Editor’s note: This blog was written before Governor Cuomo announced that outdoor tennis would be permitted statewide beginning Friday, May 15. While golfers get to experience “Farfegnugen” driving golf balls, tennis is closed and the question is why? Both sports can be played with social distancing and modifications to make them relatively safe. The risk is that…
The tennis community governs itself for the most part, and in the best of times is a fiercely competitive market-driven economy that has created a thriving and highly successful system. These are not the best of times, however. With a void of real leadership and high levels of stress, what we should avoid are frustration and resorting to…
Congratulations to our collegiate All-Americans from Long Island, in every division. I’d like to give a special shout out to two of my long-time students, Jackie Bukzin, a sophomore at Amherst College, and Alexa Goetz, a freshman at Emory University, for their selection as Division III All-Americans in both singles and doubles at two of the…
Recently, I’ve been watching many local webinars about the state of the industry, and I was reminded about my days back in elementary and junior high school about what makes a good group project presentation: It should have a coherent central theme. The theme should be introduced. It should be presented in a logical…
In evolving announcements that would put a Rube Goldberg machine to shame, the USTA has announced that “our plans to stage the US Open on our scheduled dates at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York with fans remains on-going.” Except, we “have been aggressively modeling many other contingencies, including…
The USTA has stepped up with $50 million to support the tennis industry and it could not have come at a better time as most in the industry are feeling the strain. This is both an act of generosity and a wise investment because it will help the industry thrive once more. A good portion of…
“In an alliance called “Tennis Industry United”, the entire tennis industry has come together to analyze the most pressing needs and the top concerns of all who are involved in our sport, and then collaborate on programs that can provide the immediate and longer term support that is needed. In this collaboration of the largest tennis…
Without fear on the tennis court, we would aim for a line and try to hit a winner on just about every shot. With too much fear, we would fail to strike firmly when we have an open court to hit to. So how much fear is the right amount? Just enough to get us to…
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, in one of his daily addresses earlier this week, talked about the importance of separating FACTS from OPINION. Facts are “calming and empowering”, he stressed. As a coach, my opinion on technique, mechanics, tactics, strategies and training for each student matters. However, I also believe that my opinion, while valuable, is not as important…
Parts of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park are now a hospital to help ease the healthcare burden in New York City. While I have not always been a fan of USTA policy and protocol, as a tennis fan and as a New Yorker, this unprecedented action makes me proud….