Rios Claims the '98 Slam Was a Sham

By Steven Kaplan
From the files of "I thought I have heard it all," comes the story that former world number one Marcelo Rios has received the backing of the Chilean Tennis Federation to request that the ITF investigate Petr Korda for doping during the 1998 Australian Open. While it's almost comical that Rios...Read more

Lies, Damned Lies and Statistics. The Limitations of Good Old Manual Charting

By Steven Kaplan
I got an e-mail last week from Nate Gross, assistant men's tennis coach at Idaho State University. Nate authored several concise books on charting tennis matches and they are the best of this genre that I have ever read. While these books are user-friendly, accessible and elegant, I have to no...Read more

What Tennis Can Learn From Tom Brady

By Steven Kaplan
As American tennis re-evaluates it's High Performance programs, specifically its methods of "talent identification" to reclaim a lofty position in the world, it's worth learning from the NFL and four-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady. Brady was the 199th player picked in the 2000 NFL draft. His...Read more

The Powers That be Down Under

By Steven Kaplan
The current era of tennis is defined by power, and that power was on display in Melbourne during the 2015 Australian Open. What was fascinating to me after watching Novak Djokovic defeat Andy Murray for an eighth Grand Slam title is that these players are not the biggest hitters on the tour. The...Read more

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie ... Hot, Hot, Hot

By Steven Kaplan
It's time to pick up the remote and switch from the Travel Channel to the Tennis Channel to dream of basking in hot weather again. Sorry, not sorry but I have little sympathy for those experiencing another "heat alert" in Sydney. It's better than a polar vortex. I'm looking forward to sizzling...Read more

College Coaches Making Unforced Errors Under Pressure

By Steven Kaplan
As reported in Long Island Tennis Magazine (from an ITA press release), the ITA Intercollegiate Tennis Association Operating Committee is re-submitting its dual match format proposal to shorten college tennis matches after a decisive vote, a move explained as "a powerful indication of the group's...Read more

Women's Tennis: A Very Big Deal

By Steven Kaplan
The Women's Tennis Association (WTA) and Perform, a British media company, signed a 10-year, $535 million deal for broadcast rights to every WTA tournament in its annual calendar. This is the largest commercial contract in the history of women's sports. Heather Bowler of the WTA explained, "This is...Read more

Happy Thanksgiving!

By Steven Kaplan
The holidays mean different things to different people. If your a national tournament player, parent or coach, Thanksgiving can be a day spent at a tennis club, with turkey at the hotel restaurant or at a nearby Applebee's. It's not homey or glamorous and I wouldn't want to spend Thanksgiving this...Read more

Why Rafa Should Let His Racket Do the Talking

By Steven Kaplan
Fourteen-time Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal criticized Spain's female Davis Cup captain Gala Leon for feeding a "false and absurd" debate. He said, "It seems strange to me as Davis Cup captain that instead of seeking union and harmony between players, captains and federations, she has incited and...Read more

Shrinkage and the Need for College Tennis Immigration Reform

By Steven Kaplan
Tennis participation numbers are down all over, and the Long Island/New York metro area is no exception. This could be a temporary cycle or an alarming trend and I hope it's the former. It's difficult to say exactly why, but I suspect that the skyrocketing cost of college is a real drain on the...Read more

The Williams SISTERS!

By Steven Kaplan
It seems that tennis, like football and basketball, is making news off the court because of insensitive and ignorant jerks. This latest incident has Russian tennis chief and International Olympic Committee member Samil Tarpischev calling Venus and Serena Williams "The Williams Brothers" and "Scary...Read more

Vic Braden

By Steven Kaplan
One of the greatest coaches in tennis history, Vic Braden, has died at the age of 85. Vic was a pioneer in the tennis instructional field. While other coaches were limiting their teaching to a reliance on personal experience, Mr. Braden was breaking barriers using science to support his instruction...Read more
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