Florida Tennis Magazine September-October 2023 Issue

September - October 2023

THE RISE OF ALEX KIEFER A USP SUCCESS STORY

MACCI ANALYZES 4 PROS USTA FLORIDA FEATURES CREATION OF RISING STAR DARWIN BLANCH

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BOOKS SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2023 VOLUME 33, NUMBER 4 FOUNDER, EDITOR Jim Martz PUBLISHER, EXECUTIVE EDITOR Matt Pressman CREATIVE DIRECTOR Kevin Connaughton CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Dr. Richard Cohen, Deborah Hobbs, Dave Kozlowski, Cameron Mofid, Todd Pechter, Adam Ross, Phil Secada CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Fred & Susan Mullane (CameraworksUSA), Pat Parsons, Christine Pechter, Art Seitz OFFICE Florida Racquet Sports LLC 4800 N. Federal Highway, Suite B200 Boca Raton, FL 33431

Safe Tennis, How to Train and Play to Avoid Injury and Stay Healthy, foreword by Nick Bollettieri. Learn to warm up and train the correct way to avoid injuries that could end your season.

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WEBSITE floridatennis.com FACEBOOK facebook.com/floridatennismagazine INSTAGRAM instagram.com/fltennis COVER PHOTO Virginia Athletic Communications The Voice of Tennis in Florida since 1992 Winner of the USTA National Media Excellence Award

Macci Magic, Extracting Greatness From Yourself and Others, foreword by Andy Roddick, tells the story of how Rick Macci became the legendary coach of five No. 1 players, including Venus and Serena Williams.

Catch a Copy of Jim Martz’s Books. Email us at fltennis@aol.com or call us at 954-431-4069

Florida Tennis is published bi-monthly by Florida Racquet Sports, LLC. Florida Tennis is proudly printed in Florida.

All images, text, and other content appearing in this magazine are protected under U.S. copyright law and may not be reproduced in any way without prior written consent from Florida Racquet Sports LLC. While every care was taken during the production of this magazine, Florida Racquet Sports LLC cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of the information and/or any consequences arising from it. Florida Racquet Sports LLC accepts no responsibility for the return of unsolicited manuscripts and/or photographs and reserves the right to edit, rewrite, or refuse material and is not responsible for products. Florida Racquet Sports LLC gives no warranties, guarantees, or assurances and makes no representations regarding any products or services advertised in this issue.

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Darwin Blanch literally was a student of the game watching his sister Krystal and brother Dali at Macci’s academy.

The Creation of a Rising Star Let’s imagine we’re creating a path for a junior tennis player to reach elite status on the ATP Tour. The road might look something like this: • He starts taking lessons at age 6.

• His coach has produced at least one player who has become No. 1 in the world; five or more is even better.

• He has older siblings who have reached the pro circuit, all the better for him to see what works and what doesn’t.

• He’s a student of the game, taking notes, studying players on the practice court and the Tennis Channel • His dad is very supportive but not overbearing.

• He’s athletic and is going to be tall but not too tall, maybe 6-foot-2.

• He’s left-handed, which helps make his serve and forehand become nasty weapons.

• Oh, and he gets to hit sometimes with Carlos Alcaraz, the hottest player on the planet. And receives advice from Juan Carlos Ferrero, coach of Alcaraz.

What’s interesting is that we’re not making this up. It’s not wishful thinking. This is the story of 15-year-old Darwin Blanch.

Rick Macci, who coached Blanch during his formative years beginning at age 6, believes this native of Deerfield Beach is on course to becoming the next star on the ATP Tour.

“Huge potential around the corner in pro tennis,” says Macci, who coached five players who became top-ranked in the world - Venus and Serena Williams, Jennifer Capriati, Andy Roddick and Maria Sharapova, plus several others who won Grand Slam singles titles, including Sofia Kennin and Mary Pierce.

“He will have one of the best forehands and serves on the ATP tour in the near future. Everything is science based and wired correctly from age 6,” Macci adds. ”The muscle memory is brainwashed to optimize execution in sync so you do not have a technical flaw.”

Last summer at age 14 Blanch became the youngest to win the USTA Boys 16s Nationals at Kalamazoo, Michigan. He was the fifth seed and won three consecutive three-set matches. In 2020 he won the USTA National Clay Court 14s, and the next year he was a finalist in the Junior Orange Bowl 14s.

This summer he was a semifinalist at Junior Wimbledon. He also has won ITF Junior titles last year at Istanbul and this year at Porto Alegre.

“Darwin is one of my all-time favorite students,” Macci said when I interviewed him in July at his academy at South County Regional Park in Boca Raton. “Originally one of his brothers, Ulises, who was one of the top players in ITF, 2 or 3 in the world, came to me when he was 12, so Darwin was a little, little guy. And he had another brother, Dali. Both of these guys are now on the pro tour, and a sister, Krystal . The whole family I worked with, and their father, Ernesto, is a great friend, a great guy.

“They’ve been coming here since Darwin was 6 any chance they have before the Orange Bowl, before Nationals, before Christmas. Dali is represented by Edge Management, which I’m a part of.”

Darwin embraced everything about tennis at an early age..

“One of the things I noticed about Darwin is his love and enjoyment

to play the game,” Macci said. “Happy go lucky, always smiling, skipping around the court, bouncing. Even though he was a little cheeseburger and didn’t know what was going on, he had a spirit about him.

“And the dad would always tell me, when Darwin wakes up in the morning at 4 or 5 o’clock, the first thing he does, he turns on Tennis Channel. And he watches Tennis Channel all the time. He doesn’t watch anything else. Eats, drinks, breathes tennis. And he’s writing stuff down, the tennis court was always his office. He analyzes stuff and he talks about it. He was almost like a mechanical engineer the way he was analyzing everything.”

Macci added, “But what was very interesting about Darwin, back at that time my partner, Dr. Brian Gordon, who has a PhD in biomechanics, did his thesis on this stuff. We were pretty much cutting edge with stroke mechanics. We were way ahead of the time in describing what really is going on in the pro tour. You know, shorter stroke, faster racquet, the racquet’s to the outside. The stroke was different because the game was getting faster.

“With Brian’s science-based knowledge and my ability to explain it to the consumer in a way that’s backed up by science, we were way ahead of the game when this first came out with the modern forehand. All I was, was the messenger, breaking down what was going to happen.

“And where that leads into Darwin, he got a lot of this fresh out of the oven when I was working with his brothers, but he got this stuff at age 5 and 6.”

Macci lauded Ernesto Blanch, the dad, because to him development “was all about mechanics, because what happens, the cards that you’re dealt as a youngster, whether it be the grip or the backswing, the overall mechanics you sometimes are dealt with the rest of your life. They might get a little better because you get bigger and stronger, or someone might make a modification. But I see the same mistake in players that I had at 10 and I see it on the pro tour at 25. It’s that the hole is smaller but always bubbles up under pressure.

“Where you take Darwin, his forehand is all science based and he has amazing feel of the ball. So you take that combination, optimal racquet speed and a gift from above of feeling the ball, his forehand no doubt will be one of the best in pro tennis.

“That doesn’t mean you’re going to be a great player. I’m just saying that’s one box that’s checked that you don’t have to worry about.”

Macci next elaborated on Darwin’s serve. At the beginning he had the boy on what he calls “probation.”

“What I mean by that, I had his feet together, an abbreviated position,” Macci said. “The leg drive would initiate the racquet speed. He was on probation for like four years because his jumping ability wasn’t that great, but when I put the feet together and I explain this every time he would visit, it got better and better and better.

“And I always stressed to him, you’re a lefty, serve to the forehand, not the backhand, because lefties usually have the can opener. They can usually slide it by, that’s their bread and butter.

At 15 he’s serving at 130, he’s hitting a frozen rope to the forehand and people don’t even move.

But that was baked in double crispy at age 6 years old. It’s one thing to hit it hard, it’s another thing to get it in. His serve, in my opinion, is so biomechanically sound.”

The most sound of any boy he has ever coached, Macci noted.

“That’s simply because he was little, there were no bad habits,” Macci said. “It’s like a piece of clay. I could mold it, he would listen, he would study, the dad would make him do it, and I had time. It’s not like I’m working with a grown up on the pro tour, it’s not like I’ve got to put

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By Jim Martz

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Humpty Dumpty together real quick in a month. This was a little guy, so I could just bake it in.

“And that’s a great lesson for any coach. It’s not where you start, it’s where you finish. It’s junior development, not junior final destination. But with him, he was kind of like a dog being dragged behind, it was more about Ulisses and Bali and Kriytal. But I could see where that was going to go. Some day he was probably going to be 6-2, 6-3, a big kid, lefty.”

Darwin uses both hands to hit his backhand, though Macci wishes he had developed a one-handed shot.

“It’s so natural to play one-handed, but when you’re little and the ball bounces up in your grill, it’s difficult,” Macci said. “His two-hander has gotten better. It’s going to work, it’s not a liability, but to this day I thought he should be one hand. He’s a good athlete, good foot speed, but the serve and forehand are going to be two of the best shots in pro tennis.

“So when you’re biomechanically that sound, it doesn’t break down under pressure. And because he’s a calm guy, he has a very calm demeanor, and a lot of that is environmental. As I told his dad, he’s like Buddha. And what’s really interesting, when you’re the youngest, not only does the father learn what to do and what not to do, you kind of pass that along to the younger one. You learn maybe from mistakes, you see what not to do, who to trust, whatever.”

And sometimes you learn from the 20-year-old who defeated Novak Djokovic in a five-set final at Wimbledon in July, Carlos Alcaraz.

“Darwin is in an amazing situation right now because he gets to practice now and then with Alcaraz,” Macci said. “As I told Ernesto when he lost in Junior Wimbledon in the semis, slow and easy, just pick up all the things mental of being around Alcaraz. He’s got to be himself because that guy (Alcaraz) is a whole different animal. Just being around that, how to carry yourself, the gratitude, appreciation, those are all things that really help you on the tennis court ...

“He goes to Juan Carlos Ferrero, that’s where he’s based out of in Spain.

It’s a great situation because of the Alcaraz effect. Just being around that, to me that’s priceless. And the fact that he gets to practice in that environment.”

Darwin Blanch truly is following a storybook path to the ATP Tour.

Top Left: Rick Macci with young Darwin Blanch.

Bottom Left: Darwin Blanch won the USTA National 16’s last year at Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Right: Darwin Blanch serves at the Junior French Open.

W W W. S H O P L U C K Y I N L OV E . CO M @SHOPLUCKYINLOVE

Delr ay Beach Open TICKE TS NOW ON SalE

By Matt Pressman

floridatennis.com

With the US Open creating so much buzz in the tennis world, Floridians are aching to watch some pro tennis locally. To get a head start before all the diehard tennis fans get in on the action, tickets for the 2024 Delray Beach Open are on sale now.

The 10-day combined event will begin with an ATP Champions Tour matches opening weekend February 9-11 featuring a field of the game’s legends. Singles and doubles main draw action for the ATP 250 event starts Monday, February 12 and concludes with the ATP 250 finals on Sunday, February 18.

Reigning champion Taylor Fritz surged to No. 5 in the world after his Delray Beach win earlier this year. “The event was amazing,” said Fritz. “The fans especially, the turnout was incredible and it makes me really proud to be an American playing at a home event, with how many people were in the stands.”

The Delray Beach Open has evolved to become a destination for the game’s elite to raise the trophy. Previous champions include stars like Frances Tiafoe, Cameron Norrie, Kei Nishikori, Juan Martin del Potro, Marin Cilic, Kevin Anderson, and Sam Querrey.

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Reigning champion Taylor Fritz at the Delray Beach Open

Other competitors over the previous 31 years have included tennis icons like Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick, Lleyton Hewitt, Tommy Haas, Patrick Rafter, Jim Courier, Michael Chang, the Bryan Brothers, Ivan Lendl, Mats Wilander, and Jimmy Connors.

For those who want to see more of the action at the Delray Beach Open, series tickets are always a popular option. However, Veranda series tickets have already sold out. But a variety of other series packages are still available including courtside box seats, on-court “Best Seats in the House” and reserved seats. Week-long series packages start at $750 and include parking and exclusive amenities, making them one of the best deals for local events.

The Delray Beach stop on the global ATP Tour annually plays in front of over 60,000 fans in addition to reaching television audiences in more than 100 countries over the course of 10 days.

Visit Yellowtennisball.com, call 561-330-6000 or email jkenney@ yellowtennisball.com for more ticket information.

The Ascent of Alex Kiefer: From Walk-On to UVA Tennis Royalty Florida has always been a powerhouse when it comes to tennis talent, with numerous academies and tournaments that have churned out top players. But every so often, a story emerges that stands out, not because of immediate triumphs, but due to resilience, determination, and sheer will power. One such story is that of Alex Kiefer who moved to South Florida when he was 13 and trained with coach Luis Nascimiento.

Hailing from the University Sports Program, Kiefer’s initial trajectory seemed uncertain. Compared to many of his peers, Alex wasn’t immediately thrust into the limelight at the University of Virginia (UVA). Instead, his journey began on the sidelines.

Above: UVA men’s tennis captain Alex Kiefer Photos: Virginia Athletic Communications

Beginnings at Kalamazoo Andres Pedroso, the men’s tennis coach and director of the tennis program at UVA, reminisced about his first encounter with Alex at Kalamazoo, Michigan, the USTA National Boys 18s and 16s site. Pedroso recalls being struck by Alex’s professionalism, both during and after matches. It was a quality that would serve Alex well in the ensuing years.

Pedroso, the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Coach of the Year the past two seasons, is a Florida native who played high school tennis at Ransom-Everglades in Miami. He was coached by the talented Robert Gomez, the director of tennis at the Biltmore Tennis Center, Coral Gables, and is the new director of the Junior Orange Bowl Tennis Championships.

Fernando Maynetto in Naples played a crucial role in Pedroso’s tennis upbringing. As a seasoned player with four years at Duke, Pedroso’s endorsement holds significant weight. And he was unequivocal about Alex’s potential.

instrumental in UVA’s journey to the NCAA Division I title for the second year in a row. His transformation was noted by Pedroso, who observed Alex’s transition to a more aggressive and authentic style of play.

In his third year, he not only earned a pivotal spot in UVA’s championship-winning lineup but was also unanimously voted as team captain. An incredible feat for someone who, just a couple of years earlier, wasn’t even in the starting lineup. His leadership transcended vocal contributions. Alex led by example, mentoring and guiding his teammates through thick and thin.

Alex Kiefer Speaks Recently, in an interview, Alex Kiefer shed light on his extraordinary journey.

“It’s never easy coming into a competitive environment like UVA. Especially when there are so many talents around. But the University culture is all about growth. I had immense trust in Coach Pedroso, and over time, we’ve built a bond that goes beyond just tennis,” Alex said.

He added, “While the initial days were challenging, it was about pushing through, believing in the process and my abilities. Being named team captain was a surreal moment for me. I owe a lot to my teammates who believed in me every step of the way.”

Alex on College Selection and Transition Alex confessed that the initial college recruitment process was unfamiliar to him. However, his choice to join UVA was based on more than just the institution’s reputation. The genuine bonds he formed with his teammates and the excellent coaching staff made the decision easier.

This supportive environment was key in helping him transition from junior to college tennis, where he had to adjust to the amplified crowd pressure and adrenaline of college matches.

The Championship Moment Describing the NCAA Championship final against Ohio State, Alex recounts a match filled with intense emotions, strategy, and camaraderie.

Stealing the doubles point from their rivals and navigating through his singles match, the moment when UVA clinched the title is etched in his memory, a culmination of unseen hard work.

A Message for the Future Alex’s journey at UVA is more than just about tennis. It’s a testament to what it means to be part of a team.

“The more you give to your team, if the culture is right, the more the team is going to give back,” Pedroso said, citing Kiefer as the prime example.

A Rocky Start Despite impressing during internal team competitions in his first year, Alex had a rough start. Adapting to indoor play and facing stiff competition meant that Alex didn’t immediately find himself in the starting lineup. Yet, in a testament to his character, he reached out to Coach Pedroso, seeking understanding and guidance rather than expressing resentment.

“He asked me about my decision,” Pedroso recalled. The two didn’t see eye to eye on everything, but that conversation laid the groundwork for mutual respect. Even when not in the spotlight, Alex’s commitment never wavered.

Rise to Prominence Fast forward to 2023, after two years of perseverance and hard work, Alex made significant strides in both singles and doubles, becoming

This narrative emerged from two insightful interviews. Jim Martz, the Florida Tennis editor, delved deep into Andres Pedroso’s perspective on Alex’s transformative journey. Additionally, a heartfelt conversation with Alex Kiefer himself was conducted by Thomas Anderson, the CEO & Founder of the University Sports Program (USP), revealing the emotions and motivations behind Kiefer’s rise to prominence. Aspiring tennis players across Florida and beyond can take inspiration from Alex’s story. In a sport often dominated by individual glories, Alex Kiefer stands out as a beacon for the power of perseverance, team spirit, and the belief that hard work and commitment will, eventually, pay off.

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UVA men’s tennis coach Andres Pedroso

Guiding Dreams: The Mission of USP

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Alex Kiefer celebrates, hugs a UVA fan, and raises his fist in victory with teammates

Alex’s story is not just a testament to his hard work and perseverance but also to the foundational support that University Sports Program (USP) offers. USP is more than just an intermediary; it’s a compass, guiding young talents towards their best possible future.

At its core, USP is committed to ensuring every student finds a university where they can truly thrive, both academically and athletically. They work tirelessly, understanding that each student’s journey is personal and that every dream is unique.

For parents anxious about their child’s future, for students eager to find their ideal collegiate match, and for athletes hungry for an opportunity to make their mark in college sports, USP is the beacon of hope. Alex Kiefer’s success is but one shining example of the incredible outcomes that emerge when passion meets guidance. The future is bright, and the possibilities are limitless with USP in your corner.

USP College Tennis Showcase:

Where Dreams and Opportunities Unite In the ever-competitive world of collegiate tennis, getting noticed by coaches is often the first and crucial step toward securing scholarships and future opportunities. This is where the USP College Tennis Showcase emerges as a game-changer, offering young talents a unique platform to shine and connect with over 100 college coaches from across the USA. Shining on the Court, Connecting Beyond Unlike any other, the USP Showcase seamlessly blends two days of electrifying Team Matchplay with a rare chance to engage directly with college coaches. As you compete on the court, these coaches are right there on the sidelines, witnessing your skills firsthand. This is a chance to prove your mettle at the heart of the action.

A Glimpse into the College Experience The USP Showcases operate in a dynamic College-Style Team format, replicating the college tennis experience in every sense. Not only does this allow players to showcase their talents, but it also lets coaches evaluate you in a real-world context. Every match you play is recorded, offering a testament to your performance that goes beyond the immediate moment.

Face-to-Face with Your Future The College Expo is where futures are forged. Here, participants are presented with an exceptional opportunity to interact directly with attending college coaches. Beyond the on-court prowess, this interaction is about building personal connections and gathering insights about potential paths. For parents, it’s a chance to be part of this journey too.

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Testimony: Making an Impact “The blend of live play and coach interaction at the USP Showcase is a game-changer. Coaches saw my son play, they talked, and this interaction continued even after the event. It’s more than just tennis; it’s about connecting, communicating, and creating possibilities.” - Mark

Davis, Parent of a Showcase Player “The USP Showcase, it’s not just about playing; it’s about showing coaches who I am. And the chats with coaches? They’re like mentors already. It’s not just hitting the ball; it’s making connections and opening doors.” - Andrea Reyes, Showcase Player

Ready to take your tennis dreams to the next level? Sign up for the USP College Tennis Showcase. The event takes place on November 29-30, 2023 in Naples, Florida, at the Emilio Sanchez Academy. Go to showcase.universitysports. com to grab your chance to shine on the court and connect with your future college coach!

Autograph Corner John Lloyd

By Adam Ross

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From humble beginnings in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, England, John Lloyd and his brothers, David and Tony, have had great success in the tennis world with all three appearing in the main singles draw of the 1977 Wimbledon Championships.

John Lloyd has been able to make his mark in tennis by competing and winning at the highest levels of the sport. He has worn many other hats in tennis, including as Davis Cup Captain for Great Britain and as a broadcaster. He is also well known in tennis circles for his marriage to Chris Evert from 19791987. Lloyd’s impressive resume includes author. He has written an outstanding new book, Dear John: The John Lloyd Autobiography. The book, a great read with a foreword by Bjorn Borg, has been shortlisted for the Sunday Times Book Awards 2023. Interspersed throughout the entertaining and interesting book, Lloyd writes “letters” of advice to his younger self with wisdom gained through the years.

Lloyd’s accomplishments as a player are numerous and impressive. He is a former British number one and three time Major Champion in mixed doubles at Roland Garros in 1982 and at Wimbledon in 1983 and 1984 with “The Rabbit”, Wendy Turnbull. He reached the singles final in the 1977 Australian Open and lost to his good friend, the late Vitas Gerulaitis. Lloyd and Gerulaitis were so close that they actually warmed up together before the match. Can you picture John McEnroe and Ivan Lendl warming up together before the 1984 Roland Garros final or any match for that matter?

Lloyd’s career-high singles ranking was World No. 21 in 1978. He was a member of the Great Britain team that reached the final of the 1978 Davis Cup and lost to the United States. He served as the British Davis Cup captain from August 2006 until March 2010. He is a member of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. Since the 1990s, he has been a commentator for BBC’s tennis coverage with a particular focus on Wimbledon. When Lloyd is not immersed in the tennis world he enjoys living in West Palm Beach, Florida, and rooting for his favorite football team, the Wolverhampton Wandererers.

Adam Ross is a contributing writer for Florida Tennis and a volunteer for the USTA Florida. He is also the Vice-President of the Tennis Collectors of America/TCA. He welcomes your comments at robinadam@comcast.net.

Photo: @ArtSeitz

What You May See is Different Than RICK MACCI This is the third consecutive issue in which legendary coach Rick Macci has analyzed the games of four leading players through in depth interviews with Florida Tennis editor Jim Martz.

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Macci continues in this issue with Danil Medvedev, Novak Djokovic, Ben Shelton and the last American male to win a Grand Slam singles title, Andy Roddick.

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Rick Macci Analysis

DANIL MEDVEDEV

Photo: Delray Beach Open Rick Macci Analysis

Photo: @ArtSeitz

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He is very unique. I’ve done a few interviews and podcasts, and everybody asks me about his technique because he looks a little gangly and crosses his legs and has helicopter backswings. He’s like a human praying mantis out there.

But I tell people his point of contact doesn’t deviate, he has great balance. For 6-foot-6 he moves like the wind. He’s Batman, Spiderman, Aquaman, all in one. The guy is one of the best movers for 6-foot-6. He has long tentacles, so he can make shots from awkward positions.

It’s not a beauty contest. It’s not how you look. He’s organized enough on the forehand and backhand, even though he doesn’t have the ATP forehand or backhand like the methodology that Brian Gordon and I put together here at the academy in Boca Raton. But he’s in the neighborhood.

And listen, he’s a brutal competitor. I don’t even think he wants to win, I think he wants to torture you! I think his mind is at a whole other level. He’s not about “I want to win, I want to torture you and run.” And he’ll stay out there all day.

So when you look at his game you’ve got to also look where he plays at. He plays far back. It’s not the best way to play unless you can move like that. You know, that works for him.

Mentally strong, great groundstrokes, stays out there all day, a brutal competitor.

That’s what people don’t understand. With him it’s all under the hood, because when you look on the outside, you might say it looks different. But you know what? He’s steady as a rock, he’s a great competitor.

He’s going to be a contender for every Grand Slam. He’s not going to give this over to Alcaraz or Sinner or Ruud or Korda or the Joker. I mean, this guy’s the real deal and he’s not going anywhere for the next 10 years.

floridatennis.com

Photo: @ArtSeitz

Novak Djokovic

Early on when he first came on the Tour, I knew he was always going to be an amazing player, just because of his movement. I like his flexibility. Technically he is sound.

But as time went on - I think this is a great lesson for anybody - he has made himself a champion. He has put in the work and become so mentally strong.

You know, it’s not where you start it’s where you finish. And if you look as time went on, he has evolved as a competitor and as an athlete, changing his diet.

He has made himself a champion. He had a lot of the qualities, but he made himself that.

He’s probably going to go down as the greatest male tennis player to hold a racquet. He’s not going anywhere, barring injury. I see four, five, six more Slams in this guy. He’s not going to hand it over to the young guns. People know you’re going to have to beat him, he’s not going to beat himself.

Can he stay motivated? How bad does he want

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Rick Macci Analysis

to vIt’s not about X’s and O’s, it’s not about anything other than his thirst for competition and his thirst for his legacy. This is about his greatness now. How many more does he want to get? How many more Grand Slams does he want?

He doesn’t need to play, he doesn’t have to play, but he wants to play. And so that being said, when he feels he doesn’t have that passion, he might call it game, set, match.

But this guy has a lot left in the tank, he’s not going anywhere, and trust me, he could get on a run and he could really dominate now because he’s looking at no Federer in my way, there’s no Rafa, there’s no Murray.

And even though the young guys are coming, they still don’t have experience like the Joker. He’s not going anywhere.

Yeah, Florida Gator. With that serve, see you later

floridatennis.com

Photo: © On

BEN SHELTON

alligator. When you can hit 147 and you’re lefthanded and you can hit it on a dime, just like Opelka, you’ve got a chance against anybody, Jim, with that type of serve.

What’s crazy, a couple years ago many colleges come to the Battle of Boca, which I put together awhile back, and as you know it has just taken over South Florida and worldwide, the Battle of Boca we have every weekend. He lost in the second round here.

So the moral of the story, I don’t want to say the Battle of Boca is tougher than the Australian Open, where he got to the quarters, but he lost second round.

When I saw this guy play, I knew there was something under the hood. Wicked serve, brutal forehand, lots of action. The backhand has a little bit of a bubble loop. He needs to modify or adjust the backhand. I think it could be simplified. Hopefully that will be taken care of.

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Good imagination, good creativity, very good athlete, good genes. I know his father, Bryan, back in the day used to play with Tommy Ho all the time.

So is he the next great American? That’s to be determined. I think he could be one of the guys to go in there. He definitely could be a top 10 player some day. He’s going to have to shore up a few things.

But to make that meteoric rise from college ...

You know, hey, “I’m going to play pro tennis and start knocking people out. “That just shows you he’s a great competitor.

And like I said, when you can serve 147 and you’re lefty and you can hit spots, you’re a contender on any surface. I love his upside. He’s going to be one of the next great Americans.

The last American male to win a Grand Slam

ANDY RODDICK tournament (2003). Macci worked with him as a junior and talks about what was special about Roddick.

floridatennis.com

First off, I love Andy Roddick. This guy was probably the best competitor that I ever taught of all the guys that I had. He was just beyond brutal, he was like a mosquito. He would keep coming back and bothering you. If he lost he said, “Rick, can I play him again?” And he was all about the competition. His thirst for competition was like no other.

He was a little guy when I had him, even though he was number 1 in the nation in the 12s.

Just that alone I knew he’d be a good pro, I didn’t know how good. He got to be 6-foot-2, 180.

But that’s what people have got to understand about the great Andy Roddick. Anybody, anytime, anywhere, he was all about the competition.

So listen, Jim, everybody’s competitive. This was another level, maybe because he was the youngest of three boys and Lawrence and John always beat him up when he was a little

Photo: @ArtSeitz

Rick Macci Analysis 28

one, OK? And pressed him for survival of the fittest.

So when you look at Roddick, you’ve got to look at what’s under the hood. Everybody says Roddick - serve, forehand.

That’s on the outside.

But the guy never really had any bad losses. He was a constant top 10. I knew he wasn’t going to be Sampras, Agassi, he wasn’t going to be that good. But he was going to be the best Andy Roddick because he’s a great competitor.

I think he over achieved. He was always in the top 10. No bad losses. And unfortunately there was the three-headed monster of Federal, Nadal and Djokovic in the same era, and you sprinkle in Murray. But he dropped all those guys at one time.

So I think he over achieved. Listen, one of the best serves of all time.

When he came to me he had a lot of external rotation, he was all messed up. Lively arm. But he kind of figured out that serve on his own, putting his feet together, abbreviating his backswing. His forehand was ATP. He kind of taught me keeping it on the hitting side, so I didn’t change it. So that’s the art of coaching.

Some times keep your mouth shut and let the player coach the coach.

Backhand was solid on returns, could have had more flexibility. Needed to soften the hands up.

But Andy Roddick was an over achiever.

To think that he’s the last American to win a Grand Slam 20 years ago, that’s going to change. I’m going on the record, that’s going to change in the next two years.

One of my all-time favorites. Great competitor. Loved the whole family. Loved his older brother John, he was 2 in the nation, the guy was brutal. But Andy had a little more firepower But there’s going to be an American in the next couple of years to win a Grand Slam because the game is more violent, more people are going to get injured, it’s going to open the door.

But Andy Roddick was a lot more than a forehand and a serve. Mentally one of the strongest. He wasn’t going away, and you had to beat him. And so when you look at Andy Roddick, look at his consistency as a competitive athlete. And that’s what all coaches should try to get their players to do, be the type of competitor and role model like Andy Roddick.

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2023

USTA FLORIDA SECTION NEWS

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER ISSUE

PRESIDENT’S

MESSAGE

POWERING TENNIS THROUGHOUT FLORIDA

I

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CONTENT FROM USTA FLORIDA IN THIS MAGAZINE, PLEASE CONTACT THE MARKETING DIRECTOR, AMY BARNHART (BARNHART@ USTAFLORIDA.COM). TO VIEW THE REST OF THE USTA FLORIDA STAFF AND FIND OUT WHO TO REACH OUT TO REGARDING ANY PROGRAMMING QUESTIONS, VISIT, USTAFLORIDA.COM/ STAFF OR SCAN THE QR CODE.

“

The USTA Florida Foundation’s Fall grant cycle is now open. Whether help is needed for equipment, programming, or wheelchair grants, money is available for those in our section who need help.

The Spring grant cycle resulted in 26 grants being awarded for over $113,000.

If you have a need in your community, please make yourself familiar with the grant opportunities on the USTA Florida Foundation website.

One way you can help in funding these grants is by getting your Play Tennis Florida license plate. Funds brought in through the plates go directly to the Foundation.

It’s also great to see all those tennis plates on the road to quickly identify a friend of Florida tennis.

Become an advocate for the sport you love.

Being a tennis advocate is not just about supporting a sport, but about spreading the invaluable benefits it offers. By championing tennis, you are contributing to fostering a healthier, more active community, promoting inclusivity and diverse participation, and supporting the positive values and life skills that tennis instills in individuals. Together, we can make a difference in the lives of countless individuals, ensuring that tennis continues to thrive and empower the next generation.

Join the movement and become a tennis advocate today; the impact you can make is immeasurable.

USTA Florida and The USTA Florida Foundation are stepping up to help in more ways than ever.

“

USTA Florida President, Phil Girardi

am now fully into my first year of being President of USTA Florida. I have now served as a volunteer in our section for over 23 years. Over those years, I have learned a lot about the ecosystem we call Florida Tennis. It takes resources of millions of dollars, an untold number of working hours, volunteer hours, administrative hours, and more to make it all happen.

Tennis play in Florida is booming and we now serve almost half a million more tennis players than we have in the past.

But what happens when funding and the human power needed to support our courts is not there? How can we make sure programming and infrastructure keep up with demand?

Sounds like a daunting problem.

USTA Florida and The USTA Florida Foundation are stepping up to help in more ways than ever.

The Section is evaluating our current volunteer structure and coming up with ways support and advocacy will be best served in the future. It will take more volunteers to work in harmony with staff to really make the difference needed.

But as the saying goes, money makes the world go round. In tennis, it is no different.

It truly doesn’t matter where you play, or what your level is, infrastructure, upkeep, and programming are just a few of the costs incurred to keep tennis going. Where can organizers get help now?

ADVOCATING THAT TENNIS IS FOR ALL:

ADAPTIVE TENNIS GROW TH

U

STA Florida has been heavily involved in the adaptive tennis space, advocating for its growth since the organization was founded. USTA Florida is proud to work with, support, and grow adaptive tennis throughout the state.

With the support of USTA Florida, the SportsAbility Alliance’s Miracle Sports Tennis hosted an event in Tallahassee with a record number of participants. 47 people, consisting of children and adults, came out for a day of tennis fun. SportsAbility Alliance hosts tennis events every July for adaptive players, so they have the opportunity to enjoy the game we all love. This event takes place every Thursday throughout the month of July. Those interested in getting involved can learn more on their website.

Will Speed, USTA Florida’s Adaptive Play Coordinator, encourages people to aid adaptive tennis and encourage adaptive players to come out and try tennis. “Supporting Adaptive tennis is important because tennis is the most inclusive sport in the world,” he said. “The game can be played by anybody regardless of abilities with minimal changes to the game. Everyone deserves the opportunity to live life through sport and recreation.”

USTA Florida also hosted an Adaptive Unified Doubles National Qualifier on August 26 and 27. This took place at Lake Cane Tennis Center, with two spots up for grabs in the USTA National Adaptive Tournament later in 2023.

In Jacksonville, USTA Florida helped launch the first youth wheelchair tennis program in the city. USTA Florida helped train

coaches and provide some equipment to jump start the program. Its first class back in April saw seven participants come out and start building on their skillsets.

During National Tennis month, USTA Florida’s community department hosted its first ever Tennis For All day, with Brooks Rehab. There over 30 athletes, all of varied physical and cognitive disabilities, were introduced to the game of tennis. USTA Florida plans to host more Tennis For All events at Brooks Rehab facility locations around the state in the future.

USTA Florida is proud of the work it does with partner organizations such as Special Olympics, ACEing Autism, Buddy Up, Love Serving Autism, and others to promote tennis for all.

To learn more about adaptive tennis and how to get involved, whether as a player or volunteer, visit ustaflorida.com/ adaptivetennis.

FACES OF FLORIDA TENNIS:

HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH

F

lorida is an extremely diverse state and when it comes to tennis, that statement is no different.

There are over 1.65 million players in the state, which is the third largest for any state in the country. Of those 1.65 million, 26% of them are Hispanic. That’s a 10% increase from 2020, which at the time only 16% of Florida tennis players were Hispanic.

As September rolls in, USTA Florida wants to recognize the Faces of Florida tennis that are part of the Hispanic culture. Tennis super dad, Jeff Gomez showcases that and more by doing everything for his two girls.

Jeff got into tennis later in his life, and since, has dedicated a lot of time to the sport as he supports his twin daughters. “Family means love, and that means everything to me, my kids, my wife, they are everything!”

JEFF GOMEZ AND THE TENNIS TWINS

Gomez comes from Columbian decent, as his parents moved their family to America due to hardships back in his home country. He grew up playing baseball, but

There could be a 13-year-old girl somewhere, who might click on a picture and want to play tennis or feel inspired.

“

“

always had a passion for professional sports.

“When I was in college, I would turn on ESPN and I used to watch the highlights of Pete Sampras and Serena Williams, and I was like, this is a pretty cool sport.”

When Jeff’s twin daughters, Jordyn and Jaedyn turned about 4 years old, he wanted them to get involved with sports. So, his

wife said, “Tennis is an explosive sport and it’ll be great for girls.

It builds character and girl power.”

Having a smaller background in tennis at the time, Jeff had to hit the books and learn everything he could to prepare his girls for the sport. “I’d go on YouTube and I’d watch videos, read books, find tutorials so I could learn how to teach these kids.”

Even though they were active in other sports, the twins decided they wanted to stick with tennis because that’s the sport they had the most fun playing. That decision has paid off well for the girls as they are well known throughout their community and the tennis scene.

“They go to school, and everybody knows them as the Tennis Twins,” he said. “Kids will come up to my daughters at tournaments, as go ‘you’re the tennis twins, can we get a picture with you guys?’ So, that’s cool to see.”

Since the girls have social media presence, Jeff tells them to live their life to inspire others. “You never know who’s looking at your social media,” he

WHY IT’S IMPORTANT TO CELEBRATE HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH

Jeff finds it extremely important to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month both in tennis and outside of it. On the tennis side, he talked about some of the game’s best players being Hispanic.

“

In the Spanish Community, there’s a lot of people up there that we can look at as are our heroes...

“In the Spanish Community, there’s a lot of people up there that we can look at as are our heroes,” Gomez said. “That’s inspirational, look at tennis, the top two players in the world are from Spain, in Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal.”

He also talked about his parents, who grew up and lived in Colombia for years.

His father instilled work ethic into him, because in Colombia “there was a need to work hard,” Gomez said. “I saw how hard

“

said. “There could be a 13-year-old girl somewhere, who might click on a picture and want to play tennis or feel inspired.”

In his free time, Jeff loves to paint and teach others how to. “I started drawing young, and in high school I took art classes.

Then I went to college, and I majored in art,” he recalled. “It’s just the love of it that stayed there.”

He enjoys painting on canvas and loves to capture moments of professional athletes. His most recent one was of tennis legend, Rafael Nadal. “I look to an athlete that inspires me and that has made an impact.”

they worked just to help us with baseball practice, driving us to games and there was a sense of pride. This is where we’re from, this is our language, our food, our culture, and our community.”

When it comes to his daughters, their tennis coaches have all been Hispanic, so he knows how important they are to the community. “My side, being full of Hispanic Heritage, they got to see that and be inspired, and it has to stick to them.”

USTA FLORIDA ADVOCATING:

TENNIS NEEDS MORE COACHES

A

s tennis continues to grow across every level, USTA Florida is faced with the challenge of helping provide more coaches for the influx of participants. To solve this, together the volunteers and staff created the Community Coach Program (CCP) and the program is reaching new heights in its third year.

The CCP works with tennis facilities and public parks in the state to organize time for people to learn about coaching different types of tennis programming. With 2023, USTA Florida wanted to put extra focus on providing different trainings to the community, and so far that is going well.

So far, there have been over 20 confirmed trainings that have taken place in 2023, with more in the process of being finalized and added to the calendar.

Project Team Manager, Lori Burdell, encourages everyone in tennis to give coaching a chance, especially with the growth the game is seeing. “We do not have enough Community Coaches or Tennis Pros in the industry to teach the new players,” she said. “This is a great opportunity to learn how to teach entry level tennis on a community level. I welcome anyone to join our trainings who love tennis, who have children who play tennis, especially women. Help us grow the game.”

Another special aspect of this program came in the form of supporting and advocating for more women coaches in the sport. This year, USTA Florida has already hosted two

Each type of training specializes in a specific curriculum so you can learn how to work with different ages, motor skills, play level. Currently, the program offers trainings in the following areas: Red, Orange, & Green Ball  Love to Learn & Love to Play (Adult Beginner)  Cardio Tennis Middle & High School Summer Camp Adaptive Wheelchair USTA Level 1 Coaching Workshop

separate All-Female trainings, where women are the number one focus.

Back in April at the 2023 Billie Jean King Cup in Delray Beach, there was an USTA Level 1 All-Women’s Coaching Workshop, that focused on coaching principles and building skills needed to teach beginner to intermediate level players of all ages. All women that attended earned their Level 1 Coaching Certificate.

Obtaining a Level 1 Coaching Certificate is the first step in becoming a fulltime tennis coach and can be a great experience to help impact the lives of new and intermediate tennis players.

In early August, USTA Florida hosted women at the Gooding Todero Academy.

This taught participants about wheelchair tennis, Love to Learn, Love to Play, and Love to Roll curriculums.

If you are looking to learn about other curriculums, make sure to visit USTAFlorida.

com/community-coach

to view all of the upcoming Community Coach trainings.

You can also fill out a form at that website to host a training in your community!

To learn more about the Community Coach Program and listen to our Podcast, scan the QR Code below.

SUPPORTING ALL FORMS OF TENNIS:

FOUNDATION FALL GRANT CYCLE NOW OPEN

T

he USTA Florida Foundation was created to help advocate, support, and grow tennis in the state of Florida. Our mission, “Changing Lives through Tennis” applies to everyone in the state, regardless of ability, skill, and age. The goal is to see as many people as possible get the opportunity to enjoy the game of tennis, and the Foundation continues to accomplish this, year after year.

Now, the Foundation is prepared to give back once again and has officially opened its Fall Grant Cycle as of August 1, 2023, and it will remain open until October 31, 2023.

If you’re looking for support in the tennis community, whether a new program, needing help purchasing tennis equipment, or want to dive into wheelchair tennis, the Foundation is here to help.

Applications for the 2023 fall grant cycle are being accepted and these are the types of grants that are available.

EQUIPMENT GRANTS

Equipment grants are available and provide tennis equipment for all ages and skills of tennis. It also provides equipment that is needed for adaptive and wheelchair tennis programs.

PROGRAM SUPPORT GRANT

Another grant that is available is Program Support. These grants provide funding for youth tennis, adaptive tennis and other approved Florida tennis programs for special populations of all ages and under-resourced children and adults in economically challenged communities.

WHEELCHAIR GRANTS

The final grant available are Wheelchair grants, which provide funding for youth and adult wheelchair tennis programs. This is focused on attracting new players from across the states that may be in economically challenged communities.

During the first grant cycle of 2023, the Foundation handed out tons of equipment, program, and wheelchair grants, which helped bring many new faces to Florida tennis.

To contribute to these funds, you can purchase a USTA Florida Foundation “Play Tennis” License Plate. With every purchase, 90% of proceeds go right back into local communities, to grow the game. Visit ustafloridafoundation. com/plate to learn more about getting yours today.

You can also contribute throughout the year through our Recurring Donations.

By making a small monthly contribution, you will be making a massive impact on the community. For example, just $5 a month can help provide 5 children racquets. You can learn more about recurring donations and set it up by visiting, ustafloridafoundation. com/recurring-donations.

The USTA Florida Foundation wants to award even more grants to communities that are in need, so visit ustafloridafoundation.com/apply to learn more about receiving a grant this fall!

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floridatennis.com

Tennis prospers in Lake County with Cesar Villarroel After more than 30 years as Director of Tennis at Mission Inn Resort and Club, Cesar Villarroel’s name is synonymous with Lake County Tennis. Since 1988, Cesar has shared his love of tennis with several generations of families in Lake County, Florida. And he’s brought some iconic names to the area.

In 1990, Cesar hosted tennis legend Billie Jean King at Mission Inn where she served as a guest speaker. In 2008, Cesar was responsible for bringing world no. 1, Justine Henin, to Lake County and partnered with her to form the Sixth Sense Tennis Academy.

Cesar also brought in Pat Etcheberry, the academy’s former fitness guru, to the Mission Inn Resort and Club. As his tennis academy grew, one of Caesar’s star students was Monica Puig, the 2016 Olympic gold medal winner.

A former Davis Cup player for Bolivia, Cesar went on to coach the 2009 Bolivia Junior Davis Cup team with Rodrigo Villarroel. He’s also listed among the Top 100

Tennis Coaches in the United States by Peterson’s Tennis Camps and Clinics.

A USPTA Elite, PTR Professional, PPR Coach, Cesar has been a member of both the Wilson and Adidas Tennis Advisory Staffs. He’s also filmed a number of popular one-minute clinics for the Tennis Channel.

When he’s not on the tennis court, Cesar is also an established realtor with the Olympus Executive Realty team where he’s received the Multi Million Dollar Producer award from the Lake and Sumter County Realtor Association.

Top: Cesar Villarroel.

If you’re visiting (or live near) Lake County, stop by Mission Inn Resort and Club and reach out to Cesar Villarroel at 352455-6815.

Bottom Left: The Mission Inn Resort and Club.

Bottom Right: Monica Puig at the US Open.

Photo: Christian Mesiano / Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0).

NEW TENNIS BOOKS Reviewed by

Jim Martz “Billion Dollar Mind - Practical Guide for Mental Strength” by Rick Macci and Nivedita (Niva) Uberoi Jerath MD, MS. When you plunk a routine volley into the net or double fault to drop serve, no doubt at some time you’ve said to yourself, “You idiot!” or uttered an expletive. After a few more miscues you may think you need a lesson.

What you may need is an attitude adjustment, “Billion Dollar Mind” can show you the way to achieve it. Seven-time USPTA Coach of the Year Rick Macci has teamed with neuromuscular medicine specialist Dr. Niva Uberoi Jerath (a former junior tennis star coached by Macci) to help readers win the game against yourself and conquer the mind.

This is a quick read that not only offers advice but provides a practical exercise at the end of each chapter. And there’s space to write down your responses.

Example: “Say 10 positive affirmations every day.” Then there’s a list of examples and space to create and write down your own.

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floridatennis.com

“A View From Across the Net - Life Lessons from My Fifty Years as a Tennis Pro” by Curly Davis.

The subtitle on the book’s cover is accurate: “Stories that will enlighten, entertain, and inspire.” Curly Davis, a long-time teaching pro in Florida and Kentucky, has culled five decades of tales from his countless hours on the court into a fast-pace book that will make you smile or say “that’s interesting” or “what a crazy story.”

It’s also filled with life lessons and inspiring quotes from Warren Buffet to Zig Ziglar.

Davis opens the book with a fascinating story about when he felt chest pains while playing in a tournament in Naples, Florida, endured a convoluted trip to heart bypass surgery, to what happened when the bill arrived.

A nit pick: the spelling of the last name of golf legend Jack Nicklaus is incorrect twice on

page 28 (Nicholas) but correct when quoting him on page 93.

“Tennis the Ultimate Book” by Stefan Maiwald and Peter Feierabend.

Whether you read in English or German, this oversize hard cover tome chronicles the sport from its beginning through 2022. It’s filled with captivating photos and brief text, with English on the left side of the page and German on the right (or English at the top, German below).

There are photos and bios of the authors’ choices of the 20 best men and 20 best women of all time, and the five best matches of all time, not listed in any particular order.

There are brief histories of racquets, balls, fashion, celebrities, movies, advertising and the biggest scandals. And there are features on the Battle of the Sexes series of matches highlighted by the one between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs, and on Players Who Made History (and aren’t in the top 20 lists).

Plus there are spectacular photos of tennis courts above the clouds, in the wind and under water.

Not spectacular: The Battle of the Sexes item included a promotional photo of King and Riggs with the caption saying “the winner receives $100,000, New York, 1973” and implying they played in New York. The photo appears to have been taken in New York (tall apartment buildings in the background) but the match was played in the Houston Astrodome.

And I wish they hadn’t written: “Arthur Ashe was the first colored player to win the US Open and the Davis Cup in 1968 ...” First African-American or First Black player” would be appropriate.

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ST. PETERSBURG TENNIS CENTER: “PROUD OF FUTURE” OUR PAST, DEDICATED TO THE FUTURE” FUTURE”

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floridatennis.com

By Deborah Hobbs

The popularity and prominence of municipal/public tennis facilities on Florida’s west coast continues. The historic St. Petersburg Tennis Center, located in St. Petersburg and still operating after 100 years, ranks highly on this list.

SPTC is a vibrant, vital and important fixture, using the tennis platform for positive community outreach. Originally named the St. Petersburg Tennis Club, the tennis facility was established in 1919 with four concrete courts and in 1929 moved to a nearby location (next to the Albert Whitted Airport) with five clay courts. A. F. Bartlett donated land to the City of St. Petersburg, and this land subsequently became public, known as Bartlett Park, sitting on 133 acres of green and recreational space. Seeking a larger, desirable location, the St. Petersburg Tennis Club moved all tennis apparatus, including clay, to the Bartlett Park site.

Still known as the St. Petersburg Tennis Club in its new location, the facility was operated and managed by local tennis players and volunteers. Tennis families such as the Vuilles, Schafers, Turvilles, McMasters, Lewallens, Reeses and Reillys supported and grew the facility for almost 60 years. Pros such as Dan Sullivan and Bill Luffler nurtured and taught generations of local players, producing junior, college, adult and senior champions. The courts hosted professional tournaments and players such as Bill Tilden, Jack Kramer, Don Budge, Roy Emerson, Rod Laver, Ken Rosewall, Margaret Court, Arthur Ashe, Billy Jean King, Martine Navratilova, Chris Evert and Danielle Collins. On site is the St. Petersburg Museum of Tennis, attesting to the center’s rich and notable history in the tennis world.

For many years the facility prospered and grew, but in the 1990s overall tennis play decreased among the community and new clubs, with more amenities, brought increased competition. In 1993 the Club disbanded and the City of St. Petersburg took over the tennis operation. By 2001, the city had decided the facility, with its dwindling membership and increasing costs for maintenance, was not a viable, worthwhile endeavor for the community.

The announcement was made on July 30 that the facility would close and the structures torn down, making way for more park space. Immediately the local tennis community rallied and, within weeks, a new and improved tennis center model and plan was developed. The Tennis Foundation of St. Petersburg, Inc. was legally incorporated as a non-profit entity. The city then entered into a lease agreement with the Foundation, offering minimal and temporary financial assistance. By October 1, 2001, the Foundation took possession, assuming managerial and operational duties for the SPTC, filling all necessary positions with volunteers. Mike Carroll took on the role as Foundation President, serving dutifully and faithfully until 2021.

The Foundation operates currently as a 501c3, non-for-profit, charitable entity with Lyn Ballinger as Chair of the Trustees and 13 sitting members. Without current subsidy from the city, the lease agreement has continued and SPTC is a remarkable public-private partnership.

To initially obtain the city’s support, the SPTC (now known as the St. Petersburg Tennis Center) was to serve and offer a free after-school tennis junior program to the community. The program saw rapid success and, with players and members returning, financial stability was achieved and SPTC was now able to hire Jackie Keller as manager. SPTC, with its community emphasis, attracted the attention of former world #1 tennis professional, Jim Courier. He adopted the after-school program, which became Courier’s Kids. Fundraising events were held to assist with its operation and staffing, and Courier enlisted fellow professionals Andre Agassi, Chris Evert and Andy Roddick for these events. Courier and local businessman, Tom James, have continued their generous support for many years since.

By 2010 the facility’s clubhouse, courts and fencing were in need of a facelift. With SPTC’s rejuvenation and consistency in the community, the Foundation, city and donors raised $1.4 million for a new clubhouse and court upgrades. Four new Har-Tru courts were added in 2017, bringing court total to 20, 14 under lights.

Since 2019, SPTC has been under the daily direction of General Manager, Jack Bailey. He also serves as Executive Director of the Tennis Foundation. Bailey’s duties include overseeing staff, implementing programs and all court and structure maintenance. SPTC qualified personnel includes four full-time and three part-time teaching professionals, three part-time pro shop/office staff

and a full-time and part-time maintenance support team.

The community initiatives, which have been implemented during the past decade, and during Bailey’s tenure, have made an impact in the lives of many children and adults in St. Petersburg. A welcoming atmosphere greets everyone and scholarships are provided for any junior wishing to participate in the programs. A partnership with the Frank Pearce Recreation Center offers summer and after-school opportunities to neighboring children. Bee’s Learning, Inc., volunteer-run, conducts reading tutoring and enrichment three afternoons per week in the facility’s community room during the school year. 35-40 percent of the after-school tennis program participants are offered scholarships and 60 percent in summer sessions. Participation is 40-50 (school year) and 30-40 (summer). Academy Prep, a local charter school, attends SPTC, offering tennis as part of their enrichment program. High School tennis teams are provided with courts for practices and matches.

Bailey has spearheaded Racquets & Recovery program for those adults seeking to add a beneficial sport to their daily lives. The Wounded Warriors veteran organization has also organized play at SPTC and a Special Needs program is available weekly.

Adults and seniors are also offered playing opportunities with day/evening leagues, USTA teams, tournaments, open play, clinics and lessons. Memberships are available, but the public is always welcome with affordable guest fees. Each year, numerous tournaments and events are held: USTA Level II, Senior Men’s National in February, Sowing Seeds Community event in March, Back-to-School Tennis Carnival in August, Advantage Tampa Bay in November and Courier Kid’s event in December.

SPTC is an outstanding tennis facility, striving daily to be worthy of its past history and always looking to the future for worthwhile opportunities for service to the community.

SPTC Mission Statement assures the facility will remain: “A respectful and enlightening common ground for diverse cultures and generations; a safe haven for the children of St. Petersburg; an economically viable institution on this historically significant site.”

Lyn Ballinger, Foundation Chair: “The St. Petersburg Tennis Foundation’s goal is to preserve the rich tennis history at the SPTC as well as support our local community. We are committed to positively impacting children in the surrounding communities, to not only learn tennis, but all the life lessons that come with it. It starts with tennis, but it is about the friendships, competition and physical activity we all need for our mental and emotional health. We are a family here at the SPTC. For over 100 years, the STPC has been the tennis center for diverse cultures, backgrounds and generations. Come visit the center and the museum, and consider donating or sponsoring a child in our after-school program. Please visit the website for more details.”

Jack Bailey, General Manager: “I am honored to have a hand in the operations of the historical St. Petersburg Tennis Center and am even more humbled by the philanthropic impact of our TEAM, our BOARD and our PLAYERS!”

SPTC is located at 650 18th Ave. S., St. Petersburg, FL 33705 Phone: 727-823-2225, Website: https://stpetetenniscenter.comstpetetenniscenter.com (727) 823-2225 650 18th Ave S, St. Petersburg, FL 33705 For assistance, contact Jack Bailey, General Manager

41 floridatennis.com

Exercise With Oxygen Therapy (EWOT) Exercise With Oxygen Therapy (EWOT) is a cutting-edge training technique that has gained popularity among athletes seeking to boost their performance and endurance levels. This innovative approach involves exercising while inhaling higher levels of oxygen, which can lead to a range of benefits for athletes. From improved stamina and recovery to increased overall athletic capacity, this should be in every competitive athlete’s toolbox. In this article, we will explore the concept of EWOT training for sports and delve into its potential advantages for athletes.

Understanding EWOT Training EWOT training involves the monitored administration of 93% oxygen during exercise sessions. The typical setup includes an oxygen source, such as an oxygen concentrator, connected to a mask worn by the athlete. The individual then performs a 15-minute interval routine on either a treadmill, elliptical machine, or assault bike, while inhaling the oxygen-rich air. These types of exercise modalities are preferred due to a greater demand on the cardiorespiratory system; more muscles used the greater demand for oxygen.

The Science behind EWOT Training The underlying principle of EWOT training lies in the belief that by providing the body with increased oxygen levels during physical activity, athletes can optimize the efficiency of energy production. During exercise, the body’s demand for oxygen rises, as more energy is required. By supplementing with higher oxygen levels, athletes can potentially delay the onset of fatigue and improve endurance, thereby pushing their physical limits further.

Benefits of EWOT Training for Sport Enhanced Endurance - By delivering elevated oxygen levels to the muscles, EWOT training aids in reducing lactic acid buildup, which is a common contributor to fatigue.

This results in improved endurance and the ability to sustain physical effort for longer durations.

Ta k i n g it to the N e x t Level EWOT Training

Faster Recovery - The additional oxygen during training can aid in post-exercise recovery by facilitating the removal of metabolic waste products and enhancing tissue repair. This can help athletes bounce back faster from intense training sessions and competitions.

Increased Oxygen Uptake - EWOT training is believed to stimulate increased oxygen uptake by the lungs and transportation to the bloodstream. As a result, the body can efficiently deliver oxygen to muscles and organs, potentially improving overall performance.

Mental Focus - Optimal oxygen levels are essential not only for physical performance but also for mental acuity. The increased oxygen supply during EWOT training may enhance cognitive function and focus, helping athletes maintain concentration during critical moments in sports.

Adaptation and Overload - EWOT can be used as a form of training overload, pushing the body to adapt and improve its oxygen utilization capacity. This type of training variation can be beneficial for breaking plateaus and improving athletic performance.

Safety Considerations While EWOT training holds promising benefits, it is essential to approach it with caution and proper guidance. Oxygen supplementation should be administered carefully, as excessive levels can be harmful. Athletes should undergo a thorough assessment and consult with qualified healthcare professionals before incorporating EWOT into their training regimen.

Conclusion

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Exercise With Oxygen Therapy (EWOT) training has emerged as an intriguing method to enhance athletic performance. By capitalizing on the relationship between oxygen and physical performance, athletes can potentially unlock new levels of endurance, recovery, and overall fitness. However, responsible implementation, qualified supervision, and individualized planning are vital to ensuring the safe and effective integration of EWOT training into an athlete’s routine. As research and understanding in this area continue to evolve, the future of EWOT training in sports appears bright, offering athletes new opportunities to take their game to the next level.

Ian Pyka was a two-sport collegiate athlete and three time All-American who made the Olympic team. Pyka went on to become the strength and conditioning coach at the Florida Panthers and New England Patriots. Pyka currently teaches at FAU’s Exercise Science Department and owns Boca Cryo (located at 1200 Yamato Rd. in Boca Raton) which recently added EWOT training to their portfolio of services. Visit bocacryo.com to learn more.

Professional MMA fighter, Tyler Ray, practicing EWOT training at Boca Cryo in Boca Raton.

Boca Cryo is a wellness company which offers healing and recovery through state of the art technologies, all non-invasive and drug-free. We offer 7 different therapies in our center.

Our flagship service is WHOLE BODY CRYOTHERAPY, which treats inflammation, pain, stiffness, sleep disorders and helps performance improvement. Three minutes of sub-zero temperatures (-160 F) using safe, cold air in a “true” whole body chamber, leaves you with a rush of endorphins and other pain modulators. This short stay in the cold also boosts your metabolism while strengthening your immune system! Our specialized chamber is equipped with speakers which play your favorite tunes while moving freely about. Unlike our competitors, we DO NOT use liquid nitrogen.

We also offer LOCALIZED CRYOTHERAPY for those specific areas of pain and inflammation. This can be administered a La Carte or in conjunction with WBC.

WHOLE BODY CRYOTHERAPY

BOCA CRYO FACIAL is another popular therapy. If you are looking for less wrinkles and puffiness, and want tight skin and a younger look, this is for you! This 10 minute therapy, in conjunction with WBC, is shown to increase collagen production. As one of the most abundant proteins in the body, collagen helps make the skin look younger and fuller without injections and expensive creams.

MAGNETHERAPY is yet another treatment offered, using a state-of-the-art device called the Magnesphere. This is a low level magnetic resonance device which helps relax the body by balancing your Heart Rate Variability or HRV. Our Autonomic Nervous System is divided into Sympathetic (fight or flight) and Parasympathetic (rest and digest) systems. By bringing these two systems into balance, the body begins to heal itself! All of our clients, who have used this device, relax so much that they fall asleep during the session.

COMPRESSION THERAPY

Our COMPRESSION THERAPY focuses on the lower body. This pneumatic system, developed by a physician for circulation-challenged patients, inflates sleeves covering your legs. Systematically, the compression helps eliminate the by-products of exercise and aids in venous return to the heart. Athletes and weekend warriors, as well as people with circulatory insufficiencies, can benefit from this therapy.

Our SALT THERAPY is a form of therapy which entails relaxing in a room infused with medical-grade salt crystals that are inhaled and help with respiratory issues ranging from asthma, COPD and sinusitis, to mention a few. Salt therapy is a tremendous therapy and healer for skin disorders such as acne and psoriasis.

EMSCULPT

Our newest technology from Prague, Czech Republic, is called EMSCULPT. It is the first FDA approved device to increase muscle by 16% and decrease fat by 19% on average. In the world of aesthetics, this is rapidly becoming very popular in our center.

1200 Yamato Road, Suite B3, Boca Raton, Florida 33431 www.bocacryo.com ~ 561-717-4402 ~ Email: ian@bocacryo.com Ian Pyka received his Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiological Sciences at the University of Maryland and completed his Master’s degree in Exercise Physiology at the University of Tennessee. His first job was at the University of Massachusetts, as their first Head Strength and Conditioning Coach. Four years later, he accepted the same position at Tulane University. He later accepted the position of Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for the New England Patriots. In 1994, he managed a preventive medicine center in Scottsdale, Arizona, working with a retired population, establishing diet and exercise regimes to improve quality of life and longevity. Then in 1998, he was hired by the Florida Panthers to be their Head Strength and Conditioning Coach.

In 2002, he started Power Play Fitness, a company which focuses on the sports specific and comprehensive training of athletes as well as any motivated individuals interested in improving their overall fitness and health. He presently teaches Kinesiology, Biomechanics and Advanced Strength and Conditioning Methods, in the Exercise Science Department at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton. He is certified as a strength and conditioning specialist with the National Strength and Conditioning Association.

Ian was also a three time All-American (Track &Field) while at Maryland and earned an alternate spot on the 1980 US Olympic Track and Field Team.

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Dav i dson Kozlowski N e W FGCU M en’ s Coac H

For the past 26 years Jodi Appelbaum-Steinbauer has guided the Junior Orange Bowl International Tennis Championships from its embryonic stages to a world stage where aspiring young pros For the first time in more than a decade, the Florida Gulf Coast begin their paths to thehas sport’s men’s tennis program a newpinnacle. head coach. CJ Weber resigned in May after 12 years with the Eagles, most recently leading to the NCAA Steinbauer’s contributions to junior tennis in them Florida place her tournament and an ASUN tournament title. on Mount Rushmore alongside the late, great Eddie Herr and leg“CJ did a phenomenal job over the last 12 years, we’re in a posiendary Bobby creators of theinto state’s most prestigious junior tion where theCurtis, men that he brought the program were outstanding gentlemen on or off the court,” said FGCU Athletic Director Ken Kavanatournaments. ugh. “What we’re looking at really is to continue that success. We’ve been Now 67 and wanting to travel and spend more time with her fortunate that when we’ve had other very successful coaches leave, our family, Steinbauer is taken announcing as tournament direplacements have over andher putretirement us in a position of maintaining the tradition. ” rector of the Junior Orange Bowl. She can’t wait to celebrate on an This summer it was announced that former Drake University men’s Alaska husband J.R. was -- longtime director of the Junior tenniscruise coachwith Davidson Kozlowski just that guy.

Orange “[I’m] Bowlexcited golf tournament -- asand wellonasthe their and to be back down Gulfdaughter, Coast,” saidErika.

Kozlowski.

“I feel like I’m in paradise right now. ” daughter, Julie, and her husband, Jordan.

Kozlowski, a native of Sarasota, spent the last 11 years building sucWhen Jodi tookIowa, over with the leadership as tournament direccess in Des Moines, the Bulldogs.reins He was named the Missouri Conference Summit Coach of since the Year on six Rubin occatorValley in 1996, the 12s and division hadLeague laid dormant Chanda he ledwere his squad to seven conferenceintournament andsions, B.J. and Stearns crowned champions the boys’ titles. and Durgirls’ ing his tenure, the Bulldogs qualified for eight NCAA tournament berths. brackets One of in the1988. biggest things that FGCU and Drake men’s tennis has in common is that they are both 2023 However, Steinbauer andconference Junior OBchampions. tennis chairman George “Winning conference championships, those things are not given,” Carless fought for its return in 1998, and both the 12s’ and 14s’ divisaid Kozlowski. “It’s a year-round process. It’s 365 days that you’re worksions flourished since, crowning youngsters astoAndy inghave towards that kindever of one moment.

So when any teamsuch is able win a conference championship and raise that trophy, you have to be imMurray, Madison Keys and Coco Gauff years before they became pressed. You gotta respect it.” elite pros.

Drake had never won an NCAA Tournament match before KoAt one point, the popular tournament in which college recruiters, coaches and agents come to check out future clients and scholarship recipients, had more than 1,400 players in the qualifying and 128-player main draws of the four divisions.

For logistics sake the numbers have been cut in half simply because there weren’t enough courts at the William Kerdyk Biltmore Tennis Center, Salvadore Park and Crandon Park Tennis Center, former site of the Miami Open.

Jodi made up draws consisting of the sport’s greatest stars, including Murray, Gauff, Andy Roddick, Juan Martin Del Potro, Justine Henin and more recently Sofia Kenin, Bianca Andreescu, Emma Raducanu, Leylah Fernandez, and Frances Tiafoe.

Steinbauer, a native of Miami, played in the Junior Orange Bowl before becoming a two-time Florida state champion at Miami Beach High and four-time All-American player at the University of Miami, where she won a national collegiate doubles title and was on the state’s championship team in 1976. Jodi is a proud member of the UM’s Sports Hall of Fame and Museum, where she served as president from 2007-09.

Jodi was a bronze medalist in singles and silver medalist in doubles for the US at the prestigious Maccabiah Games in Israel in 1977. Steinbauer played professionally for a few years and defeated Liz Smylie (once ranked 20th) in the first round at the 1981 US Open. Also, has a win over Kathy May Fritz, a former Top 10 player and mother of current Top 10-star Taylor Fritz.

This doesn’t mean she’s putting her racquets in mothballs, as she will continue to smash overheads in USTA leagues. Jodi has been a teaching pro for decades as well as a substitute schoolteach-

er in the Miami-Dade Public System.

She will continue her philanthropic endeavors with the City of Doral and its PP4K program, which works with the police to orgazlowski arrived and led Drake to the round of 32 in 2013 and 2015. The nize recreational activities forConference at-risk children.

Jodi will volunBulldogs defeated 14 Power Five teams during his still tenure, and reached their highest school history, No. 16 unrelated by the teerthey to assist in several otherranking JuniorinOrange Bowl events, Intercollegiate Tennis Association. to tennis, such as golf Kozlowski’s father, and creative Dave Kozlowski,writing. is a highly recognized No doubt,teaching Steinpro from Sarasota who is bauer’s quarter of a a member of the USPTA century experience of Hall of Fame and has received the USTA National communicating with Media Excellence Award. the International TenDave Kozłowski nis Florida Federations, the told Tennis, “Davidson’s sisters, mother USTA, coaches, parand I are so proud of the ents and will impact that players he makes in the his intercolbe lives sorelyof missed and legiate has tough players. sneakers He to fill. represented our family “It’s all about the with tremendous dignity in the college tennisand doplayers, watching main. His on-going mishelping them succeed sion has been to give his at the next players the level, most while positive experience that they making sure their excould feel on and off the perience was the best court”. it could be,” Jodi said.

“My years as tournament director combined with my passion for children and growing the game of tennis. I’m thrilled to follow the careers of past Junior Orange Bowl players like Coco, Andy, Frances, and Emma succeed as pros.”

Tampa-based Tampa-basedSatterfield Satterfield Wins WinsUSTA USTABoys’ Boys’16s 16s National NationalClay ClayCourt CourtChampionships Championships

In Delray Beach, 7th-seeded Jack Satterfield won the USTA Boys’ 16s National Clay Court Championships with a 7-6 (7), 6-0 victory over 10th-seeded Ronit Karki.

Satterfield, based in Tampa, didn’t drop a set in any of his seven matches during the tournament in July. His impressive run earned a prestigious Gold Ball to go with a bronze in doubles at the Winter Nationals 16s and a recent doubles title at the Level 3 Florida Closed Bobby Curtis Championships at the USTA National Campus in Orlando.

Satterfield’s opponent in the final at the Delray Beach Tennis Center, Karki,, hails from East Brunswick, N.J., but trains regularly in Florida at the Gooding Todero Academy in Orlando.

Satterfield has been training at the Eric Dobsha Tennis Academy in Tampa for the past three years under the tutelage of Sukhwa Young.

Coach Young, who was the No. 1-ranked American junior in his teens and a former winner of the National Clay Court 16s, believes the future is bright for Satterfield.

“He’s getting used to understanding his game, finding himself out there and doing a lot better job of controlling his energy when the key moments are to manipulate the rhythm and momentum of a match, and how to use his body. Honestly, he has a shot [at a pro career]. This is just the beginning,” said Young in an interview with Harvey Fiaklov for yellowtennisball.com.

“This proved that all my hard work has paid off,” said the 5-foot-11, 150-pound Satterfield.

Jack Satterfield is winner of the gold ball at the USTA Boys’ 16s National Clay Court Championships in Delray Beach. Photos: yellowtennisball.com.

EMPOWERING FUTURES THROUGH TENNIS Donovan Tennis Strategies Maximize Your Child’s Tennis Experience

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• Developmental & Periodization Plans • Concept Mapping • Tournament Schedules • A.I. Practice & Match Tools •P rocess & Outcome Goals CONTACT US TODAY FOR A FREE CONSULTATION! Levels: USTA & ITF Call: 508-737-2727 CrosscourtConsultingllc.com

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UTR Levels: Girls 4-10, Boys 6-13 Call: 617-322-9333 DonovanTennis.com

QUICK Mental Toughness Tip QUESTION I am an 11-year old boy ranked in the state and planning to become a professional tennis player. But I am not sure I have the confidence to do it. Do you have any advice for me?

ANSWER It sounds like you have a long-term goal. But it is important to work on short-term goals now. Let’s try to be the best you can be now. Let us keep climbing the ladder and progress one step at a time.

Don’t set the bar so high that you have to be a pro. This is putting too much pressure on yourself, and this could make you feel frustrated and then disappointed and disillusioned.

Try to let yourself enjoy the process of improving technically and competitively in becoming the best player you can be at each level, and eventually you will learn if you can be a pro one day.

You only have control over doing your best each day and enjoying the process. It is important that you enjoy practice sessions and enjoy hitting and love competing. If practices are not fun and too grueling you are probably not going to become a great player.

It is important to enjoy the hard work in practice and the repetitions. Using variety doing different drills in practice can be fun and energizing. It is important at your age not to practice 4 hours each day but to come to the court each day with a plan focusing on improving one area of your game and start to enjoy the pressure of increased competency.

As you improve technically your self esteem will rise.

As an 11-year-old it is important to have balance in your life and have a well-rounded life. In your teenage years as you progress you will spend more time on the practice court interspersed with tournament travel.

You are 11 years old now - there are no time limits. Keep grinding it out and enjoy the process in reaching your short and long-term goals.

Good luck in your journey in becoming the best player you can be.

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Dr. Richard Cohen is a board certified psychiatrist who has won 18 USTA gold balls-national championships. If you have any questions or comments, please email him at rwcohenmd@gmail.com

Photo: Braden Egli / Unsplash

Your Day In Newport: A Guide to Visiting the Tennis Hall of Fame

By William Turvey NEWPORT, R.I. - Even though this magazine is titled “Florida Tennis”, in this article we’ll be taking you up the coast to Rhode Island, where a lot of tennis history is held. The International Tennis Hall of Fame is situated right on the coast of Rhode Island, in classy Newport. In the ocean fragrance aroma, with the airspace breached by squawking seagulls, a brown colonial set of buildings, their trim bordered by peeling green paint, are the beautiful structures that make up the grounds of the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

Parking might be the only difficulty, as Newport is a popular tourist town with picturesque beaches and plenty of sightseeing. But other than that, the Tennis Hall of Fame is perfectly placed, as what is now known as the US Open was held here first.

It’s easy to spot the entrance from Bellevue Avenue, as the front of the museum is adorned by flags from various countries. Once you enter, you will pass through an atrium preceding the first grand sight you will encounter.

In front of you is Horseshoe Court. Over 100 years ago, this was the equivalent to Arthur Ashe Stadium. It’s on this court where the US Open was played, and the attractive balconies that surround you were the stadium where

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“THE MOST UNDERUSED WEAPON IN TENNIS: THE UNDERHAND SERVE.” Gino Fava

WATCH MY YOUTUBE VIDEO FOR AN EXCLUSIVE LESSON ON HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR GAME

the fans would sit. But that’s not what we’re here for.

After a short walk along the rim of Horseshoe Court, you will enter the museum. After checking in, a quick walk up the Grand Staircase will bring you into the main area of the museum. Along the staircase are trophies from all sorts of tournaments held here and all over the globe.

Once you walk through a short hallway, bearing an aerial view of Horseshoe Court, you will arrive in the inductee room. This is where the true tennis history has been held. Thiese are the first inductees, right up to Esther Vergeer and Rick Drainey, this year’s class. Take a moment to study each plaque of every player in this room, what they have accomplished, and what they have done for the sport.

More rooms guide you through the history of tennis clothes to how tennis racquets have been made. And if you need an interactive experience, you can play with a friend or against the computer on a tv-screen tennis court, where your tennis trivia knowledge will be tested. You can also try commentating a famous tennis moment.

Once passing through almost every room, you will come to the gem of the museum, something that attracts people the most. It’s the Roger Federer hologram, a complete, life-like version of the 20-time Grand Slam champion himself, explaining to you the 10 things he likes about tennis the most. And right outside of the hologram room is a case containing his match kit, which he wore during his final bow at the 2022 Laver Cup. This is just a fraction of the history and importance that the Tennis Hall of Fame holds, but to everyone out there, in Florida or not, it’s important to come here if you are a true tennis fan, as it will give you a sense of appreciation for the game, and you’re sure to learn something you’ve never learned before.

William Turvey is the founder and owner of TenniUpdate, the weekly tennis newsletter. It is based and printed in Concord, Massachusetts. Besides writing for TenniUpdate, William has made other contributions to tennis magazines and publications and is currently working on a book about classic tennis matches. You can find his business at tenniupdate.com

Nicole Cierniak, from Venice High School, and Riley Dodd, from Citrus High, are the winners of the John Van Ryn Award for 2023. Nicole will be attending the University of Tampa in the Fall and Riley is going to Southeastern.

Both are outstanding players with excellent academic credentials. They come highly recommended by Al Dufaux of UT and Andrew Dickens of Southeastern. We wish them both much continued success.

Please visit our website for details: YTF-FL.ORG The Youth Tennis Foundation of Florida, Inc. Serving Florida Tennis since 1962 A 501(c)(3) organization Pictured in the photo is Riley at his “Signing” Day.

Registration Begins for

“Little Mo”

Internationals in Florida

The 17th Annual “Little Mo” Internationals will be held in Palm Beach Gardens December 1-6 and registration is open to any player worldwide ages 8-16.

To register visitmcbtennis.org. Registration will be on a first-come, first-served basis up to the entry limit of 30 players in each division.

The three “Little Mo” Internationals will be held in Colorado, New Jersey, and Florida. The Internationals are open to any player worldwide (ages 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12). The “Big Mo” divisions have also been added in Colorado and Florida for ages 13, 14, 15, and 16. There are no special qualifications or ranking needed to register for the international tournaments - any player who registers will be accepted into the draw until the entry limit is reached.

The “Little Mo” Internationals will offer singles, doubles, and mixed doubles events for all divisions. All players will be guaranteed at least two Singles matches during the international tournaments in addition to one doubles match and one mixed doubles match.

Travel Grants will be awarded to players who win their age division (yellow ball only) at all “Little Mo” Internationals.

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WORKMAN HONORED “Little Mo” Tournament Director Rick Workman is the recipient of the USPTA Florida Division’s 2023 “Presidents Award”. Workman is enjoying a tennis career spanning five decades. His involvement in tennis includes leadership positions within the USPTA, USTA, and the Private Club industry. He retired from ClubCorp, USA after 30 years as a Tennis Director and the Corporate Regional Tennis Advisor for 40+ company clubs in the East and West regions. His love for organizing tennis competitions is still in play today. He has directed over 400 USTA and ITF-sanctioned tournaments throughout the USA including 40+ Adult, Junior, and Senior USTA National Championships, 35+ ITF Junior Championships, and 40+ “Little Mo” tournaments.

3rd Annual Florida One-On-One Doubles Championships Returns to St. Petersburg

Photo of Ashley Fisher playing One-On-One Doubles

Doubles tournament events. “ Playing One-On-One Doubles is always the highlight of my year! The events combine a high level of serve-and-volley tennis, high energy and live musical entertainment. The format is fresh and exciting. I think OneOn-One Doubles should be played at the upper echelons of professional tennis!”, stated Fisher.

For more information about this event and One-On-One Doubles Tournaments, contact Tournament Director and Founder, Ed Krass, at 813-478-3384, or email: oneononedoubles@yahoo.com. And the website can be found at www.oneononedoubles.com.

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After being televised on Bally Sports Florida last summer, One-On-One Doubles returns to the historic St. Petersburg Tennis Center. On Saturday, November 4th, Coach Ed Krass will host three prize money divisions: An OPEN division, 40 & over age division and a 60 & over age division. The three tournament draws, sanctioned by Universal Tennis (UTR), will feature $1000 guaranteed prize money in each playing division with $700 going to the Winners and $300 to the Finalists. Entry Fee is $50.

The tournament will take place noon to 4pm.

This edition of the One-On-One Doubles Tour will feature a concert with one of Tampa’s premiere blues, funk and jazz bands, The T-Bone Hamilton Band, playing during the tournament’s round robin.

Tournament sponsors include The St. Petersburg Tennis Center, the Blind and Shutter Gallery, Treehouse Gallery and the Hardwood Specialists of St. Petersburg.

Food, soda, beer and wine will be available for purchase.

The event is Free Admission for the public.

Ashley Fisher, 2006 US Open Doubles Semifinalist and Head Coach at USF, has competed in numerous One-On-One

Show Your Coach Some Love An avid tennis player for the past 20 years, Roy Burns is a metal artist who makes personalized name plates for tennis coaches. You can see his work at the Sunrise Tennis Club in Ft. Lauderdale where his name plates are proudly on display. According to Roy, ”If you can think it, I can make it.”

Signs: 18” w x 10” high .alum. #4 brush finish. Wiith a clear finish.

We accept: Zelle, checks or money orders. $89.99 plus $10.00 shipping.

Metal Designs By Roy

Email: metaldesignbyroy@gmail.com Phone: 786-295-7795 Instagram: metaldesignbyroy

This 62nd edition will showcase the most talented 12U and 14-and-under tennis players worldwide.

Thank you to our Official Sponsors:

This globally recognized event brings together 700+ of the top-ranked junior boys and girls, representing 76 countries.

Match Locations in Miami: Salvadore Park (G14); Kerdyk Biltmore Tennis Center (B14); Crandon Park Tennis Center (B12 & G12).

Juniororangebowl.org/tennis

Attendance is Free to the Public!

16th Int’l Natural Health & Foods Expo Sarasota Municipal Auditorium Sept 23-24

FREE Admission, $10 value, to 16th Int’l Natural Health & Foods Expo, Sept 23-24, Sarasota Municipal Auditorium when you show a Zollipops or Zaffi Taffy Proof of Purchase. Zolli are at Whole Foods, Rite Aid, Dollar General & select Walmart stores or online at Amazon. Zolli Candy are great-tasting, Zero Sugar, allergy-friendly, gluten-free, diabetic friendly, KETO, vegan, made with natural flavors & no artificial colors. www.

Zollicandy. com or sales@zolli-pops.com & mention Healthy Referral News.

40 Yrs of Natural Health Knowledge in 2 Days!

Tickets: visit tinyurl.com/healthto100 Exhibit, Volunteer Group Rates: 216-533-2273 healthyreferral@gmail.com Updates: www.healthyreferral.com

Alina A Shark Tank business founder of the “Healthy Lollipop” Order Zollipops. Whole Foods, Rite Aid, Dollar General and select Walmart stores. Also available online at Amazon.

PICKLEBALL SLAM RETURNING TO HARD ROCK HOTEL & CASINO

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Tennis icons John McEnroe and Andre Agassi return for the Pickleball Slam and will be joined by Stefanie Graf and Maria Sharapova, two of the greatest female tennis players of all time. The four legends will compete in SLAM 2 for a total prize purse of $1 million.

Created and produced by Horizon Sports & Experiences (HS&E) and InsideOut Sports & Entertainment (ISE), SLAM 2 will be televised live in on ESPN on Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024 at 8:30 p.m. from Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, FL. Tickets for SLAM 2 are now on sale and start at $46. Tickets are available at myhrl.com and Ticketmaster. All seats are reserved. Doors open one hour before the event. Additional fees may apply.

SLAM 2 will be highlighted by a doubles match featuring McEnroe and Sharapova, who have a total of 12 Grand Slam singles titles between them, against Agassi and Graf, who earned a combined 30 Grand Slam singles titles during their respective careers.

The inaugural Pickleball Slam showcased McEnroe, Agassi, Andy Roddick, and Michael Chang competing for a $1 million purse, the largest tournament purse in pickleball history. The event was broadcast live on Sunday, April 2, 2023 on ESPN before a record-breaking capacity crowd at Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, FL. A first-of-itskind event, the afternoon telecast was the highest-rated competition in pickleball history.

“Following the success of the inaugural Pickleball Slam, we’re excited to once again partner with and return to the Hard Rock and present SLAM 2 in primetime on ESPN, an ideal time slot coming out of the network’s coverage of the NFL Pro Bowl and a NBA regular season game,” said David Levy, Co-CEO of HS&E. “It’s great to have both John and Andre return for SLAM 2.

In pairing them up with Stefanie and Maria, two of the greatest and most

competitive players in the history of tennis, there’s sure to be no shortage of incredible action and entertaining moments on the court.”

“We are incredibly excited to partner with Horizon Sports & Entertainment and InsideOut Sports again for the return of the Pickleball Slam to Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla.,” said Keith Sheldon, President of Entertainment for Hard Rock International and Seminole Gaming. “The inaugural event last April was a resounding success, with Hard Rock’s desire to be entertainment first-movers paying massive dividends. This time around, we’ll build on our initial success with John McEnroe and Andre Agassi, by also adding Steffi Graf and Maria Sharapova to the lineup arguably two of the best players of all time in racquet sports.

To have all this in The Guitar Hotel live in primetime on ESPN; it’s going be a special evening of pickleball.”

“After Andy and I took home the hardware at the first Pickleball Slam, I said I would be playing pickleball as long as I can walk that’s how much I enjoy this game,” said Agassi. “Naturally, I am so excited to share this experience with one of the best tennis players, my wife.”

“When I watched the inaugural Pickleball Slam in April and stepped onto the court, I was hooked. Andre and I can’t wait to get back out on the court together to face off against Maria and John,” said Graf.

AMATEUR SLAM CHALLENGE RETURNS The weekend will again feature the Amateur Slam Challenge on Friday, Feb. 2 and Saturday, Feb 3, 2024. The amateur tournament will include doubles teams competing for a cash prize and the opportunity to play against the tennis legends.

For more information and to register for the Amateur Slam Challenge, visit www.thepickleballslam.com.

Tennis & Pickleball

New UV Colors coming November 1st to www.SofibellaWear.com & shops near you!

USPTA Extends Playmate Agreement in Tennis and Adds Pickleball The United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA), Inc. has extended its agreement with Playmate Tennis Machines for three years. As of the agreement, Playmate will continue to serve as the Official Ball Machine of the USPTA and will now also serve as the Official Pickleball Ball Machine of the USPTA. “Playmate Ball Machines is excited to extend this agreement with the USPTA,” said Anna Norris, CFO of Metaltek. “With this continued partnership, we support the USPTA’s vision by manufacturing the best products with features that teaching professionals need. The addition of the Playmate Pickleball Machine allows us to meet the

growth into other racquet sports.”

Playmate has been the Official Ball Machine of the USPTA since 2017 and has committed to serving its tennis-teaching professionals into 2026.

“Playmate has been the industry leader in ball machines for many years. And, they have been an ardent supporter of the USPTA for even longer,” said USPTA CEO John Embree. “If you need a ball machine, they’re the best. We are ecstatic to have Playmate continue to support our tennisteaching professionals and expand into our pickleball endeavors. We are looking forward to continuing our storied relationship.”

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INTERNSHIPS

New Study Lists Florida as Top Pickleball State

courts (1,191) and the most clubs (26) of any U.S. state.

Coming in as a close second, Arizona boasts a thriving pickleball scene, offering players a wide range of well-maintained courts, competitive tournaments, and a warm climate.

Top 10 Pickleball States 1. Florida 2. Arizona 3. Utah 4. Washington 5. California 6. Oregon 7. North Carolina 8. Texas 9. Illinois 10. New York

Photo: Bionic Pickleball

A new study by Shane Co. suggests Florida is among the best states for the game of pickleball.

In order to determine the best states, the research examined various data points, including the number of facilities and courts, as well as the presence of club, private, public, and school facilities By combining the individual factor scores equally, they calculated a final score for each state, ranging from 0 to 100, where higher scores indicate greater suitability for pickleball enthusiasts.

Florida takes the crown as the ultimate pickleball destination, with its abundance of top-notch courts, vibrant pickleball communities, and year-round sunny weather. Florida has the most

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OFF THE BACK WALL

TIPS FOR PADEL LOVERS

I have spent almost three decades coaching Tennis and Padel. From newcomers to professional players, I made sure that every single student or player had always my very best version on the court. That is the best way to engage customers as well as to build meaningful and long-term relationships while creating long-lasting revenue streams for our business.

This is the second series of TACTICAL PRINCIPLES TO UNDERSTAND THE GAME OF PADEL BETTER so you can get more confidence and experience to help your students in your way to excellence and become the best PADEL COACH ever.

TRIANGLE PRINCIPLE AND WHY TO KEEP DIRECTIONS It’s crucial to select the right shots depending on our circumstances and intentions. By addressing these concepts, we will be providing a very solid foundation where players will end up understanding the game better. They all will become better players, with much solid education and training, and above all, while playing and having fun from day one.

Here you can find some general rules that hopefully will help you: • TRY TO KEEP THE DIRECTION of the ball coming until you can really hurt your opponents.

• TRY TO ALWAYS PLAY TO THE FURTHEST PLAYER so we are not taking any extra risk.

• TRY TO USE THE CENTER OF THE COURT and TO PLAY CROSS COURT on a general basis.

If we focus on distance between the players at the net (8 m, 23 ft), our chances to miss go down dramatically. In addition to that, we can create confusion as well as reduce the options for the opponents to open wide angles since it is way more difficult to play to the fences or the side wall from down the middle of the court. We encourage you all to use the middle as much as you can or at least, please consider it during some important points or situations where you may need to play extra safe shots.

There are some additional benefits of playing cross court, which, at the end of the day, means to play by using the center of the court.

11 REASONS TO PLAY CROSS-COURT SHOTS MORE OFTEN Just as in tennis, it is best to play cross court since you have more distance and a bit lower net. Also, cross courts lobs are much easier to execute and have less risk than if you play down the line.

By playing cross court, you can also look for the fence or make your opponents to hit a double wall shot that they could struggle with on top of that, it is a little harder for your opponents to hit a ball coming diagonally and they will need better timing to adjust than if the ball is coming from down the line. Also, a ball passing through the center of the court offers less alternatives to your opponents and you will be able to build your counter attacking strategy more accurately as soon as you have the chance.

If you go wrong with a cross-court ball, you may keep your position but if you do the same with a ball down the line, you will give them the chance to attack you and will leave your partner badly placed in a very tough situation.

Here’s a summary of 11 reasons that playing cross-court more often works:

Marcos del Pilar USPTA ELITE MASTER Padel Professional USTA Padel Consultant

If you are interested in more, do not hesitate to contact Marcos del Pilar for additional info about the business model and some essential leverages to implement Padel successfully and to GET CERTIFIED IN PADEL (marcos@tenismrp.com) to become part of the group of ambassadors that will lead the Padel wave coming in the USA. Marcos is running these programs in partnership with the PADELMBA, The USPTA and the USPA.

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1. More distance for the ball to land based on geometry of the court (see the last issue for deeper explanation about this) 2. Lower net at the center (0.88cm Vs 0,92cm). A couple of centimeters could make a big difference in certain moments of the game 3. Cross-court lobs are much easier to execute ant we should be using that easy counter-attacking strategy as much as we can 4. Playing cross-court to the fence can make your opponent doubt since it’s uncertain what the ball will do after the rebound 5. You can make them miss by playing to double wall if they don’t read the ball properly or are not comfortable enough 6. By playing cross-court and keeping the direction, you will keep your partner well placed all the time 7. Changing directions from down the line to cross-court is much easier than the opposite so doesn’t let them have those chances 8. Receiving a cross-court ball needs a better timing and adjustments so try to make your opponent uncomfortable with them 9. A ball down in the middle offers less alternatives to the players to counter-attack you (fewer potential angles) 10. If you get wrong with a shot down the line, you will probably be counter-attacked. In the opposite way 11. If you get wrong with a cross-court shot, you might still keep your offensive position, so it is safer for you

What is the Difference Between Spec Tennis and Pickleball?

A comparison between spec tennis and pickleball is bound to happen. How much of an overlap is there? Even though pickleball and spec tennis may look similar at first glance, the truth is that they evolved from completely different sports. Pickleball evolved from badminton while spec tennis, as the name implies, evolved from tennis. This means a very different scoring system, equipment (paddles and balls), and rules of play.

Difference in Rules of Play One key difference between the two sports that needs to be considered is that in pickleball you will have prohibited areas of the court. There are areas on your side of the court that you are not permitted to step on except in some rule exceptions. In spec tennis, the kitchen area (the novolley sone) is not enforced.

Difference in Equipment The two sports use very different equipment. Both sports use paddles that have short handles and are comfortable and light. This makes ball control easier for novice players. However, the face of the spec tennis paddle is slightly bigger, perforated, and more circular while the pickleball paddle has a solid face.

The ball used in spec tennis is very similar to tennis, with the difference being that spec tennis ball has less pressure and weights 50 percent less than a regular tennis ball. So, they bounce lower. In pickleball, you use a perforated plastic ball that moves a lot slower through the air. Due to the slow wiffleball, pickleball tends to have long rallies. Spec tennis rallies are usually shorter.

The court dimensions are the same for both sports. However, due to the different equipment used, playing pickleball gives you the feeling of standing on a large ping pong table, while spec tennis feels like you are on a short tennis court. Pickleball, to the spec tennis crowd, is essentially glorified ping-pong.

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Difference In Playing Techniques In Pickleball the level of difficulty is not considered particularly high, as the whiffle ball flies more slowly, therefore, tactics will be more important than power.

Conversely, a spec tennis ball flies faster than a whiffleball which means that technical skill has a greater influence on the outcome of a point. When you hit it well, it’s empowering, like when you hit a good tennis shot. You don’t get that in pickleball.

Comparing Level of Technical Difficulty Both sports have their own levels of technical difficulty. Spec tennis and pickleball are both relatively easy to learn, but deceptively difficult to master.

Pickleball and spec tennis do have their differences. However, there are marked similarities between pickleball and spec tennis. The two sports took off during the pandemic as people turned to socially distanced activities.

Both sports are known as doubles games, though both can be played one-on-one. The learning curve is quick, and the fun-meets-physical payoff is enormous. Both are easier than tennis, but spec tennis is the faster and more physically demanding of the two. There’s more running, and the ball moves faster.

And, both games are very social sports that will give you the benefit of being physically active. If the opportunity presents itself to learn both, I strongly encourage you to do so.

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Ricardo Marcotulli is the Spec Tennis Championships Director.

Email: marcotulli@gmail.com

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