2013 Long Island Tennis Magazine’s Coaches Roundtable Discussion

November 6, 2013 | By Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff
Balls_Credit_Tom_Northcut
Photo Credit: Tom Northcut

The Long Island tennis community has some of the sport’s best facilities, both indoor and outdoor, and best coaches in the world. With this wealth of talent available right in our own backyard, Long Island Tennis Magazine recently took the opportunity to pick the brains of some of these top coaches. What you will find below are some of the sport’s top instructors sharing their ideas and strategies from coaching those new to the game to skilled juniors, the state of tennis on Long Island, the role of the parent in a player’s development, and much more. Even the best coach can always learn an extra tip or two, and the following article will provide all players and coaches with a chance to learn from the cream of the area’s crop.



Meet the participants …

Afzal Ali ♦ Deer Park Tennis & Fitness
Afzal Ali is director of Deer Park Tennis & Fitness and comes from a famous tennis family in India. He has been teaching tennis for 30 years and has produced many top players such as, Leander Paes and Zeeshan Ali, as well as many top juniors from Long Island. Afzal has had the privilege to work under Harry Hopman and Dennis Van Der Meer.



 

Howie Arons ♦ Great Neck Estates Tennis Center
Howie Arons is the owner/director of Great Neck Estates Tennis Center as well as the Boys Tennis Coach of BN Cardozo High School in Bayside, N.Y. Howie has coached Cardozo for 36 years, and has the most tennis wins in New York State history with 584 wins. He was USTA Coach of the Year in 1988 and USPTA Coach of the Year in 2007.



Carl Barnett ♦ Glen Head Racquet Club, Home of the Early Hit Training Center
This is the 11th season of Carl Barnett’s Early Hit Training Center at Glen Head Racquet Club. Early Hit is dedicated to providing lessons, groups and training in its comprehensive ALPS program. Pat Etcheberry has worked with Carl as an advisor with the ALPS training program. Carl has concluded that students learn faster when they have core fitness, flexibility and explosive strength. Early Hit not only serves juniors as the program features nationally-ranked players in the USTA Open, 40s, 60s and 70s divisions.



Ricky Becker ♦ Glen Head Racquet Club
Ricky Becker is the director of tennis at Pine Hollow Country Club, High Performance Manager at Glen Head Racquet Club and founder of JuniorTennisConsulting Inc. He has coached the USTA/Eastern Boys 18's National Team, as well as numerous top Eastern and nationally-ranked juniors. As a player, Ricky was the MVP of both the Stanford University and Roslyn High School tennis teams.



Weylu Chang ♦ IMG Academy
Weylu Chang is one of IMG Academy’s senior coaches and has been coaching at IMG since 2011. He was also a former student of IMG Academy who played on the ATP Tour for three years.

 



 

Ron D'Alessandro ♦ Carefree Racquet Club
Ron D'Alessandro is the head pro and director of tennis at Carefree Racquet Club. Ron has more than 20 years of teaching experience, and is USPTA/USPTR Certified, specializing in teaching Cardio Tennis.

 



 

Tracie Forsythe ♦ World Gym Bay Shore
Tracie Forsythe is the director of tennis at World Gym Bay Shore and has been the head tennis pro there for eight years. She was a top 10 nationally-ranked junior and after being sidelined by an injury, went on to play number one for her high school boy’s varsity tennis team. Tracie enjoyed playing for NCAA Division I Hofstra before becoming a full-time instructor. She now dedicates her time to helping her students prepare for all levels of play and assists them with preparing for their college careers.



 

Jay Harris ♦​ Sportime
Jay Harris is the regional manager of Sportime Syosset and Bethpage. Jay was the head men’s coach at Brown University for eight years prior to moving to New York. He left Brown in 2010 as the most successful coach in the 100-plus year history of that school’s program, having led the team to its highest national ranking ever (33), to two straight Ivy League Titles, and to seven consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. In 2005, Harris was named the Northeast Region Coach of the Year and was a finalist for the National Coach of the Year Award. Jay coached five singles players and 15 different doubles teams to the national rankings, including one All-American team. One of his players recently advanced to his second consecutive Wimbledon quarterfinal appearance, having been ranked in the top 50 on the ATP Tour. Before Brown, Harris coached at Bowling Green State University, where one of his players was Sportime’s own Regional Director of Tennis Mike Kossoff. At Bowling Green, Harris was named the 2002 Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year after leading his squad to MAC Titles in 2000 and 2002. A former successful collegiate player at the University of Cincinnati, Jay moved to Miami University where he was an assistant women’s tennis coach, while earning his master’s degree in 1996 with a concentration in sports psychology. In addition to coaching many of the nation’s top tennis players, Jay has also worked with many athletes as a Peak Performance Consultant to enhance psychological skills, such as visual imagery, anxiety regulation, self-talk and goal-setting.



 

Steven Kaplan ♦​ Bethpage Park Tennis Center
Steven Kaplan is the owner of Bethpage Park Tennis Center, as well as the director of Lacoste Academy for New York City Parks Foundation. Over the last 35 years, Steve has been the long-time coach of more than 600 nationally-ranked junior players, 16 state high school champions, two NCAA Division I Singles Champions, and numerous touring professionals and prominent coaches. Steve's students have been awarded in excess of $8 million in college scholarship money.



 

Whitney Kraft ♦ USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center
Since 2007, Whitney Kraft has been the director of tennis at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, N.Y. and director of player operations for the U.S. Open. Previously, he was director of tennis for the City of Fort Lauderdale Park & Recreation Department (1998-2007). He was a 1983 Singles All-American for Florida Atlantic University, and inducted into their inaugural Athletic Hall of Fame class in 2006. He is a National 10 & Under Trainer, a USPPTA Platform Tennis instructor, member of the Beach Tennis USA Board of Advisors, as well as a member of the National Cardio Tennis Speakers Team. A USPTA member since 1983, Whitney served as district director for Broward County, Florida and as president of the local CTA, Broward Tennis Association. Whitney has been the tournament director for many prestigious events, including the National Public Parks Tennis Championships (2007), ITF World Championships (2002), the inaugural U.S. Open National Sectional Playoffs (2010), USTA Boys 14 National Clay Court Championships (2000-2007) and the USTA National Open Clay Court and Indoor Championships (1998-present).



 

Ed Krass ♦​ College Tennis Exposure Camps
Ed Krass coached the Harvard Women’s Tennis Team to four consecutive Ivy League titles from 1986-1090. Ed is the founder and director of the 25th Annual College Tennis Exposure Camps, which are taught exclusively by all Head College Coaches for high school-aged players (15-18). Ed is also the founder of One-On-One Doubles tournaments, which have been played at USTA, ATP, ITA and USPTA national events.



 

Lauren Rothstein ♦ Centercourt Athletic Club of Chatham
Lauren Rothstein is a tennis professional at Centercourt Athletic Club of Chatham. Lauren has played tennis her entire life and attended Indiana University where she was captain of club tennis team, increasing team participation by more than 350 percent. Lauren led her Indiana University team to national tournaments in North Carolina and Arizona.

 



 

Butch Seewagen ♦ CATS—Children's Athletic Training School/Butch Seewagen Tennis Academy
Butch Seewagen is owner of CATS—Children's Athletic Training School and Butch Seewagen Tennis Academy in Rockville Centre, N.Y. He is a former U.S. Amateur Champion, coach of Ivy League Champion Columbia University, and a top 70 in the world competitor, having played the U.S. Open 13X reaching the semifinals of doubles and was among the last 32 in singles.

 



 

Tonny van de Pieterman ♦​ Point Set Tennis
Tonny van de Pieterman is director of tennis operations for Point Set Tennis. He has been at Point Set for three years and is the coordinator of Point Set’s flagship competitive junior program, TTP. He has been coaching top juniors and adult players alike on Long Island’s south shore for the past 10 years. Previously, he coached at the famous Harry Hopman Tennis Academy in Saddlebrook, Fla. before taking residence in Long Beach, N.Y.



 

Jay Wass ♦ SportsPro Summer Camps & Eastern Athletic Club
Jason Wass is a USPTA Professional Certified Instructor, with experience coaching all ages and levels. A graduate of the USTA High Performance Player Development program, Jay’s strengths lie in working with players in developmental stages of the game, building player’s technique and strategy from the ground up. Jason’s versatility as a tennis coach is demonstrated by his list of students that range from total beginner to nationally-ranked. Named the 2010 USTA Long Island Tennis Professional of the Year, Jay is the director of tennis for SportsPro Summer Camps and Head Professional at Eastern Athletic Club in Dix Hills.



 

Phillip Williamson ♦ Ross School Tennis Academy
Phil Williamson, a Mount Vernon, N.Y. native, has been a veteran tennis pro for the past 15 years. After a stellar junior playing record in the USTA Eastern Section and the National American Tennis Association (ATA), he moved onto a historical record at Columbia University (capturing their first Ivy title in 12 years, then again before graduating in 1987). After several years on the ATP Tour, Grand Slams and Davis Cup play, Phil has used these experiences, coupled with a P1 USTA Certification and High Performance training, to offer the best tennis information and education to our youth. With former directorships at Westchester and NYC clubs (Hastings on the Hudson and Tennis Club of Riverdale, respectively), Phil taught another eight years at the Grand Slam Tennis Center in Bedford, N.Y. (an Ivan Lendl facility) before landing his present position as the head coach of the Ross School Tennis Academy in East Hampton, N.Y.



 

The roundtable …
Question: What role should a parent play in their child’s tennis development?

Afzal Ali: The parent should encourage their child's tennis game whether their child plays well or not, whether they're having a good day or a bad day. Emotional support is the key for a child's development.\

Howie Arons: The key word in this question is “parent.” A parent should always, above all else, be there for their children. As a child progresses in tennis and begins to compete more, the role of a parent also changes. Children have to get to tennis lessons and tournaments and need help with planning their time and balancing school schedules, this requires lots of time on the part of parents. Tournaments are always on weekends and traveling becomes a major consideration. As a tennis coach and parent, the best advice that I was ever given was “Do not coach your own child, be the parent.” Well, I listened to that advice and got the best coaches I could for my two sons, and both became Division I players in college.

As a child progresses in the world of junior tennis, lots of pressure is created by the juniors themselves, they don't need a parent telling them what they need to do in order to improve their game. That type of coaching should be in the hands of their coach. We want our kids to love tennis, the more the junior loves to play the better player they will become. We want our kids to love to play tennis and good positive parental support will help create that passion. Be there for your children as a parent, treat winning and losing the same. Do not hype out on rankings, numbers or other players. Focus on your child as a person and you are there to totally support that person. The risk of getting too involved with your child's tennis is not worth it. I can't tell you how many juniors just quit or don't progress because of negative parental interaction. Enjoy being a parent and let the coaches take care of the coaching.

Ron D'Allesandro: I think parents should have a very active role. More parents should watch the progression of their child’s tennis development, and keep an open line of communication with their pro as to how they can maximize their child’s potential. I always try and encourage parents to, at the very least, come and watch their child’s lessons, so they can see the hard work that goes into every hour on the court.

Butch Seewagen: A book of considerable size could be written on this very subject. I have experienced parents at total opposite ends of the involvement spectrum. I had parents of a player I coached at Columbia who never watched their son play even though he was good enough to be ranked number one in the East. I also knew parents who were involved 24/7, totally living vicariously through their son’s achievements. Surprisingly, both players went on to play professionally. Neither approach would be recommended. Somewhere in the middle is our goal—parents who are supportive with tennis, yet always keeping in mind the bigger role of parenting. Parents play the most important role in any child’s life. Perhaps, the biggest help a parent can be is in choosing the right coach for their child.

Parents should invest in a good amount of time on research before making this important decision. The coach is the linchpin for this team. Once a coach is selected, the parents should step aside and let the coach be the quarterback. Now, the parents are the ones who give unconditional support making sure the growth process is fun. Pressure is taken off the athlete by prioritizing long term improvement over short term wins and losses.

Phillip Williamson: My personal belief is that parents should be a major support group. I understand that there are so many different cultures and parent/child relationships and that one size cannot fit all. But my first thought is that parents (if in a fairly “normal” relationship with their kids–love them and have the child’s best interests at heart) can be the most influential role models in a young player’s life. I prefer to get to know that relationship between them first and work with it to the betterment of the player before I question a parent’s role. If it doesn’t work out, then and I have no problems deciding to ask them to take a step back if necessary or get involved more if needed.



 

Question: What are the biggest positives and negatives about the current state of tennis on Long Island?
Ricky Becker: I think the biggest positive is that there are more good coaches coming to the Long Island area than leaving. It's great for everyone. I think the biggest negative though is that too many people now have multiple coaches which limits development.

Jay Harris: One of the biggest positives driving the future of Long Island tennis is the current state of 10 & Under tennis. I just watched a great commercial put out by the ITF comparing tennis and other sports such as baseball, soccer, and basketball making small children look rather silly in big stadiums and arenas, making the point that other sports don't make small children play like adults, so why does tennis. Clubs all across Long Island are upgrading equipment and facilities, and thus, their ability to develop young children in environments where they can have fun and learn proper techniques early on. I recently heard John McEnroe think out loud stating that if kids played on these courts at younger ages, they would undoubtedly develop better volleying and all-court skills instead of learn early on that tennis is played far behind the baseline. Ten & Under Tennis not only drives the future of tennis, but it also drives the tennis business and as more clubs become aware of the importance of this, more clubs will run great programs. And that will be great for Long Island kids!

As these kids become skilled in these experiences, they will develop toward tournament tennis and there are many great environments on Long Island to keep the building process going. I admittedly am a little biased here as my favorite player growing up was John McEnroe, but the fact that he is now out on long island working with junior players is just incredible. I have had the opportunity to be on court with John, working with kids, and I would never have imagined how good he really is working with kids of all levels. He of course is a tennis genius, one of the greatest players of all time and the best commentator on TV right now for sure, but he also just loves the game. Working with the likes of Noah Rubin and Jamie Loeb in his new Academy has been great to watch, as have been his efforts to build the ties to the inner city areas and other pipelines to attract the top American talent.

Having the likes of the McEnroe Academy right in the backyard of Long Islanders brings up another issue. Like the struggle in the U.S. to get different academies to work together, Long Island faces the same conflict. There is intense competition amongst clubs for the top kids, which of course doesn't allow the top kids to train together. This hurts the day-to-day development of our kids and puts us at a disadvantage. Overcoming this is no small feat, but for now, Long Islanders do have the ability to play USTA sectional tournaments pretty much right down the street (as compared to my friends in my Midwestern hometown!). This allows these top players to grapple from time to time, and this competition remains very important in their development.

Steven Kaplan: I'm cautiously optimistic about the state of tennis on Long Island. On the positive side, tennis is ingrained in Long Island culture, as people love and appreciate the value of the sport. Tennis is a part of the overall educational experience for many children and a strong core of adults see the health and fitness benefits. We have a high concentration of facilities, top programs and dedicated players.

The spotlight of the tennis universe is nearby at the U.S. Open for two weeks every year, and that is an incredible opportunity for Long Islanders. Long Island and New York Tennis Magazine presented the First Annual New York Tennis Expo last spring (which I hope will be an annual event), and it is events like this that helps to drive increased interest in the sport.

QuickStart programs are giving very young players the chance to see tennis as fun at an early age and that is important for the sport to grow.

On the negative side, the economic crunch has impacted tennis participation on much of Long Island. Unemployment, rising healthcare and ridiculously inflated college costs, have reduced Long Islander's discretionary incomes. While many indoor facilities deliver great value with top programs, operational costs are rising quickly. It's a challenging economy for everyone. New York City has extensive programs like City Parks Foundation and NYJTL which address the need to create opportunities for players based first, on economic need.

Many Long Island clubs provide scholarships to players based primarily on ability as a marketing tool. This is terrific for the players and their families, but it shifts resources more than it creates needed new opportunities to grow the game.

Jay Wass: I think the biggest positive about Long Island is the amount of great people who are involved in all aspects of the game. We have world-class coaches, talented players, dedicated parents, loyal volunteers and a passion that creates many memorable moments throughout the Island. Long Island Tennis Magazine has brought a new level of excitement to the Long Island tennis community. They have shined a light on many of the great programs and stories that before, would have gone untold or unseen. Since its inception a few years back, Long Island Tennis Magazine has done an unprecedented job of helping tennis professionals, programs, facilities, and most importantly, the growth of tennis on Long Island.

Negatively, passion can bring about controversy and ill will. However, in the long run, the more the tennis community works together, the better off we all will be.



 

Question: What does American tennis need to do to develop top professional players?
Carl Barnett: We need to start by developing more top juniors with college first in mind. Then, natural selection will separate the pro level prospects from the college players. It didn't hurt that number 14 John Isner, the highest ranked American, went to the University of Georgia. The reality that we have only two of the top 80 ranked men in the world is a result of the fact that less than half of our college scholarships go Americans. It's ironic a very large portion of foreign scholarship students didn't make it as pros only to turn to our colleges. Many may also spend a short period in college to leave with greater maturity like John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors.

Jay Harris: I think one has to start with the USTA and how they operate and are seen by current pros, by professional coaches, and by junior parents and players. Jose Higueras, USTA national coach, was recently quoted explaining his confusion as to why the USTA is hated so much. It’s a great question of course, and it's also a big problem. I spent a lot of time this past U.S. Open around John McEnroe Academy member Noah Rubin, around Rhode Island native Jared Donaldson, and around my former Brown University player and current member of the ATP Council, Jamie Cerretani. In that time, one thing rang true … the USTA is not seen as an organization that is great to work with. They haven't been clear with their vision, they don't communicate well with “non-USTA” coaches across the country, and they don't really go out and help a majority of current U.S. professional players. This has to change if the major developmental center of American tennis talent is going to achieve what other countries are doing. We have to act at least like we like each other here in America to give us a chance to work together and build talent. There are some great tennis organizations and minds in this country. If they come together a bit more, great things can be done, but if they continue to compete, then American tennis will continue to be at a disadvantage.

Weylu Chang: I think American tennis has lost its hunger. Tennis is a rigorous game and you have to be very strong physically and mentally. I think the younger generation of Americans feel more entitled these days. You see the kids from other countries, some of them come from less and they work incredibly hard for everything. That work ethic translates to their on-court lifestyle, too. They never quit and never stop reaching for the next goal, because the goal they're reaching for comes with their lifestyle. So what young American players need in their development is greater motivation. Through all levels, as coaches, we need to keep then motivated. We need to help them strive for more and teach them that this race is a marathon; not a sprint. The work, struggle and obstacles are great, but so is the reward.



 

Question: Is it easier to teach a highly-ranked player or a beginner/lower-end player?
Steve Kaplan: The conversation has always been that the best coaches ascend to coach the best players, and if you coach top players, then you must be a top coach. In reality, while the skills are different, teaching a beginner well requires as much knowledge and skill as teaching a top player.

Beginners require more information intensive instruction and they are often limited by their athletic skill and functional mobility. Teaching a beginner safely and skillfully requires a knowledgeable and patient instructor. Sadly, because many beginners lack the experience to judge the quality of their instruction, some instructors are more "personality" than skill driven.

Top players need facilitation and coaching. They develop with court time opportunities, motivation, competition, technical, tactical, emotional skill development, and fitness and conditioning. Very often, the most important factor in the development of top players is the creation of an environment and culture of hard work, dedication and performance excellence.

One of the greatest challenges the sport faces to grow is providing top quality and professional instruction to players of every level.

Whitney Kraft: Both provide exciting challenges. A particular coach’s skill set may best answer this question. A High Performance-certified coach would feel more adept with an advanced player, but may feel ill-equipped with a beginner if they haven’t worked recently with this demographic. The toughest lesson is the player with entrenched muscle memory of poor technique that has to be re-tooled. Conveying the fact to this student that they must first get worse to get better and not worry about short-term results will aid in the process of their improvement.

Ed Krass: It is easier to teach an experienced Tournament player only if he is open to receiving feedback and he/she trusts you and likes your style and delivery of teaching the finer points of the game. This player will need more work on the higher levels of strategy (shot selection, shot placement and anticipation pointers). For most coaches, it may be easier to teach a less experienced player because that player’s learning curve will be that much greater. In other words, they will have a lot more to learn in regards to footwork and shot-making techniques.

Lauren Rothstein: Above all, the easiest player to teach is one who has a real desire to listen, learn and improve. However, strong points can be presented for both answers. The benefit of teaching a beginner is that the student’s game is completely raw, so teaching proper technique and fundamentals can be easier. The benefit of teaching a highly ranked player is that a coach is usually just refining skills that have already been successfully developed. The rate of success when teaching new skills is also quicker for the more advanced player.

Butch Seewagen: Having coached several players who eventually reached top 50 in the world and hundreds of beginners, I can confidently state that it is easier to teach beginners. The simple reason is that we are starting with a blank slate—no bad habits or opinions to change. It’s funny, but most people assume it is more fun to teach the gifted player. However, I find that the player who is most responsive to improving gives me the most satisfaction. Pros who have big egos and who live vicariously through their students will choose the ranked player, but for me, the most important thing is the player who loves the game, wants to improve, and trusts me, the coach.



 

Question: Who are the greatest players of all-time on each surface (clay, hard, and grass courts)?
Afzal Ali: The greatest players of all time on each surface I feel are Rod Laver on grass, Roger Federer on a hard court, and Rafael Nadal on clay.

Howie Arons: All of the pros on our staff had fun with this question. Unquestionably, the answer is very easy for clay courts: Rafael Nadal. On hard courts and grass courts, the answer is not as transparent. Both Sampras and Federer have each won seven Wimbledon titles and five U.S. Opens. The difference is that Federer also won two more Australian Opens. Let’s give Federer the edge and call him the best ever on hard courts; however, Sampras is a very close second. On grass, they are also microscopically close. After much debate, I feel that Pete Sampras was the best ever on grass. The difference was the heaviness of the Sampras serve, clearly the best.

Ron D'Allesandro: On clay, I would say Rafael Nadal and Chris Evert. On grass, it would have to be Roger Federer, Pete Sampras and Martina Navratilova. And on hard courts, I would give it to Roger Federer, Serena Williams and Steffi Graf.

Tracie Forsythe: Statistically, the greatest hard court singles players would be Serena Williams and Roger Federer. Serena has a combined 10 championships on hard surfaces and Federer has a total of nine championships. Chris Evert and Rafael Nadal would be obvious choices for clay. Nadal has won the French Open eight times and Evert has won it a total of seven times. For Wimbledon’s grass surface, the players with the most singles titles are Martina Navratilova with nine, and Pete Sampras and Roger Federer tied with seven titles each. If I had to pick an overall great though, I would have to go with Navratilova. She has had a career that has spanned over the course of three decades, with a combined win total of all the Slams in singles, doubles and mixed-doubles of 59 titles.

Jay Harris: On clay … most today would think this is a slam dunk question and would immediately anoint Rafael Nadal as the greatest clay courter ever, having won seven French Open Championships in seven trips to the finals. But let's not forget Bjorn Borg who won six French Opens in six trips to the finals, and we will never know how many more he would have won had he not retired at the age of 26. He was 49-2 at the French Open, and at one point, actually won 41 straight sets on the red clay. Not even Rafa has done that. But two facts remain … Borg did retire early and Rafa still has more years to come. Nadal is now 52-1 at the French and also essentially dominates every other clay court event as well.

On grass … again, many will be quick to choose the easy route and go with Roger Federer, but we have to dig a little deeper and make sure we look on the women's side here for the greatest grass court performers, and we will find a great debate. Martina Navratilova and her record nine Wimbledon Titles is impressive, but what may be more impressive is Steffi Graf's seven titles in nine years over the likes of Martina Navratilova, Chris Evert and Monica Seles. Having said that, I have to go with my heart and still pick Pete Sampras and his seven titles and 57-1 record in a nine-year span as the greatest grass court player ever.

On a hard court … if you ask me who the most fun to watch are I would have to go with John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors. But looking at overall results, I have to give it to Federer. He has won nine Grand Slam titles on hard court and has dominated many summers of hard court tennis.

Whitney Kraft: On clay, Bjorn Borg was the best, with his simple seldom miss strategy of hitting heavy topspin balls cross-court and then occasionally hitting down the “middle” and Chris Evert with pin-point accuracy and immense patience and mental focus. On hard courts, I would have to say Andre Agassi with his directional patterns and clean ball striking and Steffi Graf with her super slice backhand, big forehand and competitive spirit. On grass, I give it to Pete Sampras with his great serve and running forehand combined with impeccable volleys and Martina Navratilova with the “automatic” lefty add point and her ahead of her time physicality.



 

Question: What traits must a top player possess, mentally and physically, to set them apart?
Carl Barnett: The number one quality of an elite player is focus. Everything starts between the ears. Focus on one sport as a junior. Focus learning strokes, focus on footwork, on playing dynamics, in practice, diet and rest. Focus in the training room. This will develop an unrelenting self-belief that will carry them through their toughest competition.

Ricky Becker: A top-player must believe they are better than anyone they play. Respect everyone and fear no one. They must feel they are better physically and work harder than their opponent and therefore deserve to win! A top-player must be able, quick and flexible enough to defend. Matches are won/lost on forced and unforced errors.

Weylu Chang: I have been fortunate enough to have grown up and work near players that have made it to the top. Of course, there are a multitude of characteristics that contribute to why someone reaches the highest level. Those characteristics include a strong work ethic, positive attitude, responding positively to adversity, great physical gifts, strength, speed and power. A player doesn't have to possess all of those attributes, however they need to have more than one of them to succeed. But the one universal quality that I see all successful professionals possess is a sense of priority. A true professional has one priority; being a professional. For the successful pro, all of their decision-making relative to tennis revolves around not jeopardizing their immediate or long-term goals. It’s more than just showing up to train each day, it’s a lifestyle that influences their decision making on and off the court.

Ed Krass: A player must possess the body language of a champion, whether winning or losing, a fighter’s mentality to win the long-ball rallies, and be able to anticipate and be quick around the court. A player can stick-out in the process by their ability to play successful, first-strike Tennis … and compete to win rather than play not to lose … and this is the noticeable difference in how a player can ultimately prepare for a successful junior and college tennis career. A player should not fear getting passed when attacking the net on the “right” balls, as a forcing transition game is often missing in today’s competitive game of singles.

In doubles, to truly stick out and separate yourself from the pack, a junior needs to learn how to play serve-and-volley doubles and also learn to close to the midcourt after returning … this takes energy, confidence, practice and execution … this is the highest (and most exciting) level of playing competitive doubles, whether you are male or female!

Lauren Rothstein: Top tennis players must be willing to make sacrifices. They need to be focused and commit to a long journey of highs and lows. Great players must constantly strive for success but be able to accept losses. They must thrive on a challenge. Successful players understand the importance of mental strength. They know that the difference in winning and losing may be in their head, and that they must always stay positive and mentally tough. Top players focus on their effort, not their outcome because they know that they will be successful in the long run with that attitude. They have developed a high level of self-confidence that sets them apart from their less successful peers.

Phillip Williamson: The traits start to differ as you get into the top 50 and above. Suffice it to say we all should have the traits of the top 100. There is nothing bad about having the traits needed to be there. Determination, focus, commitment, perseverance, heart, grit … these all seem like required traits. It starts becoming a job at some point (past the top 30) and you have to sacrifice more of your life (a pretty good one at that) for a small incremental increase in rankings; money. Many think the money is worth it and sometimes don’t do well because that’s the motivation. Others may do well because it money is the motivation. There is no one silver bullet. Again, one size does not fit all. But on the men’s Tour you have to want to kill lots of little Indians to get to be chief just for the day. And do it all over again the next day/week. Some can stomach the bloodshed, but for so long before expecting the some major spoils. Sometimes money is not an issue. It’s just the lifestyle after a while. There are easier ways to make the same money; legally and illegally (Wall Street). It all depends on why you play. That’s a different answer for some many different people all over the world.

Physically, it almost seems easier to play. We talk about how physical the game is; and it is for the top 30. But because more players run more and train more than in the past makes that the norm. So everyone is already more health conscious than in the past, so being in better shape than in the past is no feet. To set oneself apart physically has to start with the willingness mentally to play that way. The body cannot go where the head won’t! So the physical achievements are not so great considering the courts are larger and the surfaces are slower. That being said, to set oneself apart physically, a player takes on a determination not to far from the Lance Armstrong’s and Alex Rodriguez’s (on the physical level). They would have to work as hard as they want to win; or hate to lose. Not many are willing to do that; go through that much pain for the money or the pride of victory. So we seem to marvel at those that do. But the question remains, would they go through the same hurdles if the prize money and endorsements were not there; like with their predecessors?



 

Question: What parts of the game have evolved and what parts have grown worse or have disappeared entirely over the past decade?
Ricky Becker: There is no doubt that tennis continually gets more physical as time goes on and being in great shape is a prerequisite for reaching one's potential. However, with the increased use of super tie-breakers instead of third sets, the importance of stamina has unfortunately been diminished. Agility, speed and power training is now more important. With people coming to the net less frequently there are definitely less players comfortable at the net.

Whitney Kraft: Aggressive baseline groundstrokes and return of serves have evolved, while serve and volley singles tennis has virtually disappeared. As well, overall volley skills (particularly touch and angle) have regressed.

Ed Krass: Over the past decade, I would say that most competitive juniors are not finishing enough points at the net during their singles matches as most of them are way too one-dimensional from the baseline. I like to train junior players how to volley the mid-court ball and make them get better feeling “uncomfortable” with plenty of repetitions in their half-court, serve-and-volley singles drills and games (One-On-One Doubles). This way, the junior players will have game plan “B” and “C” when needed against players who are a bit steadier than them off the groundstroke exchanges. You are seeing too many balls that bounce around the middle of the court, go “unattacked” where no approach shot was even attempted. This type of conservative play doesn’t develop our players for all-court college tennis.

Jay Wass: The baseline game and the overall physicality of the game have evolved tremendously over the last decade. The combination of power and consistency is staggering, but it makes for long, entertaining points. Contrary to that, the serve and volley game that was prominent while Pete Sampras was playing, has all but disappeared. Therefore, the general importance of the volley has taken a bit of a step back as of late, at all levels of the game.



 

Question: How prevalent do you think performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) are in professional tennis and what do you feel should be done about them?
Steve Kaplan: Advances in sports athleticism are evolutionary by nature and credit goes to progress in cultural resources, training methods, nutrition, sports science and equipment technology. When performance revolutions happen, the last 50 years tells us PEDs are lurking in the shadows.

The Soviets said that their new domination of the Olympics starting in the late 60s were the result of plyometric training, and many Eastern bloc Olympic female power lifting records at the height of the steroid craze in the 80s still stand today. Barry Bonds said that he hit 75 home runs while his head swelled to the size of a melon by "just training hard." They lied. The latest vogue explanation for the rise of tennis ultra athletes are "gluten free" diets and racket technology. Sorry, but cutting out bread does not make you a superhero and doesn't improve performance unless you have clinical Celiac disease. Powerful rackets do not create the incredible speed, strength, endurance, recovery and lean muscle mass of today's male and female players possess.

So how are tennis players getting away with doing PEDs? Consider that Lance Armstrong won seven Tour de France races while running the most sophisticated drug program in the history of sports and is "most tested” athlete in the history of sports, yet he has never tested positive for steroids. The cheaters are always ahead of the testers. James Blake agrees. "In tennis, I think I'm sure there are guys who are doing it and getting away with it and getting ahead of the testers,” said Blake.

Many players believe that tennis protects its stars. Former Wimbledon Champion Pat Cash said, "Suspicion among the other players had long been a riff that Agassi may have used some substances to help him become one of the fittest and strongest guys around.” Cash later calls Agassi's "wrist injury" before the 2002 Australian Open "suspicious." The talk has long been that tennis polices its own with silent suspensions and it's being said by some very knowledgeable former players like Yannick Noah. On the subject of suspicious, I wonder how Rafa hurt his knee badly enough to be out for nine months, yet he didn't go under the knife like every other athlete with a significant knee injury. He proceeds to come back to dominate on hard courts with newly rehabilitate knees? At almost the same time Marion Bartoli mysteriously "retires" after winning Wimbledon?

Nick Bollettieri is quoted as saying, "If I said tennis is totally clean, I would be kidding myself. I would say there are certainly some short cuts being taken. Not that many but it would be crazy to think differently.

John McEnroe admitted in his book that he used steroids "unknowingly" for many years and had this to say "you can tell when someone has been on steroids, when a guy bulks up, has a new body and never gets tired. You see these guys or girls who come on to the tour talking about their training programs and their diets, where they eat this or that new thing, but they'll never tell you about the drugs they took."

Christophe Rochus summed it up PED use on tour when he said, "There's a lot of cheating. Simply people don't like to talk about it … I simply would like to stop pretending. The hypocrisy is exasperating."

Lauren Rothstein: With scheduled and random drug tests on the professional tour, tennis fans are lead to believe that PEDs are not very relevant. However, there has been a lot of criticism about the loopholes and transparency in the minimal testing for a physically demanding 11-month sport. Multiple top players have publically voiced their support for increased testing. It is very conceivable to believe that players have been working with doctors to pass drug tests while still injecting their bodies with strength enhancement and recovery drugs. More drug tests and stricter rules would help prevent players from getting away with what could be going on behind the scenes of every tournament now. If drug tests were a higher priority in the sport, this could solve the potential loopholes and transparency of testing to maximize the fairness and integrity of tennis.

Butch Seewagen: Sorry, I have no knowledge or experience with performance enhancing drugs in tennis.

Tonny van de Pieterman: I am afraid that PED’s are more prevalent in professional tennis than thus far has come to light. Every “big money sport” has their fallen heroes, and I suspect tennis will be no different. Since tennis has become so much more of a physical test, the temptation is definitely present. However, I hope I am wrong. As far as what to do about it … more education on the negative effects of PEDs will hopefully scare junior players from going down that path. Also, the punishments that guilty players receive should include forfeiting prize money over a period of time. I hope these “dirty” athletes will get sued by companies for endorsement money as well.

Phillip Williamson: It’s impossible to know for sure how prevalent they are in the sport unless you are on inside the locker rooms to see the players before and after matches. You need to see the player preform over a period of time and see their ups and downs; their normal recovery rates of the past compared to present ones before coming to a fair conclusion.

However, for those of you that will believe a celebrity player talk about this very subject in another venue (his own club), let me say this:

Having worked for Ivan Lendl at his Grand Slam Tennis Club for over eight years, it was a pleasant surprise to see him chair periodic staff meetings at the beginning of this year when previously I had seen him at his club but twice in seven years. Maybe Andy Murray had something to do with that. The staff had the opportunity to ask him a variety of questions and the topic of PEDs came up.

It was not surprising that Lendl (in his normally straight-forward and dry manner) expressed no surprise that the lower ranked players (which he didn’t really describe who that is) most definitely will do whatever they can to get an edge and it’s maybe even worth the risk financially since not many are noticing them since they are ranked lower. He paused and then said he is not sure if the top players (again not identifying anyone but alluding to the top five or even three would take such a risk since they are jeopardizing so much more money and future careers. He thinks they would be foolish to take such risks.

I would agree with the first part of Mr. Lendl’s statement. But pertaining to the latter, we thought it was foolish for someone like Lance Armstrong to do what he did also. But he did. How many are there out there that thing like him that we don’t know about? Hmmmmm? It seems the Yankee slugger Alex Rodriguez got caught with his hand in the cookie jar a second time!

So why do we think tennis is any different? It’s not about tennis. It’s about the money! As long as the financial gain is there, there will be those that will win at all costs, because for some, winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing. With that mantra going around there will be doctor’s that need to make money at any cost and “athletes” that do whatever it takes for what they think is success at any cost. So it’s not just the athletes. The doctor’s allow this to happen and there would be no PEDs with the doctors’ complicity. So let’s question why doctors!

As long as the sport is marketed as a business (which is a bottom line approach) then there will be PEDs. The only thing to do about it is to penalize those that violate the rules severely. Punished severely means a life ban. Life bans maybe the only way to diminish the use of these things. But the industry will not allow that since there is still too much to gain financially from a player retiring early (due to a drug violation) and then coming back (out of retirement) to create more of a profit potential for the sport; especially if they were a marquee player. Everyone loves a comeback!



 

Question: What are some of the positives and negatives of 10 & Under Tennis?
Carl Barnett: The positives are that kids can start playing tennis much younger than 10 years old. It is easy for administrators to sell parents at an earlier age. The drawback is it isn't necessary for really talented kids ages seven and up who can play full-court already.

Ron D'Allesandro: The positives are that the children are having success hitting the ball much quicker and at an earlier age with the low compression balls. They are learning to rally and play games at a faster rate, than they would with a standard tennis ball. Negatives are trying to convince the parents that using the low compression balls is not a step backwards, if their children have used a regular tennis ball prior to participating in the 10 & Under program. After a few lessons, they are usually convinced that it is a fantastic program.

Tracie Forsythe: I personally love most of the concepts that 10 & Under tennis uses. The age appropriate racquets and balls can really be a great option for younger players who are experiencing the game as beginners. The games and ideas for lesson plans that the USTA has created, as well as a number of teachers who post great things for the program on the Internet have made it possible to keep things fun and exciting, while still teaching children the important skills necessary for the game. I do feel however, that it is important to recognize the youngsters that show the skill and ability to play with regulation balls and use a full court. There are many kids I’ve come across in my 15-year career teaching that show a great talent for the sport and have been fully capable of using the regular balls. I think it’s crucial to make sure these kids are exposed to the equipment they will be using in their futures as junior tennis players as early as possible.

Tonny van de Pieterman: The customized equipment for young players and the USTA marketing efforts have resulted in a great influx of young people enjoying the game of tennis. Tennis is more fun for beginning players now, which is great. However, I believe that the USTA has made an error in judgment with the ages. It should have been eight and under tennis. The kids developing in our program at PointSet ages 4, 5 or 6 are having great success with the red balls for a year or so. At age seven, they will briefly play with the orange ball and are ready for the green dot ball very quickly. I am not a big fan of the orange ball, but I find the green dot ball excellent. We are using it even with the 11-12 year old beginners. For the better nine- and 10-year-old children who can manage regular balls and a full court, a great disservice has been delivered by the USTA’s hard line on green dot ball tournaments. They are missing out on their own tournaments now and are trying to compete in the 12 and under events. If they lose too much there, we might lose a generation to the effects of early and often failure.



 

Question: How can we grow tennis participation on Long Island?
Afzal Ali: To grow tennis participation on Long Island, we have to make private and group lessons more affordable. Every three months or so, the Island’s tennis clubs should give a free clinic to non-club members, only for an hour or two, and the general public will appreciate it.

Howie Arons: Tennis is growing on Long Island, and we can see that growth at the various tennis facilities in Nassau and Suffolk. Businesses and organizations should take advantage of Long Island Tennis Magazine as I do. They have the largest voice in the tennis world on Long Island, and we as businesses and organizations should not take for granted how their expos, events and publication can help us all grow participation.

QuickStart is a great program which is really bringing many new, young players and families into the game. Children playing with the correct equipment for young children and smaller courts if certainly making a difference. At our club, New York Tennis at Great Neck Estates, we are seeing a bump in our junior business because of QuickStart. In addition, junior programs must capitalize on the growth of scholastic tennis. The key to expanding tennis on Long Island is capturing the scholastic market. Think about all the juniors that play middle school, JV and varsity tennis on Long Island. These juniors should be in your programs also and not just stop playing when the season is over. This is a ready-made market and tennis clubs need to find pros who can attract and motivate these juniors to want to continue playing all-year round. Network with high school coaches to attract these juniors. The high cost of tennis is restricting and clubs need to be more creative in their pricing. Why not lower costs a lot by having groups of five or players, as opposed to four on a court. A good pro can do just as well with six players and reduce costs by almost 50 percent. Lower prices will enable parents to better afford tennis for their children. Tennis is growing in Long Island and with these suggestions it can continue to grow.

Tracie Forsythe: Seriously? The cost! Long Island has a very diverse economic community. There are some people who can afford the hundreds of dollars it costs to start your child out in the game, but for many, there are few options, and some of those options don’t seem to be of a high quality. Tennis should be a sport that is accessible to anyone who chooses to play. How are we supposed to find our next Serena or Roddick if the only people who can afford to be that good, are only 30 percent of our population? There has to be a way to make sure all kids have a shot at taking lessons and getting a good foundation. If there is a child who is showing an interest and really likes to play, then there should be a way to help these players. Sacrifice shouldn’t be a word that parents should have to associate with their child’s tennis lessons.

Tonny van de Pieterman: I think Daniel Burgess and his USTA Eastern Long Island Region crew are doing a great job as far as promoting tennis and working together with the individual clubs to make tennis a great option for potential players. I also think that Long Island Tennis Magazine has helped create great excitement for the sport on Long Island.

Jay Wass: It is easy to forget how many sports, activities and other time constraints we are competing with as we attempt to grow the game locally and beyond. I believe that beginner level programs (for all ages) need to be reassessed so that tennis becomes an easier sport to access from an entry level. Kids getting involved early and falling in love with the game, as well as encouraging parents to play and learn WITH their children so that tennis becomes a sport for the entire family. Unlike other sports, tennis has the opportunity to bridge the gap and create an environment where a family can exercise and have fun together. I participated in the New York Tennis Expo, as well as both Long Island Tennis Expos. These events are the perfect example of family involvement and new participation. If given the financial support, Long Island Tennis Magazine can help make our tennis community a family affair.


Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff
Century
Pointset

March/April 2024 Digital Edition