The Sand Pit: Beach Tennis USA Heats up the Summer in New York
People often ask what is there to love about beach tennis. The response is always the same … What’s not to love? You get to spend the day outside in the sun on the beach. You get to socialize with the other players and develop new friendships. You get great exercise on a forgiving surface that isn’t too tough on the body. It’s great competition, with prizes and money for the winners of tournaments. And you get a nice tan. It’s just a great way to spend a day!
Beach tennis around the world continues to strive, and this year, the sport has made great strides to bring in more players and has made the move closer to becoming an Olympic sport in the near future.
Now, as the 2011 Beach Tennis Summer Season is approaching, this edition of “The Sandpit” will let you know all you need to know about how to get involved with beach tennis in the New York area and nationwide.
Long Island Tennis Magazine Challenge
This summer, Long Island Tennis Magazine will sponsor five Beach Tennis USA tournaments in Long Beach, N.Y. These weekends are highly competitive, but also great fun. There are tournaments for singles and doubles, as well as for amateurs and pros. (Something for everyone!) Each event will take place in Long Beach, N.Y. on the beach at the Allegria Hotel—National Boulevard and the Boardwalk. There will be courts available for Open Play even on tournament weekends, and paddles will be available at all times for rental if needed. Tournaments may be added for other Long Island locations as well so check with www.beachtennisusa.net and www.longislandtennismagazine.com for more details.
Tournament dates
The pro draws of these tournaments will all be ITF Grade III tournaments for ITF World Ranking points and BTUSA American Ranking points. The dates for the event are as follows:
►Saturday-Sunday, June 4-5
►Saturday-Sunday, June 25-26
►Saturday-Sunday, July 16-17
►Saturday-Sunday, August 6-7
►Saturday-Sunday, September 17-18
Pro draws
$1,000 in prize money for each men’s doubles draw (a minimum 16 teams) and $500 in prize money for each women’s doubles draw (a minimum of eight teams). Both the Pro and Amateur Draws will have various sponsors
donating prizes and trophies as well.
Schedule of play for each tournament
►Saturdays: Pro Doubles and Amateur Singles
• Men’s Pro check-in at 9:00 a.m. and play begins at 10:00 a.m.
• Women’s Pro check-in at 11:00 a.m. and play begins at noon
• Men’s and Women’s Amateur Singles check-in is at 2:00 p.m. and play begins at 3:00 p.m.
►Sundays: Pro Singles and Amateur Doubles
►Sundays: Mixed-Doubles
►Sundays: Junior Doubles (ages 14 and Under)
• Men’s and Women’s Amateurs 11:00 a.m. check-in 11:30 start for the first, third and fifth tournaments, and a 3:00 p.m. check-in with a 3:30 p.m. start for the second and fourth tournaments.
• Pro Singles check-in at 11:00 a.m. and play begins at noon.
• Open Mixed-Doubles check-in at 3:00 p.m. and play begins at 4:00 p.m.
• Juniors (14 and under) check-in at 11:00 a.m. with play beginning at noon.
Entry fees for tournaments
►Men’s & Women’s Pros: $35 per player
►Men’s & Women’s Pro Singles: $20 per player
►Men’s & Women’s Amateurs: $20 per player
►Men’s & Women’s Amateur Singles: $10 per player
►Juniors: $10 per player
►Open Mixed-Doubles: $20 per player
Note: Mixed-Doubles is open to players of all ages and skill levels. You can play Mixed-Doubles for free if you register for any of the other divisions (Pros, Amateurs or Juniors).
Beach Tennis World Championships
The best players from all over the world will participate in the Beach Tennis World Championships, set for Thursday-Sunday, Aug. 18-21 in Long Beach, N.Y. on the beach at the Allegria Hotel—National Boulevard and the Boardwalk. Countries represented will include Aruba, Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, the Czech Republic, France, Holland, Japan, Italy, St. Marteen, etc. Every night, there will be activities during and after play and the tournament concludes on Sunday with a huge player party. This is a can’t miss event! This is an ITF Grade I Tournament with $10,000 in prize money for Pro Tournament/Prizes for Amateur Tournament.
►Thursday, August 18 • Singles Tournament (Pro and Amateur Levels)
►Friday, August 19 • Nation’s Cup Tournament (Team play as countries face off for bragging rights)
►Saturday, August 20 • Doubles Tournament Pool Play (Pro and Amateur Levels)
►Sunday August 21 • Doubles Tournament Quarters/Semis/Finals and Mixed Doubles Tournament (all levels)
League play
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights will be beach tennis nights at the Allegria Hotel—National Boulevard and the Boardwalk in Long Beach, N.Y. The league fee for an eight-week season will be $40. Leagues will begin in June. Interested parties may sign up by contacting Lindsay LiMauro at llimauro@beachtennisusa.net or by calling (516) 328-0000.
Beach tennis clinics
Beach tennis clinic will be held on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights at the Allegria Hotel—National Boulevard and the Boardwalk in Long Beach, N.Y. and will be taught by licensed beach tennis players. Interested parties may sign up by contacting Lindsay LiMauro at llimauro@beachtennisusa.net or by calling (516) 328-0000.
Open play
Players will be getting together both on weekends and on weeknights. There will be four beach tennis courts at the Allegria Hotel—National Boulevard and the Boardwalk in Long Beach, N.Y. set up seven days per week. To be put on an e-mail blast about specific organized open play times, you may contact Lindsay LiMauro at llimauro@beachtennisusa.net or by calling (516) 328-0000. Groups do get together regularly for organized open play and it’s free!
Paddle rentals and sales
BTUSA’s retail store for paddles, net systems and all beach tennis merchandise is located at 1099 Tulip Avenue in Franklin Square, N.Y., and they may be reached by phone at (516) 328-0000. Also, onsite at the court area in Long Beach, N.Y. will be a mini-store with paddles available for rental and purchase. Paddles will be available for a $5 rental (if you decide to purchase a paddle, the $5 will be credited toward your purchase).
New this summer
►Singles Play: Singles Tournaments are becoming bigger around the world, and here in the U.S., we are about to begin the movement as well. Singles matches are played with all the same rules, except the court size is 5m x 16m.
►A new location and permanent courts: With the courts now at the Allegria Hotel, attracting more players and
spectators should be much easier. Also, for those coming in from the city, this new location of permanent courts is close to the Long Beach Train Station.
►On-site paddle rentals.
►Free beach passes: If you are playing a tournament at any level of competition, access to the beach at Long Beach, N.Y. will be free of charge.
What is beach tennis?
Introducing the hottest sport on sand: Beach tennis!
Take the fun and fast-paced sport of tennis … combine it with the sun, sea and sand of the beach … and you have beach tennis, the most electrifying new sport to hit the U.S. Beach tennis merges the worlds of tennis and beach volleyball into one exciting sport. It can be played both competitively and recreationally, and because it’s so simple to play, it appeals to athletes and non-athletes of all ages.
Rules
The rules of beach tennis are similar to those of regular tennis:
►Scoring is 15-30-40 with no advantage; at 40-40 (deuce) next point wins
►In Mixed-Doubles, men serve underhand
►Lets are in play
Tournaments around the country
BTUSA will be holding tournaments in cities around the U.S. including, Long Beach, N.Y.; Miami, Fla.; McKinney,
Texas; Buffalo, N.Y.; Chicago, Ill.; San Diego, Calif.; Hermosa Beach, Calif.; Santa Barbara, Calif.; Santa Cruz, Calif.; and Honolulu, Hawaii. U.S. National Championships will be held in Chicago on July 11. The top 16 teams in the country will be taking part.
