Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer kicked off their grass court season at the Gerry Weber Open in Halle, Germany on Thursday with comfortable wins. The 2012 French Open Champion Nadal defeated Lukas Lacko of Slovakia, 7-5, 6-1 in the second round. Five-time champion Federer advanced to the quarterfinals after beating Florian Mayer, 6-4, 7-5. Nadal…
The 12th Annual Jana Hunsaker Memorial Wheelchair Tennis Tournament was held from June 7-10 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Jana Hunsaker was the director of the wheelchair tennis program at the Flushing Meadows-Corona Park center until her death in 2000. She ran weekly clinics, as well as the annual tournament, which have…
Burnout is one of the big issues in tennis, and it’s especially common at the highest levels of play where competition is so great and practice is intense. Let’s discuss the symptoms of burnout, its causes and what to do to prevent it. What are the symptoms of burnout? The three most common signs of…
The USTA has joined with New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Queens officials to release details of a proposed strategic vision for future development at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, site of the U.S. Open. The strategic vision—a series of interconnected construction projects that include building…
Germany’s Andrea Petkovic has withdrawn from Wimbledon because she has yet to fully recover from a serious right ankle injury. Wimbledon will mark the third Grand Slam that Petkovic has been forced to miss after sitting out the French Open and the Australian Open. "Unfortunately, I will not be able to return in time for…
About 12 years ago, I covered a lesson for one of my colleagues at Long Beach Tennis Center. On the other side of the net were two curious and shy boys named Eric Rubin and Matt Barry. They were both five-years-old and lived around the block from each other. Three years later, I started teaching…
Tennis is the sport for a lifetime. Unlike many sports, tennis is a “carry over” sport, meaning it can be enjoyed from childhood through adulthood. It is a sport that when played proficiently, provides the cardiovascular aerobic exercise needed for a healthy life, while developing character, physical and mental competence and self-esteem. Equally as important,…
Four-time AEGON Championships champion Andy Roddick was defeated in the second round of the Wimbledon warm-up event on Wednesday by France’s Edouard Roger-Vasselin, 6-4, 4-6, 7-5, ranked 67th in the world. After various injuries, Roddick has fallen out of the top 30 in the ATP Tour rankings. Roddick has now lost 11 out of 18 matches he has played…
Michelle Blake Wilson, managing director of marketing and communications for USTA Eastern, will be honored on June 29 as a Rising Star by New York State Sen. Ruth Hassell-Thompson at the Senator’s Annual Notable Women Awards Breakfast. Blake Wilson is being honored for her work in expanding tennis opportunities for young girls, and for promoting tennis as a vehicle…
Over the last five years, there has been a major shift in the perception and practice of physical training and its relationship to on-court performance. Instead of looking at becoming “fit” as a means to an end, players are now looking for programs that will enhance actual tennis skills. One common flaw to recent tennis…