Roosevelt Island Racquet Club’s Anne Hobbs Tournaments Provide Players With Unique Competitive Experience
On a beautiful late-October morning, a group of dedicated tennis players gathered at the Roosevelt Island Racquet Club to participate in one of the club’s unique offerings: Anne Hobbs Doubles Tournaments.
Run quarterly, these tournaments bring together a mix of different women’s tennis players to compete in a round-robin style competition. At some of them, you can choose your own partner to compete with throughout the duration, but other times, like the one this October, every lady switches partners in each match (which were played to a total of five games).
By switching up partners for each round-robin, it forces each player to quickly adjust not only to their opponent’s games, but also their own partners, which really tests each player’s ability to think on their feet, and handle any distractions that may arise.
“The matches are very quick, so the intensity is heightened, and it’s a bit like playing a tiebreak,” said Hobbs. “We really focus on playing under pressure. It’s beneficial to have practices and take lessons, but nothing replaces that competition. Whether they win or lose today, the goal is to learn from what happened, and how to better deal with those pressures.”
There are snacks and drinks provided for the players, and there are smiles abound throughout the event’s duration, striking the ideal balance between having a good time but diving deep into the heart of the competition.
“I’ve been playing weekly for the last three years, doing clinics about two times a week, and I love to play in Anne’s tournaments,” said Laura Raicovich. “As somebody who played competitive sports in college, it can be harder to find that when you get older. So it’s nice to have that in a fun, light-hearted environment. I call it ‘fun competitive’, we take them seriously but it’s about having fun, playing good tennis and being in the moment.”
A key tenant of the tournaments is the guidance and advice provided by Hobbs both before, during and after the matches. Hobbs watches each player meticulously, taking notes on what each did well or could improve on, and relays that information to them when they come off of the court. This dynamic is crucial because it ensures that the players are learning as they go, and are able to improve upon it.
Hobbs’ instruction is invaluable. She is a former professional tennis player from Great Britain who reached the fourth round in singles at all four of the majors during her playing career as well as reaching the doubles final at both the Australian Open and U.S Open, as well as a Mixed Doubles final at the Australian Open, before becoming a tennis coach.
“At the end of a tournament, we talk about things that they may not have bargained for, or how they managed their emotions during the big points,” Hobbs explains. “It’s not so much about working on the technical side of things. And sometimes, players don’t necessarily know what questions to ask, but they know that as I watch, I am able to sift through the things we should work on in the next lesson or clinic.”
The tournaments serve as a great way for players to meet and compete with new people, and be able to tap into the competitive nature of the sport.
“I come here from time to time to do clinics, and have played in four of Anne’s tournaments,” said Lorri Ahl. “It’s interesting because you are playing with people you’ve never played before, and you have to adjust to that, and so it provides a perfect way to see if you want to do more competitive USTA leagues. These tournaments are perfect for preparing me for the league I play in.”
At the end of each tournament, Hobbs addresses all the players, and provides plaques for the winner (the player who won the most total games) and runner-up. Every player walks away from the competition feeling better about their tennis games, and are ready to continue improving at their next clinic, lesson or match.
SCENES FROM THE ANNE HOBBS TOURNAMENT AT ROOSEVELT ISLAND RACQUET CLUB
