Time to Rally: You Gotta Have A Gimmick

By Steven Kaplan
Patrick Mouratouglu, the coach of Serena Williams and promoter of the Ultimate Tennis Showdown, is gaining headlines by warning, "We need a revolution or tennis is dead." His plan for this revolution centers on attracting new fans to the game includes events like his where players will be "miced up...Read more

Time to Rally: Unstoppable

By Steven Kaplan
At 88-years-old and in the midst of a global pandemic, Nick Bollettieri should be content to shelter at home and continue his work providing wisdom and inspiration remotely. But that's not how he works. Nick collapsed on the court and was taken to the hospital with a kidney infection recently...Read more

Time to Rally: Lord of the Flies

By Steven Kaplan
The tennis community governs itself for the most part, and in the best of times is a fiercely competitive market-driven economy that has created a thriving and highly successful system. These are not the best of times, however. With a void of real leadership and high levels of stress, what we...Read more

Time to Rally: Group Projects

Photo courtesy of Getty Images
By Steven Kaplan
Recently, I’ve been watching many local webinars about the state of the industry, and I was reminded about my days back in elementary and junior high school about what makes a good group project presentation: It should have a coherent central theme. The theme should be introduced. It should be...Read more

The U$ Open

By Steven Kaplan
In evolving announcements that would put a Rube Goldberg machine to shame, the USTA has announced that "our plans to stage the US Open on our scheduled dates at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York with fans remains on-going." Except, we "have been aggressively modeling many...Read more

Time to Rally: Valuable Resources

Photo courtesy of Getty Images
By Steven Kaplan
The USTA has stepped up with $50 million to support the tennis industry and it could not have come at a better time as most in the industry are feeling the strain. This is both an act of generosity and a wise investment because it will help the industry thrive once more. A good portion of these...Read more

Time to Rally: Tennis Industry United

In this collaboration of the largest tennis organizations in the country, links to government economic response programs like The CARES Act can be accessed.
By Steven Kaplan
"In an alliance called “Tennis Industry United” , the entire tennis industry has come together to analyze the most pressing needs and the top concerns of all who are involved in our sport, and then collaborate on programs that can provide the immediate and longer term support that is needed. In...Read more

Time to Rally: Right Amount of Fear

By Steven Kaplan
Without fear on the tennis court, we would aim for a line and try to hit a winner on just about every shot. With too much fear, we would fail to strike firmly when we have an open court to hit to. So how much fear is the right amount? Just enough to get us to act responsible and conscientious so...Read more

Time to Rally: Fact And Opinion

By Steven Kaplan
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, in one of his daily addresses earlier this week, talked about the importance of separating FACTS from OPINION. Facts are "calming and empowering", he stressed. As a coach, my opinion on technique, mechanics, tactics, strategies and training for each student matters...Read more

Time to Rally: In This Together

By Steven Kaplan
Parts of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park are now a hospital to help ease the healthcare burden in New York City. While I have not always been a fan of USTA policy and protocol, as a tennis fan and as a New Yorker, this unprecedented action makes me...Read more

Time to Rally: Trust Science

By Steven Kaplan
I believe in science and if you spend hours a day staring at a screen, then you believe in science too (or you are insane, or perhaps both…but more about that later). This virus doesn't have a nationality or a race but it loves when you touch your face and hates soap. Science tells us this. Much of...Read more

Time to Rally: Call Someone

Call an old friend. Call a relative. Call your kids. Call your Grandparents.
By Steven Kaplan
While we describe the practices of today and refer to "Social Distancing”, a more accurate term would be “Physical Distancing”. For many young people, 12 hours a day of "FaceTiming" is the new norm and it has the potential to bring people closer, so I will keep today's blog brief: Call an old...Read more