New York Tennis Magazine November / December 2020 by United Sports Publications

NYTennisMag.com â&#x20AC;˘ November/December 2020 â&#x20AC;˘ New York Tennis Magazine

nytennis New York Tennis Magazine

MAGAZINE

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

Staff David Sickmen Publisher (516) 409-4444, ext. 309 david@usptennis.com Brian Coleman Senior Editor (516) 409-4444, ext. 326 brianc@usptennis.com Joey Arendt Art Director (516) 409-4444, ext. 307 Francine Miller Advertising Coordinator (516) 409-4444, ext. 301 francinem@usptennis.com Emilie Katz Assistant Marketing Coordinator

Sidney Beal III Staff Photographer

Lee Seidner Staff Photographer

NOV/DEC 2020 • Vol 10, No 6

Table Of Contents

Home Thiem By Brian Coleman

Dominic Thiem wins first major title right here in New York See page 14

Highlights 8 At The Net w/ Ognen Nikolovski By Brian Coleman 12 Mixed Doubles Teams Compete in Fall LITM Challenge 18 Junior Player Spotlight: Elana Zaretsky, Chris Lewit Tennis Academy By Brian Coleman 28 Coaching Spotlight: Conrad Singh, Centercourt Tennis Academy By Brian Coleman 32 NYTM’s 2020 Coaches Roundtable Discussion 42 2020 French Open Recap 46 NYTM’s 2020 Holiday Gift Guide

Features 4 6 11 20 21 22 23 24 31

Advertising To receive any information regarding advertising rates, deadlines, and requirements, call (516) 409-4444 or e-mail info@usptennis.com. Article Submissions/Press Releases To submit any material, including articles and press releases, please call (516) 409-4444 or e-mail info@usptennis.com. The deadline for submissions is the first of the month preceding the target issue. Subscriptions To receive subscription information, contact (516) 409-4444 or e-mail info@usptennis.com or check out our Web site: www.nytennismag.com. Fax subscription changes to (516) 409-1600. Statements of fact and opinion in New York Tennis Magazine are the responsibility of the authors alone and do not imply an opinion on the part of United Sports Publications Ltd. New York Tennis Magazine reserves the right to edit, reject and/or postpone the publication of any articles, information or data.

Photo credit: Simon Bruty/USTA

40 41 53 54 56 57 59 60 61 62

Across Metro New York…News and Notes From Across the New York Metro Tennis Community Kushnirovich Wins NY One-On-One Doubles Shootout The Tennis Guru: The Muse By Dr. Tom Ferraro The First Set’s a Dream, But The Match Turns Into a Nightmare By Lawrence Kleger They Wanna Have Fun By Khrystsina Tryboi The Secret to a Successful Final Step in Under 10 Progression By Conrad Singh and David Kilmer Adult League Wrap-Up USTA Eastern Metro Region Update Metro Corporate League Update Presented by Advantage Tennis Clubs The Return of the Return of Serve By Mike Williams Reality and Fantasy By Rohan Goetzke Court Six: New York Tennis Magazine’s Gossip Column By Emilie Katz Champion Qualities in Young Players: Part Two By Gilad Bloom The Dirty Tricks Department: Improve Your Street Smarts By Chris Lewit Mastering the Mind—Mindfulness at 125 MPH: Part Six By Rob Polishook Lost the Second Set—Badly By Barbara Wyatt The Jensen Zone: Encouraging Signs for Tennis in 2020 By Luke Jensen When Should I Poach in Doubles? By Mike Puc USTA Eastern Metro Region Junior Rankings

TIME FOR TENNIS!

ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN FOR FALL SESSION

CUSTOMIZED FOR AGE, ABILITY & FUN GROUP & INDIVIDUAL LESSONS & COMPETITION

Play your way from beginner to recreational to competitive tennis player! Get safely in the game! Kids get on the courts & love it! With Advantage Tennis Programs

AGES 5 & UP

AGES 7 & UP

GET IN THE GAME!

PLAY & COMPETE!

Find out more at www.advantagejuniorprograms.com MANHATTAN PLAZA RACQUET CLUB 212.594.0554

NEW YORK TENNIS CLUB ROOSEVELT ISLAND RACQUET CLUB QUICKSTART NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2020 • New York Tennis Magazine 3 718.239.7919 212.935.0250 646.884.9649

Across Metro Ne JMTA’s Cotoulas Wins Eastern Sectional Event Ari Cotoulas, a player in John McEnroe Tennis Academy’s BNP Paribas Mac 1 program, captured the title at the Boys 16s Eastern Sectional Closed at Westchester Tennis Center. Seeded second, Cotoulas won all of his matches in straight sets including a win over the top-seed in the championship.

and Dillon McKenzie who took home the championship and earned the $400 prize.

Kudrjavtsev Wins CLTA UTR Championship Chris Lewit Tennis Academy player Troy Kudrjavtsev won the CLTA Next Gen UTR Championship, winning the title in the 7+ Division.

RSTA’s Weiss Wins Two Fall Tournaments Ross School Tennis Academy’s Lillie Weiss has posted excellent results during her tournament play this fall. After winning an L1 Orange Ball event, Weiss followed that up by winning her first Green Dot tournament.

Okhtenberg Takes L5 October Open Nicole Okhtenberg played great tennis to capture the title at the L5 Sportime Lake Isle October Open. Okhtenberg, who trains at the CourtSense Tennis Academy, won all of her matches in straight sets, and won the title to help her achieve the top-ranking in the USTA Eastern Metro Region in the Girls 12s Division.

Mo, McKenzie Take UTR Doubles Prize Money Event Cary Leeds 18U Team Wins USTA Eastern Cup

The Gilad Bloom Tennis program hosted a UTR Doubles prize money event. In the end, it was the doubles team of Hugh Mo 4

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2020 • NYTennisMag.com

The 18&Under Advanced team from Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning

New York

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

captured the title at the USTA Eastern Cup. The team was made up of Chantajah Mills, Charlie Robertson, Jake David, Emily Kaplan and Shawn Yon.

Starcher Captures L6 Challenger Title [INSERT: Centercourt_Photo] Grace Starcher, a player in the Centercourt’s Full Time Tennis Academy, was victorious at the L6 Challenger at Mountainside. Starcher won all of her matches in straight sets and lost just six games en route to the championship.

MatchPoint’s Vustsina Continues Success in Higher Divisions MatchPoint NYC’s Agnia Vustsina plays up in divisions against older girls, and has continued her successful play. She traveled to Long Island recently and reached the finals of the L3 Super Six at RWTTC in the Girls 14s Division.

NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2020 • New York Tennis Magazine

Kushnirovich Wins New York One-On-One Doubles Shootout he Bonnie Briar Country Club in Larchmont hosted the New York One-On-One Doubles Shootout, the latest installment of the One-On-One Doubles Shootout event series. This event was a bit different than the previous ones, as there was a mandatory Serve & Volley rule and players received a two-point bonus for winning volleys and overheads that went untouched by their opponents. The tournament featured a number of talented players, many of whom have experience on the ATP World Tour. The matches were best two-out-ofthree sets with no-ad scoring and no lets. After a competitive draw, Gary Kushnirovich played Max Schnur in the championship match. Kushnirovich defeated Schnur 4-1, 1-4, 4-1 to capture the title. “What a great afternoon of fast and super furious tennis!” said Tournament Director Ryan Horn. “It was a beautiful October afternoon and ended with a twopoint volley by Gary [Kushnirovich] on match point! It was well played by all.

Thank you to Ed Krass, Jeff Greene, Whitney Kraft, and our newly-appointed Director of Tennis Asi Phillips for hosting a spectacular event.” For more information on these events and more of what One-On-One Doubles has to offer, visit OneOnOneDoubles.com. “This New York One-OnOne Doubles Shootout event was exciting and impressive. You had the combination of mandatory Serve-and-Volley with top players competing for prize money. The addition of the game's two point From left to right: Max Schnur, Asi Phillips and Gary Kushnirovich bonus for winning volleys and overheads-that go untouched- adds even more play at the Pro level. The club players excitement to the format!” said Ed can certainly compete with the option to Krass, the founder of One-On-One come in or stay back with the two point Doubles. “I see plenty of growth at bonus as their goal. I’m looking forward clubs to showcase old school serve to more tournament partnerships in the and volley with One-On-One Doubles future.”

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2020 • NYTennisMag.com

NYTennisMag.com â&#x20AC;˘ November/December 2020 â&#x20AC;˘ New York Tennis Magazine

at the net wit h

o g n e n

n i k o l o v s k i

By Brian Coleman

or more than a decade, Ognen Nikolovski has called CourtSense Tennis Training Center in New Jersey home. In that time, Nikolovski has helped grow CourtSense into a thriving program that produces some of the country’s top junior players, using his vast experience as both a coach and player to create an environment for players to thrive in. He first came to the United States in his senior year of high school, when the wars broke out in the former Yugoslavia, and he landed in Memphis, Tennessee. Following his senior year of high school, Nikolovski took his talents to Rollins College, one of the top Division II tennis programs in the nation, where he excelled. He would be a team captain and an allAmerican, and it was also the place where he would meet Gordon Uehling, the founder and owner of CourtSense. “We were college roommates and played on the team together,” said

Nikolovski. “We would play on the tour together for a couple of years after college, travelling across Europe and competing in Futures and Challenger events. By this time, Macedonia had separated from Yugoslavia, and so I was also playing in the Davis Cup representing Macedonia. It’s funny; I came to the United States with a Yugoslavian passport and left with a Macedonian one.” While remaining in contact with Uehling and maintaining their

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2020 • NYTennisMag.com

friendship, Nikolovski went back to Macedonia and built his own tennis facility, along with the help of family and friends. “It was a special place. We had about four courts, a bar and restaurant; it was your typical small European club, and we had a lot of passionate people there,” he recalls. “All the while, I remained in touch with Gordon, and I knew about his idea and desire to have his own place in New Jersey. He started his own small program on the property where he lived, and we would always bounce ideas off of each other.” It was around this time that Uehling purchased Tenafly Racquet Club, which would become the first location of what is now the vast CourtSense network. “After a couple of years, he started convincing me to move to the U.S. and help him out with his business,” said Nikolovski. “My family was willing to do it, and we agreed to go there for

about six months to a year and see where it went. 12 or 13 years later, and we’re still here.” The close relationship between Uehling and Nikolovski was critical to growing CourtSense into what it is today. What started as a two-court program with a few employees has blossomed into a five-location business (six in the summer) with more than 60 employees. “When I first came here, the idea was just to help Gordon structure the business and help organize the team,” Uehling recalls. “That is sort of my strength, picking the right people and putting them together so they are all focused in the same direction. We feel a responsibility to our staff and customers here; we are both very passionate about tennis, and see ourselves doing this for a long time, probably until we both have canes in our hands.” In all of Nikolovski’s years in tennis, 2020 may have been the most challenging when you consider the

global pandemic that affected all businesses, and CourtSense was no different. As the cases of COVID-19 swept through New Jersey, they were forced to shut down temporarily, which presented a number of challenges and problems. But after weathering the storm and helping to flatten the curve of the virus’ spread, CourtSense re-opened in the summer and put in the proper safety precautions and protocols to ensure the health of its customers and staff members. “The biggest challenge comes from the uncertainty, more so than the things you have to do,” Nikolovski said. “As far as the safety guidelines and protocols, once you establish them and have the right people to implement them, our people are disciplined in following them. When we closed up our locations, it was a shock at first. Going day-by-day and thinking to yourself, ‘how are we going to keep this alive?’, and you start doubting.

We were lucky that the government provided unemployment checks and the PPP loans, which helped us stay afloat just enough so we could open up at the right time. And the summer went great; we manage a couple of outdoor country clubs, and that was a big help. The camps went great as well, it was probably the best two summer months we’ve had in the last 12 years. People wanted to be outside and remain active. That uncertainty is back again as you hear on the news about all the cases going up. But we just have to take it day-by-day, and I think overall we have a positive outlook and a strong team effort to help us keep it going.” The High Performance program continues to thrive at CourtSense as they produce some of the area’s top juniors, as indicated by the most recent USTA junior rankings that features many CourtSense players continued on page 10

OR DER TODAY WW W. S LINGER R BA G .CO M

Lightweight | Versatile | 144 Ball Ca Starting at $550 USD (includ des shipping + 3 year w

NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2020 • New York Tennis Magazine

at the net continued from page 9 atop the rankings and throughout the Top 50. Nikolovski says the reason for this is the result of many different factors. “I think it’s a combination of a lot of things; high performance development is an up-and-down business,” he says. “Players and parents tend to live by their results, so for two weeks everything is unbelievable, but then the next two weeks, if the results aren’t what they expected, suddenly the world is falling apart. To counter that, you need a stable foundation and the right coaches and team in place to lead the process. I think that’s our biggest strength…And we’ve been lucky to work with some very talented kids and dedicated parents that understand this process. Stephanie Yakoff is from Fort Lee

which is 10 minutes away, and Christina McHale who trained here for many years is from Englewood Cliffs. So we’ve been fortunate to have great players in our region who were talented to begin with, and when people see that they see the stability we provide.” Looking back on his decades-plus time at CourtSense, Nikolovski knows he made the right decision to move the United States and help his friend grow their dream together. As the General Manager of CourtSense, he is tasked with running the business and therefore doesn’t spend as much time on court as he used to, but he does find time to get back on court, which is almost a therapeutic process. “I love being on court and I miss it; it keeps me sane,” he says. “Sometimes I’ll leave my office for a

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2020 • NYTennisMag.com

couple of hours and observe what’s going on on the court. It reminds me of my purpose and what we are trying to accomplish here, and that’s providing a service to help people enjoy tennis and reach their goals, no matter who they are: the adults who are there to exercise and clear their mind from work, or the juniors who want to be great tennis players. I love being able to see the impact you can have on a player. When you teach something to a kid and he or she applies it on the court, and they look at you with that smile because they know they figured it out. Or when a former player graduates from college and sends you a text message thanking you for teaching them something along the way. There’s no bigger reward than that, and that’s what I’m in it for.” Brian Coleman is the Senior Editor for New York Tennis Magazine. He may be reached at brianc@usptennis.com.

The Tennis Guru: The Muse By Dr. Tom Ferraro he trio quickly departed from the cave and continued to walk along the mountain path up to the Tennis Guru’s Academy. Virgil led the way, the girl was right behind him and Yin was in the rear, and the path grew more steep, more slippery and more treacherous with each step. Each time Yin looked up to the top of the mountain it seemed to be getting farther and farther away. As the sun began to set, Virgil suggested that they stop, set up camp, make a fire and bed down for the night, and Yin and the girl were happy to finally get a rest. As Virgil began cooking some meat over the fire Yin finally had a chance to talk to the girl he had saved. “So what’s your name anyway?” asked Yin. “My name is Rebecca, and I thank you for saving me from The Demon. As I told you, I was trapped in his cave for five years and I had given up all hope of escaping.” “Oh my,” said Yin. “Tell me what it was like down there.” Rebecca looked directly at Yin and said “The Demon liked to scare me, hurt me, torture me, taunt me and laugh at me all day. I don’t know what I would have done if you had not come along. Perhaps I would have been stuck there my entire life.” “I’m so sorry,” said Yin “I feel so bad for you.” Rebecca smiled at Yin in a gentle way and then said: “Do not feel bad for me my dear Yin for I have learned all the magic that The Demon possessed. I observed all his powerful ways, all of his magical incantations that put spells on people and I have read all of the magic books he had stored under his bed.” Yin grew very curious about all this and

asked Rebecca to tell him some of the magic she had learned from The Demon. “Since you were the boy who saved me I will tell you everything that I have learned. I want you to come over to me, lay your head on my lap, cross your arms across your chest, close your eyes and say the magic word ‘TIMIM’ three times very slowly. You will fall into a deep sleep and dream a long time and all of my secrets will be revealed to you in this dream. When you awaken you will have already forgotten all the details of the dream but my secrets will remain inside of you forever and they will always

be there for you to summon up when you need them most. Are you ready to go to sleep?” Yin said yes so he laid his head on Rebecca’s lap and as he did so he began to smell her beautiful perfume and took in a deep breathe of it. He closed his eyes, crossed his arms and slowly said “TIMIM…TIMIM….TIMIM.” To be continued… For consultations, treatment or on-site visits, contact Dr. Tom Ferraro Ph.D., Sport Psychologist, by phone at (516) 248-7189, e-mail DrTFerraro@aol.com or visit DrTomFerraro.com.

NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2020 • New York Tennis Magazine

THE LONG ISLAND

CHALLENGE 2020

Mixed Doubles Teams Comp

The 2020 Fall Long Island Tennis Magazine Challenge played host to a sold-out draw in a new format, as mixed doubles pairings in four different divisions came out to SPORTIME Quogue to compete in safe and socially-distant tennis. Typically, the Challenges feature Men’s Doubles and Women’s Doubles draws, but the Fall event was a Mixed Doubles tournament for the first time. Throughout the day, competitive tennis filled SPORTIME Quogue’s outdoor clay

courts. A nice lunch and drinks were provided to players throughout the day. Towards the end of the day, there was a happy hour on the pool deck where spectators gathered to watch a live streaming of the U.S. Open Women’s Singles final. The event began with round robin play for teams in each division determined by level. In the 6.0-6.5 division, it was Emily Yang & Barry-Glenn Gloria and Nicholas Estivillo & Kim Shea who came through the draw to

Indoor Winter Groups at NYTC Indoors November 2020 through April 2021

Gilad Bloom Tennis - MIAMI (NEW) Miami, Florida (November-March)...Call for details! Call 914-907-0041 or E-mail BloomGilad@gmail.com GiladBloom.com 12

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2020 • NYTennisMag.com

reach the finals. Gloria & Yang proved to be too much in the finals, and took home the title. “I trusted Emily at the baseline,” Gloria said of the pair’s strategy throughout the day. “I know she can handle herself back there, so I just tried to focus on doing my part at the net.” Yang added: “This was great. The tournament was run perfectly, and we couldn’t have asked for better weather. We had a lot of fun.” Eddie Demirci & Juliette Lowery used their experience playing together to come out victorious in the 7.0-7.5 division, defeating Jeeun Lee & Jung Park in the championship match. “We’ve played in a few leagues together, in a few different levels,” said Demirci. “We made Sectionals together in the 40&Over division once, but it’s been awhile since we played together.” The two quickly found that chemistry once again to outlast Lee & Park in a tightly-contested final. “My favorite thing about playing with him is I always know he’s backing me up,” said Lowery. “It’s very easy to play with him. Sometimes I feel like I’m in yoga or something, he’s always telling me to take a deep breath and relax after each point. Overall we stuck to our game plan.”

mpete in Fall LITM Challenge

The 8.0-8.5 division came down to a matchup between Djonvi Santos & Stephanie Rances and Lily Reidel & Rob Remolador in the championship, a match Rances & Santos won to claim the title. “I definitely had a tough start in the morning,” said Rances. “I wasn’t feeling my strokes at all. He carried me early.” Despite her early struggles, Rances picked up her play as the tournament went on according to Santos. “Later in the tournament, I wasn’t feeling my strokes at all, so she carried me in the end,” he said. “It all worked out.” Rances added: “It was a great facility and the weather was beautiful. We couldn’t ask for anything more.” In the event’s top division, the 9.0-9.5, Jackie Clark & Casey Schnabel defeated former ATP Tour pro Gilad Bloom and his wife, Michal, in an exciting final. “I had an amazing partner and couldn’t have done it without him,” said Clark. “He was on fire and really clutch today…Sometimes you can get down on yourself, but he was really there to lift my spirits up.” Clark and Schnabel have won previous Challenge events in Women’s Doubles and Men’s Doubles, respectively, and can now call themselves Mixed Doubles champions. “There was never a Mixed Doubles event

like this, and we really enjoyed playing this format,” said Schnabel. “After a successful event earlier this summer, we were excited to bring the LI Tennis Magazine Challenge back with a Fall version of the Challenge. It was great to bring the tennis community together for a full day of competitive tennis on the court as well as lots of fun off the court. Throughout the tough times this year, we feel a responsibility to do our best to continue hosting events like this that players and local businesses have always

THE LONG ISLAND

CHALLENGE 2020

been a part of and to unite the tennis community," said David Sickmen. "With the Mixed Doubles format, we wanted to try a new format, and we actually ended up having a waiting list for entry, so now we know there is a high demand for events like this as well. I want to thank SPORTIME Quogue and my Cotournament director Michelle Stoerback for their help and support in running the event. We plan on hosting another LI Tennis Magazine Challenge this winter in a safe and healthy manner.”

NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2020 • New York Tennis Magazine

Home Thiem Austrian lifts first major trophy in New York By Brian Coleman

After a long multiple-week stint inside the U.S. Open bubble earlier this summer, Dominic Thiem had one more hurdle to jump over in order to finally capture that elusive first Grand Slam title of his career. Standing in his way was Germany’s Alexander Zverev, a player at a similar point in his career to Thiem: a perennial Top 10 player who had not been able to win the “big one”. Sure, Thiem had already reached multiple Grand Slam finals prior to this year’s U.S. Open; but both players possessed high expectations, only further fueled by the absence of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, and the early departure of Novak Djokovic, at this year’s tournament. “We are really good friends,” Thiem said of Zverev. “We have a long-term friendship, long-term rivalry.” That rivalry was put to the test in the championship match in front of an oddly empty Arthur Ashe Stadium at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, a strange stage upon which one of these players would be crowned a Grand Slam champion. Things did not look promising for Thiem early, as Zverev, two days after coming back two-sets-to-love down in his semifinal match against Pablo Carreno Busta, raced out to a two-sets-to-love lead of his own. “It was tough to stay in there and still believe,” admitted Thiem. “But I did. It’s a slam final. I said to myself, ‘I’m playing bad, I’m way too tight, legs are heavy, arms are heavy.’ But I always had hope and the expectation that at one point I’d free up. Luckily it was not too late when I broke him back in the third set. The belief was always there. From that moment when I broke him back for three-all in the third set, the belief got stronger and stronger.” Relying on his experience in major finals, Thiem refused to give in and did his best to make sure the nerves were felt on the other side of the net. That break in the third set was crucial, and after winning that set, the Austrian committed just two unforced errors in the fourth set to send the championship into a deciding fifth set. With physical and mental fatigue setting in, and the prospects of a maiden Grand Slam within reach, both players displayed nerves in that final set. Once again though, it would be Zverev who jumped out to the lead and had a chance to serve for the championship at 5-3. But the match was not meant to end in this fashion, and Thiem broke back, and the finals would ultimately head into a deciding tiebreaker to determine the victor. continued on page16 14

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2020 • NYTennisMag.com

Photo credit: Darren Carroll/USTA

NYTennisMag.com â&#x20AC;˘ November/December 2020 â&#x20AC;˘ New York Tennis Magazine

home thiem

Photo credit: Pete Staples/USTA

continued from page 14 While both players piled up the errors throughout the fifth set and the tiebreak, the battle of attrition would be won by Thiem as at 7-6 in the breaker a Zverev backhand crashed into the net, delivering Thiem his first ever major title. “In the end, of course, we are both experienced enough and we both know that in a fifth-set tiebreak anyone can win,” said Thiem. “I think it’s very understandable that we both didn’t play our highest tennis anymore. When he served for the match, I was struggling physically, but I also thought that he is not the freshest anymore. I was just hoping to maybe get another chance.” Thiem, as he said, was clearly physically drained and not moving well, but found a way to work his way through that pain and be the last man standing. It was his fourth career Grand Slam final, and one that he will never forget. “It was such a big relief. It’s just the highest thing you can achieve in tennis,” said Thiem. “I achieved a life goal, a dream [for] myself, which I had for many, many years. Of course [I had that dream] as a kid as well as when I started to play tennis. But back then it was so far away. At one point I realized that, ‘Wow, maybe one day I can really win one of the four biggest titles in tennis.’ I put a lot of work in. I dedicated basically my whole life until this point to win one of the four majors. Now I did it.” That dream began as a young boy growing up in Wiener Neustadt, a city just to the south of Vienna. Both of his parents were tennis coaches, and his father, Wolfgang, began teaching at Gunter Bresnik’s academy in Vienna, and at the age of nine, Thiem was working full-time with Bresnik, a coach-player relationship that would last up until last year. He has always been known as one of the top clay players in the world, and that was evident early on when he reached the finals of the French Open Boys event in 2011. That same year, he turned pro, and he would reach his first tour-level final in 2014 in his home country at the Austrian Open in Kitzbühel. And now for the last several years, Thiem has been a mainstay inside the Top 10 and 16

has been consistently a threat at the Grand Slams. While he has never made it out of the fourth round on the grass at Wimbledon, he reached the Australian Open finals earlier this year, the French Open finals in 2018 and 2019, and now, of course, the U.S. Open finals this year, taking it one step further by hoisting the winning trophy. The potential of losing a fourth major final was not lost on Thiem as he prepared for his showdown with Zverev. “I wanted this title so much, and of course it was also in my head that if I lost this one, it’s 0-4,” he said. “It’s always in your head: ‘Is this chance ever coming back again?’ This, that, all these thoughts, which are not great [when you are trying] to play your best tennis and to play free.” But those ghosts, demons or whatever you want to call them are now vanquished, and the proverbial monkey is off of his back. He faced a tough task in rebounding just weeks later to compete in the French Open,

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2020 • NYTennisMag.com

falling in the quarterfinals, but heading into 2021 there is little doubt that Thiem will remain a threat at the majors. “I expect that it’s going to be easier for me now in the biggest tournaments because, of course, I had it in the back of my head that I had a great career so far, way better career than I could ever dreamt of,” said Thiem. “But until today, there was still a big part, a big goal, missing. With this goal achieved, I think and I hope that I’m going to be a little bit more relaxed and play a little bit more freely at the biggest events.” No matter what he accomplishes in the remainder of his career, one that will surely have plenty of accolades and wins still to come, there will always be a special place in Thiem’s heart for New York City; it will forever be the birthplace of his first major trophy. Brian Coleman is the Senior Editor for New York Tennis Magazine. He may be reached at brianc@usptennis.com.

NYTennisMag.com â&#x20AC;˘ November/December 2020 â&#x20AC;˘ New York Tennis Magazine

Photo credit: Brian Coleman

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

ELANA ZARETSKY CHRIS LEWIT TENNIS One cliché you’ll commonly hear around sports is that a person can learn more from their losses than they can from their wins. While this may not always be the case, it certainly applies to Elana Zaretsky, a junior tennis player who has attended the Chris Lewit Tennis Academy’s summer camp in Londonderry, Vt. At age eight, Zaretsky won the consolation at the “Little MO” Nationals in Austin, Tex. in the Girls 8s Division, a fantastic result, but one that she wanted to use as motivation for her future. “I was disappointed with the consolation win when I was eight, but the trophy presenters, including Cindy Brinker, who is Little MO's (Maureen Connolly’s daughter), told me herself that when Andy Roddick was my age he received the same trophy that I did, and that when I was 10-years-old I should come back and be the champion like Andy was when he was 10-years-old,” Zaretsky recalls. “I never forgot this advice and it helped motivate me even more as a really young player during my practices and tournaments. I kept my focus on the trophy that I wanted, hoping to return to Texas again to play “Little MO” Nationals and become a National Champion.” 18

And last fall, she did just that. Zaretsky captured the Girls 10s title at the “Little MO” Nationals at the Austin Tennis Academy in Austin, Texas, living up to her billing as the tournament’s top-seed with a dominant run to the championship. Zaretsky won all of her matches in straight sets, culminating in a 6-3, 6-2 win

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2020 • NYTennisMag.com

over the second-seed Rebecca Bukhman in the finals. “I think it’s really amazing and mind blowing to have won the same ‘Little MO’ trophy that many famous players such as Coco Gauff, Andy Roddick, Sofia Kenin and many others have won,” she said. “The list of players I watch on television during Grand Slams that have gone through the ‘Little MO’ tournaments just shocks me. I feel more motivation to train hard because I want to live up to being a National Champion, and I want to continue to win more tournaments as I get older.” That resiliency and desire to always get better is something that comes as no surprise to Lewit. “Elana is a fighter—tough as nails, with a tremendous court spirit”. That mature attitude is a key factor in her success early in her junior career. She entered that Little Mo championship determined to win, and embraced the fan fare that comes with playing in the finals of a prestigious national event. “I got a huge thrill because a crowd watches the finals, they ‘cheer and boo’, you have a chair judge, and a loudspeaker calls out the names and scores,” she said. “That environment

gave me so much energy; I didn’t care if the crowd booed or cheered for me, I was just so excited to play and hear ‘Zaretsky’ on the loud speaker in Austin. It was also an awesome experience to play the Little MO regional finals on the center court at Cary Leeds Center in the Bronx with the lights on.” Zaretsky won those regional finals 6-1, 6-2. Fast-forward to this year, and Zaretsky was eager to continue competing in USTA tournaments throughout the country, but 2020 brought with it the cancellation of the bigger national tournaments, and halted the junior schedule for months. Zaretsky also wanted to return to Austin to defend her Little Mo national championship one more time. While this has been difficult, Zaretsky understands the strange times we find ourselves living in. “I was really looking forward to being eleven and finally prepared to travel and play at the USTA National Clay Courts in Boca Raton, and also try to play in the Summer National Championships held in Georgia. However, both were canceled,” she said. In September, Zaretsky was happy that she was able to play in an L4 for national points in Newington, C.T., and was the tournament champion. “It was so great to be back competing”! “Tennis and playing tournaments are definitely my number one passion, but I also see my grandparents almost every

day when I am home, and keeping them and the rest of my family safe is even more important to me. Therefore, I have to stay safe and accept whatever my parents and the USTA decide is safe enough. I hope there will be a vaccine soon.” The inability to play tournaments for much of this year did not stop Zaretsky from continuing her training. She maintained her fitness by working out in her backyard, which included jumping rope and other fitness drills to ensure she stayed in shape despite the lack of match play, while also hitting with her father and taking private lessons. Zaretsky has typically enjoyed Lewit’s summer camp in Vermont past summers, but her parents decided not to let her attend this year because of the pandemic. “Overall, I have managed to get physically stronger and I have also grown to be so much bigger. I feel like a giant at 5’5’’ and I am 125 lbs! My private lessons have helped me tremendously to stay in the game, but I am going to need many more hours on the court, and I miss the routine of being with the kids in my academy.” But as the regional tournament circuit started back up again, Zaretsky was excited to be back and competing in tournaments again. She possesses an aggressive game, and she enjoys going for winners when she has the chance during her matches.

“It doesn’t always work and during matches when I play aggressive, I sometimes start to doubt myself, but I am working hard mentally to not back down against my opponent to try to make the game ‘safer’,” said Zaretsky.”I need to stick with my game, win or lose, and accept the outcome, which can be really hard to do. I feel I am past the age of trying to play safe and wait out my opponent. I can definitely be patient, but this is not how I want to win. I think I am making good progress committing to my aggressive game, but it is something I can improve a great deal and it will need years of work.” That aggressive style of play has Zaretsky competing against girls older than her, and she holds rankings in the 14s, 16s and 18s. Her big hitting should allow her to compete with older and more powerful girls, and she embraces the challenges that will come with it. With big goals and a lot of confidence, Zaretsky wants to begin to compete more consistently against girls older than she is. “Due to the pandemic, it has been a really long time since I have played in those ages. I want to soon play more advanced tournaments in the higher ages. I hope to begin playing in the 14s more seriously before I am 12-years-old.” Brian Coleman is the Senior Editor for New York Tennis Magazine. He may be reached at brianc@usptennis.com.

www.inphormnyc.com

NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2020 • New York Tennis Magazine

The First Set’s a Dream, But The Match Turns Into a Nightmare By Lawrence Kleger Do you ever win the first set easy and lose in three? Of course! It happens to every competitive player at some point in time. The scenario goes something like this… You start the match against a very good player totally pumped-up and ready to kick butt! Your focus and concentration are at their highest levels. You move as though you were gliding on air. You get to every ball and execute each shot to perfection. The ball looks the size of a beach ball and appears to be moving in slow motion. The service boxes on your opponent’s side look like football fields and you make 85 percent of your first serves. Your only bad shot hits the top of the net and dribbles over for a winner. The pros call this being “in the zone,” and you stay “in the zone” for the entire first set; which lasts 12 minutes. You win 6-0 and you’re thinking, “This is great!” The second set begins with you holding serve, as you did in the first set but not without a struggle, 1-0. The next game is a long one in which your opponent records his first ace and you make your first two unforced errors; it’s all tied up 1-1, no big deal. You serve the third game and start with your first double fault. You follow with a volley error and then witness two winners by your opponent that Rafael Nadal would never have returned. Now you’re down 1-2. The fourth game goes to deuce six times and your opponent holds serve when a let cord dribbles over on your side 20

on game point to make it 1-3. You get broken at love and change ends at 1-4 trying to figure out, “Just what is going on?”, you think that you are playing the same as in the first set, but lose the second set 4-6. “I can’t believe I just split sets with this knucklehead that I beat 6-0 in the first set! A score of 6-0 didn’t even indicate how badly I mushed this guy! I was about to play the second set lefty!” You go out to play the third set muttering, “I can’t believe this … I suck!” You know the rest. You lose the third 6-3 and you are at a loss to explain just how it happened. Friends and relatives politely say, “Nice match,” but you just keep telling yourself, “I was up 6-0, 1-0, cruising!” What really happened? Let’s go back to that marvelous first set and look at it objectively. While it was obvious to you that you were tennis perfection, maybe not so obvious was that your opponent’s poor play and/or bad strategy might have contributed to the one-sided score. It is possible that your opponent came out tight and could not establish any rhythm or timing. Maybe your opponent underestimated you, and temporarily, could not find any answers to your shot-making onslaught. Maybe the first set was not a true indication of the relative abilities of the players. Remember that you started the match psyched-up to play “a very good player”. Ask yourself these questions: If you felt like you played a perfect set, isn’t it a little bit unreasonable to expect to play perfect tennis throughout the entire match? Is it not reasonable to expect your opponent,

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2020 • NYTennisMag.com

down a set, to make adjustments and improve his level of play? Would you not expect him to change a losing strategy and to fight harder in the second set? Every match has ebb and flow, peaks and valleys…stretches where you can’t do anything wrong and some where nothing goes right. A good competitor understands this and works hard to maintain an emotional balance. He or she does not become overly seduced by their play “in the zone;” and likewise, does not get mentally down by a stretch of misfortune. The good competitor is always prepared for the unpredictability of a tennis match. They are not intimidated by the possibility of his/her opponent turning it around; he is challenged by it. If he or she wins the first set easy, they expect the next set to be tough. A good competitor never loses respect for an opponent’s ability to compete. When you win an easy first set against a strong opponent, you should acknowledge it and be proud of it, but then expect the rest of the match to be a heck of a lot tougher. If you prepare yourself mentally to win a war, you won’t be thrown so much when you lose any of the battles. Lawrence Kleger is co-director of the John McEnroe Tennis Academy. He is recognized as one of the top developmental coaches in the United States. He has trained more ranked juniors than anyone in the history of the USTA Eastern Section. His students have won numerous National and Regional Championships, and 20 USTA Eastern Year-End Sportsmanship Awards.

They Wanna Have Fun By Khrystsina Tryboi Kids. They are your everything, having inherited your eyes and smile. They look like you, but did they inherit your love for tennis? You want them to fall in love with the game and be willing to pick up a racket, work hard, track the ball and find the point of contact, but are you forgetting something? That something is “Kids just want to have FUN!” With changing technology and an increased percentage of parentcoordinated play, Generation Z kids are less skilled. Long gone are the days when kids just played in the yard with other kids until dark. Kids spend more time on their phones connecting with people than meeting with friends at the playground. As parents and educators, we should understand that when kids start playing sports, most of them do not have the basic skills needed to succeed. We must teach them to run, throw, catch and jump. At the same time, the sport is aging and we are not doing a great job at attracting new players to the game. So, the question is, how do we make tennis America’s favorite game? We are

competing not just with other sports, but also with school activities and technology. It feels like kids do not have the time to just be kids. When was the last time your child ran around the playground with friends, rather than going to an activity organized by you? If we want to attract new lifelong players to the game, we need to remember that kids just want to have fun. They want to know that you care, and not just about the result, but rather, their tennis journey. A modern tennis coach should make practice an unforgettable experience for any player. It should not matter if you are working with a QuickStart beginner or a tennis tournament kid, they all want to improve in a fun, engaging and meaningful way. Here are two simple steps to make sure they are having fun!

along while picking up the balls. These type of tennis memories stay with kids forever and encourage them to come and pick up the racket again and again.

Make it fun Connect with children in a meaningful way … let them explore and improve their skills both on and off the court. Show them that you care about their school, family, other interests and hobbies. We learn from kids all the time. Recently, an Orange Ball group of girls shared that they love Jojo Siwa, so we played her song and sang

Khrystsina Tryboi is currently the director of marketing and a 10U tennis coordinator for MatchPoint NYC. She is a former Division II tennis player from Belarus, and is currently working for MatchPoint NYC in their QuickStart tennis program and is leading their marketing team. She is highly involved with USPTA and USTA to help grow the game.

Focus on the journey, not the end result It takes a village to raise a child and coaches play a major role in helping build character, confidence, self-esteem and social skills. We need to show kids that tennis is a journey and the road to improvement is endless. First and foremost, children should love the game. Being on the court should be, on its own, a happy and rewarding experience. Show them that dedication and hard work will help bring them closer to their goals and that lessons learned in sports will help them win in life.

CHRIS LEWIT TENNIS ELITE COACHING IN THE NYC AREA HIGH PERFORMANCE SUMMER CAMP FULL-TIME TRAINING AND BOARDING IN MANCHESTER, VERMONT

CHRISLEWIT.COM

914.462.2912 CHRIS@CHRISLEWIT.COM

NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2020 • New York Tennis Magazine

The Secret to a Successful Final Step in Under 10 Progression: Green to Yellow Ball Court By David Kilmer and Conrad Singh e have to ask ourselves as coaches: what is the final and key developmental aspect when faced with 10 & Under Players moving to the full court? One dimension which won't change from green ball to performance yellow ball is court size. Players now have to use the full court which brings about a range of new challenges from court coverage to better decision making. Therefore, as a Development Coach, one of our biggest challenges we are facing is the development of efficient movement and, of course, with that comes decision making and the all-important anticipation. Finding ways to develop and challenge these three areas are a daily pursuit for all green ball coaches. The increased court size challenges new green ball players to maintain a consistent contact point and to arrive at the ball in a balanced position, which in turn challenges visual tracking skills and efficient movement patterns to the contact point. It is known that graduated orange ball players are generally capable of making two decisions, and are more proficient moving side-to-side than in-and-

out of the court, or as described by the great Toni Nadal as moving north and south of the baseline. One way to assist in creating consistent strokes through efficient movement for green ball players can be the start of teaching a deeper comprehension of the technique of recovery. Or as we like to call it, players using a full shot cycle which is from: split step, selection step, lead movement, adjustment and balance to final positioning, stroke execution and contact to recovery movements and, finally, return to the split step. Green ball coaches need to stress and teach players to recover to a neutral position—a foot-and-a-half-to-two-feet behind the baseline—giving players a better chance of getting their bodies behind the ball on deep balls, as well as increasing the chances for green ball players to develop offensive skills. Recovering to a neutral position behind the baseline, rather than staying on top of the baseline, gives green ball players space to move forward and create offense due to having recovered back to a neutral position. Many times new green ball players are handcuffed by deep or high balls, hindering them from creating linear energy due to inefficient spacing or from creating

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2020 • NYTennisMag.com

angular momentum by getting back in time to load the legs. Movement patterns that recover to a neutral position also reinforce keeping the feet moving throughout the entire point. It starts to introduce and create awareness of situational recovery based on the results of the ball the player just struck. One simple and effective strategy to build the recovery skill is to use a dot or marker representing the players' “hometown”. Coaches then can easily reference the players' hometown as a cue word for recovery. Kids instantly seem to connect the recovery skill with the hometown dot. It's really enjoyable as a green ball coach to see new green ball players fly around the court finding the ideal contact point through their movement keyed by constant and developing sense of their recovery skills. Conrad Singh is the CEO of Centercourt Tennis Academy, and a Grand Slam Master Tennis Coach, who is an expert in sports science and biomechanics. David Kilmer is a 15-year coaching veteran and is the lead coach of the Centercourt Green Ball program.

adult league

wrap-up USTA Metro Region Adult League Update The Metro Region’s Adult League is back in full-swing with leagues finishing up in the fall as we close out 2020, and with new leagues starting up in the new year in January. Coming In 2021 The following are starting in January: l 40 & Over: Four courts consisting of one singles, three doubles courts, for ages 40 and over l Tri-Level 4.0: Three courts of doubles at the 3.0, 3.5 and 4.0 levels, one level per court l Mixed Doubles 18 & Over, Queens: Three courts of mixed doubles For more information, please contact Christopher Dong, the Adult League Coordinator for the Metro Region at cdong@eastern.usta.com.

Get Your Game On ROSS SCHOOL TENNIS ACADEMY EAST HAMPTON, NY • Integrated academics and training program during the school year • After-school programs for all ages and levels • Private lessons and court rentals • Adult programs for all levels

See details on seasonal programs at ross.org/tennis 631-907-5162 TENNISCENTER@ROSS.ORG

NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2020 • New York Tennis Magazine

USTA Metro Region National Tennis Center Hosts Oktoberfest Event

USTA Eastern hosted a Men’s and Women’s Doubles event at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center called Oktoberfest. The event began with group play before advancing into the playoff rounds. 24

Below are the winners in each of the four divisions: l Men’s 8.0: Doyoung (Steven) Kwon & Billy Kwon l Men’s 9.0: Casey Schnabel & Djonvi Santos

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2020 • NYTennisMag.com

l Women’s 8.0: Susan Bacey & Alyssa Bonadonna l Women’s 9.0: Jackie Clark & Amelie Ekdahl Bozkir

USTA Metro Region Riverside Clay Tennis Hosts JTF Grand Slam Series Event

Players came out to Riverside Clay Tennis Association to compete in the inaugural event of the Grand Slam Series in support of Junior Tennis Foundation. The event featured a Mixed Doubles Open and Mixed

Doubles Combined 8.0 tournament, with all funds raised going to support tennis programming for underserved kids and those with disabilities. Special attendees included former world No. 83 and 2020 USTA Eastern

Hall of Fame Inductee Rick Meyer as well as seven-time Grand Slam champion Liezel Huber, and Meyer presented a $12,500 check to Huber to go towards the Cary Leeds Center’s Youth Intensive Training Program.

NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2020 • New York Tennis Magazine

USTA Metro Region Flex Leagues Return: Great Tennis On Your Terms

Do you want to play but your schedule doesn’t allow you to join a league? Flex League gives you the freedom to play when it’s convenient for you. Flex League is similar to a singles ladder. Once registration closes, the league will be “scheduled”. You can then log in to access a list of opponents and suggested “play by” dates. Matches are arranged directly with your opponent at a mutually agreeable day, time & location. The key to this league is flexibility. If you can only play weekdays—great. If you are only available on weekends, that’s also great! As long as you both agree, it works. If you can't play by the suggested play by date—no worries, just schedule the match by the end of the session. For Manhattan, court costs, if any, are split between opponents. Matches will be timed at one hour. Once the match is played, scores are entered on-line. Scores should be recorded from the winner's perspective—not by the order you appear on the scorecard. 26

Our first indoor indoor season will run from mid-November until the end of February. Players can anticipate 6-10 matches during each session (determined by the number of players in the flight). After playing your match, the results are recorded on-line. USTA membership is not required and Flex League matches do not affect, nor generate, a USTA rating. To register for NYC (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx & Queens), Hudson (NJ), Long Island, Rockland & Westchester Counties, go to https://www.usta.com/en/home/play/play-as-amember/eastern/FlexLeagues.html. Once on the registration page: l Choose your division: Adult Men’s Singles or Adult Women’s Singles l Select the State and then the County you wish to play in. l The registration fee is $35 ($25 for USTA members). For more information about Flex League in these areas, please email flexleague@live.com.

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2020 • NYTennisMag.com

Westhampton, New York Tennis Academy For Sale/Rent Will consider proposal for 1-12 court rentals

TENNIS COURT MAINTENANCE BUSINESS AVAILABLE

142 Montauk Highway l Westhampton, NY 11977 12 Fast Dri Courts

4.4 subdividable acres zoned residential with special use permit for tennis club

$1,250,000

Owner ﬁnancing may be available.

Contact: Peter Kaplan, Broker/Owner PeterKaplan2002@yahoo.com l 914 400 3907 Data/information believed accurate.

NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2020 • New York Tennis Magazine

Brokers protected

By Brian Coleman

coachingspotlight 28

Conrad Singh Centercourt Tennis Academy ennis is the type of sport that spans the entire globe, one that is played all over the world and exists in people’s lives for a lifetime. There is perhaps no one who embodies this more than Conrad Singh, a native of Melbourne, Australia who is the CEO of Centercourt Tennis Academy based in New Jersey. Singh’s teaching philosophy is simple, ‘Teach what’s essential, encourage what is natural, and allow for each individual’, and it’s a motto he has developed over his decades-long experience traveling the world and coaching the game he loves. Singh grew up as a highly competitive junior in Australia during an age in which the nation was producing topflight talent including multiple time Grand Slam finalist Mark Philippoussis. He would go on to win National Championships in high school and college, and graduated with a degree in sports science with a major in biomechanics, which would help become the foundation of his coaching career. “I had already made a decision that I wanted to go into the coaching side of things. I was lucky enough to have a lot of good coaches growing up, and I knew it was something I wanted to do,” he recalls. “When I graduated with a sports science degree, majoring as a biomechanist, I was very fortunate that Tennis Australia recruited me as the Biomechanist for the National Coach Education program. I wrote the book on Advanced biomechanic development for Australian Advanced coaches, and did a lot of lecturing and speaking engagements on that topic. That opened my pathway towards the academic side of tennis, and I was very excited to be a part of that.” But, as Singh says, his journey was far from complete: “Tennis is one of those things that pulls you in different directions.” After moving to Europe and working with some of the top British players for a couple of years as well as travelling extensively on the ITF Circuits, Singh returned home and would eventually work with Australia’s Elite Juniors and numerous Pro Players before opening the first international tennis academy in Australia. Through that, he traveled and worked with a lot of the nation’s top players both on the ATP and WTA tours.

“I started coaching a top 100 player from Japan who was doing very well, and I basically made the decision that I wanted to go abroad again,” said Singh. “I sold my shares in our Melbourne academy, and I moved to Japan where I took over as head coach at the top club in Tokyo. I had about 20 players there who I was working and traveling with. I did that for a few years, and through my traveling, I was in China at an ITF Women’s pro event and met an entrepreneur who was building a huge club in Shanghai. He asked me to come over as the Head Pro and Director of Tennis and to build and implement a range of programs for kids, adults and pros.” Singh’s tennis journey around the globe would continue as he went on to open the China Elite Tennis Academy. There, he worked with All the top players coming through including the Chinese Fed Cup team including two-time Grand Slam champion Li Na, and was integral in growing their tennis development. He expanded his reach into 13 facilities throughout Shanghai as well as being the

Head Coach of a handful of Provincial National Teams. But like Singh said, tennis has a way of pulling you in all different directions, and he would have one more stop to make on this journey. “It came to a point where I was done with China, and I ended up meeting Clay Bibbee, and we discussed Centercourt,” said Singh. “I took a role as COO, Director of Coaching and Head of Performance here at Centercourt. Three years later, as the CEO of Tennis, and we’re really building a very special program here.” Singh is now filtering all of his knowledge and experience into Centercourt, which has eight locations throughout New Jersey, and has been crucial in establishing the program as a destination for top junior tennis players. He uses all of what he has learned during his many coaching stops. And no matter where or who you are coaching, he says there are crucial fundamentals that are important wherever you are in the world. “The two central parts of my coaching philosophy are based on cultural

awareness and cultural understanding, but also based on building relationships,” he said. “I really feel like as a coach, and it’s no different in business, that if you build good relationships with your players then it becomes easier to communicate, whether that’s verbal or body language. I speak Mandarin, Spanish, Japanese and English, and I didn’t speak those before I was in those countries, but I tried to be open and learn which helped me. I would travelling on the road at Tournaments and be in my room using Rosetta Stone, spending time in player lounges writing 20 words down a day just trying to learn. I think that’s important to show you want to be in that culture, no matter where you are.” In addition to being culturally aware and taking the time to show players and parents he truly cares about what he is doing, Singh is also incredibly knowledgeable in the science of sport. “I want to teach through mechanics, and I’ve said the same thing in multiple continued on page 30

WE'VE GOT YOU COVERED Play tennis year round under a Farley bubble. The Farley Group is the world leader in air-supported structures and has provided over 20 tennis bubbles in New York and Long Island. Contact us today to learn about how you can turn your outdoor courts into a year round facility.

www.thefarleygroup.com l info@thefarleygroup.com

1-888-445-3223

NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2020 • New York Tennis Magazine

coaching spotlight continued from page 29 languages. I truly believe in it,” he said. “We don’t want to have three kids in our program who look the same. Despite stylistic differences, mechanics won’t change. Wide base, hip rotation, shoulder separation, etc. All those core things. I’ve tried to embed those into my philosophy.” He has brought all of those things into his work at Centercourt. As someone who has seen top academies all across the world, he and the team at Centercourt are focused on doing just that. “It takes time to build something that’s worthwhile, and we’ve taken the time to do that,” said Singh. “We make sure we have a plan in place before we evolve. Our coaches are outstanding, and that starts with our Managing Partner & Owner Clay Bibbee all the way down. He’s constantly providing the support and that’s so important. That support feeds into the

team we’ve assembled. A big point of difference at Centercourt is our hierarchy of coaching and the structure we’ve put into place…the other things is our facilities. You can have the best of everything in the world, but if you don’t have the software it means nothing. We also have the ultimate Hardware in that our facilities are truly World Class with multiple indoor courts, both clay and hard, as well as an incredible Fitness Institute and the absolute best in trainers and coaches. We also have a full academic program in place to fulfill our mission of developing great athletes and great students.” Singh’s tennis journey has been fascinating, and one that has taken him around the world and culminated with him here in the Northeast of the United States. He has worked with countless professional players, including spending

time on court with greats like Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic during the Shanghai Rolex Masters, a tournament for which his Shanghai academy was the official sponsor for the past 15 years. It’s a journey he could never have imagined when he first began his tennis life in Melbourne, and is a perfect example of where tennis can take you in life. “I definitely didn’t envision at 18-yearsold to do what I’m doing today,” he said. “I dreamed of being an international tennis person, but didn’t know what exactly that would be. At different points I met the right people, and tennis is like that. It sets up an environment where you might come across someone, and next thing you know that presents an opportunity. I’ve been very fortunate with that. I think the most important thing for me was I prepared very well when I was young…It’s been a fun journey and it’s far from over.” Brian Coleman is the Senior Editor for New York Tennis Magazine. He may be reached at brianc@usptennis.com.

CENTERCOURT FULL TIME

TENNIS ACADEMY

FOR STUDENT A AT THLETES ELITE

• Full Time Training with Academic Support

UTR 9+ • Age 13-17

• Individual Player Dev ve elopment Plans

PLATINUM T

UTR 7+ • Age 13-18

• Player Playe yerr//Parent Meetings an a d Progress Reports

GOLD

• Academic Program and T Te ennis

UTR 5-6.9 • Age 11-17

• Internationally-Renowned e Coaches

UTR 3-5 • Age 10-14

• Wo World Class Coaching Sta aff and Training Facilities in Northern NJ • Only 25 Miles f rom NYC

SILVER

FULL TIME

UTR 7+ • Age 13+

FULL TIME TRANSITION UTR 0-4.0 • Age 10+

BRONZE

UTR 0-2.9 • Age 9-12

GREEN BALL EDGE E Age 8-10

• Housing and Transportattion A Av vailable • Offfe ering the Complete Sttudent Athlete Matrix

Conta act Conrad Singh conrad@centercourtclub.com m • +1 862-308-3029 www.centercourtCTA TA .com 30

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2020 • NYTennisMag.com

The Metro Corporate Tennis League presented by Advantage Tennis Clubs is an initiative of the Metrotennis Community Tennis Association (MCTA). The league is divided into three levels of play, Intermediate (3.03.5), Advanced Intermediate (4.0 – 4.5) and Advanced (4.5+). They have also launched a Hi-Five program for teams that are not ready to compete but want to get into the sport while getting a great workout or just need to get the rust off their racquets. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic they’ve reduced the number of teams for the fall 2020 season. They’ve also implemented

“Safe Play Regulations” to minimize player contact. Moreover, the league is abiding by the Racquet Clubs’ strict safety guidelines to prevent infections. The season will run from October to December, culminating with the playoffs at Roosevelt Island Racquet Club. Please welcome new teams, Brown Harris Stevens to the league. For more information regarding the league, please visit www.metrotennis.com under tab labeled, “corporate” or e-mail Luis@metrotennis.com.

NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2020 • New York Tennis Magazine

2020 NEW YORK TENNIS MAGAZINE’S

Coaches Roundtable Discussion he local tennis community boasts some of the top coaches in the world, and with this wealth of talent available,New York Tennis Magazine took the opportunity to pick the brains of some of these coaches. These coaches share their thoughts on a wide variety of tennis topics and issues, ranging from junior tennis to the professional game.

Meet the participants … Ricardo Acioly is a director at the Evert Tennis Academy. He is a former member of the Brazilian Davis Cup Team who was ranked in the top 50 in the ATP doubles rankings. Ricardo has coached several top players including Marcelo Rios and Gabriela Sabatini. He served as Davis Cup Captain for Brazil for six years, and during his tenure as the team captain, reached the semifinal in the World Group. Ricardo has also served as a director on the ATP board of directors and is a two-time member of the ATP Player Council.

ITF tournaments, before going on to play college tennis at Asa College in Miami.

Gilad Bloom, former Israeli Davis Cup player and two-time Olympian, played on the ATP Tour 1983-1995, reached the fourth round of the U.S. Open in 1990, reached a highest ranking of 61 in singles, was Israel Singles Champion three times. Bloom has been running his own tennis program since 2000 and also was director of tennis at John McEnroe Tennis Academy for two years.

Eric Faro is the Director at Gotham Tennis Academy. He grew up in Riverdale and played in the top singles spot at Horace Mann, and went on to play in the top spot at Ohio State University. He has an extensive coaching background at both Stadium Tennis and the Central Park Tennis Center.

Tawhid Choudhury is a tennis professional at New York Tennis at Great Neck. He grew up playing in different programs in New York City, while competing in national and international 32

Jay Devashetty is the Director of Player Development for the Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning. He spent nine years as a national coach for the USTA based in New York where he was responsible for implementing the USTA teaching philosophy to top national juniors and pro players. He coached Kristie Ahn to the second week of the U.S. Open in 2019, and Ann Li to the Wimbledon Junior finals in 2017.

Petar Fox is a Tennis Professional and the Junior Player Coordinator at Midtown Tennis Club. Before he came to New York he taught in Los Angeles and has experience teaching junior and adult programs.

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2020 • NYTennisMag.com

Jason Joseph is the Chair of the USPTA Eastern's Education Committe. He is a USTA Net Generation Coach and a Master Performance Coach who is endorsed by both the United States and Canadian Olympic Committees. He is the Head Racquets Professional at Park Country Club and the Director of the Academy at Hamburg Racquet Club. Ed Krass coached the Harvard Women’s Tennis Team to four consecutive Ivy League titles from 1986-1990. Ed is the founder and director of the Annual College Tennis Exposure Camps, which are taught exclusively by all head college coaches for high school-aged players (15-18). Ed is also the founder of One-On-One Doubles tournaments, which have been played at USTA, ATP, ITA and USPTA national events. Chris Lewit is a former number one for Cornell and a pro circuit player. He is a highperformance coach, educator, and the author of two best-selling books: The Secrets of Spanish Tennis and The Tennis Technique Bible. He has coached numerous top 10 nationally-ranked

2020 NEW YORK TENNIS MAGAZINE’S

Coaches Roundtable Discussion players and is known for his expertise in building the foundations of young prodigies. Chris trains players during the school year in the NYC area, and players come from around the country to his summer camp in the paradise of Vermont. Ognen Nikolovski is the general manager of CourtSense and director of tennis at Bogota Racquet Club. He is a former top junior from Yugoslavia who went on to play college tennis at Rollins College where he became an all-American. He went on to become a world-ranked singles and doubles player on the ATP Tour and was

a captain of the Macedonia Davis Cup team. He joined CourtSense in 2008 where his passion and experience has become instrumental in developing the program. Jay Pinho is the head professional of 10U and High-Performance at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. He is a USPTA elite professional, a former NCAA Division I coach and player, and has specialized in developing competitive junior players over the past decade. Currently, he is the private coach of three national champions and a WTA touring pro.

Bogdan Sheremet is a former top junior player from Ukraine and is now a tennis professional at MatchPoint NYC in Brooklyn. Michael Ward is the General Manager of Sportime Randall’s Island and John McEnroe Tennis Academy. Ward graduated from Mississippi College in 2007 where he was named a National ITA Scholar Athlete and All-Conference selection. He joined Sportime and JMTA in 2016.

NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2020 • New York Tennis Magazine

2020 NEW YORK TENNIS MAGAZINE’S

Coaches Roundtable Discussion The roundtable ...

College recruiting is always a difficult process, never more so than right now. What is some advice you have for players navigating this process during a pandemic? Acioly: The overall tournament schedule has been greatly reduced so lots of kids are worried about not being able to compete and raise their UTR. But this can be seen as an opportunity to work on one's game and develop and/or improve aspects that would probably not be done under a regular tournament schedule. Hitting the books to raise GPA and preparing a good college video are good things to do at this time and everyone has the challenge to take the initiative to communicate and be in the radar of College Coaches as much as possible. Krass: My advice to players/recruits during this pandemic is to pay close attention to all CDC guidelines while playing, travelling and competing. I know in person recruiting is heavily restricted, so play the best events available to you to show your interest in improving and competing. If you stop competing in tournaments altogether, due to the pandemic, then coaches will need to judge you on just past results. Producing a current matchplay video, against a comparable 34

UTR level player, in a set, unedited except for the dead time, will speak volumes to your level. I offer my Exposure Camps/Clinics outdoors to add an even better opportunity for college tennis recruitment. Try to get college coaches to watch you play at a tournament, camp and on video. Keep your letters of interest short and to the point and keep updating coaches on your progress. Hopefully, in due time, you will be able to visit your top college tennis choices to where coaches are also interested in you. Nikolovski: The pandemic has definitely made college recruiting a different process than before, as for the most part, college coaches are not able to travel and therefore watch players live, however in some sense it has made the college coaches more accessible then before as they have more time to communicate with potential players through email and phone. The main suggestion would be that players contact the coaches and make sure that they let them know what they have been doing tennis wise, what tournaments they plan to play, and if they have the ability to send videos of real match scenarios that would be even better. Showing a strong desire to communicate during these times goes a long way with the

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2020 • NYTennisMag.com

coaches, especially if they see that the players are sticking to their training and tournament schedules as much as they can, and that the motivation to keep getting better has not been affected. Ward: It is a great time to focus on tournament play whenever possible to give coaches more tangible results and rankings since they are even less likely to see in person play with covid. UTR tournaments are prevalent right now and it’s a great time to both practice competing and improve the UTR rating. The John McEnroe Tennis Academy is hosting UTR tournament play every weekend in addition to some USTA events. This is also the time to perfect your college video and put yourself in the best possible position. How do you feel about on-court coaching, and at which levels should it be allowed? Bloom: This is a tough one for me. I believe that tennis is unique because of the no coaching rule; it forces the player to think independently beginning at a young age. I would hate to change that, however, I acknowledge that the times are changing and that this is inevitable. I think that allowing coaching at the

2020 NEW YORK TENNIS MAGAZINE’S

Coaches Roundtable Discussion beginning of each set for one minute can be useful but it definitely should not be allowed after every point, and the coach should not be allowed on the court. Lewit: It’s a controversial issue—and I know I will upset traditionalists—but I’m a huge believer in on-court coaching. I’ve written a lot about it and we have done episodes on my podcast, The Prodigy Maker Show, on this exact topic. At the junior level, it’s a child welfare issue. Most children are not emotionally or developmentally ready for long tennis matches without psychological support from a coach or parent. Some kids are naturally tough, but many young kids would benefit greatly from support from a coach. It’s a healthy way to improve the junior sport of tennis. We lose many children to other sports where they receive coach support and are much happier. At the pro level, on-court coaching is just more entertaining. Bottom line. And on court coaching is already part of the culture of college tennis. Pinho: I am in favor of on-court coaching during tournaments. I believe that this practice could not only speed up the learning curve on a wide range of aspects for the players, but it can also create a better experience for juniors. Our sport has a high turnover in terms of juniors playing tournaments, and having the presence of a coach on-court could provide a less intimidating scenario for players who are starting or who are young, thus potentially increasing the chances that this player would "stick around" for the long-term. While I understand and respect the nature of our sport, where two individuals (in the case of singles) have to problem solve on their own and mitigate the ups and downs of a

match, I also feel that having a progression where players start with more help and then become more independent as they mature (both as a player and an individual) would be the best approach. I also understand the argument that wealthier families/players that could afford a coach during events could end up having a competitive advantage over those who cannot afford it. However, isn't that the case in many other sports too, where we have teams that have trained coaches and others are coached by parents? While I acknowledge this potential competitive advantage, I think the pros outweigh the cons in this case. How do you deal with a student who shows poor sportsmanship on the court and/or a negative attitude? Acioly: At ETA, we work to instill a culture to involve all students in a conversation with the purpose that they take ownership of the process to identify positive and negative behaviors that are then set as guidelines for everyone. That way it is easier for a student to identify the consequences of his or her actions and how it impacts themselves and the group as a whole. On an individual basis we try to identify specific things that are causing this behavior to happen and give the student tools to deal with the issue, always trying to inspire him or her to improve, grow and reach maturity. Devashetty: When players show bad sportsmanship/negative attitude, it’s their way of dealing with their frustrations and pressures. The first step would be to talk to the player and educate them on a better way to deal with it and also come up with a mutually agreed upon consequence

for continued negative behavior. After that it's important to keep the player accountable for those standards. Fox: I always try to motivate the players and encourage sport ethics on the court at all times. As a pro I want to lead by example and portray positivity. Nikolovski: Good sportsmanship on the court is one of the most important attributes of our sport, and it is extremely important that it is practiced at all times that the player is on the court. When the student shows poor sportsmanship the first thing that the coach has to understand is why and where this behavior comes from. Depending on the reason(s) then the coach can decide how to deal with it, but in general the most important thing is that the player before stepping on the court understands what is good sportsmanship, what is poor sportsmanship and what are the consequences for showing poor sportsmanship. In most cases when the players are aware of this, then it is much easier for the coach to deal with it as ultimately the coaches job is to hold the player accountable and act accordingly depending on the level of poor sportsmanship that the player is showing. If the coach is consistent with the messages it gives to the players, the issue of poor sportsmanship goes away pretty quickly, especially if the consequence for the same offence gets more severe each time it happens. 2020 has been a challenging year on many fronts. As a tennis coach, how have you adapted your coaching style to coincide with this new socially-distant world we live in? Choudhury: Since the pandemic a few things have changed in terms of

NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2020 • New York Tennis Magazine

2020 NEW YORK TENNIS MAGAZINE’S

Coaches Roundtable Discussion how coaches can teach. For example we try to keep a distance at all times while we feed balls or play games but if we must come close to the clients then we have our masks on and we keep six feet apart . Other than that tennis can be taught and played at a distance so it doesn't affect our teaching styles too much. Faro: Working more with teaching equipment, such as cones, discs, ladders and others to help separating the students. And then limiting the hand-feeding and focus more on racquet feeding from the other side of the net or incorporating more rallying with the coach initiating the rally. Nikolovski: I believe that in general we have been lucky as we did not have to adapt much in our coaching style simply because the social distancing guidelines are much easier to apply in tennis. When working with higher performance players the adjustments have been minor as the ratios on the court are very small, so other than reminding the players to stay away from each other and wearing a mask off the court there has not been much change as the on court operations have been pretty much the same. The biggest adjustment dealing with HP players has been just making sure that players keep staying just as motivated as during pre-pandemic times, and with the beginner and lower intermediate level players, it has been more about adjusting certain drills, so players can make corrections on their own more by visual instruction rather than sometimes helping with personal contact. Pinho: In addition to complying with governmental mandates and USTA guidelines, this period was an opportunity to tackle "technical 36

projects" with some of my players. We know how difficult it is to make changes when players are competing on most weekends, so this presented an opportunity to work on specific areas without the players being so concerned about taking a half step back to then take two steps forward. The use of at home activities was also a valuable addition to the mix, which made me and the players more creative in finding ways to improve with the tools that were available at the time. Ward: The first challenge was the amount of time away from the sport for so many of our players. We coordinated with our athletic department to ease players back in to prevent injury as much as possible. Additionally, safety on court has always been top priority, but now we have reimagined protocols for private lessons and small group training. I am coaching mostly through a mask which is important, but unfortunately I’m without expression and less able to work hands on or close up with players. To combat these challenges, I have worked harder than ever on video and am relying more on reviewing footage with our players.

play at a distance even doubles and singles. Fox: Absolutely. I feel people are eager to have physical activities right now and tennis is definitely a great option. As an individual and naturally socially-distant sport, tennis is a social, physical and intellectual game making it ideal during these times. Joseph: Tennis is primed, as a socially-distant sport, to see an increase in participation. I am amazed how many people are playing the sport, especially those that have not played for a number of years or even never played at all. I was (safely) coaching at a public park with 12 courts throughout the spring and summer and I was amazed at seeing the number of players who needed to wait for a court. It took me back to my childhood in the early 90s, the last time I have seen anyone having to wait for a court at a public facility. Lewit: Yes—tennis has already seen a modest uptick. I own a high performance club in Manchester, Vermont, for example, and my coaches have seen an increase in kids and adults looking for tennis lessons. Folks see tennis as a healthy activity that is safe during the pandemic.

As a socially-distant sport, do you think tennis will see an uptick in participation due to the pandemic and lack of other competitive sports available? Choudhury: Yes I believe so because most people are starting to realize that the pandemic has been harshly affecting their health. People want to stay active but are afraid to go to an enclosed space like a gym or go and bump bodies playing sports like basketball, football, soccer, etc. Tennis is the perfect sport for these times because of the fact that we can

What are the most commonly asked questions you receive from parents? Choudhury: A lot of parents usually ask about my background and how I was introduced to this sport. Many times I'm also asked what their child can improve and I try to do my best to help when asked these questions. Faro: Are my kids safe and does your club have a COVID protocol in place? Do the students have to wear mask while playing? How do you keep the students socially distant during the session?

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2020 • NYTennisMag.com

2020 NEW YORK TENNIS MAGAZINE’S

Coaches Roundtable Discussion Fox: Parent inquiries are mostly about their child’s level and group placement. They have many questions about the various ball colors and use of the mini nets versus the full court classes and junior racquet sizes. This semester there are many questions regarding COVID-19 safety protocol and class size. Krass: The biggest two questions that parents want to ultimately have answers for is: What schools might my son or daughter thrive both academically and athletically? How can we better understand how the college tennis recruiting process works? Who do you think is the greatest tennis player ever and why? Bloom: The right answer to this question is FedereNadalKovic. But seriously, the Big Three have changed the way we look at great champions, setting the bar so high. Next to their achievements, phenoms like Borg and even Sampras are left behind. The only one who could be considered as great as the Big Three is Rod Laver who won the calendar Grand Slam twice, something that even the Big Three didn’t do. Laver surely would have reached a higher number of major titles than his 11 had he not turned pro, in those days they banned you from the majors if you took money. That, of course, looks ridiculously hypocritical today since the four major tournaments pay players more than $60,000 to players who lose in the first-round. Theoretically, he could have gotten to 20 major singles titles like Roger and Rafa, and since he won all four majors in the same year twice, I’d put him in that mix. Devashetty: In the women’s game it’s hard to argue against Serena... so that

would be my pick. The combination of sheer athleticism, power, grit and longevity makes her the G.O.A.T. In the men’s game, the current Big Three are probably the best group of players to have ever played the game. To pick just one, let’s circle back once the dust settles. Joseph: I really cannot answer that question with detail. I just know that we are fortunate to have such superstars playing in front of our eyes like Serena and Venus, Roger, Rafa, and Novak. To have so many players who push the boundaries of the record books in our lifetime is very special and we should appreciate that. Pinho: Roger Federer is the best one ever in my view. While Rafa and Novak may end up with more Grand Slam titles, Roger has many other accomplishments that are unlikely to be surpassed. Furthermore, I feel that he is not only a more complete player but also the most "plastic" tennis player ever. On top of that, he's arguably one of the best role models ever from the sport world, which elevates the image of our sport as a whole. Rafa would be a close second on that "race" though. Sheremet: I like Roger Federer life story. Watching him play and winning so many tournaments and breaking so many records was really inspiring for me and my generation. Everyone was trying to copy him, starting with his hairstyle and finishing trying to hit his backhand like him. What is more inspiring is the fact that Roger looks so cold-minded, stable and precise on a court now, which is different from how he looked in his early years (reckless, impulsive, unstable). I think he is the best example of how a human is capable to bring a sport to a highest possible

level by starting to build your personality and character first. How can we as a tennis industry make sure that tennis becomes more accessible and inclusive, and that the landscape of the sport can be more diverse? Acioly: Nowadays, kids and adults can start playing with beginner methods that really deliver a good result in terms of an easier and faster way of learning, which in turn helps retention. Public facilities and their respective programs should receive the incentive to apply these methods across the country via a subsidized program. Bloom: In the USA, tennis on the men’s side has been suffering in the last two decades. I think this is mainly because of the decline in popularity due to a lack of big name Americans, someone who would capture the imagination of the young kids who start playing the game and provide the inspiration to choose tennis over the many team sports. On the women’s side, our situation is much better. The emergence of the Williams Sisters sparked a generation of girls that are following their footsteps. In fact, American women are keeping up very nicely with the never ending flow of Eastern European players that keep emerging. I think that in women’s tennis we are getting the top tier talent, but not on the men’s side. One major reason is of course the price of lessons and equipment; it is predominantly an upper middle class sport, we need to get the kids who come from the lower income families and other great athletes, most of them don’t even consider tennis as an option. This should change. Devashetty: I would say the community programs play a key role

NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2020 • New York Tennis Magazine

2020 NEW YORK TENNIS MAGAZINE’S

Coaches Roundtable Discussion in this. Also introducing tennis into the public/charter school’s athletic curriculum and having more team events could play a big role in tennis becoming more inclusive and diverse. Joseph: Oh, the million dollar question of how to make tennis more accessible and inclusive. I really do not have an answer for that, except that we need to widen our horizons with seeing what other tennis national governing bodies do to increase participation from a large scope of populations. Tennis Canada and the KNLTB in the Netherlands have wideranging wheelchair tennis programs. The VTV Tennis Vlaanderen is exceptional in promoting the fun and passion of tennis and physical development to young children, while Tennis Australia promotes an indigenous participation program, with top player Ashleigh Barty as a model for others, and the U.S. has numerous, wide-ranging tennis autism programming to tap into. I think we all really need to open our eyes and our minds and look to communicate with others who have been successful in other ventures to help promote the participation and inclusivity of the sport that we love. Lewit: The main reason that tennis is still exclusive is because it is too expensive to play. Until the game becomes cheaper to train and play, the sport will always be out of reach for many families. Some countries, like Spain for example, have been able to keep down the cost of training and the result is a surge in participation rates. Tennis is a truly awesome sport, but the financial hurdles to play will always deter families of modest means. Concerning diversity, we are in a great place due to the success of so many athletes from diverse 38

backgrounds and regions. The recent successes of African-American players, and superstars from Asia, Europe and South America for example, ensure a broad ethnic diversity at the top of the game. Those superstars in turn drive participation by minority players and families at the grassroots level. There are no high school sports this fall and winter. What’s your advice for high school players on staying motivated and maintaining training during these months? Faro: I encourage them to still get out and practice and definitely motivate them to participate in some of the tournaments that are still going on. I also want to give them a positive outlook in the future where high school tennis will be played again and make sure they keep those positive thoughts alive. Sheremet: The USTA has organized tournaments which are happening in risk-free environments and under strict safety protocol. Thanks to USTA, kids can compete while performing their favorite sport. It is a great opportunity for high school tennis players to continue training despite their cancelled fall season. Players will survive and adapt to the new normal, and be stronger when the season returns. Ward: Being a part of a team and competing for more than yourself is incredible preparation for college tennis, so even in a world where junior tennis tournaments primarily trump high school tennis commitments for many juniors, I advocate for juniors representing their high school and playing on the tennis team. Not having high school tennis competition is another loss during

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2020 • NYTennisMag.com

covid, but I’m encouraging our players to play UTR and USTA events and I was excited that many of them competed with a partner in the Empire Cup recently. For players who may not play as many individual junior tennis tournaments and have worked solely for the high school tennis team, this is a great opportunity to break from competition and work on building the game in practice lessons and groups and possibly entering some tournaments for the first time.

COMING IN JANUARY 2021

Distribution scheduled for 01/08/21

This edition will feature: • Guide to the Top Clubs & Programs • Travel Destination Guide Feature • 2021 Australian Open Preview • 2020 Year in Review/2021 Preview

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 2021! Facebook-www.Facebook.com/NYTennisMag Instagram-@NYTennisMag • Twitter-@NYTennisMag Submissions for both advertising and editorial are due by December 2020 NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2020 • New York15, Tennis Magazine 39 For more information, please call 516-409-4444 or e-mail Advertise@NYTennisMag.com

The Return of the Return of Serve By Mike Williams The battle between the serve and return is a quintessential case of an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object, and this clash of styles has given us some epic matchups over the years. Every tennis player wants the biggest serve on the block. Who doesn’t want to pop one off, maybe two aces per service game and throw in a service winner or two? It’s tennis with no mess, and no fuss. Right? Not so fast! In singles, we serve half of the match and we only serve a quarter of the time in doubles. Given this truth, I will argue that the return is the most important stroke in tennis, yet players only dedicate a small portion of their practices to its development. Players such as Jimmy Connors, Andre Agassi, Chris Evert and Novak Djokovic, to name a few, have become legends by dedicating themselves to the craft of the return, striking fear into some of the biggest and baddest servers of all time. Here are five steps to tipping the return game in your favor : Clear your mind Returning a serve is an event. Everything else that has occurred previous to this moment should be put out of your mind in order to give yourself the best chance of winning this next point. You never know when or where the breaking point of your opponent will happen. It may take a rip40

ping return or it could be a squeaker that barely makes it over the net. Take a couple of deep breaths and get yourself into an athletic “ready” position. You never know what you are going to get and you just have to be ready for it. Anticipation A common characteristic that the great returners possess is the ability to anticipate where the server is going next. As the match progresses, you should be able to get a better understanding of which is your opponent’s favorite serve. Do they like to hit it to the “T,” or do they prefer the wide serve? They will most likely go to their best serve in the biggest moments and you will be there waiting for it. Shorten your back swing The return of serve stroke is really a hybrid. A cross between a volley and a groundstroke. It takes a ball traveling at 100 miles per hour approximately a halfa-second to cover the 78 feet from baseline to baseline. That’s little more than the time it takes to blink your eyes and certainly not enough time to take much of a backswing. I teach my students to prepare like a volleyer (using a volley backswing), keeping the follow through after they’ve struck the ball. The short backswing ensures that they have ample time to connect with the ball and the follow through will help control the ball by keeping the ball on the strings. Pick your target early Knowing where you’d like to go will keep the process simple by eliminating as many variables as possible. A common

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2020 • NYTennisMag.com

misconception for returners is to play the return without any notion of where they want to hit the ball. I like to have a plan going into each return point. I may choose to return the ball down the middle of the court, or I may decide that I’m going to hit it up the line. In either case, I have an idea where I want to go when the ball arrives and I will do my best to execute the plan knowing that I can make an adjustment if I need to. Determination There is nothing more frustrating for a big server than to hit their best serve only to have it come back again and again. The goal for any returner should be to make the server play each point. As the returner, you are in a reactionary situation. You cannot directly control what the server is going to do, or how they will perform from point to point. But forcing the server to play each point will have a cumulative psychological impact over the course of the match. So get out there and practice your return of serve each time you play. Keep at it and you never know when “your break” will come. Mike Williams is a tennis professional at Roosevelt Island Racquet Club. He captained the Clemson University tennis team and played on the Satellite Tour following his collegiate career. He has more than 20 years of coaching experience and is dedicated to helping players of all levels by focusing on the fundamentals of the game. He can be reached at MWilliams@AdvantageTennisClubs.com.

Reality and Fantasy By Rohan Goetzke Being a tennis coach necessitates a unique ability to connect with the player. Tennis is a game of skill, strength and strategy. As a coach, the challenge is to guide a player to perform their best in all of those aspects and then come back the next day reaching for more. As in any sport, there is that elite group of athletes at the top that we are inspired by. Those players, whose names are all too familiar, impress and amaze us with their talent and passion for the sport. They are, if not heroes of the sport, symbolic of what can be achieved. In a tennis training center, from technically fine-tuning a swing, to tweaking a serve, to inspiring a player's game strategy, one of the most pressing issues for coaches is balancing a player's expectation of what they are capable of doing at that moment and what they would love to be able to do. If you have been around the game long enough, it is evident how the top professional players are influencing the game style for the rest of us. From the powerful ground shots, to exceptional movement, penetrating serves, and the return of serve, watching a match is often a truly inspiring event. Now consider that junior player who just saw an astonishing match and decides to try that spectacular first serve or to make every shot a winner.

What's the big deal? Well, the big deal is that junior players are trying to hit the same balls as the professionals and forgetting what they are physically, if not emotionally, capable of. And the result is often trying to hit too hard, trying for too many winners, which often results in unforced errors. They often attempt to serve too hard or possess too great a sense of urgency to end the point rather than work the point. All-the-while, the player is only 5'4", they are playing entirely the wrong style of game, and so they become negative and begin a downward spiral. We all know working on fundamentals is critical for development and that the more solid and developed the mechanics, the lower the chances are that things will fall apart under pressure. It is also important to factor in that players progress and mature physically and emotionally at different rates and at different stages in their training. While many coaches focus on an allcourt game, young players need to work more on their serve and also their return of serve. I personally believe that these elements are often overlooked and undertrained. Achieving a higher percentage of first serves, and in the return game trying to make as many first serve returns and do more with the second serve return, are elements that need more attention. Learning how to work the point—when to rally, open the court up or hit the ball deep or deep and down the middle, and not

always going for winners—needs to be a training priority. The professionals play long points and shifting to that mindset can help a young player progress. In today's world of tennis, coaching needs to focus even more on balancing the expectations of players with their own personal reality, addressing with players and parents how to formulate clear goals that take into account the age and physical capabilities of the player, all while accepting that there is a learning curve. While watching other players or professional matches are useful training tools, each player needs to stay true to himself and his own game. Those flashy shots that younger players are trying to emulate won't win the match, but a commitment to playing a point properly and competing hard will. It might be a cliché, but there really aren't any short cuts to the top, so train hard and don't forget to enjoy the ride. Rohan Goetzke is the Director of High Performance at Bogota Racquet Club. He began his tennis career in Australia and competed on the professional circuit in Australian and European tournaments, before taking a coaching opportunity at a private tennis club in Belarus. After that, he rose up the ranks of the Dutch Tennis Federation as Technical Director and National Head Coach. He has coached top players such as Richard Krajicek and Mario Ancic, helping the former win the Wimbledon singles title in 1996.

NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2020 • New York Tennis Magazine

comeback complete continued from page 20

2020 FRENCH OPEN RECAP

Nadal Wins 13th French Open Title: Is He The Greatest of All-Time? By Robbie Werdiger

Photo Credit: Corinne Dubreuil/FFT

The King of Clay reigns supreme, and he added more silver to his royal collection this fall. Under a closed roof in the newly remodeled Philippe Chatrier Stadium, Rafael Nadal handed Novak Djokovic a 60, 6-2, 7-5 defeat in the 2020 French Open

Final. Without losing a set, Rafa claimed his 20th grand slam title, tying Roger Federer for the most all-time. It was a strange French Open. Normally played in the spring, the tournament was moved to the end of September due to the adjusted COVID-19 schedule. The

November Educational Webinars Dates: • Tuesday, November 5th Jeremy Rosen: Tennis Analytics • Tuesday, November 12th Joseph Gravagna: How Can Digital Marketing Help Grow Your Club Using SEO, Google AdWords, and Social Media. • Tuesday, November 24th Jason Joseph and Jason Spiers: Progressions in Progressive (10U) Tennis

Please contact: jason.joseph.tennis@gmail.com for more information USPTA is accredited by the USTA USPTA.com/getyoursix NOTE: In January 2021 the USTA Eastern Annual Conference will be a virtual conference. Please register for this year's conference as soon as possible.

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2020 • NYTennisMag.com

conditions were challenging for the players. Temperatures were cold, the clouds never seemed to leave, and the wind howled. “The conditions are the most difficult for me ever for so many different facts. The ball is completely different—super slow and heavy. Slow conditions, the preparations have been less than usual. But I’m here to fight. I’ll try to find the positive vibes,” said Nadal on media day. The final started as expected, with Djokovic up 40-15 on his serve in the first game. From there, things were one-sided. Nadal broke serve and played heavy, consistent balls to win every game of the set, handing the world number one his first bagel ever in a major final. Overall, the Spaniard played a near-perfect final, and after the match, Djokovic admitted that “he did surprise me with the way he was playing, the quality of tennis he was producing.” Djokovic continuously called upon his signature drop shot to disrupt Nadal’s rhythm, but it was to no avail. The Spaniard had an impeccable plus-minus of plusseventeen, smacking 31 winners compared to a mere 14 unforced errors. While Djokovic

2020 FRENCH OPEN RECAP was surely outplayed, he had a disappointing performance, as he admitted during the trophy ceremony, hitting an uncharacteristic 52 unforced errors. Looking to hoist the second French Open title of his career, the Djoker appeared to be in prime form. He had won every tournament he played this year besides the 2020 U.S. Open, which holds an unforgettable asterisk. In the Round of 16 against Pablo Carreno Busta, a frustrated Djokovic smacked a ball at the back fence, unintentionally hitting a lineswoman in the throat leading to his immediate disqualification. Djokovic and the tennis world couldn’t believe the opportunity he had forfeited, having the chance to play a grand slam without Roger [Federer] or Rafa in the draw and gain an advantage over both players in the coveted Grand Slam titles race. Djokovic returned to action a few weeks later and won the prestigious Rome masters title, notably on edge and playing with tremendous self-pressure and focus, which usually pushes the Serb to play his best tennis. Djokovic carried the momentum into Paris, cruising to the semifinals after only having lost one set. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Nadal made a big decision in deciding to opt-out of the New York bubble required for players competing in the Western & Southern and U.S. Opens, both held at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. While most players on tour regained their rhythm after the COVID-19 break on the Flushing Meadows hard courts, the Mallorcan trained on clay at his academy during that time, preparing for Roland Garros. Nadal certainly had rest and rhythm on his side as the remainder of the tour players had to fly over to Europe and had to adjust to competing on a different surface less than three weeks after the U.S. Open’s conclusion. In the end, Nadal’s decision resulted in a Grand Slam victory while Djokovic sadly was unable to capture an eighteenth major title after starting the year off so strong. Nadal, Federer, and Djokovic fans all argue over who is the

greatest player of all-time, and the Grand Slam title race is often regarded as the most crucial statistic in answering such a difficult question. Federer led both greats in Grand Slams throughout his career, but for the first time, he is no longer leading. Federer acknowledges that he may very well end up third all-time behind Nadal and Djokovic. In an interview in Dubai at the start of 2020, Federer remarked, “Now, at the end, if somebody else would pass you, I mean, I guess it’s OK, because that’s what sports is all about. It’s a lot about numbers. It’s a lot about records. But I had my moment and I always said everything that comes after 15 was, anyway, a bonus.” Nadal views the scenario no differently than Federer. In an interview in May with the Spanish Daily La Voz de Galicia, Nadal admitted: “Even if Federer or Djokovic finishes with more Grand Slam finals than me, it won’t affect my happiness ten years from now.” These similar words from two friendly rivals signify why the tennis world loves Rafa and Roger, primarily because of their humility and class. On the other spectrum, Djokovic has struggled to receive the same kind of love as his two foes. Many people simply don’t

find Djokovic’s game that interesting, other people find Djokovic arrogant. His take on the Grand Slam chase is quite different from the two players he is chasing. After the French Open, he was quoted by Sport Klub in Serbia admitting: "My desire is still huge. Secondly, I've still got the same professional goals— the historic No.1 ranking (most weeks at number one) and Grand Slam titles. If I achieve the former, for which I have the better chance, as I intend to do next year, I will give all my attention to the Grand Slam tournaments." As tennis fans, we are privileged to witness three of the greatest players of alltime battle it out throughout their careers. Nadal added one more Grand Slam to his count at this year’s French Open, but only time will tell how the leader board will look when all is said and done. Robbie Werdiger is a freshman at Georgetown University. A former standout at Horace Mann High School, Werdiger has competed on the national junior stage and has achieved USTA Rankings of top 25 in the eastern section in numerous age groups. Additionally, Robbie has represented team USA at the world Maccabiah Games in Israel in 2017, the third largest international sporting event in the world.

NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2020 • New York Tennis Magazine

2020 FRENCH OPEN RECAP Photo Credit: Corinne Dubreuil/FFT

Swiatek Completes Flawless Paris Run By Brian Coleman

olish teenager Iga Swiatek shocked the world earlier this fall with a truly dominating fortnight in Paris, France. Swiatek became the first player from Poland ever to win a Grand Slam and did so in grand fashion in the City of Love. “Even though you’re really young and you’re an underdog, you can do a lot in a sport like tennis,” said Swiatek. “On one hand, it’s pretty inspiring. Sometimes I caught myself visualizing that I’m also winning a Grand Slam. But on the other hand, it was also really far away. Right now I’m here and I’m a Grand Slam champion. It’s crazy.” Swiatek’s run at Roland Garros culminated with a 6-4, 6-1 win over American Sofia Kenin, the reigning Australian Open champion, as she captured her first ever WTA title in dominating style. “You believe in things, but in the back of your head you

know that there’s going to be a huge amount of work that you have to do to win that,” she added. “Then after two weeks of great playing, you already have it. It’s just overwhelming.” When looking at Swiatek’s numbers during her two weeks in Paris it’s as shocking as it is impressive. For someone who had never won a WTA title prior to Roland Garros, she looked like a seasoned vet in her demolition of any opponent who came in front of her. Swiatek did not drop a set all tournament long, becoming the first woman to do so since Justine Henin in 2007, and she entered the tournament ranked 54th in the world, making her the lowest-ranked woman to win the French title since the tour’s computer rankings began in 1975. In addition, she lost just 28 games in her entire two weeks, tied for the second-fewest ever. She attributed much of her success to a loose attitude and

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2020 • NYTennisMag.com

2020 FRENCH OPEN RECAP

going for her shots. “I just did everything I’ve done in the previous rounds,” she said after defeating Kenin in the finals. “I focused on technique and tactics. I tried to get rid of expectations, just play one ball after another. I didn’t really care if I’m going to lose or win. I think the main key was just keeping my expectations low.” In the finals, Swiatek blasted 25 winners to just 17 unforced errors, and broke Kenin six times in her nine chances. “She obviously played a really good match,” said Kenin. “She’s really hot right now, playing some really great tennis.” Swiatek now becomes the latest young tennis star on the women’s side, joining the likes of Kenin, Naomi Osaka and Bianca Andreecu, and she is still a teenager until May 2021. She has also become a hero to many in her native Poland, being the nation’s first Grand Slam champion, which earned her praise from the country’s biggest sporting star, soccer player Robert Lewandowski, and comparisons to now-retired

Agnieszka Radwanska, who once climbed to as high as No. 2 in the world rankings. “I just feel like I kind of made history. But I still think that Radwanska, she achieved a lot because she played on the top level of the WTA tour, I don’t know, 12 years,” she said. “I know there’s going to be a lot of people who are going to compare us. But I think I have to be really consistent for the next couple of years for everybody to name me the best player in Poland because I still have a lot to do.” Swiatek has certainly proven herself to the tour after completing one of the most dominant two weeks we have seen at a Grand Slam in recent memory, and will be out to back up her play in 2021. “I’m just proud of myself,” she said. “I’ve done a great job the past two weeks. I wasn’t expecting to win this trophy. It’s obviously amazing for me. It’s a life-changing experience.” Brian Coleman is the Senior Editor for New York Tennis Magazine. He may be reached at brianc@usptennis.com.

NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2020 • New York Tennis Magazine

2 20

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE AceSpace

Chris@AceSpaceCourts.com l Facebook.com/AceSpaceCourts At AceSpace, we know that time is of the essence. Whether you’re scheduling tennis lessons a month in advance, or organizing an impromptu doubles match, you want the process to be quick. After all, if you can book a restaurant, a car, a hotel with just a few clicks—why not a tennis court? Founded in 2018, AceSpace is the premier court-booking platform in New York. The app easily locates available tennis courts in your area, eliminating the hassle of Web searches and phone calls. Whatever price, surface or time slot you prefer, AceSpace ensures you get the court you want, every time. Thanks to its staff of tennis enthusiasts, AceSpace was designed with both players and facilities in mind. We help tennis centers manage their bookings automatically, working as a stand-alone system or in tandem with older technology. We work directly with facility managers, bridging the gap between manual bookings and digitally-oriented players. Now live at Park Avenue Tennis Facility, Alley Pond Tennis Center, East Brunswick Racquet Club, and Windsor Tennis Club, our gift to you is a stress-free tennis schedule. Like the best tennis players, AceSpace is fast and reliable, and no matter how busy your life gets, AceSpace is ready to steer you towards the nearest clay, grass or hard surface. If you’re ready to #ClaimYourCourt, visit AceSpaceCourts.com to create your account now. Follow AceSpace on Facebook for updates, and we’ll see you on the court!

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2020 • NYTennisMag.com

www.AceSpaceCourts.com

2 20

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE iKnowTennis! Mobile App

Do you know tennis rules? You serve. As your opponent hits a winning return, a string breaks on his racket. He retrieves a second racket from his bag. Is this a let? Point? First serve? a) Let, first serve b) Your point c) His point. Your doubles partner has a habit to call your serves in or out during practices. During a tournament game, he’s still calling your serves out. Can he call your serves out in a USTA match? a) Yes b) No Answers: Answer 1: His point. The point was played in good faith. He did not delay the game because his racket was in his bag on the court. If you had returned the ball, he could continue playing with a broken string. Code 45. Answer 2: No. Your partner should not be calling your first serves out. The receiver may return a long or wide serve if they didn’t see it clearly. They would be giving you the benefit of the doubt. Code 26 Learn the answers to these questions and more with the iKnowTennis! app, available on the App Store and Google Play. Visit iKnowTennis.com for more information.

iKnowTennis!

NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2020 • New York Tennis Magazine

www.iKnowTennis.com

2 20

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE inPhorm

(214) 749-0300 inPhorm, the international tennis, golf and active brand known for its “simple elegance and classic” outfits, is adding bright beautiful colors with sparkling details to its holiday collection “Fuchsia Rose.” We asked the creative director, Saad Hajidin, what inspired his color palette this season? His answer: “After months of our somber mood globally, I think people are ready for a bright and beautiful collection to uplift their spirits and add a little joy to the holiday season. Red is the dominant color during the holidays, but I wanted to give them something a little bit different, and that’s how I came up with “Fuchsia Rose” — a blend of red and magenta that reminds me of evening primroses. I’ve also added sparkling details and a pattern of watercolor brush strokes that evoke cascading waterfalls.” inPhorm’s Holiday 2020 collection is filled with styles that transition from day into evening — tennis looks that easily blend in at cocktail hour. In the last few months, inPhorm’s team has been engaged in conversations with its customers, gathering reviews of products, fits and functionality. “We like to say that by listening to our customers, we ‘Stay inPhormed,’” Saad notes. You can learn more about inPhorm by visiting its website, www.inphormnyc.com.

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2020 • NYTennisMag.com

www.inPhormNYC.com

2 20

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE POP-iTs

Contact Jeff Nelson l (443) 801-7565 l Jeff.popit@gmail.com The POP-iTs are the only tennis accessory that easily fits on the end of the racquet, designed to stay on during game play and makes ball pick up effortless, safe during these times of CV19 concern and FUN-Finally! Over 10,000 sold in less than a year! Effortless l The POPITs make the chore of ball pick up effortless for any player new to tennis. Inclusive l Great for players with limited mobilities and Wheelchair athletes who want to learn tennis. l Keeps seniors playing tennis, making tennis a truly lifelong sport. l Great for kids, making it fun to pick up the ball, by reducing the only obstacle to learning tennis, ball pickup! Safe l During these times of COVID concerns we have partnered up with the USTA and are recommended as an ideal solution to limiting ball contact with the ball during group and individual lessons. Games in the POPIT Programs l Over 25 FREE downloadable games that make the chore of ball pick up fun, FINALLY! l Great for instructors, make your lessons seamless, and continue the learning during ball pick up! More great ways to use them! l Ball Runners during tournaments as an ideal way to limit contact with the tennis balls, keeping both players and runners safe. l Easy to train the runners to use. l Prizes for tournaments and tennis events l Unique prize to make your even stand out!

NYTennisMag.com â&#x20AC;˘ November/December 2020 â&#x20AC;˘ New York Tennis Magazine

www.popitpickup.com

2 20

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE Racket Pets

info@RacketPets.com l (408) 766-6797 This holiday season turn your tennis racket into an adorable animal with Racket Pets! Racket Pets was launched in the summer of 2018 and has been well received by the tennis community. It is the only matching dampener and overgrip set on the market that accessorizes a tennis racket and gives it an identity as a “pet”. Racket Pets’ dampeners have a distinctive look in the facial expressions to evoke a sense of joy and enthusiasm, while the matching overgrip is patterned after the body of the animal. Great detail was given to designing the dampeners’ facial expressions to evoke joy and enthusiasm. They are made with premium quality PVC for maximum performance as a shock absorber. The matching overgrip is patterned after the body of the animal and has a light tacky feel while offering long term durability. This accessory is the perfect blend of fun, performance and fashion for a tennis racket and ideal for a gift exchange or stocking stuffer for the holidays. Our current animals are Alligator, Dragon, Elephant, Giraffe, Lion, Snake, Tiger, Unicorn and Zebra. Since its launch, Racket Pets has gone into over 100 pro shops and clubs and are being sold in retail outlets at the following ATP/WTA Professional tournaments, Cincinnati Open, BNP Paribas Indian Wells Open, Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic, Citi Open and Winston-Salem Open. By turning a tennis racket into a Racket Pet, the ultimate goal is to add another component of FUN to the tennis game and get more kids onto the courts. We also offer wholesale pricing to pro shops, teaching professionals, academies and schools. Send inquiries to Maria Maddock at info@racketpets.com.

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2020 • NYTennisMag.com

www.RacketPets.com

2 20

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE Silent Partner Tennis

SPTennis@on.aibn.com l (800) 662-1809 Give the gift of a Silent Partner Tennis Ball Machine this holiday season! Silent Partner Tennis Ball Machines make a great holiday gift for the tennis buff in your life. We have a range of portable machines with great features for beginners and experts alike. Plus, we pride ourselves on our customer service, so if you have any questions before or after buying your machine, feel free to give us a call! Silent Partner has been independently owned and operated since 1989. Check us out online at SPTennis.com. Wishing everybody all the very best of the holiday season and a safe, healthy 2021.

NYTennisMag.com â&#x20AC;˘ November/December 2020 â&#x20AC;˘ New York Tennis Magazine

www.SPTennis.com

2 20

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE Slinger Bag

support@slingerbag.com Slinger Bag Provides a Tennis Partner 24-7 and Is Light Enough for Santa’s Sleigh Tennis enthusiasts of all skill levels have a reason to rejoice during the holidays this year because tennis is alive and well courtesy of Slinger Bag, the first truly portable and affordable tennis ball launcher that provides a tennis partner 24-7. Slinger Bag may be wheeled like carry- on luggage and can easily be tossed in the trunk of car, like a set of golf clubs. It is always available whenever and wherever you need it most and is light enough for Santa’s sleigh at 33 lbs. Why is Slinger Bag the best tennis ball launcher on the market? It does so much more than challenge your skills. For the price of two tennis rackets, Slinger Bag is a multi-functional tennis bag with storage to transport 72 tennis balls, wallets, keys, towel sand water bottles. Oh, and it can even charge your cell phone. Ideal for Santa’s elves, Slinger Bag may be set up in one minute, enables players to control the launch speed and frequency of balls, is priced at approximately 50% lower than competitors and is perfect for beginners just discovering the sport. Lastly, in today’s new normal, Slinger Bag is the ideal social distancing practice partner Bonus Points: Slinger Bag will be sure to put smiles on tennis lover faces as they begin their New Year’s fitness regimens to work off all that excess turkey, and chocolate and holiday trimmings.

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2020 • NYTennisMag.com

www.SlingerBag.com

New York Tennis Magazine’s Gossip Column By Emilie Katz Goerges Announces Retirement German professional Julia Goerges announced she is retiring from the WTA Tour after a 15-year career. Goerges, 31, competed in her 48th straight Grand Slam main draw at the French Open this fall. In all, she won seven WTA singles titles and five doubles titles; Goerges, a favorite amongst other players on tour, was met with an outpouring of love from her peers after her announcement.

Becker Accused of Hiding Trophies in Bankruptcy Case Six-time Grand Slam champion Boris Becker declared bankruptcy in 2017, and as a result of that, was recently charged with failing to surrender his Wimbledon and Australian Open trophies, which he was supposed to do in order to clear some of his debts. Becker pleaded not guilty in October and his trial is set for next September.

Serena, Sharapova Check in on Forbes List Forbes Magazine released its annual list of the Richest Self-Made Women of 2020, with both Serena Williams and the recently retired Maria Sharapova making the list, both for their career earnings on the court and the business ventures they have entered into off the court.

Djokovic Stops to Give Lessons World number one Novak Djokovic was out walking his dog in his hometown of Belgrade, Serbia when he stopped to help out one youngster with his forehand.

Tsitsipas Hangs Out With Fellow Greek Giannis Stefanos Tsitsipas is one of Greece’s top athletic exports, and he caught up with two other top athletes from his native country: NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo and pole vaulter Emmanuel Karalis

NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2020 • New York Tennis Magazine

Champion Qualities in Young Players: Part Two By Gilad Bloom n the September/October issue of New York Tennis Magazine, I discussed four of the eight championship qualities that I have learned throughout my years as both a professional tennis player and a coach in Part One. Below is Part Two of the article, discussing four more of those championship qualities.

Calm in moments of stress It is well known that tennis is a mental sport. It's definitely not just a matter of forehands, backhands, serves and footwork. As a junior coach, I see this every day. There are those who excel during the technical exercises, but in the part of the training where the children compete against each other you can clearly see who the “winners” are. Most players have a 20-30 percent drop when starting to play points, because when the mental element comes into play, strange things happen. But for future champions, it is the other way around. They actually 54

bloom when you start playing and competing, and raise their level as the pressure goes up. Dudi Sela, my first student, has been like this since he was a child. In the exercises of the beginning part of the training he was asleep and on the border of being apathetic. But when we started the points phase, he would wake up and rise to the occasion. Sela had the nerves from a young age. While players his age would panic in tough situations, he would smile and wink at me during matches; he was completely in his element. The pressure did not affect him; on the contrary, he loved the action. It made him more alert and improved his game. Amos Mansdorf, was like this also. The best player that has grown in Israel, he had this ability to raise his level precisely in the most important matches of his career. I saw Mansdorf function with an astonishing composure in quite a few matches in his career, such as in our historic victory against Czechoslovakia where he defeated Mecir and Novacek in front of a hostile crowd. He was so focused; it was amazing. The thing is, Mansdorf has had this trait since

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2020 • NYTennisMag.com

childhood, and I tried to learn from him on this subject. Today as a coach, I try to find that trait in my players. Anticipation There are things that cannot be taught, things a player brings from home, as they say. It has to do with peripheral vision and innate talent. In soccer this is called game vision; in basketball, court vision and in tennis is called anticipation. For example, no one taught Johann Cruyff his game vision, or Magic Johnson his court vision. Their ability to see the entire court/field and to know where each player stands is equivalent to the ability of John McEnroe or Andre Agassi to read the opponent's ball direction and know in advance where to run before hitting. These players had a sense of play that made the task of beating them difficult to impossible. It is almost impossible to hit a winner against such players and they do not necessarily have to be the fastest in the world; they just read the game instinctively. This is a trait that cannot really be taught. When I find a student who has this trait, I believe he/she has a chance to be a serious player. In my

generation, the players who were the hardest to beat in this sense were McEnroe and Agassi; they have always been in the right place and it seems almost impossible to catch them in a situation where they have lost their balance. A dominant weapon (or two) In today's tennis, weapons are a must. That is, a dominant shot that will open up the court and create an advantage in the point. Sometimes players are born with the talent to hit a specific shot at a very high level, preferably a forehand or a serve. When I identify a player with a particularly high quality shot I try to build his style of play around that stroke. In today's tennis it's not enough to just exchange rallies, every shot has to have a purpose and aggressiveness is the key word. Even shots that are hit from a defensive position should have power; therefore players with a dominant shot are more likely to succeed. When I recognize the

weapon I encourage them to concentrate on that weapon and improve it at an early age. Even if it means taking risks and risking losses, in the long run it can be beneficial. Agassi evolved in this way—Nick Bollettieri encouraged him from a young age to go for his forehand, to take risks and keep working on developing an incredibly powerful forehand, "When the balls start to land inside the court then you will be a world champion" was the philosophy. First step (explosiveness) There is hardly a leading sport where a quick and explosive first step is not essential (except maybe golf). In soccer and basketball, the first step allows the attacker to break free from the defender and create shooting and scoring situations, and also to be ready on defense. In tennis the first step not only allows the player to reach balls and return to a good position, but also allows the player to reach the ball earlier and hit a higher percentage shot with

good balance. Getting to the ball quickly shortens the opponent's reaction time and causes them to make mistakes. Anyone who played against this kind of 'Speedy Gonzalez'-type player knows what I'm talking about. So when I identify a player with natural speed I believe he has a good chance of succeeding in tennis. A lot of technical elements can be taught and improved with the help of trainings, but first step and natural speed is something that can be improved but only up to a certain limit. Gilad Bloom, former Israeli Davis Cup player and two-time Olympian, played on the ATP Tour 1983-1995, reached the fourth round of the U.S. Open in 1990, reached a highest ranking of 61 in singles, was Israel Singles Champion three times. Bloom has been running his own tennis program since 2000 and also was director of tennis at John McEnroe Tennis Academy for two years. He can be reached by e-mail at Bloom.Gilad@Gmail.com.

Get safely in the game! At Advantage Tennis Clubs. 3 fantastic locations!

Manhattan Plaza Racquet Club

Roosevelt Island Racquet Club

New York Tennis Club Indoors

5 cushioned hard indoor courts

12 Har-Tru indoor courts

Har-Truindoor/outdoor indoor/outdoorcourts courts 66Har-Tru

450 West 43rd St., New York, NY

281 Main St., Roosevelt Island, NY

Contact Milos Vojvodic: 212.594.0554, milos@advantagetennisclubs.com, or Lauren Hartman lhartman@advantagetennisclubs.com

Contact Steve O’Keefe: 212.935.0250, sokeefe@advantagetennisclubs.com

3081 Harding Ave., Throgs Neck, NY For Indoors Contact Mark Keye: 718.239.7919 ext 1 markkeye@advantagetennisclubs.com For Outdoors Contact: 718.239.7919 ext 2 admin@newyorktennisclub.com

Find out more today—then choose your Advantage club! advantagetennisclubs.com NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2020 • New York Tennis Magazine

The Dirty Tricks Department—Top 20 Improve Your Street Smarts By Chris Lewit Many people don’t realize that tennis is a brutal game of psychological warfare. Far from the country club, genteel reputation of the sport, real competitive tennis is full of legal and illegal psychological manipulation and outright cheating. Why is this so? Three main reasons: The Tennis Rules The rules of the game are actually anachronistic with many grey areas that allow a manipulative person to take advantage of situations in a match. For example, tennis is one of the only sports that allow tournament competitors to call their own scores, lines, and arbitrate rules on their own. This should never be allowed in serious high stakes tournaments. It is too tempting for 56

players to call close balls out or cheat in other ways. Another example is that, in the rules of tennis, players keep their own score, and if the score cannot be agreed upon, players must return to the last mutually agreed upon score. This rule has caused legions of unscrupulous players to manipulate scores in their favor. There are many other rules—too many to list here—that allow for cheating and manipulation as well. Scoring System Tennis has a relatively unique scoring system, which overweighs certain points over others, giving cheaters more incentive to cheat on those big points. Rather than keeping score to time or a simple total of points, tennis has inflection points in the scoring which carry great weight, such as game points and set points. It is in fact possible to

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2020 • NYTennisMag.com

win more total points yet still lose a tennis match, which is very rare in sports indeed. Cheaters are savvy and they know to try and cheat on the big points to maximize the reward from their dirty deeds. Time Aspects Tennis has A LOT of downtime. In between shots, points, sets, and changeovers—all those moments of time add up to major opportunities for devious players to employ psychological manipulation and cheating. Sports that have shorter and fewer breaks in time, and less total time to complete a match, are inherently more resistant to determined foul play. That is not to say other sports are free from these dirty deeds. They certainly are not, but tennis offers more opportunities for cheating and manipulation.

Many kids don’t realize any of this at all. They are just hitting balls. Clueless. “Let’s go play a tournament and have fun!” Naive. I teach my students not to cheat, but I want them to be street smart and prepared for any traps their rivals may set for them. With that goal in mind, here are the top 20 most common dirty tricks that I have seen over the years on the junior, college, and pro circuits: Top 20 Dirty Tricks 1. Calling balls out that are close to the line 2. Playing out balls as in. Then arguing about it 3. Arguing about anything 4. Calling or creating false lets 5. Calling false serve lets 6. Changing the score 7. Talking to the opponent—about anything. Watch out for small talk or compliments 8. Bathroom breaks 9. Stalling or speeding up play

10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.

16. 17. 18. 19. 20.

Illegal coaching Drop shot and lob Moonballs Grunting. Making noise during the point Bouncing around on return of serve. Squeaking feet as a distraction Cheering or celebrating loudly Insults Intimidation Bouncing the ball many times before serving Asking the score repeatedly

This list is a great place to start when helping yourself or your player(s) become less naive and more street smart. A dirty tricks player might take this list and look for strategies to improve his or her manipulation. That would be shame, but at least the most common dirty tricks that I have seen on the junior, college, and pro circuit are on display here for all well-intentioned players to learn about and guard

against on match day. Are there any dirty tricks that I have missed? Write me at Chris@chrislewit.com to let me know! I explore these top 20 dirty tricks in detail on my live show and podcast, The Prodigy Maker Show. Check it out for more in depth discussion. Good luck amigos! Chris Lewit is a former number one for Cornell and a pro circuit player. He is a high-performance coach, educator, and the author of two best-selling books: The Secrets of Spanish Tennis and The Tennis Technique Bible. He has coached numerous top 10 nationally-ranked players and is known for his expertise in building the foundations of young prodigies. Chris trains players during the school year in the NYC area, and players come from around the country to his summer camp in the paradise of Vermont. He may be reached by phone at (914) 462-2912, e-mail ChrisLewit@gmail.com or visit ChrisLewit.com.

NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2020 • New York Tennis Magazine

Mastering the Mind Mindfulness at 125 MPH ... Part Six By Rob Polishook uring the 2020 French Open, we witnessed unseeded Iga Swiatek from Poland, ranked 54th in the world, seemingly come out of nowhere to defeat last year’s finalist, 15th seed, Marketa Vondrousova in the first round. Then in the fourth round, she defeated the top seed Simona Halep. Finally, she defeated the fourth seed, Sofia Kenin, in the finals. What we may not have seen, due to commercial breaks, was Swaitek during changeovers: eyes closed, a deep focus on her breath. And then, during a time out because of Kenin’s injury: practicing serves and shadow stroking. Interestingly, once play resumed, a loose, centered and balanced Swiatek won 19 of the remaining 22 points to win the French Open. So what does Swaitek’s victory have to do with you as a player? Her story is the perfect example and segway to discuss a question that one of my athletes asked me after I had taught them meditation, breathing, and centering techniques. “So what does this meditation stuff really have to do with tennis?” The question came after a frustrating loss. What a great question! I love when my clients are curious and want to better understand best practices for themselves. His question inspired me to elaborate exactly what meditation, breathing and centering rituals have to do with tennis. Similar to life, there are no guarantees in sports. We often get sidetracked, distracted and focused on that which is out of our control,

certainly not beneficial to accomplishing our goals. Meditation teaches us to be compassionate, patient and reflective (C.P.R.) with ourselves, exactly what’s necessary when under pressure. When we are frustrated, angry, we tend to spiral out of control, taking us further away from our goals. The practice of meditation, breathing and centering rituals allows us to balance mind and body and better understand ourselves by recognizing thought patterns, and subsequently cultivate C.P.R. On court, this allows us to better manage challenges. Paul Annacone, former professional player and coach of Pete Sampras and Roger Federer, expressed in his interview with Crunchtime Tennis Con4, “Whether you’re the Yankees, Tom Brady, Roger Federer et al you have to figure out how to slow your pace down (slow your heart rate down), figure out how to think your way through, and trust your process…great players see the big moment and trust their process, over time it becomes habit forming.” Meditation, breathing and centering exercises specifically help us ground and slow down. This grounding instills clarity and calmness to deal with adversity and setbacks. Lastly, it’s important to note when I was asked the question “What does this meditation stuff really have to do with tennis?” It was after a loss. Interestingly, this question never comes after a win. Then, the player usually states “I was calm, I was focused, if I lost my focus I refocused.” However, the timing of the question was a clue that the player had lost focus of their process and intention to stick to the mental principals. As in meditation, when our

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2020 • NYTennisMag.com

focus shifts away from our breath to our many thoughts, an athlete’s focus can also shift from their process to the outcome. This is an opportunity to recognize the loss of focus and shift back to our breath (the process) in a gentle way with C.P.R. Losing your focus on the court is not a problem, unless you don’t notice it. Then you are unable to take a step back and shift to your intention, what you can control: the process. Meditation, breathing and centering routines are practices that are helpful in life. They also directly translate to competition on the court, where we lose and regain focus all the time. Additionally meditation helps you trust your instincts and your game, not to force, to be the best you can in that moment. I encourage my clients to stick to their practice. Like Iga Swiatek. Arthur Ashe, Billie Jean King and many other tennis greats, we can see what meditation, breathing and centering routines really have to do with tennis? Everything! And very often, the difference between winning and losing. Rob Polishook, MA, CPC is the founder of Inside the Zone Sports Performance Group. As a mental training coach, he works with athletes helping them to unleash their mental edge through mindfulness, somatic psychology and mental training skills. Rob is the author of two best-selling books:Tennis Inside the Zone and Baseball Inside the Zone: Mental Training Workouts for Champions. He can be reached by phone at (973) 723- 0314, by e-mail rob@insidethezone.com, by visiting insidethezone.com, or following on Instagram @insidethezone.

Lost The Second Set—

Badly! By Barbara Wyatt e lost the second set. It wasn’t merely a loss, but the slaughter of two players at 0-6—after winning the first set, 6-2. Pat, my partner, and I looked at each other in bewilderment. What happened? We have a problem and must fix it before the start of the third set tiebreak. We admitted we had turned into “Happy Campers”, as defined by Brad Gilbert and Steve Jamison. “When you win the first set, tell yourself you’ve just created a big problem—you’ve hurt your opponent and motivated them to come clawing out after you,” they wrote in Winning Ugly: Mental Warfare in Tennis--Lessons from a Master (Simon & Schuster, 2013). We had relaxed and lost our mental alertness; our worthy opponents became “Wounded Bears” who fought with extra ferocity. Gilbert and Jamison summarized our second set with their phrase, “Wounded Bears eat Happy Campers for breakfast.” We vowed to return with a renewed motivation in the third set tiebreak. But how? What are three things we can do to bring back our strong play? This is what we did: l Expect Every Ball to Come Back Steve Annacone’s recent Tip of the Week article, “Expect Every Ball to Come Back”, states that when you play as if all your balls will be returned, your opponent will consider every point a struggle. Throughout the tiebreak, we reminded each other that our opponents will send every ball back to us.

l Hit the shot you need, not the shot you want I have a bad habit to try to hit winners. You know the results. In the second set, too many shots flew outside the white lines. In the tiebreak, I released the pressure, I place on myself, to hit winners. Pat and I focused on placement and control, and patiently waited for the better ball to earn the point. l Be better partners through Physics Doubles partner must communicate, balance the court, and set up plays for each other. In the 2020 article by Shreyas Shringarpure, “Aske Project: How Physics can be applied to Maximize the Impact of Topspin in Competitive Tennis”, he states “use topspin as a tool to set up the winning shot.” He quotes from several scholarly

papers including ones from F. Bocchi (2015), Brody (2007), Cross (2019) and Lindsey (2010), and more. Pat and I used topspin, drop shots, and wellplaced returns to set each other up for a winning partnership. Pat and I won the tiebreak, and the match. Love, A Winning Bear Barbara Wyatt is a writer, photographer, USTA official, and mobile app developer of iKnowTennis!, the tennis rules app. Her poem, Ode to Tennis, an amusing poem on the joys and frustrations when learning tennis, is available at Amazon. She can be reached by e-mail at BarbaraW@iKnowTennis.com.

NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2020 • New York Tennis Magazine

Encouraging Signs for Tennis in 2020 By Luke Jensen Tennis fans, my rods and cones are all messed up. Not a shock to you? Well professional tennis players are like migrating animals that go to various parts of the world depending on the season of the year. I am absolutely thrilled to see the French Open was played, but I kept having to remind myself that it is fall and not being played in the spring, its normal time of the year. First year of the roof and night matches at the French Open was a game changer. The LED lights make the extraordinary red clay come alive and when fans are allowed back in by the thousands, the night matches will be epic! The Italian Open in Rome has had night matches for a long time but I always felt as a player it was hard to see the ball. The ball picks up some clay and the technology of the lighting was not what it is today. What the Italian and French cultures do best? Night life! Night matches were always fun for me because the crowds were always so into it. I absolutely know the French night crowds will add to the French Open FUN! Having completed three of the four slams in 2020 was pretty awesome. The U.S. Open created a very safe and strict bubble while the French Open added some fans but both events pulled it off. The Aussie Open will take place as of now but with fans from Australia only able to attend, but things change by the hour. I have been really impressed with the quality of play from the pros. With so much 60

time away from the tour due to COVID-19, I thought it would have taken many of the players time to get back into top form. I thought the doubles matches were at a top level when so much positive chemistry is involved with being a productive doubles team. It takes hours and hours of practice time to feel completely comfortable even with an established partner. There are the rare occasions where personalities and performance match instantly but I have found that to be very rare. There are even times where the performance matches perfect but the personalities are not a good fit. I know Hall of Fame doubles teams that won tons of Grand Slams but never spoke on or off the court. I could NEVER do that… I always played my best when I enjoyed who I was competing and hanging out with. Have you evaluated your tennis lately? How did you and your game come out of lock down? The tennis industry seemed to get a nice jump in participation and equipment sales with tennis being such a great social distancing sport. I follow the Tennis Industry of America research. This gives me a deeper dive into where the game is currently and where the game is headed. In the 2008 economic slowdown in the United States and around the world, studies showed that adults were pulling out of their clubs and lesson-taking times, but adults still played league tennis. Another nugget I found interesting was that as times became financially tough, parents still found ways to pay for their children to play in tennis programs. In the year of the weird, 2020, there were many “Staycations” where families stayed closer

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2020 • NYTennisMag.com

to home and tennis camps grew in size across the country. This tells me that we should see an uptick in participation of the 400,000 high school tennis players that compete each year. This is important for the long-term growth of the sport. Those high school players mainly play tennis on campus in college and will be the driving force for new tennis players when they start families. Having a string of American professional presence like the Williams Sisters and the Bryan Brothers may inspire the next generation, but it’s the sound tennis community leadership that keeps the machine working. The USTA is committed towards that community tennis model and I believe that is a winning strategy on so many levels. My family’s activities were founded in community programs and that foundation of a local focus will always be a winner. Always remember the lifelong sport we all enjoy, and passing on your old equipment to the next beginner can start another one’s lifelong journey. Raised in Ludington, Mich., Luke Jensen’s resume includes 10 ATP Tour doubles titles. He was also a member of the U.S. Davis Cup teams that reached the finals in 1991 and won in 1992. His ambidextrous play, including his ability to serve the ball with either hand at 130 mph, earned him the nickname “Dual Hand Luke.” Luke previously served as the director of racket sports at West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, N.Y. He may be reached by phone at (315) 403-0752 or e-mail LukeJensen84@yahoo.com.

When Should I Poach in Doubles?

By Mike Puc ow often do you think of poaching during a match? If you are playing the net in a one up-one back position, the answer should be on every single hit from your opponent Net players are often too concerned with guarding the alley, overlooking the opportunities in the middle of the court. Your responsibility as a net player is to:

1. Look for balls in the middle of the court to attack; 2. Guard the alley on wide balls or offensive opportunities from your opponent 3. Handle the lob if it will bounce inside the service line (lobs bouncing beyond the service line may be handled by your partner).

distract, but to intensify your intent to pounce on any weak returns. Do not be deterred when you are beaten down the line. It will happen. Players are conditioned to hit crosscourt in doubles, and most find it difficult to change this direction. Do a little reconnaissance on your opponent, especially if they play frequent games. How often do they really go down the line in a set, and how often are they successful? Less than five percent is typical in club tennis. Why then do we not attack middle balls as a routine tactic? Perfect the poach by being ready, keeping your feet moving and moving on balls when your opponent is in a defensive position in the middle of their half of the court. Start in the

middle of your service box, not too close to the alley. Move on a diagonal towards the net strap and hit the ball in the direction of your movement toward the feet of the opposing net player. Poach often. Poach on the big points! Besides adding a tool to your attacking arsenal, poaching allows you to control the game and is super fun! Mike Puc has been the Director of Tennis at Gleneagles Country Club in Delray Beach, Fla. since 1998. A winner of 15 national titles and an ATP world ranking, Mike directs 25 teams with 350 players in nine leagues, while offering the most extensive Calendar of Events in South Florida that includes tournaments, lectures and social roundrobins.

Your partner has everything to do with a successful poach, as their good serve or penetrating shots in the body of the point will place your opponent in a defensive position. Observing your opponent in a defensive posture is the time to poach. Create a “cat and mouse” internal game with the back court player. Poaching on the first point of a match will distract your opponent and set the stage for the match. They will often miss returns trying to guess your intentions. Always maintain “happy feet,” feinting and bobbing—not to NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2020 • New York Tennis Magazine

NEW Boys & Girls Metro Regional Rankings (as of 10//29/20)

BOYS Metro Boys 12 Singles Rank 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40

Name ..........................................City Mateo Pouso ................Beechurst, N.Y. David Clarke..................Bronx, N.Y. Leif Emery ....................New York, N.Y. Kamil Stolarczyk ..........Glendale, N.Y. Jesse Yang....................Fresh Meadows, N.Y. Viktor Zima....................Middle Village, N.Y. Lucas Zhang ................Bayside, N.Y. Jonah Miller ..................New York, N.Y. Luca Ugel......................Brooklyn, N.Y. Thomas Walsh ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. John Henry Mills ..........New York, N.Y. Vincent Chang ..............Oakland Gardens, N.Y. Aaron Tokarz ................Queens Village, N.Y. Rowan Qalbani..............New York, N.Y. David Grigoryan ............Brooklyn, N.Y. Joshua Dolinsky............Brooklyn, N.Y. Matias Reyniak..............New York, N.Y. Oliver Epstein................New York, N.Y. Noah Vinbaytel..............Brooklyn, N.Y. Antanas Daugis ............Staten Island, N.Y. Declan Hessler ..............New York, N.Y. Nicholas Gravagna........Whitestone, N.Y. Daniel Santiago ............Bayside, N.Y. Ronin Spahn ................New York, N.Y. Xavier Krasner ..............Staten Island, N.Y. Joshua Bey ..................New York, N.Y. Lucas Bohdanovskyi ....Brooklyn, N.Y. Dashiell Hessler ............New York, N.Y. Jai Rizvi ........................New York, N.Y. Maxwell Nulman............Brooklyn, N.Y. Kai Levinger ..................Bronx, N.Y. Gabe Matnadze ............Brooklyn, N.Y. Mateo Gil ......................Brooklyn, N.Y. Lielle Assayag ..............Hollis, N.Y. Sama Matnadze ............Brooklyn, N.Y. Dennis Jeffrey II ............Forest Hills, N.Y. Joshua Mullen ..............New York, N.Y. Dylan Ortiz ....................Bronx, N.Y. Sandro Sesjak ..............Woodside, N.Y. Jian Ayromloo ..............New York, N.Y.

Metro Boys 14 Singles Rank 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

Name ..........................................City Andrew Ena ..................Rego Park, N.Y. Darren Huang................Whitestone, N.Y. Nicholas Iantosca ........New York, N.Y. Dominick Mosejczuk ....East Elmhurst, N.Y. Jordan Chang ..............Oakland Gardens, N.Y. Andrew Gordon ............Brooklyn, N.Y. Marco Ziets-Segura ......New York, N.Y. Arjun Agostinho ............Brooklyn, N.Y. John Popowich ............New York, N.Y. Neel Krishnaswamy ......New York, N.Y. Bassil Touban................Maspeth, N.Y. Lukas Frangenberg ......New York, N.Y. Theodore Murphy..........New York, N.Y. Tyler Bush ....................Staten Island, N.Y. Dylan Maudsley ............New York, N.Y. Brian Hila ......................Brooklyn, N.Y. Lev Seidman ................New York, N.Y. David Clarke..................Bronx, N.Y.

19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40

YORK

Adrian Avanesov ..........Brooklyn, N.Y. Rhys Spano ..................New York, N.Y. Adam Lubowski ............Brooklyn, N.Y. Simon Stoyanov............College Point, N.Y. Mateusz Gradzki ..........Ridgewood, N.Y. Sebastian Buck ............Brooklyn, N.Y. Andrew Kully ................New York, N.Y. Oliver Meyer..................New York, N.Y. Cyrus Chan ..................Maspeth, N.Y. Stanley Hoo ..................Brooklyn, N.Y. Thompson Brown..........New York, N.Y. Jesse Yang....................Fresh Meadows, N.Y. Kyler Swiatocha ............Woodhaven, N.Y. Dhruv Jhamb ................New York, N.Y. Darrow Golub................New York, N.Y. James Spiegel ..............New York, N.Y. Nathan Rosenstrach ....New York, N.Y. Mateo Pouso ................Beechhurst, N.Y. Noah Vinbaytel..............Brooklyn, N.Y. Gray Gordon ................New York, N.Y. Vinay Palta ....................Forest Hills, N.Y. Daniel Linev ..................Middle Village, N.Y.

Metro Boys 16 Singles Rank 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40

Name ..........................................City Alexander Aney ............New York, N.Y. Nicholas Steiglehner ....New York, N.Y. Ari Cotoulas ..................Brooklyn, N.Y. Donovan Spigner ..........New York, N.Y. Giuseppe Cerasuolo ....Bayside, N.Y. Nicholas Murphy ..........New York, N.Y. Andrew Ena ..................Rego Park, N.Y. Dylan Lachmanen ........Brooklyn, N.Y. Jordan Chang ..............Oakland Gardens, N.Y. David Krasner ..............Staten Island, N.Y. Nicholas Zagora............Staten Island, N.Y. Julian Vasquez ..............New York, N.Y. Zachary Kimmelman ....New York, N.Y. Benjamin Kantor ..........New York, N.Y. Jack Griffin ....................New York, N.Y. Soren Aulenbach ..........Brooklyn, N.Y. Zecheng Fang ..............New York, N.Y. Mikita Sadounichy ........Brooklyn, N.Y. Akash Hongal................Flushing, N.Y. Marco Ziets-Segura ......New York, N.Y. Miles Singer ..................New York, N.Y. Jace Alexander ............New York, N.Y. Zachary Brownstein ......New York, N.Y. Darren Huang................Whitestone, N.Y. Shawn Mitchell Yon ......Saint Albans, N.Y. Tyler Bush ....................Staten Island, N.Y. Ryan Friedman..............New York, N.Y. Aaron Dozsa..................Rego Park, N.Y. Max Meyer ....................New York, N.Y. Nicolas Iantosca ..........New York, N.Y. Neel Krishnaswamy ......New York, N.Y. Vivek Laddha ................New York, N.Y. Safin Shaikh ..................Long Island City, N.Y. Josh Greene..................New York, N.Y. Jake David ....................New York, N.Y. Jacob Mann ..................New York, N.Y. Nicholas Vasilescu ........New York, N.Y. Jesse Faro ....................Bronx, N.Y. Adrien Jippov ................New York, N.Y. Sebastian Brustein........Brooklyn, N.Y.

Metro Boys 18 Singles Rank Name ..........................................City 1 Sebastian Sec ..............New York, N.Y. 2 Hudson Beaudoin ........New York, N.Y.

RANKINGS 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40

Maxwell Kachkarov ......Flushing, N.Y. Neel Epstein..................New York, N.Y. Ari Cotoulas ..................Brooklyn, N.Y. Bradley Bennett ............New York, N.Y. John-Tomas Bilski ........New York, N.Y. Nicholas Steiglehner ....New York, N.Y. Wesley Zhang................Staten Island, N.Y. Alexander Aney ............New York, N.Y. Sacha Maes ..................New York, N.Y. Joseph Wilkanowski ....Long Island City, N.Y. Douglas Yaffa ................New York, N.Y. David Krasner ..............Staten Island, N.Y. Charles Robertson ........Whitestone, N.Y. Jeffrey Yu ......................Forest Hills, N.Y. Mathias Barragan..........Kew Gardens, N.Y. Tyler Korobov ................Brooklyn, N.Y. Brandon Cohen ............New York, N.Y. Aliaksei Bogdanets ......Brooklyn, N.Y. Arnav Agosthino............Brooklyn, N.Y. Eitan Khromchenko ......Staten Island, N.Y. Sachin Palta ..................Forest Hills, N.Y. Eric Dubilirer..................Little Neck, N.Y. Dylan Lachmanen ........Brooklyn, N.Y. Mikita Sadounichy ........Brooklyn, N.Y. Milan Jain......................New York, N.Y. Achille Sarachek ..........New York, N.Y. Kole Moses ..................New York, N.Y. Donovan Brown ............New York, N.Y. Oliver Peck....................New York, N.Y. Nicholas Laffont ............New York, N.Y. Winter Fagerberg ..........New York, N.Y. Benjamin Ebanks ..........New York, N.Y. Donovan Spigner ..........New York, N.Y. Nelson Spiegel ..............New York, N.Y. Seth Carlson ................Oakland Gardens, N.Y. Daniel Gordon ..............New York, N.Y. Paul Elghouayel ............New York, N.Y. Hyat Oyer ......................New York, N.Y.

GIRLS Metro Girls 12 Singles Rank 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29

Name ..........................................City Nicole Okhtenberg ........Brooklyn, N.Y. Ahniya Vustsina ............Brooklyn, N.Y. Anastasia Pleskun ........New York, N.Y. Julia Sniadowski ..........Staten Island, N.Y. Resse Sibley ................New York, N.Y. Callie Curtis ..................New York, N.Y. Kayla Moore ..................Brooklyn, N.Y. Carrie-Anne Hoo ..........Brooklyn, N.Y. Sarah Stoyanov ............College Point, N.Y. Arden Duca ..................New York, N.Y. Sophia Chi-Chen ..........New York, N.Y. Nanami Sheskier ..........New York, N.Y. Stacy Arkhipova............Staten Island, N.Y. Emma Palacio ..............Queens Village, N.Y. Annika Sterry ................New York, N.Y. Meela Enukidze ............New York, N.Y. Caroline Royce..............New York, N.Y. Tessa Siegel ..................New York, N.Y. Bianca Bush..................Staten Island, N.Y. Gabriela Finchelstein ....New York, N.Y. Debra Gil ......................Bronx, N.Y. Rusiana Ebzeeva ..........Brooklyn, N.Y. Katherine Krupnikova....Brooklyn, N.Y. Priyanka Shah ..............Staten Island, N.Y. Tensae Karev ................New York, N.Y. Zihe Huang....................Forest Hills, N.Y. Akari Wientzen ..............New York, N.Y. Nicole Soltsov ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. Julia Johnson ................New York, N.Y.

New York Tennis Magazine â&#x20AC;˘ November/December 2020 â&#x20AC;˘ NYTennisMag.com

30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40

Shaianne Fischer ..........Forest Hills, N.Y. Katherine Yim................New York, N.Y. London Luna Lev ..........New York, N.Y. Anusha Yadav ..............Flushing, N.Y. Sofia Lee-Verovic ..........New York, N.Y. Regina Huang ..............Queens Village, N.Y. Blake Chang..................Brooklyn, N.Y. Lilliana Chou ................Little Neck, N.Y. Isabella Miraflores ........New York, N.Y. Angelica Leon ..............Jamaica, N.Y. Mira Kanodia ................New York, N.Y.

Metro Girls 14 Singles Rank 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40

Name ..........................................City Claire An........................New York, N.Y. Olivia Benton ................Rosedale, N.Y. Linda Ziets-Segura........New York, N.Y. Julia Werdiger ..............New York, N.Y. Caitlin Bui......................Flushing, N.Y. Ahniya Vustsina ............Brooklyn, N.Y. Nadia Barteck ..............New York, N.Y. Chantajah Mills ............New York, N.Y. Leena Friedman ............Brooklyn, N.Y. Rachel Roth ..................New York, N.Y. Summer Chandler ........Jamaica, N.Y. Ronit Khromchenko ......Staten Island, N.Y. Nicole Okhtenberg ........Brooklyn, N.Y. Ava Li ............................Forest Hills, N.Y. Simran Makker..............New York, N.Y. Stella Kirby....................New York, N.Y. Reese Sibley ................New York, N.Y. Kayla Moore ..................Brooklyn, N.Y. Jadah Bentham ............Bronx, N.Y. Stella Kollmansberger ..Brooklyn, N.Y. Astrid Greene ................New York, N.Y. Sophie Sands................New York, N.Y. Anias Jenkins ................Bronx, N.Y. Anastasia Pleskun ........New York, N.Y. Olivia Chin ....................Bayside, N.Y. Holyn Karp ....................New York, N.Y. Nicole Sniadowski ........Staten Island, N.Y. Rianna Mariotti..............Forest Hills, N.Y. Julia Wojtowicz ............Bronx, N.Y. Margaux Vasilescu ........New York, N.Y. Isabela Jaramillo ..........New York, N.Y. Sabrina Shvartsman......Brooklyn, N.Y. Genesis Beltran ............Fresh Meadows, N.Y. Diya Chawla ..................New York, N.Y. Nyla Ferdinand..............Brooklyn, N.Y. Milla Duca ....................New York, N.Y. Julia Sniadowski ..........Staten Island, N.Y. Yael Everett ..................Staten Island, N.Y. Oskana Berteaux ..........Brooklyn, N.Y. Sara Novo ....................Staten Island, N.Y.

Metro Girls 16 Singles Rank 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

Name ..........................................City Natalie Eordekian ..........Woodside, N.Y. Arina Oreshchenkova....Rockaway Beach, N.Y. Sofia Iantosca ..............New York, N.Y. Linda Ziets-Segura........New York, N.Y. Michelle Ryndin ............Staten Island, N.Y. Claire An........................New York, N.Y. Olivia Benton ................Rosedale, N.Y. Julia Werdiger ..............New York, N.Y. Bianca Dumitru ............Forest Hills, N.Y. Gabrielle Usvyat............Forest Hills, N.Y. Caitlin Bui......................Flushing, N.Y. Julianna Gomez ............Jamaica, N.Y. Natalie Bergmann ........Forest Hills, N.Y.

NEW 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40

Katie Finerman ..............New York, N.Y. Jadah Bentham ............Bronx, N.Y. Kayla Moore ..................Brooklyn, N.Y. Abigale Marants ............Staten Island, N.Y. Clara Novo ....................Staten Island, N.Y. Ava Dahl........................New York, N.Y. Nadia Barteck ..............New York, N.Y. Charlie Liss ..................New York, N.Y. Ahn Lin ..........................New York, N.Y. Ronit Khromchenko ......Staten Island, N.Y. Samantha Yim ..............New York, N.Y. Ava Li ............................Forest Hills, N.Y. Chantajah Mills ............New York, N.Y. Laurentia Bentivoglio ....New York, N.Y. Genesis Beltran ............Fresh Meadows, N.Y. Abigail Hammer ............Astoria, N.Y. Emily Kaplan ................New York, N.Y. Kayla Taszymowicz ......Brooklyn, N.Y. Nicole Sniadowski ........Staten Island, N.Y. Rachel Roth ..................New York, N.Y. Sobee Oak ....................New York, N.Y. Ahniya Vustsina ............Brooklyn, N.Y. Damita Bollers ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. Milla Duca ....................New York, N.Y. Sophia Luo....................Staten Island, N.Y. Jasmine Smith ..............New York, N.Y. Oralie Joseph-Gabriel ..Brooklyn, N.Y.

Metro Girls 18 Singles Rank 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40

Name ..........................................City Michelle Kleynerman ....Brooklyn, N.Y. Natalie Eordekian ..........Woodside, N.Y. Khyanna Singh..............Queens Village, N.Y. Leila Epstein..................New York, N.Y. Lorraine Bergmann ......Forest Hills, N.Y. Jordan Ben-Shmuel ......New York, N.Y. Sofia Iantosca ..............New York, N.Y. Carolyn Brodsky............New York, N.Y. Catalina Haberman ......New York, N.Y. Sofia Allinson ................New York, N.Y. Emma Ostlund ..............New York, N.Y. Deliala Friedman ..........Brooklyn, N.Y. Arina Oreshchenkova....Rockaway Beach, N.Y. Sofia Shen ....................New York, N.Y. Linda Ziets-Segura........New York, N.Y. Bianca Dumitru ............Forest Hills, N.Y. Michelle Ryndin ............Staten Island, N.Y. Gabriella Eitkis ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. Olivia Lulu Jenkins ........New York, N.Y. Shakima Hotaki ............Fresh Meadows, N.Y. Nadzeya Fliaha..............Brooklyn, N.Y. Zoe Kava ......................New York, N.Y. Anya Barteck ................New York, N.Y. Blakely Duskin ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. Nia Dabreo ....................Brooklyn, N.Y. Claire An........................New York, N.Y. Sabrina Boada ..............Woodhaven, N.Y. Viola Avdyli....................Bronx, N.Y. Kayla Moore ..................Brooklyn, N.Y. Samantha Bentsianov ..Staten Island, N.Y. Julianna Gomez ............Jamaica, N.Y. Isabella Saul..................Brooklyn, N.Y. Shawnte Beale ..............Bronx, N.Y. Julia Werdiger ..............New York, N.Y. Sevinch Rakhmatdinova Brooklyn, N.Y. Olivia Benton ................Rosedale, N.Y. Geanna Richard ............Brooklyn, N.Y. Nadejda Maslova ..........Brooklyn, N.Y. Natalie Bergmann ........Forest Hills, N.Y. Clara Novo ....................Staten Island, N.Y.

YORK

Boys & Girls Sectional Rankings (as of 10//26/20)

BOYS Sectional Boys 12 SinglesMetro Region Rank 5 9 14 20 26 28 29 31 35 42 45 46 47 49 50 51 53 56 57 59 60 67 69 74 75 76 86 88 92 94 97 99 101 103 108 111 114 115 123 125 129 147 148 149

Sectional Boys 14 SinglesMetro Region Rank 3 4 7 14 16 19 24 28 30 45 54 55 59 66

Name ..........................................City Andrew Ena ..................Rego Park, N.Y. Darren Huang................Whitestone, N.Y. Nicholas Iantosca ........New York, N.Y. Dominick Mosejczuk ....East Elmhurst, N.Y. Jordan Chang ..............Oakland Gardens, N.Y. Andrew Gordon ............Brooklyn, N.Y. Marco Ziets-Segura ......New York, N.Y. Arjun Agostinho ............Brooklyn, N.Y. John Patrick Popowich New York, N.Y. Neel Krishnaswamy ......New York, N.Y. Bassil Touban................Maspeth, N.Y. Lukas Frangenberg ......New York, N.Y. Theodore Murphy..........New York, N.Y. Tyler Bush ....................Staten Island, N.Y.

RANKINGS 75 79 82 87 92 101 104 105 108 110 114 115 116 123 124 125 133 134 138 141 142

Dylan Maudsley ............New York, N.Y. Brian Hila ......................Brooklyn, N.Y. Lev Seidman ................New York, N.Y. David Clarke..................Bronx, N.Y. Adrian Avanesov ..........Brooklyn, N.Y. Rhys Spano ..................New York, N.Y. Adam Lubowski ............Brooklyn, N.Y. Simon Stoyanov............College Point, N.Y. Mateusz Gradzki ..........Ridgewood, N.Y. Sebastian Buck ............Brooklyn, N.Y. Andrew Kully ................New York, N.Y. Oliver Meyer..................New York, N.Y. Cyrus Chan ..................Maspeth, N.Y. Stanley Hoo ..................Brooklyn, N.Y. Thompson Brown..........New York, N.Y. Jesse Yang....................Fresh Meadows, N.Y. Kyler Swiatocha ............Woodhaven, N.Y. Dhruv Jhamb ................New York, N.Y. Darrow Golub................New York, N.Y. James Spiegel ..............New York, N.Y. Nathan Rosenstrach ....New York, N.Y.

Sectional Boys 16 SinglesMetro Region Rank 5 7 8 22 25 26 37 42 45 52 59 64 66 72 75 80 92 97 98 100 107 109 110 115 118 120 122 123 125 128 133 137 138 143 144 146

Sectional Boys 18 SinglesMetro Region Rank 6 9 10 17 20 24

Name ..........................................City Sebastian Sec ..............New York, N.Y. Hudson Beaudoin ........New York, N.Y. Maxwell Kachkarov ......Flushing, N.Y. Neel Epstein..................New York, N.Y. Ari Cotoulas ..................Brooklyn, N.Y. Bradley Bennett ............New York, N.Y.

25 29 30 32 34 37 42 53 59 63 69 84 90 91 92 98 99 101 104 105 107 117 118 119 127 136 137 138 139 143 145

John-Tomas Bilski ........New York, N.Y. Nicholas Steiglehner ....New York, N.Y. Wesley Zhang................Staten Island, N.Y. Alexander Aney ............New York, N.Y. Sacha Maes ..................New York, N.Y. Joseph Wilkanowski ....Long Island City, N.Y. Douglas Yaffa ................New York, N.Y. David Krasner ..............Staten Island, N.Y. Charles Robertson ........Whitestone, N.Y. Jeffrey Yu ......................Forest Hills, N.Y. Mathias Barragan..........Kew Gardens, N.Y. Tyler Korobov ................Brooklyn, N.Y. Brandon Cohen ............New York, N.Y. Aliaksei Bogdanets ......Brooklyn, N.Y. Arnav Agosthino............Brooklyn, N.Y. Eitan Khromchenko ......Staten Island, N.Y. Sachin Palta ..................Forest Hills, N.Y. Eric Dubilirer..................Little Neck, N.Y. Dylan Lachmanen ........Brooklyn, N.Y. Mikita Sadounichy ........Brooklyn, N.Y. Milan Jain......................New York, N.Y. Achille Sarachek ..........New York, N.Y. Kole Moses ..................New York, N.Y. Donovan Brown ............New York, N.Y. Oliver Peck....................New York, N.Y. Nicholas Laffont ............New York, N.Y. Winter Fagerberg ..........New York, N.Y. Benjamin Ebanks ..........New York, N.Y. Donovan Spigner ..........New York, N.Y. Nelson Spiegel ..............New York, N.Y. Seth Carlson ................Oakland Gardens, N.Y.

GIRLS Sectional Girls 12 SinglesMetro Region Rank 1 5 6 8 9 10 12 14 21 32 39 44 45 54 61 66 76 81 83 84 91 95 97 100 104 110 111 112 115 117 119 127 135 139 143 148

NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2020 • New York Tennis Magazine

NEW Sectional Girls 14 SinglesMetro Region Rank 1 2 6 9 12 13 14 16 18 21 24 29 30 32 36 40 46 47 49 53 54 56 62 64 67 70 72 76 79 80 90 94 98 101 105 107 117 122 126 134 137 140 143

Sectional Girls 16 SinglesMetro Region Rank Name ..........................................City Natalie Eordekian ..........Woodside, N.Y. 6 10 Arina Oreshchenkova....Rockaway Beach, N.Y. 24 28 30 40 41 53 58 65 82 85 91 92 110 112 113 115 125 137 147 149

Sofia Iantosca ..............New York, N.Y. Linda Ziets-Segura........New York, N.Y. Michelle Ryndin ............Staten Island, N.Y. Claire An........................New York, N.Y. Olivia Benton ................Rosedale, N.Y. Julia Werdiger ..............New York, N.Y. Bianca Dumitru ............Forest Hills, N.Y. Gabrielle Usvyat............Forest Hills, N.Y. Caitlin Bui......................Flushing, N.Y. Julianna Gomez ............Jamaica, N.Y. Natalie Bergmann ........Forest Hills, N.Y. Katie Finerman ..............New York, N.Y. Jadah Bentham ............Bronx, N.Y. Kayla Moore ..................Brooklyn, N.Y. Abigale Marants ............Staten Island, N.Y. Clara Novo ....................Staten Island, N.Y. Ava Dahl........................New York, N.Y. Nadia Barteck ..............New York, N.Y. Charlie Liss ..................New York, N.Y. Ahn Lin ..........................New York, N.Y.

YORK

Sectional Girls 18 SinglesMetro Region Rank 5 7 17 23 36 46 49 52 59 61 63 68 70 72 73 74 78 79 82 86 89 91 109 110 113 122 129 131 132 133 135 140 142 149 150

Boys & Girls National Rankings (as of 10//29/20)

BOYS National Boys 12 SinglesMetro Players Rank 11 28 108 149 331 343 352 373 378 421 488 510 528 531 542 573 681 752 818 859 862 869

Name ..........................................City Andrew Gordon ............Brooklyn, N.Y. Mateo Pouso ................Beechhurst, N.Y. David Clarke..................Bronx, N.Y. Leif Emery ....................New York, N.Y. Jesse Yang....................Fresh Meadows, N.Y. Lucas Zhang ................Bayside, N.Y. Viktor Zima....................Middle Village, N.Y. Kamil Stolarczyk ..........Glendale, N.Y. Vincent Chang ..............Oakland Gardens, N.Y. John Henry Mills ..........New York, N.Y. Jonah Miller ..................New York, N.Y. Nicholas Gravagna........Whitestone, N.Y. Matias Reyniak..............New York, N.Y. David Grigoryan ............Brooklyn, N.Y. Oliver Epstein................New York, N.Y. Rowan Qalbani..............New York, N.Y. Luca Ugel......................Brooklyn, N.Y. Thomas Walsh ..............Brooklyn, N.Y. Joshua Dolinsky............Brooklyn, N.Y. Maxwell Nulman............Brooklyn, N.Y. Dennis Jeffrey II ............Forest Hills, N.Y. Joshua Bey ..................New York, N.Y.

RANKINGS National Boys 14 SinglesMetro Players Rank 11 31 76 161 268 273 365 368 442 591 648 817

Name ..........................................City Darren Huang................Whitestone, N.Y. Andrew Ena ..................Rego Park, N.Y. Dominick Mosejczuk ....East Elmhurst, N.Y. Andrew Gordon ............Brooklyn, N.Y. Mateo Pouso ................Beechhurst, N.Y. Jordan Chang ..............Oakland Gardens, N.Y. Arjun Agostinho ............Brooklyn, N.Y. Marco Ziets-Segura ......New York, N.Y. Lev Seidman ................New York, N.Y. Neel Krishnaswamy ......New York, N.Y. David Clarke..................Bronx, N.Y. Leif Emery ....................New York, N.Y.

National Boys 16 SinglesMetro Players Rank 51 74 111 183 190 328 513 580 614 722 731 767 822 972

Name ..........................................City Nicholas Steiglehner ....New York, N.Y. Donovan Spigner ..........New York, N.Y. Alexander Aney ............New York, N.Y. Ari Cotoulas ..................Brooklyn, N.Y. Darren Huang................Whitestone, N.Y. Andrew Ena ..................Rego Park, N.Y. Nicolas Iantosca ..........New York, N.Y. Dylan Lachmanen ........Brooklyn, N.Y. Giuseppe Cerasuolo ....Bayside, N.Y. Nicholas Murphy ..........New York, N.Y. David Krasner ..............Staten Island, N.Y. Dominick Mosejczuk ....East Elmhurst, N.Y. Jordan Chang ..............Oakland Gardens, N.Y. Nicholas Zagora............Staten Island, N.Y.

National Boys 18 SinglesMetro Players Rank 104 118 144 228 253 379 415 420 453 461 475 477 488 490 515 622 650 764 951 982

Name ..........................................City Maxwell Kachkarov ......Flushing, N.Y. Sebastian Sec ..............New York, N.Y. Eitan Khromchenko ......Staten Island, N.Y. Hudson Beaudoin ........New York, N.Y. Jeffrey Fradkin ..............New York, N.Y. Nicholas Steiglehner ....New York, N.Y. Joseph Wilkanowski ....Long Island City, N.Y. Alexander Aney ............New York, N.Y. Douglas Yaffa ................New York, N.Y. Sacha Maes ..................New York, N.Y. Donovan Spigner ..........New York, N.Y. John-Tomas Bilski ........New York, N.Y. Wesley Zhang................Staten Island, N.Y. Sachin Palta ..................Forest Hills, N.Y. Bradley Bennett ............New York, N.Y. Neel Epstein..................New York, N.Y. Brandon Cohen ............New York, N.Y. Noah Edelman ..............New York, N.Y. Ari Cotoulas ..................Brooklyn, N.Y. Tyler Korobov ................Brooklyn, N.Y.

GIRLS National Girls 12 SinglesMetro Players Rank 11 37 86 96 118 122 152 211

Name ..........................................City Nicole Okhtenberg ........Brooklyn, N.Y. Reese Sibley ................New York, N.Y. Ahniya Vustsina ............Brooklyn, N.Y. Anastasia Pleskun ........New York, N.Y. Julia Sniadowski ..........Staten Island, N.Y. Kayla Moore ..................Brooklyn, N.Y. Callie Curtis ..................New York, N.Y. Carrie-Anne Hoo ..........Brooklyn, N.Y.

New York Tennis Magazine â&#x20AC;˘ November/December 2020 â&#x20AC;˘ NYTennisMag.com

288 331 388 411 537 551 772 773

Sobee Oak ....................New York, N.Y. Sarah Stoyanov ............College Point, N.Y. Sophia Chi-Chen ..........New York, N.Y. Emma Palacio ..............Queens Village, N.Y. Caroline Royce..............New York, N.Y. Sophia Kurinets ............New York, N.Y. Stacy Arkhipova............Staten Island, N.Y. Sara Novo ....................Staten Island, N.Y.

National Girls 14 SinglesMetro Players Rank 9 70 73 99 128 133 186 214 227 232 318 326 349 389 440 505 509 516 522 566 659 666 765 801 875 886 953

Name ..........................................City Claire An........................New York, N.Y. Linda Ziets-Segura........New York, N.Y. Olivia Benton ................Rosedale, N.Y. Julia Werdiger ..............New York, N.Y. Charlie Liss ..................New York, N.Y. Summer Chandler ........Jamaica, N.Y. Caitlin Bui......................Flushing, N.Y. Nicole Okhtenberg ........Brooklyn, N.Y. Ahniya Vustsina ............Brooklyn, N.Y. Nadia Barteck ..............New York, N.Y. Leena Friedman ............Brooklyn, N.Y. Reese Sibley ................New York, N.Y. Sophia Cisse-Ignatiev ..New York, N.Y. Ronit Khromchenko ......Staten Island, N.Y. Rachel Roth ..................New York, N.Y. Ava Li ............................Forest Hills, N.Y. Simran Makker..............New York, N.Y. Stella Kirby....................New York, N.Y. Kayla Moore ..................Brooklyn, N.Y. Chantajah Mills ............New York, N.Y. Jadah Bentham ............Bronx, N.Y. Anastasia Pleskun ........New York, N.Y. Julia Sniadowski ..........Staten Island, N.Y. Diya Chawla ..................New York, N.Y. Rianna Mariotti..............Forest Hills, N.Y. Callie Curtis ..................New York, N.Y. Nicole Sniadowski ........Staten Island, N.Y.

National Girls 16 SinglesMetro Players Rank 80 297 304 311 402 403 453 631 710 857 961

Name ..........................................City Natalie Eordekian ..........Woodside, N.Y. Claire An........................New York, N.Y. Sofia Iantosca ..............New York, N.Y. Arina Oreshchenkova....Rockaway Beach, N.Y. Michelle Ryndin ............Staten Island, N.Y. Olivia Benton ................Rosedale, N.Y. Linda Ziets-Segura........New York, N.Y. Julia Werdiger ..............New York, N.Y. Charlie Liss ..................New York, N.Y. Caitlin Bui......................Flushing, N.Y. Ahniya Vustsina ............Brooklyn, N.Y.

National Girls 18 SinglesMetro Players Rank 187 298 344 374 479 490 523 532 588 607 721 867 951

Name ..........................................City Michelle Kleynerman ....Brooklyn, N.Y. Khyanna Singh..............Queens Village, N.Y. Natalie Eordekian ..........Woodside, N.Y. Nadejda Maslova ..........Brooklyn, N.Y. Lorraine Bergmann ......Forest Hills, N.Y. Deliala Friedman ..........Brooklyn, N.Y. Sofia Iantosca ..............New York, N.Y. Leila Epstein..................New York, N.Y. Perene Wang ................New York, N.Y. Rebecca Fisch ..............New York, N.Y. Carolyn Brodsky............New York, N.Y. Jordan Ben-Shmuel ......New York, N.Y. Emma Ostlund ..............New York, N.Y.

Falcon Rappaport & Berkman PLLC simpliﬁes complex legal challenges for small and medium sized business owners, discerning families, real estate operators, and private equity ﬁrms. Our collaborative approach combines the deep knowledge and expertise of attorneys to enable our clients to achieve outstanding results.

FRB differentiates itself by: • • • •

Approaching matters with a level of depth and variety of skills unmatched by typical advisors Following through on a ﬁrm-wide commitment to excellent service Offering access to thought leaders in numerous areas of professional practice Approaching engagements as a partnership with clients, rather than as a mere service provider

FRB invites you to explore how its professionals can assist you across their areas of concentration. Our interdisciplinary collaboration allows the firm to achieve unparalleled outcomes for its clients that could only be secured through proficiency in multiple fields of law.

Practice Areas • • • •

Real Estate Taxation (International & Domestic) Corporate & Securities Trusts & Estates

• • • •

Litigation Election Law & Campaign Finance Intellectual Property COVID-19 Task Force

New York, New York 10036 l P: 212.203.3255 I Rockville Centre, New York 11570 l P: 516.599.0888 NYTennisMag.com • September/October 2020 • New York Tennis Magazine 108

frblaw.com/tennis

info@frblaw.com

Why Should Your School?

Dwight Global â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the online program of Dwight School2120/.-,2+.**),2('&%.-,2)*2 $-&#.,2"2+02! 2&2 . ) '.2, .# '.2 )'.2 -. .) )*$2&2 0-'# '&,,2.# &+)0*

FLEXIBILITY TO PURSUE TENNIS AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL 2 0)*20*')*.2 '&,,.,2 -0 2&*% .-. 2 + #%2&+2 )$ +2 & ( ,.,2)*2 . 2 0- 2 0*#0* 2 &*$ &) 2 .0 ' 2&*#2 &) 2 & .2, .-2 0 -,., Photo: Â©Istock/gilaxia

A WORLD-CLASS PRIVATE SCHOOL EDUCATION 2 *')*.2,. )*&-,2&*#2, &''2 '&,,2,) ., 2 2&*#2 2 0 -,. 0- 2 2 0(2 0''.$.2& .(+&* .,2&*#2-. - )+ .*+

High School of

Karl Poling

New York | London | Seoul | Shanghai | Dubai 109 New York Tennis Magazine â&#x20AC;¢ September/October 2020 â&#x20AC;¢ NYTennisMag.com

&# ),,)0*, # )$ + .# 2 2 ! " 2 2 # )$ + $'0 &'

2018-19 Ivy League Rookie of the Year Dwight Class of 2018 Princeton Class of 2022