Newsletter of the Senior Tennis Players Club, Inc. May 2011 On the inside Tennis events Be sure to read Bill Cosgrove’s essay Agassi and By Bob Busch Wilkinson: Review and Remembrance. It’s a review As we write this column in Mid-April, temps are in the of Andre Agassi’s book Open, and reflections on the low 50’s and we should be preparing for the transition meaning of Agassi’s and Steve Wilkinson’s life and to outdoor courts. Be sure to dress for cooler work. [Page 7] conditions and stretch before and after you play. The See Steve Keefe’s letter on the kick serve, aka wind and sun are new factors. Make sure you know American twist. [Page 2] which way the wind is blowing. Hit harder when facing Wanda Davies: Anticipate, keep moving. [Page 3] the wind and consider adding more top spin to your ground strokes. Also be sure to try several positions And Marv Schneider, our treasurer, gives exactly as when serving into the sun. much detail as you want on our finances. [Page 10] Take advantage of the annual Captains Luncheon scheduled for May 14 to express your appreciation for Team Tennis season the time our dedicated captains devote to coordinating By Marv Schneider play on Twin City area courts. Registration deadline for With summer rapidly approaching, many of us are this luncheon is Monday, May 9. looking forward to another entertaining season of Thank you! To the STPC volunteers who help deliver STPC Team Tennis. Besides a lot of competitive fun, the great fall and winter programs for youth in the this is an excellent way to meet a lot of other players Twin Cities area. Your many hours of volunteer service (both men and women) who play your level of tennis. often go unrecognized. You are providing some of the Last year the league had five teams, each consisting of best programs in the country through St. Paul Urban, four men and four women. Each team played two Minneapolis InnerCity and Fred Wells Tennis & matches against each of the other teams in the league. Education. Matches were 8-game pro-sets (2 men’s doubles, 2 Sony Erickson Open women’s doubles, and 4 mixed doubles). All matches Novak Djokovic won his fourth consecutive are played on Tuesday mornings, between 9 and 11 am, tournament in early April by defeating #1 ranked from mid-June through mid-August. Court locations Rafael Nadal 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(4). He hit a cross-court for the matches are in the southwest suburbs. forehand for the final point in Key Biscayne, FL, after a Most of the players in this league are rated 3.5 or grueling 3½ hour championship match. Djokovic won above. If you are interested in joining this fun group as 26 consecutive matches since December and his 2011 either a captain, a regular, or a sub, or you have any record is 24-0. Former Edina resident, Marty Fish questions about it, you can call either league manager became the #1 ranked American in men’s tennis by Marv Schneider at 952-975-1895 or any of the other (Tennis events—continued on page 6) captains: Don Harnish, Ken Landro, Jon Weiss, or Ronnae Wagner. Summer captains: HELP! Upcoming Events The final spring/summer schedule will be printed in Saturday, May 14, 11:00 - 2:30 PM the next newsletter. We’d like to get it as correct as Annual meeting & captains luncheon possible. If you know of changes, please communicate: Town & Country Club. Signup page 5 • Minneapolis area to Rod Johnson at 763-588-2107 Monday, June 6, 9:00 AM - 12:30 PM or E-mail him at [email protected] Hughes Clinic with Roger Boyer • St. Paul area to Thue Rasmussen at 651-917-0075 Reed-Sweatt Family Tennis Center. Signup P. 5 or E-mail him at [email protected] Senior Tennis Players Club, Inc. A nonprofit corporation, P.O. Box 5525 Letters to the editor Hopkins, MN 55343 On the web: www.seniortennismn.com To the Editor: Senior Tennis Times In answer to the question you posed in The Senior Tennis Times is published ten times annually by and for the members of the last newsletter, Ljubocic’s serve as the Senior Tennis Players Club, Inc. pictured looks like a kick serve, also Board of Directors known as an American twist. President: Charlie Robbins........952-934-0209 Vice President: Rod Johnson....763-588-2107 The ball has dropped nearly to the level Treasurer: Marv Schneider........952-975-1895 of his bent arm and racket so he can no New Members: longer hit at full extension, like Del Dottie Gardner.....................612-827-4918 Potro’s flat serve in the picture before. Renewing Members: Ljubocic’s back is bent so that he can Ronnae Wagner..................952-938-5785 Events Directors: come over the ball giving it top-spin Ann Barten............................612-724-0712 (with a little slice). You can see that his Mary Ann McGuire..............612-929-2038 feet are 2-3 feet to our left of the center Minneapolis tennis schedules: line, but the ball is behind him over the Rod Johnson........................763-588-2107 Coaching Liaison: center line. They actually teach you to Mark Mudra..........................952-833-1469 toss the ball behind you and lean Facilities Manager: Lee Peterson.........................952-835-4253 backwards to hit over it. Tournaments, Clinics: It is a tough serve to return because, hit Richard Narjes......................651-728-0149 right-handed (it’s even worse hit lefty), it Gary Paul Hansen......................952-556-8387 Mary Margaret MacMillan........612-340-2225 curves in to a right-handers body Andreas Papanicolaou.............612-825-8617 from his backhand side (or out towards Other positions his forehand) like a slice, but a good kicker, when it hits the Advisor: Mary Kaminski..............612-781-3271 (Letters—continued on page 6) St. Paul tennis schedules: Thue Rasmussen...................651-917-0075 Newsletter Editor and Webmaster David Sommer.....................612-276-1313 Advertising As a non-profit organization, the Senior Tennis Play- Send by email or USPS to the newsletter ers Club gratefully accepts donations, memorials and editor by the 15th of the month for publica- tion the following month. Please send all estate gifts. payments to the newsletter editor. Ad rates (first month/additional months): Full page (7.5x10).............................$165/135 Mission Statement Half page (7.5x4.9)..............................110/85 The primary purpose of the STPC is to provide tennis Half page on back cover.................125/100 Quarter page (3.7x4.9)..........................70/50 playing opportunities to people 50 and older for their Eighth page (3.7x2.4)............................45/30 mental, physical, and social well-being; and to support Business card special.............................30/20 the growth of tennis. Horizontal strip ads: $55 first two inches; $20 each additional inch. Vertical: $75 first two inches; $25 each add’l inch. Newsletter Submissions 4-line ad (members only)..........................$10 2-line ad (members only) First three months: free, then $5/issue. To help make the newsletter as correct as possible, please Membership information changes, submit all items in writing only, by mail or email. The dead- newsletter delivery problems, etc., can line is the 17th of the month for publication the following be made by writing Senior Tennis Players Club, P.O. Box 5525, Hopkins, MN 55343 or month. All material submitted for publication is subject to email [email protected]. editing. Enclose self-addressed stamped envelope if you Membership total: 1302 May 2011, want materials returned. Volume 24, Number 4 Send your submissions to: David Sommer, 3657 17th Ave- ©2011 Senior Tennis Players Club. All rights reserved. nue S, Minneapolis, MN 55407-2805. Email: [email protected]. Opinions expressed in articles, letters or advertisements are those of the author, and do not necessarily represent views of the newsletter editor or the Board or officers of STPC. Page 2—Senior Tennis Times/May 2011 If your opponents are hitting the return shot from the Anticipate, keep moving! alley or wider take a step in the direction from which By Wanda Davies the ball is coming (see rule #2). For example, imagine The “Great One”, Wayne Gretsky said, “A good you’re at the net in the ad court and your opponent is hockey player plays where the puck is. A great hockey hitting a return from near the baseline on the ad side. player plays where the puck is going to be.” In tennis, You should take a step to the center as it will take an as in hockey, if you put yourself where the ball is going amazing shot to pass you on the ad side. Alternatively, to be you’ll hit a better shot than if you’re running, assuming you’re still at the net on the ad side, imagine reaching, or otherwise out of balance. Best of all, you your partner has hit a cross court return and your don’t have to be a superstar to do this. And, let’s face it, opponent is returning from outside the deuce alley. In many of us just don’t run as fast or reach as far as we this situation you should worry about covering your once did. alley. Take a step to the left and let your partner cover How do you put yourself where the ball is going? You the middle. have to think a bit and follow two simple rules. Keep moving the entire time the ball is in play, Rule #1: The ball is more likely to be in the middle of whether or not you’re hitting the ball.