New York Tennis Magazine March / April 2017 by United Sports Publications

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MAR/APR 2017 • Vol 7, No 2

Table Of Contents

Serena Passes Historic Mark By Brian Coleman With her win Down Under, Serena Williams broke Steffi Graf’s Open record for Grand Slams, as she shows no signs of slowing. See page 34

Cover photo credit: USTA

Highlights 14 38 44

2017 New York Boys High School Preview By Brian Coleman Your 2017 Guide to Court Builders and Suppliers 2017 New York Tennis Magazine Camp Guide

Features 4 6 8 10 12 16 18 22 24 28 32 41 42 58 60 62 64 66 69 70 72 74 76 77 78 80 82 84 86 88 90 91 92 95

Beyond the Baseline: Pablo Sierra, USTA Eastern Metro Region Shine on the Court With a Luxury Tennis Racquet From Bijou Across Metro New York The Importance of Structure With Junior Group Lessons By John Curtis At the Net With Dinara Safina By Brian Coleman Former USTA Exec Takes Over as Cary Leeds Executive Director Courtside With CourtSense Tennis Training Center Nutritional Treatment for Rotator Cuff Tears (Part I) By Dr. Rob Silverman USTA Eastern Metro Region Update Court Six: New York Tennis Magazine’s Gossip Column By Emilie Katz Tips From the Tennis Pro By Emilio Sanchez-Vicario USTA Leagues Update: March/April 2017 Junior Player Spotlight: Alexa Noel and Evan Wen By Brian Coleman USTA Eastern Looks to the Future at 2017 Annual Conference Serve and Volley for Women: Why Not? By Lisa Dodson Engaging the Young Mind By Ray Josephs Learning About Spanish Values By Chris Lewit Ten Takeaways From the 2017 Aussie Open By Brian Coleman The Jensen Zone By Luke Jensen Balancing Emotional Energy By Rob Polishook Metro Corporate League Recap, Presented by Advantage Tennis Clubs How to Prepare for Tournaments By Gilad Bloom Five Rules You Must Know Before Sectionals By Barbara Wyatt Teach or Talk: Back to Basics By Juan Oscar Rios What Type of Player Are You? By Cesar Andrade Why We Play the Way They Play By Mike Williams JMTA to Host Second Annual College Recruiting Combine in June Look Out for POP Tennis By Whitney Kraft Certification: $cheme or Tennis Teaching Asset By Richard Thater Building the Fire Within Young American Athletes By Dr. Tom Ferraro One-On-One Doubles Tournaments Return To The Big Apple Columbia Beats Cornell to Win ECAC Championship New York Rankings USTA/Metropolitan Region 2017 Tournament Schedule

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BEYOND THE BASELINE

beyond the

baseline PABLO SIERRA PRESIDENT, USTA EASTERN METRO REGION BY BRIAN COLEMAN he annual USTA Eastern Conference in White Plains is always an important and productive weekend, as members of the regions that comprise the Eastern Section gather to discuss the year that was, as well as look ahead to the future. At this year’s conference, it was a time to welcome in many new members of the board of directors, including new USTA Eastern Metro Region President Pablo Sierra. Sierra has a long history of contributing to the tennis community in the New York Cityarea, and previously served on the board as the second vice president. “The idea is to continue to grow the game and try and spread it out to other areas,” said Sierra. “I hate driving by tennis courts and seeing them empty. I remember when I was growing up during the tennis boom, if you wanted to get on court you needed to wait on line because of how packed they would be. It would be nice to see that again.” Sierra grew up in the Red Hook section of Brooklyn, and began loving tennis from watching it on the PBS Channel, loving the games of players like Billie Jean King and

Roscoe Tanner which influenced him to get out and try the game himself. “We didn’t really have the money for tennis lessons, but I saved up money for a tennis instructional book, picked it up and started teaching myself how to play,” Sierra said. “I would go down Red Hook Stadium and hit against the back of a wall they had there. One day, a golf pro that was giving lessons in the area told me about the low-cost programs that were out there and started participating in those. I got hooked on the game.” He played high school tennis and a little bit in college, and then Sierra joined the Army as an Officer and was stationed at Fort Sam Houston in Texas. He recalls sometimes going out into formations having played tennis during the early part of the morning on the tennis court that was on the base. After he got out of the service, Sierra took on a teaching job and continued to play tennis, even if it was just here and there. “I always continued to love it, though,” Sierra said. “There was just something about it. Every time you go out on the court it is like

New York Tennis Magazine • March/April 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

New USTA Eastern Metro Region President Pablo Sierra works with a youngster during one of the South Brooklyn Tennis Association (SBTA)’s outreach events a strategy session, you’re always thinking about outthinking your opponent. You can see how the game can really help you in the long run, in terms of everyday life.” Around 2010, he was helping out at a tennis event for the American Cancer Society and met local area politician Lydia Buffington who suggested to him that the youth in the area

BEYOND THE BASELINE

could benefit from tennis. That idea stuck in Sierra’s head, and he would create the South Brooklyn Tennis Association (SBTA). “I said to myself: ‘Why not?’ I’d like to be able to promote the game of tennis and the community had a need for it. I had heard about QuickStart tennis and I thought it was a great idea. I went out and bought some foam balls and small rackets and got it started,” said Sierra. “It started in Red Hook, but it quickly expanded and we took the game on the road, and started to get invited to different events, developing relationships with those groups, including the American Diabetes Association and the Hispanic Federation. It got big to the point where we made our tag line ‘Tennis Anywhere, Any Place, Any Time.’ One of my first thoughts was developing satellites, and I still believe in this. If we take the game somewhere and they like it, then that area becomes its own satellite, and then they take it somewhere else and create another satellite program. And so on. The idea is to grow the game and spread it out to as many places as possible.”

BEYOND THE BASELINE

The goals of the SBTA were to make tennis fun and accessible for kids who would not normally be exposed to the game and to help promote prevention of things like childhood obesity and diabetes. Sierra now hopes Members of the new USTA Eastern Metro Region Board to take those same grams, USTA or not, but the communication ideals and initiatives into his new role as the between all of them is sometimes lacking. head of the USTA Metro Region. He also So it’s about developing relationships, startwants to bridge some of the gaps that seping a dialogue and bringing them all toarate a lot of clubs and programs in the New gether. One idea I have is putting together a York City-area. list of all the programs out there on our Web “I think that QuickStart is a great tool to insite that way parents can search through it troduce tennis to kids for the first time. The and find the one that suits them and is best problem is once you get kids playing and for their kids. they want to continue that experience, what I think that is something that could work, happens next?” Sierra said. “That is where and I’m just excited for the opportunity to the gap is and that is one of the things we serve in this role.” will try to fix. I see a lot of people running pro-

NYTennisMag.com • March/April 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

Shine on the Court With a Luxury Tennis Racquet From Bijou The Goddess Collection is adorned with more than 160 Swarovski crystals and comes in three eye catching colors: Rose, Silver and Gold n French, “Bijou” stands for jewel. In tennis, it stands for luxury, which is now part of the game. Players are already buying high-end sportswear, but now they can invest in upscale gear. A tennis racquet is the ultimate accessory in tennis as it showcases the player’s unique style. The idea for a dazzling racquet was born in New York City. Inspired by the city’s spectacular skyline, Bijou founders saw a niche for luxury in the world of tennis. Adding sparkle to the racquet proved to be a craftsmanship challenge. The effort, however, proved to be well worth it. Not only is the Goddess collection an aesthetic masterpiece: It is a technical triumph, too. The frame is composed of the same fine carbon fibers as used in luxury cars. Without exception, each racquet undergoes 18 quality control steps, an industry high. The meticulous attention to detail is evident in the crystal arrangement and overall design.

I 6

Notably, each racquet is individually hand painted by a master artisan. In addition, each racquet comes strung with the world’s best natural gut strings. Of the brand’s recent launch, Bijou CEO Agnese Rozite said, “I am thrilled to unveil these exceptional racquets. It took over a year to perfect every detail and I am very proud of the final product in terms of shine, design and performance. Fundamentally, we are not just selling the racquets, we are selling the experience. From the moment, the box is received to taking the first swing, we want to make sure every woman feels special. Every time I pick up the Bijou racquet, I feel like a Grand Slam champion.” In order to maintain exclusivity, Bijou produces each collection in limited quantities. At a price tag of $1,250, Bijou is the most expensive playable racquet on the market. The racquets are sold exclusively on the company’s online boutique, BijouTennis.com. Once you have

New York Tennis Magazine • March/April 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

decided between the rose, silver, and gold color, the packaging comes with a complimentary dust bag and a certificate of authenticity. Currently, the racquets weigh just under 10 ounces, come with a 16 X 20 string pattern, and have two grip size options: 4 1/4 and 4 3/8. The 100-square inch head size aids in creating a larger sweet spot, which is a great benefit to players at every level of the game. Furthermore, each racquet has a solid foam filling, which lessens the vibration and reduces the risk of an injury. In case you miss out on a particular model, Bijou also offers customization for its VIP clients. Besides choosing a color, a true connoisseur can add precious gemstones instead of Swarovski crystals. The personalization only takes few weeks, as everything from the design to painting, to crystal application is done in New York. For more information, visit BijouTennis.com.

NYTennisMag.com • March/April 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

Across Metro Ne Centercourt’s Fradkin Reaches ITF Doubles Final Jeffrey Fradkin of New York City and Centercourt Sports Academy reached the Doubles Final of the ITF Tel Aviv Open in Israel. Fradkin partnered with fellow American, Eliot Spizzirri, to upset the topseeded Israeli duo of Nevo Gabriely & Alexander Gaponenko in the opening round, and would go on to win two more matches before falling the final.

CourtSense’s Markham Wins Girls 18s February Championships Ava Markham of CourtSense (pictured right) captured the title of the Girls 18s L1 February Championships at CourtSense Bogota. Markham won all of her matches in the draw in straight sets, culminating with a tough 7-6(4), 6-4 win over Maya Jacobs (pictured left) in the final.

New Yorkers Rubin and Loeb Win Launceston Singles Titles

Noah Rubin and Jamie Loeb (pictured above), two of John McEnroe Tennis Academy’s top students, continued their success on the pro tour, both capturing the respective men’s and women’s singles titles at the Neville Smith Forest Products Launceston International. Rubin cruised past fellow American Mitchel Kruger 6-0, 6-1 in the men’s final, while Loeb beat fourth-seed Slovenian Tamara Zidansek 7-6(4), 6-3 in the women’s final.

MatchPoint’s JTT Team Leading the Pack

Beaudoin “Plays Up” to Win Boys 16s Title Hudson Beaudoin of New York City, a longtime student of the Chris Lewit Tennis Academy, is just 13-years-old but has had a great season competing in the Boys 16s Division. He recently won the L1 Sportime Schenectady President’s Cup, winning four matches in straight sets including a 7-5, 6-4 win over Derek Hsieh of New Jersey in the finals.

The Junior Team Tennis season is heating up, and no team is hotter than the MatchPoint Flame, who is in first place amongst six other teams in the New York City area in the Green Dot Advanced Division. The Flame have won 40 games so far this season, including a 20-9 win over Cunningham Park and a 20-12 victory over the 10U Smashers in the team’s most recent matches.

New York Tennis Magazine • March/April 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

New York

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

Golovcsenko of Tennis Innovators Former Eastern Star McHale Captures February Challenger Returns to National Tennis Center Nathan Golovcsenko of Tennis Innovators defended his home courts by winning the L2 Boys 14s Tennis Innovators Academy February Challenger. Golovcsenko won a thrilling match over second-seed Michael Hart, 7-5, 4-6, 13-11, before winning the final 6-4, 6-0 over Henry Nicklin.

Former USTA Eastern standout Christina McHale took some time out of her schedule to stop by the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center and hit with some current USTA Eastern junior players.

Stephens Heads Upstate to Win Cornell Title

Cary Leeds Partners With NYPD for Volley Against Violence The Cary Leeds Center for Tennis and Learning spent several weeks participating in Volley Against Violence, a community/police engagement tool designed to bring youth and uniformed police together through fun yet vigorous physical activities. The goal of the event was to create opportunities for inform mentoring, relationship building and the learning of life-skills. The event was put on by the New York Police Department’s 42nd Precinct who provided the leadership and officers for the program.

Shand Stephens of New York City and Advantage Tennis Clubs won the Boys 16s title at the L1 Reis Tennis Center January Championships at Cornell, winning all three of his matches in straight sets and dropping just nine games on his way to the victory. He beat Robbie Werdiger 6-2, 6-1 in the tournament’s final.

Proform’s Rios Returns to Dominican Republic

Juan Oscar Rios, Academy director at Proform Tennis Academy, recently took a trip to the Dominican Republic to give back to the country in which he lived for 12 years as a kid. He gave clinics and coaching seminars at no charge for three days with more than 50 local kids. NYTennisMag.com • March/April 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

The Importance of Structure With Junior Group Lessons By John Curtis s it pertains to running a good clean group lesson—with juniors in particular—being organized with your time allocation is extremely important. Let’s be honest: If you allow them, kids can and will completely derail your lesson plan within the first minutes of the class. We have all likely received crazy requests from our students such as a request to play King and Queen of the Court for the whole hour or even a request to engage in a “Belting the Pro With the Ball” contest. If you teach tennis to juniors, you have most certainly been on the receiving end of such requests. In all fairness, kids are going to be kids. They more than likely come to you immediately after school, after a full day of listening and paying attention. The last thing

a child wants to do upon arrival at their tennis lesson is once again sit and listen intently to their pro waxing profoundly about the difference between a Semi-Western Forehand Grip vs. a Continental Forehand Grip. It goes without saying that such lessons should be saved for later, when the pro has the child’s full attention. At my club, our teaching pros follow a general rule of breaking each one hour class into a 10/40/10 structure. The first 10 minutes of the class (give or take a couple of minutes) is devoted to a dynamic warmup. “Dynamic” is the key word here. Allow the kids time to run and hit and make mistakes and blow off the steam that has built up during their school day. Pros should refrain from offering corrective techniques during this time, and instead focus on warming up and gradually raising heart rates. In my experience, kids are just not ready to listen in the first 10 minutes of a lesson. Instead, they are

New York Tennis Magazine • March/April 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

reconnecting with their group, getting a sense of freedom (from school and adults), and recalibrating their brains to a different activity. This is a really important time to back off a bit from preaching and reminding them that it is time to listen to yet another adult! If you play this right, this is your time to be the “cool” pro, simply by allowing them to have a little space. That said, you certainly don’t want chaos, just a spirited warmup. The dynamic warmup should be relevant to what the day’s lesson is going to be. Don’t do a double-feed warmup to the backhand side if the day’s lesson is focused on forehands, etc. Once everyone is through the first 10minute phase and balls are picked up, it is time to actively take on the role of a teaching pro. Assuming the first 10 minutes were handled appropriately, you will hopefully have the attention and respect of your students. In this 30-40 minute period of time,

the focus should be on instruction. Find your voice—know your audience—and make every attempt to shift the focus from yourself to your students. It is crucial during this time that you are not at all concerned with the students’ perception of you. That is, this is not the time to be the “cool” pro who impresses their students with trick drop shots and tweeners. This is the time when the best pros shine—the pros who take a group of kids in September and turn them into players by June. As a pro, it is critical that you know how to teach in both style and substance. You cannot fake this part. Stay organized with your message and do not overteach by being too verbose or scattered. Rather, stick to one correction for each child, so that each such singular correction can be absorbed. The last 10 minutes or so of the lesson should once again be very active. During this time, you should aspire to incorporate the day’s lesson into a fun drill game or live ball game—depending on the level of the children that you are teaching. I have always found it most successful when the pro participates in the drill game and once again allows his or her fun side to shine before the lesson concludes. During this time, positive reinforcement, such as high fives, as well as team camaraderie, go a long way. This is what the kids remember most and what parents love to see—their kids having fun! While this model clearly is not rocket science, you would be surprised how easy it is to deviate from your lesson plan if the one hour lesson lacks a structured framework. Stick to the 10/40/10 rule and you will find that your junior groups will not only learn more, but more importantly, have a lot more fun. John Curtis is executive director at Manhattan Tennis Academy. He has held a number of positions at various tennis clubs, and was head coach of the NYU Men’s tennis team from 1996-2006. Afterwards, focusing on junior development, Curtis was the 2006 PTR Coach of the Year in the Northeast Region and in the 2009 PTR Member of the Year in Northeast Region. He can be reached by phone at (212) 3599535 or by e-mail at John@ManhattanTennisAcademy.com. NYTennisMag.com • March/April 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

at the net wit h

d i n a r a

s a f i n a

by bri an co l em an

or 26 weeks in 2009, Russia’s Dinara Safina was the number one ranked player in the world, holding that distinction from April 20Oct. 11, and again from Oct. 26-Nov. 1, reaching the finals of three Grand Slam tournaments. But towards the end of that 2009 season, a back injury became a lingering problem for Safina. It would continue to plague her through the 2010 season and into 2011, and she ended her 2011 season after reaching the Round of 32 in Madrid. While she didn’t officially announce her retirement, it would be the last match of her professional career at only 25-years-old. Now, Safina embarks on a new challenge and has flipped her role from player to coach, bringing her knowledge and experience to MatchPoint NYC in Brooklyn. “It took me awhile to come to this,” Safina said of venturing into coaching. “I played my last match in 2011, and I finished studying in Russia. I’ve worked in different places, but there comes a moment when you realize you miss the game, you miss being out on court. I thought, ‘Why not share my experience with other players?’” Following her playing career, she went back to Russia and earned a law degree 12

“… there comes a moment when you realize you miss the game, you miss being out on court. I thought, ‘Why not share my experience with other players?’” and worked as the director of operations for an IT firm in her native Moscow. But she missed being on the court. Safina came to New York and played in the U.S. Open Champions draw of the tournament.

New York Tennis Magazine • March/April 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

“I just stayed here,” she said about remaining in New York. “I love the energy. It’s a bit crazy, which reminds me of my hometown of Moscow. The energy of the people is incredible; everybody is always looking forward to the next challenge. It’s just an exciting place.” She knew MatchPoint Co-Founder Nino Muhatasov from her time on the tour, when Muhatasov was touring with Ukrainians Alona & Kateryna Bonadrenko. “We’ve always been in contact and always had a good friendship,” said Safina. “I told him I wanted to try coaching. We sat down and talked about it, and said ‘why not.’ I ran a preseason coaching camp with Alona Bonadrenko and it went great.” Safina has primarily been working with Anhelina Kalinina since, a former U.S. Open Junior finalist and rising star. Kalinina has a career-high ranking of 148, and is looking to take her game to the next level under Safina’s guidance. “She’s had a very good start to the year, but she has work to do,” Safina said of Kalinina, who has won tournaments in Daytona Beach and Wesley Chapel on the ITF circuit already this year. “Her expectations are high. From my experience, you have to have it in your mind that you need to work a lot. Focus on the next match. Young play-

ers can be ambitious sometimes and look too far ahead, and sometimes you have to calm them down. It’s a process. Each match is different, each practice is different. And I hope I can teach her this really quickly. But the game she has is incredible.” Safina will join Kalinina on the road at some tournaments in the near future, and the two hope to be able to play in the U.S. Open main draw this summer. But in the meantime, they are sticking to the process and continuing to try and get better every day. Now 30-years-old, Safina has found her niche at MatchPoint, and has no regrets about her playing career or the way it ended. “I feel at home here,” Safina said. “The environment is great. You come in in the morning and the people at the bar are so friendly, the whole crew is so easy going. Everyone is positive. Nino is always walking around and talking to everybody in the club. I can see how much he and everyone else enjoys being here. This is like their kid and they give it all the love that they have. I look at my career in a philosophical way. I gave it 100 percent every day, and played almost

Anhelina Kalinina, former U.S. Open Junior finalist, with her coach and former world number one, Dinara Safina of MatchPoint NYC 10 years as a pro. I don’t think about what could have been. Whatever was written for me in tennis was what happened. I did it 100 percent and have no regrets.”

Brian Coleman is senior editor for New York Tennis Magazine. He may be reached by phone at (516) 409-4444, ext. 326 or e-mail BrianC@USPTennis.com.

www.hartru.com NYTennisMag.com • March/April 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

2017

NEW YORK BOYS HIGH SCHOOL PREVIEW Player to Watch: Ethan Leon, Beacon The Beacon Blue Demons captured their ninth consecutive PSAL “A” Division Championship last spring, downing Brooklyn Tech 4-1, continuing the school’s tradition of being the best team in New York City. Beacon looks primed to be the favorite once again this spring, and that is despite losing its top singles player from last year, Ameer Hosain. A big reason for that is sophomore Ethan Leon, who played second singles a year ago, and will jump up to the top spot in the lineup this year. “It was very memorable being a part of that team last year,” said Leon. “I was only a freshman last year and the feeling of winning in general is great, but just being a part of a team that helps each other and is very connected was great. Playing first singles this year and trying to continue the tradition is great because I am going to have to learn to be a leader. I do feel a little pressure on my shoulders because my team is counting on me to carry them to another championship, but it is really exciting and hopefully we can capture our 10th title.” Leon will take over as team captain, along with Felix Levine, and the two will give Beacon a potent singles lineup to go along with a deep roster. Although he understands his responsibility and knows he will have a lot of pressure playing first singles, Leon is ready for the challenge. He feels has matured as a person and as a player from a year ago, something he credits to a newfound mentality. “I’d like to give thanks to my teacher Ms. Barbara Solowey who I think has helped me improve my game on the tennis court,” said Leon, citing a philosophy course he took earlier this school year. “It has given me a sense 14

of peace when I play, so I am not getting as frustrated as I did last year. I learned how to be one with myself and to know that things happen sometimes and you have to deal with it. I also feel like the bond between the team has grown since last year, which brought a lot of trust which is important because I don’t feel like I have do to everything for my teammates, and vice-versa.” Leon and his teammates have great confidence in each other which is derived from their success and experience together. Beacon has a target on its back each and every match they play because of its domination over the last decade, but with Leon leading the way this year, the Blue Demons are poised to win a remarkable 10th straight city title. Beacon will open up its season with a home match against the High School for American Studies.

Teams to watch Beacon High School It would be impossible to write a boys high school preview for New York City and not begin with Beacon. The Blue Demons have won nine consecutive PSAL “A” Division titles after triumphing over Brooklyn Tech. If there was ever a year for a team to snap Beacon’s streak it was last year as the Blue Demons were comprised of a lot of young players, throwing out a lineup comprised of three freshman, three sophomores and a junior. Despite losing top singles player Ameer Hosain from last season, Ethan Leon and Felix Levine are talented singles players with now added experience, and Beacon has the talent and pedigree to up its streak to 10 straight city titles, and will once again be the team to beat in New York City. Brooklyn Tech The Engineers of Brooklyn Tech were the team that Beacon defeated in last year’s final and will no doubt be a top team this coming season. Last year’s top seed, Brooklyn Tech no longer have Philip Raytburg and Bojidar Todorov, its second and third singles players from last year, but still have first singles player

New York Tennis Magazine • March/April 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

Samuel Vagner to lead the way, as well as talented young players who are eager to fill the void of the graduating senior class. Bronx Science The only team that finished ahead of Bronx Science in the Bronx/Manhattan A3 League last season was the eventual city champion Beacon, but the Wolverines should give them a run for their money this season. It’s top three singles players were all sophomores last season and are some of the best players in the Eastern Section: Lantis Wang, Jonah Jurick and Alexander Chiu. This three-headed monster will make Bronx Science a tough match for anyone, and it also possess doubles depth, including last year’s first doubles tandem of Neeraj Sakhrani & Alexander Goldstein. Stuyvesant Much like Beacon and Bronx Science, Stuyvesant’s team was made up of a bunch of young players a year ago which should only make it that much better this spring. Led by Nicholas Pustilnik, now a junior, at first singles, the Hitmen lost to Brooklyn Tech in the semifinals of the city tournament last season, and should once again make a deep run in the playoffs. Joining Pustilnik on their singles card is Derek Lung and Michael Kaydin who are also both juniors, and the team is losing just one player from last year’s starting lineup. Townsend Harris The Townsend Harris Hawks are under new guidance this year, as Jeffrey Menaker, the former coach of the Stuyvesant and Bronx Science girls tennis teams, takes over as the Townsend Harris coach. Despite losing third singles player Daniel Corona, the Hawks will be led by two seniors at the top, Maxim Prohorov and Mitchell Mu, at first and second singles, respectively, which should make it the team to beat in Queens, and allow them to push some of the top teams in all of New York City. Despite losing in the quarterfinals last year, don’t be surprised if Townsend Harris is one of the last few teams standing at the end of the year.

Centercourt Performance Academy Commitment to Excellence, Come Train with the Best Since 2013 l 4 USTA Gold Ball National Champions l 6 USTA National Silver Ball Winners l 8 USTA National Bronze Ball Winners l 8 International Titles l Girls 14's Orange Bowl Champion l 2017 ITF Travel Team l Summer Performance Camps l Full Time and Part Time programs available

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NYTennisMag.com • March/April 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

Former USTA Exec Takes Over as he Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning has announced the addition of its new executive director of tennis, Rick Ferman, a long-time and well-respected tennis coach, who will take over the role beginning May 1. “We have a responsibility to the tennis community in the New York City-area, and our goal is to implement the most outstanding program for all ages possible,” Ferman said of his new role. “Youth tennis is our main mission, so that is where we will focus first and strongest, but in line with our mission at Cary Leeds, we will welcome people from all backgrounds and all skill levels with dynamite programming that we are working on right now.” Ferman comes to Cary Leeds after many years in the tennis industry, initially teaching and running clubs in the Midwest Section, primarily in Michigan. As a junior player, the Hamtramck, Mich. native spent a lot of time at the Jean Hoxie Tennis Camp, which helped spark his interest and his foundation in teaching. He completed his undergraduate degree in education while playing on the Michigan State Tennis Team, and taught as a graduate assistant while completing his masters in Intramural Sports & Recreative Services. “When I finished, the facility I was working at in Okemos, Mich.—then called the

Rick Ferman presents the Todd C. Martin Award for Outstanding Performance On and Off the Court to USTA Eastern player Madison Sieg Lansing Tennis Club—offered me the top teaching job,” said Ferman. “We were able to increase participation, primarily focusing on junior competitive tennis, but we had a full range and continuum of tennis programs. Eight years later, I formed a partnership and purchased a club on the north side of town, and became the managing partner of Court One Athletic Clubs.” The Club would be named the USTA National Organization of the Year for pro-

www.elitetennistravel.com

New York Tennis Magazine • March/April 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

gramming efforts and contributions to tennis in 1991, and with the success, his partnership purchased the club in Lansing where he got his start. “My undergraduate degree is in education, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that I enjoyed teaching tennis,” said Ferman, who would go on to coach Todd Martin, and more recently, other top players from the USTA Eastern Section. “But what was a bit of a surprise was that the commercial end of teaching tennis, as opposed to teaching in a public school, was very attractive to me, especially with my tennis background.” Not exactly thrilled with the way things were going in an overall tennis standpoint, Ferman became outspoken about it, and became active within the USTA hierarchy, eventually serving as vice president of the USTA Board of Directors. The following year, the Board selected him as executive director and chief operating officer of the USTA. “I spent seven years in that role, which wasn’t anything like teaching tennis. It was very challenging, but I learned an awful lot,” said Ferman. “I think we had an impact on many of the initiatives that the USTA was pursuing in the late-90s and early-2000s, including opening up Arthur Ashe Stadium in 1997. That was very timeconsuming. But I learned a lot there and we were able to squeeze out a budget for what is now the High-Performance Continuing Education Program for high-performance coaches; we launched that with Nick Saviano as the initial director. It was really fun. Tennis has been really good to me. It gave me an opportunity to see the whole country and travel internationally, and see what tennis looks like through a different prism. It was the only job I ever had that didn’t involve hands-on teaching. If there was a downside, that was it. Teaching, especially working with kids, is near and dear to me and very rewarding, so I did miss that. But we got a lot of good things done in my time there.” Ferman now brings his decades-worth of experience to the Cary Leeds Center, whose values and mission are the same as

as Cary Leeds Executive Director his. He was part of the National Junior Tennis League Chapter in Lansing, Mich., as well as the co-founder of the Todd Martin Development Fund, a non-profit organization that has stressed education and leadership for 20-plus years. “I have a long background in the concept of using tennis to teach life skills and impact the lives of lots of people, and it really started when I was a junior player in Hamtramck, a very blue-collar community,” said Ferman. “When I got older and a little more mature, I realized how important tennis had been to me, and it was due in large part because other people had taken the time to make those opportunities available to me. From all that tennis has given me over the years, I see now as my time to give back for the benefit of others.” That background makes him a perfect fit to head up the tennis programs at Cary Leeds. “NYJTL’s Cary Leeds Center is very lucky that a professional of Rick’s ability and experience is willing to devote his energies to making youth and adult programs in the South Bronx excellent,” said Skip Hartman, NYJTL co-founder and current general manager of the Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning. “He is a rare find—a person who is a superb teacher of the mechanics of tennis, who can also coach

Featuring: • 10 indoor courts • 12,000 sq. ft. Clubhouse • Fully equipped fitness room • Lockers and showers

Rick Ferman (far right) with Venus & Serena Williams at the U.S. Open highly talented youngsters to a high level of competitive play, and who is so thoughtful and well organized.” For the last 12 years, he has run the Con Petire Tennis School at Grand Slam Tennis club in Bedford, N.Y., which is an Ivan Lendl Tennis Center. The school’s mantra is to “seek great tennis together”, a philosophy he will bring to the Bronx. “This philosophy, with the support of the staff and the folks there now, will integrate nicely into what we do at Cary Leeds,” said Ferman. “Maybe not specifically in those words, but the idea of learning to deal with

adversity, plan for success, execute that plan and seek a level of excellence that makes you a successful person in life, not just in tennis. That’s all consistent with the original concept of NYJTL, and the vision that Arthur Ashe, Skip Hartman, Charlie Pasarell and others had when it began. With the help and support of the municipality, many generous donors led by the Leeds, Kiam and Ackman Families, so many people have come together to make this facility a reality. We have the tools and motivation to make it a really dynamic place, and I couldn’t be more excited.”

Junior Pathway Programs for Ages 4 - 18 Adult Programs Private & Group Lessons Hourly & Seasonal Court Rental Mini Camps Event Space 718-247-7420 www.caryleedstennis.org 1720 Crotona Avenue, Bronx, NY 10457

NYTennisMag.com • March/April 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

Courtside

With CourtSense Tennis Training Center

o provide the finest facilities, technologies, and integrated tennis system, while stretching and tapping into the spirit of each student with passion and positive energy.” That is the mission statement at CourtSense Tennis Training Center and is something its management and staff try to live up to every single day across its multiple

“T 18

locations throughout New Jersey. With its passion and enthusiasm coupled with the ability to embrace the newest form of modern sports science, CourtSense has become a staple of the tri-state area tennis community. The first CourtSense club came to be in 2006, when Gordon Uehling bought Tenafly Racquet Club, but its origins date back to about 2002.

New York Tennis Magazine • March/April 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

Uehling, a former player on the ATP Tour, began teaching with Carlos Cano and Jose Higueras but eventually the program became too big and required its own facility, and in 2006 CourtSense bought Tenafly Racquet Club. “Gordon bought Tenafly in 2006, and after about a year-and-a-half, he asked me to come for a year at a time and help him further establish the programs that he has

envisioned,” said Ognen Nikolovski, the general manager of CourtSense and director of Tennis at Bogota Racquet Club. “It’s one thing to be passionate about tennis, and it’s another to make it a self-sustainable business. My kids were very young at the time and my wife and I thought it would be a good time to come and see how it would work out for a year or two. All these years later, we are still here.” The relationship between Nikolovski and Uehling goes back years, when the two were roommates and teammates at Division II Rollins College in Orlando, Fla. The two would go on to play on the pro tour together after college, but Nikolovski stopped after about two years. “I went back to Macedonia, and I had my own tennis club there,” recalls Nikolovski. “I captained the Davis Cup Team, later managed the Federation and ran my club for

about eight or nine years. Gordon was still playing on the tour and trained in Europe sometimes; we always stayed in touch.” A few years later, in 2009, CourtSense purchased Bogota Racquet Club and has since expanded by managing the tennis programs of Alpine Country Club and Englewood Field Club, and also added a summer location at Ramapo College at Mahwah, N.J. “There are a lot of challenges to running multiple clubs and locations,” said

Nikolovski. “Especially when they are close to each other. The tennis world has a lot of ego involved; being tennis players, we’re automatically inclined to think about ourselves first, that is just the instinct. But I think we’ve come out of it much stronger because you see who is a team player and who isn’t. We have a history now operating the way we have been for 10 years, people see that. Most of our coaches and staff have been with us at least for five years or more, there hasn’t been a lot of turnover and we therefore we are able to provide continuity. It’s taught us how important it is for everyone to work together as a team for a common goal of making sure that our players/clients get the most out of their time with us.” Much of CourtSense’s success over the continued on page 20

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courtside with courtsense continued from page 19

years is a byproduct of the enthusiasm from the top as well as their willingness to stay on the cutting edge of the tennis world. A major example of that is its partnership with PlaySight, installing smart courts on 13 of its courts which has taken their coaching to the next level. “I think the software is unbelievable, the technology is off the charts,” said Nikolovski. “Any coach who truly wants to achieve something with any player, whether it’s somebody who is playing tennis for the first time or a 16-year-old trying to play college tennis … what you can do with this is just incredible.” The smart courts have allowed coaches to isolate specific targets, shots and strategies that an individual needs to work on

and can more easily work on it. CourtSense is also working on producing a coaching manual for its coaches, with the goal being to get every coach that works form them to go through the same protocol. After going through the training, the coach can take their teachings the way they want to but it will have the same foundation that CourtSense prides itself in. CourtSense also has Magnus Fitness trainers at its facilities, which provide players with specific and individualized training regimens from some of the top instructors around, which lays the foundation for the success of its tennis players. The tennis-teaching philosophy is based on the Spanish-Australian system, viewing tennis in three components: Your mind,

New York Tennis Magazine • March/April 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

your feet and your hands. You learn with your hands first, by having the correct grips and swing paths, and transfer of energy, then you move onto footwork and then into decision making and the mental aspect of the sport. “We view the head, your mind as the most important part of everyone’s game. You have to be ready to compete and problem solve,” said Nikolovski. “Tennis is a game of problem solving. No situation is the same; you’ll never get the same ball twice, you’re always playing different people and in different conditions. You have to be able to adapt, especially if you’re going to play at a higher level. I think this is the key.” Some of the world’s top players have used CourtSense facilities which only enhances its reputation as being on the cutting-edge of the modern tennis game. Novak Djokovic, winner of 12 Grand Slam titles, trains at CourtSense during the U.S. Opens, and American Christina McHale spent many years there while growing up in the USTA Eastern Section. While Nikolovski has lived in New Jersey for many years now, he has a unique perspective on the tennis landscape in the Tri-State area having come here from Europe, and sees both the pros and cons of the current state of the sport. “I think the level of tennis being played in this area is very high. There are a lot of knowledgeable people who understand tennis and create excitement for it,” Nikolovski said. “However, I think there are two disadvantages. One is that here tennis is an indoor sport, and if we are talking about a higher level of development, it’s tough when you have to play seven or eight months of the year indoors. The other issue, and we at CourtSense are part of it, is that the tennis business has made the sport too much of a per-minute business. One hour of practice, 45 minutes of fitness, etc. Whereas in warmer climates tennis is more of a culture, here it is like getting a massage. You go to your club, punch the clock when you get in and punch out when you’re done. There doesn’t seem to be the same attachment. I think that’s a big problem in why we can’t produce as many players as we would like. You can’t do it by the hour.” But CourtSense is just one of many clubs in the area looking to continue to grow the excitement of tennis and create a

more sustainable culture, something that will benefit the industry as a whole. “Gordon and I, being from the tennis world, have good relationships, and part of our vision is to change the tennis culture in this area,” Nikolovski added. “The old guard was very closed off and competing against one another. Now, do we compete against one another? Of course. But I don’t view it as a competition. For me it is great if the other big clubs are doing great. It means that I have to look at myself and see how we can do things better in order to keep pace, and vice versa. We have heard from other clubs in the area who say they are doing better because of our presence. I think we help create excitement about tennis and people get the hook, and that trickles down to other clubs.” CourtSense has done great things in the decade it has been around and will continue to develop and be innovative with its

methods with the overarching goal of creating excitement for the sport. It plans on expanding its Tenafly and Bogota clubs, while also leaving open the possibility of expanding into new locations, as well as

branching out into the tennis management and counseling business. In the meantime, it will continue to build on its foundation and what has made it so successful up to this point. “We are in this for the long haul. We are in a situation where we can do what our passion is and surround ourselves with people who are in the same boat,” concluded Nikolovski. “We love being on court and love working with kids. And that’s when you can do something special. We’re trying to create our own little utopia; we’d love to have multiple places in different countries in the world so if you go to Spain, Columbia, Bulgaria, China, etc. they all have the same feel with the coaches teaching the same way and representing the same values. That is our goal. We aren’t in a great rush but we keep taking strides forward. Until then, we’ll keep improving on what we have.”

NYTennisMag.com • March/April 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

Nutritional Treatme By Dr. Rob Silverman treat a lot of tennis players with shoulder pain, usually from rotator cuff issues. My goal is always to get them back on the court quickly without drugs, injections or surgery—and to keep them there by avoiding re-injury. For fast, effective, nondrug treatment, I rely on some proven nutritional supplements that work extremely well to help painful shoulders heal. To understand why tennis players are plagued by shoulder injuries, let’s look at the way your shoulder is put together. Your shoulder joint is easy to injure because it’s complicated. It’s made up of three bones: The upper arm (humerus), shoulder blade (scapula) and collarbone (clavicle). A number of ligaments attach the bones to each other. In addition, four muscles from your upper arm and back connect to the shoulder bones. The ball of the humerus is held in place in the shoulder blade socket by the rotator cuff—the area where the tough tendons of all four muscles come together to cover the head of the upper arm bone and attach it to the shoulder blade. So, your rotator cuff basically holds your shoulder joint together. A common shoulder injury for tennis players is a tear in one of the tendons of the rotator cuff. The tear is usually the result of repetitive stress from motions such as hitting or serving a tennis ball, which stress the muscles and tendons in the shoulder of your dominant arm. Because tennis involves so many overhead strokes, tennis players are particularly vulnerable to rotator cuff tears from overuse. Conventional medical treatment of rotator cuff injuries calls for powerful prescription anti-inflammatory drugs and painkillers. These drugs are risky for a lot of reasons, including digestive upsets and the chance of addiction or misuse. If the tear is a big one, you might be told you need surgery to repair it. My patients with rotator cuff tears come to me because they’ve done their homework. They’ve learned that cortisone shots into the area risk making the problem worse, not better. They’ve also learned that after shoulder surgery for a rotator cuff tear, the shoulder is almost never as strong and stable again. My patients want to return to full activity and stay with their tennis. They turn to me instead for non-drug, non-surgical treatment.

Treating the rotator cuff Most rotator cuff tears don’t fully heal on their own, and that could mean months of pain and sitting on the sidelines. To speed up the healing process, the first weapon in my arsenal of non-drug techniques is nutritional supplements to reduce the inflammation caused by the tear. Pain and swelling—inflammation—are your body’s normal response to any injury. That’s a good thing, but only up to a point. Too much inflammation for too long can actually damage the tendons, leaving you with long-term loss of strength and mobility in the shoulder and a greater likelihood of re-injury.

ment for Rotator Cuff Tears (Part I) The right nutritional supplements can be very helpful for managing inflammation and bringing down the pain. For the acute phase—the first 72 hours when the injury is usually most painful—I recommend: l Proteolytic enzymes, including trypsin, chymotrypsin and bromelain. Proteolytic enzymes are a natural way to reduce swelling. They’re very effective and don’t upset your stomach. l Natural anti-inflammatories, including Boswellia, turmeric, ginger and vitamin C. These nutrients bring down the pain and swelling. They work well without causing digestive problems. l Nutrients to relax muscle tissue, including calcium, magnesium, lemon balm and valerian. To protect the damaged area, the muscles around it contract, causing additional pain. These supplements relax them without making you groggy.

After four days, these supplements have almost always brought down the pain and swelling quite a bit. For many of my patients, the difference between a rotator cuff tear that heals well and one that doesn’t is a supplement containing THIAA (tetrahydro iso-alpha acids) and berberine. These natural substances give your body the underlying materials it needs to build healing enzymes called matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). Boosting your MMPs production is very helpful for speeding up the way your body rebuilds and remodels damaged tissues. I have my patients start taking this supplement on the fourth day after the injury and continue for another eight weeks. During this time, I also recommend 2,000 IU of Vitamin D every day. Many people are low on Vitamin D, which is vital for normal healing. Once the injury is healed, we want to re-

tain that restored tissue integrity to prevent re-injury. Going forward, I have my patients take a high-quality daily multivitamin with minerals formula, a phytonutrient formula, and fish oil to maintain their gains. Dr. Robert G. Silverman is a White Plains, N.Y.-based sports chiropractor and certified clinical nutritionist, specializing in functional medicine and the treatment of joint pain with innovative, science-based, nonsurgical approaches. He is also on the advisory board for the Functional Medicine University and a health contributor to various major TV networks. He is the author of Amazon’s number one best-seller, Inside-Out Health. In 2015, he was honored with the prestigious Sports Chiropractor of the Year award by the ACA Sports Council. He can be reached by phone at (914) 287-6464 or e-mail Info@DrRobertSilverman.com.

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NYTennisMag.com • March/April 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

USTA Metro Region USTA Flex League

Do you want to work on your singles game, without affecting your USTA rating? Does your schedule make it difficult to play on a USTA team? Do you want to find new players to play against? Then Flex League may be for you. Flex League is designed with your schedule in mind to allow you to play when it’s convenient for you. Matches are arranged directly with your opponent at a mutually agreeable day, time and location. Each session is approximately two months long. Players can anticipate six to 10 matches during each session (the exact number is determined by the number of players in the flight). Once registration closes, you can access a list of opponents and suggested play-by dates. Once the match is played, the scores are recorded online.

USTA membership is not required and Flex League matches do not affect, nor generate, a USTA rating. Ready to try the Flex League? l Visit USTAFlex.com l Go to “Search for a Flex League” l Choose Division: Adult Men’s Singles or Adult Women’s Singles l Select New York and then the area you wish to play in Registration is currently open for New York City (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens & Staten Island) and Long Island (Nassau and Suffolk) for the Spring League (April-June 2017). For more information about Flex League in these areas, please e-mail FlexLeague@live.com.

NYC Aces Host Another Successful Tennis Social NYC Aces, the group for tennis playing young professionals in New York City, hosted another epic tennis bash, as more than 60 people took over the entire West Side Tennis Club on a Friday night in February. “The event was incredibly successful and met our main goal of getting NYC’s young professionals playing tennis. We attracted players of all levels and created either a new or renewed interest in the sport by getting them playing in a fun social setting in which they could meet new people and reconnect with old friend,” said the event’s organizer Jonathan Raude. “As importantly, we want to continue the excitement around tennis past just this one night. We’ve recognized that people have an awesome experience at the event and want to be more involved with tennis on and off the

court. So, we leverage the event to inform them of the great programs and locations they can play at such as USTA Eastern’s Sets In The City, and the West Side Tennis Club, while also letting them know of volunteer opportunities with the Eastern Metro Region.” The night consisted of tennis, meeting new people and catching up with old friends, good food and drink, a raffle for BNP Paribas Showdown tickets, and an opportunity for attendees to learn about ways to play more and give back to the tennis in New York City. The group will be back at it with another event in the spring, and those interested in staying up to date on upcoming NYC Aces events and volunteer opportunities can like the group at Facebook.com/NYCAces.

New York Tennis Magazine • March/April 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

USTA Metro Region NYC Aces Host Another Successful Tennis Social

NYTennisMag.com • March/April 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

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courtsix New York Tennis Magazine’s Gossip Column By Emilie Katz Djokovic Buys Condos in Soho

Bouchard Honors Super Bowl Wager

completed the historic comeback, and Bouchard was a woman of her word, and the two parties attended a Brooklyn Nets game.

Shapovalov Defaulted After Hitting Chair Umpire With Ball

Novak Djokovic is known for his tennis, but he is also a fan of architecture apparently, telling The Wall Street Journal that he is a big fan of Renzo Piano. So much so that he is now under contract for two condos in his SoHo complex, which is under construction and is expected to be completed by 2018.

With the Atlanta Falcons leading the New England Patriots 28-3 in Super Bowl LI, most of the world thought the Falcons had it won. That includes Canadian star Eugenie Bouchard, who accepted a Twitter fan’s challenge that if the Patriots were to come back and win, she would have to go on a date with him. As they say, the rest is history. The Patriots

New York Tennis Magazine • March/April 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

Credit photo: Getty Images

During the deciding match in the CanadaGreat Britain Davis Cup showdown, Cana-

dian teenager Denis Shapovalov was defaulted when he fired a ball off his racquet and hit the chair umpire in his eye. The default gave Great Britain the victory and they will play France in the quarterfinals.

Sharapova’s Comeback Schedule Rounding Out

major announcement early in the year: Her engagement to Reddit Co-Founder Alexis Ohanian. She announced the news on Reddit in the form of a poem, and it came as a surprise to many people as their relationship was not really known to the public.

Emirates Drops U.S. Open Series Naming Rights Emirates will no longer have the naming rights to the U.S. Open Series, the circuit of North American tournaments that leads into the U.S. Open. Emirates still has two years left on its contract with the USTA, and will push its resources more towards the U.S. Open, while the USTA will promote a youth initiative throughout the U.S. Open Series tournaments.

Zverev Wants to Hire Becker, Can’t Afford Him

Tweets from the pros Maria Sharapova’s suspension is coming to a close soon, and the Russian star is already putting together the schedule for her comeback tour. The first tournament on her slate is the Porsche Grand Prix in Stuttgart, which begins in April, and she has also accepted a wild card into the Mutua Madrid Open in mid-May.

Serena Gets Engaged

Caroline Wozniacki (@CaroWozniacki): Tennis in bathing suits ... Who’s in?! @si_swimsuit #SISwim

Before winning the Australian Open for her 23rd Grand Slam title, Serena made a

continued on page 30

Photo credit: ATPWorldTour.com

Alexander Zverev is one of the best young talents the men’s game has, and he knows what it will take to elevate his game to the next level. Unfortunately, he cannot afford it. “Boris [Becker] could definitely help me to improve my game,” Zverev told the German newspaper Bild of the fellow German and the six-time Grand Slam champion. “But if I want to work with him, first I have to win some tournaments, because at the moment I cannot afford it.” Zverev is currently coached by his father, and gets some help from brother Mischa.

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Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole): First practice on the Rod Laver Arena this year ... feels good to be home! Stanislas Wawrinka (@StanWawrinka): When you come back from 0-2 in sets but still lose in the 5th

Venus Williams (@VenusesWilliams): Sneak peak folks! @EleVenbyVenus #2017

Christina McHale (@ChristinaMcHale): View from my office #Doha

Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal): Wearing my #SneakersforGood to support @LaureusSport as a symbol of the power of sport. Show me yours @rogerfederer @andy_murray #Laureus17

Petra Kvitova (@Petra_Kvitova): Nice to be back in the sunshine at @clublasanta #teampetra

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Roger Federer (@RogerFederer): No photographers were harmed in the making of this photo #letshope

C O M I N G I N M AY 2 0 1 7

Distribution scheduled for 05/01/17

This edition will feature: • French Open Preview • Tennis in the Hamptons • Summer Tennis Preview • Boys High School Tennis • Guide to New York’s Top Tennis Apparel Stores

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

Don’t miss the advertising opportunities in the next edition of New York Tennis Magazine May/June 2017! Facebook-www.Facebook.com/NYTennisMag Instagram-@NYTennisMag • Twitter-@NYTennisMag Submissions for both advertisingNYTennisMag.com and editorial• are due by 1, 2017 March/April 2017April • New York Tennis Magazine 31 For more information, please call 516-409-4444 or e-mail Advertise@NYTennisMag.com

tips from the tennis pro Overcoming Adversity By Emilio Sanchez-Vicario n an ideal world, competition should not exist. But in the world where we live, it is a key component. Since we were born, our parents have compared us to our siblings, our cousins, our classmates, our friends, or to the children of their friends. We all grow up competing, and this can be so stressful that some kids cannot handle it. In school, it is with grades, in life, it is in relationships, and with work, it is with our colleagues, and all this competition is very tiring. There are people who deal with it better than others. However, it is clear that those who have played sports since they were kids have a unique advantage. They are used to finding solutions when things get

tough thanks to their athletic experiences. When I teach coaching courses through our International Coaches Institute, we always talk about the four Pillars of Tennis: Technical, Tactical, Physical and Mental. It’s important to note that adversity can attack any of the pillars and with a multitude of possible consequences. When adversity attacks the Technical Pillar (which is comprised of our tools: Serve, volley, footwork, etc.) this can cause a crack in the foundation of the building. For example, if our serve is a work in progress and has not yet been consolidated, we will most likely revert to old techniques when we are under tournament pressure. This leads to a loss of the competitive state, knocking us out of the match on that day. When adversity attacks the Tactical Pil-

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New York Tennis Magazine • March/April 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

lar (knowing which tools to use and when), we struggle to organize our tools, and we don’t know which tool to use in which moment. As a result, we lose competitiveness and the outcome is unfavorable. The Physical Pillar is key in today’s world, as good health allows us to live better, and permits us to compete longer. If we rest, work, eat and hydrate well, we can do the things we do well for longer and we become survivors. On the other hand, if we don’t rest, don’t eat, or don’t drink enough, we run out of fuel and can no longer compete effectively. But the pillar that is most bombarded by adversity is the Mental one. Negative emotion, loss of control and those things that we cannot see can take down all three remaining pillars immediately. If we cannot stay calm, focused, driven and passionate, then we cannot use our tools (Technical), we cannot organize them (Tactical), and it doesn’t matter how much pressure our bodies can resist (Physical), because the mind is the boss and ultimately determines whether we compete successfully. In order to compete, our mind must face its strongest rival: Adversity. When I was 15, I was having a rough time, and couldn’t beat any of the other players in my age group. I was bumped out of the top training group in Spain and forced to play with girls. I had to listen to the Federation’s general director say: “This kid is a waste … he’s a small, fat loser.” Such kind and motiva-

tional words from the Spanish Davis Cup captain! I was about to quit tennis. My family had always supported me but didn’t have many resources, and luckily my club let me continue training and I kept working on my tools. By the time they fired the general director in the Federation, I had grown and was competing with players of the same height, and my hard work and talent began to show. Suddenly, my losing streak became a winning streak, and all the matches I previously lost became victories. When I turned 18, I was the National Champion, playing the Davis Cup, and ranked number 60 in the world. I am so proud that I didn’t quit and worked hard on the fundamentals of the game. By not giving up, I was ready to jump when the opportunity arose. When several players who were better than me had injuries, they couldn’t go to the European Championships, and suddenly it was my turn. I was on a plane to Switzerland representing Spain for the first time. I made it to the final, and was recognized

“… it is clear that those who have played sports since they were kids have a unique advantage. They are used to finding solutions when things get tough thanks to their athletic experiences.” as a promising talent. My advice today is to train consistently and develop your tools for competing, even during difficult moments of your development. When I finally matured, I was ready to compete on par with my opponents because I had focused on developing my tools at the right time. Don’t give up. Hard work and perseverance will pay off in the end. Now, I try to inspire and encourage our student-athletes with stories of my past, and I believe it helps them in moments of difficulty. I never criticize their physical abilities when they’re still growing. The

general director used to make regular appearances in my nightmares, but finally, the nightmares transformed to dreams through hard work and perseverance. Emilio Sanchez-Vicario is an ex-ATP player who was ranked as high as number seven in singles and number one in doubles. He won 50 ATP singles titles and 50 doubles titles, including three Grand Slams, in his career. He is USPTA Master Professional Elite Certified and RPT Master Professional Certified. He is the CEO of Sanchez-Casal Academy and is the coach of current ATP pro Fernando Verdasco.

NYTennisMag.com • March/April 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

New York Tennis Magazine • March/April 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

Serena

Passes Historic Mark Serena Williams reclaims top spot and breaks record after win Down Under By Brian Coleman

he start to 2017 has been much kinder to Serena Williams than the start of the 2016 season. She began 2016 coming off one of the most difficult losses of her career, a shocking defeat to Roberta Vinci in the 2015 U.S. Open semifinals, as she was pursuing both Steffi Graf’s Open Era record of 22 Grand Slam titles and the Calendar Grand Slam. The pressure of both of those pursuits got to Serena, and it spilled over into 2016 as she fell to Angelique Kerber in the Australian Open final, and then lost to Garbine Muguruza in the French Open final. Even to a great champion like Serena, it was easy for doubt to creep in. But she regrouped in the year’s next major, exacting some revenge on Kerber to win her seventh Wimbledon title and finally equal Graf’s mark. “It’s been incredibly difficult not to think about it,” Serena said after that win in England. “It makes the victory even sweeter to know how hard I worked for it.”

So to start 2017, Serena had that monkey off of her back. She had the 22nd Grand Slam title and wasn’t even the top ranked player in the world anymore, a distinction that Kerber now held after winning the U.S. Open. She had also just got engaged at the end of 2016, to Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, and was in a very good place mentally.

And that showed earlier this year. Despite losing to fellow American Madison Brengle in Auckland in her first tournament of 2017, she was dialed-in Down Under. It began with a tricky opening match against former top 10 player Belinda Bencic of Switzerland, but Serena dispatched her 6-4, 6-3 before moving past another tricky opponent in the Czech Republic’s Lucie Safarova 6-3, 6-4. She then dropped just four games to cruise past Nicole Gibbs before knocking off the 16th-seed Barbora Strycova in straight sets, setting up a matchup with the red-hot Johanna Konta. Konta entered the quarterfinal showdown with Serena playing, as well as any player which included dominating victories over Caroline Wozniacki and Ekaterina Makarova, but she was no match for the determined Serena, who rolled to a 6-2, 6-3 victory to reach the Aussie semifinals for the third consecutive season. continued on page 36

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serena passes historic mark continued from page 35

In the other semifinal it was her older sister, Venus, squaring off with American Coco Vandeweghe who had put together the best tournament of her career. Venus came back from a set down to beat Vandeweghe, and a potential blockbuster final between the two sisters and all-time greats was a real possibility. Playing against the resurgent Mirjana Lucic-Baroni, who was one of the best stories of the tournament, Serena made the possibility a reality, dispatching Lucic-Baroni 6-2, 6-1. “This is probably the moment of our careers so far. I can definitely say [it is] for me,” said Serena of the pair’s first Grand Slam final matchup in eight years. “I never lost hope for us being able to play each other in a [Grand Slam] final although it was hard because we’re usually on the same side of the draw. After everything that Venus has been through with her illness, I just can’t help but feel like it’s a win-win situation for me. I was there the whole time. We lived together. I know what she went through. This is the one time that I really genuinely feel like no matter 36

what happens I can’t lose, she can’t lose. It’s going to be a great situation.” It was a renaissance final and was part of a larger theme in Melbourne, as Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal renewed their rivalry in the men’s singles final. But there is just something special about the two sisters squaring off in this

New York Tennis Magazine • March/April 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

final. Serena was still seeking that 23rd major title to become the sole leader in the Open Era, and Venus was playing in her first Grand Slam final since 2009. The nerves of both players were obvious from the start as the first four games were all breaks and Serena even broke a racket in anger early on. Serena would not be denied, however, and broke Venus four times while hitting 27 winners to beat Venus 6-4, 6-4. “I’ve been chasing it for a really long time. When it got on my radar, I knew I had an opportunity to get there, and I’m here,” Serena said of her 23rd major. “It’s a great feeling. No better place to do it than Melbourne.” When these two play against one another the emotional level for not only both players but their families as well is sky high, and it is hard to imagine just how difficult it must be for the two of them to go head-to-head like that. The two have always been close and leaned on one another when they first broke onto the tour. The first time they ever played against each other in a professional match was at the Australian Open in 1998.

They have met 28 times over the course of their legendary careers with Serena winning 17 times to Venus’ 11. “There’s no way I would be at 23 without her; there’s no way I would be at number one without her,” an emotional Serena said of her older sister. “There’s no way I would have anything without her. She’s my inspiration. She’s the only reason I’m standing here today, and the only reason that the Williams sisters exist. So thank you, Venus, for inspiring me to be the best player I could be and inspiring me to work hard. Every time you won this week, I felt like I’ve got to win, too.” The win also took back the world number one ranking for Serena, who had briefly lost it to Kerber after the German won the U.S. Open last year. In her speech to the Melbourne crowd, Venus echoed similar sentiments about her younger sister. “Congratulations, Serena, on number 23. I have been there right with you. Some of them I lost right there against you,” she said. “I guess that’s weird, but it’s been an awesome thing. Your win has al-

ways been my win. I think you know that. And all the time I couldn’t be there, wouldn’t be there, didn’t get there, you were there. I’m enormously proud of you. You mean the world to me.” Much like in the case of Federer-Nadal, the networks who broadcasted SerenaVenus match benefitted greatly from hav-

ing the two icons face off against one another. This final was up 36 percent in viewership compared to the 2016 final between Serena and Kerber, and it was the highest rated women’s final since Maria Sharapova defeated Ana Ivanovic in 2008. It is a remarkable feat for both of these players at this stage of their respective careers to have met in the final, and is indicative of a growing trend in tennis of older players finding success later in their careers. Of course, Serena and Venus have had success throughout each stage of their careers, and the physical, mental and emotional toll each has been through over the last two decades made this matchup even more unlikely, but gave tennis fans an iconic moment. With the Open Era record now in her grasp, Serena has a new challenge: Tie Margaret Court’s record of 24 Grand Slam titles. Brian Coleman is senior editor for New York Tennis Magazine. He may be reached by phone at (516) 409-4444, ext. 326 or e-mail BrianC@USPTennis.com.

NYTennisMag.com • March/April 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

Century Tennis

Har-Tru LLC

56 Brook Avenue Deer Park, N.Y. (631) 242-0220 CenturyTennis.com Since 1965, Century Tennis has been dedicated to the growing sport of tennis by building quality tennis courts and providing a specialized service to the tennis club industry, as well as the private community. By maintaining a high-quality of service and customer satisfaction over the years comes a trust that is ever so hard to attain. “We simply want to be the best at what we do.” In order to build great tennis courts, you have to start at the bottom with an understanding of soil conditions and converting it to a good base. Laser-controlled road graders enable Century Tennis to build with accuracy. Building Post-Tensioned Concrete instead of the old asphalt type courts are proving to be a great alternative for “crack-free” tennis courts. Whether it is a hard court with the softness of Deco-Turf or Classic Turf Rubber or whether it is a soft court like Har-tru or Hydro Court, or a surface that offers a little of both like Nova Synthetic Turfs, Century Tennis can deliver. The company is a member of the American Sports Builders Association (ASBA), Better Business Bureau (BBB) and the Long Island Builders Institute (LIBI). Century Tennis’ building techniques meet and or exceed those of the ASBA and the USTA and with its “Certified Tennis Court Builder” staff assures this quality. The company’s intention is to deliver the very best tennis courts for the most demanding players and tennis club owners. “Expanding the game of tennis, one court at a time.”

2200 Old Ivy Road, Suite 100 Charlottesville, Va. (877) 4HARTRU HarTru.com

New York Tennis Magazine • March/April 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

Har-Tru LLC is a global tennis company based in Charlottesville, Va. It is the world’s leading provider of clay court surfaces, court consultation, court equipment and accessories. The company strives to help others build and maintain the best courts in the world, leveraging its products, knowledge, and experience to most effectively meet the needs of each customer. Har-Tru stays active in the in the industry as an advocate for the sport and sponsor of tennis-related activities.

The Farley Group– Air-Supported Structures 6 Kerr Crescent Puslinch, Ontario, Canada (888) 445-3223 l TheFarleyGroup.com The Farley Group has installed more than 20 tennis bubbles in the New York City and Long Island areas, helping tennis facilities extend their season into the winter months. For seasonal or permanently installed tennis bubbles, The Farley Group is your number one source for quality, service and dependability. As a manufacturer, supplier, installer and service provider of air-supported structures, The Farley Group works with you from conception to implementation and beyond. The company’s philosophy is built around the belief that a customer never leaves The Farley Group—from project planning and installation to ongoing service and maintenance, we become a trusted member of your team. The company’s expert staff of sales consultants, designers and highly-skilled production and service professionals are well-experienced in all facets of air structure technology, ready to help you through every phase of your tennis bubble project.

FX Design Team Mt. Sinai, N.Y. (631) 882-1932 FXDesignTeam.com What’s in your backyard? For more than 20 years, FX Design Team’s talented staff has transformed the landscape of many Long Island homes. Whether you enjoy spending hours with friends on your multi-purpose game court, practicing your short game on your own putting green or entertaining around your outdoor living space, let FX Design Team’s creative design team build it for you! FX Design Team specializes in: l l l l

Extreme waterfalls, grottos and slides Multi-purpose courts Outdoor kitchens, fireplaces and pizza ovens Adventure-themed landscapes Call (631) 882-1932 today to schedule your transformation.

NYTennisMag.com • March/April 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

Lux-Craft Inc.

Velvetop Products

101 Bloomingdale Road Hicksville N.Y. (718) 934-3600 l LuxCrafters.com LuxCrafters@gmail.com Since 2010, Lux-Craft Inc. has been involved in research and development of the newest LED technologies for sport facilities. In 2013 as a leader in the field, first ever 100 percent LED system was installed at Robbie Wagner Tennis Academy. Today, through hard work and dedication Lux-Craft Inc. is the only company who is able to deliver indirect LED lighting manufactured in the USA with direct replacement capability of old HID systems. LED systems outperforms old 1,000-watt HID systems by delivering crisp and clear lighting, while reducing electricity cost by as much as 70 percent. By utilizing the latest technologies with years of research and development, Lux-Craft Inc. manufactures high-intensity light products, designed for industrial and commercial applications. Currently, the company has a line of lighting products for indoor and outdoor applications. Lux-Craft Inc. is also the first to introduce an outdoor indirect light fixture. The new outdoor fixture minimizes the glare and provides bright daylike lighting.

1455 New York Avenue Huntington Station, N.Y. (631) 427-5904 l Velvetop.com

New York Tennis Magazine â&#x20AC;˘ March/April 2017 â&#x20AC;˘ NYTennisMag.com

VelveTop Products is a family-owned and operated business since 1968. We are a stocking distributor of a full line of tennis court materials and equipment. Our brands include: l l l l l l

Deco Turf: Cushioned Tennis Surface of Champions Har-Tru: Developing Champions Since 1932 Douglas Sports: Nets, Windscreens, Divider Nets RiteWay Crack Repair Systems Deep Root: Tree Root Barriers Hadeka Red Clay

For more information, call (631) 427-5904, e-mail BWalsh@VelveTop.com or visit VelveTop.com.

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

March/April 2017 The 40 & Over Men’s and Women’s Divisions held their playoffs and finals in February, as the top teams from six divisions competed for the top spot. The winners will be going to the Sectional Playoffs later this year. Below are the winners and captains of the winning teams: Women’s Division l 3.0 Division: Karen Funfgeld & Catherine Bussey l 3.5 Division: Ashley Rowe & Susan Chee l 4.0 Division: Susan Bacey

Men’s Division l 3.5 Division: Jay Weinstein l 4.0 Division: Matt Hockett & Steven Bricker l 4.5 Division: Ian Katz

In other USTA Metro tennis news, the 18 & Over Manhattan Mixed Playoffs will be held in early spring. The location of these playoffs is still to be determined as we went to press. The 18 & Over Manhattan Spring/Summer Men’s and Women’s season will be starting soon. If you are interested in captaining a team or joining a team, e-mail JoeMiano@MetroTennis.com for details.

Scenes From the USTA Adult League 40 & Over Men’s and Women’s Divisions Playoffs West Side Tennis Club, Forest Hills, N.Y.

NYTennisMag.com • March/April 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

NEW YORK TENNIS MAGAZINE’S

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

ALEXA NOEL AND EVAN WEN OF CENTERCOURT TENNIS ACADEMY By Brian Coleman he Junior Orange Bowl International Tennis Championships is the cream of the crop when it comes to showcasing the world’s top junior tennis talent, and the 55th edition of the tournament in Miami, Fla. was no exception. It was an exceptional tournament for two players from the Eastern Section who both happen to train at Centercourt Tennis Academy in Chatham, N.J.: Alexa Noel and Evan Wen. “To have both of them do so well, I think it is a good reflection of our Academy and our training process. Both Alexa and Evan started training at Centercourt at eight-years-old. This reflects our developmental programs and how we develop players from the ground up at early ages,” said Centercourt Tennis Academy’s Managing Partner Clay Bibbee. “It’s a huge confidence booster for Alexa and Evan as they know they are right there with the best juniors in their age group in the world right now. I challenge anyone to look at the draw and find a region that did as well as we did, let alone come from the same Academy.”

Alexa Noel Noel entered the tournament unseeded, but it had no effect on her performance as 42

she captured the title in the Girls 14 Division, upending the third-seed Qinwen Zheng of China 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 in the final, capping off a remarkable week. The Summit, N.J. native won seven consecutive matches without dropping a set to reach the title contest. In the final, she faced her first bit of adversity in the tournament as Zheng, following Noel’s first set victory, forced the match into a deciding

New York Tennis Magazine • March/April 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

third by winning the second, Noel’s first set defeat of the tournament. Noel then fell behind 0-2 in the third set, which is where she displayed how her game has improved and matured, showing the mental fortitude to regroup and come back. “I used to be kind of a wreck,” Noel admitted. “But now I realize that I need the mental side of the game to be able to play my best tennis. Even in that third set after I fell behind 0-2 I just told myself: ‘You need to focus and fight.’ We played a long game at 0-2, and after I won it, I said to myself, ‘I’m still in it. Let’s go!’ I wasn’t playing that well, my serve was all over the place. But I was able to make a lot of balls and play my game even through all that was happening.” The improved emotional and mental toughness has been a major factor in Noel’s recent success, which is something Bibbee, Performance Tennis Director Randy Bloemendaal and the team at Centercourt have been stressing to her. “I think Alexa’s biggest development has been her emotional toughness and her approach to the game, both on and off the court,” said Bibbee. “She is looking at tennis with a different mentality. The approach she takes toward tennis is more professional-like now.” That toughness is something that a lot of

players from the Eastern Section develop, basically out of necessity. The cold weather and playing indoors for the majority of the year forces a lot of players to become tough and gritty, and that was evident with Noel’s performance in Florida. In the weeks following the Orange Bowl, Noel headed to South America to compete in ITF tournaments which included a quarterfinal result at the 37th Asuncion Bowl in Lambare, Paraguay. Evan Wen Wen competed in the Boys 12 Division and reached the quarterfinals before falling to third-seeded Victor Lilov. “I started off great, I went up 2-0. But after that I couldn’t hit a ball,” Wen recalls. “He started playing great and ended up beating me pretty badly. But I got back out there the next day and felt like I had to redeem myself because I felt like I should have done better.” He certainly did that as Wen displayed a lot of that same toughness and grittiness, winning three matches, all in straight sets, in the back draw to win the consolation bracket. “When you lose, you always have to tell yourself there is another match,” said the 6’3”, 13-year-old. “This is just one match in the long run. You just need to learn from it and get better.”

Wen said one of the things he wanted to improve on following his Orange Bowl performance was his footwork and being able to move better on the court, something that can be a bit of a struggle sometimes for players of his height. “At the Orange Bowl, I felt so confident that I could just make more balls than the other kids because my groundstrokes were on. I kept getting balls to step in on

but I wouldn’t step in and take it,” Wen recalls. “I worked with my coach over the next few days after that on stepping and attacking the ball. And it’s paid off. Fitness is based on movement and strength. Coach Clay always tells me how I am a bigger guy and I need to be moving better. In practice he puts the bands on me and it forces me to stay down low and it has helped me a lot.” A few weeks after the Orange Bowl, Wen captured the title at the Eastern Super Six in Deer Park, beating the top-seed Samir Banerjee (another Centercourt Academy performance player) in the final, and he hopes to continue the success he has had. The performances of both Noel and Wen in Florida are indicative of the work they have put in at Centercourt and the two continue to get better with each tournament they play. Each is scheduled to play in the Easter Bowl in California where they will once again represent the Eastern Section against the top juniors the sport has to offer, as well as be ambassadors for not only Centercourt, but the Eastern Section as a whole. Brian Coleman is senior editor for New York Tennis Magazine. He may be reached by phone at (516) 409-4444, ext. 326 or e-mail BrianC@USPTennis.com.

NYTennisMag.com • March/April 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

2017 New York Tennis Magazine

2016 Guide to the Top Clubs/Programs for New York Tennis Players

Camp Guide

Advantage All-City Junior Tennis Camp Roosevelt Island Racquet Club 281 Main Street l Roosevelt Island, N.Y. (212) 935-0250 l AdvantageTennisClubs.com/Camps/Tennis-Camps/ Advantage All-City Junior Tennis Camp delivers more drills, more skills, more time on the court! It’s “tennis heaven” for kids! Directed by Xavier Luna, it’s the City’s oldest and mostestablished junior tennis program. Boys and girls, ages five to 17 learn from a team of pros–including some of the finest coaches in the East. Using our 12 Har-Tru indoor courts and three outdoor courts, campers improve their game with tennis instruction, match play and cross-training. While the focus is on tennis, Camp offers swimming, too! Choose single or consecutive weeks— and ask about our sibling discount! Camp is at Roosevelt Island Racquet Club, an oasis adjacent to the Tram and just two blocks from the F Train. 44

New York Tennis Magazine • March/April 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

2017 New York Tennis Magazine Camp Guide Annacone Tennis Camps 2017 at Sag Harbor Park Tennis P.O. Box 2988 l 395 Main Street l Sag Harbor, N.Y. AnnaconeTennis.com l (865) 300-7323 l SAnnacone@aol.com Annacone Tennis Camps 2017 at Sag Harbor Park Tennis are for ages six through 15, all levels. All camps are held Monday-Friday from 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Players should bring racquets, sunscreen, hats, water and lunch. Camps will be held at Mashashimuet Park, located at 395 Main Street in Sag Harbor, N.Y. Annacone Tennis Camps are designed to cover all aspects of hitting and playing the game of tennis. Feeding drills, live ball drills, point situations, serving and returning serve, singles and doubles, footwork and movement, strategy, and sport psychology will be included. There will also be off court cross training activities and games. We will take breaks and discuss tennis related items such as scoring, rules, matches, tournaments, etc. Steve Annacone has been involved in the tennis industry for more than 40 years. He founded and was the director of Smoky Mountain Tennis Academy in Knoxville, Tenn. for 19 years. Steve has coached more than 75 players who have gone on to compete at the collegiate level, as well as directing and operating camps for all levels of players. He will personally staff and lead the program, as well as the tennis professionals, to ensure the highest level of instruction and enjoyment for the players. Our goal is to provide a great learning environment to help enable campers to improve their skills, learn to play the game, and have fun! We will do this with a highly organized program and a safe environment using our experience and knowledge coaching and teaching players. Our proven methods and passion for the game will help players get the most out of their time at our camp. Camps run for 10 weeks, starting Monday, June 26, 2017. Sag Harbor Park Tennis Members or Sag Harbor Residents receive a discount on registration. Please visit SagHarborParkTennis.com for special offers, more information and to register.

Chris Lewit Tennis Academy 3997 VT-100 l Londonderry, Vt. (914) 462-2912 l Chris@ChrisLewit.com Chris Lewit Tennis Academy (CLTA) Summer Camp is a serious high performance sleepaway and day camp set in the natural paradise of Vermont. Players have the opportunity to train personally in very small groups with Chris Lewit, one of leading high-performance junior development coaches in the United States. Chris is known as an expert in technique and biomechanics, and in Spanish training methods. He has developed numerous top 10 nationally-ranked juniors, many of whom are now graduating to the pro circuit. He also has experience building the foundations of many young prodigies. Campers live in a charming Vermont Inn and have exclusive use of a private tennis club, CLTA Vermont, which offers both outdoor red clay courts and indoor hard courts in the event of rain, gym, yoga studio and clubhouse. The camp features daily morning yoga and mindfulness training from a certified master yoga instructor and an injury prevention program overseen by a former Canadian Olympian. CLTA offers a unique teaching system based on the Bruguera Method from Spain, as well as other European influences based on Chris Lewit’s travels abroad. Author of the bestselling book, The Secrets of Spanish Tennis, Chris has spent the last 10 years studying with many of the legendary coaches in Spain and Europe. He brings the most cutting-edge training methods from Europe back to the US for his students. All students receive personal coaching and mentoring directly from Chris Lewit, and are supported by his trained staff of top college and ATP players. For more information, contact Chris directly to discuss your player’s summer development plan by email at Chris@ChrisLewit.com, call (914) 462-2912 or visit ChrisLewit.com. NYTennisMag.com • March/April 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

2017 New York Tennis Magazine Camp Guide Centercourt Performance Tennis Academy 65 Columbia Road l Morristown, N.J. (973) 539-2054 l CentercourtAcademy.com l Info@CentercourtClub.com A commitment to excellence! Centercourt Performance Tennis Academy has quickly earned the reputation as one of the sport’s premier destination for player development in the Northeast. With access to 50 tennis courts (hard, Har-Tru, red clay and indoor hard), Centercourt’s tennis camps are a perfect opportunity for players to refine and develop their skills in a short period of time. Why choose Centercourt? l Train in a world-class environment with high-performance level coaches from around the world. l Achieve significant individual improvement in all facets of the game, including technical, physical and mental aspects. Centercourt is dedicated to meeting the individual needs of each and every one of its players. Academy players are among some of the top Sectional-, National- and ITF-ranked players from around the country. Centercourt puts the needs of the player first, in a development-focused model of training. Each camp is tailored to the skill levels and goals of the players; featuring small group training, match play, individualized fitness plans, mental coaching and video analysis. l Tournament coaching and travel. l Players who commit to Centercourt’s training will see themselves develop life skills that will enable them to become champions, both on and off the court. Centercourt Performance Tennis Academy provides a superior junior player pathway that satisfies the needs of Sectional- and Nationally-ranked juniors. Centercourt Performance Tennis Academy offers programs with rolling admissions year-round and a 12-week Summer Camp from June 12-Aug. 28. l l l l

CourtSense Tennis Training Center at Bogota Racquet Club 156 W Main Street l Bogota, N.J. l (201) 489-1122 CourtSense.com l Info@CourtSense.com CourtSense at Ramapo College 505 Ramapo Valley Road l Mahwah, N.J. (201) 489-1122 l (201) 569-1114 With CourtSense, you’ll achieve your personal best, because our training is of the highest professional caliber–and easily tailored to suit your age and skill level. We use tennis as a vehicle to teach life lessons by tapping into the spirit of every player, with lots of passion, expertise and character. Our students have access to 32 outdoor and 15 indoor tennis courts and to the revolutionary PlaySight smart court system. High Performance Summer Tennis Camp at Bogota Racquet Club and/including Overnight camp at Ramapo College. These camps are geared towards High Performance Tournament and high level High School players. We have trained and currently are training players who have become ATP and WTA ranked players, U.S. Olympians, as well as many college scholarship athletes. Our International High Performance Coaches, in collaboration with our fitness staff and a sports psychologist, have developed a program that maximizes all our athletes’ strengths both on and off court. l Full Day High Performance Tennis Camp at Bogota Racquet Club runs from June 26-Aug. 25 (nine weeks), featuring 10 hours of tennis training; five hours of fitness and eight hours of match/point play) for players ages 11-18. Campers will have access to outdoor and indoor hard and clay courts, with a 3:1 student-to-coach ratio. Weekly dual matches with other academies, and mental 46

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2017 New York Tennis Magazine Camp Guide toughness training are also included. Transportation service provided from Bogota Racquet Club. l Sleepaway High Performance Camp at Ramapo College runs from June 26-July 14 (three weeks), featuring 10 hours of tennis training; five hours of fitness and eight hours of match/point play) for players ages 11-18. Campers will have access to outdoor and indoor hard and clay courts, with a 3:1 student-to-coach ratio on a beautiful college campus. Campers will have access to an indoor swimming pool and lunch is provided at a brand new, air-conditioned cafeteria. Two players per fully air-conditioned room with their own shower and bathroom. Roundtrip transportation service from Tenafly and Bogota Racquet Clubs. l Depending on the needs of the players and based upon their tournament schedule, the first three weeks, the high performance players will train either on outdoor clay courts or on outdoor hard courts, and in case of inclement weather on indoor hard courts at Bogota Racquet Club.

Ed Krass’ 29th Annual College Tennis Exposure Camp University of Virginia: June 16-17 Lehigh University: July 16-20 & July 22-26; July 16-26 (10-day program) Brandeis University: July 29-30 (813) 684-9031 l CollegeTennis.com Coach Ed Krass’ 29th Annual College Tennis Exposure Camp is the nation’s only training camp taught exclusively by head college coaches. The camp is open to all players, ages 1518, who are interested in playing college tennis. Players receive instruction and training from head coaches representing every level of the college game. Ed Krass has coached varsity tennis teams at Harvard University, Clemson University and the University of Central Florida prior to founding the College Tennis Exposure Camp. Under the skillful eyes of top college coaches, players showcase their singles, doubles and One-on-One Doubles skills, and receive specific feedback on their game. Instructional drills and match play competitions are conducted with the same style and intensity as collegiate practice sessions. Players have the opportunity to sample various coaching styles and receive on-court coaching during team competitions. Classroom seminars with college coaches motivate and educate players about college tennis preparation. The camp is offered the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Va. from June 16-17; Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa. for two sessions, July 16-20 and July 22-26; and Brandeis University in Waltham, Mass. from July 29-30. Dormitory accommodations, cafeteria meals and 24-hour adult supervision are provided. For more information, call (813) 684-9031 or visit CollegeTennis.com.

Elite Tennis Travel Program Contact: Adriana Isaza l (914) 713-5074 Info@EliteTennisTravel.com EliteTennisTravel.com A Cut Above Camp … Tennis & Cultural Immersion in Europe! We give students the opportunity to broaden their horizons while improving their tennis performance. Our one to two week European immersion trips are the perfect balance of tennis training, cultural exploration, and language (Spanish or French) development. Want to make it a family affair? We customize parallel programs for parents and siblings, too. Based at an exclusive tennis academy in either Barcelona or Nice, students receive tennis and physical training, language lessons, 24-hour supervision, accommodations, meals and transportation. Off-site cultural activities include bicycle tours, museums, beaches, cooking classes and more. Tennis development Elite Tennis Travel’s coaches are former ATP players who work on technical and tactical aspects of the game. They are bilingual and NYTennisMag.com • March/April 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

2017 New York Tennis Magazine Camp Guide offer instruction in the local language or in English. This high performance program includes four hours tennis instruction and two hours of off-court training each day. Cultural program Afternoons and weekends are dedicated to the exploration of the region, focusing on its culture and traditions. Visits to local beaches, museums and important historical sites enrich our program. Language program Elite Tennis Travel’s schools are accredited by National Independent Private Schools Association (NIPSA), and offer a variety of language programs. Teachers are licensed native speakers who will assess and refine your child’s foreign language skills, from beginners to advanced conversationalists. Groups Elite Tennis Travel can accommodate groups of various sizes. From teams to tennis friends, Elite Tennis will design an experience that fits your child and works for your family. For more information, visit EliteTennisTravel.com, contact Adriana Isaza at (917) 713-5074 or e-mail Info@EliteTennisTravel.com.

Gotham Stadium NYC Summer Camps Gotham Stadium NYC at Mill Pond Park 725 Gateway Center Boulevard (formerly Exterior Street) at E152nd Street and the Harlem River l Bronx, N.Y. Contact: Eric Faro or Rachel Aaron l (718) 665-4684 Info@StadiumTennisNYC.com l StadiumTennisNYC.com Stadium Tennis Center offers a unique array of summer camp programs designed for tennis players of all levels to experience. Through a partnership with Gotham Tennis Academy, some of the most talented, and engaging tennis pros in New York City have been assembled. The pros share a passion to work closely with players of all levels and ages to help them develop to their fullest potential. Stadium Tennis Center offers two distinct summer tennis camp experiences to choose from: l The Summer Elite High Performance Tennis Academy: Designed for those juniors who are ranked in the top 30 or better in their Section. It includes a low player-to-coach ratio, on-court drills, match play, video analysis, mental toughness training and an extensive fitness program to prepare for sectional and national events. l The Junior Summer Tennis Development Program: Designed for beginner, intermediate and advanced players. Ages five through 14 are welcomed to enroll. Your child will learn proper stroke production fundamentals, strategy, match play, conditioning and footwork. Round-trip transportation from points in New York City, Westchester and New Jersey may be arranged.

New York Tennis Magazine • March/April 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

2017 New York Tennis Magazine Camp Guide Gotham Tennis Academy Morning Summer Camp at Equinox Sports Club/NY Equinox Sports Club/NY 160 Columbus Avenue l New York, N.Y. (646)-524-7069 l Info@GothamTennis.com l GothamTennis.com Dates: Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays & Fridays starting in June, from 10:00 a.m.-Noon The Gotham Tennis Academy Morning Summer Camp at Equinox Sports Club/NY (Upper West Side) is a great way to keep your child active and improve his or her tennis in a fun and supportive indoor atmosphere. Indoor tennis offers a safe, sun/rain/bug-free environment so children can really enjoy the sport! The Gotham QuickStart Tennis Program emphasizes skill development and fun on a specially equipped tennis court at the Equinox Sports Club/NY. In friendly, small group tennis lessons, Gotham Tennis Academy’s certified professional instructors utilize foam balls and pressure-free balls, mini-nets, and age- and levelappropriate miniature racquets to accelerate the development of early muscle memory. In no time, your child will learn to swing the racquet and move his or her feet like a tennis prodigy! For beginners and advanced beginners between the ages of three to nine, you can expect your child to have fun, develop self-confidence and learn tennis fundamentals.

Joel Ross Tennis Camp (914) 723-2165 l JoelRossTennis.com l Info@JoelRossTennis.com Joel Ross, owner and director of Joel Ross Tennis Camp in Kent, Conn., is a native Long Islander, having grown up in Westbury, N.Y. He won the New York State High School Singles Championships two consecutive years and earned a full tennis scholarship to the University of Michigan, where he captained the team and played number one singles. In 1971, Joel was Big 10 Singles Champion and was featured on the cover of Tennis Magazine. His best circuit wins include John McEnroe and Tom Gullikson. He currently resides in New Rochelle, N.Y. with his wife, Ellen. Their four grown children each attended and worked at the camp. Joel Ross Tennis Camp, located only 90 minutes from the Whitestone Bridge, is located in beautiful Kent, Conn., at the base of Mt. Algo, alongside the Housatonic River. The camp facilities include 12 on-campus tennis courts, including four indoor in our own steel building. Joel is a hands-on director, in attendance 24/7. His program of instruction and fitness in the morning and ladder play in the afternoon and evening has endured for 27 years since the inception of the camp in 1991. Facilities include squash courts, swimming pool, 300-yard driving ranges and canoeing/kayaking on the Housatonic River. All of our campers and staff are residents. Our tuition covers everything: Private lessons, laundry, snacks, trips, etc. Our campers can also participate in many electives, including archery, squash, canoeing, kayaking, basketball, soccer, football and more! We have a multi-tiered “Bully Prevention Program” in place as well. Give us a call at (914) 723-2165 and find out why Joel Ross Tennis Camp is a keeper!

NYTennisMag.com • March/April 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

2017 New York Tennis Magazine Camp Guide Manhattan Tennis Academy Summer Camp 2017 Midtown Tennis Club 341 8th Avenue (between 26th & 27th Streets) l New York, N.Y. (212) 989-8572 l ManhattanTennisAcademy.com The Manhattan Tennis Academy’s (TMTA) Summer Tennis Camp is a great way to keep your child active and improve their tennis skill in a fun and supportive environment. The camp is designed to take your child to the next level towards tennis proficiency in our fun and supportive environment. TMTA-certified tennis instructors excel at teaching junior players of all levels and ages. Whether your child is a beginner or advanced level player, they will gain confidence and learn appropriate stroke production fundamentals, strategy, match play, conditioning and footwork during the camp … all while having a super-fun summer tennis experience! TMTA Summer Camp will utilize a combination of indoor and outdoor courts, depending on the weather. The goal is to be outside in the sunshine every day, thus camp/lesson plans will be designed based on an outdoor camp day. All campers should bring sunscreen, hats/visors, and lite/cool clothing for hot/sun-filled camp days. Should there be a rainy day, campers will be inside doing a combination of indoor tennis, tennis video analysis, fun games, arts and crafts, movies, etc. Camp will be held daily, rain or shine. All campers are responsible for their own lunch. TMTA recommends keeping brown bag lunches in insulated cooler packs/bags until lunch time. TMTA is not responsible to make up missed classes.

MatchPoint NYC 2781 Shell Road l Brooklyn, N.Y. (718) 769-0001 l MatchPointComplex@gmail.com l MatchPoint.NYC Grab your tennis racket and get ready for a great summer at Camp MatchPoint NYC! The summer tennis and multi-sport camps for kids are a great way to help them learn, excel and master the game, as well as make new friends and develop long-lasting friendships. MatchPoint’s program is committed to developing young players to their peak potential, providing them with the best chance at tournament success. For those just starting out in the sport, MatchPoint offers a multi-sport program that includes tennis, swimming, basketball, stretching and lunch. All programs include drills, match play and fitness sessions. MatchPoint NYC is the sports and fitness destination for the entire family, located in Brooklyn, only 20 minutes away from downtown Manhattan. Spread across 120,000-sqare feet, MatchPoint’s premier health and fitness complex features a cutting-edge tennis facility that includes nine indoor tennis courts. Additional features include a full-sized gym with top of the line fitness equipment and three group fitness studios, a Junior Olympic pool, a rhythmic gymnastics center, a basketball court, yoga studio, and a variety of youth and adult competitive and recreational training programs. For more information, visit MatchPoint.NYC/Camp or call (718) 769-0001. Sign up today and find your game!

New York Tennis Magazine • March/April 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

2017 New York Tennis Magazine Camp Guide Nike Tennis Camps (800) NIKE-CAMP (645-3226) l USSportsCamps.com Come join the fun and get better this summer at a Nike Tennis Camp! With more than 80 locations nationwide, both overnight and day options, there is a camp for everyone. Nike Tennis Camps provide young players the opportunity to improve their tennis skills, work hard, make new friends and have a lot of fun. Dedicated camp directors have a passion for teaching and a gift for helping you take your game to the next level. Locations include: Robbie Wagner’s Tournament Training Camp (Glen Cove, N.Y.); Lawrenceville School (Lawrenceville, N.J.); Randy Mani Tennis Academy at Hardscrabble Club (Brewster, N.Y.); Colgate University (Hamilton, N.Y.); and Chirico-Cohen Tournament Training at Chestnut Hill College (Chestnut Hill, Pa.). Who says that only kids can go to camp? The Nike Adult Tennis Camp at Amherst College has hosted more than 30,000 adult tennis players since 1972. Camp Directors Reiny Maier and Maureen Rankine are outstanding teachers and passionate coaches who inspire all players to get better and love the game. Multiple camp options and dates offered throughout June and July. Visit USSportsCamps.com/Tennis for details.

Peter Kaplan’s Westhampton Beach Junior/Adult Tennis Academy (631) 288-4021 l (914) 234-9462 WestHamptonBeachTennis.com l PeterKaplan2002@yahoo.com Peter Kaplan’s Westhampton Beach Junior/Adult Tennis Academy, and the affiliated Grassmere Inn, is a wonderful destination for beginners to nationally-ranked players of all ages. Private instruction, clinics, one to seven full- and half-day camps are offered. The flexibility of the programming enables participants to enjoy the nearby beautiful ocean beaches, charming village, Performing Arts Center, movie theatre, wine country, shopping, cafes, restaurants and nearby water park. Resident students/families/teams stay at the historic, newlyrenovated and highly-honored Grassmere Inn, located on quiet, tree-lined Beach Lane, 50 yards from the beginning of the charming village, yet less than one mile from a beautiful ocean beach. The Grassmere’s 22 guest rooms all have air conditioning, WiFi, cable TV and private bathrooms. Ideal for families, are two suites or interconnected rooms. A delicious breakfast is included daily. The Tennis Academy features 12 soft courts and features an enthusiastic staff, renowned for its high-quality instruction with an average student/staff ratio of 2:1. Most participants seek a less intensive program of three to five hours of instruction daily. Visiting tennis pros bring students with Kaplan’s staff available to supplement the pros. Here, you can play tennis during the day, go to the beach and have a glass of wine at sunset, and then dine at a great restaurant, or take in a movie or a show at the Performing Arts Center. We are the only academy in the world the USTA selected for the members benefits program for both juniors and adults. And we are annually selected among the top 25 in the world and number one in the East by TennisResortsonline.com. Also, we will once again be offering partial and full scholarships to both adults and juniors, for our tennis academy. These are for beginning tennis players who have made contributions to their community, and are in the names of two of Peter Kaplan’s Cornell roommates. Contact us for more information! NYTennisMag.com • March/April 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

2017 New York Tennis Magazine Camp Guide Proform Tennis Academy’s International Elite Summer Camp 2017 975 Anderson Hill Road l Rye Brook, N.Y. (914) 935-6688 l Info@ProformTennisAcademy.com l ProformTennisAcademy.com Proform Tennis Academy is proud to present the International High Performance Summer Camp. Our highly competitive program is geared towards the development of young players aspiring to play college tennis. This program will consist of physical training as well as technical and tactical skills led by Academy Director Juan Oscar Rios and Head Professional Bruno Puzzi. A native of Puerto Rico, Rios is the only male player from Puerto Rico to compete at the Olympics and is a former captain of the nation’s Davis Cup team. He has coached many world ranked ITF, ATP, and WTA players, including last year’s Wimbledon Doubles Champion Jean-Julien Rojer. The camp’s programs include: l Tennis: Our unique specialized drills used by pros will cover technique, footwork, agility and conditioning. There will also be match play which will cover strategy, tactics and mental toughness. l Physical training: We will train on all physical aspects including resistance, strength, speed, coordination and flexibility. l Video analysis: All students will be recorded while performing on court and the student’s game will be analyzed by our directors. l Language studies and leisure activities: Each student will have the opportunity to enroll in an English or Spanish language program as an elective for one hour per day. Every student will also have a daily choice of golf or soccer. Proform Tennis Academy will also provide pickups and drop-offs to nearby airports. Students will reside inside our Proform Campus at our beautiful Doral Arrowwood Resort and be under 24-hour supervision, and meals will be supervised by our Nutritionist Bianca Amalia. For more information, visit ProformTennisAcademy.com, call (914) 935-6688 or e-mail Info@ProformTennisAcademy.com.

Ross School Tennis Academy Summer 2017 (631) 907-5162 l Ross.org/Tennis TennisAcademy@Ross.org The Ross School Tennis Center, located on the Upper School campus in East Hampton, N.Y., is a wonderful resource in the Hamptons open to seasonal and year-round residents. It features six Har-Tru tennis courts that are enclosed by a bubble from mid-fall through mid-spring, allowing for year-round play. The courts are directly adjacent to the beautiful, stateof-the-art Fieldhouse where players can take advantage of its many amenities, including locker rooms, lounge, snack bar, and ping pong tables. It is also used for a variety of special events and is available for private parties. This intensive program is specially designed for a small group of players dedicated to training to their highest potential every day. Boarding is available for ages 12 and up. Ross School Tennis Academy (Grades 9-12)–RSTA and Ross School Junior Tennis Academy (Grades 5-8)–RSJTA l Train on six impeccably maintained Har-Tru courts and two hard courts in preparation for USTA tournaments. l Four hour tennis practice daily (plus one hour of fitness) in small group and private sessions with the highest level players and coaches from around the world. l Daily Match Play component and weekly Interclub tournaments for maximal game practice. 52

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2017 New York Tennis Magazine Camp Guide l Daily lunch at the renowned Ross café featuring the healthiest and most abundant variety of locally grown, farm-to-table style, delicious food. For boarders Reside in luxurious boarding houses with students from around the world and take part in weekend and evening excursions to local Hamptons activities or New York City. Program runs rain or shine–there is always a new part of the game to discover and explore. Additional private training, sports psychologist sessions and coaching are available for a fee. Ross School Youth Tennis Academy (Grades 1-4)–RSYTA RSYTA is a specialized U10 training program designed for our youngest serious tennis players entering grades first through fourth who already play more than two times per week. All training is with orange and green dot balls and includes a daily fitness and match play component. Players must be able to serve and keep score. Space is limited and tryout required. Dates and Times (June 26-Sept. 1) l RSYTA Grades 1-4, Monday-Friday from 8:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m. (lunch not included) l RSJTA Grades 5-8, Monday-Friday from 10:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. l RSTA Grades 9-12, Monday-Friday from 10:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

Sanchez-Casal Tennis Academy (239) 263-1818 l ASC-Florida.com Admissions_FL@Sanchez-Casal.com

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The ASC Summer Camp is designed for players from around the world. The Sanchez-Casal System allows all levels of players to enjoy high performance training. Basic, intermediate and advanced level players will all thrive within the ASC training environment. The ideal combination of tennis and performance training, languages classes and leisure activities which campers experience make for an unforgettable summer camp experience. Five reasons to choose Academy Sanchez-Casal (ASC) 1. The ASC Training System: Spanish tennis greats Emilio Sanchez and Sergio Casal developed their training philosophy and program at their inaugural tennis academy in Barcelona. It delivers a proven combination of tennis development training, strategic technical, tactical, physical and mental as well as top-notch competition. The ASC Campus: Unlike many academies, the ASC tennis facilities, residences and ES School are all located within one property, thereby creating a safe, fun, healthy, family atmosphere for all student-athletes. Summer Camp Activities: Enjoy the best parts of Florida (Orlando amusement parks, The Everglades, pristine Gulf Coast beaches and more). Plus we speak English, Italian, Spanish and French. And we teach you language courses during the summer program for free as an option. World-Class Results: ASC alumni have excelled at every level of competitive tennis—from junior, national and international rankings and titles, to Collegiate All-American status and NCAA titles, to Olympic medals, to ATP/WTA titles, top 10 ATP/WTA rankings and Major Championship titles. Svetlana Kuznetsova, Andy Murray, Daniela Hantuchova, Grigor Dimitrov and Juan Monaco are just a few of ASC’s best-known professional alumni. International Exchange Program: Besides the ASC-FL annual training in Naples, Fla., ASC and ES International School is the only residential tennis academy in the world to have wholly-owned campus headquarters located in both Europe and the United States. Its Exchange Program offers high school and high performance tennis. College planning and placement is also offered.

NYTennisMag.com • March/April 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

2017 New York Tennis Magazine Camp Guide Sportime NYC and Westchester Summer Programs and Training Camps Sportime Randall’s Island, NYC Home of the John McEnroe Tennis Academy One Randall’s Island New York, N.Y. (212) 427-6150 l GEvans@SportimeNY.com l SportimeCamps.com/NYC Sportime Lake Isle, Westchester Home of the John McEnroe Tennis Academy Lake Isle Park l 660 White Plains, N.Y. (914) 777-5151 l Fritz@SportimeNY.com l SportimeCamps.com/LIsle Sportime Harbor Island EXCEL Tennis Training Camp Harbor Island Park l Mamaroneck, N.Y. (914) 777-5050 l Rhorn@SportimeNY.com l SportimeCamps.com/Harbor John McEnroe Tennis Academy (JMTA) Training Camp Highlights (offerings may vary by JMTA site): l For committed players, ages seven through 18 l Twelve weeks: June 12-Sept. 1 l Athletic performance training l Mental toughness training l Video analysis l Player development plan John McEnroe Tennis Academy (JMTA) Training Camp is located at Sportime’s NYC and Westchester locations, and the EXCEL Tennis Training Camp is offered at Sportime Harbor Island. Camp is specifically designed for players competing in or striving to compete in USTA Sectional, USTA National and ITF tournaments, and those interested in playing high-school tennis, college tennis and beyond, as well as players at any level who want to be the best they can be. Our world-class Sportime/JMTA tennis and performance directors and coaches carefully evaluate students, place them in small age- and level-appropriate groups, and customize programs to meet their developmental needs. All levels welcome! This summer, train where top players like Noah Rubin, Jamie Loeb and others train … JMTA!

Sportime Randall’s Island, Lake Isle and Harbor Island Present Sportime U10 Tennis and Sports Training Camps Tennis Whizz Preschool Camp For ages three to five at Sportime Randall’s Island from 9:00 a.m.Noon, and at Harbor Island from 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m., Monday-Friday. Sportime’s Tennis Whizz Preschool Camp includes specialized tennis instruction, a variety of multi-sport lessons and games, and arts & crafts. U10 Red and Orange Ball Tennis and Sports Camp For ages five through 10, Monday-Friday from 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. and at Harbor Island, 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. U10 Red and Orange Ball Tennis and Sports Camp Offers young athletes high-quality, professional tennis instruction by Sportime/JMTA coaches. The program features Sportime’s U10 red and orange ball curriculum, and to complement on-court tennis training students receive age-appropriate athletic training designed by Sportime/JMTA’s Performance department. Campers also receive instruction in and enjoy playing a variety of team 54

New York Tennis Magazine • March/April 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

2017 New York Tennis Magazine Camp Guide sports activities like basketball, soccer, kickball, flag football and softball. To cool off between activities, Sportime Randall’s Island offers a slip-and-slide water feature, Sportime Harbor Island offers the same, plus the Harbor Island Park spray park, and Sportime Lake Isle offers access to the beautiful outdoor swimming pools at the Lake Isle Country Club. New York City Football Club Soccer Camp at Sportime Randall’s Island For ages seven through 14, Monday-Friday from 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

Summer Camp at Tenafly Racquet Club 195 County Road l Tenafly, N.J. (201) 569-1114 l CourtSense.com CourtSense at Ramapo College 505 Ramapo Valley Road l Mahwah, N.J. (201) 569-1114 l Info@CourtSense.com l Weekday Summer Tennis Camp at Tenafly Racquet Club and at Ramapo College These camps are geared towards recreational and more casual players. All levels, from beginners to advanced players are welcome. Players are grouped based upon level and aptitude. l Half-Day Indoor Summer Camp at Tenafly Racquet Club (June 26-Aug. 2) Morning and Afternoon Sessions Available (2.5 hours of tennis and 30 minutes of fitness daily) Featuring an air-conditioned facility; for boys and girls ages six through 18; newly resurfaced hard courts; world-class tennis teaching professionals, a 4:1 student-to-coach ratio; PlaySight videos for each player; with an emphasis on fundamental strategy, exercise and fun! l Full-Day and Sleepaway Outdoor Camp at Ramapo College (June 26-July 14) Five Hours of Tennis (60 minutes of fitness and two hours of other sports and fun games daily) For players ages eight to 18; featuring world-class tennis teaching professionals; a 4:1 student-to-coach ratio; natural surroundings on a beautiful college campus; access to an indoor swimming pool; lunch provided at an air-conditioned, brand new cafeteria; two players per fully air-conditioned room with own shower and bathroom; round trip transportation service from Tenafly and Bogota Racquet Clubs. Sign up today to secure your weeks! For more information visit CourtSense.com or call (201) 569-1114 and (201) 489-1122.

NYTennisMag.com • March/April 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

2017 New York Tennis Magazine Camp Guide Tennis Innovators Tennis & Sports Summer Camp 2017 Contact: Juan Andrade l (646) 476-5811 l JAndrade@TennisInnovators.com l TennisInnovators.com Cutting Edge Flagship Location: Delfino Park l White Plains, N.Y. Upper Westside Location: 59th Street and 10th Avenue l New York, N.Y. Eastside Location: Kips Bay 33rd Street and 2nd/3rd Avenue l New York, N.Y. Tennis Innovators is proud to once again provide your junior with one of the top tennis camps in New York City. The Tennis & Sports Summer Camp 2017 begins June 12 and runs through Sept. 1. Tennis Innovators offers your junior a daily dose of stroke development, private instruction, fun drills and games. The Summer Camp ensures a successful experience developing tennis skills and coordination, while enjoying a fun and exciting summer camp day. Outdoor fields are available for multi-sport activities, where players can enjoy soccer, basketball, baseball and more to keep each camp day fresh and exciting. Tennis Innovators offers: Indoor and outdoor locations; tennis lessons and games; multisport activities; arts and crafts; and sprinklers and a trip to the pool. A typical summer camp day at our camp runs from 8:45 a.m.-4:00 p.m., and features yoga-infused stretching; tennis instruction, drills and games; multi-sport activities; lunch; and a cool down at the pool or in the sprinklers. Full-day, half-day or weekly enrollment is available. For more information, call (646) 476-5811 or visit TennisInnovators.com.

USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center Flushing Meadows l Corona Park l Flushing, N.Y. (718) 760-6200 l NTC.USTA.com The USTA Billie Jean National Tennis Center will once again offer seven weeks of fun in the sun tennis day camps starting in June. Enrollment will soon be available online and you may choose registration for one, two or as many as seven weeks. The weekly program runs Mondays through Fridays, 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., with a one-hour lunch break or a twilight session from 4:30 p.m.-7:00 p.m. Campers work on the development of tennis techniques, tactics, sports conditioning, multi-sports and strategy geared toward maximizing the learning experience in a fun presentation. As the juniors develop, they are advanced to more challenging groups. Tennis activities include Stroke of the Day, team games and competitive match play. The camp also offers cross-training activities, such as soccer, softball and basketball in the park or at the Corona Park multi-purpose recreational facility, off-site field trips include ice skating, Mets games, and more, and full access to the many fun activities on the grounds of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. The program accepts junior players, ages four- through 10-years-old for the 10 & Under programs. Recreational players 11-years-old and up are enrolled in the Junior Camps (8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. or 4:30 p.m.-7:00 p.m.). Advanced High Performance Tournament training campers will also be invited to participate in an intensive Tennis Academy training program. The National Tennis Center has 22 outdoor courts, 12 indoor courts, and four stadium courts. Also on-site are ping-pong tables, ball machines, a fitness center, and other age-appropriate fun activities like arts, multi-sports, arts and crafts, and other engaging sporting events. The primary focus will be on developing tennis skills, while offering other activities to enhance the learning and summer camp experience. Also offered are junior evening and weekend programs, as well as adult daytime, weekday evening and weekend camps. Detailed information will be available soon at NTC.USTA.com. You may contact the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center at (718) 760-6200 for more information about year-round and summer day camp programs. 56

New York Tennis Magazine â&#x20AC;˘ March/April 2017 â&#x20AC;˘ NYTennisMag.com

2017 New York Tennis Magazine Camp Guide West Side Tennis Club’s 2017 Summer Camp One Tennis Place l Forest Hills, N.Y. (718) 268-2300 l ForestHillsTennis.com The West Side Tennis Club’s Summer Camp offers top-notch coaching at the most historic tennis venue in the U.S. Led by former touring pro Bob Ingersole, who has coached numerous Sectional, National and professional players, West Side’s program outlines the “Road to Success.” Former home of the U.S. Open, West Side Tennis Club still maintains grass, hard, red clay and Har-Tru courts. Each day, campers receive three hours of instruction from the certified staff. Headed by Brett Bothwell, the 10 & Under program is an innovative way to start children off on the right foot. Using graduated-length racquets, low compression balls and smaller nets, the student’s success rate is immediately increased, which makes learning tennis more fun. Brett is a master of fundamentals, and has a vast understanding of equipment and how to maximize potential by matching the player with their racquet and on-court activities West Side’s Tournament Training Program (TTP) was created to meet the needs of the top players in the area. Gus Alcayaga, West Side’s TTP coordinator, heads up a team of senior staff professionals to work with these players. In addition to the high intensity drills on the court, the Camp incorporates conditioning and match play into the curriculum to make sure players reach their maximum potential. Amaury Piantini is West Side’s teenage program coordinator and handles the needs of older campers. The Camp consists of players ranging from touring pros to complete beginners. Campers also have two hours of free swim in our Junior Olympic-sized pool. The camp provides drinks throughout the day, a snack of fresh fruit, a lunch catered by our restaurant and towels for pool time.

Windridge Tennis and Sports Camps 1215 Roxbury Road l Roxbury, Vt. (802) 860-2005 l WindridgeCamps.com Windridge ... a tradition of tennis, soccer and horseback riding and so much more for 50 years. Located in the Green Mountains of Vermont, the Windridge Tennis and Sports Camps stand unique in that they feature specialized sports programs within the framework of a traditional New England camp setting. Since 1968, children have come to Windridge from most of the 50 states and many foreign countries to share in the Windridge experience. Campers make a commitment to hard work, good sportsmanship, and wholesome fun and laughter. Within a warm and friendly environment, campers make lifelong friends while learning skills for life. Windridge offers two- and three-week coed sessions from June through August, serving ages seven through 15. Windridge’s 4:1 camper-to-counselor ratio is an important factor in its warm and nurturing environment. Windridge offers “majors” in tennis, soccer and horseback riding, and also offers many elective programs, such as golf, mountain biking, archery, a ropes course, basketball, volleyball, arts and crafts, and more. Windridge adds to this, a wide variety of exceptional evening activities and special events to create a wellrounded experience for each camper. For more information, visit WindridgeCamps.com or contact Camp Director Norbert Auger at NAuger@WindridgeCamps.com.

NYTennisMag.com • March/April 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

USTA Eastern Looks to the Futur

George Seewagen Award was presented to the late Howie Arons of Great Neck Estates and accepted posthumously by his sons he USTA Eastern Section held its Annual Conference at the Renaissance Westchester Hotel in West Harrison, N.Y., bringing together members of all the section’s regions for a weekend of celebrating the year’s achievements and discuss ways to continue to improve on its initiatives. “This year our focus was on celebrating collective success from true tennis innovators across the section,” said USTA Eastern Executive Director and COO Jenny Schnitzer. “It’s so important to us that every attendee leave with new ideas, new contacts and renewed enthusiasm for growing tennis. We have been able to measure success by the number of meaningful conversations, insightful sessions and a shared vision for the sport we love.” For the fourth consecutive year, the Conference partnered with the United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA) and the Professional Tennis Registry (PTR) to ensure that all the attendees came away with new ideas and focuses to help grow tennis in their respective areas. The weekend was filled with various workshops, drills and seminars put on by renowned coaches and instructors, including

Tennis Hall of Famer Gigi Fernandez delivers her speech on the future of the sport

Members of the new USTA Eastern Board tennis Hall of Famer Gigi Fernandez, who presented new and innovative ways to grow tennis in a variety of areas. The Conference was highlighted by the Annual Meeting, as the Eastern Board reviewed its accomplishments over the last year and set goals moving forward for 2017. One of the main topics discussed was continuing to bring tennis into local schools by not only providing equipment, but instruction as well, the way other sports are taught in schools, and expanding tennis programming for adults. “Eastern truly believes that it is our respon-

New York Tennis Magazine • March/April 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

USTA Eastern Executive Director and COO Jenny Schnitzer addresses the crowd

sibility to deliver quality tennis programming at every tough point and for every age and level,” Schnitzer said. “This delivery begins at schools and continues through local opportunities for kids, new innovative programs for young adults and continued options for seniors—some of the most enthusiastic and committed players in our section. We feel energized to continue to collaborate and connect the dots at the local level to keep families and individuals engaged in tennis.” The Annual Awards Dinner capped off night one as the Section honored the men, women and juniors who have had a positive impact in their respective regions. Among the award winners was Whitney Kraft of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, who won the USPTA Eastern Professional of the Year Award. “It’s always an honor to be recognized by your peers in the industry,” said Kraft. “I’m really fortunate to be surrounded by so many talented and all around dedicated

ture at 2017 Annual Conference

Sue Wold was named USTA Eastern Tennis Woman of the Year

John Klenner, takes over as USTA Eastern president from outgoing president Mark McIntyre

tennis professionals both within the National Tennis Center campus as well as outside of Queens in the greater tennis world. The Eastern Section is a pleasure to collaborate with … Julie Bliss-Beal, Jenny Schnitzer, Rob Testa, Monica Lamura, Gustavo Loza and the rest of the team are innovative and all embody teamwork.” The top volunteers from each region were also honored at the Dinner, and Randi Wilkins took home the award for the Regional Volunteer of the Year for the Long Island Region. “It’s always special to receive an award from your peers for your efforts, although it’s

not the motivation for me. I feel my real award is having a great turnout and enthusiastic participants for the events I am involved with that help grow tennis on Long Island,” said Wilkins, who put together Suffolk County Kids’ Day last summer which brought in more than 150 kids. “I hope people who attend these events will become as enthusiastic with the game as I am!” Many new board members were also ushered into their new positions, including John Klenner, who is taking over as the new USTA Eastern President, a position previously held by Mark McIntyre.

USTA Director-at-Large Laura Canfield recaps a successful year for USTA Eastern “It was somewhat bittersweet to lower the gavel one last time as the past two years have been both challenging and a great deal of fun,” said McIntyre. “However, I am extremely confident that Eastern is in good hands with John Klenner at the helm. He has been our treasurer for the last eight years and has done an incredible job putting us on a solid financial footing. Moreover, he is dedicated to ensuring that we will continue to support community tennis. It’s John’s turn to lead us down the next path, which he has played an influential role in mapping out.”

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Serve and Vol By Lisa Dodson here are a number of classic “reasons” for the lack of serve and volley among women in the modern game of tennis. Opinions and quotes from fans, players, coaches and commentators are many. True or not here, they are: 1. “The return is too big.” 2. “Women’s serves are not big enough and they are too small.” 3. “Racket and string technology makes serve and volley ‘suicidal.’” 4. “Women aren’t agile and quick in forward/back movement.”

I have long been a believer that women’s tennis took an ill-advised, one dimensional turn many years ago. With the onset of topspin, the baseline became the main room in the house for female players. A successful style was created and copied, commentators and coaches professing that this was the way women should play tennis. We, the coaches, professionals and spokespeople for the game bought into this in a big way. Consequently, we have undermined players’ abilities and undervalued a substantial part of the game in women’s tennis. The serve We all know that, generally speaking, women are not physically capable of serving the speed of men. Nature dictates this by giving men the size, speed and strength advantage. That being said, it does not mean that women cannot develop big serves. The man’s muscle mass is above the waist and women’s is below the waist. Women need to be taught to engage the center and lower body more to harness their natural power and to couple this with a proper throwing technique. The fastest, officially-recorded, woman’s serve is 131 miles per hour by Sabine Lisicki, followed by 12 pro players who have recorded speeds over the minimum 124 miles per hour benchmark. Given the right tools and coaching, these exceptional results are attainable by women players.

Volley for Women: Why It’s all a matter of the player and coach believing that this is possible and going through a solid progression. It’s also a matter of time spent, balls hit and willingness to persevere. Like anything else there are some players who will take to the challenge more naturally and with open and accepting attitudes. These players and coaches will then set the bar for others. In the last few years, there has been a push to improve women’s serves and strides are being made to earn some cheap points. Commanding play from the serve can be the future of women’s tennis if we make it a priority. We’re not even talking about blasting untouched aces, but setting a tone and confidence for a match by using varying spin, pinpoint placement and speed. The key is to make the receiver hit returns that are outside of their striking zone. Then, returns become less accurate, less deadly and more vulnerable. The volley The serve always gets the blame for the lack of serve and volley for women. What about the poor old, neglected classic volley, which just so happens to be the second and equally important half of the serve and volley? The art of the volley has been stripped and robbed by forehand grips. Female players spend so much time on the baseline hitting topspin forehands and two-handed backhands that the Continental grip is a stranger. Dangerously true is that this happens daily at grassroots levels. It’s no wonder that our most creative and versatile female players in history utilize the one-handed backhand. Using a Continental grip for the backhand leads to familiarity of what this grip provides for both the serve and the volley. The Continental grip is essential for a controlled volley. Generally, classic volleys are not meant to overpower, but to put pressure on the opponent to hit a difficult passing shot and is a necessity for the first or midcourt volley. Forward movement takes players from one physical place to another by means of hitting the shot and is an integral part of hitting this non-swinging shot.

Female players need to spend time on their volley technique and how to make that technique work on the move. If it is true that women are less good at forward movement and struggle with transitioning reflexively, then it really is for lack of doing it. Reallocate a good chunk of practice time to coming forward, learning an athletic split-step and quickening up the transition. Add a precision first volley to complete building the confidence to use a serve and volley or an approach technique. Not only will this make serving and volleying more successful, but it will enhance approaching on forceful ground shots or returns. It’s time and it takes time. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not advocating that all women players should become serve and volley players, I’m advocating a winning style of play at all levels. Use it at specific, strategic times, against specific player types, as a pressure tool, as a bluff. Just use it! Remember that when you go to the net, you will sometimes get passed. But in the meantime, you will win more points by simply approaching (and not having to volley) than you will by volleying. The premise above is driven by facts. Craig O’Shannessy, the lead strategy analyst for ATP and WTA, cited the following facts:

Not?

An examination of the statistics shows that serving and volleying remains a winning strategy for men and women … At the 2012 U.S. Open both men and women had the highest winning percentage (of baseline, net and serve and volley) when serving and volleying: 68.7 percent for men, 69.2 percent for women. The percentages were similar for Wimbledon 2013. Surprisingly, baseline points won were 46.2 percent for men and 47.3 percent for women. Still, there were only 190 serve-and-volley points in the women’s tournament, and only 37 of the 128 women in the field served and volleyed at all. 19 women did not lose a point while serving and volleying. Perhaps things will change when coaches encourage women to spend quality time on their serve, volley and the athletic movements associated with putting them together. So, let me ask again, why not? Lisa Dodson is the developer and owner of Servemaster, a USPTA Elite Professional and a former WTA world-ranked player. She is currently the director of tennis at Shenorock Shore Club in Rye, N.Y. She may be reached by e-mail at Lisa@TheTotalServe.com or visit TheTotalServe.com.

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Engaging the Youn

Using Games and Competition to Make Tennis Fun for De By Ray Josephs ennis is one of the most technical sports to learn. Unlike basketball or soccer where someone can pick up a ball

and play right away, it will take a young child up to a year or more to develop the skills to engage in realistic competition. In addition to that, we are fighting for children’s attention against video games available on every smartphone and tablet. Because of this, it is important as coaches to figure out ways to

New York Tennis Magazine • March/April 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

make the learning process fun at the beginning stages of tennis. I come from a very technical teaching background and strongly believe that every child should be taught the very best FUNdamentals as early as possible. You never know which kids will become the next great

ung Mind: r Developing Athletes champion. Sound fundamentals will give every kid that chance. It can be difficult to keep young children engaged in the complicated learning process. This is where developing games in your learning process is so important. Beginning with red ball players, five- to eight-years-old and new to the sport, there are a number of things we can do to spark the love of tennis in their minds. Encourage repetitive tasks using games and competition. For example, reward properly executed forehand and backhand drills with points. As silly as it sounds, six-year-olds love getting 1,000 points just for fun alone! You may also turn competitive drills into team and group competitions. Using a soft soccer ball or light medicine ball, see how many

times players can pass the ball back and forth properly in a set amount of time. Prizes can be small gifts or mini rewards such as not having to pick up balls for the rotation. Moving up to orange and green ball levels, kids ages seven- to 10-years-old, the competition can become more specific. As these players gain the majority of the skills to play all aspects of tennis, it is important to keep them engaged in the learning process by adding goals and competition to the technical portions of practice. Something as simple as crosscourt rallies can become a game when targets are introduced. For example, see who can hit 10 balls past the service line first. They can compete against each other, in teams, or against other courts to mix up the games. It

also helps to put stronger and weaker players together to help lift the weaker players up and allows the stronger to understand how to work with their teammates. For all ages, it is very important to communicate with the ideas and goals of each drill. Simple drills may seem boring to young children, and if they understand and are excited about the goal, they will be more likely to stick with the lessons even if they struggle to achieve them. Pairing the concept of games with the learning process can help players of all ages and levels grow to love the sport as they grow their skills. Ray Josephs is co-director of Player Development in the CourtSense program at Tenafly Racquet Club. Ray maintained a high national ranking throughout the juniors, as well as an impressive high school and college record. Before joining the CourtSense team, Ray spent his time training numerous highly ranked national and international juniors at the Rick Macci Tennis Academy in South Florida. Before that, he was the primary coach for many top 20 juniors, as well as players on the WTA tour.

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Learning About Spanish Values: Lessons From the Philosophy of Toni Nadal

By Chris Lewit oni Nadal has been instrumental in the development of his nephew, Rafael, into a world-class tennis player. I re-

cently had the good fortune to study with him in Mallorca, Spain at the new Rafa Nadal Tennis Academy. Many of his values are espoused by other Spanish mentors of mine, including legendary coach Lluis Bruguera, while some of Toni Nadal’s views are unique. I believe in a

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New York Tennis Magazine • March/April 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

similar set of values and reinforce the same concepts to our players. Toni Nadal’s six core values Toni states unequivocally, “Even if the world is finished tomorrow, I do the right thing—that’s values. Values affect everyone and everything in the world.” Based on this perspective, he sought to create a model of the six core values most important to develop players: 1. Humility The value of humility is very commonly taught in Spanish tennis, as I discussed in my book, The Secrets of Spanish Tennis. Humility can be exemplified by champions like Nadal, Carlos Moya and Juan Carlos Ferrero. “Humble is the way you have to be, period,” Toni says. He continues, “Everybody should know their place in the world. The point is that the world is quite big enough already without you imagining that you’re big too.”

Rafa himself has argued that humility is a key component to his motivation and competitiveness because his humility never allows him to overestimate an opponent and become complacent going into battle. 2. Overcoming obstacles Toni believes that life in general has gotten faster, and that children and sometimes parents expect instant results and gratification … quick fixes. But for Toni, the things that have the most value in life are difficult and take a long time to achieve. Thus, having the perseverance to overcome obstacles is a very important value and overcoming challenges is what helps to build a strong character. 3. Respect “Respect for other people, for everyone irrespective of who they might be or what they might do, is the starting point of everything,” Toni tells John Carlin in an interview for the book, Rafa. “What is not acceptable is that people who have had it all in life should behave coarsely with other people. No, the higher you are, the greater your duty to treat people with respect.” Furthermore, Toni believes that if you respect others, you will be happier in life, and thus happier on the difficult journey towards becoming a champion.

4. Patience Patience is a common value taught to players in Spain. For Toni, one must, of course, be patient on the court to develop one’s strategy. Moreover though, in life, one must never become impatient on the long and difficult journey towards achieving greatness; patience is thus interlinked with persistence. 5. Tolerance Tolerance, for Toni, is connected to the value of respect. For Toni, people in life who have a high tolerance of those around them are more respectful and peaceful, and thus happier in their life. But Toni also believes tolerance is an important character trait in champions on the court. Tolerance, in this case, means how a player handles the stress and mental/emotional challenges of the battle. Strong players are able to tolerate more stress and pressure than weaker players. Therefore, tolerance is also interwoven with the concept of self-control. Toni says, “Self-control is critical to becoming a champion. A player must control their mind, body and emotions. Without this, he cannot control the ball.” 6. Fighting spirit For Toni, the fighting spirit means being willing to “suffer”. Sometimes he calls it “enduring.” Toni believes champions must endure and suffer—they must

fight to the end to achieve greatness. Rafa says, Toni taught me, “Endure, put up with whatever comes your way, learn to overcome weakness and pain, push yourself to the breaking point, but never cave in. If you don’t learn that lesson, you’ll never succeed as an elite athlete.” These six core values are the infrastructure around which one can build a champion’s mind and spirit, one that dominates without making excuses. Above all else, Toni says, “Champions must find solutions, not excuses. Whining and complaining never helped us win a match or championship.” Players who embrace these six Spanish values will be better prepared for battle on the tennis court—and also for the challenges of life. Chris Lewit, a former number one for Cornell and pro circuit player, coaches in the New York City area and also runs a high-performance boarding summer camp in Southern Vermont. He specializes in training aspiring junior tournament players using progressive Spanish and European training methods. His best-selling book, The Secrets of Spanish Tennis, has helped coaches and players worldwide learn how to train the Spanish way. He may be reached by phone at (914) 462-2912, e-mail ChrisLewit@gmail.com or visit ChrisLewit.com.

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NYTennisMag.com • March/April 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

Ten Takeaways From the

2017AussieOpen BY BRIAN COLEMAN

The 2017 Australian Open was one of the most memorable Grand Slams in recent history, with exciting matches throughout the tournament, culminating with two magnificent singles finals that turned back the clock. Here are our top 10 takeaways from the first major Grand Slam of 2017 … 1. Federer and Nadal rewind the clock The 35th meeting between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal did not disappoint, as these two rekindled their rivalry to meet in the men’s singles final, their first meeting in a major final since the French Open in 2011. Federer outlasted Nadal in five sets in one of the most viewed men’s singles finals ever, attracting the attention of sports fans everywhere. The performance of both of these alltime greats came as a surprise to some after both battled through injuries in the last couple of years, but they showed they still have plenty left in the tank. 2. Serena and Venus meet again Not to be outdone by the men’s final, the women’s singles final was one for the ages in its own right as Serena Williams took on older sister Venus in their first Grand Slam final meeting since Wimbledon in 2009. Serena won a straight-forward 6-4, 6-4 match, but the match 66

was more important than just the final score. The first time the two ever played a tour-level match against each other came in Melbourne in 1998, 19 years before this final. The run to this final was Venus’ first since that 2009 Wimbledon final and was a remarkable tournament considering what she has gone through off the court over the last few years. And of course, the win was extra special for Serena, who finally won her 23rd major title to pass Steffi Graf’s Open Era record, and reclaimed the world number one ranking. 3. Vandeweghe’s breakout Down Under While the women’s final consisted of two Americans, there was a third American who had a huge tournament, 25year-old Coco Vandeweghe. Vandeweghe produced by far her best Grand Slam tournament, upending 15th-seeded Roberta Vinci, Eugenie Bouchard, defending champion and top-seed Angelique Kerber, and seventh-seed Garbine Muguruza on her way to the semifinals. She took the first set off of fellow American Venus in the semis before dropping the next two, but she showed that she can channel her passion and aggressive tennis into positive results on the court, and it could serve as a turning point in her career.

New York Tennis Magazine • March/April 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

4. Dimitrov shows he has the stuff Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov has been a muchhyped player for years now, especially after reaching the Wimbledon semifinals in 2014, but he hadn’t made it out of the fourth round at a Grand Slam since that run in England three years ago. But he showed the development in his game and it was demonstrated on the court as he reached the semifinals in Melbourne, coming ever-so-close to reaching the final. He had his opportunities against Nadal in his semifinal matchup, but came up short. He is still just 25-years-old and is loaded with talent, which should make him a serious threat at Grand Slams moving forward.

5. LI’s Rubin wins in main draw again, tests Federer There is something about the Melbourne courts that Long Island’s Noah Rubin seems to like. Last year, he upset the 17thseeded Benoit Paire in the opening round, and followed it up this year by upending one of his good friends and fellow American Bjorn Fratangelo in the first round in Melbourne. The win moved him into the second round and into a matchup with Federer on the main court at Rod Laver Arena. Federer would win in straight sets, but Rubin showed no fear and competed at a high level against him. This match will serve as a pivotal moment in his promising career. “I was very impressed by Noah,” Federer said. “I thought he played really well. I feel like he’s going to have a great, consistent career. The question now is how far can he go?” We will see … continued on page 68

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6. Where are all the American men? Fifty-three … that is how many consecutive Grand Slams have now passed without an American man hoisting a championship singles trophy. Not since Andy Roddick at the 2003 U.S. Open has it happened and it didn’t look any closer to happening in Melbourne. John Isner lost to Mischa Zverev in the second round, and Sam Querrey and Jack Sock were ousted in the third round, by Andy Murray and JoWilfried Tsonga, respectively. There is a good young crop of players who will be successful on the ATP Tour, but how many more Grand Slams will pass by before an American stands alone at the end? 7. Early exits for Djokovic and Murray

their second Australian Open title together and fourth overall. Mattek-Sands is now the number one ranked women’s doubles player in the world, and the American/Czech duo will look to win their third straight major title together this spring at Roland Garros. 9. Lucic-Baroni’s remarkable run If there was an overarching theme to this year’s Australian Open, it was that age is but a number. No one personified that more than 34year-old Croatian Mirjana Lucic-Baroni, who put together an unprecedented run to reach the semifinals. She knocked off third-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska early and would go on to reach the final four before losing to eventual champion Serena Williams. Before this run, Lucic-Baroni hadn’t won a main draw match in Melbourne since 1998, and reached her first quarterfinal since 1999. She battled past a multitude of personal issues which derailed her once promising career, but inspired many with her showing this year. “When I want something, I work really hard and do whatever it takes to get it. Nothing is ever guaranteed, but the satisfaction I feel right now is incredible,” Lucic-Baroni said. “I would tell anyone struggling out there to just show up and do it with your heart.”

While the tennis world was buzzing with the possibility, and ultimately the reality, of a Federer-Nadal final, Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic, the last two world number ones, were both bounced early in Melbourne. Djokovic, the two-time defending 10. American Brady reaches quarterfinals champion who has six titles Down Under, was the first to go as he One of Lucicwas shocked by Denis Istomin in the second round. A couple of Baroni’s victims rounds later, Murray fell to Mischa Zverev, and the draw became in her run was completely wide open after that. The poor performances by both American players could be attributed to the heavy burden each carried qualifier Jennifer towards the end of last year as they were jockeying for the world’s Brady, whom she top ranking. This could lead to each of them taking lighter defeated to schedule loads as 2017 continues to make sure they are in top reach the form for the majors. quarterfinals. But Brady took everyone by surprise, coming through qualifying 8. Duo of Mattek-Sands & Safarova continue to win six straight matches, including an upset over the 14thto roll seeded Elena Vesnina. She had never competed in a main Don’t look now, but draw at a Grand Slam before this, and the former UCLA star we may have found will look to build off of this momentum as she continues her a new dominant pro career. women’s doubles team. American Bethanie MattekSands and the Brian Coleman is senior editor for Long Island Tennis Magazine. Czech Republic’s He may be reached by phone at (516) 409-4444, ext. 326 or eLucie Safarova won mail BrianC@USPTennis.com. 68

New York Tennis Magazine • March/April 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

The Tennis Season Heats Up as Spring Approaches By Luke Jensen Get your pro spring swing on! I love this time of year. The weather is warming up and there is such positive energy around the tennis courts. On the Pro Tour, the American swing in Indian Wells, Calif. and in Miami are so much fun for the players. I was a player that loved the road and being on the tour. From week to week, there was always a new awesome adventure. Some players needed more time off the Tour, but I was a player that didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t feel good when I was away from the courts. I always felt that the week I took off was the week I could have won another tournament. I was so locked in for the Grand Slams. The on- and off-the-court training. Even my mental and tactical approaches changed to approach every Grand Slam with a â&#x20AC;&#x153;winning it allâ&#x20AC;? attitude. The mindset changed for Indian Wells and Miami. For some reason, I just had more fun at these events. I had mixed results on the court during my career, but off the court, it was a time of the year where it charged me up for the long European tour that would go from March until July. A tournament every week in another country every week needed a full tank of emotional fuel. During Indian Wells and Miami, I would skydive, swim with dolphins and play with the tour rock band at the Hard Rock Playerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Party. Sometimes, this was done the day of or before matches and it was a blast!!! The fans were always on spring break from a long winter and they seemed to be a bit nuts as well. These tournaments are really geared for the fan. You can get right on the rail for practices and matches to see the stars of the sport. I found this atmosphere made a strong connection between player and fans. I remember fishing in Miami, in a spot

right behind the courts waiting for my match and some fans came over and hung out with me. It was so cool to be at one of the biggest tour stops in the world and just a few feet away from world class tennis, while I was fishing for tarpon with some tennis fans from around the world. If you get a chance to book a spring tennis trip, I highly recommend taking a shot at either the East or West Coast. They both have their own personality and are considered to be the fifth and sixth most important tournaments on the Pro Tour today. I promise you wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t regret the up-close-and-personal vibe you will receive at these events that you wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t receive at the Grand Slams. I will leave you this issue with a Roger Federer observation â&#x20AC;Ś I lost a ton of sleep watching the Aussie Open with all of the upsets on both the Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sides of the draw. It was worth it watching Fed come back after six months away from the Tour. Now 35-years-old, Fed continues to amaze. Remember when Andre Agassi reached the finals of a Slam at the age of 35 and was still very

competitive? Fed, like Agassi, watches the nutritional approach and fitness approach for an aging and beat up body. I see Fed taking the ball earlier and on the rise. Some tennis circles call this â&#x20AC;&#x153;off the bounce.â&#x20AC;? This allows Fed to take reaction and recovery time away from his opponent. The next time you watch Fed, look for this kind of ball control and see if you can implement it into your game. Enjoy the American spring swing through Cali and Miami before the mud rolling begins towards the French Open! Born in Grayling, Mich., Luke Jensenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s resume includes 10 ATP Tour doubles titles and singles victories against Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, Ivan Lendl, John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg, Jimmy Connors, Boris Becker, Stefan Edberg and Jim Courier. Jensen and his brother, Murphy, won the 1993 French Open doubles title. Luke is currently director of tennis at Sea Island Tennis Center in Georgia. He may be reached by phone at (315) 443-3552 or e-mail LukeJensen84@yahoo.com.

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Balancing Emotional Energy The Key to Playing Inside the Zone By Rob Polishook, Mental Training Coach MA, CPC During professional matches or junior tournaments, everyone in the stands can see the score. But what about what’s below the score? What can’t we see? More times than not, that’s going to be the predictor in what happens next? I’m referring to a player’s emotional energy. Are they calm, aware and in a balanced state? Are they over or under stimulated? Or are they in the dreaded fight, flight or freeze? Why is this so important to know? Because if the player, his/her coach or even the parent is attuned to the player’s emotional energy, they can help themselves stay in this balanced place, or make adjustments to stay within their range of resiliency and manage adversity, challenges and opportunities. We’ve all seen a match where an unseeded player is playing the number one seed. Maybe they are up 5-2 in the decisive set. According to the score, everything looks good. However, the keen observer may be able to sense that the unseeded

player is starting to get frustrated, over-trying, perhaps beginning to rush. At some point, everything starts to melt down. The most recent example of this is the Atlanta Falcons and the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl. During the second half, the momentum shifted, and the Falcons self-destructed. In tennis, top seeds have saved match points and turned the match around. Stan Wawrinka did it against Dan Evans at the 2016 U.S. Open and then won the tournament. Imagine you had a graph or scale that could illustrate the emotional state of any player during the course of a match. This graph would be able to highlight how a player is dealing with adversity, challenges, and opportunities in the match. It would illustrate how the player experiences a progression of nerves, tension, or calmness during a match. It would also show where the focus was and how it changed during specific times in a match. Lastly it would show what they could do to regain their focus, come back to a place of calm awareness and stay within their range of resiliency. This scale would be a sane voice of reason whenever you needed to get back on track.

To get a sense of how helpful this might be, remember a time when you were getting crushed, your coach was offering suggestions that you could barely hear. What you needed was a voice of calm, one thing to execute to get you back on track, rather than a loud voice barking instructions that made you more tense. This would be a game changer! You could then make the appropriate mental adjustments like the top players do, instead of spiraling further out of control. A coach or parent who understands this scale, could intervene with advice based on where the player was and what the player was experiencing, rather than trying to offer suggestions that the player may be in no state to hear because they are so overwhelmed or shutdown. In fact a scale like this does exist! It’s called The Emotional Energy Scale. Essentially this is a scale, which illustrates where a player is emotionally, and based on that, what they need to move forward. The good news is that it is easy to access and free. Bad news is that it takes awareness and courage to subjectively know where you are and make appropriate adjustments to reboot, recharge and rebound in an empowered way to try to turn things around in a match. Below are key components in the scale. Future articles will go in depth into the many layers and action points. Color-coded states Each of the five emotional states are colorcoded. This makes it easy to describe, based on a color or a word, what the player is experiencing. For example, when a player is calm, relaxed, playing inside the zone, they are in the green-balanced state. When they are frustrated, trying too hard or rushing, they are in the orange over-stimulated state. When they are feeling flat, disinterested and disconnected, they are in the yellow state of under-stimulation. When they are feeling out of control, helpless and

New York Tennis Magazine • March/April 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

stand that, during different parts of a match, a player’s emotional energy will fluctuate. However, the player that can harness their energy and use it to their advantage will be able to adapt and adjust and make the best decisions under pressure. If you’re a player get comfortable with the scale. In your last match what progressions did you experience? What could you have done to stay better balanced? Or within the range of resiliency? If you are a coach, how do you see your students on this scale during key points in a match? Based on this, how could it help them? If you’re a parent, remember back to the time you tried to tell your child something after a big loss? Maybe they were in shutdown mode? That may have been a time to just allow them to settle and re-connect.

threatened, they are in the red overwhelmed state. Lastly, when they have that hopeless, shocked, and deer in a headlights look, this is the grey shutdown state. Emotional range of resiliency While it would be great to play balanced all the time, this is just not realistic. The key is to stay within your emotional range of resiliency. During matches a player’s emotional energy will fluctuate. What’s key is to stay with your capacity. As a player manages difficult situations, their future capacity to deal with adversity and

recover will increase and become more tolerant. Key questions The chart answers three questions: l What is a player experiencing? l What “zone” is the player in? l What can they do to shift out of that zone if need be? In other words: What are the symptoms? What’s the diagnosis? And what is the prescription to prescribe? Again, the key to the scale is to under-

The Emotional Energy Scale is a great way to conceptualize and understand how to play in the zone, adapt and adjust to situations, and recalibrate when you begin shutting down. It can help you toward (and finally achieving!) sustained peak performance. 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 • March/April 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

Credit Agricole Ends Bloomberg’s Reign Atop Metro Corporate League

he Metro Corporate League’s Fall Season came to a close as it hosted its end-of-season party and the Advanced Intermediate and Advanced Division Finals at Roosevelt Island Racquet Club. Team matches were comprised of six different flights: Women’s Singles, Men’s Singles, Women’s Doubles, Men’s Doubles and two Mixed-Doubles, and the final score is the total games won from those six matches. The team from Bloomberg, captained by Vighnesh Venkatesan, entered the finals as the three-time defending champions in the

T 72

Advanced Division and were seeking a fourth straight title, but were upended by Credit Agricole. Captained by Eric Tomasini, Credit Agricole delivered a balanced performance across all six courts to win 33-24 and its first title since 2009. “I think we played solid tennis as a team. We made our first serves, returned well and kept the ball in play,” said Jaime Frontera, of team Credit Agricole. “Even in the matches we lost, we kept it tight because at the end of the day, it goes by games, not total matches. So our losses were tight and our wins had wide margins.”

New York Tennis Magazine • March/April 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

Credit Agricole entered the final two mixed doubles matches with a five game lead, and made sure to stay focused ahead of the final two matches. “There was a lot of pressure because Bloomberg has gotten the better of us in a few of the finals, so for us, even though they were ahead, we knew they were good players,” said Frontera. “We just took it one game at a time, hold our serves, and in the end, it worked.”

The Corcoran Group celebrates their Advanced Intermediate Championship

In the Advanced Intermediate Finals, The Corcoran Group edged Bank of America 26-24 in what Corcoran captain Jane Beal described as “a real nail-biter.” In the Intermediate Division, Team Xaxis defeated Akin Gump for the Championship. The end-of-season party featured an open bar, hors d’oeuvres, catered food and culminated with a trophy presentation at the night’s end.

The team from Credit Agricole captured the Metro Corporate League’s Advanced Division title

Team Xaxis, pictured here, defeated Akin Gump for the Intermediate Division Championship

For more information, visit Metrotennis.com/Corporate/Main.html, call Luis Espinoza at (347) 886-3117 or e-mail Luis@Metrotennis.com.

NYTennisMag.com • March/April 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

By Gilad Bloom hen I was playing on the Pro Tour, it was all about getting results in weekly tournaments. There was an offseason at the end of November during which you would get in shape for the new season with a few weeks of training camp. This camp included lots of drills and some practice sets, but focused primarily on fitness sessions, both on the court and in the gym. The top players always come prepared for big tournaments. To win a major tournament, playing best of five sets for 13 days takes great conditioning and is a result of careful planning of the entire year. For the most part, once the year started in January, you would travel for three to five weeks at a time, and return home for a rest between tournaments. When you are home, you don’t have time to improve physically. You are basically maintaining your level of fitness, while mentally and physically recharging and prepping for the next tournament. As a coach to mostly junior players who attend school and have a patchy schedule of tournaments, it is a bit more challenging to build tournament preparation methods, but I try to do so with a few principles that I used in my pro days. Needless to say, it is important to show up to a tournament well-prepared. There are some simple ways to help get students feeling good about their game and thus increase the chances of doing well consistently. Here are some of the things I try to do when preparing my students for tournament play …

1. In the pros, the Grand Slams are the four peaks of the year Everything is geared towards getting to the Grand Slams in top shape. In the juniors, it might be the Orange Bowl, the Nationals, Sectionals, or in some cases, the high school season. The idea is that there are some tournaments that are more important than others. Those are the ones you prepare for and are using other tournaments as a “tune up” for. 2. Prepare a schedule Make a tournament schedule early in the year with a good balance between playing 74

How to Prepare for Tournaments

and resting, and stick to it. When you know your schedule months in advance, you can make a game plan, which helps you see the big picture. In general, I recommend playing a tournament at least once a month during school and before big tournaments, it is wise to play two or three tournaments that month. During school vacations, especially the summer, is when it is time to step up the volume of tournaments. You want to play more matches and get in that groove, gain confidence and improve, but at the same time, you want to prevent burnout, which can happen easily if not monitored. 3. Take a methodical approach When you have a few weeks to prepare for a specific event, you should work in a methodical manner which allows you to be fresh and ready to go. The main thing that you need to build is the physical foundation—the stamina to play long points, last in long matches and recover strongly from matches. The fitness and conditioning drills

New York Tennis Magazine • March/April 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

are essential for that week before the tournament begins. During those weeks, you should also work on fixing technical flaws and adding elements to your game. When you get closer to the tournament, you want to shift the training sessions to be more point-oriented to simulate real matches. In the last few days before the tournament, you want to bring down the volume of hours on the court substantially. This is very important. I have seen players burn themselves out by overtraining and losing early due to fatigue. The reduction of time on the court right before the tournament will allow the body to recover and absorb all the hard work of the last few weeks. Many players obsess and try to play more than they need to, but they need to realize that hard work has already been done in the weeks before and now it’s all about conserving energy for the real match. If you are going to go deep in the tournament, you will need every drop in your gas tank, so don’t waste it in practice!

get used to the surface before the tournament. Once you get to the day or two leading to the tournament, you basically want to play some practice sets and hit a lot of serves! You want to make sure that the student feels good about their serves going into the match, it is sometimes a challenge, but a bucket of serves every day is huge. Maintaining a discipline of fitness is important. You want to make sure that you warm up properly at the beginning and take extra time to stretch at the end. As a coach, I sometimes have to drag the player out of the court early the day before the match in order to keep them hungry and fresh for the real match. You want them to really want to go out there, eager and ready to play

4. Get accustomed to your environment Get to the tournament site a few days before the event to get a feel for the facility. It is very valuable to play on the courts and

5. Match preparation The actual match preparation begins the day before, when you know your match time and opponent. When you plan for the next day, you need to make sure you get an early dinner and prepare everything the night before—the rackets, grips, a change of clothes, energy drinks and a jump rope. You should plan to have a healthy meal two hours before the match and arrange a 30to 45-minute practice hit before the match. The warmup should be short, sharp and point-oriented. It is important to warmup as close to the match time as possible (the five minute official warmup isn’t enough to really warmup). It’s the player’s job to be ready to go from the first point. In some cases, if it isn’t possible to hit before the match, the solution is to jump rope or do a

physical warmup right before. A good start to a match is very important, as approximately 75 percent of the matches are won by the player who wins the first set, a statistic worth remembering. 6. The post-match After the match is over, there is a way to conduct yourself. The first thing, after reporting the score) is to go and stretch for 10-15 minutes to prevent soreness for the next match, and hydrate. Then, you can analyze the match, learn from it and think about the next match. Once you are in the middle of the tournament, rest is key between the matches. You should isolate yourself from distractions, eat the right food and keep yourself mentally fresh. I used to disconnect myself in between matches, get out of the club and go to the hotel, watch a movie or read a book and just show up for the match. You don’t really want to mingle with too many people, as it can take away some much-required energy. 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 • March/April 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

Five Rules You Must Know Before Sectionals By Barbara Wyatt The vast majority of tennis games are played with great sportsmanship by players who demonstrate that tennis is a game of scrupulous honesty and courteous competitive spirit. A handful of players—and I do mean a handful—whip out a new rule interpretation that rattles the brain. I saw a player stop a match in a third set tiebreak with the opponents ready to start their serve at 10-9. The player walked over to the bench, sat down, removed a shoe and massaged the foot, while quoting the 90-second time rule. Jaws dropped onto the court in astonishment. An opponent managed to stumble out, “This is not a change-over. Shoe back on.” There are 46 rules in The Code, 31 International Tennis Federation (ITF) rules, and more than 100 pages of USTA regulations. It is difficult to know every nuance. Here are my recommendations of the

five rules that you must know. If you haven’t read USTA Friend at Court cover to cover, at least know these five rules. l Code 2: Points played in good faith are counted. Sometimes, when a point is over, there is a delayed surprise as players remember the score was incorrectly stated, or teams were supposed to switch sides. The point counts. Fix the error and continue playing. l Code 17: Prompt calls eliminate the “two chance option.” The “two chance option” is selectively opting to call a let after you hit the ball and dump it into the net. Suppose you’re receiving. The ball may have been out. You didn’t return the ball. You didn’t make a prompt call. You have a short conversation with your partner. The server has moved over to the next position. You call the ball out in an attempt to enforce the “two chance option.” Your call is too late. The ball is good. It takes a fraction of second for both you and your partner to raise shoulders in the universal shoulder language of “I don’t

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know” and promptly call the ball in. Make your calls promptly, clearly, loudly, and immediately. l Code 31: Server announces the score. If you disagree with your opponent’s clear and audible score announcement, don’t play the point. Raise your hand before the serve and clarify. If there is a dispute, walk to the net and discuss it. l Code 33: Claim a hindrance as soon as possible. Opponent’s shoe falls off, keep playing. Racquet slips from your opponent’s hand, keep playing. If a hat, a shoe or ball rolling onto the court truly distracts you, call hindrance immediately and re-play the point. If the shoe or racquet continues to fly off, you may be awarded a point because the hindrance has moved from unintentional to deliberate. The vast majority of tennis players follow the rules of the game and look forward to an honest competitive match. My fifth recommendation is the basic principle of tennis: Code 1: Courtesy is expected. You can expect that from the vast majority of players. When your opponent is in that small rule-inventing minority, relax. Read USTA Friend at Court prior to your match. Have it in your bag. Ask for help from the USTA desk or roving umpire. USTA staff and referee professionals will do their best to ensure your tennis match is conducted under the fairest possible conditions. Barbara Wyatt is a writer, photographer, USTA official, and mobile app developer of iKnowTennis!, the tennis rules app. Her poem, Ode to Tennis, an amusing poem on the joys and frustrations when learning tennis, is available at Amazon. She can be reached by e-mail at BarbaraW@iKnowTennis.com.

Teach or Talk: Back to Basics By Juan Oscar Rios In my 32 years of teaching and coaching all levels of players, I have realized that there is a huge difference between teaching a student and just providing tennis information. The most important thing I have learned is to first be a student and then a teacher. I have seen many coaches who are so focused on what they want to say or teach that they forget if the student is actually learning. A teacher can be saying the right things, but if the student is not grasping or absorbing the information, then the student is not learning. Here are three simple and basic lesson plans to get your students to learn first before you move on to more advanced learning. 1. Is the student fully understanding the concept of 1+1 of tennis? The concept of 1+1 of tennis is understanding the importance of the ready po-

sition before every shot. As simple as this may seem, I have observed tournament players that do not come to a ready position after every shot they hit. We cannot teach advanced strokes or techniques until the student fully grasps the ready position and spend time working on the ready position. This is very important. 2. The split-step The importance of a correct and consistent split-step is that the split-step goes handin-hand with the ready position and many times you can teach both as one unit to your students. If you look at the pros, they are always making a correct split-step before every shot. As basic as it seems, you don’t see a consistent split-step all the time. Coaches need to explain and demonstrate to the students the correct split-step and the importance of it before going into more complicated aspects of the game. 3. Footwork as the foundation Focus first on teaching footwork as the

foundation of the entire tennis game. I see too many coaches focusing on the swing, how the pros hit the ball, their swing paths and preparation before hitting every shot. Concentrate on the student’s mobility and balance, and you will see great results. Remember that we are students first and teachers/coaches second. Our satisfaction as coaches should come by watching the student learn and not on teaching. Focus on one task and make sure that the student has fully learned it before going to the next task. Juan Oscar Rios is the Academy director at Proform Tennis Academy. A native of Puerto Rico, Juan was ranked number one in the country from the ages of 1018. He played five years on the ATP Tour, achieving a top 300 ranking in both singles and doubles. As a coach, Juan was captain of the Puerto Rican Davis Cup team and coach of Team USA at the 1996 World Youth Cup 14s in Nagoya, Japan.

NYTennisMag.com • March/April 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

Let’s Get Real Adult Players … What Type of Player Are You?

By Cesar Andrade veryone is eager to improve their tennis game, and USTA ratings are a fair indicator as to a player’s “competitive” skill set. Once USTA posts year-end ratings, I hear a wide variety of comments, ranging from frustration of not moving up, wanting to appeal their rating, or the celebratory “woo-hoo!” upon jumping to next level. Excuses made and reality avoided are clear gauges as to why a player may not advance. So … what does it take to evolve as a competitive player? I have competed as a junior player since the age of 11, played Division I tennis, competed at ITF, Satellites, high level tournaments and have coached all ages, levels and types of players for more than 15 years. Through this experience, I found players typically fall into five different categories: Practice Player,

Match Player, Idealist, Protector and The Grinder. What type of player are you? 1. Practice Player You know the type … clinic strong, match play weak. The player performs exceptionally well in clinics, with perfect groundstrokes, volleys, serves and footwork that would make even the most critical purist and coach swell with pride. Ironically, this same player cannot apply clinic skills to competitive match play. The player has a mediocre record because they don’t have the mental strength to close out a match. 2. Match Player This player is the opposite of the “Practice Player.” They enjoy match play, but have a predictable game and a minimal arsenal in their toolbelt. They are not the type to train or fine-tune their skills, as they prefer competition over practices. They can win matches, in an ugly manner, but not con-

New York Tennis Magazine • March/April 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

sistently if they play higher lines. Generally, they remain at their current rating and are unable to advance because their skill set is restricted. 3. Idealist Players who have a “dreamy” vision of themselves that doesn’t quite match the reality of their level of play. They always want to “play up” and have difficulty finding or keeping a partner. They want to play with higher level players, but are not aware that their skill set has yet to match that of higher level players. The Idealist recognizes their strengths and ignores their weaknesses. They will appeal their USTA rating instead of earning it on merit. They always have an excuse for match losses (blame their partner, the opposition only lobbed, there were issues with the court surface, the wind and sun factored into the conditions … you get the idea). The Idealist player has a perception of themselves that is not in the same reality as us mere mortals.

4. The Protector For The Protector, USTA ratings are a primary motivation and it is critical that they practice with those at â&#x20AC;&#x153;their rated level,â&#x20AC;? regardless if there are athletes who can outmatch them at a lower level. They â&#x20AC;&#x153;chase and protect their ratingâ&#x20AC;? at all costs, and dictate who they will and will not play with (even if their coach states otherwise). The Protector wants the name, rank and file of those playing in their practices. The Protector is very conscious of who is on the court with them during training at all times.

importantly, their weaknesses. They applaud their partner and support them when needed. They set aside their ego, ignore ratings and social settings, and train at highest level, regardless of who is on same or opposite side of the net. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re â&#x20AC;&#x153;Grindersâ&#x20AC;? because they find true pleasure and passion in the game. They recognize who they are (and not!) as an athlete. They may not be the strongest player on the court, but they play with their heart and consistently give 110 percent when they step onto the battleground.

5. The Grinder The Grinder will find every opportunity to advance their training, regardless if they are on the court with the weakest player in their class. They challenge themselves, by fine-tuning every stroke, serve, volley and footwork, to receive the maximum â&#x20AC;&#x153;in that momentâ&#x20AC;? experience. This player is looking to consistently improve and perfect their game when they step onto the court, and is therefore laser-focused. They recognize their strengths, and more

What does it take to advance to the next level? You must be honest with yourself. You must also have the courage to do the extraordinary every time out on the court. The court is your time, your place of worship and all of the outside variables must be left at home. Try to ignore any and all distractions that negatively impact your game. Play for yourself, not your social circle, coaches or peers. Identify your goals, which could have nothing to do

with the physical aspect of tennis, which is important, but your goal may be on the mental aspect of game that so many of us ignore. If faced with a â&#x20AC;&#x153;weakerâ&#x20AC;? player in practice â&#x20AC;Ś win! If given a â&#x20AC;&#x153;weakerâ&#x20AC;? partner, accept the challenge and lead to a win. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the sixinch court between your ears where the battles are won and lost. Celebrate your strengths, recognize your weaknesses, and above all, remember the feeling that brought you to this fabulous, frustrating, rewarding, sport. Only then will you be able to advance as a tennis athlete. Regarding USTA ratings, earn it through your hard work and results, period. Cesar Andrade is director of operations at Tennis Innovators. He was born in Ecuador before moving to Queens as a child. He spent the summers of his high school years training at the Bollettieri Academy and competing on the ATP Satellite Tour before playing his college tennis at Iona. He can be reached by email at CAndrade@TennisInnovators.com or by calling (914) 428-2444.

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Why We Play the Way They Play How practicing the continental grip will make us better players

By Mike Williams ’ve seen it time and again. Players working on their open-stance forehand with their bent elbows and breaking wrists trying to hit the ball like Rafael Nadal. I get it, just like you, I’ve dreamt of hitting just one forehand as big as Rafa’s ... and yet it’s never happened. But why? We both live in the same world, breath the same air … my tennis balls are yellow too! Maybe it’s because I started playing in the 1970s with wood rackets and was taught by an Australian who demanded that I learn the one-handed backhand and serve-and-volley game. Perhaps it’s because I grew up in the Northeastern United States where slap-shot indoor-tennis dominated the ranks. As it happened, my inability to hit the ball like these Western Grip-wielding legends got me thinking why I, or any amateur, should be trying to hit the ball like them. We don’t have to deal with the same pace as they do, and rarely if ever, do we face the same ferocious spin that they put on the ball. So then why do we try so vigorously to hit the ball like our heroes? It’s because we have a need to mimic them.

I’m the first to admit that I’ve tried to serve like Johnny Mac and volley like Martina. I’ve tried to rip a Wawrinka backhand up the line, and yes, I’ve played around with perhaps the most elegant stroke in the history of the game, the Bjorn Borg two-handed backhand. Does it make me a better player? I’m not so sure. I’ve taught thousands of hours and played more, and yet the thing that helps me the most as a player and as a coach is my understanding of the ‘classic’ game. The game I grew up playing. The game that was so prevalent for decades and has been over shadowed by the smash and crash, monster serve and gnarly forehands of the modern game, or as I prefer to call it, the “Professional Game.” Don’t get me wrong, I’m amazed by the dynamism of today’s tennis. These players have an almost unnatural ability to drop the ball on a dime from 85-feet away (the court is 78-feet long) in the biggest moments and though I marvel at their skills and how professional tennis has evolved, I also believe that, unfortunately, the modern game is, from the everyday player’s perspective, misunderstood. What’s different? The playing style changed to accommodate the heavier spins that began to take

New York Tennis Magazine • March/April 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

hold in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Then, with the advent of the polyester strings the spins, and by consequence, the grips, became more extreme in order to hit the high ball with consistency and strength. Players had to be bigger, stronger, faster and hit with more racquet head speed than could be previously imagined in order to keep up with the new face of tennis. The point is that although we would like to play a “Professional Game,” the truth is that a huge majority of us would benefit from being trained in the “Classic Method.” As I lamented earlier, we simply don’t hit the ball that hard, nor do we spin the ball that much, but just as important, the players that we are facing do not hit the ball with the same pace of the pros. And although we were left behind, we have tried determinately to play as if we are on the pro tour. What we can take from the Classic Method? The classic game is the basis and the structure for today’s “modern game.” The uninterrupted and rhythmic footwork, the focus on the contact point, the proper spacing and full extension at contact, the use of body weight for power and leverage, the follow through, the recovery and one’s

ability to recreate it successfully. But again and again, I see players practicing the open stance and blasting away at their groundstrokes. But what about the low ball, the approach shot or the volley? In many instances, we have forsaken our backhands for bigger forehands but have found ourselves out of position. We have turned away from learning the art of coming to the net and putting pressure on our opponents in order to produce results. Some would say that serve and volley is dead, but the truth is that these shots and styles are possible with one’s ability to transition to one grip: The Continental. Ten shots, one grip I often see juniors and adults play a terrific point from the baseline and then receive a low-short ball or a wide shot that they are unable to handle because they can’t use the Continental Grip. The difference between great “Modern Style” players and not so great ‘Modern Style’ players is their ability to transition from one grip to another with ease. The Continental Grip is truly “The Utility Grip” in tennis and the greatest modern

players in the world are able to exploit it in the most intense situations. Every player should have it in their arsenal yet it is often neglected in practice and therefore botched in match situations. Below are the 10 shots in which a player can use a Continental Grip: l l l l l l l l l l

Serve Backhand Slice Backhand Wide Slice Forehand Low Short Balls Forehand Volley Backhand Volley Half Volley Drop Shot Overhead

Practicing the Continental Grip Let’s get on the same page here. I think that you should stick to what got you to this point, but find opportunities to work on the Continental Grip. For instance, your warmup is a great time to work on it. Feed the ball with a Continental when starting a rally. Imagine how you could simplify your game by adopting one grip whenever you

go to the net. Start to feel how you’ll have to move your feet and rotate to the side in order to get the desired result. Get a sense of how much easier it is to get under a low ball with the proper grip. Believe me, it won’t be easy at first but in time, practicing the Continental Grip will help you strengthen your arm and clean up some of the difficulties you’ve been having on some of those tough shots. In the meantime, I’ll dream of hitting the ball just once like Roger Federer ... I know, fat chance. But I can dream. Mike Williams is the tennis director at Roosevelt Island Racquet Club (RIRC). He captained the Clemson University Tennis Team and played on the Satellite Tour following his collegiate career. He won the Men’s Open Doubles Championship in 2013 and has more than 20 years of coaching experience, dedicated to helping players of all levels by focusing on the fundamentals of the game and designing programs that will help each individual reach their highest level. He can be reached by e-mail at MWilliams@AdvantageTennisClubs.com.

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New York Tennis Magazine • March/April 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

JMTA to Host Second Annual College Recruiting Combine in June

he John McEnroe Tennis Academy announced the 2017 John McEnroe Tennis Academy College Recruiting Combine will be held the weekend of June 24-25 at SPORTIME Randall’s Island. The Combine will give selected rising high school sophomores, juniors and seniors from around the country and beyond the opportunity to showcase their technical and tactical tennis skills, as well as their athletic abilities and mental toughness, in front of coaches from top colleges and universities. “One of the driving forces at JMTA is our commitment to preparing our players for college tennis, and helping each player find their best college fit,” said John McEnroe. “After a terrific inaugural year in 2016, we are excited to be expanding the JMTA Combine in 2017 to include more coaches and more students, and we are confident that it will again be a great resource for both.” As in 2016, coaches representing all three NCAA Divisions are expected to attend, with commitments from Harvard, Columbia, Tulane, North Carolina, Wesleyan and many other top programs, and with many more coming. Representatives from prestigious leagues including the Ivy League, ACC, Big East, SEC, Big 10, Pa-

triot League and NESCAC attended last year, and are expected again this year. Interested players can get more information and can apply to participate in the Combine at SportimeNY.com/JMTACombine, with registration closing on March 31. A limited number of Combine spots are available to boys and girls. JMTA directors will evaluate each application based upon objective criteria. Those chosen to participate will be informed no later than Saturday, April 15. Player check-in will begin at 8:00 a.m. for all players on both days. Participants will compete in singles and doubles match play with tracked results. Players will also receive athletic performance assessments, mental toughness assessments, and will have one match recorded and analyzed by Tennis Analytics, with additional matches available for purchase. An integrated recruiting package for each Combine participant will be compiled and made available, digitally, to both the participants and the coaches, at the touch of a button. JMTA students who have gone on to compete on the collegiate level include: Current ATP number 163 and 2014 Junior Wimbledon Champion Noah Rubin, the ACC Player of the Year at Wake Forest University

and NCAA singles finalist in 2015; Jamie Loeb, the 2015 NCAA singles champion from the University of North Carolina who also turned pro in fall 2015 and is currently ranked 155th on the WTA Tour; Jessica Golovin, a sophomore already making her mark at LSU; and Sabrina Xiong, a sophomore at Harvard, who was the recipient of the first full scholarship to JMTA in 2010. Last year, JMTA players who received athletic and merit based scholarships included: Madison Battaglia to Yale, Athell Bennett to Purdue University, Jake Bhangdia to Furman University, Xavier Pacthod to New York University, Sean Mullins to Boston College, Christina Sisti to Tulane University and Brianna Williams to Columbia University. This year, JMTA’s graduating class has committed to nine different Division I schools so far, including Stephanie Chikvashvili to Stony Brook University, Loren Haukova to Boston College, Amber Policar to Kansas University, Nathalie Rodilosso to Princeton University, Maranda Sears to Duquesne, Victoria Sec to Ball State University, and Sam Turchetta to Stanford University. For more information, visit SportimeNY.com/JMTACombine or e-mail JMTACombine@SportimeNY.com.

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@ JMTANY NYTennisMag.com • March/April 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

Look Out for

POP Tennis By Whitney Kraft hat is fun, fresh, fast-paced and fantastic for your tennis game? POP Tennis! This is a standalone activity/program used as an engaging teaching tool that not only helps students with their tennis, but makes it enjoyable, too. The sport of POP Tennis isn’t new. In fact, it was founded more than 100 years ago, in 1898 and was originally called “Paddle Tennis.” The first Paddle Tennis

tournament was held in New York City in 1922. The popularity of the sport quickly spread during the late 1920s and early 1930s to other cities such as Los Angeles. During the 1950s, the Brighton Beach Baths in Brooklyn, N.Y. converted their handball courts into 20 smaller-sized Paddle Tennis courts. The “BBB” soon became the hub for Paddle Tennis. The game continued to grow in popularity over many years, so much so that with state-of the-art rackets, colorful clothes that catch the eye and fast

New York Tennis Magazine • March/April 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

exchanges and poaches, Paddle Tennis was re-branded in 2015 as POP tennis— because “everything about the sport POPS!” POP remains as viable as ever in a marketplace in which tennis professionals around the world are finding more and more ways to enhance the experiences they can provide to students. I knew that this sport was something interesting when I tried it out myself with some of our on-staff teaching professionals and campers at Flushing Meadows over the summer and got rave

reviews. They all look forward to future POP play. We noticed that players and fans who competed or watched our USTA National Open Indoor Championships in December spent some time with POP paddles on the court and then, a totally different demographic, members of senior leagues, tested the sport and everyone enjoyed it. Underhanded serves, transitional balls, shorter racquets and reduced court sizes have been effective mitigators with aging up from traditional tennis. Tennis is the sport of a lifetime, after all, and I believe that it will not only bolster interest in programs, but aid in developing all players. As much as people can enjoy a fun game of POP Tennis without thinking about the ways in which it is helping their tennis technique and thought processes, the sport can do a lot to make everyone better tennis players. A common mistake many players make is failing to keep their wrist firm on the volley. If you play POP, which uses a paddle that has a smaller face/lever than a tennis racket, you’ll be aided in keeping

your wrist firm. Otherwise, it’ll be extremely difficult to make square contact with the ball, which is the only way to get it over the net. Even using POP as a replacement for the typical tennis racquet volley warm-up, can prepare students for a more intense and successful volley practice. The benefits are great for doubles players as well. Ever get pulled really wide and wonder what to do with the ball? The shorter court with most play happening closer to the net helps with a player’s spatial awareness and movement during “cat and mouse” points. It even helps with one of tennis’ toughest shots—the half volley. Players of the highest level sometimes struggle keeping their racquet behind the ball on the short hop but POP forces you to do just that, so when you switch to your tennis racquet, you’ll see the results. There is a reason that the Today Show, Good Day LA and other shows have covered POP Tennis. We’ve grown to love it here at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, and I think you will too.

Feel free to join us over the weekend, between April 28-30 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, N.Y., when we will be holding a USTA National Category III Innovations Challenges Tournament in both singles and One-on-One Doubles (ID#: 100018817)—another fun, innovative form of cross-training. We’ll be holding a demonstration/Open House of POP on Saturday evening, April 29 from 5:30 p.m.-8:00 p.m., whereby you can enjoy a sport that so many people already are. An additional Open House is being offered Sunday, March 12 from 6:30 p.m.-9:00 p.m. Both events are complimentary with equipment provided. Please RSVP by e-mailing NTCTournaments@USTA.com. Since 2007, Whitney Kraft has been the director of tennis at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, N.Y. and director of player operations for the U.S. Open. Previously, he was director of tennis for the City of Fort Lauderdale Park & Recreation Department (1998-2007).

NYTennisMag.com • March/April 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

Certification: $cheme or By Richard Thater ost New York tennis players are familiar with the two most popular tennis-teaching organizations: The PTR (Professional Tennis Registry) and the USPTA (Professional Tennis Association). They both offer workshops and testing to become certified tennis teachers. Each organization has about 15,000 members. Does one need this certification to be a good tennis instructor? Not necessarily. I have overheard coaches complaining that these are nothing but schemes to get people’s money. So why join? Testing for certification and continuing membership in these organizations is an easy way to evolve and develop as a teacher. PTR Executive Director Dan Santorum editorialized in the recent issue of Tennis Pro magazine that “Continuing education is the most valuable benefit we can provide.” He continues saying that “education ensures that you can do your job more proficiently, responsibly and effectively … it leads to success and upward mobility in your chosen profession.”

USPTA Vice President Alan Cutler echoes these thoughts when writing in Tennis Industry magazine that “Becoming a lifelong learner has been identified as one of the habits of effective people.” And he reminds us that “Lifelong learning is part of growing as a person, as well as a professional.” Both organizations teach the basic skills of tennis—Grips, spin, point of contact, footwork, forehand, backhand, serve, etc. During testing, you are required to spot errors and make corrections, whether on court or online. You are usually required to teach either a group or an individual lesson. There are teachers who have their own very unique and eccentric way of explaining what goes on when you pick up a racket to hit a ball. We have all known coaches who insist on teaching their correct way of hitting the ball and playing the game, only to see their theories discredited 18 months down the road. But teacher certification and testing is not like a creative writing course—originality does not count. I have been certified as

a NYS EMT, an American Heart Association CPR Instructor and PTR professional. Creativity is not rewarded when testing for a certification.

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New York Tennis Magazine • March/April 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

or Tennis Teaching Asset (NCACE) accredits the programs listed below: l 10 & Under Certification Workshop l 11-17 Certification Workshop l Performance Certification Workshop l Master of Tennis–Junior Development l Master of Tennis–Performance

The PTR is the only tennis organization with external accreditation for its educational programs. The National Council for the Accreditation of Coaching Education

The USPTA approach is more traditional in that they offer only one certification program. Their training workshop and test both focus on tennis basics applicable to all ages. If you are a teacher looking to make a commitment to tennis, and your career, you will not go wrong joining either organization. If you are looking to specialize in a specific age group the PTR offers a wider range of choices. If you are very ambitious you might join both organizations. According to PTR Director of Education Steve Keller, roughly 10 percent of certified tennis teachers belong to both the PTR and the USPTA, and your pay will often be based on your level of certification. If you are a student looking for a tennis

teacher, I would choose one from the Web site of either organization. Current certification guarantees that a teacher has kept up with advances in tennis education. Many coaches took their certification program years ago, and have allowed their memberships and certifications to lapse. Keller told me he receives many phone calls about teachers fraudulently claiming to be certified. PTR does follow up, since their published Code of Ethics prohibits implying false claims of membership, and unethical claims are unfair to paid up members. In closing, I will admit to a prejudice against those who stretch their biographies by calling themselves pros. I am tempted to ask when I will be seeing them on the Tennis Channel. On my passport, I list my occupation as tennis teacher, which best describes what I do. Tennis pros play tennis very well. Tennis teachers teach. Who do you want helping you with your game? Richard Thater is a long-time player and teacher on New York City courts. Richard has been a regular competitor in senior tournaments in the greater New York area. He is PTRcertified in both Junior and Adult Development, and currently teaches at the West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills. He may be reached by email at RichThater@aol.com.

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www.DrRobertSilverman.com NYTennisMag.com • March/April 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

Building the Fire Within Young American Athletes Romania’s Alex Pop-Moldovan fosters new approach to coaching local juniors By Dr. Tom Ferraro omania is the homeland of Olympic Gold Medalist Nadia Comaneci, gymnastics coach Bela Karolyi and Marta Karolyi and tennis superstar Ilie Nastase. Romania is located in the southeastern region of Europe and had to develop a fighting spirit based upon its dealings with the Soviet Union. When you have to fight a super power to maintain sovereignty you either get tough or you disappear. So the Romanian people got tough. I recently met the Romanian Tennis Coach Alex Pop-Moldovan at a holiday brunch last week and found him so interesting that I knew I wanted to interview him. He is a high performance coach and

I met him to learn more about his style of coaching. In Romania, he was in charge of all U10’s for the Romanian Tennis Federation and was head pro at the As Club Sportiv Tennis Masters. He was a supervisor at all ATP, WTA and ITF events in Romania, including the Davis Cup Matches. He also came in third place in the Squash National Championships. He is tennis coach to Silver Medalist Florin Mergea and Spencer Brachman, ranked number two in the USTA Eastern Ranking Boys 16’s. I asked him to describe the Romanian mentality. He told me, “Romanians are a people known for toughness. They tend to be hungry, hard-working, very respectful of authority and very disciplined.” Our conversation focused on American athletes who have the same kind of

New York Tennis Magazine • March/April 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

hunger. He told me, “Serena and Venus Williams were raised in poverty and also have that hungry look in their eyes.” I immediately associated this to Tiger Woods who also came from early childhood circumstances where he had to withstand humiliation and discrimination. This made him very hungry for fame, fortune and victory. So the question becomes … exactly how does one build this hunger in the young American athlete who has not come from deprived circumstances? How does one build a fire within? This is what Alex PopMoldovan has been thinking about since he started teaching in America. The answer is not in any way simple or self-evident. If you provide too much discipline and too much of a work atmosphere, the young player or their parent will go down the block and find an easier coach. But if you do not provide

a tough regiment, there is really no way to get the young tennis player to the top ranks. This also will prove to be problematic for the player, the parent and for the coach (Alex) â&#x20AC;Ś kind of stuck between a rock and a hard place. I have always felt that good coaching is made up of: Solid discipline, astute teaching and refined psychology. All of the great coaches have all these things in spades. Vince Lombardi at Green Bay, John Wooden at UCLA and Phil Jackson with the Chicago Bulls had these three character traits. They all knew how to discipline and set down standards, how to teach in interesting and unique ways and also how to show kindness, respect and caring for every player on the team. I have always felt that coaching may be the toughest job on earth. Elite sports are demanding for the player, parent and coach. The delicate blend of toughness and of love combined with creative teaching is all necessary. It is the rare coach who can manage all three areas and the ones that do become famous in the long run.

In answer to Alexâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s question about how best to build a fire in the American athlete that has not experienced deprivation â&#x20AC;Ś set high standards, create interesting teaching drills and show compassion each day. When all these things are prescribed, you also need to explain this approach both to the player and to the parent. The only way players will submit to a process is if they have some understanding of why it is structured this way. To become elite is very difficult. I recall my experience in graduate school at SUNY Stony Brook. To get a Ph.D., one must take four years of difficult classwork, followed by original research that is turned into a dissertation. This dissertation must then be accepted by a group of five professors. After working on my dissertation for more than two years, I submitted it for acceptance. It was rejected. I asked my advisor for support. He told me a story which goes like this: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Think of this like being a high jumper in the Olympics. The bar is set at seven feet. You run up to the bar on your first try and leap up to about three feet and

land in the pit. You rush over to the judges and ask if that maybe, perhaps, pretty please they could lower the bar so that you could make it over next time. The judges look at you, shake their heads no and say try again.â&#x20AC;? I got the message loud and clear. It took me 12 rewrites to get my dissertation passed â&#x20AC;Ś but I made it. By the way, many students in Ph.D. programs never finish the dissertation and are labeled â&#x20AC;&#x153;A.B.D.sâ&#x20AC;? which means â&#x20AC;&#x153;All But Dissertation.â&#x20AC;? And that is worthless. Success is difficult to achieve. It takes discipline, effort, patience, time, money, support from experts and parents, learning and even a bit of luck. Tennis on the highest level is very demanding. Count yourself lucky if you find a teacher like Alex who is smart, caring and tough, and then settle in for the long haul and enjoy the ride. 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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One-On-One Doubles Tournaments Return To The Big Apple ne-On-One Doubles Tennis, the half-court serve-and-volley singles game played cross-court including the alley, returns to the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, Friday-Sunday, April 28-30, 2017 as a USTA National Category III Tournament. The Innovations Tennis Challenges will include both a Singles Tournament and One-On-One Doubles Tournament for the three playing divisions offered: The Men’s 35 & Over Division; Men’s 45 & Over Division and Men’s 55 & Over Division. Since the game’s inception in 2004, One-On-One Doubles has been played as part of ATP, USTA, USPTA and ITA national events. Whitney Kraft, tennis director at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, will serve as tournament director. “We are excited to bring back One-OnOne Doubles Tennis to the NTC,” said Kraft. “The game displays plenty of actionpacked, all-court play. Our first Men’s OneOn-One Doubles Tournament was won by Jared Palmer in 2008.”

One-On-One Doubles, dubbed the “Third Game of Tennis,” has been played in its tournament format, throughout the East Coast since 2004. Stony Brook University has hosted several Division I Women’s One-On-One Doubles Tournaments during their Fall season. In addition to Stony Brook, One-On-One Doubles Tennis is played on college campuses nationwide. Ed Krass, former Harvard Women’s Tennis coach and director of the 29th Annual College Tennis Exposure Camps, is the founder of One-On-One Doubles Tournaments. The format of tournament play is a round-robin pool play, with short, no-ad sets, the first to win four games with a nine-

New York Tennis Magazine • March/April 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

point tie-breaker played at 3-3. Winners of each round-robin proceed to the single elimination rounds based on draw size. Matches are played to music which adds to the lively atmosphere of the One-On-One Doubles Tournaments. “Playing in the One-On-One Doubles Tournaments has been a great experience for me,” said Mikael Pernfors, Singles Finalist at the 1986 French Open and past One-On-One Doubles Tournament winner. “The tournament format provides a great atmosphere and fun tennis.” Ashley Fisher, 2006 U.S. Open Doubles Semifinalist, has played in six events in Florida and captured a few titles along the way. “Playing One-On-One Doubles is always a highlight of my year. The tournaments combine energy, music and a high level of tennis,” said Fisher. For more information about the tournaments, e-mail Whitney Kraft at NTCTournaments@USTA.com. For more information about One-On-One Doubles Tournaments, visit OneOnOneDoubles.com.

Columbia Beats Cornell to Win ECAC Championship Photo credit: ECAC Sports

he Columbia Men’s Tennis Team won all three of its matches at the East Coast Athletic Conference (ECAC) Championships at Princeton University, culminating in a 4-1 victory over Cornell to win its first ECAC Championship since 2014. The Lions entered the weekend ranked 19th in the country and played like the best team in the field, first downing the Red Storm of St. John’s 4-0 in its first match, and then defeating Dartmouth 4-0 to reach the finals. In the finals against Cornell, Columbia was able to earn the doubles point to start things off by winning two of the three doubles matches. Despite losing the first doubles flight, Michal Rolski & Christopher Grant won 6-1 over Lev Kazakov & Dylan Brown at third doubles, and 14th-ranked Victor Pham & Richard Pham knocked off Chris Vrabel & Bernando Casres to give the Lions the early advantage. Shawn Hadavi, last year’s Ivy League

Player of the Year, squared off against Cornell’s top man David Volfson in the first singles flight, and Hadavi cruised to a 6-3, 6-1 win to bolster the Columbia lead. Cornell’s Colin Sinclair trimmed the deficit

to 2-1 when he beat Alex Keyser 6-1, 6-2 at fourth singles, but William Matheson knocked off Daniel Grunberger, and Victor Pham beat Kazakov 6-2, 6-3 to seal the victory for Columbia.

NYTennisMag.com • March/April 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

NEW Boys & Girls Metro Rankings (as of 01/04/17)

BOYS Metro Boys 12 Singles Rank Name City 1.... Joshua Staroselskiy.......... Brooklyn, N.Y. 2.... Sebastian Brustein............Brooklyn, N.Y. 3.... Akash Mahesh Hongal......Flushing, N.Y. 4.... Federico Bentivoglio........ New York, N.Y. 5.... Safin Shaikh...................... Bayside, N.Y. 6.... Cal R. Wider...................... New York, N.Y. 7.... Max Meyer........................ New York, N.Y. 8.... Soren Aulenbach.............. Brooklyn, N.Y. 9.... Romero Jones.................. New York, N.Y. 10.. Benjamin Elliot Emag........ Brooklyn, N.Y. 11.. Jack Griffin........................ New York, N.Y. 12.. Maret Aulenbach.............. Brooklyn, N.Y. 13.. Fela Fieulleteau..................Bronx, N.Y. 14.. Colin Hui............................ Bayside, N.Y. 15.. Milo Kessler...................... Brooklyn, N.Y. 16.. Shepard Gregory.............. New York, N.Y. 17.. Ryan Friedman.................. New York, N.Y. 18.. Bobby Duskin....................Brooklyn, N.Y. 19.. Noah Roussel....................Brooklyn, N.Y. 20.. Nicholas Zagora................ Staten Island, N.Y. 21.. Zecheng Fang.................. New York, N.Y. 22.. Jason Boyd........................New York, N.Y. 23.. London Mosquera............ Howard Beach, N.Y. 24.. Ryan Mark........................ New York, N.Y. 25.. Theodore R. Murphy........ New York, N.Y. 26.. Marco Ziets-Segura.......... New York, N.Y. 27.. Arjun N. Agostinho............ Brooklyn, N.Y. 28.. Jasper Kim Filardo............ New York, N.Y. 29.. Santiago Soto....................New York, N.Y. 30.. Daniel A. Ellis.................... Laurelton, N.Y. 31.. Gabriel Alberto Garcia...... Staten Island, N.Y. 32.. David Pomerantz.............. New York, N.Y. 33.. Arnav Agostinho................Brooklyn, N.Y. 34.. Andrew R. Ena.................. Rego Park, N.Y. 35.. Cotton Snoddy..................New York, N.Y. 36.. Angier Lei.......................... Brooklyn, N.Y. 37.. John Wu............................ New York, N.Y. 38.. Oliver Meyer...................... New York, N.Y. 39.. Alistair Wright.................... Douglaston, N.Y. 40.. Darlan Ahmadizadeh........ Bronx, N.Y.

Metro Boys 14 Singles Rank Name City 1.... Dylan Lachmanen............ Brooklyn, N.Y. 2.... Daniel Galisteo Gordon.... New York, N.Y. 3.... Gabriel Markowitz............ New York, N.Y. 4.... Nicholas Jozek Zagora.... Staten Island, N.Y. 5.... Kevin Daniel Golub............New York, N.Y. 6.... Eric Dubilirer...................... Little Neck, N.Y. 7.... Waley Chen...................... Oakland Gardens, N.Y. 8.... Sunjay Dev Singh..............New York, N.Y. 9.... Franco Manriquez............ Sunnyside, N.Y. 10.. Oliver Samuel Peck.......... New York, N.Y. 11.. Charles Robertson............ Whitestone, N.Y. 12.. Guy Ferrera........................New York, N.Y. 13.. Ronald Fridlyand.............. Forest Hills, N.Y. 14.. Nicholas Oblonsky............ Brooklyn, N.Y. 15.. Arnav Agostinho................Brooklyn, N.Y. 16.. Jules Taylor-Kerman..........New York, N.Y. 17.. Sebastian Chavarro.......... Jackson Heights, N.Y. 18.. Matthew LeCorps............ New York, N.Y. 19.. Dylan Harris Gottheim...... New York, N.Y.

20.. 21.. 22.. 23.. 24.. 25.. 26.. 27.. 28.. 29.. 30.. 31.. 32.. 33.. 34.. 35.. 36.. 37.. 38.. 39.. 40..

YORK

Santiago Soto....................New York, N.Y. Jack Charles Benavides.. New York, N.Y. Nicholas Benavides.......... New York, N.Y. Ethan Cintron.................... Oakland Gardens, N.Y. MG Nastase...................... New York, N.Y. Shane Tomonia..................Jamaica, N.Y. Christopher Chi................ Bayside, N.Y. Michael Zlatnik.................. Forest Hills, N.Y. Sabian Kosinov................ Forest Hills, N.Y. Trey Alexander Paulino.... New York, N.Y. Benjamin Elliot Emag........ Brooklyn, N.Y. Marko Ristic...................... Woodside, N.Y. Mike William Shepard...... New York, N.Y. Luke Hollman.................... New York, N.Y. Ryan David Brandes........ Rego Park, N.Y. Jack Clothier......................New York, N.Y. Ian Smith............................Forest Hills, N.Y. Ryan Mark........................ New York, N.Y. Brody Pontarelli................ New York, N.Y. Quenten Chicon................ Brooklyn, N.Y. Mykhailo Nosenko............ New York, N.Y.

Metro Boys 16 Singles Rank Name City 1.... George Manuel Arteaga....East Elmhurst, N.Y. 2.... Matthew Mosejczuk..........East Elmhurst, N.Y. 3.... Connor P. Dunne.............. Brooklyn, N.Y. 4.... Waley Chen...................... Oakland Gardens, N.Y. 5.... David Krasner....................Staten Island, N.Y. 6.... Andreas Adedeji................ Brooklyn, N.Y. 7.... Albert Y. Wan.................... Forest Hills, N.Y. 8.... Rino Cattabiani..................Flushing, N.Y. 9.... Michael Kaydin..................Brooklyn, N.Y. 10.. John C. Bricker..................New York, N.Y. 11.. Alfonso Laffont.................. New York, N.Y. 12.. Christopher Mohri............ New York, N.Y. 13.. Amyas Alfred Ryan............Brooklyn, N.Y. 14.. Daniel Vascones................Middle Village, N.Y. 15.. Shanay Ashesh Amin........New York, N.Y. 16.. Alex Robert Goldstein...... New York, N.Y. 17.. Shane Tomonia..................Jamaica, N.Y. 18.. Liam J. Dunne.................. Brooklyn, N.Y. 19.. Sidharth Chawla................New York, N.Y. 20.. Tadd Long..........................Woodside, N.Y. 21.. Teddy Brodsky.................. New York, N.Y. 22.. Lucas Miller...................... Brooklyn, N.Y. 23.. Timothy Zhao.................... Bayside, N.Y. 24.. Ewan Dietsche.................. Brooklyn, N.Y. 25.. Viktor Ostlund....................New York, N.Y. 26.. August LePique................ New York, N.Y. 27.. Oliver Ben Chonoles........ New York, N.Y. 28.. Gabriel Josephs................ New York, N.Y. 29.. Paolo Z. Padova................New York, N.Y.

Metro Boys 18 Singles Rank Name City 1.... Richard Wickman..............Bayside, N.Y. 2.... Jeremy Breland................ Fresh Meadows, N.Y.

GIRLS Metro Girls 12 Singles Rank Name City 1.... Caitlin Bui.......................... Flushing, N.Y. 2.... Angelina Rose Bittan........ Brooklyn, N.Y. 3.... Laurentia Bentivoglio........ New York, N.Y. 4.... Rianna Mariotti.................. Forest Hills, N.Y. 5.... Rosie Isabella Seccia........ New York, N.Y. 6.... Talia Helen Kahan..............New York, N.Y. 7.... Ava Dahl............................ New York, N.Y. 8.... Damita Joanna Bollers......Brooklyn, N.Y.

RANKINGS 9.... 10.. 11.. 12.. 13.. 14.. 15.. 16.. 17.. 18.. 19.. 20.. 21.. 22.. 23.. 24.. 25.. 26.. 27.. 28.. 29.. 30.. 31.. 32.. 33..

Isabella Sofia Mandis........New York, N.Y. Isabella Haley Saul............Brooklyn, N.Y. Ronit Khromchenko.......... Staten Island, N.Y. Jala Atkinson.................... New York, N.Y. Nadia Barteck....................New York, N.Y. Juliana Hornak.................. Brooklyn, N.Y. Anna Becker......................New York, N.Y. Lillian Vinogradov.............. Staten Island, N.Y. Karah C. Augustin............ Saint Albans, N.Y. Allegra Noelle Wong..........New York, N.Y. Millicent Lydon.................. New York, N.Y. Carmen Hornillos.............. New York, N.Y. Langley Beaudoin............ New York, N.Y. Jasmine Leon Soon.......... Brooklyn, N.Y. Carol Xue.......................... Fresh Meadows, N.Y. Imani Jean........................ Brooklyn, N.Y. Adriana Rose Hornak........Brooklyn, N.Y. Alika Peker........................ Brooklyn, N.Y. Sevinch Rakhmatdinovich Brooklyn, N.Y. Anna Rose Chapko.......... Brooklyn, N.Y. Mia Rojas.......................... Bronx, N.Y. Allison Markman................New York, N.Y. Abigale H. Marants............Staten Island, N.Y. Sabrina Shvartsman..........Brooklyn, N.Y. Sophia Luo........................ Staten Island, N.Y.

Metro Girls 14 Singles Rank Name City 1.... Anya Barteck.................... New York, N.Y. 2.... Sofie Shen........................ New York, N.Y. 3.... Rachel Zhang.................... Forest Hills, N.Y. 4.... Jordan Ben-Shmuel..........New York, N.Y. 5.... Beyonce Blake.................. Brooklyn, N.Y. 6.... Kelly Chen..........................Forest Hills, N.Y. 7.... Nadzeya Fliaha..................Brooklyn, N.Y. 8.... Emma Eisenberg.............. New York, N.Y. 9.... Tess Ariel Whitman............New York, N.Y. 10.. Samantha Bentsianov...... Staten Island, N.Y. 11.. Greer S. Goergen.............. New York, N.Y. 12.. Sheyna Esther Karen........ New York, N.Y. 13.. Abigail Hammer................ Astoria, N.Y. 14.. Jasmine Leon Soon.......... Brooklyn, N.Y. 15.. Laura Coleman..................New York, N.Y. 16.. Niki Truszkowski................Middle Village, N.Y. 17.. Leah Margulies.................. New York, N.Y. 18.. Lulu Jenkins...................... Bronx, N.Y. 19.. Tess Anna Price................ Brooklyn, N.Y. 20.. Catherina Krespi................New York, N.Y. 21.. Nadezhda M. Blot............ Arverne, N.Y. 22.. Maxie Molly Karen............ New York, N.Y. 23.. Claire de Saint Phalle........ New York, N.Y. 24.. Sadie Warshaw................ New York, N.Y. 25.. Alina Abramoff.................. Brooklyn, N.Y. 26.. Alleyah Katherine Ally........Bellerose, N.Y. 27.. Apple Lavender Lydon......New York, N.Y. 28.. Fuschia Steward................New York, N.Y. 29.. Ashna Shah...................... Staten Island, N.Y.

Metro Girls 16 Singles Rank Name City 1.... Alanna Levitt......................New York, N.Y. 2.... Cassie Tian........................ Flushing, N.Y. 3.... Niki Truszkowski................Middle Village, N.Y. 4.... Maryna Bohdanovska...... Brooklyn, N.Y. 5.... Gabrielle Nicole Hernandez Ridgewood, N.Y. 6.... Natalie Marguiles.............. New York, N.Y. 7.... Lilly Yan..............................New York, N.Y. 8.... Chloe B. Jones..................New York, N.Y. 9.... Carolyn Silverstein............ New York, N.Y.

New York Tennis Magazine • March/April 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

Metro Girls 18 Singles Rank Name City 1.... Anna Borovinskaya.......... Bronx, N.Y.

Boys & Girls Sectional Rankings (as of 02/14/17)

BOYS Sectional Boys 12 Singles— Metro Region Rank Name City 5.... Joseph Phillips.................. New York, N.Y. 12.. Jace Alexander..................New York, N.Y. 14.. Donovan Spigner.............. New York, N.Y. 17.. Nicholas Murphy.............. New York, N.Y. 18.. Benjamin Charles Kantor..New York, N.Y. 19.. Ari Hercules Cotoulas...... Brooklyn, N.Y. 20.. Nicholas Steiglehner........ New York, N.Y. 21.. Adrien Svilen Jippov........ New York, N.Y. 24.. Alexander Aney................ New York, N.Y. 26.. Andrew R. Ena.................. Rego Park, N.Y. 27.. Sacha Maes...................... New York, N.Y. 29.. Astro Brundo Pilipovic...... New York, N.Y. 36.. Cal R. Wider...................... New York, N.Y. 39.. Rafe Photopoulos............ New York, N.Y. 40.. Nicholas Laffont................ New York, N.Y. 52.. Ty Justin Staco-Towns......Brooklyn, N.Y. 55.. Theodore R. Murphy........ New York, N.Y. 62.. Nicolas Iantosca................New York, N.Y. 72.. Dominick Mosejczuk........ East Elmhurst, N.Y. 76.. Giuseppe Cerasuolo........ Bayside, N.Y. 80.. Romero Jones.................. New York, N.Y. 81.. Ryan Friedman.................. New York, N.Y. 92.. Akash Mahesh Hongal......Flushing, N.Y. 94.. Nicholas Jozef Zagora...... Staten Island, N.Y. 96.. Safin Shaikh...................... Long Island City, N.Y. 97.. Samuel Benjamin Zeitlin.. Brooklyn, N.Y. 100 Bobby Duskin....................Brooklyn, N.Y. 105 Joshua Staroselskiy.......... Brooklyn, N.Y. 114 Arjun N. Agostinho............ Brooklyn, N.Y. 123 Luca Photopoulos............ New York, N.Y. 129 Sebastian Brustein............Brooklyn, N.Y. 132 Erik S. Johansson............ New York, N.Y. 136 Marko R. Gural.................. New York, N.Y. 140 Benjamin Ebanks.............. New York, N.Y. 144 Michael Zlatnik.................. Forest Hills, N.Y. 145 Noah Katzer...................... Brooklyn, N.Y. 147 Benjamin Elliot Emag........ Brooklyn, N.Y.

Sectional Boys 14 Singles— Metro Region Rank Name City 1.... Jeffrey Fradkin.................. New York, N.Y. 4.... John-Tomas Bilski............ New York, N.Y. 7.... Tyler Korobov.................... Brooklyn, N.Y. 10.. Joseph Wilkanowski........ Long Island City, N.Y. 12.. Wesley Zhang....................Staten Island, N.Y. 13.. Maxwell Igor Kachkarov.. Flushing, N.Y. 18.. Hudson Beaudoin............ New York, N.Y. 19.. Ty Switzer.......................... New York, N.Y. 21.. Sebastian Sec.................. New York, N.Y. 24.. Noah Edelman.................. New York, N.Y. 26.. Robbie F. Werdiger............New York, N.Y. 29.. Sachin Palta...................... Forest Hills, N.Y. 33.. Brandon T. Cohen............ New York, N.Y. 40.. Cooper Williams................ New York, N.Y. 47.. Noah Abels Eisenberg...... New York, N.Y.

NEW 51.. 56.. 57.. 59.. 62.. 68.. 71.. 72.. 81.. 83.. 85.. 86.. 95.. 100 105 109 110 112 114 120 126 127 128 134 138 146

Ryan McCook....................Saint Albans, N.Y. Mitchel Pertsovsky............Brooklyn, N.Y. Albert Y. Wan.................... Forest Hills, N.Y. David Krasner....................Staten Island, N.Y. Donovan Spigner.............. New York, N.Y. Sidharth Chawla................New York, N.Y. Sacha Maes...................... New York, N.Y. Luca Anthony DeMare...... New York, N.Y. Milan Kavi Jain.................. New York, N.Y. Bradley Bennett................ New York, N.Y. Paul Eighouayel................ New York, N.Y. Jeffrey Yu.......................... Forest Hills, N.Y. Winter Forest Fagerberg.. New York, N.Y. Benjamin Ebanks.............. New York, N.Y. Charles William Phillips.... New York, N.Y. Dylan Lachmanen............ Brooklyn, N.Y. Kole Henry Moses............ New York, N.Y. Neel M. Epstein................ New York, N.Y. David Dove Hendon..........New York, N.Y. Jace K. Alexander............ New York, N.Y. Jonathan Laforest............ Queens Village, N.Y. Eric Dubilirer...................... Little Neck, N.Y. Sabian Kosinov................ Forest Hills, N.Y. Adrien Svilen Jippov........ New York, N.Y. Nicholas Murphy.............. New York, N.Y. Bhawick Singh.................. East Elmhurst, N.Y.

Sectional Boys 16 Singles— Metro Region Rank Name City 1.... David Mizahi...................... Brooklyn, N.Y. 8.... Jeffrey Fradkin.................. New York, N.Y. 10.. Shawn Jackson................ Staten Island, N.Y. 11.. Steven Daniel Nazaroff......Brooklyn, N.Y. 17.. Peter Frelinghuysen.......... New York, N.Y. 19.. Igor Maslov........................Brooklyn, N.Y. 21.. Lantis Wang...................... New York, N.Y. 24.. Ethan Leon........................ Woodhaven, N.Y. 27.. Zachary Jordan Lieb........ New York, N.Y. 30.. Dylan Friedman................ Brooklyn, N.Y. 33.. Derek Raskopf.................. New York, N.Y. 39.. Eitan Khromchenko.......... Staten Island, N.Y. 41.. Shand Stephens................New York, N.Y. 45.. Maxwell Igor Kachkarov.. Flushing, N.Y. 49.. Jonah Jurick...................... New York, N.Y. 50.. Kai Yuminaga.................... Oakland Gardens, N.Y. 52.. Christopher Tham............ Flushing, N.Y. 58.. Christopher Kolesnik........ Staten Island, N.Y. 64.. Robbie F. Werdiger............New York, N.Y. 67.. John-Tomas Bilski............ New York, N.Y. 69.. Joshua Berman................ New York, N.Y. 74.. Joseph Wilkanowski........ Long Island City, N.Y. 77.. Gabriel Sifuentes.............. Flushing, N.Y. 81.. Brandon Cohen................ New York, N.Y. 83.. Noah Edelman.................. New York, N.Y. 84.. Marcos Souza Lee............ New York, N.Y. 88.. Julian Szuper.................... New York, N.Y. 90.. Felix Levine........................Brooklyn, N.Y. 92.. Oliver Obeid...................... New York, N.Y. 101 Harry Portnoy .................. New York, N.Y. 105 Jeffrey McCready..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 108 William Charles Phillips.... New York, N.Y. 110 Simon Camacho.............. New York, N.Y. 113 Nicholas Pustilnik..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 116 Gabriel Isaac Rissman...... Brooklyn, N.Y. 124 Zachary Portnoy................New York, N.Y. 129 Sam Vagner...................... Staten Island, N.Y. 130 Alex Portnoy...................... New York, N.Y. 136 Tristan Taylor......................New York, N.Y. 140 Zachary G. Targoff............ New York, N.Y.

YORK

RANKINGS

146 Alexander Nielsen............ New York, N.Y. 150 Ethan Finley...................... New York, N.Y.

Sectional Girls 14 Singles— Metro Region

Sectional Boys 18 Singles— Metro Region

Rank Name City 9.... Daniella Benabraham........New York, N.Y. 12.. Shawnte Beale.................. Bronx, N.Y. 18.. Rachel Rubenzahl............ New York, N.Y. 22.. Sarah Lucy Youngberg......New York, N.Y. 26.. Lorraine Bergmann............Forest Hills, N.Y. 28.. Khyanna Singh.................. Queens Village, N.Y. 30.. Carolyn Brodsky................New York, N.Y. 32.. Michelle Kleynerman........ Staten Island, N.Y. 33.. Isabella Sinclair Cooper.... Brooklyn, N.Y. 34.. Rebecca Eliana Fisch........New York, N.Y. 40.. Catalina Haberman.......... New York, N.Y. 42.. Nathalie Williams.............. New York, N.Y. 50.. Deliala Friedman................Brooklyn, N.Y. 54.. Leila M. Epstein................ New York, N.Y. 70.. Alyssa An.......................... New York, N.Y. 77.. Rachel Zhang.................... Forest Hills, N.Y. 93.. Anna Borovinskaya.......... Bronx, N.Y. 98.. Nadzeya Fliaha..................Brooklyn, N.Y. 107 Zoe Kava............................New York, N.Y. 108 Jordan Ben-Shmuel..........New York, N.Y. 114 Blakely Duskin.................. Brooklyn, N.Y. 115 Anya Barteck.................... New York, N.Y. 117 Sofia Allinson.................... New York, N.Y. 118 Sofie Shen........................ New York, N.Y. 125 Nicole Wooyin Lee............ New York, N.Y. 134 Emma Sofia Ostlund........ New York, N.Y. 136 Emma Abels Eisenberg.... New York, N.Y. 139 Kelly Chen..........................Forest Hills, N.Y. 145 Natalie Eordekian.............. Woodside, N.Y. 150 Lulu Jenkins...................... Bronx, N.Y.

Rank Name City 8.... Sumit Sarkar......................New York, N.Y. 13.. Peter Lohrbach..................Little Neck, N.Y. 23.. Calvin Chung.................... Bronx, N.Y. 25.. Peter Frelinghuysen.......... New York, N.Y. 33.. Gary C. Fishkin..................Staten Island, N.Y. 35.. David Mizrahi.................... Brooklyn, N.Y. 40.. Robert Kennedy................ New York, N.Y. 42.. Sam V. Vagner.................. Staten Island, N.Y. 48.. Zachary Jordan Lieb........ New York, N.Y. 49.. Philip Belmatch................ Staten Island, N.Y. 58.. Kemel Irfan Aziz................ Staten Island, N.Y. 63.. Gabriel Sifuentes.............. Flushing, N.Y. 65.. Igor Maslov........................Brooklyn, N.Y. 66.. Christopher Kolesnik........ Staten Island, N.Y. 75.. Gabriel Isaac Rissman...... Brooklyn, N.Y. 77.. Allan Ethan Magid............ Brooklyn, N.Y. 80.. Shawn Jackson................ Staten Island, N.Y. 90.. Jonah Jurick...................... New York, N.Y. 91.. Mitchell Ostrovsky............ Brooklyn, N.Y. 103 Adam Bryan Borak............Brooklyn, N.Y. 104 Nicholas Pustilnik..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 107 Tawhid Choudhury............ Jamaica, N.Y. 109 Christopher Rodriguez......Jackson Heights, N.Y. 114 Fayed Dayaz Uddin.......... Elmhurst, N.Y. 117 Joseph R. Reiner.............. New York, N.Y. 122 Zachary G. Targoff............ New York, N.Y. 126 Xavier Pacthod.................. New York, N.Y. 131 Steven Daniel Nazaroff......Brooklyn, N.Y. 133 Richard Wickman..............Bayside, N.Y. 146 Michael Tyutyunik..............Brooklyn, N.Y.

GIRLS Sectional Girls 12 Singles— Metro Region Rank Name City 6.... Natalie Eordekian.............. Woodside, N.Y. 9.... Sarah Lucy Youngberg......New York, N.Y. 17.. Nina Wiese........................ Flushing, N.Y. 20.. Sage Loudon.................... New York, N.Y. 26.. Catalina Haberman.......... New York, N.Y. 27.. Sofia Iantosca....................New York, N.Y. 32.. Lara Rose Berliner............ New York, N.Y. 34.. Julia T. Werdiger................ New York, N.Y. 46.. Patricia Grigoras................Middle Village, N.Y. 51.. Sophia Cisse-Ignatiev...... New York, N.Y. 54.. Bukky Alalade....................Rosedale, N.Y. 58.. Linda Ziets-Segura............New York, N.Y. 59.. Taylor Overstrom.............. New York, N.Y. 69.. Charlie Eve Liss................ New York, N.Y. 70.. Blakely Duskin.................. Brooklyn, N.Y. 74.. Natalie Bergmann..............Forest Hills, N.Y. 83.. Ava Dahl............................ New York, N.Y. 89.. Ronit Khromchenko.......... Staten Island, N.Y. 98.. Bianca Dumitru..................Forest Hills, N.Y. 101 Alina Ongeyberg................Brooklyn, N.Y. 116 Emma Voykhanskaya........Brooklyn, N.Y. 118 Mia Saveljic........................New York, N.Y. 126 Allegra Noelle Wong..........New York, N.Y. 127 Rosie Isabella Seccia........ New York, N.Y. 133 Damita Joanna Bollers......Brooklyn, N.Y. 145 Diya Emine Chawia.......... New York, N.Y. 150 Gabrielle Sophie Usvyat.. Forest Hills, N.Y.

Sectional Girls 16 Singles— Metro Region Rank Name City 2.... Rosie Garcia Gross.......... New York, N.Y. 3.... Chelsea Williams.............. Brooklyn, N.Y. 11.. Perene Wang.................... New York, N.Y. 14.. Nadejda Maslova.............. Brooklyn, N.Y. 17.. Nicole Semenov................ Brooklyn, N.Y. 21.. Christina M. Huynh.......... Astoria, N.Y. 22.. Katherine Kachkarov........ Flushing, N.Y. 28.. Amy Kaplan...................... Brooklyn, N.Y. 32.. Isabella Sinclair Cooper.... Brooklyn, N.Y. 38.. Kyra Bergmann................ Forest Hills, N.Y. 40.. Dakota Fordham.............. New York, N.Y. 41.. Shawnte Beale.................. Bronx, N.Y. 44.. Diana Sosonkin................ Brooklyn, N.Y. 51.. Gabriella Eitkis.................. Brooklyn, N.Y. 57.. Rachel Rubenzahl............ New York, N.Y. 62.. Sabrina Boada.................. Woodhaven, N.Y. 63.. Nicole Mika........................Staten Island, N.Y. 67.. Isabella T. Hartman............New York, N.Y. 74.. Josephine Kimball............ New York, N.Y. 79.. Anastasya Menshikova.... Brooklyn, N.Y. 80.. Sofie Kate Levine.............. New York, N.Y. 83.. Rebecca Eliana Fisch........New York, N.Y. 87.. Lorraine Bergmann............Forest Hills, N.Y. 88.. Zoe Kava............................New York, N.Y. 89.. Celina Liu.......................... Forest Hills, N.Y. 93.. Amalia M. Parrish.............. Queens Village, N.Y. 101 Jamila Akhmedjanova...... New York, N.Y. 107 Nathalie Williams.............. New York, N.Y. 118 Emily Moczulski................ Oakland Gardens, N.Y. 123 Nia Lashawn Dabreo........ Brooklyn, N.Y. 131 Alanna Levitt......................New York, N.Y. 133 Jennifer Yu........................ Forest Hills, N.Y. 137 Shakima Hotaki................ Flushing, N.Y.

140 Catalina Haberman.......... New York, N.Y. 145 Cassie Tian........................ Flushing, N.Y. 146 Nicole Koi Massa.............. Astoria, N.Y.

Sectional Girls 18 Singles— Metro Region Rank Name City 6.... Sonia Tartakovsky............ New York, N.Y. 18.. Victoria Sec........................New York, N.Y. 26.. Alexandra Koniaev............ Forest Hills, N.Y. 30.. Lauren Elizabeth Munari.. Middle Village, N.Y. 31.. Kyra Bergmann................ Forest Hills, N.Y. 33.. Sarah Rahman.................. East Elmhurst, N.Y. 36.. Jennifer Yu........................ Forest Hills, N.Y. 38.. Aleksandra Bekirova........ Brooklyn, N.Y. 44.. Nicole Semenov................ Brooklyn, N.Y. 49.. Patricia Obeid....................New York, N.Y. 51.. Daniela Hernandez............Corona, N.Y. 54.. Kiara A. Rose.................... New York, N.Y. 60.. Amy Kaplan...................... Brooklyn, N.Y. 67.. Barbara Podvorchani........ Bronx, N.Y. 71.. Khyanna Rookmin Singh.. Queens Village, N.Y. 72.. Dakota Fordham.............. New York, N.Y. 76.. Anastasya Menshikova.... Brooklyn, N.Y. 81.. Anna Maite Kaplan............New York, N.Y. 82.. Lisa Marchelska................ Brooklyn, N.Y. 98.. Amalia M. Parrish.............. Queens Village, N.Y. 99.. Mia Simone Parrish.......... Queens Village, N.Y. 103 Isabelle Rovinski................New York, N.Y. 108 Audrey Pacthod................ New York, N.Y. 110 Katherine Kachkarov........ Flushing, N.Y. 111 Anna Borovinskaya.......... Bronx, N.Y. 116 Stephanie Li...................... New York, N.Y. 118 Sofie Kate Levine.............. New York, N.Y.

Boys & Girls National Rankings (as of 03/02/17)

BOYS National Boys 12 Singles— Metro Region Rank Name City 5.... Cooper Williams................ New York, N.Y. 21.. Joseph Phillips.................. New York, N.Y. 146 Nicholas Steiglehner........ New York, N.Y. 147 Nicholas Murphy.............. New York, N.Y. 239 Astro Brundo Pilipovic...... New York, N.Y. 261 Ari Hercules Cotoulas...... Brooklyn, N.Y. 266 Cal R. Wider...................... New York, N.Y. 296 Alexander Aney................ New York, N.Y. 359 Andrew R. Ena.................. Rego Park, N.Y. 553 Rafe Photopoulos............ New York, N.Y. 778 Neel Krishnaswamy.......... New York, N.Y. 885 Nicolas Iantosca................New York, N.Y. 973 Vivek Laddha.................... New York, N.Y. 978 Giuseppe Cerasuolo........ Bayside, N.Y. 982 Theodore R. Murphy........ New York, N.Y. 984 Dominick Mosejczuk........ East Elmhurst, N.Y. 987 Bobby Duskin....................Brooklyn, N.Y.

National Boys 14 Singles— Metro Region Rank Name City 79.. John-Tomas Bilski............ New York, N.Y. 82.. Tyler Korobov.................... Brooklyn, N.Y. 100 Maxwell Igor Kachkarov.. Flushing, N.Y.

NYTennisMag.com • March/April 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

NEW 121 137 142 146 165 245 310 395 656 720 722 727 756 763 765 807 962

Cooper Williams................ New York, N.Y. Hudson Beaudoin............ New York, N.Y. Wesley Zhang....................Staten Island, N.Y. Ty Switzer.......................... New York, N.Y. Noah D. Edelman..............New York, N.Y. Joseph Phillips.................. New York, N.Y. Sebastian Sec.................. New York, N.Y. Donovan Spigner.............. New York, N.Y. Jace K. Alexander............ New York, N.Y. Nicholas Murphy.............. New York, N.Y. Nicholas Steiglehner........ New York, N.Y. Sachin Palta...................... Forest Hills, N.Y. Adrien Svilen Jippov........ New York, N.Y. Benjamin Charles Kantor..New York, N.Y. Sacha Maes...................... New York, N.Y. Eitan Khromchenko.......... Staten Island, N.Y. Noah Abels Eisenberg...... New York, N.Y.

National Boys 16 Singles— Metro Region Rank Name City 106 Jeffrey Fradkin.................. New York, N.Y. 167 Igor Maslov........................Brooklyn, N.Y. 196 Lantis Wang...................... New York, N.Y. 219 Steven Daniel Nazaroff......Brooklyn, N.Y. 359 Maxwell Igor Kachkarov.. Flushing, N.Y. 362 Ethan Leon........................ Woodhaven, N.Y. 411 Shawn Jackson................ Staten Island, N.Y. 438 Joseph Wilkanowski........ Long Island City, N.Y. 469 John-Thomas Bilski.......... New York, N.Y. 479 Tyler Korobov.................... Brooklyn, N.Y. 589 Jonah Jurick...................... New York, N.Y. 607 Hudson Beaudoin............ New York, N.Y. 625 Wesley Zhang....................Staten Island, N.Y. 679 Noah D. Edelman..............New York, N.Y. 696 Ty Switzer.......................... New York, N.Y. 737 Derek Raskopf.................. New York, N.Y. 797 Robbie Werdiger................New York, N.Y. 850 Kai Yuminaga.................... Oakland Gardens, N.Y. 866 Brandon T. Cohen............ New York, N.Y. 927 Eitan Khromchenko.......... Staten Island, N.Y.

National Boys 18 Singles— Metro Region Rank Name City 167 Sumit Sarkar......................New York, N.Y. 247 Peter Lohrbach..................Little Neck, N.Y. 264 Calvin Chung.................... Bronx, N.Y. 292 David Mizrahi.................... Brooklyn, N.Y. 442 Peter Frelinghuysen.......... New York, N.Y. 449 Gary C. Fishkin..................Staten Island, N.Y. 651 Jeffrey Fradkin.................. New York, N.Y. 694 Zachary Jordan Lieb........ New York, N.Y. 710 Igor Maslov........................Brooklyn, N.Y. 799 Robert Kennedy................ New York, N.Y. 805 Lantis Wang...................... New York, N.Y. 848 Steven Daniel Nazaroff......Brooklyn, N.Y.

YORK

GIRLS National Girls 12 Singles— Metro Region Rank Name City 56.. Natalie Eordekian.............. Woodside, N.Y. 241 Nina Wiese........................ Flushing, N.Y. 361 Julia T. Werdiger................ New York, N.Y. 374 Sofia Iantosca....................New York, N.Y. 445 Patricia Grigoras................Middle Village, N.Y. 510 Linda Ziets-Segura............New York, N.Y. 538 Bukky Alalade....................Rosedale, N.Y. 552 Sophia Cisse-Ignatiev...... New York, N.Y. 640 Charlie Eve Liss................ New York, N.Y. 732 Taylor Overstrom.............. New York, N.Y. 833 Michelle Ryndin................ Staten Island, N.Y. 932 Claire An............................ New York, N.Y. 965 Mia Saveljic........................New York, N.Y. 979 Lara Rose Berliner............ New York, N.Y.

RANKINGS National Girls 18 Singles— Metro Region Rank Name City 87.. Dasha Kourkina................ Brooklyn, N.Y. 197 Michelle Sorokko.............. Little Neck, N.Y. 285 Shelly Yaloz........................Little Neck, N.Y. 359 Sonia Tartakovsky............ New York, N.Y. 446 Rosie Garcia Gross.......... New York, N.Y. 527 Chelsea Williams.............. Brooklyn, N.Y. 632 Aleksandra Bekirova........ Brooklyn, N.Y. 670 Lauren Elizabeth Munari.. Middle Village, N.Y. 698 Jennifer Yu........................ Forest Hills, N.Y. 703 Perene Wang.................... New York, N.Y. 707 Victoria Sec........................New York, N.Y. 729 Nadejda Maslova.............. Brooklyn, N.Y. 760 Anastasia Koniaev............ Forest Hills, N.Y. 982 Nicole Semenov................ Brooklyn, N.Y.

National Girls 14 Singles— Metro Region Rank Name City 109 Daniella Benabraham........New York, N.Y. 155 Nadejda Maslova.............. Brooklyn, N.Y. 315 Sarah Lucy Youngberg......New York, N.Y. 337 Natalie Eordekian.............. Woodside, N.Y. 434 Lorraine Bergmann............Forest Hills, N.Y. 447 Michelle Kleynerman........ Staten Island, N.Y. 487 Rebecca Elaina Fisch........New York, N.Y. 513 Carolyn Brodsky................New York, N.Y. 570 Khyanna Singh.................. Queens Village, N.Y. 603 Nathalie Williams.............. New York, N.Y. 679 Catalina Haberman.......... New York, N.Y. 720 Shawnte Beale.................. Bronx, N.Y. 730 Alyssa An.......................... New York, N.Y. 999 Nina Wiese........................ Flushing, N.Y.

National Girls 16 Singles— Metro Region Rank Name City 6.... Dasha Kourkina................ Brooklyn, N.Y. 41.. Michelle Sorokko.............. Little Neck, N.Y. 72.. Shelly Yaloz........................Little Neck, N.Y. 76.. Rosie Garcia Gross.......... New York, N.Y. 135 Chelsea Williams.............. Brooklyn, N.Y. 208 Perene Wang.................... New York, N.Y. 229 Nadejda Maslova.............. Brooklyn, N.Y. 365 Nicole Semenov................ Brooklyn, N.Y. 438 Anastasia Koniaev............ Forest Hills, N.Y. 464 Katherine Kachkarov........ Flushing, N.Y. 531 Christina M. Huynh.......... Astoria, N.Y. 555 Daniella Benabraham........New York, N.Y. 565 Isabella Sinclair Cooper.... Brooklyn, N.Y. 749 Amy Kaplan...................... Brooklyn, N.Y. 795 Rachel Rubenzahl............ New York, N.Y. 809 Kyra Bergmann................ Forest Hills, N.Y. 853 Daniela Hernandez............Corona, N.Y.

New York Tennis Magazine • March/April 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

USTA/Metropolitan Region

2017 TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE For detailed information on these and all USTA tournaments, visit tennislink.usta.com/tournaments. MARCH 2017 Friday-Sunday, March 17-19 L1B Cunningham Tennis March Challenger Cunningham Tennis 19600 Union Turnpike Fresh Meadows, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 14 (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, March 13 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Klastique@yahoo.com or call (718) 740-6800. Friday-Sunday, March 17-19 Eastern Empire Cup National Doubles at APTC Alley Pond Tennis Center 7920 Winchester Boulevard Queens Village, N.Y. Divisions: Advanced Boys & Girls Doubles 78’ Yellow Ball 16 (MFIC) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $48.88 per player (deadline for entries is Tuesday, March 7 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Hemco2@aol.com or call (718) 264-2600. Saturday, March 18 L3 NCT March BG12 UPS North Shore Tennis-Go!Tennis 3428 214th Place Bayside, N.Y. Divisions: Entry Level Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Green Ball 12 (RR) Surface Type: Clay Indoor Entry Fee: $43.50 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, March 13 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail NCTTennis@aol.com or call (718) 224-6303. Friday-Sunday, March 24-26 L1B Harlem Junior Tennis Spring Challenger Harlem Junior Tennis Program 40 W 143rd Street New York, N.Y. Divisions: Championships Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 12 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Sunday, March 19 at 5:00 p.m.) For more information, call (212) 491-3738.

Friday-Sunday, March 24-26 & March 31-April 2 L2 Sportime Randall’s Island March 2017 Open Sportime Randall’s Island 1 Randall’s Island New York, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 14-16 (SE) Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, March 20 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail TournamentsRI@SportimeNY.com or call (212) 427-6150.

Friday-Sunday, March 31-April 2 & April 7-9 L1B Sportime Randall’s Island April 2017 Challenger Sportime Randall’s Island 1 Randall’s Island New York, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 14-16 (SE) Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, March 27 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail MattyTrumino@gmail.com or call (646) 783-5301.

Saturday-Sunday, March 25-26 Youth Progression Green Level1 Fresh Meadows Cunningham Tennis 19600 Union Turnpike Fresh Meadows, N.Y. Divisions: Green Level 1 Boys & Girls 10 and Under Singles 78’ Green Ball 10 (FMLC) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Sunday, March 19 at 11:59 p.m.) For more information, e-mail VCaraballo08@aol.com or call (718) 740-6800.

Friday-Sunday, March 31-April 2 Empire Cup National Doubles at APTC Alley Pond Tennis Center 7920 Winchester Boulevard Queens Village, N.Y. Divisions: Advanced Boys’ & Girls’ Doubles: 78’ Yellow Ball 12 (MFIC) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $48.88 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, Feb. 20 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Hemco2@aol.com or call (718) 264-2600.

Saturday-Sunday, March 25-26 L3 Alley Pond TC March 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 14-18 (RR) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $43.50 per player (deadline for entries is Wednesday, March 22 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Hemco2@aol.com or call (718) 264-2600.

APRIL 2017 Friday-Sunday, April 7-9 & April 14-16 L2O Sportime RI April 2017 Open Sportime Randall’s Island 1 Randall’s Island New York, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 14-16 (SE) Surface Type: Clay Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, April 3 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail MattyTrumino@gmail.com or call (646) 783-5301.

Friday-Sunday, March 31-April 2 Empire Cup National Doubles at the Cary Leeds Center The Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning 1720 Crotona Avenue Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Advanced Boys & Girls Doubles 78’ Yellow Ball 16 (MFIC) Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $48.88 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, March 20 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail WWiese@NYJTL.org or call (718) 347-7420.

Friday-Sunday, April 7-9 L1B MatchPoint NYC Mill Basin April Challenger MatchPoint NYC Mill Basin 2350 East 69th Street Brooklyn, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys & Girls Singles & Doubles 78’ Yellow Ball 14 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 for first singles/$28 for first doubles (deadline for entries is Monday, April 3 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail KLastique@yahoo.com or call (718) 769-0001, ext. 101.

NYTennisMag.com • March/April 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine

USTA/Metropolitan Region

2017 TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE For detailed information on these and all USTA tournaments, visit tennislink.usta.com/tournaments. Friday-Sunday, April 7-9 L1 APTC April Championships Alley Pond Tennis Center 7920 Winchester Boulevard Queens Village, N.Y. Divisions: Championships Boys Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 18 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Saturday, April 1 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Hemco2@aol.com or call (718) 264-2600. Saturday, April 8 Youth Progression Orange Level 2 Fresh Meadows Cunningham Tennis 19600 Union Turnpike Fresh Meadows, N.Y. Divisions: Orange Level 2 Boys & Girls 10 and Under Singles 60’ Orange Ball 10 (NEF) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $48.88 per player (deadline for entries is Sunday, April 2 at 11:59 p.m.) For more information, e-mail VCaraballo08@aol.com or call (718) 740-6800. Saturday, April 8 L3 NCT April BG12 UPS North Shore Tennis-Go!Tennis 3428 214th Place Bayside, N.Y. Divisions: Entry Level Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Green Ball 12 (NEF) Surface Type: Clay Indoor Entry Fee: $43.50 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, March 31 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail NCTTennis@aol.com or call (718) 224-6303. Monday-Friday, April 10-14 L1B APTC Spring Challenger Alley Pond Tennis Center 7920 Winchester Boulevard Queens Village, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 12-18 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, April 3 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Hemco2@aol.com or call (718) 264-2600.

Friday-Sunday, April 14-16 L2 Cunningham Tennis April Open Cunningham Tennis 19600 Union Turnpike Fresh Meadows, 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 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, April 10 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail KLastique@yahoo.com or call (718) 740-6800. Friday-Sunday, April 14-16 & April 21-23 L2 Sportime at Randall’s Island April 2017 Open Sportime Randall’s Island 1 Randall’s Island New York, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 14-16 (SE) Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, April, 10 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail MattyTrumino@gmail.com or call (212) 427-6150. Saturday, April 15 L3 APTC Spring UPS Alley Pond Tennis Center 7920 Winchester Boulevard Queens Village, N.Y. Divisions: Entry Level Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Green Ball 12, 78’ Yellow Ball 14-16 (RR) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $43.50 per player (deadline for entries is Thursday, April 13 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Hemco2@aol.com or call (718) 264-2600. Friday-Sunday, April 21-23 L1B APTC April Flowers 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 Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, April 17 at 6:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Hemco2@aol.com or call (718) 264-2600.

New York Tennis Magazine • March/April 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

Saturday-Monday, April 22-24 April USTA National L3 Tournament at Cary Leeds Center The Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning 1720 Crotona Avenue Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Level 3 Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 16 (FMLC) and Level 3 Girls’ Doubles 78’ Yellow Ball 16 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $145.63 per player (deadline for entries is Thursday, March 30 at 11:59 a.m.) For more information, e-mail EBantovska@NYJTL.org or call (718) 347-7420. Saturday, April 22 Youth Progression Orange Level 1 Fresh Meadows Cunningham Tennis 19600 Union Turnpike Fresh Meadows, N.Y. Divisions: Orange Level 1 Boys & Girls 10 and Under Singles 60’ Orange Ball 10 (NEF) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $48.88 per player (deadline for entries is Sunday, April 16 at 11:59 p.m.) For more information, e-mail VCaraballo08@aol.com or call (718) 740-6800. Friday-Sunday, April 28-30 L1B Cary Leeds Center April Challenger The Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning 1720 Crotona Avenue Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 14, 18 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $48.88 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, April 21 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail WWiese@NYJTL.org or call (718) 347-7420. Friday-Sunday, April 28-30 L1B APTC April 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 Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, April 21 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Hemco2@aol.com or call (718) 264-2600.

NYTennisMag.com • January/February 2017 • New York Tennis Magazine 112

SPORTIME RANDALL’S ISLAND

SUMMER CAMPS

Call and about ou ask r Sc Break Ca hool mps!

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SPORTIME Randall’s Island, Home of the John McEnroe Tennis Academy

www.SportimeCamps.com/NYC | 212-427-6150 Find out about our other Summer Camps across Long Island including the Hamptons, and in Westchester and the Capital Region, at www.SPORTIMECAMPS.com. Camp programs vary by SPORTIME location.

113 New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2017 • NYTennisMag.com

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