New York Tennis Magazine November / December 2021

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Local Juniors Compete in “Little Mo” North Regionals

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he 24th Road to the “Little Mo” Nationals made a stop in New York this fall as the North Regionals of the famed junior tennis tournament series was played at the Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning in the Bronx.

Over the course of the three-day regionals, hundreds of players in a multitude of divisions took to the courts to display their tennis skills, but also their sportsmanship, as they aimed to qualify for the “Little Mo” Nationals.

Below are the winners in each of the respective divisions: • Boys’ 8 Green: Ryan Limam • Boys’ 8 Yellow: Louis Xu • Boys’ 9 Green: Kobe Siegel

• • • • • • • • • • • • •

Boys’ 9 Yellow: Rex Kulman Boys’ 10 Green: Kobie Aranbayev Boys’ 10 Yellow: Anthony Kirchner Boys’ 11: Karan Shanker Boys’ 12: Gurbaaz Narang Girls’ 8 Green: Daniella Yogumyan Girls’ 8 Yellow: Brooke Sangster Girls’ 9 Green: Luanna Carmo Girls’ 9 Yellow: Nadia Poznick Girls’ 10 Green: Stephanie Costello Girls’ 10 Yellow: Kathryn Cragg Girls’ 11: Lily Bragg Girls’ 12: Carrie-Anne Hoo

NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2021 • New York Tennis Magazine

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November/December 2021 • Volume 11, Number 6

nytennis New York Tennis Magazine

Table Of Contents

MAGAZINE

Fantastic Fernandez

New York Tennis Magazine

Leylah Fernandez’s rise to stardom

By Brian Coleman—See page 14

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

Photo credit: Pete Staples/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 Joey Arendt Art Director

Highlights Beyond the Baseline w/ Jenny Schnitzer, USTA Eastern By Brian Coleman Coaching Spotlight: Rohan Goetzke, CourtSense By Brian Coleman Junior Player Spotlight: Centercourt Tennis Academy’s Big Three

By Brian Coleman 2021 New York Tennis Coaches Roundtable Discussion Guide to the Top Tennis Travel Destinations 2021 Holiday Gift Guide

6 10 22 32 42 52

Francine Miller Advertising Coordinator (516) 409-4444, ext. 301 francinem@usptennis.com Emilie Katz Assistant Marketing Coordinator Barbara Wyatt Contributing Writer Rob Polishook Contributing Writer Lonnie Mitchel 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 1 4 13 18 21 24 27 28 29 30 40 46 48 49 50 60 62 64

Local Juniors Compete in “Little Mo” North Regionals Across Metro New York…News and Notes From Across the New York Metro Tennis Community Racquet Sport Report presented by All Racquet Sports Moonballers! By Chris Lewit Slinger Serves a Successful First Year USTA Eastern Metro Region Update Metro Corporate League Recap presented by Advantage Tennis Clubs Burnout Variables and Monitoring Techniques By Farhad Roshanaie Tennis: There Is Always Something to Learn By Shenay Perry An Athlete Needs a Rival By Dr. Tom Ferraro The Connection Between Sports By Gilad Bloom USTA Eastern Inducts 2021 Hall of Fame Class My Tennis Tribe, My Tennis People By Barbara Wyatt Importance of Coordination and Training Specificity in Young Tennis Players By Cinto Casanova All it Takes is a Racquet and a Dream By Steve Kaplan Leylah Fernandez: I Have a New Tennis Idol By Lonnie Mitchel You Are Good Enough By Rob Polishook Delivering the Message By Jeremy Schmitter

New York Tennis Magazine is published bi-monthly by United Sports Publications Ltd. • Copyright © 2021 United Sports Publications Ltd.

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Across Metro Ne N Yakoff Wins New Jersey High School Singles Title

For the second time Stephanie Yakoff is the New Jersey High School singles champion. Yakoff, who trained at CourtSense, won the state title via a 6-2, 6-3 victory in the finals over Erin Ha. “This was definitely harder than a few years ago,” said Yakoff.

“The level of play was much higher.

It was a really tough match against Erin and the match before, all of them, honestly. It feels great and it was a great tournament.”

Matteo Berrettini Stops By JMTA

Wimbledon finalist earlier this year who is currently ranked sixth in the world, spent time working with JMTA coach Ion Efrim.

MatchPoint’s Markov, RSTA’s Teixeira Win Empire Cup Doubles

Milana Markov, pictured here with her coach at MatchPoint NYC, captured the Girls’ Doubles title at the L4 Closed Empire Cup event at Point Set Tennis, alongside Luma Teixeira. The duo did not drop a set throughout their run to the championship.

Frangenberg Wins L6 Title at RIRC

Lukas Frangenberg, who trains with Gilad Bloom Tennis, captured the title at the Level 6 Clay Court Championships at Roosevelt Island Racquet Club.

Frangenberg, who is just 14years-old, won the title in the Boys 18s Singles division, as the tournament’s third-seed.

Italian tennis star Matteo Berrettini spent some time in New York and did training at the John McEnroe Tennis Academy (JMTA) at Sportime Randall’s Island. Berrettini, a 4

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2021 • NYTennisMag.com

New York Yarin Wins L6 Title

Maksim Yarin, who trains at the Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning, captured the Boys 12s singles title at the L6 Open Championships at Sportime Syosset on Long Island. After reaching the final via straight-sets victories, Yarin came back to win in the championship match 6-7(2), 6-1, 10-7.

Carmo Wins “Little Mo” Regionals

Ross School Tennis Academy student Luanna Carmo competed in the “Little Mo” North Regionals at the Cary Leeds Center in the Bronx, and came away victorious. Carmo won the 9U Green Ball division, winning a tight championship match 7-6, 3-6, 10-7, to advance to the “Little Mo” Nationals.

… News and notes from across the N.Y. Metro tennis community Centercourt’s Papadopoulos Wins Fall Championships

Kalista Papadopoulos, a player in the Centercourt Tennis Academy, captured a title in her home club at Centercourt Chatham, where she won the L6 Centercourt Fall Championships. In the Girls 16s singles division, Papadopoulos won her semifinal and final matches convincingly, 6-1, 6-2 and 6-0, 6-2, respectively.

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BEYOND THE BASELINE

BEYOND THE BASELINE BEYOND THE BASELINE

BEYOND THE BASELINE BEYOND

beyondthebaseline

Jenny Schnitzer, USTA Eastern

By Brian Coleman

A

s the calendars turn from 2021 to 2022, tennis continues to thrive here in our local area.

Throughout the USTA Eastern Section, this year has been extremely encouraging as we have seen tennis in all of its forms rise from the ashes of the pandemic, providing optimism for what’s to come next year.

“Heading into this year, our goal was to lend our support wherever we could, and then rebuild,” said Jenny Schnitzer, USTA Eastern’s Executive Director and CEO. “Now I think, as 6

we head into next year, it’s about welcoming in new people, and designing programming and events that welcome more players into our Eastern family.”

Throughout the last 18 months, we have seen tennis participation skyrocket throughout the country, and that trend applies to our Section as well. Overall, tennis participation increased by 22 percent from 2019 into 2020, and the latest data reported by the Tennis Industry Association indicates that total racquet

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2021 • NYTennisMag.com

shipments increased by 40.5 percent in the first half of this year, and a 66 percent increase in string unit shipments.

All these numbers indicate a sport that is on the rise in terms of participation.

The next step now for Schnitzer and her team at USTA Eastern is to ensure those new players, many of whom picked the sport up during the pandemic, continue playing in this coming year and beyond.

“Participation-wise, tennis is exploding right now, which is great. The

OND THE BASELINE

BEYOND THE BASELINE BEYOND THE BASELINE

facilities are crowded, and our goal moving into 2022 is to see that trend continue,” said Schnitzer. “We’re working on coming up with new social leagues and events, so we can provide something for everyone, and new players don’t have to feel the pressure of competing in a tournament or a competitive USTA league. We want to provide a stepping stone for them to remain in the sport.

I hope that since people found tennis to be a fun and safe activity, that they continue to love it, and continue to play it. Hopefully, we can develop programming that helps them stick around and stay with the sport even longer.”

Schnitzer took over the position of Executive Director back in 2015, and the challenges presented by the pandemic were some of the toughest the Section has seen during her tenure. As a native New Yorker though, she was the right person to be

at the helm to oversee the Section’s handling of the crisis, and leading the way in coming out of it even stronger.

She grew up playing on the public courts in New York City, before moving on to play her collegiate tennis at St. John’s University.

“My parents would play at Inwood Park in Upper Manhattan, and that is where I first started playing and learning the game,” said Schnitzer. “I started to get involved in community programs in the parks, and eventually took a scholarship to play at St. John’s.”

While at St. John’s, beyond her accolades on the court, she majored in athletic administration, and knew she wanted to work in tennis in some capacity once her time in school was complete.

“I knew I wanted to give back to the game,” said Schnitzer.

When she was done with school,

BEYOND THE BASELINE BEYOND THE she got a call from Arvelia Myers, a legend in the Harlem tennis community and friend of Schnitzer’s, who told her there was a position available with the USTA. She was first hired as the school’s director for USTA Eastern, and she then moved to the position of community tennis manager, but was always involved with trying to unite the schools and community in the Eastern Section.

And in 2015, she took over as Executive Director.

“What makes our Section work are the boots on the ground, and the people in the communities every day who are helping to grow the game, and that includes our volunteers,” she said. “They are the ones closest to what’s happening, and they understand what is working and what doesn’t work. So it’s important to listen to them as much as we can.” continued on page 8

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EYOND THE BASELINE

BEYOND THE BASELINE BEYOND THE BASELINE

And that is what Schnitzer says is the primary objective of the Section as we head into 2022: listen.

“That means listening to the facilities, the players, the parents, the coaches, etc., and figuring out the best way to move forward,” added Schnitzer. “We have a great team here that’s always willing to do more, and we don’t know everything about tennis. So it’s imperative that we listen to the public and lend our support to where it is needed. It’s about listening and making the proper adjustments.”

Much of what the Section heard over the last year is the slow rollout of Serve Tennis, which is the USTA’s tennis management software and was designed to help bridge the gap between providers and members.

“We heard a lot about it, and it was not a successful rollout,” admitted Schnitzer. “USTA National is all over it, and they understand the importance of it. It gets better each week, so as

we have gone through this year we have heard fewer complaints, which is encouraging. But it was a struggle in the beginning, and as we enter 2022 it will certainly be tightened up.”

The willingness to listen, and understand that running the Section is a collaborative effort is a major component of Schnitzer’s leadership, and is a reason to be optimistic as we enter the new year of tennis in the Eastern Section. This coming year will see the return of the in-person USTA Eastern Tennis Conference, which is a manifestation of that collaboration, with providers, coaches, players and more from all across the Section gather in one place for a weekendlong event.

In 2021, the Conference was held virtually, and while successful, having everybody physically together makes a huge difference.

“It’s very exciting,” Schnitzer said of the Eastern Conference. “Everybody

BEYOND THE BASELINE BEYOND

gets together, they can socialize and share ideas on the best practices. It’s a great way to kick off the year and get people fired up about tennis, and discuss ways in which we can work together. It’s amazing to be able to do that, and get the year started in a positive way. The Awards Ceremony during that weekend is also so important because we get to thank all the volunteers and honor those who make our Section what it is.”

Tennis continues to thrive in our communities, and despite the struggles and bumps along the way, the resilience of the community, and passion of its members have helped the game establish sustained growth.

Schnitzer and her team at Eastern are eager to maintain that growth, and are excited for what is to come in 2022.

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

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By Brian Coleman

Coaching Spotlight

Rohan Goetzke with Richard Krajicek and his son, Alec, and Nick Bollettieri

Rohan Goetzke CourtSense

A

t the beginning of 2020, Rohan Goetzke began the newest chapter of his tennis career when he accepted a position as Director of Tennis at Bogota Racquet Club and joined the CourtSense team. It was the latest, and possibly final, stop on a remarkable tennis journey that began on the other side of the world, and has led him here to the Tri-State area.

“I remember flying up to New Jersey to meet with Gordon [Uehling], Ogi [Nikolovski] and the rest of the team there, and I liked what they were doing,” recalls Goetzke. “I trusted them and what they were doing. I had some other offers elsewhere, but I knew this was the place for me. After meeting everyone and seeing what they were about, my gut told me this was where I should be.”

Goetzke took the position at CourtSense after spending eight years as the Director of Tennis at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. It was while there that he first heard about Uehling and the CourtSense program up in New Jersey CourtSense. There was a player in the IMG Academy program from New York, and his father mentioned what Uehling had established with CourtSense. When Goetzke was finished at IMG Academy, he connected with Uehling and Nikolovski.

“He knew Gordon, and said he is a great guy who wants to always improve his program, and there could be something there,” Goetzke recalls. “At the time, I was taking some time off to figure out what I wanted my next step to be. So I began having some conversations with Gordon, Ogi and the team, and I loved what they were doing. It had to work for everybody, and this was the best move for my family and I.” At the time, Goetzke had offers to go back onto the professional tours as a travelling coach, something he had done for decades prior. But at this point in his life, spending nearly all of his time throughout the year on the road was not something that he wanted to do; as a husband and father of three kids, Goetzke was looking for something stable and that didn’t require him to travel the globe for much of the year.

“I liked doing that, and it sounds good on the surface. I had a great run doing it, and enjoyed my experience coaching at that high level but 15-20 weeks on the road always ends up being more, and I didn’t want to be on the road that much,” he said. “I made the decision not to do that anymore.”

Goetzke’s tennis journey began when he was 11-years-old in Australia. He originally played Australian Rules Football, but after he got knocked out playing, his mother put an end to him playing that sport, so he transitioned into tennis.

At first, he was not a huge fan, but soon after starting he began to fall in love with the sport.

“My life at that time was go to school, and then race off and play tennis,” he recalls. “And then on the weekends, train in the morning and play matches in the afternoon. And that was really the early stages of my tennis career.”

He began studying engineering in Australia, and while doing so went to

Europe to compete in prize money tournaments in various countries on that continent. It was while doing that at an event in Belgium, where he met a club owner who was from New Zealand.

He was offered some coaching hours during the winter there, and he slowly would take on more responsibility in

coaching at the club.

“That was really the beginning of my tennis coaching,” said Goetzke. “A few years later, I decided to move back to Australia, but was contacted by the technical director from the Dutch Tennis Federation who said he needed someone to travel with some of his players. I took them to satellite tournaments in what was then Yugoslavia for a couple of weeks. As time went on, I picked up more time on the road, traveling with them to Spain, and from there on I was pretty much the traveling coach for the Dutch Federation.”

Goetzke would play an integral role in helping strengthen tennis players from the Netherlands, and worked with some of the best including Richard Krajicek, the 1996 Wimbledon champion. He was spending weeks at a time on the road with the federation’s players, which he enjoyed, but when he was offered a continued on page12

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coaching spotlight continued from page 11

chance to run the National Tennis Center in Netherlands, he embraced the new challenge. Afterwards, he became the federation’s Technical Director.

“That was more of an off-court position,” he said. “It was more of a managerial type role. And I did that for about eight or nine years, before taking the position at IMG Academy and moving to the United States.”

And that was how Goetzke’s tennis journey brought him across the Atlantic Ocean to the United States, and now finds himself as Director of Tennis at Bogota Racquet Club, where he bring his years and years of high-performance expertise to the crop of players in the CourtSense system.

That sentiment was echoed by Uehling and Nikolovski, who decided to bring Goetzke onto the team at the beginning of 2020.

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“Rohan is a person of incredible character! He shares our same values and drive for excellence and we feel very grateful that he is joining our CourtSense team,” said Uehling. “His experience and passion for tennis on and off the court make us even stronger as we continue to provide world-class services for all of our students!”

Nikolovski added: “Rohan's experience, along with his passion for the game along with he fact that it was very evident that he really wants to help the players on and off the court meant a lot to us. We could also sense that he was all about the team, so it really was an easy decision. He has brought a steady leadership during challenging times, as he joined our team only 2 months before the start of the pandemic, and also in collaboration with the rest of the high-performance

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2021 • NYTennisMag.com

coaching team has further improved all the programs by making sure that every player feels that they are developing their specific needs.”

As we enter 2022, Goetzke will begin his third year as a member of CourtSense, and is excited to continue growing the program and developing top-level tennis players.

“We have great coaches here, and it’s big enough where we have a lot of great players, but a small enough atmosphere where you can still get that individualized attention,” he said.

“You’re always striving to win and get the top results, but it’s all about the process, and I think that’s something we do very well here.”

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

Racquet Sport

Report presented by

All Racquet Sports

One-On-One With Whitney Kraft, All Racquet Sports Managing Director

I

n recent years, racquet sports have become more and more popular throughout the country and across the globe. Pickleball and Padel Tennis have become two of the fastest growing sports, and are played by not only tennis players, but other athletes as well who find them an ideal way to pick up a racquet sport, remain active and try something new.

Long Island Tennis Magazine sat down with Whitney Kraft, Managing Director of All Racquet Sports, to learn more about this trend, and how All Racquet Sports continues to be at the forefront of growing these games.

1. Talk about your new role and what you do at All Racquet Sports?

ARS belongs to a network of experienced Padel court builders worldwide and our US based team is dedicated to promoting complementary sports in North America. Our 360 degree approach includes facility design, court sales and installations, certification of coaches, programming and bringing the best products to market in padel, pickleball, beach and pop tennis with our Adidas partnership.

2. Are we currently in a racquet sport boom?

Why do you think that is?

Yes, the silver lining of Covid

provided a safe and healthy opportunity for folks to be introduced, return to, and play more frequently tennis, pickle, beach, pop and padel.

The growth of pickleball in the US has been incredible and the growth of Padel in Europe is off the charts.

Now we are seeing both sports cross migrating across the pond.

3. What makes sports like pickleball an attractive sport for people to pick up?

The quick adaptation and immediate perceived competence to serve, rally and play for pickleball is huge. The sweet spot closer to the hand is key along with the smaller dimensions of courts creating more social interaction, bridging levels and mitigating mobility limitations. The sport did everything right in its drive for participation. The recruitment of local ambassadors and leveraging technology to network players made finding a game easy. Plus the sport is fun!

Pickleball is like tennis “used to be” in tennis boom 1970s; drop-in style, players rotate in/out of doubles, so more fun and less commitment 4. What does All Racquet Sports do in terms of promoting and encouraging the growth of these sports?

We support athletes, events and work

with facilities, clubs, universities, and private owners to provide information on the best practices and most innovative programming recommendations. Our certification for Padel professionals in partnership with the USPTA also helps ensure the growth of Padel, as new and existing players develop and improve. Play more and play better!

5. What should clubs/ academies know about these sports, and how can they implement them into the programming at their facilities?

Cross training in racquet sports develops athletes and prevents burnout/boredom of over play in one discipline. People love choices and to have a menu of racquet sports available increases visits, time spent at facilities leading to bottom line profits and member satisfaction.

Multiplex facilities help allow players to migrate to the best sports with the highest retention potential, along with more play incidences, particularly if active on multiple racket/paddle sports.

To learn more about these sports and how All Racquet Sports is at the forefront of this trend, visit AllRacquetSports.com.

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Fantastic Fernandez

Leylah Fernandez’s rise to stardom

By Brian Coleman

N

ew York City is truly the place where dreams come true. The world’s beacon of opportunity, which inspires millions to make the pilgrimage in hopes of making it big in their chosen field, also frequently gives us sports fans some of the best moments we could ask for.

That was evident earlier this fall at the 2021 U.S. Open, where a pair of teenagers stole the hearts of tennis fans, and captivated the sports world. Emma Raducanu of Great Britain and Leylah Fernandez of Canada compiled truly spectacular runs in Queens, forging paths that intersected in the championship match on center court in Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Unfortunately for Fernandez, it would be Raducanu who came away victorious, leaving the Canadian on the runner-up stage.

“Right now, it hasn’t sunk in,” she said afterwards. “I am still disappointed. I think this loss, I’m going to carry it for a very long time. I think it will motivate me to do better in training, better for the next opportunity I get.”

She added: “But I’m very happy with myself, with the way I competed, the way I played, and the way I acted on court the past two weeks,” she said. “I’ve improved a lot, not only tennis-wise, but emotionally and mentally. I’m happy. Next year, hopefully, will be just as good.”

Fernandez’s run to the U.S. Open seemingly came out of nowhere as the 19-year-old had been playing up-and-down tennis in the events leading up to New York. But when the lights shined brightest, Fernandez elevated her game, and took out some top-flight competition en route to the U.S. Open final.

That run included three-set victories over Naomi Osaka, Angelique Kerber, Elina Svitolina and Aryna Sabalenka, a list that featured three of the event’s Top 5 seeds and a three-time Grand Slam champion in Kerber.

“I think one word that really stuck with me is ‘magical’, because not only is my run really good, but also the way I’m playing right now,” she said after defeating continued on page 16

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Photo credit: Darren Carroll/USTA

fantastic fernandez continued from page 14

Sabalenka in the semifinals. “I’m just having fun, I’m trying to produce something for the crowd to enjoy. I’m glad that whatever I’m doing on court, the fans are loving it, and I’m loving it too.”

While Fernandez’s performance in Queens may have been a surprise to many, it was not to her, or the people around her who knows just how hard she has worked, and just how talented she is.

Fernandez was born in Quebec, Canada, to an Ecuadorian father and Filipino-Canadian mother, with the former being a professional soccer player, so athletics were something that was always prevalent in her life. Her father was a major inspiration for her growing up, and was a key factor in the work ethic she developed.

“My dad would tell me all the time there is no limit to my potential,” she recalls. “Every day, we just got to keep working hard, we got to keep going for it. Nothing’s impossible. There is no limit to what I can do.”

That work ethic helped guide her through the junior ranks, and she even had a little extra fuel added to her fire, thanks in part to “advice” from a teacher she had in school, which was

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Photo credit: Darren Carroll/USTA

probably well-intentioned, but only motivated her more.

“I think the obvious one is that a lot of people doubted me, my family and my dreams,” said Fernandez. “They kept saying no, that I’m not going to be a professional tennis player, that I should

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2021 • NYTennisMag.com

stop and just pursue going to school…I remember one teacher—which is actually very funny, at the time wasn’t, but now I’m laughing—she had told me to stop playing tennis, you will never make it, and just focus on school.”

Fernandez looks back on that memory fondly—now—and says she constantly repeats that story in her head each day, helping to manifest that extra motivation, or that additional ounce of energy to power through a training session or practice: “I’m going to push through, and I’m going to prove to her that everything I’ve dreamed of I’m going to achieve.”

Not only were there people doubting whether or not she could play professional tennis, Fernandez did not have the typical upbringing and resources of a top junior player. When she was younger, because the family’s finances were tight, her mother went to California for a couple of years to work in order to support not only Leylah’s tennis, but her two sisters, Bianca and Jodeci as well.

“Those few years were definitely hard for me, because I needed a mom,” she said. “I needed someone to be there for me throughout the ages of 10 to 13. I barely saw her during that time. Every time I would see her, it was like seeing a stranger, but at the same time someone so familiar.”

As you’d expect, a separation like that is difficult on a young child, and, for better or worse, it forced Fernandez to mature at a young age. She would train on court with the idea in her head being to make something of herself and become a professional, so that her mother would not have to work in the United States and be away from family again.

“It was definitely hard at first to accept,” Fernandez said. “But every time that I was on court when I was younger, when that happened, I had that focus, that mentality saying that I’m going to do everything in my power to achieve my dreams…so that we can be together again.

It made me stronger. I think it made

my family stronger too, making that sacrifice and believing it was worth it so I can make that dream possible. I’m just eternally grateful for everything that’s happened to us.”

Fair or not, the upbringing has forged a true fighter in Fernandez, and that is evident if you watch her play. At the U.S. Open, she twice came back from a set down to win, and overcame so many great players and difficult moments to reach the finals.

Much to her delight, in the stands to witness her two-week run in New York was her mother, along with her whole family, which provided unforgettable memories for the young star.

“I was just very lucky to have my mom here at this tournament cheering for me, and having fun with me all this time,” Fernandez said after reaching the U.S. Open finals. “But we’ve gone through so many things together as a family. I’m just glad that right now everything’s

going on our side.”

Fernandez’s hard-work and the dedication of her parents have paid off, and things are now indeed trending upwards for their family. Her upbringing and obstacles she has faced has forged an incredible mentality and toughness inside of her, and for someone who is still so young, she has a bright head on her shoulders.

Her defeat in the U.S. Open final is only the latest obstacle she has faced, and if her past history is any guide, she will only use it as more motivation, and extra fuel to continue getting better.

“I’m very lucky to have a great support team, and a great family to keep me grounded,” she said after losing in the finals. “This loss today, it definitely stings, but it will just make me want to work harder and stronger, and just come back to every tournament with the same hunger that I came into this tournament.”

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 • November/December 2021 • New York Tennis Magazine

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Moonballers!

I

recently recorded a podcast for my show, Prodigy Maker, in which I discussed the topic of Moonballing, especially in junior tennis. The topic got a lot of commentary online and I wanted to share some thoughts from the show with the Long Island Tennis Magazine readership, and my experience coaching many world-class juniors.

Moonballing is a legitimate strategy In the “Little Mo” Regionals and Nationals there was some controversy about kids moonballing and whether it should be allowed, or if the tournament should try to limit this strategy. The controversy unfortunately flared up online in an ugly way between some parents. From my vantage point, people need to stop complaining about players who hit the ball high up in the air. This is a legitimate strategy, just like hitting the ball very low is a legitimate strategy.

Parents—stop complaining. Students— stop complaining. Coaches—stop complaining. Stop whining and start learning how to win. It’s hard and painful to watch a kid lose to a 18

moonballer—or pusher—for that matter. It’s a painful lesson, but that kid needs to learn how to deal with different types of tactics.

Many players, especially young ones, don’t like receiving high balls above the shoulder. It’s foolish to penalize and/or criticize a kid for exploiting this fact. Players who hit moonballs have developed a tactic that is legal and smart. It may not be the best approach for their own long-term development—and I will discuss this below—but hitting the ball high or lobbing the ball can be a very smart play to win.

Don’t complain—improve your brain!

Players who moonball are demonstrating that they have a good brain. They are demonstrating that their tactical computer is turned on, and the kids who complain about it need to try to improve their own brains. They need to learn how to deal with this approach, and learn how to mitigate and counter a high lob; more on this later. Generally the players who lose to moonballers don’t have a great tactical mind and haven’t learned to problem solve.

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2021 • NYTennisMag.com

By Chris Lewit

Pretty technique doesn’t win matches Some parents, coaches, and players seem to think that pretty technique should earn the win—like a tennis match is a beauty contest.

It is not. A tennis match is a lot more like a cage or a street fight.

The sooner a kid figures this out, the better. In a cage fight, there are limited rules. In a street fight, there are no rules. Tennis has some limited rules. There is no rule, for example, that limits the height at which you are allowed to hit the ball. You can hit it as high, or as low, as you want. You just can’t hit any obstructions like the roof, of course. Exploring the limits of the rules is good problem solving. If your opponent doesn’t like high balls, by all means, hit them more of those. If your opponent doesn’t like low balls, give them more of those. If your opponent is slow, give them short balls like drop shots. This is just common sense and good strategic play. But for many people, lobbing someone is viewed in a negative way, frowned upon, criticized, and even vilified.

The cousins of the moonball: pushing and dropshotting The same opprobrium is reserved for kids who use too many dropshots or kids who “push” the ball. I call pushing shots and dropshots the cousins of the lob or moonball. Contrary to what you may have heard, hitting the ball softly is also a legitimate strategy. Some people don’t like soft balls as they can disrupt the rhythm and timing of many players. Dropshots are also a wonderful strategy against players at all levels, particularly those who are not fast or struggle with their fitness or movement. If you want to make yourself or your players dumb on the court, by all means limit the shots allowed to be hit instead of exploring all the variety of shots in tennis. It’s critical to develop the tactical mind of a young kid and experimenting with different effects on the ball is part of good tactical learning and problem solving.

Winning without power in Spain is a badge of courage Sometimes I think it’s funny when I hear people complaining about how pushers, dropshotters and moonballers win so many matches and tournaments. They win a lot of trophies, but they don’t play “real tennis.” What is real tennis anyway?

Tennis shots can be slow or fast.

Strokes can be pretty or ugly. With some caveats, what matters is who holds the trophy at the end.

There is a stigma in the United Statesa attached to winning without power. In Spain, where I have studied intensively, that stigma doesn’t exist.

There, players who run, bunt, lob, dropshot, etc. are praised for their grit and intelligence. But not here. Here in the States, we mock and vilify these types of players—it’s crazy. In Spain, if a player is solid and consistent and wins with endurance, they are lauded, not lambasted.

If pushing and moonballing win so much, how come in the U.S., we don’t teach that as a strategy?

If these slower ball tactics win so many tournaments, why wouldn’t we want our kids to use them. After all, the goal is winning tournaments, not looking pretty, right? I’m all for teaching power and acceleration. In Spain, the coaches are obsessed with acceleration too, but they also value grinding and soft shots. Toni Nadal has a great saying about the importance of power and touch: “velocidad y habilidad,” he likes to say. I want my players to have big powerful weapons, but sometimes a little knife can be just a deadly as a gun in a street fight. A shard of glass

in well-trained hands can be just as deadly as an assault rifle. I want my players to have a variety of weapons and tools to win a match—not just power. A player who wins with all the tools available demonstrates guile and resourcefulness, which are the traits we want to develop, right?

How I teach players to use high balls on the attack First of all, it’s important to explain to kids the different options available to them when attacking their opponent above the shoulder. For me, a moonball is really high. It’s a very high lob with little spin. My friend likes to call them cloud touches—big lobs that touch the sky. In general, I prefer that my players use spin to hit a heavy topspin ball up above the shoulders.

Heavy topspin attacks are high ball attacks with spin and racquet speed.

This is my favorite strategy to teach players. Online, it’s sometimes referred to as the Spanish Armada play.

Spanish players love to play high and heavy with whip and spin.

If my players hit an occasional cloud touch as a change of pace, I’m ok with that, but I don’t really want them to overuse that super high ball strategy. I want that heavy ball, and for that the players needs to have good technique, continued on page 20

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moonballers! continued from page 19

good acceleration and good footwork and balance. These are the key technical areas that I want my players to develop. If they are sending up high and slow cloud touches too much, I fear they won’t develop their footwork, technique and racquet speed enough. I don’t want my players out there slapping the ball to the sky flat and developing bad habits. That’s a redline for me. But at the end of the day, I respect a kid for understanding that a high ball can win points and disrupt the game of his or her opponent.

How to deal strategically with a moonballer The best way to deal with a moonballer is to stay calm and take the ball out of the air with a topspin volley.

Be patient and don’t let the ball get too high above your shoulders. Other

20

alternative strategies are taking the ball on-the-rise or moving back deep in the court and playing a heavy topspin back to the opponent. I teach all three of these strategies to my players so that they are ready for any moonballer!

Conclusion—Long-Term Development Remember that hitting high balls is something we want young players to experiment with tactically. Encourage kids to do it. It’s better for their longterm development to learn to do it using the Spanish Armada style, than

cloud touches. That way, players are fostering better technique, footwork and balance, and acceleration. My longtime mentor, legendary Spanish coach Luis Bruguera likes to say, “Don’t destroy your opponent—disturb him, disrupt him.” When players experiment with hitting high balls, they are learning how to do just that. They are learning to disrupt and win without power. It’s an important lesson to learn on the junior pathway. The key is to learn that tactical lesson while not developing bad technical habits along the way.

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.

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2021 • NYTennisMag.com

Slinger Serves a Successful First Year

S

linger Bag is the ultimate tool for all tennis players and has disrupted the sport over the past year with its portable, affordable, and versatile tennis ball launcher. Slinger has executed on its aggressive growth strategies to become a leading connected sports company in tennis and eventually in new sports verticals.

Deals & sponsorships Slinger has a mission to make ball sports more accessible and fun for players of all levels. To propel this mission forward, Slinger has on boarded numerous professional players and top coaches over the past year to create a world-class ambassador team that includes worldrenowned players and coaches such as the Bryan Brothers, Nick Bollettieri, Tommy Haas, Dustin Brown, Patrick Mouratoglou, Eugenie Bouchard, and Darren Cahill. These ambassadors love using the Slinger Bag themselves for coaching or play. Slinger has also partnered with numerous brands throughout the year including Mouratoglou Tennis Academy, Dunlop, Peter Burwash International and UTSA, and has sponsored key events such as the US Open and Miami Open. To get the Slinger Bag in the hands of players across the globe, Slinger has established over 60 distributor agreements throughout this year, spanning across six continents. These areas include Brazil, China, India, Europe, Malaysia, South Africa and more—estimating over $250 million in distribution deals.

Recent acquisitions In Slinger’s ongoing effort to become a leading connected sports company, Slinger has acquired a SaaS technology platform—Foundation Tennis. This platform is a pioneer in tennis software applications covering tennis club and facility administration

and encompassing highly functional user and CRM experiences.

Foundation Tennis has a reach of over 17,000 US tennis facilities, One million registered current users and over 30 million transactions and court booking completed on its platform. It is also the only tennis company to be an official platform partner for the payment service, Square. The acquisition of Foundation Tennis gives Slinger the ability to successfully meet the specific needs of tennis players, member clubs and tennis facilities and begin providing new services to tennis facilities around the world.

Slinger has also recently acquired an award-winning Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology provider for sports, GAMEFACE.AI. This leading AI company has developed the AI capabilities for Slinger’s upcoming app, which will be launching later this year.

GAMEFACE.AI provides instant analysis of groundstrokes and biomechanics as well as event recognition from match play situations, all captured through a phone’s camera. GAMEFACE.AI’s technology, combined with pro player tips, drills and a community space for Slinger

Bag users will make up Slinger’s new app coming soon.

To round out the year, Slinger most recently acquired PlaySight Interactive as its third acquisition of 2021.

PlaySight is a pioneer and leader across sports video technology, data capture, high performance analytics and automated video production.

Coupled with the recent acquisitions of Foundation Tennis and GAMEFACE.AI, this most recent acquisition of PlaySight Interactive will immediately expand Slinger’s footprint in the global tennis market and significantly enhance its AI capabilities.

Growth by the numbers To close out a successful first full year of operations, Slinger generated gross revenues of $11.2 million on sales of over 20,000 Slinger Bag tennis ball launchers and accessories. This strong first year signifies the impact Slinger has had across the industry, with monthly sales topping $1 million in the U.S. in April 2021. To continue its growth, Slinger recently raised $11M in an oversubscribed funding round as they continue to rapidly move forward as an immersive sports company.

NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2021 • 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

Centercourt Tennis Academy’s Big Three

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arlier this summer, Samir Banerjee recorded one of the biggest wins from an Eastern junior in recent memory, as the New Jersey native captured the Wimbledon Boys’ Singles Title in London.

Banerjee brought home the Wimbledon trophy to the TriState area, and specifically Centercourt Performance Tennis Academy, the place where he did the bulk of his junior training growing up.

“It was phenomenal to see what he was doing,” said Conrad Singh, the CEO of Centercourt. “Samir walked into Centercourt as a nine-year-old boy, and watching him go from that to winning Wimbledon is mind-blowing.”

Banerjee’s win shined a light on the success of Centercourt’s junior program, and if you look deeper, there exists a wide range of top junior players in the program who are aiming to try and replicate Banerjee’s success.

As an example of that success, three players who symbolize this talented pool of players are Nick Kotzen, 22

Adit Sinha and Michael Zheng. The three of them were the highest-ranked high school players in the country via UTR, a remarkable accomplishment for three players who are part of the same program.

“It was very exciting to have some of the best players in the country all training together at the same academy, as well as only living about 30 minutes away from each other,” said Zheng. “I think the training at Centercourt was very good and the coaches are all top notch. I think everyone had to commit to going there at least three times a week otherwise it wouldn’t have worked out.”

Kotzen, Sinha and Zheng have all compiled illustrious junior careers, with Zheng and Kotzen currently being high school seniors, and Sinha competing as a freshman with the Cornell Big Red. Sinha got his start playing tennis when he was around six-years-old, as his parents, who were big cricket fans, could not find a cricket bat to purchase in the United States

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2021 • NYTennisMag.com

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

so he instead bought a tennis racket.

It worked out for the best as Sinha rose to a five-star, blue chip recruit, and fielded many collegiate offers, before deciding on Cornell.

“I was talking to (head coach) Silviu (Tanasoiu) the longest out of all the coaches,” he said. “I felt like I really developed a good relationship with him, so when he offered me I just took it.”

Sinah was the 16th ranked prospect coming out of high school, and he led what was Cornell’s best recruiting class since 2011.

He is already starting in the lineup as a freshman and will look to lead Cornell to success in the Ivy League.

“Adit was a part of the Centercourt program for the last two seasons, and it truly has been a pleasure to have him a part of our team,” said Adrian Contreras, who runs Centercourt’s High-Performance program. “He has something you want in any player you coach, and that is 100 percent intensity and concentration during practices. He always tried his hardest, and made sure he had fun. That attitude was an inspiration to the rest of the group we have here.”

Kotzen is a verbal commit to Columbia, and is also a five-star, blue chip recruit who possesses a UTR ranking of 13. At an ITF event in Nicholasville, Tenn. earlier this fall, Kotzen powered his way into the semifinals with four consecutive wins, before falling to the eventual champion. It was a significant result for him, one he hopes to continue building on.

Nick is the younger brother of Alex Kotzen, a fellow Centercourt alum who currently plays for Columbia.

Recently, the older Kotzen brother competed at the ITA All-American Championships in Tulsa, Oklahoma where he impressed with a run to the

quarterfinals, including three victories over players ranked inside the Top 25.

Out of the three Centercourt players atop the UTR high school rankings earlier this year, the one who stood at the top was Zheng. He captured the New Jersey state high school singles title earlier this spring.

His opponent in the finals? Nick Kotzen.

“I was very motivated to beat him in that state finals and I think we both are very comfortable playing each other so there was no intimidation factor involved,” said Zheng. “I think the fact that we trained together and have played each other so often made that match even more competitive.”

Kotzen and Zheng each showed a commitment to competing in high school tennis this past season, which is not always the case for the topranked juniors, as sometimes they choose to focus on their training or other tournaments.

Zheng’s high school head coach commended him for that.

“He’s a class act,” Delbarton high school coach John Thompson. “When you have a guy who is as talented as

he is, usually other things come with it.

He’s the nicest kid, a great leader, and the team thrived off of him. You can’t ask for anything else from him. His character is fantastic and he always works his tail off. He never missed a thing for us. Sometimes kids like him will miss stuff with other tournaments. He did everything for Delbarton.”

Contreras echoed that sentiment: “Michael has always been a true pleasure to coach, he is the perfect combination of being a humble student and a veryskilled player,” said Contreras.

“He has always been respectful and polite, and once we developed that competitive personality, the results speak for themselves.”

Zheng built on his high school success this spring by competing in professional events in the fall, where he earned his first ATP singles points by posting a victory at the Vero Beach Futures down in Florida. Zheng defeated New Zealand’s Reece Falck in the opening round of the tournament, and important stepping stone for what is to come for Zheng in the future.

“This week was a good starting point for me. I just have to start committing myself to getting stronger and faster because on this level physicality plays such an important role,” said Zheng. “I think the tennis level is there now I just have to start playing more pro tournaments and going deeper in the ones I play.”

All three have bright futures ahead as we enter 2022, and the training and discipline they acquired in the years at Centercourt will stay with them as they continue the transition from being a junior player to being collegiate and professional players.

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

NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2021 • New York Tennis Magazine

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USTA Eastern Metro Region Local Kids Get Unmatched Opportunity at the U.S. Open

Dagnall (far left) and Thakur (second from right pose with trophy presenters Yuv and Caitlin just before the US Open women’s singles final

D

uring the U.S. Open, USTA Eastern receives the opportunity to invite kids from across the geographical section to help with some of the ceremonial aspects of the Flushing Meadows-based slam. Those who take part get to toss coins at the beginning of matches—to determine which player will serve first—as well as present trophies to eventual champions at the end of the fortnight. USTA Eastern Community Tennis Coordinators Neil Thakur and Natalie Dagnall handled most of the logistics for the 2021 event.

We talked to both of them about their experience working on-site in this capacity.

Due to proximity, USTA Eastern was able to have a lot of kids participate in various roles at the U.S. Open this year. What do you enjoy about giving these young athletes this kind of opportunity?

Thakur: This is my fourth year participating, and it never gets old. Seeing the amazed look on the face of a young tennis player when they go onto the court in 24

Arthur Ashe Stadium or interact with their favorite tennis player is priceless. When parents tell me how appreciative they are of the opportunity, that makes it all worthwhile. I never take it for granted and I always enjoy every moment because I know it's very unique and fleeting. I'm truly blessed to be doing a job that I love.

How do you go about selecting the participants?

Dagnall: Neil and I chose these kids to represent five out of six regions across Eastern. We have kids from parks programs, kids from NJTLs, kids from competitive clubs, kids who play socially and kids who play competitively. They're a really diverse mixture of kids, but they all love tennis, and they were so excited to be part of this incredible event.

Did you witness any interesting or funny interactions between the kids and the players during the event?

Thakur: Caitlin and Yuv, two of our trophy presenters,

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2021 • NYTennisMag.com

USTA Eastern Metro Region were still on the court after the [men’s singles championship] ceremony near the players bench. At that point [2021 US Open men’s singles champion Daniil] Medvedev was taking things out of his bag and throwing them into the crowd. He stepped over to Caitlin and offered her his used shirt. She immediately stepped back and refused it. I think Medvedev was a little puzzled but then he went to the crowd and gave it to

someone else. When she came off the court we asked her why she didn't accept the shirt. She made a face and said it was sweaty and disgusting! Yuv said he was surprised and wished he had been offered because he would have loved it!

Dagnall: I think Caitlin also said it was too big for her!

Naomi Osaka Refurbishes Queens Tennis Courts

Four-time major champion Osaka hits with NYC kids at the August 27 event in Queens

J

ust before the 2021 US Open, four-time major champion Naomi Osaka partnered with Queensbased sports beverage company BODYARMOR to refurbish the Jamaica, Queens tennis courts on which she grew up playing. In collaboration with her older sister Mari and New York graffiti artist Masterpiece

NYC, Osaka added a splash of color—including bright blues, greens and reds—to the Detective Keith L. Williams Park courts to, as she said, give the facilities a little “pop”. At the event, Osaka also held a clinic, and continued on page 26

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USTA Eastern Metro Region Naomi Osaka Refurbishes Queens Tennis Courts local kids from New York Junior Tennis & Learning (NYJTL), the CityParks Foundation, the Harlem Junior Tennis & Education Program (HJTEP) and the Libert-T Community Tennis Association all got the chance to interact and hit a couple balls with the tennis star.

Sharon Simmonds, who runs Liber-T and is a member of the USTA Eastern Metro Region Council, said the event proved formative for those who attended.

“It is important to give kids these kinds of experiences because it will serve to inspire them to work hard to realize their full potential as tennis players,” Simmonds said. “They get evidential proof— Naomi herself—that hard work, discipline, and commitment to the game will lead them to success. I know that Naomi spent a lot of time on these courts playing and dreaming of making it big and winning Grand Slams. So to see her come back to where it all began and spend time with kids who are now in the same position she was in 20 years ago was very heartwarming.”

Observing Osaka up close, Simmonds added that the 24-year-old displayed a “gentleness” and genuine sincerity when interacting with the young players.

“There was a 3-year-old boy who wanted to play with Naomi,” Simmonds recalled. “He picked up a ball and made his way across the court and stood in front of Naomi, then handed her the ball. She stopped what she was doing and took the ball from him. He was so happy he squealed with delight! And she cheered.”

Simmonds was also thrilled with the more modernlydesigned courts at the park.

“Naomi is known and loved in Southeast Queens and her collaboration with BODYARMOR to refurbish the courts was very well received by members of the

continued from page 25

community, not just tennis players,” she explained. “We have to give a big thank you to both for all that they did. It is greatly appreciated.”

Metro Region Council Offers Regional Grants

O

rganizations in the Metro Region can still apply for regional grant funding to support programming aimed at increasing tennis participation in the community. Special consideration will be given to: school and afterschool programming; junior competitive play; adult competitive play; diversity and inclusion initiatives; Community Tennis Associations (CTA) & National Jr. Tennis

26

and Learning (NJTL) Programs; special populations and wheelchair tennis programming; and innovative programming.

Regional grant awards are up to $1,000 and are for tennis programs and events operating in 2021. To learn more about eligibility requirements please visit USTA Eastern’s website. The deadline is November 15.

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2021 • NYTennisMag.com

Metro Corporate League Looking Towards 2021 Presented by Advantage Tennis Clubs

Advanced Division Champions: NYJTL

Advanced Intermediate Divison Champions: Deutsche Bank

Intermediate Division Champions: Douglas Elliman

T

he Metro Corporate Tennis League presented by Advantage Tennis Clubs is an initiative of the Metrotennis Community Tennis Association (MCTA). The league is divided into three levels of play, Intermediate (3.0-3.5), Advanced Intermediate (4.0 – 4.5) and Advanced (4.5+). Metro Corporate League has also launched its Hi-Five program for teams that are not ready to compete but want to get into the sport while getting a great workout or just need to get the rust off their racquets.

Abiding by the New York City mandate all players must show proof of COVID-19 vaccination.

The season will run from October to December, culminating with the Playoffs at Roosevelt Island Racquet Club.

New teams this year include 25madison, Redesign Health, and West Monroe to our league. For more information regarding the league, please visit www.metrotennis.com under tab labeled, “corporate” or e-mail Luis@metrotennis.com.

NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2021 • New York Tennis Magazine

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Burnout Variables and Monitoring Techniques

By Farhad Roshanaie

T

he health of an athlete and their desire to practice and compete are the most important parts of a long-term developmental path. The coaches and parents are responsible to help and educate the athletes to recognize the fine line between adequate exertion of stress to improve their bodies and minds versus overstressing, which can result in burnout. It is noteworthy to mention that a well-recovered athlete adapts to stress from training, and this helps to reach the performance peak effectively. However, overtraining delays this process and can endanger athlete’s health or lead to withdrawal from athletic activities. Besides the coach’s observations, there are some other methods to monitor and measure physical and emotional stresses: 1. It’s important to do a weekly selfassessment. Some physical, mental, emotional and behavioral changes can be symptomatic of burnout. For example, fluctuations in mood, energy level, concentration, memory, eating habits and sleep pattern could be a sign of burnout. Since year 1996, high performance athletes at the Australian Institute of Sport use “Form 1 – Weekly Selfassessment Sheet”, you will see a number of variables that should be rated by the athlete on a daily basis. This is a simple and effective tool to help the athlete avoid burnout.

2. Weight is the other variable one should monitor. Any rapid weight 28

lightly on the thumb side in the wrist, or 2- place two fingers lightly along the throat just to the side of the windpipe; in both methods one counts their HR for 10 seconds and multiply the number by six to get one’s resting HR per minute, 3- buying a HR monitor; this is a popular method to use in a variety of physical trainings.

Every day after one wakes up, they should log their resting HR number in “Form 2 - Resting Heart Rate and Weight.” One notices a red flag when their resting HR is 15 percent above the normal.

In this case one keeps the undertaken exercise minimal, if at all.

loss may indicate dehydration and/or poor general health, or burnout that warrants to be addressed immediately. Every day after one wakes up, before eating and after using the restroom, one should record their weight in “Form 2 - Resting Heart Rate and Weight”.

3. Heart rate (HR) correlates with the intensity of the training and its toll on one’s body and mind. One should measure their resting HR after they wake up in the morning while still lying down in bed. There are three ways to measure one’s resting HR: 1- place two fingers

Unfortunately a lot of athletes get injured in the long run. Besides proper conditioning training, one should monitor their health condition before reaching the point of injury. If one is on the verge of burnout, they should take measures to address both physical and psychological health such as adjusting the volume and intensity of the training, improving sleep quality and time, meditating, listening to music, using breathing techniques, seeking psychotherapy, enjoying a massage, visualizing, adding social time or taking a vacation. These measures can help rejuvenate one’s mind and enhance one’s motivation to return to the court in a more optimal condition.

Farhad Roshanaie is a USPTA Competitive Junior Developmental Specialist, and a graduate from the USTA High Performance Coaching Program. He is a USPTA Elite Coach and a USPTA Professional Tester. Farhad has developed multiple top junior players; he coached in the US Open 2019 and the Australian Open 2020. As a former collegiate coach, he served NCAA D1 and D3 schools. He was born in Tehran, Iran, he was ranked number 1 in most of his junior career, and he still practices and competes. He studied Biomedical Engineering in Ilmenau, Germany, and currently lives in New York City.

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2021 • NYTennisMag.com

Tennis: There Is Always Something More to Learn

By Shenay Perry

E

very young tennis player has a vision of joining the professional tour, but achieving that dream is an entirely different thing. For the 10 years that I was on the WTA Tour, I was living that dream.

I learned many important life lessons on the tour, but the two that stuck with me the most are discipline and independence. Being around other exceptional players and seeing how serious they took their day-to-day training motivated me to keep pushing myself.

Once I retired from the WTA Tour, making the decision to become a coach was an easy one. I’ve always liked kids and being able to see their transition from a developmental to high performance player was fascinating to me.

I’ve been in high performance coaching for the last 11 years, and two of the most important things I’ve learned while working with young players is that everyone has a distinctive style of learning and understanding, there is no one way to teach a player, and being able to listen to your players’ needs versus my own ego.

I always tell my players that to be a successful player you need more hours on the court, maintain a rigorous fitness schedule of 5-6 days a week, and sports mental training (making

sure not only their body, but their minds are sharp).

There are always a few kids that you know are just going to be different, their desire for the sport is on another level. They live and breathe tennis. That’s something that a coach can’t teach, but it’s special to watch them develop.

I hope to continue learning as a coach at The Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning in my position as Associate Director of High Performance and Adult Programming.

I think that learning from my peers is just as important as learning from my players, and I aspire to becoming an even better coach.

Shenay Perry is the newest addition to the team at The Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning, where she will work as the Associate Director of High Performance and Adult Programming. Perry won nine singles and seven doubles titles on the ITF tour, and reached a career-high ranking of 40th in the world in singles. She may be reached at sperry@nyjtl.org.

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An Athlete Needs a Rival

By Dr. Tom Ferraro

J

ust like a dancer needs music, or an actor needs an audience, an athlete needs a rival in order to grow and develop.

There are many wellknown rivalries in sports.

We have the Boston Red Sox versus the New York Yankees, which pitted Ted Williams against Joe DiMaggio and climaxed in the 2003 ALCS when Boston’s Pedro Martinez ran across the field during the brawl in Game 3 and tossed New York bench coach Don Zimmer so violently that good old Don Zimmer spun in the air and landed on his back.

Golf has had many a mesmerizing rivalry including Sam Snead versus Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer versus Jack Nicklaus. In more recent times, and as Gary Smith of Sports Illustrated pointed out early on, Tiger Woods would ultimately have but one rival which was fame itself. And unfortunately for Woods, fame

proved to be a sinister foe indeed, resulting in all sorts of interesting addictions for Mr. Woods.

Rivalries are very good for the sport since it brings out the best in both players, it guarantees close endings and exciting matches and it draws in screaming fans like bees to honey. When I was younger I remember being at the Belmont Stakes to witness the great rivalry between two of the greatest thoroughbreds in history, Affirmed

Indoor Winter Season November 2021-April 2022 at New York Tennis Club Full 38-week after-school program 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

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and Alydar. The crowd was so large that I was unable to see a single step as Affirmed beat Alydar by a nose.

Baseball, basketball, soccer and golf have had great rivalries but tennis, as it pits individual against individual, is made to foster great rivalries.

This fact was not lost on Andy Roddick’s father who wisely located and imported the best young player in Florida to live with his young son Andy. Mardy Fish was the import and as Andy played against him, they both developed their talent. This strategy worked well for both with Roddick ascending to #1 in the world rankings and after he retired, Fish climbed to the top of the United States rankings.

Richard Williams, father of Venus and Serena Williams, also knew a thing about rivalry. They lived on the tough streets of Compton, Calif. and he started them young, pushed them hard and encouraged their sibling rivalry, all of which served to catapult them to the top of tennis. As is often the case, the youngest of the the sibling pair developed greater drive and ambition. Thus, the world watched as Serena became the dominant player in the world for many years. The sibling rivalry has been around for as long as the Old Testament, starting with the infamous story of Cain killing Abel out of envy.

Science began considering the importance of rivalry when the psychoanalyst Alfred Adler, a peer to Sigmund Freud, began writing about birth order and sibling rivalry at the beginning of the 20th century.

His theories still hold true today, some 120 years later.

The power of sibling rivalry was seen in the family of the artist Jackson Pollock. Most people know Pollack as the guy that gave birth to abstract expressionism with his action splatter paintings. But what people do not realize is that two of his older brothers were far better painters. In fact, Jackson Pollock flunked out of more than one art school and was told to turn to tennis or plumbing as a profession. But Jackson had the one thing that his siblings did not have: something to prove. And that is exactly how he came to dominate the world of art.

Great tennis rivalries include Connors versus McEnroe, McEnroe versus Borg, Sampras versus Agassi and more recently Federer versus Nadal versus Djokovic. I recall when McEnroe defeated Borg at Wimbledon, it was painful enough to prompt Bjorn to quit tennis for good.

One can wonder why it is so

important to wind up on top as #1 with second best not good at all.

Maybe this comes from the family dynamic of siblings wanting to be the most loved in the family, the best of all the kids; mom’s favorite.

The 1970’s comedy team of The Smothers Brothers capitalized on the theme of sibling rivalry as Tommy Smothers would angrily complain to his older brother at the end of every joke that “Mom loved you best!” The Three Stooges and the Marx Brothers also used the theme of sibling rivalry to get laughs.

In sibling rivalry, the younger sibling often winds up feeling low, mean, small and defeated, and the older sibling feels bigger, better,

stronger and more confident. The ultimate irony is that it is usually the younger sibling that goes on to great heights. They have a burning need to prove that after all is said and done, they are good, big and strong. The early childhood experience of pain, shame and humiliation is the necessary fuel which an athlete must possess in order to persevere along his or her climb to the top. Only when an athlete feels they have something to prove, will they persevere against all odds and finally wind up on top. So if you had a childhood as the middle child, or had older siblings who tormented and beat you down, do not be discouraged for that is the fuel you will need to win the race.

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

NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2021 • New York Tennis Magazine

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2021 NEW YORK TENNIS MAGAZINE’S

Coaches Roundtable Discussion T

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

Meet the participants …

Gabriel Balestero is a tennis professional at Generation Next Tennis in Great Neck. He is a former number one singles player at Adelphi University, where he was an all-American student-athlete. A former Top 20 player nationally in Brazil, Balestero has experience competing in international and professional tournaments, and has now transitioned into coaching.

Alex Bessarabov is a Tennis Professional for the NTC Tennis Programs at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

Bessarabov played high school tennis at Lindenhurst High School before playing collegiately at Farmingdale State University, where he was named first-team All-Skyline Conference during his senior year.

Earlier this year, he was honored with USTA Eastern's Junior Team Tennis Award.

Bloom has been running his own tennis program since 2000 and also was director of tennis at John McEnroe Tennis Academy for two years.

Jay Harris is the CoGeneral Manger/Director of Tennis at SPORTIME Roslyn and the Director of John McEnroe Tennis Academy’s College Recruiting Combine. He was the Head Men’s Tennis Coach at Brown University for eight years, before joining the SPORTIME team in 2010.He was named USTA Eastern's Tennis Professional of the Year in 2019.

Ed Krass coached the Harvard Women’s Tennis Team to four consecutive Ivy League titles from 1986-1990.

Ed is the founder and director of the Annual College Tennis Exposure Camps, which are taught exclusively by all head college coaches for high school-aged players (15-18). Ed is also the founder of Gilad Bloom, former Israeli Davis Cup player One-On-One Doubles tournaments, and two-time Olympian, which have been played at USTA, played on the ATP Tour ATP, ITA and USPTA national events.

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.

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Lawrence Kleger is co-director of the John McEnroe Tennis Academy. He is recognized as one of the top developmental coaches in the United States. He has trained more ranked juniors than anyone in the history of the USTA Eastern Section. His students have won numerous National and Regional Championships, and 20 USTA Eastern Year-End Sportsmanship Awards.

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 nationally-ranked players and is known for his expertise in building the foundations of young prodigies.

Chris coaches in NYC and yearround at his high performance tennis academy in Manchester, VT, where players can live and train the Spanish Way full-time or shortterm.

2021 NEW YORK TENNIS MAGAZINE’S

Coaches Roundtable Discussion Ognen Nikolovski is the general manager of CourtSense and director of tennis at Bogota Racquet Club.

He is a former top junior from Yugoslavia who went on to play college tennis at Rollins College where he became an allAmerican. He went on to become a world-ranked singles and doubles player on the ATP Tour and was a captain of the Macedonia Davis Cup team. He joined CourtSense in 2008 where his passion and experience has become instrumental in developing the program.

Michael Smookler is the Club Manager & Tennis Director at West Orange Tennis Club, as well as the USPTA Eastern 1st Vice President. Coaching and directing tennis since 1989, Smookler was the 2019 USPTA Eastern Pro of the Year, and the 2017 USPTA Eastern High School Coach of the Year. He has trained with retired pros Guillermo Villas, Mats Wilander, Rod Laver and more.

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

Shenay Perry is the newest addition to the team at The Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning, where she will work as the Associate Director of High Performance and Adult Programming.

Perry won nine singles and seven doubles titles on the ITF tour, and reached a career-high ranking of 40th in the world in singles.

Conrad Singh is the Chief Operating Officer of Tennis & Director of Coaching at Centercourt Club & Sports. He has held Head Coach and Director positions in Australia, England, Japan and China, and has been involved in professional tennis player development for well over two decades. Singh came to Centercourt from Shanghai, China, where he helped to develop a top highperformance player program, which saw more than 200 athletes train under his system.

TM

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Join a vibrant community of tennis industry leaders, mentors and tennis professionals who like to socialize, network and build strong communities.

If you would like to join please email your first and last name to usptaeasternelevate@gmail.com and follow the Instagram page @usptaeasternelevate NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2021 • New York Tennis Magazine

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2021 NEW YORK TENNIS MAGAZINE’S

Coaches Roundtable Discussion The roundtable ...

For young players who start out at an early age, how can they avoid burnout from the sport as they get older?

Gilad Bloom: It is a very serious issue. I've seen so many kids get injured due to over training or poor planning. The key thing when you coach juniors is to keep a close eye on the kid's physical and mental condition; you don't want to overload the growing body. I always give them a day off after tournaments, and every few weeks I like to give them a few days of rest to let the body and mind refresh because high-performance tennis can be grueling. A big factor in injury prevention is doing off-court fitness and taking care of the body with regular physical therapy treatments, a daily stretching routine, nutrition and sleep. I have a fitness instructor on my staff for that reason.

Rest is an integral part of training and the body needs time to absorb the hard work you are putting in.

Conrad Singh: The Golden rule is to listen to your child. If they are starting to show promise but are giving you the fatigue signals, it’s time to pull back. Balance is key— the ultimate way to find that balance is to mix in team sports and other 34

interests into the weekly schedule. If heavy weeks are occurring you might need to manipulate the following week. Never forcing a player to the court and letting them ask for more or less is one key that has never let me down. It is then essential that a positive relationship is in place between player, coach and parent.

Chris Lewit: Burnout risk can vary relative to the individual, so there is no perfect prescription to prevent it.

It’s a much longer discussion and I have devoted entire podcasts and articles to this subject. In general, however, junior players should strive to have an off-season during the tournament year—just like the pros do. Sometimes this is referred to as preseason in a periodized development plan. This is a time to play less tennis and focus on physical development and injury prevention. Players should also be certain to rest one day per week.

Typically top level juniors will train about six days on/one day off schedule. I have had some top national kids push these limits and train more than 10-14 days straight, which I don’t recommend. The more consecutive days straight you train, the higher your risk of overuse injury and burnout. Remember that some

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kids can burnout playing five days a week/only afternoons and some can play seven days a week/twice daily sessions and survive, and even thrive. Every player is different. The key is for the parent and coach is to monitor the player carefully and be ready to adjust the plan as needed through the junior years. The flip side of burnout, which is often not discussed, is that if you are too cautious and don’t train hard enough, your kid will never become a great champion. You’ve got to take some burnout risks to become great.

Ed Krass: Players can avoid burnout from playing tennis by participating in other sports like baseball, track, soccer, lacrosse, basketball—as all will help with furthering the athletic skills developmental process. I remember playing Little League baseball in St. Petersburg when I was 11 and 12-years-old, along with flag football. I wanted to stay away from tackle Football, as I knew what could happen there! I also enjoyed watching other sports live and on television to keep my competitive mind healthy and full of dreams!

Alex Bessarabov: Younger athletes need to be on a long-term development path. For that, playing a multitude of sports can be

2021 NEW YORK TENNIS MAGAZINE’S

Coaches Roundtable Discussion extremely beneficial. When kids are young they are seeking activities to be interested in and if they are limited to playing one sport that creates the potential for future burnout. Finding other sports that kids can participate in, or any other athletic activities, can help develop a better foundation for tennis. For example: having them take up dancing to practice footwork and staying lighter on their feet, or trying boxing to help them develop good hand eye coordination and judgment of proper spacing as well as better core strength. In addition to those, soccer can also be very helpful; playing for a team working on leg strength as well as all kinds of footwork patterns are aspects that are highly translatable into tennis.

There are many more benefits to playing other sports, everything between cardio development, less fatigue in different muscle groups and most importantly they will have this wide range of activities to enjoy so they don't have to be overwhelmed by just playing tennis.

Mental health is an important topic that has been brought to the forefront of athletics recently. How often and how do you engage your players on their mental well-being, both on and off the court?

Gilad Bloom: My old coach always said that a tennis coach is 95 percent a psychologist. The mental aspect of the game is huge and it is mainly the coach's job to instill the right mentality every day during the drills and match play. When kids get serious and start to compete in higher level tournaments, I recommend working with an expert on specific problems that need to be

addressed. As a junior coach it is very important that the kids show up with a positive outlook and that they are enjoying the game. It’s highly important to communicate with the parents about the child's mental condition at home, and it is equally important to have conversations with the student and keep asking how they are doing, develop a personal relationship and be aware if the kid is having a hard time coping with situations.

Jay Harris: I was able to study and receive a Master’s Degree in Sport Psychology from Miami (Ohio), and that has allowed me to really weave the aspects of mental well-being into my coaching throughout my career.

As the head coach at Brown University, this was especially helpful in teaching life skills to extremely talented individuals. Obviously there are a lot of academic stresses at such a prestigious university, and we constantly felt the importance of developing new skills every day to learn to overcome obstacles, get our players to feel the way they wanted to feel, and of course, to perform at an elite level. Here at Sportime and the John McEnroe Tennis Academy, I have been able to take more of a leadership role with off-court mental and emotional control training, and in doing so, have helped hundreds of players work through many of the battles they face on and off the court.

Shenay Perry: I think that encouraging players to openly speak about their feelings is productive in managing their mental health. I think that working through their struggles not only makes them better players but is beneficial to their health. It is also important for players that are struggling with their mental health to

speak to a sports psychologist to help manage their thoughts and struggles both on and off the court.

Khrystsina Tryboi: I try to introduce mental game aspects into training as early as kids playing with red balls.

Mental well-being is crucial to an overall athlete's performance and happiness. It’s crucial for kids to identify and understand reactions they are having on the court. Since the start of early specialization there are more cases of burn out and I think coaches and parents should address mental well-being on and off the court.

What’s your advice for players who may be executing in practice, but struggling in matches?

Gilad Bloom: It is the eternal problem of a tennis player, and there is no magic answer. Most players have a drop in their level when they play tournaments, knowing that is a start. Having a clear game plan before matches can help, also working on tight match situations can help. For example, working on serving for the set or how to play when you are up a break point.

Besides the point management, there is the mental issue. We can overcome the fear of losing by just focusing on the game plan and not thinking about winning or losing, but instead just playing one point at a time. It’s imperative that you develop a routine between points that you can go to in pressure situations, and doing something that you worked on in practice can help.

Lawrence Kleger: I try to make it crystal clear that at the developmental stages, there should be a definite distinction between

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2021 NEW YORK TENNIS MAGAZINE’S

Coaches Roundtable Discussion practice and matches that count. It is pretty clear what the intention is in a match that counts…….WIN! Follow the rules and the etiquette of the sport but compete to win. In practice, you should be working on your game. If you are working on your game in practice, even if you do not play your best, you will have accomplished something and have reason to be positive about your tennis. If you do not win a tournament match, your opponent’s name goes to the next round. It does not read “your opponent’s name” but “your name played great all week in practice.” By the same token, if you win the match, it doesn’t have your name and “but lost the cross court, cross court play it out game on Thursday night and finished on the bottom court.”

How do we continue to expand the sport of tennis in our area and make it more accessible to everyone, regardless of economic status?

Jay Harris: This is something that I am truly so proud of the John McEnroe Tennis Academy for. The Johnny Mac Tennis Project is a venture that has allowed thousands of families access to some of the top tennis coaches and instruction in the world, and to do so within their economic means. John understands the importance for tennis to cast as wide of a net as possible in order to allow the possibility for better athletes to develop in the sport of tennis. It’s a numbers game. If thousands of kids are “priced out” of tennis, then that means we are losing the potential of many great athletes choosing other sports instead of tennis, and losing the 36

potential of many of those great athletes to develop into elite level players. Every tennis organization should find ways to be creative so as to allow for this very important migration of talent into our sport.

Chris Lewit: This is a tough question that I get asked frequently. Playing tennis in the NYC area is very expensive—too expensive. There are some excellent programs like the NYJTL that are doing a good job helping underprivileged youth get in the game. The Cary Leeds facility is a prime example of a wonderful outreach program/center for inner city kids. We need more places like that. On the high performance side, I would like to see more recruitment of athletically talented inner city kids into the game—from a very young age. We need to get kids very young before they choose other sports. The USTA could spearhead this type of scholarship program.

There is just no way the typical family with modest means will choose tennis over other less expensive sports. There has to be a lot of money and scholarships thrown at the problem. I love tennis a lot, but it is an expensive game to love— especially in NYC. Michael Smookler: We have seen a spike in participation throughout COVID. We need to continue to promote the all around health benefits of Tennis from Fitness, Mental Health to Social Distancing.

There are more and more people also playing on town and city courts.

The USTA has wonderful grass roots programs which are affordable and in some cases, offer grants to help make Tennis accessible to everyone.

Alex Bessarabov: Growth can only happen with a constant influx of new people, as well as the retention of

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the majority of triers. The more people who can participate, the further word can travel, just like a ripple effect. One aspect that can have a positive impact on attracting and reducing the entry barriers for new participants is offering free courts at local parks. Often, such places feel like a backyard for locals and it can encourage people to try out tennis with friends and family.

Open park courts take away one of the major expenses that prevents people from taking that first step into our tennis world as well as help diminish the stigma of a "country club" only sport. The more we can expand and maintain local free tennis courts throughout the country, the easier this sport can grow.

Additionally, if these parks can also have partnerships with local Clubs, so these new players can seek instruction and other additional involvement, the higher the chances they'll continue to play for years to come.

How do you integrate off-court training with on-court training for junior players?

Jay Harris: This is a balance that simply is not easy for our junior players to create, especially when the off-court training is going to be at different facilities than that oncourt training. However, it is surely an important aspect of development that cannot be ignored or pushed to the side. As a college coach, I always believed that if we could build a team that was more fit than all other teams that we were competing against, that gave us not only a huge physical edge walking into matches, but also, it provided an incredible boost of confidence.

2021 NEW YORK TENNIS MAGAZINE’S

Coaches Roundtable Discussion This is something that I try to have my junior players now realize.

Lawrence Kleger: Like most academies, at the John McEnroe Tennis Academy, we have a terrific Performance Team headed by Richard Mensing, Jr. In addition to having great conditioning coaches that understand that a tennis player should not look like a football player, one of our performance coaches is a physical therapist. Richard’s team meets and coordinates with our tennis coaches pretty much every day to ensure that we are all on the same page with our players. The game is so much more physical than ever before, off-court training and injury prevention are at least as important as the on court tennis training.

Conrad Singh: Looking at the overall schedule from a bird’s eye view is important. Players need all key areas to be developed including time for mental skills as well as the obvious ones. Finding a consistent time weekly early in the week is often best as it allows time for those skills to also be practiced. I have developed the TPU schedule which means: Teach (Mondays, Tuesdays), Practice (Wednesdays & Thursdays and, finally, Use (Fridays and Weekend).

So its Mondays to Thursdays where that court work fit in nicely.

Michael Smookler: This is always the challenge. Players putting the time on the court is usually not an issue. It's motivating the juniors to understand what it takes off court to get them to the next level. Coaches need to promote this more and come up with off court training curriculums to provide for their students. There is great Netlix documentary called Untold: Breaking Point featuring Mardy Fish. It addresses all the

challenges he faced on and off court and what it took for him to raise his level. When he lost some momentum, what he did to get it back. This is a must watch for every player and coach. It is relatable in so many ways.

Gamesmanship and cheating are always controversial topics at the junior level.

How do we begin to try and eliminate those sorts of things from the game?

Gabriel Balestero: Tennis is a personal development tool. On the court we teach values that can be applied into every aspect of life.

With an atmosphere of love and respect for the game there is no reason for a kid to cheat during a match. Therefore, the key is creating the right atmosphere during practice.

Shenay Perry: I think that education is a huge part of gamesmanship and preventing cheating. Teaching players at a young age that cheating doesn't make them a better player, rather hinders their learning experience is important. I believe that parents and kids need to be on the same page about what winning looks like instead of only feeling the pressure of having to win. Losing is just as important, if not more important than winning, because through losing you can see how to be better.

Khrystsina Tryboi: Well, we should start with practice. I like to implement character development as early as possible so kids learn concepts of sportsmanship, teamwork, independence and other important life skills. Three times a year each player receives an assessment and these topics are also a part of their overall grade. Cheating is a part of

the game and sometimes kids do it because they get excited and see what they want to see instead of the place where the ball bounced.

Kids will be kids.

With Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer all tied at 20 Slams each, who do you consider to be the greatest male player of all-time?

Ed Krass: I would say that Roger Federer is still the most impressive of the three due to his athletic, allcourt and serve-and-volley Singles game. Roger may just put a Tom Brady like stamp on his career if he actually comes back from his injury and wins one last Slam! I do think that Nadal and Djokovic are both super special, legendary players in their own right. Both are beyond athletic and mentally tough with amazing shot making skills! The greatest of all time is still a work in progress!

Gabriel Balestero: The most complete in my opinion is Djokovic. He can play on any surface and developed his mental strength in a way that makes him an incredible athlete.

Michael Smookler: There is an argument for all of them. However if I am choosing from this group, Roger has done it longer throughout his career. What I liked about him the most when he was dominating the sport was his ability to change his game plan to exploit his opponent's weaknesses.

For example, if that meant he had to serve and volley more, he would. His ability to change his game at the highest level was what always impressed me the most.

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2021 NEW YORK TENNIS MAGAZINE’S

Coaches Roundtable Discussion What is missing from the development of American tennis on the professional stage?

Alex Bessarabov: Ever since tennis became more globalized and people from all over the world are able to participate it opened up the vast differences in cultures and how players develop from a young age.

We are able to open up and learn on what works around the world and what doesn't. It feels like American tennis has a focus on hitting harder or going for bigger shots and we are missing a key element of how to construct points based on other factors, such as spin, variety, and depth. This is often a consequence of the limited number of clay courts in the US, when compared to most European countries. Learning how to "grind" while figuring out how to develop points in a multitude of ways, is often a differentiator between American players and most other prominent tennis countries. The tendency to play as aggressive baseliners is common in most players, regardless of their origin, but we seem to be missing more all court styles. "All court" teaches you to develop how to play behind the baseline as well as inside the court, and also shows you timing on when to put away a ball instead of going for more risk. We need to develop more styles and play on different surfaces, while expanding the player's ability to win points in more than one or two ways.

Gilad Bloom: The Million Dollar question! We have a number of good young players coming up on the pro tour, there is even a stronger presence in the women's pro game.

However, what's missing is a Top 5 player, someone who can win a 38

major tournament and set the spark for another generation of top players and increase the popularity of the game. This is a tall order because the competition is so deep and the level is incredibly high, and the big disadvantage that US tennis has is that tennis in the States is not really getting the top athletes of the nation.

They choose to play popular team sports, whereas in Europe, tennis is attracting the top athletes since tennis is much higher in popularity. It also seems to me that the Europeans are a bit hungrier and desperate to succeed on the tour. This can be due to an easier life in America and the option to go to college and get a scholarship. Many good juniors pursue a college career and usually that is the end of their pro career.

Chris Lewit: American tennis on the female side is amazing, and we have one of the best development pipelines and a high percentage of the best female players in the world are American compared to other countries. I wrote an article about this trend a few years back.

American women are kicking butt.

On the men’s side, however, it’s a sad story. We have a low percentage of men in the top 100 compared to other countries and we haven’t had a men’s grand slam winner since Andy Roddick in 2003.

That’s an 18 year drought— incredibly sad! The main reason is probably that our most talented American boys are choosing other sports. In addition, and it’s controversial to say this, but for some reason, our best male prospects have not been as fierce or as willing to suffer as their female counterparts.

We have not had the male equivalents of Venus and Serena for example. We have good coaching

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2021 • NYTennisMag.com

and a good development system in the US. Our federation is wealthy and offers lots of opportunities for young boys. I believe the tide will turn and some of the lack of success among men is simply cyclical. We need a fierce, breakout player to chase grand slams. Being satisfied with the Round of 16 or quarters at a slam simply isn’t enough—but unfortunately for many of our top guys today—it seems to be plenty.

Ed Krass: It seems like American players need to relearn how to make their inside backhand a weapon, like Agassi did. I see 95 percent of American players wasting a lot of time running around their backhand to hit a Forehand. This disallows players to be able to truly take time away from their opponents; Forget about approaching the net when running around the backhand all day! I visualize a future of American players taking that inside backhand and forehand and displacing the opponent and closing the points out with a volley. This all-court play needs to be implemented in practice matches, and events like One-OnOne Doubles, which is now UTR-sanctioned, help players develop these skills, which can be translated onto the tennis court. In order for American tennis to keep on improving, developing an all-around game is crucial.

Conrad Singh: This is a tough subjective question considering how many Americans are in the top 100; most countries would dream for that number! However, for me it’s the desperation and willingness to struggle that often creates the top competitors. Life is pretty good in the United States, hence players may be less likely to travel to the difficult places to compete, or to stay on the

2021 NEW YORK TENNIS MAGAZINE’S

Coaches Roundtable Discussion road for longer periods. Time on the road especially early in a career can mean the difference in the speed at which they transition. Many skills are learned when life is less easy!

How has COVID affected things in terms of your coaching, business, or how you advise your players?

Ognen Nikolovski: Overall COVID has had a positive effect on tennis, as the reality is that due to tennis being one of the sports that “social distancing” can easily be applied, tennis has been very popular and the tennis courts in the US have not been busier in a long time. I think all the stats from the retailers show that as well, as the demand for tennis balls has increased, and in the business aspect tennis has recovered pretty fast after the initial two-month shut down in March of 2020. As far as coaching, I believe that not much has changed prior to COVID, other than the extra precaution that each coach has been taking by applying the social distancing guidelines. The impact on the players has also been minimal, as for those that decided to keep on playing during COVID, we can possibly see that their engagement has been even bigger, especially with the adults who seem to appreciate being on the court even more than before COVID. Shenay Perry: The facility in which I trained my players before coming to The Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning was shut down, so that was very tough to have a set schedule for each player to do their daily tennis and fitness routine. I advised my players to make sure that they keep up with their fitness and mental aspects of the game if they couldn’t play tennis.

What impact will the success of young players like Raducanu and Fernandez have on other young junior players?

Ognen Nikolovski: It is always very positive to have young players like Raducanu and Fernandez have success on the world stage, as that only helps inspire more players from the younger generation to strive and do the same. Juniors feel connection to these young stars more than to the older generation, and I can foresee more young girls and boys get on the courts and try to do the same. I also think that this is great for women’s tennis in general as tennis remains to be the #1 sport for women in many aspects.

Shenay Perry: I think that the success of upcoming young players will be huge. We haven’t had many young champions in the last decade or so. I feel that a lot of young girls will be inspired to see others who are the same age or not much older than themselves achieve huge feats.

How has UTR changed the landscape of junior tennis?

Lawrence Kleger: UTR has had a definite impact on junior tennis. On the positive side, the ranking/standing system seems to be accepted as the most accurate when comparing players. Certainly college coaches are using UTR rankings in their recruiting process.

UTR matches are giving juniors many more opportunities to play matches that “count.” I am a coach that believes competitive juniors need to play a lot of matches that count, UTR Tournaments and Matchplay Programs provide many more competitive outlets. The downside is when players and parents get so

caught up in every decimal point in a UTR ranking that it consumes them and does not allow for the healthy tennis process of working hard to be the best player one can be.

Ognen Nikolovski: In general, UTR has been great for tennis in many aspects, especially in helping players establish their own level and match them with players of similar level. There is no question that the technology behind UTR is great and the fact that it keeps evolving will most likely make it become a mainstay in the industry, and maybe with time become the main world rating in all categories of play. I also think that it has had great impact on junior tennis, however at the same time it has further exposed some challenges for the coaches that work with younger juniors, as a large percentage of juniors and their parents are more focused on what is the UTR of the player rather than on the overall development of the player that would actually give them a better opportunity to have the chance to reach a higher UTR in the future. However this is a different conversation, and at this time I just hope that UTR is committed to keep investing in tennis and also in improving its algorithms, so they can really help players engage more with the game and with that grow the sport.

Khrystsina Tryboi: With more and more UTR tournaments happening, it’s easy to find play opportunities based on level. It’s great to see kids playing co-ed tournaments where gender plays very little role.

NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2021 • New York Tennis Magazine

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The Connection Between Sports

By Gilad Bloom

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s a young sports fanatic, I used to play all sports that were available. In those days (the 1970s), there was no Internet and in Israel, barely any television, so it was either sports or other hobbies (for the rainy days) that filled my day. But since there is hardly any rain in Tel Aviv, it was basically sports. For me, it was first soccer and then basketball, and I only started playing tennis at the age of nine.

As a coach, I have always encouraged my students to play multiple sports. It has been proven that playing multiple sports helps in preventing injuries. I also strongly believe that sports like soccer and basketball are a great supplement to playing tennis.

Having played those two sports from a very young age, it allowed me to pick up tennis very quickly and attain a high skill level within two or three years of playing the game.

Obviously, playing a team sport is an attraction, since as a tennis player, you are alone out there and the mental stress of competing one-on-one can be taxing. I always loved being part of a team and enjoyed the social aspect of it. It seemed like so much more “fun” than tennis, even though when I had to choose between the two sports, I chose 40

tennis because in the end, I loved the individuality of the sport.

I also liked the different cultures each sport exposed me to. Switching from the soccer field to the basketball court, and despite being pretty short for basketball, I still played every week with my high school buddies up to the age of 40. I ended my soccer career earlier this year at the age of 51.

Over the years, I learned that those sports not only benefit the mind, but also have a direct positive effect on the tennis court. There are many similarities in the athletic movement of each sport, and of course, in hand-eye coordination which is a universal trait of all ball-related sports. I recommend playing all sports, but for me personally, soccer and basketball made the most sense as a tennis player.

I have had the opportunity to watch top professional basketball and soccer players play tennis, and most if not all of them were extremely good for the amount of time they played. Also, as a touring pro on the ATP Tour, we used to play some soccer between tennis matches (mostly with Europeans and South Americans) and basketball (with the Americans). The level of competition was very high and more than a few players, myself included as

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2021 • NYTennisMag.com

well as Roger Federer, grew up dreaming to be a pro soccer player, but somehow ended up playing tennis.

Here are some of the similarities: 1. The side step: A very basic movement which is necessary in almost every point in tennis. In basketball, the same exact movement is used to defend.

2. The first step: High level ball sports is a lot about the first step. In tennis, you need it to get to the ball early so you can position the body perfectly to hit a high percentage shot, you need it to recover as well.

In basketball and soccer, the first step is huge in beating your defender to create space for a shot or a pass. As a defender, you would need a great first step to outrun the forward.

3. Movement without the ball: The best basketball and soccer players move constantly without touching the ball during a game to make themselves open for scoring or passing opportunities. In tennis, movement without the ball is just as important. Once you hit the shot, there is a recovery movement that needs to happen right away. The point is … you cannot be still for even a second.

4. The split-step: This is used in tennis all the time. In soccer, it is actually the goalkeeper who does a split-step every time they get ready to make a save. It helps to be balanced and dive in the right direction.

5. Touch/finesse/imagination: In tennis, you need to apply touch, soft hands and the ability to improvise on certain shots. In soccer and in basketball, you need the same type of creativity.

You often see players scoring goals with chip shots, curveballs and accuracy rather than with power. In basketball, there are plenty of times when a soft hand can help the rim be more friendly (the tear drop).

6. Anticipating different spins and tracking the ball: When I played soccer, I always found that I had an advantage because I was used to playing tennis with a small ball that travels more than 100 mph. The “huge” soccer ball seemed easy for me to track and control after dealing with a tennis ball, and it gave me an advantage in corner shots and with long passes. When playing basketball, my instincts and anticipation from my net game allowed me to be able to make a lot of steals, and in general,

helped out my defensive game.

7. Technique: Tennis is a bit more technical in the sense that it’s harder to reach a high level without proper coaching. In principle, the concept is the same … there is a set of skills required and good technique helps to perform under pressure or when tired. The best players in soccer and basketball, much like the top tennis players, have perfected their techniques in all aspects of the game and if they don’t, they will work to improve it. For example, LeBron James improved his jump shot midway through his career. Lionel Messi improved his right foot and Rafael Nadal improved his serve, slice and net game. The similarities are there when you see how methodical and ritualistic the players are about their technique, trusting it in the big moments.

8. Decision-making: Just like in tennis, decision-making is critical to playing a high level. You will almost never see Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal hit the wrong shot. They might miss from time to

time, but their shot selection is usually the right one, which is a big part of why they are so good.

In soccer and basketball, it is very similar, knowing when to release the ball and to whom or choosing to shoot or pass makes or breaks a soccer and basketball player.

There are plenty of examples of players who have great ball skills, but keep making the wrong choices with the ball. In tennis, the equivalent is a player that has great strokes, but doesn’t know how to construct a point well due to bad shot selection. The ability to make the right decision in a split-second, to execute it successfully and most importantly, to do it on a daily basis, is the formula. We can use sports like soccer and basketball to enhance our tennis ability.

The best aspect of playing other sports is the aspect of “having fun.” It takes you away from the grueling tennis world and into the team sport universe, but mainly so we can get back on the tennis court and start hitting tennis balls.

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

NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2021 • New York Tennis Magazine

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New York Tennis Magazine’s

Guide to the

Top Tennis Travel Destinations Evert Tennis Academy 10334 Diego Drive S l Boca Raton, Fla. l (561) 488-2001 The Evert Tennis Academy is located in the beautiful town of Boca Raton, Fla., nestled in a beautiful residential neighborhood. Evert Tennis Academy’s convenient location is only a short drive from the beaches of Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale and Miami, and is roughly 30 minutes away from Palm Beach (PBI) and Fort Lauderdale International (FLL) airports. The Miami International Airport (MIA) is also only 45 minutes away.

Chrissie, John and their father, Jimmy Evert, established the Evert Tennis Academy in 1996. The Evert Tennis Academy quickly became, and continues to be, the home to countless national and international junior players, best college players and some of the world’s finest pros.

Evert Tennis Academy offers personalized and individualized programs the all year-round for junior players worldwide, including Holiday Camps, Summer Camps, Pre-Tournament Training and Full-Time Programs (year/semester). If you are a basic player looking to get instruction that is more technical or if you are a highly-ranked national player looking for some intense competition, Evert Tennis Academy has a program for you.

The Evert Tennis Academy campus contains 23 courts, which offer two types of playing surfaces, including 12 hard courts and 11 clay courts. Moreover, the Evert Tennis Academy has two secondary sites with over 25 courts to conduct its program, including a private club which is only minutes away from the Academy. Our campus also has one girls dormitory and one boys dormitory, a cafeteria, a strength and conditioning room, a massage and athletic training room, a clubhouse. ETA also hosts on campus Grandview Prep, a fully accredited, NCAA-approved, college preparatory high school, who was the sole recipient of the 2019 and 2020 Best of Boca Raton Award in the Private Schools category.

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New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2021 • NYTennisMag.com

EvertAcademy.com

New York Tennis Magazine’s

Guide to the

Top Tennis Travel Destinations Fisher Island Club One Fisher Island Drive l Fisher Island, Fla. l (305) 535-6000 Reservations@FisherIslandClub.com Fisher Island Club’s Mediterranean-inspired Racquet Club offers play on 17 courts, and four newly added pickleball courts.

Members have access to four types of playing surfaces (two grass courts, three Decocushion hard courts), seven Har-Tru clay courts, and five European red clay courts as well as an array of tennis clinics and private lessons led by top tennis professionals. The Club’s courts are also a favorite place for pre-tournament practice by visiting pros.

Lessons at the club are available daily for those wishing to refine their tennis and pickleball skills. The club boasts a total of 10 tennis and pickleball professionals certified by the most recognizable tennis and pickleball organizations in the country: USPTA Elite Professional Certified, Professional Tennis Registry (PTR), Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) and the International Pickelball Teaching Professional Association, and are active within tennis and pickleball industry events and conventions. Hailing from around the world, including Italy, Brazil, Cuba, and the U.S., our pros are sure to raise your level of experience.

Experience the distinctive, luxurious amenities that make Fisher Island the ultimate private island destination and lifestyle club. Fisher Island feels a world apart, while also being a short ferry ride away from Miami Beach and premier theaters, art galleries, museums, shopping and nightlife.

NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2021 • New York Tennis Magazine

FisherIslandClub.com

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New York Tennis Magazine’s

Guide to the

Top Tennis Travel Destinations Tennis Holidays Croatia - Biograd +385 99 332 5235 l info@tennisholidayscroatia.com Once the city of Croatian kings, now one of the most interesting tennis destinations on the Mediterranean, Biograd is a perfect getaway for singles, groups or families. The city, tailored to suit everyone’s preferences, lies on the peninsula surrounded by a promenade and contemporary marinas from which a memorable view can be seen all the way to the Pasman Channel and islets scattered in it.

The beaches are packed with content for both young tourists and families with children. Thanks to its location, you can choose from many available day trips. There are four National Parks in the vicinity—Paklenica, Kornati, Krka and worldwide famous Plitvice Lakes.

Near town is the biggest lake in Croatia—Vrana Lake, home to 256 bird species, perfect for bird watching. Not only is it rich in stunning natural surroundings, in Biograd you’ll also find some of the best possibilities for nautical tourism and sailing on the Mediterranean.

You will play on one of the biggest tennis centres in Dalmatia, with stunning 14 clay courts plus six brand new artificial grass courts, conveniently located five minutes walk from your hotel. The courts are set in idyllic location amidst a forest of pine trees. They are equipped with locker rooms, toilets, club house bar, and court lighting is available at night.

The city has a distinct atmosphere all its own. With its winding stone streets, buzzing atmosphere and varied sports offerings it's one of the most rewarding holiday destinations in Croatia, not to mention its location is absolutely perfect for day trips all over Croatia.

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New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2021 • NYTennisMag.com

tennisholidayscroatia.com

New York Tennis Magazine’s

Guide to the

Top Tennis Travel Destinations Tennis Fantasies with John Newcombe and the Legends (513) 489-9700 l SteveC@TowneProperties.com Enjoy the best tennis vacation of your life! Tennis Fantasies with John Newcombe and the Legends, the original tennis fantasy camp, is your chance to play tennis and rub shoulders with the all-time greats of the game. Join host three-time Wimbledon Champion John Newcombe and his "mates" at the John Newcombe Tennis Ranch in New Braunfels, Texas for a most memorable tennis event.

The legendary staff will include International Tennis Hall of Fame Members John Newcombe, Roy Emerson, Owen Davidson, Mark Woodforde and Charlie Pasarell, as well as Grand Slam winners Ross Case, Dick Stockton, Brian Gottfried, Rick Leach, Luke and Murphy Jensen, plus Johan Kriek, Mikael Pernfors, and Dani Visser. Together, more than 150 Grand Slam titles and hundreds of other major championships are assembled under one roof! Learn, play and mingle with tennis royalty.

Tennis Fantasies 2022 offers two great programs: • March 3-6, 2022: Tennis Fantasies (Men and Women) • October 16-21, 2022: Tennis Fantasies (Men Only) On-court activities include clinics, team competition, and "fantasy" pro-am matches. After tennis, guests will enjoy the "Aussie-style" hospitality of the John Newcombe Tennis Ranch. The Ranch is located just outside of New Braunfels in the rolling Hill country of central Texas, 30 minutes from the San Antonio airport. The crystal clear water of Canyon Lake, the Guadalupe River, and the Comal River are just minutes from the Ranch.

Accommodations at the John Newcombe Tennis Ranch are one- or two-bedroom condominiums or a courtside room. The Ranch has 32 deco-turf and four Har-Tru courts, eight lighted and four all-weather covered courts for guaranteed tennis every day.

You don't want to miss this magical tennis adventure. Join John Newcombe and his "mates" for the best tennis vacation of your life!

NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2021 • New York Tennis Magazine

www.TennisFantasies.net

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From left to right: Ilana Kloss, Billie Jean King, Dr. Emily Moore, Dr. Harold German

Photo credit:Christine Ashburn

USTA Eastern Inducts 2021 Hall of Fame Class

U

STA Eastern and the Junior Tennis Foundation (JTF) inducted tennis icons and trailblazers Billie Jean King and Ilana Kloss, esteemed entrepreneur Freddie Botur, tennis historian and former USTA Eastern president Dr. Dale Caldwell, former Eastern Men's No. 6 player Dr. Harold German, and youth tennis advocate and activist Dr. Emily Moore into its Tennis Hall of Fame at the 34th Annual Eastern Tennis Hall of Fame Ceremony at The River Club in New York City.

Emmy-winning sports commentator and fellow Eastern Tennis Hall of Famer Mary Carillo will host the celebration.

"These six inductees have dedicated much of their lives to growing the game at the grassroots level and represent the best of what our sport has to offer," said Junior Tennis Foundation CEO Mark McIntyre. "Their service has enriched our community over decades.

Beyond a tennis court, these six individuals are exemplary citizens whose advocacy and activism has transformed our world. We are thrilled to formally recognize each of them for their remarkable achievements and lifetime of service with USTA Eastern's highest honor.”

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More about the six 2021 Eastern Hall of Fame inductees: • Billie Jean King & Ilana Kloss: 39-time Grand Slam Champion King led the “Original 9” tennis players to form what would eventually become the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) in reaction to unequal pay and opportunities compared to their male counterparts. For over 40 years she has been partners with fellow former player Kloss, who captured two major doubles titles and was ranked as high as No. 1 in the world in doubles and No. 19 in singles.

Together, King and Kloss have dedicated much of their lives to championing gender equality and LGBTQ rights.

• Freddie Botur: Botur survived both German and Russian occupation during and after World War II. When he was 26 years old, he fled the country to escape an oppressive Communist regime, seeking refuge in Germany and Australia before eventually arriving in New York in 1952. In New York, he found work as a tennis pro and went on to live out a true American dream, establishing five facilities in New York

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2021 • NYTennisMag.com

City at the height of the tennis boom in the 1960s and 1970s.

• Dr. Dale Caldwell: A graduate of Princeton University, Caldwell has tirelessly promoted Black tennis history in the United States. In 2006, he conceived of and curated Breaking the Barriers–an exhibit at the International Tennis Hall of Fame– which honors the American Tennis Association and the Black pioneers of tennis. Following the success of Breaking the Barriers, Caldwell founded the Black Tennis Hall of Fame. Caldwell was elected the first Black president of USTA Eastern in 2006, and later became the first Black Section President to serve on the USTA National Board.

• Dr. Harold German: A standout athlete with a top-notch forehand, German was ranked as high as No. 6 in the Eastern Men’s division. From 1963-1967, he was a major contender on the Eastern Men’s Clay Court Circuit, reaching the final stages of multiple tournaments and winning the Park Lakes Invitational.

During this period, he played Arthur Ashe three times and captured wins over future Grand Slam semifinalists

Inductee Dale Caldwell with JTF CEO Mark McIntyre Sandy Mayer and Dick Stockton. He later served as a Navy physician during the Vietnam War and was awarded the Bronze Star for his service.

• Dr. Emily Moore: Moore has spent over five decades introducing tennis to children through the Long Islandbased Alliance Junior Tennis

McIntyre with inductee Freddie Botur Development Program, which she established in 1975. Beyond her accomplishments in the sport, Moore is a lifelong activist who stood on the front lines of the Civil Rights Movement.

Proceeds from the induction ceremony benefit the JTF, which

provides grants and other financial assistance to hundreds of worthy tennis programs and organizations that focus on underserved and at-risk youth and people with disabilities. Since its incorporation in 1982, JTF has provided more than $2 million for programs and scholarships in the Eastern Section.

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NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2021 • New York Tennis Magazine

47

My Tennis Tribe, My People

By Barbara Wyatt

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arran emailed and asked, “So exactly how many tennis teams are you on?” I sensed a disbelieving inflection in his question.

Knowing Darran as well as I do, I suspect he typed the question with one eyebrow arched up.

I asked myself, “Why?” Why do I choose to play on more than one team? Why do you find me, and others, on a neighborhood tennis court one day, then play competitively on an indoor court the next?

I am (significantly) past the age to qualify for Wimbledon and can hit mind-blowing mis-hits that cause my opponents to double-over in laughter.

I play because I am with friends; members of my chosen tribe. They accept me for who I am, unforced errors and all. On my next ball hit beyond the baseline, I wince, they cringe, I promise to do better, and we

start the ball in play again.

We are born into families. We have no choice on which family or where. Brothers, sisters, and nonbinary peoples, related by blood or adoption, become our first tribe. In a few years, we set out into the world and walk in social circles built on friendships discovered on school yards and sports teams, and in activities that range from chess clubs to Guardians of the Galaxy fans.

By our early twenties, we open our arms to someone sitting next to us in a university class or a church pew, looking for like-minded people and possible friendship. A random drawing by a college software program assigns names to the same dorm room. That random pairing could develop into the strongest and longest friendships, a bonding like a tribe.

Then an upward career move rips

us away. Days are spent with some people that we would never hang out with—co-workers, friends of your significant other, and parents of your children.

This all brings us to today and your tennis tribe. How do you find tennis mates? You can follow a vetting process to find good people and avoid the drama queens and manipulators.

Run from captains that play weaker players because they are friends. Roll your eyes at the egomaniacs and gossipers. Shake your head at captains that announce, “I will only play the 4.5 players, and not the lowly 4.0 players”—a decision that breaks apart stronger pairings. Avoid teams with ringers because those teams may dissolve into bickering prima donnas.

Move on. You are worth it. Over time, you discover your people, your tennis tribe.

“Darran,” I responded, “The number of teams I play on is based on the published match dates, my work schedule, and the charm and likeability of the players. I seek out like-minded players, as well as proven tennis skills. I discovered hundreds of people with whom I hope to build lifelong friendships. I will see YOU, and the rest of my tribe, on the court.”

Barbara Wyatt is a Writer, Photographer, USTA Official, and Mobile App Developer of iKnowTennis!, the tennis rules app.

Her poem, Ode to Tennis, an amusing poem on the joys and frustrations when learning tennis, is available at Amazon. She can be reached by e-mail at BarbaraW@iKnowTennis.com

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New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2021 • NYTennisMag.com

Importance of Coordination and Training Specificity in Young Tennis Players

By Cinto Casanova

ne of the most frequent mistake coaches, parents and observers do when analyzing their young player’s performance is failing to see the tight relationship between coordination and physical skill with the specific technical skills of tennis. How specific coordination and training can help our young players master the technical skills of tennis is the main focus of this article.

Coordination is the ability to use different parts of the body together efficiently and smoothly. Precisely this would be a great definition to explain a technically sound forehand or serve.

Quite surprisingly when we are trying to improve or “fix” our player’s forehands, we tend to isolate segments when the actual key is the teamwork between segments.

To develop this efficient and smooth teamwork between segments or effective chains of movement, we must start at the early stages, when the coordination patterns and chains of movement are being learned. When we create the program for our 12 and under players; we have to make sure we allocate time to develop these specific coordination skills and patterns:

O

Specific coordination skills needed in tennis • Rhythm: the ball is the metronome of our movements; can the player adjust to the ball’s tempo? Can his steps and swings follow its timing?

Many times, the difference between a good and an elite player is not the technical skill in itself, but the capacity to apply that skill within a higher tempo pressure.

• Balance: can the player maintain the center of gravity under control

in movement? Can he transfer his weight effectively?

• Dissociation: can the player maintain different segments working separately in different rhythms without interferences from each other? For example, dissociation is needed in Serve from tossing hand and racket hand. Does the tossing motion interfere with the coordination of the racket preparation?

Dissociation is also needed to separate lower-body steps, stance setting from upper-body racket preparation and swing. Does the high rhythm of the footwork alter the control of the swing?

Specific coordination patterns needed in tennis • Movement patterns: split step variations (static and dynamic, one or two legs), accelerating steps, decelerating steps and adjustments, change of direction techniques, recovery steps.

• Set up patterns: stance set up (open, close, semi-open and variations), static and dynamic balance, weight transference.

• Release patterns (throws): rotational release chains (left, right, FH, BH), overhead release chains, weight transfer.

These skills and patterns are not directly related to the racket, but they are a key part of the technical

development of our young players.

They can be learned and improved through specific physical training on or off the court. Sometimes attacking technical challenges our players face through specific coordination training is the solution of the problem. As a coach, don’t look only at the racket; look at the whole chain of movement, look at the quality of the player’s coordination skills and patterns.

If your player can’t generate enough energy on his FH, analyze where is the chain of movement breaking down, what part of the chain is not efficient and where the energy is wasted (is there really lack of energy or waste of energy?). Specific coordination training can help immensely to improve the efficiency of the technique.

Any elite junior tennis program needs Medicine balls to reinforce release coordination patterns; not just by throwing medicine balls, but doing it with specificity, taking into consideration stances, weight transfer and posture. Steps, rings and gates are needed to help the development of specific on court footwork patterns.

Your club’s physical trainers need to understand tennis and make sure the off-court training is specific and develops the key coordination skills and patterns of tennis. At the same time, our tennis coaches need to integrate these types of exercises on court to help the development of an efficient and smooth technique from the early stages

Cinto Casanova is the Head Physical Trainer and Senior Elite Tennis Coach at Sakurada Club in Tokyo. He has held leading positions in Junior Player Development for over two decades in Japan, China and Spain. He has helped to develop top junior programs that produced successful national and international junior players. He may be reached at rc.cinto@gmail.com.

NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2021 • New York Tennis Magazine

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All It Takes Is A Racket And A Dream

By Steve Kaplan

Photo credit: Darren Carroll/USTA

A

widely circulating news story and USTA post reveals that a teacher once told U.S. Open Women's Singles finalist Leylah Fernandez to quit tennis and focus on school because she would never make it. Fernandez used this teacher’s skepticism as rocketfueled inspiration to drive herself to succeed. Fernandez clearly is a winner, and winners turn lemons into lemonade. The meteoric rise of both Fernandez and champion Emma Raducanu is truly inspiring, but is this aspect of Fernandez’s story the healthiest area for the industry to focus on to inspire young players? The superficial take away from this anecdote is that we should rise above those who doubt us and follow our dreams, but when we dig deeper, is there more to this story?

I went to High School with a

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young man named "Doug" who, to be kind, was not the highest academic achiever.In our High School Yearbook he wrote, "I'm going to win the lottery."

Doug didn't go to college, but instead he worked at a local bar.

Two years later, to all our amazement, Doug actually won the lottery! His quote in the newspaper after winning was classic: "Two million dollars sure buys a lot of beer and pretzels."

Imagine a New York State Lottery post featuring Doug which reads: "A teacher told me to stop playing the lotto and focus on school. I'm glad they told me this because I used these words to motivate me to buy more tickets to prove them wrong. Lotto: Follow Your Dreams!"

Is Doug's story more unlikely than Leylah's?

Maybe not, and before

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2021 • NYTennisMag.com

dismissing this idea consider, as Arthur Ashe pointed out, that the odds of a tennis player getting to a Slam Final are probably greater that the odds of winning the lottery.

Ashe famously said, "The world over 50 million children start playing tennis, five million learn to play tennis, 500,000 learn professional tennis, 50,000 come to the circuit, 5,000 reach the grand slam, 50 reach Wimbledon, four to the semifinal, two to the finals...”

This is not to suggest that Leylah or Emma are lucky to have their success, they earned it through hard work, dedication, self-belief and a great support system. They are very lucky. however, to have the rare talent that could make their efforts pay off in such spectacular fashion. Many try to get to where they have gotten, but

very few succeed.

Maybe the teacher advising Leylah should not have been so absolute and said the dream crushing words "quit tennis."

Perhaps saying, "enjoy tennis, dream big but focus on school because you never know what can happen" would have been a better way to frame this message.

Despite the teachers poor word choices, the USTA's promotion of this story is a little ironic when you consider that Fernandez played her finals in Arthur Ashe Stadium and Ashe was such an outspoken critic on society’s emphasis on sports achievement over classroom achievement .

Arthur Ashe once said, "I have become convinced that we blacks spend too much time on the playing field and too little time in libraries." How many former juniors today, upon reflection, are happy they focused LESS on school

and MORE on tennis?

Compare this with the number of former junior players that have regrets that they focused MORE on school and LESS on tennis.

It is rare for the cost of focusing on tennis ahead of school to be worth the risk and further, it is clear that tennis and academic achievement are not mutually exclusive. What you learn in the classroom can be taken to the tennis court and what you learn on the tennis court can further

you in the classroom. Tennis is the best sport in the world for a young person to use to further themselves off the court, in the classroom, in the workforce and in life.

Indeed, Leylah's and Emma's story is the stuff of dreams and young players should be encouraged to dream big. However, there is a time for dreams to be tempered with a large dose of reality because for 99.99 percent of all players it is education, not dreams, that pay the bills.

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.

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HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE adidas Pickleball info@allracquetsports.com A Racket Tailored to Your Needs The new ESSNOVA CARBON CTRL HD will give a new dimension to your game. The 3K CARBON composition alongside the POLYPROPYLENE HONEYCOMB CORE will give you the power you demand. Its CTRL format will endow absolute precision that will make you dominate the game at will.

Power Its 3K CARBON composition and Hi-Density POLYPROPYLENE HONEYCOMB Core provides excellent power.

Comfort Its CTRL format and the materials used provide excellent comfort.

Materials Frame: Carbon Reinforcement Surface: Carbon 3K Core: High Density Polypropylene Honeycomb Specifications Dimensions: 16 x 8” Weight: 7.7-8.2 oz Thickness: 14.28 mm Sweet Spot: Center Grip Size: 4 1/8 Grip Length: 4 3/4

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New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2021 • NYTennisMag.com

allracquetsports.com

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HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE Designs By Rachael Custom Jewelry Info@JewelryDesignsByRachael.com Feminine. Classy. Unique. Striking.

A Lariat Necklace is a simple yet elegant statement piece that should be an Everyday Go-To. They accentuate any outfit for any occasion.

The beauty of Designs By Rachael is that you can choose one of the designs, and together you can customize and create your very own Eye-Catching lariat necklace.

You decide the color of the chain and the color of the gems.

Your piece will be *Individualized and Special* • Each Beautiful lariat necklace has 24 inches of Diamond Cut chain • 14k Yellow Gold, White Gold, Rose Gold, or Sterling Silver • Vivid and Sparkling gem stones • Can come with a matching bracelet to go with it A Designs By Rachael custom piece can be the Perfect gift to Spoil yourself or someone else.

Find Designs By Rachael on Facebook and Instagram: JewelryDesignsByRachael

Designs By Rachael Custom Jewelry

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JewelryDesignsByRachael.com

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HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE inPhorm

(214) 749-0300 inPhorm, the tennis, golf and active brand known internationally for its “simple elegance and classic” outfits, is adding a camouflage pattern to its holiday collection — aptly called “Holiday Camo.”

We asked the creative director, Saad Hajidin, what inspired his color palette this season? “Camouflage is always popular,” he noted. “Every time we include a camouflage print in our collection, people respond positively. My thought for this Holiday was to elevate the patterns and colors for camouflage. I’ve combined Aubergine with Blush Grey, Dark Grey and Black, making it more sophisticated and appropriate for the taste level that inPhorm’s customers have come to expect from us.

“I was very careful to scale the patterns so that each color variation blends and compliments the others tastefully. In addition to the Camouflage Pattern, we also have Slate Grey, Black and White — colors that work well on their own or pair with the pattern pieces.” inPhorm’s Holiday 2021 collection is replete with styles that transition from the daytime court and course to the evening’s activities — stylish tennis and golf looks that easily blend in at any occasion.

In the last few months, inPhorm’s team has been engaged in conversations with its customers, gathering reviews of products, fits and functionality. “We like to say that by listening to our customers, we ‘Stay inPhormed,’” Saad says You can learn more about inPhorm by visiting its website, www.inphormnyc.com

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HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE Ode to Tennis by Barbara Wyatt BarbaraWyatt@yahoo.com The Gift of Humor

For the holiday stockings, give the gift of humor with the book, Ode to Tennis by Barbara Wyatt, featuring the delightful rhyming poem of a player in a tennis lesson.

It’s the perfect little gift book for tennis players. The illustrated poem highlights a player's joy and frustrations during a tennis lesson, capturing the euphoria and struggles of players who take up the game of tennis later in life.

“I chase the ball in tournaments, I compete in the USTA Yet my strokes leave players laughing, I’m more comical than Tina Fey! Reviews: • “A great work to be ready by anyone who likes the sport of tennis!”

• “It is a feel good book, well-written and illustrated. Made me smile the whole time I was reading it.”

• “A great gift! So much truth in a fun wonderfully illustrated book. Enjoy.”

Ode to Tennis is available on Amazon for $9.95 (paperback) and $2.99 (Kindle).

Ode to TENNIS

NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2021 • New York Tennis Magazine

BarbaraWyatt@yahoo.com

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HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE Silent Partner Tennis

(800) 662-1809 l SPTennis@on.aibn.com Give the gift of a Silent Partner Tennis Ball Machine this holiday season!

Silent Partner Tennis has been independently owned and operated since 1989. Check us out online at SPTennis.com.

Our ball machines make great holiday gifts. We have a range of portable machines to match any budget with features for beginners and experts alike.

Oscillation with topspin and backspin capability comes standard on all of our machines. Our SMART model machine includes advanced features such as Match Play mode, which simulates playing points in a match, and Select-A-Drill, which allows you to input customized drill sequences.

Feature-for-feature, we are the best deal around. Plus, shipping from our factory to your front door is free.

We pride ourselves on our customer service, so if you have any questions before or after buying your machine, feel free to give us a call!

Here’s to your best tennis yet. Wishing everybody all the very best of the holiday season and a safe, healthy 2022.

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HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE Slinger Bag

Support@slingerbag.com Slinger Bag Provides a Tennis Partner 24-7 and Is Light Enough for Santa’s Sleigh Tennis enthusiasts of all skill levels have a reason to rejoice during the holidays this year because tennis is alive and well courtesy of Slinger Bag, the first truly portable and affordable tennis ball launcher that provides a tennis partner 24-7. Slinger Bag may be wheeled like carry-on luggage and can easily be tossed in the trunk of car, like a set of golf clubs. It is always available whenever and wherever you need it most and is light enough for Santa’s sleigh at 33 lbs.

Why is Slinger Bag the best tennis ball launcher on the market? It does so much more than challenge your skills. For the price of two tennis rackets, Slinger Bag is a multifunctional tennis bag with storage to transport 72 tennis balls, wallets, keys, towel sand water bottles. Oh, and it can even charge your cell phone.

Ideal for Santa’s elves, Slinger Bag may be set up in one minute, enables players to control the launch speed and frequency of balls, is priced at approximately 50% lower than competitors and is perfect for beginners just discovering the sport. Lastly, in today’s new normal, Slinger Bag is the ideal social distancing practice partner Bonus Points: Slinger Bag will be sure to put smiles on tennis lover faces as they begin their New Year’s fitness regimens to work off all that excess turkey, and chocolate and holiday trimmings.

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SlingerBag.com

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HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE Tennis Inside the Zone

32 Mental Training Workouts for Champions Available on Amazon We have seen firsthand how Robs work has positively impacted players, both as a person and tennis player. His program is a must for anyone who wants to break through to the next level.” Tim Mayotte, former #7 Professional in the World and Coaching Professional.

What if one book could change everything? Tennis Inside the Zone is the perfect holiday gift for the player that is looking to take their mental game to another level. It’s the first book of its kind that empowers the player to be the champion of their own game. This highly interactive journal book offers players of all levels mental training workouts, quotes from the pros, key principals, and mental strategies to stay focused on what they can control, embrace adversity, and increase their resiliency while facing obstacles.

If you have ever wondered, how do I get the mental edge? (workout #1), Why can’t I play matches like I practice? (workout #13), or How can I relax? (workout #22), this books for you. Or have you ever said? I suck!? (workout #20), or I’m better, how could I lose? (workout 29), or even I can’t believe I choked (workout #32), then this book is definitely for you!

Tennis Inside the Zone is intended to help you uncover and solve the mystery of the mental game. It can help you to identify your unique strengths and make them even more potent, while allowing self reflection and awareness as a person and player.

For Golfers and Baseball players (or anyone playing team sports), please check out Golf Inside the Zone and Baseball inside the Zone also available on Amazon. Rob Polishook is author and Mental Training coach, he can be reached at at rob@insidethezone or cell (973) 723-0314.

Happy Holidays.

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Tennis Inside the Zone

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HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE The Art and Science of Ball Watching

By Dr. Paul Hamori, M.D. Dr. Paul J. Hamori M.D. is a physician practicing internal medicine in the greater Indianapolis area. He has been a lifelong tennis enthusiast and student of the game for the last 55 years, having started tennis at the age of 5. Professionally, he has always had a side interest in neuroscience. He decided to combine these two passions to produce a book about the neuroscience of tennis ball watching.

The Art and Science of Ball Watching takes the reader through the scientific principles involved in tennis ball watching, with a focus on those aspects of Physical and Biologic science that facilitate the ability to see ball contact.

It then analyzes the techniques used by the greatest ball watcher of all time. Subsequently it demonstrates simple exercises that can be done by any player to develop these same techniques. It contains interesting diagrams and pictures that will facilitate the reader’s understanding of these principles and techniques.

While the focus of the book is on tennis, its concepts are applicable to other racquet sports including pickle ball, and squash.

Inside Tennis editor Bill Simons wrote: “Dr. Paul Hamori has written a revealing, groundbreaking book: The Art and Science of Ball Watching–Learning to see contact. The book teaches us the neuroscience of hearing, vision and touch–and how to apply it to playing better. Hamori offers an intriguing study of the greatest of all ball watchers, Roger Federer, and gives us a bounty of brain exercises.”

The Art and Science of Ball Watching NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2021 • New York Tennis Magazine

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Leylah Fernandez…

I Have a New Idol

By Lonnie Mitchel

C

hris Evert was my idol growing up as a young tennis player in New York. I loved Jimmy Connors and Bjorn Borg so I will give them an honorable mention also. Chris had it all for me as she was the darling of American female tennis in the 1970's and as a teenager, I admit, I had a crush on her.

However, as an athlete she embodied everything that I often talk about with my collegiate players and my students. I place on my office door a sign that indicates four components I title the CORE 4. They are: • Consistency • Focus • Footwork/body language • Poise If you possess these four components as a skilled tennis player I believe you are complete and have a very good chance of winning on the tennis court. My 60

student-athletes cannot even walk on the court at the beginning of the season without reciting the CORE 4.

I put such a great emphasis on this philosophy. For me, Evert had it all and if you watched her compete it was as if she was the perfect “CORE 4er”. As a champion she gave away very little in the CORE 4 philosophy and the results showed it, to the tune of 18 Slam singles titles. She was also one half of what is considered by many to be the greatest rivalry in tennis with Martina Navratilova.

Evert was perhaps the best ever at being mentally tough! No cracks in

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the armor that is her mental game; she never got rattled!

Fast-forward 30 years and now comes this new teenage tennis sensation named Leylah Fernandez. Since Evert, there have been greats such as Steffi Graf, Serena Williams and many other great champions, but Leylah had something about her that I just loved as she made her way to the finals of the U.S. Open. Match after match she handled so much adversity, yet remained poised, focused and engaged in every match. She has the qualities that many champions’ posses, and I also believe she will have what it takes to be a future champion in our sport.

The CORE 4, though, takes a very special front seat in this little tennis infatuation I have for Leylah. She has a team of coaches much like the best professionals, but if you looked closely at her coaching box, one of her coaches wore a distinct red hat with the SUNY Oneonta Tennis logo on it. This is not something you

would pay much attention to unless you were looking for it.

Six years ago, my men's tennis team at SUNY Oneonta graduated a young man named Ben Leighton, who had aspirations of becoming a tennis coach, and wanted to help influence some of the up and comers reach their dreams and goals. Whether becoming a good high school player, a collegiate athlete or the professional who can be successful on the pro tour, he just wanted to be in the game. That same guy who graduated from a Division III school with good tennis credentials was wearing that SUNY Oneonta Tennis hat and sitting in the coaching box of Leylah Fernandez.

The CORE 4 are elements that I have identified over the years through my coaching experience.

This coach who I now see in the coaching box took those lessons on the road and Leylah adopted it vis-a-vis my former player. What a defining moment for me. I did not need to be validated as to the success one can have on the tennis court or even life by embracing this philosophy, but it was pretty damn good to see it work at the highest level possible.

Whatever a coach says might

not get into the players head right away. This teaching often lies dormant and somewhere down the line it will pay dividends as it did for this young successful coach. Many of my players come back to me years later and just shout out the CORE 4...what a nice thing for a coach to hear. For the tennis players out there, whether it be recreational, collegians or professional, take some elements of this and put it into your game and everyday activities. If you do, I like your chances for long-term success.

I close out the article with something I teach in my sales and marketing class as an adjunct lecturer.

Tell your students, customers, or audience what you are going to say, say it, and then tell them what you just said over and over.

My players often tell me I repeat things, and sometimes I think maybe they start to tune me out.

However, that does not seem to be the case after all. To this young coach who now spends time with Leylah, I told him about the CORE 4, I repeated the philosophy and I said at the end, remember this as after you graduate. The CORE 4 lives, and had some small role in getting Leylah to the finals of the US Open.

Lonnie Mitchel is head men’s and women’s tennis coach at SUNY Oneonta. Lonnie was named an assistant coach to Team USA for the 2013 Maccabiah Games in Israel for the Grand Master Tennis Division. Lonnie may be reached by phone at (516) 414-7202 or email lonniemitchel@yahoo.com.

Congratulations Giuliana Olmos and Marcelo Arevalo on your US Open Tennis 2021 Mixed Doubles Final

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You Are Good Enough Nothing is missing, you don’t have to be perfect

By Rob Polishook

I

magine this: you just turned pro. In the first year you win two and lose three matches. OK, fair enough…you’re just getting into things.

In your second year as a pro, you win 12 matches and lose 14. You play two Davis Cup matches and lose both, and then lose in the first round of all seven outdoor tournaments you entered. You also fail to reach the main draw of the U.S. Open and Australian Open due to losses in the qualification rounds.

Ok, you think to yourself, this is going to be hard.

Then, in your third year as a pro, you lose in 21 out of 38 first-round matches! Your season ending record is 27 wins and 30 losses. In your first three years as a professional, cumulatively you compile 41 wins and 47 losses.

OK, now this is hardly what you expected.

If these results happened to you, how would you feel about your game? What would you think of

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your prospects in terms of making a living? Would you think reaching the top is possible?

When I share this story and ask my clients how they would feel if their first three years started this way, most say, “Wow…it would be rough!”, others chuckle and say, “I’d look for another job!” Well, thankfully this player didn’t look for another job. This is the story of how Roger Federer began the first

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2021 • NYTennisMag.com

three years of his professional tennis career.

Federer clearly knew the journey would be full of obstacles and setbacks. He and his camp must have believed during these three years what others didn’t: that he was “good enough”.

They understood the biggest challenge was about trusting his process, playing his game, and staying mentally balanced.

Now clearly, during these initial three years, he was not good enough as a player, otherwise he would have been winning more matches. However, he was good enough as a person. He and his team had the perspective to know it was more about time, experience and staying the course. The rest is history; Federer has notched 20 Slam victories and countless tournament wins and awards.

Similarly, if we look at other great athletes like Stephen Curry

and Tom Brady, both of them were not good enough early in their college careers. Curry played midlevel Division I basketball at Davidson College, and Brady was not a full-time starter at University of Michigan. At that time, it would have been impossible to have predicted that they would become the superstars they currently are.

No matter the competition or level, Federer, Curry and Brady placed their focus was on what’s important now and prioritizing the present. Their focus was on being their best and embracing the challenge, and only worrying about what they could control.

They didn’t push or force their process trying to be something or someone they weren’t. The real game was about accepting where they were, adapting to the situations, and learning from the experiences. The results did not determine their future and more

importantly their worth and value as a person. They stayed the course.

Now I know, you’re not Roger, Stephen or even Tom. However, just like them, you are good enough! Nothing is missing; you don’t have to be perfect. The key is finding that balance to how you can be your best. Letting go of trying to prove, expectations, and what you cannot control. Instead focusing on what you need and

what you can do to develop as both a person and an athlete.

You are a Whole Human Athlete; it’s imperative to bring who you are to what you do. No matter whether you win or lose in that competition, match or game, you are good enough as a person, continue to persevere and bring your heart, energy and spirit! Just like Federer, Curry, and Brady did.

They were good enough. So are YOU!

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

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Find out more today—then choose your Advantage club! advantagetennisclubs.com NYTennisMag.com • November/December 2021 • New York Tennis Magazine

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Delivering the Message

By Jeremy Schmitter

T

ennis is a game of facing constantly evolving challenges and attempting to find an answer that can allow you to overcome them. Fortunately, we live in an amazing era, filled with a vast wealth of knowledge on almost any topic we can imagine, as well as the ability to access much of that information in mere moments.

Whether it is from a world-class coach, a well-respected organization, or a group of passionate tennis enthusiasts, there are a seemingly endless amount of techniques, tips, and solutions to be found for our beloved sport. Filtering through all of these ideas can be quite a challenge, but once you have decided to pursue a goal either for yourself or your students, the process of delivering this message and instilling the desired habits is what will bring about your success.

Here are some tips for implementing changes and making it stick.

When learning new tactics and patterns, create a drill that allows

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you to focus on the intended behavior. Removing yourself or your players from the feeling of playing what feels like a “normal point” makes it much easier to build habits and find new skills. You can take away a section of the court or force only a certain shot to be played. You can use rewards and penalties to incentivize the behavior. Bonus points, instantly won or lost games, and other creative scoring rules can keep things interesting. A good drill will be easily scaled for increased or reduced difficulty and allow you to quickly open or close the game to help players find that perfect sweet spot of attainable challenge!

Make sure to develop key words and phrases to use that can easily be linked to a learned topic. If you can say just a few words to bring back an entire lesson of memories,

then that will be a lesson that sticks.

For technical and physical changes, it often is not enough to simply go out and try to make it happen. Every change should be reinforced by one or more unique exercises. There are many great teaching tools out there that are effective, fun and memorable. A fitness workout that builds the awareness, strength, and flexibility of a movement can solve problems that are otherwise impossible to resolve. Creative games and exercises that can be referred to and repeated whenever necessary are invaluable. Involve as many sensations as you can!

Remember to be patient. Learning a skill or technique can take months or years, but I believe that in that journey of discovery lies the true joy of our lifelong sport.

Jeremy Schmitter is a tennis coach at CourtSense’s Tenafly Racquet Club. Before arriving at CourtSense, he held a coaching position at the Princeton Racquet Club for nine years. He served as an assistant coach at The College of New Jersey for two years following his time working for legendary coach Rick Witsken in Indiana. He played collegiately at Mercer College, where he competed in the NCAA Championships in both singles and doubles.

New York Tennis Magazine • November/December 2021 • NYTennisMag.com

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