Greetings!
May highlights included world-class tennis, with the Final Eliminator playing in Philadelphia and the U.S. Ladies Open in Washington. Georgian Court hosted the always popular Anne Boleyn women’s handicap singles. We‘ve also included a report from the U.S. Amateur that concluded after our deadline for last month’s Chase the First. Read on for all the tournament coverage.
The U.S. Pro Singles playing for The Schochet Cup is in June. The draws are posted, and we will stream all matches on the USCTA YouTube channel. The USCTA will hold its Annual General Meeting on June 10 via Zoom. All USCTA members should have received a notice and proxy form via email.
On June 20, 2023, the world will celebrate the tenth annual International Tennis Day. Check out the plans for the day and follow the action on ITD - #itennisday.
This summer, more world-class tennis is on the horizon, including the U26s, Van Alen, Clothier and Limb Cups, the Junior Championships, and the Pell Cup. The 2023-24 tennis season will kick off with the 2023 World Championship singles between World Champion - Camden Riviere and Challenger – John Lumley. Stay tuned for more news from the host – Washington - on the big event!
We close with this month’s Pro Tip from Steve Virgona on personal investment and injury prevention. Staying healthy is half the battle to keeping in the game.
Lots to cover, so let’s get moving.
Until next month….
Sincerely,
U.S. Court Tennis Association
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INTERNATIONAL TENNIS DAY -
WHAT TO EXPECT
by Victoria Scott
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Mark your calendars! June 20 is our tenth annual International Tennis Day, and we have organized an international committee to promote the day, with leaders in all four playing nations. My name is Victoria Scott (from the Racquet Club of Philadelphia), and I am taking the lead for the U.S. effort this year. Both the USCTA and the Preservation Foundation have been great influences in making sure that every club in the U.S. is participating and that this year is our most memorable year yet. Here's what we can look forward to this year and what you and your friends can do to promote our wonderful sport.
The New York Racquet and Tennis Club is putting on their annual All-Comers—a fully handicapped tournament for everyone in the club with no brackets. I was going to quote the newest and youngest member of the R&T staff (and my good friend), Peter Dickinson, but he politely declined since this is his first ITD with R&T and he hasn't seen the magic happen; so, I asked one of my favorite members instead, Wells Ross.
"International Tennis Day, and the start of the All-Comers Tournament at The Racquet and Tennis Club, provides a great opportunity for all members to celebrate the game we all love," Ross said. "The All-Comers is particularly enjoyable and gives those of us with higher handicaps that chance to play against the best with a banned Tambour!" The Tennis and Racquet Club and the National Tennis Club will fight for the Patriot Cup, a heated match, with Newport taking on Boston on International Tennis Day. Tony Hollins, Head Tennis Professional, shared, "We'll have a full day of action in the battle for New England court tennis dominance." Who do you think will take the reign of New England court tennis?
Since 2014, International Tennis Day has been an annual celebration to raise the profile and catalyze interest in our game of tennis. This year at the Racquet Club of Philadelphia, we will play a "Cramped Odds" tournament and host an International Tennis Day-themed party. Court tennis balls, racquets everywhere, and signature cocktails named after the greats; "The Lumley" is my favorite: vodka, pineapple juice, and a splash of soda and grenadine. We hope to see some great outfits and listen to groovy tunes all night!
A great idea came from Westwood Country Club. James Greenley and Ivan Ronaldson are planning a fancy-dress-themed mini-tournament—four teams dressed in National gear of the U.S., United Kingdom, France, and Australia. I can't wait to see pictures—and videos—from that! I am looking at you, Tony Lago!
International Tennis Day lasts thirty-nine hours—from the stroke of midnight in Australia that starts June 20 to the stroke of midnight in Chicago that, ends that night. Everyone participating in International Tennis Day should upload photos on social media (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok) using the official hashtag #itennisday with your banner. Follow the hashtag #itennisday throughout the day and interact with the global community.
On behalf of the ITD Committee, we cannot wait to see your photos and recaps of the events and send our thanks and appreciation to all participating! Tune in for a full recap of International Tennis Day 2023 in the July issue of Chase the First.
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U.S. PROFESSIONAL SINGLES
PLAYING FOR THE
SCHOCHET CUP
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The National Tennis Club at the International Tennis Hall of Fame is excited to welcome the professionals for the U.S. Professional Singles playing for the Schochet Cup from June 12th to 17th. Nine of the top ten players in the world will be competing, including twelve-time champion Camden Riviere.
All of the matches will be live-streamed by the talented Mr. Ryan Carey on the USCTA YouTube channel..
There is an opportunity to play in a Pro-Am competition on Thursday, June 15th and Friday, June 16th. We are also still accepting contributions if you are interested in supporting the event.
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John Lumley, Marker Andrew Lyons and Nick Howell
Photo by Barney Tanfield
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THE FINAL ELIMINATOR
by Barney Tanfield & Rob Whitehouse
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Final Eliminator
John Lumley
vs
Nick Howell
Day 1
By Barney Tanfield
On Monday, May 15th, 2023, the Final Eliminator began at the Racquet Club of Philadelphia between John Lumley and Nick Howell. Both players were playing in their first Final Eliminator and had played convincingly well in their prior Eliminators. The mainly home crowd filed in eagerly, and that atmosphere filled the court from the first ball struck.
Both Nick and John displayed elite characteristics in the early going. John’s retrieving and accuracy were on show against Nick’s target shooting and aggression. John stubbornly retrieved and parried efficiently while providing a steady dose of winners (a number of tight Main Wall Dedans and Grilles were of note). The combination was sometimes frustrating for Nick, who managed some absolutely brilliant targets of his own but struggled with the status quo. The match wound up four sets to love in favor of John, with a more competitive match than the score indicated and Nick’s best play coming in the fourth set.
On the Second Day (Wednesday, May 17th), the players will either play first to four sets, or if John should win three sets, he will triumph and move on to the World Championship against Camden Riviere in September. Nick will have to continue building with pace and target shooting while serving better and mixing his boasting and cut volleys more effectively.
John will have to keep up his consistency and focus as he approaches potential victory. The stage is set for another fantastic day of Tennis!
Lumley leads 6-3, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4
Day 2
By Robbie Whitehouse
Day two of the final eliminator was set to be another great day of Court Tennis. John came out of the blocks quickly, applying continuous pressure to Nick. John, in that zone that all players want to find themselves in, won the first 14 games of the day, leaving him 6-0, 6-0, 2-0 up. Nick was still playing well but unable to win big points against a relentless John.
The rallies were getting better and better as the games went on, with both players showing amazing athleticism and retrieval. Nick, looking like he was starting to feel confident about his forcing and target hitting, battled back amazingly to take the 7th set 6-5. Nick saved a match point and had the crowd cheering after an amazing set of Court Tennis.
The 8th set started fast-paced with targets from both players. It was two games, with John and Nick fighting for each point. Feeling like the day was hinging on the next few games, John knuckled down to win the next four games and close out the day 6-2 in the final set to secure his spot in the 2023 World Championship. After an astounding two days of Court Tennis, the crowd provided a standing ovation for both players. Nick battled hard all the way through and was a fantastic competitor. Playing an amazing second day of Court Tennis, John was in impressive form and gave it his all. Congratulations John!
I'd like to thank the Racquet Club of Philadelphia for hosting an amazing event and all the sponsors for their support. We were so lucky to watch some world-class Court Tennis and look forward to seeing these guys battling again in the future.
John Lumley defeats Nick Howell 7 sets to 1 in the Final Eliminator 2023
6-3, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4, 6-0, 6-0, 5-6, 6-2
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Claire Fahey, Penny Lumley, Mary Livingston,
Saskia Bollerman & Lea Van Der Zwalmen
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2023 U.S. LADIES OPEN by James Greenley
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Westwood Country Club was honored to host the 2023 U.S. Ladies Open on May 19 – 21. With a draw comprised of players from across the U.S., UK, and France and which countries featured two World Champions, it was sure to be an exciting tournament, and the weekend did not disappoint.
Twelve players competed in the singles draw. The first-round matches began on Friday afternoon and fell as expected. However, the final scores did not reflect all the competitive points and the heart with which all ladies played. Both singles semi-finals saw doubles partners pitted against each other. In the first semi-Saskia Bollerman faced Lea Van Der Zwalmen. In the second semi-final, current World Champion Claire Fahey played former World Champion Penny Lumley. In both matches, the higher seed prevailed, which set up the number 2 seed Lea Van Der Zwalmen, to face the number 1 seed, Claire Fahey. This final match was an exciting one to watch. Leah battled and retrieved and forced Claire to work for every point. In the end, Claire emerged victorious 6-3 6-3.
Eight teams competed in the doubles. While the composure and grit players displayed in their matches were impressive, the support and respect for fellow players were most inspiring. The doubles final was closer than expected. Claire Fahey partnered Penny Lumley against Lea Van Der Zwalmen and Saskia Bollerman. There were some long rests and many deuces. Penny and Claire took the first set 6-3. Lea and Saskia played unbelievable tennis in the second set to take the set into a 5-all decider. Claire and Penny took the final game to win the Ladies U.S. Open 6-3 6-5. It was an incredible achievement for Claire to extend her unbeaten record and for Penny, a former World Champion, and the oldest woman to win an Open title.
A special thanks to Ryan Carey for his tireless efforts, which enabled the live streaming of this event. Thanks to Ivan and James for their organization and marking. Lastly, a huge thanks to Vern Cassin for chairing the tournament and to Vern and his wife, Emily, for hosting a wonderful player dinner.
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Claire Fahey, Mary Livingston & Lea Van Der Zwalmen |
Freddie Bristowe & Robert Shenkman |
2023 U.S. AMATEUR
by Erik Barker
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The 2023 U.S. Amateur, taking place April 27-30 at Westwood Country Club, exhibited staggeringly excellent play from a myriad of motivated players. The tournament kicked off Thursday night with the beloved Ryan Carey knocking off a spirited effort from locals Vern Cassin and Mark Philpott, aided by steady play from Dan Sternberg. Friday morning arrived with some unbelievable matches. John Motz and Bill Barker battled for 2 ½ hours, with Motz eventually prevailing in a game that lasted well over ten minutes. Freddie Bristowe and Henry Smith would edge Ben Hudson and Charlie Hurstel in a highly competitive match featuring excellent volleys and pace from all players. Erik Barker barely squeaked by an impressive Hurstel in the singles. He ran into similar adversity in the doubles, with Danny McBride and Brad Allen putting together inspirational tennis that fell just short in the third. Thus, though handicaps tended to predict the eventual outcome of each match accurately, in-person and online viewers were thoroughly entertained for the day.....
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Peter Cipriano, Robert Shenkman, Noah Motz & Erik Barker |
Margaret Werner & Priscilla Person |
ANNE BOLEYN
by James Greenley
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Nine players competed in the 2023 Anne Boleyn Ladies’ Handicap weekend. The tournament was held at Georgian Court University on May 5-7, 2023 and included players from the Racquet Club of Philadelphia, Aiken Tennis Club and Westwood Country Club.
Using a round-robin format, the players were divided into three groups. The winner of each group went on to play for the Anne Boleyn title.
The final was played as a round-robin between Priscilla Person (RCOP), Margaret Werner (RCOP) and Katie Willers (WCC). Person won both of her matches and the title. Werner came in second and Willers third.
In the plate final, Libby Gephart (RCOP) overcame a tough handicap to defeat Katy Morse (WCC) 6-4, 6-5.
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UPCOMING
EVENTS
JUNE
10
USCTA ANNUAL MEETING
VIA ZOOM
10-17
NEWPORT
Professional Singles
16-18
TUXEDO
National championship for amateur mixed doubles teams
JULY
7-9
U26s
WASHINGTON
National Championships in singles & doubles for players under the age of 26.
10-16
VAN ALEN, CLOTHIER &
LIMB CUPS
WASHINGTON
International team championships for players under the age of 26.
14-16
U.S. JUNIOR DOUBLES/
LIEB CUP
TUXEDO
National Championships in doubles for players age U19, U17, U15, U13, U11.
17-21
TUXEDO
21-23
U.S. JUNIOR SINGLES
TUXEDO
National Championships in singles for players age U19, U17, U15, U13, U11.
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A wise man once said “The most important investment you can make is in yourself”
I couldn’t agree more with this statement.
There are many different investments in yourself you can make, such as good nutrition, adequate sleep, or regular exercise.
Today, I would like to focus on injury prevention.
Unfortunately, injuries are a part of sport and exercising.
By developing a consistent, effective warm up routine, you can help mitigate some of the risk of incurring an injury.
Starting with your feet, work your way up through your entire body from toe to head. I like to start with some calf raises to work my feet/ankle/calf area, then work my way upward. Today, it’s as simple as searching YouTube to find an effective, active stretching routine for each muscle group to warm up.
Finish by doing some "ghosting” to imitate your playing style and your movement likely to take place over the next hour of play.
Jumping rope is also an excellent way to get your heart rate going and your muscles ready.
Once you’ve designed your routine, build it into your tennis session. For example, if you have a 5pm match and a 10-minute routine, 4:45pm is game time. This will allow sufficient time to change, warm up and be ready for tennis.
There’s no guaranteed way to prevent an injury but by making this relatively quick, 10-minute investment in yourself each time you play, you’re more likely to remain healthy and on the court.
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