New York Tennis Magazine May / June 2018 by United Sports Publications

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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

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

Sidney Beal III Staff Photographer

Lee Seidner Staff Photographer

Advertising To receive any information regarding advertising rates, deadlines, and requirements, call (516) 409-4444 or e-mail info@usptennis.com. Article Submissions/Press Releases To submit any material, including articles and press releases, please call (516) 409-4444 or e-mail info@usptennis.com. The deadline for submissions is the first of the month preceding the target issue.

Table Of Contents

MAY/JUN 2018 • Vol 8, No 3

The King of Clay Looks to Stay By Brian Coleman World number one Rafael Nadal seeks his 11th career title at Roland Garros as the French Open gets underway in Paris. See page 16

Photo credit: David Iliff

Highlights 6 8 20 36 42

New York Empire Set for 2018 Season Tennis in the Hamptons 2018 French Open Preview By Peter Mendelsohn NYTM’s 2018 Guide to Top Tennis Apparel Providers Mental Tennis Roundtable: Thoughts and Insights From the Area’s Top Mental Coaches

Features 4 12 15 22 23 24 28 29 30 33 34 40 46 47 48 50 52 56 58

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.

62 63 64 66 68 69

Across Metro New York Junior Player Spotlight: Sonia Tartakovsky, CourtSense Silent Partner Tennis Ball Machines: The Machine With Muscle! St. John’s Women Win First Big East Title in Program History Columbia Men Claim Fifth Consecutive Ivy League Title USTA Eastern Metro Region Update: May/June 2018 Sportime Randall’s Island to Host Annual College Recruiting Combine HJTEP Hosts Annual Spring Gala The Top Six Life-Altering Experiences That Changed My Life as a Tennis Player By Gilad Bloom MatchPoint’s Vinbaytel Moving Up the Ranks By Brian Coleman The Jensen Zone: Never Stop Learning By Luke Jensen New Yorker Ronnie Hohmann Takes His Game to the Next Level in Florida Metro Corporate League Recap, Presented by Advantage Tennis Clubs The One-Handed vs. Two-Handed Backhand By Antonio Glionna So … You Want Your Child to Love Tennis? By Geoff Grant Building a Killer Kick Serve By Chris Lewit How to Study Tennis By Todd Widom Avoid Dangerous Drugs With Laser Therapy for Pain Relief By Dr. Rob Silverman Develop Intensity for Focus and a Positive Attitude Throughout Play By Lisa Dodson Sometimes Being Right Means “Be Right for the Game” By Barbara Wyatt My (Brief) Professional Tennis Career By Peter Mendelsohn Have You Ever Celebrated Too Early? By Amanda Ferranti Championship Mindsets By Rob Polishook The Yips By Dr. Tom Ferraro NYJTL Mayor’s Cup Expands Its Reach and Impact Svitolina Wins Tie Break Tens at MSG

ALL-CITY JUNIOR TENNIS CAMP. BEST TENNIS CAMP IN NYC!

Where players focus on tennis, up close and all summer long! Starting June 11, kids ages 5 to 17 get more drills, more skills, more time on the courts. • Expert instruction, drills & games • Match play & cross training • 12 Har-Tru indoor courts & 3 outdoor courts • Swimming in the afternoons • Choice of single or consecutive weeks • At Roosevelt Island Racquet Club, easy to reach by Tram, F train or car

Sign up today! Go to advantagetennisclubs.com/camps For more details contact Gordon Kent at gkent@advantagetennisclubs.com, 212.935.0250. Or Dave Gilbert at dgilbert@advantagetennisclubs.com, 212.935.0250.

Meet Xavier Luna, Advantage All-City Junior Tennis Camp Director For over 30 years Xavier has inspired and taught recreational players, tournament players and everyone in between.

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

Across Metro Ne Cary Leeds JTT Team Seeking Nationals

who accompanied the boys in California. “The level of competition throughout the event was extremely fierce, and I could not be happier with the effort shown by all of Centercourt’s players.” Pictured, Clay Bibbee (center) congratulates Samir Banerjee (left) and Evan Wen (right).

Vasilescu Wins L2 Tennis Innovators Academy Open Title Chris Lewit Tennis Academy student Nicholas Vasilescu came back from a break down in the second set to win the L2 Tennis Innovators Academy Open Championship. Vasilescu hung on to win the semifinals in a third set super tiebreaker and followed that up with a 6-1, 6-4 straight set victory in the finals.

The 14U Junior Team Tennis (JTT) team from The Cary Leeds Center has had a great start to the spring season as it hopes to represent the USTA Eastern Section at the National tournament at the USTA National Campus in Orlando, Fla. The team features Solomon Brown and Sarah Youngberg, who compete in singles and sometimes mixed doubles, as well as Yudelkis Cueva, Nina Wiese, Rafe and Luca Phopoulas, Erik Johanson and Joquiem Ho who play doubles. The team finished in seventh place in the country last year, and is pursuing a national title this year.

Centercourt’s Banerjee and Wen Find Success at Easter Bowl

JMTA’s Pellerito, Leon Capture Empire Cup Doubles Title John McEnroe Tennis Academy players Ethan Leon & Daniel Pellerito captured the title at the Empire Cup Nationals at Alley Pond Tennis Center. The duo did not drop a set all tournament long which culminated with a 6-2, 6-4 win in the finals.

Two players from the Centercourt Tennis Academy headed out west to compete in the Easter Bowl, as Evan Wen and Samir Banerjee battled in the Boys 14s Division. Wen reached the semifinals, while Banerjee advanced all the way to the finals before falling in three sets. “I am extremely proud of all the boys that came out to California and left not only Centercourt’s mark, but their own mark on the rest of the tennis world,” said Clay Bibbee, Centercourt’s Chief Executive Officer and Managing Partner, 4

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

New York

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

Yakoff Shines at Easter Bowl Stephanie Yakoff (pictured left), who trains at CourtSense Training Center, finished with great results at the Easter Bowl in Indian Wells, Calif. As the top-seed, she would cruise into the Girls 12s final by winning her first five matches in straight sets. While she would fall short in the singles championship, Yakoff paired with Clervie Ngounoue (pictured right) to win the Girls 12s Doubles Title as the pair won all six of their matches in straight sets.

Ross School’s Golod Wins Two 18U Championships

Rubenzahl Takes Bronze at Level 5 Tournament New York’s Rachel Rubenzahl, who trains under Todd Widom, took home the Bronze Medal at the USTA Florida Level 5 Girls 16s. Rubenzahl lost in the semifinals before recovering to win the third-place match in straight sets to capture the Bronze.

Eight-Year-Old Vinbaytel Wins Boys 12s Division Noah Vinbaytel, who trains at MatchPoint NYC and is just eightyears-old, captured the title in the Boys 12s Division of the Centercourt Pony Express Open. Vinbaytel defeated each of the tournament’s top two-seeds including a 4-1, 0-4, 10-1 victory over the second-seed Joseph Yang in the finals.

West Side Tennis Club Adds Luke Jensen to Its Ranks

Ross School’s Vitalina Golod (pictured above left) has had an excellent 2018 competing in tournaments. She won the recent L1A Huntington President’s Championships by taking out second-seeded, Joanna Atwater (pictured above right), 6-1, 6-1 in the final. Golod continued her winning ways by defeating the number two seed, Rebecca Fisch, 6-1, 6-1 in the finals of her next tournament, the L1 TI Academy Championships.

Former French Open Doubles Champion Luke Jensen was named the new Director of Racquet Sports at the West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills. “The West Side Tennis Club is the most significant tennis club in American tennis history,” said Jensen, who is the owner of 10 ATP Doubles titles. “It demands and deserves the highest standards of excellence, and I am committed to providing that at all times. I see this as the opportunity of a tennis lifetime to lead West Side’s tennis program forward while honoring its past.” NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

New York Empire Set for 2018 Season The New York Empire, presented by Citi, will be back at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, N.Y. this summer for another exciting season of World TeamTennis in New York. Returning for the Empire will be Americans John Isner and Mardy Fish, as well as Canadian Eugenie Bouchard and Great Britain’s Neal Skupski, who helped lead the Empire to a 7-7 record and a third place finish last season. With its first selection in the 2018 World TeamTennis Draft, the Empire selected Tatjana Maria of Germany, who will be making her World TeamTennis debut this season. In the second round, the Empire chose American Dennis Novikov, who will be competing in World TeamTennis for the second time in his career. In the final round, the Empire completed its roster by taking Spaniard Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez. Eugenie Bouchard, 24, returns for her second season of New York Empire tennis when she takes the court on July 26. The Montreal native made her Empire debut last July, defeating the Orange County Breakers’ Yanina Wickmayer in women’s singles

New York Empire 2018 Full Home Schedule Date Time Opponent Sunday, July 15 ..........................5:00 p.m. ....................Washington Kastles Wednesday, July 18 ..................7:00 p.m...................Philadelphia Freedoms Friday, July 20 ............................7:00 p.m. ....................San Diego Aviators Monday, July 23 ........................7:00 p.m. ....................Washington Kastles Wednesday, July 25 ..................7:00 p.m.......................Springfield Lasers Thursday, July 26 ......................7:00 p.m. ................Orange County Breakers Thursday, August 2....................7:00 p.m...................Philadelphia Freedoms

action. Bouchard is a former Wimbledon finalist who has also reached the Australian Open and French Open semifinals in 2014. John Isner will play his eighth consecutive season of WTT and will appear in the season-opening match against the Washington Kastles on July 15. The former University of Georgia All-American is currently the ninth-ranked men’s singles player in the world and recently captured his first Masters 1000 title in Miami. Mardy Fish, 36, returns for his eighth WTT season. The Los Angeles resident, who won six ATP World Tour Singles Titles during his career, will appear in home

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

matches on July 23, July 25 and July 26. Neal Skupski, who returns for his third consecutive season with the New York Empire, will serve as the team’s doubles specialist. In 2017, Skupski played 122 games of men’s doubles and 97 games of mixed doubles, serving up 25 aces along the way. Tatjana Maria is a 30-year-old German currently ranked 62nd on the WTA Tour. Maria has won two doubles titles on the WTA Tour, and has advanced to at least the second round in each of the four Grand Slam events, with her best result a thirdround appearance at Wimbledon in 2015. Dennis Novikov, 24, was born in Moscow, Russia, and grew up in San Jose, Calif. In January, Novikov upset former world number five Kei Nishikori at the $125,000 ATP Oracle Challenger in Newport Beach, Calif., and in February, he won his 11th ITF professional singles title by winning the Morelos Challenger in Mexico. Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez is a 35year-old WTA Tour veteran who has won 18 tour doubles titles and five singles titles. She reached her career high ranking in singles of world number 19 in May 2010. In doubles, Martinez Sanchez has won 18 WTA titles, 10 of which came with Nuria Llagostera Vives, including the 2009 WTA Tour Championships. The New York Empire will kick off its 2018 schedule with a home-and-away series with the Washington Kastles on July 15 and July 16. Look for a full season preview in our July/August edition.

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

TENNIS IN THE HAM n the summer, people from across Long Island and New York City flock to the Hamptons, to enjoy the sun, while sitting by the pool or ocean, and taking part in an array of outdoor activities. Each town in the Hamptons has its own unique feel, with a variety of activities available from simply going to the beach, to kayaking, biking, trips to the wineries or taking in the East End nightlife. Tennis may be the favorite activity of Hamptonsgoers and there is no shortage of the sport in Eastern Long Island. There is no better way to spend a sunny morning or afternoon than getting some exercise on the court with friends. Below is a list of some of the locations to play tennis, as well as where to shop for the latest equipment and apparel, and where to stay. Whether you are in Westhampton Beach, Amagansett or anywhere in-between, we look forward to seeing you on the courts and in the shops of the Hamptons this summer!

Clubs/Programs Future Stars Southampton 1370A Majors Path • Southampton, N.Y. (631) 287-6707 • FutureStarsSouthampton.com Future Stars Southampton is located just a couple of miles north of the Village of Southampton in North Sea Park. Future Stars Southampton is a

year-round training facility, with eight state-of-the-art outdoor tennis courts (four Har-Tru and four Deco Turf), for the spring, summer and fall outdoor seasons. In the summer, tennis camps offer the perfect mix of match play, drill work, strategy sessions and off-court activities to challenge players of all levels. The program is designed to improve every facet of the game, including technical, tactical, physical and mental components under the guidance of experienced and enthusiastic tennis professionals. Hampton Racquet Club 172 Buckskill Road • East Hampton, N.Y. (631) 324-0297 • HamptonRacquet.com

Hampton Racquet Club is a familyowned boutique country club located in East Hampton. The Club has created a unique atmosphere for all tennis lovers, regardless of age or level, and the Club’s love of tennis can be felt through its pros, instructors and camp counselors. Hampton Racquet’s goal is to have a premium country club experience, which is accessible to everyone! In addition to tennis courts, Hampton Racquet offers yoga, family events, a pro shop, sports psychology seminars, swimming, birthday parties, charity events, and much more.

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.

GET IN THE GAME AT SPOTS STILL AVAILABLE 8

To enroll now or learn more about us, call 646.524.7069 or email info@gothamtennis.com. ASK US ABOUT OUR EXPANDED WEEKEND HOURS AND SUPER-COOL TENNIS BIRTHDAY PARTIES.

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

TENNIS ACADEMY WWW.GOTHAMTENNIS.COM

AMPTONS Peter Kaplan Tennis Academy 7 Beach Lane • Westhampton Beach, N.Y. (631) 288-4021 • WestHamptonBeachTennis.com Peter Kaplan’s Eastside Tennis Academy is the only tennis academy in the world that the USTA selected to be a part of the USTA members benefits program to both juniors and adults. Located in Westhampton Beach, the facility features 12 fast Dri Courts, as well as a basketball court, and is offering discounted memberships, which include stringing services and private instruction, for the upcoming summer. The experienced staff has taught players of all levels and ages, and programs are tailored to fit the individual’s needs. Day camps and overnight camps, as well as nightly and weekend stays, at the beautiful Grassmere Inn are available to get the full Hamptons treatment.

Ross School Tennis Academy 18 Goodfriend Drive • East Hampton, N.Y. (631) 907-5162 • Ross.org/TennisAcademy The Ross School is a unique and dynamic tennis program for both national and international junior players. It combines an engaging and global curriculum with the highest level of competitive tennis training. The school is the first in the New York City area to have a full academic program with a complete physical and mental conditioning program. The small, intimate program is designed for USTA/ITF players in grades seventh through 12th, and is tucked away in beautiful East Hampton.

Shinnecock Tennis Club 125 Sandy Hollow Road • Southampton, N.Y. (631) 283-3422 • ShinnecockTennisClub.com Shinnecock Tennis Club offers a variety of lessons, clinics and services from beginners through seasoned players. From an array of lesson options, weekly mixers and clinics to game-matching and the popular Cardio Tennis workouts, Shinnecock Tennis Club can create a custom tennis program that is a perfect match to your needs. Sportime Amagansett 320 Abrahams Path • Amagansett, N.Y. (631) 267-3460 • SportimeNY.com/Amagansett Located in the heart of the Hamptons, Sportime Amagansett has it all. Sportime Amagansett features 33 outdoor Har-Tru tennis courts, one Deco-Turf tennis and multi-sport court, a 1,500-square-foot outdoor swimming pool, a mini-basketball court and playground, three natural turf sports fields, two club houses and a camp house, in addition to a pro shop and snack bar. Sportime Amagansett offers dynamic programming and instruction for both juniors and adults, as well as a wide range of tennis and social events. Sportime Quogue 2571 Quogue Riverhead Road • East Quogue, N.Y. (631) 653-6767 • SportimeNY.com/Quogue Sportime Quogue is a year-round, fullservice tennis, fitness, summer camp and sports facility located in East Quogue, N.Y., but serves the surrounding towns of Westhampton, Remsemberg, Quogue, Southampton, Hampton Bays, Eastport, Riverhead, the Moriches and the North Fork. The facility features four indoor Har-Tru clay courts and 22 outdoor Har-Tru courts, in addition to an outdoor pool, full-service health and fitness club, a multi-sport court, child care, locker rooms, a fullservice spa and wellness center, and café. Sportime Quogue serves tennis players starting at the age of three, and features junior pathway programs, as well as adult tennis.

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

TENNIS IN THE HAMPTONS continued from page 17

Shopping

Places to Stay

Tennis East 73 Main Street • Southampton, N.Y. (631) 283 9535 • TennisEast.com

Grassmere Inn 7 Beach Lane • Westhampton, N.Y. WesthamptonBeachTennis.com/accommodations.html The Grassmere Inn is open year-round in Westhampton Beach and prides itself on having the neatest, cleanest, safest and most service-oriented accommodations possible. The Grassmere Inn is located less than one mile from the beach and a short walk away from the center of the Village of Westhampton Beach, which includes numerous shops, restaurants, a movie theater, the Performing Arts Center and much more.

For nearly five decades, Tennis East has been a staple of the tennis community on Long Island’s East End. Tennis East offers an extensive selection of men’s, women’s and junior’s rackets, apparel, sneakers, strings and accessories. Tennis East keeps up to date with the latest and most popular products to make sure its customers are always up to date with the newest gear, and it even features a complete line of 10 & Under Tennis equipment, as well as a line of other racket sports, such as paddleball or pickleball. Stringing services and demo rackets are also available.

Consider a New Tennis Partner. Ask about The Wall Advantage... cutting edge practice technology. The first robotic motion-controlled playing surface Players can customize their routines to intensify workouts – enabling them to fine tune their games Programs can be created of an opponent’s best moves, practiced and saved to a flash drive All levels of expertise can benefit while practicing on the court they regularly play on – not on the side A portable net can be set up to use The Wall anywhere For more information, please call us at 631.249.6532 or email competitivesportstechnologies@gmail.com

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

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

NEW YORK TENNIS MAGAZINE’S

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

SONIA TARTAKOVSKY COURTSENSE

onia Tartakovsky was around the age of six when, on vacation with her family, she was introduced to the sport of tennis for the first time. “When we came back home from that trip, I was like, ‘Mom, I want to play tennis,’” Tartakovsky recalls. Tartakovsky began taking tennis lessons, but was still juggling other sports, included swimming, a sport where she qualified for the Junior Olympics. But there came a time when she needed to commit herself fully to one sport, and she chose tennis. “I thought it was more fun. It’s not swimming laps back and forth, so I enjoyed it more,” Tartakovsky said. As she got older, she began to take more lessons and started competing in tournaments. At one of those tournaments (in Canada), she saw a few kids wearing CourtSense shirts and liked the way they played. From then, she knew where she wanted to further her training. Sonia has been with CourtSense at Bogota Racquet Club for just about four years now, and has become one of the program’s top players. “It’s an amazing tennis environment,” Tartakovsky said. “They have the best coaches I have ever worked with, and I’ve been training at many places, not only in 12

the U.S., but also in France and Spain. They really push the kids, identify their weaknesses and work on them. The coaches really care about and listen to the players they are working with.” Tartakovsky has worked primarily with Asher Salam, a High Performance Coach at Bogota Racquet Club, for the last year and a half. “My game has really grown to be more aggressive, and I’m definitely using my body a lot more efficiently,” Tartakovsky said of her improvement. “I’ve worked on

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

serving and returning, and covering the court really well, but my backhand still needs work.” Tartakovsky’s game was very raw when she first began training with Salam, not necessarily from a technical standpoint, but she needed to change her approach. “We revamped her whole game. Not just the standard strokes per se, but mostly her mentality and thought process about practicing,” said Salam. “Practicing efficiently allows Sonia to practice better during feeding, which allows her to practice better during live ball situations, which then helps her play better in matches. She is now cognizant of the fact that tennis has layers and so many things integrate. She doesn’t focus too much on superficial tennis things, and this has allowed her to view, and therefore feel, the game differently than she had in previous years.” In addition, Tartakovsky has taken advantage of the amenities that the CourtSense program offers, which includes a sport scientist, as well as PlaySight technology on its courts. “My fitness coach, John Adamek, is a sports scientist, who helps me tremendously with my strength and conditioning,” Tartakovsky said. “He not only makes me stronger and faster, but also teaches me how to listen to my body. He

and Asher [Salam] always communicate in order to make my training more efficient. Utilizing the PlaySight technology has been extremely helpful as well. All of the courts at Bogota Racquet Club where I train are smart courts, allowing you to see your statistics and video, which helps you isolate areas of the game you may need to work on.” The combination of all those factors has molded Tartakovsky into the player she is today, and set the foundation for even more growth. “Sonia has a professional player’s outlook when it comes to improving her tennis performance, realizing that her ability to perform is only as good as her ability to recover,” said Adamek. “Her work effort and knowledge to continuously evaluate, and train, the underlying physical: balance, timing, coordination, endurance, and cognitive: brain speed, decisionmaking, emotional control, components of performance has led to her becoming a complete package and is a major factor leading to her rise up the junior ranks.” A five-star recruit, according to Tennis-

Recruiting.net, the junior has verbally committed to the University of Pennsylvania. She first met the Head Coach, Sanela Kunovac, after Ognen Nikolovski, Director of Tennis at CourtSense’s Bogota Racquet Club, asked her to come down to watch Tartakovsky play. Kunovac liked what she saw, and asked

Tartakovsky to take an unofficial visit to Penn’s campus. “She invited me to come on an unofficial visit to see the campus and meet the players on the team,” said Tartakovsky. “I loved the campus, the team, and really liked the continued on page 14

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

junior player spotlight—sonia tartakovsky continued from page 13 coach, especially her vision and outlook. While visiting Penn, Sanela scheduled for me to attend a few classes with the girls on the team. I was very impressed with the classes offered for undergraduate students. It didn’t take me too long to realize that Penn was the perfect fit for me, both academically and athletically.” Tartakovsky is currently completing her high school education online at Stanford Online High School. “I went to Chapin, one of the top private schools in the United States, but their schedule was very strict so I looked into home-schooling,” Tartakovsky said. “Education was very important to us, so my parents didn’t even want to consider home-schooling, but I did research and we discovered Stanford Online High School. The school has very rigorous classes. Unlike most online schools, you have to attend classes, like in regular school, just virtually.” Being able to attend her classes online

year, when she finished as a finalist at the Super Nationals in Weymouth, Mass., a success she looks to build on throughout this year. Her passion for the game and the determination to improve are some of the attributes that makes her stand out, and that mindset comes from within. “Her parents are there, but in a supportive role, which is a huge advantage for her,” said Salam. “That’s the thing that makes her special … her drive is completely intrinsic.” That sort of internal drive is what has allowed Tartakovsky to become a topranked national player, and will play a major role in her continued tennis development as she prepares for her college career. is extremely important with her tournament schedule, and attending Stanford Online allows her to compete in some of the top National tournaments. One of those tournaments came at the end of last

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

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Silent Partner Tennis Ball Machines: The Machine With Muscle!

ilent Partner Tennis, a division of Deuce Industries Ltd., was founded in 1989 by Dr. John Bassili. A recreational tennis player and psychology professor, John had a dream. He sought a reliable tennis partner. One that would play on his schedule and help improve his game. Meanwhile, John’s son was progressing through the ranks as a junior. His son needed a partner that could amp up the pace, but was also consistent enough to groove his strokes. So John built a tennis ball machine. Today, Silent Partner Tennis is a leading ball machine company in North America. It has served the U.S. from Buffalo, N.Y. for more than 20 years. The company remains independent, family-owned and operated, and takes great pride in the quality of its machines and the service to its customers. With advanced features catering to all levels, from beginner to pro, the machine’s portability allows players to put them in their cars and bring them to their local club or court. The machine provides an excellent practice session and workout. The machines are also great for clubs and coaches, who can position themselves right beside

their students and control the machine by a remote control. The machines are especially useful for group lessons, as several lines of players can be fed at once. Some machines come with programmable sequence settings and even match simulation. Because Silent Partner only sells factory direct, it offers a wide selection of machines for the best deals on the market, and service is provided by the people who know the machines best. What are you waiting for? Check out SPTennis.com!

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

The King of Clay Looks to Stay Nadal seeks 11th career title at Roland Garros By Brian Coleman

ach year, the French Open brings the ATP and WTA Tours to Paris for an exciting fortnight of tennis on the famed red-clay courts of Roland Garros as the tennis season reaches its second Grand Slam event of the year. There is perhaps no player in the history of the sport that enjoys seeing the calendar turn to late May than Rafael Nadal. His 10 titles at Roland Garros are the most by any player at a single Grand Slam, ahead of Roger Federer’s eight titles at Wimbledon. The appropriately-nicknamed “King of Clay” will arrive in Paris in pursuit of his 11th French Open title, and seems to be hitting his stride in 2018 just in time. Nadal is the world’s current number-one ranked player, holding that edge over Federer, but has some points to protect in the clay court tournaments that precede the French Open. But while the number one ranking is extremely important to

Nadal and his team, his primary focus is on Roland Garros. “For us, right now, Rafa’s ranking is secondary,” said Nadal’s coach Carlos Moya. “If he does well in Rome, I can see him staying at number one. In any case, the number one spot is a consequence of the day-to-day, of training and playing well, of

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

being healthy and resting. We give much more importance to that. We know that if all of this is done well, the number one ranking is a consequence of that. We will go week-to-week because we know that Paris is on the horizon.” That one-step-at-a-time approach is key for the 31-year-old Nadal, who has been marred by injuries over the last few years. He has made the voyage back to the top of the world rankings, but the injury bug still plays a part for the Spaniard. His resume of injuries is a long one that includes time missed due to his back, knees, wrist, hip and feet, and can be traced back to a congenital foot issue he suffered back in 2005. “The specialist we went to told us that Rafael’s career was pretty much finished,” said Nadal’s uncle and longtime coach, Toni Nadal. “In 2005, Rafael had to constantly live in pain. From that time on, we couldn’t finish training sessions often. A lot

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

the king of clay looks to stay continued from page 16 of times, he would have to take a painkiller because the pain would get worse as the games went on. Because of some insoles that he started using, which solved his foot problem, he started having problems in his knee, back and other parts of his body.” His history with injuries has elicited some of his contemporaries, namely Andy Murray, seeking advice from him on how to cope with sustained time off. “I saw him in Melbourne and I spoke with him on the phone two weeks ago. He asked me about things, I don’t want to tell you about the things that we talked about because it will not be fair to him, and I would not feel comfortable with it,” said Murray. “But yes, I tell him the things that I think worked for me. I have been in that situation. I know how tough and frustrating it is when you work every day and you don’t see the light of how to improve.” As of mid-April, Nadal has played just

three tournaments in 2018, one of which was Spain’s Davis Cup tie against Germany. After he reached the Australian Open quarterfinals, Nadal was forced to retire against Marin Cilic and then went two-plus months without competitive action due to a hip injury. He returned just in time to deliver two key victories for Spain, including a dominant 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 three-set performance over rising star Alexander Zverev. “I feel prepared to compete tenniswise, physically,” Nadal said afterwards. “It’s the first event I completed this year. The win against Zverev is important for me as much as my team. I’m happy with the level at which I played.” Nadal played in his first ATP tournament since late January in Melbourne at the Rolex Monte Carlo Masters in Monaco, an event which he has dominated throughout his career. Despite his long absence from com-

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petitive play, Nadal ran through the Monte Carlo field, dropping just 21 games throughout his five matches at the tournament, and dispatching the likes of Dominic Thiem and Grigor Dimitrov before beating Kei Nishikori 6-3, 6-2 in the final. The win not only marked his 11th title in Monte Carlo, but also pushed his winning streak on clay to 36 consecutive sets, a streak that dates back to the French Open first round last year. “I want to thank all my team and my family. We had some tough moments during the last five months after a couple of injuries in a row,” Nadal said. “It’s great to have a group of great people behind me. I can say thank you very much always for being there and supporting me when I really need it. It’s always special for me to be back here in Monte Carlo, having this trophy. It’s one of the most important events of the year for me.” To look that sharp and focused despite having missed months of action is just another demonstration of the greatness Nadal possesses, and his win in Monaco

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maintained his spot atop the ATP Men’s Singles Rankings. While Barcelona and Rome follow Monte Carlo, there is little doubt that the Spaniard’s primary focus is now on Paris, and capturing the title there for the 11th time in his career. The “King of Clay” nickname could not be more fitting. Rafa holds a 391-35 record on clay throughout his career, which includes a 32-4 record on clay against the current Top 10. That is not a stat that leaves the rest of the field with much optimism and confidence as we approach the second Grand Slam of 2018. He understands that this stretch of the year, the clay court season, is his time. Much like his longtime rival, Roger Federer, the two know how to manipulate their schedules to maximize their performances at the Grand Slams, especially at this point in their careers. Nadal used the last couple of months to get his body completely ready to compete, and it was evident in his run through the Men’s Singles Draw at Monte Carlo.

ros, is back and healthy and there is a good crop of young players eager to break through on the red-clay courts, it’s hard to imagine Nadal faltering. The all-time great knows that his career is most likely closer to the end than it is the beginning, so he is just trying to enjoy himself match to match, an approach that helps keep him focused on the task at hand. “My true feeling is that these kinds of things are not going to happen forever, so I just try to enjoy and to play with full passion, full energy and concentration, and full love for the sport for as long as I can,” Nadal said. “I know the day to say goodbye is closer than 10 years ago. It’s something that I am not worried about, but it’s a real thing. So I’m just enjoying every day and trying to play with the best attitude and to continue being happy playing tennis.” There is no doubt that Nadal is a clearcut favorite at the French Open this year. While Novak Djokovic, one of only two players to ever beat Nadal at Roland Gar-

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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2018 FRENCH O

BY PETER MEND

The Men’s Side of the Draw The contenders … Rafael Nadal World number one Rafael Nadal will arrive in Paris as the heavy favorite to capture his 11th French Open title. Last year, Nadal won Roland Garros in dominating fashion, winning every set he played, and losing just 35 games over the course of seven matches. Assuming he’s able to stay healthy, it will be difficult for anyone to dethrone the “King of Clay.” Dominic Thiem If there’s any player that has a fighting chance against Nadal, it would be Dominic Thiem. Last year, the 24year-old was the only player to beat the Spaniard on clay, upsetting Nadal in the Italian Open quarterfinals. The Austrian went 24-5 on clay in 2017, reaching the semifinal at Roland Garros and the finals in Barcelona and Madrid. Thiem has already captured a clay court title this year, winning the Argentina Open in February without dropping a set.

The pretenders … Sam Querrey Sam Querrey has had quite the start to the year, reaching a career high of number 11 in the ATP Men’s Singles Rankings in January, and getting engaged to his girlfriend Abby Dixon in March. However, the American is unlikely to extend his good fortune at Roland Garros. The 30-year-old has a horrid 4-11 record at the French Open, losing in the first round in eight of his 11 appearances. Querrey’s dismal record in Paris is strange considering the fact that he’s had some success on the red surface. He has two career top-10 wins on clay, beating Richard Gasquet and Gilles Simon when the Frenchmen were ranked nine and seven in the world, respectively. He even won a clay court title, beating John Isner in the 2010 Serbia Open final. Nevertheless, we cannot ignore the past, and do not foresee Querrey making a deep run at Roland Garros. Kevin Anderson In 2018, Kevin Anderson has won the New York Open and reached the finals in both Pune and Acapulco. His stellar results earned him a spot in the top 10 of the ATP Men’s Singles Rankings for the first time in his career. However, the former U.S. Open Champion simply does not have what it takes to make a deep run on clay. In eight main draw

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

appearances at Roland Garros, the 31-yearold never reached the quarterfinals in Paris. Anderson has a 12-18 career record at clay court Masters events, having yet to advance past the third round at Monte Carlo, Rome, or Madrid. The Johannesburg native has never beaten a top 10 player on clay, a feat that is unlikely to change at the 2018 French Open. The sleeper … Diego Schwartzman In the third round of the 2017 French Open, Diego Schwartzman took a two sets to one lead on Novak Djokovic before falling to the Serbian in five sets. Schwartzman’s game is well-suited to clay, where the slow courts will make it extremely difficult to hit winners past the speedy 5’7” Argentinean, who has never advanced past the third round at Roland Garros. He won all seven of his Challenger titles on clay, and was the victor at the Rio Open this past February.

The Women’s Side of the Draw The contenders … Serena Williams After missing more than a year of action due to the birth of her daughter Alexis, Serena Williams has won just two of four matches in her return to play. She most recently lost 6-3, 6-2 to Naomi Osaka

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in the first round of the Miami Open. However, if there’s one thing we’ve learned over the last 20 years it’s that you can never count out the 23-time Grand Slam champion. Serena has won 72 career titles, with 13 of them coming on clay. Until the new mother decides to hang up her racket, she’ll be a favorite at any event that she decides to play. Simona Halep Could this finally be the Grand Slam where Romanian Simona Halep breaks through? After losing the Australian Open final in devastating fashion, Halep is still looking to win her maiden Grand Slam title. It may very well come at Roland Garros where Halep is a two-time finalist. The world number one has won six career titles on clay, including the last two Madrid Opens. She has appeared in 29 career finals and three Grand Slam finals. Eventually, she’s going to win one of them. The pretenders … Caroline Garcia With some strong results to start the year, 24-yearold Caroline Garcia is sitting at a career high ranking of seventh in the world. But let’s not make the mistake of thinking she is a legitimate threat at

Roland Garros. Garcia went just 3-6 at the French Open between 2011 and 2016. She did make the quarterfinals last year, but had the good fortune of avoiding a seeded player in her first four matches. She won’t be as lucky in 2018. Venus Williams By virtue of reaching the Indian Wells Masters semifinal and the Miami Open quarterfinals, Venus Williams has ascended to a ranking of eighth in the world. But the seven-time Grand Slam champion has never won in Paris, and hasn’t advanced past the fourth round since 2006. Don’t expect 37-year-old Venus to go on too deep of a run at Roland Garros.

The sleeper … Maria Sharapova Maria Sharapova hasn’t won a match since the Australian Open, where she won just four total games in her third round loss to Angelique Kerber. The 30-year-old Sharapova is currently ranked just 42nd in the world. Still, Sharapova is a two-time French Open champion, and has an 11-2 career record in clay court finals. She may no longer be considered a significant threat, but Sharapova has the game to make a serious run at Roland Garros in 2018. Peter Mendelsohn is the Owner of TennisDork.com. He is currently pursuing a degree in sports journalism. He may be reached by phone at (647) 984-5509 or email at Peter.R.Mendelsohn@gmail.com.

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St. John’s Women Win First Big East Title in Program History

or the first time in the program’s history, the St. John’s Women’s Tennis team is the winner of the Big East Championships, defeating Depaul 4-2 to claim its first conference title. “I remember as a player how badly you wanted to be there at the end holding the trophy,” said St. John’s Head Coach Lauren Leo, who played for the Red Storm from 2003-2007. “We finished in third place one year when I was a player, and we had a crack at it last year, losing in the finals. This year, we wanted to show who St. John’s is … and we took care of business.” St. John’s jumped ahead early, as the team of Olaya Inclan Solis & Irina Preotescu won at second doubles, and then Jessica Livianu & Zofia Stanisz won at first doubles to clinch the doubles point for the Red Storm. Kajsa Stegrell would win at sixth singles, 22

and Livianu won her match at first singles to push St. John’s within one victory of the Big East Championship. The clinching match would come on the second singles court. After winning the opening set, Solis erased a 2-5 second-set deficit to force a tiebreaker, and took it 7-6 to secure her victory and seal the St. John’s win. Solis was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, having also clinched victories for the Red Storm over Georgetown in the quarterfinals and Xavier in the semifinals in their run to the Big East title.

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

Credit photo to: RedStormSports.com

“She prepared for this, she trained really hard. We attacked her weakness in practices, and she came out and wanted to show what she developed this year,” said Coach Leo of Solis. “She put it all together … she has nerves of steel.”

Columbia Men Claim Fifth Consecutive Ivy League Title he Columbia Lions’ Men’s Tennis team won its fifth straight Ivy League Championship with a 4-0 victory over Cornell in Ithaca, N.Y. The match was originally slated to be played outdoors, but windy conditions forced the match to be moved inside in the middle of doubles action. After the two squads split the first and third doubles matches, the doubles point would be decided by second doubles. Columbia’s Jack Lin & William Matheson held off Joseph McAllister & David Volfson 7-5 to give the Lions a 1-0 edge. The Lions then raced out to leads in singles play, winning the first set in five of the six flights to take control of the match. Austen Huang defeated Pietro Rimondini 6-3, 6-3 at fifth singles to bolster the Columbia advantage. Adam Ambrozy then won 6-4, 6-3

Photo credit: Columbia University Athletics/Mike McLaughlin

against Michal Rolski at fourth singles to bring Columbia within one win of the conference title. That win would come from Lin, who downed Lev Kazakov 7-5, 6-4 at third singles to seal the victory for Columbia. “We have been ranked as high as fifth during the season, which can be scary. I

knew we had a good team, but you never really know how good we can be,” said Columbia Tennis Alumni and Friends Head Coach Bid Goswami. “We did our part all season long, we had to be tough, hungry and buy in, and the boys came through and were clutch when they needed to be.”

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

USTA Metro Region A Message From USTA Eastern Metro Region President Pablo Sierra Flex League Registration Now Open Flex League is designed for your schedule … allowing you to play when it’s convenient for you. Matches are arranged directly with your opponent at a mutually agreeable day, time and location. Each session is approximately two months long. Players can anticipate six to 10 matches during each session (the exact number is determined by the number of players in the flight). Once registration closes, you can access a list of opponents and suggested play-by dates. Once the match is played, the scores are recorded online.

USTA membership is not required and Flex League matches do not affect, nor generate, a USTA rating. To register for NYC (Manhattan, Brooklyn & Queens), Hudson (New Jersey), Long Island, Rockland and Westchester Counties, go to USTA.com/en/Home/Play/Play-as-a-Member/Eastern/FlexLeagues.html. Once on the registration page: l Choose your Division: Adult Men’s Singles or Adult Women’s Singles. l Select the State and then the County you wish to play in. l The registration fee is $35 ($25 for USTA members). For more information about Flex League, please e-mail FlexLeague@Live.com.

Brooklyn Tennis Association Visits PS 270

One of the things I enjoy as being President of the Metro Region is that I try to get out and visit programs throughout the city. I had the opportunity to visit Mel 24

Swanson’s Brooklyn Tennis Association’s Program at PS 270 in the Clinton Hill section of Brooklyn. From the start, you can tell that the kids thoroughly enjoy this pro-

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

gram and its staff. Mel and his staff had the kids engaged in various activities and the kids responded. What a great bunch of kids!

USTA Metro Region Highland Park Tennis Association Hosts Community Play Day

The Highland Park Tennis Association (HPTA) hosted its 2018 Community Play Day and I had the chance to visit. The tennis courts were filled with kids playing tennis and having fun. Parents volunteered and were actively involved. Kids and juniors had the opportunities to partic-

ipate in drills, and play tennis among each other. The tennis courts were filled as far as the eye can see … to capacity! HPTA continues its mission to grow the sport of tennis. More than 125 children ages three to 17 attended this fun-filled event. For many of the children, it was their

first time playing tennis and there were tennis activities, prizes, and a chance for 10 children to win lessons with HPTA. Sara, a parent whose child Jimmy won lessons, commented, “Thank you for the opportunity you’re giving my son to play tennis and have fun this summer.”

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

USTA Metro Region NYC Aces Using Tennis Platform to Help Others

NYC Aces Tennis, the organization that hosts exciting and memorable tennis-oriented events for the city’s young professionals, has turned its mission into helping underserved youth from Central Queens reach their full potential. Using these popular events and the large number of socially responsible Millennials who attend them, NYC Aces has been able to fundraise, attract volunteers and raise awareness of its new junior program that takes place out of the historic West Side Tennis Club. NYC Aces partners with the world-class venue to host its free and low-cost high-quality NYC Aces Team program once a week from April through October for talented young athletes from the surrounding area. The NYC Aces Team consists of 20 children between pre-K through second grade chosen during the organization’s open tryout who were selected for their talent, athletic skills 26

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

and behavioral traits. The comprehensive program focuses on developing the young athlete’s skills using the Net Generation curriculum and appropriately sized equipment and courts, ensuring that young athletes have the proper foundation for future success, while building a community atmosphere that aims to empower, and introduce them to all the benefits that tennis has to offer. As NYC Aces grows, its staff plans to host after-school and camp programs for children at local public schools and community centers. These programs will provide hundreds of children in Central Queens the opportunity to learn the game, enjoy the many physical and mental benefits that come along with playing tennis, and develop lifelong skills. For those children that are talented and want to train more often, they will have the ability to try out to be part of the NYC Aces Team program.

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

Sportime Randall’s Island to Host Third Annual College Recruiting Combine

or the third consecutive year, Sportime and John McEnroe Tennis Academy (JMTA) will host the 2018 John McEnroe Tennis Academy College Recruiting Combine, scheduled for the weekend of June 23-24, at Sportime Randall’s Island, the NYC home of JMTA. The Combine will provide select rising high school sophomores, juniors and seniors, from around the country and beyond, Sportime and JMTA students and non-Sportime/JMTA students, the opportunity to showcase their skills and athletic abilities in front of coaches from top colleges and universities. “One of the driving forces at JMTA is our commitment to preparing our players for college tennis, and helping them to find their best college fit,” said John McEnroe. “After an amazing first two years of the JMTA Combine, we are excited to be expanding the JMTA Combine in 2018 to include more coaches and more students, and we are confident that it will be a great resource for both.” As in years past, coaches representing all three NCAA Divisions are expected to attend, and this year’s Combine will include coaches from Brown, Yale, Cornell, Dartmouth, Penn State, William & Mary, Wake Forest, and many other top programs, with many more invited. Representatives from prestigious leagues, including the Ivy League, ACC, Big East, SEC, Big 10, Patriot League and NESCAC attended last year, and are expected again this year. Player check-in will begin at 8:00 a.m. for all players on both Combine days. Participants will compete in singles and doubles match play with tracked results. Players will also receive athletic perform28

ance assessments, and will be invited to take part in mental toughness seminars and in a College Coaches’ Panel Discussion. A new Combine partner, CIZR, will be video-recording all matches and will offer participant packages, including match videos with detailed analytics, which

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

videos will be available for participants to send directly to college coaches. Included for each Combine participants is an integrated recruiting package, available digitally, to both the participants and the coaches, at the touch of a button on their personal Player Portals.

HJTEP Hosts Annual Spring Gala Credit all photos to: Camerawork USA

HJTEP celebrated 46 years of providing tennis, education and wellness to Central Harlem youth at its Annual Spring Gala Martina Navratilova was honored with the Shining Start Award at the HJTEP Annual Spring Gala

USTA Chairman of the Board and President Katrina Adams addresses HJTEP Gala attendees he Harlem Junior Tennis and Education Program (HJTEP) held its Annual Spring Gala, celebrating 46 years of providing tennis, education and wellness to Central Harlem youth. HJTEP is a non-profit that brings tennis to youth from high-risk, low-income innercity neighborhoods and offers opportunities for self-development, emphasizing education and a positive code of behavior. The 46th Spring Gala honored Actress,

Singer and Fashion Designer Vanessa L. Williams with the Robert Holland Jr. Award and 18-time Grand Slam singles champion Martina Navratilova with the Shining Start Award. HJTEP Chairman James R. Kelly III presented the Chairmen’s Award to Gala Co-Chairs Christopher Hojlo and David Tyree for their dedication to the program over the years. The night’s festivities were MC’d by NBC News Reporter and Anchor Demarco Morgan, and Hamilton actor Sydney

Hardcourt introduced the honorees with a special performance. HJTEP Seniors Zuhri Sinclair and Dakota Grinnard gave speeches discussing the impact the program has had on them, and the opportunities it has provided. The annual Spring Gala serves as an avenue to create widespread awareness to HJTEP to enable it to continue its legacy of creating a safe haven for at-risk youth so they can learn and develop, both on and off the tennis court.

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

The Top Six Life-Altering Experiences That Changed My Life as a Tennis Player By Gilad Bloom n any player’s life, there are defining moments. These moments can take place while playing a match, while watching someone else play, or simply by having a conversation. When looking back at my 42 years in this game as a player and a coach, I can single out a few events that had a lasting effect on me and shaped me to be the person, player and coach that I am today.

1. Serving as a ball boy for a Bjorn Borg and Vitas Gerulaitis exhibition match The match was just an exhibition, but Bjorn Borg and Vitas Gerulaitis were the number one and number three-ranked players in the world in 1980, and it was a huge deal with the match taking place in Israel. I was one of the top juniors in the country and they let me, among others, be a ball boy during the match. More importantly, they allowed me to be a ball boy during their practice session, and I 30

got to watch them train which was an eye-opening experience. I still remember the crisp sound of the ball coming off their wooden rackets, I was amazed at how clean their strokes were, as they both hit the ball perfectly in the sweet spot every single time. I particularly remember how Borg kept his eye on the hitting point long after the ball left his racket and that there was so much spin on the ball. In fact, there was not one ball that was hit flat, it was either hit with top spin or a slice. Between the intensity of the practice and the attention the two paid to each shot, it was a great lesson I use to this day. They didn’t say a word the entire session, but once they loosened up, they talked to us for a few minutes, especially Vitas. During the match itself (which Vitas won in four sets), I made the mistake of choosing to be the ball boy at the net—big mistake! I was unemployed for most of the match because those guys just didn’t miss in the net. I must have touched the ball three times during match. I remember thinking to myself, “Great players don’t miss in the net.” It’s a pretty simple concept

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

that stuck with me for life. It was something that made me want to become a pro when I grew up. As it turned out, I actually played against Borg on the pro tour in 1993 when he made his comeback after a 10-year hiatus. 2. Meeting Jimmy Connors in 1981 The next year, Jimmy Connors came to Israel to play in an event with Shlomo Glickstein, Tim Gulickson and Elliot Telcher. They were all good players, but Connors was the big name, and we got to meet him when he came to The Israel Tennis Center, the facility that I grew up in. When I asked Connors how many hours he trained each day, he said, “One hour in the morning and one hour in the afternoon.” When I told him that I played four hours a day, he smiled and said, “Yes, but my one hour is equivalent to your four hours because I don’t miss and I run down every ball while moving my feet perfectly for the entire hour without rest. If you play like that, you don’t need more than an hour at a time.” A few years later, I turned pro and got to experience training with Connors (and wound up playing each other three times on the pro tour) and it was just like he described

it. We didn’t miss or sit down during the hit. Connors would even make you run to pick up balls between points during the set to keep your heart rate up and get a better workout. High intensity in practice is something that I adopted from Jimmy Connors and have tried to implement it both as a player and a coach. In my opinion, it is the most important aspect of being a high-level tennis player. 3. Meeting Dick Savitt in 1978 Dick Savitt is a New York legend who won Wimbledon and the Australian Open title in 1951. He was the “Godfather” of Israeli tennis in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, and took a special interest in helping me as a young player, mentoring me throughout my career. When I met him in 1978 at the Vanderbilt Club in Grand Central Station, it was a lifealtering experience. Within a year of meeting him, I was playing in the finals of the Orange Bowl. Dick opened my eyes to the importance of technique, teaching me proper footwork and how to pay attention to the slightest of details. He was very knowledgeable about

the game and provided the insight of a true champion. It was an incredible privilege to receive instruction from such a sharp tennis mind. The tips that he provided have helped throughout my career, and to this day, I still talk to Dick regularly. He is in his 90s and still has the same sharp tennis mind that he always had. 4. Watching Guillermo Vilas train I was traveling to South Africa as a junior and they took us to watch an ATP event that took place in Ellis Park. My main goal was to watch my childhood idol, Guillermo Vilas. He wasn’t playing that particular day, but we got to see him practice. I was looking forward to checking out his famous groundstrokes, but instead, I watched him practice his backhand overhead for an entire hour with his coach at the time, Ion Tiriac. Although I was disappointed not to watch him hit from the baseline, I was quite impressed by the professionalism and the dedication to work on one particular shot for such a long time. It taught me

how important it is to work on every aspect of your game. Vilas didn’t come to the net that much in matches, but still practiced that shot for an entire hour! When I turned pro, Vilas was at the very end of his long career, but we still got to train together a few times. One of these instances was at an indoor event where the only time slot to train was before 8:00 a.m., Vilas and I were there at 6:30 a.m. every morning. The guy loved to train and work on his game constantly, even though, at that time, he was past his prime and didn’t have to prove anything. During that week, he told me that he once played 19 sets in one day when he was training with Borg before the season. 5. Playing Brad Gilbert in the Tel Aviv Quarterfinals in 1986 By 1986, I had already turned pro, but was still a rookie on the tour. I was playing in the match of my life in front of my hometown crowd against Brad Gilbert, who was ranked sixth in the world. I won two rounds continued on page 32

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the top six life-altering experiences that changed my life continued from page 31 to make it to the quarterfinals at a tour level event for the first time in my life, and was playing in, by far, the biggest match of my life. After losing the first set, I got in the zone and won the second set, and got to within two points of victory as I served for the match at 5-4 in the final set. But all of a sudden, he came up with a running passing shot that got it to 30-30 and completely changed his game. He started coming into the net, winning the next 10 points to beat me. Gilbert would go on to win the tournament, and I was left with a lot of compliments. The lesson I learned from Gilbert that day: Tennis is all about the big points and about putting pressure on your opponent. When Gilbert noticed that I was getting a bit tight, he took control of the match. I, on the other hand, played safe and was too passive when the big points came instead of playing the gutsy tennis that brought me

to a winning situation against the sixthranked player in the world. That match taught me a lot about myself and how to handle big point situations. 6. Playing Jimmy Connors in 1989 in the finals at Tel Aviv I reached my first ATP Tour final and it was in my hometown against Connors, my childhood hero. I was on my way to a fairy tale week as I won the first set 6-2 and went up a break 1-0 in the second set. At that time, I was looking at the full stadium, at the scoreboard and started preparing my winning speech and calculating how many ranking points I would get, and even about what restaurant I was going to celebrate in. But Connors had a different plan. The next thing I remember was me standing in the ceremony holding the runner-up trophy as Connors won the final title of his career. After losing the first set and down a break, Connors changed his game com-

pletely and started attacking my serve relentlessly, even coming to the net on my first serves! This was not his usual game, but it surprised me and changed the match completely. He simply raised his level of play. That match taught me not to celebrate too soon or think about anything during the match other than the next point. It also taught me about changing your game when you are losing and having the flexibility of mind to surprise your opponent when things aren’t going well in a match. Gilad Bloom, former Israeli Davis Cup player and two-time Olympian, played on the ATP Tour 1983-1995, reached the fourth round of the U.S. Open in 1990, reached a highest ranking of 61 in singles, was Israel Singles Champion three times. Bloom has been running his own tennis program since 2000 and also was director of tennis at John McEnroe Tennis Academy for two years. He can be reached by e-mail at Bloom.Gilad@Gmail.com.

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MatchPoint’s Vinbaytel Moving Up the Ranks By Brian Coleman ompeting against players older than you can be an intimidating task for a young junior tennis player as the skills, development and sheer physical attributes can create a substantial mismatch. But don’t tell that to eight-year-old Noah Vinbaytel, who trains under Alex Roberman at MatchPoint NYC. Vinbaytel recently competed at the L2 Centercourt Pony Express Open in Florham Park, N.J. in the Boys 12s Singles Division, battling against kids almost four years older than him. But Vinbaytel did not let that affect him, taking out the top-two seeds on his way to the title, including second-seeded Joseph Yang, 4-1, 0-4, 10-1 in the championship match. “Winning a 12U tournament where kids are older, I felt really good, impressed and surprised,” said Vinbaytel. “It really gave me a lot of confidence.” “He is a fighter and is not afraid to play them,” said Roberman of Vinbaytel competing against older players. “He knows how to win and he finds a way to win. One of the biggest strengths he has is that he is a fighter both inside and out. I’ve never seen a kid at his age who loves tennis as much as he does, and is willing to fight like he does.” Vinbyatel has been playing tennis since he was about two-years-old, and can remember when his father would toss him a foam ball in their living room as some of his earliest practices. He first started training at Mill Basin Racquet Club, a facility now run by MatchPoint NYC. From there, he was introduced to Roberman, and this is when his game really began to take off. “This is where my technique and understanding of the game changed,” said Vinbaytel. “Alex teaches proper strokes, positioning on the court,

patience, mental toughness and attitude. All of these things put together help me win USTA tournaments.” His success at the USTA tournaments is a direct result of the work he has put in. He originally began playing with regularsized rackets on regular-sized courts, but went back to the Orange Ball system, playing with smaller rackets on a smaller court. “In the beginning, he didn’t like it, but it was something we had to go through,” said Roberman. “It definitely did help him a little as he learned how to be more patient.” Vinbaytel showed great determination, competing every weekend in Orange Ball tournaments in order to move through the system, notching six first-place finishes and three second-place finishes, and is now competing in 12s Divisions of tournaments. “By the time he turns 11, I want him to be playing in 14s,” said Roberman. Those sorts of expectations, and the willingness to meet them, has turned Vinbaytel into a top junior. The next step for Vinbaytel is to get a little stronger and build up his strength, which will allow him to compete more consistently against older players. “It started with fundamentals: Technique, grip, placement, movement, footwork,

etc.,” Roberman said of the things the two worked on originally. “In the next year or two, we are trying to build up the muscles around his skinny bones and make him stronger because the 12-year-olds are twice his size right now.” Vinbaytel has come a long way since his hitting foam balls with his father, and with the coaching guidance of Coach Roberman and the crew at MatchPoint, his game is only going to continue to grow in the years to come. Brian Coleman is Senior Editor for New York Tennis Magazine. He may be reached by phone at (516) 409-4444, ext. 326 or email BrianC@USPTennis.com.

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

Never Stop Learning By Luke Jensen was thinking about all of you who follow this column and have been extremely loyal after all these years. I was thinking about your tennis … your wins, your losses, while looking ahead to see what is next. It came to me to ask you … Are you improving? Do you feel that all of this time on the court practicing has translated to being a better tennis player under pressure when it counts in matches? I see myself in my journey as a lifelong learner. I am constantly asking questions and writing things down to strengthen my approach to everything including tennis. My life these days is one long road trip. I tour the world conducting tennis clinics and exhibitions. I recently finished a “16 Cities in 16 Days” road trip where I picked up so many

new approaches to both my playing and teaching of tennis. When I go to a club, I like to sit down with the club’s pros and ask them what is working for them. I ask them about the state of tennis in their backyards and where do they see tennis in the next 20 years. These countless tennis directors, tennis pros and club staff have so much insight because they are living the game at so many levels each day. I ask them about their new approaches to building a better tennis player and the tennis community. Now not all of the answers click with me right away. Because I am at their club for just one day, I do not experience the daily grind that they go through, but I listen and take notes. What I have found is that, overall, the game of tennis is constantly evolving and improving. Mistakes are made from time to time, and then there is a quick correc-

tion to keep the ball moving. I was in one tennis community that had more than 2,000 kids in their junior performance program. Another area had roughly 1,500 kids. Both programs talked about the many things they have tried and never got off the ground, while lessons learned from those setbacks inspired new thoughts and successes! Some programs had more success with adults, while some were very successful with high school teams. In each case, there was a constant focus on evaluating the product, finding what is and what is not working. In each case, these tennis leaders were not afraid to try new directions and strategies to be successful. So all of these experiences made me think of all of you out there … where are you with your tennis? Where are you with your mindset? I know personally that I am more enthusiastic about this game than ever before. In

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every capacity, as long as I am near a tennis court, playing or coaching, I am one happy camper! Tennis has become my passion and my calling because I am constantly learning more each day about our wonderful game. So take a few moments and see where you are in your relationship with the game. Is it a healthy one, or does it seem like your progress has stalled? My advice would be to jumpstart your game by going back to basics. Ask yourself why you began playing in the first place. What drove you to hit those extra serves and spend all that extra time on the practice court? If I’ve learned anything from Roger Federer these days it is that old dogs can learn new tricks! Fed’s backhand has improved from a liability to a weapon. Tune into your inner Fed and improve your game! It’s easy … just constantly listen to the message the ball is telling you and make the adjustments where necessary. For example, if your forehand shot goes into the net, the outcome is telling you to hit up on the ball on the next forehand to clear the net. Sure, it seems simple but always remember what my brother Murphy says ... “Tennis is a very simple game played by very complicated

individuals,” and Murphy is always right! I want to finish this edition on a very sad note. Tennis lost a great champion not too long ago and lost someone way too young. If you followed big time tennis in the 1980’s and 1990’s, you followed one of America’s doubles greats, Ken Flach, who was part of a doubles team with Robert Seguso that dominated the tennis world right after John McEnroe & Peter Fleming. Robert “Goose” Seguso was a big power player in the deuce court, while Ken “The Flash” Flach was in the ad court, a tennis version of a massive black hole where all Flash did was rip returns back for winners! Flash was a return machine and a competitive Tomcat. Flach & Seguso competed and won Grand Slams at every level they played, from Davis Cup to the Olympics. They were feared because of their tennis intelligence as a team, while being ruthless competitors. Flash absolutely hated to lose more than anyone I ever knew. He hated to lose in anything. In the players’ lounges, there would be various video games set up for the players to play during down times. I remember Ken constantly kicking the video game machine after mess-

ing up on some level of play. As a young American pro moving up through the ranks, most veteran players saw me as a threat. Ken did not. He was extremely helpful to me, providing advice on all levels, from tactics and work ethic to my playing schedule. He was always available if I needed some assistance. Ken, with his George Clooney movie star smile, was always contributing and making everything better around him. If you competed against him, you hated him. If you watched him compete, you admired him, and if you were around him, he always made you laugh. See you on the next tour Flash … all of your tour buddies will miss you … Born in Grayling, Mich., Luke Jensen’s resume includes 10 ATP Tour doubles titles and singles victories against Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, Ivan Lendl, John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg, Jimmy Connors, Boris Becker, Stefan Edberg and Jim Courier. Jensen and his brother, Murphy, won the 1993 French Open doubles title. He may be reached by phone at (315) 443-3552 or email LukeJensen84@yahoo.com.

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

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 33 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 racket, 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 racket 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 rackets, 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 racket or ball machine, you are able to demo the equipment through Grand Slam’s 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 racket 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!

High Country Ski & Tennis 465 West Mount Pleasant Avenue Livingston, N.J. (973) 994-3630 HighCountrySkiAndTennis.com High Country Ski & Tennis is one of New Jersey’s premier tennis specialty shops. In existence for more than 29 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, Head, 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 •

PGA Tour Superstore 1254 Corporate Drive Westbury, N.Y. (516) 824-3000 PGATourSuperstore.com/Tennis PGA Tour Superstore is more than just a hub for golf lovers and is quickly making its tennis presence felt on Long Island. Located at 1254 Corporate Drive in Westbury, N.Y., PGA Tour Superstore has everything tennis players and fans are looking for, carrying all of the latest tennis rackets and equipment from the top names in tennis, including Prince, Babolat, Head, Wilson and more. They also carry a wide selection of tennis apparel and footwear from leading brands, such as Adidas, Asics and Nike, as well as grips, strings and other accessories PGA Tour Superstore offers on-site stringing and its expert staff are players just like you, so they can help you out with any questions on stringing and products, and make sure you walk away with the product that is right for you. PGA Tour Superstore hosts in-house events and fundraisers year-round, and can help customize your event or tournament by offering gift cards, products, memberships and much more. For more information on the products and services the PGA Tour Superstore offers, call (516) 824-3000 or visit PGATourSuperstore.com/Tennis.

Tennis East 73 Main Street Southampton, N.Y. (631) 283-9535 TennisEast@optonline.net For more than 47 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 & 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 same gear that the top tennis pros are using. The store stocks a full line of Nike, Adidas, FILA, Babolat, Wilson and Head products. In addition, Tennis East has expanded its women’s apparel offering to include several new fashion designers. Allow Tennis East’s knowledgeable and friendly team members to assist you choose the proper new tennis, paddle or pickleball racket 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 adult racket 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, and is 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 Tennis East by phone at (631) 283-9535 or e-mail TennisEast@optonline.net.

NYTennisMag.com • May/June

TopSpin Tennis & Fitness 218 Jericho Turnpike • Syosset, N.Y. (516) 364-9470 TopSpinTennisLI.com 500 Searingtown Road • Roslyn, N.Y. (516) 484-4200 • TopSpinTennisLI.com 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 “State-of-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 as a great destination for tennis. 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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Don’t miss the advertising opportunities in the next edition of New York Tennis Magazine July/August 2018! Facebook-www.Facebook.com/NYTennisMag Instagram-@NYTennisMag • Twitter-@NYTennisMag Submissions for both advertising and editorial are due by 1, 2018 NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2018June • New York Tennis Magazine 39 For more information, please call 516-409-4444 or e-mail Advertise@NYTennisMag.com

New Yorker

Ronnie Hohmann Takes His Game to the Next Level in Florida By Brian Coleman

ast year, Oyster Bay, N.Y.born Ronnie Hohmann captured one of the most prestigious junior tournaments in the world, winning the Boys 16s Division title at the Eddie Herr International at the famed IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. Hohmann defeated three of the draw’s top five seeds on his way to winning one of the biggest titles a junior player can win. “Winning the Eddie Herr tournament meant so much to me,” said Hohmann. “I know it’s one of the most prestigious tournaments a junior player can play, and really shows how much I have developed recently. The main thing I was doing well was keeping my head focused on the game plan. I knew if I did this I would be able to win those matches. Winning a tournament like this gives me a lot of confidence. I feel like I can beat anybody.” That confidence has led to some outstanding results for the 16-year-old Hohmann in recent months. He followed up his triumph at Eddie Herr by winning USTA National tournaments in Key Biscane and Orlando. Just recently, Hohmann won six matches en route to the title at the NTRP Championships at the Broward Tennis Fes-

tival, his fourth top-level title in five months. In the finals of the Broward Tennis Festival, he defeated Juan Benitez, who was ranked 699th on the ATP Tour at the time. Hohmann’s success really shouldn’t come as any surprise with the amount of time, work and energy he has put into honing his craft over the last three years under

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

the tutelage of former professional player, Todd Widom. The two first came in contact through Robert Kendrick, a friend of Widom’s from the ATP Tour, who was training with a 12-year-old Hohmann in New York. During this time, Hohmann was also heading down to Florida during some spring and summer months, as well as Christmas breaks, to train. A couple of years later, Hohmann’s parents decided the best thing to do was have him train full-time with Widom down in Florida. “The plans were for Ronnie to live with my wife and son to see how far Ronnie could take his tennis,” said Widom. “During this time, he has become a part of our family. Our four-year-old son looks up to Ronnie and considers him a big brother. Ronnie’s father had wanted his son to be receiving an education into what it would take for him to become a successful ATP player.” Widom was just the man for the job. He spent eight years as a professional tennis player, and his training system was exactly what Hohmann needed. From an early age, Hohmann showed the signs of his tennis potential: Hand-eye coordination, foot speed and racket head

acceleration. But his transition from training primarily indoors in New York to the outdoor courts of Florida would not be an easy one. “Coming from a very quick indoor environment to play in Florida are two very different things,” Widom explained. “Everything from the way he played, his mentality and his discipline of training and constructing a point needed to be adjusted.” Hohmann had achieved great results in the Eastern Section, but needed to adjust his game to the outdoors and the elements of the Sunshine State if he were to compete with the best of the best in the nation. His ball needed to be heavier off both his forehand and backhand, as opposed to hitting the ball flat, and he needed to learn how to come to the net and not hug the baseline. In other words, what worked for him in tournaments in New York was not going to work for him in Florida. “My foundation was good, but not great, when I first came to Todd,” said Hohmann. “I grew up playing indoors, so the balls I hit were hard and flat, which is not good for the outside. I wasn’t going to be consistent and not stay in points. He spent a lot of time with me hitting a heavier and higher ball, and staying more consistent … it takes a while. I had never learned how to construct a point. Now, when I play matches, I am able to construct points.” It wasn’t just the tactical aspect of tennis that Widom needed to instill in Hohmann, but he also needed to toughen him up from both a physical and mental perspective. Widom recalls a story when Hohmann first began training full-time with him, and he had him compete against another boy in his program. “Ronnie was a little shorter and the other kid was 6’2”, and he was beating Ronnie consistently,” said Widom. “He came down from New York with a high ranking, and really needed a big-time attitude adjustment. We had to humble him and show him that he really did need to

fix all the things we were telling him. Ronnie had a tough time dealing with that emotionally. We pushed him to get rid of some of those attitude issues and being a hothead on the court.” If Hohmann acted up on court during a match, Widom would put him through a stressful exercise as a form of punishment. This had a two-prong effect: Hohmann would not only have to change his attitude, but he would also be getting stronger and better-conditioned as well. “Every time he acted up, he went through some form of pain physically that usually resulted in some running or a very painful leg workout, which was good because this was helping him get physically stronger,” said Widom. “Ronnie’s parents

and I were in accordance that this is what it was going to take to change his mindset around so he could achieve the results that he was working so hard to attain.” And Hohmann was willing to do anything that Widom and his team pushed him to do, and his progress in the last couple of years is evidence of that. “His coaching style is very different compared to other coaches,” said Hohmann. “He expects you to bring a high level of intensity and focus, day in and day out. He is used to a high level since he played professionally, and has been surrounded by a high level of tennis throughout his whole life.” Hohmann has now been in Florida full-time for two-and-a-half years, and is now one of the top players in the country. His victory at the Eddie Herr International was a real confirmation of the dedication he has shown and the improvement he has made. He has recently hit with many top pros who train in Florida, including Gael Monfils, Kevin Anderson and Fernando Verdasco. “As Ronnie’s results are showing that it can be a reality to have a career on the ATP Tour, I want him to feel and see what these great players are doing on a daily basis to achieve those levels of tennis,” said Widom. “It’s one thing for me to tell him what to do, but it is a different ballgame to see and feel it on the court with these players.” Hohmann has found a new home in Florida, and training full-time in the Sunshine State has allowed his game to flourish. But he makes sure to come back up to Long Island once every couple of months: “I miss my family the most,” Hohmann said. “But I also miss having that great New York pizza.” Brian Coleman is Senior Editor for New York Tennis Magazine. He may be reached by phone at (516) 409-4444, ext. 326 or e-mail BrianC@USPTennis.com.

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

Mental Tennis Roundtable: Thoughts and Insights From the Area’s Top Mental Coaches ftentimes, the most difficult opponent to face during a tennis match can be yourself. Tennis is one of the most challenging sports from a mental and emotional standpoint as you are often out there on court all by yourself. New York Tennis Magazine discussed a number of common scenarios with experts in the field of sports psychology, including Sport Psychologist Dr. Tom Ferraro; Founder and Director of Inside the Zone Sports Performance Group, Rob Polishook; and AASP Certified Mental Performance Consultant Amanda Ferranti, Director and Founder of Ferranti Empowerment.

Meet the roundtable … Amanda Ferranti is the Director and Founder of Ferranti Empowerment, where she has established herself as a Certified Mental Performance Consultant for youth athletes, teams and coaches. Amanda has an MA in Sport and Exercise Psychology, a BA in Psychology from Princeton University, and years of experience working with athletes and coaches in various sports, 42

ages and levels. She has achieved a great deal of athletic success herself, having played soccer for the HBC Fury (seven-time State Champions, threetime Regional Champions, three-time National Finalists), Princeton University (Ivy League Champions, NCAA Final Four semi-finalist), and the Long Island Rough Riders (Northeast Division Champions). Amanda also has a diverse background competing in multiple sports, including swim, basketball, lacrosse and dance.

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

Dr. Tom Ferraro is a world renowned Sport Psychologist with a Ph.D. from SUNY Stony Brook. He has more than 25 years of experience working with professional teams, coaches and Olympic athletes across a broad range of sports. He is board certified as a psychoanalyst, which allows him to properly diagnose and treat the symptoms the athlete brings to the office

and also to help them understand the underlying reasons for self-defeat. He publishes internationally and has been featured in the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The London Times. Recently, he was the featured Sport Psychologist in a full length documentary film by director Robert Hoffman about the psychology of coaching. The issues he treats include anxiety, the yips, anger, slumps, loss of confidence, depression, injury recovery, concussion recovery, drug use, family and team problems.

tennis player. Understanding that a win or loss doesn’t define them, but is only what happened on the court. Rafael Nadal said it best, “Tennis isn’t who I am, it’s what I do.” Another challenge is the tendency to compare game styles. Imagine Roger Federer trying to play like Nadal? Players are not one-sizefits-all. Each player has to embrace who they are as individuals and athletes. This recognition allows them to play their game mentally and tactically. The goal … bringing who you are to the court! I call this “More Than an Athlete.”

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. As a Mental Training Coach, Rob works with athletes and teams in all sports and at all levels, from middle school to professional athletes. He teaches cutting-edge mental training skills, techniques and provides the tools necessary for athletes to compete in high level pressure situations.

Tennis players often have to deal with bad calls or playing in front of a crowd that is cheering against you. How should one handle these types of situations? Dr. Tom Ferraro: The best way to manage bad calls, nasty crowds or any other negative occurrence is to be ready for them. Murphy’s Law simply states that “Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.” Therefore, it is crucial to expect the worst so that it will not surprise you. Prior to every match, remind yourself that odd and surprising things will inevitably occur and to let them roll off your back and remain in the zone.

What are some of the biggest mental challenges/problems that tennis players face? Dr. Tom Ferraro: The biggest mental challenges that tennis players face are related to their ability to cope with anxiety, distractions, surprises and anger. Each athlete must find a way to manage these feelings. Their ability to do so is connected to their self-image, past performances and the way their parents raised them. Often, as the athlete rises up the ranks, they will begin to experience one or more of these emotions which were heretofore repressed. Rob Polishook: A huge challenge for junior players is to separate who they are as a person from what they do as a

What advice would you give to a player who is too emotional on the court? Rob Polishook: Before I gave advice, I

would listen and want to know what they are experiencing. Without understanding their perspective, you cannot possibly get to the root of the problem and resolve the underlying issue. Many times, what is seen as a problem is not! But a symptom of something else which may not even have to do with tennis, but rather, something off the court. Ultimately, we want to channel the energy in a way that is helpful. During matches, sometimes things go well and others times, they don’t go according to plan. What advice do you have for players who need help in overcoming in-match adversity? Amanda Ferranti: For competitive athletes, adversity can be difficult to withstand because of one’s expectations going into the match. For example, if you believe that “I have to win” or “I have to play my best all the time,” then you are demanding yourself to accomplish an uncontrollable task. As a result, you will feel a great deal of pressure and stress, especially if you are not winning or are not playing your best. So instead of saying you “have to,” change your vocabulary to “I want to win” and “I want to play my best,” which will help you feel more determined when faced with adversity.

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

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

Rob Polishook: To start, players need to expect that each match will have its own unpredictable peaks, valleys and challenges. The sport of tennis is hard, so expect adversity! Additionally, knowing you cannot play your A-game 100 percent of the time. Rather recognizing your level and making calculated adjustments as necessary. Anyone can win when they play well. However, the best players learn to adapt and adjust when they are not playing their best. When negative thoughts begin to enter a player’s mind, what are some tricks or techniques to keeping their mind positive, despite the score or the way the match may be going? Amanda Ferranti: The short answer to this question is to repeat three character traits that you strongly identify with as a tennis player. For example, you can remind yourself, “I am disciplined, strong and determined,” which often produces feelings of pride, confidence or optimism. Another trick is to remember specific things that you have done well in the past. For example, “I came back from a poor start and won a match last month.” These skills are simple and valuable, because they are reliable ways of producing positive emotions in a moment where you are feeling uncomfortable.

Rob Polishook: First off, let’s be honest, we all have negative thoughts and they usually appear when adversity strikes. Those thoughts are not the problem, rather, the problem is how the player responds to them. When players fight their thoughts, they are actually fighting a part of them that is scared or frightened. This fighting creates a downward spiral. However, recognition of these very thoughts can be used as a cue to refocus through rituals, breath and coming back to the present moment. My book, Tennis Inside the Zone: Mental Training Workouts for Champions speaks to this question in two chapters, “How to Stay in the Moment” and “Tense, Nervous, Can’t Relax: Five Ways to Manage Pressure.” How much of a key is the mental side of tennis as opposed to the physical side of the sport? Amanda Ferranti: To best answer this question, I will share a quote from one of my highly competitive clients, who is currently a highly-ranked USTA player: “Ferranti Empowerment has helped me capture my potential mentally in ways that are indescribable. My knowledge about the mental part of sports has improved exponentially, in all areas of my training.” As a player ages, the physical side of the game requires

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maintenance and fine-tuning, while the mental side is paramount. Dr. Tom Ferraro: I would say that the mental and the physical aspects of the sport are of equal importance, but clearly the mental side is given far less attention. In some ways, this is tragic because what typically happens is that an athlete is training physically, develops tennis skills and this takes them upward towards tougher competition. What usually happens is that many will not have the mental strength or training to cope with the escalating pressure and they will either implode psychologically or incur an injury which takes them into a downward spiral and away from the unbearable and unmanageable pressure. What do you recommend a player think about in the hours before a match? Amanda Ferranti: Before a match, it is important to develop a pre-performance routine or plan. This plan is individualized and may take some trial and error to develop, however, once it is established, the player can then develop confidence or trust in their preparation. For many athletes of this current generation, it may be best to neither think nor distract oneself, but rather, meditate and clear one’s mind. Through practiced meditation, the mind is sort of resetting and getting ready for the many cognitive and emotional demands of a competitive match. Dr. Tom Ferraro: The hours before a match are a crucial time for the athlete to enter into a focused/aggressive zone of performance. Many try to do this by using music or by getting a pep talk from a coach, but these tend to be rather ineffective. The athlete will often benefit from professional training to learn how to find the zone which will enable them to enter into a bubble of focus and sheer willpower. Overall, I would say that the mind is an important organ in all sports, and it needs specialized training if the athlete expects to go very far.

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Metro Corporate League Crowns Three Winter Season Champs The team from NYJTL/Cary Leeds Center captured the Advanced Division Championship during the Metro Corporate Tennis League’s Winter 2018 Season

Bank of America was crowned Advanced/Intermediate Champions of the Metro Corporate Tennis League’s Winter 2018 Season

he Metro Corporate Tennis League, presented by Advantage Tennis Clubs, is an initiative of the Metrotennis Community Tennis Association (MCTA). The League is divided into three levels of play, Intermediate (3.0-3.5), Advanced Intermediate (4.04.5) and Advanced (4.5+). Also offered is the new Hi-Five program for teams not ready to compete, but want to get into the sport while getting a great workout. Just finishing up was the Winter 2018 season. Congratulations to NYJTL/Cary Leeds, Bank of America and Deutsche Bank for

The Metro Corporate Tennis League concluded its Winter 2018 season with Deutsche Bank taking home the trophy in the Intermediate Division

winning the Advanced, Advanced/Intermediate and Intermediate Divisions, respectively. More than 60 teams played in the Winter 2018 Season. However, during the Summer Season, only 40 teams can be accommodated. The Summer Season will run from May through August, culminating with an end-of-season party at Roosevelt Island Racquet Club. For more information regarding the Metro Corporate Tennis League, visit MetroTennis.com under the Tab labeled, “Corporate” or e-mail Luis Espinoza at Luis@MetroTennis.com.

For more information regarding the Metro Corporate Tennis League, visit MetroTennis.com under the Tab labeled, “Corporate” or e-mail Luis Espiroza at Luis@MetroTennis.com. New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2018 • NYTennisMag.com

The One-Handed vs. Two-Handed Backhand By Antonio Glionna n the sport of tennis, we have several players who have achieved levels of greatness and success by using either their one-handed backhand or two-handed backhand. Many ask the question: “Which is better, the onehanded backhand or two-handed backhand?” My answer, “They are both equally great, it’s just matter of preference and playing style.” No matter which technique you use, both have advantages and disadvantages, and the one-handed backhand slice is a must to learn. I have created a table with a list of the most common advantages and disadvantages of the one-handed backhand vs. two-handed backhand where club players,

recreational players or beginners can get some insight. Remember … the focus here is on backhand topspin and backhand drive execution, not on the slice backhand! Note: Since kids do not typically have great physical strength, they should start to use the two-handed backhand. When they grow up, it is up to them and their coach to decide which backhand technique to apply and master. Also, since I like statistics, let’s have a look at the current world ranking of top 20 players on the ATP Tour and WTA Tour and see how many are using the one-handed backhand or the two-handed backhand and let’s try to identify a trend. On the men’s tour, only three players use the one-handed backhand and the remaining 17 top players use the two-handed backhand. On the women’s tour, all of the top 20 players in the

world use the two-handed backhand. Because the two-handed backhand gives you more stability and support, it allows the top players in the world to easily return serves, put the ball deeper into the court and start the rally in a relatively neutral position. So, based on this trend, should everyone use two-handed backhand? The answer is no. At the end of the day, it is just a personal preference. Antonio Glionna trained professionally in Europe and Australia. He has more than 20 years of international coaching and training experience, and he is also PTR-certified. Currently, Antonio provides private and group lessons at the Midtown Tennis Club and coaches kids and juniors at The Manhattan Tennis Academy in New York City.

One-Handed Backhand vs. Two-Handed Backhand One-Handed Backhand Advantages More reach

Two-Handed Backhand

Disadvantages

Advantages

Less stability and requires more wrist strength

More stability on the shot because it is supported by the second hand

More natural slice Better feeling on the backhand volley Adds more variety and disguise in your game (easier to switch from a topspin to a slice backhand shot to change pace)

Harder to hit a ball above the shoulder

High bouncing balls are easier to hit

Less stable on returning serves because it is harder adjust the backswing length Less margin of error on a running backhand shot

More controlled returns of serve supported by the second hand

Disadvantages Less reach, therefore requires faster footwork The slice is less natural and is used generally as defensive shot Less feeling on the backhand volley

Easier to hit balls on the rise or running backhands

Full swing is almost a must Quicker swing preparation

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

So … You Want

By Geoff Grant ur world feels increasingly complex, unpredictable and scary. Some studies claim that extreme interconnectivity through social media, technological advancements and instant gratification are detrimental to the mental and emotional health of children. As a result, parents look to tennis for answers. Tennis is an amazing sport for developing independence, character and an active lifestyle. But how do we keep our kids engaged in tennis and get them to love the sport? Simply enrolling into a tennis camp or signing up for private lessons doesn’t guarantee a lifelong love of the

sport. The real success comes when a young person finds their own reasons to play. It’s this ownership and love of the game (from the inside) that is the Holy Grail. To instill long-term ownership, parents can take action in a few key ways: Watch the pros live and in person Although ticket prices are expensive for just about anything these days, tennis offers pro-level quality viewing opportunities if you are willing to dig a little. For instance, Division 1 college matches are free and the level of play in the NCAA has never been higher. Furthermore, pro events still exist in the Northeast, from the grass of Newport, R.I., to Long Island’s New York Open all the

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

way down to pro events in Washington, D.C., as players warm up for the obvious crown jewel, the U.S. Open. There’s nothing like seeing a live professional event up close and the impact on a youngster can be profound. Invest in quality coaching Tennis is a highly technical sport requiring sound fundamentals. A knowledgeable and inspiring coach makes all the difference. Try to find a coach who is able to make the learning process productive and fun at the same time. It’s all about learning the basics and having fun. If you cannot afford the great coach, make sure to align your child with a fun and nurturing coach who has charisma and charm while hav-

ant Your Child to Love Tennis ing enough knowledge to be helpful. Play tennis as much as possible with your kids Even if you’re a complete beginner, you can still find a way to get on the court and bring tennis to life! Find a court with a wall and give it your best shot together. Walls don’t miss, so the pressure is off. Bonding over a sport like tennis is as healthy as it gets and won’t cost you much during the warm weather months. Read inspiring sports books There’s nothing like a great sports biography to light up the imagination and inspire. Kids take the written word very seriously and they like true stories of reallife people. Giving them examples of how

of experience with the game already. Beginner players may not have as much fun, so be careful, but all it takes is a little bit of planning and willing parents.

a healthy sports life can be lived may be all the information one needs to try to make a dream come true. Some titles of sports-related books include Kid Athletes: True Tales of Childhood From Sports Legends by David Stabler, Rising Above: How 11 Athletes Overcame Challenges in Their Youth to Become Stars by Gregory Zuckerman, and Stephen Curry: Never Give Up by Stephen Herman.

The sport of tennis offers so many wonderful things to a healthy lifestyle. Yet there are so many distractions and alternatives. Finding a way to tap into the spirit of a young mind at an early age can make all the difference. Keep an active calendar of events and a keen focus on exposing your child to tennis and sports as much as possible. Find a way to elevate sports as a superior activity and incredible challenge will keep them coming back for more. Make sure the journey is always fun. It’s only a game, after all.

Set up tennis play dates with other players If given the right opportunity, kids will find a way to have fun doing almost anything. Therefore, getting two friends (four is even better!) on a tennis court is more than half the battle. This is especially effective if the youngsters have a little bit

Geoff Grant is a Duke graduate and former ATP player ranked as high as 109th in the world in singles, and in 1998, reached the third round of the U.S. Open. For the past eight years, he has been a part of the CourtSense team as a Director of Tennis and General Manager of Tenafly Racquet Club.

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

Building a Killer Kick By Chris Lewit ne of the hardest shots in the game to master is the serve. And one of the hardest serves to master is the Kick Serve. The Kick Serve is often tremendously difficult to learn for most players. I have many students coming to me from New York City and around the country who are struggling to build a killer Kick. Here are some of the key points I share with them. I have also published extensively on the serve and Kick Serve techniques, and I recommend reviewing some of my free videos and articles at TeamLewit.com for further research.

Grip I have a lot of success adjusting my students grip to more of an Eastern Backhand. This helps accelerate the learning process and can jumpstart a Kick Serve when the player is really struggling to get enough spin on the ball. A strong Eastern Backhand Grip, as opposed to a typical Continental, forces the player to relax and accelerate the lower forearm and wrist—one of the keys to generating spin—and the grip also closes the racket face slightly leading up to impact, which helps add spin too. Sometimes players need a strong Eastern Grip in the beginning to learn the proper lower arm and wrist movement, but then can revert to a more classic Continental Grip once the movement is mastered. Other players will like the feel of the Eastern Backhand Grip on the serve and can build all their serves off of that one grip. Rafael Nadal is a famous example of a player who uses a very strong Backhand Grip for all of his serves. I have found that players who never adjust their grip properly can sometimes struggle for a long time trying to learn good spin, and sometimes give up completely; or they think they have a kick serve, but it’s actually pretty weak and flat. A strong Backhand Grip is definitely one key to learning a killer Kick Serve!

ick ServeBuilding a Killer Kick Serve Staying sideways High speed video studies clearly show that the body is relatively more side-on at impact for a Kick Serve than for a slice or flat or power serve. Staying sideways while accelerating upward with a strong triceps extension is a very important key to the Kick Serve. In my experience, most players open up their shoulders too early and this sabotages a good Kick Serve swing pathway. Players often learn the Flat Serve first and their bodies are wired to open up and rotate the shoulders. On a good Kick Serve, the shoulders do rotate, but not as quickly and at impact the more sideways torso alignment and shoulder position is critical. This alignment provides for relative shoulder and triceps isolation during the acceleration phase up to the ball and promotes the left-to-right swing pathway critical to impart sidespin. Acceleration When accelerating up to the ball, many players will jerk their shoulders and head downward. This is a very common phenomenon. On a good Kicker, racket speed is paramount to achieve the spin necessary for a big, high bouncing serve. However, the torso must remain straightened and the body tall during the acceleration phase. Another element to consider when accelerating is that mishits are bound to occur. Frequently, players will be embarrassed by their mishits and start to consciously or subconsciously swing less aggressively up to the ball in subsequent serve attempts. Coaches should encourage players to keep swinging fast and not to be discouraged by some mishits, which are unavoidable when learning a Kick Serve. The bottom line is that acceleration of the arm and racquet must be violent and whippy, with the body sideways and tall, and the head up and still. Jumping There is a myth that players shouldn’t be taught to jump on the serve; that jumping is a byproduct of the kinetic chain. I disagree

and always work on jump training with my students. The leg drive should be actively developed and can be enhanced with proper training, especially at a young age. Players need to practice loading the back leg and pushing up aggressively from the ground, hitting the ball while in midair, and landing inside the court on the front leg. When jumping, players should be careful not to lose their balance or posture while airborne. In addition, players need to maintain that critical sideways position during the jump through impact and then allow the body to uncoil more fully post-impact. Finishing Most players with good Kickers finish with the elbow high and the arm very relaxed. This is sometimes referred to as “The Dirty Diaper” position because the hand looks like it’s holding a dirty diaper! All jokes aside though, the position is important because it reveals whether the arm, especially the lower arm, was loose and quick during the acceleration phase. Many players will finish rather abruptly on the right side of their bodies. This can be done safely, however, I prefer to see a finish towards the left side because it takes less stress off the arm, especially for young children. Tactical keys Players should remember that the Kick Serve is most effective on the ad court when used to attack the opponent’s backhand with an angle serve. A Kicker can be used as a first serve too—not just as a second delivery. I like to tell my students that the Kick Serve and the forehand are like a brother and sister, or cousins. They are family and go together like peanut butter and jelly. Players should be taught to actively setup an aggressive forehand with a good Kicker. It’s a one-two punch! It’s also important to remember that a Kicker to the backhand will only be effective if the player also develops a good Surprise Kicker. The Surprise kicker is a Topspin Serve that goes to the forehand instead of the backhand, which is typically the target.

I teach my players to toss the ball slightly left—over their shoulders—to fool their opponents and make them think they are going to the backhand—but then to hit the Surprise Kicker at the last possible moment— catching the returner off guard. Practice safe Don’t overdo it! A basket of 60-80 balls per session is more than enough. It’s about quality—not quantity. The Kick Serve can be a stressful movement on the shoulder and the back, especially for young children. Players should be limited to a safe amount each day and rest days should be included in every practice week. It’s important for any player learning how to hit a Kick Serve to maintain a core/lower back and shoulder injury prevention program, and to work on their flexibility. The toss should not be too extreme to the left side of the body. A toss too extreme can cause injury by hyperextending the lower back (lumbar spine) and putting the shoulder in a precariously weak position. Remember: Thoracic extension, or bending of the upper back, is safer than lumbar extension. Keep that lower back straight and the spine healthy! Conclusion There is more to the art of serving than just blasting aces with power. Follow these guidelines to build a killer Kick for yourself or someone you coach. Train smart and safely to develop a Kick Serve that will last a lifetime and won’t cause any injuries down the road. Now go get Kicking! Chris Lewit, a former number one for Cornell and pro circuit player, coaches in the New York City area and also runs a high-performance boarding summer camp in Southern Vermont. He specializes in training aspiring junior tournament players using progressive Spanish and European training methods. His best-selling book, Secrets of Spanish Tennis, has helped coaches and players worldwide learn how to train the Spanish way. He may be reached by phone at (914) 462-2912, e-mail ChrisLewit@gmail.com or visit ChrisLewit.com.

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

How t

By Todd Widom uring my years of coaching, I have noticed a lack of knowledge with American tennis players at all levels as to how well they understand the game and how well they understand their own game. These players have been working on their technique for years and have been handfed balls as their training. Some of these players may look good, yet they struggle to compete, and have great difficulty in constructing points properly, which, in turn, can drastically hurt their tennis careers.

There are tennis players we have seen play that we think are good because they look good when they strike a ball, but when they play in a match or tournament, they end up being inferior players. Part of the development of becoming the best tennis player you can be is by studying other players and how they construct points and why they hit certain shots at certain times. Studying tennis is an art, and anticipating where the ball is going to be hit takes experience and knowledge about the game. One excellent way to study tennis is to sit down and watch professional matches on television. While watching, you should try to figure out the patterns of play and if

New York Tennis Magazine â&#x20AC;˘ May/June 2018 â&#x20AC;˘ NYTennisMag.com

the forehand or backhand side is trying to get broken down to receive errors. Questions to ask while doing an analysis are: l Where are the players serving most of the time? l Where are they serving on the important points? l How are the players moving? l Are they moving defensively or aggressively? l How high over the net are they playing? l What kind of margin from the sidelines and baseline are they playing with so that they play high percentage tennis?

to Study Tennis l What kind of attitude do these players have? l When do they show signs of positive reinforcement and when are they a bit negative? l How much time do they take between points to prepare for the next point? When I was a junior tennis player, I would sit down with my coach and study matches so that I could learn how the world’s best play the sport and how they respond to all the different circumstances that are thrown at them in a match situation. For example, the most important shots in high-level tennis are the serve and return, so understanding when and where

the opponent is most likely going to serve or return before the point starts is vital to success. Another example is that a technical deficiency is going to show up on the most important points of a game, and smart tennis players are going to try to exploit that during those stressful times, because that is when that stroke will most likely break down. Lastly, points are usually developed out of the backhand corner with backhands or forehands, because that is where the majority of players are most comfortable playing from. When the person goes to the forehand, they are usually trying to break down that side to get them out of the comfort zone of the backhand side.

The more you watch the tennis professionals play on television and study their matches, the more you will begin to understand the game and certain patterns of play. I hope that you will be able to apply what you have learned to your own game. Good luck studying! Todd Widom is a former top 200 ATP professional in both singles and doubles, and owner of TW Tennis, South Florida’s top small group/private tennis training geared exclusively for the high-performance junior, collegiate or professional tennis player. Todd may be reached by email at Todd@TWTennis.com or visit TWTennis.com.

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

courtsix New York Tennis Magazine’s Gossip Column By Emilie Katz Roger Federer Foundation Hosts Match for Africa

The SAP Center in San Jose, Calif. played host to the Match for Africa, the annual exhibition event hosted by Roger Federer and the Roger Federer Foundation. Federer played American Jack Sock in a singles match, followed by a doubles match featuring Bill Gates (pictured above with Federer) and NBC Today Show cohost Savannah Guthrie. The money raised will help children living in poverty through the Roger Federer Foundation.

Six-Time Grand Slam Champ Flach Passes Away

Photo credit: ATP World Tour

Ken Flach, winner of six Grand Slam titles, 54

passed away on March 12 at the age of 54 after a battle with pneumonia. Flach won four major titles in men’s doubles, including the 1985 U.S. Open, and two major titles in mixed doubles. “Ken was taken far too soon, and his sudden passing comes as a real shock to everyone in tennis,” said ATP President Chris Kermode. “He will be remembered as one of the great U.S. doubles players in the history of our sport.”

Ivanovic Has Baby Boy

Haas Calls It a Career Former French Open Champion and world number one Ana Ivanovic gave birth to her first child. She and husband, professional soccer player Bastian Schweinsteiger of the Chicago Fire, welcomed their son Luka into the world at a Chicago-area hospital.

Retired Bjorn Borg Signs With Fila Former world number two Tommy Haas officially announced his retirement from professional tennis during the BNP Paribas Open in March. “I consider myself extremely fortunate that I was able to play professional tennis for a living for more than two decades,” said Haas, who is the current Tournament Director of the BNP Paribas Open. “The sport gave me cherished friendships, an ability to travel the world, and opportunities to create incredible memories.”

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

Photo credit: Fila

Bjorn Borg and Fila have rekindled a

relationship that dates back more than 40 years, as Borg was named a brand ambassador recently. Borg, pictured above with Gene Yoon, Fila’s Global Chairman, wore the Fila brand on court throughout his career, which included 11 Grand Slam titles. “Fila has a history of aligning with legendary athletes who have made an impact in their sport and beyond,” said Yoon. “It is an honor to welcome Bjorn back to the Fila family.”

Navratilova-Evert Rivalry Rekindled in Exhibition Match

One of the greatest rivalries in the history of sport was reignited, as Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert took part in an exhibition match to help raise awareness for the Love & Love Tennis Foundation, an organization created by former WTA pros Rosie Casals and Tory Fretz. “We were both pretty evenly matched. Martina’s still got the hands … she’s still the greatest doubles player that ever lived, for sure. But we still have fun,” said Evert. “We can laugh at ourselves now, which we probably couldn’t do 30 years ago.”

U.S. Open Reveals New Logo

The U.S. Open will have a new look this year, as the USTA unveiled the tournament’s new logo. “The new logo is bold and energetic, and better captures and expresses the dynamism of the U.S. Open,” said Amy Choyne, USTA Chief Marketing Officer. “We have enjoyed 50 years of greatness, and our new visual identity will better carry us forward for the next 50 years.”

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

Avoid Dangerous Drugs With Laser Therapy for Pain Relief By Dr. Rob Silverman often see patients who have been prescribed powerful drugs to relieve the pain of joint and muscle injuries. These drugs can have dangerous side effects, including upsetting the digestive system and even opening the pathway to addiction. Patients come to me because I offer a better, safer way to relieve this type of pain: Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT). This approach uses light from a laser to relieve the underlying inflammation

that’s causing the pain, while also speeding the healing process. When soft tissue, such as muscles and tendons are injured, they release chemicals that set off the body’s natural inflammatory response. The area becomes red, swollen, warm and painful. Icing, compression and elevation all help reduce the inflammation, but these are basically firstaid approaches that are only helpful if applied immediately. Even when they are, inflammation and pain will persist for days, or even weeks, after the injury. Drugs such as steroids (cortisone), pow-

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

erful non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (Celecoxib, Naprosyn and similar drugs), and pain medications (opioids) can help, but their risks often outweigh their benefits. People with diabetes, for instance, can develop dangerously high blood sugar from steroids. Prescription nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are notorious for causing stomach bleeding and even heart attacks. In addition to their potential for accidental overdose and addiction, opioids can cause sedation and depression. Why take dangerous drugs when a safe

and effective alternative is available? Laser light delivered directly to the area in and around the injured joint can be very helpful for not just relieving pain, but also for actively promoting the healing process. The laser reduces inflammation, provides deep tissue therapy, improves blood flow to the area, and accelerates pain relief. LLLT works by exposing the injured tissue to coherent light at specific wavelengths—in other words, laser light at wavelengths that have been scientifically shown to help relieve pain. The stimulation from the light helps the body use its own cellular resources to heal itself, with no side effects. The light penetrates the skin and into the damaged tissues easily and triggers a biological response that switches on the healing process. The injured area is stimulated to produce a cascade of natural chemicals, such as anti-inflammatory enzymes, that reduce pain and improve mobility in the joint. More than 3,000 published studies show that LLLT is safe and effective. It’s also painless. The photons from the laser

don’t generate any heat—this therapy is also known as cold laser light—so they cannot damage any tissue or cause a sensation of heat. The doctor uses a small, hand-held laser that never actually touches your skin. A treatment session only takes three to five minutes. Most people feel less pain soon after the first session and need only two treatments a week for three weeks in a row to get longterm relief. LLLT is particularly effective for sports injuries, such as tennis elbow and Achilles tendon inflammation. It’s also helpful for other types of pain, such as neck pain, lower back pain, plantar fasciitis, and mildly arthritic joints. A really valuable use of LLLT is in treating the headaches and neck pain that come from concussions and whiplash injuries. One of the best aspects of LLLT is that it’s non-toxic—it can’t cause a dangerous interaction with any medications and it has no side effects. It’s also non-invasive—you don’t even have to take your clothes off during treatment. Almost anyone can have laser therapy safely. To find

a laser therapist near you, check with your local chiropractors, physical therapists and orthopedic specialists. For the best, safest results, be sure the low-power laser they use is FDA-cleared and delivers light in the 635 nanometer wavelength. When my patients tell me how much LLLT has helped them, I’m not surprised. After all, someone famous once said, “Let there be light.” Dr. Robert G. Silverman is a White Plains, N.Y.-based sports chiropractor and certified clinical nutritionist, specializing in functional medicine and the treatment of joint pain with innovative, science-based, nonsurgical approaches. He is also on the advisory board for the Functional Medicine University and a health contributor to various major TV networks. He is the author of Amazon’s Number One Best-Seller, InsideOut Health. In 2015, he was honored with the prestigious Sports Chiropractor of the Year award by the ACA Sports Council. He can be reached by phone at (914) 2876464, e-mail Info@DrRobertSilverman.com or visit DrRobertSilverman.com.

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Develop Positive

By Lisa Dodson ompetitive players often find that they cannot maintain consistent play, focus and a strong positive attitude during matches. Let’s consider a “Competitive Player” as one who, at any level, plays matches that are important to them. We would expect a higher-level player to be more evolved and a less-experienced player to be lessevolved, but that is not often true. Intensity is the key to sustaining mental and emotional focus, and strong physical play. The classic definition of being intense is “Of extreme force, degree or strength.” This can be used in a mental, emotional or physical sense. In terms of tennis, the result of playing with intensity is playing high percentage tennis consistently, and at a maintainable level for the duration of a match. It doesn’t get any more important than that. Every successful athlete maintains a constant level of intensity when competing. In tennis, a decline in intensity leads to unforced errors and erratic play, which makes it more difficult to regain that level of intensity. This results in lopsided scores, unnec-

essary losses and play with lots of peaks and valleys. Intensity, in itself, can be tricky and requires a balance of emotional/mental and physical components. Emotional/mental development A solid emotional state is directly tied to mental control, decision-making, good footwork and racket technique, as well as the ability to improve ourselves and our games. Overall, one’s emotional and mental outlook will rule the physical part of the game. How a player thinks about, prepares for and practices the game of tennis is essential. The factors below have a direct impact on our emotional state on the court. l Always be positive and say NO to fear: How do you think about and treat yourself? Do you say negative things about yourself, for example, “you are so stupid!” or “you missed that shot again!?” If you do, then you are a bigger obstacle to yourself than your opponent is to you. You are just confirming what you really feel, reaffirming it with every negative comment. There is no time for headshaking and

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

negative self-talk. When in doubt, just be quiet. If you are not nice to yourself on the court, then who will be? Certainly not the opponent, who wants you to feel as bad as possible about yourself. Don’t do their job for them. No one wants to fail. Go out knowing that you are capable and ready. Think good thoughts before a match. If you find fear creeping in, distract yourself, take a jog, talk to a friend, listen to music … just don’t obsess over the opponent or the match. You are either ready or are not ready. Choose “ready.” l Be fully prepared: Get appropriate amounts of practice before any match, but don’t wear yourself out by over practicing. Whether for practice or for a match, have your bag packed with anything that you could possibly need. Eat well and try to be rested. Leave plenty of time to get to your destination so you don’t feel rushed getting to the courts. Give yourself a mental boost by remembering and thinking about some of your best moments on the court. Basically have everything taken care of so that there

op Intensity for Focus and a ve Attitude Throughout Play are no worries or distractions from the match itself. l Practice smart: Give your heart and soul to practicing with precision and intensity because as they say, “You will play like you practice.” If you practice sloppy and just go through the motions, then you won’t know how to lift the level of your game in a match. If you hit excessively hard in practice, but know that you cannot maintain that level in a match, then you’ll end up being disappointed and frustrated because you are now pushing to keep the ball in. Practice with intensity and purpose, push yourself even if you are tired and always give 100 percent even if it means spending less time on the practice court. This will prepare you better for matches than marathon practice sessions with low intensity. Technical development The real way to develop confidence in your game is to know that you are technically sound. Most of us have to prove to ourselves that we can keep a rally

going, come through under pressure or hit a winner when presented the opportunity. Normally, self-doubt comes from not being technically sound since big flaws in footwork, position to the ball and stroke work cause errors. So, always trying to improve overall technique plays a big role in maintaining a successful emotional state and intensity level. Have you ever watched a professional match and one of the players who is known for a huge forehand keeps missing long or wide by inches or feet? Darned if they don’t just keep on doing the same thing until the balls start to go in and they do not exhibit frustration or negative behavior. This is possible because a player at that level knows the shot is there and just needs to keep finetuning it. They never back off and start pushing. Most other levels of play get fearful when they are missing their shots and start swinging slower and changing their technique to get the ball in. This is because they lack confidence in their technique. Feeling mentally good and confident goes hand-in-hand with main-

taining successful footwork, technique, and therefore, intensity. Intensity in two match scenarios Anyone can play well for a while in a match. Most players have experienced cruising through a set to 5-0 and losing the set 5-7. This simply equates to the leading player waiting for the opponent to lose. They have let down their intensity of play and quit doing what got them to 5-0. Let’s figure the other guy or gal isn’t ready to roll over yet. They instinctively raise their intensity level in direct response to the leader losing intensity, and before they know it, the set has turned around. How about winning a tight first set 6-4 only to lose the second 0-6, followed by a third set tie-breaker? The winner of the first set used up most of their emotional capacity by toughing out the first set. Now the score has reset to 0-0 and the opponent is taking a fresh approach, settling in and starting over while the first set winner is still simply relieved to win continued on page 60

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develop intensity for focus and a positive attitude continued from page 59 the first set and not ready to start fresh. It’s a bloodbath in the second set. The tie-breaker can go any direction. If both are ready to go and fight to the finish, it will be close. If one or the other has the better outlook and can maintain solid play, they will win. Play consistently regardless of the score Every point has equal value. Think about that. Do you believe it? Do you treat every shot, rally, return or serve with equal intensity? If not, then you are giving some points more value than others and you are likely to feel pressure when there really is none. One (1) point won gets you one (1) point. Just because it’s an important point doesn’t give it more value. So, if we play every point with the same intensity and focus, mentally and physically, it really takes the pressure off bigger, more important seeming points. Once again, we have all seen pro players reel off winners at the most pressured of times. That’s because they can handle the pressure by treating a “big” point like every other point. They are simply accustomed to playing that way and they are able to lift their level of play instead of crumbling under pressure. Treating every point equally also reduces unforced errors and eliminates “throw away” points. A great example of a throw

away point is a service return unforced error or a rally ball unforced error. There is no good reason for the miss, other than you probably had no plan and didn’t decide exactly where you wanted your ball to land. Hence, no intensity for the point. Let’s say your opponent is serving. If you routinely miss returns, you may as well say to your opponent at the start of their service game, “You’re up 30-love. You don’t need to serve, I’m going to miss at least two returns anyway.” That’s an incredibly hard way to win matches. How do we reproduce the days when we feel great and just cannot miss? We’ve all had these great days. Some call it being “In the zone.” But why is there a long and painful lapse between these great days? Somehow, whether by design or luck, we temporarily found the perfect combination of successful components to play the tennis we dream of. Now, all we have to do is try to reproduce the conditions. It could be the lead up: You got a great night’s sleep and went into the match relaxed. It could be that you have been working hard on a better serve and are winning lots of easy points. It could the hard work you put in lately so you’re a little fitter and more responsive. Or that you were fearless

and just loved playing tennis that day. Or it could be a combination of many factors all coming together that particular day. Know this … if you can play one excellent match, then you can do it again. It’s there inside of you just waiting to reemerge. Hopefully you now have a better understanding of how to maintain focus in competitive play and how to remain positive, regardless of the score. Emotional stability and mental control go hand-in-hand with producing great footwork and technique. As these things continue to develop, intensity levels can remain constant. Treat every opponent with equal respect and play your best tennis every day. Play every point with equal intensity to avoid feeling pressure on “big” points, or when you are way up or way down in a match. Practice the way you want to play. Keep striving to improve technique and footwork. Fuel your intensity with the right stuff and you’ll be winning matches before you know it. Lisa Dodson is the Developer and Owner of Servemaster, a USPTA Elite Professional and a former WTA world-ranked player. She is currently the Director of Tennis at Shenorock Shore Club in Rye, N.Y. She may be reached by e-mail at Lisa@TheTotalServe.com or visit TheTotalServe.com.

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Sometimes Being Right Means “Be Right for the Game” By Barbara Wyatt s I sit at my local coffee hang-out minding my own business, invariably I hear someone say “Ask Barbara, she wrote the tennis rules app.” Three players then walk over to my table and tell me horror stories about a tennis rule violation. “This happened to me at Sectionals …” “You won’t believe what my opponent did at a USTA match!” The stories usually include one player’s misunderstanding of a tennis rule. That player uses a raised voice to demand the game be conducted under their interpretation of the rule. You and I know those players miss the meaning of a competitive tennis match. How can we help all players understand that tennis matches, either social or competitive, are healthy, delightful hours of play? The purpose is to enjoy the game and its competitive moments. Jake told me a story about obtaining a third ball. When serving, he asked his opponents to pick up the third ball located between their baseline and the fence. The opponents refused. Jake asked again. The opponents refused and taunted Jake and his partner with name calling. Jake walked over to the third ball and picked it up. Yes, he left his serving position, walked to the opposite side of the net, picked up the ball and returned to his side of the net to commence serving.

“distant.” The opponents should have given Jake the third ball. Question: What about Jake’s decision to leave his side of the court? Answer: According to USTA Regulations IV.C.5: “A player may leave the court to retrieve a ball.” His action to pick up the third ball could be perceived as acceptable. But was that the right decision to make? Jake had options. Perhaps Jake prefers to begin serving with all three balls. He understood Code 22. He made his request, but the opponents refused. He had the opportunity to be the ingenuous player and start his serve with two balls in hand. On changeover, he could ask the tournament desk for an official ruling on third ball requests from a server. By leaving his side of the court and picking up that third ball, he was contributing to the tension on the court. Perhaps he was right as server. But was the action right? If Jake believed the ball was a hazard, but the opponents said it wasn’t hindering them. He should serve. However, if the third ball was a distraction to him and the opponents refused to pick it up, call for an

official and explain his opponents are hindering him by not complying with a reasonable request. Officials are trained to help ensure the game continues under the fairest possible conditions. Was the ball reasonably close? Were the opponents playing a gamesmanship maneuver by refusing Jake the third ball? My advice to Jake? Be the highly principled player. Perhaps your opponents were engaged in a bit of gamesmanship. Big deal … their loss. You, Jake, are better than that. If it wasn’t a hindrance to you and you simply wanted the third ball as the server, serve on, my friend. You have a killer serve. At changeover, let the tournament desk and official handle the opponents’ education. Sometimes being right means “Be right for the game.” Barbara Wyatt is a Writer, Photographer, USTA Official, and Mobile App Developer of iKnowTennis!, the tennis rules app. Her poem, Ode to Tennis, an amusing poem on the joys and frustrations when learning tennis, is available at Amazon. She can be reached by e-mail at BarbaraW@iKnowTennis.com.

Question: Was Jake at fault for asking for the third ball? Answer: No! Code 22 of The Code: The Players’ Guide to Fair Play and the Unwritten Rules of Tennis, states: “When a server requests three balls, the receiver shall comply when the third ball is readily available.” The ball was behind the opponents. If it had been on an adjacent court, that could be considered NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

My (Brief) Professional Tennis Career By Peter Mendelsohn “Former Professional Tennis Player” is something that has been on my resume for the last five years. Is it true? Kind of. It was September 2012. After four long years, I was now officially a lawyer. I just didn’t have a job. I spent my days job hunting (or at least that’s what I told my girlfriend when she asked). I did have some free time though … well, a lot of free time. Enough time to ponder if there were any alternate careers I should be considering. I had always wondered how a person becomes a pro tennis player. Upon doing some research, I discovered that if not enough people had signed up, a person with no official ranking (me!) might gain entry to the Qualifying Draw of a Futures Tournament. It turned out there were three Futures Tournaments in Toronto that year, and they happened to be the next three weeks! It felt like destiny was knocking on my door. Could I make it as a professional tennis player? I was the best player in my immediate family (only my father played), and I was even better than most of my friends. What the hell, I thought … I’ve got nothing to lose. On Friday, I went to the Donalda Club in Toronto to sign up for my first professional tournament. As it turned out, there were spots left in qualifying. I was going to play! With dreams of tennis glory, I arrived at the Donalda Club the next morning. I realized pretty quickly that I might be out of my element. The other players were ripped 18-yearolds with thighs of steel. I was an unshaven 27-year-old with a slight beer belly. The other players had coaches. I had gotten word from my brother that he’d come watch me play if he was free. The other players had Nike headbands, official gear and carried multiple 62

racquets. I had a 2007 Toronto Raptors t-shirt with a couple of holes in it, a plastic bag to carry some of my things, and only one racket. Uh oh, “What if my strings break,” I thought. My first round opponent was Josh Graves. Graves had graduated from Northwestern earlier that year, and had previously been a high school All-American. When the match started, my dreams of glory were quickly dashed. Graves belted every shot deep on the base line. If I left a ball short, Graves crushed a winner. During changeovers, I looked down, too embarrassed to make eye contact with my opponent. I awkwardly explained to Graves that I was a lawyer. In other words, “I know I’m terrible, but this isn’t what I do full-time!” Good thing he didn’t ask me where I worked. Mercifully, the match ended in about 40 minutes, 6-0, 6-0. I probably won about four points throughout the whole match. I wished Graves good luck, and left the Donalda Club with my tail between my legs. Two weeks later, I walked into Mayfair Clubs on a Saturday morning to try my luck again. It was a familiar scene. Ripped teenagers, coaches … the feeling of being a square peg in a round hole. There was a middle-aged parent sitting amongst the teenagers. “Who’s your son?” I asked him. “Huh?” he replied. Then I noticed a tennis bag at his feet. Wait. Was he playing? Was he the older version of me? “Are you playing today?” I asked. “Yup,” he said with a satisfied grin. I introduced myself to him. His name was Paul, and he was 50-years-old. I went to check out the draw. I saw that I was playing Paul Woolam. Please let his last name be “Woolam!” “So it looks like I’m playing Paul Woolam,” I said. “That’s me,” Paul replied.

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

“Oh nice,” I said calmly while desperately trying to contain my excitement. We were assigned to Court 4. After I grabbed an early 2-0 lead, Paul hammered a couple of aces. He held serve, and sported an excited grin as we walked to the net to change sides. “First ATP Game!” Paul exclaimed. We highfived. Throughout our match, Paul and I laughed during changeovers, and congratulated each other on winners. It was not your typical professional tennis match. At five games all in the decisive third set, Paul’s back was cramping up. He kept fighting, but his movement was clearly hampered. I took the next two games, and won the decisive third set 7-5. I had done it. For the rest of my life, I could declare that yes, I had won a professional tennis match. Soon after that fateful day, I was offered a job as an associate at a law firm. Against my better judgment, I accepted the job, and decided to retire from professional tennis. As a lawyer, my colleagues would have fun with my ATP history. When I joined them for lunch, they would say, “Wow, thanks for coming. It’s an honor to be joined by an ATP player.” When the Futures Tournaments came to Toronto every year, my tennis friends would ask me if I’d been given a Wild Card into the events. I may have been the butt of a lot of jokes, but when you do a Google Search for “Peter Mendelsohn Tennis,” this is what you find: “ITF Tennis-Pro Circuit-Player Profile-MENDELSOHN, Peter (CAN).” Guess I’m not lying on my resume after all. Peter Mendelsohn is the Owner of TennisDork.com. He is currently pursuing a degree in sports journalism. He previously spent five years as a personal injury lawyer in Toronto, Canada. He may be reached by phone at (647) 984-5509 or e-mail at Peter.R.Mendelsohn@gmail.com.

Have You Ever Celebrated Too Early? By Amanda Ferranti ave you ever had the experience where you feel so good about your performance that you start celebrating in your head? You are thinking, “I’ve got this in the bag!” but all of a sudden, your opponent begins to rally and you end up losing? When you experience success, it feels good. In fact, you continue to play the sport because it delivers these good feelings. However, the emotions you feel after a success can be just as difficult to manage as those after a mistake and require strategic mental training. In this article, I have outlined an organized way for you to connect your emotions, thoughts and behaviors during successful moments, and offer ideas on how you can change your thinking to harness the energy of success.

What does it feel like to achieve success? Winning and performing well comes with intense feelings of pride, satisfaction, happiness, excitement, confidence, optimism, etc. This mix of emotions produces a flood of energy that makes you feel on top of the world and capable of anything. Yet, the match isn’t over and this high level of energy and emotion is not necessarily ideal to focus and perform. Some may simply think, “Don’t be excited,” but the body responds naturally to stimuli and the reality is–you are excited! So instead of denying how you feel, pay

attention to your arousal level and determine your ideal state from one (relaxed) to 10 (energized). Every player will differ, so it’s important to first know your ideal level, monitor if you go either above or below, and have strategies in place to adjust accordingly. For example, if I go above my arousal level because I am winning, then I will calm myself down with three deep breaths. This allows me to accept and feel the excitement for a moment, re-calibrate to a performanceready level. How do you interpret that feeling? With all emotions, there is a mental (cognitive) interpretation that is critical to how you proceed with the match. For example, when I feel this great mix of positive emotions while winning, I may think, “I’ve got this in the bag” or “I’m unstoppable.” These interpretations are cognitive errors for two main reasons: They are generalizations and they are future predictions. In actuality, you don’t know if you will win and you are not unstoppable all the time. Alternatively, you must develop statements that are situational assessments based on the present moment. For example, I would assess the current moment and think, “I am playing well right now” or ‘”I am feeling good.” By staying present with your internal language, you allow yourself to accept the flood of positive emotions without getting distracted by the future outcome of the match. From there, you can determine if you need to calm down and re-calibrate your arousal state as mentioned earlier.

How may this impact your performance? When making cognitive errors, it causes you to make assumptions and take shortcuts. For example, if I feel confident and assume “I’m unstoppable,” then I am more likely to rush and skip fundamental routines. Similarly, imagine that you’ve had this thought before the match even begins … maybe your opponent is ranked lower or you’ve beaten them handily in the past … do you prepare differently? Now imagine that you start to lose. You feel shocked, and your body is forced to endure debilitative physiological consequences. Self-trust is an essential ingredient for success, however, it is possible to trust yourself so much that you don’t do what is required to perform at your very best. In conclusion, if you want to continue to perform at your best, then it is critical to make situational interpretations to your momentary feelings of success. Then, you can harness that energy to stay focused and disciplined in your preparation, as well as aware, determined and resilient throughout the match. Amanda Ferranti is the Director and Founder of Ferranti Empowerment, where she has established herself as an AASP Certified Mental Performance Consultant for youth athletes, teams and coaches. Amanda also has years of athletic experience as an exprofessional soccer player and Princeton graduate. She can be reached by e-mail at AFerranti@FerrantiEmpowerment.com.

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

Championship Mindsets Players, Coaches and Parents By Rob Polishook, Mental Training Coach MA, CPC hink back to the last Grand Slam final you saw … the winner and runner-up always raise the microphone and shout out to their team, thanking them for their unwavering support. In order for any athlete to reach the highest level of performance, there are underlying principals which can serve as a guide to the team (athletes, parents and coaches) during the journey. I’d like to share with you key mindsets for the player, parent and coach to embrace during the process. These mindsets are imperative to developing a player who embraces competition, thrives under adversity, and ultimately, puts themself in a position to rise to the higher rankings and reach their personal peak potential in their sport.

Players: Focus on competing vs. winning Junior players are too caught up in winning. Yes, I understand this is the goal!

However, it should be noted that winning is a consequence of taking disciplined purposeful action over time. Winning is not something which a player can directly control, but they can control how they compete. The key question that must be asked is “What would it mean to compete well?” This question empowers the player to identify actions, attributes and characteristics which they can control which would put themselves in the best position to be ready to play. When the focus is on the present and the “art of competing,” the player that competes better usually wins. Attributes of competing include: Maintaining high energy, having a positive attitude, bouncing back from adversity, adjusting and adapting to match situations, staying present in the moment, taking nothing for granted, beginning each point in a centered and calm place, employing rituals, accepting yourself and your process, and giving an all-out effort. Parents: Focus on the process vs. the outcome Parents are often caught up in the out-

come, worrying about what a loss means to their child’s ability to play at a high level years down the road. This mindset places the focus away from the step-by-step progression and inevitably takes the child’s mindset away from the present and focuses them on the future. Additionally, and more destructive, the focus becomes the parental expectations. One of my clients once said to me, “When I’m on the court, I think about what my dad is thinking.” Clearly this is not where the athlete’s mind should be during the match. Parents need to be patient with the process, and understand there are no such things as bad losses unless no one learns from it. All competitive experiences are learning opportunities and practice for the next match. The goal of any junior player is to continue developing and managing adversity and challenges, knowing that losses hold answers for improvement that lead to future victories. A keen eye must be focused on how a player is using their strategy, how they are making adjustments to obstacles, how they are letting go of the past, how they are refocusing,

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and how they are competing to the best of their ability. When these things are happening, improvement and rewards will follow. Coaches: Focus on the person, not the athlete Many coaches and academies often have pre-conceived notions of what a player should act, look, even play like. Development in anything, including tennis, is not a “one-size-fits-all” proposition. Each person and player is individual in their own way and the focus must start from the person’s unique qualities. For example, let’s look at Rafael Nadal who grinds, follows rituals and fights. On the other hand, you have Roger Federer who is stylistic, calm and collected. You could say Federer is more creative, while Rafa relies on his patterns. The key is identifying that each players’ style and journey will be unique. In my private practice, athletes often express to me that they wish people would understand “what they are going through” and to appreciate

what they are experiencing as a person, not just a player. As a coach, a key facet towards helping players reach their personal peak performance is understanding how to tap into their players’ unique personal skills, attributes and motivations. Understanding the person, their story and the story behind the story will lead to increased trust and loyalty. All teams (athletes, parents and coaches) should know players’ “Big Why,” their reason for playing. What motivates them? What are their goals? What did it take to get to this point (obstacles and success)? What is something about them that doesn’t make them better or worse than others, but makes them who they are? Understanding these answers will better enable the team to move forward in unison. The team must recognize that when a player walks through the court gates, they bring the same strengths, weaknesses, confidence and insecurities that they feel off the court. The job of the player is to focus on competing, not winning. The

job of a parent is to support their process, not the outcome, where setbacks, failure and even success can be viewed as part of the journey and something to learn from. The job of a coach is to recognize their player as a “person first,” and strive to bring out their unique qualities, which make them and their game different. Not comparing them to what they think a champion is. Champions come in all shapes and sizes, just look at John McEnroe, Ivan Lendl, Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, Boris Becker, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Serena Williams, Venus Williams and Maria Sharapova. Who’s to say who will be next? Rob Polishook, MA, CPC is Founder and Director of Inside the Zone Sports Performance Group. As a Mental Training Coach, he works with athletes and teams, focusing on helping athletes gain the mental edge. Rob is Author of Tennis Inside the Zone: Mental Training Workouts for Champions. He may be reached by phone at (973) 723-0314, e-mail Rob@InsideTheZone.com or visit InsideTheZone.com.

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

The Yips By Dr. Tom Ferraro The yips are one of the most devastating and embarrassing afflictions that an athlete can experience. Stories of athletes plagued with the yips occur in a variety of sports, including tennis, golf, gymnastics, football and baseball. Chuck Knoblauch, the Golden Glove second basement for the New York Yankees, suddenly lost his ability to throw to first base. Tiger Woods and Ben Hogan, two of the best ball strikers in the history of golf, suffered with the yips in golf. Placekickers in football can come down with the yips. In tennis, Guillermo Coria, Dinara Safina, Ana Ivanovic, Elena Dementieva have all suffered with serving yips which led to as many as 17 double faults in a match. In this 66

column, I will explain what symptoms of the yips look like, explore the reasons put forth to explain their occurrence, and discuss how I treat an athlete suffering with the yips. The yips are defined as “A sudden loss of fine motor skills that comes on without apparent explanation and is usually suffered by mature athletes with years of experience.” Often, the athlete experiences them when under great pressure and they report feelings of being frozen, helpless and ashamed. They will often change techniques in order to avoid the issue. Musicians often get this condition, as well as athletes. Causes of the yips Medical researchers call the yips “Focal Dystonia” and they believe it is a neurolog-

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

ical disorder due to overuse or extreme repetitive stress. Twitches can occur anywhere in the body. I have seen golfers with leg yips, baseball catchers with throwing yips and gymnasts with vaulting yips. A milder form of the yips is referred to as “choking.” Over the years, I have treated athletes with a variety of yips and this is what I learned. The precursors to the yips occur long before their arrival. It’s like a train that finally arrives at the station … it does not suddenly appear out of thin air. The train has been traveling a long way before its arrival. I have seen an athlete with tennis yips and as we discussed how it developed, he finally realized that the actual cause was related to the tennis team he was on. The social atmosphere of the team was condescending and made him feel inferior and unwelcome.

Since the athlete was sensitive, the social atmosphere slowly and inevitably seeped into his mind and his body, and that’s when he developed the serving yips. More generally when serious athletes face year after year of increased competitive pressure, this invariably produces tension in the body which can easily manifest itself as the yips. All high level sport performance requires smooth, graceful execution, with poise and relaxed muscles, and when you begin to introduce repetitive muscle tension due to stress, pressure or social negativity, sooner or later you will be faced with performance problems. Forms of treatment What I have seen is that on the professional level, when athletes are experiencing chronic anxiety, they turn to either alcohol or marijuana to alleviate their stress. This is typically ineffective and can even cause more harm than good. Their next step is to enlist a sports medicine doctor to prescribe either beta blockers, tranquilizers or anti-depressants. Dr. Gary I. Wadler’s classic text, Drugs and the

Athlete, shows that these are demonstrably ineffective in helping performance in any way. The next step is to see a sport psychologist who has experience in this area. Uniformly, the first step in the psychological treatment of the yips is to help the athlete to understand the underlying causes of their career-threatening affliction. Over time, this helps them to rebuild their psyche, relax and gain more ego strength. During this phase of exploration, support and insight occurs, as the athlete also gains familiarity with their natural way of performing and are then given drills which instill that memory into their consciousness once again. The cure for the yips is always a two-phased approach It is my belief that this delicate combination of both Phase One, insight into causes, and Phase Two, interventions containing mental drills, is the only real cure for the yips and for choking. Insight alone is not enough. Mental drills alone are not enough. What is needed is a slow,

unhurried approach which gives the athlete a chance to ventilate, get solace, gain understanding of how this developed, and by doing so, they develop confidence, more pride and ego strength along the way. When that happens, they are better able to use mental drills that help them grow familiar with the most effective mental cues during performance. Often, inexperienced practitioners forego the first phase of treatment and rush into Phase Two, which only leads to failure because the athlete must understand what has happened and build up ego strength first. The yips are always embarrassing and depressing for the serious athlete, but despite common belief to the contrary, there really is a cure. The athlete can get back on track, and return to their winning ways, smiling and having some fun once again. For consultations, treatment or on-site visits, contact Dr. Tom Ferraro Ph.D., Sport Psychologist, by phone at (516) 248-7189, e-mail DrTFerraro@aol.com or visit DrTomFerraro.com.

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NYJTL Mayor’s Cup Expands Its Reach and Impact

he 2018 Mayor’s Cup will mark the 30th straight year that New York Junior Tennis & Learning has hosted the tournament, the largest interscholastic tennis tournament in the country. More than 600 participants representing 160 private, public and parochial schools in New York City will compete in the Elementary, Middle School and High School Divisions. The NYJTL Mayor’s Cup runs from May 31-June 9 and is free to participants. The event includes 16 different team and individual events for beginners to experienced varsity athletes, all competing at the Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning. Early round matches are played on 22 courts with the final varsity individual matches featured on the state-of-the art Victor Kiam and Pershing Square Stadium courts with viewing for more than 800 spectators. “With the goal of breaking down all barriers to entry for NYC youth to play tennis, we are preparing to greatly expand the number of participants in the NYJTL Mayor’s Cup,” said George Guimaraes, NYJTL Chief Executive Officer and President. The NYJTL Mayor’s Cup will offer the innovative UTR (Universal Tennis Ranking) system for the first time. Among its many

benefits, UTR is the ranking system used by college coaches to evaluate the talent of players hoping to continue their tennis careers at the intercollegiate level. “We are honored to work with NYJTL to provide student athletes with more access to tennis and more opportunities to play,” said Mark Leschly, Universal Tennis Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. In addition, through NYJTL’s partnership with USTA Eastern, individual girls’ and boys’ quarterfinalists will receive free entries to the USTA Eastern College Showcase Day in November. “We knew we had to get involved because getting more kids on the court and creating college opportunities for them is what we are all about,” said Jenny Schnitzner, Executive Director of USTA Eastern. Kicking off the NYJTL Mayor’s Cup on Saturday, June 2, 500 program participants, community members, and staff members will “spell out” “NYJTL” on the Cary Leeds Center courts. An aerial photograph will be taken signifying the impact that children playing the sport of tennis have in a community such as Crotona Park. The NYJTL Mayor’s Cup culminates on Saturday, June 9 with an awards show fea-

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

turing live entertainment by NYJTL’s ACES Afterschool dance troupe and singers performing today’s hottest hits. The award shows will celebrate scholar athletes, including: l NYJTL Growth Award: The highest honor, given to the graduating seniors who have inspired others through their dedication to tennis and education. l USTA Eastern Sportsmanship Award: Presented to the NYJTL Mayor’s Cup players who have shown character and integrity while competing. l UTR “Impact Story” Award: Awarded to Mayor’s Cup participants who have created video submissions describing how tennis has impacted their lives. l NYPD Precinct 42 Service Award: Recognizing scholar athletes who have shown personal growth through their participation in the Cary Leeds Center Serve & Connect Program. l Victor Kiam “Going For It” Scholarship: Awarded to the NYJTL program participants who have demonstrated character and “grit.” l NYJTL Mayor’s Cup Team and Individual Awards: Presented to each team and individual Elementary, Middle School, and High School Division winner and finalist.

Svitolina Wins Tie Break Tens at MSG

t was an exciting evening of tennis inside Madison Square Garden, as fans watched a unique style of play with some of the sportâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest names in the first ever Tie Break Tens tournament inside the United States. Tie Break Tens is a quick-fire version of tennis. Unlike conventional tennis matches, Tie Break Tens matches are comprised solely of tie breaksâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;no games, no sets, just exhilarating 10- point breakers in which every point counts. The competition at MSG featured eight players competing for a $250,000 winner-take-all prize, and in the end, it was Ukrainian Elina Svitolina who came out victorious, defeating Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Shuai Zhang 10-3 in the final. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s amazing to win the first ever Tie Break Tens tournament in the U.S.,â&#x20AC;? said Svitolina. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I had a lot of fun out there on the court, and it was great to see the crowd get behind the speed and intensity of the game.â&#x20AC;? Svitolina was the best player from the competitionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s start, winning 30 of the 36 points she played, including wins over Venus Williams in the opening round, Coco Vandeweghe in the semifinals and Zhang in the final. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Congratulations to Elina Svitolina on an amazing victory,â&#x20AC;? said Tie Break Tens Chief Executive Officer Felicity Barnard. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tonightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tournament proved to be a thrilling display of elite tennis from some of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s greatest female players â&#x20AC;Ś a great debut for Tie Break Tens in the United States and hopefully just the start in en-

couraging a wider audience to get behind the sport.â&#x20AC;? In addition to the outstanding tennis, the evening was highlighted by the appearance of Serena Williams, who was playing singles for the first time since the 2017 Australian Open. Making her way back to the WTA Tour after giving birth to her daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr., Serena won her first match against former Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli, who was competing in her first match in four years as she makes an attempt at a comeback. Zhang outlasted Serena 13-11 in an intense semifinal. Venus said the matches at MSG would

be good for Serena, but added that her younger sister knows what she needs to do to make a successful return to the WTA Tour, a comeback that began the following week at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I mean the matches are definitely a good way to know where you are, but obviously she knows how to play,â&#x20AC;? said Venus. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going to bring that instinct on the court with her, so I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s too worried about that.â&#x20AC;? Before the matches got underway, kids from the USTA Eastern Section were given the opportunity to hit on the Madison Square Garden court as a part of a Net Generation clinic.

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NYTennisMag.com â&#x20AC;˘ May/June 2018 â&#x20AC;˘ New York Tennis Magazine

directory NEW YORK TENNIS CLUB

Advantage QuickStart Tennis Paul Fontana–Director Various Manhattan Locations (646) 884-9649 PFontana@AdvantageTennisClubs.com QuickStartNY.com Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning Liezel Huber—Executive Director of Tennis 1720 Crotona Avenue Bronx, N.Y. (718) 247-7420 Conpetire10s@gmail.com CaryLeedsTennis.org Centercourt Performance Tennis Center Clay Bibbee—Managing Partner and Academy Founder 65 Columbia Road Morristown, N.J. (973) 635-1222 Clay@Centercourtclub.com CenterCourtClub.com Chris Lewit Tennis Academy Tennis Club of Hastings 100 River Street Hastings-on-Hudson, N.Y. (914) 462-2912 ChrisLewit@gmail.com ChrisLewit.com CourtSense Tennis Training Center Gordon Uehling—Founder and Managing Director 195 County Road Tenafly, N.J. (201) 569-1114/(201) 489-1122 Info@CourtSense.com CourtSense.com

Gotham Tennis Academy—Stadium Tennis Center Joel Kassan—Executive Director 725 Gateway Center Boulevard Bronx, N.Y. (718) 665-4684 Joel@GothamTennis.com StadiumTennisNYC.com Manhattan Plaza Racquet Club Milos Vojvodic–General Manager 450 West 43rd Street New York, N.Y. (212) 594-0554 Milos@AdvantageTennisClubs.com AdvantageTennisClubs.com MatchPoint NYC Nino Muhatasov—Co-Founder and Director 2781 Shell Road Brooklyn, N.Y. (718) 769-0001 MatchPointComplex@gmail.com MatchPoint.NYC Midtown Tennis Club Jennifer Brown—Director 341 8th Avenue New York, N.Y. (212) 989-8572 MidtownTennisNYC@gmail.com MidtownTennis.com New York Tennis Club Salifu Mohammed—Director of Tennis 3081 Harding Avenue Bronx, N.Y. (718) 239-7919 admin@newyorktennisclub.com AdvantageTennisClubs.com

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

SPORTIME Harbor Island Carlos Campo—Regional General Manager, Westchester Clubs Future Stars Southampton Guillermo Ripoll-Brenot—Assistant Director 1370 A Majors Path of Tennis Southampton, N.Y. Harbor Island Park (631) 287-6707 PO Box 783 Info@FutureStarsSouthampton.com Mamaroneck, N.Y. FutureStarsSouthampton.com (914) 777-5151 CCampo@SportimeNY.com 70 New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2018 • NYTennisMag.comSportimeNY.com/Harbor-Island Peter Kaplan Tennis Academy 7 Beach Lane Westhampton Beach, N.Y. (631) 288-4021 WesthamptonBeachTennis.com PeterKaplan2002@yahoo.com

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

USTA/Metropolitan Region

2018 TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE For detailed information on these and all USTA tournaments, visit tennislink.usta.com/tournaments. MAY 2018 Friday-Sunday, May 11-13 L3 Mill Basin MatchPoint NYC UPS Matchpoint NYC Mill Basin 2350 East 69th Street Brooklyn, N.Y. Divisions: Entry Level Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 14 (RR) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $43.50 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, May 7 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail KLastique@yahoo.com or call (718) 769-0001. Friday-Sunday, May 11-13 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 12-14 (SE) Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, May 4 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail WWiese@NYJTL.org or call (718) 247-7420. Friday-Sunday, May 11-13 & May 18-20 L1B RI May 2018 Challenger Sportime @ Randall’s Island 1 Randall’s Island New York, 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 Monday, May 7 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail TournamentsRI@SportimeNY.com or call (212) 427-6150. Saturday-Sunday, May 12-13 L3 APTC May UPS Alley Pond Tennis Center 7920 Winchester Boulevard Queens Village, N.Y. Divisions: Entry Level Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Green Ball 12, 78’ Yellow Ball 14-16 (NEF) Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $43.50 per player (deadline for entries is Tuesday, May 8 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail AlleyPondTennisCenter@gmail.com or call (718) 264-2600.

Friday-Sunday, May 18-20 L1B APTC May Challenger Alley Pond Tennis Center 7920 Winchester Boulevard Queens Village, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 14-18 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Sunday, May 13 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail AlleyPondTennisCenter@gmail.com or call (718) 264-2600. Friday-Sunday, May 18-20 & May 25-27 L2 Sportime RI May 2018 Open Sportime @ Randall’s Island 1 Randall’s Island New York, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 14-18 (SE) Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, May 14 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail MTrumino@SportimeNY.com or call (212) 427-6150. Saturday, May 19 Youth Progression Orange Level 1 Fresh Meadows Cunningham Tennis 19600 Union Turnpike Fresh Meadows, N.Y. Divisions: Orange Level 1 Boys & Girls 10 and Under Singles 60’ Orange Ball 10 (NEF) Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $48.88 per player (deadline for entries is Sunday, May 13 at 11:59 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Victor@CunninghamTennis.com or call (718) 740-6800. Friday-Sunday, May 25-27 L2 Staten Island May 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 14-18 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $54.25 for first singles; $28 for first doubles; maximum fee charged per player is $75, plus the processing fees for the number of events you select (deadline for entries is Monday, May 21 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail KLastique@yahoo.com or call (718) 982-3355.

JUNE 2018 Saturday-Sunday, June 2-3 Youth Progression Green Level 1 Fresh Meadows Cunningham Tennis 19600 Union Turnpike Fresh Meadows, N.Y. Divisions: Green Level 1 Boys & Girls 10 and Under Singles 78’ Green Ball 10 (NEF) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Sunday, May 27 at 11:59 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Victor@CunninghamTennis.com or call (718) 740-6800. Saturday-Sunday, June 2-3 L3 APTC May UPS Alley Pond Tennis Center 7920 Winchester Boulevard Queens Village, N.Y. Divisions: Entry Level Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Green Ball 12, 78’ Yellow Ball 14-16 (NEF) Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $43.50 per player (deadline for entries is Wednesday, May 30 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail AlleyPondTennisCenter@gmail.com or call (718) 264-2600. Friday-Sunday, June 8-10 L2 Lincoln Terrace Tennis Association Open Lincoln Terrace Tennis Association 1363 East 104th Street Brooklyn, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 12 (FRLC) and Intermediate Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 14-18 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $48.88 per player (deadline for entries is Sunday, June 3 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail tcgosl@hotmail.com or call (917) 379-0094. Friday-Sunday, June 8-10 L1B Mill Basin MatchPoint NYC Summer Challenger Matchpoint NYC Mill Basin 2350 East 69th Street Brooklyn, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys Singles & Doubles 78’ Yellow Ball 12-18 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 for first singles; $28 for first doubles; maximum fee charged per player is $75, plus the processing fees for the number of events you select (deadline for entries is Monday, June 4 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail KLastique@yahoo.com or call (718) 769-0001.

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

USTA/Metropolitan Region

2018 TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE For detailed information on these and all USTA tournaments, visit tennislink.usta.com/tournaments. Friday-Sunday, June 15-17 L1B HJTEP Summer Slam Harlem Junior Tennis Program Fordham University-Rose Hill Campus 441 East Fordham Road Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 12-14 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, June 8 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail CoachSimone@HJTEP.org or call (212) 491-3738. Saturday, June 16 Youth Progression Orange Level 2 Fresh Meadows Cunningham Tennis 19600 Union Turnpike Fresh Meadows, N.Y. Divisions: Orange Level 2 Boys & Girls 10 and Under Singles 60’ Orange Ball 10 (NEF) Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $48.88 per player (deadline for entries is Sunday, June 10 at 11:59 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Victor@CunninghamTennis.com or call (718) 740-6800. Friday-Sunday, June 22-24 L2 Staten Island Tennis Summer Open Staten Island Community Tennis Center 2800 Victory Boulevard Staten Island, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate Boys & Girls Singles & Doubles 78’ Yellow Ball 12-18 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $54.25 for first singles; $28 for first doubles; maximum fee charged per player is $75, plus the processing fees for the number of events you select (deadline for entries is Monday, June 18 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail KLastique@yahoo.com or call (718) 982-3355. Friday-Sunday, June 22-24 L1 Cary Leeds June Championships The Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning 1720 Crotona Avenue Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Championships Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 16 (SE) Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, June 18 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail WWiese@NYJTL.org or call (718) 247-7420. 72

Friday-Sunday, June 22-24 L1 APTC June Championships Alley Pond Tennis Center 7920 Winchester Boulevard Queens Village, N.Y. Divisions: Championships Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 12 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $54.25per player (deadline for entries is Monday, June 18 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail AlleyPondTennisCenter@gmail.com or call (718) 264-2600.

Tuesday-Sunday, June 26-July 1 L1 APTC Summer Championships Alley Pond Tennis Center 7920 Winchester Boulevard Queens Village, N.Y. Divisions: Championships Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 16 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $54.25per player (deadline for entries is Friday, June 22 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail AlleyPondTennisCenter@gmail.com or call (718) 264-2600.

Friday-Sunday, June 22-24 L1B Haffen Park 2018 Challenger Haffen Park Tennis Courts Burke Avenue Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 12-16 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $48.88 player (deadline for entries is Tuesday, June 12 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail EBWaldron@juno.com or call (917) 609-3648.

Friday-Sunday, June 29-July 1 L1B MatchPoint NYC June Challenger Matchpoint NYC Mill Basin 2350 East 69th Street Brooklyn, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Girls Singles & Doubles 78’ Yellow Ball 12-18 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 for first singles; $28 for first doubles; maximum fee charged per player is $75, plus the processing fees for the number of events you select (deadline for entries is Tuesday, June 26 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail KLastique@yahoo.com or call (718) 769-0001.

Friday-Saturday, June 22-23 L2 Summer Series #1 at Fordham University Fordham University-Rose Hill Campus 441 East Fordham Road Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 12-14 (FMLC) Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $54.25 per player For more information, e-mail Michael_Sowter@hotmail.com or call (718) 817-3839. Tuesday-Sunday, June 26-July 1 L1 Cary Leeds Summer Championships The Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning 1720 Crotona Avenue Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Championships Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 14 (SE) Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, June 22 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail WWiese@NYJTL.org or call (718) 247-7420.

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

Saturday, June 30 Youth Progression Orange Level 1 Fresh Meadows Cunningham Tennis 19600 Union Turnpike Fresh Meadows, N.Y. Divisions: Orange Level 1 Boys & Girls 10 and Under Singles 60’ Orange Ball 10 (NEF) Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $48.88 per player (deadline for entries is Sunday, June 24 at 11:59 p.m.) For more information, e-mail Victor@CunninghamTennis.com or call (718) 740-6800.

NYTennisMag.com • March/April 2018 • New York Tennis Magazine

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Camp programs vary by SPORTIME location New York Tennis Magazine • March/April 2018 • NYTennisMag.com