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NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2019 • New York Tennis Magazine

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

Table Of Contents

JAN/FEB 2019 • Vol 9, No 1

Anderson Looking for Strong Start to 2019 By Brian Coleman

Staff David Sickmen Publisher (516) 409-4444, ext. 309 • david@usptennis.com Joel M. Berman President (516) 409-4444, ext. 310 • joel@usptennis.com Eric C. Peck Editor-in-Chief (516) 409-4444, ext. 312 • eric@usptennis.com

Kevin Anderson, the defending New York Open Champion, returns to Long Island to stake claim once again to the title after a very successful 2018.. See page 14

Highlights

Joey Arendt Managing Art Director

8 11 18 32 38 42

Francine Miller Advertising Coordinator (516) 409-4444, ext. 301 • francinem@usptennis.com

Brian Coleman Senior Editor (516) 409-4444, ext. 326 • brianc@usptennis.com

Photo credit: Lee Seidner

2019 Australian Open Preview By Peter Mendelsohn New York Tennis Expo Returns to Bring Fun for the Whole Family 2019 New York Open Preview Beyond the Baseline: Dr. Robert Silverman By Brian Coleman New York City Girl’s High School Recap Junior Player Spotlight: Adrian Avanesov, MatchPoint NYC By Brian Coleman At the Net With Jonathan Raude, New York Tennis at Great Neck By Brian Coleman

Emilie Katz Assistant Marketing Coordinator Scott Koondel VP of Operations (516) 409-4444, ext. 324 Sidney Beal III Staff Photographer

Lee Seidner Staff Photographer

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

Features 4 10 12 26 29 30 31 34 40 41 44 52 54 56 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 68

Across Metro New York USTA Eastern Hosts Third Annual Turkey Bowl Court Six: New York Tennis Magazine’s Gossip Column By Emilie Katz USTA Metro Region Update Horace Mann Beats Beacon to Win 2018 Mayor’s Cup The Jensen Zone: Getting Better in the Offseason By Luke Jensen Midtown Tennis Parties: A Friday Tradition By Brian Coleman Coaches, Players Come Out for Annual USTA Eastern College Showcase Do-Over? Hardly! By Barbara Wyatt New York Tennis Charitable Initiatives A Look Back at the Year That Was 2018 By Emilie Katz Building Confidence Within Yourself to Win! By Conrad Singh The Opponent Is Your Partner, Not Your Enemy By Rob Polishook Why Tennis Players Should Choose a Gluten-Free Diet By Dr. Rob Silverman Should College Athletes Be Paid in Addition to Earning Scholarships? By Xavier Luna Columbia’s Lin Wins Inaugural New York Open Wild Card Playoff By Brian Coleman Parenting a Tournament Player By Marvin Jeffrey Tennis Tips for Singles Rallying By Geoffrey Jagdfeld Creative Doubles Positioning By Mike Puc Metro Corporate League’s Fall Season Concludes With Three New Champs Why Athletes Choke By Dr. Tom Ferraro Returning High Quality Serves in a Singles Match By Damir Barisic The Journey to Success Is Not Through Tennis Scholarships, But Hard Work! By Lonnie Mitchel Be a Volleying Nightmare With Three Simple Improvements By Lisa Dodson

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Across Metro Ne MatchPoint Hosts Annual QuickStart Tournament

To kick off 2019, MatchPoint NYC hosted its annual Advanced QuickStart Tournament. Congratulations to Veronika Matulskaya who finished in first place and won the title, while Eava Tsvik was the second-place winner and runner-up. The third-place winner was Francesca Casamento.

Banerjee & Hsieh Upset TwoSeeds for Boys 18s Doubles Title Samir Banerjee & Derek Hsieh (pictured here) upset the second-seeded pairing of Ryan Fishback & Kieran Foster 6-4, 3-6, 1-0(5) to win the Boys 18s Doubles title at the Empire Cup Nationals at Cornell University in Ithaca. Banerjee, who trains out of Centercourt Performance Tennis Academy, and Hsieh, also came back from a set down in the opening round of the tournament on their way to the title.

New York Tennis at Great Neck Teams Embracing JTT Format

Locals An & Bui Capture Empire Cup Nationals Title

Claire An (pictured here, center), who trains out of CourtSense in New Jersey, paired up with Caitlin Bui to capture the title in the Empire Cup Nationals Girls 12s Doubles tournament in Rochester. The top-seeded duo had to come back from a set down to win a thrilling 4-6, 6-0, 10-5 match in the semifinals en route to the championship. 4

The Junior TeamTennis matches are becoming one of the more popular events for young junior tennis players in the Eastern Section. The kids at New York Tennis at Great Neck have been embracing this format and competing against other local clubs in team matches, as its 10U Orange Ball Team (pictured here, bottom) competed against Carefree Racquet Club in a recent match, while the 12U (pictured here, top) players took on Sportime Lake Isle in a Long Island-Westchester Interclub showdown.

New York Tennis Magazine â&#x20AC;˘ January/February 2019 â&#x20AC;˘ NYTennisMag.com

New York

… News and notes from across the New York Metro tennis community

McHale Visits JMTA In preparation of the new WTA season that lies ahead, former USTA Eastern standout and current professional Christina McHale stopped by the John McEnroe Tennis Academy at Sportime Randall’s Island. McHale, a Teaneck, N.J. native, came back to the area to get some preseason training in at the facility before she embarked on her 2019 campaign.

NYJTL Presents Annual its Leadership Luncheon New York Junior Tennis & Learning (NYJTL) once again hosted its Leadership Luncheon to raise money for its free tennis and education programs. The event has been going on for more than 30 years and was held this year at The Pierre in New York City, where Katrina M. Adams and Michael Cayre served as honorees.

NTC Hosts Annual USTA National Indoor Championships The USTA National Indoor Championships regularly present some of the top college players from the area in a competitive tournament during the winter break. That was no different this year as North Carolina’s Alexa Graham squared off against Jessica Livianu of St. John’s at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Graham would come out victorious 6-4, 6-2 in the finals. In doubles, the Vanderbilt pair of Marcella Cruz & Christina Rosca defeated Anna Brylin & Anna Ulyashchenko of Wake Forest 6-4, 1-6, 7-5 to win the title. Pictured here, Whitney Kraft, Director of Tennis for the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center (center) with North Carolina’s Alexa Graham (left) and Jessica Livianu of St. John’s (right).

Skluth Wins His First 16U Title It was a great run of play in tournament action for Benjamin Skluth (pictured here, left) recently. The 14year-old, who trains with Gilad Bloom Tennis, recently captured his first title at the 16U level.

continued on page 6 NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2019 • New York Tennis Magazine

across metro new york continued from page 5

Yonkers Tennis Club Presents Tennis Serving Vets Program

Chris Evert Joins West Side Tennis Club Juniors for Clinic

Tennis legend Chris Evert and her brother, John, who teamed up to form the Evert Tennis Academy in Florida years ago, made an appearance at The West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills and joined the club’s Rock N’ Roll Junior Tennis players for a day of on-court instruction.

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2019 • NYTennisMag.com

Tennis Serving Vets hosted a wonderful event at Yonkers Tennis Club as 2018 came to a close. The organization and facility provided veterans the opportunity to learn and play tennis for free for the day.

NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2019 • New York Tennis Magazine

2019 Au Credit all photos: WTA/ATP

ach new tennis season is highlighted by the year’s first Grand Slam, The Australian Open. The top men and women in the world will head to Melbourne January 14-27 to compete Down Under for a shot at a major title. Below are my Contenders, Pretenders and Sleepers for the 2019 Australian Open …

The 2019 Australian Open Men’s Field The contenders Roger Federer kept plugging away in 2018, capturing his 20th Grand Slam title at the Australian Open. If the 37-year-old Swiss legend is able to win the crown in Melbourne, he’ll become the oldest male player to win a slam. Ken Rosewall currently holds the honor, winning the 1972 Australian Open when he was 37 years and 63 days old. Federer is currently sitting on 99 career singles titles. What better place than Oz to make it an even 100? Novak Djokovic appeared to lose confidence after undergoing right elbow surgery in February 2018, losing five of his next eight matches … the drought didn’t last long. The 31-year-old Serbian bounced back to win Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, and he went on a 22-match winning streak in between August and November. Djokovic won’t be lacking in confidence when he arrives in Melbourne, so don’t be surprised if the six-time Aussie Open champion makes it a lucky seven.

The pretenders Dealing with countless maladies throughout an injury-riddled career, Juan Martin Del Potro bounced back in 2018, reaching six finals. The 30-year-old captured his maiden Masters 1000 title in Indian Wells, defeating Roger Federer in a third set tiebreak to take the crown. However, those expecting Del Potro to make a deep run in Melbourne should probably temper their expectations. The Australian Open is the only Slam in which the Argentine has never advanced to the semifinals. Del Potro hasn’t even made it past the third round since 2012. The year 2018 was a year that Kevin Anderson won’t soon forget. He made the finals at Wimbledon, beating John Isner in a five-set semifinal that lasted six hours and 36 minutes. In February, he reached the top 10 of the ATP Rankings for the first time in his career. Still, Anderson has struggled in Melbourne. His career record at the Australian Open is 11-10, and he hasn’t made it past the first round since 2015. Anderson may win a round or two, but he won’t be playing deep into the second week. The sleeper Karen Khachanov, the 22-year-old Russian made his presence felt on the ATP Tour in 2018, capturing three titles and rising to a career high ranking of 11th in the world. In November, Khachanov beat Novak Djokovic in straight sets in Paris to win his first Masters 1000 title.

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2019 • NYTennisMag.com

Khachanov has never made it past the fourth round of a Grand Slam. Expect that to change in 2019, and don’t be surprised if that starts at the Australian Open.

The 2019 Australian Open Women’s Field The contenders Last year marked the first time since 2006 that Serena Williams didn’t win a singles title. She was a finalist at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, losing both times in straight sets. Expect the 23-time Grand Slam champion back with a vengeance this season. The 37-year-old American has won the Australian Open seven times, and will be a favorite at any event she plays until she decides to step away from the game once and for all. In 2018, Simona Halep finally captured her maiden Slam, beating Sloane Stephens in the French Open final. However, the Romanian finished the year poorly, losing in the first round in her final three tournaments. With time to rest at season’s end, we expect to see a rejuvenated Halep in Melbourne. The 27-year-old was a finalist at the Australian Open in 2018, losing a competitive three-setter to Caroline Wozniacki. Expect her to make another deep run in 2019.

Australian Open Preview BY PETER MENDELSOHN

The pretenders Twenty-seven-yearold Kiki Bertens had her best season in 2018, winning three titles. Her highlight of the year came in August, when she defeated world number one Simona Halep to win the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati. Bertens finished the year at a career-high ranking of ninth in the world, but don’t let her top-10 ranking fool you. The Breda, Netherlands native has a record of 3-6 at the Australian Open, losing in the first round in four of her six appearances. Don’t expect her to make a deep run in Melbourne.

Former U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens had an excellent run in 2018, finishing the year ranked sixth in the world. Stephens won the Miami Open and was a finalist in Montreal, Roland Garros and the WTA Finals. However, she tends to struggle in Melbourne. The 25-year-old hasn’t won a match at the Aussie Open since 2014, losing in the first round in 2015, 2016 and 2018. The sleeper In 2018, 20-year-old Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka rose 59 spots to a WTA Women’s Singles Rankings of 13th in the world. In September, she won the Wuhan

Open, a WTA Premier 5 tournament, beating Elina Svilotina, Dominika Cibulkova and Ashleigh Barty along the way. The Minsk native had eight wins over top-10 players last year. Sabalenka is gearing up for a big 2019, and the Australian Open would be a great place to start. Peter Mendelsohn is the Owner of TennisDork.com. He is currently pursuing a degree in sports journalism. He may be reached by phone at (647) 984-5509 or e-mail at Peter.R.Mendelsohn@gmail.com.

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NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2019 • New York Tennis Magazine

USTA Eastern Hosts Third Annual Turkey Bowl

or the third consecutive year, the USTA Eastern Metro Region hosted the JuniorTeam Tennis Turkey Bowl, which brought some of the best 10U and 12U players in the Section together at Cunningham Park in Queens Village. Played in the same format as World TeamTennis, the event included teams from the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, Johnny Mac Tennis Project, Cunningham Tennis, MatchPoint NYC, the Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning and Sportime Kings Park. The Turkey Bowl featured two different divisions, one 10 & Under and one 12 & Under. The kids from the Johnny Mac Tennis 10

Project took home the 10U title, while Cunningham Tennis were the winners in 12U division. “This was the third year of the Turkey Bowl and each year participation and level has increased. We are excited about the upcoming team tennis season where we will have new leagues and changes that we hope all players will like,” said Gustavo Loza, Tennis Service Representative for USTA Eastern’s Metro Region. “Our goal is to create exciting events that help players in their tennis development but are at the same time fun. We are constantly trying to enhance our players, coaches and parents’ experience through different formats, off court activities and incentives, particularly at the younger divisions.”

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2019 • NYTennisMag.com

New York Tennis Expo Returns to Bring Fun for the Whole Family ave you ever wanted to play on the same courts as professional tennis players? Do you want to experience playing on the beach in the middle of winter? What about meet and get an autograph from a professional player? The 2019 New York Tennis Expo will have all of that and more, and is completely FREE to attend. Bring the whole family down to NYCB LIVE, Home of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, on Saturday, Feb. 9 from 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., as the New York Tennis Expo arrives to kick off the New York Open, Long Island’s own ATP World Tour tournament. Last year’s New York Tennis Expo was a big hit, as more than 3,800 attendees came out for a great day. In 2019, the Expo will again have something for the whole family. The Activity Zone is highlighted by the use of the main Grandstand Court, used by the professional tennis players, where local college tennis teams, along with special guests, both players and coaches, will be on-court all-day long conducting clinics for attendees. There will also be a 10U mini-court where young players can play. The Kids Zone will feature a bouncy house, face-painting and carnival games, and while the weather outside will be cold, get a taste of summer in the winter at the Expo with our Beach Tennis Court, where you can kick off your shoes and step onto the sand. You’ll also be able to compare your serve to the pros with our popular Speed Serve Booth. We will have some of the industry’s top coaches, including Nick Bollettieri, on our two separate Speaker Session panels which will also be headlined by ATP star Ryan Harrison. There will be professional tennis players from the New York Open on-site during the Expo to sign autographs, take part in meet-and-greets, and participate in the 2019 New York Open Draw Ceremony. The New York Open will play host to some of the best tennis players in the world, including sixth-ranked Kevin Anderson, ninth-ranked John Isner, former Wimbledon semifinalist Sam Querrey, and all-time doubles greats, Bob & Mike Bryan.

For FREE tickets and parking, visit 2019NYTennisExpo.eventbrite.com For more information, contact Info@usptennis.com or call (516) 409-4444. NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2019 • New York Tennis Magazine

New York Tennis Magazine’s Gossip Column By Emilie Katz Simona Halep/Darren Cahill End Coaching Relationship

support as our children enter important stages of their lives with the final year of high school, sports and college preparations all becoming more time-consuming,” said Cahill. Radwanska Announces Her Retirement

The coach-player partnership between Darren Cahill and Simona Halep has come to an end. The two began working together in 2015 and shared lots of success, as Halep finished the year ranked number one in the world, and claimed her first ever Grand Slam title. “I’ve decided to take a 12-month break from coaching to be home more for

Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska has announced her retirement from professional tennis, citing her health as the primary

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2019 • NYTennisMag.com

reason for stepping away from the courts. The 29-year-old Radwanska climbed to as high as number two in the world and reached a Wimbledon final during her career, earning the nickname of “Ninja” for her crafty and stylish shot-making on the WTA Tour. Keys Checks in on Forbes “30 Under 30” List

American Madison Keys was named to the Forbes “30 Under 30” Sports List for 2019,

which spotlights the next generation of top athletes. Keys, ranked 17th in the world, was the only tennis player to check in on the list. “Madison Keys is part of the impressive post-Serena Williams wave of American women tennis players climbing through the game’s ranks,” said Keys’ profile in Forbes.

York Open, alongside his partner Philipp Oswald in February. Tennis World Remembers Former President George H.W. Bush

Azarenka Gets Ice Skating Lessons From Olympian

Professional tennis players make sure to take part in new activities to keep themselves busy in the offseason, and Victoria Azarenka is no different. First, she put out an inquiry on Twitter looking for someone to take ice skating lessons from, and found that person in Olympic ice dancer Sinead Kerr. The two took to the ice for a lesson in New York’s Central Park at Lasker Rink. Max Mirnyi Calls It a Career

The United States lost one of its finest when former President George H.W. Bush passed away Nov. 30th at the age of 94. An avid athlete and sports fan himself, Bush loved tennis and was revered by many in the tennis community. Tennis legends like Chris Evert (pictured here with President Bush) recalled playing doubles with the 41st President of the United States, and paid her respect with heartfelt messages on social media. “I feel so privileged that I have had a friendship with George Bush for over 40 years,” Evert told People.com. “Visiting the White House, Camp David and Kennebunkport, having him induct me into the International Tennis Hall of Fame and going on cruises in Greece with his family are fond memories. During those times, I have witnessed such a love of family from him.”

Croatia Wins Davis Cup In what is likely the last final played under the current format, Croatia defeated France in the Davis Cup Finals in Lille, France. Marin Cilic and Borna Coric delivered huge singles victories to lead the Croats to a 3-1 victory in the 106th Davis Cup Finals, the second title for Croatia after the nation won it back in 2005. Pliskova Releases Her Own Calendar

If you are looking for a new calendar for 2019, WTA star Karolina Pliskova has one for you. The 26-year-old Czech released a calendar featuring pictures of herself, taken in Monte Carlo, Calif. and Prague, Czech Republic, and held a launch party in New York City along with photographer Ondrej Pycha.

Inaugural New York Open Doubles Champion Max Mirnyi has announced his retirement from the ATP Tour. Nicknamed “The Beast,” Mirnyi won 52 doubles titles throughout his career, including four French Open championships and two U.S. Open titles. He competed in singles as well, reaching the fourth round of Wimbledon on three occasions. One of his final doubles title wins came last year on Long Island, winning the first-ever New NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2019 • New York Tennis Magazine

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2019 • NYTennisMag.com

Anderson Looking for Strong Start to 2019 Defending New York Open Champion Returns to Long Island By Brian Coleman

New York has become a comfortable place for Kevin Anderson in recent years. Last winter, Anderson came to Long Island to compete in the inaugural New York Open after a disappointing opening round loss at the 2018 Australian Open, a tough five-set defeat to Kyle Edmund in a match where he held a two-sets-to-one lead. Just months prior, the Johannesburg, South Africa native who starred at the University of Illinois, had powered his way to the 2017 U.S. Open final at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens. And although he fell to Rafael Nadal in the title match, those two weeks in the Big Apple served as the stage for the best result of his career. But his time in Melbourne shortly after that would come to a halt quicker than expected, and he found himself headed back to New York to compete in the first-ever New York Open. It was on Long Island on the black courts of NYCB LIVE, Home of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, where Anderson began the 2018 campaign that has propelled him firmly inside the Top 10 of the world rankings. Anderson came back from a set down to defeat American Ernesto Escobedo in his opening round match, and then ousted Frances Tiafoe in straight sets to set up an intriguing Saturday night semifinal against another former U.S. Open finalist in Japan’s Kei Nishikori. The star-studded matchup did not disappoint, as the players took the match the distance where Anderson outlasted Nishikori 6-1, 3-6, 7-6(4) to book his spot in the finals against American Sam Querrey. Even beyond the ranking points and prize money, it was a very important final for Anderson in terms of confidence and a springboard for the rest of the season. One of the goals he had laid out for himself was to be better in the latter stages of tournaments and claim some titles. He did just that against Querrey, capturing the first-ever New York Open championship by coming back to win, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(1). continued on page 16 NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2019 • New York Tennis Magazine

anderson looking for strong start to 2019 continued from page 15

“One of the big goals I had for this year was to try to be a bit more successful in that final stage,” said Anderson after ousting Querrey for the title. “It feels great to come through and get the win. It gives me a lot of confidence for the year.” The victory set the foundation for Anderson to, at 32-years-old, have the breakout season of his career. After New York, he managed to compile consistent results in some of the future tournaments he played in. He reached the finals in Acapulco, Mexico before taking part in two of the biggest events on tour, outside of the four Grand Slams. Anderson advanced to the quarterfinals of the two ATP Masters 1000s tournaments in Miami and Indian Wells, and while his clay season was unsuccessful, he only reached the Round of 16 at the French Open, he was gearing up for a fantastic Wimbledon run. It would turn out to be an incredibly long fortnight on the grass courts of the All-Eng16

land Lawn and Tennis Club. He started off his run with routine victories in the first three rounds, before beating Gael Monfils in four sets, thanks to three tiebreak wins, to reach the quarterfinals. But his tournament was just getting started. He fought back from a set down to upset defending champion and secondranked Roger Federer 2-6, 6-7(5), 7-5, 6-4, 13-11 to reach the semifinals in a match that lasted more than four hours. Just a couple of days later, Anderson was forced to play tennis for even longer, a marathon contest that lasted six hours and 36 minutes against fellow New York Open alum John Isner. Anderson won 26-24 in a deciding fifth set, a remarkable victory that has essentially led to Wimbledon changing its rules on tiebreakers in deciding sets. With hardly anything left in the tank for the finals, Novak Djokovic beat him in three sets in the Wimbledon final. Despite the tough defeat, it was a special tournament for Anderson.

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2019 • NYTennisMag.com

“I am definitely not feeling as fresh as I was coming into the week,” Anderson said after his Wimbledon loss to Djokovic. “But I’d have given another 21 hours to have the opportunity to play out here, it really meant a lot to me.” Anderson would go on to claim one more title in 2018 in Vienna, Austria, the fifth title of his career. While he didn’t lift a Grand Slam or Masters 1000s trophy, his year was successful enough to qualify him for the end-of-the-year ATP Finals at the O2 Arena in London, England for the first time in his career. “Qualifying for London was a goal I stated all-year long,” said Anderson. “I think it was the culmination of a lot of hard work. If you look back at the last several years, there have always been parts of my game I wanted to improve and felt I could get better at. I feel like towards the end of 2017, after some injuries, I was able to pick up my game and a few things I had really been working on came together more. I feel

I did a great job of taking that into [2018] and continuing that process. I knew if I stuck to my path day in and day out, I’d have the best chance at success, and I did a good job of sticking to that path throughout the year.” He would win his first two round-robin matches in London, defeating Nishikori and Dominic Thiem, and advanced to the semifinals to take on Djokovic yet again. It was another straight-sets triumph for the Serb and it brought a close to Anderson’s 2018 season. “I would have loved to have done better the past two matches because I got off to such a good start,” said Anderson. “But finishing 2018 with my career-best ranking, there has been a lot of positives. As a team, we’ll look for ways to improve because I still think there’s room for improvement, there are still a lot of objectives that I’ve set for myself for next year. Hopefully next year, at this time, I’ll finish in the top three. I think that will be a great goal for me. In order to do that, I’m going to have to have very good results at the Masters 1000s and Grand Slams.”

Anderson will look to build off his breakout 2018 season and take it to the next level in 2019. “I think moving into 2019, the margins get a little smaller,” he said. “I set some higher goals, and the biggest thing is belief and confidence in my game.” One of his first stops will be right here in New York, looking to build off his recent

success in the city that never sleeps. “I’ve had two good outings the last two times I’ve been in New York,” noted Anderson. “So I definitely look forward to coming back.” Brian Coleman is the Senior Editor for New York Tennis Magazine. He may be reached at brianc@usptennis.com.

NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2019 • New York Tennis Magazine

2019 NEW YORK

Roddick, Courier Set to Battle on Opening Night

It’s a mash-up! While the 2018 New York Open’s Opening Night Premiere delivered a star-studded night featuring New York’s own tennis icon, John McEnroe, and Grand Slam champion Sloane Stephens along with James Blake and Genie Bouchard, Opening Night 2.0 plans to serve up a bigger and tastier twist. The kick-off for the opening weekend begins with the exhibition’s move from the 18

first Sunday to Saturday, Feb. 9, at 7:30 p.m., following the second annual New York Tennis Expo—the free event produced in conjunction with Long Island and New York Tennis Magazine that attracted more than 4,000 people last year. Andy Roddick and Jim Courier—two of the game’s greatest American champions will take to the New York Open’s signature stadium black court for a battle between

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2019 • NYTennisMag.com

these Hall of Famers, Grand Slam Champions and former ATP World number ones. But before they pick up their rackets, Roddick and Courier will adorn aprons and join New York Open’s Official Celebrity Chef David Burke to co-host the Taste of New York Open Player Party, starting at 6:00 p.m. What promises to be a very cool insiders VIP party will in fact be available to the public and approximately 400 people, including ticket buyers, ATP Tour players, celebrities and other VIP guests. Chef Burke has become a well-known figure on Long Island with his restaurants Red Salt Room and King Bar in residence at the Garden City Hotel. “Our goal with the New York Open is to add something different for the fans to increase the entertainment value both onand-off the court. Curating a platform that’s unique to our brand or replicating successful ideas from others that resonate with fans in order to make the New York Open more than ‘just’ an amazing ATP Tour tennis event is critical to our growth,” explained Tournament Chairman and GF Sports EVP Josh Ripple. “The creation of the new Taste of New York Open culinary

K OPEN PREVIEW platform, and the involvement of Chef Burke will perfectly complement the night of amazing tennis that Andy and Jim bring anywhere they perform.” Chef David Burke is no stranger to tennis. Many U.S. Open fans have experienced Chef Burke’s signature food inspirations the last few years with his celebrity chef role and presentations at the summer Grand Slam event. While the Taste of New York Open Player Party is limited in capacity, lucky fans who secure tickets will have the unique opportunity to eat, drink and hang out with the tournament players in attendance while being treated to culinary demonstrations performed by Chef Burke, Roddick and Courier. We can’t wait to see what Opening Night 3.0 may offer! But for now, tickets for 2.0 and its tennis and culinary events at NYCB LIVE are on sale now on newyorkopen.com.

New York Open’s Official Celebrity Chef David Burke will co-host the Taste of New York Open Player Party to kick off the event

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www.cen ntercourtacademy.com NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2019 • New York Tennis Magazine

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Top Singles, Doubles Players Set to Battle at 2019 New York Open The inaugural New York Open brought some of the world’s best tennis players to Long Island in 2018, and fans can look forward to an even more dynamic roster of players set to compete in the tournament’s second year. The field will feature two of the world’s top 10 singles players as well as the top two ranked doubles players in the world, all of whom will descend onto NYCB LIVE, Home of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in February. Headlining the field will be sixthranked Kevin Anderson, who won the first ever New York Open a year ago, and will return to defend his title following a career year in 2018. “I feel like towards the end of 2017, after I dealt with some injuries, I was able to pick up my game and felt a few things I had been working on were starting to come together more,” said Anderson, who reached the Wimbledon finals last year in addition to titles in New York and Vienna. “I did a good job of taking that into this year and continued that process. I created a path and did a good job of sticking to it. I think moving into next year, the margins get a little smaller. I set some higher goals and the biggest thing is maintaining that belief and confidence in my game.” Joining Anderson as a top seed will be American John Isner, who will also be looking to build off of a career season. The 10th ranked Isner was a semifinalist at Wimbledon, where he lost to the aforementioned Anderson, before reaching the quarterfinals at the U.S. Open, also taking home titles in Miami and Atlanta. Isner was defeated in the first round of last year’s New York Open, and is eager to make up for that performance this time around. “New York is a tournament that, even though I wasn’t around that long last year, I enjoyed it so much. I think all the players did,” said Isner. “With the hotel being so close and in the newly renovated coliseum, it’s one of the nicest places I’ve ever played in. It’s got all the makings of a tournament for me to do well in. It didn’t happen last year, but I’m looking forward to getting another crack at it in 2019.” 20

Defending New York Open Champ Kevin Anderson returns to NYCB LIVE for the 2019 New York Open

Sam Querrey, who narrowly lost to Anderson in last year’s final, is back in the mix and is excited to return to the NYCB LIVE courts. “I didn’t know the New York Open was going with the black courts until I walked into the venue. They looked amazing and I was excited to try it,” said Querrey, a former Wimbledon semifinalist. “The ball pops off of the courts so visibility is amazing. The court played slow so it made for good matches. I think all of the players really enjoyed playing in the new coliseum. We always look forward to playing for New York crowds, their energy is unlike any other. I’m looking forward to that again in 2019.” For folks interested in seeing some great doubles play, the 2019 New York Open will put forth an exciting doubles draw, led by the greatest tandem in the history of the sport. Bob & Mike Bryan will return to Long Island looking to add another title to their historic career. It was a difficult 2018 season for the brothers as Bob was forced to miss much of the year with a hip injury, snapping a string of 76 consecutive Grand Slams played together by the duo. In all, the pair has accumulated 116 doubles titles overall and 16 Grand Slam titles entering the 2019 campaign, and will look to rebound from a tough first round exit at last year’s New York Open. “We are excited to come back,” said Mike

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2019 • NYTennisMag.com

Bryan. “They did a great job in the first year of the event. It was cool playing in the new coliseum, the atmosphere was incredible. The fans were great for our match. We’re hoping to do a little better than last year and put together a good result.” While Bob was recovering from his hip injury, Mike sought out another partner for the second half of the season, and found it in fellow American Jack Sock, who will also be a part of the star-studded field. Bryan and Sock quickly developed chemistry and compiled a dominant season, winning both Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, which prompted Sock to joke afterwards that he was the third Bryan Brother. “They’re the greatest team to ever play this sport in doubles, and to be able to be a part of that, on the same side of the court with one of them and to now hold two pretty big trophies is extra special,” said Sock. Sock is slated to play both singles and doubles in February. Australian tennis will be well-represented on Long Island as all-time great Lleyton Hewitt plans to partner up with up-and-coming star Alex de Minaur in doubles. Hewitt is currently the coach of de Minaur, and the two will put that to the test in what is expected to be a deep doubles draw. De Minaur, who had a breakout season in singles by reaching the finals of the Next Gen

RK OPEN PREVIEW

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Photo Credit: USTA/Brad Penner

American Jack Sock will enter both the singles and doubles draws of the 2019 New York Open

2018 New York Open finalist Sam Querrey returns to NYCB LIVE seeking another run to the finals

ATP Finals and is currently ranked 31st in the world, will also be playing singles on Long Island. American Ryan Harrison has also committed to the field and will return to the New York Open for the second straight year. The

26-year-old reached the Atlanta finals and Winston-Salem quarterfinals in 2018, and is ready to build off of his second-round appearance last year. Harrison’s doubles partner last year, Steve Johnson, returns as well to create a formidable doubles tandem, one

Top-ranked American John Isner joins the men’s singles field of the 2019 New York Open

that reached the semifinals a year ago. Johnson will be playing singles as well. As we get closer to the beginning of the tournament, expect more big names to be added to the player field, and check LITennisMag.com for updates.

NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2019 • New York Tennis Magazine

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Rubin Returns to New York Growing up on Long Island, Noah Rubin attended many New York Islanders games at Nassau Coliseum. So returning to the building he spent a lot of his childhood in to compete in last year’s inaugural New York Open was something special. “I had this immense feeling of nostalgia,” recalls Rubin. “So many great experiences were had at the Coliseum when I was a kid, going to Islanders games and circuses. I was just excited to be able to play there and represent Long Island.” Rubin drew a tough matchup in the opening round of last year’s New York Open as he took on former U.S. Open finalist Kei Nishikori. The former Wake Forest All-American fought hard, but fell, 5-7, 3-6. But Rubin continued working as the year went on which produced some of the best results of his young career. He captured the title at the Tallahassee Challenger, and reached the Round of 16 in Atlanta and Washington, D.C., notching a huge victory over John Isner in the latter. “I am happy with my year, but not content,” said Rubin. “I was excited to be healthy for the full year, but didn’t end it the way I wanted. I am just thrilled that there wasn’t any injury to prevent momentum and give me some push heading into 2019.”

A Message From Tournament Chairman Josh Ripple The New York Open returns to NYCB Live!, Feb. 9-17, 2019, and we plan to be bigger and better! Though it is hard to believe that it is tournament time again, GF Sports and BSE Global are ready and raring to go to bring excitement and great entertainment value to the community. Fans can count on several of the inaugural New York Open’s signature elements to return. The Black Courts are back, and its place on the worldwide ATP Tour remains exclusive as the only professional tennis championship using the unique surface color. The two-court NYCB LIVE stadium configuration will once again provide a 4,000- to 5,000seat capacity, and the one-of-a-kind Overlook (presented by La Croix) is back to offer fans the premium experience to watch multiple matches at one time. The 2018 champion, ATP’s number six-ranked Kevin Anderson, and 2018 finalist Sam Querrey 22

are back to respectively defend and seek revenge. The Tennis Channel will telecast more than 40-hours of first-to-last ball action of America’s only indoor championship. And, the New York Tennis Expo kicks the week off with an anticipated return of thousands of fans to experience the free, one-day mini festival of tennis exhibitors, symposiums, ATP player practice sessions and much more. Opening Night will once again feature a cast of legendary tennis stars with this year’s exhibition showcasing Grand Slam champions and Hall of Famers Andy Roddick and Jim Courier. We are really excited about these two popular American former number ones battling each other on the black courts. To give more people a greater opportunity to attend without the worry about work or school the next day, we are scheduling the session on Saturday night, Feb. 9 at 7:30 p.m. And what’s new? Many of you commented on the need for Box Seats, so we’re going to deliver an up-

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2019 • NYTennisMag.com

close-and personal experience with a VIP hospitality benefit at an extremely reasonable price. In November, we debuted the New York Open Collegiate Wild Card Tournament, providing college players throughout the USTA Eastern Section a shot to earn an actual spot in our singles main draw. Congrats to Jack Lin from Columbia University for making it to “The Show.” But, our most exciting add for our fans in ‘19 may be the creation of the Taste of New York Open Player Party, starring our Celebrity Chef, David Burke, and co-hosted by his “Executive Tennis Chefs,” Andy Roddick and Jim Courier. The two-hour culinary extravaganza will also serve as the New York Open’s Official Player Party. A tournament’s player party is typically a private event, but we are going to open it up, making the fun foodie experience a major opportunity for 250 guests. For those not familiar with Chef Burke, he recently took up restaurant residence at the Garden City Hotel with his famed Red Salt Room and King Bar. On the court, the New York Open will once again showcase several of the ATP’s

RK OPEN PREVIEW top stars. In addition to Anderson, Isner and Querrey, the players that have committed to date include Mike and Bob Bryan, reuniting after almost eight months of separation due to Bob’s hip injury. Mike starts 2019 as the number one ATP-ranked doubles player and Bob is number six, despite being sidelined for the last 10 months. The number two ATP-ranked doubles star Jack Sock will make his debut on the black courts in both singles and doubles, and the same with the 2018 ATP’s Newcomer of the Year Alex de Minaur. Alex will provide New York fans a special treat by pairing with his coach, former world number one Lleyton Hewitt. Coming off his best year as an ATP pro, Long Island’s own Noah Rubin returns

2 0 1 9 N E W YO R K O P E N P R E V I E W along with American stars Steve Johnson and Ryan Harrison. There are sure to be more player surprises and announcements leading up to the tournament so stay tuned. A major new element of the New York Open will be the presentation of immersive, ancillary content and the build out of NYCB LIVE’s Exhibition Hall. If you want to take a break from the tennis action, our New York Open Experience will feature everything from mini-tennis and beach tennis, the official merchandise store, the player-stringing center, sponsors activations, Chef Burke food inspirations, music and more. And finally, the New York Open will present a special pop-up Ninja-course experience, featuring several of the world’s elite

ninjas as the Wolfpack Ninja Tour comes to town. Kids and adults will have the chance to see incredible demonstrations, participate in immersive classes and clinics and help raise money for Nassau County Police and the Fire Fighter Museum during a Tuesday night ninja competition. If you have never seen Wolfpack Ninja, then take the time to do so. Thanks in advance for joining us at the 2019 New York Open. At GF Sports, our mission is to produce first-class, world-class professional tennis tournaments here in the United States and by doing so provide upand-coming American stars the opportunity to perform and shine. Come join us Feb. 917 at NYCB LIVE! and be a big part of supporting the sport we love.

Q&A With New York Open Assistant Tournament Director Peter Lebedevs Long Island Tennis Magazine had a chance to sit down with Peter Lebedevs, Assistant Tournament Director of the 2019 New York Open. We discussed a variety of topics, from what’s new in 2019, to the local grassroots tennis community. LITM: What sort of new features and additions can fans come to expect in Year Two of the New York Open? Peter Lebedevs: This year, we have incorporated some exciting features. The first one everyone will see is the creation of VIP Box seats. These include four seats in a private courtside box to every session with food and beverage included! New for this year will be The Taste of New York Open Player Party, featuring Chef David Burke with Andy Roddick and Jim Courier as guest chefs on Saturday, Feb. 9th prior to their Opening Night match. We will have a Wolf Pack Ninja obstacle rig in the Exhibition Hall for everyone to experience the fun of challenging themselves to the course. There will be a Police vs. Fireman event Tuesday, Feb. 12 on the Ninja rig … re-

ally looking forward to that competition. We will also have College Night that evening with the Winner of the College Wild Card Invitational, Jack Lin from Columbia, playing his first match. College students who show their ID can get their ticket for $10! What can someone expect if they purchase a ticket and come out to the 2019 NY Open? A first-class experience that is more than tennis that will make them want to come back again. Being able to be up this close and personal, watching some of the best tennis players in world compete in the stadium is amazing. The chance to walk past a top 10 player as they walk through the venue. When the fans aren’t watching tennis, they can take part in some exciting offthe-court activities like the Ninja course and Beach Tennis. When they are hungry, they can experience some Chef David Burke-inspired menu items … there is something for everyone. What feedback did you receive from the tournament’s first year and how have you used that to build on the event? As a first-year event, we received some welcomed feedback from the passionate

tennis fans. We listened and have made some enhancements. The need for box seats was what we heard a lot, so we have created that experience. Our Daily Session times will begin earlier, so more schools and groups could come see world-class tennis action. Our ticket pricing was adjusted to create a very affordable price point for fans to come to the event and we will have more food options for everyone to choose from as well. How have you been reaching out and immersing yourselves into the Long Island/New York community? The first week after last year’s event, we started going out to tennis clubs and facilities to engage them for 2019. This summer, we were at all the clubs in the area providing New York Open prizes and the new Skills Challenge programming. We have been at a lot of events such as Kids Day in the Hamptons, the NYBT summer series, and this holiday season, had a giant tennis ball can filled with Dunlop tennis balls in Roosevelt Field Mall. We also attended local Chamber of Commerce meetings and the LIA holiday event. Our goal is to make sure that everyone on Long Island and the New York community knows about the New York Open!

NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2019 • New York Tennis Magazine

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2019 New York Open Tournament Schedule Date

Event

Time

Details and Players

Saturday, February 9

New York Tennis Expo

10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Watch the pros hit on the Black Courts, the 2019 draw ceremony and so much more!

Saturday, February 9

Taste of New York Open and Player Party

6:00 p.m.

Join the VIP Player Party, featuring celebrity Chef David Burke, alongside Andy Roddick, Jim Courier and other ATP players!

Saturday, February 9

Andy Roddick vs. Jim Courier: Opening Night Match

7:30 p.m.

Watch two of the most accomplished stars in American tennis history battle it out!

Sunday, February 10

Qualifying

11:00 a.m.

Qualifying matches

Monday, February 11

Qualifying, Round 1

11:00 a.m.

Qualifying, Round 1 Day Session

Monday, February 11

Round 1

7:30 p.m.

First Round Evening Session

Tuesday, February 12

Round 1

11:00 a.m.

First Round Day Session

Tuesday, February 12

Round 1

7:30 p.m.

First Round Evening Session

Wednesday, February 13

Round 2

11:00 a.m.

Second Round Day Session

Wednesday, February 13

Round 2

7:30 p.m.

Second Round Evening Session

Thursday, February 14

Round 2

11:00 a.m.

Second Round Day Session

Thursday, February 14

Round 2

7:30 p.m.

Second Round Evening Session

Friday, February 15

Quarterfinals

Noon

Quarterfinals Day Session

Friday, February 15

Quarterfinals

7:30 p.m.

Quarterfinals Night Session

Saturday, February 16

Semifinals

2:00 p.m.

Semifinals Day Session

Saturday, February 16

Semifinals

7:00 p.m.

Semifinals Night Session

Sunday, February 17

Finals

2:00 p.m.

Singles and Doubles Final

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2019 • NYTennisMag.com

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Saturday, February 9, 2019 10:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. at NYCB LIVE, Home of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum

litennis Long Island Tennis Magazine

nytennis

MAGAZINE

New York Tennis Magazine

MAGAZINE

INTERACTIVE SEMINARS

Headlined by ATP Star Ryan Harrison I Take part in the New York Open Draw Ceremony which will take place during the Expo I Meet and get autographs from ATP Stars

I Playing opportunities on stadium court used by the Pros I Watch the ATP Stars Practice I Chances to Win Tickets to the New York Open

ACTIVITIES INCLUDE: I Indoor Activity Zone Featuring N Speed Serve Booth N 10 & Under Tennis N Clinics with Local N Hit For Prizes College Players

I Kid Zone Featuring N Face Painting N Carnival Games N Bouncy House N Prizes and More ... N Mascots

I Ninja Warrior Obstacle Course

I Beach Tennis Court

For FREE parking, register at 2019NYTennisExpo.eventbrite.com

For more information, contact: 516-409-4444 info@USPTennis.com NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2019 • New York Tennis Magazine 25

USTA Metro Region Former Boxing Champion Judah Stops by Highland Park

The kids who are part of the Highland Park Tennis Association (HPTA) got a special treat as former world champion boxer Zab Judah stopped by the HPTA courts. Judah, a Brooklyn native who won the

Welterweight Title in 2005, spoke to the young players about having a champion’s mentality and what it takes to win. The organization says it hopes to have him back for another visit!

Kings County Tennis Hosts First Play Day at New Site

As 2018 turns into 2019, the Kings County Tennis League is excited to continue spreading its program across Brooklyn. The organization has already started prepping its new indoor sites for its Winter 2019 program, including the Ingersoll Houses on Navy 26

Walk in Brooklyn, the Pratt Institute and McCarren Tennis Center. It hosted some early Play Days ahead of the New Year and brought in over 60 kids who played on court in a preview of what is to come in 2019.

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2019 • NYTennisMag.com

USTA Metro Region Sets in the City Returns

Sets in the City will return in 2019 as NYC’s young social tennis club continues to grow. The events are a great way to play tennis, network and have a good time! If you are under 35 and looking for a fun new way to play tennis, come out and try Sets in the City! All tennis levels are welcome, from beginner to advanced. The first event will be held in January at Roosevelt Island Racquet Club, and stay tuned for an-

nouncements on future events as the year progresses. A typical Sets in the City event features: l 7:30 p.m. start with wine, beer and snacks (available all night, must be 21 to participate) l 8 p.m.-11:00 p.m. Round Robin Tennis by level … guaranteed 90 minutes of play l Two roaming tennis pros to play in or drill

You can find out more information by e-mailing Sets.In.The.City.NY@MetroTennis.com.

Flex Leagues Available Throughout NYC Are you looking for a league that works around your schedule? USTA’s Flex League has you covered. Designed to fit in your schedule— USTA’s Flex League allows you to play when it’s convenient for you. l Matches are arranged directly with your opponent at a mutually agreed upon day, time and location. l Each session is approximately two months long. Players can anticipate six to 10 matches during each session. l Once registration closes, you can access a list of opponents and suggested play-by dates.

l Match scores are recorded online. l USTA membership is not required and Flex League matches do not affect, nor generate, a USTA rating Ready to try the Flex League? l Go to https://goo.gl/owQBE6 to search for and register for Flex Leagues. l Choose your division: Adult Men’s Singles or Adult Women’s Singles. l Select “New York” and then the area you wish to play in. l Registration is $35 ($25 for USTA members). Registration is currently open for NYC (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens & Staten Island), Long Island (Nassau and Suffolk), and Westchester for the Fall League.

For more information about USTA’s Flex Leagues, e-mail FlexLeague@live.com. NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2019 • New York Tennis Magazine

USTA Metro Region Lincoln Terrace Association Honors 2018’s Best

It was a great year for tennis throughout New York City, as many local players and community organizations continued to thrive and provide great programming and events for its members. One of those groups was the Lincoln Terrace Tennis Association, which honored its best-of-the-best in 2018 with an end-of-the-year tro28

phy presentation and party. The event celebrated all those who made Lincoln Terrace a successful tennis organization throughout the year, including tournament winners and a volunteer appreciation as everyone enjoyed good food, music and dancing. The group is excited to see what is in store for 2019!

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2019 • NYTennisMag.com

Horace Mann Beats Beacon to Win 2018 Mayor’s Cup

The 2018 New York Junior Tennis & Learning (NYJTL) Mayor’s Cup concluded this winter with the Girls Varsity Team Championships held at the Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning. The six best teams from New York City gathered in the Bronx to compete for Mayor’s Cup glory. In the finals, Horace Mann

squared off against Beacon, and in the end, the Lions of Horace Mann defeated Beacon to win the championship. Bronx Science, Riverdale, Mary Louis Academy and Notre Dame Prep were the four other teams who competed in the draw and qualified for the quarterfinals.

NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2019 • New York Tennis Magazine

Getting Better in the Offseason By Luke Jensen Aussie Aussie Aussie, Oy, Oy, Oy!!! The New Year means new opportunities for the pro tennis player, as thousands of men and women are climbing the same mountain to be the very best tennis player in the world. That steep climb begins with a mind and body reset around November the year before. At some point, a player’s calendar ends. Some players are successful enough to take their year-long performance to the tour championships and even the Davis Cup or Fed Cup Finals. Even those few high performers have the same decision to make going into the very short pro tennis offseason: How to set up the mission and regiment for critical offseason training that can springboard a player into the New Year. That means prepping for the first major of the year, the Aussie Open. The very first thing you need to know that the Southern Hemisphere is in the middle of their summer. The extraordinary hot conditions means train-

ing is more physical than mental. The crosstraining between the on- and off-court made the difference in the transition from the cold months in the USA, to playing in the scorching heat of the Aussie summer tennis season. The offseason gave me time to work on areas of my game that let me down over the previous season. That means specific technique, strategy and repetitive training in the morning, followed by three sets of all kinds of match play in the afternoon. Through the years, I would tweak it to find more performance going into the Aussie Open warm-up events, but the basic outline worked for my brother and sisters looking to start the year out on a winning note! The Aussie Open is just as exciting for the tennis fan. Back in the 1990’s, ESPN tennis analyst legend Cliff Drysdale named the Aussie the “Happy Slam” and the name stuck! If you ever have the chance to be part of this great event, you will know right away why there is such a wonderful happy vibe. The Aussie culture is built around family, sport and everything outdoors. Tennis is also a huge part of the

Upcoming USPTA Events in 2019: l USTA Eastern 2019 Eastern Tennis Conference on January 25-26 in White Plains, NY (General Membership meeting on Jan. 26) l USPTA Eastern High School Workshop on February 9 from 2:30 PM - 6:00 PM at Carefree Racquet Club l USPTA Eastern Tennis Night at the NY Open on February 14 at Nassau Coliseum (Group rate tickets available) l USPTA Eastern Annual Conference on May 3-5 at Doral Arrowwood Conference Center in White Plains, NY

Please contact Paul Fontana at 914-656-0614 or paul.fontana@uspta.org 30

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2019 • NYTennisMag.com

Aussie way of life. Legends like Laver, Court, Emerson and so many others over the years have shaped the tennis landscape where the majority of ALL Aussies play tennis. The Aussie is also one of the most modern slams. The Aussie was the first to add retractable roof stadiums and the event continues to grow. It is now the Grand Slam of the Asia-Pacific. This mindset of including other regions close to them has been a gamechanger to promote tennis throughout that part of the world. If you are looking for a tournament that puts the fan first … the Aussie is perfect for you! Just within walking distance from all the major hotels in downtown Melbourne and the food is aces! I walked to and from the tournament site every day as a player. The best players in the world looking to win the first major in the calendar year. The year 2019 will also be a very special year for the Aussie Open. Rod Laver won his second calendar year Grand Slam 50 years ago in 1969. The first leg of that accomplishment began a true Aussie Open all those years ago. I know the Aussies are going to celebrate this accomplishment in a big way. Enjoy the 2019 Aussie Open, and even if you won’t be there, there is more than 100 hours of TV coverage to keep you locked into the first major of the year! Until next month … see you on the tennis courts! Raised in Ludington, Mich., Luke Jensen’s resume includes 10 ATP Tour doubles titles. He was also a member of the U.S. Davis Cup Teams that reached the finals in 1991 and won in 1992. His ambidextrous play, including his ability to serve the ball with either hand at 130 mph, earned him the nickname “Dual Hand Luke.” Luke is currently Director of Racket Sports at West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, N.Y. He may be reached by phone at (315) 4030752 or e-mail LukeJensen84@yahoo.com.

Midtown Tennis Parties: A Friday Tradition By Brian Coleman

eciding what to do on a Friday night is always a difficult dilemma, especially if you are someone who is just looking to play some tennis while enjoying good company. If you are ever searching for a fun tennis activity to take part in on Friday nights, look no further than the weekly Round Robin Parties held at Midtown Tennis Club. The Parties are held each Friday night and are open to any players with a 3.5 Rating or higher. “It’s a great way for people who don’t have anyone to play with to get into the action,” said Jen Brown, General Manager of Midtown Tennis Club. The Parties are run by Steve Grill, who has been organizing and running the events for more than 40 years now. The night consists of round-robin play, with more of an emphasis on fun than competition, with drinks and snacks served all evening long. “They really have become one of the fixtures of the Club,” said Grill. “We have been doing them for over 40 years now. At one point, we tried holding them on Saturday’s, but Friday evenings really became the set day for the event. We have people who have been coming for a long time, very loyal people. There is a strong nucleus of people, I’d say around 50-60 percent of the attendees of the Party, who always come back.”

The arrangement of the Party is great for any type of player who wants to play some tennis on a Friday night, while also being able to socialize and hang out. In fact, there is even one couple who met for the first time at one of these Parties, and who now have a child who participates in programs at Midtown. “The whole idea started over 40 years ago as a way to try and utilize the times when the courts go unused, like on Friday evenings,” said Grill. “The idea of a Party seemed to be the best way. It’s a very good arrangement, because instead of having to look for a match or book a court time, you just make your reservation, walk in and you get to play for three hours.” And the parties have quickly become one of the biggest hits in the Midtown programming schedule. The combination of competition with a fun atmosphere has kept people coming back week-after-week and year-after-year. “One of the things I like best about the parties is the low-key, relaxed atmosphere. There’s just not a lot of attitude or pretense here,” said Mark Manley, who attends many of the programs and events at Midtown. “I find the parties to be socially relaxed, yet still competitive without being cutthroat. I also appreciate that Steve does a good job of making up the pairings and groupings throughout the evening so you are generally playing with

others at a similar level. If you feel you are being slotted a little below or above your rating, Steve is open to feedback and making adjustments to ensure the matches are competitively balanced.” The most important thing is to ensure that people can enjoy themselves on a Friday night while preserving that competitive flame and avoiding any anger or frustration that comes along with typical matches. The parties don’t include any drills or teaching, just grab your racket and be ready to engage in some roundrobin doubles. “The other programs I’ve attended at Midtown have been teaching or an instructional program, like their Stroke of the Week program, which as the name implies, focuses each session on an individual stroke. There is also their Tennis Camp program which combines hitting drills with doubles match play. But there are no drills or teaching going on at these parties, it’s just about playing the game,” said Manley. “I think whether you are talking about the Friday Parties or one of the instructional programs, the common theme is everyone there is pretty down to earth, and just flat our enjoys playing tennis and wants to play it as well as they can.” 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.

NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2019 • New York Tennis Magazine

Beyond the Baseline:

Dr. Robert Silverman By Brian Coleman

ark Twain once said, “The two most important days of your life are the day you’re born and the day you find out why.” That quote holds true for many people. Dr. Robert Silverman is one of them. When he was younger, the Bronx-born doctor was diagnosed with a rare condition called congenital torticollis and sought various options on how to treat it. “Unfortunately, the medical model when I was growing up didn’t afford me any answers. I went to a chiropractor and I was amazed at what he could do for me,” Silverman recalls. “I really admired the eclectic approach he took to treating me. But it was the basic idea that he had an answer for my ailment; he was able to help me and did so quickly. I was 21-years-old and in business school, but it was then that I knew I wanted to be a chiropractor. I wanted to be able to change people’s lives the way he did mine.” Inspired by this experience, Silverman began to pursue a career in medicine. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Bridgeport, College of Chiropractic, and would go on to achieve many more educational accomplishments including becoming a Certified Nutrition Specialist, a Certified Clinical Nutritionist and a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. Three decades later, he has become one of the leading minds in his field. Dr. Silverman founded Westchester Inte-

Dr. Robert G. Silverman with NBA Hall of Famer, “The Admiral” David Robinson grative Health Center, where he applies all of his knowledge and expertise in helping his patients, while harnessing that same personalized treatment he once received. “I became a doctor because I wanted to help and treat patients. I individualize it … I personalize it. I collaborate with my athletes and use leading-edge techniques to assure a proper assessment and rehab leading to sports performance,” said Dr. Silverman. “I think that’s what gets lost at a lot of other places. They don’t have an appropriate baseline for these athletes, and I incorporate nutritional protocols to get them back on the court faster and improve

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2019 • NYTennisMag.com

their overall performance. I am a big believer in maximizing an athlete’s genetic potential.” And therein lies the most important aspect of his services. Dr. Silverman doesn’t use a cookie-cutter approach when treating his patients, instead, tailors his treatment to the specific athlete’s need. He is more than just a chiropractor, and how he treats his athletes is evidence of that. Doing things such as nutritional training and movement assessments to create a more dynamic approach to sports performance, sometimes pointing out things that even top athletes may not be aware of, like using the proper sports drink to rehydrate. “There are seven kinds of electrolytes, and I want to see all seven in a sports drink. I also want to see some other nutrients like glutamine, carnosine and others in an electrolyte drink,” Dr. Silverman explained. A major problem he sees in young athletes, especially in tennis players, is their inability to read their own bodies and make subsequent changes to their training regimen to reflect that. “I think the biggest problem in junior athletes is that all they do is practice,” he said. “And they don’t realize that what they do off the court is almost as equally important as what they do on the court. They don’t feed themselves appropriately, they don’t get any movement assessments, which is really key when maximizing potential.”

Dr. Silverman has spent three decades practicing medicine and has helped countless athletes not only return to competition sooner and more improved, but also with the knowledge of how to listen to his or her own body to achieve optimal levels of performance. With a renowned reputation, he not only treats patients and athletes, but also spreads his wealth of knowledge in the field with doctors and other experts in medicine. He spends a great deal of his time now taking part in speaking engagements, as well as appearing on numerous television channels like FOX and NBC. “Public speaking enables you to elucidate your ideas and discuss what you do in a much clearer manner, and that helps people become more comfortable with it,” said Dr. Silverman. “As chiropractors, many people don’t really know all of the things we do. We can get boxed in. So speaking and writing, as well as utilizing social media such as Facebook, is such an important tool for me. I also have a lot of doctors who have me tutor or counsel them. I attend forums and it’s a great way to grow the business and meet a variety of people. How

Dr. Robert G. Silverman, author of Amazon’s number one best-seller, Inside-Out Health does a patient differentiate between two doctors who seem the same? But once they see you up there and you’re doing a good job, it helps them grow more comfortable.” In addition to speaking, Dr. Silverman is an active writer who has been published in numerous publications, including New York Tennis Magazine, where he helps tennis players navigate the complicated world of sports performance. In

2016, he explained his methods in his book, Inside-Out Health: A Revolutionary Approach to Your Body, which was a twotime best seller on Amazon. In the book, Dr. Silverman illustrates his approaches to medicine. He’s also begun working on a follow-up book, which is slated to be completed in August of 2019. When most think of chiropractors, they often envision a doctor cracking a patient’s back or only temporarily relieving back pain. But as Dr. Silverman demonstrates, a chiropractor can—and does— provide help ranging from nutrition to functional movement, all of which maximize an athlete’s ability. As he works on his next book, takes part in symposiums and continues to grow his practice, Dr. Silverman is looking forward to what’s in store in 2019. Why does he remain so busy? As Dr. Silverman puts it: “I love what I do.” Brian Coleman is Senior Editor for New York Tennis Magazine. He may be reached by phone at (516) 409-4444, ext. 326 or email BrianC@USPTennis.com.

NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2019 • New York Tennis Magazine

Coaches, Players Come Out for Annual USTA Eastern College Showcase

or the 32nd year in a row, high school tennis players and college coaches came together for the USTA Eastern College Showcase Day which was held at the Saw Mill Club in Mount Kisco, N.Y. The event has become a fall staple for the USTA Eastern Section, and a key event for bridging the gap between high school players and college tennis programs, and this year’s event featured one of its best attendances yet. “Our goal every year is to continue to add even more value to the College Showcase Day—we want to make it as informative an experience as possible for the players and college coaches who attend,” said Julie Bliss Beal, Senior Director of Competition for USTA Eastern. “Helping

educate players and parents through the tennis pathway is so important to us, and we also want to continue to support the development of tennis on college campuses. This year it was really incredible to see so many high school athletes come out—it was probably our best attendance in years.” Sophomore, junior and senior tennis players were able to get out on court and compete in match-play as college coaches from Division I, II and III programs looked on and evaluated. But the event is much more than a chance for players to demonstrate their tennis skills to prospective college coaches. Players and parents are able to hear directly from coaches and experts in the field of college recruiting to help sim-

plify the complicated process they face, as well as an intriguing seminar on how to be the best athlete you can be. “A doctor from our participating sponsor, Mt. Sinai, gave a great presentation to all attendees on how to best fuel your body as an athlete. That’s not necessarily the kind of information readily accessible to these players at this stage in their young careers,” Bliss-Beal added. “Additionally, Scott Treibly and College Selection Consultant Mark Blaweiss, along with the Division I, II and III college coaches attending, provided a ton of pertinent recruitment information for the students and parents. Overall it was yet another success and we are all looking forward to celebrating our 33-year-old event in 2019!”

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NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2019 • New York Tennis Magazine

l Exhibitor Hall: Featuring top programs, camps, products, apparel, sports medicine, travel destinations and much more l Tennis Court: Use of the main court the pros will use during the New York Open l Kids’ Zone: Featuring a bouncy house, face painting, music, games and more l Speaker Sessions: Learn from a panel of ATP stars and top coaches l Chance to Meet the Stars of the ATP Tour: Autograph signing and photo opportunities with the sport’s top stars l Fashion Show: Featuring the latest and trendiest tennis apparel l Activity Zone: Featuring 10U tennis courts, beach tennis courts, a speed serve booth, product demos and more

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2019 • NYTennisMag.com

NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2019 • New York Tennis Magazine

New York City Girl’s High Beacon Downs Bronx Science for NYC Championship

The girls from Beacon were crowned 2018 PSAL Champions

ew teams in New York City High School Tennis are more acquainted than Beacon and Bronx Science. The two programs are frequent visitors to the PSAL Championship match, in both boys and girls, and that was no different this past year as they squared off in the girl’s final at the Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning in the Bronx. Entering the championship with an undefeated season, Beacon made sure not to slip up in the finals, as it swept all five courts for a 5-0 victory to claim the PSAL Championship. “Bronx Science is a great team with a wonderful coach, and it’s pretty easy for our kids to get psyched up to play them,” said Beacon Head Coach Bayard Faithfull. “It’s the kind of thing that if we play well, we’ll have success, but if we have any sort of letdown, they would take it. The kids were really up for the final and it was a fun match to watch.” In the finals, senior captain Kyra Bergmann anchored the lineup with a 6-4, 7-5 victory over Christina Huynh in the first singles spot, while her little sister,

Lorraine, notched a 6-1, 6-1 victory against Brett Zakheim at second singles. Rounding out the singles scoring was Sofie Shen who notched a 6-0, 6-1 triumph against Bronx Science’s Cassie Tian. Andrea Osses-Konig, also a senior captain, paired up with Liza Bonomi to win 7-6, 4-6, 7-6 against Anna Malkov and Sophie Zinberg at second doubles, while Niki Truszkowski & Natalie Bergmann defeated Brooke Schnitzlein & Rachel Musheyev 6-4, 6-2 in the first doubles flight. “I was very impressed with the improvement of our doubles play throughout the season,” said Faithfull. “We had some different combinations throughout the year and their improvement was a huge development for us.” Faithfull, who has led the Beacon boys to a multitude of city titles over the last decade, was coaching the girl’s team for the first time this past season. While presiding over a new team can present some challenges, the girls made it a smooth transition. “I think coaching any new team is

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2019 • NYTennisMag.com

Kyra Bergmann won at first singles to help lead Beacon to the PSAL title tough,” Faithfull said. “You have to learn the strengths and weaknesses of the players’ physical and mental games, and then also learning some of the personalities, who works well together, and who doesn’t. It was a really tight-knit group of girls who worked well together. It was my first time coaching the girl’s team, and there was just a level of affection and camaraderie that doesn’t always exist with the boys. We had some really strong senior leadership in Kyra and Andrea, and they were like assistant coaches and were incredible in bringing the team along.” It is that leadership and culture of winning which is at the epicenter of Beacon’s sustained success, and what will allow it to continue to have that success moving forward. While players like Bregmann and Osses-Konig will be graduating, there is a group of players such as Truszkowski and Sofia Iantosca, who played first singles for most of the season, ready to take the mantle as leaders. “She is a super competitor and brings a level of intensity to every match that I re-

gh School

RECAP Credit all photos to: PSAL

ally appreciate,” Faithful said of Iantosca. Beacon and one of its players made a bit of history this past season as well, when Joanna Nieh became the first wheelchair athlete to compete in a PSAL match. Nieh, a sophomore, is one of the highest ranked wheelchair players in the world in her age group, and played in five of Beacon’s matches this year. “We did a lot of celebrating of her this season,” said Faithfull. “As far as I know, she is the first wheelchair athlete to ever play in the PSAL. The fact that she has

risen to number two in the world at her age level at this point is an incredible testament to her and her work ethic. She contributed a lot to our team’s success.” It was an all-around successful season for Beacon, something it has come accustomed to. With a strong crop of returning players raised in the winning culture, Beacon will most likely be the favorite to defend its title next fall. Bronx Science finished as runners-up in the 2018 PSAL Championship

Aziz Wins PSAL Singles Title, Bronx Science Duo Takes Doubles PSAL Sports Coordinator Lance Hermus, PSAL Girls Tennis Individual runner-up Francis Lewis’ Kelly Chen, PSAL Girls Tennis Individual winner Staten Island Tech’s Miriam Aziz, and FDR’s Maria Bykovskaya (thirdplace winner) with PSAL Tennis Commissioner Janet Miles Miriam Aziz captured the PSAL Girls Singles Championship with a straight-sets win in the final taten Island Tech junior Miriam Aziz captured the PSAL Girls Tennis Individual Championship, defeating Francis Lewis’ Kelly Chen 6-3, 6-3 at the Cary Leeds Center. Aziz, who according to PSAL.org, has lost just one match in the last three years, used her strong groundstrokes to push Chen around the court, and was able to play some excellent return games to set up key break points. Prior to defeating Chen in the finals, Aziz beat Queens School of Inquiry’s Shakima

Hotaki in the quarterfinals, and then took out Maria Bykovskaya of Franklin Roosevelt in the semifinals. As the New York City Champion, Aziz would go on to represent the PSAL in the New York State Federation Tournament, where she came up short against Horace Mann’s Gibby Thomas in the finals, after downing the Catholic School champion, Kaitlyn Mendoza of Arch Bishop Molloy, in the semifinals. The Bronx Science duo of Christina Huynh & Rachel Musheyev captured the

doubles title at the PSAL Individual Championships, defeating their Bronx Science teammates Brett Zakheim & Cassie Tian in the finals. Huynh & Mucheyev would go on to compete in the Federation Championships. After defeating the Catholic School champions, Hannah Quinn & Kiki Colon of St. Anthony’s, in straight sets, the Bronx Science duo came up just short against Vanessa Ciano & Laina Campos of Ursulina High School, the Public School winners, in the championship.

NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2019 • New York Tennis Magazine

Do-Over? Hardly! By Barbara Wyatt “That ball was in!” she yells at a USTA playoff match. Her competitor, who stands four feet from where the ball landed, says, “My partner and I called it out at the same time. It is our call. The ball was out.” “The ball was in!”, the player repeats and stomps her feet. On the sidelines, her teammates are yelling “Do-over! Do-over!” The server puts her hand up and says, with a sigh, “I’ll serve again.” As a player standing on the sidelines, I was fuming. The yelling, stomping player needs to learn The Code, Rule 5, that states, “Player makes calls on own side of the net.” The word, “do-over,” is used by players who don’t understand the rules. Have you ever seen these examples in your tennis career? l Noel hits a winning angled shot into Dave’s court. Dave is unable to reach the ball. While the ball is still in play, Noel’s racket slips out of his hands and lands at his feet with a bang! Do-over? Hardly! Noel’s point. A racket dropped

on the court is not enough to claim a let: The Code, Rule 36. Kim hits a volley headed to the sweet spot on Sheri’s racket. While the ball is still in play, Kim’s racket slips out of her hands. Sheri holds up her hand and says, “Hindrance.” Do-over? Yes, but the official will use the term, “Let,” and start the point over. Sheri could have returned the ball except for the racket drop: The Code, Rule 36. Denise hits a ball that lands at Jill’s baseline. Jill thinks it may have been out. Jill was right on top of where the ball landed, but not sure if it was in or out. Do-over? Hardly! It is Denise’s point. The opponent has benefit of the doubt, according to The Code, Rule 6. Pete returns the ball over the net into Denise’s court. While the ball is still in play, Pete’s racket falls out of his hands. Denise ignores the unintentional dropping of the racket. She charges the net and slams the ball to win the point. Pete holds up his hand and says, “Hindrance.” Do-over? Hardly! Players can’t call a hindrance on themselves: The Code, Rule 36. Sheila hits a glorious cross-court return

and wins the point. Antoinette picks up the ball and recognizes the ball has gone flat. Do-over? Hardly! Sheila wins the point. The ball was soft, not broken: ITF Rule 3. Replace the soft ball as soon as it is discovered. l As Andrea is slicing a return, her cap flies off her head. Barb holds up her hand and says “Hindrance.” The ball lands at Barb’s feet with an awesome backspin. Do-over? Yes, but the official would say, “Let. Start the point again.” Barb was distracted by the flying cap, could have finessed a return, so she immediately called a let: The Code, Rule 36. The word “Do-Over” does not exist in the USTA Friend at the Court 2018, ITA Regulations 2018, 2018 ATP Officials Rulebook, or WTA 2018 Official Rulebook. Barbara Wyatt is a Writer, Photographer, USTA Official, and Mobile App Developer of iKnowTennis!, the tennis rules app. Her poem, Ode to Tennis, an amusing poem on the joys and frustrations when learning tennis, is available at Amazon. She can be reached by e-mail at BarbaraW@iKnowTennis.com.

www.inphormnyc.com

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2019 • NYTennisMag.com

charitable initiatives Sophomore Bringing Free Tennis to Passaic Kids By Brian Coleman

The most endearing quality of the local tennis community is that it is, in fact, a community. If you look around the New York-Metropolitan area you can find people throughout who are willing to donate their time and energy into growing the sport of tennis, and contribute to the greater good of the sport. One of those is teenager John Walentowicz of Montville, N.J., who, earlier this summer, created a free tennis program for kids in Passaic, N.J. “I really wanted to bring tennis to kids who had no exposure to the sport,” said the 15year-old Walentowicz. “My dad is from Passaic, and he thought it would be the right location because there are no indoor facilities and no coaches there. We both thought it would be a good idea to do it there and give back to that community.” With the desire to give back in mind and the right location found, Walentowicz set out to bring free tennis programming to outdoor courts in Passaic, at the Howard Avenue Tennis Courts in 3rd Ward Veterans Memorial Park.

One of his first steps was to contact the town’s Recreation Department to see if they would be interested in the idea, and received great feedback from Passaic’s Superintendent of Recreation Jessica Lezcano. “She was very excited and thought it was an amazing idea,” Walentowicz recalls. “She made a flyer and gave it out for kids ages eight through 12. The group of kids grew each week, and they were extremely enthusiastic and all showed improvement over the weeks.” The Passaic Recreation Department recruited the kids to the program, and John and his family provided the rackets, balls, towels, hats and even water for the program’s participants. Walentowicz, a top-ranked junior tennis player in his sophomore year at Don Bosco High School, gave these lessons twice a week throughout the summer. “I had a lot of fun,” Walentowicz said of volunteering and running the programming. “Especially seeing the smiles on the kid’s faces as they ran to the court each day. See-

ing them all happy and wanting to learn was a great feeling. It was fun for me too because they were well-behaved, didn’t give me any problems and listened and followed directions. It really worked out. Two of the parents even asked me to give private lessons to their kids when the programs were over.” With the first year of his free program in the books, Walentowicz plans to continue volunteering and giving back next summer, and wants to build off of the success of his inaugural year. “I definitely want to do it next summer as well and I’m going to try and get more kids into the program,” Walentowicz said looking ahead to next year. “This summer we had the classes go for an hour and 15 minutes, twice a week for four weeks. Next year, we may try to push it to an hour and 45-minutes per lesson, if they can handle that, and more lessons per week.” While he has thrown his hat into the coaching ring, he continues to focus on his own tennis career as well. He’s currently ranked number three in his age group in New Jersey, and hopes to eventually reach the Top 50 in the country. “I’m working really hard right now and it’s showing,” said Walentowicz. “Hopefully I can get my ranking higher, and play against better players in order to see what they do better than me, and continue to incorporate that into my game.” But coaching is certainly something in Walentowicz’s future, and he dedicated much of his summer to do so at no cost for young players, and as his program continues to grow, so will the sport of tennis in Passaic. Although it wasn’t his goal when he set out to volunteer, his energy and passion in giving back to the community is something to be applauded.

NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2019 • New York Tennis Magazine

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

A D R I A N AVA N E S O V M AT C H P O I N T N Y C

couple of years ago, Adrian Avanesov began taking his tennis very seriously, and started training at MatchPoint NYC in Brooklyn. That’s where he met MatchPoint Coach Azizbek Makhkamov and their player/coach relationship formed. “I’m really thankful for his parents. They trusted me and believed in the program here,” said Makhkamov. “I told them if you allow me to train your child for a few years, he will become a totally different player. There have been many long days of hard work, but that work always pays itself back when you do it right.” Now 12-years-old, Avanesov is beginning to see the fruits of that labor. He has become a top junior player and one of the hallmarks of the MatchPoint NYC program. He’s currently ranked 31st in New York and is inside the Top 400 in the country. “I first got into tennis because of my grandfather, who was a professional weightlifter,” said Avanesov, who cites Rafael Nadal, Dominic Thiem and Nikoloz Basilvashvili as some of the professional players he models his game after. “He introduced me to the sport, and I enjoyed it right away.” Adrian’s family would go around checking out different facilities, and eventually finding the right fit in MatchPoint NYC. Since joining MatchPoint NYC, his game 42

has progressed immensely, and much of that success stems from his dedicated work ethic. “He started with me when he was around 10-years-old,” said Makhkamov. “He’s basically only been playing competitively for

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2019 • NYTennisMag.com

two years. He’s not home-schooled like many other top juniors, but still plays serious tennis every day. We train for two hours almost every day, and he’s achieved some pretty amazing results already.” Strength and power are at the core of

Adrian’s playing style. A big, tall right-hander, he hits the ball with a lot of pace from either side of the court, both forehand and backhand, and attacks with a relentless motor. Despite his young age, Avanesov plays up in competition because the power with which he strikes the ball. That pace can overwhelm a lot of players his age, who can be pushers and lobbers, thus Avanesov takes on the challenge of playing older players. “He’s a striker and is still working on defending, but he attacks every single ball,” Makhkamov said. “He’s got power from both sides, the forehand and the backhand. He’s got that powerful men’s game, and I think in a couple of years, he will have a more well-rounded game.” Integral in creating that balanced attack is having the right team around you when training. While Makhkamov is Avanesov’s primary coach, MatchPoint also has sports psychologists and physical therapists on hand to give its junior players a full training regimen. It can be difficult to find the proper regimen for a

particular player, and the same goes for Avanesov. Still just 12 years of age, Avanesov is already 5’8’’ and still growing, so finding the proper way to put on muscle while he is going through a growth spurt can be challenging. The focus most recently has been on his balance and core stability. “I do a lot of fitness, and it helps a lot,” said Avanesov. “I realize that I’ve been getting faster and have been able to get to a lot more balls. I play a very aggressive style and against older players, and the goal is if they hit 30 shots during a rally, I need to hit 31.” And while conditioning, fitness and technique are all necessary pillars for any tennis player’s game, Avanesov has learned that winning matches sometimes requires more than just physical tools. “What helps me during tournaments when I have to play multiple matches in a row is really mental stability and consistency,” Avanesov said. “Having mental strength was more important than anything else.” He recently won the L1A Cross String

Tennis Academy Fall Championships, and had to come back from a set down in the semifinals to advance. “When I was playing in the semifinal, I was losing badly, but I took a break and got myself mentally-focused again,” Avanesov said. “I managed to win that match, and then to go on to win in the finals.” Avanesov has come a long way in just his two years of tennis training, which only bodes well for the next couple years of his development. As a tall player with loads of talent, he has immense potential to become one of the top players in the country. In the short term, he says he wants to get into the Top 50 in the country in the Boys 14s Division over the next few months, and will continue to work towards his goals. “Sometimes when players have everything, it can be hard to find motivation. But that’s not a problem for him … he is highly motivated,” said Makhkamov. “He doesn’t think anything should be handed to him. He just wants to win and compete, and that’s what makes Adrian who he is.”

NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2019 • New York Tennis Magazine

A Look Back at the Year T By Emilie Katz

2018 ATP World Tour Awards presented by Moët & Chandon 2018 Australian Open January 15-28, 2018 Melbourne Park Melbourne, Australia 2018 Champions Men’s Singles: Roger Federer (Switzerland) Men’s Doubles: Oliver Marach (Austria) & Mate Pavic (Croatia) Women’s Singles: Caroline Wozniacki (Denmark) Women’s Doubles: Kristina Mladenovic (France) & Timea Babos (Hungary) Mixed Doubles: Gabriela Dabrowski (Canada) & Mate Pavic (Croatia)

Wimbledon July 2-15, 2018 The All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club Wimbledon, London, England 2018 Champions Men’s Singles: Novak Djokovic (Serbia) Men’s Doubles: Mike Bryan (USA) & Jack Sock (USA) Women’s Singles: Angelique Kerber (Germany) Women’s Doubles: Barbora Krejcikova (Czech Republic) & Katerina Siniaková (Czech Republic) Mixed Doubles: Alexander Peya (Austria) & Nicole Melichar (USA)

French Open May 27-June 12, 2018 Roland Garros Paris, France 2018 Champions Men’s Singles: Rafael Nadal (Spain) Men’s Doubles: Nicolas Mahut (France) & Pierre Hughes Herbert (France) Women’s Singles: Simona Halep (Romania) Women’s Doubles: Barbara Krejcikova (Czech Republic) & Katarina Siniaková (Czech Republic) Mixed Doubles: Latisha Chan (Taiwan) & Ivan Dodig (Croatian)

U.S. Open August 27-September 9, 2018 USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center Flushing Meadows, N.Y. 2018 Champions Men’s Singles: Novak Djokovic (Serbia) Men’s Doubles: Mike Bryan (USA) & Jack Sock (USA) Women’s Singles: Naomi Osaka (Japan) Women’s Doubles: Ashley Barty (Australia) & CoCo Vandeweghe (USA) Mixed Doubles: Bethanie Mattel-Sands (USA) & Jamie Murray (Great Britain)

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2019 • NYTennisMag.com

ATP World Tour Number One & Comeback Player of the Year Novak Djokovic Novak Djokovic secured a historic return to year-end number one in the ATP Men’s Singles Rankings, becoming the first player to be ranked outside the Top 20 and climb to the top spot in the same season. Djokovic fell as low as 22nd in the world in June after undergoing right elbow surgery earlier in the year. Everything changed when he entered Wimbledon, posting a 31-2 record, including Grand Slam titles at the grasscourt major and the U.S. Open, as well as ATP World Tour Masters 1000 crowns in both Cincinnati and Shanghai. ATP World Tour Number One Doubles Team Oliver Marach & Mate Pavic The Austrian-Croatian duo of Oliver Marach & Mate Pavic clinched the yearend top spot for the first time, becoming the first players from their respective countries to achieve the feat in any of the ATP Rankings. Marach & Pavic completed a dominant campaign, beginning with a 17-match win streak and titles in Doha, Auckland and the Australian Open. Also champions in Geneva and Chengdu, they reached a total of nine finals, including runner-up finishes at Roland Garros and Monte-Carlo. Marach, 38, is the oldest member of a year-end number one

ar That Was 2018 Credit all photos to: WTA/ATP

doubles team since 38-year-old Sherwood Stewart in 1984. The 25-yearold Pavic is the youngest member of a year-end number one doubles team since Todd Woodbridge, 24, in 1995. It marks the fifth straight year in which a different team has finished as year-end number one. Most Improved Player of the Year Stefanos Tsitsipas Twenty-year-old Stefanos Tsitsipas became the top-ranked Greek in ATP Rankings history after rising to a career-high 15th this season, and he also

became the first player from Greece to win a Tour-level title. The champion at the Intrum Stockholm Open, Tsitsipas dropped just one set en route to the indoor-hard court crown. He rose from a season-opening ATP Ranking of 91st in the world to become the youngest member of the Top 20. He also finished runner-up at the ATP World Tour 500 event in Barcelona and the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event in Toronto, falling to Rafael Nadal in both finals. In Toronto, Tsitsipas became the youngest player to beat four Top 10 opponents at a single tournament since the ATP World Tour was established in 1990.

Newcomer of the Year Alex de Minaur From outside the Top 200 to open the year, Alex de Minaur soared to a careerhigh 31st in 2018. De Minaur began his campaign with a first Tour-level semifinal in Brisbane and final in Sydney. He would carry the momentum to the Challenger Circuit, where he captured his maiden title in Nottingham in June. The 19-year-old also reached his biggest final at the ATP World Tour 500 event in Washington and earned third-round finishes at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. In 2017, de Minaur won two Tour-level matches. In 2018, he secured a total of 24 victories. Making his debut at the Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan, he is one of just two teenagers in the year-end Top 100 of the ATP Rankings. continued on page 46

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a look back at the year that was 2018 continued from page 45 Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award Rafael Nadal Fellow players voted Rafael Nadal as the winner of the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award for a second time, recognizing the Spaniard for his fair play, professionalism and integrity, both on and off the court. Nadal also received this honor in 2010. This season, the 32-yearold Spaniard spent 36 weeks atop the ATP Rankings and won five titles, including a record 11th titles at Roland Garros, Monte-Carlo and Barcelona. Off the court, Nadal supported flood relief efforts in Mallorca. Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award Tommy Robredo To honor the memory of his close friend, Tommy Robredo launched his foundation and an international wheelchair tennis tournament, the Santi Silvas Open, in 2009. Robredo’s foundation organizes activities which encourage sports training for disabled people, especially wheelchair tennis. It also creates awareness of the importance of sport as beneficial to mental and physical health, and at the same time as a stimulant to personal growth and wellbeing. ATP Coach of the Year Marian Vajda Marian Vajda and longtime pupil Novak Djokovic reunited in the spring of 2018 at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters after a one-year split. The 53-year-old Slovakian guided Djokovic to a return to the number one spot atop the ATP Rankings and Grand Slam victories at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, as well as 46

ATP World Tour Masters 1000 crowns in Cincinnati and Shanghai. Vajda is a former world number 34 and won a pair of ATP World Tour titles in the late 1980s. ATPWorldTour.com Fans’ Favorite, presented by Moët & Chandon (Singles) Roger Federer The 37-year-old Roger Federer extended his reign in this category, winning the popular vote from fans for a 16th straight year to take his record tally of ATP World Tour Awards to 37. This season, Federer became the oldest world number one in the 45-year history of the ATP Rankings and also claimed his 20th Grand Slam title at the Australian Open. Ahead of the Nitto ATP Finals, he won his 99th tour-level title at his hometown tournament in Basel. ATPWorldTour.com Fans’ Favorite, presented by Moët & Chandon (Doubles) Mike Bryan & Jack Sock The Americans claimed the fan-voted award in their first year as a duo. Mike Bryan previously won this Award with his brother Bob Bryan from 2005-17. With Bob sidelined with an injury since Madrid, Mike Bryan and Sock teamed up during the grass-court season and won the Wimbledon title in only their second tournament together. They followed with a second Grand Slam title at the US Open.

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2019 • NYTennisMag.com

Ron Bookman Media Excellence Award Sue Barker As accomplished in a television studio as she once was on a tennis court, Sue Barker, a former Roland Garros champion and world number three, anchors BBC’s tennis coverage. Each summer at the All-England Club, Barker performs what has become a Wimbledon tradition: an on-court interview with the new men’s and women’s singles champions. Barker started her television career with Channel 7 in Australia, before working for SKY and then becoming one of the most celebrated presenters at the BBC. ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Tournament of the Year BNP Paribas Open (Indian Wells) The BNP Paribas Open wins in the Masters 1000 category for a fifth straight year. Ahead of the 2018 tournament, the BNP Paribas Open unveiled a brand-new “Full Bloom” marketing campaign that highlighted the world-class venue and players set amidst the stunning natural beauty and backdrop of the desert landscape. In parallel, the Indian Wells Tennis Garden underwent a beautification project to further amplify the feeling of Tennis Paradise. Inside Stadium 1, video walls were replaced and upgraded to complement the action on court. Earlier this year, BNP Paribas extended its title sponsorship of the tournament through 2023. ATP World Tour 500 Tournament of the Year Fever-Tree Championships (Queen’s Club)

The Fever-Tree Championships reclaims the distinction as Tournament of the Year after previously winning in the ATP World Tour 500

category in 2015-2016, and the 250 category in 2013-2014. The grass-court event has been staged for more than a century at The Queen’s Club in London, and has increased its center court capacity by more than 30 percent over the last two years. In 2018, the tournament welcomed Fever-Tree, the premium mixer drinks company, as its title-sponsor. ATP World Tour 250 Tournament of the Year

Intrum Stockholm Open (Stockholm) The Intrum Stockholm Open wins the Tournament of the Year Award in the 250 category for the second time. It previously shared the honor with the Winston-Salem Open in 2016. The indoor hard-court tournament marked its 50th anniversary this year. With the help of new tournament promoter Game Set Events, it celebrated unique moments of the tournament, including interviews on court with Bjorn Borg, Mats Wilander and Stefan Edberg.

2018 WTA Year End Winners WTA Player of the Year 2018 Simona Halep Simona Halep claimed her first Grand Slam title at the French Open in 2018. She has spent 40 weeks as the WTA world number one this year, earning the WTA Year-End Number One Singles Ranking. She reached a Tourleading six WTA singles finals, including titles at the Shenzhen Open and Rogers Cup in Montreal. Halep also reach the finals at the Australian Open, Internazionali BNL d’Italia (Rome) and Western & Southern Open (Cincinnati).

WTA Doubles Team of the Year 2018 Barbora Krejcikova & Katerina Siniakova The duo of Barbora Krejcikova & Katerina Siniakova won back-toback Grand Slam titles at The French Open and Wimbledon, becoming the first team to do so in 15 years. The duo also advanced to the finals of the Miami Open and Shenzhen Open in 2018.

Most Improved Player of the Year 2018 Kiki Bertens This award is given to the player who finished inside the Top 100 and showed significant improvement throughout the 2018 season. Kiki Bertens clinched the biggest title of her career at the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati, where she defeated the WTA World number one Simona Halep in the final. She picked up two additional titles at the Volvo Car Open in Charleston and the Korea Open in Seoul. She broke into the WTA Top 10 in October, becoming the first Dutch woman to do so in 22 years.

Newcomer of the Year 2018 Aryna Sabalenka This award is given to the player who made Top 100 debut or notable accomplishments during the 2018 season, and prior to current year, had not played in more than six main draw events at Tour-level in a single season. Aryna Sabalenka won her first WTA singles title at the Connecticut Open in New Haven before taking the WTA Premier 5 title at the Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open. She cracked the WTA Top 20 and reached a career-high singles ranking of 11th in October. She went on to make her best Grand Slam run by reaching the Round of 16 at the U.S. Open. Sabalenka owns eight wins over Top 10 players this season, the second most on the WTA Tour. Comeback Player of the Year 2018 Serena Williams This honor is given to the player whose ranking previously dropped due to injury or personal reasons and current season’s results helped restore continued on page 48

NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2019 • New York Tennis Magazine

a look back at the year that was 2018 continued from page 47 their ranking. Serena Williams gave birth to her daughter Alexis Olympia Ohanian in September 2017, returning to the WTA Tour in March 2018 at the BNP Paribas Open (Indian Wells). She reached back to back Grand Slam finals at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. She also made the Round of 16 at the French Open. Serena’s ranking dropped to 491st in the world in March, but she managed to climb all the way back into the WTA Top 20 after the U.S. Open, rising to sixth in the world. WTA Jerry Diamond ACES Award 2018 Elina Svitolina The WTA Jerry Diamond ACES Award 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-court promotional and charitable activities. The ACES Award was first introduced in 1995, in memory of former WTA CEO Jerry Diamond. Elina Svitolina has earned the ACES Award for the first time in her career in 2018. The Ukrainian participated in numerous kid’s clinics, charitable activities and fan friendly events throughout the globe to

help bring the game closer to the community.

2018 ATP retirements Florian Mayer Florian Mayer reached his career-high singles ranking of world number 18 in June of 2011. Also in 2011, Mayer won his first ATP title after four previous defeats in ATP finals. At the 2004 Wimbledon Championships, Mayer reached the quarterfinals, which is his best Grand Slam result to date. He received the ATP Newcomer of the Year award in 2004. Eight years later, Mayer made his second Grand Slam quarterfinal, once again at Wimbledon. The biggest win of his career came at the 2011 Shanghai Rolex Masters, when he upset 11-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal in the Round of 16. Mayer was known for his unorthodox style of play. He had a long backswing on his forehand and backhand and used a lot of different slices and spins on his backhand side. He was also known for his jumping backhand dropshots ,which often frustrated his opponents. Mayer retired from professional tennis after the 2018 U.S. Open.

Max Mirnyi Max Mirnyi climbed to the top of the ATP Doubles Rankings for the first time in June of 2003 and would spend 57 weeks atop the doubles rankings, good enough for 15th all-time. The Belarusian won 52 Tour-level doubles titles (5246), and he recently finished his 20th consecutive doubles campaign inside the Top 100. As a singles player, he ascended as high as 18th in the ATP Rankings, and won 244 Tour-level matches, including 16 victories against Top 10 opponents. The 41-year-old Belarusian was world number one in doubles and won Olympic Gold in 2012 in mixed doubles with Victoria Azarenka. He is a 10-time Grand Slam doubles and mixed champion and the two-time winner of the ATP Doubles Final (2006, 2011). He won 53 ATP titles (including one in singles).

2018 WTA retirements Francesca Schiavone Francesca Schiavone started her professional career in 1998. She won the 2010 French Open singles title, becoming the first Italian woman to win a Grand Slam event in singles. She was also runner-up at the 2011 French Open. Her career-high ranking of fourth in the world was achieved in January of 2011. To date, Schiavone is the last one-handedbackhand player to win a Grand Slam title on the WTA Tour. Roberta Vinci At the age of 35, Roberta Vinci played her last professional match in front of a home crowd at the Italian Open. This ended a 19-year career that included one of the biggest upsets in the history of professional tennis, stunning Serena Williams in the semifinals of the 2015 U.S. Open, stopping Williams just two matches short in her bid of a calendar Grand Slam. She went on to lose in the finals to fellow countrywoman Flavia Pennetta. But Vinci was at her best in doubles. She spent 110 weeks ranked number one, and won five Grand Slam titles, all with Sarah Errani.

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2019 • NYTennisMag.com

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at the net wit h

jonathan raude, new york tennis at great neck by bri an co l em an

n today’s day and age, running a business in almost any industry requires more than just a brick and mortar operation. And the tennis industry is no different. Being able to not only provide quality programming, but creating a recognizable brand to showcase to potential customers, is essential to success, and embracing the Internet and social media as a way to promote is integral. That is just one of the many reasons why New York Tennis at Great Neck brought Jonathan Raude into the fold last summer. Raude is the club’s Managing Director and Head of 10U Tennis and High Performance, and has brought his tennis and business acumen into the fold. Raude goes way back with the directors and coaches at the club, knowing many of them through his own playing experiences, beginning as a player at Bay Terrace Tennis in Queens, where Howie Arons was the Director. Arons, a fixture in the Long Island and New York tennis communities, would eventually go on to run the New York Tennis Academy at Great Neck Estates where he took on many of his coaches from Bay Terrace. “I’ve known them since I was nine and started training for the first time,” said 50

Raude. “At that time, most of them were at Bay Terrace in Queens, which is where Howie Arons was the director and had an outstanding reputation.” Raude was one of the many people Arons had a profound effect on before he passed away in 2016. “I learned a lot from Howie. And as I got older, I took a lot of the on-court lessons he taught me off the court as well,” said Raude. “I was around him for four or five days a week for more than eight years growing up. He was able to connect with people unlike anyone I’ve ever seen. He went above and beyond for each family, and helped so many players get the most out of their tennis. As you get older, you really recollect on those memories and how he put his players first, and genuinely cared for them.” Through that training, Raude would go on to become an excellent junior tennis player, and never forgot some of those values instilled in him by Arons. He played his college tennis at Boston College, and upon gradu-

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2019 • NYTennisMag.com

ating, began working as an Account Executive at IBM. “I managed a portfolio of marketing and financial transfer solutions, and covered a territory of private sector and higher education clients,” said Raude. “It was a great experience. But I always stayed involved with tennis after college. Whether it was playing, volunteering or coaching on weekends and holidays. I even did some coaching on the weekends while working at IBM.” Unable to shake the tennis bug, Raude left IBM towards the latter part of 2017 to start his own company, and launched MatchPoint Entertainment, which combined tennis experiences with live music events. He was integral in both getting the company off the ground, and establishing the brand and business plan to make it work. “We had events that took up a lot of time in the summer, so I had to build the business and really focus on that,” Raude said. While busy with running his own company, Raude also volunteered on the Board of the USTA Metro Region, where he further cemented his spot on the New York tennis scene. Through USTA Metro, Raude was part of the group that helped launch New York City Aces, which began as a way for young professionals to meet new people

and play tennis, but soon shifted to a nonprofit organization that gave back to the community. “We were trying to bring young adults in New York City together to play tennis, but we started to see we had a lot of people coming to the events, and we saw an opportunity to make this something bigger than just some people playing tennis,” said Raude. “We decided to make it a non-profit to help underserved youth in Queens and New York City. We wanted to offer high quality tennis programming at little to no cost to families who didn’t have the means to afford it. And throughout 2018, we provided tennis to more than 300 kids in Queens.” Despite being pulled in many different directions, Raude could not pass up the opportunity to bring his life in tennis full circle by joining Managing Partners Brian Stein and Chris Tasso and running the program created by a mentor of his. “How I spend my time here is really multifaceted,” said Raude. “There is a lot to do on the business end, like marketing, sales and business development. But I also want to be on the court as much as possible, and seeing the programs and coaching going on, from 10 and Under through high performance. I think it’s important to have a good feel of everything that’s going on.” One of the first things he had to do when

he started was to get to know the players in the program and their families, as well as his colleagues. Next, and maybe most important, was establishing a structure and pathway for its programming, and bringing more exposure to the club. Raude knew he had plenty of good players and outstanding coaches in order to do so. “I think we are a hidden gem in the New York tennis landscape,” said Raude. “The staff we have had here in the past has been phenomenal, but flew under the radar. We are now promoting and getting the word out to more people that there is this awesome place in Great Neck that is minutes from Queens and easily accessible from most areas of Nassau County. It’s a public club that has everything. We have amazing junior programs and fun, high-energy adult programs with a coaching staff that’s experienced and truly knowledgeable. We have a great story to tell and just want to tell it to more people.” Coming at the situation with his business and marketing experience, Raude has brought a lot of brand awareness to the facility and has established a reputation on social media, which helps provide a digital presence beyond the club itself. “We did some rebranding off of the court, including creating a new logo that is symbolic of our club,” said Raude. “And we just went through the first phase of redesigning

our Web site.” As we head into 2019, Raude and his team will continue to bring New York Tennis at Great Neck further into the 21st Century and embrace the digital age, while not forfeiting the values and principles that Arons, the club’s patriarch, instilled in him and his longtime coaching staff. “Our goals are to continue to, most importantly, provide a great and fun experience, with high-quality instruction for the players in our programs,” said Raude. “That’s first and foremost. When people come to the club, they know they can come to relax in a laidback, fun atmosphere, but also work really hard and learn.” With a programming structure now in place, New York Tennis at Great Neck is ready to continue thriving. “We now have a curriculum, lesson plans and assessments we provide to the parents. We want to grow the number of our 10U players and built from within,” Raude said. “We have confidence in our coaching staff and the results are going to come from our kids. We are developing more tournament players, and playing some team matches against other clubs on Long Island and New York as well. Things like that are big in terms of development. And we will just continue to build a bigger digital presence, so people can understand about our great facility, staff and environment.”

NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2019 • New York Tennis Magazine

Building Confidence Within Yourself to Win!

By Conrad Singh t’s no secret that confidence is the one defining factor of winners and those who remain at the top. Confidence seems to be the reason the ball drops in when it should not, that luck is on your side and that you can come back from behind and always believe in your ability to win. Have you ever wondered why players who have a great come-from-behind-win or who get over the line in a long, tough, tight battle tend to carry their momentum for a number of weeks or in tournaments afterwards? It all comes down to the magical feature named “Confidence” which, believe it or not, is all developed behind closed doors away from the competitive stage. Confidence, put simply, is the belief that you can and will do what you have set out to achieve. Research has proven that it is the one key component that separates the best from the rest. Top players at all levels do not hope or wish to be successful– rather, they are absolutely convinced in their ability to succeed. The question then must be asked: How do these players develop the complete ability to believe they are going to win? Is

this something they are simply born with? Or is it something that is trained and trainable? The answer is that no one is born with confidence and it is completely trainable with daily routines. Leading sports psychologists have noted that superstar athletes in a variety of sports, at the very peak of their performances, understand the importance that confidence plays in their performance. When athletes feel confident, they are more relaxed and thus feel less pressure. They remain calmer under stress and have a tendency to solve problems more intelligently. We have all heard that tennis is a mental sport, and according to Jimmy Connors, it is 95 percent played in the mind. We have read that the longest distance in tennis is the 15 centimeters between the ears. So what do we do to ensure that we are competition-ready with confidence to spare and wearing a bulletproof vest when we go out to compete? For high-performance players, how do we prepare to get ready for a competitive phase? Confidence comes from repetition We know that repetition is the mother of all skill development. Confidence is no different. Whether our players are training in the areas of physical skill development and biomechanical proficiency or off-court re-

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2019 • NYTennisMag.com

hearsal, it must be deliberate and planned in order for the players to have clarity and then repeated again and again under stress to be able to expect the response to come out when needed. Putting a player into a stressful situation off the court to learn how to respond to situations teaches routines and rituals that allow for the automated response to emerge when under pressure. The legendary Nick Bollettieri is renowned for waiting for his players to find that point of complete self-stress before he steps in with his words of wisdom. It is that time when the player is prepared to learn and make changes. The military and police force all train under stressful situations to be able to click into automation when the “real life” moments arrive. Competitive tennis training should be no different. Other sports which are considered dangerous do the same thing. I was recently speaking with an America’s Cup Captain—who trains with his team of 12 seamen to cross the scariest and deepest oceans in freezing weather in the middle of the night. They simulate the responses by having to get up in the middle of the night and do routine development in the dark in a deep swimming pool. Developing confidence in tennis is no different to many other disciplines which re-

quire deliberate practice and rehearsal away from the competitive environment to master the mental skills needed. The skill of being confident is developed through: l Repetition under different circumstances in various environments l Committing to off-the-court reading, studying and work, both alone and with your coaches … becoming a student of the game. l Recognizing and taking responsibility for the mental side of your game, including developing emotional control strategies and mental plans. l Deliberate work on those components which need to be improved upon. This requires being honest with yourself, which can be difficult to discuss with support circles. l Practice, repetition: Repeat this cycle over and over again until confidence becomes an ingrained natural skill, which will take time to achieve. Some other key things to work on to develop confidence into a natural part of your character include … l Planning: Know your own strengths and weaknesses and be clear on what you are working on in various sessions. Set performance goals and map out a pathway to achieve those goals. l Evaluation: Where are you currently at? What needs to change, and by being honest with yourself, what are you actually feeling under pressure? Ask yourself … are you doing everything within your control to develop in all possible areas or are you spending too much time in too few areas like hitting? Never undervalue self-practice time away from coaches. l Review: Analyze your training, coaching, technical skills, tactical knowledge and preferences, as well as game style, personal characteristics, nutritional habits, physical programs, recovery, off the court study, and match watching or charting.

l Your beliefs: Are your beliefs helping you reach goals or are they blocking you from achieving them? Remember, beliefs either turn your dreams (or nightmares) into reality. You have the power to choose your beliefs and what you believe! l Self-talk: Do you train your inner voice (the one inside your head) to say the right things? Do you handwrite your thoughts and are you honest about keeping a training diary recording by hand your internal voice? We must learn to turn the negative inner voice to a positive. Self-talk has a direct correlation to your outcomes. The power of positivity is something that is a challenge to some personalities, but we must challenge ourselves to stay positive in everything we do! l Goals: Set mini-goals to keep yourself on track and to ensure you are learning to achieve the stages. Each time you successfully achieve a mini-goal, it will certainly grow your confidence. l See, feel and hear: Using visualization can help to create match situations and responses. It’s been shown that players who lack confidence visually tend to see their fears as opposed to the dream. As opposed to confident players who will see, hear and feel winning shots, anticipate movements and can

conquer those challenging moments in their mind before they actually are real. Meditation and visual rehearsal are proven to work. Remember that fear really means “False Events Appearing Real.” l Always act like a champion: “Fake it ‘til you make it” as we say, but acting the right way certainly goes a long distance in being the right way when it counts. Remember that body language can be a huge factor in intimidation tactics, either for you or against you. You need to maintain your posture, keep the eyes up and look for a way. “Look up and you will find a way–look down and that is where you will stay!” Confidence is the one thing that can change everything. Get to work on developing these skills both on and off the court today! Conrad Singh is the Chief Operating Officer of Tennis & Director of Coaching at Centercourt Club & Sports. He has held Head Coach and Director positions in Australia, England, Japan and China, and has been involved in professional tennis player development for well over two decades. Singh came to Centercourt from Shanghai, China, where he helped to develop a top high-performance player program, which saw more than 200 athletes train under his system.

Give yourself the added advantage. Dr. Robert Silverman 311 North St. Ste. G1 White Plains, NY 10605 Ph: 914.287.6464 www.DrRobertSilverman.com

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Specializing Tennis elbow Rotator cuff injuries Ankle sprains Tendonitis/tendonosis

in: · Concussion · Performance · Muscle strains · Plantar fasciitis

NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2019 • New York Tennis Magazine

The Opponent Is Your Partner, Not Your Enemy By Rob Polishook, Mental Training Coach MA, CPC I remember it like it was a lightning bolt, my then mentor said to me: “Your opponent is your partner, not an enemy!” I thought that statement was blasphemous! My entire competitive life, I viewed the opponent as my enemy, someone whom I must defeat. The entire goal was decimation! My mentor, Jena Marcovicci, was a former tour player who learned this lesson the hard way like most of us. What I didn’t realize is how this approach hurt me. It made me tight because there was only one acceptable

outcome … winning every point, game, set and match. Additionally, it completely took the focus off my process, my game and what I could control. While shifting the focus to something I couldn’t control, the outcome. Okay, so stay with me, I know you still want to win and so do I! But, let me explain … there is another approach and the goal of winning is still the same. However, this approach will allow you to shift the perspective and approach in competition to being your best and playing in a calm, more relaxed and aware manner. How about looking at your opponent as your partner and even extending it

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2019 • NYTennisMag.com

out to the court conditions. What do I mean by this? Both your opponent and the conditions are there to challenge you. They are, in fact, there to make you better, hone your game and make you mentally more resilient. Isn’t that the objective? If not, play a three-yearold the next time. I promise that will get old real quick! When you approach your opponent as a partner and not as an enemy, a few good things will happen … 1. Open vs. close: As Jena said in his book, The Dance of Tennis, “You will neutralize the fight or flight mentality than can cause you to rush or over hit a ball, hesitate or lose your cool.”

Rather, you will play from a place of being centered, making good choices, sound strategic decisions and focusing on your game. You will no longer be playing from a place of crisis, high alert, and fight or flight. You won’t be out of breath because you lost a point. 2. Allow vs. force: When you allow, you will play from a less frenetic place. Not only will this be easier, but will eliminate the need to hit that ESPN highlight reel shot! You will be more apt to work the point, knowing it’s not just about your shots, but also about how your partner plays the point. When players “allow,” they play within themselves without forcing. 3. Respect vs. no respect: This one is my favorite, again, really …? You might be wondering how can I suggest respecting the opposition? It comes down to the singular premise: If there weren’t an opponent, there would be no one to challenge you. In

fact, if you respect them, your job is to beat them and “show” them what they need to work on. So yes, don’t go easy on an opponent, beat them 0 and 0! An aware partner will recognize where and what they need to practice for the next time. Conversely, if you lose 0 and 0, thank your opponent for showing you what you need to work on. Also, get their number and thump them the next time. 4. Play present vs. play in the past/future: When your focus is on the process, you are taking things step by step. Your focus is on what you can control and need to do to best compete and adapt to situations. If your focus is solely on beating the opponent, something you cannot control, you won’t see the court, detect momentum, make percentage choices and stay patient. Rather, you will just try to aggressively hit “your” winners, no matter what is happening. 5. Win vs. lose: Yes, you will win more

because you are able to play from a more relaxed, calm and centered place. You are no longer looking at your opponent as an enemy that must be beat. More so, now it’s about being your best, bringing you game, and competing your best. However, if you don’t win, you will gain valuable feedback on what needs to be worked on in your next practice and match. So go out, crush your opponent, respect them and their game. By doing so, you will improve yours, and no matter the outcome, you win! 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, email Rob@InsideTheZone.com or visit InsideTheZone.com.

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NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2019 • New York Tennis Magazine

Why Tennis Players Should Choose a Gluten-Free Diet By Dr. Rob Silverman Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need a diagnosis of celiac disease, nor does it matter if you have gluten sensitivity, to find a worthy reason to stop eating gluten. The bottom line is: If you consume gluten, you’ll experience gut permeability and unwanted inflammation. And whether you’re a professional athlete or an amateur tennis player, you want to eat to help your game, not hinder it. Here’s why tennis players should go gluten-free to improve their athletic performance. What is gut permeability? In a healthy digestive system, the cells that form the paper-thin lining of the small and large intestines are packed very closely together. In fact, they’re so close that only what should pass through—digested food (solutes) and water—can enter the bloodstream. But the tight junctions of the gut lining can easily be disrupted and become too porous. Diets high in gluten, chemical56

laden foods, and foods you sense you’re allergic to can damage the gut lining and force it to become more permeable. These factors also affect the balance of both the trillions of beneficial and harmful bacteria in the gut. When this balance is disturbed, harmful bacteria can get the upper hand and cause an increase in gut permeability. When the gut is repeatedly exposed to toxins, chemicals, and gluten the result is intestinal hyper-permeability, or “Leaky Gut Syndrome.” This condition allows toxins, bacteria, undigested food particles, and other undesirable gut contents to enter the bloodstream and circulate to the rest of the body. A leaky gut can cause systemic inflammation. Because of this, the immune system may not protect the body as well as it should, leading to fatigue as well as joint and muscle aches. Digestion is also adversely affected, and people with leaky gut often complain of bloating, cramps and diarrhea. How does gluten impact athletes? Inflammation is part of the body’s complex

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2019 • NYTennisMag.com

biological immune response to illness, infections and wounds. Up to a point, inflammation is normal and even desirable. But chronic inflammation can lead to joint pain, digestive issues, and other long-term health problems. When the gut becomes inflamed, you’ll typically experience symptoms of gas and bloating. Meanwhile, inflammation of the brain’s neurons doesn’t necessarily cause pain, but instead reduces nerve conduction. This reduced nerve conduction results in slowed nerve transmission, or what’s commonly known as brain fog. Ultimately, increased inflammation leads to decreased athletic performance—both physically and mentally. A 2015 study of almost 1,000 competitive athletes in Australia found that a majority avoided foods containing gluten because they thought that they were allergic or overly sensitive to it. Of those participants, only 13 percent had received a formal medical diagnosis of celiac disease or other gluten-related disorders. So why did so many athletes go gluten-free? Participants told researchers that they be-

lieved that a gluten-free diet would reduce their digestive problems. In fact, as many as 90 percent of athletes reported experiencing occasional bloating, cramps, diarrhea and other gastrointestinal symptoms during or immediately after exercise. Fixing your gut health with diet While giving up gluten means giving up many of the carbs you’ve relied on to fuel your sport, athletes ultimately benefit from a diet that is low glycemic index, high in fiber, and adequate in lean protein. So, what’s the better choice versus gluten? Start first with medium-chain triglycerides, or “MCTs,” commonly found in coconut oil or taken as a supplement. These fatty acids are slow burning fuel compared to fast-burning, gluten-laden carbohydrates. Then, repair your gut with prebiotics—ingredients that induce the growth of beneficial microorganisms in your gut. You’ll also want to consume foods packed with probiotics. The combination of prebiotics and probiotics can help get your microbiome into a healthy balance, with a good diversity of intestinal bacteria in your

gut. When you have plenty of good bacteria, the harmful ones get crowded out and have a much harder time making you sick. Your digestion also improves, because your ability to absorb macronutrients and micronutrients is better when your beneficial bacteria are diverse and balanced. To incorporate prebiotics into your diet, choose plant-based foods that contain prebiotic fibers such as asparagus, cabbage, garlic, Jerusalem artichokes, onions, unripe bananas, cashews, pistachios, lentils and chickpeas. For probiotics, choose cottage cheese, kimchi, yogurt, kombucha and fermented cheeses. Other foods that positively impact your gut health include: Avocado, wild salmon, broccoli, blueberries, walnuts and turmeric. You can also supplement your diet with magnesium Lthreonate, fish oil and coconut oil to fix your gut health. As a replacement for your usual carbs, choose instead varieties of rice, organic corn, flaxseeds, quinoa, tapioca, potato, amaranth, tofu, nuts and beans. Every sport—and ultimately, every athlete—requires an individualized approach to

diet. As the positive effects of a gluten-free diet suggests, sensitivity isn’t a necessary predisposition for making a change. All athletes should consider the impact diet has on his or her performance—with or without dietary intolerances. Those eager to improve their game will learn that a killer serve on the court starts first with what is served on the dinner table. 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, e-mail Info@DrRobertSilverman.com or visit DrRobertSilverman.com.

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Should College Athletes Be Paid in Addition to Earning Scholarships? By Xavier Luna o pay or not to pay? That is the question … and it’s a question that’s becoming more widely speculated. College athletes currently are not paid for their play, but many believe that this could, and should, change in the future. Here’s a closer look at the pros and cons of paying versus not paying athletes.

Making the case for paying college athletes l NCAA exploit: Perhaps the best argument for paying college athletes is the fact that the NCAA is making millions off of their performances, yet athletes are entitled to nothing … no paychecks, no endorsement deals, no hiring agents, no opportunity to provide for their families, etc. No nothing. Yet the NCAA rakes in millions. l College sports would be better: Another good reason to pay college athletes is that it would make college sports much better. That’s because star collegiate players would be less hesitant to turn pro as underclassmen, 58

as many do it just for the pay day. Paying college athletes would likely mean players would stay longer, thereby making games much better. l Less corruption: If athletes were paid, gone would be the days of boosters ponying up money to lure star recruits. College sports wouldn’t just be better, they’d run far more ethically. The case against paying college athletes l Sorting out the logistics: In college sports, football and basketball are the big revenue sports, while tennis, crosscountry, track and field, rowing, gymnastics, volleyball and more are typically non-revenue sports. So how would a pay system work at the college level? Would it be a socialist system, where every athlete earns the same amount, regardless of what sport they play? Or would athletes that play the revenue-generating sports be entitled to more? l They already receive a free education: Many people have a hard time with the thought of paying college athletes simply because they’re getting a complimentary education in exchange

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2019 • NYTennisMag.com

for their sporting talents. While a good portion of college students exit school with tens, perhaps even hundreds, of thousands of dollars in student loan debt, the thought of athletes getting a free education via scholarship and then money on top of that is hard for some to stomach. l Lack of incentive: Many believe that professional athletes don’t care as much about winning these days because of the money they make. Not only could this become a problem with college athletes, but college players may also be unmotivated to attend class and act as a true student-athlete. Xavier Luna is the Director of Junior Tennis for the Advantage All-City Junior Tennis Programs. Xavier has more than 30 years of experience in tennis, commencing as a ranked junior. He was the Director of Junior Programs at Stadium Racquet Club, the Owner and Founder of Metro Tennis Academy, and has held many other positions in the tennis industry. Xavier inspires players with his love of tennis and possesses the professional skills to keep campers returning year after year to the All-City Junior Tennis Programs.

Columbia’s Lin Wins Inaugural New York Open Wild Card Playoff B Y

B R I A N

C O L E M A N

Peter Lebedevs, Assistant Tournament Director of the New York Open (center), with New York Open College Wild Card Invitational finalists, Cornell’s Alafia Ayeni (left) and Columbia’s Jack Lin (right)

Columbia’s Jack Lin en route to his New York Open College Wild Card Invitational championship win

Cornell’s Alafia Ayeni battles back in the his New York Open College Wild Card Invitational finals

Peter Lebedevs of the New York Open congratulates Columbia’s Jack Lin who earned a berth in the 2019 2019 New York Open main draw

STA Eastern hosted the inaugural New York Open College Wild Card Invitational at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, bringing together some of the best players from 16 colleges in the Eastern Section to compete for a spot in the 2019 New York Open main draw. The three-day tournament saw some highly competitive tennis from the area’s best collegiate players, culminating in a thrilling championship match between Columbia sophomore Jack Lin and Cornell’s Alafia Ayeni. In the finals, it was Lin who outlasted Ayeni, 6-7(3), 6-3, 7-6(5), to win the Invitational. “It was such an important match for me. When I won that last point, I was so excited,” said Lin. “All of my teammates were

there and we were all super-hyped.” In the first set, Lin had a chance to serve for the set at 5-4, but he was broken and dropped the ensuing tie-break. He was able to turn things around in the second set. “I ended up playing a bit better in those crucial points in the second set, and was able to get the momentum back on my side and carry it into the third,” said Lin. In the third set, he had two opportunities to serve out the match, at 5-4 and 65, but Ayeni was able to come up with the break in each of those games, leaving the match to be determined by a tie-breaker. This time, however, Lin was able to play his best tennis in the tie-break, closing out the match in three-and-a-half hours. “I had to collect myself again and play

out the tie-breaker,” said Lin, “I had to try and stay mentally tough against him, because in that situation, we were both so close and wanted it so bad. It was just a matter of who could tough it out a little better. Luckily I was on the right side of it. Being able to step up and play my best in crucial times, that’s what I can take away from the weekend. My ability to play well under pressure and stay mentally tough with the guys is what I am proud of.” Lin now prepares to compete in the first round of the 2019 New York Open on Tuesday, Feb. 12. Brian Coleman is Senior Editor for New York Tennis Magazine. He may be reached by phone at (516) 409-4444, ext. 326 or email BrianC@USPTennis.com.

NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2019 • New York Tennis Magazine

Parenting a Tournament Player By Marvin Jeffrey s I sit back and watch the interactions and listen to conversations between parents and children in the tennis world, some of the things that are said baffles me. I understand all the money invested in practices, private lessons, tournaments and traveling all too well, but adding anxiety or extra pressure to your child will not make them win a match or tournament. I’ve been teaching competitive junior tennis for more than 20 years, and can safely say I’ve seen it all. I’ve seen parents shout and curse at their child, throw a phone that hits their child in the back, and starving a child because they didn’t win a match. That is just some of the crazy behavior that opened my eyes to destructive relationships between parent and child. Thirteen years ago when my daughter was born, I made a promise to myself to be nothing like those parents. This is because I understand the pressure of being a tournament player, the pressures to train hard and get results in competition. To date, I

have held true to that promise. With that being said, I cannot say that I haven’t had a few moments where I’ve walked off the court because she was driving me crazy, wasting my time and energy and not trying her best. This may not be the best thing to do, but I know I don’t want to ruin our longterm relationship by yelling, cursing or doing any of the negative things I’ve seen done in the past. These behaviors can become forever damaging to the maturing mind of a young athlete. It could steer them away from trying anything new when it comes to sports, and if that is important to parents, then they should be careful of what they say and do. I think what some parents seem to forget is that tennis and sports are not the most important thing in life. If you ruin the relationship between you and your child when they are young, what’s going to happen when they are older? Their desire to play a sport will begin to decrease and they will play just to impress or appease you, versus genuinely enjoying the game. I have seen this happen very often. You, as parents, are supposed to be the rock—the person teaching your child that it’s okay to celebrate your wins and learn

from your losses. There is no need for temper tantrums and unsportsmanlike conduct, either on or off the court. Don’t expect the coach to teach and discipline your child on simple moral issues. As a coach, you can mainly discipline when it comes to rules of the game and behavior on the court. Your child should automatically know to respect their coaches, other players and the game in general. This all starts in your own household when you start teaching your kids about rules and behavior. Remember, your goal as a parent is to listen, advise and support your competitive child in a positive way through this tough journey. Added stress, pressure and negative energy will not make the situation better now or in your future relationship with your child. Marvin Jeffrey is a Senior Staff Professional and High Performance Coach for New York Tennis at Great Neck. When not coaching high performance players at New York Tennis at Great Neck, Marvin spends time attending junior tournaments with his players, as well as competing in Men’s Open tournaments and USTA Leagues.

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New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2019 • NYTennisMag.com

Tennis Tips for Singles Rallying By Geoffrey Jagdfeld As USPTA tennis professionals, we are often asked questions about strategy. What shot should I use when this happens? When should I try this tactic? I have put together some tips to help singles players better understand how and when to use certain strokes in order to achieve the best tactical benefits. Each player should try to hit at least two or more consecutive shots in play. Let your opponent miss before you try to hit winners. Modern tennis requires the forehand to be a weapon. Sixty-five to seventy percent of the court should be covered with the forehand, and the backhand should be consistent to provide solid support. Hitting down the line is a much higher risk. The court is shorter, the net is higher and the recovery more difficult. Only hit down the line after hitting a well-angled crosscourt shot with the intention to put the ball away, and remember, this only happens 25 to 30 percent of the time. When your opponent hits a slowerpaced ball directed to your backhand, run around any time it is possible to hit an attacking forehand. Forehands from the backhand corner disguise the hitter’s intended direction. Hit either inside-out (crosscourt) or down the line. It also offers a higher possibility of hitting another forehand when the ball comes back. When your opponent hits shorter balls bouncing in the mid-court area, you should consider the speed and the

bounce of the ball and decide: 1. When the bounce is lower (knee high), you should opt for an approach shot (following the direction of the shot to the net). The key to a good approach shot is depth. It is easier to cover the court behind an approach shot down the line. 2. A crosscourt approach is only advisable when it forces your opponent into a long lateral run. When the bounce is higher (between hips and shoulder) go for a put away shot with a hard flattened drive. 3. Depending on your opponent’s position, a drop shot can be a good choice, but only after you have established a deep down the line approach shot.

Adding these concepts to your game will get you to the next level. Remember to be patient, as some of the ideas will be easy to implement, while others may take more time or instruction. Try these tips the next time you play singles. Geoffrey Jagdfeld is USPTA Eastern President and currently Tennis Director of Solaris Sports Clubs. He is a USPTA Elite Professional and USTA High-Performance Coach who serves as USTA Junior Team Tennis League Coordinator for Westchester. He is the Head Coach of the Men’s and Women’s Tennis Teams at St. John Fisher College, and played collegiate tennis at Michigan State University.

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Creative Doubles Positioning It’s okay to stand in No Man’s Land By Mike Puc t is okay to stand in No Man’s Land in doubles! Players have been conditioned to stand all the way back or all the way up in doubles. While this is applicable in matches where players are skilled in placing the ball deep or hard, players who are challenged with mobility or power are wise to adjust their court position. Stand in No Man’s Land! After serving, move up, set your ready position in your half of the court in No Man’s Land, and play from there as if this were your baseline. The same goes for receiving the serve. The biggest advantage of this position is that you will get to short balls. You are shortening the court and the area you are covering. The traditional reason for avoiding playing in No Man’s Land is that your opponent may easily play shots to your feet, thus forcing you to make a difficult shot … no problem if they cannot do this consistently. Consider focusing on some doubles

specialty shots from this zone that are always useful in typical positioning as well. A half volley or pickup shortening your backswing and staying low is easily perfected. The deep volley that would drop in if you let it go will take you to the net if that is where you want to go or return to your No Man’s Land ready position if you prefer to stay back. These volleys are not intended as winners, rather, only positional shots. You also will be able to easily judge “out” balls from here, which occur frequently with your opponent’s deep choices being squeezed out of the equation. While the two shots above are on the defensive side of your tactics, you will add offensive weapons to your arsenal like the drop shot when the ball bounces conveniently below the level of the net in front of you. An absolute necessity for all doubles players, a timely, well-executed drop shot confuses your opponent while putting them on the run. You will be presented with transitional short balls with a higher trajectory on occasion. Move in and hit down on these balls with more

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2019 • NYTennisMag.com

pace for a clean winner. Notice the winning shots described above are predicated by the height of the ball with low balls being dropped and high balls being hit harder. Depending on your opponent’s position, you may experiment with lobs from this zone that require a bit more finesse as well as drop volleys. As mentioned earlier, it will be your choice to adjust your position and move in if you are eager to volley or back up a step if you prefer to let the occasional deep ball bounce. I encourage you to discuss the No Man’s Land positional option with your tennis professional to explore the feasibility of playing there on a regular basis or as an addition to your game. Mike Puc has been the Director of Tennis at Gleneagles Country Club in Delray Beach, Fla. since 1998. A winner of 15 national titles and an ATP world ranking, Mike directs 25 teams with 350 players in nine leagues, while offering the most extensive Calendar of Events in South Florida that includes tournaments, lectures and social round-robins.

Metro Corporate League’s Fall Season Concludes With Three New Champsa

It was another successful Metro Corporate League year as the Fall 2018 season came to a close with the end-of-year parties and finals at Roosevelt Island Racquet Club in New York City. The season always comes to a close with a competitive yet festive atmosphere, as spectators watched the championship action while enjoying catered food and an open bar. None of the three Winter 2018 champions were able to repeat in the fall, as three new winners were crowned. Credit Agricole captured the Advanced Division by defeating Proskauer Rose, while Bloomberg (Fischler) won the Advanced Intermediate Division with a victory over Bloomberg (Reno) in the finals. In the Intermediate Division Championship, Xaxis defeated the team from D.E. Shaw & Co. to win the title. “The key to our success was all the tennis drills, cardio tennis and point playing we do on a regular basis,” said Xaxis Captain Patrick Wang. “This combination allows our team to just step on the court and enjoy tennis when it’s time to play. We had much better success on the bigger stage, and all of the hard work has paid off in winning this trophy. We plan to keep the momentum going and continue the journey next season.” The Winter 2019 season gets underway in January and runs through April. Contact Luis@MetroTennis.com for more information on the league and how to join! NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2019 • New York Tennis Magazine

Why Athletes Choke By Dr. Tom Ferraro I have been treating athletes for the last 20 years, and after all this time, I can conclude that their issues fall into one of the following two categories: They will fail either out of a fear of success or due growing self-doubt. In this article, let us explore the former issue, the so-called “Fear of Success,” something the lay public usually calls “Choking.” The choke When an athlete under-performs during a high-stakes event, it is called “Choking.” This phenomena has been well-studied and is characterized by symptoms which include mental blankness, focusing on irrelevant details, heightened alertness, intrusive and ruminative thoughts, restlessness, catastrophe, dizziness, dry mouth, racing heart rate, perspiration, and/or muscle weakness. It is obvious to any observer when an athlete is choking and it’s painful to watch and even more painful to experience.

it is necessary to look beneath the surface and to help the athlete understanding what is going on unconsciously. And I have also learned that usually the most gifted athletes and the most promising are the ones who fear success the most. The founder of psychotherapy, Sigmund Freud, provided some helpful hints as to why athletes tend to destroy their own success. He referred to these dynamics as being “Wrecked by success,” and are due to “The calamites of childhood.” He believed that childhood fears of abandonment, fears of retaliatory injury, fears of loss of affection and guilt were responsible for the adult tendency to run from their own success. These fears are unconscious and produce exaggerated reactions to positive things like victory and normal aggression.

The cure In order to gain control over this fear of success and self-defeat, one needs to obtain insight. Insight is defined as: l The understanding of your psychological symptoms, l What triggers these symptoms in the present, l The unconscious childhood roots of Causes of choking these problems, and finally This issue has been widely discussed in the cognitive/behavioral literature they have l The ability to ignore and remove the symptoms when they arrive. failed to provide an adequate understanding of the causes or the cures for this comEach of these four steps is necessary for mon problem in sports. I have learned that 64

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2019 • NYTennisMag.com

the cure to happen. The failure of most therapeutic efforts is due to the neglect of the person’s past and thus denying the power of their unconscious. All humans have experienced these “calamities of childhood” including fears of abandonment, fear of losing parental affection and exaggerated guilt. A vast variety of behavioral interventions have been tried in order to help remove symptoms and all have proven largely unsuccessful because they neglect the influence of one’s unconscious history. Until real insight into the problem and its cause is achieved, all the psychological tools on earth will prove to be useless and like attempting to stop a tidal wave with a small sand castle on the beach. But when insight is achieved, one finds that virtually any intervention that the patient is given will prove to have a salutary effect on behavior, performance and mood. Most athletes think they have a fear of failure, but in fact, they usually have a far greater fear of success and this is the reason they choke. Depth sport psychology is designed to help them to understand their fears of success so that they achieve all of their rightful ambitions. 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.

Returning High Quality Serves in a Singles Match

By Damir Barisic atching singles tennis matches at both the pro and junior levels, I have noticed that these matches are relatively long in duration. A tennis match generally takes anywhere from one hour to five hours to complete, depending on a few factors, one of which is the format of the match (best of three sets or best of five sets). However, if the match is observed from the perspective of each individual point, it can be easily noticed that points are, on average, short in duration and played at a higher intensity. Points in tennis are “building blocks” for games, tie-breaks, sets and matches, respectively. Having this in mind, the importance of starting each point well in a tennis match is clear. There are two strokes used by tennis players to start points in a tennis match: The serve during service games and the return during returning games. In this article, the focus will be on returns. Looking at tennis players with the best returns in the game, it can be noticed that these players usually have excellent and very solid baseline games. So it is fair to say that many factors that contribute to

having an excellent baseline game are similar to factors that contribute to having an excellent return? However, there are some specific factors that apply for the return of serve. One of the factors that contributes to decision-making on the return is the reaction time that the player who is returning has when facing first serves and often even second serves. Since tennis players at high levels of competition usually have fast and accurate first serves, reaction time for the players who are returning these serves is very short. Short reaction time when returning contributes to decision-making in order to make the return efficient, effective, high percentage shot, able to at least neutralize the effect of the high-quality serve. What type of return should tennis players look to make when facing these types of serves? What type of return could be a high percentage return that is able to at least neutralize the effect of the high-quality serve when the player who is serving is playing from the baseline after the serve? It is the return where depth is the priority over direction for the returner of serve. A goal like this when returning a serve can give the player a bigger target and better chance of correctly timing the return. When depth is the priority, the player that is returning aims the return of serve deep in the court and not too close to the side-

lines. As a result, this type of return should become a higher percentage shot, still effective in at least neutralizing high-quality first or second serves. This could help the player that is returning the serve execute a higher percentage of returns during the match and build confidence on the return of serve. It is worth noting that if the player who is returning the serve has a faster reaction time while returning the serve, one can decide to do more with the return and look to aim the return away from the middle of the court and closer to the sidelines. By doing that, try to gain control of the point with the return. Damir Barisic is a High Performance coach at CourtSense—Bogota Racquet Club, and holds the highest level coaching license in Croatia. Born in Osijek, Croatia, Damir was the top-ranked tennis player in every junior age division in Croatia. Prior to joining CourtSense, Damir competed on a professional level and achieved ATP ranking in singles and doubles, and after that, spent time coaching at the IMG Nick Bollettieri Academy in Bradenton, Fla., in the Niki Pilic Academy in Munich, Germany, as well as privately coaching players such as Anja Konjuh and Donna Vekic, both top 100 WTA players. At CourtSense Damir works with juniors and adults from all different levels, including many nationally-ranked players.

NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2019 • New York Tennis Magazine

The Journey to Success Is Not Through Tennis Scholarships, But Hard Work! By Lonnie Mitchel One cold November posttennis season day, my office was very busy. On this particular day, it was a little different, occupied by myself and an outside consultant/recruiting agency that solicits high school athletes in all sports in helping them find an academic location to settle and display their talents in a collegiate atmosphere. I am in the offseason now, as the Oneonta Women’s Tennis season just wrapped up with a trip to the Conference Finals, taking down the NCAA pre-season poll of a team ranked 19th in the country. Also standing in our way was the seventime defending Conference Champions SUNY New Paltz, as we beat them once in the regular season and sent them packing early in the playoffs. This was a proud moment for our school and tennis program. At the end, I took a deep breath to decompress from a long grinding season and had time to chat with the recruiting representative. We shared similar experiences, as he was also finding mostly parents from downstate New York just believing that their child was getting a full-ride to a Division I program in soccer, basketball, football, baseball and tennis. It 66

was an inspirational conversation to say the least. I found out that I was not the only one to find that some families have an entitlement and believe that a Division I scholarship is beckoning and just ready to be given away. I was actually shocked to find out that this recruiter spends so many hours during the week speaking to families and bringing them back to reality. He said to me that the expression he uses is: “Your son and/or daughter is not getting a scholarship to a Division I or II school in soccer, baseball or tennis.” Scholarship money is limited and those incoming collegiate students damn well better be good, I mean really good, before an academic institution will give away free money. If they are so inclined to give free tuition/money away, it will not be for a full ride. College is for education, and sports are just your way to stand out contrasted to other students. I have often written about this topic, and you can consider this another enlightening moment in providing expectations to parents that are real and truthful. The private teachers who get paid by generous parents to enhance the skills of those aspiring collegiate athletes are doing a great job. I promise that the skills taught and practiced will absolutely resonate and pay a bonus compensating for future success, but maybe not the way you originally intended. I have pontificated on this all too often as

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2019 • NYTennisMag.com

you know if you are keeping up with my articles. Consequently, after a conversation with a professional recruiter, the subject resonated, and I felt validated and vindicated. I have felt exonerated because parents sometimes listen to me and others “know better” than the expert. Maybe coming from me this time, complimenting a professional recruiter’s experiences, will buy some broadmindedness for those looking for a college and athletic experience for their son or daughter. After all, only two percent of high school students will ever get any athletic scholarship money. Consider this as it relates to tennis … only 1.6 percent of high school tennis players play Division I, 1.1 percent play Division II, and 2.3 percent play Division III tennis. If your comprehension of this commentary seems as though that this writer is annoyed, you would be correct in your assessment. As a college tennis team recruiter, I am also looking for talent for a Division III team, and I am certain that a parent might perceive me as a salesperson enabling their son/daughter to play collegiate tennis at SUNY Oneonta … that would be true. The only problem is that I do not earn a commission, and if a family says no to me, I am on to the next interested player. I am looking to fill spots on a roster for a student who wants to be on my team, bringing such values as sportsmanship, good

study habits and teamwork to the table, while getting a solid and reasonably-priced education out of it while playing high-quality D3 tennis. The NCAA statistics quantify the above sentiments … the decision to play tennis in an academically-balanced ratio to sports assists students to perform athletically at a high level, and can be achieved in a Division III environment. As a parent of two former Division III collegiate tennis players who went on to successful postcollegiate careers, leveraging their athletic experiences was a marketable product to promote on interviews. The hiring managers did not ask about whether or not they played Division I, II or III. The common question/comment was always about their time management skills as it related to sports and academics. That was the skill that potential employers were most interested in, and on several interviews, there was no question about wins or loses. During a recent alumni weekend welcoming back several of my former players, these alumni had the opportunity to speak to my current players. The overwhelming com-

monality for the alumni was a similar sentiment that athletic skills, while being successful in the classroom and balancing both activities, was the valued skill that employers were most interested in. I will close this article this way … I was at USTA Showcase, and as a coach, I was interested in a potential female student/athlete. Her mother turned her nose at me as she was sure her daughter would be beating the Division I scholarships away because of all the offers she would get. Yet I watched her play and saw a player I knew could compete at our level, but not even close to the skill level it takes to compete at the D1 level. After the conversation, I knew I had lost the battle, and in the nicest way, I said, “She won’t be playing Division I unless something changes.” Three weeks after that interaction, there was a denial of Division I scholarships, and none were offered. I realized that I had been too humble for too long and I now must be more vocal about the talent I am qualified to judge. As I mentioned, only 1.1 percent of high school tennis players will ever play D1. If you are in that 1.1 percent bracket, go

after it hard, but get ready for a very laborious journey of which education might come secondary. Let your son or daughter get prepared for life beyond the college athletic experience. The skills learned on the tennis court along with great success in the classroom, are what will help you get into grad school and secure that first job. Post-collegiate success, while attaining academic accolades, is more rewarding than getting to the conference finals. Hard work must always be in full swing on the route to life’s success. Lonnie Mitchel is Head Men’s and Women’s Tennis Coach at SUNY Oneonta. Lonnie was named an Assistant Coach to Team USA for the 2013 Maccabiah Games in Israel for the Grand Master Tennis Division. Also coached for Team USA in Berlin and Chile in 2015 and Team USA Maccabiah for the Open Division working with Division I players and professionally ranked in the Israel Games in 2017. Was also named Coach of the Year in 2015 for State University of NY Athletic Conference. Lonnie may be reached by phone at (516) 414-7202 or e-mail LonnieMitchel@yahoo.com.

Adult beginners, tournament players, & everyone in between

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NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2019 • New York Tennis Magazine

Be a Volleying Nightmare With Three Simple Improvements By Lisa Dodson Classic volleys are shots that have a specific spin and use short arm and hand movements paired with specific footwork. Spin amounts vary, racket work is short, contained and precise. Footwork is dancelike, using repetitive patterns which adapt to different tempos and situations. When racket work and footwork sync together, you’ll have an efficient, all-court volley. There are many misconceptions about volleys. The dictionary definition of a tennis volley is: “To propel a tennis ball while in the air and before touching the ground.” This simplicity is key to success on the volley. Let’s get more specific about this definition: “Volleys are shots that are designed to intercept shots from the opposing side, before the ball bounces.” Volleys are hit from many places on the court, not just from the dominant position at the net. A majority of volleys are not power shots. When volleying, the intention is to deflect and redirect the ball to your benefit. You will learn to use the incoming ball to get what we want: Control and placement. You take control with a volley by changing the speed and direction of a ball using underspin. If we can use the pace, spin and 68

height of an incoming ball, then we are in command. Immediately make your volley more effective by using the three ideas below … 1. Learn to hit underspin All classic volleys are hit with underspin (as opposed to a swing volley which has topspin). That is why your tennis pro insists on a grip that feels uncomfortable. The grip opens the racket face and allows spin to be hit. Technically, we use a Continental Grip for the volley, but typically, this grip is too extreme for most players, especially if you are just coming from a Forehand Grip. So, if you use a Forehand Grip today, start moving your grip to the left (for right-handed player) or right (for a left-handed player). Why use underspin? Lots of players call it “Slice” but let’s call it underspin. Slice seems to give players a mental picture of chopping the ball which causes all sorts of problems. It is also the specific name for a type of serve which has a completely different spin than underspin. Underspin simply denotes the particular way the ball spins backwards (as opposed to topspin where the ball spins forward). In order to hit underspin, the forward edge of the racket leads to the ball. The ball grips onto and slides across the center

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2019 • NYTennisMag.com

strings in order to gain control of it. In this way, we can change the speed and spin of an incoming ball and vary depths and angles of our hit. Underspin is used for ultimate control of a ball all over the court. We use it on volleys, approach shots, chip shots, drop shots, angles, serve returns, underspin drives, lobs and defensive shots. So, the Continental Grip (or slightly Modified Grip) is used for ALL shots except the power topspin forehand. This includes the dominant hand for a two-handed backhand, a one-handed backhand (even more extreme than Continental), the serve and overhead. 2. Reduce arm and hand movement Start with a good ready position. If you read my article in last month’s edition, then you are ahead of the game. In the case of the volley, it will give you the best start to a single volley or multiple volleys in a point. Remember that the ball goes where the racket face is facing at point of contact. A volley is a precision shot, so you need a still platform (the platform being your string bed) at contact. Any backswing reduces your ability to know exactly where your strings might be facing. Your lower body has a lot to do with that, too, but we’ll get to that later.

FIGURE 1

You must use both arms and hands equally in order to stop backswing and follow through on volleys Your arms move in tandem and are constantly corresponding to each other. They have to be taught how to act together for all tennis strokes. It is not possible to hit a correct tennis stroke or, in this case, a volley by using only your dominant, hitting arm. Use the steps below to eliminate backswing and follow through on a volley: l To stop backswing: React to an incoming ball by first determining whether it is a forehand or a backhand. From a ready position, simply lay back the wrist of your hitting arm, while keeping the non-dominant hand close by (eight- to 12-inches). Both hands will raise to around shoulder height in order to approach the ball from above contact point. l The hit hand should basically line up with the hand in front of the elbow and the elbow in front of the shoulder. If your non-dominant hand goes back then your hit hand will also go back, creating a backswing. No matter how hard you try, you will not be able to keep your racket forward if the non-

FIGURE 2

dominant hand goes away. l With your hit arm wrist laid back and both hands forward, you will see the racket head in front of you. The tip of the racket will be tipped off to the right (for a righty) and to the left (for a lefty). The tip of the racket will NEVER be straight up and down. The front edge of the racket will be leading towards the ball. Now a crosscourt volley is very easy. l To stop follow through: When the ball is approaching the racket face, both hands are still and out within sight. Just preceding contact the hit hand will push forward and the nondominant hand will pull in towards the hit hand. If both hands abruptly STOP moving together at this point, you will have your best shot at a crisp and precise volley. 3. Pair racket work with footwork to complete the volley Please understand that the volley described above is only the upper body portion. A good volley can only be hit when a corresponding footwork pattern is paired with the racket work. A volley is a movement shot. This means

FIGURE 3

that you are in coordinated movement with your lower body during the shot unlike a ground stroke, which is a stationary shot. The typical description for volley footwork is to “step into” the shot with a specific leg. While it is correct to get a specific foot and leg forward on a volley, the description is incorrect and confusing. Volleys are one-step, dynamic push-off shots. “Stepping in” on any shot is created by pushing off of the opposite leg. For the volley, your weight is placed on one leg in tandem with the set of the racket face. To set your weight you simply unweight or take it off of the other foot and leg. If weight is loaded then it’s obvious to the body which leg can push off dynamically into the hit. Then you will understand what it is to hit a volley. Add speed to or reduce speed from an incoming ball Your hands and feet like to move at the same speed. Since you are not creating any speed with a swing, then the speed you hit is determined by how slowly or quickly you push off to the hit. If you push off fast and powerfully, then your hands will continued on page 70

NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2019 • New York Tennis Magazine

be a volleying nightmare fire more quickly for a more powerful volley. If you push off more slowly, then your hands will correspond and move more slowly and softly, allowing you to take pace off of a ball. Use the steps below to pair racket work with footwork for the volley. The information is written for a right-handed player. For ease of explanation, we will be describing a forehand volley only. l From the ready position, with a wide stance, set the racket face forward and within sight with the tip angled out to the right. Keep the non-dominant hand close. With the set of the racket, your weight will shift to the same side leg, the right leg (see Fig. 1). l In order to time the hit, as the incoming ball approaches, you may need to hold your weight on that leg briefly or quickly push off of it. You will learn to accommodate the incoming

continued from page 69

ball by timing the push off. In order to move diagonally forward to a volley, you will need pivot on the pushing leg in varying amounts (see Fig. 2). l After the push off, you will strike the ball leading with the front edge of the racket. This will create underspin. You will then be landing on the lead foot, in this case the left foot and leg (see Fig. 3). l So, to make the timing understandable and repeatable, you’ll need to do three things at the same moment: Strike the ball with the racket, pull the non-dominant hand in towards the hit hand and land on the left foot. l It is important that you let your weight carry forward onto the landing leg. The landing leg acts like a shock absorber, accepting your forceful weight onto a flexible hip, knee and ankle. From here, you’ll catch and

rebalance your weight with the right foot and leg. Written information about a series of movements and grips can be very difficult to understand. That being said, it is important to form a solid concept of what you are attempting to do in order to be successful. Sometimes reading and digesting information can be just what is needed in order to form a good mental outline of a particular stroke. Start getting a better understanding of what underspin is and why it is used for the volley. Learn to use your non-dominant side to reduce backswing and follow through. Combine your racket work and footwork and enjoy frustrating your opponents with your dependable, all-court volley. Lisa Dodson is the Developer and Owner of Servemaster, a USPTA Elite Professional and a former WTA world-ranked player. She is currently the Director of Tennis at Shenorock Shore Club in Rye, N.Y. She may be reached by e-mail at Lisa@TheTotalServe.com or visit TheTotalServe.com.

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Answer! You can by being part of the New York Tennis Expo on Saturday, February 9, 2019 at the New York Open at NYCB LIVE home of Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. The New York Tennis Expo opens a week of New York Open professional tennis. l Exhibitors receive custom designed invitations to blast to their database. l Includes our extensive e-mail, media and social media marketing campaigns for the Expo.

For sponsorship and exhibiting opportunities please call 516.409.4444 or e-mail Info@USPTennis.com 70

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2019 • NYTennisMag.com

USTA/Metropolitan Region

2019 TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE For detailed information on these and all USTA tournaments, visit tennislink.usta.com/tournaments. JANUARY 2019 Friday-Sunday, January 18-20 L1B Winter Challenger at Mill Pond Gotham Tennis Academy 725 Exterior Street Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys' & Girls' Singles: 78' Yellow Ball 14 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.52 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, Jan. 14 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Michael2.Moore@yahoo.com or call (718) 665-4684.

Saturday-Monday, January 26-28 USTA National Level 3 Tournament @ Cary Leeds Center Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning 1720 Crotona Avenue, Ste. 1 Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Level 3 Boys' Singles: 78' Yellow Ball 16 (FICR16) and Level 3 Boys' Doubles: 78' Yellow Ball 16 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $145.63 per player For more information, e-mail moljaca@nyjtl.org or call (718) 247-7420.

Friday-Sunday, February 1-3 & February 8-10 L1B Sportime RI February Challenger Sportime @ Randall’s Island 1 Randall’s Island New York, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys' & Girls' Singles: 78' Yellow Ball 14-16 (SE) Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, Jan. 28 at 1:00 p.m.)For more information, e-mail MattyTrumino@gmail.com or call (646) 783-5301.

Saturday-Sunday, January 26-27 L3 APTC UPS Alley Pond Tennis Center7920 Winchester BoulevardQueens Village, N.Y.Divisions: Entry Level Boys' & Girls' Singles: 78' Green Ball 12, 78' Yellow Ball 14-16 (NEF) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $48.88 per player (deadline for entries is Thursday, Jan. 24 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail hemco2@aol.com or call (718) 264-2600.

Saturday-Sunday, February 2-3 Youth Progression Green Level 1 Fresh Meadows Cunningham Tennis 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, Jan. 27 at 11:59 p.m.)For more information, e-mail Victor@CunninghamTennis.com or call (718) 740-6800.

Friday-Sunday, January 18-20 & January 25-27 L2 Sportime at RI January 2019 Open Sportime @ Randall’s Island 1 Randall’s Island New York, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate Boys' & Girls' Singles: 78' Yellow Ball 12 (FMLC) and Intermediate Boys' & Girls' Singles: 78' Yellow Ball 14-16 (SE) Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is FEBRUARY 2019 Monday, Jan. 14 at 1:00 p.m.)For more information, eFriday-Sunday, February 1-3 mail MTrumino@SportimeNY.com or call (212) 427-6150. Eastern Empire Cup National Doubles at Cross String Queens College 6530 Kissena Boulevard Saturday-Monday, January 19-21 Eastern Super Six at New York Tennis Club Indoors (National Flushing, N.Y. Divisions: Advanced Boys' Doubles: 78' Yellow Ball 16 L3) (MFIC) New York Tennis Club Indoors Surface Type: Hard Indoor 3081 Harding Avenue Entry Fee: $59.63 per player (deadline for entries is Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Super 6 Event Girls' Singles: 78' Yellow Ball 18 Tuesday, Jan. 22 at 1:00 p.m.)For more information, e-mail Steve.Beatty2584@gmail.com or call (FIC-R16) (716) 946-4348. Surface Type: Clay Indoor Entry Fee: $134.88 per player (deadline for entries is Friday-Sunday, February 1-3 Tuesday, Jan. 8 at 1:00 p.m.) Eastern Empire Cup National Doubles at NYTCI For more information, e-mail BillWiese4@gmail.com or New York Tennis Club Indoors call (718) 239-7919. 3081 Harding Avenue Bronx, N.Y. Friday-Sunday, January 25-27 Divisions: Advanced Boys' Doubles: 78' Yellow Ball 14 L2 Gotham January Open (MFIC) Gotham Tennis Academy Surface Type: Clay Indoor 725 Exterior Street Entry Fee: $59.63 per player (deadline for entries is Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate Boys' & Girls' Singles: 78' Yellow Tuesday, Jan. 22 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail BillWiese4@gmail.com or call Ball 12 (FMLC) (718) 239-7919. Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.52 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, Jan. 21 at 1:00 p.m.)For more information, e-mail Michael2.Moore@yahoo.com or call (646) 292-3511.

Saturday, February 2 Youth Progression Orange L2 Bronx Gotham Tennis Academy 725 Exterior Street Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Orange Level 2 Boys' & Girls' 10 and Under Singles: 60' Orange Ball 10 (NEF) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $43.77 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, Jan. 28 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Michael2.Moore@yahoo.com or call (646) 292-3511. Friday-Sunday, February 8-10 L1 Championships at Throgs Neck New York Tennis Club Indoors 3081 Harding Avenue Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Championships Girls' Singles: 78' Yellow Ball 12 (SE) Surface Type: Clay Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, Feb. 4 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail BillWiese4@gmail.com or call (718) 239-7919.

NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2019 • New York Tennis Magazine

USTA/Metropolitan Region

2019 TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE For detailed information on these and all USTA tournaments, visit tennislink.usta.com/tournaments. Friday-Sunday, February 8-10 L1A Mill Pond Challenger Gotham Tennis Academy 725 Exterior Street Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys' Singles: 78' Yellow Ball 12, 18 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, Feb. 4 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Michael2.Moore@yahoo.com or call (646) 292-3511.

Saturday, February 16 Youth Progression Orange Level 2 Fresh Meadows Cunningham Tennis 19600 Union Turnpike Fresh Meadows, N.Y. Divisions: Orange Level 2 Boys' & Girls' 10 and Under Singles: 60' Orange Ball 10 (RR) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $48.88 per player (deadline for entries is Sunday, Feb. 10 at 11:59 p.m.)For more information, e-mail Victor@CunninghamTennis.com or call (718) 740-6800.

Tuesday-Friday, February 19-22 L2 Alley Pond President's Week Open Alley Pond Tennis Center7920 Winchester BoulevardQueens Village, N.Y.Divisions: Intermediate Boys' & Girls' Singles: 78' Yellow Ball 12 (FMLC) and Intermediate Boys' & Girls' Singles: 78' Yellow Ball 14-18 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 for first singles, $3 for first doubles (deadline for entries is Sunday, Feb. 17 at noon) For more information, e-mail hemco2@aol.com or call (718) 264-2600.

Friday-Sunday, February 8-10 L1 Cross String Tennis Academy February Championships Queens College 6530 Kissena Boulevard Flushing, N.Y. Divisions: Championships Girls' Singles: 78' Yellow Ball 18 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player for B(16 (78'Court/Yellow Ball)s, SE, Championships/$28 per player for B(16 (78'Court/Yellow Ball)d, SE, Championships (deadline for entries is Monday, Feb. 4 at 1:00 p.m.)For more information, e-mail Steve.Beatty2584@gmail.com or call (716) 946-4348.

Saturday-Sunday, February 16-17 Youth Progression Green L1 New York Tennis Club Indoors 3081 Harding Avenue Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Green Level 1 Boys' & Girls' 10 and Under Singles: 78' Green Ball 10 (FMLC) Surface Type: Clay Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Sunday, Feb. 10 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail BillWiese4@gmail.com or call (718) 239-7919.

Friday-Sunday, February 22-24 L1A Presidents Championships at NYTCI New York Tennis Club Indoors 3081 Harding Avenue Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Championships Boys' & Girls' Singles: 78' Yellow Ball 12 (SE) Surface Type: Clay Indoor Entry Fee: $140.25 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, Feb. 18 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail BillWiese4@gmail.com or call (718) 239-7919.

Saturday-Sunday, February 16-17 L3 APTC Winter UPS Alley Pond Tennis Center7920 Winchester BoulevardQueens Village, N.Y.Divisions: Entry Level Boys' & Girls' Singles: 78' Green Ball 12 ,78' Yellow Ball 14-18 (NEF) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $43.50 per player (deadline for entries is Thursday, Feb. 14 at 6:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail hemco2@aol.com or call (718) 264-2600.

Friday-Sunday, February 22-24 Eastern Super Six at Cross String Tennis Academy (National L4) Queens College 6530 Kissena Boulevard Flushing, N.Y. Divisions: Super 6 Event Girls' Singles: 78' Yellow Ball 14 (FIC-R16) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $134.88 per player (deadline for entries is Tuesday, Feb. 12 at 1:00 p.m.)For more information, e-mail Steve.Beatty2584@gmail.com or call (716) 946-4348.

Friday-Sunday, February 8-10 L2 Mill Basin MatchpointNYC Matchpoint NYC Mill Basin 2350 East 69th Street Brooklyn, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate Boys' & Girls' Singles: 78' Yellow Ball 12 (FMLC) and Intermediate Boys' & Girls' Singles: 78' Yellow Ball 14-18 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Tuesday, Feb. 5 at 1:00 p.m.)For more information, e-mail KLastique@yahoo.com or call (718) 769-0001. Friday-Sunday, February 15-17 L1B Challenger in the Bronx Gotham Tennis Academy 725 Exterior Street Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys' & Girls' Singles: 78' Yellow Ball 12 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, Feb. 11 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Michael2.Moore@yahoo.com or call (646) 292-3511.

Monday-Friday, February 18-22 L2 City Parks Open City Parks Foundation New York Ave and Avenue of the Americas Flushing Meadow Corona Park Flushing, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate Boys' & Girls' Singles: 78' Yellow Ball 12 (FMLC) Intermediate Boys' & Girls' Singles: 78' Yellow Ball 14-16 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $43.50 per player (deadline for entries is Sunday, Feb. 10 at 6:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail tomtvedt@yahoo.com or call (718) 760-6999.

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2019 • NYTennisMag.com

Friday-Sunday, February 22-24 L2 Mill Basin MatchpointNYC Open Matchpoint NYC Mill Basin 2350 East 69th Street Brooklyn, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate Boys' & Girls' Singles: 78' Yellow Ball 12 (FMLC) and Intermediate Boys' & Girls' Singles: 78' Yellow Ball 14-18 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, Feb. 18 at 1:00 p.m.)For more information, e-mail KLastique@yahoo.com or call (718) 769-0001.

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