and failure. And it takes away from the enjoyment of the sport.

When I come across a student with this mindset I talk to them about the statistic that the greatest tennis players in history only won about 53% of their points in their careers. Getting a 53% on a test or doing only 53% of something in other areas might be less than ideal. But in tennis, 53% makes you the greatest ever. This teaches important life lessons. You have to be willing to mess up and fail in order to learn. You have to take risks at the right times. You have to persevere through hurdles.

As far as kids go, my personal opinion is that as a generalization they get too much stimulation and instant gratification from the modern age of social media and video games. When they aren’t good at first at tennis, some shut down or act in a way that is detrimental to themselves and others. Maybe this is because they are conditioned to instant gratification and frustrated that they aren’t getting it yet. This is where the coach has to come in to

The Imperfect Battle

By Daniel Bednarek

help them be patient and see where the process takes them.

Another observation I had is that kids these days have so much pressure of excelling at school and other activities so that they can get into a good college and have a successful life because of that. I think it is the culture of our society at the moment. The competition, expectations, and stress is very real and plentiful. It’s like there is no room for error or failure and this leads to non-growth because some kids are too afraid to explore, take

risks, fail, and figure things out on their own/out of the box. I think tennis is a great tool to break thorough these barriers and help some kids grow on AND off the court by adjusting their mindset.

The real winners are the ones who won't get defeated by these challenges, but rather rise to them and mature in the process…And have lots of fun along the way!

And if we as tennis coaches can help even just a few of them along our journey, then we are the winners too.

Daniel Bednarek is a Tennis Coach at CourtSense’s Tenafly Racquet Club. He is one of the CourtSense program’s most veteran tennis instructors, having been part of the team since 2009. Dan was a nationally-ranked junior while training at CourtSense, and also a Cum Laude graduate of Bucknell University while playing top 6 on the tennis team. Dan has also received his Certified Personal Trainer certification through the National Academy of Sports Medicine.

Top Juniors Compete in “Little Mo” Internationals in New Jersey

As the professionals were competing in Queens at the U.S. Open, some of the best young tennis players in the world arrived at the West Orange Tennis Club in New Jersey to compete in the “Little Mo” Internationals.

The event in West Orange was the second leg of the “Little Mo” Slam, a series of three International events where if a player wins their yellow ball division in all three Internationals events, will earn the famed “Little Mo” trophy, the sixfoot tall prize that is the tallest trophy in junior tennis.

“The ‘Little Mo’ events are great because they focus on sportsmanship and having fun,” said Ethan Yurconi, who won the first leg of the “Little Mo” Internationals in Colorado in the Boys 11s division, and was the runner-up at the West Orange event. “I love meeting new players and the positive atmosphere. It’s a

great way to challenge myself and make new friends. I was also super excited to play in New Jersey, and playing in my home state!”

While the tournaments feature top competition on the courts, they are played in the spirit of sportsmanship, with players earning Mo Coins for their good behavior on and off the court, which they can cash in for merchandise and other prizes.

“My mom had an extraordinary tennis record, but what is as important to treasure about her was that she was so humble, kind and selfless,” said Cindy BrinkerSimmons, Connolly’s daughter and the President of the Maureen Connolly Brinker Tennis Foundation. “She was dedicated to investing in the lives of others, and that passion of making a difference propelled her to establish her foundation, which not only has highly competitive “Little Mo” tournaments, but emphasizes the attributes of good sportsmanship, fair play, gratitude and giving back. Mom would

absolutely love MCB’s focus on strong character and moral values.”

Below are the winners from the “Little Mo” Internationals in New Jersey. The final leg of the Slam will be held from December 6-11 in Palm Beach, Florida.

• Boys 8s Singles: Fernando Moguel (Queretaro, Mexico)

• Boys 8s Singles Green: Camil Corbeil-Ger vais (Rosemère, QC, Canada)

• Girls 8s Singles: Vlada Hranchar (Coconut Creek, Florida)

• Girls 8s Singles Green: Anjali Laun (Ridgewood, New York)

• Boys 8s Doubles: Marsel Mizyulin (Southampton, Pennsylvania) & Ayden Zheng (Syosset, N.Y.)

• Boys 8s Doubles Green: Aarav Mandadi (Princeton, New Jersey) & Yuvaan Yadav (North Brunswick, New Jersey)

• Girls 8s Doubles: Victoria Ingrid Collins (Atlanta, Georgia) & Vlada Hranchar (Coconut Creek, Florida)

• Girls 8s Doubles Green: Maya

Emany (Green Brook, New Jersey) & Mirielle Rieben (Darien, Connecticut)

• Mixed 8s Doubles: Aarav Mandadi (Princeton, New Jersey) & Farah Vidal (Miami, Florida)

• Mixed Doubles 8s Green: Henri Tricot (New York, New York) & Anjali Laun (Ridgewood, New York)

• Boys 10s Singles: Lucca Teixeira (LaSalle, QC, Canada)

• Boys 10s Singles Green: Jaden Han (Calgar y, AB, Canada)

• Girls 10s Singles: Aanya Vanamu (Falls Church, Virginia)

• Girls 10s Singles Green: Angela Wang (Potomac, Maryland)

• Boys 10s Doubles: Braeden Alber t (New York, New York) & Jacob Nall (Acworth, Georgia)

• Boys 10s Doubles Green: Christiyan Nikolov (Laval, QC, Canada) & Jaden Han (Calgar y, AB, Canada)

• Girls 10s Doubles Green: Zoe Anabella Vasquez (Richmond, Virginia) & Rumi Zheng (Mountain Lakes, New Jersey)

• Mixed Doubles 10s: Jacob Nall (Acwor th, Georgia) & Vlada Hranchar (Coconut Creek, Florida)

• Mixed Doubles 10s Green: Jayden Rigonan Mississauga, ON, Canada) & Zoe Anabella Vasquez (Richmond, Virginia)

• Boys 12s Singles: Fletcher Utz (Brooklyn, New York)

• Girls 12s Singles: Bianca Fagerlund (Lidingö, Sweden)

• Boys 12s Doubles: Arjai Naik (Saddle River, New Jersey) & Fletcher Utz (Brooklyn, N.Y.)

• Girls 12s Doubles: Aissata Enkhzaya Adama Macono Dembele (Henderson, Nevada) & Zana Peric (Belgrade, Florida)

• Girls 10s Doubles: Mia Prifti (Franklin Square, New York) & Leah Davis (Columbia, South Carolina)

• Mixed Doubles 12s: Daniel Levine (Wellington, Florida) & Lova Aronsson (Åby, Ostergotland, Sweden)

Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning Hosts “Little Mo” North Regionals

Atthe Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning in the Bronx, junior players gathered to compete in the “Little Mo” North Regionals, the fourth and final event of the Regionals.

The "Little Mo" Regionals are open to any player who lives in the United States and its territories, with the top four yellow ball players (semifinalists) in each age division from each qualifying regional tournament advancing to the prestigious “Little Mo” Nationals in Austin, Texas.

As with all “Little Mo” tournaments, there was the blend of quality tennis on court with sportsmanship and good behavior off the court to embody the spirit of Maureen ‘Little Mo’ Connolly and the MCB Tennis Foundation.

“I was very excited to play in the North Regionals at Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning,” said Juliette Prince, from Syosset, New York who won the Girls 10s Singles event. “I stayed calm and fought hard to win. I love the competition here, the Mo Booth, and the trophies!”

Ethan Yurconi of New Jersey was victorious in the Boys 12s Singles division, bouncing back from his loss in

the finals at the “Little Mo” Internationals in New Jersey.

“I think that the key to winning the title in the Bronx was my mindset. With every round, the level goes up and the opponents are harder and you really have to work hard, stay focused and fight for every ball,” said Yurconi. “I also think I handled the conditions pretty well since the Bronx site can get a little noisy and distracting which I did my best not to let it affect me. Winning the little mo regionals gives me a huge confidence boost. After every match I felt stronger and more comfortable with

the conditions and the environment and my play improved as the tournament progressed. I will keep working hard and hopefully this feeling will stay with me in future tournaments.”

Below were the winners from the “Little Mo” Regionals at The Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning:

• Boys 8s Singles: Mark Wofsey (Forest Hills, New York)

• Boys 8s Singles Green: Aarav Mandadi (Princeton, New Jersey)

• Boys 10s Singles: Christos Paizis (Guttenberg, New Jersey)

• Boys 10s Singles Green: Patrick Okla (Staten Island, New York)

• Boys 12s Singles: Ethan Yurconi (South Orange, New Jersey)

• Girls 8s Singles: Ellia Cheung (Edgewater, New Jersey)

• Girls 8s Singles Green: Jasmine Rawal (Katy, Texas)

• Girls 10s Singles: Juliette Prince (Syosset, N.Y.)

• Girls 10s Singles Green: Yanjia Yang (Mason, Ohio)

• Girls 12s Singles: Sofi Erkavun (Wyckoff, New Jersey)

A Beautiful Travel

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.

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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.

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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.

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Sports Vision and Eye Dominance

An

excerpt from Chris Lewit’s new book, Winning Pretty, which will be available in paperback in 2025

By Chris Lewit

Thereis now a widespread belief in the tennis coaching world that eye dominance, where one eye is assumed to be preferred over the other for sighting, plays an important role in tennis biomechanics. But is it true and/or helpful?

The theory of ocular dominance states eye dominance should be tested and incorporated into tennis technical development decisions. But there is significant controversy about this subject. Not all coaches agree about the importance of eye dominance and many sport scientists and eye experts question the validity of the connection between eye dominance and technique.

Two highly successful coaches, Jofre Porta and Patrick Mouratoglou, plus professional trainer Paul Dorochenko, are examples of experts in the tennis world who believe in the dominant eye theory. But the question is whether it is real or myth.

The below excerpt focuses on Mouratoglou’s philosophy on this subject. To read more about the contrasting theories, check out “Winning Pretty” on TennisPlayer.net, and be on the lookout for the paperback version to be released in 2025.

Patrick Mouratoglou advises adjusting stances and head position to maximize vision with the dominant eye. Mouratoglou is one of the most famous professional coaches in the world. He believes eye dominance can affect many areas of a player’s technique including their stance, trunk rotation, head position, and contact point.

According to Mouratoglou, by watching top players and the way they set up their stances, shoulder turn, head position, and their contact points, he can often determine their eye dominance just by observing. He believes coaches should actively adjust

player technique based on their dominant eye.

Mouratoglou produced a video entitled, “Your Dominant Eye and Your Technique” that went viral in 2023. Because Mouratoglou has promoted the dominant eye theory so publicly, it has become one of the most interesting and important topics in modern tennis technique. But, unfortunately, more and more people are talking about the dominant eye now with less and less scientific underpinning.

Mouratoglou makes many claims regarding the dominant eye and tennis technique. According to Mouratoglou, the dominant eye plays a tremendous role in technique, not just in tennis but in all sports. He says that the dominant eye relays information more accurately than the non-dominant one, with profound technical implications.

Says Mouratoglou: “The neurons respond preferentially to information from one eye versus the other. This

means the neurons in your arms, legs, and hands respond preferentially to the information received from your dominant eye, and head position can affect how the dominant eye processes information.”

Eye experts disagree about the veracity of this statement: Don Tieg agrees, while Daniel Laby does not. For Mouratoglou, it is essential for tennis players to position the body so as not to block the dominant eye and to leverage the accuracy of the dominant eye for ball tracking because the non-dominant eye sees the ball less accurately with a small displacement, causing the body to be in the wrong position to receive the ball.

Tieg agrees with this assertion while Laby says it’s important not to block either eye, while focusing on binocular vision. According to Mouratoglou, blocking the dominant eye in tennis is why some players feel less comfortable hitting on one side of their body, either the forehand or backhand side.

Mouratoglou argues that champion tennis technique is always influenced by the dominant eye. “These champions tend to have one side with a bigger shoulder rotation, a more lateral contact point, and a strong transfer. Contrarily, the opposite side has less shoulder rotation, a contact point more in front, and less transfer through the ball. This weaker side uses more ‘wrist action’ to compensate for these differences,” states Mouratoglou.

Alleged Advantages of Cross-Dominance

Patrick Mouratoglou also states that cross-dominance, when the dominant eye is opposite the dominant hand, affords a special advantage in tennis. According to Mouratoglou, players like Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are famous cross-dominant professional players who have incredible forehands, partly due to their cross-dominance.

Dr. Teig is one expert who agrees with Mouratoglou that cross-

dominance is an advantage in baseball and tennis, while Drs. Laby and Kirschner do not. For example, for right-handed players with left eye dominance, Patrick says these athletes can have a bigger shoulder rotation and yet still have great perception of the incoming ball, which means these players are typically in the best position to receive the ball.

This is the first advantage of crossdominance. The second advantage of cross-dominance is that the larger shoulder turn in the preparation for cross-dominant individuals means more power on the forehand, presumably from a greater degree of separation between shoulders and hips. The larger trunk rotation gives the player more power on this side, according to Mouratoglou.

The third advantage of crossdominance is that the contact point for cross-dominant players is more lateral, generally between the legs, according to Mouratoglou.

Mouratoglou argues that this later contact point allows for more contact time for the strings on the ball during impact, helping to give more control and power to the shot.

Players like Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal demonstrate these three advantages in their forehands, according to Mouratoglou.

Mouratoglou also states that crossdominant players like Roger Federer are very dangerous running to their forehand side because they can see and track the ball with their dominant eye when running laterally. Don Tieg accepts that this may be true.

Same-Side Dominant

Players

Mouratoglou describes common

characteristics of same-side dominant players such as Alexander Zverev. He says that for same-side dominant players like Zverev, their best shot is generally the backhand. According to Mouratoglou, same-side dominant players have a shorter shoulder rotation on the forehand to ensure their head fully faces the net and their dominant right eye can track the ball.

At the impact, right eye/right hand dominant players will open their shoulders more to the net with their chest facing the ball more at impact than cross-dominant players do and they will tend to use semi-open to open stances to promote better ball tracking with their right eye.

Mouratoglou argues that same-side dominant right handed players tend to have much better backhands than forehands as compared to crossdominant individuals because they can watch the ball more accurately with their dominant eye while turning more deeply with the shoulders, meet the ball later in the impact zone, and keep the shoulders semi-turned through the impact.

They can turn very deeply on the backhand and still have a good perception with the dominant right eye. The deep turn provides these players with more power from trunk rotation, states Mouratoglou. According to Mouratoglou, the later contact point and semi-open shoulder position favors a long passage through the ball, bringing both power and accuracy on the backhand side. Sameside dominant players can hold the ball on the strings longer for better power and control, asserts Mouratoglou.

To read more about this subject and many more, be sure to visit WinningPretty.com.

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.

The Importance of Strength in Tennis: Enhancing Performance and Preventing Injuries

Strengthis a crucial component for tennis players, significantly impacting their performance and injury prevention. Having played collegiate tennis and majored in exercise science, I can say strength is a topic that is not stressed enough in tennis as coaches emphasize the importance of technique, footwork, and timing. Tennis demands a mixture of strength, power, speed, agility, and precision to keep progressing to get to the next level. What is tennis-specific strength?

Tennis-specific strength refers to the physical needs required to perform tennis movements efficiently. While strength and power are similar, they are not the same. Strength is the highest force that can be generated, while power is the ability to exert force quickly. The three major muscle groups that tennis players need to focus on are the upper body, the core, and the lower body. Each muscle group plays a major role in the progress of the player. The upper body is essential for generating the necessary power needed for several shots. The core, arguably the most important muscle group, plays a crucial role for maintaining balance, stability, and the transferring of body weight from the lower body to the upper body. Strengthening the lower body makes the player quicker and more explosive to reach each shot at the right time. The best players are the best movers. Within the junior programs here at the National Tennis Center, we emphasize the importance and the connection of plyometrics in our classes. Plyometric exercises are crucial for developing explosive power and agility. They train muscles to exert maximum force in short intervals. Tennis movements like quick directional changes, sprints, and lateral movement patterns can benefit greatly from

plyometrics. Strength training can also lead to better endurance as strength training boosts muscular endurance, enabling players to maintain high performance levels throughout the match without fatigue. Stronger muscles fatigue less quickly, which is crucial during long rallies and extended matches. Tennis matches can last several hours, demanding sustained physical exertion. A perfect example is the 2012 Australian Open Final between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, which lasted 5 hours 53 minutes. Both players showed great levels of endurance to finish the match while playing at the highest level.

Tennis requires very quick, multidirectional movements in a short period of time. Strengthening the lower body of a player can improve a player's agility and speed. Focusing on muscles such as the hamstrings, quadriceps, and calves all play a major role in making the athlete be more explosive. Strengthening the core also plays a major factor on a tennis player’s level. Having a solid core will not only help with producing harder hit shots, but also allowing the player to have better balance and stability. Stability allows the player to feel they are more in control of their body.

If a player feels better physically, they will feel better mentally. Knowing they are capable of producing high level shots allows the player to feel more confident on the court. This could be the deciding factor when the players are met with high pressure point situations.

When a player focuses on working out, specifically strength, it allows the body to become more resilient to

By Steven Forte

physical stress such as injuries, which will prolong the player's career. This will also aid in preventing injuries and rehabbing any existing injuries. The more a player's body is comfortable under high physical stress, the more their bodies will protect themselves and recover faster because it is used to the microtears of exercising. In addition to their muscles, the players joints and bones will be stronger as well, as the muscles will absorb most of the shock protecting the joints and bones.

Every player also needs to incorporate a flexibility and mobility routine. A routine consisting of dynamic stretches before workouts are ideal. Performing static stretches afterward will help maintain muscle flexibility, joint mobility, and is another method to reduce the risk of injury.

Strength is a major area that is often left neglected as other skills are focused on more. Strength directly correlates to a tennis player's physical needs significantly enhances performance and reduces the risk of injuries. By adding a player specific routine, the player can greatly improve their power, endurance, agility, and overall game. While the physical attributes of having a strength routine are most prevalent, one cannot disregard the psychological benefits too. The integration of strength training will give the player an advantage over other players who don’t focus on it.

As we continue to produce players of all ages and levels, we embrace the opportunity to integrate the National Tennis Center Fitness Program into our classes, including starting with introducing younger kids to the American Athletic Development Model.

Steve Forte is a Staff Professional at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. He is a USPTA ELITE, GPTCA and PTR certified coach. He is a native of New York City and helped guide his high school team to the PSAL B Division Championship and was a Mayor’s Cup quarterfinalist as a high school player. He currently attends Lehman College where he is majoring in Exercise Science with a specialization in exercise and movement.

Green Ball Tactical Fundamentals

By Cinto Casanova

Thetransition from Red Ball and Orange Ball to Green Ball brings the obvious full-court size with the low compression balls; the key tactical element in this stage would be to master the usage of the spaces both from side to side and deep to short. It is also important at this stage to get a basic understanding about court position and how it is connected to the tactics.

1. Winning by being more consistent than the opponent (Out-rally):

How does this concept evolve from Orange to Green? Since the court size is considerably larger, stroke flexibility is a key to avoid errors at this stage (different heights and use of the slice). To understand court positions is also a key to develop a smart shot selection; knowing when they have to play with more margin and when they can be more aggressive is key to percentages. Here’s a game to develop the understanding of court position (and shot selection):

Points where the players must call their own court position every ball they hit (Defense/Neutral/Attack), points from attack position count double. With this rule we are encouraging to be consistent and take the time to build up the point until attacking opportunities emerge (we must develop the court position understanding through a progression from feeding before we can play this type of games). It is also important to understand when my opponent is in “defense” I should probably expect a shorter ball I can attack, therefore I have to anticipate that and position myself close to de baseline or even inside the baseline to be able to get to the shorter ball.

2. Winning by using the width of the court (move your opponent):

This is a key area in this stage. Players

are in many occasions undersized for the courts and moving your opponent is a very successful tactic in this stage. There is a main difference between Orange and Green; in Orange we discussed the key point was to control the change of directions and focus generally on the development of the “empty space” concept. In Green Ball we should start to develop the specific targets for that, I’m mainly talking about the “angles”. Here comes again the stroke flexibility, can your player open the court with a short top-spin angle (the bounce cuts through the singles sideline and not through the baseline)? Please make sure you develop your players technically and provide them with all the tools to play the game.

Here’s a game to develop the use of angles:

I like to set three flat cones on the singles sideline between the baseline and the service line. The coach feeds the ball to the “challenger” who has to attempt to hit an angle through the cones (I typically give them a 2nd attempt if they miss to encourage the experimentation and skill acquisition). The champion can only return crosscourt. If the angle was successful, the challenger will have a huge open space to attack; let them finish the point freely.

3. Winning using the depth of the court (from deep to short, dropshot):

To control the space from deep to short is also a key area of development in Green Ball. Slices are a must in Green Ball, not only to be able to defend the space and use them to avoid mistakes, but also to use as a drop shot.

Here’s a game to develop the drop shot:

Set a marker one step behind the corner baseline/singles line. The defender has to start the point touching the marker with one foot. Coach feeds a ball to the attacking player who drop shots. The defender can start running once the coaches feed has bounced on the court. The point is played freely from here.

4. Winning by finishing at the net:

Even though it is usually not a successful tactic on the first stages of Green Ball, we have to keep developing net skills. I have a few recommendations for that:

• Use half court games where the spaces for passing shots are limited and therefore it is easier to cover the net.

• Big focus on the approach shot and how it is crucial in order to obtain an easier volley.

• When setting a full court game with the goal of finish at the net, set rules that encourage the first shot to be hit to the net player

• Allow plenty of technical development of the net play from feeding at this stage. Players will tend not to go to the net just with open games because of the low success rate.

In conclusion, to control the space (angles, drop shots, etc.) and to understand your court position (and the opponent’s one) are probably the tactical ideas I consider to be most fundamental in the Green Ball stage. It’s important to always remember that the reason why we use low compression balls in the first place is to develop a tactical mind.

Cinto Casanova is the Director of Coaching and Junior Development Program at Centercourt Tennis Academy. As an Elite Coach, he has held leading positions in Junior Player Development for over two decades in Spain, USA, Japan and China. He has helped to develop top junior programs that produced successful national and international junior players. He may be reached at cinto@centercourtclub.com.

at the

Robert Lopez How Tennis Can Connect Us net

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.

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.”

Cheating in Tennis Here Is The Best Way To Deal With It

By Dr. Tom Ferraro

Cheating

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.

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

The Serving Wrist

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.

New York Tennis Magazine Novermber / December 2024

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