Long Island Tennis Magazine May / June 2018

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SUMMER 2018

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To register go to: https://longislandtennismagazine.com/2018-long-island-tennis-challenge LITennisMag.com • May/Juneor 2018 • Long Island Tennis Magazine <#> For more information, contact Info@usptennis.com call 516-409-4444

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MAGAZINE

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

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

MAY/JUN 2018 • Vol 10, No 3

Table Of Contents

One More Mountain to Climb By Brian Coleman World number one Simona Halep takes her Grand Slam title quest to Roland Garros, seeking the first major title of her career. See page 10

Photo credit: Ben Solomon/Wikimedia Commons

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

Sidney Beal III Staff Photographer

Lee Seidner Staff Photographer

Jessie Levy Intern

Sarah Schwartz Intern

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

Highlights 14 16 20 29 30

Features 3 4 6 19 24 26 27 28 34 38 46 48 51

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.

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

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

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

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Sportime World Tour Heads to the Desert Adult League Wrap-Up By Kathy Miller Across Long Island Long Island Tennis Charitable Initiatives: Carefree Hosts Community Tennis Days Junior Player Spotlight: Ronnie Hohmann, Todd Widom Tennis Bethpage Park Hosts 11th Annual High School Coaches Workshop Silent Partner Tennis Ball Machines: The Machine With Muscle!

Tennis History Meets a Cutting-Edge Private Club Concept at The Hamlet Golf and Country Club A Guide for Planning and Playing Tennis in the Cold By Steven Kaplan USTA Eastern Long Island Region 28th Annual Awards Dinner Journal Court Six: Long Island Tennis Magazine’s Gossip Column By Emilie Katz Develop Intensity for Focus and a Positive Attitude Throughout Play

By Lisa Dodson Sometimes Being Right Means “Be Right for the Game”

By Barbara Wyatt How to Study Tennis By Todd Widom Championship Mindsets: Players, Coaches and Parents

By Rob Polishook Tennis Shoes and Court Surfaces By Andrea Retolaza The Jensen Zone: Never Stop Learning By Luke Jensen The Yips By Dr. Tom Ferraro Sportime Randall’s Island to Host Third Annual College Recruiting Combine Queens College Beats NYIT for ECC Title Captain’s Meeting Kicks Off Summer 2018 Adult League Season The Nicest Doubles Partner By Peter Mendelsohn A Commitment to Tennis Is Like a Commitment to Life By Lonnie Mitchel Long Island Tennis Club Directory USTA/Long Island Region 2018 Tournament Schedule

Long Island Tennis Magazine • May/June 2018 • LITennisMag.com

Long Island Tennis Magazine is published bi-monthly by United Sports Publications Ltd. • Copyright © 2018 United Sports Publications Ltd.

Sportime World Tour Heads to the Desert hile both the ATP and WTA tours were in the desert of Indian Wells, Calif. for the BNP Paribas Open, the Sportime World Tour rolled into Sportime Lynbrook with an event inspired by the tournament.

DJ CM was on hand in the party room, keeping parents and the players entertained as they awaited their turns to take to the court. In addition to playing music all afternoon, DJ CM held a dance con-

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test, a hula-hoop competition and a basketball shooting contest. The party room also featured a bouncy house and catered food.

On court, the parents were able to watch their kids take part in drills and showcase their skills. One new aspect of this installment of the Sportime World Tour was a round-robin tournament, where the kids could compete against one another in match play.

“We tried to keep the sign-ups a little bit smaller for this event in order to accommodate a slightly different oncourt experience,” said Jason Wass, Director of the World Tour. “For this event, players were able to play in more of a traditional tournament format. And it worked really well! I doubt that we will make this a permanent switch, but it is nice to mix up the oncourt experience every so often.”

LITennisMag.com • May/June 2018 • Long Island Tennis Magazine

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B Y K AT H Y M I L L E R

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he 2018 Women and Men’s USTA season is about to begin!

We have 252 teams in the 18 & Over, 40 & Over, 55 & Over, and 65 & Over Leagues.

Play begins in May and will be completed by the end of August. There is still time to join a team and be a part of some great competitive tennis! You can e-mail me at Miller@Eastern.USTA.com, giving me your NTRP Level, and I will see if there are teams still looking for players.

The Sectional and National Championship schedule is as follows: Sectionals: The weekend of Aug. 10-12 for the 18 & Over 2.5, 3.0, 4.0, and 5.0+ Levels. The weekend of Aug. 17-19 for the 18 & Over 3.5, 4.5 and 40 & Over 3.0 Levels.

The weekend of Aug. 24-26 for 40 & Over 3.5, 4.0 and 4.5+ Levels. All 55 & Over Sec-

tionals will be held the weekend of Sept.

14-16, with the 65 & Over competing the weekend of Sept. 21-23 at the same time as the 40 & Over 6.0, 7.0, 8.0 and 9.0 Mixed Levels. The 18 & Over Mixed competes the weekend of June 1-3.

Nationals: The weekend of Oct. 5-7 is for the 18 & Over 4.0 and 5.0+ Levels. Oct. 12-14 will see the 18 & Over 2.5, 3.0, 3.5 and 4.5 Levels compete. The weekend of Oct. 19-21 is for the 40 & Over 3.5, 4.5+ and the 55 & Over 6.0 and 8.0, while the weekend of Oct. 26-28 is for the 40 & Over 3.0, 4.0 and the 55 & Over 7.0 & 9.0 Levels. The Mixed Doubles Nationals are the weekend of Nov. 9-11 for the 18 & Over and Nov. 16-18 for the 40 & Over Level.

Long Island’s Tri-Level Women’s team,

captained by Jill Markowitz and Shanon Blue from Sportime Lynbrook, along with the Men’s team, captained by Ian Shapiro from Sportime Syosset, competed in the Invitational National at Indian Wells during the pro tournament. They all said what an amazing experience it was, and all had a great time! Great job Long Island!

Good luck to our 18 & Over 6,0, 7.0, 8.0, 9.0 and 10.0 Mixed teams who will be competing at the Mixed Sectionals the first weekend in June. Have a great time!

We are looking forward to a great men’s and women’s season this summer, with lots of good tennis and stellar sportsmanship!

Kathy Miller is Manager of Carefree Racquet Club and is also the Adult League Coordinator for USTA/Long Island. She may be reached by e-mail at KathyM65@aol.com.

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Long Island Tennis Magazine • May/June 2018 • LITennisMag.com

THE FACILITY A FOR A ANY LE EVEL PLAYER Y ON LONG ISLAN ND. 10 & Under • 6 and dU Un nder d Tennis e i • Early De evelopment Worksho op Developme ental Pathway • Transitio onal Program 10-17yyrs • Perform mance Te eam 12-18yrs Adults (Beg ginner-Advanced) • Leagues s, home to many • CMT Zone (Drill) • Private Lessons L and Season nal Courts

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Across Long Isla ACEing Autism Program Continues at NTC

Point Set Begins In-House Junior Tournament Program

The USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center continues to run its ACEing Autism Program at its facility. The program is run

by ACEing Autism Program Director and National Tennis Center coach Tom Tvedt, and is made possible by the many volunteers who contribute their time to assist autistic tennis players learn the sport through skills and clinics.

Point Set Tennis has launched a program for its players who don’t compete in tournaments in order to give them an opportunity to gain competitive experience. The program features in-house tournaments in a round-robin format, and includes groups for multiple age levels, and the program has been very successful in the 10U and 12U age groups.

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Long Island Tennis Magazine • May/June 2018 • LITennisMag.com

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… News and notes from across the L.I. tennis community Ross School’s Golod Wins Two 18U Championships

Kingsley & Brachman Team to Win USTA 18s Empire Cup Cannon Kingsley and Spencer Brachman, two of the top players who train at Christopher Morley Tennis, teamed up to win the Boys 18s Doubles Title at the Empire Cup Nationals.

Kingsley & Brachman won their first four matches in straight sets, but had to come back from a set down in the final, and did so with a 2-6, 7-5, 10-2 victory to win the championship.

Sha Captures Girls 12s Title at Eastern Empire Cup Isabella Sha, who plays at Sportime Roslyn, won the Girls 12s Doubles title at the Eastern Empire Cup at CourtSense in Bogota, N.J., pairing with Michelle Ryndin as the tournament’s top-seeded duo. Sha & Ryndin had to go the full three sets in the semifinals and finals, coming out on top 6-2, 5-7, 10-7 in the final to win the title. Sha followed that performance up by winning the Girls 14s Singles Title at the L1B Port Washington Tennis Academy April Challenger, winning all of her matches in straight sets.

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

Cooper Schorr Wins Bethpage Park Springtime Open Cooper Schorr, who trains at Bethpage Park Tennis Center, took home the title in the Boys 12s Division of the Bethpage State Park Springtime Open. Schorr took out the top seed early on in the tournament, and defeated, Connor Plunkett 4-2, 5-4(5) in the final.

continued on page 8 LITennisMag.com • May/June 2018 • Long Island Tennis Magazine

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across long island continued from page 7 NYIT Clinches ECC Regular Season Title

Brancatelli Takes Home Port Washington Challenger Title Gabriele Brancatelli (pictured left), who trains at Sportime Roslyn, won the Boys 16s Championship at the L1B Port Washington Tennis Challenger. Brancatelli defeated second-seeded Luke Zohouri, 6-0, 6-0, in the tournament’s final to take home the trophy.

The New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) Men’s Tennis team captured the East Coast Conference (ECC) Regular Season Title with a thrilling 5-4 victory over rival Queens College. Senior Alexandre Martinez (pictured above) delivered the decisive victory as he beat Jose Zurro 7-6(6), 4-6, 6-4 at sixth singles to clinch the ECC Regular Season Title.

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Long Island Tennis Magazine • May/June 2018 • LITennisMag.com

LITennisMag.com • May/June 2018 • Long Island Tennis Magazine

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Credit photos to: USTA

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Long Island Tennis Magazine • May/June 2018 • LITennisMag.com

One More Mountain to Climb World Number One Simona Halep Takes Her Grand Slam Title Quest to Roland Garros

By Brian Coleman

ince the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) began producing its world rankings in 1975, there have been just 25 different players who have achieved the distinction of “World Number One.” The latest to join that exclusive club was Romania’s Simona Halep, who took over the world’s top spot for the first time last October, and reclaimed the title this past February.

“It’s very emotional … I think it was the first time I cried on court,” said Halep after she defeated Jelena Ostapenko in the China Open semifinals, which resulted in Halep moving to the top of the WTA Women’s Singles Rankings. “It’s amazing that I could do this. My team, everyone at home is watching … I want to thank everyone. It’s my special day.”

Reaching the pinnacle of the women’s game was clearly a monumental accomplishment for Halep, and it may have been made just a little sweeter by having defeated Ostapenko to reclaim it.

Halep had an opportunity to move into the top spot at Roland Garros as she battled Ostapenko in the 2017 French Open finals. It was an epic battle between the two contrasting players: Ostapenko, the power-hitting youngster with nothing to lose, and Halep, the fundamentally-sound veteran who had already reached a Grand Slam final before.

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Playing for her first major title and a shot at the number one ranking, Halep won the first set and built a 3-0 advantage in the second set, and seemed to be on her way to a career-defining victory. Whether it was the pressure of the moment, or just simply lights-out hitting from Ostapenko, Halep would squander that lead and the match, losing in the French Open final for the second time in her career.

“I’m sad I couldn’t win it, but it was a great experience,” Halep said to the crowd after the match. “I felt sick to my stomach to play in this final, so maybe next time.”

“I think everything was by her [Ostapenko] side today,” Halep added later. “But she has one rhythm, and she stays in that place, which is a great thing even if you miss a few balls in a row. For me, this one hurts a lot because I realize more what is happening than three years ago. It hurts a lot, and I need time for it to go away.”

The defeat was a devastating one for Halep, and she wore her emotions on her sleeve when discussing it with the media. She would have other opportunities throughout the summer to climb to number one, but fell short each chance she had, including another heartbreaking defeat in a Grand Slam, this time to Great Britain’s Johanna Konta in the Wimbledon quarterfinals.

But Halep continued to use her shortcomings as motivation to keep pushing herself, and finally achieved the honor of the world number one ranking with her performance at the China Open. continued on page 12

LITennisMag.com • May/June 2018 • Long Island Tennis Magazine

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one more mountain to climb continued from page 11

She carried that momentum into 2018, winning the Shenzhen Open to start the year before reaching the Australian Open final, where she squared off against Caroline Wozniacki, a former number one

herself who was also seeking her maiden Grand Slam title.

The third time was not the charm for Halep, as she suffered yet another brutal loss in a Grand Slam final. Unlike the two

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Long Island Tennis Magazine • May/June 2018 • LITennisMag.com

previous defeats at Roland Garros, this one came under the scorching Melbourne sun in a match where she held match points and lost in a long three-set battle.

“Physically, it was very tough. But mentally, I was ready and I feel I can face any challenge, I can play against anyone and I can win against anyone. But Caroline was better than me,” said a somber Halep after the match. “I will continue to fight, as I have for many years, and hopefully I will face another challenge like today. The people watching back home said I couldn’t make it the third time, maybe the fourth time will be good luck. Hopefully next year, I will see you in the same position.”

Despite the anguish that came with her defeats in big spots over the last year, Halep handled each with the right mentality and outlook. Her confidence has not yet wavered and she has been able to stay atop the ever-fluctuating WTA Women’s Singles Rankings.

A lot of her positivity can be traced back to her relationship with Coach Darren Cahill, who has helped Halep battle some of her

own on-court demons which have affected her play in the past. With on-court coaching now allowed, tennis fans have been able to see first-hand the influence that Cahill has had.

“You have an opportunity to make a difference. That’s all I can say,” Cahill said to Halep during a timeout at a tournament last year. “You’ve been in this position many times before, and most times, you’re coming out second best. Right now, you have an opportunity to change things. It’s up to you. You can decide what you want to do here. You can go down this path and that’s fine. Or you can take a deep breath, put your towel on your head and try to get a little better in these situations. It’s as simple as that. It’s up to you. It comes from within.

It’s no problem venting and getting all this stuff out, that’s no problem, as long as you are willing to make a difference. And if she beats you playing great tennis, no worries.

Shake her hand and tell her ‘well done.’”

While Cahill and Halep often discuss strategy and tactics, the time can sometimes be more valuable if Halep is allowed to vent all of her frustrations, that way she doesn’t carry it on to the court with her.

That dynamic has gone a long way to her improvement and her consistency.

With all of that for context, the WTA calendar has turned to the clay-court season, where Halep flourishes. And now that she is battle-tested, hungrier, and with her past success at the French Open, Halep should be considered the

favorite at Roland Garros this year.

Her incredible fitness, plus her consistent groundstrokes make her a perfect fit for clay, and the results over her career have shown that. But the field in Paris this year is trickier than the one she nearly conquered in 2017, with the likes of Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova and Victoria Azarenka all back in contention, plus emerging stars such as Elina Svitolina and defending champion Ostapenko, so Halep will have her work cut out for her dynamic. But being the fighter that she is, Halep will be ready for any challenge as she tries to win her first major title.

Three of the last four Grand Slam champions in the women’s game were first-time champions and don’t be surprised if that trend continues. Halep is long overdue,

and has the pedigree to claim her first major title.

“I’m just thinking about improving my game more, to keep working … and not thinking about rankings anymore,” Halep said last month. “I’m just training for a Grand Slam and to win titles. I have learned that I’m able to do great things. Of course it was one of my dreams to get to number one, but I never believed 100 percent that I’d be able to do that and after I did it, it was a relief and it gave me the power to go ahead and do better things. So I’m thinking now that everything is open and I’m able to do anything.”

Brian Coleman is Senior Editor for Long Island Tennis Magazine. He may be reached by phone at (516) 409-4444, ext. 326 or email BrianC@USPTennis.com.

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2018 FRENCH O

BY PETER MEND

The Men’s Side of the Draw The contenders …

Rafael Nadal World number one Rafael Nadal will arrive in Paris as the heavy favorite to capture his 11th French Open title. Last year, Nadal won Roland Garros in dominating fashion, winning every set he played, and losing just 35 games over the course of seven matches.

Assuming he’s able to stay healthy, it will be difficult for anyone to dethrone the “King of Clay.”

Dominic Thiem If there’s any player that has a fighting chance against Nadal, it would be Dominic Thiem. Last year, the 24year-old was the only player to beat the Spaniard on clay, upsetting Nadal in the Italian Open quarterfinals. The Austrian went 24-5 on clay in 2017, reaching the semifinal at Roland Garros and the finals in Barcelona and Madrid. Thiem has already captured a clay court title this year, winning the Argentina Open in February without dropping a set.

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The pretenders …

Sam Querrey Sam Querrey has had quite the start to the year, reaching a career high of number 11 in the ATP Men’s Singles Rankings in January, and getting engaged to his girlfriend Abby Dixon in March. However, the American is unlikely to extend his good fortune at Roland Garros. The 30-year-old has a horrid 4-11 record at the French Open, losing in the first round in eight of his 11 appearances. Querrey’s dismal record in Paris is strange considering the fact that he’s had some success on the red surface.

He has two career top-10 wins on clay, beating Richard Gasquet and Gilles Simon when the Frenchmen were ranked nine and seven in the world, respectively. He even won a clay court title, beating John Isner in the 2010 Serbia Open final. Nevertheless, we cannot ignore the past, and do not foresee Querrey making a deep run at Roland Garros.

Kevin Anderson In 2018, Kevin Anderson has won the New York Open and reached the finals in both Pune and Acapulco. His stellar results earned him a spot in the top 10 of the ATP Men’s Singles Rankings for the first time in his career.

However, the former U.S. Open Champion simply does not have what it takes to make a deep run on clay. In eight main draw

Long Island Tennis Magazine • May/June 2018 • LITennisMag.com

appearances at Roland Garros, the 31-yearold never reached the quarterfinals in Paris.

Anderson has a 12-18 career record at clay court Masters events, having yet to advance past the third round at Monte Carlo, Rome, or Madrid. The Johannesburg native has never beaten a top 10 player on clay, a feat that is unlikely to change at the 2018 French Open.

The sleeper …

Diego Schwartzman In the third round of the 2017 French Open, Diego Schwartzman took a two sets to one lead on Novak Djokovic before falling to the Serbian in five sets.

Schwartzman’s game is well-suited to clay, where the slow courts will make it extremely difficult to hit winners past the speedy 5’7” Argentinean, who has never advanced past the third round at Roland Garros. He won all seven of his Challenger titles on clay, and was the victor at the Rio Open this past February.

The Women’s Side of the Draw The contenders …

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

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in the first round of the Miami Open.

However, if there’s one thing we’ve learned over the last 20 years it’s that you can never count out the 23-time Grand Slam champion. Serena has won 72 career titles, with 13 of them coming on clay. Until the new mother decides to hang up her racket, she’ll be a favorite at any event that she decides to play.

Simona Halep Could this finally be the Grand Slam where Romanian Simona Halep breaks through? After losing the Australian Open final in devastating fashion, Halep is still looking to win her maiden Grand Slam title. It may very well come at Roland Garros where Halep is a two-time finalist. The world number one has won six career titles on clay, including the last two Madrid Opens. She has appeared in 29 career finals and three Grand Slam finals.

Eventually, she’s going to win one of them.

The pretenders …

Caroline Garcia With some strong results to start the year, 24-yearold Caroline Garcia is sitting at a career high ranking of seventh in the world. But let’s not make the mistake of thinking she is a legitimate threat at

Roland Garros. Garcia went just 3-6 at the French Open between 2011 and 2016.

She did make the quarterfinals last year, but had the good fortune of avoiding a seeded player in her first four matches.

She won’t be as lucky in 2018.

Venus Williams By virtue of reaching the Indian Wells Masters semifinal and the Miami Open quarterfinals, Venus Williams has ascended to a ranking of eighth in the world. But the seven-time Grand Slam champion has never won in Paris, and hasn’t advanced past the fourth round since 2006. Don’t expect 37-year-old Venus to go on too deep of a run at Roland Garros.

The sleeper …

Maria Sharapova Maria Sharapova hasn’t won a match since the Australian Open, where she won just four total games in her third round loss to Angelique Kerber.

The 30-year-old Sharapova is currently ranked just 42nd in the world. Still, Sharapova is a two-time French Open champion, and has an 11-2 career record in clay court finals. She may no longer be considered a significant threat, but Sharapova has the game to make a serious run at Roland Garros in 2018.

Peter Mendelsohn is the Owner of TennisDork.com. He is currently pursuing a degree in sports journalism. He may be reached by phone at (647) 984-5509 or email at Peter.R.Mendelsohn@gmail.com.

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TENNIS IN THE HAM n the summer, people from across Long Island and New York City flock to the Hamptons, to enjoy the sun, while sitting by the pool or ocean, and taking part in an array of outdoor activities. Each town in the Hamptons has its own unique feel, with a variety of activities available from simply going to the beach, to kayaking, biking, trips to the wineries or taking in the East End nightlife. Tennis may be the favorite activity of Hamptonsgoers and there is no shortage of the sport in Eastern Long Island.

There is no better way to spend a sunny morning or afternoon than getting some exercise on the court with friends. Below is a list of some of the locations to play tennis, as well as where to shop for the latest equipment and apparel, and where to stay.

Whether you are in Westhampton Beach, Amagansett or anywhere in-between, we look forward to seeing you on the courts and in the shops of the Hamptons this summer!

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

Future Stars Southampton is a

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

Hampton Racquet Club 172 Buckskill Road • East Hampton, N.Y. (631) 324-0297 • HamptonRacquet.com

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Long Island Tennis Magazine • May/June 2018 • LITennisMag.com

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

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

Shinnecock Tennis Club 125 Sandy Hollow Road • Southampton, N.Y. (631) 283-3422 • ShinnecockTennisClub.com Shinnecock Tennis Club offers a variety of lessons, clinics and services from beginners through seasoned players.

From an array of lesson options, weekly mixers and clinics to game-matching and the popular Cardio Tennis workouts, Shinnecock Tennis Club can create a custom tennis program that is a perfect match to your needs.

Sportime Amagansett 320 Abrahams Path • Amagansett, N.Y. (631) 267-3460 • SportimeNY.com/Amagansett Located in the heart of the Hamptons, Sportime Amagansett has it all. Sportime Amagansett features 33 outdoor Har-Tru tennis courts, one Deco-Turf tennis and multi-sport court, a 1,500-square-foot outdoor swimming pool, a mini-basketball court and playground, three natural turf sports fields, two club houses and a camp house, in addition to a pro shop and snack bar. Sportime Amagansett offers dynamic programming and instruction for both juniors and adults, as well as a wide range of tennis and social events.

Sportime Quogue 2571 Quogue Riverhead Road • East Quogue, N.Y. (631) 653-6767 • SportimeNY.com/Quogue Sportime Quogue is a year-round, fullservice tennis, fitness, summer camp and sports facility located in East Quogue, N.Y., but serves the surrounding towns of Westhampton, Remsemberg, Quogue, Southampton, Hampton Bays, Eastport, Riverhead, the Moriches and the North Fork. The facility features four indoor Har-Tru clay courts and 22 outdoor Har-Tru courts, in addition to an outdoor pool, full-service health and fitness club, a multi-sport court, child care, locker rooms, a fullservice spa and wellness center, and café. Sportime Quogue serves tennis players starting at the age of three, and features junior pathway programs, as well as adult tennis.

LITennisMag.com • May/June 2018 • Long Island Tennis Magazine

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TENNIS IN THE HAMPTONS continued from page 17

Shopping

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

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

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Long Island Tennis Magazine • May/June 2018 • LITennisMag.com

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charitable initiatives Carefree Hosts Community Tennis Days

provides food to families in our community who have found themselves in crisis. The Carefree coaches provided on-court instruction for all levels, ranging from beginner level to advanced level players.

“We wanted to reach into the community and get new kids on the court learning to play tennis and hopefully making it their lifetime sport,” said Kathy Miller, General

arefree Racquet Club in North Merrick gave local kids an opportunity to play tennis during their vacation week off for Spring Break.

More than 300 children, ages four and up, attended throughout the week, with Carefree donating all of the proceeds to the BellmoreMerrick Community Cupboard, a schoolcommunity partnership program that

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Manager at Carefree Racquet Club. “At the same time, we wanted to give back to the community. We were able to raise $2,500 for the Bellmore-Merrick Community Cupboard and collected many non-perishable items for a good cause. Thank you to Lori D’Antonio for helping us get this organized, and thank you to USTA Eastern for the support!”

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

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Meet the roundtable …

Amanda Ferranti is the Director and Founder of Ferranti Empowerment, where she has established herself as a Certified Mental Performance Consultant for youth athletes, teams and coaches. Amanda has an MA in Sport and Exercise Psychology, a BA in Psychology from Princeton University, and years of experience working with athletes and coaches in various sports, 20

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

Long Island Tennis Magazine • May/June 2018 • LITennisMag.com

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

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

tennis player. Understanding that a win or loss doesn’t define them, but is only what happened on the court. Rafael Nadal said it best, “Tennis isn’t who I am, it’s what I do.” Another challenge is the tendency to compare game styles.

Imagine Roger Federer trying to play like Nadal? Players are not one-sizefits-all. Each player has to embrace who they are as individuals and athletes.

This recognition allows them to play their game mentally and tactically. The goal … bringing who you are to the court! I call this “More Than an Athlete.”

Rob Polishook, MA, CPC is Founder and Director of Inside the Zone Sports Performance Group. As a Mental Training Coach, he works with athletes and teams, focusing on helping athletes gain the mental edge. Rob is Author of Tennis Inside the Zone: Mental Training Workouts for Champions. As a Mental Training Coach, Rob works with athletes and teams in all sports and at all levels, from middle school to professional athletes. He teaches cutting-edge mental training skills, techniques and provides the tools necessary for athletes to compete in high level pressure situations.

Tennis players often have to deal with bad calls or playing in front of a crowd that is cheering against you.

How should one handle these types of situations?

Dr. Tom Ferraro: The best way to manage bad calls, nasty crowds or any other negative occurrence is to be ready for them. Murphy’s Law simply states that “Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.” Therefore, it is crucial to expect the worst so that it will not surprise you.

Prior to every match, remind yourself that odd and surprising things will inevitably occur and to let them roll off your back and remain in the zone.

What are some of the biggest mental challenges/problems that tennis players face?

Dr. Tom Ferraro: The biggest mental challenges that tennis players face are related to their ability to cope with anxiety, distractions, surprises and anger. Each athlete must find a way to manage these feelings. Their ability to do so is connected to their self-image, past performances and the way their parents raised them. Often, as the athlete rises up the ranks, they will begin to experience one or more of these emotions which were heretofore repressed.

Rob Polishook: A huge challenge for junior players is to separate who they are as a person from what they do as a

What advice would you give to a player who is too emotional on the court?

Rob Polishook: Before I gave advice, I

would listen and want to know what they are experiencing. Without understanding their perspective, you cannot possibly get to the root of the problem and resolve the underlying issue. Many times, what is seen as a problem is not! But a symptom of something else which may not even have to do with tennis, but rather, something off the court. Ultimately, we want to channel the energy in a way that is helpful.

During matches, sometimes things go well and others times, they don’t go according to plan. What advice do you have for players who need help in overcoming in-match adversity?

Amanda Ferranti: For competitive athletes, adversity can be difficult to withstand because of one’s expectations going into the match. For example, if you believe that “I have to win” or “I have to play my best all the time,” then you are demanding yourself to accomplish an uncontrollable task. As a result, you will feel a great deal of pressure and stress, especially if you are not winning or are not playing your best.

So instead of saying you “have to,” change your vocabulary to “I want to win” and “I want to play my best,” which will help you feel more determined when faced with adversity.

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Rob Polishook: To start, players need to expect that each match will have its own unpredictable peaks, valleys and challenges. The sport of tennis is hard, so expect adversity! Additionally, knowing you cannot play your A-game 100 percent of the time. Rather recognizing your level and making calculated adjustments as necessary.

Anyone can win when they play well.

However, the best players learn to adapt and adjust when they are not playing their best.

When negative thoughts begin to enter a player’s mind, what are some tricks or techniques to keeping their mind positive, despite the score or the way the match may be going?

Amanda Ferranti: The short answer to this question is to repeat three character traits that you strongly identify with as a tennis player. For example, you can remind yourself, “I am disciplined, strong and determined,” which often produces feelings of pride, confidence or optimism. Another trick is to remember specific things that you have done well in the past. For example, “I came back from a poor start and won a match last month.” These skills are simple and valuable, because they are reliable ways of producing positive emotions in a moment where you are feeling uncomfortable.

Rob Polishook: First off, let’s be honest, we all have negative thoughts and they usually appear when adversity strikes. Those thoughts are not the problem, rather, the problem is how the player responds to them.

When players fight their thoughts, they are actually fighting a part of them that is scared or frightened. This fighting creates a downward spiral. However, recognition of these very thoughts can be used as a cue to refocus through rituals, breath and coming back to the present moment. My book, Tennis Inside the Zone: Mental Training Workouts for Champions speaks to this question in two chapters, “How to Stay in the Moment” and “Tense, Nervous, Can’t Relax: Five Ways to Manage Pressure.”

How much of a key is the mental side of tennis as opposed to the physical side of the sport?

Amanda Ferranti: To best answer this question, I will share a quote from one of my highly competitive clients, who is currently a highly-ranked USTA player: “Ferranti Empowerment has helped me capture my potential mentally in ways that are indescribable. My knowledge about the mental part of sports has improved exponentially, in all areas of my training.” As a player ages, the physical side of the game requires

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Long Island Tennis Magazine • May/June 2018 • LITennisMag.com

maintenance and fine-tuning, while the mental side is paramount.

Dr. Tom Ferraro: I would say that the mental and the physical aspects of the sport are of equal importance, but clearly the mental side is given far less attention. In some ways, this is tragic because what typically happens is that an athlete is training physically, develops tennis skills and this takes them upward towards tougher competition. What usually happens is that many will not have the mental strength or training to cope with the escalating pressure and they will either implode psychologically or incur an injury which takes them into a downward spiral and away from the unbearable and unmanageable pressure.

What do you recommend a player think about in the hours before a match?

Amanda Ferranti: Before a match, it is important to develop a pre-performance routine or plan. This plan is individualized and may take some trial and error to develop, however, once it is established, the player can then develop confidence or trust in their preparation. For many athletes of this current generation, it may be best to neither think nor distract oneself, but rather, meditate and clear one’s mind.

Through practiced meditation, the mind is sort of resetting and getting ready for the many cognitive and emotional demands of a competitive match.

Dr. Tom Ferraro: The hours before a match are a crucial time for the athlete to enter into a focused/aggressive zone of performance. Many try to do this by using music or by getting a pep talk from a coach, but these tend to be rather ineffective. The athlete will often benefit from professional training to learn how to find the zone which will enable them to enter into a bubble of focus and sheer willpower. Overall, I would say that the mind is an important organ in all sports, and it needs specialized training if the athlete expects to go very far.

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LONG ISLAND TENNIS MAGAZINE’S

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

RONNIE HOHMANN TODD WIDOM TENNIS ast year, Oyster Bay, N.Y.born Ronnie Hohmann captured one of the most prestigious junior tournaments in the world, winning the Boys 16s Division title at the Eddie Herr International at the famed IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. Hohmann defeated three of the draw’s top five seeds on his way to winning one of the biggest titles a junior player can win.

“Winning the Eddie Herr tournament meant so much to me,” said Hohmann. “I know it’s one of the most prestigious tournaments a junior player can play, and really shows how much I have developed recently. The main thing I was doing well was keeping my head focused on the game plan. I knew if I did this I would be able to win those matches. Winning a tournament like this gives me a lot of confidence. I feel like I can beat anybody.”

That confidence has led to some outstanding results for the 16-yearold Hohmann in recent months. He followed up his triumph at Eddie Herr by winning USTA National tournaments in Key Biscane and Orlando.

Just recently, Hohmann won six matches en route to the title at the NTRP Championships at the Broward Tennis Festival, his fourth top-level title in five months. In the finals of the Broward Tennis Festival, he de-

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feated Juan Benitez, who was ranked 699th on the ATP Tour at the time.

Hohmann’s success really shouldn’t come as any surprise with the amount of time, work and energy he has put into honing his craft over the last three years under the tutelage of former professional player, Todd Widom.

Long Island Tennis Magazine • May/June 2018 • LITennisMag.com

The two first came in contact through Robert Kendrick, a friend of Widom’s from the ATP Tour, who was training with a 12-year-old Hohmann in New York. During this time, Hohmann was also heading down to Florida during some spring and summer months, as well as Christmas breaks, to train. A couple of years later, Hohmann’s parents decided the best thing to do was have him train full-time with Widom down in Florida.

“The plans were for Ronnie to live with my wife and son to see how far Ronnie could take his tennis,” said Widom. “During this time, he has become a part of our family. Our fouryear-old son looks up to Ronnie and considers him a big brother. Ronnie’s father had wanted his son to be receiving an education into what it would take for him to become a successful ATP player.”

Widom was just the man for the job. He spent eight years as a professional tennis player, and his training system was exactly what Hohmann needed.

From an early age, Hohmann showed the signs of his tennis potential: Hand-eye coordination, foot speed and racket head acceleration. But his transition from training primarily indoors in New York to the outdoor courts of Florida would not be an easy one.

“Coming from a very quick indoor envi-

ronment to play in Florida are two very different things,” Widom explained. “Everything from the way he played, his mentality and his discipline of training and constructing a point needed to be adjusted.”

Hohmann had achieved great results in the Eastern Section, but needed to adjust his game to the outdoors and the elements of the Sunshine State if he were to compete with the best of the best in the nation. His ball needed to be heavier off both his forehand and backhand, as opposed to hitting the ball flat, and he needed to learn how to come to the net and not hug the baseline. In other words, what worked for him in tournaments in New York was not going to work for him in Florida.

“My foundation was good, but not great, when I first came to Todd,” said Hohmann.

“I grew up playing indoors, so the balls I hit were hard and flat, which is not good for the outside. I wasn’t going to be consistent and not stay in points. He spent a lot of time with me hitting a heavier and higher ball, and staying more consistent … it takes a while. I had never learned how to construct a point. Now, when I play matches, I am able to construct points.”

It wasn’t just the tactical aspect of tennis that Widom needed to instill in Hohmann, but he also needed to toughen him up from both a physical and mental perspective.

Widom recalls a story when Hohmann first began training full-time with him, and he had him compete against another boy in his program.

“Ronnie was a little shorter and the other kid was 6’2”, and he was beating Ronnie consistently,” said Widom. “He came down from New York with a high ranking, and really needed a big-time attitude adjustment.

We had to humble him and show him that he really did need to fix all the things we were telling him. Ronnie had a tough time dealing with that emotionally. We pushed him to get rid of some of those attitude issues and being a hot-head on the court.”

If Hohmann acted up on court during a match, Widom would put him through a stressful exercise as a form of punishment.

This had a two-prong effect: Hohmann would not only have to change his attitude,

but he would also be getting stronger and better-conditioned as well.

“Every time he acted up, he went through some form of pain physically that usually resulted in some running or a very painful leg workout, which was good because this was helping him get physically stronger,” said Widom. “Ronnie’s parents and I were in accordance that this is what it was going to take to change his mindset around so he could achieve the results that he was working so hard to attain.”

And Hohmann was willing to do anything that Widom and his team pushed him to do, and his progress in the last couple of years is evidence of that.

“His coaching style is very different compared to other coaches,” said Hohmann.

“He expects you to bring a high level of intensity and focus, day in and day out. He is

used to a high level since he played professionally, and has been surrounded by a high level of tennis throughout his whole life.”

Hohmann has now been in Florida full-time for two-and-a-half years, and is now one of the top players in the country. His victory at the Eddie Herr International was a real confirmation of the dedication he has shown and the improvement he has made. He has recently hit with many top pros who train in Florida, including Gael Monfils, Kevin Anderson and Fernando Verdasco.

“As Ronnie’s results are showing that it can be a reality to have a career on the ATP Tour, I want him to feel and see what these great players are doing on a daily basis to achieve those levels of tennis,” said Widom. “It’s one thing for me to tell him what to do, but it is a different ballgame to see and feel it on the court with these players.”

Hohmann has found a new home in Florida, and training full-time in the Sunshine State has allowed his game to flourish. But he makes sure to come back up to Long Island once every couple of months: “I miss my family the most,” Hohmann said. “But I also miss having that great New York pizza.”

Brian Coleman is Senior Editor for Long Island Tennis Magazine. He may be reached by phone at (516) 409-4444, ext. 326 or email BrianC@USPTennis.com.

LITennisMag.com • May/June 2018 • Long Island Tennis Magazine

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Bethpage Park Hosts 11th Annual High School Coaches Workshop

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ethpage Park Tennis Center hosted its 11th Annual High School Coaches Workshop, as local high school coaches and players participated in an evening of drills, hitting sessions and tutorials to help usher in the spring high school tennis season.

The coaches and players in attendance were able to step out on court and hit with one another, while Bethpage Park Tennis

Center’s Owner and Managing Director Steve Kaplan; Sports and Fitness Performance’s Founder and Director Frank Dolan; and Hannah Camhi, a former collegiate player at Brown University, all spoke to the attendees from their own perspectives which was followed by a Q&A. There were high school players on hand to demonstrate the different drills that were discussed by the speakers.

The free Annual Workshop has served as

an opening event for the new year of high school tennis over the last decade, and has helped bridge the gap between the private sector and public school programs.

“I was very happy with the coaches who showed up today,” said Kaplan. “One of the most important things is that there is communication between someone like me, in the private sector, and the coaches. We are all trying to further the athletes that we serve, as well as the game itself.”

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Long Island Tennis Magazine • May/June 2018 • LITennisMag.com

Silent Partner Tennis Ball Machines: The Machine With Muscle!

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ilent Partner Tennis, a division of Deuce Industries Ltd., was founded in 1989 by Dr. John Bassili. A recreational tennis player and psychology professor, John had a dream. He sought a reliable tennis partner. One that would play on his schedule and help improve his game.

Meanwhile, John’s son was progressing through the ranks as a junior. His son needed a partner that could amp up the pace, but was also consistent enough to groove his strokes. So John built a tennis ball machine.

Today, Silent Partner Tennis is a leading ball machine company in North America. It has served the U.S. from Buffalo, N.Y. for more than 20 years. The company remains independent, family-owned and operated, and takes great pride in the quality of its machines and the service to its customers.

With advanced features catering to all levels, from beginner to pro, the machine’s portability allows players to put them in their cars and bring them to their local club or court. The machine provides an excellent practice session and workout. The machines are also great for clubs and coaches, who can position themselves right beside

their students and control the machine by a remote control.

The machines are especially useful for group lessons, as several lines of players can be fed at once. Some machines come with programmable sequence settings and even match simulation.

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Tennis History Meets a Cutting-Edge Private Club Concept at The Hamlet Golf and Country Club

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une of 2018 marks seven years since ClubCorp, “The world leader of Private Country Clubs,” purchased the Hamlet Golf and Country Club in Commack, N.Y. and immediately began a multi-million dollar renovation, including improvements to the clubhouse, golf course, fitness center, pool area and tennis courts. Renovations to the Club’s bar, dining area and new patio are almost complete, and the new beautiful Empire Grille will opening under a new Executive Chef, Wells Brauner, offering an upscale, cutting-edge menu in an inspired atmosphere. ClubCorp’s refreshing philosophy of what the modern Country Club looks like, is drawing attention from Manhattan to Montauk.

The Hamlet’s tennis history is a rich one.

For years, The Hamlet hosted the prestigious Hamlet Cup Tennis Tournament, the event that was used as a warm up for the U.S. Open for more than 16 years. The eight Hamlet tennis courts have been graced by such world renowned players as Martina Navratilova, Pete Sampras, Stefan Edberg and Michael Chang, to name a few.

Though the Hamlet Cup Tournament is 28

now a fond memory, The Hamlet can boast new exciting traditions that are being cultivated today through programming for its members and their guests. This programming includes weekly Adult Cardio and Tennis Zones, Kids Tennis Zones, Tuesday Night Tennis and Sunday Morning Tennis.

The Hamlet will introduce a season-long tennis ladder, fabulous holiday events and tournaments, finishing the season with the annual exciting Club Championships. All these programs and events will be played on the Club’s six immaculate hard courts, as well as the two HarTru courts, all of which are lit for evening play. At the end of last year, Pickle Ball was added to the list of fun and exciting things to do at The Hamlet’s tennis center.

As if The Hamlet’s members do not have enough programming to choose from, the Club is also the host site for some of the most exciting tennis events that are happening on Long Island. The Long Island Tennis Challenge, featuring local amateur and pro players, will be held at The Hamlet on Saturday, June 9. The Long Island Executive Cup, which debuted last year, where the best Suffolk County Boys High

Long Island Tennis Magazine • May/June 2018 • LITennisMag.com

School Tennis Team will face off with the best Nassau County Boys High School Tennis Team, returns. Other events scheduled include the Boys High School Tennis “Play for Autism” and Girls High School Tennis “Play for Pink” fundraisers, Suffolk County’s USTA Kids Day, plus The Hamlet will also be the home of two USTA Women’s Level 4.0 Tennis Teams.

The Hamlet’s history and current exciting tennis programming make it one of the most popular destinations for tennis enthusiasts looking for great amenities in a private country club setting. With such a beautiful environment in which to enjoy the game in mind, The Hamlet has developed new Social Memberships, catering to tennis and pool enthusiasts, as well as young professionals who are just starting to add golf to their busy lives. The Hamlet also caters to seniors who enjoy the private club experience, but do not golf often, and everyone in between. If you are interested in learning more about the new, exciting Hamlet Golf and Country Club, you may contact Membership Director Hillary Epstein by calling (631) 499-5200 or e-mail Hillary.Epstein@ClubCorp.com.

New York Empire Set for 2018 Season The New York Empire, presented by Citi, will be back at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, N.Y. this summer for another exciting season of World TeamTennis in New York.

Returning for the Empire will be Americans John Isner and Mardy Fish, as well as Canadian Eugenie Bouchard and Great Britainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Neal Skupski, who helped lead the Empire to a 7-7 record and a third place finish last season.

With its first selection in the recent World TeamTennis Draft, the Empire selected Tatjana Maria of Germany, who will be making her World TeamTennis debut this season. In the second round, the Empire chose American Dennis Novikov, who will be competing in World TeamTennis for the second time in his career. In the final round, the Empire completed its roster by taking Spaniard Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez.

Eugenie Bouchard, 24, returns for her second season of New York Empire tennis when she takes the court on July 26. The Montreal native made her Empire debut last July, defeating the Orange County Breakersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Yanina Wickmayer in womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s singles action. Bouchard is a former Wimbledon finalist who has also reached the Australian Open and French Open semifinals in 2014.

John Isner will play his eighth consecutive season of WTT and will appear in the season-opening match against the Washington Kastles on July 15. The former University of Georgia All-American is currently the ninth-ranked menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s singles player in the world and recently captured his first Masters 1000 title in Miami.

Mardy Fish, 36, returns for his eighth WTT season. The Los Angeles resident, who won six ATP World Tour Singles Titles during his career, will appear in home matches on July 23, July 25 and July 26.

Neal Skupski, who returns for his third

consecutive season with the New York Empire, will serve as the teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s doubles specialist. In 2017, Skupski played 122 games of menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s doubles and 97 games of mixed doubles, serving up 25 aces along the way.

Tatjana Maria is a 30-year-old German currently ranked 62nd on the WTA Tour.

Maria has won two doubles titles on the WTA Tour, and has advanced to at least the second round in each of the four Grand Slam events, with her best result a thirdround appearance at Wimbledon in 2015.

Dennis Novikov, 24, was born in Moscow, Russia, and grew up in San Jose, Calif. In January, Novikov upset former world number five Kei Nishikori at the $125,000 ATP Oracle Challenger in New-

port Beach, Calif., and in February, he won his 11th ITF professional singles title by winning the Morelos Challenger in Mexico.

Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez is a 35year-old WTA Tour veteran who has won 18 tour doubles titles and five singles titles. She reached her career high ranking in singles of world number 19 in May 2010. In doubles, Martinez Sanchez has won 18 WTA titles, 10 of which came with Nuria Llagostera Vives, including the 2009 WTA Tour Championships.

The New York Empire will kick off its 2018 schedule with a home-and-away series with the Washington Kastles on July 15 and July 16.

Look for a full season preview in our July/August edition.

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

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Grand Slam Tennis 214 Commack Road Commack, N.Y. (631) 499-6444 What are specialty stores? Specialty stores are a place to go and receive extensive, dedicated, and welcoming services that do not include the click of a mouse while sitting at your computer desk or on your phone.

Jim and Chase Donnelly are the proud Owners and Operators of Grand Slam Tennis and have been for 33 years! With the help of Jim’s son Chase managing Grand Slam, Jim has had the opportunity to expand his interest in growing tennis.

Grand Slam is a welcoming environment for any tennis player, whether you’re a recreational, club or tournament level. Their services provide an array of possibilities: Tennis racket, badminton, squash and racquetball re-stringing/re-gripping, tennis attire (women’s, men’s and children’s), tennis tutor ball machines (sales, services and trials), tennis nets, ball hoppers, tennis bags, tennis racket sales, tennis sneakers, accessories, and a whole lot more. Grand Slam Tennis is 1,800-square feet of tennis equipment, with one side dedicated solely to tennis attire, and the other as pictured to tennis rackets, sneakers and four top of the line stringing machines.

Your experience at Grand Slam Tennis is guaranteed to be different from any other store. The staff is very experienced, knowledgeable and willing to help. When looking to buy a tennis racket or ball machine, you are able to demo the equipment through Grand Slam’s demo program. The demo program is geared toward the player, and is based on your feedback; therefore, you can be guided in the right direction in purchasing the right racket for you. At the point of purchase, all of your information is stored in the computer database for future reference. See you on the court!

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High Country Ski & Tennis 465 West Mount Pleasant Avenue Livingston, N.J. (973) 994-3630 HighCountrySkiAndTennis.com High Country Ski & Tennis is one of New Jersey’s premier tennis specialty shops. In existence for more than 29 years, High Country has New Jersey’s largest tennis showroom from March through September, and it is shrunk down in the winter months to focus on skiing and snowboarding.

High Country prides itself on providing the best in clothing, equipment and customer service. As Owner Bill Silverman says, “Our philosophy is to promote the game of tennis as much as our own company.”

High Country carries the top manufactures and clothing providers in tennis, including Wilson, Babolat, Head, Nike, Adidas and many more. High Country offers 24-hour racket stringing, grommet installs, re-gripping and free demos. With great customer service and competitive prices, High Country continues to grow each year.

For more information, call (973) 994-3630 or visit HighCountrySkiAndTennis.com.

Long Island Tennis Magazine •

PGA Tour Superstore 1254 Corporate Drive Westbury, N.Y. (516) 824-3000 PGATourSuperstore.com/Tennis PGA Tour Superstore is more than just a hub for golf lovers and is quickly making its tennis presence felt on Long Island.

Located at 1254 Corporate Drive in Westbury, N.Y., PGA Tour Superstore has everything tennis players and fans are looking for, carrying all of the latest tennis rackets and equipment from the top names in tennis, including Prince, Babolat, Head, Wilson and more. They also carry a wide selection of tennis apparel and footwear from leading brands, such as Adidas, Asics and Nike, as well as grips, strings and other accessories PGA Tour Superstore offers on-site stringing and its expert staff are players just like you, so they can help you out with any questions on stringing and products, and make sure you walk away with the product that is right for you.

PGA Tour Superstore hosts in-house events and fundraisers year-round, and can help customize your event or tournament by offering gift cards, products, memberships and much more.

For more information on the products and services the PGA Tour Superstore offers, call (516) 824-3000 or visit PGATourSuperstore.com/Tennis.

Tennis East 73 Main Street Southampton, N.Y. (631) 283-9535 TennisEast@optonline.net For more than 47 years, Tennis East has been the year-round, full-service tennis store of choice for East End racket sport enthusiasts. Tennis East offers an extensive selection of men’s, women’s and junior’s rackets, apparel, sneakers, strings and accessories for players of all ages and skill levels. More so, Tennis East carries a complete line of 10 & Under Tennis equipment, so that kids will have more fun playing tennis.

Tennis East carries the most popular and latest product arrivals, so that its customers can use the same gear that the top tennis pros are using. The store stocks a full line of Nike, Adidas, FILA, Babolat, Wilson and Head products. In addition, Tennis East has expanded its women’s apparel offering to include several new fashion designers.

Allow Tennis East’s knowledgeable and friendly team members to assist you choose the proper new tennis, paddle or pickleball racket to elevate your game. Tennis East has an extensive selection of rackets to demo and all daily fee charges will be credited towards your new adult racket purchase.

Tennis East continues to string all customer and demo racquets on the Wilson Baiardo, which is the state-of-the-art stringing machine on the market.

Tennis East is the conveniently located, one-stop shop for all your racquet sport needs, and is committed to providing personalized service, professional advice, competitive pricing and a unique shopping experience. Please look for special offers on Tennis East’s social network sites. For more information, contact Tennis East by phone at (631) 283-9535 or e-mail TennisEast@optonline.net.

LITennisMag.com • May/June

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TopSpin Tennis & Fitness 218 Jericho Turnpike • Syosset, N.Y. (516) 364-9470 TopSpinTennisLI.com 500 Searingtown Road • Roslyn, N.Y. (516) 484-4200 • TopSpinTennisLI.com TopSpin Tennis & Fitness is Nassau County’s top tennis specialty shop. TopSpin relocated five years ago and is now centrally located at 218 Jericho Turnpike in Syosset, N.Y., directly across from Syosset Hospital. The second shop is located at the new “State-of-the-Art” tennis complex at Christopher Morley Tennis at the park in Roslyn/Manhasset.

TopSpin provides one-hour expert stringing at both facilities.

Known as the home of “Clothes for the Pros,” TopSpin has been serving Long Island tennis pros and players with equipment and the top fashion in the sport for more than 30 years.

TopSpin’s staff is known for its expertise and high-quality service. You will find all the premier tennis brands of equipment, apparel and shoes at TopSpin for the whole family, including Nike, Adidas, K-Swiss, Asics, Babolat, Wilson, Head, Prince and many more. TopSpin carries the actual outfits and footwear worn at the U.S. Open and other major events by Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.

TopSpin carries a full line of fitness and workout apparel and running shoes, so you can go from the court to the gym in style.

Their racket wall contains a large selection of frames, bags and accessories at great prices. Your racket can be strung while you wait. Ask any tennis enthusiast on Long Island and odds are they will be familiar with TopSpin as a great destination for tennis. TopSpin’s staff will ensure that, with the right equipment, you will reach your highest potential as a player and just as importantly, look great too.

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C O M I N G I N J U LY

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in

By Steven Kaplan

drenched cotton shirt! Two thin synthetic under garments are much better than one as they create a vapor layer s I write this artiwhich traps the air created by a warm cle, the fourth Nor’ body. Finish with a wind-blocking layer Easter in the last for extra warmth. three weeks is pounding the local area. Still, spring is fi- l As described above, you can dress in nally here, and college and scholastic thin layers and still maintain a good teams have begun to practice outside. core temperature. To maintain mobility Conditions are difficult to say the least. in your arms, use a short sleeved layer Players who are well-prepared for the chalclosest to your body, followed by an lenges that cold, windy, sunny conditions elastic, but snug, second layer and finon cracked irregular courts with the track ish with a short sleeve or vest type outteam running by and baseballs hitting the side layer. Bulky clothes restrict court fence have an enormous edge over movement so be sure to dress in cloththeir opponents. ing that allows movement and is heat Preparation for difficult conditions is the retention efficient. road to success and here are the rules for l Extremities get cold easily when it’s how to triumph over the cold. freezing out and few thing are worse than holding a racket with icy hands.

1. Dress for success Gloves work, but make it nearly imposThe three biggest obstacles to dressing for sible to play with any sort of feel for the the cold are staying dry when you sweat, holding the racket. Focus on keeping keeping full range of motion in your shoulyour head extra warm (40 percent of ders and keeping your hands warm. your body heat escapes from the head) l To stay dry, it’s important to use synas well as your neck, ears and toes. thetic garments that wick moisture.

This will encourage your body to send Cotton absorbs wetness and once wet, more circulation to your hands. Also, actually has a negative thermal factor wear pants or an outer upper layer with which means that you are better off handy pockets and include a small playing with no shirt than wearing a hand warming pack to use in between

A

34

Long Island Tennis Magazine • May/June 2018 • LITennisMag.com

points to keep your hands toasty. l Remember, cold air hold less moisture than warm air. It’s easy to get dehydrated in the cold and less obvious so keep drinking when the temperature drops.

2. Adapt your game to tame the weather l Play high percentage shots in windy conditions. The worse the conditions, the safer you should aim. Let the wind improve your shot by moving the ball around. l Come to the net with the wind in your face. Your shots may land short and low which will provide little angle for your opponent to pass, especially when the ball they hit will fly further. Many opponents will become very frustrated as they seemingly tap the ball and it flies long. l Use extra spin in the wind. Extra spin will counter the force of the wind and make your shots more predictable and reliable. l Shorten your strokes, especially in a swirling wind, to make racket adjustments to an erratic wind-blown bounce. l Get out on the court early so that you can choose to warm up into sun. Your

A Guide for Planning and Playing Tennis

n the Cold eyes will thank you when you give them Furthermore, in order to rely less on the a chance to adjust to the bright light bepredictable bounce of the ball, don’t let fore serving. the ball bounce. Volley any ball you can. l Cold air is dense, so a cold tennis ball l When it comes to managing distractions is a less lively tennis ball. Hit out in the while playing on busy school courts, it’s worthwhile to remember that perception cold. is selective. That means that you can 3. It’s just you and the ball pick and choose what you focus on and how you react. Such deep concentral The worse off the court surface condition is a skill and like all skills, must be tions, the less you can rely on the prepracticed and refined. dictability of the bounce. Players have this same issue while playing on grass As Sun Tzu famously said in his book, and they adapt in two ways. First, similar to playing in the wind, you can The Art of War, “Every battle is won before shorten you stroke to lessen the dis- it’s ever fought.” Before battling in an early tance and time in which the hit is com- season tennis match, consider careful and mitted to and the ball is struck. thoughtful preparation.

Steve Kaplan is the Owner and Managing Director of Bethpage Park Tennis Center, as well as the Director of Lacoste Academy for New York City Parks Foundation and Executive Director and Founder of Serve & Return Inc. Steve has coached more than 1,000 nationallyranked junior players, 16 state high school champions, two NCAA Division 1 Singles Champions, and numerous highly-ranked touring professionals, many of whom have become prominent tennis coaches themselves. In 2017, Steve was awarded the Hy Zausner Lifetime Achievement Award by the USTA. He may be reached by e-mail at StevenJKaplan@aol.com.

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U S TA E A S T E R N L O N G I S L A N D R E G I O N

www.longisland.usta.com Facebook: USTA Long Island Twitter: @USTA_LI ustaonlongisland@gmail.com

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Long Island Tennis Magazine • May/June 2018 • LITennisMag.com

US TA EA S T E RN LO NG ISLA ND R E G IO N

2 8 T H AN N U AL AWA R D S D I N N E R J O UR N A L

SCHEDULE 5:00 p.m. — Registration & Photos 5:30 p.m. — Cocktails & Hors D’oeuvres 6:30 p.m. — Awards Ceremony 7:45 p.m. — Dinner

HONOREES Prestigious Awards Hy Zausner Lifetime Achievement Award—Peter Kaplan Vitas Gerulaitis “For the Love of Tennis” Award—David McKean Arthur Ashe Multi-Cultural Award—Fabiana Rezak Rose Buck Scalamandre Tennis Family of the Year— Morales Family

Tennis Club of the Year (Suffolk County)—The Ross School Tennis Academy Tennis Professional of the Year—Ben Marks Long Island High School Tennis Team of the Year— Port Washington HS Girls Varsity Tennis Team Long Island College Coach of the Year—Laura Gilbert, Tennis Coach, Nassau Community College

Sportsmanship Awards Birdie Tarulli League Captain Sportsmanship Award– Dawn Schosberg Blane Magee League Captain Sportsmanship Award— Darren Scheinberg Anuj Agarwal Junior Sportsmanship Award—Pieter Alexander Wernick, Jr. Jennifer Sherry Junior Sportsmanship Award—Sophia Schutte

Excellence Awards Special Service Award—Marian Morris Adult Volunteer of the Year—Allan Silverstein Good Samaritan Award—Michael Haltman Charles Karp Memorial Award for Overcoming Adversity— Kristy Vaughn Innovative Tennis Program Award—Paige Lawrence Innovative Tennis Program Award—Susan Pisano Corporate Service Award—GF Sports Junior Team Tennis Award—Anya Konopka and JP Perez Junior Volunteer of the Year—Aron Bursztyn Junior Volunteer of the Year—Jill Lawrence Community Service Award—Bradley Greenberg Madeline Zausner Junior Tournament Director Award— Vasco Antunes Outdoor Tennis Site of the Year—William Floyd High School Private Club of the Year—Three Village Tennis Club USTA School/Childcare Tennis Program—Oceanside School District Department of Community Activities 10 & Under Tennis Award—Richard Bowie Tennis Club of the Year (Nassau County)—Christopher Morley Tennis

USTA League Teams Participating in National Championships National Champions 55 & Over 7.0 Ladies—Captain Andrea Woods (Huntington Indoor Tennis) 65 & Over 7.0 Women—Captains Leslie Wecksler & Patricia Molloy (Sportime Lynbrook) Teams Competing at Nationals 18 & Over 3.5 Ladies—Captains Caryn Gallitto & Annmarie Conniff (Carefree) 4.0 Men—Captains Gabe Moreira & Miguel Gordon (Sportime Lynbrook) 40 & Over 4.0 Men—Captain Alex Havriliak (Carefree) 4.5 Men—Captain Andrew Ross (Sportime Syosset) 55 & Over 8.0 Ladies—Captain Sharon Melville (Christopher Morley) 7.0 Men—Captain Jim Lowell (Bethpage State Park) 8.0 Men—Captain Raj Nagdev & Sachal Badlani (Sportime Syosset) 18 & Over Mixed 7.0 Team Captain Dawn Schosberg (Sportime Syosset) 8.0 Team Captain Daniel Burgess Jr. (Carefree) 9.0 team Captain Roslyn Chua-Macalonie (Deer Park Indoor)

LITennisMag.com • May/June 2018 • Long Island Tennis Magazine

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U S TA E A S T ER N LO NG ISLA ND RE G IO N

2 8 T H AN N U AL AWA RD S D I N N ER J O UR N A L

HONOREES 2017 High School Champions

Long Island Rankings/Women

New York State & Nassau County Boys Singles Champion—Yuval Solomon (Plainview JFK) Nassau County Boys Doubles—Eli Grossman & Preet Rajpal (Syosset) Suffolk County Boys Singles—Jack Flores (Huntington) Suffolk County Boys Doubles—Tyler Nierman & Cameron Klepper (Half Hollow Hills West) Nassau County Girls Singles—Rachel Arbitman (Hewlett) Nassau County Girls Doubles—Thea Rabman & Martine McGowan (Port Washington) Suffolk County Girls Singles—Jackie Bukzin (Eastport-South Manor) Suffolk County Girls Doubles—Ariana Malik & Lauren Cherkin (Half Hollow Hills East) Nassau County Coach of the Year—Shane Helfner (Port Washington) Suffolk County Coach of the Year—Erick Sussin (Ward Melville)

Singles Open—1) Julia Elbaba tied with Joan Manfredi-Carter 60s—1) Lydia Eitel tied with Eileen Walker 70s—1) Peggy Gluck

Junior Rankings Boys 18s—1) Daniel Pellerito 2) Pieter Alexander Wernick, Jr. Boys 16s—1) Logan Chang 2) Kabir Rajpal Boys 14s—1) Alexander Karman 2) Aman Sharma Boys 12s—1) Max Safir 2) Stephan Gershfeld Girls 18s—1) Merri Kelly (Hannity) 2) Jackie Bukzin Girls 16s—1) Lina Mohamed 2) Alexa Goetz Girls 14s—1) Emily Tannenbaum 2) Rose Hayes Girls 12s—1) Thea Rabman 2) Olivia Fermo

Doubles 50s—1) A. Mongelli/J. Gaines

Long Island Rankings/Men Singles Open—1) Dmytro Koavalevych 2) Mark Julian Baker 25s—1) Rodolfo Novello 40s—1) Jeffrey Snow 45s—1) David Fischbach 2) Jonathan Klein 50s—1) Jonathan Klein 2) Jeffrey Snow 70s—1) Bob Hoffman tied with Dinesh Vadher Doubles Open—1) D. Grunberger/E. Nittolo 2) B. Rosen/J. Aronson 65s—1) D. Barrow/M. Harrison Mixed Open—1) C. Colesanti/J. Narciso-Raikos

Adult Rankings NTRP Rankings/Women 3.0 Singles—1) Roksolana Shyyka 2) Fran Breckon 3.5 Singles—1) Zebo Sokolskiy tied with Candace Newby 4.0 Singles—1) Luzan Moore 2) Maritoni Carlos 4.5 Singles—1) Susan Bacey 4.0 Doubles—1) C. Camacho/L. D’Antonio 4.5 Doubles—1) Maritoni Carlos/Susan Bacey NTRP Rankings/Men 3.5 Singles—1) Kevin Bunting tied with Gregory Krolikowski 4.0 Singles—1) Evan Kobar 2) Thomas Gross 4.5 Singles—1) Chuck Silverstein 4.0 Doubles—1) M. Schreiber/Z. Gerard Conlon 40

Long Island Tennis Magazine • May/June 2018 • LITennisMag.com

Want to see photos from tonight’s awards or events from past years?

Need more information on our fabulous honorees and past awardees?

Inspired to nominate someone for a 2019 award?

Visit LongIsland.USTA.com for all you need to know about Long Island Regional Awards Dinners from past to present!

US TA EA S T ER N LO NG ISLA ND R E G IO N

2 8 T H AN N U AL AWA R D S D I N N ER J O UR N A L WE DN ESDAY, MAY 2, 2018

PRESIDENT’S LETTER Dear Award Winners, Family, Friends and Sponsors: elcome to the 28th Annual USTA Long Island Region Awards Dinner!

We have had quite a year in Long Island tennis. We are excited to honor all of this evening’s wonderful awardees and share our successes with you.

Perhaps the most exciting event to happen since last year’s Awards Dinner was the return of professional tennis to our area, as the Inaugural New York Open ATP Tournament (formerly the Memphis Open) took over NYCB Live, Home of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, in February. This event brought tennis greats and legends, as well as amateurs and fans, to the Island for a week of competition and fun. The week kicked off with Long Island Tennis Magazine’s 2018 New York Tennis Expo which was attended by more than 3,500 people. The USTA Long Island Region, along with event sponsor USTA Eastern, was proud to support the NY Open with volunteers throughout the week. Further, we are excited to welcome the New York Open back to NYCB Live, Feb. 9-17, 2019.

The USTA launched its newest youth initiative, Net Generation, with Long Island juniors at this year’s U.S. Open. Juniors from our Region showcased their skills on the courts at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center and performed opening match coin tosses.

It was such a thrill watching many of our juniors play on the black courts at the NY Open and meet many of the pros who competed.

Across Long Island, clubs have been embracing Net Generation by bringing the concepts to their current juniors and expanding out into the community with clinics at schools, parks and community centers.

The year 2017 was a big year for USTA League Team play on Long Island. We are proud to say we had TWO National Champion League teams—The Sportime Lynbrook 65+ 7.0 Ladies and the Huntington Indoor 55+ 7.0 Women—and 11 Section-winning teams.

In addition, we welcomed new Senior Men’s and Women’s teams in the 8.0 Divisions. Additionally, our USTA League Captains were offered free tickets to the NY Open, courtesy of the Section, and a number of our league players played on the black courts of NYCB Live as part of our “Play With the Pros” tournament series.

We hosted more than 300 children at our Annual Summer Kids Days, coordinated with Long Island Tennis Magazine. Nassau Kids Day was held at the Engineers Country Club in Roslyn, while Suffolk Kids Day took place at the Hamlet Golf & Country Club in Commack. LI Region pros volunteered their time at both events to teach tennis basics, run clinics, as well as dance to music and play games with the kids. Thank you to all of the Regional volunteers whose hard work made these events a success.

W

Community service is an important part of our commitment to helping others through tennis. Many of our clubs and teams participated in fundraising and service or awareness programs supporting important causes such as diabetes research, CPR and AED training, students with disabilities, breast cancer research and awareness, autism and developmental disabilities, U.S. military veterans, underprivileged children and more.

In support of our commitment to growing the game by introducing tennis to new populations, the USTA LI Region was pleased to participate in several community events throughout the year, including the Merrick Fair, Town of Hempstead Lido Family Festival by the Sea, Freeport Library “By the Book” Fair, Nassau Parks and Recreation Summer Program, and much more.

In New York State High School Tennis competition, Plainview JFK’s Yuval Solomon accomplished something very few before him have done, winning back-to-back State Singles Championships. LI boys also won third and fourth place in doubles at States, and our girls won second place and fourth place in singles, and fourth place in doubles. In County competition, Port Washington’s girls defeated Ward Melville to win the Long Island Championship, and Syosset’s boys defeated Half Hollow Hills East to win the Long Island Boys High School Executive Cup. The USTA Long Island Regional Board was pleased to present all the Nassau and Suffolk boys and girls competing at the New York State Tournament with sweatshirts. In addition, in support of our No Cut High School Initiative to create well-rounded student athletes, all No Cut team members received pink “No Cut Tennis” wristbands. This is in addition to the many high school tennis programs that undertook charity events or hit-and-plays with younger children in their communities.

I am thrilled to welcome this evening’s special guest speaker, Liezel Huber. Liezel has won 53 career doubles titles, is a seventime Grand Slam Champion and spent 199 weeks as the number one Women’s Doubles Player in the World. She currently is a Director-at-Large on the USTA Board of Directors.

I’m so proud to be part of the Long Island tennis community and want to personally thank all of our volunteers, players, sponsors and supporters for making our Region the best in the USTA. Enjoy the evening and celebrate the game we love with your friends, family and teammates. Everybody is a winner tonight!

Jonathan Klee, President USTA Eastern Long Island Region

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US TA EA S T ER N LO NG ISLA ND R E G IO N

2 8 T H AN N U AL AWA R D S D I N N ER J O UR N A L

THANK YOU! We are grateful to all of our sponsors and supporters for helping to make the 28th Annual USTA Long Island Region Awards Dinner a success! Special thanks to: South Shore Eye Care of Wantagh and Massapequa—Chief Sponsor Katzman Orthopedics—Cocktail Hour Sponsor New York Open Jaghab, Jaghab & Jaghab P.C. My Game Solutions A complete list of sponsors and supporters will appear on our Web site (LongIsland.USTA.com) and in the July/August 2018 issue of Long Island Tennis Magazine.

Thank you to our fabulous Awards Dinner Committee, headed by the incomparable event planners Randi Wilkins, Hilary Bressler and Denise Schmidt, and featuring the hard work of our Long Island Regional Board.

Proceeds from raffle ticket sales will be contributed to USTA Eastern and used to help support tennis on Long Island and within the Eastern Section.

U S TA E A S T E R N L O N G I S L A N D REGIONAL BOARD (VOLUNTEER) Executive Board Jonathan Klee—President Mike Pavlides—Past President, Web Site Manager, Scholastic Representative Chair/Nassau Sunny Fishkind—Vice President, Public Parks Advocate, Facebook Manager Craig Fligstein—Treasurer Terri Arnold-McKenzie—Secretary, Grant Committee Regional Board Scott Axler—Past President, Junior Competition Committee Liaison Hilary Bressler—Events Planner, Awards Dinner Committee Daniel Burgess—Past President, Community Tennis Committee Andrew Camacho—Adult Competition Committee Liaison Bob Coburn—Marketing Committee Terry Fontana—Rally Day Committee, Community Tennis Association and National Junior Tennis & Learning Committee Wayne Freeman—Adult League Committee Liaison Herb Harris—Grant Committee, Community Development Committee 42

Anneleis Karp—President Emeritus Eileen Leonard—Competition Training Committee Tito Perez—Diversity and Inclusion Committee, Junior Team Tennis Committee Clark D. Ruiz II—Nassau County Delegate Denise Schmidt—Events Planner, Awards Dinner Committee Akiko Tohmatsu—Suffolk County Delegate Randi Wilkins—Events Planner, Awards Dinner Committee, Suffolk County Community Development Committee Members Shanon Blue Jackie Clark Steven Cloughen Chris Colesanti Fabiana Rezak Jason Wass Ed Wolfarth

Long Island Tennis Magazine • May/June 2018 • LITennisMag.com

US TA EA S T ER N LO NG ISLA ND R E G IO N

2 8 T H AN N U AL AWA R D S D I N N ER J O UR N A L

C O N G R AT U L AT I O N S to All Award Winners from The USTA Eastern Long Island Region’s 28th Annual Awards Dinner

litennis Long Island Tennis Magazine

MAGAZINE

Congratulations to the Nassau County Club of the Year Christopher Morley Tennis and the Suffolk County Club of the Year Ross School Tennis Academy.

litennis Long Island Tennis Magazine

MAGAZINE

Congratulations to all of the awards winners and thank you to the USTA Eastern LI Region for putting together this great event.

See you all on the courts.

SPORTIME/JMTA Congratulates this year’s Award Recipients Jill Lawrence Darren Scheinberg Pieter Wernink Sophia Schutte Captains Leslie Wecksler & Patricia Molloy (SPORTIME Lynbrook) Captains Gabe Moreira & Miguel Gordon (SPORTIME Lynbrook) Captain Andrew Ross (SPORTIME Syosset) Captain Raj Nagdev & Sachal Badlani (SPORTIME Syosset) Captain Dawn Schosberg (SPORTIME Syosset) Preet Rajpal (Syosset) Jack Flores (Huntington) Cameron Klepper (Half Hollow Hills West) Thea Rabman (Port Washington) Ariana Malik (Half Hollow Hills East) Daniel Pellerito Kabir Rajpal Emily Tannenbaum Olivia Fermo LITennisMag.com • May/June 2018 • Long Island Tennis Magazine

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US TA EA S T ER N LO NG ISLA ND R E G IO N

2 8 T H AN N U AL AWA R D S D I N N ER J O UR N A L

C O N G R AT U L AT I O N S to All Award Winners from The USTA Eastern Long Island Region’s 28th Annual Awards Dinner

Carefree is proud to congratulate Ben Marks for receiving the 2017 Long Island Pro Of The Year Award.

Wishing you continued success!

Carefree Congratulates our USTA teams that advanced to Nationals!

Women’s 18+ 3.5 Caryn Gallitto and AnnMarie Conniff Men’s 40+ 4.0 Alex Havriliak Mixed 18+ 8.0 Dan Burgess Jr. 44

NASSAU INDOOR TENNIS CLUB

Congratulations to the Morales Family from all of us at Nassau Indoor Tennis on being awarded Tennis Family of the Year!

Thank you for your continued commitment to tennis in Inwood and the Five Towns Community.

Congratulations to the Huntington Indoor Tennis Team who won the 55 & Over 7.0 Senior National Championship From the Huntington Indoor Tennis Center Staff

Long Island Tennis Magazine • May/June 2018 • LITennisMag.com

Thank you to Eric Bratt and everyone at Robbie Wagner Tournament Training.

- Alex Wernink

LITM congratulates Peter Kaplan on being awarded the Hy Zausner Lifetime Achievement Award.

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BY

Roger Federer Foundation Hosts Match for Africa

E M I L I E

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with Federer) and NBC Today Show cohost Savannah Guthrie. The money raised will help children living in poverty through the Roger Federer Foundation.

Six-Time Grand Slam Champ Flach Passes Away

The SAP Center in San Jose, Calif. played host to the Match for Africa, the annual exhibition event hosted by Roger Federer and the Roger Federer Foundation.

Federer played American Jack Sock in a singles match, followed by a doubles match featuring Bill Gates (pictured above

titles, passed away on March 12 at the age of 54 after a battle with pneumonia.

Flach won four major titles in men’s doubles, including the 1985 U.S. Open, and two major titles in mixed doubles.

“Ken was taken far too soon, and his sudden passing comes as a real shock to everyone in tennis,” said ATP President Chris Kermode. “He will be remembered as one of the great U.S. doubles players in the history of our sport.”

Haas Calls It a Career

Photo credit: ATP World Tour

Ken Flach, winner of six Grand Slam

Former world number two Tommy Haas officially announced his retirement from professional tennis during the BNP Paribas Open in March.

“I consider myself extremely fortunate that I was able to play professional tennis for a living for more than two decades,” said Haas, who is the current Tournament Director of the BNP Paribas Open. “The sport gave me cherished friendships, an ability to travel the world, and opportunities to create incredible memories.”

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Ivanovic Has Baby Boy

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

Retired Bjorn Borg Signs With Fila

Navratilova-Evert Rivalry Rekindled in Exhibition Match

One of the greatest rivalries in the history of sport was reignited, as Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert took part in an exhibition match to help raise awareness for the Love & Love Tennis Foundation, an organization created by former WTA pros Rosie Casals and Tory Fretz.

“We were both pretty evenly matched. Martina’s still got the hands … she’s still the greatest doubles player that ever lived, for sure. But we still have fun,” said Evert. “We can laugh at ourselves now, which we probably couldn’t do 30 years ago.”

U.S. Open Reveals New Logo

The U.S. Open will have a new look this year, as the USTA unveiled the tournament’s new logo.

“The new logo is bold and energetic, and better captures and expresses the dynamism of the U.S. Open,” said Amy Choyne, USTA Chief Marketing Officer.

“We have enjoyed 50 years of greatness, and our new visual identity will better carry us forward for the next 50 years.”

Photo credit: Fila

Bjorn Borg and Fila have rekindled a relationship that dates back more than 40 years, as Borg was named a brand ambassador recently. Borg, pictured above with Gene Yoon, Fila’s Global Chairman, wore the Fila brand on court throughout his career, which included 11 Grand Slam titles.

“Fila has a history of aligning with legendary athletes who have made an impact in their sport and beyond,” said Yoon. “It is an honor to welcome Bjorn back to the Fila family.”

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Develop Positive

By Lisa Dodson ompetitive players often find that they cannot maintain consistent play, focus and a strong positive attitude during matches.

Let’s consider a “Competitive Player” as one who, at any level, plays matches that are important to them. We would expect a higher-level player to be more evolved and a less-experienced player to be lessevolved, but that is not often true.

Intensity is the key to sustaining mental and emotional focus, and strong physical play. The classic definition of being intense is “Of extreme force, degree or strength.”

This can be used in a mental, emotional or physical sense. In terms of tennis, the result of playing with intensity is playing high percentage tennis consistently, and at a maintainable level for the duration of a match. It doesn’t get any more important than that.

Every successful athlete maintains a constant level of intensity when competing. In tennis, a decline in intensity leads to unforced errors and erratic play, which makes it more difficult to regain that level of intensity. This results in lopsided scores, unnec-

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essary losses and play with lots of peaks and valleys. Intensity, in itself, can be tricky and requires a balance of emotional/mental and physical components.

Emotional/mental development A solid emotional state is directly tied to mental control, decision-making, good footwork and racket technique, as well as the ability to improve ourselves and our games.

Overall, one’s emotional and mental outlook will rule the physical part of the game.

How a player thinks about, prepares for and practices the game of tennis is essential. The factors below have a direct impact on our emotional state on the court. l Always be positive and say NO to fear: How do you think about and treat yourself? Do you say negative things about yourself, for example, “you are so stupid!” or “you missed that shot again!?” If you do, then you are a bigger obstacle to yourself than your opponent is to you. You are just confirming what you really feel, reaffirming it with every negative comment.

There is no time for headshaking and

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negative self-talk. When in doubt, just be quiet. If you are not nice to yourself on the court, then who will be? Certainly not the opponent, who wants you to feel as bad as possible about yourself. Don’t do their job for them.

No one wants to fail. Go out knowing that you are capable and ready. Think good thoughts before a match. If you find fear creeping in, distract yourself, take a jog, talk to a friend, listen to music … just don’t obsess over the opponent or the match. You are either ready or are not ready. Choose “ready.” l Be fully prepared: Get appropriate amounts of practice before any match, but don’t wear yourself out by over practicing. Whether for practice or for a match, have your bag packed with anything that you could possibly need. Eat well and try to be rested.

Leave plenty of time to get to your destination so you don’t feel rushed getting to the courts. Give yourself a mental boost by remembering and thinking about some of your best moments on the court. Basically have everything taken care of so that there

op Intensity for Focus and a ve Attitude Throughout Play are no worries or distractions from the match itself.

matches than marathon practice sessions with low intensity.

l Practice smart: Give your heart and soul to practicing with precision and intensity because as they say, “You will play like you practice.” If you practice sloppy and just go through the motions, then you won’t know how to lift the level of your game in a match. If you hit excessively hard in practice, but know that you cannot maintain that level in a match, then you’ll end up being disappointed and frustrated because you are now pushing to keep the ball in.

Practice with intensity and purpose, push yourself even if you are tired and always give 100 percent even if it means spending less time on the practice court. This will prepare you better for

Technical development The real way to develop confidence in your game is to know that you are technically sound. Most of us have to prove to ourselves that we can keep a rally going, come through under pressure or hit a winner when presented the opportunity. Normally, selfdoubt comes from not being technically sound since big flaws in footwork, position to the ball and stroke work cause errors.

So, always trying to improve overall technique plays a big role in maintaining a successful emotional state and intensity level.

Have you ever watched a professional match and one of the players who is known for a huge forehand keeps missing long or wide by inches or feet? Darned if they don’t

just keep on doing the same thing until the balls start to go in and they do not exhibit frustration or negative behavior. This is possible because a player at that level knows the shot is there and just needs to keep fine-tuning it. They never back off and start pushing.

Most other levels of play get fearful when they are missing their shots and start swinging slower and changing their technique to get the ball in. This is because they lack confidence in their technique. Feeling mentally good and confident goes hand-in-hand with maintaining successful footwork, technique, and therefore, intensity.

Intensity in two match scenarios Anyone can play well for a while in a match. continued on page 50

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develop intensity for focus and a positive attitude continued from page 49 Most players have experienced cruising through a set to 5-0 and losing the set 5-7.

This simply equates to the leading player waiting for the opponent to lose. They have let down their intensity of play and quit doing what got them to 5-0. Let’s figure the other guy or gal isn’t ready to roll over yet.

They instinctively raise their intensity level in direct response to the leader losing intensity, and before they know it, the set has turned around.

How about winning a tight first set 6-4 only to lose the second 0-6, followed by a third set tie-breaker? The winner of the first set used up most of their emotional capacity by toughing out the first set. Now the score has reset to 0-0 and the opponent is taking a fresh approach, settling in and starting over while the first set winner is still simply relieved to win the first set and not ready to start fresh. It’s a bloodbath in the second set.

The tie-breaker can go any direction. If both are ready to go and fight to the finish, it will be close. If one or the other has the better outlook and can maintain solid play, they will win.

Play consistently regardless of the score Every point has equal value. Think about that. Do you believe it? Do you treat every shot, rally, return or serve with equal inten-

sity? If not, then you are giving some points more value than others and you are likely to feel pressure when there really is none.

One (1) point won gets you one (1) point.

Just because it’s an important point doesn’t give it more value. So, if we play every point with the same intensity and focus, mentally and physically, it really takes the pressure off bigger, more important seeming points.

Once again, we have all seen pro players reel off winners at the most pressured of times. That’s because they can handle the pressure by treating a “big” point like every other point. They are simply accustomed to playing that way and they are able to lift their level of play instead of crumbling under pressure.

Treating every point equally also reduces unforced errors and eliminates “throw away” points. A great example of a throw away point is a service return unforced error or a rally ball unforced error. There is no good reason for the miss, other than you probably had no plan and didn’t decide exactly where you wanted your ball to land. Hence, no intensity for the point.

Let’s say your opponent is serving. If you routinely miss returns, you may as well say to your opponent at the start of their service game, “You’re up 30-love. You don’t need to serve, I’m going to miss at least two returns anyway.” That’s an incredibly hard way to win matches.

www.30fifteen.co.uk

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How do we reproduce the days when we feel great and just cannot miss?

We’ve all had these great days. Some call it being “In the zone.” But why is there a long and painful lapse between these great days? Somehow, whether by design or luck, we temporarily found the perfect combination of successful components to play the tennis we dream of.

Now, all we have to do is try to reproduce the conditions.

It could be the lead up: You got a great night’s sleep and went into the match relaxed. It could be that you have been working hard on a better serve and are winning lots of easy points. It could the hard work you put in lately so you’re a little fitter and more responsive. Or that you were fearless and just loved playing tennis that day. Or it could be a combination of many factors all coming together that particular day.

Know this … if you can play one excellent match, then you can do it again. It’s there inside of you just waiting to reemerge.

Hopefully you now have a better understanding of how to maintain focus in competitive play and how to remain positive, regardless of the score. Emotional stability and mental control go hand-in-hand with producing great footwork and technique.

As these things continue to develop, intensity levels can remain constant.

Treat every opponent with equal respect and play your best tennis every day. Play every point with equal intensity to avoid feeling pressure on “big” points, or when you are way up or way down in a match.

Practice the way you want to play. Keep striving to improve technique and footwork. Fuel your intensity with the right stuff and you’ll be winning matches before you know it.

Lisa Dodson is the Developer and Owner of Servemaster, a USPTA Elite Professional and a former WTA world-ranked player. She is currently the Director of Tennis at Shenorock Shore Club in Rye, N.Y. She may be reached by e-mail at Lisa@TheTotalServe.com or visit TheTotalServe.com.

Sometimes Being Right Means “Be Right for the Game”

By Barbara Wyatt s I sit at my local coffee hang-out minding my own business, invariably I hear someone say “Ask Barbara, she wrote the tennis rules app.”

Three players then walk over to my table and tell me horror stories about a tennis rule violation. “This happened to me at Sectionals …”

“You won’t believe what my opponent did at a USTA match!”

The stories usually include one player’s misunderstanding of a tennis rule. That player uses a raised voice to demand the game be conducted under their interpretation of the rule.

You and I know those players miss the meaning of a competitive tennis match.

How can we help all players understand that tennis matches, either social or competitive, are healthy, delightful hours of play? The purpose is to enjoy the game and its competitive moments.

Jake told me a story about obtaining a third ball. When serving, he asked his opponents to pick up the third ball located between their baseline and the fence. The opponents refused. Jake asked again. The opponents refused and taunted Jake and his partner with name calling.

Jake walked over to the third ball and picked it up. Yes, he left his serving position, walked to the opposite side of the net, picked up the ball and returned to his side of the net to commence serving.

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Question: Was Jake at fault for asking for the third ball?

Answer: No! Code 22 of The Code: The Players’ Guide to Fair Play and the Unwritten Rules of Tennis, states: “When a server requests three balls, the receiver shall comply when the third ball is readily available.” The ball was behind the opponents. If it had been on an adjacent court, that could be considered

“distant.” The opponents should have given Jake the third ball.

Question: What about Jake’s decision to leave his side of the court?

Answer: According to USTA Regulations IV.C.5: “A player may leave the court to retrieve a ball.” His action to pick up the third ball could be perceived as acceptable. But was that the right decision to make?

Jake had options. Perhaps Jake prefers to begin serving with all three balls. He understood Code 22. He made his request, but the opponents refused. He had the opportunity to be the ingenuous player and start his serve with two balls in hand. On changeover, he could ask the tournament desk for an official ruling on third ball requests from a server. By leaving his side of the court and picking up that third ball, he was contributing to the tension on the court.

Perhaps he was right as server. But was the action right?

If Jake believed the ball was a hazard, but the opponents said it wasn’t hindering them. He should serve. However, if the third ball was a distraction to him and the opponents refused to pick it up, call for an

official and explain his opponents are hindering him by not complying with a reasonable request. Officials are trained to help ensure the game continues under the fairest possible conditions. Was the ball reasonably close? Were the opponents playing a gamesmanship maneuver by refusing Jake the third ball?

My advice to Jake? Be the highly principled player. Perhaps your opponents were engaged in a bit of gamesmanship.

Big deal … their loss. You, Jake, are better than that. If it wasn’t a hindrance to you and you simply wanted the third ball as the server, serve on, my friend. You have a killer serve. At changeover, let the tournament desk and official handle the opponents’ education.

Sometimes being right means “Be right for the game.”

Barbara Wyatt is a Writer, Photographer, USTA Official, and Mobile App Developer of iKnowTennis!, the tennis rules app. Her poem, Ode to Tennis, an amusing poem on the joys and frustrations when learning tennis, is available at Amazon. She can be reached by e-mail at BarbaraW@iKnowTennis.com.

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How t

By Todd Widom uring my years of coaching, I have noticed a lack of knowledge with American tennis players at all levels as to how well they understand the game and how well they understand their own game.

These players have been working on their technique for years and have been handfed balls as their training. Some of these players may look good, yet they struggle to compete, and have great difficulty in constructing points properly, which, in turn, can drastically hurt their tennis careers.

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There are tennis players we have seen play that we think are good because they look good when they strike a ball, but when they play in a match or tournament, they end up being inferior players. Part of the development of becoming the best tennis player you can be is by studying other players and how they construct points and why they hit certain shots at certain times.

Studying tennis is an art, and anticipating where the ball is going to be hit takes experience and knowledge about the game.

One excellent way to study tennis is to sit down and watch professional matches on television. While watching, you should try to figure out the patterns of play and if

Long Island Tennis Magazine â&#x20AC;˘ May/June 2018 â&#x20AC;˘ LITennisMag.com

the forehand or backhand side is trying to get broken down to receive errors.

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

to Study Tennis l What kind of attitude do these players have? l When do they show signs of positive reinforcement and when are they a bit negative? l How much time do they take between points to prepare for the next point?

When I was a junior tennis player, I would sit down with my coach and study matches so that I could learn how the world’s best play the sport and how they respond to all the different circumstances that are thrown at them in a match situation. For example, the most important shots in high-level tennis are the serve and return, so understanding when and where

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

The more you watch the tennis professionals play on television and study their matches, the more you will begin to understand the game and certain patterns of play. I hope that you will be able to apply what you have learned to your own game.

Good luck studying!

Todd Widom is a former top 200 ATP professional in both singles and doubles, and owner of TW Tennis, South Florida’s top small group/private tennis training geared exclusively for the high-performance junior, collegiate or professional tennis player. Todd may be reached by email at Todd@TWTennis.com or visit TWTennis.com.

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Championship Mindsets Players, Coaches and Parents

By Rob Polishook, Mental Training Coach MA, CPC hink back to the last Grand Slam final you saw … the winner and runner-up always raise the microphone and shout out to their team, thanking them for their unwavering support. In order for any athlete to reach the highest level of performance, there are underlying principals which can serve as a guide to the team (athletes, parents and coaches) during the journey.

I’d like to share with you key mindsets for the player, parent and coach to embrace during the process. These mindsets are imperative to developing a player who embraces competition, thrives under adversity, and ultimately, puts themself in a position to rise to the higher rankings and reach their personal peak potential in their sport.

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

However, it should be noted that winning is a consequence of taking disciplined purposeful action over time.

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

Parents: Focus on the process vs. the outcome Parents are often caught up in the out-

come, worrying about what a loss means to their child’s ability to play at a high level years down the road. This mindset places the focus away from the step-by-step progression and inevitably takes the child’s mindset away from the present and focuses them on the future.

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

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and how they are competing to the best of their ability. When these things are happening, improvement and rewards will follow.

Coaches: Focus on the person, not the athlete Many coaches and academies often have pre-conceived notions of what a player should act, look, even play like.

Development in anything, including tennis, is not a “one-size-fits-all” proposition. Each person and player is individual in their own way and the focus must start from the person’s unique qualities. For example, let’s look at Rafael Nadal who grinds, follows rituals and fights. On the other hand, you have Roger Federer who is stylistic, calm and collected. You could say Federer is more creative, while Rafa relies on his patterns. The key is identifying that each players’ style and journey will be unique. In my private practice, athletes often express to me that they wish people would understand “what they are going through” and to appreciate

what they are experiencing as a person, not just a player. As a coach, a key facet towards helping players reach their personal peak performance is understanding how to tap into their players’ unique personal skills, attributes and motivations. Understanding the person, their story and the story behind the story will lead to increased trust and loyalty.

All teams (athletes, parents and coaches) should know players’ “Big Why,” their reason for playing. What motivates them? What are their goals?

What did it take to get to this point (obstacles and success)? What is something about them that doesn’t make them better or worse than others, but makes them who they are? Understanding these answers will better enable the team to move forward in unison. The team must recognize that when a player walks through the court gates, they bring the same strengths, weaknesses, confidence and insecurities that they feel off the court. The job of the player is to focus on competing, not winning. The

job of a parent is to support their process, not the outcome, where setbacks, failure and even success can be viewed as part of the journey and something to learn from. The job of a coach is to recognize their player as a “person first,” and strive to bring out their unique qualities, which make them and their game different. Not comparing them to what they think a champion is. Champions come in all shapes and sizes, just look at John McEnroe, Ivan Lendl, Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, Boris Becker, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Serena Williams, Venus Williams and Maria Sharapova. Who’s to say who will be next?

Rob Polishook, MA, CPC is Founder and Director of Inside the Zone Sports Performance Group. As a Mental Training Coach, he works with athletes and teams, focusing on helping athletes gain the mental edge. Rob is Author of Tennis Inside the Zone: Mental Training Workouts for Champions. He may be reached by phone at (973) 723-0314, e-mail Rob@InsideTheZone.com or visit InsideTheZone.com.

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Tennis Shoes

By Andrea Retolaza s one may know, tennis applies constant side to side movements and quick changes of direction. Tennis shoes play an important role in preventing injuries and allowing one to move better on

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different tennis court surfaces. One way to prevent unnecessary tennis injuries is by wearing adequate tennis shoes for each court surface, something often ignored by many amateur players.

Without getting too specific, we can all agree that there are three main tennis playing surfaces: Hard courts, clay courts and grass courts.

The most common surface in the U.S. and on the professional circuits (ATP and WTA) is the hard court. As the name suggests, these courts are the hardest ones and thus they induce a great amount of shock to one’s joints, muscles, tendons and ligaments. Therefore, when playing on this type of surface, wear heavier shoes that are supportive in the upper part, with a

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oes and Court Surfaces good amount of cushion so they absorb part of the impact, and with diverse designs to the outsole. Common injuries related to this type of surface are plantar fasciitis, Achilles and patellar tendonitis.

The second most common surface in the U.S. and on the professional circuits is the clay court. Very predominant in Western Europe, this type of surface is much softer than hard courts, thus, it is more forgiving with one’s lower extremities and joints. Clay court shoes should be a little lighter than hard court ones and have a homogeneous outsole pattern. The triangle-like pattern is one of the best outsole patterns since it adheres to the court really well and also allows for sliding. Unlike hard courts, clay courts can differ a lot from each other. Both weather and maintenance conditions of the court play

an important role, and can increase the risk of injuries. If the court is wet or unevenly moist, it is easy to get stuck in the clay and sprain an ankle. On the other hand, if the court is too dry, it is very easy to slide, making it difficult to realize changes of direction. Dry clay courts put the player at risk for hamstring, adductor and Achilles strains.

Last but not least is the grass court.

These are less common in the U.S., as they require a substantial amount of daily care. They are more popular in the United Kingdom and Australia. Grass is the softest surface, and by far, the most slippery and hardest to run on. Grass court shoes are distinctive from the others. They are the lightest and they have small rubber cleats on the outsole that grip to the soil underneath the grass. Even with the

cleats, it is very easy to slide and fall on this surface. Ankle sprains and muscle hyperextensions are very common injuries associated with the grass court surface. As preventative measures, many players do extensive strengthening ankle exercises and they often tape their ankles when playing on grass courts.

Remember that it is very important to use appropriate shoes for each surface, as well as replace them with new ones when the old ones wear away. Once the outsole design begins to fade out or the shoe’s support wears out, it is time for a new pair.

In order to prevent unnecessary ankle or foot injury, it is better to replace one’s tennis shoes before it’s too late.

Andrea Retolaza is Junior Director and Group Coordinator at Christopher Morley Tennis. She is a world-recognized tennis coach, specializing in biomechanics and injury prevention. She is the coach of top national juniors, and WTA players (Daniela Hantuchova, Arantxa Parra). Andrea also works for the Wake Forest Women’s Tennis program.

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Never Stop Learning

By Luke Jensen was thinking about all of you who follow this column and have been extremely loyal after all these years. I was thinking about your tennis … your wins, your losses, while looking ahead to see what is next. It came to me to ask you …

Are you improving? Do you feel that all of this time on the court practicing has translated to being a better tennis player under pressure when it counts in matches?

I see myself in my journey as a lifelong learner. I am constantly asking questions and writing things down to strengthen my approach to everything including tennis. My life these days is one long road trip. I tour the world conducting tennis clinics and exhibitions. I recently finished a “16 Cities in 16 Days” road trip where I picked up so many

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new approaches to both my playing and teaching of tennis.

When I go to a club, I like to sit down with the club’s pros and ask them what is working for them. I ask them about the state of tennis in their backyards and where do they see tennis in the next 20 years. These countless tennis directors, tennis pros and club staff have so much insight because they are living the game at so many levels each day. I ask them about their new approaches to building a better tennis player and the tennis community.

Now not all of the answers click with me right away. Because I am at their club for just one day, I do not experience the daily grind that they go through, but I listen and take notes.

What I have found is that, overall, the game of tennis is constantly evolving and improving. Mistakes are made from time to time, and then there is a quick correc-

tion to keep the ball moving.

I was in one tennis community that had more than 2,000 kids in their junior performance program. Another area had roughly 1,500 kids. Both programs talked about the many things they have tried and never got off the ground, while lessons learned from those setbacks inspired new thoughts and successes!

Some programs had more success with adults, while some were very successful with high school teams. In each case, there was a constant focus on evaluating the product, finding what is and what is not working. In each case, these tennis leaders were not afraid to try new directions and strategies to be successful.

So all of these experiences made me think of all of you out there … where are you with your tennis? Where are you with your mindset? I know personally that I am more enthusiastic about this game than ever before. In

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every capacity, as long as I am near a tennis court, playing or coaching, I am one happy camper! Tennis has become my passion and my calling because I am constantly learning more each day about our wonderful game.

So take a few moments and see where you are in your relationship with the game. Is it a healthy one, or does it seem like your progress has stalled? My advice would be to jumpstart your game by going back to basics. Ask yourself why you began playing in the first place. What drove you to hit those extra serves and spend all that extra time on the practice court?

If I’ve learned anything from Roger Federer these days it is that old dogs can learn new tricks! Fed’s backhand has improved from a liability to a weapon. Tune into your inner Fed and improve your game! It’s easy … just constantly listen to the message the ball is telling you and make the adjustments where necessary. For example, if your forehand shot goes into the net, the outcome is telling you to hit up on the ball on the next forehand to clear the net.

Sure, it seems simple but always remember what my brother Murphy says ... “Tennis is a very simple game played by very complicated

individuals,” and Murphy is always right!

I want to finish this edition on a very sad note. Tennis lost a great champion not too long ago and lost someone way too young.

If you followed big time tennis in the 1980’s and 1990’s, you followed one of America’s doubles greats, Ken Flach, who was part of a doubles team with Robert Seguso that dominated the tennis world right after John McEnroe & Peter Fleming. Robert “Goose” Seguso was a big power player in the deuce court, while Ken “The Flash” Flach was in the ad court, a tennis version of a massive black hole where all Flash did was rip returns back for winners! Flash was a return machine and a competitive Tomcat. Flach & Seguso competed and won Grand Slams at every level they played, from Davis Cup to the Olympics. They were feared because of their tennis intelligence as a team, while being ruthless competitors. Flash absolutely hated to lose more than anyone I ever knew.

He hated to lose in anything. In the players’ lounges, there would be various video games set up for the players to play during down times. I remember Ken constantly kicking the video game machine after mess-

ing up on some level of play.

As a young American pro moving up through the ranks, most veteran players saw me as a threat. Ken did not. He was extremely helpful to me, providing advice on all levels, from tactics and work ethic to my playing schedule. He was always available if I needed some assistance. Ken, with his George Clooney movie star smile, was always contributing and making everything better around him. If you competed against him, you hated him. If you watched him compete, you admired him, and if you were around him, he always made you laugh. See you on the next tour Flash … all of your tour buddies will miss you …

Born in Grayling, Mich., Luke Jensen’s resume includes 10 ATP Tour doubles titles and singles victories against Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, Ivan Lendl, John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg, Jimmy Connors, Boris Becker, Stefan Edberg and Jim Courier. Jensen and his brother, Murphy, won the 1993 French Open doubles title. He may be reached by phone at (315) 443-3552 or email LukeJensen84@yahoo.com.

LITennisMag.com • May/June 2018 • Long Island Tennis Magazine

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The Yips

By Dr. Tom Ferraro The yips are one of the most devastating and embarrassing afflictions that an athlete can experience.

Stories of athletes plagued with the yips occur in a variety of sports, including tennis, golf, gymnastics, football and baseball.

Chuck Knoblauch, the Golden Glove second basement for the New York Yankees, suddenly lost his ability to throw to first base. Tiger Woods and Ben Hogan, two of the best ball strikers in the history of golf, suffered with the yips in golf. Placekickers in football can come down with the yips. In tennis, Guillermo Coria, Dinara Safina, Ana Ivanovic, Elena Dementieva have all suffered with serving yips which led to as many as 17 double faults in a match. In this 60

column, I will explain what symptoms of the yips look like, explore the reasons put forth to explain their occurrence, and discuss how I treat an athlete suffering with the yips.

The yips are defined as “A sudden loss of fine motor skills that comes on without apparent explanation and is usually suffered by mature athletes with years of experience.” Often, the athlete experiences them when under great pressure and they report feelings of being frozen, helpless and ashamed. They will often change techniques in order to avoid the issue. Musicians often get this condition, as well as athletes.

Causes of the yips Medical researchers call the yips “Focal Dystonia” and they believe it is a neurolog-

Long Island Tennis Magazine • May/June 2018 • LITennisMag.com

ical disorder due to overuse or extreme repetitive stress. Twitches can occur anywhere in the body. I have seen golfers with leg yips, baseball catchers with throwing yips and gymnasts with vaulting yips. A milder form of the yips is referred to as “choking.”

Over the years, I have treated athletes with a variety of yips and this is what I learned. The precursors to the yips occur long before their arrival. It’s like a train that finally arrives at the station … it does not suddenly appear out of thin air. The train has been traveling a long way before its arrival.

I have seen an athlete with tennis yips and as we discussed how it developed, he finally realized that the actual cause was related to the tennis team he was on. The social atmosphere of the team was condescending and made him feel inferior and unwelcome.

Since the athlete was sensitive, the social atmosphere slowly and inevitably seeped into his mind and his body, and that’s when he developed the serving yips. More generally when serious athletes face year after year of increased competitive pressure, this invariably produces tension in the body which can easily manifest itself as the yips.

All high level sport performance requires smooth, graceful execution, with poise and relaxed muscles, and when you begin to introduce repetitive muscle tension due to stress, pressure or social negativity, sooner or later you will be faced with performance problems.

Forms of treatment What I have seen is that on the professional level, when athletes are experiencing chronic anxiety, they turn to either alcohol or marijuana to alleviate their stress. This is typically ineffective and can even cause more harm than good.

Their next step is to enlist a sports medicine doctor to prescribe either beta blockers, tranquilizers or anti-depressants. Dr. Gary I. Wadler’s classic text, Drugs and the

Athlete, shows that these are demonstrably ineffective in helping performance in any way.

The next step is to see a sport psychologist who has experience in this area. Uniformly, the first step in the psychological treatment of the yips is to help the athlete to understand the underlying causes of their career-threatening affliction. Over time, this helps them to rebuild their psyche, relax and gain more ego strength. During this phase of exploration, support and insight occurs, as the athlete also gains familiarity with their natural way of performing and are then given drills which instill that memory into their consciousness once again.

The cure for the yips is always a two-phased approach It is my belief that this delicate combination of both Phase One, insight into causes, and Phase Two, interventions containing mental drills, is the only real cure for the yips and for choking. Insight alone is not enough. Mental drills alone are not enough. What is needed is a slow,

unhurried approach which gives the athlete a chance to ventilate, get solace, gain understanding of how this developed, and by doing so, they develop confidence, more pride and ego strength along the way. When that happens, they are better able to use mental drills that help them grow familiar with the most effective mental cues during performance. Often, inexperienced practitioners forego the first phase of treatment and rush into Phase Two, which only leads to failure because the athlete must understand what has happened and build up ego strength first.

The yips are always embarrassing and depressing for the serious athlete, but despite common belief to the contrary, there really is a cure. The athlete can get back on track, and return to their winning ways, smiling and having some fun once again.

For consultations, treatment or on-site visits, contact Dr. Tom Ferraro Ph.D., Sport Psychologist, by phone at (516) 248-7189, e-mail DrTFerraro@aol.com or visit DrTomFerraro.com.

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

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or the third consecutive year, Sportime and John McEnroe Tennis Academy (JMTA) will host the 2018 John McEnroe Tennis Academy College Recruiting Combine, scheduled for the weekend of June 23-24, at Sportime Randall’s Island, the NYC home of JMTA. The Combine will provide select rising high school sophomores, juniors and seniors, from around the country and beyond, Sportime and JMTA students and non-Sportime/JMTA students, the opportunity to showcase their skills and athletic abilities in front of coaches from top colleges and universities.

“One of the driving forces at JMTA is our commitment to preparing our players for college tennis, and helping them to find their best college fit,” said John McEnroe.

“After an amazing first two years of the JMTA Combine, we are excited to be expanding the JMTA Combine in 2018 to include more coaches and more students, and we are confident that it will be a great resource for both.”

As in years past, coaches representing all three NCAA Divisions are expected to attend, and this year’s Combine will include coaches from Brown, Yale, Cornell, Dartmouth, Penn State, William & Mary, Wake

Forest, and many other top programs, with many more invited. Representatives from prestigious leagues, including the Ivy League, ACC, Big East, SEC, Big 10, Patriot League and NESCAC attended last year, and are expected again this year.

Player check-in will begin at 8:00 a.m. for all players on both Combine days. Participants will compete in singles and doubles match play with tracked results. Players will also receive athletic performance assessments, and will be invited to take part in men-

tal toughness seminars and in a College Coaches’ Panel Discussion. A new Combine partner, CIZR, will be video-recording all matches and will offer participant packages, including match videos with detailed analytics, which videos will be available for participants to send directly to college coaches.

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

Queens College Beats NYIT for ECC Title The Queens College Men’s Tennis Team captured the East Coast Conference (ECC) championship for the second consecutive year, defeating the New York Institute of Technology 5-0.

The Knights got off to a fast start by winning the three doubles flights, led by Gabriel Mendez & Lucas Martinez’s win at first doubles. Soon after, Roman Laga defeated Maxton Cook 6-2, 6-0 at third singles to inch the Knights closer to the win.

Richard Sec clinched the win for the Knights with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Rares Ispas at fourth singles.

Queens College now advances to the NCAA Tournament.

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Long Island Tennis Magazine • May/June 2018 • LITennisMag.com

Captain’s Meeting Kicks Off Summer 2018 Adult League Season

The USTA Eastern Long Island Region kicked off its Summer 2018 Season with its Annual Captain’s Meeting at Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury, N.Y. At the Meeting, schedules were distributed and a season preview was given, as new rules and guidelines were detailed by Adult League Coordinator Kathy Miller.

“I was very happy to see such a nice turnout again,” said Miller. “The Adult Leagues on Long Island are going strong, and there’s a lot of enthusiasm amongst the players. I’m hoping for a season of great sportsmanship and tennis!”

Miller addressed the crowd and introduced three additional speakers, Jonathan Klee, USTA Eastern LI President; Lauren Bull, Eastern Section League Coordinator; and Teresa deAnda, Marketing Coordinator for the New York Empire.

The Adult League is for players 18 years of age and older. Teams start at the 2.5 Level and go all the way to the 5.0 Level.

Levels 2.5 and 5.0 play one court of singles and two courts of doubles. All other levels, the 3.0, 3.5, 4.0 and 4.5 Levels, play two courts of singles and three courts of doubles. The Senior League is for players 50 years of age and older, and plays at the 3.0

to 4.5 Levels. All senior matches are three courts of doubles. The Super Senior League is for players 60 years of age and above, and they also play three courts of doubles. The level for Super Seniors are combined NTRP Ratings. There are divisions at the 6.0 Level for women (two 3.0 players or a 2.5 and 3.5), 7.0 for both men and women (two 3.5 players or a 3.0 and 4.0), 8.0 for both men and women (two 4.0

players or 3.5 and 4.5) and 9.0 for men (two 4.5 players or a 4.0 and 5.0). The League runs from mid-May through August.

For those interested in getting on a team, you can find out if there are still openings by e-mailing Kathy Miller at Kathym65@aol.com. In the e-mail, state your name, level of play and area where you live, and Kathy will reply with any teams that may still be in need of players.

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The Nicest Doubles Partner

By Peter Mendelsohn s the 1997 movie “Liar Liar” profoundly demonstrated, you cannot always tell the truth. It’s not that you have to lie, but there are situations in life that call for a slight distortion of the truth. For example,

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when your significant other asks you if you find one of their friends attractive.

You think, “Obviously! They’re extremely attractive.”

But you know that response would probably land you in the dog house. So instead, you pretend to deliberate, as if the thought had never occurred to you.

You say, “Umm, yeah, I suppose. I guess

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I can see why other people might find them attractive.”

You then look lovingly into the eyes of your partner, “But they’re just not my type.”

Your partner smiles and kisses you on the cheek. Whew … crisis averted.

Now, you probably wouldn’t have this conversation on the doubles court, but the need to carefully filter your thoughts, and express them in a way that is complimentary, as opposed to insulting, is a necessary tool to being a nice doubles partner. And you are the nicest doubles partner around, which is probably why your club has assigned you a terrible partner this afternoon. They know you’re the only person that can bear playing with him.

Oh well … might as well make the best of it.

The match Your team won the racket spin and elected to serve first. The only question is, who’s actually going to serve first? You have a harder and more consistent serve than your partner. Clearly, it should be you.

You say, “Umm, you go ahead. You can serve first.”

You think to yourself, “Don’t even think about accepting my offer.”

You better say, “No, you can serve first.”

This is kind of like who will pick up the check at dinner. You may offer to pick up the check, but you really hope that your wealthy friend refuses your goodwill and picks it up themselves.

You have to give your partner the option to serve first, but he better not take it.

Uh oh … he took it! Well, maybe his serve is better than you thought? Nope.

After accepting your offer to serve first, he doubled-faults twice and gifts your opponents the first game of the match.

Ugh. But it’s okay because you have been hitting your forehand really well lately, and you are confident it will help you break right back!

But wait a second … will your partner give you the forehand side? On queue, he asks you which side you’d prefer.

You say, “I’m happy either way, but I’m a bit more comfortable on the deuce side.”

You think to yourself, “Dude, my forehand is 10 times better than yours. I’m taking the forehand side. Don’t you dare try to argue.”

Your partner takes the forehand side.

He told you that he has an extremely powerful forehand. Powerful? Pshhh … sure it’s powerful, but has anyone one ever told him that consistency matters too?

Once every five forehands, he hits a winner, and looks at you with an arrogant, selfsatisfied smirk. But the other four balls smack into the net or sail three feet long.

After what feels like his 400th unforced error, he turns to you and apologizes.

You think, “Just get it in! I don’t care where you hit it. Just put it in the court!”

You say, “No, no, don’t worry. We all make mistakes … just have fun!”

In your view, it’s best to make your partner feel like you don’t care how poorly he plays and that you just want him to have a good time. Maybe he’ll feel a bit looser, and play better tennis.

This is what you tell yourself after all, besides, you would never criticize him. I mean, you are the nicest doubles partner at the club.

The aftermath You fought valiantly and tried your best to

make up for your partner’s shortcomings, but it wasn’t enough as you lost in straight sets. If only you had served first and taken the forehand side! But that’s not important. What’s important is that you were really nice and consistently said the “right thing” to your partner. That’s what matters. Right?

Before leaving the clubhouse that day, you pass by a framed photo of John McEnroe.

It had always been there, but you’d never really noticed it before. In the photo, Johnny Mac is animated, screaming at his doubles partner.

The plaque underneath the photo says that McEnroe won 78 Doubles Titles in his career, including nine Grand Slams. Hmm … Johnny Mac probably wasn’t the nicest doubles partner at his club.

Maybe you shouldn’t be so “nice” after all.

Peter Mendelsohn is the Owner of TennisDork.com. He is currently pursuing a degree in sports journalism. He may be reached by phone at (647) 984-5509 or email at Peter.R.Mendelsohn@gmail.com.

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A Comm Is Like a

By Lonnie Mitchel o it’s been seven seasons coaching a men’s and women’s tennis team, filled with young people who are just trying to find themselves. However, so many just don’t know the meaning of the word “Commitment.” It’s a special word that is associated with words like “Responsibility,” “Dedication” and “Obligation.”

I am going to associate the word commitment to tennis, and more specifically, collegiate tennis. Here is what a committed student/athlete tennis player sounds like …

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“I will finish college and honor the commitment I made to the coach. How can I impress the coach and keep doing better?

How can I topple the number one player on the squad? I must do better and try harder. I cannot go out to party as much as I used to because I have a match tomorrow. What can I change about myself so I can keep improving?”

This is what a student who is not committed might say …

“Well I gave it my best shot and it just did not work out. Playing collegiate tennis is overrated anyway. What does this mean anyway, I am not playing professional tennis? It does not matter in life after all I just don’t need to try that hard.”

So, if you are a coach of any sport, there are some important questions that you should ask a potential player if he/she is playing for the right reason. Coaches have to measure commitment and try and

mmitment to Tennis a Commitment to Life take it to the next level. This topic is important because I see it all too often, not just in tennis, but in all collegiate sports.

The commitment level for young people has really waned, and the rate of student/athletes is now at approximately 33 percent who do not continue on with their sport after their freshman year. I see that ring true on my tennis team at Oneonta State where the percentage indicated is pretty close and mirrors that statistic. So, what is the reason a tennis player might quit? There is a plethora of answers, but I will list a few … l They get cut as the players in college are better. l Not getting enough playing time. l The coach is recruiting better freshman coming in than the present skill level and you have to earn your spot every year. l Work ethic. l Losing passion for the sport. l The athlete does not work hard enough in the off-season. l The athlete does not train out-of-season independently. l The player cannot handle the daily grind, as it’s too taxing and pressurepacked. l The player does not take their student/athlete responsibilities seriously enough. Many athletes are very socially immature and it causes them to fail in college. l Some players get kicked out of school for underage drinking, or on-campus drinking or substance abuse.

Tennis is a difficult sport and just take a step back for a second and take a look at all of the things you have to worry about in the game …

l What kind of ball are you receiving? l Where on the court are you positioned? l What are your opponents’ skills and abilities and how do you break them down? l Where is your opponent positioned? l What type of surface are you playing on and what sort of adjustments need to be made? l What are the playing conditions and how well do you adapt to playing either inside or outside? l What is your own physical and/or mental state? l What is the score? l You are out there on your own … can you figure certain situations out on your own?

The game of tennis is demanding enough on its own without throwing collegiate level academics into the mix. It’s not for the faint of heart.

But those committed athletes and tennis players stand out when they go into the real world. Commitment is a strong word because those employers and grad schools will look at that trait to see if that person is committed. Employers want committed individuals as do graduate schools. While all sports and those athletes committed to their collegiate career are impressive, tennis players take life skills that are very unique and translate well to the workplace. One trait that stands out to me is that many sports are timed. There is a definitive ending when the buzzer sounds. A tennis match, in theory, can go on indefinitely without any defined finishing time. Remember the Australian Open final in 2012 that pitted Rafael Nadal against Novak Djokovic that lasted nearly six hours? The two com-

batants were mentally and physically spent beyond human comprehension.

They did not give into one another. If the match had lasted another two hours, I still do not believe either would have given in.

In college, you can play 25 or more matches over the course of a season, in both singles and doubles, over a two- or three-month campaign. One has to repeat that act of commitment over and over again during that time period. Tell that to a potential employer or grad school interviewer and I like your odds of getting the job or accepted to that school.

I am proud to give recommendations and references for those individuals who commit to their efforts on a collegiate tennis team. I am sad when a player quits and I cannot provide them the reference or recommendation they might need when they move on beyond college. Not because I do not want to help that person, but I cannot. That individual did not commit to something they said they would.

Commitment is hard, nobody said it was easy. A tennis game is when you have to dig down mentally and find that extra gear. Life works the same way and the commitment to succeed in any endeavor equivalent to those in tennis. It’s that simple … it’s hard and doing something hard and succeeding at it is well worth it.

Lonnie Mitchel is Head Men’s and Women’s Tennis Coach at SUNY Oneonta. Lonnie was named an Assistant Coach to Team USA for the 2013 Maccabiah Games in Israel for the Grand Master Tennis Division. Lonnie may be reached by phone at (516) 414-7202 or email LonnieMitchel@yahoo.com.

LITennisMag.com • May/June 2018 • Long Island Tennis Magazine

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directory LONG ISLAND TENNIS CLUB

Ross School Holly Li—Manager 18 Goodfriend Drive East Hampton, NY 11937 (631) 907-5162 HLi@Ross.org Ross.org/Tennis

Bethpage Park Tennis Center Andrea Pappas—Manager 99 Quaker Meeting House Road #1 Farmingdale, NY 11735 (516) 777-1358 BPTCenter@aol.com

Huntington Indoor Tennis Club Richard Rottkamp—Manager/Owner 100 Broadway Huntington Station, NY 11746 (631) 421-0040 HITennis@myway.com

Butch Seewagen Tennis Academy @ Rockville Centre CATS Jami Madison—Director 188 Maple Avenue Rockville Centre, NY 11570 (516) 763-1299, ext. 10 CATSRVC@gmail.com

New York Tennis Academy at Great Neck Estates Brian Stein and Chris Tasso—Co-Directors of Junior Tennis Program 12 Shore Drive Great Neck, NY 11021 (516) 233-2790

Shinnecock Tennis Club 125 Sandy Hollow Road Southampton, N.Y. (631) 283-3422 ShinnecockTennisClub.com

Carefree Racquet Club Kathy Miller—Manager 1414 Jerusalem Avenue Merrick, NY 11566 (516) 489-9005 CarefreeTennis@aol.com

Park Avenue Tennis 100 Partridge Lane Huntington, NY 11743 (631) 271-1810 ParkAveTennis.com

SPORTIME Amagansett (Open Seasonally) Sue de Lara—General Manager 320 Abrahams Path Amagansett, NY 11930 (631) 267-3460 Amagansett@SportimeNY.com SportimeNY.com/Amagansett

Christopher Morley Tennis Sandra Ion—General Manager 500 Searingtown Road Roslyn, NY 11576 (516) 214-1900 SIon@CMTTennis.com CMTTennis.com Early Hit Training Center at Port Washington Tennis Academy 100 Harbor Road Port Washington, N.Y. 11050 Carl Barnett: (516) 455-1225 EarlyHit1229@gmail.com Eastern Athletic Club—Dix Hills 854 E Jericho Turnpike Huntington Station, N.Y. 11746 (631) 271-6616 EasternAthleticClubs.com Future Stars Southampton Sean Johnson—General Manager 1370A Majors Path Southampton, N.Y. 11968 (631) 287-6707 FutureStarsSouthampton.com 68

Point Set Indoor Tennis Tonny vandePieterman—Director of Tennis 3065 New Street Oceanside, NY 11572 (516) 536-2323 Tonny@PointSetTennis.com PointSetTennis.com Port Washington Tennis Academy Manny Iqbal—Director of Tennis 100 Harbor Road Port Washington, NY 11050 (516) 883-6425 Tennis@PWTA.com PWTA.com Robbie Wagner’s Tournament Training Center at Glen Cove Stephen Alcala—Managing Partner 60 Sea Cliff Avenue Glen Cove, NY 11542 (516) 759-0505 RWTT.com

SPORTIME Bethpage Tennis Chris Leahy—General Manager Chelsea Riccio—Assistant General Manager Simon Childs—Director of Tennis 101 Norcross Avenue Bethpage, NY 11714 (516) 933-8500 CLeahy@SportimeNY.com SportimeNY.com/Bethpage-Tennis SPORTIME Kings Park Bea Bielik—General Manager Jason Wass—Regional Director of Tennis 275 Old Indian Head Road Kings Park, NY 11754 (631) 269-6300 JWass@SportimeNY.com Sportimeny.com/Kings-Park SPORTIME Lynbrook Bea Bielik—General Manager Vicki Weiss—Assistant General Manager Jason Wass—Regional Director of Tennis 175 Merrick Road Lynbrook, NY 11563 (516) 887-1330 JMorys@SportimeNY.com SportimeNY.com/Lynbrook

Long Island Tennis Magazine • May/June 2018 • LITennisMag.com

SPORTIME Quogue Rene Bond—General Manager Vanessa Heroux—Director of Tennis 2571 Quogue-Riverhead Road East Quogue, NY 11942 (631) 653-6767 RBond@SportimeNY.com SportimeNY.com/Quogue SPORTIME Randall’s Island Flagship Home of the John McEnroe Tennis Academy Michael Ward—General Manager Lawrence Kleger—Co-Director of Tennis, JMTA Patrick McEnroe—Co-Director of Tennis, JMTA One Randall’s Island New York, NY 10035 (212) 427-6150 MWard@SportimeNY.com SportimeNY.com/Manhattan SPORTIME Roslyn Jay Harris—General Manager/Director of Tennis Chelsea Riccio—Regional General Manager 1 Landing Road Roslyn, NY 11576 (516) 484-9222 JHarris@SportimeNY.com SportimeNY.com/Roslyn SPORTIME Syosset Tennis & Multi-Sport John McEnroe Tennis Academy, Long Island Chelsea Riccio—Regional General Manager Mike Kossoff—Director of Tennis/JMTA 75 Haskett Drive Syosset, NY 11791 (516) 364-2727 MKossoff@SportimeNY.com SportimeNY.com/Syosset-Tennis USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center Whitney Kraft—Director of Tennis Flushing Meadows Corona Park Flushing, NY 11568 (718) 760-6200 USTA.com

USTA/Long Island Region 2018

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

MAY 2018 Friday-Sunday, May 4-6 L2 Early May Open Long Beach Tennis Center 899 Monroe Boulevard Long Beach, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 12 (FMLC); Intermediate Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 14-18 (SE); and Intermediate Boys & Girls Doubles 78’ Yellow Ball 1218 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 for first singles, $28 for first doubles, $28 for additional doubles (deadline for entries is Wednesday, May 2 at 1:00 p.m.)

For more information, e-mail Andrew@LongBeachTennisCenter.com or call (516) 432-6060.

Friday-Sunday, May 4-6 L1B Bethpage State Park Spring Challenger Bethpage Park Tennis Center 99 Quaker Meeting House Road Farmingdale, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 12 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, April 30 at 1:00 p.m.)

For more information, e-mail RBecker06@yahoo.com or call (516) 359-4843.

Friday-Sunday, May 4-6 L1B Sportime Syosset May Challenger Sportime-Syosset 75 Haskett Drive Syosset, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 14 (SE) Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Sunday, April 29 at 1:00 p.m.)

For more information, e-mail KSorokko@SportimeNY.com or call (516) 364-2727.

Friday-Sunday, May 4-6 L1B Port Washington Tennis Challenger Port Washington Tennis Academy 100 Harbor Road Port Washington, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 16 (SE) Surface Type: Clay Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Sunday, April 29 at 1:00 p.m.)

For more information, e-mail Ruiz.Clark@yahoo.com or call (516) 883-6425.

Friday-Sunday, May 4-6 L1B Point Set May Challenger Point Set Tennis 3065 New Street • Oceanside, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 18 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Sunday, April 29 at 1:00 p.m.)

For more information, e-mail Ruiz.Clark@yahoo.com or call (917) 991-0088.

Saturday-Sunday, May 5-6 Youth Progression L1 Green Ball, Glen Cove Robbie Wagner Tournament Training at Glen Cove 60 Sea Cliff Avenue • Glen Cove, N.Y. Divisions: Green Level 1 Boys & Girls 10 and Under Singles 78’ Green Ball 10 (NEF) Surface Type: Clay Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, April 23 at 11:59 p.m.)

For more information, e-mail StephenAAlcala@gmail.com or call (516) 759-0505.

Saturday, May 5 Youth Progression Orange Ball L1 Sportime Bethpage Sportime Bethpage 101 Norcross Avenue Bethpage, N.Y. Divisions: Orange Level 1 Boys & Girls 10 and Under Singles 60’ Orange Ball 10 (NEF) Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $48.88 per player (deadline for entries is Sunday, April 29 at 11:59 p.m.)

For more information, e-mail KSorokko@SportimeNY.com or call (516) 933-8500.

Friday-Sunday, May 11-13 L2 Mid May Championships Long Beach Tennis Center 899 Monroe Boulevard Long Beach, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 12 (FRLC); Intermediate Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 14-16 (SE); Intermediate Boys Doubles 78’ Yellow Ball 14-16 (SE); and Intermediate Girls Doubles 78’ Yellow Ball 12-16 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 for first singles, $28 for first doubles, $28 for Saturday, May 5 additional doubles (deadline for entries is Wednesday, May 9 at Youth Progression L2 Orange Ball East Setauket 1:00 p.m.)

World Gym Racquet & Sports Arena For more information, e-mail 384 Mark Tree Road • East Setauket, N.Y. Divisions: Orange Level 2 Boys & Girls 10 and Under Singles 60’ Andrew@LongBeachTennisCenter.com or call (516) 432-6060.

Orange Ball 10 (NEF) Surface Type: Clay Indoor Entry Fee: $48.88 per player (deadline for entries is Saturday, April 28 at 1:00 p.m.)

For more information, e-mail VTAPR@hotmail.com or call or call (631) 751-6100.

2013 ETA Recipient “Innovative Tennis Program of the Year” LI’s first Tennis Academy devoted to the USTA’s 10 & under Initiative.

Butch Seewagen is a former varsity coach at Columbia University.

He holds over 15 national and international titles and is the owner/program director of the Children’s Athletic Training Schools.

For Boys and Girls 3 – 10 years old.

188 Maple Avenue • Rockville Centre Phone: 516-763-1299 catsrvc@gmail.com

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USTA/Long Island Region 2018

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

Friday-Sunday, May 11-13 L2 Sportime Syosset May Open Sportime-Syosset • 75 Haskett Drive • Syosset, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 12 (FMLC); and Intermediate Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 1416 (SE) Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Sunday, May 6 at 1:00 p.m.)

For more information, e-mail KSorokko@SportimeNY.com or call (516) 364-2727.

Friday-Sunday, May 11-13 L1B Hofstra University Spring Junior Challenger Hofstra University 214 Physical Education Center • Hempstead, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys & Girls Singles & Doubles 78’ Yellow Ball 16-18 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Entry Fee: $54.25 for first singles, $28 for first doubles (deadline for entries is Monday, May 7 at 1:00 p.m.)

For more information, e-mail JasonVPasion@hotmail.com or call (516) 463-4968.

Friday-Sunday, May 11-13 L1B Anuj Agarwal Memorial Challenger at Deer Park Deer Park Tennis Club 30 Burt Drive • Deer Park, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 14 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Sunday, May 6 at 1:00 p.m.)

For more information, e-mail DeerParkTennis@optimum.net or call (646) 919-1897.

Friday-Sunday, May 18-20 L1B Sportime Syosset May Challenger Sportime-Syosset 75 Haskett Drive • Syosset, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 14 (SE) Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Sunday, May 13 at 1:00 p.m.)

For more information, e-mail KSorokko@SportimeNY.com or call (516) 364-2727.

Friday-Sunday, May 18-20 L1B PWTA May Challenge Port Washington Tennis Academy 100 Harbor Road Port Washington, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 16 (SE) Surface Type: Clay Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Sunday, May 13 at 1:00 p.m.)

For more information, e-mail Ruiz.Clark@yahoo.com or call (917) 991-0088.

Friday-Sunday, May 18-20 L1B PTST May Challenger Point Set Tennis 3065 New Street Oceanside, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 12 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Sunday, May 13 at 1:00 p.m.)

For more information, e-mail Ruiz.Clark@yahoo.com or call (917) 991-0088.

Friday-Sunday, May 18-20 L2 May Open at Huntington Huntington Indoor Tennis 100 Broadway Huntington Station, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 12 (FMLC); Intermediate Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 14-18 (SE); and Intermediate Boys & Girls Doubles 78’ Yellow Ball 14-18 (SE) Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 for first singles, $28 for first doubles (deadline for entries is Saturday, May 12 at 1:00 p.m.)

For more information, call (631) 421-0040.

Saturday, May 19 Youth Progression Orange Level 2; May Open Long Beach Tennis Center 899 Monroe Boulevard Long Beach, N.Y. Divisions: Orange Level 2 Boys & Girls 10 and Under Singles 60’ Orange Ball 10 (NEF) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $48.88 per player (deadline for entries is Sunday, May 13 at 11:59 p.m.)

For more information, e-mail ACamacho77@hotmail.com or call (516) 432-6060.

Saturday, May 19 Youth Progression Orange L1: East Hampton Ross School Tennis Academy 18 Goodfriend Drive East Hampton, N.Y. Divisions: Orange Level 1 Boys & Girls 10 and Under Singles 60’ Orange Ball 10 (NEF) Surface Type: Clay Entry Fee: $48.88 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, May 14 at 11:59 p.m.)

For more information, e-mail CSidor@Ross.org or call (631) 907-5162.

Saturday-Sunday, May 19-20 Youth Progression Green L1 East Setauket World Gym Racquet & Sports Arena 384 Mark Tree Road East Setauket, N.Y. Divisions: Green Level 1 Boys & Girls 10 and Under Singles 78’ Green Ball 10 (NEF) Surface Type: Clay Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Sunday, May 6 at 11:59 p.m.)

For more information, e-mail VTAPR@hotmail.com or call or call (631) 751-6100.

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USTA/Long Island Region 2018

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

Sunday, May 20 Youth Progression Orange L2: 27tennis Hamptons 27tennis • 2145 Montauk Highway • Amagansett, N.Y. Divisions: Orange Level 2 Boys & Girls 10 and Under Singles 60’ Orange Ball 10 (NEF) Surface Type: Clay Entry Fee: $48.88 per player (deadline for entries is Sunday, May 13 at 11:59 p.m.)

For more information, e-mail Neal@27tennis.com or call or call (631) 260-1480.

Friday-Monday, May 25-28 Eastern Super Six Section Championships at RWTTC Robbie Wagner Tournament Training at Glen Cove 60 Sea Cliff Avenue • Glen Cove, N.Y. Divisions: Super 6 Event Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 16 (FIC-R16) Surface Type: Clay Indoor Entry Fee: $129.50 per player (deadline for entries is Tuesday, May 15 at 1:00 p.m.)

For more information, e-mail RWagner968@aol.com or call (516) 759-0505.

Friday-Monday, May 25-28 L1B World Gym June Challenger World Gym Racquet & Sports Arena 384 Mark Tree Road • East Setauket, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 14 (SE) Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, May 21 at 1:00 p.m.)

For more information, e-mail VTAPR@hotmail.com or call or call (631) 751-6100.

Friday-Monday, May 25-28 L1A Memorial Championships at Ross School Ross School Tennis Academy 18 Goodfriend Drive • East Hampton, N.Y. Divisions: Championships Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 1618 (SE) Surface Type: Clay Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, May 21 at 1:00 p.m.)

For more information, e-mail CSidor@Ross.org or call (631) 907-5162.

Friday-Monday, May 25-28 Eastern Super Six Section Championships at Point Set Point Set Tennis 3065 New Street Oceanside, N.Y. Divisions: Super 6 Event Boys Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 12 (FIC-R16) Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $129.50 per player (deadline for entries is Tuesday, May 15 at 1:00 p.m.)

For more information, e-mail Ruiz.Clark@yahoo.com or call (917) 991-0088.

Friday-Sunday, May 25-27 L1B LBTC Memorial Challenger Long Beach Tennis Center 899 Monroe Boulevard Long Beach, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys & Girls Singles & Doubles 78’ Yellow Ball 14-16 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 for first singles, $28 for first doubles, $28 for additional doubles (deadline for entries is Wednesday, May 23 at 1:00 p.m.)

For more information, e-mail Andrew@LongBeachTennisCenter.com or call (516) 432-6060.

Saturday-Sunday, May 26-27 L3 27tennis Hamptons Round Robin 27tennis 2145 Montauk Highway • Amagansett, N.Y. Divisions: Level 3 Boys Singles 78’ Green Ball 12, 78’ Yellow Ball 14-18 (RR); and Level 3 Girls Singles 78’ Green Ball 12, 16, 78’ Yellow Ball 14, 18 (RR) Surface Type: Clay Entry Fee: $43.50 for one event; $46 for two events; additional fees may apply if registered in three or more events (deadline for entries is Tuesday, May 22 at 1:00 p.m.)

For more information, e-mail Neal@27tennis.com or call or call (631) 260-1480.

Saturday-Monday, May 26-28 L1B Sportime Amagansett May 2018 Challenger Sportime Amagansett 320 Abrahams Path • Amagansett, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 12,18 (SE) Surface Type: Clay Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Tuesday, May 22 at 1:00 p.m.)

For more information, e-mail HSromova@SportimeNY.com or call or call (631) 267-3460.

Sunday-Monday, May 27-28 L1B 27tennis Hamptons Challenger Memorial Day Weekend 27tennis • 2145 Montauk Highway • Amagansett, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 16 (SE) Surface Type: Clay Entry Fee: $52.10 per player (deadline for entries is Wednesday, May 23 at 1:00 p.m.)

For more information, e-mail Neal@27tennis.com or call or call (631) 260-1480.

Friday-Monday, May 25-28 Eastern Super Six Section Championships at Port Washington Port Washington Tennis Academy 100 Harbor Road • Port Washington, N.Y. Divisions: Super 6 Event Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 12 (FIC-R16) Surface Type: Clay Indoor Entry Fee: $129.50 per player (deadline for entries is Tuesday, May 15 at 1:00 p.m.)

For more information, e-mail Ruiz.Clark@yahoo.com or call (516) 883-6425.

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USTA/Long Island Region 2018

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

JUNE 2018 Friday-Sunday, June 1-3 L1B Sportime Syosset June Challenger Sportime-Syosset 75 Haskett Drive Syosset, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 14 (SE) Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Sunday, May 27 at 11:59 p.m.)

For more information, e-mail KSorokko@SportimeNY.com or call (516) 364-2727.

Friday-Sunday, June 1-3 L2 LBTC Welcome to Summer Open Long Beach Tennis Center 899 Monroe Boulevard Long Beach, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 12 (FMLC); Intermediate Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 14-18 (SE); and Intermediate Boys & Girls Doubles 78’ Yellow Ball 1218 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 for first singles, $28 for first doubles (deadline for entries is Wednesday, May 30 at 1:00 p.m.)

For more information, e-mail Andrew@LongBeachTennisCenter.com or call (516) 432-6060.

Friday-Sunday, June 1-3 L2 EAC Spring Open Eastern Athletic Club-Blue Point 9 Montauk Highway, Unit A • Blue Point, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 12 (FRLC); and Intermediate Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 1418 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, May 28 at 1:00 p.m.)

For more information, e-mail eacjrtennis@gmail.com or call (631) 363-6063.

Friday-Sunday, June 1-3 L1B PWTA Challenger Port Washington Tennis Academy 100 Harbor Road • Port Washington, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 12, 18 (SE) Surface Type: Clay Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Sunday, May 27 at 1:00 p.m.)

For more information, e-mail Ruiz.Clark@yahoo.com or call (516) 883-6425.

Friday-Sunday, June 1-3 L1B Point Set June Challenger Point Set Tennis 3065 New Street • Oceanside, N.Y. Divisions: Intermediate Boys Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 12, 18 (SE) Surface Type: Hard Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Sunday, May 27 at 1:00 p.m.)

For more information, e-mail Ruiz.Clark@yahoo.com or call (917) 991-0088.

Friday-Sunday, June 1-3 L1B Huntington Heat Wave Challenger Huntington Indoor Tennis 100 Broadway • Huntington Station, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 16 (SE) Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Friday, May 18 at Noon) For more information, e-mail HITennis@HITennisNY.com or call (631) 421-0040.

Saturday-Sunday, June 2-3 Youth Progression L1 Green Ball, Glen Cove Robbie Wagner Tournament Training at Glen Cove 60 Sea Cliff Avenue • Glen Cove, N.Y. Divisions: Green Level 1 Boys & Girls 10 and Under Singles 78’ Green Ball 10 (NEF) Surface Type: Clay Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Sunday, May 27 at 11:59 p.m.)

For more information, e-mail StephenAAlcala@gmail.com or call (516) 759-0505.

Saturday, June 2 Youth Progression Orange L2: East Hampton Ross School Tennis Academy 18 Goodfriend Drive • East Hampton, N.Y. Divisions: Orange Level 2 Boys & Girls 10 and Under Singles 60’ Orange Ball 10 (NEF) Surface Type: Clay Entry Fee: $48.88 per player (deadline for entries is Sunday, May 27 at 11:59 p.m.)

For more information, e-mail CSidor@Ross.org or call (631) 907-5162.

Friday-Sunday, June 8-10 L1B World Gym June Challenger World Gym Racquet & Sports Arena 384 Mark Tree Road • East Setauket, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 14 (SE) Surface Type: Unknown Entry Fee: $54.25 per player (deadline for entries is Monday, May 21 at 1:00 p.m.)

For more information, e-mail VTAPR@hotmail.com or call or call (631) 751-6100.

Friday-Sunday, June 8-10 L1B RWTTC June Challenger Robbie Wagner Tournament Training at Glen Cove 60 Sea Cliff Avenue • Glen Cove, N.Y. Divisions: Challenger Boys & Girls Singles 78’ Yellow Ball 18 (SE) Surface Type: Clay Indoor Entry Fee: $54.25 per player For more information, e-mail RWagner968@aol.com or call (516) 759-0505.

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