Tennis League Network Blog

8 years and 502 tennis matches later and this game still challenges, entertains and keeps me fit.

2012-01-25T07:11:00.000-08:00

2009 National Championship

My name is Steve Chagnon, the owner/lead administrator for the Tennis League Network (TLN), an online tennis community that matches players of similar levels. You might know the program as one of 30 city based programs: TennisDC.com, TennisLosAngeles.com or TennisNorthEast.com.

A quick background on me . . . I grew up being a sports fanatic. I had a childhood baseball addiction, which eventually led to my love of basketball through my 20's. Basketball is a great team sport but it's brutal on the ankles and knees. It's also quite humbling when you barely get into your mid-30's and you lose your outside shot. Through the years tennis was always in the background but it took front and center when I entered my 30's and my basketball skills faded.

For me, the beautiful thing about tennis is that there really was only one period where I got pretty good. At my first job out of college with EMC Corporation, a co-worker and I would hit the courts once a week, to just hit around or play matches. Within a few short months we both had elevated our games to a point where winners were becoming commonplace and playing rallies was the norm. This was all lost when I ended up leaving the company. No more partner. No more tennis.

It took about 7 more years before I found a local program and started to play competitive singles matches. But the program had some major flaws, mainly that it relied on postal mail to connect players together, phone calls to post score updates. Things moved slowly, if they moved at all. Eventually, they stopped moving, and the league was entirely shut down.

2010 National Championship

So, the concept for TLN the program grew out of my continued desire to compete in a fun and engaging sport. That’s what tennis is. It doesn’t matter how old you are or how athletic – just get out on the tennis court and you can see improvements within a short period of time. All you need is either a wall to hit against, an instructor or a tennis partner. The program's true foundation is that we find you passionate tennis players who love the sport of tennis to meet up with you, a “stranger to them”, on the courts. Call us the match-maker of the online tennis world. But it’s not a singles group and there's no dating, just the initial awkwardness of meeting up with a new potential tennis friend. This leads to exchanging forehands and backhands and hopefully lots of rallies.

    So TennisNorthEast.com was born, the Metro Boston Tennis League - the first, the original, and now the 3rd biggest community in the 30-city network. The program and its format has changed dramatically over the years, with constant feedback from the community, and implementing changes to make this the truest form of Flex League available. What’s all the fuss about, you ask? Play as much as you want during an 8 to 9 week season. If the first match was a barn-burner, then get out on the courts again and play a rematch.   Women who win 4 matches or men who win 5 matches during the regular season qualify for the playoffs. The single-elimination playoff format is where the champions are crowned. City champions are then eligible to go to our national championship, which is held yearly in November at the gorgeous Crandon Park Tennis Center in Key Biscayne, Florida.

   Time has passed since that first league kicked off. Here I am still playing, 502 matches later, with a marginal (at best) record of 251 wins and 251 losses with 3 losses in championship finals. I'm a struggling 3.5 player needing to hold serve way more often than I currently am. But, I'm constantly striving to improve aspects of my game as I still AIM to eventually win a championship. Spring is nearing and it's time to get physically prepared for the 2012 outdoor season. Sadly, for us up here in Boston, it doesn’t start until late April, unlike the players in LA, Orange County, and most southern cities where they get to play outdoors year round.

    This year, Tennis League Network will surpass its 100,000th match played. The program has evolved over the years and will continue to evolve, by listening to the community, which is the only way to make sure we're trying to deliver the best product possible. Though I have my own 502 matches under my belt, I certainly intend to keep going, and think 1,000 matches is a good target. By the time I reach it, perhaps a player in Los Angeles or Orange County will have surpassed me. If you get there before me, then a lifetime membership in the program will be yours. Good luck!

                            -Steven Chagnon
                            Owner and Lead Administrator
                            Tennis League Network, llc

TLN to Test Team Tennis Format in 2012

2011-12-28T12:42:00.000-08:00

In 1974, Billie Jean King co-founded World Team Tennis, the groundbreaking co-ed professional tennis league. She followed up with the World Team Tennis Recreational League, one of the most popular recreational tennis formats in the U.S.

In the spring of 2012, Tennis League Network (TLN) will also launch team tennis programs of its own--on a pilot basis--in Boston and Washington, DC. This is essentially “a beta test to see if see if we can create a format that we can take nationwide by the fall,” says Steve Chagnon, League Administrator.

What is Team Tennis? In professional tennis, it is a coed professional league played in the United States with a unique team format. Each match consists of five sets. Each set features a different configuration (men's singles, men's doubles, women's singles, women's doubles, and mixed doubles). Before the match, coaches decide the order in which the sets will be played. Each player on a team usually plays in at least one of the five sets.

Here’s how TLN’s Team Tennis will work:
Overview: We'll place you on a team of 3-5 players who on Saturday mornings meet up with another team to play. Over a 6 week season 4 singles and 2 doubles matches will be played + playoffs. The mini-matches will be 8 game pro-sets, so that the commitment is limited to about 2 hours.

Spring Season Start: Sat. April 29th, 10AM start time* and will run for 6 weeks, with an extra week for rain out. Playoff lengths will depend upon the number of teams that qualify. No more than 8 teams and 3 weeks.

How will teams be formed?: League administrator will create teams from the roster of the players who are enrolled, as in a draft. Each team will have players from various levels on it (for example, A-level, B-level, C, etc.). Each team will have at least 1 female player (preferably two). Each team will have 5 players on it to ensure that 4 players will be available for each match. We anticipate having an extensive sub list to help when more than one teammate can't make a certain week. We will attempt to honor requests for a particular teammate, but will not accept a full team for this first season.

Format: 4 singles matches start the day. The captains will order their singles players from A to D and match them up with their opponent’s A thru D players. For the singles match, at least 1 player per team must be female.** These matches will be 8 game pro sets, where a tie-breaker is played for the match at 7-7. Upon completion of these matches, two doubles matches (A & B) will be played where once again at least one of the players needs to be a female player.

Team Scoring: The winner of each match will be assigned a team point. 6 points are up for grabs. If the two teams are tied at 3 points then the tie-breaker will be the team with the best game score. If they are still tied then the match will be called a tie.

Player's Expectation: To be part of this program, you should want to be part of the fun of the tennis team format and meet new people who love tennis. 'Winner take all type” players need not apply. You also need to be flexible and be comfortable with meeting up at any of the courts suggested. The league will try it's best to have a North and South Division, which will greatly reduce the travel times for players.

Captain's Expectation: You are the heart-beat of the team. Your job will be to be in contact with your team and maybe even set up a time to meet up before the first match. On Thursday you should be in contact with the other captain and have the location picked out. You should also know who won't be able to make it, and fill any team needs you have by using the sub list. Captains will also be expected to bring 4 NEW cans ($15) of balls to each match and will have 'collect ball' dues from their team. Winning team takes home the 4 unopened can of balls. Doubles matches will use the singles matches balls.

Big Note: We are NOT going to rely on the tennis clubs to play these matches, so we are going to avoid a significant cost. But, we're also going to be at the whim of the weather. There's a strong chance that several matches won't be able to be played at the Saturday morning time set aside. The captains should be in contact with each other to try to schedule an alternative time or maybe play indoors. By April, the indoor court costs do come down a bit. If this option is chosen, then the players will be expected to cover the court costs.
_____________________________________________________________________

“16-LOVE,” an Indie Teen Comedy about Junior Tennis

2011-12-21T14:01:00.001-08:00

“16-LOVE,” an indie teen comedy about junior tennis, is scheduled to appear in theaters, on video on demand, and online January 20^th.

“16-LOVE” tells the story of 16-year old Tennis Ace, Ally Mash (Lindsey Shaw of the recently released “The Howling” and “Pretty Little Liars”), who lives and breathes the game until a twisted ankle lands her with hot rookie, Farrell Gambles (Chandler Massey of “Days of Our Lives”). She makes him a champion, and he shows her what true “Love” is.

The cast and crew of “16-LOVE” are poised for the premiere on January 16^th in San Diego—the heart of where the movie was filmed. Drawing on tennis clubs, professionals, and amateurs in the San Diego area, “16-LOVE” is filled with hard-hitting action and a great love story too.

Tennis programs stand to benefit from the “16-LOVE” premiere too. High school tennis teams and other tennis organizations closest to the theaters are selling tickets to the film to earn their programs’ 25% of ticket sales from the “16-LOVE” Will to Thrill fundraiser.

“16-LOVE” recently premiered a “Making of 16-LOVE” special on the Tennis Channel that can now be viewed on Youtube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEstWtzVCpk along with their trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqZik9It1GU

For more information about events scheduled around the film please visit www.16-Love.com.

It Was the Best of Times for TennisOC Fall Season 2011

2011-12-13T06:37:00.000-08:00

It was the best of times for Tennis OC (Orange County). The fall season was the most successful season in the entire Tennis League Network’s 8-year history.

So many matches played…so many players playing…so many records broken. So many playoff qualifiers. And so much fun! All in just 10 weeks. Here's what went down:

• 389 matches played between 67 players, an average of 11.6 matches per player!
• 8 players got free seasons for playing 20 or matches.
Alan Kuhn played a whopping 33 matches. http://tennisoc.com/info/MatchesInSeason.
• 37 of 67 players qualified for the playoffs. 55% of the players in the season.

Clearly, everyone loves tennis in TennisOC:

This program is great for all of us who are trying to get back in the game. I think this is a great place to meet other tennis lovers. -E. Valdez, member Since 07/19/11

I had been trying to find a way back into tennis...I'm so glad I found the Tennis League Network and Tennis OC! My game is coming back.
--S. Maki, member since 05/11/09

I have found some great matches and players. Everyone has been very flexible. It's a great league! I plan on playing for years to come.
- R. Baker, member since 03/15/10

Well, the fall season has ended, but the fun in the sun isn’t over yet. (see the link below.) The New Tennis OC seasons begins January 3. So, if you are in the OC league, you can enroll now. The rest of us here on the East Coast will just have to wait until spring.

http://youtu.be/nEGAAUpvm-M

Rafael Rios: A (Tennis) Tale of Two City Championships

2011-12-04T05:25:00.000-08:00

What began as a “filler sport” for Rafael Rios led him to being a different kind of 2-time champion. Although it has been done before, it’s a feat to win just one championship, let alone two. What hasn’t been done is for one of our players to spread a tennis footprint from Tennis NorthEast in the Boston area all the way to Tennis New York. Apparently, this 4.0 player is a tennis champion wherever he goes. Which makes him an unusual Tennis League Network (TLN) player, and the only one of his kind.
So what league is he actually a member of? It depends on when you ask him. “I’m a current member of Tennis NewYork, and a former member of Tennis NorthEast. I’ve been a TennisNewYork league member since July 2011, when I switched over from the Tennis NorthEast League, which I had joined in July of 2010. I was relocated to New York this year for work and immediately switched leagues. I pushed my way through some solid competition in this league and was happy to come out on top again in the Summer 2011 season. I think from all my playing with Tennis NorthEast, I was well prepared for the competition in Tennis New York.” (How does the song go? If I can make it there, I’ll make it anywhere…

It’s up to you - New York, New York)
Rafael learned about the Tennis League Network from James Lee, a fellow league member in Tennis NorthEast. “We were both in the same work league (Raytheon Tennis League) and he suggested I join Tennis NorthEast for the larger pool of players and increased level of competition. I did just that and have been enjoying it since.”

After joining Tennis NorthEast in July 2010, he quickly jumped from a 3.25 to a 3.5 level. “Not having played competitively since high school, I was very rusty at first, but quickly got better and better with each match. By the end of the fall season, I was back in form and winning most matches. I also started playing the 4.0 division to with some success.” At season’s end, Rafael was playing only a couple of times a month due to a hectic work schedule that involves a lot of travel. “But when I first started last year, I could not get enough. Between Tennis NorthEast and my work league, I’d sometimes play two matches in the same day and do it all again two days later. That was one factor, I think, that led to an ankle injury in August, 2010, which put me out for a good six months. “Steve (TLN Admin) graciously allowed me to get back into playing shape before finally playing our Finals match in April of 2011.”

When did Rafael start playing tennis?
“I started playing tennis my sophomore year in high school (2003 for Billerica Memorial High School). Before that year, I had never picked up a tennis racquet in my life. Growing up, my sports were always soccer in the spring/summer, soccer or football in the fall, and basketball in the winter. In high school I stuck with soccer, but I needed a filler sport for the spring. I tried doing track as a freshman but hated it and switched to tennis the next year. By my senior year I made captain and was playing second/third singles. I finished my senior year with a 13-2 record and our team made it to the state tournament.”

When he graduated high school in 2005, he went to college at Massachusetts Maritime Academy-- a school that had no tennis team (can you imagine?)-- but “I played on and off my four years there, mostly with friends, and training up my brother, who was three grades behind me and still on the high school team. “ He took a year off from tennis in 2009, when he started his current job with Raytheon. “After that year I noticed that the working world was making me fat and lazy, so I decided to pick up tennis again and started looking for leagues because I wanted to stay in shape. And because I love the sport.”

So, Rafael, what are your memorable league matches?

“I’ve had many memorable matches both good and bad. From Tennis NorthEast, one of the most memorable matches was with Don Tran in the summer playoffs. I’ve played more matches with Don than with anyone else (most of them off-the-record), and when we play it always seems to be a chess match-- picking at each other’s weaknesses, with a constant ballet of drop shots, lobs, and cross court forehands. I took the first set 6-4 on a few lucky points that helped me break his serve. In the second set, I think I won the first few games outright and then sort of relaxed, feeling like I could coast the rest of the set.

“This proved to be a mistake, since Don is a guy who brings it all on every point. He ended up tying up the games and at that point you mentally start to break down and play ‘not to lose’ rather just playing your game. By the third set I was so worn out and demoralized that he made quick work of me, 6-1. It’s matches like those that teach me the most and help improve my game. I make it a point now to try and play like I’ve got nothing to lose and just play hard every point, regardless of the score. Tennis is an awesome game of momentum and mental toughness.”

In Tennis NewYork, two very memorable matches have come against Christian Roumain and Orlando Jones (who was also profiled in this blog in October). I’ve played two 10- game pro set matches against Chris and in both I was down something like 5-1 and came back to win. Those were long rally matches where the points came from forcing opponent errors rather than winners. My only match against Orlando was in this summer’s playoffs. Lucky for me, that day I was nailing my first serves and it seems that I hit every line edge about ten times. I’m really looking forward to playing him again.”

Rafael’s biggest league rivalries “still remain in Tennis NorthEast with the likes of Jeff MacMonagle, Don Tran and James Lee. As I mentioned, I’ve played more off-the-record matches with Don Tran and, no matter the occasion, we always battle long and hard; I’ve had some of my best wins and losses with him. Same goes for Jeff in terms of intensity. Playing matches with James was always fun because his level of play was so high it just made you feel good when you finally took a game or two away from him, never mind a set.”

On the other hand, Rafael has begun “some good rivalries here with Tennis NewYork. As I described, my matches with Christian were epic in nature and Buddy Koehler and I play such similar styles that it’s like playing myself (very exhausting). Bernardo Gomes is also a very good hitter who I’m looking forward to playing some more.”

We can probably bet on the fact that Rafael has some other interesting rivalries -- outside the TLN leagues-- and inside the Rios League. “My younger brother, Billy, and my father became my default hitting partners as I learned the game, and Billy became a very good player. We played together my senior year in high school. Admittedly, he has beaten me on many occasions and is one of my personal motivators, as well as a rival; but luckily also one of my best friends. As soon as he graduates, I will personally see to it that he joins the league so that we may have our matches on record and finally settle who is the better player!”

Rafael looks forward to continuing to be an active member in Tennis New York. “I have really enjoyed my experience thus far. I hope to make the trip down to Miami next year and play in the National Tourney. And I hear that there’s a Raytheon in San Diego… who knows… maybe my job will send me there next and I’ll shoot for 3 Championships in 3 Cities. (Ha Ha)

Watch out Tennis League San Diego!

Orlando Jones Is “Hooked” on Tennis New York

2011-10-14T09:08:00.000-07:00

Tennis wasn’t always the primary sport for Orlando Jones, a 4.0 player in the Tennis New York league. It was actually a backup to another sport that requires a solid swing-- baseball. Even so, he helped to save the high school tennis program. Then other sports netted his interest.

“I started playing tennis in high school, when I didn't make the JV baseball team my freshman year. The tennis program was going to get cut unless they recruited more people to play, so I signed up. I played baseball the next year, but played tennis my junior and senior year. I didn't play at all in college because I wasn't that serious, and ended up playing rugby. But once I joined the Tennis New York league in the spring of '09, I became hooked. I guess I like the one-on-one competition. Just me out there, all by myself, nobody else to help me.”

Orlando has participated in NYC League for about two years, and, like many Tennis League Network (TLN) players, he learned about it through the Internet. Could there be a more ringing endorsement than this? Says Orlando:

“What I like most about the league is that it provides a way to play competitive tennis against other people. The league does a great job of matching up players of similar skill levels so that the matches are usually a lot of fun. It's almost like you're a pro because there are rankings and playoffs and a national tournament.”

Orlando is modest about his tennis. Although he is currently ranked 4.0 by the league, “I would consider myself a 3.75.” He tries to play as often as possible, and usually gets out on the courts twice a week. But wait until you hear what he does out there! He is highly competitive with an astounding—and inspiring-- will to win.

In all of our profiles, TLN asks the players about their most memorable matches, good and bad. The match Orlando describes here will be memorable for all of us because it’s so competitive and it demonstrates how a will to win can produce results. In his own words:

“The most memorable match I had was the League 3.5 Fall 2010 championship I played in against Karthik Elango. He had beaten me earlier in the season fairly handily, so I had a chip on my shoulder.

“ We had to wait 6 months to play the championship match since we weren't able to play it in the Fall. So when we finally got around to scheduling the match I was fairly ready. The championship was important, but my main objective was avenging my loss from the regular season. When we finally started the match, it started off exactly as our previous match had. He and I were evenly matched, holding and breaking, until I was finally to win the game that really mattered, the final game of the 1st set 7-5.

“ For some reason, my serve, which had been pretty much non-existent, was working that day and it was my ace in the hole. The second set went pretty much the same way until we were tied at 4-4. At this point, we would get into long rallies on every point and it was starting to take its toll. Luckily, I was quick enough to run down most of his shots, even though they should have been winners, and it was beginning to frustrate him.

“ So my opponent decided to change his strategy and started to put some air on all of his shots. This worked extremely well because it effectively nullified my ability to approach the net, where I was hitting most of my winners, and was causing me to rush my shots and start making errors. Eventually, I was broken and lost the 2nd set 6-4.

“During the break, we both sat down and joked about how much longer each of us could go. It wasn't that it was hot or humid, but as any tennis player knows, two hours of closely contested, long rally tennis can take it out of any recreational player. I didn't think about winning the match, I just said to myself that if he was going to beat me on this day, he was going to have to play the game of his life and hit all winners because I wasn't going to let him get any points easily. Winners or nothing.

“ As we walked to our sides for the 3rd and final set, we smiled and I said, "Well here we go...". As I got to the baseline, all I could think about was my service motion. That's it. Not strategy, not my opponent, just my service motion. I was so tired, but I willed myself to keep going. I had waited six months to play this guy and redeem myself, and I wasn't going to break down like last time.

“And what happened next was nothing short of spectacular. I served the best set of tennis in my life. Time after time, I was cracking first serves like nobody's business. There was no aim involved, this was me just hitting a serve as hard as I could over and over again, and hoping it would land in the box.

And luckily for me on that day, they were going in. I was winning my service games with my serve, and he was winning his games through sheer grit and determination.
“Finally, after winning yet another service game to bring it to 5-4, I realized that all I needed to do was break and I would win the match. I got to the baseline and reminded myself that I was going to make him hit winners to beat me. Once again we played another tight game.

“ Backhand pass down the line and he goes up 15-0. I hit a volley at the net for a winner to tie it up 15 all. I hit a ball wide during a long rally to put him up 30-15. I hit a forehand slice that dies before he can get to it to tie it up at 30 all. During the next rally, I hit an inside out forehand to his backhand and rush the net for another forehand volley to get to match point. The ensuing point goes into another extended rally.

“Each of us is making sure to keep the ball in the court, hoping that the other would make the error so that we could win the point. Eventually I hit a cross court forehand to his forehand, which he hits back right into the middle of court halfway between the service line and the baseline. I wind up and just whip a forehand down the middle, figuring that even if I lose the point, we still have to go to deuce.

"The ball bounces up on his side and he hits a forehand that sails towards my backhand corner. I watch as the ball just continues to sail, eventually past the baseline. As I watch it finally bounce long, I breathe a sigh of relief and do a very small fist pump. I had avenged myself, and for the league championship to boot. 7-5, 4-6, 6-4.”

Wow…congrats Orlando! It’s easy to see why this clearly this was a memorable match. He can recall almost every point! But good recall can also have its downside, because “… I can remember all of my losses. I hate to lose, so that usually sticks with me for a while. There are 13 of them so far, so I'd be here for hours writing about them.” A quick note: Orlando is 5-3 for the fall season.

“As for rivals, I would say I'm rivals with Pranav Kabra, Esu Manzano and Buddy Koehler. I play those guys a fair amount, so it's always a good match whenever we meet up. I would list Jason Schatz also, but I haven't beaten him yet. But believe me, I'm working on that.”

As a “young bachelor living and loving life in Brooklyn,” there is no family that plays tennis, but a few of his friends do.

“When I'm not playing tennis, I'm either watching the pros (and almost any other sport), playing sports, cooking up a storm (I love to eat) or reading some good books (I've been reading a lot of books on Bushido these days).

But back to tennis. “The league is great, I just wish everyone who signed up would be serious about getting out and playing. Many times, you have people who sign up and then never play. Seems like a waste of money to me. But that's not the league’s fault.

“And for the record, most people call me O.J.” And also for the record, he’s a killer on the tennis court!

Admin Note: Playing tennis in NYC is so difficult in comparison to all the other cities in the US. The city has so few courts and most of them don't have lights for the million of people in the city. More often than not, players can only get an hour of court time and they will be booted off the courts after the hour. This is no way to really play a singles match. Also add in the fact that the Parks and Rec decided to double the tennis pass fee to $200 just for the rights to use the courts. Basically a grim scenario for people who love to play tennis in the city. But, even through all that our NYC players continue to connect up on the courts to play the game they love.

Benoit Benaibbouche: Jouer au Tennis, Anyone?

2011-09-20T08:45:00.000-07:00

Although he hails from the land of Lacoste, Gael Monfils, Marion Bartoli, Nicolas Mahut, and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Benoit Benaibbouche didn’t take up tennis until he moved to the United States--land of Fish, Roddick, Isner and Williams. He says he loves Tennis-Miami for a number of reasons:
“I like the competition, and meeting players. Even in a match you never know what to expect. The excitement is playing people you never met before. That makes it interesting. And why else?

“I love the league. It’s very well organized, and I have never had a bad experience . Everyone is fair, honest and respectful. ”

Benoit learned about the league when he went online to the West Side Tennis Miami partner program. He contacted Steve, who suggested playing in the league. It’s clear that Tennis Miami has netted a pretty good player. He’s an Advanced 4.0 player who’s on a tennis court an average of 3-4 times a week.
Moreover, many matches, only one isn’t really a positive memory—a match that was almost a win-- but wasn’t.
“I was playing against a player with 25 wins, and wasn’t even expecting to win. But I did get close. I won the first set; he won the second set. In the third set, we called it quits because it was too hot. (Remember--this was summer in Florida.) We played the third set another day. I was happy; I had a great match. On that night, we played another match right away; but I lost again. He was very honest to tell me that I was one of his toughest wins.” Seems like that last part makes for a good memory, non?
Benoit has one solid league rivalry. “I have one guy, Robert Duran, I play with a lot, since we both have time during the day. We have similar games, so it’s always a lot of fun. He has a 4-3 record against me. And we have never finished a match in 2 sets. We always go to a third.”

Tell us something about yourself:

• When did you start playing tennis? “Three years ago I started playing intently. I always liked tennis.”

• What brought you to the United States?
I came to Miami from Paris when I was transferred by Omega Watches. I am a sales manager. • Do you have a family? “I have a wife and a child.” In fact, Benoit has had a hidden motive for encouraging his family to play tennis. “I got them to play tennis to justify all my time.” (Hah hah!) His wife has been playing regularly for six months and takes lessons. “I taught my son to play tennis, age 6. We play together and hit balls.”
The photos of Benoit shown here were taken last spring at a benefit tournament organized by the Italian Chamber of Commerce. “It was for a good cause…all the profits went to a charity association to help an Italian family with money for school.” Although it was filled up, “they said to come over on Saturday, when, sure enough, there were two no-shows. Doubles teams were grouped and there were a lot of day matches. We got to the final and the ‘prize’ was to play on central court at the Key Biscayne Crandon Park Tennis Center—just a month after the Sony Ericsson tournament....what a joy!”
OK, for those tennis players who miss a lot of shots and have to run around corralling tennis balls, here’s the best part: “We even had ball boys to pick up our balls--the guys we beat in the semifinals. We felt like pros! (And he looks like one in these photos, doesn’t he?)

Benoit is apparently an inspired competitor. “I’m going to apply to the November Tennis League Network national tournament. I believe I was in the playoffs last spring, so hope I can play in it.” Why not? He’s an avid Tennis-Miami promoter.
“It’s a great league. I try to get as many guys as I can. I especially like the player of the year incentive. The more people you refer, the more points you get. I suggest that we also get more points by playing, and that playoff players should get additional points. Getting points to be in a playoff is great incentive, along with a Tennis Warehouse gift certificate.

“It’s very well organized. I have referred 3 guys and wish I could refer more.”

That says it all, doesn’t it?

http://Tennis-Miami.com Miami / Dade County Tennis League

100+ Matches of Tennis for Valentin Ionescu-Tiba of TennisLosAngeles

2011-08-31T08:41:00.000-07:00

100 matches in 12 months? You have to be kidding. Nope. No joke.

Valentin Ionescu-Tiba has taken full advantage of his membership in TennisLosAngeles. More of us should do this, but we may not have the time or motivation to even approach that total.
This passionate player, who is in the men’s competitive2 3.25 division, began his Tennis League Network (TLN) “career” in Boston back in August, 2010, and then moved to Los Angeles a month later. He has now played 109 matches since he started with TLN, with a win-loss record of 15-8 for the summer season. Valentin also plays USTA matches and is in some other leagues. That’s one heck of a lot of tennis.

What does he like most about his Tennis Los Angeles league? For one thing, he likes the fact that it’s “exercising outdoors.” It also helps him “to focus and to improve.” Finally he likes “playing with diverse opponents with various styles of play.”
That takes us to the topics of memorable matches and rivalries.

Memorable match: Valentin's 100th league match on July 13, 2011, with Dennis Cisterna in the summer 2011 season, when he “won easily after losing to Dennis in the 2010 Winter final match.” Good goin’ Valentin.
Another was last fall when he and Jeremy Lange were trying to complete their match “before the showers got worse.” (It’s a good thing he doesn’t live on the Eastern Seaboard, where Hurricane Irene dumped more showers on us than we can handle, and wrecked everyone’s weekend tennis plans. That’ll be a memory for sure.)
On to the rivalries. There are several: Gustavo Alfaro, Terrill Warren, Rubio Punzalan, Victor Kowalewski), Justin Kim, Sergio Ibarra, and Dennis Cisterna.

Overall, “The TennisLosAngeles league is excellent, Valentin says. “I am able to meet many players on my level. Playing tennis matches helped me to participate in a great activity after I moved to LA.”
Here’s more about this highly active TLN player.

He is a senior project manager with a technical consulting firm.
He began playing tennis “In my teenage years.”
He is married with no children.

And, he is “trying to find a way to get my wife on the court.” He wants to know: Does anyone have any suggestions?

If he is successful in getting her out there, that could that mean even more court time? Whoa, Valentin. Take it easy and get some rest!

Prateek Raturi--More Tennis, Please

2011-07-26T09:57:00.000-07:00

Prateek Raturi is always looking for more matches. In fact he’d like to play twice as often- 4 times a week instead of just two. He’s likely to find these matches as a member of Tennis NorthEast (Boston area). He joined about a year ago, when he heard about it from a friend, and has this to say about it:

“I have had a wonderful experience and have met some very good people. At the same time, I have taken my game to the next level.” It’s a pretty good level, too—3.5. In fact, he won the finals in 2010.

Prateek started playing tennis when he was 12 years old “but it was off and on after high school…

“I love the sport as it has a lot of class. Also, it teaches you to be mentally tough along with having a good game. The game needs to be won on the court and also in the mind.”

Any memorable matches?

“My league finals in 2010 fall was very memorable as it went 3 sets. I was playing an unorthodox player who would return everything and keep the point alive. I managed to come back after losing the first set and won the finals.”

He doesn’t have any particular league rivalries, “ but I do have very competitive matches with a few players.”

Prateek, a management consultant, is married to a wife who does not play tennis, and “my daughter is only 10 months old and keeps us busy,” which could explain why she isn’t on the tennis courts.

Look out, NorthEast players. This one-year member may meet you in the finals and be the champ two years in row!

Ron Novak- Into the Swing of It with Tennis Cleveland

2011-07-13T06:22:00.000-07:00

Ron Novak has been playing tennis for about three years, but he is really in the swing of it –and more svelte, too—since he joined TennisCleveland.com three years ago. He learned about it from a friend, and is high on the group because he gets to play new people instead of the same old gang. It gives him the opportunity to meet new people across the city that enjoy playing tennis.
“I play at a club in the winter and for the USTA season in the summer,” he adds. “This league provides me an opportunity to play others, rather than the guys I hit with all year at the club. The fact that each person has a different type of game also allows me the opportunity to improve my game…

He also likes the TLN format:

“One of the other things I like about this league is the three-set match. In USTA we play a ten point tie break and I think it leaves too much to chance to only score ten points to win a match. I prefer to have to play another set. This allows for a few more mistakes, and means you have to be in really good shape.”

So what happened three years ago that brought him to tennis? Actually it was a business trip back home to Texas, where he had been living for 10 years (Dallas) before the move to Cleveland.

“One of the guys I worked with retired and didn't play golf. We got together to hit some balls. He is about 70 and has been playing his whole life. His whipping inspired me to pick up the game and try to get better.

“My other motivation was to get in shape. I've lost over 30 pounds since I started and I am proud to say they pounds have stayed off. I feel like I am in the best shape since

getting out of school almost 20 years ago.”

Do you have any other comments about your experiences with the league?

“Meeting new people since I am not from the area has been a great experience. The different type of players and the different skill levels have helped me improve my game.”

He must be improving fast because, after taking up the game three years ago, he is already a 3.0 player, working hard to reach 3.5. He has taken some private lessons, and he is a member of a local club. “I take group lessons in the winter and attend drills at least once a week when I am not travelling,” he explains.

”I am satisfied with my progress and I am working really hard to get to the 3.5 level. I need more consistency when playing in matches. Mostly, I have to stay mentally focused and work very hard to keep my feet moving to get in position to return the ball.”
What is his favorite shot?

“I really like hitting passing shots when my opponent comes to the next. My best shot is the unforced error,” he laughs.

My most memorable match? “Although I recently lost a close match in the third set, the three hour battle was a great workout,” says Ron, ever the fitness buff.

And here’s something we can all relate to:

“I learned pretty quickly that, unlike golf, the balls come back in tennis. Early on I found myself admiring a good shot, only to be out of position when the ball came back.”

(Gotta watch out for that, Ron!)

Ron is on the courts between two and four times a week, which probably offers him a nice break from his job as Human Resources Director at a Fortune 500 company. But he doesn’t take a break from his wife and daughter.

“They both play the game as well,” says Ron.

Ron does like to follow pro tennis, but his Wimbledon wishes didn’t come true. He had this to say about Wimbledon before it began:

“I am looking forward to attending the US Open for the second year in a row. We have now made it a family tradition to head to New York for Labor Day weekend. I like to watch Roger, Rafa, Andy and Novak on the men's side. And, I like watching Maria, Caroline and Samantha Stosur on the women's side. My guess is Rafa will win Wimbledon, but it would be cool to see Rodger win another major, or even Andy Murray win in England.
It would be really cool to see Maria win at Wimbledon again as she has not played at the highest level since her shoulder injury.”

Maybe next year, Ron.

The Wait is Over--Wimbledon Starts on Monday

2011-06-15T10:24:00.000-07:00

Wimbledon, one of the most famous sports events in the world, begins Monday and continues through Sunday, July 3. You can learn everything about this year’s tournament here:

http://www.wimbledon.com/en_GB/index.html.

For the most part, players are entered automatically according to their world rankings. But this year there are two exceptions on the women’s side.

Serena Williams is seeded 7th, even though her ranking is 26. This exception is well deserved, since she was ranked first a year ago, when she left tennis because of a foot injury, and then blood clots in her lung. Additionally, she not only won Wimbledon last year, but 3 other times as well. That makes her a four-time winner and without dispute deserving of a place among the top 10 seeds.

The other exception is her sister Venus, who, though she ranks 33, is seeded 23. She, too, was out with a hip injury for most of this season. Venus has won Wimbledon 5 times! Just so you know, women’s #1 Caroline Wozniacki is seeded first, as is men's #1, Rafael Nadal.

One of the real disappointments for many people is that Kim Clijsters was forced to withdraw because of a foot injury she sustained at the recent Unicef Open in the Netherlands, played last week. That leaves things wide open, even with a likely rusty Serena Williams in the mix.

The top 10 seeds are :

1 Caroline WOZNIACKI (DEN) [1]

2 Kim CLIJSTERS (BEL) [2]

3 Vera ZVONAREVA (RUS) [3]

4 Na LI (CHN) [4]

5 Victoria AZARENKA (BLR) [5]

6 Maria SHARAPOVA (RUS) [6]

7 Francesca SCHIAVONE (ITA) [7]

8 Serena WILLIAMS (USA) [26]

9 Petra KVITOVA (CZE) [8]

10 Marion BARTOLI (FRA) [9]

The top ten male seeds are:

1 Rafael NADAL (ESP) [1]

2 Novak DJOKOVIC (SRB) [2]

3 Roger FEDERER (SUI) [3]

4 Andy MURRAY (GBR) [4]

5 Robin SODERLING (SWE) [5]

6 Tomas BERDYCH (CZE) [7]

7 David FERRER (ESP) [6]

8 Andy RODDICK (USA) [10]

9 Gael MONFILS (FRA) [8]

10 Mardy FISH (USA) [9]

So keep your eye on the Wimbledon ball. It should be two weeks of inspiring tennis for us TLN folks.

Opening round matches will be televised on ESPN 2 from 7 a.m.-5 p.m., and if you happen to have Tennis Channel, matches are repeated at night at both 7 and 11 p.m. If you can’t see matches on TV, there is plenty of opportunity to follow matches on the website, where you can see live scores and video replays of matches. You can see streaming video of matches at www.espn3.com and at www.fromsport.com

Troy Ngo - Getting Fit with Tennis OC in the California Sun

2011-05-17T12:20:00.000-07:00

Troy Ngo, a resident of sunny California, has played in the OC League since July, 2009.
Like many of us, Troy learned about TennisOC from a friend playing in the program.He started playing tennis just 6 years ago. Troy today is a 3.25 to 3.5 player who is on the courts two to three times a week.

“I liked tennis when I was a kid,” says Troy, “but I never had the chance to play. As I got older, I knew it was time to get some exercise.

So I thought about tennis. Then I started to learn and to play tennis. Best of all, it is great for fitness.”

What Troy appreciates most about TLN is the flexibility in scheduling matches and the opportunity to play matches with different players. Apparently, some of those matches have been quite memorable—good and bad.

“Yes, one of the matches lasted for about 2 1/2 hours. I won that one. Another match was getting tough. After we had one set each, my opponent argued for any balls I called out. The most unusual was the match in which my opponent just walked around and relaxed for about 2 minutes after 3-3 in the third set. And then, after leading 5-3, he just walked to the water fountain, which was two courts away, and then came back to play as if nothing had happened. I lost this match.”

Any league rivalries? "Yes. Phil Rabalais is one of them; we have taken turns defeating each other for over a year."

Troy has had many positive experiences in Tennis OC. He explains:

“I have been able to find players and to make new friends through Tennis OC. Ron Baker and Kenny Nguyen are my hitting partners. Any time I call them, they are there for me. Playing with the OC league, I have improved my game a lot and I am now playing better. I would recommend the league to anybody.”

Troy’s family is a bit of a tennis family. “ My wife plays a little tennis, but my son, who is 13, has been playing tennis every week for 4 years now.” Who knows? When he’s old enough, maybe he’ll join his father in the OC league.

Nate Oinonen: A successful example of the Will to Win

2011-05-06T11:56:00.000-07:00

Nate Oinonen of Tennis Northeast is a bachelor with a great sense of humor and a passion for tennis. If love means nothing in tennis, it could have great significance in his future.

“... When I do get married,” says Nate, “if it's someone who loves tennis as much as me, I'd love to say our vows at the Tennis Hall of Fame grass courts (in Newport, RI). You know, so we could play a match after the ceremony. Obviously, Andre Agassi would officiate the wedding.

Until then, this DJ will continue to do his competitive best as a player in Tennis League Network (TLN), which he joined in 2008, when he saw a TLN flier. He has played in the Metro Boston league named TennisNorthEast.com ever since. He describes himself as a highly competitive player. And he is also much improved. His rating “was just recently bumped up from a 3.25 to a 3.5.” Does his competitiveness have anything to do with this improvement? You be the judge.

Nate will go to almost any length to win and he has some entertaining stories to tell about some of his TLN matches. Hear about those in his own words in this lively and candid Q & A, which should help you understand the relationship of his competitive will to win and his ultimate improvement.

TLN- How often do you play?

Nate- I play tennis almost every day. I play league matches about once a week in the winter and twice a week when it’s nice out.

TLN- What do you like most about it?

Nate- I like the competition. People really get into it. It’s fun to check out your stats online and see who you’re playing next.

TLN -Any memorable matches – good and bad?

Nate- Haha. Yes I have many. One of the best matches I’ve ever played was in the playoffs, fall, 2008. I played Matt Rogers, a good all around player with a nasty spin on his serve. The first set he destroyed me 6-1. He’s serve didn’t have much pace but I couldn’t return it with all that spin.

After losing the first set, I made up my mind that for the rest of the match I would play harder than I’d ever played tennis- or any sport for that matter, before. The next set went all the way to a tie-break which I won. In the third set, again, I gave everything I had. But Matt was just too good. He won the match after 3 hours of play at 6-1. 6-7, 6-4. I was disappointed but I knew I’d left nothing out there. Matt was just a better player. We had two other matches the next year, one of which I won.

Another great memory I had was playing in the 2011 National Championship (Key Biscayne, FL). I met a lot of cool people from other leagues around the country and I played pretty well throughout the weekend. After the first two days I had won 3 of 4 matches, which put me in the final day playing the unbeaten Karl Kuhnle.

I knew my chances were slim against this guy so I decided I would need to get in his head. That night in my hotel I googled Karl and looked for any advantage I could find. Well, I found it. The next day, while down in the match, I asked him about his pitching career with the 1908 World Series Champions, Chicago Cubs.

Karl played in the minors a few years back until he injured his shoulder, which subsequently ended his career. I think it’s actually the reason why he started play tennis. Anyway, I asked him about his pitching days in between changeovers and took some jabs at the Cubs whenever I could. It actually worked! His game started to slip! Even after the head games, I didn’t win. Karl was just too good for me. But I did get to a somewhat respectable 10-6 for the final score. I hope Karl doesn’t hate me- although I’d understand. I was sort of a punk. I definitely owe him a beer if he comes back to Miami this year.

TLN-Any league rivalries?

Nate-Other than Karl? Yes! My friend Jason Greenberg. We met through Tennis League a year ago and have played many matches since. Playing Jason is like playing an ugly, male version of Caroline Wozniacki. Like Wozniacki, he’s not the best when it comes to hitting winners but he is so damn consistent. He’ll get almost every ball back. Sometimes I’ll hit him a big inside out forehand to the back corner. Jason will be on the opposite side of the court but somehow chase it down. And he NEVER gets winded. I’m 2-7 against him officially but I’m pretty sure I’m 73-4 for the non-league matches we’ve played.

So, does this answer the question about Nate Oinonen’s competitiveness and his improvement as a player? I think it does. Do you agree? He gives a lot of credit to TLN.

TLN- We’d like to find out more about you. What is your occupation?
When I'm not playing tennis I'm DJ'ing. You can learn more about it at www.WhiteLabelDJs.net

TLN-What is your history with tennis?
As a kid, I grew up down the street from a tennis court. Tennis was the only sport I could really challenge my older brother at- so from then on, it was something I loved. But it was never really a constant in terms of playing regularly until about 4 years ago. At that point I decided I wanted to invest more time into it, instead of just playing a few times during summer. I started by hiring on my coach, Julian Mielniczuk. When I first met Julian, we were meeting three times a week. As someone who had never had a lesson before, I had a lot to learn. I don't do lessons often anymore but I still consider Julian my coach. He's always checking my standings, asking me about matches and sending me links to slow motion clips of Federer's backhand. I'm very thankful that I met Julian and I hope that I can hire him on full time when I finally make it to the pro circuit.

TLN- Do you have any other comments about your experiences with the league?

Nate-Just a big thank you to Steve Chagnon, who does a great job of making this all happen. He’s a swell guy and truly loves tennis. I’m very happy to be a part of the Tennis League Network and I hope to continue playing and improving every year.

Outdoor Tennis is Just Weeks Away- Improve Your Health, Burn Calories, Get Fit

2011-02-12T09:25:00.000-08:00

Some activities are just for fun. You already know this or you wouldn’t be part of Tennis League Network. But tennis offers so much more. It contributes to both your physical and mental health. There is so much you can read on this topic that you could probably burn up to 90 calories an hour just reading about it. If you read in bed and fall asleep, that’s about 60 calories more for doing nothing at all except breathe.

But, wait a minute. There's more to life than breathing. Get off the couch, put down that book, get out of bed, and get thee to a tennis court. That’s something members of our Tennis League Network are happy to do as soon as they can. Tennis compares pretty well with other activities.
That’s probably why tennis writers and television commentators so frequently talk about the “fitness” of tour players. Much of the time, it seems, the term “fit” is just a euphemism for fat or overweight, as well as being strong, in good condition, and without injury. Serena Williams, whose weight seems to go up and down like a piston, is a case in point. The tennis writers and commentators are still blabbing on and on about the 30 pounds dropped by Mardy Fish last year. Now at 6’2”, 180 lbs., Fish has begun to turn his career around, winning 2 titles each in 2010 and 2011.
For a person weighing 155 lbs. and 1 hour of activity, this is what it looks like:
Running 1267
Tennis, singles 563
Swimming laps, freestyle, slow 493
Walking 3.0 mph, moderate 232
Typing, computer data entry 106 (!!)

More specifically, in an article provided to the USTA by Dr. Jack L. Groppel, Ph.d. (and also published on Active.com), a study about this topic about concluded that people who choose to play tennis appear to have significant health benefits, including improved aerobic fitness, a lower body fat percentage, a more favorable lipid profile, a reduced risk for developing cardiovascular disease, and improved bone health.

So it’s no wonder that scientists and physicians worldwide view tennis as the most healthful activity to participate in. Other sports, undoubtedly, provide excellent health benefits, as well as stimulate mental and emotional growth. But no other sport received such acclaim for its great benefits; physically, mentally and emotionally.
Read more from lifemojo.com:

http://www.lifemojo.com/lifestyle/benefits-of-tennis-804161#ixzz1DHmwslAY

http://www.lifemojo.com/lifestyle/benefits-of-tennis-804161

You can also find more tennis information about tennis and health at the USTA Player Development Web site, http://www.playerdevelopment.usta.com/.

The Facts:

• People who participate in tennis three hours per week (at moderately vigorous intensity) cut their risk of death in half from any cause, according to physician Ralph Paffenbarger of Harvard University School of Public Health. (Paffenbarger not only studied over 10,000 people over a period of 20 years in his landmark 'College Alumni Health Study', but also finished over 150 marathons over the age of 45.)

• Tennis players scored higher in vigor, optimism and self-esteem while scoring lower in depression, anger, confusion, anxiety and tension than other athletes or non-athletes, according to Dr. Joan Finn and colleagues in a study done at Southern Connecticut State University.

• Since tennis requires alertness and tactical thinking, it may generate new connections between nerves in the brain and thus promote a lifetime of continuing development of the brain, reported scientists at the University of Illinois.

• Tennis outperforms golf, inline skating and most other sports in developing positive personality characteristics, according to Dr. Jim Gavin -- author of The Exercise Habit.

• Competitive tennis burns more calories than aerobics, inline skating, or cycling, according to studies on caloric expenditures.

Is it any wonder that scientists and physicians worldwide view tennis as the most healthful activity to participate in? Other sports may provide excellent health benefits, as well as stimulate mental and emotional growth. But no other sport received such acclaim for its great benefits physically, mentally and emotionally.

But wait. There’s more. In an article on heart and vascular health, the renowned Cleveland Clinic says this:

“Bjorn Borg, the stoic tennis-playing Swede who won five straight Wimbledon and six French Open singles titles, was famous for his calm, cool demeanor on the court. For a time, he was dubbed "Ice Borg." His conditioning was legendary, and so was his resting heart rate, a reported 45 beats per minute...

“Whether true or not, the story about Borg's tranquil cardiac tissue underscores an important point about tennis: playing it on a regular basis is good for your heart. It's also good for the body and mind. In fact, playing tennis on a regular basis produces physical, physiologic and psychological benefits.

On the other hand, probably few people recall that it wasn’t until she lost a lot of weight at age 22 that Lindsay Davenport began her ascent to the top of women’s tennis. Burning all the calories necessary to shed the extra pounds helped her to be a better mover on court and to burn away so many of her opponents.

So, TLN players, where do you stand with regard to fitness? Moving too slowly? Need to shed some pounds to increase your speed and stamina? Or so that your clothes fit better? Playing tennis on a regular basis is good for your body and mind. In fact, playing tennis on a regular basis produces physical, physiologic and psychological benefits.

Most spring seasons start in April. Do what you can to do now to get ready to play. Hit the gym, run, swim walk the dog and even shovel snow. And when you do play, you will not only have fun, but you will likely burn the calories that translate into pounds that can affect your health and keep you from playing your best tennis.

Which Seeds Will Grow in the Wimbledon Grass?

2011-02-12T08:54:00.000-08:00

Speculation about who will win the 2010 Championships Wimbledon, which begins on Monday, probably began right after last year, when it took five sets for Roger Federer to beat Andy Roddick,5-7, 7-6, 7-6, 3-6, 16-14, and just two sets for Serena Williams to beat her sister Venus, 7-6, 6-2. Typically, player seeding is aligned with ranking, and that’s true for Wimbledon, although there are some interesting departures, particulary in the top 10 seeds on the men’s side. Although Rafael Nadal has regained the #1 ranking over Roger Federer, Federer is seeded first, apparently because of his Wimbledon record of 6 wins. He’s going for his 7th, which would tie the record how held by Pete Sampras.

And, hey, Andy Roddick is the #5 seed! Reaching last year’s final is apparenty why Andy Roddick has been kicked up to the 5 spot,even though his ranking is #7. As 5th seed, Roddick edges out Nikolay Davydenko, who is ranked #5, but seeded 7th. Another departure is David Ferrer, ranked #11, but seeded ninth. Because Juan Martin Del Potro, ranked #8, is out with an injury, that leaves the #8 spot open for Fernando Verdasco, who ranks 9th. Robin Soderling, ranked #6 is also seeded 6th. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga is ranked #10 and seeded 10th.

The Women
The women’s side of the lawn is less complicated, and the Williams sisters are crowding each other at the top as the #1 and #2 seeds. Unlike the men, there are no discrepancies between rank and seeding. Serena Williams ranks #1 and is the top seed. Venus is #2 in both categories. Although Venus has won Wimbledon 5 times, unlike Roddick, she didn't get the bump up in the seeding. It's getting harder and harder for her to compete with sister Serena. The top 10 seeds this year might have looked a little different if Elena Dementieva, who is ranked #4, had not withdrawn because of injury. And the bottom of the top 20 seeds will look different because the #20 seed, Dinara Safina, has withdrawn because of a back injury. Here are the rankings and the seeds:

1. Serena Williams

2 Venus Williams

3 Caroline Wozniacki

4 Jelena Jankovic

5 Elena Dementieva

6 Francesca Schiavone

7 Samantha Stosur

8 Agnieszka Radwanska

9 Kim Clijsters

10 Na Li

Rank and seeding aside, think about your picks and see if they change over the next two weeks. The draw will probably have a lot to do with it. Here is the Wimbledon website:
http://www.wimbledon.org/en_GB/index.html

TLN Profile: David May- Intimidated in the Past, But the Courts Are Turned Today

2011-02-12T08:53:00.001-08:00

For most of us, it’s hard to imagine that a 4.25 amateur player would be intimidated. But roll back 25 years or so and it’s more conceivable when you know that the kids on David May’s high school junior varsity team—at one time the best team in California-- were not only playing in juniors tournaments, but playing people like Pete Sampras, as well.

In fact, he was so intimidated – and who among us wouldn’t be?--that he dropped out of tennis for the second time. (He had started playing at age 12, but stopped until he was in high school and played on that intimidating team.) Apparently, the sting of intimidation lasted so long that David didn’t play in college or in his 20s.

He didn’t pick it up again until he was in his 30s. And pick it up he did! He worked on his game with David Maxwell, who had been trained at the elite Nick Bollettieri Academy in Bradenton, FL, whose alumni include the who’s who of professional tennis: Sampras, Agassi, Seles, Courier, Hingis, etc “He taught me how to play the modern game with more topspin and extreme grips. After I worked with him for a year, I got back in to competition form.”
His next step was to join the Tennis Los Angeles; he was referred by John Geary. Now, at age 41, David is one of his league’s biggest fans. Here’s David’s testimonial in his own words:

“The reason it’s such a good system for me is that I live in big city and I’m not a member of a club. It’s a good way to get connected with people of your skill level. People in Los Angeles will pay people to hit with them.

This league, especially, is such a good network of several different player levels. In the past year or so, Steve has gotten best players he can get, and has created an Elite division of 4.5 players.” With his 4.25 rating, and a solid overall league record of 45-52, May—a 7-season league veteran--certainly qualifies as an elite player. (despite his tennis shoes!)

“I am also playing in USTA tournaments (he has a USTA rating of 4.5) and this is good preparation for that. In fact, David has reached several finals, semis and quarters, and has run into Paul Ferguson, Reagan McClymonds, and Jonas Stasevicius (other Elite 4.5 players in the league) in those tournaments. “We often inform each other and look forward to seeing each other and rooting for each other in those tourney’s.

”In the league, the scores are recorded, which creates a record, giving you the pressure of competition, and pushing yourself to do your best and win matches. It’s also a good way to play according to your own timeframe, provided other players can play when you can play. I play during the day, so I can find other players. The guys who work normal hours play in the evening. In L.A. plenty there are plenty of public courts around, so you don’t have to reserve time and can play according to your personal schedule.”

May’s personal schedule by the way, is filled with tennis- the sport he gave up twice. He now plays 4-5 times a week. One of his more memorable matches was against Bob Hamm. “He is slightly older than me, and a great runner, although he doesn’t hit you with a lot of pace. I ran into him in USTA and I thought I should beat him in the final. I had a mental breakdown. Then he showed up in my league division and I was looking forward to revenge. It took three sets and was the longest match I ever played. He was a steady guy and I had to be patient. After three hours I beat him. 7-6, 2-6, 7-6. He actually won more games than I did. I had to dig deep for that one.”

On the other hand, Tom Emmitt of also Tennis Los Angeles, and also profiled on this blog, has a winning record against David. “Tom is a tough one and is always a challenge. He has a traditional game. He controls the court and is very good strategically.”

So, 25 years later, welcome back to Tennis, David May. It’s a benefit to Tennis Los Angeles that you did. Between May and Tom Emmitt, by now we have a good idea about the strength of competition in the LA league. It seems that at least two players them have a good shot at being called an intimidator on the tennis court.

David, by the way, insists that "if you are a member of a club and have outgrown the competition there, or you want some new competition, or if you aren't a member of a club at all and are looking to connect to a diversity of competition -- the best way to do that is to join this league"
David was also a key contributor on our Tennis Channel expose. Check out his work here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yx-Bbmz3Ayc

US Open Report: Wish You Could Have Been There

2011-02-12T08:53:00.000-08:00

After two days of intense anxiety about the possibility of Hurricane Earl wrecking our trip to the US Open, I was thrilled when I woke up last Friday to one of the best days of the year—bright sun, perfect temperature, practically no humidity and a slight breeze. Earl was a no show. So much for the weather forecasters.

My husband Gary and I have attended the U.S. Open for the past 12 years, usually on a bus trip. Our seats had always been top of the house—the last few rows of the top tier of Arthur Ashe stadium, which holds about 23,000 people. This year, our tickets, a gift from a cousin, took us to the best seats in the house, in my opinion. We were in the club level, close to the court, and at the end of it, rather than in the middle, which would have meant looking back and forth to follow the shots.

We saw three matches: Kaia Kanepi upset Jelena Jankovic. Maria Sharapova clobbered Beatrice Capra, 6-0, 6- 0—only to be beaten 2 days later by Caroline Wozniacki, the #1 seed. And we saw Roger Federer beat Paul Henri Mathieu, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3. No surprise there.

However, there was so much wind that at one point that Jankovic, about to serve, battled verbally with thewind, and then thrust her arms up into the air and yelled, “St-o-pp! Jelena, you can battle an opponent, but you can’t battle Mother Nature, whose devilish whirling dervish dance was partly responsible for her losing battle against Kanepi, who won 6-2, 7-6, If you live in a region that is close enough to New York, going to the US Open is your best shot to see one of the major tournaments. My cousin flew in from Miami.

In many areas there are day trips organized by tennis clubs, townships and even public parks. I know three people who went on that kind of trip. I suggest that you explore those possibilities for next year. Costs are usually reasonable. I went with someone from Tennis Philly two different years. All in all it was a great day, which was capped off by this amusing experience:

Everyone enjoys bumping into a celebrity, but not necessarily this way. Leaving Arthur Ashe stadium, we took the elevators at the players entrance because I can’t walk down steps and other elevators were either too crowded or not working. So we dropped down to the ground level, where we walked out into the bright sun and breeze.

As we were walking toward the South Plaza, I was walking a foot or two away from my husband Gary, on his right. He stopped short because something was tugging at the hem of his left sleeve. The hook of a broken hanger had latched onto him. The perpetrator (a woman) and Gary both tugged a couple of times to try to free his sleeve, but the more they tugged, the more it hung in there. Finally, one of them moved forward and the shirt sleeve came free. Fortunately, it was a plastic hanger, and not a wire hanger, which would have pierced his sleeve.The woman was walking toward the player entrance with what looked like dry cleaning draped over her arm. She said Oh, and Gary said Oh, and they both laughed. Initially, I couldn’t figure out what was going on. Then I heard a familiar voice, looked around, and lo and behold, the perpetrator who had hooked Gary was……..Martina Navratilova.

Australian Open, Week Two: A Bumpy Road on the Home Stretch

2011-01-26T17:14:00.000-08:00

The end of week one of the Australian is when things began to heat up, which is often the case in tournaments of two week duration- the majors.
First, did you see it? The longest women’s match in grand slam tennis history?** After four hours and 44 minutes, 2010 French Open winner Francesca Schiavone, of Italy, finally defeated Svetlana Kuznetsova, the French Open winner in 2009, 6-4 1-6 16-14. It wasn’t even close to the 11 hour Wimbledon thriller in 2010 when John Isner beat Mahut in the final 70-68. But it was still an exciting match. Both women played their hearts out in a contest of very high quality tennis, in which both players destroyed winners with amazing footwork and quickness , which made for astounding defensive play.
But wait- there’s more!

First, by a score of 6-4, 6-2, 6-3 in the quarterfinal, Spaniard David Ferrer deprived top seed Rafael of his fourth straight grand slam win. (Injury was likely a factor.) And then we get another shock. Justine Henin retires- again!- because of her lingering elbow injury. She had just returned to WTA tennis after her retirement in May, 2008. She said on Facebook:

"My elbow is too fragile and hurt... Having followed the advice of doctors it is now clear and I accept that here my career ends.

"I'm sorry ... I had hoped for a different return and dreamed of a different ending."

Meantime, Schiavone was defeated by #1 seed Caroline Wozniacki in the quarter finals in a match that saw Schiavone once more play her heart out, while Wozniacki hardly broke a sweat. There have been several upsets among the women: Samantha Stosur and Maria Sharapova were booted out. Kim Clijsters defeated Agnieszka Radwanska, only to face #2 seed, Vera Zvonerva in the semifinals. And top seed Caroline Wozniacki will face Na Li. Both matches are being played tonight, EST on Tennis Channel and ESPN2.

In week #1, we had to say goodbye to the Americans in singles competition with the exit of Andy Roddick and John Isner, and Venus Williams, who withdrew because of injury. On the other hand, the doubles turned out somewhat better. In women’s doubles, Americans Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Meghann Shaughnessy got as far as the quarters. The Bryan brothers, the top seeds, have made it into the finals after today's defeat of American Eric Butorac and his partner, Jean-Julien Rojer of Curacao.

In men’s singles, most of the other top seeds have survived: Roger Federer, Andy Murray, and Novak Djokovic.

Although Caroline Wozniacki is the #1 seed, Kim Clijsters is favored to win. At the moment, the burning question is whether Federer can overtake Novak Djokovic (who beat him in the semis at the 2010 US Open) to make the finals, where he would meet either David Ferrer or Andy Murray. It's Ferrer, remember, who last night robbed Nadal of a fourth straight Grand Slam win. A win for Federer would mean one more slam in his basket of records for a total of 17. Could anyone ever catch up with that?

Stay tuned. Because of the 15 hour time difference between EST and Australia, you can see live matches on ESPN2 if you stay up through the night. Tennis Channel repeats all of the matches from about 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. during the day, and the ESPN2 takes over the repeats from 3-7 p.m., when the live matches begin and are televised until 8 a.m. If you have all that time, you can see just about everything on TV. You can also see the matches online at www.ESPN3.com, www.fromsport.com and www.channelsurfing.net.

(** That women’s match was 25 minutes longer than the previous longest women’s Grand Slam match – the 4 hours and 19 minutes encounter between Barbora Zahlavova-Strycova and Regina Kulikova at last year’s Australian Open.)

Do Not Stress Over Your Competition

2010-12-16T17:05:00.000-08:00

By: Stan Popovich

Many athletes sometimes get anxious when they play against a tough opponent. They get nervous on who they are playing and they get so worked up that they lose focus on playing their game. In the end, they make mistakes and end up beating themselves up if they do not win. As a result, here is a list of techniques that a athlete can use to help manage the stress of playing against the competition.

The first step is to learn as much as you can on your opponent. Although this may seem obvious some players may think they already know what they need to know. Remember there is always something to learn about your competition. Read the stats and reports about your opponent and watch him or her play. Try to figure out an angle on how you can beat your competition. The more you know about your competition the better your chances are you will win the game. This will also help to reduce your worries about who and what you will be facing in your next game.

Do not assume anything about your competition whether they are stronger or weaker than you. Every player has his good and bad games and just because you may be facing a stronger opponent does not mean that you will lose. Remember that before you start playing, you and your opponent both have an equal chance of winning. You are both starting from scratch. This should help you to give you confidence going into your next game.

Focus on how you can best strive for perfection in your own game instead of worrying about your opponent. For instance you are playing the number player in the tournament and you are nervous. Instead of focusing on how good your competition is, focus on how you can play your best game. Concentrate on how you can better play the game or how you can best improve on your problem areas. Focusing on your game will definitely help you when you are nervous in playing a stronger player.

Realize that you cannot win all of your games and that also includes your competition. You may be the best player in the world, however you will still lose eventually. No one player can win all of their games. Yes, they may have some winning streaks or win ninety percent of their games, but they will still lose some games. When facing a tough competitor, use this fact to your advantage. Even the best players will make some mistakes and lose.

It is not uncommon to get nervous when you play a better opponent. The key is not to psyche yourself out just because the competition gets tough. Remember that some games will be easy to play and some games will be more difficult. All you can do is to focus on your game and play the best you can. This will help you in the long run and will help you to stop worrying whether you will win or lose.

Tennis San Diego, Tennis Charlotte, Tennis Atlanta

Do Not Let Fear Affect Your Game of Tennis

2010-12-13T14:19:00.000-08:00

By: Stan Popovich

Sometimes, fear and anxiety can get the best of us in tennis. The key is to know how to manage that fear and anxiety. As a result, here is a brief list of techniques that a tennis player can use to help manage their fears and every day anxieties.

Occasionally, you may become stressed when you have to play in an important game. When this happens, visualize yourself doing the task in your mind. For instance, you have to play in the championship game in front of a large group of people in the next few days. Before the big day comes, imagine yourself playing the game in your mind. Imagine that you are playing in front of a large audience. By playing the game in your mind, you will be better prepared to perform for real when the time comes. Self-Visualization is a great way to reduce the fear and stress of a coming situation.

Sometimes we get stressed out when everything happens all at once. When this happens, a person should take a deep breath and try to find something to do for a few minutes to get their mind off of the problem. A person could read the newspaper, listen to some music or do an activity that will give them a fresh perspective on things. This is a great technique to use right before your next game.

Another technique that is very helpful is to have a small notebook of positive statements that you can carry around with you. Whenever you come across an affirmation that makes you feel good, write it down in a small notebook that you can carry around with you. Whenever you feel stressed, open up your small notebook and read those statements. This will help to manage your negative thinking.

In every anxiety-related situation you experience, begin to learn what works, what doesn’t work, and what you need to improve on in managing your fears and anxieties. For instance, you have a lot of anxiety and you decide to take a small walk before your game to help you feel better. The next time you feel anxious you can remind yourself that you got through it the last time by taking a walk. This will give you the confidence to manage your anxiety the next time around.

Take advantage of the help that is available around you. If possible, talk to a professional who can help you manage your fears and anxieties. They will be able to provide you with additional advice and insights on how to deal with your current problem. By talking to a professional, a person will be helping themselves in the long run because they will become better able to deal with their problems in the future. Remember that it never hurts to ask for help.

BIOGRAPHY:

Stan Popovich is the author of “A Layman’s Guide to Managing Fear Using Psychology, Christianity and Non Resistant Methods” – an easy to read book that presents a general overview of techniques that are effective in managing persistent fears and anxieties.

Tennis New York, Tennis Pittsburgh, Tennis Atlanta

TLN profile: Tracy Sinclair of Chitown Tennis- “For Me, It’s Perfect!”

2010-08-18T07:05:00.001-07:00

Many athletic kids are good at more than one sport. Just think of what pro tennis would be like today if Rafael Nadal had chosen soccer over tennis -- Roger Federer might still hold the number one ranking! Or if Svetlana Kuznetsova, winner of both the US Open and the French Open, had chosen cycling, her parents sport– and instead rejected it because she thought it was boring! Or if Tracy Sinclair hadn’t come back to tennis after choosing swimming over tennis- Chitown Tennis would be short one sharp player!

“I played tennis (and was a swimmer) from about ages 5-14,” says Tracy. “But when I hit high

school I had to choose between the two sports. I chose swimming.” (Can you believe that!) “In the long run, it might have been better if I had chosen tennis, since it's easier

(and more fun to play tennis ) to do that as an adult.” Like the rest of us, she got smart, and, ultimately, tennis was her choice. She picked it up again when she moved from Cincinnati to Chicago at age 33.

A member of Chicago Tennis since 2007, Tracy is a 3.5 competitive player who has won about half her matches. Like most of us, she is a fan of her league, which for her is “a better experience” than belonging to her private club.
“I think it’s fantastic. I play lots of matches, it’s easy to set up, and it’s inexpensive.(Tracy, middle, with cousin Kelly and brother Andrew at last year's Michigan/Notre Dame game.) Tracy, who at the beginning of the season played 4-5 times a week, has played many “really close” matches this year, losing twice in tie breaks after splitting in pro sets. If I had won all those matches I would have a better record. Even matches that appeared to be a blowout one way or another were actually tended to be really competitive…

If you are looking to get back into the sport, this is a great way to do it. I’ve also found that even if you have friends that play, they are not necessarily going to play at your level. Chitown allows you to set up competitive matches easily.”
“I think Chitown is a good way to secure matches. It’s a really good value. In other leagues, people may not play. In the league, it is within your control how often you play and you can schedule as many matches as you want. You are not paying for court time. People are really nice, and they are out there to have a good match. I don’t mind that I lose more matches than I win. Just playing helps me improve. For me it’s perfect.”

Beats swimming, Tracy, doesn’t it?

TLN Profile: Nicole Talent-- “Playing Through the Pain” in ChiTown

2010-08-07T17:01:00.001-07:00

Nicole Talent is not just her name, it also reflects her tennis game. This 3.5 competitive player in ChiTown Tennis, our Chicago area League, has a solid 17-13 record. Nicole has playing since high school. As an adult, like so many of us in TLN, she was looking for a social/tennis combination when a Google search brought her to ChiTown Tennis in 2009.

For Nicole the ChiTown Tennis has met her two goals. 1) Finding players: “It’s been a really good experience, it’s convenient, and everyone been really nice.” 2) And being social: “It’s fun to meet new people,” Nicole says.

Nicole is glad to be back to tennis after a broken toe forced her to lay off tennis for a few weeks. How did that happen? Not on a tennis court, as you might think.

It’s likely that almost everyone reading this has suffered some sort of tennis injury or other physical (or mental?) problem at some point that keeps you off the court, whether it’s something minor like a blister, or something much worse, like a broken ankle.

Asked about how her injury occurred, she confessed: “Dancing in my apartment.” Although this interview was conducted by phone, you could almost hear her face turn red! (You could certainly hear it in her voice.) Her toe is still taped but, like a tennis trooper, she is “playing through the pain.” It’s terrific that you are back to playing, Nicole. But are you still dancing?

Nicole tries to play three times a week. Her major rival is Denise, who has defeated her three times. “But one of these days I’m gonna get her.” Nicole says. Look out, Denise. There’s some 3.5 talent behind that threat.

TLN Profile: Martin Spielmann – Have Racket, Will Travel

2010-07-20T15:42:00.001-07:00

Martin Spielmann loved the 2009 Tennis League Network tournament at the Crandon Tennis Center in Key Biscayne, FL, just a few miles from Miami. He had such a good time that it’s a good bet that if all air travel were suspended, this 4.0 tennis devotee would even be willing to drive there when he goes back in November.
If you follow pro tennis, you may know that the Crandon Tennis Center is home of the Sony Ericsson tournament held at end of March through early April. Andy Roddick won it this year. It’s also the home of The Tennis League Network National Invitational Tournament, where last year Tennis Boston’s Martin Spielmann met his goal of moving past the round robin, which is run according to this format:

Players are grouped in mini-divisions of 5 players. A round-robin is played using a 10 pro set format (first to win 10 games). Depending on the number of participants the top performers qualify for championship Sunday and the single elimination tourney.

On Saturday, it came down to Martin’s last match and he was fortunate to beat Kyle Free from St. Louis to qualify for the Sunday single elimination tourney. Although Martin lost his first match Sunday, he ended up playing doubles with other players who were also eliminated. “Having pickup doubles games with players from all across the country after I was eliminated was my favorite part of the whole tourney. Losing ended up being a blessing in disguise. I even took a break and walked across the street to the beach for a swim, only to come back and play more doubles until my flight home,” said Martin. The loss won’t keep him from returning to Key Biscayne in November, since everyone who went the first year is invited back. That means he has another chance to compete and go to the beach!

Like many of us, Martin’s forehand is his strongest shot, and his weakest is his backhand. Nonetheless, he wins more than he loses. And he has only good things to say about his league. “Everyone I’ve played has been a great sport. It’s competitive and it’s fun.”

There is little doubt that Martin Spielmann is dedicated to tennis. On two different occasions when his club closed in the middle of a match, he and his opponent left to continue the match at another location. One time Martin and his opponent drove around the suburbs of Boston looking for a tennis court with lights. Unable to find one, they had to resume the match another evening. Recently Martin and his opponent drove almost a half hour to another club to finish a match. Unfortunately, Martin lost that one.

Martin (at left with Ricki Ciolfi) almost didn’t even go to the 2009 National Tournament. Work and family responsibilities would have meant rearranging his schedule to go and he wasn’t sure he’d be able to make it. After a tragic accident suffered by a co-worker, Martin decided to reconsider. “My friend’s accident was a wake-up call. You never know what twists and turns life has in store for you, so I decided to go for it. How often do you get a chance to play a tennis tournament in Miami? I had help from my family and friends to make the trip a reality. It was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.” says Martin.

It’s likely that TLN’s national tennis invitational doesn’t have a bigger cheerleader than Martin Spielmann. He is also a Boston league fan who learned about it from a friend two years ago. “I couldn’t continue with a team I had been on, so I thought it would be a good way to meet and play against new opponents.” Growing up, during summers Martin played almost every day at local courts in his home state of Connecticut. The last few years, “I’ve worked at getting better. Last winter I had contract time with a friend and we focused on drills. The extra work really pays off in matches.”

Watch for it- someday there may be some other Spielmanns in Tennis Boston. Martin has Mondays mornings off, and during the summer runs Daddy’s Day Camp, when he takes the older three of his four children (ages 10, 8, 6, 3) to the tennis courts. The littlest one is going to be joining them soon. Being half Swiss, Martin is a huge Roger Federer fan. When in discussions to name the children, Roger was always at the top of his list. The 6 year old is named Peter, whose name was partly inspired by Martin’s second favorite player, Pete Sampras.

So get going, league players. (at left are Steve Kushner, Steve Chagnon and Ajay Patel) If you are winners in your leagues, you too could end up traveling to Key Biscayne for TLN’s November 5-7, 2010 national event (see below for details about how to qualify), where you could even meet up with Martin Spielmann for a little tennis and a walk across the street for some more sun and fun. Life’s a beach, isn’t it? No, it’s a tennis court, actually.

Five Ways to Qualify (By Invitation Only):

(1) Players who have won their respective season playoffs receive a playing entry into the Tourney.

(2) Players on the Top 100 all-time Legacy Wins in the Tennis League Network.

(3) Any player that refers 5 or more players in 2010.

(4) There will be about 10 at-large bids for friends of the league and most active players in various communities.

(5) Players who attended the 2009 National Tourney.

TLN Profile: Tom Emmitt—A Comeback Kid at 48

2010-07-12T07:53:00.000-07:00

As you have probably learned, the range of skill levels varies widely in the Tennis League Network, which is one of its primary advantages.

Some are beginners, and others play at such a high skill level that they achieve entry into their league’s Elite division. Meet one of those players--Tom Emmitt.

Tom is unique because he is one of about only a dozen players in the Elite division of Tennis Los Angeles, where you can play tennis all year long.
As a 4.5+ player, Tom has won the championship in both the 2009 Summer League Men's Advanced 4.0, and the 2008 Summer Season Men's Competitive.

Like many league players nationwide, Tom is one of those comeback kids. He dropped out of tennis for what turned out to be a two-decade sabbatical. He explains:

“I love to play tennis and in college I played 4.5 hours a day. But it was an obsession, and there was tremendous pressure to improve. Finally, there had come a point after playing high school and college tennis many years ago that when I stepped on the court it wasn’t fun anymore. I did other things for a long time. After putting my rackets away for 20 years, I decided to come back to tennis. Why not? I’m still competitive. Most important is that I have rediscovered the joy of playing tennis, and truly love every minute that I am out on the court. But I don’t have to care about it. Even if I lose, I can be happy that I got on the court and played. It is also a great form of exercise that trains the legs, as well as the core.”

Watch out for that “still competitive” comment”, all you Los Angles players. This guy is dangerous. “I would say that I am a solid 4.5, who occasionally plays up to a 5.0 level, and unfortunately, occasionally plays down to a 4.0 level.”

The primary reason Tom likes his league is that “It’s a really great way to hook up with people of like ability. Most people who sign up are active. They don’t just sign up and forget about it. The thing that stands out most is the quality of people involved. Everyone is great about showing up on time, and calling if they have to cancel or reschedule, and everyone calls the lines fairly.”

One of Tom’s memorable matches was the final of the advanced division two seasons ago, when he lost to rival Jonas Stasivicious in three sets. We both played well, and in the end, he won by a break. Neither of us had a mental letdown, and we maintained a high level of play for the entire match. I would have liked to win, but somehow, as long as I play my best, and compete for the whole match, I can live with the results either way.”

Jonas is just one of Tom’s rivals; add Ken Chen and Paul Ferguson into the mix. “I have a tough time with all three of them, and can win or lose on any given day. That makes it exciting.” Jonas came into the league about a year ago. “He slaughtered me with his big strong forehand. We have played a lot of really close matches. I look forward to playing with him. It’s never a blowout, but a real cat and mouse match. I’m 48 he’s 24 or 25. I’m the resident old guy in the league.”
Tom would definitely recommend Tennis Los Angeles to other players. “There is a place in the league for any skill level or level of participation. I can play once a week or 4-5 times a week. It’s very flexible; it’s whatever you desire.”

For Tom, stepping up to an elite division was a “great step.” However, with a number of new strong players in Tennis Los Angeles this season, he his work cut out for him. On the other hand, if his past success is any indication, he is a challenging opponent and has a good chance to compete well in this 2010 season.

Profile: Mark Stern- A Tennis Northeast ‘Addict’

2010-06-16T13:36:00.000-07:00

If Mark Stern hadn’t found Tennis Northeast (Metro Boston Tennis League), he wouldn’t be the self-described “tennis nut” he is today.

He is not only a devoted Tennis Northeast (TNE) enthusiast, he is apparently the most ardent enthusiast in the entire Tennis League Network.

Why? Because this 3.25 player now holds the record for most matches played in the spring season—an impressive total of 38.

But what about the 183 matches he’s played in the 24 & 1/2 months that he has been a league member? That’s a lot an awful lot of tennis that has grown from a simple league flyer he saw posted at a tennis court. So, when people talk about the growth of tennis and TLN, it seems that Mark Stern owns a big chunk of it.

Any league rivalries? “I play almost every other week with Lenny Shea. For a while I was getting the better of him, but he has my number now.”

Tennis isn’t Mark’s only activity. It’s bigger than that. He is an exercise addict. He runs everyday with his dog; and as a soccer referee, he runs up and down the field with the kids, teens and adults. He has no interest, however, in becoming a tennis lines person. “It’s too sedentary."

For Mark, beginning such an intense exercise regimen was a somewhat do or die kind of decision. A two-pack-a-day smoker for 26 years, from age 13 to 39, Mark says, “I finally decided something had to give.” So he quit smoking and started running. He jumped into it with zeal. He has run a dozen marathons, ten of them Boston marathons, and participates in an older men’s running team. In 15 years, his team has won the New England Championships more than half the time, and once placed second in a national competition.

With all that running, where did tennis come in? Mark explains:

“When my son was in the 8th grade, he decided to learn tennis and join the school team.“ Mark took lessons with him. And “that,” he says, “was my big mistake!” His son quit “because his father got too interested.” Now his son plays and writes music, and Mark is the only family member playing tennis.

By now you might be getting the picture that Mark is not only a tennis addict, but an all around exercise addict.”My wife and kids think I’m a nut, over the top on exercise.” Are they right? You be the judge.

You must be curious. How does this civil rights lawyer have all that time to devote to Tennis Northeast? That’s because he works less than full time—“sometimes 40 hours a week, sometimes 15. I’m a very good lawyer, but a mediocre business man.”

There are two startling facts that would seem to belie his success in tennis. He’ll be 65 in September. And he has rheumatoid arthritis. Neither of these interferes with his physical activity.

Does he think age is a factor in tennis?

“I get beaten by just as many guys in their 60s as by guys who are 25.” So age doesn’t appear to matter. Neither does his RA since he has no symptoms, which has stupefied his doctors. They saw it in his blood work and on an MRI, but Mark doesn’t feel it at all.

Mark didn’t pick up tennis until nearly five years ago at the age of 60. Why did he join the league?

“I was wanting to play more often than I could find partners. I absolutely love it and I’m completely addicted to it. If you need one more match, you can always call me.” Thus, Mark is always in the playoffs, and “always the lowest ranked player. I usually have 10-12 wins, but I never have won in the tournament.”

Here is something that makes him a truly unique competitor: “I prefer to play with better players and lose 2/3 of my matches, rather than win 2/3 of my matches. That’s one way to “get better and improve as a player.” To assist with that he’s now taking lessons.

Mark is interested not only in his personal tennis progress, but also to the development of inner-city players. He "has made a personal campaign of collecting racquets players are no longer using to donate to an inner-city tennis program. If you want to donate directly, or through him, email him at sternbarker@comcast.net."

(Photographer: Grace Cheech grace_creech@yahoo.com)

Profile: Juan Llerena--From Table Tennis to the Real Deal

2010-06-09T12:03:00.001-07:00

A couple of years ago, a writer for ESPN.com wrote about his ardent wish to play just one game--not even an entire set--with Andy Roddick, just to see what it would be like and how he would do against a tennis phenom. (A single point would be challenge enough for most of us.) Believe it or not, Roddick accepted this challenge.

But there was a catch. Roddick had to play with one hand behind his back, and the racket of choice for Roddick was not his Babolat Pure Drive, but one of those heavy cast iron skillets. As we all know, Roddick is a wonderful player, and the best American on the Men’s Tour, with a current rank of #7. The writer got his wish. But it can’t be a surprise to anyone that Roddick won the game against someone who is probably much better at writing about tennis than playing it. (The real question here is why Roddick even bothered to do it. Clearly he’s an extremely good sport.)

Well, for the past few years, Tennis Austin has had its own phenom in Juan-derful-Juan Llerena (anyone familiar with Motown’s 1964 Marvin Gaye hit “You’re a Wonderful One”?) – a 4.0 player who plays with a challenge equal to if not greater than a heavy skillet for a racket, and one hand behind the back. At age 2 Juan was in an electrical accident that resulted in the amputation of his right arm.

Today, Juan is a left handed 4.0 player. A 4.0 player? Yes, you read it right—a 4.0 player. Juan, who plays a few times a week, describes himself as an all around player, but explains, “My weakness is my backhand.” Now, many of us have a weak backhand. Perhaps he compensates with a spectacular forehand – using a racket, not a skillet.

And, just in case you have been Juan-dering: ”No I don't wear a prosthetic,” Juan explains.. “I haven't had one since I was about 12. They weigh too much (think skillet), and I already adjusted my everyday life to have any use for it.”

Juan found Tennis Austin online in 2008 and has been a smash ever since. He is one of its strongest competitors, having won the 3.5 division in the 2009 fall league, and, more recently, the 4.0 division in the spring league.”

So much for a weak backhand. “My tennis serve is strong--100 mph. I place the ball on the racket, flat, pop it up and swing. It took forever to figure it out. Opponents are in wonder when I beat them.” Really? Well, just ask his nemesis, Macon Schoonmaker. So Macon, we’re asking. Whadya think?

Just how did this 4.0 tennis Juan-der get into tennis? He and his sister played table tennis together. When he was 10, out of the blue she gave him a tennis racket. “I took to it naturally, like it was second nature.” But, Tennis Austin, look out! There could be another Llerena phenom coming up though the ranks. Max Llerena, Juan’s 21-month-old son, can already bounce a tennis ball on a racket. (Here is Juan with his Juan-derful wife Courtney.)

So for Juan Llerena, it’s been a unique journey from table tennis to a tennis court. Overall, He is a big fan of Tennis Austin. What he likes most is that, because the league is structured according to ability and rating, “I am able to find people at my level who like to play seriously.” He adds, “Everything has been working really well.”

He likes Tennis Austin well enough that he recommended it to a good friend. “He does play in my division and I also played him in Spring finals.” Now remember-- Juan was the recent winner of that. So, Juan, how’s that friendship going? Tennis Austin is a part of the Tennis League Network.

Profile: David Pond – A Strong Player Who Took Just a Single Lesson!

2010-06-01T09:10:00.000-07:00

So far, our profile players have come from Tennis Boston, Tennis Philly and Tennis DC. But it’s now time –and only fair—to leave the Eastern Seaboard and head across the country to the Pond in Orange County, CA, known as David Pond--our current TLN profile. David has been a member of Tennis Orange County since 2008. With a skill level of 3.75, he is yet one more strong TLN competitor, with a superb league record of 69-41 In 2009, he was the champion of the spring season men’s competitive group, and before that he was the 2008 summer champ.

Reaching these high points took some dedication, since, although he played in high school, David had stopped playing after college for 15 years. What was his motivation to return to tennis?

“I was doing mostly mountain biking and wanted to add cardio and I had always loved tennis.”

Once again, the Internet has played a significant role in sustaining another one of our sport’s souls (not soles!) David learned about Tennis Orange County when “I typed in a search for tennis Orange County.” And he is grateful that he did.

“The Tennis OC thing has really gotten me going,” says David. “It’s an important part of my life.” Now he is such a fan of the league that he volunteers to post signs “to get the word out.” Like other TLN players, he likes about Tennis Orange County because of its flexibility, among other things.
”You can play as much or as little as you want. If you don’t like who you are playing, it’s easy to find someone else. You can play someone better or more competitive, or just hit around. Or even agree to ‘Let’s just break a sweat’ matches.”

What would he say are his most memorable matches? They fall into different types.

Some matches were quite long, 2-3 hours. “Some guys I never beat and should have.” And in true Marat Safin style “One guy cursed out of control and slammed his racket.” Another opponent was answering his cell phone while playing. And only once, in a hotly competitive match, did he have an argument about line calls. But for David, it’s all good.

“Mostly I’ve had some great, competitive matches; and 95 percent of the people have been so worth playing.”

Some other things to know about David: His favorite player is Andre Agassi. His favorite shot is a slice backhand. He follows pro tennis and has been to Indian Wells and the U.S. Open.

Although he had a couple of injuries during the past year—a pinched nerve and some back pain-- with ice, rest and a three-week break, David still manages to play 2-3 times a week! His home court is in Santa Ana, and it’s clear that he is eager to play.

“I can play after 3p.m. during the work week and am flexible on the weekends. Just let me know.”

Fall, Winter, Spring …What’s Next?

2010-05-29T14:06:00.001-07:00

What’s next is Tennis League Network’s summer season. It happens every year and you can get in on it now. Whether it’s the Partners Program or League play, you are bound to find new or familiar players at your skill level.

If you have been playing during the Spring session, have you been playing as much as you’d like? The point is to get out there and play. Isn’t that what you signed up for? So what if you didn’t make the playoffs. You still had fun, didn’t you?

Perhaps you haven’t been able to play that often. Work, kids’ soccer games, family obligations, weddings, and other responsibilities just got in the way. But it’s not too late to move forward—now--and take advantage of the good weather by joining your local league for the summer season, which starts in just a few weeks on June 15.

People tell me all the time how much they have enjoyed their Tennis League Network community of players. They’ve found players at their level, their matches are fun, and they’ve made some new friends along the way.

Have I convinced you yet? Clear your calendar and sign up now. By the middle of August, when the summer season ends, you’ll look back and realize that it’s one of the better decisions you’ve made.

Profile: Crystal Ellis of Tennis DC

2010-05-25T19:16:00.001-07:00

Tennis Went by the Wayside for a While,
But Crystal’s Court is Back in Session

Frequently people decide to return to tennis after many years of not playing. Perhaps they were on their high school or college teams. Then life intervened, or they were injured, and tennis sort of went by the wayside. Then they decide to return to the game and try to figure out a reentry scheme.

Crystal Ellis falls into that category. Thank goodness for Google. That’s how Crystal found Tennis DC. And she’s very glad she found it. She’s been a member of Tennis DC since 2006, and, like Dedan Tolbert of Tennis Philly (also one of our profile subjects), is another strong player with a skill level of 3.5.

Crystal played in high school and then took off for 10 years. She works in pharmaceutical sales and came back to our sport looking for some exercise. Well, exercise is what she’s getting. She now plays about twice a week.
“I love the different people that I have met and played with,” says Crystal. “And I’ve made really great friendships. I also like the league’s flexibility.”We like to find out our players’ most memorable matches, but could anything top this?

Crystal’s most memorable match came last season at a Highland Park court in Pentagon City Mall, just outside of Washington. She had played her opponent many times, but not this one. I guarantee, you will never guess who it was. Not Jelena Jankovic, not Serena Williams, not Dinara Safina, or any other tennis star. The replacement opponent was a raccoon. Yes, you read that correctly. A raccoon!

“He came from nowhere and walked onto the court, Crystal recalls.”We were tied in the match. As soon as I saw it I lost it. Caroline thought he was cute.

I started screaming. He made me move and totally threw off my day. Caroline (not the raccoon?) is one of my biggest rivals, and I have yet to beat her. So of course she won.” Try to beat that for memorable.
Crystal’s other memorable experience is her match last year at the Tennis League Network Championship in Key Biscayne, FL., where, she says modestly, she did pretty well. “I came in second!”

For Crystal, TennisDC is tennis all the way.

“I didn’t think Tennis DC would become such a major part of my life. It’s so funny,” she says, “I also belong to USTA. But I really care more about my league legacy record. These matches mean more to me.” She spreads that joy to other players.
“Almost every season someone has joined that I’ve recommended, and she’s winning.”

Best Bets for the French Open—Who Do You Think Will Win?

2010-05-21T10:34:00.000-07:00

Make Your Picks on Tennis Channel’s Racket Bracket...

As I do, you probably debate, disagree and even make "gentlemen’s bets" with friends about who will win The French Open. You can do that on a grander scale by competing with not just your friends, but with thousands of tennis fans who choose their picks — first-round, and every round thereafter, through to finals and the champion — on Racket Bracket: www.tourneytopia.com/RacquetBracketFrenchOpenATP/FrenchOpenATP/default.aspxsponsored

In fact, the Tennis Channel (TC) racket bracket email arrived in my email inbox just as I began to write this article! How’s that for serendipity?

I have participated in Racket Bracket for several years. Now, I am always up for tennis competition, even if it is virtual. As an incentive, TC usually offers some sort of prize. For this year’s French Open it’s a 5-day trip to Paris for the 2011 French Open, including airfare, hotel, two tickets to the first two days of the tournament, and a Longines watch. Not bad, huh?

The draws were revealed on Friday morning, May 21, which gives you only a few days to meet the entry deadline of 5 a.m. Monday, which is the first day of main draw competition. But, the contest has its own peculiar set of challenges. With so many players in the first round matches, including the 32 seeded players, filling out these entries can be time consuming, especially if you are serious about picking the right winner. But it gets easier as you move from one round to the next, since just half of the players in the previous round are left. But your entry can also difficult to fill out or to submit, which is the challenge with Racket Bracket. Here’s where you can find the men’s and women’s seeds and who they play in their first round matches:

www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/players/index.html#Men

On the face of it, it seems straightforward. You can enter the general pool or create a private pool, or both. I was able to register in advance since the site was open for business at 11 a.m. Friday. And, while the entry deadline isn’t until 5 a.m. Monday, you may be too busy on the weekend to bother with it. So, because it’s so time consuming--it took me more than an hour for the Australian Open-- there isn’t that much time to meet the deadline. Rather than make your picks by sections of the draw, as they are typically displayed on most tennis website, racket bracket displays all the matches by round on one page.

Does the first round even matter? It’s clogged mostly with no-name qualifiers that few people have ever heard of, except, of course, their families, coaches, tournament officials, other tennis professionals and pundits, or possibly fans who have lost their minds and actually researched their records and rankings. On the other hand, on the Tennis Channel site all players are listed, but qualifiers are not easy to find. That’s because all players are categorized alphabetically by last name, which requires that you methodically go through every letter to find any player. So, while you agonize over whether Roger Federer (last year's champion )or Rafael Nadal, or Serena Williams or Justine Henin will win the whole shebang, it’s the people you never heard of that are the toughest to pick.

But don’t be fooled. You can’t count out qualifiers. And you can count on some of the to produce some upsets, which happens often. So don’t give qualifiers short shrift. It’s a crap shoot, for sure, when you don’t know who they are, their backgrounds or their records by the time they have won their way into the opening rounds of the main draw. So I advise that you just guess. (By the way, it’s hard to research qualifiers who have won the French Open in the past. Perhaps there aren’t any in the Open Era.).

My advice is to look at the first round like it’s a multiple choice test. Make a pick, because that way it isn’t a certain wrong answer. Maybe you like the player’s name, or country, or position in the bracket. You may actually guess right some of the time. In Racket Bracket, however, you HAVE to choose, or else you can’t move on to the next round to select a pick. That would leave a match with only one player! Besides, the site won’t let you submit your entry unless it is completely filled out.

Believe me when I say that you absolutely cannot submit your entry unless every choice is filled in. This happened to me several times until I finally figured out that there were blanks in my entry. If the site will not let you submit your entry, you have to make a correction, and it’s likely there was an omission. Then, as I did, you have to review each round of the entire draw to find it, a painstaking and annoying effort that must be done if you want to play. On the other hand, one of the nicer features of Racket Bracket is that every few days you receive an email with your standings. You can also check the site at any time to see where you stand compared to other participating fans. And that’s the point of the contest.

You score one point for each correct pick. When you go back to your entry to see which picks were correct and which were not, the site will display your correct picks in green, and wrong picks in red. I give myself a pat on the back when I have picked well enough to have made it into the top 10% of the general pool.

These are the scoring details:

First Round correct picks receive 1 point(s)
Second Round correct picks receive 2 point(s)
Third Round correct picks receive 3 point(s)
Fourth Round correct picks receive 5 point(s)
Quarterfinals correct picks receive 10 point(s)
Semifinals correct picks receive 20 point(s)
Finals correct picks receive 30 point(s)

Remember. You have until 5 a.m. on Monday to make your picks on Tennis Channel’s Racket Bracket.

When you get to the final choices — who will be in the final? — then, of course, you have the option to pick the champion. My picks? Nadal for the men. And for the women? I have no idea. But I don’t think it will be Justine Henin. She just hasn’t been playing well enough. Murray.

Even if you think you can’t do well because you don’t follow pro tennis, make your picks. You should do it. It’s fun. Here it is again.:

www.tourneytopia.com/RacquetBracketFrenchOpenATP/FrenchOpenATP/default.aspx

And here's the French Open website:

www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/index.html

Profile: Dedan Tolbert of Tennis Philly

2010-05-13T17:24:00.001-07:00

Dedan’s Other Place: The Tennis Court

Dedan Tolbert is such a busy guy, it’s a wonder he finds time to play tennis. He’s an author, advice columnist and host of “The Dedan Tolbert Show," his daily radio talk show about love, romance and life partners, which airs weeknights at 9:00 p.m. EST nationwide.

So, when Dedan Tolbert talks about partners, he’s not only referring to tennis partners. He also means romantic partnerships, which are a central topic of his radio show. Dedan prides himself on helping women avoid many of the uncomfortable circumstances they often find themselves in by giving advice that encourages self reflection and examination.

Dedan plays in the Tennis Philly league, where he has been a member of the competitive division since May 2007. With a 3.25 skill level and an overall league record of 78-54, it’s clear that he is a formidable opponent. He is also a true Tennis Philly fan. “It’s great,” he says, “because it allows you to play competitive tennis on the same skill level, as well as being extremely convenient.”

While many players have found their area leagues through an Internet search, Dedan found his way to Tennis Philly when he saw a flyer posted at the Allens Lane courts in Philadelphia’s Mount Airy neighborhood. And just how often does he play? Last summer his daily play won him the “Player of the Year” award because he played so many matches. “I plan on doing that again this season” he says.

However, with so much going on professionally, including “Ask Dedan” freelance articles and video blogs, this is truly a great feat. How does he do it? Dedan explains that he plays on his days off (and when might those be?) and in the morning before meetings.

Dedan started young. He began to play at age 5 (a year younger than Andre Agassi), when he was in camp, and continued to play through elementary school, high school and college. After that there was a hiatus. He then returned to tennis in 2005, just two years before he joined Tennis Philly.

One of his memorable matches took place two seasons ago in the fall season, which extends into October. “The weather was horrible,” Dedan says, so it was a two-part match. Like the 2008 baseball World Series (which the Phillies won) part one was played in snow and sleet, “so we played it over 2 days.”

“I really enjoy the league, Dedan says. “I introduced one guy to it a year ago. I spread the word and tell as many people as possible so that the league can continue to grow.”

(You can listen to “The Dedan Tolbert Show” weeknights at 9:00pm EST by calling 646-200-0366 or logging onto Dedansplace.net)

The Vertically Challenged Player

2010-05-12T17:29:00.000-07:00

Here's the Long and the Short of it…

Not everyone is John Isner (right), the 6’9” player who for the past few years has been the darling American player on the ATP tour. Or Ivo Karlovic (left), who is an astounding 6'10"! On the other hand, not everyone in the Tennis League Network is at the height of their game, or really really tall. And for sure there are many of you out there who have to deal with the issue of height on the tennis court. (Amy? Jean? Are you listening?)But there are two schools of thought regarding player height on the tennis court. At first glance it seems that taller is better, mainly because of the serve. Taller players can usually get a strong, fast serve over with what seems minimal effort. Frequently, as seen with Venus Williams, taller players have an extensive reach and grab those angled shots. Also, when a taller player faces a shorter opponent they typically use the top spin lob. This shot pushes the tiny player deep into the court and more times than not over Shorty’s head. It would seem that the taller player has the court advantage.

The search for playing techniques and advantages to assist shorter female players, 5’4” and under, is tireless. (The focus here will be on female players since typically they are shorter players;but read on to see photos of the "big babes" on the women's tour.)

Research shows that height is helpful but not everything. (Scroll down for a list of the tallest and shortest players among the top 50 players on the WTA tour. Most of the women in the top 50 seem to fall in the range of 5'8" - 5'11".) Speed, agility, endurance, hand-eye coordination, and simply ability all play a huge part in the sport. Simply stated, a taller player is not usually as good at moving quickly on the court. Tip to Shorty: keep them moving. Push your lanky opponent into the back corner and then be diligent with your volley or hit an unexpected drop shot. Ideally, get the ball back and get them out of position.

Changing direction is more difficult with height, so keep your shots varied and not down the middle. Another thing that works on most tall players is to keep the ball low because it's more difficult for them to get to it. Certainly, when they are volleying, keep that ball low by their feet, it makes it very difficult for them to return. Try your best to prevent the giant from getting a high ball to smash back at you.

Characteristically, a shorter player can rely on speed and agility. Keep this in mind. You can beat them with your SPEED!

Additionally, you must add mental agility (don’t be intimidated by the giant), accuracy and a solid return of serve. Ideally, when you get that tall person’s terrific serve keep the return low making it harder for the tall person to get to since they typically have to lean so far down to hit it. Also, remember add the low volley and slice shots to your arsenal. In a nut shell I discovered that height isn't everything, well maybe in the modeling field. However, ability, agility, heart and mentality are what add inches to your game and ultimately neutralize a height handicap.

Players lacking in height, but not HEART:
Belgian female player Justine Henin (left) who is also lacking in height—she is 5’6”––but not in heart. She enjoyed being world #1 in singles with a record of 492-106, 41 career singles titles and has won all Grand Slams 2 more than once except for Wimbledon where she was only a finalist. As you know, she’s out of retirement and still one of the smallest players on the women’s tour, with the exception of …

Melanie Oudin (left) (born September 23, 1991) is an American tennis player and former World Junior No. 2. Her career high rank is World No. 41, which she achieved on February 22, 2010. Career prize money: $450,335 .

Do smaller players have to work harder? Maybe. But what is better than working hard at something you love and challenging yourself, testing your abilities, reaching your pinnacle?

I keep this in mind as I walk on the court and assess my opponent, “It’s my game, and I bring on the court me, my racquet and my arsenal, leaving any notions of height restrictions or handicaps outside on the curb.” So be a warrior no matter the opponent and keep playing with HEART!!!

There are many women of basketball height on the women’s tour. But height is a challenge, not just for us recreational players, but for several of the pros, too. Among the top 50 female players, here’s the long and short of it:

THE TALL

Maria Sharapova (Russia) 6-2

Ana Ivanovic (Serbia) 6-1

Venus Williams (USA) 6-1

Dinara Safina –(Russia) 6.0

Yanina Wickmayer-(Belgium) 6.0

AND THE NOT SO TALL...

Jie Zheng (China) 5-4-1/2

Patty Schnyder (Switzerland) 5-6

Justine Henin (Belgium) 5-5

Melanie Oudin (USA) 5-6

Tamarine Tanasugarn (Thailand) 5-5

Alexandra Dulgheru (Romania) 5-5

Maria Kirilenko (Russia ) 5-6
AND THE WINNER:

Dominika Cibulkova (Slovakia) 5-2

Tennis League Network Hits the Airwaves.

2010-04-28T09:00:00.000-07:00

We’ve Hit a Winner on Tennis Channel

What do David May, John Geary, and Maria Vargas have in common? It’s this: all three participate in the Tennis Los Angeles League. But now they are also tennis “stars” in one of the regular Court Report features aired on Tennis Channel. The video is narrated by Cari Champion, one of Tennis Channel’s regular hosts for Court Report.
If you didn’t see it or you don’t get Tennis Channel, you can view it online on the tennis Channel Web Site. Here’s the link.
www.tennischannel.com/video/index.aspx#c2895a12-ec58-4638-9bd7-301dbdcf6e82

This video runs just under a minute. This is tremendous publicity for Tennis League Network and a big upside for you as a player. The more people who see it and become interested in a local league means a greater potential for bringing more players into your leagues, and thus more people for you to play with. Here’s a brief review. The online video caption is:

The Tennis League Network is a great way to find a local league.

Cari Champion (left): Are you interested in playing tennis but having a hard time finding a local league that fits your schedule? Well the Tennis League Network is a 7 year old web site devoted to connecting players. It’s grown to include 34 cities and almost 24,000 players nationwide.
Now shift to David May, an advanced player…

“If you’re not a member of a club, like I’m not,” says May, “it’s just really good that you’ve got a community of people that are the exact same level.”

As two women rally, Maria Vargas takes the screen and says:

”Everyone I meet says they really want to play tennis, but no one is ever ready to hit the courts, so I know that I can go online and someone is always ready to make a tennis date.”

John Geary, in the League for a third season:

“I love it that you get to play people that are on the same level. You get a variety of people. Each season I meet new people. And you pick and choose the schedule you want.”

So, cross court, down the line, volley or serve, Tennis League Network is the winner on Tennis Channel.

Like Oil and Water, Tennis and Rain don't Mix

2010-04-19T08:17:00.000-07:00

US Open rain delay: what’s a girl to do?

From Jean Kirshenbaum: I wrote this story about the rain delay at the 2009 US Open for TennisWeek.com last September. That tennis website folded last December and I now contribute articles to TennisNow.com and 10sballs.com. Although I am eagerly awaiting the French Open, this US Open update of that article will have to do for now.

It has happened to me three times – rain delays at the US Open. Two years in a row it rained all day and not a single match was played. We couldn’t leave early because we were on a bus trip and the bus wasn’t leaving until 6:30. If you think it’s rough to keep children occupied in bad weather, it’s no easier for adults. There is only so much coffee or iced tea that you can drink. It’s not like we had books with us. It also rains when we recreational players are scheduled for a match. Very disappointing.

The question is, what do you do when it’s raining and there are no matches to watch, even on television? Beat up on Zeus, god of rain? Is it all doom and gloom? Looks that way.

When there is a long rain delay, the matches already played will likely be televised just to fill scheduled air time, but who wants to see those again? I was there in person on two days and watched most of the others at home. I stayed tuned for some of the matches I missed — those that I am really interested in, such as an encore of the Bryan brothers loss to Leander Paes and Lukas Dlouhy, which was fast and exciting.

I was there to see it but I left Arthur Ashe Stadium before the Yanina Wickmayer-Kateryna Bondarenko match to soothe my disappointment with the PG50 match on court 4, where coaches Billie Jean King and Ivan Lendl coached a team tennis format with such old timers and middle timers as Stan Smith, Guillermo Vilas, Todd Martin, Luke Jenson, Tracy Austin and what I call the Wizards of Ez — Mary Joe Fernandez, Gigi Fernandez, and Conchita Martinez.
With the rain in New York and at home, I couldn’t play tennis or watch it. So what’s a girl to do? I’m not working so I could go shopping, but there is absolutely nothing I need or want to buy and I couldn’t afford it anyway. Grocery shopping? Nah, my husband does that.
What about cleaning the house? Nah, I keep it messy during the majors. Read a book? Good idea. I recently finished "A Terrible Splendor", Marshall Jon Fisher’s outstanding account of the tennis history and outstanding tennis players and matches during the Hitler era and earlier, and I am part way through the Monica Seles book, "Getting a Grip."
I could do that. Although in the summer I do most of my reading on the beach or at the pool. It’s raining, so I can’t do that either. And we have no leaks in the roof (patched those several years ago) so it’s not raining in my living room! Looks like there is no excuse. I could read sitting in the armchair, which is where I usually watch tennis.

What nerve I have to groan about the weather! Think of what it’s like for the players, as well as the tournament director, who has to figure out how to salvage the schedule, taking into consideration the players, television schedules and executives, ticket refund policies, and all the other intangibles that make up the nightmare of rained out matches during THE US OPEN — one of the biggest tennis events of the year — if not the biggest. For sure there are protocols and backup plans. But it’s those intangibles that would make you want to hurl tennis balls at the gods.

And the players. What about them? They come first, of course. Most of them have already washed out of the tournament. However, of those who are left — what do they do when it rains? That’s what I would really like to know. Work out, practice at the indoor courts or go shopping? I have always wondered why in their interviews the women say that one of their favorite pastimes is shopping. What could they need to buy? They wear mostly tennis clothes and it’s doubtful they buy those in stores.(By the way, all the Wizards of Ez were wearing pink and black, which suggests that they might have gone shopping together.)

With all the traveling and playing time, the female players have few occasions to wear civilian clothes. Maybe they shop for gifts for their friends and families. Once in a while, a player will admit to reading a book. They also have regular interests such as music and movies. Some do media and marketing stuff such as interviews and commercials. These pros travel to the great cities of the world. Rain would be a good time to go to a museum or take a guided tour. Or sneak a piece of chocolate, and be the envy of Dinara Safina (left), who did a great ad about her weakness for chocolate in the series of "It Must Be Love" TV spots.
Speaking of tennis ads, I like not only the Safina ad, in which she demonstrates her dilemma over choosing chocolate or tennis (she chooses tennis), but also the Venus Williams spot about Harold, her dog, "who doesn’t even like tennis." He just "waits for me to get off the court." He didn’t have long to wait this year. And Roger Federer is simply charming in his "what they call me" spot. He settles on "just Rog." On the other hand, I really detest the Andy Roddick Lacoste ad, with Ivano Icardi’s s driving, irritating "Go For It" music, and the not-so-attractive stick figure models strutting down a not-so-visible runway. I just despise it, not only for the anorexic look of the models, but also because it’s shown so often that the music gives me an irritating ear worm. What agency dreamed that up? Relief from this ad is the one upside of the rain-out.
And just maybe the players are as perplexed as I am when the weather wrecks the day’s tennis plans. What I find really aggravating is when it begins to rain in the middle of my match, although not nearly as aggravating as the suspension of the Rafael Nadal-Fernando Gonzalez match. When we last left Ashe stadium, Nadal had the edge. The break may help him get a more solid footing for a sprint to victory. But somehow I think that the rain and wind will blow this one Gonzales’ way. Given his knees and his stomach strain, Nadal does not seem to be up to par.

I hate thinking about all this. Zeus be damned. I’m off to the armchair with my Seles book. It’s near a picture window where I can watch to see if it’s still raining.

Your Kickoff Day is Coming Soon.

2010-04-13T09:28:00.000-07:00

Kickoff Day

Players in many of our leagues are filled with anticipation as the season approaches. They just can't wait to meet up with last year's opponents and to meet new players. How do we know? Some have written to us asking when they would receive the kickoff email. The answer? Well, it's here. The kickoff email went out the week of April 12. If this is your first season in the tennis league network (or even if you are a veteran), there are a few things that you need to know. First, how do you get started? Here’s how:

On the start day of the season, we break down the committed players by geographical location, gender and skill level. We try to keep the distance between two players reasonable and make divisions based partly on travel time. The start day of the season, players receive a kickoff email that contains important information about the league, the link where your league standings and players contact information.

We guarantee 6 playing partners at your playing level, but have been averaging closer to 15+ dedicated tennis partners in most cities. We can tell you that players in many of our leagues are filled with anticipation as the season approaches. They just can't wait to meet up with last year's opponents and to meet new players. How do we know? Some have written to us asking when they will receive the kickoff email. The answer? Very soon.

Your Task - "Flexible Scheduling”
After this kickoff email is sent, it is the player's task to communicate with each other. Players should work with their partners to find an agreeable time and location to play the match. While TennisPhilly doesn't mandate your playing schedule, it is recommended that players schedule at least one match per week. By request of the players in 2008 we started to allow players to play 1 rematch during the season.

Here’s some common sense advice:
Make sure that technology—telephone and email-- works for you, not against you. Email has by far become the most common communication tool. But you can get tripped up! Sometimes people don’t look at their messages very frequently, or they are out of town, or their addresses or phone numbers have changed since you received the players roster.

If you don’t get a response after a couple of tries, why not just pick up the phone and call? Try both home and cell numbers. At this point, of course, you may confront technology once again--voicemail! So leave a message and wait for a return call. If you still haven’t made a connection with the player, try again in a couple of weeks. Or contact the league administrator (me) to find out whether the player is still in the league or if contact information has changed.

Where to Play?
The league strongly suggests that players jointly try to pick a tennis court location convenient to both. We provide an extensive list of tennis courts for each area, including details such as number of courts, lighting, hitting walls, etc. We strive to keep this list fresh and up-to-date; players are encouraged to pass along any updated information. Your league website has a link to the courts in your area. These courts have been evaluated. They are accessible to you and in good condition. If you know of any courts that are in bad shape or are not playable, please let me know.
Tennis Orlando, Tennis San Antonio and Tennis San Diego will all have leagues kickoff in the near future.

Who's who in the TLN Community.

2010-04-08T11:27:00.000-07:00

Player Profiles...

More than 7,000 players are part of our tennis league network. Some people have been members of their local group for several years and may have played each other several times by now. It’s always nice to know something about your opponent. From time to time we’ll post profiles of members in the various online communities. Even if they are not in your local league, they may have something in common with you. Or something they say about their own tennis game may resonate with you. What's certain is that you will learn something positive about Tennis League Network. Amy Kraus, who plays in Boston Community, is our first profile.

TennisNorthEast Helps Amy Kraus Improve Her Game
Amy Kraus (left, with Venus Williams) had been playing tennis for five years when she saw a flyer for Tennis League Network’s TennisNorthEast online tennis community posted at a court near her home in Boston, MA. She’s been a player with TennisNorthEast ever since—and that was five years ago.

Although she started out as a doubles player, she has been playing mostly singles for the past three years. “I am a better singles player,” says Amy, “since, unlike in doubles, I am the only one on court and I have to get every ball. It’s just me. I don’t have a partner to rely on.”

Amy has not only found other singles players, but enjoys playing “the same people year after year, and developing relationships with them.” So, Amy, do you have any League rivalries?

“My rivalries are essentially with those people I play most.” More important than rivalry, however, is that “there is always a challenge, no matter how good you think you are.” One of her most memorable League matches was with a player she has played quite often. Here’s that story:

“We were both short on time, so we decided on a 10-game pro set. It turned into longest match we ever played. We were both late for our next appointments. But the score was so close we continued to play. It turned into a long match of more than 2+ hours. I won but can’t remember the score.”

Her least favorite match was the one against a doubles teammate. When they played as singles opponents, she didn’t win a single game. Clearly it was a case of knowing each other’s game too well. “Every time I tried to do something to throw her off, she was able to compensate.”

So what’s the best thing Amy’s gotten from TennisNorthEast? Playing in the league “has done a lot to improve my game over the past 5 years. From April through October, there is a constant supply of singles players. It’s also a good workout and a lot of practice.”

Amy does make the most of it. She plays tennis two and sometimes three times a week. “It’s made me a better all around player,” says Amy, who currently plays at 3.0 level, but hopes to become a 3.5 player.

If you are interested in playing more tennis, Amy recommends both the Partners and the League groups, although she plays League matches more often since she is “not as proactive with the Partners group.”

Overall, it’s clear that Amy Kraus finds many positives in TennisNorthEast, not the least of which is the improvement in her game. As she points out, it’s not just local neighborhood program. “Most people don’t know that Tennis League Network is national with leagues in 34 cities and metropolitan areas. “I would urge everyone to join.”

Amy’s favorite moment outside the local league was attending Tennis League Network’s 2009 national tournament last year at Crandon Park in Key Biscayne, FL. That’s where she met Venus Williams, who was making a Tide commercial, and also doing an interview for one of the “athletes going green” spots. “We were only allowed to watch, but I did get to meet her when we left the court. By the way, she is really tall.”

THE ROAD TO ROLAND GARROS IS PAVED WITH GOOD TENNIS

2010-03-31T12:18:00.001-07:00

Upcoming tournaments...

The Grand Slam tournaments are, of course, the “Show” tournaments known the world over. Unlike other events, the slams are available to most people on one of the broadcast networks, as well as some cable stations, like USA or others. But many events —5 are listed below--will be held between now and May, until we reach the next major, The French Open, May 24-- June 6, including those listed here. The most recent top tier tournaments were the PNB Paribas, which was held in March Indian Wells, CA.

Most recently, the Sony Ericsson Open is ongoing at Crandon Park, in Key Biscayne, FL, a stone’s throw from Miami and the location of the Tennis League Network's national playoffs. You could see the Sony Ericsson event if you get Fox Sportsnet or Tennis Channel ( a tennis junkie’s dream come true). Sometimes, however, even the finals of these events get weekend airtime on either CBS or NBC. For instance, CBS will air the Sony Ericsson women’s final on Saturday, and the men’s final on Sunday.

Upcoming Tournaments

ATP [men]
Apr. 5 - 11: ATP Grand Prix Hassan II,Casablanca, Morocco

Apr. 5 - 11: ATP US Men's Claycourt Championships,Houston, Texas, USA

Apr. 12 - 18 : ATP Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters,Monte-Carlo, Monaco

Apr. 19 - 25: ATP Open Sabadell Atlantico,Barcelona, Spain

Apr. 26 - May. 2: ATP Internationaionali BNL d'Italia, Rome, Italy

WTA [women]

Apr. 5 - 11: WTA MPS Group Championships,Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, USA

Apr. 5 - 11: WTA Andalucia Tennis Experience, Marbella, Spain

Apr. 12 - 18: WTA Tour Family Circle Cup, Charleston, South Carolina, USA

Apr. 12 - 18: WTA Barcelona Ladies Open, Barcelona, Spain

Apr. 26 - May. 2: WTA Grand Prix S.A.R La Princesse Lalla Meryem, Fes, Morocco

Apr. 26 - May. 2: WTA Tour Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, Stuttgart, Germany

Venus Williams and Roger Federer at last year's Sony Ericsson (courtesy, Alex Goldberg of Miami,FL)

League Review, Part 2: The Partners Program

2010-03-30T12:50:00.000-07:00

Part 1 of our review of Tennis League Network covered our League Program. As they say, "But wait, there's more." And there really is. Here’s what you should also be aware of…

Okay, so you don’t play tennis like Roger Federer and Serena Williams. That doesn’t mean you can’t find a partner at your level of play, even if you are a beginner. C’mon. Get out there. Be glad we have the gift of tennis weather, (well, almost, depending on where you live). So get the racket, tennis balls, and tennis clothes to get ready for spring matches. But what if you don’t have people to play with? The Tennis League Network for sure can help you find players right where you live through an online tennis community. It’s a proven program. If you are familiar with our two programs, you may be wondering whether you should play in the partner’s program or the league. Some players belong to both. What’s the difference and why choose?

Like the leagues, the partners program provides dedicated tennis partners according to playing skill level and your playing location, either for matches or just to hit around. The Partner Program, however, is different from the League. Here’s how: it’s less structured and less competitive, since there are no league standings or season championships.

The Partner Program is for all level players. We do, however, encourage beginners to play in the Partner Program first before playing in a league. We do track the results and make necessary skill rating adjustments based upon the scores. Because we present your contacts based upon skill level, it gets you fun well-matched tennis partners. Players can use three semi-standard playing formats: 2 out of 3 sets, 2 sets with 10 point super tie-breaker or the 10-game pro set (First to 10, used when court time is limited).

We connect you with 19 Men and/or Women based upon your playing skill level. You meet up with the players to play either a match or just hit around. Compared to a league, the Partner Program is less structured (there are fewer guidelines on playing schedules) and less competitive (for example, there are no champions crowned and no league standings). The program just provides dedicated tennis partners who want to meet up with you on the courts.

The objective is to ensure when you enter the program that you'll be connected with active players. So players are required to play at least once every 45 days to keep their membership in the program active. The Partner Program is ongoing and remains open as long as the weather is good enough to play outdoor tennis.

For sure you can find players where you live. The league strongly suggests that players jointly try to pick a tennis court location convenient to both. We provide an extensive list of tennis courts for each area, including details such as # of courts, lighting, hitting walls, etc. We strive to keep this list fresh and up-to-date; players are encouraged to pass along any updated information.

The Partner Program is ongoing and remains open as long as the weather is good enough to play outdoor tennis.

It’s Tennis Weather. Get Out Your Racket!

2010-03-22T13:18:00.001-07:00

Find a Tennis Partner, Play a Match or Just Hit Around. The Point isn't Match Point but to Simply Enjoy the Game.

It’s time for a quick review of the Tennis League Network programs: The League and the Partners program. This is part one of two. The League:

It’s tennis weather (well, almost, depending on where you live). So get out your racket, tennis balls, and tennis clothes to get ready for spring matches. But what if you don’t have people to play with? You may be new to town, new to the game, or just looking for matches with new people. One of the leagues in Tennis League Network could be just what you need.

Ours is an online community in 34 cities and metro areas that connect you with dedicated local tennis players of every level -- from beginners to advanced players-- who want to play singles, and play a lot, whether it’s during the day, after work, or on weekends. For our full list of communities just go to: http://www.tennisleaguenetwork.com/

We make sure that both men and women are connected with tennis players of compatible skill levels. To do that, we break down the member players by geographical location, gender and skill level. At the start of each of the three 8-week seasons—spring, summer, and fall—member players receive a kickoff email with important information about the league, the link for league standings, as well as players’ contact information (phone and email). This comes along with a guarantee of 6 playing partners at your playing level. Fortunately, the list has been averaging closer to 15+ dedicated tennis partners in most cities. Membership fee is depends on the location and players think it’s well worth it. It’s a popular program. More than 15,000 people have participated in leagues over the past 6+ years.

Each league provides each member of the men’s and the women’s groups with a list of players for each season. Players can set up as many or as few matches as they want. Match results are posted on the site, and an end-of-season playoff determines a league champion. Players can use three playing formats: 2 out of 3 sets, 2 sets with 10 point super tie-breaker, or the 10- game pro set (First to 10, used when court time is limited).

The league strongly suggests that players jointly try to pick a tennis court location convenient to both. We provide an extensive list of tennis courts for each area, including details such as # of courts, lighting, hitting walls, etc. We strive to keep this list fresh and up-to-date; players are encouraged to pass along any updated information.

Our online communities are now looking for more dedicated players to be apart of the fun. Visit one of these sites to find an online community that will help you find players.

Webtennis.net offers 10% product discount for League Players

2010-03-17T13:06:00.000-07:00

Brent Abel

Improve Your Game: Hire a Virtual Tennis “Dad”

on www.webtennis.net

Players who follow pro tennis are probably familiar with the story of how Richard Williams used tennis instructional videos to teach Venus and Serena how to play tennis. And we all know how that turned out! Well, who needs Richard Williams when we can have our own virtual “dad” with videos from Brent Abel’s www.webtennis.net, This unique site is packed with more than a dozen free videos, and others that league participants can purchase at a 10% discount.

Free tennis videos? A 10% discount? Right on both counts. I am pleased to tell you that Tennis League Network has created a new partnership with webtennis.net. What does that mean to you? If as a league/partner program player you decide to “hire” Mr. Abel as your virtual “dad,” you will automatically get the 10% discount on any products you purchase. I think it’s a good deal. www.webtennis.net, offers video instruction on just about every shot and every aspect of the game.

Let me tell you something about Brent Abel. He is Tennis Director and Head Professional at California Tennis Club in San Francisco, and has been teaching tennis for more than 30 years. “Over that time,” Brent says, I've developed an ‘all-court’ tennis instructional system that is based on the true fundamentals of the game. I started this "all-court" instructional website and weekly newsletter in July 2002. There are currently over 21,000 subscribers.

“My system simply gets results and my students become ‘all-court’ players who are proficient at both singles and doubles. This stuff works and you can learn it, even if you're not the most athletic guy or gal on the block, or if you don't have 5 hours a day seven days a week to devote to getting better. The heavy top-spinners grinding from the baseline are easy pickings in tournaments and eventually their arms are either going to fall off or their brains will just blow up from the boredom and frustration of being so one-dimensional. As we get older, we play more doubles than we did when we were younger. Players with extreme grips who mostly play singles from behind the baseline normally make pretty pathetic doubles players. Don't let yourself do it, get on the right track with strokes you can use forever and give yourself a game for a lifetime... tennis. I can show you how to dramatically improve any or all of your tennis strokes. “

Tennis League Network went into partnership with Brent because it lets me add another dimension to your membership in our program. You have an opportunity to improve your game and learn to do better against your league opponents! In other words, you can get a lot out of www.webtennis.net. Here is more of what Brent has to say about it:

• A free weekly instructional VIDEO newsletter delivered directly to your email Inbox with a real tip or two that you can use in your game immediately. No worn out tired tennis teaching clichés here, real instruction that gets results.

• Online detailed stroke and strategy lessons that feature simple to understand instruction using text, photos, audio clips, and video clips

• A line of high quality instructional products developed by Brent (DVDs, CDs, instant video downloads, etc.) that are designed to help you get the results you want in an easy to understand, plain English format and practice plan.

• Live instructional teleconferences and Webinars, where I present a certain topic where you can ask specific questions about your tennis game and get answers right then and there

• Follow up. The key to any high quality instructional program is follow up. I stay with you throughout your learning process, giving you the opportunity to ask questions via email or my toll free line.

• Quality learning aids. I endorse only a handful of what I consider to be important and useful learning products. I offer these to my subscribers at very competitive prices, with a 10% discount for Tennis League Network players. “My instructional products are 100% guaranteed or your money back. No questions, no nothing. I am supremely confident that I can help you...”

Clearly, Abel knows what he is talking about. His has a winning record as a competitive player, and impressive credentials as teaching pro (see below)

• 2009 National 60s Hard court Singles Champion

• 2009 National 60s Hard court Doubles Semis

• 2009 Pacific Coast 60s Singles Champion

• 2009 Pacific Coast 60s Doubles Finals (Rained Out)

• 2009 Marin 60s Singles Champion

• 2009 Marin 60s Doubles Champion

• 2009 World Team Matches - USA VonCramm Cup Team Member - Silver Medalists - Perth Australia

• National 35s Hard court Doubles title in 1984, and ranked #1 in the U.S. in doubles that year...

What’s the benefit to you? Abel will help you:

• Understand the simple yet essential keys to Footwork - yep, this is a game of movement, right?! You can quickly improve a decisive first step, efficient movement, proper spacing away from the incoming ball for a perfect hitting position

• Develop the necessary mental skills for practice and competition

Are you sick and tired of playing great in practice situations and then stinking up the place in either league or tournament matches?

• Reap the benefits of becoming more focused on court positioning - Finally understand exactly how superior court positioning in your singles and doubles strategies can have an enormous effect on challenging your opponents,

• Get fitter and learn simple exercises for tennis specific injury prevention, greatly reduce the risk of tennis elbow, rotator cuff, and other tennis related injuries

• Learn to become an "all-court" tennis player, how to stop being a one-dimensional predominately baseline player

* * * * *

Can't Wait to Play With Tennis Philly

2010-03-15T11:52:00.000-07:00

Get Ready, Get Set, Go?

Not yet. I’m waiting and waiting to play with TennisPhilly, the heart and soul of warm weather tennis for me. I may be waiting, but I really can’t wait. I’ve even contacted players I know from previous seasons to find out whether they will join this year--and to hit them over the head with my racket to make sure that they do. I can hardly believe that this will be my fourth season! Each year, the league has supplied me with a pool of at least 15 compatible players in my geographic location. I know some of them from previous years; others are new.

Let me tell you about the advantages and what Tennis Philadelphia gives to me. First, I find a lot of players, which I couldn’t otherwise do. Why? It’s expensive to belong to a club, and I just don’t have the opportunity to find players. Second, we generally play at the same level. We play on public courts that are in excellent shape. Some are fewer than five minutes from home, none farther than 20 minutes. Some players have become friends outside of tennis because we have found that we like each other or have more things in common than tennis. Other than the initial fee, there is no cost—except for the new can of balls I give to the winner. And, as Steve Chagnon will tell you, I don’t win much. So I buy at least two cases of balls a season—because I play a lot and because I lose a lot. But, TennisPhilly helps me to keep on trying. I wouldn’t miss out on it. And neither should you.

The Magic of the Playoffs

2010-03-12T10:02:00.000-08:00

From Steven Chagnon, League Director:

"The Playoffs are a different beast,"' is a statement I write to many a player in the league. When a regular season ends, the division standings show a pecking order of where the players are in reference to each other. Players who won the minimum number of matches required to make it to the playoffs (usually 4 or 5) could have had very different stories within the same season. You might have some players who breezed through with awesome seasons and only one or two losses, whereas others had to play over 15 matches to get the needed wins. A great aspect about our program is that a player who ends a roller-coaster season as 5 wins-12 losses can still make the playoffs. If someone's able to connect with so many players during the regular season, an exciting playoff experience is well deserved.

When the playoffs start, the slate is just about wiped clean. Although players with the best records start off with the highest seeds (and therefore could get a first round bye), the beauty is in the inevitable upsets. We've seen so many last seeds win the playoffs that the thinking 'the hottest player during the playoffs tends to win' is usually true.

This Winter Season has one such case; In Tennis Orange County, AJ Patel has won 5 Advanced Championships in a row. That changed this season, when Rob Ryan – who had 9 losses in a row – finally got his first big victory. It was a huge semi-final playoff win against AJ with a stunning 1-6, 7-6 (14-12), 3rd set tie-breaker 6-0 win.

Tennis League Network's National Website is finally complete

2010-02-17T12:08:00.000-08:00

We have finally finished the national website:
http://www.TennisLeagueNetwork.com/

Most players in their various communities aren't aware of our national product. As we move forward we plan on integrating in the national brand to give players the comfort of feeling comfortable with our various products we provide.

Let us know your thoughts. Remember we also plan on posting your tennis stories here on our blog.

Here's two of our newest communities: Tennis San Diego & Tennis San Antonio

Let the 2010 Australian Open Begin

2010-01-18T07:30:00.000-08:00

Let the First Grand Slam of the Year Begin!! Australian Open is now Live!!

Exciting times for tennis players even the ones stuck in the snow. Who do you see winning the tourney this year, perennial favorites; Federer, Nadal or maybe Murray. Or maybe an upset from a player who is just playing better than the rest right now like Del Potro, Roddick or maybe Djokovic?

On the Women's Side it could be any one of a number of potential players: Henin, William Sisters?, maybe Safina, Clijsters, Jankovic or everyone's hopeful Ana Ivanovic. Day 1 results are already in and Maria Sharapova has already been bounced from the tourney by her countrywomen Maria Kirilenko.

All we really know is that there will be some great tennis, some lasting memories and the internal desire for ourselves to get out on the courts and play.

Here's some Day 1 Results:
Defending men's champion and second-seeded Rafael Nadal found his rhythm after a slow start to the first set and beat Australia's Peter Luczak 7-6 (0), 6-1, 6-4 on Monday in the first round of the Australian Open.

U.S. Open champion Juan Martin del Potro beat American Michael Russell 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 and No. 5 Andy Murray defeated South Africa's Kevin Anderson 6-1, 6-1, 6-2.

Seventh-seeded Andy Roddick beat Thiemo de Bakker of the Netherlands 6-1, 6-4, 6-4.

American Mardy Fish, was beaten in his first-round match, losing 6-2, 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 to wild-card entry Andrey Golubev of Kazakhstan. American Wayne Odesnik beat Slovenian qualifier Blaz Kavcic 4-6, 6-1, 6-4, 6-2.

In between rain delays, No. 11-seeded Fernando Gonzalez of Chile beat Olivier Rochus of Belgium 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 and Florian Mayer had an impressive comeback to beat Philipp Petzschner 0-6, 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 6-2.

Here are some our new cities for 2010: San Antonio Tennis, San Diego Tennis, Austin Tennis

Congrats to the 2009 Player of the Years

2010-01-05T05:46:00.001-08:00

In each city we track the most passionate players using the Player of the Year app. Shown here is the final results for Tennis-Miami's Player of the Year. Miami was by far our most passionate base of players who fell in love with our tennis league format.

The formula is based upon number of referrals to the league and points for playing matches in the league or the partner program.

Washington DC / No. Virginia winner: Phil Harris, with a record 420 pts.
Boston: Mark Stern
Chicago: Michael Braun
Los Angeles: Robert Brombach
Orange County: Peter Tran
San Francisco: Ihsan Elouafi
Miami: Brian Beno, also won an extra $50 gift card with 10 referrals in the year

Baltimore Tennis: Michael Smit
Denver: Bala Srinivasan
Minneapolis: Mark Mitchell
NYC: Lance Jordan
Philadelphia: Dedan Tolbert
Portland: Craig Ekstrand
St. Louis: Matthew Frein

We hope to have players of the year for the new cities like Tennis Orlando, Tennis Tampa Bay and Tennis San Antonio in 2010.

Players can now submit ratings on the tennis courts page

2009-12-30T07:48:00.001-08:00

On our courts page: Charlotte Tennis Courts, Miami Tennis Courts & Austin Tennis Courts players can now submit ratings based upon surface rating, lighting, management and busyness of the courts. This has greatly improved the valuable information we are providing our members.

Each court can also be broken down by this data:

Key Biscayne - Crandon Park Tennis Ctr

Region:

Coral Gables & South Miami

Total # Tennis Courts: 26
# Clay Courts: 6
# Lighted Courts: 6
Has hitting wall?: No
Fee (Per Hour): None that we know about
Address: 6908 Rickenbacker Causeway
City, State Zip Code: Key Biscayne, FL 33149
Directions: Get Directions
Phone Number: (305) 365-2300

Matches Played Here: 127
Admin Notes: This will be where the 2009 Tennis League Network National Tourney will be run.

Success for Tennis League Network’s First National Tennis Tournament

2009-12-27T09:55:00.000-08:00

Press release from Nov. 15, 2009

The first annual national tournament of the Tennis League Network(TLN), (http://www.tennisleaguenetwork.com/) which sponsors local online tennis communities in 34 cities, 'was a big success' says TLN CEO Steve Chagnon. Held Nov. 6-8 at Crandon Park Tennis Center in Key Biscayne, FL.

We crowned 4 national champions:
Men's 4.0: Steve Kushner out of Chicago
Men's 3.5: Jorge Vasquez out of Philadelphia
Men's 3.0: Gokul Venkatesan out of Chicago
Women's: Darlene Dykas out of Boston

The metro area leagues under the TLN umbrella serve to connect local, dedicated tennis players who want to play a lot of tennis. Matches are played predominantely on free public courts. Since 2006, there have been more than 42,000 matches played in which 2009 saw a 51% increase in on court connections.

Registration begins for 2010 programs on Jan. 1st. We plan on having an even bigger and better year with connecting players on the courts in the various communties:

DC: http://www.tennisdc.com/
Boston: http://www.tennisnortheast.com/
Chicago: http://www.chitowntennis.com/
Los Angeles: http://www.tennislosangeles.com/
Philadelphia: http://www.tennisphilly.com/
Miami: http://www.tennis-miami.com/
New York: http://www.tennisnewyork.com/
Orange County: http://www.tennisoc.com/
SF: http://www.tennissf.com/
Denver: http://www.tennisdenver.com/
Raleigh: http://www.tennis-raleigh-durham.com/
St. Louis: http://www.tennisstlouis.com/
Portland: http://www.tennisportland.com/
Seattle: http://www.tennis-seattle.com/
Atlanta: http://www.tennis-atlanta.com/
Baltimore: http://www.tennis-baltimore.com/
Charlotte: http://www.tennis-charlotte.com/
Cincinnati: http://www.tenniscincy.com/
Cleveland: http://www.tenniscleveland.com/
Twin Cities: http://www.tennisminneapolis.com/
Austin: http://www.tennis-austin.com/
Houston: http://www.tennis-houston.com/
Dallas: http://www.tennis-dfw.com/
San Antonio: http://www.tennissanantonio.com/
Phoenix: http://www.tennisphoenix.com/
San Jose: http://www.tennissanjose.com/
Orlando: http://www.tennis-orlando.com/
Tampa: http://www.tennistampabay.com/
San Diego: http://www.tennissd.com/
Indy: http://www.tennisindianapolis.com/
Richmond: http://www.tennisrichmond.com/

Free Tennis Partner Program has been kicked off in Raleigh-Durham

2008-05-15T18:52:00.001-07:00

The first of several Free Tennis Partner programs has been kicked off in the Raleigh-Durham location. We're communicating with the community to get as many tennis players as we can connected out on the courts. The goodwill program is also being offered in Dallas, Orange County and Miami.

First 20 Match Player of 2008: Robert Nazy, Tennis LosAngeles

2008-05-04T07:50:00.002-07:00

Congrats to Robert Nazy on meeting up with 20 Tennis Los Angeles Partners over the 10 week Spring season. It takes a great amount of effort and passion to make it happen.
Per the $10 for 10 rule, Tennis League Network has given Robert a free season for his dedication. Here's Roberts comments on the season: "Thank YOU for setting up the league. I enjoyed playing all the guys and it was a challenge adapting to the different styles of play. Most all the guys were friendly, personable, and most importantly, all had decent weapons on the court with which to compete at a high level of play. I had some very tough matches, which were the most enjoyable. It’s much more fun when the game is close and I get pushed physically and mentally."

Announcing TennisDenver.com

2008-04-09T09:03:00.000-07:00

In our effort to servicing all the major metropolitan locations, we proudly announce the 12th location in the Tennis League Network: www.TennisDenver.com Metro Denver's online Tennis League. We'll be working hard to try to get a Fall League together for the participants.

4/3 New Software has arrived

2008-04-03T11:43:00.000-07:00

The league constantly working to improve the over-all experience for the players. Connecting players with other great partners just isn't good enough. So we have got the beta version of the new software layout online for Tennis Philly participants. We now have login access for player's contact information, more information for players who are members and the new Tennis Partner Program software. The plan is to have all the cities online with the new software by May.

Spring is near for some cities, here for others!!

2008-03-09T13:19:00.000-07:00

After a long winter it's great to know that spring is close. TennisDC will be kicking off its first season of the 2008 tennis year on Monday while Los Angeles and San Francisco players have been off and meeting up on the courts. The nice weather can't come soon enough for Boston, Chicago and Philadelphia players. Can you smell it? outdoor tennis is near.

Signed Partnership with the #1 Online Retailer: Tennis Warehouse

2008-02-19T06:58:00.000-08:00

Tennis League Network, LLC has finalized its negotiations with Tennis Warehouse to provide players easier access to the largest depth of tennis products in the online world. We are also excited to announce that Tennis Warehouse has sponsored the Prize Pool to reward players after their accomplishments on the courts.

Announcing Tennis-Miami.com for Miami - Ft. Lauderdale league play

2008-02-07T08:30:00.000-08:00

The Network is growing to the Miami - Ft. Lauderdale Tennis playing community with www.Tennis-Miami.com. We plan on trying to organize our first league after the summer heat starts to die down. Get on the Interest list today.
http://www.tennis-miami.com/interest.htm

Announcing Tennis Dallas - Ft. Worth Tennis Leagues

2008-02-05T13:04:00.000-08:00

The Network is growing to the Dallas - Ft. Worth Tennis playing community with www.Tennis-DFW.com. We plan on trying to organize our first league after the summer heat starts to die down. Get on the Interest list today.

Tennis NorthEast, LLC is now Tennis League Network, LLC

2008-02-05T07:23:00.000-08:00

In an effort to continue to give the organization a national presence the business name has been changed from Tennis NorthEast, LLC (Boston League) to Tennis League Network, LLC. More changes to come.

January Discounts are offered on all the leagues

2008-01-06T08:49:00.000-08:00

Players,

In an effort to get a nice momentum built going into the Spring Seasons, we have put up the January discounts for all the leagues. This is your way to get into the spring season at a discount and build the enrollment pages for other players who are on the fence about joining.

Join on today for your league:
DC, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, New York City, LA, Orange County, San Francisco, and Raleigh.

11/11/07 Doing what it takes to qualify for the playoffs

2007-11-14T08:05:00.000-08:00

Tennis Los Angeles player James Nall was at 2 wins with 2 days left in the season, with little time left to qualify for the playoffs. The league sets a minimum number of wins - usually 5 - for players to qualify. James did it. He narrowly qualified for the playoffs by winning all 3 of his weekend matches. Here are his words of the experience: "Sure, I gotta say it's extremely rewarding to work hard at something and see positive results. The most rewarding result from this season is the improved control. This last weekend it seemed to click for me and I believe it comes directly from playing consistantly and competitively. Now I'm developing a better understanding of sportsmanship and a healthier concept of competitiveness. Win or lose it's great exercise and every day on the court is a day to improve the skills. Tennis is such a mental game and every play effects both players confidence. A better player can be beat by a smarter player and so every match is unique and everything from the weather to the cup of coffee you have in the morning can effect the outcome. I sense that the more I improve my mental game and confidence on the court the more I will be able to apply those skills to everything in my life, work, art, relationships. Everyone I've played has been so friendly and encouraging. You've got a real positive thing going on here and I'm enjoying it tremendously."

10/30/07 Breaking Records with # of matches played per season

2007-10-30T11:03:00.000-07:00

One of the metrics the league uses for success is the total number of matches played in a season. The league provides the partners but it does take effort and responsible players to go out there and meet up with their division mates. Several cities broke their records for matches played during the fall season. Los Angeles has had 411 matches played already and the league still hasn't entered the playoffs. DC had an amazing 625 matches played during the fall season beating the previous record by over 50 matches. Our players play.

10/8/07 - New Location - Announcing Tennis Raleigh - Raleigh-Durham Tennis League

2007-10-08T09:34:00.000-07:00

The last of several new locations is online in preparation for league play in 2008: Tennis Raleigh. This league site will service players from Raleigh to Durham North Carolina. We will now work to reach as many tennis players in the area to let them know about this well received Tennis League.

10/3/07 - Real Match Score: 6-7, 7-6, 7-6

2007-10-03T12:29:00.000-07:00

On Sept. 29th, Terrill Warren played Steve Gov and won 6-7, 7-6, 7-6. This is the second such instance of having a match going the max number of games. According to the players it was a 2 hour & 45 minute marathon match. "This has been one of my longest match since joining the Tennis Los Angeles. I will never forget this day!!!" Said Steve Gov. While Terrill broke down individual aspects of the match. You got to love having matches be this close.

9/28/07 New Location - Announcing Tennis SF - San Francisco's online Tennis League

2007-09-27T11:11:00.000-07:00

The second of several new locations is online in preparation for league play in 2008: Tennis San Francisco. This league site will service players city players to the suburbs. We will now work to reach as many tennis players in the area to let them know about this well received Tennis League.

9/25/07 3+ Years of Service - Over 12,500+ Matches played

2007-09-25T06:17:00.000-07:00

The league started out of Metro Boston where the tennis playing community took a strong response to the flexible schedule and managed league. Since then DC, Philly, Chicago and LA have all built a passionate following. The Tennis League Network team judges our success by matches played and hearing the positive stories players relay back to us. We hit our first milestone of 10,000 matches played was hit on Aug. 7th, our next goal is 50,000 matches.
Boston - 5,500+ Matches Played
DC - 3,750+ Matches Played
Philly - 1,300+ Matches Played
Chicago - 1,100+ Matches Played
LA - 900+ Matches Played
NYC - 110+ Matches Played

9/21/07 New Location - Announcing Tennis OC-Tennis Orange County

2007-09-25T06:15:00.000-07:00

The first of several new locations is online in preparation for league play in 2008: www.TennisOC.com Tennis Orange County. This league site will service players from Long Beach to Anaheim Hills, La Habra, Irvine to Mission Viejo. We will now work to reach as many tennis players in the area to let them know about this well received Tennis League.

9/15/07 - Tennis NorthEast Tennis Social at Nashawtuc CC

2007-09-25T06:01:00.000-07:00

When possible the league tries to organize larger social tennis outings for the sole purpose of enjoying tennis in a larger group environment. On Sept. 9th, 2007 Tennis NorthEast the Boston group was graciously hosted by Nashawtuc Country Club out of Concord, MA. Over 32 players attended a Mixed Social Tennis Doubles event where players enjoyed playing with several different partners through-out the 5 hour event. An over-the-top BBQ was set up by Nashawtuc and the players raved about the food and the tennis.

9/8/07 New Product - Tennis Partner Program

2007-09-25T06:00:00.001-07:00

The league format has been quite successful to connect players with dedicated tennis partners. The various city sites reach players that might be a little weary of league play or don't want to be defined by a set of playing dates. So we are developing a less formal/less structured product for these players; the Tennis Partner Program. This program will be a managed list of players who want to be contacted to play but more for the enjoyment of tennis and less for the thrill of league play. We will kick off two test products in DC and Boston for the rest of the year. The product should make it to most cities by Spring 2008.

DC Tennis Partner Program

9/2/07 New Record - Avg. Player in 1 city played 7.8 matches

2007-09-25T05:59:00.000-07:00

Tennis LosAngeles has an extremely dedicated playing base and its proven by the Summer Season. The 90 players that participated broke the record for the number of matches played per player in a season with 7.8 matches per player. The league had 25 players who played 10 or more matches in the 8-week season. A true testament that the league attracts passionate tennis players.

8/26/07 - New to the area we connect players with partners.

2007-09-25T05:57:00.000-07:00

A lot of the players who play in the various leagues are new to the city and use the league and tennis as a way to start to feel at home with their new place of residence. Here is one of the testimonials:
From Lamaar Walker 7/16/07 (2-time returning player) Tennis NorthEast,I was new to the Boston Area, and desperately needed to get some consistent tennis play in. I joined TNE and in a matter of a week, had already been matched up with 5 players and matches. Even now, I manage to get a match or two in every other or couple days (schedule permitting). The small fee is so worth the network that you join when you become a TNE member.-Lamaar 12 matches played in about 6 weeks of play

8/20/07 - 23 Matches played in a season

2007-09-25T05:55:00.000-07:00

The league's philosophy is if the league has contacts and you have time we'll connect you. The only boundaries we set up are between the skill levels. It took a little over 1-month for the old record for matches played in a season to be broken. Jeremy Lange of the Tennis Los Angeles League played 22 matches + 1 playoff match during the Summer 2007 Season. I wonder if the weather and Jeremy's love of the game had something to do with breaking the record? This season we had over 10% of the participants playing more than 10 matches in the 8-week season.

Jeremy's Division

8/16/07 Playing in Central Park

2007-09-25T05:52:00.000-07:00

What's one of the rewards of running this service? The league staff now has partners in each of the cities where leagues are run. On Sunday, August 11th I had the distinct pleasure to play with Elena Danova from the Tennis New York league in Central Park. 30 tennis courts that are always packed full with players either competing, just hitting or taking lessons. Just like NYC the scale of the facility is impressive. Elena was a pleasure to hit with as she enjoyed striking the ball with pace. But, she was a little limited in her movement from a 12-mile road race the day before. The aspect that I think the park needs to improve on is the grade school buzzer that announces the end of the hour of playing time. I felt like I was late for class! -Steve, Lead Admin

7/28/07 The Conclusion of a Season

2007-09-24T16:36:00.000-07:00

The culmination of every season is the playoffs: players who have won 5 or more matches in a season participate in a single elimination tourney that leads to increasing close matches and ultimately narrows down to a champion for each league (for an example, see below). Having won 5 or more matches is not always an easy task, and it takes a good amount of effort (which may involve playing a lot more than 5 matches in a given season) to make it to the playoffs. Playoff participants for a given skill level can be from several divisions of that same skill level throughout the league. A playoff pool can have anywhere from only 2 to more than 15 players, depending on the size of the league. The beauty of the playoff format is that as each round completes, the tennis gets better and better. . . until we have one eventual league champion for that season.

Spring #3 Competitive Playoffs from TennisDC

7/20/07 The system works to connect dedicated players

2007-09-24T16:34:00.000-07:00

TennisPhilly is one of the smaller franchises in the network. But, the players are the most passionate of all the cities. During Spring Season #2 we only had 55 Men participating, but the players played a total of 204 Matches over an 8 week season. That was a record breaking average of 7.4 Matches per player.

Competitive Division from the season

7/6/07 We connect players with as many partners as available.

2007-09-24T16:31:00.000-07:00

The league's philosophy is if the league has contacts and you have time we'll connect you. The only boundaries we set up are between the skill levels. A testament to this fact is we always have quite a few players every season play 10 or more matches over an 8-week season. If your playing tennis and meeting up with new people it's great for both you and the league. During TennisDC's Spring Season #1 Azadar Kazmi meet up with an astonishing 21 partners on his way to the Finals for season. Great season and a Tennis League Network record.

Azadar's Season Division

Azadar's Tournament Run

7/4/07 - Purity of Competition Rule & Tightest Match ever

2007-09-24T16:23:00.000-07:00

The league knows that the self-rating system is inherently flawed. The league uses the Purity of Competition rule to monitor match results and move players up or down levels either at the end of the season or even mid-season if necessary. A testament to system is the below score:
TennisPhilly, Spring Season #1 Competitive Division:
6/4/07 Andrew Skalkin over Francisco Montero 6-7, 7-6, 7-6 A 3+ hour marathon

6/1/07 Skill Level is skill level indifferent of Sex or Age

2007-09-24T16:17:00.000-07:00

The league promotes Men play Men and Women play Women, but quite often we get a Women player or two who is extremely talented and ends up playing with the Men. Pretty much every season in each city we have 1 or 2 Women players playing with Men. Kendal Robinson is the first to win a championship and beat out the Advanced Men during TennisDC's Summer Season #1. Congrats to Kendal and it's proof that Talent transcends Gender.
http://www.tennisdc.com/archive.htm#Summer_1_2006