Manu Singh -- On the Courts of Cleveland

Manu Singh —joins us today from Tennis Cleveland.

He is a software engineer and works as a project manager in his industry. He grew up in India and has been living in Ohio for the last 8 years. Besides tennis, he likes to play a lot of cricket. He's also a pretty good sketch artist, as you can see below.

***

Hi Manu, and thanks for joining us. We want to share your thoughts and experiences playing in the Tennis Cleveland league, a division of the Tennis League Network franchise, and to learn a little more about you. Firstly, how long have you been playing tennis? What got you started and what has kept you going? 

I used to play lots of cricket and never thought I could pickup tennis easily. My office colleagues used to play a lot when I was in Columbus. Luckily for me, I found a new friend who was really good at tennis. I started hitting with him and he gave me lots of tips and that's how I was able to pick it up. I never stopped playing after that.

Tennis is so good. You get so much fun while playing tennis and lots of exercise as well. There is always the scope of improvement, and you can keep on challenging yourself. It's easy to schedule since you just need to find one person who is available compared to many other team sports.

Which league are you a member of and how long have you been participating in it? Also, how did you end up finding out about us? 

I am a member of the Tennis Cleveland league. I play at the Advanced level (4.0). I think that's the right rating for me right now. I still have to improve my second serves and backhand in order to compete against Elite players.

I have been playing for the last 2 years now and I have absolutely loved it. I also referred many of my friends to the league. As of mid-July 2016 Manu has racked up an impressive 69-19 record.  Mannu's Profile.

I always wanted to play in this kind of league while I was in Columbus for 5 years, but I couldn't find any opportunity like this. Then when I moved to Cleveland, I came to know about Tennis Cleveland through an online search through google :) I didn't waste any time and joined immediately.

How often are you playing tennis?

I like to play 3-4 times a week. Other days I like to hit the gym and play other sports.

What do you like about the Tennis Cleveland? 

This league is just awesome from all the perspectives. I greatly appreciate the admin staff management of this league and he is so good with responses to all the queries. I am glad I found out so many good tennis buddies through Tennis Cleveland and I have enjoyed playing against those people. People are always on time, so friendly and well behaved. It has been an amazing experience. Thank you to the Tennis Cleveland Admin team. I will always cherish this experience.

Manu's  Sketches

Now that you’ve played a couple dozen matches in the league, would you consider any of your Tennis Cleveland opponents rivals? 

I love to play against Erica Umpierrez. She is so tough and professional. She makes you run for every point and we always have amazing matches and good time on the courts. I have also enjoyed playing against Kyle Le, Chris Francy, Gheorghe Fartea, Brian Patrick and TC Hennessy. They are all amazing people to play with and are very competitive and have great sportsmanship.

 

Tell us about your most memorable match(es).

My most memorable match is against Kyle Le (Now my doubles partner too ). I met him for the first time last year when we were supposed to play the Tennis Ladder championship match. I knew he would be tough to beat and we had a very good match going to the third set. Luckily for me, I managed to win it. I was happy to pull it off against a very quality and tough opponent. It was amazing to play against him. I haven't won against him after that though, but we are doubles partners now, so that's good.

Who are your favorite pro players? Why? 

My favorite players are Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. Federer is just so classy and elegant. He makes so many excellent plays without any efforts. On the other hand Rafa has strong will power and he is a great fighter. He runs for everything. Even though they are not at their prime now, they will remain my favorite tennis stars.

Manu, thank you again for taking the time to do this interview. And we'd love to see more sketches!

Ryan Bocskay -- Showtime in LA

Ryan with a Tennis Pro in Morocco 

Ryan Bocskay—joins us today from Tennis Los Angeles. Ryan is living the life in LA as a network TV executive. He grew up in Detroit, Michigan though, and we’re sure he’s enjoying California’s weather a bit more.

Besides tennis, he enjoys running, going to concerts and traveling. He even took a trip to Morocco and played tennis on their clay courts.

 ***

Hi Ryan, and thanks for joining us. We want to share your thoughts and experiences playing in Tennis Los Angeles a division of the Tennis League Network franchise, and to learn a little more about you. How long have you been playing tennis? What got you started and what has kept you going? 

Two years ago I started. I was looking for something to do other than running and Crossfit to stay in shape. I missed competition. Randomly, I read Andre Agassi's biography on a flight from NY to LA in May of 2014. I took a lesson a few days later, then gradually got further into the sport.

I had never played before in my life. The shame of it is my mom's best friend's husband is a tennis pro. I could have been playing all along.

In tennis, I love battling an opponent and myself, and having to learn a variety of shots to be competitive.  There is always something to learn and work on!

That book must be worth checking out! Which league are you a member of and how long have you been participating in it? Also, how did you end up finding out about us?

I’m in the Los Angeles - Downtown/Valley, 3.5 division. I've played in these leagues for 18 months now, starting at 3.0, then 3.25, and now 3.5. While going an amazing 44-62 along the way.

I just googled “tennis leagues in Los Angeles” and found the league.

It is easy to find these leagues. How often are you playing, in general and with the league?

I played 4-5 days a week. Sometimes I'll play 2-3 matches on a Saturday or Sunday.

And what do you like about the Tennis League Network? 

The people. It's fun to meet people to play with outside of the league, or to look forward to playing again and again during the season.

Plus, I work a lot, so I leave work at the last possible minute to race to matches. I am usually so panicked about being late that my game is off to start the first set.

Now that you’ve played a couple dozen matches in the league, would you consider any of your Tennis Los Angeles opponents rivals?

David Goldman. Every match is close. I've only beaten him once, but we go to a third set or tie breaker regularly.

Any memorable matches? 

I played a match against Bob Perman last Sunday (6/19/16) in 109 degrees heat. It lasted two and a half hours. Physically and mentally, it was a tough match.

But my most memorable match was the League Championship vs Jesse Dang for the 3.0 league in June 2015.  Playoff Bracket
Before the championship, I had lost every match against my opponent. In fact, I had never won a set against him. I was so nervous that I could barely breath. I was so focused on my breathing that I forgot about my mechanics and the points. Suddenly, I was winning the first set. So I got even more nervous. Then I won the second set, and the championship. We shook hands. I walked to my car, and blared We Are The Champions from Poinsettia Park all the way to Westwood.

That’s an exciting way to wrap-up this interview! Thank you again for taking the time to do this interview, and we hope you earn yourself another championship.

Nelson Cooper -- Champion of the Steel City

Nelson Cooper —joins us today from the Pittsburgh Tennis League. He is fresh off an excellent season with a championship victory to boot!

Before we get to the interview, we’ll let Nelson tell you a little about himself:

I was born in raised in Seattle, Washington. I moved to Durham, North Carolina, to go to college and play Division 1 baseball. As I mentioned earlier, I graduated a semester early from college Summa Cum Laude with a 4.0 GPA. I moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in February to work at The PNC Financial Services Group as a financial analyst in their Finance and Accounting Development Program.

Since moving to Pittsburgh, I have tried to get as involved in the community as possible. I currently play on two softball teams as well as a flag football team in addition to playing tennis. I also am involved with two non-profit community service organizations; the Pittsburgh Pirates Charities and Ozanam, Inc. The latter is a non-profit organization that strives to serve underprivileged youth in our communities who are “at-risk.” The goal of the program is to develop youth into academically prepared and responsible adults by offering a safe and healthy environment for them to learn and grow.

You can check out his website here.

***

Hi Nelson, and thanks for joining us. We want to share your thoughts and experiences playing in the Pittsburgh Tennis League, a division of the Tennis League Network franchise, and to learn a little more about you. Firstly, how long have you been playing tennis? What got you started and what has kept you going? 

I was a big fan of tennis when I was little. I really liked Andre Agassi and Roger Federer. My godmother bought me an Andre Agassi tennis racquet when I was about 10 years old. We would go to the park and play during the summers and I would do some tennis camps at the Amy Yee Tennis Center in Seattle, Washington. When I got to high school my godmother and mom urged me to sign up for the tennis team since it was in a different season from baseball. I did and ended up playing four years of varsity tennis at Ballard High School in Seattle.

There are so many things I love about tennis. but if I had to choose just one thing I would say the strategy component of the game. You always have to be thinking - from knowing quickly where to position yourself on the court) to choosing the right shots. That, combined with the ability to play for a lifetime, make tennis the best sport in my book.

Which league are you a member of and how long have you been participating in it? Also, how did you end up finding out about us? 

I am member of the Pittsburgh Tennis League. This spring I competed in the 3.5 Competitive league and this summer I am competing in the 3.5/4.0 Advanced and Competitive League.

I started this season at a 3.0 due to the almost four year break in playing competitive tennis. I have progressed quickly and am now a 4.0 player.

This is my first year in the league! Hopefully it is the first of many seasons. My goal is to play and win the most matches in Pittsburgh Tennis League history.

Prior to finding the league, I played baseball in college for three years and graduated from college a semester early in December of 2015. As soon as I knew I was moving to Pittsburgh I started looking online for tennis leagues to play in as I wanted to get back into the sport. I’ve always said that I played baseball because I was better at it but tennis is my favorite sport to play. Upon searching “Tennis Leagues in Pittsburgh” on Google, the link for Pittsburgh Tennis League appeared first. I read about the league online. I emailed the admin and asked a few questions and the rest is history!

How often are you playing, in general and with the league? 

I try to get on the courts at least three times a week. From matches to just hitting around with a partner or simply practicing serves by myself. When it’s nice outside there is no excuse not to work on your game!

What do you like about PittsburghTennisLeague.com & Tennis League Network? 

There are two things that I like most about the league and they go hand in hand. First is the flexibility the league allows players. It’s nice to have a tentative schedule and coordinate with others in order to find time that fits both player schedules.

Second is the league app and website. This is by far the best digital tool out of any sporting league in which I’ve ever played. Having a full list of names and contacts as well as profiles really creates a community feel and gives players an opportunity to meet a lot of new people. The functionality and website really do a great job at ensuring players are finding hitting partners and getting on the courts as much as possible.

Now that you’ve played a couple dozen matches in the league, would you consider any of your Pittsburgh Tennis League opponents rivals? 

Due to my status as a newer player in the league, I have not yet created an intense Rafa v. Federer rivalry with anyone yet. I have only played four players more than once. As of now, I would have to say I my greatest rivalry is with Dmitriy Sulik because both matches we have played have been very high quality tennis. I also do some hitting with Dmitriy as well and he is a has helped me improve quickly.

Do you have any memorable matches since starting with the league? 

The most memorable match I had this season was against Michael Aitken early in the season. Both of had just been promoted from the 3.0 to the 3.5 league and we were both undefeated. It was a very hot day and I forgot to bring a water bottle! Not only did I forget, butt the courts we played at had no water fountains! I got up to a big lead in the first set but then hit a wall as the affects from a lack of hydration started to set in. I was able to hold on and win the first set but then got crushed in the second set. Finally, I asked my opponent, Michael, for some of his water. The three sips of water I had from his bottle rejuvenated me and I was able to pull out the third set. It was real battle of attrition. Thankfully I had some of “Michael’s Secret Stuff” to help me pull out that match (Space Jam Reference). .

Who are your favorite pro players? Why? 

My favorite male tennis player, and favorite athlete in general, is Roger Federer. He simply is the greatest. So smooth on and off the court. It seems as if he is always in control and can keep his cool in any situation. The grace in which he plays the game as well as the grace he shows off the court through charity is very admirable. I’ve always used the same equipment he plays with (even if it may not be the best for my game!)

My favorite female players are Venus and Serena Williams. The adversity they have dealt with on and off the court while maintaining an extremely high level of tennis is unbelievable. Along with the barriers they have broken down for African American’s as well as women across the globe, they truly are living legends

Nelson, this is great stuff. And thank you again for taking the time to do this interview.