New York Tennis Magazine July / August 2017 by United Sports Publications

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

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

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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

JUL/AUG 2017 • Vol 7, No 4

Acing Father Time By Brian Coleman Fresh off winning the French Open title, Rafael Nadal continues to defy age as he presses onward toward the top spot in the ATP Men’s Singles Rankings. See page 28

Cover photo credit: Flickr/Yann Caradec

Highlights 12 44 60

World TeamTennis Preview: The 2017 New York Empire Your 2017 Guide to Sports Medicine 2017 Boy’s High School Recap

Features 4 8 14 17 18 20 22 24 27 32 33 34 36 38 40 47 48 50 52 54 56 57 58 59 65 66 70 71 72 73 74 76 77 78

Across Metro New York Junior Player Spotlight: Vitalina Golod of RSTA By Brian Coleman At the Net With Gilad Bloom By Brian Coleman Tennis Bubbles: A Grand Slam Victory Over the Elements JMTA Hosts Second Annual College Recruiting Combine The Jensen Zone By Luke Jensen Training the Spanish Way By Chris Lewit USTA Eastern Metro Region Update: July/August 2017 ITF Honors Casal and Sanchez, Murray and Kerber Alcorta Captures Sportime Westchester One-On-One Doubles Metro Corporate League Recap, Presented by Advantage Tennis Clubs Liezel and Tony Huber Join the Cary Leeds Team Treating Ankle Injuries Without Drugs By Dr. Rob Silverman New York Tennis Charitable Initiatives “Little Mo” Internationals Return to New York By Brian Coleman Top Tips for Playing Tennis in the Sun By Khrystsina Tryboi Owling By Mike Williams Tips From the Tennis Pro: Fix Your Toss Forever By Lisa Dodson NYTM’s 2017 Summer Series Kicks Off Stretching for Injury Prevention: Part II By Dr. Reuben S. Ingber The Reward System in Fitness By Shakim Sadler HOP On and Into POP By Whitney Kraft Tennis Term Translations By Cesar Andrade Last-Minute Questions Asked of USTA Officials By Barbara Wyatt Encourage Your Child to Give 100 Percent Effort By Aleix Serrats Footwork Is More Important Than Stroke Technique By Philip Feingold Locals Zausner and Siegel Inducted Into USTA Eastern Hall of Fame Mental Toughness on the Tennis Court By Stephen Annacone The Zone Is the Holy Grail of Sports By Dr. Tom Ferraro So You Want to Win? By Rob Polishook, Mental Training Coach MA, CPC What Does a Coach Do When This Happens? By Gilad Bloom NYTM’s Literary Corner “Ode to Tennis” By Barbara Wyatt New York Tennis Club Directory USTA/Metropolitan Region 2017 Tournament Schedule

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Across Metro Ne MatchPoint NYC Hosts Successful QuickStart Tournament

Centercourt’s Lee Wins Mountainside Racquet Club Challenger Centercourt Tennis Academy’s Alessandro Lee captured the title at the L1B Mountainside Racquet Club June Challenger. Lee ran through his first two matches without losing a game, and would go on to beat the top-seeded Eric Heinzelmann 6-3, 6-4 in the championship match.

MatchPoint NYC held its annual QuickStart Girls Tournaments where youngsters had an opportunity to showcase their skills and love for the game. There were a total of 42 round-robin matches played to determine the champion. In the QuickStart Girls event, Maria Vazgryna won the championship over Katya Chizhova, with Lilly Shuli finishing in third place. In the Advanced QuickStart Division, Alyssa Kushnirski won the title against Rebecca Friedman, while Eava Tsvik came in third place.

West Side Tennis Supports Children’s Day

Kiam Helps Lead Nightengale to Perfect Season

New York City’s Lia Kiam, a longtime student of Chris Lewit, led Nightengale to an undefeated season and the team’s third straight Athletic Association of Independent Schools (AAIS) of NYC conference championship this past season. Kiam, a senior, won both of her singles matches in the team tournament, and will be taking her talents to Harvard in the fall. 4

Forest Hills Gardens held its 103rd Children’s Day where kids came out for a number of different activities and fun events. West Side Tennis Club was on hand to set up nets and offer tennis instruction throughout the day.

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

New York

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

Gilad Bloom Tennis’s Shiloah Captures Cary Leeds May Challenger

NTC Reps Lend a Hand at Bayside Sports and Health Festival

Inbar Shiloah (pictured left with Coach Gilad Bloom) continued his breakout year playing USTA tournaments, as the Gilad Bloom Tennis product won the title at the L1B Cary Leeds May Challenger in the Boys 18s Division. He came back from a set down in both the semifinals and the finals, winning the championship with a 4-6, 6-4, 10-5 victory over Jackson Trevor in the title match.

The USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center continued their work in the community, as their coaches visited the Bayside Sports and Health Festival to teach some tennis and encourage folks to stay healthy and live an active lifestyle.

Margalitadze of Tennis Innovators Contributes to Talbert Cup Victory

Leslie Wins RIRC’s Robie Kelton Memorial Open Tournament

Vladimir Margalitadze of Tennis Innovators traveled with the Eastern Section team to the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, R.I. to compete in the Talbert Cup. The tournament consists of six singles matches and three doubles matches as a team. Margalitadze helped guide the Eastern Section to the championship for a second year in a row.

John Leslie (pictured right) won the championship of the Robie Kelton Memorial Open Tournament at Roosevelt Island Racquet Club after Francisco Santori (pictured left) withdrew in the finals due to injury. David Miao would go on to win the consolidation round.

continued on page 6 NYTennisMag.com • July/August 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

across metro new york

continued from page 5

Sportime Randall’s Island and JMTA Host End-of-Year BBQ

CourtSense JTT Advances to Eastern Section Finals The CourtSense U10 Green Junior Team Tennis squad had an excellent outing in the 10 & Under Advanced Flight, becoming the Northern New Jersey Champions before going on to become Eastern Section Finalists.

Sportime Randall’s Island and the John McEnroe Tennis Academy (JMTA) held its End-of-Year Barbeque, which also included a Head Demo Day. The event featured catered food, giveaways, raffles and kids had the opportunity to try out new Head rackets.

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NYTennisMag.com • July/August 2017 • 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

V I TA L I N A G O L O D ROSS SCHOOL TENNIS ACADEMY ight around her fifth birthday, Vitalina Golod’s father began playing tennis and brought his daughter along

with him. “He wanted to play for fun and decided that I should try it as well,” recalls Golod. “I can’t say that I had a natural talent for tennis. My progress has taken a lot of work, patience and a lot of time.” Golod has come a long way since she began playing a decade ago in the Ukraine. Now 15-years-old, she has become one of the top players at the Ross School Tennis Academy (RSTA) and perfectly symbolizes the international component of the Academy. She began attending the summer camp at RSTA when she was 11years-old and traveled from the Ukraine to East Hampton for four straight summers to attend. Because she enjoyed her time there so much, Golod decided to become a full-time student last year and now lives in one of the School’s 26 houses it rents out for full-time boarding students. At first, the transition was tough, as dealing with a new language and culture can be overwhelming for anyone, not to mention a teenager. “I had a pretty tough time with a lot of 8

things when I first moved here. My English wasn’t weak, but I still had a rough time adjusting between the Ukrainian culture and that of the United States,” said Golod. “It was like a completely different world. There were times when I just couldn’t deal with it. I was like, ‘Please, can I just leave?’ Things have become much better. I was confident

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

in myself that I was ready to live on my own, and it’s going really well. I’m very happy.” As her English continued to improve, so did adapting to life in the U.S. and East Hampton, which she says is far different than Kiev, the Ukrainian city she grew up in. Her social skills have grown and her English has improved, along with her grades in school. “I started living here last year as a full-time boarder, but it has also helped me change a lot of things about myself in a good way,” said Golod. “I can feel it and my parents can tell.” While she misses her family, who still live in the Ukraine, she feels right at home at Ross, especially on the tennis court. In the program, the players play approximately two to three hours a day, plus one hour of fitness. She has seen great strides in her game. “My shots have become stronger as I have become stronger,” Golod said. “The fitness program here is really good, we do a lot of running, and it has helped my game tremendously.” One of the specific aspects of her game that has helped her grow as a player is a simple one: Her serve. Golod says her serve, even just a couple of years ago, was

a detriment to her success. Her first serve was effective, but her second serve was significantly weaker and she gave away points with double-faults. “It was such a problem,” she recalls. “I would go crazy. But now, my serve has improved a great deal and I’m so happy about it.” The Ross School provides an all-around tennis training program which includes fitness, nutrition and training for the mental side of the game. “It’s the best food I’ve ever eaten,” Golod said of the Ross School Café and the nutrition program. “It’s all organic, all these healthy options. They focus on more than just tennis; the allaround aspects of a person.” Tennis is a sport that requires more than just physical tools, something that the program has instilled and improved in Golod. “When I was 11- or 12-years-old, the mental side of my game was an issue,”

Golod recalls. “I would cry on the second shot I missed. The tears would just pour out. There were moments when I would want to quit. It was such a stress for me, my parents and my coaches. Even in prac-

tices, I would cry and crack my rackets. I’ve improved a great deal with that aspect. I’m not crying anymore, but I still need some techniques to keep in mind whenever I lose a game or a match. I still need to work on those things.” Being able to talk to the sports psychologist that Ross provides has helped Golod ease the tension and pressure she feels during matches, and has allowed her game to flourish. She has moved up to play in the Girls 16s Divisions at tournaments, and has even played in Girls 18s tournaments. A powerful forehand and a serve that has progressed, combined with more on-court composure has made her a top junior player. She will be entering her junior year in the fall and has hopes of playing college tennis. “I really want to go to college, but I honestly don’t know exactly what I want to do with my life,” said a candid Golod, who continued on page 10

NYTennisMag.com • July/August 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

junior player spotlight continued from page 9

added she also enjoys shopping, drawing and occasionally singing. “A lot of people ask what I would like to do, what subjects I like, etc. I don’t really know. I do know for certain that I want to go to college and play tennis, and would love to play Division I tennis. My mother really wants me to go to an Ivy League school like most

of the parents in the United Stated. I don’t know if it’s for me, but it’s something I’ve thought about.” Golod still has plenty of time to decide, and will continue working on her game and academics on the eastern end of Long Island. Her next step is to develop her game further on hard courts, as she does not

have a lot of experience on that surface, while also sharpening her backhand and volleys at the net to give her a more rounded game. “Vitalina has always had an excellent work ethic, which makes her very coachable,” said Vinicius Carmo, Director of the Ross School Tennis Academy. “She’s tough physically and mentally, and I am really happy with how she is playing right now.” It has been a long journey for Vitalina Golod, from Eastern Europe to Eastern Long Island, and one that continues. Her maturity level and tennis level is far superior than what it was when she arrived at Ross School just four years ago. And despite her not knowing exactly what she wants to do with her life in the future, if she stays on her current path she will be successful no matter what she decides to do. Brian Coleman is senior editor for New York Tennis Magazine. He may be reached by phone at (516) 409-4444, ext. 326 or email BrianC@USPTennis.com.

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World TeamTennis Preview: The 2017 New York Empire

Mardy Fish Leading the Empire The New York Empire return this summer, bringing World TeamTennis action back to the New York area for a second consecutive year. Leading the charge for the NY Empire will be American Mardy Fish, who will be competing in Mylan World TeamTennis for the seventh time. “Personally, I love it,” Fish said of the WTT format. “For me, especially right now in my life, five-game sets with no ad-scoring sounds pretty good. I love the fast-paced nature of it with the music playing in between. I looked forward to playing it every year during my career, whether it worked out or not.” Fish was on the Washington Kastles roster last year, but injured his foot in the second game of his opening match and was forced to miss the remainder of the season. “I was super bummed about that, so I wanted to come back this year,” said Fish. “I’m really excited to be a part of the New York Empire this season.” Fish enjoyed an excellent career on the ATP Tour, winning six career titles and reaching a career-high ranking of seventh in the world, which included a stint as the highest-ranked American male. He represented the United States in both Davis Cup play and in the Olympics, 12

including bringing home the Silver Medal at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. “Playing Davis Cups was always a blast, and bringing home the Silver Medal at the Olympics was amazing,” said Fish. “I got to play tennis in places like Dubai, Rome, Paris, London, Australia and many more … you could never dream about that kind of stuff. I played a lot of good matches over the years, but none more special than Davis Cup and the Olympics.” This summer, the NY Empire will play its matches at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, a venue that Fish is very familiar with. “I played my first Grand Slam match there and my last match ever there,” said Fish. “I played some really fun night matches there at the U.S. Open. There is just a lot of tennis history for me there. It’s a place where we, as Americans, always got the best crowd support. I always requested to play on Louie Armstrong or the Grandstand because the fans are right on top of you. They were always so loud while rooting for you … those were the most fun matches.” Fish played his final pro match during the 2015 U.S. Open, where he lost a thrilling fiveset match to Spain’s Feliciano Lopez, but received a ceremonious sendoff from the crowd.

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

Since retiring, Fish does extensive work with his charity, the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation, which provides after-school programs to kids near where he grew up in Vero Beach, Fla. “It’s something that’s near and dear to me and my family,” said Fish. “We’re just trying to give back to the community that gave me so much to me when I grew up. We’ve been doing it for about 10 years now. It’s a great thing, the people love it. We’re trying to go as big and far as we can with it.” The Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation has its namesake on a Futures Tournament in Vero Beach, with the proceeds of the tournament going to the Foundation. A father of two, Fish also spends some time with the USTA at its new National Campus in Orlando, working with some of the young players, and is looking forward to his return to Queens this summer as he hopes to lead the NY Empire to a successful second season. “I’m excited about the team and the roster we have with the NY Empire,” said Fish. “I’m going to train hard and see if I can get back into shape and do my part. It can get pretty hectic at home with the young ones, so sometimes it’s nice to get on the road and get back to doing something I’m used to doing, and that’s playing tennis. This will be no different than that.”

New York Empire 2017 Home Schedule Marquee players are subject to change. All home matches will be played on Court 17 of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. DATE Sunday, July 16

TIME 5:00 p.m.

HOME (featuring John Isner)

VISITOR (featuring Sloane Stephens and Donald Young)

Wednesday, July 19

7:00 p.m.

(featuring Mardy Fish)

(featuring Sloane Stephens and Donald Young)

Thursday, July 20

7:00 p.m.

(featuring Mardy Fish)

Thursday, July 27

7:00 p.m.

(featuring Mardy Fish and Eugenie Bouchard)

Friday, July 28

7:00 p.m.

(featuring Mardy Fish and Eugenie Bouchard)

Sunday, July 30

5:00 p.m.

(featuring Mardy Fish)

Monday, July 31

7:00 p.m.

(featuring Mardy Fish)

For more information on the New York Empire, visit NYEmpireTennis.com.

NYTennisMag.com • July/August 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

at the net wit h

g i l a d

b l o o m

by bri an co l em an

n Israel in the 1970s, tennis was a sport reserved for the elite and was hardly accessible to the majority of the population. That all changed in 1976, when the Israeli Tennis Centers first opened, giving kids, who would otherwise not have the opportunity, a chance to play tennis. One of those kids was Gilad Bloom, who would go on to enjoy a 13-year pro career and now runs his own tennis program in New York City. “The first center was in my hometown of Ramat Hasharon, a small town about five minutes north of Tel Aviv,” said Bloom. “I started going there when I was nine-years-old. By the time I was 10, I was an Israeli champion, and by the time I was 12, I was a 12U world champion.” Beginning in 1978, the Israeli Tennis Center in Bloom’s home town would host the first-ever ATP tournament in Israel, the Tel Aviv Open, where Bloom would be a ballboy, taking in matches featuring the likes of Tom Okker and Ilie Nastase. From there, his tennis dream was born. “I definitely wanted to be a professional

player right away,” Bloom said. “I didn’t want to play in college or anything. For me, I wanted to go play Wimbledon and for the Davis Cup, and had all kinds of goals that had to do with tennis at the highest level.” Those goals would become a reality and Bloom turned pro in 1983 at the age of 16, putting together a successful career on the ATP Tour for more than a decade, which included many seminal moments. One of those moments was a run to the finals in Tel Aviv, playing in front of his home crowd in the championship match against legendary American Jimmy Connors.

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

Connors would come back from a set down to win the title, the 109th and final one of his career. “That would get me a mention in Connors’ book,” Bloom said. “That was a very special moment.” A few years later, Bloom would represent Israel in Davis Cup action against Switzerland, and won what may have been the biggest tennis match in the nation’s history. In the fifth rubber, Bloom took on Jacob Hlasek, a player ranked nearly 100 spots ahead of him in the rankings. Bloom didn’t drop his serve throughout the entire match and defeated Hlasek in straight sets to clinch the win for Israel. “That was really satisfying,” said Bloom. “To win a big match like that in front of your home crowd, not only for yourself but for your country, was a different feeling. The thing I was most proud of was that I was able to play my best tennis on the biggest stage, against a player I probably should have lost to according to the rankings.” But one of the more memorable tourna-

ments of his career came in New York during the 1990 U.S. Open, when he reached the fourth round, his best showing at a Grand Slam. The then 23-year-old Bloom won his first three matches to set up a showdown with all-time great Ivan Lendl on center court. During the tournament, Bloom stayed with family nearby on Long Island in Great Neck, and fondly remembers the brief 1015 minute drive into Flushing every morning. On the way home after one of his victories, he stopped alongside the Grand Central Parkway to call his parents from a pay phone to share the good news. While Lendl would eliminate Bloom in the fourth round, it was a momentous tournament for both Bloom and his country. He was the first player from Israel to advance that far at the U.S. Open, and was soon joined in the final 16 by his countryman Amos Mansdorf, which garnered them their own story in the next day’s New York Times, “In a First for Israel, Two Players in Round of 16.” Bloom would continue a successful playing career before retiring from the ATP Tour in 1995. He moved back to Tel Aviv, taking a job as a coach at the Israel Tennis Centers, as began going to college. He would go to classes in the morning and then run the program and teach tennis lessons in the afternoon. “After a few months of that, I realized that I couldn’t wait to get out of the classroom and get to the tennis courts and work with the kids,” said Bloom, who

coached current pro Dudi Sela as one of his first students. “I was always a student of the game, and always knew that coaching was going to be one of the things I would try after retirement. I was getting really good feedback from the kids and the parents and it was a natural fit for me because I gathered up all this information from my playing days and being around great players. I would pick their brains and their coaches’ brains, analyzing and studying the game. It would have been a waste for me not to try and pass that on to the next generation.” Bloom ran the High Performance Program for Israel Tennis Centers, until he

moved to New York City in 2000 to launch his own program. When the John McEnroe Tennis Academy was first launched, Gilad became its director of tennis for two years. “It was a special experience to work with John McEnroe whom I grew up admiring, he was a longtime friend from our pro tour days. I played him a few times and we kept in touch over the years, we used hit some balls from time to time,” said Bloom. “Running his academy was a great experience, we had over 500 students and I had 34 pros under me. It was continued on page 16

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at the net

continued from page 15

great exposure. I had a chance to work with and help some really good players like Jamie Loeb and Gabriela Price among others. But initially I felt that I was losing touch with the students because the job was more about directing the program and the pros. That is the reason I went back to running a small ‘family type’ tennis program was so I can have direct contact with the kids on the court … I missed that.” He later took the same role at the Tennis Club of Riverdale, before going back under his own teaching umbrella to get back the on the court teaching he missed so much. “I have a few models that I go by, but since we’re dealing with an individual sport, you can’t run every player through the exact same routine,” said Bloom. “You need to be, first and foremost, almost a psychologist when teaching tennis because every kid is different. My

mantra is to teach the pro like they are a beginner and teach the beginner like they are a pro. So if you gave me a Federer or a Djokovic, I would still say ‘Hey, you’re not moving your feet,’ and if you gave me a beginner, I would treat them as if they had a chance to be Roger Federer. I think a lot of the more advanced players need someone to come and say, ‘You’re good, but you’re not the best,’ and if somebody isn’t a great player, but you treat them with respect, you give them a chance to truly excel.” Bloom has brought a plethora of professional playing experience to his programs and teaches lessons on the clay courts of the Riverdale Tennis Center in the Bronx. Having traveled and played tennis all over the globe, he knows that the New York tennis landscape has both advantages and setbacks. “During the outdoor season, like most other places, you can get a court just

about anywhere,” said Bloom. “But during the indoor season, the real estate, or lack thereof, and the price of it, presents a challenge. I think that is one of the things that makes the Eastern Section good—the New York City mentality and competitive spirit that is in the culture.” Gilad has called New York City home for the last 20 years, and has been one of the area’s top high-performance coaches. He spends a lot of his time with his wife and four children, while also playing in his band, The Gilad Bloom Band, which puts on about four or five shows a year in New York City. A true tennis lifer, you can find Bloom teaching kids of all ages and levels on the clay courts of Riverdale Tennis Center, sharing a lifetime worth of pro and international experiences with the next generation of juniors throughout New York City. Brian Coleman is senior editor for New York Tennis Magazine. He may be reached by phone at (516) 409-4444, ext. 326 or e-mail BrianC@USPTennis.com.

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Tennis Bubbles: A Grand Slam Victory Over the Elements

rying to figure out a way to maintain your tennis training momentum throughout the offseason? Indoor tennis is a lot more viable than you might think. New York’s harsh winters make outdoor tennis strictly a seasonal sport—unless you can move it indoors. And while indoor tennis may seem like an expensive luxury, The Farley Group keeps the game going year-round by manufacturing, installing, and maintaining tennis bubbles. Bubbles are the ideal solution for indoor tennis—both economically and practically. Tennis has always been a big deal in New York, which has driven the demand for indoor playing spaces for several decades now. With more than 20 bubbles in New York City and the Long Island area, Farley tennis bubbles have helped solidify New York as one of the top places to train and develop tennis talent. By providing a way to train throughout the winter, tennis becomes much more accessible to those that don’t have the means or desire to travel south for the winter.

Compared to other construction methods, bubbles have a relatively short history. Bubbles first made appearances in North America in the early 1970s, and have since evolved into a top solution for sports like tennis. Ralph Farley, founder of The Farley Group, saw how well the concept worked in Europe, and brought it back with him more than 40 years ago. Since then, The Farley Group has built dozens of tennis bubbles around the world. Stepping into a tennis bubble for the first

time is awe-inspiring. No other structure can provide as much space without any support beams or walls. It’s almost counter-intuitive at first sight: “What’s holding up the roof?” Intriguingly, bubbles require nothing but air to do that. Fresh, filtered and conditioned air flows in, giving the bubble its rounded shape, protecting the playing surface and players underneath. A wonderful added benefit is that tennis bubbles can be either seasonal or permanent. Permanent bubbles have the advantage of full protection from the weather throughout the year—cold and snow during the winter, and rain or high winds in the summer— while seasonal domes can go up in the fall and come down in the spring. They represent the perfect solution for outdoor courts. And best of all? Tennis bubbles can be installed for a fraction of what other indoor tennis courts cost. To learn more about how Farley tennis bubbles can help your club members practice their swing 365 days a year, visit TheFarleyGroup.com or call at (888) 445-3223.

NYTennisMag.com • July/August 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

JMTA Hosts Second Annual College Recruiting Combine

he second annual John McEnroe Tennis Academy (JMTA) College Recruiting Combine was held at Sportime Randall’s Island, as prospects and college coaches from across the country came together for a weekend-long showcase. The event eases the process for both the players and coaches to find the right fits and is one of the most detail-oriented and innovative college showcases in the whole country. The day included a coaches’ panel where players can learn the ins and outs of a tennis program, but also gain knowledge on the recruiting process, the college search and what certain coaches are looking for in a player. “A huge highlight of this event is the coaches’ panel,” said Jay Harris, the Sportime/JMTA College Recruiting Combine Director. “We have some of the most knowledgeable and experienced coaches here, and they really provide the players with some great education to take home with them.” The Combine was open to players entering their sophomore, junior or senior years of high school, and they competed in both singles and doubles matches across the courts of the Sportime Randall’s Island facility, both outside and inside and on hard courts and clay courts, as coaches could see players in a variety of different situations.

“I had a lot of fun and played some good matches,” said Kimberly Liao, the former Suffolk County Girls Singles Champion, who will be entering her sophomore season at Commack High School in the fall. “It helped give me some exposure to many coaches and gave them a chance to see how I play in person. It definitely helps when the coach gets to see you play and when you have the chance to talk to them in person afterwards. It was a great experience.” The match results count toward Universal Tennis Ratings and, thanks to the combine’s partnership with Tennis Analytics, are uploaded to a Player Portal page on the JMTA Web site, which can be accessed by both the players and coaches. “Out of all the exposure camps in the country, this is really the one that has the level of statistics that are given to the players,” added Harris. “The results go on their Player Portal pages, where the players can go in and analyze their own matches played here. But the coaches from all over the country can also go on and evaluate players.” One new component that was added to this year’s edition of the event was the Mental Toughness Assessment, as Harris said they will to look at new aspects to continue to enhance the combine. Some of the colleges in attendance included Bentley, Boston University, Purdue, St. John’s, Yale and Stony Brook.

“The Combine is such an important event because it gives us an opportunity to see recruits in action against players of similar levels,” said Stony Brook Head Coach Gary Glassman. “It also helps us to see how recruits handle the pressure of competing in front of several college coaches.” JMTA students who have gone on to compete on the collegiate level include: Current ATP number 191 and 2014 Junior Wimbledon Champion Noah Rubin, ACC Player of the Year at Wake Forest University and NCAA singles finalist in 2015; Jamie Loeb, current WTA pro who won the 2015 NCAA Singles Champion from the University of North Carolina; Jessica Golovin, who just finished her sophomore season at LSU; and Sabrina Xiong, who completed her sophomore season at Harvard and was the recipient of the first full scholarship to JMTA in 2010. “With the great success we have had helping to place Academy students in college programs where they are most likely to flourish academically and athletically, the JMTA Combine is a natural progression for us,” said John McEnroe. “The Combine enables us to help a broader group of youngsters, including those who might not otherwise have the opportunity to interact with college coaches in a live showcase of their skills and personalities.”

NYTennisMag.com • July/August 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

Nerves and Playing Under Pressure: A Simpler Approach By Luke Jensen s we roll into the heat of the summer of 2017, I thought I would address what separates all of us on the court: How we deal with the heat of pressure. From the first time we compete in any way, shape or form, even as children, it’s the first time we realize we could “LOSE.” It is that starting point where pressure enters our lives. I have always believed it separates us. We all walk on the court with the same goal: Win the match! But only one player or team comes back victorious. It’s the player/team that copes with and even gets to the point where they love the pressure that comes out on top. I feel very fortunate to have been taught at a very young age by my parents and coaches to love pressure … lean into it and take my best winning cuts at defining points in matches. It was that approach that helped me

love the big pressure moments. It was this approach that separated a Jensen from opponents on the other side of the net! I never remember any of the four Jensen kids who played Grand Slam tournaments saying we are or were nervous. These days, I do so many tennis evaluations that I am astonished at the number of players who crack under pressure. I use these few approaches to help players with nerves. First, if you are a competitive player at any level, identify what your goal is. Most players I speak to say: Easy question … my goal is to win. So with that reasoning, you are going all the way to the result and passing over the process. So if your start to lose, the pressure builds because your winning goal is in doubt. I train players to change the goal from “winning” to “competing.” My goal is to compete better than my opponents, have a better attitude than my opponents and play smarter than my opponents. My focus on the competitive process to reach

my ultimate goal of winning the match helps me win the small battles within the match that I am in control of. I know that’s heavy, and if you are a fan of the Jensen Zone column, I rarely drill this deep into an emotional part of the game. My second nugget is to have a wellthought-out game plan … even go so far as to put pencil to paper. I have always found a tennis journal or playbook was helpful to track matches, practices and record my post-match notes to help me improve. I would write down what I needed to do first, and then a breakdown of my opponent. That would change as the match went along. Good players never finish a match the way they start. A tennis match is a road full of twists and turns. I would write down those turns of tactics on changeovers. This kept me focused on the here and now of the match, instead of being worried about the outcome of the match. For example, I was coached to be an all-court player. From the time I was 16,

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my tennis playbook covered four key areas of my attack. 1. Serve and volley 2. Long rallies 3. Drop shots (called Jensens) 4. Smash and crash (attack and come in on opponentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s second serve) Depending on the opponent, there were even more details on strengths and weaknesses, but I kept to these fundamentals. I would read my match notes on every changeover, and it kept me locked into the match, not fearing losing while the battle was raging. The third and final point that helped me was the ability to control my breathing while playing points and between points. I call it â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tactical Breathing Method.â&#x20AC;? I see many players hold their breath while hitting a ball. There is a ton of tension in that approach. I like to breathe out when hitting the ball, as this keeps my flow going into each shot instead of fighting the shot. I have at least 15 seconds between points. So from the point just finished to the point about to be played, I would close my eyes while I am walking to pick up a ball or while I am walking to my next position and take in a breath through my nose and out through my mouth. Yes â&#x20AC;Ś yoga tennis! I was not a yoga guy as a kid, but good breathing was always helpful to me. This helped me quickly lower my heart rate between points and maintain my focus. We all play better when we are relaxed. I found I thought with clarity within competition when I was aware of good breathing techniques between points. I even advise sound, focused breathing for extreme cases of players with restless nerves or bad ball tosses under pressure. I hope this helps you. I could go on and on about pressure and what Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve learned through my many years of competing with it. I felt my ability to understand and apply pressure was a huge part of my success. Make it yours! Born in Grayling, Mich., Luke Jensenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s resume includes 10 ATP Tour doubles titles and singles victories against Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, Ivan Lendl, John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg, Jimmy Connors, Boris Becker, Stefan Edberg and Jim Courier. Jensen and his brother, Murphy, won the 1993 French Open doubles title. Luke is currently director of tennis at Sea Island Tennis Center in Georgia. He may be reached by phone at (315) 443-3552 or e-mail LukeJensen84@yahoo.com.

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The Importance of Acceleratio By Chris Lewit panish players are well known for their powerful groundstrokes, and in particular, famous for their forehands. Big, whippy, heavy RPM forehands typify the Spanish style, and many successful players have built their games around this shot. Think of Spanish champions like Sergi Bruguera, Carlos Moya, Juan-Carlos Ferrero, and of course, the greatest Spanish champion of all—Rafael Nadal … all have incredible acceleration on their forehands. This is not by accident of course. Creating a massive forehand has become part of the system in Spain, and the coaches there have created a method that fosters and develops huge spin and power. It probably all started with Lluis Bruguera and his son Sergi in the 1980s. Sergi was the first Spaniard to demonstrate the power of spin, using his incredible forehand to dominate opponents, pin them behind the baseline, and beat them into submission. Lluis encouraged his son to hit his forehand with the wrist and arm loose, which ran counter to the traditional style of forehand that was taught in that era. Part of Lluis’ genius was allowing Sergi to break the mold and innovate. In addition, he realized that this would be the future of the forehand on tour, and he developed a series of exercises to build a forehand like Sergi’s for all the players at the Bruguera Academy in Barcelona. This Bruguera Method was adopted and adapted by many coaches throughout Spain, to the point where now all across the country there is a common emphasis placed on developing a heavy spin forehand weapon using a relaxed wrist and lower arm. I use this method with excellent results for my players in New York and around the country. Observers note that many of my students produce more RPM than typical players from the northeastern U.S. in particular, and this is clearly a result of the Spanish ex-

tion Training the Spanish Way ercises I do with players. It’s important to realize that many American players struggle to win on clay because they never learn to generate enough power and spin on their own. For players from areas of the country that consist of mainly indoors and hard, faster courts, this is a common pitfall. Fast courts provide a lot of energy to the ball; slow courts are the opposite and thus force players to learn to use their kinetic chain maximally. On slow European clay, in particular, players who can generate power and spin have a significant advantage. Spanish players combine this edge with superior stamina and movement/footwork development, and you can see why they are tough to beat on slow surfaces. Learning to teach acceleration using the Spanish method takes practice, but uses rel-

atively simple exercises to overload the arm and build power cumulatively over time. This Spanish approach can be integrated into a variety of training regimens successfully and adapted even to players who don’t play with a lot of RPM. Exercises focus on building acceleration and a loose arm, while simultaneously maintaining leg stability, body posture and balance, extension, body control and weight shift. The importance of acceleration training cannot be underestimated, and I truly believe that by applying the Spanish exercises consistently over the course of many years, big shots can be made bigger, and weak players can be made stronger. Racquet speed can be gradually enhanced and increased over time, as compared to that of players who are never exposed to this type of training.

Indeed, just look at the many excellent and dominating Spanish forehands on the pro tour for evidence of the profound effect of consistent long-term acceleration training. Those big Spanish shots are not by accident—they are systematically built! 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.

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USTA Metro Region JTC Hosts Tennis Program at Fort Greene Park

Junior Tennis Clinic (JTC) hosted a tennis program at Fort Greene Park, as Mel Swanson and his staff set up the courts for the day’s activities. The kids began by warming up, running lightly around a half-court, after which they did several ladder drills. Once they completed their warmups, they broke up into three groups to practice their strokes. The young kids thrived in hitting forehands and backhand drills. After several times around, they worked on their forehand and backhand volleys, and were loving every minute of it, while the parents seemed very supportive of the great program. For additional information on the JTC Tennis Program, contact Mel Swanson by e-mail at jtc185@aol.com.

SBTA Visits Washington Heights The South Brooklyn Tennis Association (SBTA) was invited for the fifth year in a row by the Hispanic Federation, one of the leading Hispanic organizations in the United States. The event, titled “Vive Tu Vida,” in English meaning “Live Your Life,” is part of the Get Up and Get Moving Project started by former first lady Michelle Obama. One of the festival’s major objectives is on health, nutrition, wellness, exercise. Various institutions were on hand promoting their services. SBTA enjoyed the opportunity to promote the wonderful game of tennis to local kids, promoting the game not only as a great sport, but also as an exercise platform using modified equipment to have individuals both young and adult to enjoy the game. At the same time, use it to combat, obesity, diabetes and heart disease. 24

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

USTA Metro Region SBTA enjoys taking and promoting the game of Tennis—Anywhere, Anytime, Anyplace. Because using this equipment one can set up a tennis court and play “Anywhere, Anytime, Anyplace. In addition, on its Website, the SBTA lists tennis programs to individuals that would like to continue to play and grow in the game. SBTA is a registered CTA/NJTL member organization of the United States Tennis Association, and 501(c)3 non-profit organization. It was founded by Pablo Sierra in 2010. For additional information, visit SouthBrooklynTennis.com or email psierra4@gmail.com.

HPTA Hosts Al Foster Tournament

The Highland Park Tennis Association (HPTA) hosted its first tournament of 2017: The Al Foster Tournament. This is the first tournament in the annual series of HPTA tournaments. HPTA program players of all ages and ability levels competed in the tournament, and the kids displayed immense, discipline, skill and sportsmanship as they competed against each other.

They all seemed to have a great time. In addition to the matches taking place, very young kids worked on motor skills training to further their development at a young age, as well as hand-eye coordination. If you would like additional information on the tournament or the HPTA, contact HPTA Secretary Dionne Gill by e-mail at Dionne.HPTANY@gmail.com.

NYTennisMag.com • July/August 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

ITF Honors Casal and Sanchez, Murray and Kerber

panish duo Sergio Casal and Emilio Sanchez have been presented with the ITF’s highest accolade, the Philippe Chatrier Award, at the recent 2017 ITF World Champions Dinner. The World Champions Dinner celebrated the achievements of the 2016 ITF World Champions. Among this year’s award recipients were singles champions Andy Murray (GBR) and Angelique Kerber (GER); doubles champions Jamie Murray (GBR) & Bruno Soares (BRA), and Caroline Garcia & Kristina Mladenovic (FRA); junior champions Miomir Kecmanovic (SRB) and Anastasia Potapova (RUS); and wheelchair champions Gordon Reid (GBR) and Jiske Griffioen (NED). The duo of Casal and Sanchez received the Philippe Chatrier Award for their services to the game as players and coaches. They first teamed up in 1984, when Casal, then 21, formed a doubles pair with the 19year-old Sanchez at the suggestion of their mutual coach, William Alvarez, thus launching a partnership that lasted 12 years on court and has continued for 20 years off the court.

The team of Casal & Sanchez were one of the leading doubles teams of their era, winning 44 tournaments together including two Grand Slam titles, and won the Silver Medal for Spain in Seoul at the 1988 Olympics as tennis made its full return to the Olympic Games. They finished among the top 10 doubles teams for 10 out of 11 years from 1985-1995, achieving the yearend number one team ranking in 1987. “We are delighted to present Sergio Casal and Emilio Sanchez with the Philippe Chatrier Award for their contributions to tennis as a successful doubles team and in

the field of coaching,” said ITF President David Haggerty. “Their on-court achievements paved the way for further Spanish success, and in founding a successful coaching academy, they have shaped the careers of several prominent players and the lives of many more.” In 1998, the pair opened the Sanchez-Casal Academy in Barcelona. Their idea was to provide a complete education, with a school on the same site as the courts, so that students could train and study at the same time. They were also keen to make sure that, whether the children in their care made it as professional tennis players or not, they became good citizens in whatever they did in life. Casal and Sanchez’s coaching model has flourished, with a second academy opening in Florida in 2012, and last year, a third in Nanjing, China. Their approach and the Academy’s unique training system has produced many elite players, including world number one Andy Murray, two-time Grand Slam champion Svetlana Kuznetsova, Grigor Dimitrov, Daniela Hantuchova and Juan Monaco.

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NYTennisMag.com • July/August 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

Acing

t’s often said that Father Time is undefeated. He must have never met Rafael Nadal. The old sports adage implies that old age catches up to every athlete at one point or another in their career, but it doesn’t seem to be having that same effect on the Spaniard. Rafa has had a resurgent 2017 season to date, highlighted by La Decima, his 10th French Open title. “It’s truly incredible. In this final, to win the Decima is very, very special,” Nadal said to the Roland Garros crowd after he defeated Stan Wawrinka 6-2, 6-3, 6-1 in the French Open final. “The feeling I have is impossible to describe. It’s difficult to compare to other places. For me, the nerves and adrenaline I feel when I play on this court is impossible to compare. It’s the most important event of my career without a doubt.”

Nadal bulldozed the competition during his two-week Roland Garros run, dropping just 35 games in his seven matches, the second-fewest by any male winner at a Grand Slam (Bjorn Borg lost 32 games on his way to the 1978 French Open title). Rafa’s dominance in 2017 began long before he arrived in Paris, beginning with his run at the Australian Open, where he and Roger Federer gave tennis fans a treat with a thrilling five-set final that renewed a once-great rivalry that defined professional tennis for nearly a decade. Nadal would lose two more times to Federer during the hard-court season, in Indian Wells and Miami, but found his footing once again, and built momentum heading into the clay season. Playing on the comfortable and familiar clay surface, he rolled through the Monte Carlo draw, which included blowout wins

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

over Alex Zverev and David Goffin on his way to the title. He then won titles in Barcelona and Madrid to win the 30th Masters 1000 title of his career, re-establishing his dominance as the “King of Clay.” “This is a very emotional period of the season,” said Nadal as he began his clay court campaign. “I really enjoy these tournaments. I just try to go for all of them. I try to compete. I did well in Monte Carlo and Barcelona, and also here. I hope to do the same in Rome.” Dominic Thiem, who Nadal defeated in both the Barcelona and Madrid finals, would beat Nadal in the Rome quarterfinals, but the groundwork for a French Open run for the Spaniard was already laid. “I will be in Mallorca fishing or playing golf … I’m going to rest a little bit, I think

ng Father Time Fresh off French Open title, Rafael Nadal continues to defy age By Brian Coleman

I deserve it,” said Nadal after Rome. “Then, I will start to prepare for Roland Garros. It’s an important event for me. If you do things well, you have more chances, and I hope to play my best tennis in Roland Garros.” And he did more than just hope, compiling one of the most dominant runs in Grand Slam history to reach the historic mark of 10 titles at one Grand Slam event. However, it wasn’t too long ago that there were people writing off Nadal, noting his best days were behind him. While he is still just 31-years-old, there is a lot of mileage on those legs and it showed in 2015. It was the first time in a decade that he failed to lift any of the four major trophies in a given year. The year was capped off by him blowing a two-sets to love lead to Fabio Fognini at the U.S. Open, and Nadal was

left to do some soul-searching. At the time, the tennis landscape was dominated by Novak Djokovic, who was in the midst of one of the most dominant runs in the history of men’s tennis, putting Nadal on the back burner. But there is a reason that Nadal is one of the all-time greats. While 2015 was a disappointing season and he dropped in the rankings, the Spaniard remained relatively healthy throughout the season which was an encouraging sign heading into 2016. The injury bug struck again that year as a wrist injury forced him out of the French Open, and despite not compiling the results we have been accustomed to seeing from him, he concluded last year with his health intact. Coming into the 2017 French Open, a few things fell into place for Nadal. Federer withdrew from the tournament, and

Djokovic and world number one Andy Murray were playing inconsistent tennis. With a full slate of clay court matches under his belt, there was no one prepared to take down the King of Clay. The way in which he dismantled Wawrinka, a former champion at Roland Garros who is known to play his best in the biggest moments, was remarkable. “He puts this doubt in your head when you play against him,” said Wawrinka. “For sure he’s playing the best he’s ever played, playing more aggressive.” BBC Radio Analyst and former Wimbledon Champion Pat Cash added to that point: “He’s got all the attributes you need to just go on and on. He’s in the minds of his opponents,” Cash said. “Even the continued on page 30

NYTennisMag.com • July/August 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

acing father time continued from page 29

greats are crumbling at his feet on this surface. They cannot even compete with him. The only two times he’s lost here, he’s been injured. He cannot be touched on this surface. It was an incredible performance.” The title was the 15th Grand Slam overall for Nadal and his first since 2014, and it was the way in which he did it that was so incredible. He is now up to number two in the world rankings and has rechanneled the form that made him the best player in the world. His big test now is how it translates to the hard court season and, specifically, the U.S. Open which returns to Flushing Meadows in late August. We all know his dominance on clay, but will the amount of matches he has already played in 2017 have any lasting impact as we approach the latter half of the season? Since winning the U.S. Open twice and being a runner-up once over a four-year 30

which led many to proclaim that he was on the downside of his career. He has been ousted in the third and fourth rounds, respectively, in his last two trips to the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. But this version of Nadal is a different one than we have seen in the past couple of years and it will be interesting to see what kind of run he can put together this year. Either way, Nadal’s performance in Roland Garros was one for the ages, and one that will stand out when they ponder his legacy. He has been able to set aside any discussions about his prime being passed him, and another Grand Slam victory outside of Paris will catapult Rafael Nadal right back into the discussion of the greatest players of all-time. span from 2010-2013, the hard courts of Flushing Meadows have not been kind to Nadal. After winning the title in 2013, he didn’t play in 2014 due to a wrist injury

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

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.

COMING IN AUGUST 2017

Distribution scheduled for 08/25/17

This 2017 U.S. OPEN edition will feature: • 2017 U.S. Open Preview • Guide to the Top New York/Metropolitan Area Tennis Clubs & Programs • Summer Camp/Summer Events Recap

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!

Bonus Distribution: • U.S. Open • Taste of Tennis Events • Pre U.S. Open Events • Camps/City Parks/Hamptons

Don’t miss the advertising opportunities in the next edition of New York Tennis Magazine!

2017 U.S. OPEN EDITION Submissions for both advertising and editorial are due by2017 August 1,Tennis 2017Magazine 31 NYTennisMag.com • July/August • New York For more information, please call 516-409-4444 or e-mail Advertise@NYTennisMag.com

Alcorta Captures Sportime Westchester One-On-One Doubles Shootout

uillermo Alcorta, former University of Oklahoma star and ATP player, captured the $1,000 first place prize at the Sportime Westchester OneOn-One Doubles Shootout held at Lake Isle Country Club in Eastchester, N.Y. The tournament hosted 28 players, of which 10 players had some experience on the ATP Tour. “The atmosphere of excellent serve and volley tennis, coupled with an exciting live band made for a most memorable and fun experience for all who played and attended this event,” said Ed Krass, Founder of ONE-ON-ONE DOUBLES TOURNAMENTS. “Ryan Horn [Director of Tennis of Sportime Harbor Island] and the host club did a super job organizing and promoting!” The winners of each court’s round-robin, pool play went on to the tournament’s single elimination quarterfinals. All matches were short sets, the first to win four games, no-ad scoring, with a nine-point tie-breaker played at 3-3. “What an amazing and fun event,” said Horn. “The weather was perfect, the music and BBQ were electrifying, and the tennis was outstanding. I am looking forward to hosting Ed and the event again in 2018.”

Marthinus Visser, Guillermo Alcorta, Jan Kuncik and Justin Natale all took part in the Sportime Westchester One-On-One Doubles Shootout

Quarterfinals l Guillermo Alcorta of Spain defeated Iliad Shatashvili of Princeton Junction, N.J. 4-1 l Jan Kuncik of New York City defeated Jack Turchetta of Pound Ridge, N.Y. 4-0 l Justin Natale of Rhode Island defeated Joseph Baron of Spain 4-1 l Marthinus Visser of South Africa defeated Pedro Dumont of Brazil 4-0

Semifinals l Guillermo Alcorta defeated Jan Kuncik 4-3(5-3) l Marthinus Visser defeated Justin Natale 4-2 Third-Place l Justin Natale defeated Jan Kuncik 43(5-0) Finals l Guillermo Alcorta defeated Marthinus Visser 4-1

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he Metro Corporate Tennis League, presented by Advantage Tennis Clubs, is an initiative of the Metrotennis Community Tennis Association (MCTA). The League is divided into three levels of play, Intermediate (3.0-3.5), Advanced Intermediate (4.0) and Advanced (4.5+). Also offered is the “Hi-Five” Clinic program for teams that not quite ready to compete and for those who want to get a good workout while practicing tennis. The Metro Corporate Tennis League’s Winter 2017 season just wrapped up. Congratulations to Advanced Division Champions Credit Agricole, Advanced Intermediate Champions Bank of America and Intermediate Division Champions HBO for winning their respective Divisions. More than 48 teams took part in the in the Metro Corporate Tennis League’s Winter season. However, during the Summer season, only 27 teams can be accommodated. The Summer season runs from June to August, culminating with an end-of-season party at Roosevelt Island Racquet Club. The following is the roster for the Metro Corporate Tennis League’s Summer 2017 season:

Advanced Division 1. BNP Paribas (Pierre) 2. Bloomberg (Vighnesh) 3. The Corcoran Group 4. Ernst & Young 5. Proskauer Rose Intermediate Division 1 1. Bloomberg 2. D.E. Shaw & Company 3. Deutsche Bank 4. KPMG

5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP The Corcoran Group Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP Schulte, Roth & Zabel LLP BNP Paribas

Intermediate Division 2 1. Bloomberg (Ankur) 2. BNP Paribas 3. ING 4. Deutsche Bank 5. White & Case

6. Barclays 7. NYCEDC 8. Bloomberg (Vineet) Hi-Five Division 1. Bloomberg (Peggy) 2. Havas 3. Warburg Pincus 4. Bloomberg (Youssef) 5. Schulte, Roth & Zabel LLP

New teams welcomed to the League for the Summer season include KPMG and Havas. For more information regarding the Metro Corporate Tennis League, visit Metrotennis.com under the tab labeled, “Corporate,” or contact Luis Espinoza by e-mail at Luis@Metrotennis.com.

NYTennisMag.com • July/August 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

Liezel and Tony Huber Join the Cary Leeds Team

ormer WTA world number one doubles star and seven-time Grand Slam Doubles Champion Liezel Huber is the new NYJTL Cary Leeds Center Director of Tennis and Development, a role she assumed in June. “We are thrilled to have Liezel on our leadership team,” said Cary Leeds Center Executive Director of Tennis Rick Ferman. “She brings all of the positive attributes of a worldclass player, and is widely respected as a consummate sportswoman and outspoken advocate for providing tennis opportunities for children.” Following her final Grand Slam match at the Australian Open in January, Huber, 40, announced her formal retirement from the professional tour after a standout career spanning 25 years during which she was ranked world number one in doubles for 199 weeks and won 57 WTA doubles titles. The three-time Olympian brings unique

experience to the NYJTL Cary Leeds Center High Performance coaching team, providing an outstanding example as a player and role model. Huber has been recognized with WTA Player Services awards and the Humanitarian Award from Sir Richard Branson. She is currently serving a two-year term on the USTA Board of Directors. “I became a tennis player to have a platform to stand on to make a difference,” said Huber. “Now I have been given this opportunity to pay it forward. Tennis has brought

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

me so much happiness. I have enjoyed all the ups and downs in my career. Now I look forward to the next chapter.” Huber’s husband, Tony, is a highly regarded WTA coach and will also play a major role in High Performance programming at the Cary Leeds Center. “Liezel and I have travelled the world following our dreams, and have risen to the heights as player and coach on the world stage,” said Tony. “In the end, we always knew that we wanted to give back to children, and knew that at NYJTL we could make a difference. I have been doing what I love for the last 25 plus years, and I cannot wait to bring this experience to the Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning.” The two have played and coached at the highest levels of the sport, and will bring that experience and passion to the Cary Leeds Center. “The Hubers, Liezel and Tony, are phe-

nomenal,” said Skip Hartman, NYJTL CoFounder and current General Manager of the Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning. “Tony ran Van der Meer Tennis Camps and coached alongside the incomparable Dennis Van der Meer for over four years before coaching Liezel and many other top 20 women pros. Like Rick Ferman, he has a thorough understanding of the mechanics of the game. Liezel’s enthusiasm and dedication are contagious. She is a dynamo who understands what it takes on the part of the player to achieve excellence. Moreover, she wants to make an impact with her knowledge and decided to join us at Leeds because she and Tony believe this is the best place to achieve that. We are thrilled they are here.” Cary Leeds Center tennis programs provide a junior development pathway from

beginners to advanced players with collegiate and professional aspirations, along with a full range of adult programs. The $26.5 million Cary Leeds Center in the Bronx is the flagship home of NYJTL.

“World-class tennis talent will help us raise our game and profile,” said NYJTL CEO George Guimaraes. “I am excited about having both Liezel and Tony join the team.”

USTA Leagues Update: July/August 2017 The 18&Over Mixed Sectional Playoffs were held in early June at Central Park in Schenectady, N.Y. The teams representing the USTA Eastern Metro Region did very well and had a great season. l l l l l

6.0 Mixed: The team of Jeffrey Dietz & Lily Lee, representing Queens, came in fourth place. 7.0 Mixed: The team of Hazel Zaldivar & Vineet Sahni, representing Queens came in second place. 8.0 Mixed: Jonathan Juan’s team, representing the Bronx, came in second place. 9.0 Mixed: The team of Roger Freed & Casey Schnable, representing Manhattan, came in second place. 10.0 Mixed: Maria Salnikowa’s team, representing Manhattan, came in second place.

The 18 & Over Manhattan District Playoffs will be held Friday-Saturday, 21-22. The 18 & Over Queens District Playoffs will be held the weekend of Friday-Sunday, July 21-23. The 18 & Over Regional Playoffs will be held Friday-Saturday, July 28-29. The 55 & Over League for both men and women will begin Tuesday, Aug. 1. If interested, e-mail JoeMiano@MetroTennis.com by Friday, July 7.

Welcomes Former World #1 Doubles Champion Liezel Huber to the coaching staff! Grow with the Game. Learn to play, compete and become your best.

Accepting registrations for Summer and Fall programming. Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning 1720 Crotona Ave, Bronx, NY 10457 718-247-7420 / caryleedsinfo@nyjtl.org www.caryleedstennis.org NYTennisMag.com • July/August 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

Treating Ankle Inj By Dr. Rob Silverman The fast changes of direction, pivots, side-steps and jumps of tennis mean that ankle injuries are very common. Most ankle injuries in tennis are sprains—an injury to the ligaments that hold the complicated bones of the ankle together. This injury is often called a rolled ankle (ankle inversion sprain), because it usually happens when the foot is flexed downward and rolls in. The impact usually damages the ligaments on the outside part of the ankle. A rolled ankle can keep you off the court for weeks. Even worse, it can become a chronic problem. The biggest risk for an ankle sprain is having a previous ankle sprain. The re-injury rate for ankle sprains is high, approximately 80 percent. Fortunately, prompt treatment can do a lot to reduce the discomfort from the ankle sprain. And by getting good rehab treatment, you have a good chance of avoiding a recurrence. Treating a sprain A sprained ankle very quickly shows all the classic signs of inflammation: Swelling, pain, redness and warmth. The traditional advice for treatment is to apply ice immediately. That will help, but if at all possible, low-level laser therapy (LLLT) should be applied instead. Some practitioners now carry portable lasers and can apply them courtside. If no laser is available, I strongly recommend seeking out a chiropractor who has one as soon as possible after the injury, preferably within a few hours. LLLT works by using very safe, focused laser light to stimulate the damaged tissue and trigger a cascade of natural chemicals, such as anti-inflammatory enzymes, that are part of the natural healing process. The stimulation helps reduce inflammation, relieve the pain, and improve joint mobility. Low-level laser therapy is painless—there’s no feeling of heat. The treatment is also very quick, taking only about five minutes per session. To help reduce the inflammation from the sprain, I recommend nutritional supplements, not non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin or ibuprofen (Advil). Nutritional supplements work to decrease pain and promote healing, without the risk of digestive upsets and even stomach bleeding that NSAIDs can cause. During the acute phase—the first 72 hours when the injury is usually most painful—I recommend: l Proteolytic enzymes, including trypsin, chymotrypsin and bromelain. l Natural anti-inflammatories, including Boswellia, turmeric, ginger and vitamin C. Bringing down the inflammation is important, because too much inflammation in the area for too long can cause permanent damage and lead to chronic pain and recurrent ankle sprains. An ankle sprain affects the whole leg, all the way up into the hip and buttocks. All the foot and leg muscles tense and shorten to protect the area. Rather than taking muscle-relaxing drugs, I recommend nutri36

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

Injuries Without Drugs ents such as calcium, magnesium, lemon balm and valerian. These supplements relax your muscles without causing grogginess. For severe ankle sprains, I also recommend supplements containing tetrahydro iso-alpha acids (THIAA), berberine and amino acids. These supplements provide the building blocks your body needs to aid in producing the natural enzymes needed to heal and remodel damaged ligaments. Begin taking these supplements on the fourth day after the injury to bring down the swelling even more. Avoiding ankle sprain recurrence Lack of conditioning is one of the most common causes of ankle sprains. If your muscles, tendons and ligaments around the ankle joint are weak, this can make a sprain from a bad landing more likely. We also know that weak gluteus medius muscles are very closely correlated to rolled ankles. These muscles, located on the outside part of your hip, control hip abduction—the movement of your leg

away from the midline of your body. If they’re weak, your hip drops and your knee turns in with every step. Your heel strike when your foot hits the ground is turned in as well. If you go too far and the ankle rolls inward, spraining the outer ligaments as it does. How can you tell if your gluteus medius muscles need to be strengthened? If you sprain your ankle, it’s almost a certainty that they do. Beyond that, work with a chiropractor to perform a functional movement assessment. In my experience, that usually shows precisely how weak the muscles are and guides me as I create a personalized exercise program to help you strengthen them. One of the best indicators of ankle sprain risk is the single-leg balance test. If you’ve already had a sprain and cannot stand on one leg with your eyes closed for at least 30 seconds, you’re at risk for another. An exercise program to prevent future ankle sprains will almost always involve side leg lifts, hip extensions, and working

with a wobble board to improve proprioception (your sense of where your body is in space) and balance. We’ll also work on specific exercises to strengthen the lower leg and ankle joint. I recommend beginning your ankle rehab exercises immediately after the injury. In my many years of practice dealing with elite and local tennis players, I’ve found these protocols to be the best means for rapid recovery and increased performance after an ankle sprain. 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) 287-6464 or e-mail Info@DrRobertSilverman.com.

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NYTennisMag.com • July/August 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

charitable initiatives MatchPoint NYC Hosts 7th Annual R Baby Foundation NY Tennis Tournament

Baby Foundation hosted its seventh annual New York Tennis Tournament: Serving to Save Babies’ Lives at MatchPoint NYC in Brooklyn, as 24 doubles teams came together for a competitive day of tennis and to raise money for a great cause. Featuring a number of top players from the business and finance industry, as well as plenty of former top college and professional players, the event showcased an incredibly high-level of tennis throughout the day. There was also a Calcutta Auction, which helped raise $250,000 for pediatric

R 38

emergency care for babies and children in the northeast. In all, the event has raised more than $1.75 million in its seven years. “Having this event here is great,” said Nino Muhatasov, MatchPoint Co-Founder. “I am glad that we can help out the R Baby Foundation and host this event to raise money for children. We always like to host charity events and do what we can do help out others.” The tournament finals would come down to Rob Pohly & Marc Powers, two former number one players for Yale University, against the team of Tim Main & Ryan

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

Thacher. Pohly & Powers got a key break midway through the set and made it stand up, as the pair went on to win 6-4 and claim the title. “We are deeply moved by the generosity and commitment of the local business leaders who continue to support us,” said Phyllis Rabinowitz, who, along with her husband, Andrew, started the R Baby Foundation in 2006. “This event alone accounts for a significant portion of the impact we have made in the past seven years to ensuring that all babies receive the best possible healthcare, regardless of what ER they go to.”

NYTennisMag.com • July/August 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

“Little Mo” International For Sixth Time

ne of the most exciting tournaments to come to New York each year is the “Little Mo” Internationals at The West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, where the best juniors in the world come together for top-level tennis done the right way with fairness, sportsmanship and integrity. The “Little Mo” tournament is named in memory of Maureen Connolly Brinker, whose nickname was “Little Mo.” She was one of the greatest women’s tennis players of all-time. “The ‘Little Mo’ was just for Dallas kids in the very beginning in 1977, and then it expanded into all of Texas. In 1998, the ‘Road to Little Mo Nationals’ was created, and then in 2006 it grew internationally,” said Carol Weyman, executive vice president of the Maureen Connolly Brinker Foundation, the founder and organizer of the ‘Little Mo’ series. “We didn’t believe in rankings for the kids at that young of an age, and we wanted them to be focused on having fun as the top priority. You’re going to keep doing something that’s fun, so that was our benchmark, to make sure the kids enjoyed their tennis experience. This will be our 20th anniversary of the ‘Road to Little Mo Nationals.’” Maureen Connolly won the calendar 40

Grand Slam in 1953, winning the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon and the United States Open, becoming the first woman to complete this magnificent feat. She was only 18-years-old and is still the only American to have won all four majors in the same year. From then on, the San Diego-native, known as “Little Mo,” seemed destined for a lengthy and successful career. But in 1954, she injured her leg in a horseback riding accident which subsequently brought an end to her tennis career. After marrying Norman Brinker, the two moved to Dallas and made a commitment to giving back to the sport that had given so much to her. “When Maureen was starting out as a junior player, the San Diego Tennis Patrons Association saw she had potential and they were able to help her out financially to travel to tournaments outside of San Diego,” said Weyman. “She started doing very well and the patrons association continued to support her for many years. Eventually, they financed her travel to the USTA Girls 18s National Grass Court Championships in Philadelphia, and that was really the beginning of her successful tennis career.” Maureen knew from that point that if she ever had the chance to help out young

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

players the way she was helped out in her early years, she would do so. When she was tragically diagnosed with terminal ovarian cancer in 1966, she turned that dream into a reality with her friend Nancy Jeffett to found the Maureen Connolly Brinker Tennis Foundation (MCBTF) in 1968. “It was originally a girls’ foundation with the mission of helping junior tennis development. There were plenty of opportunities for boys, but girls were just starting to be accepted into sports as this was before Title IX,” said Weyman. “To offer an opportunity for girls to play sports was perfect, especially the sport of a lifetime like tennis.” Maureen would pass away six months later, but her spirit and mission remains the core of the foundation. The foundation began raising money by doing some charity mixed doubles tournaments around Dallas. The first tournaments raised around $700, which helped fund the travel expenses for the top girls from Texas to play in the Philadelphia tournament. The Foundation organized a charity tournament in her honor and Billie Jean King and Virginia Wade and other top players came to the event, and the following year Virginia Slims became the title sponsor. The Virginia Slims of Dallas was the major fundraiser of the foundation for 20 years and attracted top

nals Return to New York me This Summer By Brian Coleman

players such as Chris Evert, Tracy Austin and Martina Navratilova. The Virginia Slims of Dallas, benefitting the MCBTF, became a fixture in the professional tennis world. The foundation ran the tournament until 1990, when it sold the rights, and began looking ahead to its next chapter. Weyman, who came on board to be the Tournament Director of the Virginia Slims of Dallas and had not had experience in organizing junior tournaments, wanted to expand the “Little Mo” tournament, realizing that other young

players around the country could benefit from the “Little Mo” experience. “I was hoping to create something that would be goal-oriented, where players would advance first locally, then regionally, then nationally,” Weyman said. “So that was the year-long three-level circuit that we built. And then, we added the Internationals about 10 years ago to allow U.S. players to experience international competition.” The “Little Mo” would grow to having tournaments in 17 different sections

around the United States, where the top kids would advance to regionals, and from there the winners would advance to nationals. Over the years, Weyman would continue to add new ideas to the tournaments to create excitement and make the tournaments stand out from the rest. “One of the things we emulated from pro tennis was having Opening Ceremonies. I continued on page 42

NYTennisMag.com • July/August 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

“little mo” internationals continued from page 41 thought it was great to see the flags from all the different countries, and have someone singing the national anthem,” Weyman said. “We also added player parties, player gift exchanges, a player welcome packet and goodie bags with t-shirts and other items.” While the tournaments brought the best junior players in the world together, at the heart of its mission was still sportsmanship and kindness, two character traits for which Maureen Connolly Brinker was known. “Sportsmanship is way more important than wins or losses. It is how you carry yourself on the court, your attitude, kindness, character, being fair on the court … this is what matters,” said Weyman. “It comes down to being the best person you can be, not only on the court, but off the court in life as well.” Today, players at the “Little Mo” tournaments are given “Mo Coins” by the umpires for good sportsmanship and kindness as a way to incentivize good behavior, which

they can exchange for prizes during the event. The “Little Mo” Internationals are played in California, Florida and New York, and if a player is able to win all three tournaments, they win the “Little Mo” Slam and receive a six-foot trophy, the tallest in junior tennis. This special trophy was created in honor of Maureen’s Grand Slam win in 1953. “We thought giving out the trophy would be a one-year award, but it became so popular we decided to continue the tradition.” There have been six winners so far. And that is really what the “Little Mo” is all about: Continuing to add new components to keep the tournaments exciting and make sure the junior players are enjoying the sport. Over the years, the tournament has seen its fair share of players go on to successful pro careers, including Andy Roddick, Madison Keys, CiCi Bellis, Ryan Harrison and Belinda Bencic. The “Little Mo” Internationals

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

has become one of the favorite tournaments for junior players, and it returns to New York once again later this summer for the sixth time at The West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills from August 21-26. “It’s great for the kids to be a part of the Forest Hills history, and being right before the U.S. Open, the kids can go see the qualifying rounds and Arthur Ashe Kids Day,” said Weyman. What started as a means to get kids on the court and take part in the sport of a lifetime has turned into an event that teaches lessons which can be brought far beyond the court. Through the sport of tennis, the “Little Mo” aims to continually shape youngsters beyond the net, instilling traits such as kindness and sportsmanship that can be carried for the rest of their lives. For more information and to register for the “Little Mo” Internationals in New York, please visit MCBTennis.org. Brian Coleman is senior editor for New York Tennis Magazine. He may be reached by phone at (516) 409-4444, ext. 326 or e-mail BrianC@USPTennis.com.

Peter Kaplan's

Westhampton Beach Tennis Academy

J U N IOR S • AD ULT S • FA M I L I ES • T EA M S Individual membership—$669 • Couple memberships—$995 • Juniors—$279 NO ADDITIONAL DUES OR COURT FEES UNLIMITED COURT TIME FOR 5 MONTHS MAY 7 - OCTOBER 7 EACH MEMBER RECEIVES 5 HOURS OF PRIVATE INSTRUCTION FREE (value $500) (this includes juniors despite $279 membership fee!) FREE STRING JOB AT KIMBERLY'S—$35 value PRIVATE INSTRUCTION ALL SEASON—$59 - $69 per hour • JUNIOR ACADEMY—$195 per week TENNIS CLINICS—$24 per hour • PRIVATE INSTRUCTION FOR SOCCER AND BASKETBALL—$35 per hour We were annually chosen among the top 25 teaching academies world wide and #1 in the East. We are the only academy in the world, the USTA selected to be part of its Members benefits program for both juniors and adults. We hope to recapture a vibrant membership on our 12 court facility Upgraded bathrooms • Reconditioned Courts • Great staff • Incredible pricing and value

Overnight Camp/Instruction Packages Junior and Adults with stay at Grassmere Private Instruction—$49/hr. (2 hour minimum) Group Instruction—$25/hr. (3 hour minimum) Inquire about other specials including USTA, team and family discounts!!!

142 Montauk Highway, Westhampton 914-234-9462 l 631-288-1540 New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2017 • NYTennisMag.com www.westhamptonbeachtennis.com l peterkaplan2002@yahoo.com

Dr. Robert G. Silverman Sports Performance Specialist 311 North Street, Suite G1 • White Plains, N.Y. (914) 287-6464 DrRobSilvermanNY@gmail.com DrRobertSilverman.com Awarded the prestigious 2015 Sports Chiropractor of the Year from the ACA Sports Council, Dr. Robert G. Silverman, DC, MS, CCN, DACBN, CNS, CSCS, CIISN, CKTP, CES, DCBCN specializes in the treatment of sports injuries and joint pain with innovative, science-based, non-surgical approaches and functional medicine. To help injured athletes get back to play quickly, Dr. Rob offers a wide range of proven treatment modalities, including Active Release Technique, flexion-distraction/decompression, Graston Technique, and cold-laser therapy. He also works with patients to avoid future injuries using functional movement assessment, exercise functional rehabilitation, and personalized exercise programs. Proper nutrition is key to healing injuries, avoiding chronic pain, and getting back to normal activities and sports quickly. With six nutrition degrees to his name, Dr. Rob has extensive experience in helping his patients make simple dietary modifications for faster healing and optimizing overall health. He is an expert in designing personalized therapeutic lifestyle programs for peak athletic performance. Often called the doctor’s chiropractor, Dr. Rob is a contributing writer for many professional and peer journals, including Integrative Practitioner, MindBodyGreen, and Muscle and Fitness. He is also on the advisory board for the Functional Medicine University, a health contributor to Fox News Radio, and has appeared on Fox & Friends, Fox 5, and CBS News as a health expert. He is the author of the bestselling book Inside-Out Health: A Revolutionary Approach to Your Body.

Dr. Reuben S. Ingber DrIngber.com (212) 213-0001 or (718) 627-7750 Dr. Reuben S. Ingber is a nationally-recognized specialist in myofascial pain, with 30 years of clinical experience treating pain and sports injuries. He is a double board certified physical medicine and rehabilitation and pain medicine specialist. He combines his medical knowledge with experience in martial arts and yoga, which leads to a unique approach to analyzing and treating sports injuries. He has published articles in peer review medical journals on myofascial pain (trigger points), including one on the treatment of racquet sports shoulder injuries with myofascial treatment of a major rotator cuff muscle. With the use of state-of-the art, scientifically sound, non-invasive methods (and not cortisone), he can effectively relieve rotator cuff tendinitis, shoulder impingement, tennis elbow, Achilles tendinitis, plantar fasciitis, herniated discs and sciatica. With two convenient offices in midtown Manhattan and Midwood Brooklyn, Dr. Ingber can be reached by phone at (212) 213-001 or (718) 627-7750, or visit DrIngber.com.

NYTennisMag.com • July/August 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

Dr. Tom Ferraro (516) 248-7189 DrTomFerraro.com DrTFerraro@aol.com Dr. Tom Ferraro is an internationally-known sport psychologist designated as one of “The nation’s top mental game gurus” by Golf Digest. He has a full-time sport psychology practice in Nassau County, working with elite and professional athletes, including top-ranked tennis players. He is also affiliated with the Winthrop University Hospital Psychiatry Department, where he teaches resident doctors about the history of psychotherapy. He has also worked with professional teams in the New York area as their team psychologist. Dr. Ferraro remains one of the few sport psychologists in the nation who is also a senior level, fully-credentialed psychoanalyst. This allows him to not only use standard behavioral techniques to help tennis players control emotions, but also enables him to diagnose accurately and fully treat underlying issues, such as depression, anxiety or attention deficit disorders that can plague an athlete’s career. He publishes columns and feature articles in the U.S., Asia and Europe, and has appeared on major television networks. His work has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The London Times, Newsday, The Daily News and The New York Post. He can be reached by phone at (516) 248-7189, e-mail DrTFerraro@aol.com or visit DrTomFerraro.com. Dr. Ferraro’s office is located in Williston Park, N.Y.

Nutrition Solutions PC 705 Middle Neck Road Great Neck, N.Y. (516) 439-5090 Irina@IrinaLehat.com IrinaLehat.com Irina Belfer-Lehat RD, CDN founded her Nutritional Solutions firm on the premise that through education, young and old alike are empowered to make healthy choices for themselves and their families. Through her range of professional and personal experiences—which include a 13-year run as a clinical dietitian with the Visiting Nurse Services, an amateur tennis player, and years of providing one-on-one counseling—Irina has gained a broad understanding of how nutrition profoundly affects everything from how we feel every day and our athletic performances to preventing and managing diabetes, hypertension and arthritis. Utilizing her vast knowledge, Irina has developed educational programming, geared towards both individuals and groups, that instills fundamental health and nutrition principles, while making healthy living practical and doable.

NYTennisMag.com • July/August 2017 • New York Tennis Maga-

Orlin & Cohen Orthopedic Group (516) 536-2800 OrlinCohen.com Orlin & Cohen Orthopedic Group is Long Island’s leading private orthopedic practice with a team of 37 board-certified and board-eligible physicians. The group features orthopedic subspecialists who have completed advanced fellowship training, focusing solely on a single area of concern. This focused approach results in optimum patient outcomes, as the doctors are on top of the latest advances for each specific area of expertise. The group’s highly trained and experienced orthopedists cover the entire spectrum of subspecialty needs, including sports medicine, hip, knee, shoulder, elbow, joint replacements, foot and ankle, spine, neck and back, hand and upper extremities, and general orthopedics. Orlin & Cohen Orthopedic Group has multiple offices in both Nassau and Suffolk Counties, with recently-opened new offices in Woodbury and Garden City. These new state-ofthe-art, full-service facilities address all of your orthopedic related needs, including in-house diagnostic testing, digital x-ray, MRI, physical rehabilitation and fully-accredited pain management/fluoroscopy suites. These sites are part of the Orlin & Cohen network, which consists of eight orthopedic offices, six physical rehabilitation centers, five MRI centers and three fully accredited fluoroscopy suites for pain management. Orlin & Cohen’s team of board-certified, fellowship-trained subspecialists have offices in Rockville Centre, Cedarhurst, Garden City, Lynbrook, Merrick, Massapequa, Woodbury, Garden City and Bohemia. For more information, call (516) 536-2800 or visit OrlinCohen.com.

Total Orthopedics and Sports Medicine TotalOrthoSportsMed.com (855) 321-ORTHO Total Orthopedics and Sports Medicine is comprised of the most respected and experienced surgeons on Long Island. At Total Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, treatments range from conservative to surgical, and Total Orthopedics believes in an individualized approach to treatment determine each patient’s treatment protocol based on their health, lifestyle and goals. The team of specialists collaborates to determine the most effective treatment plan for each patient. For those who do require surgery, the surgeons of Total Orthopedics provide the most innovative and minimally-invasive procedures at some of Long Island’s most esteemed medical centers. Total Orthopedics and Sports Medicine has locations throughout Long Island, and treats athletes from amateur to professional. Specialties include: l Shoulder injuries l Spinal conditions l Elbow injuries l Hip injuries l Knee injuries l Foot and ankle injuries l Hand/wrist injuries l Sports medicine The goal of Total Orthopedics and Sports Medicine is to get all of its patients back to an active and healthy lifestyle as quickly and effectively as possible. For more information, call (855) 321-ORTHO or visit TotalOrthoSportsMed.com.

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

Top Tips for Playing Tennis in the Sun By Khrystsina Tryboi Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve all been waiting for summer, and now that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s finally here, we can enjoy playing tennis outdoors! Many would argue that tennis is made to be played outdoors. However, playing outdoors has both its benefits and challenges. For instance, recreational and seasonal players are at a greater risk of dehydration and sunstroke when playing outdoors. Dehydration is a key problem for seasonal and recreational players, so drink plenty of water before, during and after

youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve stepped onto the court. If you are planning to practice on a hot day, start drinking water the night before to make sure your body is well-hydrated and ready for a challenging day in the sun. Consume high sodium foods and drinks since sodium is the major electrolyte lost in sweat, and it is directly related to the likelihood of cramping. Because itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s much warmer on outdoor tennis courts than in a general environment, wear lightweight white tennis clothing and good tennis shoes. Choose tennis clothing made from fabrics that move moisture away from your skin and help

keep you dry and cool. Tennis courts radiate heat and send it back up through your feet. Make sure to have spare socks and flip-flops to change into after you are done training. Apply SPF 50+ water-resistant suntan lotion and make sure to keep reapplying it, especially during a long training session. Now that you are ready to train outside, put your favorite visor on, train hard and enjoy New Yorkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hot and (unfortunately) very short summer! Khrystsina Tryboi is a tennis pro at MatchPoint in Brooklyn, N.Y.

The West Side TTeennis Club Forest Hills, New York August 21-26, 2017 Boys & Girls: Ages 8-12 Singles/Doubles/Mixed Doubles

NYTennisMag.com â&#x20AC;˘ July/August 2017 â&#x20AC;˘ New York Tennis Magazine

Ow By Mike Williams his is a public service announcement for all doubles players and aspiring doubles

players! There is a pervasive epidemic throughout the tennis community. It is called “Owling” and it must be stopped NOW! What is “Owling?” Owling is the dubious action of a tennis player, who is stationed at the net, turning around to watch their partner hit the ball in a game of doubles. I think we can all agree that we are intrigued by the great bird, the Owl, for its wondrous gaze, it’s “Who, Who” call in the night and especially its distinctive ability to turn its head 180-degrees in the opposite direction from its front. Although this particular characteristic has given the Owl a predatory advantage in the wild, it is a trait in tennis certain to be the undoing of many a doubles player! There are certain nuances in the game of tennis that players of all skill levels need to understand, and adhere to. These nuances are mostly understood intrinsically, but often are either lost, neglected, or even unlearned at the amateur level. Hitting through the middle of the court in doubles, for instance, is a staple of the game. As is communicating with your partner during AND in between points. These are two important strategic and mental characteristics of a winning doubles player. But just as there are specific attributes that make great players, there are peculiarities that I find popping up in the tennis community that will hold our games back. One of these idiosyncrasies, which I call “Owling,” is a bad strategy,

wling for a number of different reasons. None is more important than the fact that your safety and ability to protect yourself is compromised when your head is turned. Keep in mind that once the ball has passed by you it is your partner’s responsibility to hit the ball. There is nothing you can do to help them by watching them. Spending one-third of the point with your eyes diverted away from your opponents is not a healthy tactic. So, get out of spectator mode and fast! One thing that you will learn by keeping your head and eyes facing forward is that your opponents will tell you everything that you need to know (if you know what to look for) and

more importantly, what is to come next. They will follow the path of the ball with their movement and their eyes, and you will become more adept at reading these subtleties in their movements. Remember the first person you need to worry about is the net person on the other side of the court. They will have the first chance at hitting the ball as your partner’s shot passes over the net and if they do poach or volley at that moment you will be ready for it because you are watching your opponent(s) and not your partner. If they do not volley that ball it will most likely go to their partner and here is where you may decide to be aggressive. Start to

notice when you are “Owling” and notice when your opponents are doing the same. Who knows, it may be the adjustment you are looking for and an opportunity to steal some points by reflexing your opponent’s ball back or poaching. It will certainly make you a better, quicker, more anticipatory doubles player and most importantly, you will be protecting yourself. Together, let’s put a stop to Owling! Mike Williams is the tennis director at Roosevelt Island Racquet Club (RIRC). He captained the Clemson University Tennis Team and played on the Satellite Tour following his collegiate career. He won the Men’s Open Doubles Championship in 2013 and has more than 20 years of coaching experience, dedicated to helping players of all levels by focusing on the fundamentals of the game and designing programs that will help each individual reach their highest level. He can be reached by email at MWilliams@AdvantageTennisClubs.com.

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tips from the tennis pro Fix Your Toss Forever By Lisa Dodson he serve toss is one of the most troublesome and misunderstood movements in the game of tennis. We experience difficulty in regulating and duplicating accurate tosses even under the best conditions. The most disturbing thing about the toss is how much it can get into your head and how destructive that can be for your entire game. If you have severe toss issues, keep reading.

Let’s just calm down If you have ever had toss problems, you know how overwhelming it is and how easy it is to get emotional and negative. One way to calm down is to focus on exactly what has been letting you down: The technical aspects of the toss arm and hand. But, often this does not solve the problem and continued focus on the technical issues can make the problem much worse. Below are some conventional ideas that may be helpful in controlling the toss. 1. Hold the ball lightly with straight fingers and the wrist laid down. This will help reduce spin on the ball and insure that it goes up and forward. 2. Toss from the shoulder, keeping the elbow and wrist straight. 3. Move the toss arm in the direction of the right net post (generally as a righty). Depending upon your style, your arm may move more parallel to the baseline. 50

4. Finish with your toss hand fully extended and fingers to the sky. The toss should be easy, right? No, but it should be pretty straightforward if kept simple and isolated from the other movements in the serve. Unfortunately, that is an unrealistic view of the toss since it is incorporated into a whole-body action. Why is tossing a ball so difficult? First, we need to recognize that the serve requires your arms to do two completely different things, at the same time, on either side of your body. So you are constantly at odds with the other arm. Players underestimate how difficult this really is. Most are completely unaware of what they are actually doing when serving, where their body parts are and how one movement effects a chain of events. Naturally, our arms like to behave the same on either side of our bodies and they counterbalance each other in movement. The serve motion dictates that the arms and hands do two very different jobs. That makes for some very difficult coordination and timing. l The job of the hit arm is to be loose and whippy: The elbow bends fully and we dynamically throw the racket with a very relaxed and pronating wrist. This circular and powerful movement travels on a controlled path, but in a very free-flowing motion. Our hit hand is not releasing anything.

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

l The job of the toss arm is just the opposite: It needs to be straight, almost rigid and controlled. The elbow and wrist do not bend and the movement is linear. Our toss hand has to release something. We’re also using our non-dominant hand and arm to do a very detailed and precise movement. How do we fix a toss? Most often, the big, undiagnosed problem is tempo and the understanding that the hitting arm is the key to success for the toss arm. Basically, if the hitting arm moves fast, then the toss arm will move fast, causing a poor toss and timing. So, knowing that the dominant hand and arm (hitting arm) dictates tempo and movement to the toss arm, let’s concentrate on the opposite arm. Example Player A gets up to the line and sets up to serve. He is really nervous about his toss. Player A has a very fast downswing or take back and the toss and hit arms both stop when they become parallel to the ground. The toss goes crazy and so does Player A. Is his problem really his toss arm? No, the typical thought would be to work on his toss arm and technique, but he really needs to work on is moving his hitting hand through the point (where he usually stops) and up into hitting position. This will naturally help the toss arm move in a fuller upswing which will improve the toss. In order to coordinate the entire motion,

he also needs to slow the downswing/take back. Remember when the hit hand moves fast, then the toss hand will move fast, all causing poor tosses and timing. Most of the time, we do not want to focus fully on the toss arm. The toss arm will only be able to behave properly if the racket arm (the dominant arm) behaves and keeps moving into position. When hit arm tempo and movement improves, then perhaps it is time to deal with details of the toss arm and hand. How do we help this player? Player A needs the ball taken away, to slow down and to feel the proper tempo and movements. This player needs to go through a one movement motion where both arms and hands understand their jobs. Remember the toss arm finishes high and straight and the racket arm elbow is bent and the hand is behind the head. Eventually, all players can do this without a ball and do it easily. It should make sense that they can now put it into the service motion but, once again, it’s not that simple.

Player A can now hold a ball and can go through the motion while releasing the ball toss. The player needs to make sure that he is doing things as precisely as he did without a ball. Player A can now attempt to hit a ball. He needs to keep his attention on the tempo of the downswing and the movement of the hit arm. If attention is diverted to hitting the ball, then he’ll struggle with the toss again. So, what should the player do to fix the toss for good? Focus on tempo. No one said fixing this would be easy but the most effective way is to keep focusing on the dominant hitting arm. Remember, if the downswing or take back is supposed to be slow but the racket arm moves fast and short, then the toss arm will move fast and short. Then, the toss breaks down and Player A blames the toss arm when actually it is the hit arm causing the problem. Is it really that simple? Yes, it usually is. Understanding the dy-

namics of the left and right arms are the key to a successful toss. The dominant arm always leads the non-dominant arm in tempo and timing so working together is essential. Also, taking the focus off of the problem allows it to be far less mental. If your toss is in crisis, remember that it’s not all about your toss arm. We need to simplify what you are doing and make sure that your racket arm is “allowing” your toss arm to move properly. Stop concentrating on results, and start focusing on the basics of movement. In order to improve, sometimes you have to get a little worse. Often, these times of tennis crisis make players take a closer look at what they are actually doing and give them tools to improve an entire game. Lisa Dodson is the developer and owner of Servemaster, a USPTA Elite Professional and a former WTA world-ranked player. She is currently the director of tennis at Shenorock Shore Club in Rye, N.Y. She may be reached by e-mail at Lisa@TheTotalServe.com or visit TheTotalServe.com.

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NYTennisMag.com • July/August 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

NYTM’s 2017 Summer Series Kicks Off With Long Island Tennis Challenge Credit all photos to Sidney Beal III & Brian Coleman

he 2017 New York Tennis Magazine Summer Series got underway, as the first installment of this year’s Long Island Tennis Challenge took place at Engineers Country Club in Roslyn. The event once again brought together some of the top tennis players in our area for a day of competitive tennis with a social atmosphere on a crisp, cool afternoon. The Men’s Pro Division took to the courts with local college players from St. John’s, St. Bonaventure, Adelphi, Hofstra, Fordham and Sacred Heart and more which made for an intense and highly competitive round-robin draw. Former champions Dimitar Pamukchiyan & Cory Seltman advanced past roundrobin play and past Roey Heymann & Mikey Nelson to meet Ramazan Nureev & Milo Hauk in the finals. Nureev & Hauk edged Josh Lefkowitz & Fabian Carchi in their semifinal match. The match began with a service game from Hauk, which ended on a volley winner

from Nureev to give the duo the early 1-0 lead. The two carried that momentum into the next game as they were able to break Pamukchiyan in the next game, and Nureev held serve to consolidate that break and build a 3-0 advantage. From there, Seltman & Pamukchiyan were forced to play catch up and were unable to get the break they needed. The

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

net play from Hauk & Nureev allowed them to win the match’s key points in the biggest moments, and the pair continued to serve well to come out on top with a 61 victory. “We served well, returned well and volleyed well,” said Hauk. “When we got the early break, we were able to keep it relaxed and it worked out.”

Silverman & Vega Win 2nd Long Island Tennis Magazine Challenge Credit all photos to Brian Coleman & Troy Haas

he second Long Island Tennis Challenge of the summer took place on the beautiful courts of The Hamlet Golf and Country Club in Commack. The Men’s Pro Division as the tournament’s top talent battled through highly competitive doubles matches for a shot at $750. When the round-robin play concluded, it was Cameron Silverman & Quinton Vega taking on Dimitar Pamukchiyan & John Cook and Loic Minery & Oscar Van Koch playing Cory Seltman & Sebastian Wernecke in the semifinals. Minery & Van Koch got past Seltman & Wernecke in the first semifinal, while Vega & Silverman outlasted Pamukchiyan &

Cook 10-4 in a super tie-breaker in the other semifinal, setting up a thrilling final. The championship would remain on serve through the first five games which gave Vega & Silverman the 3-2 advantage. The decisive moment of the match came in that sixth game, when a forehand winner from Silverman notched the first break and gave them a 4-2 lead. Silverman consolidated the break by holding serve with an overhead smash and extend the lead to 5-2. Van Koch would hold serve in the next game to trim the deficit, but there would be no comeback, as Vega held in the ensuing game to close out the match and claim the title with a 6-3 victory. “We have a lot of experience playing to-

gether,” said Silverman of the pair’s success. “We’ve known each other since we were 12 or 13 years old so we’ve played a lot over the years. We know each other’s strengths and weaknesses, so we mesh well together.” Silverman & Vega were preparing for a Futures Tournament in Buffalo the following week, and used the Long Island Tennis Challenge as a way to get some competitive matches in before heading up there. “We played a ton of matches today which was really good, the tournament was very well-run,” added Vega. “It was good for us to get some matches under us, work on some things and get ready for the tour.”

We’d like to thank our sponsors of the 2017 New York Tennis Magazine Summer Series:

THE HAMLET Golf & Country Club

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Stretching for Injury Prevention Enhancing Your Tennis Game: P Fig. 1

By Dr. Reuben S. Ingber ou spend all that time and effort to improve your groundstrokes, but if you put a little extra time increasing your speed getting to the ball, that could make all the difference in beating your nemesis. If you could only get to that ball in time to set up and hit that winner down the line, boy would that be great! Properly preparing the lower limb muscles, by stretching the important muscle groups, should optimize the body’s power output. Recapping from the previous article that appeared in the May/June 2017 issue of New York Tennis Magazine, the muscles are the body’s main producers of force. Enhancing your speed and power is the way to optimize your game. For enhancing your sporting ability, muscles undergo a pre-load phase, where the muscle is stretched like a rubber band, then reaches its apex or peak followed by the shortening. In physiology lingo, this muscle loading is called eccentric-isometricconcentric muscle activity. You do this automatically as you run and play, but if you can get the most out of those mus-

cles, you can get there sooner. Properly stretching muscles and tendons before playing, is not only for injury prevention, but also enhances power and speed. In a study of power lifters doing bench presses, a prestretch allowed weight lifters to not only lift six percent more weight, but also reach their peak lift 33 percent faster. So, if you want more power and speed, properly stretching will get more out of your muscles fibers. Now for the lower limbs, we propel forward using not only the calf/foot muscles, but the hip muscles. The calf muscles, known as the gastro-soleus (gastrocs may be the more familiar name) produce 40 percent of forward propulsion, but the hip muscles generate 60 percent. Studies show that the faster you run, the greater the hip extension. The hip can then be brought forward or flexed faster the greater the prior hip extension. Hip flexors undergo eccentric-isometric-concentric muscle activity. The hip flexors pair with the hip extensors (the three gluteus muscles) to get you there faster. To recap the proper details of effective stretching you must: 1. Properly position; 2. Perform a hold-relax movement technique with coordination of the

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

exhale with the gain in the stretch; 3. Stretch for 30 seconds; 4. Gentle, smooth motion; and 5. Repeat three times alternating sides. The main hip flexors are: The iliopsoas and the rectus femoris (one of the quadriceps or quad muscles in the thigh). To properly stretch the iliopsoas (see Fig. 1 above), the target stretching sensation is perceived in the front of the hip. To properly stretch the rectus femoris (see Fig. 2 to the right), the target stretching sensation is perceived in the front mid-thigh. To stretch the hip extensors, the three gluteus muscles, you need to work while lying on your back: 1. The knee-to-the chest (the vertical stretch); 2. The knee-across-the chest (the horizontal stretch); and 3. The knee diagonally across to the opposite shoulder. The stretching sensation should be felt in different parts of the buttock and no pinching in the front of the hip or groin. Finally, to stretch the calf muscles, stand and lean into the wall with the knees fully extended for the gastric stretch, and with the knee flexed for the posterior tibialis stretch. The technique

ion and More Importantly e: Part IIâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;The Lower Extremity Fig. 2

baseline and raise your game to the next level. Next time, trunk stretching.

is to gradually lean forward to appreciate a gentle stretching sensation in the upper calf for the gastrco muscle and the lower calf for the posterior tibialis muscle.

The entire process of lower extremity stretching takes at about 10 minutes but the time spent stretching could give you the speed to reach the ball hit down the

Dr. Reuben S. Ingber earned a doctor of medicine degree from the State University of New York Downstate Medical Center. He completed specialty training in physical medicine and rehabilitation at Weil-Cornell Medical Center. He is double board certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation and pain medicine. For more than 30 years, Dr. Ingber has been at the forefront of musculoskeletal treatment, combining diagnostic skills with innovative and progressive, non-invasive rehabilitation to help alleviate sports injuries and chronic pain and return to full function.

NYTennisMag.com â&#x20AC;˘ July/August 2017 â&#x20AC;˘ New York Tennis Magazine

The Reward System in Fitness By Shakim Sadler Whether you are a pro athlete, youth athlete or work in an office, something drives you to do your best. What is that motivational factor? For a pro athlete, it could be winning a tournament/championship and being recognized as the best. For a youth athlete, it could be winning a trophy and making their parents proud. If you work in an office, maybe it’s that promotion or the recognition of doing a great job … all roads lead to you being rewarded for your achievements. As a fitness coach and parent, I am always discovering new ways to motivate my kids. I work largely with junior tennis athletes who can be quite a challenge to coach, mainly because they don’t really understand why they need fitness. So my journey usually starts with first teaching/coaching the importance of a sound fitness program. The benefits of proper motor recruitment, muscle endurance, training consistency and mental toughness all play a role with them reaching their full potential. 56

On my personal journey as a father of an amazing eight-year-old girl, I find myself trying to be creative in my approach on getting her to clean up after herself. It’s something that I’m sure most parents deal with each and every day. And yes, as they mature, things will surely get better (we hope). One day, she called me excited about a specific toy she insisted I buy for her. After noticing how excited she was, I thought to myself, “Let’s use this as leverage.” In order for me to buy this toy, she would clean up after herself, and it worked! This situation sparked another idea. The coach side of me thought to use the same method as a motivational tool for my youth athletes. As a fitness coach, the challenge is keeping them focused within group fitness. Some of the methods we use at Magnus Potential at CourtSense Tenalfy Racquet Club are competition-based circuits. We refer to these as “TSCT” or “Tennis-Specific Circuit Training.” This training method allows us to follow an exercise science progression system, ensuring tangible results are seen. However, the catch with kids is that many of them need an outside moti-

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

vating factor—in comes the prize/reward system! We involve our youth athletes in the process of the reward system by taking a group vote on potential prizes, while setting a budget for them. We have found that having this open communication with our youth athletes has allowed us as coaches to be more than coaches. We are big brothers, friends—someone they can trust. As we build these bonds, our hope is to instill a passion for fitness and strong understanding that hard work and dedication to any craft in life will make them the strongest version of themselves. That, my friends, is the greatest prize of them all. Shakim Sadler is Head Trainer at Magnus Potential at CourtSense Tenalfy Racquet Club. He was a Master Trainer in New York City for more than seven years before joining the Magnus/CourtSense family. He played multiple sports growing up, with basketball, football and baseball amongst his favorites. He also trained at Gleason Boxing Gym in Brooklyn and took Muay Thai at the Five Points Academy in Chinatown.

HOP On and Into POP By Whitney Kraft ver 50 years ago, Dr. Seuss wrote a book called Hop on Pop. It’s 2017, and a lot of tennis players are listening to dear old Dr. Seuss. If you haven’t done so already, now is the time to “Hop Into Pop” … POP Tennis, that is. It doesn’t matter if you’re a tennis enthusiast looking for some extra fun on the court, or a facility owner or employee seeking new ways to both attract new clientele and retain current players. POP Tennis is great for everyone, no matter what your role is in the tennis community. Are you a player? POP does not take much if any time to learn—you use a shorter paddle rather than a racket and serve underhanded with a low-compression ball on a 60-foot court. Not only is the learning curve quick, but POP will help your tennis and platform tennis game by emphasizing square contact and using angles at the net … not to mention, sharpen your reaction time! The benefits for tennis directors are plentiful as well. POP does not require additional facilities, it will increase your revenue, increase the action on your courts, provide alternative fun for your patrons and POP allows increased programming for lessons, round-robins and tournaments. Since most clubs have 60-foot courts and low-compression balls already, all you are doing is getting clients out on the court, putting paddles in their hands and watching them have a great time. For those who don’t have blended lines for the smaller court, the USTA actually offers grants to help expedite the process of applying them. This is your opportunity to design a club of the future. You will still have all of your normal tennis programming, this will not be negatively impacted. But by introducing POP, you get to add a fun, easy-to-play

sport that will attract clients who are intrigued, while keeping members around on days they might want something different than their normal hour on the court. At the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, we opened a POP Tennis class this spring and it’s been a hit. This summer will be an exciting one for us as well in the POP department, as we’re hosting the POP Tennis New York Open from July 29-30, one of three national stops for the POP Tennis Pro Series. While there will be a $10,000 prize fund for the event, all levels are welcome. We have both Pro and Amateur Divisions, but more importantly, fun for all. Our player social on that Saturday evening, July 29 is sure to be a blast. Feel free to come by and check out the action even if you’re not playing. The matches will be fast-paced and fun to watch. We’re looking forward to seeing the top men’s and women’s doubles teams compete right here in New York. After winning 11 straight titles, and remaining undefeated, Brothers Scott and Austin Doerner (former NCAA top tennis players) just won their third title in a row in St. Augustine at what was a really amaz-

ing event. The 45th Annual National Beach POP Tennis Championship also drew Michelle Greco, tennis player turned pro basketball player (2004 WNBA Champion with the Seattle Storm) and Viviana Rojas de Heil, a former number one junior in Columbia, an all-American tennis player and pro who have a combined seven POP championship doubles titles. Now let’s be clear … POP is not all about prize pools. But the event in St. Augustine had the largest prize pool in history, and now we are topping that mark in July in New York. This sport and its community are growing exponentially. Ready to compete? Go to TennisLink.USTA.com/Tournaments and enter Tournament ID#: 100147517 for more information. The time is now to listen to Dr. Seuss— he knew a thing or two, and “Hop on POP!” Since 2007, Whitney Kraft has been the director of tennis at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, N.Y. and director of player operations for the U.S. Open. Previously, he was director of tennis for the City of Fort Lauderdale Park & Recreation Department (1998-2007).

NYTennisMag.com • July/August 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

Tennis Term Translations: What You Say vs. What You Mean By Cesar Andrade

Below are some of my personal favorites.

fter playing decades of tennis, coaching all levels and all ages, and watching high level, junior tournaments and, adult USTA matches, I realize tennis players have their own “on-court” language. Scenario: While observing a women’s 4.5 USTA team match, one of the players screams, “Youuuuuuurs!” Her partner races back to try and cover the lob, but was unable to deliver. The “Youuuuurs” player turns to her partner and says, “Good try. Next time.” And her partner respectfully replies, “Thanks.” However, the body language of both players says something completely different and in my own twisted brain, I started to imagine what each player REALLY wanted to say to the other.

On Court Comment “The score does not reflect the actual match. Loads of deuce points.”

Translation “We lost huge!” Winning players typically do not announce the amount of “deuce points” played.

“You were there.”

“Easy shot! I could have gotten that in my sleep!”

“Shoooooorrrrrt!!”

“I just gave the opposition a beautiful, overhead feed … don’t hate me and please run for your life.”

“Just out!”

“Anything hitting back of the line is out.”

Player 1 “YOOOOOOURS!”

Tennis Translation “I’m offense, your defense. Move your feet and cover me!” “I did my job. Now do a better job doing yours!”

“It’s okay.”

“That ball was flying out! Are you blind?!”

“Next time.”

“You just double faulted on a critical point. Please die.”

Tennis Translation “If you weren’t kissing the net, you could have covered your own lob!”

Before a match to the Insert heavy Russian accent here: opposing team: “Good “I’m going to kill you and then kill match!” or “Let’s have fun!” your family.”

“Good try; next time.”

Player 2 “Thanks.”

So, yes, I do believe that ALL athletes have their own language when put in competitive situation. Let’s take “good sportsmanship” out of the equation, and dive deeper into what you really mean when you communicate with your partner and opposing team players.

After a match to the opposing team: “Good match!” or “That was fun!”

If you win: “Ha! I knew we were going to beat you!” If you lose: “I hate your game. We should have won. We have better skills and awesome matching outfits!”

Cesar Andrade is director of operations at Tennis Innovators. He was born in Ecuador before moving to Queens as a child. He can be reached by e-mail at CAndrade@TennisInnovators.com or by calling (914) 428-2444. 58

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

Last-Minute Questions Asked of USTA Officials By Barbara Wyatt

serve. You select the side that forces their first service game into the sun.

ust before a USTA tournament or league match begins, the official walks onto the court and stands near the center of the net. Whether you are engaged in the warm-up or walking onto the court, that is your cue to meet with the official. You will be reminded of the rules: “You have a seven-minute warmup. Make your line calls loud, accurate and immediate. In the event of two-set tie, use the Coman tie-break. Any questions?” Does anyone really ask questions in the last seconds before a match begins? Yes. Some questions are generated by a players’ inexperience at their first officiated event. Others are due to pre-game jitters. Some players engage in a devious master plan to put opponents on edge with their insightful questions. USTA staff and officials are prepared and have heard it all. Here are some questions asked of officials:

What if my opponent makes a bad line call? Or has a double bounce on their side? Those are your opponents’ calls. Enjoy the game and relax. Most matches have three line calls that players on the court see differently. You have the right to ask for an official. In nearly every case, you are playing against responsible honest people who may have misjudged exactly where the ball touched down near a line on their court. What if my glasses break, my shoe comes untied or my wardrobe malfunctions? You have a reasonable amount of time to tighten, re-tie or replace wardrobe items. Ideally, the items will be in your bag on the court, or perhaps in a bag nearby with a spectator.

How much time do we have at change-over? Ninety seconds. Think of it as one minute to sit and 30 seconds to adjust your socks, gather the tennis balls, and walk over to your side of the court.

What if I get hurt and am bleeding? If you are bleeding, perhaps from the nose or a cut, a trainer, team member or spectator may help you stop the bleeding and clean up the court. Officials will be hovering to ensure the game re-starts as soon as possible and within 15 minutes. If you cannot stop the blood or have a second nose bleed, you must retire and the opponent wins the match.

Can I defer after winning the toss? Yes. If you win the toss, you have three options: Choose the side of the court or whether to serve or receive or whether to defer. With a brilliant glaring sun, the decision to defer may be an advantage. You win the toss and defer. Your opponents choose to

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.

NYTennisMag.com • July/August 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

2017

BOY’S HIGH SCHOOL RECAP Written and compiled by Brian Coleman

Beacon Beats Bronx Science For 10th Consecutive PSAL “A” Title For the 10th straight year, Beacon claimed the title of New York City’s best high school team, winning the PSAL “A” Division championship with a 4-1 victory over Bronx Science at Cunningham Park. “Last year was a bit of a surprise just because the kids were so young, and this year has been really rewarding watching them grow up and get physically bigger and stronger, better and tougher,” said Beacon Head Coach Bayard Faithfull. “I really appreciated seeing them grow and working with them. It’s been an honor.” The Blue Demons of Beacon and the Wolverines of Bronx Science met for the third time in the final, with Beacon winning the first two contests. While it is tough to beat the same team three times in one season, Beacon made itself the exception to the rule in the championship. It got things started quickly, as Julian Szuper & Noah Edelman won 6-0, 6-0 over Christian Bobko & Paul Elghouayel at first doubles to take the early lead. “We did a good job of poaching and being aggressive at the net. We never let them get comfortable,” said Szuper. “Coming off of the last match against them, we said we didn’t want to give them any easy points and I think we did a good job of that.” To bolster the Beacon lead, Marcos Lee used his blistering forehand to defeat Blake Frank 6-2, 6-1 at second singles. Bronx Science would get on the board by winning the first singles court. Beacon’s Ethan Leon led Jonah Jurick 6-4, 2-5 before retiring with an injury. But soon after, Beacon would clinch the title, as Donovan Brown & Tyler Kats hung on to defeat Alexander Chiu & Alexander Goldstein 6-2, 6-4 at second doubles to seal the victory. Knowing that he was serving for not only the match but also the city title at 5-4 in the 60

Beacon has won its 10th consecutive PSAL “A” Division Championship Donovan Brown & Tyler Kats of Beacon won the clinching match to help capture the PSAL “A” Division Championship

second set, Goldstein kept his cool and held at love. “We tried not to put pressure on ourselves,” said Kats. “Even though the 10th title in a row is historic, I just tried to focus and serve it out.” Brown & Kats were playing together for the first time this season, and the duo said that it took some time early on to develop some chemistry. “In the beginning of the first set communication was the only problem,” Kats added. “But as the set went on we were able to figure it out and it made things a lot easier.

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

Even though this is our first match I think we’re compatible together as a team.” In the day’s final match, Felix Levine outlasted Rob Rofougaran 6-2, 2-6, 11-9 to round out the scoring. “I think the key to this season was that our two sophomores, Ethan Leon and Marcos Lee, both developed their games and got much bigger and stronger,” said Faithfull. “We also have two freshmen, Donovan Brown and Noah Edelman, who play doubles, and they just brought a level of depth to our team and crafted their games very well. It was a special season.”

2017

BOY’S HIGH SCHOOL RECAP Forest Hills Wins PSAL “B” Division Championship The Forest Hills Rangers captured the PSAL “B” Division title, knocking off the Jamaica Beavers 3-2 in a tightly-contested match at Cunningham Park. Nick Caicedo put Forest Hills on top early with a 6-0, 6-1 victory at third singles over Brigitte Sterlin. Jamaica responded as Debesh Pant & Munem Raja won 6-1, 6-2 over Kamil Fraczek & Sameer Armann at second doubles to tie the overall match up at 1-1. The final three matches of the championship would all get pushed to third set

tiebreakers which set up a thrilling finish. Jamaica would take the lead after Abbas Khanzada & Malachi Agyen outlasted Jae Won Yoo & Zakaria Khan 6-3, 5-7, 11-9 at first doubles to bring the Beavers within one victory of the title. Forest Hills would even things up after Yale Gawag beat Nazmul Karim 6-3, 3-6, 10-7 in the second singles spot, leaving the championship to be decided at first singles. Daniel Rusin of Forest Hills won the opening set 6-1, but saw Tabitha Haryin of Jamaica fight back to win the second set 6-3. In the end, Rusin outlasted Haryin 11-9 in the thirdset tie-breaker to win the match and clinch the championship for Forest Hills.

Beacon’s Ethan Leon captured the 2017 PSAL Singles title by defeating Susan Wagner’s Shawn Jackson

Beacon’s Leon, Brown and Kats Win PSAL Individual Titles It was another standout season for Beacon, not only in the team championship but in the Individuals also, as Ethan Leon captured the PSAL Singles championship, and the team of Donovan Brown & Tyler Kats won the doubles title at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Leon entered the final without dropping a game in the earlier rounds which set up a matchup against Susan Wagner’s Shawn Jackson. The sophomore fought through a stiff neck to defeat Jackson 6-3, 6-3 and claim the title. “It feels nice to be able to win,” said Leon. “Last year I didn’t get to play, so it was great to be able to come out this year, and play against Shawn who is a good friend and a really good player. I just wanted to be aggressive and keep him off balance.” Playing on the outdoor practice courts at the NTC, Brown & Kats took on McKee/Staten Island Tech’s Christopher Kolesnik & Anthony Cataldo in the doubles final. This match had a big audience as the players from the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) gathered to watch after completing their finals. The match did not disappoint, as

The Forest Hills Rangers edged the Jamaica Beavers to win the 2017 PSAL “B” Division title

Beacon’s Donovan Brown sets up a forehand during the victory in the PSAL Doubles finals with Tyler Kats Brown & Kats held off the SI Tech pair with a 7-6, 5-7, 7-5 victory to win the doubles crown. Leon would go on to play in the Federation Finals against the NYSPHSAA winner, Yuval Solomon of Plainview JFK, but came

up short 1-6, 1-6. Brown & Kats took on the Horace Greeley duo of James Wei & Dylan Glickman, the NYSPHSAA winners, in the doubles championship of the Federation tournament and lost 4-6, 1-6.

NYTennisMag.com • July/August 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

2017

BOY’S HIGH SCHOOL RECAP Cary Leeds Hosts 29th Annual Mayor’s Cup All-Scholastic Tennis Championships The 29th Annual Mayor’s Cup All-Scholastic Tennis Championships was held at the Cary Leeds Center for Tennis and Learning as once again the best tennis players from New York City’s public schools came together for the week-long tournament which is known as the largest scholastic tennis event in the United States. The culmination of the tournament came with the finals for each of the various individual divisions which were played on a steamy hot day in the Bronx. One of the first to finish up was the Boys Varsity Doubles, as Bronx Science’s Alexander Chiu & Alex Goldstein came back from a set down to beat Hunter’s Christopher Mohri & Daniel Rafimayeri, 6-7, 6-2, 6-2. After dropping the first set, Chiu & Goldstein made a tactical adjustment as both played from the baseline on their opponent’s serve. It worked, as the pair rattled off 12 of the final 16 games to claim the Mayor’s Cup trophy. “We’re good friends off the court and play a lot together,” said Chiu. “We know each other’s weaknesses and strengths and we build our tactics around that.” Dealing with the heat over the course of a three-set match was a difficult job, and the duo made sure it stayed fresh throughout the contest. “We took a lot of time in between points to discuss tactics and took our full breaks on the change overs to get some rest,” added Goldstein. “That helped a lot.” Shawnte Beale, a freshman who captured the Girls Middle School Singles Title last year, moved up to play the varsity division this year and came out on top, defeating Bronx Science’s Christina Huynh, 7-5, 6-2. Beale said she wanted to be the more aggressive player in this match and it paid off. “I was able to attack her short balls and keep the pressure on,” said Beale, who recalled a match two years ago against in 62

Alexander Chiu & Alex Goldstein of Bronx Science, 2017 Mayor’s Cup Boys Varsity Doubles winners

Beacon Coach Bayard Faithfull and Noah Edelman, winners of the 2017 Mayor’s Cup Varsity Team Championship which Huynh won in straight sets. “I had a lot of confidence from winning the middle school title last year and used that on the court today.” In the Boys Varsity Singles Division, Beacon Freshman Noah Edelman defeated Gabriel Sifuentes of St. Francis 6-2, 7-5 to win the Mayor’s Cup title. Edelman had never played Sifuentes before, but noticed early on that he had a good forehand and a one-handed backhand, and tailored his tactics to attack the backhand. “It was a really tough battle,” he said. “I was able to neutralize his forehand really well. The points were really long so it really came down to whoever could stay in it

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

longer. It feels great. It was tough out there today and I’m glad I was able to push through and represent Beacon.” Throughout the day, New York Junior Tennis & Learning (NYJTL) hosted clinics and taught tennis drills, and the day concluded with a ceremony to honor the tournament and award winners. Below are the winners from the Mayor’s Cup All-Scholastic Tennis Championships: l l l l

Varsity Team: Beacon Middle School Team: Hunter Elementary School Team: PS289 Boys Middle School Singles: Jace Alexander, Dwight

2017

BOY’S HIGH SCHOOL RECAP Mayor’s Cup Middle School Team Winners Hunter

Shawnte Beale, 2017 Mayor’s Cup Girls Varsity Singles winner

Natalie Eordekian of St. Sebastian, Girls Middle School Singles winner at the 2017 Mayor’s Cup

l Boys Varsity Singles: Noah Edelman, Beacon l Girls Middle School Singles: Natalie Eordekian, St. Sebastian l Girls Varsity Singles: Shawnte Beale, Home School l Boys Middle School Doubles: Jean Paul Santamaria & Jean Pierre Santamaria, IS 119 l Boys Varsity Doubles: Alexander Chiu & Alex Goldstein, Bronx Science l Girls Varsity Doubles: Isha Agarwal & Madison Li, Horace Mann l Girls Elementary Singles: Claire An l Boys Elementary Singles: Timotey Stofa

Mayor’s Cup Award Winners l Kyle Barton Award for a Graduating Senior Demonstrating Leadership & Sportmanship: Tawhid Choudhury l Brian Watkins Award for Leadership—Graduating Senior $250 College Stipend: Calvin Chung, Horace Mann and Gabriel Sifuentes, St. Francis Prep l Jana Hunsaker Memorial Award: Kyra Bergman l Kae Jones Varsity School Sportsmanship Award: Tyler Kats and Isabella Hartman l Claudette Townsend Memorial

Noah Edelman of Beacon, 2017 Mayor’s Cup Boys Varsity Singles winner during his championship match

l l l l l

Award—Overall Sportsmanship (All Grades): Imani Jean Greg Carrington Sportsmanship Award–Elementary: Anthony Abbott Andre Lahens Sportsmanship Award–Elementary: Claire An Andrew Strasser Sportsmanship Award—Middle School: William Das Andrew Feinberg Sportsmanship Award—Camp Scholarship Middle School: Natalie Eordekian Victor Kiam “Going For It” Scholarship Awards: Coney Bank, Jeremy Breland, Christian Cirillo and Mariana Santamaria

NYTennisMag.com • July/August 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

2017

BOY’S HIGH SCHOOL RECAP Horace Greeley Wins San Marco Invitational

Horace Greeley defeated Trinity to win the 2017 Jim San Marco Invitational Tournament Horace Greeley defeated Trinity 5-1 to win the 2017 Jim San Marco Invitational Tournament. The event brings together the top teams from Long Island, New York City and Westchester to compete against one another. After defeating Beacon in the semifinals, Horace Greeley won all three doubles matches to defeat Trinity in the finals. Despite his team’s loss, Trinity’s Peter Frelinghiusen was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player, as he won all of his singles matches, including beating Horace Greeley’s James Wei 6-3, 5-7, 11-9. Below are the results from the championship matches: Singles l Peter Frelinghuysen (Trinity) defeated James Wei (Horace Greeley) 6-3, 5-7, 11-9 l Dylan Glickman (Horace Greeley) defeated Jack Wasserstein (Trinity) 0-6, 7-5, 10-5 l Spencer Lowitz (Horace Greeley) defeated Neel Epstein (Trinity) 6-1, 6-1 Doubles l Luke Quieroz & Kenta Togo (Horace Greeley) defeated Zach Targoff & Davoud Elshanyor (Trinity) 6-4, 3-6, 10-6 l Davis Kim & Tyler Keller (Horace Greeley) defeated Milon Jain & Andre Fernandez (Trinity) 6-4, 6-3 l Jonathan Seidman & Matthew Dinaburg (Horace Greeley) defeated Matt Schnadig & Jaime Gomez (Trinity) 6-3, 7-5 Brian Coleman is senior editor for New York Tennis Magazine. He may be reached by phone at (516) 409-4444, ext. 326 or e-mail BrianC@USPTennis.com.

2017 U.S. OPEN EDITION

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MAGAZINE

This 2017 U.S. OPEN edition will feature: • 2017 U.S. Open Preview • Guide to the Top New York Tennis Clubs & Programs • Summer Camp/Summer Events Recap

Submissions for both advertising and editorial are due by August 1, 2017 For more information, please call 516-409-4444 or e-mail Advertise@NYTennisMag.com 64

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Encourage Your Child to Give 100 Percent Effort By Aleix Serrats very athlete wants to achieve good results, but we have to be aware that good results don’t automatically happen because we spend hours and hours training on the court, in weight rooms or sharpening our mental training. The hours you spend have to be productive. In order to be productive, it’s important to stay focused on every task during training and give 100 percent effort. Adults find it easier to think this way, but what happens when you are working with children? The famous sports triangle–player, coach and parents–becomes essential to understanding how we can help children give 100 percent effort. Inspiring young athletes to give their best effort is the responsibility of both the coach and the parents. The coach works on all aspects of the player’s personal development, as achieving good results depends on the

players growing, maturing and developing a vast range of skills. In order to perform at their best, young athletes need to be motivated. Robert Weinberg and Daniel Gould, in their book Foundations of Sport and Exercise Psychology, define motivation simply as “The direction and intensity of our effort.” We find that there are two types of motivation: Intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic comes from within, as you get satisfaction from personal improvement, and playing tennis beyond what you thought you could. On the other hand, we have extrinsic motivation, which is based on external benefits that the tennis player wants to achieve. The best way to accomplish this is by just playing, doing your best or even winning. So how can we, as parents, work on motivation? l Make sure they have a good time; fun is one of the most powerful motivations.

l Accompany them in establishing their objectives. l Help them overcome barriers and obstacles that make it difficult for them to continue playing. l Compliment their efforts and achievements. l Help them be more independent. If they make their own decisions, they are going to commit and give 100 percent. Looking at this list, it is clear that the parents’ role is crucial in helping young players give the best performance possible. Therefore, working together is one of the keys to success for any student-athlete. Aleix Serrats is the sports psychologist at Sánchez-Casal Academy Barcelona. He has a degree in psychology specialization in health psychology and a master’s degree in sport and exercise from Universidad de Barcelona.

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NYTennisMag.com • July/August 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

Footwork Is More Important Than Stroke Technique By Philip Feingold Do you recognize yourself in any of these people? 1. A professional tennis player who spends 20 minutes or more every day in front of a mirror to perfect their forehand. 2. A weekend player who always has a video camera on hand to record their tennis strokes. 3. A tennis player who never loses a chance to practice swings, even in the washroom of a restaurant where they are having dinner. If the above scenarios are familiar to you, chances are that you have “strokeitis,” a term in professional tennis for a player’s obsession with making their stroke perfect. Since the beginning of tennis as a sport, players have wanted to perfect their stroke, and it affects everyone from newbies to seasoned players. People have tried almost every method 66

to achieve an immaculate stroke. They study tons of information and review huge amounts of videos from tournaments where the tennis stars play, analyzing their stroke down to the finest detail. But what if it is better to stop this obsession? After all, no matter how hard tennis players and their coaches work to invent a new multi-purpose stroke scheme that guarantees 100 percent success, they will ultimately fail. There are as many stroke techniques as there are tennis rackets. If you compare the strokes of various players, you will easily notice how different they are. Some use a sweeping swing, others use a short and compact swing, some prefer to use a Western Grip, others an Eastern Grip, some find an open stance more effective, while others find a closed stance more comfortable. How do you find out what helps each one them to win matches? First, let’s try to answer one question: What should you know about the ball at the crucial moment when it touches a racket?

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

You may think what’s important is how wide your swing is, or the way you hold the racquet. Actually, those things are not nearly as important as the speed of the racquet head and its position. Basically, these two factors define the speed, direction and spin of a ball. This doesn’t mean that trying improve your stroke technique is a waste of time. It’s important to work on your strokes, making them clear and smooth, but it’s also important to use your knowledge at the critical moment so the two main factors can be achieved. However, it should be mentioned that while searching for the perfect movement of a racket, you may forget about another important aspect that is even more significant–footwork. Despite what some may think, tennis is more a game of accurate movements than beautiful strokes. The speed of reaction is dramatically important in this sport. Who needs beautiful, clear strokes if you are not able to be in the right place at the right time? And here we have the main

principle of good tennis–to take the right position at a particular time, and only then to make an accurate stroke. Let’s consult the professional tennis coaches who are wellknown around the world as specialists in their field. Jack Broudy, author of the well-known book, The Real Spin on Tennis, claims that up to 75 percent of tennis players don’t pay enough attention to the way their feet move, but almost all of them work on the movements of their arms to make clear strokes. As a result, the majority of tennis players make mistakes not because something is wrong with their technique, but rather, because they don’t know how to move effectively. Another recognized specialist in the field of sports science, Jack Groppel, in his book, High Tech Tennis, writes that the majority of mistakes on a tennis court (up to 70 percent) happen due to ineffective foot movement and insufficiently trained legs. If you take a closer look at this, you will see that the accuracy of a stroke depends mainly on the player’s position on a court. Namely, the position of your body in relation to a ball affects the movement of your arm. If a player takes the time to find a comfortable stance, then the movement of the racket against the ball will be clean and smooth. If not, the player may not be able to control their arm, but also the balance of the body and the stroke will fail. There is a direct connection between the player’s position on a court, footwork and the accuracy of the stroke. Let’s take a look at an example. While performing a forehand stroke, a tennis player turns their elbow incorrectly, and as a result, the ball hits the net every time. The player thinks that something is wrong with the movement of their arms and needs some additional training. A good coach who understands the importance of the position of a player while performing a stroke, will notice the actual problem and will point out the moment when the swing should be made. After a couple of repetitions, the player begins to feel the distance, then learns how to hold

his arm, becoming aware of a mistake that happens not because something is wrong with their stroke, but because his position is incorrect. Twisting an elbow is not the result of insufficient stroke practice, but rather indicates that a player is hitting the ball too late and that the ball is too close to their body. The position of the arm depends on the position of a player’s body against a ball. Players who don’t pay attention to footwork don’t realize that their body is adjusting to the stroke, as they are trying to balance the incorrect position. However, remember that good footwork has nothing to do with the ability to run fast. It’s important not to confuse these two notions. Tennis is a game of agility, not speed. Speed is necessary for those who need to cover a huge distance, but a tennis player on the court ideally should take just a couple of steps before choosing the right position. So, it’s more important to develop agility that will put you in the right position. The talents of a sprinter rarely help a tennis player to achieve success. The players who win are able to move fast over a threeto six-yard span which can give them a significant advantage over the opposition. Then again, it doesn’t mean that one should forget about stroke technique and ignore footwork. A player can make different mistakes, but to make accurate strokes without hesitation, one should choose the right position on a court during the game. It’s not hard for a professional coach to teach a newbie how to make clear and ac-

curate forehands and backhands, demonstrating the main types of shots and instructing how to choose the right time and position for making the swing required for various strokes. After that, a player should practice footwork, because during a real match, a player has to perform these strokes on the run, which is very important. And here, everything is clear. If a player is able to take the right position to make a shot, then everything else falls into place. If the player is too late, then there is not enough time to take the right position, and as a result, the shot is inaccurate. Since the player doesn’t understand the actual reason for the mistake, he decides that this has happened because something is wrong with his stroke technique, and trains with renewed effort, perfecting his strokes in front of a mirror or video camera. But maybe this time everything will be different. If we have managed to persuade you, try to devote more time to your footwork. Instead of endlessly refining your shots, do some footwork exercises and jump rope workouts. Let’s summarize and repeat the main idea … The effort to develop clear, beautiful strokes can be futile. Such strokes are almost impossible if a tennis player takes the wrong position in relation to the ball while performing a stroke. The success of professional tennis players who are able to move effectively on a court is the best proof of this. Their strokes can vary greatly, but the most important thing is that the stroke is always controlled by the player. Philip Feingold is the founder and owner of Philgym Academy in Red Bank, N.J. He was a centerpiece of the Israeli Track and Field team from 1992-1999, and has a lifetime of training experience with world-class athletes, including tennis players such as Dudi Sela and Elina Svitolina. He can be reached by phone at (347) 480-8074 or email Philgym@gmail.com.

NYTennisMag.com • July/August 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

courtsix New York Tennis Magazine’s Gossip Column By Emilie Katz Former Pro Vahaly Opens Up

self and understand who I am as a person, where am I going, am I happy,” Vahaly said on the podcast. “And I had to come to terms with some things about my sexuality, and that was not easy—especially coming from a sports background.” Vahaly is now married and a father to twin boys.

Kvitova Returns After Attack There have rarely been players, active or retired, on the men’s pro tour to come out as gay. Former top 100 American Brian Vahaly became one of the first to do so recently as he discussed on a podcast with Sports Illustrated’s Jon Wertheim. “It wasn’t until after I had left the game that I really had to come full circle with my-

The Czech Republic’s Petra Kvitova made the tennis world very happy as she returned to the court to compete in the French Open in early

June. Kvitova missed six months after being attacked and stabbed by an intruder in her home back in December. She required four hours of surgery following the attack and months of recovery before returning at Roland Garros. She won her first round match before falling to American Bethanie Mattek-Sands in the second round.

Agassi Lends Djokovic a Hand

Novak Djokovic and Boris Becker ended their coaching relationship last December, and the Serb formed a new partnership with another all-time great: American Andre Agassi. The two worked together during the French Open. “Many players have called me over the years, but his search is very personal, intense and very easy to respect,” said Agassi. “To come here to get to know him and give me a chance to help, I just followed my instinct. To help Djokovic, if I can, I think is good for the game and everybody.”

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

Tennis to Return to Video Game Consoles

There hasn’t been a simulation-quality video game in five years, but that will change next year when Tennis World Tour is released by developer Breakpoint Studio and publisher Bigben. The game will be a successor to the Top Spin franchise, and will feature “ultra-realistic simulation that we’ve always dreamed of” according to Top Spin 4 producer Pierre Andre. Stars such as Angelique Kerber and Roger Federer have been announced as playable stars in the game.

Fire Strikes Wimbledon

Hamou Tossed From Roland Garros

During the French Open, Frenchman Maxime Hamou, who had received a wild card into the main draw, was banished from the tournament by French officials after forcibly kissing Eurosport reporter Maly Thomas during an interview. Thomas told the French version of the Huffington Post: “If it had not been live on air, I would have punched him.” Hamou lost in the first round to Pablo Cuevas.

Caroline Wozniacki (@CaroWozniacki): Good day at the “office” today! Working off that extra vacation weight

Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal):

I’m so proud about our students! Congratulations guys! #RafaNadalAcademy

Tweets from the pros Roger Federer (@RogerFederer): OMG I went to the #MetGala

Chris Evert (@ChrissieEvert): Nite out with the girls … really admire this lady @lindseyvonn @Eurosport_FR @rolandgarros @ChrisMcKendry

Ahead of Wimbledon 2017, four fire engines and 21 firefighters were called to the All-England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club to fight a blazing fire that was going on adjacent to the practice courts, near Gate 1. The gate sits near Wimbledon’s Number One Court, where a three-year construction plan is underway to build a retractable roof. NYTennisMag.com • July/August 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

Locals Zausner and Siegel Inducted Into USTA Eastern Hall of Fame Credit all photos to Dave Dellinger

unior Tennis Foundation (JTF) recognized six integral members of the tennis community during the 30th Annual Eastern Tennis Hall of Fame Celebration at the Beach Point Club in Mamaroneck, N.Y. Those inducted into the Hall of Fame Class of 2017 included Dick Zausner, director of Port Washington Tennis Academy, who has given thousands of youth and adults the opportunity to try tennis; Steve Siegel, a former ATP player

and director of racquet sports at Plandome Country Club; Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis, a USTA life member who has served on several USTA committees and is currently a Senior U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of New York; and sisters Christine, Patricia and Theresa O’Reilly, former standout Eastern junior players who brought the Duke women’s tennis program to national prominence, then went on to compete professionally. Proceeds from the celebration benefitted

JTF, which provides scholarships and grants for junior and adaptive tennis players throughout the USTA Eastern Section. At the event, two junior players, Akash Mahesh Hongal and Jamila Akhmedjanova, received the David N. Dinkins Scholarship Awards for their accomplishments both athletically and academically. Since its inception in 1979, JTF has provided more than $2 million for programs and scholarships in the Eastern Section.

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New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

Mental Toughness on the Tennis Court

By Stephen Annacone t has been an incredible year so far on the ATP Tour. There are many great up and coming players and a lot to look forward to the rest of the year. Obviously, the biggest story thus far is that Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are once again near the top of the rankings and have split the first two Grand Slams this year. Although there has been a lot of analysis and possible explanations for why this has happened, I believe the biggest reason for these results has come from the incredible mental toughness that these two players possess. In my estimation, they are probably the two toughest players mentally that I have seen in my lifetime. The following quote exemplifies the attitude that both players seem to exhibit time and time again:

“I try to push myself not to get upset and stay positive, and that’s what my biggest improvement is over all those years. Under pressure, I can see things very clear.”–Roger Federer Many of the ideas listed below are routinely executed by these two great champions. This is what separates them from many of the great players we have seen. The keys to understanding how to think correctly: l Sometimes, the most important things you do are the things in between points, games and sets, and not during the actual point. l One bad point or game can sometimes result in players losing control of the situation and ultimately, the match. l What you do before and after the points really affects your

performance during points. l One point is just one point, yet we can lose control after one bad mistake. l Accept that you will make mistakes … you are not perfect. l Every player who has ever played the sport of tennis and will play in the future will make mistakes and play bad points, have bad games and occasionally lose sets. Once you understand these keys, do this during the point: Focus on one basic technique idea, like watching the ball, getting ready early, getting to the ball quickly, or getting set right before contact. Do this between points: Remind yourself of a strategy, like moving forward as the point gets longer, keeping the ball crosscourt and/or deep, hitting three or four good solid shots in a row, or hitting one extra shot when you think it is time to win the point. You are playing against the ball, the conditions, the problems you are encountering on that day, and basically, yourself. Your opponents can only play as well as you let them

and they are not the major factor. If they win, you give them all the credit, but you must take responsibility and figure out what you might be able to do slightly different next time in order to change the outcome. The final word Keep things simple and read what Roger stated above … do not get upset, stay positive, and you will play the critical points much better the majority of the time. The better players do these things better! Some of the info used in this article was borrowed from my friend, Duncan Simpson, a sports psychologist who helped me tremendously with our Tournament Players Group at Smoky Mountain Tennis Academy in Knoxville, Tenn. some time ago. He gets the credit for many of these ideas. Stephen Annacone, USPTA Elite Pro, is the director of Annacone Tennis (AnnaconeTennis.com). For details on lessons and camps in Sag Harbor and throughout the Hamptons this summer, contact SAnnacone@AnnaconeTennis.com or Management@AnnaconeTennis.com.

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www.dringber.com NYTennisMag.com • July/August 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

The Zone Is the Holy Grail of Sports But how do you get there? By Dr. Tom Ferraro he ineffable state known as “The Zone” is the Holy Grail of sports. Every athlete seeks it. Any athlete who has played in the zone remembers the ease, joy and satisfaction of finding this special place. The dictionary defines “The Zone” as “An area or stretch of land having a particular characteristic, purpose or use, or subject to particular restrictions.” In sports language, The Zone means “Being completely unaware of what’s going on around you as you are into what’s going on in front of you.” The first definition implies that The Zone is a special, unique and distinct psychological space separated from the normal. The second definition implies that, when in The Zone, one’s focus is so keen that one is oblivious to all but the task at hand. Any one athlete who has found The Zone knows this to be true. So how does one find this magical place and how does one stay there? Virtually all of my work with elite athletes will eventually culminate into an effort to build a path to The Zone. I would suggest that standard sports psychology and/or pop psychology used by coaches has had little success in helping athletes find The Zone. Deep breathing and some positive self-talk will not do the trick. The Zone

is that rarified place where the athlete is playing up to full potential, doing so in a confident, relaxed and near effortless manner. To find The Zone, you need to employ the following psychoanalytic techniques that enable the following two things to occur:

described his use of displacement when he said the criticism he faced as a rookie made him mad and that he used that anger to improve his game. However, all these defenses are only useful when the player is consciously aware of how they work.

1. The building up of mature defenses To find The Zone, the athlete must learn a very specific set of defense mechanisms … defenses which work against the athlete include turning against the self, fantasy about winning, acting out and hypochondriasis. Defenses which can help include the mature defenses of suppression, dissociation, isolation, asceticism, displacement, sublimation and humor. Prior to and during a tournament, intense emotions will be felt. These include anxiety, the shame of mistakes, the anger when someone makes an off-handed remark, noise from the crowd, a bad call by a referee, etc. All this and more must be managed throughout a tournament. Good defenses include suppression where the athlete is taught how to temporarily push down emotions. Affects like anxiety, sympathy, compassion, anger and shame all must be suppressed during play. Another example of a good defense is humor. Novak Djokovic uses humor all the time to let off steam. Displacement is the defense of turning anger into aggression. Steph Curry, the star basketball player,

2. Overcoming separation anxiety The building up of esteem in order to separate from the opponent is the second step in teaching the athlete how to find The Zone. We build up sufficient self-esteem and teach them how to psychologically separate from their opponents. This process is especially important in individual sports like tennis, golf, swimming and track. One-on-one sports involve a tremendous amount of social interaction with the opponent and the expectation of being a ‘good sportsman.’ But connection to the opponent is not useful if you want to find The Zone and win. The more you can dissociate from and distance yourself from these social expectations, the more likely you are to enter The Zone. Strong defenses, self-esteem and permission to separate and become silent are the keys to finding The Zone. The Zone is one of life’s peak experiences, and it’s something that can be taught.

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

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.

So You Want to Win? Focus on the little things! By Rob Polishook, Mental Training Coach MA, CPC We all walk onto the court wanting to win. The reality is, tennis involves winning and losing. It’s no secret that unless you are in the top five in the world, you will probably lose as much as you win. Even if you are in the top three, you will probably lose 20 percent of the time. The only way around eliminating losses is to play an opponent half of your skill level every day. What do you think would happen? You guessed it … boring! It would be like surfing in a lake. Sure, you would stay on the surfboard, but it wouldn’t be much of a challenge. So, how do you measure success? Defining your game based on losses is self-defeating. You may even feel personal failure and get angry about it, unable to learn or reflect on exactly what happened. There are certainly times that your opponent played better or you could have done something differently. After a loss, the only way to learn is to separate from the situation, clear your head, and reflect on what you can do the next time out. Remember, failures are not fatal, they are feedback. On the flip side, defining your game based on winning is equally limiting. John Wooden, the legendary basketball coach, was known to have said, “Don’t try to play better than the next person, just play your best.” When you do that, the results take care of themselves. And even if you do win, you may not have played your best, and the score may cause you to miss a key opportunity to reflect and ultimately improve. There is always something you can learn, no matter the outcome. When working with clients, I often tell them, “Focus on the path, not the peak.” This means focus on what you can control, and let go of what you cannot control. This is

about focusing on the next step, the present, not the past or the future. Imagine this … if you are a mountain climber focusing on only the peak, you will surely fall. The key is to focus on the little steps in front of you, the steps you can control. These little steps can add up to big things/wins. As a player, here are three key questions you can ask yourself to help you focus on what you can control while letting go of what you cannot control: 1. Can I control what happened? This is easy! The answer is always NO! If it happened in the past, you cannot control it. For example, if you have lost the first set, are fuming about a lines call, or are angry about a missed approach shot, unfortunately, you cannot control any of these. They already happened and are in the past. 2. What can I control? The answer here is always, “I can control what I do and how I approach things next.” For example, I can control resetting and getting myself in a calm and aware place to play the next point and letting go of the baggage from the past or the future; rather, bringing your focus to the present.

3. What’s “one thing” I can do that I can control? This is the big question! Answering it will help you re-focus on a strategy, mentality or even a technical issue that’s in front of you. For example, after losing a set, refocus on playing your game-style, not your opponents’, being more patient or hitting higher over the net for depth. These specific process-oriented goals will take your mind off the past, future and the outcome. When adversity strikes, take a deep breath and ask yourself these three questions. They will keep you focused on next steps. The next time you are on the court, in your quest to win, keep your focus on the little things that you can control! 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.

• Outdoor session at Riverdale Tennis Center, 3671 Hudson Manor Terrace, Riverdale • Indoor sessions at Cary Leeds Tennis Center and NYTC Indoors • 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

Call 914-907-0041 or E-mail BloomGilad@gmail.com NYTennisMag.com • July/August 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

What Does a Coach Do By Gilad Bloom eing a tennis coach for 20-plus years has taught me much about the game and about life. It is an ongoing learning experience … one that never ends as each new student is different and teaches you something new about the game. The coach will face difficult and challenging situations when dealing with developing players, and there are different ways of approaching the same situation. I have often found myself asking the question, “What exactly do I do as a coach and how do I act in a way that will be most beneficial to the student?” Here are some typical situations that I’ve experienced with my students and how I would approach those situations.

1. What should a coach do when the child puts too much pressure on himself/herself to achieve good results and is too concerned with ranking? The pressure often comes from the parents which is not healthy, of course. However it is the child who is the one who is results-oriented. Children are simple and sometimes they think that if they lose, they are bad. My job as a coach is to make the student aware that there is a “big picture,” and that you need to believe in the process and focus on improving elements of your game. You cannot go into a tournament thinking: “I’m going to win the tournament.” You need to prepare for the tournament the best you can and play it one match at a time. Try to do everything right between matches, and if the child does their work on the practice courts in the weeks leading up to the tournament, you will end up lifting a trophy every once in a while. As a player who played competitively for 20 years, I found that when you work methodically and stick to your plan, it helps you achieve consistent results in the long run. When you have a long-term mission, you know that there will be some bad losses along the way, but the trick is to not let bad matches bring you down.

o When This Happens? Winning is always nice, but when you are a junior, you need to think beyond just winning matches. Playing the right way and having the right attitude is more important than adding a trophy to your shelf. The main thing is to learn from every match and figure out what you need to do to improve and work towards that goal relentlessly … the results will come. 2. What should a coach do when a student is in a slump and feels like they have hit a plateau? Almost every player will suffer some periods when things don’t go their way and they are not seeing any improvement. This can happen for various reasons: Injuries, too much schoolwork, burnout, a technical flaw, personal problems at home, or simply the player is in a bad patch. As a coach, it is one of the biggest challenges to get the player out of this downward spiral. The first thing I would do is bring up the love of the game and remind the player that tennis is just a game. Keeping it fun and positive is a must because tennis players can get pretty morbid at times. When you lose your game, it is best to go back to basics. Confidence is probably the most important thing for a player and to regain confidence, one must need to go back to simple old-school repetition drills, with thousands of basic crosscourt shots down the line in live ball drills. But drills and good hitting don’t mean much if you cannot put together wins in official matches. It doesn’t have to be pretty or even at the highest level, but you need to get wins to rediscover your identity as a player. For that reason, I usually advise my players who are in a slump to play a few lower level tournaments to regain that winning feeling. You’d be surprised what a few wins under one’s belt will do to one’s confidence, even if it is against second tier players.

3. What should a coach do when a child is lazy, unmotivated, slow and uncoordinated? This is a tough one because no coach likes to lose a student. On the other hand, some students are not that much fun to work with. Some coaches give up on this type of student and just let them play points and keep it recreational and social, hoping that this will motivate the student. I find that playing points and sugar-coating is actually going to make a child quit sooner since they will soon hit a wall and stop playing at some point. Let’s face it … it’s pretty boring to play bad tennis! So how do you turn those tennis bums into tennis buffs? Patience is key. A sense of humor is very helpful as well, and lots of psychology and reverse psychology should be utilized. Ultimately, I will try to appeal to their self-respect and get the competitiveness out of them by outlining some achievable goals. When they start meeting simple goals like hitting 20 balls in a row in the court, they will start to enjoy the game more and have longer rallies. One day, they might wake up, look in the mirror and see a tennis player staring back at them. The trick is to get those kids to work hard without them even noticing. I learned that even lazy and untalented kids like to improve and win. Some of those lazy, untalented kids might turn out to be not-so-lazy and talented after all. They just need someone to get the “killer instinct” out of them, someone to take the lazy out of them. 4. What should a coach do when a student is very good, but has repeated tantrums during lessons? This happens quite a lot with the high-performance players. Sometimes the reason is over motivation. Other times, it could be a case of self-control, discipline and anger management. Other times, it’s just the hormones of a teenager talking. Some players expect so much of themselves and when they don’t meet their expectations, they tend to get angry at themselves. This is counterproductive. As a coach, it is impossible to effectively

coach a kid who is on the verge of a nervous breakdown every time they have one bad drill. The key is for the coach to keep calm and calculated, while the student is in stress. I would explain to the child that their emotions and drama makes them very difficult to coach. I would literally stop the lesson for a couple of minutes and sit on the bench until the player calms down. With the exception of John McEnroe, I’ve never met or seen a player that is better when very emotional and temperamental. I actually like it when players show passion and some (positive) emotions during practice and matches, but there is a line that should never be crossed. A player should never start a point with any baggage from previous shots, being a good player is the art of forgetting, the most important point is the next point. The player needs to know that whatever horrible shot they may have just hit is ancient history the second the point is over. That is the only way to train if you want to give yourself a chance to succeed in this game, there are so many tankers and quitters out there who will break down the second something goes wrong, you don’t want to become one of them. In every match, there will inevitably be some points and games when you play below your level. Everyone has those spells, the top players can manage themselves through these spells and continue to play one point at a time. This is why tennis will always remain such a mental sport. 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 • July/August 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

“Ode to Tennis” by Barbara Wyatt eed a quick summer read that will put a smile on your face? Thinking of a gift for a team captain? Don’t spend $20 on a gift card. You’ll find that Ode to Tennis (2017, Wild Creek Publishing Group, $9.95) by Barbara Wyatt with illustrations by Mario Barrera, might just fit the bill. Ode to Tennis is a tennis poem that captures the euphoria and struggles of the game. Using a tennis lesson as a storyline, the poem begins with the player on fire as her balls fly effortlessly across the net and drop into the court.

“I whip it, I flip it, The ball flies deep with spin. No doubt Rafael Nadal Is my identical twin.” Tennis lessons are about recognizing a weakness and listening to expert advice to improve a tennis stroke and incorporate game strategy into the next match. As the teaching pro in the poem delivers instructions—“follow through,” “watch the ball,” “step into the shot,” “bend your knees”—the player hits balls into the net. Again and again. “I chase the ball in tournaments, I compete in the USTA Yet my strokes leave players laughing. I’m more comical than Tina Fey!” 76

The pro continues the lesson with coaching hints from The Inner Game of Tennis by W. Timothy Gallwey, the 1970s tennis instructional book of Gallwey’s theories on how to break bad mental habits. The player finally hits a perfectly executed shot against the teaching pro. She jumps for joy, as featured on the book’s cover, and says: “The pro’s college matches are too far past. Tennis teaching certificates be damned! It’s me, the late start player, Who made that ball go WHAM!” Ode to Tennis is delightfully illustrated by Mario Barrera. One clever illustration shows balls piling up on the player’s side and not one ball on the pro’s side of the net. Another includes a halfdozen emojis showing the many faces of determination and frustration of tennis players. This is a poem written specifically to tennis players. It is a first for rhyming poetry to include the words, “inside-out shots,” “topspin backhands” and “USTA” in its stanzas. It’s a clever and quick read that will be sure to bring a smile. This small gift book reminds us that tennis is a game of many brilliant strokes, followed by a few boneheaded ones. Ode to Tennis is available in print on Amazon for $9.95 and on Kindle devices for $2.99.

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

NEW YORK TENNIS CLUB ADVANTAGE QUICKSTART TENNIS Paul Fontana–Director Various Manhattan Locations • (646) 884-9649 PFontana@AdvantageTennisClubs.com QuickStartNY.com CARY LEEDS CENTER FOR TENNIS & LEARNING Rick Ferman—Executive Director of Tennis 1720 Crotona Avenue • Bronx, N.Y. (718) 247-7420 Conpetire10s@gmail.com CaryLeedsTennis.org CENTERCOURT PERFORMANCE TENNIS CENTER Clay Bibbee—Managing Partner and Academy Founder 65 Columbia Road • Morristown, N.J. (973) 635-1222 Clay@Centercourtclub.com CenterCourtClub.com CHRIS LEWIT TENNIS ACADEMY Tennis Club of Hastings 100 River Street• Hastings-on-Hudson, N.Y. (914) 462-2912 ChrisLewit@gmail.com • ChrisLewit.com COURTSENSE TENNIS TRAINING CENTER Gordon Uehling—Founder and Managing Director 195 County Road • Tenafly, N.J. (201) 569-1114/(201) 489-1122 Info@CourtSense.com CourtSense.com FUTURE STARS SOUTHAMPTON 1370 A Majors Path Southampton, N.Y. • (631) 287-6707 Info@FutureStarsSouthampton.com FutureStarsSouthampton.com GOTHAM TENNIS ACADEMY— STADIUM TENNIS CENTER Joel Kassan—Executive Director Eric Faro—Director of Tennis 725 Gateway Center Boulevard • Bronx, N.Y. (718) 665-4684 Joel@GothamTennis.com StadiumTennisNYC.com MANHATTAN PLAZA RACQUET CLUB Milos Vojvodic–General Manager 450 West 43rd Street • New York, N.Y. (212) 594-0554 Milos@AdvantageTennisClubs.com AdvantageTennisClubs.com