Youth Tennis Advantage Recieves USTA Grant
Youth Tennis Advantage is among 54 non-profit organizations across the country to benefit from over a half million dollars in Recreational Tennis Grants courtesy of the USTA. The YTA will receive $35,000.
The USTA’s Recreational Tennis Division has pooled together financial resources to create a new series of grants to be distributed on a bi-annual basis to non-profits that are committed to increasing tennis participation, well-established in their communities, support tennis programming and foster diversity among participants.
Winning organizations include Parks and Recreation agencies, YMCA’s, USTA NJTL Chapters and entire school districts.
“We’re thrilled to be able to invest over $500,000 to organizations all over the country that believe, as we do, that tennis can be the vehicle to improve the quality of life and education for both children and adults alike,” said Kurt Kamperman, Chief Executive, Community Tennis, USTA. “These organizations are committed to growing the game of tennis by implementing important local programming such as the QuickStart Tennis play format and Jr. Team tennis. The USTA is proud to be able to assist them in their efforts.”
Tu at One Leads University of S.F. Dons
Years ago USF Dons coach Peter Bartlett had a goal to lift the tennis team to greater heights and take a place among the high-performing schools. As he inches forward, his No. 1 player this year, Tommy Tu is just the kind of player who’s giving the program a boost.
While the team was 4-9 in April, Tu was 9-5, the only player on the team with a winning record. And with teammate Asaf Cohen of Israel, Tu owned the team’s best doubles record, 7-2.
But last fall, Tu made a much bigger splash. The 22-year old Vietnamese from Alameda beat Washington’s No. 1 player and got ranked No. 95 in the nation. It was the first time Tu had broken into the 100. Now he’s 103. The numbers turn heads and further Bartlett’s campaign.
“Becoming a national caliber, NCAA-qualifying team is our goal,” Bartlett says. “And we’re moving in the right direction. Tommy’s national ranking helps. He has been a big part in getting that reputation. Now, he’s undefeated in the conference.”
Over his 12 years coaching, Bartlett’s teams have often struggled for winning seasons in the WCC, which is usually dominated by Pepperdine. Last year the Dons were 15-8. But the stat doesn’t reflect the schedule-strengthening Bartlett has done to fulfill his pledge, or the team toughening that Tu exemplifies.
“When I was a freshman and sophomore we didn’t play Stanford, Cal, Arizona and Washington,” Tu said. “We’ve added a lot of Pac 10 schools.”
More pressure rests on a No. 1 player, not what Tu experienced playing lower in the lineup.
“Every match is hard,” Tu says. “ It’s not like playing 4, 5 or 6 when you’d have an easy match every now and then. I’m working harder to win. I have to show my teammates I deserve to play No. 1. And I’ve improved a lot.”
Across the bay, Tu’s younger brother, Thai, plays in the middle of the Cal lineup as a freshman. They are pretty close and call each other after a match to get the other’s results. Practicing together two years ago they were 50-50, Tu says, but now he has Currently, casino pa natet the DSA is considering banning PDIs from being able to provide driver ed online lessons for payment. a 9-to-1 edge.
“I’ve improved a lot,” he says.
Tu’s goal at the start of the season was to break into the top 100. Now it’s to qualify for the NCAA singles tournament, which calls for a top 64 ranking.
Bartlett has no doubt Tu’s the man for the job. Most of his matches have been against players Mit “Fruits & Sevens” kannst du einen waschechten Fruit Slot book of ra deluxe spielen, wie man sie klassisch von Novoline kennt. ranked in the top 125 and he’s had good results so far.
“He’s up for his matches and he’s quick and has a high tennis IQ,” Bartlett says. “He’s quite good in a tight spot.”
Now if some of Tu’s example can rub off, maybe the team can climb up a notch. By April, the Dons had lost five 4-3 matches, faltering mainly in doubles. But April 4, the Dons won their first 4-3 match of the season against Loyola Marymount to go 3-2 in the WCC.
Bartlett vows to continue strengthening the playing schedule.
WAC Buys San Francisco Tennis Club
Western Athletic Club’s purchase of the San Francisco TC in February for a reported $13 million deflated club members’ long-held angst that their indoor club would be sold to a condominium developer and razed.
WAC is a tennis-friendly outfit that operates Golden Gateway Tennis and Swim Club, the Decathlon Club in Santa Clara, the Pacific Athletic Club in Redwood City, and Courtside Club in Los Gatos, and several other NorCal facilities.
But according to club sources, the USTA National Men’s 65 Indoor Championships will not be played at the Fifth and Brannan club in August due of construction. WAC is planning a $2 million club renovation from June through September. It calls for new locker rooms and redesigning the lobby and its access.
This year’s 65 Indoors will be played in Vancouver, Washington at the Club Green Meadows, July 20-26.
In Brief
In his entertaining book Strokes of Genius: Federer, Nadal, and the Greatest Match Ever Played, Jon Wertheim points out that the Giants and Dodgers, prepping to wrap up a three-game border war in San Francisco on July 5, were glued to the flat screens in the clubhouse, watching the Federer vs. Nadal five-set final at Wimbledon. Writes Wertheim, “They were sucked in by the drama and had quickly picked sides, the Dominican and Latin players mostly cheering for Nadal, the Americans tending to side with Federer. On the stadium concourse, the televisions were tuned not to the baseball game but to Wimbledon, and fans gathered around to watch the conclusion of the match. Baseball could wait. This was history.”
A nostalgic grass court senior tournament in Duncan, British Columbia, turned 122 this year. It’s got a social and beer-drinking atmosphere that legendary Australians like Roy Emerson would’ve loved. After matches, Emmo was famous for snatching an icy six-pack out of the pressroom cooler en route to the dressing room. But the Duncan draws have mostly Canadians, says the city’s peripatetic Geoff Cykman who loves playing the event. Cykman won last year’s 45s singles trophy but lost in the mixed doubles. “Quick as Emmo was grabbing six-packs after a match,” Cykman recalled, “he’d come in a distant second to these ladies in Canada. I even lost a close mixed match the last time to a short gal who drank three beers during our match.”
History note: The final of the 1930 Marin County Championships at the Mill Valley TC meant a long day for Gerry Stratford, as reported in San Francisco-based Tennis Brevities (Vol.1 No.5, 1930). Bob Sellers beat him 6-8, 4-6, 8-6, 6-3, 6-0. Both men were from the city. Stratford served for the match at 5-4 in the third, but caved after “three double faults in succession.” Sellers was “unbeatable after the rest period (a break after the third set).” Stratford and partner Dick Blaskower then dropped the doubles 5-7, 10-8, 7-5. Stratford must have walked away thinking no lead is ever safe. But what NorCal hotshot these days can handle eight hard sets (95 games) in a day? The Olympic Club’s senior tournament in Sept. is named after Stratford.
