TENNIS PROGRAM HEAD COACHING STAFF Numrud Nino Muhatasov - Co-Founder and Director of MatchPoint NYC • Former coach of top WTA and ATP players • Former Captain and #1 Single’s & Double’s player for St. John’s University Tennis Team • Big East Conference Finalist and 2X Most Valuable Player Alona Bondarenko (Featured Coach) • Australian Open Doubles Champion 2008 • Ranked Top 20 in the world in singles & Top 5 in the world in doubles MatchPoint NYC is the sports and fitness destination for the entire family. Spread across 120,000 sq. ft., our premier health and fitness complex features a cutting edge tennis facility with 9 indoor tennis courts and programs for kids and adults of all levels. MATCHPOINT NYC TENNIS PROGRAM BENEFITS • Personalized Training • Private Coaching • Intensive Drills • Match Play • Tennis Specific Fitness • Mental Conditioning SESSIONS Spring session starts January 23 Every new customer will receive one free trial lesson before signing up Reserve your spot at matchpoint.nyc/freelesson PROGRAMS • Quick Start Ages 7 and under • Junior Development Ages 7-18 • Beginner/ Intermediate/ Advanced group training • Adult Leagues • Private Lessons • Tournament Training (by invitation only)
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Table Of Contents
From the Hunter to the Hunted: Murray Looks to Hold Grip on Top Spot in 2017 By Brian Coleman See page 8
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Brian Coleman Senior Editor (516) 409-4444, ext. 326 • brianc@usptennis.com
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Joey Arendt Managing Art Director
Emilie Katz Assistant Marketing Coordinator Scott Koondel VP of Operations (516) 409-4444, ext. 324 Sidney Beal III Staff Photographer
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Blake Beats McEnroe to Win PowerShares Series QQQ Cup in Brooklyn 2017 Australian Open Preview By Brian Coleman BNP Paribas Showdown: A Decade of Tennis at the World’s Most Famous Arena
Features 4 7 16 18 22 24 32
Lee Seidner Staff Photographer
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Cover photo credit: Sidney Beal III
Highlights
Eric C. Peck Editor-in-Chief (516) 409-4444, ext. 312 • eric@usptennis.com
Francine Miller Advertising Coordinator (516) 409-4444, ext. 301 • francinem@usptennis.com
JAN/FEB 2017 • Vol 7, No 1
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Across Metro New York … News and Notes From Across the New York Metro Tennis Community NYTM’s Junior Player Spotlight: Sarah Youngberg NYJTL Honors Leaders at Annual Awards Luncheon How to Handle Cheaters (Part II) By Chris Lewit Three Things to Add to Your New Year’s Resolution By Trevor McPherson USTA Eastern Metro Region Update The Six Habits of Highly-Effective Teaching Professionals By Rishan Kuruppu Feedback and Focus By Richard Thater The Path to Finding Purpose By Xavier Luna Tennis: The Toughest Junior Sport in the World? By Cesar Andrade Non-Drug Treatment for Tennis Elbow By Dr. Rob Silverman Learn From the Champions By Gilad Bloom A Look Back at the Year That Was 2016 By Emilie Katz Racquet Stringing: An Art or a Science? By Barbara Wyatt Riding the Waves of a Match By Rob Polishook, MA, CPC Fitness & Nutrition: Sugar … Food or Drug? By Carly Feigan USTA Eastern Hosts Annual College Showcase Day Court Six: New York Tennis Magazine’s Gossip Column By Emilie Katz The Jensen Zone: “The Happy Slam” to Kick Off 2017 By Luke Jensen 2016 New York Girls High School Recap Ten Things to Consider When Choosing a Coach By Steven Kaplan Meditation in Sports: A Hoax or a Help? By Dr. Tom Ferraro Getting to Know … Jessica Livianu of St. John’s University By Brian Coleman Metro Corporate League Recap, Presented by Advantage Tennis Clubs The Costs, Anguish and Love of Tennis By Julion J. Soto USTA Leagues Update: January/February 2017 New York Tennis Club Directory In Memoriam … Former Adelphi, Forest Hills Standout Stefani Lineva New York Rankings
New York Tennis Magazine is published bi-monthly by United Sports Publications Ltd. • Copyright © 2016 United Sports Publications Ltd.
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Across Metro Ne Shiloach Wins First L1B Tournament Ibar Shiloach of Gilad Bloom Tennis won his first ever L1B tournament, taking home the trophy at the L1B APTC December Challenger Boys 16s. Shiloach defeated Brooklyn’s Mitchel Pertsovsky 7-5, 6-1 in the finals.
Guimaraes. “The mission to develop the character of young people through tennis and education for a lifetime of success on and off the court is inspiring for everyone at NYJTL.”
CourtSense Players Continue Their Winning Ways CourtSense players showed off their doubles skills in recent Empire Cup Series tournaments leading up to the holidays. Up at the Midtown Athletic Club in Rochester, N.Y., Brianna Omar & Britany Lau (pictured left) captured the title in the Girls 16s Division, beating the top-seeded duo of Caitlyn Ferrante & Merri-Kelly Hannity, 6-4, 6-2 in the finals. At the Reis Tennis Center at Cornell University, the team of Sonya Tartakovsky & Ava Markham reached the Empire Cup finals before falling to top-seeds Andrea Cerdan & Raissa Lou.
Sportime/JMTA Brings on Patty Mac New York native and ESPN commentator Patrick McEnroe will be joining the team at his brother’s club, the John McEnroe Tennis Academy (JMTA) at Sportime Randall’s Island, as co-director alongside Lawrence Kleger. “My brother John, Lawrence Kleger and the entire team at JMTA have set a new standard in New York with the quality and breadth of what they offer, and with their charitable efforts for young players of both genders and all backgrounds,” said Patrick. “I am looking forward to bringing my lifetime of learning—as a player, coach and program manager—to my new role. I think that JMTA is just getting started and that my involvement can be a great addition. I am excited to work on my brother’s team!”
Proform’s Samson Reaches 14U Finals at Tennis Innovators
NYJTL Names George Guimaraes New CEO New York Junior Tennis & Learning (NYJTL) has named George Guimaraes its new chief executive officer, replacing Dr. Deborah Antoine, who served as CEO for six years. “I’m very excited about the work of NYJTL and the opportunity to sustain and build the legacy of its founders—Arthur Ashe and Skip Hartman—for New York City youth,” said 4
New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2017 • NYTennisMag.com
Charles Samson of Proform Tennis Academy (pictured left) had a great showing at the recent L20 Tennis Innovators Academy December Challenger, winning two straight set matches on his way to the finals in the Boys 14s Division. He was then edged out 10-8 in a tight third-set tiebreaker in the championship match by Yesh Nikam (pictured right).
New York
… News and notes from across the New York Metro tennis community
NJ’s Alexa Noel Captures Junior Orange Bowl Title
MatchPoint Hosts Annual QuickStart Tournament
Centercourt’s full-time performance student Alexa Noel continued to show why she is one of the top junior players in the country. The unseeded Noel captured the Girls 14s title at the recent 55th Junior Orange Bowl in Coral Gables, Fla. The New Jersey native outlasted third-seed Qinwen Zheng of China 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 in the final.
MatchPoint NYC held its annual QuickStart Boys Tournament to continue to show the development of its younger players. After round-robin play and competitive semifinals, it was Sasha Smelyansky (pictured above, center) who came out on top in the final, a winner over Chris Keon (pictured above, right).
NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine
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Across Metro New York … News and notes from across the New York Metro tennis community
Louis Armstrong Stadium Demolished
It was the end of an era at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center as the famed Louis Armstrong Stadium, a place where many fans and players have shared great memories, was officially knocked down, as it undergoes renovations, including a retractable roof, which should be completed by 2018.
Three Chris Lewit Tennis Academy Players Sign Commitment Letters
Three long-time students and players from the Chris Lewit Tennis Academy were accepted into and have committed to top colleges. Lia Kiam was accepted into Harvard, where she will be a walk on to the women’s tennis team, while former students James Wei and Teddy Van Eck will be heading to California Institute of Technology and Brown, respectively.
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New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2017 • NYTennisMag.com
NEW YORK TENNIS MAGAZINE’S
J U N I O R P L AY E R S P O T L I G H T BY BRIAN COLEMAN
SARAH YOUNGBERG
When she was just five-yearsold, Sarah Youngberg went to the U.S. Open, witnessing tennis up close and personal for the first time in her life … she was hooked. “On the train ride home, I asked my mom if I could start playing tennis,” Youngberg, now 14, recalled. “I started off by just hitting against a wall.” From there, Youngberg would continue to work on her game whenever she could, but didn’t actually play on a tennis court until she was eight-years-old, when she started going to Stadium Tennis Center, where she has been training for the last six-plus years. “The people here are so kind and welcoming,” Youngberg said of the staff and members of Stadium Tennis Center. “They want the best for everyone, even if that person isn’t trying to become a great tennis player and want to just have fun. They welcome everybody. The staff here really cares about each person, and it is a great environment to be a part of.” Youngberg was ranked 30th in the USTA Eastern Section and 481st nationally as of late December, and those rankings should continue to rise as she continues to improve upon her game and travels the country playing in high-level tournaments. “You have to work before you can get better,” said Youngberg. “I think I have become a smarter tennis player since training
at Stadium Tennis. Being out on the court more has helped me learn how to find my opponent’s weaknesses and improve upon my strengths.” Some of the main focal points for Youngberg when she trains are to sharpen her footwork and refine her strokes, and her passion and enthusiasm for the sport will only help her progress and take her game to the next level. “Sarah is the poster child for our academy,” said Eric Faro, director of tennis at Stadium Tennis Center and Gotham Tennis Academy. “She came up through our
QuickStart programs and has been with us all the way. She has developed into a top Eastern Section player with an incredibly bright future.” Growing up, and even still today, Youngberg played a multitude of sports, including lacrosse, basketball, soccer and softball, all of which have helped shape her overall as an athlete. “Playing other sports has helped me develop a team mentality which is something you can use in life,” Youngberg said. “In tennis, you are out there by yourself. I enjoy being part of a team, but I also like being out on the court by myself, so playing other team sports gives me a good balance.” Youngberg says she is cutting down on some of the sports she plays to focus more on tennis, but will still play basketball and softball, while playing in more national tennis tournaments. “One of the first things I said when I started playing tennis was that I wanted to have a great time and meet new people,” said Youngberg. “I think tennis has made me a better person. I enjoy talking to people, and I enjoy being around other players. So when I travel to these tournaments, it gives me a chance to meet people who aren’t in the Eastern Section and make new friends. It’s great to see everyone again at other tournaments.” For now, Youngberg wants to continue to work on her aggressiveness as a player, a playing style she embraces. If her growth as a player over the last couple of years is any indication and she continues to work diligently along with her coaches at Stadium, the sky is the limit for Youngberg.
NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine
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From the Hunter to the Hunted:
Murray Looks to Hold Grip on Top Spot in 2017 BY BRIAN COLEMAN
or 76 weeks, Andy Murray took a backseat to Novak Djokovic in the ATP Men’s Singles World Tour Rankings. But the Briton ever so slightly trimmed away at the deficit and it all culminated just a couple of months ago, when he finally leapfrogged Djokovic, becoming the 26th player to reach the top spot and ending Djokovic’s 122 consecutive week reign. “I feel like getting to number one … it wasn’t about this week, or about last week. It’s been many years of work to get here,” said Murray. “The most satisfying thing is it’s been such a difficult thing to do in my career. In the beginning of my career, I always wanted to win a Grand Slam, but now that I’ve grown older, getting to number one was something I have tried to do. I needed to improve my consistency and the last couple of seasons, I have done that.” Similar to the way Angelique Kerber achieved the number one ranking on the women’s side, the way Murray officially jumped to number one was probably not the way he had envisioned it. After Djokovic lost to Marin Cilic in the quarterfinals of the Paris Masters, Murray just needed to reach the finals in order to
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take over the top ranking. He was scheduled to play Canada’s Milos Raonic in his semifinal, but a quad tear forced Raonic to withdraw from that semifinal match, and thus Murray leaped into the world’s top ranking for the first time in his career. “It feels a bit strange how it happened, and obviously unfortunate that Milos was injured,” said Murray. “To get to this stage is about 12 months of tournaments. The last few months have been the best of my career, and I’m very proud to get to this moment.”
New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2017 • NYTennisMag.com
While Murray had already accomplished what he set out to do in reaching the number one spot, he would still have to play Djokovic in the ATP World Tour Finals in London to ensure he would end the year at number one. Playing as the top ranked player in the world, the Briton showed great confidence, dispatching the Serb 6-3, 6-4 in a victory that symbolized the passing of the torch. “He has been my main rival really throughout my career. We’ve played in all of the Slam finals, Olympics, and a match to finish the year number one. We played in loads of Masters 1000 Series finals, as well, and are one week apart in age,” said Murray. “It’s obviously a very important win for me. It was just a huge match to finish the year, to try and finish number one.” The win at the ATP World Tour Finals marked the 24th consecutive triumph for Murray and was the culmination of a remarkable 12 months for the 29-year-old. Murray’s 2016 began just about the same way his 2015 season did, with a trip to the Australian Open finals, and once again, was dealt a loss by Djokovic in Melbourne. Murray would slip to number three in continued on page 10
from the hunter to the hunted continued from page 8
the world rankings following his defeat in the Madrid finals against Djokovic, but would not stay there long, and was able to exact some
revenge on Djokovic, winning the Internazionali BNL d’Italia title after beating the Serb in the final, regaining the number two
spot in the world from Roger Federer. From that point forward, Murray was the best player in the world for the rest of 2016. Despite losing to Djokovic in the French Open final, Murray had picked up steam during the clay court season which he would use to power his grass court season. Helping matters was the return of eighttime Grand Slam singles champion Ivan Lendl as Murray’s coach. Playing in his first tournament since Lendl’s return, Murray defended his title at the Aegon Championships at the All-England Club with a comeback win against Raonic. Murray’s year and his push towards number one really picked up beginning at Wimbledon, the tournament that haunted him early in his career before he broke through in 2013. He knocked off Nick Kyrgios, JoWilfried Tsonga, Tomas Berdych and Raonic en route to his second Wimbledon title. When asked if he would enjoy this Wimbledon trophy more than his first, Murray said: “I’m going to make sure I do. Last time I was just so relieved. The stress and the pressure meant I didn’t get to enjoy it too much.
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New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2017 • NYTennisMag.com
But I’ll make sure I enjoy this one for sure.” Those good vibes would last more than just that night, as he packed his bags for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. While there were no ranking points on the line, there is something special about representing your country in the Olympics, something not lost on Murray. He battled hard for two weeks and was able to outlast Argentina’s Juan Martin del Potro in an epic four-hour final, capturing his second Gold Medal in Men’s Singles Tennis. “To finish with a match like that was very emotional,” said Murray about earning Gold in Rio. “It’s been a buildup of emotions over the last 10 days, and I’m very happy I got over the line tonight … I’m so tired.” That fatigue may have played a factor in Flushing Meadows just a few weeks later, as he fell in the quarterfinals to Japan’s Kei Nishikori. But he wouldn’t stay down long, winning titles in Shanghai, Vienna and Paris, before heading to London and winning the ATP World Tour Finals. The year 2016 wasn’t just a historic one for Murray, but also for men’s tennis, as he became the first player to win a Grand Slam, the ATP World Tour Finals, an Olympic Gold Medal and multiple Masters 1000s titles in the same calendar year. In all, he won a total of 78 matches and nine titles in 2016 to finish the year as the top ranked player in the world. The target is now on his back as the 2017 season is now underway. Murray has always possessed one of the biggest and most competitive spirits on tour, and much of his success can be attributed to that. As he shifts from the hunter to the hunted, Murray will begin his year seeking his first Australian Open title, a trophy that he has come ever so close to clutching. Now that he has finally reached the top spot in the world, his goal for 2017 is simple: Stay there! “I would obviously like to stay there,” Murray said. “I’m aware that’s going to be extremely difficult because I had a great year in 2016. I only managed to do it by one match. To repeat that again next year is going be extremely difficult.” Brian Coleman is senior editor for New York Tennis Magazine. He may be reached by phone at (516) 409-4444, ext. 326 or e-mail BrianC@USPTennis.com.
John McEnroe and Jim Courier during their PowerShares Series QQQ Cup semifinal match at Barclays Center
Blake Beats McEnroe to Win PowerShares Series QQQ Cup in Brooklyn rofessional tennis returned to Brooklyn to kick off 2017, as John McEnroe, Andy Roddick, James Blake and Jim Courier squared off in the PowerShares Series QQQ Cup at the Barclays Center, the final stop of the season for the North American tennis circuit for champion tennis players over the age of 30. “I think it’s great to have tennis back here,” Courier said before taking the court. “I’ve never had a chance to play a tournament in Brooklyn. I’ve obviously played quite a bit in Queens—all of us have. We get a chance also to be the first in the building, which is really cool.” Fans came out of the winter storm and
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USTA Eastern hosted a 10 & Under clinic on the courts of the Barclays Center prior to the PowerShares Series matches
New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2017 • NYTennisMag.com
poured into the Barclays Center for the venue’s first ever tennis event, and it did not disappoint, as the Yonkers-born Blake defeated lifelong New Yorker McEnroe 64 in an exciting final, winning his third title on the circuit this season. “I was just praying that he [McEnroe] would miss a few first serves at the end,” said Blake, who previously defeated Roddick 6-4 in the night’s first semifinal. “I was trying to get chances early on, but he erased them all with good serves. I pray that I can serve that well at 57-years-old, or moving or anything he is doing this well at the age of 57! I am just happy to get through it. I got a little lucky at the end and took advantage of my one chance on his serve.” continued on page 14
Jim Courier with a forehand during his matchup with John McEnroe Credit all photos to Sidney Beal III and Lee Seidner
Andy Roddick congratulates James Blake after his win at the PowerShares Series QQQ Cup match at Barclays Center
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blake beats mcenroe to win powershares series
John McEnroe during his match with Jim Courier
James Blake prepares to serve against Andy Roddick
Andy Roddick returns a serve against James Blake in their semifinal matchup
The 57-year-old McEnroe showed no signs of his age in either of his performances. He used huge spin on his serves and great hands at the net to dismiss Courier 6-3 in his semifinal match before taking on Blake—who was born four months after McEnroe captured his first Grand Slam title—in the final. The final would remain on serve until 4-4, when Blake hit a backhand return that McEnroe volleyed into the net for the set’s first break point. Blake then dialed up his serves in the ensuing game, closing it out with a forehand winner 14
The post-match handshake between James Blake and John McEnroe
past McEnroe on match point. With the win, Blake earned 400 PowerShares ranking points to finish in third place for the season. Andy Roddick and Mark Philippoussis finished tied for first on the season, Philippoussis is this season’s winner because he finished with the better head-to-head record. Prior to the night’s matches, USTA Eastern hosted a 10 & Under clinic for many of its players, where the kids were able to get on the Barclays Center court to work on their skills before the legends began their play.
New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2017 • NYTennisMag.com
continued from page 12
James Blake with a backhand against John McEnroe in the finals
John McEnroe shakes hands with Jim Courier post-match after his semifinal win “It was a great experience for the kids to be able to play in such an iconic venue and get to watch the stars play in the same arena as they did,” said Gustavo Loza, the USTA Eastern Metro Region Tennis Representative who ran the clinic. “The kids came from a 10U JTT event called the Turkey Bowl held in November, which was organized by the USTA Eastern Metro Region and USTA Eastern. We are glad the kids had a great time and are looking forward to the new JTT season with a few more surprises for the players.”
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NYJTL Honors Leaders at Annual Awards Luncheon
Mayor Dinkins pauses for a photo with NYJTL participants during the Annual Leadership Awards Luncheon
wo “Legendary Leaders”— the 106th New York City Mayor David N. Dinkins and Hall of Fame Tennis Coach Nick Bollettieri—spoke from their hearts about their love for children at the New York Junior Tennis & Learning (NYJTL) 31st Annual Leadership Awards Luncheon at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, which raised nearly $500,000 to support NYJTL’s free community tennis programs throughout New York City. Both Mayor Dinkins and Bollettieri stressed to the sellout crowd of more than 300 that the most important legacy they will leave is their commitment to ensuring that all children will have the opportunity to be the best they can be in life. Bollettieri, who has coached 10 world number one players, including Andre Agassi, Jim Courier and Monica Seles, among others, received the organization’s annual Leadership Award, which was presented to him by previous recipient, Tennis Channel Chairman and CEO Ken
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Solomon. Consistent with his message that children should have the opportunities to be the best they can be, Bollettieri announced that IMG Academies will donate two one-week scholarships to the IMG Academy Summer Tennis Camp, and Bollettieri contributed $1,000 to cover transportation expenses for the NYTJL participants. Immediately, an additional $1,000 towards expenses was contributed by an NYJTL supporter in the audience. Social justice pioneer and sports icon Billie Jean King, also a previous recipient of the NYJTL Leadership Award, presented a special NYJTL Lifetime Achievement Award to Mayor Dinkins, who was the Leadership Award recipient in 1986. Dinkins is best known in worldwide tennis circles for signing a 99-year lease between the City of New York and the U.S. Open guaranteeing the event will stay in New York City for the foreseeable future. “Our honorees, Mayor David N. Dinkins and Nick Bollettieri, truly embody our values and are so deserving of our Leadership Awards,” said NYJTL
New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2017 • NYTennisMag.com
Chairman Martin Goldberg. NYJTL also recognized the accomplishments of two current participants. The student honorees were Christina Huynh, recipient of the NYJTL Achievement Award and Brandon Torres, recipient of the Irwin Askenase Sportsmanship Award. Two live auction items for U.S. Open invitations to the USTA President’s box and the Tennis Channel suite raised more than $20,000. “We are grateful to everyone who attended NYJTL’s 31st Annual Leadership Awards Luncheon to support our enduring commitment to transforming the lives of young people through tennis and education,” said Dr. Deborah Antoine, president and CEO of NYJTL. “Together, each of us plays an important role in what I have come to think about as the great Relay Race for Good.” Lawrence B. Benenson and The Frances and Benjamin Benenson Foundation have underwritten the luncheon since its inception. All revenues directly benefit NYJTL programs. Luncheon co-chairs were Benenson, Fay
A packed house was on hand for the NYJTL’s 31st Annual Leadership Awards Luncheon at the Grand Hyatt Hotel
Former New York Mayor David Dinkins received the NYJTL’s Lifetime Achievement Award Ann Lee, Peter Malkin and Polly Scott. Additional major sponsors included Golden Slam Sponsor, the John Arnhold Family and Grand Slam Sponsors: Wendy and Douglas Eisenberg, Elena and Tory
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Tennis legend Billie Jean King addresses Tennis Hall of Famer Nick Bollettieri was Luncheon attendees honored with the NYJTL’s Leadership Award Kiam, and Mara and Ricky Sandler. Ace Sponsors were: Caryn and Craig Effron, Deborah Slaner Larkin, Polly Scott and Jim Maher, Peter Malkin (The Malkin Fund), May & Samuel Rudin Family Foundation
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How To Handle Cheaters (Part II)
By Chris Lewit n the November/December 2016 edition of New York Tennis Magazine, I discussed the four options players have when facing a determined cheater. In Part II, I will explore
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some specific actions and plans that players can take to help ameliorate the cheater’s negative impact. 1. Make excuses, whine and complain, and give up This is a very common response players have when facing a bad cheater. I often
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New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2017 • NYTennisMag.com
have players report to me that they lost a match because of cheating. Let’s stop right there. While it is possible for cheating to swing a match to one side, usually cheating does not, by itself, cause a player to lose a match. What causes a player to lose a match is losing mental control because of being cheated. It is a player’s responsibility to insulate themself from the effects of the cheater. The player must not allow the cheater’s psychological warfare to distract from their mental focus or emotional control. It’s important to frame the situation this way to honest players and to teach them that using cheating as an excuse for losing is unacceptable. 2. Fight and find a way to win—but never cheat For “Never Cheaters,” it’s important to understand the dynamics of cheating and why the opponent actually cheats. There is a myth that cheaters cheat because they feel vulnerable and inferior to their opponent. The myth says that they cheat because they don’t believe they can
win in a fair fight. Of course, this does happen on the court, and cheaters tend to cheat more in close matches or when they are losing. However, a cheater is often just a cheater—they will do anything to win and cheating is a conditioned habit and one of many tools of psychological warfare. I had a student—and I’m not proud of this—who was a pretty good player, ranked around 60th in the country, but he was a terrible proactive cheater. His favorite ploy was to change the score. His opponent would usually become apoplectic, and a big argument would ensue. He told me this was a great way to shift the momentum of a match. I discouraged this behavior, but I’m not sure he ever abstained completely from cheating even after my intervention. Honest players must understand that cheating is probably the most powerful tool of psychological warfare available to a tennis player, and they must fight to prevent a cheater from disrupting their focus and emotional control. l Getting an umpire: Getting an umpire is a common solution. However, the
umpire often cannot stop a determined cheater. A good cheater can still make bad calls at opportunistic moments and can twist the score in ways that the umpire cannot prevent. Oftentimes, the umpire will not be paying attention or will leave the court and roam to other courts, leaving moments for the cheater to do their dirty work. l Playing safer: Another commonly advised solution to cheating is to play safer and away from the corners and lines, where it is easier for a cheater to cheat. Players can also spin in the first serve more frequently and away from the lines to prevent the cheater from calling second serves out. While this can help the problem, a determined cheater will still call balls out, even balls that are not that close to the lines. In addition, the “Playing Safer Strategy” is not really effective for power players who are aggressive and need to play close to the lines to win. This strategy works better for patient, control-oriented players. l Bathroom breaks: As Frank Giampaolo
recommends in his book, The Tennis Parents Bible (Second Edition), to use bathroom breaks—which are legal— to fight back and put the freeze on the cheater after a big argument over a score or line call. Use the bathroom break to recover mentally and emotionally, and also to dish back some mental disruption to the cheater. It’s annoying to sit there waiting for your opponent to return from the bathroom, and the waiting player will often lose focus and get cold! l The drop shot: I teach my players to use the drop shot as a tool for mental warfare, and it is almost as powerful as cheating in this regard. A good drop shot can really get under the skin of the cheater and frustrate them. Practice this shot frequently and deploy it liberally when playing a cheater to annoy them and fight back in the mental battle. The drop shot, followed by a lob, can drive the cheater nuts! l Challenge the cheater: Players continued on page 20
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how to handle cheaters continued from page 19 should not be afraid to challenge the cheater verbally and let them know what’s up. The player can bring the cheater up to the net for a little tough talk. The honest player can tell the cheater that they are going to make them suffer with the drop shot, for example. Just make sure that, when challenging a cheater, a player does not lose their own focus and emotional control. The cheater is an expert at psychological warfare, and probably has more experience than the honest player in verbal battles on the court. Be aware that the cheater will say anything and everything to rile their opponent and get under the honest player’s skin. 3. Fight and find a way to win using retaliatory cheating to even the playing field For those who are comfortable with retaliatory cheating, it’s important to be certain they were cheated in the first place before engaging in any cheating back. Remember, not everyone is a cheater, as many players just make mistakes. The ball is moving fast and it’s hard to see sometimes—that’s a reality. Sometimes with one good retaliatory cheat—strange as it may sound—you
can earn the respect of the cheater, and they may actually stop. It may be the only way to make a habitual cheater stop. Retaliatory cheaters must be careful to avoid falling into the trap of assuming everyone is cheating them and of slipping into proactive cheating, which is a real danger. Watch out for the slippery slope and maintain ethical boundaries. 4. Quit the match and extract oneself from the toxic situation Sometimes the cheating is so heinous and rampant that a player may decide to actually forfeit the match. I once had a student do just this at a local tournament, and I was shocked to hear that he chose to quit, rather than try and tough it out. Generally, I would recommend that players try to overcome the challenge in front of them, but in some instances of egregious and determined cheating, it can be healthy for a player to understand that this is only a game and that they do not need to play this cheater— they can choose to leave the tournament and play again another week. This should be a last ditch choice for very extreme situations. In these instances, players should try to be respectful to the tournament offi-
cials and director. They can explain their rationale for forfeiting and file a complaint with the USTA Competition Chairperson. Unfortunately, the USTA does not have a lot of power under current regulations to censure or punish cheating players in these instances, and it’s hard to prove a case against a cheater. Conclusion When facing a cheating player, it’s important to never make excuses and give up trying to fight. Players need to determine whether they will choose to fight with retaliatory cheating or to fight while never cheating back based on their moral and ethical framework. They then need to follow a game plan to work towards success. In very extreme situations where the cheating is particularly offensive, a player always has the right to exit the court and forfeit the match. Chris Lewit, a former number one for Cornell and pro circuit player, coaches in the New York City area and also runs a highperformance boarding summer camp in Southern Vermont. He specializes in training aspiring junior tournament players using progressive Spanish and European training methods. His best-selling book, Secrets of Spanish Tennis, has helped coaches and players worldwide learn how to train the Spanish way. He may be reached on the Web at ChrisLewit.com, by phone at (914) 462-2912 or e-mail Chris@ChrisLewit.com.
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Three Things to Add to You
By Trevor McPherson s 2017 has arrived and 2016 is in our rearview mirror, it gives us a chance to reflect on what we want to accomplish this year as athletes. I cringe at using the word “resolution,” as it has a stigma attached in the athletic community associated with jam-packed parking lots at the local gym for about … the first three weeks of the year. Having the unique opportunity of working with everyone from the week-
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end warrior to professionals, one may think that the two share very little in common. However, when it comes to setting goals in tennis, there are similarities throughout. Here are three key things that every athlete may want to keep in mind when looking to build a routine this year. 1. Get assessed Tennis players are quick to judge themselves on their performance on court, but when it comes to the other major parts of the game—hydration, nutrition and physical preparedness—that often falls to the
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bottom of the priority list. A fitness assessment is a benchmark for any athlete not only to determine strengths and problem areas, but also set realistic goals. The year 2016 became the year of the wearable in all sports. From GPS tracking technology to heart rate monitoring, these are all great tools to track our day-to-day progress. 2. Develop a proper warmup There are endless resources and videos about everyone creating the most efficient warmup for the general athlete. How many times have we looked at the
Your New Year’s Resolution process and thought, “Is this specifically working for me?” Even worse than that is the amount of times I have seen high performance athletes do the bare minimum before going out on court right into point play. No matter what the level of competition is, we as athletes have to take the time to find out what our needs are, and more specifically, target those areas before going out on the court. Looking at the most common injuries in tennis is one great way to start. Narrowing the focus on those exercises and other common problem areas will at least give the athlete something to build from. Athletes should have a go-to warmup that they have memorized or that is kept in their bag, but what I also like to call the “worst- case scenario” warmup. This is the warmup for those tournaments where you have to get ready in the parking lot, or are sitting
around for that long rain delay without much notice of when play will resume. All will be effective tools in the long run for any athlete to possess if they want to take their game to the next level. 3. Trust the process Athletes, just like the average public, sometimes fall into the habit of looking for immediate success. The relationship between the tennis athlete and coach is often one of the most intense of any sport. This alludes to why it is no surprise that the turnover rate between players and coaches in the sport of tennis is so high. So what do we learn from this? For one, find a coach who understands your goals. Second, trust their craft and the time it takes for the body to adapt to certain changes. Lastly, it is toxic for athletes to compare themselves to others when
everyone has been on a different journey for different lengths of time. If we are to make resolutions, let this be the year that we are at least committing to be the best that we have ever been on and off the court. Trevor McPherson is a head strength and conditioning coach at Courtsense, a high performance tennis academy, and at Magnus Potential. He was a ranked junior in the USTA for more than five years. As a distance runner, Trevor has completed various half and full marathons all over the Tri-State area. Searching for creative and dynamic ways of training is the constant goal for Trevor as he is certified in the Functional Movement Systems (FMS), as well as being a certified personal trainer through the ISSA.
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USTA Metro Region A Message From USTA Eastern Metro Region President Jackie Clark It has been another exciting and wonderful year of tennis in the USTA Eastern Metro Region, and I am so proud of all that our Metro Region Board volunteers have accomplished. We have done our best to support Junior Team Tennis, Youth Tennis Leagues, community tennis, USTA League Tennis, the New York Empire, WorldTeam Tennis, local clubs and member organizations. Jackie Clark, President USTA Eastern Metro Region
NYC Aces Hosts Another Young Professionals Social
NYC Aces, USTA Eastern Metro’s group of young professionals who love tennis, came out for a night of competition, networking, food, drinks and a raffle supporting youth tennis in New York City. Themed as an “End-of-Year Tennis Social,” more than 50 young professionals from the New York Metro Area spent the evening at Roosevelt Island Racquet Club, enjoying everything from a doubles tournament with winners receiving Starbucks gift cards, to wine, beer, pizza and chicken wings. To cap the night, three lucky young professionals were an24
nounced as winners of a raffle that featured PowerShares QQQ Cup tickets at Barclays Center and U.S. Open tickets as prizes. Certainly a memorable night for all in attendance, with many leaving the facility asking when the next social was taking place. Event organizers are expecting to have their first NYC Aces event of 2017 take place in January, with monthly events to follow. Those interested in upcoming NYC Aces events and news, are encouraged to “Like” the NYC Aces Group at Facebook.com/NYCAces or e-mail NYCAcesMetroTennis@gmail.com.
New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2017 • NYTennisMag.com
USTA Metro Region USTA Eastern Metro 2016 Year in Review
The 18 & Under Island Grinders with Coach Andre Vaginer represented USTA Metro at Eastern Junior Team Tennis Sectionals
Members of the USTA Eastern Metro Board at Madison Square Garden during the 2016 BNP Paribas Showdown
USTA Eastern Metro Region Board Member Barry Sonustun incorporated tennis into the daily exercise classes at PSCH Inc. Station Road Day Habilitation Program
Members of the Metro Region visited West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, N.Y. for a tennis social for 4.5/5.0 and above players
More than 100 players participated in the Youth Tennis Leagues (YTL) in the Metro area
The USTA Eastern Metro Region showed their support for the Delete Blood Cancer Second Annual “Game, Set, Match for Life” tennis event at Sportime Randall’s Island
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2017 Austra Credit photos to ATPWorldTour.com
n the world of tennis, the Australian Open is the first major stop of the new year. Players on both the men’s and women’s side will converge on Melbourne aiming for Grand Slam glory after a lengthy layoff. Will Serena regain her number one ranking from Angelique Kerber on the women’s side? Will Andy Murray prove he is the true number one in the world? Who will be the sport’s new blood on the Tour this year looking to make their mark? These and many other questions will be answered starting in Melbourne, Jan. 16-29 as the Australian Open will crown the first major champions of 2017.
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The men’s side of the draw Contenders Andy Murray Andy Murray enters 2017 in an unfamiliar position, as the number one ranked player in the world. Murray enjoyed a fantastic campaign in 2016 that saw him reach new heights in his career, a second Wimbledon title, a triumph at the end of the year ATP Finals and the yearend number one ranking. Murray now shifts from the hunter to the hunted and that will begin with the Australian swing to start the year. He has been a Melbourne finalist five times, yet has never lifted the trophy, as he will be out to claim the fourth Grand Slam of his career and continue to try and hold off Novak Djokovic and others from jumping him in the rankings.
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Milos Raonic The big-serving Canadian enjoyed the best year of his young career in 2016, reaching his first Grand Slam final and finishing the year ranked third in the world. Originally known for his big serves, Milos Raonic has continued to add new wrinkles to his game, and that was evident this past year, as he was more comfortable from the baseline and at the net, skill sets that he needs to keep improving if he wants to take his game to the next level. That balance helped him reach the Australian Open semifinals, defeating Roger Federer, Stan Wawrinka and Gael Monfils on the way to the final four. He eventually lost to Andy Murray after leading two-setsto-one, but an injury limited his movement in the final two sets. That loss wouldn’t stop him from having an excellent 2016 season, which included a trip to the Wimbledon finals. Raonic called the loss to Murray in the Aussie semifinals the most heartbreaking of his career, and you can bet that he has not forgotten it and will be motivated to build on that in his 2017 run in Melbourne. Novak Djokovic Much like Murray, Novak Djokovic enters 2017 in an unfamiliar position. The Serb lost his grip on the world’s top ranking, a distinction he held since June 2014. But there may be an ironic sense of relief for Djokovic this year who, as his former coach Boris
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Becker, indicated by saying that there may have been a lack of motivation for him following the French Open last year, the fourth of four straight Grand Slam titles. He now has a clear goal: Get back to number one in the world. We should see a recharged and refocused Djokovic this year, and he will begin that by shooting for his seventh career Melbourne title. Pretenders Tomas Berdych Tomas Berdych is a tough player to figure out. The tools and gifts are evident to even the novice tennis fan: A huge serve, big forehand and great movement. But he has never really put it completely together to break through at a Grand Slam. He did reach the semifinals in Melbourne in 2014 and 2015, and lost to Roger Federer in the quarterfinals in 2016. His 2016 season was very mundane; posting a record of 39-20 and winning just one title. His best showing was reaching the Wimbledon semifinals before losing to the eventual champion Andy Murray, and he didn’t play in the U.S. Open due to appendicitis. With inconsistent match play and a tough time against some of the top players, Berdych could be an early out in Melbourne. Kei Nishikori Kei Nishikori has been a staple in the top 10 for a couple of years now since his run to the U.S. Open final back in 2014, but nagging injuries have limited his consistency at the Grand Slams since that Flushing Meadows run. Nishikori has reached the quar-
ralian Open Preview BY BRIAN COLEMAN
terfinals in Melbourne in back to back seasons, but that streak may come to an end in January. He has one of the best return games on the tour and is a relentless worker, so he will not be an easy out for anyone, but that elusive Grand Slam title will continue to elude him at 2017’s first major championship.
Grand Slam. The talent is undeniable, but Kyrgios’ issues stem from consistency, or a lack thereof. The 21-year-old has been accused of tanking matches, most recently at the Shanghai Rolex Masters, but Kyrgios could put it together for a two-week stretch in Melbourne to finally silence some of his sharpest critics.
Stan Wawrinka The winner of the most recent Grand Slam at the U.S. Open, Stan Wawrinka made his breakthrough at the Australian Open three years ago. He enters 2017 as the fourth ranked player in the world and always seems to play his best tennis on the biggest stage. But it is his consistency that still holds him back, and that was evident in his play following his Flushing Meadows triumph as he went just 7-6 in his five tournaments after the U.S. Open, including winning just one of his three matches at the ATP World Tour Finals. He was bounced from the first round of the French Open after winning his first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open and lost in the Wimbledon quarterfinals after winning the 2015 French Open, and another quick exit could be in store for Wawrinka in Melbourne.
Jack Sock An American man has not won a Grand Slam title since Andy Roddick won the 2003 U.S. Open, and many people believe that Jack Sock could be the man to snap that streak. He has struggled at the Australian Open, only reaching the second round in his two main draw appearances in Melbourne, but 2017 has the makings of a breakout season for the Nebraska native. He has one of the sharpest forehands in the game and can get easy points on his serve. If the 24-year old can limit his errors and play consistent and smart tennis, his power and talent will
Sleepers Nick Kyrgios The player many people love to hate, Nick Kyrgios is undoubtedly one of the most gifted players on tour, and the Aussie hopes to have the backing of his home crowd in 2017’s first
translate perfectly to the fast Australian Open courts, and could make his deepest Grand Slam run yet. Marin Cilic Marin Cilic may be the least talked about top 10 player in the world, but he has the Grand Slam pedigree to do damage in Melbourne. The 2014 U.S. Open champion’s power game is perfectly suited for the hard-courts at the Australian Open. His best showing was a semifinal result at the 2010 Australian Open, but he has struggled in Melbourne since, including a disappointing thirdround exit a year ago. Cilic performed well at the ATP Finals and fought hard while representing Croatia in the Davis Cup final towards the end of 2016, and after recharging his batteries, should be ready for a deep run in Melbourne.
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2017 Austra Credit photos to WTATennis.com
The Women’s side of the draw Contenders Angelique Kerber The German took over the number one ranking in the world at the U.S. Open and had a remarkable 2016 season overall, winning two Grand Slam titles, including the Australian Open, and earning the silver medal at the Olympic games in Rio. Her calm and steady presence makes her such a tough out, especially at the Grand Slams, and that was evident during her U.S. Open semifinal. She found out minutes before walking onto the court that she would be taking over the number one spot, but there was no complacency and she delivered a dominant straight-sets win over Caroline Wozniacki. Her even-keeled temperament, coupled with her rock-solid game, makes her the favorite in Melbourne, the tournament which began her breakthrough season a year ago. Serena Williams The year 2017 will no doubt be an important one for a very motivated Serena Williams. The American will start the year as the second ranked player in the world after losing her grip on the top ranking for the first time in nearly three years. She won her 22nd career Grand Slam title at Wimbledon, tying Steffi Graff’s Open Era record, but barely played any tennis following that win. Serena was 30
upset by Elina Svitolina in the Round of 16 at the Olympics, and then fell in the semifinals at the U.S. Open, which turned out to be the last tournament of her season. A shoulder injury kept her out of the WTA Finals, but she should be recharged and healthy heading into 2017. Potentially playing with a chip on her shoulder, look for Serena Williams to bring her power game to the fast courts of the Australian Open and make a deep run in the year’s opening major tournament. Simona Halep Romanian Simona Halep had a great finish to the 2016 season and saw her ranking creep back up to fourth in the world to finish the season. The aggressive baseliner lost a shocker in the opening round of the Australian Open last year, falling to Shuai Zhang in the opening round, but she was still recovering from an Achilles injury, and also revealed a nose issue which required surgery. Injuries and a lack of match play gave way to an up and down start to the year, but she captured the Madrid title and went on to reach the Wimbledon quarterfinals. She won the title in Montreal and had a lot of momentum heading into the U.S. Open. While she lost a heartbreaking quarterfinal matchup to Serena Williams, her play in the second half of the year illustrated what the Romanian could do when healthy. Halep is a two-time quarterfinalist in Melbourne, but should have the best Melbourne showing of her career in 2017.
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Pretenders Karolina Pliskova The big-serving Czech enjoyed the best run of her career towards the end of 2016. Karolina Pliskova won her biggest title at the Western and Southern Open in Cincinnati, beating Kerber in straight sets. She parlayed that into a run to the U.S. Open final, by far her best result at a major tournament, beating both Serena and Venus Williams in the process. That may have been an aberration though, as Pliskova has always struggled at the Grand Slams. Despite her run at the 2016 U.S. Open in Flushing Meadows, it is tough to imagine her stringing together victories like that down in Melbourne, where she can no longer sneak up on people after ending the year ranked sixth in the world. Garbine Muguruza Garbine Muguruza probably has some mixed feelings about 2016. The year saw the 23-year-old break through with her first Grand Slam title, a stunning victory over Serena Williams in the French Open final, but after that, Muguruza struggled. She posted a 13-11 record in her matches following her Roland Garros triumph, which includes the Olympics and WTA Finals, including shocking early losses at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. The pressure of being a Grand Slam champion was something that weighed on her in the second half of the year, something she admitted following some losses, and while she still possess loads of talent, the Spaniard could get tripped up early in Melbourne.
ralian Open Preview Agnieszka Radwanska A g n i e s z k a Radwanska is one of the WTA Tour’s most popular players, as her crafty shot-making and creative moves on the court make her one of the most entertaining players in the world. She has been named the WTA Tour’s Fan Favorite award for six consecutive years, and won the WTA Shot of the Year Award four straight years, but she has yet to reach a Grand Slam final since her run to the Wimbledon final in 2012. The third-ranked Radwanska has reached the semifinals in Melbourne twice, including last year, but the fast courts Down Under may make for a difficult run for her in 2017. She has one of the slowest serves on Tour and has a hard time winning free points with her power. As the temperature rises in Australia, defensive style of play may be unsustainable for two weeks, and she could be on upset-alert early on. Sleepers
to earn the biggest title of her career. Cibulkova will carry her 2016 momentum into next season, and don’t be shocked to see her repeat her Melbourne success of a couple of years ago. Belinda Bencic It is hard to believe that Belinda Bencic is still just 19-years-old, but the Swiss teenager flew a bit under the radar last season. Bencic cracked the top 10 for the first time in her career, but injuries forced her to miss a lot of the clay-court season, causing her ranking to drop. The second half of the season was mainly for her to get back into matchform, and thus she played some up and down tennis. She finished the season ranked 43rd in the world, and you can bet she will be motivated to get back to where she belongs inside the top 20. Entering 2017 fully healthy, Bencic is a dark horse candidate to make a deep run at the Australian Open.
Johanna Konta Great Britain’s Johanna Konta had the best year of her career in 2016, winning her first WTA title, reaching her first Grand Slam semifinal and breaking into the top 10, where she will look to ride that momentum into the new year. That semifinal was at the Australian Open when she took out top players such as Venus Williams and Ekaterina Makarova before falling to eventual champion Angelique Kerber. Because of her outstanding play, she was named the WTA’s Most Improved Player and she finished the year ranked 10th in the world. She announced she would be parting ways with her coaching team of Esteban Carril and Jose-Manuel Garcia, so it will be interesting to see how she opens up the season, but Konta has demonstrated the ability to have success at the Grand Slams, and that should continue at the 2017 Australian Open.
Dominika Cibulkova Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova may be the one player that none of the other top players want to face in a big match at a Grand Slam. She has a relentless energy and great ground strokes which make her a tough out, and she has the pedigree to make a deep run in Melbourne, as she has done so before when she reached the final in 2014. She enjoyed a resurgent 2016 campaign that saw her reach a career high ranking of eighth in the world. She qualified for the WTA Finals for the first time in her career, and went on to win the whole thing NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine
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The Six Habits of Highly-Effective Teaching Professionals
By Rishan Kuruppu ver the past 12 years, I have been very interested in understanding performance differences in tennis coaches and their standards. Some are recreational coaches, some are assistants, some are head tennis pros … all the way to tennis directors and everything in between. I believe that my six habits below can serve and help every coach become better, regardless of their title. Let’s get started … your best is yet to come!
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Habit 1: Punctuality Do you want to grow your business, wow your clients, develop loyalty and build a solid reputation? If so, start by being six minutes early to every lesson or meeting scheduled. Being early is a sign of deep respect towards another person. Tennis professionals who understand punctuality start every encounter waiting for their clients, ready and excited to serve them. Develop the habit of being six minutes early and watch your relationships develop into a greater purpose and meaning. Habit 2: Positivity Start your lesson with a genuine smile and enthusiastic welcome. This sets a good tone and foundation for all things thereafter. Have you ever had a client get frustrated or discouraged during a lesson? Of course you have … it’s normal. The best way to help them is by believing and reinforcing that what they want to understand will happen through a positive perspective of time. Use phrases such as: “Stick to it, you’re almost there” or “We are going to make this happen.” It is music to your clients ears to be the voice that strives to deliver a positive and enjoyable experience. Habit 3: Consistent energy Energy is the battery we run on as a tennis professional. Energy is trained and repeated and is put into practice naturally by choosing to do so. Everyone needs the right example, and who would that be during a lesson? You! Your movement, split-step, not allowing two bounces, keeping the ball in play and staying engaged to keep your players energy high is an amazing quality. By doing so you will create an atmosphere of action and inspiration for your players to become better. Always remember seeing is believing and if your 100 percent one day and 50 the next everyone notices. Develop this habit and feel proud of giving it 100 percent every hour.
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Habit 4: Creativity To be creative, you must have a yearning desire for self-improvement and learning. Tennis is a game of complexity and difficulty that is constantly challenging us to continue to evolve and help our clients. You will always find players of all ages and abilities, and it is imperative to be able to modify or expand your presentation to best suit the needs of your students. There are many ways of being more creative, for example: Techniquebased, guiding for self-awareness, timebased, error-based, positional-based, number of shots and consequence scoring, just to name a few. The challenge for all professionals is how to become more creative in your process of drill selection without losing your core teaching philosophy and vision. Ask yourself before your next lesson: “How can I make this hour more purposeful?” Habit 5: Language Clarity and the understanding of information is the desired outcome we all seek to attain through effective language. A client may say, “I have been taking years of lessons about this same topic, but never heard it presented
in such a way … it makes sense!” This is great feedback from a client because you are creating better understanding and clarity, which is the foundation that fuels their action. To become a better professional, one must improve their vocabulary and word selection, in addition to their inflection and the degree of high and low pitch emphasizing various points of importance. Lastly, rhythmic repetition, which is the art of using words of similar letters to best create visual patterns and cognitive associations. As a professional, if you can connect meaning to emotion and utilize the best use of language, you will soon be held to a greater standard. Habit 6: Results The name of the game is results! What saddens me the most is that very few professionals take full responsibility to find and create permanent solutions to deliver the results that can change a client’s life! Five years of lessons and the player is volleying the same incorrect way? To me, that is unacceptable! Professionals should have a vision of how they want their student to look and aim for incremental changes. Professionals should design a plan
and set a realistic time frame to measure progress and change. By doing so, tennis professionals are far more passionate about their work and are clearly and exactly knowing of what we want from our players. Remember this “Small victories in each practice will lead to a tsunami of improvement.” To become more successful and raise the standard as tennis professionals, we must look at our work and either be pleased or disappointed and seek change to ensure results. Take the next step forward and develop yourself by being more mindful towards these six habits. Your confidence, career and contribution will leave an impression that will forever be remembered. Rishan Kuruppu is director of adult tennis at Proform Tennis Academy. A native of Vancouver, Canada, he is a former top five-ranked Canadian player and represented Canada in international events worldwide. He teaches all ages and abilities and has been nationally-recognized for leading USTA women’s teams. Rishan is a USPTA and PTR professional and can be reached by email at Rishan.Kuruppu@gmail.com.
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FeedbackandFocus By Richard Thater ne of the joys of teaching 10 & Under Tennis is hearing young students shout out, “I made the sound, I made the sound.” They are telling me they are experiencing feedback, one of sport’s most satisfying pleasures. The red and yellow balls designed for use on 36-foot courts were engineered to produce a distinctive sound and feel with smaller rackets used by young beginners. This equipment tells them very quickly if they hit a good shot. Sound and feel are so important in tennis that The New York Times recently featured an article by Ben Rothenberg about Duckhee Lee, a deaf South Korean ATP player ranked 149th in the world. His achievement is remarkable because most players and researchers believe that “in tennis, simply seeing the ball is insufficient … hearing the ball, top players say, enables faster reactions.” Sound is so important to Martina Navratilova that she considers grunting al-
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most “cheating” because it masks the sound of the ball hitting the strings. The article quotes Andy Murray as having been bothered by the rain on the new roof on Arthur Ashe Stadium. Murray says that, “We use our ears when we play,” and that players use their hearing to determine the speed, spin and pace of their opponent’s shots. The article also reports that science seems to support players’ beliefs about the feedback that sound provides. Research suggests that humans react more quickly to an auditory stimulus than a visual one. So I was amazingly surprised to discover that eliminating both feel and sound was a great tool for improving focus. I recently began using foam balls on a mini-court in a rally ball drill with accomplished students. Using slow-bouncing silent foam balls allows players to focus on every aspect of their stroke. This drill and the silence enables students to pay attention to their anticipation, set-up, take-back and point of contact. It also helps improve mental concentration. I confess that I was never good at rally-
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ball drills. I used to say it was because when I learned to play, finishing the point quickly was always the goal. The reality is that once the ball passed over the net more than three times, I began to fear I could not keep the rally up. Last month, I am happy to report, I achieved a personal best when I did this drill with a talented 10-year old, and we cooperatively succeeded in rallying the ball 100 times over the net. Since the total feedback of sound and vision are so important in teaching, I do not routinely use foam balls. But, I keep this drill in mind as a way to work on focus. I am going to rest on my laurels, but if you want to up the challenge, try using a 25inch racket. Richard Thater is a long-time teacher and player on New York City courts. He is PTR-certified in both Junior and Adult Development, and has played in senior tournaments in the Greater New York area. Richard currently teaches at the West Side Tennis Club. He may be reached by phone at (917) 749-3255 or e-mail RichThater@aol.com.
The Path to
Finding Purpose By Xavier Luna any people view having a purpose as a reason for being. Others see it simply as an intention or objective. But in both cases, it gives a particular direction to life and–when pursued correctly–a tremendous amount of satisfaction.
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Purpose doesn’t happen by accident Young people often need help finding their purpose. Not because they lack imagination and ambition, but because they cannot see a clear path to achieving what they envision. Parents, teachers and coaches can help tremendously, pointing out a path to follow. It’s crucial to first establish three criteria. The young person needs to: l Develop a realistic understanding of his or her abilities. l Create an internal awareness of and interest in how these abilities could be put to good use.
l Enjoy using the abilities in this particular way. Purpose on the court In the case of tennis, finding purpose presents a particular challenge. Chances are, an athlete begins to play the game without thinking much about it. Perhaps they were looking for fun, good exercise and a way to make new friends. Most don’t have ambitions of playing professionally. But with the right guidance, this purpose can be explored and even achieved. Players need to assess their skills– knowing where they need improvement, understanding how far their game can go and sensing whether they can enjoy the process. Coaches can steer them, using constructive coaching, regular match and tournament match play and additional instruction. Five milestones along the way Purpose also often revolves around “The Five C’s:” l Competencies: Knowing one’s
strengths and skills. l Confidence: Believing that success is possible. l Connections: Being around positive influencers who provide guidance. l Caring: Having a passion for the chosen purpose. l Character: A willingness to follow the path, even when it’s a little bumpy. Once young people have a chance to cultivate these traits, they need a realistic plan for achieving their purpose, a grasp on how long it may take, a cheering section and a support network. Even when the path gets a little bumpy, it is well worth pursuing. We look forward to helping your daughter or son follow it, should tennis turn out to be their purpose! Xavier Luna is director of Advantage AllCity Junior Programs (Roosevelt Island Racquet Club, Manhattan Plaza Racquet Club and New York Tennis Club). He may be reached by phone at (917) 570-9650 or visit AdvantageTennisNY.com.
T E N N I S
R U S H
Come play where the surf applauds every shot. The Seaside Tennis Club at the legendary Mauna Kea Beach Hotel on Hawaii Island. 866.977.4589 I MaunaKeaBeachHotel.com Director of Tennis, Craig T. Paulter
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BNP Paribas Show
A Decade of Tennis at the W
he 10th anniversary of the BNP Paribas Showdown will bring past, current and future stars to the Madison Square Garden court for a terrific night of tennis on Monday, March 6. Juan Martin del Potro, Kei Nishikori, Venus Williams, Garbiñe Muguruza, Nick Kyrgios, Jack Sock and a legends matchup to be named later, will square off in the 10th anniversary edition of the annual tennis showcase. Del Potro, the 2016 Olympic silver medalist will take on world number five Nishikori, while former world number one Venus Williams will square off against reigning French Open champion, Muguruza. Kyrgios and Sock, two exciting young stars on the rise, will provide a glimpse of what the fu-
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ture has in store for tennis fans. Over the course of its decade at Madison Square Garden, the BNP Paribas Showdown has become a must-see event, from superstar Pete Sampras showing a younger Roger Federer he can still play in the inaugural matchup in 2008, to last year’s electrifying performances by Serena Williams, Caroline Wozniacki, Stan Wawrinka and Gael Monfils. The event has also hosted a who’s who in the world of tennis, including: Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Rafael Nadal, Andre Agassi, Ivan Lendl, Mike and Bob Bryan, John and Patrick McEnroe, Maria Sharapova, Kim Clijsters, Victoria Azarenka, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Ana Ivanovic, Jelena Jankovic, Monica Seles and Gabriela Sabatini. “Since 2008, playing the Showdown at
New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2017 • NYTennisMag.com
The Garden has become a ‘must’ amongst the biggest stars in the game, and as we celebrate the 10th Showdown we’re looking forward to another special night of tennis,” said Joel Fisher, executive vice president, Marquee Events/Operations, The Madison Square Garden Company. “The Showdown has continually entertained thousands of tennis fans and provided many lasting moments. And, how can we forget Ben Stiller, Rory McIllroy and Redfoo taking to the Garden court? You never know what or who you’ll see when tennis comes to The World’s Most Famous Arena.” Showdown Creator Jerry Solomon said, “It is incredible to think this will be our 10th Showdown. We have been fortunate to continued on page 38
owdown Preview
World’s Most Famous Arena 10th Annual BNP Paribas Showdown TA L E O F THE TAPE
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO
vs.
Country: Argentina
KEI NISHIKORI Country: Japan
Birth Place: Tandil, Argentina
Birth Place: Matsue, Shimane, Japan
Birth Date: September 23, 1988
Birth Date: December 29, 1989
Residence: Tandil, Argentina
Residence: Bradenton, Florida
Turned Pro: 2005
Turned Pro: 2007
2016 Year-End Ranking: 38
2016 Year-End Ranking: 5
Career Singles Record: 346-140
Career Singles Record: 301-142
Career Singles Titles: 19
Career Singles Titles: 11
Grand Slam Singles Titles: 1
Grand Slam Singles Titles: 0
VENUS WILLIAMS
vs.
Country: United States
GARBINE MUGURUZA Country: Spain
Birth Place: Lynwood, California
Birth Place: Caracas, Venezuela
Birth Date: June 17, 1980
Birth Date: October 8, 1993
Residence: Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
Residence: Geneva, Switzerland
Turned Pro: 1994
Turned Pro: 2011
2016 Year-End Ranking: 17
2016 Year-End Ranking: 7
Career Singles Record: 731-202
Career Singles Record: 264-130
Career Singles Titles: 49
Career Singles Titles: 3 Grand Slam Singles Titles: 1
Grand Slam Singles Titles: 7
JACK SOCK
vs.
Country: United States
NICK KYRGIOS Country: Australia
Birth Place: Lincoln, Nebraska
Birth Place: Canberra, Australia
Birth Date: September 24, 1992
Birth Date: April 27, 1995
Residence: Kansas City, Kansas
Residence: Canberra, Australia
Turned Pro: 2011
Turned Pro: 2013
2016 Year-End Ranking: 23
2016 Year-End Ranking: 13
Career Singles Record: 115-82 Career Singles Titles: 1 Grand Slam Singles Titles: 0
Career Singles Record: 75-45 Career Singles Titles: 3 Grand Slam Singles Titles: 0
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bnp paribas showdown continued from page 36 have had just about every tennis superstar of the last 30 years play at Madison Square Garden, and this year will be no different, with our compelling slate of great players spanning eras. And we’ll also be including some twists on the traditional tennis format that will allow fans to see more action than ever before in a more compact schedule. On March 6, the BNP Paribas Showdown and The Garden will once again be the place to be for the most exciting tennis.” Nishikori, currently ranked fifth in the world, is the only male Japanese player to ever be ranked in the top 10. He has compiled 11 singles titles and was a finalist in the 2014 U.S. Open, making him the first Asian player to compete in a Grand Slam singles final. Del Potro, the 2009 U.S. Open champion, returns to Madison Square Garden for his second appearance at the BNP Paribas Showdown. The 6’6” Argentine, who is playing strong and blazing the
comeback trail after three wrist operations that sidelined his career, is currently ranked 42nd in the world and recently captured the Stockholm Open for his first ATP Tour title since 2014. Venus, arguably one of the greatest female players of all time, is a seven-time Grand Slam champion, five-time Wimbledon Champion, four-time Olympic Gold Medalist, and winner of 49 singles titles. She is currently ranked 15th in the world and will be making her third Showdown appearance. Current world number six Muguruza beat Serena Williams in the finals of the 2016 French Open to capture her first Grand Slam title. She holds 10 career singles titles and was runner-up at the 2015 Wimbledon Championships. She will make her Madison Square Garden debut as she tries to beat Venus for the first time in four attempts. Two rising ATP Tour stars, Sock and
Kyrgios, will compete in their first ever match-up at Madison Square Garden. Kyrgios, ranked 13th in the world, was listed as the number one world junior in 2013, and has already recorded several top 10 wins, including a victory against world number three Stan Wawrinka at an ATP Masters 1000 tournament early in the year. He will play Sock, one of the top-ranked American players at world 22. Sock is a former junior U.S. Open champion and has been in three finals on the ATP Tour. The BNP Paribas Showdown will apply several new innovative formats currently being experimented in the world of tennis to help speed up the game. The format enhancements will make the Showdown an even more fast-paced, exciting event for the fans. The BNP Paribas Showdown at Madison Square Garden will once again headline a full day of worldwide activities as part of “World Tennis Day,” a global tennis participation effort. All events promote tailoring the game to players 10 & Under with kidfriendly effort, including smaller racquets, lighter balls and modified scoring.
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New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2017 • NYTennisMag.com
Tennis: The Toughest Junior Sport in the World? By Cesar Andrade unior competitive sports, such as basketball, soccer, baseball, football, fencing, volleyball, judo, karate, wrestling, etc., have referees or umpires. From the pee wee baseball field to the professional field of Yankee Stadium, there are rules, guidelines and yes, “Big Brother” watching to ensure that the rules are not compromised. High-level competition demands an unbiased referee or umpire to make difficult calls and maintain the spirit of the game. However, for the future Roger Federers and Serena Williams of the world, playing highlevel junior tennis tournaments … you’re on your own. High-level tournament players enter the 36-foot by 78-foot battleground beholden to the opponent’s sportsmanship to make fair and honest calls. Winning, approval from your peers, coaches and parents are additional pressures that players experience. It’s only natural when “grinding it out” on the baseline for a player to see all their balls in and opponents to call those same balls out. Winning, performance and competition are all factors that can “trick” the mind into seeing something that’s not real. Take it a step further and put additional pressure by trusting a couple of teenagers to make appropriate judgment calls when a ball is in question—it’s not fair, nor prudent, as these teenagers lack the maturity and experience and are not developed to manage these types of situations. Apart from golf, which is slow and visible to the human eye, most sports have referees and organized supervision for each game. Third-party, unbiased officials can
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facilitate a game and make sure the game operates at the best pace and in the best spirit of fairness. To that end, there are simple solutions that may be implemented by the USTA and facilities to address the void needed at junior tennis competitions: l Increase tournament “enrollment fees” by $15 per player. This additional fee can cover two referees per day until the semifinal rounds. l After the semifinal rounds only, one referee is required, and the facility is responsible for the expense of that official. l If the tournament has less than 12 players, the facility is responsible to cover the expense of two “walking referees.” After the semifinal rounds, only one referee is required and the facility is responsible for the cost.
The ultimate goal of supervised tennis matches—players focus on playing and competing and NOT playing both roles of the competitor and the referee. It’s difficult to make a call accurately when playing competitively at a high level. Making these minor adjustments to tournament fees and offering referees to facilitate matches could change the whole experience for a junior tennis player. Cesar Andrade is director of operations at Tennis Innovators. He was born in Ecuador before moving to Queens as a child. He spent the summers of his high school years training at the Bollettieri Academy and competing on the ATP Satellite Tour before playing his college tennis at Iona. He can be reached by email at CAndrade@TennisInnovators.com or by calling (914) 428-2444.
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www.dringber.com NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine
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Non-Drug Treat By Dr. Rob Silverman s a specialist in treating sports injuries without drugs, I see many patients with tennis elbow, otherwise known as lateral epicondylosis. Many of these patients have already tried conventional medical treatment, including prescription anti-inflammatory drugs, such as naprosyn or celecoxib, and cortisone shots. They come to me because drugs donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t help and can make the condition worse. In fact, cortisone shots are no longer recommended as a treatment because they are harmful in the long run. I work with my patients to relieve their pain and get them back on the tennis court using a two-pronged approach: Softtissue treatment and nutrition. For the soft tissue treatment, I rely on two very successful modalities: Active Release Technique (ART) Injury Care, combined with low-level laser therapy. Over-used muscles (and other soft tissues) change in three important ways: l Acute conditions: Pulls, tears, collisions, etc. l Accumulation of small tears: Micro-trauma l Not getting enough oxygen: Hypoxia
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Each of these factors can cause your body to produce tough, dense scar tissue in the affected area. This scar tissue binds up and ties down tissues that need to move freely. As scar tissue builds up, muscles become shorter and weaker, the tension on tendons causes tendonitis, and nerves can become trapped. ART Injury Care uses precise techniques to resolve soft-tissue injuries by removing the adhesions and restrictive tissues that are laid down when the tissue suffers repeated trauma. In the case of tennis elbow, the result is pain and reduced range of motion. Sometimes, a nerve becomes trapped in the tissue, leading to more pain, tingling, numbness and weakness. Because repeated trauma is usually the root cause of tennis elbow, ART can be extremely effective for restoring full function and movement. When I work with patients using ART, I use my hand or thumb to evaluate the problem area and guide the patient to move that part of the body through a specific range of motion. The process helps break up scar tissue and lets the area move freely again. I find ART gets my patients back in the game quickly, usually after only six to eight 15-minute office visits. I like to combine ART with Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT). This treatment works by exposing the injured tissue to coherent light at specific wavelengthsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;in other words, laser light. The light passes through the skin and reaches the damaged 40
atment for Tennis Elbow soft tissue painlessly and with no sensation of heat. The stimulation from the light triggers a biological response that switches on the healing process. The injured area is stimulated to produce a cascade of natural chemicals, such as anti-inflammatory enzymes, that reduce pain and improve mobility in the joint. LLLT treatments are quick, usually taking less than five minutes. It’s so effective that the prestigious British Journal of Medicine includes LLLT in its clinical evidence recommendations for tennis elbow. I’ve found that when I combine ART and LLLT, my patients feel pain relief in the arm and elbow very quickly. Within a few weeks, their pain is usually entirely gone and they are back to playing with no restrictions. To keep tennis elbow from recurring, I
often recommend some dietary changes to my patients. I’ve found that tennis elbow and a diet high in refined carbohydrates— junk food and processed foods—often go hand-in-hand. Part of the solution to re-injury is changing your diet to: l Eliminate sugar and foods with added sugar l Eliminate processed carbohydrates l Avoid foods with gluten l Avoid foods with soy l Avoid dairy products l Avoid fried foods l Avoid foods you are sensitive to l Reduce or eliminate the consumption of alcohol In addition to removing these foods from your diet as much as possible, increase
your intake of fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, whole grains and fatty fish, such as salmon. Dr. Robert G. Silverman is a White Plains, N.Y.-based sports chiropractor and certified clinical nutritionist, specializing in functional medicine and the treatment of joint pain with innovative, science-based, nonsurgical approaches. He is also on the advisory board for the Functional Medicine University and a health contributor to various major TV networks. He is the author of Amazon’s Number One Best-Seller, Inside-Out Health. In 2015, he was honored with the prestigious Sports Chiropractor of the Year award by the ACA Sports Council. He can be reached by phone at (914) 287-6464 or e-mail Info@DrRobertSilverman.com.
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Learn From the Champions By Gilad Bloom uring my career, I have had the privilege of competing and training with some of the best players of my era. Beginning when I was in juniors, my coach in Israel, Shlomo Zoreff, always encouraged me to befriend the top players in each international tournament and to try to get them to practice with me. That was great advice, and it’s something I tell my students to this day. During the practice, I would study their game, their practice habits and pick their brain to try and figure out what makes them so good. When you are playing on the Pro Tour, every draw is filled with very good tennis players, but there are always those who stand out and separate themselves from the pack, players who dominate on a regular basis. Those are the ones you want to learn from. In my era, the 80s and 90s, it was Ivan Lendl, John McEnroe, Thomas Muster, Mats Wilander, Boris Becker, Pete Sampras, Jimmy Connors, Andre Agassi, Stefan Edberg and Jim Courier. While there were a lot of good, solid players on the Tour, these were the contenders, the ones who could, and in most cases did, go all the way in major events. Things haven’t changed much in the last decade, as you now have Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray dominating and winning most major titles. It is interesting how
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there are always just a handful of players who make it to the final rounds of majors, despite there being so much depth in the game now. Ivan Lendl once said, “Anyone on the Tour can get to 4-4 in the final set, it’s what happens from that point on that counts.” I know that is true all too well, as it happened to me against Lendl, when he was ranked number one in the world during the second round of the 1991 Canadian Open. I got to 4-4 in the final set against him, and I was playing my best tennis, matching the world number one shot for shot. But in crunch time, Lendl raised his level of play and broke me with some spectacular backhands (shots he had been missing all match-long, but made them when it counted). Lendl went on to win the tournament and earned a big paycheck, while I was left with the modest second round purse. My feeling was, I was so close, yet so far. What is it that makes these champions who they are? What is that invisible talent that makes a McEnroe, an Agassi, a Federer or a Rafa? Over my years of meeting and knowing a lot of great champions, I realize that there are a lot of similarities between them, and that they all have a few basic traits that are essential. These traits helped them not only achieve greatness, but maintain it for a long time. The hunger for success It may be the most important quality in any athlete. Naturally, everybody wants to do well, but the true champions have an ap-
New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2017 • NYTennisMag.com
petite for success that never diminishes. They don’t settle for just winning; they want to be number one in the world and will not stop until they get there. Once they have achieved a goal, they set another goal, never looking back and dwelling on past success. Intensity and focus in practice While some of the greatest players of alltime didn’t practice for too long, their intensity and focus in practice was incredible and the quality was insane, especially Connors. On the other end of the spectrum, you have Lendl, who would train one stroke for three hours at a time, play five to six hours a day, and then hit the gym for more fitness. Training with those guys was an almost scary experience as a young player; you were simply not allowed to miss a ball or rest. It is usually the same routine over and over again, nothing too complicated, but done to perfection without wasting a second. They loved the game and had a lot of fun, but once the ball was in play, it was all business: Sharpening strokes, getting in shape and no lost shots, ever, and that means total engagement in each point for the entire season. Constantly adding new elements to their game When Lendl started out, he had a mediocre backhand, but it improved each year, as did his net game, which helped earn him two Wimbledon titles. Bjorn Borg developed a bigger serve over the years, Wilander added slice and serve
and volley late in his career which helped him reach world number one in 1988. Another example of a champion who transformed his game is Andre Agassi, who started out as an impulsive shot-maker who blasted big forehands, but after advice from Brad Gilbert, who told him you don’t get two points for a winner, he got in amazing shape and started playing the percentage game. He became a consistent champion during the second half of his career. Nadal started out as a clay court baseliner, but over the years, improved his net game and added a backhand slice which allowed him to win on all surfaces, including Wimbledon. There are many more examples of this, and it reinforces the fact that you need to keep re-inventing yourself to get to the top because the game is always evolving. Rising to the occasion The great ones will raise their game in the big occasions, be more prepared for big tournaments and will save their best tennis for the big matches. They show up mentally pre-
pared and come up with the goods in the biggest points of the match, producing spectacular shots and improbable comebacks in the most difficult of situations. This is not luck. It is a result of the combination of self-belief and months of hard work in practice, planning and preparing. Respect the game You will almost never see a true champion tank a match or play in an unprofessional manner … you know they will always give 100 percent. The true champions are graceful in defeat and always praise their opponent while never making excuses. When winning, true champions are just as graceful and humble, never too happy or cocky. Self-belief True champions have a blind belief in themselves, almost an arrogance where they feel that the number one spot was meant to have their name on it. That belief allows them to perform under pressure, while injured or if they are not prepared. When Agassi won Wimbledon
in 1992, he had hardly played on grass before the tournament. But that didn’t matter because when he walked onto a court, he always believed he could win the tournament. That kind of confidence allowed him to win all four major titles during his career, and is the same type of belief that led Federer to his unprecedented career, led Nadal to a dominant record at the French Open, led Djokovic to surge past those two legends and allowed Murray to reach number one. Maybe the most important trait to being a champion is they hate to lose! Gilad Bloom, 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. He can be reached by e-mail at Bloom.Gilad@Gmail.com.
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A Look Back at the Year That Was 2016 By Emi l i e K at z
2016 Grand Slam Winners
Wimbledon 2016
Australian Open 2016 Champions
January 18-31, 2016 Melbourne Park—Melbourne, Australia l Men’s Singles: Novak Djokovic (SRB) l Men’s Doubles: Jamie Murray (GBR) & Bruno Soares (BRA) l Women’s Singles: Angelique Kerber (GER) l Women’s Doubles: Martina Hingis (SUI) & Santa Mirza (IND) l Mixed-Doubles: Elena Vesnina (RUS) & Bruno Soares (BRA) French Open 2016
June 27-July 10, 2016 The All-England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club Wimbledon, London, England l Men’s Singles: Andy Murray (GBR) l Men’s Doubles: Pierre-Hughes Herbert (FRA) & Nicholas Mahut (FRA) l Women’s Singles: Serena Williams (USA) l Women’s Doubles: Serena Williams (USA) & Venus Williams (USA) l Mixed-Doubles: Heather Watson (GBR) & Henri Kontinen (FIN) 2016 U.S. Open
May 22- June 5, 2016 Roland Garros—Paris, France l Men’s Singles: Novak Djokovic (SRB) l Men’s Doubles: Feliciano Lopez (ESP) & Mark Lopez (ESP) l Women’s Singles: Garbine Muguruza (ESP) l Women’s Doubles: Caroline Garcia (FRA) & Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) l Mixed-Doubles: Martina Hingis (SUI) & Leander Paes (IND)
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August 29-Sept. 11, 2016 USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center Flushing Meadows, N.Y. l Men’s Singles: Stan Warwinka (SUI) l Men’s Doubles: Jamie Murray (GBR) & Bruno Soares (BRA) l Women’s Singles: Angelique Kerber (GER) l Women’s Doubles: Bethany Mattek-Sands (USA) & Lucie Safarova (CZE) l Mixed-Doubles: Laura Siegemund (GER) & Mate Pavic ( CRO)
New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2017 • NYTennisMag.com
the Stefan Edberg ATP Sportsmanship Award for a sixth year in a row, and the 12th time overall.
ATP Year-End Award Winners
ATP Star of Tomorrow Award: Taylor Fritz This Award is given to the youngest player in the top 100 of the Emirates ATP rankings. American Taylor Fritz, who celebrated his 19th Emirates ATP World Tour Number One: birthday at the end of October, became the youngest ATP finalists Andy Murray Andy Murray clinched the year-end number one ranking on the final since 2008 when he finish runner up at the Memphis Open. The Calday of the season at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals. He defeated ifornia native won 15 tour-level matches and reached a career high Novak Djokovic 6-3, 6-4 to become the first Brit to achieve the year-end of number 53 in the ATP Men’s Singles Rankings in August. world number one ranking. The 29-year-old enjoyed a career-best season, capturing nine titles including Wimbledon, three ATP World Tour Most Improved Player of the Year: Lucas Pouille Masters 1000s, an Olympic Gold Medal and the World Tour Finals. The 22-year-old Frenchman continued his steady improvement in his fifth professional season, climbing from a number 91 Emirates ATP World Tour Number One Doubles Team: ATP ranking in February to a career-high number 15 by the end of Jamie Murray & Bruno Soares Jamie Murray & Bruno Soares received the 2016 ATP World Tour Num- 2016. Pouille clinched his first ATP World Tour title in September at ber One Doubles Team Trophy. The British-Brazilian team captured the Moselle Open, five months after reaching his first tour level final three titles in 2016 at the Australian Open, the U.S. Open and the Apia at the BRD Nastase Titian Trophy in Bucharest. In between, he reached consecutive Grand Slam quarterfinals at Wimbledon and Sydney International. the U.S. Open and an ATP Worlds Tour Masters 1000 semifinal in Comeback Player of the Year: Rome. Pouille compiled a 34-22 match record, nearly tripling his Juan Martin Del Potro match wins total from last season. Juan Martin Del Potro began the year ranked 590th in the world and made his season debut at the Delray Beach Open in February. The for- Arthur Ashe Humanitarian of the Year: mer U.S. Open champion went 30-12 on the year, winning the Stock- Marin Cilic holm Open for his first title since 2014, and finished 2016 ranked The Croatian established the Marin Cilic Foundation this year, with number 38. The Argentine won a Silver Medal at the Summer Olympics the goal of supporting educational projects around the world, the in Rio, upsetting Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal in the process. He Foundation has a special emphasis on giving youth in Croatia imalso reached the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open. The 28-year-old who proved access to school and university education: “The main recovered, from multiple surgeries to repair his left wrist, also won this focus is to try to help kids as much as we can,” Cilic said upon the award in 2011. Foundation’s formal launch in June. “I want to give something back and also give some opportunities for some people who don’t Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award: have as many possibilities to pursue their dreams.” Roger Federer continued on page 46 Roger Federer has been selected by fellow players as the winner of
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a look back at 2016 continued from page 45 ATP Coach of the Year: Magnus Norman Magnus Norman has been Stan Warwinka’s coach since 2013, and the 40year-old Swede is a first-time winner in this new category. Norman, a former secondranked player in the world and winner of 12 ATP World Titles, guided Warwinka back to a number three ranking and four titles, including his third Grand Slam title at the U.S. Open.
golf, football, rowing and four Olympic games, and served as the chief cricket writer for nine years.
ATPWorldTour.com Fans Favorite Singles: Roger Federer The 35-year-old Swiss has been voted fan favorite for a record 14th straight year, receiving 56 percent of all votes cast. ATPWorldTour.com Fans Favorite Doubles: Bob & Mike Bryan The 38-year-old duo of Bob & Mike Bryan were named winners of this award for a record 12th time.
WTA Player of the Year: Angelique Kerber Angelique Kerber led the WTA with the most main draw match wins this year, posting a record of 59 wins and only 17 losses. Her 2016 season was highlighted by winning two Grand Slam titles: Her first career Grand Slam championship at the Australian Open, as well as winning the title at the U.S. Open. Kerber won the Silver Medal at the Rio Olympic Games and finished the year as the world’s top ranked player.
Ron Bookman Media Excellence Award: Mike Dickson Mike Dickson has been a tennis correspondent for nearly two decades, with The Daily Mail, the most visited newspaper Web site in the world. He’s also covered
Doubles Team of the Year: Caroline Garcia & Kristina Mladenovich The duo of Caroline Garcia & Kristina Mladenovich won their first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros, becoming the first all-French team to reach the French Open
WTA Year-End Award Winners
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Doubles Finals since 1971. They made it to their second major final at the U.S. Open, as well as reaching the finals at Apia International Sydney, Dubai Duty-Free Tennis Championship and the China Open in Beijing. Newcomer of the Year: Naomi Osaka The 19-year-old Japanese player has enjoyed a breakthrough year on the WTA Tour in 2016, rising to a career high ranking of 40th in the world after finishing 2015 ranked number 203. Naomi Osaka made an impact at the Grand Slams, reaching the third round at all three she played in, the Australian Open, French Open and U.S. Open. Comeback Player of the Year: Dominika Cibulkova The Slovak was one of the brightest players on the tour in 2014, as she reached three finals, including the Australian Open, her first Glam Slam final appearance. Dominika Cibulkova narrowly missed out on qualifying for the WTA Finals in Singapore in 2014 and endured a frustrating start to the 2015 season. She elected to undergo surgery on her Achilles in February, forcing her to miss three months of action. During her absence, her ranking dropped outside the top 50, but she didn’t stay there long, and in 2016, Cibulkova rediscovered her form, returning to the top 10 and qualifying for the WTA Finals in Singapore for the first time in her career. WTA Diamond Aces Award: Simona Halep The Diamond ACES Award was first introduced in 1995 in memory of former WTA CEO Jerry Diamond and is presented to the player who consistently goes above and beyond in promoting the sport of women’s tennis to fans, media and local communities by performing off-the-court promotional and charitable activities. Romanian Simona Halep has earned the ACES Award for the first time in her career, having participated in numerous kids’ clinics throughout the globe, charitable activities such as the Charity Day Clinic in Madrid, as well as fanfare events, including the Sydney Festival to help bring the game closer to the community.
Racquet Stringing An Art or a Science? By Barbara Wyatt substitute player joined our tennis group for the third week in a row. At a set break, he asked me, “Would you like to play better tennis?” “Of course,” I told him. What else could I say? “No?” “Hand me your racquet,” he said. My eyes narrowed with suspicion. “Trust me,” he said. “I understand your swing, your aggressive net play. I know what you need to make it sing.” I handed him my racquet with trepidation. The following day, he returned it with new hybrid strings. This new player was a professional stringer. I was a naïve stringee. As a 4.0 Level player, I am not sophisticated enough to understand more than to re-string according to my frequency of play per week. Play four times a week; re-string four times a year. (By the way, this is no longer the preferred practice.) By the end of our warmup, I loved my new hybrid string bed. The balls landed inside the white lines. There was less vibration up my arm. A warm balanced harmonic thwack sang out when the ball hit the sweet spot. Was this science or was this an art form? My racquet was performing like the winning chantress from the television program “America’s Got Talent.” According to the book, The Physics and Technology of Tennis by Howard Brody, Rod Cross and Crawford Lindsey: “The life’s purpose of a tennis racquet is to change the speed and direction of a tennis ball.” The strings, ball, and racquet engage in a mad mix of physics as they stretch, vibrate, twist about, store and release energy. The ball zips away “like vibrating jelly.” This mad mix of physics is taught by the
A
United States Racquet Stringers Association, which offers certifications for Professional Racquet Advisor (PRA), Certified Stringer (CS), and Master Racquet Technician (MRT). Members use the USRSA database to scientifically sort through more than 1,100 different strings and select a perfect balance of string material, matching stiffness, elasticity, and durability to a client’s tennis style. Racquet stringing is neither science nor an art. It is a craft. Most people can learn it and with care, education and experience, first-class stringers do a better and more consistent job. Stringing is not merely the installation of the strings, but knowing what strings work best for what person. It’s the ability to know when something isn’t working. It’s the mastery to duplicate that magic mix to perfection—on every court surface, against different opponents, in humid or dry weather, at sea or at high altitudes. Science provides the consistency so that the racquet, string and tension setting combination provide the same result every time. First-class stringers gather a deep
understanding of your game, strokes, style and then balance those nuances against the calibrated scientific choices. When should you re-string? That is your decision based on the loss of tension of your racquet’s string bed. Do you notice 15 percent loss from the initial stringing? Or is it a 25 percent loss? Test the racquet tension by using a pro shop’s racquet diagnostic equipment, ERT 300 Tennis Computer, or the mobile app, RacquetTune. Strings lose their tension at different rates based on time, frequency of play, durability attributes of the string, and style of play. Choose your stringer carefully … they can make your game sing. Barbara Wyatt is a writer, photographer, USTA official and app developer for iKnowTennis!, the mobile app for advanced players, beginners, coaches and professionals to learn and understand tennis rules. She discovered the game of tennis about 10 years ago and is striving to hit the little yellow ball inside the white lines—in both games. She can be reached by e-mail at BarbaraW@iKnowTennis.com.
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Riding the Waves of a Match Using emotional energy to win By Rob Polishook, Mental Training Coach MA, CPC Remember the last time you turned on the lights? It’s a mindless activity, we do it all the time. When the lights go on, we don’t give it another thought. But, what about when the lights don’t go on? Usually, we may flip the switch a few times, trying to “will” the lights on. Let’s also assume it’s a new bulb. What we do know is that, we cannot see the problem; it’s behind the wall, below the surface, and having something to do with the wiring. So what do lights have to do with the mental game? Actually, a lot! What allows a player to manage the ups and downs of competition is usually not at the surface level (technique, skills or talent); but below the surface, behind the wall pertaining to the player’s mental game and their emotional range of resiliency. That is, their ability to manage their range of emotions during the turbulence of a match without getting overwhelmed. All players have their own emotional energy that is based on previous experiences and their unique story. Players also have their own triggers that can stress them. When emotion meets stress, things get interesting, and this all happens below the surface. Imagine these three scenarios: In your first round of a tournament, you’re playing in control, seeing the court well with a calm awareness of what’s happening. You’re feeling relaxed, balanced and can be described as playing “Inside the Zone.” Now, in the second round, you realize your opponent is the number one seed! You might be a bit tentative, even feeling a bit slow and sluggish. To get back to a place of balance, you will need to energize yourself, maybe shuffle your feet, 48
shake your arms, and even reframe things so you look at the match as a challenge. Now, let’s assume you pulled off the upset. Great job! In the next round after beating the top seed, you’re expected to win—lots of pressure on you. The match is very close, and the score is 5-5 in the third set. Your opponent hits three straight lines and then closes the game out with a bad call. Emotionally, you’re in rage mode, barely able to control yourself as you walk over to the chair during the change-over, now down 5-6. So, what’s the trick to insuring a player doesn’t go into overwhelm and/or shutdown mode under pressure? How can they hang in there, reset and continue to play through adversity, ultimately regaining that place of balance? We have all seen players bounce back in the face of adversity, while other players seem to spiral out of control. Why is this? Going back to the light switch metaphor, the key is the player’s ability to ride the wave and manage their emotional energy without getting too charged or discharged before short-circuiting (overwhelm/shutdown). Players of all levels know that tennis matches can be emotional and akin to riding the waves in an ocean. I often tell my clients to expect a match to be difficult, expect adversity, and momentum shifts, this way it is not a surprise and they can spend their energy competing, problem solving, and focusing on what they can control versus being angry that the score is not how they expected. Clearly, focusing on what you cannot control like the weather, opponent, fans and outcome can trigger a player and take them out of their comfort zone. Now, seasoned players like Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and top juniors alike usually put errors behind them, absorb uncontrollable situ-
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ations, and regain their refocus on the next point or shortly thereafter. While players like Nick Kyrgios, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Gael Monfils, and the next level of juniors usually don’t do as well. The top players show us that it’s key to be aware of emotional energy and how certain triggers impact the ability to stay balanced. When players non-judgmentally view challenge as just that, they can choose how to best channel their energy for the next point. Wins and losses tell us that in an evenly skilled match, the player that stays within their emotional range of resiliency will have the adaptability to absorb the “momentum waves” of a match. When a player demonstrates a range of emotional resiliency, they don’t get overwhelmed. They can be okay with being on edge, especially when it counts the most under pressure. In turn, this gives them the best chance to make high percentage choices and compete. I remember watching a documentary about Roger Federer. His coach said, “What makes Roger so great is that he always knows where he is and then subsequently knows what he needs.” I believe this takes great awareness and allows Roger to channel his energy and play within his emotional range of resiliency. Essentially, “riding the waves of the match.” Rob Polishook, MA, CPC is founder and director of Inside the Zone Sports Performance Group. As a mental training coach, he works with athletes and teams, focusing on helping athletes gain the mental edge. Rob is author of Tennis Inside the Zone: Mental Training Workouts for Champions. He may be reached by phone at (973) 723-0314, e-mail Rob@InsideTheZone.com or visit InsideTheZone.com.
U S T A L E A G U E S U P D AT E
Sugar: Food or Drug? By Carly Feigan How many times have you tried to resist the last chocolate chip cookie on the plate and succumbed to your craving? Or, how many times have you tried to resist the scoop of ice cream that has your name on it and ended up with a triple scoop sundae when you are clearly determined to reduce some weight. Or, what about the time you ate the beautifully decorated donut with pink frosting and rainbow sprinkles for lunch? Don’t feel defeated! The sweet dessert always wins! Why? Because refined sugar is a drug! A very powerful drug. It is seductive, addictive, irresistible and insidious—especially when it touches your tongue. It triggers cravings for more! From the moment it hits your taste buds to the second it hits your blood stream, you will be hooked. The problem is, sugar is found everywhere in our food supply: In our cereals, in our ketchup, in our bread and worst of all, in our kitchen pantry. Why is this innocuous looking white granular food so addictive? Here are a few reasons: 1. It leads to dopamine release in the brain (directly at the pleasure and reward center), and we develop a tolerance to it, so more is needed to create that sense of pleasure. 2. It tastes so good that that we feel we
want a constant supply. 3. It creates a chemical addiction and we feel a rush of pleasure that makes us want to “binge” on it. Sugar creates a similar but lesser effect on the brain as does heroin. And that’s not all, the health problems associated with sugar consumption are numerous. Research has linked excess sugar consumption to dangerous levels of LDL cholesterol (the bad type!), increased plaque deposits in the arteries, breast cancer, colon cancers and diabetes. High fructose corn syrup—that insidious ingredient found in many salad dressings, ketchup, coffee creamers, etc., has been linked to increased heart disease and stroke. There is evidence that some tumors have insulin receptors that feed on glucose, sucrose, etc. Not to mention that sucrose and glucose are empty calories and have no value other than to create short bursts of energy which immediately wanes.
All foods containing refined sugar will produce a spike in insulin levels … and then a quick drop in insulin levels, creating a cycle of blood sugar imbalance. What are we supposed to do? Avoid sugar completely? Stop eating sweets? Bring a microscope with us when we shop so that we can read the fine print on the labels? The best solution is to get your sugar from natural, unrefined sources, like fresh fruit and do not add refined sugar to anything you eat or drink. A few good substitutes for refined sugar that do not have toxic effects on the brain/body are: 1. Stevia: A plant-based sweetener that contains no chemicals and has a minimum impact on blood sugar. 2. Honey: A non-addictive sweetener that has a slightly higher impact on blood sugar. 3. Agave: A non-addictive plant-based sweetener that also has a slightly higher impact on blood sugar. In conclusion … how would you vote? Is sugar a food or a drug? You decide. Carly Feigan is owner of Head to Health. She is a native New Yorker, trained as a clinical nutritionist and certified naturopath in New York City. She has a bachelor’s degree in nutrition and is RD eligible. She can be reached by e-mail at CFeigan@gmail.com.
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USTA Eastern Hosts Annua
U
STA Eastern hosted its annual College Showcase Day at the Saw Mill Club in Mount Kisco, N.Y., bringing together high school-aged players from the Eastern Section and college coaches from across the country in order to ease the difficult process of college recruiting. “The goal of College Showcase Day is to provide valuable information for students and their parents on the collegiate tennis recruitment process, while also giving college coaches from across the country the opportunity to further develop their
teams,” said Kelsey Clark, USTA Eastern’s manager of public relations and communications. “This year’s College Showcase Day proved to be a success as approximately 80 high school students were able to learn from former Eastern players who now compete in college, gain important recruitment information and connect with college coaches. In addition, approximately 60 college coaches took the opportunity to explain their programs and speak with potential players.” Recently retired ATP World Tour professional Eric Butorac once again spoke to the
The Most Underused Weapon In Tennis
Gino Fava To see how your game can be improved dramatically by this one simple skill, visit me on YouTube. 50
New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2017 • NYTennisMag.com
players and parents in a helpful seminar. “The task for these kids to find the right college fit is a really daunting one, so what Julie [Bliss-Beal] has been able to do here at the Eastern Section should be used as a model across the country on how to pair up tennis players with college coaches,” said Butorac, who was also on hand to give a doubles clinic. “For a lot of these players who want to play college tennis, this is a great opportunity for them to meet so many coaches at one time. And for coaches to be able to see so many kids interested in playing college tennis at one time, as opposed to traveling around the country, it is beneficial.” Butorac, who owns 18 career ATP doubles titles, shared his experiences from his tennis career, which began at Division I Ball State University before transferring to Gustavus Adolphus College. “I hope it motivates them a little. But more so than that, I hope they understand that there are a lot of different paths to finding success in tennis,” Butorac said of his unique tennis journey. “Yes, I was able to make it on the tour and that’s great, but that’s not really what it was about. It’s about finding that right fit. I experienced multiple programs before finding my fit. And now, looking back, I can understand what I was going through at the time a little better, so I hope that I am able to help the kids here dive into that process.”
ual College Showcase Day
In addition to Butorac, Intercollegiate Tennis Association Membership Coordinator Mary Edman also spoke to the kids at the seminar. Former Eastern players Shanice Arthur and Lars Olson also took part in a Q&A session with the players to share their college recruiting experiences. After 30 years, it’s so great to see that the College Showcase is still going strong. This year’s event included high school sophomores, and we opened up the networking with coaches to both juniors and seniors,” said Bliss-Beal, USTA Eastern’s senior director of competition.
“Each time we run this event, my hope is that families walk away feeling more educated and confident about the recruiting process and that college coaches can showcase their programs and pick up some new recruits.” Throughout the all-day event, the players played on various courts in both singles and doubles matches, as the college coaches in attendance made their rounds through the club. The coaches also set up tables with information regarding their program and institutions, and players and parents were able to speak directly
with the coaches and ask questions. “It’s great. It gives us a chance to pick up some late seniors, players who are still undecided, and they have a chance to look at some more colleges,” said Rob Burnley, head tennis coach at SUNY New Paltz. “And over my 20 years of coming to this event, the junior pool has gotten bigger and bigger, and they have added sophomores now as well. It gives us an opportunity to compete with some of the private schools and talk to the players and parents about what we offer. This is definitely an important event for me.”
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courtsix New York Tennis Magazine’s Gossip Column By Emilie Katz Kvitova injured during robbery attempt
but fortunate to be alive,” said Kvitova. “The injury is severe, and I will need to see specialists, but if you know anything about me, I am strong and I will fight this.”
Azarenka gives birth to baby boy
Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova was attacked in her Czech home by a knife-wielding attacker in an attempted burglary. The Czech star suffered cuts to her left-hand, and is hoping to make a full recovery and return to the WTA Tour. “In my attempt to defend myself, I was badly injured on my left hand. I am shaken,
Victoria Azarenka, who has been off the WTA Tour since July when she announced her pregnancy, gave birth to a healthy boy on Dec. 19th. “Today I had my hardest fight and my very best victory,” Azarenka said. “Our son was born healthy and happy! So thankful and blessed! Thank you.”
www.30Fifteen.co.uk
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Dimitrov steps into the fashion world Grigor Dimitrov is keeping himself busy during the tennis offseason, as the 25-yearold Bulgarian had the honor of attending The Fashion Awards at the Royal Albert Hall in London, escorting Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, her niece Ellie Wintour and his girlfriend, Nicole Scherzinger.
Fun in the sun for Wozniacki and Gibbs at Necker Cup
The British Virgin Islands played host to the 2016 Necker Cup, an all-inclusive pro-am, and some of the pros, most notably Caroline Wozniacki (above left) and Nicole Gibbs (above right), made sure they enjoyed themselves while on Necker Island for the week.
Gold Medalist Mattek-Sands honored on The Frozen Tundra
Troicki weds model Aleksandra Djordjevic
Rinaldi. The former Wimbledon semifinalist is replacing Mary Joe Fernandez, who spent the last eight years as the team’s captain. Rinaldi has been working in the USTA’s Player Development Program, and will make her coaching debut with the team when the U.S. hosts Germany in February.
USTA President Katrina Adams interviews Phil Jackson
American Bethanie Mattek-Sands, who won the Olympic Gold Medal in MixedDoubles with Jack Sock and spent much of her childhood living about 40 miles from Green Bay, was honored by the Packers on Lambeau Field prior to their game against the Houston Texans.
IPTL in jeopardy The International Premier Tennis League (IPTL) has helped fill the gap in between the tennis seasons for the last couple of years, but the league’s financial instability has hurt its popularity, and that was no more evident than this season, when its two most marketable players, Serena Williams and Roger Federer, pulled out. “We have had challenges this year, and we were hoping to get past them,” said Mahesh Bhupathi, founder and managing director of IPTL. “With the current economic climate in India and the uncertainty of spending money, I reached out to both Roger and Serena to explain situation. They have been very supportive of the IPTL the first two seasons and we look forward to bring them in future years.”
Serbia’s Viktor Troicki, ranked 29th in the world, married his girlfriend, model Aleksandra Djordjevic in Belgrade, and was joined by fellow Serbs Novak Djokovic and Janko Tipsarevic. The newlyweds are also reportedly expecting their first child.
Rinaldi replaces Fernandez as U.S. Fed Cup captain
The United States Fed Cup team has a new captain, former top 10 player Kathy
USTA Chairman and President Katrina Adams had the chance to interview New York Knicks President Phil Jackson on her show, “We Need To Talk,” which she hosts with Andrea Kramer, Tracy Wolfson and Lisa Leslie on the CBS Sports Network.
continued on page 54
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Tweets from the pros Stanislas Wawrinka (@StanWawrinka): Eyes on the ballâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Keep life fun !
Ana Ivanovic (@AnaIvanovic): Theatre night! Thank you @MammaMiaMusical London for an amazing performance! #AboutLastNight #LondonWestEnd Noah Rubin (@NoahRubin33): A fulfilling off season that will hopefully lead to a thrilling 2017. What a way to end my time here than with the reigning #1 @andy_murray
Christina McHale (@ChristinaMcHale): Practicing at the new Home of American Tennis @usta #hoat
Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal): Check out the new charity products weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve worked with my Foundation. These ones for the younger kids! Caroline Wozniacki (@CaroWozniacki): Back to training, missing the beach already!
John Isner (@JohnIsner): My bro and I at the @BassProShops in Cary, today. A toy store for adults. BEST PLACE EVER!
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Eugenie Bouchard (@GenieBouchard): Should I open it, or keep it in pristine condition? So excited to have my own one-of-akind Diet Coke Bottle! #sp
Roger Federer (@RogerFederer): Crazy cool first F1 experience. Congrats to world champ @nico_rosberg and @MercedesAMGF1. Big respect to all the drivers. Venus Williams (@VenusesWilliams): Court dedication at Luders Park in Compton. #Compton #proud
Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole): Stefanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2nd birthday! Balloons and face paint :))
Petra Kvitova (@Petra_Kvitova): Dear @clublasanta thanks for being the best possible place to train. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s starting to feel like home so weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll just have to come back Kei Nishikori (@KeiNishikori): Loving the support today! Thank you. @ATPWorldTour #ATPfinals
“The Happy Slam” to Kick Off 2017 Tennis fans, I am going to tell you about the biggest secret in professional tennis. Wherever I go in the world, tennis fans talk about their amazing adventures to tournaments like Wimbledon, the French Open, Indian Wells, Miami, the U.S. Open … But I never hear about the warmest tennis hotspot: The Aussie Open! If you ask any player or any fan who has experienced the Grand Slam Down Under, they will say how much fun they had going to the Aussie. Now I realize Australia is on the other side of the world, but once you get there, you will find a nation of people who are a throwback to amazing hospitality. The Aussies are people who love to have fun and have a drink with ya’. The Aussies are
proud of their country and their culture. Tennis Down Under is woven into the fabric of their DNA. From Rod Laver to Margaret Court and the many hall of famers in between, tennis is an Aussie religion! From the tour events to the exhibitions leading up to the Aussie Open, the momentum builds to what Roger Federer calls “The Happy Slam.” If you want to experience a Grand Slam just a walk away from downtown, look into a trip to the land of wonder … the land Down Under! So now for the tennis … heads up because Roger Federer is back! The Fed Express was sidelined in late 2016 with injuries, but things look good for him rolling into Melbourne. Andy Murray just rose to world number one, but he has never won an Aussie Open title. I like Stan the Man to take his second Aussie this year. I also like a very
aggressive Serena Williams to take another Grand Slam and break her title record tie with Steffi Graf. There are some solid players who will challenge, but Serena is still Serena! I cannot wait … bring on the 2017 season! Living large with the chip and charge to the Aussie Open. Born in Grayling, Mich., Luke Jensen’s resume includes 10 ATP Tour doubles titles and singles victories against Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, Ivan Lendl, John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg, Jimmy Connors, Boris Becker, Stefan Edberg and Jim Courier. Jensen and his brother, Murphy, won the 1993 French Open doubles title. Luke is currently director of tennis at Sea Island Tennis Center in Georgia. He may be reached by phone at (315) 443-3552 or e-mail LukeJensen84@yahoo.com.
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2016
NEW YORK GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL RECAP Cardozo’s Hernandez Reflects on PSAL Singles Title Photo credit: Damien Reid
Despite the defeat, Hernandez enjoyed an incredibly successful freshman season, and is eager to return to the court for her sophomore season at Cardozo. “I’d like improve on my overall consistency in my game a lot more as well as my returns,” she said. “I believe that will help my game a lot.”
Beacon Beats Bronx Science for PSAL Championship
Daniela Hernandez of Benjamin Cardozo, winner of the New York City PSAL Singles title, with runner-up, Beacon’s Kyra Bergmann Daniela Hernandez had breezed through her first few matches during the New York City PSAL Singles Tournament, so when she dropped the first set to Beacon’s Kyra Bergmann in the final, the first time she had trailed all-tournament long, the freshman went back to basics. “I just stopped trying to think about winning so much and just got back to playing tennis, and letting my game flow,” recalls Hernandez, who had lost just one game through her first three matches in the singles tournament, beating Emmanuella Nortey of Seward Park, Alleyah Ally of Francis Lewis and Liana Weitzman of Townsend Harris on her way to the finals. “I never give up in matches and I think that is something really positive about my game,” said Hernandez. And she did just that. The Benjamin Cardozo freshman didn’t let the moment become too big for her and responded with a near flawless final two sets, winning 12 of the last 16 games to beat Bergmann 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 and win the PSAL Championship. “It was a great feeling,” Hernandez said of winning the title. “I can finally see that if you work hard you can get the results you want.” Those results helped guide Hernandez to the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) championships, where the girls from New York City public schools were able to compete for the first time. As the PSAL winner, Hernandez took on the NYSPHSAA Champion, Caitlin Ferrante, in the New York State Federation Tournament, losing in straight sets. 56
Photo credit: Damien Reid
The Beacon Girls Varsity Tennis team, winners of the 2016 PSAL “A” Division New York City Championship The Beacon Girls Varsity Tennis team captured the PSAL “A” Division New York City title, defeating the defending champion Wolverines of Bronx Science 5-0 to reclaim the city title. The Blue Demons of Beacon entered the final having lost the two regular season matchups with the Wolverines, both tough 3-2 defeats, and the only two losses on the season for Beacon. But the third time would be a charm for Beacon, winning all five flights. With top singles player Perene Wang out for Bronx Science, Rachel Musheyev stepped into the first singles flight for the Wolverines, but was no match for Victoria Sec, who defeated her 6-0, 6-0. Two more straight sets wins from its second and third singles flights ensured the Beacon victory, as Aleksandra Bekirova beat Christina Huynh 6-1, 7-5 at second singles, and Kyra Bergmann defeated Sofie Levine, 6-4, 7-5. Natasha Osses-Konig & Niki Truszkowski beat the team of Alana Rosenthal & Klara Wichterle 7-5, 6-3 in the first doubles spot, and Sofia Shen & Sophia Prudhomme came back from a set down to beat Brett Zakheim & Cassie Tian 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 at second doubles to round out the matches.
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NEW YORK GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL RECAP Bronx Science’s Huynh, Levine Finish as Best Doubles Team in New York State Photo credit: Damien Reid
The team of Christina Huynh & Sofie Levine from Bronx Science captured the 2016 PSAL Doubles Championship Christina Huynh, a sophomore, and Sofie Levine, a junior, entered the PSAL Doubles Championships as a confident duo. The Bronx Science pair was coming off a title at the Mayor’s Cup during the summer, and carried that momentum into the fall season. “We were confident heading into this tournament because we won the Mayor’s Cup Doubles Title this past summer and we knew we had good chemistry and teamwork,” said the sophomore Huynh. “Since we play singles for Bronx Science, we always pump each other up and cheer for each other during our own matches, so when it came to playing together as
a team on the same court it was easy to keep each other positive and energetic the entire time. On the court, we talk strategy before every point and we stay aware of our strengths and weaknesses, as well as those of our opponents.” The two used their on-court chemistry to dominate the tournament, including their Bronx Science teammates and top-seeds Alana Rosenthal & Klara Wichterle 10-1 in the quarterfinals. Following that win, Levine & Huynh routed Kristine Ngo & Renuka Surujnarain of Cardozo 10-0 in the semifinals, setting up a final showdown with Beacon’s Sofie Shen & Niki Truszkowski. Levine & Huynh dismissed the pair 6-0, 6-0 to complete their dominant run through the New York City Individual Championships and advanced to the New York State Tournament. “Playing states for the first time representing the PSAL made me pretty anxious yet excited at the same time because I honestly had no idea what to expect,” said Huynh. “But I was just excited to play against some other girls around my age outside the city and from other regions in New York, as well as traveling upstate with my friends and coach.” The two represented not only themselves, but also Bronx Science and the PSAL in grand fashion as they competed in the New York State Federation Tournament. They first defeated the Catholic High School Athletic Association (CHSAA) champions, Marianna Zehas & Andrea Stopanjac of St. Francis Prep, 6-0, 6-0 to reach the final. Awaiting them in the final was the NYSPHSAA Champions Calista Sha & Morgan Wilkins of Friends Academy. Once again, the chemistry of Huynh & Levine was evident as the duo used excellent net play to win 7-5, 6-4 and capture the first ever New York State Federation Doubles Title. “It was a huge accomplishment because this was the first year the PSAL was recognized in the state tournament and winning this cup in the first year it was established made me really proud,” said Huynh. “I think this shows that Bronx Science and New York City athletes should be taken seriously as strong competitors in any future tournaments and competitions with the rest of the state.” The two will look to build off of their impressive season when they return to Bronx Science in the fall, with multiple titles to defend. “We want to continue being undefeated in doubles if we play together again next year, and also try and achieve a perfect record in singles as well,” said Huynh as she looked ahead to next season. “If there was something I really wanted to improve on it would be my reactions at the net, and trying to be more explosive and aggressive when I come in to the net. I think that would not only help my doubles game but my singles game as well.”
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Ten More Things to Consider When Choosing A Coach (Part Two of a Two-Part Guide) By Steve Kaplan he selection of a coach is one of the most important decisions that can be made for a young player. There is no perfect coach or coaching style, as each relationship is unique and must be a strong fit. I have listed 10 categories to consider when evaluating the suitability of a coach, but of course each of these factors will be weighted differently by each player and their family (note that the first five categories ran in the November/December 2016 edition of Long Island Tennis Magazine).
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6. Ability to communicate Because everyone learns differently, it’s important to find a coach that recognizes and adapts their teaching methods to best suit each student’s unique learning style. For example, many boys are primarily visual learners, while girls tend to be more auditory in their learning preference. Younger and less advanced players often learn best from getting kinesthetic feedback in which the instructor prompts the student to experience what the movement feels like. The first thing I do when I get a new student on the court is to evaluate exactly how they learn best to increase the quality of our communication. Coaches can be fluid in their style and methods of message deliv-
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ery, while still resolved in the content and goals of their instruction. 7. Connection Students have different needs, and coaches have different styles of teaching. Here again, it’s vital to find synergy in this match. As explained in Part One of this article, some students are motivated by a rigid, demanding drill sergeant on the court, while others might be intimidated and unmotivated by this interaction for example. Culture, age background and gender often play a part. For example, girls usually need to first like and emotionally connect with their coach to accept, respect and trust them. Boys often care more about finding a strong leader that they
can feel comfortable following. As a parent, it’s important to recognize that the style of coach you hire should fit your child’s needs first, and your personal preference second. Coaching is more than just teaching the “X’s and O’s” of the sport, it’s about providing confidence inspiration and positive identity. 8. Integration It’s a given that tennis coaches need to have a strong understanding of tactics and mechanics to provide the most helpful information to students. As the bar for top level performance is raised, however, ambitious players are also seeking training and guidance off the court from physical trainers, nutritionists and sports physiologists. While a coach does not need to be an expert in any of these fields, they do need to have a functional background and knowledge in each discipline to best coordinate, reinforce and integrate off-court training with on-court practices. An expert coach interacts closely and frequently with experts in other areas to ensure that their students experience the best possible learning environment. It takes a community
to help a player achieve their potential. 9. College contacts The long-term goal for most top junior tennis players is to play college tennis. Junior tennis success is an enormously valuable tool to help gain a scholarship or admission to an otherwise unattainable school. A junior coach well-versed in the process of finding, selecting and gaining admission to college via tennis will be a great help to aspiring players. Additionally, junior coaches with a network of college coaches who know and respect them will be a valuable resource to navigating and negotiating the college process. 10. Life after tennis A great coach is also a powerful mentor helping to align students goals and objectives both on- and off-the-court. This service to students does not end the day they leave to play college tennis or even the day they hang up their racket from competitive play. A top coach will be a friend, advisor and resource to former players. Personally, I have found that feedback from former students to be invaluable to me professionally and my
friendships with former players are some of the strongest friendship bonds that I have. Want to find a great tennis coach? You could ask a current player for a recommendation, but most will be loyal to their own coach. You could ask a parent of an avid junior player, but here again, many parents have a bias out of loyalty, validation of their choices and even financial incentives for recommendations. Perhaps the best resource for finding a great coach is to ask former players no longer in the tennis world who they would send their children to for coaching. The omniscience of life experience and time provides great clarity. Steve Kaplan is owner of Bethpage Park Tennis Center, as well as director of Lacoste Academy for New York City Parks Foundation. Steve has been the longtime coach of more than 600 nationally-ranked junior players, 16 state high school champions, two NCAA Division 1 Singles Champions, and numerous touring professionals and prominent coaches. He may be reached by e-mail at StevenJKaplan@aol.com.
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Meditation By Dr. Tom Ferraro t this point in time, every athlete has heard of meditation and some have tried it on for size. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s take some time to review the history of meditation and assess some of its benefits and its limitations.
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The history of meditation Meditation has been around for a long time, a very long time. There is evidence from 5,000 BC on wall paintings of the familiar sitting, hands on knees and eyes half shut posture that we associate with meditation. The Hindus in India began to systematize the practice at around 1,500 BC and Buddhism started using this method at about 600 BC. Meditation was used almost exclusively by monks, priests and other ascetics in order to gain spiritual transcendence to rise above human suffering. The practice was used as a part of the monastic life, which also included living apart from regular life and devoting oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life to the pursuit of wisdom and peace. Meditation remained as a practice within Eastern religious orders until fairly recently when Herman Hesse wrote Siddhartha in 1922. This novel was about the life of Buddha and was widely read and loved by many students in the West. And then came Deepak Chopra, the extremely charismatic and gifted Indian physician who opened his institute in America which trained many in the ways of meditation. Finally, we have Herbert Bensen, M.D. from Harvard Medical School with his relaxation therapy which really is yet another form of meditation. Today, the practice in the West is largely secular and used for self-improvement and stress reduction, rather than for spiritual enlightenment or transcendence. The benefits of meditation for the athlete: Tiger Woods, who was raised a Buddhist, may be the most famous athlete to use meditation. He was trained in how to meditate from the age of five and when I have ob-
on in Sports: A Hoax or a Help? served Tiger in person, his ability to focus and concentrate is notable. When I asked him about this ability, he told me he was always highly focused, but I am sure this was the result of his meditation training learned from such a young age. One can be trained to meditate in different ways. I was trained to mediate by Reverend Roger Joslin, who was an author and world-class runner. He emphasized meditation as you ran or walked by simply listening for God to speak to you. Caroline Carpentiere is my Pilates instructor at Healthtrax, and she is also a meditation teacher. She teaches the traditional stance with eyes shut and hands on knees, and said that meditation is connecting to the awareness within and this can be spiritual or just a form of focused concentration. You may have heard of floatation therapy, which is referred to as Reduced Environmental Stimulation Therapy. You float in an enclosed chamber of Epsom Salt where there is no light or sound for one hour. This form of meditation relaxes the body and the mind and clears the busyness out. I like to train my athletes to incorporate some form of meditation prior to every match they play. It gives them a chance to remove themselves from the pre-tournament chaos, gives them a chance to settle down and begin to get in touch with their power, desire to win and their detachment from all other distractions and people in life. As an example, if you stand next to Tiger Woods even an hour before he is to tee off, his level of detachment is so profound that you actually feel like you’re invisible to him. It’s obvious that when sports-related meditation is learned and
practiced correctly, it can produce profound focus and a strong will to win. Limitations of meditation As a trained psychoanalyst and experienced sport psychologist, I can see both the benefits of meditation, as well as its limits. The benefits were outlined above. The primary weakness of meditation or repetitive prayer is that it cannot really penetrate into the athletes’ unconscious, and therefore, they will still be faced with unconscious issues during play. They have a low self-image, a fear of success, a feeling of guilt or an inability to separate from the opponent in order to defeat them. These can often be subtle, but surprisingly powerful emotional dynamics and no matter how much training, fitness, meditation or talent one possesses, the unconscious will eventually emerge and snatch victory away at the last moment. This could happen in the form of an injury during training, sudden mistakes during play, an outburst of anger or passivity when you need aggression. The world of sports is fun, but it surely must be considered the crucible of stress. It’s good to see how the calming power of Eastern meditation has been converted into a method that athletes now use to protect themselves from the crushing effects of competition, and I predict it will be used as another useful tool that athletes and coaches will rely on in times of pressure. For consultations, treatment or on-site visits, contact Dr. Tom Ferraro Ph.D., sport psychologist, by phone at (516) 248-7189, e-mail DrTFerraro@aol.com or visit DrTomFerraro.com.
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Getting to Know … Jessica Livianu of St. John’s University By Brian Coleman
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t. John’s standout freshman Jessica Livianu was born with tennis in her blood as the daughter of a former professional player, but her passion for tennis was not an overnight occurrence. “The funny part is that we always make jokes that I was literally born with a racket in my hand,” said Livianu, a Brooklyn native. “But when I was little, I actually didn’t really like tennis. I did a lot of ballet, gymnastics and figure skating. But I was always really competitive, and I think that is what drove me the most into tennis. My dad used to take me to all these tournaments, and I would keep losing and that made me furious and aggravated.” It was that competitive nature that got Livianu to become more passionate about tennis, as she realized the only way she could get better was to practice more. The more she played, the more enthusiastic she became and it showed in her results, quickly becoming one of the country’s top junior players and getting tabbed as a blue chip recruit. With her success, she became one of the most coveted recruits in the country as 2016 began, and she had her pick of colleges as to where she would continue her tennis career. “There were so many aspects I was looking at, and I was extremely picky when it came to picking a school. I wanted this, this and this, and wasn’t going to stop until I got that,” recalls Livianu. “There are so many great schools across the country, but my mom was my coach, and I wanted to stay close to home. I also wanted to make sure I had a great relationship with my college coach, and was able to trust them. I knew St. John’s Head Coach Lauren Leo since I was a little girl playing in the USTA Eastern Section, and when I came for my visit and we spoke, it was like nothing had changed.” Livianu, the only American on the current 62
St. John’s roster, also embraced the international feel of the team: “I absolutely love it. We’re all so different and come from different cultures, yet are so similar,” she said. “It’s really great to know that we are all together as a team no matter where we come from.” Just before her freshman year was set to begin, Livianu was at the U.S. Open with a friend who was playing in the junior tournament. The day after Lucas Pouille defeated Rafael Nadal to reach the quarterfinals, the Frenchman needed a hitting partner on his day off. “It was a turning point for me,” said Livianu. “His coach approached me and said he needed someone to hit with Lucas. I asked, ‘Are you serious?’ So I went out and hit with him, and I thought ‘I can be just like him; I can work just as hard’. That really drove me to work 10 times as hard and put in those extra hours to accomplish my goals.” With that confidence, Livianu posted a remarkable fall campaign to begin her collegiate career. She became the first player in the program’s history to reach the final of the ITA Northeast Regional Champi-
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onships, as well as compete in the USTA/ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate Championships in November. Most recently, Livianu captured both the singles and doubles titles at the USTA National Women’s Open Indoor Championships at the end of December. As Livianu begins the second half of her freshman year and embarks on the spring season, she wants to continue her growth not only as a player, but also as a person. “I’ve grown so much in the last three months I don’t even recognize myself at times. When I look back to who I was in August and where I am now, I feel like I am a completely different person,” said Livianu. “I have so many views on the world, and being at St. John’s hasn’t just helped me grow athletically and academically, but also as a person. Our goal as a team is to win the Big East. We really want to work together as a team to build each other up and become one of the better teams in the nation.” Brian Coleman is senior editor for New York Tennis Magazine. He may be reached by phone at (516) 409-4444, ext. 326 or e-mail BrianC@USPTennis.com.
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he Metro Corporate Tennis League, presented by Advantage Tennis Clubs, is an initiative of the Metrotennis Community Tennis Association (MCTA). The League is divided into three levels of play, Intermediate (3.0-3.5), Advanced Intermediate (4.0-4.5) and Advanced (4.5+). The Metro Corporate Tennis League has also launched its Hi-Five Program for teams not ready to compete, but want to get into the sport, while getting a great workout. This season, the League will host more than 50 teams. The following is the roster for the season: Advanced Division 1. Deutsche Bank 2. Bloomberg 3. Ernst & Young 4. Credit Agricole 5. BNP Paribas 6. The Corcoran Group 7. PwC (Gellert) 8. Proskauer 9. Deloitte Advanced Intermediate Division I 1. Douglas Elliman 2. Cleary 3. Bloomberg 4. Moody’s 5. HBO 6. White & Case Advanced Intermediate Division II 1. Patterson 2. BNP Paribas 3. Bank of America 4. Nielsen 5. The Corcoran Group
Intermediate Division I 1. AMC Networks 1 2. Douglas Elliman 3. Cleary 4. Sidley 5. Xaxis 6. Fried Frank
Intermediate Division IV 1. ING 2. Deutsche Bank 3. Macquarie 4. Ipreo 5. D.E. Shaw & Company 6. The Corcoran Group
Intermediate Division II 1. Moody’s 2. Bloomberg 3. Thompson Reuters 4. Paul Weiss 5. Barclays 6. HBO
Hi-Five Division 1. Bloomberg 2. Warburg Pincus 3. NYJTL
Intermediate Division III 1. AMC Networks 2 2. AOL 3. Barclays 4. Bloomberg 5. BNP Paribas 6. Akin Gump 7. Sullivan
The season ran from September through January, culminating with an end-of-season party at Roosevelt Island Racquet Club. Please welcome the League’s newest teams: Douglas Elliman, Macquarie and Warburg Pincus. The Finals have yet to be played (as of our print date) but the matchups have been set. In the Finals of the Intermediate Division Xaxis will take on Akin Gump and in the Advanced Intermediate Division, the Final will be a battle between Corcoran and Bank of America. The Advanced Division Final will pit Bloomberg against Credit Agricole. All three finals will be played at Roosevelt island Racquet Club.
For more information, visit Metrotennis.com/Corporate/Main.html, or call Luis Espinoza at (347) 886-3117 or e-mail Luis@Metrotennis.com.
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The Costs, A By Julion J. Soto atching my kids play tennis can sometimes be gut-wrenching. My 11-year-old daughter Kathy and nine-year-old son Joseph were about to compete in their first USTA-sanctioned event. We’d made it to Central Park early to play in the Battle of the Boroughs, ready to compete for points as my kids were taking the first baby steps that lead to a ranking in the Northeast Section. My kids were ready, but I was not. Brandishing new $200 racquets (sent to them for free by the generous folks at Babolat), my kids stepped onto the clay courts with all the confidence in the world, but on this hot day in Central Park, they lost. I was crushed. But the journey to potential greatness starts with these losses. We’ve studied the careers of professional tennis players, and there was always that period where they just didn’t win. We’ve seen Novak Djokovic at the age of six yelling in anguish at missed practice shots. We have seen Serena looking dejected as she dropped a point at the age of 12. And we have all heard the stories of Roger Federer sobbing unceasingly at each loss as a junior. Despite setbacks and lack of skill, these athletes never gave up, and they fell back on the support of their parents and the incremental confidence that comes from practice, and my kids know this key to their improvement. But achieving superior tennis at their ages is nearly impossible due to the astronomical costs associated with this sport. Yet, we continue because tennis has my kids fully invested. My kids started playing tennis four years ago with the free community programs of the NYJTL. They had a blast that first day, holding their racquets too close to the head, swinging wildly at tennis balls as if they were trying to swat giant flies. Watch-
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s, Anguish and Love of Tennis ing them just a few years ago on that day, I couldn’t stop laughing … it was fun. In that one hour, the love of the sport hooked them into something serious that I didn’t recognize right away. For me, tennis was just something extracurricular for them to do—so there was more than six months between ongoing lessons. I eventually bought cheap red balls and, without knowing how to play or even owning my own racquet, I’d throw tennis balls over the net for them to hit back. Afterwards, they played hour after hour on the handball courts, smacking tennis balls every which way when courts weren’t available in the winter. They wore out their first $15 junior racquets fairly quickly. In their third year, my kids played their hearts out. My daughter won or placed in eight round-robin events, and my son placed second or third in his age group. These were exciting, fulfilling moments, but then there’s the next step—money. USTA tournaments can be expensive when you have two kids, so I hunted for ways to get my kids exposure. Both of my kids tried out for the Lacoste Junior Tennis Academy and made it into their free program. Another organization, the Washington Heights Tennis Association, gave them a spot so they can
Eleven-year-old Kathy Soto and nine-year-old Joseph Soto train at Columbia University on Saturday nights for free. But these programs, though amazing, and worthwhile, are not enough. Dad had to learn how to feed balls and run drills for them when there was no professional training. I taught myself tennis so I could teach my kids due to necessity. Buying the cheapest stringing machine I could find to defray the costs of stringing every time they pop strings, I’ve become a good enough stringer to make the tight 16 by 19 configurations my kids prefer. I’ve reached out to tennis companies, and both Babolat and Wilson have sent my kids free racquets and gear. Prince offered them a half-sponsorship for a year, which I jumped at faster
than Andy Murray can run down a drop shot. I feel badly that I cannot give them more right now, but within my and my wife’s capabilities, we’re doing enough to keep them progressing. And in a few years, I expect to offer proof of how perseverance and sacrifice can turn kids with little to no advantages into champions. I offer this advice to parents in my same proverbial boat: Don’t give up, move on; be innovative and keep humble and be accepting, but then also be aggressive and certain. Everything valuable takes effort and time, and giving up on something that seems impossible will guarantee that it will never happen. Keep at it. Love of the sport will win the day in ways you won’t even expect and your kids will always be the better for it, no matter what happens … tennis is for life. Julion J. Soto is a Brooklyn, N.Y.-based writer of speculative fiction, presently working on his novel For This I Would Bleed. Once a lover of tennis as strictly a fan, he’s become a student and scholar of the game for the sake of his future champions. His forehand has improved a lot since taking up a racquet a few years ago, but he routinely gets demolished by his kids to the result of much laughter and derision from passersby.
USTA Leagues Update: January/February 2017 The 40 & Over Men’s and Women’s League Playoffs will be held on Friday, Feb. 10 and Sunday, Feb. 12 at Westside Tennis Club in Forest Hills, N.Y. USTA Metro has several Leagues starting soon. l l l l
18 & Over Queens Mixed: Start the week of Jan. 16, 2017 18 & Over Bronx Mixed: Start the week of Feb. 1, 2017 18 & Over Brooklyn Mixed: Start the week of Feb. 1, 2017 40 & Over Mixed: Star the week of Feb. 1, 2017
If you are interested in captaining or playing in any of the above Leagues, please contact Joe Miano via e-mail at JoeMiano@MetroTennis.com for complete details.
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NEW YORK TENNIS CLUB CARY LEEDS CENTER FOR TENNIS & LEARNING Elena Bantovska—Director, Advanced Training 1720 Crotona Avenue • Bronx, N.Y. (347) 417-8168 EBantovska@NYJTL.org NYJTL.org CENTERCOURT PERFORMANCE TENNIS CENTER Clay Bibbee—Managing Partner and Academy Founder 65 Columbia Road • Morristown, N.J. (973) 635-1222 Clay@Centercourtclub.com CenterCourtClub.com CHRIS LEWIT TENNIS ACADEMY Tennis Club of Hastings 100 River Street • Hastings-on-Hudson, N.Y. (914) 462-2912 ChrisLewit@gmail.com ChrisLewit.com COURTSENSE TENNIS TRAINING CENTER Gordon Uehling—Founder and Managing Director 195 County Road • Tenafly, N.J. (201) 569-1114/(201) 489-1122 Info@CourtSense.com CourtSense.com GOTHAM TENNIS ACADEMY Eric Faro—Director of Tennis 358 West End Avenue #3A • New York, N.Y. (646) 524-7069 Info@GothamTennis.com GothamTennis.com MANHATTAN PLAZA RACQUET CLUB Gertrud Wilhelm—General Manager 450 West 43rd Street • New York, N.Y. (212) 594-0554 GWilhelm@AdvantageTennisClubs.com AdvantageTennisClubs.com MATCHPOINT NYC Nino Muhatasov—Co-Founder and Director 2781 Shell Road • Brooklyn, N.Y. (718) 769-0001 MatchPointComplex@gmail.com MatchPoint.NYC
DIRECTORY
NEW YORK TENNIS CLUB Mike Wisniewski—General Manager 3081 Harding Avenue • Bronx, N.Y. (718) 239-7916 LHartman.NYTCI@gmail.com AdvantageTennisClubs.com PROFORM TENNIS ACADEMY Juan Oscar Rios—Academy Director 975 Anderson Hill Road • Rye Brook, N.Y. (914) 935-6688 Info@ProformTennisAcademy.com ProformTennisAcademy.com RIVERDALE TENNIS CENTER 3671 Hudson Manor Terrace • Riverdale, N.Y. (718) 796-7400 RiverdaleTennis.com ROOSEVELT ISLAND RACQUET CLUB Tom Manhart—Membership Director 281 Main Street • Roosevelt Island, N.Y. (212) 935-0250 TManhart@RIRCTennis.com AdvantageTennisClubs.com ROSS SCHOOL TENNIS ACADEMY 18 Goodfriend Drive • East Hampton, N.Y. (631) 907-5162 Ross.org/TennisAcademy SPORTIME RANDALL’S ISLAND Flagship Home of the John McEnroe Tennis Academy Allison Hodgkins—Assistant General Manager Jared Karlebach—Assistant General Manager One Randall’s Island • New York, N.Y. (212) 427-6150 AHodgkins@SportimeNY.com JKarlebach@SportimeNY.com SportimeNY.com/Manhattan SPORTIME HARBOR ISLAND Carlos Campo—Regional General Manager, Westchester Clubs Guillermo Ripoll-Brenot—Assistant Director of Tennis Cathi Pizzo—Assistant Regional General Manager, Westchester Clubs Harbor Island Park PO Box 783 • Mamaroneck, N.Y. (914) 777-5151 CCampo@SportimeNY.com SportimeNY.com/Harbor-Island
MIDTOWN TENNIS CLUB Jennifer Brown—Director 341 8th Avenue • New York, N.Y. (212) 989-8572 66 New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2017 • NYTennisMag.com MidtownTennisNYC@gmail.com MidtownTennis.com
SPORTIME LAKE ISLE John McEnroe Tennis Academy, Westchester Carlos Campo—Regional General Manager, Westchester Clubs Fritz Buehning—Director of Tennis, JMTA Cathi Pizzo—Assistant Regional General Manager, Westchester Clubs 660 White Plains Road • Eastchester, N.Y. (914) 777-5151 CCampo@SportimeNY.com SportimeNY.com/Lake-Isle SPORTIME SCHENECTADY Jed Murray—General Manager Philippe Ceas—Director of Tennis 2699 Curry Road • Schenectady, N.Y. (518) 356-0100 JMurray@SportimeNY.com SportimeNY.com/Schenectady STADIUM TENNIS CENTER AT MILL POND Joel Kassan—Executive Director 725 Gateway Center Boulevard • Bronx, N.Y. (718) 665-4684 Joel@GothamTennis.com StadiumTennisNYC.com TENNIS INNOVATORS NYC Juan Andrade—Executive Director 520 2nd Avenue (Kips Bay Court) 899 10th Avenue (John Jay Court) New York, N.Y. (646) 476-5811 TennisInnovators.com USTA BILLIE JEAN KING NATIONAL TENNIS CENTER Whitney Kraft—Director of Tennis Flushing Meadows Corona Park • Flushing, N.Y. (718) 760-6200 Kraft@USTA.com USTA.com WEST SIDE TENNIS CLUB Bob Ingersole—Director of Tennis 1 Tennis Place • Forest Hills, N.Y. (718) 268-2300 TennisDirector@ForestHillsTennis.com ForestHillsTennis.com
in memoriam... Former Adelphi, Forest Hills Standout Stefani Lineva he New York tennis community joins Binghamton University in mourning the loss of Stefani Lineva, a 20-year-old tennis standout for the Bearcats who was recently found dead. A native of Forest Hills, N.Y., Lineva played her high school tennis at Forest Hills High School where she was in the top singles spot and reached the finals of the PSAL Individual Tournament in 2014. Following high school, Lineva went to Adelphi University, where she won Northeast-10 (NE-10) Rookie of the Year honors, going 14-4 in the first singles flight and posting a 17-2 record in doubles. In her sophomore year, Lineva helped Adelphi clinch its first NE-10 Conference Championship, posting a straight-sets win at first singles in the conference title match. “We are saddened to learn of the passing of former women’s tennis student-athlete Stefani Lineva,” said Danny McCabe, Adelphi University director of athletics and campus recreation. “Stefani was an exceptional young woman, and an important member of the women’s tennis program. She led the team to an NE-10 Championship with her outstanding play and competitive spirit. She will be deeply missed by all who knew her in the Adelphi community.” Stefani transferred to Binghamton this year. According to police, Lineva was found around 2:00 a.m. lying on Route 384 in an apparent hit-and-run. She had severe injuries which investigators say were consistent with being a hit by car, but no car or driver had been found. She was taken to UHS Wilson Hospital where she was pronounced dead. “It is with deep sadness that I share news of the death of a student, Stefani Lineva, said Binghamton University President Harvey Stenger. “It was Stefani’s first semester on campus. The loss of someone so young and talented is almost impossible to imagine and impacts our entire community. We will miss Stefani’s spirit, passion and engagement with everyone she touched on our campus. On behalf of the University community, I offer my deepest condolences to Stefani’s family, teammates, classmates and all who knew and loved her. Please keep her and her family in your thoughts as we all mourn her loss.”
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NEW Boys & Girls Metro Rankings (as of 12/21/16)
BOYS Metro Boys 12 Singles Rank..Name.............................. City 1........ Safin Shaikh.................. Bayside, N.Y. 2........ Sebastian Brustein........ Brooklyn, N.Y. 3........ Joshua Staroselskiy...... Brooklyn, N.Y. 4........ Akash Mahesh Hongal.. Flushing, N.Y. 5........ Nicholas Jozef Zagora.. Staten Island, N.Y. 6........ Federico Bentivoglio......New York, N.Y. 7........ Ronald Aaron Fridlyand Forest Hills, N.Y. 8........ Cal R. Wider.................. New York, N.Y. 9........ Benjamin Elliot Emag.... Brooklyn, N.Y. 10...... Max Meyer.................... New York, N.Y. 11...... Arnav Agostinho............ Brooklyn, N.Y. 12...... Bobby Duskin................ Brooklyn, N.Y. 13...... Jack Griffin.................... New York, N.Y. 14...... London Mosquera........ Howard Beach, N.Y. 15...... Milo Kessler....................Brooklyn, N.Y. 16...... Charles Robertson........ Whitestone, N.Y. 17...... Colin Hui........................ Bayside, N.Y. 18...... Soren Aulenbach.......... Brooklyn, N.Y. 19...... Ryan Friedman.............. New York, N.Y. 20...... Michael Zlatnik.............. Forest Hills, N.Y. 21...... Ryan Mark......................New York, N.Y. 22...... Santiago Soto................ New York, N.Y. 23...... Santiago Espejel............ New York, N.Y. 24...... Shepard Gregory.......... New York, N.Y. 25...... Romero Jones................New York, N.Y. 26...... Noah Roussel................ Brooklyn, N.Y. 27...... Zecheng Fang................New York, N.Y. 28...... Theodore R. Murphy......New York, N.Y. 29...... Ty Justin Staco-Towns.. Brooklyn, N.Y. 30...... Damian Stellings............New York, N.Y. 31...... Andrew R. Ena.............. Rego Park, N.Y. 32...... Arjun N. Agostinho........ Brooklyn, N.Y. 33...... Jasper Kim Filardo........ New York, N.Y. 34...... Fela Fieulleteau.............. Bronx, N.Y. 35...... Jules Taylor-Kerman...... New York, N.Y. 36...... Daniel A. Ellis..................Laurelton, N.Y. 37...... Gabriel Alberto Garcia.. Staten Island, N.Y. 38...... Luke Hollman................ New York, N.Y. 39...... Maret Aulenbach............Brooklyn, N.Y. 40...... John Wu........................ New York, N.Y.
Metro Boys 14 Singles Rank..Name.............................. City 1........ Dylan Lachmanen..........Brooklyn, N.Y. 2........ Waley Chen....................Oakland Gardens, N.Y. 3........ Matthew Mosejczuk...... East Elmhurst, N.Y. 4........ Daniel Galisteo Gordon New York, N.Y. 5........ Gabriel Markowitz..........New York, N.Y. 6........ Nicholas Jozek Zagora..Staten Island, N.Y. 7........ Kevin Daniel Golub........ New York, N.Y. 8........ Eric Dubilirer.................. Little Neck, N.Y. 9........ Shane Tomonia.............. Jamaica, N.Y. 10...... Sunjay Dev Singh.......... New York, N.Y. 11...... Franco Manriquez..........Sunnyside, N.Y. 12...... Arnav Agostinho............ Brooklyn, N.Y. 13...... Oliver Samuel Peck...... New York, N.Y. 14...... Guy Ferrera.................... New York, N.Y. 15...... Neel M. Epstein..............New York, N.Y. 16...... Gunnar S. Overstrom.... New York, N.Y. 17...... Ronald Fridlyand............Forest Hills, N.Y. 18...... Nicholas Oblonsky........ Brooklyn, N.Y. 19...... Ethan Cintron................ Oakland Gardens, N.Y.
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20...... Jules Taylor-Kerman...... New York, N.Y. 21...... Charles Robertson........ Whitestone, N.Y. 22...... Sebastian Chavarro...... Jackson Heights, N.Y. 23...... Jack Benavides..............New York, N.Y. 24...... Matthew LeCorps..........New York, N.Y. 25...... Bhawick Singh.............. East Elmhurst, N.Y. 26...... Christian Bobko............ Bronx, N.Y. 27...... Isadore Jude Axinn........Brooklyn, N.Y. 28...... Dylan Harris Gottheim.. New York, N.Y. 29...... MG Nastase.................. New York, N.Y. 30...... Alex Stolarz.................... New York, N.Y. 31...... Nicholas Benavides...... New York, N.Y. 32...... Sebastian aylor.............. New York, N.Y. 33...... Damian Stellings............New York, N.Y. 34...... Hyat Oyer...................... New York, N.Y. 35...... Nicholas Steiglehner......New York, N.Y. 36...... Luca Photopoulos........ New York, N.Y. 37...... Leonardo Yu.................. New York, N.Y. 38...... Christopher Chi..............Bayside, N.Y. 39...... Trey Alexander Paulino..New York, N.Y. 40...... Quenten Chicon............ Brooklyn, N.Y.
Metro Boys 16 Singles Rank..Name.............................. City 1........ Matthew Mosejczuk...... East Elmhurst, N.Y. 2........ George Arteaga..............East Elmhurst, N.Y. 3........ Connor P. Dunne............Brooklyn, N.Y. 4........ Alex Portnoy.................. New York, N.Y. 5........ Waley Chen....................Oakland Gardens, N.Y. 6........ David Krasner................ Staten Island, N.Y. 7........ Daniel Vascones............ Middle Village, N.Y. 8........ AndreasAdedeji..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 9........ Alfonso Laffont.............. New York, N.Y. 10...... Albert Y. Wan..................Forest Hills, N.Y. 11...... Rino Cattabiani.............. Flushing, N.Y. 12...... Michael Kaydin.............. Brooklyn, N.Y. 13...... John C. Bricker.............. New York, N.Y. 14...... Christopher Mohri..........New York, N.Y. 15...... Amyas Alfred Ryan........ Brooklyn, N.Y. 16...... Shanay Ashesh Amin.... New York, N.Y. 17...... Alex Robert Goldstein.. New York, N.Y. 18...... Shane Tomonia.............. Jamaica, N.Y. 19...... Liam J. Dunne................Brooklyn, N.Y. 20...... Inbar Shiloah.................. Brooklyn, N.Y. 21...... Simon Camacho............New York, N.Y. 22...... Eugene Fishman............Rego Park, N.Y. 23...... Tadd Long...................... Woodside, N.Y. 24...... Sidharth Chawla............ New York, N.Y. 25...... Richard Wickman.......... Bayside, N.Y. 26...... Teddy Brodsky.............. New York, N.Y. 27...... Jeffrey Yu........................Forest Hills, N.Y. 28...... Lucas Miller....................Brooklyn, N.Y. 29...... Eli Taylor-Kerman.......... New York, N.Y. 30...... Michael McDonough.... New York, N.Y. 31...... Sadi Gulcelik.................. New York, N.Y. 32...... Jonathan Glinsky.......... Brooklyn, N.Y. 33...... Derek Lung.................... Brooklyn, N.Y. 34...... Igor Maslov.................... Brooklyn, N.Y. 35...... Max Schindel................ New York, N.Y. 36...... True Waaktaar-Savoy.... Brooklyn, N.Y. 37...... Daniel Leon Maseyev.... Brooklyn, N.Y. 38...... Kaiki Matsuo.................. New York, N.Y. 39...... Harry Portnoy................ New York, N.Y. 40...... Jeffrey McCready.......... Brooklyn, N.Y.
Metro Boys 18 Singles Rank..Name.............................. City 1........ Robert Ivko.................... Staten Island, N.Y. 2........ Amir Azizi........................Flushing, N.Y. 3........ Richard Wickman.......... Bayside, N.Y.
RANKINGS 4........ Jeremy Breland..............Fresh Meadows, N.Y. 5........ Justin Mikael Vasquez.. Rego Park, N.Y. 6........ Eli Taylor-Kerman.......... New York, N.Y. 7........ Alexander Chiu.............. New York, N.Y. 8........ Daniel Usvyat................ Forest Hills, N.Y. 9........ Michael McDonough.... New York, N.Y. 10...... Daniel Ivko......................Staten Island, N.Y. 11...... Connor Ryan Crowley.. Bronx, N.Y. 12...... Inbar Shiloah.................. Brooklyn, N.Y.
GIRLS Metro Girls 12 Singles Rank..Name.............................. City 1........ Jordan Ben-Shmuel...... New York, N.Y. 2........ Angelina Rose Bittan.... Brooklyn, N.Y. 3........ Kelly Chen...................... Forest Hills, N.Y. 4........ Laurentia Bentivoglio.... New York, N.Y. 5........ Samantha Bentsianov.. Staten Island, N.Y. 6........ Tess Ariel Whitman........ New York, N.Y. 7........ Jasmine Leon Soon...... Brooklyn, N.Y. 8........ Abigail Hammer............ Astoria, N.Y. 9........ Rianna Mariotti.............. Forest Hills, N.Y. 10...... Rosie Isabella Seccia.... New York, N.Y. 11...... Talia Helen Kahan.......... New York, N.Y. 12...... Caitlin Bui...................... Flushing, N.Y. 13...... Chantajah Mills.............. New York, N.Y. 14...... Alina Ongeyberg............ Brooklyn, N.Y. 15...... Diya Emine Chawla........New York, N.Y. 16...... Blakely Dushkin............ New York, N.Y. 17...... Ava Dahl........................ New York, N.Y. 18...... Isabella Haley Saul........ Brooklyn, N.Y. 19...... Kira Diaz........................ Richmond Hill, N.Y. 20...... Isabella Sofia Mandis.... New York, N.Y. 21...... Patricia Grigoras............ Middle Village, N.Y. 22...... Jenna Kleynerman........ Staten Island, N.Y. 23...... Jala Atkinson..................New York, N.Y. 24...... Ronit Khromchenko...... Staten Island, N.Y. 25...... Allegra Noelle Wong...... New York, N.Y. 26...... Anna Becker.................. New York, N.Y. 27...... Nadia Barteck................ New York, N.Y. 28...... Juliana Hornak.............. Brooklyn, N.Y. 29...... Lillian Vinogradov.......... Staten Island, N.Y. 30...... Katie Finerman.............. New York, N.Y. 31...... Karah C. Augustin..........Saint Albans, N.Y. 32...... Millicent Lydon.............. New York, N.Y. 33...... Victoria McEnroe.......... New York, N.Y. 34...... Damita Joanna Bollers.. Brooklyn, N.Y. 35...... Kaitlyn E. Mendoza........Rego Park, N.Y. 36...... Nicole Sniadowski........ Staten Island, N.Y. 37...... LeAsia Robinson............Bronx, N.Y. 38...... Anias Jenkins................ Bronx, N.Y. 39...... Mia Saveljic.................... New York, N.Y. 40...... Gabrielle Usvyat............ Forest Hills, N.Y.
Metro Girls 14 Singles Rank..Name.............................. City 1........ Anya Barteck..................New York, N.Y. 2........ Sofie Shen......................New York, N.Y. 3........ Jordan Ben-Shmuel...... New York, N.Y. 4........ Rachel Zhang................ Forest Hills, N.Y. 5........ Cassie Tian.................... Flushing, N.Y. 6........ Niki Truszkowski............ Middle Village, N.Y. 7........ Emma Eisenberg............New York, N.Y. 8........ Beyonce Blake.............. Brooklyn, N.Y. 9........ Kelly Chen...................... Forest Hills, N.Y. 10...... Nadzeya Fliaha.............. Brooklyn, N.Y. 11...... Anna Borovinskaya........Bronx, N.Y. 12...... Tess Ariel Whitman........ New York, N.Y. 13...... Samantha Bentsianov.. Staten Island, N.Y. 14...... Greer S. Goergen.......... New York, N.Y.
New York Tennis Magazine â&#x20AC;˘ January/February 2017 â&#x20AC;˘ NYTennisMag.com
15...... Sheyna Esther Karen.... New York, N.Y. 16...... Abigail Hammer............ Astoria, N.Y. 17...... Jasmine Leon Soon...... Brooklyn, N.Y. 18...... Laura Coleman.............. New York, N.Y. 19...... Leah Margulies.............. New York, N.Y. 20...... Emma Sofia Ostlund.... New York, N.Y. 21...... Katrine Zlatnik................ Forest Hills, N.Y. 22...... Nicolette Fundator........ Brooklyn, N.Y. 23...... Tess Anna Price............ Brooklyn, N.Y. 24...... Alleyah Katherine Ally.... Bellerose, N.Y. 25...... Catherina Krespi............ New York, N.Y. 26...... Ella Liv Price.................. Brooklyn, N.Y. 27...... Nia Lashawn Dabreo.... Brooklyn, N.Y. 28...... Catalina Haberman........New York, N.Y. 29...... Leila M. Epstein..............New York, N.Y. 30...... Nadezhda M. Blot..........Arverne, N.Y. 31...... Maxie Molly Karen........ New York, N.Y. 32...... Julia Dementyev............ Brooklyn, N.Y. 33...... Claire de Saint Phalle.... New York, N.Y. 34...... Maya Arnott.................. New York, N.Y. 35...... Piper Sydney Brown......New York, N.Y. 36...... Olivia Rosenfeld............ New York, N.Y. 37...... Sadie Warshaw..............New York, N.Y. 38...... Alina Abramoff.............. Brooklyn, N.Y. 39...... Haley Phillips..................New York, N.Y. 40...... Isabella Haley Saul........ Brooklyn, N.Y.
Metro Girls 16 Singles Rank..Name.............................. City 1........ Alanna Levitt.................. New York, N.Y. 2........ Cassie Tian.................... Flushing, N.Y. 3........ Niki Truszkowski............ Middle Village, N.Y. 4........ Natalie Marguiles.......... New York, N.Y. 5........ Maryna Bohdanovska.. Brooklyn, N.Y. 6........ Rebecca Macdonald.... Brooklyn, N.Y. 7........ Celina Liu........................Forest Hills, N.Y. 8........ Gabrielle Hernandez......Ridgewood, N.Y. 9........ Danielle P. Kezeli............ Staten Island, N.Y. 10...... Katelyn Chau..................Oakland Gardens, N.Y. 11...... Michelle Iosipov............ Staten Island, N.Y. 12...... Nadejda Maslova.......... Brooklyn, N.Y. 13...... Nicole Koi Massa.......... Astoria, N.Y. 14...... Jordan Ben-Shmuel...... New York, N.Y. 15...... Bella Kaplan.................. New York, N.Y. 16...... Nathalie Williams............New York, N.Y. 17...... Masha Serjantov............New York, N.Y. 18...... Nia Simone Benjamin....Brooklyn, N.Y. 19...... Kristina Pali.................... Briarwood, N.Y. 20...... Alleyah Katherine Ally.... Bellerose, N.Y. 21...... Lily Yan.......................... New York, N.Y. 22...... Tomi Alalade.................. Rosedale, N.Y. 23...... Gianna Gaudio.............. Staten Island, N.Y. 24...... Tatiana Mandis.............. New York, N.Y. 25...... Prthvi Srinivasan............ New York, N.Y. 26...... Mia Simone Parrish...... Queens Village, N.Y. 27...... Haley Phillips..................New York, N.Y. 28...... Sophia Africk..................New York, N.Y. 29...... Maxine Beata Zaretsky..Brooklyn, N.Y. 30...... Elaine Kharbanda.......... New York, N.Y. 31...... Emma Sofia Ostlund.... New York, N.Y. 32...... Carolyn Silverstein........ New York, N.Y.
Metro Girls 18 Singles Rank..Name.............................. City 1........ Anna Borovinskaya........Bronx, N.Y.
NEW Boys & Girls Sectional Rankings (as of 12/2216)
BOYS Sectional Boys 12 Singles— Metro Region Rank Name............................City 2........ Cooper Williams............ New York, N.Y. 7........ Joseph Phillips.............. New York, N.Y. 15...... Jace Alexander.............. New York, N.Y. 17...... Benjamin Kantor............ New York, N.Y. 18...... Ari Hercules Cotoulas....Brooklyn, N.Y. 19...... Adrien Svilen Jippov......New York, N.Y. 20...... Nicholas Murphy............New York, N.Y. 21...... Nicholas Steiglehner......New York, N.Y. 23...... Alexander Aney..............New York, N.Y. 25...... Astro Brundo Pilipovic.. New York, N.Y. 28...... Andrew R. Ena.............. Rego Park, N.Y. 44...... Cal R. Wider.................. New York, N.Y. 45...... Ty Justin Staco-Towns.. Brooklyn, N.Y. 46...... Rafe Photopoulos..........New York, N.Y. 51...... Theodore R. Murphy......New York, N.Y. 54...... Nicolas Iantosca............ New York, N.Y. 65...... Dominick Mosejczuk.... East Elmhurst, N.Y. 66...... Giuseppe Cerasuolo......Bayside, N.Y. 71...... Ryan Friedman.............. New York, N.Y. 73...... Romero Jones................New York, N.Y. 75...... Solomon Brown............ New York, N.Y. 85...... Akash Mahesh Hongal.. Flushing, N.Y. 87...... Safin Shaikh.................. Long Island City, N.Y. 88...... Nicholas Jozef Zagora.. Staten Island, N.Y. 91...... Samuel Zeitlin................ Brooklyn, N.Y. 95...... Bobby Duskin................ Brooklyn, N.Y. 96...... Joshua Staroselskiy...... Brooklyn, N.Y. 101.... Luca Photopoulos........ New York, N.Y. 103.... Arjun N. Agostinho........ Brooklyn, N.Y. 116.... MG Nastase.................. New York, N.Y. 124.... Sebastian Brustein........ Brooklyn, N.Y. 125.... Erik S. Johansson..........New York, N.Y. 136.... Benjamin Elliot Emag.... Brooklyn, N.Y. 145.... Ronald Fridlyand............Forest Hills, N.Y. 146.... Fela Fieulleteau.............. Bronx, N.Y. 147.... Max Meyer.................... New York, N.Y.
Sectional Boys 14 Singles— Metro Region Rank Name............................City 1........ John-Tomas Bilski........ New York, N.Y. 10...... Tyler Korobov................ Brooklyn, N.Y. 14...... Maxwell Kachkarov...... Flushing, N.Y. 15...... Joseph Wilkanowski......Long Island City, N.Y. 16...... Wesley Zhang................ Staten Island, N.Y. 19...... Hudson Beaudoin..........New York, N.Y. 21...... Sebastian Sec................New York, N.Y. 22...... Noah Edelman.............. New York, N.Y. 25...... Ty Switzer...................... New York, N.Y. 26...... Brandon T. Cohen..........New York, N.Y. 34...... Sachin Palta.................. Forest Hills, N.Y. 40...... Cooper Williams............ New York, N.Y. 41...... Eitan Khromchenko...... Staten Island, N.Y. 46...... Noah Abels Eisenberg.. New York, N.Y. 55...... Mitchel Pertsovsky........ Brooklyn, N.Y. 59...... David Krasner................ Staten Island, N.Y. 61...... Albert Y. Wan..................Forest Hills, N.Y. 62...... Sidharth Chawla............ New York, N.Y. 67...... Donovan Spigner.......... New York, N.Y. 69...... Sacha Maes.................. New York, N.Y. 70...... Luca Anthony DeMare.. New York, N.Y.
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75...... Winter Forest Fagerberg.. New York, N.Y. 77...... Milan Kavi Jain.............. New York, N.Y. 82...... Bradley Bennett............ New York, N.Y. 83...... Jeffrey Yu........................Forest Hills, N.Y. 84...... Paul Eighouayel............ New York, N.Y. 88...... Benjamin Ebanks.......... New York, N.Y. 93...... Jace K. Alexander..........New York, N.Y. 96...... Charles Phillips.............. New York, N.Y. 99...... Neel M. Epstein..............New York City, N.Y. 100.... David Dove Hendon...... New York, N.Y. 107.... Dylan Lachmanen..........Brooklyn, N.Y. 120.... Jonathan Laforest..........Queens Village, N.Y. 121.... Eric Dubilirer.................. Little Neck, N.Y. 122.... Kole Henry Moses........ New York, N.Y. 123.... Sabian Kosinov..............Forest Hills, N.Y. 131.... Adrien Svilen Jippov......New York, N.Y. 133.... Nicholas Murphy............New York, N.Y. 137.... Rod Rofougaran............ Bronx, N.Y. 140.... Anthony Cataldo............Brooklyn, N.Y. 143.... Bhawick Singh.............. East Elmhurst, N.Y.
Sectional Boys 18 Singles— Metro Region Rank Name............................City 6........ David Mizahi.................. Brooklyn, N.Y. 13...... Jeffrey Fradkin.............. New York, N.Y. 14...... Shawn Jackson............ Staten Island, N.Y. 15...... Steven Daniel Nazaroff..Brooklyn, N.Y. 17...... Peter Frelinghuysen...... New York, N.Y. 21...... Igor Maslov.................... Brooklyn, N.Y. 25...... Lantis Wang.................. New York, N.Y. 28...... Gary C. Fishkin.............. Staten Island, N.Y. 29...... Ethan Leon.................... Woodhaven, N.Y. 34...... Dylan Friedman..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 38...... Derek Raskopf.............. New York, N.Y. 44...... Sam Vagner....................Staten Island, N.Y. 47...... Eitan Khromchenko...... Staten Island, N.Y. 49...... Shand Stephens............ New York, N.Y. 50...... Jonah Jurick.................. New York, N.Y. 51...... Nicholas Pustilnik.......... Brooklyn, N.Y. 55...... Maxwell Kachkarov...... Flushing, N.Y. 57...... Christopher Tham..........Flushing, N.Y. 64...... Kai Yuminaga................ Oakland Gardens, N.Y. 68...... Robbie F. Werdiger........ New York, N.Y. 80...... Joshua Berman..............New York, N.Y. 85...... John-Tomas Bilski........ New York, N.Y. 87...... Joseph Wilkanowski......Long Island City, N.Y. 91...... Gabriel Isaac Rissman.. Brooklyn, N.Y. 97...... Brandon Cohen............ New York, N.Y. 98...... Noah Edelman.............. New York, N.Y. 99...... Marcos Souza Lee........ New York, N.Y. 101.... Jo Takakura....................New York, N.Y. 104.... Felix Levine.................... Brooklyn, N.Y. 105.... Oliver Obeid.................. New York, N.Y. 108.... Julian Szuper................ New York, N.Y. 115.... Harry Portnoy ................New York, N.Y. 116.... William Phillips.............. New York, N.Y. 121.... Jeffrey McCready.......... Brooklyn, N.Y. 124.... Zachary G. Targoff........ New York, N.Y. 126.... Simon Camacho............New York, N.Y. 134.... Zachary Portnoy............ New York, N.Y. 140.... Alex Portnoy.................. New York, N.Y. 143.... Tristan Taylor.................. New York, N.Y. 148.... Eugene Fishman............Rego Park, N.Y.
Sectional Boys 18 Singles— Metro Region Rank Name............................City 10...... Sumit Sarkar.................. New York, N.Y. 14...... Peter Lohrbach.............. Little Neck, N.Y.
RANKINGS 28...... Calvin Chung..................Bronx, N.Y. 31...... Peter Frelinghuysen...... New York, N.Y. 39...... Gary C. Fishkin.............. Staten Island, N.Y. 42...... David Mizrahi................ Brooklyn, N.Y. 46...... Robert Kennedy............ New York, N.Y. 52...... Sam V. Vagner................Staten Island, N.Y. 55...... Zachary Jordan Lieb......New York, N.Y. 56...... Philip Belmatch..............Staten Island, N.Y. 68...... Kemel Irfan Aziz............ Staten Island, N.Y. 71...... Gabriel Sifuentes.......... Flushing, N.Y. 74...... Igor Maslov.................... Brooklyn, N.Y. 80...... Nicholas Pustilnik.......... Brooklyn, N.Y. 86...... Christopher Kolesnik.... Staten Island, N.Y. 88...... Allan Ethan Magid..........Brooklyn, N.Y. 92...... Shawn Jackson............ Staten Island, N.Y. 98...... Gabriel Isaac Rissman.. Brooklyn, N.Y. 104.... Jonah Jurick.................. New York, N.Y. 106.... Mitchell Ostrovsky........ Brooklyn, N.Y. 119.... Adam Bryan Borak........ Brooklyn, N.Y. 123.... Mitchell Ostrovsky........ Brooklyn, N.Y. 128.... Fayed Dayaz Uddin...... Elmhurst, N.Y. 129.... Christopher Rodriguez.. Jackson Heights, N.Y. 138.... Joseph R. Reiner.......... New York, N.Y. 140.... Derek Raskopf.............. New York, N.Y. 143.... Cole Gittens.................. New York, N.Y. 146.... Zachary G. Targoff........ New York, N.Y. 150.... Xavier Pacthod.............. New York, N.Y.
GIRLS Sectional Girls 12 Singles— Metro Region Rank Name............................City 5........ Natalie Eordekian.......... Woodside, N.Y. 6........ Daniella Benabraham.... New York, N.Y. 16...... Nina Wiese.................... Flushing, N.Y. 19...... Sage Loudon................ New York, N.Y. 23...... Sofia Iantosca................ New York, N.Y. 28...... Lara Rose Berliner........ New York, N.Y. 29...... Julia T. Werdiger............ New York, N.Y. 39...... Patricia Grigoras............ Middle Village, N.Y. 40...... Sophia Cisse..................New York, N.Y. 43...... Bukky Alalade................ Rosedale, N.Y. 47...... Linda Ziets-Segura........ New York, N.Y. 48...... Taylor Overstrom............New York, N.Y. 58...... Charlie Eve Liss..............New York, N.Y. 71...... Natalie Bergmann.......... Forest Hills, N.Y. 76...... Ronit Khromchenko...... Staten Island, N.Y. 78...... Ava Dahl........................ New York, N.Y. 90...... Emma Voykhanskaya.... Brooklyn, N.Y. 94...... Mia Saveljic.................... New York, N.Y. 98...... Allegra Noelle Wong...... New York, N.Y. 102.... Bianca Dumitru.............. Forest Hills, N.Y. 103.... Jasmine Leon Soon......Brooklyn, N.Y. 110.... Rosie Isabella Seccia.... New York, N.Y. 111.... Michelle R. Ryndin........ Staten Island, N.Y. 112.... Caitlin Bui...................... Flushing, N.Y. 114.... Angelina Rose Bittan.... Brooklyn, N.Y. 125.... Anna Becker.................. New York, N.Y. 128.... Jenna Kleynerman........ Staten Island, N.Y. 130.... Damita Joanna Bollers.. Brooklyn, N.Y. 134.... Nadia Barteck................ New York, N.Y. 136.... Diya Emine Chawia........New York, N.Y. 149.... Abigail Hammer............ Astoria, N.Y.
Sectional Girls 14 Singles— Metro Region Rank Name............................City 13...... Nadejda Maslova.......... Brooklyn, N.Y. 15...... Daniella Benabraham.... New York, N.Y. 16...... Shawnte Beale.............. Bronx, N.Y.
22...... Rachel Rubenzahl..........New York, N.Y. 30...... Sarah Lucy Youngberg..New York, N.Y. 31...... Isabella Sinclair Cooper Brooklyn, N.Y. 33...... Khyanna Singh.............. Queens Village, N.Y. 34...... Lorraine Bergmann........Forest Hills, N.Y. 36...... Carolyn Brodsky............ New York, N.Y. 40...... Rebecca Eliana Fisch.... New York, N.Y. 43...... Michelle Kleynerman.... Staten Island, N.Y. 45...... Dakota Fordham............New York, N.Y. 46...... Nathalie Williams............New York, N.Y. 48...... Catalina Haberman........New York, N.Y. 56...... Deliala Friedman............ Brooklyn, N.Y. 58...... Gabriella Eitkis.............. Brooklyn, N.Y. 64...... Leila M. Epstein..............New York, N.Y. 71...... Sabrina Boada.............. Woodhaven, N.Y. 77...... Zoe Kava........................ New York, N.Y. 84...... Alyssa An........................New York, N.Y. 88...... Rachel Zhang................ Forest Hills, N.Y. 92...... Lina Mohamed.............. Brooklyn, N.Y. 97...... Nia Lashawn Dabreo.... Brooklyn, N.Y. 107.... Anna Borovinskaya........Bronx, N.Y. 112.... Beyonce Blake.............. Brooklyn, N.Y. 114.... Nadzeya Fliaha.............. Brooklyn, N.Y. 125.... Jordan Ben-Shmuel...... New York, N.Y. 128.... Blakely Duskin................Brooklyn, N.Y. 129.... Anya Barteck..................New York, N.Y. 130.... Sofia Allinson................ New York, N.Y. 131.... Sofie Shen......................New York, N.Y. 139.... Nicole Wooyin Lee........ New York, N.Y. 146.... Emma Sofia Ostlund.... New York, N.Y. 150.... Kelly Chen...................... Forest Hills, N.Y.
Sectional Girls 16 Singles— Metro Region Rank Name............................City 5........ Dasha Kourkina............ Brooklyn, N.Y. 11...... Chelsea Williams............Brooklyn, N.Y. 12...... Rosie Garcia Gross........New York, N.Y. 17...... Michelle Sorokko.......... Little Neck, N.Y. 22...... Perene Wang..................New York, N.Y. 26...... Nadejda Maslova.......... Brooklyn, N.Y. 27...... Nicole Semenov............ Brooklyn, N.Y. 33...... Christina M. Huynh........Astoria, N.Y. 37...... Anastasia Koniaev........ Forest Hills, N.Y. 38...... Katherine Kachkarov.... Flushing, N.Y. 39...... Aleksandra Bekirova......Brooklyn, N.Y. 40...... Shelly Yaloz.................... Little Neck, N.Y. 43...... Kyra Bergmann..............Forest Hills, N.Y. 49...... Amy Kaplan....................Brooklyn, N.Y. 51...... Daniela Hernandez........ Corona, N.Y. 55...... Isabella Cooper..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 56...... Shawnte Beale.............. Bronx, N.Y. 59...... Dakota Fordham............New York, N.Y. 66...... Miriam Irfan Aziz............ Staten Island, N.Y. 74...... Jennifer Yu......................Forest Hills, N.Y. 76...... Diana Sosonkin..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 86...... Khyanna Singh.............. Queens Village, N.Y. 87...... Rachel Rubenzahl..........New York, N.Y. 89...... Gabriella Eitkis.............. Brooklyn, N.Y. 91...... Isabella T. Hartman........ New York, N.Y. 94...... Anastasya Menshikova..Brooklyn, N.Y. 95...... Sabrina Boada.............. Woodhaven, N.Y. 103.... Josephine Kimball........ New York, N.Y. 108.... Sofie Kate Levine.......... New York, N.Y. 109.... Amalia M. Parrish.......... Queens Village, N.Y. 111.... Rebecca Eliana Fisch.... New York, N.Y. 115.... Barbara Podvorchani.... Bronx, N.Y. 116.... Zoe Kava........................ New York, N.Y. 123.... Celina Liu........................Forest Hills, N.Y. 125.... Jamila Akhmedjanova.. New York, N.Y. 133.... Nathalie Williams............New York, N.Y.
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NEW 146.... Lina Mohamed.............. Brooklyn, N.Y. 148.... Emily Moczulski............ Oakland Gardens, N.Y.
Sectional Girls 18 Singles— Metro Region Rank Name............................City 9........ Sonia Tartakovsky..........New York, N.Y. 25...... Victoria Sec.................... New York, N.Y. 30...... Michelle Sorokko.......... Little Neck, N.Y. 34...... Alexandra Koniaev........ Forest Hills, N.Y. 35...... Jessica Livianu.............. Brooklyn, N.Y. 36...... Anastasia Koniaev........ Forest Hills, N.Y. 38...... Dasha Kourkina............ Brooklyn, N.Y. 43...... Lauren Munari................Middle Village, N.Y. 44...... Miriam Irfan Aziz............ Staten Island, N.Y. 45...... Sarah Rahman.............. East Elmhurst, N.Y. 47...... Jennifer Yu......................Forest Hills, N.Y. 48...... Kyra Bergmann..............Forest Hills, N.Y. 50...... Aleksandra Bekirova......Brooklyn, N.Y. 56...... Nicole Semenov............ Brooklyn, N.Y. 57...... Shelly Yaloz.................... Little Neck, N.Y. 61...... Patricia Obeid................ New York, N.Y. 62...... Rosie Garcia Gross........New York, N.Y. 64...... Daniela Hernandez........ Corona, N.Y. 67...... Kiara A. Rose................ New York, N.Y. 73...... Federica Bilardo............ Brooklyn, N.Y. 78...... Amy Kaplan....................Brooklyn, N.Y. 84...... Barbara Podvorchani.... Bronx, N.Y. 86...... Lisa Marchelska............ Brooklyn, N.Y. 89...... Khyanna Singh.............. Queens Village, N.Y. 90...... Dakota Fordham............New York, N.Y. 99...... Anastasya Menshikova..Brooklyn, N.Y. 105.... Perene Wang..................New York, N.Y. 106.... Nadejda Maslova.......... Brooklyn, N.Y. 107.... Anna Maite Kaplan........ New York, N.Y. 111.... Alexus Gill...................... Brooklyn, N.Y. 128.... Amalia M. Parrish.......... Queens Village, N.Y. 129.... Mia Simone Parrish...... Queens Village, N.Y. 136.... Isabelle Rovinski............ New York, N.Y. 141.... Stephanie Li.................. New York, N.Y. 150.... Audrey Pacthod............ New York, N.Y.
Boys & Girls National Rankings (as of 12/29/16)
BOYS National Boys 12 Singles— Metro Region Rank.. Name.......................... City 3........ Cooper Williams............ New York, N.Y. 60...... Joseph Phillips.............. New York, N.Y. 122.... Jace K. Alexander..........New York, N.Y. 154.... Adrien Svilen Jippov......New York, N.Y. 174.... Nicholas Murphy............New York, N.Y. 201.... Nicholas Steiglehner......New York, N.Y. 207.... Benjamin Charles Kantor New York, N.Y. 248.... Solomon Brown............ New York, N.Y. 312.... Astro Brundo Pilipovic.. New York, N.Y. 430.... Ari Hercules Cotoulas....Brooklyn, N.Y. 444.... Alexander Aney..............New York, N.Y. 498.... Andrew R. Ena.............. Rego Park, N.Y. 788.... Rafe Photopoulos..........New York, N.Y. 899.... Nicolas Iantosca............ New York, N.Y. 993.... Giuseppe Cerasuolo......Bayside, N.Y. 998.... Theodore R. Murphy......New York, N.Y.
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National Boys 14 Singles— Metro Region Rank.. Name.......................... City 74...... Tyler Korobov................ Brooklyn, N.Y. 92...... Maxwell Igor KachkarovFlushing, N.Y. 96...... John-Tomas Bilski........ New York, N.Y. 111.... Joseph Wilkanowski......Long Island City, N.Y. 114.... Noah D. Edelman.......... New York, N.Y. 115.... Wesley Zhang................ Staten Island, N.Y. 161.... Hudson Beaudoin..........New York, N.Y. 202.... Brandon T. Cohen..........New York, N.Y. 241.... Sebastian Sec................New York, N.Y. 448.... Viktor Jovic.................... New York, N.Y. 506.... Ty Switzer...................... New York, N.Y. 652.... Cooper Williams............ New York, N.Y. 657.... Sachin Palta.................. Forest Hills, N.Y. 796.... Winter Fagerberg.......... New York, N.Y. 821.... Mitchel Pertsovsky........ Brooklyn, N.Y. 830.... Eitan Khromchenko...... Staten Island, N.Y.
National Boys 16 Singles— Metro Region Rank.. Name.......................... City 87...... David Mizrahi................ Brooklyn, N.Y. 158.... Peter Frelinghuysen...... New York, N.Y. 172.... Gary C. Fishkin.............. Staten Island, N.Y. 177.... Lantis Wang.................. New York, N.Y. 220.... Steven Daniel Nazaroff..Brooklyn, N.Y. 269.... Jeffrey Fradkin.............. New York, N.Y. 279.... Igor Maslov.................... Brooklyn, N.Y. 431.... Shawn Jackson............ Staten Island, N.Y. 450.... Ethan Leon.................... Woodhaven, N.Y. 594.... Dylan Friedman..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 647.... Maxwell Kachkarov...... Flushing, N.Y. 666.... Jonah Jurick.................. New York, N.Y. 741.... Jo Takakura....................New York, N.Y. 756.... Derek Raskopf.............. New York, N.Y. 807.... Harry Portnoy................ New York, N.Y.
National Boys 18 Singles— Metro Region Rank.. Name.......................... City 149.... Sumit Sarkar.................. New York, N.Y. 161.... Peter Lohrbach.............. Little Neck, N.Y. 300.... Calvin Chung..................Bronx, N.Y. 471.... Gary C. Fishkin.............. Staten Island, N.Y. 503.... Robert Kennedy............ New York, N.Y. 643.... Zachary Jordan Lieb......New York, N.Y. 727.... Peter Frelinghuysen...... New York, N.Y. 796.... Jacob Kern.................... New York, N.Y. 867.... Adam Bryan Borak........ Brooklyn, N.Y. 892.... Cole Gittens.................. New York, N.Y.
GIRLS National Girls 12 Singles— Metro Region Rank.. Name.......................... City 59...... Natalie Eordekian.......... Woodside, N.Y. 82...... Daniella Benabraham.... New York, N.Y. 188.... Sage Loudon................ New York, N.Y. 352.... Nina Wiese.................... Flushing, N.Y. 466.... Julia T. Werdiger............ New York, N.Y. 487.... Sofia Iantosca................ New York, N.Y. 521.... Linda Ziets-Segura........ New York, N.Y. 757.... Sophia Cisse..................New York, N.Y. 806.... Taylor Overstrom............New York, N.Y. 822.... Patricia Grigoras............ Middle Village, N.Y. 880.... Bukky Alalade................ Rosedale, N.Y. 899.... Claire An........................ New York, N.Y.
RANKINGS 906.... Lara Rose Berliner........ New York, N.Y. 926.... Charlie Eve Liss..............New York, N.Y. 928.... Mia Saveljic.................... New York, N.Y.
National Girls 14 Singles— Metro Region Rank.. Name.......................... City 158.... Nadejda Maslova.......... Brooklyn, N.Y. 165.... Rachel Rubenzahl..........New York, N.Y. 176.... Daniella Benabraham.... New York, N.Y. 246.... Isabella Cooper..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 339.... Lorraine Bergmann........Forest Hills, N.Y. 358.... Rebecca Elaina Fisch.... New York, N.Y. 379.... Khyanna Singh.............. Queens Village, N.Y. 480.... Shawnte Beale.............. Bronx, N.Y. 485.... Michelle Kleynerman.... Staten Island, N.Y. 489.... Carolyn Brodsky............ New York, N.Y. 502.... Sarah Lucy Youngberg..New York, N.Y. 537.... Nathalie Williams............New York, N.Y. 574.... Alyssa An........................New York, N.Y. 694.... Catalina Haberman........New York, N.Y. 944.... Zoe Kava........................ New York, N.Y. 948.... Anna Borovinskaya........Bronx, N.Y.
National Girls 16 Singles— Metro Region Rank.. Name.......................... City 10...... Dasha Kourkina............ Brooklyn, N.Y. 73...... Michelle Sorokko.......... Little Neck, N.Y. 85...... Shelly Yaloz.................... Little Neck, N.Y. 153.... Chelsea Williams............Brooklyn, N.Y. 160.... Rosie Garcia Gross........New York, N.Y. 244.... Nadejda Maslova.......... Brooklyn, N.Y. 309.... Perene Wang..................New York, N.Y. 324.... Nicole Semenov............ Brooklyn, N.Y. 351.... Aleksandra Bekirova......Brooklyn, N.Y. 368.... Anastasia Koniaev........ Forest Hills, N.Y. 406.... Katherine Kachkarov.... Flushing, N.Y. 415.... Christina M. Huynh........Astoria, N.Y. 525.... Kyra Bergmann..............Forest Hills, N.Y. 548.... Isabella Cooper..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 668.... Dakota Fordham............New York, N.Y. 686.... Daniela Hernandez........ Corona, N.Y. 765.... Amy Kaplan....................Brooklyn, N.Y. 950.... Anastasya Menshikova..Brooklyn, N.Y. 993.... Diana Sosonkin..............Brooklyn, N.Y.
National Girls 18 Singles— Metro Region Rank.. Name.......................... City 213.... Dasha Kourkina............ Brooklyn, N.Y. 307.... Shelly Yaloz.................... Little Neck, N.Y. 332.... Jessica Livianu.............. Brooklyn, N.Y. 397.... Michelle Sorokko.......... Little Neck, N.Y. 523.... Alexandra Koniaev........ Forest Hills, N.Y. 559.... Lauren Munari................Middle Village, N.Y. 577.... Jennifer Yu......................Forest Hills, N.Y. 578.... Victoria Sec.................... New York, N.Y. 675.... Sonia Tartakovsky..........New York, N.Y. 888.... Aleksandra Bekirova......Brooklyn, N.Y. 958.... Lisa Marchelska............ Brooklyn, N.Y.
New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2017 • NYTennisMag.com
USTA/Metropolitan Region
2017 TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE For detailed information on these and all USTA tournaments, visit tennislink.usta.com/tournaments. JANUARY 2017 Friday-Sunday, January 20-22 L2 Cunningham Tennis January Open Cunningham Sports Center 19600 Union Turnpike Fresh Meadows, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 12 (FMLC); Intermediate Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 14-18 (SE); and Intermediate Boys & Girls Doubles 78’ Yellow Ball 12-18 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 for first singles/$28 for first doubles (deadline for entries is Monday, Jan. 16 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Klastique@yahoo.com or call (718) 740-6800. Friday-Sunday, January 20-22 & January 27-29 L1B Sportime at Randall’s Island 2016 Challenger Sportime Randall’s Island 1 Randall’s Island New York, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 14, 18 (SE) Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, Jan. 16 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail MattyTrumino@gmail.com or call (646) 783-53010.
Friday-Sunday, January 27-29 & February 3-5 L2O Sportime at Randall’s Island 2017 Open Sportime Randall’s Island 1 Randall’s Island New York, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 14-16 (SE) Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, Jan. 23 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail MattyTrumino@gmail.com or call (646) 783-53010. Saturday-Sunday, January 28-29 L3 APTC UPS Alley Pond Tennis Center 7920 Winchester Boulevard Queens Village, N.Y. Divisions: Entry Level Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Green Ball 12, 78’ Yellow Ball 14-16 (RR) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $48.88 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, Jan. 23 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Hemco2@aol.com or call (718) 264-2600.
Saturday-Monday, January 21-23 USTA National L3 Tournament at the Cary Leeds Center The Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning 1720 Crotona Avenue Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Boys Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 16 (FMLC) and Boys Doubles 78’ Yellow Ball 16 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $145.63 per player For more information, e-mail EBantovska@NYJTL.org or call (718) 347-7420.
FEBRUARY 2017 Friday-Sunday, February 3-5 Eastern Empire Cup National Doubles at the Cary Leeds Center The Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning 1720 Crotona Avenue Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Advanced Boys & Girls Doubles 78’ Yellow Ball 12 (MFIC) Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $48.88 per player (deadline for entries is Wednesday, Jan. 25 at 11:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail WWiese@NYJTL.org or call (718) 247-7420.
Saturday, January 21 Youth Progression Orange Level1 Fresh Meadows Cunningham Sports Center 19600 Union Turnpike Fresh Meadows, N.Y. Divisions: Orange Level 1 Boys & Girls 10 and Under Singles 60’ Orange Ball 10 (NEF) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $48.88 per player (deadline for entries is Sunday, Jan. 15 at 11:59 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Victor@CunninghamTennis.com or call (718) 740-6800.
Friday-Sunday, February 3-5 L1B Winter Challenger at Matchpoint NYC at Mill Basin Matchpoint NYC Mill Basin 2350 East 69th Street Brooklyn, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys & Girls Singles & Doubles: 78’ Yellow Ball 12, 16 (SE) Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 for first singles/$28 for first doubles (deadline for entries is Tuesday, Jan. 31 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail KLastique@yahoo.com or call (718) 769-0001, ext. 101.
Friday-Sunday, February 10-12 L2 January Open at Matchpoint NYC at Mill Basin Matchpoint NYC Mill Basin 2350 East 69th Street Brooklyn, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 12 (FMLC); Challenger Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 14-18 (SE); and Challenger Boys & Girls Doubles 78’ Yellow Ball 12-18 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 for first singles/$28 for first doubles (maximum fee charged per player is $75, plus the processing fees for the number of events you select) (deadline for entries is Monday, Feb. 6 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail KLastique@yahoo.com or call (718) 769-0001, ext. 101. Saturday-Sunday, February 11-12 Youth Progression Green Level 1 Fresh Meadows Cunningham Sports Center 19600 Union Turnpike Fresh Meadows, N.Y. Divisions: Green Level 1 Boys & Girls 10 and Under Singles 78’ Green Ball 10 (FMLC) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Sunday, Feb. 5 at 11:59 p.m.) For more information, e-mail VCaraballo08@aol.com or call (718) 740-6800. Friday-Sunday, February 17-19 L1B Cunningham Tennis February Challenger Cunningham Sports Center 19600 Union Turnpike Fresh Meadows, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys & Girls Singles & Doubles 78’ Yellow Ball 14, 18 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 for first singles/$28 for first doubles (deadline for entries is Monday, Feb. 13 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail KLastique@yahoo.com or call (718) 740-6800. Saturday-Sunday, February 18-19 L3 APTC Winter UPS Alley Pond Tennis Center 7920 Winchester Boulevard Queens Village, N.Y. Divisions: Entry Level Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 12-18 (RR) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $43.50 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, Feb. 13 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Hemco2@aol.com or call (718) 264-2600.
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USTA/Metropolitan Region
2017 TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE For detailed information on these and all USTA tournaments, visit tennislink.usta.com/tournaments. Monday-Friday, February 20-24 L2 City Parks Indoor Winter Open USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center Flushing Meadows, Corona Park Flushing, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate Boys & Girls Singles 78â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Yellow Ball 12-16 (FMLC) Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $38.13 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, Feb. 6 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Tomtvedt@yahoo.com or call (718) 760-6982.
Friday-Sunday, February 24-26 Eastern Super Six at APTC (National L4) Alley Pond Tennis Center 7920 Winchester Boulevard Queens Village, N.Y. Divisions: Super 6 Event Boys Singles 78â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Yellow Ball 18 (FIC-R16) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $124.13 per player (deadline for entries is Wednesday, Feb. 8 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Hemco2@aol.com or call (718) 264-2600.
Friday-Sunday, February 24-26 Eastern Super Six at the Cary Leeds Center (National L4) The Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning 1720 Crotona Avenue Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Super 6 Event Boys Singles 78â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Yellow Ball 16 (FIC-R16) Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $124.13 per player (deadline for entries is Wednesday, Feb. 8 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail WWiese@NYJTL.org or call (718) 247-7420.
Saturday, February 25 Youth Progression Orange Level 2 Fresh Meadows Cunningham Sports Center 19600 Union Turnpike Fresh Meadows, N.Y. Divisions: Orange Level 2 Boys & Girls 10 and Under Singles: 60â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Orange Ball 10 (NEF) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $48.88 per player (deadline for entries is Saturday, Feb. 19 at 11:59 p.m.) For more information, e-mail VCaraballo08@aol.com or call (718) 740-6800.
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