New York Tennis Magazine January / February 2018 by United Sports Publications

FREE TRIAL LESSONS FOR CHILDREN AGES 7 AND UNDER ON SATURD T AY FROM 2-3PM

NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

nytennis New York Tennis Magazine

MAGAZINE

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

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 Brian Coleman Senior Editor (516) 409-4444, ext. 326 • brianc@usptennis.com Joey Arendt Managing Art Director Francine Miller Advertising Coordinator (516) 409-4444, ext. 301 • francinem@usptennis.com 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.

Table Of Contents

JAN/FEB 2018 • Vol 8, No 1

Re-Charged Isner Storms Long Island for New York Open By Brian Coleman Big American John Isner leads the field as the ATP brings its stars to the New York area for the inaugural New York Open. See page 20

Highlights 11 New York Tennis Expo Returns on February 10! 30 2018 Australian Open Preview 66 New York Girls High School Recap

Features 4 6 8 23 24 28 32 33 34 35 36 40 41 42 43 44 46 48 50 54 56 59 60 62 63 64 68 70 71

NYJTL Honors Leeds, Huber at Annual Leadership Luncheon Centercourt Chatham Hosts Tennis Exhibition Benefitting The Valerie Fund Across Metro New York … News and Notes From Across the New York Metro Tennis Community New York Tennis Charitable Initiatives: The Spirit and Legacy of Howie Arons Embodied in the Big H Foundation USTA Eastern Metro Region Update: January/February 2018 Are You Practicing the Right Things at the Right Times? By Tony Huber All They Wanna Do Is Have Fun! By Khrystsina Tryboi Albany Tennis Academy in The Bahamas, Combining Academics With Atmosphere Metro Corporate League Recap, Presented by Advantage Tennis Clubs Midtown Tennis Club’s Round-Robin Parties: A Tennis Social Better Gut, Better Game By Dr. Rob Silverman 10 and Under Tennis By Vinicius Carmo JMTA Hosts Collegiate Signing Day Perception in Tennis By Saul Salazar The Mental Game: Mindful Eating Practice By Rob Polishook Junior Player Spotlight: Catherina Krespi, Roosevelt Island Racquet Club By Brian Coleman The Value of a Mental Skills Coach for the iGeneration By Amanda Ferranti Lessons I’ve Learned From Spain By Chris Lewit A Look Back at the Year That Was 2017 By Emilie Katz Are Junior Tennis Tournaments a Social Gathering? By Todd Widom Swing Away on Both First and Second Serves By Lisa Dodson Improving Is Simple By Michael Ward Choking: A Player’s Worst Nightmare By Gilad Bloom Stranger Danger … Only Part of the Problem By Richard Thater You Are More Than That Number By Barbara Wyatt Tennis and Social Class in America By Dr. Tom Ferraro The Future of U.S. Tennis Growth By Steve Kaplan USTA Leagues Update: January/February 2018 USTA/Metropolitan Region 2018 Tournament Schedule

If tennis is your game, Advantage is your club! Advantage Tennis Clubs serve up tennis just the way you like it! Always with a relaxed atmosphere, friendly people and 3 unbeatable locations. All Advantage Tennis Clubs offer: Private and group lessons • Game arranging • Tennis programs & clinics • Leagues • QuickStart for ages 4 & up • Junior program • And more!

Choose from 3 fantastic locations.

Manhattan Plaza Racquet and Health Club 5 cushioned hard indoor courts 450 West 43rd St., New York, NY Contact Milos Vojvodic: 212.594.0554, milos@advantagetennisclubs.com, or Lauren Hartman lhartman@advantagetennisclubs.com

New York Tennis Club 6 Har-Tru indoor/outdoor courts 3081 Harding Ave., Throgs Neck, NY 718.239.7919 Indoors/Mike Wisniewski mike@advantagetennisclubs.com Outdoors/Mike Weisberger nytctreasurer@gmail.com

Roosevelt Island Racquet Club 12 Har-Tru indoor courts 281 Main St., Roosevelt Island, NY Contact Gordon Kent: 212.935.0250, gkent@advantagetennisclubs.com, or Steve O’Keefe sokeefe@advantagetennisclubs.com

Find out more today—then choose your NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine Advantage club! advantagetennisclubs.com

NYJTL Honors Leeds, Huber at Annual Leadership Luncheon

Legendary Coach Nick Bollettieri addresses the crowd at the NYJTL’s Annual Leadership Luncheon

Nick Bollettieri (center) congratulates Irwin Askenase Sportsmanship Award winner Gabriel Sifuentes (left) and NYJTL Achievement Award winner Suhani Agrawal (right)

Clothing designer Tommy Hilfiger was on hand to support NYJTL

BBC Commentator John Lloyd, coaching legend Nick Bollettieri, clothing designer Tommy Hilfiger, Larry Leeds of Leeds Family Foundation, NYJTL President & CEO George Guimaraes, and NYJTL Executive Director of Tennis Liezel Huber

New York Junior Tennis & Learning (NYJTL) recently held its Annual Leadership Luncheon to honor “Champions of the Cary Leeds Center” at the Grand Hyatt NYC. One of the top accomplishments for the NYJTL in 2017 was completing the final phase of construction for the Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning. Larry Leeds, who led the capital campaign for the project, along with fellow NYJTL Board Member Tory Kiam, was honored by NYJTL at the event. Also honored was Liezel Huber, a seventime Grand Slam Doubles Champion and 4

three-time Olympian, who is now the Executive Director of Tennis for NYJTL. Since retiring from professional tennis, Huber has focused on humanitarian causes and joined NYJTL last summer. BBC Commentator and former Mixed Doubles Grand Slam Champion John Lloyd served as host of the event, and coaching legend and longtime NYJTL supporter Nick Bollettieri was on hand to present Huber with her award. Leeds’ good friend and fashion icon, Tommy Hilfiger, was also in attendance. The event also celebrated the accom-

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

BBC Commentator and former Mixed Doubles Grand Slam Champion John Lloyd served as host of the NYJTL’s Annual Leadership Luncheon

plishments of two scholar-athletes: Suhani Agrawal and Gabriel Sifuentes. Agrawal was honored the NYJTL Achievement Award, while Sifuentes was presented with the Irwin Askenase Sportsmanship Award. In all, the event raised nearly $500,000, thanks to Lawrence B. Benenson and the Frances and Benjamin Benenson Foundation, who have underwritten the event going back many years. All of those proceeds go directly to benefitting the mission of NYJTL, to provide free tennis and education programs for underserved youth for nearly five decades.

ted Sports

USP

nited Sports P

•U

lica t

ions, Lt

licat

io ns, Lt

Uni

•

Saturday, February 10, 2018 10:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

FREE EVENT New York’s largest grassroots tennis event is back! Join us to learn, play, shop and be part of growing the game we all love.

INTERACTIVE SEMINARS STARTING AT 11:00 AM Session 1 – The Road to College Scholarships Session 2 – Taking Your Game to the Next Level 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 Hit For Prizes N 10 & Under Tennis N Beach Tennis Arena N Hit with Local College Players

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

I New York Islanders Ice Tour featuring Slap Shot Booth

For FREE tickets and parking register at newyorktennisexpo.eventbrite.com For more information on Sponsorship and Exhibiting Opportunites, contact: 516-409-4444 NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine info@USPTennis.com

Credit all photos to Sidney Beal III

Centercourt Chatham Hosts Tennis Exhibition Benefitting The Valerie Fund

he Justin Gimelstob Children’s Fund (JGCF) put on its 2017 Tennis Exhibition at Centercourt Chatham for the fourth time, bringing together stars of the sport to benefit The Valerie Fund on a snowy December evening. Madison Keys and Coco Vandeweghe, two of the brightest players in the women’s game, as well as Bob and Mike Bryan, donated their time and took part in singles and doubles exhibitions, as fans in attendance were treated to top-level tennis. “A huge thank you to Justin Gimelstob

T 6

for allowing Centercourt to play host to the 2017 JGCF Tennis Exhibition,” said Clay Bibbee, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Partner of Centercourt. “As always, the event featured some of the best tennis players in the world, including Madison Keys, Coco Vandeweghe along with the Bryan Brothers. This event brings the entire New Jersey tennis community together for such a great cause. Again, a huge thank you to Justin and all the volunteers for making this the premier tennis event in New Jersey!”

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

Gimelstob led adult and junior clinics in the morning, and auctioned off unique sports memorabilia and other items, such as tickets to the New York Open and the President’s Suite at the 2018 U.S. Open. In all, the event raised more than $340,000 for The Valerie Fund, whose mission is to provide individualized care to children at medical centers close to home in order to better help treat children emotionally, socially and developmentally as well as medically.

NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

Across Metro Ne East Elmhurst’s Mosejczuk Succeeds on the “Little Mo” Circuit Dominick Mosejczuk of East Elmhurst, N.Y. had a great summer participating in the 2017 “Little Mo” Circuit, competing in all three International tournaments in New York, California and Florida. Mosejczuk captured the Boys 10s Singles Title in New York and California, while he lost in the Boys 10s final in Florida, coming up one win shy of taking home the famous six-foot tall trophy. He also played well in the doubles draws, winning the Boys 10s Doubles Title and Mixed Doubles Titles in New York, while winning the Mixed Doubles Titles in California and Florida. He is a part of the My Game Solutions Sponsorship program, which provides apparel, rackets, bags and round trip flight tickets to a national tournament of his choice.

Zaretsky Wins “Little Mo” Doubles Title Chris Lewit Tennis student Elana Zaretsky was also down in Palm Beach, Fla. competing at the “Little Mo” Internationals. Zaretsky captured a Girl’s Doubles title, and also won the title in the Consolation Singles draw to add to her successful season.

St. John’s Hires Schwartz as New Men’s Tennis Coach

Craig Schwartz will be the new Head Coach of the St. John’s Men’s Tennis Team. Schwartz joins the Red Storm after serving as an Assistant Coach for the Appalachian State Men’s and Women’s Tennis Programs. Prior to that, he served as Head Coach and Coordinator of the Queens College Men’s Tennis Program for five seasons. During his time at Queens College, Schwartz won the ITA East Region Coach of the Year in 2009 and the East Coast Conference Coach of the Year in 2010 and 2012. “I am excited to hit the ground running,” said Schwartz. “My goal will be to help our student-athletes continue their successes both on and off the court. I’m looking forward to creating a culture based off of hard work, discipline, and respect at St. John’s. There is nothing better than going out there and watching your players work hard and compete on a daily basis for each other with the same goals in mind.”

Isner Visits JMTA During New York Visit

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

Ahead of the inaugural New York Open, headliner John Isner visited New York and even caught a New York Knicks-Brooklyn Nets game at the Barclay’s Center. He stopped by Sportime Randall’s Island to visit the John McEnroe Tennis Academy and got on court to hit with some players in the JMTA program.

New York

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

Cary Leeds Center Kids Learn From U.S. Open Champ Stephens

The kids from the Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning were able to learn from one of the best as 2017 U.S. Open Champion Sloane Stephens recently visited the Bronx facility. Stephens spoke to the Cary Leeds’ Tournament Team about what it takes to be a champion and delivered some inspiring words to the next generation of tennis players.

Kushnirovich Wins NY Open Wild Card Tourney at Centercourt Chatham

Centercourt Athletic Club of Chatham hosted one of the New York Open pre-qualifying events, which gave local players a chance to play with the pros at the inaugural tournament in February. Former St. John’s standout Gary Kushnirovich defeated Julian Zlobinsky in the finals to advance to the next round, and move one step closer to reaching the qualifying draw of the New York Open. Centercourt hosted a Courtside Cocktail Party for its members during the tournament.

NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

across metro new york

continued from page 9

Hohmann Wins Eddie Herr International New Yorker Ronald Hohmann captured the title at the Eddie Herr International in Bradenton, Fla. Hohmann, who trains with Todd Widom Tennis, dropped just one set in his six matches en route to the title. Seeded 13th, he defeated the fifth-seed, fourth-seed and third-seed in the quarterfinals, semifinals and finals, respectively, to win the championship. “The main thing I was doing well was keeping my head focused on the game plan. I knew if I did this I would be able to win those matches,” said Hohmann. “Winning a tournament like this gives me a lot of confidence. I feel like I can beat anybody.”

Smelyansky Wins Annual MatchPoint Orange Ball Tournament

Bloom Reaches Final of Seniors World Championships Gilad Bloom, who runs his tennis program out of Manhattan and the Bronx, took off his teaching hat and put his playing hat back on for the 37th Seniors World Individual Championships in Miami Beach, Fla. Bloom and partner, Yael Vitale Nadler, reached the finals in the Mixed Doubles draw and would finish as runner-ups.

CourtSense’s Tartakovsky Finishes Runner-Up at 18s National Indoor Championship

MatchPoint NYC showcases the development of its young players with annual Orange Ball tournaments. Alex Smelyansky won the title at the most recent installment of its Orange Ball tournament as he beat Joseph Belenkiy in the final. Benjamin Bogot finished in third place.

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

Sonia Tartakovsky, who trains out of CourtSense, reached the finals of the USTA Girls 18s National Indoor Championships in Weymouth, Mass. Tartakovsky won five matches in straight sets and won the opening set of the final, before Michelle Sorokko rallied to win the title.

New York Tennis Expo Returns on February 10!

he Long Island and New York tennis communities have been anxiously awaiting the return of the New York Tennis Expo, the community’s largest free, grassroots tennis event. On Saturday, Feb. 10, that wait is over as the 2018 New York Tennis Expo arrives at NYCB Live, home of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. The Expo will be held in conjunction with and will serve as the lead-in event for the inaugural New York Open, the ATP World Tour 250 Series tournament, which features top players such as John Isner, Kei Nishikori and the Bryan Brothers. As a part of being the lead-in event for the tournament, the New York Open Draw Ceremony will take place at the Long Island/New York Tennis Magazine Broadcast Plaza in the center of the Expo Hall and there will be professional players on hand to sign autographs and take part in meet and greets. The Broadcast Plaza will also feature oncamera and radio interviews with sponsors, speakers and attendees discussing the day’s event. “We are thrilled to kick off the first annual New York Open with the New York Tennis Expo on Saturday, Feb. 10,” said Josh Ripple, New York Open Tournament Director. “The Open and Expo’s mutual goal is to create compelling, interactive content for tennis enthusiasts and afford industry leaders a unique chance to expose its products and services to as many people as possible. By integrating the ATP Tour into the Expo, we believe that exhibitors and attendees will have a rare opportunity to be the first to see how the tournament venue will look, hit on the competition courts and meet ATP Tour players. And it provides many New Yorkers the chance to reconnect with Nassau Coliseum following its $180 million renovation. A win-win for everyone.” This free and family-friendly Expo will also once again feature informative and topical discussions featuring industry experts on subjects including “Road to College Scholarships” and “Taking Your Game to the Next Level.” Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions during the speaker sessions and learn from some of the best minds in tennis.

The Expo will have something for the whole family and won’t be limited to only tennis enthusiasts. The expansive Activity Zone will feature the New York Islanders Ice Tour, who will have its mascot, Sparky, on hand as well as a slap shot booth for attendees to show off their hockey skills. There will be 10 & Under Mini Tennis Courts sponsored by USTA Eastern for kids to play on, and opportunities for attendees to play on the stadium courts, which will be used by the professionals during the New York Open. The Activity Zone will also play host to a Speed Serve booth provided by Sportime so you can see if your serve measures up with the professionals! Face-painting, a bouncy house and other games will be prominently featured in the Kids Zone which will make sure you stay entertained throughout the whole day. The large exhibitor hall will feature the best in tennis clubs/programs, court builders/suppliers, travel destinations, sports medicine, training facilities and much, much more. New to this year’s Expo will be the addition of Beach Tennis and a Tennis Apparel Fashion Show, which adds a new layer of tennis fun to the event. Come try your hand at beach tennis and have some fun in the sand despite the winter weather outside. You can also check out the latest in tennis fashion with our Fashion Show, which will showcase our local high school and college tennis players modeling the latest in tennis apparel. We are honored to once again bring our community the New York Tennis Expo, and are especially excited to partner with the New York Open to make the event possible. We encourage tennis fans and non-tennis fans alike to come to Nassau Coliseum on Saturday, Feb. 10 for a free day of family fun and see what the Expo is all about. If you preregister for the 2018 New York Tennis Expo, you will receive complimentary parking on the day of the event. Visit NewYorkTennisExpo.Eventbrite.com for your preregistration ticket, as well as to stay up-to-date on the latest news and announcements regarding the Expo.

NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

New York Open Debuts With Opening Night Premiere

he return of the New York Tennis Expo will kick off the New York Open on Saturday, Feb. 10 at NYCB Live, home of The Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, while the tournament begins the next day, first with the qualifying rounds, followed by an electrifying Opening Night Premiere that will thrill Long Islanders. New York’s own John McEnroe, Hon-

orary Ambassador for the New York Open, will help usher in the tournament with the Opening Night Premiere, where he will be joined by James Blake, 2017 U.S. Open Champion Sloane Stephens and Eugenie Bouchard. McEnroe will take on Blake in an exhibition, followed by Stephens playing Bouchard in eight-game pro sets. Afterwards, the four will compete in a

mixed-doubles match. “I love New York, and obviously have some amazing memories there,” said Stephens. “I’ve never been to the Coliseum before. It’ll be great for me, playing against my friend Genie, and I’m really looking forward to it. We grew up playing together at the same academy with the same coaches. We play doubles together, and I spent a lot of time with her, but like any other match, I’ll just go out there and compete and try to play my best.” New York Open Tournament Director Josh Ripple said, “The New York Open will quickly become the winter classic for tennis fans and entertainment seekers in the New York area, and kicking off this first year with the likes of John, Sloane, Genie and James is a tremendous start. Having men and women play together to celebrate our opening will be great fun for the fans, and we are excited to bring back champions that the New York market will want to see.”

Querrey, Harrison Join New York Open Player Field he player field for the New York Open will feature some of the best talent in the world and it only continues to get better. The latest commitments into the main draw of the tournament include world number 13 Sam Querrey, Next Gen ATP Finals Champion Hyeon Chung of South Korea, and defending champion Ryan Harrison,

T 12

who won the event last year in Memphis. The three players join the growing list of players who will make up the field at the inaugural tournament in Uniondale, N.Y. in February. “I’ve always loved playing the Memphis tournament in the past, and now having it move to Long Island should be really fun,” said Querrey, who reached the semifinals

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open quarterfinals in 2017. “To have a second tournament in New York will be great. And hopefully the fans come out and support the event. I’m looking forward to getting out there.” Chung is one of the top young talents in all of tennis and he proved that towards the end of the year in Milan. The 21-year-old

February 10-18, 2018 NYCB Live, home of The Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum won all five of his matches at the Next Gen ATP Finals in the event’s first year to take home the trophy. Harrison captured the Memphis Open title in 2016 for his maiden title on the ATP World Tour, and would also win the French Open Men’s Doubles title, alongside Michael Venus of New Zealand to highlight his season. With the addition of Querrey and Harrison to a field which already features John Isner, the Bryan Brothers, Steve

Johnson, Donald Young, Frances Tiafoe, Jared Donaldson, and Long Island native Noah Rubin, the New York Open will surely be an excellent showcase for American men’s tennis. “We’re probably at an all-time high in terms of the last eight years … I feel like we have a good group right now,” said Querrey. “Last year, guys won a lot of big tournaments, and we don’t have that Grand Slam yet, but I think we are doing a lot of other good things. Men’s tennis is in a great place

right now, and it’s only getting better, especially with all the young guys out there.” In addition to Chung and the group of Americans already committed to play, alltime aces leader Ivo Karlovic of Croatia, Japan’s Kei Nishikori, South African Kevin Anderson, and Israel’s Dudi Sela, have entered and will be on hand for the inaugural New York Open. continued on page 14

WE'VE GOT YOU COVERED Play tennis year round under a Farley bubble. The Farley Group is the world leader in air-supported structures and has provided over 20 tennis bubbles in New York and Long Island. Contact us today to learn about how you can turn your outdoor courts into a year round facility.

www.thefarleygroup.com l info@thefarleygroup.com

1-888-445-3223

NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

New York Open 2018 Player Bios (All records as of 12/20/17)

Kevin Anderson Country: Republic of South Africa Birthplace: Johannesburg, South Africa Birth date: May 18, 1986 Residence: Gulf Stream, Fla. Turned pro: 2007 Career singles record: 271-201 (as of 12/20/17) Career singles titles: 3

Jeremy Chardy Country: France Birthplace: Pau, France Birth date: February 12, 1987 Residence: Liege, Belgium Turned pro: 2005 Career singles record: 224-230 (as of 12/20/17) Career singles titles: 1

Ryan Harrison Country: United States of America Birthplace: Shreveport, La. Birth date: May 7, 1992 Residence: Boca Raton, Fla. Turned pro: 2008 Career singles record: 93-129 (as of 12/20/17) Career singles titles: 1

Nikoloz Basilashvili Country: Georgia Birthplace: Tbilisi, Georgia Birth date: February 23, 1992 Residence: Tbilisi, Georgia Turned pro: 2008 Career singles record: 37-46 (as of 12/20/17) Career singles titles: 0

Hyeon Chung Country: South Korea Birthplace: Suwon, South Korea Birth date: May 19, 1996 Residence: Suwon, South Korea Turned pro: 2014 Career singles record: 51-43 (as of 12/20/17) Career singles titles: 1

John Isner Country: United States of America Birthplace: Greensboro, N.C. Birth date: April 26, 1985 Residence: Tampa, Fla. Turned pro: 2007 Career singles record: 359-220 (as of 12/20/17) Career titles: 12

Bob & Mike Bryan Country: United States of America Birthplace: Camarillo, Calif. Birth date: April 29, 1978 Residence: Sunny Isles Beach, Fla. Turned pro: 1998 Career doubles titles: 114

Jared Donaldson Country: United States of America Birthplace: Providence, R.I. Birth date: October 9, 1996 Residence: Irvine, Calif. Turned pro: 2014 Career singles record: 32-44 (as of 12/20/17) Career singles titles: 0

Steve Johnson Country: United States of America Birthplace: Orange, Calif. Birth date: December 24, 1989 Residence: Redondo Beach, Calif. Turned pro: 2012 Career singles record: 122-116 (as of 12/20/17) Career singles titles: 2

New York Tennis Magazine â&#x20AC;˘ January/February 2018 â&#x20AC;˘ NYTennisMag.com

New York Open 2018 Player Bios (All records as of 12/20/17)

Ivo Karlovic Country: Croatia Birthplace: Zagreb, Croatia Birth Date: February 28, 1979 Residence: Miami, Fla. Turned pro: 2000 Career singles record: 346-307 (as of 12/20/17) Career titles: 8

Reilly Opelka Country: United States Birthplace: St. Joseph, Mich. Birth date: August 28, 1997 Residence: Palm Coast, Fla. Turned pro: 2015 Career singles record: 6-13 (as of 12/20/17) Career singles titles: 0

Dudi Sela Country: Israel Birthplace: Kiryat Shmona, Israel Birth date: April 4, 1985 Residence: Tel Aviv, Israel Turned pro: 2002 Career singles record: 136-184 (as of 12/20/17) Career singles titles: 0

Kei Nishikori Country: Japan Birthplace: Matsue, Shimane, Japan Birth date: December 29, 1989 Residence: Bradenton, Fla. Turned pro: 2007 Career singles record: 331-155 (as of 12/20/17) Career titles: 11

Sam Querrey Country: United States of America Birthplace: San Francisco, Calif. Birth date: October 7, 1987 Residence: Santa Monica, Calif. Turned pro: 2006 Career singles record: 321-257 (as of 12/20/17) Career singles titles: 10

Frances Tiafoe Country: United States of America Birthplace: Hyattsville, Md. Birth date: January 20, 1998 Residence: Orlando, Fla. Turned pro: 2015 Career singles record: 9-29 (as of 12/20/17) Career singles titles: 0

Adrian Mannarino Country: France Birthplace: Soisy-Sous-Montmorency, France Birth date: June 29, 1988 Residence: Valetta, Malta Turned pro: 2004 Career singles record: 136-163 (as of 12/20/17) Career titles: 0

Noah Rubin Country: United States of America Birthplace: Long Island, N.Y. Birth date: February 21, 1996 Residence: Long Island, N.Y. Turned pro: 2015 Career singles record: 3-9 (as of 12/20/17) Career singles titles: 0

Donald Young Country: United States of America Birthplace: Chicago, Ill. Birth Date: July 23, 1989 Residence: Atlanta, Ga. Turned pro: 2004 Career singles record: 121-175 (as of 12/20/17) Career titles: 0

NYTennisMag.com â&#x20AC;˘ January/February 2018 â&#x20AC;˘ New York Tennis Magazine

NY Open Teams With Breast Cancer Research Foundation he New York Open has announced that it will be partnering with the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) to raise funds through two Play for P.I.N.K Nights during the tournament at NYCB Live, home of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum On Sunday, Feb. 11, the New York Open’s Premiere Night will feature a women’s Play for P.I.N.K matchup between 2017 U.S. Open Champion Sloane Stephens and Canadian Eugenie Bouchard, which will benefit BCRF. Each year, more than 30,000 devoted women, men, children and families organize Play for P.I.N.K. (Prevention, Immediate Diagnosis, New Technology and Knowledge) fundraisers across the U.S. and donate 100 percent of all proceeds to BCRF in support of its mission to eradicate breast cancer by advancing the world’s most promising lifesaving research.

“We are thrilled to partner with the New York Open,” said Stephanie Hamburger, Executive Director of Play for P.I.N.K. “The money raised through the Premiere Night will help fund critical, lifesaving research and impact the lives of countless individuals and families affected by breast cancer.” BCRF is also the special session beneficiary for the tournament’s Tuesday, Feb. 13 evening session, when the Bryan Brothers play on Stadium Court. “We are excited to have the world renowned Breast Cancer Research Foundation be part of the New York Open,” said Tournament Director Josh Ripple. “Play for P.I.N.K. has made a significant impact on many lives, and it’s truly special that we can work together on making a positive impact on breast cancer research awareness and raising money.” A special co-branded New York Open

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

and BCRF item will also be available for purchase on site, with proceeds to benefit BCRF. As the special session(s) sponsor, BCRF will also receive signage throughout the Nassau Coliseum, public address announcements, a booth display, and a meet-and-greet with a New York Open player. In addition to the sessions that benefit the BCRF, the New York Open will have an array of promotional nights and special activities for fans to enjoy throughout the week including one on Valentine’s Day. Individual tickets range from $38 to $72, and VIP packages range from $172 to $343 for the session and can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com, NewYorkOpen.com and NYCBLIVE.com, or by calling (800) 7453000. Tickets can also be purchased in-person at the Ticketmaster Box Office at the Coliseum.

Q&A With New York Open Tournament Director Josh Ripple Josh Ripple is the Tournament Director of the New York Open and was integral in moving the tournament from Memphis to New York. New York Tennis Magazine sat down with Josh to talk about the tournament making its move to Long Island and what the future holds for the newest ATP World Tour event. Talk a little bit about your background … who is Josh Ripple? I am just a small town boy from Rockland County, N.Y., who was fortunate enough to play tennis and eventually work in the business of tennis. I graduated from Ramapo High School in Monsey, N.Y., and then went to George Washington University in Washington, D.C., playing four years of varsity tennis. Upon graduation, GWU hired me as their Men’s Varsity Tennis Coach and then I was lucky to land a job with one of the major sports marketing companies of that time called ProServ. Donald Dell’s group employed me for just about 14 years, and then I signed on to be part of a spin-off company called StarGames before going to the WTA Tour where I served as President and COO. The journey then took me to several fun nontennis roles before becoming a resident of Las Vegas where I became part of a group that opened The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, serving as its Head of Entertainment and Sponsorship Sales in 2011. In late 2013, I joined another Las Vegasbased company called Life Is Beautiful as its COO, and was part of an amazing team that created one of the world’s largest and best music, culinary, art and learning festivals. In early 2015, the formulation of GF Sports began, and in July of that year, we opened our doors as owners and operators of the ATP Tour properties in Atlanta and Memphis.

Discuss how the New York Open came about? When we created GF Sports in July 2015, one of our objectives was to relocate some of our properties closer to our home headquarters in New York. When we learned through one of the world’s largest entertainment companies, Brooklyn Sports and Entertainment, that Nassau Coliseum was going through a massive renovation, there seemed to be an opportunity to move the only United States indoor tournament on the ATP Tour to this “new” indoor venue which would allow us to present a professional sporting event as we think it should be produced. Once we determined that the facility not only could accommodate the needs of an event such as ours but also be an important destination for the New York-metropolitan area, the decision was quite simple to make it happen. In April of 2017, the deal was struck with Brooklyn Sports and Entertainment, as our partners, and the New York Open was born. What should the Long Island and New York-metropolitan area community expect from the tournament? It is interesting that with the advent of the New York Open, professional tennis in the United States actually begins and ends in New York. Being bookends with the U.S. Open is quite interesting and presents a great opportunity for fans to have both a summer and winter tennis destination. While the U.S. Open is perhaps the greatest tennis event in the world, the New York Open should fill that fix for people who want to see major professional tennis more than once a year. People should expect that we will create a multi-dimensional entertainment property that is immersive, from an experiential standpoint and compelling as an ATP World Tour tournament. The goal is to for the New York Open to be about tennis, music, lifestyle activities, and up close and personal interaction between the fans and players that most tennis people don’t get at larger championships like the

U.S. Open. On top of all that, the community should expect us to be great neighbors, and with a 10-year commitment to the Coliseum, we have already started to grow roots. What makes the return of the New York Tennis Expo the perfect lead-in event for the New York Open? Any time you have the opportunity for people to see, touch and taste the product, then there’s a good chance that they will want to engage. The premise for our relationship with the New York Tennis Expo is to create compelling content and interactive opportunity for businesses and attendees to experience the importance of this very cool expo and get a behind-the-curtain peek at what the New York Open is all about and how it will look. The halo effect that we believe will be created from the New York Tennis Expo should bode well for the New York Open. Likewise, the association of the Expo with the New York Open hopefully provides that credible, bigtime event benefit that will attract large numbers of people. What is your goal for the tournament, both long-term and short-term? The overall goal is to build the New York Open to be the best ATP World Tour event in the United States, with the short-term goal to be the best 250 Series level property on Tour. Our team is determined to win a Tournament of the Year Award, and we are confident that it will happen. But, we are about entertainment and creating a compelling option for people and corporate partners to pick us as THE place to park their dollars. It may take a few years to gain the traction we seek, but we know if we are successful in our outreach to the tennis community, then the core fan will have a save-the-date mindset every year. If we create a fun and exciting experience that transcends tennis, then the non-core person continued on page 18

NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

will invest as well. We start in year one with the largest seating capacity of any 250-level event in the world (6,300 seats), and we will work hard to fill those seats. But the goal is to not only to hit 6,300 in the first few years, but to be able to attract the players and the fans that will allow us to start with two courts at 6,300 seats, and by mid-week, transition to one court and allow our capacity to reach 12,000. A tremendous opportunity that we have with the Coliseum is that we have enough seats to make the math work to procure some of the game’s top players. It’s exciting to think that we can get there. And behind all of this is the backdrop of our GF Sports mission to build the sport of tennis here in America. We will continue to provide opportunities for the young players in the USTA Development program by offering wild cards and a major stage to play. And, we are equally passionate about

creating a special chance for kids and adults to be exposed to tennis—a game and business that our leadership has made a massive investment to support and help grow.

nis Project, NYJTL and many more that will come on board over the next several weeks. College night, Valentine’s Day Night, etc., all great platforms to create excitement and engagement.

What sort of promotional nights will you be hosting as part of the New York Open? In year one, it will be about attracting as many tennis clubs, players and local businesses to attend. So, we will be looking to have promotional nights for these types of groups to come out and experience the tournament. Equally important, we are about providing promotional opportunities for various New York-area charities to raise awareness and hopefully money to help people in need. At the moment, we are excited over the involvement of the Breast Cancer Research Fund (BCRF) and Play for P.I.N.K., NetGeneration, which is a critically important USTA grassroots program, the Johnny Mac Ten-

How has the feedback been from the local community? As of this interview, so far so GREAT! Long Islanders are extremely excited over the prospect of professional tennis being a part of their winter calendar. Tickets are selling, and businesses are interested and want to become involved. We will see in early February how that truly translates, but we think it will prove to be a great success. People really need to see the new NYCB Live, home of The Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. It’s definitely not your dad’s Cadillac. As we like to say, it’s our “Fifth Beatle,” and we think that once people experience NYCB Live, then they will want to come back many times.

www.windsorhighschoolatalbany.com

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

New York Open 2018 Schedule Date

Event

Time

Details and Players

Saturday, February 10

2018 NY Tennis Expo

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

Free Tennis Day

Sunday, February 11

Qualifying

11:00 a.m.

Round 1

Sunday, February 11

Opening Night Premiere

7:30 p.m.

Opening Night Premiere and Play for P.I.N.K. Night

Monday, February 12

Session 1

1:00 p.m.

Final Round Qualifying/First Round Men’s Doubles

Monday, February 12

Session 2

7:30 p.m.

First Round

Tuesday, February 13

Session 3

1:00 p.m.

First/Second Round

Tuesday, February 13

Session 4

7:30 p.m.

First/Second Round: Hyeon Chung/Bryan Brothers/Play for P.I.N.K. Night

Wednesday, February 14

Session 5

1:00 p.m.

First/Second Round

Wednesday, February 14

Session 6

7:30 p.m.

First/Second Round: Kei Nishikori

Thursday, February 15

Session 7

1:00 p.m.

Second Round

Thursday, February 15

Session 8

7:30 p.m.

Second Round: John Isner

Friday, February 16

Session 9

1:00 p.m.

Quarterfinals

Friday, February 16

Session 10

7:30 p.m.

Quarterfinals

Saturday, February 17

Session 11

1:00 p.m.

Semifinals

Saturday, February 17

Session 12

7:30 p.m.

Semifinals

Sunday, February 18

Session 13

1:00 p.m.

Final

February 10-18, 2018 NYCB Live, home of The Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum

NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

Re-Charged Isner Storms Long Island for New York Open Big American leads field at inaugural local ATP event By Brian Coleman

hen it was announced that the Memphis Open would be relocating to Long Island and become the “New York Open,” one of the first players to commit to the event was American John Isner. “I’m excited about being one of the headliners for this first-time winter ATP Tour event in New York,” said Isner. “We hear NYCB Live, home of The Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum has been renovated to be a first-class state-of-the-art arena, and it's getting good buzz among the players.” The 16th-ranked player in the world brought immediate star power to the event early on, beginning a wave of talented players entering the New York Open field. “I always try to play as much as I can inside the United States, and this event fits my calendar perfectly,” said Isner. “It will be my first tournament after the Australian Open. I want to get right back into things after that Slam. It’s the first year of the event and it will be a great one.” Isner is hoping for a strong 2018 campaign which will begin in Melbourne before he comes to Long Island. The Greensboro, N.C. native has become a familiar face in the New York area. He played for the New York Empire during the Mylan World TeamTennis season this past summer at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. More recently, Isner spent time at local facilities, including the John McEnroe Tennis Academy at Sportime Randall's Island and Christopher Morley Tennis to promote the New York Open, talking to the students of each program. This offseason has been a bit different than in years past for Isner, as he married his longtime girlfriend, Madison McKinley, in a country-themed wedding in South Carolina. Many of Isner’s peers and compatriots were on hand to celebrate the new Mr. and Mrs. Isner. “It was spectacular,” Isner said of the wedding. “My wife’s family did a pretty cool job of putting everything together. It was picturesque from beginning to end. We had so many close friends and family there … it was truly a magical weekend.” Now a married man, Isner heads into the new season with high expectations, and has been training hard to get himself ready for 2018. His first priority is to make sure he is in the best shape possible to remain healthy for the entire year, something he has emphasized this winter. "It's been different this offseason for sure," Isner said. "The focus has been less on tennis. For me, it's more important to get my body right before I start practicing really hard, and that's what I've been doing. I've been lifting a lot of weights and training hard, getting myself healthy. After a long year, there are always a few injuries that pop up that you need to get healthy. And that's what I've done. I feel very strong. Now it's time to get the tennis part of things going."

continued on page 22 NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

re-charged isner storms long island for new york open continued from page 21

Having spent a decade on the Pro Tour, Isner knows what he does and does not need to do in order to get himself ready for the year, and is set for another successful season leading the American charge in men's tennis. As one of the headliners for the New York Open, Isner heads the pack of talented Americans who will make up the tournament's draw including Sam Querrey, Steve Johnson, Ryan Harrison and Noah Rubin. "I think it's going to be a very good showcase for American players. We know of a few who have already committed to play this tournament," said Isner. "Men's tennis in the United States is on its way up. There are some players like myself who have been doing this a long time but there are also some players behind me that keep me young. These players may not be household names right now, but give it a couple of years and they should be." Isner still has plenty left in the tank and the motivation to keep pushing to achieve his goals. "I'm still very motivated. I always try to put things into perspective,” said Isner. “I play a sport for a living. I'm very blessed. I have a fantastic job; I know how lucky I am. I want to do this as long as I can." Joining Isner as one of the initial com22

mits was Japan’s Kei Nishikori, a former U.S. Open finalist who concluded 2017 as the 22nd-ranked player in the world. “Playing in New York has always been exciting for me and to think I could win a fifth title during this ATP Tour week would be amazing,” said Nishikori, who turned pro in 2007 and owns 11 career ATP titles. “I’ll miss Memphis, but I’m going to love New York.” The Memphis Open was the tournament that was previously played during this week and has moved to New York. Nishikori captured the title four straight years in Memphis, 2013-2016, and will look to begin a

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

new run of success nearly 1,200 miles away. Unfortunately, injuries have played a big role for Nishikori in recent years and were the main culprit in his ranking slipping outside the top 20 as 2017 concluded. It forced him to withdraw from Brisbane to start off 2018 as he hopes to take care of his body for a long and prosperous season which includes his stop on Long Island. 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.

charitable initiatives The Spirit and Legacy of Howie Arons Embodied in the Big H Foundation

Anybody who knows New York City tennis is familiar with the life and work of Howie Arons. The longtime Coach at Benjamin Cardozo High School in Queens anchored a dominant run that spanned nearly four decades, winning 584 matches and 18 city titles. Howie was more than just a Coach. He was also an English Teacher at Cardozo and would later become a dean at the school. “My dad had a ton of energy, enthusiasm and dedication for everything he did,” said Howie’s son, Ian. “He would start every day at the crack of dawn and drive out to Queens to get there for the early periods as a high school English teacher. In the afternoons, he ran the tennis program. He was a very dedicated, hard-working, and great guy.” Arons, affectionately referred to as “Big H,” carved out a successful career in tennis which included working his way from being a Tennis Pro to a Club Owner and his four-plus decades of coaching at Cardozo. “His players loved him; they were an extension of our family,” said Howie’s son Andrew. “They would come over to the house for pool parties and BBQs. He loved helping people, whether it was tutoring for Regents Exams or talking to college coaches on behalf of his players.” “He was selfless and always looking to help

out anyway he could,” Ian added. Whether that’s blood tests or genetic testing, we In 2015, “Big H” went in for a routine are still doing research and speaking to leading prostate exam and his blood work revealed he oncologists to establish where we want to send had cancer. After a few months, the family funding to in the coming years.” learned that he had Cancer of Unknown PriThe organization has already held a tennis mary, an aggressive unknown form of metasta- event to raise money with a kickoff back in tic cancer. September. “Over the course of the next 15 months, he “We played a bunch of round-robin baseline underwent six different chemotherapy treat- games which included several of my dad’s forments, radiation, biopsies and immunotherapy. mer players. It was high quality tennis and we Nothing worked,” Ian said. “Throughout it all, had personal friends come and watch. We are dad was so brave and upbeat and fought to going to keep trying to do things like that,” the end.” added Ian. “That’s the goal. It was nice to have To embody his spirit and passion, the family the event which really kick started things and we subsequently started The Big H Foundation, have also now established a Web site at BigHwhose goal is to support a wide variety of pro- Foundation.org. We’re going to be spending our grams, research and studies designed to ad- time and energy looking for the most promising vance the science of early cancer detection. places to donate money for early detection.” “We knew we wanted to keep my dad’s The Arons Family and Big H Foundation are in spirit and energy alive in some way. We just the early phase of its fundraising, but have aldidn’t envision exactly what that would be,” Ian ready raised more than $60,000 in its first few recalls. “There is a lot of research and funding months, and plan on continuing to do more in going into how to treat and cure cancer, and so the months and years ahead. we wanted to do something a little different. “He was an incredibly passionate and posiThere was nothing that could stop or treat my tive person, and he instilled that in me and my dad’s cancer because it was so advanced. We brother,” said Andrew. “The outpouring of love wanted to find promising research and science and support after he passed away reinforced going behind early detection. The statistical dif- just how many lives he touched, and we want ferences in life NYTennisMag.com expectancy between•early stage to keep his•memory alive and continue January/February 2018 New York Tennis Magazineto make 23 cancer versus stages 3 and 4 are staggering. a difference.”

USTA Metro Region

A Message From USTA Eastern Metro Region President Pablo Sierra Happy Holidays From the USTA Eastern-Metro Region

The USTA Eastern-Metro Region held its 2017 Holiday Party on Dec. 5 at the historic West Side Tennis Club. Invited were Metro volunteers and recipients to receive their 2017 Regional Grants. Organizations receiving $1,000 Regional Grants were the Fort Greene Tennis Association, St. Nicks Alliance and NYJTL. The organizations were several of many who promote the game of tennis. The Holiday Party was a good way of bringing together these great organizations and give them the opportunity to meet each other, and talk about their programs; while exchanging numbers 24

and developing relationships with each other. It was truly a fun evening, being with people who all share the same cause. Organizations are reminded that they can apply for $1,000 Regional Grants to assist them in promoting their programs. For more information feel free to e-mail us at USTA.Metro.Region@gmail.com. Pablo Sierra is USTA Eastern Metro Region President Pablo Sierra. Pablo also serves as Founder and President of the South Brooklyn Tennis Association (SBTA).

New York Tennis Magazine â&#x20AC;˘ January/February 2018 â&#x20AC;˘ NYTennisMag.com

USTA Metro Region Tennis, The Anti-Aging Game Written and Compiled by Greg Smith Marian Augustyniak (third from right) celebrates his 92nd birthday with his hitting partners in Upper Manhattan on the courts of Inwood Hill Park

Ninety-two-year-old Marian Augustyniak is still active on the tennis courts of Inwood Hill Park in Upper Manhattan Can tennis prolong life, enhancing physical and cognitive health? Ask Marian Augustyniak. Born in Poland in 1925, Marian was taken POW during the Warsaw Uprising. Liberated, he emigrated to the U.S. He joined the U.S. Army, serving tours in the Korea Conflict and received the Purple Heart. Trained at the Carnegie Institute, Marian has been occupied with architecture for more than 60 years. On Nov. 17, he celebrated his 92nd birthday, on the tennis courts at Inwood Hill Park in Upper Manhattan where has lived and played for a very long time. Why have you stuck with tennis for so long? Marian Augustyniak: First of all, I always loved the game. For health reasons, I could not think of any other sport that was as good. It’s exercising the eyes by looking back and forth, and zooming in and out. Then the brain, it has to figure left, then right; you have to anticipate where the balls are going. Then, how are you going to get it? Knowing it’s not important how fast you run, but how soon you start. When did you first pick up a racket? Augustyniak: In 1975, I started hitting balls against a wall at a playground on the Upper West Side. Then (now President) Donald Trump developed it into a residential property. Next, I started playing on the courts at 119th and Riverside, and finally at Inwood Hill Park. How often do you still play? Augustyniak: Everyday … including hitting against the wall. How does continuing to play tennis enhance your lifestyle? Augustyniak: It cuts off some other exercises that I would need. It’s part of the camaraderie. The concentration involved with tennis is a very different type of concentration … it’s very relaxing. I

don’t play competitively very much, I just hit the ball and have fun. Occasionally, I do and that’s a different mindset. It’s a great game. What’s special about your diet? Augustyniak: I found that if I don’t have a salad, my life isn’t really that good. How has being in a tennis community helped keep the sport going on for so long? Augustyniak: First of all, tennis people are good people. It’s the competitive thing, but also the camaraderie. People’s overall attitude is pretty friendly, generally speaking. Sometimes, people come in rough and tough, but tennis reminds them that they are just like everyone else. What do you do after you play? Augustyniak: I’m so busy I don’t know what to do and how to do it. I have applied for a patent for overhead meal deliveries in airplanes. Every time I was flying, I was blocked in by the push carts. I’d have to push by the flight attendant. Nowadays, I’d be charged with who knows what! So, I have designed a method to deliver meals from the overhead compartments. Who is the most important to you on the court? Augustyniak: Paying attention to what’s going. Sometimes, I’m dreaming and the ball goes by. When do you think will you stop playing tennis? Augustyniak: I don’t think I intend to. Greg Smith is a tennis enthusiast for life. His new crime fiction thriller, “Blood on the Deuce,” is now being marketed. He resides in Upper Manhattan.

NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

USTA Metro Region High School Seniors Prep for the Next Step USTA Eastern Hosts 31st Annual College Showcase Day

USTA Eastern hosted its 31st Annual College Showcase Day at the Saw Mill Club in Mount Kisco, N.Y., bringing in more than 70 of the top high school tennis players in the Northeast to come to connect with 50 college tennis coaches from Division I, II and III collegiate programs. The Showcase provides these collegebound players an opportunity to show off their competitive skills by playing abbreviated matches against their peers, while college coaches observe their play. The Day is also a venue for players and their parents to connect with college tennis coaches, collect information on schools and take seminars and clinics from tennis experts who have navigated the college recruiting process and carved out a career in tennis. One of those tennis experts was USTA National’s Scott Treibly, who has more than 20 years of experience in college recruiting as a Player, Coach and Administrator, and has placed hundreds of student athletes in colleges. Treibly spoke to players and their parents about athletic and educational aspects of college recruiting. “I believe educating players and families about the recruitment process helps them come to the all-important conclusion that finding a college tennis team is a process, not a race,” said Treibly. “I opened the presentation telling the groups that finding a college that is right for you requires a huge time commitment. This includes communication with college coaches, the process of admissions, SAT/ACT timeline, college visits and the process behind the NCAA.” In between seminars, players headed to the courts to compete in matches while the coaches made their way around to evaluate players. “This event is a great educational opportunity for players and 26

families. Players get to compete in front of coaches and learn about colleges that they might not have known about before,” said Treibly. “Exposure to the college placement process is important so that high school players and their families understand the next steps.” To help players and parents understand the academic side of the college recruiting process, Joe Consentino, Director of Undergraduate Admissions and Enrollment at Manhattanville College, gave a presentation on the admissions process, which can vary from one school to the next. Consentino also discussed academic qualifications, such as essay writing and SAT/ACT scores. Former Columbia standout and current tour player Max Schnur was also on hand to provide a clinic for the coaches in the morning. Schnur, who owns five doubles titles on the ATP Challenger Tour, discussed the keys to doubles play and stayed on hand afterwards to answer questions from players and coaches and everything from doubles play to navigating the college landscape. For more than three decades, the College Showcase Day has been an invaluable resource that USTA Eastern has provided to college-bound players and coaches. “We’ve hosted this event for 31 years as a service to our junior players and their parents, many who are navigating the college athletic recruitment progression and its NCAA regulations for the first time,” said Julie Bliss-Beal, Senior Director, Competition, USTA Eastern. “This can be a daunting process, and through the Showcase, we aim to make it as easy as possible for these players to entertain the myriad of opportunities that are available to them and consider how they want stay in the game during their college years.”

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

COMING IN MARCH 2018

Distribution scheduled for 03/01/18

This edition will feature: • Guide to the Top Tennis Camps • Guide to the Top Court Builders and Manufacturers • New York Open Recap • New York Tennis Expo Recap • Mental Tennis Roundtable

Distribution across New York at 300+ locations: • Indoor tennis clubs • Country clubs • Restaurants and health food stores • Tennis camps • Retail stores • Gyms • Supermarkets and • Many more!

Don’t miss the advertising opportunities in the next edition of New York Tennis Magazine March/April 2018! Facebook-www.Facebook.com/NYTennisMag Instagram-@NYTennisMag • Twitter-@NYTennisMag Submissions for both advertising and editorial are due by2018 February 2018 NYTennisMag.com • January/February • New York1, Tennis Magazine 27 For more information, please call 516-409-4444 or e-mail Advertise@NYTennisMag.com

Are You Practicing the Right T

By Tony Huber ver the years, I have had the pleasure of working with many talented tennis players. My partnership coaching my wife, Liezel Huber, has been my most notable–she won seven Grand Slam titles, played in three Olympics, and reached the number one spot for 199 weeks. As a coach, it is not easy to balance the entire athlete, maximize their schedule and their opportunities. I have often used the analogy of preparing the athlete to “Making a Pie: Slice by Slice.”

First, I slice the “pie” into three even sections: Performance Mindset, Tactics and Technique, and from there, each of those three sections have individual “slices.” The most important ingredient, above everything else, is an emphasis on being a good person. In my opinion, this mentality and approach helps in every aspect of the game, and more importantly, in the overall scope of the athlete’s life. I believe this has been the largest factor to drive Liezel and me to New York Junior Tennis & Learning and the Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning. The Cary Leeds Center has programs of all levels, and each, the

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

overall well-being of the athlete comes first under our direction. Much like the professional tour, today’s juniors need to manage a difficult schedule of demands between school, tennis, family and life. Understanding that your game is more than just the strokes that you produce is just the first step to building a strategy for what and when to practice. Strokes fall under the technique section of the “pie” and are very important. Normally, when a junior is starting out and developing, this section is very large. Over time, it is balanced with tactics and performance mindset. In my opinion, the latter two sections are un-

ht Things at the Right Times? derdeveloped in many training programs. I like to introduce tactics fairly early on with the players that I work with, and the Cary Leeds Center adapts this process across the board in our training approach. From the time the player can serve the ball in without “beating themselves,” tactics become a part of the game. In working at the highest levels of the game, tactics towards a player’s game building is one category, and tactics playing specific opponents is another. Like technique, there are solid fundamentals to learn, but the best players need to understand their own personal tactics based on their own personal strengths. This takes time and care, and the watchful eye of a coach to guide and lead the player. The final section of the “pie” is performance mindset, often the section that is given the least attention. In my mind, the “great” players master performance

mindset and learn to compete at their personal best. The strongest coach/player relationships get this section “right.” They understand when to tweak the strokes, when to build weapons to open up new strategies and tactics, and when to prep, rev up, or calm down the athlete. Attention to schedule, discipline in what to practice and when, and focus on peak performance are all integral “pieces” in creating the best opportunities for athletes. At the Cary Leeds Center, we try to make sure that each part is attended to. The player may not be able to be perfect in all, but they will learn to be proficient in each section and understand when each “slice” needs more attention. All the players that you see on television have a complete “pie.” You may not have to be great at everything, but you need to know how to do EVERYTHING. These top players do not have

a hole, a gap, or a missing “slice.” Some pieces may be richer or sweeter than others, but love, care, and attention has been paid to all, otherwise that missing piece (or pieces) would be a major weakness and liability. The Cary Leeds Center looks at the entire player on and off the court. How do you plan on building your “pie” for success? Tony Huber is the Director of High Performance Tennis at the Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning. Tony began his career at the world-renowned Van der Meer Tennis University in Hilton Head, S.C. as the “Right Hand Man” of founder Dennis Van der Meer. Tony has coached numerous professional players in 15-plus years on the WTA Tour. Tony is a Master Professional with Professional Tennis Coaches Association, a PTR National Tester and has been awarded Coach of the Year on the ATP and WTA Tour.

TENNIS OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADULTS IN NYC! Lessons for the adult beginner looking to improve their game! in the

METRO Corporate Tennis League

Fun & competitive adult leagues in New York City. All ages welcome!

A fun, co-ed team tennis experience for you and your co-workers!

A new, young & social tennis club. Not your parents tennis league!

New York

Something For Everyone! www.metrotennis.com or call 212.244.2845 NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

2018 Au he Australian Open will begin the Grand Slam season in 2018, as we are all set for another great year of professional tennis. Fans around the world were treated to a spectacular event in Melbourne last year, as Serena Williams played Venus Williams in the women’s singles final, and Roger Federer met Rafael Nadal in the men’s singles final, and we are excited to see what the 2018 installment of the tournament has in store. Here is what to watch for in 2018 …

New Champion On Women's Side Serena Williams won her 23rd Grand Slam singles title in Melbourne a year ago, defeating older sister Venus in the final. While two sisters in their mid30s battling for a Grand Slam title is remarkable in itself, what made the feat even more legendary was the fact that Serena was in the early stages of pregnancy. Serena would not play after the Australian Open and gave birth in September. Serena had hoped to return to action in Melbourne this year but is not ready just yet, which means we will have a new champion at the Australian Open on the women’s side. Two-Time Champion Azarenka Gets Wild Card Victoria Azarenka went through a turbulent 2017 season. A bitter custody dispute forced her to pull out of the U.S. Open and the Fed Cup Final as her native Belarus lost to the United States, and her ranking has dropped to 210th in the world. But Azarenka 30

will be eligible for the main draw of the Australian Open as she was granted a Wild Card into the tournament. She won the title in Melbourne in 2012 and 2013. “I’m so excited about coming back to Melbourne for the Australian Open, it’s my favorite tournament,” Azarenka said. “I’ve won there twice and always feel so comfortable on court and the city is great.” Can the Americans Shine Through? It seems that around every Grand Slam, one of the constant talking points is the title drought that the American men have had in the majors: No man from the United States has won a Grand Slam title since Andy Roddick at the U.S. Open in 2003. Next year marks the 15-year anniversary of Roddick’s triumph, but 2018 could put an end to that, as the topranked American men finished last year with a lot of confidence having found success in big tournaments. Sam Querrey reached the Wimbledon semifinals and U.S. Open quarterfinals, while Jack Sock (pictured above) reached the semifinals of the Nitto ATP Finals at the end of the season. With a talented crop of young players who will be in the main draw as well, one thing to follow in Melbourne is the results of the Americans. Djokovic's Return From Injury It was a difficult 2017 season for former world number one Novak Djokovic as he was forced off the court with an elbow injury. He hasn’t competed since Wimbledon last year but should be ready to return for the

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

Australian Open. His injuries, coupled with Andy Murray’s absence, helped give way to the resurgent seasons for Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. Djokovic is a six-time champion in Melbourne and will be a welcome site to the ATP World Tour when he returns. Sharapova Set for Full Season One of the biggest storylines last year was the return of Maria Sharapova following her suspension after doping violations, and the Russian star is ready for a full calendar in 2018. She reached the fourth round of the U.S. Open in September and would later capture her first title in two years in Tianjin in October in China to cap of a successful return to the game. She won the Australian Open 10 years ago, and with more match play under her belt, could be a force to be reckoned with as we enter the first Grand Slam of 2018. Lleyton Hewitt Coming Out of Retirement to Play Doubles Australian tennis fans will have another chance to see their nation’s greatest player ever as Lleyton Hewitt announced that he is coming out of retirement to play in the men’s doubles draw in Melbourne. He will partner with compatriot Sam Groth, who plans to retire himself after the tournament. “It’s going to be a bit of fun, that’s what the Australian Open is about,” said Hewitt. “I’m going to really enjoy it. We’ve been hitting a lot of balls, hitting every day, and we’re not just going out there making up the

Australian Open Preview BY BRIAN COLEMAN

numbers. We want to give it a fair crack.” Federer-Nadal Rematch? The primary storyline throughout the 2017 season was the resurgence of both Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal (pictured left), two beloved alltime greats who each compiled one of the best seasons in their respective careers. The signature moment of the renewed rivalry was the epic final between the Swiss and the Spaniard in Melbourne, a thrilling five-set victory for Federer. The two players are now number one (Nadal) and number two (Federer) in

the ATP Rankings, so a rematch of last year’s final remains a possibility, and nothing would bring more eyeballs to the tournament’s final than if the two all-time greats squared off yet again. Innovative Use of Shot Clock

begin at the end of one point and run until the serve of the ensuing point. The format was originally trialed during the U.S. Open qualifying tournament last year as well as at the Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan. While the 25 seconds is a five-second increase from the usual allotment of time, a running and visible shot clock on court will take the decision on whether to penalize a player away from the umpire. Brian Coleman is Senior Editor for Long Island Tennis Magazine. He may be reached by phone at (516) 409-4444, ext. 326 or email BrianC@USPTennis.com.

The 2018 Australian Open will use a shot clock as part of a new set of measures to save time and speed up the pace of play. It will use a 25-second shot clock which will

NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

All They Wanna Do Is Have Fun! By Khrystsina Tryboi ids. They are your everything, having inherited your eyes and smile. They look like you, but did they inherit your love for tennis? You want them to fall in love with the game and be willing to pick up a racket, work hard, track the ball and find the point of contact, but are you forgetting something? That something is “Kids just want to have FUN!” With changing technology and an increased percentage of parent-coordinated play, Generation Z kids are less skilled. Long gone are the days when kids just played in the yard with other kids until dark. Kids spend more time on their phones connecting with people than meeting with friends at the playground. As parents and educators, we should understand that when kids start playing sports, most of them do not have the basic skills needed to succeed. We must teach them to run, throw, catch and jump. At the same time, the sport is aging and we are not doing a great job at attracting

new players to the game. So, the question is, how do we make tennis America’s favorite game? We are competing not just with other sports, but also with school activities and technology. It feels like kids do not have the time to just be kids. When was the last time your child ran around the playground with friends, rather than going to an activity organized by you? If we want to attract new lifelong players to the game, we need to remember that kids just want to have fun. They want to know that you care, and not just about the result, but rather, their tennis journey. A modern tennis coach should make practice an unforgettable experience for any player. It should not matter if you are working with a QuickStart beginner or a tennis tournament kid, they all want to improve in a fun, engaging and meaningful way. Step #1: Make it fun Connect with children in a meaningful way … let them explore and improve their skills both on and off the court. Show them that you care about their school, family, other interests and hob-

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

bies. We learn from kids all the time. Recently, an Orange Ball group of girls shared that they love Jojo Siwa, so we played her song and sang along while picking up the balls. These type of tennis memories stay with kids forever and encourage them to come and pick up the racket again and again. Step #2: Focus on the journey, not the end result It takes a village to raise a child and coaches play a major role in helping build character, confidence, self-esteem and social skills. We need to show kids that tennis is a journey and the road to improvement is endless. First and foremost, children should love the game. Being on the court should be, on its own, a happy and rewarding experience. Show them that dedication and hard work will help bring them closer to their goals and that lessons learned in sports will help them win in life. Khrystsina Tryboi is a Tennis Pro at MatchPoint in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Albany Tennis Academy in The Bahamas, Combining Academics With Atmosphere

ocated on New Providence in The Bahamas, Albany Tennis Academy is set on the 25-acre campus of Windsor High School, adjacent to the renowned, luxury resort community of Albany. The unique day and boarding school combines an academic curriculum based on the Cambridge system with unprecedented athletic and training academies for both tennis and golf. Powered by former world number one Lleyton Hewitt, Albany Tennis Academy delivers an intensive training and development program for aspiring student-athletes, with personalized instruction, conditioning and guidance from an expert team of coaches and staff, including Albany Tennis Academy Director Grant Doyle. Student-athletes train on Windsor High

School’s cutting-edge facilities, which include the latest PlaySight smart court technology, a fully-interactive technology which monitors and tracks all activity on the court and offers professional-level analysis and evaluation tools. “At the Albany Tennis Academy, we prepare student-athletes both physically and mentally for the game’s highest level,” said Hewitt, who has welcomed student-athletes from around the world. Student-athletes participate in physical training and tennis instruction daily, in addition to overall player development—from nutrition and mental training, to college placement and preparation. For parents or families visiting Albany Tennis Academy student-athletes, the ideal place to stay is the luxury resort community of Albany. The collective vision of its

founders–Joe Lewis and Tavistock Group, along with golfing greats Tiger Woods and Ernie Els–Albany features an unparalleled combination of surroundings, architecture, service and sporting amenities, including an 18-hole championship golf course; a megayacht marina; fitness center with lap pool, boxing ring and CrossFit course; spa and salon; a racket center with HarTru courts and a paddle court; numerous pools, including a kid’s waterpark; and a variety of restaurants. Albany’s boutique hotel is made up of a collection of private residences, from villas to luxury marina residences, providing some of the finest accommodations in the Caribbean. To learn more about Albany Tennis Academy, contact GrantDoyle@WindsorPrep.com, call (242) 823-5979 or visit WindsorHighSchoolAtAlbany.com.

NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

The team from Bloomberg reclaimed the championship from Credit Agricole in the Metro Corporate League Fall 2017 Advanced Division

The team from Cleary Gottleib were crowned Fall 2017 Intermediate Division Champions he rivalry between Bloomberg and Credit Agricole is one that has dominated the Advanced Division of the Metro Corporate League for many seasons now, and that was no different in the Fall 2017 season. After a long and hard-fought season, the teams in all four divisions (Hi-Five, Intermediate, Advanced Intermediate and Advanced) who reached the finals were invited to the end-of-the-year parties and finals at Roosevelt Island Racquet Club.

Moody’s was crowned Fall 2017 Advanced Intermediate Champions in the Metro Corporate League Bloomberg reclaimed the championship from Credit Agricole in the Advanced Division, playing consistent tennis throughout all the flights to once again crown themselves champions. The team from Bloomberg was three-time defending champions until Credit Agricole won back-to-back titles in the previous two seasons. In the Advanced Intermediate Finals, Moody’s took down The Corcoran Group to claim the title, while Cleary Gottleib defeated Akin Gump to win the Intermediate Division Championship.

For more information regarding the League, visit MetroTennis.com under the tab labeled, “Corporate” or e-mail Luis@MetroTennis.com. 34 New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

Midtown Tennis Club’s Round-Robin Parties: A Tennis Social

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. Well, if you ever are 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.”

NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

Better Gut, Better Game By Dr. Rob Silverman When tennis players talk about their “inner game,” they’re talking about the mental side of tennis, such as improving focus and concentration. But there is another key inner part—the digestive system. How gut health impacts performance In a healthy digestive system, the cells that form the paper-thin lining of the small and large intestines are packed very closely together, so close that only what should pass through–digested food and water–can leave and enter the bloodstream. The tight junctions of the gut lining can easily be disrupted and become too open. Antibiotics; diets high in chemical-laden processed foods; sugar; alcohol; anti-inflammatory drugs, such as aspirin and ibuprofen; food intolerances; and many other dietary factors can damage the gut lining and force it to become more permeable. These same 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. The result is commonly referred to as “Leaky Gut Syndrome,” a condition that al36

lows 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 as well as it should, and this can lead to increasing symptoms of tiredness and joint and muscle aches, which can result in more injuries while on the court. Digestion is adversely affected and people with leaky gut often complain of feeling bloated, having cramps and diarrhea. Over time, chronic systemic inflammation can lead to musculoskeletal problems, such as osteoarthritis, changes in body composition and increased risks for diabetes and heart disease. Athletes have another source of leaky gut syndrome: Overtraining. When an athlete works out hard over a long period of time, they put a lot of stress on their gut. Blood that’s needed for digestion gets diverted to the rest of the body—and the flow doesn’t necessarily get restored quickly enough when the workout is completed. In addition, the stress of working out and hard training over several weeks—in preparation for a big tournament, for example, puts the athlete at risk for developing a leaky gut. Studies have shown that workouts longer than two hours can be damaging to the gut. When the gut is compromised, it impacts

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

the immune system. That’s why training too hard can lead to more easily catching a cold or stomach bug. It’s also why training too hard can be counterproductive to building strength and endurance. When training damages the digestive system, the ability to absorb and utilize nutrients efficiently is rapidly diminished and the body is being deprived of the building blocks it needs, while still putting the same demands on it. Instead of getting stronger and better, there is increased fatigue and risk of injury. The physical problems caused by overtraining can negatively affect self-confidence; the exhaustion can increase feelings of depression and loss of motivation to compete. Your gut affects the mental state in how a person feels physically but the reverse is also true. The mental state affects the gut and gut health. The physical demands of athletic performance may cause a stress response that can adversely affect the gut bacteria and cause leaky gut syndrome. So, when it comes to the inner tennis game, it’s clear that the gut is just as important as the brain. In fact, the two are inextricably intertwined. What affects one, impacts the other. Improving gut health Better gut health means a better tennis game. Chances are you’ll be stronger, have more endurance and mental focus, and have fewer minor ailments and injuries.

For improving your gut health, I recommend my “5R Program”: 1. Remove processed foods, sugar, soy, gluten, lactose, artificial sweeteners and alcohol from your diet. Stop eating any foods you suspect you are allergic to or cannot tolerate. Stop drinking soda, even the sugar-free kind. If possible, remove any unnecessary medications. 2. Replace the foods you removed with a better diet that emphasizes fresh fruits and vegetables, high-quality protein and adequate amounts of healthy fats. Try to include some fermented foods, such as sauerkraut, kimchi or kombucha in your daily diet. 3. Reinoculate your gut with probiotic supplements to help restore and rebalance the beneficial bacteria and crowd out the harmful kind. Even if you feel your diet is good and your gut health is fine, I recommend taking a daily probiotic. Look for a brand from a trustworthy manufacturer (check the label for a thirdparty certification). The supplement should contain both L. Acidophilus and B. Lactis strains. In addition to the probiotic supplement, try to have at least one serving of a fermented food per day. These foods contain beneficial bacteria strains beyond those that can be made into probiotic supplements. 4. Regenerate and repair the damage to your intestinal lining with supplements such as the natural anti-inflammatory Curcumin and Omega-3 Fatty Acids.

The amino acid Glutamine is a primary energy source for the cells that line your intestines. Taking supplements may really accelerate healing. 5. Retain the gains. Gut health is an ongoing process. You’ll lose the gains you’ve made if you let processed foods, sugar and other harmful foods slip back into your diet. Continue with at least nine servings of fruits and vegetables a day; add even more if you can manage to. For maintenance, I recommend adding a daily multivitamin with Phytonutrients, Vitamin D supplements (2,000 to 5,000 IUs daily), and 2,000 to 4,000 mg of Fish Oil each day. There is no offseason for gut health. To keep your athletic edge, it’s important to stick with a healthy diet and take your supplements year-round. Preventing gut problems and keeping damaging inflammation from getting started can help your athletic performance stay at a constant high-level. Beyond the basics If a leaky gut is impairing your game, the 5R Program will put you on the path to healing. Competitive athletes may need help from additional natural anti-inflammatory supplements. The one I highly recommend for my athlete-patients is Xanthohumol, a supplement made from hops. Xanthohumol blocks your body’s production of NF-Kappa B, the protein that sets off the inflammatory cascade. I also recommend Specialized Pro-

Resolving Mediators (SPMs) to reduce inflammation. SPMs are derived from Fish Oil and are especially helpful as a substitute for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. If you have an injury that is slow to heal, there is a good chance you’re not producing enough of the natural chemicals that signal your immune system to shut down inflammation. SPMs give your immune system the extra boost needed to resolve any lingering inflammation that’s causing pain. A healthy gut can make a big difference to your tennis game by helping to improve your focus, endurance and strength. Your training program can be more effective and optimized if you include care of your gut, just as you include the care of your muscles and joints. 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, InsideOut 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) 2876464, e-mail Info@DrRobertSilverman.com or visit DrRobertSilverman.com.

www.inphormnyc.com

NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

l Exhibitor Hall: Featuring top programs, camps, products, apparel, sports medicine, travel destinations and much more l Tennis Courts: Use of the two main courts 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 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

10 and Under Tennis By Vinicius Carmo hile 10 and Under Tennis has been growing over the past few years, there is more growth in store. Coaches on Long Island are starting to realize how important the 10 and Under format is for tennis. However, we still find a lot of resistance among parents and coaches who say that this is not “real tennis.” I would love to invite these parents and coaches to watch an Orange Ball Level 1 or Green Dot Level 1 tournament. These players are having long rallies, hitting balls at different angles, heights and speeds. They are hitting slices, drop shots and every ball that a

complete tennis player can possibly hit. We are one of the last countries in the world to adopt this method. In Europe, they have been using this format for a long time, which explains why they turn out some of the top players in the world. The result of kids developing these skills and being able to compete and enjoy the game at such an early age will be to have better and more complete tennis players in the United States. We are in desperate need of top professional players who our kids can look up to, especially on the men’s side. Teaching young kids is not for everyone, and requires a great deal of skill and knowledge. I believe that it is much harder to teach a 10 and Under program than a High Performance program with older juniors.

NEW CANAAN, CT Enjoy a Fully Lighted All Weather Tennis Court! Private and convenient, this comfortable 6BR Colonial home oﬀers a perfect blend of formal and casual living. A true “Chef’s” Kitchen is a great gathering place for friends and family. Enjoy the oversized screened porch overlooking large Gazebo. Call for private showing. $1,699,000.

Arlene Bubbico 203.984.2327 | Richard Mishkin 914.262.2649 https://www.coldwellbankerhomes.com/id/15112978 © 2018 Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Operated by a subsidiary of NRT LLC. Coldwell Banker® and the Coldwell Banker logo are registered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC.

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

The USTA has a tough job pleasing everyone who thinks they understand tennis. If we all work together supporting 10 and Under Tennis, we are going to have more young tennis players and more business for everyone. How many times does a young tennis player stop playing and opt instead to play soccer, basketball, baseball or another sports where they play on a smaller and more appropriate-sized court or field and can start to compete right away? It’s just so much easier … a no brainer. The USTA has just created and launched a program called “Net Generation,” where they are trying to educate coaches and parents, and inform the media about 10 and Under Tennis. It’s a bunch of fun videos of kids doing tricks with rackets and tennis balls, wearing more hip and less traditional tennis clothes and shoes, and shows kids competing as a team and not individually. All of these things need to happen in order to keep kids interested in tennis as a sport. I hope the coaches and parents realize that “10 and Under Tennis” is essential for all young players on the right path to become “real” tennis players in the future. Vinicius Carmo is Tennis Director of The Ross School Tennis Academy and Coach of the Boys and Girls Varsity Tennis Teams. As a player, Vinicius was ranked among the top five junior players in Brazil and played several international junior tennis tournaments. He attended the University of Tennessee for four years on a full scholarship.

JMTA Hosts Collegiate Signing Day

Five members of John McEnroe Tennis Academy at Sportime Randall’s Island made their collegiate commitments at Signing Day

John McEnroe Tennis Academy at Sportime Randall’s Island students are headed to universities across the nation, including, Shelly Yaloz to Boston University, Daniel Pellerito to William & Mary, Dylan Friedman to Binghamton University, Sophie Graver to Auburn, and Sasha Bekirova to Stony Brook University

he John McEnroe Tennis Academy at Sportime Randall’s Island celebrated five of its outgoing seniors who will be playing collegiate tennis next year with a Signing Day at its facility. The day brought together family and friends of the players, and younger kids in the JMTA program took a break from their training to take in the ceremony. The five players signing their letters of intent were Daniel Pellerito, Sophie Graver, Shelly Yaloz, Sasha Bekirova and Dylan Friedman. Graver will be heading the farthest amongst the group, as she heads down South to continue her tennis career at Auburn University. “I chose Auburn because of the amazing coaches, the team atmosphere, family environment and it’s a top 15 tennis program in the country,” said Graver. “I couldn’t have found better coaches than Lauren

Spencer and Chris Hooshyar. I cannot wait for the next four years.” Bekirova is set to become a Seawolf and stay local as she will be attending Stony Brook University. “When I visited Stony Brook University, I fell in love with both the athletic and academic facilities,” said Bekirova. “During my college search, I was looking for a school with a rigorous medical program and a team that would push my tennis to the next level … that’s what I found at Stony Brook. I’m very happy that I found a school with an amazing staff that will help me become a better person both on and off the court.” She credits JMTA for helping her get to this position. “Because of JMTA, I feel ready to compete on a Division I team,” Bekirova said. “The dedicated coaches taught me that hard work and passion would allow me to do anything I set my mind to.”

Friedman, who will be heading upstate to Binghamton University, echoed similar sentiments to Bekirova. “The JMTA coaches have also placed me in scenarios that I would see on the college level to test both my physical and mental game,” said Friedman. “JMTA has helped me tremendously in the short time I’ve been here. They’ve helped me push myself, whether it’s on the court or in the gym, to not only become the best player I can, but also strive to be the best person I can be.” Pellerito will join the Tribe at William & Mary next fall, while Yaloz will become a Boston University Terrier. All five are ideal examples of the JMTA program and its ability to prepare its players for the next level, and JMTA plans on continuing hosting more of these Signing Day events to reward and honor its players hard work and accomplishments.

NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

Perception in Tennis By Saul Salazar ennis is a very tough game. In addition to having very good technique, you also need to possess these other skills: l Mental: You must be resilient and positive. l Physical: You need to be fast, strong and have good stamina. l Tactical: You must make the right decisions in very limited time frames.

One clear example of perception is when you are playing a point and … 1. You hit the ball to make your opponent run deep to their backhand; 2. Your opponent reaches the ball and is very off-balance and you are aware of this; 3. You move forward; 4. They are looking for time, sending the ball high; and 5. You make a fast move to the open court, taking the ball early, depending on how deep and high the shot was.

Through my years as a tennis coach, I have seen a lot of mistakes in decisionmaking because the player is not aware of their opponent. This is called “perception.”

Now, I am going to mention some drills that are going to help you improve your perception. These drills can be performed with two players, in private lessons, or with a coach and two students:

What does perception mean? “Perception” means that after each contact with the ball, you must know how good or how bad your shot was, how your opponent reaches the ball, and what kind of shot you can expect in return. With good perception, you can get to the best position on the court, you can make the best decision and can move and adjust better because you already know/anticipate how the ball is coming. Taking these initial steps, you can hit the ball cleaner and on time, helping to send the ball back with better quality.

1. Two players forehand cross-court, one of them opens or closes his non-dominant hand on purpose and the other player needs to watch and say if the hand is open or closed (if one of them is lefty, the drill is down the line forehand). 2. Two players are hitting forehands or backhands, one of them is hitting with variation, top spin, slice or flat and the other needs to read it and say it louder as soon as he sees the opponent preparing for his/her shot.

3. Two players are competing on the whole court, one of them is simulating a situation, it can be neutral, defense or attack, while the other player needs to take the best position on the court and make the best decision. If you are the coach and are working with two students, feed balls from one side asking the student to move together with you. Then feed the ball and play the point. 4. Choose any competition drill. One player needs to say “yes” when they can make their opponent lose their balance. You, as a coach, must check their position on the court and their decision. Hopefully, this advice about “perception” will help you improve your game. Saul Salazar is a High Performance Director at CourtSense Tennis Academy and has been part of the CourtSense team for more than nine years. Saul has been coaching tennis for more than 30 years, and was critical in the development of many top national players in Mexico. As Director of a prominent tennis academy in Mexico, Saul was known for his skill and ability to rejuvenate deteriorating clubs throughout Monterrey. Also serving as USPTR Head Pro, Saul’s experience has made him a vital component to the development of CourtSense Academy.

Servemaster FEEL THE POWER!

The fastest way to develop a great swing pattern and FIX your TOSS! There is a Servemaster for all ages, levels and abilities.

Great for ground strokes, too! How and why does it work? Check it out at ...

www.ThetotalServe.com

Lisa Dodson l Lisa@thetotalserve.com 42

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

The Mental Game Mindful Eating Practice By Rob Polishook, Mental Training Coach MA, CPC Watching the top tennis players is akin to watching Houdini escape from ropes and chains tied. Be it Roger Federer or Serena Williams, the greats have an uncanny ability to escape and, further, to turn adversity into opportunity. The big question is … how do they do it? If you asked them they might say, “I just competed, it’s not over till it’s over.” This may be true, but one thing for certain is that they are able to manage their emotional energy. If you’re a competitive player, coach or parent, you’re probably thinking, “Sign me up! How can I get some of that energy?” The answer is … you already have it, it’s within you. The key is you have to be aware and grounded. Riding the waves of obstacles, success and challenges requires staying balanced emotionally. Here is a simple practice that I learned that will help you manage your energy. It can be practiced each time you eat or drink during the day. It’s called “Mindful Eating.” It’s very easy … it only takes commitment, intention and awareness. The purpose is to slow down, ground yourself and be present in what you are experiencing. Sound familiar? The same things you want to do on the court. I have found, and clients have told me, that when they practice Mindful Eating, they enjoyed their meal more. Why? Because they didn’t mindlessly gobble down their food and tasted what they ate! But the bigger bonus is they felt calmer during and after the meal. The practice helped them to re-connect to themselves. Therefore, they were able to easily transition into the next activity in their day. The good news is that we all know

how to eat, hopefully food that is healthy! But for this practice, the focus is on staying present to whatever you’re eating. To set the conditions for the practice, when you sit down for a meal, notice yourself sitting firmly in a chair, then take a few breaths, and bring up the imaginary chain of events it took for the meal to reach your table. Next are the key points for the actual eating/drinking part of the practice: Once you use your utensil to gather and transfer the bite to your mouth, place the fork/spoon back on the plate and chew. Only when you finish chewing, do you then pick up the utensil for the next bite. Even better would be to take a breath and/or sit back in your chair for a moment between bites. You might also pick up your drink before the next bite, but again, once you lift the glass to your lips and drink, place the glass back on the table. This prevents gulping, or what I call double or triple pumping! As a reminder, when you are chewing, your hands should be on the table or your lap. The fork should be sitting on its own. This will help you to avoid pre-loading, pre-arranging, or shoveling the next

bite when there is already food in your mouth. Essentially, the idea is to finish chewing, take a breath, lean back or take a sip. Then you arrange the next bite with your utensil. Through this practice, a transformational thing may occur—you will become aware when you are full. You will have a more relaxed and enjoyable meal, which will translate into the rest of your day. Mindful Eating and drinking will provide you the opportunity multiple times a day to re-connect to yourself. The practice will help you become more aware, centered, and grounded to what’s happening around you. Imagine if you could do that on the court? Kinda Houdini, Roger or Serena like! Rob Polishook, MA, CPC is Founder and Director of Inside the Zone Sports Performance Group. As a Mental Training Coach, he works with athletes and teams, focusing on helping athletes gain the mental edge. Rob is Author of Tennis Inside the Zone: Mental Training Workouts for Champions. He may be reached by phone at (973) 723-0314, e-mail Rob@InsideTheZone.com or visit InsideTheZone.com.

NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2018 • 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

C AT H E R I N A K R E S P I R O O S E V E LT I S L A N D R A C Q U E T C L U B hen Catherina Krespi dition to the team, and she is a was a little girl, her natural leader.” mother would spend Her on-court success is the remost Saturdays playing sult of a lot of hard work over the tennis. Because she looked up to her last few years, most notably, her mother, she naturally began to take a time spent at Roosevelt Island. liking to the sport. Her game was very raw when she “My mom was a really big influence first started receiving formal trainon me,” Catherina said. “I would aling, and her hard work has helped ways ask where she was and she produce that well-rounded game would be out playing tennis. Soon I that Forman refers to. Krespi even started taking private lessons.” recalls a time when she was Krespi, who also goes by the name younger and was struggling with “Kat,” was born and raised in Manher serve. Xavier Luna, Director of hattan and, now a freshman in high Junior Tennis for Roosevelt Island school, trains at Roosevelt Island Racquet Club, noticed that she Racquet Club where she has been for wasn’t using a Continental Grip, about seven years. This past fall, she and so he had her serve for over made the varsity team at Columbia an hour with the proper grip until Grammar and Preparatory where she she became comfortable. helped lead the Lions to a perfect “Now my serve is one of the season. strongest points of my game,” Despite being just a freshman, said Krespi. “I owe Xavier for that. Krespi was integral to her team’s sucOur relationship is really close. I cess this past season. She played in can always approach him about the third singles spot and went undeanything. He is a really good feated as Columbia Prep captured Catherina Krespi, who trains out of Roosevelt Island Racquet Club, coach and is always pushing me the Private School Athletic Associa- was undefeated at third singles for Columbia Prep in her towards my goals. He is always freshman season tion (PSAA) Championship. checking in on me when I am “Her overall passion for the playing tournaments. I owe him game is contagious,” said Columbia could always count on her. She did and the Roosevelt Island team so much Prep Head Coach Stefanie Forman. “Kat whatever she could to make us better because without them, I would not be was undefeated at third singles this year, and was always at her best. Additionally, the player I am today. Roosevelt Island which was a very impressive feat. We her sense of humor was a wonderful adhas been like a home to me.”

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

Catherina Krespi and her teammates from Columbia Grammar and Preparatory captured the 2017 Private School Athletic Association (PSAA) Championship Kat’s powerful first serve has become one of the finer points of her game and she has even developed a consistent second serve, which has allowed her to take control of points early in rallies. She possesses a stellar backhand and has a strong insideout forehand which make up her versatile game. “I was most impressed by Kat’s awareness and understanding of her game,” Forman said of her first impressions of Krespi, who was named to the All-PSAA team for her play this season. “She knows her strengths and the areas she needs to work on as well. Even when she is not at her best on the court, she finds a way to be resourceful and win with her resilience and strategy. She truly comprehends every facet of tennis. She has a well-rounded game and can keep up with anyone.” That work ethic she has established has led to her consistent progress as a player, and Krespi’s passion for the sport will only help her as she continues to grow. Her goal is to keep climbing up the ranks on her high school team, rising up the ladder to eventually reach the first singles spot and become a team captain.

Catherina helped lead Columbia Grammar and Preparatory to a perfect season “My ultimate goal is to play in college,” said Krespi. “I have a lot of friends who have made it onto college teams and received partial or full scholarships, so that is definitely one of my goals.” Krespi will get back onto the tournament circuit beginning in February and will continue to put in the time at Roosevelt Island to improve her game. Still just a freshman, Krespi has a lot of time to grow as a player

and a person on her way to reaching her goals. “This is just the beginning for Kat,” said Forman. “I am confident that she will continue to flourish and be a force to be reckoned with on the court. Her dedication to the game shines through in everything she does, and I consider myself very lucky to have had the opportunity to coach her this year.”

NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

The Value of a Mental Skills Coach for the iGeneration By Amanda Ferranti t is no secret that the competitive tennis environment demands a great deal of mental toughness, yet so many players fail to enlist a professional mental coach.

Instead, they rely on personal experience and the advice of those around them, which although helpful, it is missing the valuable mental strategies that can be taught by a certified mental skills consultant. In what is already a challenging environment, elite youth tennis players are not clear on HOW to manage their emotions and successfully navigate the highs and lows of a competitive match. In fact, with the advancements in technology and styles of socializing, it is becoming increasingly more evident that the current generation of youth athletes is distinctly different. The iGen, as they are called, is plagued by achievement and thwarted in emotional intelligence—a lethal recipe for stress and anxiety. In many of my conversations, coaches and parents can recognize these changes, but are ineffective at offering the level of training that a professional mental skills consultant can accomplish. Specifically, there are two major benefits of separating mental skills training, including: 1. It provides an objective outlet to have open and honest discussions One of the most important discussions in mental skills training is on the topic of a player’s perceived expectations. In other words, what do you think you “have to” do? For many, their expectations demand uncontrollable results, such as “I have to win” or “I have to play my best all the time,” which leads to increased stress,

lower energy and difficulties moving past mistakes. As a coach or parent, it is difficult to effectively have this conversation without a psychological understanding of the interplay of processes. More importantly, when discussing emotion-driven topics, you have to be mindful of the power and control dynamics that are unavoidable when an adult is working with a youth player. You can actually cause more stress by sparking conflicting emotions in a phenomenon called the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Double Bind.â&#x20AC;? For example, players rationally know that it is okay to make mistakes, but wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t allow themselves to accept them. When training with a professional mental skills coach, players can feel comfortable knowing that they have an unbiased outlet to share thoughts and emotions, with the goal ultimately of learning tangible techniques to bring to the court. 2. It is a platform to develop emotional management skills In my experiences, I have found that

the young players of today are stifled by a fear of feeling uncomfortable emotionally, which results in greater muscle tension, rapid thoughts and a weaker performance. Just think of how many times an elite tennis player chokes against a lower-ranked opponent â&#x20AC;Ś it comes back to a fear of feeling disappointed or embarrassed before the match even begins. Since the iGen is increasingly more sensitive and thwarted in emotional intelligence, emotions are experienced as a disposition rather than a temporary physiological state. In other words, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s as if the feeling of disappointment indicates that the player is a disappointment. This generalization is extremely debilitating, especially since you cannot eliminate uncomfortable emotions when competing at an elite level. With the help of a professional mental skills coach, players are given the necessary time and space to understand and accept their emotions as a temporary experience, and they are

guided to develop individualized refocusing strategies for competition. This mental shift is the key to giving young players a sense of control over their emotions, which helps replace fear with courage. Although coaches and parents may deliver a positive and supportive message, there are tangible skills that players can learn to face adversity in competitive tennis. Furthermore, sports psychology has the potential to become a universal platform for the iGen player to learn and master the necessary emotional management skills of life. Amanda Ferranti is the Director and Founder of Ferranti Empowerment, where she has established herself as an AASP Certified Mental Performance Consultant for youth athletes, teams and coaches. Amanda also has years of athletic experience as an ex-professional soccer player and Princeton graduate. She can be reached by e-mail at AFerranti@FerrantiEmpowerment.com.

POWEERED BY CENTERCOURT

LEAGUE PLAY

EVERY SA S TURDAY AND SUN NDAY

Advantages g of the Centercourt UTR League

Centercourt UTR U League g vs USTA A Tour o naments

â&#x20AC;˘ Makes your player a better comp petitor. The results of these highly competitive matcches are submitted $ #"$#! $ $ $ $ #$ $ # $ $ $$ good loss can improve a playerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rating.

â&#x20AC;˘ STOP Chasing g USTA Points. UTR is what college coachees are looking at for recruiting.

â&#x20AC;˘ Opportunities to play a full two out o of three set matches. FULL THIRD SET T!

â&#x20AC;˘ STOP playing abbreviated scoring systems. 10 point third set tiebreakers and 4 game sets will make your player a compeetitor. The most learning in tennis happeens in the third set!

â&#x20AC;˘ Better value for time. No need to o spend your entire weekend at a tournament!

â&#x20AC;˘ STOP being mandated m by the USTA to play orange & green ball $ $ $ $#" # $ $ $ $ $ $ $"

Located L t dO Only l 25 miles from Manhattan

Registration is week to week. To register email Ari Zuckerman at ari@centercourtclub.com

www.centercourtacademy . . m .com NYTennisMag.com â&#x20AC;˘ January/February 2018 â&#x20AC;˘ New York Tennis Magazine

Lessons I’ve Learned Fro

By Chris Lewit After more than a decade studying in Spain, I believe there are some important lessons that parents, coaches and players can learn from the Spanish approach that can be applied here in New York and across the U.S. Defense and offense In Spain, there is a healthy balance between defense and offense, and players are taught both to defend and attack within a tactical framework. Many of the fundamental exercises from Spain that have now become famous around the world emphasize the in-and-out movement typical of the Spanishbalanced approach, stressing both defensive and offensive play. Players in Spain learn what Jose Higueras 48

often repeats, that tennis is a “Game of give and take.” What that means is that there are times in a point to give ground (defend), and there are times in a point to take ground (attack). It is anathema to the Spanish approach to constantly take ground and attack every shot. That is foolish and too risky from the Spanish perspective. Rather, players are taught a balanced approach, emphasizing tactical decision-making, percentage play and court positioning. Technique is important, but it’s not everything In Spain, coaches have a healthy view of technique. Rather than obsess about every technical detail and force players into arbitrary and artificial forms, Spanish coaches teach important technical skills, but have broad parameters of acceptance and are not rigid about how strokes should look.

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

Sometimes, coaches in the U.S. are enframed by a myopic view of how their players should look technically, and they cannot escape their technical lenses. Many countless hours can be lost by mindlessly perfecting form or polishing a shot that doesn’t need to be polished. Many coaches waste a lot of development time trying to achieve perfection when a simple “good” will suffice, or trying to achieve beauty when efficiency and accuracy is enough. For Spanish coaches, good technique is not some elusive paragon that players aspire to, but rather simply, “What you can do with the ball.” As Toni Nadal has asserted many times, “Good technique means that a player can do what they want with the ball consistently.” Fitness must be an obsession In Spain, tennis culture is obsessed with stamina, running, injury prevention and athletic con-

rom Spain

It’s simple … if you play lots of hours on the court without off-court physical training, you will have a very high risk of getting hurt. Discipline In Spain, players are taught discipline and the value of hard work from a very young age. In my book, Secrets of Spanish Tennis, there is a chapter on suffering. The value of suffering is an important component of the Spanish approach. Players are encouraged to push themselves to the limits physically and mentally, and to even enjoy suffering if possible. For many of our kids in New York, they don’t have a good grasp of the sacrifice, discipline and suffering required to make it as a top junior player. Sometimes, our players are coddled or lazy and play at clubs that don’t push them to the limits or stress hard work. Instilling these values are key to developing a champion tennis player.

ditioning. In fact, most world-class coaches there would admit that the fitness trainer is actually as important or perhaps more important than the coach himself. Spanish players and coaches are obsessed with achieving ultra-levels of physical fitness, and particularly, endurance. It’s a point of great pride and a major priority in their training protocol. The Spanish know that a tired player makes poor decisions and will ultimately show weakness mentally. In this way, fitness training is seen as the lynchpin to good strategic and mental ability. Here in the U.S., and New York in particular, players often do not have time for a lot of fitness and usually skip it. Parents focus on getting in more court time and cut out athletic and injury prevention training. It’s a risky approach and one reason why we see epidemic levels of overuse and chronic injuries among our serious tournament players.

Tennis is a game of errors This is maybe the most important tactical lesson from Spain that I teach my players. A game of tennis is not usually won by winners; it’s lost by errors. Players must therefore learn to be consistent. Consistency and reducing errors is an absolute obsession in Spain. The path towards better consistency requires great discipline and movement skills, and great physical stamina. A tired player makes mistakes. A lazy player makes mistakes. A player who does not run and move well makes mistakes. From a Spanish point of view, mistakes are unacceptable. Power is not the only way to attack In Spain, there is an understanding that power is great, but it’s important to disturb your opponent with angles, soft shots, different spins, different heights, etc., rather than just trying to blow your opponent off the court with power. This philosophy is partly due to the players growing up and competing mostly on slower red clay, which encourages experimenting with other ways to hurt your opponent than just attacking with power. For example, the Spanish know that a good heavy spin ball up high to a player’s backhand can be just as debilitating as a flat power shot. They know that angles make your opponent run more than straight deep shots. They know that a soft drop shot can be more demoralizing than a hard volley winner.

The net can be a dangerous place In Spain, players are taught to approach the net with caution. In the U.S., players are taught to approach the net with abandon. We have an unhealthy obsession with going to the net. Spain has a healthier, more complete, understanding of net dynamics. Spanish coaches will allow approaches to the net, but they must be justified and responsible, and the player must have a clear and strong advantage. Spanish coaches would never say to go to net only to “put on pressure.” Especially on slow courts, like red clay, they know that going to the net can be risky and dangerous. If a player chooses to go to the net, they have to understand the dynamics at play, the tactical risks, and must approach behind a very strong and damaging shot. Too often, in the U.S., players are taught to approach the net mindlessly behind every short ball they encounter. In Spain, the goal is to selectively go to the net when the odds are highly in the player’s favor only. Net attacks are about smart decision-making, not just mindless net rushing. Conclusion These lessons are just some of the wisdom I have picked up on my travels to Spain. Ever since my first study trip there, my mind has been opened and my previous assumptions challenged. As one of the leading development countries for the last 25 years or so, Spain implemented many novel and revolutionary approaches to training and adopted a smart philosophy that has propelled their players to the top of the world rankings on the professional tours. Those same principles can be used right here in New York to help our developmental players! Chris Lewit, a former number one for Cornell and pro circuit player, coaches in the New York City area and also runs a high-performance boarding summer camp in Southern Vermont. He specializes in training aspiring junior tournament players using progressive Spanish and European training methods. His best-selling book, Secrets of Spanish Tennis, has helped coaches and players worldwide learn how to train the Spanish way. He may be reached by phone at (914) 462-2912, e-mail ChrisLewit@gmail.com or visit ChrisLewit.com.

NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

A Look Back at the Year T By Emilie Katz

Melo concluded 2017 atop the Emirates ATP Rankings. The duo jumped into the top spot after beating Ivan Dodig & Marcel Granollers in their first match at the ATP Finals.

2017 Grand Slam Winners

Australian Open Men’s singles: Roger Federer (SUI) Men’s doubles: Henri Kontinen (FIN) & John Peers (GBR) Women’s singles: Serena Williams (USA) Women’s doubles: Bethany MattekSands (USA) & Lucie Safarova (CZE) Mixed doubles: Abigail Spears (USA) & Juan Sebastian Cabal (COL)

U.S. Open Men’s singles: Rafael Nadal (ESP) Men’s doubles: Jamie Murray (GBR) & Bruno Soares (BRA) Women’s singles: Sloane Stephens (USA) Women’s doubles: Chan Yung-Jan (CHN) & Martina Hingis (SUI) Mixed doubles: Jamie Murray (GBR) & Martina Hingis (SUI)

2017 ATP Award Winners

French Open Men’s singles: Rafael Nadal (ESP) Men’s doubles: Ryan Harrison (USA) & Michael Venus (GBR) Women’s singles: Jelena Ostapenko (LAT) Women’s doubles: Bethany MattekSands (USA) & Lucie Safarova (CZE) Mixed doubles: Gabriela Dabrowski (CAN) & Rohan Bopanna (IND)

Wimbledon Men’s singles: Roger Federer (SUI) Men’s doubles: Lukasz Kubot (POL) & Marcelo Melo (BRA) Women’s singles: Garbiñe Muguruza (ESP) Women’s doubles: Ekaterina Makarova (RUS) & Elena Vesnina (RUS) Mixed doubles: Jamie Murray (GBR) & Martina Hingis (SUI) 50

Emirates ATP World Tour Number 1: Rafael Nadal Rafael Nadal finished the season at number one in the Emirates ATP Rankings for the fourth time in his career. He won six titles including two Grand Slams, and is the oldest player at age 31 to finish the year atop the Emirates ATP Rankings (began in 1973).

[INSERT: Kubot_Melo_Pic] ATP World Tour Number One Doubles Team: Lukasz Kubot & Marcelo Melo Poland’s Lukasz Kubot & Brazil’s Marcelo

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

Comeback Player of the Year: Roger Federer Roger Federer began the year at 17th in the Emirates ATP Rankings after knee surgery which forced him to miss the second half of 2016. He responded in 2017 by winning two Grand Slams and seven titles overall, finishing the year at number two in the rankings.

Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award: Roger Federer For the 13th time, Roger Federer was selected with the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award.

ATP Star of Tomorrow Award: Denis Shapovalov The young Canadian burst on the scene with a semifinal showing in Montreal, and he backed it up in Flushing. Shapovalov

ar That Was 2017 won three qualifying matches to earn a spot into the U.S. Open main draw, and proceeded to reach the tournament’s fourth round. Shapovalov beat Juan Martin del Potro and Rafael Nadal in August at the Coupe Rogers in Montreal on the way to becoming the youngest ever semifinalist at an ATP World Tour Masters 1000.

Most Improved Player of the Year: Denis Shapopolav The 18-year-old Canadian finished the

year ranked 51st in the world, amassing a 12-13 record in 2017 and $762,664 in prize money. He jumped nearly 200 spots in the ATP Men’s Singles Rankings, having started the year at 250th in the world.

Arthur Ashe Humanitarian of the Year: Horia Tecau Romania’s Horia Tecau was honored with the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian of the Year Award, due to his work in championing

children’s rights and educations in his home country.

ATP Coach of the Year: Neville Godwin Neville Godwin, Kevin Anderson’s coach for four years, was chosen by his peers as the winner of ATP Coach of the Year Award. The Award honors the coach who helped guide their player to a higher level of performance during the season. Godwin, a former world number 90 and winner of one ATP World Tour title (2001 Newport), guided Anderson back into the Top 10 of the Emirates ATP Rankings and to his first Grand Slam final at this year’s U.S. Open.

continued on page 52

CHRIS LEWIT TENNIS SUMMER BOARDING HIGH PERFORMANCE CAMP SUMMER ADULT BOOT CAMP CUSTOMIZED SHORT-TERM TRAINING ALL IN THE BREATHTAKING BEAUTY OF VERMONT

TRAIN WITH CHRIS LEWIT EXPERT IN SPANISH TRAINING EXPERT IN TECHNIQUE AND BIOMECHANICS FOR YOUNG PRODIGIES

CHRISLEWIT.COM

914.462.2912 CHRIS@CHRISLEWIT.COM

NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

a look back at the year that was 2017 continued from page 51 Ron Bookman Media Excellence Award, the first Latin American journalist to earn the award. Salatino currently works for Fox Sports Argentina and has covered the sport of tennis since 1976.

ATPWorldTour.com Fan Favorite Singles: Roger Federer Roger Federer was voted ATPWorldTour.com Fan Favorite for 2017. Federer said, “I love it. To receive this one, voted on by the fans mean a lot to me. I like interacting with them, talking with them, signing autographs, taking pictures, hearing their support. This is a big shout out to those who’ve voted for me and supported me and tennis in general for all these years and still like to see me play.”

ATPWorldTour.com Fan Favorite Doubles: Bob and Mike Bryan Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan were voted by fans as the ATPWorldTour.com Fans Favorite for the 13th year in a row. The 39year-old American duo extend their record reign in the doubles category, winning two titles in 2017, in Atlanta and Eastbourne, and reached the Australian Open final and the semifinals of the U.S. Open and at ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournaments in Rome and Miami.

2017 WTA Award Winners

Player of the Year: Garbiñe Muguruza In 2017, Garbine Muguruza became the second player from Spain and 24th overall to earn the world number one ranking. She captured the title at Wimbledon by defeating Venus Williams, and made her third straight appearance at the WTA Finals in Singapore.

Doubles Team of the Year: Martina Hingis & Chan Yung-Jan The duo of Martina Hingis & Chan YungJan compiled a record of 49-6 in an absolutely dominant season, which saw them bring in nine titles, including the U.S. Open crown. In each tournament they played this year, they reached at least the quarterfinals and were a perfect 9-0 in tournament finals.

Ron Bookman Media Excellence Award: Guillermo Salatino Guillermo Salatino was honored with the 52

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

Most Improved Player of the Year: Jelena Ostapenko Latvian Jelena Ostapenko climbed 37 spots in the rankings since the beginning of 2017 as the 20-year-old rose to fame following her triumph at the French Open where she captured the title, becoming the lowestranked and first unseeded player to win at Roland Garros in the Open Era.

Newcomer of the Year: Catherine Bellis American CiCi Bellis had her first full season as a professional and it saw her reach a career-high ranking of 35th in the world towards the late summer. She reached the semifinals in Mallorca and Stanford, and reached the third round at the French Open. Overall, Bellis notched six wins over top 20 players this past season.

Comeback Player of the Year: Sloane Stephens The Comeback Player of the Year Award went to American Sloane Stephens, who fought back from injuries to claim her maiden Grand Slam title at the 2017 U.S. Open. Foot surgery in January led to her ranking falling to 957th in the world and she wasn’t able to make it back onto court until Wimbledon. After first-round exits at Wimbledon and then in Washington, D.C., Stephens started her incredible late-summer run, which culminated in the U.S. Open championship.

announced his retirement in 2017. After officially turning pro in 2001, the left-handed Fyrstenberg developed a greater penchant for doubles over singles, forming the all Polish duo known as “Polish Power” with fellow countryman Marcin Matkowski. With Matkowski, Fyrstenberg reached the U.S. Open finals in 2011, falling to Jurgen Melzer & Philipp Petzschner.

Jerry Diamond ACES Award: Angelique Kerber The 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. This year’s award went to Germany’s Angelique Kerber, who took part in clinics, activities and fanfriendly events across the world to help bring the community and the sport closer together. Martina Hingis Martina Hingis of Switzerland ended her career and retired from professional tennis Retirements in 2017 in 2017. Hingis won 43 career singles titles and 64 career doubles titles, including 25 career Grand Slam titles across singles, doubles and mixed doubles. The 37-yearold exits the game following three decades in the sport, 209 weeks as the singles WTA world number one, with 70 weeks as the doubles WTA world number one, and an induction into the International Tennis Hall Kimiko Date of Fame in 2013. Former world number four Kimiko Date retired in 2017 after her loss at the Japan Women’s Open to the 13th seeded Aleksandra Krunic. The 46-year-old Date, who retired once in 1996 and made a comeback in April 2008, had been hampered by pain in her knee and shoulders. Date won eight WTA Tour titles, reached the singles semifinals in three of four Grand Slams—the Australian Open, the French Open and Wimbledon. She placed fourth in the world in November 1995 for her highest singles ranking.

Melanie Oudin Former world number 31 Melanie Oudin announced her retirement from professional tennis in 2017. The 26-year-old American thrilled the crowd at Flushing Meadows with a run to the quarterfinals in 2009 as a 17year-old. Ranked 70th in the world, Oudin coined a signature phrase of “Believe” as she rolled through the draw with victories over Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Elena Dementieva, Maria Sharapova and Nadia Petrova, before falling to Caroline Wozniacki.

Radek Stepanek Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic called it a career in 2017, after failing to recover from back surgery earlier in the year. The 39-year-old Stepanek won five ATP singles titles and reached the Wimbledon quarterfinals in 2006 when he reached a career-high eighth in the world rankings.

Mariusz Fyrstenberg After 17 years on the ATP World Tour, doubles specialist Mariusz Fyrstenberg NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

Are Junior Tennis Tournaments a Social Gathering? By Todd Widom find it quite amusing when I attend junior tennis tournaments and see the teenagers huddled around either socializing or trying to snap a photo for social media. Then, suddenly their name is called and they need to rush to the court to play a match. They may win or lose, but if they do not perform up to their parent’s standard, it will be a rough car ride home or back to the hotel. The “cool”

kids that love going to tournaments so they can see their friends usually do not do well. Their mentality and preparation is wrong. For the serious kids, socializing is for outside the tennis facility. For the serious kids, when you are at the tournament, there is one thing to do … win! The next time you attend a junior tennis event, take a step back and see who is hanging around at the courts all day with no purpose. It is going to be the vast majority of kids, but also keep in mind that the vast majority of kids do

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

not have goals and a purpose for why they play tennis. There will be a couple of kids sprinkled around the event away from everyone else warming up, stretching, re-gripping their rackets and maybe listening to music in a quiet secluded setting. They are not around many other kids socializing and listening to all the noise around them. These teenagers are there at this event and have a purpose. My tennis background was training with a couple of Argentine disciplinarian coaches, from six-years-old all the

way to 26-years-old, who produced some of the best amateurs and professionals in the United States. Tennis, for me, was a blast from day one, and I was obsessed with everything about it. I had two main coaches who truly cared for their students. They trained you multiple hours every day and were truly there to produce a champion. Tennis was a way to better my life. I felt the love from my coaches because they knew I would run through a wall to win a point or perform a drill properly. When there is this mutual desire by both parties to go the extra mile, there was no way I could not be a serious, prepared tennis player at any tournament. To goof off at a tournament meant that I did not respect what they were doing for me, and what my mother was doing for me, since there were tremendous sacrifices to see how good I could be. I was a reflection of their phenomenal teachings, and I would not let them down if I could avoid it. Playing junior tennis in Florida in my generation was very difficult, as the tal-

ent pool was large. If you did not prepare well in practice or in the tournament arena for your matches, you were not going to be successful. I would watch some of the top players and I knew that to ever beat them, things had to be done properly. I knew that if something was off with my game, it would be a quick match and I would not win. These players would be away from the rest of the competition at events, and you knew they were getting ready for a prize fight. There was no socializing for these players. They were there for one reason, and that was to win. When I went to tournaments, I rarely stayed at the tournament hotel because, for me, the competition took place on the courts and I did not want to spend time or socialize with the competition outside of the “boxing ring.” In closing, if you ever wonder how you fulfill your potential in this game, it is to perform many aspects of preparation well, but to have the proper guidance so that your goals can be-

come a reality. I am not saying that your child should not socialize, but the tennis facility is there for tennis. The socializing for the serious children is outside of the tennis facility. It is very easy to see who these focused children are at a tennis tournament. What many children and parents need to realize is that tennis can open countless doors, and the skills they learn on the tennis court can be lifelong. Many of these skills are not taught by studying out of a book in a school. There are kids all over the globe trying to get college scholarships or make it on the ATP or WTA Tour. What separates your child from the rest? Remember, if it were easy, everyone would be doing it. Todd Widom is a former top 200 ATP professional in both singles and doubles, and owner of TW Tennis, South Florida’s top small group/private tennis training geared exclusively for the high-performance junior, collegiate or professional tennis player. Todd may be reached by e-mail at Todd@TWTennis.com or visit TWTennis.com.

NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

Swing Away on Both First and Second Serves By Lisa Dodson ll serves can, and should be, hit with an identical swing pattern and a fast swing speed. Sound crazy? It’s not. First and second serves are often taught and thought of as two different strokes. This approach makes the already difficult stroke more physically complicated and mentally stressful, especially for women. Swing speed on the first and second serve should be the same, if not faster, on the second. How can we accomplish this? The key lies with using one swing pattern and overcoming fear. All statistics show that a high first serve percentage results in winning more points. A good day yields more easy points and a bad day can be devastating, especially if the second serve is weak. Unnecessary pressure is placed on the first serve. Fear of a weaker second serve looms in the background and directly takes confidence from your entire game. The simple solution is to develop one swing pattern with varying grips, a consistent tempo and informed ball toss location. This will, in turn, create consistent timing and movement for a service motion that is used for all serve types. You will need sev-

eral basic grips to be a fast swing speed server. Grips will change dependent upon what type of serve is being hit. The grip needs to be paired with ball toss location for specific serves. Grips and toss locations change but swing patterns do not. Pairing the correct grip with the correct ball toss location (contact point location) is a simple and essential concept for developing a variety of fast swing serves. This simplification takes away the physical and mental threat of having to learn a different “first” serve and “second” serve. Concentration on one technique and one swing speed leads to more consistency, builds confidence and removes fear. Simply, all you have to do is choose what type of serve you want to hit (flat, slice or kick), pair the grip and ball toss location. This is how you develop different amounts and types of spin. The more spin you create, the faster you have to swing. You’ll learn to depend upon a fast swing speed instead of fearing a second serve miss. You’ll also quickly develop a variety of serve types naturally. This concept is the key to: l Reduce double faults l Hit a higher percentage of first serves l Develop a variety of serve speeds and spins l Control placement

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

l Create weaker returns and get more free points One swing pattern The serve is a patterned swing that has shape and rhythm. There are many variations of patterns and shapes and some are definitely more efficient and less riddled with excess movement that cause problems and missed serves. Consistent and powerful servers use one consistent movement pattern. In other words, if you look at each individual serve, they look basically the same. So, in essence, there really is no “first” serve or “second” serve in the way that we usually think of them. There is no marked technique difference besides moving grips and ball toss locations. They both use the same pattern and speed but typically the second serve will have more spin for safety. The spin comes from moving grips and ball toss locations, not from changing the swing pattern. How can that be? If we keep the pattern the same and match a corresponding grip to the ball toss, then the body will make natural and appropriate changes within the swing pattern. The pattern remains the same, but modifications happen because of how you are holding the racket and where you will

FIGURE 1

FIGURE 2

Good grips have a range Did you know that the beveled areas on the grip are different sizes? When the racket is on edge, the beveled area that corresponds with the edge is approximately 1.5 centimeters. The beveled area to the left of that is approximately one centimeter. These are small areas. So, when you are asked to move your grip, those adjustments are usually very small if you are in the right range. (See Figure 1) Correct serve grips vary in a range. The term “Continental” is used most often and players often do not understand that grip modifications can be made to form a larger range of grips. All of these modifications are made by shifting the hand to the left. The Continental Grip is originated on the first left bevel with the V created by your

thumb and forefinger. With this grip, you can hit an effective flat and slice serve, but not an effective kick or topspin serve (see Figure 1 with the green V marker for Continental Grip and Figure 2 with hand placement). Moving your hand to the left of Continental, in very small increments, will create more spin for a slice serve and if moved more drastically (see Figure 2 with blue V marker) you can will change the edge angle and develop the ability to hit a kick or topspin serve (see Figure 3). Incorrect serve grips are anything to the right of the first left bevel or in the direction of a power forehand That is not to say that one cannot hit a flat serve with the grip with a quarter-inch move to the right of Continental. This small change can work for some players but it is essential not to move any further to the right on the grip (see Figure 1 with red V marker for incorrect grip). FIGURE 3

contact the ball. Make sense? So, if we simply toss a ball up into the air and use a forehand grip, we’re going to get a lot of failure. An unknown contact point or flawed ball toss location cannot work with an unmatched grip and often causes joint pain, wear and tear and injury.

Tempo is everything We’ve all seen some pretty odd looking serves on the courts. They usually look like a lot of work and effort for not much of a result. Good looking serves are generally more efficient and have a good swing pattern and rhythm. In a word … effortless. The tempo of the swing is the basis of all good serves. Effortless serves coordinate all movements of the body and limbs. The beginning tempo sets the tone for how you will get the ball toss to a good contact point and how you will effectively get your racket to that contact point at the right time. Of course, the start of any motion sets the path to the result. The beginning tempo of the serve is critical to successful timing of toss and hit. Servers need to be mindful to create a slow downswing or take-back in conjunction with the toss arm. This enables the server to incorporate the entire body (legs, torso, arms and head) that leads to the accelerated movement to contact point. Think of it as a one/two movement or slow and go. The initial phase is slow and then GO (acceleration) happens as the racket is dropping into racket head drop position. The entire body is ready to make this powerful move. If beginning tempo is fast or unorganized then power, efficiency and timing are gone with the wind. continued on page 58

Get Your Game On O AT TENNIS @ROS SS IN EAST HAMPTO ON • Academy programs for advanced players ages 6–18 • Private lessons and court rentals • Adult clinics for all levells • Adult game arranging fo or players 3.5 or above

CALL TODAY! 631-90 07-5162 TENNIS@ROSS.ORG WWW.ROSS.ORG/TE ENNIS

NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

swing away on both first and second serves continued from page 57

Determine where you want your ball toss to go The toss is sort of a complicated deal for most people. After all, you’re using your non-dominant hand and arm to do a very specific and detailed task. Not to mention that the rest of your body is doing lots of other stuff. One thing that helps everyone is determining where you want your toss to go before you serve. Forget about the how and concentrate on the where. Look up to that place before you initiate the serve and watch the ball come into that spot. Work on some toss technique over time but use this method for success at all levels We’ve discussed grips so now you need to know about which grip goes with which toss. For a flat or slice serve pair your Continental Grip (green V marker) with a ball toss that lands about 12-18 inches forward of the baseline and to the right (in line with

your hitting shoulder). The flat toss will be at the further distance and the slice serve will be slightly closer but also about sixto-12 inches further to the right. For the topspin or kick serve, your grip will be left of Continental (in the range of blue V marker) and your ball toss will arc back for contact over your head. If you let it fall, it would drop in the range of on top of your head to slightly behind your heels. Notice that there is no mention of a ball toss for the forehand serve grip (red V marker). If you work within some grip and toss guidelines you’ll improve drastically and will likely reduce wear and tear, pain and the likelihood of injury. It’s time for a major upgrade for your serve and therefore your entire game. Considering your serve motion as a swing pattern and not a HIT is critical. If

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

you start to get this concept then YOU will be able to swing away on first and second serves. The first and second serve feed on each other physically and mentally. The cycle of fearing the second serve can be broken when you learn to depend upon a fast second serve swing speed. In turn, a consistent swing speed will increase your first serve percentage, help create a neutralizing second serve and boost the overall confidence of your entire game. Now doesn’t that sound like a plan? 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.

Improving Is Simple By Michael Ward ost tennis fans have probably thought at one time or another, “The pros make it look easy.” Truthfully, they do make the game look easy. Of course, that’s an optical illusion: Professional players work tremendously hard so that they can play the sport in a way that looks effortless. And one reason the pros are able to do that is that they have simplified the game, both technically and tactically. Improving your tennis game is certainly not always easy, but it is simple. Granted, tennis can be complex and overwhelming. Tennis is not only a physically demanding sport, requiring high doses of hand-eye coordination, balance, agility and footwork, it is also a mentally taxing sport like chess and other games that require specific patterns of thought, preparation, and reaction to a constantly changing environment. But with all due respect to the sport that has consumed the last 23 years of my life, tennis is a relatively simple game. You have to hit a ball over a net and inside the lines more times than your opponent does. As you improve, you develop a general approach to the game. You can play from the baseline, you can serve and volley, or you can work towards an allcourt game. And you add other concepts as you go. You can adopt a Toni Nadal mentality of hitting the ball wherever your opponent isn’t. Or, you can adopt Andre Agassi’s mentality to be the last man standing in the boxing ring. You can use Paul Wardlaw’s directional theories to determine when to hit cross-court or down the line. Tactically and technically, there are simple ways to get better. Tactically, we can quantify the game in five dimensions: Consistency, Direction, Depth, Spin, and Power, in that order. A top performer can construct a point using these dimensions in this order. For exam-

ple, take the serve plus one (or, to use a boxing metaphor, the one-two punch)— serving out wide and directing the first ball, preferably as a forehand, to the open court to force your opponent into immediate defense. Or, think of the way players aim down the center of the court on service returns, as a way to neutralize the point. Or even consider three-ball groundstroke sequences—a deep cross-court shot to push your opponent back, then a severe angle cross-court to push your opponent off the court, followed by a down-the-line shot to the open court, challenging your opponent to move backwards and across the court. Successfully hitting deep allows you to hunt for short balls, creating more opportunity for angles that open up the court and give you bigger targets. Technically, we can build the game on footwork, use of the opposite hand, balance, contact, and timing. The goal is finding efficiencies. As a general rule, stroke adjustments at any age should be based on creating efficiencies. Developing a consistent two-handed backhand, for example, can be as simple as mimicking Novak Djokovic’s straightened dominant arm as he takes the racket back. To create a

stronger forehand, you might just need to keep the non-dominant hand on the throat of the racket, almost until the ball bounces, to nurture shoulder turn and stability. A more reliable serve should focus on a natural throwing motion, with the palm facing down. To get the most technical improvement in any of your strokes, break the stroke down and work towards simplifying it—always with an eye on proper footwork, use of the opposite hand, balance, contact and timing. While improvement takes time and practice, and may not always be easy, it certainly should be simple. Focus on technical and tactical efficiencies, and remember … simple, not easy. Michael Ward is General Manager of John McEnroe Tennis Academy and Sportime Randall’s Island. He is a graduate of Mississippi College in 2007, where he received the Conference Sportsmanship Award, was named a National ITA Scholar Athlete, and was an All-Conference and First Team pick as a member of the tennis team. He previously served as the Tennis Director of the Anguilla Tennis Academy, a non-profit tennis initiative in the British West Indies.

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

· · · ·

Specializing Tennis elbow Rotator cuff injuries Ankle sprains Tendonitis/tendonosis

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

NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

Choking: A Player’s Worst Nightmare By Gilad Bloom One of tennis’ big mystiques in the world of sports is the “choke.” We have all been there, including the great champions. A player will put together a set and a half of perfect tennis, but when it’s time to close out the match, all of a sudden, things change … the level of play inexplicably drops, legs get heavy, hands get tight, the toss on the serve falls too low, and routine put away winners turn into unforced errors. Before you know it, the match slips away, the momentum shifts and the window to win a match closes forever. Afterwards in the locker room, you will sit with a towel over your head and wonder how come you lost a match that should have been yours. It’s very frustrating when you are playing well enough to win and still come up short. You often wish you could play those key points again in a different manner. Closing out a match is the toughest thing in any sport. In tennis, it is especially hard because you cannot play the clock, you actually have to win the last point. Closing out a tennis match is an art in and of itself, 60

and perhaps the most important skill for a tennis player to master. It is human nature to grow more anxious when you are ahead and closer to victory. You start to think about the winning shot, and it takes your mind off the actual pointby-point mindset. Because of tricks of the mind, you might change your strategy for no reason or start to make bad decisions. In many cases, players would become passive when leading, playing too safe and expecting the opponent to fold. Other ways of “choking” might be getting overly aggressive and self-destructive, literally bringing the opponent out of the grave by giving up easy points. Another factor is that when you are leading, it is common that your opponent will play without pressure and start making shots that were not going in earlier in the match. Of course, the Million Dollar Question is how to avoid being that player who cannot close out a match. Here are a few tips on how to avoid that stinging feeling of losing a match that was yours … 1. Nobody is immune to choking. Even the great John McEnroe, holder of seven Grand Slam singles titles, admit-

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

ted to me years ago that he choked, specifically speaking about the famous French Open finals in 1984 against Ivan Lendl when he was up 2-0 in sets and a break up in the third set. So if you do end up choking, don’t let it bring you down … suck it up, learn from it and don’t forget that the choke has two sides. The next time, you might be on the other side. If you expect that it is part of the game and don’t let it get to your head, you can survive a few chokes in your career. 2. Smell the blood. When you are leading in a match, try to keep the pressure on your opponent and avoid complacency. Try to be greedy and run away with the match. Great champions smell when the opponent is bleeding and hit them where it hurts without mercy. The key is to keep the same strategy that got the lead, and remain aggressive and relentless. Show your opponent through body language that you are there to win the match, and preferably, in straight sets. 3. Do mental exercises to improve your performance. There are breathing

techniques that help get the heart rate down and calm your system down between points. Also, being bouncy on your feet can help relax the muscles and bring you to a necessary optimal combination of alertness and composure. Ideally, you want to get to a level where you play totally instinctively during the big points without having to think too much. 4. Have a specific game plan to close out matches and stick to it. Many times, we change our game plan during big points. It is important to be gutsy and execute a game plan. It’s especially important to stay aggressive during critical points of the match. Usually in higher level tennis, the one who dictates the pace of the match will win. Before critical games, I would actually plan the first two points on my service game while sitting down during the changeover. It is easier to execute your plan, if it is planned ahead of time. 5. Think outside the box. Tennis can be a

stressful sport and there are some ways to decrease that pressure. For example, I never used to look at draws when I played on the pro tour. That meant I went to sleep without a specific name or face of an opponent in my head. It helped me focus on my preparation and not think about the opponent. Another method of fooling yourself is when you are leading, tell yourself that you are losing. For example, if you are up 5-2, you tell yourself during the changeover that you are down 2-5 and that you should play as if you are down. It is an interesting exercise which actually worked for me in some cases. 6. Don’t pay attention to practice sets, use it as an experiment. Practice makes perfect, and if you practice a lot of point situations in training, you will be more ready for it in an official tournament. However, you cannot ever forget that what matters is the tournament results, so “chokes” during practice don’t count. In fact, it’s

better to play those bad sets in practice and have it all come together in the actual tournament. 7. Most importantly … keep the big points simple. Most matches are won with basic tennis, by making your first serve when needed, playing the percentages, making your cross-court shots and not missing the easy shots. You don’t have to go for the spectacular shot unless you need to. If you can make the opponent hit the extra shot, then who knows, your opponent just may be the one who chokes. Gilad Bloom, former Israeli Davis Cup player and two-time Olympian, played on the ATP Tour 1983-1995, reached the fourth round of the U.S. Open in 1990, reached a highest ranking of 61 in singles, was Israel Singles Champion three times. Bloom has been running his own tennis program since 2000 and also was director of tennis at John McEnroe Tennis Academy for two years. He can be reached by e-mail at Bloom.Gilad@Gmail.com.

NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

Stranger Danger … Only Part of the Problem By Richard Thater

e are bombarded daily with news of political, entertainment and sports celebrities being accused of bullying, harassment and sexual misconduct. The sport of tennis has not escaped its share of salacious stories. Bill Tilden, one of the paramount players in the game, was twice arrested and convicted of sex with underage boys in the late 1940s. After his release from prison, he was shunned by the tennis world, and because of the onerous conditions of his parole, he could not earn a living through tennis. This man, born to wealth, who once traipsed and pranced his way through regal venues across the continents, died nearly penniless. Pete Fischer was an early coach of Pete Sampras who constructed the game that carried Sampras to multiple championships. Fischer was a Los Angeles pediatrician who was convicted and sentenced in 1998 for abusing a few of his young patients. Although he still hoped to coach, he could no longer practice medicine. Most recently, South African Bob Hewitt

was convicted in 2015 of the rapes and sexual assault of two minor girls he coached. Although he holds 15 major titles and a career Grand Slam in both men’s and mixed doubles, he was permanently expelled from the Tennis Hall of Fame in 2016. Is there a way to prevent stories like these from happening? Although teaching children about stranger danger is a good cautionary lesson, 90 percent of sexual misconduct occurs during coach/student relationships. That is one of the first facts I discovered when I took the online SafeSport training program, created by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) to help coaches create and promote safe training environments that allow every athlete the chance to succeed. According to USOC, as many as one out of eight competitive athletes experience some form of sexual abuse or assault within their sport. SafeSport training “examines the coachathlete relationship, defines the six primary forms of misconduct: Bullying, harassment and hazing, as well as emotional, physical and sexual misconduct; it describes sexual abuse and identifies the signs and symptoms of sexual abuse; and discusses

• Indoor sessions at NYTC and Cary Leeds Tennis Center • Groups, Private lessons, Tournament Travel, 7 days a week • Certiﬁed ATP coach with 20 years of HP experience • 13 years on the pro tour playing ATP, Davis Cup and Olympics • Former 3 time Israeli singles champion

Training Camp in Israel June 28-July 9 Call 914-907-0041 or E-mail BloomGilad@gmail.com 62

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

how to respond and report misconduct.” The training is offered free—simply log on to Training.TeamUSA.org. There is a pathway for coaches, and one for parents. If your professional affiliations require continuing education credits, SafeSport can be applied toward those needs. And this training is applied across the board to all sports. This is a comprehensive program. It provides coaches and parents with guidelines for spotting predatory behavior, and some clear rules for reporting misconduct. For example, within a sport, abusers do not stand out because they look bad. Rather, they often present great credentials and public behavior. SafeSport lists some possible red flags for spotting them. You will certainly want to watch for what is called grooming—isolating a child from the group with promises of special treatment. And you will learn what your reporting obligations are if you witness suspicious behavior. Locker room talk with minors is sexual misconduct, and is prohibited. If you are a coach, SafeSport provides some tools to protect you from malicious accusations. Using only common sense to address these issues might find you sliding on some slippery HarTru. Is taking the SafeSport online training worth the time? For me, it fulfilled a professional requirement for continuing education credits. After completing the course, I reflected on my experiences in the sport and realized that I had been bullied, hazed and was even a victim of the early stages of grooming. I cannot recall any time that I witnessed improper behaviors, but I am happy that SafeSport has taught me how to respond when I do. Richard Thater is a long-time teacher and player on New York City courts. He is PTRcertified in both Junior and Adult Development, and has played in senior tournaments in the Greater New York area. Richard currently teaches at the West Side Tennis Club. He may be reached by phone at (917) 7493255 or e-mail RichThater@aol.com.

You Are More Than That Number By Barbara Wyatt My USTA year-end tennis rating, and possibly yours, popped out of the NTRP, National Tennis Rating Program in December. Within minutes, maybe seconds, of the publication of those ratings, a handful of players pushed the “appeal rating” link. They could not believe they were that number. Some wanted to be bumped “up,” while others wanted to be bumped “down.” But, the vast majority gave their rating a thumbs up with a nod of the head, “Yep, that’s how I play.” Developed in 1978, the year-end rating was designed to create a competitive adult tennis league throughout United States. In the early 1990s, the USTA added the computer calculation process of the dynamic rating that added 50 more assessments to each level because of a rounding to the hundredth decimal point. A 3.5 player falls between 3.01 and 3.50. The dynamic rating is calculated every night using an algorithm that takes the current match and averages up to three of the most recent dynamic results. Year-end ratings are based on a player’s cumulative dynamic rating during the season and a comparison to an appropriate benchmark, such as a seasonal opponent who played at Sectionals.

If you want to move up the rating ladder, here’s what you do: l Play better than expected. At each match, the dynamic rating predicts an expected score between opponents. Perhaps, in a match between you, a 4.30 player, and your opponent, another 4.30 player, you win 7-6, 6-2. The calculation predicted it would be a closer match, but you proved it wrong. You may be awarded additional hundredth decimal points to your dynamic rating and an equal amount moved from your opponent’s rating. At the end of the match, you may be a 4.35 player and your opponent, a 4.25. l Review how you play … not wins and losses. In your next match, you, a 4.35 player, are pitted in a match against a 4.01. You are expected to win soundly, perhaps 6-2, 6-1. It’s not sandbagging, you are the higher rated player. The team captain will jump for joy with your 6-2, 6-1 win. However, it may do nothing for your dynamic rating. You won, you performed as expected. Nothing may change! If the final score was 6-4, 7-6, you won the match, but you should have won 6-2, 6-1. Your dynamic rating could decrease and your opponent’s increase because you did not play as expected.

l Play in a higher league. Inspired by your strong 4.0 skills, you are invited to a 4.5 team. In your first match, against a 4.55 player, your scores were 3-6, 5-7. The opponents won the match. But you challenged them competitively as a lower rated player. Your captain will be disappointed with the loss. But your dynamic rating could go up. l Doubles is a team sport. Dynamic points are awarded equally. If you and your partner won the match, perhaps 6-1, 6-1 against an equally rated team, you and your partner could earn .25 rating points each. The opponents will be knocked down .25 rating points each. If you want to move up, practice, take lessons, attend clinics, and work on the technical and mental aspects of your game. Because you are not that number. You are more … much more! 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.

TENNIS RUSH Come play where the surf applauds every shot. The Seaside Tennis Club at the legendary Mauna Kea Beach Hotel on Hawaii Island. D I R E C TO R O F T E N N I S , C R A I G T. PAU T L E R 8 6 6 .9 7 7. 4 5 8 9 M AU N A K E A B E AC H H OT E L . C O M

NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

A Mental Gym for Athletes

Tennis and Social Class in America By Dr. Tom Ferraro We all know that Wimbledon requires the players to wear white and that the audience sips champagne, eats strawberries and cream, and rubs shoulders with royalty. But we also know that tennis gave us Jimmy Connors, Ilie Nastase and John “You Cannot Be Serious” McEnroe. Tennis, perhaps more than any other sport, struggles with its social identity. Its history came from the 12th Century Cloisters in France where it was called “Jeu de 64

Paume.” The game was adopted by European royalty and finally converted into lawn tennis by Great Britain, where it remained connected with an upper class lifestyle. The birth of tennis in America was on Staten Island, N.Y. in 1872 and it spread throughout the nation. In America, tennis remained somewhat staid and upper class and as recently as the 1970’s, we still had Arthur Ashe with his fine manners playing with ultimate sportsmanship and courtesy at the West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills. But then came Connors and McEnroe, and it all seemed to change gears. Tennis, almost overnight, became loud,

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

vulgar, profane, aggressive and rude. This continued with “image is everything” Andre Agassi, and the in your face toughness of the Williams Sisters. There can be no doubt that these superstars energized and popularized the game of tennis, but one can ask the question at what cost. As a psychoanalyst, I am often asked to discuss the underlying or embedded meaning of a variety of environments or behaviors. And the most interesting of questions is “How does a particular sport and its history influence those who play the game?” This is referred to as “The Zimbardo Effect” based upon The Stan-

ford Prison Experiment, which found that when you put subjects into a jail setting, they will begin to act like they belong there. The film in 2010, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Experiment,â&#x20AC;? with Forest Whitaker and Adrien Brody, was about an experiment where participants assumed the identities of inmates and prison guards in an empty jail, with the promise of a $1,000-a-day reward. Before long, the prisoners find themselves at the mercy of their keepers, and all the test subjects discover how easily violence and cruelty can manifest itself in human behavior. The impact of oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s environment is so strong that the world was sure that Donald Trump would begin to act presidential when he entered the Oval Office. This only shows us that the exception does prove the rule. The fact that an environment impacts the people within that environment means that a particular sport will unconsciously impact the player who participates. The upper classes in Europe and America have always chosen to play tennis, golf, polo and sailing for a variety of reasons. They have the discretionary income, the

time, they enjoy these sports and they also understand how social capitol works, where power is found and is a major way how social networking functions. The upper classes have always shied away from the more violent sports like boxing, wrestling, football, and even tend to ignore team sports like basketball and baseball. Up until the arrival of Jimmy Connors, almost all tennis players exercised self-control, good manners and behavioral restraint in all their reactions. These values are part of upper class etiquette and not a trivial thing to learn. All parents harbor the hope that their children will be upwardly mobile and that certain sports, though they may be expensive, will also be of great benefit to their child. This is one reason the smart parent encourages young ones to engage in certain sports. Some call this elitist, but yet everyone wants to be a part that that group. Years ago, I was invited to play golf at Pine Valley Golf Club, considered to be one of the finest and most exclusive golf clubs. The most notable thing I witnessed there, outside of all the private planes and the famous athletes walking around, was how

older, very wealthy looking, white-haired members would be walking about or eating in the dining room, followed by younger men who had the distinct look of CEOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in training. Private golf and private tennis clubs are training grounds for the upper classes where young ones are learning things like how to dress, how to act and how to sound. One can naively assume that tennis functions in a vacuum and is only about groundstrokes and trophies, but the reality is that tennis is only one of a handful of sports that is a breeding ground for the upper class in America. This is why so many parents are willing to invest in all of those lessons and club fees for their kids. And itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also why one of the most important functions of the professional tennis player is to represent their sport with dignity, refinement and class. 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.

Have You Played Forest Hills? Tennis Memberships Social Memberships Program Memberships

Tennis Programs for Ages 4-18 Mommy, Daddy & Me Classes 10 & Under Progression Program Tournament Training Program

The West Side Tennis Club -268- NYTennisMag.com â&#x20AC;˘ January/February 2018 â&#x20AC;˘ New York Tennis Magazine

New York Girls High S Nadeya Maslova and Bergmann Sisters Take Top Honors at the Girls Tennis Individuals Tournament

PSAL Sports Coordinator Lance Hermus (far left) and PSAL Tennis Commissioner Janet Miles (far right) present PSAL Girl’s Singles Championship trophies to Christina Huynh of Bronx Science (second place), James Madison’s Nadeya Maslova (first place) and Miriam Aziz of Staten Island Tech (third place) Credit all photos to Damion Reid/PSAL

PSAL Sports Coordinator Lance Hermus (left) and PSAL Tennis Commissioner Janet Miles (right) congratulate 2017 PSAL Girl’s Doubles champions Bayside’s Jennifer Yoo & Shnae Cummings (third place), Kyra & Lorraine Bergmann of Beacon (first place), and Rebecca MacDonald & Gabriella Eitkis of Leon Goldstein (second place) ames Madison’s Nadeya Maslova captured the Public School Athletic League (PSAL) New York City Girls Singles title by downing Christina Huynh of Bronx Science 6-1, 6-4 in the finals. Maslova took control of the match from the start, racing out to a 6-1 first-set lead, taking command of the match with strong shots from the baseline and using an effective serve. The second set was back and forth, until Maslova broke through with a decisive break of serve for a 4-3 advantage. Maslova would not drop serve the rest of the way, closing out

J 66

the set and the match to be crowned champion. In the third-place match, Miriam Aziz of Staten Island Tech beat Kelly Chen of Francis Lewis 6-4, 6-1. In the doubles final, Kyra & Lorraine Bergmann of Beacon captured the title with a 6-3, 6-4 win in the final, defeating the team of Rebecca MacDonald & Gabriella Eitkis of Leon Goldstein. The Beacon duo did not lose a set during the tournament. Bayside’s Jennifer Yoo & Shnae Cummings took home third place by beating Aya Halwah & Julia Bracci of Eleanor Roosevelt 6-4, 6-2 in the consolation match.

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

School

RECAP

Andreach Takes Home New York State Title

ulia Andreach of Our Lady of Mercy High School (pictured left) won the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) title by downing Rachel Arbitman of Hewlett 6-4, 6-2 in the final. Andreach becomes the first girl in Section V history to win either a singles or doubles state title. She lost in the finals a year ago to Caitlyn Ferrante of Yorktown, but was able to exact some revenge this year by beating Ferrante 6-0, 6-0 in the semifinals, before beating Arbitman in the championship match. Arbitman replaced Andreach in the New York State Federation Tournament.

Credit photo to Damion Reid/PSAL

Maslova Wins State Federation Title Credit photo to Damion Reid/PSAL

Nadejda Maslova of James Madison High School, winner of the New York State Federation Tournament (center), with PSAL Sports Coordinator Lance Hermus and PSAL Tennis Commissioner Janet Miles

uilding off of her triumph in the PSAL Championship, Nadejda Maslova of James Madison High School won the title at the New York State Federation Tournament held at Sportime Randall’s Island. The Federation Cup pits the winners of the Public School Athletic League (PSAL) against the winners from the Catholic High School Athletic Association (CHSAA), Public High School Athletic Association (PHSAA) and Association of Independent

Schools Athletic Association (AISAA). Maslova knocked off AISAA winner Gibson Thomas of Horace Mann 6-0, 6-4 in the opening round, before beating Hewlett’s Rachel Arbitman 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 in the final. Arbitman replaced PHSAA winner Julia Andreach in the Federation Final. (scheduling conflict) PSAL Doubles champions Kyra & Lorraine Bergmann were defeated by Laina Campos & Vanessa Viano of Ursuline in the doubles draw of the New York State Federation Tournament.

NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

The Future of U.S

By Steve Kaplan he future of tennis growth in this country is in team participation at a young age. While most tennis experiences at the highest level are about the individual, the team concept is the sweet spot of growth for the sport. The USTA offers Junior Team Tennis for very young players; however, in its current form, it does not result in the participation growth needed for the sport to thrive. Accordingly, the USTA should go all in to the team format as the only format for 10 and Under Tennis, and do so for the following reasons.

1. It’s consistent with demographic trends While overall youth team sports participation is down in this country over nine percent in the last 10 years, according to The Sports and Fitness Industry Association, with youth tackle football down over 18 percent. Most non-contact sports, like fast pitch softball, are up. 68

Tennis participation is flat and is trending downward, with overall participation slightly up, but “core” participation (which is 90 percent of the tennis economic market) down according to the Tennis Industry Association (TIA). Simply stated, tennis is good at bringing new players into the sport, but not good at retaining players, with a high attrition rate. Team tennis will stop the revolving door of tennis participation and drive the market by getting new young players to love the game through healthy, fun and positive early competitive experiences. 2. It reduces barriers to entry Ask most parents why their children don’t play tennis more seriously and they will likely identify two reasons: The cost and the culture. Training is expensive and tournaments are, as one parent of a young student describes, “a free-for-all.” Tennis will achieve cost efficiencies by pooling resources, while encouraging a less isolated, insular tournament environment dominated by the most aggressive parents. A team concept for young tournament players will encourage an atmos-

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

phere of engagement, learning and teamwork. 3. It promotes the value of team engagement Adults who have played competitive junior tennis tell me with very few exceptions that their fondest tennis experience was as a member of a college team because they loved the feeling of being a part of something greater than themselves. Alas, you need to reach a high level of play to enjoy the team experience at a college level and it’s a shame that more coaches are not encouraging their top students to play high school tennis. I read with concern in last month’s Coaches Roundtable Discussion (see page 46 of the November/December 2017 issue of Long Island Tennis Magazine), the philosophy from one group that expressed “we encourage tournament players to play high school tennis, as long as the coach is flexible with the players schedule to allow them to train.” While that might be a useful practical compromise for the player and coach, it is also a philosophy

S. Tennis Growth of entitlement and that is not consistent with the value of team membership. Tennis is an isolating sport for many juniors, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the sport of a lifetime because it encouragesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;not limitsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;socialization. The solution Eliminate all 10 and Under individual tournaments and recast them as team events. This change would transform the goal of entry from winning as an individual, to playing and winning or losing as a team. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not forget that the idea of scaled down playing environments was sold by the USTA as an attempt to be more like Little League, Junior Basketball and other team sports which scale.

Further, the success of The Laver Cup clearly demonstrates that a team event, run the right way, can be great for the sport. Players who enter 10 and Under events will be randomly placed on teams and the play will be similar as before. With USTA support, it can include professional coaching, skill development, and support and encouragement during play. Team tennis at a very young age is a great way to encourage children and parents to love the sport. I expect there will be resistance and growing pains to the elimination of the individual 10 and Under format, and I see some practical implementation issues,

but you cannot change the cutthroat culture that limits the growth of the sport with soft tennis balls, short rackets and blended lines, alone. Cultural change comes from bold, progressive action. Steve Kaplan is Owner of Bethpage Park Tennis Center, as well as Director of Lacoste Academy for New York City Parks Foundation. Steve has been the longtime coach of more than 600 nationallyranked junior players, 16 State High School Champions, two NCAA Division 1 Singles Champions, and numerous touring professionals and prominent coaches. He may be reached by e-mail at StevenJKaplan@aol.com.

Winter grins on the courts! +*)('&(%$#"! &( &# ( $ #&$'' # ('&( # !'#('*# $ $

Why keep kids as young as 3 home this winter, when they can get in the game! We customize tennis for age and ability, so kids use smaller racquets, smaller courts and slow-bouncing balls. PLUS, QuickStart players get FREE

$# # # ')$' $'&# ( ' # MANHATTAN Columbia Prep School Gym 4 W. 93rd St.

The Beacon School 522 W. 44th St.

Hunter College Lexington Ave. & 68th St.

' &$*# ( ' # '&$ '( '( # 24-50 FDR Dr.

(' ( ('# ( (# ( !$&# ! # 450 W. 43rd St.

NO EXPERIENCE

THE BRONX

ROOSEVELT ISLAND

New York Tennis Club 3081 Harding Ave.

Roosevelt Island Racquet Club & Sports Park Gym 281 Main St.

Contact Paul Fontana at 646.884.9649 or pfontana@advantagetennisclubs.com. Or visit quickstartny.com. NYTennisMag.com â&#x20AC;˘ January/February 2018 â&#x20AC;˘ New York Tennis Magazine

adult league U S T A L E A G U E S U P D AT E

January/February 2018 The Metro 40 & Over Men & Women’s League has just concluded, and the playoffs will be held Feb. 8-11 at Roosevelt Island Racquet Club, City View Racquet Club and West Side Tennis Club. Here are the matchups and scheduled times: l Thursday, Feb. 8 at Roosevelt Island at 8:00 p.m. (4.0 Women’s Semifinal: Bacey vs. Bailey/Pavels) l Thursday, Feb. 8 at City View at 8:30 p.m. (4.0 Women’s Semifinal: Tavenier/Consiglio vs. Johnson) l Friday, Feb. 9 at West Side Tennis Club at 8:30 p.m. (3.5 Women’s Semifinal: Rowe/Chee vs. Lee) l Friday, Feb. 9 at Roosevelt Island Racquet Club at 8:00 p.m. (3.5 Women’s Semifinal: Maselbas/Fiallo vs. Banks) l Sunday, Feb. 11 at West Side Tennis Club at 4:30 p.m. (4.5 Men’s Finals: Chesney/Goldberg vs. Katz) l Sunday, Feb. 11 at West Side Tennis Club at 6:00 p.m. (3.5 Men’s Final: Dainton/Derman vs. Ragione) l Sunday, Feb. 11 at West Side Tennis Club at 6:00 p.m. (4.0

Men’s Final: Cohn vs. Tallia/Brown) l Sunday, Feb. 11 at West Side Tennis Club at 7:30 p.m. (3.5 Women’s Final: Winners of Above Semifinals) l Sunday, Feb. 11 at West Side Tennis Club at 7:30 p.m. (4.0 Women’s Final: Winners of Above Semifinals) The Manhattan 2018 Mixed League just began and there may still be a few spots open, while the Queens Mixed League got underway in early January. There still may be spots open in each of these leagues. If interested, please contact Info@MetroTennis.com. The Metro 40& Over Mixed League, Bronx Mixed Leagues and Brooklyn Mixed Leagues begin in February. If interested in any of these leagues, contact the respective League Coordinator below: l Metro: JoeMiano@MetroTennis.com l Bronx: Denise@ MetroTennis.com l Brooklyn: MWinston78@RCN.com

Attention Merchants and Companies Question? How would you like to deliver your brand and message in-person to thousands of sports oriented New York families all in one day? Answer! You can by being part of the New York Tennis Expo on Saturday, February 10, 2018 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. The ﬁrst professional tennis tournament on Long Island in almost 20 years! l For an investment as little as $599.00 for the day you can be an exhibitor and be part of this historic and exciting event. 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 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

USTA/Metropolitan Region

2018 TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE For detailed information on these and all USTA tournaments, visit tennislink.usta.com/tournaments.

JANUARY 2018 Friday-Sunday, January 19-21 L2 Cunningham Tennis January Open Cunningham Tennis 19600 Union Turnpike Fresh Meadows, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate Boys & Girls Singles 78' Yellow Ball 12 (FMLC); Intermediate Boys & Girls Singles 78' Yellow Ball 14-18 (SE); and Intermediate Boys & Girls Doubles 78' Yellow Ball 12-18 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 for first singles/$28 for first doubles (deadline for entries is Monday, Jan. 15 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail KLastique@yahoo.com or call (718) 740-6800. Saturday-Monday, January 20-22 USTA National Level 3 Tournament at the Cary Leeds Center The Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning 1720 Crotona Avenue • Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Level 3 Boys Singles 78' Yellow Ball 16 (FIC-R16); and Level 3 Boys Doubles 78' Yellow Ball 16 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $145.63 per playerFor more information, e-mail EBantovska@NYJTL.org or call (718) 247-7420.

Saturday-Sunday, January 20-21 Youth Progression Green L1 Bronx Stadium Tennis Center 725 Exterior Street • Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Green Level 1 Boys & Girls 10 and Under Singles 78' Green Ball 10 (NEF) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $48.88 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, Jan. 12 at 11:59 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Lauren@StadiumTennisNYC.com or call (718) 665-4684.

Saturday-Sunday, January 27-28 L3 APTC UPS Alley Pond Tennis Center 7920 Winchester Boulevard Queens Village, N.Y. Divisions: Entry Level Boys & Girls Singles 78' Green Ball 12, 78' Yellow Ball 14-16 (NEF) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $48.88 per player (deadline for entries is Wednesday, Jan. 24 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail hemco2@aol.com or call (718) 264-2600.

Friday-Sunday, January 26-28 L2 Mill Basin Matchpoint NYC Open Matchpoint NYC Mill Basin 2350 East 69th Street • Brooklyn, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate Boys & Girls Singles 78' Yellow Ball 12 (FMLC); Intermediate Boys & Girls Singles 78' Yellow Ball 14-18 (SE); and Intermediate Boys & Girls Doubles 78' Yellow Ball 12-18 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 for first singles/$28 for first doubles (deadline for entries is Monday, Jan. 22 at 1:00 p.m.)For more information, e-mail KLastique@yahoo.com or call (718) 769-0001.

FEBRUARY 2018 Friday-Sunday, February 2-4 Eastern Empire Cup National Doubles at the Cary Leeds Center The Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning 1720 Crotona Avenue • Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Boys & Girls Doubles 78' Yellow Ball 12 (MFIC) Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $48.88 per player (deadline for entries is Tuesday, Jan. 23 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail WWiese@NYJTL.org or call (718) 247-7420.

Saturday, January 20 Youth Progression Orange Level 1: Queens Cunningham Tennis 19600 Union Turnpike • Fresh Meadows, N.Y. Divisions: Orange Level 1 Boys & Girls 10 and Under Singles 60' Orange Ball 10 (NEF) Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $48.88 per player (deadline for entries is Sunday, Jan. 14 at 11:59 p.m. )For more information, e-mail VCaraballo08@aol.com or call (718) 740-6800. NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

USTA/Metropolitan Region

2018 TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE For detailed information on these and all USTA tournaments, visit tennislink.usta.com/tournaments.

Saturday-Sunday, February 3-4 Youth Progression Green Level 1: Queens 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 Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Sunday, Jan. 28 at 11:59 p.m. )For more information, e-mail Victor@CunninghamTennis.com or call (718) 740-6800.

Saturday, February 17 Youth Progression Orange L1: Bronx Stadium Tennis Center 725 Exterior Street Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Orange Level 1 Boys & Girls 10 and Under Singles 60' Orange Ball 10 (NEF) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $48.88 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, Feb. 9 at 11:59 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Lauren@StadiumTennisNYC.com or call (718) 665-4684.

Friday-Sunday, February 9-11 Saturday-Monday, February 17-19 & February 16-18 Eastern Super Six at the Cary Leeds Center L1B RI Feb 2017 Challenger (National L4) Sportime Randall’s Island The Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning 1 Randall’s Island 1720 Crotona Avenue New York, N.Y. Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys & Girls Singles 78' Divisions: Super 6 Event Boys Singles 78' Yellow Yellow Ball 12-16 (SE) Ball 16 (FIC-R16) Surface Type: Unknown Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries Entry Fee: $124.13 per player (deadline for is Monday, Feb. 5 at 1:00 p.m.) entries is Wednesday, Feb. 7 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, For more information, e-mail WWiese@NYJTL.org e-mail TournamentsRI@SportimeNY.com or call (718) 247-7420. or call (646) 783-5301. Saturday-Monday, February 17-19 Saturday, February 17 L3 APTC Winter UPS Youth Progression Orange Level 2: Queens Alley Pond Tennis Center Cunningham Tennis 7920 Winchester Boulevard 19600 Union Turnpike Queens Village, N.Y. Fresh Meadows, N.Y. Divisions: Entry Level Boys & Girls Singles 78' Divisions: Orange Level 2 Boys & Girls 10 and Green Ball 12, 78' Yellow Ball 14-18 (NEF) Under Singles 60' Orange Ball 10 (NEF) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $43.50 per player (deadline for entries Entry Fee: $48.88 per player (deadline for entries is Wednesday, Feb. 14 at 9:00 p.m.) is Sunday, Feb. 11 at 11:59 p.m.) For more information, e-mail hemco2@aol.com For more information, e-mail or call (718) 264-2600. VCaraballo08@aol.com or call (718) 740-6800.

New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

Monday-Friday, February 19-23 L2 City Parks Winter Open USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center Flushing Meadows, Corona Park Flushing, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate Boys & Girls Singles 78' Yellow Ball 12-16 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $43.50 per player (deadline for entries is Sunday, Feb. 11 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail TomTvedt@yahoo.com or call (718) 760-6999. Tuesday-Friday, February 20-23 L2 Alley Pond President's Week Open Alley Pond Tennis Center 7920 Winchester Boulevard Queens 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 Thursday, Feb. 15 at 9:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail hemco2@aol.com or call (718) 264-2600. Friday-Sunday, February 23-25 L1 Cary Leeds Center February Championships The Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning 1720 Crotona Avenue Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Championships Girls Singles 78' Yellow Ball 18 (SE) Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, Feb. 19 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail WWiese@NYJTL.org or call (718) 247-7420.

SPORTIME TENNIS

HOME OF THE JOHN MCENROE TENNIS ACADEMY, ADULT TENNIS PROGRAMS, JUNIOR PROGRAMS AND MORE…

Tennis Whizz Preschool Programs Ages 3 - 5

SPORTIME U10 Red Ball Levels Ages 5 - 6

SPORTIME U10 Orange Ball Levels - Ages 7 - 10

10 AND UNDER TENNIS PROGRAMS Welcoming new players as young as age 3, Tennis Whizz focuses on the physical and mental growth of our preschoolers. SPORTIME U10 Tennis includes Red and Orange ball programs featuring appropriate sized courts, rackets, and low-compression balls. Our young athletes quickly learn to play and compete.

Junior TK - Recreational Levels Ages 9 - 12 and 12 - Up

EXCEL Tennis - High Performance Ages 9 - 12 and 12 - Up

John McEnroe Tennis Academy Ages 9 - 12 and 12 - Up

JUNIOR TENNIS PATHWAY PROGRAMS SPORTIME junior players pick a program best suited to their goals: Junior Tennis Kinetics; EXCEL High Performance; the John McEnroe Tennis Academy. Each of these pathways allows students to train with the regulation green dot and the regulation yellow ball and to compete in sanctioned USTA tournament play and beyond.

Adult League Tennis, Lessons and More - All Levels

Adult Series and Per Diem Programs - All Levels

VISIT US AT THE NEW YORK TENNIS EXPO, NASSAU COLISEUM FEBRUARY 10, 2018 FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY!

ADULT TENNIS PROGRAMS SPORTIME offers a complete menu of Adult lesson programming, including Adult Tennis Kinetics™ group lessons, which provide players of all levels with challenging drills and fun games, supervised by experienced, world-class coaches.

Register today! Why play anywhere else? Call or visit us online today to find out about our clubs, programs and services.

888-698-3664 | www.SportimeNY.com | www.JMTANY.com NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

New York Tennis Magazine â&#x20AC;˘ November/December 2017 â&#x20AC;˘ NYTennisMag.com