New York Tennis Magazine November / December 2015 by United Sports Publications

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NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2015 • New York Tennis Magazine

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Table Of Contents

NOV/DEC 2015 • Vol 5, No 6

Navigating the Roads of Adversity By Brian Coleman Venus Williams is not quite yet ready to hang it up as she has rediscovered her game in the twilight of her career. See page 4

Cover photo credit: Sidney Beal III, Clique Photography

Featured Stories 36 2015 Tennis Travel Destinations Guide We take a look some of the hottest tennis travel destinations. 42 2015 Coaches Roundtable Discussion We get the chance to sit down with the area’s top coaches. 60 2015 Holiday Gift Guide Get some great gift ideas for the 2015 holiday season.

Featured 6 2015 New York City Girls High School Recap 8 Cultivating and Growing USTA’s Eastern Section By Brian Coleman 10 Eastern Men’s Team Brings Home Fifth National Open Team Championship By Kelsey Clark 11 Courtside … With Jen Brown, Club Director, Midtown Tennis Club 12 Taste of Tennis Brings Out the Top Stars and Chefs for Annual Gala 18 The Stars of the Court Paint the Town 28 What Makes a Tennis Pro Tick? USTA/WTA Pro Christina McHale 30 My 2015 U.S. Open Experience By Alla Kudryavtseva 33 Private and Instructional Group Clinics … Not Only for Juniors By Andy Stuber 34 Nadal and Kyrgios Make Their Mark on Randall’s Island 50 NYC’s Top Chefs Take to the Courts for the Celebrity Chef Challenge 58 Little Mo Internationals Bring Top World Juniors to Forest Hills 68 Scenes From the 2015 U.S. Open

Featured Columns 14 16 23 24 27 49 54 56 65 66 76 79

Metro Corporate League Recap, Presented by Advantage Tennis Clubs Across Metro New York Junior Player Spotlight: Alexa Noel By Brian Coleman USTA Eastern Metro Region Update USTA Adult Leagues Update Fitness & Nutrition By Suzanna McGee More Than an Athlete By Rob Polishook, MA, CPC Tips From the Tennis Pro By Lisa Dodson The Jensen Zone By Luke Jensen The Value of Sportsmanship in Tennis By Dr. Tom Ferraro New York Rankings USTA/Metro Region 2015 Tournament Schedule

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Navigating the Roads of Adversity Venus Williams continues to defy the odds after several setbacks BY BRIAN COLEMAN he reason we as fans love sports so much is because it often times plays as a mirror to life. The ups and downs of an athlete often serve as metaphors for life’s trials and tribulations. That is no more evident than in the story of American Venus Williams. The seven-time Grand Slam champion is one of the most decorated women’s tennis players of alltime, and has broken down many barriers on her way to the top, but it has not come without hardship. She often faced criticism when she was coming up on the tour as a teenager. Whether it was because of the braids in her hair, or the idea that their father, Richard Williams, was fixing and predetermining the outcomes of

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the matches the two played against one another, Venus went through a lot in her early years. Despite the early criticism, both sisters went on to enjoy fabulous careers and become international superstars. Venus is a seven-time Grand Slam champion and has enjoyed incredible success as a tennis player, but in 2011, she received a diagnosis that would change her life. She was an unseeded player at the U.S. Open that year, and after defeating Vesna Dolonts in the opening round, was set to take on the 22nd seed Sabine Lisiciki. But she withdrew from that match, and announced to the world that she had been diagnosed with Sjogrens Syndrome, an auto-immune disease where the white blood

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2015 • NYTennisMag.com

cells destroy the exocrine glands, and dries out the mouth and eyes. “I’m really disappointed to have to withdraw from this year’s U.S. Open,” Venus said in a statement at the time. “I enjoyed playing my first match here and wish I could continue, but right now I am unable to. With proper medical management and treatment, I expect to be in full form once again.” She said she felt fatigue for more than seven years before her official diagnosis. The disease is often times difficult to pinpoint because the symptoms are wide ranging and associated with a number of other illnesses. “I would go to the doctor and start crying,” recalled Venus. “I couldn’t help it. I just want a chance to play on the same field as other people, I want to feel normal, but as frighten-

ing as the diagnosis was, it was also a relief.” She struggled for so many years wondering why she couldn’t play the way she wanted to and why she just didn’t have the same energy she once had. But with the knowledge of what was causing her fatigue and other symptoms, Venus was finally able to start battling through the illness and attempt to return to the form that once made her a world number one. It wasn’t a quick road back, however. While she was relieved to know what was giving her trouble, she wasn’t quite ready to play at the top level. In 2012, she withdrew from a tournament in Auckland, and then from the Australian Open, resulting in her ranking dropping to 135th in the world. Her first time back competing came during the Fed Cup as the USA was taking on Belarus in a World Group II tie. She partnered with Liezel Huber for the rubber match, and won in straight sets to lead the United States to victory. “I’m not sure what my plans are,” Venus said afterwards about when she would play that year. “For me, it’s kind of week-by-week and just see what happens. I try not to put pressure on myself.” It was a huge victory for Venus because it instilled confidence in her that the disease would not hold her back on the court anymore. And slowly but surely, Venus began playing tournaments again and saw her ranking gradually climb. Her first title back came at the Luxembourg Open in 2012. It was her first title in over two and a half years, and bolstered her ranking to 24th. In 2013, adversity struck once again. A back injury hampered her for most of the season, and she even pulled out of Wimbledon because of it, marking the first time in her career she had missed the tournament. She responded in 2014 with a huge win at the Dubai Tennis Championships, beating five top 40 players on her way to the title, her biggest title since the Mutua Madrid Open in 2010. The victory symbolized Venus’ comeback to the tour, and showed her that she could still compete at the top level of the sport. But it wasn’t until this past year that Venus began to once again find success at the Grand Slams. She started 2015 by reaching the quarterfinals at the Australian Open, her best showing at a major since the 2010 U.S. Open. The 2015 U.S. Open was a symbolic tour-

nament for Venus. She showed grit and toughness in outlasting fellow American Irina Falconi in the opening round, and followed that up with a win over a streaking Belinda Bencic, and found herself in the quarterfinals against her younger sister, Serena, who was trying to make history. While she would lose to Serena in three sets, the match showed that Venus had returned to form. She demonstrated a ton of power and played Serena extremely tough. “It was great to see her do so well tonight. She was at an unbelievable level today,” Serena said of Venus in her post-match press conference. “Down to the match point, it was just not easy. It’s probably the toughest match I’ve played in a really, really, really long time where I wasn’t actually beating myself.

I was out there facing an incredibly tough opponent. Seeing she has that level is so inspiring.” As of late October, Venus’ ranking was at 11th in the world, a far cry from the days when she wasn’t even in the top 120. It was a long road back for Venus, but adversity is something that the 35-year-old has dealt with her entire career. The next step for her is to win another Grand Slam title, which would make her the oldest player ever to win a Grand Slam singles title, something she hopes to accomplish in 2016. 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 • November/December 2015 • New York Tennis Magazine

2015 New York City

Girls High School Recap Bronx Science Defeats Beacon for PSAL Championship

Credit all photos to Alice Levine and Henry Tian

The Wolverines of Bronx Science were crowned 2015 PSAL champions

or the first time in four years, New York City has a new girls team tennis champion. The Wolverines of Bronx Science denied Beacon a fourth-straight PSAL championship, defeating the three-time defending champions 3-2 at Cunningham Park. In a matchup between the top two teams in the City, it was Bronx Science who drew first blood with a 6-3, 7-6 victory from Perene Wang over Alexus Gill at second singles. Christina Huynh added to that lead with a 6-0, 6-0 victory over Dakota Grinnard at third singles, moving Bronx Science within one win of the title. That victory would come from the first

The three Bronx Science senior captains pose with the championship trophy

doubles court, as Sofie Levine & Klara Wichterle defeated Beacon’s Michelle Khaimov & Sophia Prudhomme 6-2, 6-2 to clinch the victory for the Wolverines. Bronx Science played the bulk of this season without two-time Mayor’s Cup champion and top singles player Brianna Williams, but the depth of the Wolverines squad more than made up for that loss, running the table and finishing the season with a 15-0 record. “This year, with the addition of Perene [Wang] & Christina [Huynh], we were so reinforced that we can play without our best and still win big matches against opponents like Beacon,” said Bronx Science Head Coach Jeff Menaker. “I’m

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2015 • NYTennisMag.com

more proud of how the kids have conducted themselves than the winning of banners. It is never easy in the junior tennis landscape. We have as many team goals off the court as we do on it. I think that might be what sets this particular group apart.” The girls from Bronx Science will now turn its focus to the PSAL Individual Tournament and the Mayor’s Cup. “We see the PSAL title as a step toward meeting all of our goals this season,” said Menaker. “On the court, we still have work to do in the individual events and at the Mayor’s Cup team competition with the private schools. We’re excited about yesterday, but, still very focused on all of our goals.”

TENNIS PROGRAM HEAD COACHING STAFF Numrud Nino Muhatasov - Co-Founder and Director of MatchPoint NYC • Former coach of top WTA and ATP players • Former Captain and #1 Single’s & Double’s player for St. John’s University Tennis Team • Big East Conference Finalist and 2X Most Valuable Player Alona Bondarenko (Featured Coach) • Australian Open Doubles Champion 2008 • Ranked Top 20 in the world in singles & Top 5 in the world in doubles Alexander Demidenko (Head Pro) • Davis Cup Team Member • Head Coach of the former USSR Girls National Team MatchPoint NYC is the sports and fitness destination for the entire family. Spread across 120,000 sq. ft., our premier health and fitness complex features a cutting edge tennis facility with 9 indoor tennis courts and programs for kids and adults of all levels. MATCHPOINT NYC TENNIS PROGRAM BENEFITS • Personalized Training • Private Coaching • Intensive Drills • Match Play • Tennis Specific Fitness • Mental Conditioning SESSIONS September - January, February - June, Summer PROGRAMS • Quick Start Ages 6 and under • Junior Development Ages 7-18 • Beginner/ Intermediate/ Advanced group training • Adult Leagues • Private Lessons • Tournament Training (by invitation only)

NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2015 • New York Tennis Magazine

Cultivating and Growing USTA’s Eastern Section A Chat With Executive Director and COO Jenny Schnitzer B Y B RIA N C O LEMA N

STA Eastern is ushering in a new era, as the association welcomes Jenny Schnitzer as its newest executive director and chief operations officer. Schnitzer will bring her two-decade plus experience to the table in the hopes of uniting the tennis community in the Eastern Section, and giving back to the sport that has given her so much in her lifetime. Schnitzer is a New Yorker through and through, having grown up playing on the public courts in New York City, and moving on to play her collegiate tennis at St. John’s University. “My parents would play at Inwood Park in Upper Manhattan, and that is where I first started playing and learning the game,” said Schnitzer. “I started to get involved in community programs in the parks, and eventually took a scholarship to play at St. John’s.” While at St. John’s, beyond her accolades on the court, she majored in athletic administration, and knew she wanted to

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work in tennis in some capacity once her time in school was complete. “I knew I wanted to give back to the game,” said Schnitzer. When she was done with school, she got a call from Arvelia Mayers, a legend in the Harlem tennis community and friend of Schnitzer’s, who told her there was a posi-

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2015 • NYTennisMag.com

tion available with the USTA. She was first hired as the school’s director for USTA Eastern, and she then moved to the position of community tennis manager, but was always involved with trying to unite the schools and community in the Eastern Section. Two decades later, she finds herself as

executive director of the organization, and still has many of the same goals in mind as she did when first hired. “I’ve seen it all come full circle,” Schnitzer said of the organization in her time there. “We were very community-focused and were about building a solid base. Then, we became more membership-driven. We noticed after a few years, that was okay, but we had to do a better job of doing both. We had to build a base to increase membership. If you focus on one and not the other, it doesn’t work out. You have to build both up to make things work completely.” Her primary goal is to unite the various entities that make up the tennis community in the Eastern Section, and she has several ideas on how to do this. One initiative that USTA Eastern offers is a school’s program, which offers free training and tennis equipment for physical education teachers to use in their schools in order to get more kids into the sport of tennis. “We think this is a great way to get more new kids playing,” Schnitzer said of the program. “We teach physical education teachers how to teach the sport of tennis in their gym classes. We physically go in and provide them with training and they get racquets and a tennis-based curriculum. After that, we help get them to start and maintain afterschool tennis programs.” Building on the idea of uniting the com-

munity, Schnitzer and her colleagues at USTA Eastern want to involve everyone, from high school players to club pros, to help drive these programs to success. “From there, we also want the whole community to get involved,” Schnitzer added. “We are looking at the colleges, clubs, high school teams, etc. We want them to give back and mentor these kids, and get them loving tennis, and following through on programs. We don’t want to just give these kids a taste, but want to carve a pathway for them to get to the level they want to achieve.” Another major goal of Schnitzer’s is to reach out to the Millennial Generation and incorporate programs for them to stay involved in the sport. She cited New York City’s Battle of the Boroughs Tournament as one such event that can help sustain the interest of the Millennial demographic. “Those kids who play Division I tennis and come back after graduation, there really is nothing for them when they come back from school,” Schnitzer said. “We want to make it fun again and more accessible to everyone and add to the social aspect of tennis.” With all of these ideas and initiatives, the overall goal of the organization will be to bring the community together so we can all reap the benefits of the sport. It can be difficult to do with so many different business and facilities, but it is an objective they are determined to accomplish.

“We have to build the dots in order to connect the dots,” she said. “That starts with getting out into the community. Finding areas that are ripe and ready … getting people together, putting a plan together and seeing what we can do as a team. If we build that base, it is going to benefit everybody.” Schnitzer’s goal is simple, build a strong grassroots base of a solid tennis community and cultivate that base to continue to grow and sustain the sport in the Eastern Section. “There are some good things happening, but we can do a lot more,” said Schnitzer. “I think what we really want to do is take things a step further. We want to try and reach down and build those communities, and make sure everyone has the same goal in mind and everyone works together. It’s not going to grow if we don’t grow. We need to set our differences aside so it can benefit everyone.” USTA Eastern is there to benefit everyone in the Section, and it’s doors are open to help. The onus is now on the businesses and clubs to come to the table, because when everyone in the community works together, the growth of the sport in the Eastern Section can be boundless. 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 • November/December 2015 • New York Tennis Magazine

Eastern Men’s Team Brings Home Fifth National Open Team Championship

Jeffrey Appel’s team won its fifth championship By Kelsey Clark The New York Athletic Club (NYAC) men’s tennis team recently won its fifth championship during the National Open Team Championships at the Darling Tennis Center in Las Vegas. The tournament benefited the American Cancer Society. The team, which plays out of the New York Athletic Club in Pelham, N.Y., as well as Manhattan, is captained by Jeffrey Appel and features: Jason Jung, Adam El Mihdawy, Dan Cochrane, Cameron Silverman, Jhonson Garcia and James Cluskey. “The quality of players Jeff brings elevates the competition,” Susan Johnson Maurer, the National Open Team Champi-

Harry Walsh’s team took second place

onships tournament director said. “He puts a lot of work into this tournament and is very supportive of charity events.” “Jeff loves tennis, and the fact that his team challenges for a National Championship every year is indicative of that,” Cedric Jones, director of athletics at New York Athletic Club said. “He is a great ambassador for tennis, not only in New York, but also for the club.” The NYAC team has won the National Open Team Championship five times in the last six years. “It feels great to be a part of this accomplishment,” Appel said. “It’s important to prove that strong tennis does exist in New York, and I enjoy keeping those thoughts alive.” The Eastern Section was well-repre-

sented at the tournament, as both teams in the finals hailed from the Section. Harry Walsh, a senior teaching professional at Rye Racquet Club and the head professional at Larchmont Shore Club in the summer, and his team finished in second. “Our team was made up of all current and former teaching pros,” Walsh said. “We all love tennis, so it was fun for us to play together competitively, even though it was tough playing against a team of touring pros.” Appel, who has captained the NYAC team for the past six years, mentors players off of the court as well. He has helped more than 35 young professionals find careers after tennis. “Jeff has done so much to help our players at Columbia over the years,” Howard Endelman, Columbia University men’s head tennis coach said. “He helps them navigate the transition from being a student-athlete to being part of the professional world after school.” In addition, Endelman mentioned Appel’s ability to unify people from various backgrounds over their common bond of loving tennis. Jay Berger, USTA head of men’s tennis, also believes Appel’s work in mentoring players is incredible. “Jeff has done a great job making connections through tennis,” Berger said. “He has guided so many former professionals to careers in the business world.” Kelsey Clark is the coordinator of public relations and communications at USTA Eastern. She can be reached at clark@eastern.usta.com or visit Eastern.USTA.com.

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2015 • NYTennisMag.com

Courtside… With Jen Brown,

Club Director, Midtown Tennis Club

The New York tennis landscape is always growing and evolving. There are a myriad of options both indoors and outdoors for a local tennis player to choose from. So how does a successful tennis entity separate themselves? How does a successful club increase their player base and continue to grow? New York Tennis Magazine sat down with Jen Brown, club director at Midtown Tennis Club, to get her thoughts on the industry, her tennis background and what makes Midtown Tennis Club a staple in the Big Apple. How did you begin working in the tennis industry? Do you have a background in the sport? I started working in the tennis industry in high school as an assistant tennis pro at a private club in New Jersey. I taught lessons to children, maintained the clay courts, arranged matches, and ran the pro shop. I loved tennis from an early age and it came very naturally to me. I played high school tennis and then moved on to Ithaca College where I played on the team. While studying for a business degree, the Sports School approached me about a degree in Sports Management. I was among the first graduating class of students to get this degree from Ithaca College. After college, I moved on to New York City where I interned at Madison Square Garden with a sports marketing firm, Sports Etcetera, who hosted the Virginia Slims Championships. This tennis tournament, which is no longer in existence, was the culmination of the women’s tour. The top 16 women competed at Madison Square Garden and it was a very exciting time. When did you start working at Midtown Tennis Club? After a year of interning, I started playing ten-

nis at Midtown Tennis Club. My brother and I would meet there after work. We really fell in love with the Club. It was very friendly and comfortable, and of course, we loved the HarTru courts. I was interviewing for jobs, and my brother suggested that I look into Midtown for a part-time job until I found a full-time gig. There was an opening at the front desk and I started there at the end of 1992. Twentythree-years later, I rose through the ranks to become director of the Club and am still loving tennis and Midtown. Midtown Tennis Club is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. What has changed at the Club over that time and what are you most proud of? The Club has undergone some major transformations over the past few years. We have made many improvements to the facility, including new locker rooms, court renovations, a new bubble and heating system. We have also become the premier spot for recreational junior tennis since our partnership was formed with John Curtis and The Manhattan Tennis Academy.

ship or commitment, but offer that option if one desires. New Yorkers want options and we can accommodate such options. What benefits do your members have from playing at a club located in the heart of Manhattan? Location, location, location … this is very important in Manhattan. When most clubs are feeling a lull midday, we are busy with business professionals, actors, artists and moms that can pop in, play an hour with a pro, take a shower and get back to their busy schedules without the hassle of travel time. How can you continue to grow participation at Midtown Tennis moving forward? At this moment, we are growing participation by working with families. Getting the whole family out on the court and offering something for everyone is key. The children participate in the junior program, the moms play after school drop off, and the dads play in the evenings. It is rewarding to see the whole family improving and having fun.

How have you maintained success over five decades in an ever-changing industry? We have continued to grow with the trends, but have also kept our business practices simple. Junior tennis is important to the growth of the sport, and we have really focused on that part of the business. Remaining flexible and giving client’s options at different price points has worked well for us.

What are your views of the current state of tennis in New York? Tennis in Manhattan is popular. Children are starting much younger now with the QuickStart programs, and tennis is truly maintaining its reputation as a sport for the ages. The development of younger players will give them a chance to know a sport for a lifetime.

What makes Midtown Tennis Club stand out from the rest of New York’s clubs? Midtown is a unique place. We attract all different types of players. We are in a great location and easily accessible to all forms of transportation. We do not require member-

What do you enjoy most about your job and working at Midtown Tennis? I love tennis and tennis people. Midtown requires all of the work and diligence of managing and sustaining a business, but for me, it’s a passion and when you are doing what you love, it doesn’t feel like work.

NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2015 • New York Tennis Magazine

Taste of Tennis Brings Out the Top Stars and Chefs for Annual Gala

ew York celebrated their love of tennis and fine dining in grand style at this year’s installment of the Taste of Tennis event, held at The W New York. Guests enjoyed cuisine prepared by the world’s top chefs, while getting a glimpse of their favorite players before they took to

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the courts of the National Tennis Center for the 2015 U.S. Open. Special guests included Serena Williams, Bob & Mike Bryan, Jack Sock, Eugenie Bouchard, Feliciano Lopez, Jelena Jankovic and many others. One of the evening’s highlights was a cooking demo hosted by the Bachelorette’s Andi Dorfman, featuring

Venus Williams and Marc Murphy. “It’s always a fun night,” said Bob Bryan. “Hanging out with all of these great players, and meeting a lot of the chefs. This event has been going on for so many years. I think the first time Mike and I attended was when we were 18, and it’s a blast every time.”

Venus Williams, Celebrity Chef Marc Murphy of the Food Network’s “Chopped” and Andi Dorfman of “The Bachelorette” collaborate on a dish Jelena Jankovic (right) helps out Chef Daniel Holtzman (left) in the kitchen Serena Williams with Taste of Tennis host, Andi Dorfman of “The Bachelorette” Sam Querrey serves up a dish during the Taste of Tennis event France’s Jo-Wilfried Tsonga pauses for a photo Gael Monfils and Simona Halep during the Taste of Tennis event in New York City

NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2015 • New York Tennis Magazine

he Metro Corporate Tennis League, presented by Advantage Tennis Clubs, is a joint initiative of the Metrotennis Community Tennis Association (MCTA) and USTA/Eastern Metro Region. The League is divided into three levels of play, Intermediate (3.0-3.5), Advanced Intermediate (4.0) and Advanced (4.5+). The Metro Corporate League also offers an Advanced Beginner Clinic program for teams that are not ready to compete, and hosts more than 48 teams. The following is the Metro Corporate Tennis League roster for the season:

Advanced Division 1. Bank of America 2. Bloomberg (Vighnesh) 3. Ernst & Young 4. Credit Agricole 5. BNP Paribas (Pierre) 6. The Corcoran Group 7. PwC (Gellert) Advanced Intermediate Division I 1. Patterson 2. Goldman Sachs 3. Bloomberg (Ankur) 4. Proskauer 5. HBO 6. Mizuho Bank 7. Deloitte Aces Advanced Intermediate Division II 1. Deutsche Bank (Elena) 2. Cleary (Advanced Intermediate) 3. White & Case 4. Nielsen 5. Google 6. The Corcoran Group Intermediate Division I 1. BNP Paribas (Nicolas) 2. D.E. Shaw & Company 3. Practical Law 4. Schulte

The Moody’s team will compete in Intermediate Division III of the Metro Corporate Tennis League

5. The Corcoran Group 6. Deutsche Bank (Armen) Intermediate Division II 1. Fried Frank 2. Bloomberg (Kara) 3. ZEFR 4. AMC Networks 2 5. Barclays (Vikki) 6. Akin Gump Intermediate Division III 1. Barclays (Fares) 2. HBO 3. Cleary 4. Moody’s 5. ING 6. Arnold & Porter

Intermediate Division IV 1. AMC Networks 1 2. Paul Weiss 3. Sidley 4. PwC (Tanner) 5. Highbridge Capital 6. Sullivan Advanced Beginner Clinic 1. Bloomberg (Peggy) The season will run from Sept. 24Dec. 17, culminating with an end-of-season party at Roosevelt Island Racquet Club. Please welcome new teams, ZEFR, Barclays (Fares) and Arnold & Porter LLP to the Metro Corporate Tennis League.

For more information, visit Metrotennis.com/Corporate/main.html, or call Luis Espinoza at (347) 886-3117 or e-mail Luis@Metrotennis.com. 14

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2015 • NYTennisMag.com

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NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2015 • New York Tennis Magazine

Across Metro N McHale and company visit Wall Street American Christina McHale (right), who trains out of Boca West Country Club in Florida, made sure she enjoyed her time in New York while competing in the U.S. Open. She made a trip down to Wall Street to and ring the NASDAQ opening bell, along with Gigi Fernandez (left) and former WTA CEO Stacey Allaster (center).

JMTA appears on GMA Some of the top players from the John McEnroe Tennis Academy recently were on the set of ABC’s Good Morning America and had a chance to meet American tennis great James Blake.

Bondarenko joins Matchpoint NYC

Centercourt duo wins Wichita Fall ITA Junior Tennis Title

Alona Bondarenko, who won the 2008 Australian Open Doubles Championship along with her sister Kateryna, recently became a pro at MatchPoint NYC. Bondarenko, pictured here with Managing Partner, Nino Muhatasov, brings her professional experience and success to the Brooklyn facility. The Ukrainian was once a top 20 singles player and has singles victories on the WTA Tour against top players such as Maria Sharapova, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Jelena Jankovic and Amelie Mauresmo.

Mia Horvit & Victoria Flores of Centercourt Performance Academy paired up to win the Wichita Fall ITA Junior Tennis Doubles Championship recently. The two beat the third-seeded duo of Ann Li & Natasha Subhash 6-1, 6-4 in the finals.

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2015 • NYTennisMag.com

ew York New

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

Baruch wins CUNYAC Championship The Baruch Bearcats won the City University of New York Athletic Conference (CUNYAC) Championship for the first time since 1997, defeating Hunter College 5-0 in the finals. The win completed an undefeated season for the Baruch girls, who finished the year at 13-0. Daria Vasekina was named Tournament MVP, and finished the year 12-0 in singles and 13-0 in doubles. “I am very proud of the team,” Head Coach Florin Giuglescu told the Baruch Athletic Web site. “This team was together all season and each contributed equally to this championship. Hard work and team support helped make this championship possible.”

NYJTL hosts Fall Festival New York Junior Tennis & Learning (NYJTL) recently hosted its third annual Fall Festival near its Cary Leeds Center. More than 1,000 students from the NYJTL program, and more than 100 volunteers, came out for a day of games, tennis, food, dance and music.

NTC takes part in 110th Precinct’s Pink Out Block Party The USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center recently participated in New York City’s 110th Precinct’s Pink Out Community Block Party in front of the 110th Precinct. There was food, music games and much more for all to enjoy, and the event raised money for Breast Cancer Awareness.

NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2015 • New York Tennis Magazine

The Stars of the Court Paint the Town

he Annual Party with the Pros took place at the Langham Place New York Fifth Avenue. VIP guests had the opportunity to meet and take photos with some of the world’s top tennis players, including Andy Murray, John Isner, Victoria Azarenka and Sloane Stephens. Additionally, guests enjoyed an array of delicacies specially prepared by Chef David Vandenabeele.

T 18

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2015 • NYTennisMag.com

NYTennisMag.com â&#x20AC;˘ November/December 2015 â&#x20AC;˘ New York Tennis Magazine

courtsix New York Tennis Magazine’s Gossip Column By Emilie Katz Bryan Brothers hit the big screen

everything from Serena Williams to his wife Brooklyn Decker to Donald Trump’s hair. Roddick and Decker also welcomed their first child, a baby boy named Hank, into the world on Sept. 30.

Allaster Steps Down as WTA CEO The Bryan Brothers made their big-screen debut in the Broad Green Pictures comedy, Break Point. The movie follows the story of Jimmy Price, a professional doubles tennis player who is hanging onto his career and reaches out to his estranged brother, Darren, to pair up with him. Bob and Mike Bryan made a cameo in the film, and enjoyed their role. “Break Point has a great cast and we love that the storyline is all about a doubles tennis player,” said Mike Bryan. “It was fun to be a part of it, and we appreciate the shout-out to doubles tennis.”

Dan Rather interviews Andy Roddick

Stacey Allaster stepped down as the WTA’s chief executive officer, a post she has held since 2009. The 52-year-old cited that she wanted to spend more time with her family. “It’s been a privilege to lead the organization that Billie Jean King founded and to have worked with the world’s best female athletes, dedicated tournament promoters and passionate and professional WTA team members,” Allaster said. “For 25 years, I have dedicated my professional life to the sport and I’m proud of the work I leave behind.” Allaster will be replaced by Steve Simon, who has served as the Indian Wells Tournament Director.

Serena to appear in Pirelli Calendar

Andy Roddick recently sat down with legendary newsman Dan Rather on his Masahable series “Drinking With Dan” to discuss 20

Serena Williams was quite busy following her loss at the U.S. Open. The world number one was selected to be a part of the

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2015 • NYTennisMag.com

Pirelli Calendar, joining the likes of Yoko Ono, Patti Smith and Rockville Centre’s Amy Schumer for the 43rd year of the calendar.

Sharapova pulled over in Germany

Maria Sharapova was pulled over by German Police while she was driving through Dusseldorf. The 28-year old Russian didn’t commit any crimes or traffic violations—the officers just wanted to snap a picture with the five-time Grand Slam champion.

Pennetta and Fognini take in Salvatore Ferragamo Fashion Show Fresh off of her win at the U.S. Open, Italian Flavia Pennetta and her fiancee, fellow tennis player Fabio Fognini, sat front row at a f a s h ion show for Salvatore Ferragamo, a brand she has historically adored and been dressed in at times.

Sweeting splits with Cuoco Kayley Cuoco, star of the CBS hit show Big Bang Theory, announced her divorce from husband and tennis professional Ryan Sweeting. The two were married for 21 months before announcing the split.

Roger Federer (@RogerFederer): Crazy cool to be with #23 in China #ShanghAirJordan

Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole): Relaxing with team after a good day in the office

Tw e e t s from the pros Aga Radwanska (@ARadwanska): Poland v Japan @ volleyball. Poland won

Noah Rubin (@Noahrubin33): 10 points off Venus Williams (@VenusesWilliams): but still got the job done!! #TBT 1991, Compton, with Dad #tennis continued on page 22 #coaching

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NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2015 • New York Tennis Magazine

court six continued from page 21 Victoria Azarenka (@Vika7): For me as an athlete, training on a Sunday morning is like going to church!

John Isner (@JohnIsner): Great time last night! @langhamplaceny @measurelounge

Andy Roddick (@AndyRoddick): Fun being on court in NY, celebrating what makes an extraordinary #WinningShot, past and present, with @GreyGoose

Caroline Wozniacki (@CaroWozniacki): Missing my bff!! #voguemagazine #shoot #annieleibovitz #throwback @serenawilliams

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Eugenie Bouchard (@GenieBouchard): In the hallway under Ashe... Jimmy is with me in spirit! @usopen

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New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2015 • NYTennisMag.com

NEW YORK TENNIS MAGAZINE’S

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

ALEXA NOEL New Jersey’s Alexa Noel recently celebrated her 13th birthday, but don’t let that number fool you. Noel is already one of the top juniors in the country, and is striving for more as her young career continues. Her love and talent for the sport were evident at an early age. “I started playing tennis in Canada when I was young,” said Noel. “I saw people playing, and I told my dad I wanted to play. We started hitting around at local parks, and then I started to like it more and more, and wanted to get more involved with it.” Noel was born in Scottsdale, Ariz., but moved to Toronto when she was fiveyears-old. Her and her family then moved back to the U.S. just a few years ago when she was nine. Moving to a new town at a young age can be a difficult enough transition, so moving to a new country is a very tough endeavor for a nine-year-old. “I didn’t know anybody, so it was tough at first,” said Noel. “I also had to find a completely new place to train.” And she found that place in Centercourt Performance Tennis Academy, where she has trained ever since. Upon arriving, she worked with Clay Bibbee, CEO and founder of Centercourt Athletic Clubs, but is now coached by Kyle Bailey, Centercourt’s senior director of Performance Tennis, and together, they have helped transform Noel into one of the top juniors in the nation. “Alexa is a passionate player who competes with tremendous fire,” said Bailey. “What separates Alexa from the competition

has been her ability to use a lot of variety and play different styles of the game.” That fire that she plays with is a necessary trait for the 13-year-old. She frequently plays up an age level, taking on girls who are years older than her, and has found great success in those matches. “I just try to play my game,” Noel said when asked if she ever feels nervous or pressure playing against top competition at such a young age. “I do get a little nervous, because I know how good they are, and I know I have to play well to beat them, but I try to

just relax and play my game.” Noel has experienced great success already this year, having won four titles overall, including two at the Girl’s 16 Singles level, and won the first Super National of her career at the USTA Girl’s 14 National Clay Court Championships. She won six of the seven matches in that tournament in straight sets, including a 6-4, 6-3 win over Washington, D.C.’s Hailey Baptiste in the finals. “Clay is one my favorite surfaces to play on,” Noel said. “I am proud of the hard work I put in with my coaches and all of the people who have helped me along the way.” With all the success she has had already, Noel is still striving to improve upon her game. Alexa’s primary focus is to continue to be more aggressive and dictate the play in her matches. “For the last year or so, my coach Kyle [Bailey] and I have worked on coming in more and being more aggressive,” Noel said. “I want to play on the offensive. I just want to keep playing in high level tournaments and get better and better each time around.” At such a young age, Noel has a promising career ahead of her. As she strives to improve, she will continue to play up in competition, which is only going to help her in the long run. 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 • November/December 2015 • New York Tennis Magazine

USTA Metro Region Washington Heights Tennis Association welcomes Victor Estrella-Burgos

Photo credit: ATP

The Washington Heights Tennis Association (WHTA), founded by Eligio “Leo” Reynoso, recently hosted a lively and interactive youth tennis demonstration. Kids enrolled in the WHTA program had the opportunity to demonstrate some of their tennis skills, and demonstrate their skills using the 10 & Under platform. The older kids had the opportunity to display their form and finesse. This summer, WHTA, in conjunction with Columbia University, conducted a daily summer program at the Inwood Tennis Courts for 168 children. During the winter months, thanks to their affiliation with Columbia University, they’ll serve another 70 students at the indoor courts at Columbia’s athletic facility at Baker’s Field on 215th Street. 24

The WHTA has a proven record in helping in the developing of world-class tennis players, including Irina Falconi and Victor Estrella-Burgos. In addition to the demonstration, WHTA hosted Victor EstrellaBurgos’ birthday at Inwood Park. Estrella-Burgos is a professional tennis player born in the Dominican Republic, and is currently ranked 52nd in the world. Victor was celebrating his 35th birthday. The event was attended by tennis players, teaching professional throughout, Univision, as well as Ydanis Rodriguez, New York City Council Member; and New York State Sen. Adriano Espaillat, who represents the Washington Heights, Inwood and Marble Hill sections of Manhattan.

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2015 • NYTennisMag.com

USTA Metro Region South Brooklyn Tennis Association: A year to remember

The South Brooklyn Tennis Association (SBTA) ended its season in great fashion. The season was highlighted by many events, concluding with the recent Vive Tu Vida in Corona, an event was attended by approximately 80,000 people, while promoting “Tennis—Anywhere, Anytime, Anyplace.” The last event of the season concluded by having been invited by the United Federation of Teachers (UFT) to their Sports and Fitness Expo at its Bronx headquarters, which offered the students a chance to participate in several sports. One of the SBTA’s highlights of the season was having Pablo Sierra, founder of the SBTA, interviewed by ABC News Channel 7 Anchor Joe Torres for Hispanic Heritage Month. Sierra and the SBTA were highlighted for promoting the game

of tennis throughout New York City. The spot aired daily throughout Hispanic Heritage Month. Sierra promoted “Tennis—Anywhere, Anytime, Anyplace” by setting up a tennis court in a classroom. The SBTA is a registered CTA/NJTL member organization of the USTA, and 501(c)3 non-profit organization. The SBTA promotes the game of tennis to kids, ages 10 and under, and to combat childhood obesity through its participation in special events throughout the city of New York. Funding for the program is provided by USTA Eastern, and the USTA Eastern Metro Region. For additional information, visit the SBTA at SouthBrooklynTennis.com or e-mail southbrooklyntennisassn@yahoo.com.

NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2015 • New York Tennis Magazine

USTA Metro Region USTA and SBTA team up to Take a Swing Against Cancer

The USTA Eastern Metro Region and the South Brooklyn Tennis Association (SBTA) recently took part in the 6th Annual Maureen Henry Cancer Walk to Help “Take a Swing Against Cancer” event.

The event raises money and honors cancer survivors and remembers those who lost their battle with cancer. The money raised went to the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

New York City Aces to host November Social

The New York City Aces will be hosting its next Tennis Social on Nov. 13 at the West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, N.Y. Young professionals between the ages of 21-35 are welcome, and 26

there will be tennis, food and drinks. All levels of play are welcome and the Social is a great way to cap off a wonderful year with the USTA Metro Region.

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2015 • NYTennisMag.com

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

Congratulations to the following Metro teams on advancing to the National Playoffs in their respective divisions throughout the 2015 season. 18 & Over l 3.5 Women: Ashley Rowe/Ariane Qureshi l 5.0 Women: Chiara Ciabatti/Mercedes Michel l 7.0 Mixed: Dennis Reid l 10.0 Mixed: Eric Tomasini/Pam Glick 40 & Over l 4.0 Men: Fred Derman/Reid Tratenberg 55& Over l 7.0 Men: Fred Derman The Metro USTA Leagues have started up again in the fall with

some changes. The 40 & Over Leagues were moved from the winter in February to the fall starting in September, so we did not have such a long break after the summer. The 40 & Over Women’s and Men’s seasons are in full swing. The Mixed-Doubles League will be starting up in the fall/winter. First up is the Manhattan Season, starting in November with Levels at 6.0, 7.0, 8.0, 9.0 and 10.0. (Mixed-Doubles adds up the two players’ ratings: two 3.5 players would play together at 7.0. Ratings cannot differentiate by more than 1.0. A 4.0 and 3.0 can play 7.0 as well). The Queens and Brooklyn Seasons will follow in January. If you need help being placed on a team, please contact Steven Bricker at sbricker@metrotennis.com. If know, please provide your NTRP rating. For information on ratings, visit USTA.com/Adult-Tennis/USTALeague/NTRP.

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NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2015 • New York Tennis Magazine

What Makes a Tennis Pro Tick? USTA/WTA pro Christina McHale tells it like it is Credit all photos to Matt Cohen

hristina McHale says movement is strength. That makes perfect sense, considering her favorite shot is her forehand. McHale trains at the USTA National Training Center, headquartered in Boca Raton, Fla. where she also participates in kids clinics at the $1.8-million Tennis Center at Boca West Country Club. The Country Club is a recent recipient of the USTA Outstanding Tennis Facility Award. New York Tennis Magazine caught up with the aggressive baseliner while she was on tour. McHale, whose tips are gender neutral, said, “The nice thing about tennis is it’s a sport that can be played by everyone.”

What are your top five fitness tips for tennis players? McHale: Number one: Core. Everything starts with the core, and although we are rotating a lot, working on building core strength is critical. Number two: Speed and endurance. Working on speed around the court is a must, as is endurance training with short sprints and footwork drills. Number three: Hydration. Staying hydrated is important at all levels, but especially if you are playing in hot climates. Dehydration is dangerous, so stay hydrated with plenty of water and/or energy drinks. Number four: Flexibility. Stretch every day. Tennis players must be able to get full rotation on strokes and easily move around the court. Look at Serena Williams’ splits, for example. Number five: Variety. Tennis can feel quite repetitive on the court. Add in other sports to vary your training, such as warming up by kicking a soccer ball. How do you prepare for a big match? McHale: On match days, it’s all about hav-

really big leads. It’s not over until the last point is played. How do you see the role of women evolving in the tennis world? McHale: I think it’s great that the WTA [Women’s Tennis Association] has been led by a woman, Stacey Allaster [WTA chairman and CEO] for the past six years, and that the USTA is now also led by a woman. There are women tournament directors around and now more female coaches are starting to appear too. What do you consider the single greatest achievement in your career up to now? McHale: Competing at the 2012 London Olympic Games was the highlight of my career. To represent my country was a huge moment for me. I really tried to make the most of being there, surrounded by amazing athletes. My top 10 wins have meant so much to me, and reaching the final of my first WTA tournament in Acapulco.

ing a routine and staying calm and focused. I have a good warm-up on the court with my coach. I eat chicken and rice or pasta before the match, and then get into my match gear. I have some quiet time, listen to music and then make sure all of my equipment is set. I’ll warm my body up again right before the match and prepare myself mentally. Share a few tournament experiences that

amateurs can learn from. McHale: You hear tennis players often say, “It’s important to focus on one point at a time, one match at a time.” Sometimes it gets a little boring to hear that for tennis fans, but it’s the truth. Every single point is an opportunity, so you just need to really take your time in-between points. I’ve won matches where I’ve been far behind and match points down, and I’ve lost matches where I’ve had

Can you give us your thoughts on this year’s U.S. Open? McHale: I did not have a good tournament at this year’s U.S. Open. I was so excited to play because I was playing well going in and I felt ready to do well at my home Grand Slam. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to impose my game when I had the chances. It’s really tough to go out early at a tournament that means a lot to you, but I always try to turn my defeats into positive lessons and learn from them.

NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2015 • New York Tennis Magazine

My 2015 U.S. Ope

Alla gets in some practice swings at the National Tennis Center

he U.S. Open is the biggest tennis tournament in the world, and because of that, thousands upon thousands of people from all over the world flock to New York for a couple of weeks at the end of the summer. While the tennis is exciting enough, players and fans alike have an opportunity to visit the greatest city in the world. Russia’s Alla Kudryavtseva, ranked 29th in the world in doubles, reached the quarterfinals of

Alla Kudryavtseva after her win over American Victoria Duval at the 2015 U.S. Open

the Women’s Doubles tournament, and wrote about her experience playing in the U.S. Open, as well as her time in New York City. Every year, I come to New York City and my experience in the City gets better and better. I have been playing in the U.S. Open for more than 10 years. I believe the first time I played in New York was when I played in juniors back in 2003. That was the year Andy Roddick won the

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2015 • NYTennisMag.com

Alla shops on 5th Avenue in New York City

men’s event. Back then, the City seemed too big, too hectic, and too overwhelming for me. Much has changed in the 12 years since, and now it is one of my favorite stops on the tour. This year has been absolutely amazing. My three weeks in New York were highlighted with a quarterfinals appearance in doubles at the U.S. Open, a helicopter tour over Manhattan, my first Broadway musical, a shopping trip to Fifth Avenue and countless fun dinners in New York City. Let me start with tennis. I was able to participate in all three events of the U.S. Open this year: The Singles Draw, Doubles Draw and Mixed-Doubles Draw. In singles, I had to play three Americans in order to qualify. First was Alexa Glatch and our match was an absolute battle in extreme heat conditions, where I was able to come out on top in the third set. The second match I had to play was against a very inspirational young tennis player, Vicky Duval. She is probably the sweetest human being I know. She has recently defeated cancer and is back on the tour. It was the worst draw possible, and if Vicky had played someone else, I would have probably come and cheered for her. The courage it takes to battle

n Experience

Alla takes a helicopter ride over Manhattan

cancer and the love of the game it takes to make a comeback is inspirational. I had more match play on my side and I was able to win that match, but Vicky is definitely on her way back. Her tennis is certainly there. The third American I played, Shelby Rogers, was able to stop me and went on to win two more matches in the main draw. “From qualifiers to Ashe …” Rogers said in her final tweet from the U.S. Open and I was a little jealous, but still happy for her. The tournament continued for me in mixed-doubles and doubles. Unfortunately, mixed-doubles didn’t go so well. But in women’s doubles after three tough matches alongside my partner, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, we made it to the quarterfinals. We lost in three sets to another great team, eventual finalists Casey Dellacqua & Yaroslava Shvedova. Despite the tennis being over, my fun in New York City was not. As someone who is afraid of flying and of heights, I wasn’t sure if a helicopter tour over Manhattan was a good idea. The last thing I wanted to do was spend 30 minutes with my eyes shut and scared for my life. However, a friend of mine insisted we

Alla in New York City with Maria Loi, chef at the Greek restaurant Loi Estiatorio

BY ALLA KUDRYAVTSEVA

Alla (second from right) takes in the Broadway play “Wicked” during her stay in the Big Apple

had to do it, and so there I was, on Pier 9 in downtown Manhattan, waiting for my helicopter tour. It was a blast! The ride was smooth, the City is beautiful, the views are breathtaking, and I was able to take a lot of selfies! I truly recommend this to anyone who hasn’t done it yet. Plus, it makes for a great date! Another absolute highlight of my trip was my visit to Broadway. I’ve never

seen a musical before, and was mesmerized by the magic of “Wicked.” I ended up seeing it twice, meeting Stephen Schwartz, the exceptionally talented man who wrote the songs and music for the musical, as well as making friends with some of the actors! They came to U.S. Open to watch our third round match and boy were they loud! I want to thank Kyle McCully, and continued on page 32

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my 2015 u.s. open experience continued from page 31 Stavis and Cohen Financial for bringing the players to the show and introducing us to the world of Broadway. Actress, Loana Alfonso showed us the backstage area and organized the trip to the U.S. Open for a large part of the cast. This “Wicked-U.S. Open” cultural exchange program has been incredibly fun. I will skip the story “About a girl who wanted to buy half of Fifth Avenue.” It’s a boring tale similar to so many others driven by consumption and inspired by Julia Roberts’ trip to Rodeo Drive in “Pretty Woman.” Let’s just say, at the end of the day, I had four bags and I had to pay extra for baggage on the way home … Last, but not least, I want to talk about all of the wonderful food places in New York. Beauty & Essex was a treat; such a gorgeous place and great food. A “must” stop for all Russians in

New York is Marivanna. It is a great Russian restaurant in Manhattan, but I recommend you go with someone Russian, otherwise the menu can be confusing. Oh, and you’ve got to account for some vodka drinking (yes, it is a stereotype, but that place has really exceptional homemade fusions and no I don’t get paid for advertising!). Another “must stop” for tennis players is an amazing Japanese restaurant “Nippon.” Mr. Kuraoka is a huge tennis lover, and during the U.S. Open, you can find tennis players there every day. But this year’s winner for me was a Greek restaurant called Loi Estiatorio, located near Central Park and Essex House. Maria Loi, the restaurant’s chef, is an absolute treasure as a person and as a chef. The food is incredible. I have never had better lamb chops in my life … or moussaka … or octopus … or

Greek yogurt … or anything else on the menu for that matter. And if you decide to visit that restaurant, please let her know I didn’t forget her hospitality and send my love from Russia. Also, as you walk into the restaurant, look at the left wall and tell me if my racket is still hanging there! Overall, New York is an incredible place. I wish I had three months instead of only three weeks to explore the City. There are so many places I still haven’t visited although I have been there more than 10 times. I look forward to my next trip to the Big Apple and hope I’ll get to experience even more of this incredible City. Alla Kudryavtseva is a native of Moscow, Russia, is sponsored by inPhorm and is currently ranked in the top 30 of the WTA Women’s Doubles Rankings. At the 2015 U.S. Open, she took part in three of the main draws, Women’s Singles, Mixed-Doubles and Women’s Doubles.

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New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2015 • NYTennisMag.com

Private and Instructional Group Clinics … Not Only for Juniors By Andy Stuber Instructional group clinics and private tennis lessons these days seem to be primarily populated by and marketed toward juniors. That’s fine in the respect that once children begin playing tennis and training at a young age, they will no doubt become competitive players. But where is the adult population these days, and why aren’t they hitting the courts in instructional groups or clinics? Weren’t many of them once these young budding juniors? If they aren’t former junior players, why wouldn’t they want to embark on a new sports journey, the same athletic opportunity they are affording their children? “Why should I even invest in tennis as an adult? Isn’t it a little late for me to take on

this sport?” This kind of response represents the very common misconceptions that we see in the tennis community. Parents are willing to invest a lot of money for their kids to enjoy the sport, but are very price-sensitive when it comes to their own tennis spending. Tennis facilities and tennis instructors should work in congruence to develop these opportunities and market them in such a way that the parents finally start to realize, “Why should my kid be the only one playing tennis in the family?” Many advantages come from both adults and children being involved in organized instructional play. Adults can share in the same passion as their children and eventually play with them on occasion in a friendly family singles or doubles match, and perhaps even team up for club and local park tournaments.

It is also fun as an adult to learn a new sport, improve upon skills, and go even deeper into the nuances of the game. The social factor is also an attractive draw, as you get to meet new friends, form new groups, or even start a rivalry with a fellow player. For adults who once played as juniors, they can rediscover their passion for tennis and realize how much they actually missed the game in the time they were away from it. Adults, are you reading this? Then hit the courts … all the cool kids are doing it! Andy Stuber is a teaching pro at Stadium Tennis Center at Mill Pond Park, originally from Basel, Switzerland. He grew up playing his tennis on European red clay courts and brings a tremendous work ethic and passion to the courts at Gotham Tennis Academy.

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NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2015 • New York Tennis Magazine

Credit all photos to Lee Seidner

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Rafael Nadal at Sportime Randall’s Island for the John McEnroe Tennis Academy Benefit Night Australia’s Nick Kyrgios teamed with John McEnroe in a doubles exhibition match at Sportime Randall’s Island Lleyton Hewitt returns a shot during his exhibition match with Rafael Nadal John McEnroe pulls double duty as chair umpire Rafael Nadal enjoying the night at Sportime Randall’s Island Rafael Nadal and John McEnroe field questions from the media during prior to the John McEnroe Tennis Academy Benefit Night New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2015 • NYTennisMag.com

Nadal and Kyrgios Make Their Mark on Randall’s Island at JMTA Benefit Night The John McEnroe Tennis Academy (JMTA) hosted a Benefit Night, which brought out stars of the tennis world for exhibition matches raising money for the Academy. In front of a packed crowd at Sportime Randall’s Island, 14-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal took on all-time great Lleyton Hewitt in the headline match, and the match did not disappoint. Despite it being an exhibition, Nadal and Hewitt displayed some competitive and sparkling tennis on the beautiful summer night. John McEnroe served as the chair umpire, which brought some laughter from the crowd, as Johnny Mac is known to argue with the umpire when he plays. The match was played in an eightgame pro-set format. After Hewitt forced the match into a tie-breaker, much to the delight of the fans, Nadal hung on to

While the tennis on the court was a treat, the purpose of the night was to raise money for junior development at the John McEnroe Tennis Academy. It is something that John McEnroe himself as put a lot of emphasis on in bringing a tennis buzz back to New York. Junior development is a big part of Nadal’s life as well, as the Mallorca, Spain native is building a tennis academy in his hometown. “We are in the last process of building a national academy in Mallorca, an academy with everything a kid needs to try and become a professional tennis player,” said Nadal. “It will have a school inside as well. For me, the sport is my passion, and tennis is what I’ve been doing for 25 years. I want to keep being involved in the sport and in building the Academy, I am trying to give something back to the kids.”

06 beat the Aussie 8-7. The second match of the evening featured Australia’s rising star Nick Kyrgios & McEnroe taking on the duo of Patrick McEnroe & Jonas Bjorkman. This match saw a ton of rallies and volleys and some big serves from the hard-hitting Kyrgios. In the end, it was the tandem of Kyrgios & John McEnroe edged Patrick McEnroe & Bjorkman 6-4.

T E N N I S

R U S H

Come play where the surf applauds every shot. The Seaside Tennis Club at the legendary Mauna Kea Beach Hotel on Hawaii Island. 866.977.4589 I MaunaKeaBeachHotel.com

NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2015 • New York Tennis Magazine

Boca West Country Club

Elite Tennis Travel Program

(561) 488-6990 BocaWestCC.org

(914) 713-5074 info@elitetennistravel.com EliteTennisTravel.com Elite Tennis Travel Inc. builds exclusive tennis and cultural experiences in Spain. Tennis training is provided by masters at renowned clubs in Barcelona, Valencia and Madrid. Cultural activities include dinners at the chef’s tables, behind-thescenes museum access, and winery tours. Spanish language lessons are also provided upon request.

Located in Boca Raton, Fla. in Palm Beach County, Boca West Country Club is renowned for its first-rate recreational activities. The Country Club’s reputation in golf is equaled by its $1.8 million Tennis Center. Fully dedicated to the racquet sport, there is a lighted stadium court and seating for more than 300, plus access for members to USPTA staff for tennis clinics and private lessons for instructions, drills, techniques and strategies. The number one residential country club in the U.S. is also the proud recipient of the 2013 USTA Outstanding Tennis Facility Award. Tennis enthusiasts looking for superb amenities in a beautiful private country club setting have the opportunity to see many WTA and ATP touring pros and other world-class players who frequent the courts. Adding cachet to the Club’s brand is the recent 2015 partnership with WTA rising star Christina McHale. Tennis Center courts carry a feature-worthy status of their own. There are 31 Hydro-courts, three of which are lit for night play. The Tennis Center is a sought-after destination, hosting championship tournaments and exhibitions, including the USTA French Open Wild Card Tournament. An award-winning community that was originally developed by Arvida Corporation in 1971, it is home to 6,000 residents (3,380 families) in magnificent residences, including townhomes, patio homes, villas, garden apartments and single-family homes. Boca West is the number one Private Residential Country Club in the country and number one private club in Florida. Boca West is a Platinum Club of America, Five-Star Private Club, since 1997. 36

n Our seven-day program is a world-class tennis experience. ETT can arrange a Master-Class, a conference and lunch with Toni Nadal, Carlos Moyá or Juan Carlos Ferrero. These tennis masters will help you work on your technique, precision, strategy and match play. ETT is able to plan any or every aspect of your vacation. The one- or two-week program in Barcelona for high school students includes tennis and physical training, language lessons, cultural experiences, 24-hour supervision, accommodations, three meals daily and transportation. n Our coaches are former ATP players and will work on technical and tactical parts of the game. This high performance program includes four hours of tennis instruction, and two hours of off-court training. n During the weekends, there are planned excursions to explore various facets of Barcelona. n ETT can accommodate groups of various sizes. ETT will design an experience to the required specifications. n Elite Tennis Travel’s schools are accredited by the National Independent Private Schools Association (NIPSA). Elite’s teachers are licensed, native speakers who will target the areas that will improve the skill of each student.

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2015 • NYTennisMag.com

The Club at Mediterra

Israel Sports Exchange (ISE)

(239) 254-3000 MediterraLiving.com

(973) 952-0405 Israel-Sports-Exchange.com An all-expense paid trip for varsity level high school tennis players to train, compete and travel to Israel this summer. The Program: This once in a lifetime program, under the direction of Larry Seidman and Yuval Higger, is a high-level sports training program for varsity level American tennis players. Yuval has coached Gilad Bloom, Harel Levy and Shahar Peer, all world-ranked players. Adult chaperones accompany the participants during all phases of the program. Every precaution will be taken to ensure that the participants are free to have fun in a safe and wholesome environment. The participants will train, tour and live with host families. “I can say with confidence that ISE is superior to any Israeli touring organization. It combines interacting with Israeli teens through touring and serious training,” a past participant states.

Mediterra is Naples, Fla.’s eighttime Community of the Year and was recently named the Number One Retirement Community in Florida by Best Retirement Destinations. It received a 2013 Aurora Award for Best Residential Development in the Southeastern U.S. and ranks as one of the top private clubs in the world by BoardRoom Magazine. It is also ranked as one of America’s Healthiest Clubs. The 1,700-acre community offers an array of lifestyle amenities, including two world-class Tom Fazio-designed courses and the private 10,000-square-foot Beach Club on the Gulf of Mexico, featuring an elevated swimming pool, casual dining with a full bar, and valet service for beach chairs, umbrellas, and beverage and food menus. The Club, Tavern on 18, Fire Pit Patio and Summer Kitchen offer formal and casual dining prepared by a staff of award-winning culinary experts. Available home designs in Mediterra include single-family estate homes and single-family maintenance-free villas priced from $1 million to more than $7 million. Mediterra’s on-site amenities include themed neighborhood parks; eight miles of walking and jogging trails; a fitness complex with bocce courts, a pool, spa; and a world-class tennis program. “Mediterra was the first to ever host a USTA-sanctioned Tiebreak Tournament last summer. Since then, the best of three, 10-point tie-break format has rapidly gained popularity around the state,” said Mike Baldwin, Mediterra’s USPTA director of tennis. “This type of tournament is really fun and guarantees that each player will have at least two matches. Players also appreciate the convenience of a one-day tournament rather than a weekend tournament with incurred travel and hotel expenses.”

Experience life like an Israeli: The program combines intensive training, competition, touring and home hospitality. Home hospitality is an important element of the program, as it enriches the cultural and social experience. Join ISE: There is no cost for ISE. The Israeli Sports Exchange sponsoring includes: Round-trip airfare between Israel and JFK/Newark, lodging, meals, sports instruction, touring fees, and admission to special events and museums. ISE is an unbelievable experience that fills your days learning about Israel, while playing tennis. You will leave this experience with an improved tennis game and everlasting friendships. For more information, contact Larry Seidman at (973) 952-0405 or e-mail lbseidman@msn.com or visit Israel-Sports-Exchange.com.

NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2015 • New York Tennis Magazine

Mauna Kea Beach Hotel

Palm Island Resort

(808) 882-5420 MaunaKeaBeachHotel.com The legendary Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, an architectural icon designed to coexist beautifully with the unforgettable landscape of the Kohala Coast, is located on a silky white-sand crescent beach, Kauna’oa Bay. Escape to paradise where you will find 252 luxurious guest rooms, Laurance S. Rockefeller’s private collection of Asian and Pacific artwork, impeccable service, one of the world’s finest golf courses and tennis club plus tantalizing cuisine with unforgettable settings. The 11-court Seaside Tennis Club is one of the largest and most sought-after tennis experiences in Hawaii. Each one of the 11 courts offer an incredible view of the Pacific Blue Ocean, and on a clear day, you can see Maui in the background. Craig Pautler and his team serve up lessons and daily clinics, roundrobin tourneys, and a comfortable lanai to relax in the shade. Facilities and services include 11 ocean side tennis courts, a pro shop offering equipment and apparel, equipment rentals, men and women locker rooms, video instruction service, ball machine, tournament planning, racquet stringing, individual game-matching, customized special events, tennis clinics, round robin tournaments, private and group lessons. Enjoy the many other amenities offered at the resort like the weekly Lu’au and Clambake, 2,500-square-foot fitness room and spa just to mention a few. Enjoy time at this world-class resort, improve your tennis game while taking in some of the most incredible views in the world and create memories that will be treasured for a lifetime. The Club is open 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. daily, and can be reached at (808) 882-5420 or by visiting MaunaKeaBeachHotel.com.

(800) 824-5412 PalmIsland.com

Palm Island Resort in Cape Haze, Fla. sets the standard for Southwest Florida’s family of Coastal Island Communities. Villas, cottages and private homes are available for vacation or staycation island visitors. Guests arrive by car ferry and drive a short distance to the resort’s main parking area. Come by boat if you like, since Palm Island Resort offers rental slips too. Palm Island Resort offers both “Go” and “Slow” activities, based on your preferred level of outdoor activity or relaxation. One of the options with Palm Island Go is, of course, tennis. The resort’s tennis program includes unlimited complimentary play, a complimentary round robin every Saturday, and affordable clinics for both adults and kids. During holiday weekends, the round-robin is geared more toward family play for those of all ages. In addition to the 11 hard tennis courts available at no charge, a tennis pro shop and equipment rentals are also available. Palm Island Resort even has an on-site tennis pro—Bill Longua—who is available to teach clinics and private lessons. Bill attended Iona College in New Rochelle, N.Y. on a tennis scholarship, and you can view his tips and tricks at OnlineTennisTraining.com. If tennis draws you to Palm Island Resort, it won’t be the only thing keeping you there. Activities like kayaking through the mangroves on a guided tour, bicycle trails, and off-shore and back water fishing are available to ensure that your stay at Palm Island Resort is tailored to your needs. Come visit and see for yourself why Palm Island offers one of Florida’s premier island experiences. For more information about Palm Island Resort, call (800) 824-5412 or visit PalmIsland.com.

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2015 • NYTennisMag.com

Peter Kaplan’s Westhampton Beach Junior/Adult Tennis Academy (631) 288-4021 • (914) 234-9462 peterkaplan2002@yahoo.com WestHamptonBeachTennis.com Peter Kaplan’s Westhampton Beach Junior/Adult Tennis Academy, and the affiliated Grassmere Inn, is a wonderful destination for beginners to nationally-ranked players of all ages. Private instruction, clinics, one to seven full- and half-day camps are offered. The flexibility of the programming enables participants to enjoy the nearby beautiful ocean beaches, charming village, Performing Arts Center, movie theatre, wine country, shopping, cafes, restaurants and nearby water park. Resident students/families/teams stay at the historic, newlyrenovated and highly-honored Grassmere Inn, located on quiet, tree-lined Beach Lane Fifty yards from the beginning of the charming village, yet less than one mile from a beautiful ocean beach. The Grassmere’s 22 guest rooms all have air conditioning, WiFi, cable TV and private bathrooms. Ideal for families, are two suites or interconnected rooms. A delicious breakfast is included daily. The Tennis Academy features 12 soft courts. The Academy features an enthusiastic staff, renowned for its high-quality instruction with an average student/staff ratio of 2:1. Most participants seek a less intensive program of three to five hours of instruction daily. Visiting tennis pros bring students with Kaplan’s staff available to supplement the pro. Tennis during the day, the beach, perhaps a glass of wine at sunset, and then dining at a great restaurant, a movie or a show at the Performing Arts Center.

Tennis Fantasies With John Newcombe and The Legends Contact Steve Contardi: (800) 874-7788 stevec@towneproperties.com TennisFantasties.net Tennis Fantasies with John Newcombe and the Legends, the Original Tennis Fantasy Camp, is your chance to play tennis and rub shoulders with the all-time greats of the game. Join host three-time Wimbledon Champion John Newcombe and his “mates” at the John Newcombe Tennis Ranch in New Braunfels, Texas for this most memorable tennis event. The legendary staff will include International Tennis Hall of Fame Members John Newcombe, Roy Emerson, Fred Stolle, Owen Davidson, Mark Woodforde and Charlie Pasarell, as well as Grand Slam winners Ross Case, Marty Riessen, Dick Stockton, Brian Gottfried, Rick Leach and The Jensen Brothers, Murphy and Luke. Tennis Fantasies 2016 offers two great programs: March 3-6, 2016: Tennis Fantasies for Men and Women and October 16-21, 2016: Tennis Fantasies, Men Only. On-court activities include clinics, team competition, and “fantasy” pro-am matches. After tennis, guests will enjoy the “Aussie-style” hospitality of the John Newcombe Tennis Ranch. The John Newcombe Tennis Ranch is located just outside of New Braunfels in the rolling Hill Country of central Texas, 30 minutes from the San Antonio airport. The crystal clear water of Canyon Lake, the Guadalupe River, and the Comal River are just minutes from the Ranch. The John Newcombe Tennis Ranch has 28 deco-turf and four Har-Tru courts, eight lighted and four all-weather covered courts guaranteed tennis every day. Join John Newcombe and his “mates” for the best tennis vacation of your life!

NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2015 • New York Tennis Magazine

Topnotch Resort (800) 451-8686 TopnotchResort.com Set within 120 acres of woodland at the foot of Mount Mansfield in the village of Stowe, Vt., Topnotch Resort blends the gracious charm of a ski lodge with the luxurious amenities of a world-class resort. The boutique resort offers 68 guest rooms, two restaurants, indoor and outdoor pools, tennis center, a state-of-the-art fitness center, and a 35,000-square-foot spa. Additional accommodations can be found in a variety of resort homes. Surrounded by Vermont’s legendary Green Mountains, Topnotch Resort provides travelers with a four-season, luxury New England retreat with skiing, snowmobiling, hiking, fishing, canoeing, swimming, biking, paddle-boarding, golfing and more all nearby. The Tennis Center at Topnotch is open year-round, featuring six outdoor courts—all with stunning mountain views—and four indoor hard courts, offering winter guests the optimal ski and tennis experience. The Tennis Center at Topnotch, an official partner of Adidas, is consistently ranked number one in the Northeast, and one of the “Top 25 Tennis Resorts” by Tennis Resorts Online. The Resort’s top-rated Tennis Academy offers more than 30 programs for all ages and levels of play, including a full lineup of lessons, clinics, private instruction, and the newest tennis technologies, such as Dartfish and iPlaymate, led by seasoned pros including Tennis Director Milan Kubala. Designed to leave guests feeling a sense of ultimate achievement and advancement in their game, Topnotch Tennis’ “Play to Win” teaching philosophy provides students an edge in all three critical areas of tennis—strategy, technique and footwork. A Junior Academy for kids, ages five through 14 is also available. 40

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2015 • NYTennisMag.com

COMING IN JANUARY 2016

Distribution scheduled for 01/01/16

This edition will feature: • Tennis Fitness • 2015 Year in Review/2016 Preview • Australian Open Preview • BNP at MSG

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

Don’t miss the advertising opportunities in the next edition of New York Tennis Magazine January/February 2016! Facebook-www.Facebook.com/NYTennisMag Instagram-@NYTennisMag • Twitter-@NYTennisMag Submissions for both advertising and editorial are due by 2015 December 2015 NYTennisMag.com NYTennisMag.com • •November/December September/October • New York 1, Tennis Magazine 41 For more information, please call 516-409-4444 or e-mail Advertise@NYTennisMag.com

2015 NEW

YORK TENNIS MAGAZINE’S

Coaches Roundtable Discussion T

he New York metro tennis community has some of the sport’s best facilities, both indoor and outdoor, and best coaches in the world. With this wealth of talent available, New York Tennis Magazine recently took the opportunity to pick the brains of some of these top coaches. What you will find below are some of the sport’s top instructors sharing their ideas and strategies from coaching those new to the game to skilled juniors, the state of tennis in the metro New York area, the role of the parent in a player’s development, to what the U.S needs to do to produce the sport’s next top star and much more. Even the best coach can always learn an extra tip or two, and the following article will provide all players and coaches with a chance to learn from the cream of the area’s crop.

Meet the participants … Cesar Andrade Tennis Innovators Cesar Andrade is the director of operations for Tennis Innovators, who has academies in New York City and Westchester’s Delfino Park. A native of Ecuador, Cesar moved to Queens, N.Y. as a child, and during his high school days, spent four months out of every year training at the Bolleteri Tennis Academy. He went on to play collegiate tennis at Iona College and began coaching afterwards. Vinicius Carmo The Ross School Tennis Academy Vinicius Carmo is tennis director of The Ross School Tennis Academy and coach of the boy’s and girl’s varsity tennis teams. As a player, Vinicius was ranked among the top five junior players in Brazil and played several international junior tennis tournaments. He attended the University of Tennessee for four years on a full scholarship. Tom Clear Roosevelt Island Racquet Club Tom Clear is a tennis professional at Roosevelt Island Racquet Club (RIRC). Most recently, he was a USTA player development coach at 42

the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. He has extensive experience developing and training tournament players. Previously, he worked at several clubs in Brooklyn, including Mill Basin and Parkview Tennis Center. Tom is a certified member of the PTR. Lisa Dodson Servemaster at The Total Serve Lisa Dodson is owner of Servemaster at The Total Serve, a USPTA Elite Pro, a former world-ranked player and radio show host. Thomas Gilliland The West Side Tennis Club Thomas Gilliland is the assistant tennis director at The West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, N.Y. Thomas is a graduate of Columbia University’s masters in sports management program. Some of his past experiences include serving as regional vice president for the USTA Eastern Metro Region, coaching and managing the 2010 18 & Under Junior Team Tennis National Championship Team from West Side Tennis Club and is currently serving as chair of the Nominating Committee for the USTA Eastern Metro Region.

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2015 • NYTennisMag.com

Brian Helm Stadium Tennis Center Brian Helm is a tennis professional at Stadium Tennis Center. He teaches fast-paced drills, with an emphasis on footwork, and an aggressive approach to stroke perfection on each swing. He was born in Tacoma Park, Md. and cites Andre Agassi and John McEnroe as early influences and favorites to watch. He has trained with many wellknown tennis professionals, including Maria Sharapova. Justin Hogh Super Stars Tennis Justin Hogh is founder and director of Super Stars Tennis in New York City. He was an honorable All-American junior, NCAA Division I college tennis player, ITF Junior competitor and USPTA Pro 1-Elite coach. He was the founder and director of Knickerbocker Sports Tennis Academy, located in New York, N.Y., and also served as the head teaching professional at the Southampton Bath and Tennis Club in Southampton, N.Y. In addition, Justin also served as director of junior tennis at the Scripps Ranch Swim and Racquet Club in San Diego.

2015 NEW YORK TENNIS MAGAZINE’S

Coaches Roundtable Discussion John Joyce Boca West Country Club John Joyce has been the director of Boca West Country Club since 1994. He has been on the USPTR board since 2000, and was Florida’s division president from 2006-2007. He has been ranked number one in the USTA Florida Men’s 25 Doubles, as well as number one in Men’s 50 Doubles Division. He is a fivetime recipient of the USPTA Florida Professional of the Year (2001-2003, 2005, 2007 & 2009). Lawrence Kleger John McEnroe Tennis Academy at Sportime Randall’s Island Lawrence Kleger is the director of tennis at John McEnroe Tennis Academy at Sportime Randall’s Island. He is recognized as one of the top developmental coaches in the nation. Lawrence was named the USTA/Long Island Region Tennis Professional of the Year in 2006 and the USTA/Eastern Section Tennis Professional of the Year in 2013. Whitney Kraft USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center Since 2007, Whitney Kraft has been the director of tennis at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, N.Y. and director of player operations for the U.S. Open. Previously, he was director of tennis for the City of Fort Lauderdale Park & Recreation Department (1998-2007). He was a 1983 Singles All-American for Florida Atlantic University, and inducted into their inaugural Athletic Hall of Fame class in

2006. He is a National 10 & Under Trainer, a USPPTA Platform Tennis instructor, as well as a member of the National Cardio Tennis Speakers Team. A USPTA member since 1983, Whitney served as district director for Broward County, Fla. and as president of the local CTA, Broward Tennis Association. Xavier Luna Advantage All-City Junior Tennis Programs Xavier Luna is the director of junior tennis for the Advantage All-City Junior Tennis Programs. Xavier has more than 30 years of experience in tennis, commencing as a ranked junior. He was the director of junior programs at Stadium Racquet Club, the owner and founder of Metro Tennis Academy, and has held many other positions in the tennis industry. Nino Muhatasov MatchPoint NYC Nino Muhatasov is the cofounder and director of MatchPoint NYC in Brooklyn. He is a former coach of top WTA and ATP players, former captain and number one singles and doubles player for St. John’s, a Big East Conference Finalist, as well as a two-time MVP. With 15-plus years of coaching experience, Nino, an ITF- and USPTRcertified coach, founded and directed Stars Only Junior Tennis Academy, where he developed one of the strongest tournament training programs in the TriState Area. Many of his students have won Super National and Sectional tournaments, including Two Golden Ball Championships.

Ron Nano Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning Ron Nano is general manager of the NYJTL’s Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning. Ron has dedicated his career to developing and delivering tennis programs. He is USPTAand PTR-certified and is a graduate of the USTA’s High Performance Coaching Program. Ron is a former top-ranked junior and played varsity tennis at the University of Michigan. Rob Polishook Inside the Zone Sports Performance Group Rob Polishook is the founder and director of Inside the Zone Sports Performance Group. He works with athletes and teams focusing on helping athletes gain the mental edge. Andy Stuber Stadium Tennis Center Andy Stuber is the head tennis professional at Stadium Tennis Center. A native of Basel, Switzerland, Andy has been known to use his outstanding, European work ethic to teach and inspire our juniors. Andy is comfortable teaching all levels of players.

nytennis New York Tennis Magazine

MAGAZINE

NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2015 • New York Tennis Magazine

2015 NEW YORK TENNIS MAGAZINE’S

Coaches Roundtable Discussion The roundtable ...

What are the main reasons for the loss of U.S. dominance at the professional level? Tom Clear: The world is getting smaller. More people from other countries are playing tennis. There is better coaching throughout the world. The best athletes from foreign countries are playing tennis. Our culture, at times, lacks the discipline to develop top 10 tennis players. Brian Helm: There can be multiple factors playing into the loss of U.S. dominance. The U.S. kids have become lazy and complacent because everything has been given to them with helicopter parenting and the idea that everyone gets a trophy. There are two main reasons I believe that tennis has lost dominance: Americans draw their tennis talent from about the 50 percentile athlete. Tennis does not get the best athletes in America, as they tend to play other sports. Second, tennis in other countries is a top three sport, while in America, it’s not even in the top five in popularity and affordability. You could extend this and say the USTA needs to be a federally-controlled entity and the money is used differently, i.e. private clubs and growth amongst the coaches that have produced talent instead of taking the talent and moving them to new coaches with more of a support system instead of what has been done. 44

Whitney Kraft: That’s a great question with lots to consider. Tennis is becoming such a global sport, whereby in some countries it currently ranks as the second most popular sport behind soccer. The U.S. has added more and more choices for youth with video gaming not helping! Navigating the competitive/developmental pathway remains a tough puzzle for parents to sort out in our country. Tournaments historically hosted in the U.S. (1980s-1990s) went overseas. This—combined with geographic advantages, innovative ranking systems along with feed-in draws—yielded more frequent and competitive match environments with France as an example. Some nations did a superior job over the past 20 years with the “tennis-sized right” youth pathway to excellence and long term development, such as the nations of France and Belgium. Many foreign players play and train more on clay, thereby developing excellent defensive skills, superior point construction, variety of shots and higher fitness levels. Collegiate tennis in the United States shifted to more foreign players being recruited, thus providing support/training grounds for the likes of Kevin Anderson of South Africa/University of Illinois. Many foreign pros have lived and trained in the U.S. since infancy, for example Maria Sharapova. Are they foreign or American? For many years, a mistake was made in

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2015 • NYTennisMag.com

thinking that U.S. players were ready to turn pro in their teenage years. As a result, many players never reached their full potential and/or caved from expectations and the pressure more easily mitigated from a more mature athlete. Could it just be cyclical? It would be interesting to ask Sweden, Argentina, Germany and Australia the same question. Where are the top 10 men and women? Rob Polishook: The USA tennis system needs to always view junior players of all ages as “more than an athlete.” Working through this lens will encourage coaches, parents and players to leverage and bring to the court the “whole person.” This includes the player’s personal spirit, story, support system and inspirations not just the athletic skills and talent. In my experience working with athletes, the unity of bringing who you are (the person) to what you do the athlete) creates a powerful and unique athlete, process and personal peak performance. Andy Stuber: The development of 10 & Under Tennis, that started more than 20 years ago in Europe, has not had enough attention paid to it. Federations and most academies kept training kids in the more traditional way. Luckily, the USTA is now a strong promoter of the 10 & Under program, and things should change for the

2015 NEW YORK TENNIS MAGAZINE’S

Coaches Roundtable Discussion better. Also, the fact that the whole game is played on hard courts from an early age is definitely a disadvantage. You learn consistency and constructing points much better on a clay court, and it is easier to transition from clay to hard than from hard to clay. A third reason is that the talent pool of athletic tennis kids gets limited by competing with other very popular and prestigious sports (football, basketball, baseball, etc.). What should be the ratio between the time spent on the court and the time spent on fitness for juniors? Cesar Andrade: The ratio depends on age, players between 10 to 13-years old should only focus on working basic calisthenics with their own body weight. At the age of 14 and up, the addition of weights and weight resistance becomes necessary. At that point, muscles are closer to full development and can be pushed to increase strength. High performance players typically play 10 to 14-plus hours per week. Our academy’s system allows a player to focus on fitness for 30 percent of their weekly schedule. This is necessary for any high performance player. More importantly, it mentally builds the right routine for a true success for years to come.

their coaches conduct a comprehensive evaluation of their child’s tennis skills and physical conditioning in order to craft an individual player plan. What advice do you have for tennis parents in dealing with their kids during training and before/after matches? Vinicius Carmo: My advice is for the parents to always be supportive and give their children strong confidence and selfesteem. The well-being of the child outside of tennis is very important for any player’s performance. If the kids are happy off the court, there is a good chance that they will have a good training session. If the child has a bad training session, parents should listen to their children and provide mental support off the court, so the child can come back next time and improve upon their training. Tom Clear: I sit down with all new perspective students and their parents. I tell the parents that they are an integral part of their child’s development. I explain to them their role and how they must support their child both emotionally and financially. I explain to the parents there must be

communication among the coach and player, and parent and coach and that there is nothing wrong with questions, discussions and disagreements. I don’t ask parents to say much after practice or a match because that’s not their role. Their child must trust me and have that type of relationship with me … it’s key to the child’s development. I do ask the parents what they saw in a match, but that is communicated to me and me only, not the child. Lisa Dodson: At competitive levels, the role of the parent is to be supportive of the player and of their coaches. The coach is the coach and the parent is the parent, and it usually works best if these roles are adhered to. Parents should do what they would instinctively do for all of their children, regardless of tennis: Provide a loving, structured and supportive environment in which their child can thrive, grow and succeed. Being positive and supportive is critical. Many kids leave tennis when the parent gets a little too pushy. If kids don’t live up to their parents’ expectations, it creates an uninspired student. There is too much pressure to

Justin Hogh: Depending on the age and experience of the player, there should be a positive correlation between court time and fitness. For example, the more time spent on the court, should result in more time spent on fitness and conditioning. Nino Muhatasov: I would say the ratio should be around 65 percent time on the court, to 35 percent fitness for juniors. Ron Nano: The ratio varies for each individual player, especially in junior tennis. The most important thing for parents to do when faced with this question is to have

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Coaches Roundtable Discussion succeed everywhere. Kids want to achieve for their coaches. We are one step removed and can be more demanding, so gains are more measurable and appreciated.

the players’ lives to make sure we are allocating our time in the most effective way and creating a schedule that will maximize progress and success.

Rob Polishook: The role of a parent in a junior’s developmental process is to support their individual child’s process. Each child’s process will be unique. It’s imperative for parents to avoid comparisons, help their child focus on improving, and keep the energy on what can be controlled. Before matches, parents should avoid talking about technical issues, the outcome, and their expectations. The key is to focus on competing. After the match, parents should allow the player to unwind from a loss. No car time should be spent discussing “You should have or you could have done this.” In the event of a win, the focus should be on what the player did well and how they can continue to improve.

John Joyce: When I started playing, the classical tennis game was taught. There has been a tremendous change with the way the game is being taught today, partly due to the equipment. The rackets are built more powerful and lighter. The strings also help with getting more power. As far as the strokes, I feel the biggest difference is the forehand and positioning. The grips allow you to hit with more spin and take the ball earlier on the bounce which produces more powerful shots. Thirty years ago, most players were using the Eastern Forehand Grip and most of today’s players are using Semi-Western Grips.

How has coaching changed in the time you’ve been involved in it? Lisa Dodson: The change in the style of play has been massive. Keeping up with the times and deciding on what I believe is the best way to get through to the student is ever-evolving. With the Internet and online coaching sites, coaching has become much more of a business. There is an endless supply of online teaching and programs to learn from which can be positive and negative. A lot of players are receiving conflicting information from a variety of sources, and this can be confusing. For some, it replaces the special relationship between the student and coach. Those players don’t know what they are missing. Thomas Gilliland: Over the years, the schedules of our players have become busier between increased tournament play, training, school work and other interests. As coaches, we have had to become more aware of the many other things going on in 46

Lawrence Kleger: They say the game changes every three or four years. I don’t know who “they” are, but I think that’s true. So given that I have been around for more of those changes than I will admit to, one’s coaching has to have changed. Technologically, there are more tools to help a coach than ever before and the Internet has made sharing knowledge as easy as a click. However, in my opinion, what has changed the most is the students themselves. Students’ attention spans have shrunk to that of a housefly. I tell my coaches, if I bring all of the kids in and start talking, stop me after one minute and 45 seconds because there is no way anyone will be listening past that point. Concepts that I once explained eloquently to students “back in the day” have to enter today’s students by a different route. And for almost any student, that “route” could be very different from the norm. I was never a great biology student, but I am becoming a big advocate of whatever is. Rob Polishook: Answering through the lens of a mental training coach, coaches are

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2015 • NYTennisMag.com

recognizing the importance of the mental game and the impact it plays in competition. Because of this, I have had many coach/player/mental training coach collaborations to help players work through the all-important mental game within the game. It’s important for coaches to help players raise their awareness, once a player is aware of a situation they are then able to adapt, adjust or make choices. Which coaches do you admire in other professional sports? Thomas Gilliland: I admire the coaches of the NFL. They have huge teams, large coaching staffs, a very short season and have to deal with more injuries than the other main sports. Justin Hogh: I admire coaches in a variety of sports. I especially admire any coach who can encourage a positive path in life for his students, regardless of which sport they play. A good coach has to find the way to be able to communicate and “get through” to his students. If he or she can, they will find success! Xavier Luna: One thing about coaches, no matter the sport, is that we love watching other coaches. It’s fun to see how they react in pressure situations and what type of message they send to their teams when faced with adversity, whether they’re on the sidelines, behind a bench or courtside. In saying that, there are coaches I admire from all sports. I love watching Bill Belichick, Doc Rivers and Joe Maddon, just to name a few. Then there are the legends … Vince Lombardi, Mike Ditka and Phil Jackson. You can learn a lot from them. Nino Muhatasov: I look up to coaches like Pat Riley, Bill Belichick and Bobby Knight. What is the one thing you hope any student of yours learns from you? Tom Clear: I hope they learn life lessons

2015 NEW YORK TENNIS MAGAZINE’S

Coaches Roundtable Discussion and believe in themselves. They need to learn to keep a cool head during difficult times. They need to find solutions to problems. Life is not fair and there will be many trials and tribulations along the way. It’s how you deal with those situations that makes you who you are. And always, on the tennis court, respect the game and your opponent. If my students can do those things, not only will they be good tennis players, but they will be good people as well.

best tennis player they can be.

Thomas Gilliland: I hope that my students appreciate the process of learning and getting better. These days, there is such a focus on finding a quick way to achieve a goal. Many people miss out on the full reward of a job well done. Vince Lombardi once said, “The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary.”

Do you think it is important for kids to play other sports in addition to tennis? Cesar Andrade: Up until the age of 12, the concept of playing multiple sports allows kids to enjoy the traditional lifestyle of their peers. In the U.S., most kids play basketball, soccer and baseball growing up and all have their benefits and similarities towards tennis. After 12 years of age, the focus on one sport is necessary in order to master that sport. It’s very difficult to master more than one skill in life. It is very rare to see people become engineers and doctors in one lifetime. Mastering one trait is more realistic and fair to the individual, the same applies to sports.

Brian Helm: I hope they learn life lessons through tennis. Tennis puts you in many different positions where you have to learn how to get out of them or improve them from a weaker state. Just like in life, there will be obstacles and adversity along the way. You have to learn how to figure them out. John Joyce: Learning the value of hard work and giving your best effort all of the time. This is a life lesson and there are many to learn from tennis. Every day is a new day in tennis and learning the game is a process. You only get better by putting in the time. Lawrence Kleger: I hope that there is a lot more than just “one” thing, but if I had to choose one, it would be how tennis mirrors life. In tennis and in life, strength of character, determination, hard work and fair play always lead to long-term success. There will be ups and downs, but you will make it through. Hopefully, my students will be better off having gone through the process of trying to be the

Nino Muhatasov: The one thing I hope my students learn from me is that hard work pays off. Andy Stuber: Besides teaching them the basics, I would really hope that my students understand and respect the game of tennis. I hope that they learn that effort is the key to everything, not only in tennis, but also in life.

I’ve always believed that if you are a good athlete, then you are good at far more than just one sport. How many high school kids play two or three sports these days? If you are a good athlete, why not play as many sports as possible to see which one you like best or which one can take you the furthest? Obviously, for me, I hope a child decides on tennis as the one to focus on, but I would never discourage one of my students from giving another sport a try. Like I said, good athletes are good at not just one sport, but many sports. Ron Nano: Playing other sports can be included in individual player plans since it can provide additional fitness and skills that players may need to help develop their tennis. Players might also benefit from the camaraderie that exists in team sports. The one downside may be in time management and finding a balance if the player experiences success in other sports.

Whitney Kraft: Absolutely, research across numerous sports has shown that overspecialization at too young of an age doesn’t yield long-term results. Becoming a great athlete is more important. Diversity in sports prevents burnout and overuse injuries. Remember the sport of soccer that John McEnroe, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer played as juniors.

What are some of the teaching/coaching adjustments you have to make when going from outdoors in the summer to indoors in the winter? Brian Helm: When moving from outdoors to indoors, there are adjustments to be made typically in movement/footwork/shorter strokes and the pace of points. The footwork/movement/strokes has to be faster, as courts are usually slower outdoors and faster indoors. Typically, faster people hit bigger and points are shorter. So you have to be able to gain control of the point earlier, instead of being able to develop them outside over a few shots.

Xavier Luna: While I’m certainly biased toward tennis, I do think it’s important for kids to play other sports in addition to tennis. For one, tennis is largely an individual sport, so it’s always good for young athletes to play team sports and get a feel for teamwork and working together toward a common goal in that regard.

Lawrence Kleger: Other than no longer needing sunscreen, here are a few … Because in most indoor facilities there is not the normal amount of room behind the baselines, strategies and tactics have to be adjusted. There is often not enough room to back up and play defensive or neutralize shots. This will put a premium on one’s

NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2015 • New York Tennis Magazine

2015 NEW YORK TENNIS MAGAZINE’S

Coaches Roundtable Discussion ability to take balls on the rise, to hit effective half-volleys and take balls out of the air with swing volleys. There is often very little room between courts indoors, so serving out wide becomes a key weapon. Similarly, being proficient at hitting angles is a huge advantage. Most indoor facilities are constructed with a roof that is just high enough to accommodate low lobs. For many, baseliners who rely on their passing shots and lobs, this is a disadvantage. Many indoor facilities have heating and air condition such that if you are on one side of the net, you need thermal underwear and a ski suit; while on the other side of the net, you could have a sauna. A Har-Tru court indoors usually play a lot different than they do outdoors. Indoors, they play like a cement court, with some gravel tossed on it to slip on. Andy Stuber: The warm up becomes a much more defined role, as it is very important in cooler conditions as an injury prevention function. Outdoors, elements such as the sun and wind are around, and tennis can be played a little bit riskier, thus the emphasis can be on more of an aggressive play style. Lisa Dodson: The biggest adjustment is the playing surface. I teach on Har-Tru in the spring, summer and fall, and on hard courts in the winter. I also go from a country club environment to a more highperformance program indoors. Pretty much everything is different, so it really keeps things interesting. What stays the same is teaching solid technical basics, good grips and most of all, an all-court game. Whitney Kraft: You can leave the sunscreen and hat at home, along with the excuses about wind, shadows and temperatures. A static playing environment is optimal, thus take full advantage! 48

For younger players, do you emphasize mental toughness/attitude more than technique? How do you find balance between the two? Cesar Andrade: The younger players (12&U) are like sponges when it comes to learning, they absorb everything. We feel this age is the time to perfect and/or adjust technique, and mold their foundation to perfection as much as possible. Toughness and attitude typically go along with their ability to follow a tough practice regimen. You can build a player mentally, but provide a demanding practice environment at the early stages. Tournament play is a totally different animal, as it is difficult to re-create the feeling of competing in a real tournament. Overcoming nerves and performing is natural to some while others need to develop that skill. The practice court and good coaching can certainly build that in a player at the younger ages to better prepare them for true development in the future. John Joyce: When learning the game, technique is extremely important in order to get better. But attitude is significantly important to learning the game. As one starts to compete and his/her technique is becoming ingrained, they don’t have to think about how to hit the ball. They must now focus on how to strategize more to defeat an opponent. Justin Hogh: I always emphasize mental toughness/attitude over technique. The reason is because the mental toughness and attitude of a student has such potential for growth. Technique can be modified, however, mental toughness and attitude can also be positively applied to other areas in life. Do you think it is important for top junior players to play high school

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2015 • NYTennisMag.com

tennis, or are they better off focusing on individual tournaments? Vinicius Carmo: I think that top junior players should compete in high school tennis as long as the high school tennis coaches have flexibility with the player’s practice schedule. It is important to be part of a team if you were to play college tennis one day. It also improves self-confidence for the player to represent a school. Xavier Luna: This is a difficult question to answer, as it depends both on the individual and the level of competition that a particular high school tennis division is able to offer. Generally speaking, the level of competition and pace of individual improvement is much more evident playing tournaments. College coaches are much more likely to take notice of how well you performed at individual tournaments than they are for your high school team. But on the flip side, there’s something special about playing on a team and representing your high school … there’s a great deal of pride that you can take from that. In some high school divisions, the competition is similar to that which you would find playing in an individual tournament. It all depends on what type of player you are, what your end goal is and whether you want to represent your school and be a part of a team. There is no reason you cannot do both. Ron Nano: As chairman of the Mayors Cup, the largest All-Scholastic Tennis Tournament in the nation, I am a little biased. Generally, top juniors should seriously consider playing high school tennis for many reasons. Teamwork is the obvious benefit. To take it further, players benefit from the social aspect of being on a high school team, as it provides the mentorship of a coach or upper classmen. It also provides the experience of a family environment where parents and the school community show support during four important years of a player’s development.

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

Simple Fitness Preparation for Great Tennis Performance By Suzanna McGee Whatever the level of your tennis skill may be, you can always improve upon your game by improving your tennis-specific fitness. Fitness training should be a regular part of your “tennis lifestyle.” The more serious a player you are, the more fitness you will need. You have to improve your strength, power, explosiveness, quickness, endurance, balance and flexibility. It sounds like too much, but even spending a little time on each element, when compounded over a long time, will bring amazing results to your tennis, your health and general well-being. If you are a recreational or social player without any serious competitive aspirations, you still should have at least two fitness training sessions per week. You need to take good care of your body because tennis is pretty destructive physically, regardless of what level you play. If you want to keep your tennis longevity, then you have to do a minimal fitness workout. Basic tennis fitness preparation 1. Walking lunges (lower body strength, balance and flexibility) 2. Jumping lunges (all of the above, plus power) 3. Burpees (full body strength, balance,

power, explosiveness and flexibility) 4. Plank and its variations (core and upper body strength, balance, and endurance) 5. Kettlebell swings (power, explosiveness, strength, balance, coordination, and endurance) 6. Rubber-band side walk (hip strength) 7. Side jumps (power, explosiveness and balance) 8. Stretching or myofascial release of quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes, if there is not enough time for more There are no tennis players or athletes who have gluteus medius that are too strong. Almost everybody has weak gluteus medius muscles, which over time, causes larger issues of overuse injuries, such as knee, hip, ankles or lower back problems. If you don’t have much time for your fitness preparation, the priority should be the training of your glutes (maximus and medius) and hamstrings. The entire back chain always needs extra attention. Depending on your level of commitment and how much time for fitness training you have besides playing tennis, you can split your training in such a way that you perform some strength and power, some stretching and rehab each day. If you only play a few times a week, but for long periods of time, then do your fitness training on the alternate days, and do

“If you are a recreational or social player without any serious competitive aspirations, you still should have at least two fitness training sessions per week.” it more thoroughly, over a longer period of time intensely. The injury prevention regimen needs to be a serious part of your program as well. Commit to your tennis-specific fitness and watch both your game and health improve rapidly. Suzanna McGee is certified by National Academy of Sports Medicine and also holds a Certificate in Plant Based Nutrition from eCornell University. She is an author of Tennis Fitness for the Love of It and The Athlete’s Simple Guide to a Plant-Based Lifestyle. For more information, e-mail sixftlion@gmail.com or visit TennisFitnessLove.com.

NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2015 • New York Tennis Magazine

Credit all photos to Sidney Beal III, Clique Photography

NYC’s Top Chefs Take to the Courts for the

Celebrity Chef Tennis Challenge Some of New York City’s premier celebrity chefs stepped out of the kitchen and onto the tennis courts of City View Racquet Club in Long Island City for a day of tennis, food and an overall good time. Put on by AYS Sports Marketing as a part of the Taste of Tennis Week, the Celebrity Chef Tennis Challenge featured a round-robin doubles tournament with the players rotating partners. Beyond the tennis, a multitude of sponsors were out serving food and drinks to all in attendance. “This is our first year at City View, we’ve been friends with them a long time, so it’s great to bring our event here to such a dynamic club with a beautiful view of Manhattan,” said Penny Lerner, CEO of AYS World. “The caliber of chefs this year is unbelievable;

we’ve got Francois Payard, Marc Murphy, Jonathan Waxman, Kerry Heffernan. Plus Michelle Yu of SNY and Mayor Dinkins came out. Life couldn’t be better for tennis in New York City. This is a great moment.” After the round-robin action, the finals were set. Defending champion Christian Pappanicholas paired up with Long Island Tennis Magazine Challenge winner Lisa Goldstein and took on the chef tandem of Jeff Lefcourt & Juan Santa Maria. The championship match was played in a four-game format, with a fifth game being played if the score was 2-2 after the four games. Pappanicholas opened up serving, and began the match with an excellent serve for a 15-0 lead. The two teams would

exchange points until the first game went to 40-40. After a long rally, an excellent drop shot from Goldstein gave her and Pappanicholas a 1-0 advantage. Santa Maria would serve in the second game and won four straight points, finishing it off with a forehand winner to even the match at 1-1. Despite the first two games going the way of the serving team, the style of the match changed heading into the third game. The returning teams picked up their aggressiveness, and it showed as Goldstein fell behind 0-40 on serve. After saving one game point, another forehand winner from Santa Maria gave his team the break for a 2-1 lead. continued on page 52

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celebrity chef tennis challenge continued from page 51 Lefcourt had a chance to serve for the match, but Pappanicholas & Goldstein dug deep. At 15-40, Pappanicholas hit a winner in between Lefcourt & Santa Maria to nail down a break of their own and force the match into a deciding fifth-game. The teams flipped a racquet to decide who would be serving the game, and Santa Maria & Lefcourt won the advantage. Santa Maria was chosen to serve, and quickly built a 150 lead after a Poppanicholas backhand sailed long. The two teams would exchange points until it got to 40-30 when, after a long rally, Goldstein hit another one of her patented drop shots to even the game at 4040, meaning the championship would be decided by a single point. On the championship point, Santa Maria hit a backhand into the net, giving Pappanicholas & Goldstein the title. “I took a spill on a mountain bike, so I’m coming back from a bad shoulder injury, so I knew I wouldn’t be serving as

hard,” Pappanicholas said on adjustments he made from last year. “I just had to volley better and play within myself. This is one of the best events ever and I’m so grateful just to be a part of it.” Goldstein, who captured the title in the Women’s Amateur Division at the Long Island Tennis Magazine Challenge earlier this summer, said this type of tournament was a little different than the ones she normally plays. “I really didn’t know anyone’s game here, so I had to adjust coming in,” said Goldstein. “There are such different levels of players here, you can team up with a really good player or you can team up with somebody who has never been on the court before. And I got a really good partner!” The pair walked away with a ton of prizes, including a three-day trip to Saddlebrook Resort in Tampa, Fla. Goldstein was joined at the event by fellow Long Island Tennis Challenge winners Jodi Schwartz, Jill Friedman and Simone Crames.

“It’s such a great way to combine food and tennis,” said Schwartz. Larry Hong, co-owner and managing partner of City View Racquet Club, said he was extremely pleased with how the event turned out. “It’s pretty exciting, it’s a unique experience, it’s not very often we get some of the top chefs in New York, let alone the world,” said Hong. “They’re all having a good time, competing in a family-oriented fun experience. This definitely has all the elements and potential for a charity element moving forward.” The money raised at the event went towards City Harvest, as well as towards the recovery of Eli Kulp, a promising New York City chef who was paralyzed in May’s deadly Amtrak train crash. Chef Kerry Heffernan spoke of the good that an event like this can bring. “We’re just so lucky to be able to do what we love and have fun doing it. This year we are able to really help this unfortunate chef,” Heffernan said. “So for us to be able to play tennis, raise some money and help someone in dire need is a great thing.”

Centercourt Performance Tennis Academy (CPTA) is a one of a kind facility dedicated to the development and performance of tennis players. CPTA features eleven hard courts, one red clay court, a state-of-the-art strength and conditioning center, an indoor turf field and an academic center. Our mission is to help every student-athlete realize his or her potential athletically and academically. Our players respect the game, their peers, parents, and coaches. Our curriculum features comprehensive tennis instruction as well as physical and mental conditioning. CPTA offers both full-time and after-school programs 7 days per week with tournament coaching and travel. Both programs have rolling admissions from September 9, 2015 to June 21, 2016. CPTA also offers an 11-week summer training camp, with van shuttle transportation available for players located in the New York area. Contact us to schedule an appointment and discover the place championships come to train!

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Three Things

We Can Learn From Serena’s U.S. Open Loss By Steve Kaplan Serena Williams’ semifinal loss to Roberta Vinci at the 2015 U.S. Open has been called “the greatest upset in tennis history.” Indeed, who could have predicted that Serena’s dominance of Grand Slams would be derailed by a player ranked 43rd in the world. With the omniscience of time, perhaps this grand upset makes a little more sense. Let’s briefly look at three things that went wrong for Serena, and right for Roberta Vinci and learn from them. 1. Serena cracked under pressure The build up to Serena’s chance to win a Grand Slam was enormous. The women’s finals in Flushing Meadows sold out before the men’s finals this year. Serena was on the brink of history, about to become only the fourth woman to win a Calendar Grand Slam and the first since Stefanie Graf in 1988 (the two others are Maureen Connolly and Margaret Court). Most experts were about to hand the title to Serena, but her semifinal matchup with the crafty Vinci proved the old saying “That’s why they play the match” to be true. Serena was asked about the pressure of the match, and she replied, “I don’t feel pressure. I never felt pressure.” Sure Serena … you were erratic all tournament and you refused to confront your own—as well as your opponent’s—vulnerabilities, even after they were displayed to the world. The road to choking is paved with denial. The best way to manage and overcome fear is to face it.

power and executed that plan flawlessly, as the Italian played down the middle to take away Serena’s angled attack. John McEnroe, in his autobiography, You Can’t be Serious, revealed that the great Don Budge gave him this same advice to play Ivan Lendl. McEnroe then used this tactic to turn a seven-match losing streak into an eight-match winning streak. I like to tell students that if a boxer and wrestler get into the ring, the winner will not be the stronger of better fighter. Rather, it will be the combatant who is better able to impose their style. You don’t have to play great or outhit your opponent if you can exploit their weaknesses and play your game. 3. Serena changed her routine Let’s not forget that Serena’s boyfriend, Drake, showed up for her semifinals match (after a much publicized make out session in a Cincinnati restaurant) which is fine, except for two things. First, he had not attended any of her previous matches at the U.S. Open and this was an especially critical time. Serena’s

coach was now her new ex-boyfriend and this had to have been at least slightly and unnecessarily stressful. The fact that Coach Patrick Mouratoglou openly criticized his employer (Serena) to the press after this loss leaves me to suspect that things might have been a bit tense. Find a good routine during a tournament and stick to it. Winning is a habit and winning habits must be respected. History will likely consider Serena, the greatest player in women’s tennis history, but even champions have flaws that we can learn from. Steve Kaplan is the owner of Bethpage Park Tennis Center, as well as the director of Lacoste Academy for New York City Parks Foundation. Steve has been the longtime coach of more than 600 nationally-ranked junior players, 16 state high school champions, two NCAA Division 1 Singles Champions, and numerous touring professionals and prominent coaches. He may be reached by e-mail at stevenjkaplan@aol.com.

2. Serena was overconfident How many times have we heard the saying: “Only Serena can beat Serena?” Vinci had a brilliant plan to manage Serena’s NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2015 • New York Tennis Magazine

More Than an Athlete: Creating the Conditions for Sustained Peak Performance By Rob Polishook, Mental Training Coach MA, CPC The 2015 Grand Slam season has concluded and on the men’s side, Novak Djokovic walked away with the U.S. Open trophy, defeating Roger Federer in four sets. Both Novak and Roger have had consistently solid years. They are both poster boys for the thread which I have woven into my articles during the previous year: More Than An Athlete (MTAA). Person first, every time. MTAA means bringing your whole self to the performance. When a competitor jointly brings “who they are” (the person) to “what they do” (the athlete) in a competition, the sum of these parts is always greater than just bringing one dimension. Let’s look at Djokovic. He allows the fans to see his fun, quirky and vulnerable side. He can often be seen laughing and performing player imitations. Other times, he is talking about his gluten-free diet. And yet other times, he talks about how he sets the

“When you bring ‘who you are’ to ‘what you do,’ that’s where the magic happens.” conditions for calm by meditating and stretching through yoga. Clearly Novak brings more than talent, technique and skill to the court. He brings his personal side, story, spirit and vulnerabilities to the table. Federer does the same. Remember back when he lost to Rafael Nadal at the 2009 Australian Open men’s finals and wept uncontrollably upon receiving his runners up trophy? Many thought this was a display of weakness. He quickly cleared up that misperception by winning the next three Grand Slams. Roger shared his heart from a very authentic place. By sharing his personal side, in combination with his talent, he helped remove a weight from his shoulders so he could just play. How do you bring your whole self to the court? In order to sustain your own intrinsic

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drive and continue to assess, push and ride the ups-and-downs during competition? Answering these five key questions will start you on the way! 1. What is your Big Why for competing? Without a personal “Big Why,” it can be very easy to give up, rather than push through difficult situations. With a crystal clear understanding of your Big Why, it becomes easier to face adversity, challenges and obstacles head on. In any competition, you will face difficult situations, your Big Why will provide you with the purpose, perseverance and passion to intrinsically propel you forward. 2. What is it about yourself that, rather than make you better or worse than someone, makes you who you are? Everything you have experienced and learned during your journey fuels you during competition. Your experiences are what make you who you are, both on and off the playing field. This is your “More.” Traditional thought says when you step on the court or field, you are only an athlete. This is not true. You are a person, playing a sport. 3. What do you do to create the conditions which help you settle and play from a place of present moment awareness, the place where you are calm on the inside and aware on the outside? Many players have pre-match or game

rituals. The idea is to warm up so that you can enter from a state of calm. Novak often talks about using family time, yoga, meditation and diet to help him settle down. I have developed an exercise called “gradual acceleration.” The idea is to help competitors not only warm up the physical side of the game, but to warm up the “other side,” the all-important mental part.

where fight or flight occurs. Usually what follows next is that “deer in the headlights” look or freeze state. This is where the player loses control and spirals down the rabbit hole into the negative numbers. There will always be fluctuations in competition especially when adversity strikes. The idea is to stay within a range of tolerance that allows you to manage adversity.

4. Where are you? This seems like a rhetorical question, maybe even a sarcastic question! However, it is imperative to know where you are before, during and after competition. Think of a wave, where the low end is zero and the top end is 10. In a perfect world, the idea would be to maintain a fairly stable level during competition, without huge fluctuations … maybe between a three and a seven. The ability to do this allows you to stay inside your zone within your range of tolerance. From this place, you can better focus on the present and what you can control and let go of what you cannot. Oftentimes, players spiral out of control and reach a level of 10 and then beyond, this is

5. What do you need from yourself and from others? This is a big question! I remember watching a documentary on Roger Federer. They asked, what is it that makes Roger so good? The answer was simple, even obvious: He knows what he needs! In other words, he knows where he is in any given situation, based on this, he knows when to slow things down, collect his thoughts and when to speed up to continue his momentum. Equally important, he knows when to continue as is and stay the course to allow the impending storm to pass. There are many techniques to help a player ride the waves (speed up, slow down

or stay the course). This is for another article and workshop. However, per this entire MTAA series, what’s important is to understand that everything starts with the unique person within the athlete. When you bring who you are (your story and your spirit) to what you do (your skill), that’s where the magic happens. This organic and authentic union allows a player to reach well beyond what anyone thought was possible. Just like a combination lock, you must have all of the numbers in place to unlock the lock and reveal the paradoxical secret to peak performance. More than an athlete … person first— every time. Rob Polishook, MA, CPC is founder and director of Inside the Zone Sports Performance Group. As a mental training coach, he works with athletes and teams, focusing on helping athletes gain the mental edge. Rob is author of Tennis Inside the Zone: Mental Training Workouts for Champions. He may be reached by phone at (973) 723-0314, email rob@insidethezone.com or visit www.insidethezone.com.

NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2015 • New York Tennis Magazine

Win Matches by Making Your Opponent Uncomfortable By Lisa Dodson hank you, Roberta Vinci. Finally, someone has opened our eyes and made a clear statement: Tennis is not all about hitting the cover off the ball. Somehow, we all bought into the idea that the only way to play is to stay on the baseline and slug it out. Vinci showed us that simply changing up the spin and speed of the ball and getting off the baseline keeps the opponent off balance and out of rhythm. If it works for the top players in the world, just imagine what it could do for you.

Give your opponents balls that make them uncomfortable In order to be successful at this you need a variety of shots. If two players are equally matched, stroke-to-stroke on the baseline, then common sense says that one additional disruptive shot would be the key to winning the match more easily. It’s really that simple. Here are a few examples of disruptive shots and shot combinations: l Slice or topspin serve (any serve with spin, curve and margin) l Under-spin (slice) backhand off the ground or return l Chip and charge return 56

l Serve and volley l Drop shot and lob l High rolling topspin balls Here is the interesting thing … the Continental Grip is used for all of the shots and shot combinations above, except the high rolling, topspin balls. In the entire game of tennis, the only shot hit with a forehand grip is a flat or topspin forehand. Consequently, we have an interesting problem A majority of coaches and pros teach players to hit a bouncing ball from the backcourt first. We go heavy on the forehand for two main reasons: It is the most successful and satisfying stroke for the student, and is statistically the biggest weapon on the court. I mean, who doesn’t love the feel of hitting a big forehand? Because players spend so much time in the backcourt, the forehand grip gets locked in very quickly. Players get accustomed to the feel of the grip and where the ball will go from the strings with this grip. So, they try all of the other strokes with that same forehand grip and that cannot work. They don’t know that this grip is used only for this one stroke. Consequently, players have a difficult time changing to the grip that is used for all other shots in the game.

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2015 • NYTennisMag.com

You simply cannot hit every ball hard Don’t get me wrong. Penetrating balls hit with topspin and pace are at the core of our games. This style of play is enough if these types of shots are superior to your opponent and they, too, don’t have variety. Hard, flat strokes and topspin strokes come with their benefits and limitations. We need to spend more time developing shots that are hit with the Continental Grip. Somehow hitting a slice backhand, an offspeed ball, a slice serve or a chip return became very uncool. These misunderstood shots got a bad rap as weak and defensive. Hit properly and at the right time, these balls can be your best friends. Shots hit with the Continental Grip l Serve: Flat and slice (topspin and kick is a more extreme grip away from the forehand) l Volley: Mid-court, closing, low, high, angle l Half-Volley: Touch, defense on low ball, attack on higher ball l Backhands: One handed (flat/slice) and two-handed (topspin) l Under-Spin (Slice) Drive: Change of pace, defensive/on the run, approach shot l Under-Spin (Slice) Return: Off a hard or spin serve, take time away from the opposition

l Chip and Charge: Off the return or short ball, and follow to the net with the same grip l Drop Shot: A lofty shot with tremendous spin l Defensive Lob: Take the pace off a very hard hit ball l Lob Volley: Soft angles off the ground or as a volley Wow … that’s a lot of shots. Shots hit with the Continental Grip have several things in common l Most have under-spin (slice) l Ease of varying shot spin, speed and height l The edge is used to open the face of the racket (strings facing up) l Under-spin acts as a control, as the ball slides on the strings and grips the ball l They travel slower and bounce lower l They can be hit in a broader range of contact points l They are typically shots hit on the move l They can be disguised easily and

placed more accurately Using under-spin (slice) as a tool at the right times makes the opponent extremely uncomfortable. The bounce is lower and slower, so it demands a timing change. It can be hit different distances and speeds from the same look. It can be used for offense (volley, approach and chip) and defense (retrieval and lobbing). Added in strategically with topspin groundstrokes and a varied serve, you will find your change of pace shot invaluable. The under-spin ball is predictable from the hitting side and less predictable on the receiver’s side. What more can you ask from a safe and reliable ball? Pros and coaches choose what players learn, and are therefore partially responsible for creating one-dimensional bang, bang play. Many pros fail to expose players to the entire range of shots. We must insist that you hold the correct grips that will allow your game to expand. That being said, the biggest issue can be you, the player, the one who wants to improve, but does not want to change. Missing in a learning environment is good and es-

sential to learning and changing. Using your “new” methods in non-competitive play is essential otherwise you will always revert back to your previous methods. Losing a few sets to the guy or gal you beat every week is a good thing. That means you are branching out and being proactive in your development. Chickening out and going back to your safe shots is unsatisfying and non-productive. Eventually adding in these shots will just be a part of how you play and you’ll wonder how you ever played without them. Roberta Vinci gave a very compelling demonstration of the benefits of a varied game. Whether you are a man or woman, hopefully Vinci’s spectacular win serves as an inspiration to you. Adding this family of tennis shots to your game will send you to another level. You too may find yourselves winning matches that you thought were unwinnable. Lisa Dodson is owner of Servemaster at The Total Serve, a USPTA Elite Pro, a formerly world ranked player and radio show host. She may be reached by e-mail at lisa@thetotalserve.com or visitwww.thetotalserve.com.

NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2015 • New York Tennis Magazine

Little Mo Internationals Bring To Credit photos to aguyandgirlphotography.com & Brian Coleman

he youngest and brightest stars in tennis played in the Fourth Annual “Little Mo” Internationals at The West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, N.Y. This year, approximately 120 players from the United States and 15 other countries participated in the popular “Little Mo” event. “The Maureen Connolly Brinker Tennis Foundation is so honored to call Forest Hills home for our Little Mo Internationals tournament,” said Cindy Brinker Simmons, daughter of Maureen Connolly Brinker and president of the MCB Tennis Foundation. “The last four years, The West Side Tennis Club has been so gracious and hospitable to host our outstanding tournament. It is

especially meaningful to me since my mom won the final leg of her 1953 Grand Slam victory on the hallowed center court here at Forest Hills when it was played at this particular site.” Bob Ingersole, Tennis Director at West Side Tennis Club, says that this event coincides with the values stressed at West Side. “We’re always happy to have the Little Mo here,” said Ingersole. “This tournament is the epitome of good sportsmanship. Tennis is based on honor. What we try to teach the kids here is honor and integrity, and this is just the perfect event for that.” One of the main objectives of the tournament is demonstrating sportsmanship and a good attitude. Tokens were given out

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2015 • NYTennisMag.com

to players who performed acts of sportsmanship during their match, and those tokens could be used towards winning prizes. Summer Evan-Esh of Manasquan, N.J. and Giuseppe Cerasuolo of Bayside, N.Y. received the “Little Mo” Sportsmanship Awards. The Kindness Awards were presented to Joe Phillips of Pelham, N.Y. and Amina Abdullaeva of Aurora, Colo. Honorable mention Sportsmanship Awards went to Nobel Levitin of Rishon le Zion, Israel and Max Frias of North Haven, Conn. Sarah Youngberg, who hails from New York City and trains at the Gotham Tennis Academy, partnered with Arista Siebrits of South Africa in the doubles tournament. “I’m playing against my doubles partner in the first round,” said Youngberg of her singles opponent. “We chat on the phone and she asked me to play doubles, so we decided to partner up in the doubles tournament.” Siebrits would defeat Youngberg and go on to win the Girls 12 Singles Division Title, but the two also went on to win the Girls 12 Doubles Championship later in the week. Coming from South Africa, Siebrits said she enjoyed the experience of meeting new people, and making new friends all around the world. “I was really excited to play in this tournament,” Siebrits said. “To come here and meet new people from around the

op World Juniors to Forest Hills

world is just amazing.” The tournament also serves as a great way for young players to work on their own game and improve by watching their peers. Paige Wygodzki, who was the youngest player in the tournament at just six-years-old, talked about things she worked on heading into the tournament. “I have been working on my forehands and backhands,” said Wygodzki, who trains at Bethpage Park Tennis Center. “My backhands have a really big loop, but now I don’t. My forehands I used to not set up, but now I do.” Carter Swope took home the Boys 10’s Division Title at the “Little Mo” Internationals-New York to complete the second leg of the “Little Mo” Slam and will be going to the “Little Mo” Internationals in Florida at the PGA National Resort & Spa from Dec. 4-9 for the third and final leg. If he wins in Florida, he will take home the tallest trophy in junior tennis at six-feet tall. Carter is from Rogers, Ark. and trains at the Evert Tennis Academy in Boca Raton, Fla. There have been four “Little Mo” players who have accomplished this great achievement in the past two years. “We’re just so thrilled to have 120 kids from 10 countries participating,” said Carol Weyman, executive vice president of the MCB Tennis Foundation. “It’s our fourth year back and we couldn’t have asked for a better location. Coming from Texas, to be back in

N.Y.) & Ryan Shayani (Old Westbury, N.Y.) l Boys 11: Solomon Brown (New York, N.Y.) & Mark Taranov (North Woodmere, N.Y.) l Boys 8: Nicholas Ciordas (Jersey City, N.J.) & Dominick Mosejczuk (East Elmhurst, N.Y.) l Girls 12: Arista Siebrits (Pretoria, South Africa) & Sarah Youngberg (New York, N.Y.) l Girls 11: Rose Hayes (East Moriches, N.Y.) & Sofia Iantosca (New York, N.Y.) l Girls 10: Sophia Cisse (New York, N.Y.) & Emma Roeck (Novi, Mich.) l Girls 9: Christasha McNeil (Massapequa, N.Y.) & Ariana Pursoo (Westbury, N.Y.)

New York City is just very exciting for me, and to have kids from all over the world here is great.” Congratulations to the locals who were winners at the Fourth Annual “Little Mo” Internationals: Singles l Boys 12: Hudson Beaudoin (New York, N.Y.) l Boys 11: Solomon Brown (New York, N.Y.) l Boys 8 (Yellow Ball): Dominick Mosejczuk (East Elmhurst, N.Y.) l Girls 9: Ariana Pursoo (Westbury, N.Y.) Doubles l Boys 12: Alexander Davis (Oyster Bay,

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NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2015 • New York Tennis Magazine

Advantage Tennis Gloves

Frank & Camille’s

(707) 888-3714 AdvantageTennisGloves.com Advantage Tennis Gloves are designed and patented for tennis players of all skill levels since it was established in 2002. The Glove offers tennis players the highest quality and design, a seamless palm for improved control and grip, a complete mesh-back for maximum ventilation plus increased protection against harmful UV rays and wider terry-cloth wristband. No blisters, no calluses, no sweat … all important factors leading to a more successful and enjoyable game. Each player gets a new grip on their game with heightened comfort, offering improved performance plus providing a proven track record of quality and durability. At AdvantageTennisGloves.com, you can learn more about the Tennis Glove, designed specifically for tennis players of all levels, and appropriate for players of all racquet sports, including racquetball, pickle ball and squash.

482 Route 110 • Melville N.Y. (631) 385-0606 437 Old Country Road • Westbury, N.Y. (516) 333-2811 FrankAndCamilles.com A KAWAI Grand Player Piano is the ultimate entertainment center. This grand piano will play live piano music that will entertain you, your family and friends. A KAWAI Grand Player Piano adds gracious beauty to your home … even if you don’t play. The Kawai Grand Player Piano will be the focal point of a room, adding grace and beauty to any space. And if you do play, a KAWAI grand piano is a quality musical instrument. The touch and tone of a KAWAI Player Grand Piano is incomparable. A KAWAI Grand Player Piano is educational … it is a wonderful music instrument for you and your children to learn to play. It will become an heirloom … a piano that will be passed on for generations to come. With the touch of your iPad, a Kawai Grand Player Piano will magically perform all genres of music, from classical to jazz … and from your favorite artists such as Billy Joel, Diana Krall, Norah Jones, Frank Sinatra, Van Cliburn, Liberace, etc. … hundreds of artists featuring thousands of songs. Your very own KAWAI Grand Player Piano will be playing live piano music right in your own home. It is amazing! So, this holiday season, give the gift that keeps on giving— a Kawai Grand Player Piano! The Kawai Grand Player Piano is found exclusively at Frank & Camille’s showroom in Melville, located at 482 Route 110 or in their new Westbury showroom, located at 437 Old Country Road. Call (800) 4-PIANOS, or visit FrankAndCamilles.com for more information. Or, better yet … just stop in and browse. Let Frank & Camille’s show you how easy it is to own and enjoy a KAWAI Grand Player Piano.

Unpaid endorsements “I will never again play without my Advantage Tennis Glove. The grip makes the difference in my game.”—T.S., Naples, Fla. “I have been using Advantage Tennis Gloves for several years now and love them … they have saved my game! I tried everything else prior to finding your glove to improve my grip playing tennis and nothing worked.”—S.S., Wilmington, Del. “Players come into my store and specifically ask for Advantage Tennis Gloves. I highly recommend the Advantage Glove to players looking for a better grip. This glove works and it is the only tennis specific glove I carry in my store.”— G.K., USPTA professional and owner of JusTennis in Naples, Fla. 60

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2015 • NYTennisMag.com

Glam Slam Gear

Hytail Hat by AD Active Wear

(631) 697-8339 (917) 608-6510 GlamSlamGear.com

(408) 776-8989 Hytail.com

Put some GLAM in your SLAM with tennis accessories by Glam Slam Gear. Luxurious Italian leather, vibrant nylon and couture camouflage are our fabrics of choice, Glam Slam Gear has all of your tennis fashion needs! Glam Slam tennis racquet covers are fashion forward and practical. These bags can carry it all! Each bag holds three racquets and clothing. A generous exterior zipper closure bears everything in your handbag. Say goodbye to lugging multiple bags onto the court. Look GREAT, play GREAT! For those who like to haul everything but the kitchen sink, Glam Slam Gear offers its GLAM tote. This super-sized, carry-all is for the player who enjoys a multi-functional bag. The Glam tote comfortably fits two racquets plus other bulky items like shoes, jacket, purse, toiletries, etc. It easily turns into your everyday tote bag by fitting your laptop and daily necessities. Do you know someone who plays platform tennis? The GLAM Sac can be your number one gift idea for this season. Same great fabric choices and universal design for men or women. Protect your belongings from the rough surface of your paddle. Get a GLAM Sac today! Add a monoGLAM to any item you choose—customize your purchase with FREE embroidery. Call the designers anytime: Lisa Olivieri at (631) 697-8339 or Meaghan Janedis at (917) 608-6510.

Created by women for women, the Hytail Hat is a must-have for any tennis enthusiast this holiday season. Eliminating the horrible feeling of sticky sweaty hair on your neck, this one-of-a-kind hat allows women to wear their hair comfortably in a high ponytail (with or without a hair tie), all while looking sleek and stylish. Tess Rogers, a successful executive and engineering recruiter, birthed the idea while on vacation. Being an outdoor lover, she was frustrated that there were no hats that would allow her to comfortably wear her hair in a ponytail with sunglasses. That is when the idea for Hytail was created. After years of perfecting the design, she realized that all women and girls would benefit from the stylish hat. The flexible two-inch wide band in the back perfectly lifts and holds hair to ensure it will not be a distraction during any match. The release of the Athletic Hytail makes for an even more enjoyable experience. The Athletic version combines the classic, comfortable Hytail design, with sporty new features like its breathable moisture wicking material, which will help to regulate sweat and keep you cool and comfortable throughout your game. It has been spotted on tennis pro and former Wimbledon and U.S. Open Doubles Champion Vania King. Whether you are on the court, on the run, or even just relaxing in the sun, Hytail will be your favorite addition to your wardrobe this holiday season. Available in a variety of colors and sizes there is a perfect fit for every athletic woman. The Athletic Hytail retails at $24.99 and can be purchased online at ADActiveWear.com.

NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2015 • New York Tennis Magazine

inPhorm (214) 688-4026 info@susannetaylor.com inPhormnyc.com inPhorm is a distinctive international collection of tennis and active wear that has gained an enthusiastic following among our readers, avid players and a growing lineup of touring pros since the debut of its tennis collection in 2011. Luxurious fabrics combine with unmatched detail in construction to create comfortable, athletic and elegant garments. All garments are eco-friendly, easy-care and easy-wear. Shown here, in white, is the inPhorm Core Style S15034— rouched cami top (a favorite among inPhorm consumers for its body flattering style), paired with inPhorm Classic Core SkortStyle S15009. The Classic Skort with built-in short, is 14 inches in length (available also in all black, sizes XS through XLRG). Also shown, from the inPhorm 2015 Winter Collection, are Style F15026—racerback tank in rose with a subtle black mesh inset, paired with Style F15025—rose, 13 inch, mesh skort with built-in shorts (available also in black or white, sizes XS through XLRG). inPhorm recently announced its first sponsorships of young professionals on the circuit. Currently inPhorm has five young pros under their sponsorship, and is in negotiations with two additional players. To locate the retailer nearest you or for more information, contact inPhorm at (214) 688-4026 or e-mail info@susannetaylor.com.

Nutrition Solutions PC 705 Middle Neck Road Great Neck, N.Y. (516) 439-5090 irina@irinalehat.com IrinaLehat.com A gift from Nutrition Solutions PC for you! Get 20 percent off on your personalized diet plan! A five-day meal plan, designed just for you by Irina Belfer-Lehat, a registered dietitian, that will include a pre-match meal, recovery meal and fluid, calories and protein calculations! Call (917) 769-8031 today and see where good nutrition can take you! Irina Belfer-Lehat of Nutrition Solutions PC is a New York State-licensed dietitian and certified dietitian-nutritionist. Irina Lehat RD Nutrition Solutions offers group classes for kids in kindergarten through high school. Small groups, affordable prices! For more information, call (917) 769-8031, e-mail irinalehat@gmail.com or visit IrinaLehat.com.

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2015 • NYTennisMag.com

ServeMaster

Tennis Elbow Grease

(925) 570-1326 lisa@thetotalserve.com TheTotalServe.com Give the gift of an ACE! Did you know that in just 15 swings of ServeMaster, a beginner tennis player can learn to serve with the same fluid motion as a pro? Free online videos show you how to improve your serve and overhead strokes by using ServeMaster. It can be used to for forehand and backhand drills too. It’s like having a tennis coach in your bag! How it works: Follow the easy steps included in the package, watch ServeMaster videos online or get free tips emailed to you. With the Continental Grip (markings on the handle will get you in position), move slowly through your entire service motion. Because it is completely flexible, flaws such as hitches, erratic rhythm, inconsistent timing and poor technique will cause ServeMaster to “flop,” stop and bump you. With practice, you’ll have a rhythmic and flowing service motion. The ServeMaster is available in three sizes for players of all ages and abilities. Wholesale academy packages for teaching pros and group lessons are available. To find the size ServeMaster that’s right for you, visit TheTotalServe.com. New Junior and LTE versions of ServeMaster are now available in orange!

(800) 636-4130 info@eliminatetenniselbow.com EliminateTennisElbow.com Do you have tennis elbow (scientifically referred to as epicondylitis)? Do you know anyone with tennis elbow? Now there is finally some relief for this debilitating problem. Introduced at the New York Tennis Expo at the USTA National Tennis Center, our products are now available in retail stores across the country and online. Tennis Elbow Grease (TEG) Pain Relief Cream is formulated as a topical analgesic to address the symptoms of tennis elbow, as well as to aid in healing the long-term underlying problems of arm and elbow pain. Utilizing a unique delivery system, the active ingredients in the TEG formula are distributed through the sub-dermal layers of the skin, where they can penetrate the affected muscles, tendons and skeletal areas. Essentially, the active ingredients in TEG target those areas in need of relief, ultimately reducing inflammation and pain. Unlike many other topical analgesics currently on the market, TEG incorporates a variety of ingredients that have been successfully proven to minimize or eliminate muscle, tendon and nerve pain. These include Glucosamine, MSM, Capsaicin, Curcumin, Hyaluronic Acid, Vitamin E, R-Alpha Lipoic Acid, Camphor, Menthol, Arnica and DMSO. TEG eliminates the need to buy and use multiple, less effective products. It offers efficacy, convenience and cost savings. In addition to a pain relief cream, TEG now offers a natural gut string that is high performing and extremely arm friendly, as well as an elbow brace with an insertable ice and heat gel pack for post-match maintenance. Give TEG products a try, or buy it for someone who is hoping to return to the tennis court sooner rather than later. Go to EliminateTennisElbow.com for more information and to shop now. Use promo code “LITM” to receive 15 percent off your purchase!

NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2015 • New York Tennis Magazine

Thrive (866) 523-6639 support@le-vel.com Le-vel.com Thrive is an all-natural weight management, weight support and fitness system. It also helps cognitive performance, digestive and immune support, joint support, lean muscle support, pain management and anti-aging/antioxidant support. What Thrive can do for men and women is give natural, allday energy. You can feel fabulous, look and feel amazing, and just enjoy life at a whole new level. Thrive is an easy way to keep in shape and keep your energy levels stable all day. Thrive is perfect for tennis players, as well as all other sports and professions, as it helps mental and cognitive support. Thrive is great on-the-go, as the vitamins come pre-packaged and ready for your day, in the form of a combination of a patch, vitamins and a delicious and nutritious gluten-free shake. The Thrive Experience is an eight-week premium lifestyle plan to help individuals experience and reach peak physical and mental levels. You’re going to live, look and feel UltraPremium like never before! Results from the Thrive Experience are high impact, and results can slightly differ for everyone–depending on which areas of your lifestyle need the most help–and depending on your eight-week goal. Whether your goal is to lose weight, get in the best shape of your life, or simply be the best you can be, the Thrive EightWeek Experience will get you THRIVIN’ in all areas of your life! Individuals on the Experience will enjoy premium support and benefits in the areas of: l Weight Management l Cognitive Performance l Digestive and Immune System Support l Joint Support l Lean Muscle Support l Aches and Discomfort Relief l Anti-Aging and Antioxidant Support 64

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2015 • NYTennisMag.com

A Businesslike Approach Both on and off the Court By Luke Jensen ey fans of Roger Federer … this installment of “The Jensen Zone” is for you! Even if you do not have Federer as your favorite player, it is easy to respect the Swiss champion and his approach to sportsmanship, competition and appreciation for the game he plays. One thing that makes me sad is that once Federer and Rafael Nadal retire, kids will lose two great role models on how to approach reaching one’s fullest potential. There has never been a combination with so much success at such a high level. Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova are the closest on the WTA Tour. Opposites in so many ways, but reaching the same level of commitment and full personal potential. The results in titles is the first thing people I mention about the greatest duo of all time, but I like to drill deeper into the approach each champion has. How do they convey and show confidence in every aspect of their lives? It starts on the lonely practice courts, putting in their time, putting in the reps, stroke after stroke, finding and honing their rhythm, timing, placement, consistency and power in their quest to find their optimal performance zone. When I cover players as a TV analyst, it is very similar to the way I would scout my opponents when I competed on the ATP Tour. I went to the practice courts

and watched, studied tendencies and developed game plans against my competitors for the next match and plans for future meetings. I know that, on the ATP and WTA Tour, every player in that locker room, from the first round of qualies to the finals, is there to take YOUR money! That means you must do your prep work. From practice sessions to watching endless matches helped me prepare to win the critical momentum swing points in the matches I would play. Federer and Nadal are two players I have really enjoyed and admired, because they always seem to be prepared to compete with a sound game plan against anyone they meet in any round. Next time you watch them on TV, go beyond the explosive rallies and worldclass shots. Do you see patterns and small adjustments being made throughout the match? I see Rafa and his routines—with his water bottles, the tugs and brushing back of his hair. I see Roger projecting a business-like approach when he walks onto court. When Fed sets up his side of the court, he sets it up like an office for the next couple of hours, ready to close on a big financial deal. His jacket is neatly placed in the seat next to him, with his racquet bag in profile so the cameras can capture the racquet sponsor while he is on a changeover. Everything is calculated, and everything is finely tuned. My question, no matter what level you play at is: Are you tuned in? What is your competitive preparedness and frequency. I found over

my playing and coaching career that I had won about 80 percent of my matches because it was clear that I was more prepared than my opponent. My teams were more fit and that meant we would win more three-set matches. My players were coached to project confidence, while most opponents projected fear. Not to mention, I also focused on purpose. The goal is the win, to grind and attack the opponents from the first ball to the final swing. The passing of the torch will come over the next five or so pro tour seasons, with the exit of Fed, Rafa, Djoker, The Williams Sisters and The Bryan Brothers. Who will be the next great role model? Tennis has never seen so many historically outstanding tennis producing champions. Let’s take it all in while it lasts and see how we can incorporate the values of these champions into our competitive and developing games. Your game is only as good as the confidence you put into it. Born in Grayling, Mich., Luke Jensen’s resume includes 10 ATP Tour doubles titles and singles victories against Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, Ivan Lendl, John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg, Jimmy Connors, Boris Becker, Stefan Edberg and Jim Courier. Jensen and his brother, Murphy, won the 1993 French Open doubles title. Luke is currently director of tennis at Sea Island Tennis Center in Georgia. He may be reached by phone at (315) 443-3552 or e-mail lukejensen84@yahoo.com.

NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2015 • New York Tennis Magazine

The Value of Sport

friend of mine just returned from a three-week trip to Japan and told me a story I found impossible to believe. This same story also brought tears to my eyes. It occurred at the end of a long day of shopping in Kyoto. She was in a very highend department store and it was closing time. As she walked toward the exit door, she witnessed a scene that one will never ever see in the United States. The entire staff of the store, including the top executives, were lined up forming a two-column path to the exit. And as each shopper walked out, the staff bowed silently to them in a show of respect and gratitude. That story alone could motivate me to go to Kyoto for a vacation.

tsmanship in Tennis This is what one calls “etiquette” and most obviously it is lacking both on American streets and on the playing field. Do you recall those charming throat-slashing gestures that NFL players loved to act out in the end zone after a touchdown. The crowds and opponents were so appalled by these acts of rudeness that the commissioner was forced to fine each player $25,000 if they dared to do it again. One can argue that sports etiquette and winning in sports do not mix, given the high level of competition that athletes now face. Over the last 50 years, all things have changed. I was recently asked to give a talk to the student body at Iona College, my alma mater. In 1969, I played number one on their golf team and even won some tournaments. As I was introduced to Iona’s current D-I team, it was very clear to me that I would not even make the team now. Such is the rising caliber of competition now faced by young athletes. With extremes of competition come extremes of pressure and aggression. Add that all up and you can kiss etiquette and sportsmanship goodbye.

Of course there is something very sad about that. Etiquette is a form of behavior that was once taught by parents, but is now something that kids have to learn on their own. I once interviewed Patricia Napier-Fitzgerald, founder of the Etiquette School of New York. She told me that good manners makes our interactions pleasant, reflect upon our character, family, town and company. There is research out from both Harvard and Stamford which shows that new hiring and promotions are based upon soft skills like manners rather than technical skills. These are findings that do not surprise us. The conundrum is that sports are not all business and maybe good manners do not help the cause of winning. But if you are a parent raising a young tennis player with the hopes that they will garner a scholarship, you would do well to teach your child sportsmanship and social rituals like friendliness, clean language, good eye contact with the opponent, and a warm handshake of either condolence or congratulations after the match. Future coaches are watching that as closely as they watch a player’s forehand and serve.

By Dr. Tom Ferraro

How to teach sportsmanship One teaches sportsmanship with verbal repetition and role modeling. The young tennis player will listen if the parent or coach tells them to be polite and gracious during a match. They will listen if you show them how to shake hands and say congratulations to the opponent. The coach can have this as a core philosophy of their practice sessions. Tennis is a game, and as such, it ought to be fun and edifying to all players. This occurs in only two ways. One must express one’s talent on the court and this gives you a sense of pride and pleasure. One must also show a sense of humanity and kindness to the opponent as well. This instills the match with goodness and even joy. If you teach your young player to do these two things, they will go very far both on the courts and in life. 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 www.drtomferraro.com.

SIGN UP NOW FOR OUR POPULAR TENNIS PROGRAMS! REGISTER ONLINE at www.gothamtennis.com Now accepting registrations for 2015-2016 Tennis Programs Gotham Tennis Academy is dedicated to providing high-quality tennis instruction in the most conveniently located facilities in New York City. Our PTR-certified tennis professionals are some of the most talented, personable and engaging pros in New York City. For more information and to register, please visit WWW.GOTHAMTENNIS.COM or call (646) 524-7069 NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2015 • New York Tennis Magazine

Scenes From the

2015 U.S. Open USTA Bille Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, N.Y. Novak Djokovic under the lights in Flushing Meadows takes on Feliciano Lopez (credit photo to Lee Seidner)

Eugenie Bouchard gets set on Arthur Ashe Stadium (credit photo to Sidney Beal III @ Clique Photography)

Rafael Nadal celebrates a point in Flushing (credit photo to Sidney Beal III @ Clique Photography)

Andy Murray, seeded third in Flushing, during a night match on Arthur Ashe Stadium (credit photo to Sidney Beal III @ Clique Photography) 68

New York Tennis Magazine â&#x20AC;˘ November/December 2015 â&#x20AC;˘ NYTennisMag.com

Young Australian Nick Kyrgios during his first round encounter with Andy Murray (credit photo to Lee Seidner)

Caroline Wozniacki during her first round matchup against New York’s Jamie Loeb

Top-seeded Serena Williams is congratulated by Vitalia Diatchenko after Serena’s opening round win at Arthur Ashe Stadium at the 2015 U.S. Open

(credit photo to Lee Seidner)

(credit photo to Sidney Beal III @ Clique Photography)

Roger Federer returns a shot during his win over Steve Darcis (credit photo to Lee Seidner)

American Donald Young during his second round victory over Great Britain’s Aljaz Bedene (credit photo to Sidney Beal III @ Clique Photography)

Marin Cilic, 2014 U.S. Open champion, signs autographs for the fans after his win over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (credit photo to Sidney Beal III @ Clique Photography)

NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2015 • New York Tennis Magazine

I Am Going to Remember You By Lonnie Mitchel I often sit in meetings with other head coaches from a variety of sports at the college where I lead the men’s and women’s tennis programs. I attend forums and seminars, spending time trying to learn new ways to improve within the coaching profession. I share coaching stories with other instructors, and invariably, there is always something we share in common, no matter the teaching style we use. That is how we remember our players—whether it be positively or negatively. So now I ask you: How do you want to be remembered? To begin with, I think that in order to be a secure person, you may not need someone else’s approval. That is true in the sense of what clothing you might wear, the kind of car you drive, your political views or how you choose to bring up your children. If you believe that you are doing the right things, then continue doing so. However, in your wake, you leave impressions much 70

like you are on a job interview. If you want the job you are interviewing for, dress appropriately, act according to the protocol of the situation because you want to be remembered. What an interviewer remembers would have an adverse effect on your livelihood. That leads me back to the world of coaching. I have taught many players over the years, and now I am in the world of coaching collegiate athletes to not just to be better players, but to become better people. In the past several years, many players have graduated from my program at SUNY Oneonta, and I have an opinion on each one of those players. I also remember those who did not make it through the program for four years. Yes, I have an opinion, I may not share it with you, but I have one. Say a person’s name from the tennis team past or present and it will provoke a thought. Why is this important and how does it relate to tennis? If you are a junior player and taking lots of lessons and are enrolled in a program, take note. Perhaps you are an adult en-

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2015 • NYTennisMag.com

rolled in a series of group lessons or a collegiate player on a team. The instructor, coach or teacher is going to remember you if you stand out. This is also true if you are the student, as you might remember the exceptionally good or bad teacher. If you had a treasure map that could lead you to the Holy Grail of your life, I hope you would follow it. After years of coaching, I can say, without hesitation, that I tried to provide that Holy Grail map to my students for being a better tennis player and person. Coaches and teachers have provided the treasure map to success, and some players and students follow it. Other students create other paths to success, while others avoid any attempt to follow the route. In all likelihood, I will remember the ones who embraced my teachings or carved out their own path to success in tennis and that of also being a good person and student. I also invariably remember the ones who seem to go to great lengths to resist. So … now why would you care if I remember you or not? The reason is that you

should just want to be a good ethical person, or be a better student and tennis player and that probably should be enough. But, one day you might need a reference letter, a recommendation for a job or graduate school. I am always looking for the path to betterment and will do so until the day I die. If I can share the mistakes I made and help others on and off the tennis court I will. That is what coaches do. I will also remember you if you make no attempt to empty your glass and take on the wisdom that coaches share with you. Let me provide you with an illustration: I had a young man on my team several years ago whom I helped expedite his college admission. I was certainly not looking for a thank you, but this young man was verbally abusive, rude to the athletic staff, lacked any gentlemanly behavior to the female tennis players, was late to practice, lacked any accountability, his tennis court behavior was inappropriate, he vandalized property, was disruptive in class and was an overall bad example of a student/athlete. I eventually had to remove this young man from the squad because his conduct was

detrimental to the entire team. It was easy to remember him negatively, both from my point of view and the perspective of his teammates as well. However, in education, a teacher can learn as much from their students as they try to convey. I tried to teach this individual the right things, discipline him, and have him make a little progress. This particular individual’s parents enabled his behavior, and epitomizes the saying: “The apple does not fall far from the tree.” Yes, I did remember him, but he taught me something as well. I needed to do a better job of recruiting players. I needed to do my due diligence in getting recommendations from coaches, in getting references, in interviewing families, and finding out how a potential student-athlete behaves in school and their demeanor both on and off the tennis court. So I just want to thank this individual, wherever they may be. You helped me to improve my collegiate program in the area of team camaraderie and community service. Apparently I learned more from him than I taught him. I indeed remember you! I remember those students positively who have suggestions to help me become a bet-

ter coach. I listen and learn to work within the confines of a cooperative coaching style. I will remember you if you competed hard on court to the last ball struck. This could be an indication of your work ethic in the job force. I will share that information with a graduate school examiner or human resource department. In the real world, you might ask yourself: “How will I be remembered?” After all, we all have a reputation and the way you behave both on and off the tennis court will go right in your character folder for all of us to have individual access to? Because our sport is unique when you are on the tennis court by yourself, the light shines directly on you. If you care, act accordingly on and off the field of competition; I/we will remember you. Lonnie Mitchel is head men’s and women’s tennis coach at SUNY Oneonta. Lonnie was named an assistant coach to Team USA for the 2013 Maccabiah Games in Israel for the Grand Master Tennis Division. Lonnie may be reached by phone at (516) 414-7202 or e-mail lonniemitchel@yahoo.com.

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Facing Nadal: Symposium of a Champion By Mark “Scoop” Malinowski

ennis journalist Mark “Scoop” Malinowski recently published his fourth tennis book, Facing Nadal: Symposium of a Champion. In the book, Malinowski talks to more than 50 ATP players, including greats such as Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer, about what made 14-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal such a tough opponent and what it was like to face him. Malinowski has written about the sport for numerous tennis and national sports publications. His previous tennis books include, Marcelo Rios: The Man We Barely Knew, Facing Hewitt and Facing Federer: Symposium of a Champion. Below are a few excerpts from the book from some of the sport’s greatest players:

Novak Djokovic “I think challenges, big challenges that I had in my career changed me in a positive way as a player. Because of Rafa and because of Roger, I am what I am today, you know, in a way, because when I reached number three in the world and won the first Grand Slam title in 2008, the years after that I struggled a lot mentally to overcome the doubts that I had. And all the big matches I lost to these guys, I was consistent, but not winning the big matches, and then they made me understand what I need to do on the court. I worked hard, and it has paid dividends in the last couple of years. “Obviously it’s not easy when you’re playing a top rival in the finals of any tournament, but if 72

you want to be the best, you have to beat the best. You have to win against the best players in the world. That’s the biggest challenge you can have.” Pat Cash “I played Nadal when he was a few weeks from being 15 in Mallorca. Boris Becker pulled out of the senior match, so they asked me at the last minute to come in and play the world junior champion, and I said, ‘Yeah sure … I don’t mind playing. The show must go on.’ A bit of entertainment. Obviously, he didn’t hit the ball as hard then, but he played with the same intensity, top spin. I was kind of shocked by it all [smiles]. “As a young kid his age, it wasn’t as if it was something I couldn’t handle but, the crowd was quite amused when he won the first set against me. I was sort of being nice to him … ‘Okay, no more Mr. Nice Guy because this kid is really good. He’ll beat me if he can.’ It’s not sort of like a fun game. He won the first set and the crowd thought it was hilarious. They were roaring for us. So we were on the court together, and I started chip-charging, serve and volley, that sort of stuff, and won the second set pretty comfortably, 6-2 I think. The 10point tiebreaker. As I said before, 99 percent of the kids would have choked and fallen apart. He was just tearing it up everywhere, all over

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2015 • NYTennisMag.com

the court and hit some unbelievable winners. At the time, I was 38 and was still hitting the ball pretty well. “I lost that match. I don’t remember what the score was, but it was close. He didn’t get nervous or anything. Obviously, he didn’t have anything to lose. But I came into the locker room after, the guys sort of looked at me, just to look at my reaction. And my reaction was losing to a 14-year-old and I just sort of looked at them and said, ‘Wow, this kid is something else!’” Radek Stepanek “It’s always a standout moment to play Nadal. We played seven, eight or nine times, maybe more. It’s always challenging, very much so. He’s the biggest fighter on the Tour I have ever seen. Playing him, for me, is always good because he plays from the back of the court. I will try to create the play, by not giving him much. In a few matches, I got really close, but never beat him.” “To me, he is a great fighter on the court … the biggest fighter ever. He is a great person also, off the court. He’s very respectful to other guys, to all the players. He’s a really true champion.” The book talks to many more current and past professional players as they discuss what makes Nadal such a special player. The book is available for purchase on Amazon.com.

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Biofile Paula Badosa Gibert

aula Badosa Gibert won the French Open girls title earlier this summer, and is currently ranked 202 in the world. Born in New York City, Badosa Gibert resides in Valencia, Spain, and recently sat down with tennis journalist Mark “Scoop” Malinowski to talk about everything from her tennis memories to her hobbies off the court.

Status: WTA #202. Won French Open junior girls this year.

remember my first match at the age of eight, I lost 0-6, 0-6. I remember my first victory, my first trophy. I have very good memories of that. Tennis Inspirations: Maria Sharapova and Rafa Nadal. First Famous Player You Met or Encountered: Sara Errani … because I used to train at the same academy and I met her in Valencia.

DOB: November 15, 1997 Born in: New York, New York.

Funniest Players Encountered: Djokovic is very funny. I don't know, my idol is Rafa Nadal, so I like him.

First Tennis Memory: Well, I remember the first time I began to play clay tennis. It was a small court. And I

Favorite Sport Outside Tennis: I like football, so I'm a Barcelona follower.

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2015 • NYTennisMag.com

Why Do You Love Playing Tennis: Well, I started doing it and I never stopped. I really love it. I'm very individualistic, it's a very individual sport and I really like it. Funny Tennis Memory: I remember one time I went to a match with no racquets [smiles]. So it was like very awkward [smiles]. I had to ask my opponent for a racquet [laughs]. It was a disaster. I was thirteen. I was young but it was no excuse. (What was the result of this match?) I won. People Qualities Most Admired: Well, I really like people who are honest. And I admire fighters. I think I'm a fighter, so, I really like people who fight for things. And that's most admirable to me.

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NEW Boys & Girls Metro Rankings (as of 10/15/15)

BOYS Metro Boys 12 Singles Rank Name ................................City 1 ......Christian Bobko................Bronx, N.Y. 2 ......Safin Shaikh......................Bayside, N.Y. 3 ......Sebastian Brustein ..........Brooklyn, N.Y. 4 ......Ryan David Brandes ........Rego Park, N.Y. 5 ......Joshua Staroselskiy ........Brooklyn, N.Y. 6 ......Joshua Ashvil ..................Forest Hills, N.Y. 7 ......Rafe Photopoulos ............New York, N.Y. 8 ......Dylan Lachmanen ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 9 ......Sabian Kosinov ................Forest Hills, N.Y. 10 ....Nicholas Suhanitski..........Staten Island, N.Y. 11 ....Isadore Jude Axinn ..........Brooklyn, N.Y. 12 ....Mathias Isaac Davila ........Whitestone, N.Y. 13 ....Ty Justin Staco-Towns ....Brooklyn, N.Y. 14 ....Charles Robertson ..........Whitestone, N.Y. 15 ....Andrew Mendelson..........New York, N.Y. 16 ....Nicholas Scott Doupsas..New York, N.Y. 17 ....John Hilledgar ..................New York, N.Y. 18 ....Nicholas Scott Zagora ....Staten Island, N.Y. 19 ....Ryan Friedman ................New York, N.Y. 20 ....Sacha Maes......................New York, N.Y. 21 ....Jack Charles Benavides ..New York, N.Y. 22 ....Cooper Williams ..............New York, N.Y. 23 ....Gabriel de Kergorlay ........New York, N.Y. 24 ....Daniel Atkin ......................Brooklyn, N.Y. 25 ....Michael Zlatnik ................Forest Hills, N.Y. 26 ....Samuel Youngwood........New York, N.Y. 27 ....Eric Dubilirer......................Little Neck, N.Y. 28 ....Ronald Aaron Fridlyand ..Forest Hills, N.Y. 29 ....Teddy J. Ryan ..................Brooklyn, N.Y. 30 ....Achille Sarachek ..............New York, N.Y. 31 ....Paul Elghouayel................New York, N.Y. 32 ....Marko R. Gural ................New York, N.Y. 33 ....Albert Y. Wan ....................Forest Hills, N.Y. 34 ....Yash Bhandari More ........New York, N.Y. 35 ....Jordan Rechtschaffen......New York, N.Y. 36 ....Luca Photopoulos............New York, N.Y. 37 ....Zecheng Fang ..................New York, N.Y. 38 ....Jonathan Laforest ............Queens Village, N.Y. 39 ....Guy Ferrera ......................New York, N.Y. 40 ....Noah Butler ......................New York, N.Y.

Metro Boys 14 Singles Rank Name ................................City 1 ......Jonathan Glinsky..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 2 ......Solomon Brown ..............New York, N.Y. 3 ......Brandon Torres ................Bronx, N.Y. 4 ......Christopher Tham ............Flushing, N.Y. 5 ......Jasper Hunt Thomas ......New York, N.Y. 6 ......Tadd Long ........................Woodside, N.Y. 7 ......Ryan David Brandes ........Rego Park, N.Y. 8 ......Ryuichi Nitta ....................Bronx, N.Y. 9 ......Ethan King ........................New York, N.Y. 10 ....Winter Forest Fagerberg..New York, N.Y. 11 ....Eugene Fishman ..............Rego Park, N.Y. 12 ....Donovan Brown ..............New York, N.Y. 13 ....Dylan Conner Charles......New York, N.Y. 14 ....Simon Camacho ..............New York, N.Y. 15 ....Connor P. Dunne ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 16 ....Donald James Smith........Roosevelt Island, N.Y. 17 ....Nicholas Wernink ............New York, N.Y. 18 ....Sachin Palta......................Forest Hills, N.Y. 19 ....Michael Kaydin ................Brooklyn, N.Y.

YORK

20 ....Anton Semenov................New York, N.Y. 21 ....Matthew Mosejczuk ........East Elmhurst, N.Y. 22 ....Rohan Gold ......................Forest Hills, N.Y. 23 ....Daniel Galisteo Gordon....New York, N.Y. 24 ....Michael Cooper................Brooklyn, N.Y. 25 ....Milian Kavi Jain ................New York, N.Y. 26 ....Jeffrey Yu ..........................Forest Hills, N.Y. 27 ....Cooper Williams ..............New York, N.Y. 28 ....Albert Y. Wan ....................Forest Hills, N.Y. 29 ....Alfonso Laffont ................New York, N.Y. 30 ....Alex Portnoy ....................New York, N.Y. 31 ....Scott Fischer ....................New York, N.Y. 32 ....Yesh Nikam ......................New York, N.Y. 33 ....Shanay Ashesh Amin ......New York, N.Y. 34 ....Zachary Portnoy ..............New York, N.Y. 35 ....Noah Hunter Kaye............New York, N.Y. 36 ....Liam J. Dunne ..................Brooklyn, N.Y. 37 ....George Manuel Arteaga ..East Elmhurst, N.Y. 38 ....Daniel Ivko ........................Staten Island, N.Y. 39 ....Kevin Daniel Golub ..........New York, N.Y. 40 ....Sean Ruida Zhang ..........Bronx, N.Y.

Metro Boys 16 Singles Rank Name ................................City 1 ......Jonathan Glinsky..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 2 ......David Krasner ..................Staten Island, N.Y. 3 ......Daniel Leon Maseyev ......Brooklyn, N.Y. 4 ......Christopher Tham ............Flushing, N.Y. 5 ......Fayed Fayaz Uddin..........Elmhurst, N.Y. 6 ......Richard Wickman ............Bayside, N.Y. 7 ......Mark Karpovas ................Staten Island, N.Y. 8 ......Eli Taylor-Kerman ............New York, N.Y. 9 ......Ameer Hosain ..................New York, N.Y. 10 ....Lucas DeSanto ................New York, N.Y. 11 ....Jackson Trevor ................New York, N.Y. 12 ....Umar Akhmedjanov ........New York, N.Y. 13 ....Marcos Souza Lee ..........New York, N.Y. 14 ....Illya Semenov ..................New York, N.Y. 15 ....Daniel Ertel........................New York, N.Y. 16 ....Jonathan Shapiro ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 17 ....Donovan Brown ..............New York, N.Y. 18 ....Leonidas Vrailas ..............New York, N.Y. 19 ....Donald James Smith........Roosevelt Island, N.Y. 20 ....Robert Ivko ......................Staten Island, N.Y. 21 ....Jaime Gomez ..................New York, N.Y. 22 ....Sadi Gulcelik ....................New York, N.Y. 23 ....David Dylan Pines ............New York, N.Y. 24 ....Alexander Kucherina........Brooklyn, N.Y. 25 ....Yarden Hahn ....................New York, N.Y. 26 ....Derek Lung ......................Brooklyn, N.Y. 27 ....Henry William Firestone ..New York, N.Y. 28 ....John-Tomas Bilski............New York, N.Y. 29 ....Damon Watson ................New York, N.Y. 30 ....Ethan Finley ......................New York, N.Y. 31 ....Tyler Mark Gulston ..........Queens Village, N.Y. 32 ....Dylan Ruhl ........................New York, N.Y. 33 ....Daniel Schaw....................New York, N.Y. 34 ....Joseph Zac Namtalov......Staten Island, N.Y. 35 ....Jordan Sells......................Forest Hills, N.Y. 36 ....Jack Firestone ..................New York, N.Y. 37 ....Jeffrey McCready ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 38 ....Benjamin Goldstein..........New York, N.Y. 39 ....Connor Ryan Crowley......Bronx, N.Y. 40 ....Daniel Volovich ................Staten Island, N.Y.

Metro Boys 18 Singles Rank Name ................................City 1 ......Nicholas Pustilnik ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 2 ......Fayed Fayaz Uddin..........Elmhurst, N.Y. 3 ......Michael Dozortsev ..........Brooklyn, N.Y.

RANKINGS 4 ......Shawn Jackson................Staten Island, N.Y. 5 ......David Farina......................New York, N.Y. 6 ......Oliver Jevtovic ..................Astoria, N.Y. 7 ......Yarden Hahn ....................New York, N.Y. 8 ......Douglas Nover ................Bayside, N.Y. 9 ......Nicholas Ostrovsky ..........Staten Island, N.Y. 10 ....Justin Holmes ..................Bronx, N.Y. 11 ....Richard Wickman ............Bayside, N.Y.

GIRLS Metro Girls 12 Singles Rank Name ................................City 1 ......Natalie Bergmann ............Forest Hills, N.Y. 2 ......Nicolette Fundator ..........Brooklyn, N.Y. 3 ......Beyonce Blake ................Brooklyn, N.Y. 4 ......Rachel Zhang ..................Forest Hills, N.Y. 5 ......Taylor Overstrom..............New York, N.Y. 6 ......Sophia Cisse ....................New York, N.Y. 7 ......Bukky Alalade ..................Rosedale, N.Y. 8 ......Leila M. Epstein................New York, N.Y. 9 ......Blakely Dushkin................New York, N.Y. 10 ....Sofie Shen ........................New York, N.Y. 11 ....Juliana Hornak ................Brooklyn, N.Y. 12 ....Nathalie Williams..............New York, N.Y. 13 ....Talia Helen Kahan ............New York, N.Y. 14 ....Samantha Bentsianov......Staten Island, N.Y. 15 ....Elizabeth Bentsianov........Staten Island, N.Y. 16 ....Isabella Sofia Mandis ......New York, N.Y. 17 ....Emma Sofia Ostlund........New York, N.Y. 18 ....Nadzeya Filaha ................Brooklyn, N.Y. 19 ....Ellie Sullivan......................New York, N.Y. 20 ....Alina Kargin-Utkin ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 21 ....Emily Mauro......................Whitestone, N.Y. 22 ....Sasha Noel Ryder ............Staten Island, N.Y. 23 ....Brooke Hoffman ..............New York, N.Y. 24 ....Sofia Allinson....................New York, N.Y. 25 ....Jala Atkinson ....................New York, N.Y. 26 ....Sophia Montero................Brooklyn, N.Y. 27 ....Fuschia Steward ..............New York, N.Y. 28 ....Paula Ann Maseyev ........Brooklyn, N.Y. 29 ....Julia T. Werdiger ..............New York, N.Y. 30 ....Alina Ongeyberg ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 31 ....Alina Alexsandra Abramoff Brooklyn, N.Y. 32 ....Maxie Molly Karen............New York, N.Y. 33 ....Adriana Rose Hornak ......Brooklyn, N.Y. 34 ....Jasmine Leon Soon ........Brooklyn, N.Y. 35 ....Arielle Bakst......................New York, N.Y. 36 ....Catalina Haberman ..........New York, N.Y. 37 ....Julia Dementyev ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 38 ....Linda Ziets-Segura ..........New York, N.Y. 39 ....Carolyn Finerman ............New York, N.Y. 40 ....Nina Wiese........................Flushing, N.Y.

Metro Girls 14 Singles Rank Name ................................City 1 ......Jamila Akhmedjanova......New York, N.Y. 2 ......Niki Truszkowski ..............Middle Village, N.Y. 3 ......Alanna Levitt ....................New York, N.Y. 4 ......Cassie Tian ......................Flushing, N.Y. 5 ......Beyonce Blake ................Brooklyn, N.Y. 6 ......Hillary Sherpa ..................Astoria, N.Y. 7 ......Nicole Koi Massa ............Astoria, N.Y. 8 ......Anna Borovinskaya ..........Bronx, N.Y. 9 ......Kristina Pali ......................Briarwood, N.Y. 10 ....Casey Brandes ................Rego Park, N.Y. 11 ....Theodora Vrailas ..............New York, N.Y. 12 ....Rebecca Izyayeva............Staten Island, N.Y. 13 ....Rachel Zhang ..................Forest Hills, N.Y. 14 ....Natalie Bergmann ............Forest Hills, N.Y. 15 ....Rebecca Sitkovetsky ......Staten Island, N.Y.

New York Tennis Magazine â&#x20AC;˘ November/December 2015 â&#x20AC;˘ NYTennisMag.com

16 ....Anastasya Menshikova....Brooklyn, N.Y. 17 ....Leah Margulies ................New York, N.Y. 18 ....Nadzeya Filaha ................Brooklyn, N.Y. 19 ....Danielle P. Kezeli ..............Staten Island, N.Y. 20 ....Sofia Allinson....................New York, N.Y. 21 ....Emma Eisenberg..............New York, N.Y. 22 ....Nathalie Williams..............New York, N.Y. 23 ....Josephine Kimball............New York, N.Y. 24 ....Ellie Sullivan......................New York, N.Y. 25 ....Alina Abramoff..................Brooklyn, N.Y. 26 ....Isabella Sifuentes ............Flushing, N.Y. 27 ....Isabelle Grace Casimir ....New York, N.Y. 28 ....Isabella T. Hartman ..........New York, N.Y. 29 ....Amalia M. Parrish ............Queens Village, N.Y. 30 ....Alexandra Peeler ..............New York, N.Y. 31 ....Leila M. Epstein................New York, N.Y. 32 ....Katrine Zlatnik ..................Forest Hills, N.Y. 33 ....Celina Liu ..........................Forest Hills, N.Y. 34 ....Elisabeth G. Schlossel ....New York, N.Y. 35 ....Anita Olicia Wright............New York, N.Y. 36 ....Nicolette Fundator ..........Brooklyn, N.Y. 37 ....Alina Kargin-Utkin ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 38 ....Rachel Musheyev ............Forest Hills, N.Y. 39 ....Mia Simone Parrish..........Queens Village, N.Y. 40 ....Jade Killikelly ....................Jamaica, N.Y.

Metro Girls 16 Singles Rank Name ................................City 1 ......Gianna Gaudio ................Staten Island, N.Y. 2 ......Mariam Shengelia ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 3 ......Natalie Marguiles..............New York, N.Y. 4 ......Jamila Akhmedjanova......New York, N.Y. 5 ......Amy Kaplan ......................Brooklyn, N.Y. 6 ......Tomi Alalade ....................Rosedale, N.Y. 7 ......Nadejda Maslova ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 8 ......Barbara Podvorchani ......Bronx, N.Y. 9 ......Isabella Rendon................Oakland Gardens, N.Y. 10 ....Alanna Levitt ....................New York, N.Y. 11 ....Maryna Bohdanovska......Brooklyn, N.Y. 12 ....Kelsey Emma Gund ........New York, N.Y. 13 ....Maxine Beata Zaretsky....Brooklyn, N.Y. 14 ....Theodora Vrailas ..............New York, N.Y. 15 ....Rachel Okin ......................New York, N.Y. 16 ....Anna Borovinskaya ..........Bronx, N.Y. 17 ....Emma Wrazej ..................New York, N.Y. 18 ....Hillary Sherpa ..................Astoria, N.Y. 19 ....Lejla Redzematovic..........Whitestone, N.Y. 20 ....Alexandra Coulombe ......New York, N.Y. 21 ....Masha Serjantov ..............New York, N.Y. 22 ....Grace L. Kennedy ............New York, N.Y. 23 ....Anastasia Lukyanovich....Brooklyn, N.Y. 24 ....Anastasya Menshikova....Brooklyn, N.Y. 25 ....Danielle P. Kezeli ..............Staten Island, N.Y. 26 ....Carolyn Silverstein............New York, N.Y. 27 ....Gianna Medici ..................Bayside Hills, N.Y.

Metro Girls 18 Singles Rank Name ................................City 1 2 3 4

......Tamila Latif-Zade..............Brooklyn, N.Y. ......Liana Weitzman................Whitestone, N.Y. ......Miriam Irfan Aziz ..............Staten Island, N.Y. ......Marian Shengelia..............Brooklyn, N.Y.

NEW Boys & Girls Sectional Rankings (as of 10/27/15)

BOYS Sectional Boys 12 Singles— Metro Region Rank Name............................City 4 ......Sebastian Sec ..................New York, N.Y. 6 ......John-Thomas Bilski ........New York, N.Y. 9 ......Wesley Zhang ..................Staten Island, N.Y. 10 ....Ty Switzer..........................New York, N.Y. 11 ....Cooper Williams ..............New York, N.Y. 14 ....Tyler Korobov....................Brooklyn, N.Y. 15 ....Hudson Beaudoin ............New York, N.Y. 26 ....Jace Alexander ................New York, N.Y. 28 ....Sachin Palta......................Forest Hills, N.Y. 31 ....Donovan Spigner ............New York, N.Y. 41 ....Jasper August Hunt ........New York, N.Y. 42 ....Donovan Brown ..............New York, N.Y. 44 ....Joseph Phillips ................New York, N.Y. 46 ....Noah Abels Eisenberg ....New York, N.Y. 49 ....Nicholas Steiglehner ........New York, N.Y. 51 ....Kole Henry Moses............New York, N.Y. 53 ....Bradley Bennett................New York, N.Y. 56 ....Luca Anthony DeMare ....New York, N.Y. 61 ....Jonathan Laforest ............Queens Village, N.Y. 62 ....Coby Matthew Brown......New York, N.Y. 64 ....Mitchel Pertsovsky ..........Brooklyn, N.Y. 66 ....Sabian Kosinov ................Forest Hills, N.Y. 67 ....Adrien Svilen Jippov ........New York, N.Y. 68 ....David Krasner ..................Staten Island, N.Y. 84 ....Rafe Photopoulos ............New York, N.Y. 85 ....Nicholas Suhanitski..........Staten Island, N.Y. 87 ....Paul Elghouayel................New York, N.Y. 88 ....Benjamin Ebanks ............New York, N.Y. 91 ....Jack Benavides................New York, N.Y. 92 ....Astro Brundo Pilipovic ....New York, N.Y. 95 ....Nicholas Laffont ..............New York, N.Y. 98 ....Joshua Ashvil ..................Forest Hills, N.Y. 100 ..David Dove Hendon ........New York, N.Y. 103 ..Nicholas Murphy ..............New York, N.Y. 108 ..Safin Shaikh......................Long Island City, N.Y. 111 ..Samuel Benjamin Zeitlin ..Brooklyn, N.Y. 116 ..Dylan Lachmanen ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 120 ..Christian Bobko................Bronx, N.Y. 121 ..Steven Polishchuk............Brooklyn, N.Y. 128 ..Joshua Staroselskiy ........Brooklyn, N.Y. 139 ..Mathias Isaac Davila ........Whitestone, N.Y. 140 ..Sebastian Brustein ..........Brooklyn, N.Y. 142 ..Philip Abram Hoover........New York, N.Y.

Sectional Boys 14 Singles— Metro Region Rank Name............................City 5 ......Ethan Leon........................Woodhaven, N.Y. 6 ......Steven Nazaroff................Brooklyn, N.Y. 8 ......Derek Raskopf..................New York, N.Y. 10 ....Jeffrey Fradkin..................New York, N.Y. 18 ....Shand Stephens ..............New York, N.Y. 22 ....Brandon T. Cohen ............New York, N.Y. 24 ....Noah Edelman..................New York, N.Y. 32 ....Oliver Worth......................New York, N.Y. 35 ....Joseph Wilkanowski ........Long Island City, N.Y. 37 ....Marcos Souza Lee ..........New York, N.Y. 44 ....Blake Frank ......................New York, N.Y. 47 ....Oliver Obeid......................New York, N.Y. 49 ....Kai Yuminaga....................Oakland Gardens, N.Y. 58 ....Christopher Tham ............Flushing, N.Y.

YORK

61 ....Tristan Taylor ....................New York, N.Y. 66 ....John-Tomas Bilski............New York, N.Y. 71 ....Maxwell Igor Kachkarov ..Flushing, N.Y. 79 ....Donovan Brown ..............New York, N.Y. 83 ....Ryan McCook ..................Saint Albans, N.Y. 86 ....Jeffrey McCready ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 88 ....David Krasner ..................Staten Island, N.Y. 89 ....Anthony Cataldo ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 96 ....Tyler Korobov....................Brooklyn, N.Y. 98 ....Jonathan Glinsky..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 100 ..Alex Portnoy ....................New York, N.Y. 101 ..Anton Semenov................New York, N.Y. 103 ..Nash Crofoot Johnson ....New York, N.Y. 108 ..Scott Fischer ....................New York, N.Y. 110 ..Zachary Portnoy ..............New York, N.Y. 115 ..Wesley Zhang ..................Staten Island, N.Y. 121 ..Aleksa Pljakic....................Forest Hills, N.Y. 122 ..Simon Camacho ..............New York, N.Y. 124 ..Benjamin Ebanks ............New York, N.Y. 128 ..Donald James Smith........Roosevelt Island, N.Y. 129 ..Sachin Palta......................Forest Hills, N.Y. 136 ..Charles William Phillips....New York, N.Y. 137 ..Solomon Brown ..............New York, N.Y. 138 ..Mitchel Pertsovsky ..........Brooklyn, N.Y. 140 ..Hudson Beaudoin ............New York, N.Y. 147 ..Jasper Hunt Thomas ......New York, N.Y.

RANKINGS 58 ....Robert Kennedy ..............New York, N.Y. 65 ....Felipe Osses-Konig..........Rego Park, N.Y. 66 ....Jack Haroche ..................New York, N.Y. 72 ....Avery Bicks ......................New York, N.Y. 84 ....Andreja Radevic ..............New York, N.Y. 85 ....Adam Bryan Borak ..........Brooklyn, N.Y. 88 ....Zachary Jordan Lieb........New York, N.Y. 89 ....Michael Gardiner..............New York, N.Y. 92 ....Jacob Kern ......................New York, N.Y. 105 ..Igor Maslov ......................Brooklyn, N.Y. 106 ..Xavier Pacthod ................New York, N.Y. 117 ..Leonard Margolis ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 123 ..Maurice Russo ................New York, N.Y. 127 ..Christopher Kolesnik........Staten Island, N.Y. 129 ..Shawn Jackson................Staten Island, N.Y. 133 ..Kevin T. Huynh..................Astoria, N.Y. 140 ..Jordan D. Jordan..............Astoria, N.Y. 146 ..Kemal Irfan Aziz................Staten Island, N.Y. 147 ..William J. Trang ................Staten Island, N.Y.

GIRLS Sectional Girls 12 Singles— Metro Region Rank Name............................City

14 ....Gary C. Fishkin ................Staten Island, N.Y. 23 ....Sumit Sarkar ....................New York, N.Y. 27 ....Zachary Jordan Lieb........New York, N.Y. 41 ....David Mizahi ....................Brooklyn, N.Y. 43 ....Shawn Jackson................Staten Island, N.Y. 46 ....Lantis Wang......................New York, N.Y. 48 ....Sam Vagner ......................Staten Island, N.Y. 49 ....Igor Maslov ......................Brooklyn, N.Y. 51 ....Allan Ethan Magid ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 55 ....Christopher Kolesnik........Staten Island, N.Y. 60 ....Gabriel Sifuentes..............Flushing, N.Y. 61 ....Jacob Kern ......................New York, N.Y. 66 ....Philip Belmatch ................Staten Island, N.Y. 75 ....Jeffrey Gorilovsky ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 81 ....Michael Tyutyunik ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 83 ....Nicholas Pustilnik ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 86 ....Dylan Friedman ................Brooklyn, N.Y. 88 ....Steven Daniel Nazaroff ....Brooklyn, N.Y. 90 ....Peter Frelinghuysen ........New York, N.Y. 93 ....Richard Zusman ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 104 ..Derek Raskopf..................New York, N.Y. 106 ..Jonah Jurick ....................New York, N.Y. 122 ..Ethan Leon........................Woodhaven, N.Y. 132 ..Derek Lung ......................Brooklyn, N.Y. 135 ..Ameer Hosain ..................New York, N.Y. 144 ..Kemal Irfan Aziz................Staten Island, N.Y.

5 ......Daniella Benabraham ......New York, N.Y. 7 ......Lorraine Bergmann ..........Forest Hills, N.Y. 17 ....Michelle Kleynerman........Staten Island, N.Y. 20 ....Carolyn Brodsky ..............New York, N.Y. 21 ....Natalie Eordekian ............Woodside, N.Y. 24 ....Sarah Lucy Youngberg ....New York, N.Y. 30 ....Nathalie Williams..............New York, N.Y. 31 ....Shawnte Beale ................Bronx, N.Y. 32 ....Shakima Hotaki................Flushing, N.Y. 44 ....Rachel Zhang ..................Forest Hills, N.Y. 45 ....Alyssa An ..........................New York, N.Y. 50 ....Catalina Haberman ..........New York, N.Y. 51 ....Deliala Friedman ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 52 ....Lara Rose Berliner............New York, N.Y. 55 ....Sage Loudon....................New York, N.Y. 66 ....Julia T. Werdiger ..............New York, N.Y. 72 ....Blakely Duskin..................New York, N.Y. 79 ....Leila M. Epstein................New York, N.Y. 84 ....Nina Wiese........................Flushing, N.Y. 86 ....Taylor Overstrom..............New York, N.Y. 87 ....Alina Kargin-Utkin ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 90 ....Nicole Wooyin Lee ..........New York, N.Y. 92 ....Sofie Shen ........................New York, N.Y. 104 ..Bukky Alalade ..................Rosedale, N.Y. 106 ..Anna Borovinskaya ..........Bronx, N.Y. 111 ..Natalie Bergmann ............Forest Hills, N.Y. 115 ..Emma Sofia Ostlund........New York, N.Y. 117 ..Emma Voykhanskaya ......Brooklyn, N.Y. 120 ..Sophia Cisse ....................New York, N.Y. 123 ..Alina Ongeyberg ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 125 ..Beyonce Blake ................Brooklyn, N.Y. 141 ..Samantha Bentsianov......Staten Island, N.Y.

Sectional Boys 18 Singles— Metro Region

Sectional Girls 14 Singles— Metro Region

Sectional Boys 16 Singles— Metro Region Rank Name............................City

Rank Name............................City

4 ......Oliver Sec..........................New York, N.Y. 12 ....Ananth Raghavan ............New York, N.Y. 20 ....Christopher Paul Auteri....Staten Island, N.Y. 22 ....Calvin Chung....................Bronx, N.Y. 24 ....Ethan Nittolo ....................Flushing, N.Y. 27 ....Marcus T. Smith................Little Neck, N.Y. 44 ....James Wasserman ..........New York, N.Y. 50 ....Peter Lohrbach ................Little Neck, N.Y. 51 ....Mitchell Ostrovsky............Brooklyn, N.Y. 56 ....Cole Gittens......................New York, N.Y.

5 ......Michelle Sorokko..............Little Neck, N.Y. 7 ......Shelly Yaloz ......................Little Neck, N.Y. 10 ....Dasha Kourkina................Brooklyn, N.Y. 12 ....Rosie Garcia Gross ..........New York, N.Y. 20 ....Perene Wang....................New York, N.Y. 23 ....Nadejda Maslova ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 24 ....Chelsea Williams..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 26 ....Katherine Kachkarov........Flushing, N.Y. 27 ....Kyra Bergmann ................Forest Hills, N.Y. 31 ....Isabella Sinclair Cooper ..Brooklyn, N.Y.

41 ....Christina Huynh................Astoria, N.Y. 44 ....Amanda Solecki ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 48 ....Rachel Rubenzahl ............New York, N.Y. 52 ....Diana Sosonkin ................Brooklyn, N.Y. 53 ....Lorraine Bergmann ..........Forest Hills, N.Y. 56 ....Carolyn Brodsky ..............New York, N.Y. 57 ....Miriam Irfan Aziz ..............Staten Island, N.Y. 58 ....Marie Ivantechenko..........Brooklyn, N.Y. 60 ....Gabriella Eitkis..................Brooklyn, N.Y. 61 ....Shawnte Beale ................Bronx, N.Y. 64 ....Khyanna Singh ................Queens Village, N.Y. 68 ....Amy Kaplan ......................Brooklyn, N.Y. 72 ....Sabrina Boada..................Woodhaven, N.Y. 79 ....Rebecca Eliana Fisch ......New York, N.Y. 81 ....Zoe Kava ..........................New York, N.Y. 82 ....Michelle Kleynerman........Staten Island, N.Y. 86 ....Diana McCready ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 97 ....Anastasya Menshikova....Brooklyn, N.Y. 101 ..Jamila Akhmedjanova......New York, N.Y. 102 ..Daniella Benabraham ......New York, N.Y. 105 ..Shakima Hotaki................Flushing, N.Y. 111 ..Medina Garunja................Bronx, N.Y. 114 ..Isabella T. Hartman ..........New York, N.Y. 125 ..Josephine Kimball............New York, N.Y. 128 ..Rebecca Sitkovetsky ......Staten Island, N.Y. 131 ..Daniela Hernandez ..........Corona, N.Y. 135 ..Niki Truszkowski ..............Middle Village, N.Y. 138 ..Nicole Koi Massa ............Astoria, N.Y. 144 ..Cassie Tian ......................Flushing, N.Y.

Sectional Girls 16 Singles— Metro Region Rank Name............................City 7 ......Michelle Sorokko..............Little Neck, N.Y. 11 ....Shelly Yaloz ......................Little Neck, N.Y. 12 ....Dasha Kourkina................Brooklyn, N.Y. 21 ....Alexus Gill ........................Brooklyn, N.Y. 23 ....Nicole Semenov ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 26 ....Aleksandra Bekirova ........Brooklyn, N.Y. 28 ....Victoria Sec ......................New York, N.Y. 33 ....Chelsea Williams..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 34 ....Anastasia Koniaev............Forest Hills, N.Y. 38 ....Sarah Rahman..................East Elmhurst, N.Y. 39 ....Sydney Lynn Katz ............New York, N.Y. 41 ....Lauren Munari ..................Middle Village, N.Y. 47 ....Valicia Browne ..................Brooklyn, N.Y. 48 ....Kyra Bergmann ................Forest Hills, N.Y. 49 ....Dakota Fordham ..............New York, N.Y. 56 ....Katherine Kachkarov........Flushing, N.Y. 59 ....Christina M. Huynh ..........Astoria, N.Y. 63 ....Diana Sosonkin ................Brooklyn, N.Y. 75 ....Jennifer Yu........................Forest Hills, N.Y. 77 ....Nadejda Maslova ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 78 ....Rosie Garcia Gross ..........New York, N.Y. 89 ....Regina Furer ....................Brooklyn, N.Y. 90 ....Barbara Podvorchani ......Bronx, N.Y. 91 ....Miriam Irfan Aziz ..............Staten Island, N.Y. 93 ....Stephanie Li......................New York, N.Y. 101 ..Khyanna Singh ................Queens Village, N.Y. 115 ..Amy Kaplan ......................Brooklyn, N.Y. 122 ..Anastasya Menshikova....Brooklyn, N.Y. 126 ..Brittny Jo Ferreira ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 130 ..Lia Kiam ............................New York, N.Y. 144 ..Amalia M. Parrish ............Queens Village, N.Y.

Sectional Girls 18 Singles— Metro Region Rank Name............................City 5 ......Anna Ulyashchenko ........Brooklyn, N.Y. 10 ....Sabrina Xiong ..................Fresh Meadows, N.Y.

NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2015 • New York Tennis Magazine

NEW 11 ....Alexandra Koniaev ..........Forest Hills, N.Y. 13 ....Alexus Gill ........................Brooklyn, N.Y. 25 ....Isis Gill ..............................Brooklyn, N.Y. 29 ....Sheely Yaloz ....................Little Neck, N.Y. 35 ....Patricia Obeid ..................New York, N.Y. 40 ....Jessica Livianu ................Brooklyn, N.Y. 43 ....Sonia Tartakovsky ............New York, N.Y. 45 ....Yuka Lin ............................Kew Gardens, N.Y. 54 ....Jillian Rose Auteri ............Staten Island, N.Y. 59 ....Lisa Marchelska ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 61 ....Michelle Sorokko..............Little Neck, N.Y. 66 ....Emma Brandes Kassan ..New York, N.Y. 68 ....Dakota Fordham ..............New York, N.Y. 73 ....Brianna Williams ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 76 ....Christina Puccinelli ..........New York, N.Y. 77 ....Kiara A. Rose....................New York, N.Y. 78 ....Miriam Irfan Aziz ..............Staten Island, N.Y. 84 ....Sophia Kryloff ..................Brooklyn, N.Y. 91 ....Sydney Lynn Katz ............New York, N.Y. 98 ....Jessica Golovin ................New York, N.Y. 100 ..Jennifer Yu........................Forest Hills, N.Y. 103 ..Khyanna Singh ................Queens Village, N.Y. 107 ..Anna Maite Kaplan ..........New York, N.Y. 108 ..Isabelle Rovinski ..............New York, N.Y. 109 ..Nicole Khorosh ................Brooklyn, N.Y. 112 ..Tristan Lorich ....................New York, N.Y. 118 ..Victoria Sec ......................New York, N.Y. 121 ..Sarah Rahman..................East Elmhurst, N.Y. 123 ..Dea Koiava ......................New York, N.Y. 126 ..Christina M. Huynh ..........Astoria, N.Y. 128 ..Valicia Browne ..................Brooklyn, N.Y. 129 ..Tamila Latif-Zade..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 132 ..Lauren Elizabeth Munari ..Middle Village, N.Y. 135 ..Katherine Kachkarov........Flushing, N.Y. 145 ..Camilla Trapness..............New York, N.Y. 146 ..Stephanie Li......................New York, N.Y.

Boys & Girls National Rankings (as of 10/29/15)

BOYS National Boys 12 Singles— Metro Region Rank ..Name ..........................City 34 ....Sebastian Sec ..................New York, N.Y. 35 ....John-Tomas Bilski............New York, N.Y. 57 ....Wesley Zhang ..................Staten Island, N.Y. 67 ....Ty Switzer..........................New York, N.Y. 84 ....Cooper Williams ..............New York, N.Y. 107 ..Hudson Beaudoin ............New York, N.Y. 137 ..Tyler Korobov....................Brooklyn, N.Y. 243 ..Jace K. Alexander ............New York, N.Y. 255 ..Sachin Palta......................Forest Hills, N.Y. 381 ..Donovan Spigner ............New York, N.Y. 510 ..Solomon Brown ..............New York, N.Y. 530 ..Kole Henry Moses............New York, N.Y. 593 ..Noah Abels Eisenberg ....New York, N.Y. 689 ..Nicholas Steiglehner ........New York, N.Y. 716 ..Jasper Hunt Thomas ......New York, N.Y. 751 ..Joseph Phillips ................New York, N.Y. 947 ..Sabian Kosinov ................Forest Hills, N.Y. 975 ..Astro Brundo Pilipovic ....New York, N.Y. 977 ..Andres Fente ....................New York, N.Y. 985 ..Luca Anthony DeMare ....New York, N.Y. 992 ..Nicholas Laffont ..............New York, N.Y.

YORK

National Boys 14 Singles— Metro Region Rank ..Name ..........................City 64 ....Derek Raskopf..................New York, N.Y. 67 ....Ethan Leon........................Woodhaven, N.Y. 73 ....Jeffrey Fradkin..................New York, N.Y. 130 ..Steven Daniel Nazaroff ....Brooklyn, N.Y. 264 ..Brandon T. Cohen ............New York, N.Y. 314 ..Robbie Werdiger ..............New York, N.Y. 345 ..Noah D. Edelman ............New York, N.Y. 376 ..Shand Stephens ..............New York, N.Y. 422 ..Joseph Wilkanowski ........Long Island City, N.Y. 517 ..Marcos Souza Lee ..........New York, N.Y. 657 ..Maxwell Igor Kachkarov ..Flushing, N.Y. 697 ..Igor Maslov ......................Brooklyn, N.Y. 699 ..Tristan Taylor ....................New York, N.Y. 728 ..Donovan Brown ..............New York, N.Y. 761 ..Kai Yuminaga....................Oakland Gardens, N.Y. 795 ..Alex Portnoy ....................New York, N.Y. 877 ..Christopher Tham ............Flushing, N.Y. 881 ..Harry Portnoy ..................New York, N.Y. 944 ..Jeffrey McCready ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 963 ..Blake Frank ......................New York, N.Y.

National Boys 16 Singles— Metro Region Rank ..Name ..........................City 144 ..Gary C. Fishkin ................Staten Island, N.Y. 273 ..Sumit Sarkar ....................New York, N.Y. 412 ..Lantis Wang......................New York, N.Y. 515 ..Zachary Jordan Lieb........New York, N.Y. 738 ..Gabriel Sifuentes..............Flushing, N.Y. 791 ..Derek Raskopf..................New York, N.Y. 815 ..Christopher Kolesnik........Staten Island, N.Y. 825 ..Sam V. Vagner ..................Staten Island, N.Y. 862 ..Jacob Kern ......................New York, N.Y. 892 ..Allan Ethan Magdid..........Brooklyn, N.Y. 912 ..Dylan Friedman ................Brooklyn, N.Y. 935 ..Jeffrey Gorilovsky ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 962 ..Ethan Leon........................Woodhaven, N.Y. 980 ..David Mizrahi....................Brooklyn, N.Y.

National Boys 18 Singles— Metro Region Rank ..Name ..........................City 33 ....Oliver Sec..........................New York, N.Y. 123 ..James Wasserman ..........New York, N.Y. 159 ..Ethan Nittolo ....................Flushing, N.Y. 182 ..Ananth Raghavan ............New York, N.Y. 261 ..Christopher Auteri ............Staten Island, N.Y. 409 ..Marcus T. Smith................Little Neck, N.Y. 576 ..Felipe Osses-Konig..........Rego Park, N.Y. 705 ..Cole Gittens......................New York, N.Y. 716 ..Robert Kennedy ..............New York, N.Y. 827 ..Mitchell Ostrovsky............Brooklyn, N.Y. 969 ..Maurice Russo ................New York, N.Y.

RANKINGS GIRLS National Girls 12 Singles— Metro Region Rank ..Name ..........................City 41 ....Daniella Benabraham ......New York, N.Y. 84 ....Lorraine Bergmann ..........Forest Hills, N.Y. 213 ..Michelle Kleynerman........Staten Island, N.Y. 221 ..Carolyn Brodsky ..............New York, N.Y. 266 ..Shakima Hotaki................Flushing, N.Y. 268 ..Sarah Lucy Youngberg ....New York, N.Y. 346 ..Nathalie Williams..............New York, N.Y. 376 ..Natalie Eordekian ............Woodside, N.Y. 403 ..Shawnte Beale ................Bronx, N.Y. 509 ..Alyssa An ..........................New York, N.Y. 560 ..Deliala Friedman ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 607 ..Rachel Zhang ..................Forest Hills, N.Y. 955 ..Sage Loudon....................New York, N.Y. 960 ..Catalina Haberman ..........New York, N.Y. 995 ..Nina Wiese........................Flushing, N.Y. 998 ..Julia T. Werdiger ..............New York, N.Y.

National Girls 14 Singles— Metro Region Rank ..Name ..........................City 31 ....Dasha Kourkina................Brooklyn, N.Y. 37 ....Michelle Sorokko..............Little Neck, N.Y. 55 ....Shelly Yaloz ......................Little Neck, N.Y. 69 ....Rosie Garcia Gross ..........New York, N.Y. 87 ....Perene Wang....................New York, N.Y. 136 ..Katherine Kachkarov........Flushing, N.Y. 162 ..Kyra Bergmann ................Forest Hills, N.Y. 211 ..Nadejda Maslova ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 407 ..Chelsea Williams..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 459 ..Diana McCready ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 590 ..Diana Sosonkin ................Brooklyn, N.Y. 626 ..Marie vantechenko ..........Brooklyn, N.Y. 660 ..Lorraine Bergmann ..........Forest Hills, N.Y. 665 ..Amanda Solecki ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 805 ..Isabella Sinclair Cooper ..Brooklyn, N.Y. 968 ..Rachel Rubenzahl ............New York, N.Y. 986 ..Rebecca Eliana Fisch ......New York, N.Y. 995 ..Carolyn Brodsky ..............New York, N.Y.

National Girls 16 Singles— Metro Region Rank ..Name ..........................City 44 ....Dasha Kourkina................Brooklyn, N.Y. 81 ....Michelle Sorokko..............Little Neck, N.Y. 122 ..Shelly Yaloz ......................Little Neck, N.Y. 228 ..Victoria Sec ......................New York, N.Y. 294 ..Aleksandra Bekirova ........Brooklyn, N.Y. 312 ..Lauren Elizabeth Munari ..Middle Village, N.Y. 323 ..Alexus Gill ........................Brooklyn, N.Y. 371 ..Nicole emenov..................Brooklyn, N.Y. 418 ..Anastasia Koniaev............Forest Hills, N.Y. 528 ..Sarah Rahman..................East Elmhurst, N.Y. 554 ..Rosie Garcia Gross ..........New York, N.Y. 689 ..Katherine Kachkarov........Flushing, N.Y. 701 ..Dakota Fordham ..............New York, N.Y. 757 ..Chelsea Williams..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 860 ..Kyra Bergmann ................Forest Hills, N.Y. 866 ..Regina Furer ....................Brooklyn, N.Y.

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2015 • NYTennisMag.com

National Girls 18 Singles— Metro Region Rank ..Name ..........................City 104 ..Anna Ulyashchenko ........Brooklyn, N.Y. 202 ..Sabrina Xiong ..................Fresh Meadows, N.Y. 223 ..Alexandra Koniaev ..........Forest Hills, N.Y. 236 ..Jessica Melanie Livianu ..Brooklyn, N.Y. 334 ..Isis Gill ..............................Brooklyn, N.Y. 425 ..Camilla Trapness..............New York, N.Y. 483 ..Brianna Williams ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. 494 ..Alexus Gill ........................Brooklyn, N.Y. 517 ..Sonia Tartakovsky ............New York, N.Y. 543 ..Sheely Yaloz ....................Little Neck, N.Y. 644 ..Michelle Sorokko..............Little Neck, N.Y. 655 ..Patricia Obeid ..................New York, N.Y. 666 ..Sophia Kryloff ..................Brooklyn, N.Y. 718 ..Alexandra Sanford ..........New York, N.Y. 773 ..Dasha Kourkina................Brooklyn, N.Y 902 ..Jessica Golovin ................New York, N.Y.

USTA/Metropolitan Region

2015 TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE For detailed information on these and all USTA tournaments, visit tennislink.usta.com/tournaments. NOVEMBER 2015 Friday-Sunday, November 6-8 L2O APTC November Open Alley Pond Tennis Center 7920 Winchester Boulevard Queens Village, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate Boys’ & Girls’ Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 12 (FMLC); Intermediate Boys’ & Girls’ Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 14-18 (SE); and Intermediate Boys’ & Girls’ Doubles 78’ Yellow Ball 12-18 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 for first singles/$28 for first doubles (deadline for entries is Thursday, Nov. 5 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail hemco2@aol.com or call (718) 264-2600. Friday-Sunday, November 6-8 & November 13-15 L1B RI November Challenger Sportime Randalls Island 1 Randalls Island New York, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys’ & Girls’ Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 14 (SE) Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player For more information, e-mail mattytrumino@gmail.com or call (646) 783-5301. Saturday-Sunday, November 7-8 PSP2 Stadium Tennis Center Eastern Orange Challenger Series #11 Stadium Tennis Center 725 Exterior Street Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate Boys’ & Girls’ 10 and Under Singles 60’ Orange Ball 10 (FRLC) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player For more information, e-mail lauren@stadiumtennisnyc.com or call (718) 665-4684. Friday-Sunday, November 13-15 L1 Stadium Tennis Center November Championships Stadium Tennis Center 725 Exterior Street Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Championships Boys’ Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 14-16 (SE); and Championships Girls’ Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 14 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, Nov. 6 at 9:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail lauren@stadiumtennisnyc.com or call (718) 665-4684.

Friday-Sunday, November 13-15 Eastern Sweet 16 at NYJTL The Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning 1720 Crotona Avenue Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Advanced Boys’ Singles & Doubles 78’ Yellow Ball 16 (COMP) Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $102.63 per player For more information, e-mail wwiese@nyjtl.org or call (718) 247-7420. Friday-Sunday, November 13-15 Eastern Sweet 16 at APTC Alley Pond Tennis Center 7920 Winchester Boulevard Queens Village, N.Y. Divisions: Advanced Girls’ Singles & Doubles 78’ Yellow Ball 16 (COMP) Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $102.63 per player For more information, e-mail hemco2@aol.com or call (718) 264-2600. Saturday-Sunday, November 14-15 L3 APTC November UPS Alley Pond Tennis Center 7920 Winchester Boulevard Queens Village, N.Y. Divisions: Entry Level Boys’ & Girls’ Singles 78’ Green Ball 12,78’ Yellow Ball 14-18 (RR) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $43.50 per player For more information, e-mail hemco2@aol.com or call (718) 264-2600. Friday-Sunday, November 20-22 Eastern Super Six at Stadium Tennis Center (National L4) Stadium Tennis Center 725 Exterior Street Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Super 6 Event Boys’ Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 16 (FIC-R16) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $113.38 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, Nov. 9 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail lauren@stadiumtennisnyc.com or call (718) 665-4684.

Friday-Sunday, November 20-22 L1A NYJTL Harvest Championships The Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning 1720 Crotona Avenue Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Championships Boys’ Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 18 (SE); & Championships Girls’ Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 16 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, Nov. 13 at 7:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail wwiese@nyjtl.org or call (718) 247-7420. Friday-Sunday, November 20-22 Eastern Super Six at APTC (National L4) Alley Pond Tennis Center 7920 Winchester Boulevard Queens Village, N.Y. Divisions: Super 6 Event Boys’ Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 18 (FIC-R16) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $113.38 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, Nov. 9 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail hemco2@aol.com or call (718) 264-2600. Friday-Sunday, November 20-22 & November 27-29 L2O Sportime Randall’s Island November Open Sportime Randalls Island 1 Randalls Island New York, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate Boys’ & Girls’ Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 14-16 (SE) Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, Nov. 13 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail mattytrumino@gmail.com or call (646) 783-5301. Friday-Saturday, November 27-28 L3 Sportime Randall’s Island Winter UPS Sportime Randalls Island 1 Randalls Island New York, N.Y. Divisions: Entry Level Boys’ & Girls’ Singles: 78’ Green Ball 12 (RR) Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $43.50 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, Nov. 20 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail mattytrumino@gmail.com or call (646) 783-5301.

NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2015 • New York Tennis Magazine

USTA/Metropolitan Region

2015 TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE For detailed information on these and all USTA tournaments, visit tennislink.usta.com/tournaments. Friday-Sunday, November 27-29 L2O APTC November Open Alley Pond Tennis Center 7920 Winchester Boulevard Queens Village, N.Y. Divisions: Boys’ Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 18 (FIC-R16); and Boys’ Doubles 78’ Yellow Ball 18 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 for first singles; $28 for first doubles (deadline for entries is Monday, Nov. 23 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail hemco2@aol.com or call (718) 264-2600.

Friday-Sunday, December 11-13 L1B Stadium Tennis Center Winter Challenger Stadium Tennis Center 725 Gateway Center Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys’ & Girls’ Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 12,16 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, Dec. 4 at 11:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail hemco2@aol.com or call (718) 264-2600.

Friday-Wednesday, December 18-23 L1B Winter Classic at Randall’s Island Sportime Randalls Island 1 Randalls Island New York, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys’ & Girls’ Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 12-18 (SE) Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, Dec. 14 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail tournamentsri@sportimetfm.com or call (646) 783-5301.

Friday-Sunday, November 27-29 USTA Open Regional Tournament (November) USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center Flushing Meadows Corona Park Flushing, N.Y. Divisions: Boys Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 12 (FIC-R16); and Boys’ Doubles 78’ Yellow Ball 12 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $134.88 for one event; $135.38 for two events; additional fees may apply if registered in three or more events For more information, e-mail ntctournaments@usta.com or call (718) 760-6200.

Friday-Sunday, December 11-13 & December 18-20 +L1 Eastern Grand Prix at NYJTL The Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning 1720 Crotona Avenue Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Grand Prix Girls’ Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 14 (FICQ) Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Tuesday, Dec. 1 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail wwiese@nyjtl.org or call (718) 247-7420.

Saturday-Thursday, December 26-31 L1B Stadium Tennis Center Holiday Challenger Stadium Tennis Center 725 Exterior Street Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys’ & Girls’ Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 14, 18 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, Dec. 18 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail lauren@stadiumtennisnyc.com or call (718) 665-4684.

Friday-Sunday, December 11-13 & December 18-20 +L1 Eastern Grand Prix at APTC Alley Pond Tennis Center 7920 Winchester Boulevard Queens Village, N.Y. Divisions: Grand Prix Boys’ Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 18 (FICQ) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Tuesday, Dec. 1 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail hemco2@aol.com or call (718) 264-2600.

Saturday-Thursday, December 26-31 L1B APTC Winter Challenger Alley Pond Tennis Center 7920 Winchester Boulevard Queens Village, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys’ & Girls’ Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 12, 16 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, Dec. 21 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail hemco2@aol.com or call (718) 264-2600.

Saturday-Sunday, December 12-13 L3 Alley Pond Winter UPS Alley Pond Tennis Center 7920 Winchester Boulevard Queens Village, N.Y. Divisions: Entry Level Boys’ & Girls’ Singles 78’ Green Ball 12, 78’ Yellow Ball 14-18 (RR) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $43.50 per player (deadline for entries is Wednesday, Dec. 9 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail hemco2@aol.com or call (718) 264-2600.

Saturday-Monday, December 26-28 L1B NYJTL Holiday Challenger The Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning 1720 Crotona Avenue Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys’ 10 and Under Singles 78’ Green Ball 10 (FMLC); Challenger Boys’ Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 12, 16 (SE); Challenger Girls’ 10 and Under Singles 78’ Green Ball 10 (FMLC); Challenger Girls’ Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 16 (SE); and Challenger Boys’ Doubles 78’ Yellow Ball 12 (SE) Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Saturday, Dec. 12 at 1:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail ebantovska@nyjtl.org or call (347) 417-8168.

DECEMBER 2015 Friday-Sunday, December 4-6 L1B NYJTL December Challenger The Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning 1720 Crotona Avenue Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys’ & Girls’ Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 12,16 (SE) Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, Nov. 27 at 8:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail wwiese@nyjtl.org or call (718) 247-7420. Friday-Sunday, December 4-6 L1B APTC December Challenger Alley Pond Tennis Center 7920 Winchester Boulevard Queens Village, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys’ & Girls’ Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 14, 18 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, Nov. 27 at 8:00 p.m.) For more information, e-mail hemco2@aol.com or call (718) 264-2600.

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2015 • NYTennisMag.com

NYTennisMag.com â&#x20AC;˘ November/December 2015 â&#x20AC;˘ New York Tennis Magazine 114

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115 New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2015 • NYTennisMag.com