Yann Auzoux – FifthSet International - Top Coach Shares his Video Tutorials

       Yann Auzoux has been a tennis instructor for over 25 years and his experience is truly vast, ranging from the eager youngster all the way up to the professional standards required of the elite players.

       For the past ten years Yann has been coaching a high school tennis team and their winning record is an impressive 95% over the past ten years; even more impressively they have been undefeated during the last five years.

       Yann has brought his wealth of experience in tennis to the online community and has been an avid contributor to tennis.com, for a number of years now. Yann’s success has come from his ability to teach complicated concepts in very simple and intuitive ways. This has allowed his students, regardless of ability level, to understand and apply the training tips to their own game. That way, through the curriculum, players are able to see tangible improvements in their game very quickly. As such, Yann’s video training series has created great results for many students in a relatively short period of time.

       For Yann, all training should be fun and well organised and his video series is no exception; walking students through complicated concepts from point A through to point Z. If you study via Yann’s training courses then you will be taken through the vital steps in an intelligent manner and via a system that is so powerful you will improve your game without even thinking about it, simply by doing and feeling.

       The secret to being a great player, according to any top coach, is being able to play the game instinctively and not have to think too much about it. The thinking comes ahead of the game but instinct takes over during the match.

       Let’s take a look at a couple of Yann’s courses in more detail, in particular the Serve Accelerator. Over the last 20 years Yann has mastered this course as both a coach and professional player. The course provides a step by step progression that gradually helps a player to maximise their personal talent. The course is designed to be easy to grasp but very dominant when applied. This course will help you to master your toss and will make you understand the mechanical chain that optimizes your power and your control. Importantly, students will learn how to develop their serve whilst preserving their joints so that they do not develop bad habits that could cause injuries. Yann will tell you that this is one of the best investments you can make for your game and seeing as the serve is so important to any player’s game who could disagree. 

       Yann has put into practice his own training methods and with his relatively small frame of 5'10 and 150lbs he has been able to generate up to 135mph serves, which is almost 1 mile per hour per pound of flesh. That is very impressive for any player.

       Next, there is Yann’s renowned course in dynamic footwork. Now, no one ever talks about the importance of footwork but Yann can teach you the most important topic no one ever talks about or teaches. Yann has spent an extensive amount of time on technique and strokes but if you do not get to the ball, you will not hit it. Contrary to what many people think, footwork is not as simple as "moving your feet", there is so much more to successful footwork. In this easy to understand course, Yann walks you through steps that will make you gain seconds in your movement. Imagine what you would do with seconds to spare every time you get to a ball.

       Additionally, footwork means getting to the ball in the right position so that your body is never in your way but instead gives you all the extra stuff you need for a winning shot. Just like every aspect of your game, there are footwork patterns to learn that maximize your options based on the situation you face. This course will change the way you move and show you that Federer can be emulated.

       Yann’s video training series are essentially documentaries which explain his many secrets and insider knowledge of the game. This advice has led to his great success which has seen his teams remain undefeated, year after year. Each and every player who undertakes Yann’s training complete the same curriculum and a brief look through his results will show that they keep on winning. Subsequently, it is clear what Yann has to say is essential for any player to improve their game and clearly a recipe for success, for any level of player.

       Do you want to improve your game? Do you want to know what Federer does that is so special? Then why not take up the challenge and let Yann show you how to improve your game and maybe you can start an undefeated streak.

Charles Bane - The Bay Area player where tennis for him is all about exercise and the fun of the game.

A relative newcomer to the game Charles Bane only started playing last spring and has developed very quickly and to be now rated as a 3.5 player is very impressive, given his limited time in the sport. It is easy to see how Charles has developed so quickly given that when fit he tries to play three or more times a week.

Charles has been playing in the Tennis SF's non-league programs since late spring 2013. He is also an active player in league tennis since the winter of 2013.

After playing regularly on Tennisopolis he found some of the players to be unreliable and in the pursuit of keen and reliable opposition (that would challenge and improve his game), he came across TennisSF.com. Charles is delighted that he made the jump to a different league because now he can play tennis regularly and against challenging opposition.

For Charles tennis is all about exercise and the fun of the game. There is nothing he loves more than to be challenged physically, mentally and strategically on a regular basis and by different players. According to Charles, tennis is not unlike being a mad scientist… one who develops the next cockroach killer but when that cockroach adapts… its back to the drawing board!

Any tennis player will regale you with past glories and great come backs and for Charles there is one such game that sticks with him. He was leading the first set 5-1 against a league rival and friend (Mariano Del Rosario) who was even apologizing for his bad play. Charles went on to win that set 6-2 and his friend was still lamenting his poor game. Just as Charles thought he had the game in the bag Mariano went on to win the second set 7-5! A tie breaker in the third set sees the rivals matched at 5-5, however, the rallies were long and many points saved. The match turned out to be a 5-6 hour marathon which ultimately saw Charles win this grueling affair.

Like any competitive tennis player Charles has league rivalries. He has built up a good, competitive rivalry with Gerard Astrero in both the league and non-league tennis. Matches between the two can go back and forth; such is the understanding they have for each others game.

It is important not to forget the significance of the social aspect of belonging to a tennis league. For Charles, it is a great way to meet other tennis lovers from all over the Bay area who love to play.

April Non-League Rewards Program get 5 players a $25 Tennis Warehouse Gift Card

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Earn Free Service For Playing Tennis With The Tennis Partner & Tennis Ladder Non-League Rewards Program

         There is nothing worse than joining a tennis program only to find that the players are less active than you had been led to believe. You want active, committed players who are reliable and keen to play, just like you.

 

         We want you to enjoy your time in any and all of our programs.  Our Non-League programs don't have the competitive angle and typically have less reasons for players to meetup with each other.  So back in 2010 we queried our players and we basically determine giving away free months of the service and gift cards was the way to motivate players. 

         In the past four years, the Tennis Partner & Tennis Ladder Non-League Rewards Program has given away $4,850 in Tennis Warehouse gift cards to the most active players in the program. Importantly, this rewards system is open to all players in the Tennis Partner Program and the Tennis Ladder.

         We hold a Normal Monthly Contest where players can earn a month’s service if they play 3 different partners, this month if players meet that criteria between May 1^st and May 31^st then they are eligible for the prize.

         April our Secondary Contest rewarded 5 players with a $25 Tennis Warehouse Gift Cards. If you play 5 or more players during the month of May then you will be entered into a lottery with other qualifiers to win one of 5 Tennis Warehouse Gift Cards. This contest was nationwide and covers both non-league programs, however, players who got the program for free were not be eligible for this promotion.

         The winners for our Secondary Contest in April 2014 were: (5 Winners)  
Metro Chicago Tennis League:   A. Miller
Metro DC Tennis League:   K. Capelli
NYC Tennis League:   A. Wood, W. Ham
San Francisco Tennis League:   G. Astrero

         This exact same promotion will be run in May but this month we'll be rewarding 7 players.

Update: Thank you to the most Active Tennis Players in our Program!

Thank you to the most Active Tennis Players in our Program!

You make our program run like a well oiled machine.  You know how to compromise and are a master with scheduling with other players whether they are veterans or new to the program.

It's time to really say thank you.

More than 200 to 399 Matches: 5% off all league programs
More than 400 Matches: 10% off all league programs

We have a bunch of players who have hit each criteria:

More than 200 to 399 Matches: 40 players have made this criteria
More than 400 Matches: 5 players: Mark Stern and Al Ganeshkumar out of Boston, Ajay Patel out of TennisOC, Marcelo Saavedra and Valentin Ionescu-Tiba out of Tennis Los Angeles.

More than 675 Matches:   Steven Chagnon

Yes, the owner of the network is also the player who has played the most number of matches over the years.

Tennis League Network, it's where players come to play!

Karen Bielak's Story. - Flexibility, Great Competition and getting out on the tennis courts!

Rated at 3.5, Karen plays her tennis in the Chicago league (Chitowntennis.com) and is in her third year with the league. It was way back in the 7^th grade that Karen first discovered tennis and has been hooked ever since. Now, Karen tries to play at least 3 times a week but this does depend upon her schedule. The league provides great flexibility when scheduling her own matches, which is especially useful during the summer months when her schedule is changeable.

      Karen likes her tennis to be competitive and yet fun; however, the people she has been able to meet whilst playing the game she loves are one of the key attractions to the league. The social aspect of a tennis league is a great way to meet like-minded people who share a passion for the game. It is also a useful way to find opponents to help improve your game.

     Like any competitive player, Karen loves the competition tennis provides and when you get competitive players together you can’t help but develop league rivalries. Karen is no different, and in Sarah Young she has such a rival. Between the two they have amassed a lot of games which are regularly close and have long rally’s that could go either way. It is players like this that help to keep Karen on her toes and eager to get out and play tennis as often as possible.

   Karen loves to travel, in fact traveling is a huge passion of hers having spent a number of years living abroad in Asia. However, when not traveling or playing tennis, Karen is an elementary school teacher but is the only member of her family who plays tennis. That said, she can certainly rely upon them to come and watch her play from time to time.

   The Chicago league has provided Karen with the opportunity to meet other tennis lovers and schedule games that fit around her work and life. This has helped her play opponents who can develop her game and seen her rise to a 3.5 level over recent years.

Jody McVeigh's - How Maximum EFFORT gets Jody complete joy from his Tennis.

      Born in Philadelphia Jody McVeigh is self-confessed die-hard fan of all Philly teams but we shouldn't hold that against him because, despite his love of all things Philly, he has lived in LA for the past 13 years. He plays in the Tennis Los Angeles (Westside) league and has done so since 2010. Now a level 4.0 player he does try to play tennis between one and three times a week.

      A big fan of team sports through college Jody only played tennis sporadically until he played with a group of friends. However, he knew if he wanted to improve his game he would need access to better, more committed players… that’s when he joined the league.

      For Jody, tennis is about so much more than winning, it is about exercise, competition and the psychological challenge that each and every league match demands. However, he won’t take the easy route to success and likes nothing better than taking on players who are better than him in order to improve his game. Jody has played about 225 games since 2010 and feels that the experience he has gained gives him the edge of some of his more skilled but less experienced opponents.

      Jody won the 3.5 Championship a couple of years ago with an epic 3 set final when he came back from 2 or 3 love in the third set to win the match and championship. These are the matches Jody remembers the most, those matches where you have given it your all and throw your fist in the air when you win or curse when you lose. It doesn't need to be a final, but the shear physical effort you dedicate to any match that you come from behind to win is reward enough and its matches such as these that he remembers fondly.

      Like any keen, competitive sportsman Jody has league rivalries and for those in the league who play regularly and are extremely evenly matched these games become keenly contested. Jody has a pool of experienced and committed players at his disposal to ensure he never gets bored, nor is he given an easy ride either.

      Outside of Tennis Jody works in the hectic world of television as an Editor, you may have seen Drunk History on Comedy Central. Whilst his wife is not a tennis player, Jody is adamant that when they have children they will be keen players… let’s hope they don’t prefer soccer!

Tracy Conlon's Tennis NorthEast story. - 'Comraderie, Competition and Calories burned'

 

      Tracy Conlon has been playing in the Metro Boston Tennis League since July 2008. Rated as a Ladies level 3.0 player she tries to get on the court once or twice a week. Tracy loves to play tennis and if she can get sweaty, burn some calories and improve her game at the same time then she is one happy player. Outside of Tennis Northeast,  Tracy is a attorney and is currently a stay-at-home mother to her children.

      Tracy will give her all to win and in one memorable match she almost dislocated her knee as she attempted to beat a better player - now that is commitment! Ultimately, she lost that match and was limping around for two days. Nothing beats the pride she felt that day, as she literally gave it her all trying to win the match.
      Rivalries are common in any sport and tennis is no different. Tracy will tell you that her greatest rivals include France Martin and Marissa Carlson, however, she says it with smile on her face as they are also all very good friends. Wins and losses have been shared evenly amongst the three; nevertheless, Tracy is always able to improve some aspect of her game when she plays her greatest rivals.

      Introduced to tennis at a very young age Tracy was forced to give it up entirely due to school and work commitments. However, the lure of tennis is never far away and she took up the racket once more in her late thirties and has been an enthusiast ever since.

      Tracy’s love of the game is helped by the league in which she plays; according to her, it is a hive of great players, which makes for great matches. Any tennis player worth their salt will want to be able to play in a league that is not expensive, is easy to schedule matches and has an enthusiastic group of tennis players keen to play singles, doubles, round robins and meet ups.

Check out our newest franchises:  Milwaukee Tennis League and Columbus Tennis League.

                                                                                    -John Duncan

Meet Drew Dahan

     It’s never too late. And sometimes the game is more than just a game. Drew Dahan, player in the Men’s Competitive 3.25 League out of Tennis-Miami, illustrates how great tennis is often more than a good service and solid ground strokes.


      As a player, Drew doesn’t boast. He plays between a 2.5 and 3.0 level, “depending on the day.” He takes pride in a strong serve, loves the drop shot, and is learning to put more and more spin on his forehands. He gets to the courts whenever he can, usually two to three times a week, but life often has a way of eating into practice time.

      This would be very ho-hum, except Drew didn’t begin playing seriously until 2008. Our most beloved tennis stars—Agassi, Borg, Sampras, Djokovic—all started young. Somehow this image has burned into our heads, that to really play tennis, one has to start almost before they can walk.

      Andrew shows how the beautiful simplicity of tennis—all you need is a racket and a ball, really—allows one to jump in at any stage of life. When Drew moved from Chicago to Miami in order to pursue his Ph.D. in Music Education, a simple internet search hooked him up with Tennis-Miami.com. The competitive, collegial environment appeals to Drew . He loves how, “[Tennis-Miami.com] provides me with people to play against on a regular basis, and gives me motivation to get out and play as often as I can.”

      For Drew, the game is more than his win-loss and his break percentages.  “[Tennis-Miami has] provided a good outlet for a lot of pent-up energy I have from being in classes and rehearsals for most of the day,” he says. The flexible but regular schedule also works in Drew ’s favor. As an Adjunct instructor at Miami Dade College, it’s difficult to set aside definite blocks of time each week.

      More than anything, though, Drew likes to focus not on mechanics or footwork, but the people. “I’ve met some great people playing in this league, and I’ve enjoyed the relationships I’ve been able to build with people with whom I’ve played on multiple occasions.”

      Drew Dahan serves as the epitome of what good tennis should be. Miami-Tennis.com’s flexible leagues allow him to play, even having just recently focused on the game. He can work on putting more spin on that forehand while meeting great people at the same time.

       Check out our new tennis leagues in Milwaukee and Columbus.

In 2014 we continue our Charitable Contributions to CRI

     Here at Tennis League Network we continue to believe a good business will always have a charitable component as a way to give back to soeity.  For the past 4 years we've been making several donations a year to Cancer Research Institute (CRI). http://www.cancerresearch.org/   Today we've made an $800 for our first donation of the year.  Along with Jeffrey Barr out of TennisPhilly.com  we've made a total contribution of $6,000.  It's a small amount but every little bit does count.  We hope to continue to add to our donations totals as more players join the Tennis League Network in changing the way people play tennis on the courts!

My diatribe on the Tennis Ladder and the Challenge button

Did you know that the Tennis Ladder is an inherently flawed format?

Simply put there's absolutely zero motivation for a higher level player to play a lower level player.  Why would he/she want to play because at best they keep their spot in the tennis ladder, at worse they lose their spot if their opponent beats them.

So you might ask: Well why does Tennis League Network have a Tennis Ladder as one of it's playing options?
It's sadly because a huge percentage of the tennis playing community has been falsely convinced over the years that it's the way you play competitive tennis.  It rolls off their tongues so easily, "Hey are you playing in XYZ's Tennis Ladder?"

We've proven that the Flex League is the only true competitive tennis format, until Today!

Announcing the "Challenge" Button.      

Challenge Button

This little button will turn our Tennis Ladder upside down and revolutionize our competitors products once they copy it.

Players in the tennis ladder can now challenge any 1 of the 5 players ahead of them in the ladder.  Now a player whose lower in the ladder has some power and can force the players above them to play a match or lose their spot.

That challenged player has 3 days to either Accept the Challenge, Decline the Challenge or lose their spot in the tennis ladder if they don't respond. If they Decline the challenge the challenger will be moved ahead of the player in the tennis ladder.  If they Accept the challenge than they have 7 days to play the match or the Challenger will be moved ahead of them in the Tennis Ladder.

Players will still be able to send out match requests even with a Challenge outstanding.  They can only have 1 Challenge active at a time but they also could be challenged by a lower ranked player in the Tennis Ladder.

This should significantly improve the participation in the tennis ladder.  It still will never be the FLEX League but at least now a lower ranked player won't be as frustrated with no one responding above them in the Tennis Ladder.

Lastly, my belief is that Tennis Ladders are STILL a flawed format, just a little less flawed now.

-Steven Chagnon
Tennis League Network, llc.