New York Tennis Magazine May / June 2022

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May/June 2022 • Volume 12, Number 3

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Table Of Contents

MAGAZINE

Iga’s Reign

New York Tennis Magazine

Now the world’s highest-ranked woman, Swiatek has sights set on more —See page 1

1228 Wantagh Avenue, Suite 203 Wantagh, NY 11793-2202 Phone: (516) 409-4444 • Fax: (516) 409-4600

Photo credit: Andrew Ong/USTA

Web site: www.nytennismag.com

Staff David Sickmen Publisher (516) 409-4444, ext. 309 david@usptennis.com Brian Coleman Senior Editor (516) 409-4444, ext. 326 brianc@usptennis.com

Highlights 22 Junior Player Spotlight: Michael Zheng, Dwight Global Online School

By Brian Coleman 28 2022 French Open Preview 32 Pickleball On The Rise!

44 Tennis in the Hamptons 2022 50 Parsa’s Picks

Joey Arendt Art Director Marie Santora-Lent Advertising Coordinator (516) 409-4444, ext. 301 Marie@usptennis.com Emilie Katz Assistant Marketing Coordinator Dr. Tom Ferraro Contributing Writer Luke Jensen Contributing Writer Steve Kaplan Contributing Writer Rob Polishook Contributing Writer Barbara Wyatt Contributing Writer

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

Article Submissions/Press Releases To submit any material, including articles and press releases, please call (516) 409-4444 or e-mail info@usptennis.com. The deadline for submissions is the first of the month preceding the target issue.

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

Fax subscription changes to (516) 409-1600.

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

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Features 4 6 8 10 16 20 21 24 27 38 40 42 52 54 55 56 59 60 61 62 63

Across Metro New York…News and Notes From Across the New York Metro Tennis Community USTA Eastern Tennis Conference Returns to In Person Professional Children’s School: Combining Education With Tennis Dreams Rising High School Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors Invited to Participate in Annual JMTA College Recruiting Combine USTA-U Looks Back on “Original 7” Graduating Class Metro Adult League Wrap-Up By Christopher Dong Silent Partner Tennis Ball Machines: The Machine with Muscle USTA Eastern Metro Region Update The Gift of Loving Tennis By Tal Sosnov The Top Ten Tennis of All-Time Part Three: Champions Do Not Fear Success By Dr. Tom Ferraro Talented But Lazy… By Gilad Bloom Summer Camp Pitfalls By Chris Lewit You Win the Spin of the Racquet: What Should You Do? By Lawrence Kleger Metro Corporate League Recap presented by Advantage Tennis Clubs High School Tennis: Success is Built on Preparation By Jose Funes Creating a High-Performance Program By Joao Pinho But I Don’t Want To By Barbara Wyatt The Secret to Being Your Best: Balance On and Off The Court

By Rob Polishook Serve and Volley is Coming Back By Steve Annacone Strawberries, Pickles and Cream? By Steve Kaplan The Jensen Zone: Rafa Magic Down Under By Luke Jensen New York Tennis Magazine is published bi-monthly by United Sports Publications Ltd. • Copyright © 2022 United Sports Publications Ltd.

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Across Metro Ne N Hoo Wins L4 Title Carrie-Anne Hoo, who trains at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, captured the title at the L4 Sportsplex Championships.

Hoo won all of her matches in straight sets to earn the 14U girls singles title.

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Ross School Tennis Academy Hosts Pro-Am

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2022 • NYTennisMag.com

The Ross School Tennis Academy hosted a Pro-Am at its facility out in East Hampton. The event featured excellent tennis, with Lysander Bouvard & Lucas Freitas coming away victorious in the end.

New York

… News and notes from across the N.Y. Metro tennis community Jain Wins Centercourt’s Men’s L6 Championship

MatchPoint NYC Hosts Junior Development Tournament MatchPoint NYC in Brooklyn hosted a Junior Development Tournament which featured more than 50 players across five different divisions as the young players showcased their improvement. The winners were: Boys & Girls 10 & Under Camilla M. Advanced Boys Daniel B. Advanced Girls Nicoletta D. Boys 10 & over Steven B. Girls 10 & over Laleshka A.

Centercourt Performance Tennis Academy plays host to an array of weekly tournaments, and that includes adult-level singles and doubles events. Abhinav Jain won one of those recent events as he captured the title in the L6 Men’s USTA event at Centercourt Chatham.

RIRC Hosts Fundraiser

Roosevelt Island Racquet Club hosted a fundraiser to raise money in support of Ukraine. The Ukrainian National Women’s League of America got together at the club to play tennis and to talk about what medical supplies and other materials were needed. In all, the participants helped to raise nearly $10,000.

Park Wins L6 Title Norah Park, who trains at CourtSense Tennis Training Center, captured the title at the L6 CourtSense Championships at Bogota Racquet Club.

Park won the Girls 14s division, and her run included semifinals. the in down set coming back from a

Chandler, Friedman Win National Doubles Title Summer Chandler & Leena Friedman captured the title at the USTA National Level 3 Open in Peachtree Corners, Ga. The two John McEnroe Tennis Academy players had a dominant run en route to the Girls 16s Doubles Championship.

NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2022 • New York Tennis Magazine

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USTA Eastern Tennis Conference

Returns to In Person

Photo credit: Dave Dellinger/USTA Eastern

or the first time in two years, the annual USTA Eastern Tennis Conference returned to an inperson event, as tennis enthusiasts from across the Section gathered at the Sheraton Mahwah Hotel in New Jersey back in March.

The event serves as a great way to bring together all categories of the tennis industry in the Eastern Section to discuss the upcoming year of tennis.

“We were ecstatic to be able to hold the conference in-person this year,” said USTA Eastern Executive Director Jenny Schnitzer. “Such a major part of the event is bringing members of our local tennis community together, helping facilitate connections.”

For the past two years, the event was held virtually, with seminars and panels held over Zoom. While still effective, there is something unique about being able to meet in person

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which allows for even further growth to be fostered, as Schnitzer explained: “In person, you’ll see a tennis provider from Long Island run into a tennis provider from Buffalo. They’ll stop and chat about the different programs they’re running, about what’s working and what they hope to do later in the year. Those connections are such a key component of the conference and something that you really can only get when everyone can gather together.”

The Conference once again featured workshops, panels and other seminars, including a presentation by two-time Olympic Fencer Nzingha Prescod.

Of course, the highlight of the conference is the Awards Ceremony that takes place at night, as Eastern is able to honor and celebrate those who have made a positive difference in our community over the last year.

“We were really happy to celebrate

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2022 • NYTennisMag.com

our annual award winners in person,” said Schnitzer. “The recipients we selected have really elevated the sport in our section, and they’ve worked extraordinarily hard during some undeniably difficult times over the last two years. We felt very fortunate to be able to hold a ceremony to honor them.”

The Annual Tennis Conference is a great sailing off point for what is to come in tennis in our area for the rest of the year.

“This is honestly such an exciting time for the sport. Tennis participation is up, and it is particularly up in our section,” added Schnitzer. “All weekend, you could feel a lot of positive energy and excitement from everyone in attendance. Everybody knows what a moment this is for the growth of the game, and we're all ready to hit the ground running for the remainder of the year.”

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NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2022 • New York Tennis Magazine

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Professional Children’s School Combining Education with Tennis Dreams

ou don’t have to choose between your tennis dreams and a great education.

Juggling the demands of training & competitions with traditional school can be a challenge for any young scholar-athlete however committed they and their families are to an academic education.

Professional Children’s School has been helping young people and their families navigate those challenges for over 100 years.

Professional Children’s School is a “real” school with a full-time schedule of classroom learning, while offering the opportunities for distance/remote learning when it’s necessary for students to travel, train or compete. The school offers a college prep curriculum in grades 6-12 that is both challenging and engaging and tailored to each individual student’s needs. The schedule is designed to be flexible, allowing students to balance time in school with professional demands outside, and the PCS community of master educators and devoted peers provides the social and emotional support children need to excel.

A healthy teacher/student ratio ensures that students are known and cared for by many adults.

Students meet regularly with advisors, who serve as their primary advocates and help balance their academic goals with their professional commitments.

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WTA Tour professional Kristie Ahn is a 2010 graduate of Professional Children’s School.

Understanding that each student is unique not only in their pursuits but in their abilities, the school offers the support of a full-time learning specialist. Whether a student needs help transitioning from another school, developing study skills, or working with mild learning differences, the school ensures that students have the tools to succeed.

Professional Children’s School graduates are regularly accepted in the most competitive colleges and universities in the country.

PCS is a dynamic community— students come from all over the world, from public schools and private schools, and from a host of different economic and ethnic backgrounds. The student body

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2022 • NYTennisMag.com

includes actors and singers, tennis players and ice skaters, entrepreneurs, dancers and equestrians who share a common passion—they know what it’s like not to have time for after school activities, what it’s like to balance homework and practice, and what it is to find fulfillment from reaching the highest levels of their craft.

At many schools, the myriad demands placed on professional and pre-professional students are in competition with each other: class work and career, practice and study, mind and body, flexibility and routine. PCS ensures that homework levels are reasonable and grade level-appropriate and that the school allows the flexibility students often need, while maintaining the integrity of its curriculum. At Professional Children’s School, students’ aspirations for excellence are recognized as integral to who they are, and the school community is dedicated to helping students achieve their academic goals in partnership with their professional goals.

Located in Manhattan’s Lincoln Square neighborhood, a block from Columbus Circle, the school’s modern facilities include science labs, drama & art rooms, cafeteria, auditorium and gymnasium. At Professional Children’s School, students don’t need to choose between a great education and their dreams.

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NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2022 • New York Tennis Magazine

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Rising High School Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors Invited to Participate in Annual JMTA College Recruiting Combine

elping young athletes attend the colleges of their choice, on full tennis scholarships when possible, is a foundational goal of SPORTIME and of the John McEnroe Tennis Academy (JMTA). With dozens of JMTA students currently competing at top colleges across the country, today the Academy announced the Sixth Annual, 2022, John McEnroe Tennis Academy College Recruiting Combine, scheduled for the weekend of June 25-26, to be held at SPORTIME Randall's Island, the New York City home of JMTA. The Combine, a substantial success in its first five years, will again give select rising high school sophomores, juniors and seniors, from around the country and beyond, JMTA students and non-JMTA students, the opportunity to showcase their technical and tactical tennis skills, and their athletic abilities, in front of coaches from top colleges and

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universities. Last year, the Combine introduced a new live-streaming platform, which gave players the opportunity to perform for more coaches than ever before, as over 100 coaches from across the country “attended” the event, virtually, adding to those who attended in-person.

“One of the driving forces at JMTA is our commitment to preparing our players for college tennis, and to helping them find the colleges and universities that best suit their needs,” said John McEnroe. “After an amazing first five years of the JMTA Combine, we are excited about growing it in upcoming years. As our world-class facility on Randall’s Island expands, to include more coaches and more students, we are confident that it will continue to be a great resource for both.”

John is referencing the expansion of SPORTIME Randall’s Island from a 20court to a 30-court facility, along with

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2022 • NYTennisMag.com

many other related improvements, currently underway. In the context of the expansion construction, 10 of SPORTIME’s 20 courts will be under construction from June through August, 2022, which is why, for JMTA Combine 2022, enrollment is limited to only 40 boys and 40 girls. Despite slightly reduced capacity in 2022, coaches representing all three NCAA Divisions are expected to attend.

2022 commitments to-date have been more impressive than ever, including coaches from Brown, Baylor, Cornell, Dartmouth, Penn State, William & Mary, Wake Forest, and many other top programs, with many more coaches expected to confirm their attendance before the Combine.

Representatives from prestigious leagues, including the Ivy League, ACC, Big East, SEC, Big 10, Patriot League and NESCAC attended in previous years, and are expected again this year.

Interested players may get more information and apply to participate in the Combine at www.Sportime.com/JMTACombine.

Combine applications will be accepted through May 31 for the 80 Combine spots available for 40 boys and 40 girls. The Combine Selection Committee will evaluate each application based upon objective criteria, and applicants will be informed of their status as “admitted” or “wait-listed”. Those who are wait-

listed will be contacted if they are, subsequently, admitted.

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 that count toward their UTRs. Players will also receive athletic performance assessments, and will be invited to participate in Sports Vision Testing and in a College Coaches’ Panel Discussion. Combine partner, Tennis Analytics, will be video-

recording all matches and will offer participant packages, including match videos with detailed analytics.

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

For further details, visit www.SPORTIMENY.com/JMTACombin e or email jmtacombine@sportimeny.com.

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NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2022 • New York Tennis Magazine

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Iga’s Reign Now the world’s highest-ranked woman, Swiatek has sights set on more

By Brian Coleman

hen Ash Barty unexpectedly retired earlier this year, it left a void at the top of the women’s rankings. She was the world number one and had been for a couple of years, but her departure meant it was time for someone else to take that mantle.

Enter Iga Swiatek.

The 20-year-old from Poland catapulted to the top spot in the world rankings back in March, but it was not solely based on Barty leaving the tour. Her place atop the rest of the world came on the heels of a dominant beginning to the year, racking up titles in Doha, Indian Wells and Miami.

By winning in Indian Wells and Miami, Swiatek became only the fourth woman to ever complete the Sunshine Double. At the end of Miami, Swiatek was the top-ranked women in the world, and she sits more than 2,000 ranking points ahead of second-ranked Barbora Krejcikova.

“At the beginning it felt a little bit like I had to pinch myself. It was a bit surreal and overwhelmed me,” Swiatek said on becoming the world number one. “But it happened during the Miami Open and I still had to concentrate on my tennis and the next match, so that helped me to stay the same kind of player I was even before I became world No. 1. There were a lot of emotions but I had to postpone them to after the tournament so I could stay focused and play well.”

She did just that, and remained grounded while she completed her run in Miami. When it was over, she was able to take it all in, and had to sort through an array of messages and congratulations on her phone.

“I got a lot of messages. My phone, for three days, it was like my birthday with messages from everywhere,” she recalled. “A lot of people congratulated me. Ash [Barty] for example. She was one of the first people that texted me. Lots of players onsite too [in Miami], so that was very nice. Rafa [Nadal] texted me as well, and many people on Instagram and Twitter. I can’t remember everyone.”

Barty heaped praise upon Swiatek: "There is no better person. The way that she's brought this fresh, fearless energy onto the court has been incredible. I hope she can take it and still be her,

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Photo credit: Brad Penner/USTA

NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2022 • New York Tennis Magazine

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iga’s reign continued from page 12

do it her own way, and really chase what she's after in her career and her dreams."

Those tennis dreams for Swiatek began when she first got into tennis.

She started playing because, like a lot of younger siblings, she saw her older sister Agata playing and she wanted to not only be like her, but also beat her. While injury troubles would halt the path of Agata’s, career, Iga had developed into a talented junior who rose as high as No. 5 in the ITF World Junior rankings.

A couple of years later, in 2019, Swiatek began competing in WTAtour level events, and would soon be making her way to the top.

Swiatek’s rise has been on a steady trajectory over the last two years and she had her breakthrough when she won the 2020 French Open, an

Photo credit: Andrew Ong/USTA

event that started when she was ranked just 54th in the world.

En route to that title, she knocked off former champion and second-

TENNIS TENN NIS NIS FoR FoR EVER RYoNE RYoNE E EVERYoNE ALL SUMMER SUM MMER LONG! LONG! O

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New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2022 • NYTennisMag.com

ranked Simona Halep, and then beat American Sofia Kenin in the finals.

In doing so, Swiatek became the first player from Poland to win a Slam title, and the lowest-ranked French Open champion in the history of the WTA rankings.

That quick rise to fame and notoriety can be difficult on someone so young, and the pitfalls that come with it are easy to fall into. But Swiatek was able to handle the expectations due to her work with a sports psychologist, which she says greatly helped her ability to navigate the muddy waters associated with fame.

“When I started to work with Daria [Abramowicz] in 2019, my main goal was to improve things on court, being more focused and in control of my emotions,” said Swiatek. “But then it switched to talking more about my personal life, working on my confidence as a person, and growing up, dealing with popularity, or the business side

of the sport. I feel we’ve been working on everything.”

That work went a long way to helping Swiatek after winning the French Open, and that work continues now that she has become the No. 1 women’s player in the world.

“Since the big thing happened, when I won in Roland Garros, I didn’t have time to chill out. I felt like I always needed to chase something, prepare for the next season and those big expectations,” she said.

“And now that I’m No.1, it only doubles. So it feels like we had a lot of work with Daria. She’s really helpful. It’s necessary for my team to take care of me. My coach takes care of my tennis, my physio takes care of my body, but I also need someone to be there for me when I want and need to talk.

I want to have fun, play good and

do the best I can. But I don’t want to lose myself. I want to enjoy my life on tour, so I’m trying to keep it cool.”

Swiatek will use that well-rounded environment she has put herself in to attack the next challenge in front of her, and at present moment, that is the French Open. She has always embraced playing on clay, and now looks forward to her annual trips to Roland Garros, the place that was home to what she hopes was the first of multiple Slam titles.

“Clay court, even though I’m not going to win all the tournaments or something, I still feel the most comfortable there,” said Swiatek.

“It’s just more fun for me to play on clay, and I always have that extra motivation before Roland Garros, so I’m pretty sure it’s going to happen also this year, and I’m just going to be working hard.”

Brian Coleman is the Senior Editor for New York Tennis Magazine. He may be reached at brianc@usptennis.com.

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NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2022 • New York Tennis Magazine

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USTA-U Looks Back on “Original 7” Graduating Class ast year, at Verdi's Restaurant in Whitestone, Queens, the Professional Tennis Management (PTM) students from Queens College toasted their seven brethren, dubbed the "Original 7", who were about to complete their third and final PTM semester.

They had started back in January of 2020, and after six in-person, Monday evening classes (that last for three hours) the COVID-19 shutdown hit. Lecturer Robert Friedman of Stress Solutions quickly adapted to a remote

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zoom format and the course carried on with no interruption. For many of the students the online format was better logistically as Queens is not the most accessible location by public transportation. As the course continued in the Fall and Winter/Spring of 2021, the online format made it possible for students to enroll from outside the New York City area. The current continuing group includes students from Minnesota, New Jersey and Washington, D.C. The only part of the course where

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2022 • NYTennisMag.com

in-person attendance is required is the 12-hour tennis clinic on coaching progressions and technique on the weekend. This year, that two-day clinic was held at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, led by the USTA's Craig Jones, and was capped by the dinner at Verdi's.

With six students still enrolled (one completed second semester and five their first) and continuing, and many inquiries for the upcoming Fall Semester, the course is clearly fulfilling its goal to introduce people

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to a career in tennis management and/or coaching.

Among the current 13 students, most were young tennis pros, or in administrative or tennis program jobs at area clubs or organizations.

Some, who are exploring tennis as a second or alternative career, have good jobs in other fields. Ages range from 19 to 56, with most of the students over 35- years-old. All but two are on the management track.

The course’s three-hour session lectures on Monday evenings are led

by Friedman, Queens College's Management Training Specialist. He provides 10 lectures each semester that cover personal development, hospitality, and leadership. This part of the course is personally intense for each student and focuses on the many soft skills so essential to success in business and management.

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Skip Hartman, the Program's Director, organizes additional tennis related lectures which over the first three semesters included: l Danny Zausner, Executive Director of the USTA National Tennis Center, who charted the history and growth of the Center from 1977 to present l Claude Okin, CEO and Founder of Sportime, who recounted his early years as a school teacher and tennis coach leading to his development of Sportime, the largest owner/operator of tennis clubs in New York l Gordon Kent, V.P. of Operations for Advantage Tennis Clubs and former owner of the New England Tennis Camp, covered club reservation systems and how to run an overnight tennis camp l Gail Brown of BrownDirect covered basic marketing l Rick Ferman, a world class tennis

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coach and former Executive Director of the USTA from 1996- 2003, with an assist from Jay Devashetty, former Director of Player Development at the National Tennis Center and now in a similar role for NYJTL at the Cary Leeds Center, described in-depth how to organize an elite player training program and the many challenges it presents l Kevin Hauss, COO of New York Edge and former HR Director of John Jay College and HR Manager at Stony Brook University, reviewed the scope and responsibilities of a Human Resources Department and current hot button issues l John Garry, CFO of Advantage Tennis Clubs, covered payroll management l Peter Luftig of SCS Insurance, who has insured many dozens of indoor tennis clubs, reviewed the various continued on page 18

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NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2022 • New York Tennis Magazine

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risks and insurances needed to cover them l Skip Hartman, who is also an owner of Advantage Tennis Clubs, filled in his tips about starting a tennis business, planning, budgeting, and strategic alliances, and also covered air structures evolution and how to purchase them. Many of the topics that were covered were suggested by the students, with whom Hartman meets individually for about an hour each semester to discuss their careers and opportunities.

The topics outlined above are supplemented by USTA online modules that also include Tennis and Business presentations by Mike Woody, who is V.P and National Tennis Director for Genesis Health Clubs, covering a wide range of tennis coaching and

management topics. Students are required to study 100 hours of these modules over the course of the three semesters.

The course is the product of a partnership between the USTA-U and CUNY (City University of New York), who are teaming up to provide an invaluable resource not just for the university’s students, but also the public at large.

USTA-U is the USTA’s initiative designed to prepare the next generation of tennis providers, offering online and in-classroom instruction plus apprenticeships and other learning opportunities. Part of that initiative is to add these sorts of programs to colleges and universities.

Enrollment can commence with each semester. To achieve the Professional and Continuing Studies certificate a student must pass the basic PTR or

USPTA instructor certification, attend 80 percent of the 13 lectures provided for each semester, and attend each of the three distinct semesters as identified by Friedman's three themes.

They also must log 500 hours of experiential learning in the tennis industry either via internships or a tennis related job.

The next semester will be this coming fall. For questions about the Queens College-CUNY PTM Certificate program one may contact Diane Gahagan, Director of Continuing Education, at diane.gahagan@qc.cuny.edu., or Hartman, USTA-U PTM Director at skiphartman@aol.com or call his direct line at his office, 646-884-9647.

For assistance with enrolling you may contact Mr. Hartman's Assistant, Alex Haber at ahaber@hckrecreation.com.

PROFESSIONAL CHILDREN'S SCHOOL YOU DON'T HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN A GREAT EDUCATION AND YOUR DREAMS At Professional Children's School, students like Kristie don't need to choose between their education and their dreams. Our individualized school schedule provides the flexibility our students need in order to balance their preprofessional and professional endeavors with their academic goals leaving time for both school work and competitions, tournaments & training.

pcsnyc.org 18

132 West 60th Street New York, NY 10023 212-582-3116

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2022 • NYTennisMag.com

Kristie Ahn PCS Alumna, Class of 2010

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adult league

wrap-up he USTA Eastern Metro Region Adult Leagues are in full swing, with many of the seasonal leagues finishing up earlier this winter, some are still playing, and others will begin as we head into the spring.

Below is a recap of the action in the Metro Adult Leagues.

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40&Over Champions l 3.5 Men: Fred Derman/Scott Dainton l 4.0 Men: Joe Bullaro/Frank Fattizzi l 4.5 Men: Larry Lehman l 3.0 Women: Rosemary Moukad/Maria Ieni l 3.5 Women: Nerissa Lem/Sarah Chen l 4.0 Women: Fredrica Ford/Debra Bricker l 4.5 Women: Kim Pflaumer/Alyssa Bonadonna Mixed Doubles - 40&Over Champions l 7.0: Jinny Welch l 8.0: Jinny Welch

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By Christopher Dong

Mixed Doubles - Queens Champions l 6.0: Adam Moramarco l 7.0: Don Michael Luistro/Aki Ogata l 8.0: Theron McInnis Tri-Level 3.0/3.5/4.0 Champions l Men: Shien Lee/Jehan Bhagawagar l Women: Nerissa Lem/Sarah Chen Currently, the 18&Over leagues for all levels and across all five boroughs, as well as the 55&Over Mixed Doubles leagues are still in their regular seasons, which run until July.

In the fall, Tri-Level 3.5, 4.0 and 4.5 leagues will begin, as will the Mixed Doubles leagues in Manhattan.

New players, teams and captains are welcome. For more information, please contact Christopher Dong Adult League Coordinator, Metro: cdong@eastern.usta.com.

Christopher Dong is the Adult League Coordinator for the USTA Eastern Metro Region. He may be reached at cdong@eastern.usta.com.

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2022 • NYTennisMag.com

Silent Partner Tennis Ball Machines The Machine With Muscle ilent Partner Tennis, a division of Deuce Industries Ltd., was founded in 1989 by Dr. John Bassili. A recreational tennis player and psychology professor, Dr. 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 over 30 years. The company remains independent and family-owned.

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 court.

The machines are also great for clubs and coaches, who can position themselves right beside their students and control the machine by remote. 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.

Because Silent Partner only sells factory direct, it offers a wide

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selection of machines for the best deals on the market, and service is provided by the people who know

the machines best.

Check them out at SPTennis.com.

NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2022 • New York Tennis Magazine

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junior player spotlight junior player spotlight junior player spotlight junior player spotlight junior player spotlight junior player spo

Junior Player

spotlight

By Brian Coleman

Michael Zheng Dwight Global Online School Photo courtesy of Michael Zheng/Yonex really set the foundation for me as a tennis arlier this year, Michael Zheng had to player,” said Zheng. “I had also played make one of those crucial decisions basketball and soccer growing up, but that all top high school athletes face tennis took up most of my time, and I was towards the end of their junior careers: always better at tennis than I was at other where to attend college. sports. I had good eye-hand coordination, Zheng, a blue-chip, five-star recruit from and I think that was definitely more Montville, New Jersey, is one of the top beneficial for tennis.” tennis players in the country in his age Zheng’s training brought him to group, and was fielding many collegiate Centercourt Performance Tennis Academy a offers from some of the nation’s most elite couple of years ago, a facility that is much programs. closer to his New Jersey home, and a place His decision-making process led him to that has helped his game develop over the stay local, and take his talents to New York last two years.

City and attend Columbia, which has “I first moved to Centercourt when my established itself as a perennial Top 25 coach, Adrian Contreras, went there and it’s team in men’s college tennis.

“I felt like Columbia had the best combination of tennis and been great. Everyone in the program is really good and it’s very academics in the country,” said Zheng. “I also have a couple of competitive,” said Zheng. “We do a lot of point play, and friends that I grew up hitting with that had committed to everyone is trying to move up the ladder to the top court. That Columbia, and I felt that having friends to push me to be better aspect, where everyone is aiming to beat the person ahead of every day was an environment that I would excel in. I’m excited them, helps make everyone better.” for what’s coming in the fall and I know under the leadership of As Zheng continued to improve and move up the junior tennis Coach Howie [Endelman] and some of the older players on the ladder, dedicating more time to traveling and competing in some team we will be in a good spot.” of the bigger tournaments became more of a requirement. The Zheng’s tennis journey began when his father took him and ability to attend a school that was flexible and understanding of his sister over to a local high school and fed balls to them. Soon his tennis schedule became imperative, and Zheng found this at after, they would try out and gain entry into the feeder program Dwight Global Online School in New York City. at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

“This was my first year at Dwight, and the flexibility that “I played there for two years, it was a great program. And it Dwight offers is indispensable because it allows me to travel for

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New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2022 • NYTennisMag.com

er spotlight junior player spotlight junior player spotlight junior player spotlight junior player spotlight junior player spotlight junior

tournaments for extended periods of time while also keeping up with the school,” said Zheng. “The online classes they offer also allow me to choose my own schedule so classes don’t conflict with my training schedule. It’s been a great help and the teachers have been nothing but supportive.”

Dwight School has created an atmosphere that allows all students to chase their dreams outside of the classroom, and many tennis players have taken advantage of this throughout the years. The support and flexibility provided by them has permitted Zheng to pursue competing in many professional events over the last year, including several ITF and Futures events, and has helped him find success in those events.

Recently, Zheng was down in Orange Park, Fla. competing in a $15K ITF tournament. After fighting to come back from a set down in the quarterfinals, Zheng responded by winning a 15-13

first-set tiebreaker en route to winning his semifinal. While he would fall in the finals, it was still a positive week for Zheng, who continues to make strides playing in professional events.

“It was a great tournament overall and I’m happy with the way I played,” said Zheng. “Making finals for the first time definitely helps my confidence going forward, knowing I can compete at the professional level.”

As we head into the summer, the goal for Zheng now is to maintain the progress he has seen over the last year or so, and prepare to play in the bigger tournaments. Traveling constantly for tournaments can be a grueling process, spending a lot of time away from your home, family and friends, but it is something Zheng is getting used to, and the results are showing that.

“It’s been tough at times, especially when I’m spending weeks to months at a time away from home while traveling from tournament to tournament. But when

I do well at one of the higher level events it’s very rewarding,” Zheng explained. “In the last month or so I’ve made a big jump in my game and am starting to play better.

I’m looking to do well at the junior Slams, and do well at the Future and Challenger level events going forward. Hopefully by the end of the year I can get my ATP ranking higher and make some higher-level professional tournaments without relying on wild cards.”

Zheng is just a few months away from beginning his collegiate career, and will be playing a lot of high-level tennis as we move through the spring and summer. He is excited for what lies ahead of him, and will keep putting in the necessary work to reach his potential.

“I just want to be the best that I can be,” he said. “If my best is being a top college player that would be amazing. But if you work hard and push yourself harder than everyone else, then maybe you have a shot to go pro. I just want to see how far I can go.”

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NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2022 • New York Tennis Magazine

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USTA Eastern Metro Region Brooklyn-based Duo Wins NTRP National Championship

Brooklyn-based Veto and Frantz pose with their hardware after coming in first place in the 40 & Over Women’s 4.0 Doubles division at the NTRP National Championship. oubles partners who compete out of Prospect Park in Brooklyn captured a title at the 2022 National NTRP Championship, held April 8-10 in San Diego, California. Lisa Frantz and Julie Veto defeated Florida’s Ivet Hernandez and Ali Quintado of USTA Florida to lift the trophy in the 40 & Over 4.0 Women’s division.

Frantz and Veto are relative newcomers to NTRP play, a USTA tournament-style offering that has grown in popularity over the last couple years. Primarily USTA League players, the pair wasn't sure what to expect heading into their championship weekend.

“My expectation was certainly not that we would win the tournament,” Veto said. “But it sounded like a fun

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way to spend a long weekend in an interesting city with a good friend and partner, and that we could work on improving our play in different situations.”

Frantz and Veto have known each other for almost five years but had only been competing together as a team for the last year or so upon their arrival to the tournament. With Veto’s consistency at the baseline and Frantz’s prowess at the net, the team found just the right formula to flummox their opponents and amass an undefeated 4-0 record in their flight matches—though they had to fight through four tiebreaker sets (and one three-setter) to emerge unblemished. Veto felt the tight battles ultimately helped the team to acclimate and focus in on their gameplan.

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2022 • NYTennisMag.com

USTA Eastern Metro Region

“We did have a couple close ones,” Veto said. “[But] we were very pleased with our record in both the tiebreaks and the no-ad deuces. We faced opponents that we didn't know, and we tried to assess their playing styles as early as we could so we could adjust our strategy.”

Frantz also noted the conditions factored into the Brooklyn team’s initial play.

“We needed to adjust to playing outside,” she said.

“We were rarely overpowered, but we lost a few points due to lack of experience serving with the sun or having to lob with the elements. We are true NYC indoor players who probably only play 10-15% of our yearly matches outdoors!”

The early tests prepared them for later success in the elimination rounds: In both the semifinals and the finals, the team faced a tiebreaker in the first set before more easily claiming victory in the second. The pair was also bolstered by the confidence they developed as they progressed and the excitement they shared in reaching the late stages of the tournament.

“It felt amazing to be in the finals—I had not competed in a tournament at this level since junior tennis 40 years ago!” Frantz said. “We couldn’t believe we’d made it, so we psyched ourselves up to believe that we could win. That first set was tough and very close, and we won in a sudden death tiebreak point, but that put us over the hurdle. It gave us the confidence to close the second set swiftly and decisively.”

The experience has ultimately convinced the close friends to expand their tennis horizons beyond USTA Leagues in the future.

“I competed in the initial NTRP tournaments on a whim, but now I’m interested in seeking out more and learning about other opportunities that exist, including age-level tournaments,” Veto said. “We are usually so busy playing leagues that we don't think past it, but I like that these tournaments are on weekend days and don't require a long-term commitment of a team. It's a nice counterpoint to League play!”

To learn more about NTRP tournaments in the USTA Eastern Section, visit usta.com/ntrpeastern.

NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2022 • New York Tennis Magazine

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USTA Eastern Metro Region Metro Council Director Ioonna Félix Looks Ahead

Ioonna Félix (far right) with the Metro Region Council at the 2022 Eastern Tennis Conference. oonna Félix is now more than one year into her term as Metro Region Council Director, a year in which, according to a study by the Physical Activity Council, the greater New York area saw the highest tennis participation rate in the nation. Félix reflects on her time with the organization—and what she hopes the council will be able to achieve for the NYC tennis community in the year ahead.

This was your first year leading the Metro Region Council. What were some of the highlights in holding that position in 2021? What were some projects you worked on that you were most proud of?

Félix: In another difficult year with the pandemic, I am proud that the Metro Council did not allow the current circumstances to stop momentum in tennis. We utilized teamwork and creativity to make positive changes. I was most proud of our Thank You to Essential Workers Event, a free tennis clinic for healthcare workers and others held in Lincoln Terrace Park in Brooklyn. We all felt it was a great way to thank the city’s heroes for their

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service and commitment.

What are your goals for the council for the year ahead?

Félix: We want to focus on growing the game in parks, and continue to promote local diverse programming. The Metro Region has obstacles that as a council and section we are trying to address, including parks being swamped, courts deteriorating and other issues. The council is looking for resourceful ways to work with parks, local officials and facilities to tackle these obstacles.

You are a relatively new volunteer to USTA Eastern. What have you enjoyed about working with an organization whose mission is to grow tennis?

Félix: It has been an eye-opening experience from the start. I have learned a lot about the workflow processes of our national and sectional organizations, and this has helped me to coordinate with various tennis providers: city officials, facilities, coaches, CTAs. Understanding our local needs and working with fellow council members to develop resourceful and creative ways to help promote the game has been extremely rewarding.

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2022 • NYTennisMag.com

The Gift of Loving Tennis By Tal Sosnov he recent rise of popularity in tennis is a positive sign for the future of the sport. As interest in the game increases, our main role as facilitators (parent or coach) is to create a welcoming environment that promotes life-long participation and enjoyment at both competitive and recreational levels. In order to spark engagement and commitment, I would like to share a few time-tested tips that can help any player become an ultimate tennis superhero.

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Get to know your players How can we help someone if we don’t know who they are? Our job is to understand our players right from the very first interaction we have with them. This starts by getting to know their cognitive abilities, maturity levels, coordinative skills, goals, and why they came to play in the first place.

We can't assume that learners will always understand what the task is at hand. Each participant has its own preferred style of learning. At the beginner level, it is predominantly visual, verbal, or kinesthetic. We must adapt to meet their needs.

Overloading them with too much information or using the wrong approach will only hinder the developmental process. When we recognize these critical factors, everything else down the road becomes more efficient.

Set up a positive environment Prior to playing or taking their very first lesson, it doesn’t hurt to expose the individual to watching a match on television, or even attending a live event. Gifting them basic tennis gear, uniforms and shoes can also go a long way. After all, even superheroes have cool outfits!

If we were to ask them to solve a thousand-piece puzzle without ever showing them the photo on the cover, it may never be completed, let alone started in the first place. That is why keeping the bigger picture in view helps your player shape and maintain a healthy perspective for years to come. Once they have decided to give tennis a try, every activity should be carried out with high levels of excitement and maximum effort. Let’s keep in mind that most learners, especially at early stages of development, get a majority of their engagement and passion through us.

Our example is contagious. We need to act as role models at all times. Our number one mission is to develop their confidence and the love for the sport.

Focus on the basics Tennis is an open skill sport, therefore

on every shot, a player must decide where to move, what shot to hit, and where to recover while awaiting the opponent’s next response. In other words, adaptation is critical to playing the game effectively.

Before any of these actions can be performed in the optimal sequence, a player must first develop overall athleticism and acquire the basic fundamental movement, motor, and sports skills. This starts with simple exercises such as catching, throwing, tracking, tapping, running and jumping. Rushing into tennis specific development, especially when using a model-based approach to teaching strokes, greatly impedes the development of open skills.

Situational learning matters, but a player must know what they are trying to do before learning how to do it!

Tennis is an activity for a lifetime.

By starting with the right foundation, creating a long-term pathway and making the game enjoyable to the participant, we can significantly increase a player’s longevity in the sport.

We should always remember that Fun = Love = Passion = Success!

Tal Sosnov is a coach for CourtSense and the Head Tennis Pro at Alpine Country Club in Alpine, N.J. A native of Israel, Sosnov was educated at the renowned Wingate National Sports Institute. He is recognized by the ITF as an Advanced Coach with expertise in advanced biomechanics and technique, tactics, teaching methodology, physical training and applied psychology for tennis.

NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2022 • New York Tennis Magazine

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2022 French Open Preview 202

Photo credit: Seth Sarelson

All photos courtesy of USTA

he second major of the calendar year brings us to the City of Love as the best players in the world descend on Paris for the French Open. The 2022 French Open will run from May 22 through June 5 on the famed red clay of Roland Garros.

Long Island Tennis Magazine has broken down some of the contenders, pretenders and sleepers for the 2022 edition of the French Open.

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Men’s Singles - Contenders Carlos Alcaraz Perhaps the hottest player on the men’s tour is the young Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz. The 18-year-old won his first Masters 1000 title in Miami and has shown his prowess on the hard courts, and as the tour calendar enters the clay season, that is where Alcaraz can really thrive. He grew up playing on the clay back in Spain, and with his devastating forehand and unrelenting athleticism, no one wants to see Alcaraz next to their name in the draw.

seems to be on track to compete at the French Open.

Djokovic is the defending champion and has hoisted this trophy twice before, so look for Djokovic to make a strong push to tie up Rafael Nadal on the all-time majors list.

Novak Djokovic The 20-time major champion may enter Roland Garros more motivated than ever. We all know the saga of his time in Australia at the beginning of the season, but the Serb

Daniil Medvedev Although he has proclaimed his disdain for the clay, Daniil Medvedev is still the highest ranked player in the world, and therefore will be difficult to topple at any of the majors.

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New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2022 • NYTennisMag.com

022 French Open Preview 2022 French Open Pr He broke through for his maiden Slam last year at the U.S. Open, and now that he has shown the ability to play his best tennis over a two-week span, Medvedev will be out to compile his best showing at the French Open.

two major titles on her record, and those types of players should never be counted out.

Iga Swiatek

Women’s Singles - Contenders Paula Badosa Like Alcaraz, Paula Badosa was raised playing on clay, and is certainly a threat to win her first Slam title at the French Open. The NYC-born, Spanish-raised Badosa has a big forehand and relentless groundstrokes from the baseline. Badosa reached the quarterfinals here last year, and will be eager to improve on that result in 2022.

Simona Halep Despite being ranked on the fringe of the top 20, fans should not overlook the possibility of Simona Halep being a real threat to win this year’s French Open. The Romanian veteran has proven her might on tour over the years, and has the ideal balance to her game that makes her a tricky player to face. Halep is a former world number one with

The top-ranked woman in the world? That is Poland’s Iga Swiatek. The 20-year-old has the perfect game to succeed on the clay, and that was proven back in 2020 when she

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2022 French Open Preview 2022 Frenc won Roland Garros, becoming the first male or female from Poland to win a major title. Between Swiatek’s game and her previous triumph in Paris, Swiatek is the player to beat at this year’s French Open.

Pretenders – Men’s Singles Denis Shapovalov

Alexander Zverev It is hard to call the third-ranked player in the world a “pretender”, but the odds seemed to stacked against Zverev at the French Open this year. It has been a strange 2022 for the German who has multiple outbursts on court which demonstrated his temper, and it will be interesting to see how he fares over his twoweek long stay at Roland Garros. Do not be surprised if Zverev doesn’t make it back to the semifinals like he did in 2021.

Pretenders – Women’s Singles Barbora Krejcikova If you asked many tennis fans who the second-ranked woman in the world, you would be hard pressed to find someone who named Barbora Krejcikova. That isn’t a slight on her, but just a nod to the strong rise she has had up the rankings, much of which is attributed to her win at the French Open last year. She has won just one title since her French Open triumph, and has had an up-and-down season thus far in 2022.

Denis Shapovalov is a talented young Canadian with a devastating lefty forehand, but that has yet to translate to winning a major. The French Open has not been kind to him during his career, as he has never made it out of the second round, a trend that we expect to continue this year.

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Karolina Pliskova Karolina Pliskova has been a mainstay in the Top 10 of the women’s rankings for years now, and that is a testament to her consistency on tour. But Pliskova has yet to breakthrough at a major, although she has gone deep in some of them, including reaching the finals at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, but the French Open has been her least favorite event over the years. She

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2022 • NYTennisMag.com

nch Open Preview 2022 French Open Preview

reached the semifinals in 2017 but since then has never made it out of the third round, including second round exits in each of the last two seasons.

Sleeper – Men’s Singles Taylor Fritz The highest-ranked American in the world has had an excellent 2022 season, and despite most of that coming on hard courts, look for Fritz to surprise people and make a deep run on the Roland Garros clay. There is not a lot of precedent to believe that, as Fritz has never made it past the fourth round of a major. But he is older now and his game has matured, and Fritz has demonstrated the ability to beat the game’s best. Fritz

presents the best chance for an American man to win a major, and that could happen in Paris.

Sleeper – Women’s Singles Ons Jabeur One of the craftiest players on tour, Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur is the type of player who gives opponent fits. Jabeur has plenty of variety and hits self-proclaimed “crazy shots”, something that plays well on the clay. Jabeur is currently ranked ninth in the world, and is ready to build off of her fourth-round showings in each of the last two French Opens.

NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2022 • New York Tennis Magazine

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PICKLEBA Racquet Sport Report: An Introduction to Pickleball

We have written much in this magazine about not only the growth of tennis, but also the increased participation in other racquet and paddle sports over the last couple of years. There is perhaps no better example of this 32

expansion than Pickleball, the fun, easy-to-learn sport that has become the go-to sport of choice for many.

Pickleball was invented in 1965 near Seattle, Washington, the brainchild of three dads, Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum, who were looking for a new activity for their bored sons during the summer. More than five decades later, the game has grown to feature 4.8 million players in the United States alone.

Played on the same size court as doubles badminton, the playing surface measures 20x44 feet, with a net 36 inches high and 34 inches in the middle, and you can create your own pickleball court, or convert a tennis or badminton court into a pickleball court. The ball used is similar to a wiffle ball with about 26-40 round holes.

“Because pickleball rules are so similar to ping-pong, it can be easy for practically anyone to learn how to play the game,” says USAPickleball.Org, the governing body for pickleball here in the States. “Whether you're a beginner who just wants to learn a new sport for fun, or you're a seasoned player who craves the thrill of more competitive play, pickleball offers something for everyone.”

The game is simple enough for anybody to begin playing and participate in recreationally, but at its highest levels is an extremely fast-paced and competitive sport.

That dynamic has made it an overwhelmingly popular activity for people of all ages, and is at the heart of why the sport has dramatically seen participation increase over

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2022 • NYTennisMag.com

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ON THE RISE!

Photo credit: Steve Taylor/Digital Spatula

the last several years.

Because of this, pickleball courts are popping up all over the place. Local tennis courts in parks have converted to pickleball courts, while more and more clubs and facilities are offering pickleball programming, leagues and more.

APP Tour Announces Three-Year Agreement to Host Annual Event at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center The Association of Pickleball Professionals (APP) Tour announced today an historic three-year agreement to stage the APP New York City Open on the grounds of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, N.Y. This year’s event will take place May 25-29 and include a prize purse of $125,000, the largest of any pickleball tournament this year and largest in APP Tour history. It will be the first time the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, home of the US Open, will host a pickleball tournament.

“The opportunity to bring the APP Tour to a venue with such rich history and tradition is the culmination of a dream that I had for our tour and players when we launched the APP in 2019,” said Ken Herrmann, founder of the APP Tour. “When we committed to elevating the player experience and investing in the careers of our players, hosting an event at one of the world’s preeminent sporting venues with a record prize pool is the kind of advancement we envisioned.

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P ICKLEBALL ON T H E RISE “For us to be able to stage an event like this in the mecca of American tennis means so much as we continue to grow our sport here in the United States. We are proud to have the incredible USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center serve as the backdrop for our players as they compete in one of our biggest events of the year.”

“The USTA National Tennis Center is pleased to partner with the APP, the first sanctioned pickleball tour for amateurs and professionals in the United States,” said NTC Chief Operating Officer Daniel Zausner. “The allure of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center and the rich history and tradition of our sport sets an example that others aspire to emulate.”

The New York City Open is the third of six National Championship Series events on the APP Tour calendar.

These important events allow players to compete for an automatic berth to the USA Pickleball Nationals at Indian Wells, Calif., from November 5-13.

Pickleball in the Parks

P ICKLEBALL ON T H E RISE information about these parks, as well as other clinics, programs and open play available in New York City.

Bronx Van Cortlandt Park Van Cortlandt Park S between John M. Collins Pl & Putnam Ave W # of Courts: 1 Requires Tennis Permit: No

Brooklyn John J Carty Park Fort Hamilton Pkwy between 99th & 100th Sts # of Courts: 10 Requires Tennis Permit: No Leif Ericson Park 8th Avenue between 66th & 67th Sts # of Courts: 13 Requires Tennis Permit: No

Photo credit: Steve Taylor/Digital Spatula

Winthrop Playground Winthrop St between Bedford Ave & Rogers Ave # of Courts: 2 Requires Tennis Permit: Yes

Manhattan Howard Bennett Playground Between W. 135th & W. 136th Sts and between 5th Ave & Malcolm X Blvd # of Courts: 6 Requires Tennis Permit: Yes John Jay Park Cherokee Pl between E. 76th & E. 77th Sts # of Courts: 1 Requires Tennis Permit: Yes

Queens New York City is home to countless public parks that offer residents an array of opportunities to play different sports, and many of those parks now feature pickleball. The New York City Parks Department has pickleball offerings in all five boroughs. Whether you are new to the game, or are more experienced, these parks are a great way for you to get your Pickleball fix this summer.

Visit www.nycgovparks.org/facilities/pickleball for more 34

Highland Park Jamaica Ave between Cleveland and Warwick Sts # of Courts: 18 Requires Tennis Permit: Yes Juniper Valley Park Juniper Blvd S between 78th St & 80th St # of Courts: 9 Requires Tennis Permit: Yes

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2022 • NYTennisMag.com

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P ICKLEBALL ON T H E RISE Roy Wilkins Recreation Center Baisley Blvd between 177th St & 120th Ave # of Courts: 4 Requires Tennis Permit: Yes

P ICKLEBALL ON T HE RISE Centercourt Marlboro 185 Amboy Rd Morganville, N.J. 07751 (732) 965-1065 CentercourtAcademy.com/Locations/Marlboro Contact – Lauren Casciano, lauren@centercourtclub.com

Staten Island Fairview Park Enter at Parking Lot on Bricktown Way & Tyrellan Ave # of Courts: 3 Requires Tennis Permit: No

The Hamptons

Sportime Amagansett 320 Abrahams Path Amagansett, N.Y. 11930 In the summer, pickleball in the New York-metropolitan area 631-267-3460 is played primarily in public parks, but there are some private SportimeNY.com/Amagansett facilities that are now offering pickleball programming.

Contact - Hana Sromova, hsromova@sportimeny.com

New Jersey

Tennis & Pickleball at The Barn 142 Montauk Highway Westhampton, N.Y. 11977 TennisAtTheBarn.com (631) 288-1540 Contact – Barry Altman, info@tennisatthebarn.com

Centercourt Chatham 222 N Passaic Ave Chatham, N.J. 07928 (973) 635-1222 CentercourtAcademy.com/Locations/Chatham Contact – Lauren Casciano, lauren@centercourtclub.com

CENTERCOURT FULL L TIME

TENNIS A C ADEMY Y • • • • • • • • • • •

Wo W orld Class Coaching Stafff and Facilities Full Day Training with On Sit S e Qualified Teachers Complete Training & Comp petition Dev ve elopment planning On Going Parent / Player meetings as needed Own Choice of A Ac cademic Programs supported Training, Competitive, Coaching & Academic Needs in one location Cutting Edge Mental T To oughness Program Specialized Video Analysis & Supervised Match Play Domestic and Internationa al Trav ve el teams for UST TA A, ITF ev ve ents Only 25 Miles f rom NYC witth Housing and Transport Av va ailable Renowned Toughest Playgr g ound in the Northeast

NICK SA AMIR MICHAEL L KOTZEN BAN NERJEE J ZHENG 2021 Winter National Hard Court Champion

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

Wim mbledon J Junior Cha ampion 2021

US Open Junior Competitor

CONTACT US FOR YOUR O R COMPETITIVE AND D DEVELOPMENT PLAN N

NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2022 • New York Tennis Magazine

35

Pickleball Padel Review: adidas RX44

We are now proudly entering the world of hosting pickleball tournaments. We will kick off the summer by hosting a prize money tournament in The Hamptons.

OPEN 2022

Saturday, June 18 Tennis & Pickleball at the Barn Out in Westhampton, the Hamptons Pickleball Open will be held on Saturday, June 18 at Tennis & Pickleball at The Barn, featuring two divisions of play. The first is a 3.5 Mixed Doubles Division, where winning teams receive adidas Paddles. In the afternoon, the pro division takes to the courts as $2,000 prize money is up for grabs in this 5.0+ Men’s Doubles Division.

Register at LITennisMag.com/HamptonsPickleballOpen.

Saturday, September 17 Tennis & Pickleball at The Barn Be sure to check out LITennisMag.com for more information. We are planning an exciting announcement for this event.

Upcoming Long Island Tennis Magazine Events Long Island and New York Tennis Magazines have been running events across the Metropolitan area for over a decade. In addition to our largest event, the New York Tennis Expo, we also operate the Long Island Tennis Magazine Challenge, New York Beach Tennis Tournaments, Kids' Days, Park Days, Courts &Cocktails, Grow Tennis New York Charity Fundraisers and much more.

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MPTO

NS

So you have decided you want to try and pick up Pickleball. You know the rules, but don’t know which paddle to use, or which one fits your game the best. All Racquet Sports is a great source for all of your racquet sport needs including pickleball paddles and other equipment.

Below is a product review of the adidas RX44 paddle, which is a great paddle for beginner to intermediate level players.

The adidas RX44 is designed for player’s comfort, providing an excellent feeling in all of your shots thanks to its Fiber Glass surface. The High Density Polypropylene core will make shots more powerful in every phase of the game, while the Spin Blade technology adds spin to your most demanding shots.

The paddle is 16 x 8’’ and is designed for intermediate players. It weighs in around 7.7 – 8.2 ounces and has a great feel in the player’s hand.

Overall, the RX44 provides the best of both worlds, both in terms of comfort in your hand and also the power it allows the player to generate. Check out some testimonials from players who have purchased the paddle and loved it: “The adidas RX44 is a great paddle for all levels of players. I really like the grip and comfort of the paddle,” said Lynda Rock in a review she wrote on PickleballCentral.Com. “I brought it to a social match of 3.5 players and everyone liked playing with the adidas RX44. We all agreed on the grip comfort, control, and power. The adidas RX44 is a good all around solid paddle.”

P ICKLEBALL ON T HE RISE

HA

PICKLEBALL ON T H E RISE

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2022 • NYTennisMag.com

NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2022 • New York Tennis Magazine

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The Top Ten Tennis Tips of All-Time Part Three: Champions Do Not Fear Success By

By Dr. Dr. Tom Tom Ferraro Ferraro

Some players that lose are actually afraid to try harder out of fear they may fail again. We call this a fear of success.

n the Oscar winning film, “Amadeus”, there were two main characters, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Salieri. In the last scene, we see Salieri being wheeled through the insane asylum exclaiming

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himself to be the “Prince of Mediocrity”. This film demonstrated how champions win and the rest find mediocrity.

Champions do not fear success.

Champions strive for supremacy, but

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2022 • NYTennisMag.com

most others unconsciously strive for mediocrity though they are not aware of that. Let me explain.

Many have heard about the “fear of success”, but few understand what it means and how common it is. I am sure you have seen athletes who seem to quit at the slightest hint of failure.

They become passive, weak, and somber and play as if they are simply going through the motions. And that is exactly what they’re doing. They have quit and silently wait for failure to arrive. Here is why this occurs.

Many athletes, including tennis players, have gone through upsetting losses in the past that have made them feel inferior and weak. And for some ambitious athlete this disappointment is intolerable. So intolerable in fact that they refuse to experience it ever again. Instead, they set up an unconscious attitude of never really trying hard ever again.

They transform themselves into a

weaker player.

A young hockey player who was headed for the NHL once told me that hockey is an oval within an oval.

Those inside the inner oval were actually playing the game. Those who were on the outside of the oval were on the ice, but were just watching the action and pretending to be playing the game. That is a great metaphor for what I am talking about here.

The fear of encountering another loss like the initial one is so intolerable to some players that they inhibit their drive, their power, and their aggression. This is what I call a drive towards mediocrity. The feeling of helplessness and hopelessness was so devastating that they never recover and refuse to give full effort again.

The champion rarely loses their aggression, sense of power, confidence or grit. Roger Federer is a good example of a champion that

never quits. This is one reason that he tends to gain momentum at the end of matches while his opponent relinquishes power. You may have noticed that Federer seems humble, not grandiose and isn’t a perfectionist. He accepts failure and is not shattered by it. This allows him to bounce back and keep on trying.

Their sense of perfectionism and grandiosity sets players up for disappointment which is unbearable and they avoid all real effort in the future. These are the players who never do well under pressure and who never live up to potential.

The secret of the champion is that they have no fear of success, no fear of failure and therefore they give it their all every single time they play.

This is a rare thing and terms like grit, resilience and a never-say-die attitude describe this trait. It is possible to develop grit and play like a champion.

If you notice that you seem to lose focus and give up as you play, you may be suffering in this way. This is due to an unconscious unresolved anxiety about losing which you have converted into a fear of trying to win.

Look back at your biggest loss, see if it changed you and if so, go find someone to talk about it. Why suffer the same loss over and over again?

And why live a life of mediocrity when it does not have to be that way?

You may be acting like a Salieri with a Mozart inside of you waiting to emerge

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

NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2022 • New York Tennis Magazine

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Talented But Lazy…

By Gilad Bloom n Hebrew, there is a saying that translates to: "god gives nuts to people without teeth.”

Most teaching professionals have encountered this type of player— extremely talented, but agonizingly lazy. As a coach, I always promote good practice habits, discipline, hard work, etc. But how does a coach handle a lazy kid who hates the boring repetition drills, plays very loose in practice, yet as soon as the points start, they light up the court and beat everyone with ease. It is frustrating as a coach to work with such a player, practice sessions are often wasted because of a lack of willingness by the student to push themselves to the limit. Often, the player will play without any heart if things don't go well early in the match. There will be the occasional tank and the level of play drastically fluctuates during matches.

When they are in the right frame of mind, it is clear that they are superior to other kids, but that solid frame of mind doesn't come too often. One of the biggest challenges as a coach is to turn these gifted, untamed students into real players who win matches and fulfill their potential.

The first thing you need when coaching such prodigies is patience.

It's important to give those kids time

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to come around. They are generally artistic and inspirational, and sometimes it will take a few years for players to mature and make the leap from a talented hack to a serious player who plays with a purpose and a sense of urgency each time they step onto the court.

The gifted players I'm referring to don't need too much repetitive, tedious feeding drills or to play two hours of cross-court to each corner.

Hitting the ball cleanly comes easy to them. They get bored when doing drills and basically count the minutes until the points start, so they can show everyone their talent. They need the constant stimulation of competing and trying new, different and original ways to hit the ball, often driving their coach crazy with their shot selection.

The key as a coach is to let them experiment and encourage them to explore new things. It is wrong to tame them or force them to play the conventional way.

Another key is to construct live ball drills that have an element of competition. The idea is to make them play with intensity and keep them engaged in the exercise, so they thrive in a competitive environment.

One of my first students was Dudi

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2022 • NYTennisMag.com

Sela. He was incredibly talented from a very young age. At the age of nine, he had every shot in the book, had the guts to serve and volley on big points at the age of 10, and was extremely aggressive, playing fearlessly against bigger, older opponents. He had a lot of losses between the ages of 10-12, but even during those losses, he played magnificently for parts of matches, often making his opponent look like a beginner.

However, Dudi’s mental stamina was not good at all, and many matches resulted in him leading a set and a break, and then losing the second set and tanking in the third set. He would come out of those matches frustrated and discouraged, but what I saw was that when he was playing his "A" game before the mental and physical fatigue set in, he was playing at an incredible level.

I told him, "One day you will be able put together two sets of your ‘A’ game in a tournament and when that happens, you will be the player you want to be."

Many people wrote him off and were sure that he was not going to amount to anything because of his lack of effort in practice. But my rationale was that if and when he matured, he will realize just how

good he can actually be.

Interestingly enough, Dudi Sela turned out to be a seasoned pro player known for his fighting spirit, heart and shot-making ability, making many memorable comebacks and beating many higher ranked players. He is still on the pro tour at the age of 34 and has spent almost 10 years in the top 100, having led Israel to the semifinals of the Davis Cup in that time span.

Sela, like in many cases with players of such talent, matured mentally only in his late teens. The early years shaped him into the player that he is now. He didn't burn himself on the practice court like so many others, and there is a freshness that comes from that pure love of the game.

Another player that comes to mind who comes from this mold is New York City’s own Aleks Kovacevic. He came to me at the ripe age of eight, and I loved his game from the first

WINTER January Half Moon Bay, Jamaica

time I saw him play. He had a sweet one-hander, a smooth forehand and was like a mini-Roger Federer.

Much like Sela, Kovacevic was an artist on the court and was amazing when inspired, but also had many lackluster practices in which he was merely going through the motions, leaving me to wonder many times after practice if I was wasting my time with this kid. However, after my experience with Sela, I kept believing in Kovacevic, and despite some tough years in his late teens, he turned out to be a top collegiate player, clinching many matches for his school. Aleks is also known for

SPRING March Indian Wells, CA

his fighting spirit and playing well under pressure, as evidenced by him reaching the semifinals of the NCAA individual tournament. He is now on his way to turning pro.

This type of talent comes along very rarely, but when it does, the coach's job is mainly to let the player’s talent shine and not do too much taming. If you try to force those kids to play a certain way that doesn't suit them, you will lose them.

The trick is to find a way to make them work hard without them thinking that they worked hard. For this type of player, it is important to feel comfortable and happy on the court.

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

SUMMER June/July Aspen, CO August Stowe, VT

FALL October November Innisbrook Resort Tampa, FL

NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2022 • New York Tennis Magazine

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Summer Camp Pitfalls

By Chris Lewit ith the summer camp season just around the corner—and as a high performance tennis camp owner myself—I speak with parents every day about summer camp experiences and expectations.

Unfortunately, many tennis players have a disappointing experience at summer camp and their tennis games don’t progress. Let’s discuss some common summer camp pitfalls that parents should be aware of and try to avoid.

W

Too Much Technique While most smart camps play lots of competitive matches and give some tactical pointers to kids—or at least they should—many camps mishandle technique.

A parent recently told me that her daughter attended a very famous camp in Florida known for its technical expertise. The coaches changed her daughter’s strokes and when she came home, her game and confidence suffered. Watch out for programs that are doctrinaire and rigid in terms of techniques. These programs in the summer can really ruin a kid. If a program is very strict and narrow in its pedagogical approach, this could be a disaster for your kid. Oftentimes, players will do their best to embrace new techniques but when they come home, they are not able to maintain the new form and revert back to old habits. So what’s the point of following a new technical system, making big changes for a few weeks, and then losing it all when the kid comes home? If important changes are going to be made to technique, camps need to be responsible in making those changes by analyzing if the changes are even possible or realistic given the time constraints of camp, and if the camp can provide continuing followup and support for the player who may really struggle postcamp without help.

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Too Little Technique At the same time, the majority of camps probably fall into this category.

They teach little if any technique to summer players. The reason is that their philosophy is not to mess up the player’s game too much because sometimes technical changes can be difficult and mentally frustrating for the player. While this is an understandable position, unfortunately many players spend summer after summer going to camps where important technical mistakes are left untouched and very bad habits are allowed to become ingrained. Camps should take a middle ground approach, making a plan to realistically prioritize important changes and provide continuing followup and support to players whom the camp coaches made significant technical adjustments. With planning and support, technical flaws can be fixed and they don’t need to be swept under the carpet summer after summer!

Poor Coach Quality and Ratio A camp needs to have knowledgeable coaches and not too many campers per coach if any important changes are going to be made. Many times, because the coaches at summer camps are inexperienced and the ratio of coach-camper is too high (4 or more players per coach for example), camps give up on really trying to change much. But when the coaches have experienced guidance and training and only 2-3 players per coach, much more can be accomplished.

If the coaches working with your kids are low-level high school or college players with little coaching education, for example, how can you trust these coaches with your kid’s development? Most camps hire people like this to save money. Be careful whom you trust with your player’s development!

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2022 • NYTennisMag.com

Too Little Fitness This is a very common issue in the summer camp industry currently. Many camps don’t offer professional fitness training from exercise science educated coaches or camps water down their fitness to the lowest common denominator—to the point of being a joke. If your kid is serious about tennis, he or she needs to embrace receiving a good physical education. This means learning about anatomy and physiology, how to work out effectively and safely in a gym, how the muscles and joints work in tennis, and how to become stronger, faster, and achieve better endurance. Summer camp is a great place to develop this physical education and, too often, camps neglect this subject and just hit balls.

Too Much Fitness Parents should also watch out for a camp that offers too much volume of fitness without an injury prevention focus and fitness programs that are not designed or led by a professionally trained coach educated in sport science. If the program is not professionally designed or has too much volume, the risk of injury increases.

The last thing you want is your kid to come home injured from summer camp!

All-Sport Camps I have seen too many players stagnate at all-sports camps to recommend them.

Usually, the camps do not hire the best possible tennis staff and the kids who flock to these programs tend not to be the most serious. The environment matters. If you want your kid to just have some fun, these camps are fine. If you want your kid to really make the most tennis improvement possible, I recommend more serious tennis focused camps that will be more demanding.

Large Camps Large summer camps are definitely something to be wary of, if you want

personal attention and the best possible improvement. When a camp has hundreds of players visiting, the staff are basically just trying to survive! It’s just too many people to track and manage and it’s very hard to give customized training.

Individual planning and training can accelerate the progress of a player in summer camp. When a player is lost in the herd, they might improve, or they might not, but the improvement won’t be as dramatic as in a personalized program.

Famous Academy Camps Famous academies do offer elite training and instruction. Unfortunately, the best coaches usually only work with the annual academy full-time players—rarely with short-term summer kids. Famous academy summer camps are very uneven in their quality and often suffer from the faults of large camps and watered-down fitness regimens. While it’s possible to get great training at a famous academy camp, you need to know somebody at the academy who will give your kid preferential treatment and extra attention, or I

recommend the parent actually be onsite to ensure that the player is not neglected and receives the best possible instruction.

Psychology?

Psychology programming is a new phenomenon in summer camps. While learning some basic mental and emotional management skills is undoubtedly a good thing, I’m concerned that many psychology offerings are pretty basic and take away from other types of training like fitness and court time. In order to squeeze in psychology training, it looks like fitness and tennis time is being reduced.

Consider whether a very limited, generic psychology program is really what your kid needs at camp or if that training

could be better provided at home with a personal coach or psychologist. Please also do not run to the psychologist when your player is not fit. A fit player will always be stronger psychologically. It makes no sense to sign up for a weak fitness program and a strong mental program. You can’t be mentally tough without a solid base of fitness because, as soon as you get tired, it’s easy to lose control of your mind and emotions.

Conclusion I hope these thoughts give you some additional insight when you evaluate summer camp programs. Camp can be a wonderful opportunity to jump levels, but camp can also be a place where kids stagnate, struggle and are sometimes neglected. Choose wisely.

Chris Lewit is a former number one for Cornell and pro circuit player. He is a highperformance coach, educator, and the author of two best-selling books: The Secrets of Spanish Tennis and The Tennis Technique Bible. He has coached numerous top 10 nationallyranked players and is known for his expertise in building the foundations of young prodigies.

Chris coaches in NYC and year-round at his high performance tennis academy in Manchester, VT, where players can live and train the Spanish Way full-time or short-term. He may be reached by phone at (914) 462-2912, e-mail Chris@chrislewit.com or visit ChrisLewit.com.

CHRIS LEWIT TENNIS

ELITE YEAR-ROUND TRAINING IN THE NYC AREA HIGH PERFORMANCE SUMMER CAMP IN VERMONT SOUTH FLORIDA TRAINING AVAILABLE

CHRISLEWIT.COM

914.462.2912 CHRIS@CHRISLEWIT.COM

NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2022 • New York Tennis Magazine

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TENNIS IN THE

HAMPTO

2

In the summer, people from across Long Island and New York City flock enjoy the sun, while sitting by the pool or ocean, and taking part in an a activities. One of those activities, and perhaps its most popular, is tennis favorite activity for Hamptons-goers, and there is no shortage of tennis c opportunities to play out on the East End, from hitting around at local pa up and playing on a private court in a luxurious Hamptons home.

In this feature are just some of the places you can find your game out e 44

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2022 • NYTennisMag.com

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Places to Play Annacone Tennis Management AnnaconeTennis.com info@annaconetennis.com 865-300-7323 Annacone Tennis Management provides an array of services in the Hamptons, and can help produce programming and consulting for your neighborhood courts, country clubs, tennis clubs, resorts and more.

One of the programs offered is MyHamptonsPro, which is a concierge tennis company specializing in providing the highest quality offsite tennis services in the Hamptons. This service is available on your private court, at one of our private courts, or at your tennis facility. Focused specifically on creating the utmost in customer satisfaction, MHP provides comprehensive tennis services from world-class tennis professionals to fit all of your needs. MHP tennis pros specialize in private tennis lessons that are customized to your specific tennis goals, with flexible times and days available to meet your needs. Steve Annacone, Director of MyHamptonsPro, has been a tennis professional and coach for over 45 years. Originally from Sag Harbor, NY and a graduate of East Hampton High School, Steve has been very involved in the tennis community in the Hamptons. By understanding that each player has specific needs and creating a customized tennis experience to accommodate these needs, Steve and the MHP staff will help you get the most out of your time on the court.

Future Stars Southampton 1370A Majors Path Southampton, N.Y. (631) 287-6707 FutureStarsSouthampton.com

ck to the Hamptons, to an array of outdoor nis. It may be the s courts or parks or lacing them

ut east this summer!

In 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.

NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2022 • New York Tennis Magazine

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TENNIS IN THE HAMPTONS 2022

continued from page 45

Tennis may be the favorite activity of Hamptons-goers 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!

Future Stars Westhampton Beach 36 Aspatuck Road Westhampton Beach, N.Y. (631) 287-6707 FSCamps.com

ages six through 16. Throughout the week campers are encouraged to enhance their strokes and strategies via group lessons, skill building drills, organized play, individual attention, video sessions, target training and fitness routines. Campers will receive three to four hours of top flight tennis instruction, including fundamentals, stroke production, point play with strategy emphasis, and match play competition. All campers are carefully grouped based on age and skill level.

Ross School Tennis Academy 18 Goodfriend Drive East Hampton, N.Y. (631) 907-5162 Ross.org/TennisAcademy

Future Stars Tennis Camp at Aspatuck Tennis Club will offer a premier tennis program that is individuallydesigned to methodically challenge players of all levels,

DISCOVER THE ULTIMATE SUMMER CAMP EXPERIENCE!

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.

LOCATIONS! ISLAND LONG SIXSIX LOCAT ISLAND LONG

UNIQUE PROGRAMS FOR BOYS & GIRLS, AGES 4 -16 ,WITH: WEEKLY SESSIONS • EXPERT COACHES • STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITIES

PURCHASE - OLD WESTBURY FARMINGDALE - PATCHOGUE WESTHAMPTON - SOUTHAMPTON Learn More or Enroll Today!

631-287 6707 -

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FSCAMPS.COM

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2022 • NYTennisMag.com

TENNIS IN THE HAMPTONS 2022 Sportime Amagansett

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, fullservice health and fitness club, a multi-sport court, child care, locker rooms, a full-service 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.

320 Abrahams Path Amagansett, N.Y. (631) 267-3460 SportimeNY.com/Amagansett

Tennis at The Barn 142 Montauk Highway Westhampton, N.Y. 11977 TennisAtTheBarn.com (631) 288-1540

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 minibasketball 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

Tennis & Pickleball at The Barn offers programming for players of all ages and levels. Whether you are new to tennis or pickleball, or have been playing for years, The Barn has something for you. The facility features six tournament-grade pickleball courts in addition to its 11 Har-Tru tennis courts.

There are programs, clinics and lessons for both members and non-members. There is unlimited court time for members, daily court rentals available for non-members, and all programming is taught by certified professionals.

Sportime Quogue is a year-round, full-service 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, NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2022 • New York Tennis Magazine

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TENNIS IN THE HAMPTONS 2022

continued from page 47

Places to Shop Tennis East 73 Main Street Southampton, N.Y. (631) 283-9535 TennisEast.com

Hampton's preeminent All-American resort destination.

With 67 charming village and harbor-facing guestrooms, gorgeous lofted suites boasting sweeping harbor views, village rooms featuring intimate private gardens, and cozy dog-friendly accommodations, Baron's Cove caters to every discerning traveler seeking a relaxing getaway on the East End.

Gurney’s Montauk Resort & Seawater Spa 290 Old Montauk Highway Montauk, N.Y. (631) 668-2345 GurneysResorts.com/Montauk

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.

Places to Stay Baron’s Cove

Gurney’s Montauk Resort & Seawater Spa is a Hamptons icon and the only year- round resort in Montauk. Providing guests with direct access to a 2,000-foot private sand beach, Gurney’s features 146 rooms, suites, and beachfront cottages, all delivering dramatic ocean views. With five unique dining and drinking venues, Gurney’s presents an array of food and beverage options, from elegant seasonal cuisine to casual fare to craft cocktails. Gurney’s also offers over 25,000-square-feet of meeting and banquet space, for hosting a wide range of business and social events. Its acclaimed spa is renowned for its healing treatments and ocean-fed seawater pool, the only pool of its kind in North America.

31 West Water Street Sag Harbor, N.Y. (844) 227-6672 CapeResorts.com/Barons-Cove The newly-renovated Baron's Cove Hotel is the 48

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2022 • NYTennisMag.com

TENNIS IN THE HAMPTONS 2022 Upcoming Hamptons Tournaments

Long Island Tennis Magazine will once again be hosting part of its summer series out east in The Hamptons, and are excited to be offering three Long Island Tennis Magazine Challenge events this summer.

The first tournament will be held on Saturday, June 11 at Sportime Quogue, featuring eight different divisions of play, four Men’s Doubles categories and four Women’s Doubles categories. The event will feature all of the amenities players have become accustomed to at the Long Island Tennis Magazine Challenges, including competitive and well-organized doubles play, catered lunch, complimentary happy hour, prizes for winners and features in Long Island Tennis Magazine.

You can visit www.LITennisMag.com/LITMJuneChallenge.

The next two events will be held on Saturday, July 16,

and Saturday, September 10, both of which will also be held at Sportime Quogue.

“We are excited to host the LITM Challenges this summer in the Hamptons for the third year in a row,” said David Sickmen, Publisher of Long Island Tennis Magazine.

“Sportime Quogue has proven to be the perfect host site as they accommodate our large draws on their outdoor courts, and we are able to bring people the amenities they have become used to on Sportime’s large pool deck. We look forward to seeing everyone back on the courts for fun in the sun this summer.”

More information to come on these events, and be sure to visit LITennisMag.com for the latest information.

NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2022 • New York Tennis Magazine

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PARSA’s picks eal estate in the Hamptons is some of the most sought after property in the world, and many of them are perfect for the tennis lover. With gorgeous landscapes, modern design and private tennis courts, among other amenities, these properties are truly one-of-a-kind.

With the help of Parsa Samii of Compass Real Estate, we’re showcasing three of these beautiful homes for sale. Parsa is a former professional tennis player and coach who has transitioned into real estate, with a strong understanding of both the tennis aficionado and the home buyer.

As Compass puts it, “Parsa is the ideal professional to navigate the ever-competitive real estate market.”

For more information, photos or to see more listings, email parsa@compass.com or call (516) 965-7445.

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15 Watermill Heights – Water Mill, NY $9,995,000 – Eight Beds – 11 Baths – Two Half Baths 15 Watermill Heights Drive is a one of a kind Watermill masterpiece to be completed in 2022. This remarkable home spans 11,000 square feet +/- of living space, features eight bedrooms and ten bathrooms, in three levels of living space.

Upon entering the house the double height ceilings open to the living space with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the 50 x 20 salt water heated pool & hot tub and the beautiful manicured grounds. Floor-to-ceiling windows throughout the house allow for natural light to flow through the house and bring a sense of outside living into the interior spaces. There has been tremendous attention to detail and no expense was spared. Adjacent to the living area is the family room overlooking the patio and back yard. The eat-in kitchen is the centerpiece for entertainment at the house with an oversized kitchen island complete with custom cabinetry, countertops, top of the line appliances and custom butler's pantry. There is an ensuite junior master on the main floor. The second floor has five

bedrooms all ensuite including the master suite and an additional family/TV room.

The finished lower level has a large entertainment space, two bedrooms and three bathrooms, a movie theater, a wine cellar, a gym and a game room. An elevator can take you to the third floor roof deck where you can enjoy views of the Peconic Bay. Multiple French doors open to the grounds and the fully landscaped yard around the heated gunite pool with tree specimens as well as a private manicured forested area. A beautiful walkway leads the full size tennis court and the guest house cabana of 1,400 square feet +/- with living space, kitchenette, full bathroom and a gym/additional living space on the second floor. Additionally there is a three car attached garage with electric car charger, the option to build a fully green home with solar panels for electrical needs and a backup generator. This beautiful home is a short distance from watermill village and ocean beaches.

New York Tennis Magazinephotos • May/June 2022 • NYTennisMag.com 50 For more information, or to see more listings, email parsa@compass.com or call 516.965.7445.

22 East Woods Path – Sagaponack, NY $6,450,000 – Eight Beds – Eight Baths – One Half Bath This spectacular Sagaponack estate offers the best of Hamptons luxury lifestyle. The graciously appointed interior, designed by a renowned designer, flows easily to an outdoor living/dining patio, heated gunite pool, hot tub, tennis court and an exquisitely landscaped garden and lawn. The main floor has a living room, great room open to eat-in kitchen, formal dining room, butler's pantry, powder room, and en-suite bedroom.

Upstairs has the master suite, a second bedroom suite with a sitting room and two bathrooms, and two other en-suite bedrooms. The lower level includes two large luxury bedrooms with an excavated window well, a den/media room/exercise room and a staff bedroom and bathroom.

Amenities include a fully enclosed lot with driveway gate, an attached two car garage, ample outdoor parking, double laundry room, speaker system, Wi-Fi, and security system.

21 Wildwood Lane – Quogue, NY $5,695,000 – Five Beds – Four Baths This turn-key property is located in the heart of beautiful Quogue and features an array of amenities including a pool and tennis court. The foyer with vaulted ceilings leads into the open floor plan with dining room, media room, living room with fireplace, sunroom/breakfast area, & chef's kitchen with high-end stainless-steel appliances, custom cabinets, & wine fridge.

The first floor also offers three guest bedrooms, three baths, & laundry room. Upstairs you'll find the wellappointed master suite with vaulted ceilings, over-sized en-suite bath, & private balcony overlooking the backyard.

The outdoor amenities include ample decking, heated inground pool, hot tub, all-weather tennis court, & detached pool house with bath, kitchenette, & living space.

NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2022 • New Magazine 51 For more information, photos or to see more listings, email parsa@compass.com or York callTennis 516.965.7445.

You Win the Spin of the Racquet: What Should You Do? rior to every tennis match, there is either a coin toss or the traditional “spin of the racquet”. Most players are quite pleased when they win this, but few are aware of the opportunities presented.

Understanding all of your options could get you off to a quick start in the match. This can provide a big psychological edge.

Let’s look at Rule 9 of the 2022 International Tennis Federation Rules of Tennis regarding the Choice of Ends and Service, to see how you can use it to your advantage. Simply, the winner of the toss has three choices:

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1. To serve or receive 2. To choose side of the court 3. To require his/her opponent to choose one of the above.

Most players are aware of the first two choices, but not the third.

Requiring your opponent to choose can work to your advantage!

Therefore, we need to examine all three choices.

Generally, there is no advantage to playing on one side of the court over the other when playing indoors.

Therefore, we will presume that we are discussing matches played outdoors where weather conditions could affect play.

Deciding whether to serve or receive If you have a dynamite serve and 52

routinely hold, you probably want to serve the first game. Assuming that you win your service games, each time your opponent serves, he/she will be down in the score i.e. 0-1, 1-2, 2-3, etc. This pressure to hold builds up over the course of a set. When the score reaches 3-4 and 4-5, the pressure becomes intense; it’s hold serve or die. If you hold serve again, your opponent is faced with the same do-or-die pressure at 5-6. If the same scenario occurs in the second set, your opponent not only faces the same pressure as above, but now faces it while down a set!

But if your serve is good but not to the point where you consistently hold serve, you might be better off receiving in the first game. There are several reasons why this option makes sense: l Your opponent is under pressure to hold serve his/her first service game. Most players do not serve their best in their first service game when they might be a little tight or not be fully warmed up. l As the receiver, you’re not expected to win the game. Therefore, you get to play the first game of the match with little or no pressure. l Getting an early break of serve can give you a big psychological edge.

Your opponent’s confidence in holding serve has to be a little shaken, and you have established the capability of breaking serve. l By getting the break in the first

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2022 • NYTennisMag.com

By Lawrence Kleger

game, you have an excellent chance of taking a 2-0 lead. When you elected to receive, presumably your opponent chose to serve from the better side. After changing ends after the first game, you get to serve from the better side. l And it gets even better! If you hold serve, your opponent now has to serve on the tough side down 0-2.

He’s under big time pressure! If he/she gets broken serving at 0-2 he/she will be down two breaks.

Very difficult to come back when you are down two breaks. l Important to mention that worst case scenario could happen, i.e. your opponent could hold serve. But that just means that you are on serve!

Not so terrible.

Remember, the weaker your opponent’s serve the more persuasive the argument in favor of choosing to receive becomes.

Choosing a side of the court Sometimes the position of the sun and the amount and direction of the wind can combine to make it extremely difficult to play one side of the court.

When you choose a side of the court, your opponent then has the option to serve or receive. You could have an opponent that does not like to serve the first game and definitely will not choose to do so on the difficult side.

Result: You get to serve and be on the better side! If he/she chooses to serve, wish him luck. They’ll need it.

Requiring your opponent to choose Electing to have your opponent choose rarely occurs in singles matches, but could be very effective in doubles. The following is one scenario where this strategy can pay dividends.

There are three given conditions: 1. You and your partner’s ability to hold serve is basically equal.

2. One of your opponents has a relatively weak serve, but the other has a cannon, a major weapon.

3. The sun and wind conditions on one side of the court make it extremely difficult to serve effectively.

If you force your opponent to choose, they have these options: l They can elect to serve. At which point you will take the better side and neutralize their big server by forcing him/her to battle the severe

conditions. And he/she will be forced to serve from that side throughout the entire first set! l They can elect to receive. You are obligated to serve, but can choose the better side! After the first game, their big server is faced with the same problem as above. l They can choose the better side. But you will elect to serve! Guess what?

After the first game their big server is back you know where.

Some might raise the argument that your opponents are not obligated to have their better server serve first. By having the weaker server begin on the tough side, the stronger server will get to serve from the better side. However,

you still come out ahead! Instead of the big server serving games one, five and nine, they now will serve games three, seven, and 11. Given that most sets do not last to game #11, you probably would only have to face their best server twice instead of three times. Of course, only once if you bagel them! Again the key is to neutralize that big server. Give this option some thought. You may find some unique circumstances where this could really work in your favor.

In conclusion, the aim of this author is to make you aware that you do have options. After reading this article, hopefully it’s the racquet that spins and not your head.

Lawrence Kleger is co-director of the John McEnroe Tennis Academy at Sportime Randall’s Island. He was named the USTA/Eastern Section Tennis Professional of the Year in 2013 and the USTA/Long Island Region Tennis Professional of the Year in 2006. He has trained more ranked juniors than anyone in the history of the USTA Eastern Section, and his students have won numerous National and Regional Championships, and 20 USTA Eastern Year-End Sportsmanship Awards. He can be reached at lkleger@sportimeny.com.

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Metro Corporate League Looking Towards 2021 Presented by Advantage Tennis Clubs

Winter 2022 Season Wrapping Up

he 2022 Winter Season of the Metro Corporate League comes to a close with its seasonal end-ofseason finals and party at Roosevelt Island Racquet Club.

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Advanced Division 1) Credit Agricole 2) Proskauer Rose 3) Cary Leeds Center/NYJTL Advanced Intermediate 1) Neuberger Berman 2) BlackRock 3) Natixis 4) Latham & Watkins

Below are the final standings for the 2022 Winter Season. In the July/August edition of New York Tennis Magazine, we will have a full recap of the Winter 2022 Championships.

Intermediate Division I 1) Corcoran 2) Brown Harris Stevens 3) Societe Generale 4) Sullivan & Cromwell 5) Fried, Frank 6) HSBC

Intermediate Division II 1) BNP Paribas 2) Ropes & Gray 3) Bloomberg 4) Latham & Watkins 5) West Monroe 6) BlackRock 7) Weil

The Summer 2022 league is set to begin on June 7.

For more information on the league, how to find a team or how to register, contact luis@metrotennis.com, or visit MetroTennis.com/Registration.

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New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2022 • NYTennisMag.com

High School Tennis: Success is Built on Preparation By Jose Funes “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.”— Colin Powell Every high school coach you meet will provide the same advice to players and parents when prompted.

Play and train your tennis game consistently.

Progress comes from continuity.

Even if players are managing a wide aspect of subjects and after school activities, finding ways to maintain their tennis in between seasons is crucial. UTR (Universal Tennis Rating) offers stand alone opportunities to play level based matches and demands less commitment than a USTA tournament. Joining a weekly training program at an established academy is another. A sound training program provides players with a great combination of quality and volume, which is invaluable.

Occasionally players assume that being a returning player guarantees a better placement the following season, or worse, they assume that if they weren’t good enough to make varsity, they are destined to be Junior Varsity again. That is never the case. Player position is solely based on the results at tryouts. If players wish to make a jump in their placement, their tennis level must improve. If that leaky second serve kept them from making the team last year, invest the time with

a qualified professional to help fix it.

A better game improves their results.

Before the first ball is hit in tryouts, a player’s success will date back to the first day they began to prepare for tryouts. Tennis is simply a game of volume and specifically, quality of volume. So if you are looking for a successful season, the work begins now.

Be aware of the timing — know how

much time a player really has to train and make game improvements. Ask the coach or athletic director when the first practices are scheduled.

Coaches and school administrators are invested in the success of all returning players and new students and will be happy to provide the important dates that need to be circled in the calendar.

Use the summer wisely!

Jose Funes is the General Manager and Director of Tennis for Centercourt Florham Park. A 10 & Under tennis specialist, and is a USPTA-certified tennis instructor who has been teaching groups and individuals of all levels for more than 25 years. He may be reached at jose@centercourtclub.com.

Spring/Summer Sessions Available Groups, Private Lessons and Tournament Travel Come train with Gilad Bloom: 27 years of High Performance coaching 13-year career on Pro Tour, including Davis Cup and Olympics Hamptons Lessons Available As Well!

Call 914-907-0041 or E-mail Bloom.Gilad@gmail.com www.GiladBloom.com NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2022 • New York Tennis Magazine

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Creating a High-Performance Program By

By Joao Joao Pinho Pinho any pros or clubs aspire to develop a robust highperformance program, with the goal of developing, attracting and retaining competitive juniors. While many attempt to do so, the reality is that few are able to deliver a product that can be truly qualified as a highperformance program. The objective of this article is to highlight not only the necessary standards needed for such a program, but also to provide a list of actions needed to either develop a program from scratch or improve upon an existing one.

“If you build it, he will come.”

The classic quote from the movie “Field of Dreams” is a good way to start this discussion. It’s important to understand that, like with most ventures, having a vision of what the program will be is a crucial first step. As someone who is now developing junior programs at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, I can attest that having such vision can make a significant impact. In other words, knowing how your competitive program will look and feel will give you the direction needed to guide you through the ups and downs.

More specifically, developing your program’s values and identity will improve your ability to create a unique image. This uniqueness can be the intensity that is implemented during your

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sessions, or the emphasis on technical/tactical development, or your staff’s ability to “connect” with the players and create a sense of community. Once you have this settled, other coaches and players who identify themselves with the reputation of your program will join you for the ride.

Another important factor is understanding that competitive players can sometimes have a “high maintenance” reputation. Some of the challenges include: Players often switching programs, difficulties with parents and the expectation of significant discounts or scholarships.

However, be aware that there are ways to mitigate such issues, which we will explore later, and many underestimate the benefits associated with adding a high-performance track to a club’s portfolio. Here are five clear advantages to do so: 1. Impact the bottom line: Committed players are more likely to spend larger sums than purely recreational players, as they tend to attend multiple clinics, private lessons, etc.

Some of the top players I work with spend as much as 17 times the amount of recreational players!

2. Create an aspiration for lower levels: Having a solid highperformance program is an indirect

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2022 • NYTennisMag.com

way to boost recreational classes, as those players have something to look forward to and build toward.

3. Boost staff morale: Coaches tend to feel more rewarded when working with more committed players. Even if the level is not necessarily high, most would agree that working with students who are willing to work hard is more enjoyable. Therefore, having more of these players at your facility can create a boost of productivity from within your staff.

4. Fill your non-prime time slots: Competitive players are more willing to come at non-ideal times as tennis is a priority to them, thus improving your ability to sell nonprime time slots.

5. Improve your club’s overall image: The reality is that most clubs tend to become associated with the quality of its junior programs. The better the juniors, the better your image will be.

With that said, below are some steps to be strongly considered when looking to either create or improve a competitive program. The order of these steps would be adjusted based on where one is in this process: 1. Develop your method, values, and culture that you hope to create: This will ultimately be your key

differentiator and create a unique bonding between you and the player. A successful program is often known for a specific characteristic.

2. Offer a tryout event: Create a buzz about your program by promoting your staff, facility, program structure, etc. This could be a one-day event or a series of days throughout the year.

3. Use scholarships or other similar methods to attract top players in the area: While the programs I have been involved with do not engage in such practice, this is commonly used. The reality is that many players and parents often care more about “who else is training there” than the quality of the program or coaches. While this tactic can be helpful at times, being able to develop players from the ground up is a better strategy in the long-run. If the program is good, you should be able to

charge for it.

4. Provide parents with lots of education: Despite their reputation, I feel that most tennis parents are not problematic.

However, most of them are uneducated about the journey of building a competitive player.

Providing constant communication, in individual and group meetings, while explaining the journey of a junior player and the parent’s role in that process, can be extremely helpful.

5. Be a role model for the players and develop a positive relationship with them: Most people will learn best if it comes from someone they like. We are tennis coaches, so we should live what we preach. In other words, if you are out of shape, get in shape. If you have a more limited playing background, work on it.

One doesn’t need to be a worldclass player to be a great coach,

but it’s important to be able to know what the player is going through and see things at a deeper level. Being a more established player can help with that. Also, it’s important to know what your players like outside of tennis, show an interest in their overall life and personal growth, not just their forehands and backhands.

6. Continue to learn: Take every course you can, both in-person and online. Even if you learn just one new thing, you now have one more piece of information or concept to share with your players.

7. Train your staff: Put them through the drills you’ll do with the players, make them feed with the same tempo and trajectory, while providing feedback in a similar manner. Otherwise, if every court is different, you don’t really have a program; only pros running their continued on page 58

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creating a high-performance program continued from page 57

own independent classes. One important aspect I try to emphasize with my staff, is that “the skill matters more than the drill!” So, drills should be simple and emphasize fundamentals performed relative to the player’s level.

8. Create a curriculum for your classes: What are the skills that players should have before moving to a higher level? Such a list does not have to be complex, in fact, simpler is better in most cases. If you don’t have one, I suggest using the Net Generation templates and adjust them to your program’s needs.

9. Attend tournaments regularly: Watch your players compete. Not only will you be able to better understand how your player performs under pressure, but you

will also develop a closer relationship. This goes a long way in showing your players and their families that you care and have a joint interest and commitment in their progress and success. In turn, players and families will likely feel a greater sense of connection and loyalty. Additionally, other players and parents will see you there which is a nice form of marketing your program. However, do not make this an opportunity to poach players from other programs.

10. Keep track of your players’ success: Nothing speaks louder than actual results. While it’s

important not to stress results and rankings at an early age, keep track of how your players progress by promoting their results to demonstrate your program’s availability to develop, retain and attract competitive juniors.

In all, developing a quality highperformance program is not easy. It often takes some years to get enough players through your system, and its key to have the right type of personnel.

However, the clubs who do it right often have lower employee turnover, higher player retention rates, and healthier programs in general.

Joao Pinho is the Head Tennis Professional at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. He is a USPTA Master Professional, a former NCAA DI coach and player, and has specialized in developing competitive junior players over the past decade. Pinho has worked with multiple National Champions and a WTA Pro player, and has spoken at numerous Conferences and Workshops throughout the country, including the USPTA World Conference and the PTR International Symposium.

Get safely in the game! At Advantage Tennis Clubs.

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450 West 43rd St., New York, NY

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Contact Pam Glick: 212.935.0250, pglick@advantagetennisclubs.com

Find out more today—then choose your Advantage club! advantagetennisclubs.com 58

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2022 • NYTennisMag.com

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

But I Don’t Want To

By Barbara Wyatt

t was wet, rainy, and cold. I did not want to go. The indoor tennis facility would be warm, but so was the comforter on my living room sofa at home. A heavy mug filled to the brim with hot cocoa, complete with white mini-marshmallows, would be in my hands. I could snuggle in and watch flames of orange, yellow, and indigo crackling in the fireplace.

A ping jarred me. A glowing monitor stared back at me with a nonstop flow of work emails. As fast as the emails arrived, I answered and pushed send. It was Lucille Ball and Ethel Merman’s chocolate wrapping conveyer belt skit, upgraded to the twenty-first century with emails on a high-speed gigabit fiber internet service.

Thirty minutes sped by; six more emails whipped down the fiber to the next recipient. The minutes on the digital timer clicked, edging closer to the final moment to register for that evening’s tennis drills. Only six spots left. Should I register and trudge off to tennis? I was tired. Another email sent. I checked again; only three open spots remained.

An inner energetic voice said, “Go to tennis. It is good for you. You will see your friends. It will fill you with endorphins. Hit balls tonight.” I nodded, exuberant swings against yellow balls are good for the soul.

A second raspy inner voice interrupted, “I placed the warm soft blanket on the couch for you. It’s folded and ready to be shaken and wrapped around you.” The voice continued,

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“You’ve worked hard today. Forget tennis. Go another day. Rest, eat ice cream, watch tv.”

I shook that voice out of my head and typed, “Register Me” for that evening’s drills class. With money on the table, I would not be swayed. I would attend.

The second voice imploded and disappeared into silence.

Class did not go well—in the beginning. Joints creaked and tight muscles slowed response time. The pro did not abandon hope; she fed balls continuously. My body, stiffened by hours sitting at a desk, became more subtle and flexible. In fifteen minutes, I

was a well-oiled athletic machine. The sweet spot of my racquet slammed balls over the net. I dominated her conveyer belt of tennis balls.

At a rest break, my friend and teammate Karyn said, “I was so tired from work and didn’t want to come, so I registered. That forced to me to attend. I am SO glad I did.” She was right.

Take Karyn’s and my advice. Go ahead. Push aside the day’s stress and all devious inner voices. Register for a drills class and pound at an endless feed of tennis balls, like the 1952 chocolate wrapping skit.

Even when you don’t want to.

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 email at BarbaraW@iKnowTennis.com

NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2022 • New York Tennis Magazine

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The Secret to Being Your Best Balance On and Off the Court

By Rob Polishook hat’s the secret to sustained peak performance? Let’s face it … this is the million-dollar

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question!

Rafa, Federer, Swiatek, Bodosa and every junior are trying to solve this great mystery.

In my experience as a mental training coach, I believe the essential starting point is being in balance both on and off the court, as a person and as a player, and mentally, physically and spiritually.

Remember back to a time when you watched a player who got excessively nervous, tight or seemingly just froze during competition. You know that “deer in the headlights” look? We wonder: how can this happen?

Especially when the athlete has hit the shot hundreds of times in practice? In fact, if we are honest with ourselves… many of us have experienced that situation when we compete. We know, and even feel, that there is this “little something” that holds us back and gets in the way of reaching the next level.

What is usually holding an athlete back is not what’s on the outside. It’s not the part that everyone can see: The athletic talent, strategy, fitness, and technique. These skills can always be improved upon. We all know that hitting an extra basket of serves won’t make a difference if the anxiety that the athlete is holding on the inside pervades and makes him or her tight?

In fact, it could actually be counterproductive as bad habits may develop.

The key is to look at the whole person. The block might be stemming from, a bad test result, anxiety of losing, an argument with a friend, fear of a reoccurring injury, a break up with 60

a loved one, or any type of trauma, Possibly, the nervousness may also have roots in the player trying to be someone they are not, comparing themselves, constantly judging themselves, listening to other expectations and ultimately feeling that whatever they do is just never good enough.

Basically, playing on a roller coaster whereas the results define their worth, their identity and their happiness. But whether it’s a single issue or an accumulation of issues, carrying the weight of an overwhelming load on the court will always impact performance, certainly in the long run.

Competitors are not robots, what’s on the inside affects how we play on the outside - it’s one and the same. So what happens if coaches, parents, fans, institutions or even the athlete themselves do not understand the connection between the person and the athlete? To being a whole human athlete and creating balance on and off the court?

Unfortunately, we have all seen it, time and time again, however, we just have not named it or its cause. It’s a fast track to burnout, fears, tears and mental health issues. The player will never get the most of themselves because they are pushing, pulling, comparing, and judging so much that they neglect their innate talents, skills and who they are as a person and player.

From the Whole Human Athlete, person first perspective, its clear to see that playing tight, slumps, choking, or

even the yips is not the problem.

Rather, it’s a symptom to something else that the athlete is consciously or unconsciously holding which overwhelms them. This overwhelm, otherwise known as a “freeze” response is actually an instinctual defensive reaction that is normal and employed by animals in the wild and in humans for self-preservation.

However, certainly, a loss of concentration for just a moment in sports can mean the difference in playing well or the eventual outcome.

When a player steps on the court, they don’t become a different person, but rather the same person inside and outside the lines. They are a unique individual with a heart, energy and spirit all to themselves. Their authentic self is what makes them who they are.

This is where their resilience, determination, motivation, will, and drive come from. This is the foundation on which the athlete should build both their mentality and game style. We all have our own DNA. The key is tapping into this uniqueness, not assimilating to a one-size-fits-all mentality.

All players, must remember that they are Whole Human Athlete. From this lens, we immediately see a wider perspective, that of the whole person, not just the performance. Rafael Nadal once said “tennis isn’t who I am; it’s what I do.” This perspective allows us to play free and recognize, the game isn’t personal, rather it’s just a game.

Rob Polishook, MA, CPC is the founder of Inside the Zone Sports Performance Group. As a mental training coach, he works with the whole human athlete helping them to unleash their mental edge (heart.energy.spirit) through mindfulness, somatic psychology, animal wisdom and mental training skills. Rob is author of 2 best-selling books: Tennis Inside the Zone and Baseball Inside the Zone: Mental Training Workouts for Champions. He can be reached by phone at (973) 723-0314, by e-mail rob@insidethezone.com, by visiting insidethezone.com, following on Instagram @insidethezone

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2022 • NYTennisMag.com

Serve and Volley is Coming Back! kay, I am a little partial to this specific strategy since my groundstrokes have always been average at best and I don’t have that big weapon at the baseline. In addition, running back and forth to hit balls on the run was never my specialty.

My brother, Paul, was a little better than me at this strategy and at his best, was coming in to the net on every serve and return of serve- successfully (#12 in the world in singles and #3 in the world in doubles). I am excited to see a lot of players starting to venture in to the netand winning! It is not exactly like back in the day when Arthur Ashe, John McEnroe, Stefan Edberg, Boris Becker, and many others came in to the net with no invitation.

However, almost all of the top players on the ATP Tour have shown more of their game moving forward in the past few years. Even Rafa Nadal, who is known as one of the best baseliners (and players!) of all-time, has been using the serve and volley tactic in quite a few matches during his hot start to 2022. Carlos Alcarez won the Miami Open and, in the final he went 11 for 11 on points serving and volleying. You read that right; he won all 11 of the points he played using this strategy.

I have always maintained that tennis tends to go in cycles. There were a lot of great aggressive, moving forward players in the 1960’s and early 1970’s. Then there was Bjorn Borg who revolutionized baseline tennis with his quickness, consistency, and incredible strategy. Many baseliners followed in his footsteps-and then, there was John McEnroe. Probably the greatest natural volleyer I have ever seen, it seemed like he could come in to the net at will and win 80% of the points. Ivan Lendl and Mats Wilander turned that around shortly thereafter until Boris Becker and Stefan Edberg started dominating. Michael Chang, Jim Courier, and Andre Agassi were the featured baseline players of the

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1990’s, and then there was Pete Sampras. Pete was great at moving forward but was also great from the baseline-perhaps the best on the run forehand of all time. Roger Federer brought serving and volleying to a new level, although he too could be amazing from the back of the court.

We all know about Nadal and Novak Djokovic and how they brought us into the new baseline era we have experienced for the last 15 or so years.

Now it is time for the tide to turn again. I always thought Federer could be the player who brought back the serve and volley, chip and charge mentality to the game, but he has had a lot of injuries and we did not get to see that happen. Hopefully, there is still that possibility. Alcaraz did a great job showing that the tactic can still be very successful. Other players will study what and how he used this in the final of the Miami Open and I believe there will be new players who work specifically on moving forward

By Steve Annacone

and will make it their main strategy.

Even though the game has evolved, the speed of the ball is faster, and the court surfaces have favored the baseline players, coming in to the net well can still be the difference in the match, especially if the players are evenly matched from the backcourt.

My advice for all the avid tennis players out there, all of the up and coming juniors, and anyone who wants to be a part of this new surge towards the net, is to get out there and practice moving in to the net gradually, hitting balls from all parts of the court, volleying (old school volleys, not swinging volleys!), and in general forcing yourself on the opponent with your position. I have confidence that the next big serve and volley player is out there and we will soon be seeing them exhibit that incredible instinct, anticipation, and hand eye coordination we have seen in the past.

Be ready—the serve and volley is making a comeback!

Steve Annacone, USPTA Elite Pro, is the Director of Annacone Tennis and MyHamptonsPro, in East Hampton, NY . Steve is also a tennis professional at Ventana Golf and Country Club in Tucson, AZ. In addition, Steve and Miguel Coelho have introduced the JET (Junior Elite Tennis) program at the Tucson Jewish Community Center for high level players ages 8-18.

Please contact Steve at info@annaconetennis.com.

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USPTA Eastern Division Annual Conference

Friday-Sunday, May 13-15, 2022 The Saw Mill Tennis Club Mount Kisco, NY Please register below. Any questions, call Paul Fontana at (914) 656-0614 form.jotform.com/USPTAEastern/2022DivisionConference NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2022 • New York Tennis Magazine

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Strawberries, Pickles And Cream? By Steve Kaplan he popularity of Pickleball is exploding. While many have concerns that this will derail the tennis industry, in the long run, pickleball will grow and support the health of tennis It's time for the tennis world to embrace this sport because it reflects an experience that comes full circle, from Quickstart tennis to traditional tennis to Pickleball.

To fully understand why Pickleball is not a threat to tennis, it's worthwhile to briefly examine the recent history of the tennis industry to gain a historical perspective We all know that tennis can be a costly sport for players, and it is equally costly for tennis service providers. That is especially true here in the Northeast because tennis courts do not yield high revenue per square foot as compared to many other uses.

As a result, tennis operators have long searched for a synergistic partner to bring more income per square foot since the 1980's. Racquetball was first touted as the savior of the industry, followed by indoor fitness workout space. Both of these initiatives required costly facility conversions that were mutually exclusive to tennis use.

Ultimately, they failed. The next evolution in the industry was the conversion of tennis courts to soccer or lacrosse fields.

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Enter the era of pickleball to the tennis industry. This sport will help encourage tennis facilities to preserve their tennis courts and not further convert to fields because financially, it's the holy grail of facility enhancement. Two pickleball courts can fit on one tennis court and all the conversion from pickleball to tennis requires are extra non-intrusive lines and a portable net; exactly like Quickstart Tennis. It a low-entry investment for players and facilities, and yields a high return in both fun and utilization.

Pickleball can be added to a tennis facility without permanently subtracting tennis and, as of today, pickleball is the fastest growing sport in the country. Even if this trend no longer continues, the risk to tennis facilities to embrace pickleball is almost nonexistent.

Let's not forget that Quickstart tennis for children is described as a racquet sport with age and skill appropriate equipment and space that is fun, accessible, value driven and easier to

learn and play than conventional tennis. This, of course, is also the concept of pickleball for many adults with the added value of being an intriguing strategic game and thus highly-entertaining. The evolution from playing tennis to playing pickleball, for many, is inevitable.

Ultimately, the strongest argument for embracing the growth of Pickleball is it will preserve more tennis courts by solidifying the prosperity and viability of the tennis industry without permanently taking away courts and more remaining tennis courts equals more potential tennis players.

Tennis equipment manufactures as well as many facilities are already onboard marketing pickleball. It's time that the USTA weighed in to support pickleball in a big way because it is a natural evolution of tennis and can strengthen the foundation of tennis as the "sport of a lifetime." Pickleball is an ally and best friend to tennis.

Supporting this sport will help protect courts, and help grow the sport of tennis.

Steve Kaplan is the owner and managing director of Bethpage Park Tennis Center, as well as director emeritus of Lacoste Academy for New York City Parks Foundation, and executive director and founder of Serve & Return Inc. Many of the students Steve has closely mentored have gone to achieve great success as prominent members of the New York financial community, and in other prestigious professions. 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.

New York Tennis Magazine • May/June 2022 • NYTennisMag.com

Rafa Magic Down Under

By Luke Jensen afa saves the day! The Aussie Open known as the “Happy Slam” was far from that after the 2021 event had basically no fans because of COVID-19 and then the drama with defending champion Novak Djokovic, a nine-time winner of the event leading into 2022. I can’t remember a tennis story in my lifetime that crossed over into a political hot potato battle like the COVID-19 vaccine. The entire world was so engaged in the outcome; would the Aussie immigration courts allow Djokovic to compete in their country’s major?

What is ironic is that even after all these months since the verdict to send Djokovic home, does anyone know what really happened leading up to Novak landing in Australia? Australia was one of the strictest lock down countries in the world during the pandemic and I thought it should have been an easy government approach to the 2022 tournament. If you’re vaccinated you can play; if not, just don’t take the 26 hour flight and we will see where everything is with COVID-19 next year to allow non vaccinated players to compete.

Oh well….. tennis was finally played and the Spanish Bull Rafa Nadal kicked us into gear with a “Let’s Play Tennis” comment that brought us all back into a perfect mindset. Two weeks later Rafa, in a major that had

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been voodoo cursed for him in years past, winning only once before, won his 21st major title to break the tie with Djokovic and Federer. A dramatic comeback win in the final after he went down two-sets-to-love to Daniil Medvedev. I love it when good things happen to good people. Nadal has been about the work and the effort when it comes to competition.

In 2021 Rafa didn’t play after the French Open and completely put a stop on all tournaments after the DC Open over the summer due to a nagging foot injury. Rafa also had COVID-19 right before the Aussie and couldn’t prepare normally, only further adding to the magic at the Aussie 22.

Nadal is such a great player but an even greater person!

An example was last summer during the DC Open he had a early morning practice session while I was part of a kids clinic on the courts next to his. It was a useless clinic because the 40 kids of all abilities and ages kept watching Rafa instead of the ball that was flying at them. I don’t blame them.

A Nadal practice is inspiring with the intensity and purpose. No hit and giggle. The practice must reflect the

energy of a match and what a great example for the young tennis players.

Rafa was finishing up his session and came over to say hello and take pictures with the kids. Rafa didn’t have to and the junior players were so excited to meet the future hall of famer.

It is these small gestures of inspiration that can get a future star wanting to walk in those Rafa steps from that experience. I was ten and my brother Murphy was eight at a kids clinic at the Atlanta Open when Wimbledon Champions Stan Smith and Dennis Ralston spent some time with a group of kids at the Atlanta Opens kids day. They were tennis ROCK STARS and were so nice to all of us. It made such a massive positive impression on my family that we all just fell in love with the game that lives in all of us to this day.

The 2022 Australian Open turned out “amaaaazing” with Rafa and the wonderful Aussie Ash Barty winning the women’s singles title. We are all part of this global sport of a lifetime that can be inspirational to all of us.

Keep the ball in the court. Add some work ethic and passion in the mix. It will take you places you never expected.

GO FOR IT!

Born in Grayling, Mich., Luke Jensen’s resume includes 10 ATP Tour doubles titles and singles victories against Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, Ivan Lendl, John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg, Jimmy Connors, Boris Becker, Stefan Edberg and Jim Courier. Jensen and his brother, Murphy, won the 1993 French Open doubles title. Luke is currently director of tennis at Sea Island Tennis Center in Georgia. He may be reached by phone at (315) 443-3552 or email lukejensen84@yahoo.com.

NYTennisMag.com • May/June 2022 • New York Tennis Magazine

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