Remember May 30, 2014!  On this date, the USCTA and US Court Tennis Preservation Foundation Boards both approved a comprehensive Player Development Program.  Why and what is it? 

American amateur international competitiveness is somewhere deep under a mineshaft in Death Valley.  Whether it's juniors, women, top amateurs, or seniors, we are consistently in the back of the pack.  Name the international tournament and we're in the caboose.  Handicaps needed to qualify for our Top 25 list have risen in recent years, as have those of the top players on the list.  Our top 25 players are also predominantly in their late 30's and 40's - too old!  Other countries such as England and Australia have robust junior programs and are introducing young players to the game while we have fallen behind.  Our women's game needs help and is a long way from England, which now has a woman able to qualify for the British and U.S. Opens.

The canary is still alive though!  The USCTA and USCTPF Boards have launched an ambitious, long-term, and four pronged player development effort.  Juniors, elite juniors, top amateurs, women are the program's focus areas.  Many thanks go out to Eleuthera and Temple Grassi who have generously supported this initiative through the Thornedge Foundation. 

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by Tony Hollins

A fantastic weekend of action on both the racquets and tennis courts as we wrap up the Etchebaster and Kendrick Cups. Congratulations to Ben Stein (R&T) on defeating Matt Breuer in the final of the Etchebaster 6-3, 6-2. And to our own David Tedeschi on defeating Ben Stein in the Kendrick Cup 15-8,15-5.

We also had two great back draw final matches; McCabe Walsh def. Craig Corrance in the Kendrick Back Draw and Ken Forton defeated Harsha Gopal in the Etchebaster Back Draw.

Great support from the T&R folks and a big thanks to Lucas Walsh and Dan Herrick with all of their help on putting the weekend together.

Click here for the final results.

The Tuxedo Club will host the 2015 Court Tennis World Doubles Championship from May 30 - June 7, 2015.  Look for event details and sign up for updates at www.courttennisworldchampionship.com; also follow us on Facebook (World Doubles Championship) and Twitter (Tuxedo Court Tennis).  More details and some big announcements coming shortly.  We look forward to seeing everyone in the summer!

Michael (Mity) Hill is a talented and enthusiastic new player who recently competed in the Etchebaster Cup at the Tennis & Racquet Club in Boston. The 5'10" fourteen year old has been studying hard under the tutelage of Tony Hollins and has taken a number of lessons sponsored by the Player Development Program. Mity is a high honors student in the 8th grade at Cohasset Middle School and is looking to get his handicap down into the 30's this year. His father, Brian, has been a long time member of the T&R and has played tennis for over 25 years. Mity is also competitive in tennis, soccer, and golf. Good luck Mity and keep at it - we need you for the Van Alen, Clothier, and Bathurst Cup teams!!

The USCTA is pleased to announce that Ben Cook, Pat Winthrop, and Jon Crowell have been selected to represent the U.S. in Australia for the 2015 Bathurst Cup. The pre-eminent international amateur competition between the United States, Australia, England, and France, the Bathurst Cup is played every two years and rotates between the four court tennis playing countries. The Australians are the defending Bathurst Cup champions and the U.S. last won it in 1969. This year's Bathurst is being held April 11-16 at the Hobart Tennis Club in Tasmania.

This year's Bathurst Cup squad is a product of the USCTA's Bathurst Academy. A program geared towards developing top amateur talent, the Bathurst Academy is part of a comprehensive Player Development Program launched in May as part of a collaboration between the USCTA and US Court Tennis Preservation Foundation. Barney Tanfield, Head Professional at the Racquet & Tennis Club, is Executive Director of the academy and has been working with fifteen players since the start of the program. A number of players attended a June training camp in New York at the Racquet & Tennis Club and all have been practicing and competing in tournaments as part of the academy and to make the U.S. team.

Ben Cook plays at Aiken Tennis Club, is a U.S. Amateur Doubles Champion, and has won several Whitney Cups. He was also on the 2013 Bathurst Cup Team that went to England. Ben is the captain of this year's team. Pat Winthrop is a member of the National Tennis Club and is a product of Newport's Junior Program. Pat has won two Whitney Cups and U.S. Amateur Singles titles along with a U.S. Amateur Doubles Championship. Pat has been playing since a young age and has competed in at least five Van Alen and Clothier Cups. Jon Crowell plays out of Philadelphia and has improved rapidly. A top racquets player, Jon has won club championships in both racquets and tennis at the Racquet Club of Philadelphia. Ben, Pat, and Jon have all been perennial top 10 players on the USCTA's Top 25 List.

Many thanks go to Barney Tanfield for his great work as Bathurst Academy Executive Director and thank you to the fifteen players who are part of this program. Good luck Ben, Pat, and Jon and GO USA!!!