New York Tennis Magazine - May/June 2012

NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2012 • New York Tennis Magazine

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NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2012 • New York Tennis Magazine

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NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2012 • New York Tennis Magazine

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May/June 2012 Volume 2, Number 3 New York Tennis Magazine 1220 Wantagh Avenue • Wantagh, NY 11793-2202 Phone: (516) 409-4444 • Fax: (516) 409-4600 Web site: www.nytennismag.com

TABLE OF CONTENTS Cover story Cover photo credit: Kenneth B. Goldberg

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Staff David Sickmen Publisher (516) 409-4444, ext. 309 • david@usptennis.com

2012 French Open Preview A look ahead to this year’s second Grand Slam at Roland Garros, profiling the contenders, pretenders and sleepers on both the men’s and women’s sides of the draw.

Andrew T. Berman Vice President/Sales (516) 409-4444, ext. 333 • andrew@usptennis.com Eric C. Peck Editor-in-Chief (516) 409-4444, ext. 312 • eric@usptennis.com Joey Arendt Managing Art Director Jon Blake Advertising Coordinator (516) 409-4444, ext. 301 • jonb@usptennis.com

Feature Stories 14

The pros return to New York as the 2012 World TeamTennis season is set to begin in July. Get to know the 2012 Sportimes roster and get the details on when the stars from WTT make their trip to The Big Apple.

Michael Sarro Director of Business Development (516) 409-4444, ext. 330 • michael@usptennis.com Anthony Pastecchi Editorial Coordinator (516) 409-4444, ext. 314 • anthony@usptennis.com

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Emilie Katz Marketing Coordinator Tara Cook Billing Coordinator (516) 409-4444, ext. 324 Brent Shearer Editorial Contributor Kenneth B. Goldberg Photographer

Advertising To receive any information regarding advertising rates, deadlines, and requirements, call (516) 409-4444 or e-mail info@usptennis.com.

Article Submissions/Press Releases To submit any material, including articles and press releases, please call (516) 409-4444 or e-mail info@usptennis.com.

The deadline for submissions is the first of the month preceding the target issue.

Subscriptions To receive subscription information, contact (516) 409-4444 or e-mail info@usptennis.com or check out our Web site: www.nytennismag.com. Fax subscription changes to (516) 409-1600.

Statements of fact and opinion in New York Tennis Magazine are the responsibility of the authors alone and do not imply an opinion on the part of United Sports Publications Ltd. New York Tennis Magazine reserves the right to edit, reject and/or postpone the publication of any articles, information or data.

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Top Stars of the Court Put on a Show for 18,000-Plus at MSG The pros returned to Madison Square Garden in March as Maria Sharapova, Caroline Wozniacki, Andy Roddick and Roger Federer took part in the 2012 BNP Paribas Showdown.

Additional Features 3 6 10 20 30 33 41 44 47 50

Beginning Tennis … At What Age? By Butch Seewagen The Vitas Years By Jeffrey A. Greene Courtside With Joel Kassan and Warren Rand of Gotham Tennis Academy Adult Player Spotlight: Debbie Persaud The Titanic Sank 100 Years Ago … I Won’t By Lonnie Mitchel When the Student is Ready, the Teacher Will Appear By Richard Thater USTA Eastern Hall of Fame Welcomes Four New Members at Annual Dinner The Four Sins of Tennis By Eric Faro The Art of the Serve By Lisa Dodson SBTA Launches 10 & Under Kids Tennis Satellite Program in South Brooklyn

Columns 8 12 22 32 38 40 43 46 48 49

New York Tennis Magazine is published bi-monthly by United Sports Publications Ltd. Copyright © 2012 United Sports Publications Ltd.

2012 New York Sportimes Preview: Captain John McEnroe Leads the New York Sportimes Into the 2012 WTT Season

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The Jensen Zone By Luke Jensen Adult League Recap By Deborah-Rose Andrews How to Play in the Moment: It’s as Easy as Breathing! By Rob Polishook, MA, CPC CTA Spotlight: Prospect Park Tennis Center Metro Corporate League Recap: 2012 Winter Season Winners Crowned Summer Camp Spotlight: Joel Ross Tennis & Golf Camp The Biofile: Patrick McEnroe By Scoop Malinowski New York Tennis Magazine’s Literary Corner: Epic … John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg and the Greatest Tennis Season Ever By Matthew Cronin By Brent Shearer Tips From the Tennis Pro: Help Your Game With Pattern Recognition By Miguel Cervantes III High School Spotlight: Getting to Know … New York High School Players Becky Shtilkind & Chris Jou By Michael Sarro Upcoming Events New York Tennis Club Directory New York Rankings USTA/Metropolitan Region 2012 Tournament Schedule (May/June 2012)

Beginning Tennis … At What Age?

By Butch Seewagen ennis is the sport for a lifetime. Unlike many sports, tennis is a “carry over” sport, meaning it can be enjoyed from childhood through adulthood. It is a sport that when played proficiently, provides the cardiovascular aerobic exercise needed for a healthy life, while developing character, physical and mental competence and self-esteem. Equally as important, tennis provides an ideal opportunity for parents and children to spend quality time together … having fun, learning, playing and competing.

In all of my years as a tennis pro, the question most asked by parents is: “When should my child start tennis?”

Before responding to the question, it is important to realize that tennis is a complex and highly-skilled activity. Broken down into its component parts, tennis requires the ability to track a moving object, anticipate and coordinate body movement, while simultaneously employing eye-hand coordination.

Tennis should be started as early as there is interest, provided that the child has the basic athletic skill-sets needed for success. Years ago, it was generally agreed that seven to nine years of age was the optimum time to begin tennis.

The thought process was that by the age of seven, a child would have the foundational motor skills needed for tennis.

For a child to have fun, there needs to be success—namely hitting the ball over the net. Children who are not physically prepared suffer failure and frustration which often drives them away from this great sport. The kids who had success had fun, played more, causing more success and so on.

Fortunately, there has been a new approach in introducing children to tennis; courts are smaller (36’ long for up to age eight) (60’ for ages eight through 10); rackets are shorter and lighter; and the balls are bigger and bounce slower and

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lower. The USTA’s 10 & Under Tennis and QuickStart Programs have made the game more child-friendly than ever before. Children are having an easier time playing and are having a ball!

Instruction has also changed from a style of simply throwing or hitting balls to children, to an approach of crosstraining children to develop skill sets needed to play tennis. Not only are balls being struck, but children are becoming more physically competent by performing movements, throwing, fielding and catching drills, dribbling races, etc.

Proper tennis technique is more easily attained when other more general athletic skills are mastered in a fun and nurturing environment.

For example, serving becomes easier when one learns how to throw a ball properly. The thrill of rallying has replaced constant ball feeding. With an emphasis on fun, new equipment, new court size, and instruction, children as young as three are now enjoying tennis … hopefully for a lifetime.

Butch Seewagen, along with his sister Barbara Steger, started the nation’s first Children’s Athletic Training School (CATS) in 1984 to develop young children’s foun-

dational motor skill sets. CATS has helped thousands of children to enjoy sports at its Rockville Centre, N.Y. and New York City locations. A former U.S. National Amateur Champion and holder of 15 National and International titles, Butch also started the Butch Seewagen Tennis Academy, a fullday summer tennis camp for children ages five through nine in Manhattan. This past February, the Butch Seewagen Tennis Academy opened in Rockville Centre, the first three-court indoor facility designed exclusively for children ages three through nine. CATS has been featured in NY Magazine’s Best Bets, The New York Times, The New York Post and on the CBS National Evening News. He may be reached by phone at (212) He may be reached by phone at (212) 832-1833 or visit CATSNY.com.

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NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2012 • New York Tennis Magazine

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Tweets from the pros … what the stars do when off the court Caroline Wozniacki (@carowozniacki): I am embarrassed to say that I lost to @McIlroyRory in table tennis 11-9 in the third and deciding set!

Sabine Lisicki (@sabinelisicki): I was stuck in traffic in Miami. Needed almost an hour for a usual max 15 min. ride!

Ryan Harrison (@ryanharrison92): Currently 37,000 feet above ground on the way to Miami. Couple days to relax and enjoy the beach.

Murphy Jensen (@murphyjensen): Living the dream for two days in Savannah Ga. and back to Sea Island on Wednesday! Come on!

Kim Clijsters (@Clijsterskim): Dinner at Nobu with my sister.

Casey Dellacqua (@caseydellacqua): Early morning swim and breakie down at Quinns Beach. Just beautiful.

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Lindsay Davenport (@ldavenport76): DISNEYLAND!

Victoria Azarenka (@vika7): Watching Jerry Maguire movie! Show me the moneeeyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!

Caroline Wozniacki (@carowozniacki): Watching the @MiamiHEAT game. Let’s go Heat!

Hall for Guga One of Brazil’s most beloved and successful athletes, Gustavo “Guga” Kuerten, has been elected to receive the highest honor in the sport of tennis … induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Kuerten was the world’s number one player for 43 non-consecutive weeks, and he is a three-time major tournament champion, having captured French Open titles in 1997, 2000 and 2001. Kuerten’s induction was announced in a special presentation in São Paulo at the offices of Banco do Brasil, a long-time sponsor of the tennis champion

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2012 • NYTennisMag.com

Martina’s time to dance Tennis legend Martina Navratilova competed on Dancing With the Stars, which aired for 10 weeks. Martina danced with Tony Dovolani, a Kosovan-American professional ballroom dancer. Unfortunately, Navratoliva’s dancing is not on par with her tennis ability and she was the first person voted off. Navratilova was joined this season by The View co-host Sherri Shepherd; Green Bay Packers Wide Receiver Donald Driver; Melissa Gilbert, who played Laura Ingalls on the TV series “Little House on the Prairie;” Actor Jack Wagner of “Melrose Place” fame; Motown legend Gladys Knight; Disney Channel star Roshon Fegan; Opera Singer Katherine Jenkins; Singer Gavin DeGraw; CubanAmerican Actor William Levy; Entertainment Reporter Maria Menounos; and Actor Jaleel White, who played the role of Steve Urkel on the ‘80s show “Family Matters.”

60 Minutes for Djokovic The war in Yugoslavia and the bombing of Belgrade were a frightening distraction for a young boy trying to become a tennis champion. But it also meant no school and more tennis, says Novak Djokovic.

And he credits the war and the hardships it

caused with instilling a hunger in him that ultimately drove him to fulfill his dream of becoming the world’s top ranked player.

Djokovic told his story to Bob Simon for a 60 Minutes profile. He was a 12-year-old tennis prodigy during the bombing campaign, and now looking back, Djokovic says it was a formative time for him and his family. “[The war] made us tougher. It made us more hungry, more hungry for the success.”

Who is the best ever?

Te n n i s Channel hosted the 100 Greatest of AllTime, presented by Ally Bank, a five-night series ranking the top tennis players of alltime. Roger Federer was named the greatest of all-time, and the series was hosted

by Jack Nicklaus, Jerry Rice, Wayne Gretzky, Lisa Leslie and Carl Lewis. The program aired for five consecutive nights with Federer being announced the top player on the show‘s finale episode. Here is the top 25 of all-time according to Tennis Channel: 25. Stefan Edberg, Sweden 24. Suzanne Lenglen, France 23. Fred Perry, Great Britain 22. Venus Williams, United States 21. Boris Becker, Germany 20. Ken Rosewall, Australia

19. Monica Seles, United States 18. Ivan Lendl, Czech Republic 17. Roy Emerson, Australia 16. Bill Tilden, United States 15. Jimmy Connors, United States 14. Serena Williams, United States 13. John McEnroe, United States 12. Andre Agassi, United States 11. Don Budge, United States 10. Billie Jean King, United States 9. Chris Evert, United States 8. Margaret Court, Australia 7. Bjorn Borg, Sweden 6. Rafael Nadal, Spain 5. Pete Sampras, United States 4. Martina Navratilova, United States/Czech Republic 3. Steffi Graf, Germany 2. Rod Laver, Australia 1. Roger Federer, Switzerland

was only able to play four tournaments last year after undergoing right hip surgery in October of 2010. His best 2011 result was reaching the third round at Wimbledon. He reached the 2007 Australian Open final, won 11 career singles titles, a gold medal in doubles and bronze medal in singles at the 2004 Olympic Games, along with a silver medal in singles in 2008.

Gonzo hangs them up

@DjokerNole: Congrats to @JohnIsner for breaking into the top 10 and having a great week! Congrats to Roger Federer for winning another big title in IW.

Top of the class John Isner defeated Novak Djokovic in the semifinals but fell to Roger Federer in the finals of Indian Wells. Below is the back and forth between Djokovic and Isner post tourney:

Former Australian Open finalist Fer nando Gonzalez of Chile has announced his retirement from the sport, after a 5-7, 6-4, 6-7(3) loss to Nicolas Mahut of France at the 2012 Sony Ericsson Open in Miami. Gonzalez wants to be remembered as someone who gave “100 percent every single time when he went to the court. And, of course, I think it is much better to be remembered as a person than as a tennis player.” Gonzalez

JohnIsner: @DjokerNole Classy stuff.

Thanks man. See u in Miami.

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NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2012 • New York Tennis Magazine

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THE VITAS YEARS #

By Jeffrey A. Greene

If you came of age as a tennis player some time during the early days of the Open Era, eventually you came into contact with Vitas Gerulaitis. He was, on some level, the embodiment of tennis in the New York metropolitan area and why it was cool to play. There had been other great players to come from the East, national junior champions, All-American college players, Davis Cup players, and even Grand Slam champions, but there had never been anyone before like Vitas Gerulaitis. Even if he was quickly overtaken and surpassed as an American tennis champ of his own era by another Port Washington student and fellow New Yorker, John McEnroe, Vitas retained a special aura, which couldn’t be infringed upon. Once he burst upon the tennis scene with his distinctive game, unique look, and his hybrid persona of rock star/layman, you never forgot him.

Tennis was starting to become big in the mid-1970s, with an unusual combination of factors creating a boom in the sport.

Nowhere was it more evident than in the East, where there was abundant indoor tennis facilities, major national junior tournaments, the Masters and Virginia Slims at the Garden, and the U.S. Open at Forest Hills, New York’s own Grand Slam event. In this vortex of tennis energy emerged the most dynamic and charismatic tennis player of this era, Vitas Gerulaitis. He came from New York, which of course meant that he had played Eastern junior tournaments, so when he became a regular fixture in the U.S. Open starting in 1971, it was a confirmation of tennis success for everyone. He was a guy, granted, a wickedly talented one, who’d come up through the ETA ranks to now being in the main draw of the U.S. Open. Sure, others had come before him and others would come soon afterwards, but it was Vitas who made 6

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you feel that you were part of the Open because he was one of us. Consequently, his much deserved success and inexorable rise to the highest level of pro tennis was validation for all of us.

The U.S. Open was always a distinctly more American-flavored tournament back in the nascent stages of its development, with the main draw normally being heavily weighted with more than 50 percent of American-born players. The game is much more global now, but back then, the tournament was infinitely more of an American event, with the bulk of the players having played Sectional USTA tournaments, national tournaments such as Kalamazoo, and more than likely having played college tennis as well. Even if the tournament moved from Forest Hills to Flushing Meadows, or from grass to clay to hard courts, it was still a predominantly American event, with an American, Arthur Ashe, having won the first Open to include professionals in 1968. Coincidentally, Vitas eventually played Ashe at the Open in 1974, losing in straight sets. Not surprisingly, he also played most of the other great U.S. players of that era, beating some and losing to others, eventually getting to the semis twice and the finals once. He played in the Open 15 straight years, an estimable accomplishment in and of itself, having suffered some rough early round losses along the way, but also notching some incredible wins against some of the very best players our country produced during this period.

Like his style of tennis, Vitas’ results were so much like New York in general, quick and exciting, yet erratic and confounding at times.

He could beat almost anyone on any given day, but was vulnerable to the upset because of his style of play and his gusto for the life befitting a true New Yorker of his ilk. He was so different than other tennis players that it was hard not to be drawn to his matches, which, given his lifestyle, weren’t always pretty. Yet,

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2012 • NYTennisMag.com

regardless of the results, or maybe even because of them, this was the guy who made tennis relatable to many of us. His game wasn’t developed in a country club and his persona and demeanor couldn’t be corralled and boxed in by the USTA hierarchy. Vitas Gerulaitis was a straight-shooting New York original, an athlete first, a tennis player second, but absolutely a New Yorker through and through.

You could envision him at a racetrack or at a nightclub, or maybe just hanging out with his buddies and playing some ball. He just happened to develop into a world-class tennis player, right there in our own backyard, right there amongst us in New York.

My remembrances of Vitas are crystallized by a couple of brief episodes where our paths intersected. While I played with him once, it certainly wasn’t in an actual match, nor would I have the temerity to think that I was in his ballpark. However, it wasn’t the first time our paths had crossed and it wouldn’t be the last. He played in the Davis Cup, representing the United States against South Africa a few years later in a match held at my alma mater, Vanderbilt University.

It was during the heated Apartheid protests of 1978, when I had to cross picket lines to watch him play at Memorial Gymnasium. A younger version of him crashed at my hotel room in Miami Beach during the Orange Bowl one night when he had no money, no ride back home and no place to stay. I was only too happy to help him and another buddy out considering they were real players, whereas, I was a scrub. The only thing that I had going for me was a good heart, an extra bed, along with some oranges and bananas in the refrigerator to offer them. Within another year, he’d be playing Bjorn Borg in the finals of the Orange Bowl. I’d be playing Paul Feldman in the finals of the New Rochelle Parks & Recreation Tournament.

We both lost.

He was supposed to be the poster boy to emerge out of the once illustrious Port

Washington Tennis Academy, directed by the legendary Australian Davis Cup Coach, Harry Hopman. He was groomed and destined for greatness. I even remember having seen his picture in The New York Times Sports Section when, as a high school tennis champion, he was to play an exhibition doubles match along with another high school champ, partnered with the two great Panchos, Gonzales and Segura, at Madison Square Garden. Seeing your picture in the Times was heady stuff for a kid back then, but not for a guy who was on the fast track to becoming a star. Not even one year at Columbia could throw him off course from his eventual destiny with pro tennis success at the highest levels and the accompanying pitfalls of fame and fortune.

But through it all, he always played the U.S. Open, and if the New York Jets had Broadway Joe Namath, then the tennis fans of New York had Vitas Gerulaitis. He always answered the bell, so even if he had some disheartening losses that may have crushed others, he’d shake them off and live to play again. Playing in the Open must have been as potent an elixir to him as it was for the people who came out to see him play. He was a fixture and a mainstay in the draw, nearly always seeded once he had turned pro, and certainly a threat to take out anyone, but like any other flawed human hero, vulnerable to the unexpected ambush by a determined competitor on a hot, steamy late August afternoon.

The U.S. Open wasn’t the U.S. Open if Vitas wasn’t in the tournament. He may have never won the event, but his meteoric

rise into the upper echelons of professional tennis is inextricably interwoven with the rise of the U.S. Open itself and its evolution into what it has become today, a mega-event.

However, instead of broadcasting from up above, he was out there as a 17-year-old battling a little known Japanese guy on the patchy turf of West Side Tennis Club in 1971, going down 6-1 in the fifth. It was the first main draw match of 48 matches he’d play over the next 15 years at the Open, the last of which was a straight sets loss to Yannick Noah in the third round in 1985. His overall 33-15 singles record is still quite impressive, with an enviable .687 winning percentage. While I might not have seen many these matches, they are surely representative of quite a body of work from a special player during a pivotal transitional era in the history of modern tennis.

This was the guy who embodied what was cool about tennis, so it no longer seemed lame to be playing such a rich kid’s sport, as it was formerly known. Now it had some city roots, some blue-collar toughness and realness, and a rock ‘n’ roll vibe like never before. Rather than being shunned for being a tennis player, which wasn’t considered a real sport, now you could be proud to be called a tennis player.

This was especially true if you were a New York guy who was already a tennis player to begin with, because this guy spawned from your own ranks and was truly one of you. He didn’t descend from Mount Olympus or emanate from the privileged, aristocratic country club culture that had produced the bulk of the elite players up until then. No, this

character grew up in Queens, N.Y. A rare combination of talent, hard work, a little luck, and exquisite timing created a perfect storm for our anti-hero, Vitas Gerulaitis, to arise from.

The Vitas Years were unique and special. I doubt that this kind of highly unusual confluence of events could possibly ever take place again, let alone another individual or character like him elevate to the heights that he ascended to. Yet to be of that era and to have known Vitas, even if only peripherally like myself, makes you feel that you got on the tennis bandwagon at just the right time because that’s what you needed to attach yourself to the game. It’s a long time ago now, but I’m still banging away in the tennis world as are many others, and Vitas’ legacy and glowing aura will not fade away. I wish that there was a tennis version of “The Wonder Years,� so you could see that period through the eyes of an adolescent, but with the clarity provided by the wisdom and knowledge of an older, more mature version of you doing the commentary. Little did I know in reality how lucky I was to be attempting to become a tennis player during the Vitas Years.

Jeffrey A. Greene is currently entering his 12th year as the tennis director at Camp Pemigawasett in Wentworth, N.H. He played his college tennis at Vanderbilt and he received his masters in sports administration from USC. Jeff is currently ranked fourth in the Eastern ONE-ON-ONE DOUBLES Rankings in the Men’s 35s Division.

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NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2012 • New York Tennis Magazine

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want to take this opportunity to write about the newest American tennis hero … Big John Isner! The University of Georgia product has put himself on a very short list of players who enter a Slam and have both the game and momentum to win one!

I first saw John at the Easter Bowl, a junior event played annually in Palm Springs, Calif.

His size was the first thing that stood out over the other kids, but I was really impressed with his kick-serve. He had the weapon every player needs … a one-swing-to-win-one-point at any time kind of weapon. When I see junior players, I see the skills and I see the potential, but only the player knows the love that is inside to grind that talent out towards the Pro Tour. Many players with Pro Tour-caliber talent quit way before their time. The Pro Tour is about losing, and the price you are willing to pay to improve enough to start winning … that is why I admire John Isner. His road to tennis stardom was different, but it had to be. Even though he had a

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gift, John needed the time to understand and learn how to use his gift.

After an outstanding career at the University of Georgia, his first full summer on the ATP Tour after graduation was very impressive. Isner’s match against Roger Federer at Arthur Ashe Stadium may have been a loss, but the special elements I look for in elite players was evident in that particular match—poise, confidence, determination and firepower! Against Federer, the most dominant player in the universe at the time, John Isner was throwing bolts of lightning!

Another massive moment was his three-day match at Wimbledon in 2010 against Nicolas Mahut. It is a special match in tennis history, and for me, I was there covering the match for ESPN from the first to last minute of every shot … all three days. John showed the key to every champion … TOUGHNESS, and over three days of tennis torture, Isner was nothing but titanium tough.

Now in 2012, we have the French Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open left. Look for Isner to make serious runs at those Grand Slam

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New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2012 • NYTennisMag.com

titles. The French Open is a real possibility. He just bested Federer on red clay in the 2012 Davis Cup and Isner is the only man to take Rafael Nadal to five sets at the French Open.

On a personal note, I want you all to get behind John. He is truly a GREAT kid! I have been around him in many situations before he was big time, and since making it big time, he is still the very simple and honest John Isner he always was. I have so much respect for him … like the respect I have for Federer and his accomplishments. They are kids at heart. They really love what they do, and do it in a way that seems to me where they cannot believe they are living this dream of being a tennis mega star. John has this way about him like a kid that has a player’s Guest Pass into the locker room and Player’s Lounge and he is hanging out with Federer, Nadal and world number one-ranked Novak Djokovic … it’s too amazing to be true.

So, let us really follow and get behind this American hero as he carries our American hopes towards Grand Slam titles. His window is now, his game is HUGE, and the rest of the draw knows just how dangerous that Big John Isner kid is!

Born in Grayling, Mich., Luke Jensen is head coach of the Syracuse University Women’s Tennis Team. Jensen’s resume includes 10 ATP Tour doubles titles and singles victories against Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, Ivan Lendl, John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg, Jimmy Connors, Boris Becker, Stefan Edberg and Jim Courier. Jensen and his brother, Murphy, won the 1993 French Open doubles title. He was also a member of the 1991 and 1992 Davis Cup Teams. His ambidextrous play, including his ability to serve the ball with either hand at 130 mph, earned him the nickname “Dual Hand Luke.” He may be reached by phone at (315) 443-3552 or e-mail lbjensen@syr.edu.

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Courtside With Joel Kassan and Warren Rand of Gotham Tennis Academy

leyan University, followed by earning an MBA from the Wharton Business School.

I am an avid tennis enthusiast, but have also enjoyed coaching youth basketball, soccer and baseball programs on the Upper Westside of Manhattan.

For a city that is known as the “Concrete Jungle” and has limited recreational space, there are a surprisingly large number of new avenues available to play tennis in New York City at tennis clubs, tennis academies, parks, schoolyards, and gyms. One tennis innovator, Gotham Tennis Academy, is changing the tennis landscape in New York City by offering a year-round system of teaching tennis to growing numbers of enthusiastic players of all ages and levels at convenient locations dotted throughout the city. We sat down with Joel Kassan and Warren Rand, the owners of Gotham Tennis Academy, to learn about their vision for Gotham Tennis Academy and see what strides they are making in the sport of tennis in New York City. For more information about Gotham Tennis Academy, please visit www.gothamtennis.com.

Tell us a little about your tennis background and personal life.

Warren Rand: I grew up in North Carolina, and I began playing at the age of 10

eight. Once I started to improve, I attended the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy and lived there for a year and a half.

I then received a Division I scholarship to play for Appalachian State where I played number one singles my junior and senior years. After college, I decided to put the racquets down and traveled for a few years. I ended up in Sweden where I went to graduate school and got a master’s degree in finance. With that degree, I came to New York and got a job on Wall Street. I soon realized that it wasn’t my cup of tea, so I picked the racquets back up, and what was supposed to only be a short gig teaching for a summer in the Hamptons soon became my career. In the end, it was what I knew best and was my life-long passion.

Joel Kassan: I started playing tennis in New Jersey around the age of nine with my father, who taught me the game. I loved hitting the ball against a wall and serving buckets of balls for hours and hours at the local tennis courts. In high school, I was MVP of my tennis team for two years and captain of the tennis team in my senior year. I played tennis at Wes-

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2012 • NYTennisMag.com

What does Gotham Tennis Academy provide to the New York City tennis community?

Kassan: Gotham Tennis Academy offers its players, especially young athletes, a proven system for learning fundamental tennis skills in a positive and supportive environment. In a city where children are “over-programmed” with activities, we try to make it as easy as possible for kids and their parents to get out on the court, develop their skills and have fun. That’s why we offer nine convenient locations.

We strive to hire the most talented, engaging and personable tennis pros who are passionate about teaching tennis. At all of our locations, we also seek to teach tennis in top-notch facilities. In selecting facilities for our programs, we look for convenience, ample space, good lighting, and well-maintained playing surfaces. We are big proponents of the USTA’s 10 & Under programs, which means we use age-appropriate equipment that allows younger players to learn tennis more quickly and develop a stronger foundation for lifelong enjoyment of the sport.

Rand: With our many locations, we attempt to make tennis as easy on the family as possible. By having several convenient locations, the parents and players spend less time traveling to and from tennis. We want our kids to have fun and learn the fundamentals of the sport. By using the USTA’s QuickStart method, we can take tennis to a school or gym or other surface which is a major benefit of this new teaching format.

You do not necessarily need a full-sized tennis court to begin teaching tennis. The important thing is to provide the same teaching curriculum at each location. We also like to expose our players to different surfaces, such as the French Open style red clay in Riverside Park, the U.S. Open style deco hard courts at Stadium, and the artificial grass and Har-Tru surfaces at our Napeague Tennis Club in the Hamptons.

Please comment on the teaching method and teachers at Gotham Tennis Academy.

Rand: We hire PTR-certified tennis instructors and we have a standard curriculum which each instructor is required to follow. Our core teaching curriculum is the

same at each of our locations. Every semester, we do player and pro evaluations to review performance and stay on top of player development. We are also using technology now with Dartfish video analysis, even at a young age because kids can learn a lot from watching video footage of themselves. We teach our instructors that teaching tennis is about the student, not the pro.

Not one single pro on our staff is “bigger” than our system and our team approach. For example, Alex Bogomolov Jr., a professional tennis player who recently reached number 31 in the world, was a Gotham program director. Just like everyone else on our professional staff, Alex left his ego at the door when he joined our company and put the needs of our players above all else.

Please tell us about Stadium Tennis Center.

Kassan: Stadium Tennis Center is a new, state-of-the-art 16 court indoor/outdoor tennis center near Yankee Stadium, which operates under a concession agreement with the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. Twelve of Stadium’s courts are open for indoor play from October through April under one of the largest tennis bubbles or domes of this type in the world. The bubble at Stadium Tennis Center covers an area of over four million cubic feet and a footprint of more than 75,000-sq. ft. The Center’s high 60-ft. ceilings, tournament play lighting, spacious backcourts and an adjacent clubhouse are attracting tennis players throughout NYC, northern New Jersey, Westchester and Connecticut.

Because Stadium Tennis Center is conveniently located near Yankee Stadium, it is also very accessible by public transportation. There is convenient parking right across the street at the Gateway Shopping Center.

Rand: Stadium Tennis Center offers a full complement of tennis programs for juniors and adults of all skill levels. Through its partnership with Gotham Tennis Academy, the new tennis center has established a team of top-notch, experienced tennis professionals and programs with a growing and loyal following. Stadium also offers indoor seasonal court rentals, private lessons, game arranging, leagues and tournaments. It’s a special place for all types of tennis players: Young, old, beginners, tournament players … you name it. Everyone is welcome at Stadium.

Can you generalize about the goals for players at Gotham Tennis Academy?

Kassan: One cornerstone goal of our company is to provide a training ground where our players can become prepared to play tennis at the Division I college level. We strive to train champions who can reach their maximum potential both on and off-the-court. Through tennis, one can learn many life skills, so we not only want our students to become better tennis players, but we want them to also be become better people who display good sportsmanship, act responsibly and ethically, and are able to set and achieve goals on and off the court. We want our players to realize that even if they don’t become college or professional tennis players, they can still develop solid fundamental tennis skills to enjoy with family and friends for a lifetime.

Rand: We encourage our kids to play tennis with us throughout the entire year, and just to be the very best that they can be. Starting from when they pick up a racquet with us, we want them to realize their affiliation with Gotham Tennis Academy means something.

This is hopefully a 10- to 15-year relationship with us, all the way through college and beyond. Right now, we are only in our fifth year, so we are eager to see where our players will be in another five to 10 years. The future for our young crop of players is incredibly bright.

It’s very exciting and humbling to know that Gotham Tennis Academy will play a key role in our players’ tournament results, scholarships, college and more. But overall, our end game is that we want our kids to have fun, develop their skills, get better and enjoy their time with us.

NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2012 • New York Tennis Magazine

11

By Deborah-Rose Andrews

he 2012 Mixed-Doubles season is nearly over and the Spring/Summer season is getting under way in Manhattan. The Manhattan Mixed-Doubles Playoff were held Saturday, March 3 at the West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, N.Y., as the weather was nice and the players were able to go out on to the balcony while waiting for their matches. Close matches were played at each level and congratulations to the winners:

T

I 6.0 Level..........Elly Cam I 7.0 Level..........Sherron Dawes I 8.0 Level..........Rafael Kim & Erin Shigaki I 9.0 Level..........Marvin Jeffrey I 10.0 Level........Eileen Melniker The most dramatic finish was the 7.0 Level final. With the match tied 1-1 on the last court in a close battle, suddenly Mayra Rawlins collapsed on the court with severe cramps. One of her teammates came on-court to treat her and the official started the medical time-out clock. When she was told there was one min. remaining in the medical time-out, Mayra tried to struggle to her feet. Her partner, Mauric Lao, asked what she was doing and she replied, “I’m getting up so you can play singles!” Mauric was surprised, but certainly wasn’t going to argue. Play continued and Mayra struggled through the first few games. They went with Mayra’s plan—she played the balls that came directly to her and her partner covered the 12

rest of the court. With this strategy, her team was able to win the second set in a tie-break. The match proceeded to the match tie-break which Mayra and Mauric also won. Now that’s determination!

The Queens Mixed-Doubles winners were determined the weekend of April 14-15 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. The 6.0 Final and 7.0 and 8.0 Semifinals took place April 14, and the 7.0 and 8.0 Finals were held the evening of April 15. The teams that will represent Queens are: I 6.0 Level..........Legaspi & Ticol I 7.0 Level..........Kende & Vogt I 8.0 Level..........Team Davoren The Brooklyn and Bronx winners were determined during regular league play.

Congratulations to the following winners from Brooklyn: I 6.0 Level..........Bateh & Caponi I 8.0 Level..........Kim & Shigaki Congratulations to the following winners from the Bronx: I 7.0 Level..........Reid & Dawes I 8.0 Level..........Gonzalez & Biele The Metro Regional Playoffs will be held on two consecutive Saturdays, May 12 and May 19. These playoff matches will determine which teams will represent

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2012 • NYTennisMag.com

the Metro Region at Sectional Championships at the 6.0, 7.0 and 8.0 Levels (the 9.0 and 10.0 Level teams do not participate in Regional Playoffs, as those winners advance directly to the Sectional Championships).

The Manhattan Spring/Summer season has just started. Teams are playing at West Side Tennis Club, City View Racquet Club, Roosevelt Island Racquet Club, Columbia University, Manhattan Plaza and the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

The Queens League will be starting in late May, and the Brooklyn and Bronx Leagues both will be staring in June.

The Senior League (senior men and women, senior-mixed and super seniors) will start in June. If anyone is interested in the Senior League, please e-mail me at debrose@metrotennis.com.

Players looking for a team can contact the Level Coordinators through our Web site, www.metrotennis.com. Click on the “USTA Leagues” tab, then the borough you wish to play on the left. Click the “Coordinators” tab and fill out the form.

A coordinator will get back to you shortly. If anyone is looking to captain a team they should e-mail me directly.

Deborah-Rose Andrews is the Local League Coordinator for the Metro Region. She is also vice chair of the Adult League Committee and a member of the Metro Region board of directors. She may be reached by e-mail debrose@metrotennis.com.

NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2012 • New York Tennis Magazine

13

2012 NEW YORK SPORTIMES

Preview

Captain John McEnroe Leads the New York Sportimes Into the 2012 WTT Season fter coming one victory short of first place in the Eastern Conference last year, the New York Sportimes of World TeamTennis (WTT) look to rebound in 2012 as the team will play seven July home dates this season, including five at the Sportime Randall’s Island Tennis Center and two at SEFCU Arena at the University of Albany. For the second consecutive year, Hall of Famer Martina Hingis is scheduled to compete in all seven NY Sportimes home matches. Venus Williams and John Isner are scheduled to compete for the opposition, Venus for the Washington Kastles and Isner for the Boston Lobsters, in the two matches at the SEFCU Arena in Albany. Andre Agassi will compete for the Boston Lobsters at Sportime Stadium.

The team will be coached by Chuck Adams for the 2012 season.

Sportimes team captain and New York tennis legend John McEnroe will compete in the matches at Randall’s Island on Thursday, July 19 (against the Boston

A

Lobsters) and Wednesday, July 25 (against the Washington Kastles). Andre Agassi will appear and compete on the night of July 19th against John McEnroe, which, for the second straight year, will be an evening to benefit the Johnny Mac Tennis Project, a charitable foundation that raises money to support youth tennis in the New York City area.

The Sportimes open their 2012 campaign on Tuesday, July 10 against the Springfield Lasers, and also have home dates scheduled at Randall’s Island against the Philadelphia Freedoms on Friday, July 13 and again on Wednesday, July 18; against the Boston Lobsters on Thursday, July 19; and on Wednesday, July 25, meet the defending WTT champion Washington Kastles. In Albany, the Sportimes will face the Washington Kastles again on Monday, July 23 and the Lobsters again on Tuesday, July 24. Home matches at Sportime Stadium Randall’s Island begin at 7:00 p.m., while first serve for the Albany events is at 7:30 p.m.

“This schedule is a challenging one, with two home matches against our big rival, the defending champion Washington Kastles. The matchups should be great this year,” said Sportime Clubs and New York Sportimes CEO Claude Okin. “Every night of WTT action offers intense tennis and fun for the whole family. Our Captain and leader, Johnny Mac, will inspire us and we have all-time great Martina Hingis leading the charge at every home match. Our goal is to return to the WTT Finals for the second time in three years.”

The Sportimes finished one win out of first place in the Eastern Conference in 2011 after winning the Eastern Conference title in 2010. They were WTT Champion in 2005. The 2012 WTT regular season runs from July 9-28, with the top two teams from both the Western and Eastern Conference advancing to the WTT Finals Weekend, presented by GEICO, Friday-Sunday, Sept. 14-16 at the Family Circle Tennis Center in Charleston, S.C.

PLAY ON RED CLAY

at this fabulous, public 10-court facility in Riverside Park along the Hudson River Greenway, maintained by the Riverside Clay Tennis Association. Present a NYC Parks Department tennis permit, or pay $15 at the gate to play on these courts.

• The RCTA offers clinics, tournaments, ladders and “speed tennis” meets.

• FREE CONCERTS Saturday nights at 7pm throughout the summer!

Photo: Joe Josephs

Get more information about the RCTA and its programs at at www.rcta.info.

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Find out about the GreenOutlook, the RCTA’s plan to provide New Yorkers with the greenest buildings in the city at www.greenoutlook.info.

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2012 • NYTennisMag.com

2012 NEW YORK SPORTIMES

Preview

The Sportimes also have seven road dates scheduled, including matches against Eastern Conference rivals the Washington Kastles on Thursday, July 12; the Philadelphia Freedoms on Friday, July 20; the Boston Lobsters on Sunday, July 22; and two swings through the Western Conference, Sunday, July 15 against the Kansas City Explorers and the following night, Monday, July 16, against the Sacramento Capitals; Friday, July 27 against the Springfield Lasers and the following night, Saturday, July 28 against the Explorers in Kansas City.

Another highlight on the schedule will be on Wednesday, July 18 at 5:00 p.m. prior to the Sportimes matchup with the Philadelphia Freedoms. That evening, the Sportimes are looking to enter the Guinness Book of World Records for the most people bouncing a tennis ball in the air at the same time for 10 seconds. Mark down July 18 as only the first 750 registrants will be able to take part in this recordbreaking attempt. In order to participate and be a part of history, you must purchase a ticket to the July 18th SportimesFreedoms match. Racquets and balls will be provided by the Sportimes.

Tickets for Sportimes matches are available by calling (888) WTT-NYC1 or by visiting NYSportimes.com, or for more information on the matches in Albany, visit NYSportimes.com/Albany or call (518) 393-0440.

A number of companies and firms have aligned themselves to support the Sportimes’ 2012 season, including: the USTA Eastern Section, GEICO, USTA, Wilson, DecoTurf, Principal Funds, SPORTIME Clubs, Tennis.com, Arizon Tennis Domes, NY Orthopedics, WarrenTricomi Salons, Metal Building Restoration, Zurita Architects, Lazer Aptheker Rosella & Yedid PC, Tamir Kfir-Orthotist and Prothetist, Florida Atlantic University-College of Business, Smart & Skinny Snacks, Powerade, Fernando Limousine, and Randall’s Island Sports Foundation.

Who’s who on the Sportimes?

At the 2012 World TeamTennis Draft, the Sportimes welcomed back some familiar faces for another season of World TeamTennis. In the first round, the Sportimes selected California native

Robert Kendrick, followed by Jesse Witten of Naples, Fla. in round two, and Georgia native Ashley Harkelroad in round three. These three selections will join John McEnroe and Martin Hingis, who are already on the Sportimes roster, having been selected in the Marquee Draft.

Ashley Harkleroad Residence: Los Angeles, Calif.

Birthdate: 05/02/85 Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand) A native of Flintstone Ga., and a long-time crowd favorite on the WTA Tour, Ashley Harkleroad, aka “Pebbles,” is playing in her fourth WTT season and her fourth for the Sportimes. She resumed her professional career in Miami, playing with a protected ranking of 77th in the world after having given birth to her first child, with husband and Sportimes Head Coach Chuck Adams in March of 2009. Ashley has achieved a career-high ranking of 39th in the world in both singles and doubles. continued on page 16

NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2012 • New York Tennis Magazine

15

2012 NEW YORK SPORTIMES

Preview

Martina Hingis Residence: Hurden, Switzerland Birthdate: 09/30/80 Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand) The Sportimes boast two former number one players, John McEnroe Photo credit: Kenneth B. and Martina Hingis.

Goldberg Hingis returns to the Sportimes for a third season, having been a member of the Sportimes championship team in 2005. Over her professional career, Hingis has won five Grand Slam singles titles and nine doubles titles. In 1998, she became the fourth woman in tennis history to win all four Grand Slams in the same year. Hingis is also one of only five players in WTA history to simultaneously be ranked number one in singles and in doubles.

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Robert Kendrick Residence: Orlando, Fla. Birthdate: 11/15/79 Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand) The 2012 season will be Robert Kendrick’s fifth season playing for the Photo credit: Kenneth B. Sportimes, having been a Goldberg member of the Sportimes 2005 WTT Championship team. Kendrick has a career-high singles ranking of 69th and has wins over many of the world’s top players. He is a former All-American at both the University of Washington and Pepperdine University.

John McEnroe Residence: New York, N.Y. Birthdate: 02/16/59 Plays: Left-handed (one-handed backhand) Queens native John McEnroe will be back with the Sportimes this Photo credit: Kenneth B. summer, his 11th season Goldberg with his hometown team.

John has won seven Grand Slam singles ti-

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2012 • NYTennisMag.com

tles and 10 doubles titles throughout his career. After a long and stellar career, he was inducted into the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Hall of Fame in 1999.

Jesse Witten Residence: Naples, Fla. Birthdate: 10/15/87 Plays: Right-handed Participating in his sixth season with the New York Sportimes, Jesse Witten is now a seasoned veteran of World Photo credit: Kenneth B. TeamTennis. His career Goldberg high singles ranking is 163rd and his best performance in a Grand Slam came in 2009 where he lost to Novak Djokovic in the third round of the U.S. Open. Last year, he qualified for both Wimbledon and the French Open. Jesse is a former All-American with the University of Kentucky.

2012 NEW YORK SPORTIMES

Preview

NY Sportimes 2012 Home Schedule Including Marquee matches in parentheses (subject to change, as of April 1, 2012) *Matches played at the SEFCU Arena at the University of Albany. All other home matches played at Sportime Stadium at Randall’s Island.

Date

Opponent

Marquee Player(s)

Tuesday, July 10

Springfield Lasers at New York Sportimes

Martina Hingis (Sportimes)

Friday, July 13

Philadelphia Freedoms at New York Sportimes

Martina Hingis (Sportimes) & Ryan Harrison (Freedoms)

Wednesday, July 18

Philadelphia Freedoms

Martina Hingis (Sportimes) at New York Sportimes

Thursday, July 19

Boston Lobsters at New York Sportimes

Martina Hingis & John McEnroe (Sportimes) and Andre Agassi (Lobsters)

*Monday, July 23

Washington Kastles at New York Sportimes in Albany, N.Y.

Martina Hingis (Sportimes) & Venus Williams (Kastles)

*Tuesday, July 24

Boston Lobsters at New York Sportimes in Albany, N.Y.

Martina Hingis (Sportimes) & John Isner (Lobsters)

Washington Kastles at New York Sportimes

Martina Hingis & John McEnroe (Sportimes)

Wednesday, July 25

NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2012 • New York Tennis Magazine

17

2012 NEW YORK SPORTIMES

Preview

2012 New York Sportimes ticket information Guarantee your seat with the New York Sportimes for 2012! WTT Fans see some of the best tennis players in the world compete, at a stadium court with seats no further than 200-ft. away from the action. Kids receive autographs after all matches, families can arrive early for activities and festivities, and everyone will experience first-class amenities at the Sportimes’ beautiful venue.

The costs listed below are for all five matches at SPORTIME Randall’s Island, include a discount for season ticket holders, with an additional 10 percent off for members of the USTA, or an additional 15 percent off for Sportime members!

Match

Seat/Section and Price

USTA Member 10% Discount

Sportime Member 15% Discount

Tuesday, July 10 at 7:00 p.m.

Sportimes Featuring Martina Hingis vs. Springfield Lasers

Box: $50 Loge: $30 Grandstand: $12

$45.00 $27.00 $10.80

$42.50 $25.50 $10.20

Friday, July 13 at 7:00 p.m.

Sportimes Featuring Martina Hingis vs. Philadelphia Freedoms

Box: $50 Loge: $30 Grandstand: $12

$45.00 $27.00 $10.80

$42.50 $25.50 $10.20

Wednesday, July 18 at 7:00 p.m.

Sportimes Featuring Martina Hingis vs. Philadelphia Freedoms

Box: $50 Loge: $30 Grandstand: $12

$45.00 $27.00 $10.80

$42.50 $25.50 $10.20

Thursday, July 19 at 7:00 p.m.

Sportimes Featuring John McEnroe & Martina Hingis vs. Boston Lobsters Featuring Andre Agassi *(Johnny Mac Tennis Project Benefit Night)

Box: $250 Loge: $150 Grandstand: $60

N/A N/A N/A

N/A N/A N/A

Wednesday, July 25 at 7:00 p.m.

Sportimes featuring John McEnroe & Martina Hingis vs. Washington Kastles

Box: $65 Loge: $35 Grandstand: $12

$58.50 $31.50 $10.80

$55.25 $29.75 $10.20

Season Ticket Pricing Price for five home matches at Sportime Randall’s Island

Box: $440 Loge: $260 Grandstand: $100

$395 $235 $90

$375 $220 $85

* The purchase of a second ticket of the same category is required for a second match night on July 10, July 13, July 18

or July 25 in order to purchase a ticket for the McEnroe-Agassi match night on July 19th.

For more information on tickets to Sportime matches at Randall’s Island, call (888) WTT-NYC1 or visit NYSportimes.com, or for more information on the matches in Albany, visit NYSportimes.com/Albany or call (518) 393-0440.

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New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2012 • NYTennisMag.com

Build tennis in your community through the United States Tennis Association’s

Facility Assistance Program

Better Courts are Better for Tennis Whether you’re attempting to build a new tennis facility, renovate and upgrade an existing one or get your courts ready for 10 and Under Tennis, the USTA can provide the tools you need to make it happen—from guidance on advocacy efforts to technical and financial assistance.

The USTA is committed to providing access to safe, appealing and functional tennis environments and is deeply invested in local communities across the country.

For more information about the USTA Facility Assistance Program visit:

usta.com/facilities or email facilities@usta.com ©2012 USTA.

NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2012 • New York Tennis Magazine

19

Debbie Persaud n May 2011 at the age of 38, Debbie Persaud was diagnosed with Invasive Ductal Carcinoma Stage IIIB breast cancer. She is a regulatory affairs manager (contractor) who works for Ethicon, a Johnson & Johnson Company in Somerville, N.J. This article will share Debbie’s story on how the sport of tennis has helped her through her cancer battle, in her own words.

I

Tennis is one of the greatest joys in my life. I started playing tennis in middle school after my parents bought me a wooden racquet at a garage sale. I would go to the local recreation field to practice hitting the ball against the wall.

I took group lessons at summer day camp in an attempt to make my high school tennis team at Indian Hills High School in Oakland, NJ. It was a very competitive tennis district, and even though I couldn’t make the varsity team, I was one of our best JV doubles players.

After high school, I continued to play tennis on the Rutgers campus with classmates which was a great stress release in between classes like Organic Chem and Multivariable Calc.

After graduate school at UMDNJ, I played in the summer league at Mercer County Park and took some group lessons through the Princeton Tennis Program. I also played in an intramural league through work. During one of my matches at the Warren Health and Rac20

quet Club in 2010, I was approached by a USTA League Instructor, Dee Bawa.

Coach Bawa said I had some great ground strokes and he was looking for 3.0 women to join his 6.0 Mixed-Doubles team. He asked me if I had ever played in a USTA League before to which I replied, “ME?!?!?! I never even played varsity in high school.” I laughed because I thought to myself, “Now that I’m in my 30s, I’m going to play tennis competitively?” I tried out for Coach Bawa’s team, and to my surprise, I made the 2011 USTA Warren Flight 6.0 Middle

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2012 • NYTennisMag.com

States Mixed-Doubles Team.

One day after a team practice, I noticed there was a blood stain on the left side of my sports bra. Being a biomedical scientist by training, I didn’t think much of it since I was not in any pain and thought I probably had a breast infection. after all I am young, in good health, and cancer is not prevalent in my family’s history. I decided to go to my primary care physician thinking I would receive antibiotics, or the worst, it would be a cyst that needed to be drained. My PCP thought this excretion was suspicious and sent me immediately to the Breast Surgical Specialist LLC to get my first baseline mammogram to be on the safe side. To my horror, there it was … a tumor with finger-like projections. I was informed that I had Stage III breast cancer.

Can I do it? That is the basic question that lives deep in every woman’s heart after hearing she has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Do I have what it takes? When the going gets tough … will I be tough enough? Everyone told me that since I would need to have a port catheter implant in my chest, a few months of dose-dense chemo, a left mastectomy, followed by at least 30 consecutive days of radiation to the chest wall, that I should take medical leave and go on disability. I chose not to go on disabil-

ity because I do not view myself as disabled. Breast cancer is something that is happening to me, it is not who I am. I am still going to work and play tennis and do all the things that I love.

For the rest of the USTA season, our team played great and ultimately traveled to Lancaster, Pa. for the Sectional Tournament in June 2011. We didn’t get to go to the Nationals, but winning 2011 Middle States 6.0 Mixed-Doubles Area Champions was good enough for my first season with the USTA. As a Survivor, I am not dying of breast cancer but LIVING with breast cancer.

There is a difference, and it starts with gratitude and attitude. I may not have control over my cancer spreading or shrinking, but I do have control over how I react to my situation. I just focus on giving my best every moment, of every day.

Whether I feel good or not, I try to exercise every day. I know the chemo is only extending my life. I have to put in the work to build up my immunity to fight the cancer cells that the drugs don’t eradi-

cate. Breast cancer was this uninvited guest that I needed to embrace at this stage in my life. In the end, only one of us will remain, so I plan on winning by not letting breast cancer take away my joy and purpose for living.

Tennis has allowed me to keep my sanity. Tennis has always been a part of Debbie, not the cancer. Despite what I have gone through, you can never take the racquet out of my hand as it is essential part of who I am. My teammates were so supportive throughout this process and jokingly said I must be getting gamma rays like ‘The Incredible Hulk’ because I continued to play strong and run them around the court. Cancer may have taken away my left breast, but it will never take away my racquet or my love for the game!

My message to people fighting a similar battle would be that nothing is “impossible.” As a Survivor, you should take that word out of your vocabulary. That word “impossible” only exists for people who are not willing to do the work. The

statistics for some Stage III and Stage IV breast cancer survivors is that less than 50 percent will live more than five years after their diagnosis. Statistics are meant to be broken, so never stop believing that you are going to be the one who will make it! Accept the diagnosis. Fight the prognosis! The mission is Remission!

Just know that as you proceed on this journey, you are not alone. I am here fighting each battle right beside you … hitting one smash volley at a time!

Debbie continues to play tennis at the Warren Health and Racquet Club. Her next adventure is to complete 26.2 miles of the New Jersey Marathon on May 6 to celebrate her one-year survival and to support other breast cancer survivors (http://www.komennyc.org/goto/DebbiePersaud). Throughout all of her cancer treatments, Debbie never felt the need to wear a wig or a prosthesis after her mastectomy. She use to have long black hair, but now appreciates her bald mocha dome as she says, “You gotta’ rock what you got!”

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NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2012 • New York Tennis Magazine

21

How to Play in the Moment It’s as easy as breathing!

By Rob Polishook, Mental Training Coach, MA, CPC f you are reading this article, you are breathing. Interestingly, the majority of us take this subtle automatic action for granted. Why not? Breathing is regulated by our autonomic nervous system. This means it happens without our conscious awareness. This is probably fortunate because in competition, many of us would be too busy to remember to breathe and would forget! Another unique aspect of our breath, largely unknown by most athletes, is that by bringing your awareness to your breath, it will calm you and help to reach that state of mind where you are focused and centered.

Our mind is usually in two places: The past and the future. When our mind is in the past, we are usually conjuring up thoughts, feelings and images of memories that have stayed with us. An example might be thinking about a missed shot from a previous game, set or even weeks ago. When our mind is in the future, we are usually focused on expectations

I

of what we think is going to happen. An example would be thinking about winning the match when it is 5-2 in the third set. How many of us have done that only to lose the set? Both of these scenarios are mental traps for the athlete, as both scenarios fall into the realm of what an athlete cannot control. An athlete can only control what is presently happening, therefore focusing on the present moment and point is imperative.

Fortunately, our body and breath are always in the present. It is said that the “present” is named as such because being in the present is like a gift. The breath is one of the greatest gifts we have. When this tool is used properly in sports, it can serve as an anchor, helping us to stay centered and focused. Simply bringing our attention to the natural rhythm of our breath serves to distract us from stressful situations and focus our minds. Try this experiment. Ask yourself, “Am I breathing?” Sit silently for 30 sec. and notice what happens.

When you are focusing on something that you cannot control, such as winning or losing; what your friends, coach or parents are thinking; the weather conditions; or a future expectation, be aware that your focus is not in the present. Your focus is clearly on something out of your control (past or future). Center yourself by focusing your awareness back to your breath. While it cannot guarantee that you win the next point, you will have separated from the previous stress, centered yourself and given yourself the chance to calmly process what your next steps may be. In doing so, you have put yourself in the best possible mindset and have, consequently, prepared yourself for the next point as best you can. Tennis great Billie Jean King, in her book, Pressure is a Privilege, says, “I cannot emphasize enough how big I am on using breathing exercises to stay in the process, whether my goal is winning a match or completing another task … this calms me down,

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relaxes me and makes me feel secure.”

The following three breathing practices can be used to guide you to stay centered, focused and in a state of calm awareness. Practice them off the court for a few minutes each day.

Then, use the one that feels best for you between points, games, or any time you find yourself losing focus. You can even use different breathing practices for different situations.

Unguided breathing The object here is to bring your attention to your natural breathing, wherever it is at the present moment. Just being aware of one of the following senses: Sight, sound, feel or rhythm. How does your breath sound? How does it feel? Notice its rhythm at that particular moment. Don’t try to change anything or judge it. Just observe its natural organic pace.

You may even prompt yourself by asking, “Am I breathing?” What you will usually notice after five or 10 sec. is that your breath will slow and you will become centered and calmer.

Word association breathing As you breathe in, say to yourself the word “Relaxation” and imagine what it would “feel” like to be relaxed. Then, exhale and feel what

it would be like to lose your stress and frustration. You may make up your own words to suit the situation, however, the key is to inhale what you want and exhale what you hope to rid yourself of.

Rhythmic breathing The object here is to breathe to an established rhythm that feels best for you. What’s important with this exercise is that you find a pattern that works for you and stick to it. Try inhaling to the count of three, then holding your breath for two counts, and then exhale to the count of four beats. In fact, you may have a different pattern for different situations. Have fun with it.

Whichever breathing practice you are using, once you are centered with a soft focus on your breath, allow your attention to expand and take in everything around you. Be aware of sounds, sights and even thoughts as they pass by. Metaphorically, this breathing practice is similar to the eye of a hurricane … you are calm on the inside, but very active on the outside.

Jim Courier once stated after he beat Marat Safin in an epic Davis Cup deciding tie match, “It was weird, I felt like I was in a hurricane, I was still on the inside, but acutely aware of everything that was going on around me.” This

will allow you to calmly respond to the situation in front of you.

Incorporating these breathing practices between points, prior to a match, in the morning before you start your day, or any time you feel stress will help you approach a situation in a calmer, instinctual and more aware state, rather than being tight and reactive. In this state, you will be ready to respond to the situation versus spiraling downward with distracting self-talk and expectations. Using your breath, you have the ability to harness its calming power by staying focused and in the present moment.

Rob Polishook, MA, CPC is the founder and director of Inside the Zone Sports Performance Group. As a mental training coach he works with athletes and teams of all levels.

His work focuses on helping athletes gain the mental edge and letting go of blocks which get in the way of peak performance. He is a USTA Zonal Coach and has spoken and been published for the USTA, USPTA and ITA. Additionally, he has conducted workshops nationally and internationally in India and Israel.

He may be reached by phone at (973) 7230314, e-mail rob@insidethezone or visit www.insidethezone.com.

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23

Top Stars of the Court Put on a Show for 18,000-Plus at MSG Credit all photos to Kenneth B. Goldberg

rofessional tennis returned to New York City on Monday night, March 5 as four former world number oneranked players took to the court at the World’s Most Famous Arena, Madison Square Garden for the 2012 BNP Paribas Showdown.

In the opening match of the evening, current world number two Maria Sharapova defeated former world number one Caroline Wozniacki, 6-3, 6-4. In the second set, Wozniacki embraced the music being played on the loudspeakers during a changeover and began a dance-off with Sharapova. Each invited a fan from the crowd on to the court with them to show their moves.

“The crowd was great tonight and this was a very fun exhibition match,” said Sharapova. “The crowd wants to see personalities, and I think we put on a pretty good show ... especially with our dance moves!”

Also during the match, Wozniacki invited her boyfriend, Rory McIlroy, the

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Maria Sharapova during her 6-3, 6-4 win over Caroline Wozniacki number one-ranked golfer in the world who was sitting courtside, to the court. In jeans and a sweater, McIlroy showed off a one-handed backhand, and won the lone point he played when Sharapova hit his lob wide.

“This was a great crowd tonight, and I am so proud of Rory for showing off his tennis skills,” said Wozniacki. “He got a

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2012 • NYTennisMag.com

Roger Federer during his 5-7, 6-7 loss to American Andy Roddick at Madison Square Garden point off Maria, so I think he had a good tennis debut.”

Next up on the Garden court was a battle between world number threeranked Roger Federer and American Andy Roddick, currently ranked 27th in the world. Roddick prevailed in straight sets, 7-5, 7-6(7). While the level of play was high, it again was the backdrop for

American Andy Roddick during his 7-5, 7-6(7) win over world number three-ranked Roger Federer

Caroline Wozniacki, Andy Roddick, Maria Sharapova and Roger Federer field questions from the media after the 2012 BNP Paribas Showdown the playfulness that abounded. One highlight was early in the first set when some fans yelled, “Let’s go, Rafa!” So Roddick played along by pushing up his sleeves and switching his racket to his left hand. He wound up playing the point right-handed, but grunted with every shot and celebrated winning the point with an exuberant fist pump a la Rafael Nadal.

“To be able to play here where so much history has happened, so many events have happened in every area of entertainment, it was a real special experience for me,” Roddick said. “I am obviously a huge sports fan and there is so much history here at the mecca of sports. I loved watching all the legends play here ... Michael Jordan and Reggie Miller trash-talking with Spike Lee, and so on. This was a great experience to play in this building.”

After the match when asked about Andy’s level of play, Federer said, “I heard Andy was struggling a little bit, so it’s good see him play so well and hopefully make a run again into the top 10.”

“Obviously, I’m in Roger’s head,” Roddick responded sarcastically. “He has no idea how to play me.”

This night was a showcase of the best players in a market hungry for more professional tennis. It’s hard to imagine that many fans among the crowd of 18,079 didn’t go home happy and wanting more.

“I am happy to be in New York City and this was a great night of tennis,” said Federer. “I am happy to have played with Andy and am happy at how well he played. I really enjoyed myself out there and I had a great time. It was a tough day at the office for me though as Andy got the victory.”

Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark in her match against Maria Sharapova at MSG

Actor Ben Stiller taking in a night of tennis at MSG during the 2012 BNP Paribas Showdown

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NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2012 • New York Tennis Magazine

25

Mythbusters: Do Colleges Frown Upon Home-Schooling or Living at an Academy?

By Ricky Becker

“Back in the day,” people were never home-schooled to play tennis. Back a “halfday ago,” it was done by a select few who had a slightly reasonable chance to make a living as a professional tennis player. It was considered putting all of your eggs in one basket. But what about today? Home schooling is still an alternative route, but certainly not totally unusual for serious players with pro or even college tennis dreams. In fact, many people go the home school/full-time academy route just to open up college doors.

A few years ago, a player I worked with had great grades and a decent ranking. He decided to move to the Weil Academy in Ojai, Calif. to get his ranking up. I thought it was a great idea and it opened some doors to him that weren’t available to kids with a lower ranking and equal grades.

There is very little doubt that when comparing two kids with equal grades and equal rankings, the child going to school will be looked at more favorably than the home-schooled child. However, in many cases, when standardized test scores are equal and the home-schooled child has a higher ranking, most schools, even the strongest academic ones, will go with the higher ranked child. See the chart to the right of top American academic schools.

Home-schooled/academy students are definitely starting to infiltrate rosters.

Whereas many schools are now open to home-schooled kids, being home-schooled isn’t ignored. Dartmouth Women’s Head 26

Division I University

Men

Women

Players on roster home-schooled or academy trained.

Players on roster NOT home-schooled or academy trained.

Players on roster home-schooled or academy trained.

Players on roster NOT home-schooled or academy trained.

Brown

0

13

0

12

Columbia

2

13

2

10

Cornell

2

15

0

9

Dartmouth

0

11

2

7

Duke

2

7

6

1

Georgetown

1

8

0

8

Harvard

2

12

0

8

Northwestern

N/A

N/A

1

7

Notre Dame

0

14

0

8

Penn

0

14

1

7

Princeton

0

13

1

6

Rice

2

9

1

2

Stanford

0

12

3

5

Vanderbilt

3

7

1

6

Yale

0

12

0

7

Coach Bob Dallis said, “Home-schooled kids are viewed with some trepidation by admissions. They need to do well on their SAT and SAT II’s. Admission does realize that homeschooled students are a reality.”

Besides admissions having a preference for kids who are in a traditional school environment, individual coaches may also have their own preference. Brown University Men’s Tennis Coach Dave Schwarz

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2012 • NYTennisMag.com

notes that although he has found himself recruiting more online and home-schooled players, he does have a bias to kids who go to regular school.

“They tend to integrate into the team environment a touch better, and they seem a little better-equipped to handle the work load and class time commitments at a top academic school,” said Schwartz. “They also are sometimes better-equipped to

handle not being able to train six hours a day whatever time of day the mood strikes them to play. They are better-equipped to deal with very specific time constraints on their training. That being said, players who are online or home school-educated are perfectly capable of being tremendous teammates and students.”

Schwarz does note that online schools are providing more rigorous course loads than ever.

Division III schools don’t have as many home-schooled kids on their rosters. I wouldn’t necessarily assume that Division III is any more anti-home-school than D-1 schools are. I think that most kids who were home-schooled want the more rigorous tennis programs that Division I schools provide.

And as for the future of home-schooling and college? Although the trend of universities accepting home-schooled candidates is increasing, there is no guarantee that the trend will continue.

“I think admissions is going to have some data in the next couple of years on how home-schooled students have performed in college,” said Dallis. “From there,

Division III University

Men

Women

Players on roster home-schooled or academy trained.

Players on roster NOT home-schooled or academy trained.

Players on roster home-schooled or academy trained.

Players on roster NOT home-schooled or academy trained.

Amherst

0

24

1

17

Bowdoin

0

11

0

8

Cal Tech.

0

12

0

14

Chicago

0

12

0

14

Emory

2

15

0

10

MIT

0

18

0

9

Swarthmore

0

15

0

8

Tufts

0

13

0

10

Wash U.

0

14

0

11

Williams

0

17

0

11

admissions might reassess home-schooled candidates.”

But right now, “All things being equal, the schools I have worked at (Cornell, Middlebury, Brown) definitely prefer regular school,” Schwartz said.

Ricky Becker is founder of JuniorTennisConsulting LLC, which offers off-court college guidance services to junior tennis players. He can be reached by e-mail at rbecker06@yahoo.com, by phone at (516) 605-0420 or via JuniorTennisConsulting.com.

NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2012 • New York Tennis Magazine

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New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2012 • NYTennisMag.com

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The 2012 EXCEL Summer Camp, for tennis players ages 7-16, features four hours of intensive coaching from McEnroe Academy professionals and two hours of fitness and cross-training.

The SPORTIME 2012 Tennis & Sports Camp, for kids 5-15, provides two hours of tennis and four hours of other sports, including basketball, softball, and soccer; plus an activity tent, slip ‘n slide and more!

For more information email Camp Director and Master Tennis Professional Greg Evans at CampsRI@SportimeNY.com, call 212-427-6150, or log onto www.SPORTIMENY.com/Manhattan

212/427-6150 SportimeNY.com/Manhattan If you’re traveling east, check out the summer camp offerings at SPORTIME clubs in the Hamptons: SPORTIME Amagansett, 320 Abrahams Path, 631.267.3460, SportimeNY.com/Amagansett SPORTIME Quogue, Route 104, 631.653.6767, SportimeNY.com/Quogue NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2012 • New York Tennis Magazine

29

The Titanic Sank 100 Years Ago …

I Won’t

By Lonnie Mitchel pril 15th marked the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic during its Transatlantic maiden voyage. On that night in 1912, the perceived greatest of passenger liners sank into the North Atlantic, and with it, more than 1,500 lives perished. It was the largest catastrophe of its day. Its owners were piloted by a captain who took his many years of experience for granted and ignored iceberg warnings when giving “fullspeed ahead” orders. Certainly the loss of 1,500 lives and tennis are not to be compared, but you can still gain lessons from it. Arrogance on the tennis court is usually

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a recipe for disaster. The arrogant attitudes of The White Star Line owners and a captain who was equally culpable resulted in a catastrophe that changed nautical history forever. If you think you are the greatest and do not adapt to changes and conditions, you will find out there is a catastrophe waiting to happen. When that lesson happens as it relates to tennis, it can change your game forever if you allow it to, or you can just go full steam ahead making more of the same mistakes. The lessons that can be drawn from one of the great catastrophes of the 20th Century transcends passenger ship sailing and can be compared to our own lives in the smallest and largest of ways.

The historical events which took place

• All ages (4-18) • All levels (Quickstart, Beginners, Tournament Players • All Instructors are adult full-time professionals

100 years ago and my experience as new head men’s and women’s tennis coach at State University of NY at Oneonta was a great tie in for this month’s article. In February, I drove up to Oneonta, N.Y. as an emergency hire, leaving my wife and family to head the tennis program at SUNY Oneonta, replacing a coach who resigned prior to the start of the season. It was my maiden voyage into this foray, but with the blessing of the athletic director who took a chance on me, I decided I would not let her, the college and the student athletes down.

I am a high-performance tennis coach, an accomplished player and a family man.

However, I refused to believe that I knew it all when meeting the players for the first time. I decided that I was going to learn

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New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2012 • NYTennisMag.com

from these student athletes. Academia, NCAA guidelines, administrative activities and more were being thrown at me faster than a Roger Federer serve. Two tennis teams had to be assessed just three weeks prior to our first match, and a two-team trip to Florida to compete against many good Division III tennis teams from around the country. Let’s throw in the fact that the travel plans were not finalized and our athletic director was coming along for the ride to Florida to see the tennis team play. Now that is what I call a maiden voyage!

Twenty-five-plus years in the corporate world and 20-plus years as a tennis coach taught me that I had to start this position with the most open of minds in order to be successful. A high level of arrogance similar to White Star Line and its captain would seem great at first, but would eventually send me to the bottom of the Atlantic along with the Titanic.

Therefore, I succumbed to all of my superiors’ knowledge, my fellow coaches on campus, as well as the student athletes.

An assistant coach assigned to the tennis team was a former four-year starter and All-Conference athlete, as well as an academic award winner. I also decided that she could teach me a few things even though she is 30 years my junior. Now, just six weeks into this assignment, I was still assessing the players and myself every single day. I am determined to take the program to another level and the best way to do that is to believe in what I am doing. Recently, I was reading some of John Wooden’s quotes (perhaps one of the greatest coaches ever who led the UCLA men’s basketball team to 10 National Championships) … “If you’re not making mistakes, then you’re not doing anything.” I certainly made mistakes, but I will try different approaches and some will work and others I’m sure will not. I must adapt and change to the situations presented.

On a tennis court during a match, you must adapt and change, otherwise you are doomed to failure. I sum it up this way … I watched a You Tube video recently where

Rafael Nadal’s serve was being totally revamped by his coach. Therefore, we can see that being one of the top players in the world and one of the greatest to have ever played, and he still had to be humble enough to change parts of his game. He was not perfect and had to be open to change and criticism. The Titanic ended up on the ocean floor because its captain did not adapt to changing conditions and circumstances. Everyone must realize that no matter how good you may think you are, you have to leave room for improvement.

Lonnie Mitchel is head men’s and women’s tennis coach at SUNY Oneonta. He has produced many high school and collegiate level tennis players, including his own children, Wayne (who plays at Muhlenberg College) and Trevor (who competes regularly on the USTA Long Island Junior Circuit, gaining the number one ranking in the 14s). His wife, Harriet, is a club level tennis player and can often be found on the court. Lonnie may be reached by phone at (516) 414-7202 or e-mail lonniemitchel@yahoo.com.

NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2012 • New York Tennis Magazine

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Prospect Park Tennis Center 50 Parkside Avenue • Prospect Park, Brooklyn, N.Y. Paul Campbell, Director (718) 436-2500 • www.prospectpark.org/tennis ver since the days of the lawn tennis craze in the early 1900s, tennis has been a vital community event in Prospect Park. At Prospect Park Tennis Center, part of historic Prospect Park in the heart of Brooklyn, N.Y., there’s something for everyone … hourly court time, lessons, leagues and programs for all ages.

Prospect Park Tennis Center’s yearround staff is comprised of tennis coaches who are both expert players and great teachers. They’ll help kids and adults alike improve their serve, stroke and confidence on the court through drills and match play. Beginners will gain a thorough understanding of the game, as well as basic skills and strategies. Experienced players can hone their game with individualized instruction geared toward match play.

At the Tennis Center, players can hit the courts at night or during the day, from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., all yearlong. With nine Har-Tru clay courts, two Deco Turf hard courts and a bubble for the indoor season, a modern clubhouse, and party rental spaces, Prospect Park Tennis Center is a great place to spend a few hours with friends and fellow players. Doubles and mixed-doubles leagues, daytime and evening leagues, and group lessons build a community of players who can practice together and learn from each other, while having fun on the court. The Tennis Center even

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hosts an annual tournament every fall.

Prospect Park Tennis Center also offers group or individual tennis lessons for children, from beginner to advanced. There is a range of junior development and holiday programs throughout the year for kids of all ages. From June to August, the Tennis Center also hosts its annual Summer Youth Tennis Program, where kids ages six to 16 can get personalized tennis lessons from expert pros. Parents have praised the coaches and the well-organized program, while kids have a blast learning and practicing. In Prospect Park’s highly-regarded Special Aces program, qualified physical and occupational

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2012 • NYTennisMag.com

therapists join the Tennis Center’s pros to provide exercise and tennis instruction to children with varying degrees of physical and cognitive challenges.

Prospect Park Tennis Center is open daily and is located at the Parade Ground on the corner of Coney Island and Parkside Avenues (Park Circle). Gift certificates are available for court time or lessons. The Tennis Center also makes a great place for birthday parties!

For more information about programs, parties, and more at the Prospect Park Tennis Center, call (718) 436-2500 or visit www.prospectpark.org/tennis.

When the Student is Ready, the Teacher Will Appear B Y R I C H A R D T H AT E R ew York tennis teaching professional Ron Rebhuhn was recently elected to the USTA Eastern Tennis Hall of Fame. I met with him this month at his home in Westbury, N.Y. Ron directs 14 USTA-sanctioned senior tournaments each year at Jericho-Westbury Indoor Tennis in the winter on Long Island, and at The Tennis King in Roslyn Estates in the summer. He now specializes in teaching senior tournament players. A long-time local boy, he attended Great Neck North High School for the first half of every year, eventually graduating from a high school in Florida. He went on to a competitive collegiate career at the University of Florida.

It was at the University of Florida where Ron met Bill Tym, a man he credits with having a powerful influence on his life in tennis. Tym was team captain and he stressed the importance of strategy and the mental aspect of the game. After competing on the international tour, Tym coached the Vanderbilt University men’s team from 1987-1996.

Rebhuhn believes he can teach 50 percent of tennis in his living room. Ron says “students must be taught the mechanics of body movement that are universal to all sports.” He maintains that students must learn the principles, commit to them, and then take them onto the court. He has been teaching Tai Chi and Chi Kong for many years, which explains the spiritual foundation behind much of what he says.

“Many players are unwilling to work on

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their weaknesses; they are not ready to be taught.” He continued saying that the “mindless practice of just hitting balls without specific purposes is pointless.” Ron told me that before every collegiate match, he would read a segment from the Bill Tilden book, Playing Better Tennis. He was always able to take some fundamental principle from the book onto the court with him.

He has been designated a Master Professional by the USPTA, a distinction held by only one percent of USPTA members.

Ron believes many of today’s teachers would have difficulty passing one of the original USPTA tests, which required applicants to describe their comprehensive plan for taking a student from beginner to champion. His combined experience in Asian arts and tennis compels him to criticize the modern trend toward unorthodox strokes, believing that they can damage the body.

Ron’s voice joins the chorus pointing to Roger Federer’s mechanics as the main reason for his mostly injury-free career.

While Ron and I were sharing our tennis experiences, his longtime friend and doubles partner, Oklahoma born Bob McKenna, joined us. Their lifetime record as partners is 132-8, and they won the 60 and Over National Parks Tournament in 2005. Both have been highly-ranked players and tennis teachers for 50 years. It seemed natural to ask how they first met.

“Bob had just finished beating me love and love. This was in 1985. He informed me that I was to become his doubles partner in New York. Bob told me I knew

the game, never missed, and knew when to get out of his way.”

The friendship is obvious when McKenna continues, “Ron has a great brain, had a bad foot and hip, and no ego about who hit the winning shot. Plus he had great lobs, which set me up to hit winning overheads and volleys.”

Since my time with these two professionals was coming to a close, I thought I would solicit some great technical tips to better my own teaching. McKenna suggested I work on young students’ attitudes, and not allow potty mouths and tantrums about picking up balls.

In over 50 years of competition, only two people he has beaten have asked Ron for suggestions about how to improve. So, not surprisingly, he advises that people should develop humility and surrender.

“This simply means that you follow a plan designed by the teacher, not the student. I live my life based on God’s plan for me, not mine.”

The title of my article was taken from an old Buddhist proverb. Feeling somewhat like the Grasshopper character from the 1970s television series “Kung Fu,” which popularized Asian spirituality in America, I reluctantly returned to the world of grips, contact points and string tension.

Richard Thater is director of 10 & Under Tennis at the West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills N.Y. He is PTR-certified in Junior Development. He may be reached by phone at (917) 749-3255 or e-mail richthater@aol.com.

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TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

nited Sports P

For detailed information on these and all USTA tournaments, visit tennislink.usta.com/tournaments.

SEE PAGES 55-56 NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2012 • New York Tennis Magazine

33

Stars Take to the Clay in Paris for a Shot at Grand Slam Glory

2012 French Open Preview he 2012 French Open, the year’s second Grand Slam event, will take place May 27June 10 at the famed clay courts of Roland Garros. The event was first played in 1891 as a French national tournament on grass. The surface would be changed to red clay in 1912. The first French Open, then called the French Championships, was held in 1891. For the first 34 years of the tournament’s existence, it was open only to French club players. In 1925, the Championships expanded, allowing foreign players to gain entry.

With a change in rules came a name change, then dubbed the “French Internationals.” During its early years, the tournament had been held in several venues, mostly throughout Paris. It

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found a permanent home in 1928, when Stade Roland Garros was constructed to host the upcoming Davis Cup final.

World War II forced the French Internationals to close its doors from 19401945. In 1946 the tournament resumed and Frenchman Marcel Bernard won the title. Since then, only one other Frenchman—Yannick Noah in 1983 —has won the crown. Three French women have won the title since 1946, the last being Mary Pierce in 2000.

When tennis ushered in the Open Era in 1968, the French Open became the first Grand Slam tournament to embrace the new, professional philosophy. One of the most celebrated pros to play in Paris was Bjorn Borg, who won the first of his six French Open titles in 1974. In the 1980s, the women’s game came to

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the forefront at the French. After winning three French Opens in the 1970s, Chris Evert won four more in the following decade, her last title coming 12 years after her first. Evert squared off against Martina Navratilova in three consecutive French Open finals (19841986), winning the last two.

The red clay court at the French Open is unique among Grand Slam events. It is a slower playing surface than grass or a hard court surface, which makes success difficult for even some of the best tennis players. The tournament also boasts the largest broadcast audience of any tennis event. Since 2006, the tournament has begun on a Sunday, featuring 12 singles matches played on the three main courts. Additionally, on the eve of the tournament’s opening, the traditional Benny Berthet exhibition day takes place, where the profits go to different charity associations. In March 2007, it was announced that the event would provide equal prize money for both men and women in all rounds for the first time

2012 French Open Preview French Open Past Champions Year

Men’s Singles

Women’s Singles

Men’s Doubles

Women’s Doubles

2011

Rafael Nadal

Na Li

Daniel Nestor & Max Mirnyi

Andrea Hlavácková & Lucie Hradecká

2010

Rafael Nadal

Francesca Schiavone

Daniel Nestor & Nenad Zimonjic

Serena & Venus Williams

2009

Roger Federer

Svetlana Kuznetsova

Lukas Dlouhy & Leander Paes

Anabel Medina Garrigues & Virginia Ruano Pascual

2008

Rafael Nadal

Ana Ivanovic

Pablo Cuevas & Luis Horna

Anabel Medina Garrigues & Virginia Ruano Pascual

2007

Rafael Nadal

Justine Henin

Mark Knowles & Daniel Nestor

Mara Santangelo & Alicia Molik

2006

Rafael Nadal

Justine Henin-Hardenne

Jonas Bjorkman & Max Mirnyi

Lisa Raymond & Samantha Stosur

2005

Rafael Nadal

Justine Henin-Hardenne

Jonas Bjorkman & Max Mirnyi

Virginia Ruano Pascual & Paola Suarez

2004

Gaston Gaudio

Anastasia Myskina

Xavier Malisse & Olivier Rochus

Virginia Ruano Pascual & Paola Suarez

Justine Henin-Hardenne

Bob Bryan & Mike Bryan

Kim Clijsters & Ai Sugiyama

2003 Juan Carlos Ferrero 2002

Albert Costa

Serena Williams

Paul Haarhuis & Yevgeny Kafelnikov

Virginia Ruano Pascual & Paola Suarez

2001

Gustavo Kuerten

Jennifer Capriati

Mahesh Bhupathi & Leander Paes

Virginia Ruano Pascual & Paola Suarez

2000

Gustavo Kuerten

Mary Pierce

Todd Woodbridge & Mark Woodforde

Martina Hingis & Mary Pierce

The men’s side of the draw The ATP Tour seems to be very top heavy right now with the top four dominating the competition, especially in Grand Slam play. Since 2004, there have only been three players not named Nadal, Federer or Djokovic to win a Grand Slam. Then, you add the fourth player to the mix, Andy Murray, who has consistently been thought of as nearly the same caliber of player, but he has yet to win a Grand Slam.

The favorites …

Photo credit: Kenneth B. Goldberg

The obvious favorite is Rafael Nadal who is going for his seventh French Open title in 2012. With the win, he will surpass Bjorn Borg as the record holder for

most French Open titles. The biggest obstacles in his way (aside from rivals Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic) will be a lingering knee ailment and his two fellow countrymen from Spain, David Ferrer and Nicholas Almagaro, who have historically

faired extremely well on clay. If he can stay healthy through the entire clay season, Nadal is the odds on favorite to be hoisting his seventh title in Paris. continued on page 36

Butch Seewagen, former varsity coach at Columbia University.

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www.catsny.com NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2012 • New York Tennis Magazine

35

2012 French Open Preview Photo credit: Kenneth B. Goldberg

Novak Djokovic is currently the topranked player in the world, and would be considered the overall favorite heading into the French Open if not for Nadal. If he wins, he will be making history with a career Grand Slam and his fourth consecutive major title.

He has been playing well on clay and how can we forget his epic five-set match against Nadal in the first round of last year’s French Open?

He is 20-7 on the season and not only is he America’s best hope for a victory, but is a definite sleeper to win the event.

Photo credit: Kenneth B. Goldberg

Photo credit: Kenneth B. Goldberg

Roger Federer is always a favorite whenever he steps onto the court. He still has yet to show signs of slowing down and has as good a chance to win the title as anyone else.

The sleepers …

Photo credit: Kenneth B. Goldberg

John Isner has been playing some of the best tennis of his life and has recently jumped over Mardy Fish as the topranked American at ninth in the world. He won both his Davis Cup matches against France, and clinched the victory with a 6-3, 7-6(4) 5-7, 6-3 victory over sixth-ranked Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

ning a Grand Slam title. However, Roland Garros is not his best opportunity to do so and the coaching switch to Lendl might take some time to gel. Murray should eventually win that major that eludes him, but odds are it won’t be in Paris.

David Ferrer/Nicolas Almagro—The two Spaniards are top 10 players on clay.

Almagro is a little underrated, but has been improving dramatically lately. Ferrer is the more established of the two and is viewed as one of the toughest competitors on the ATP Tour. These two hopefuls tend to get overshadowed by Nadal, but don’t be surprised if one of them makes a strong run at the title.

The pretenders …

Photo credit: Kenneth B. Goldberg

Andy Murray is a top talent, and his hiring of Ivan Lendl as coach was a great move, which shows his true dedication to win-

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga has consistently improved throughout his career and often causes fits for some of the top players, especially in Grand Slams. Tsonga will have the hometown crowd behind him, but despite being one of the top players on the ATP Tour, his game doesn’t translate as well on clay. With that being said, he is the French’s best hope to make any noise in Paris.

The women’s side of the draw On the women’s side, it is quite the opposite of the men’s side of the draw as the field seems wide open and there is no clear cut winner predicted to raise the title in Paris. Without a dominant favorite, a few veterans will be looking to add to their resumes, in addition to some young guns looking to make a name for themselves. A hip injury has forced Belgium’s Kim Clijsters to withdraw which further opens the field.

Women’s Grand Slams have seen a lot of young rising stars crawl out from out from the shadows to win on the big stage. Do not be shocked to see a winner that no one can predict. How many picked Li Na to win last year?

The favorites …

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Victoria Azarenka finally showed what she is capable of by winning the Australian Open earlier this year. Based upon her dominant season thus far in 2012, currently with a

2012 French Open Preview 26-1 mark, she is one of the favorites heading into France. She is playing as good as anyone else right now and should be pretty confident heading into Roland Garros.

Paris. The fact that she won’t have to answer questions about being ranked number one without having a major to her name should relieve her of some pressure. Clay does suit her game well so a major title might be in her near future.

Photo credit: Kenneth B. Goldberg

Maria Sharapova has recently been playing some of her best tennis after a few seasons filled with injury woes.

She is one of the hardest workers on the WTA Tour and Roland Garros is her only missing Grand Slam title.

Photo credit: Kenneth B. Goldberg

Serena Williams is coming off a big tournament run at the Family Circle Cup and looks to be in top form heading into the French Open. Serena is the only current active female to hold a career Grand Slam and also has a strong game on clay courts. She has put some off the court commitments on hold for now and is back focused on playing her game. Add that to the fact that she is healthy, and Serena has a good chance to add another title to her resume.

The sleepers…

Agnieszka Radwanska has been a consistent top 10 player for a while now, and many believe she has her best chance to win a Grand Slam on clay. She tends to make it to the later rounds of Slams, but does she have enough to make that next step and make the semifinals or finals?

Photo credit: Kenneth B. Goldberg

Caroline Wozniacki as a sleeper? She isn’t ranked number one anymore, and many do not view her as a viable candidate to win in

The pretenders …

You may find it hard to believe that defending French Open champion Li Na is listed as a pretender, but the fact of the matter is she was overlooked by everyone last year, allowing her to fly under the radar and eventually win the title. This year, players will not overlook her and she should have more difficult and

intense matches beginning with her first round of play.

Photo credit: Kenneth B. Goldberg

Being the reigning U.S. Open champ, Samantha Stosur should be viewed as a favorite on any surface, at any tournament, against anyone. Stosur will be considered a favorite heading into Roland Garros based on her U.S. Open victory, but clay is not her strong surface and she is still considered to be a better doubles player than a singles player.

In her recent match against Serena at the Family Circle Cup (on clay) she did not fare so well, losing 6-1, 6-1 to the dominant Williams.

Coming in July!

New York Tennis Magazine July/August 2012 Distribution scheduled for 07/05/12 This edition will feature: • U.S. Open Preview • WTT Season Preview • A Look at Summer Tennis Events in N.Y. • Boys High School Season Recap Submissions for both advertising and editorial are due by June 1st.

For information, please call (516) 409-4444 or e-mail advertise@NYTennisMag.com.

NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2012 • New York Tennis Magazine

37

2012 Winter Season Winners Crowned The 2012 Winter Metro Corporate Tennis League came to an end in April. Many thanks to all 20 teams who took part in the 2012 Winter Season.

In the Advanced Division finals, the team from the New York Junior Tennis League (NYJTL) was victorious over Ernst & Young.

NYJTL enjoyed a very successful run in the Advanced Division this past season, leading their division with 206 points, followed

by Ernst & Young with 180 points, Thomson Reuters with 176 and BNP (Thibaud) with 165 points.

In the Advanced Intermediate Division, it was a tight race all year, but it was the fourth place team from ING who was crowned 2012 Winter Season champs. ING

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upset the number one-seeded Credit Agricole in the finals. Credit Agricole finished the season with 191 points in their Division, followed by Bloomberg (Boris) with 189 points, Mitsubishi with 187 points, Division winner ING with 182 points, Deutsche (Elena) with 169 points, Blue Wolf with 165, TWC with 158 points, and Bloomberg (Huy) with 157 points.

In the Intermediate Division, Thomson Reuters scored a major upset, as the number eight seed defeated the number seven seed, HBO I, in the finals. Citi led the Intermediate Division with 192 points, but fell to the eventual winner and eighth-seeded Thomson Reuters in the first round of the playoffs. Citi was followed by Akin Gump

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2012 • NYTennisMag.com

with 189 points, HBO II with 189 points, Deutsche with 180 points, Credit Suisse with 179 points, Bloomberg (Ankur) with 166, HBO I with 164, and Thomson Reuters with 163 points.

2012 Summer Season filling up quickly The 2012 Summer Metro Corporate Tennis League will soon be underway. Registrations are quickly filling up and the league can only accept a total of 20 teams. For more information on the 2012 Fall Metro Corporate Tennis League, call (914) 4828471 or visit MetroTennis.com and click on the “Corporate” tab.

NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2012 • New York Tennis Magazine

39

NEW YORK TENNIS MAGAZINE

Summer Camp Spotlight Joel Ross Tennis & Golf Camp Joel Ross Tennis & Golf Camp, located in beautiful Kent, Conn, is a residential tennis and golf camp for juniors, nine through 17years-old.

Tennis campers are taught by USPTR-certified pros using Joel’s “synchronized teaching” method. Five hours of tennis each day includes two matches daily, and private instruction is offered every evening after the matches.

Golf campers play 18 holes daily on four different courses. On selected days, advanced golfers may play 27 holes.

Call Joel Ross directly at (914) 723-2165 or e-mail info@joelrosstennis.com to schedule a private tour of the camp grounds and facilities.

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New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2012 • NYTennisMag.com

USTA Eastern Hall of Fame Welcomes Four New Members at Annual Dinner n award-winning tennis writer, a master teaching pro and two former professional tennis players became part of USTA Eastern history on April 27 as the Junior Tennis Foundation (JTF) hosted its 25th Annual Eastern Tennis Hall of Fame Dinner at the Grand Hyatt in New York City.

Among the inductees were Nancy Gill McShea, an award-winning tennis writer and co-author of the book, Tennis in New York; Ron Rebhuhn, a long-time adult tournament director and Master Professional of the United States Professional Tennis Association

A

(USPTA); Molly Van Nostrand Rice, 1985 Wimbledon quarterfinalist; and Peter Rennert, a former Australian Open quarterfinalist and the founder of The Spirit of Adventure, a company dedicated to wellness and longevity. Proceeds from the annual dinner benefit the JTF, which provides scholarships for junior players and special populations throughout the Eastern Section.

“For 25 years, the Junior Tennis Foundation has been helping create opportunities for the next generation of Eastern tennis players,” said Bob Ingersole, president of the JTF. “And

this year, we are excited to recognize four outstanding individuals who have each been an important part of the Section’s history.”

Since its creation in 1979, the JTF has given out more than $2 million in grants to junior and special populations in the Eastern Section.

“The Junior Tennis Foundation has been an important supporter of USTA’s Eastern junior players and programs,” said Jeff Williams, president of USTA Eastern. “And the 25th Annual Hall of Fame Dinner is a milestone event that allows us to thank the organization for all it has given to the sport.”

NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2012 • New York Tennis Magazine

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The Future is Now Billie Jean King hosts U.S. juniors at Longines Future Tennis Aces event

By Michael Sarro t’s not every day as a junior tennis player that you get to play, learn and meet one of the best tennis players to ever step onto the court. On April 14, 16 young ladies took advantage of this unique opportunity when they participated in the Longines Future Tennis Aces tournament and had the privilege to meet Billie Jean King at the facility that bears her name, the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, N.Y. The USTA-sanctioned tournament featured 16 top female, 12 & Under players that came from New York, Pennsylvania and California to participate in the third annual event.

All the participants showed great poise and determination on the courts, and in the finals, it was 11-year-old Rachel Lim from Briarcliff Manor, N.Y. who took home the first place trophy after her 2-6, 6-2, 10-8 win over Amanda Nord of Pittsburgh, Pa. “After losing the first set, I had to regroup and think of other ways to win, and then I won the second set 6-2 after that,” said Lim. “The tie-breaker was very close, but I somehow managed to pull the rabbit out of the hat and win!”

In addition to winning an all-expense paid trip to Roland Garros, Lim will compete for a chance to play with former world number one Stefanie Graf in a match prior to the French Open Women’s Final, as well as financing for her tennis equipment until her 16th birthday, courtesy of Longines.

Graf, who has been a Longines Ambassador of Elegance since 2007, assisted in selecting the 16 U.S. competitors, who were asked to write a 300-word essay on philanthropy. The girls were selected on two criteria: Athletic performance and commitment to give back to the community.

Longines Future Tennis Aces U.S. runnerup Nord and consolation draw winner Elena Van Linge of Menlo Park, Calif. were presented with tickets to the 2012 U.S. Open.

After the matches were in the books, the

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Sixteen junior players from across the U.S. took part in the 2012 Longines Future Tennis Aces tournament at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center

Billie Jean King field questions from the junior players on hand girls relaxed and ate some snacks until the guest of honor arrived. As Billie Jean King entered the room, all the girls stopped what they were doing and flocked to the former champion where she held a Q&A session.

Before she took questions from the players, she spoke about the history of women in sports, Title IX (the landmark legislation that bans sex discrimination in schools, whether it be in academics or athletics) and equality for female athletes. This was a main topic of hers because it is the 40th anniversary of Title IX, which King was one of the driving forces behind.

Luke Jensen, head tennis coach for the Syracuse Women’s Tennis Team, was also on hand to offer advice and support for the girls. Billie Jean jokingly said to him, “Luke, you should be more thankful than anyone regarding Title IX because if it wasn’t for Title IX, you wouldn’t have a job!” To which Jensen replied, “I know” as the entire room of players, parents and media were laughing. She expanded on that by saying, “We

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2012 • NYTennisMag.com

Billie Jean King is greeted by participants of the 2012 Longines Future Tennis Aces tournament are all connected to help each other in this world, both boys and girls.”

She continued to stress to the girls history and knowing where you come from.

“The more you know about history, the more you know about yourself,” said King.

She gave the example of Althea Gibson, “I stood on the shoulders of Althea as she paved the way for players like me. And soon you all will stand on my shoulders when you become better tennis players than I was.”

She had the girls form groups to ask her continued on page 44

The Biofile: Patrick McEnroe

By Scoop Malinowski Status: Former ATP pro from 1988-1998. Winner of one ATP singles title (Sydney in 1995) and 16 doubles titles. Winner of the 1989 French Open in doubles. Achieved a career-high rank of number three in doubles (1993) and 28th in singles (1995). Former captain of U.S. Davis Cup team 2000-2010, including the 2007 U.S. team’s win in Portland, Ore. vs. Russia. TV commentator for CBS and ESPN. General manager of USTA Player Development since 2008.

Date of birth: July 1, 1966 in Manhasset, N.Y.

reaching the quarters. Probably my best moment was the semis in the Australian Open (1991), then getting to the doubles final in the same tournament. Played a match every day for 12-13 days in a row.

Steven from New Zealand, a pretty solid player. He had beaten Goran Ivanisevic and I played him in the second round and beat him 2, 2 and 2.

Most painful moment: Losing to Jimmy Connors [laughs] … that’s a given.

First famous tennis player you ever met: John McEnroe. (Besides him?) [Laughs] I’m going to say Ilie Nastase. He used to call us the Macaronis. He used to call my dad Mr. Macaroni. I met Ilie at Forest Hills.

Favorite tournament: Well, the Open was always the best for me because it was home, but the Australian Open … I love the Australian.

Favorite movies: I’m not a movie guy.

Funniest players encountered: Richey Reneberg’s got to be up there.

Height: 6-ft. • Weight: 160 lbs.

College: Stanford First tennis memory: Hitting against the wall at the Douglaston Club. And when I used to play my own matches between Rosewall and Laver … they always went five and Laver always won 6-4 in the fifth.

So I had the points, then, I played the whole score until it got to Laver and he would win 6-4 in the fifth [smiles].

Tennis inspirations: Rod Laver and Ken Rosewall First job: Selling t-shirts or a ball boy at the U.S. Open First car: A 1984 Chevy Camaro, a handme-down from my brother Mark.

Childhood dream: Earn a college degree.

As a kid, it wasn’t like I knew I wanted to play tennis. When it came to the end of college, it became apparent to me that I wanted to give tennis a shot.

Greatest sports moment: The most fun I ever had was doing well at the Open,

Closest tennis friends: Over the years, most of my friends from tennis are guys you wouldn’t know … guys I grew up with, other than Jonathan Starks and Richey Reneberg.

Toughest competitors encountered: Probably Jimmy Connors. He never wanted to give you anything. Lleyton Hewitt is up there as well, along with Rafael Nadal, Michael Chang, Stefan Edberg and Thomas Muster.

The best you’ve ever felt on the court: I could come up with some obscure matches that no one would care about.

Probably the best match I ever played was a loss to Boris Becker at the Open when I lost to him in the quarterfinals in four sets in a match that lasted like four hours. I remember thinking to myself after two sets: “I’ve played about as well as I could play, and I’m down two sets to love.” And then I just started to go for bigger shots and made some of them, won the third and very nearly won the fourth. That’s probably the best I felt. Even though I actually beat Boris on a couple of occasions, including the Australian Open one year, that loss was probably the best I ever felt. That same year at the Open, I played Brett

Embarrassing tennis memory: Playing Team Tennis after semi-retiring and going back on the Tour and losing five-love to my good buddy Richey Reneberg. And telling myself, “I’ll never put myself in that position again, where I feel like Mardy Fish felt today (vs. Juan Monaco at Key Biscayne).

Where you can’t hit one ball in the court.

Favorite players to watch: Rafael Nadal, and it’s always great to watch Roger Federer.

I like watching Mansour Bahrami as well.

Favorite sport outside of tennis: NBA basketball.

Funny tennis memory: Being introduced at an exhibition event in Winston-Salem, N.C., against Mel Purcell … being introduced as “John McEnroe” as I was taking my warm-up serves. I immediately turned to my brother’s lefty serving position and did the whole Johnny Mac rock [smiles].

Personality qualities most admired: Loyalty. Honesty. Integrity. Class. People that have a great faith in themselves. Dedicated and disciplined people who try to get the most out of themselves.

Scoop Malinowski is the co-owner of Tennis-prose.com. His book, Marcelo Rios: The Man We Barely Knew, is available at Amazon.com. He may be reached by email at mrbiofile@aol.com.

NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2012 • New York Tennis Magazine

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The Four Sins of Tennis

By Eric Faro To become a successful tennis player, you must avoid the pitfalls. There are four sins that I stress to students at Gotham Tennis Academy.

I. Don’t be obsessed with winning It is a huge mistake to emphasize winning rather than improving. Every time you step on to the court, you want to get better. If you are only concerned with winning, you may be sacrificing stroke production for results. Over the course of time, this will impede your success. Keep improving your form and the result will take care of itself.

II. Have no fear Losers let it happen, winners make it happen. As a competitor, fear or being scared are things that should never enter your mind. You should want to hit that big serve up the “T” at break point. You should want your opponent to hit their serve in the box so you can rip your return down the line for a winner. Don’t hope for a double fault. A great basketball player is the one who wants to take the last shot of the game with their team down by one point. A great baseball player wants to be up at bat in the bottom of the ninth with the bases loaded and their team down by a run. You must have the mentality of wanting to be in that big moment, not shying away from it. One of my favorite quotes comes from Michael Jordan, arguably not only the greatest basketball player of all-time, but the greatest athlete of all-time. After missing a game winner, Jordan said, “I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times, I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over again in my life. That is why I succeed.”

III. Be disciplined I recently had a high level tournament player who needed a grip change. I explained to him that this change was neces44

sary for his long-term goal of competing as a high-level Division 1 college player. We talked through what it would take to make the adjustment. He would have to be extremely disciplined for the next few months.

There would be no games, no match play, and no tournaments for at least two months. He was not going to have much “fun” on the court. He decided he was ready for the challenge. His work ethic was amazing and he is now ready to start competing again. This discipline is not easy. It takes an extreme mental toughness for a player to work through and change flaws in their game. Whether it’s changing your grip, changing your stroke, or working on your conditioning, stay disciplined and your game will thrive.

IV. Avoid negativity Don’t get down on yourself after making an error. A common mistake after missing a

shot is to tell yourself “I stink” or “I can’t play today.” You must avoid this negativity. Turn the mistake into a teaching moment by asking yourself “Why did I miss that shot?” or “Why did I go for that shot?” Putting yourself down won’t fix the problem … it will only make it worse. Figuring out why you made the error will help to avoid making the same mistake again in the future.

Eric Faro is program director at Gotham Tennis Academy and Stadium Tennis Center, just south of Yankee Stadium. Eric grew up in Riverdale and attended Horace Mann, where he played number one singles for all four years. He attended Ohio State University and won more than 100 matches during his collegiate career. He may be reached by e-mail at eric@gothamtennis.com, or online at www.stadiumtennisnyc.com or www.gothamtennis.com.

the future is now continued from page 42 questions and said that, “Friendship and respecting your peers is very important which is why I want you all to learn that while you are playing competitive matches against each other, you can still be friends.”

After the Q&A session, everyone took to the courts for more tennis when a small clinic was led by King and Jensen which was a once in a lifetime experience for the lucky players.

Future Tennis Aces–On the Road to the French Open is part of Longines’ global commitment to support and develop tennis’ superstars of tomorrow. All of the players who qualify for the Paris event will have the opportunity to attend the French Open Women’s Final on June 9.

Countries hosting similar nationwide tournaments include Australia, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italia, Japan, Mexico, Poland, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. Con-

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2012 • NYTennisMag.com

gratulations to all the U.S. Longines Future Tennis Aces participants: Name Hometown Alexis Almy..............Southborough, Mass.

Scarlett Blydenburgh ..........Chatham, N.J. Marcella L. Cruz ..................Marlboro, N.J. Tess Fisher ..........................Vineland, N.J. Zora Hall ..............................Harlem, N.Y. Ann Li ......................................Devon, Pa. Rachel Lim ............Briarcliff Manor, N.Y. Maria Mateas ..................Braintree, Mass.

Amanda Nord ....................Pittsburgh, Pa. Sarah Rahman ........East Elmhurst, N.Y. Peri Sheinin ..............East Greenwich, R.I. Michelle Sorokko ........Douglaston, N.Y. Elena Van Linge ............Menlo Park, Calif.

Chelsea Williams..............Brooklyn, N.Y. Michael Sarro is director of business development for New York Tennis Magazine. He may be reached by phone at (516) 409-4444, ext. 330 or e-mail michael@usptennis.com.

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Epic: John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg and the Greatest Tennis Season Ever

By Matthew Cronin t is impossible not to compare Matthew Cronin’s Epic: John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg and the Greatest Tennis Season Ever with Stephen Tignor’s High Strung: Bjorn Borg, John McEnroe and the Untold Story of Tennis’ Fiercest Rivalry. If you have to read only one, I’d recommend Tignor’s book as he offers the reader more interesting period details about larger issues beyond the Borg-McEnroe matches. But Cronin’s book gives a compelling portrait of the famous matchup, and while it is a narrower take on the era, it has its share of stories that help put the rivalry between the two players in context.

Both books do a good job of setting their central drama, the Borg-McEnroe battles, against the background of an era when our sport was populated with a fascinating cast of players and functionaries, many of whom have had books written about their contribution to this rich era in tennis history.

Cronin tells us a lot about players like Jimmy Connors, Vitus Gerulaitis, Ilie Nastase and Arthur Ashe on the men’s side and Chris Evert, Tracy Austin, Martina Navratilova and Evonne Goologong among the women.

Epic features a foreword from Tracy Austin, herself the author of a memoir that has achieved a kind of mini-fame by being attacked by the tennis enthusiast and author David Foster Wallace.

One of the most interesting tidbits that Cronin provides, although it is pretty far removed from the Borg-McEnroe central theme, is the story of Chris Evert being barred from visiting her then fiancée, Jimmy Connors, the night before his 1974 U.S. Open finals match

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with Ken Rosewood. Apparently, Connors coach, Pancho Segura, forbade any distractions and Evert left in tears.

Another highlight of Cronin’s book is his interview with Long Island tennis pro Gene Mayer who describes what playing Borg at Wimbledon was like: “At Wimbledon, there was never the sense that he (Borg) wasn’t beatable, he was constantly struggling and down.” It is interesting that his fellow competitors thought Borg was beatable on grass, despite his run of five Wimbledon titles. It’s as if his six French titles were more intimidating as Mayer goes on to say that nobody thought they had a chance against Borg on clay.

It is understandably tempting for Cronin to supply the reader with some period background to “set” the Borg-McEnroe face-off in the context of other things going on in the late 1970s and early 1980s. But this impulse is particularly troubling as it leads him into tangents about how the Italian “Red Brigades” terrorism affected the Italian Open or the effect of India’s nuclear bomb tests on the leadup to Roland Garros.

It is the rare tennis writer who is content to just write about tennis, whether it’s Pete Bodo’s treatment of the murdered Iraqi tennis player some years ago, or Mitchell Jon Fisher’s book about the 1938 match between the U.S. and German Davis Cup teams.

The impulse to muck around with themes larger than tennis gets Cronin in trouble as he uses McEnroe’s high media profile to align him with just about everybody except Mother Theresa. “Like McEnroe, Reagan was no fan of compromise or being proverbially held hostage by another person’s rules or regulations.” This sentence comes in the midst of an eight-paragraph run in which the author compares the U.S. President to the tennis star from Queens.

But apparently, the McEnroe personality is elastic, as Cronin sees it, because he also writes that “Mac wasn’t quite a rebel without a

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cause like his folk hero, James Dean.”

Then, Cronin quotes McEnroe’s doubles partner, Peter Fleming, as saying, “Sitting in the stands, the guys who were the punk rockers were for Junior (McEnroe). He was the Sex Pistols of tennis.”

Just to prove that you can compare McEnroe to anybody, Cronin quotes tennis writer Pete Bodo as saying that John was like billionaire recluse Harold Hughes. For my part, I think McEnroe’s artistry on the court resembled Liberace and Jay-Z. Well, you get the idea.

Other scene-setting mistakes Cronin throws in lead him to write a paragraph that begins: “France has been known for some time to be a liberal, permissive nation” and that goes on to mention Charles Manson and Roman Polanski in order to set the scene for the 1978 French Open, which Borg won without dropping a set.

But Cronin does well to pay attention to McEnroe’s doubles career by including a lot of material gleaned from interviews with his partner, Peter Fleming. In one unintentionally funny comment, along the lines of the “I’m not robbing and stealing” phrase so common here in New York, Fleming says of his career with McEnroe, “We would never tank just because one of us got beat.” Well, that’s a relief.

I didn’t come across any errors of the magnitude of Tignor’s saying that Gerulaitis was from Brooklyn, so it is safe to conclude that Epic is more carefully edited than High Strung.

Now that we have had two books on the Borg-McEnroe rivalry, two books on the NadalFederer 2008 Wimbledon match, I guess we will soon see a few takes on Djokovic’s record-setting 2011. You have to appreciate tennis writers who stake out their own path like New York Tennis Magazine’s Mark “Scoop” Malinowski.

You’re not going to see dueling bios of the unpopular former number one Marcello Rios any time soon.

Brent Shearer may be reached by e-mail at bbshearer@gmail.com.

Theof theArt

Serve

By Lisa Dodson In 2011 and the first few months of 2012, I have traveled all over the country talking with pros, visiting tennis clubs, facilities and academies in order to observe and talk with pros about serve techniques. There are many thoughts about how to best achieve a great serve and many personal opinions on how to get the job done. Whether your technique is classic or abbreviated, platform or pinpoint, there are some core characteristics that every successful serve must contain.

No ONE technique is the right or only way to produce a serve … beware of anyone trying to convince you otherwise.

Generally speaking, the following components must be incorporated into every serve, no matter how you choose to get there: I Starting position and continental grip: In order to produce a “throwing” motion, the hand, arm and shoulder must be positioned so that they can produce the act of “pronating.” Pronation is defined as: The forearm moving the palm of the hand from an anterior (inside) position to a posterior (outside) position, or, palm away from the body.

I Toss: Is the first critical movement of the serve. The toss is a “whole body” action: An integral part of the beginning phases of leg movement and the start of racket arm movement.

I Weight loading (shifting): Platform and pinpoint stances are two primary stances for the serve. Weight is set back at the initial phase of the serve and it is important to get a feeling of pushing against the ground with this back foot. This weight is then released upon acceleration to the point of contact.

I Shoulder over shoulder position: Dropping the tip of the racket in back so that the tip is pointed to the ground as the tossing arm is beginning to tuck. I also refer to this as the “Chest to the Sky” position.

I Acceleration and pronation: The lower and upper body quickly accelerating up with all timed forces to the contact point, combined with (pronation) the forearm moving the palm of the hand from an inward to outward position.

I Contact point: The contact point is at full extension of the body, with the

weight of the body falling into the court. The eyes and head are always up to the contact point.

I Deceleration: Slowing and stopping of the racket as it crosses the centerline of the body after contact.

I Finishing position: With the finishing position, the head is still, the eyes are looking forward, while landing on a flexed front leg and being balanced for movement to the next shot The serve is commonly called the most important and most difficult shot in the game of tennis and rightfully so. The serve is often difficult to change, but great change is possible if you want it.

Work towards developing these key components and challenge yourself to improving your serve at all costs. The benefits are many if you work on the basics. Have more fun, be the player everyone wants to play with and not against! Win more matches with a new and improved serve!

Lisa Dodson is owner of The Total Serve, a USPTA Pro 1, and a formerly WTA worldranked player. She may be reached by email at ldodson57@yahoo.com or visit www.thetotalserve.com.

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Help Your Game With Pattern Recognition

By Miguel Cervantes III n many games, athletic and otherwise, patterns tend to surface. Recognizing these patterns can be used to your benefit. By recognizing patterns that arise, you will be able to respond more quickly. Not only will you be able to respond more quickly, but you will also be able to implement these patterns to the detriment of your opponent. There are several patterns that you are more than likely already familiar with in tennis. To name a few, most people are familiar with a pattern of serve and volley and chip and charge, but there are other less intuitive patterns that every player should familiarize themselves with.

A pattern in tennis is a series of events that seem to occur repeatedly.

In tennis, information is imperative. As soon as the ball is struck, you have a short time to decipher the direction, depth, power and spin of the ball. At the non-professional level, it is difficult to develop a great deal of variety, since no one has the time to be good at everything, so it follows that the nonprofessional will stick with the things that he or she does well.

Being that our opponents are sticking with what they do well we can assume that their movements, shots and strategies will repeat themselves. The sooner we pick up on these patterns, the faster we can process the information it provides, and the sooner we can react to these patterns. These patterns

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can include someone repeatedly running around their backhand, consistently hitting only a slice serve, or solely hitting a drop shot when given any short ball.

Let’s take the last example into account. Consider you are in a match and you recognize a pattern surfacing … a pattern that whenever you hit a short ball to your opponent, they only hit a drop shot in return. We can assume, after recognizing the pattern, that this will occur a majority of the time. You can then exploit this by hitting the ball short on purpose to solicit the drop shot. Knowing that the drop shot is coming, you can move in to counter and hit a winner either down the line or hit an easy lob over your opponent. The point here is that by recognizing any pattern, you no longer need to problem-solve on the fly. Rather, you can cause an event to occur and then control said event to your benefit.

Patterns can also be created in order to defeat your opponent. Imagine that you recognize your opponent does not like hitting a forehand on the run. To take advantage of this, you could kick-serve to their backhand on the ad side to open up the court for a cross-court forehand, where your opponent will need to hit a forehand on the run. It seems like a minute thing, but if your opponent does not recognize this pattern, they will not be able to do anything about it. Now you know with certainty that you will be winning all of the

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2012 • NYTennisMag.com

points on the ad side of the court.

Using pattern recognition, you can elevate your game to the next level.

Pattern recognition is used in chess, boxing and soccer, so why not tennis.

See events repeat themselves to make your life easier on the court. Use pattern recognition to take time away from your opponent, and then create a pattern to take advantage of your opponent’s liabilities. Be well and play safe.

Formerly with Daniel Burgess at Freeport Tennis, Miguel Cervantes III now teaches at Carefree Racquet Club and privately outdoors. Miguel specializes in teaching beginners, training juniors and coaching doubles. He may be reached by e-mail at understandingtennis@gmail.com.

“Being that our opponents are sticking with what they do well we can assume that their movements, shots and strategies will repeat themselves.”

Getting to Know … New York High School Players Becky Shtilkind & Chris Jou

BY MICHAEL SARRO BECKY SHTILKIND Becky Shtilkind’s tennis career has been all about progression. Every year, she and her team continue to improve upon the previous season. Since joining the Leon M. Goldstein team as a freshman, she has played number one singles for all four years.

“It has been very tough competition from the beginning as I was playing the best player on every team,” said Becky.

Despite the tougher competition, her record as a freshman was 11-0 in the regular season and 2-0 in the playoffs. As a sophomore, she finished the season at 11-0, and continued to win going 4-0 in the playoffs.

Her junior year, she was also undefeated with a record of 8-0 in the regular season and 3-0 in playoffs. This year so far, she is 5-0 bringing her overall, four-year career to a staggering 44-0.

As a freshman, she won the PSAL Championships and was one of the first freshmen to do so in many years. In the same year, the team won their division, but lost in the playoffs. In her sophomore year, the team made the finals of the city championships, and then the year after that, finally won the city championships and made the finals of the Mayor’s Cup. Becky has won the Mayor’s Cup Sportsmanship Award twice, a testament to her character.

“Not only is she an amazing tennis player, but she is also an amazing individual,” said Leon M. Goldstein Coach Victoria D’Orazio. “It has been a pleasure watching her play for the last four years,

and while I am sad to see her go, I am very excited for her taking the next step of her tennis career, and in life.”

Aside from her team, Becky trains at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center under coach Marvin Dent. She has been ranked in the top 100 in the country and top five in the Eastern Section. Off the court, Becky continues her love of sports and played for the girls volleyball team where they won the championships. Becky became the first athlete in school history to win two championships in two different sports in the same calendar year.

At the completion of her senior year, she will be attending SUNY Stony Brook on a full tennis athletic scholarship.

“The coaches are such nice, genuine people at Stony Brook and they made me feel comfortable right away,” said Becky. “I also bonded with the team instantly which played a huge role in my decision to attend there. I want to study science, biology or medicine, and Stony Brook has some of the best science programs in the country so it was really a no-brainer for me in the end.”

CHRIS JOU In four years as Stuyvesant High School’s number one singles player, Chris Jou has won 37 matches, while losing only five. This year, he finished the regular season with a record of 8-0 leading his team to a 9-3 second place finish in the tough Manhattan “A” Division.

Last year, Stuyvesant lost in the quarterfinals of the NYC PSAL Championships, and unfortunately, did not have the oppor-

tunity to participate in the Mayor’s Cup team competition. Chris did however play in the Mayor’s Cup Tournament in the doubles bracket with partner Leon Pan and they lost in the finals. They did win the PSAL Doubles Title as a pairing which gave them an invitation to play at States where they lost to the eventual finalists. This year, they are looking forward to winning the PSAL Doubles Tournament again and to have a better showing at the NYS Championships Doubles Tournament.

Aside from his high school team, Chris trains with the New York Junior Tennis League (NYJTL) at Cunningham Park Tennis Center. His highest Sectional ranking was 10th and his highest national ranking is 120th. In his spare time, he helps teach younger players in the NYJTL and will hold an office position with the NYJTL this summer. Off the court, Chris enjoys music and plays drums in the Stuyvesant jazz band.

In addition to being Stuyvesant’s top tennis player, Chris is the team’s leader both on and off the court. As co-captain the past two years, Chris has helped the younger players improve their game. Chris will be attending John Hopkins University in the fall and will be enrolled in their pre-med program, as well as play on the tennis team.

“This year, we want to win the PSAL title, the Mayor’s Cup Title, and hopefully, defeat the defending champs, Beacon, in the process,” said Chris. “I am also looking forward to the challenge of college level tennis.”

According to Stuyvesant head coach Tim Pon, “It was a pleasure having Chris on the Stuyvesant team for the past four years. I wish him the best of luck in college and I know that he will succeed in anything that he sets out to accomplish.”

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SBTA Launches 10 & Under Kids Tennis Satellite Program in South Brooklyn he South Brooklyn Tennis Association (SBTA), a registered CTA/NJTL of the USTA, has announced the launch of its 10 & Under Program. The team from SBTA instructed kids in attendance at an event on May 8th at the Bush-Clinton Playground in the Red Hook section of Brooklyn, the start of nearly 25 events that the SBTA has scheduled on Saturdays through the month of October.

“We will be servicing South Brooklyn, areas include Red Hook, Carroll Gardens, Sunset Park, and Bay Ridge,” said Pablo Sierra, USTA Eastern Metro Region Brooklyn Representative. “In addition, SBTA will be supporting the American Cancer Society, Relay for Life on June 2 at Aviator Field, the Ikea-Red Hook on June 9, and the Bay Ridge, Relay for Life on June 23. In addition, our team will be introducing the game of tennis to the United Federation of Teachers (UFT) on May 19th at the UFT Offices in the Bronx, as well as supporting the American Diabetes Association’s, Feria de Salud.”

Sierra wants to take tennis to the kids, and taking tennis to the kids means taking the game to the kids’ playgrounds.

This initiative will be implemented using the USTA’s QuickStart Tennis format, which uses modified courts, tennis balls and rackets.

In 2011, the SBTA and USTA Eastern participated in promoting the game of tennis not only in Brooklyn, but also in the Bronx and the U.S. Tennis Open Qualifying Rounds. Funding for the Satellite Program is being provided in partnership with the USTA Eastern Region’s Grow the Game Funding program.

“The game of tennis offers many ben-

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efits, not only in introducing tennis to the kids, but to provide a great form of exercise to promote wellness with regards to managing glucose levels, relieving stress, and assisting in helping individuals battling heart-related diseases,” said Sierra.

“Exercising 20-30 minutes each day can be extremely beneficial, and you know

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kids have had a good time when they walk away with a smile on their face.”

The SBTA’s Satellite dates are posted online at www.SouthBrooklynTennis.com, and you may also reach out to the SBTA via their Facebook Page by searching for the “South Brooklyn Tennis Association.”

UPCOMING MAY 2012 Saturday, May 19 119th Street Tennis Association’s Spring Tennis Festival Riverside Park Tennis Courts Riverside Park Tennis Courts at 119th Street New York, N.Y. 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

The rain date for this event is the following day, Sunday, May 20. For more information, call (212) 870-3077 or email 119thtennisassoc@gmail.com.

Saturday, May 19 2012 Metro Regional Playoffs USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center Corona, N.Y. 10:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m.

Playoff matches will determine which teams will represent the Metro Region at Sectional Championships at the 6.0, 7.0 and 8.0 Levels.

For more information, call (718) 760-6200.

EVENTS

Saturday, May 19 City Parks Foundation Reebok Tryouts USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center Corona, N.Y. • 2:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m.

Must be a NYC Resident For more information, call (718) 760-6999.

Sunday, May 20 TennisFest 2012 77 Kensico Drive • Mount Kisco, N.Y. • 9:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

For more information, call Bill Mecca at (516) 746-2163 or e-mail executivedirector@USPTAEastern.com.

Thursday-Saturday, May 31-June 2 2012 New York State High School Boys Tennis Championship USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center Corona, N.Y. For more information, call (718) 760-6200.

Thursday-Sunday, June 7-10 2012 Jana Hunsaker Memorial ITF Wheelchair Tournament USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center Corona, N.Y. For more information, call (718) 760-6200.

Monday-Sunday, June 11-17 2012 U.S. Open National Playoffs Sectional Qualifiers USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center Corona, N.Y. For more information, call (718) 760-6200 or visit www.USOpen.org/NationalPlayoffs.

Thursday, June 21 2012 U.S. Open Ballperson Tryouts USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center Corona, N.Y. For more information, call (718) 760-6200.

JUNE 2012 Saturday-Sunday, June 2-10 2012 Mayor’s Cup All-Scholastic Tennis Championships USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center Corona, N.Y. For more information, call (718) 760-6200.

NEW YORK TENNIS CLUB

DIRECTORY Butch Seewagen Tennis Academy @ CATS of 49th St. Geri Goetz, Director 235 East 49th Street • New York, NY 10017 (212) 832-1833, ext. 222 catsturtlebay@gmail.com CATSNY.com

Go! Tennis at North Shore Tennis & Racquet Club George Garland—Director of Tennis 34-28 214th Place Flushing, NY 11361-1720 (718) 224-6303 george@gotennisprograms.com

New York Tennis Club Lauren Hartman 3081 Harding Avenue • Bronx, NY 10465 (718) 239-7916 lhartman.nytci@gmail.com NewYorkTennisClub.com or AdvantageTennisNY.com

Cunningham Sports Center Bill Racho—Director of Junior Tennis Programs 196-00 Union Turnpike Fresh Meadows, NY 11366 (718) 740-6800 bill@cunninghamsportscenter.com CunninghamSportsCenter.com

Manhattan Plaza Racquet Club Gertrud Wilhelm 450 West 43rd Street New York, NY 10036 (212) 594-0554 g.wilhelm@mprcnyc.com ManhattanPlazaRacquetClub.com or AdvantageTennis NY.com

Prospect Park Tennis Center Paul Campbell, Director of Tennis 50 Parkside Avenue • Brooklyn, NY 11226 (718) 436-2500, ext. 300 pcampbell@prospectpark.org ProspectPark.org/Visit/Activities/Tennis

Dick Savitt Tennis Center at Columbia University Gaurav Misra, Director 575 West 218 Street • New York, NY 10034 (212) 942-7100 gm320@columbia.edu GoColumbiaLions.com

Midtown Tennis Club Jennifer Brown—Director 341 8th Avenue New York, NY 10001 (212) 989-8572 midtowntennis@netzero.com MidtownTennis.com

Roosevelt Island Racquet Club Tom Manhart—Assistant General Manager 281 Main Street Roosevelt Island, NY 10044 (212) 935-0250 tmanhart@rirctennis.com RIRCTennis.com or AdvantageTennis NY.com

SPORTIME Randall’s Island Ted Dimond—Director of Tennis 1 Randall’s Island • New York, NY 10035 (212) 427-6150 randallsisland@sportimeny.com SportimeNY.com/Manhattan Stadium Tennis Center at Mill Pond Joel Kassan—Tennis Director 725 Gateway Center Boulevard Bronx, NY 10451 (718) 665-4684 joel@gothamtennis.com StadiumTennisNYC.com USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center Whitney Kraft—Director of Tennis Flushing Meadows Corona Park Flushing, NY 11368 (718) 760-6200 kraft@usta.com USTA.com West Side Tennis Club Bob Ingersole—Director of Tennis 1 Tennis Place • Forest Hills, NY 11375 (718) 268-2300 tennisdirector@foresthillstennis.com ForestHillsTennis.com/index.html

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NEW Boys & Girls Metro Rankings (as of 04/25/12)

BOYS

Metro Boys 12 Singles Rank ..Name ..........................City 1 ........Derek Lung..................Brooklyn, N.Y. 2 ........Kemal Irfan Aziz ..........Staten Island, N.Y. 3 ........Mitchell Mu ................Oakland Gardens, N.Y. 4 ........Eitan Khromchenko ....Staten Island, N.Y. 5 ........Derrick Mu ..................Oakland Gardens, N.Y. 6 ........Christopher Tham ......Flushing, N.Y. 7 ........David Moldovan ..........Brooklyn, N.Y. 8 ........Stevan Stojkovic ........Flushing, N.Y. 9 ........Philip Belmatch ..........Staten Island, N.Y. 10 ......Ethan Finley ................New York, N.Y. 11 ......Robert Shinder............Brooklyn, N.Y. 12 ......Matthew Ross ............New York, N.Y. 13 ......Gregory Thomas Coe..New York, N.Y. 14 ......Henry Hochfelder........New York, N.Y. 15 ......Itamar Oron ................New York, N.Y. 16 ......Christopher Kolesnik ..Staten Island, N.Y. 17 ......Dylan Friedman ..........Brooklyn, N.Y. 18 ......Bryce Kassalow ..........New York, N.Y. 19 ......Jonathan L. Molfetta ..Howard Beach, N.Y. 20 ......Nash Johnson ............New York, N.Y.

YORK

RANKINGS

15 ......Josh Charap................New York, N.Y.

36 ......Spencer Bistricer ........New York, N.Y.

33 ......Kiara Rose ..................New York, N.Y.

16 ......William Trang ..............Staten Island, N.Y.

37 ......Alexander Newhouse..New York, N.Y.

34 ......Miriam Aziz..................Staten Island, N.Y.

17 ......Leonardo Escudero ....Ozone Park, N.Y.

38 ......Yihao Yang ..................New York, N.Y.

35 ......Bella Kaplan ................New York, N.Y.

18 ......Brett Raskopf ..............New York, N.Y.

39 ......Douglas Mo ................Douglaston, N.Y.

36 ......Perene Wang ..............New York, N.Y.

19 ......Alexander Fallone ......New York, N.Y.

40 ......Kevin Ching ................Bayside, N.Y.

37 ......Steffi Antao ................Briarwood, N.Y.

20 ......Kumeil Hosain ............New York, N.Y.

38 ......Audrey Pacthod ..........New York, N.Y.

21 ......Massimo Costantini ....New York, N.Y.

Metro Boys 18 Singles

22 ......Jahmall Forde ............Jamaica, N.Y.

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

23 ......Jonathan Molfetta ......Howard Beach, N.Y.

1 ........David N. Zhukovsky....Brooklyn, N.Y.

24 ......Adam Borak ................Brooklyn, N.Y.

2 ........Sean J. Solomonoff ....New York, N.Y.

Metro Girls 14 Singles

25 ......Jake Laurence ............New York, N.Y.

3 ........Brad Gaffin..................New York, N.Y.

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

26 ......Daniel Usvyat ..............Forest Hills, N.Y.

4 ........Alexander Pintilie ........New York, N.Y.

1 ........Keren Khromchenko ..Staten Island, N.Y.

27 ......Ethan Moszkowski ......New York, N.Y.

5 ........Ryo Kono ....................New York, N.Y.

2 ........Vanessa Hanuman ......Brooklyn, N.Y.

28 ......Mitchell Mu ................Oakland Gardens, N.Y.

6 ........Jonathan Cohen..........New York, N.Y.

3 ........Jennifer Yu ..................Forest Hills, N.Y.

29 ......Gabriel Broshy ............New York, N.Y.

7 ........Mark Semerik..............Brooklyn, N.Y.

4 ........Sarah Hirschfield ........New York, N.Y.

30 ......Matthew Chin..............Flushing, N.Y.

8 ........Benjamin Erichsen ......Bronx, N.Y.

5 ........Victoria Zezula ............Ridgewood, N.Y.

31 ......Frank Nicolazzi............Flushing, N.Y.

9 ........Ethan Saal ..................New York, N.Y.

6 ........Zorriana B. Johnson ..New York, N.Y.

32 ......Sam Vagner ................Staten Island, N.Y.

10 ......Ryan Villarruel ............Staten Island, N.Y.

7 ........Alexandra Sanford ......New York, N.Y.

33 ......Marc Betito ................Floral Park, N.Y.

11 ......Hugh Mo ....................Douglaston, N.Y.

8 ........Marierose Apice ..........Brooklyn, N.Y.

34 ......Sam Krevlin ................New York, N.Y.

12 ......Teddy Drucker ............New York, N.Y.

9 ........Anna Maite Kaplan......New York, N.Y.

35 ......Kevin Yan ....................Brooklyn, N.Y.

13 ......Jack Walla ..................New York, N.Y.

10 ......Sydney Lynn Katz ......New York, N.Y.

36 ......Kristjan Tomasson ......New York, N.Y.

14 ......Enrique Torres ............Brooklyn, N.Y.

11 ......Nicole Holloran ..........Bayside, N.Y.

37 ......Genji Noguchi ............Fresh Meadows, N.Y.

15 ......Jahmall Forde ............Jamaica, N.Y.

12 ......Nicole Schnabel..........Woodhaven, N.Y.

38 ......Ian Lee ........................New York, N.Y.

16 ......Travis Arffa ..................New York, N.Y.

13 ......Arianna Motta ............Staten Island, N.Y.

39 ......Michael Sklar ..............New York, N.Y.

17 ......Mitchell Cheung ..........Woodside, N.Y.

14 ......Donna Episcopio ........Bayside, N.Y.

40 ......Eric Ryklin ..................New York, N.Y.

18 ......Christopher Walla........New York, N.Y.

15 ......Lydia Weintraub ..........New York, N.Y.

19 ......Justin Selig..................New York, N.Y.

16 ......Isabelle Rovinski ........New York, N.Y.

20 ......Kevin Ching ................Bayside, N.Y.

17 ......Kiara Rose ..................New York, N.Y.

39 ......Hanna Yip ..................New York, N.Y. 40 ......Zoe Kava ....................New York, N.Y.

21 ......Shand Stephens ........New York, N.Y.

Metro Boys 16 Singles

22 ......Javier Nathaniel Luna New York, N.Y.

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

23 ......Nicholas Pustilnik........Brooklyn, N.Y.

1 ........Michael Jared Lesser..New York, N.Y.

24 ......Noah Edelman ............New York, N.Y.

2 ........Jonathan Compres ....East Elmhurst, N.Y.

Metro Girls 12 Singles

25 ......Shawn Jackson ..........Staten Island, N.Y.

3 ........Jonathan Cohen..........New York, N.Y.

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

21 ......Val Leifer ....................New York, N.Y.

26 ......Oliver Jevtovic ............Astoria, N.Y.

4 ........Joshua Freud ..............New York, N.Y.

1 ........Victoria Hanuman ......Brooklyn, N.Y.

22 ......Marion Goldberg ........New York, N.Y.

27 ......Logan Gruss ..............New York, N.Y.

5 ........Justin S. Selig ............New York, N.Y.

2 ........Dakota Fordham ........New York, N.Y.

23 ......Electra Frelinghuysen..New York, N.Y.

28 ......Michael Cooper Jr.......Brooklyn, N.Y.

6 ........Benjamin M. Erichsen Bronx, N.Y.

3 ........Rachel Okin ................New York, N.Y.

24 ......Stephanie Li ................New York, N.Y.

29 ......Eli Taylor-Kerman ........New York, N.Y.

7 ........Michael Jasienowski ..Middle Village, N.Y.

4 ........Victoria Zezula ............Ridgewood, N.Y.

25 ......Hannah Spears ..........New York, N.Y.

30 ......David Krasner ............Staten Island, N.Y.

8 ........Leonard Margolis ........Brooklyn, N.Y.

5 ........Juliana Kislin ..............New York, N.Y.

26 ......Grace Tom ..................Rego Park, N.Y.

31 ......Daniel Helfgott ............New York, N.Y.

9 ........Brad Gaffin..................New York, N.Y.

6 ........Sydney Lynn Katz ......New York, N.Y.

27 ......Caitlin Ervine ..............New York, N.Y.

32 ......Joseph Reiner ............New York, N.Y.

10 ......Ryo Kono ....................New York, N.Y.

7 ........Carolyn Brodsky ........New York, N.Y.

28 ......Danielle Kade ..............New York, N.Y.

33 ......Harry Portnoy..............New York, N.Y.

11 ......Jordan A. Selig............New York, N.Y.

8 ........Isabelle Rovinski ........New York, N.Y.

29 ......Rosa Aksanova ..........Brooklyn, N.Y.

34 ......Ian Leifer ....................New York, N.Y.

12 ......Dillon McKenzie ..........Laurelton, N.Y.

9 ........Gabriella Eitkis ............Brooklyn, N.Y.

30 ......Patricia Obeid ............New York, N.Y.

35 ......Emil Nadybekov ..........Brooklyn, N.Y.

13 ......Justin Ho ....................Brooklyn, N.Y.

10 ......Olga Drahanchuk ........Brooklyn, N.Y.

31 ......Jennifer Richards ........New York, N.Y.

36 ......Blake Frank ................New York, N.Y.

14 ......Anthony Santino ........Douglaston, N.Y.

11 ......Anna Maite Kaplan......New York, N.Y.

32 ......Hannah Gendel ..........New York, N.Y.

37 ......Neeraj Sakhrani ..........Flushing, N.Y.

15 ......Andrew Penn ..............New York, N.Y.

12 ......Caroline Kantor .......... New York, N.Y.

33 ......Lipika Raghunathan ....New York, N.Y.

38 ......David Pines ................New York, N.Y.

16 ......Grogory Gon ..............Flushing, N.Y.

13 ......Stephanie Li ................New York, N.Y.

34 ......Emma Wrazej ..............New York, N.Y.

39 ......Alex Zlotchenko ..........New York, N.Y.

17 ......Teddy Drucker ............New York, N.Y.

14 ......Christina Huynh ..........Astoria, N.Y.

35 ......Elizabeth Khusid ........Brooklyn, N.Y.

40 ......Felix Levine ................Long Island City, N.Y.

18 ......Mark Semerik..............Brooklyn, N.Y.

15 ......Brittny Ferreira ............Brooklyn, N.Y.

36 ......Maria Kogarova ..........Brooklyn, N.Y.

19 ......Zachary Kaplan ..........New York, N.Y.

16 ......Rosa Aksanova ..........Brooklyn, N.Y.

37 ......Eliza Lesser ................New York, N.Y.

20 ......David Farina ................New York, N.Y.

17 ......Sonia Tartakovsky ......New York, N.Y.

38 ......Olga Drahanchuk ........Brooklyn, N.Y.

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

21 ......Christopher Huynh......Astoria, N.Y.

18 ......Danielle Kade ..............New York, N.Y.

39 ......Juliana Kislin ..............New York, N.Y.

1 ........Denis Korol..................Brooklyn, N.Y.

22 ......Alexander Pintilie ........New York, N.Y.

19 ......Lia Kiam ......................New York, N.Y.

40 ......Hanna Yip ..................New York, N.Y.

2 ........Nate Newhouse ..........New York, N.Y.

23 ......Jack Spiegel ..............New York, N.Y.

20 ......Kyra Bergmann ..........Forest Hills, N.Y.

3 ........Horia George Negru....Middle Village, N.Y.

24 ......Jason Grunfeld............New York, N.Y.

21 ......Johnniesha Breiten ....Bronx, N.Y.

Metro Girls 16 Singles

4 ........Scott Glauber..............New York, N.Y.

25 ......Safraz Hamid ..............Brooklyn, N.Y.

22 ......Diana Sosonkin ..........Brooklyn, N.Y.

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

5 ........Andrew E. Hauser ......New York, N.Y.

26 ......Daniel Witke ................Brooklyn, N.Y.

23 ......Patricia Obeid ............New York, N.Y.

1 ........Emi Lewis....................New York, N.Y.

6 ........Robert Millman............New York, N.Y.

27 ......Alexander Fallone ......New York, N.Y.

24 ......Skyie Stamper ............Bronx, N.Y.

2 ........Vania Savic..................Woodside, N.Y.

7 ........Xavier Pacthod............New York, N.Y.

28 ......Kevin Valdez................Jamaica, N.Y.

25 ......Isabella Tushaj ............Bronx, N.Y.

3 ........Julia Zbarsky ..............New York, N.Y.

8 ........Dan Ion Negru ............Middle Village, N.Y.

29 ......Lamar Hurt ..................New York, N.Y.

26 ......Charlotte Mosler ........New York, N.Y.

4 ........Dina Levy-Lambert ....New York, N.Y.

9 ........Evan Liberman ............New York, N.Y.

30 ......William Trang ..............Staten Island, N.Y.

27 ......Sarah Finley ................New York, N.Y.

5 ........Jenna B. Borenstein....New York, N.Y.

10 ......Garrett Sopko ............Brooklyn, N.Y.

31 ......Ira Rey-Anatole ..........Brooklyn, N.Y.

28 ......Donna Episcopio ........Bayside, N.Y.

6 ........Erika Tinalli..................Brooklyn, N.Y.

11 ......Daniel Schaw ..............New York, N.Y.

32 ......Mitchell Cheung ..........Woodside, N.Y.

29 ......Sofie Levine ................New York, N.Y.

7 ........Nicole Schnabel..........Woodhaven, N.Y.

12 ......Jordan Rey-Anatole ....Brooklyn, N.Y.

33 ......Rohil Basu ..................New York, N.Y.

30 ......Jean Soo ....................Flushing, N.Y.

8 ........Irina Titova ..................Brooklyn, N.Y.

13 ......Oliver Mai ....................Little Neck, N.Y.

34 ......Nick Papyan................Brooklyn, N.Y.

31 ......Najah Dawson ............Rosedale, N.Y.

9 ........Keren Khromchenko ..Staten Island, N.Y.

14 ......Andrew Zucker............New York, N.Y.

35 ......Benjamin Beruh ..........Bronx, N.Y.

32 ......Amalia Parrish ............Queens Village, N.Y.

10 ......Annie Reiner................New York, N.Y.

Metro Boys 14 Singles

52

18 ......Victoria Hanuman ......Brooklyn, N.Y.

GIRLS

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2012 • NYTennisMag.com

19 ......Cecilia Swenson ........New York, N.Y. 20 ......Sabrina Abrams ..........New York, N.Y.

NEW

YORK

RANKINGS

11 ......Nicole Serras ..............Whitestone, N.Y.

59 ......Shand Stephens ........New York, N.Y.

19 ......Artemie Amari ............New York, N.Y.

GIRLS

12 ......Jennifer Yu ..................Forest Hills, N.Y.

61 ......Jonah Jurick................New York, N.Y.

20 ......Win Smith....................Brooklyn, N.Y.

13 ......Bianca Signore............Staten Island, N.Y.

63 ......Zachary Lieb ..............New York, N.Y.

25 ......Lucas Pickering ..........Brooklyn, N.Y.

14 ......Nia Rose ....................New York, N.Y.

68 ......James Dill....................New York, N.Y.

29 ......Sachin Raghavan ........New York, N.Y.

Sectional Girls 12 Singles— Metro Region

15 ......Brittany Biggs ............Bronx, N.Y.

76 ......Steven Nazaroff ..........Brooklyn, N.Y.

31 ......Richard Sec ................New York, N.Y.

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

16 ......Keri Picciochi ..............Flushing, N.Y.

79 ......Logan Gruss ..............New York, N.Y.

37 ......Zachary Yablon ..........New York, N.Y.

5 ........Dasha Kourkina ..........Brooklyn, N.Y.

17 ......Sara Levy-Lambert ....New York, N.Y.

80 ......Derek Raskopf ............New York, N.Y.

38 ......Cameron Daniels ........Oakland Gardens, N.Y.

6 ........Aleksandra Bekirova ..Brooklyn, N.Y.

18 ......Alicia Ng......................Howard Beach, N.Y.

84 ......Robbie Werdiger ........New York, N.Y.

39 ......Christopher Auteri ......Staten Island, N.Y.

9 ........Chelsea Williams ........Brooklyn, N.Y.

19 ......Paolina Zanki ..............Astoria, N.Y.

85 ......Lantis Wang ................New York, N.Y.

40 ......Daniel Kerznerman......Brooklyn, N.Y.

11 ......Michelle Sorokko ........Douglaston, N.Y.

20 ......Isadora Braune............New York, N.Y.

97 ......Allan Magid ................Brooklyn, N.Y.

43 ......Joshua Gordon ..........Staten Island, N.Y.

12 ......Jennifer Yu ..................Forest Hills, N.Y.

21 ......Sarah Horne................New York, N.Y.

100 ....David Moldovan ..........Brooklyn, N.Y.

61 ......Marcus Smith..............Little Neck, N.Y.

17 ......Jennifer Richards ........New York, N.Y.

22 ......Paula Faltynowicz ......Flushing, N.Y.

107 ....Christopher Tham ......Flushing, N.Y.

67 ......Alexis Cai ....................Woodhaven, N.Y.

20 ......Nicole Semenov..........Brooklyn, N.Y.

23 ......Anika Pornpitaksuk ....Flushing, N.Y.

109 ....Will Coad ....................New York, N.Y.

70 ......Andrew Arnaboldi ......New York, N.Y.

21 ......Lauren Munari ............Middle Village, N.Y.

24 ......Camille Price ..............New York, N.Y.

117 ....Henry Hochfelder........New York, N.Y.

79 ......Douglas Mo ................Douglaston, N.Y.

22 ......Anastasia Koniaev ......Forest Hills, N.Y.

25 ......Claire Harnett..............New York, N.Y.

118 ....Dylan Friedman ..........Brooklyn, N.Y.

80 ......Michael Anzalone........Howard Beach, N.Y.

34 ......Katherine Kachkarov ..Flushing, N.Y.

26 ......Shayna Spooner ........New York, N.Y.

119 ....Matthew Ross ............New York, N.Y.

81 ......Victor Miglo ................Kew Gardens, N.Y.

36 ......Shelly Yaloz ................Little Neck, N.Y.

27 ......Stefana Vujinovic ........Brooklyn, N.Y.

121 ....Christopher Kolesnik ..Staten Island, N.Y.

90 ......Gal Sossen..................Oakland Gardens, N.Y.

40 ......Christina Huynh ..........Astoria, N.Y.

28 ......Alexus Gill ..................Brooklyn, N.Y.

128 ....Eitan Khromchenko ....Staten Island, N.Y.

92 ......Steven Koulouris ........Long Island City, N.Y.

49 ......Kyra Bergmann ..........Forest Hills, N.Y.

29 ......Nicole Druzhinsky ......Brooklyn, N.Y.

129 ....Ethan Finley ................New York, N.Y.

96 ......Jonathan Selegean ....East Elmhurst, N.Y.

57 ......Juliana Kislin ..............New York, N.Y.

30 ......Kara Rosenblum ........New York, N.Y.

132 ....Nicholas Rudman........New York, N.Y.

101 ....Edan Sossen ..............Oakland Gardens, N.Y.

59 ......Isabel Balilo ................Flushing, N.Y.

31 ......Lipika Raghunathan ....New York, N.Y.

138 ....Derek Lung..................Brooklyn, N.Y.

104 ....Alex Knaff....................New York, N.Y.

64 ......Alice Soares Pinho......Woodside, N.Y.

32 ......Danielle Hupper ..........New York, N.Y.

143 ....Itamar Oron ................New York, N.Y.

107 ....Matthew Balilo ............Oakland Gardens, N.Y.

69 ......Sarah Finley ................New York, N.Y.

33 ......Priscilla Signore ..........Staten Island, N.Y.

146 ....Derrick Mu ..................Oakland Gardens, N.Y.

108 ....Jun Yuminaga ............Little Neck, N.Y.

71 ......Lia Kiam ......................New York, N.Y.

34 ......Zorriana Johnson ........New York, N.Y.

150 ....Stevan Stojkovic ........Flushing, N.Y.

113 ....Maurice Russo ............New York, N.Y.

74 ......Olivia Simone Morris ..Floral Park, N.Y.

117 ....Alexander Pintilie ........New York, N.Y.

77 ......Stephanie Li ................New York, N.Y.

124 ....Ethan Saal ..................New York, N.Y.

80 ......Miriam Aziz..................Staten Island, N.Y.

135 ....Jack Spiegel ..............New York, N.Y.

81 ......Victoria Hanuman ......Brooklyn, N.Y.

144 ....Jonathan Compres ....East Elmhurst, N.Y.

85 ......Carolyn Brodsky ........New York, N.Y.

145 ....Michael Lesser............New York, N.Y.

86 ......Rachel Okin ................New York, N.Y.

35 ......Champagne Mills ........New York, N.Y. 36 ......Julia Greenberg ..........New York, N.Y. 37 ......Hediye Karabay ..........Flushing, N.Y. 38 ......Olga Voronetskaya......Forest Hills, N.Y. 39 ......Lydia Weintraub ..........New York, N.Y. 40 ......Briel Biggs ..................Bronx, N.Y.

Sectional Boys 14 Singles— Metro Region Rank ..Name ..........................City 5 ........Oliver Sec....................New York, N.Y.

87 ......Steffi Antao ................Briarwood, N.Y.

6 ........Alex Knaff....................New York, N.Y.

Metro Girls 18 Singles Rank ..Name ..........................City 1 ........Rachel Colton ............New York, N.Y. 2 ........Charlotte Camacho ....New York, N.Y. 3 ........Kimberly Salkin ..........Brooklyn, N.Y. 4 ........Dina Levy-Lambert ....New York, N.Y. 5 ........Bianca Signore............Staten Island, N.Y. 6 ........Juliana Nelkin..............New York, N.Y. 7 ........Michelle Khaimov........Jamaica, N.Y. 8 ........Sara Levy-Lambert ....New York, N.Y. 9 ........Nicole Snegur ............Staten Island, N.Y.

Boys & Girls Sectional Rankings

13 ......Mitchell Ostrovsky ......Brooklyn, N.Y.

Sectional Boys 18 Singles— Metro Region

14 ......Philip Raytburg............Brooklyn, N.Y.

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

16 ......Felipe P. Osses-Konig Rego Park, N.Y.

6 ........Richard J. Del Nunzio Forest Hills, N.Y.

18 ......Ananth Raghavan........New York, N.Y.

20 ......Jake Sosonkin ............Brooklyn, N.Y.

19 ......Cole Gittens ................New York, N.Y.

21 ......Joshua Yablon ............New York, N.Y.

21 ......Marcus T. Smith ..........Little Neck, N.Y.

25 ......Courtney Murphy ........Bronx, N.Y.

23 ......Ethan Nittolo ..............Flushing, N.Y.

26 ......Eric R. Brinzenskiy ......Staten Island, N.Y.

26 ......Jordan Jordan ............Astoria, N.Y.

35 ......Justin Fields ................New York, N.Y.

27 ......Alexander Thrane........New York, N.Y.

54 ......Ryoma Haraguchi ......New York, N.Y.

31 ......Jack Haroche..............New York, N.Y.

57 ......Stefan D. Ilic................Forest Hills, N.Y.

36 ......Ian Witmer ..................New York, N.Y.

58 ......Christian Waldron........Bronx, N.Y.

42 ......Alex Chao....................New York, N.Y.

62 ......Christopher Jou ..........Oakland Gardens, N.Y.

43 ......Christian Gloria ..........Queens Village, N.Y.

67 ......Leon Pan ....................Brooklyn, N.Y.

61 ......Cameron Gruss ..........New York, N.Y.

70 ......Dennis Druzhinsky ......Brooklyn, N.Y.

70 ......Peter Lohrbach ..........Little Neck, N.Y.

82 ......Joseph Motta..............Staten Island, N.Y.

76 ......Max Prohorov..............Rego Park, N.Y.

99 ......Ian Antonoff ................New York, N.Y.

10 ......Aleksandar Kovacevic..New York, N.Y.

88 ......Sarah Rahman ............East Elmhurst, N.Y. 90 ......Dakota Fordham ........New York, N.Y. 92 ......Isabella Tushaj ............Bronx, N.Y. 95 ......Rosie Garcia Gross ....New York, N.Y. 103 ....Diana Ellen Sosonkin ..Brooklyn, N.Y. 108 ....Diana McCready ........Brooklyn, N.Y. 109 ....Alexa Nobandegani ....New York, N.Y. 110 ....Perene Wang ..............New York, N.Y. 127 ....Gabriella Eitkis ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 129 ....Elisabeth Schlossel ....New York, N.Y. 130 ....Amalia Parrish ............Queens Village, N.Y. 133 ....Rebecca Izyayeva ......Staten Island, N.Y. 134 ....Rosa Aksanova ..........Brooklyn, N.Y. 135 ....Rebecac Fisch ............New York, N.Y. 139 ....Elvina Kalieva ..............Staten Island, N.Y.

95 ......Evan Liberman ............New York, N.Y.

100 ....Alexis Cai ....................Woodhaven, N.Y.

Sectional Girls 14 Singles— Metro Region

BOYS

96 ......Jared Fields ................New York, N.Y.

108 ....Jeremy Kochman........Brooklyn, N.Y.

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

Sectional Boys 12 Singles— Metro Region

101 ....William Trang ..............Staten Island, N.Y.

109 ....Jonathan Selegean ....East Elmhurst, N.Y.

1 ........Jessica Melanie LivianuBrooklyn, N.Y.

104 ....Leonardo Escudero ....Ozone Park, N.Y.

117 ....Mikolaj Borak ..............Brooklyn, N.Y.

2 ........Jessica Golovin ..........New York, N.Y.

106 ....Antony Jippov ............New York, N.Y.

130 ....Daniel Kerznerman......Brooklyn, N.Y.

4 ........Arnelle Sullivan............Brooklyn, N.Y.

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

131 ....Andrew Hauser ..........New York, N.Y.

132 ....Mark Semerik..............Brooklyn, N.Y.

6 ........Sabrina Xiong..............Fresh Meadows, N.Y.

3 ........Gary C. Fishkin ..........Staten Island, N.Y.

135 ....Xavier Pacthod............New York, N.Y.

133 ....Zachary Yablon ..........New York, N.Y.

15 ......Brianna Williams ........Brooklyn, N.Y.

9 ........Sumit Sarkar ..............New York, N.Y.

137 ....Robert Kennedy ..........New York, N.Y.

137 ....Sean Solomonoff ........New York, N.Y.

22 ......Isis Gill ........................Brooklyn, N.Y.

13 ......Jeffrey Gorilovsky ......Brooklyn, N.Y.

143 ....Adam Borak ................Brooklyn, N.Y.

140 ....Hugh Mo ....................Douglaston, N.Y.

25 ......Yuka Lin ......................Kew Gardens, N.Y.

21 ......Sam V. Vagner ............Staten Island, N.Y.

144 ....Tyler Pasko..................Staten Island, N.Y.

143 ....David Zhukovsky ........Brooklyn, N.Y.

27 ......Sophia Kryloff ............Brooklyn, N.Y.

(as of 04/03/12)

27 ......Ethan Leon..................Woodhaven, N.Y. 32 ......Oliver Jevtovic ............Astoria, N.Y.

28 ......Regina Furer................Brooklyn, N.Y. 32 ......Julia Fisch ..................New York, N.Y.

41 ......Max Prohorov..............Rego Park, N.Y.

Sectional Boys 16 Singles— Metro Region

43 ......David Mizrahi ..............Brooklyn, N.Y.

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

38 ......Jennifer Richards ........New York, N.Y.

47 ......Kemal Irfan Aziz ..........Staten Island, N.Y.

4 ........Joshua Yablon ............New York, N.Y.

41 ......Jillian Auteri ................Staten Island, N.Y.

52 ......Gabriel Sifuentes ........Flushing, N.Y.

12 ......James Wasserman......New York, N.Y.

45 ......Anastasiya Malinouskaya Staten Island, N.Y.

40 ......Jacob Kern..................New York, N.Y.

34 ......Alexus Gill ..................Brooklyn, N.Y. 37 ......Alexandra Koniaev ......Forest Hills, N.Y.

NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2012 • New York Tennis Magazine

53

NEW 50 ......Victoria Sec ................New York, N.Y. 61 ......Aleksandra Bekirova ..Brooklyn, N.Y. 72 ......Julia Zbarksy ..............New York, N.Y. 76 ......Jennifer Yu ..................Forest Hills, N.Y. 77 ......Lauren Munari ............Middle Village, N.Y. 78 ......Patricia Obeid ............New York, N.Y. 79 ......Michelle Khaimov........Jamaica, N.Y. 95 ......Marierose Apice ..........Brooklyn, N.Y. 108 ....Dasha Kourkina ..........Brooklyn, N.Y. 128 ....Cecilia Swenson ........New York, N.Y. 136 ....Keren Khromchenko ..Staten Island, N.Y. 137 ....Sydney Katz................New York, N.Y. 140 ....Chelsea Williams ........Brooklyn, N.Y. 143 ....Alexandra Sanford ......New York, N.Y. 146 ....Anna Kaplan................New York, N.Y. 148 ....Victoria Zezula ............Ridgewood, N.Y. 149 ....Zorriana Johnson ........New York, N.Y. 150 ....Lisa Marchelska ..........Brooklyn, N.Y.

Sectional Girls 16 Singles— Metro Region Rank ..Name ..........................City 5 ........Jessica Golovin ..........New York, N.Y. 9 ........Ariana Rodriguez ........Bronx, N.Y. 17 ......Destiny Grunin ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 19 ......Lily Bondy ..................Brooklyn, N.Y. 20 ......Jessica Livianu............Brooklyn, N.Y. 25 ......Hannah Shteyn ..........Staten Island, N.Y. 26 ......Arnelle Sullivan............Brooklyn, N.Y. 28 ......Stefanie Lineva ..........Middle Village, N.Y. 33 ......Alexa Sara Meltzer ......New York, N.Y. 40 ......Elizabeth Tsvetkov ......Brooklyn, N.Y. 43 ......Kimberly Salkin ..........Brooklyn, N.Y. 45 ......Laura Maria Chitu ......New York, N.Y. 47 ......Victoria Zoha ..............New York, N.Y. 58 ......Sabrina Xiong..............Fresh Meadows, N.Y. 65 ......Illana Levich ................Staten Island, N.Y. 69 ......Nia Rose ....................New York, N.Y. 70 ......Sophia Schlossel ........New York, N.Y. 71 ......Champagne Mills ........New York, N.Y. 73 ......Shayna Spooner ........New York, N.Y.

YORK

RANKINGS

Sectional Girls 18 Singles— Metro Region

National Boys 14 Singles— Metro Region

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

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

4 ........Emily Safron................New York, N.Y.

48 ......Oliver Sec....................New York, N.Y.

6 ........Ariana D. Rodriguez ....Bronx, N.Y.

86 ......Alex Knaff....................New York, N.Y.

15 ......Leighann Sahagun ......Queens Village, N.Y.

92 ......Mitchell Ostrovsky ......Brooklyn, N.Y.

19 ......Nadia Smergut ............New York, N.Y.

157 ....Felipe Osses-Konig .... Rego Park, N.Y.

22 ......Hannah Shteyn ..........Staten Island, N.Y.

175 ....Ananth Raghavan........New York, N.Y.

23 ......Samantha Tutelman ....New York, N.Y.

194 ....Cole Gittens ................New York, N.Y.

National Girls 14 Singles— Metro Region

25 ......Denise Starr ................Brooklyn, N.Y.

201 ....Alexander Thrane........New York, N.Y.

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

29 ......Lily Bondy ..................Brooklyn, N.Y.

222 ....Aleksandar Kovacevic ..New York, N.Y.

11 ......Jessica Golovin ..........New York, N.Y.

34 ......Jacqueline Katz ..........New York, N.Y.

246 ....Philip Raytburg............Brooklyn, N.Y.

46 ......Jessica Livianu............Brooklyn, N.Y.

36 ......Madison Gordon ........New York, N.Y.

373 ....Marcus Smith..............Little Neck, N.Y.

138 ....Sabrina Xiong..............Fresh Meadows, N.Y.

41 ......Becky Shtilkind ..........Brooklyn, N.Y.

504 ....Ian Witmer ..................New York, N.Y.

143 ....Arnelle Sullivan............Brooklyn, N.Y.

46 ......Jessica Golovin ..........New York, N.Y.

592 ....Jack Haroche..............New York, N.Y.

229 ....Isis Gill ........................Brooklyn, N.Y.

48 ......Angela Assal ..............Bronx, N.Y.

593 ....Jordan D. Jordan ........Astoria, N.Y.

364 ....Julia D. Fisch ..............New York, N.Y.

49 ......Laura Chitu ................New York, N.Y.

632 ....Christian Gloria ..........Queens Village, N.Y.

366 ....Sophia Kryloff ............Brooklyn, N.Y.

55 ......Alexa Meltzer ..............New York, N.Y.

680 ....Ethan Nittolo ..............Flushing, N.Y.

421 ....Yuka Lin ......................Kew Gardens, N.Y.

56 ......Katie Derienzo ............Douglaston, N.Y.

764 ....Alex Chao....................New York, N.Y.

70 ......Destiny Grunin ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 74 ......Dayana Agasieva ........Forest Hills, N.Y. 82 ......Allison Immergut ........New York, N.Y. 84 ......Monica Gokhberg ......Brooklyn, N.Y. 85 ......Charlotte Camacho ....New York, N.Y. 87 ......Jordan Zola ................New York, N.Y. 88 ......Loulou Revson ............New York, N.Y. 91 ......Kyra Silitch ..................New York, N.Y. 96 ......Sophia Schlossel ........New York, N.Y. 99 ......Arielle Griffin................Jamaica, N.Y. 100 ....Paulina Velasquez ......Kew Gardens, N.Y. 104 ....Marylen Santos ..........Jamaica, N.Y. 106 ....Anastasiya Malinouskaya Staten Island, N.Y. 112 ....Kimberly Salkin ..........Brooklyn, N.Y. 119 ....Manuela Velasquez ....Kew Gardens, N.Y. 138 ....Allie Jackson ..............Rosedale, N.Y. 139 ....Brianna Williams ........Brooklyn, N.Y.

National Boys 16 Singles— Metro Region Rank ..Name ..........................City 14 ......Joshua Yablon ............ New York, N.Y.

801 ....Katherine Kachkarov ..Flushing, N.Y. 877 ....Isabella Tushaj ............Bronx, N.Y. 895 ....Kyra Bergmann ..........Forest Hills, N.Y. 979 ....Miriam Aziz..................Staten Island, N.Y.

547 ....Anastasiya Malinouskaya Staten Island, N.Y. 636 ....Jennifer Richards ........New York, N.Y. 692 ....Jillian Rose Auteri ......Staten Island, N.Y. 708 ....Regina Furer................Brooklyn, N.Y. 720 ....Alexandra Koniaev ......Forest Hills, N.Y. 832 ....Alexus Gill ..................Brooklyn, N.Y.

22 ......Daniel Kerznerman......Brooklyn, N.Y. 107 ....Zachary Yablon ..........New York, N.Y. 214 ....Win Smith....................Brooklyn, N.Y.

National Girls 16 Singles— Metro Region

256 ....Artemie Amari ............New York, N.Y.

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

394 ....Richard Sec ................New York, N.Y.

26 ......Jessica Golovin ..........New York, N.Y.

425 ....Sachin Raghavan ........New York, N.Y.

131 ....Ariana D. Rodriguez ....Bronx, N.Y.

457 ....Lucas Pickering ..........Brooklyn, N.Y.

184 ....Lily Bondy ..................Brooklyn, N.Y.

643 ....Joshua Gordon ..........Staten Island, N.Y.

206 ....Hannah Shteyn ..........Staten Island, N.Y.

794 ....Douglas L. Mo ............Douglaston, N.Y.

228 ....Destiny Grunin ............Brooklyn, N.Y.

870 ....Andrew Arnaboldi ......New York, N.Y.

358 ....Alexa Sara Meltzer ......New York, N.Y.

978 ....Christopher Auteri ......Staten Island, N.Y.

623 ....Stefani Lineva ............Middle Village, N.Y.

196 ....James Wasserman......New York, N.Y.

742 ....Arnelle Sullivan............Brooklyn, N.Y.

148 ....Gabrielle Sullivan ........Brooklyn, N.Y.

National Boys 18 Singles— Metro Region

149 ....Rachel Colton ............New York, N.Y.

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

140 ....Isis Gill ........................Brooklyn, N.Y.

775 ....Christina Huynh ..........Astoria, N.Y.

589 ....Brianna Williams ........Brooklyn, N.Y.

65 ......Lisa Ventimiglia ..........Bayside, N.Y. 68 ......Alexis Tashiro ..............Jamaica, N.Y.

688 ....Shelly Yaloz ................Little Neck, N.Y.

744 ....Jessica Livianu............Brooklyn, N.Y. 788 ....Anna Ulyashchenko ....Brooklyn, N.Y. 834 ....Elizabeth Tsvetkov ......Brooklyn, N.Y. 877 ....Laura Chitu ................New York, N.Y.

100 ....Richard Del Nunzio ....Forest Hills, N.Y.

76 ......Briel Biggs ..................Bronx, N.Y.

262 ....Jake Sosonkin ............Brooklyn, N.Y.

91 ......Anastasiya Malinouskaya..Staten Island, N.Y.

Boys & Girls National Rankings

412 ....Eric R. Brinzenskiy ......Staten Island, N.Y.

National Girls 18 Singles— Metro Region

93 ......Christina Puccinelli ....New York, N.Y.

(as of 04/25/12)

462 ....Joshua Yablon ............New York, N.Y.

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

543 ....Stefan D. Ilic................Forest Hills, N.Y.

12 ......Denise Starr ................Brooklyn, N.Y.

935 ....Artemie Amari ............New York, N.Y.

42 ......Emily Safron................New York, N.Y.

968 ....Courtney Murphy ........Bronx, N.Y.

91 ......Leighann Sahagun ......Queens Village, N.Y.

79 ......Sophia Kryloff ............Brooklyn, N.Y. 88 ......Erika Tinalli..................Brooklyn, N.Y.

96 ......Isis Gill ........................Brooklyn, N.Y. 98 ......Augusta Conway ........New York, N.Y.

BOYS

357 ....Daniel Kerznerman......Brooklyn, N.Y.

112 ....Claire Keyte ................New York, N.Y.

National Boys 12 Singles— Metro Region

115 ....Allie Jackson ..............Rosedale, N.Y.

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

119 ....Julia Zbarsky ..............New York, N.Y.

128 ....Jeffrey Gorilovsky ......Brooklyn, N.Y.

127 ....Brittany Biggs ............Bronx, N.Y.

138 ....Sumit Sarkar ..............New York, N.Y.

National Girls 12 Singles— Metro Region

129 ....Rebecca Fakas ..........Little Neck, N.Y.

169 ....Gary C. Fishkin ..........Staten Island, N.Y.

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

135 ....Brianna Williams ........Brooklyn, N.Y.

273 ....Sam V. Vagner ............Staten Island, N.Y.

63 ......Aleksandra Bekirova ..Brooklyn, N.Y.

140 ....Vania Savic..................Woodside, N.Y.

380 ....Max Prohorov..............Rego Park, N.Y.

84 ......Dasha Kourkina ..........Brooklyn, N.Y.

143 ....Jenna Borenstein ........New York, N.Y.

403 ....Ethan Leon..................Woodhaven, N.Y.

114 ....Chelsea Williams ........Brooklyn, N.Y.

144 ....Jennifer Yu ..................Forest Hills, N.Y.

457 ....Jacob Kern..................New York, N.Y.

133 ....Jennifer Yu ..................Forest Hills, N.Y.

150 ....Michelle Khaimov........Jamaica, N.Y.

629 ....Kemal Irfan Aziz ..........Staten Island, N.Y.

150 ....Lauren Munari ............Middle Village, N.Y.

704 ....Oliver Jevtovic ............Astoria, N.Y.

160 ....Michelle Sorokko ........Douglaston, N.Y.

980 ....Allan Magid ................Brooklyn, N.Y.

174 ....Jennifer Richards ......New York, N.Y.

989 ....James Dill....................New York, N.Y.

326 ....Nicole Semenov..........Brooklyn, N.Y.

105 ....Anna Ulyashchenko ....Brooklyn, N.Y.

GIRLS

486 ....Anastasia Koniaev ......Forest Hills, N.Y.

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New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2012 • NYTennisMag.com

102 ....Jacqueline R. Katz ......New York, N.Y. 144 ....Ariana D. Rodriguez ....Bronx, N.Y. 230 ....Hannah Shteyn ..........Staten Island, N.Y. 273 ....Samantha Tutelman ....New York, N.Y. 461 ....Becky Shtilkind ..........Brooklyn, N.Y. 582 ....Madison Gordon ........New York, N.Y. 624 ....Angela Assal ..............Bronx, N.Y. 634 ....Arielle N. Griffin ..........Jamaica, N.Y. 651 ....Dayana Agasieva ........Forest Hills, N.Y. 806 ....Manuela Velasquez ....Kew Gardens, N.Y. 942 ....Charlotte Camacho ....New York, N.Y. 983 ....Nadia Smergut ............New York, N.Y.

USTA/Metropolitan Region

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE For detailed information on these and all USTA tournaments, visit tennislink.usta.com/tournaments.

MAY 2012 Friday-Sunday, May 11-20 Sutton East Men’s May Open Sutton East Tennis Club 488 East 60th Street New York, N.Y. Divisions: Ranked M (Op)s, SE Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $70.38 per player (deadline for entries is Thursday, May 10 at 11:00 p.m.)

For more information, call (212) 751-3452.

FRIDAY-SUNDAY, MAY 18-20 L3 Alley Pond Eastern May UPS Alley Pond Tennis Center 7920 Winchester Boulevard Queens Village, N.Y. Divisions: Novice: BG (14-12)s, RR; BG (10 [60’ Court/Orange Ball])s, RR Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $43.50 per player (deadline for entries is Tuesday, May 15 at 1:00 p.m.)

For more information, call (718) 264-2600.

Friday-Sunday, May 18-20 L2O Milton Alexander Tennis Championship Co-Op City Tennis Club 100 Donizetti Place • Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate: BG (16-12)s, SE Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $43.50 per player (deadline for entries is Wednesday, May 9 at 1:00 p.m.)

For more information, call (646) 281-1375.

Friday-Sunday, May 18-20 & 25-27 L2O Sportime at Randall’s Island May 2012 Open Sportime at Randall’s Island 1 Randall’s Island New York, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate BG (18-16)sd, SE Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, May 4 at 1:00 p.m.)

For more information, call (212) 427-6150.

Friday-Monday, May 25-28 L2O APTC Memorial Day Open Alley Pond Tennis Center 7920 Winchester Boulevard Queens Village, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate BG (14-12)s, SE Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, May 18 at 1:00 p.m.)

For more information, call (516) 747-2154.

Friday-Saturday, May 25-26 L3 Sportime at Randall’s Island May 2012 UPS Sportime Randall’s Island 1 Randall’s Island New York, N.Y. Divisions: Novice BG (12)s, RR Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $43.50 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, May 11 at 1:00 p.m.)

For more information, call (212) 427-6150.

Friday-Saturday, May 25-26 Sportime at Randall’s Island May Adult Championships Sportime Randall’s Island 1 Randall’s Island New York, N.Y. Divisions: Ranked M (Op, 35, 45, 55, 65, 75)s, SE; W (Op)s, SE Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $70.38 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, May 11 at 1:00 p.m.)

For more information, call (646) 783-5301.

JUNE 2012 Friday-Sunday, June 1-3 L2R Bronx International June Metro Regional Bronx International Youth Tennis Center 754 Thieriot Avenue Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate BG (18-12)s, SE; Quick Start BG (8 [36’ Court/Red Ball])sd, RR; Quick Start BG (10 [78’Court/Green Ball])sd, SE Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Saturday, May 26 at 1:00 p.m.)

For more information, call (347) 417-8176.

Saturday-Sunday, June 2-10 Mayor’s Cup New York City All-Scholastic Championships New York Junior Tennis League 5812 Queens Boulevard Woodside, N.Y. Divisions: Unranked BG (18-12)sd Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: See Web site For more information, call (347) 417-8176.

Thursday-Sunday, June 7-10 Jana Hunsaker Memorial USTA National Tennis Center Flushing Meadows Corona Park Flushing, N.Y. Divisions: LM (Op)s, FRLC; LM (A)s, FMLC; LM (B)s, FMLC; LM(C)s, FMLC; LM(D)s, FMLC; LW (Op)s, FRLC; LW (A)s, FMLC; LM (Op)d, SE; LM (A)d, SE; LM (B)d, SE; LM (C)d, SE; LM (D)d, SE; LW (Op)d, SE; LW (A)d, SE; LQ (Op)s, FRLC; LQ (Op)d, SE; LS (Op A)d, SE Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: All Inclusive Entry-$375 ITF/Open Division, $350 USTA/Letter Division, Tournament Only Entry-$150 ITF/Open Division, $125 USTA/Letter Division, Coach/Guest Fee $325, All Inclusive $75 Meal at NTC & Banquet For more information, call (718) 760-6200.

Friday-Sunday, June 8-10 L1B Bronx International June Challenger Bronx International Youth Tennis Center 754 Thieriot Avenue Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger BG (14-12)s, SE; Challenger BG (10 [78’ Court/Green Ball])s, SE; Challenger BG (8 [36’Court/Red Ball])sd, RR Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, May 25 at 1:00 p.m.)

For more information, call (347) 417-8168.

Friday-Sunday, June 8-10 L2O Sportime Randall’s Island June Open Sportime Randall’s Island 1 Randall’s Island New York, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate BG (16-12)s, SE Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, May 25 at 1:00 p.m.)

For more information, call (212) 427-6150.

Monday-Sunday, June 11-17 USONP –Sectional Qualifying (Eastern) USTA National Tennis Center Flushing Meadows Corona Park Flushing, N.Y. Divisions: USONPMSQ (Op)s, SE; USONPWSQ (Op)s, SE; USONPMDSQ (Op)d, SE Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $108 per player singles, $65 per player doubles (deadline for entries is Friday, June 1 at 1:00 p.m.)

For more information, call (718) 760-6200.

NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2012 • New York Tennis Magazine

55

USTA/Metropolitan Region

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE For detailed information on these and all USTA tournaments, visit tennislink.usta.com/tournaments.

Friday-Sunday, June 15-17 L1 APTC June Championships Alley Pond Tennis Center 7920 Winchester Boulevard Queens Village, N.Y. Divisions: Championships G (16-14)s, SE Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, June 4 at 1:00 p.m.)

For more information, call (718) 264-2600.

Thursday-Sunday, June 21-24 L1 Thomas Blake Championships Harlem Junior Tennis Program 40 West 143rd Street New York, N.Y. Divisions: Championships BG (16-12)s, SE Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $43.50 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, June 15 at 1:00 p.m.)

For more information, call (212) 491-3788.

Friday-Tuesday, June 29-July 3 L2O Staten Island Summer Open Staten Island Community Tennis Center 2800 Victory Boulevard Staten Island, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate BG (18-12)s, SE Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, June 1 at 1:00 p.m.)

For more information, call (718) 982-3355.

Friday-Sunday, June 15-17 L3 Alley Pond June UPS Alley Pond Tennis Center 7920 Winchester Boulevard Queens Village, N.Y. Divisions: Novice BG (14-12)s, RR Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $43.50 per player (deadline for entries is Wednesday, June 13 at 6:00 p.m.)

For more information, call (718) 264-2600.

Friday-Sunday, June 22-24 L1 Sportime Randall’s Island June 2012 Championships Sportime Randall’s Island 1 Randall’s Island New York, N.Y. Divisions: Championships BG (18)sd, SE Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, June 8 at 1:00 p.m.)

For more information, call (212) 427-6150.

Friday-Sunday, June 15-17 L1B Sportime Randall’s Island June Challenger 2012 Sportime Randall’s Island 1 Randall’s Island New York, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger BG (18-12)s, SE Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, June 1 at 1:30 p.m.)

For more information, call (212) 427-6150.

Friday-Sunday, June 22-24 Sportime at Randall’s Island June Open Sportime Randall’s Island 1 Randall’s Island New York, N.Y. Divisions: Ranked M (Op, 25, 35, 45, 55-75)s, SE; W (Op, 25, 35, 45, 55)s, SE Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $70.38 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, June 1 at 11:59 p.m.)

For more information, call (212) 427-6150.

Friday-Sunday, June 29-July 1 L2R Metro Regional BIYTC June Regional Bronx International Youth Tennis Center 754 Thieriot Avenue Bronx, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate BG (18-12)s, SE; Intermediate BG (8 [36’ Court/Red Ball])sd; Intermediate BG (10 [78’ Court/Green Ball])s, SE Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, June 15 at 1:00 p.m.)

For more information, call (347) 417-8176.

Monday-Sunday, June 18-24 L1B Staten Island June Challenger Staten Island Community Tennis Center 2800 Victory Boulevard Staten Island, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger BG (18-12)s, SE Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, June 1 at 1:00 p.m.)

For more information, call (718) 982-3355.

Monday-Friday, June 18-22 L1 West Side June Tennis Championships West Side Tennis Club 1 Tennis Place Forest Hills, N.Y. Divisions: Championships BG (18-12)s, SE Surface Type: Clay Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, June 4 at 1:00 p.m.)

For more information, call (718) 268-2300.

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Friday-Sunday, June 22-24 L3 Sportime Randall’s Island June 2012 UPS Sportime Randall’s Island 1 Randall’s Island New York, N.Y. Divisions: Novice BG (16-12)s, RR Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $43.50 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, June 1 at 1:00 p.m.)

For more information, call (212) 427-6150.

Tuesday-Sunday, June 26-July 1 L1B North Shore Towers June Challenger North Shore Towers Country Club 27-286 Grand Central Parkway Floral Park, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger BG (18-12)s, SE Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $48.88 per player (deadline for entries is Saturday, June 16 at 1:00 p.m.)

For more information, call (718) 428-5030.

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2012 • NYTennisMag.com

NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2012 • New York Tennis Magazine

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NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2012 • New York Tennis Magazine

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