SCTANewsletter OCTOBER 2001 No Frills A Discussion Of Coaching And Teaching Issues Mark Winters he idea was to provide “an can’t fix it.” opportunity to toss around ideas Support from the private sector plays a and talk about the most pressing major role in the development process. “It’s T coaching and teaching issues.” a team effort,” Macci said. “You can’t leave Moderator and organizer Gene Scott, these people out if you want to have a suc- owner and publisher of Tennis Week added, cessful program.” “this is the first of what I hope will become When it comes to elite performers, an annual no frills gathering, not sponsored Macci was direct, “if you don’t have the by anybody.” horse, it will not win the Derby.” In his mind, The panel that was assembled included “there isn’t a wrong way or a right way, Nick Bollettieri, Vic Braden, Rodney there is a better way. And the USTA needs Harmon, Robert Lansdorp, Rick Macci, to identify it.” Dennis Van der Meer, Lynne Rolley and Robert Lansdorp and Rick Macy were members of Macci went out of his way to praise Nick Saviano. In the field of tennis instruc- the elite panel. Photo: Mark Winters Lansdorp. “I’m not going to act as Robert tion the names of Bollettieri, Braden, Lansdorp’s agent, but no one has done Lansdorp, Macci and Van der Meer speak Saviano stressed the importance more to sew together groundstrokes," for themselves. Harmon, Rolley and Saviano of both coaches’ education and the Macci said. “His track record is incredible have distinguished themselves in a variety of and he is never recognized. When we look communication process, “you need roles with the USTA, particularly in Player at developing players, we should put our to get the coaching talent together Development. money on people who have been there and As one would expect with such a dis- to create synergy and that will done it.” tinguished group, opinions varied. “The one help solve problems.” Lansdorp was adament about introduc- thing they agree on is that young tennis play- ing youngsters to solid fundamentals. He ers should be identified earlier,” Scott said. color so they too will have opportunities to lamented that there is no standard for Developing young players was the make the next level. teaching tennis. “I’m a USPTA Master pro,” focus of discussions. Rolley, in a concise Braden, who is involved in studies deal- he noted. “Some of the guys who are in this presentation detailing the particulars, stated ing with brain typing and the role of DNA in group should be sued for malpractice. They that adequate financial support throughout superior athletes, also advocated communi- just don’t know how to teach the game.” the development process is necessary; cation and education. “You have to get peo- For Bollettieri, the answer is simple, availability of peer level competition close ple together to identify the problems then “when you put good players with good to home; and education of both players and follow up,” he said. “Many feel the USTAis the players, you get better players. From better parents (covering matters such as nutrition, enemy, but that isn’t the case. There must be players, you get champions.” dealing with the media and so on) are all a way to make coaches accountable.” The meeting that took place at the on her short list of important items. Macci said that identifying young ath- Roger Smith Hotel did not cover all the Van der Meer believes tennis must letes is where the game has been headed for issues facing coaches and teachers when it become an exceptional sport. If it does, some time. He was more concerned with comes to developing players. Nonetheless, it then the game will appeal to exceptional the -- “who is going to identify these indi- was a positive start. As Bollettieri pointed athletes. Harmon discussed the importance viduals” -- part of the equation. He added, “if out, “we don’t need to talk about what the of providing a formula for young players of something (a stroke) is broken at 15, you USTA didn’t do. We need to find solutions.” So Close And Yet So Far Mark Winters Po-Messerli was down too. “It is very disappointing because we were so close,” she said after the match. “It was just a matter of a couple of points. If we had gotten them, the result would have been different.” sparse crowd, on the last day of the Open. want to win, but I also want to have fun. Given the fact that singles receives so much When Nathalie plays singles and is tired for prime time television coverage, it isn’t surpris- the doubles, I try to find a way to help her Kimberly Po-Messerli ing that a contest of this calibre received little enjoy the time on the court. Sometimes we attention. With individuals such as Venus and joke. We always talk. Today, it wasn’t much here was an outpouring of emotion Serena Williams, Jennifer Capriati and Lindsay fun in the first set. When we won the sec- on the Arthur Ashe Stadium court Davenport in the news, doubles, which is the ond, it was a lot better. In the third set, we following the Lisa Raymond/Rennae game most popular with recreational players, had opportunities, but were not able to T Stubbs 6-2, 5-7, 7-5 victory over gets little respect and even less attention. come through.” Kimberly Po-Messerli/Nathalie Tauziat in Po-Messerli’s tale of becoming a dou- Po-Messerli is not happy with the fact the U.S. Open Women’s Doubles final. The bles specialist is not your typical “I am a that doubles receives little interest from winners were overjoyed with their success player story”.“It is pretty funny, when I was tennis fans. But, she understands why it because it matched their Wimbledon cham- in college (UCLA), I did better in doubles,” happens. “We are not ticket sellers,” she pionship result. For Tauziat there was sad- she said. “When I turned pro, I did better in admitted. “If we had more press, doubles ness not just because of the score, but that singles. I also played doubles, but I enjoyed would become more important. There is the U.S. Open was her last Grand Slam. She most of my early success in singles. After 8 not much glamour in doubles and people plans to retire at the end of the year. years, I had enough and decided to play only want to pay to watch the players they Po-Messerli was down too. “It is very doubles.” know.” disappointing because we were so close,” Though they are played on a tennis Though a realist, Po-Messerli is quick she said after the match. “It was just a mat- court, singles and doubles are not alike. to point out that spectators can benefit ter of a couple of points. If we had gotten “They are completely different games,” Po- from watching doubles. “People can see a them, the result would have been different.” Messerli said. “You practice differently for relationship between players on a team,” Raymond admitted, “even though we singles than you do for doubles. You hit dif- she said. “They can see how well the play- had a win against them at Wimbledon, this ferent shots and you use the court in a dif- ers communicate and deal with situations.” was a whole different ball of wax. They’re ferent way.” Looking toward the future, Po-Messerli playing better than they were two months Po-Messerli and Tauziat became a tan- and Tauziat, having already qualified for the ago. Though we got the first set under our dem almost by happenstance. “We had year-end Sanex Women’s Tennis Association belt pretty easily, it was a battle. We just known each other for a long time and Championships in Munich scheduled for the dug deep. We just fought and fought. We Nathalie wasn’t going to play with end of October, will play selected tourna- had to.” (Alexandra) Fusai anymore,” Po-Messerli ments this fall. "I am going to Europe and Besides women’s doubles, Po-Messerli said. “At first she was going to team with play Filderstadt, Zurich and possibly Linz,” played mixed doubles with Don Johnson. Arantxa (Sanchez Vicario), but Arantxa Po-Messerli said. “Nathalie will be playing The duo dropped a 7-6, 6-4 semifinal deci- decided she was going to play a few tour- more since she is trying to also qualify in sion to Raymond/Leander Paes. In 2000, Po- naments with Martina (Navratilova). singles for the Championships.” Messerli/Johnson won Wimbledon and in Nathalie didn’t like that idea. She wanted to With Tauziat retiring, Po-Messerli was 1999 they were U.S. Open finalists. This year, play with one partner, so we got together.” asked who she would team with in the she and Tauziat have been finalists at Paris Doubles can be tough particularly if future. “Right now, I have no idea,” she Indoor, Nice and Birmingham and semifinal- one player is on and the other is off. “I’m said. “I am going to give it a lot of thought ists at Wimbledon and Strausbourg. not going to play doubles with someone I over the next few months. I may decide to The final was played early, before a don’t enjoy playing with,” Po-Messerli said. “I retire too.” 2 Junior And Adult Tournament Competitors The Southern California Tennis Association Take Notice staff and many people from the local tennis community who are on USTA committees This is a partial list of the changes in USTA • Selection of Players for USTA Super National Selection List for Boys’ 16, had a busy U.S.