Want to hit with 2009 US Open Champion Juan Martin Del Potro?  Wilson is giving fans that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity with a new promotion.  

It's easy to do.  Just play test a BLX racket, take a picture and post it to Wilson's Facebook page at www.Wilson.com/tennisfacebook. 

Don't forget to tell your friends and family to vote for your photo.  The top 5 photos with the most votes will be the finalists for a chance to hit with Del Potro.  Wilson will also be announcing weekly winners for rackets and other accessories.  The promotion ends June 27.

Acura was recently named as the official automobile of the World TeamTennis (WTT) Pro League. Acura will be present at all 73 WTT matches scheduled for this summer.  WTT co-founder Billie Jean King and WTT CEO/Commissioner Ilana Kloss made the announcement at the New York Auto Show in early April with Steve Center of Acura(pictured).

"World TeamTennis is a fast paced, creative approach to the traditional game of tennis," said Steve Center, vice president of advertising and public relations for Acura. "At Acura, we applaud this type of innovative thinking and feel it's a perfect match with the brand."

Read more about the announcement HERE. For more information on Acura, visit www.Acura.com.

Photo: America Honda Motor Co.

Where do you aim returns when playing doubles?

By David Martin - Newport Beach Breakers

Return of serve in doubles is a big key to success.  If you are able to break serve, it takes pressure off your own service games, and you will be a threat to win any match.  Doubles returning is different from singles returning, since in doubles there is a player at the net, threatening to pick off any ball within reach.  So the question, where should you aim the return in doubles?

A large part of where you aim in doubles will depend on how active your opponents are at net and who is the better volleyer.  But in general, you want to be able to establish a solid, low, cross court return, out of reach of the net player.  This will force the server to hit up on the first volley, and allow your partner to threaten to pick off your opponents' first volley.  This one-two combination is fundamental for doubles teams.

If your opponent is often trying to poach, a well-struck return (even if cross court) will still be effective if it has some pace on it.  At best, the volleyer will hit a weak volley trying to get out of the way of the return.

However, if your opponent at the net is beating you by successfully intercepting and putting away your returns, deliberately play returns down the line - even on consecutive points.  Not only will you probably hit some clean winners, but you will cause the other team to question how much they poach. Do this until the net player stops moving completely or looks confused.  If they begin to poach again, start the cycle over.

Even if your opponents aren't hurting you by poaching, a solid return down the line (aiming for the singles line) is a good play if the net player is the weaker volleyer.  A well hit return down the line can also surprise your opponent once in a while, hopefully catching them unprepared to volley.

If you simply are not able to get a return in play cross court or down the line, a chip lob return is a great way to get in the point.  Aim to land your lob within 3-4 feet of the baseline, and make sure to aim high so your opponents must let the ball bounce.  The goal is not to hit a winner on this shot, but rather to get into the point and potentially break your opponents' rhythm by making them hit an awkward shot.

Whichever of these strategies works in a match, stick with it until your opponents adjust.  It could be that one type of return will be successful for an entire match; on other occasions you will need to mix up the returns you hit.  In any case, practice so that you have a number of options at your disposal.

David Martin was named the 2006 WTT Male Rookie of the Year while playing for the New York Sportimes.  This summer, David will play for the Newport Beach Breakers (www.newportbeachbreakers.com).  David is ranked in the top 100 in doubles on the ATP Tour, having reached a career high ranking of No. 38 in 2008.  He played four years at Stanford and led his team to the 2000 NCAA title.

by Billy O'Malley

It takes hard work and dedication to be great at what you do.  For some, that could be being CEO of their own company.  For others that could be being a professional athlete.  However, for one couple it means running their own World TeamTennis (WTT) Recreational League. 

Bob and Joanne Cusolito have been running a WTT Rec League for two decades, ever since August 1990.  The Cusolito league has been averaging about 500 players per year and has had more than 10,000 participants in 20 years. 

Running the only WTT Recreational League in Massachusetts is certainly one feat but to keep it successful for so long is another in its own.  Bob Cusolito got the idea from a tennis magazine in the fall of 1989 and with past experience running a softball league and his love for the game of tennis, he thought he would give it a shot.   Bob Cusolito says "I put a notice in the sports plus section of the Boston Globe.  By August 1990 I had about 70 interested people so I decided, what the heck, I'll give it a shot."

What Bob didn't know at the time was how much work he had in store for him.  "Everyone came at me and it was a little overwhelming. I told them to go out and hit and I would watch them and when they were done I would tell them how the teams would be formed. I was really just trying to buy myself some time on what I was really going to do."

The original home to the Cusolito league was the Winchester Court Club, where Dominoes sponsored the league giving them a discounted price on pizza for the players to enjoy after they were done playing.   The first night included some great cooperation from players as eight teams of three boys and three girls were formed.   All that was left was creating a schedule and creating divisions.  By January, the league had expanded to 14 teams, and grew to 18 by the end of the year.  With this many teams, it was time to get an upgrade on court time, which is when the league moved to Woburn.  When the league topped out at 26 teams, they were virtually allowed to get whatever hours they wanted, and to this day the league runs September to December and January to April. 

So the question becomes, well he must be getting paid to do this and be the best marketer in the business?  Bob by day is a mailman, so it isn't a surprise that his way of advertising is word of mouth.   "I have never paid a cent for any advertising.  I run this as a hobby and keep the costs affordable.  We have three food parties each season, and we subsidize any teams that go to a National Qualifier."  The food parties are the biggest events of the year where getting a prime spot to watch people play is almost as challenging as getting tickets to the US Open.   People go the food parties to hopefully support their cause to go to a WTT National Qualifier which can take place anywhere from Missouri to Las Vegas. 

Their passion and perseverance finally paid off in 2002 when after 24 seasons, one of the League's teams finally made it to a National Qualifier in Hartford, Conn.  "We lost but had a blast." 

So if they aren't traveling around the country winning national qualifiers and it is all volunteer work, then what is keeping them so deeply involved with Rec TeamTennis?  "I love the friendly competition and the many friendships I've made over the years," said Bob. 

Bob and Joanne met during the first season of league play and now their son Mark is playing varsity No. 3 singles tennis at Reading Memorial High School.  Their daughter Lorraine is in 5^th grade who picked up the sport and hopes to play for the Meadowbrook Country Club girls tennis team this summer.  Tennis is now a big part of the Cusolito family lives but wasn't until Bob was in college.  "I never picked up a racket until I watched the Bobby Riggs vs. Billie Jean King match. I was in college."

The Cusolitos have certainly made not just tennis, but WTT a big part of their lives as they continue to play in league play to this day.  Even with the great amount of work 20 years later Bob still enjoys it very much.  It wouldn't be a surprise to anyone if they are still running the league 20 years from now.

photo:  The Cusolito Family - Bob and his wife Joanne, with their children, Lorraine and Mark.

It's never too early to start planning your Sports Marketing career.

World TeamTennis is offering internship opportunities this summer at our Corporate Headquarters in New York City as well as field locations across the country. 

Gain hands on experience in marketing, communications, film/video editing, sales, sponsorships, event operations, and advanced media.

Work with our ten Pro League franchises and countrywide recreational league programs and tournaments.

Go to WTT.com/Internships for more information. As WTT co-founder Billie Jean King likes to say, "Go for it!"