TENNIS PROGRAM HEAD COACHING STAFF Numrud Nino Muhatasov - Co-Founder and Director of MatchPoint NYC • Former coach of top WTA and ATP players • Former Captain and #1 Single’s & Double’s player for St. John’s University Tennis Team • Big East Conference Finalist and 2X Most Valuable Player Alona Bondarenko (Featured Coach) • Australian Open Doubles Champion 2008 • Ranked Top 20 in the world in singles & Top 5 in the world in doubles Alexander Demidenko (Head Pro) • Davis Cup Team Member • Head Coach of the former USSR Girls National Team MatchPoint NYC is the sports and fitness destination for the entire family. Spread across 120,000 sq. ft., our premier health and fitness complex features a cutting edge tennis facility with 9 indoor tennis courts and programs for kids and adults of all levels. MATCHPOINT NYC TENNIS PROGRAM BENEFITS • Personalized Training • Private Coaching • Intensive Drills • Match Play • Tennis Specific Fitness • Mental Conditioning SESSIONS Summer Tennis Camp Enrollment is Open, sign up today and find your game! PROGRAMS • Quick Start Ages 6 and under • Junior Development Ages 7-18 • Beginner/ Intermediate/ Advanced group training • Adult Leagues • Private Lessons • Tournament Training (by invitation only)
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MAGAZINE
New York Tennis Magazine 1220 Wantagh Avenue • Wantagh, NY 11793-2202 Phone: (516) 409-4444 • Fax: (516) 409-4600 Web site: www.nytennismag.com
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Table Of Contents
MAY/JUN 2016 • Vol 6, No 3
The Curious Case of Kyrgios
Young Australian Nick Kyrgios is making an impact on the tour for both his on-court success and off-court antics. See page 28
Joel M. Berman President (516) 409-4444, ext. 310 • joel@usptennis.com Eric C. Peck Editor-in-Chief (516) 409-4444, ext. 312 • eric@usptennis.com
Featured Stories
Brian Coleman Senior Editor (516) 409-4444, ext. 326 • brianc@usptennis.com
32 2016 French Open Preview A closer look at the men’s and women’s fields as the second Grand Slam of 2016 is played on the clay courts of Roland Garros.
Joey Arendt Managing Art Director Francine Miller Advertising Coordinator (516) 409-4444, ext. 301 • francinem@usptennis.com Casey Lynn Director of Business Development (516) 409-4444, ext. 315 • casey@usptennis.com Emilie Katz Assistant Marketing Coordinator Beverly Bolnick National Sales Manager (516) 409-4444, ext. 316 Scott Koondel VP of Operations (516) 409-4444, ext. 324
Sidney Beal III Staff Photographer
Lee Seidner Staff Photographer
Gabi Sklar Intern
Jenn Keneiby Intern
Emma Fein Intern
60 NYTM’s 2016 Guide to Top Tennis Apparel Providers
Featured 6 8 12 13 14 19 22 40 48 50 55 57 63 66
Columbia Wins Third Straight Ivy League Crown Sixth Annual R Baby Foundation Tennis Tournament McEnroe, McHale Host Youth Clinic to Kick Off NY Empire Season Roddick and Wozniacki Highlight Inaugural NY Empire WTT Schedule Creating Your Vision and Game Plan to Play College Tennis By Ed Krass Why Resistance Training is a Critical Component By John Adamek How Can Our Children Improve Their Game This Summer? By Eric Faro The Approach to College Tennis By Richard-John Mensing Jr. Inwood Country Club: A Shining South Shore Summer Destination Monfils and Serena Winners in NYC at BNP Paribas Showdown U.S. Advances to Fed Cup World Cup With Win Over Australia QuickStart By Danny Ostrometsky & Khrystsina Tryboi Glam Slam Gear Brings Style Both On and Off the Court Finding That Ideal Doubles Partner: Part II By Bill Longua
Featured Columns Advertising To receive any information regarding advertising rates, deadlines, and requirements, call (516) 409-4444 or e-mail info@usptennis.com. Article Submissions/Press Releases To submit any material, including articles and press releases, please call (516) 409-4444 or e-mail info@usptennis.com. The deadline for submissions is the first of the month preceding the target issue. Subscriptions To receive subscription information, contact (516) 409-4444 or e-mail info@usptennis.com or check out our Web site: www.nytennismag.com. Fax subscription changes to (516) 409-1600. Statements of fact and opinion in New York Tennis Magazine are the responsibility of the authors alone and do not imply an opinion on the part of United Sports Publications Ltd. New York Tennis Magazine reserves the right to edit, reject and/or postpone the publication of any articles, information or data.
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Across Metro New York Courtside … With Nino Muhatasov of MatchPoint NYC The Jensen Zone By Luke Jensen At the Net With Gigi Fernandez Tips From the Tennis Pro: What’s the Rush? By Vania Yui USTA Eastern Metro Region Update Metro Corporate League Recap, Presented by Advantage Tennis Clubs Building Your Resume as a Coach: Part Two By Gilad Bloom Twenty Tennis Tournament Truths By Steven Kaplan Court Six: New York Tennis Magazine’s Gossip Column By Emilie Katz New York Tennis Magazine’s Charitable Initiatives It’s Not About the Score By Rob Polishook, MA, CPC Is It “In” or “Out” … Will You Decide? By Whitney Kraft The Seven Commandments of Tennis By Dr. Tom Ferraro New York Rankings USTA/Metropolitan Region 2016 Tournament Schedule
New York Tennis Magazine is published bi-monthly by United Sports Publications Ltd. • Copyright © 2016 United Sports Publications Ltd.
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Across Metro N Safina stops by MatchPoint NYC
NTC’s Yakoff captures Super Six Title
Former world number one Dinara Safina of Russia (pictured right) stopped by MatchPoint NYC in Brooklyn recently to hit with featured coach and former Grand Slam doubles champion Alona Bonarenko (left) from the Ukraine.
Stephanie Yakoff (pictured here on the left), a 10-year-old from Fort Lee, N.J., who trains at USTA Feeder Program at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, captured her second Super Six Title at the Eastern Super Six at Sportsplex (National L4) in New Windsor, N.Y.
JMTA’s Golovin helps lead LSU to SEC Round of 16 Photo credit: Steve Franz, LSU Athletics Staff Photographer
Louisiana State University (LSU) Freshman Jessica Golovin from New York City, who trained out of the John McEnroe Tennis Academy (JMTA), helped lead her Tigers past Kentucky 4-3 to reach the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Round of 16. Golovin came back to defeat 75th-ranked Justina Mikulskyte, 1-6, 6-4, 6-4 to clinch the victory for LSU. “That was an unbelievable finish,” said LSU Co-Head Coach Julia Sell. “Jessica was a special story today because the girl she played is usually number one. To come back after losing the first set and pull it out is big for her and the team.”
Centercourt tapped for Adidas’ Junior Tennis Academy Program Centercourt Tennis Academy in Chatham, N.J. was recently selected as one of the clubs for Adidas’ new Junior Tennis Academy Program. The program is an all-encompassing partnership that includes outfitting all coaches and top level players, Adidas branding at the facilities and retail operations. Adidas will also utilize the Academy for future product wear testing and developmental feedback. Adidas said in a statement: “Aligning Adidas Tennis with the most respected academy programs in the country allows Adidas to work and connect with some of the best junior talent.” 4
New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2016 • NYTennisMag.com
ew York New
… News and notes from across the New York Metro tennis community
CourtSense tournament team continues to roll The tournament team at CourtSense continued its excellent play this winter, sweeping the Boys 12U singles and doubles and Boys 14U singles and doubles at the L1A March Mayhem Junior Tennis Championships at the Tri-City Tennis Center in Latham, N.Y.
City Parks Foundation’s Lacoste Academy hits Miami Open Members of the City Parks Foundation’s Lacoste Academy were treated to a nice trip recently, as the group headed south to Florida to take in some of the action at the Miami Open.
Berkeley Carroll Prep plays at historic West Side Tennis Club The Girls Varsity Tennis Team at The Berkeley Carroll School, a prep school in Park Slope, Brooklyn, had a chance to play one of its matches this season on the historic grass courts of the West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, N.Y.
Stadium Tennis Center hosts Columbia Grammar Family Tennis Day Stadium Tennis Center in the Bronx recently hosted students from Columbia Grammar and Preparatory School for a Family Tennis Day. It was a great way to introduce new families to Gotham Tennis Academy’s programs and instructors. They ran adult drills, high performance and recreational clinics, in addition to cardio and orange ball classes.
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Columbia Wins Third Straight Ivy League Crown or the third consecutive year, the Columbia Men’s Tennis team captured the Ivy League Championship, beating Penn 5-1 to clinch the championship and earn an automatic bid into the NCAA Championships. After beating Princeton 4-0, the Lions had clinched at least a share of the conference title. It followed that victory up with a victory over Penn, clinching the outright title for the third straight year.
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Tennis Bid Goswami. “We did it all year from the getgo. I felt like all season long, everybody was rooting for each other and every match we would fight.” Columbia was led by its singles play, winning four of the six flights with one of them going unfinished. In the top flight, Shawn Hadavi defeated Kyle Mautner 7-5, 3-6, 10-2 to lead the way. Photo credit: Columbia University Athletics It is the 13th conference title overall for Columbia, and the Lions “In 34 years of coaching, I have never finish the season at 17-5 overall and 7-0 in won three in a row,” said Columbia Tennis Ivy League play. Alumni and Friends Head Coach of Men’s
New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2016 • NYTennisMag.com
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Credit Photos: Sidney Beal III & Jon Nissenbaum
Sixth Annual R Baby Foundation Tennis ome of the finance industry’s biggest names recently came together to compete in a different venue, taking part in the sixth annual R Baby Foundation New York Tennis Tournament at MatchPoint NYC in Brooklyn, N.Y. The event was founded by Jason Pinsky of Table Management and co-hosted by Jeffrey Appel of Broadband Capital. “Six years ago, I saw the Foundation was doing a golf event, and I suggested that we should do a tennis event,” said Pinsky. “There are a lot of great tennis players in the area who work in the same industry. The first year was sort of a test and it went well, and the demand has been high ever since. We bring together a great group of competitive guys for a great cause.” The event has been a success ever since. This year’s tournament, which included a Calcutta Auction beforehand, raised close to $250,000 towards the R Baby Foundation. The Foundation began in 2006, when Andrew and Phyllis Rabinwoitz lost their daughter Rebecca at nine days old after she was misdiagnosed at a local emergency room. The Foundation now partners with top children’s hospitals to train community hospital’s emergency rooms where most children are seen. In the six years of the tournament, the event has raised nearly $1.5 million. That money helps fund programs at hospitals in the Tri-State Area, including telemedicine with pediatric experts, mobile simu-
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lation training program, symposiums and much more. “It really shows how generous these guys are,” said Phyllis Rabinowitz. “They obviously love tennis, but they are also here to make the world a better place and give back. They do it time and time again. They donate a lot and they’re giving back while doing something they love.” There were 20 doubles teams competing in the tournament, including some of Wall Street’s biggest names: Bill Ackman, founder and CEO of Pershing Square Capital, who partnered with Pinsky, a former standout at UPenn and number oneranked junior player; David Einhorn,
New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2016 • NYTennisMag.com
founder and CIO of Greenlight Capital, who partnered with former champion and Division I college standout Brian O’Connor of insurance management firm, American Business; Rob Pohly, CIO of Samlyn Capital Management, who played with former Yale standout Marc Powers; Josh Targoff, COO of Third Point Capital, who teamed up with former American University player Jarred Snyder; Jeremy Mindich, founder and CIO of Scopia Capital, who played with head of West Rock Tennis Academy and Mexican Davis Cup Co-Captain Adrian Contreras; Pershing Square Capital COO Tim Barefield, who played with former tour player and current hitting
Tournament Raises Close to $250,000 partner of the Bryan Brothers, Georgy Chukhleb; Bruce Richards, founder and CIO of Marathon Asset Management, who partnered with former tour player and current financial advisor for Morgan Stanley, Thomas Blake; and Lawrence Penn, co-founder and president of Ellington Financial Group, who played with Jon Pastel, a former professional player and
current senior salesman at Alliance Bernstein. On the court, the tournament played host to some high-quality and competitive tennis. In the finals, it was the defending champion Appel, who partnered with Adam El Mihdawy, defeating Rob Pohly and Marc Powers 6-3 in the finals. “It was a long day of tennis, and I
picked a great partner in Adam who played well all day,” said Appel. “The event was a huge success again. We had a great group of people, the level of tennis was very high and everybody had a great time. We raised a lot of money for a charity that Jason and I are both passioncontinued on page 10
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ate about.” The tournament was made possible because of the generosity of the players and the graciousness of MatchPoint NYC and its Co-Founder Nino Muhatasov,
who played in the tournament along with former Australian Open Doubles Champion Alona Bondarenko. “They are great to work with,” said Darren Port, CEO of Powered by Profes-
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New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2016 • NYTennisMag.com
sionals, who helped run the event. “Nino has been fantastic, and the facility is incredible. He has really gone out of his way to invite us to work with them, and that has helped make the event really special in the two years we have had it here. The Foundation does a great job in keeping its expenses low to ensure that the money raised goes towards the cause, and Matchpoint’s generosity helps make that possible.” The New York Tennis Tournament continues to be one of the top tennis charity events around, and is one of the biggest and most successful events put on by the R Baby Foundation. “This is one of the few events we do every single year,” said Katie McCulloch, the Foundation’s executive director. “These guys love tennis and are committed to it, but it takes a certain level of generosity and special quality to come out on a Saturday morning. These are titans of their industry and have a lot of responsibility in their jobs, yet they continue to come out to support us. It’s a really special group.”
C O M I N G I N J U LY 2 0 1 6
Distribution scheduled for 07/01/16
This edition will feature: • A Look Ahead to the 2016 U.S. Open • Guide to the Top New York Sports Medicine Practices • 2016 Boys High School Season Recap • Summer Camp/Summer Events Coverage
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 July/August 2016! Facebook-www.Facebook.com/NYTennisMag Submissions for both advertising and editorial are due by 1, 2016 NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2016June • New York Tennis Magazine 11 For more information, please call 516-409-4444 or e-mail Advertise@NYTennisMag.com
McEnroe, McHale Host Youth Tennis Clinic to Kick Off NY Empire Season
Photo credit: Brian Coleman
he New York Empire introduced itself to media and fans ahead of its inaugural 2016 World TeamTennis season this summer, as Coach Patrick McEnroe and first-round draft pick Christina McHale put on a youth tennis clinic for local kids and held a press conference at the historic West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, N.Y., the WTT home of the Empire. Kids from various Queens tennis programs and the USTA Eastern Section were on hand to learn from some of the sport’s best in McEnroe and McHale. Tennis pros from West Side also helped out with the clinic, as kids moved from court to court to work on various drills and games. Following the clinic, McEnroe and McHale spoke to fans and media in attendance and
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discussed their excitement for the upcoming WTT season. “I’m really excited to be on this team. Being from New Jersey, this feels like home to me,” said McHale. “I was praying the night before the draft that I would be taken by this team, so I couldn’t be happier to be a part of it.” McHale had just returned from Brisbane, Australia after helping the U.S. beat Australia to advance in Fed Cup play, and said her experience playing in that format will help her transition to World TeamTennis. “We each won a match over there so it really took a lot of teamwork to get the job done,” she said. “I think playing on a team like that will really help me for this summer.” McEnroe, a native New Yorker, expressed his excitement for the summer and to coach
New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2016 • NYTennisMag.com
McHale, whom he knows since their days playing and teaching in the USTA Eastern Section. “We are lucky enough to have her on our team,” said McEnroe. “I know very much about her attitude, work ethic and commitment to being the best she can be. I could not think of a better representative to lead our team this season than Christina.” The New York Empire season begins July 31, as the Washington Kastles will travel to Forest Hills in the Empire’s first ever match. “It’s my first time actually being here and it’s amazing,” McHale said of West Side Tennis Club. “I just had a chance to walk back and look at the court we’ll be playing on and where the U.S. Open used to be played and I kind of got goosebumps. It’s really special as there is so much history and tradition here.”
Roddick and Wozniacki Appearances Highlight Inaugural NY Empire WTT Schedule ppearances by marquee players Caroline Wozniacki on Aug. 1 and Andy Roddick on Aug. 9 and a full slate of matches for top roster draftee Christina McHale are among the highlights of the inaugural 2016 New York Empire World TeamTennis (WTT) season, presented by Citi, this summer at historic Forest Hills Stadium at The West Side Tennis Club. The new Mylan World TeamTennis squad will face the five-time defending champion Washington Kastles in its opener on Sunday, July 31, at 6:00 p.m. to begin a six-match home schedule over the span of two weeks. Wozniacki, the former world number one and two-time U.S. Open finalist for the Philadelphia Freedoms, will take on the Empire on Monday, Aug. 1 at 7:00 p.m. Additional home matchups beginning at 7:00 p.m. feature Springfield on Wednesday, Aug. 3; Washington on Tuesday, Aug. 9 (featuring Roddick); Orange County on Thursday, Aug. 11; and San Diego on Friday, Aug. 12 round out the remainder of the regular season for the Empire. “This schedule packs a lot of action into two weeks,” said Empire Coach Patrick McEnroe. “Fans can see rising star Christina McHale in all of our home matches, and we are excited that Caroline Wozniacki and Andy Roddick will compete at The West Side Tennis Club. Taking on longtime champion Washington will be a great way to start as well.” Opening night, July 31, will also be “USTA Eastern Night.” Other special events and themes for each home date will be announced. Tickets are available online at NYEmpireTennis.com. In addition to McHale and Roddick, the Empire roster features world number 47 Guido Pella of Argentina, and doubles specialists María Irigoyen, also of Argentina,
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Photo credit: Camerawork USA
New York Empire Head Coach Patrick McEnroe with world number 47 Guido Pella of Argentina prepare for the upcoming World TeamTennis season
and Oliver Marach of Austria, both ranked in the top 60 in doubles. The six road dates for the Empire include, Tuesday, Aug. 2 at Washington; Friday, Aug. 5 at San Diego; Saturday, Aug. 6 at Orange County; Monday, Aug. 8 at Washington;
Wednesday, Aug. 10 at Philadelphia; and Saturday, Aug. 13 at Springfield. The top two teams from the regular season advance to the Mylan WTT Finals at 4:00 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 26 at Forest Hills Stadium at The West Side Tennis Club.
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Creatin Vision Game P to Play College By Ed Krass ost college coaches are interested in recruiting players who compete in USTA tournaments. Tournament play really puts pressure on players, and it’s this type of pressure that allows for the feeling of both failure and success within this competitive format. If a player really wants to go on to the next level and play college tennis, then they need to look forward to the pressure of tournament play. Billie Jean King once said: “Pressure is a privilege,” and players need to learn how to compete before entering tournaments. This is best done by organizing and playing practice sets and matches against other juniors of similar abilities. I once worked with a local junior player from Tampa, Fla. named Evan Dufaux, who played five practice matches a week and three tournaments a month. Evan worked himself up to as high as number seven in the National USTA Rankings en route to a
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scholarship to play for Vanderbilt. Evan, at 6’3”, was a super hard worker with a strong all-court game. Evan’s vision and game plan were very clear: He wanted to play college tennis at the highest level and he did. Our ranking systems with the USTA, Tennis Recruiting Network (star-rating) and Universal Tennis Rating (UTR) are there for players and coaches to see where competitors are ranked. I really like the innovative UTR system for rating players from 0-16. Roger Federer is rated a 16 and Serena Williams is rated a 13.4. One’s rating with the UTR is quickly rewarded with strong tournament results. Unlike other ranking systems, the UTR calculates losses into a player’s rating. For instance, if a player is rated an eight on the UTR and loses a three-setter to a player who is rated a 10.5 on the UTR, he or she may move their rating up closer to a nine if their other results remain competitively consistent. The rankings do not always tell the entire story about a player’s future potential to
New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2016 • NYTennisMag.com
play successful college tennis. One clear example of this is a boy named Jeremy Kochman from Brooklyn, N.Y. Jeremy finished his junior tournament playing career ranked as a two-star player, ranked 25th in New York and 282nd nationally on Tennis Recruiting Network in 2012. Jeremy trained and competed at the College Tennis Exposure Camp at Lehigh University during both the summers of his junior and senior years. Jeremy displayed five-star heart, a tenacious work ethic and the ability to serve-and-volley in both his singles and doubles matches. His two-star rating was below what the Lehigh coaches were looking for; however, the Lehigh coach really liked Jeremy’s upside at our camp and decided to recruit him. “We prefer to recruit the highest-ranked players for our team. We chose Jeremy due to his tireless work ethic, all-court game and his five-star heart,” said Wouter Hendrix, head men’s and women’s tennis coach at Lehigh. The rest is history! Jeremy, now a graduating senior at Lehigh, has been a factor
ng Your and Plan y e Tennis
in both singles and doubles to Lehigh’s starting lineup since his freshman year. He is now Lehigh’s number one player. Case Western Reserve University (CWRU), which reached a National Division III ranking of sixth, recruited mostly twostar players as graduating high school seniors in 2014. This is a rare feat, as Division III’s top 10 teams are all heavily laced with the top three-star, four-star and five-star players. CWRU Head Men’s Coach Todd Wojtkowski said, “I like two-star players who have played another sport and are highly motivated to play college tennis. These players need to be strong academically and need to enjoy playing yearround.” Training at camps taught by all head college tennis coaches can certainly accelerate both the improvement and recruitment process for players who are “flying under the radar.” Playing college tennis, at any level, will provide a successful pathway to a productive and happy life. For players aiming to play at the highest levels of Division I, II or III, rankings and ratings are going to be im-
portant as a coach’s determining factor. There are many quality college programs taking players without the high national (top 200 U.S.) rankings. With many of our nation’s college coaches getting overloaded with more than 100 e-mails, videos and letters of interest per week, an opportunity to meet in-person is optimal. To have the chance to play in front of the coach is even better. To work on the court with the college coach is the best of all scenarios. For a coach to get to know a player’s personality, work ethic and coachability is invaluable. A college coach can then deduce the player’s “upside” in relation to what the coach is looking for in a recruit. With more than 27 years of directing the College Tennis Exposure Camps, I have seen many of our summer camp players make their goal of playing college tennis a reality. Ed Krass is founder and director of the 28th Annual College Tennis Exposure Camps, taught exclusively by head college tennis coaches for all high school-age players. For more information, visit CollegeTennis.com.
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NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2016 • New York Tennis Magazine
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Courtside… With Nino Muhatasov
Co-Founder & Director, MatchPoint NYC The New York tennis landscape is always growing and evolving. There are a myriad of options, both indoors and outdoors, for local tennis players to choose from. So how does a successful tennis entity separate itself? How does a successful club increase its player base and continue to grow? New York Tennis Magazine recently sat down with Nino Muhatasov, co-founder and director of MatchPoint NYC in Brooklyn, to learn about his tennis career, MatchPoint NYC’s beginnings, and the club’s plans to continue to grow and build on its success. What is your tennis background/when did you begin playing the sport? I was born in Kiev, Ukraine, a former Soviet Union Republic. At the age of seven, I started playing tennis in school. Fast-forward to when I turned 12-years-old and was picked to be part of the Soviet Union Junior National Team. It was a special program for juniors ranked in the top 20 in the nation. We would train twice a day and the school schedule was designed to fit our tennis practice.
Steinberg, who currently coaches at the University of Michigan. I played at St. John’s from 1994-1998 where I played first to third in the singles lineup and first in the doubles lineup all four years. During that time, I became a two-time MVP (1995 and 1997), a finalist in the Big East tournament (1995), and I held the best singles record on the team all four years. In 2000, I graduated from St. John’s University with a master’s degree in marketing. After graduating, I still felt that tennis was my true calling, and I became director of tennis at Hempstead Lake Indoor Tennis from 20002008. I mainly coached tournament-level players. Many of my students went on to win National and Super National events, including Danny Kerznerman, Polina Zaretzer, Dennis Druzhinsky and Eric Brezhinsky. In 2008, I signed a contract to become a traveling coach with the Bondarenko Sisters. During that time, Alona Bondarenko was ranked in the top 20 in the world, Kateryna was ranked in the top 30, and together, they won the 2008 Australian Open Doubles Championship.
When did you come to the United States? Where did your tennis career go once you arrived in the U.S.? In 1992 after the Soviet Regime, fell I came to the United States to play in tournaments. Many of the top players from the Soviet Union came here to train and play in tournaments. After traveling around and doing well, I was recruited to play at St. John’s by Adam
How did MatchPoint NYC come about? After coaching on the pro tour, I had a dream to have a special place of my own. When the opportunity came to take over the lease at the old Brooklyn Racquet Club, I knew I had found the chance I’d been looking for. In 2009, Dmitry Druzhinsky, Sergey Rybak and I drew up the plans for what would be the new MatchPoint NYC, a home away from
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home for any aspiring tennis player, and a health and fitness destination for the entire family. It took about three years to go through the New York City Department of Buildings to get the proper approval, and we broke ground on construction in 2012, finally opening the club in January of 2014. What was your vision when you first opened? The idea was to build a great tennis club, but also bring much more. We added a gym and fitness studio, and then added a pool. We wanted it to be a country club in Brooklyn. Some luxury was added by placing a gourmet restaurant on the second floor, overlooking our nine tennis courts and pool. The idea was to give parents the opportunity to enjoy themselves with a workout or a snack or meal as kids trained and practiced in our programs. What is the coaching philosophy at MatchPoint NYC? We have around 1,200 kids total in all of our programs: 500 in tennis, 500 in swimming and 200 in gymnastics. The programs are run academy style. In tennis, we have one dedicated coach on the court, with two coaches overseeing all the courts during the lesson to add more structure. The kids are required to take part in fitness training after their tennis lessons. Most of our kids in the tennis program participate in swimming and gymnastics programs as well, because we believe in a well-rounded athletic approach.
Sergey Rybak, Nino Muhatasov and Dmitriy Druzhinsky, founders of the 120,000-square-foot MatchPoint NYC in Brooklyn, N.Y. What is in store for MatchPoint NYC in the future? What do you plan on adding to continue growing? We have several WTA and ATP Tour players training in the offseason at MatchPoint NYC, including Kateryna Bondarenko and Alek-
sandr Nedovyesov. Most of the pros train in California or Florida, but MatchPoint NYC is proof that a world-class player can train in New York. We created a program for Kateryna Bondarenko during her offseason to prepare for the Australian Open. Kateryna started the year great, reaching the third round of the Australian Open by beating former two-time Grand Slam Champion Svetlana Kuznetsova in the second round.
MatchPoint NYC is spread across 120,000-square-feet and includes a full-sized gym with top-of-the-line fitness equipment, three group fitness studios, a junior Olympic pool, a rhythmic gymnastics center, a basketball court, a yoga studio and a restaurant. In addition, we will open a second location in Brooklyn next year. Our three-year plan includes establishing a presence in Manhattan and in Miami, Fla.
The West Side Tennis Tennis Club West Side Forest Forest Hills, New New York York August August 21-27, 2016 Boys ages Boys & Girls: ag es 8-12 Singles/Doubles/Mixed Singles/Doubles/Mixed Doubles Doubles All Yellow Yellow Ball on full court court
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2016: The Year in Gear and in Scandal
What a great time of year to be playing tennis and what a crazy year 2016 has been so far in the world of pro tennis! First, the match-fixing and gambling scandal and now Maria Sharapova fails a drug test? I’m not sure how closely you have been following the drama off the court, but Sharapova failed a drug test using a substance that has been legal since she began using it in 2006! I feel so bad for her and what this might do to a first ballot future Hall of Fame tennis icon! The bottom line is that it is Sharapova’s responsibility, and in a globally-televised press conference, she demonstrated tremendous poise and took full responsibility over her actions. My take is that the WTA Tour let Sharapova and the game down. It is so important in a landscape of doping suspicions that our players are fully aware of the changes and additions to the drugs that are banned by the sport’s governing body. Sharapova has been such a huge and impactful player for the sport. Why has the WTA not gone through the new banned list of banned substances for 2016 and cross-referenced it with what players on the tour are taking? The ball has been dropped on this, and the game will be hurt because of it. I feel terrible that a 28-year-old superstar who dedicated her life to the sport and is now derailed in this manner. It just goes to show that when you’re winning, 18
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By Luke Jensen
Remember to fit the frame to your best shot. This shot for me is the second serve.
life is rocking, but when you’re down, you find out what people are all about. Keep fighting Maria! Get healthy and come back better than ever! Use the time to reflect and improve! This game can be both inspiring and cruel. Hang tough and go win more Grand Slam titles when you are back at 100 percent. With that out of the way, let’s talk to the tennis gear geeks! I just switched out of my Luxilon after shredding my elbow on a wicked forehand howitzer shot. I’ve gone to a softer NXT for now to give the old elbow a rest. My question to you is: How is your gear helping your game? I am a massive demo guy. I tinker and try different frames and strings for the best performance possible. These days as a player halfway to 100-years-old, my game plays like it. So I have gone to game improvement rackets that give me a little more push when my game needs a boost. Remember to fit the frame to your best shot. This shot for me is the second serve. My groundies, volleys and first serve are all aces, even in a sandstorm, but my second serve can go a little crazy. So I make sure any new frame I try I play
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a set to test it under pressure. I play a full set with only one serve and see how much confidence the frame provides me. If the frame goes too crazy, I send it back to the mother land for recycling. I recommend trying all types of gear for elite performance and comfort. String, grips and shoes are big, and most players overlook this. Most shoes break down in the upper area before the bottom tears open. This means foot problems and its real tough to move with painful feet. Stay on your toes in the gear game and play nothing but aces next time you go for a victory! Born in Grayling, Mich., Luke Jensen’s resume includes 10 ATP Tour doubles titles and singles victories against Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, Ivan Lendl, John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg, Jimmy Connors, Boris Becker, Stefan Edberg and Jim Courier. Jensen and his brother, Murphy, won the 1993 French Open doubles title. 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.
Why Resistance Training is a Critical Component for Youth Tennis Players By John Adamek esistance training for adult athletes promotes many positive benefits. However, for one reason or another, the topic of resistance training for young athletes has become a controversial topic. There used to be a time when resistance training for a child was viewed as taboo, so we began associating it as an unsafe activity that would lead to injury. There also used to be a time in the early 1900s when doctors said physical activity for females would make them sterile. Thankfully, we have learned from both misconceptions. What we have discovered through the years of studies is that when young athletes participate in a resistance training program, they increase many health and fitness-related measures, improve motor skills and sports performance, and most importantly, increase the child’s resistance to injury. In fact, the official sports medicine
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handbook of the International Federation of Sports Medicine (FIMS) estimates that 15 to 50 percent of acute and overuse injuries sustained by children could be prevented if they were better physically prepared. Competitive youth tennis players accumulate more than 15 hours a week of tennis participation via clinics, private lessons, tournaments, etc. That’s 15-plus hours of explosive powerful movements. Resistance training, cycled at appropriate times, can better prepare that young athlete to handle the duration and magnitude of forces that occur during those practices and matches. The junior tennis players I work with will often hear me stress that “you don’t get injured on my watch.” That’s because unlike a tennis match, fitness is done in a controlled environment where proper form and technique can be stressed. It is also an environment where I can correct asymmetrical imbalances brought on by the sport of tennis, thus decreasing the risk for injury. Take the hips, for instance. We rotate more in one direction (forehand and serves) than
the other (backhand). You may notice this during a plank position when the hips rotate in a dominant direction. If gone untreated, these muscle imbalances can result in an injury to the musculoskeletal system of a young body that is still developing into adolescence. Of course, like anything else, there needs to be a systematic approach towards developing a resistance training program. Parents should make sure that the coach developing their child’s resistance program is educated on guidelines pertaining to youth athletes and have the ability to communicate proper technique that is comprehensible to a child. John Adamek, CSCS, CTPS, USAW, serves as director of fitness and head strength and conditioning coach at CourtSense and at Magnus Potential, its fitness training affiliate. John has an extensive resume of developing fitness programs for collegiate, professional and Olympic athletes, and also for CEOs and celebrities.
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At the Net With
G
igi Fernandez was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico and began playing the sport of tennis at an early age. Her hard work and talent led her to the University of Clemson, eventually becoming the first female athlete from Puerto Rico to turn professional. She became one of the greatest doubles players of all-time, winning 17 Grand Slam titles and two Olympic Gold Medals. Fernandez has been extremely active since retiring from the tour pursuing her life’s mission of sharing her knowledge of doubles. She directs the adult curriculum at Chelsea Piers where she developed The Gigi Method. She also conducts Master Doubles with Gigi clinics and is establishing Gigi Fernandez Teaching Centers throughout the country. She is also director of tennis at The Long Ridge Tennis Club in North Stamford, Conn. during the summer. When did you first start playing tennis and how did you get into the sport? I started playing when I was about threeyears-old at a club my parents and older brothers played at. I wasn’t old enough to play, so I started hitting against a wall. I always had exceptional hand-eye coordination, and was able to start rallying at just three-years-old. I used an adult racket, which isn’t normal today with all the 10 and Under programs, but that’s how I got started. 20
Gigi Fernandez
When did you realize tennis was something you could do professionally? I had a pretty good junior career in Puerto Rico. There wasn’t a whole lot of competition, so I was always number one in my category. Because the Puerto Rican Tennis Association was part of the United States Tennis Association, I would get entry into national tournaments where a few college coaches saw something special. I received a full scholarship to play at Clemson University, and that’s when I first realized I could play professionally. As a freshman, I made it to the NCAA finals and lost to Beth Herr in a third-set tie-breaker. She was ranked 27th in the world at that time, and if I could go to 7-6 in the third with a player like that, I thought I could have a chance on the pro tour. I got my ranking up to 85th in the world in singles and decided to turn pro. Was tennis popular in Puerto Rico at that time and how has your success changed that? Tennis wasn’t big at all when I was growing up. It was not shown on TV, and I had no role models. I was the first Puerto Rican female athlete to make a living playing a sport. I had to blaze my own trail, which I embraced with a passion, and now Hispanic girls throughout the world have several role models, in-
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cluding myself, Mary Jo Fernandez, Gabriella Sabatini and many other Spanish players. We have a great current player in Monica Puig, and there were two other girls who cracked the top 100 on the tour since I played. Not bad for a small island! What was the highlight of your playing career? The highlight of my career was definitely winning the Olympic Gold Medal. The difference between that and other big tournaments is that you are playing for your country, and everyone follows the Olympics. When I came home after winning Wimbledon, not many people paid
attention to that, but they did when I won the Gold Medal at the Olympics. What was your favorite tournament to play in? The Australian Open. There is something about being on the other side of the world. The pressure wasn’t as high as some of the other Grand Slams and Australians are super-friendly. It’s a great country. They treat the players really well. It’s really fun to be over there and I had some really great experiences Down Under. You were such a great doubles player, winning 17 Grand Slams over the course of your career. What is the key to being successful at doubles? It’s really just about understanding the game of doubles because it is so different than playing singles. It’s about understanding positioning, where you should be standing, where your partner is standing and what type of shot to use in a particular situation, and of course, being a good communicator.
Do you think it’s important for junior players to play both singles and doubles growing up? I definitely think it’s important for juniors to play doubles. Doubles tennis is all that most adults play when they get past the age of 30. Many come to the game later in life, having played juniors, but not fully understanding the game of doubles. It’s a shame that we don’t do a better job of teaching doubles in the United States. That’s why I’m really trying to be proactive about sharing my knowledge of doubles, how to teach it properly and how to help people be passionate about it. Where do you currently teach and how are you being proactive in teaching doubles? My goal in life is to “share my knowledge of doubles,” and I do that in many ways. My main job is at Chelsea Piers, where I am senior consultant and touring pro. I am responsible for the adult tennis curriculum, training pros and ensuring cohesive instruction throughout the facility. I also travel around the country, conducting Master Doubles With Gigi Clinics. In doing that, I realized that I teach doubles
differently than anyone else, so I developed the “Gigi Method,” which helps players better understand the doubles game. People have really taken a liking to it, so I am expanding that in two ways: One is through a Doubles Boot Camp, where people can come in and learn everything they need to know about doubles in one weekend. The first Boot Camp will be held at Chelsea Piers, Friday-Sunday, June 24-26. I partnered with Dr. Mark Kovacs for this event and it will be a once in a lifetime opportunity for the participants. The second is through the Gigi Fernandez Teaching Center, where I license my name and method to clubs, train their pros on how to deliver it to their clients, with the shared goal of helping people achieve success. I’m also active in the conference speaking circuit, speaking at many USPTA and USTA regional and national conventions. As director of tennis at The Long Ridge Club in North Stamford, Conn., about a mile from the New York border, I will continue to share my passion for the doubles game with members and non-members alike. Everyone is welcomed, and I hope to see you there.
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How Can Our Children Improve Their Game This Summer?
By Eric Faro One of the age old questions our tennis academy students’ parents ask coaches around this time of the year is: “How can our children improve their game this summer?” Would it be beneficial to send my child to a tennis camp in Florida, California, Vermont or Europe? There are so many camps and different options available, that it can be very confusing to parents and students. Our students have gone to different camps to train and it always seems like we have always gotten mixed reviews. The biggest issue with sending players away is that tennis camps can sometimes seem like a “factory.” There are so many kids coming in and out of these various camps, that one could question if the student is getting the actual attention they deserve. Do they really understand the needs of the student? It seems as though many of the large summer tennis camps can be very generic in nature. Yes, we as coaches have all called these various camps to talk to them about 22
our students and what needs to be worked on, but how do we actually know what is going on? After many years as a tennis coach, I’ve come to the conclusion that the best thing for a player’s development is to spend a significant chunk of time at home training with a coach or team of coaches who already know the player and what their needs are. The summertime is a huge part of a child’s development, no matter the age or level of play. It is a time to focus on development priorities without having to worry about the pressure of school, homework and tests. During the summer months, students can relax and focus on improving various parts of their game. During the summertime, we can go beyond the technical development of fundamentals and ramp up the development of on-court situations, strategies and tactics; off-court fitness; and mental toughness exercises and awareness. Summer is an ideal time for students to bond with their coaches both on and off-the-court, and develop a deeper student-coach relationship. In my experience, the process of pushing oneself to attain new heights as an athlete occurs
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first and foremost through hard work. Having a coach who understands a student and knows exactly how and when to teach, motivate and help push the student to new heights is critical in the development process. In actuality, the summer is an invaluable opportunity for a student to go beyond the timepressured limitations of after-school and weekend practice sessions during the school year. We all have different thoughts and perspectives as athletes and coaches. Bonding together with a coach or team of coaches who know and understand a student is invaluable to a students’ development as an athlete. The summer is a great time to further develop the student-coach bond and leverage it to drive development to new heights! Eric Faro is program director at Gotham Tennis Academy and Stadium Tennis Center, just south of Yankee Stadium. Eric attended Ohio State University and won more than 100 matches during his collegiate career. He may be reached by e-mail at Eric@GothamTennis.com, or online at StadiumTennisNYC.com or GothamTennis.com.
What’s the Rush? By Vania Yui called a parent today to inform him that his child didn’t fit into an Orange Ball Class and would be a better fit for a Red 3 Class. Luckily for me, the parent seemed open-minded to the idea, but felt it would be hard to explain to his child the “demotion” from Orange Ball to Red Ball. In the age of Red, Orange, Green, Yellow (ROGY) progression or Ten-andUnder Tennis (TAUT) programs, most club pros face a wide range of understanding between the skill acquisitions needed on each color to the next ball color. As a result, the child walks off the court with a negative experience, feeling defeated or blaming themselves and feeling that they are “just not that good.” This leads me to ask in today’s junior tennis programs: What’s the rush? Is a program supposed to make you think you’re better because we are using yellow balls or is a program viewed as better if my child is winning more tournaments? While the majority of juniors who tackle the game will not become Serena Williams or Novak Djokovic, there will be a developmental learning curve for the remaining population of junior tennis players.
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“While the majority of juniors who tackle the game will not become Serena Williams or Novak Djokovic, there will be a developmental learning curve for the remaining population of junior tennis players.” Why can’t the TAUT specialists be TAUT specialists? It is already tough enough to change the perception that tennis can be taught with lower-compression balls and with a “game-based approach.” Why are we constantly battling to explain the importance of hitting the ball at the waist level with an appropriate grip, versus an extreme western grip so that they don’t have to hit balls above their shoulders? The Red, Orange and Yellow Balls in these programs are not meant to slow a child down or hold back their game. The USTA and other related organizations have designed a way to keep young players involved in the game longer and have fun at the same time. The court and equipment are scaled to size to allow the child the opportunity to play tennis “like an adult,” but on a smaller court. TAUT programs seem like a brilliant concept
until the naysayers think that teaching with traditional yellow balls is the best way, or even better, “the player will get used to it.” The next time you are confronted with the decision of placing your child into a program, ask yourself which side you would rather be on: The side where my child is progressing and developing where he should be or the side where my child is winning more points during the “King-of-the-Court” game and deserves to be on the Orange Court? I rest my case. Vania Yui is a master pro at NYJTL’s Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning, and a certified USPTA/PTR professional. Born in Hong Kong, she played number one singles and doubles at Columbia University. Prior to joining NYJTL, Vania worked in the financial services industry.
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USTA Metro Region NYC ACES gathers locals for networking event at Roosevelt Island
Roosevelt Island Racquet Club (RIRC) recently hosted its monthly NYC ACES Young Professional Tennis Social. The event serves as a gathering for locals to come together to network with the sport of tennis as the backdrop. Spring events will be announced shortly. For more information on RIRC’s NYC ACES Young Professional Tennis Social events, email NYCAcesMetroTennis@gmail.com.
West Side Tennis Club Social attracts a crowd
Metro Region Board pitches in for World Tennis Day
West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, N.Y. recently hosted a Tennis Social for 4.5/5.0 and above players. It was a great night of tennis and fun and more tennis social events for all levels are planned for the spring and summer. For more information, visit ForestHillsTennis.com.
The USTA Eastern Metro Region Board gave of their time and volunteered at March’s World Tennis Day at the BNP Paribas Showdown at Madison Square Garden. Volunteers ran an information table and Metro Junior Team Tennis coaches and captains enjoyed a wonderful night of tennis as a thank you for their commitment and dedication.
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USTA Metro Region Metro Region adds tennis to PSCH Program
Thank you to USTA Eastern Metro Region Board Member Barry Sonustun for incorporating tennis into the daily exercise classes at PSCH Inc. Station Road Day Habilitation Program. PSCH’s programs guide and support individuals in focusing on skills development, increased self-sufficiency, and volunteering and community integration.
Cunningham Tennis Center hosts 2 on 2 Orange Ball Series event
Metro Junior Team Tennis continued its 2 on 2 Orange Ball Series at Cunningham Park Tennis Center in Fresh Meadows, N.Y. Congrats to the winners, Vincent Chang and Vihaan Kotahwala of the Tiggy Tigers (pictured on the right), as well as all of the competitors for taking part in the event. NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2016 • New York Tennis Magazine
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The Curious Case of Kyrgios Is the youngster ready to take the ATP by storm? B Y B RIA N C O LEMA N
n the final scene of “A Bronx Tale,” the story’s protagonist, Calogero Anello, says the greatest gift he received from his father Lorenzo was learning that the saddest thing in life is wasted talent. While that line was a parallel for life, the same parallel can be made in the venue of sports. The window of opportunity for athletes is so small, and one poor decision or action can close that window in a hurry. Enter Nick Kyrgios, the provocative and entertaining Australian, who has made quite a name for himself, both positive and negative, in his few years on the ATP Tour. In an era dominated by players who represented the sport the way it wanted to be represented, including Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, Kyrgios has become a modern bad boy of tennis. At 6’4’’ and 187 pounds, Kyrgios’ talent and power shined through early in his ca-
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reer. In 2014, his first full year of playing ATP tournaments, he made his way into the Wimbledon quarterfinals, beating Rafael Nadal to reach the final eight. The win made Kyrgios the first male to advance to the Wimbledon quarterfinals in his tournament debut since Florian Mayer did so in 2004. Kyrgios was just 19-years-old. “I think I was in a bit of a zone out there,” he said after that match. “I didn’t really notice the crowd out there. I played some extraordinary tennis. You’ve got to believe
you can win the match from the start.” That sort of confidence has always been a part of Kyrgios’ game, and it has allowed for his meteoric rise. But that confidence can sometimes morph into cockiness and stubbornness. Kyrgios is as talented as they come. He rips a forehand with as much energy as one turns a doorknob and has the length and agility to cover all areas of the court, but oftentimes, he has found himself on the wrong end of a controversy. The year following his run to the Wimbledon quarterfinals, Kyrgios was back at the Queen’s Club, this time with much bigger expectations as the 26 seed. He would lose to Richard Gasquet 5-7, 1-6, 7-6(7), 67(6) in the fourth round, but it was performance, or lack thereof, in the second set that drew attention. Kyrgios was accused of tanking during the second set, as he failed to return or even
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attempt to return a number of Gasquet’s serves. The Australian denied the claims, and brushed off questions from the media about it afterwards. Andy Murray came to the defense of Kyrgios afterwards, saying what you see on the court doesn’t always tell the whole story. “I don’t think people always appreciate how difficult it is to grow up under the spotlight, how difficult it is to have loads of people expecting you to be perfect from a young age,” said Murray. “I like Nick. I’ve spoken to him away from the court. He’s quite different from how he is on it. Some people like the way he behaves, some people don’t. When you’re 19-years-old, you don’t know exactly who you are. You just need a bit of time to develop. I am sure, in the next few years, he will start to calm down a bit on the court and learn to use his emotions more positively.” Just a couple of months after that, however, Kyrgios made himself known to not just tennis folks, but to mainstream media as well. During a match against Stan Wawrinka in Montreal at the Rogers Cup, on-court microphones picked up Kyrgios making some disparaging remarks about Wawrinka’s then-girlfriend, fellow tennis player Donna Vekic. Following the incident, the ATP gave Kyrgios a 28-day suspended sentence, fined him $10,000 and he drew the ire of a number of players around the world for his disparaging remarks. In Davis Cup play in early March, Kyrgios missed the Australian tie against the United States because he was sick. His compatriot and fellow Davis Cup player Bernard Tomic accused Kyrgios of faking the illness in order to rest up for the following week’s BNP Paribas Open. Most recently, at the Miami Open, Kyrgios called the game biased after he received a code violation for hitting a ball into the stands. “Anyone else, like if Rafa did that, you would keep it cool,” Kyrgios told the chair umpire in Miami. “This game is as biased as anything. You all know it as well.” All of these events, outbursts and incidents, portray Kyrgios in a less-thanfavorable light. But there is always more than meets the eye, especially with professional athletes. 30
“Not at all, to be honest,” Kyrgios said when asked if he considers himself a socalled “bad boy.” “Just because I show emotion out on the court, I’m bad? So, whatever.” Kyrgios has his hands involved in numerous charities that help under privileged children, cancer research, and specifically, the Elena Baltacha Foundation, which helps make tennis accessible for children from all backgrounds. Last summer, Kyrgios came to New York for the John McEnroe Tennis Academy (JMTA) Benefit Night, and dazzled fans with his fun style of play and big smile. The event came soon after the Kyrgios incident with Wawrinka, and it showed Kyrgios’ love for the sport and its fans. Kyrgios said he is working on toning down his temper, and that is something that will continue to develop as his young career evolves. “He is getting better, but it’s not really him and it’s something he hates about himself,” Kyrgios’ former coach Joshua Engle told an Australian radio station. “He wishes he could control it, but it’s still there and he is trying to get better at it. You have to understand that he burst onto the scene so quickly and when he gets under pressure, it’s magnified. Sometimes, he just doesn’t know how to handle it. It’s such an old school sport that when someone different like Nicky comes along, it really does show up.” There is no questioning the talent level and skill set possessed by Kyrgios, and it has been seen already. He has been to two Grand Slam quarterfinals and has won a title at the Open 13 in Marseille, France. He is part of a young crop of Australians hoping to follow in the footsteps of the great Lleyton Hewitt, and with Hewitt as the nation’s Davis Cup captain, he may be working closely with the enigmatic Kyrgios. If the 21-year-old can harness his emotions and frustrations into positive energy onto the court, the sky really is the limit for the young Australian star. Brian Coleman is senior editor for New York Tennis Magazine. He may be reached by phone at (516) 409-4444, ext. 326 or email BrianC@USPTennis.com.
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2016 2016 French French Open Open Preview Preview NN
ovakovak Djokovic Djokovic andand Serena Serena Williams Williams bothboth remain remain atopatop the the men’s men’s andand women’s women’s tours tours as we as we prepare prepare for the for the second second Grand Grand Slam Slam of the of the year,year, the the 2016 2016 French French Open, Open, MayMay 22-June 22-June 5. 5. TheThe clayclay courts courts of Roland of Roland Garros Garros will will provide provide a a challenge challenge for some for some as as StanStan Wawrinka Wawrinka looks looks to to defend defend his title his title andand Serena Serena looks looks to continue to continue her her dominance dominance overover the the WTAWTA TourTour in defending in defending the the women’s women’s title.title.
2 2 0 0 1 6 1 6F R F R E E N N C C H HO O P P E E N NP P R R E E V V I EI E WW Men’s Men’s side side of the of the draw draw The The Contenders Contenders
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Undisputed Undisputed worldworld number number one Novak one Novak Despite Despite his injuries his injuries and inconsistent and inconsistent play Djokovic Djokovic will enter will enter Roland Roland GarrosGarros as theas theover the playlast over year theorlast so,year Rafael or so, Nadal Rafael still odds-on odds-on favorite favorite to wintoit win all, and it all,even and even holds Nadal the titlestill of holds “King the of Clay.” title ofThe “King of though though he hashenever has never won the wonFrench the French Spaniard Clay.” hasThe won Spaniard the French has Open won the nine Open,Open, you would you would be hard-pressed be hard-pressed to pickto pick Murray Murray is a three-time is a three-time semifinalist semifinalist times French and won Open 39 straight nine times matches and won at the 39 Andy Andy against against the Serb. the Serb. He is He a three-time is a three-time the French Open Open and lost andinlost the in the Paris straight tournament matches beforeatfalling the Paris to the tournamentat theatFrench finalistfinalist at theattournament the tournament and has andposted has posted semifinals semifinals a yearaago yeartoago Djokovic. to Djokovic. Clay Clay aforementioned before falling Djokovic to the aforementioned in last year’s a record a record of 28-1 of thus 28-1far thus in 2016 far in (as 2016 of (as his of his has never been his been best hissurface, best surface, but hebut he quarterfinals. DjokovicIfinthere last was year’s ever quarterfinals. a time for If has never MiamiMiami Open Open title). With title). the Withrest theofrest theoffield the field showed showed signs signs of improvement of improvement last year. last year. Nadalthere to silence was ever those a time who for believe Nadal histo silence
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Contact Clay Bibbee: clay@centercourtclub.com NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2016 • New York Tennis Magazine
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He won the first clay court title of his career at the BMW Open and followed that up by winning the Madrid Open, demonstrating he could beat the top players on clay. This will be his first Grand Slam as a father, and look for Murray to try and make young Sophia proud.
It would be impossible to call the tournament’s defending champion anything but a contender. Stan Wawrinka played one of the best matches of his life
O P E N
P R E V I E W
The Pretenders
a relentless worker on the baseline and has some of the best groundstrokes in the world. But at age 34, Ferrer has been pedestrian so far this year, posting a record of 12-7 as of mid-April and it will tough for him to make it through two weeks of bestof-five sets play. While he will certainly not be an easy out, don’t look for Ferrer to advance past the first week.
A quarterfinalist last year and a finalist in 2013, David Ferrer’s game seems to be perfectly suited for the clay surface. He is
A Frenchman hasn’t won the French Open title since Yannick Noah in 1983, a streak
in last year’s final, a thrilling four-set triumph over Djokovic. His 2016 season has been an up and down so far, but the Swiss seems to rise to the occasion in the major tournaments. If his one-handed backhand is on, Wawrinka is as good as anyone.
Register at www.CityParksFoundation.org/sports
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that Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and the rest of his countrymen would love to break. But Tsonga has been inconsistent for someone who certainly has the talent to be a perennial top five player. He is a twotime semifinalist at Roland Garros, but his 11-6 record in 2016 is an indicator of his up and down play, and if he is ineffective with his serve, Tsonga can become a beatable player.
Tomas Berdych is one of the most gifted players on the tour at 6’5� and 203 pounds. But the French Open has never been kind to the Czech. Since reaching the semifinals in 2010, he has been ousted in the first round twice and the fourth round twice, and his inability to consistently hit from the baseline hurts him. Despite his obvious talent, Berdych will be on upset alert and could be one of
O P E N
the first players from the top 10 eliminated in Paris.
Rarely, if ever, you will find Roger Federer on any list labeled “Pretenders,� but the French Open could be a tough tournament for the Swiss. Federer had surgery on his knee back on Feb. 3 and missed significant time while recovering, and is still shaking off some that rust in the tournaments leading up to Roland Garros. The 17-time Grand Slam champion is 34-years-old and it will be interesting to see how his body holds up over the court of the two-week major. There is nobody craftier and smarter on tour than Federer, but with his recent injury and time away from the court, the 2009 champion may be due for an early exit.
P R E V I E W The Sleepers
Kei Nishikori is one of the most fun players to watch on the ATP Tour. At just 5’10�, Nishikori is fantastic from the baseline and can return with the best of him. We have seen how well he can play at the Grand Slams, and when healthy, he has shown that he can beat the world’s best. He reached the quarterfinals at Roland Garros one year ago and will build on that performance this time around.
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Milos Raonic has always been known for his power and big serve, but the Canadian’s performance so far in 2016 has shown that he is capable of playing an all-around game. During his semifinal run at the Australian Open, Raonic showed the tennis world his ability to serve and volley and play at the net, most notably in his win over Wawrinka. While clay may not be the most suitable for a power-player, look for Raonic to try and squash that narrative.
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The enigmatic Gael Monfils is certainly one of the most entertaining players on the ATP Tour. He plays with a flare and charisma that no other player on the planet does, but that sometimes gets him into trouble. He played in one of the best matches of 2016, a quarterfinal loss to Nishikori, and showed that the Frenchman may be on the brink of a breakthrough. If he can harness his talent and stay focused, the 2008 French Open semifinalist could be a dark horse on the Paris clay.
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P R E V I E W
Richard Gasquet enjoyed a great comeback season in 2015. After struggling with a back injury through most of 2014, Gasquet went 43-17 last year and reached the Wimbledon semifinals and French Open fourth round. He has some of the best groundstrokes and possesses a onehanded backhand which, much like Federer’s and Wawrinka’s, can really give opponents fits. If Gasquet is feeling healthy in Paris, the 10th ranked player in the world could be a factor late in this tournament.
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Women’s side of the draw
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match play, but her passion and intensity make her tough to beat.
nagging injuries, look for Azarenka to be playing for the trophy in early June.
While Serena is clearly in a field of her own, if there is one player capable of beating her it is Victoria Azarenka. The Belarusian has proven that already this season, beating Serena in the Indian Wells final, and going on to complete the Sunshine Double with her title at the Miami Open. The best showing of her career at Roland Garros was a semifinal appearance in 2013, but as she is finally feeling healthy after almost two years of
Agnieszka Radwanska’s style of play is one that is tailor-made for the clay courts of Roland Garros. She doesn’t play with a ton of power but loves to rally, and has the craftiness to take out just about any player on tour. Her best showing in Paris was a quarterfinal trip back in 2013 and she hasn’t won a clay court title since 2012, but “The Professor,” as she is known to her peers on the WTA Tour, plays clean, efficient tennis, and
The Contenders
Despite her struggles so far in 2016 (she has yet to win a title), Serena Williams will head into Roland Garros as the favorite. She is the defending champion, having defeated Lucie Safarova in last year’s final, and has won this tournament three times in her career. It will be interesting to see how Serena’s body holds up as she has clearly been rusty this year thanks to a lack of
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could make some serious noise if she can find her consistent serve.
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years, and will look to build on that success this time around.
P R E V I E W the Roland Garros final all the way back in 2004, but don’t be surprised if she makes a deep run again this time around.
The Sleepers
Garbine Muguruza had her best season to date in 2015. The young Spaniard reached the Wimbledon final and broke into the top 10. She went on to reach the semifinals of the end of the year WTA finals and would finish 2015 as the third ranked player in the world. She has had her struggles in 2016, mainly due to injuries, but the big-hitting Muguruza has shown she can advance far at Grand Slams. She has reached the quarterfinals in France each of the last two
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Svetlana Kuznetsova has had a resurgent 2016 up to this point. She hasn’t won a title since the 2009 China Open, but she played some of her best tennis at the Miami Open, upending world number one Serena Williams on her way to the final. Despite losing to Victoria Azarenka in straight sets in the final, her showing proved that she may have regained the form that made her a two-time Grand Slam champion. Kuznetsova reached
New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2016 • NYTennisMag.com
Ana Ivanovic etched herself in the minds of tennis fans everywhere when she won the French Open back in 2008 at just 20-yearsold. But since then, the Serb has struggled to find her consistency, going 17 consecutive Grand Slams after that without reaching a quarterfinal. That streak ended last year, however, when she surged into the Roland Garros semifinals. There may be something
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The Pretenders Karolina Pliskova is one of the biggest hitters on the WTA Tour, but that style of play doesn’t always translate to the clay surface. The Czech has been a consistent top 20 player for the last year or so, but has struggled at all four Grand Slams. She has never made it out of the third round at any of the majors, and has only reached the second-round twice in Paris. Despite her obvious talent and size, don’t look for Pliskova to make a deep run on the French clay.
Belinda Bencic is one of the WTA Tour’s best young talents. At just 19-years-old, she is already a steady top 10 player and won two titles a year ago, including the Rogers Cup where she beat Madison Keys, Caroline Wozniacki, Eugenie Bouchard and Agnieszka Radwanska on her way to the championship. That title came on a hard court, however, and Bencic has yet to show consistent signs of success on clay. She only reached the second round at the French Open last year, and while Grand Slam titles are certainly in the young Swiss’ future, it is unlikely to happen in France this year.
about the Paris clay that brings out the best in Ivanovic, and despite an up and down 2016, the Serb could make a deep run at the tournament she won eight years ago.
Eugenie Bouchard is one of the most enigmatic players on the WTA Tour. Many thought a number of Grand Slams were in her future after a wonderful 2014 campaign that saw her reach the Australian Open and French Open semifinals, and the Wimbledon final. But 2015 was a tough year for the young Canadian because of injuries and inconsistency. She has been able to stay healthy on court so far in 2016, and her dormant potential could finally wake up in France.
Venus Williams had a resurgent 2015 season. At the age of 34 going on 35, she won three titles last season and beat a Injuries have hindered Petra Kvitova’s 2016 number of top 10 opponents. She started season up to this point, but the Czech could off 2016 well, winning the Taiwan Open, be primed for a deep run at the French Open. but was bounced early from Miami and The two-time Wimbledon champion has seen Charleston. Her best showing at the most of her career success come on grass, French Open in her career was a final but her big powerful serve from the left side appearance in 2002, and at her age, it will can give opponents trouble, and she has be tough for one of the all-time greats to proven her might at Grand Slams before. She find her consistent form for two weeks in has hired a new coach, Frantisek Cermak, Paris. following a split from her coach of seven years, David Kotyza, in January, and could shock a lot of people with her performance in France.
Sloane Stephens has had a fantastic 2016 up to this point. The American already has three titles to her name, and won the Volvo Car Open in Charleston, a clay-court tournament. She has been bounced in the fourth round of the French Open each of the last four seasons, and she has not had a lot of success at Grand Slams since her 2013 season, when she reached the Australian Open semifinals and Wimbledon quarterfinals. Look for that trend to continue in Roland Garros despite her excellent play through the first few months of the season.
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“Exposure “Exposure to to aa variety variety of of colleges colleges and and universities, universities, and and aa college college recruiting recruiting process process that that includes includes some some good good guidance guidance and and support support along along the the way, way, can can help help student/athletes student/athletes to to maximize maximize their their opportunities opportunities and and to to make make wise wise choices.” choices.”
The Approach to College Tennis From Every Angle By Richard-John Mensing Jr. You’ve probably heard from almost everyone involved in tennis that our sport is the “Sport of a Lifetime”–that tennis’ benefits of fitness, community and health are unparalleled. What you may not know is that for young people, tennis can provide another huge upside: A pathway to college. For example, the John McEnroe Tennis Academy (JMTA) is proud to have graduated more than 50 students who have received admission and tennis scholarships at top colleges and universities across the country—a number that will grow significantly this fall. From scholar-athlete Sabrina Xiong, currently a freshman at Harvard University, who received the first full scholarship to attend JMTA in 2010 based on her performance in an open tryout with 250 other aspiring players; to current ATP pro Noah Rubin, who was the ACC Player of the Year and NCAA singles finalist in 2015 playing for Wake Forest University; to current WTA pro Jamie Loeb, who was the 2015 NCAA singles champion playing for the University of North Carolina; to current freshman Jessica Golovin, making her mark as the number two singles player for Louisiana State University (LSU), tennis success can provide a fully-funded college education, leading to academic achievement and to virtually unlimited opportunity in and out of tennis. And for the highest achievers, a new form of scholarship is becoming popular, allowing players to play a year or more of collegiate tennis, then to join the pro tours, and then to return to complete their degrees, still on scholarship, after their playing careers are over. For those not aspiring to a pro career
and for those who want to attend top academic institutions that may not offer athletic scholarships, tennis achievement and recruitment can still be a key to college admission. For many, tennis has been the driver of school admission and choice, and intercollegiate competition has provided a unique sense of college community–an experience that, like the sport itself, lasts a lifetime. According to Nate Emge, associate director and a director of college placement at JMTA, finding the right college can be a daunting process. “A student may feel that he or she knows exactly what they want to study and/or where they want to play college tennis,” said Emge. “The key to choosing a school often boils down to whether one school meets both needs.” Exposure to a variety of colleges and universities, and a college recruiting process that includes some good guidance and support along the way, can help student/athletes to maximize their opportunities and to make wise choices. Whatever a student’s goal may be: whether to play at the highest possible level in college, or to use tennis to gain admittance to the most selective schools, or both, Emge reminds us that playing college tennis is its own reward. “Playing college tennis is an evolution of the team experience that many encounter in high-school, playing tennis or other sports, which allows players to build close relationships with teammates and coaches,” Emge said. “For most, their college tennis experience will offer a new level of intensity at practices and in the gym and the level of competition will also be consistently high. The college player has the opportunity to mature both physically and emotionally, and to do so as a young adult,
and independently from parents. There’s nothing like it!” To support its students and other scholar/athletes from the greater New York area and beyond, the John McEnroe Tennis Academy is launching the JMTA College Combine. Designed to benefit rising high school sophomores, juniors and seniors, the inaugural JMTA College Combine will take place June 18-19 at Sportime Randall’s Island. The event will help a broad group of junior players who might not otherwise have the opportunity to interact with top college coaches in a live format. The Combine will help participants showcase their skills and personalities through match play, athletic performance and mental toughness assessments. Coaches committed and expected to attend will represent colleges and universities from all three NCAA Divisions. “We think that the JMTA College Combine will be a uniquely effective way to give every kid a chance to display his or her talents in front of a wide array of coaches,” said John McEnroe. “While we expect to see some players from other parts of the country and even from around the world, my hope is that this first Combine is going to shine a light on some of the great tennis talent we are developing here in the greater New York City area and that future Combines will show that we are only just getting started.” Richard-John Mensing Jr. is the director of performance and junior athletic development at the JMTA and Sportime Randall’s Island. He has more than 20 years of professional experience as an athlete, coach trainer and athletic educator, coaching the likes of Victoria Azarenka, Sergei Bubka, Greg Louganis, Reggie and Cheryl Miller, and JMTA’s Noah Rubin.
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he Metro Corporate Tennis League, presented by Advantage Tennis Clubs, is an initiative of the Metrotennis Community Tennis Association. The League is divided into three levels of play, Intermediate (3.0-3.5), Advanced Intermediate (4.0-4.5) and Advanced (4.5+). Also offered is the Hi-Five League for teams that are not ready to compete and prefer a healthy alternative to working out while incorporating the sport of tennis. The Metro Corporate Tennis League hosts more than 43 teams every season at CityView Racquet Club, Roosevelt Island Racquet Club and West Side Tennis Club. The Winter 2016 Season wrapped up on April 21 where the fi-
T
nals took place for the Advanced Intermediate & Advanced Division. The entire club was rented to have a fun night of tennis, food, music, a caricaturist and drinks! Bloomberg LP defeated NYJTL to grab the Winter Advanced Division trophy, while the team from Deutsche Bank won the Advanced Intermediate Division against a strong Moody’s team. The Intermediate Division played their finals and celebrated the season at Roosevelt Island Racquet Club, where team HBO faced a strong, up and coming Highbridge Capital Management team and came out on top to win the Intermediate Division Championship.
Team registrations are now being accepted for the Summer 2016 Season, which is set to start in June and run through August. For more information, visit Metrotennis.com/Corporate/Main.html, or call Luis Espinoza at (347) 886-3117 or e-mail Luis@Metrotennis.com. 42
New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2016 • NYTennisMag.com
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Building Your Resume as a Coach: Part Two
Compounding coaching experience pays dividends By Gilad Bloom In the March/April 2016 issue of New York Tennis Magazine, I wrote Part One of what I have learned in my 20 years of teaching tennis. Each student I have worked with over the course of two decades has added to my body of work and my coaching philosophy. In the first part, I wrote about five lessons I have learned in that time, here are some additional lessons I have learned over the years. 6. Don’t teach every kid the same way Every student has a different personality, different style and different body type, as well as varying levels of talent and passion for the game. I have also found that teaching boys is quite different than teaching girls. Therefore, a tennis coach needs to be a “shrink” of sorts, always seeking the key 44
to each player’s mind. I found it very challenging, and in my younger years as a coach, I made some mistakes in this area. With experience, I learned to detect varying types of personalities and was able to adjust my approach accordingly. I found that some kids are fragile and need constant encouragement, while others need the “Iron Fist” approach because they perform better when pushed. Some kids were too mechanical and needed more match play. Others were great competitors, but had holes in their game and needed technical work and discipline on fundamentals. Each player needs an individual, customized program which makes the job of coaching very challenging, but also very interesting. 7. Be consistent in the message that you convey to the student and show up to each lesson prepared A young student needs to know what the
New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2016 • NYTennisMag.com
coach expects from them during a lesson. It is important that the student feels there is a method and a long-term plan. Many of my students come for lessons one to two times each week and it is necessary to pick a particular skill or stroke and work on it repetitively for a few lessons in a row. There has to be a progression. The student needs to get a chance to put in the time to internalize the instruction, and for this to happen, the coach needs to keep working on the same things and repeat the same mantras over and over even if it seems boring. Kids don’t get fooled easily, and can detect when a pro is “winging it.” I make it a point to come to each lesson prepared and make sure that there is always a connection between the last lesson. I will often tell the student what the subject of the next lesson will be and ask them to come prepared. If I take the lesson seriously, there is a very good chance that the student will as well.
8. Surprise the student from time to time Let’s face it, tennis lessons can get a bit repetitive and boring sometimes. To get better, the kids need to hit thousands of balls the same way and go through some grueling drills, but from time to time, it’s worth it to simply play the game. I don’t do it too often, but every once in a while, I would surprise the kids with an “all-points session.” The kids are ecstatic of course when that happens. The idea is to remind the kids that the essence of the game is to play and try to win points, sets and matches. During those sessions, I emphasize strategy and point construction, but also intensity, mental ability and sportsmanship. I design all sorts of interesting and fun games. It is important to keep a close eye on the kids because this kind of session can get a bit messy and you run the danger of losing intensity after a while as even practice games can get boring and repetitious. The key is not to hold these types of sessions too often and to make your student earn it, then reward them.
9. Act professionally, set an example, be a role model and keep a little distance from the kids As a kid, I used to look up to my coach. As a coach, I feel that I have a responsibility to be a role model to the kids and instill good practice habits, sportsmanship and set an example as a human being. It is not always easy but necessary as the kids look up to you as a coach and will lose respect for you if they see the teacher make a fool of himself, lose their temper or act in an unprofessional manner. Things like starting and ending the lessons on time, being respectful and polite to others, being a good sport and engaging in the lesson are essential to me. I insist on the kids shaking hands at the beginning and at the end of each lesson, picking up balls promptly. I look them in their eyes when I’m speaking to them, email them after lessons regarding their strokes, and give advice before tournaments. The kids need to feel comfortable around the coach, but the coach’s behavior is very important in order to command respect. Once you gain the student’s respect and trust as an individual, you can really
help them achieve success that can take them to the next level. 10. Never talk about winning I believe that being competitive is inherent in human nature. Nobody taught me to want to win or how to win … this is something that doesn’t need talking about. When I coach, I explain how to construct a point, close out games, sets and matches with practical advice. But when it comes to talking about results and winning in a tournament, I don’t mention it because it will put unnecessary pressure on the student. There is nothing that a kid wants more than to please their parents and coach. I remember when playing juniors, I couldn’t wait to run to the phone (there were no cellphones back then) and call my parents to let them know I won. I was lucky enough to have a coach with vision and a father who was an athlete himself. My dad was more concerned with me being a good sport and behaving properly than winning. My coach would always surcontinued on page 46
Inwood Country Club 2015 USTA - Eastern LI Private Club of the Year invites you to enjoy great tennis at a very affordable introductory rate. Tennis, Golf, and Beach Memberships available. • 10 Har Tru courts • All levels of play from 2.5 to 5.0 • Weekly clinics for women and children • Tennis traveling teams • Seasonal beach parties and club dinners • Fully equipped Fitness Center • Classically elegant Clubhouse • Historic U.S. Open golf course • David Brent USTA - Eastern LI Tennis Professional of the year 2014 For details contact Heidi Chriest, Membership Director 516-239-2800 x. 186 or membership@inwoodcc.org. Web site: www.inwoodcc.org.
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building your resume continued from page 45 prise me when I was a kid after losses when he would point out the positives and give me a hug, telling me that he is proud that I gave it my all and emphasizing what we should learn from the loss. Interestingly, after winning a match, he would usually be more critical, making sure that I didn’t get too cocky, and telling me to keep my feet on the ground to get ready for the next match. Tennis is a weird game. You can play a great match and end up losing, and also play sloppy but win. Junior tennis should be about playing the right way, conducting yourself appropriately and learning from each match. After all, to quote Tim Robbins from one of my all-time favorite sports movies “Bull Durham,” “Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose and sometimes it rains.” 11. Patience In my early days as a coach, I was eager to
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achieve instant results and was often frustrated that the students didn’t meet my expectations. I would often see a student struggle and when they went a few weeks or months without visible improvement, I would wonder if they would ever get it. But in time, I learned to realize not to count anyone out and that kids need time to absorb instruction, since many of them go through various changes in their young bodies and minds. They might go through periods where they are not mature enough to commit to the game or suffer from a lack of coordination due to a growth spurt. It can be quite frustrating when they train and do not improve. By now, I know that there is a delay of three to six months until the student implements new instructions. As a coach, I try to keep working on the subjects and give the kids positive encouragement, asking them to believe that the improvements
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will come. I had students who I worked with during their teenage years that called me when they were in college and said that only now at the age of 19 or 20, they are starting to implement things we worked on when they were juniors. The point is that developing your game takes years. It’s a gradual process with ups and downs and some periods that plateau when you feel like you are not improving. Patience and self-belief are great virtues when you hit those periods. It is coach’s job to instill this belief in the student. Gilad Bloom is a former ATP touring professional who, at his peak, was ranked 61st in singles and 62nd in doubles in the world. Five times an Israel’s Men’s Champion, three times in singles and twice in doubles, Gilad is currently the director of tennis at The Club of Riverdale. He was the director of tennis at John McEnroe Tennis Academy for two years, and before, that ran Gilad Bloom Tennis for nine years. He may be reached by phone at (914) 907-0041 or e-mail Bloom.Gilad@gmail.com.
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To register go to: https://nmpmag.wufoo.com/forms/li-tennis-magazine-challenge-2016/ For more information, contact Info@usptennis.com or call 516-409-4444 NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2016 • New York Tennis Magazine
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Inwood Country Club A Shining South Shore Summer Destination
Inwood Country Club is one of the premier family-oriented country clubs on the South Shore of Long Island. Founded in 1901, Inwood played a significant role in the history of golf. Bobby Jones won his first major at Inwood at the 1923 U.S. Open, and Walter Hagen won the first of his five PGA Championships at Inwood. Inwood also features an Atlantic Ocean Beach Club, 10 Har-Tru tennis courts, a state-of-the-art fitness center, and rooms and suites for members who make Inwood their summer residences. Conveniently located just 30 minutes from Manhattan, and 10 minutes from JFK Airport, Inwood has something special for everyone.
COME PLAY TENNIS AT THE HOME OF THE US OPEN
Inwood Tennis is now considered one of the premier country club programs on Long Island. Inwood CC won the 2015 USTA Long Island Private Club of the Year Award. The program caters to all levels of play, from a 2.5 Level Beginner Player, to a 5.0 Level Advanced Player. Head Tennis Pro David Brent has obtained many National and Eastern rankings, and in 2009 and 2011, was a finalist at the USTA 55 National Grass Court Doubles Championships. An avid participant in the Country Club Leagues, Inwood won the Long Island Men’s Tennis League (LIMTL) in 2011 and made it to the semifinals of the North Shore Men’s Tennis League (NSMTL) that same year.
We are open to the public 11 months of the year and feature: • • • • •
Year round Programs for Adults and Juniors 10 and Under Tennis Summer/Seasonal Camps Open/Contract Court Time Corporate Events, Birthday parties, Field Trips, Tours and more • Private Lessons • Cardio Tennis
For more information call
718.760.6200 or visit ntc.usta.com
Photo Courtesy of the DIRECTV Airship and Chief Pilot Allan Judd. © 2014 USTA. All rights reserved.
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New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2016 • NYTennisMag.com
In season, there is a ladies clinic every Friday and a children’s clinic every Saturday. Inwood’s pros are available for lessons and hitting seven days a week. In addition to the usual pick-up games or club tournaments, Inwood Country Club offers a variety of dining events throughout the year, all of which provide exceptional value and entertainment to its members. In addition to its traditional, formal dining events, Inwood Country Club also offers family-friendly buffet dinners, and pub nights featuring casual attire and cuisine. Inwood’s Sunday evening bingo dinners have been very successful and all ages, both young and old, are invited to attend. Theme dinners, such as Italian Night; Steak, Jeans & Martinis; and Cinco de Mayo are also very popular. Summers at Inwood Country Club are second to none as the Club has the unique distinction of serving as a full-service beach facility. Every Thursday evening, there is an informal beach party and lobster bakes with music and casual fare. Inwood’s weekend beach themed parties, such as July 4th and Havana Nights, have always been favorites among Club members, and this year promises to be no exception. During the summer, there is no place like the beach, and when at the beach, there is no place like Inwood! To experience Inwood Country Club in person, call Membership Director Heidi Stanya at (516) 239-2800, ext. 186, or e-mail Membership@InwoodCC.org to arrange a visit.
Twenty Tournament Tennis Truths BY STEVE KAPLAN ver the past four decades, I’ve spent thousands of hours as a coach at local, national and international junior tournaments, and as they say, “I have seen it all.” Here are 20 candid observations about the behaviors and interactions between players, coaches and parents before, during and after matches. I’m sure readers could suggest many more. I use the word “probably” to temper each of these truths because there are always exceptions to any rule. Maybe you recognize your own behavior here, but don’t feel these descriptions apply to you? If so you are probably not being accountable to your actions.
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1. If as a coach, player or parent, you act entitled because of your high tennis status, your sense of superiority is probably not shared by everyone. 2. If you talk about your child’s accomplishments as though they are yours, they probably aren’t. 3. If you talk about your student’s accomplishments as though they are yours, they probably aren’t. 4. If you go to tournaments to give unsolicited advice, it’s probably not because you are altruistic.
5. If you frequently talk about how great a player you were, you probably weren’t. 6. If you frequently talk about getting a “bad draw,” you are probably not unlucky. 7. If you frequently default because you are getting injured, you are probably not unlucky. 8. If you frequently lose close matches, you are probably not unlucky. 9. If you frequently default in the back draw because “you have nothing to gain,” it’s probably more a reflection of your character than your savvy at navigating the system. 10. If you refer to your child’s tennis using “we” language, you are probably living vicariously. 11. If you frequently talk to your child about their great talent, you are probably undermining them. 12. If you talk to your children about tennis as a financial investment, it’s probably not intended as a lesson in economics. 13. If you frequently get into fights with your children at tournaments, it’s probably not because you know or care more. 14. If you frequently get angry at your students at tournaments, it’s probably not because you have a bad student. 15. If you spend much of the match acting
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poorly, you probably didn’t notice much about your opponent. If you try to get your opponent to change their line call by talking to them aggressively, you are probably doing more harm than good. If your opponent questions several of your reasonable line calls, they are probably going to cheat you soon. If you cheated an opponent because you felt you were cheated, it’s probably not because of your strong sense of justice. If you are making calls before the ball lands out, your opponent probably thinks you are cheating. If you think that the way you play is defined by how you played your best match ever, you are probably being unrealistic.
Steve Kaplan is the owner of Bethpage Park Tennis Center, as well as the director of Lacoste Academy for New York City Parks Foundation. Steve has been the longtime coach of more than 600 nationally-ranked junior players, 16 state high school champions, two NCAA Division 1 Singles Champions, and numerous touring professionals and prominent coaches. He may be reached by e-mail at StevenJKaplan@aol.com.
T E N N I S
R U S H
Come play where the surf applauds every shot. The Seaside Tennis Club at the legendary Mauna Kea Beach Hotel on Hawaii Island. 866.977.4589 I MaunaKeaBeachHotel.com Director of Tennis, Craig T. Paulter
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Photo credit: Sidney Beal III & Lee Seidner
Monfils and Serena Winners in NYC at BNP Paribas Showdown n early March, four of the world’s top tennis players descended on New York City for the annual BNP Paribas Showdown at Madison Square Garden, as Stan Wawrinka took on Gael Monfils and Serena Williams battled Caroline Wozniacki in two exhibition matches. The first matchup was between the twotime Grand Slam champion Wawrinka and the always electric Monfils, and the two did not disappoint the MSG crowd. Despite it being an exhibition, the two played some outstanding tennis. As usual, Wawrinka’s one-handed backhand was on display and drew oohs and
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ahhs from the New York City crowd, and Monfils tried one of his many trick shots, including tweeners, jump hits and even trying to win a point by heading the ball like a soccer player. Monfils would take the first set in a tiebreaker, and midway through the second set, Serena and Wozniacki came out to play a little mixed-doubles, Serena with Wawrinka and Wozniacki with Monfils. The stars showed their volleying skills at the net and even Wozniacki tried her hand at a tweener much to the delight of the Garden crowd. When all was said and done, Monfils came out victorious, 7-6(6), 6-3 in the
night’s first match. In the second match of the night, good friends Serena and Wozniacki did battle on center stage at the World’s Most Famous Arena. Both players seemed to take the match seriously resulting in lot of long rallies and exciting points. Despite a slow start, Serena set up her first set point after chasing a ball down at the net and landing a drop shot. After closing out the opening set, the two would exchange breaks midway through the second set before Serena got the decisive break for a 5-3 advantage, and promptly served out the set and match on her next chance.
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courtsix New York Tennis Magazine’s Gossip Column By Emilie Katz Townsend battles 69-year-old
Gail Falkenburg has scored a major victory for senior citizens everywhere. The 69year-old Falkenberg took on 20-year-old Taylor Townsend at the ITF 25K tournament in Pelham, Ala. Townsend won the match 6-0, 6-0, but Falkenberg won 12 points throughout the match against her opponent, 49 years her junior.
Federer injured giving kids a bath Roger Federer had the first surgery of his tennis career back in February to repair torn cartilage in his knee. The injury wasn’t caused on the court, however, as Federer said it happened while he was preparing a bath for his twin daughters. “It was a very simple movement, probably a movement I’ve done a million times in my life,” said Federer. “I didn’t think much of it when it did happen.”
USTA joins First Family for annual Easter Egg Hunt
Djokovic the matchmaker
Besides his own winning on the court, world number one Novak Djokovic helped a lucky fan ask his date to prom at the recent Miami Open. With help of Djokovic, she said yes. 52
President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama hosted the annual White House Easter Egg Roll for the final time, as the Obamas will be out of office at the end of this year. USTA President Katrina Adams, James Blake and Sloane Stephens were just some of the names on hand for the event, which encourages kids to be active.
New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2016 • NYTennisMag.com
Cibulkova not missing Maria
While many fans around the world have missed Maria Sharapova since she has been indefinitely suspended by the ITF due to her positive drug test at the Australian Open, there is at least one of Sharapova’s fellow tour members who doesn’t: Dominika Cibulkova. In an interview with a Slovakian sports magazine and translated by many media outlets, Cibulkova said: “I didn’t make any statement, as I didn’t want to be the only person to openly say what they think about this case. I will only say that I don’t feel sorry at all for Sharapova and I don’t miss her on the tour. She’s a totally unlikeable person. Arrogant, conceited and cold. When I sit beside her in the locker room, she won’t even say hello.”
Bringing Battle of the Sexes to the big screen
Credit: Fox Searchlight Pictures
Shooting has begun for the Hollywood adaptation of the Battle of the Sexes movie which highlights the infamous match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs in 1972. The film stars Emma Stone as Billie Jean King and Steve Carell as Bobby Riggs.
Venus Williams (@VenusesWilliams): Today at practice @volvocarsopen I decided to mix collections and colors, our new apricot color …
Justin Gimelstob (@JustinGimelstob): Never too early to explain to your boy the legendary teachings of Coach John Wooden! @ UCLA
Mardy Fish (@MardyFish): Here we go @Twins
Ana Ivanovic (@AnaIvanovic): Loving my new stripes. The new Roland Garros collection by Y-3. Thank @adidastennis #RG16 #CreateYourMark
Tweets from the pros
Serena Williams (@SerenaWilliams): #kobebryant I’m in tears. Congrats Kobe Bryant. You inspire every athlete for a lifetime.
Christina McHale (@ChristinaMcHale): Let’s go Heels!!!! #tb
Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal): Thank you all for your support. Very happy for this win and now it’s time to celebrate it with the team. continued on page 54
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Roger Federer (@RogerFederer): Tennis with a view
court six continued from page 53 Caroline Wozniacki (@CaroWozniacki): My morning view! #keepgrinding #gettingstronger #monaco #mondays #gym
John Isner (@JohnIsner): #Magill and I are so thankful for our relationship with @HelloNulo, keeping him fit and healthy. #NationalPuppyDay
Noah Rubin (@Noahrubin33): The true New Yorker secretly believes that people living anywhere else have to be, in some sense, kidding.
@Aga Radwanska (@ARadwanska): Good fun shooting with @babolat today. Not bad scenery Nick Bollettieri (@NickBollettieri): With @IMGAcademy alumnus @dhantuchova @MiamiOpen. She’s the best!
Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole): Excited! So many great athletes will be at the @LaureusSport awards ceremony. Always wearing #SneakersforGood
Bethanie MattekSands (@BMattek): USA!! USA!! USA!! @CoCoVandey @ChristinaMcHale @Madison_Keys @maryjblige and Anne Marie photo bomb @USFedCupTeam
Eugenie Bouchard (@GenieBouchard): Can’t wait to wear these babies #mambaday #justdoit
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New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2016 • NYTennisMag.com
U.S. Advances to Fed Cup World Group With Win Over Australia
he U.S. moves back to competing in the World Group next year by beating Australia, 4-0, in the Fed Cup by BNP Paribas World Group Playoff at the Pat Rafter Arena at the Queensland Tennis Centre in Brisbane, Australia. In the first match of the day, world number 36 CoCo Vandeweghe came from a set down to beat world number 26 Samantha Stosur, 26, 7-5, 6-4, in two hours and 18 minutes to clinch the victory for the U.S. The win was also the first in the Fed Cup singles career
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for Vandeweghe, who now moves to 1-3. Vandeweghe also moved her lifetime record to 4-1 against Stosur. The U.S. team is now 3-1 when CoCo takes the court. The scheduled match between Christina McHale and Daria Gavrilova was not played. “It’s a team effort and everybody worked really hard all week and they worked with each other, supporting each other and you take it one match at a time, it’s a cliché, but that’s how it works and you know, you do your best,” said U.S. Captain Mary Joe Fernandez. “The more you put yourself in these positions,
the more comfortable you get in them and I think because CoCo’s played before, I think that helped her a lot today.“ In the dead doubles rubber, the American duo of Bethanie Mattek-Sands & CoCo Vandeweghe faced the Aussie team of Daria Gavrilova & Arina Rodionova, who were substituted for Casey Dellacqua & Samantha Stosur. In the end, Mattek-Sands & Vandeweghe won the match, 6-1, 6-4, in one hour and 17 minutes. With the victory, Mattek-Sands & Vandeweghe remain undefeated as a doubles team. In Fed Cup play, Mattek-Sands moved her doubles record to 5-0 record, while Vandeweghe moved to 3-0. The U.S. remains undefeated at 22-0 when leading after the first day of play (since the World Group format was instituted in 1995). The U.S. also improves to 10-12 all-time in Fed Cup ties played on the road, and holds an overall 146-36 record. The victory also moves the Fed Cup teams record to 11-3 in matches played in Australia/New Zealand.
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charitable initiatives N E W
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M A G A Z I N E ’ S
Debbie’s Dream Foundation Holds Tennis Luncheon at Roosevelt Island
Debbie’s Dream Foundation recently held its first Tennis and Charity Luncheon at Roosevelt Island Racquet Club. The event featured 24 players playing on six courts, in addition to nine ladies who came just for the luncheon. The event was sponsored by NYJTL and the Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning, raised more than $8,000 for Debbie’s Dream Foundation. Debbie’s Dream Foundation was started by Debbie Zelman, who was diagnosed with stage IV stomach cancer in 2009, and after doing research and educating herself on the disease and the best available care, created the Foundation to help patients, their families and caregivers. The organization is dedicated to raising awareness about stomach cancer, advancing funding for research and providing education and support internationally with the ultimate goal of finding the cure for stomach cancer. The tournament, which was chaired by Debbie’s sister, Tammy Caress, had three 15-minute round-robin matches with no ad 56
scoring, with the winning team moving up a court and everyone switching partners. In the end, it was the duo of Lisa Denburg & Jill Kalotay who finished in first place, while Susan Stava & Elena Coumantaros in second place. Glam Slam was on hand selling its tennis bags and accessories to attendees. In addition to tennis action, there was a silent auction featuring a stay at the Key Biscayne Ritz Carlton; a stay in a four-bedroom home in Stowe, Vt.; tickets to the Broadway smash hit “Hamilton;” a $100 gift certificate to Mason’s Tennis; and much more.
New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2016 • NYTennisMag.com
QuickStart: Putting the Fun Back Into Tennis
BY DA NNY OS TR OM E T S K Y AN D K H RY S T S IN A T RY BO I
he QuickStart Tennis program provides many advantages in learning how to play tennis from a young age, and has helped coaches and instructors instill the game in its young players. This program gradually builds skill sets that are essential in the development of successful tennis players. The low compression tennis balls, smaller rackets, lower nets and shorter courts make it much easier for young players to experience many facets of the game, without needing the strength, balance, and coordination to play on a regular court. Most importantly, in any children’s program an emphasis has to be placed on the fact that kids just want to play and have fun. Therefore, many elements of the QuickStart Tennis program are designed for children to enjoy themselves on the court. A typical hour of QuickStart begins with a group warm-up. All of the kids participate in a series of aerobic exercises for five minutes prior to being split up into groups. This is done to ensure that everyone gets plenty
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of chances to play, which helps keep the children engaged and focused. On the court, the kids go through various drills and games, which are specifically tailored to suit younger and smaller players. Tennisspecific activities focus on the development of proper technique to ease transition into the regular court and set up children for success. Additionally, the coaches need to make sure to incorporate various games and challenges which aid in developing overall coordination and efficient movement. This balanced approach to teaching tennis provides the best options for parents who are looking to have their child develop into a tennis player, as well as those who are simply seeking a fun, extracurricular activity. The concept of teamwork is instrumental in bringing kids of different backgrounds and abilities to work in unison. Coaches need to make sure to emphasize this idea to prevent disputes and encourage a positive learning atmosphere, which will help kid’s grow to love tennis. Another unique feature that can be added to QuickStart programs is the host-
ing of tournaments. While these tournaments will provide the children with match play experience, it also teaches kids the rules of the game, as well as the importance of sportsmanship. Playing in these tournaments give kids a firsthand experience in understanding the rules of the game in addition to helping them deal with winning and losing. These tournaments can also serve as a motivational tool, helping the coaches stimulate the young athletes to work towards a specific goal. QuickStart programs and youth tennis have really done a lot in developing the way tennis is taught to young players. As we try to grow the sport of tennis in our area, these programs become nearly essential in allowing kids to get into the sport and stay with the sport, as the courts, equipment and instruction allow them to learn tennis in a fun, productive way. Danny Ostrometsky is assistant director of MatchPoint’s QuickStart Program. Khrystsina Tryboi is a tennis pro at MatchPoint in Brooklyn, N.Y.
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It’s Not About the Score 10 ways being “more that an athlete” will help you win By Rob Polishook, Mental Training Coach MA, CPC What if your primary focus in tennis wasn’t about the winning or losing? What if it wasn’t about being better or worse than your opponent? Certainly, that seems like a radical approach. But when we view competition through a completely new lens, the lens of “More Than an Athlete,” where the performer brings their whole self to the performance, focusing on their individual process rather than an outcome, I’ve seen hundreds of clients excel. What does it look like? Here are nine incredible deliverables that result: 1. The athlete stops trying to use the sport to prove their worth, and instead, celebrates the joy of playing. The athlete knows that ultimate victory is in the effort, the improvement and the pursuit. The athlete is aware they did everything they could to compete effectively from setting the conditions, to the last point.
2. The athlete acknowledges the opponent as a partner. The opponent’s foremost responsibility is in doing the best they can and bringing out the athlete’s best, and to expose weaknesses so the athlete can improve them. In this scenario, there is mutual respect. 3. The athlete understands they are on a journey. During this journey they notice, observe, and are curious about all parts of the game. They persevere, adjust to circumstances, and in the process, are constantly developing, improving and learning. 4. The athlete’s focus is on the present, not the past or future. The athlete leaves expectations at the door and plays in the moment, challenged by the circumstances and focuses on process, not the outcome. They are content to play within themselves and trust their game. 5. The athlete doesn’t try to be perfect. They accept their performance as being perfectly imperfect. They know it’s not about playing the perfect game, there is no such thing. It’s about developing a rhythm, breathing and competing. Without the weight of perfection, their focus
is better and they become more at ease. 6. The athlete lets go of beating the opponent and focuses on what they can control. Through this focus, the athlete feels more emotionally solid, more aware and better able to adapt, adjust and manage the next moment. 7. The athlete doesn’t try to control thoughts. This can’t be done. They might name these “nervous thoughts” as they come, but they understand they are not truths, just a scared part from within that’s trying to be heard. 8. The athlete chooses target zones and stops trying to force winners. They trust the body, training and instincts in an effort to build a point. They know that if the target area is hit, they have done their best … maybe it will be a winner, maybe it won’t. If the opponent gets to the ball, they can recover for the next shot without judgment. 9. The athlete plays from a calmer, more present and aware place. The athlete is able to adapt and adjust, withstand adversity and view challenges as an opportunity not resist them. 10.Paradoxically, the athlete wins more! When you look through the lens of “More Than an Athlete,” you will bring all of who you are to what you do, and from this place, magic happens! If you want to wear these stylish lens, e-mail me at Rob@InsideTheZone.com with your address. I will mail you a pair of custom Inside the Zone sunglasses! Rob Polishook, MA, CPC is founder and director of Inside the Zone Sports Performance Group. As a mental training coach, he works with athletes and teams, focusing on helping athletes gain the mental edge. Rob is author of Tennis Inside the Zone: Mental Training Workouts for Champions. He may be reached by phone at (973) 723-0314, email Rob@InsideTheZone.com or visit InsideTheZone.com.
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Is It “In” or “Out” Will You Decide? By Whitney Kraft ennis has often been called a “The Sport of a Lifetime” because it can be played at all stages of our lives. When we are young, we tend to start by using Red, Orange and Green tennis balls on smaller courts. As our skills improve, we play with regular tennis balls and then some of us return to using Red, Orange, and Green balls on smaller courts as our age advances. But tennis is always there for us as a way to stay active. All you need is a court, a racquet and a hitting partner. At the USTA, we believe people find themselves with the game of tennis. Some find themselves as league players or coaches, but some find themselves in tennis through officiating. Officiating teaches people to look at tennis through a different lens and appreciate the rules more than they ever had before as players. Chances are that if you have watched the U.S. Open or played in a tennis tournament, you have seen an official. Officials are an integral part of the sport. Their primary concern is to ensure that tennis matches and tournaments are played
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under fair conditions and that the rules of tennis are followed. Officials help grow the game of tennis by helping newer players score tie-breaks for the first time, explain the rules of the game and help resolve disputes among players. There are five main types of officials: Roving Umpire, Chair Umpire, Chief Umpire, Referee and Line Umpire. The most common official at community events is the Roving Umpire, who is also called a “Rover.” These officials have to oversee and watch over a number of courts, making sure they are ready for play, resolve scoring disputes, and helping control spectators. All officials start as Roving Umpires at community events. As an official gains knowledge and experience, they can move to the other officiating disciplines and to higher level events. With thousands of tennis tournaments across the country each year, the USTA is always looking for individuals to become certified USTA Officials. No matter where you live, there are opportunities to officiate, and now it is easier than ever. In March, the USTA Online Officiating Learning Center was launched. You can become a certified USTA Official by completing four interactive online courses at your own time and pace.
These in-depth courses explain the role of officials at events, the types of officials, ITF Rules of Tennis, USTA Regulations and The Code. The online courses will be supplemented with live in-person training that will be rolled out in the next two years. Officiating is open to all ages, even high school students. Becoming a certified USTA Official can take you many places and is a great way to get involved with your community. Officials can set their own schedules and work as little or as much as their time allows. With a lot of dedication and hard work, some officials have found themselves traveling to tournaments across the country and around the world. If finding yourself in the game through officiating sounds like something you would be interested in doing, more information is available at USTA.com/Officiating or by reaching out to Officiating@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).
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Grand Slam Tennis 214 Commack Road Commack, N.Y. (631) 499-6444 What are specialty stores? Specialty stores are a place to go and receive extensive, dedicated, and welcoming services that do not include the click of a mouse while sitting at your computer desk or on your phone. Jim and Chase Donnelly are the proud owners and operators of Grand Slam Tennis and have been for 30 years! With the help of Jim’s son Chase managing Grand Slam, Jim has had the opportunity to expand his interest in growing tennis. Grand Slam is a welcoming environment for any tennis player, whether you’re a recreational, club or tournament level. Their services provide an array of possibilities: Tennis racquet, badminton, squash and racquetball re-stringing/re-gripping, tennis attire (women’s, men’s and children’s), tennis tutor ball machines (sales, services and trials), tennis nets, ball hoppers, tennis bags, tennis racquet sales, tennis sneakers, accessories, and a whole lot more. Grand Slam Tennis is 1,800-square feet of tennis equipment, with one side dedicated solely to tennis attire, and the other as pictured to tennis racquets, sneakers and four top of the line stringing machines. Your experience at Grand Slam Tennis is guaranteed to be different from any other store. The staff is very experienced, knowledgeable and willing to help. When looking to buy a tennis racquet or ball machine, you are able to demo the equipment through our demo program. The demo program is geared toward the player, and is based on your feedback; therefore, you can be guided in the right direction in purchasing the right racquet for you. At the point of purchase, all of your information is stored in the computer database for future reference. See you on the court!
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High Country Ski and Tennis 465 West Mount Pleasant Avenue Livingston, N.J. (973) 994-3630 HighCountrySkiAndTennis.com High Country Ski and Tennis is one New Jersey’s premier tennis specialty shops. In existence for more than 27 years, High Country has New Jersey’s largest tennis showroom from March through September, and it is shrunk down in the winter months to focus on skiing and snowboarding. High Country prides itself on providing the best in clothing, equipment and customer service. As owner Bill Silverman says: “Our philosophy is to promote the game of tennis as much as our own company.” High Country carries the top manufactures and clothing providers in tennis, including Wilson, Babolat, Prince, Nike, Adidas and many more. High Country offers 24-hour racket stringing, grommet installs, re-gripping and free demos. With great customer service and competitive prices, High Country continues to grow each year. For more information, call (973) 994-3630 or visit HighCountrySkiAndTennis.com.
New York Tennis Magazine
Solow Sports 347A Main Street Huntington, N.Y. (631) 629-4940 SolowSports.com Solow Sports is not your typical racket shop! The experience begins with its staff which consists solely of players, coaches and tour stringers to help you find exactly what you are looking for. A vast array of rackets are available from all leading brands, as well as some rare manufacturers that you won’t find anywhere else. You can even test the rackets in the on-site serving cage as they have the largest demo selection on Long Island. When it comes to racket stringing, gripping and customization, Solow Sports is your go-to place. Rackets are always strung on the world’s most advanced machines with knowledgeable stringers who have strung for pros on tour. Have your grips meticulously installed, rackets weighted and balanced, grommets replaced, and more. Racket drop-off is available 24/7 for your convenience, as well as on-the-spot stringing within an hour or less. Get the same professional service as your favorite tour player. Find your favorite apparel brand or try a new local manufacturer with several styles on display. Complete your on-court look with huge selections of bags, hats, footwear and more. As a premier racket sport destination, you will find full equipment lines for platform tennis, racquetball, squash, paddle and even table tennis. The store features a tournament ping-pong table for customers to play. If that wasn’t enough, Solow Sports enhances the customer experience with racket pickup and delivery, on-court equipment consultations, custom racket painting, a full racket diagnostic center, tennis elbow and injury assessment, sponsorship opportunities, custom team orders, and so much more. Get what you are looking for to take your game to the next level in-store and online at SolowSports.com.
Tennis East 73 Main Street Southampton, N.Y. (631) 283-9535 TennisEast@optonline.net For more than 44 years, Tennis East has been the year-round, full-service tennis store of choice for East End racket sport enthusiasts. Tennis East offers an extensive selection of men’s, women’s and junior’s rackets, apparel, sneakers, strings and accessories for players of all ages and skill levels. More so, Tennis East carries a complete line of 10 and Under Tennis equipment so that kids will have more fun playing tennis. Tennis East carries the most popular and latest product arrivals so that its customers can use the gear that the top tennis pros are using. The store stocks a full-line of Nike, Wilson, Head, Prince products and more. In addition, we have expanded our women’s apparel offering to include several new fashion designers. Allow our knowledgeable and friendly team members to assist you choose the proper new tennis or paddle racquet to elevate your game. Tennis East has an extensive selection of rackets to demo and all daily fee charges will be credited towards your new racquet purchase. Tennis East continues to string all customer and demo racquets on the Wilson Baiardo, which is the state-of-the-art stringing machine on the market. Tennis East is the conveniently located, one-stop shop for all your racquet sport needs. We are committed to providing personalized service, professional advice, competitive pricing and a unique shopping experience. Please look for special offers on Tennis East’s social network sites. For more information, contact us by phone at (631) 283-9535(Southampton) or e-mail Tennis East at TennisEast@optonline.net.
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TopSpin Tennis & Fitness 218 Jericho Turnpike l Syosset, N.Y. (516) 364-9470 TopSpinTennisLI.com TopSpin Pro Shop at Christopher Morley Tennis 500 Searingtown Road l Roslyn, N.Y. (516) 484-4200 TopSpin Tennis & Fitness is Nassau County’s top tennis specialty shop. TopSpin relocated five years ago and is now centrally located at 218 Jericho Turnpike in Syosset, N.Y., directly across from Syosset Hospital. The second shop is located at the new “Stateof-the-Art” tennis complex at Christopher Morley Tennis at the park in Roslyn/Manhasset. TopSpin provides one-hour expert stringing at both facilities. Known as the home of “Clothes for the Pros,” TopSpin has been serving Long Island tennis pros and players with equipment and the top fashion in the sport for more than 30 years. TopSpin’s staff is known for its expertise and high-quality service. You will find all the premier tennis brands of equipment, apparel and shoes at TopSpin for the whole family, including Nike, Adidas, K-Swiss, Asics, Babolat, Wilson, Head, Prince and many more. TopSpin carries the actual outfits and footwear worn at the U.S. Open and other major events by Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. TopSpin carries a full line of fitness and workout apparel and running shoes, so you can go from the court to the gym in style. Their racket wall contains a large selection of frames, bags and accessories at great prices. Your racket can be strung while you wait. Ask any tennis enthusiast on Long Island and odds are they will be familiar with TopSpin. We are a great destination for tennis and Mother’s Day gifts as well. TopSpin’s staff will ensure that, with the right equipment, you will reach your highest potential as a player and just as importantly, look great too.
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Glam Slam Gear Brings Style Both On and Off the Court Glam Slam Gear Inc. is a luxury sport and lifestyle company, co-founded by Lisa Olivieri and Meaghan Janedis, two Long Island “Mompreneurs” who are tennis partners and business partners, turning their passion for tennis into a thriving company. The ladies of Glam Slam Gear design and manufacture their product lines in New York City, truly made in the USA. Couture tennis racquet covers made from fine Italian leather were the launch products of Glam Slam Gear, back in May of 2014. Meaghan and Lisa were tired of watching impeccably dressed ladies in brand name tennis gear enter the court with racquets in hand, while juggling keys, phones, wallets and purses. This problem was solved with a fashion solution. Their development of a traditionally-styled tennis racquet cover enables the player to look sleek without compromising necessary gear. Glam Slam Gear’s designs are made for tennis players with busy lives who have a desire to look and play great. All of Glam Slam Gear’s tennis racquet covers easily carry three adult racquets, while the outer pocket holds a phone, wallet, keys and more. They have truly de-
signed a handbag for your racquet! The demand for couture products made in the USA inspired Lisa and Meaghan to expand their business and branch out with new product ideas. In addition to tennis racquet covers, Glam Slam designs clutch purses, tote bags, wristlets and paddle racquet bags. Meaghan and Lisa certainly did not forget about creating a product for their kids. They produce the same tennis racquet cover style in vibrant neon colors using denier nylon for bag construction. K-Slam is what they refer to as their kid couture line of tennis racquet
covers. Having the same design and functionality as the leather couture bags, K-Slam covers are perfect for children enrolled in tennis programs and camps. Parents can now pack their child’s K-Slam cover with all of the necessities for the entire day. They don’t have to worry about their kids losing a racquet or pair of sneakers because it all fits in the bag … it’s a knapsack for their racquet! Glam Slam Gear continues to thrive in the niche market of tennis because each of their product lines bear the same quality and dedication to being practical and elegant. The idea of having couture sporting accessories appeals to many women who have a keen sense of fashion and competition. Unlike many designers, Glam Slam Gear prides themselves on unique fabrics and limited productions of those unique fabrics. Whether it be a vintage scarf or limited edition piece of jewelry, women around the world appreciate possessing a one-of-a-kind treasure to quietly boast about to their friends. It’s never too late to put some GLAM in your SLAM! For more information, visit GlamSlamGear.com.
At Gotham Tennis Academy, we’re passionate about teaching tennis. From beginners to rising stars, Gotham’s PTR certified pros are experienced in teaching the fundamentals while stressing sportsmanship, hard work, and fun. With our prime locations throughout Manhattan and the greater NYC metro area (including Stadium Tennis Center–NYC’s newest and largest indoor/outdoor tennis center), we’re only a short trip away from you. And with our growing number of offerings at locals schools, it’s more convenient than ever to get your kids into the game. To enroll now or learn more about us, call 646.524.7069 or email info@gothamtennis.com.
GET INTO THE GAME AT WWW.GOTHAMTENNIS.COM
SPOTS STILL AVAILABLE NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2016 • New York Tennis Magazine
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The Seven Commandments of Tennis BY DR. TOM FERRARO Commandment #1: Thou shalt traction from the sidelines during a match. These distractions are a part of the game, always be forgiving The most important key to good tennis is so be ready for them and let them roll off to learn how to accept a lost point. If you your back. allow the point to get under your skin, you will begin to make the long downward spi- Commandment #4: Thou shalt ral to defeat. You must learn to totally for- remain focused at all times give yourself for a lost point before you hit Players will often lose focus when they are the next serve. Take a deep breath and say, in the lead or when they feel hopelessly behind. Train yourself to remain attentive at “Let it go.” every step of the match no matter how far Commandment #2: Thou shalt ahead or behind you are. Steady focus is a key to success. always walk tall with shoulCommandment #5: Thou shalt ders back and head held high Body language is a big factor in every learn to have fun in tennis match and something you can control to Too much seriousness or competitiveness your advantage. Learn to show nothing but can drain the fun out of the game and make confidence before and after every point. you too tense, tight and anxious. Train yourThis expresses a sense of strength which self to look at the game as fun, something will help you to relax and at the same time to really enjoy. Do this and you will play better. Be a little like Novak “The Djoker” begins to unnerve your opponent. Djokovic and fool around, make jokes and Commandment #3: Thou shalt laugh during matches. learn to accept Murphy’s Law Murphy’s Law means you must be pre- Commandment #6 Thou shalt pared for the unexpected. You may get a not overthink the serve bad call or two, experience sudden Remember that tennis is a physical game, weather or wind changes, or hear a dis- engaging the eyes and the body. Learn to 64
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pick your target and hit it there without too many verbal instructions to the body. The body does not understand verbal instruction, only visual input, so get into the habit of simply picking your target and letting the body hit it there without you getting in the way. The great tennis guru Tom Galway was the guy that first realized this and his book, The Inner Game of Tennis, became an instant classic as a result. Commandment #7: Thou shalt learn to be proud of yourself A key aspect of success is self-belief and the best way to develop it is to surround yourself with people who reflect your talent and remind you of just how good you are. This may be peers, coaches, stats, an accumulation of trophies or parents. Learn to listen to positive feedback and take it in. And keep your trophies out and all shined up. They are there to serve as a reminder of your past achievements. For consultations, treatment or on-site visits, contact Dr. Tom Ferraro, sport psychologist, by phone at (516) 248-7189, e-mail DrTFerraro@aol.com or visit DrTomFerraro.com.
adult league U S T A L E A G U E S U P D AT E
Congratulations to the Manhattan 18 & Over Mixed-Doubles Champions: l l l l l
The winners of the inaugural Mixed 40 & Over Mixed League are: l 7.0 Level: Ragione/Park l 8.0 Level: (There will be playoff between teams Lee/Zhou and Schaffer/Biller on May 16) l 9.0 Level: Salnikowa
6.0 Level: Christopher/Xu 7.0 Level: Ragione 8.0 Level: Robichek 9.0 Level: Salnikowa 10.0 Level: Tomasini
Queens Championships winners at 6.0, 7.0 and 8.0 Levels will advance to the Metro Regional Championships on May 14 at the Cary Leeds Tennis Center, as the 9.0 and 10.0 Level teams from Queens advance directly to Sectional Championships in June.
The Manhattan and Queens Men’s and Women’s seasons are well underway, with Brooklyn and Staten Island beginning later in the month of May. To learn more about USTA’s Metro Leagues, visit MetroTennis.com, “Like USTA Metro League” on Facebook, and follow the Metro League on Twitter @MetroTennisNY, and on Instagram at @MetroTennis_NY.
4 Fantastic Advantage Day Camps Summer tennis, summer fun – for everyone! Sign up today. Sports & Arts at Manhattan Plaza Racquet Club, ages 4-12 All-City Junior Tennis at Roosevelt Island Racquet Club (RIRC), ages 6-17 Sports & Arts at RIRC, ages 5-14 High Performance Elite Academy at New York Tennis Club, ages 11 & up
Visit advantagecamps.net NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2016 • New York Tennis Magazine
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Finding That Ideal Doubles Partner: Part II In the March/April 2016 issue of New York Tennis Magazine, I discussed the ways in which the partner of the server can be instrumental in helping hold serve. Let’s talk about some other ways partners can be helpful to each other. First and foremost is to be constantly supportive when shots are missed by your partner. Only positive comments should be made, remember you are going to miss shots, and nobody is trying to lose a point.
As covered in the last article, communication between partners is essential. When your team is receiving, let each other know where the return is going. If you are playing a serve and volley, partners can really help each other out. The return player wants to keep the return low and short, near the service line, to force the server to have to bend low and volley up allowing the partner to move in and cut that volley off. If you are the partner of the returner, be ready when you see that good low return, start to move in and toward the center strap right before the server hits that first volley.
versa, if the ball is on the opponent’s deuce side–slide left. As it’s said, move as if you had a rope tied between yourselves. Lastly, we all have had points of which both partners are scrambling to stay in the point. The partner in the rear now becomes the quarterback. That’s the player who can see where the other partner is. The partner in the front has no idea where the rear partner is on the court. So, if you’re in one of those points and in the back, you have to constantly tell your partner up front to switch or stay as only you can see the whole court.
Next, try to cover your own overheads. Constantly saying “yours” to your partner causes your team to have to switch sides, taking the team out of position leaving gaps in the formation. Obviously, there will be times when a switch is better than losing the point immediately, but try to keep them at a minimum.
When you both are up at net. move from side to side in tandem. When the ball is on the ad side of the net, slide right as a team. The partner on the deuce side moves toward the alley while the partner on the ad side moves toward the center service line, and vice-
Bill Longua is the tennis director and head pro at Palm Island Resort in Cape Haze, Fla. Bill is a member of the USPTA, has been teaching tennis for more than 35 years and is the author of Winning Test Strokes. Bill also enjoys teaching tennis on his Web site, OnlineTennisTraining.com. Search the Apple App Store or Google Play for Bill’s new 117-lesson app, “Complete Tennis Mastery” or to purchase Bill’s book, visit OnlineTennisTraining.com. He may be reached by e-mail at Bill@OnlineTennisTraining.com.
By Bill Longua
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NEW YORK TENNIS CLUB
CARY LEEDS CENTER FOR TENNIS & LEARNING Elena Bantovska—Director, Advanced Training
1720 Crotona Avenue • Bronx, N.Y. (347) 417-8168 ebantovska@nyjtl.org NYJTL.org CENTERCOURT PERFORMANCE TENNIS CENTER Clay Bibbee—Managing Partner and Academy Founder
65 Columbia Road • Morristown, N.J. (973) 635-1222 clay@centercourtclub.com CenterCourtClub.com GOTHAM TENNIS ACADEMY Eric Faro—Director of Tennis
358 West End Avenue #3A New York, N.Y. (646) 524-7069 info@gothamtennis.com GothamTennis.com MANHATTAN PLAZA RACQUET CLUB Gertrud Wilhelm—General Manager
DIRECTORY
RIVERDALE TENNIS CENTER
3671 Hudson Manor Terrace Riverdale, NY 10463 718-796-7400 www.riverdaletennis.com ROOSEVELT ISLAND RACQUET CLUB Tom Manhart—Membership Director
281 Main Street Roosevelt Island, N.Y. (212) 935-0250 tmanhart@rirctennis.com AdvantageTennisClubs.com ROSS SCHOOL TENNIS ACADEMY
18 Goodfriend Drive East Hampton, N.Y. (631) 907-5162 www.ross.org/tennisacademy SOUTHAMPTON RACQUET CLUB & CAMP
665 Majors Path • Southampton, N.Y. (631) 488-4700 SouthamptonRCC.com
450 West 43rd Street • New York, N.Y. (212) 594-0554 gwilhelm@advantagetennisclubs.com AdvantageTennisClubs.com
SPORTIME RANDALL’S ISLAND Flagship Home of the John McEnroe Tennis Academy Allison Hodgkins—Assistant General Manager Jared Karlebach—Assistant General Manager
MATCHPOINT NYC Nino Muhatasov—Co-Founder & Director
One Randall’s Island • New York, N.Y. (212) 427-6150 ahodgkins@sportimeny.com jkarlebach@sportimeny.com SportimeNY.com/Manhattan
2781 Shell Road • Brooklyn, N.Y. info@matchpoint.nyc MatchPoint.NYC MIDTOWN TENNIS CLUB Jennifer Brown—Director
341 8th Avenue • New York, N.Y. (212) 989-8572 midtowntennisnyc@gmail.com MidtownTennis.com NEW YORK TENNIS CLUB Lauren Hartman—General Manager
3081 Harding Avenue • Bronx, N.Y. (718) 239-7916 lhartman.nytci@gmail.com AdvantageTennisClubs.com
SPORTIME HARBOR ISLAND Carlos Campo—Regional General Manager, Westchester Clubs Guillermo Ripoll-Brenot—Assistant Director of Tennis Cathi Pizzo—Assistant Regional General Manager, Westchester Clubs
Harbor Island Park PO Box 783 Mamaroneck, N.Y. (914) 777-5151 ccampo@sportimeny.com Sportimeny.com/Harbor-Island
SPORTIME LAKE ISLE John McEnroe Tennis Academy, Westchester Carlos Campo—Regional General Manager, Westchester Clubs Fritz Buehning—Director of Tennis, JMTA Cathi Pizzo—Assistant Regional General Manager, Westchester Clubs
660 White Plains Road • Eastchester, N.Y. (914) 777-5151 ccampo@sportimeny.com Sportimeny.com/Lake-Isle SPORTIME SCHENECTADY Jed Murray—General Manager Philippe Ceas—Director of Tennis
2699 Curry Road • Schenectady, N.Y. (518) 356-0100 jmurray@sportimeny.com SportimeNY.com/Schenectady STADIUM TENNIS CENTER AT MILL POND Joel Kassan—Executive Director
725 Gateway Center Boulevard Bronx, N.Y. (718) 665-4684 joel@gothamtennis.com StadiumtennisNYC.com TENNIS INNOVATORS NYC Juan Andrade—Executive Director
520 2nd Avenue (Kips Bay Court) 899 10th Avenue (John Jay Court) New York, N.Y. (646) 476-5811 TennisInnovators.com USTA BILLIE JEAN KING NATIONAL TENNIS CENTER Whitney Kraft—Director of Tennis
Flushing Meadows Corona Park Flushing, N.Y. (718) 760-6200 kraft@usta.com USTA.com WEST SIDE TENNIS CLUB Bob Ingersole—Director of Tennis
1 Tennis Place • Forest Hills, N.Y. (718) 268-2300 tennisdirector@foresthillstennis.com ForestHillsTennis.com
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NEW Boys & Girls Metro Rankings (as of 04/15/16)
BOYS Metro Boys 12 Singles Rank Name ................................City 1 ......Safin Shaikh......................Bayside, N.Y. 2 ......Christian Bobko................Bronx, N.Y. 3 ......Joshua Staroselskiy ........Brooklyn, N.Y. 4 ......Dylan Lachmanen ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 5 ......Ty Justin Staco-Towns ....Brooklyn, N.Y. 6 ......Jack Charles Benavides ..New York, N.Y. 7 ......Michael Zlatnik ................Forest Hills, N.Y. 8 ......Nicholas Jozef Zagora ....Staten Island, N.Y. 9 ......Dominick Mosejczuk........East Elmhurst, N.Y. 10 ....Ronald Aaron Fridlyand ..Forest Hills, N.Y. 11 ....Sebastian Brustein ..........Brooklyn, N.Y. 12 ....Sacha Maes......................New York, N.Y. 13 ....Charles Robertson ..........Whitestone, N.Y. 14 ....Bobby Duskin ..................Brooklyn, N.Y. 15 ....Noah Katzer......................Brooklyn, N.Y. 16 ....Ryan Friedman ................New York, N.Y. 17 ....Cal R. Wider......................New York, N.Y. 18 ....Arnav Agostinho ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 19 ....Mathias Isaac Davila ........Whitestone, N.Y. 20 ....Gabriel de Kergorlay ........New York, N.Y. 21 ....Daniel Atkin ......................Brooklyn, N.Y. 22 ....Andrew R. Ena..................Rego Park, N.Y. 23 ....Theodore R. Murphy........New York, N.Y. 24 ....Joshua Ashvil ..................Forest Hills, N.Y. 25 ....Rafe Photopoulos ............New York, N.Y. 26 ....Jack Griffin........................New York, N.Y. 27 ....David Alan Khaimov ........Jamaica, N.Y. 28 ....John Hilledgar ..................New York, N.Y. 29 ....Yash Bhandari More ........New York, N.Y. 30 ....Bhawick Singh..................East Elmhurst, N.Y. 31 ....Jake Srebnick ..................Brooklyn, N.Y. 32 ....Santiago Espejel ..............New York, N.Y. 33 ....Teddy J. Ryan ..................Brooklyn, N.Y. 34 ....Achille Sarachek ..............New York, N.Y. 35 ....Benjamin Elliot Emag ......Brooklyn, N.Y. 36 ....Jordan Rechtschaffen......New York, N.Y. 37 ....Isadore Jude Axinn ..........Brooklyn, N.Y. 38 ....Santiago Soto ..................New York, N.Y. 39 ....Zecheng Fang ..................New York, N.Y. 40 ....Murat Gulcelik ..................New York, N.Y.
Metro Boys 14 Singles Rank Name ................................City 1 ......Ryuichi Nitta ....................Bronx, N.Y. 2 ......Connor P. Dunne ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 3 ......Brandon Torres ................Bronx, N.Y. 4 ......Dylan Lachmanen ..........Brooklyn, N.Y. 5 ......Matthew Mosejczuk ........East Elmhurst, N.Y. 6 ......Eugene Fishman ..............Rego Park, N.Y. 7 ......Ryan David Brandes ........Rego Park, N.Y. 8 ......Simon Camacho ..............New York, N.Y. 9 ......Daniel Galisteo Gordon....New York, N.Y. 10 ....Jasper Hunt Thomas ......New York, N.Y. 11 ....Winter Forest Fagerberg..New York, N.Y. 12 ....Waley Chen ......................Oakland Gardens, N.Y. 13 ....Neel M. Epstein ................New York, N.Y. 14 ....Tadd Long ........................Woodside, N.Y. 15 ....Solomon Brown ..............New York, N.Y. 16 ....Kevin Daniel Golub ..........New York, N.Y. 17 ....Sabian Kosinov ................Forest Hills, N.Y. 18 ....Liam J. Dunne ..................Brooklyn, N.Y. 19 ....Alfonso Laffont ................New York, N.Y
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YORK
20 ....Sunjay Dev Singh ............New York, N.Y. 21 ....Jack Charles Benavides ..New York, N.Y. 22 ....Donald James Smith........Roosevelt Island, N.Y. 23 ....Nicholas Wernink ............New York, N.Y. 24 ....Anton Semenov................New York, N.Y. 25 ....Cooper Williams ..............New York, N.Y. 26 ....Milian Kavi Jain ................New York, N.Y. 27 ....George Manuel Arteaga ..East Elmhurst, N.Y. 28 ....Nicholas Oblonsky ..........Brooklyn, N.Y. 29 ....Rohan Gold ......................Forest Hills, N.Y. 30 ....Ethan King ........................New York, N.Y. 31 ....Michael Zlatnik ................Forest Hills, N.Y. 32 ....Guy Ferrera ......................New York, N.Y. 33 ....Andres Fente ....................New York, N.Y. 34 ....Michael Cooper................Brooklyn, N.Y. 35 ....Zachary Portnoy ..............New York, N.Y. 36 ....Rino Cattabiani ................Flushing, N.Y. 37 ....Yesh Nikam ......................New York, N.Y. 38 ....Bhawick Singh..................East Elmhurst, N.Y. 39 ....Kole Henry Moses............New York, N.Y. 40 ....Donovan Brown ..............New York, N.Y.
Metro Boys 16 Singles Rank Name ................................City 1 ......Richard Wickman ............Bayside, N.Y. 2 ......Daniel Leon Maseyev ......Brooklyn, N.Y. 3 ......Simon Camacho ..............New York, N.Y. 4 ......Jonathan Glinsky..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 5 ......Alex Portnoy ....................New York, N.Y. 6 ......Fayed Fayaz Uddin..........Elmhurst, N.Y. 7 ......Alfonso Laffont ................New York, N.Y. 8 ......Christopher Tham ............Flushing, N.Y. 9 ......David Krasner ..................Staten Island, N.Y. 10 ....Michael Kaydin ................Brooklyn, N.Y. 11 ....Sadi Gulcelik ....................New York, N.Y. 12 ....Harry Portnoy ..................New York, N.Y. 13 ....Dominik Pajor ..................Brooklyn, N.Y. 14 ....True Waaktaar-Savoy ......Brooklyn, N.Y. 15 ....Tadd Long ........................Woodside, N.Y. 16 ....Leonidas Vrailas ..............New York, N.Y. 17 ....Connor P. Dunne ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 18 ....Eugene Fishman ..............Rego Park, N.Y. 19 ....Marcos Souza Lee ..........New York, N.Y. 20 ....Jeffrey McCready ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 21 ....Illya Semenov ..................New York, N.Y. 22 ....Donald James Smith........Roosevelt Island, N.Y. 23 ....Alex Robert Goldstein......New York, N.Y. 24 ....George Manuel Arteaga ..East Elmhurst, N.Y. 25 ....Liam J. Dunne ..................Brooklyn, N.Y. 26 ....Robert Ivko ......................Staten Island, N.Y. 27 ....Matthew Mosejczuk ........East Elmhurst, N.Y. 28 ....Jeffrey Yu ..........................Forest Hills, N.Y. 29 ....John C. Bricker ................New York, N.Y. 30 ....Jaime Gomez ..................New York, N.Y. 31 ....Yarden Hahn ....................New York, N.Y. 32 ....Max Schindel....................New York, N.Y. 33 ....Albert Y. Wan ....................Forest Hills, N.Y. 34 ....Igor Maslov ......................Brooklyn, N.Y. 35 ....Derek Lung ......................Brooklyn, N.Y. 36 ....John-Tomas Bilski............New York, N.Y. 37 ....William Kofman ................Queens Village, N.Y. 38 ....Rino Cattabiani ................Flushing, N.Y. 39 ....Henry William Firestone ..New York, N.Y. 40 ....Alexander Kucherina........Brooklyn, N.Y.
Metro Boys 18 Singles Rank Name ................................City 1 ......Fayed Fayaz Uddin..........Elmhurst, N.Y. 2 ......Richard Wickman ............Bayside, N.Y. 3 ......Alexander Chiu ................New York, N.Y.
RANKINGS 4 5 6 7 8 9
......Lucas Larese DeSanto ....New York, N.Y. ......Yarden Hahn ....................New York, N.Y. ......Nicholas James Ostrovsky Staten Island, N.Y. ......Michael Dozortsev ..........Brooklyn, N.Y. ......Daniel Usvyat....................Forest Hills, N.Y. ......Connor Ryan Crowley......Bronx, N.Y.
GIRLS Metro Girls 12 Singles Rank Name ................................City 1 ......Natalie Bergmann ............Forest Hills, N.Y. 2 ......Kelly Chen ........................Forest Hills, N.Y. 3 ......Alina Ongeyberg ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 4 ......Rachel Zhang ..................Forest Hills, N.Y. 5 ......Jordan Ben-Shmuel ........New York, N.Y. 6 ......Rosie Isabella Seccia ......New York, N.Y. 7 ......Jala Atkinson ....................New York, N.Y. 8 ......Nicolette Fundator ..........Brooklyn, N.Y. 9 ......Sheyna Esther Karen ......New York, N.Y. 10 ....Tess Ariel Whitman ..........New York, N.Y. 11 ....Blakely Dushkin................New York, N.Y. 12 ....Juliana Hornak ................Brooklyn, N.Y. 13 ....Ava Dahl............................New York, N.Y. 14 ....Catalina Haberman ..........New York, N.Y. 15 ....Sophia Montero................Brooklyn, N.Y. 16 ....Kira Diaz............................Richmond Hill, N.Y. 17 ....Isabella Sofia Mandis ......New York, N.Y. 18 ....Sophia Cisse ....................New York, N.Y. 19 ....Sofie Shen ........................New York, N.Y. 20 ....Maxie Molly Karen............New York, N.Y. 21 ....Karah C. Augustin ............Saint Albans, N.Y. 22 ....Ronit Khromchenko ........Staten Island, N.Y. 23 ....Mia Saveljic ......................New York, N.Y. 24 ....Sasha Noel Ryder ............Staten Island, N.Y. 25 ....Fuschia Steward ..............New York, N.Y. 26 ....Charlie Eve Liss................New York, N.Y. 27 ....Samantha Bentsianov......Staten Island, N.Y. 28 ....Elizabeth RBentsianov ....Staten Island, N.Y. 29 ....Brooke Hoffman ..............New York, N.Y. 30 ....Jasmine Leon Soon ........Brooklyn, N.Y. 31 ....Julia Dementyev ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 32 ....Patricia Grigoras ..............Middle Village, N.Y. 33 ....Julia T. Werdiger ..............New York, N.Y. 34 ....Gabrielle Sophie Usvyat ..Forest Hills, N.Y. 35 ....Abigail Hammer................Astoria, N.Y. 36 ....Sabine Abeia ....................New York, N.Y. 37 ....Adriana Rose Hornak ......Brooklyn, N.Y. 38 ....Langley Beaudoin ............New York, N.Y. 39 ....Talia Helen Kahan ............New York, N.Y. 40 ....Maria Volkov ....................Staten Island, N.Y.
Metro Girls 14 Singles Rank Name ................................City 1 ......Niki Truszkowski ..............Middle Village, N.Y. 2 ......Anna Borovinskaya ..........Bronx, N.Y. 3 ......Jamila Akhmedjanova......New York, N.Y. 4 ......Alanna Levitt ....................New York, N.Y. 5 ......Nicole Koi Massa ............Astoria, N.Y. 6 ......Rachel Zhang ..................Forest Hills, N.Y. 7 ......Beyonce Blake ................Brooklyn, N.Y. 8 ......Cassie Tian ......................Flushing, N.Y. 9 ......Emma Eisenberg..............New York, N.Y. 10 ....Nadzeya Fliaha ................Brooklyn, N.Y. 11 ....Leah Margulies ................New York, N.Y. 12 ....Kelly Chen ........................Forest Hills, N.Y. 13 ....Jordan Ben-Shmuel ........New York, N.Y. 14 ....Celina Liu ..........................Forest Hills, N.Y. 15 ....Nathalie Williams..............New York, N.Y. 16 ....Leila M. Epstein................New York, N.Y. 17 ....Nicolette Fundator ..........Brooklyn, N.Y.
New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2016 • NYTennisMag.com
18 ....Sheyna Esther Karen ......New York, N.Y. 19 ....Ellie Sullivan......................New York, N.Y. 20 ....Hillary Sherpa ..................Astoria, N.Y. 21 ....Natalie Bergmann ............Forest Hills, N.Y. 22 ....Casey Brandes ................Rego Park, N.Y. 23 ....Katrine Zlatnik ..................Forest Hills, N.Y. 24 ....Tess Ariel Whitman ..........New York, N.Y. 25 ....Sofia Allinson....................New York, N.Y. 26 ....Alina Abramoff..................Brooklyn, N.Y. 27 ....Nia Simone Benjamin ......Brooklyn, N.Y. 28 ....Isabella Sifuentes ............Flushing, N.Y. 29 ....Laura Coleman ................New York, N.Y. 30 ....Josephine Kimball............New York, N.Y. 31 ....Nia Lashawn Dabreo ......Brooklyn, N.Y. 32 ....Alexandra Peeler ..............New York, N.Y. 33 ....Isabelle Grace Casimir ....New York, N.Y. 34 ....Isabella T. Hartman ..........New York, N.Y. 35 ....Catalina Haberman ..........New York, N.Y. 36 ....Nadezhda M. Blot ............Arverne, N.Y. 37 ....Kristina Pali ......................Briarwood, N.Y. 38 ....Tess Anna Price................Brooklyn, N.Y. 39 ....Sofie Shen ........................New York, N.Y. 40 ....Abigail Hammer................Astoria, N.Y.
Metro Girls 16 Singles Rank Name ................................City 1 ......Alanna Levitt ....................New York, N.Y. 2 ......Gianna Gaudio ................Staten Island, N.Y. 3 ......Natalie Marguiles..............New York, N.Y. 4 ......Mariam Shengelia ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 5 ......Maryna Bohdanovska......Brooklyn, N.Y. 6 ......Jamila Akhmedjanova......New York, N.Y. 7 ......Anna Borovinskaya ..........Bronx, N.Y. 8 ......Barbara Podvorchani ......Bronx, N.Y. 9 ......Celina Liu ..........................Forest Hills, N.Y. 10 ....Nicole Koi Massa ............Astoria, N.Y. 11 ....Audrey Pacthod ..............New York, N.Y. 12 ....Bella Kaplan......................New York, N.Y. 13 ....Nadejda Maslova ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 14 ....Theodora Vrailas ..............New York, N.Y. 15 ....Kristina Pali ......................Briarwood, N.Y. 16 ....Hillary Sherpa ..................Astoria, N.Y. 17 ....Masha Serjantov ..............New York, N.Y. 18 ....Tomi Alalade ....................Rosedale, N.Y. 19 ....Niki Truszkowski ..............Middle Village, N.Y. 20 ....Mia Simone Parrish..........Queens Village, N.Y. 21 ....Prthvi Srinivasan ..............New York, N.Y. 22 ....Carolyn Silverstein............New York, N.Y.
Metro Girls 18 Singles Rank Name ................................City 1 2 3 4
......Tamila Latif-Zade..............Brooklyn, N.Y. ......Miriam Irfan Aziz ..............Staten Island, N.Y. ......Anna Borovinskaya ..........Bronx, N.Y. ......Marian Shengelia..............Brooklyn, N.Y.
NEW Boys & Girls Sectional Rankings (as of 04/20/16)
BOYS Sectional Boys 12 Singles— Metro Region Rank Name............................City 3 ......Sebastian Sec ..................New York, N.Y. 4 ......Cooper Williams ..............New York, N.Y. 6 ......Ty Switzer..........................New York, N.Y. 7 ......Wesley Zhang ..................Staten Island, N.Y. 14 ....Joseph Phillips ................New York, N.Y. 15 ....John-Thomas Bilski ........New York, N.Y. 20 ....Tyler Korobov....................Brooklyn, N.Y. 24 ....Donovan Spigner ............New York, N.Y. 27 ....Jace Alexander ................New York, N.Y. 28 ....Sachin Palta......................Forest Hills, N.Y. 34 ....Nicholas Steiglehner ........New York, N.Y. 35 ....Adrien Svilen Jippov ........New York, N.Y. 36 ....Astro Brundo Pilipovic ....New York, N.Y. 39 ....Nicholas Laffont ..............New York, N.Y. 46 ....Ari Hercules Cotoulas ......Brooklyn, N.Y. 50 ....Noah Abels Eisenberg ....New York, N.Y. 52 ....Kole Henry Moses............New York, N.Y. 56 ....Solomon Brown ..............New York, N.Y. 59 ....Rafe Photopoulos ............New York, N.Y. 60 ....Nicholas Murphy ..............New York, N.Y. 66 ....Sacha Maes......................New York, N.Y. 67 ....David Krasner ..................Staten Island, N.Y. 69 ....Sabian Kosinov ................Forest Hills, N.Y. 71 ....Coby Matthew Brown......New York, N.Y. 72 ....Benjamin Kantor ..............New York, N.Y. 73 ....Joshua Ashvil ..................Forest Hills, N.Y. 75 ....Samuel Benjamin Zeitlin ..Brooklyn, N.Y. 78 ....Benjamin Ebanks ............New York, N.Y. 87 ....Luca Photopoulos............New York, N.Y. 96 ....Stephan M. Gershfeld......New York, N.Y. 101 ..Safin Shaikh......................Long Island City, N.Y. 104 ..Dylan Lachmanen ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 105 ..David Dove Hendon ........New York, N.Y. 106 ..Ty Justin Staco-Towns ....Brooklyn, N.Y. 108 ..Joshua Staroselskiy ........Brooklyn, N.Y. 110 ..Michael Zlatnik ................Forest Hills, N.Y. 112 ..Dominick Mosejczuk........East Elmhurst, N.Y. 113 ..Andres Fente ....................New York, N.Y. 116 ..Theodore R. Murphy........New York, N.Y. 117 ..Andrew R. Ena..................Rego Park, N.Y. 118 ..Nicholas Jozef Zagora ....Staten Island, N.Y. 128 ..Marko R. Gural ................New York, N.Y. 129 ..Santiago Espejel ..............New York, N.Y. 132 ..Charles Robertson ..........Whitestone, N.Y. 135 ..Sebastian Brustein ..........Brooklyn, N.Y. 144 ..Bobby Duskin ..................Brooklyn, N.Y. 144 ..Nicholas Lantosca............New York, N.Y. 150 ..Cal R. Wider......................New York, N.Y.
Sectional Boys 14 Singles— Metro Region Rank Name............................City 3 ......Jeffrey Fradkin..................New York, N.Y. 13 ....Noah Edelman..................New York, N.Y. 14 ....Brandon T. Cohen ............New York, N.Y. 16 ....Joseph Wilkanowski ........Long Island City, N.Y. 22 ....Robbie F. Werdiger ..........New York, N.Y. 27 ....Wesley Zhang ..................Staten Island, N.Y. 29 ....Tyler Korobov....................Brooklyn, N.Y. 30 ....Maxwell Igor Kachkarov ..Flushing, N.Y. 31 ....John-Tomas Bilski............New York, N.Y.
YORK
33 ....Ryan McCook ..................Saint Albans, N.Y. 35 ....Kai Yuminaga....................Oakland Gardens, N.Y. 36 ....Blake Frank ......................New York, N.Y. 47 ....Hudson Beaudoin ............New York, N.Y. 48 ....Oliver Obeid......................New York, N.Y. 49 ....Marcos Souza Lee ..........New York, N.Y. 52 ....Oliver Worth......................New York, N.Y. 57 ....Sebastian Sec ..................New York, N.Y. 60 ....Anton Semenov................New York, N.Y. 68 ....Tristan Taylor ....................New York, N.Y. 72 ....Eitan Khromchenko ........Staten Island, N.Y. 74 ....Nash Crofoot Johnson ....New York, N.Y. 75 ....Sachin Palta......................Forest Hills, N.Y. 79 ....David Krasner ..................Staten Island, N.Y. 80 ....Noah Abels Eisenberg ....New York, N.Y. 81 ....Anthony Cataldo ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 83 ....Jeffrey McCready ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 85 ....Cooper Williams ..............New York, N.Y. 87 ....Donovan Brown ..............New York, N.Y. 94 ....Charles William Phillips....New York, N.Y. 98 ....Mitchel Pertsovsky ..........Brooklyn, N.Y. 99 ....Alex Portnoy ....................New York, N.Y. 105 ..Scott Fischer ....................New York, N.Y. 108 ..Jonathan Laforest ............Queens Village, N.Y. 109 ..Jonathan Glinsky..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 111 ..Winter Fagerberg..............New York, N.Y. 113 ..Harry Portnoy ..................New York, N.Y. 116 ..Milan Kavi Jain ................New York, N.Y. 118 ..Simon Camacho ..............New York, N.Y. 119 ..Zachary Portnoy ..............New York, N.Y. 120 ..Solomon Brown ..............New York, N.Y. 124 ..Bradley Bennett................New York, N.Y. 125 ..Benjamin Ebanks ............New York, N.Y. 128 ..Sisharth Chawla ..............New York, N.Y. 131 ..Matthew Mosejczuk ........East Elmhurst, N.Y. 133 ..Albert Y. Wan ....................Forest Hills, N.Y. 134 ..Ryuichi Nitta ....................Bronx, N.Y. 136 ..Spencer Tuck....................Brooklyn, N.Y. 139 ..Sunjay Dev Singh ............New York, N.Y. 140 ..Neel M. Epstein ................New York City, N.Y. 142 ..Gunner S. Overstrom ......New York, N.Y. 143 ..Jasper Hunt Thomas ......New York, N.Y.
Sectional Boys 16 Singles— Metro Region
RANKINGS 114 ..William Charles Phillips....New York, N.Y. 120 ..Christopher Tham ............Flushing, N.Y. 121 ..Derek Lung ......................Brooklyn, N.Y. 124 ..Maxwell Igor Kachkarov ..Flushing, N.Y. 129 ..Ilya Semenov....................New York, N.Y. 131 ..Jeffrey Fradkin..................New York, N.Y. 135 ..Kemal Irfan Aziz................Staten Island, N.Y. 136 ..Ameer Hosain ..................New York, N.Y. 138 ..Oliver Obeid......................New York, N.Y. 144 ..Gregory Thomas Coe ......New York, N.Y. 146 ..Pieter Wernink ..................New York, N.Y.
Sectional Boys 18 Singles— Metro Region Rank Name............................City 17 ....Calvin Chung....................Bronx, N.Y. 18 ....Peter Lohrbach ................Little Neck, N.Y. 21 ....Oliver Sec..........................New York, N.Y. 28 ....Ananth Raghavan ............New York, N.Y. 41 ....Mitchell Ostrovsky............Brooklyn, N.Y. 46 ....Robert Kennedy ..............New York, N.Y. 54 ....Cole Gittens......................New York, N.Y. 60 ....Ethan Nittolo ....................Flushing, N.Y. 65 ....Nicholas Pustilnik ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 77 ....Avery Bicks ......................New York, N.Y. 86 ....Adam Bryan Borak ..........Brooklyn, N.Y. 89 ....Zachary Jordan Lieb........New York, N.Y. 100 ..Sumit Sarkar ....................New York, N.Y. 101 ..Andreja Radevic ..............New York, N.Y. 105 ..Jacob Kern ......................New York, N.Y. 106 ..Gabriel Sifuentes..............Flushing, N.Y. 107 ..David Mizrahi....................Brooklyn, N.Y. 110 ..Shawn Jackson................Staten Island, N.Y. 126 ..Christopher Kolesnik........Staten Island, N.Y. 128 ..Kemel Irfan Aziz................Staten Island, N.Y. 130 ..Michael Tyutyunik ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 135 ..Felipe Osses-Konig..........Rego Park, N.Y. 140 ..Xavier Pacthod ................New York, N.Y. 142 ..Michael Dozortsev ..........Brooklyn, N.Y.
GIRLS Sectional Girls 12 Singles— Metro Region Rank Name............................City
Rank Name............................City 12 ....Gary C. Fishkin ................Staten Island, N.Y. 19 ....David Mizahi ....................Brooklyn, N.Y. 22 ....Igor Maslov ......................Brooklyn, N.Y. 24 ....Zachary Jordan Lieb........New York, N.Y. 25 ....Shawn Jackson................Staten Island, N.Y. 31 ....Lantis Wang......................New York, N.Y. 36 ....Steven Daniel Nazaroff ....Brooklyn, N.Y. 38 ....Allan Ethan Magid ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 39 ....Gabriel Sifuentes..............Flushing, N.Y. 47 ....Peter Frelinghuysen ........New York, N.Y. 48 ....Christopher Kolesnik........Staten Island, N.Y. 50 ....Nicholas Pustilnik ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 52 ....Sam Vagner ......................Staten Island, N.Y. 55 ....Ethan Leon........................Woodhaven, N.Y. 62 ....Jacob Kern ......................New York, N.Y. 75 ....Gabriel Isaac Rissman ....Brooklyn, N.Y. 81 ....Dylan Friedman ................Brooklyn, N.Y. 86 ....Jonah Jurick ....................New York, N.Y. 90 ....Shand Stephens ..............New York, N.Y. 98 ....Kai Yuminaga....................Oakland Gardens, N.Y. 100 ..Jeffrey Gorilovsky ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 107 ..Derek Raskopf..................New York, N.Y. 111 ..Richard Zusman ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 112 ..Felix Levine ......................Brooklyn, N.Y. 113 ..Blake Frank ......................New York, N.Y.
4 ......Daniella Benabraham ......New York, N.Y. 12 ....Lorraine Bergmann ..........Forest Hills, N.Y. 13 ....Natalie Eordekian ............Woodside, N.Y. 18 ....Sarah Lucy Youngberg ....New York, N.Y. 19 ....Michelle Kleynerman........Staten Island, N.Y. 26 ....Catalina Haberman ..........New York, N.Y. 29 ....Nathalie Williams..............New York, N.Y. 35 ....Sage Loudon....................New York, N.Y. 36 ....Alyssa An ..........................New York, N.Y. 38 ....Nina Wiese........................Flushing, N.Y. 43 ....Shakima Hotaki................Flushing, N.Y. 45 ....Lara Rose Berliner............New York, N.Y. 52 ....Julia T. Werdiger ..............New York, N.Y. 54 ....Leila M. Epstein................New York, N.Y. 61 ....Blakely Duskin..................New York, N.Y. 63 ....Bukky Alalade ..................Rosedale, N.Y. 73 ....Taylor Overstrom..............New York, N.Y. 76 ....Sofia Iantosca ..................New York, N.Y. 78 ....Emma Voykhanskaya ......Brooklyn, N.Y. 80 ....Alina Ongeyberg ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 87 ....Sophia Cisse ....................New York, N.Y. 89 ....Nicole Wooyin Lee ..........New York, N.Y. 95 ....Natalie Bergmann ............Forest Hills, N.Y. 101 ..Alina Kargin-Utkin ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 103 ..Kelly Chen ........................Forest Hills, N.Y. 104 ..Beyonce Blake ................Brooklyn, N.Y.
116 ..Rosie Isabella Seccia ......New York, N.Y. 120 ..Ava Dahl............................New York, N.Y. 128 ..Ronit Khromchenko ........Staten Island, N.Y. 133 ..Mia Saveljic ......................New York, N.Y. 136 ..Bianca Dumitru ................Forest Hills, N.Y. 137 ..Charlie Eve Liss................New York, N.Y.
Sectional Girls 14 Singles— Metro Region Rank Name............................City 5 ......Rosie Garcia Gross ..........New York, N.Y. 11 ....Perene Wang....................New York, N.Y. 19 ....Nadejda Maslova ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 23 ....Isabella Sinclair Cooper ..Brooklyn, N.Y. 35 ....Rachel Rubenzahl ............New York, N.Y. 36 ....Lorraine Bergmann ..........Forest Hills, N.Y. 38 ....Daniella Benabraham ......New York, N.Y. 40 ....Dakota Fordham ..............New York, N.Y. 41 ....Amy Kaplan ......................Brooklyn, N.Y. 45 ....Khyanna Singh ................Queens Village, N.Y. 48 ....Amanda Solecki ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 49 ....Michelle Kleynerman........Staten Island, N.Y. 51 ....Carolyn Brodsky ..............New York, N.Y. 53 ....Diana McCready ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 55 ....Diana Sosonkin ................Brooklyn, N.Y. 56 ....Rebecca Eliana Fisch ......New York, N.Y. 60 ....Shawnte Beale ................Bronx, N.Y. 63 ....Gabriella Eitkis..................Brooklyn, N.Y. 65 ....Sabrina Boada..................Woodhaven, N.Y. 66 ....Nathalie Williams..............New York, N.Y. 77 ....Jamila Akhmedjanova......New York, N.Y. 78 ....Zoe Kava ..........................New York, N.Y. 81 ....Anastasya Menshikova....Brooklyn, N.Y. 83 ....Daniela Hernandez ..........Corona, N.Y. 97 ....Marie Ivantechenko..........Brooklyn, N.Y. 99 ....Rachel Zhang ..................Forest Hills, N.Y. 108 ..Josephine Kimball............New York, N.Y. 109 ..Shakima Hotaki................Flushing, N.Y. 110 ..Medina Garunja................Bronx, N.Y. 114 ..Deliala Friedman ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 115 ..Anna Borovinskaya ..........Bronx, N.Y. 123 ..Catalina Haberman ..........New York, N.Y. 127 ..Sofia Allinson....................New York, N.Y. 128 ..Nia Lashawn Dabreo ......Brooklyn, N.Y. 138 ..Rebecca Sitkovetsky ......Staten Island, N.Y. 141 ..Niki Truszkowski ..............Middle Village, N.Y. 144 ..Cassie Tian ......................Flushing, N.Y. 145 ..Beyonce Blake ................Brooklyn, N.Y. 148 ..Emma Abels Eisenberg ..New York, N.Y.
Sectional Girls 16 Singles— Metro Region Rank Name............................City 5 ......Dasha Kourkina................Brooklyn, N.Y. 7 ......Michelle Sorokko..............Little Neck, N.Y. 14 ....Chelsea Williams..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 22 ....Shelly Yaloz ......................Little Neck, N.Y. 24 ....Rosie Garcia Gross ..........New York, N.Y. 28 ....Aleksandra Bekirova ........Brooklyn, N.Y. 33 ....Perene Wang....................New York, N.Y. 37 ....Christina M. Huynh ..........Astoria, N.Y. 38 ....Anastasia Koniaev............Forest Hills, N.Y. 39 ....Kyra Bergmann ................Forest Hills, N.Y. 40 ....Nicole Semenov ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 44 ....Lauren Munari ..................Middle Village, N.Y. 47 ....Dakota Fordham ..............New York, N.Y. 49 ....Valicia Browne ..................Brooklyn, N.Y. 50 ....Katherine Kachkarov........Flushing, N.Y. 55 ....Nadejda Maslova ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 61 ....Sarah Rahman..................East Elmhurst, N.Y.
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NEW 63 ....Diana Sosonkin ................Brooklyn, N.Y. 74 ....Jennifer Yu........................Forest Hills, N.Y. 84 ....Amy Kaplan ......................Brooklyn, N.Y. 87 ....Barbara Podvorchani ......Bronx, N.Y. 89 ....Anastasya Menshikova....Brooklyn, N.Y. 92 ....Miriam Irfan Aziz ..............Staten Island, N.Y. 97 ....Daniela Hernandez ..........Corona, N.Y. 101 ..Lia Kiam ............................New York, N.Y. 102 ..Nicole Mika ......................Staten Island, N.Y. 105 ..Sabrina Boada..................Woodhaven, N.Y. 108 ..Stephanie Li......................New York, N.Y. 111 ..Khyanna Singh ................Queens Village, N.Y. 118 ..Isabella T. Hartman ..........New York, N.Y. 127 ..Sofie Kate Levine ............New York, N.Y. 130 ..Jamila Akhmedjanova......New York, N.Y. 132 ..Shawnte Beale ................Bronx, N.Y. 138 ..Isabella Sinclair Cooper ..Brooklyn, N.Y. 140 ..Amalia M. Parrish ............Queens Village, N.Y. 147 ..Shakima Hotaki................Flushing, N.Y. 150 ..Kate Yamin........................New York, N.Y.
Sectional Girls 18 Singles— Metro Region Rank Name............................City 9 ......Alexandra Koniaev ..........Forest Hills, N.Y. 20 ....Sheely Yaloz ....................Little Neck, N.Y. 22 ....Alexus Gill ........................Brooklyn, N.Y. 28 ....Jessica Livianu ................Brooklyn, N.Y. 31 ....Victoria Sec ......................New York, N.Y. 32 ....Sonia Tartakovsky ............New York, N.Y. 43 ....Yuka Lin ............................Kew Gardens, N.Y. 48 ....Patricia Obeid ..................New York, N.Y. 50 ....Valicia Browne ..................Brooklyn, N.Y. 51 ....Lisa Marchelska ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 56 ....Michelle Sorokko..............Little Neck, N.Y. 63 ....Jillian Rose Auteri ............Staten Island, N.Y. 67 ....Lauren Elizabeth Munari ..Middle Village, N.Y. 68 ....Dakota Fordham ..............New York, N.Y. 69 ....Jennifer Yu........................Forest Hills, N.Y. 73 ....Kiara A. Rose....................New York, N.Y. 74 ....Emma Brandes Kassan ..New York, N.Y. 75 ....Anastasia Koniaev............Forest Hills, N.Y. 78 ....Miriam Irfan Aziz ..............Staten Island, N.Y. 80 ....Isabelle Rovinski ..............New York, N.Y. 89 ....Dasha Kourkina................Brooklyn, N.Y. 91 ....Isis Gill ..............................Brooklyn, N.Y. 96 ....Anna Maite Kaplan ..........New York, N.Y. 99 ....Jessica Golovin ................New York, N.Y. 103 ..Katherine Kachkarov........Flushing, N.Y. 104 ..Amy Kaplan ......................Brooklyn, N.Y. 107 ..Kyra Bergmann ................Forest Hills, N.Y. 108 ..Dea Koiava ......................New York, N.Y. 109 ..Sarah Rahman..................East Elmhurst, N.Y. 110 ..Sydney Lynn Katz ............New York, N.Y. 111 ..Nicole Semenov ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 112 ..Nicole Khorosh ................Brooklyn, N.Y. 124 ..Khyanna Singh ................Queens Village, N.Y. 131 ..Christina M. Huynh ..........Astoria, N.Y. 133 ..Sophia Kryloff ..................Brooklyn, N.Y. 134 ..Nadejda Maslova ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 135 ..Tamila Latif-Zade..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 136 ..Anastasya Menshikova....Brooklyn, N.Y. 138 ..Stephanie Li......................New York, N.Y. 142 ..Daniela Hernandez ..........Corona, N.Y.
YORK
Boys & Girls National Rankings (as of 04/20/16)
BOYS National Boys 12 Singles— Metro Region Rank ..Name ..........................City 20 ....Sebastian Sec ..................New York, N.Y. 29 ....Cooper Williams ..............New York, N.Y. 31 ....Wesley Zhang ..................Staten Island, N.Y. 38 ....John-Tomas Bilski............New York, N.Y. 78 ....Ty Switzer..........................New York, N.Y. 154 ..Tyler Korobov....................Brooklyn, N.Y. 166 ..Jace K. Alexander ............New York, N.Y. 213 ..Sachin Palta......................Forest Hills, N.Y. 217 ..Donovan Spigner ............New York, N.Y. 265 ..Joseph Phillips ................New York, N.Y. 314 ..Kole Henry Moses............New York, N.Y. 427 ..Nicholas Steiglehner ........New York, N.Y. 492 ..Nicholas Laffont ..............New York, N.Y. 503 ..Astro Brundo Pilipovic ....New York, N.Y. 521 ..Adrien Svilen Jippov ........New York, N.Y. 526 ..Noah Abels Eisenberg ....New York, N.Y. 548 ..Solomon Brown ..............New York, N.Y. 695 ..Sabian Kosinov ................Forest Hills, N.Y. 767 ..Nicholas Murphy ..............New York, N.Y. 779 ..Rafe Photopoulos ............New York, N.Y. 780 ..Luca Photopoulos............New York, N.Y. 943 ..Ari Hercules Cotoulas ......Brooklyn, N.Y. 947 ..Andres Fente ....................New York, N.Y. 961 ..Benjamin Kantor ..............New York, N.Y. 988 ..Hyat Oyer..........................New York, N.Y. 989 ..Julian Joaquin Vasquez ..New York, N.Y.
National Boys 14 Singles— Metro Region Rank ..Name ..........................City 40 ....Jeffrey Fradkin..................New York, N.Y. 190 ..Noah D. Edelman ............New York, N.Y. 202 ..Robbie Werdiger ..............New York, N.Y. 217 ..Brandon T. Cohen ............New York, N.Y. 236 ..Joseph Wilkanowski ........Long Island City, N.Y. 381 ..Wesley Zhang ..................Staten Island, N.Y. 388 ..Sebastian Sec ..................New York, N.Y. 475 ..Oliver Worth......................Long Island City, N.Y. 480 ..John-Tomas Bilski............New York, N.Y. 481 ..Hudson Beaudoin ............New York, N.Y. 494 ..Oliver Obeid......................New York, N.Y. 514 ..Marcos Souza Lee ..........New York, N.Y. 518 ..Kai Yuminaga....................Oakland Gardens, N.Y. 532 ..Harry Portnoy ..................New York, N.Y. 534 ..Blake Frank ......................New York, N.Y. 584 ..Maxwell Igor Kachkarov ..Flushing, N.Y. 626 ..Tyler Korobov....................Brooklyn, N.Y. 696 ..Tristan Taylor ....................New York, N.Y. 725 ..Donovan Brown ..............New York, N.Y. 762 ..Zachary Portnoy ..............New York, N.Y. 857 ..Alex Portnoy ....................New York, N.Y. 934 ..Jeffrey McCready ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 938 ..Charles William Phillips....New York, N.Y.
National Boys 16 Singles— Metro Region Rank ..Name ..........................City 113 ..Gary C. Fishkin ................Staten Island, N.Y. 275 ..Lantis Wang......................New York, N.Y. 313 ..Zachary Jordan Lieb........New York, N.Y.
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RANKINGS 464 ..David Mizrahi....................Brooklyn, N.Y. 533 ..Shawn Jackson................Staten Island, N.Y. 535 ..Jacob Kern ......................New York, N.Y. 548 ..Allan Ethan Magdid..........Brooklyn, N.Y. 567 ..Steven Daniel Nazaroff ....Brooklyn, N.Y. 610 ..Nicholas Pustilnik ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 613 ..Gabriel Sifuentes..............Flushing, N.Y. 647 ..Sam V. Vagner ..................Staten Island, N.Y. 750 ..Ethan Leon........................Woodhaven, N.Y. 754 ..Peter Frelinghuysen ........New York, N.Y. 839 ..Christopher Kolesnik........Staten Island, N.Y. 879 ..Derek Raskopf..................New York, N.Y. 909 ..Igor Maslov ......................Brooklyn, N.Y. 921 ..Jeffrey Gorilovsky ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 938 ..Dylan Friedman ................Brooklyn, N.Y.
National Boys 18 Singles— Metro Region Rank ..Name ..........................City 111 ..Oliver Sec..........................New York, N.Y. 205 ..Peter Lohrbach ................Little Neck, N.Y. 208 ..Ananth Raghavan ............New York, N.Y. 287 ..Ethan Nittolo ....................Flushing, N.Y. 412 ..Robert Kennedy ..............New York, N.Y. 450 ..Cole Gittens......................New York, N.Y. 679 ..Mitchell Ostrovsky............Brooklyn, N.Y. 689 ..Calvin Chung....................Bronx, N.Y. 703 ..Felipe Osses-Konig..........Rego Park, N.Y. 982 ..Adam Bryan Borak ..........Brooklyn, N.Y.
GIRLS National Girls 12 Singles— Metro Region Rank ..Name ..........................City 14 ....Daniella Benabraham ......New York, N.Y. 85 ....Lorraine Bergmann ..........Forest Hills, N.Y. 189 ..Sarah Lucy Youngberg ....New York, N.Y. 201 ..Nathalie Williams..............New York, N.Y. 203 ..Natalie Eordekian ............Woodside, N.Y. 229 ..Michelle Kleynerman........Staten Island, N.Y. 282 ..Alyssa An ..........................New York, N.Y. 302 ..Shakima Hotaki................Flushing, N.Y. 375 ..Sage Loudon....................New York, N.Y. 696 ..Catalina Haberman ..........New York, N.Y. 906 ..Lara Rose Berliner............New York, N.Y. 916 ..Nina Wiese........................Flushing, N.Y. 939 ..Julia T. Werdiger ..............New York, N.Y. 947 ..Sophia Cisse ....................New York, N.Y. 948 ..Blakely Duskin..................Brooklyn, N.Y.
National Girls 14 Singles— Metro Region Rank ..Name ..........................City38 Rosie Garcia Gross ....................New York, N.Y. 67 ....Perene Wang....................New York, N.Y. 208 ..Nadejda Maslova ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 400 ..Rachel Rubenzahl ............New York, N.Y. 435 ..Kyra Bergmann ................Forest Hills, N.Y. 468 ..Isabella Sinclair Cooper ..Brooklyn, N.Y. 511 ..Diana McCready ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 514 ..Khyanna Singh ................Queens Village, N.Y. 612 ..Diana Sosonkin ................Brooklyn, N.Y. 627 ..Amy Kaplan ......................Brooklyn, N.Y. 638 ..Marie Ivantechenko..........Brooklyn, N.Y. 768 ..Amanda Solecki ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 833 ..Shawnte Natalique Beale Bronx, N.Y. 851 ..Carolyn Brodsky ..............New York, N.Y. 899 ..Rebecca Elaina Fisch ......New York, N.Y. 932 ..Daniella Benabraham ......New York, N.Y.
New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2016 • NYTennisMag.com
959 ..Nathalie Williams..............New York, N.Y. 998 ..Zoe Kava ..........................New York, N.Y.
National Girls 16 Singles— Metro Region Rank ..Name ..........................City 23 ....Dasha Kourkina................Brooklyn, N.Y. 33 ....Michelle Sorokko..............Little Neck, N.Y. 85 ....Shelly Yaloz ......................Little Neck, N.Y. 234 ..Anastasia Koniaev............Forest Hills, N.Y. 248 ..Lauren Elizabeth Munari ..Middle Village, N.Y. 259 ..Aleksandra Bekirova ........Brooklyn, N.Y. 280 ..Chelsea Williams..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 412 ..Nicole Veronica Semenov ..Brooklyn, N.Y. 447 ..Kyra Bergmann ................Forest Hills, N.Y. 458 ..Dakota Fordham ..............New York, N.Y. 472 ..Katherine Kachkarov........Flushing, N.Y. 479 ..Rosie Garcia Gross ..........New York, N.Y. 684 ..Christina M. Huynh ..........Astoria, N.Y. 874 ..Jennifer Yu........................Forest Hills, N.Y.
National Girls 18 Singles— Metro Region Rank ..Name ..........................City 119 ..Jessica Melanie Livianu ..Brooklyn, N.Y. 192 ..Alexandra Koniaev ..........Forest Hills, N.Y. 434 ..Alexus Gill ........................Brooklyn, N.Y. 440 ..Dasha Kourkina................Brooklyn, N.Y. 448 ..Isis Gill ..............................Brooklyn, N.Y. 477 ..Sheely Yaloz ....................Little Neck, N.Y. 522 ..Sonia Tartakovsky ............New York, N.Y. 542 ..Michelle Sorokko..............Little Neck, N.Y. 661 ..Victoria Sec ......................New York, N.Y. 717 ..Patricia Obeid ..................New York, N.Y. 844 ..Anastasia Koniaev............Forest Hills, N.Y. 911 ..Lisa Marchelska ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 943 ..Jessica Golovin ................New York, N.Y.
USTA/Metropolitan Region
2016 TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE For detailed information on these and all USTA tournaments, visit tennislink.usta.com/tournaments. MAY 2016 Friday-Sunday, May 13-15 L1B Cary Leeds Mid-May Challenger The Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning 1720 Crotona Avenue Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 12, 16 (SE) Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, April 29 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail WWiese@NYJTL.org or call (718) 247-7420. Friday-Sunday, May 13-15 & May 20-22 L1B Sportime Randall’s Island May 2016 Challenger Sportime Randall’s Island 1 Randall’s Island New York, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 14 (SE) Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, May 6 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail MattyTrumino@gmail.com or call (646) 783-5301.
Friday-Sunday, May 20-22 & May 27-29 L2O Sportime Randall’s Island May 2016 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 Friday, May 13 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail MattyTrumino@gmail.com or call (646) 783-5301. Saturday-Sunday, May 21-22 PSP L2: Bronx Orange Ball Stadium Tennis Center 725 Exterior Street Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Entry Level Boys & Girls 10 and Under Singles: 60’ Orange Ball 10 (FRLC) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, May 13 at 11:59 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Lauren@StadiumTennisNYC.com or call (718) 665-4684.
Friday-Sunday, May 20-22 L2O Lehman College Spring Open Lehman College 250 Bedford Park Boulevard West Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 14-18 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $31 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, May 16 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, call (718) 960-8547.
Saturday-Monday, May 21-23 L1B Cary Leeds Center Late May Challenger The Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning 1720 Crotona Avenue Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys & Girls Singles: 78’ Yellow Ball 12-14 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $43.50 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, May 6 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail WWiese@NYJTL.org or call (718) 247-7420.
Friday-Monday, May 20-23 L1B Stadium Tennis Center May Challenger Stadium Tennis Center 725 Exterior Street Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 16-18 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $43.50 per player (deadline for entries is Saturday, May 7 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Lauren@StadiumTennisNYC.com or call (718) 665-4684.
Saturday, May 28 PSP L3 Fresh Meadows Orange Ball Cunningham Sports Center 19600 Union Turnpike Fresh Meadows, N.Y. Divisions: Entry Level Boys & Girls 10 and Under Singles: 60’ Orange Ball 10 (NEF) Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $28 per player (deadline for entries is Sunday, May 22 at 11:59 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Brian@CunninghamTennis.com or call (718) 740-6800.
JUNE 2016 Friday-Sunday, June 3-5 L2O Cunningham Park Tennis Center June Open Cunningham Sports Center 19600 Union Turnpike Fresh Meadows, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate Boys & Girls Singles: 78’ Yellow Ball 12 (FMLC); Intermediate Boys & Girls Singles: 78’ Yellow Ball 14-18 (SE); and Intermediate Boys & Girls Doubles: 78’ Yellow Ball 12-18 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $54.25 for first singles/$28 for first doubles (deadline for entries is Monday, May 30 at 11:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Klastique@yahoo.com or call (718) 740-6800. Saturday-Sunday, June 4-12 Mayor’s Cup All-Scholastic Tennis Championships, presented by Disney The Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning 1720 Crotona Avenue Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate Boys & Girls Singles & Doubles: 78’ Yellow Ball 12-18 Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $3 for first singles, $3 for additional singles/$3 for first doubles, $3 for additional doubles For more information, e-mail EBantovska@NYJTL.org or call (718) 247-7420. Friday, June 10 L2O Staten Island Community Tennis Center Open Staten Island Community Tennis Center 2800 Victory Boulevard Staten Island, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate Boys & Girls Singles: 78’ Yellow Ball 12 (FMLC); Intermediate Boys & Girls Singles: 78’ Yellow Ball 14-18 (SE); and Intermediate Boys & Girls Doubles: 78’ Yellow Ball 12-18 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $54.25 for first singles/$28 for first doubles For more information, e-mail Klastique@yahoo.com or call (718) 982-3355. Friday-Sunday, June 17-19 L1B Haffen Park June Challenger Crotona Park West Bronx • Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys & Girls Singles: 78’ Yellow Ball 12-16 (SE) Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Wednesday, June 8 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Ebwaldron@aol.com or call (917) 609-3648.
NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2016 • New York Tennis Magazine
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USTA/Metropolitan Region
2016 TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE For detailed information on these and all USTA tournaments, visit tennislink.usta.com/tournaments. Saturday-Sunday, June 18-19 PSP L2 Fresh Meadows Orange Ball Cunningham Sports Center 19600 Union Turnpike Fresh Meadows, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate Boys & Girls 10 and Under Singles: 60’ Orange Ball 10 (NEF); and Intermediate Coed 10 and Under Singles: 60’ Orange Ball 10 (NEF) Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Sunday, June 12 at 10:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Brian@CunninghamTennis.com or call (718) 740-6800. Saturday-Sunday, June 18-19 L3 Alley Pond TC June UPS Alley Pond Tennis Center 7920 Winchester Boulevard Queens Village, N.Y. Divisions: Entry Level Boys Singles: 78’ Yellow Ball 12-16 (RR); and Entry Level Girls Singles: 78’ Green Ball 12-14, 78’ Yellow Ball 16 (RR) Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $43.50 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, June 13 at 8:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Hemco2@aol.com or call (718) 264-2600. Wednesday-Sunday, June 22-26 L1B NST June Challenger North Shore and Towers Country Club 27286 Grand Central Parkway Floral Park, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 12-18 (SE); and Challenger Boys & Girls Doubles 78’ Yellow Ball 14,18 (SE) Surface Type: Clay Entry Fee: $54.25 for first singles/$23 for first doubles (deadline for entries is Saturday, June 18 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, call (718) 428-5030.
Friday-Monday, June 24-27 L1 Cary Leeds June Championships The Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning 1720 Crotona Avenue Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Championships Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 12 (SE) Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, June 17 at 7:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail WWiese@NYJTL.org or call (718) 247-7420. Friday-Monday, June 24-27 L1 APTC June Championships Alley Pond Tennis Center 7920 Winchester Boulevard Queens Village, N.Y. Divisions: Championships Girls Singles: 78’ Yellow Ball 16 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, June 17 at 7:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Hemco2@aol.com or call (718) 264-2600. Tuesday-Thursday, June 28-30 L2O SITC June Open Staten Island Community Tennis Center 2800 Victory Boulevard Staten Island, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate Boys & Girls Singles: 78’ Yellow Ball 12 (FMLC); Intermediate Boys & Girls Singles: 78’ Yellow Ball 14-18 (SE); and Intermediate Boys & Girls Doubles: 78’ Yellow Ball 12-18 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $54.25 for first singles/$28 for first doubles (deadline for entries is Friday, June 24 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Klastique@yahoo.com or call (718) 982-3355.
Friday-Monday, June 24-27 L1 Thomas Blake Sr. June Championships Fordham University 441 East Fordham Road Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Championships Boys Singles: 78’ Yellow Ball 16 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, June 17 at 7:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail DanteBrown@HJTEP.org or call (212) 491-3738.
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New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2016 • NYTennisMag.com
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Metropolitan Acupuncture & Herbal Medicine, LLC 425 Fifth Avenue at 38th St. | Third Floor | New York, NY 10016 | Office: 347.565.4255 NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2016 • New York Tennis Magazine 114
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