Tennis Racquets For Kids

Nicholas Sweeney, a Ohio Student, Donates Racquets to TRFK, Inc.

2011-12-29T19:03:00.000-08:00

Nicholas Sweeney, a student at the Wellington School in Columbus, Ohio found out about Tennis Racquets for Kids, Inc. on the internet. An avid tennis player himself, Nick decided that he wanted to do something to help us collect racquets. So, Nick managed to collect 31 racquets and 22 tennis racquet bags. Nick and his family drove to Long Island, to drop off the racquets. Thanks so much for following through on your devotion to our cause and your love of the game.

Fallon Berger, Seventh Grade Student, Holds Tennis Racquet Drive

2011-12-28T14:45:00.000-08:00

Fallon Berger, a seventh grader at Jericho Middle School in Long Island, NY held a tennis racquet drive for a community service project in conjunction with her becoming a Bat Mitzvah. Fallon collected fifty tennis racquets, several of them new, and donated them to our organization. We are so thankful for Fallon's generousity. In addition, since Fallon is also a passionate tennis player, a relative made a generous monetary donation to TRFK, Inc. which allows us to purchase supplies to refurbish the racquets we collect.

TRFK, Inc. Participates in Mitzvah Fair

2011-12-11T18:49:00.000-08:00

Tennis Racquets for Kids, Inc. participated in a Mitzvah Fair held at Temple Beth Shalom in Roslyn, NY today. Vendors from various nonprofit community service organizations set up information booths at the fair, so that students at the Hebrew school can become aware of different ways they can become involved. Many students were interested in our organization, and we encourage them to lend a helping hand.

Students in the Highland Falls/Montgomery School District Learn to Play Tennis

2011-12-06T19:17:00.000-08:00

Pam Deans sent us these photos of students learning to play tennis with tennis racquets donated by Tennis Racquets for Kids, Inc. Thanks so much for the photos, it is great to see the kids having fun.

High School Student Grace Molino Collects Tennis Racquets for TRFK, Inc.

2011-12-06T13:35:00.000-08:00

Thank you so much, Grace Molino from East Setauket, NY for collecting tennis racquets for us. Grace, a high school student collected seventeen tennis racquets from some of the local facilities where she plays.

TRFK, Inc. Helps Start Tennis Program in Highland Falls, NY

2011-11-14T21:15:00.000-08:00

Thirty racquets were donated to Pam Deans who is the coach of the boys and girls varsity tennis teams at James I. O'Neil High School in Highland Falls, NY. Highland Falls is located just outside of West Point. The community has a unique situation since 93% of its land is owned by West Point, which is government property, and hence only 7% of the land in the school district is taxable. The Highland Falls/Fort Montgomery School District always struggles with federal funding issues. The budget was voted down last academic year due to a 13% tax increase, and the tennis program was cut from the school budget. Fortunately, since there were many dedicated team members and parents, fundraising efforts resulted in getting the program reinstated for the year. A subsequent budget did pass, and the tennis program for this upcoming school year was reinstated. Many of the families in the school district are low income and there are approximately 21% of the students that are eligible for free and reduced lunches. So, there are many students who work hard to earn college scholarships to assist them with their college education, through academics as well as through sports programs.

Pam feels that it is important for staff and parents to continue efforts so that athletes can participate and achieve their goals. She is setting up a program for both the elementary and intermediate school, to promote tennis in the physical education classes. She will also be conducting an afterschool program one day a week at the elementary school to introduce students to tennis and to encourage them to participate in a healthy activity. Kudos to Pam for being a student and community advocate!!

Tennis Racquets Donated to Kenya

2011-11-04T18:04:00.000-07:00

Twenty racquets were donated to Craig Bell, the tennis director at the Bent Tree Country Club in Dallas, TX. Craig coordinated a collection of tennis equipment to send to the Victoria Tennis Programmes and Academy-Kenya. This is a community project, which is run by the Amani Na Upendo Development Group, a community-based charitable organization aimed at promoting sports (mostly tennis) and education among disadvantaged children from poor backgrounds. TRFK, Inc. was originally contacted about this endeavor by Collins Agwanda from Kisumu.

Derek Raskoph Holds Tennis Racquet Drive on Behalf of Tennis Racquets for Kids, Inc.

2011-10-05T15:30:00.000-07:00

Derek Raskoph, from Manhattan, NY continued in his older brother's footsteps, and conducted a tennis racquet drive of his own on Eastern Long Island. Derek collected 57 tennis racquets, and 28 tennis racquet cases for Tennis Racquets for Kids, Inc. We deeply appreciate Derek's initiative and perserverance. His efforts will bring a smile to many children's faces. We look forward to a continued friendship with Derek and wish him the best of luck as he continues to compete in junior USTA tournaments.

Citations Awarded by the Nassau County Executive

2011-08-25T13:00:00.000-07:00

Paige and Zachary Mintz, cofounders of Tennis Racquets for Kids, Inc. received citations from Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano, both individually, and on behalf of their nonprofit organization. The citations were awarded in recognition of their tennis racquet donation to the Nassau County Department of Parks and Recreation. Zachary was present to accept his award, and Emily Mintz, his ten-year old sister accepted on Paige's behalf, as she was attending her freshman orientation at Cornell University.

Racquets Donated to the Nassau County Department of Parks and Recreation

2011-07-13T19:00:00.000-07:00

Tennis Racquets for Kids, Inc. was happy to donate 137 tennis racquets to the Nassau County Parks and Recreation Department for their summer recreation program. The racquets were distributed to participants in the program on Quick Start Tennis Day, which was cosponsored by the Eastern Section of the United States Tennis Association.

Racquets Donated to Children in Jamaica

2011-04-19T17:24:00.000-07:00

Sixteen tennis racquets were donated to children in Jamaica via tennis coach Maurice Trail, from Advantage Tennis in Long, Island NY. Maurice visited his homeland Jamaica, and set up a freee skills clinic for some of the children there. He transported the racquets with him on the plane, when he travelled.

Tennis Racquets Reach Gambia

2011-03-14T16:32:00.000-07:00

It was great to hear from our friend Kojo, who previously drove to Long Island from Pennsylvania to pick up some tennis racquets for the Gambia Youth Tennis Program sponsored by the GTA (Gambia Tennis Association). Kojo sent us pictures of the presentation ceremony of the racquets to the GTA.

Koho stated that "This donation will go a long way in enhancing the quality of the program and providing the kids quality racquets to compete. It is my hope that this initial donation would begin a long term partnership between the GTA and Racquet for Kids."

The link below is a press release by the GTA which was published in the local papers.

http://thepoint.gm/africa/gambia/article/racquet-for-kids-donates-tennis-racquets-to-gta

Fundacion Aportemos Receives Help from Tennis Racquets for Kids

2011-01-29T13:17:00.000-08:00

Efren Hernandez, founded Fundacion Aportemos, based in the city of Ensenada, Baja California Mexico. It is an organization which specializes in community work with underprivileged youth in local neighborhoods. The organization focuses on education; teaching kids a working skill or ability, that will enhance their human development and open up a new world of possibilities. The Arts and Crafts Department is well under way, with a well developed pottery workshop and another workshop with the goal of making purses out of recycled materials.

The Sports Department will soon be active, but currently there are two projects unfolding: soccer and tennis. For both activities, the Fundación is planning to use an existing sports complex in the area. The pilot program will take place in the district of El Sauzal. Realizing that the equipment for tennis is much more expensive than soccer, Efrén looked to Tennis Racquets for Kids, Inc. for some assistance.

We shipped 20 tennis racquets to Efrén at a designated California address. He will be working with groups of 5 to 10 kids at a time ranging from 7 to 15 years old. We applaud Efrén's efforts and we wish him luck on this community project.

Zachary & Paige

Tennis Racquets for Kids Goes International!

2011-01-10T10:02:00.000-08:00

Tennis Racquets for Kids, Inc. is so honored to have met Kwadwo Kojo Ofosuhene. Kojo found our website and contacted us about a tennis program he is involved with in Gambia, Africa. This program for underprivileged children is in dire need of tennis racquets in order to get launched. Fortunately, Kojo has a home in Easton, PA and on January 8th, he made the three hour drive to Long Island to pick up racquets for this charitable project. He received 61 racquets of varied sizes and weights, all in superb condition. When Kojo returns to Gambia this month, he will transport the racquets with him.

It is so wonderful to hear about good Samaritans all over the country and the world who recognize the importance of developing tennis programs for children who would otherwise miss out on this valued opportunity. Kojo's endeavor is the reason why we founded our organization. We are extremely gratified to be of help.

Thanks again to everyone throughout the United States who has taken the time to send us racquets to support our charity. You are truly donating for the love of the game, and the benefits are far reaching.

Zach & Paige

Mitzvah Day Features Tennis Racquets for Kids, Inc.

2011-01-09T07:04:00.000-08:00

Tennis Racquets for Kids, Inc., a non-profit tennis charity participated in the Temple Beth Sholom Mitzvah Day on December 19th, 2010. The organization was one of twenty six exhibitors featured. The event was well attended by the local community. Organizers of the event encouraged all families and children to take a moment to see how they could help others. Whether it was collecting food, reading to the sick, working with the homeless, adopting a holocaust survivor, or supporting hospitals, there was something there for everyone. The message was simple; there is no good deed that is insignificant. There are many people that need our help, and our friendship. We just need to look.

Mark Zimmerman, the executive director of M'Yad L'Yad, an organization dedicated to helping less fortunate people on Long Island, commented about charity in the organization's newsletter. He quoted Rabbi Reuven Kimelman, who said: "Tzedakah may not save us, but it makes us worth saving."

I feel that this message is very powerful. Charity may not save us, but it makes us worth saving. Charity comes in many forms and we are all capable of bringing some sunshine in the lives of others. In this new year of 2011, there is so much opportunity for all of us to help others. There are so many people hurting at different levels. We need to make a difference! Not because it looks good on a resume, or because we have to do something for community service, but because it is our responsibility to uplift others.

Tennis Racquets for Kids, Inc., is an example of how an idea by children became a reality. This reality has now brought smiles to hundreds of children throughout the United States.

Rock and Wrap It Up, was also one of the many groups represented. It is a national organization which recovers food and other assets to re-distribute to the poor.

This Mitzvah Day was reminder of the many people that need help and companionship. It provided a platform to see how we can start to positively affect the lives of others. You do not need an organization behind you to help another person, just look around you. Does your elderly neighbor need help with their errands ? Every community has organizations, or religious groups, that need volunteers to help those people less fortunate. We just need to take a moment in our busy lives, and realize there is much work that needs to be done!

Donations Made to Begin Tennis Program at Capuchino High School in San Bruno, California

2010-11-21T12:43:00.001-08:00

TRFK Inc. has just donated 15 tennis racquets to Capuchino High School in San Bruno, California to help start a boy's tennis team. Audrey Carneiro, a parent, who volunteers her time with the school, contacted our organization. Audrey's own children play other sports, but she is a tennis player and is passionate about the sport. It is wonderful to hear about people willling to volunteer their personal time to ensure that others can experience life to the fullest. Thank you for reaching out to us and we look forward to hearing about the team's progress.

Kudos to Brett!

2010-10-30T12:35:00.000-07:00

This past summer we were fortunate enough to make a new friend. We received correspondence from Brett Raskopf; a middle school student who lives in Manhattan, and plays junior USTA tournaments. He noticed our racquet collection bin at Westhampton Beach Tennis where he was participating in a tournament. Brett decided that he wanted to help; he contacted us, and initiated a racquet drive of his own for our organization. Brett collected over 70 racquets, which he delivered to us, and obtained three more permanent drop off sites in the Hamptons area, which are now included in our "drop off locations" link. We enjoyed meeting Brett and his family and look forward to a continued working relationship.

Citations Awarded by Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano

2010-09-05T12:11:00.000-07:00

Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano has recognized Tennis Racquets for Kids, Inc. for its efforts to support the newly formed Nassau County Summer Recreation Program. Tennis Racquets for Kids, Inc. was awarded its second citation for donating over 200 racquets to the program, which includes locations at four Nassau County Parks: Wantagh, Nickerson Beach, Cantiague, and Christopher Morley. Now, tennis instruction will be a part of the program, which runs for six weeks throughout the summer at a nominal fee for participation. Zach and Paige would like to thank Glaceau for collaborating with them through its generous donation of 250 bottles of Vitamin Water Zero, which were distributed to children enrolled in the recreation program.

In addition, Zachary and Paige Mintz were also awarded individual citations by Mr. Mangano for donating their time and additional tennis racquets on July 22, 2010 on the occasion of Quick Start Tennis Day. This was the second year that Zach and Paige taught tennis basics to beginning players at Centennial Park, in Roosevelt, Long Island. They had a great time working with the children.

Tennis Racquets For Kids Brings Smiles to Hundreds of Children

2010-08-10T17:05:00.000-07:00

Tennis Racquets for Kids, Inc., is a non-profit tennis charity dedicated to giving ALL children an opportunity to experience the game of tennis. What started out as the idea of two high school freshman, Zachary & Paige Mintz, has now turned into an organization which reaches children across the United States.

On July 22, 2010, over 200 tennis racquets were donated to the children of Roosevelt, New York and the Nassau County Parks Department. Tennis Racquets for Kids, an independent organization, held a clinic at Centennial Park in Roosevelt, as part of the USTA Quick Start Tennis Day.

Emily Moore, a long time professional tennis coach, teacher and founder of Alliance Junior Tennis applauded the efforts of Tennis Racquets For Kids, stating: " this is the type of organization I have been waiting for. A selfless group of kids wanting to give something to others. Role models for the kids in this neighborhood." Ms Moore who is known nationally and internationally asked Tennis Racquets for Kids to continue to support children in need and invited the organization to return to the area and speak to the children in her school, as well as to work with her in future international endeavors to brighten the lives of children.

Tennis Racquets for Kids Inc., has helped start tennis programs in various schools throughout the United States, held clinics and donated racquets to inner city park programs, as well as provide racquets for individual families in need. The organization appreciates the support of individual people throughout the United States who have taken a minute to give others an opportunity to experience the game of tennis by donating their old racquets or collecting racquets for the organization through various drives. Many children have embraced the organization and have helped make it a huge success. Tennis Racquets for Kids takes these used racquets and restrings & re-grips them . We also appreciate the help of the United States Professional Tennis Assocaition, (USPTA), who has helped the organization.

Zachary Mintz, feels that "the concept of helping others and paying it forward is a powerful motivator." When asked by a local photographer, why do you do this, Paige Mintz answered, that the hugs and smiles are worth it. Just look at how happy those kids are." Everbody should donate for the Love of the Game!

Nassau County Presents Award to Tennis Racquets for Kids Inc.

2010-04-05T16:55:00.001-07:00

Tennis Racquets for Kids Inc., a non profit tennis charity was awarded two citations from Nassau County. Zachary and Paige Mintz, co-founders of the organization accepted the honors.

The first citation acknowledged their individual work, " making significant enhancements to the region of Nassau County and the betterment of its residents." The second citation was awarded to the organization, " for working diligently to uphold the principles of human decency, and demonstrating through the year, a selfless commitment to Nassau County and its residents."

Nassau County Parks Commissioner Jose Lopez presented the awards, on behalf of Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi, during a ceremony at the Nassau County Department of Parks, Recreation and Museums in Eisenhower Park.

Last summer, Tennis Racquets for Kids Inc., participated in The Healthy Nassau Quick Start Tennis Day, 2009. This program was also sponsored by the USTA. Zachary and Paige Mintz conducted a tennis clinic and donated over 150 tennis racquets to the children from local camps and day care centers. The majority of these children never had a tennis lesson or anyone to teach them the game. The numerous hugs, smiles and thank yous, made the event even more special.

Tennis Racquets for Kids, Inc., collects new and used tennis racquets throughout the year and redistributes them to children in need. This organization has helped many school programs, individual families and camps. Donate for the Love of the Game!!!

Sportime Embraces Tennis Racquets for Kids, Inc.

2010-01-11T05:38:00.000-08:00

Sportime is the New York leader in sports and fitness. It features 14 clubs throughout Long Island, New York City, Randall's Island, Westchester, and the Capital Region upstate. Sportime offers numerous tennis programs for adults, juniors, and elite training at its tennis facilities. Sportime's philosophy of "Fitness for Life," matches the goals of Tennis Racquets for Kids, Inc. Every child should have the opportunity to experience the game of tennis and to have fun.

Sportime has generously produced tennis racquet collection boxes and will place these boxes in each of its facilities. The used tennis racquets are picked up by the non-profit tennis charity, Tennis Racquets for Kids, Inc. These racquets are then distributed to schools, organizations, and individuals in need.

Zachary and Paige Mintz, co-founders of the tennis charity, feel that this collaboration will make even more people aware of the need to help underprivileged children. Sportime has helped to create another visible forum which reminds people that they can help. Many of us have old racquets in the garage, basement, or shed. Junior players especially, change their racquets as they grow. These old racquets should not be disregarded. They hold worth for someone else. Recycling these racquets also prevents further accumulations at landfill sites.

One way that the organization gives out the racquets it has collected, is through free tennis clinics at community parks in locations where residents may not be able to afford to buy tennis racquets for their children.

We are grateful to Sportime and all of its facilities for helping to make dreams possible. We encourage people to "pay it forward" and donate for the Love of the Game!!

Thanksgiving is Special for Tennis Racquets For Kids

2009-12-01T05:15:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is the time to take a moment and appreciate the things we have. It is a time for families to get together and enjoy each others company. It is a time when Tennis Racquets for Kids Inc., can appreciate the selflessness of others and the moments of smiles and hugs from the children we have helped.

We would like to thank all of the people who have helped to make our tennis charity successful. Thank you to the children who have collected racquets as part of Mitzvah projects and church drives. Thank you to the individuals who have taken time out of their busy lives to find old racquets in their homes and donate them, and thank you to the various tennis clubs who have graciously set up our collection boxes. These actions have made us a larger community dedicated to helping others.

We have used these racquets to bring smiles to so many children. Whether the racquet is Prince, Head, Wilson, or Babolat really does not matter to the children. It is a tennis racquet, special in its own way, that will now allow these children to play a game that want to explore. Many of the racquets we receive require some revitalization. The charity has used their own string and grip, as well as their personal time, to restring and grip many of these racquets so they can play like new. The kids are excited to engage in revamping these racquets for others.

Over the last year, we have donated hundreds of racquets to underprivileged children throughout the United States. We have helped start school programs in Rochester, Florida, and Queens. We have worked directly with the Nassau Parks Department and the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, and conducted clinics for hundreds of children. After one such clinic, two 10 year old girls went to return their racquets, They thanked us for letting them use the racquets for the clinic. When they were told that the racquets were theirs to keep, they immediately screamed for joy and hugged us, telling us Christmas came early. These smiles and hugs are priceless and well worth the hours of collecting racquets, restringing and delivering them.

We have helped individual families as well. This past summer we received a touching request from a mother of twins who was down on her luck. She wanted her kids to participate in a city parks program but could not afford to purchase racquets. She wanted them to experience the game of tennis, and not disappoint them by having them watch outside the courts all summer. We were able to help and we still remain in their prayers.

As we move ahead with our plans for next year, we are looking forward to new relationships and expansion with industry. We truly appreciate all of the individuals of have supported our tennis charity and have really helped make a small difference in the lives of many. You are the backbone of our charity. Thank you for sharing our beliefs and "pay it forward" for the Love of the Game!" We look forward to making more friends. Happy Holidays to all!

Bionic Tennis Gloves Save the Day

2009-10-25T08:22:00.000-07:00

Tennis is a sport played all year round in many different conditions. From playing in the extreme heat of Florida and Texas during the summer, to playing outdoors in New York, players must adapt. As a competetive tennis player, traveling to these various tournaments and associated climates, I have had to deal with blisters, inability to maintain a good feel for the racquets in the cold and maintaining a good grip in the heat.

The Bionic Tennis glove was designed by Dr. Jim Kleinert, an orthopedic surgeon who is a hand specialist. Using his knowledge of human anatomy and the movement of the hand, he designed a glove that would fit naturally and help some of the challenges faced by tennis players of all levels of skill. I have been using the Bionic Tennis Glove for the last two months. I started wearing the gloves to help a blister heal on my hand. For years I used tape and sprays that would coat my hand but nothing worked. The tape would fall off and the sprays would not reduce the friction. I was unable to maintain a good grip on my racquet, the blisters never healed, and the pain during play continued.

The Bionic Tennis Glove not only allowed the blister to heal, but improved my game. I was able to play with the blisters. I found that the glove gave me a better grip on my racquet with more feel. I noticed that in the cold weather I had better control of my shots and in the hot weather the racquet did not slip. The gloves fit well and were very comfortable. They did not make my hand feel hot and there was no friction.

The company states that the gloves were designed with a pre-rotated finger design which encourages natural closure of the hand. There are anatomical relief pads which eliminate the friction which leads to callus and blister formation. This feature clearly helped me.

Tennis Racquets For Kids Inc., a tennis charity, highly recommends this glove for anyone who plays tennis. It provided a better grip and feel in the cold weather and as well as the heat. I have not had any more blisters and it allowed my original blisters to heal. This is a great piece of equipment which should be added to your tennis bag.

Prince Gives Back to New York City

2009-09-22T17:14:00.000-07:00

Fun, Tennis and Celebrities, all courtesy of Prince. On August 30th, the day before the US Open, in collaboration with the City Parks Foundation, Prince Tennis put on an exhibition of top tennis professionals at the Central Park public courts. This was free, and open to the public. With the charismatic Wayne Bryan as the master of ceremonies, professionals such as Gael Monfils, Sam Querry, John Isner, Mike and Bob Bryan,and Stan Smith put on various exhibitions and drills. Seeing the Bryan brothers going in opposite directions while hitting paced volleys 70 consecutive times was unbelievable!! Having the players holding hands and playing points was another big favorite for the crowd. The players also got to show some of their personalities when Wayne invited them to dance to the music-it was tie between Monfils and Querrey for most latent talent. Famous coaches such as Paul Annacone were also there to offer their in put and expertise.

It was interesting to hear the various players talk about their Prince racquets. With the EXO3 technology allowing for better play. Prince also provided numerous tennis professionals to hit with the kids on the other courts. Besides a few pointers, the hundreds of children were able to get autographs, tee shirts, and to be close to some of their tennis idols. Speaking of idols, there was a live musical performance from American Idol season 7 finalist, Michael Johns. He is also a big tennis fan. He was really personable signing autographs and taking pictures with the children.

In a time of cutbacks, Prince once again led the way in giving back to the fans,especially the children, by helping support the City Parks Foundation, by providing this up close and personal event. We look forward to next years plans.

Tennis Racquets for Kids is a non profit tennis charity dedicated to providing racquets to underprivileged children and introducing the game of tennis to those children who would not have the opportunity to experience the game. We salute Prince and the City Parks Foundation for helping to further this effort!

Serena Williams Disappoints Children

2009-09-20T16:59:00.000-07:00

It was difficult to get tickets to the semi-final match between Serena Williams and Kim Clijsters, but it was more difficult to explain to the children Serena's inappropriate behavior!

Serena had not lost a set in her earlier matches, but it was evident early on that she could not handle the consistent deep shots and angles of Clijsters. For the first time in this US Open, Serena was not dictating the match. Clijsters broke her to take the first set 6-4. Serena's frustation was evident as she flipped her racquet and then smashed it at the end of the set. Serena received a code violation. She clearly had started to lose her focus.

Serena played better in the second set, but was never truly in command. She was trailing 6-5 and was serving. She fell behind 15-30, and then the bottom fell out. She faulted on her first serve and then was called for a foot fault to lose the point and make the score 15-40. Mt. Serena then erupted. She turned to the lineswoman and threatened to shove the ball down her throat with a few other colorful words which were caught on the microphone. Not only was she verbally abusing this poor official, but at the same time was shaking her racquet in a menacing way. After she had finished her first attack, she returned to the baseline to serve, but was distracted by the official returning from the chair umpire. At this point, she again screamed at the lineswoman with more colorful language. Tournament referee Brian Earley came onto the court, and gave Serena her second code violation which cost her a point, which was match point.

Kim Clijsters had no idea what was happening as Serena crossed the net to congratulate her. Clijsters had a look of bewilderment as she sat in her chair waiting to be interviewed. Serena William's embarassing behavior took away from the excellent play of Clijsters and her well deserved victory.

There are no excuses for Serena's behavior!! Bad calls are part of all sports and the true champions, the true professionals are able to rise above these obstacles. Earlier in the week, I witnessed a dubious foot fault called against Serena Williams. She handled this call by staring down the official without any verbage or threatening mannerisms. This also is not acceptable behavior, but a better choice of action than she exhibited against Clijsters.

What is an appropriate penalty? In basketball two technicals and you are thrown out of the game; in baseball argue with the umpire too vigorously, and you are thrown out of the game. Why should tennis be any different? She should have been immediately disqualified. She received $10,500.00 dollars in fines, about 3% of her winnings. Is that enough?

Anyone can have a meltdown. The frustation of not playing well, the pressure of being expected to win and then a bad call- all the ingredients for an explosion-BANG! However Serena had a bigger problem- Hubris. She could not accept responsibility for her actions and apologize. She did not apologize at her press conference after the match or the following day. All she could muster was that John McEnroe was one of her heroes, as if to wash away this hideous outburst by drawing comparisons to someone else known for abusing officials. Even McEnroe the commentator was at an immediate lose of words. There are no excuses. She then said that after gaining her composure, " in the heat of battle I let my passion and emotion get the better of me, and as a result, I handled the situation poorly. I would like to thank my fans for understanding I am human and look forward to continuing my journey, both professionally and personally."

Yes Serena you are human. We can understand that. What we cannot understand is why you did not apologize to this official immediately. Why did it take 3 days to begrudingly offer this official any apology?? We can all lose a match and recover our standings, but we cannot lose our dignity and walk away carefree. You have damaged yourself and have disappointed everyone!!

Tennis Racquets For Kids Brings Smiles to Queens

2009-09-05T09:29:00.000-07:00

Tennis Racquets for Kids teamed up with the City Parks Foundation (CPF) on August 17th, 2009, to bring tennis to Corona Park in Flushing Meadow. The non profit tennis charity donated close to 100 racquets to kids from age 8 to 15. A tennis clinic was also conducted by Tennis Racquets for Kids, featuring Zachary Mintz, Paige Mintz, and Michael Lem. Zachary and Michael spoke to to the kids before the clinic began explaining to them that these racquets are an opportunity for them to learn and play the game of tennis, but also represent a responsibilty for them to pass these racquets on to others when they outgrow them, and give other children the same opportunity.The racquets and clinic were greatly appreciated by the children and their families. The free racquets were a surprise and acknowledged with hugs, smiles and high fives! By collecting used tennis racquets," recycling them", Tennis Racquets for Kids has brought smiles to hundreds of kids this summer. Many are dreaming about one day playing in the US Open in the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

The City Parks Foundation of New York is an excellent partner sharing the same ideals and goals as Tennis Racquets for Kids. It is the only independent, non profit organization to offer park programs throughout the five boroughs of New York City. Their programs and community building initiatives reach more than 600,000 New Yorkers each year. We are honored to be working with this organization and are planning more activities in the future.

We are still collecting racquets are various donation sites and appreciate those people who have sent us racquets directly. The racquets in your basement or garage are opportunity to bring a small amout of happiness to others. Whether you have Prince, Wilson,Babolat, Head, or Yonex tennis racquets the same smiles and hugs from the kids receiving them will apply. Donate for the LOVE of the Game!!

Tennis Racquets for Kids Brings Smiles to Roosevelt

2009-08-02T18:57:00.000-07:00

On July 22, 2009, Tennis Racquets for Kids Inc, collaborated with Nassau County and the USTA to introduce tennis to various parks throughout Nassau County. This initiative was part of the Quick Start Tennis Program.

Tennis Racquets for Kids Inc., a non profit organization, donated over 150 tennis racquets to children for this program. The majority of the racquets were donated to children at Centennial Park in Roosevelt, New York. While only 40 children were expected to attend, well over 130 children came to the program. The tennis charity was prepared for extra attendance, but still had go back to their storage facility to accommodate the super turnout.

Zachary and Paige Mintz founders of the organization, led the program at Centennial Park. Not only did they distribute racquets but put on a clinic for two hours. During the clinic they taught the children strokes and introduced the children to the game of tennis. The children ranged in age from 5 to 15 years and most had never played tennis. Excitement filled the morning as many children realized they could hit balls back against these two USTA players.

At the end of the clinic, two young girls approached Paige and Zachary. They said, "thank you for letting us use the racquets" and gave them back. You could not imagine the smiles and hugs when these two girls were told that these racquets were now theirs. It did not matter whether these racquets were Head, Wilson, Babolat or Prince. They were a gift to children who really appreciated the opportunity to experience the game of tennis.

Emily Moore, founder and director of Alliance Junior Tennis, had two groups in attendance. " I have been involved in tennis for over 40 years and have never found an organization like this. Tennis Racquets For Kids is exactly the type of organization we need; kids giving back to kids; caring and giving all kids a chance to play tennis by supplying them with racquets and encouragement."

Tennis Racquets for Kids has been invited back to Centennial Park to continue their mission to bring the game of tennis to all children.

Donations of used racquets can be sent to Tennis Racquets for Kids Inc., or brought to convenient drop off locations.

QUICK NEWS:

2009-07-23T22:48:00.000-07:00

Serena got to meet President Obama and his family in the White House. The President complimented Serena's shoes and that seems to be the media highlight of the occasion

Federer and Mirka had twin girls! Myla Rose and Charlene Riva Federer were born last night

Nadal's parents are reportedly getting a divorce

Natalie Dechy is pregnant at 30 and retires from pro tennis with 1 career title behind her belt

Roddick is still recovering from his Wimbledon loss and hasn't appeared in any US Open series events

Ivanovic is still focusing on golfer Adam Scott

Novak Djockovic appears to be on a honeymoon type vacation with long time girlfriend

Maria Sharapova claims to be back "100 %" but still spends a lot of time off the court promoting an array of new and old brands

Wimbledon Recap

2009-07-20T22:16:00.000-07:00

This year's Wimbledon lived up to its expectations of bringing us great tennis, new records, repeat champions, American hope and once again a men's final for the history books.

The first question on everybody's minds should be, is Roger Federer human? 15 slams makes him a living tennis legend and he is only in his late 20's! With unparalleled class on the court and off, a crisp sense of style and execution, an x-ray vision for winners from any part of the court, and a fit body to play a 7 set final after 2 weeks of tennis and a French Open championship...the question remains the same. The other question is, does being a newly wed help your chances at Wimbledon? As you know, both Federer and Roddick are such. Federer beat A-Rod, 5-7 7-6 (8-6) 7-6 (7-5) 3-6 16-14 in four hours and 16 minutes of service holds. Roddick had a great run of course. With his huge serve that even the King of Tennis couldn't decipher and 140 mph swings that dismissed the draw all the way into the finals, it was hard to feel overjoyed for Federer without feeling quite sad for Roddick. His efforts are no doubt proof of the fact that he has improved, and his hard work is paying off. His post match remarks also marked a funny but more mature Roddick holding back on his sometimes offensive remarks. It is a great result, and hopefully the devastating fact of having been so close to winning, and leaving your heart out on the court and still coming up short, won't stall his career further, mentally that is. Roddick did play two back to back matches of his life, serving huge and ripping inside out forehand winners, leaving Britain without an Andy Murray. Murray will also get there someday, it is a matter of time. Cheers for Tommy Haas as well, a veteran by today's standards, making it to the semis. For now, the top of the ATP is looking good, pinaccled by once again #1 Roger Federer. For now, we wait for the return of Rafa, hopefully by the Us Open, to stop Federer from his quest of tennis world domination =)

On the women's side, the sister's showed their world dominance yet again. This time, Serena coming on top and beating Venus. Serena made that her 3rd Wimbledon, preventing Venus from claiming her 6th, winning 7-6, 6-2. However, the sisters teamed up as usual to steamroll through doubles. It has become hard to keep track of how many titles they both have, and they too, are so young still. Russians, Safina and Dementieva were so close to an all Russian final, but the dominant game style of the William's sisters on grass is a tough one to get through, especially since they are both past champions, a place where neither Russian has been just yet. There were plenty of young surprises on the women's side. Teenager, Melanie Oudin, made it to the rd. 16 by taking out Jankovic. Her result next to Roddick's gives American tennis new hope for future titles. Radwanska, Lisicki and Azarenka all heading the young generation on tour got to the quarterfinals respectively.

In the juniors, Andrey Kuznetsov of Russia beat Jordan Cox of the US in three sets. Two points for Russia and the US in junior development. On the girl's side, Noppawan Lertcheewakarn of Thailand beat the 1 seed, France's Kristina Mladenovic, also in three sets.

Check out the official site for interviews, scores, junior and mixed results and photos!

Goodbye, too young too soon

2009-07-10T14:52:00.000-07:00

This was a hard week to say goodbye to some special people who are gone before their time.

It goes without saying how much Michael Jackson has done for the world in terms of children's foundations, breaking down of racial barriers, world peace, dance and music. The King of Pop, died at the age of 50 on June 25th. His memorial service was broadcast live this week and was watched by a billion people. Quoting online Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie, Mariah Carey, Jennifer Hudson, Usher, Jermaine Jackson, and Shaheen Jafargholi sang Jackson's songs. Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson gave eulogies, while Queen Latifah read, "We had him," a poem written for the occasion by Maya Angelou. The Reverend Al Sharpton won a standing ovation when he told Jackson's children, "There wasn't nothing strange about your daddy. It was strange was what your daddy had to deal with."Jackson's 11-year-old daughter, Paris Katherine, cried as she told the crowd, "Ever since I was born, Daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine ... I just wanted to say I love him so much."

RIP MJ

The tennis world also recieved its share of shocking news on July 6th, when Mathieu Montcourt was found dead behind his door in his Paris apartment, reportedly of cardiac arrest. Mathieu was one of the most talented French juniors, and was ranked as high as 109 ATP, really just starting his professional career. He had lost to Radek Stepanek second round of this year's French Open. He was a really talented and great guy, and only 24 years old. This is really devastating and a cruel reminder of how fragile life is.

RIP Mathieu

"The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly." Buddha

http://likemylife.homestead.com/inspirationalquoteslivinglifetothefullest.html

Mental Toughness, A Life Lesson

2009-07-09T05:46:00.000-07:00

Federer outlasts Roddick and wins a dramatic victory in the longest match played at Wimbledon. How did he do it, how did Roddick hang in there? Mental Toughness, focus, are all synonyms for the same thing. Our ability to continue to move forward when our body says no.

This is not something unique to tennis. It is necessary in all sports and in life. The runner who hits "a wall", the boxer who "runs out of gas", the pitcher who has "no stuff", are all examples of an inner drive, a force which pushes us to rise to the occasion. Even non athletes face these challenges in life, whether its school, business or health. The ability for families to survive when the economy says no.

Many times a patient is given a poor prognosis. You need an amputation, you will never run again; one year later the patient is in a road race. You have 6 months to live, and 2 years later the patient is still alive and well.

A drive to succeed, a drive to survive, a drive to persevere is in all of us, not just athletes. We need to find this strength and utilize it in all we do. We all have the ability to move forward when obstacles are put in our way. We can be satisfied with just being there or rise to the occasion. Roddick was not just satisfied, to be in a fifth set, he rose to the Moment. He just fell short, but he can always hold his head up high. He gave everything he had when his body said otherwise.

As sport fans and members of society, we should always try and rise to the occasion. Take the lessons from sports, school or work and apply them to help uplift others.

Tennis Racquets for Kids.org does this on a regular basis. Whether its bringing encouragement to those that need a positive word, or collecting racquets and distributing them to those who are less privileged, this tennis charity is there for everyone. While the country is in a recession, many individual requests from families who want to put their kids in a park program, but have no racquets, have been honored. An old Wilson, Head, Prince, Babolat, Yonex tennis racquet is a special gift to someone in need. Help us , help others in their quest to play the game of tennis, when the economy or the environment says no. Break from your daily routine, to take the modest time, to help others.

Nadal's charity

2009-06-29T07:18:00.000-07:00

Rafael Nadal's foundation is to open a tennis school in India, in the state of Andhra Pradesh. The school will be a joint venture between the Rafael Nadal Foundation and Fundacion Vincente Ferrer, the Spanish arm of India-based non-governmental organization. Nadal also became a board member and Spanish advocate for the best buddies organization after capturing gold at the Olympics.

Real Equation to a Tennis Pro

2009-06-25T09:16:00.000-07:00

In my opinion, to be great in tennis you cannot miss a step in the following formula. I have derived this formula from being around tennis at all its levels as well as other sports. Recently, I came accross several blogs discussing the benefit of crazy tennis parents to the probability of the kid turning pro. It is an interesting topic and I think it is an absolutely essential part of the formula.

1. Kid's ability to learn, interpret instruction, correct mistakes and maintain discipline - not without talent and a work ethic
2. Parent's 100% obsession with tennis and devotion to their kid and I mean pushing the kid to a great extent, teaching them how to work hard
3. Money for lessons, equipment and travel as it gets super expensive
4. Good coaching and good early basics because fixing bad technique takes away precious time
5. Homeschooling because its impossible to keep up a serious level in both, and I mean tennis should come first with school a close second
6. A setting with a great variety of players and a program such as a tennis academy
7. 100% parental supervision even if the kid is at an academy because that parent has to be there to connect the dots for the kids when they question their priorities
8. Thousands of hours of practice, everyday, since age 4, 5, 6
9. The earlier to start the better, sure there is a risk of burn out, but there is also the reward of developing necessary skills while kids absorb information like a sponge and the rest is just repetition and experience...10 years to be exact...so earlier you start, earlier they will break out
10. Name one top pro without a crazy, dedicated parent or uncle or someone close? Or someone who started tennis at 10 or later? Or someone who went to public school their entire life? You can't. There's your proof.

You have to read this awesome article looking closer into the role of crazy tennis parents and former/current pros!

And this really old article on burning out due to parental pressure.

Vote to end grunting

2009-06-24T09:11:00.000-07:00

Here is an interesting article from Martina Navratilova's speech in Paris on things that should be done to improve tennis, like penalize players for a bad toss, and outlaw grunting during rallies...I think its too much, but hey, some one must agree with her. I think to stop grunting there should be an emphasis on teaching kids to breathe the right way when hitting early on. It isn't the easiest habit to break...and maybe there is a medical reason for it. We will need to look that one up. What do you think?

Wimbledon 2009 pre-preview

2009-06-23T22:10:00.000-07:00

What is more exciting than grass court tennis? Tennis that showcases tradition, craftiness and mastery of the tennis game, British flags, tea time, all white, the Royal family and well...the mental toughness following those long rain delays. Wimbledon is it, the trophy all players want because it means history, it mean so much more than just another tournament or just one of the four grandslams. And this year, is no exception. There is a lot to look forward to following the French in terms of uncertain results and upsets and more history made, but one thing that is for certain, is that technology has allowed us to review our calls and move that retractable roof around so fans and players alike don't go crazy waiting out all the London rain delays.

As a pre-preview, we will review the events of the past week. For starters, #9 ranked teenager, Caroline Wozniacki won her 5th singles title in the final of Eastbourne (AEGON International) that pretty much all the big shots played. On top of that, designer Stella McCartney decided to drop Maria Kirilenko in favor of Wozniacki. McCartney's beautiful designs rarely made it past the first round on the beautiful Kirilenko and her patience came to an end in terms of promoting her brand, so Wozniacki, already sponsored by Adidas, has been relayed the special edition Adidas baton.

Another winner of the week is #42 Tamarine Tanasaguran. At 32, she is a tour veteran and two time champion of the Ordina Open. She defended her title, making it her 3rd career title by beating Safina in the semi's in two sets. A new champion this week is Slovakian Magdalena Rybarikova who won her first title at the AEGON Classic by beating Li Na, who beat Sharapova. Li Na was last year's Wimbledon semifinalist and Rybarikova got a straight entry into the main draw with this win. Jankovic and Ivanovic continue with poor results, both being ousted early in their tournaments.

And now.... to the men's side of things. Dmitry Tursunov, the tour prankster, even while recovering from a May ankle surgery, won Eastbourne defeating Frank Dancevic. "Whether it's winning Wimbledon, Eastbourne, a Challenger of Futures event, or beating your grandmother in checkers, winning is always better than losing - so it's great to get through the week like this," is a straight quote from the guy with the sense of humor. This was Tursunov's first title on grass. Benjamin Becker beat a wild card Raemon Sluiter, to win Ordina Open. His win made him the 1st qualifier to win a tournament this season.

As for Wimbledon, what can be more disappointing than Nadal withdrawing and giving up chance to defend his title. He played two exhibition matches and the pain was too much, so he made the decision to withdraw from Wimbledon. As a silly statistic on the side, he will be the first since Ivanisovich not to defend his title. "I’m here and I'm just not 100%. I'm better than what I was a couple of weeks ago but I don’t feel right," Nadal said in his press conference. "To not play Wimbledon is one of the toughest decisions of my career." Of course the media jumped on this and the Federer Nadal rivalry and asked Fed what he thought. "Well, I mean, it's a little bit similar to Paris. We played the last four years against each other in Paris. We played the last three years against each other here at Wimbledon. So we definitely won't see the same finals again. So that's disappointing for me, of course, because I'd love to play him. He's my main rival. We've had some wonderful matches over the years, and especially the one here last year was the one that obviously stands out. So that we can't potentially maybe repeat that, uhm, is obviously sad. But it gives me it just shows me how lucky I've been, you know, that I haven't been injured over all those years, you know, that I've been able to keep it up. Even though I was No. 1, the one people were going after, I was there, I was not injured very often, and I was able to keep it up. It just shows it goes so quick. So it's unfortunate. I'm sad for him, because it must have been a very difficult decision to make," is what Roger Federer gallantly told the press.

A 6th Wimbledon for Roger and Venus? Perhaps!

Coverage starts Monday June 22cnd-July 5th, but if you work and don't have DVR, there is ESPN360.com. They will be covering 9 courts through the semis, live, thats 650 hours of tennis online!!!! Yay =) WimbledonTV will be broadcasting too, but with a subscription.

CHECK OUT THE DRAWS ON THE OFFICIAL SITE

50,000 balls - a formula for tennis

2009-06-21T19:01:00.001-07:00

ESPN chose to air an hour long documentary film on father's day about junior tennis. A special gift no doubt for tennis fathers who invest time, money, hopes and patience into the process of teaching your kid to play tennis and win. To them it may have reaffirmed that they are not alone in doing so much all the time. Reality is, as a parent you have to do that much all the time and so do your kids. The documentary focuses on 4 junior tennis boys around 12 years of age and discusses the necessary steps it takes to understand the game. Judging by the title, one of the things it discusses is the formula of hitting 50,000 balls in your lifetime to just arrive at the "I get it" stage. For some that stage is reached by 12, for some 18. It is fair to say, the earlier the better and I would have to say it is true. Check out the website in case you missed the airing.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY, FATHERS!

A reunion with Grass

2009-06-14T07:10:00.000-07:00

The tennis caravan has traveled once again and this time the battles are to be won and lost on grass, another love for some and foe for others. Maria Sharapova got through her first round at Birmingham and a lot of people are looking to this tournament to really see where she stands as she herself claims grass to be her preferred surface. Andy Murray is through to the third round of Queens and is looking tough. So are Hewitt and Roddick, who are to play each other. Meanwhile Safin and Monfils withdrew due to injury - for Safin, the back and Monfils, the wrist. Some went to Germany for their reunion with Grass, like Tommy Haas, who seems to be on fire. He took out Tsonga to get to the quarters of the event. Djokovic is also still holding on to the Gerry Weber draw. French Open champ, Federer, pulled out of Queens and Gerry Weber and is recovering before his official debut. Rafael Nadal confirmed that he is having pain in his knees but also that it would break his heart to miss Wimbledon and that he is thinking he will be playing it this year. Watch out for a lot of good tennis coming your way this summer! So exciting!

Recap Roland Garros 2009

2009-06-13T11:00:00.000-07:00

And so it is over...

For some it ended in anguish, for others in victory...players both reached, surpassed and underachieved their goals. But in the end there was only one champion per draw standing.

On the women's side there were a lot of upsets, and a lot of people shifted around in their rankings following the conclusion of the event. For starters, the comeback kid was Maria Sharapova who by beating Nadia Petrova, the seed in her second round opened up her draw and reached the quarterfinals. It was clear she was far from playing her best tennis but as always, tough as nails she fought for every point in that Maria way. She succumbed to Dominika Cibulkova in the quarters. Dominika had the run of her life no doubt. A whole foot shorter than Maria, she proved herself to be very tough on clay by being the ultimate counter puncher. Dominika's run was then terminated by Dinara Safina in straight sets. The two Serbian stars Jankovic and defending champion Ivanovic were ousted early on, both losing a ton of points from last year. Another unlikely semifinalist was Austria Samantha Stosur seeded 30. She created this destiny by taking out Elena Dementieva earlier on in the tournament. A lot of the young girls did really well. The tournament favorite perhaps was Serena, she usually is and Serena was beaten by Kuznetsova. A lot of controversy throughout the tournament on Serena's fitness and focus, but we are all human after all and she really is the best in so many ways. In the end, it was down to two Russians. Safina vs. Kuznetsova with Kuznetsova taking the trophy and adding it to her existing Us Open trophy in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2. Kuznetsova exhibited a sort of maturity and quiet confidence throughout the tournament, which was nice to see. The fact that the tournament had so many unexpected results only goes to show how tough red clay is and how it truly is survival of the fittest and perhaps the ones with the most patience, better serves and bigger spin. It is definitely exciting to see so many more competitive matches opposed to the predictable past few years in the women's slams.

To sum up the rankings. Safina remains No.1 even though she has yet to win a major. She is followed by Serena, Venus and Dementieva. Kuznetsova moved up two spots to No. 5. Jankovic is slipping down to No. 6, Zvonareva to No. 7 and last year's champion Ivanovic to No. 13. Youngsters Azarenka and Wozniacki now moved into the top 10 at No. 9 and 8. Closing off the 10 is Petrova. Cibulkova went up to No. 14 and Stosur to No. 18. Maria Sharapova also moved up to No. 78.

History was made on the men's side. There was so much anxiety going in to the tournament with whether it will be another Nadal-Federer final, whether Djockovic will pull it out or perhaps Murray get it together. Most best went to Nadal, who was going for his 6th consecutive French Open title. Few would discount Federer, seeing as his incentive was to be called the greatest player in history with a win at the only slam that has evaded him and a tie with Pete Sampras. However, the events took a turn to the more interesting side. Who would have guessed that Sweden's top player, Robin Soderling, would take out Nadal in straight sets and battle his way straight to the finals? Murray ended up losing in the Quarterfinals to Gonzales in 4 sets and looked not only off towards the end but almost expressing a lack of desire in being in that moment. Roddick, the only American left standing reached his goal of making it to the second week before losing to Frenchman Gael Monfils in straight sets. Monfils and Tsonga, made France proud by reaching the round of 16 and Quarters. Djockovic lost third round and Tommy Haas almost got a chance at Federer in the round of 16. But...in the end, it was Federer, the great, the king of tennis! Some may say his draw cleared out favorably, but Federer himself said that the French Open is not about getting lucky its really about being the best at the time of each match. This may be Federer's first French Open but it is his record-tying 14th singles Grand Slam title. When he was asked whether he would be happy if forced to retire tomorrow. He replied: "Yes, I would because I feel like I've put everything out there, you know. I fought for this moment and stayed positive and calm when things maybe weren't going so well, even though they were still going great.So yeah, I would. I always said it doesn't matter when I retire; I'll be at peace. I can walk away from this game tomorrow, but I don't choose to because I love this game too much. It hasn't appeared in my mind once yet that I want to retire. Tennis is not forever; I know that. But I'll try to definitely enjoy it as long as I can." Most critics, not just Nike, have to be convinced by now that this man is the Tiger Woods of tennis and he is only 27 years old. That means there is more to be seen and re-establishing himself as King at Wimbledon again probably means as much to him as it does to his fans and critics alike. Back to Roland Garros. Despite the finals being rather one way and lacking competitiveness, after imagining the grueling task of getting through 2 weeks of practices, 3/5 setters and emotional strains...both men should get a standing ovation.

In the men's doubles final, the duo of Lukas Dlouhy of Czech Republic and Leander Paes of India seeded three, beat Wesley Moodie of South Africa and Dick Norman of Belgium 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.

In the women's doubles final, the duo of Spaniards A. Medina Garrigues and Virginia Ruano Pascual also seeded three defended their title and beat Victoria Azarenka (women's quarterfinalist) and Elena Vesnina 6-1, 6-1. Azarenka has numerous accolades now in doubles and in mixed doubles.

Speaking of mixed doubles, Americans Liezel Huber and Bob Bryan beat American Vania King and Brazilian Marcelo Melo 5-7, 7-6, 1-0.

Equally important are the junior results of the future stars of tennis. In the boy's draw Sweden apparently shined not only with Soderling's run but also with Daniel Berta's as he took down Frenchman Gianni Mina 6-1, 3-6, 6-3. On the girl's side, Frenchwoman Kristina Mladenovic was victorious over yet another impressive Russian, Daria Gavrilova with the scores 6-3, 6-2.

For a detailed look at the draws, check out the offical website.

VIVE LA FRANCE!! ON TO ENGLAND!!

Old Tennis Balls Bring New Life to Tennis

2009-06-13T06:30:00.000-07:00

What do you do with your old tennis balls? Most of the time, you discard them. Think of the savings, if you could continue to reuse these balls. We have found a company, Rebounces, that shares our ideals in bringing the game of tennis to all, recycling and staying "Green".

Rebounces is a company using cutting edge technology to recharge dead tennis balls. Using the motto, " Replay, Reuse and Recycle", this company is contributing to the game of tennis throughout the world. Balls that are in good condition are recharged at reasonable prices. (100 balls@ $45.00, 250 balls@ $100.00, 500 balls@ $185.00).

Balls that are too worn out are recycled by donating them to adult care facilities & hospitals who can then use them in rehabilitation exercises and on the legs of walkers. Balls are also cut up and donated to schools to place on the bottom of furniture to protect floors and limit noise in class.

The Oprah Magazine, O, acknowledged the fine work of Rebounces, and featured them in an article in their June 2009 magazine.

Balls are being recycled back into play, curtailing the cost of tennis for all children and adults while helping to make the world a greener place!

Tennis Racquets for Kids, shares these ideals,by recycling tennis racquets to children, supporting the concept of bringing the game of tennis to all children.

The Roger Federer Wimbledon Ad

2009-06-10T20:56:00.000-07:00

Watch this new Nike ad for Roger Federer's equation to greatness... =)

This is what is going on...

2009-06-04T22:00:00.000-07:00

Maria Sharapova, stylish as ever, decided to give tennis a try before the French at the Warsaw Open, but was stopped early in the 2cnd round by Alona Bondarenko of Ukraine with the scores 6-2, 6-2.

Wimbledon has a CENTRE COURT CELEBRATION of their new retractable roof and featured an exhibition of Graff vs Clijsters and Henin vs Agassi. Clijsters and Agassi won their singles and Henman and Clijsters teamed up to beat the husband-wife team in a close set. Although this roof apparently takes almost 10 minutes to open and close, seeing Graff and Agassi play must have been a treat.

Dinara Safina has won the Madrid Open, securing her No.1 ranking and beating Caroline Wozniacki, who herself just won the tournament in Rome making it her 11th title at the age of 19. Safina is a favorite this year at the French Open after losing in the finals last year and propelling to No.1 throughout the year.

Russia’s Vera Zvonareva has been named a “Promoter of Gender Equality” by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Novak Djokovic took part in the "World Stars Football Match 2009" for Amade between Nazionale Piloti and Star Team for the children at Louis II Stadium on May 19, 2009 in Monaco.

John Isner withdrew from Roland Garros due to a case of mono.

Roger Federer finally did it. He beat Nadal in the finals of the Madrid Open in straight sets. That must have been a huge mental break for him and a great way to go into the French Open. Looks like Roger has been working hard.

The Injured waste no time while others break records

2009-05-29T00:34:00.000-07:00

Maria Sharapova is still injured and has withdrawn from the next three of the bigger events in Italy and France, however she is everywhere, from magazines to billboards to tv channels. Just this past week she filmed a segment for ESPN's primetime news magazine, E:60. She will be appearing with Matt Stafford, the UGA quarterback who is up for top pick in this weekend's NFL Draft. She is to give him a makeover for the segment. Watch the preview.

Vera Zvonareva, who has been on a roll recently, is also out for the next 12 weeks or so due to an ankle injury. However, she too is making progress on the business side of things by signing with IMG marketing and representation.

The weeks all Russian final of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix ended in a win for Svetlana Kuznetsova over the No.1 Dinara Safina 6-4 6-3. Kuznetsova overcame herself as she has lost the last six finals she has been in, and this is her first title since August of '07.

Another injury stricken woman, is 21 yr old Golovin, who has dropped from 12 to 1228 in the world due to back problems. First the Sports Illustrated shoot, now she has agreed to commentate the French Open this year for the French television broadcasting.

On the men's side, Hewitt hasn't had as much success as in the past, but he is steadily breaking records. Now in Germany at the BMW Open, he has reached his 500th career victory. Hewitt now has a 500-170 career record, which includes two major titles. The only two other active players with more than 500 wins are Roger Federer with 638 and Carlos Moya with 573. That is impressive!

David Nalbandian has fought as long as he could his biggest rival, his hip injury. After a year of pain and suffering he decided to succumb to surgery second week of May and miss the French Open. This won't be an easy comeback for the world's top 10.

Cool Technique Video Links

2009-05-28T08:00:00.000-07:00

Ana Ivanovic's forehand in skeletal graphics

Andy Murray's volley's slow motion

Or if you want to look up some OTHER VIDEOS

Tennis Racquets For Kids Launches Press Release

2009-05-26T21:33:00.000-07:00

Tennis Racquets for Kids- A non-profit organization dedicated to the distribution of donated tennis racquets to underprivileged children.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Dr. Guy Mintz
Tennis Racquets For Kids
racquetsforkids@optonline.net

Do you have a collection of previously used tennis racquets that are collecting dust in your garage? Do you know of a child or group of children that have been unable to participate in the game of tennis due to economic restraints?

5/8/09 - Greenvale, NY - Tennis Racquets for Kids Inc. announces its non-profit organization dedicated to the distribution of previously owned tennis racquets to children who might otherwise be excluded from playing tennis due to financial constraints.

“Over the past few years we have switched the racquets we play with several times. After speaking with some of our friends we realized that we were not alone. We knew that we stumbled upon an opportunity to help other children get involved in the sport we were fortunate enough to be a part of” says Zachary Mintz, Co-Founder of Tennis Racquets for Kids.

“Tennis has enhanced our lives enormously, and we want to spread our love of the game to all children. By distributing new and used racquets from other players and sponsors, we will be helping other children realize their dreams of playing tennis.” says Paige Mintz, Co-Founder of Tennis Racquets for Kids.

The racquets come in all sizes, frames and grips. Children or organizations that qualify to receive donated racquets will fill out a form to ensure they are fitted for the right size racquet.

Donation box locations can be found on the Tennis Racquets for Kids website or arrangements can be made to ship the racquets directly to Tennis Racquets for Kids storage facility.

Tennis Racquets for Kids will reach out to local and national tennis organizations, governing bodies, tournament sponsors, schools, coaches and other entities to help facilitate the distribution of the donated racquets, and help make sure they get into the right hands.

The current economic crisis coupled with the rising obesity rates highlights the importance of charities that provide children of all economic levels with the tools to stay physically active.

About Tennis Racquets For Kids
Tennis Racquets for Kids Inc. is a non-profit organization dedicated to the distribution of donated tennis racquets to individual children, or to organizations that represent children, in need of such racquets. Previously owned tennis racquets, which are often discarded, represent an exciting opportunity for children who might otherwise be excluded from playing tennis, due to economic restraints. The “recycling” of these racquets also contributes to the preservation of the environment

A website developed for kids by kids. Donate for the Love of the Game!

To learn more, visit website http://www.tennisracquetsforkids.com/ or check out the blog http://www.tennisracquetsforkids.blogspot.com/
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French Open Preview

2009-05-23T21:14:00.000-07:00

One of the 4 most coveted trophies in the tennis world; a chance to play beautifully crafted artistic tennis on red clay; to pound shots with topspin and slide with grace or lack thereof side to side - the French Open is back for 2009! Paris is welcoming its premiere tennis stars, everyone is hopeful, the qualifying is underway, who isn't happy at the beginning of a tournament before the claws come out.

I am going to highlight some of my predictions for the final eight in red.

Here is a copy and pasted version of the first round match-ups:

Men

Rafael Nadal (1), Spain, vs. q-Marcos Daniel, Brazil

Igor Kunitsyn, Russia, vs. Teimuraz Gabashvili, Russia

Denis Gremelmayr, Germany, vs. Andrey Golubev, Kazakhstan

Lleyton Hewitt, Australia, vs. Ivo Karlovic (26), Croatia

Robin Soderling (23), Sweden, vs. Kevin Kim, United States

Denis Istomin, Uzbekistan, vs. q-Santiago Giraldo, Colombia

q-Ilja Bozoljac, Serbia, vs. Nicolas Kiefer, Germany

Frederico Gil, Portugal, vs. David Ferrer (14), Spain

Nikolay Davydenko (10), Russia, vs. Stefan Koubek, Austria

Diego Junquiera, Argentina, vs. Paul Capdeville, Chile

Nicolas Massu, Chile, vs. Daniel Koellerer, Austria

Nicolas Devilder, France, vs. Stanislas Wawrinka (17), Switzerland

Nicolas Almagro (31), Spain, vs. Agustin Calleri, Argentina

Ernests Gulbis, Latvia, vs. Sam Querrey, United States

q-Peter Polonsky, Canada, vs. Philipp Petzschner, Germany

Florent Serra, France, vs. Fernando Verdasco (8), Spain

Andy Murray (3), Britain, vs. Juan Ignacio Chela, Argentina

Mischa Zverev, Germany, vs. Potito Starace, Italy

Janko Tipsarevic, Serbia, vs. Albert Montanes, Spain

q-Franco Ferreiro, Brazil, vs. Feliciano Lopez (28), Spain

Radek Stepanek (18), Czech Republic, vs. wc-Gaston Gaudio, Argentina

Yen-Hsun Lu, Taiwan, vs. ll-Mathieu Montcourt, France

Dudi Sela, Israel, vs. q-Jean-Rene Lisnard, Monaco

Jan Hernych, Czech Republic, vs. Marin Cilic (13), Croatia

Fernando Gonzalez (12), Chile, vs. q-Jiri Vanek, Czech Republic

q-Rui Machado, Portugal, vs. Kristof Vliegen, Belgium

Marcel Granollers, Spain, vs. wc-Josselin Ouanna, France

wc-Alexandre Sidorenko, France, vs. Marat Safin (20), Russia

Victor Hanescu (30), Romania, vs. Stever Darcis, Belgium

Mikhail Youzhny, Russia, vs. Gilles Muller, Luxembourg

q-Daniel Brands, Germany, vs. Robert Kendrick, United States

Wayne Odesnik, United States, vs. Gilles Simon (7), France

Juan Martin del Potro (5), Argentina, vs. Michael Llodra, France

Viktor Troicki, Serbia, vs. q-Lukasz Kubot, Poland

Thomaz Bellucci, Brazil, vs. Martin Vassallo Arguello, Argentina

q-Fabio Fognini, Italy, vs. Igor Andreev (25), Russia

Dmitry Tursunov (21), Russia, vs. Arnaud Clement, France

Fabrice Santoro, France, vs. Christophe Rochus, Belgium

Marcos Baghdatis, Cyprus, vs. Juan Monaco, Argentina

Julien Benneteau, France, vs. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (9), France

Tommy Robredo (16), Spain, vs. wc-Adrian Mannarino, France

Evgeny Korolev, Russia, vs. Daniel Gimeno Traver, Spain

Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, Spain, vs. Andreas Seppi, Italy

Maximo Gonzalez, Argentina, vs. Mardy Fish (22), United States

Philipp Kohlschreiber (29), Germany, vs. wc-Bernard Tomic, Australia

Juan Carlos Ferrero, Spain, vs. Ivan Ljubicic, Croatia

Brian Dabul, Argentina, vs. q-Sergiy Stakhovsky, Ukraine

Nicolas Lapentti, Ecuador, vs. Novak Djokovic (4), Serbia

Andy Roddick (6), United States, vs. wc-Romain Jouan, France

Oscar Hernandez, Spain, vs. Ivo Minar, Czech Republic

Ivan Navarro, Spain, vs. Andreas Beck, Germany

Marc Gicquel, France, vs. Rainer Schuettler (27), Germany

Jurgen Melzer (24), Austria, vs. Sergio Roitman, Argentina

wc-Guillaume Rufin, France, vs. Eduardo Schwank, Argentina

q-Victor Crivoi, Romania, vs. q-Simon Greul, Germany

Bobby Reynolds, United States, vs. Gael Monfils (11), France

James Blake (15), United States, vs. q-Leonardo Mayer, Argentina

Andrei Pavel, Romania, vs. Tommy Haas, Germany

Bjorn Phau, Germany, vs. Jeremy Chardy, France

Simone Bolelli, Italy, Tomas Berdych (19), Czech Republic

Paul-Henri Mathieu (32), France, vs. wc-Laurent Recouderc, France

Robby Ginepri, United States, vs. Pablo Andujar, Spain

Jose Acasuso, Argentina, vs. q-Santiago Ventura, Spain

Alberto Martin, Spain, vs. Roger Federer (2), Switzerland

Women

Dinara Safina (1), Russia, vs. Anne Keothavong, Britain

q-Vitalia Diatchenko, Russia, vs. Mathilde Johansson, France

Nuria Llagostera Vives, Spain, vs. Julie Coin, France

Ioana Raluca Olaru, Romania, vs. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (27), Russia

Alisa Kleybanova (23), Russia vs. q-Polona Hercog, Slovenia

Ai Sugiyama, Japan, vs. Aravane Rezai, France

q-Michelle Larcher de Brito, Portugal, vs. Melanie South, Britain

Stephanie Cohen-Aloro, France, vs. Zheng Jie (15), China

Victoria Azarenka (9), Belarus, vs. Roberta Vinci, Italy

Maria-Emilia Salerni, Argentina, vs. Kristina Barrois, Germany

q-Yvonne Meusburger, Austria, vs. Lucie Hradecka, Czech Republic

Edina Gallovits, Romania, vs. Carla Suarez Navarro (22), Spain

Iveta Benesova (32), Czech Republic, vs. Julia Goerges, Germany

Varvara Lepchenko, United States, vs. Alla Kudryavtseva, Russia

Tamarine Tanasugarn, Thailand, vs. Camille Pin, France

Sara Errani, Italy, vs. Ana Ivanovic (8), Serbia

Venus Williams (3), United States, vs. Bethanie Mattek-Sands, United States

Lucie Safarova, Czech Republic, vs. Sabine Lisicki, Germany

Elena Vesnina, Russia, vs. Severine Bremond Beltrame, France

q-Corinna Dentoni, Italy, vs. Agnes Szavay (29), Hungary

Dominika Cibulkova (20), Slovakia, vs. Alona Bondarenko, Ukraine

Stephanie Foretz, France, vs. Kirsten Flipkens, Belgium

Tamira Paszek, Austria, vs. Gisela Dulko, Argentina

Anna-Lena Groenefeld, Germany, vs. Amelie Mauresmo (16), France

Nadia Petrova (11), Russia, vs. wc-Lauren Embree, United States

Anastasiya Yakimova, Belarus, vs. Maria Sharapova, Russia

wc-Olivia Sanchez, France, vs. q-Arantxa Rus, Netherlands

q-Yaroslava Shvedova, Kazakhstan, vs. Kaia Kanepi (19), Estonia

Li Na (25), China, vs. Marta Domachowska, Poland

wc-Emilie Loit, France, vs. Timea Bacsinszky, Switzerland

wc-Irena Pavlovic, France, vs. Akgul Amanmuradova, Uzbekistan

Olga Govortsova, Belarus, vs. Vera Zvonareva (6), Russia

Jelena Jankovic (5), Serbia, vs. Petra Cetkovska, Czech Republic

Magdalena Rybarikova, Slovakia, vs. wc-Kristina Mladenovic, France

Jarmila Groth, Australia, vs. wc-Kinnie Laisne, France

ll-Mariana Duque Marino, Colombia, vs. Anna Chakvetadze (26), Russia

Alize Cornet (21), France, vs. Maret Ani, Estonia

q-Carly Gullickson, United States, vs. Sorana Cirstea, Romania

Tsvetana Pironkova, Bulgaria, vs. Jill Craybas, United States

Vera Dushevina, Russia, vs. Caroline Wozniacki (10), Denmark

Marion Bartoli (13), France, vs. Pauline Parmentier, France

Tathiana Garbin, Italy, vs. Ayumi Morita, Japan

Virginie Razzano, France, vs. Daniela Hantuchova, Slovakia

Ekaterina Makarova, Russia, vs. Anabel Medina Garrigues (18), Spain

Samantha Stosur (30), Australia, vs. Francesca Schiavone, Italy

Yanina Wickmayer, Belgium, vs. Urszula Radwanska, Poland

Jelena Dokic, Australia, vs. Karolina Sprem, Croatia

q-Chanelle Scheepers, South Africa, vs. Elena Dementieva (4), Russia

Svetlana Kuznetsova (7), Russia, vs. wc-Claire Feuerstein, France

Galina Voskoboeva, Kazakhstan, vs. Sania Mirza, India

q-Anastasija Sevastova, Latvia, vs. Melinda Czink, Hungary

Nathalie Dechy, France, vs. Sybille Bammer (28), Austria

Patty Schnyder (17), Switzerland, vs. Kateryna Bondarenko, Ukraine

wc-Olivia Rogowska, Australia, vs. Maria Kirilenko, Russia

Patricia Mayr, Austria, vs. Mariya Koryttseva, Ukraine

Rossana de Los Rios, Paraguay, vs. Agnieszka Radwanska (12), Poland

Flavia Pennetta (14), Italy, vs. Alexa Glatch, United States

Barbora Zahlavova Strycova, Czech Republic, vs. Lourdes Dominguez Lino, Spain

Mara Santangelo, Italy, vs. q-Petra Martic, Croatia

Monica Niculescu, Romania, vs. Aleksandra Wozniak (24), Canada

Peng Shuai (31), China, vs. Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, Spain

Viktoriya Kutuzova, Ukraine, vs. q-Zuzana Ondraskova, Czech Republic

Virginia Ruano Pascual, Spain, vs. Nicole Vaidisova, Czech Republic

Klara Zakopalova, Czech Republic, vs. Serena Williams (2), United States

Check out the official site: http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/index.html

Don't forget to watch some of this amazing tennis starting Sunday, May 24th, on tv, in the US it will be on Espn2, The Tennis Channel, NBC. http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/about/tvschedule.html

or stream it live on the many websites that offer that to you! I'll get some links up later.

AS THE FRENCH SAY IT: BONNE CHANCE!!!!!!!

Sore muscles means time to work out again!

2009-05-21T07:00:00.000-07:00

You felt enthusiastic, you went out and gave it your best, you ran down every ball, you played 5 sets even though you haven't played even one consecutive set in a year. Next morning, you can't get out of bed.

There are two ways to look at sore muscles. You can be proud of your workout gone well and do it again even more intensely tomorrow, or you can curse the pain and swear to never again exercise as much at once. Sometimes muscles hurt that you didn't know you had, which is probably true in that they are muscles you didn't use. What muscle soreness really means is that your muscles are getting stronger. Of course pain should be moderate, otherwise you just may have injured yourself! "Mild soreness just a natural outcome of any kind of physical activity," says Rick Sharp, professor of exercise physiology at Iowa State University in Ames. "And they're most prevalent in beginning stages of a program."

Usually you feel the onset of pain in a day or two after your activity. Exercise physiologists call this delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). DOMS is a common result of exercise that stresses the muscle tissue beyond what it is used to, like contracting while lengthening (bicep curls) or performing in an eccentric way (running downhill). The muscle tears microscopically and the inflammation that accompanies it, is what hurts.

There is no antidote to muscle soreness, everyone hurts when they subject themselves to exercises they haven't regularly done. Just imagine how body builders must feel, not even speaking of someone who has never exercised before! This is a stage the muscles have to go through in order to adapt and be ready for a repeat of that type of exercise.

What can you do if you are in so much pain you can't even raise an arm to brush your teeth? Ice is one. Rest is another. Advil will take the inflammation away. Massage will relax you're bunched up muscles. Heat in the form of those Thermacare bandages at CVS feels nice and so does stretching. The most effective thing to prevent soreness is to do more exercise after your given routine. Stretch out to cool down, jog it off or go for a swim. This will ease the pain. Of course you also don't want all that hard work to go to waste, so perhaps work out a different muscle group for a week or so and then return to the sore group. This will keep your muscles strengthening and build on your results.

Most importantly don't be discouraged through this pain. Treat yourself to a massage and get back out there. Be proud!

Source

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-11T19:31:00.000-07:00

Tennisracquetsforkids would like to wish all the Moms a very happy day! Hopefully all the tennis moms will get to enjoy another year of lessons, tournaments, wins, losses, cheers, smiles, tears, crazy schedules and love through tennis and their kids!

Watch this link for what some of the top WTA stars had to say about their mothers.

Swinging at the net like Tarzan

2009-05-11T08:00:00.000-07:00

Yes, this is a problem that all tennis players go through learning to volley, we all did it, we were wild at the net and untamed, we swung away at the ball, losing control in the way we setup, the way we made contact and the way we followed through. The ball would hit the fence, or the bottom of the net, or shank. It was an erratic stroke. How did we fix it? For one, you have to have the strength to hold your racquet head up and understand that the power comes from using the pace of the incoming shot and using your legs to send it back. Power can be created by swinging, sure, but only at the expense of control. There are high volleys that border on being an overhead that you have to swing at because its a physically tough shot to create pace on, but on regular volleys, try to watch yourself, and think compact swing and good footwork at all times. I always say that you need to pretend like there is a wall behind your back and that you are standing waist high in the middle of a cutout at the center of the table, you cannot drop the racquet head below the table. Here is a great way to work on this, but you will need props and a feeder.

1. Line your back flat against a wall
2. Place an object (ie. bench with a back, garbage bin) a foot to your right and two feet infront of you, that is at the height of your belly button, not any lower or higher.
3. Ask someone to feed you volleys right into your racquet.
4. You will be unable to swing back for that forehand volley due to the wall/fence in the back.
5. You will be forced to volley forward but won't be able to go wild without hitting the object in front and damaging your frame.
6. Ideally, you will want to make contact before the object and follow through over it and down. The 2 feet infront will allow you to step into it as well.
7. With every few volleys or so, move the object forward and practice moving up to it.
8. Do the same with the backhand swing.
9. In no time will you grasp the compact notion of the swing and have a clear picture of what a volley looks like in your mind.

Good luck!

Newsday: After Three Years in France, Tennis Phenom's Family Returns to USA

2009-05-10T22:00:00.000-07:00

Here is a link to the article on Jan Silva, the tennis prodigy much talked about. It talks about the family sacrificing everything to move to an Academy in Spain for then 4 year old Jan, and now moving back to Sacramento, also to an academy. Interesting food for thought: Are kids under the age of 10 better off at academies, public schools, private schools? How do the parents deal with the pressure of their one child being treated so differently than their other two. Financially, is it possible to give your kids wholly into a sport of their choice without outside help?

Here is an old youtube link to Jan Silva.

Open or Closed Stance on my Forehand?

2009-04-28T09:00:00.000-07:00

7 year old Bobby just spent 2 hours watching a rerun of one of the now many, great Nadal-Federer finals. He watched them both rip open stance forehands (Moya photo above) from various points on the court and was inspired to try to hit just like that at his 4 pm practice drill. Except the coach kept telling Bobby, step in to the ball, don't over rotate, close your stance, you're too far from the ball. Needless to say, this left Bobby confused. What to tell Bobby? That two options are better than one, choose accordingly.

Most little kids don't have the balance and the footwork to get to the ball, setup in open stance and then generate their own pace from there. Without a doubt they should be taught open stance, but by no means as the only option. Tennis has advanced today and there are a lot of old techniques that have been exhiled but hitting a closed stance shot is not one them. Yes, these days almost everyone hits an open stance forehand because the game has gotten faster, the balls land deeper with more pace and it is inefficient and nearly impossible to turn sideways and step into every shot, players today use their torso and their hips to rotate that shot back into the court without a full turn and a step in. However, when there is time to set up and to step in to a ball that is inside the court and infront of you, by hitting a closed stance shot, you'll hit a powerful, more accurate shot, keep the momentum moving into the court, which will make your play that much more aggressive and give your body a chance to get to net faster to win the point. Not to mention there is no fear of being pushed back by the ball since you're the one stepping into it.

How to do it?

- See the direction of the ball
- Anticipate its depth and speed
- Turn your body sideways
- Racquet back with butt of the racquet pointing at the ball as well as your other hand
- Get ready to transfer your weight from the back to the front foot
- Step forward into the shot, you want to be behind the ball, not sideways going straight into it
- Drive the ball
- Fully extend your arm towards the target before coming around and following through
- Try not to move your head throughout the stroke
- Your follow through should end up over your shoulder although some prefer to make a semi circle finishing at the elbow
- Finally, determine whether your shot was good enough to close into the net and finish off the point

Indian Wells Recap

2009-04-28T08:45:00.000-07:00

On the women's side the title goes to Vera Zvonareva. Its about time she captured a big tournament. Safina's run to number one was slashed by Viktoria Azarenka, who with her performance was able to break into the WTA top 10 of singles and doubles. She went on to lose to Zvonareva in the semis. Zvonareva took down Ivanovic in the finals 7-6(5), 6-2 for the championship. Not only did she shine in singles, but she also captured the doubles title with Azarenka, beating Shahar Peer and Martinez Sanchez in the final. Overall it was a great showing for a lot of the youngsters and signals an exciting season ahead.

On the men's side, all hail Nadal. Once again the champion battled through the draw. Roddick ended up beating Djockovic in a full match, those who remember their meeting at the Australian will appreciate that. Roddick lost in the semis to Nadal. Federer on the other side of the draw beat Gonzales in 3 sets, then beat Verdasco in two for the quarters and lost to Murray 6-1 in the 3rd. In the finals, Nadal destroyed Murray 6-1, 6-2. This was the 3rd consecutive time he took out Murray. Can the guy be stopped? The surprise on the men's side came in doubles, when the 1 seeded Bryan Brothers lost to unseeded Max Mirnyi and Andy Ram in the semis. The Bryan brothers were the only seeds to even make it to the semis as there were a lot of upsets and the title went to childhood friends Mardy Fish and Andy Roddick in what must have been a very exciting final with the score of 3-6, 6-1, 14-12.

Tournament and News Recaps

2009-04-21T09:55:00.000-07:00

Sony Ericsson Open:
Men's Champion:
Andy Murray defeated Djockovic 6-2, 7-5 in the finals and Verdasco 6-2, 6-2 in the semis. En route to the finals, Djockovic defeated Federer in the semis 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 and the top seed Nadal was upset by Del Potro in the quarters 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(3).
Women's Champion:
19 year old Viktoria Azarenka defeated an injured Serena Williams 6-3, 6-1 for her third title. Serena beat Venus in the semi's 6-3 in the third. Jankovic lost 2cnd rd to Gisela Dulko after a bye and Safina lost 3rd to Stosur after one win. Azarenka beat Kuznetsova to get into the finals against Serena 6-3, 2-6, 7-5.

Safina became World #1 Arpil 20th. With Serena's injury and first rd lost at the Andalucian Experience, Safina was able to overtake her points. Here is what she had to say about it:
"It's a great honor to reach the number one ranking and it is a dream that every girl who has ever wanted to play professional tennis shares. It is even extra special for me since my brother Marat was able to reach the number one ranking (in 2000) and I am happy to share this achievement with him. There's no question that while I am very proud of my results over the past year, I would have liked to reach this achievement in a different manner. I hope to prove to everyone over the coming months that I merit the honor of being world number one."

Andalucia Tennis Experience WTA Tournament:
Jelena Jankovic was able to regroup after her last two tournament 1st rd losses and beat fifth seed Carla Suarez Navarro 6-3 3-6 6-3 for her first title of the season.

MPS Group Championships:
A promising teenager, Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark defeated Canada's Aleksandra Wozniak 6-1 6-2 to win this event, making it her fourth Sony Ericsson WTA Tour career title

Family Circle Cup:
Another promising teenager captured this prestigious title as an underdog. Germany’s Sabine Lisicki beat fifth seed Caroline Wozniacki 6-2 6-4 in the final as well as Bartoli and Venus Williams en route, to claim her first career WTA title and jump from the 60s to the 40s in the rankings.

Monte Carlo Masters Series:
Nadal beat Djockovic in the final 6-3, 2-6, 6-1 but didn't play his best according to his team.

Barcelona Ladies Open:
Unseeded Italian Roberta Vinci beat defending champion Maria Kirilenko 6-0 6-4 to win her second Sony Ericsson WTA Tour singles title.

Married!
Both Roddick and Federer tied the knot this past week. Federer married his long time girlfriend and expectant mother Mirka Vavrinec in a small ceremony in Switzerland. Andy Roddick married his swimsuit model girlfriend Brooklyn Decker in Texas.
http://tennis-atp.blogspot.com/2009/04/photos-andy-roddick-brooklyn-decker-on.html
http://tennis-atp.blogspot.com/2009/04/photos-roger-federer-and-mirka-wedding.html

Burn out victims inspired:
Kim Clijsters is back in training after she refound the "desire" as well as Gaston Gaudio, a former French Open Champion. Gaston Gaudio, who is ranked 966th after nearly retiring for 2 years, won his first ATP match in two years at the Barcelona Open. Gaudio said earlier this year that he had rediscovered his enthusiasm for the game.

Marketing and Advertising:
Aside from Jankovic signing with a Chinese company for 5.1 millions dollars, Sharapova sketching dresses for the French Open she may or may not play and promoting Unilever's dandruff shampoo called Clear and Cole Haan sports attire...here is a video worth watching
http://www.atpworldtour.com/en/multimedia/default_video.asp?videoid=1151 and this one too http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9G2iIYkPSg

Television News:
Reality TV, we can't live without it. Martina Hingis will now be joining Martina Navratilova and Monica Seles as a reality tv star. Hingis has been in London filming ITV’s Beat the Star, a show that pits a star against a member of the public in physical and mental challenges. Maybe it will pop on the internet for those of us that don't have ITV.

Justine Henin Gives Back to Kids

2009-04-15T14:00:00.000-07:00

Justine Henin may be the only number one to retire at such a young age due to "burn out" but she doesn't cease to impress everyone with her gifts. Henin just launched an official website for her non-profit organization that supports different projects aimed at kids suffering from serious illnesses like cancer. You can see for yourself at www.justineforkids.be.

Justine can be quoted off her site: "After several months of work, I am very happy to launch my new charity organisation, Justine For Kids. Children living with illness face many painful and difficult obstacles. It's always necessary to have the desire to fight, to hope and the spirit to believe in dreams. This is the message of Justine For Kids which wants to bring a little comfort to the children who suffer."

In addition, the RTBF tv channel has also fallen for the gift of Justine Henin and is making her into a television star. Reportedly, she will be on a show called De twaalf werken van Justine Henin, which translates as The twelve works of Justine Henin, in which she will have to take on 12 various challenges from modeling, to cooking to becoming a part of a soccer team. She was also given a part in a popular soap opera called Plus belle la vie, to play herself. But, that is not all, she will also be a VJ, and start hosting a music show that revolves around world renowned singer Lara Fabian.

While we are on the subject of Belgian tennis greats, it cannot go unreported that the speculations about Kim Clijster's return to the WTA have been confirmed as true. She was seen training on and off the court for several hours each day with a coach and trainer and she has officially asked the WTA for wild cards into the hard court events, namely Toronto, Cincinnati and the US Open. "I don't need to be number one again. I have done that and I don't need to do it again. I am just going to see how things evolve", says Clijsters. Who knows maybe she was inspired by Jelena Dokic and will herself in turn inspire Justine Henin to give it another try.

Tennis is Growing!

2009-04-12T13:00:00.000-07:00

The nets have just been put back up on the local courts here in the north east, and already the courts are packed with recreational players. Tennis may not have the popularity of Sunday night football or March Madness, but the argument could be made that more people play tennis, than watch it, and those that are true fanatics do a lot of both.

Each year the USTA and the Tennis Industry Association call upon the Taylor Research Group to report some statistics on how many people are hitting the courts out there. Apparently the number is far greater than 15 years ago. Last year 27 million recreational players got out there; that's 12% more than in the last few years and 7%more than just last year. The study also showed that 5.62 million players report playing around 21 times a year and another 5.91 million people take up tennis as something new each year. This is not even counting the rest of the world and the professional and junior athletes.

Another clear indicator is the fact that ball sales have gone up %15 percent since 2003. Perhaps the great athletes we have today, alongside the marketing efforts and the belles of the court have all contributed to the popularity. But then again there are those that briefly follow it but love to get out and play more than they know. The most important thing is participation. Tennis is a family game and a game for people of all ages. This is why Tennis Racquets for Kids exists; everyone should have the opportunity to play because tennis is great!

Practice Makes Perfect, Preparation Makes Opportunities

2009-04-04T12:30:00.000-07:00

In this day and age, talent as natural ability and work ethic translated as tons of practice are absolutely necessary ingredients. Close behind that, are motivating factors which could be parents or coaches, or maybe just internal drive. Financial support is necessary, because lets face it, lessons, court time, travel, tournament entries, and equipment all cost money that kids don't make themselves. Most players are on board with the above essentials and only few rise to the occasion.

This is where preparation makes the difference. What you ate, how fit you are off the court, how strong you are and how flexible. Like all other sports, tennis is no exception, you have to swing the racquet for hours a day but then you have to hit the gym, run some miles, do your stretches and try to fuel your body with the right things. Tennis Racquets for Kids believes in the essentials and emphasizes the importance of fitness for tennis and good health.

Stretching:

Before you play it is recommended by experts to do dynamic stretching as opposed to static stretching. If static means staying in one place then dynamic is the opposite, it is stretching while moving. The old way, of holding one stretch for a few seconds actually reduces performance of the muscles because it doesn't fire up the muscles rather relaxes them and for a sprint and stop sport like tennis, that is bad. So jogging a few laps and proceeding with walking up and down lunges and high knees across the court and torso twists is more the way to go. Once you're done playing, then it is a good idea to sit down and do some still stretches holding each for 30 seconds or so to cool down the muscles that were just tensing for the past hour or so.

Strength:

You have to be strong in tennis, even if you're only ten. While it is a good idea to hire a personal trainer,this is not practical and most people cannot afford one. You can pay a visit to a bookstore to evaluate the many good tennis exercise books on the shelves that will give you the same exercises a trainer will. Kids should work out with supervision. The workout can take place anywhere; in the house, apartment or backyard, but it has to be done correctly. Strength building exercises should be done twice a week. Things like lunges, planks, squats, abs and push ups. You don't even need weights, your body weight and a medicine ball with a rubber band will do most of the time. These exercises should be done in several sets and made up of several repetitions.

What happens when you play and you're weak? Your muscles get tired sooner, you get out of breath, the lactic acid crawls into the muscles and you stop bending your knees, you stop accelerating your arm on your serve and you are no longer capable of running down the balls and keeping it in play long enough to win points. Strong muscles also help prevent injuries and give you the force you need to create power and play at a higher level.

Speaking of injury prevention, there are injury prevention exercises that should be done before practice with a rubber band. These will ensure that the correct muscles are warmed up with several sets of restraining repetitions. If you are not sure what these terms mean, you can always ask a coach or look it up online, there is a ton of material written on the subject.<

Fitness:

All sports require off court fitness to make you better, faster,and stronger. This is necessary if you want to compete at a high level. Some people play tennis to get fit. These exercises are good for all children and can help fight fight childhood obesity if done on a regular basis.

If you want to be a competitive tennis player good fitness is essential. It is necessary to help grind out those long matches. You need to do long distance running of several miles a week and short timed miles once a week. Long distance running is not very good for tennis players because it builds the long lean muscles they really do not use. Long distance once a week is for stamina, the muscles you want to build are quick fire sprinting ones. Biking is also a great way to get those muscles working. Interval workouts are the best for tennis, where you sprint for 30 seconds then jog for 3 minutes. In tennis its also important to be able to move in all four directions, up back and side to side. Shuffle sprints are very important as well. Last but not least recommendation is plyometrics. There is nothing better for tennis. That involves a little bit of jump rope and a lot of jumping and sprinting, hurdles and boxes. Don't forget to give yourself days off and alternate the workouts to give yourself time to regroup and prevent injuries!

Food:

Athletes need to eat, they need energy and they need muscles. Unless you're playing defense on a football team, you need to be light enough to fly like a butterfly and sting like a bee too. Which means eating right. Athletes need carbs but need to limit the fat, because the fat won't let the body use the carbs. If you watched the Olympics and saw the special on what Michael Phelps eats, you would be shocked, but athletes like that burn more calories than we can imagine. It is good to eat a while before you play and pack snacks if you plan on playing a while. Good to go for lean meat protein and low fat foods. Hydrating is perhaps the most important, since tennis is not only physical but also playing in hot weather typically. 16-20 ounces of Propel throughout an hour sounds ok. Visits to Starbucks for coffee are not at the top of the list as caffeine is a stimulant and can make you jittery. Fruits and nuts make perfect snacks while you play. After you finish with your tennis for the day, eat within 30 minutes, it will fit in the metabolic schedule your body maintains to get you refueled and ready to play again.

This little intro to preparation sounds like a lot, but really everything listed are just small elements of the whole picture of competitive tennis. Its hard to find the time to do everything because of the hectic lives we lead, kids lead, but at the same time its a very rewarding thing, as all these things are not work in a cubicle or lessons at schoold behind the desk. These activities should be fun and benefit the overall health of your body. These things are for your tennis, but even more so for you. So think of it as you time and don't be lazy.

Check out this really great fitness resource http://fitspott.typepad.com/fitspott/

Visit Tennis Racquets For Kids to help children play tennis.

Federer to take on new role: fatherhood

2009-03-26T22:00:00.000-07:00

Roger Federer just announced on his website that he is going to be a father.

"I also have some really awesome news to share with all of you: Mirka and I are excited to let you know that we will be parents this summer! Mirka is pregnant and we are so happy to be starting a family together. This is a dream come true for us. We love children and we are looking forward to being parents for the first time. Mirka is feeling great and everything is going well.

Speak soon and thanks for all your continued support!

Roger"

The fans and media didn't lose time getting worried that Roger's focus will shift from tennis. But he was quick to appease all by stating:

“I think in a way I always had the dream that once I became No. 1 in the world if I have a child I hope I have it early enough so he can see me playing. So this is very exciting. I think it’s not going to really disturb my mind-set on tennis a whole lot. I’ve always made sure that my schedule is (arranged with time to) get away from tennis a little but and then come back when I’m ready to play again. If it does something to me, I think it’s going to motivate me to play for a long time. For me, this is not a massive shock. But when it does happen (and) your girlfriend-wife is pregnant, it definitely changes your mind-set. All of a sudden you’re hoping everything goes well, whereas before you’re just joking about it. From that respect, I’m excited that the baby comes out healthy and everything goes OK. Other than that, it’s just happiness. And all the people around me, all the people I talk to, everybody is like, ‘Wow, it’s such great news.’ It’s a nice time. And yeah, the baby is due in summer. Summer is a big word, yeah. I’m not going to say anymore.”

Congratulations to the two of them. Who knows maybe there is continuation to Federer's greatness in junior Federer, but maybe not. Few kids of tennis greats take up the sport for one reason or another. Come to think of it, it is interesting why kids of tennis greats don't pursue tennis professionally. After all, they have ideal genetics for it. I think a big part of it is the pressure of being great, and impossible expectations.

Back on track regarding Federer, inspiration for Federer at this point might be exactly what he needs to reach new heights. The goal for his new child to see him on top may push him to further greatness-watch out world!

Your 2009 Guide to New Tennis Racquets

2009-03-23T06:00:00.000-07:00

Everything gets in the way of a bad dancer, implying that a good dancer will be good no matter what. This can be translated to sports too. You would think that a good player, can play with any type of racquet and any type of shoes.

However, science and technology can change our lives. Whether we are talking about swim suits or tennis racquets,technology advances at an astronomical pace.

Tennis racquets are justified in their variety. Just think back to the wooden racquet era, and even a decade ago there were the 85 square inch models compared to todays 90 inch models. Picking up that old heavy Wilson today will give anyone tennis elbow after several minutes of heavy swinging. Just as game styles vary, so do racquets, and this all around evolution is at the center of progress in the tennis world.

You can just imagine, hidden away in laboratories, are teams of women and men in goggles, white coats, rubber gloves, playing around with beakers, metals and laws of gravity to come up with the best weapon for the modern day tennis players. Some frames have more power, some have more control, some feel stiff, others feel loose. No wonder all these wonderful tennis equipment websites offer trials before you make up your mind.

Ultimately, the racquet doesn't make the player, although some players like, McEnroe would disagree. He often says how players post results today, not because of more talent, but because of better technology. But then again, if that were entirely true, we wouldn't have had Sampras and Graf to compare to Nadal and Sharapova.

No one will argue that technology certainly helps. Lets not forget that pros have their frames custom made, and altough, we see them hitting with the same color racquets that we see at our local tennis shop, these racquets are different. They probably are a lot heavier and the paint conceals several differences.

No manufacturer is blacklisted and players find their fit with all kinds of racquets. One reason for choosing a certain racquet could be potential sponsorship deals, but another reason has to be function and comfort. There is a right frame for everyone.

Wilson, Babolat, Yonex, Head, and Prince are popular. But it really comes down to evaluating your game and trying a couple of racquets out to see what feels good, and what gives you the ultimate balance between power, spin, and control.

Here is a list of some improvements for the weapons of 2009, and by the sound of them, they do sound like military code names:

Head MicroGel Extreme with Teflon
Price: $200

New aspect: The Teflon coating around the grommets reduces the friction and allows the strings to move more freely during contact which in turn gives you more power and a cleaner stroke. Recommended for all courters with a lot of spin.

Prince EXO3 Graphite
Price: $220

New Aspect: Addition of O-ports and large grommetless string holes which reduce the space going against the wind, this provides more stability but because of the graphite it remains low on power. You can add your own grommets to it if you want to control the frame better. Recommended for people that want a lot more control and less power.

Prince EXO3 Rebel
Price: $210

New Aspect: This model has a large frame, 95 sq.in and a dense pattern for strings. It is a lot heavier and while it takes away spin it adds to the power. Recommended for serious tennis players who have developed techniques as it is not very forgiving.

Prince EXO3 Red
Price: $260

New Aspect: Has an Energy Bridge made of carbon fiber strips that run through the middle of the frame to increase the sweet spot and enhance the feel of the ball on the strings. Recommended for pretty good players but also those that are getting up there in age, its very forgiving and pretty long.

Technifibre T-Fight 320 VO2 MaX
Price: $199

New Aspect: Places carbon fiber at 5 and 7 o'clock positions on the frame to stop it from twisting on the shot. Players wish it had some more power, but like the spin. Recommended for high level players who can create their own power, otherwise you will feel like a pusher.

Volkl Power Bridge 4
Price: $225

New Aspect: It is half an inch longer than most. It is very light and makes for an easy fast swing. The carbon fibers are at the bottom here. Recommended for those that like to be at the net, and also have trouble with racquet acceleration, but it is not the most forgiving thing off center.

Volkl Power Bridge 6 Attiva
Price: $200

New Aspect: Carbon fibers at 6 o'clock to add power and stability. Softer, rounder grip. Recommended for very aggressive players and doubles players. Geared towards women.

Wilson Kobra Team.FX
Price: $230

New Aspect: Large cutouts in the racquets throat to evenly distribute its weight between four sections rather than the usual 2. Gives more power than spin. Recommended for all court tournament players as it is pretty subservient.

Yonex RQiS1 Tour XL 95
Price: $230

New Aspect: Usually Yonex gives you more control and feed than power, but this one gives more pop. Gotta find the sweet spot on it to drive the ball. Recommended for players that like to go for their shots and create their own power.

Babolat has also just unveiled their Y line, motto: to win
Price: $229

New Aspect: It is the first oversize racquet to combine power with precision. It was developed specifically for club players in the US to give that comfort and forgiveness most recreational players are looking for.

Now as you noticed, racquets are not cheap. If your child has a high ranking it is worth contacting some of these manufacturers to see if you can work out a deal or a sponsorship of a sort. It is also worth looking around online for some good deals or at your local pro shop for seasonal discounts.

If you are just a beginner and can afford a frame, it is not necessary to buy four to six racquets right away; that is for more serious players who need several frames because of the frequency of popped strings, different conditions requiring different tensions, etc.

Most importantly if you are struggling, don't lose hope and desire to let your kid learn tennis, contact tennisracquetsforkids.com and we will do our best to provide those in need with their first frame and put a smile on that kids face. Tennis is Great!

Source: April 2009 Tennis.com magazine

Long Island Tennis Magazine Features Tennis Racquets For Kids,Inc.

2009-03-15T07:48:00.000-07:00

Long Island Tennis Magazine, featured Tennis Racquets for Kids Inc., in its charitable iniative section in the March/April edition. The magazine is designed to promote and develop the sport of tennis on every level in the community.

In the spirit of community, Tennis Racquets for Kids, was acknowledged for their dedication to provide every child an opportunity to play tennis. This non-profit, tennis charity was the brain child of twin high school tennis players, who realized that their outgrown racquets would provide a wonderful opportunity for children who could not afford their own tennis racquets. They realized that other tennis players would also have old racquets laying around that would be cherished by those who were less fortunate.

The concept has grown in the community, and has already extended to other parts of the nation. With the phrase, "Donate for the Love of the Game!", people have have come forward to donate their old racquets at local drop off sites, or shipped their racquets to the Tennis Racquets For Kids Inc., directly. Tennis Centers are also getting involved. Temples and churches have collected racquets to support this tennis charity.

Even in these difficult times, people have opened their hearts and realized this opportunity to start to make the world a better place. Think of the impact that could be created if every tennis center, every tennis pro, every recreational or serious tennis player, and industry, would take a moment and realize this great opportunity.

We hope that we can all take a moment to " Donate For the Love of the Game" To bring smiles to children, and to bring families together!!

FOLLOW UP ON SHAHAR PEER IN DUBAI

2009-03-10T06:16:00.000-07:00

Finally, the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour acted out against the injustice in Dubai by fining the tournament a record $300, 000 for denying Shahar Peer the visa. Larry Scott, Chairman & CEO of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour, said the following, “The actions taken today are intended to redress the wrongs suffered by Shahar Peer, who was victimized by an unjust policy of discrimination by the UAE. These actions are also intended to send a clear message that our Tour will not tolerate discrimination of any kind and that we will never allow this situation to happen again."

Thanks to the courage of Shahar, and all those individuals and organizations - including her fellow players - that supported her, the UAE has changed their policy and another barrier of discrimination has fallen”.

The following actions were taken to somehow appease the seemingly unappeasable situation. The tour awarded Shahar 130 ranking points, points she would have lost since she was unable to defend them from last year. She was also given US$44,250 which is the average amount she earns per tournament in singles and doubles to compensate her loss. Her doubles partner, Anna-Lena Groenfeld was also awarded US$7,950 in prize money for being unable to compete with Peer.

The tournament itself was fined the US$300,000, for breach of rules and conditions of membership. The tournament also had to promise a US$2 million guarantee that to remain on the calendar for next year they have to:
1) accept all players qualifies for the tournament regardless of nationality or any other reasons and issue them visas 2) allow any Israeli player to enter the UAE 8 weeks prior to competition 3) guarantee Shahar a wild card into the tournament next year if her ranking doesn’t get her in. All of these things are a little too late! This shouldn’t have happened in the first place!!

It is especially hurtful because Shahar is such a talented player who does charity work in other countries. Silence supports evil and more players should have spoken up against this discrimination. Tennis Racquets for Kids,feels strongly that we must set an example for our children.

Tennis Brings Smiles to Those Less Fortunate

2009-03-08T11:30:00.000-07:00

Anna Kournikova recently visited Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Where there is poverty, there is often more misfortune; suffering population that deals with diseases, illiteracy, lack of sewage, waste management and water purification systems, and on top of that nature’s destruction in the form of seasonal hurricanes. Kournikova was asked by the PSI (Population Services International Group) to join them on this trip’s initiative of fighting AIDS and working alongside like programs. These services target kids ages 5 and under and their families by educating them on diseases like malaria, malnutrition, diarrhea and AIDS. Education is also provided on preventing these terrible diseases. “It’s been extremely difficult to try to describe and express what I saw while I was there,” says Kournikova in her blog. Kournikova met with local families and kids and watched the programs tasks unfold and even got to distribute malaria nets to villagers living in huts. “It was completely and devastatingly humbling to experience it all and it will certainly be something that stays with me. This trip made a huge impact on my life, both mentally and emotionally. I’m very thankful and honored that I was able to hear so many personal stories. I am grateful to so many of the kind Haitian people that opened up to a stranger and shared their thoughts and feelings with me,” confesses Anna Kournikova. The real question is who does Anna’s visit help more? Although her blog raises awareness for the awful conditions in Haiti, can a celebrity's visit make the poverty ridden villagers feel any better,and change these horrific conditions. Anna’s probably fully sponsored trip didn’t help to feed an extra family on the 5$ a day budget she describes. It’s really nice to see celebrities doing great charitable things, but sometimes it gets controversial when great charities rely on celebrities to raise everyone else’s awareness. So yes, it may be hard to encourage the 60% under 24 yr old population of Haiti to attend these PSI clinics and educational speeches without attracting them by putting on volleyball games, popular music and the presence of blonde beauties like Anna, but that sounds like a one time event rather than a constant commitment. It also doesn’t help that Anna is sporting her K-Swiss contract gear while posing with the kids.It is not enough to talk about these problems, but action is required to evoke change. Her sponsors should send financial help to the people she visited. Anna could use her website to encourage her fans to contribute to the cause. These things would certainly help. Her visit to bring awareness is just the first step. It would truly be great if she took the next step.Tennis Racquets For Kids, a tennis charity, is encouaged by efforts like this. We can only hope that efforts like this represents the beginning of a greater goal of helping all people.

Check out the links of these important sites:

http://www.psi.org/http://www.fiveandalive.org/http://www.youthaids.org/

Potential New Treatment for Tennis Elbow and Other Injuries

2009-03-01T01:00:00.000-08:00

Tennis Raquets For Kids came across an interesting article in the NY Times about a new treatment option for stubborn injuries like tendinitis, tennis elbow and more serious things like rotator cuff rips and torn meniscus.

This new form of treatment is called platelet-rich plasma therapy. It works by injecting portions of a patient’s blood right into the injured area, which prompts the body’s instincts to repair muscle, bone and other tissue.

The coolest thing about this new treatment method is that it appears to regenerate ligament and tendon fibers, which could lessen the time athletes spend in rehab and maybe even help them avoid surgery.

Hines Ward and Troy Palamalu of the Pittsburgh Steelers underwent this therapy prior to the Superbowl. It has been tested on hundreds of recreational athletes too and seems to work. It is quite expensive still, it costs about $2000 bucks.

Many times when athletes are not sure what is wrong with them or don't want to risk surgery, this new treatment may be a good alternative.

Stanford’s Dr. Mishra said: “It’s not just the professional athlete who needs to get back to their game. Everyone wants to get back to what they do for play or for work.”

Image Source: Getty Images
Content Source: NY Times

If you would like to read the entire NY Times article CLICK HERE

Hello! We're the Anti-Doping officials!

2009-02-24T07:34:00.000-08:00

Tennis requires monstrous physical strength in this day and age. As a matter of fact, all sports require monstrous physical strength these days, because the level has jumped tremendously in the last decade. When we watch sporting events, there are often history flashbacks to past champions, or similar sport situations from the past that the editing crew comes up with during the airing, and first we may remark about the hairstyles or the clothes from back in the day watching this footage, but when that screen flashes back to present, we can’t help but think how far along this or that given sport has come along, mostly in a super human way. Then of course we think of the issues in sports that propel them to that type of height, mainly doping. It is a spoken or maybe unspoken fact that some Federations force their athletes to take things, some athletes experiment on their own, so many have been caught and denied achievements in their sporting careers because of it. Is it worth it? They don’t make bad players better; they only make great players greater. Sports are no longer sports when people go out of their way, literally. The restrictions and check ups on doping today are pretty stringent too, which is good. In a way, its invasive yes, when officials can show up at your door any day asking you to take a test, and when they force you to disclose your location on a daily basis. At the same time, how else do we control for these types of substances to level the playing field to the natural and the truly talented and hard working, not all of the above and then some. A lot of athletes speak up against this. They compare it to the paparazzi, stalking their lives and questioning their abilities instead of appreciating them. And then the question of doping matters is so interesting in itself. Do the substances evolve like computers; are the doping officials as up to date as possible? Is there a chemistry team somewhere working on new developments and their override-systems like hackers do? Either way, if there is no other way to check up on athletes, then it must be done. After all this is their job and if employees can be subjected to tests by the corporate world, athletes can handle this too, especially since it is something that has the potential to change the face of sports.

Serena Williams claims the new anti-doping restrictions are “over the top” and she is not alone. Rafael Nadal is one of the most outspoken critics claiming it makes players feel like “criminals” and that it is “harassment”. Andy Murray is also against it. The only top player that is ok with it is Federer. He acknowledges that it is not the easiest system but nevertheless says, “I know it's a pain, but I would like it to be a clean sport, and that's why I'm OK with it." Maybe these protesters have something to worry about; they are “monstrously fit”. Maybe they really do feel insulted in a way, that they give it their best and still have to be subjected to this random testing. But hey, if it keeps the sport pure and keeps one of them from turning into the Hulk of tennis, it is worth it. Besides for a sport so concerned with apparel and appearance, that wouldn’t be a very pretty sight, we have enough muscle and grunting out there as it is.

Source: http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/tennis/news/story?id=3902886

Nadal vs. Federer

2009-02-21T18:26:00.000-08:00

There are so many questions surrounding the two great champion rivals of our time, or ever. Questions like who will be better in the end, will Federer ever break the recent domination by Nadal, will Nadal be able to stay in this insane shape with his knee injuries, will Federer ever win the French Open? We can only wonder for now and hope for a long continuation of these amazing history topping results from both. But being of the human nature that we are, seeking out patterns to predict things, we will always try to make the best guestimates that we can.

This is just a really great breakdown of this amazing rivalry that I came upon on the ESPN website and instead of changing it up and rewording it, I will just paste this link so you can check it out for yourselves.

Prejudice Invades Tennis in Dubai

2009-02-18T15:21:00.000-08:00

Discrimination in the tennis world?? Of course, why should that surprise us? Prejudice is present in our daily lives and we cannot ignore it. Israeli tennis player, Shahar Peer was banned from a Women's Tennis Association, sponsored tournament in Dubai,United Arab Emirates, because she is Jewish. The official explanation for this disgraceful action was to protect her from angry Arab fans. This two million dollar tennis tournament was not interested in protecting the player by adding more security, or standing up for freedom of religion, but instead cowered to mass mentality. Where is the outrage from the tennis community and the rest of the free world? More than any other sport, tennis crosses boundaries of race, ethnicity, and religion. These players are welcomed with open arms all over the world. Why has the WTA, ATP and other companies, not withdrawn their sponsorship?? How oblivious or greedy, are the top women players in the world, that they have not immediately withdrawn from this tournament in a show of solidarity. The men should also boycott Dubai. Why has only The Tennis Channel tacitly cancelled its broadcast plans. Why are the other sponsors not pulling out of this tournament? Why would other sports figures succumb to the money in Dubai and design golf courses, and play exhibitions in Dubai? How many matches has Federer,Nadal and Agassi played there? Everyone needs to take notice of this horrific action, and act, before this type of prejudice becomes malignant. There is no place for hate in tennis, or the world we live in. This is not the lesson that our children should learn. We urge everyone to raise their voices and be heard now!

Motivation in Tennis

2009-02-16T09:19:00.000-08:00

Motivation is a huge part of tennis. Players think so, coaches think so, and parents think so. Miguel Crespo and Machar Reid were so interested they ran a few tests and published them in the Br. J. Sports Med. 2007, in an article properly entitled “Motivation in Tennis”. We will briefly go over their findings.

Motivation is a very important psychological skill without which we wouldn’t do half of the strenuous things we do. Of course it comes along with things like drive, passion, persistence, competitiveness, effort, and desire to participate and win.

What is the importance of motivation? When coaches are asked what important psychological skills are needed in tennis they say fun and enjoyment, together with motivation and passion, self-confidence, positive thinking/self talk, positively managing mistakes, focus/concentration, emotional control, honesty/integrity, practice intensity, and keeping competition in perspective. Now that is a lot of things, but they are all related. Out of all these, when coaches of junior players were asked to list the hardest of those to teach, the majority said motivation. Which is true, how do you motivate an unmotivated kid?

What gets kids motivated to play? This is interesting because it varies among groups of people. Young tennis players seem to want to play to increase playing level, keep physically fit, enhance skills and make new friends, in that order. They also list things like satisfying parents or friends, feeling important, being popular, and earning rewards and prizes as secondary reasons for playing. Boys and girls differ too. Boys prefer competition, challenge, status, entertaining and rewards much more than girls do. Players over 12 are motivated by being popular, using tennis equipment, being around friends and satisfying parents to a greater extent than players under 12. Younger players also really want to be in good standing with their coach and perceive their role as tennis player positively unlike older players. So, it seems that reasons for playing are intrinsic and that extrinsic motivation comes with age. Age, gender and club atmosphere tends to influence motivation a lot. Boys on average are a lot less social and more competitive in groups, as I have noticed and age is definitely highlighted accurately here. I would even add that location influences motivation, not just the club. From personal experience, everyone in Florida is “going pro” no matter how much they believe in the fact themselves or exhibit potential for it, while players living in the north east tend to speak of playing for good colleges a lot more. These things are almost contagious.

What is goal achievement motivation? Goal perspective theory is one of the modern approaches to understanding motivation in tennis. This theory states that players that are “task-involved” define their progress in terms of how their skills have improved and how much they have learned versus “ego-involved” players who base their progress on things like doing better than others and being a lot better than everyone with minimal effort. This theory suggests that being “task-involved” is a more positive outlook for young players. Players that think this way perceive the sport as more important, and exert more effort playing. “Ego” players tend to experience more stress and have impaired concentration.

No less important is the climate surrounding the player, as it has to be motivational. It is basically how goals are structured in the players life, their training and competition situation as perceived by those around them. This climate is mostly created by close people like coaches and family members. Through the climate is how players seem to become either “task” or “ego” oriented. Players that grow up in a “task” oriented environment are less likely to burn out. This environment focuses on things learned and skill improvement and reinforces effort and directs players to focus on intrinsic rewards. The players in this environment have a better work ethic, more improvement, higher self confidence, satisfaction, enjoyment, persistence and sportsmanship. They are also happier with their coaches, peers and parents. “Ego” oriented environments emphasize results and outcomes, compare to other players, punish mistakes and recognize work of only the talented players which isn’t helpful for a team or club environment. This setting promotes out doing others and getting things without putting in the work. It detracts from player enjoyment, decreases their satisfaction with coaches and increases feelings of pressure. Self confidence also plunges as tennis performance goals are not met.

Tennis seems to become more “ego” oriented as players go from beginner to competitive. Evidently “task” system works for beginners and although “ego” may motivate competitive players more as they get older, coaches should refrain from using it and stick with the “task” method. The player’s support group has to foster positive patterns in players. They should address things like the meaning of success and failure. Reactions from parents and coaches after lost matches, extrinsic factors in training and player self esteem should all be spoken of and thought about. Tennis should be taught in an individual way promoting rewarding task involving environments based on skill level and drill difficulty. Practices should be stimulating, with a lot of variety of drills. Practices shouldn’t be overtly competitive but more cooperative, emphasizing effort and learning over beating other players. Helping individual players set realistic and measurable goals based on improvement and effort and autonomy in drill selection will help players stay in the “task” zone longer and out of the “ego” zone. It is also a good idea to mix up boys and girls in their practices, not keep it boys with boys and girls with girls. For variety on the one hand and to lessen the pressure that this gender exclusive sport places on kids that train together.

All in all, focus on yourself and how much you’re improving and how much you are learning. You will be a happier camper. And coaches and parents, teach don’t berate! You don’t want to be blamed for an early burn out!

Tsonga inspiring kids in South Africa

2009-02-12T08:16:00.000-08:00

"As a kid I never had a chance to go to clinics which were conducted by the world's top players," said Tsonga. "It's really great for them although I think many of them do not know the players here. But I would like them to go home and dream about becoming professional tennis players one day. They've got to be able to dream about it because that could be the start of great things for them. It's so important that they are able to dream."

Without a break after the Australian Open, Tsonga was on his way to the South African Open. He is now through to the semifinals and that is not the only good news from the trip thus far.

The tournament director arranges for the top players to teach a clinic to the little kids playing in the area. Escorted by the police, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Jeff Coetzee and Wesley Moodie visited Soweto (South Western Townships) on Wednesday to meet these little kids at the Arthur Ashe Tennis Centre in White City, Jabavu. The pro players took an hour of their time to run drills, play games and try to inspire and relay their love of the game to the children of these townships, many of them seeing tennis and holding racquets for the first time. The kids thanked the guys by singing them a song. This really sounds so cute! "It's extra special for me because I am part African. Hopefully by coming here today I can build on the legacy that the Arthur Ashe Tennis Centre has started. It was an important opportunity for me to come here to Soweto. As tennis players we are really well looked after, so the chance to give something back to the community is very important and I am glad that I was able to play some tennis and muck around with the kids and hopefully I can inspire more kids from Africa to play tennis in the future" said Tsonga of his visit.

South African Wesley Moodie was also really touched by the experience and said, "It was great. I was on the court with kids who had never played tennis before and I was pleasantly surprised how good some of them were. It just shows what type of potential can come from Soweto and if they have the right funding and the right guidance stars can be produced from there."

Moodie's doubles partner, Jeff Coetzee, also loved the opportunity, "I think it’s such a great thing! Arthur Ashe was such a great legend and to have something like that at that stadium - and I know they are going to have a Challenger there in a couple of months - and just to get tennis going, especially in Soweto, is going to be phenomenal. Hopefully people will come and support it and get tennis growing again in South Africa and in development areas. I enjoyed it, obviously giving back to development. You know I come from that kind of thing and it’s nice to see. I was lucky to hit with some players that had never touched a ball and I was very impressed. If they keep doing what they are doing there might be some guys and girls coming through hopefully in the near future somewhere."

It is really great the the ATP is not only hosting tournaments in under developed regions where tennis isn't as popular as some other sports, but also encouraging these types of workshops. South Africa already has some great players, but as a region of the world, it is an amazing place to further develop the sport. All you really need is a dream, some nice weather, a couple tennis courts and someone to pass the game on!

ITF JUNIORS

2009-02-10T08:50:00.000-08:00

Pictured: Itf player Valeria Pulido =)

Some new rules have come out regarding the International Junior Tennis Circuit that we have to catch up on, as a couple points catch the eye.

You have to be between ages 13-18 - pretty sure a few years back it was 14- 18
If you do not win a round in a tournament, you get no points, even if you have a bye or a walk over. If you win a round and then get a walkover, your can keep your points - It used to be that first round walkovers counted as a round if you won your second match
If you withdraw in the middle of a tournament in doubles or singles without a medical note, you will lose all points won in that tournament - this should stop players from skipping out on matches due to travel arrangements and what not, especially doubles
All matches are 2 out of 3 sets in singles with no break after the second set - there used to be a several minute break before the start of the 3rd
All doubles matches are 2 out of 3 sets with a ten point tie breaker for a third set and no ad scoring throughout the match - I think this is a shame, I think that ad scoring makes matches so much more interesting, it would almost be better if they implemented the 8 game pro set that collegiate tennis uses. The worst by far is the short sets used in some qualifying matches for challengers, sets to 4 games each. Those are the worst!
Players can only play one tournament a week - this will stop the extreme point chasers who don't win many matches but gain points in a lot of costly first rounds
Top 4 players from each nation should be in different sections of the draw so as not to play one another early in the tournament - this is fair although may prove difficult as there is an overwhelming number of Russian and American players in the draws these days
You can’t play 12 and under if you aren’t 10 years old - I don't know that many of the intense tennis parents will like this one
Can’t be internationally or regionally ranked if you’re under 12 - perhaps this will either stop some players from lying about their age to be the best 8 year old in the 12's to gain attention, or maybe it won't

Check out a link to an article about my friend's little sister - 7 year old tennis prodigy Amanda

There is a lot to cover, so if there is anything else you would like to know, go ahead and check out the official link

If you have any questions regarding the charity, or how to donate tennis racquets, visit TennisRacquetsforKids.org

CHAMPION INTERVIEWS

2009-02-05T19:24:00.000-08:00

Check out some memorable quotes and links to the interviews from the Australian Open.

Federer FINAL

http://www.australianopen.com/en_AU/news/interviews/2009-02-01/200902011233411537875.html

Nadal FINAL

http://www.australianopen.com/en_AU/news/interviews/2009-02-01/200902011233415660437.html

Bryan brothers FINAL

http://www.australianopen.com/en_AU/news/interviews/2009-02-01/200902011233468139906.htm

Mahesh Bhupathi & Sania Mirza FINAL

http://www.australianopen.com/en_AU/news/interviews/2009-02-01/200902011233474903000.html

Serena Williams FINAL

http://www.australianopen.com/en_AU/news/interviews/2009-01-31/200901311233404291046.html

Dinara Safina FINAL

http://www.australianopen.com/en_AU/news/interviews/2009-01-31/200901311233399228468.html

Recap Australian Open

2009-02-05T19:07:00.000-08:00

WOW. Need we say more? The men’s final once again proved to be the most interesting rivalry today of any sport out there. Even if you’re the most dedicated Nadal fan, admit it you cried! Nadal, a super talented all court, all surface fitness machine with now 6 Slams vs. Federer, the all court, 13 Grand Slams behind the belt with every shot in the book, cool factor. Another great final between two masters of the game! The two fierce competitors that always seem to rise to the occasion. Despite Nadal’s record breaking 5 hour semi final with Verdasco that must have spent him of energy vs. Federer’s 3 set breeze past Roddick; despite Nadal’s overall winning record over Federer vs. Federer’s lead on surfaces other than clay over Nadal, we can assume that Nadal probably felt less pressure going into this match. For those who watched the heartbreaking battle that took place during the Wimbledon final, and for those that know how much losses that mean everything to you have the ability to give you a mental block, can probably suppose that Federer may never be the same against Nadal in finals. It may not show on the outside, his shots are still there, but it may be on the inside, breaking down in the biggest moments of the match. Pleasing fans all over the world, what more can we ask of our favorite sport than this high level of tennis from two “fighters” in the tennis sense of the word.

On the women’s side, fans may be a little disappointed. Paying 200 some dollars to attend the final, just to see one end of the see saw hang up in the sky the whole hour or so. Serena proved herself to be the unbeatable force to be reckoned with, a force that has had its presence for a decade now. Back to #1, with no contender in sight. Serena walked out on the court, looked like she had a game plan, played so aggressively it seemed like her baseline was on the service line and broke Dinara Safina into an array of unforced errors and double faults. Experience, confidence, all of the above. Why are women’s finals so lopsided? Why are three set finals so rare? This brings us to another question. Is equal pay for women’s tennis today, really equal play? Maybe that is poorly worded, seeing as play is not equal in the sense that Serena can’t beat the #5 FSU men’s tennis player. But in the sense of competitiveness, it doesn’t live up to equality. Nadal has to play almost ten hours of tennis to get through the semis and the finals and Serena wins the tournament with a total of about 16 hours of play. Fans turn up to see the final and the first set is over in 20 minutes. Maybe women should play three out of five sets. Its not like they have to play against men, but tennis may get a little more competitive in that case, perhaps that’s the way to get it more equal to men and more deserving of the same prize money. This is of course open to discussion and will find a strong opposition, but why not? Tickets cost a lot, the best of women’s tennis are clearly unbeatable on average, female tennis players are more fit than ever for today’s game styles and the WTA could try it out with one tournament at first and see how it goes. I think it would be an interesting idea.

Last but not least, nor less significant is the doubles recap. Siblings on both sides of the draw ended up sweeping doubles crowns. The Williams sisters beat Sugiyama and Hantuchova, while the Bryan Brothers continued to wreck havoc in doubles for yet another Australian Open title. Does this say something about siblings and doubles; can no one cover two sides of the same court better than blood relatives?

Business Lady of the Court

2009-02-04T08:48:00.000-08:00

Serena’s career prize money is officially top of the top for women in sports.

Serena’s first pay check on the WTA tour was $204 at an event in Canada, nearly 14 years ago. Now, 14 years later, down under, she is in the singles and doubles finals of the 2009 Australian Open, breaking Annika Sorenstam’s record for career prize money by a female athlete. Serena is nearly at $23 million. If she happens to win, she will be nearly at $24 million. That is not even including endorsement deals. No wonder the draws on all tennis events, from local juniors to challengers have gotten bigger. Parents play their kids like the lottery now; everyone wants to try their luck at tennis. You go girl! This is a clear positive for women’s sports, tennis, girl power and a marker of unimaginable talent and hard work.

Source: http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/tennis/aus09/news/story?id=3870020

Desperately Seeking Aid for Tennis

2009-02-03T18:00:00.000-08:00

Tennis is an expensive sport. Lessons, Court time, Racquets, Grips, Strings, Apparel, Hotels, Flights, Entry Fees, Missing work. The list goes on and on and on. Some parents try to coach on the side to save some money, some send their kids to boarding schools because they can’t afford to drive them around and travel to tournaments, some give up their jobs to just travel. People try to get by. In this time of failing economy, job and salary cuts, the number of tennis players has not decreased but the amount of withdrawals from tournaments has. Meaning people are suffering a bit more. Here are some tips to save the family budget:

1. Write a letter to some racquet manufacturers stating your problem, your kids ranking and maybe a character sketch from their coach, asking for a discount or some free frames, strings, grips

2. See if your kid can volunteer to be a hitter at a local park or a club to get some free court time. Or just have your kid jump into other practices, extra tennis never hurt anyone

3. Send your kids to bigger tournaments alone, most nationals and ITfs have housing and transportation to and from

4. See if you can find sponsors among local chains, they could write it off and you could give them free advertising by sporting their logos.

5. See if you qualify for a USTA grant. Check out the official player development website for that.

6. Tennis Racquets for Kids,Inc. can also help provide racquets to those children who are not tournament players, but wish to experience the game.

Alley Pond Tennis Center Supports Tennis Charity

2009-02-01T07:56:00.000-08:00

The Alley Pond Tennis Center is supporting Tennis Racquets for Kids Inc. The center has many programs for children of all ages. Owner Hemel Cosme is excited to help provide an opportunity to less fortunate children to have fun and experience the game of tennis. The Alley Pond Tennis Center is now an official drop off site for used racquets that will be collected and then donated to organizations that work with underprivilged children.
If you have any questions regarding the charity, or how to donate tennis racquets, visit TennisRacquetsforKids.org

Hit the same/Mentally tougher

2009-01-30T07:00:00.000-08:00

Tennis is such a fickle sport. You can “own” one opponent but never be able to beat half the players that opponent is able to beat. Why is that? Everyone always runs to look at the draw to try to evaluate players based on their results on paper, and say things like, “Oh well, this #125 must be good, he beat the #35 last week”, or say things like “I always beat that kid, how does he win all these matches and I don’t?” It happens in the pros too, just not as often because the best in the world are, well, the best. When the level is so high, and the players so established in their training, techniques and fitness levels from an early age, a lot of the times the outcome of the match is solely based on the mental state of being, physical preparation and those outdoor indoor conditions of the time of play. Sometimes player’s games just don’t match up well against one another, causing this great divide between being able to beat two players in the top hundred, or being in the top 10 and being able to beat everyone.

Look at this years Medibank International warm up tournament in Sydney, right before the Australian Open. We will take Serena for example, although cases might be abundant on both sides of the draw. Quarterfinals, Serena Williams vs. Caroline Wozniacki. Nobody bet on

Denmark

’s Caroline Wozniacki to win the 09 Australian Open, many bet on Serena Williams, marking her clear favorite of that match. Of course Wozniacki is up and coming and Serena is a defending champion of many slams and a veteran of top rankings. Wozniacki could have beaten Serena, after all she had three match points to close out the match at 6-5 in the final set. Doesn’t mean Wozniacki played a lot worse, or can’t beat Serena, it just comes down to experience, nerves and those varying states of being. Serena ended up losing to Dementieva, who beat Safina to the trophy. Moving on to Australian Open. Where is Serena and where is Caroline Wozniacki? Wozniacki lost to Dokic 3^rd round and Serena is in the finals again. Perhaps the stage is bigger during Grandslams and not all the young players can compose themselves like the past champions, evidenced by the lack of underdog winners. It must be frustrating, knowing you can strike the ball no worse than today’s Slam winner, hold match points, but be unable to convert. Patience is a virtue, those who find themselves and beat their inner demons, come out on top in tennis. Because they all look good striking the ball.

So what is the punch line of this observation of juniors at the draw and close pro matches where the champions pull out the victory? More advice for kids! It is true; anything can happen in sports, so stay positive and don’t give up until the handshake. Seeing that someone can never beat a particular type of player may give away hints of what type of players they struggle against most. It’s good to be observant and strategical, it will teach you to think on the court. Playing a high seed at a big tournament probably does mean that they have a lot more match experience, but not necessarily wins. Work on your game, develop your strengths and learn how to play in all types of conditions against all types of players. No experience is a bad experience in sports as long as you learn from it. Most importantly train yourself to be mentally tough. If this observation means anything, it’s that if you hit enough balls, you will be good enough to play with the big shots. But to be a big shot, you’re going to have to be mentally tough and experienced.

Read Serena’s Interview from Australian Open on mental tennis:

http://tennisinfoblog.com/me-against-the-russians-serena-williams-australian-open-interview

To Retire, or not to retire?

2009-01-29T18:59:00.000-08:00

Global warming, summer in Australia, fact is, the heat was overbearing this year. We watched the players struggle, and we were sad to see the several retirements amidst really great tennis. Jie Zheng retired against Kuznetsova after hurting her wrist on a fall. Victoria Azarenka retired due to dizziness and sickness in her match against Serena. And Novak Djokovic retired against Roddick. Notice, all three were visibly unwell.

Kids retire for the wrong reasons sometimes. Some hate to lose so much they convince themselves they are unable to go on and retire. Others are really unwell and hate to lose so much, the more positive ones, walk side to side in hope of a miracle until they lose 6-0 in 15 minutes. Retirement should be monitored in kids. Pros would never retire because there is so much on the line for them, but they also care enough about their health and their full year jobs, to retire if they really can’t go on. Kids need to find that balance. Got an injury mid match? Playing on it will only make it worse? Retire! You don’t want to develop problems when you have years ahead of beating up your body. Feeling sick, be rational, no one needs a hero, but sometimes it is better to play through it. Don’t feel sorry for yourself, and you will see a clearer picture. Losing badly? All of a sudden an old injury is seemingly aching when you keep missing those forehands long? Try to slow down and figure out why you are playing the way you are and how to win more of the points that you win. Don’t give up. Its only going to break your character and your mental training and you will never be able to play up to your potential.

Check out Djokovic's defensive remarks against players that accuse him of gamesmanship:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tennis/7853238.stm

Check out Federer's comments on Novak's retirement:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/tennis/7853693.stm

Check out Azarenka's retirement and what her opponent had to say:
http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=3860412

"Me, Myself" and I

2009-01-26T14:00:00.000-08:00

No, its not that movie with Jim Carrey featuring a whole 10 seconds of Anna Kournikova and no it is not the confession of a narcissist. It is news from the sports retail world. It is the name of Adidas's new ad campaign.

“The new Adidas philosophy of Me, Myself is inspiring to me because it shows women as individuals; that we are all athletes in our own right and that we all have things that we do differently whatever level of athlete we are,” said Ana Ivanovic about her new Adidas campaign that is going to be in print and broadcast. That campaign is called “Me, Myself’ and features text that explains the 30 minutes that athletes need to themselves to peak. "Ana, 30. Thirty minutes of 'me' time - it's what I need before I can meet my next challenge. Impossible is nothing." This sounds like a very good and inspiring campaign.

I really like the sound of this campaign. It’s a good example to kids, who often forget about what their 30 is all about. Unfortunately that can be a lot of things from brushing their teeth twice a day, to writing out flash cards for an exam, to stretching before and after practices. Taking away from this particular campaign, I think this will serve as a great reminder to kids particularly about their 30 mins of stretching before and after tennis. So many juniors skip this step because it is “boring”.

Newsflash, sports are about routine, at least in preparation. Unlike many truly routine sports like gymnastics and swimming, tennis at least is a game with many interesting nuances and unlimited time to turn things around, to ploy game plans and dissect opponents. But those opportunities don't come to those that don't take preparation seriously. Take some time to figure out your 30, Me, Myself.

If you have any questions regarding the charity, or how to donate tennis racquets, visit TennisRacquetsforKids.org

Barney, Big Bird, Polly Pocket, Tennis Coach

2009-01-25T13:30:00.000-08:00

One of the hardest things in this world happens to be holding the attention of a 3-6 yr old. They are little bundles of energy and curiosity, and their minds tend to jump around and their thoughts scatter and they often forget what it is that they were doing a moment ago. A scary reminder of old people with memory problems. Nevertheless, accurate!

To grow good tennis players, kids simply have to start playing as kids, even better if they’re still toddlers. It takes millions of tennis balls and good coaching to lay the foundation right. A house with bad foundation crumbles, right? Sports aren’t any different. But a sport like tennis is pretty routine and mundane in some ways, and how on earth can it hold the interest of a little kid, repeating the same motions time after time, over and over again? Of course, there are group clinics for the Pee Wee class, where seven kids line up in a chaotic row and wait their turn to try to hit the occasional giant foam ball while a coach tries to fix their grip and show them the motion while keeping the other kids from turning their frames into weapons. Fun, yet not very productive. It is pretty important to take things into your own hands, parents…or take some private lessons, they will get more balls hit and more attention will go towards tennis, as in the actual fundamentals of the game. These kids are like little sponges, they just need to be constantly redirected and given correct things to imitate from day one.

Now, clearly, this can’t be a serious 30 min. – 1 hour lesson. Kids are not mature enough; they don’t have enough skills to try too many different things. Teaching little kids is like working on the cartoon network, if you want results. I can’t even begin to name the characters I have played to teach, I’ve dressed in neon colors and sang Barney songs with text like “bounce, hit”, pretended I was Spiderman for the little boys that had to hit the fireballs the basket spat back over the net, or played games like capture the money with various stages that granted a fake money reward for 3 shots hit correctly and over the net. This creative approach to coaching kids, may seem a little crazy from the side, but it is the most productive approach. It may drain the coach of energy, but it stimulates the kids to learn to do things correctly, it gets them used to routine and gets them to understand that hard work and productivity are rewarding, and fun! Not all kids are the same, not all kids like sports or show extreme athleticism at such a young age, and that has to be considered. There is an interesting understanding of the average American kid in Eastern Europe, and that is a kid who does fifteen things but not a single one well. Or there is the opposite understanding that Eastern European kids live out the one single dream of their parents with no back up what so ever, be it school, violin, or swimming. For some kids its worth to wait longer and find out what they are most inclined to be better at. For other kids it’s important to direct them early on so they develop the skills they need to be great. Both are a risk. Ultimately both develop children in a positive way.

So parents, if you’re thinking about raising tennis players, serious ones, here are some tips.

Spend time with kids yourselves; no one will make them understand how to work productively like you can.

Find a good coach who will focus on setting the right grips and technique off the bat. Poor technique is the hardest thing to fix.

Invest money in private lessons; your kids will improve faster.

Have them play often. It doesn’t have to be a lot while they are little, but often.

Work with your kids off the court by developing their eye hand coordination. Have them bounce tennis balls on their racquets and do some running, catching and throwing ball drills. Clearly, tennis is not ballet, but stretching your kids when they’re still little, will help their muscles become more flexible and athletic to handle the excess of exercise later on.

Don’t be afraid to get creative. The world is changing and our kids respond to a lot of things at a faster and more colorful rate. It takes more of everything to stimulate them, but kids will always be kids, make it a game and they will respond and learn faster than by force. Don’t burn them out.

Do not forget that kids are your greatest investment in life. Don’t be afraid to have them do something seriously from an early age. Especially sports. Athletic careers aren’t long lasting, thus they simply have to start early.

Support your kids, but don’t succumb to their every whimsical protest against taking something seriously. What they pick up at their most critical learning stages will stay with them for life.

If you have any questions regarding the charity, or how to donate tennis racquets, visit TennisRacquetsforKids.org

The Australian Open 2009

2009-01-21T21:44:00.001-08:00

Our new year is in progress, as well as our very first Grand Slam. Don't forget to watch the coverage on Espn2 throughout most of the morning, evening and night, as well as visit the official website for up to date scoring, draws and interviews.

Any guesses? It is a race to the number 1 spot for several players on both sides of the draw. Plenty of inspiration to give it their best as well as a hefty monetary reward and an eternal engraving on a trophy. Hopefully a beautiful semi final of Murray/Djokovic, Murray/Federer or Nadal/Djokovic, Nadal/Federer. On the women's side, my bet is with a Serena Williams/Jankovic final as I am pretty sure they want to add this to their resume pretty badly.

A Moment in History

2009-01-21T21:02:00.000-08:00

The 2009 Inauguration was disputably the most moving political event of a grand scale in a while. It was clearly a historical moment that was one of a kind and one for the books. I think in this time of difficulty that America is facing, having this overwhelming feeling of patriotism, change and hope is the only way to move forward. Of course, some people may not see it that way, as politics are divided. However, the outcome is ultimately inescapable and everyone needs to be on the same page more now than in a while. A lot of people criticized the expense of the event we watched just yesterday, but it simply couldnt have been done in a simpler way. Despite its cost, the event had to be rich and beautiful and elegant, because it marked a new era in history, it stood for a lot of different things to a lot of different people and it had to be noticed. It screamed greatness, change and hope. In our world of tennis, there are also heroes of the day. Tennis is as much a part of life where it concerns questions of gender, race, nationality, patriotism. In many ways, American tennis has been elevated to unprecedented heights by the Williams sisters and here is what they had to say about this great moment in history.

Source: Tennisinfoblog.com

Q. Big night back home for Americans with the inauguration. Can I ask you what that means to you? Also, early hours of the morning tomorrow. Will you try and wake up and watch it?

SERENA WILLIAMS: This is an amazing moment for American history. Even yesterday, the United States being Martin Luther King’s birthday. To have his birthday and Obama’s presidency fall so close to each other. This morning I was watching on the TV before I went out to play. I looked at my arm, and I literally had chill bumps.

I’m a big fan of African American history, learning my roots so I can be a better person. You just look at all the things that we’ve come through. Now to have this opportunity in less than 24 hours is amazing.

I don’t know, I’ll probably record it. I need my rest for this tournament. But it’s definitely something that I probably will look at.

Q. Is it inspiring for you and your sister? Do you feel in some ways yourself and Venus have done in a sporting sense what Obama has done in a political sense?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I definitely think myself and Venus has opened up a lot of doors, being the first African Americans to do so much in tennis. But I never really look at that. I just look at trying to stay focused.

At the end of my career, I always thought I would go back and kind of dwell on that, because I don’t want to get complacent and be like, Oh, I did this, I did that. It can become easy to become complacent with nine Grand Slams and counting (laughter).

Also: tune into a video conference with the William's sisters provided by Espn.go.com

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=3846053

The KEY to a great two handed backhand...

2009-01-21T21:00:00.000-08:00

The two handed backhand is a pretty compact shot that doesn’t require a huge backswing, or differs greatly in technique among too many players, but is often the weaker shot in comparison to the forehand (which is hit solely with the dominant hand). Why is that? Perhaps, the dominant hand is often the very problem.

The key really is simple. You have to hit tons of shots with your non dominant hand in order to develop a world class backhand. It is a misunderstanding to some point to think of a one handed backhand and a two handed backhand as the same stroke. One handed backhanders have a much larger and looser motion and use a lot more of their core and dominant arm to create spin and power. The best two-handers in the world barely use their dominant arm to create spin and power on their backhands. We completely overuse our dominant hand in tennis, with forehands, slices, volleys, serves and overheads all being hit with one arm. For those of us whose non dominant hand is underdeveloped, the tendency is to mostly use our dominant hand on the backhand as well, when in reality, the non dominant hand should be the main guiding force.

How do we develop our non dominant hand? Like everything else, we hit many more tennis balls and we practice it. You can get fed baskets of balls to the backhand side where you use the same grip, prepare with both hands, but hit the ball with your non dominant hand. You can also, incorporate it into your daily warm up, starting with mini tennis all the way to the baseline, alternating between two handed backhands and (lefty) forehands if you’re a righty (vice versa for lefties). This will ensure that you get a better feel for the ball and the wrist action necessary for your non dominant arm/hand in the complete stroke. Practice hitting both angles, through the court and lobs to feel the variety. Now, tennis players know that nothing happens overnight. This is really something that should be taught from an early age on and blended into a daily routine. Practice makes perfect and this really (REALLY!) helps!

If you have any questions regarding the charity, or how to donate tennis racquets, visit TennisRacquetsforKids.org

Kids Breaking Racquets

2009-01-19T22:15:00.000-08:00

We have all seen footage of John McEnroe and his on court temper tantrums, and we have all seen the antics of Marat Safin, and occasionally of his sister Dinara. There are many racquet breakers out there, and while most pros have it under control and serve us as great role models of keeping cool no matter the bad day and score (perhaps despite their inner most desire for outrage), there are plenty of juniors and amateurs who can’t control themselves (maybe its because only pros are really penalized with big green bucks).

Naturally, we were curious, medically, psychologically speaking if you will, why some kids lose it while others don’t. We consulted experts and came upon a study. Of course keep in mind that it’s pretty hard for studies to be perfect because there are just too many variables and factors to consider.

On January 1, 2008 there was an interesting study published by Melinda R. Bolgar et al. of the University of Florida, in the Journal of Applied Sports Psychology. The study was called “Trait Anger, Appraisal, and Coping Differences Among Adolescent TennisPlayers”. This study didn’t answer all our questions, but it focused on finding out the difference in how two different groups of kids cope with tennis situations. One group was labeled as kids prone to anger and the other comprised of kids prone to coolness. This study was also interested in finding out whether boys and girls manage anger differently.

Tennis officials record hundreds of penalties each year due to racquet abuse on the junior tennis circuit. Even that is surface data to how much breaking really goes on (not every tournament and practice has refs). From personal knowledge, Marat Safin’s Head representative used to lecture kids on the fragility of the frames citing Safin as the worst example, as he demolished an average of 45 frames a year and cost himself and the company quite a bit. Most people study anxiety, but few study anger when dealing with these racquet throwers and breakers. Emotions and psyche are a huge part of sports and a better understanding of them can contribute to more effective intervention from the coaches and parents as well as prevention of early burn out that haunts so many juniors. Plus, we’ve all seen how destructive negative behavior can be when kids get upset a lot on the court and are unable to really compete like they can. Dictionary-wise, Anger is an “emotion-action” and a reaction to stress. Now, stress can be ignited for many reasons such as personality, coping style, type of ego, one’s goals, how one thinks about and appraises threatening situations. It has been long proven that individuals with a trait for anger (lets think of it as genetic) get angry more and do it way more intensely. It doesn't mean that they care more or are playing much worse than kids that don't show emotions. In tennis, so many factors can undermine one’s goal like, cheating, wind, sun, bad day, a cramp, to name a few. Coaches always say, “Don’t make up excuses; your opponent is facing the same problem”, which is true, but not everyone can follow that advice easily. Most people get angry for the same reasons, the difference lies in how people cope. That is what separates the racquet abusers and screamers from the string fixers and deep breathers.

This particular study decided to give several surveys to about 103 (boy and girl) competitive teen (11-18) USTA tennis players. They gave them one survey to find out how prone the kid was to anger, another to see how they reacted to situations and a third to determine how often they showed their anger. The format of the questions was a rating scale (1-10) with statements like, “When I am angry I have a hot temper,” and “When I am angry, I avoid people to stay out of trouble.” To questions like, “I stayed in the situation and tried to control my emotions to better deal with the situation”, to “I often throw my racquet, scream, swear, hit the ground, hit the fence”.

The data they evaluated showed that kids prone to anger, react to the same types of problems that cool kids list, much more emotionally as opposed to rationally. Those who scored higher in reactive anger had more outbursts on the court and it didn’t seem to matter whether they were a boy or a girl. This supports the idea that kids who are less prone to anger find more solutions to the same stressful situations and are thus able to react more calmly.

The question then is, if a kid is prone to anger, will he/she never learn to control their emotions? That is not true; it just means that these kids need to be taught how to see problems from many more sides. To be open to change, not see things in just do or die. The goal is to learn how to identify how the kid is feeling about the problem and then modify their initial emotional reaction to see more ways out and find more logical resolutions. Kids should not be “locked into views of reality that hinder coping” these researchers say. Coping sounds like a better plan to win that match than throwing a fit.

Everyone gets angry, it’s a human emotion that we all have to express, however tennis is a game and no matter what it means to you, at the end of the day someone wins while someone else loses. Point is, by throwing your racquet you will never play your best and be able to focus on the ultimate goal. You will only upset yourself and let your opponent see your mental weakness. (This doesn't just concern the kids, we're talking to adult league players too ;P) Learn from the pros, even though, they too, are only human. Let this be a lesson to you kids especially, you're not all sponsored like Safin and get free frames, don’t crack racquets, they are your only weapons on court, if you really don’t need them, give them to us and we will give them to those that really do need them!

If you have any questions regarding the charity, or how to donate tennis racquets, visit TennisRacquetsforKids.org

For your pure entertainment...Links to YOUTUBE VIDEOS of what NOT to do

John McEnroe (King of classic anger)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxAPKtOe0fQ&feature=related

Andy Roddick

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sr3A10qZkE&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_pEOmEuToo&feature=related

Kristian Pless

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIzPZz2atDk&feature=related

Marat Safin (Prince of temper tantrums)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3QtkHSyvaE&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrlpJpKb0Do&feature=related

Roger Federer (exceptionally rare moments)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MW3Z5N6DjT4&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmCEgNR1TCk

Nicole Vaidisova

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=si00JdfqOsc&feature=related

Maria Sharapova

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htF0eMiEHvk&feature=related

Childhood Obesity & The Metabolic Syndrome

2009-01-14T20:00:00.000-08:00

One third of children in the United States is either overweight or obese. More teenagers are now being referred to surgeons for bariatric or obesity surgery. Something needs to be done to stop the cycle of continous weight gain in children. Obesity increases the risk for Type II, or non-insulin dependent Diabetes Mellitus. The number of children being diagnosed with this form of diabetes is increasing each year. Children today are found to have poor nutritional habits and higher cholesterol levels. Obesity is a risk factor for diabetes,and as these children become young adults, they could develop the Metabolic Syndrome. The Metabolic Syndrome is a group of findings that puts people at a higher risk for heart attacks and strokes. One of the characteristics of the Metabolic Syndrome is waist size. If you are a male and you have a waist size of 40 inches, or a women and have a waist size of 35 inches, you are at risk for the Metabolic Syndrome.

There are many reasons for this increase in childhood obesity. Poor food choices, the lack of knowledge regarding nutrition, lack of exercise, school burden and parent over scheduling. Gone are the days of coming home from school, going to the local park,and still having enough time to complete homework. Now, too much time is spent with video games, computers, and homework. Texting is a sport onto itself, but unfortunately does not burn enough calories. While schools are now first addressing healthier lunch items, they must also address the exorbitant amount of homework and projects given to children in middle school and high school. These are the ages where children are found to be overweight and obese. In the past, 10 math problems would suffice, now 25 problems are needed. Add to that, laboratory reports, and assignments requiring multiple chapters to be read and outlined in their other subjects, as well as, a testing and quiz schedule every two weeks. There is certainly no time for exercise, and a limited amount of time to sleep. Schools need to acknowledge this problem and limit the amount of homework. On the show, " Everybody Loves Raymond", Raymond had a feeble attempt to speak to his child's grade school teacher about the excessive homework, but he was intimidated. Was this another "show about nothing", or was it really true to life?

Parents need to take a more active role in educating their children about healthier food, and offer vegetables and fruits in the home. Fast food needs to be removed as a regular meal choice. Smaller portions and healthy snacks needs to be emphasized. Sodas and high calorie sport drinks should be very limited in the diet. Use your child's pediatrician as a resource.

When kids have down time, they turn to their computers, video games, and phones, not to exercise. Parents have to reinforce the benefits of regular exercise for their children.Exercise can be as simple as walking, going to a park, or bicycling. Given the time constraints on today's children, 40 minutes of continuous aerobic exercise four times a week, is a minimal recommendation. Any activity with movement, such as dancing, walking, basketball,soccer, hitting a tennis ball or paddle ball against the wall are all acceptable. The key word is continuous movement, and multiple times a week.

We are embarking on a new year, 2009, and now is the time to fight the growing epidemic of childhood obesity,and diabetes. This will lead to a growth in heart disease. This path is totally preventable with lifestyle modification and exercise. Take the time to help our children help themselves stay healthy. It is a team effort. The challenge is ours.

If you have any questions regarding the charity, or how to donate tennis racquets, visit TennisRacquetsforKids.org

This Weeks Highlights

2009-01-10T18:05:00.000-08:00

Ivanovic has lost to No. 23 Mauresmo in QF of Brisbane 6-3 6-2

If you have any questions regarding the charity, or how to donate tennis racquets, visit TennisRacquetsforKids.com

Stories of Interest

2009-01-07T12:04:00.000-08:00

- Anne Koethavong, the only British female tennis player to crack into the top 100 in the past 7 years, has launched her own website. Who doesn’t have a website these days. There are even plenty of parents launching sites for their juniors in hopes of attracting attention of sponsors, and mimicking the pros. That is not necessarily bad however.

- "I love my job. I love hitting balls, running, jumping, chasing after that ball. I love what I do, so that's what keeps me motivated," said 28 year old Venus Williams in Hong Kong this week, dissipating all questions about retirement plans. She has yet to win the French Open and the Australian and she is in great shape, why stop now!

- "I can't run and I can't play," said Davydenko. "I know that I may not return to the court soon." He is in a lot of pain due to a left heel injury and has pulled out of several pre-Australian tournaments as well as the first slam of the season. "What's important," he said, "is that I have to be fit as there are still three more Grand Slam tournaments left."

-"I have nothing to do with this," said Peer of the Israeli invasion of Gaza. "I'm Shahar Peer. I came here to play tennis. I know I'm from

Israel

and I'm proud of my country and that playing tennis is what I'm going to do tomorrow." Already in the quarters and surrounded by security, Peer was asked by the tournament to withdraw and respect the country’s boycott of

Israel

, but she didn’t secede to their request. "The sports boycott of

Israel

is a key part of any boycott campaign because it is much more visible than a trade or investment boycott and can have an important psychological impact," said a tournament representative. "Two days ago, I was crying a bit, actually more than a bit, so it was a hard time for me," she said. "I hope as soon as possible it will end and we will all be happy, because no one wants to be in a war." Peer said she had never previously been the focus of protests and had even been the first Israeli to play in the Muslim country of

Qatar

. She said the protesters had the right to express their views. "It's their choice and they are choosing what they want to do".

- "This could be a very meaningful season for me," Federer said. "I can equal Pete Sampras' record. I can add another Wimbledon title and this is something that is very dear to me. I can also win my first French Open title, so I am looking forward to my season." Federer has reportedly been training harder and feeling better and his fans have a lot to look forward to this season, including more great history in the making. "Rafa is my main rival," Federer said. "We have been doing it for so many years and have had great matches." Of course, both Federer and Nadal were beaten by Murray this week.

-IMG, the leading client management company in tennis represents some of the worlds greatest champions, such as Federer, Nadal, Sharapova, Venus Williams and James Blake. IMG also owns and manages many of the top tournaments like the Sony Ericsson Open and Australian Open and now they will represent Jelena Jankovic, the world number 1. She will be joining their modeling agency as well as giving them responsibility for all her management and promotion. She grew up training at IMG Sports Academy, curious why she hasn’t been offered this opportunity before now. Other changes in Jankovic’s life is her new clothing sponsor. Reebok has expired and the Chinese brand Li Ning didn't hesitate to pick her up. If that is indeed true, it would be a sure bet that this brand paid the most.

-News from the junior side is that Americans John Isner and Christina Mchale have earned wildcards into the Australian Open. They both won a round robin play off hosted by the USTA.

Photos: Nadal and Federer in Qatar
http://crazyworldoftennis.blogspot.com/2009/01/new-hq-pic-of-rafa-and-roger-from-doha.html

If you have any questions regarding the charity, or how to donate tennis racquets, visit TennisRacquetsforKids.com

WestHampton Beach Tennis & Sport Supports Tennis Racquets for Kids

2009-01-06T16:54:00.000-08:00

Tennis Racquets For Kids Inc. is grateful to WestHampton Beach Tennis and Sport for embracing our charity. Tennis Racquets for Kids Inc., is a non profit organization dedicated to the distribution of donated tennis racquets to individual children or to organizations or charities that represent children in need of such racquets. Owner, Scott Ferguson agreed that previously owned tennis racquets, which are often discarded, represent an opportunity to help children who otherwise might not be able to afford them. He was excited to help recycle these used tennis racquets which will now be provided to less fortunate children. A collection box was set up at the facility and racquets were placed in a drop box. We are thankful to WestHampton Beach Tennis and Sport, owner Scott Ferguson, and the WestHampton community for their overwhelming generosity and continued support in helping underprivileged children realize their dreams. A special thank you is also extended to Ms. Pam Shields for her extraordinary personal interest and contribution.

If you have any questions regarding the charity, or how to donate tennis racquets, visit TennisRacquetsforKids.org

In with the new, out with the old: good and bad news week 1

2009-01-05T19:12:00.000-08:00

All tennis fans know the rules of tennis but few tennis fans know how their role models make up their schedules, earn their points and keep their rankings. The rules, the paychecks and the technology keep changing and this year is no exception. Let’s take a look at the WTA tournament changes for the New Year. If you want to see the official break down, check out http://www.onthebaseline.com/2009/01/02/the-2009-sony-ericsson-wta-tour-roadmap-guide/, or download the 2009 calendar, http://onthebaseline.com/uploads/files2009_WTA_Calendar.pdf.

It is also important to note that the Sony Ericsson Tour has doubled the women’s points in value. This has been in effect since January 5^th, 2009. The new system will count one less tournament towards the player’s ranking (from 17 to 16). Check out the top 10 women’s rankings from the source.

"I couldn’t believe that I have got my own star in the sky. That is something unbelievable and I am so happy," said Jelena Jankovic as she really was awarded her own star bought for her by her sponsor Knjaz Milos and its brand of Aqua Viva water. For Astrology buffs, it is located in the SC2 Hercules constellation of North polar region and it is called JJ. Jankovic seems to be at the top of world with an Olympic athlete water polo player boyfriend, a world number one ranking and now a star to call her own in space.

Marat Safin was seeing stars last week. He arrived in Perth for the Mixed Team Hopman Cup, asked to reschedule the match and went to see a doctor. He then further stunned fans, when he showed up to play an Italian team with his sister Dinara, with two black eyes. In his statement he hesitated to give details about a brawl he had gotten into in Moscow, but didn’t hesitate to say the he had won the fight. He and Dinara also won their match.

Kim Clijsters is the opposite of celebration as she lost her 52 year old father, Leo Clijsters, to a year long battle with lung cancer. He was a former Belgian International soccer player and managed Kim in her tennis career until she retired in 2007. =(

Sven Groenveld is also at a loss this week as Ana Ivanovic has decided to drop her coach. Currently at No. 5 in the world, Ivanovic will likely be coach-less before the Australian Open.

Jelena Dokic, the former No. 4 in the world, had made her big advance for a comeback at the end of 2008 and she is now steadily climbing the rankings in preparation for 2009. Currently ranked at 179, she faced Mauresmo at a warm up tournament in Brisbane this week and lost in two tie-break sets. "If I got blown away maybe it wouldn't hurt so much,” said Dokic about her match. It will be interesting to follow her results this month.

Lindsay Davenport is definitely out with the old and in with the new. She will be making another halt to her career as she is expecting her second child. “Of course this unexpected but exciting surprise now means I will be putting tennis on hold for the foreseeable future,” Davenport said in a statement.

Andy Murray just beat Rafael Nadal 6-4, 5-7, 6-3 in the final of the Abhu Dabi exhibition match. He also defeated Roger Federer in the semis. That’s $183, 000 there. Looks like an exciting start and some possible majors on the way for Murray. Roddick and Monfils are cruising through the draws in Doha right now.

If you have any questions regarding the charity, or how to donate tennis racquets, visit TennisRacquetsforKids.org

#1's in 08

2009-01-02T22:00:00.000-08:00

2008 has come to a close and there are a few chart toppers that can't go unnoticed.

Maria Sharapova not #1 on court but #1 on Yahoo

- Maria Sharapova marked 2008 as the most searched for name. Having not played the majority of the year due to her injury, nevertheless she was able to beat out quite a few Olympians to top the list at #1. Its good to be talented, hard working and beautiful.

http://www.womenstennisblog.com/2008/12/28/maria-sharapova-declared-as-the-biggest-hit-on-yahoo-in-2008/

Jelena Jankovic and Rafael Nadal were ITF World Champions in 2008
- Nadal has proved himself to be a Grandslam champion. Jelena has not. This shows that more than one road can lead to glory.

If you have any questions regarding the charity, or how to donate tennis racquets, visit TennisRacquetsforKids.org

http://crazyworldoftennis.blogspot.com/2008/12/2008-itf-world-champions-nadal-jankovic.html

Happy New Year!

2009-01-02T21:49:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year from Tennis Racquets for Kids!!!

Here are some fun quotes from 2008 to start off the year with some humor:

http://www.tennistalk.com/en/blog/Cheryl_Murray/20081217/Top_tennis_quotes_of_2008_-_Federer%2C_Nadal_and_more

Tennis Fashionistas

2009-01-02T21:42:00.000-08:00

Vogue, move over, tennis magazine is here! It is amazing how far fashion has come in sports. Fashion in tennis has always banked on great personalities like Agassi and Chris Evert, but there has never been more freedom of expression through outfits on the court as there has been in this decade. Just this year at the US Open commentators were interviewing Chris Evert and asked her if she regretted the fact that she belonged to a prior generation, given that today’s tennis stars have so much more of everything. Chris Evert said no, but she did say that she couldn’t believe she had to pay a designer to wear a unique dress to the finals of a Grandslam whereas designers today are paying so much for athletes to wear their designs, or to even design their own as is often the case with Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova and of course Bethanie Mattek. It is pleasing to see how companies really try to stay fashionable and not only differentiate designs among the brands but even among their own collections. It definitely translates for a bigger fan base and more marketing opportunities when these outfits then hit general retail and the crowd goes wild. Here are a couple links to some of the Women’s fashions we witnessed in 2008.

Bethanie Mattek: http://www.womenstennisblog.com/2008/05/30/bethanie-mattek-gives-a-sneak-peak-into-her-wardrobe/

Amelie Mauresmo: http://www.womenstennisblog.com/2008/12/31/all-amelie-mauresmos-2008-reebok-tennis-outfits/

Jelena Jankovic: http://www.womenstennisblog.com/2008/12/25/what-did-jelena-jankovic-wear-during-2008-tennis-season/

Daniela Hantuchova: http://www.womenstennisblog.com/2008/12/21/retrospection-of-daniela-hantuchovas-2008-nike-tennis-outfits/

Maria Kirilenko: http://www.womenstennisblog.com/2008/12/18/video-overview-of-all-maria-kirilenko%E2%80%99s-2008-stella-mccartney-outfits/

Venus Williams: http://www.womenstennisblog.com/2008/12/17/all-venus-williams%E2%80%99-2008-eleven-outfits/

Ana Ivanovic: http://www.womenstennisblog.com/2008/12/16/video-overview-of-all-ana-ivanovic%E2%80%99s-2008-adidas-outfits/

Here is a sneak preview of the upcoming Australian Open outfits which promise to be colorful and radiant to start the new season off: http://crazyworldoftennis.blogspot.com/2008/12/adidas-australian-open-outfits.html

Men’s Fashion has changed over time as well. When you think Nadal and Federer, there is so much more than a rivalry there, or the talk of their difference in being a lefty or a righty, two hander or one hander, there is an entire persona that is formed, just as in the celebrity world. Look at Nadal’s custom pant style with the sleeveless tight torso hugging shirts and Federers always classy tuxedo look, it is not a coincidence, it is todays necessity for athletes that become so much more to the sport to differentiate themselves. They are brands to the world at the same time that they are at the peak of their athletic careers. Tennis is clearly a highly marketable sport and this great deal of fashion that goes alongside it makes it that much more interesting and jubilant. This dual factor can probably be further explained by the fact that almost every female tennis player wishes to have a parallel career in fashion and modeling, they are so intertwined.

If you have any questions regarding the charity, or how to donate tennis racquets, visit TennisRacquetsforKids.org

Roger Federer & Rafael Nadal: http://www.blackbookmag.com/article/federer-vs-nadal-blazer-vs-pirate-pants/3265