Benoit Benaibbouche: Jouer au Tennis, Anyone?

       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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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?

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

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