What's the Story With Becoming a Legend?

By Eric Meditz
So you want to be a professional tennis player? And you just don’t want to be one of those players who makes it to 700th in the world, and then gets a job becoming a teaching pro at a country club ... you want to be someone special! You want to travel the world in your private jet, with all the...Read more

The Importance of the Offseason

By Eric Dietsche
The holiday season has come and gone, and that means that the tennis season is essentially over. It has become cold and has started to snow; outdoor play has become somewhat unlikely. Leagues and other players flood the indoor courts, which makes it hard to get regular hitting sessions. All of this...Read more

A Year in Review: A Year of Transition and Change

By Eric Dietsche
This year has certainly been one of the more stressful in my life, not to mention one of the most exciting and scary. All in one year, I have gone from a high school senior, at the top of my game in my high school both academically and athletically … to a graduated high school student anxiously...Read more

What’s the Story With the Money Professional Tennis Players Make?

By Eric Meditz
So I’m at the U.S. Open this past year, and I’m enjoying my fifth Grey Goose Honey Deuce (for those of you who don’t know, this is the official drink of the 2009 U.S. Open … at least that’s what the bartender told me as she made eye contact with the tip jar). I’m walking the grounds with a smile on...Read more

What’s the Story With the Greatest Player of All Time?

By Eric Meditz
A couple of days ago, I was in a bar somewhere in New York City. This bar wasn’t your trendy, place-to-be-scene bar you see on television and in the movies. It wasn’t a bar where you have a bouncer out front that won’t let you in because you are wearing a hat. There were no long...Read more

Don't Blame Me ... I'm Only the Tennis Teacher

By Lonnie Mitchel
“Can you teach me how to hit a serve like Roger Federer?” I am asked that question almost on a weekly basis from a variety of students. I study the serves hit by the best professionals. “Fix your toss, pronate your wrist, keep your head up,” I tell my students. I adjust my remarks as indicated by...Read more

Should I? Shouldn’t I? And When?

By Clark D. Ruiz II
I recently participated in the inaugural Long Island Tennis Expo, hosted by Long Island Tennis Magazine at Farmingdale State College, and the USTA College Showcase held at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Both events were well-attended by hundreds of families with the intentions of...Read more

Tennis “The Dark Side” … The Unfortunate Truth

By Lonnie Mitchel
What has changed in the game of tennis since the tennis boom of the 60s and 70s? I wrote in the last issue of Long Island Tennis Magazine that tennis is a gift for a lifetime, and that will be my battle cry for all parents who want to do something great for their kids. Tennis has evolved in many...Read more

Be Humble and Have a Backup Plan

By Lonnie Mitchel
Did you know that you have a better chance of winning the New York State Lottery than gaining a spot in the U.S. Open Draw? That’s right, 17 men and 15 women in the U.S. Open Main Draw were from the United States of America . None of the males entered were from Long Island and only two of the women...Read more

Tennis: A Parent’s Gift That Lasts a Lifetime

By Lonnie Mitchel
The article in the May/June 2009 issue of Long Island Tennis Magazine entitled, “College Tennis Advice” by Clark D. Ruiz II, was terrific advice for a young tennis enthusiast who wants to play in college and us crazy tennis parents who have high aspirations for our sons and daughters. I recently...Read more

What’s the Story With the Popularity of Professional Tennis in the U.S.?

By Eric Meditz
I’m upset. And it’s not because I just dropped and cracked the screen of my four-day old iPhone. It’s not even because I impulsively spent $30 on a lifetime supply of ShamWows. I’m upset for other reasons altogether. Now, being upset and angry is something that I rarely am. Usually, I’m a very...Read more

What’s the story with country club tennis?

By Eric Meditz
The tennis scene at any country club on Long Island is one of the most entertaining places to be. I have been involved with this scene as an employee for many summers of my high school and college years. In fact, if I ever had a chance to pitch a reality show to a television executive, country club...Read more
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