Struggling With Your Tennis Game? - Essential Tips for Tennis Newcomers

     Tennis is one of those sports that’s made to look easy on TV but when you come to pick up your own racquet, you’ll find its arguably one of the most difficult games to play.

     So much is required of a tennis player that they often have to work twice as hard as an average sportsman; focusing on everything from their general fitness, agility and flexibility to their skills from the baseline, in front of the net and so on.  If you’ve decided to take tennis a bit more seriously in recent weeks with the conclusion of the first major of the year, you might be finding a lot more difficult than you expected.

     Don’t worry though. Struggling to adapt to any sport is quite common and an obstacle that can be easily hurdled through regular participation and an improved understanding of the sport itself. We’ve all got our weaknesses and tennis is a sport that demands plenty, so here are some incredibly useful beginner hacks that will help you improve your overall performance on the tennis court.

The Grip

     How you hold your racquet is the first step to realising a simpler and more defined way of playing the game. Adopting the standard continental grip from an early stage will help you in your progression to more complex methods of serving and returning. If you’ve been using an entirely different grip to the continental grip, don’t panic.

     Many tennis players have had to change the way they play the game to see maximum results in the long term and this can mean feeling very uncomfortable with your grip for a few months afterwards. However, before you know it you’ll be adopting the continental grip naturally and you’ll start to see some gradual improvements over time.

The Serve

     If you’re constantly serving at speeds equaling that of the pros, you’re probably noticing a common trend which is that you are winning very few of your service points. There’s simply no point trying to serve at speed if you’re not accurate enough at present. Instead, concentrate all your efforts on the second serve and being prepared to send the ball back after the return.

     You should be aiming for a 75% success rate with your serves, so do you’re very best to meet this goal by serving as slow as you have to. Your accuracy will improve over time and you’ll gradually be able to start introducing faster serves that are much harder to return.

Avoiding Smash Shots

     We’ve all been involved in that situation where the ball is falling out of the sky towards you and you’re thinking “the point is won!” After all, a sky high return is the last shot your opponent would want to play right? Wrong. The truth is that the smash shot is one of the most difficult skills in the game and it wouldn’t be a bad strategy to test other amateurs with such a daunting shot attempt.

     It can be bitterly disappointing to lose a point in this way, especially if you’ve worked your opponent into a tight corner. Therefore, if you’re ever faced with a smash shot, we highly recommend that you either wait for the ball to bounce once to give you time to study the shot or hit a volley if you’re a little more experienced. The smash shot can be mastered at a later date.

Realizing the Difference between Winning and Not Losing

     There’s a huge difference between winning a point and doing your utmost not lost a point, so it’s essential that you realise when you need to change your game plan to come out on top in the game.

     Your approach should change when you are on the front foot compared to when you’re on the back foot but it’s also important to remember that, as an amateur, you’re not likely to win many points from staying on the offensive.

     When you’re trying to win a point you need to be shifting plenty of focus onto your accuracy and precision. As soon as you start to attack the opponent with shots after the return of serve, you’ll be looking to hit the ball harder and aim at a specific area of the court to put added pressure onto your opponent. This can result in the probability of error increasing tenfold. When returning on the back foot, you’ll be using plenty of physical endurance while waiting for a mistake.

     Another way of determining which method you should adopt in a game is to use the scoreboard. If your opponent is leading 40-15, it makes complete sense to try and draw an error from your opponent. If you’re leading the game 40-15 on your serve, you should go on the offensive as you also have a single point cushion to take advantage of.

Keep At It

     Tennis is a sport that will teach you a lot about your own physical capabilities, how you respond to change, how well you’re able to comprehend new match scenarios and adapt to them and how well you observe your own progression. Tennis is a hugely enjoyable sport but it can take time to perform at a level you’ll be satisfied with, so make sure you stick at for some time after you get started to witness the very best of your game.

Mike James
Content Editor
www.wickwoods.co.uk

Player Profile -> Megan Hescock from Greece to Chicago tennis balances her

        Players meet Megan Hescock out of the Metro Chicago Tennis League. Megan started to play with us in the Spring of 2012 and has fallen in love with our service.  When we awarded Megan the 2nd place 2014 Chicago Player of the Year award she returned this message:

        'I can't remember if I ever emailed you back! lol Basically I wanted to express how awesome I think Chitowntennis is. I'm absolutely in love with the program, the management, everything. When I moved to Chicago 4 years ago, I had no idea joining this program would be so fulfilling on so many levels. Playing tennis keeps me balanced in a way I didn't even know I was missing. Thank you for running such a truly excellent programe'

        Please let me know there's anything I can do to help you with the Chicago program.  

        So we asked Megan (ChiTown Tennis Profile) if she can tell the community her Tennis League Network story.  Here it is:

        As you might not know, I started playing tennis in Greece on a 12-year-old co-ed league when I was about 23. I was living in a tiny town on Rodos, and I had nothing else to do! So I originally learned to keep the score in Greek- and I still do in my head!

         I've been a part of the league for 3 seasons. I believe I heard about it by googling tennis programs in Chicago when I moved here 4 years ago. I'm so glad I did!!

Megan with her cousin Jake.

        I love the league's structure and management style. The structure gives you total freedom and flexibility in setting up matches, and the management is completely understanding and always responsive if any issues arise. Good management is the most difficult thing to find in ANY organization. I love that we can arrange matches as often as we want to play. It's just a matter of finding people with availability! There are so many priorities people have that trump a tennis match by a mile, and understandably of course- so you end up getting a lot of cancellations. One week I had 5 matches scheduled and 4 cancellations! Which is part of the reason that I set up so many in the first place ;)

        A match that really sticks out in my mind was a 10-game pro set I played with a woman who was honestly a lot more skilled than I am- she'd been playing since childhood and was now in her 50's, and was still in amazing shape. While I'd just started playing the previous year (aside from the 2 month stint in Greece), when I bought a Groupon for 6 tennis lessons out in the burbs. The score got up to 0-8. I was sure I was toast! Then somehow. Through some miracle. I came back to WIN at 10-8. I somehow won TEN games in a row. It was truly an inexplicably miraculous come back. She was stunned. And was happy for me bc she could see how hard I worked for it. 

        The other match that sticks out in my mind was with a woman who just moved to Chicago, and was a brand new player to the league this past summer. She was very skilled, and talked about how she takes lessons, has been playing for a really long time, that I should take lessons to avoid hurting myself, etc. She was really nice. Then as soon as we started playing, she was a different person! She argued about calls, she wouldn't speak to me aside from announcing the score- which she also fought about- and she had me running all over the court chasing balls like a crazy woman, because she was pretty good and I could barely keep up! She was winning for a while, but then her luck changed, and I made a come back! There was ONE more point left to play in the set before I would win (admittedly it could have gone either way, as it always can, and she could have won, too of course). It was her serve. Just before she served the last point, she said "I don't want to play anymore." Just like that! And forfeited the match. It was such an extreme and obvious case of her being afraid to lose that i couldn't even be mad out of sheer ridiculousness! I can see where it will be hard to lose to someone who's only had 6 lessons from a Groupon deal, and a couple months playing with kids in Greece lol.I know this story doesn't highlight the joys of tennis. But it's a real story that reveals the other side of intramural sportsmanship. It happens. Matches don't always end up with a cordial handshake and a cherry on top. And let's not be afraid to talk about it! It's an unfortunate part of life, but it's how you handle these moments that really make the player :)

        I believe the league has me ranked at 3.75. But the league's ratings seem pretty "padded" compared to the USTA ratings, where I'm probably closer to a 2.5.  Admin Note: Tennis League Network's philosophy is to follow the results as they are reported and get players into the right level as soon as the results dictate. Even during the middle of the season.

        I'm the one in work out pants with the terrible Walmart racquet and running shoes from 1997 lol. This was before I reluctantly transitioned to tennis clothes haha. And I basically stopped taking pictures after that. I resisted tennis clothes for like 2 years, insisting on wearing cheerleader shorts and yoga pants, just to make a point. I am one of those people that believes it's not the equipment that makes a player. And I was determined to prove it lol. But tennis clothes are literally designed to hold tennis balls (duh), which is unfortunately really convenient, so I gave in!

New Playing Format: Tennis Tournaments

        Players in our largest cities we hope you'll like our new playing format: Tennis Tournaments - Every Match counts.

       
How does the Tournament format Work?   Every Match Counts *NEW* for 2015
Tennis Tournament Basic Concept

     Our tournaments are a single elimination format with a consolation bracket. Meaning you are guaranteed at least 2 matches. This tournament format will not be played at a single location over a weekend instead players are given 7 to 10 days to play each round's match.

Member Since 07/01/13

Great way to meet good people and 

hit with competitive tennis players!

S. Levenson 

     Our tournaments will be mixed gender unless we have particularly strong female enrollment in a city. The tournaments will be singles based until we receive enough response to open it up for doubles. Players will be grouped in brackets with players no greater than .5 of their current TLN League Rating. Meaning Skilled - 3.0 players will be matched with other 3.0 players and at most with Competitive - 3.5 level players. Competitive - 3.5 level players could be grouped with Advanced - 4.0 players but will not have Elite 4.5 level players in their bracket.

Our Guarantee
     We need at least 6 players to make a tournament bracket. If we can NOT reach this criteria then we will refund your entry fee and give you the next tournament for no cost. Our hope is to run multiple skill level brackets for each tournament. We are NOT going to show early enrollment for the tournaments. Also the 7-day money back guarantee expires as soon as the tournament starts. Tournaments will not allow for late enrollment.

Leveling
     All tournament players will need to have played 4 league/season or tennis ladder legacy matches before they can enter into a tournament. Players will be entered into the tournament that associates with their TLN's Player Rating. If a player wants to participate in a second draw at a rating higher than their Player Rating they will be allowed too.

Member Since 02/08/10

Your Schedule and Availability
     These tournaments will be kicked off on Thursday's giving the first round opponents two weekends to play the first match and then each following round will have a full week to play the match. Players need to be local for at least the first 3 weeks after kickoff. Players with 1-week work trips or week long vacations during the first 3 weeks shouldn't participate in the tournament.

Seedings
      The TennisNorthEast staff will seed 25% of the participants based veteran status (Most number of matches played in their career) with the program. If we have 8 players enrolled we'll seed the top 2 players, 16 players the top 4 players. The rest of the players will be randomly entered into the draw.

Consolation Bracket
     We will run a consolation bracket for the players who lost their first match. Seedings for the consolation bracket will be randomly selected by the TennisNorthEast staff. The winner of the consolation bracket will receive a $25 Tennis Warehouse Gift Card. 
 

Where to Play?
       Because the seeding of the tournament is mainly randomize the higher seed will NOT have home court preference. The league strongly suggests you meet half-way to cut the commute in half for both players. We provide an extensive list of tennis courts that have user submitted ratings. If two players need guidance they can certainly email our staff for suggestions.

Member Since 07/20/09

It's so great to be back playing tennis 

weekly for very little cost. THANK YOU.

A. Kussell 

Playing Format
      The preferred playing format for tournaments should be 2 sets with a 3rd set tie-breaker or 2 out of 3 sets. If the two players can't agree the default format will be the 2 sets with a 3rd set tie-breaker. In NYC we will accept 10 game pro set results mainly due to court availability.
Target Audience
      This will be our most competitive format. The target audience is for the player who are good sports and love to play competitive matches.

Prize Pool

      The prize pool will be based upon enrollment in each bracket. A tournament can have multiple brackets. The tournament prize structure is based around our partner Tennis Warehouse (TW).

6 to 10 players: $50 TW Gift Card for the winner*, $25 TW GC for Finalist, $25 TW GC for Consolation bracket winner
11 to 16: $100 TW GC for the winner* + Trophy, $50 TW GC for Finalist, $25 TW GC for Consolation winner
17 to 24: $150 TW GC for the winner* + Trophy, $50 TW GC for Finalist, $25 TW GC for 3rd & 4th place, $50 TW GC for Consolation winner
25+: $200 TW GC for the winner* + Trophy, $100 TW GC for Finalist, $25 TW GC for 3rd and 4th place, $50 TW GC for Consolation winner

      All tournament champions will be receive an entry into the End of the Year National Tourneys at the champions discounted rate.

Cost to Participate

      The cost will be $24.95 per tournament except for the inaugural tournament which will be $19.95.

Andrew Gottesman - World Traveler who is on the Road to Recovery

    We checked in with new Tennis Los Angeles player Andrew Gottesman and felt the community would love to hear his story of recovery from a near fatal fall.

Andrew Gottesman

1. Which league are you a member of?

I'm currently playing in Tennis Los Angeles Fall Season Advanced and will be playing in 2015 Spring Elite division after the playoffs finish.

2. How long have you participated in your league?

This is my first season with the Tennis Los Angeles tennis league. http://www.tennislosangeles.com/66848/profile

3. How did you first learn about it?

I learned about it from another member (Ping Deng) who I met in an USTA league.

4. How often do you play?

I try to play 2-3 times a week.

5. What do you like most about the league?

I like the competitiveness and flexibility of the league.

6. Tell us about your most memorable match(es)

One of my most memorable matches was in this league against fellow Tennis LA league player Jody McVeigh.  The match was in the quarterfinals and lasted over 3 hours.  It was easily one of the most difficult matches I've played.

7. Who are your favorite rivals in the league? Why?

My favorite rivals in the league are Jody McVeigh, George Rodriguez and Denis Kholodenko.  They are all relentless players who put up great matches every time. 

8. How did you get started playing tennis?

I started playing tennis in high school and played for my college club team at UCLA.

9. What level player are you? (NTRP rating)

4.0 - 4.5

        A story about me:  I love to travel internationally, and try to visit at least two countries a year.  I certainly met my match during my last trip to Burma (Myanmar) in Southeast Asia.  In December of 2013 I was travelling in Bagan (a remote city in Burma) which is one of the oldest cities in Burma and is known for thousands of very old Buddhism temples. Whilst traveling in Bagan, I was on top of a 3-story (30') brick temple (picture below) looking at some sites and taking photographs of the sunset with a college friend who I was traveling with at the time.  Once the sun had finished setting, I began climbing down the side of the temple back to the ground.  As I was climbing down, a brick had slipped from underneath my feet and I fell one of the three stories hitting my face against the side of the temple, was knocked unconscious, and fell back the remainder of the two stories landing on my back on the ground.

        I ended up shattering both of my arms and needed 9 metal plates throughout my face for the various breaks.  I spent the next 8 months in and out of surgeries and physical therapy.  Although I cannot hit a two-handed back hand anymore, I am back playing competitive tennis and and incredibly grateful for how well I have recovered after what was a very serious accident, and so far the craziest experience of my life.  I am still, to this day, undergoing procedures as a result of the accident.  Overall, I had an amazing experience in Burma, not including the accident, and would absolutely go back again; just probably not climb as many temples!

Luigi Scicchitano - Pursuit of Excellence while being trained from Milan, Italy

                         LUIGI SCICCHITANO - PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE
as written by his instructor: Michaela Tavernese


Luigi Scicchitano has made the playoffs for his first Tennis Los Angeles tennis season. While he's been working with Michaela Tavernese who is based out of Milan Italy.

Most people workout to improve their body composition but exercises can do more than that.
The goal is to increase resistance, strength, flexibility, power and endurance on court movement.
As everyone needs to tailor their own routine on their individual needs and bodies, there is no single “perfect tennis workout”.

With Luigi we examined his body, we studied his muscles, we worked around his qualities to develop his performance during the match.

To achieve these results we got into the big world of functional training. The global gymnastic that involves activities targeting the core muscles (abs and lower back) and any type of exercise that has a direct relationship with the activities you perform in your tennis court life.

So the training was extremely unique, variable and undoubtedly hard!
We used different techniques :
SMALL EQUIPMENT
PILATES STAFF
WEIGHTS
TRX
ANTIGRAVITY
SPIDER RAP

To cope with this innovative training and the new caloric expenditure. We focused the attention on Luigi 's nutritional habits.
To satisfy his new caloric needs we opted for a personal and detailed DIET gradually introducing energetic and healthy food (Luigi's secret).

  After our virtual training sessions on Skype, mail and Facebook, Luigi at the age of 41 reached on the tennis court the maximum control of his body. The big success is confirmed with:
-  His league results
_ His 15-4 record during the Winter Season.
_ His quick rise to the top division being offer by Tennis Los Angeles
- Being at the top of the list of the men's Elite Division

A final note on Luigi's athletics rebirth " trip" his natural work to absorb the Athletics Principals and Sport Philosophy. Luigi's mental outlook allowed him to nourish his genius and refine his great talent.

Luigi is my best "virtual athlete"  because I'm training him from MILANO ITALY
We started TEN MONTHS AGO and we have OBTAINED GREAT RESULTS even if WE LIVE IN DIFFERENT CONTINENTS.

"NIKE DONATION"
I 'm very proud to announce that in late December
Luigi become a Nike Athlete.
The legendary brand has begun to observe him few  mounts ago.
In the new year(2015) to start a partnership with Luigi,  Nike has decided to give a donation to him consisting in uniforms personalized with his name under the popular swoosh!


Michaela Tavernese

International Sport trainer
International Personal Trainer
Nutritionist
Wonder

Player Profile: Francis Grab got out on the courts 26 times in 2014 with TennisDC

We checked in with Francis Grab out of the TennisDC.com franchise.  Here's his tennis story!

Which league are you a member of?
1.       I am a member of TennisDC 3.5 league in Washington D.C.

How long have you participated in your league? 
2.       I joined TennisDC in the Spring of 2014, and have joined every subsequent league.

How did you first learn about it?
3.       I came across TennisDC during a web search. I was looking at ways to get more tennis matches in.

How often do you play?
4.       As often as my wife lets me! J (Just kidding – I try to average about one match a week, depending on work schedule, kid duties, etc.)  We see Francis has played 26 times in the past year:  http://www.tennisdc.com/59887/profile

What do you like most about the league?
5.       Best thing about the league is very simple: great way to play a lot of competitive tennis matches!

Tell us about your most memorable match(es)
6.       Most memorable matches have been some of the blowouts – where I’ve been paired against vastly superior players (it’s only happened a few times – most matches are quite even and could go either way). You learn a tremendous amount and, even though you are getting spanked, fun to see how good some of the guys are. And it gives you something to aim for!

Who are your favorite rivals in the league? Why?
7.       I’ve played a couple of good matches against Paul Mackie – lost both of them, but have really enjoyed playing him!

Do you have any other interesting comments about your experiences with the league?
8.       TennisDC was a great way for me to get back into tennis. I went for many years without playing and then suddenly got back into in a big way; perhaps a mid-life crisis?!

How did you get started playing tennis?
9.       I started playing tennis when I was a little kid – taking lessons at my parents’ tennis club. Loved it right away.

What level player are you? (NTRP rating)
10.   I am a 3.5 NTRP (although an aspirational 4.0).

 Who are your favorite pro players?

13: My favorite pro tennis players are Roger Federer and John McEnroe

 What are your tennis goals this year?

15: My tennis goals for 2015 are to move up to the 4.0 league

 Does any of your family members play tennis? If so, tell us a little bit about them.
16: My oldest daughter is nine and she LOVES tennis and she is going to be great! I look forward to the day she beats me.

First ever West Coast Tourney was a complete success with 3 new champions crowned.

West Coast Tourney was a complete success with 3 new champions crowned.

Championship Sunday Qualifiers

     Who knows it rains in Los Angeles as we slipped in the West Coast Tourney between the Storm of the decade and several days of rain in the following week.  We had perfect temps though for competitive tennis as it was low 60's and sunny for the tourney.  

    The Warner Tennis Center at 6336 Canoga Park, Woodland Hills CA is such a wonderful facility run by owner Tim Schnaible.  We the facility hoping with the 32 tournament participates from 5 different cities in Tennis League Network.  Representations were mainly from TennisLosAngeles.com but we also had players from TennisOC.com, ChiTownTennis.com, Metro Boston Tennis League and TennisMinneapolis.com.

Nick Posthuma smashing an ace?

    The format used for this tournament was a 2 Saturday seeding matches where players played 10-game pro sets and those results were used to seed them for Sunday's single elimination championship draw. 

Here's the results from the Saturday play-in matches:

Division A: http://tennislosangeles.com/division_report?ids=3019

Division B: http://tennislosangeles.com/division_report?ids=3154

Division C: http://tennislosangeles.com/division_report?ids=3155

We hope to run many more West Coast Tourney's at the facility. 

 Congrats to the Winners:

Division B Winner:  Andrew Brambila
Finalist:  Nick Llewellyn

Division B Draw

Division A Winner:  Ajay Patel
Finalist:  Navarro Jordan

Division A Draw

Division C Winner:  James Oh
Finalist:  Amanda Lean

Division C Draw

Michael Hutsko - Speaking from the heart

        Michael Hutsko out of the Miami / Dade County tennis league took some time to reflect on what the league means to him.  We received permission to make edits but the story is mostly un-edited and was written after the 2014 End of the Year Tourney.

        Michael has basically secured the 2014 Miami Player of the Year prize: http://tennis-miami.com/player_of_year/2014

His profile: http://tennis-miami.com/17150/profile

 

        After my match tonight at Crandon, I stopped by The Rusty Pelican.  I sat alone outside by the fire pit, enjoyed a cocktail and the view of the brightly-lit downtown, and took some time to reflect.

        I wanted to thank you and your team for the work with the 2014 EOY Miami Tourney.  From my perspective, it was a great success.  I knew going in that my stamina was going to be tested--I don't think I've ever played that many matches in a three-day period--but I came out with a much better game than I went in and, as I told you, I was satisfied with my trajectory.  The players were friendly but competitive.  The venue (Crandon Park Tennis Center) was great.  My group had great, close matches. Victor Chang did play excellent in the final. I am a little disappointed at losing my THIRD career final (as well as one USTA 4.0 tournament final), but I know why I lost. If I am going to win those matches, I need to spend more time working on my game.

        And, I also wanted to thank your team for the commitment to this business in general. 

        I'm happy I got to meet you and a couple of the team members when you were in Miami, but we didn't get to talk too much.  I don't know if you realize how much of a positive effect you have on people by leading this business and doing so with such effectiveness.  It's a tennis network in cities across the nation that includes people that are becoming more physically fit.  Without your league, I think a lot of people would either play tennis less often, or even quit it altogether.  I know you have to deal with competing organizations of the same type, so, yes, some players have options.  I suppose I'm speaking for myself when I say, without Tennis-Miami, it is extremely likely I would play sporadic tennis, and maybe an occasional USTA tournament (I played six, I think, last year, which I enjoyed, but I had to travel a decent distance for most of them, and they are not frequent).  I'm in better physical shape, and I now pay more attention to my health, and your program plays a big part in that.  

Madame Tussaud's in Vegas

        And, of course, there is what the game of tennis teaches us about how we understand ourselves.  I've always loved tennis because it's a game that pits me against one opponent that is a puzzle I have to figure out.  I will face adversity during the match. How will I react?  How will I deal with it?  What does that say about me?  How can I be better?  And how does that relate to how I handle other life situations?  Tennis is so much more than a game of running around, hitting a ball, and trying to win.  

        The program groups players by level very well, and that fair competition is integral to the experience of the players.  

        I guess what I wanted to say is this.  It's an awesome thing when you find something that you're great at and can bring value to others that you get to do for a living.  You and your program have an enormous positive effect on people.  I'm betting when YOU wake up in the morning, you can be proud of how much of a positive impact you make on others.

        So, thanks for all you do.   

Jeffrey Barr - His passion for the game burns so BRIGHT!

Player Profile: Jeffrey Barr - We recently reached out to JB to get his thoughts on tennis and the Philadelphia tennis league in general. Jeffrey's on court achievements include a 2014 National Semifinalist at the East Coast End of the Year Tourney in Key Biscayne in addition to 2 doubles and 1 singles final appearances in Tennis Philly.


Jeff's Player Profile Page:  http://tennisphilly.com/48494/profile?hh=1

TLN: Where are you from and tell us about your rating? 
JB: I play in Tennis Philly and my rating is a 3.5. I play singles and doubles and I have been playing since Summer of 2012.

TLN: How did you hear about Tennis Philly?
JB: Great story. I had a few friends that would meet up for once a week doubles matches. One of the guys was in the tennis ladder program and invited another member to join us because we were one short that week and it was this kid named Tony Graziano. So during this friendly doubles match, we were on the same team. We won the match, and we all left and headed to the parking lot. I listen to rap music to get ready for matches and I was playing Meek Mill's Dream Chasers 2 which came out earlier that day in the car. He heard the tracks, which is straight fire, blaring from my car. He came over as he is also a rap fan and we just talked for a bit. He told me about Tennis Philly and they had a doubles league and that we should join. Tony is now one of my very best friends and the obsession of Tennis Philly bit me on that night.

TLN: Clearly you played tennis before that night. How did you begin playing tennis?
JB: Wow. Let's see....I became a fan of sport back in the early 80's watching those Borg-McEnroe classics at Wimbledon. I always followed the sport. I used to play with my friends in the 90's but nothing to serious. Actually, my niece Becki wanted to go out for her high school team in 10th grade back in 2007 and asked me to show her how to play. So all summer I worked with her on how to play...serving, returns..you know really basic stuff. We did this for weeks and weeks. So when she made the team in the fall, I said, I really MISS this sport. I never played in high school or college or anything like that. So you can say that I am "self made".

TLN: How often do you play?
JB: Never enough! Ideally I like to play two or three times a week. During the season, sometimes it goes over that with both singles and doubles season sometimes going on at time same time.

TLN: What do you like most about the league?
JB: The league is well run and organized. I love how competitive it is. The league is similar to a minor league baseball farm system. You start from the bottom level and have to EARN your way through that level to get PROMOTED to that next level. So you are truly in the level that you should be in. I have been DEMOTED and PROMOTED in divisions during the season. Being demoted sounds soul crushing, but it actually helps you build confidence and get your game back. Commish actually made the right call last spring when I got bumped down. But I got better and earned my way back up. It's a results oriented league, but end of the day you have to get BETTER. Plus, the league is a big family with some really good guys.

TLN: Who would you say are your biggest rivals in Tennis Philly?
JB: Hahaha! Wow, man...Tony is my closest rival and we call our matches 'El Clasico'. But Tony is so much better than me that you really can't call it a rivalry because I have never beaten him. Adam Hartzell would be my biggest rival. We are like 5-5 all time against each other in 10 matches, including his 2012 fall championship against me, which changed my physical and mental approach to the sport. We are friends and he is a good guy. We had some classic matches which are the equivalent of doing a mudder run. We literally had 50-60 to shot rallies. We played a one hour and 35 minute SET! On the doubles side, and Tony would probably agree, is the Saver/Hague team. This fall, we split 4 matches and all of them were hard fought battles. Again, I like those guys. That's what I like about this league. Nobody has any egos. We go to war with these guys and at the end of day we respect each other and respect the integrity of the league. That's important.

TLN: What are your most memorable matches?
JB: Wow: Great Question....again the 2012 Fall Championship, when I lost to Adam, it made me want to get in better shape and I lost 50 some pounds the following spring because I just wore down in that match. A 2013 match against Corey Raynes. I lost the first set Love-6 after losing 7 straight matches. That was when I was recently demoted and thought I was in danger of getting demoted, AGAIN! I was touched by an angel and grinded it out to come back and win that match. And this November 1st in Nationals in Miami, I beat a couple of really good players in a span of 4 hours on Super Saturday. Those two players went on to play in the finals the next day. On the doubles side, this fall in the semis Tony and I, beat Saver/Hague. It was our best performance in doubles. We were pretty happy with how well we played. But again, that is just off the top of my head. I have been fortunate to play in so many tough, competitive matches during my time in Tennis Philly.

TLN: You mentioned the national tournament in Miami. What do you like about the tournaments?
JB: The year end tournament is like no other. To make the field and fly down there is the best feeling. The Tennis League Network staff run a first class operation. And of course, Key Biscayne is one of top 10 tennis facilities on the planet. But what makes this tournament special and hard to win, is the physical torture of playing 6 or 7 matches in 3 days. It's a grueling, physical and mental test. Players get hurt, players cramp up....I have a lot of respect for anyone who wins the tourney. Tony was a physical and mental force when he ran the gauntlet this year. This tournament is absolutely amazing on so many levels.

TLN: Have you had any interesting experiences with the league?
JB: I don't know how Tennis Philly does it. It an ultra competitive and legit tennis league, yet it remains a league filled with good guys and keeps its decorum. It doesn't have that bombastic, stuffy feel to it. In addition to the competitiveness, the league has a big heart. We raised over 7,500 dollars for Cancer Research Institute. I love the dynamics of this league. It's done...right. I have some good friends in this league and the league continues to grow nationally. We keep on trying to grow the league.

TLN: Why do you love tennis?
JB: I love the physical and mental aspects of the sport. I love the physical gladiator grind of a three hour match in 95 degree heat, and you come to the side for a change over and you don't know whether to lay down for a minute because you can barely walk or puke so you feel better. I love the mental challenge of convincing yourself to make a change or challenge yourself to step up and make a play. To see how you react about blowing that first set. It's strategizing about how to play your next opponent...staying away from his strengths and attacking his weaknesses. This sport has it ALL. It's extremely satisfying and insane asylum maddening all at the same time, sometimes in the same day!!

TLN: Speaking of strengths and weaknesses, let's hear your honest assessment of your game at this time.
JB: Ok.....Strengths... First serve...I got my first serve percentage up big time in 2014. First serve variety has been good. I have my big gun first serve and my more reserved first serve and I can mix them up. Defense is good. I can chip and charge well. Backhand was a major weakness and that's improved big time. My good friend, Sara Pilic came over from Italy in 2012 and went to school in Philly for a semester. She has a big, thunderous game. She has this two handed backhand that is just a MASSIVE weapon. I have picked up that stroke, took her pointers and studied her grip and leg work. I have been practicing the hell out of it, and started to pull it out during matches. It's a confidence and repetition shot. That's improving. Weaknesses? 2nd serve needs work, net play, need to be more tenacious all around, everything. Everything needs work!!

TLN: How do you stay in shape in the offseason?
JB: I am playing in a mixed doubles league (non league), doing drills, working out, keeping the diet in check and will be scheduling friendlies indoors. That's about all you can do up here. Life in a northern town!

TLN: Goals for 2015?
JB: Win a damn championship! Losing my third combined finals really sucks! But winning a championship should be hard! That's what makes it so desirable to achieve..... Seriously, just continue to grow my game, get more in shape, stay mentally sharp and let the results fall where they may. On the doubles side, just continue to tear it up. Tony and I played really good doubles down the stretch and we will continue to get better. Tony and I are talking about putting together a Tennis Philly Charity tournament in 2015, where the winner donates the prize pool to their favorite charity. We would also like to play in some more tournaments during the year. Tennis is looking up in 2015.

TLN: Thanks JB.

JB: Take care. Godspeed.

Joshua Rey - Some time with a National Tourney Finalist

Joshua Rey - Some time with a National Tourney Finalist
Player Profile: http://tennisdc.com/46175/profile

1. Which league are you a member of?

Tennis DC - Metro DC, Montogomery County & No. Virginia Tennis League

2. How long have you participated in your league?Fall 2013 and Fall 2014

3. How did you first learn about it?

I moved to DC in January 2012 and quickly registered on the Tennis DC website. But it took me a little while to actually join a league because I was playing with a few friends every week. After a little while and a lot of improvement, I was eager to play against others.

4. How often do you play?Ideally at least twice a week.

5. What do you like most about the league?

I used to play in USTA leagues and tournaments but hated paying a fortune and feeling like a loss was the end of the world. There were doubles matches where I was the only one on the court who wasn't cheating -- including my partner!

But as I've moved, I've found way-better alternatives that provide incentives for players to compete as much as they want (Connecticut Tennis Circuit, ALTA and Tennis DC). Tennis DC is great for those reasons -- I can play singles, doubles or mixed and I don't have to rely on anyone else to schedule my matches. And for less than $30, it's a no-brainer.

6. Tell us about your most memorable match(es)

I started pretty nervously in Fall 2013 -- losing three-setters in my first two matches to Richard Hencke and Vipul Chawla. I got the chance to play both again during the season and lost just seven games combined. That definitely gave me confidence going into the final against Stephen Gilson, who was beating me 5-1 in the first set before I won 7-6, 6-2.

This season, I've been playing mixed doubles with my girlfriend. We decided to challenge a few men's teams and lost a really entertaining match against the No. 1s from the other division, Louis Velasco and Abner Garcia. Playing well can be fun, even in a loss.

7. Who are your favorite rivals in the league? Why?Stephen Gilson and I played twice last season with the exact same score -- but two totally different matches. I enjoy playing him because we both have unique styles. He slices his backhand a lot and I try to surprise opponents at the net. It makes for a fun match.

I also faced Jeremy Sobeck twice at the 2014 End-of-the-Year Tournament. I probably played the best match of my life to beat him in the round robin. Serves, strokes, volleys, lobs -- everything was working. But when we met again for the championship, he overpowered me.

8. How did you get started playing tennis?I began playing as a high school freshman in Miami and I got double-bageled more times than I can remember. Alex Bogomolov Jr., who went on to reach the Top 40 as a pro, was in my team's district. Two of his teammates played at the University of Miami as well.

9. What level player are you? (NTRP rating)
4.5

10. What do you love about tennis? 

Unlike many other sports in America, tennis has a way of uniting people. I've made lifelong friends throughout the years, including an umpire who helped me get Wimbledon tickets and a journalist who housed me while I was there. Then, I hit it off with someone at Wimbledon who has since stayed with my family in Miami. I don't think that kind of thing happens with baseball, basketball and football.

11. What are your tennis goals this year?


After winning the Fall 2013 DC title, I knew that I wanted to be part of the 2014 End-of-the-Year Tournament in Key Biscayne. It felt like a homecoming because I was a ball-boy there for eight years at what's now known as the Miami Open.    http://tennisdc.com/3015/tournament_report

My mom and dad, whom I was too nervous to invite to my high school matches, came out to watch. I wound up playing seven matches in less than 48 hours and finishing 5-2.

Going in, I was hoping that I wouldn't get crushed by the competition. Making it all the way to the final was a big surprise and now it's on to the DC mixed doubles playoffs!