Happy April Fools Day! Sadly, we have no jokes or pranks to share with you today - just the news - and there is a lot to share. So let's get started!
Twelve national titles were awarded in March as the U.S. 50s, 60s, 70s and the U.S. Amateur were played at various clubs. Sarlangue, Victoir, Prenn, Hufford, Pardee, Flinn and Van Schaack were the names on the leaderboards at the end. Along the way, there were surprises, upsets and new faces so read on to find out what happened.
We all know that Henry VIII was an avid tennis player. But did you know that he was informed that Anne Boleyn had been beheaded while playing tennis? Even back then tennis was a serious pursuit! Fast-forward a few centuries to the annual Anne Boleyn Women's Handicap. The tournament was played in Newport and we're happy to report that all survived the weekend. No heads rolled as Sarah Hamilton captured the title.
The Percy Cup (a.k.a the Lord Percival) - an interclub team match - was played in Philadelphia and attracted eight teams from six clubs. For the second consecutive year it was an all Washington final. Read on to find out which Washington team won.
Activity in Charleston continues to hum along, as Charleston Court Tennis will host a donor's weekend later this month. The details can be found below.
Tuxedo is in overdrive mode preparing for the upcoming World Doubles Championship in June. Have you been getting their daily tweets? If not, check out their website as to how you can be added to the list. We've included a schedule for the week and it looks to be an exciting week of tennis and fun. While we're on the topic of World Championships - mark your calendars for May 2016 as Newport has been awarded the 2016 World Singles Championship.
James Bruce concluded his U.S tour promoting his book The Neptune Book of Tennis and Rackets In Tuxedo where he received the 2014 Plimpton Award for literary achievement. The award was announced at the USCTA Annual Dinner in December and awarded to Bruce by USCTA Vice President - Dan Laukitis.
Have you ever heard of Stické Tennis? Well now is your chance to find out more about this interesting game in an article by Nigel ŕ. Brassard. It's an obscure sport that all fans of court tennis will appreciate.
Are compression socks the new fashion statement in tennis? Have you ever wondered about the best cardio training for tennis? The "Doctor" is back this month to answer those questions, as well as an update on his last piece on concussions. In Tips from the Professionals, John Lumley explains the volley in defending the dedans. Our Junior Player Development spotlight focuses on ten year old Erica Maebius from Washington. Erica is heading to France this month to play in the French Junior Nationals. Good luck Erica! Erik Barker won the Junior Handicap in Philadelphia over fellow Washingtonian - Chase Motz. Finally, the latest episode of "Caravaggio's Ill-Fated Tennis Match" completes this month's news.
Championships, fashion, beheadings and mystery - we've got it all covered - so read on!
Until next month...
Sincerely,
Jane Lippincott - Editor
U.S. Court Tennis Association
Good luck to the Bathurst Cup Team - Ben Cook, Pat Winthrop and Jon Crowell - who will be leaving shortly to compete in the Bathurst Cup in Hobart. Go USA!!!!
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2015 U.S. AMATEUR & U.S. 50s
by Simon Aldrich
Vive la France!!
The 2015 US Amateur and US Over-50 Championships were played in New York at the Racquet & Tennis Club March 19-22, 2015. Participation in the event was terrific and play was very competitive throughout the weekend. The Amateur included 18 players in the singles and 10 teams in the doubles. The 50s attracted 15 singles players and 8 doubles teams. A particular highlight was that Adrian Kemp, current assistant pro at the Racquet & Tennis Club and former head professional at the Société du Jeu de Paume et Racquets (Paris), was a key factor in recruiting 22 year-old British amateur champion Matthieu Sarlangue, Benjamin Jacquin-Turrenttini, and Charles-Antoyne Hurstel to come from Paris to compete in the US Amateur.
To read the full story, click here.    |
| | Photos by Barney Tanfield |
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| | Percy Cup Winners & Finalists - Washington vs. Washington! |
2015 PERCIVAL CUP
The Percy Cup lasted 3 days with 8 teams of 6 clubs battling it out for the coveted Percy Cup. The matches were fought in great spirit with every point battled out fairly. Division 1 it was Washington 2 who came out victors with #1 seeds Greg Faron/Vernon Cassin, #2 seeds Brit Elmore/Dan Sternberg and #3 seeds Melanie Clarke/Jason Bennett who overcame Philadelphia 1 and New York winning by 3 games.
Click here to read the full story.
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| | Vogt, Whitehouse and Van Schaack |
U.S. 60s
The Racquet Club held its last weekend event of the calendar year this past weekend. The draws were a bit small but extremely competitive on court. The singles draw saw three hard fought Quarter Final matches on Friday with David Boenning over taking Jules Zacher 6-0, 6-1, Peter Vogt winning 6-0, 6-2 over Steve Fazzini and Al Gordon out lasting Sewall Hodges 6-0, 6-3. The Semi's on Saturday saw Greg Van Schaack have a classic floor game battle against David Boenning. Greg Van Schaack hit many openings to win 6-3, 6-3.The second Semi saw Peter Vogt play a flawless game of tennis against Al Gordon. Vogt couldn't miss and won 6-1, 6-1. The stage was set for a great Final on Sunday. Greg was keen to redeem himself from a earlier loss to Peter in the 50's a week prior. The first set was knotted at four games all and this game saw twelve deuces. With a long rally exchange Van Schaack hit a ball from his backhand side over the high part of net after a tremendous get from Peter he ruptured his hamstring and had to retire the match. Peter was playing a very solid game up to that point and was gutted that he could not continue.
In the first doubles semifinal, Van Schaack and Peter Clement beat Fazzini and Boenning 6-0 6-1. The second semifinal saw Peter Vogt and Al Gordon take out Sewell Hodges and Jules Zacher 6-1 6-1
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| Rowe, Oliveira, Flinn & Pardee |
U.S. 70s
Newport hosted the 2015 U.S. 70s. A small but enthusiastic group of players made up the draw. Jonathan Pardee defeated Frank Oliveira in the singles final 6-0,6-0. The doubles was a see-saw match between Jonathan Pardee and Michael Flinn versus Tom Rowe and Frank Oliveira. Pardee and Flinn won a long battle over Rowe and Oliveira 6-5, 6-5.
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2015 ANNE BOLEYLN
by Sheila Reilly
As has often happened in this tournament's 30-year history, the winner was a relative newcomer to the game, Sarah Hamilton of Boston's T&R, who bested a field of 17 players from across the US. Congratulations to Sarah and all the players.
The Anne Boleyn was created by Edward Hughes, a past president of the USCTA and the person responsible, along with Barry Toates, for the original restoration of the Lakewood Court. In its earliest years, the trophies were electroplated gold and silver hatchets and the hatchet logo remains the signature image of the event. The permanent cup resides in Newport.
For the full story, draws and pictures, click here.
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CHARLESTON DONOR WEEKEND
APRIL 9-12
It's not too late to come to the Charleston Donor Weekend. Here's the itinerary for the weekend.
- April 9
- Evening tickets available to Family Circle Women's Tennis Tournament
- April 10
- Daytime - Golf or tennis to be arranged
- 6:00 - Future Tennis Court Site Visit - Daniel Island
- 7:00 - Dinner at Daniel Island Club - opportunity to ask questions of Daniel Island executives
- April 11
- Daytime - Golf or tennis to be arranged. Shopping and house tours of downtown Charleston
- 6:00-8:00 Cocktail Party at the Van Schaack home
- April 12
- Farewell brunch at the Carolina Yacht Club
Please join us and help make the Charleston Court Tennis court a reality. Contact Greg Van Schaack for information: gvs@hedgedalternatives.com or 845-642-2673
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JUNIOR DEVELOPMENT SPOTLIGHT
By Ivan Ronaldson
Erica Maebius is 10 years old. Currently handicap 66, Erica started playing Court Tennis at Prince's Court in August 2014. She is traveling to Fontainebleau next week to play in the French Junior nationals. Miss Maebius is currently ranked #1 in VIRGINIA Under 12's and #5 in the Mid-Atlantic at Tennis. Watch out Claire Fahey!
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James Bruce receiving the Plimpton Award from Dan Laukitis
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BRUCE GIVEN PLIMPTON AWARD
By James Zug
At the Gold Racquets at Tuxedo in February, the USCTA honored James Bruce with the 2014 George Plimpton Award. Jamie Bruce is the editor of the newly-published Neptune Book of Tennis & Rackets. He is the son of the late Lord Aberdare who edited the 1980 and 2001 editions of Tennis & Rackets. For more than a half dozen years, Bruce has worked to update those books with a new, revised edition. Nearly four hundred and fifty-pages, then Neptune Book of Tennis & Rackets is the definitive book on the history and current status of the games of court tennis and racquets, with reports on every active court around the world, hundreds of archival and current photographs, prints and paintings and a comprehensive appendix of past champions. Bruce not only worked tirelessly for years to produce the book, but in February underwent a grueling tour of tennis and racquets clubs around the country in February to promote it.
The George Plimpton Award was started in 2003 after the death of one of great legends in tennis. Besides being the author of dozens of books, the pioneer of participatory journalism and the editor of the Paris Review, Plimpton loved court tennis. He was an avid player at the Racquet & Tennis Club, a regular and highly amusing speaker at USCTA annual dinners and the editor of Pierre's Book: The Game of Court Tennis, the 1971 masterpiece by and about Pierre Etchebaster. The award is given in Plimpton's memory to someone who displays a sustained excellence in literary or artistic achievement.
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JUNIOR HANDICAP
Philadelphia hosted a junior handicap weekend on February 28 and March 1. After two days of play, Erik Barker of Washington defeated Chase Motz in the final.
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"Stické provides most vigorous exercise, and at the same time affords considerable opportunity to the player who uses his head. Curious twists can be obtained by hitting on the side walls, and the ball often has an egg-shaped appearance. There is little doubt that stické is a splendid game for country houses, where rackets courts are too large an undertaking and squash rackets provides too insipid an amusement."
From The Times March 11th 1910.
Stické was invented by the Royal Artillery in the 1870s as similar to rackets and providing good exercise without "the heavy outlay incidental to the construction of a rackets court." The court's floor and walls were made of 9 foot square wooden artillery targets which meant that the court dimensions were 27 feet by 81 feet.
To read the full article, click here.
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The doctor is in...
First, in follow-up to my last article on concussions, we had quite a scare in the recent US open. Chris Chapman was in a first set dog fight with Rob Fahey. He had just failed to convert a setpoint against Rob. He was wrongfooted on the next point and crashed headfirst into the side wall near the last gallery. I was sitting in the dedans and the sound his head made against the wall made me cringe. We stopped the match and called for EMS to take Chris to the hospital. I was concerned that he had fractured his skull and possibly may have had a subdural hemorrhage. Fortunately, his imaging at the hospital was negative. That being said, he sustained a concussion and also had a very swollen left ear. The take-home message from this near miss scenario is to immediately stop and obtain an emergent medical consultation if this situation was to happen in any club match or professional play. It is always better to err on the side of safety. No match is THAT important that someone's health should be at risk when a head injury is that question. Chris took some time off and is now happily back on the court playing.
Next consult:
Several people have noticed that some of the tennis professionals have been wearing some compression accessories including on the knees and on the calf area. John Lumley has been sporting some fluorescent orange lately... The question is whether or not this helps and what is the rationale behind it.
To read the full article, click here.
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NATIONAL LEAGUE
Doubles round robin
for multiple amateur levels
Singles and Doubles
for U.S.-based amateurs
JUNE
Playing for The Schochet Cup
NEWPORT
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NATIONAL LEAGUE
STANDINGS
BOSTON/WASH 19
NEW YORK 11
CHICAGO 16
NEWPORT 0
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TOP AMATEUR LISTS New Top Amateur Lists
have been published.
as of 3/1/1 
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TIPS FROM THE PROFESSIONALS
When hitting a volley defending the dedans I make sure that my wrist remains strong and that the racket head stays above my wrist. I want my racket face to be flat showing all the strings to the ball to maximize the chances of making a good connection. My swing is short and I aim to 'punch' the ball with my weight on my front foot. The harder the ball is hit, the more important it is to maintain that short, controlled swing. Using that technique I now want to keep the ball on the floor to stop my opponent from forcing at me again. Sliding the ball around the tambour is a great place to aim for and is very effective when executed properly.
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Annual Junior
Court Tennis Camp
July 13-17
The Player Development Committee has selected the Tuxedo Club for a one-of-a-kind junior court tennis camp. Court Tennis Champion - Tim Chisholm - will head up the USCTA/USCTPF sponsored junior tennis camp for one week this summer at the Tuxedo Club. The camp is designed for juniors ages 11-17 and modeled around a very successful and popular UK-based program. Beginner and experienced players are invited to participate. For more information, contact
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2015 WORLD DOUBLES CHAMPIONSHIP
World Doubles Court Tennis Championship - Update
April 1, 2015
The general schedule for the World Doubles Court Tennis Championship, presented by Roberto Coin, is set. The tournament will be hosted by The Tuxedo Club in historic Tuxedo Park, NY from May 30 to June 7, 2015.
The World Doubles Court Tennis Championship:
The top six pairs (as determined by tournament results and team HCP) will be placed directly into the main draw. All remaining teams will be placed into the qualifying draw which will be played on May 31st & June 1st.
The two finalists in the qualifying draw will be placed into the seventh and eighth spots in the main draw. The main draw competition for the World Doubles Court Tennis Championship, presented by Roberto Coin, will commence on Wednesday June 3rd, with the finals being played in a best of nine set format over the last two days - June 6th and June 7th.
The Social Calendar:
For those of you familiar with The Tuxedo Club, you've come to expect world-class hospitality and this year's World Championship Week is sure to set a new standard of excellence and fun for guests and club members alike. Here is a sampling:
Sat. May 30th - Sun May 31st
Junior Pro-Am Competition
Sunday, May 31st
Australian themed Barbeque at The Tuxedo Club Boat House with pontoon rides at sunset
Sun. May 31st - Mon Jun 1st
Qualifying Rounds for World Doubles Championship
Wednesday, June 3rd
Quarter-Finals of Main Draw
American themed Barbeque at The Tuxedo Club Tennis House
Thursday, June 2nd
Semi-Finals of Main Draw & Back Draw
USCTA Reception and Cocktail Party at The Tuxedo Club Tennis House
Friday, June 5th
Golf outing & Sporting Day at The Tuxedo Club. Guests, members and tournament competitors will take part in team events featuring the expansive facilities of The Tuxedo Club. Friendly but competitive events are being planned in Golf, Paddle Tennis, Lawn Tennis, Court Tennis, Rackets, Squash, Ping Pong and Rowing/Sculling
Friday, June 5th
The Champions Dinner will be hosted at The Tuxedo Club Main Clubhouse. This will be a memorable dinner with plenty of awards from events throughout the day.
We are excited to announce that this year's Champions Dinner will feature a wine tasting hosted by Kevin Zraly. Kevin is among the foremost sommeliers in the world and is a recipient of the prestigious James Beard Foundation's - Wine and Spirits Professional of the Year Award, among a litany of lifetime achievements.
Look for a calendar of events, entry form, tournament gear and more on www.courttennisworldchampionship.com shortly!
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2016 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
From Susie Falkner, IRPA CEO: "I am delighted to announce on behalf of the IRTPA Executive of the world championship committee that Newport, Rhode Island have been successful in their bid for hosting the 2016 world challenge. The anticipated dates of the challenge are currently the 17th, 19th and 21st May. "
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RTO STATS
Matches recorded in Real Tennis Online in the last 30 days. Remember, it's important to record match scores to have an accurate handicap!
(as of 3/31/15)
BOSTON 144
WASHINGTON 121
NEW YORK 120
NEWPORT 117
CHICAGO 91
PHILADELPHIA 65
TUXEDO 15
AIKEN 7
LAKEWOOD 0
Compared to:
RADLEY 194
HAMPTON COURT 242
MELBOURNE 270
CAMBRIDGE 153
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Caravaggio's Ill-Fated
Tennis Match -
An Inquiry into a Painting
by CEES DE BONDT
"New Episodes Available!"
After some nine years of research into The Death of Hyacinth painting an increasing number of art scholars that I contact for their opinion tend to support my interpretation that the production of the picture was sparked by Caravaggio's famous tennis match of 1606.
Follow me on this quest for the hidden identity of the painting. The story will be "served" out to you in sequels, unfolding itself as a whodunit, and following a trail that is full of twists and turns.
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