New York Tennis Magazine June 2020

NYTennisMag.com • June 2020 • New York Tennis Magazine

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nytennis New York Tennis Magazine

MAGAZINE

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

Staff David Sickmen Publisher (516) 409-4444, ext. 309 • david@usptennis.com Joel M. Berman President (516) 409-4444, ext. 310 • joel@usptennis.com Eric C. Peck Editor-in-Chief (516) 409-4444, ext. 312 • eric@usptennis.com Brian Coleman Senior Editor (516) 409-4444, ext. 326 • brianc@usptennis.com Joey Arendt Managing Art Director Francine Miller Advertising Coordinator (516) 409-4444, ext. 301 • francinem@usptennis.com Emilie Katz Assistant Marketing Coordinator

Table Of Contents

The Final Ride By Brian Coleman

Bryan Brothers prepare to conclude historic career See page 10

Lee Seidner Staff Photographer

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

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

Photo credit: Ryan Loco/World TeamTennis

Highlights 6 14 18 20 28 32 48 52

inPhorm Produces Masks to Help During Pandemic Looking Back at the Empire’s 2019 Run to the Finals Beyond the Baseline: Chris Sabaitis, AceSpace Tennis in the Hamptons 2020 A Look at the Mental Side of Tennis 2020 New York Tennis Magazine’s Camp Guide Junior Player Spotlight: Michael Zheng By Brian Coleman NYTM’s 2020 Guide to Top Tennis Apparel Providers

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Sidney Beal III Staff Photographer

JUNE 2020 • Vol 10, No 3

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Across Metro New York…News and Notes From Across the New York Metro Tennis Community The Jensen Zone: New Normal for Tennis Players SPORTIME/JMTA to Host Fifth Annual College Recruiting Combine USTA Metro Region Update Celebrating 30 Years…Silent Partner Tennis Ball Machines Mastering the Mind: Mindfulness at 125 mph…Part Three

By Rob Polishook Now More Than Ever…Team First By Ira Miller Metro Corporate League Update The Tennis Guru: To Get to Heaven… By Dr. Tom Ferraro The Hindrance Quiz: Part Two By Barbara Wyatt Treat Your Sport Like a Job By Chris Nieves Choose Your Side By Mark Santucci The Spanish Method: Keys and Flaws By Chris Lewit Q&A with Douglas Henderson By Michael Forte

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.

New York Tennis Magazine is published bi-monthly by United Sports Publications Ltd. • Copyright © 2020 United Sports Publications Ltd.

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Across Metro Ne National Tennis Center Sets Up Temporary Hospital Site

The USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center housed a temporary hospital site in an effort by New York City’s emergency management office to increase hospital space in the continued battle against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Indoor Training Facility’s 12 courts were converted into 100,000 square feet of hospital space, with construction set to begin as early as Tuesday. Additionally, Louis Armstrong Stadium became a commissary for the preparation of 25,000 meal packages a day.

“It’s an incredibly small part, but it’s the least we can do,” said the National Tennis Center’s Chief Operating Officer Danny Zausner. “Elmhurst Hospital in Queens is a stone’s throw away from the tennis center. For us to be in the local community where our hands are tied, but to support the local community and help take some pressure off of Elmhurst Hospital is a huge thing for us to help out in any way we can.”

Wei Wins Harbor Island Championships Prior to the cancellation of tournaments and events, Jason Wei won one of the final tournaments played as he captured the title at the L5 Harbor Island Championships. Wei, who trains at the Chris Lewit Tennis Academy, won all five of his matches in straight sets to hoist the trophy.

Local Coaches Doing Live Instructional Videos

SPORTIME Coaches Creating Online Challenge During the times of quarantine and social distancing, many people turned to social media to stay connected. Viral challenges became more and more popular, and the coaches at SPORTIME got in on the act. They created their own challenge, “Over the House Challenge”, that requires you to go outside and hit a tennis ball over your home, and then challenge somebody else.

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New York Tennis Magazine • June 2020 • NYTennisMag.com

With the inability to get on court and teach, many coaches in the area have turned to online coaching and instruction during these times of quarantining and social distancing. Instructors at Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning and Roosevelt Island Racquet Club have been hosting live sessions and posting recorded videos on social media with tips and advice for how to continue working on your tennis game. The videos feature instruction from prominent coaches such as Cary Leeds coaches Ahsha Rolle and Liezel Huber, and Roosevelt Island’s Chuck Russell and Bob Ingersole.

New York

… News and notes from across the New York Metro tennis community

USTA Eastern Honoring Doctors on the Front Line USTA Eastern has made sure to honor those in our tennis community who have joined the fight on the front line against the coronavirus pandemic. The organization has started a From the Baseline to the Front Line series where it is recognizing, and has honored a number of different doctors and nurses from its Section. One of them is Dr. Shyam Shivdasani, whose practice in New Rochelle saw some of the earliest patients with the virus. One of his patients that he treated and helped heal was none other than Patrick McEnroe, lifelong New Yorker and co-director of the John McEnroe Tennis Academy.

Domski Wins L7 Eastern Open Olivia Domski, who plays out of the CourtSense Training Center, captured the title in the Girls 12s division at the L7 Eastern Open at Bogota Racquet Club.

Despite being unseeded in the draw, Domski won all of her matches in straight sets en route to hoisting the winning trophy.

West Side’s Daniela Hernandez Commits to UL Monroe The West Side Tennis Club player Daniela Hernandez has committed to play her collegiate tennis at the University of Louisana-Monroe.

Hernandez is a former PSAL New York City singles champion and now trains under Luke Jensen at West Side

Vazquez Wins Sportime Challenger Julian Joaquin Vazquez took home the title at the L6 Sportime Syosset Challenger earlier this spring. Vazquez, who is a Gilad Bloom Tennis student, was seeded second and did not lose a set on his way to the championship.

Gotham Tennis Working with Bronx Community

A focal point of the mission of Stadium Tennis Center and the Gotham Tennis Academy is to grow the sport of tennis, especially in its surrounding areas in the Bronx. Before the impact of the global pandemic was felt here in New York and courts were shut down, the facility ran programming for local Bronx organizations, including We Are Bronxchester, a non-profit that runs a camp and afterschool programming.

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inPhorm Produces Masks to Help During Pandemica inPhorm is a company known for his trendy tennis, golf and yoga apparel and athlesiure that has taken great pride in producing eco-forward active wear for more than 10 years.

But in the current landscape we find ourselves living in, with a global pandemic causing a health crisis the likes of which we’ve never seen before, inPhorm has pivoted a bit in order to do its part and help.

“In this time of crisis, we all need to come together to offer even a small measure of aid,” the company said in a note to its members and customers.

“Since the outbreak was acknowledged as a pandemic, we have been researching and developing reusable protective face masks, not only for our inPhorm community, but hopefully for many others.”

The idea was to produce an effective mask that would be able to be washed and re-used up to 20 times. Saad Hajidin, inPhorm’s founder and creative director, got in touch with his partner who has a factory in Thailand, and discussed a way to manufacture masks with the lowest possible margins.

“The affects of this are obviously being felt globally, so they had a lot of people in her factory that needed work as well,” said Hajidin. “We talked, and asked her if there was a way we could do this quickly.

She used a fabric they had in-house to knit with, and then put a water repellent finish on it, with an antibacterial bamboo fabric.”

Taking all the proper precautions, the plan was set in motion. The facility was completely sanitized, and each mask is decontaminated with heat at 80 degrees Celsius before being packaged.

The outer layer is made from tightly knitted sustainable hydrophobic cotton fabric that meets the international waterrepellency test of up to 20 washes. The inner layer, which has a soft feel to the 6

face, is made from eco-forward sustainable bamboo fabric with an antibacterial finish.

With its three-dimensional contour shape and stretch bands around the ear, the mask molds to the face as a filter against airborne particles and droplets.

Hajidin said that within 48 hours, they were sold out of the 2,000 initial masks they had made.

“I didn’t want to push it too much because I wanted to make sure we were able to deliver if orders came in,” he said.

“We can produce up to 10,000 masks in the follow-up, and then expand on that depending on if the need grows. We can accommodate up to 100,000 masks, and I’ve begun reaching out to different states, just to see if this would be a product they were interested in using as an alternative for health care workers.”

One thing that Hajidin and inPhorm wanted to make sure of was that the masks would be affordable and reusable.

“From listening to the news, you can see how much some companies were gouging, and the prices of masks were going way up really quickly,” said Hajidin.

“You had these big companies making millions off masks, some of which were just cloth and gave a false sense of security. So I wanted to make something

New York Tennis Magazine • June 2020 • NYTennisMag.com

that would be as effective, and something we should do with the lowest margin possible.

The other factor was making sure these masks would be able to be used a number of times. We are an ecoconscious company, and we realized that with all of these disposable masks being used, it’s going to create so much garbage and waste. I think making an alternative that people can wash and reuse helps cut down the amount of waste produced.”

The production of affordable and effective masks is just the latest example of inPhorm’s desire to help support the community in which it operates.

“We don’t how long this pandemic will last, and wearing masks has become sort of a social norm,” said Hajidin. “I grew up in Asia and that was the norm. You wore a mask because you did not want to spread anything to people. But if you wore a mask here previously you got weird looks.

I think this change’s people’s minds about that, and I think masks could be part of the culture moving forward. And I wanted to be able to offer a good, affordable mask, one that is effective and at a reasonable price. I think that’s how we can help people within our industry and community.”

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New Normal for Tennis Players

By Luke Jensen

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re there words to describe what has happened to planet earth at

the start of 2020?

We live in an interconnected world and we’re all concerned for a future that is so uncertain. In early March, as we watched two of the most popular tournaments, Indian Wells and the Miami Open, cancel because of the global situation due to the virus. The very best players in the world traveling the planet living out of a suitcase now had their lives and livelihoods up in the air. Professional tennis is a match-tomatch way to make a living. One injury or one bad losing streak can put

daunting pressure on how the bills will be paid.

When I injured my knee in the spring of 1998, I was without any income for an entire year until I started back playing on the ATP Tour again in 1999. As a player, you know the risk and the pressure to produce in order to earn a living, so having the pro tours suspend everything for a long period of time is going to have an effect on a lot of players. Following many of them on Twitter and Instagram has been very interesting. Depending on the level of success they have had in their career seems to determine how they have maintained training, and some have options to make sure they will be ready when the tour returns.

The players that I found most interesting to follow have been the

players outside the Top 100 in the world.

These players are the blue collar type, living paycheck-to-paycheck while trying to make it to the big money tournaments.

As the Director at the West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills I was taking calls from well-known players looking to make some extra money during this time by playing an exhibition or even teaching.

How do they find ways to keep improving their games while also finding an alternative way to make money?

Today’s players make more money than they did during my era, but they also have teams of people around them.

What happens to the coach, trainer and agent? These are extremely interesting times for all of us on this very fragile planet. As schools and programs close, we have to focus on helping the world around us get through. We must live in the moment and soon enough we will be on the path forward.

Let’s be part of the solution and do what we can to contribute to the new normal.

Raised in Ludington, Mich., Luke Jensen’s resume includes 10 ATP Tour doubles titles. He was also a member of the U.S. Davis Cup teams that reached the finals in 1991 and won in 1992. His ambidextrous play, including his ability to serve the ball with either hand at 130 mph, earned him the nickname “Dual Hand Luke.” Luke is currently director of racket sports at West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, N.Y. He may be reached by phone at (315) 4030752 or e-mail LukeJensen84@yahoo.com.

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The Final Ride Bryan Brothers prepare to conclude historic career

By Brian Coleman

owards the end of 2019, Bob and Mike Bryan announced to the tennis world that 2020 would be the duo’s last season playing professional tennis. The Americans, owners of 16 Grand Slam titles, said that this year’s US Open would be their final tournament.

“Mentally, physically, we wanted to get together, reflect on our career, and then make a big decision,” said Mike Bryan during an appearance on the Tennis Channel with twin brother Bob. “We wanted to see if we wanted to keep going, and we decided that 2020 at the Open, we’re going to shut it down. So, one more season, and we’re excited for it.”

The reveal set the stage for what was supposed to be a farewell tour of sorts, where the most successful doubles pairing in the sport’s history could make stops across the world and allow tennis fans to witness their greatness one more time.

“We are currently extremely motivated and excited going into our last season,” Mike Bryan added in an ATP World Tour press release. “We will enjoy and appreciate each moment we have while saying our goodbyes and giving thanks to the fans who have given us so much joy.”

Part of that final ride would be a nearly one-month stretch in mid-summer playing

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for the Las Vegas Rollers of World TeamTennis, meaning multiple stops here in New York on July 14 and July 16 to compete against the Empire.

“This season in Las Vegas will be amazing with the Bryan Brothers and Sam Querrey signing on for the entire World TeamTennis season,” said World TeamTennis CEO Carlos Silva when the signings were made. “For years, the Bryans have thrilled tennis fans with their energetic and exciting brand of doubles.

We are thrilled that in their farewell season they value taking part in the premier teamtennis format once again.”

The World TeamTennis season is still scheduled to go on as planned beginning on July 12 at the time this publication went to print, but the coronavirus pandemic that has gripped the nation and the world has left uncertainty as the only guarantee remaining. As a result, the tennis tours came to a halt beginning with the cancellation of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif., and as of late April, it was still unknown when tennis, and sports in general, would return to action.

And so because of that, the Bryan Brothers have been in a state of limbo as they wait to see what unfolds as the

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continued on page 12

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the final ride continued from page 10

Photo credit: WTT

summer progresses.

“We haven’t gotten that far. We are just watching and waiting,” said Mike when asked if the current situation has changed anything in their retirement plans. “If the whole summer was played, that might be enough to kind of wet our whistle and say our goodbyes to the American fans, and if we played the US Open, I think we’d prefer to go out that way. But if we don’t get any last matches or tournaments this year…I think the discussion [to play another year] will be on the table. We just have to see how it shakes out.”

For the most dominant duo that the sport has ever seen, the type of farewell tour we have seen legends of other sports get in recent years only seems fitting, and being able to say goodbye to the American fans is the ultimate goal for the Bryans in their final season.

“Without a vaccine, I see it as a stretch they’ll be bringing large crowds of people together to watch sports for a while,” said Bob Bryan. “The idea of playing behind closed doors, for younger players that might make sense. But for us, it doesn’t 12

make sense. It’s not the reason we signed on to play these last tournaments. It’s not about playing the matches, it’s about enjoying the atmosphere one last time and that isn’t going to be there.”

The US Open said it will make a decision on whether or not it will be played, with fans or no fans, in June, and that presumes to have a significant impact on what the Bryans do.

Regardless of what they decide to do, the duo has earned the right go to out in whatever way they please. Their 16 majors together make up a percentage of their 119 doubles titles on the ATP tour in total, with those championships scattered across 34 cities throughout the world. They first rose to the world’s top-ranking in September 2003 and have spent 438 total weeks holding that position, including ending 10 seasons in that spot.

In all, they have accumulated more than 1,100 wins together. Now into their 40s, this past winter was not the first time that they had pondered the possibility of hanging up their tennis shoes. Bob underwent hip surgery in the middle of

New York Tennis Magazine • June 2020 • NYTennisMag.com

2018 which forced him to miss the rest of the season.

During that time, Mike paired with fellow American Jack Sock and won titles at both Wimbledon and the US Open.

“With all the success Mike was having with Jack in the majors, Bob just handled it all with so much class and was so supportive of Mike in that time,” their longtime coach David MacPherson said last year.

Bob was back on the tour competing much earlier than anyone had expected, returning for the 2019 Australian Open alongside Mike. The pairing didn’t miss a beat and hit the ground running in their resumption of play together and won titles in both Delray Beach and Miami.

In 2020, the Bryans defended their title and won for the sixth time in Delray Beach, marking the 20th straight year that they have won a tour-level title.

“It’s cool. It makes us feel old, but it makes us feel great that we can win and be this consistent over 20 years,” said Mike “It feels like we are unscathed here, we won our last match in the city. We are always going to

have pretty awesome memories coming to Delray.”

But the Bryans are more than just statistics and their success on the court.

The California-born twins have long been fan favorites on the tour, with their constant energy and enthusiasm while playing and their signature chest bump after victories. The two have also used their platform as successful athletes to make a difference through the Bryan Brothers Foundation.

The organization has raised more than $1.2 million to support different children’s charities not only where they are from in Southern California, but also throughout the country. They host various events throughout the year including fundraisers and tennis exhibitions and pro-ams to raise money for worthy causes.

It is that sense of kindness and the willingness to give back that has made them such endearing figures for more than two decades in the world of tennis, and includes grooming the current and future generations of American tennis players.

“They have had historic careers. What

they’ve done for doubles is just incredible.

“I really have looked up to them. They’ve been so kind to me from the start,” said Ryan Harrison, who recalled a time earlier

this year when they were practicing for World TeamTennis Celebrity All-Star Match. “Bob and I were out there hitting a couple days in San Diego, and Bob was actually out there working with me on different parts of my game and helping me out. That just goes to show you how good of guys they are.”

And it’s with that sort of attitude that the Bryans are looking at the current situation they face. They hold no grudges or bitter feelings about what was supposed to be a fun final season competing on tour.

Instead, they are hopeful there will be tennis this summer and that they’ll still have the ability to say goodbye after the US Open in Queens, and viewing things through a broader lens.

“The pandemic has put a lot of things in perspective and given us a lot of time to reflect and work on relationships and get our life organized,” said Bob. “It’s nice to slow down for a second, take a deep breath and reset. So in my mind and Mike’s mind too, it’s a very positive time for us, and that’s how we’re trying to look at it.”

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Looking Back at the Empire

ast summer was a special one for the New York Empire. The city’s World TeamTennis franchise put together the best season in its history en route to reaching the league’s championship match.

The Empire earned a trip to Las Vegas for the league’s playoffs, beating their archrival and top-seeded Philadelphia Freedoms in the final match of the year (21-16) to qualify, then beating them again in the semifinals setting the stage for the finals against the defending WTT champion Springfield Lasers. Despite the difficult, 2019 loss to the Lasers, it concluded what was a magical summer for the Empire. “I just love the way we fought, I love the way

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we played,� said Luke Jensen, who was in his first year as head coach of the Empire. “It came down to losing by one game.

What an amazing opportunity to be in this arena, this league, this atmosphere.�

Prior to the finals, the Empire took out the Philadelphia Freedoms in a thrilling 2418 victory. The team received a clutch performance from Ulises Blanch, who filled in for an injured Mardy Fish to earn a key win in the Men’s Singles match. “I just tried to focus and when I stepped on the court, I knew a great part of it was mental and I just tried to deliver,� said Blanch.

Those types of performances symbolized the type of season it was for

the Empire, and one it hopes to duplicate in 2020 as they move to a new venue in Manhattan for seven home matches.

At the time this publication went to print, the WTT season is still on schedule to start on July 12. But because of the coronavirus pandemic, we are living in an unprecedented time. The WTT will continue to adhere to government recommendations and will update fans both on its site, WTT.com, and social media throughout the spring and summer.

If the team is able to hit the court in 2020, the Empire will look to return to the league’s championship. Helping push the Empire towards its goal of a title will be the addition of International Tennis Hall of Famer and

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re’s 2019 Run to the Finals six-time Grand Slam champion Kim Clijsters, who is making her return to professional tennis this year. Owner of 41 singles titles, Clijsters retired for the second time in her career in 2012, and after a seven-year hiatus, returns to the pro ranks this year in what will be her third season competing in WTT. Joining Clijsters in the lineup is Neal Skupski, the league’s Male MVP from last year and a member of the Empire since the team’s inception. American Mardy Fish also returns to the team in 2020, marking his fourth season with the Empire and 11th in the league overall. A former Top 10 player, Fish won six singles titles and eight doubles titles during his time on the ATP World Tour, and in 2019 was named captain of the United States Davis Cup team.

Making her debut both for the Empire and WTT will be German Sabine Lisicki.

The 30-year-old lefty reached the finals of Wimbledon in 2011 and has won four career titles on the WTA Tour. Kveta Peschke of the Czech Republic rounds out the team’s roster as she enters her eighth career WTT season. Peschke is a former world number one ranked doubles player

who captured the 2011 Wimbledon Women’s Doubles title, one of her 34 career doubles titles.

In charge of meshing all of these pieces together is second-year head coach Luke Jensen. As the Director of Racquet Sports at The West Side Tennis Club, the 1993 French Open doubles champion now calls New York home and will look to guide the

Empire back to the playoffs for another chance to bring home the King Trophy.

The Empire is scheduled to open their season on the road against the Washington Kastles before making its home debut on Tuesday, July 14 against the Las Vegas Rollers.

See the full schedule below, including the featured players from the opposing teams:

2020 New York Empire Home Schedule Date

Opponent

Featured Players

Tuesday, July 14

Las Vegas Rollers

Bob and Mike Bryan

Wednesday, July 15

Orange County Breakers

Grigor Dimitrov

Thursday, July 16

Las Vegas Rollers

Bob and Mike Bryan

Friday, July 17

San Diego Aviators

Ryan Harrison

Saturday, July 18

Orlando Storm

Danielle Collins, Tennys Sandgren

Sunday, July 19

Philadelphia Freedoms

Sofia Kenin

Monday, July 20

Chicago Smash

Sloane Stephens

Be sure to visit www.NYEmpireTennis.com to learn more about promotional nights and special events the Empire will have throughout the season.

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SPORTIME/John McEnroe Tennis Academy to H

Rising high school sophomores, juniors and seniors invited to pa

ith dozens of John McEnroe Tennis Academy (JMTA) students currently competing at top colleges across the country, the Academy announced the 2020 John McEnroe Tennis Academy College Recruiting Combine, scheduled for Friday, June 20 and Saturday, June 21, to be held at SPORTIME Randall's Island, the New York City home of JMTA. The Combine will again give select rising high school sophomores, juniors and seniors, from around the country and beyond, JMTA students and non-JMTA students, the opportunity to showcase their technical and tactical tennis skills, and their athletic abilities, in front of coaches from top colleges and universities.

“One of the driving forces at JMTA is our commitment to preparing our players for college tennis, and helping them to find their best college fit,” said John McEnroe. “After an amazing first four years of the JMTA Combine, we are excited to be expanding the JMTA Combine in 2020 to include more coaches and more students, and we are confident that it will be a great resource for both.”

Just as in the past four summers, coaches representing all three NCAA Divisions are expected to attend. The commitments for 2020 have been more impressive than ever, including coaches from Brown, Baylor, Cornell, Dartmouth, Penn State, William & Mary, Wake Forest, and many other top programs, with many more coaches expected to confirm their attendance before the Combine.

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

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

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Combine applications will be accepted until Monday, June 1 for the 120 Combine spots available, 60 boys and 60 girls. The Combine Selection Committee will evaluate each application based upon objective criteria, and applicants will be informed of their status as “admitted” or “waitlisted”. Those who are wait-listed will be contacted if they are, subsequently, admitted.

Player check-in will begin at 8:00 a.m. for all players on both Combine days.

Participants will compete in singles and doubles match play with tracked results.

Players will also receive athletic performance assessments, and will be

New York Tennis Magazine • June 2020 • NYTennisMag.com

invited to participate in Sports Vision Testing and in a College Coaches’ Panel Discussion. Combine partner Tennis Analytics will be video-recording all matches and will offer participant packages, including match videos with detailed analytics, which videos will be available for participants to send directly to college coaches. Included for each Combine participant is an integrated recruiting package, available, digitally, to both participants and coaches, at the touch of a button on their personal Player Portals.

For further details, visit www.SportimeNY.com/JMTACombine or email jmtacombine@sportimeny.com.

o Host Fifth Annual College Recruiting Combine participate in recruiting combine at SPORTIME Randall’s Island Q&A with JMTA Combine Director Jay Harris NYTM: What can a sophomore, junior or senior in high school expect when attending the Combine?

Harris: The first thing that any prospect gaining entry into the JMTA College Recruiting Combine will experience is a professional atmosphere. We have built the Combine, and continued to evolve it each year, with the mindset that it will become the top recruiting opportunity for not only the McEnroe Academy’s top players, but also for players all around the nation and even worldwide. We are lucky to have a team of incredibly talented individuals helping to form a recruiting experience that will give the players face-to-face exposure to college coaches from all Divisions, but also one that will truly teach them HOW to navigate the challenges that the college search produces. The Combine serves as an incredible networking opportunity for all of our competitors while also creating an invaluable learning atmosphere.

NYTM: Now in its fifth year, how does the JMTA College Recruiting Combine continue to grow each year?

Harris: Like the namesake of our event, we simply aren’t satisfied with being second best. Each year, at the conclusion of the Combine, our team aggressively looks for any shortcomings and then makes plans to tackle those. In just the past couple of years, we have added some incredible additions like our Sports Vision component and last year’s John McEnroe exhibition with Combine players.

The Combine is still a young event, but our recruiting for players and coaches brings bigger dividends each year and that is possibly the biggest reason for the year to year improvement of the JMTA Combine.

NYTM: What has the feedback been from the college coaches in terms of how the event has helped them recruit and connect with players?

Harris: Having over 100 talented prospective student-athletes in one setting is a great start for attracting college coaches, but the JMTA Combine provides so much more than just that.

College coaches have enjoyed being greatly valued for their role in making the Combine great. The College Coaches panel that takes place during Combine weekend is an opportunity for them to be integrally involved in the education for these 100 athletes. Being involved in this sort of learning process helps the coaches to create the first steps towards forming relationships with the players, and the building of relationships between prospects and coaches is what recruiting is all about.

NYTM: How has the Coronavirus pandemic affected college recruiting?

Harris: Just like every day living, the

pandemic has caused an exorbitant amount of uncertainty in college recruiting.

With the NCAA announcing that current college players will retain this past year of eligibility, college programs in all sports are preparing for having a “double class” of freshmen next fall, and will have to figure out how that affects their recruiting during the next four years. My belief is that one of the first major effects will be a bit of a delay in when commitments are made. College coaches will need extra time to figure out what their roster needs will be a year from now, while also fighting to catch up for lost evaluation time due to the junior tournaments being put on hold.

NYTM: Does that make this year’s Combine more important than ever?

Harris: Every opportunity college coaches and prospective student-athletes have to evaluate each other is extremely valuable, and because so much time for that has been lost, the importance of any tennis played this summer will be intensified. The JMTA College Recruiting Combine may very well be the perfect solution to make up for lost time, and we are excited to produce the best Combine yet!

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17

Beyond the Baseline: Chris Sabaitis

By Brian Coleman

beyond the

baseline

the

Chris Sabaitis

By Brian Coleman

hris Sabaitis was sitting in a coffee shop as he waited for his scheduled tennis match with a friend. He was downtown, and he had booked a court at the top of Manhattan on the indoor courts at Columbia University.

“I started thinking to myself that there has to be a number of courts, not necessarily public ones, around the city

C

that were open in that moment,” recalls Sabaitis. “There’s no reason that we couldn’t pay a nominal fee to play at a court closer so we don’t have to travel all the way to the top of Manhattan to play for an hour and then schlep all the way back.”

With that idea, the foundation was laid for what would become AceSpace, which aims to build a bridge between tennis facilities and players.

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New York Tennis Magazine • June 2020 • NYTennisMag.com

“I was sitting there and I just started looking around to see what software facilities were using, and how people could find available courts,” he added. “I realized that something like this doesn’t exist right now, and it’s something that’s well within my skill set to be able to provide a service like this to the tennis community.”

AceSpace is an “online and mobile app designed to help tennis players locate available courts across the country. We will fill unused courts by providing facilities with a management system designed for the unique challenges tennis presents. Players see available courts and can book them through the app, saving time and easing the burden on facility staff.”

AceSpace began as an online resource, and the company will soon be launching a mobile app.

“The app has just been released, and it’s free to download,” said Sabaitis, the company’s Founder and CEO. “You can also sign-up online. It’s entirely free for players to use. You can ‘favorite’ your local facilities, or search for any place you’re looking for. Simply book your court, and go play.”

The app release is another significant

stepping stone in the development of AceSpace, and the brand has now grown immensely in the New Yorkmetropolitan area, and the goal is to continue branching throughout the United States, beginning with Connecticut and Pennsylvania.

“The member clubs that work with us now have given us great feedback so far and have actually begun recommending it to their fellow club owners,” said Sabaitis.

“Word of mouth has been incredibly positive, and we’re working to get some on-therecord reviews so we can continue pushing westward and show clubs how beneficial this service can be to them.

During these uncertain times, we’re providing a service that, frankly, most other management systems aren’t.”

AceSpace’s growth has been a testament to the work that Sabaitis and his small team have put in over the course of the last two years.

Sabaitis was a four-year starter on the men’s tennis team at Columbia University, and after graduating in 2016, went into the finance world where he got a job in banking. While he enjoyed what he was doing, he knew he still had a passion for tennis, and wanted to do something involved with the sport he had been playing since he was four-years-old.

“I was a trader, I’m a markets guy. So I was looking at this and thought that if we can increase the number of courts being used around the city, that would be a huge boom for the tennis community,” he said. “Not only to fill those unused courts, but if we can give more people access to courts, such as kids from the inner city, who may not be able to pay the high price. Just by opening the courts gives them the option to play and that was huge for me. I want to support the tennis community, which I’ve been a part of my whole life, as much as possible.”

While he knew the industry and knew that he had a sound business plan, he still

needed to put that into action. He talked to some of his friends in the tech industry as well as in the tennis industry.

“I knew I needed to talk to both of those groups because it was the intersection of what I was doing,” said Sabaitis. “My first step was to sit down with people who understood the landscape of startups and have done deals in New York, and picked their brain

on a lot of different issues.

Secondly, I knew I needed to talk to tennis players. I hadn’t been a junior in more than 8 years, so I wanted to find out the challenges that these players were facing. It was a lot of talking to people, taking notes and jumping from meeting to meeting.”

But Sabaitis would not have it any other way. He left his banking job and dove full force into the tennis industry pool.

“I had this vision, and I have these opportunities. I want to take advantage of it while I’m still young,” he said, recalling telling his previous boss and co-workers that he was leaving. “It’s been tremendously exciting. There is always going to be some stress involved when starting something new and going out on your own like that. But I’ve learned so much and have met so many great people. I think it’s been a great decision on my part, and I’m very pleased with the path I’ve chosen.”

Brian Coleman is senior editor for New York Tennis Magazine. He may be reached by e-mail at BrianC@USPTennis.com.

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19

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

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

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

I

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

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

Future Stars Westhampton Beach 36 Aspatuck Road • Westhampton Beach, N.Y. (631) 287-6707 • FSCamps.com Future Stars Tennis Camp at Aspatuck Tennis Club will offer a premier tennis program that is individuallydesigned to methodically challenge players of all levels, ages six through 16. Throughout the week campers are encouraged to enhance their strokes and strategies via group lessons, skill building drills, organized play, individual attention, video sessions, target training and fitness routines.

Campers will receive three to four hours of top flight tennis instruction, including fundamentals, stroke production, point play with strategy emphasis, and match play competition. All campers are carefully grouped based on age and skill level.

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• High Performance Orange, Green and Yellow Ball, Full-day Programs for ages 7–15.

• Special Training weeks with Coach Larri Passos, July 13 & August 10.

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New York Tennis Magazine • June 2020 • NYTennisMag.com

MPTONS 2020 Gotham Tennis Academy 91 South Fulton Drive • Montauk, N.Y. (631) 267-8525 • GothamTennis.com

Gotham Tennis Academy’s newest location in the Hamptons, Gotham Montauk, is on a beautiful nature preserve just minutes from the center of Montauk, its famous beaches, parks, restaurants and other attractions. Gotham Tennis Academy’s spring and summer offerings include Gotham Montauk Sports and Tennis Camp, home lessons throughout the Hamptons, private tennis parties, home lesson packages, leagues clinics and court rentals.

Peter Kaplan Tennis Academy 7 Beach Lane • Westhampton Beach, N.Y. (631) 288-4021 • WestHamptonBeachTennis.com Peter Kaplan’s Eastside Tennis Academy is the only tennis academy in the world that the USTA selected to be a part of the USTA members benefits program to both juniors and adults.

Located in Westhampton Beach, the facility features 12 fast Dri Courts, as well as a basketball court, and is offering discounted memberships, which include stringing services and private instruction, for the upcoming summer. The experienced staff has taught players of all levels and ages, and programs are tailored to fit the individual’s needs. Day camps and overnight camps, as well as nightly and weekend stays, at the beautiful Grassmere Inn are available to get the full Hamptons treatment.

Ross School Tennis Academy 18 Goodfriend Drive • East Hampton, N.Y. (631) 907-5162 • Ross.org/TennisAcademy The Ross School is a unique and dynamic tennis program for both national and international junior players. It combines an engaging and global curriculum with the highest level of

competitive tennis training. The school is the first in the New York City area to have a full academic program with a complete physical and mental conditioning program. The small, intimate program is designed for USTA/ITF players in grades seventh through 12th, and is tucked away in beautiful East Hampton.

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

Sportime Quogue 2571 Quogue Riverhead Road • East Quogue, N.Y. (631) 653-6767 • SportimeNY.com/Quogue Sportime Quogue is a year-round, fullservice tennis, fitness, summer camp and sports facility located in East Quogue, N.Y., but serves the surrounding towns of Westhampton, Remsemberg, Quogue, Southampton, Hampton Bays, Eastport, Riverhead, the Moriches and the North Fork.

The facility features four indoor Har-Tru clay courts and 22 outdoor Har-Tru courts, in addition to an outdoor pool, fullservice health and fitness club, a multi-sport court, child care, locker rooms, a full-service spa and wellness center, and café. Sportime Quogue serves tennis players starting at the age of three, and features junior pathway programs, as well as adult tennis.

continued on page 22 NYTennisMag.com • June 2020 • New York Tennis Magazine

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TENNIS IN THE HAMPTONS 2020

continued from page 21

Shopping Tennis East 73 Main Street • Southampton, N.Y. (631) 283-9535 • TennisEast.com For nearly five decades, Tennis East has been a staple of the tennis community on Long Island’s East End. Tennis East offers an extensive selection of men’s, women’s and junior’s rackets, apparel, sneakers, strings and accessories. Tennis East keeps up to date with the latest and most popular products to make sure its customers are always up to date with the newest gear, and it even features a complete line of 10 & Under Tennis equipment, as well as a line of other racket sports, such as paddleball or pickleball. Stringing services and demo rackets are also available.

Places to Stay Baron’s Cove 31 West Water Street • Sag Harbor, N.Y. (844) 227-6672 • CapeResorts.com/Barons-Cove The newly-renovated Baron’s Cove Hotel is the Hampton’s preeminent All-American resort destination.

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

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New York Tennis Magazine • June 2020 • NYTennisMag.com

Grassmere Inn 7 Beach Lane • Westhampton, N.Y. (631) 288-4021 WesthamptonBeachTennis.com/accommodations.html The Grassmere Inn is open year-round in Westhampton Beach and prides itself on having the neatest, cleanest, safest and most service-oriented accommodations possible. The Grassmere Inn is located less than one mile from the beach and a short walk away from the center of the Village of Westhampton Beach, which includes numerous shops, restaurants, a movie theater, the Performing Arts Center and much more.

Gurney’s Montauk Resort & Seawater Spa 290 Old Montauk Highway • Montauk, N.Y. (631) 668-2345 • GurneysResorts.com/Montauk Gurney’s Montauk Resort & Seawater Spa is a Hamptons icon and the only year-round resort in Montauk. Providing guests with direct access to a 2,000foot private sand beach, Gurney’s features 146 rooms, suites, and beachfront cottages, all delivering dramatic ocean views. With five unique dining and drinking venues, Gurney’s presents an array of food and beverage options, from elegant seasonal cuisine to casual fare to craft cocktails. Gurney’s also offers over 25,000-squarefeet of meeting and banquet space, for hosting a wide range of business and social events. Its acclaimed spa is renowned for its healing treatments and ocean-fed seawater pool, the only pool of its kind in North America.

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NYTennisMag.com • June 2020 • New York Tennis Magazine

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23

USTA Metro Region USTA Metro Region Launches New Facebook Page

The various regions that make up the USTA Eastern Section have all launched new Facebook pages, and that includes the new look page and group for the USTA Metro Region. The purpose of this group is to provide USTA members & tennis fans in the New York Metro area with a place to find out about upcoming local tennis events. We hope that this Group provides a space to share relevant local tennis information amongst members, whether that’s posting pictures from Leagues, sharing articles spotlighting local tennis-related achievements, or 24

New York Tennis Magazine • June 2020 • NYTennisMag.com

promoting local tennis events.

The primary goal is to build the tennis community in USTA Eastern's Metro Region. You can also use this as a place to find other tennis players in your area for pickup games. Community members are encouraged to add friends, share info about local tennis events, and connect to find opportunities to play.

Join the group and help us continue growing tennis in the Metro region by visiting Facebook.com/Group/USTAEasternMetroRegion.

USTA Metro Region Learn How to Grow Your CTA During USTA’s Webinar Series

The USTA offers free webinars on varying topics to help you grow the game and strengthen your CTA and/or Parks Department tennis programming.

In 2020, the USTA CTA and Parks Webinar series will feature an opportunity to win (2) tickets to the 2020 US Open. Join these webinars to learn about opportunities to improve your programming, local advocacy efforts and organization.

2020 Webinar Schedule May 21, 2:00 p.m.—Tennis and Pickleball Infrastructure (CEU) l Overview of the USTA Tennis Venue + Design Group Facility Services l Ideas for creative, blended line options l Update on industry trends June 18, 2:00 p.m.—CTA Fundraising l Examine nonprofit fundraising trends l Investigate different avenues of potential income l Hosting successful major events July 16, 2:00 p.m.—Schools Programming (CEU) l Explore benefits of schools programming to your CTA l See examples of successful programs l Discover programming tips for various age groups

August 20, 2:00 p.m.—Community Partnerships (CEU) l Identify potential partners l Learn about different types of community partners l Build and maintain strong, long-term relationships October 15, 2:00 p.m.—CTA Leadership l Review board governance and board management techniques l Understand how to manage growth, set clear goals, and conduct strategic planning l Build a strong team – how to delegate responsibilities to the right people, maximize their skills/talents, and hold them accountable

NYTennisMag.com • June 2020 • New York Tennis Magazine

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USTA Metro Region Kings County Tennis League Gives Back During Crisis

The Kings County Tennis League (KCTL) is doing what it can to help support the members of its Brooklyn community. With many residents unable to leave their homes to pick up essential household items and food, the organization teamed up with Key Food Montague to deliver hundreds of bags of groceries to families living in Marcy House, Tompkins Houses, Sumner Houses, Brevoort Houses, Ingersoll Houses and Lafayette Gardens Houses.

The contributions were made possible thanks to a donation by the Deitchman family to the KCTL Cares campaign, and KCTL Executive Director Dave Webley coordinated the delivery with six Resident Presidents.

The group plans to continue giving back to the Brooklyn community during this crisis, and the community at large can help grow this generosity by checking out the KCTL Cares initiative to help bring essential goods, virtual tennis and educational activities to families living in Brooklyn Public Housing.

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New York Tennis Magazine • June 2020 • NYTennisMag.com

Celebrating 30 Years …

Silent Partner Tennis Ball Machines: The Machine With Muscle ilent Partner Tennis, a division of Deuce Industries Ltd., was founded in 1989 by Dr. John Bassili. A recreational tennis player and psychology professor, Dr. John had a dream. He sought a reliable tennis partner. One that would play on his schedule and help improve his game. Meanwhile, John’s son was progressing through the ranks as a junior. His son needed a partner that could amp up the pace, but was also consistent enough to groove his strokes. So John built a tennis ball machine.

Today, Silent Partner Tennis is a leading ball machine company in North America. It has served the U.S. from Buffalo, N.Y. for 30 years. The company remains independent, family-owned and operated, and takes great pride in the quality of its machines and the service to its customers.

S

With advanced features catering to all levels, from beginner to pro, the machine’s portability allows players to put them in

their cars and bring them to their local club or court. The machine provides an excellent practice session and workout. The machines are also great for clubs and coaches, who can position themselves right beside their students and control the machine by a remote. The machines are especially useful for group lessons, as several lines of players can be fed at once.

Some machines come with programmable sequence settings and even match simulation.

Because Silent Partner only sells factory direct, it offers a wide selection of machines for the best deals on the market, and service is provided by the people who know the machines best.

What are you waiting for? Check out SPTennis.com! They have great deals and offers all year to celebrate their 30th anniversary!

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NYTennisMag.com • June 2020 • New York Tennis Magazine

27

A Look at the Mental Side of Tennis ometimes, as a tennis player, you exist on an island. Alone, solo, under the lights of your local club or drenched in the sun, there you are … between the lines, either gaining the accolades of glory hitting the winning shot or facing the weight of defeat. There are no teammates to pass to; no backup in case you throw a bad pitch or have a bad shift; no defense to pick you up after the offense turned the ball over...it’s just you who must deal with the adversity of this individual sport.

Mental toughness is what gives top players a competitive leg up over the opposition. Training one’s mind to deal with nerves, anxiety and quickly move onward past mistakes can be the difference between being crowned “champion” and “finalist.” These individuals help players focus, find their groove and enter the zone to success. It’s the ability of the player to quickly get back on track once rattled that can make

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the difference between bowing out in the first round of a tournament or hoisting the trophy at the end of the day.

New York Tennis Magazine was fortunate enough to sit down and chat with multiple experts in the field of sports psychology to pick their brains and gain insight into their role as one of the most vital members of a tennis player’s support staff.

Dr. Tom Ferraro is a sport psychologist with a Ph.D. from SUNY Stony Brook, with more than 25 years of experience working with professional teams, coaches and Olympic athletes across a broad range of sports. Dr. Ferraro is a board-certified psychoanalyst, which allows him to properly diagnose and treat the symptoms an athlete may bring to his him

New York Tennis Magazine • June 2020 • NYTennisMag.com

and help them understand any underlying reasons for self-defeat. He has been published internationally and has been featured in the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The London Times, and is a regular contributor to this publication.

As a mental training coach, Rob Polishook works with athletes and teams in all sports and at all levels, from middle school to professional athletes, teaching cutting-edge mental training skills and techniques, and providing the tools necessary for athletes to compete in high level pressure situations. Polishook has earned a Master’s Degree in Psychological Studies with a concentration in Sport & Exercise Psychology at Seton Hall University, and has completed his Certification in Sport Psychology from Seton Hall. Polishook is

a Certified Professional Coach from IPEC, an International Federation Coaching Affiliate.

Chris Nieves, MS, is the founder and director of Empower Mental Training, which provides mental skills and sport psychology training for athletes. As a former Division I athlete, Nieves learned the importance of mastering the mental side of sports. From this experience, he decided to pursue a career in helping athletes learn how to develop a winning mindset.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought us into unprecedented times, with isolation and social distancing keeping us physically apart. What are some of the mental challenges/obstacles this situation can cause, especially with younger tennis players?

Nieves: One mental challenge that this situation can cause is lack of motivation.

From being at home, it can be very easy to become complacent and even forget about the upcoming season. Another mental challenge is depression. For many athletes, playing sports is their outlet to manage stress and also a source of social support. So not being able to play their sport and even be with their

teammates can lead many athletes to feel depressed and isolated.

Ferraro: There is considerable and widespread panic about COVD-19. Yet even if the fatality rate reaches 200,000 in America, the chances that any single person will die from this in a nation of 327,000,000 is much less than one percent. My recommendation is to sleep well, eat well, exercise and let go of past anger. These four factors have been proven to boost your immune system.

Athletes already have strong immune systems so if you uphold the recommendations about social distancing and hand washing, and follow the suggestions I gave, you’ll be fine. A little reassurance and practical guidelines go a long way to instilling peace of mind and good health.

Having worked with players from multiple sports, what are some of the typical mental/psychological challenges faced by tennis players than other sports and why?

Nieves: I believe one typical challenge faced by tennis players is the lack of consistent focus and concentration.

Tennis is a sport that requires a great deal of focus. Compared to other sports, there are less breaks and stoppages in play, which means that tennis players need to have the ability to shift their mindset and learn how to make adjustments in their playing style in a very short period of time.

Polishook: It’s important to understand from the onset that no matter the sport, every person is an individual. Therefore, there is no typical or one-size-fits-all approach even if two players share the same presenting problem. For example, losing one’s focus. What becomes paramount is to understand at which point do they lose their focus? One player may lose focus when they are ahead because their focus is on the outcome, another player will lose focus because they look over to their friends and focus on the expectations. Lastly, another group of players may lose their focus when they are behind and give up because they focus on the score rather than their game and their process.

Are there specific methods and/or routines that you recommend players, juniors and adults, do before a match to get themselves in the right mind state?

Polishook: Yes. To begin, it’s important to understand that what happens off the court impacts what happens on the court. The athlete is a person first, athlete second. Therefore, arriving to competition in a balanced, calm and aware state is important. The question then is how to do this? Again each individual has their own set of ideas and rituals that they prefer. I highly continued on page 30

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29

a look at the mental side of tennis continued from page 29

recommend players incorporate meditation, journaling, walking or running into their routines. Additionally, eating healthy, sleeping and hydrating are key.

Lastly, the evening before, players should pack their gear including everything they need for a match.

Ferraro: I would recommend these steps: get to bed early the night before; visually rehearse your strategy before you sleep; on the way to the match, get in touch and stay in touch with your aggressive side; finally, walk onto the court with a swagger, do not smile, and say little to your opponent.

How has social media led to young players facing more mental, emotional and psychological obstacles? How do you recommend them avoiding said obstacles?

Nieves: Social media has caused athletes to be more distracted which leads to them being more stressed and less focused. I would recommend that athletes limit their social media usage, especially during their sport seasons, so they can focus on themselves and not worry about what outsiders (fans, media) are saying.

This could help them avoid many of these obstacles.

Polishook: Many professionals, including Serena Williams, are said to shut down all social media during tournaments. This is because social media in excess serves as a distraction for players from a time, energy and focus perspective. All too often, the phone buzzes, vibrates and rings, this stimulates the nervous system and a syndrome called F.O.M.O, or fear of missing out. Phones and social media train us to react immediately to incoming information. This takes away from a player being able to be present, in the moment and aware. Down time and quiet time are imperative to make choices and being calm and centered are integral to play good tennis. I suggest you cut your phone and social media time in half! And keep the phone in your bag during your entire training sessions. Nothing good 30

happens by looking at your phone during training.

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

Ferraro: Mistakes are common, and the difference between a champion and the rest is that the champion ignores mistakes and stays upbeat throughout the match.

Often, slumps are caused by negative thinking which in turn has been caused by a big, disappointing loss in the past. Find someone to talk to about the genesis of the slump and you will be surprised how that can turn things around. You can gain insight and then get reacquainted with your power and talent.

Nieves: One way is to use positive selftalk and control your thoughts. Saying to one’s self positive affirmations such as, “I can do this”, “I am capable”, or “I am better than this” can be powerful in helping to build confidence. Another trick is to mentally step back and simplify things by refocusing on just playing tennis one point at a time.

How would you advise a player who feels they are being cheated by the umpire or is dealing with a controversial call?

Ferraro: Murphy’s Law refers to the dictum that bad things will inevitably occur in a game, and so it is best to be ready with a strategy to cope. With regard to bad calls, you can voice a protest but after this, let the experience evaporate and get back to the business at hand.

Polishook: This is a tough situation! I suggest a player go into a match knowing they are going to disagree with some calls. This acknowledgement then shifts the focus from surprise and anger to things they can control. A player cannot control the calls of their opponent, however, they can control what they do. I suggest: first time, ask the opponent if they are sure of the call. Second time,

New York Tennis Magazine • June 2020 • NYTennisMag.com

immediately get a line judge. However, it is paramount that after a bad call the player takes a deep breath, takes a few extra seconds and begins the point calm and centered, and NOT angry and upset.

How does playing within a team environment, whether it’s college tennis, high school tennis or junior team tennis, help alleviate some of the mental challenges of tennis?

Ferraro: Tennis is an individual game with you on the court all alone. Teams can be a source of fun, joy and support, and it usually helps the player’s mood. There are times when a coach will be harsh and team members can help offer solace to each other. Sometimes team dynamics are such that a player is scapegoated. If you are on the short end of the stick, find at least one player or coach you can rely on for comfort and camaraderie, and do not personalize the scapegoating.

Nieves: Playing within a team environment can be very important as it can give players a sense of togetherness. A team environment can also foster social support and mentorship, which could be valuable especially for younger players on a team. It also provides players with a team identity that could boost confidence and morale amongst the players. Overall, a strong team environment will help create an atmosphere where athletes are supporting each other, which could alleviate some of the mental challenges of tennis.

Polishook: A team environment allows a player to shift their focus off of themselves and onto something greater, such as their teammates and the team. Individual players can focus on things such as how they can contribute to the team both on and off the court, how they can support their teammates, or how can they be their best, and worry less about being the best.

When a player’s focus changes to something greater than themselves, players play free and more relaxed. This is because helping and contributing to a team can be done in many ways and it’s something a player can control, whereas winning is beyond their control. Overall, players MUST keep the focus on what they can control, and when they lose this focus, make sure to change the mindset back to what they can control.

CHRIS LEWIT TENNIS ELITE YEAR-ROUND TRAINING IN THE NYC AREA

HIGH PERFORMANCE SUMMER CAMP IN VERMONT

CHRISLEWIT.COM

914.462.2912 CHRIS@CHRISLEWIT.COM NYTennisMag.com • June 2020 • New York Tennis Magazine

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2020 New York Tennis Magazine

2016 Guide to the Top Clubs/Programs for New York Tennis Players

Camp Guide

Advantage Junior Tennis Camp at Roosevelt Island Racquet Club (RIRC) 281 Main Street l Roosevelt Island, N.Y. Contact: Steve O’Keefe l (212) 935-0250 l AdvantageCamps.net Advantage Junior Tennis Camp is “tennis heaven for kids”–giving players ages seven to 17 more drills, more skills and more time on the courts! Directed by Xavier Luna, it’s the City’s oldest and most-established junior tennis program.

Girls and boys learn from a team of pros—including some of the finest coaches in the East. Campers use 12 Har-Tru indoor courts and three outdoor courts to improve their game with instruction, match play and cross-training. And if you’re looking for more tennis instruction, we can arrange a private lesson with the RIRC coach of your choice during your Camp week. While the focus is on tennis, campers go swimming, too!

Choose single or consecutive weeks—and ask about the sibling discount! We even offer individual days with our 10-, 20-, 30-pack option. Camp is at Roosevelt Island Racquet Club, easy to get to by tram, ferry, subway or car.

Advantage QuickStart Tennis Camp West Side: Manhattan Plaza Racquet Club 450 West 43rd Street l New York, N.Y. Contact: Gabe Slotnick l (212) 594-0554, ext. 20 l AdvantageCamps.net East Side: Roosevelt Island Racquet Club 281 Main Street l Roosevelt Island, N.Y. (212) 935-0250 l AdvantageCamps.net Advantage QuickStart Tennis Camp delivers a super summer for kids ages four through eight, with tennis customized for age, ability—and fun! During half days from 9:00 a.m.-noon, campers love playing with smaller rackets and slower-bouncing balls that make the game accessible. Engaging drills and games mean there’s always something new to learn and enjoy. Camp is led by an all-star tennis pro who specializes in teaching kids. And our coaches receive intensive specialty training in teaching the Net Gen 10 & Under curriculum.

Enrolled campers also benefit from free unlimited Play More Sessions that make practice fun and Athletic Zone Sessions that help develop agility, balance and more. Choose only the weeks you need– and the more you choose, the lower the weekly rate!

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2020 New York Tennis Magazine Camp Guide Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning 2020 Summer Camp 1720 Crotona Avenue l Bronx, NY 718.247.7420 l caryleedsinfo@nyjtl.org l caryleedstennis.org Summer Camp at the Cary Leeds Center Led by seven-time Grand Slam Champion and Executive Director Liezel Huber, the Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning offers Summer Camp from June 15 to August 28 for juniors ages five to 18 years old. All levels are welcome from beginners in the development level program to advanced players in the competition level program. Players will train to develop necessary tennis technique, improve consistency and create basic patterns of play for effective point construction. Included is a fitness component designed to improve players’ footwork, balance, speed and overall strength. Camp hours run from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and round-trip transportation is offered from convenient pick up and drop off points or door-to-door.

Summer will be closed from August 17 to August 21.

The Cary Leeds Center will be hosting FREE Open Houses on March 21 from 12-2:00 p.m., April 26 from 12-2:00 p.m., and May 9 from 2-4:00 p.m. Register on our website today!

NYJTL Community Tennis Programs The Cary Leeds Center is the flagship home of New York Junior Tennis & Learning and offers free programming as a part of its commitment to the community. The summer Community Tennis Program begins the week of June 6 to August 28. NYJTL offers free programming throughout all five boroughs. For specific program days and times, please visit nyjtl.org to find a location near you. NYJTL’s mission is to develop the character of young people through tennis and education for a lifetime of success on and off the court. All proceeds from the Cary Leeds Center fund its mission.

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2020 New York Tennis Magazine Camp Guide Centercourt Tennis Academy – Elite International Tennis Programs & Camps Short Term – Mid Term – Annual Programs Plus Weekly Camp Options Chatham l Florham Park l Drew University l Gillette l Just 25 miles from Manhattan (862) 308-3029 l CentercourtAcademy.com l Conrad@CentercourtClub.com A commitment to excellence! Centercourt Performance Tennis Academy has quickly earned the reputation as one of the sport’s premier destinations for player development in the Northeast. With multiple world-class facilities from clay- to hard-court, indoor and outdoor, our players experience top-tier tennis Development & training in all key aspects of the game.

We offer Homestay and Transportation Options for those in surrounding areas also.

Centercourt’s points of difference l International tennis professionals lead daily programs in our cutting-edge environment l Attention to detail allows athletes to improve in multiple dimensions: Technical, Fitness, Mental and Tactical l Centercourt’s official UTR events offer opportunities for athletes to apply what they learn after training and improve their rating l Centercourt is dedicated to meeting the individual needs of each and every one of its players l Centercourt’s players are among some of the leading Sectional- and Nationally-ranked competitors from around the country l Centercourt puts the needs of the player first, in a development-focused model of training l Athletes are grouped in level by UTR; featuring small group training, match play, individualized fitness plans, mental coaching and video analysis l Tournament, supervision, coaching and travel are available l Players who commit to Centercourt’s training will see themselves develop life skills that will enable them to become champions, both on and off the court.

Centercourt Performance Tennis Academy provides a superior junior player pathway that satisfies the needs of Sectional- and Nationally-ranked juniors. Centercourt Performance Tennis Academy offers programs with rolling admissions year-round and Summer Camp from June 10-Aug. 31.

Centercourt Performance Tennis Academy provides a superior junior player pathway that satisfies the needs of Sectional- and Nationally-ranked juniors. Centercourt Performance Tennis Academy offers programs with rolling admissions year-round and Summer Camp from June 10-Aug. 31.

Chris Lewit Tennis Academy 3997 VT-100 l Londonderry, VT (914) 462-2912 l ChrisLewit.com l Chris@ChrisLewit.com Chris Lewit Tennis Academy (CLTA) Summer Camp is a serious high performance sleepaway and day camp set in the natural paradise of Vermont.

Players have the opportunity to train personally in very small groups with Chris Lewit, one of leading high-performance junior development coaches in the United States. Chris is known as an expert in technique and biomechanics, and in Spanish training methods. He has developed numerous top 10 nationally-ranked juniors, many of whom are now graduating to the pro circuit. He also has experience building the foundations of many young prodigies.

The camp focuses on players from ages 8-18, from serious beginner to national and ITF ranked players, and offers day or full boarding options. Campers live in a charming Vermont Inn and have exclusive use of a private tennis club, CLTA Vermont, which offers both outdoor red clay courts and indoor hard courts in the event of rain, gym, yoga studio and clubhouse, all set on 15 picturesque acres with a majestic river for swimming onsite.

The camp features daily morning yoga and mindfulness training from a certified master yoga instructor and an injury prevention program overseen by a NSCA certified strength and conditioning coach who is training for the Olympics in Track and Field.

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2020 New York Tennis Magazine Camp Guide CLTA offers a unique hybrid teaching system based on the Toni Nadal, Pato Alvarez/Sanchez-Casal, and Bruguera Methods from Spain, as well as other European influences based on Chris Lewit’s travels abroad. Author of the best-selling book, The Secrets of Spanish Tennis, Chris has spent the last 14 years studying with many of the legendary coaches in Spain and Europe. He is the only coach in the US certified in three distinct Spanish styles: Nadal, Bruguera, and Sanchez-Casal. Chris brings the most cutting-edge training methods from Europe back to the U.S. for his students.

New this year is a character building and mindset training based on the teachings of Toni Nadal!

All students receive personal coaching and mentoring directly from Chris Lewit, and are supported by his highly trained staff of top college and ATP players.

For more information, contact Chris directly to discuss your player’s summer development plan by e-mail at Chris@ChrisLewit.com, or text/call/WhatsApp (914) 462-2912, or visit ChrisLewit.com.

You can also learn more about Chris’s philosophy at his Prodigy Maker Blog, and podcast, The Prodigy Maker Show. Visit ProdigyMaker.com for the blog and show links.

CourtSense Tennis Training Center at Bogota Racquet Club 156 West Main Street l Bogata, N.J. CourtSense at Ramapo College 505 Ramapo Valley Road l Mahwah, N.J. (201) 489-1122 l CourtSense.com l Info@CourtSense.com With CourtSense, you’ll achieve your personal best, because our training is of the highest professional caliber and easily tailored to suit your age and skill level. We use tennis as a vehicle to teach life lessons by tapping into the spirit of every player, with lots of passion, expertise and character. Students have access to 32 outdoor and 15 indoor tennis courts and to CourtSense’s revolutionary PlaySight smart court system.

High Performance Summer Tennis Camp at Bogota Racquet Club and/including Overnight option at Ramapo College. This camp is geared towards High Performance Tournament and high level High School players. CourtSense has trained and is currently training players who have become ATP- and WTA-ranked players, U.S. Olympians, as well as many college scholarship athletes.

CourtSense’s International High Performance Coaches, in collaboration with its fitness staff and a sports psychologist, have developed a program that maximizes all athletes’ strengths, both on and off court. l Full Day High Performance Tennis Camp at Bogota Racquet Club runs from Monday-Friday, June 29-Aug. 28 (nine weeks), featuring 10 hours of tennis training; five hours of fitness and eight hours of match/point play) for players ages 11-18. Campers will have access to outdoor and indoor hard and clay courts, with a 3:1 student-to-coach ratio. Weekly dual matches with other academies, and mental toughness training are also included. Transportation service provided from Bogota Racquet Club. l Sleepaway Option at Ramapo College runs from Monday-Friday, June 29-July 17 (three weeks), featuring 10 hours of tennis training; five hours of fitness and eight hours of match/point play) for players ages 11-18. Campers will have access to outdoor and indoor hard and clay courts, with a 3:1 student-to-coach ratio on a beautiful college campus. Campers will have access to an indoor swimming pool and lunch is provided at a brand new, air-conditioned cafeteria. Two players per fully air-conditioned room with their own shower and bathroom. Round-trip transportation service from Tenafly and Bogota Racquet Clubs.

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2020 New York Tennis Magazine Camp Guide Ed Krass’ 32nd Annual College Tennis Exposure Camp & Clinics Brandeis University: Saturday-Sunday, June 27-28 Lehigh University: Sunday-Thursday, July 12-16 & Saturday-Wednesday, July 18-22; Sunday-Wednesday, July 12-22 (10-day program) Harvard University: Saturday-Sunday, July 25-26 (813) 684-9031 l CollegeTennis.com Coach Ed Krass’ 32nd Annual College Tennis Exposure Camp & Clinics, for ages 14-18, are taught exclusively by head college coaches who will work with you on-court to improve your singles and doubles match play strategies and provide college recruiting advice. Instructional drills and match play competitions will be conducted in the same style and intensity as a college team practice.

The two-day College Tennis Exposure Clinics will be offered at Brandeis University, Saturday-Sunday, June 27-28 and at Harvard University Saturday-Sunday, July 25-26.

There will be four-day residential College Tennis Exposure Camps at Lehigh University Sunday-Thursday, July 12-16 and Saturday-Wednesday, July 18-22, and a 10-day residential camp session Sunday-Wednesday, July 12-22 for players seeking maximum instruction, match play and double exposure to head college coaches. The residential camp at Lehigh University includes airconditioned dormitory accommodations, healthy cafeteria meals and 24-hour adult supervision.

Each camp session features a different instructional staff of head college coaches.

Coach Ed Krass, Founder and Director of College Tennis Exposure Camp & Clinics, has coached varsity tennis teams at Harvard University, Clemson University and the University of Central Florida prior to founding the College Tennis Academy.

For more information, call Coach Krass at (813) 684-9031 or visit CollegeTennis.com.

Evert Tennis Academy 10334 Diego Drive Southt l Boca Raton, Fla. (561) 488-2001 l EvertAcademy.com l Evert@EvertAcademy.com The Evert Tennis Academy is located in sunny Boca Raton, Fla., and is considered by many as one of the best tennis camps in the country. John and Chrissie Evert set out to continue their father’s legacy 22 years ago by installing core values: Excellence, Resilience, Integrity and Leadership. “Our core values are the roadmap to coaching every student-athlete towards reaching their full potential.”–John Evert Evert Tennis Academy clinics will focus on technical development, tactical training and competitive settings. Players will experience a typical Evert program that includes tennis lessons, strength and fitness conditioning, mental conditioning and competitive match play against players from all over the world. Players will get a coach’s evaluation during their stay here to review at home.

Top five reasons why to attend this summer (Monday-Sunday, May 31-Aug. 15): 1. Coaches/program: Our coaching staff continues to put a program together that is second to none. Each program is designed so that each player will get the personalized attention needed to improve his or her game while having fun. Whether you are an intermediate player looking to fine tune your game or a high-level nationally ranked player we have the program for you.

2. Facility/boarding: Evert Tennis Academy is one of the only academies to provide boarding services for any student wishing to stay only steps away from the courts. Its eight-acre facility provides a safe environment nestled in the beautiful and secure Mission Bay residential neighborhood, surrounded by lakes, manicured lawns and lush Floridian foliage.

3. Competition: The Evert Tennis Academy provides match play for each student every day. The Evert Tennis Academy will also be hosting three UTR tournaments (June 20-21, July 18-19 and August 8-9) this summer for any player looking to get match play prior to 36

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2020 New York Tennis Magazine Camp Guide the Clay Court & Hard Court Nationals, Zonals or just get access to players of equal playing level. All levels are welcome.

4. College Showcase: The Evert Tennis Academy will be hosting the USP College Showcase on July 25-26 (Saturday and Sunday). Any student that signs up for the Showcase can get a 25% discount on the Training Week and also a $150 rebate on the entry fee of the Showcase.

5. Location: Located in the beautiful town of Boca Raton, Fla., the Evert Tennis Academy is located only a few minutes away from the beach and only 30 minutes away from the Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach airports making it an easy trip from the northeast.

Future Stars Summer Camps (914) 273-8500 FSCamps.com Purchase College SUNY 735 Anderson Hill Road l Purchase, N.Y. l (914) 273-8500 The College at Old Westbury 223 Store Hill Road l Old Westbury, N.Y. l (516) 226-CAMP (2267) Farmingdale State College 2530 Broadhollow Road l Farmingdale, N.Y. l (631) 769-CAMP (2267) Future Stars Tennis Club 1370 Majors Path l Southampton, N.Y. l (631) 287-6707 St. Joseph’s College-Patchogue 155 West Roe Boulevard l Patchogue, N.Y. l (631) 572-0232 Future Stars Summer Camps offer the finest weekly tennis day camps at five outstanding locations: Purchase College SUNY, The College at Old Westbury, Farmingdale State College, St. Joseph’s CollegePatchogue and Future Stars Tennis Club in Southampton, N.Y. Programs are directed by experienced and qualified teachers and coaches who share a passion for working with children. Weekly programs are offered for boys and girls entering grades K-12.

Tennis camps offer the perfect mix of match play, drill work, strategy sessions and off-court activities to challenge players of all levels. The program is designed to improve every facet of the game, including technical, tactical, physical and mental components under the guidance of our experienced and enthusiastic tennis professionals.

Campers will be carefully grouped according to skill level and age and will be encouraged to enhance their strokes and strategies via group lessons, skill building drills organized play, target training, fitness routines and more.

At Future Stars Summer Camps, we play with confidence, enthusiasm and a genuine love of the game! Stop by our regular on-campus open house events to view the facilities, meet the directors, and take advantage of enrollment savings.

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2020 New York Tennis Magazine Camp Guide Gilad Bloom Tennis Summer Camp Riverdale Tennis Center l 3671 Hudson Manor Terrace l Riverdale, N.Y. The Gilad Bloom Summer Camp begins on Monday, June 29 and runs four times a week, Monday-Thursday, for 10 weeks until Thurs, Sept. 3.

Summer Camp Hours: 12:00pm-4:00pm.

Schedule: 12:00-2:00 p.m.-Group session 2:00-2:30 p.m.-Snack/Lunch break 2:30-4:00 p.m.-Match Play l l l l

Gilad Bloom Tennis also provides: Private lessons before and after the group session.

Match play before and after group session.

Fitness sessions before or after the group.

Tournament travel available seven days a week.

Come learn and train under Gilad Bloom and his program which enters its 20th year. Bloom played on the pro circuit for 12 years and reached a career high singles ranking of 61st in the world and reached the U.S. Open fourth round in 1990. Bloom scored victories over Jimmy Connors, Petr Korda, Brad Gilbert, Mark Philliposis and Marcelo Rios among others during his career, and represented Israel in Davis Cup for 11 years and is a two-time Olympian (1988,1992).

For more info please go to GiladBloom.com.

WE'VE GOT YOU COVERED Play tennis year round under a Farley bubble. The Farley Group is the world leader in air-supported structures and has provided over 20 tennis bubbles in New York and Long Island. Contact us today to learn about how you can turn your outdoor courts into a year round facility.

www.thefarleygroup.com l info@thefarleygroup.com

1-888-445-3223

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2020 New York Tennis Magazine Camp Guide Gotham Stadium NYC Summer Camps at Mill Pond Park Next door to Yankee Stadium (718) 665-4684 l StadiumTennisNYC.com l Info@StadiumTennisNYC.com Stadium Tennis Center offers a unique array of summer camp programs designed for tennis players of all levels to experience.

Through a partnership with Gotham Tennis Academy, some of the most talented and engaging tennis pros in New York City have been assembled. The pros share a passion to work closely with players of all levels and ages to help them develop to their fullest potential.

Stadium Tennis Center offers two distinct summer tennis camp experiences to choose from: l The Summer Elite High Performance Tennis Academy: Designed for those juniors who are ranked in the top 30 or better in their Section. It includes a low player-to-coach ratio, on-court drills, match play, video analysis, mental toughness training and an extensive fitness program to prepare for sectional and national events. l The Junior Summer Tennis Development Program: Designed for beginner, intermediate and advanced players. Ages five through 14 are welcomed to enroll. Your child will learn proper stroke production fundamentals, strategy, match play, conditioning and footwork. Round-trip transportation from points in New York City, Westchester and New Jersey may be arranged.

Gotham Tennis Academy Morning Summer Camp at Equinox Sports Club/NY 160 Columbus Avenue l New York, N.Y. (646)-524-7069 l Info@GothamTennis.com l GothamTennis.com Dates: Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays starting in June, from 10:00 a.m.-Noon The Gotham Tennis Academy Morning Summer Camp at Equinox Sports Club/NY (Upper West Side) is a great way to keep your child active and improve his or her tennis in a fun and supportive indoor atmosphere. Indoor tennis offers a safe, sun/rain/bug-free environment so children can really enjoy the sport!

The Gotham QuickStart Tennis Program emphasizes skill development and fun on a specially equipped tennis court at the Equinox Sports Club/NY. In friendly, small group tennis lessons, Gotham Tennis Academy’s certified professional instructors utilize foam balls and pressure-free balls, mini-nets, and age- and level-appropriate miniature rackets to accelerate the development of early muscle memory. In no time, your child will learn to swing the racket and move his or her feet like a tennis prodigy!

For beginners and advanced beginners between the ages of three to nine, you can expect your child to have fun, develop self-confidence and learn tennis fundamentals.

IHCTA Tennis Camp (914) 345-2155 l www.IHCTennisAcademy.com l Nico@CampIHC.com Join Nick Bollettieri and Steve Kaplan for an exclusive tennis camp experience at a premiere summer camp facility in the beautiful mountains of Northeastern Pennsylvania.

The IHC Tennis Academy (IHCTA) offers the best of both worlds—A tennis academy program combined with an uncomparable summer camp experience. We offer a variety of 3 and 5 day programs for kids, adults and families.

The IHC tennis camp is an all-inclusive unique opportunity, designed to help your child learn and improve their tennis skills whilst also helping to develop their independence through an amazing sleep-away summer camp experience in Pennsylvania. It is also an exceptional experience for adults. You can spend time on the courts improving your game or soaking up the sun and relaxing at our beautiful lakeside facilities.

Our program welcomes a wide variety of player experiences and skill levels, from a tennis enthusiast just starting to show interest in the sport, to the advanced player aspiring to play college tennis or competitive leagues. Everyone has a place at IHCTA, no matter the ability or skill level, they are going to fit in and have fun.

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2020 New York Tennis Magazine Camp Guide Our one-of-a-kind program includes: Drills, stroke production, game analysis, on/off court conditioning, and nutritional guidance Competitive and recreational UTR certified matches Nick Bolletieri and Steve Kaplan led clinics, Q&A, motivational speeches, and on court coaching Alternative activities such as: Yoga, zip-lining, water skiing, paddle boarding, rock climbing, swimming, ropes course, flag football, basketball and more IHCTA’s top-notch campus includes 15 tennis courts (4 indoor), gym & fitness center, 8-lane heated swimming pool, 35 Acre spring fed lake, unlimited outdoor spaces for adults, and more!

At IHCTA, we take pride in providing the tools to prepare our campers not only for tennis competition, but to deal with life situations through instilling the importance of work ethics, discipline, consistency, goal setting, respect, team work, responsibilities, accountability, and compassion.

We truly believe that there is no other tennis program or summer camp like the IHCTA, but the IHCTA would mean nothing without the team of coaches we have to make the academy special. We’ve got a mix of former top 500 players, national champions, state champions, PTR, ITF & USTA qualified coaches, LTA coaches, D1 college players.

Visit IHCTA at www.IHCTennisAcademy.com for dates, rates and more information. IHCTA offers pick-up and drop-off from airports in the New York and Long Island areas. l l l l

Joel Ross Tennis Camp (914) 723-2165 l JoelRossTennis.com l Info@JoelRossTennis.com No need to go to Florida for a summer camp! Joel Ross Tennis Camp in Kent, Conn. will host many ranked players this summer including more than a dozen nationally ranked juniors and several number one sectionallyranked juniors from the East, New England and Middle States.

This is our 30th year!

Our tennis facilities include 12 tennis courts, including four indoor and eight new outdoor hard courts.

The campers drill in the morning and play matches in the afternoon and on alternate evenings. Private lessons are given each night after the matches have concluded.

Some of the electives are swimming in our indoor pool, canoeing and kayaking on the Housatonic River, squash in the new squash center, archery, golf on our driving range, basketball, soccer, etc.

Joel Ross, Owner and Director, is a native Long Islander, having grown up in Westbury, N.Y. He won the New York State High School Singles Championships two consecutive years and earned a full tennis scholarship to the University of Michigan, where he captained the team and played number one singles. In 1971, Joel was Big 10 Singles Champion and was featured on the cover of Tennis Magazine. His best circuit wins include John McEnroe and Tom Gullikson. He currently resides in New Rochelle, N.Y. with his wife, Ellen. Their four grown children each attended and worked at the camp.

Contact Info@JoelRossTennis.com or visit JoelRossTennis.com for more information.

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2020 New York Tennis Magazine Camp Guide John McEnroe Tennis Academy Summer Tennis Training Camps SPORTIME EXCEL Tennis Camps (888) NY-TENNIS (888) 698-3664 l Camps@SportimeNY.com l SportimeCamps.com l SportimeCamps.com/JMTA Locations on Long Island, in Manhattan and Westchester No one knows tennis training for juniors better than SPORTIME! And, with multiple tennis camp locations across Long Island, including the Hamptons, and in New York City and Westchester, aspiring tennis players can enjoy John McEnroe Tennis Academy and SPORTIME tennis training programs across the region, throughout the summer.

SPORTIME’s and JMTA’s training methods are fun and fast-paced and feature technical and tactical training. Innovative tennis training techniques are rooted in competitive games and tennis-specific conditioning regimens. Newer players learn and enjoy the sport in age and level appropriate groups. Higher level training prepares serious juniors for the physical, mental and emotional demands of match and tournament play. SPORTIME’s international coaching staff is dedicated to turning weaknesses into strengths and strengths into winning games.

For our youngest players, ages 10 and under, campers work through clearly defined stages of development that follow an internationally accepted progression of court sizes (red 36’, orange 60’), ball types (red, orange) and net heights that make it possible for kids to actually play tennis from the moment they step onto the court. With our fun and unique “gamification” approach, our junior players don’t just take lessons—they get sent on missions, acquire skills, collect points and achieve milestones. Campers also enjoy instruction and competition in a variety of team sports activities.

Visit SportimeCamps.com to find the SPORTIME EXCEL or JMTA Summer Tennis Training Camp nearest you, or e-mail Camps@SportimeNY.com to find out more. Programs vary by location.

MatchPoint NYC 2781 Shell Road l Brooklyn, N.Y. (718) 769-0001 l MatchPointComplex@gmail.com l MatchPoint.NYC/Camp Grab your tennis racket and get ready for a great summer at Camp MatchPoint NYC! The summer tennis and multi-sport camps for kids are a great way to help them learn, excel and master the game, as well as make new friends and develop long-lasting friendships.

MatchPoint’s program is committed to developing young players to their peak potential, providing them with the best chance at tournament success.

For those just starting out in the sport, MatchPoint offers a multi-sport program that includes tennis, swimming, basketball, stretching and lunch. All programs include drills, match play and fitness sessions.

MatchPoint NYC is the sports and fitness destination for the entire family, located in Brooklyn, only 20 minutes away from downtown Manhattan. Spread across 120,000-sqare feet, MatchPoint’s premier health and fitness complex features a cutting-edge tennis facility that includes nine indoor tennis courts.

Additional features include a full-sized gym with top of the line fitness equipment and three group fitness studios, a Junior Olympic pool, a rhythmic gymnastics center, a basketball court, yoga studio, and a variety of youth and adult competitive and recreational training programs.

For more information, visit MatchPoint.NYC/Camp or call (718) 769-0001.

Sign up today and find your game!

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2020 New York Tennis Magazine Camp Guide New York Tennis at Shelter Rock Tennis Club 100 Long Island Expressway l Manhasset, N.Y. (516) 233-2790 l NYTAGN.com l Info@NYTAGN.com The New York Tennis Academy at Shelter Rock Tennis Club is under the Direction of Brian Stein and Chris Tasso. For more than 20 years they have both developed and coached some of the top juniors in the Long Island/New York City area. They will be sure to look after every junior’s personal needs, as well as instill a real competitive presence at the camp. In addition to their leadership at the camp, Brian and Chris are also the Directors of Junior Tennis at New York Tennis at Great Neck.

The coaching staff at the camp will feature a highly accomplished set of former ATP, ITF and NCAA players, as well as current college players that were once juniors in the program and fully understand the hard work philosophy.

The camp is hosted at a beautiful facility of Har-Tru courts, a large pool that campers can enjoy in the afternoons, and is centrally located right off of the Long Island Expressway in Manhasset.

On days it rains, the camp utilizes several indoor courts located on-premises to keep up the tennis fun.

Finally, the New York Tennis Academy’s mission is that every junior player loves going to camp and has an incredible summer tennis experience. The entire staff will be dedicated to giving campers a summer they’ll never forget.

Nike Tennis Camps (800) NIKE-CAMP (645-3226) l USSportsCamps.com/Tennis Come join the fun and get better this summer at a Nike Tennis Camp!

With more than 80 locations nationwide, both overnight and day options, there is a camp for everyone.

Nike Tennis Camps provide young players the opportunity to improve their tennis skills, work hard, make new friends and have a lot of fun.

Dedicated camp directors have a passion for teaching and a gift for helping you take your game to the next level.

Locations include: Stony Brook School (Stony Brook, NY); Hofstra University (Hempstead, NY) Lawrenceville School (Lawrenceville, N.J.); Randy Mani Tennis Academy at Hardscrabble Club (Brewster, NY); Colgate University (Hamilton, NY); Amherst College (Amherst, MA.); and Curry College (Milton, MA).

Who says that only kids can go to camp? The Nike Adult Tennis Camp at Amherst College has hosted more than 30,000 adult tennis players since 1972. This year, the camp is moving to Mount Holyoke!

Camp Director Reiny Maier is an outstanding teacher who inspire all players to get better and love the game.

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2020 New York Tennis Magazine Camp Guide Peter Kaplan’s Westhampton Beach Junior/Adult Tennis Academy 142 Montauk Highway l West Hampton, N.Y. (631) 288-4021 l (914) 234-9462 l WestHamptonBeachTennis.com l PeterKaplan2002@yahoo.com Peter Kaplan’s Westhampton Beach Junior/Adult Tennis Academy, and the affiliated Grassmere Inn, is a wonderful destination for beginners to nationallyranked players of all ages. Private instruction, clinics, one to seven full- and half-day camps are offered. The flexibility of the programming enables participants to enjoy the nearby beautiful ocean beaches, charming village, Performing Arts Center, movie theatre, wine country, shopping, cafes, restaurants and nearby water park.

Resident students/families/teams stay at the historic, newly-renovated and highly-honored Grassmere Inn, located on quiet, tree-lined Beach Lane, 50 yards from the beginning of the charming village, yet less than one mile from a beautiful ocean beach. The Grassmere’s 22 guest rooms all have air conditioning, WiFi, cable TV and private bathrooms. Ideal for families, are two suites or interconnected rooms. A delicious breakfast is included daily.

The Tennis Academy features 12 soft courts and features an enthusiastic staff, renowned for its high-quality instruction with an average student/staff ratio of 2:1.

Most participants seek a less intensive program of three to five hours of instruction daily. Visiting tennis pros bring students with Kaplan’s staff available to supplement the pros. Here, you can play tennis during the day, go to the beach and have a glass of wine at sunset, and then dine at a great restaurant, or take in a movie or a show at the Performing Arts Center.

We are the only academy in the world the USTA selected for the members benefits program for both juniors and adults. And we are annually selected among the top 25 in the world and number one in the East by TennisResortsonline.com. Packages, including accommodations, breakfast and instruction, begin at $99.

Also, we will once again be offering partial and full scholarships to both adults and juniors, for our tennis academy. These are for beginning tennis players who have made contributions to their community, and are in the names of two of Peter Kaplan’s Cornell roommates.

Ross School Tennis Academy and Sports Camp 20 Goodfriend Drive l East Hampton, N.Y. (631) 907-5162 l Ross.org/Tennis l TennisAcademy@Ross.org The Ross School Tennis Academy (RSTA) is a beautiful tennis facility in the Hamptons that is open to the public and located on the Ross Upper School campus in East Hampton, NY. The tennis center features six Har-Tru courts that are enclosed by a bubble from mid-fall through mid-spring, allowing for year-round play. There are also two hard courts for junior tournament training. The courts are directly adjacent to the state-of-the-art Field House, featuring amenities such as locker rooms, lounge, snack bar, and ping-pong tables, and the staff provides a fun and supportive atmosphere that allows for the greatest amount of success.

Tennis Academy - Summer Monday-Friday, June 22-August 28: From specialized U10 programs with orange and green dot balls designed for developing competitive tennis players, to our highperformance training with live ball drills and match play series for players entering middle and high school, this 10 week all-encompassing summer program is our most intense and complete junior tennis education offered and is considered the best in the Hamptons. We are excited to take this level of training offered to our newest program additions: Soccer, Basketball and Multi-Sport. Visit us at ross.org/sportscamp for more information. Players considering the tennis program should be serious about their commitment, consistently practicing at least three days per week year-round. All training in each age and development level includes daily fitness, match play and gourmet lunch in our renowned café. Players age 7 – 15 can sign up for this weekly, but space is limited. Tryout required (videos accepted). Boarding available certain weeks for grades 7th through 12th.

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2020 New York Tennis Magazine Camp Guide SPORTIME Summer Camps (888) NY-TENNIS (888) 698-3664 l SportimeCamps.com l Camps@SportimeNY.com Locations across Long Island, in Manhattan, Westchester and Schenectady “Last year, I had the best summer ever!” Who said that?

Every kid who attended a SPORTIME Summer Camp last summer! That’s because at SPORTIME summer camps, our staff of teachers, coaches and counselors makes sure that every camper has a positive and memorable experience.

SPORTIME knows how to make camp fun!

How does SPORTIME do it? Our experienced, certified, international staff are skilled at providing camp programming that is challenging, innovative and educational, all at facilities that are state-of-the-art, safe, and easily accessible.

From preschoolers to pre-teens, kids who enjoy tennis, sports, friendship and fun love coming to SPORTIME summer camps, which offer programs and events tailored to every age group and interest. With camp locations across Long Island, including the Hamptons, and in New York City and Westchester, we’ve got your summer covered! Go to SportimeCamps.com to find the perfect camp for your child or e-mail us at Camps@SportimeNY.com.

Programs and facilities vary by location. Elite-level tennis, volleyball and hockey camps are also available.

The West Side Tennis Club–Summer Camp 2020 One Tennis Place l Forest Hills, N.Y. (718) 268-2300, ext. 127 l JuniorProgram@ForestHillsTennis.com l TheWestSideTennisClub.com The West Side Tennis Club offers a fun-filled Rock N’ Roll Summer Tennis Camp led by French Open Champion Luke Jensen! Our Camp boasts top-notch coaching at the most historic tennis venue in the United States. Former home of the U.S. Open, The West Side Tennis Club still maintains eight grass courts, three synthetic grass courts, three hard courts, two red clay courts, 21 Har-Tru courts and the Forest Hills Stadium court. The Club facilities also include a Junior Olympic Size Swimming Pool, the beautiful Rose Garden and of course, the historic Club House itself.

The 2020 Rock N’ Roll Summer Tennis Camp starts on June 15th and runs for 11 weeks. Camp is open to junior players of all ages and levels (ages four through 17; beginners through tournament-level players).

Camp days run Monday-Friday from 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. A camp day starts with warm-up drills and stretching, followed by tennis instruction from certified professionals. A snack and lunch will be provided each day by the West Side Tennis Club’s renowned restaurant. After lunch, campers can either challenge each other at match play, challenge themselves at advanced training, or cool off in the pool.

Advanced training is also offered in the afternoons via The West Side Tennis Club’s Tournament Training Program. The Club’s elite coaching staff will work with tournament level players from 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. with high intensity drills and physical conditioning. The program is offered for Regular Ball tournament players, as well as Green Dot Advanced players.

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New York Tennis Magazine • June 2020 • NYTennisMag.com

2020 New York Tennis Magazine Camp Guide USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center Flushing Meadow-Corona Park l Flushing, N.Y. (718) 760-6200 l NTC.USTA.com The USTA Billie Jean National Tennis Center will once again offer fun in the sun tennis day camps starting in June. Enrollment will soon be available online and you may choose registration for one, two or as many as seven weeks. The weekly program runs Mondays through Fridays, 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., with a one-hour lunch break or a twilight session from 4:30 p.m.-7:00 p.m.

Campers work on the development of tennis techniques, tactics, sports conditioning, multi-sports and strategy geared toward maximizing the learning experience in a fun presentation. As the juniors develop, they are advanced to more challenging groups. Tennis activities include Stroke of the Day, team games and competitive match play.

The camp also offers cross-training activities, such as soccer, softball and basketball in the park or at the Corona Park multi-purpose recreational facility, off-site field trips include ice skating, Mets games, and more, and full access to the many fun activities on the grounds of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

The program accepts junior players, ages four- through 10-years-old for the 10 & Under programs. Recreational players 11-yearsold and up are enrolled in the Junior Camps (8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. or 4:30 p.m.-7:00 p.m.). Advanced High Performance Tournament training campers will also be invited to participate in an intensive Tennis Academy training program.

The National Tennis Center has 22 outdoor courts, 12 indoor courts, and four stadium courts. Also on-site are ping-pong tables, ball machines, a fitness center, and other age-appropriate fun activities like arts, multisports, arts and crafts, and other engaging sporting events. The primary focus will be on developing tennis skills, while offering other activities to enhance the learning and summer camp experience.

Also offered are junior evening and weekend programs, as well as adult daytime, weekday evening and weekend camps.

Detailed information will be available soon at NTC.USTA.com. You may contact the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center at (718) 760-6200 for more information about year-round and summer day camp programs.

Windridge Tennis and Sports Camps 1215 Roxbury Road l Roxbury, Vt. (802) 860-2005 l WindridgeCamps.com l Misha@WindridgeCamps.com Windridge ... a tradition of tennis, soccer and horseback riding and so much more for over 50 years. Located in the Green Mountains of Vermont, the Windridge Tennis and Sports Camp stands unique in that they feature specialized sports programs within the framework of a traditional New England camp setting.

Since 1968, children have come to Windridge from most of the 50 states and more than 30 countries to share in the Windridge experience. Campers make a commitment to hard work, good sportsmanship, and wholesome fun and laughter, within a warm and friendly environment.

Windridge offers two-week and four-week coed sessions from June through August, serving ages seven through 15. Windridge’s 4:1 camper-to-counselor ratio is an important factor in its warm and nurturing environment. In addition, we offer two 10-day Rookie Camps for 7-10-year-old first-time campers.

Windridge offers “majors” in tennis, soccer and horseback riding. Campers will develop skills in their chosen major each day while rounding out their schedule with electives like golf, mountain biking, archery, a ropes course, basketball, volleyball, arts and crafts, and more. Windridge adds to this a wide variety of exceptional evening activities and special events, such as Carnival Day and Teela-Games to create a wellrounded experience for each camper.

NYTennisMag.com • June 2020 • New York Tennis Magazine

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Mastering the Mind Mindfulness at 125 MPH ... Part Three

By Rob Polishook Yesterday my client, Susan, said to me, “I’m a stress ball. I want to learn how to meditate, I know it will help me relax. But I’ve tried and I’m just no good at it!”

Susan had heard about meditating from the pros and she’d been following my previous two Mastering the Mind articles. But she was at a loss about how to actually do it.

Does this sound familiar?

To help her get started, I shared a meditation practice that I’d learned in my Mindfulness Certification Training.

The practice has helped me personally and also helped many of my clients during competition and even test taking.

The practice, which has been around for 2,500 years, can help you relax, refocus, and re-center. Certainly, something we can all use during these challenging times.

It’s important to note that there are many types of meditation: guided, unguided, loving kindness meditation

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days a week, for five-to-10 minutes a day. As you progress, you may want to increase the number of days and also the duration.

In the beginning, try to meditate on the days and time you commit to. This in itself will be a great success!

Mornings are great, as there are usually less distractions, and you can start your day with success and calm.

and so on…and many places and teachers from whom to learn meditation. The practice I will share here is great on its own and serves as a solid foundation if you would like to explore other kinds of meditation.

As with learning anything new, consistency is important. I recommend beginning your practice three or four

New York Tennis Magazine • June 2020 • NYTennisMag.com

l Step One: Find your spot. Where are you going to meditate? You can meditate on a chair, on the couch, on the ground or anywhere you can find a nice quiet, comfortable location that’s relaxing. In the beginning stages of your practice, try to keep your spot the same. l Step Two: Bring your attention to your body. Notice your feet making contact with the floor. Slowly, scan up through your body. Feel your sitz bones and notice how the floor, chair or couch supports you. Continue up your body to your back, creating a straight back, upright shoulders, neck and head. Allow your hands to rest easy on your thighs with your palms down. During the meditation, you can always move and/or reset to be comfortable. l Step 3: Bring your attention to your surroundings. Allow your eyes to slowly wander. Do this with curiosity; just noticing things as if it’s the first time you are seeing them. Slowly turn your head, simply being curious, almost like a puppy would do when it first enters a room. No judgment, no attachment. Then lightly gaze forward six to eight feet ahead with your eyes half-open. It’s important to note in this meditation practice we are not closing our eyes to block out what we might see; rather we are allowing what we see, and think, to be there, just not attaching to it.

l Step Four: Bring your attention to your breath. The good news is that you already know how to breathe; you’ve been doing it your entire life!

The difference now is that you are bringing attention to your breath.

Notice the feel and rhythm of your breath as you inhale and exhale.

Maybe notice the breath on the tip of your nose. You might also notice your diaphragm expanding and contracting. Be with your breath. l Step Five: As your mind wanders, bring your attention back to your breath. Notice I didn’t say “if” your mind wanders, rather “as” your mind wanders. This is what our minds do!

Our minds are in the past and future, while our awareness is in the present.

Notice the flow of thoughts and emotions. Then, calmly, patiently and without judgment, label the distraction as “thinking” and gently bring your attention back to your breath.

These steps provide an introduction

to meditation practice. Remember, this is not about becoming good at the practice. This is not a goal-oriented activity. This is about taking a step back to be with yourself, where you are, in the moment. Each time you meditate, you will have different ideas, thoughts and distractions; allow them to happen with an attitude of curiosity.

Each thought or distraction is a golden opportunity to refocus and come back to the present moment.

Imagine if you could do this on the court? For example, when you think of someone’s expectations of you, or when your mind wanders to the score, or a bad call. Rather than getting caught up and stressing about it, you could simply notice the thought, take a step back, bounce the ball and refocus on your breath and what you can control. This can become your intention and new mental strategy as you compete.

The meditation practice may seem simple, but it’s not easy. Some clients say, “How can it be hard? I’m not doing

anything!” You actually are doing something. It may be the first time you are setting aside time to be with yourself in a non-judgment, no comparison mode, where you can just be where you are without trying to force an outcome or pushing to go somewhere. Every moment is a new moment to be in the now. Settle in, take a pause, and enjoy your meditation practice.

Rob Polishook, MA, CPC is the founder of Inside the Zone Sports Performance Group. As a mental training coach, he works with athletes helping them to unleash their mental edge through mindfulness, somatic psychology and mental training skills. Rob is the author of two 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, or following on Instagram @insidethezone.

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NEW YORK TENNIS MAGAZINE’S

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

BY BRIAN COLEMAN

MICHAEL ZHENG owards the end of 2019, Michael Zheng headed north to Wayland, Mass. to compete in the USTA National Indoor Championships, one of the top junior circuit tournaments in the United States.

Zheng, a high school sophomore, had entered the event playing good tennis, and felt solid about his game.

“I was playing really well heading into the Indoor Championships. I had a decent run in Kalamazoo where I lost to the eventual finalist in three sets. So that gave me a lot of confidence,” recalls Zheng. “And I continued playing well that week. I was just extremely focused, was hitting clean and didn’t commit a lot of unforced errors.”

All of that added up to one of the best weeks of Zheng’s junior career where, as the seventh-seed, he won six consecutive matches, including a straight-sets win over the top-seed in the quarterfinals, culminating in a 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 win over Walker Oberg in the championship.

“Before each match I would take down notes of my opponent, and I was just really focused on winning that

T

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event,” he said. “It gave me a lot of confidence afterwards; it showed me that I was at the same level as other nationally-ranked players. I think it also validates the hard work I was putting in going into the tournament, and that I’m doing the right things in my training. It was a great experience.”

The victory was the culmination of the dedication to training and work ethic Zheng has had throughout his young career as a tennis player. He began playing tennis when his father took him and his sister over to a local

New York Tennis Magazine • June 2020 • NYTennisMag.com

high school and fed balls to them. Soon after, they would try out and gain entry into the feeder program at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

“I played there for two years, it was a great program.

And it really set the foundation for me as a tennis player,” said Zheng. “I had also played basketball and soccer growing up, but tennis took up most of my time, and I was always better at tennis than I was at other sports. I had good eye-hand coordination, and I think that was definitely more beneficial for tennis.”

Zheng’s training brought him to Centercourt Performance Tennis Academy a couple of years ago, a facility that is much closer to his New Jersey home, and a place that has helped his game develop over the last two years.

“I first moved to Centercourt when my coach, Adrian Contreras, went there and it’s been great. Everyone in the program is really good and it’s very competitive,” said Zheng. “We do a lot of point play, and everyone is trying to move up the ladder to the top court.

That aspect, where everyone is aiming to beat the person ahead of them,

helps make everyone better.”

Helping to make him better was his participation in the Centercourt Men’s Professional Tennis Shootout, an event featuring touring professionals and $50,000 in prize money. Just a teenager, Zheng held his own in the tournament’s draw and reached the finals where he faced off against American Stefan Kozlov.

“I was really nervous,” Zheng said, recalling that final match. “I had watched Kozlov a lot when I was growing up and going to the US Open.

So I was definitely nervous. But when I arrived, I had so much support, so many players from our program were watching on the next court over. They were rooting for me, and I really felt the love from Centercourt. Despite the loss it was such a great experience overall.”

His success over the last year has catapulted Zheng into one of the top players in the country, ranked eighth nationally in the Class of 2022 by

TennisRecruiting.net. And like the rest of his peers in the nation and around the world, he will remain ranked there for the foreseeable future with no tournaments or events being played because of the coronavirus global pandemic.

Being forced to stay at home and unable to go to the gym or courts have forced athletes to get creative with their workouts and training regimens, and Zheng is no different.

“It’s been tough trying to stay fit; most of the time I go for runs around my neighborhood, and do some squats, push-ups and things like that in my house,” he said. “Centercourt has posted a lot of webinars online about mental training and that’s been really helpful. There have been mental coaches from around the world posting a lot of different tips, so I’ve been taking notes on that. Just doing what I can to maintain a sense of training.”

When the tournaments do return,

Zheng will look to pick up where he left off and continue his winning ways.

Despite being 15-years-old, Zheng has transitioned into playing in the 18s division in USTA Eastern tournaments, and is making the full transition into playing all of his national-level tournaments in the 18s division as well.

He has goals of playing Division I tennis and then he wants to try to play professional tennis. These are aspirations that he will pursue with the dedication and hard work that has brought him to this point.

“I just want to be the best that I can be,” he said. “If my best is being a top college player, that would be amazing.

But if you work hard and push yourself harder than everyone else, then maybe you have a shot to go pro. I just want to see how far I can go.”

Brian Coleman is senior editor for New York Tennis Magazine. He may be reached by e-mail at BrianC@USPTennis.com.

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NYTennisMag.com • June 2020 • New York Tennis Magazine

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Now More Than Ever…Team First

By Ira Miller At the end of our college practices and before each match at NJIT, I assemble the group in a circle, we put our hands in, and on three we roar: “Team First!”

Tennis is typically known as an individual sport, but most of my long-time involvement has been with the team or group aspect, from being a high school and college player, running camps for juniors, coaching Eastern Section Zonals,

50

Maccabi Games coaching, and coaching college for over 25 years. At our first team meeting each fall, I talk about the beauty of sharing this sport as a team: “Your great times will be that much better. Your down times will be easier to handle. During both you will have teammates to share it with.”

What exactly does Team First mean?

I see it as a guide for how to act.

Whenever you’re with your team, whether it’s practice, a match, a team meal, before doing or saying something, have in mind what is best for the team. It’s not always

New York Tennis Magazine • June 2020 • NYTennisMag.com

easy to put team first, and it can be especially difficult for freshmen, but the journey together is learning these lessons and becoming better teammates, which often leads to becoming better people.

It’s always fascinating to see the progress players make from freshmen to senior year, from team member to team leader. It really is priceless.

They learn that if an administrator asks the team to complete a task and one person doesn’t get it done, it reflects poorly on the whole team, so get it done.

They learn that if they’re heading to practice and suddenly get an important text, they don’t stop to answer it because the team needs to start on time.

They learn that if they’re feeling sluggish during a live-ball drill, they have to step it up regardless because their teammate on the other side needs their best.

They learn that they can be down and out in a match with nothing working and if they were out there by themselves the match might be over. But not with teammates cheering them on, not with the whole dual match riding on their efforts. They dig deep and find levels of effort they never thought possible.

They learn that if they have a problem with a teammate they don’t talk trash about him or her to someone else on the

team because they risk group alienation and factions. They bite the bullet and hash it out directly with their teammate.

They learn that there is a greater good, a greater purpose beyond individual accomplishments and that team success is about as good as it gets.

They learn that they have teammates for life and many of them will be there in the same way after the four seasons as they were during those third-set battles or those late night talks after a rough patch with a significant other.

I remember coaching an Eastern Section Zonal 16s team and first meeting the players after we landed in St. Louis. Before our first match I asked them to design a team cheer. Together they came up with a great one, one executed each day with noise and vigor, bonding quickly even though we only had a few days together. After we won the gold, the first thing they did was their cheer.

I remember coaching the U.S. Junior Team at the Pan American Maccabi

Games in Mexico City. I can’t say there has been a bigger tennis thrill than entering a stadium full of cheering people during the opening ceremonies knowing that “USA” was emblazoned on the backs of our warm-up suits.

I remember just this past February playing a home dual match that came down to the last flight, the last set to see which team won 4-3. The entire men’s and women’s tennis teams were watching our sixth singles player trying to close out the final set. He got down 0-4 and began experiencing severe leg cramps. I offered him advice, Gatorade and even the option to stop if the pain was too intense. He battled on, his movement hampered, making an incredible percentage of first serves, grinding balls deep and high down the middle, stepping in to go for it when he had the chance, pulling out the match 7-6 in the tiebreaker. He collapsed on the court, swarmed by his teammates and friends, the feeling of elation that much more intense, no less than it would have been if we had just won the conference championship.

So enjoy this gift that the group aspect of tennis provides, especially in these difficult days ahead, days that make us realize that our community, our workplace and our country are one big team. And once all this gets settled and we return to normal, I encourage juniors to play high school tennis and then college tennis, and suggest others to play USTA leagues.

Everyone should take the time to partake in whatever options are available to you in order to share the joy, to be part of a greater good and to experience the ultimate intensity that comes with being Team First!

Ira Miller is the head men's tennis coach at NJIT and Director of CourtSense Tennis Training Center’s junior summer camp at Ramapo College. At three different universities, he has won a total of 17 Conference Championships and 16 Conference Coach of the Year awards. In 2012 he was selected as an ITA Regional Coach of the Year. Miller is in the Athletics Hall of Fame as a coach at both Drew and Fairleigh Dickinson Universities.

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High Country Ski & Tennis 465 West Mount Pleasant Avenue Livingston, N.J. (973) 994-3630 HighCountrySkiAndTennis.com High Country Ski & Tennis is one of New Jersey’s premier tennis specialty shops. In existence for more than 30 years, High Country has New Jersey’s largest tennis showroom from March through September, and it is shrunk down in the winter months to focus on skiing and snowboarding.

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

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

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

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New York Tennis Magazine • June 2020 • NYTennisMag.com

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

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

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

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

SPORTIME Pro Shops Locations across Long Island and New York City (888) NY-TENNIS SportimeNY.com From its locations on Randall’s Island, NYC, to Amagansett to Roslyn, to Lynbrook and Syosset in between, SPORTIME clubs feature state-of-the-art Pro Shops, with staff dedicated to helping its members and guests find all the gear, apparel and accessories they need! While each shop is customized to the local clientele, all offer a wide selection of rackets, strings, bags, grips, clothing, footwear, and accessories from the best brands: Head, Wilson, Babolat, Yonex, Solinco, Luxilon, Tecnifibre, Nike, Asics, Lucky-in-Love, Sofibella, Lija and others.

SPORTIME’s knowledgeable staff is ready to help you enjoy playing your best tennis. Can’t find what you need?

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SPORTIME’s five-star service includes 24-hour stringing, grommet replacement, re-gripping, and racket consultation and customization. While at any of SPORTIME’s clubs, you are welcome to demo the latest rackets for free, or for a small fee that will apply towards the purchase of a new racket.

For more information about SPORTIME’s Pro Shops, or to inquire about programs, lessons and court time, call (888) NYTENNIS.

Tennis East 73 Main Street Southampton, N.Y. (631) 283-9535 TennisEast@optonline.net TennisEast.com For almost 50 years, Tennis East has been the year-round, fullservice tennis store of choice for East End racket sport enthusiasts. Tennis East offers an extensive selection of men’s, women’s and junior’s rackets, apparel, sneakers, strings and accessories for players of all ages and skill levels. More so, Tennis East carries a complete line of 10 & Under Tennis equipment, so that kids will have more fun playing tennis.

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

Allow Tennis East’s knowledgeable and friendly team members to assist you choose the proper new tennis, squash, paddle or pickleball racket to elevate your game.

Tennis East has an extensive selection of rackets to demo and all daily fee charges will be credited towards your new adult racket purchase.

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

Tennis East is the conveniently located, one-stop shop for all your racquet sport needs, and is committed to providing personalized service, professional advice, competitive pricing and a unique shopping experience. Please look for special offers on Tennis East’s social network sites.

NYTennisMag.com • June 2020 •

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

TopSpin provides one-hour expert stringing at both facilities. Known as the home of “Clothes for the Pros,” TopSpin has been serving Long Island tennis pros and players with equipment and the top fashion in the sport for more than 30 years. TopSpin’s staff is known for its expertise and highquality service. You will find all the premier tennis brands of equipment, apparel and shoes at TopSpin for the whole family, including Nike, Adidas, K-Swiss, Asics, Babolat, Wilson, Head, Prince and many more.

TopSpin carries a full line of fitness and workout apparel and running shoes, so you can go from the court to the gym in style. Their racket wall contains a large selection of frames, bags and accessories at great prices. Your racket can be strung while you wait.

TopSpin’s staff will ensure that, with the right equipment, you will reach your highest potential as a player and just as importantly, look great too.

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C O M I N G I N J U LY

Distribution across New York at 300+ locations: • Indoor tennis clubs • Country clubs • Tennis camps • Retail stores • Gyms • Restaurants and health food stores • Supermarkets & • Many more!

Don’t miss the advertising opportunities in the next edition of New York Tennis Magazine July/August 2020!

Submissions for both advertising and editorial are due by June 1, 2020 For more information, please call 516-409-4444 or e-mail Advertise@NYTennisMag.com New York Tennis Magazine • June 2020 • NYTennisMag.com

The Metro Corporate League’s Winter 2020 Season has been put on hold because of the coronavirus global pandemic. The league hopes to return to play as soon as possible, and plans to resume the Winter 2020 season when it is able to.

Below are the current standings for this season, with the total amount of games won by each team: Advanced One

Advanced Intermediate Two

Intermediate Three

l Cary Leeds/NYJTL (157)

l Bank of America (166)

l Cleary (144)

l Proskauer Rose (140)

l Douglas Elliman (161)

l Bloomberg (137)

l Bloomberg (127)

l SRZ (138)

l Turner (118)

l BNP Paribas (62)

l Deutsche Bank (108)

l Angelo Gordon (108)

l PwC (57)

l BNP Paribas (107)

l Ropes & Gray (108)

l Société Générale (99)

l White & Case (104)

Advanced Two

l Ropes & Gray (89)

l Ernst & Young (140)

l Moody’s (63)

Intermediate Four

l Morgan Stanley (138)

l Sullivan & Cromwell (164)

l Credit Agricole (136)

Intermediate One

l Corcoran (137)

l Bloomberg (J) (105)

l D.E. Shaw & Co. (139)

l BNP Paribas (128)

l Bloomberg (M) (57)

l PRH (126)

l Douglas Elliman (85)

l Fried Frank (108)

l Moody’s (80)

Advanced Intermediate One

l Backhand Bankers (80)

l Corcoran (163)

l Nielsen (72)

l Goldman Sachs (128) l Mizuho Bank (126)

Intermediate Two

l Bloomberg (122)

l CVC Advisors (158)

l ING (98)

l PwC (102)

l Google (94)

l Paul Weiss (101)

l Deutsche Bank (85)

l Société Générale (82) l Morgan Stanley (71) NYTennisMag.com • June 2020 • New York Tennis Magazine

55

The Tennis Guru To Get to Heaven ...

By Dr. Tom Ferraro This article is the third part of Dr. Ferraro’s series, The Tennis Guru.

To read the first two parts, visit www.NYTennisMag.com or read the previous print issues.

Yin and the turtle had walked along silently for more than two hours when Yin finally thought to ask, “So, by the way, what’s your name my little friend?”

“My name is Virgil the Turtle, and I am at your service.”

“Okay, Virgil, hurry up and just follow me. I see a straight and easy path right to the top of the mountain. I think we may get to meet the Tennis Guru today some time.”

At this, Yin ran on ahead but as he approached the pathway up he was suddenly stopped in his tracks. Right before him were two hungry-looking wolves which started to snarl and snap at him as he approached.

Yin halted in his tracks and waited for Virgil the Turtle to catch up. When he 56

did, he exclaimed “Virgil, we’re sunk. We can’t get past these beasts. There’s no way!”

“You are quite right, Yin. These are the twin wolves, Plutus and Plutar. They are here to safeguard the way up to the Tennis Guru. They are hungry beasts and will devour us if we attempt to pass.”

“Well that’s just great Virgil. What are we to do now?”

“There is only one way to get up the mountain. We must first go to my friend Charon who will ferry us along the River Styx until we find the hidden path up the mountain. Just follow me, I promise I will offer you safe passage along the way.”

They found Charon and boarded his boat. They rode along down the river and Yin asked Virgil: “Why must we go this roundabout way to get to the Tennis Guru?”

Virgil smiled at Yin and counseled, “Yin, this is the way of all things. In order to get to the top you must pay a price. There will be much to learn and much suffering to endure before we get

New York Tennis Magazine • June 2020 • NYTennisMag.com

to the top. The only way to heaven is to first go through hell. Fame and fortune only go to the strong and the brave. I will not abandon you as we make our way up but you must listen carefully to my counsel. I am here to help and to guide you.”

Yin didn’t know what all this meant but he was too far into this journey to stop now. He had no choice but to trust his new found friend and secretly prayed to himself that all would be well.

He thought wistfully for a moment of the life he had left behind with his comfortable home, his parents and his brother. He smiled to himself, closed his eyes and went to sleep as the boat slowly drifted down river to a place he knew nothing about.

To be continued…

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.

The Hindrance Quiz:

By Barbara Wyatt The Hindrance Quiz checks your understanding of the ITF and USTA rules of hindrances. Correct answers are the simple quick answers, not burdened with a barrage of what-ifs or embellished with nuances on the court.

A “yes” means the action was a hindrance, and a point is awarded or replayed. A “no” means there was no hindrance and all players should focus on the match and continue playing.

6. The follow-through on your opponent’s backhand volley extends over the net and accidentally hits your partner. Your partner must retire.

Hindrance? Yes or no?

7. Opponent quietly tells partner to “get back” after hitting a weak lob. Ball is moving toward you. Yes or no?

8. Opponent screams “Get back!” after hitting a weak lob. Ball is moving toward you. Yes or no?

9. Opponent drops his racquet onto the court during a point. Yes or no?

10. Opponent grunts. Yes or no?

11. Spectator calls a ball out. Yes or no?

12. Playing outside, ball hits a tree branch. Yes or no?

7.

8.

No. Opponent quietly tells partner to “get back” after hitting a weak lob.

Ball is moving toward you. No hindrance. Keep playing. A few soft spoken words should not disturb your amazing return.

Yes. Opponent screams “Get back!” after hitting a weak lob. Ball is moving toward you. Yes, that’s a hindrance— if you don’t attempt a return, immediately stop play, and call hindrance. You earn the point.

Doubles players should not talk when the ball is moving toward the opponent’s court. The key words are “moving toward.”

If the ball is moving toward you and your partner, you may talk. If the ball is moving away from you and toward your opponents, only opponents may talk. The Code #34.

9.

No. Opponent drops their racquet onto the court during a point. No hindrance. Keep playing. A racquet coming out of the hand, or even a shoe coming off, is not a reason to claim a let – for either player! The Code #36.

10. No. Opponent grunts. No hindrance.

Part Two

However, if the grunting is—truly and sincerely—bothering you, request an official to observe and listen. The official may issue a warning first, before a hindrance point is awarded. The Code 37.

11. No. Spectator calls a ball out. No hindrance. Out calls and other noises from spectators are not hindrances and not considered grounds for a player calling a let or claiming a point.

The Code 36.

12. Playing outside, ball hits a tree branch. The ball touched a permanent fixture. The player who hit the ball, that hit the tree branch, loses the point. At the beginning of the match, all players accepted that the branch extended over or near the play of the ball, like a permanent fixture (ceiling, benches) of an indoor court. ITF 13 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.

Answers Answer 6 and 8 are yes. Answer 12 is hitting a permanent fixture. All the other answers are not hindrances.

6. Yes. The follow-through on your opponent’s backhand volley extends over the net and accidentally hits your partner. Your partner must retire.

Yes, that’s a hindrance. You lose the match. You read that correctly. Your partner was hit accidentally; you and your partner lose the match. It is an unintentional injury. Was your partner standing too close to the opponent in the follow-through? Did your partner rush the net to intimidate the opponent? The Code #38.

NYTennisMag.com • June 2020 • New York Tennis Magazine

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Treat Your Sport Like a Job

By Chris Nieves Playing your sport and being an athlete is a job.

You have to prepare, work hard, and ultimately strive to successfully complete a task, which should be to play your best. Below are some skills that are needed to successful at any job or sport.

Be prepared One important skill of performing any job is preparation. Whether you are giving a presentation in front of colleagues, or playing a sport, your preparation is important and will influence how you perform. Preparation means putting the work in. Successful athletes prepare themselves by devoting enough time and effort to get ready for competition. They not only prepare both mentally and physically, but also spend enough time studying their opponents. It is important to understand that preparation is a process and not just everything you do at practice. It also means getting enough sleep, eating healthy, which will both influence your performance.

Be time-oriented Another important skill is being timeoriented. Being time-oriented in a job means striving to complete a task in a timely matter as well as using that time wisely. As an athlete, that means being dedicated and willing to put the necessary time in to be successful. Being time-oriented also means focusing on the present moment and seizing the day.

Instead of thinking about the future or what you plan on eventually doing, this 58

means living in the moment and working each day to accomplish your goals.

Ask questions Starting a job can sometimes be daunting. But it is always beneficial to not be afraid to ask questions, especially if you are not sure about your job responsibilities or expectations. The same thing may be helpful as an athlete.

Ask questions and gain as much knowledge as you can about your sport and how to be successful.

Find a mentor Seeking out a mentor at work is also a good strategy. A mentor can provide valuable feedback, while teaching new skills, and also help guide you in your career. In addition, a mentor can serve as a listening ear when faced with any challenge. In sports, having a mentor can be valuable especially for young athletes.

Whether it is a coach, sport psychology consultant, or an older teammate, it is always important to surround yourself with someone you can trust and that can help you grow as an athlete and person.

Be accountable Being accountable is also an important part of doing any job. This means taking ownership of your work and everything you do. As an athlete, sometimes it can be easy to not take ownership, especially after a loss or disappointment. It is very tempting to place the blame on others or on something else. But successful athletes accept and take responsibility of their performance regardless if its good or bad. They don’t look for excuses. Once you accept a loss and learn from it, you

New York Tennis Magazine • June 2020 • NYTennisMag.com

are on the road to come back stronger.

Be a team player Performing a job often requires teamwork.

In sports, working together as a team is very important, especially in doubles tennis. In doubles, both players need to be able to work together in order to be successful, which is why finding and playing with the right partner is key.

Teammates need to be able to communicate effectively, trust each other, and develop a good rapport if they want to be successful.

Be positive To be successful in any job or any sport, you have to believe in yourself. Having a positive attitude is a must. Thinking positively will help boost confidence, decrease stress, and make your job or sport more enjoyable. It also will help you work better with others and be more resilient. So think positively!

Chris Nieves, MS is the founder and director of Empower Mental Training, which provides mental skills and sport psychology training for athletes. As a former Division I athlete, Chris learned the importance of mastering the mental side of sports. From this experience, he decided to pursue a career in helping athletes learn how to develop a winning mindset. Chris strongly believes that your mindset is the key to being successful in sports, overcoming adversity, and ultimately reaching your peak potential. To learn more about Empower Mental Training or to set up a Free 20-Minute consultation, please visit: www.empowermentaltraining.com.

Choose Your Side

By Mark Santucci f you are a doubles player, you and your partner have had this conversation before: who plays which side? 75 percent of players prefer their forehand, so if they play on the deuce side, they can rip the forehand return of serve cross court. But if they play on the ad side, they have the forehand in the middle of the court for offensive and defensive situations.

There is more to this than the typical deuce versus ad side decision. Yes it is partially about who has a better forehand versus who has a better backhand, but there is more to think about.

in the middle, allowing for more aggressive net play. Poach with the forehand, protect your partners backhand and look to dominate.

get too big and tighten up on the important points. Poor swings come from tense bodies. Get the player who is cool under pressure on the ad side.

l Who moves better? The player who is faster, has better reflexes, sees the court best and can cover the most ground should play the ad side.

Again, this is assuming they are a right handed player. The ad player will have more middle responsibility with their forehand. And can also cover lobs while running to the deuce corner with their forehand. Not to mention their forehand in the middle of the court to rip offensive shots out of the air for down the middle tweeners.

Maybe it is time to have a new conversation with your doubles partner. It may mean practicing a bit to get used to a shift in thinking and playing, but following these three simple concepts will unlock more W’s in the win column.

l Who has the better volleys and is more aggressive at the net? Let’s get that player, assuming they are right handed, on the ad side. Ad side (righty) volleyers have their forehand

l Who is strong under pressure? The ad side player will be receiving the ad in and the ad out points, critical points to win games and matches.

That player cannot let the moment

I

Mark Santucci is director of adult tennis at Roosevelt Island Racquet Club. He came to Roosevelt Island after 10 years as director of tennis and operations, director of junior tennis and director of adult programs at Yonkers Tennis Center. A native of Rhode Island, Santucci was the captain of the Marist College Tennis team, where he helped lead his team to a conference championship and an NCAA Tournament berth. He can be reached by e-mail at MSantucci@AdvantageTennisClubs.com.

NYTennisMag.com • June 2020 • New York Tennis Magazine

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The Spanish Method: Keys and Flaws

By Chris Lewit arents often ask me, “What makes Spanish tennis so great?”, or, “What do they do differently in Spain?”

Many folks have never been there and are curious how such a small country became a world superpower in tennis. They also want to know how my academy and summer camp are influenced by the Spanish approach.

Here are the keys to the Spanish Way and—more importantly—the flaws in the classical Spanish approach. Spanish coaches do some great work—but they are also commonly deficient in some areas. In my academy and summer camp, I have distilled the best of the Spanish philosophy and drills while seeking to upgrade and evolve the areas of Spanish training that are flawed. I call this the Modern Spanish Method, and it’s at the heart of all my coaching.

P

Strengths Consistency Spanish coaches are obsessed with being solid—making few errors. One of my mentors in Spain, Luis Bruguera, father and 60

coach to two-time Roland Garros champion Sergi Bruguera, and more recently a coach of Garbine Muguruza, is fond of saying: “To be solid brings confidence and reduces anxiety. To be solid does not mean to be a defensive player.” A hallmark of the Spanish style is consistency and control of the ball.

Consistent players win a lot of tennis matches, and consistency is the foundation for future high level play.

Racquet acceleration and forehand weapon While consistency is a major focus in Spain, coaches and academies over there generally stress racquet acceleration and weapon building, particularly with the forehand.

Spanish players are famous for their amazing forehands, which often combine power with incredible topspin rates. This is no accident, and at my academy, we use many of the famous exercises from Spain to specifically develop a forehand weapon like Rafael Nadal.

Movement and footwork Spanish players are well known for their superiority in movement skills. To say that Spanish coaches are obsessed with positioning and footwork would be an understatement. Spanish training constantly

New York Tennis Magazine • June 2020 • NYTennisMag.com

stresses proper technique and good energy with the legs and feet, and also helps players develop the reading skills with the eyes necessary to anticipate better—an often overlooked but critical aspect of moving well. The best Spanish players like Nadal often combine superior movement skills with tremendous anticipation and reading.

Defense In Spain, defense is always valued and included in the training curriculum. Some coaches and countries focus purely on attacking styles. Spain has a balanced approach to developing a top player, combining the big forehand weapon with solid defensive capabilities. We have the same philosophy in my camp.

Physical conditioning Spanish players are known for having the best fitness and stamina to outlast their opponents. It’s no mystery then that they are also known for being the most mentally tough. Spanish coaches understand that mental fortitude and physical fitness are intricately intertwined. Ultimately, you can’t have one without the other.

Spanish programs therefore stress more off-court fitness than any other method I

have ever studied. I have adopted the same approach for my students. I want my players to be physical beasts that never fatigue and can focus and fight until the very end of the match with high energy and intensity. Spain also places a huge priority on injury prevention and staying healthy.

Prehabilitation—preparing the body to prevent injuries—is a core element of the Spanish approach. I love this focus. All smart parents, coaches, and players would benefit from following this prescription for longevity and health.

Lack of serve and return focus Spanish schools are often criticized for focusing on “the middle of the point” rather than the beginning and ending. In some traditional schools, there can be too much emphasis on rallying and not enough focus on serving and returning well. I have tried to rectify this by incorporating these missing elements into my academy practices. I place a higher priority on developing a major serve weapon, for example, and we spend more time on the return of serve at my camp than the typical Spanish camp would.

Suffering As I wrote in my best-selling book, The Secrets of Spanish Tennis, Spain has a culture that values suffering on the tennis court. Coaches intentionally teach the ethos of endurance, fighting spirit and suffering to players from a very young age. The result is a cadre of players with tremendous grit. I have duplicated this approach with my students, pushing hem hard and demanding tenacity. Spanish players learn from a very young age that success on the court comes from being willing to suffer. Nadal embodies this spirit of endurance better than any other Spanish player.

Too much grinding Spanish players are known for grinding, but sometimes the focus on grinding, defense, and consistency is too much. Sometimes players need to spend more time on attacking, finishing points and the first four to five shots of a rally rather than simply grinding. Therefore, I have adapted my philosophy and training method to allow for more attacking work and to deemphasize long rallying when appropriate. For younger and lower level players, we still believe in the need for consistency and learning how to grind, but as players advance in level, in accordance with their game style, we ramp up the attack and first strike focus.

Flaws While the Spanish system has dominated the world in the past 30 years with the strengths above, over the years I have noticed some flaws in their methodology, and I have sought to redress those mistakes when working with my players here in the US. Rote drilling Sometimes Spanish practices are too monotonous and grinding—mindless and mind-numbing drilling. For some players, the extra repetition is just what the doctor ordered, but for others it’s overkill and serves to demotivate them. I have tried to strike a fine balance in my training system. I try to be player-centered and drill kids according to what they need and what motivates them. Some kids respond well to high amounts of repetitive drills while others are more engaged when playing creative games. I try to be flexible in my approach.

Unfortunately, in many traditional tennis schools in Spain, there is little flexibility and—for better or worse—most kids are forced to drill long repetitions daily.

Limited volley and transitional work While some Spanish academies like Sanchez-Casal and Nadal’s academy have a balanced curriculum which stresses competence in all areas of the court, there are many other academies which unfortunately develop mostly baseline competent players and neglect net and transition mastery. This has been changing over time as systems evolve in Spain, and I have made the same purposeful adjustment in my training philosophy to encourage solid net skills and the willingness to transition to the net. One of my mentors from Spain, the great Jose Higueras, coach to Jim Courier, Michael Chang, Roger Federer and many more, emphasizes the importance of developing the complete player. I couldn’t agree more. Today’s elite players, with rare exception, can do it all.

Limited fast court training Another common flaw in Spain is that there has been, historically, a deficiency in learning how to master fast court training. Spanish

players often play too deep in the court, don’t take the ball on the rise enough, and are simply not very comfortable on fast courts. Modern Spanish academies are redressing these flaws by incorporating more fast court style training and by installing more fast courts and training on hard courts more frequently. Rafael Nadal Academy in Mallorca, Equelite in Villena, and Barcelona Total Tennis in Barcelona are good examples of academies that have adopted this approach. Bruguera and Sanchez-Casal have incorporated hardcourt training in their curriculum for decades too. The key is not just playing on hard courts, but working on shortening swings, quick preparation, and developing an aggressive strike early mentality. Toni Nadal, whom I have studied with extensively, has been a leader in this trend. He firmly believes that the future of Spanish Tennis is a combination of traditional consistency built on the slow red clay, and an aggressive mentality and attack mindset honed on faster hard courts.

I hope this article has crystallized for the reader what Spanish tennis coaches do well and the areas where I think they need to improve. I have tried to build on the strengths of the traditional Spanish system in my academy here in the United States by improving the philosophy and approach, and redressing the flaws as I see them. In general, when looking for a good Spanish style of training for your kid, be sure to consider whether the system is modern and evolving the Spanish Way, or rigidly adhering to an outdated article classical approach.

Chris Lewit is a former number one for Cornell and a 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 trains players during the school year in the NYC area, and players come from around the country to his summer camp in the paradise of Vermont. He may be reached by phone at (914) 462-2912, e-mail ChrisLewit@gmail.com or visit ChrisLewit.com.

NYTennisMag.com • June 2020 • New York Tennis Magazine

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Q&A With Douglas Henderson

By Michael Forte

ouglas Henderson’s 2010 book, Endeavor to Persevere: A Memoir on Jimmy Connors, Arthur Ashe, Tennis and Life, chronicles his life growing up in the Bronx in the late1960’s, discovering his love for tennis and being involved with some of the greatest players of all-time, including body guarding for Jimmy Connors.

Henderson, a New York City native, now works as a lawyer at a trust and estates firm in Manhattan, and spent 18 US Opens with Connors. I sat down with Henderson to discuss his book and life in tennis.

D

Forte: How did you first become involved in tennis?

Henderson: When I was in high school at Horace Mann, I played on the varsity football, basketball and baseball teams.

I was pretty good at them and felt I needed a new challenge. In the July of 1974 I watched Jimmy Connors play Ken Rosewall in the Wimbledon finals, I had never seen tennis like that! My idea of tennis was a wealthy sport for the “elite”, but Connors brought attitude to the game!

That summer I signed up for summer camp tennis at my high school with Skip Hartman, I had only played the sport a few times in gym class. I asked Skip to 62

play one day and he told me, “sure, on the condition that the loser has to clean up the court!”

I played tennis nearly every day and read every article and book I could find.

I met a guy named Bill Brown who suggested, if I’m really interested in tennis, I go to the US Open. So, I did, me and my buddies went – it was much cheaper back then – down to the Open, it was still being held at West Side Tennis Club in those days. There was a gate for club members and we managed to befriend the guards enough to let us enter that way into the clubhouse. We went in, hung out in the men’s locker room watching Chris Evert on the practice court down below, and a voice from behind us called out, “hey, mind if I come watch?” It was Jimmy Connors! We couldn’t believe it! He was the nicest guy to us, [he] didn’t even know us but Jimmy got us in to watch his match; I grabbed his bags for him and walked him to the court.

1976 when he beat Bjorn Borg in a great final; that’s when it was played on clay!

Jimmy lost in ‘77 to Guillermo Vilas—all the while we were friends. In 1978, it moved to Flushing Meadows and changed to “cement”; Connors won that first tournament there. I was with him until his last tournament in 1992, around 18 US Opens!

And that’s how you started working for Jimmy?

Well, that’s how it started but it was more of a friendship. So, after he went on to win that tournament in 1974, he gave me his phone number to stay in touch. The next year rolled around and we met again at the Open—I was with him for that tournament, he lost in the final to Manuel Orantes. I worked with him for 1974 and 1975, and then in

What’s the most unique experience working with and being a friend of Jimmy has brought you?

There was the time we came back to the hotel after a day at the Open and President Nixon was there! Jimmy introduced me and his wife to him. I was never a fan of his politics, but he was still a former president! The next morning, I went down to the lobby to get the daily paper and I hear someone call my

New York Tennis Magazine • June 2020 • NYTennisMag.com

Your book is filled with many fascinating stories, some of them unbelievable, what inspired you to write it?

I’ve always liked writing; I was a writer in high school and college. I’ve actually ghost written five or six books on health and nutrition and I’ve written for magazines and newspapers. I feel like I was privileged enough to live through the “Golden Era” of tennis, with so many fascinating individuals, like Ilie Nastase from Romania: so unbelievably talented and entertaining, he also became a good friend. I felt it was time to get my story out to people.

Jimmy practiced with Vitas every day. The draw came out and we see he’s playing McEnroe—not John, but his brother Patrick. The stadium was full, and Jimmy was down two sets and 0-4, but he somehow came back. The crowd got behind him and he was pumping himself up. In the Round of 16, he beat Aaron Krickstein in one of the classic matches ever, 7-6 in the fifth set. In the quarterfinals he played and beat Paul Haarhuis in a tremendous night match. But father time is undefeated, and he ran out of gas and lost to Jim Courier in the semifinals.

But it was the most incredible run, to do that at 39years-old was completely remarkable. He’s called it the best tournament of his career, and he didn’t even win it!

name, and I turned around it was Nixon! What impressed me was that my back was to him, he could’ve just kept walking by me, but he saw fit to call me over and that always stuck with me.

In your book you also speak extensively about Arthur Ashe. Tell me about your relationship with him and how his passing affected you?

I met Arthur Ashe over the phone, actually; his number was listed in the Manhattan directory! In 1975 I called him, and we started talking and developed a good relationship. When I was with Connors at the Open that yea, he played and won his firstround match and Arthur was the next match on. He came on court and looked at me in the stands—you have to understand that there weren’t that many black people around in tennis at the time. I always imagined Arthur was thinking “man, I knew Connors was crazy but damn, what is going on here?” But out of that, we developed a great relationship that lasted right up until his death.

He wrote my college recommendation for Clark University, my first college!

Arthur and I remained close through the years; we always spoke at least once a week. He announced to the world that he had AIDS in April 1992, but I had already known—Jimmy had told me. Through my research and some of the books I had ghost written on alternative medicines, vitamins, minerals and that sort of thing, I knew a doctor who was seemingly treating and curing patients of AIDS. I told Arthur about this, before his announcement, and Arthur didn’t believe it. He met with the guy but never went through with the treatment. We were really close, he died on February 6. That Thursday before, I called him and his voice was really weak, we spoke for only 15 minutes and that was the last time I spoke to him, it was really sad.

I’d say Arthur was the most intelligent athlete we ever had, both on and off the court. I think he could’ve been a senator or run for president. He was principled and took a stand for what he believed in. He stood against apartheid in South Africa when no one else would. One of the first things Nelson Mandela did when he got out of jail was say he wants to speak to Arthur!

What was living the 1991 US Open with Jimmy like?

So, a bit of back story first: Connors took the 1990 US Open off due to a wrist injury, but he decided almost last minute that he wanted to play in 1991.

He needed match practice, so we went up to New Haven to play the warm-up event there. Jimmy lost first round to MaliVai Washington in straight sets and it wasn’t close! So, we had dinner at the hotel that night; Vitas Gerulaitis was there. Jimmy said to me, “if I get on a roll, someone is gonna get hurt at the Open”.

So, we went down to the Open and

What advice do you have for people graduating high school or college and starting their adult careers?

I was always a big fan of the late, great Richard Pryor—Jimmy and I would watch his films from time to time. He and his wife Patti ran into Richard Pryor at a restaurant in Los Angeles, and got him to send me an autograph. It says, “To Doug, enjoy life”. I really, really think that coupled with a quote from a great professor of mine at Sarah Lawrence College named Joseph Campbell, “follow your bliss”. It’s important to realize all that glitters is not gold”. It’s the simple things in life that make it worth living. Everybody wants to be a master, but nobody wants to be an apprentice!

You have to be an apprentice before you can be a master.

Michael Forte is a certified USPTA Professional and USPTR 10 & Under professional who currently works at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

He is a journalism/philosophy double major at CUNY Lehman College where he plays #1 singles for the men’s team.

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