New York Tennis Magazine July - August 2018 by United Sports Publications

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NYTennisMag.com • July/August 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

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

Staff David Sickmen Publisher (516) 409-4444, ext. 309 • david@usptennis.com Joel M. Berman President (516) 409-4444, ext. 310 • joel@usptennis.com Eric C. Peck Editor-in-Chief (516) 409-4444, ext. 312 • eric@usptennis.com Brian Coleman Senior Editor (516) 409-4444, ext. 326 • brianc@usptennis.com Joey Arendt Managing Art Director Francine Miller Advertising Coordinator (516) 409-4444, ext. 301 • francinem@usptennis.com Emilie Katz Assistant Marketing Coordinator Scott Koondel VP of Operations (516) 409-4444, ext. 324 Sidney Beal III Staff Photographer

Lee Seidner Staff Photographer

Kyle Gower Intern

Kayla Tan Intern

Jason Hirsch Intern

Caroline Lee Intern

Julietta Eulau Intern

Alex Flicker Intern

Sarah Schwartz Intern

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 2018 • Vol 8, No 4

Genie Gears Up for Summer in NYC Eugenie Bouchard returns to World TeamTennis action for the NY Empire as a tune-up heading into the 2018 U.S. Open. See page 28

Photo credit: Rob Loud

Highlights 6 10 14 32 46

2019 New York Open Preview: New York Open Returns to L.I. in 2019 Junior Player Spotlight: Zach Lieb, Gotham Tennis Academy Beyond the Baseline: Luke Jensen, West Side Tennis Club 2018 New York Empire Season Preview 2018 Boy’s High School Recap By Brian Coleman

Features 4 9 12 16 17 18 20 23 24 34 36 38 40 44 50 51 52 53 54 56 58 61 62 63 64 66 68 70 71 72 74 75

Cary Leeds Hosts 30th Annual Mayor’s Cup Event Sports Made Easy Connects the Tennis World USTA Eastern Hosts Inaugural Big Apple International Cup MCB Tennis Foundation Celebrates 50th Anniversary Har-Tru Celebrates 10 Years of Its ClayTech Hybrid Surface A Melting Pot of Tennis Culture and Education By Brian Coleman Where Should I Play? By Chris Lewit Tennis Bubbles: A Grand Slam Victory Over the Elements USTA Eastern Metro Region Update: July/August 2018 Collegiate Hopefuls Take Part in Annual JMTA Combine How Many Hours a Week Should a College-Bound Junior Play Tennis? By Gilad Bloom Meal Planning Tips for Athletes By Dr. Rob Silverman Across Metro New York USTA Eastern Inducts 2018 Hall of Fame Class Team Eastern Wins Third Straight Talbert Cup The Jensen Zone: Rafa: The Ageless Wonder By Luke Jensen Metro Corporate League Recap, Presented by Advantage Tennis Clubs Cooperative Play Crucial to Positive Training Environment By Danny Ostrometsky “I Think Too Much” By Amanda Ferranti CTA Spotlight: Highland Park Tennis Association By Brian Coleman Anger, Rage and Self-Defeat in Tennis By Dr. Tom Ferraro Google May be Your Worst Enemy By Todd Widom The Imaginary Umpire By Harvey Becker Adult League Wrap-Up: USTA Leagues Update NTC Hosts Annual Say Yes to Tennis, No to Violence Event Court Six: New York Tennis Magazine’s Gossip Column By Emilie Katz Footwork Is More Important Than Stroke Technique By Philip Feingold Captured: The Ecstasy of the Win By Barbara Wyatt The Secret to Rafael Nadal’s Success By Rob Polishook Thinking About Roland Garros? By Seth Sarelson Charkiewicz, Rolski Capture Men’s Pro Title at LI Tennis Challenge USPTA Eastern, New England Host Annual Conference

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Cary Leeds Hosts 30th An

he country’s largest interscholastic tennis tournament descended on the Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning in the Bronx as more than 900 participants from public, private and parochial schools in New York City competed in the 30th annual Mayor’s Cup. New York Junior Tennis & Learning ushered in a third decade of the Mayor’s Cup with a fantastic week of tennis featuring players competing in elementary, middle school and varsity divisions and culminated with the finals of each draw and the Awards Ceremony on the event’s final day. The finals of the Boys and Girls Varsity Singles Divisions were played on the two stadium courts of the Cary Leeds Center, as Ethan Leon of Beacon and Deliala Friedman of Bay Ridge Prep were crowned as Mayor’s Cup Champions. Leon defeated his Beacon teammate Felix Levine, 6-4, 6-1. “It works both ways,” Leon said of facing your friend and an opponent you know well. “I know his game, he knows my game. So it can be tough. I tried to really 4

neutralize him and not give him many chances to attack. I knew he was going to have his opportunities, but for the most part I think I did a good job of neutralizing him. And I found my opportunities to close out some points.” Friedman battled past Leila Epstein 6-4, 1-6, 6-2 as the bleachers and seats that surrounded the court filled up with spectators awaiting the start of the Awards Ceremony. Those fans witnessed an excellent match, with Friedman coming out on top in three sets. “I started pushing a little bit in the second set and I got a little tight,” said Friedman. “But the motivation to win this trophy helped give me the stamina to push through. I have always wanted to win this tournament, and I know I am following in my friend’s footsteps. She [Shawnte Beale] won this last year.” The Stuyvesant High School duo of Jennifer Yu & Celina Liu captured the Varsity Girls Doubles title, defeating Talia Bank & Fuschia Steward of Bard, 6-0, 6-1. “It’s pretty exciting,” said Yu. “I have been playing Mayor’s Cup tennis for a

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

while and to win in my senior year, it’s just a really great experience to finish my high school career with.” As is the case with the programs and tournaments run by the NYJTL and The Cary Leeds Center, furthering education was a prominent theme at the Mayor’s Cup. Partnering with event sponsor Disney, as well as First Book, more than 20,000 free books were distributed on the event’s final day. “First Book is honored to work with Disney and NYJTL on this important initiative,” said Kyle Zimmer, President, Co-Founder, and CEO of First Book, a non-profit that provides equal access to quality education for all children. “In addition to the health benefits that come from tennis, physical exercise has a tangible impact on academic performance, improving children’s social and emotional learning and their cognitive abilities. In fact, children who are physically active typically perform better in reading and math. So capping this year’s NYJTL Mayor’s Cup with 20,000 brand new books for Bronx schools ... that’s truly a perfect match.”

Annual Mayor’s Cup Event

Below is the full list of winners from the 2018 Mayor’s Cup: • Claire An: Girls Elementary Singles Yellow Ball • Iliana Dearmas: Girls Elementary Singles Green Ball • Dominick Mosejczuk: Boys Elementary Singles Yellow Ball • David Clarke: Boys Elementary Singles Green Ball • Evan Lee: Boys Middle School Singles • Arina Oreshchenkova: Girls Middle School Singles

• Patricia Grigoras & Julia Werdiger: Girls Middle School Doubles • Jake David & Nicholas Vasilescu: Boys Middle School Doubles • Ethan Leon: Boys Varsity Singles • Delilah Friedman: Girls Varsity Singles • Connor Morris & Robbie Werdiger: Boys Varsity Doubles • Jennifer Yu &Celina Liu: Girls Varsity Doubles

NYTennisMag.com • July/August 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

2019 New Y Prev New York Open Retu

By Brian Co

NY Open runner-up Sam Querrey, plus the current number five-ranked doubles tandem of Bob & Mike Bryan. Fans can expect to see more player announcements coming out around the U.S. Open.

Anderson, Querrey and the Bryans to return While the 2019 New York Open is still months away, Tournament Director Josh Ripple and his team at GF Sports and BSE Global have been hard at work preparing for the second year of the tournament. “After a three month retrospective of the inaugural tournament, one thing is very clear—there is a great future for ATP World Tour tennis in the New York-metropolitan area,” said Ripple. “Players, fans of all ages, corporate sponsors and Tour officials have welcomed and congratulated GF Sports and BSE Global’s efforts on the 2018 debut.” In big news, the New York Open has announced its first set of headlining players for 2019, beginning with defending champion Kevin Anderson. Joining Anderson is 2018

New York Open to expand its interactive experience The inaugural New York Open delivered great tennis on the court, and worked hard to integrate the Long Island community into the event. Whether it was through special events or promotional nights, the New York Open cemented itself as part of the local tennis scene and will continue to build on that. “A great benefit to debuting an event like the New York Open to a savvy and vocal consumer base is receiving straight talk feedback. Many attendees were impressed with the size and scope of our temporary physical footprint and how we allowed for fans to watch these top players in an up close and personal way,” said Ripple. “We planted several experiential offering seeds and are excited to see how they grow. Our plan is to drive greater awareness for The Overlook—our on-court indoor/outdoor hospitality area—activate the Coliseum’s

he inaugural New York Open brought professional tennis back to Long Island in exciting fashion earlier this year, and the ATP World Tour 250 tournament has announced its dates for next year. The 2019 NY Open will run from Feb. 9-17, 2019 at NYCB LIVE, home of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

Expo Hall, and better market the Grant Thornton Lounge—which will serve our VIP customers better in 2019.” New initiatives to the 2019 New York Open will include the build-out of some 40-50 oncourt level boxes, enhanced ability for people to play like the pros on the competition courts, the complete takeover of Carefree Racquet Club to stage off-site camps, clinics, tournaments in addition to allow people the opportunity to watch the players practice at the Official Practice Facility of the New York Open. “We think the addition of the box seats will provide customers—both individuals and corporations a familiar footprint to entertain during the week, and with our all-inclusive food and beverage offering the experience should be very memorable and attractive at a reasonable price,” said Assistant Tournament Director Peter Lebvedevs. “We plan to price the boxes in groups of fours, starting at $5,000 and going up to $7,500 for the front row.” Like any major entertainment event these days, the New York Open will need to present additional attractions, and will do so with features ranging from the return of the New York Tennis Expo, hosted by Long Island/New York Tennis Magazines, to the integration of Wolfpack Ninja. A GF Capital company, Wolfpack

w York Open eview Returns to L.I. in 2019

Brian Coleman

Ninja will provide kids and adults the opportunity to train with professional ninjas and test their own physical abilities on the incredible and grueling rig/course that has made ninja activities one of the most explosive recreational and entertainment platforms in the world. Ripple also emphasized the importance of securing a title sponsor for 2019. Both GF Sports and BSE Global are actively pursuing local, regional and national prospects. Like so many major professional sports events, the involvement of a title sponsor not only provides much needed funding support, but the partnership provides for year-long marketing and promotional activities which helps grow the roots of a tournament like the New York Open deep in the community. “The first year of any new sports event typically serves as the proverbial ‘Dip the Toe in the Water’ position with partnerships. In year two, our ability to build on the momentum created in year one, combined with the initiatives outlined above, will be the natural next step in the development of what is certainly going to become a major winter tradition in New York,” said Ripple. “But having that title partner that serves as our corporate champion is critical, and we are confident a great brand will be secured for 2019.”

A look back at 2018 The New York Open debuted with the return of the New York Tennis Expo, which brought nearly 4,000 people to NYCB LIVE for a day of fun with a vast exhibitor hall, tons of tennis activities and games, educational seminars and much more. The Opening Night Premiere kicked off the tennis action and brought together U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens, Eugenie

Bouchard, New York’s own John McEnroe and Yonkers native James Blake for an exciting exhibition night, before the tournament action heated up during the week. “It’s really exciting for me to be a part of this opening year,” said Blake. “I remember growing up and going to the U.S. Open with my dad and seeing tennis up close. Hopefully, this continued on page 8

NYTennisMag.com • July/August 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

2019 new york open preview continued from page 7 tournament can create some more fans like myself. I think it’s a great thing for the sport and a great thing for the community.” The 2018 NY Open featured some of the game’s biggest stars, including Anderson, Querrey, John Isner, Kei Nishikori and the Bryan Brothers, as well as future stars in young Americans Frances Tiafoe, Jared Donaldson, Ryan Harrison and Long Island’s own Noah Rubin. In the end, the top two seeds, Anderson and Querrey, respectively, met in the tournament’s final and it was the big South African Anderson who came out on top, winning the inaugural singles title with a 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(1) victory. Anderson shared his thoughts on the tournament’s first year: “Often, when it’s your first week and the first time you put on an event, it can be quite challenging. I must say that I feel like things went very smoothly. I think from a player’s standpoint, it didn’t feel like a first-year event

make the bet on who’s going to be the next best kid to break through,” said Ripple. “From a GF Sports standpoint, it has always been part of our mission to help the young Americans, and that commitment will be no different in 2019. The question is can any of that talent make the move and crack the top 30, which seems to be elusive for so many of them.”

at all. I think everyone who was behind the scenes did a terrific job and I’ve had two good outings in New York the last two times I’ve been here, so I’m definitely all for a tournament being back here and I definitely look forward So who is the New York Open to coming back next year.” looking at this summer? “Honestly, it’s still those same incredibly New York Open player view With top Americans Querrey and the Bryan talented kids that are battling to breakout,” Brothers back in the mix, the next step for the said Ripple. “Since February at the New York New York Open team is to keep a close eye on Open, we have seen Frances Tiafoe and the up-and-coming players, and young Amer- Taylor Fritz with glimpses of greatness, and even local favorite Noah Rubin bust out at the icans in particular. One of the more fun aspects of putting to- Challenger levels. Our hope is they all gether a player field for Ripple and his team is continue to climb, because their rise in the handicapping the next level of stars and sign- rankings can only help our efforts in ensuing ing them to play with the hopes that stardom is the highest levels of professional tennis just one or two tournament wins away. Look- remain in the United States.” ing at the rankings, most of the young Americans are still stacked up between 45-100 in the Brian Coleman is Senior Editor for New York ATP World Tour Rankings, and each are within Tennis Magazine. He may be reached by phone at (516) 409-4444, ext. 326 or e-mail four to five years in age of one another. “A difficult, yet rewarding, part of the job is to BrianC@USPTennis.com.

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courts and tee times, as well as connecting to nearby players. Playing golf and tennis can be very expensive and time-consuming for many, especially for those who don’t have easy access to a group of players and venues. There has not been a sufficient solution for this problem until now. Recently launched by My Game Solutions, Sports Made Easy is a mobile app connecting golfers and tennis players with each other, as well as with coaches and clubs in real-time. Through a mobile application, users can fulfill their sporting needs easily by hosting a match or league, and broadcasting open spots to active users who are ready to play. After the spots are filled, users can view all clubs and courts within their selected mile radius and timing availabilities to reserve a spot. With Sports Made Easy, users can get their USTA and UTR rankings updated automatically, which allows them to find players at their desired skill level with confidence. Users can look up other player

rankings/ratings who are not part the community with a click of a button before they play them in a league or a tournament. What previously took minutes or hours can now take place in a matter of seconds, freeing up time and expanding the users’ network. Already have a group of players you play with regularly? Simply locate and reserve nearby courts and courses on Sports Made Easy’s user-friendly interface. After its recent launch, Sports Made Easy has steadily grown its database on the East Coast and has begun branching out nationwide. With numerous junior players and three ATP professionals sponsored, My Game Solutions’ vision of “Sports Made Easy” is being shared with the world. Visit the company’s booth at the 2018 Atlanta Open, July 21-29, to learn more about the app’s functionality. Join in the quest to make tennis and golf as easy and affordable as possible by downloading the Sports Made Easy app from the Apple Store or the Google Play Store today.

NYTennisMag.com • July/August 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

NEW YORK TENNIS MAGAZINE’S

J U N I O R P L AY E R S P O T L I G H T

ZACH LIEB

ext year, Zach Lieb will take his tennis talents up to Connecticut to play for the Wesleyan University Men’s tennis team. “It’s a great academic school, which is what I was looking for along with a strong tennis program,” said Lieb. “The team camaraderie was something that I really enjoyed and coaches Mike Fried and Ben Shapiro are really great coaches and people as well.” Lieb began playing tennis at an early age because, like many athletes, his father and two older brothers were tennis players. “I started hitting the ball for fun when I was around five or six years old mainly because they would be on the court, and I would join in for a couple minutes for fun,” recalls Lieb. “I wasn’t that great when I was in the 10s and 12s, but I really enjoyed it so I kept going. I continued playing and developed into the player I am today.” That persistence has allowed the New York City native to take his game to a new level over the last few years. Lieb trains at the Gotham Tennis Academy at Stadium Tennis Center in the Bronx where he has

been for a decade. “I’ve been there since I was a kid. My family used to play at the old Stadium so we went back when the new one opened,”

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

he said. “I’ve just enjoyed the freedom I’ve had there in really being able to have great practices and not be boxed into a large group of kids all doing the same

boring drills and games every day.” That freedom comes from the program’s director, Eric Faro, who has been coaching Lieb for the bulk of his tenure at the academy. The two have a great coach-player relationship that has allowed Lieb to flourish both on and off the court. “I have been working with Zach since he was eight-years-old. He’s been the pillar for our program at Gotham for the last seven years,” said Faro. “Our relationship goes way beyond the lines on the tennis court. He is a special person to coach because, most importantly, he is just an outstanding kid. He treats everyone at the club the same no matter what. He has worked extremely hard on his game, and deserves all the success he has achieved.” A product of that relationship and the close, intimate groups in which he has trained has helped Lieb develop a sense of purpose on the court, something that he says is one of his biggest strengths as a player. “I would say that my variety, tactics and smarts on the court are my strengths,” said

Lieb. “When I was younger, my technique wasn’t good at all, especially compared to the kids I was playing against. So I had to find other ways to win. Finding the right balance between defense and offense is something that I’m always working on. The main thing for me now is to keep getting mentally and physically stronger. I’m looking forward to being able to get in the gym a lot more in college to really get stronger.” Despite his technique not being as sharp in the early part of his junior career, Lieb has improved it significantly which has opened the door to his rapid growth as a player. He and Faro have worked to make him a more aggressive player on court which, combined with his tennis intellect, have created a consistent balance to his game. That improvement will continue as he transitions into his college career, and looks to make an impact in the Wesleyan lineup. His adaptability to play both singles and doubles makes him a huge asset on a college team; something that

Faro knows will go a long way in Lieb’s next four years. “I believe he’ll keep improving and have a tremendous college career,” said Faro. “He has become so much more aggressive on the court in recent years, and his serve and forehand have become huge. Zach has incredible hands and I believe he will be an outstanding doubles player in college. He’s such a smart student and athlete, and I always have confidence that he can figure things out when he’s out on the court.” Making the transition from junior tennis to college is a difficult one, for many reasons, but Lieb is eager to be a part of a team, and can’t wait to make his contribution for the Wesleyan team next year. “I’m really looking forward to being part of a team,” said Lieb as he looks ahead to the fall. “Throughout my time in the juniors, tennis has been a solitary sport, so finally being able to be on a team, support and receive support from others, and have practice partners always there to play with is something I’m looking forward to.”

NYTennisMag.com • July/August 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

USTA Eastern Hosts Inaugural Big A

ome of the world’s best 12U and 14U players gathered at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows for the inaugural Junior TeamTennis Big Apple International Cup. The debut event featured top juniors from the United States, Canada, Mexico and Spain. “We wanted to bring excitement to Junior TeamTennis, and to give top Eastern

players the opportunity to compete against some of the best players in the world from their age group,” said Gustavo Loza, USTA Eastern’s Tennis Service Representative, Metro Region, who organized and ran the tournament. “The competition, atmosphere and sportsmanship was extraordinary.” The two-day competition was played in a round-robin format on the first day, and based on those results, the finals were played the next day. The United States would come

out victorious in both competitions. “We competed well and the guys and girls really tried their best, and showed great sportsmanship,” said Team USA coach Kurt Clemmons. “We had a really tough match against Canada on the opening day, but they battled through. I think it was a great experience for them. To be able to play on the grounds of the U.S. Open, that’s very important. And being part of a team atmosphere like this where the crowd

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g Apple International Cup

“I liked everything about the event, it was so much fun,” said Caitlin Bui. “It was fun to cheer and support the other players on our team and to play against other countries. It was interesting to see the talent from other countries and to see how they play.” The inaugural event was a success, and Loza and the USTA Eastern Section team are looking forward to expanding on the event next year. “Overall, it was an extremely positive experience for our players,” Loza said. “We will definitely look to make the event bigger and better next year.”

Team USA Big Apple International Cup Roster

is cheering, not always for you, is huge for their development.” Stephanie Yakoff, one of Team USA’s competitors, enjoyed being able to compete with her friends from the Eastern Section against top players from other countries. “It was nice to meet and compete against kids from other countries,” Yakoff said after winning a key mixed doubles match with Cal Wider, which gave the U.S. the win over Canada. “We started off a lit-

tle nervous, but when we got the lead, we calmed down a bit, and played well. Coach helped us take some of the pressure off … he did a weird dance before it started.” The majority of the players that made up the Team USA roster came from the Eastern Section, and in addition to the outstanding tennis, the competitors from all four countries exhibited outstanding sportsmanship and enjoyed cheering on their teammates.

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Beyond the Baseline: Luke Jensen Director of Racquet Sports, West Side Tennis Club By Brian Coleman

arlier this year, Luke Jensen was offered the opportunity of a lifetime, to become a part of The West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, N.Y. The Club was looking for a Director of Racquet Sports and Jensen decided to throw his hat in the ring. “Late last year, there was an e-mail sent out to a bunch of us coaches asking if we knew anyone who might be interested in being the Director of Racquet Sports at West Side,” Jensen recalls. “I wanted to be in that draw. How many times in your life do you get a chance like this? Even just to apply was a big deal. I got an interview, and then a second interview. I was so fired up just to get an interview, and couldn’t wait to become a part of the process of the Club moving forward.”

The search to find the right person to take over the role was thorough, but Jensen was the man for the job. “Luke Jensen, our Search Committee felt, has the potential to be transformational for our tennis program for both adult members and juniors,” said Club Captain Jon Knipe, who Co-Chaired the Club’s Search Committee. “We’re very excited that our CEO agreed with our recommendation, and convinced Luke to join us.” Jensen’s playing and coaching resume speaks for itself—he is a former French Open Doubles Champion who has been a Director of Tennis at a club and was also a Head Coach at Syracuse. He paired with his brother Murphy to win the doubles title 25 years ago at Roland Garros, and Jensen would win 10 ATP Tour Doubles Titles in his career.

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

At Syracuse, he led the Women’s Tennis team to a 106-57 record in seven and a half seasons, and also served as Touring Pro, Tennis Director and Tennis Emeritus at the Sea Island Resort in Georgia. While his resume is loaded with experience, the quality that was most attractive about Jensen was his energy and his raw passion for the sport. “After a five-month process, where we evaluated a large number of highly-qualified candidates, it became clear to both our Search Committee and myself that Luke Jensen stood out,” said West Side Tennis Club Chief Executive Officer Mario DiPreta. “He will bring us great energy and enthusiasm, a depth of experience and a love of the sport and its history.” Much of Jensen’s role at West Side will

be to inject that energy into the membership and programming, as the famed Club moves into its 126th year this summer. “This place has more than 100 years of tradition and history. I was a part of the 125th anniversary celebration last year, and now to take on the full experience, 24/7, 365, is unbelievable,” said Jensen. “We want to shake the perception that we are stuffy and old, because we have been around for so long. As a Director, it is my job to bring lots of passion and focus on the future, and really energizing everyone involved here. During the interview process we talked about my vision and mission to continue moving this play forward and into the next 100 years.” There is no doubting that Jensen will bring energy to Forest Hills. His enthusiasm and desire to be around and teach tennis is infectious and, maybe more importantly, authentic. One early example of that is the initiation of a Rock ‘N Roll Junior Tennis Camp which is happening at West Side this summer. Born in Michigan and spending his college years at the University of Southern California, Jensen is making the adjustment to becoming a full-fledged New Yorker. He lives on Queens Boulevard in Forest Hills, and loves each day in the new city he calls home. “It’s awesome,” said Jensen. “I am almost to the point where I am getting rid of my car. Once you do that, you are a real New Yorker.” One of the things that Jensen has embraced is the sheer diversity of the city, and specifically, Queens. “Queens is so diverse,” Jensen said, using some of his staff at West Side as an example. “I have five guys on the grounds crew from Albania. Our Pro Shop Manager is from Russia. We have a guy from Argentina, a guy from Puerto Rico … my doorman is from Macedonia. This is the ‘United Nations of Awesomeness.’” Jensen took over the position in early May, and was eager to get started with his new role at West Side. He understands that finding the balance between maintaining the incomparable tradition of the Club, but also helping to move it forward into the next century is something he is tasked with. “Anyone who walks into a new position where you are tasked to lead, you have to

assess the situation, look around and learn about the Club,” said Jensen. “Any place that needs a replacement means it needs new leadership. That doesn’t mean the person previously was bad or had it wrong, but things needed to move in a different direction, and create a new pathway to move forward. We haven’t made any staff or curriculum changes. We like having a diverse staff that teaches differently.” Jensen does not believe in one specific style of teaching tennis and likes having his coaches teach in a variety of ways. This creates a well-rounded group of coaches who are able to work with players from various levels, something that Jensen embraces. The new chapter in Jensen’s tennis life

that has brought him to New York, where he is already making his impact felt in Forest Hills. The concert season at Forest Hills Stadium has begun and the grass courts are freshly trimmed as the summer season is here, and Jensen hopes to see you out at The West Side Tennis Club sometime soon. “West Side Tennis Club is a part of the American tennis fabric,” Jensen said. “If you are anyone who loves this game in our country, you have to make the pilgrimage to this place.” Brian Coleman is Senior Editor for New York Tennis Magazine. He may be reached by phone at (516) 409-4444, ext. 326 or email BrianC@USPTennis.com.

NYTennisMag.com • July/August 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

MCB Tennis Foundation Celebrates 50th Anniversary

ach summer, one of the most exciting junior tennis tournaments travels across the country to host its unique circuit of sectional, national and international championships. Created by the Maureen Connolly Brinker Tennis Foundation (MCB), the “Little Mo” circuit unites some of the world’s best junior players, and this year will be a little extra special as MCB is celebrating its 50th Anniversary. “Five decades of faithful and astute operation of any successful business is extraordinary. Both Mom and Nancy Jeffett merged their passions for tennis and their desires to help future generations of promising junior tennis players by cofounding the Maureen Connolly Brinker Tennis Foundation in 1968,” said Cindy Brinker Simmons, President of MCB and daughter of Maureen Connolly Brinker. “They both wanted to give back to the grand sport of tennis by offering travel grants, conducting clinics and organizing tournaments and international programs that would not only be a platform for outstanding competition but would also encourage fair play, good sportsmanship, integrity, and kindness.” The spirit of MCB came from the way people helped out Maureen Connolly on her way to a successful professional tennis career. “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 Carol Weyman, Executive Vice President of MCB. “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 18’s National Grass Court Championships in Philadelphia, and that was really the beginning of her 16

successful tennis career.” Maureen knew from that point that if she ever had the chance to help out young players the way she was helped out in her early years, she would do so. When she was diagnosed with cancer in 1966, she turned that dream into a reality with her friend Nancy Jeffett to found MCB in 1968. Maureen passed away the following year. For more than two decades now, the “Little Mo” circuit has become the signature initiative of MCB, embodying all the qualities of the foundation and Maureen. “As we complete the first 50 years of MCB, Mom would be thrilled, absolutely thrilled, to see the impact MCB has had on junior tennis” Simmons added. “Truly, we salute with tremendous thanks, the multitude of individuals who have helped propel MCB into the globally respected junior tennis foundation we have become in the last 50 years. Specifically, we acknowledge and appreciate Nancy’s daughter and our fellow Director

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

Elizabeth Jeffett, as well as our exceptional Executive Vice President, Carol Weyman, who has overseen the distinguished work of MCB for 29 years and who has developed our signature ‘Road to the Little Mo Nationals’ circuit and three international tournaments in California, New York and Florida.” It will be a special summer for everyone involved with MCB. As always, one of the highlights of the summer here in New York will be the “Little Mo” Internationals held at the historic West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills from Aug. 20-25. This year, there will be a special ceremony on Tuesday, Aug. 21 from 5:00-6:00 p.m. where a five-foot tall bronze plaque, honoring Maureen Connolly Brinker’s Grand Slam feat and remarkable career will be unveiled on the historic stadium court. If you would like to attend the plaque unveiling and dinner party to follow on the iconic grass courts in front of the clubhouse, please e-mail cartennis@aol.com.

Har-Tru Celebrates 10 Years of Its ClayTech Hybrid Surface

ar-Tru LLC is excited to share that the company is celebrating 10 years of ClayTech in 2018 by hosting play events around the country. ClayTech is a hybrid clay court that offers all the benefits and playability of clay without all the maintenance. The surface was developed and sold in Europe prior to its introduction to the United States. ClayTech is a court system that gets glued to an existing hard surface and infilled with red or green clay. It can be installed and playable in as little as three days. The base is a 1/4” needle-punch textile that never requires rolling, has perma-

nent lines, and needs minimal brushing and watering. “Har-Tru is always looking for ways to create a better place to play,” said Tracy Lynch, Har- Tru’s Director of Sales. “ClayTech does just that. It is an all-weather, easy to care for, clay court that makes the game more fun and more comfortable.” All-weather is a term typically reserved for hard courts, but the company contends that ClayTech has a greater right to that claim than any surface they have seen. There are now more than 700 ClayTech courts in 21 countries around the world and with more interest in low maintenance

options, those numbers are expected to rise. Har-Tru LLC sold more ClayTech courts last year than any year since the introduction of the surface. According to Lynch, playing is believing: “The court sells itself.” That, he says, is why the company has decided to put on play events to celebrate the 10-year anniversary. Play events are being scheduled for June and July in Washington, D.C., South Carolina, Missouri and New England. As dates and locations are finalized they will be posted to the company’s Web site at HarTru.com. All are invited to participate.

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Please call RTC 718-796-7400 l www.riverdaletennis.com Gilad Bloom 914-907-0041 l Arthur Bobko 941-544-4778 NYTennisMag.com • July/August 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

A Melting Pot of Tennis Culture and Education Ross School Tennis Academy merges skill with diversity in East Hampton By Brian Coleman

East Hampton native Ally Friedman has been a four-year member of International student Vitalina Golod from Kiev, Ukraine is entering her the Ross School Tennis Academy senior year at Ross School Tennis Academy

Plantation, Fla.’s Natalie Block, the highest ranked girl in the USTA Florida Girls 14s Division, attends RSTA for a summer training session hey say New York is a melting pot. When you are here, you will be surrounded by various types of people and different cultures, all of which merge to create one of the most diverse cities in the world. If you head east from NYC and towards the Hamptons, you will find a tennis academy that embodies those same qualities: The Ross School Tennis Academy (RSTA). Tucked away in East Hampton, the Tennis Academy at Ross School is one of the most unique academies in the world. With its full academic program, combined with a complete physical and mental conditioning program, the

T 18

RSTA Tennis Director Vinicius Carmo (center) accepts the Tennis Club of the Year Award at the recent USTA Eastern LI Region 28th Annual Awards Dinner from tennis greats Emilio Sanchez, Liezel Huber, USTA Eastern Executive Director and COO Jenny Schnitzer, and USTA Eastern Long Island Region President Jonathan Klee

environment in which RSTA’s players train in is a well-rounded one. The combination of the high-performance tennis program and the top-notch academics makes Ross School stand out from the pack, but it is also the mix of international flavor that make up the program’s players and coaches. “I think it is great to have different cultures here. We have coaches from Spain, the Ukraine, Italy and Brazil just to name a few,” said Vinicius Carmo, RSTA’s Tennis Director, who hails from Brazil. “It’s very diverse and it’s nice to bring together the different styles and experiences, which creates a learning environment that is beneficial to our players.”

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

One of the program’s top players is Vitalina Golod, who just finished her junior year and is a native of Kiev, Ukraine. Golod first came to Ross for the summer camp when she was 11years-old, and continued to come each summer. Two years ago, she became a full-time student at the Academy and is a part of the boarding school. “I had a pretty tough time with a lot of 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. “But things got better. I became confident in myself that I was ready to live on my own, and it has been going

really well. It is definitely different than my experiences in the Ukraine. All the coaches there follow the same program, but here, we have coaches from all over. It’s amazing. They all have different opinions on how to teach tennis and I love it.” While Golod comes all the way from Eastern Europe, one of her best friends, Ally Friedman, grew up not too far from the Ross School. Freidman, who will be entering her junior year next fall, is a native of East Hampton and has been a part of RSTA for nearly four years now. “It’s such an amazing atmosphere here,” said Friedman. “When you become close with the boarding students, they become like your family … you see each other all the time. I’ve met a lot of different people who I would have otherwise not had the opportunity to meet. I have best friends from all of these different places. It’s a cool experience and it really opens your eyes.” In terms of the tennis coaching, Friedman says that the coaches at RSTA really make sure to establish working relationships with the players, which is one of the benefits of having a small, intimate program.

“Most of the coaches have experience working with both American and international kids, and I think they interact with us well,” Friedman said. “They have a way of getting to know the players, no matter what their past is or where they are from. They all have the same goal of wanting us to improve as tennis players, while getting college-level experience.” The mix of backgrounds and cultures that make up the Ross School Tennis Academy is one of the aspects that make the program such an invaluable experience for its players. It is the only boarding school with a tennis program in New York, and it is looking to expand further and add more features. “We feel we are one of the only schools to offer good academics and a top tennis academy on the same campus,” said Carmo. “And our goal is to try and develop players. We are starting to offer scholarships. In the past, we only offered financial aid, but we are now adding scholarships for highly-ranked players.” Carmo said that Ross School Tennis Academy is also trying to host more top-level USTA tournaments at the facility in its effort to con-

tinue growing the Academy. In recent months, it has hosted some progression-level junior tournaments, but hopes to expand and be granted Super Six and National tournaments. As one would expect, the summer months are when the Ross School courts really heat up. Top juniors from across the country and internationally are able to train there when they are in the Hamptons, and a six-week boarding program is available during the summer as well. There are a number of things that make the Ross School Tennis Academy a top-flight destination for junior tennis players. But perhaps the most intriguing part of the Academy is its diverse group of players and coaches who all bring their own background and culture into the fold, creating a unique environment for its students and players to grow in. “It’s the combination of having an excellent college-prep academic environment with a diverse group of international students who are given a personalized approach in a group setting,” said Holly Li, Manager of the Ross School Tennis Academy “It not only makes us unique, but allows each player to achieve their own individual success.”

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www.hartru.com NYTennisMag.com • July/August 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

Where Should I Play?

The timeless tennis debate about court positioning and game style By Chris Lewit t seems that since the dawn of tennis, there has been a debate about where players should position themselves on the court and the type of style to adopt. Should players rush the net or grind from the baseline? Should they hug the baseline to be aggressive or hang back to improve their defense? Should they attack or defend? These are the questions that continue to be hotly contested today among coaches and players. If you look at two of the legendary players in the game like Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, you can see that both styles

of play and court position are effective and can be successful at the highest levels of the game. Rafa plays a typical classic Spanish style with a tendency to hang back from the baseline deep in the court, defending and grinding many balls, while winning many points without moving forward to the net frequently. Roger plays much closer to the baseline and attacks the net aggressively and consistently to win points. This dichotomy in style and court position can be found at all levels of the game, from the pros to juniors, to amateurs at the club. In my system of training, I believe the physical, technical and psychological traits of a player will dictate where and

New York Tennis Magazine â&#x20AC;˘ July/August 2018 â&#x20AC;˘ NYTennisMag.com

how he or she tends to play. I believe in giving my students a broad range of skills so that they can be successful deep in the court grinding or taking the ball early just off the baseline. For example, if I have a student who is very aggressive mentally and likes to attack, has excellent reflexes and hand-eye coordination, a long wingspan, and relatively compact swings, that player would be a good candidate to play near the baseline with a strategy of moving forward to net. If I have a student with boundless stamina, larger looping swing shapes, good but not great reflexes and instincts at the net, and a conservative mentality, that player might be a good candidate to play farther from the baseline by grinding out points without prioritizing

forward movement to the net and attacking play. My concern is that most coaches have a favorite player and style and then they use that player to rationalize how ALL of their students should play. For example, many coaches praise Federer and instruct all their students to attack the ball on-therise the way Roger does. Or vice-versa, some coaches are Rafa fans and teach the Rafa game style. It’s important to be player-centered and teach the style and court position that fits the student’s psychology, physical gifts and technical skills—not to force every player into one glorified model of play! It’s concerning to me that I work with countless students who tell me that at other clubs they are instructed to ALWAYS move forward and take short balls to the net. Is this good advice generally? Sure, it’s pretty good advice. However, many kids may be better off bringing their opponents to net with an off-speed short slice or dropshot, especially if their passing shots are better than their volleys. This is a blasphemous idea in New York and Amer-

ican tennis coaching circles. According to most coaches, every short ball should be attacked by going to the net. It’s like a law written in stone … case closed. Did those coaches ever think that a wellplaced drop shot—drawing the opponent forward—can be a better mode of attack for some players than approaching the net themselves? It’s sacrilege to suggest this! I like the philosophy that the coaches espouse in Spain … go forward to improve your court position when you can—but don’t force it—and understand that sometimes it’s better to bring your opponent to net than for you to go there. Move forward with caution and make sure the percentages are in your favor before attacking. Construct the point well before attacking. Remember that you will sometimes need to rally many balls and even defend before you can go on the attack. As the legendary Spanish coach Jose Higueras likes to say, “Tennis is a game of give and take. Sometimes you must give ground, and sometimes you may take ground.” In New York, the United States, and

other fast-court dominated countries, the emphasis is primarily on taking—taking ground. To give ground is framed as a sin—it’s weak. If a young player growing up in America doesn’t want to take risks, have great stamina, or patiently grind from the back of the court, he or she will be mocked as a “pusher” by other kids and heavily criticized by most American coaches for “not being aggressive” enough. In Spain, by contrast, this type of player would be allowed to thrive and play his or her preferred style, and this player would not be made to feel shame for wanting to grind from deep behind the baseline. In Spain, this player would be encouraged to develop some attacking skills, but would not be forced into playing a style that went against her or her talents and personality. When working with my students, I always try to remember the sage advice of Jose Higueras: “Tennis is a game of give and take.” With my young students, I train them to be comfortable both giving ground continued on page 22

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where should i play? continued from page 21

(defensive play) and taking ground (offensive play), and holding ground (counterpunching). I don’t always know what style they will gravitate to when they are older, so I want to build a player who is comfortable moving 360 degrees in all areas of the court. Then, as the player gets older and matures, they will naturally gravitate towards playing closer to the baseline and looking to get to net, or the opposite, and I can effectively guide them this way. Both outcomes are okay! Every player is different, and all players should not be forced into one primary playing style or one type of court position “because it’s better,” according to the coach’s esteemed opinion. It’s a shame when I meet young players who have spent their whole junior career taking the ball early right on top of the baseline. They don’t have a clue how to defend or retreat. They only know attacking skills and footwork. It’s an equal shame

when I encounter players who hang way back in the court and have never learned how to take the ball on the rise. They don’t really know how to attack and take time away. All players should know these fundamental skills; they should be complete in their ability to cover all areas of the court in 360 degrees. And, they should be allowed to gravitate towards one primarily style and court position depending on their personal characteristics. Coaches have a responsibility to develop a complete movement package and skills in all court positions when their players are young. Trust me—Rafa knows how to hug the baseline and take the ball early. Roger knows how to hang back and grind. They have complete mastery of all areas of the court, but they choose a primary style and court position that suits them best. That should be explained to kids who don’t really

know any better when they watch these guys on TV. So perhaps there is an answer to the age old debate: Teach competency in all court positions and complete skills when players are young—then get out of the way as they mature! Develop players with complete attacking and defending skills and guide them with an open mind to find the right court position/game style. This is a better and healthier way to build champion players. Chris Lewit, a former number one for Cornell and pro circuit player, coaches in the New York City area and also runs a highperformance boarding summer camp in Southern Vermont. He specializes in training aspiring junior tournament players using progressive Spanish and European training methods. His best-selling book, Secrets of Spanish Tennis, has helped coaches and players worldwide learn how to train the Spanish way. He may be reached by phone at (914) 462-2912, email ChrisLewit@gmail.com or visit ChrisLewit.com.

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914.462.2912 CHRIS@CHRISLEWIT.COM 22

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

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 can be 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 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

USTA Metro Region A Message From USTA Eastern Metro Region President Pablo Sierra

Tennis comes to Vive Tu Vida Festival I had a great time at the Hispanic Federation’s “Vive Tu Vida,” held on 186th Street and St. Nicholas Avenue in Washington Heights. The kids were great, and I spent time explaining to the parents why their kids should be interested in playing tennis. Our play time was shortened a little bit because there were other groups wanting to introduce the kids to other sports such as soc24

cer, but I must say it was a quality time at the event. The event promoted healthy living, eating right, and promoting activity and exercise. I was very happy to see so many kids interested in the sport and enjoying themselves playing tennis. I think the smiles spoke for themselves. Everyone of all ages should think about going out and taking a swing. Many times, the LOVE of tennis begins with simply taking a swing. Thank you to the Hispanic Federation for providing the kids with rackets and balls.

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

USTA Metro Region A visit to the Lincoln Terrace Tennis Association

One of the best parts of my role with USTA Metro Region is being able to interact with the wonderful people who make up the great tennis programs in our area. I recently had the opportunity to see Lincoln Terrace Tennis Association (LTTA) Executive Committee Co-Chair Charles East, Program Director Ken Wilkinson, Information Technology/Social Media Committee Chair Sasha Thomas and many of the volunteers at the LTTA. What an amazing program! All of the courts were being used to

teach beginners, juniors, adults and advanced players. The crew at Lincoln Terrace Tennis is extremely organized. I spoke with Charles regarding some of his challenges, and his thoughts are very valid, because they can affect the promotion of the game of tennis. We exchanged numbers and e-mails, and will remain in contact. Charles mentioned if I visit after the school year comes to an end, that I would not believe the number of kids the LTTA

program attracts. I will definitely be back. This is one of the most fun positions I have ever enjoyed. I enjoy meeting, talking and trying to assist tennis programs. Because there are a lot of volunteers out there doing great work. They do it because they love doing it, and many will go unnoticed and do not look for attention. They just simply have a passion for the game of tennis. We need to continue to shine a light on these volunteers and programs throughout our city.

NYTennisMag.com â&#x20AC;˘ July/August 2018 â&#x20AC;˘ New York Tennis Magazine

USTA Metro Region Tennis on Armed Forces Day

It may have poured outside, but it didn’t keep the people away from wanting to play tennis at the Stars and Stripes Playday/Clinic, held on Armed Forces Day. What a fun afternoon. Thank you to Paul, Dave, Whitney, Patricia and Ali for making this a success. A big thanks also to the Fort Hamilton Sports & Fitness Center for moving us inside to the 26

Fitness Center; and thank you Michael, Director of Sports and Fitness, for being a supporter. Special thanks to USTA Eastern, the USPTA, the New York Empire, and the U.S. Army for helping support the event. We look forward to further cultivating this relationship and growing the “Stars and Stripes” Playday/Clinic.

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

NYTennisMag.com • July/August 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

Genie Gears Up for Summer in NYC Bouchard back for NY Empire and looks to return to form heading into the U.S. Open By Brian Coleman

ast year, Canada’s Eugenie Bouchard competed in her third season of Mylan World TeamTennis (WTT), her first with the New York Empire. “It’s so interesting to be on-site at Flushing Meadows without it being the U.S. Open. It’s kind of preparation in a weird way,” Bouchard said last year of competing at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, home of the U.S. Open and the New York Empire. “It’s obviously different with the colored courts, but I thought it was really cool.” Bouchard will have the opportunity to play on the colored courts of Court 17 again this summer, as she will once again compete for the Empire in the upcoming WTT season, and visit one of her favorite places in the world. “Playing for New York was so much fun last year,” she added. “It’s so unique to be at a Grand Slam venue at a different time of the year. It’s eerily quiet, and so special. New York City is my favorite city in the world. I love the energy. I love how

you can do absolutely anything at any time of day. My favorite things to do are grabbing a bite at La Esquina and taking a walk on the High Line.” The two-time Grand Slam finalist is a native of Montreal, where she began playing tennis at the age of five, and quickly displayed a superb talent for the sport as she trained at Tennis Canada’s National Training Center. She spent some time training in Florida in her early teens as she continued to become one of the top junior players in the world. “My parents put my twin and myself in tennis classes once a week, and I fell in love with the sport immediately,” said Bouchard. “I begged my parents to let me play more. Fast-forward 19 years and here we are!” Bouchard would win the Wimbledon Junior Title in 2012, knocking off current world number five Elina Svitolina in the finals. It was a signature win for Bouchard’s early professional career and was the beginning of a successful run on the WTA Tour in the coming years.

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

Her first year competing on the WTA Tour came in 2013, where she reached the main draw of many events, including her first Grand Slam main draw appearance at the French Open. But 2014 would prove to be her breakthrough when she became a household name. She played some of the best tennis in the world that season, powering her way into the semifinals of both the Australian Open and French Open, before her magical run on the grass courts of Wimbledon. Bouchard would make her way all the way to the Wimbledon final, at just 20years-old, before falling to Petra Kvitova. Despite the loss, it looked as if it was a sign of things to come and the birth of the next big star in women’s tennis. Her results earned her a spot at the end-of-year WTA Finals and she was named the WTA’s Most Improved Player, and it seemed only a matter of time before Bouchard hoisted a Grand Slam trophy. “It was really tough for me today, but I continued on page 30

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genie gears up for summer continued from page 28

am proud of how I have played for these two weeks,” Bouchard said after her Wimbledon finals loss. “I feel like it’s a step in the right direction.” But the next couple of seasons would prove to be difficult ones for the Canadian, as a combination of up-and-down results and injuries led to a decline. She struggled to find consistency throughout 2015, until she visited Flushing Meadows for the U.S. Open. Bouchard had rolled into the fourth-round, playing her best tennis in months, before an unfortunate fall in the locker room left her concussed. The injury forced her out of the U.S. Open and subsequent tournaments following, and the lack of match play and continued inconsistency when she did play in 2016 and 2017 saw her continue to fall in the rankings. “Results-wise, in the last few years, I have not achieved what I normally expect from myself, however, I have had moments of really good play,” said Bouchard. “I have learned to keep things in perspective, so it has not been mentally tough for me because I am so grateful that my life is amazing no matter what.” That perspective has helped Bouchard stay focused on her goals despite the on-court struggles she has dealt with in recent years. Because of her ranking, she decided to compete in ITF tournaments earlier this spring as she worked her way back from injuries, and had to participate in the qualifying draw of Wimbledon if she wanted to compete in the tournament’s main draw for a sixth straight year. She did just that, winning all three of her qualifying matches, including a dominant straight-sets win over the second seed, Mariana Duque-Marino of Colombia, in the final round. “I was really solid today, I was a little nervous before,” Bouchard told the BBC after she qualified. “I feel like I’ve earned my spot there more than just being in [based on] my ranking. So I’m proud of that, and I got matches this week which is what I wanted because I’ve not played a lot, I’ve been injured. So that was the goal.” As she continues to get more matches under her belt and work her way back to the form that saw her reach three consecutive Grand Slam semifinals just a few years ago, Bouchard has handled adversity better than most. She is looking forward to continuing her match play during the upcoming World TeamTennis season, where she hopes to lead the Empire to the King Trophy. “We’re a strong team, we just have to prove it,” she said of her Empire teammates. “We were very competitive last year, and wanted to win every match. If we bring it again this year, I think we will have a great chance at the title.” 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. 30

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

COMING IN AUGUST 2018

Distribution scheduled for 08/25/18

This 2018 U.S. Open edition will feature: • 2018 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!

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2018 U.S. OPEN EDITION Submissions for both advertisingNYTennisMag.com and editorial•are due by July/August 2018July • New25, York 2018 Tennis Magazine 31 For more information, please call 516-409-4444 or e-mail Advertise@NYTennisMag.com

2018 New York Empire Season Preview

he New York Empire begin its third season in Mylan World TeamTennis (WTT) as the franchise returns to the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center this summer, looking to build off a 2017 campaign which saw it come one match away from the finals. “There were so many close matches, we lost a couple of tight ones including some third-set tie-breakers, so it could have gone either way,” said Empire Head Coach Gigi Fernandez. “One match could have put us in the finals. So we just have to do what we did last year, and hopefully be a little better.” Fernandez, along with WTT Co-Founder Billie Jean King and WTT Commissioner Ilana Kloss, held court for Empire Media Day at the National Tennis Center to kick off the upcoming season. King discussed the importance of there being a WTT franchise in New York: “You have to have a New York team,” King told reporters. “It’s such a great market. You have every culture; over 145 languages are spoken here. It’s really important. I played the majority of my WTT career in New York, first with the Sets at Nassau Coliseum, and for the Apples at Madison Square Garden. The reason I live in New York now is because of WTT. I loved playing for this city … those are very important years to me.” The Empire hope to make an even bigger leap in its third season, and has the goal of competing for the King Trophy, which is presented to the WTT champion. In the draft, Fernandez said the primary focus was to enhance the doubles teams. Since three of the five sets played are doubles (Men’s Doubles, Mixed Doubles and Women’s Doubles), making sure you are successful in doubles is of great importance. “The girls we had last year didn’t gel like 32

we hoped they would,” said Fernandez. “Doubles is important in World TeamTennis, so we emphasized getting doubles players who would work well together.” To address that in the draft, the Empire selected Germany’s Tatjana Maria and Spain’s Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, both of whom will be competing in their first season in WTT. The two will join Neal Skupski, who will be competing for the Empire for the third straight year, and draft pick Denis Novikov, as well as marquee players John Isner, Eugenie Bouchard and Mardy Fish. “It’s great. Having them is awesome,” Fernandez said of the returning marquee players. “They are established players and bring the fans out. The excitement when they’re playing is palpable.” Special Themed Nights Highlight Empire Home Schedule The season gets underway on Sunday, July 15 at 5:00 p.m., when John Isner will look to help lead the Empire to a season-opening victory. Featuring live entertainment, games, food trucks and face-painting, the team will welcome guests of all ages for Family Fun Night. Festivities will begin at 3:30 p.m. and the action on the court will begin at 5:00 p.m. On Wednesday, July 18, the New York Empire will honor women who inspire today’s youth, as Billie Jean King and the Women’s Sports Foundation participate in “Empower Her Night” when the Empire host the Philadelphia Freedoms. Hundreds of young girls will be treated to one of two tennis clinics sponsored by Empire BlueCross BlueShield or the Women’s Sports Foundation as part of Empower Her Night. Participants in both clinics will receive a complimentary racket, interact with the New York Empire roster, take a photo with Billie Jean King, and Head Coach Gigi

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

Fernandez will also make an appearance. A special ceremony will take place at halftime to recognize those in attendance. The Empire will “Play for Puerto Rico” on Friday, July 20 against the San Diego Aviators. Head Coach Fernandez will be raising funds and awareness for her native Puerto Rico after the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria last September. A live auction will take place at halftime featuring a bidding opportunity to play in Arthur Ashe Stadium for one hour later this summer. Mardy Fish, former American number one, will take Court 17 on Monday, July 23 when the Washington Kastles make their second visit to the National Tennis Center as the Empire host “Unity in the Community Night.” The night will feature a salute to our military servicemembers, veterans and first responders. Any tennis fan who attends in uniform or shows their military or service identification card will receive complimentary admission to the night’s match. On Wednesday, July 25, the Empire will celebrate and showcase the multi-cultural fabric of Queens on “International Night.” Live music, international cuisine and oncourt performances will highlight the evening. The Orange County Breakers come to Court 17 on Thursday, July 26 when Genie Bouchard and Fish will help host “Volleys Against Violence.” High school students are encouraged to rally together and join the evening that will feature a pre-match pizza party with local police officers and on-court contests. The Empire will close out its season on Thursday, Aug. 2 against the Philadelphia Freedoms with Fan Appreciation Night. Promotional giveaways will be featured throughout the evening and the first 500 guests will receive a special gift. One lucky fan will win a raffle for 2019 New York Empire season tickets.

2018 New York Empire Home Schedule Tickets start as low as $10 for children ages 16-and-under and $25 for adults. The New York Empire offers both reserved box seats and general admission

seating, along with hospitality packages, which include food and beverage service and the opportunity to meet the team. Group tickets and various hospitality packages are available by calling the New York Empire Office at (844) 5-EM-

PIRE (844-536-7473) or by visiting NYEmpireTennis.com. Marquee players are subject to change. All home matches will be played on Court 17 of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

The 2018 WTT regular season will take place from July 15-Aug. 2, with the number one-seeded team hosting the championship match for the King Trophy on Sunday, Aug. 5. Below is the New York Empire’s 2018 home schedule: DATE

TIME

OPPONENT Featuring John Isner playing for the Empire

Sunday, July 15

5:00 p.m.

Wednesday, July 18

7:00 p.m.

Friday, July 20

7:00 p.m.

Monday, July 23

7:00 p.m.

Featuring Mardy Fish playing for the Empire

Wednesday, July 25

7:00 p.m.

Featuring Mardy Fish playing for the Empire

Thursday, July 26

7:00 p.m.

Featuring Mardy Fish & Eugenie Bouchard playing for the Empire

Thursday, August 2

7:00 p.m.

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NYTennisMag.com • July/August 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

Collegiate Hopefuls Take Part in Annual JMTA Combine By Brian Coleman

ore than 100 tennis players entering their sophomore, junior or senior years of high school recently came to Sportime Randall’s Island to take part in the Third Annual John McEnroe Tennis Academy (JMTA) College Recruiting Combine. The event gives prospects the opportunity to play in front of some of the country’s top college coaches, as they take part in match play, detailed tennis and fitness performance reports, informative coaching panels and personalized interaction. “The 2018 JMTA College Recruiting Combine was a smashing success, with competitors from all over the United States, as well as from India, Bolivia and the Philippines,” said Jay Harris, Director of Tennis at Sportime Roslyn and Director of the JMTA College Recruiting Combine. “The Combine was able to share the talents of top players with coaches from nationally-ranked college teams such as Dartmouth, Cornell, Baylor, Buffalo, Washington, St. John’s, Bucknell University and many more. New this year is an introduction into the incredible world of Sports Vision, where players not only learned about the concept, but also were tested on their vision abilities and awareness.” The two-day long Combine featured the

players competing on both hard courts and clay courts, outdoors and indoors, as the coaches were able to scout and take a look at the players in a multitude of environments. The match results count towards a player’s Universal Tennis Rating (UTR) and, through a partnership with Cizr Tennis, all matches were recorded on video and available to players with detailed analytics and a custom video player that allows players to watch and share with college coaches. “It was a great experience for me to be here and have the chance to play in front of and meet college coaches,” said Jack Flores, who is entering his junior year at Huntington High School, and is a two-time Suffolk County Individual Boys Champion. “I am starting to think about where I want to play my collegiate tennis, and events like these are incredibly helpful.” Players took part in a mental toughness seminar with some of the JMTA’s top tennis minds, and were able to learn from and ask questions to college coaches, from all levels, during the coaches’ panels. Max Moscowitz, an Assistant Coach at Fairleigh Dickinson University, was one of the speakers on the boy’s coaches panel, and was eager to look at some of the local players in action to see who would be a

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

good fit for his program. “We’re trying to find more local players in the New York/New Jersey area to come to Fairleigh Dickinson,” said Moscowitz. “We want to help players develop and grow, and events like this help us find those types of players. By the time our season ends, most of the high school tournaments have ended also, so events like these are so important because we only have so much time to recruit. It is so important to our recruitment process.” One of the more unique aspects of the Combine is the Player Portal that is created for each participant. The Portal stores event information, such as match results and fitness tests, which help to further simplify the process of showcasing a candidate’s talents to college coaches. “I think we continue to improve on our unique college exposure product,” Harris said. “We are able to blend an opportunity for college prospects to gain exposure with a true educational opportunity for all of the players and their parents.” Brian Coleman is Senior Editor for New York Tennis Magazine. He may be reached by phone at (516) 409-4444, ext. 326 or email BrianC@USPTennis.com.

NYTennisMag.com • July/August 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

How Many Hours a Week Should By Gilad Bloom any of the students I teach ask me how many hours a week they should train in order to reach the college level. The answer is … not that many. It’s the quality and the effort that counts. Anywhere between three to six times a week is a good start, no more than two hours per day, either in a group or private lesson. If you practice about 10-12 hours per week in total, that would still leave you ample time to work on academics and have a normal childhood. I’m not a big believer in sending a child from their home environment to an “academy,” playing tennis all day and living in a dorm away from their parents. I believe that collegiate level tennis can be achieved while staying home and attending a regular school. Having said that, I would also like to add that if you are looking to reach the professional level, I would strongly suggest home schooling as an option and to take a much heavier load of sessions. But to reach the collegiate level, even Division 1, a few things need to happen …

1. Great practice habits This could be the most important aspect of a tennis player and something that every college coach appreciates. With good practice habits, you don’t have to train that long, and as long as the intensity is there, two hours of practice per day is plenty. Just make sure that you don’t take too many breaks (and if you do, make them short). Also, run down every ball without exception. I learned that from the top players in the world from my era. They were all animals on the practice court. In my opinion, when you spend five to six hours a day on the court, the level of concentration and quality declines, especially the intensity. It’s better to go all out for two hours and go home. 2. An extensive fitness program This program should include one to two hours per week with a trainer, and another two or three times when you exercise on your own. Physical fitness was always an important aspect of the game, but in the past, you could get away with not being fit. Today, everyone is in shape … it’s a must. Proper stretching is essential as are regular visits to the trainer for physical sessions in order to stay injury-free. 3. Play another sport (preferably a team sport) This current generation is not at all a “Ball Handling Generation,” unless it’s a video game. Tennis is a one-sided, asymmetrical sport that can cause an imbalance in the body (especially the back). Playing other sports will help balance the body, prevent injuries and improve coordination. Playing a team sport is a nice relief for a tennis player who is used to being on their own all the time. Sure, we all love the individuality of the sport of tennis, but it’s nice to be with the boys/girls out there on the field and develop the ability to win and lose as a team. 4. Find an outside hobby A musical instrument as an outside interest off the court is highly recom-

hould a College-Bound Junior Play Tennis? mended. We all know how hard and stressful the game of tennis can be at the competitive level. A player needs something to fall back on when things are hard—a release, an escape, something that relaxes them. A musical instrument can be carried around to tournaments, but so can books, chess, movies, art or anything. The point is, there are things out there other than tennis. This can be very useful at a time when injuries are a part of the game. 5. Play tournaments regularly on weekends After the age of 12, I’d recommend at least two tournaments per month. Weekend tournaments are essential to the development of the junior player, there is no substitute to a real USTA match. Competition is the breeding ground for improvement and staying sharp for

matches throughout your junior years will bring you to college with ample experience in tight matches. 6. Step it up during the summer and when on vacations When off from school, kids should take advantage and double their sessions to twice a day. This is the time to push it a bit. Without the burden of school and with a good night’s sleep, most kids are more coachable and are easier to push to the limit. Just make sure they play, mostly on clay, five to six hours each day. 7. Take breaks Make sure that kids take two or three breaks per year, at least one week at a time. It is very important to get away from the game from time to time, in order to recharge and plan the next step or to just forget about it all and disconnect.

Breaks are also vital in the sense they can also prevent future burnout. 8. Combine private lessons with group sessions Having one-on-one lessons is irreplaceable. Some parents sign their kids up only for group lessons and that is a mistake. Specific corrections can only be given effectively in private lessons. The instructions in a group setting are a follow up to what happens in a private lesson. A combination is ideal as group lessons are usually more fun and allow kids to interact and compete. Keep the lessons fun and enjoy the journey, even if it’s filled with hard work. 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 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

Meal Planning Tips for Athletes By Dr. Robert G. Silverman If you want to perform like a professional athlete, it’s not all about the training. More importantly, you are what you eat. Here are my top tips to help athletes get stronger, faster and healthier through meals and proper meal planning. Don’t skip breakfast One of the biggest mistakes athletes make is exercising without eating anything first— especially in the morning. When you wake up, your blood sugar is already low, so you should eat as soon as you get out of bed. That way, 30 to 45 minutes will have passed before you actually head out the door to work out. You should also immediately start hydrating for the day’s workout 38

or match. Drinking water while you work out is great, but if you start your run on empty, you’re never going to finish as strong as you want. If you don’t typically eat breakfast, start small. Try drinking orange juice (with no sugar added), then move to a glass of OJ plus an organic, hard-boiled egg. By incorporating foods with substance to the start of your day, you stabilize your blood sugar and prepare your body for a workout later. Eat the right foods for healthy body composition When you are planning your meals for the week, it’s important to choose foods that will not only sustain your active lifestyle and athletic performance, but also ones that aid you in maintaining a healthy body composition. Start with grass-fed, pasture-raised and organic proteins, such as lamb, pork,

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

bison, elk, chicken, turkey or duck. If you prefer to eat fish or seafood, choose wild salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines or haddock, as well as wild clams, scallops, mussels, oysters or shrimp. For sides, choose ancient grains, such as quinoa, amaranth or sorghum, and any organic green vegetable. Choose oils from avocados, walnuts, almonds, macadamia, flax seed or hemp to both consume and cook with. You should also include fatty fruits in your diet—like avocados, coconuts, and olives—as well as wild organic berries, cherries and the occasional apple. When it comes to milk, skip the dairy and choose an alternative like almond, coconut, hemp, or cashew—but make sure you choose one without large amounts of added sugar. Speaking of sugar, your best alternative for sweetener is monk fruit extract or coconut sugar. Finally, include raw nuts and seeds

to complement your healthy fats. If you’re having difficulty remembering what to avoid as you meal prep, I use two acronyms as my guide—no GPS: Gluten, Processed Foods or Sugar; as well as no DNA: Dairy, Nicotine or Artificial Sweeteners. Stop eating any foods you suspect you’re allergic to or cannot tolerate. And finally, stop drinking soda, even the sugar-free kind. Stay hydrated Athletes should drink up to one ounce of water per pound of body weight every day. And while it’s important to stay hydrated during the duration of your workout, athletes should plan to drink water throughout the day to make rehydrating easier post-workout. You also shouldn’t wait until a match to see how your body responds to other liquids like sports drinks. Make sure to sip on the same beverage during competition as you do during your training to save yourself from any potential stomach troubles. Properly refuel post-workout While the nutrients serve different pur-

poses, what you put into your body postworkout is just as important as your preworkout meal. Post-workout meals should focus on replenishing what you’ve expended while exercising. To start, replenish your lost electrolytes as soon as possible. Many sports drinks are high in sugar, but water mixed with electrolyte-replenishing tablets is an excellent source for rehydrating. While there isn’t a onesize-fits-all approach to replacing electrolytes—as individual sweat rates and lengths of exercise differ—the need to replace the sodium and water lost through sweat applies to all athletes. In addition to rehydrating, athletes should also consume a mix of protein and carbs, like a whey protein shake, within the first 30 minutes after finishing a high-intensity or endurance workout. Doing so will help reduce muscle soreness and aid in muscle recovery. As for a healthy postworkout snack, make sure to avoid processed carbs, which increase inflammation, and opt for anti-inflammatory foods, like cherries, walnuts, or kale. Athletes should also include MCT oil in their

post-workout regime, as it’s one of the fastest sources of clean fuel to replenish the body and brain. As an athlete, choosing the right foods and liquids to fuel, refuel, and hydrate your body can not only make the difference between winning and losing, but also impact the longevity of your game. Like training, proper meal planning can help give you the edge you need to rise above the competition. Dr. Robert G. Silverman is a White Plains, N.Y.-based sports chiropractor and certified clinical nutritionist, specializing in functional medicine and the treatment of joint pain with innovative, science-based, nonsurgical approaches. He is also on the advisory board for the Functional Medicine University and a health contributor to various major TV networks. He is the author of Amazon’s Number One Best-Seller, InsideOut Health. In 2015, he was honored with the prestigious Sports Chiropractor of the Year award by the ACA Sports Council. He can be reached by phone at (914) 2876464, e-mail Info@DrRobertSilverman.com or visit DrRobertSilverman.com.

NYTennisMag.com • July/August 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

Across Metro Ne Switzer Secures Singles and Doubles Titles in Virginia Beach

Sahakyan Wins Nike Camp Grand Prix

John McEnroe Tennis Academy’s Ty Switzer went down to Virginia Beach, Va. and had an outstanding tournament at the Level 2 Nationals. Switzer won both the singles and doubles competitions, pairing with Cooper Williams as the topseeds to win the doubles title, and winning all five of his singles matches in straight sets to claim the singles title.

New York Tennis Club Opens Up Summer Season

Yelena Sahakyan, who trains under Gilad Bloom, took home the title at the L2 Hardscrabble Nike Camp Grand Prix in the Girls 12s Division. Entering the tournament as the number three seed, Sahakyan overcame a tough semifinal match, where she had to win 10-4 in the third set, before winning the finals in straight sets to claim the championship.

Wei Enjoys Breakout Freshman Season at Caltech

New York Tennis Club welcomed the start of the summer season by hosting a Memorial Day BBQ for its members. There was plenty of food, good times, and of course, tennis as the summer season at the Bronx facility began.

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

James Wei, a longtime student of Chris Lewit Tennis, had a standout season in his freshman year at Caltech. He paired with fellow freshman Varun Shanker to set the single season record for wins in doubles. By way of their success, they became the first Caltech tandem to finish inside the top-25 of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Division III Rankings.

New York

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

CourtSense Hosts Team USA Regional Training Camp

Kontokosta Captures May Open Championship Ross School Tennis Academy’s Eleni Kontokosta took home the title at the L2 May Open at Huntington Indoor Tennis Center. Kontokosta won all of her matches in straight sets to bring home the championship, her first as a competitor in the 12U Division.

Cary Leeds Hosts Puerto Rican Players During Mayor’s Cup

The best American boys and girls born in 2005 and 2006 descended upon the CourtSense Training Center at Bogota Racquet Club to take part in Team USA Regional Training Camp. The players took part in a workshop and a clinic as a part of the Camp, which featured many of the top juniors from the USTA Eastern Section.

Bengtson, Martin Win Centercourt Chatham Open Championships

Centercourt Athletic Club of Chatham hosted its annual Men’s and Women’s Open Singles Club Championships, which featured some highly-competitive tennis from many of its top club players. Kitty Martin defeated Jennifer McNally in the Women’s Open final, while Martin Bengtson won the Men’s final by beating Steve Millerman.

As part of the 30th Annual NYJTL Mayor’s Cup, the Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning had the pleasure of hosting many young tennis players from the Asociación de Tenis de Puerto Rico, who came to the Bronx to participate. The kids competed in team competition, and had the opportunity to speak with Cary Leeds Executive Director Liezel Huber, who had some words of advice for the aspiring youngsters: “When you live in an area where it’s hard to get to tournaments, you have to practice just as hard as you would play in those tournaments, so you know you’re ready when the day comes.”

NYTennisMag.com • July/August 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

across metro new york continued from page 41

Okhtenberg Takes Title on Long Island MatchPoint NYC’s Nicole Okhtenberg continued her successful run in USTA tournaments, as she headed out to Long Island to compete in the L1B Huntington Summer Challenger. Okhtenberg won both of her matches in straight sets, including a 6-3, 6-3 win in the finals.

West Side Coaches Train Ahead of Summer Season

The coaches from The West Side Tennis Club were eager to pick up some new tips for their upcoming summer season as they attended the USTA Net Generation workshop at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. The clinic took place on Court 14 and was led by USTA National Skills Manager Leah Friedman.

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

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NYTennisMag.com • July/August 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

USTA Eastern Inducts

2018 Hall

USTA Eastern’s Hall of Fame Class of 2018, David Benjamin, Robert Kenas, Nadine Netter Levy and Lloyd Emanuel, were inducted at the famed at the New York Athletic Club

STA Eastern and the Junior Tennis Foundation (JTF) inducted four new members into the Eastern Hall of Fame Class of 2018 at the New York Athletic Club in Manhattan. Eastern legends David Benjamin, Lloyd Emanuel, Robert Kenas and Nadine Netter Levy were celebrated for their outstanding lifetime achievements and contributions to the game, and their legacies will now be enshrined in Eastern tennis history. “This year’s four inductees have made 44

extraordinary contributions that perpetuate Eastern’s heritage of tennis excellence, preserve its visual history and contributed to the growth of the Eastern tennis enterprise,” said Jenny Schnitzer, Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of USTA Eastern. “Each has left a unique mark on Eastern tennis, and it is our pleasure to bestow upon them the Eastern Section’s highest honor.” The USTA Eastern Tennis Hall of Fame exists to recognize those players and nonplayers in the Eastern Section whose

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

achievements and contributions to tennis are worthy of the highest commendation and recognition. More than 125 guests, including USTA Eastern Board members, past Hall of Fame inductees, and friends and family of the incoming class, were in attendance for the 31st annual celebration. Proceeds from the celebration will benefit JTF, which provides scholarships and grants for junior and adaptive tennis players throughout the Eastern Section. At the event, two junior players, Christopher Perez Santiago and Nicole Massa, received

cts

l of Fame Class David N. Dinkins Scholarship Awards for their accomplishments both athletically and academically. Benjamin from Skillman, N.J. was inducted by Bob Ingersole, JTF President. With his 26-year tenure as Princeton University’s Varsity Men’s Tennis Coach and four decades leading the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA), Benjamin, a native of Great Neck, N.Y., was a guiding force who helped shaped today’s world of collegiate tennis. Emanuel from Rye, N.Y., was inducted by Bob Litwin, 18-time U.S. National Champion and eight-time member of the

U.S. Senior Davis Cup team. A former varsity captain of Columbia University Men’s Tennis Team, Emanuel founded the Eastern Masters Grand Prix Circuit, establishing a thriving forum for adult players to continue competing at the highest levels. He would go on to work at Jericho-Westbury Indoor Tennis. During his 40 years volunteering in the Eastern Section, Emanuel served on the USTA Eastern Board of Trustees and built the foundation for the ranking system that are used today. Kenas, hailing from Marlboro, N.J., was inducted by his children, Jennifer Kenas Arianas and David Kenas. Robert Kenas’s

beautiful photography chronicled the Eastern Tennis Association junior circuit and Section special events in the 1980’s and 1990’s. His photos have been featured in national tennis publications, including Tennis Week and World Tennis, as well as national newspapers including The New York Times. Levy, currently of Palm Beach, Fla., was inducted by her children, Sharon Kalb, Gus Levy, Kate Levy and Vanessa Seide. Originally from New York City and raised in Scarsdale, N.Y., Nadine Netter Levy is a former tour player and co-captain of USTA Eastern’s Addie Cup.

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www.centercourtacademy.com m NYTennisMag.com • July/August 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

2018

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

Shawn Jackson Finishes Career With City, State Titles Photo credit: Damion Reid/PSAL

When Shawn Jackson began his final season as a high school tennis player earlier this spring, the Susan E. Wagner High School senior wanted to finish his decorated career by claiming one of the titles that had eluded him up to that point. “In my junior year, I fell short and came in second place, so winning the City Championship in my senior year was definitely a goal of mine,” Jackson said. And Jackson did just that, defeating Beacon’s Ethan Leon, the defending champion, 6-1, 6-4 in the singles final of the PSAL Individual Championships. The showdown was a rematch of the 2017 final, when Leon won 6-3, 6-3. That match was played indoors at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, but this year’s final was played outdoors at Grover Cleveland High School, and Jackson used the conditions to his advantage. “My game suits the outdoors because it’s played a little slower,” said Jackson. “Ethan and I are both kind of short, about the same height, so I tried to use a high, heavy spin. I thought that would be effective against him to his backhand. That was my game plan, and I worked the point from there.” He parlayed his win in the PSAL final into becoming a State Champion as he advanced to the New York State Federation Tournament at the National Tennis Center, which pits the PSAL champion against the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA), Independent School and Catholic High School Athletic Association (CHSAA) champions. Jackson defeated the champion from the Independent Schools, Peter Frelinghuysen of Trinity, 6-1, 6-0 in the semifinals to book his spot in the federation finals. Unfortunately, Oyster Bay’s Patrick Maloney, the NYSPHSAA Champion, was dealing with a foot injury and had to withdraw from the championship. “I was definitely disappointed because I worked really hard to get to that point, and I 46

Shawn Jackson of Susan E. Wagner High School in Shawn Jackson will take his talents to Staten Island was crowned 2018 PSAL Individual Hofstra University this fall when he joins the Champion Men’s Tennis team was playing at my peak,” said Jackson. “I felt strong after beating Peter in the semifinals, and thought I could take Patrick. The waiting around thinking I was going to play, and then finding out right before that we wouldn’t be playing. It was tough, I really wanted to play. Being a State Champion was something I always thought about. Especially after winning the consolation draw of the NYSPHSAA in my sophomore year, I really thought I could win a State Championship, so I worked really hard to make that a goal for this year.” Jackson looks back at his high school career and is proud of his individual accomplishments, but one of his top achievements was creating a winning culture for the Susan Wagner tennis program. “Playing for Wagner and helping make the team into a winning one means a lot. They didn’t have great teams in the past,” said Jackson. “The team was really solid in my years here, and it was awesome to be a part of that.” He now looks ahead to the next stage of both his life and his tennis career, as he will become a member of the Hofstra University Men’s Tennis team in the fall. Jackson first met Hofstra Head Coach Jason Pasion at the John McEnroe Tennis Academy College Recruiting Combine a couple of years ago, and

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

Jackson knew early on that he was the coach he wanted to play for. Pasion was the Coach at New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) at the time, so Jackson was ready to commit there, but when Pasion moved on to become the Head Coach at Hofstra, Jackson followed suit. “When I saw him after my junior year, he was at Hofstra and he saw a lot of improvement in my game,” recalls Jackson. “I really wanted to stick with him, especially knowing I had a chance to play Division I. I just felt that he was the right coach for me. He told me what he liked about my improvement since the first time he saw me play, and said he can push me to the next level. I know Marcus Smith, who is their captain, and he gave great reviews. So it was the right fit.” Jackson concludes his high school career with a plethora of achievements and accolades, and will look to make his impact felt for the Hofstra Pride over the next four years. “I’m hoping to crack the lineup in my freshman year. My goal is to have fun, but also to do well, and focus a lot on academics,” said Jackson, who plans on majoring in biology and begin pre-med. “I want to keep improving my game and increase my physical training, and just continue to raise my level of play.”

2018

BOY’S HIGH SCHOOL RECAP Beacon Wins PSAL, Mayor’s Cup and San Marco Invitational The story of the season in New York City High School tennis was once again the dominance of Beacon, who enjoyed another outstanding campaign as it won the PSAL, Mayor’s Cup and San Marco Invitational titles this spring. “The guys all work incredibly hard at their game, both as part of the school team but also outside in their private training,” said Beacon Head Coach Bayard Faithfull. “That’s what distinguishes them: their incredible hard work and dedication to the game. All of the kids took steps forward this year.” The Blue Demons put together an undefeated regular season which earned them The Beacon High School Boy’s Tennis team were crowned winners of the 2018 San Marco the top-seed in the PSAL “A” Division tour- Invitational nament. It would not miss a beat in the playoffs, and eventually took on Bronx Science in the championship, a rematch of last year’s final. Beacon claimed its 11th straight New York City title with a 4-1 triumph over Bronx Science. Ethan Leon helped lead the way with a 7-6, 6-2 victory at first singles, and Marcos Lee won his match at second singles, beating Blake Frank 6-2, 6-2. The development of both Leon and Lee in the last couple of years has been integral to Beacon’s sustained success. “They’ve improved their games so much,” Faithfull said of his top two singles players. “Ethan has taken his game to a new level. I’m so proud of him. He isn’t the Beacon was crowned 2018 PSAL Champions, marking the 11th consecutive season the Blue biggest kid in the world, but has figured out Demons captured the title a game that works for him, and has really raised his level. Marcos is the same way. He has a huge game; a different game than Ethan’s, but they have both showed con- seasons, but with the emergence of Dono- tribute to the team’, and that’s what he did. sistent improvement. They will lead the van Brown in the singles play, Levine did He was an outstanding doubles player for the best thing for the team and decided to us. He really developed his game for the team next year as seniors.” doubles court. Julian Szuper was the same One of the most significant reasons for play doubles. “In ladder matches in the beginning of way. In their senior seasons, they decided the Beacon’s sustained success is the selflessness of its players, and there is per- the season, some of our younger players to do what was best for their team and suchaps no greater example of this than Felix beat him, and I think in many circum- ceed at doubles, and they did just that. I reLevine this past season. The senior had stances other players would quit,” said been a singles starter for the last couple of Faithfull. “But he said, ‘I’m going to concontinued on page 48 NYTennisMag.com • July/August 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

2018

BOY’S HIGH SCHOOL RECAP beacon wins psal, mayor’s cup and san marco invitational continued from page 47 ally respect the two of them for putting the team first, and they set a great example for the rest of our guys.” Earlier in the season, prior to winning its 11th straight PSAL championship, Beacon captured the sixth annual Jim San Marco Boys High School Tennis Invitational, defeating defending champions Horace Greeley 4-2 in the final at the Fordham Preparatory School. “I want to say that I really enjoyed watching all of your teams compete this year,” said Jim San Marco, who was on hand at the finals and presented Beacon with the championship trophy. “It was a great event and congratulations to Beacon and your coach, Bayard, on another successful tournament.” The title is the third in six years for Beacon, who was led by the Tournament MVP Donovan Brown, who won all three of his matches at first singles. Brown defeated Horace Greeley’s Spencer Lowitz 2-6, 7-5, 10-4 in the championship, and Felix Levine won 6-1, 6-2 over Ryan Guber as Beacon won two of the three singles flights. Liam Dunne & Matt Mosejczuk held off Justin Greenfield & Brad Schoenfeld 7-6, 1-6, 10-8 at second doubles and Arnov Agostinho & Hyat Oyer won 6-2, 6-7, 10-5 over Harrison Lerner & Zack Gordon to round out the Beacon scoring. The San Marco Invitational pits the best teams from Long Island and the New Yorkmetropolitan area. In addition to Beacon and Horace Greeley, this year’s tournament featured Syosset, Roslyn, Trinity, Harrison, Fordham Prep and Bronxville. “It’s wonderful to be able to compete against the teams and players from Long Island and Westchester,” said Faithfull. “The format is great. We had two freshmen [Agostinho & Oyer] who went up against a team of two fabulous seniors, and came out victorious. It was great see. It’s a wonderful tournament and Jeff Menaker does 48

Ethan Leon’s 7-6, 6-2 victory at first singles helped lead Beacon to their 11th consecutive PSAL Championship

Beacon’s Felix Levine during his 6-1, 6-2 win over Ryan Guber in the San Marco Invitational Championship

a great job in putting it together.” Beacon concluded its season by competing at the 30th annual Mayor’s Cup, where it won the title for the seventh time in eight years. The Blue Demons defeated Horace Mann 5-0 in the finals, after defeating Trinity and Riverdale in the quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively. It was another incredible season for the boys of Beacon, as it won team titles in the PSAL, the Mayor’s Cup and the San Marco Invitational, and the work is already being

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

put in to repeat next season. “The kids have plans to play a lot over the summer, work hard and come back stronger,” said Faithfull. “There are two spots opening up on the team, and the guys see that as a challenge and a way to step up. They know if they work hard they have a chance at landing a spot. We have some freshmen who are itching to be starters, and hopefully they’ll continue to grow, and we’ll be back competing at this level again.”

2018

BOY’S HIGH SCHOOL RECAP Brown, Szuper Win PSAL Doubles Title A year ago, Beacon’s Donovan Brown won the Doubles title at the PSAL Championships alongside his partner, Tyler Kats. Brown would once again claim that title once again, this time pairing with fellow Beacon teammate Julian Szuper to earn the title as the best doubles duo in New York City. After beating Cardozo’s Will Kofman & Eric Dubilrer 6-2, 6-3 in the semifinals, Brown & Szuper defeated Mitchell Pertsovsky & Jeffrey Yu of Brooklyn Tech 1-6, 6-3, 7-6 (8-6) to win a thrilling championship. The pair would advance to the finals of the New York State Federation tournament where they met the NYSPHSAA Champions, Charlie Levinson & Connor Aylett of Mamaroneck. Levinson & Aylett would win the NYSPHSAA Championship with a 7-6(7), 6-2 victory over Brown & Szuper.

Beacon’s Donovan Brown is a back-to-back PSAL Doubles Champion after teaming with Julian Szuper to win the 2018 title

PSAL Doubles Champion Julian Szuper of Beacon in action at NYSPHSAA Championship

Maspeth Wins PSAL “B” Division Title It has been a long time coming, and now Maspeth can call itself the winners of the Boys Tennis Bowl Championship. Maspeth, who reached the semifinals or the finals in each of the last four seasons, finally claimed the title, which is given to the winners of the PSAL “B” Division, with a 3-2 win over Bard. Michael Rosca & Vince Guan put Maspeth on the board early with a 6-1, 8-6 victory over Charles Stacey & Jasper Curtis of Bard. Ian Kasprzak bolstered the Maspeth lead with a 6-3, 6-3 triumph against Zachary Middownik at third singles. One win away from the title, the first doubles tandem of Brian Corcho & Christian Cintron clinched the Maspeth win with a 6-4, 6-3 win against Gabriel Neuman & Spencer Bernstein. While the overall match was decided, Bard cut the final deficit to 2-3 as it got wins from Nathan Silverstein and Oliver Tockman at first and second singles, respectively.

The boys from Maspeth took home the 2018 PSAL “B” Division title

NYTennisMag.com • July/August 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

Team Eastern Wins Third Straight Talbert Cup

or the third consecutive year, the title of Talbert Cup Champions belongs to the Eastern Section. The Talbert Cup is an annual Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 35â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Northeastern Intersectional Championship, which features teams from the Eastern, New England, Mid-Atlantic and Middle States Sections of the USTA. The 2018 Talbert Cup was played at the West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, and the Eastern team beat New England 8-1, receiving wins from Jon Pastel, Adrians Zguns, Angel Diankov, Rob Pohly, Devin Wakeford and Jeffrey Lonczak in singles play, and doubles wins from the tandems

of Rob Pohly & R.D. Ferman, and Adrians Zguns & Brian Meisner. Rain forced the second and final day of the event to be moved indoors to the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, but it did not stop the Eastern team from succeeding on court. Because play was moved indoors, the format changed to four singles flights and one doubles flight, and Team Eastern defeated Middle States 4-1 to capture the title for a third straight year. Pastel, Zguns and Phillip King won their respective singles matches, while Ferman paired up with Luke Jensen to

win the doubles match. â&#x20AC;&#x153;At the core, we have an energetic group of talented players who enjoy competing with each other,â&#x20AC;? said Ferman, Team Easternâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Captain. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our top player, Jon Pastel, provides on-court leadership and inspiration, which encourages the rest of the team to stay active and keep up our tennis games as best we can. It is really fun to see the recruiting efforts to field a strong team come to fruition. This year it helped to have Luke Jensen, former French Open doubles champion, join our team for the final round. In addition, the West Side Tennis Club staff were excellent hosts.â&#x20AC;?

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Rafa: The Ageless Wonder By Luke Jensen ow about Rafael Nadal at this year’s French Open? I have always been impressed with the Spaniard’s mental tenacity and toughness. Before he won any Grand Slams, I remember watching him play his first ATP final. It was against a fellow Spanish player who was a veteran. Rafa had won the first set easily and was on his way to the title in a tight second set. The second set came down to a tie-breaker, and Rafa had some match points to win. Rafa didn’t necessarily choke, but he did squander those winning chances and found himself in a third set. It was at this point I remember saying to myself, “Now I’m going to see what this Rafa kid is all about.” Tennis is tough and most of winning is how you take a punch in the gut when you are not playing your best. In the final set, Rafa regrouped and destroyed his opponent 6-0. That same positive and intense focus is still true today. I believe winning the singles title at the French Open is the toughest major to win in the modern game. Most of the players on tour grew up on red clay and know how to play the slow court tactics. Players who grow up playing on the red dirt also know how to slide and recover on the slippery surface. My idol growing up was the great Swede Bjorn Borg. He won six French Open singles titles. Rafa has 11 Roland Garros titles and has set a standard of

excellence that it is hard to even define! The great Pete Sampras won 14 Grand Slam singles titles ... Rafa may win 14 French Open majors alone! Now the race is on between Roger Federer and Rafa. Fed has 20 major titles and Nadal now has 17. I believe this will be a fight to the career death to see who finishes on top. There is no doubt in my mind that Fed feels Rafa on his heels … the key is going to be a smart schedule that primes each player for each major to stay healthy and fast, while age will always rob an athlete from a valuable step or two. I will finish with this … Rafa has many championship qualities. One that he uses that many often overlook is his ball placement. Rafa is constantly look-

ing to hit shots to the sidelines. This forces his opponents to cover more court and pulls opponents out of position. The next time you play, use a little Rafa in your game. Tactically, use the sideline as a placement weapon and dominate your opponent! Go for the lines! Born in Grayling, Mich., Luke Jensen’s resume includes 10 ATP Tour doubles titles and singles victories against Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, Ivan Lendl, John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg, Jimmy Connors, Boris Becker, Stefan Edberg and Jim Courier. Jensen and his brother, Murphy, won the 1993 French Open doubles title. He may be reached by phone at (315) 443-3552 or e-mail LukeJensen84@yahoo.com.

Give yourself the added advantage. Dr. Robert Silverman 311 North St. Ste. G1 White Plains, NY 10605 Ph: 914.287.6464 www.DrRobertSilverman.com Specializing in: · Tennis elbow · Concussion · Rotator cuff injuries · Performance · Ankle sprains · Muscle strains · Tendonitis/tendonosis · Plantar fasciitis NYTennisMag.com • July/August 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

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 not ready to compete and just want to get a good workout while practicing tennis or need to get some rust off their rackets! The Metro Corporate Tennis League just finished its Winter 2018 Season and would like to congratulate NYJTL/Cary Leeds, Bank of America and Deutsche Bank for winning the Advanced, Advanced Intermediate and Intermediate Divisions, respectively. The League hosted more than 60 teams during the Winter Season. However, during the Summer Season, the League can only accommodate 40 teams. Rosters for the Summer 2018 season include:

Advanced Division 1. BNP Paribas (Pierre) 2. Bloomberg (Vighnesh) 3. Proskauer Rose Advanced Intermediate Division I 1. Bloomberg (Vineet) 2. Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP 3. Bloomberg (Reno) 4. Deutsche Bank 5. Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP 6. Schulte, Roth & Zabel LLP

Intermediate Division I 1. BNP Paribas 2. Angelo, Gordon & Company 3. White & Case LLP 4. Sullivan & Cromwell LLP 5. CVC Capital Partners 6. Barclays Capital Intermediate Division II 1. Bloomberg (Aces) 2. D.E. Shaw & Company LP 3. KPMG LLP 4. Deutsche Bank 5. Bloomberg (Kyuwon) 6. PwC Hi-Five Division 1. Bloomberg (Peggy) 2. Sullivan & Cromwell LLP 3. Bloomberg (Brett) 4. Bloomberg (Irvin) 5. Schulte, Roth & Zabel LLP The Summer Season will run from May 30-Aug. 22, culminating with an end-of-season party at Roosevelt Island Racquet Club. The Metro Corporate Tennis League would like to welcome new team, Dechert LLP to the Corporate Tennis League.

Advanced Intermediate Division II 1. Bloomberg (Ankur) 2. BNP Paribas 3. Bloomberg (Fischler) 4. The Corcoran Group 5. Bloomberg (Ming) 6. Dechert LLP 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. 52

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

Cooperative Play Crucial to Positive Training Environment By Danny Ostrometsky child’s experiences in the world of sports early on plays a very important role in their lives. Positive experiences can establish a solid foundation of love and appreciation for athletic activity, while negative experiences can foster resentment for a particular sport and an avoidance of future participation. It is important to provide a positive learning and playing environment to instill confidence in the individual, not only in an athletic sense, but in everyday life as well. A child’s overall self-esteem can be greatly impacted by what they perceive on the court in training. In order to create such an environment, it is important for coaches and parents alike to prioritize the needs of the child as they develop the skills necessary to excel at a particular sport, rather than placing an emphasis strictly on winning. In the world of QuickStart Tennis and 10 & Under Tennis programs one of those needs is the child’s need to simply play. At this early stage of development, kids should be en-

couraged to have fun while learning skills at their own pace and not having any worries about being better than another child. One way to create a positive playing experience for youngsters is to change the environment to one that is not centered on competition, but one that fosters inclusion and cooperation. Limiting competition for youngsters frees them up to relish playing the sport, rather than being solely concerned with a final outcome. It teaches kids that there is more to life than simply winning or being better than someone, and that there must be a balance between finding joy and the mastery of a task. There are many games that can be altered to fit a cooperative approach. As a simple example, consider a game in which two teams of two players rally with each other until they amass a target number of shots (shots can be made consecutively, or just continue counting after a mistake). Working together to reach the common goal of continuing the rally is more conducive to a fun environment in which no one single player’s ability overshadows that of another’s. Instead of competing,

children are socializing and problem-solving cooperatively to reach their goal together, not against one another. There are many benefits of cooperative play for children 10 and under that extend beyond the court. Positive social interaction behaviors can be instilled right on the court. Children develop qualities such as creativity, empathy and respect for one another when they are encouraged to cooperate. These qualities will be very important in their lives outside of the sports world. Additionally, children who are shown the importance of enjoying the training process rather than the importance of being better than another, are likely to develop a more positive view of their sport, and are more likely to continue their training and achieve positive results in the future. Danny Ostrometsky, a USPTR-certified Tennis Coach, is Assistant Director of MatchPoint’s QuickStart Program. Danny is a former Top 30 Sectional Junior Player in the 16 and 18 Divisions and a former Division 1 collegiate player at George Washington University.

NYTennisMag.com • July/August 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

“I Think Too Much”

The detriment of being labeled as an over-thinker By Amanda Ferranti

Have you ever been told that you think too much? Or do you feel anxious because you cannot seem to stay focused during a match? As a competitive tennis player, you may already know the value of staying in the moment—whether you are in the point or between points. Knowing this, however, doesn’t make the task any easier, especially if you have been labeled as an “overthinker.” With each lost point or mistake, another firework of thoughts is released, making it increasingly difficult to focus on playing the game. Your critical voice grows louder and your confidence is progressively stripped away. Although rapid thinking is a normal physiological response to stress, the overthinkers may start to worry about the fact that they are worrying. In other words, you judge yourself for thinking too much and start to feel a greater intensity of stress … and so the spiral of negativity continues. In order to change this process, it is important to first understand the emotion(s) felt at this moment. From experience, both personal and professional, I would like to discuss what I think to be the most influential: alienation. This feeling is associated with the internal message that “There’s something wrong with me.” When you feel alienated, there is a sense that you don’t fit in somehow. So over-thinkers start to believe that their mind is different, bad or weak in some way. This judgment is detri54

mental to performance in several ways, including the following: l Lowered confidence in one’s mental skills: In all sports, you can divide measurements of capability into four categories: Physical, Technical, Tactical and Mental. So how much do you trust in your mental performance? For those who are labeled as over-thinkers, they often report lower ratings of confidence–around 50 percent to 60 percent. This means that you don’t really believe in your ability to focus, be optimistic and resilient during a match. And without this belief, you are already set up to fail. l A sense of imprisonment to one’s own mind: When calling yourself an over-thinker, there seems to be an external locus of control mixed with the idea that it is a disability. It’s as if I was born this way and there’s nothing I can do about it. When you don’t feel a sense of control over something so inherent, like your mind, there is a lack of autonomy, freedom or power over its operations. So, how could you possibly excel in tennis when you don’t feel in control of your most powerful tool? l Heightened muscle tension and distraction from the match: When judging yourself critically, negative emotions are exacerbated, muscle tension increases, and thoughts continue to race. You become physically weaker and internally distracted from focusing on what you need to do in that particular moment.

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

When looking closer at the underpinnings of over-thinking, there seems to be a misidentification with what is actually happening. To be able to compete at a high level in tennis, you must be cognitively capable of outsmarting your opponent. This will require knowledge, strategy, analysis, awareness, decision-making, etc. … all processes which require an ability to think. So what if you could just reframe your perception towards thinking? What would it feel like to think of yourself as a heavy thinker? What if you viewed your ability to think as a power or a tool? Most players will immediately claim that thinking is a bad thing, yet they are focusing solely on the quantity of thoughts rather than the quality. Aren’t there benefits to being analytical, thorough or systematic in competitive tennis? Although it seems that thinking is your greatest weakness, it is also your greatest strength–if you can only view it as such. Self-acceptance is the ultimate key for heavy thinkers. It can help you to feel free and flow with the inner workings of your mind instead of fighting it and feeling imprisoned. And when you feel free, then you enhance self-trust, which is essential for performance success. Amanda Ferranti is the Director and Founder of Ferranti Empowerment, where she has established herself as an AASP Certified Mental Performance Consultant for youth athletes, teams and coaches. Amanda also has years of athletic experience as an ex-professional soccer player and Princeton graduate. She can be reached by e-mail at AFerranti@FerrantiEmpowerment.com.

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charitable initiatives CTA Spotlight: Highland Park Tennis Association

Credit all photos to: Highland Park Tennis Association

n 2004, Dion Lachmanen took his nephew to Highland Park, which straddles the border between Brooklyn and Queens, for a day of fun and, as an avid tennis fan, he wanted to check out the courts at the Park. What he found was 13 courts in disarray, some missing nets and trash scattered across the whole strip of concrete. “When I got there, there were only four nets up. The rest had no netting and people were doing whatever they wanted on the courts,” said Lachmanen. “People were

I 56

barbequing … there were broken bottles and drug paraphernalia scattered about. My nephew and I were trying to play on one of the decent courts, and there were guys racing motorized cars and they kept coming onto our court. It was just a wasteland.” Lachmanen decided then and there that he needed to do something about the courts at Highland Park. He went home and began trying to reach out to the USTA and the Parks Department in order to express an interest in helping to rebuild the courts. “I kept going back myself to help clean it

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

up and set up nets because I lived in the neighborhood and wanted a place to play. I wanted other people to be able to play tennis in a safe environment,” Lachmanen said. “The kids at the park were looking at me like I was crazy as I was setting up nets by myself. But a few months later, people were starting to listen, and we were able to gather around 20 people who shared the same vision as I did.” Lachmanen and his group met and discussed ways to start and grow a program, and the idea to start a kids program was eventually hatched. Along with his team,

Lachmanen ventured out into the community for some true grassroots marketing, promoting their Tennis Open House event with thousands of printed flyers and by word-of-mouth. “We didn’t really know what to expect, or how many kids and parents would show up,” he said. “We went out to every store, library, YMCA, etc. throughout the community to spread the word. We ended up having 154 people come out to take part in tennis lessons, games, raffles, etc. We had some volunteers coach the kids through drills. Those coaches followed along and saw that something special was starting, and many of them are still our coaches today.” With the successful Open House, the Highland Park Tennis Association (HPTA) was born. The first year of the program’s existence, there were 24 kids and that number keeps increasing each year. This last year alone, the HPTA had more than 180 kids in the program, a remarkable jump from when it first started. “Our overall goal is to create and foster a safe, friendly environment in Highland Park where tennis can be enjoyed and flourish for generations to come,” reads the HPTA’s Mission Statement on its Web site. “Our mission is to utilize tennis as a vehicle to promote and instill the importance of education, social responsibility, a healthy lifestyle, proper nutrition, fair competition, respect, high self-esteem and strong character to the participants of our Junior Tennis Program, while providing an alternative source of recreational outlet. With our

strategic programming and dedication, we hope to prepare the participants of our program to face and conquer the challenges they may face in life.” With that mission and vision in mind, Lachmanen has created a culture at Highland Park which has benefitted hundreds of local kids, and will continue to do so in the years to come. A few years ago, a partnership between the USTA and American Express called the “Fresh Courts” initiative was established to build courts in underserved neighborhoods. Lachmanen reached out, and the initiative helped to reconfigure the 13 full-size courts they had, creating 10 full-size courts which have 60’ lines for 10 & Under Tennis, plus eight 36foot courts for 8 & Under Tennis. It is remarkable to see the growth of the HPTA in the decade-plus of its existence. What started as a hobby for Lachmanen to

improve the courts in his community has turned into a thriving non-profit organization that provides an invaluable service. “It never felt like work,” Lachmanen said, looking back at all the time and effort he has put in. “Of course there were times I felt like walking away, but I just couldn’t. It meant too much to me. And I had help from gracious volunteers who shared the same outlook. I had one goal in mind when we first started, and that was to come here one day and see the courts full. I said if that happens, we’ve accomplished something. The courts are now full all weekend long.” For more information on the Highland Park Tennis Association, visit HPTANY.org. Brian Coleman is Senior Editor for New York Tennis Magazine. He may be reached by phone at (516) 409-4444, ext. 326 or email BrianC@USPTennis.com.

NYTennisMag.com • July/August 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

Anger, Self-De By Dr. Tom Ferraro here is ample proof that tennis players often have difficulty controlling their emotions. This even holds true for players who have obtained greatness. Roger Federer was prone to anger and temper tantrums until he reached the age of 20 and well into his professional career. McEnroe was famous for screaming, “You cannot be serious,” which earned him the nickname “Superbrat.” Ilie Nastase was nicknamed “Nasty” thanks to being so brash and rude, and David Ferrer lobbed a ball into the crowd because he was distracted by a crying child. We have witnessed the wrath of Serena Williams and watched as the uber-talented Nick Kyrgios has incurred thousands of dollars in fines thanks to his unsportsmanlike conduct on the court. Anger is a difficult emotion to master and this is especially true for the young tennis player. I have worked with plenty of up and coming stars who struggle with anger control. Let us spend some time defining anger, understanding why it exists and attempt to see how athletes must learn to deal with it. Anger is usually based on disappointment during a match when a player feels they are not performing up to expectations. Bouts of anger will only last about two seconds, so it is clear that the expression of anger is determined by the player’s unconscious dynamic. They will either internalize their rage and thus subject themselves to self-attack or they can vent their rage and deal with the consequences. Let us attempt to understand each process.

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

r, Rage and Defeat in Tennis Internalized rage When a player is perfectionistic and has a burning desire to win, they will have anger issues while they play. Perhaps the worst thing they can do is to internalize the rage which destroys energy, confidence, mood and focus. Internalizing rage will insure that the player will be underperforming and lose to weaker opponents. As a sport psychologist and psychoanalyst, I know that each player has different reasons why they experience symptomatic and disruptive anger. Perfectionism and high expectation usually explain this, but why do some express this anger by internaliz-

ing it into self-attack? Sometimes they have been trained to be nice and to repress any sign of anger, so they have no alternative but to hold it in a self-attack. This kind of defense is called â&#x20AC;&#x153;introjectionâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;self-punishment.â&#x20AC;? In cases like this, we work on providing good insight into both their perfectionism and compulsive niceness. When this occurs, the player will learn to modulate their standards and be more expressive of their anger. Explosive rage This form of rage reaction is more obvious and may be less damaging to

performance per se. McEnroe is a good example of this type of player who would freely express his disappointment by blaming line judges for any mistakes. Kyrgios is a more modern example of a player who will often express his anger outwardly and here too you see that it does not have as damaging an impact on the playerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s performance. This kind of defense is called â&#x20AC;&#x153;projection,â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;regressionâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;displacement.â&#x20AC;? Of course the danger in this case is that the player looks childish and their socontinued on page 60

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anger, rage and self-defeat in tennis continued from page 59 cial reputation is diminished. And in the case of professionals, this will invariably reduce any endorsement contracts by corporations who desire media safe athletes. Strategies In order to help the young player cope with uncontrolled anger, we first allow for discussions about the subject of anger on the court and this goes a long way in helping them to problemsolve this issue. We then work on perfectionism and attempt to help them become less demanding of themselves. We will teach assertiveness as well so that they can learn to defend themselves against any cheating done by an opponent. In addition, I teach the player the defense of anticipation or what you may know as Murphy’s Law: Anticipation is the realistic ex-

pectation that invariably some things will go wrong and to plan for this occurrence so you are not surprised by it. Finally, I talk about humor, which is one of the most mature defenses a player can possess. Humor and its twin brother, smiling, help the athlete settle down and get closer in touch with the fun and joy of the game. These processes must be performed in a step-by-step fashion in order for them to work. If you think all this is complicated, you would be correct. The finest psychologist on Earth was Sigmund Freud, and he told us long ago that there are basically two drives in a human being and that they both must be mastered in order to achieve success and happiness. The first drive is what we call “Libido” and the second

drive is “Destrudo,” and both drives are a part of sports performance. The felt beauty of the game is the sublimation of Libido. The aggression of the game is expressed by Destrudo or muscle power. Both of these emotional/physical drives are extremely powerful and both are tough to control. But the only way one can fulfill their potential on the court and have more fun while playing tennis is to learn how to discuss, analyze and finally control these instincts. The only way to do that is to engage in “The Talking Cure,” so welcome to the couch, get comfortable and start talking. For consultations, treatment or on-site visits, contact Dr. Tom Ferraro Ph.D., Sport Psychologist, by phone at (516) 248-7189, e-mail DrTFerraro@aol.com or visit DrTomFerraro.com.

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Google May be Your Worst Enemy By Todd Widom hat is one of the first things you do when you figure out your son or daughter’s starting time for their tournament on the weekend? You type their opponent’s name into Google and you get to see their Tennis Recruiting Rating and results. You may also look up their UTR Rating. Then, you may speak to your child about these ratings and numbers. This is where the stress begins. Do not forget that your son or daughter knows who they are playing already, what their opponent’s rating is and how they have done recently. Do you know what all this means? You guessed it! Nothing. Speaking or looking up what the rating of an opponent is will not help your child focus on the important details of what it is going to take to perform well in a particular tennis match. We live in a time where we can find out anything with the swipe of a screen on our smartphones. There are advantages and disadvantages to all of this information. There should be no discussion and there should be no thinking about what the potential consequences could be if you give up a certain amount of games or loses to this level of player. Not only is this negative thinking, but your child’s brain will be thinking of how not to screw up the match, which will, in turn, make them very nervous and unable to perform at their best level. I

am sure many parents and juniors reading this have done this exact type of preparation for tournament matches. In fact, I know many juniors and their parents who go through this type of preparation before every tournament and wonder why their child is so uptight when competing. This will just create additional stress on the child. Regardless of all the technology around us, there is a certain way to prepare your child to perform at their best level in a tournament, win or lose. There should be objectives they are trying to be achieved each time your son or daughter gets ready to compete at a tournament. Every child is different, but below are some objectives that should be monitored at a tournament. I do not care who they play, they need to understand how to follow a game plan. When they find out whom they are playing, they need to know the strengths and weaknesses of that particular player. They may call a friend who happens to know that particular player to find out how the player plays. If they cannot find out any information on their opponent, the warmup during the match and first two games should be used to figure out how they are going to play their opponent. With the game plan now in their head, how long could they execute this plan for? Many junior tennis players cannot stick to a solid game plan for extended periods. They have mental lapses of concentration during their matches. Top

players have very short mental lapses and others have lapses that can last for games. It comes down to how disciplined your child is in not only their tennis, but also their lives. I have noticed that this current generation of children have short attention spans and I think this is due to their surroundings. Everything is done quickly without taking time to think things through. The next thing to accomplish during a match is to have a great attitude with a fighting spirit. That is it in a nutshell … have a game plan and follow it, concentrate on the game plan, and have a great positive attitude. Win or lose, you know what is going to happen when your tournament is over. You are going to come back to practice and hopefully work on the things that did not go well in your tournament. It really is that simple. Do not clog your brain with meaningless statistics. Prepare your brain properly and you will have more fun and enjoy competition much more by keeping things simple and in perspective. Todd Widom is a former top 200 ATP professional in both singles and doubles, and owner of TW Tennis, South Florida’s top small group/private tennis training geared exclusively for the high-performance junior, collegiate or professional tennis player. Todd may be reached by email at Todd@TWTennis.com or visit TWTennis.com.

NYTennisMag.com • July/August 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

The Imaginary Umpire By Harvey Becker ou just had a fantastic lesson or practice hit! You hit some great shots and go into your match full of confidence the next day, but alas, it doesn’t go as well as the day before. Does this scenario sound familiar? Why … maybe it’s due to pressure. Pressure in match play is caused by the “Rules of the Game:”

1. Hit the ball over the net and within the lines of the singles or doubles court 2. Score points to win games, to win sets, to win a match 3. Serve … two attempts to serve the ball The pressure of trying to win often leads to increased tension and the fear of failure. In practice sessions, winning is not the priority, so there is little or no fear of failure, thus equating to much less tension. The irony in this situation is that you are more likely to win with a practice session mentality. Switch the pressure Imagine the rules are actions from your practice sessions that help you personally play well and there is an umpire that enforces those rules with rewards and/or punishments. The pressure is now more on your new rules. The secret is to find the most empowering of these “imaginary rules” and associate this with increased chances of winning. Below are some imaginary rules that have helped me and my pupils. These are just examples, but you need to find your own best rule to apply in matches as shown. Thinking too much can be a recipe for tension.

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

Just before point starts (choose both) l Taking time on serving/being very ready on receiving l Focus on the recovery position, both feet and racket During the point (choose one) l Conscious ready position in between shots l Track the ball early off the opponent’s racket l Find a relaxed and loose state, hit through the ball l Focus on pace or spin, or how high you hit over the net l Have a plan of which side to hit to Conclusion I was coaching a player during a practice match that he wanted to win. I was the imaginary umpire and we agreed he would do 10 push-ups every time he didn’t recover well in between shots and if he didn’t take time on his serves. He hates push-ups so his pressure was to focus on his recovery and serve. The result in both performance and the score was favorable! Associate good performance and winning with rules that will make you far more effective in your performance within the tennis rules of the game. The imaginary umpire up there in your head will be your best friend Harvey Becker is a Tennis Instructor at CourtSense Tennis Academy. He started playing tennis at 10-years-old, and he was the County Junior Champion in all age groups he competed in. he reached a Men’s Singles ATP World Ranking of approximately 470 and number 13 in Men’s Singles in the United Kingdom. He played on the pro circuit from 1980-1985.

adult league U S T A L E A G U E S U P D AT E The spring season for the USTA Metro Adult League is coming to a close soon with the League’s playoffs just around the corner. The playoff and championship dates are as follows: l The Metro USTA Manhattan 18 & Over Men’s and Women’s Flight Playoffs will be held Friday, July 20 at 8:30 p.m. at Randall’s Island and the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center; and Saturday, July 21 from 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. at the Cary Leeds Tennis Center. l The Metro USTA Queens 18 & Over Men’s and Women’s Flight Playoffs will be held Sunday, July 22 from 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. l The Metro USTA Regional Championships will be held Friday, July 27 at 8:30 p.m. at MatchPoint NYC, Queens College, Randall’s Island and the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

The Metro 55 & Over League will start the first week of August. If you are interested, please contact Joe Miano by e-mail at JoeMiano@MetroTennis.com. Check out the September/October 2018 issue of New York Tennis Magazine for a recap of the USTA Metro Adult League playoffs and finals.

Metrotennis CTA starting World TeamTennis League This fall, the Metrotennis Community Tennis Association will be starting a League in the format of World TeamTennis (WTT) league. If you are interested in being a part of this new League, or would like more information, please contact Joe Miano via e-mail at JoeMiano@Metrotennis.com.

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NYTennisMag.com • July/August 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

NTC Hosts Annual Say Yes to T

Credit all photos to: Queens District Attorneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Office

o Tennis, No to Violence Event he USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center hosted the annual “Say Yes to Tennis, No to Violence Day,” as hundreds of kids came out and participated in this one-of-a-kind event. “We are happy and proud to team up with the Queens District Attorney’s Office and the NYJTL for this culminating event of the STAR [Straight Talk About Risks] Track program,” said Whitney Kraft, Director of Tennis for the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. “Tennis is a game of decisions. Players resolve their own conflicts and the principles of fair play and self-control are important lessons learned on the court. We hope these youngsters benefit from the experience and it translates to their daily life. The message is to make good choices, build self-esteem and confidence in their abilities. For most of the participants, this is their first exposure to tennis and our hope

is that many continue to pursue the game and become players for life.” More than 400 children from nine public schools in Far Rockaway came out for the 21st annual event, which was sponsored by the Queens County District Attorney’s Office, to take to the tennis court and commit to making good life decisions. There were on-court activities and instruction for the program’s participants,

who all also received t-shirts commemorating the event. “It shows them they can be successful despite the harmful effects of violence they so often see, and in spite of the high rates of crime they experience in their young lives,” said Jessie Sligh, Executive Assistant District Attorney. The event is part of the STAR (Straight Talk About Risks) Track program provided by the Queens District Attorney’s Office, and is one of the program’s most popular and effective events. “I want to congratulate all of the students who participated in our STAR Track program this year and the thousands of others who have been with us over the last 20 years,” said Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown. “My fervent hope is that they have benefitted from the experience and that the life lessons they have learned—such as fair play and self-esteem—will have a positive impact on their daily lives.”

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NYTennisMag.com • July/August 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

courtsix New York Tennis Magazine’s Gossip Column By Emilie Katz Bartoli Ends Her Comeback Run

France’s Marion Bartoli has announced via social media that she will no longer be pursuing her comeback due to recurring shoulder pain. “To my dismay, I must unfortunately stop my attempt to come back,” said Bartoli. “In effect, the necessary increases in doses of workouts to try and find my best level caused pain to my right shoulder again.

This became incompatible with a return at the highest level. I would like to thank everyone who accompanied me on this wonderful adventure. I will now take time to reflect and to study the various professional projects that are available to me. Nevertheless, I have a profound desire to convey the high level I have learned, and so I would like to invest this into training a player, to help her exploit her full potential.” Judging by her comments, Bartoli looks like she will be soon transitioning to the coaching side of the sport. Bartoli won one Grand Slam over the course of her career, raising the Wimbledon title at the All-England Club in 2013.

Shapovalov Gets the GQ Treatment

Canadian Denis Shapovalov was recently featured in GQ Magazine. Writer Chloé Cooper Jones shadowed Shapovalov during his recent run at Indian Wells, where he fell in the second round to the 30th-seeded Pablo Cuevas. “Becoming number one in the world and winning Grand Slams. It’s all part of the dream,” said Shapovalov in GQ when asked about his dreams and goals in the sport. “But honestly, the biggest goal for me is to really advance the sport in my country. For me, that’s the biggest goal.”

Nastase’s Run-ins With the Law

Former tennis player Ilie Nastase was recently arrested twice in a six hour-span in 66

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

his native Romania, first on suspicion of driving a car while intoxicated and refusing a breathalyzer, and then for running a red light on a scooter. According to Romanian police officials, Nastase was far enough over the legal limit to face a five-year prison sentence and refused to take a breathalyzer test as officers removed him from his vehicle and cuffed him. He was later released, but was stopped again just six hours later after he allegedly went through a red light on a scooter. The next day, Nastase posted a message on Facebook asking for privacy after his older sister passed away, an event he said “shattered” him. “In difficult times, you need support and understanding,” Nastase said. Just last year, he was found guilty by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) for making racially insensitive comments about the skin color of Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian’s unborn child.

Argentinian Kicker “Kicked” for Match Fixing

The Tennis Integrity Unit (TIU), an anti-corruption watchdog, has ruled that Argentinian Nicolas Kicker fixed two professional matches three years ago. Kicker, ranked 84th in the ATP Men’s Singles Rankings was found guilty of “contriving the outcome” of two matches in 2015, one at an ATP Challenger event in Padova, Italy, and the second at an ATP Challenger event in Barranquilla, Colombia. According to Giri Nathan’s story on Deadspin.com, back in 2015, sports blogger Ian DW analyzed some unusual betting patterns around Kicker’s match in

Barranquilla and isolated moments where his tanking of his match against Giovanni Lapentti seemed blatant. Lapentti, who began to realize that Kicker was throwing the match, had to play around that reality. In one sequence, Kicker dumps in two consecutive double faults and performs mock exasperation after each, only to win the game anyway due to Lapentti’s return errors.

Lucky Loser Trungelliti’s Voyage to the Roland Garros Main Draw

Marco Trungelliti of Argentina returned home to Barcelona after losing in the French Open qualifiers. He then learned of an opportunity to play in the main draw after Nick Kyrgios withdrew from the event. Trungelliti drove his car 650 miles back to Paris, arrived around midnight, 10 hours later on Sunday, signed the “Lucky Loser Form,” and went on to upset

Bernard Tomic 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 in opening round action the next day. Trungelliti and his 89-year-old grandmother Daphne became an attraction at the French Open after his wife posted pictures of them, along with his mother Susanna and brother Andre, travelling and singing during their journey to Paris. “My grandma was in the shower and I told her, ‘Okay, we have to go to Paris.’ There are many flights cancelled, so I didn’t trust that too much,” Trungelliti said. “The best option was just to take the car. My brother was the one who drove most out of the 10 hours.” Although Trungelliti fell to Italian Marco Cecchinato 6-1, 7-6(1), 6-1 in round two, the 193rd-ranked player in the world earned approximately $90,000 for his near 1,300 mile round trip journey.

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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 68

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 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

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

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? 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 to 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 well-known 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 three- to 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 accurate 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 worldclass athletes, including tennis players such as Dudi Sela and Elina Svitolina. He can be reached by phone at (347) 4808074 or e-mail Philgym@gmail.com.

NYTennisMag.com • July/August 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

Captured: The Ecstasy of the Win By Barbara Wyatt ave you noticed the special national USTA poster on a wall at your club or tennis recreational center? Two smiling tennis players locked in a bear hug. I’m embarrassed to say I’ve glanced at a PDF version on my computer more than once … more than twice. The poster is of Frank, my tennis partner and me. At the time of the photo, I was a new 4.0 player and agreed to co-captain a mixed 7.0 team. So-called “helpful comments” flew in from others … “A 4.0 woman will never make it to Sectionals on a 7.0 team.” “You can’t support your 3.0 partner like a 4.0 man can.” I play for the competitiveness of the sport and the friendships gained. I pushed those critical voices out of my head. Lo and behold, our team made it to Sectionals. Captains Judy and I, with teammates Gene, Steve, Yu, Vickie, Jeff, Frank, Steven and Gayle, were thrilled. Those inner negative voices still echoed in my head. I don’t have the skill to carry my court for a win. You can’t support a 3.0 man. Plus our doubles team was at a disadvan-

tage because some of our players did not know the others. Judy and I penciled names on a Sectional scorecard, erased them, and re-penciled them onto another court. She handed me the final lineup. “You’re playing with Frank. He’s over there.” Rumors said that Frank was on his way to becoming a strong player because of his success as a professional basketball player. But he was “a little inconsistent.” Though I was curious what “a little” meant, I would be the best partner possible. The match began. My nerves were on edge. Frank tossed the ball up for the serve and hit it with power. The ball landed inside the service box and dust flew up from its spin. Unfortunately, it landed on the adjacent court. I smiled and thought, “This will be an interesting match.” I relaxed and breathed. Frank’s second serve hit the correct service box. The match was on. We slammed the little yellow ball. We ran forward to lunge for the dreaded drop shot. We ran back to guard against high wild effective lobs. Our competitors had an arsenal of lobs, drop shots and killer serves that threatened to knock us off our game. Frank and I talked. I learned his idiosyncrasies and he learned mine. He set me up

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

for several overhead slams against our opponents. I returned the favor and drove hard volleys over the net that guaranteed a clumsy return directly into the sweet spot of his racquet. We made each other better players. Finally, the winning lob dropped into the corner of our opponent’s court. I ran cross court at full speed with one intention: To jump into my remarkable partner’s arms. A wide smile was on his face. He opened his arms and I took the flying leap. The photographer caught the moment as this 5’2” player jumped into the arms of her 6’6” partner. Not all teams are filled with partners who have played together for years, or have practiced winning patterns for months. Go ahead … play for the joy of the game and new friendships. You might end up on a National poster and gain a friend for life. 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 email at BarbaraW@iKnowTennis.com.

The Secret to Rafael Nadal’s Success More Than an Athlete ... Every Time By Rob Polishook, Mental Training Coach MA, CPC Many of us reading this article witnessed Rafael Nadal defeat Dominic Thiem to win his 17th Grand Slam in the 2018 French Open finals. He further established his dominance as the greatest clay court player ever with 11 French Open titles. The real question is: What is the story behind the score? How did he do it? What is it that Nadal brings to the court, whether he wins or loses, which makes him so difficult to play? Many of us would agree that in addition to his immense talent, it’s the mental component. Nadal is a true warrior. I often refer to the mental game as the glue that holds everything together. So what is this glue? And how can you get some? I call it, Rafa’s “More.” He brings who he is as a person to what he does as an athlete, then “More” happens. In fact, with Rafa and all the greats, the mental side and talent/skill side are intertwined like a braid. The tennis player and the person are inseparable from each other, just like the hardware and software. You could say similarly how Superman and Clark Kent are one and the same. In this article, I will touch on key attributes that make up Rafa’s “More.” In my upcoming book, More Than an Athlete: The Story Behind the Score, I will delve deeper into this topic. Today, we will explore the intangible elements that he brings to the court, which make him so feared and difficult to compete against. Those things that are actually tangible, specific to him, as well as what makes him tick. This is what I call Rafa’s “More.” Spirit Playing with spirit is when a player plays because he is passionate about the

game and being the best he/she can be. In a well-known Rafa quote, he says, “The glory is being happy … not winning here or there. The glory is enjoying practicing, enjoying each day, enjoying to work hard, trying to be a better player than before.” Rafa brings a tremendous amount of spirit to the court. By this, I am referring to the endless energy he exudes. Anyone watching him play can see and “feel” the energy of his game that starts from the beginning of the match … when he bounces around like a boxer getting ready for a championship bout. Further into the match, his boundless energy and intensity is seen with his resilience and ability to adapt and adjust to whatever the situation and score. Story How a player handles his or her personal story is key to playing at the top of your ability. Personal crisis, injuries, wins, losses and the like can inexorably impact a player’s game. Life on and off the court is like riding a wave, each player has a unique journey and process. While many remember Nadal as always being the top, he has had many ups and downs both on and off the court. Back in 2009 he spoke about how his parent’s divorce had an impact on his game. Think back to when he slumped in 2016 and many thought he would never come back. He has had injury issues, most recently, defaulting in the quarterfinals of the 2018 Australian Open. These issues are specific to Rafa, they make up his roots. He had to work through them in order to come back strong. Ultimately, all issues contributed to his ability to manage adversity and garner what seems like an unending range of resiliency. The fruits are a result of the roots Self Being grounded in the authentic self is extremely important to performance. When we are not trying to be someone else, move like someone else, score like someone else or win like someone else, we can play from a

grounded place of strength and flow. No one can argue that Rafa is trying to be someone else on the court. He looks comfortable in his own skin, no matter what he is doing. Many point to how he pulls the fabric of his shorts before every point, or his ritualistic placing of his drinks on the sidelines. Some say OCD, call them what you may, but I believe they are ritualistic releases that make Rafa, Rafa. Further, he has a slow pace, another way for him to stay relaxed and in his zone. Soul The soul of a player is that ineffable quality that brings solidity to the game. Rafa almost seems to have a Sixth Sense, knowing what is necessary during a certain situation in a match. He has a tremendous amount of trust in his game and self and doesn’t overtry. He stays very much within himself and what he can do, rarely ever going for something too early or outside of his game. Additionally, he has been coached by his Uncle Toni Nadal since he was a child (now Carlos Moya, a childhood mentor), this stability and strong support system has empowered him throughout the years to perform his best, both on and off the court. Rafa’s unique spirit, story, self and soul are the key ingredients that make him so good. Rafa knows he is trying to be the best version of himself while he is playing his game. From this place, win or lose, he is free to continue to improve and strive to be his best. He is a student of his own “More.” Rob Polishook, MA, CPC is Founder and Director of Inside the Zone Sports Performance Group. As a Mental Training Coach, he works with athletes and teams, focusing on helping athletes gain the mental edge. Rob is Author of Tennis Inside the Zone: Mental Training Workouts for Champions. He may be reached by phone at (973) 723-0314, email Rob@InsideTheZone.com or visit InsideTheZone.com.

NYTennisMag.com • July/August 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

Thinking About Roland Garros? Top 10 tips for your trip

By Seth Sarelson fter nearly 30 U.S. Opens, I finally made the decision to leave the nest and travel with my wife from New York City to Paris for Roland Garros 2018. Here are some of my top tips to make your first visit to Paris even easier:

1. Book your tickets early Tickets go on sale in waves, just like for the U.S. Open. Monitor the Roland Garros Web site and get your tickets as soon as they go on sale to ensure you can get what you want. Book your flight early as well. International travel is way cheaper if you book your trip in December, not a month before the tournament (I should have taken this advice). 2. Do research on hotels Hotel rooms in France are small (very small) and fairly expensive. Make sure you get measurements for the room and also book something close to public transportation to get you back and forth from Roland Garros. 72

3. Bring clothes for rain On our trip, one minute it was 80 degrees and sunny, and the next, it was 60 degrees with torrential rain. Monitor the weather and plan accordingly. 4. Try public transportation Buses and subways are very efficient and clean. Just watch out for labor strikes, which are announced in advance. 5. Go early in the tournament I’d give you the same advice to for the U.S. Open. Attend the event early on and you’ll see bigger players on the outer courts if you got tickets during the first week (which starts on a Sunday). 6. Don’t panic about not speaking French (although you should try!) Speaking French helps a good deal, but I had no issue getting around speaking English only. 7. Get tickets for Suzanne-Lenglen This was the best value. You can see Rafael Nadal up close and not break the bank. With a capacity of 10,000 seats, you will get pretty close to the action.

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

8. The food is good There are a lot of options in Paris in terms of cuisine, but the food areas do get a bit jammed up at lunch time. You can certainly find something to eat (especially if you like baguettes). 9. Bring a MasterCard or Visa American Express is generally not accepted. You’ll need to pay in Euros or with a MasterCard/Visa. 10. Go see the gardens at Versailles In the event that you don’t go to Roland Garros every day of your trip, go to Versailles. Versailles is just a short trip outside of the city of Paris and the gardens are one of the most remarkable things I’ve ever seen in my life. A self-proclaimed tennis nut, Seth Sarelson, Contributing Writer for New York Tennis Magazine, grew up on Long Island playing at Bethpage Park Tennis Center and competed extensively in USTA tournaments as a junior. These days, he can be found in New York City, hitting at Sportime Randall’s Island or Central Park (where many of the more eccentric players believe they are actually playing at Roland-Garros).

NYTennisMag.com • July/August 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

Charkiewicz, Rolski Capture Men’s Pro Title at LI Tennis Challenge

he Long Island Tennis Challenge returned for its fifth year as more than 40 doubles teams came out to The Hamlet Golf & Country Club in Commack, N.Y. on Long Island to take part in the annual event. The day began with pros from Sportime Kings Park hosting a clinic which helped prepare the competitors for the start of play. The morning session was host to four different divisions of play scattered across the eight outdoor courts of The Hamlet. The Men’s Pro Division was played in the

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afternoon and featured a $750 cash prize for the winners, and the players in the tournament fiercely competed to claim that purse. In the end, it was former New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) standout Rafal Charkiewicz & Columbia’s Mikal Rolski who would come out victorious in the Pro Division. The duo, who have known each other since they were 10-years-old, defeated Ben Marks & Luis Vivas 4-1 in the semifinals, before matching up against Dmytro Kovalevych & Anton Protsenko

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

in the championship. Charkiewicz & Rolski would get a key break of serve late in the final to edge Kovalevych & Protsenko 7-5. “I think the key to win this tournament was our consistent and aggressive play throughout the day,” said Charkiewicz. “In the final, I would say we returned better and played better at the net than our opponents. I think the tournament was really well-organized. We always had enough time to recover after the matches and we got new balls for each match.”

USPTA Eastern, New England Hosts Annual Conference

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Joao Pinho, Head Professional at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, was named USPTA Regional Volunteer of the Year for the Metro Region Jackie Clark of the USPTA presents Geoffrey Jagdfeld, Tennis Director of Solaris Sports Club with the Major Contributor of the Year Award Members of the USPTA Eastern Board during the Annual Conference at the National Tennis Center USPTA members field questions during the Roundtable Discussion he Eastern and New England Divisions of the United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA) hosted a dual convention at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows earlier this spring. The annual convention featured both subsidiaries of the USPTA for a weekend-long conference with workshops, clinics, demonstrations, roundtables, a trade show and much more. The coaches and participants in the conference were fortunate enough to be granted a tour of Arthur Ashe Stadium, and even got a chance to get off the court and step onto the diamond to compete in a softball game. USPTA Eastern honored its 2017 award winners during the conference. Below are the honorees: l College Coach of the Year: Jeff Brandes, Mens & Womens Head Coach, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Teaneck, N.J. l Facility Manager of the Year: Clay Bibbee, CEO and Founder of Centercourt Athletic Club, Center Court Athletic Clubs, Chatham, N.J. l High School Coach of the Year: Mike Smookler, Boys & Girls Varsity Coach, Governor Livingston High School, Berkeley Heights, N.J. l Industry Excellence Award: David Brent, Tennis Director, Inwood Country Club, Inwood, N.Y. l Major Contributor of the Year: Geoffrey Jagdfeld, Tennis

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Director, Solaris Sports Club, Yorktown Heights, N.Y. Professional of the Year: Sasha Bluestone, Assistant Department Head, Lifetime Athletic Club, Harrison, N.Y. Publication of the Year: USPTA Eastern Newsletter, Jane Savage, Editor USPTA Stars Award (Grassroots): Gwen Ritchie, Tennis Professional, McGregor Links Country Club, Wilton, N.Y. Regional Volunteer of the Year (New Jersey): Elliot Lovi, Boys & Girls Varsity Coach, Livingston High School, Livingston, N.J. Regional Volunteer of the Year (Long Island): Gary Gaudio, Tennis Professional, Suffolk County Junior Tennis League Regional Volunteer of the Year (Metro): Joao Pinho, Head Professional, USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, Flushing, N.Y. Regional Volunteer of the Year (Northern): Stephen Thirolle, Tennis Professional/Assistant Women’s Coach, Wilton YMCA/Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Regional Volunteer of the Year (Southern): Claudio Armandi, Tennis Direct, Greenburgh Indoor Tennis, Ardsley, N.Y. Regional Volunteer of the Year (Western): Brian Dorval, Tennis Professional, Village Glen Tennis Club, Buffalo, N.Y. 30 & Under Award: Jesse Smith, Tennis Professional, Westside Tennis Club, Forest Hills, N.Y.

NYTennisMag.com • July/August 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

USTA/Metropolitan Region

2018 TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE For detailed information on these and all USTA tournaments, visit tennislink.usta.com/tournaments. JULY 2018 Wednesday-Friday, July 11-13 L1B Mill Basin MatchpointNYC Challenger Matchpoint NYC Mill Basin 2350 East 69th Street Brooklyn, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys’ & Girls’ Singles: 78’ Yellow Ball 12 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 for first singles; $28 for first doubles; maximum fee charged per player is $75, plus the processing fees for the number of events you select (deadline for entries is Friday, July 6 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail KLastique@yahoo.com or call (718) 769-0001. Thursday-Sunday, July 12-15 L2 APTC July Open Alley Pond Tennis Center 7920 Winchester Boulevard Queens Village, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate Boys’ & Girls’ Singles: 78’ Yellow Ball 12 (FRLC) and Intermediate Boys’ & Girls’ Singles: 78’ Yellow Ball 14-18 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Tuesday, July 10 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Hemco2@aol.com or call (718) 264-2600. Friday-Sunday, July 13-15 L1 Queens College July Championships Queens College 6530 Kissena Boulevard Flushing, N.Y. Divisions: Championships Boys’ & Girls’ Singles: 78’ Yellow Ball 12 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, July 9) For more information, e-mail Steve.Beatty2584@gmail.com or call (718) 997-2754. Friday-Sunday, July 13-15 L2 Sportime RI July 2018 Open Sportime @ Randall’s Island 1 Randall’s Island • New York, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate Boys’ & Girls’ Singles: 78’ Yellow Ball 12 (FMLC) and Intermediate Boys’ & Girls’ Singles: 78’ Yellow Ball 14-18 (SE) Surface Type: Clay Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, July 9 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail MattyTrumino@gmail.com or call (646) 783-5301. 76

Saturday-Sunday, July 14-15 Youth Progression Green L1, Bronx The Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning 1720 Crotona Avenue Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Green Level 1 Boys’ & Girls’ 10 and Under Singles: 78’ Green Ball 10 (NEF) Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $48.88 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, July 2 at 11:59 p.m.) For more information, e-mail WWiese@NYJTL.org or call (718) 247-7420. Saturday-Sunday, July 14-15 L3 Alley Pond TC JULY UPS Alley Pond Tennis Center 7920 Winchester Boulevard Queens Village, N.Y. Divisions: Entry Level Boys’ & Girls’ Singles: 78’ Green Ball 12 ,78’ Yellow Ball 14 (NEF) Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $43.50 per player (deadline for entries is Thursday, July 12 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Hemco2@aol.com or call (718) 264-2600. Saturday, July 14 Youth Progression Orange L1 Bronx Stadium Tennis Center 725 Exterior Street Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Orange Level 1 Boys’ & Girls’ 10 and Under Singles: 60’ Orange Ball 10 (NEF) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $48.88 per player (deadline for entries is Saturday, July 7 at 11:59 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Lauren@StadiumTennisNYC.com or call (718) 665-4684. Monday-Friday, July 16-20 L2 City Parks Summer Series, Leif Ericson Park, Brooklyn Leif Ericson Park, Brooklyn 66th Street Brooklyn, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate Boys’ & Girls’ Singles: 78’ Yellow Ball 12 (FRLC) and Intermediate Boys’ & Girls’ Singles: 78’ Yellow Ball 14-16 (SE)Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $43.50 per player (deadline for entries is Sunday, July 8 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Tomtvedt@yahoo.com or call (718) 760-6999.

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

Monday-Wednesday, July 16-18 L1B Staten Island Tennis July Challenger Staten Island Community Tennis Center 2800 Victory Boulevard Staten Island, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys’ Singles: 78’ Yellow Ball 12-14 (SE) and Challenger Girls’ Singles: 78’ Yellow Ball 12-18 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $54.25 for first singles; $28 for first doubles; maximum fee charged per player is $75, plus the processing fees for the number of events you select (deadline for entries is Thursday, July 12 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail KLastique@yahoo.com or call (718) 982-3355. Wednesday-Friday, July 18-20 L1B North Shore Tower CC Summertime Challenger North Shore and Towers Country Club 27286 Grand Central Parkway Floral Park, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys’ Singles & Doubles: 78’ Yellow Ball 16-18 (SE) Surface Type: Clay Entry Fee: $54.25 for first singles; $28 for first doubles (deadline for entries is Saturday, July 14 at 1:00 a.m.) For more information, call (718) 428-5030. Wednesday-Friday, July 18-20 L2 Mill Basin MatchPoint NYC July Open Matchpoint NYC Mill Basin 2350 East 69th Street Brooklyn, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate Boys’ & Girls’ Singles: 78’ Yellow Ball 12 (FMLC) and Intermediate Boys’ & Girls’ Singles: 78’ Yellow Ball 14-18 (SE) Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 for first singles; $28 for first doubles; maximum fee charged per player is $75, plus the processing fees for the number of events you select (deadline for entries is Sunday, July 15 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail KLastique@yahoo.com or call (718) 769-0001. Friday-Sunday, July 20-22 L1B APTC Summer Challenger Alley Pond Tennis Center 7920 Winchester Boulevard Queens Village, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys’ & Girls’ Singles: 78’ Yellow Ball 12-16 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Wednesday, July 18 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Hemco2@aol.com or call (718) 264-2600.

USTA/Metropolitan Region

2018 TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE For detailed information on these and all USTA tournaments, visit tennislink.usta.com/tournaments. Friday-Sunday, July 20-22 L2 MatchPointNYC July Open MatchPoint NYC 2781 Shell Road Brooklyn, NY Divisions: Intermediate Boys’ & Girls’ Singles: 78’ Yellow Ball 12 (FMLC); Intermediate Boys’ & Girls’ Singles: 78’ Yellow Ball 14-18 (SE) and Intermediate Boys’ & Girls’ Doubles: 78’ Yellow Ball 12-18 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 for first singles; $28 for first doubles; maximum fee charged per player is $75, plus the processing fees for the number of events you select (deadline for entries is Monday, July 16at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail KLastique@yahoo.com or call (718) 769-0001. Friday-Sunday, July 20-22 L1B Sportime Randall’s Island 2018 Challenger Sportime @ Randall’s Island 1 Randall’s Island New York, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys’ & Girls’ Singles: 78’ Yellow Ball 12-18 (SE) Surface Type: Clay Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, July 16 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail TournamentsRI@Sportimetfm.com or call (212) 427-6150. Friday-Saturday, July 20-21 L2 Summer Series #3 at Fordham University Fordham University 441 East Fordham Road Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Boys’ & Girls’ Singles: 78’ Yellow Ball 12-14 (FMLC) Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, July 16 at 11:59 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Michael_Sowter@hotmail.com or call (718) 817-3839. Monday-Friday, July 23-27 L1B APTC July Challenger Alley Pond Tennis Center 7920 Winchester Boulevard Queens Village, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys’ & Girls’ Singles: 78’ Yellow Ball 16-18 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Saturday, July 21 at 5:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Hemco2@aol.com or call (718) 264-2600.

Monday-Friday, July 30-August 3 L2 City Parks Summer Series, Central Park, Manhattan Central Park Tennis Center 96 Centre Market Place New York, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate Boys’ & Girls’ Singles: 78’ Yellow Ball 12 (FMLC) and Intermediate Boys’ & Girls’ Singles: 78’ Yellow Ball 14-16 (SE) Surface Type: Clay Entry Fee: $43.50 per player (deadline for entries is Sunday, July 22 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Tomtvedt@yahoo.com or call (718) 760-6999. AUGUST 2018 Thursday-Sunday, August 2-5 L1B APTC Summer Challenger Alley Pond Tennis Center 7920 Winchester Boulevard Queens Village, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys’ & Girls’ Singles: 78’ Yellow Ball 14-18 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, July 30 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Hemco2@aol.com or call (718) 264-2600. Friday-Sunday, August 3-5 L2 Queens College August Open Queens College 6530 Kissena Boulevard Flushing, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate Boys’ & Girls’ Singles: 78’ Yellow Ball 12 (FMLC) and Intermediate Boys’ & Girls’ Singles: 78’ Yellow Ball 14-18 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, July 27 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Steve.Beatty2584@gmail.com or call (718) 997-2754. Friday-Sunday, August 3-5 L1B Summer Classic 2018 at Randall’s Island Sportime @ Randall’s Island 1 Randall’s Island New York, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys’ & Girls’ Singles: 78’ Yellow Ball 12-18 (SE) Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, July 30 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail TournamentsRI@Sportimetfm.com or call (212) 427-6150.

Saturday-Sunday, August 11-12 Youth Progression Green L1 Bronx Stadium Tennis Center 725 Exterior Street Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Green Level 1 Boys’ & Girls’ 10 and Under Singles: 78’ Green Ball 10 (NEF) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $48.88 per player (deadline for entries is Saturday, Aug. 4 at 11:59 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Lauren@StadiumTennisNYC.com or call (718) 665-4684. Monday-Friday, August 13-17 L2 City Parks Summer Series, Silver Lake Park, Staten Island Silver Lake Park Victory Boulevard Staten Island, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate Boys’ & Girls’ Singles: 78’ Yellow Ball 12 (FMLC) and Intermediate Boys’ & Girls’ Singles: 78’ Yellow Ball 14-16 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $43.50 per player (deadline for entries is Sunday, Aug. 5 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Tomtvedt@yahoo.com or call (718) 760-6999. Thursday-Sunday, August 16-19 L1 HJTEP Future Stars Showdown Championships Harlem Junior Tennis Program 2619 Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard New York, N.Y. Divisions: Championships Boys’ & Girls’ Singles: 78’ Yellow Ball 12-16 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, Aug. 10 at 5:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail CoachSimone@HJTEP.org or call (212) 491-3738. Friday-Sunday, August 17-19 L1B Alley Pond TC August Challenger Alley Pond Tennis Center 7920 Winchester Boulevard Queens Village, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys’ & Girls’ Singles: 78’ Yellow Ball 14 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, Aug. 13 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Hemco2@aol.com or call (718) 264-2600.

NYTennisMag.com • July/August 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

NEW Boys & Girls Sectional Rankings (as of 06/18/18)

BOYS Sectional Boys 12 SinglesMetro Region Rank ..Name............................................City 5 ......Darren Huang ..................Whitestone, N.Y. 7 ......Astro Brundo Pilipovic ....New York, N.Y. 8 ......Dominick Mosejczuk ......East Elmhurst, N.Y. 11 ....Andrew R. Ena ................Rego Park, N.Y. 16 ....Nicolas Iantosca ..............New York, N.Y. 18 ....Zecheng Fang..................New York, N.Y. 29 ....Neel Krishnaswamy ........New York, N.Y. 34 ....Bobby Duskin ..................Brooklyn, N.Y. 37 ....Marco Ziets-Segura ........New York, N.Y. 48 ....Theodore R. Murphy........New York, N.Y. 49 ....Arjun N. Agostinho ..........Brooklyn, N.Y. 53 ....Ty Justin Staco-Towns ....Brooklyn, N.Y. 63 ....Jordan Chang ..................Oakfield Gardens, N.Y. 78 ....John Patrick Popowich ..New York, N.Y. 80 ....Adrian Avanesov..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 81 ....Aaron Dozsa ....................Rego Park, N.Y. 83 ....Tyler Bush ........................Staten Island, N.Y. 84 ....Brian Hila..........................Brooklyn, N.Y. 88 ....Oliver Meyer ....................New York, N.Y. 89 ....Jacob Mann ....................New York, N.Y. 94 ....Frederick Lundquist ........New York, N.Y. 96 ....Alistair Wright ..................Little Neck, N.Y. 102 ..Zane Nippon ....................New York, N.Y. 107 ..Bassil Touban ..................Maspeth, N.Y. 108 ..Christian Floyd ................Bronx, N.Y. 113 ..Jimmy Wey ......................New York, N.Y. 114 ..Mateo Pouso....................Beechurst, N.Y. 121 ..Timothy Stofa ..................Astoria, N.Y. 124 ..Jonathan Muravchik........Brooklyn, N.Y. 125 ..Justin Chong....................Corona, N.Y. 127 ..Jesse Yang ......................Fresh Meadows, N.Y. 131 ..James Spiegel ................New York, N.Y. 134 ..Andrew Gordon ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 136 ..Jose Pouso ......................Beechurst, N.Y. 139 ..Rhys Spano......................New York, N.Y. 140 ..Daniel Potievsky ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 143 ..Benjamin Zaslavsky ........Brooklyn, N.Y. 145 ..London Mosquera ..........Howard Beach, N.Y. 146 ..Christian Yeagley ............New York, N.Y. 148 ..Christian Pak....................Auburndale, N.Y.

Sectional Boys 14 SinglesMetro Region Rank ..Name............................................City 2 ......John-Tomas Bilski ..........New York, N.Y. 6 ......Ty Switzer ........................New York, N.Y. 7 ......Cooper Williams ..............New York, N.Y. 8 ......Sebastian Sec..................New York, N.Y. 9 ......Donovan Spigner ............New York, N.Y. 13 ....Jace K. Alexander............New York, N.Y. 20 ....Wesley Zhang ..................Staten Island, N.Y. 21 ....Nicholas Steiglehner........New York, N.Y. 22 ....Sachin Palta ....................Forest Hills, N.Y. 26 ....Sacha Maes ....................New York, N.Y. 29 ....Ari Hercules Cotoulas......Brooklyn, N.Y. 31 ....Nicholas Murphy..............New York, N.Y. 34 ....Alexander Aney................New York, N.Y. 37 ....Adrien Svilen Jippov........New York, N.Y. 39 ....David Krasner ..................Staten Island, N.Y. 45 ....Cal R. Wider ....................New York, N.Y. 65 ....Rafe Photopoulos............New York, N.Y.

YORK

69 ....Damian Stellings ..............New York, N.Y. 70 ....Nicholas Zagora ..............Staten Island, N.Y. 73 ....Giuseppe Cerasuolo........Bayside, N.Y. 75 ....MG Nastase ....................New York, N.Y. 81 ....Dylan Lachmanen............Brooklyn, N.Y. 86 ....Safin Shaikh ....................Long Island City, N.Y. 90 ....Astro Brundo Pilipovic ....New York, N.Y. 94 ....Luca Photopoulos ..........New York, N.Y. 96 ....Nicholas Laffont ..............New York, N.Y. 99 ....Arnav Agostino ................Brooklyn, N.Y. 105 ..Santiago Espejel ..............New York, N.Y. 109 ..Ryan Friedman ................New York, N.Y. 111 ..Solomon Brown ..............New York, N.Y. 115 ..Zecheng Fang..................New York, N.Y. 116 ..Romero Jones..................New York, N.Y. 121 ..Benjamin Kantor ..............New York, N.Y. 130 ..Erik S. Johansson............New York, N.Y. 131 ..Julian Joaquin Vasquez ..New York, N.Y. 134 ..Gabriel Garcia ..................Staten Island, N.Y. 140 ..Mike Shepard ..................New York, N.Y. 141 ..Santiago Espejel ..............New York, N.Y. 143 ..Bobby Duskin ..................Brooklyn, N.Y. 145 ..Max Meyer ......................New York, N.Y. 147 ..Aris Kirkorian....................Sunnyside, N.Y. 148 ..Jason Boyd ......................New Windsor, N.Y.

Sectional Boys 16 SinglesMetro Region Rank ..Name............................................City 8 ......Marcos Souza Lee ..........New York, N.Y. 9 ......Maxwell Igor Kachkarov..Flushing, N.Y. 18 ....Harrison Saladini..............New York, N.Y. 22 ....Jeffrey Fradkin..................New York, N.Y. 23 ....Tyler Korobov ..................Brooklyn, N.Y. 24 ....Hudson Beaudoin............New York, N.Y. 26 ....John-Thomas Bilski ........New York, N.Y. 29 ....Brandon T. Cohen............New York, N.Y. 36 ....Robbie F. Werdiger ..........New York, N.Y. 42 ....Joseph Wilkanowski........Long Island City, N.Y. 43 ....Eitan Khromchenko ........Staten Island, N.Y. 47 ....Noah Eisenberg ..............New York, N.Y. 48 ....Oliver Obeid ....................New York, N.Y. 53 ....Kai Yuminaga ..................Oakland Gardens, N.Y. 56 ....Zachary Portnoy ..............New York, N.Y. 59 ....Harry Portnoy ..................New York, N.Y. 62 ....Sachin Palta ....................Forest Hills, N.Y. 69 ....Blake Frank ......................New York, N.Y. 70 ....Cooper Williams ..............New York, N.Y. 71 ....Paul Eighouayel ..............New York, N.Y. 72 ....Wesley Zhang ..................Staten Island, N.Y. 74 ....Milan Jain ........................New York, N.Y. 77 ....Bradley Bennett ..............New York, N.Y. 79 ....Benjamin Ebanks ............New York, N.Y. 85 ....Noah Edelman ................New York, N.Y. 86 ....Donovan Brown ..............New York, N.Y. 90 ....Michael Pertsovsky..........Brooklyn, N.Y. 91 ....Neal Epstein ....................New York, N.Y. 94 ....Albert Y. Wan....................Forest Hills, N.Y. 95 ....David Krasner ..................Staten Island, N.Y. 96 ....Alex Portnoy ....................New York, N.Y. 98 ....Sebastien Sec..................New York, N.Y. 100 ..Jeffrey Yu..........................Forest Hills, N.Y. 103 ..Nicholas Steiglehner........New York, N.Y. 109 ..Donovan Spigner ............New York, N.Y. 110 ..Sidharth Chawla ..............New York, N.Y. 118 ..Ty Switzer ........................New York, N.Y. 121 ..Allaksei Bogdanets..........Brooklyn, N.Y. 135 ..Kole Moses ......................New York, N.Y. 139 ..Eric Dubilerer....................Little Neck, N.Y. 140 ..Daniel Gordon..................New York, N.Y. 144 ..Frederick Bristowe ..........New York, N.Y.

RANKINGS Sectional Boys 18 SinglesMetro Region Rank ..Name............................................City 2 ......Ethan Leon ......................Woodhaven, N.Y. 14 ....Alexander Nielsen............New York, N.Y. 19 ....Shawn Jackson ..............Staten Island, N.Y. 23 ....Steven Daniel Nazaroff ....Brooklyn, N.Y. 29 ....Lantis Wang ....................New York, N.Y. 30 ....Jonah Jurick ....................New York, N.Y. 33 ....David Mizahi ....................Brooklyn, N.Y. 36 ....Danny Thomas ................New York, N.Y. 38 ....Oliver Obeid ....................New York, N.Y. 43 ....Sam Vagner......................Staten Island, N.Y. 45 ....Derek Raskopf ................New York, N.Y. 55 ....Maxwell Igor Kachkarov..Flushing, N.Y. 57 ....Sumit Sarkar ....................New York, N.Y. 60 ....Dylan Friedman................Brooklyn, N.Y. 66 ....Gabriel Rissman ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 67 ....Christopher Tham............Flushing, N.Y. 75 ....Blake Frank ......................New York, N.Y. 77 ....Donovan Brown ..............New York, N.Y. 81 ....Gary C. Fishkin ................Staten Island, N.Y. 90 ....Alex Portnoy ....................New York, N.Y. 93 ....Julian Szuper....................New York, N.Y. 94 ....Zachary Jordan Lieb........New York, N.Y. 97 ....Kai Yuminaga ..................Oakland Gardens, N.Y. 100 ..Simon Canacho ..............New York, N.Y. 101 ..Peter Frelinghuysen ........New York, N.Y. 104 ..David Krasner ..................Staten Island, N.Y. 112 ..Harry Portnoy ..................New York, N.Y. 115 ..Robbie F. Werdiger ..........New York, N.Y. 120 ..David Pines ......................New York, N.Y. 132 ..Jeffrey Fradkin..................New York, N.Y. 138 ..August LePique................New York, N.Y. 140 ..Eugene Fishman..............Rego Park, N.Y. 141 ..John Bricker ....................New York, N.Y. 143 ..Zachary Portnoy ..............New York, N.Y. 143 ..Kemal Aziz........................Staten Island, N.Y.

GIRLS Sectional Girls 12 SinglesMetro Region Rank ..Name............................................City 3 ......Linda Ziets-Segura ..........New York, N.Y. 5 ......Patricia Grigoras ..............Middle Village, N.Y. 6 ......Nina Wiese ......................Flushing, N.Y. 11 ....Julia T. Werdiger ..............New York, N.Y. 12 ....Bukky Alalade ..................Rosedale, N.Y. 15 ....Charlie Eve Liss................New York, N.Y. 17 ....Claire An ..........................New York, N.Y. 19 ....Sophia Cisse-Ignatiev......New York, N.Y. 21 ....Olivia Benton....................Rosedale, N.Y. 25 ....Rachel Roth......................New York, N.Y. 28 ....Caitlin Bui ........................Flushing, N.Y. 39 ....Chantajah Mills ................New York, N.Y. 43 ....Stoney Cooks ..................Brooklyn, N.Y. 45 ....Stella Kirby ......................New York, N.Y. 51 ....Nicole Sniadowski ..........Staten Island, N.Y. 52 ....Naomi Williams ................New York, N.Y. 53 ....Jadah Bentham ..............Bronx, N.Y. 59 ....Nadia Barteck ..................New York, N.Y. 64 ....Ronit Khromchenko ........Staten Island, N.Y. 67 ....Nicole Okhtenberg ..........Brooklyn, N.Y. 69 ....Ava Li................................Forest Hills, N.Y. 70 ....Imani Jean........................Brooklyn, N.Y. 73 ....Summer Chandler............Jamaica, N.Y. 74 ....Leena Kuittinen ................Bronx, N.Y. 75 ....Diya Emine Chawia..........New York, N.Y. 77 ....Julia Sniadowski ..............Staten Island, N.Y. 81 ....Astrid Greene ..................New York, N.Y.

New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

83 ....Sophie Ahlberg ................Flushing, N.Y. 85 ....Uma Pogrebivsky ............Kew Gardens, N.Y. 87 ....Kira Diaz ..........................Richmond Hill, N.Y. 89 ....Reese Sibley ....................New York, N.Y. 90 ....Jenna Kleynerman ..........Staten Island, N.Y. 92 ....Sofia Guzzoni ..................New York, N.Y. 95 ....Anias Jenkins ..................Bronx, N.Y. 97 ....Rianna Mariotti ................Forest Hills, N.Y. 99 ....Sabrina Shvartsman ........Brooklyn, N.Y. 102 ..Leena Friedman ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 107 ..Margaux Vasilescu ..........New York, N.Y. 108 ..Simran Makkar ................New York, N.Y. 109 ..Ahniya Vustsina................Brooklyn, N.Y. 116 ..Sophie Sands ..................New York, N.Y. 120 ..Ellie Carpenter..................New York, N.Y. 124 ..Ella Farahnakian ..............New York, N.Y. 130 ..Solene Luttway ................New York, N.Y. 131 ..Tomeris Shakratova ........Brooklyn, N.Y. 135 ..Sophia Luo ......................Staten Island, N.Y. 136 ..Chloe Mitchell ..................Jamaica, N.Y. 142 ..Isabella Jaramillo ............New York, N.Y. 147 ..Sara Novo ........................Staten Island, N.Y.

Sectional Girls 14 SinglesMetro Region Rank ..Name............................................City 10 ....Natalie Eordekian ............Woodside, N.Y. 12 ....Daniella Benabraham ......New York, N.Y. 14 ....Sarah Lucy Youngberg....New York, N.Y. 38 ....Leila M. Epstein................New York, N.Y. 42 ....Sofia Iantosca ..................New York, N.Y. 45 ....Catalina Haberman..........New York, N.Y. 65 ....Rosie Isabella Seccia ......New York, N.Y. 68 ....Michelle Ryndin................Staten Island, N.Y. 69 ....Arina Oreshchenkova ......Rockaway Beach, N.Y. 74 ....Lulu Jenkins ....................Bronx, N.Y. 77 ....Blakely Duskin..................Brooklyn, N.Y. 79 ....Patricia Grigoras ..............Middle Village, N.Y. 81 ....Nina Wiese ......................Flushing, N.Y. 82 ....Bianca Dumitru ................Forest Hills, N.Y. 94 ....Isabella Saul ....................Brooklyn, N.Y. 103 ..Taylor Overstrom..............New York, N.Y. 104 ..Imani Jean........................Brooklyn, N.Y. 105 ..Kaitlyn Mendoza ..............Rego Park, N.Y. 113 ..Bukky Alalade ..................Rosedale, N.Y. 115 ..Ava Dahl ..........................New York, N.Y. 121 ..Sophia Koval....................Rego Park, N.Y. 127 ..Juliana Gomez ................Jamaica, N.Y. 129 ..Clara Novo ......................Staten Island, N.Y. 131 ..Julia T. Werdiger ..............New York, N.Y. 135 ..Alyssa Koval ....................Rego Park, N.Y. 138 ..Natalie Bergmann ............Forest Hills, N.Y. 145 ..Angelina Bittan ................Brooklyn, N.Y. 147 ..Kelly Chen ........................Forest Hills, N.Y. 150 ..Damita Joanna Bollers ....Brooklyn, N.Y.

Sectional Girls 16 SinglesMetro Region Rank ..Name............................................City 2 ......Nadejda Maslova ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 4 ......Rosie Garcia Gross..........New York, N.Y. 11 ....Perene Wang....................New York, N.Y. 16 ....Shawnte Beale ................Bronx, N.Y. 19 ....Daniella Benabraham ......New York, N.Y. 34 ....Rebecca Eliana Fisch ......New York, N.Y. 35 ....Lelia Epstein ....................New York, N.Y. 37 ....Michelle Kleynerman ......Staten Island, N.Y. 47 ....Deliala Friedman ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 48 ....Dakota Fordham..............New York, N.Y. 52 ....Julia Lendel ......................Staten Island, N.Y.

NEW 53 ....Carolyn Brodsky ..............New York, N.Y. 57 ....Lorraine Bergmann..........Forest Hills, N.Y. 58 ....Khyanna Singh ................Queens Village, N.Y. 63 ....Gabriella Eitkis ................Brooklyn, N.Y. 64 ....Sofie Shen........................New York, N.Y. 75 ....Natalie Eordekian ............Woodside, N.Y. 76 ....Zoe Kava ..........................New York, N.Y. 82 ....Anna Borovinskaya..........Bronx, N.Y. 89 ....Catalina Haberman..........New York, N.Y. 94 ....Isabella Sinclair Cooper ..Brooklyn, N.Y. 95 ....Nathalie Williams..............New York, N.Y. 96 ....Josephine Kimball ..........New York, N.Y. 99 ....Sofia Allinson....................New York, N.Y. 100 ..Alyssa An..........................New York, N.Y. 104 ..Nadzeya Fliaha ................Brooklyn, N.Y. 106 ..Jordan Ben-Shmuel ........New York, N.Y. 112 ..Sarah Lucy Youngberg....New York, N.Y. 114 ..Nia Dabreo ......................Brooklyn, N.Y. 130 ..Alina Abramoff ................Brooklyn, N.Y. 140 ..Najah Dawson..................Rosedale, N.Y. 141 ..Niki Truszkowski ..............Middle Village, N.Y.

Sectional Girls 18 SinglesMetro Region Rank ..Name............................................City 4 ......Michelle Sorokko ............Little Neck, N.Y. 7 ......Rosie Garcia Gross..........New York, N.Y. 8 ......Sonia Tartakovsky............New York, N.Y. 15 ....Perene Wang....................New York, N.Y. 23 ....Nadejda Maslova ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 29 ....Anastasia Koniaev ..........Forest Hills, N.Y. 32 ....Dasha Kourkina................Brook;yn, N.Y. 40 ....Christina M. Huynh..........Astoria, N.Y. 41 ....Dakota Fordham..............New York, N.Y. 42 ....Miriam Aziz ......................Staten Island, N.Y. 43 ....Khyanna Singh ................Queens Village, N.Y. 44 ....Shawnte Beale ................Bronx, N.Y. 49 ....Katherine Kachkarov ......Flushing, N.Y. 50 ....Amy Kaplan......................Brooklyn, N.Y. 54 ....Chelsea Williams..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 65 ....Kyra Bergmann................Forest Hills, N.Y. 66 ....Diana Sosonkin................Brooklyn, N.Y. 78 ....Anna Borovinskaya..........Bronx, N.Y. 79 ....Jennifer Yu........................Forest Hills, N.Y. 81 ....Nicole Semenov ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 88 ....Zoe Kava ..........................New York, N.Y. 90 ....Daniella Benabraham ......New York, N.Y. 96 ....Josephine Kimball ..........New York, N.Y. 97 ....Sabrina Boada ................Woodhaven, N.Y. 112 ..Grace Kennedy................New York, N.Y. 123 ..Aleksandra Bekirova........Brooklyn, N.Y. 136 ..Amalia M. Parrish ............Queens Village, N.Y. 142 ..Michelle Kleynerman ......Staten Island, N.Y. 144 ..Carolyn Brodsky ..............New York, N.Y. 146 ..Lorraine Bergmann..........Forest Hills, N.Y. 148 ..Jordan Ben-Shmuel ........New York, N.Y.

YORK

Boys & Girls National Rankings (as of 06/28/18)

BOYS National Boys 12 SinglesMetro Region Rank ..Name............................................City 28 ....Astro Brundo Pilipovic ....New York, N.Y. 81 ....Nicolas Iantosca ..............New York, N.Y. 110 ..Dominick Mosejczuk ......East Elmhurst, N.Y. 114 ..Darren Huang ..................Whitestone, N.Y. 133 ..Neel Krishnaswamy ........New York, N.Y. 153 ..Andrew R. Ena ................Rego Park, N.Y. 287 ..Zecheng Fang..................New York, N.Y. 615 ..Ty Justin Staco-Towns ....Brooklyn, N.Y. 738 ..Marco Ziets-Segura ........New York, N.Y. 830 ..Bobby Duskin ..................Brooklyn, N.Y. 914 ..Jordan Chang ..................Oakfield Gardens, N.Y. 980 ..Jesse Yang ......................Fresh Meadows, N.Y. 991 ..John Patrick Popowich ..New York, N.Y. 996 ..Zane Nippon ....................New York, N.Y.

National Boys 14 SinglesMetro Region Rank ..Name............................................City 15 ....John-Tomas Bilski ..........New York, N.Y. 26 ....Ty Switzer ........................New York, N.Y. 37 ....Cooper Williams ..............New York, N.Y. 52 ....Wesley Zhang ..................Staten Island, N.Y. 68 ....Sebastian Sec..................New York, N.Y. 125 ..Jace K. Alexander............New York, N.Y. 133 ..Nicholas Steiglehner........New York, N.Y. 155 ..Sachin Palta ....................Forest Hills, N.Y. 173 ..Donovan Spigner ............New York, N.Y. 182 ..Sacha Maes ....................New York, N.Y. 202 ..Cal R. Wider ....................New York, N.Y. 230 ..Astro Brundo Pilipovic ....New York, N.Y. 300 ..Ari Hercules Cotoulas......Brooklyn, N.Y. 331 ..Alexander Aney................New York, N.Y. 474 ..Nicolas Iantosca ..............New York, N.Y. 537 ..Adrien Svilen Jippov........New York, N.Y. 549 ..Nicholas Murphy..............New York, N.Y. 570 ..Dominick Mosejczuk ......East Elmhurst, N.Y. 587 ..Darren Huang ..................Whitestone, N.Y. 646 ..Neel Krishnaswamy ........New York, N.Y. 694 ..Andrew R. Ena ................Rego Park, N.Y. 815 ..Giuseppe Cerasuolo........Bayside, N.Y. 842 ..David Krasner ..................Staten Island, N.Y.

RANKINGS 466 ..Sebastien Sec..................New York, N.Y. 516 ..Harry Portnoy ..................New York, N.Y. 643 ..Sachin Palta ....................Forest Hills, N.Y. 652 ..Jace K. Alexander............New York, N.Y. 679 ..Nicholas Steiglehner........New York, N.Y. 750 ..Robbie F. Werdiger ..........New York, N.Y. 758 ..Donovan Spigner ............New York, N.Y. 771 ..Harrison Saladini..............New York, N.Y. 799 ..Sacha Maes ....................New York, N.Y.

National Boys 18 SinglesMetro Region Rank ..Name............................................City 76 ....Danny Thomas ................New York, N.Y. 189 ..Gary C. Fishkin ................Staten Island, N.Y. 210 ..Sumit Sarkar ....................New York, N.Y. 230 ..Ethan Leon ......................Woodhaven, N.Y. 242 ..Zachary Jordan Lieb........New York, N.Y. 272 ..David Mizahi ....................Brooklyn, N.Y. 315 ..Alexander Nielsen............New York, N.Y. 326 ..Steven Daniel Nazaroff ....Brooklyn, N.Y. 397 ..Peter Frelinghuysen ........New York, N.Y. 433 ..Oliver Obeid ....................New York, N.Y. 446 ..Lantis Wang ....................New York, N.Y. 452 ..Jonah Jurick ....................New York, N.Y. 483 ..Derek Raskopf ................New York, N.Y. 486 ..Jeffrey Fradkin..................New York, N.Y. 556 ..Maxwell Igor Kachkarov..Flushing, N.Y. 573 ..Dylan Friedman................Brooklyn, N.Y. 587 ..Sam Vagner......................Staten Island, N.Y. 602 ..Zachary Portnoy ..............New York, N.Y. 656 ..Shawn Jackson ..............Staten Island, N.Y. 852 ..Gabriel Rissman ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 858 ..Eitan Khromchenko ........Staten Island, N.Y. 909 ..Hudson Beaudoin............New York, N.Y. 940 ..Brandon T. Cohen............New York, N.Y.

GIRLS National Girls 12 SinglesMetro Region

National Boys 16 SinglesMetro Region Rank ..Name............................................City 92 ....Jeffrey Fradkin..................New York, N.Y. 192 ..Maxwell Kachkarov ........Flushing, N.Y. 195 ..Hudson Beaudoin............New York, N.Y. 222 ..John-Tomas Bilski ..........New York, N.Y. 236 ..Eitan Khromchenko ........Staten Island, N.Y. 250 ..Ty Switzer ........................New York, N.Y. 283 ..Brandon T. Cohen............New York, N.Y. 322 ..Zachary Portnoy ..............New York, N.Y. 344 ..Cooper Williams ..............New York, N.Y. 351 ..Noah Eisenberg ..............New York, N.Y. 384 ..Wesley Zhang ..................Staten Island, N.Y. 407 ..Oliver Obeid ....................New York, N.Y. 422 ..Tyler Korobov ..................Brooklyn, N.Y. 453 ..Joseph Wilkanowski........Long Island City, N.Y. 454 ..Marcos Souza Lee ..........New York, N.Y.

Rank ..Name............................................City 29 ....Nina Wiese ......................Flushing, N.Y. 41 ....Linda Ziets-Segura ..........New York, N.Y. 59 ....Patricia Grigoras ..............Middle Village, N.Y. 109 ..Julia T. Werdiger ..............New York, N.Y. 110 ..Olivia Benton....................Rosedale, N.Y. 158 ..Caitlin Bui ........................Flushing, N.Y. 169 ..Sophia Cisse-Ignatiev......New York, N.Y. 198 ..Charlie Eve Liss................New York, N.Y. 231 ..Claire An ..........................New York, N.Y. 330 ..Bukky Alalade ..................Rosedale, N.Y. 331 ..Rachel Roth......................New York, N.Y. 535 ..Naomi Williams ................New York, N.Y. 605 ..Stella Kirby ......................New York, N.Y. 834 ..Stoney Cooks ..................Brooklyn, N.Y. 835 ..Leena Friedman ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 854 ..Summer Chandler............Jamaica, N.Y. 858 ..Chantajah Mills ................New York, N.Y. 891 ..Kira Diaz ..........................Richmond Hill, N.Y. 911 ..Reese Sibley ....................New York, N.Y. 915 ..Anias Jenkins ..................Bronx, N.Y. 918 ..Sophie Sands ..................New York, N.Y. 947 ..Ava Li................................Forest Hills, N.Y. 960 ..Flora Haberman ..............New York, N.Y. 968 ..Cymone Crump ..............Bronx, N.Y.

National Girls 14 SinglesMetro Region Rank ..Name............................................City 19 ....Daniella Benabraham ......New York, N.Y. 125 ..Natalie Eordekian ............Woodside, N.Y. 148 ..Sarah Lucy Youngberg....New York, N.Y. 326 ..Nina Wiese ......................Flushing, N.Y. 368 ..Linda Ziets-Segura ..........New York, N.Y. 441 ..Patricia Grigoras ..............Middle Village, N.Y. 453 ..Michelle Ryndin................Staten Island, N.Y. 509 ..Sofia Iantosca ..................New York, N.Y. 593 ..Leila M. Epstein................New York, N.Y. 598 ..Julia T. Werdiger ..............New York, N.Y. 607 ..Olivia Benton....................Rosedale, N.Y. 618 ..Catalina Haberman..........New York, N.Y. 766 ..Caitlin Bui ........................Flushing, N.Y. 796 ..Sophia Cisse-Ignatiev......New York, N.Y. 872 ..Charlie Eve Liss................New York, N.Y. 960 ..Claire An ..........................New York, N.Y.

National Girls 16 SinglesMetro Region Rank ..Name............................................City 9 ......Rosie Garcia Gross..........New York, N.Y. 24 ....Nadejda Maslova ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 73 ....Daniella Benabraham ......New York, N.Y. 116 ..Perene Wang....................New York, N.Y. 321 ..Dakota Fordham..............New York, N.Y. 334 ..Rebecca Eliana Fisch ......New York, N.Y. 353 ..Shawnte Beale ................Bronx, N.Y. 683 ..Natalie Eordekian ............Woodside, N.Y. 694 ..Carolyn Brodsky ..............New York, N.Y. 723 ..Sarah Lucy Youngberg....New York, N.Y. 759 ..Najah Dawson..................Rosedale, N.Y. 778 ..Lelia Epstein ....................New York, N.Y. 806 ..Michelle Kleynerman ......Staten Island, N.Y. 841 ..Nathalie Williams..............New York, N.Y.

National Girls 18 SinglesMetro Region Rank ..Name............................................City 7 ......Michelle Sorokko ............Little Neck, N.Y. 17 ....Sonia Tartakovsky............New York, N.Y. 62 ....Rosie Garcia Gross..........New York, N.Y. 76 ....Dasha Kourkina................Brook;yn, N.Y. 148 ..Nadejda Maslova ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 367 ..Daniella Benabraham ......New York, N.Y. 401 ..Perene Wang....................New York, N.Y. 443 ..Dakota Fordham..............New York, N.Y. 476 ..Anastasia Koniaev ..........Forest Hills, N.Y. 576 ..Katherine Kachkarov ......Flushing, N.Y. 627 ..Chelsea Williams..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 707 ..Aleksandra Bekirova........Brooklyn, N.Y. 885 ..Kyra Bergmann................Forest Hills, N.Y. 930 ..Rebecca Eliana Fisch ......New York, N.Y. 960 ..Shawnte Beale ................Bronx, N.Y. 973 ..Shelly Yaloz ......................Little Neck, N.Y. 987 ..Mirian Aziz........................Staten Island, N.Y. 991 ..Najah Dawson..................Rosedale, N.Y.

NYTennisMag.com â&#x20AC;˘ July/August 2018 â&#x20AC;˘ New York Tennis Magazine

directory 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 Liezel Huber—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

Gotham Tennis Academy—Stadium Tennis Center Joel Kassan—Executive Director 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 MatchPoint NYC Nino Muhatasov—Co-Founder and Director 2781 Shell Road Brooklyn, N.Y. (718) 769-0001 MatchPointComplex@gmail.com MatchPoint.NYC Midtown Tennis Club Jennifer Brown—Director 341 8th Avenue New York, N.Y. (212) 989-8572 MidtownTennisNYC@gmail.com MidtownTennis.com New York Tennis Club Salifu Mohammed—Director of Tennis 3081 Harding Avenue Bronx, N.Y. (718) 239-7919 admin@newyorktennisclub.com AdvantageTennisClubs.com Peter Kaplan Tennis Academy 7 Beach Lane Westhampton Beach, N.Y. (631) 288-4021 WesthamptonBeachTennis.com PeterKaplan2002@yahoo.com

Riverdale Tennis Center 3671 Hudson Manor Terrace Riverdale, N.Y. (718) 796-7400 RiverdaleTennis.com Roosevelt Island Racquet Club Gordon Kent–General Manager Xavier Luna–Director of Junior Programs Chuck Russell–Director of Adult Programs 281 Main Street Roosevelt Island, N.Y. (212) 935-0250 GKent@AdvantageTennisClubs.com XLuna@ AdvantageTennisClubs.com CRussell@ AdvantageTennisClubs.com AdvantageTennisClubs.com Ross School Tennis Academy 18 Goodfriend Drive East Hampton, N.Y. (631) 907-5162 Ross.org/TennisAcademy Shinnecock Tennis Club 125 Sandy Hollow Road Southampton, N.Y. (631) 283-3422 shinnecocktennis@gmail.com SPORTIME Randall’s Island John McEnroe Tennis Academy, New York City Michael Ward—General Manager Lawrence Kleger—Co-Director of Tennis, JMTA Patrick McEnroe—Co-Director of Tennis, JMTA One Randall’s Island New York, N.Y. (212) 427-6150 MWard@SportimeNY.com SportimeNY.com/Manhattan

SPORTIME Harbor Island Carlos Campo—Regional General Manager, Future Stars Southampton Westchester Clubs 1370 A Majors Path Khayot Narzikulov—Director of Junior Tennis Southampton, N.Y. Programs (631) 287-6707 Harbor Island Park • PO Box 783 Info@FutureStarsSouthampton.com Mamaroneck, N.Y. FutureStarsSouthampton.com (914) 777-5050 CCampo@SportimeNY.com 80 New York Tennis Magazine • July/August 2018 • NYTennisMag.com SportimeNY.com/HarborIsland

SPORTIME Lake Isle John McEnroe Tennis Academy, Westchester Carlos Campo—Regional General Manager, Westchester Clubs Fritz Buehning—Director of Tennis, JMTA 660 White Plains Road Eastchester, N.Y. (914) 777-5151 CCampo@SportimeNY.com SportimeNY.com/LakeIsle SPORTIME Schenectady Jed Murray—General Manager Philippe Ceas—Director of Tennis 2699 Curry Road Schenectady, N.Y. (518) 356-0100 JMurray@SportimeNY.com SportimeNY.com/Schenectady Tennis Innovators NYC Juan Andrade—Executive Director 520 2nd Avenue (Kips Bay Court) 899 10th Avenue (John Jay Court) New York, N.Y. (646) 476-5811 TennisInnovators.com USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center Whitney Kraft—Director of Tennis Flushing Meadows Corona Park Flushing, N.Y. (718) 760-6200 Kraft@USTA.com USTA.com West Side Tennis Club Guillermo Oropez—Head Tennis Professional 1 Tennis Place Forest Hills, N.Y. (718) 268-2300 TennisDirector@ForestHillsTennis.com ForestHillsTennis.com

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New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2018 • NYTennisMag.com