Our world feels increasingly complex, unpredictable and scary. Some studies claim that extreme interconnectivity through social media, technological advancements and instant gratification are detrimental to the mental and emotional health of children. As a result, parents look to tennis for answers. Tennis is an amazing sport for developing independence, character and an active lifestyle….
In any player’s life, there are defining moments. These moments can take place while playing a match, while watching someone else play, or simply by having a conversation. When looking back at my 42 years in this game as a player and a coach, I can single out a few events that had a lasting…
Think back to the last Grand Slam final you saw … the winner and runner-up always raise the microphone and shout out to their team, thanking them for their unwavering support. In order for any athlete to reach the highest level of performance, there are underlying principals which can serve as a guide to the…
Competitive players often find that they cannot maintain consistent play, focus and a strong positive attitude during matches. Let’s consider a “Competitive Player” as one who, at any level, plays matches that are important to them. We would expect a higher-level player to be more evolved and a less-experienced player to be less-evolved, but…
I was thinking about all of you who follow this column and have been extremely loyal after all these years. I was thinking about your tennis … your wins, your losses, while looking ahead to see what is next. It came to me to ask you … Are you improving? Do you feel that all…
Coming back from our first men’s tennis match with a win in tow in the van back to Oneonta, N.Y., with the players asleep in the back, is some of the best time for me to gather my thoughts. I comprised our efforts and appreciated their win almost as much as they did. I knew…
Oftentimes, the most difficult opponent to face during a tennis match can be yourself. Tennis is one of the most challenging sports from a mental and emotional standpoint as you are often out there on court all by yourself. Long Island Tennis Magazine discussed a number of common scenarios with experts in the field of sports…
One of the hardest shots in the game to master is the serve. And one of the hardest serves to master is the Kick Serve. The Kick Serve is often tremendously difficult to learn for most players. I have many students coming to me from New York City and around the country who are…
Recently, there is a lot of talk about new rules that will be introduced to the pro circuit. Some of these rules are revolutionary and are almost unheard of for an “old schooler” like myself. But then again, when I played in the Davis Cup for Israel back in the 1980s, we played no tie-breaker…
The John McEnroe Tennis Academy’s (JMTA) Long Island satellite location at Sportime Syosset will be hosting an open tryout, giving players an opportunity to earn full and partial scholarships for the 2018-19 year. The tryouts are open to players ages 6-16, and will be held on Sunday, June 17 at Sportime Syosset, located at 75…