Senior Tennis 2011 – 1 Volume Seven • Number Sixteen • Fall • 2011 THE NEW ENGLAND SENIOR TENNIS FOUNDATION BULLETIN 2011 Addie Cup held in Wilmington, Delaware By Judy Smith For the fifth year in a row, Molly Hahn assembled, coached and inspired another winning New England Addie Cup team. After an 11 - 7 win over Mid-Atlantic the team played Middle States in a tense, nail-biting final, winning 10 - 9. Indoors, in rain-soaked Delaware, our injured and resourceful team competed valiantly, treating the rapt audience to three final match tie-breakers all played at the same time and determining the outcome. Molly Hahn and Lee Delfausse, Allyson Bolduc and Mary Mayotte, and Nancy Grimes with Sue Benoit were our competitors extraordinaire – netting the required two out of 2011 New England USTA Hall of Fame inductees: three wins – sending the Addie Cup back to New L - R – Jim Biggs, Diane Hoffmann, Al Rogers, and Errol Coard. England again. This event will long be remembered for the spirit, cohesiveness, camaraderie and 2011 New England Addie Cup team championship: Front row: L to R – Middle States referee Melissa Jackson presenting the Addie Cup to Molly Hahn, the New England captain, accompanied by congratulations from organizer and captain of the finalist Middle States team, Pat Keleman. Middle row: L to R – Sheila Weinstock, Christine Chiminello, Nancy Grimes, Jean Osachuk, Judy Smith, Allyson Bolduc, Bernadette Lehmann (N.E. trainer). Back row: L to R – Ann Knoblock, Tina Smith, Sue Benoit, Michelle Wright, Aileen Eleey, Heidi Attfellner, Johanna Bickford, Mary Mayotte, Lee Delfausse, Jeanne Hulsen. Continued on page 30 2 – Senior Tennis 2011 New England Senior Tennis Foundation, Inc. An organization established by Bernice and Irving Levine for the general purpose of promoting tennis among senior adults in New England. Administration Board Peter Allen, President Irving Levine Rich Heath, Treasurer Wade Frame Bats Wheeler, Clerk Carol Jaffe Amy Read George Ulrich Carol Redden Ken Miller Dorcas Miller To facilitate the promotion of senior tennis, the following strategies will be implemented: 1. To provide instruction for seniors interested in learning how to play the sport or improve their skills; 2. To support the publication of material to help seniors learn how to play the game, improve their skills and knowledge of the game, and un- derstand the latest health research information Jean Selvig, Rich Heath, and Carol Jaffe. Rich is treasurer relating to the sport of tennis; of NESTF and manages to come to Naples to get some tennis 3. To distribute a newsletter on a regular basis and fun. that freely discusses issues in the sport of ten- nis and at the same time reports the results of tournaments and other competitions and news of interest to seniors; 4. To run tournaments and other compe- titions for seniors innovatively and in such a way Senior Tennis Newsletter editor as to help participants fully enjoy the sport; Dick Ernst of Cranston, R.I. The 5. To develop and support interstate, inter- sectional and international competitions for Barrington High School boys seniors; tennis coach and a ranking 6. To respond to changing needs and interests senior circuit player. of senior tennis players; 7. To recognize and respond to opportunities to provide leadership within a larger context for the development of tennis (i.e., to support or oppose actions by tennis groups that either further or diminish the growth and support of the sport); Send stories, pictures and articles to: 8. To provide where possible and to support Dick Ernst facilities for senior players at either a reduced 71 Philmont Ave., Cranston, RI 02910 rate or at no cost to them; 401-785-0532; or [email protected] 9. To create and support a governance struc- ture that ensures continuity to the Foundation Advertising in this publication is available at 1 and support for its goals and strategies. $500/page and $300/ /2 page. N.E.S.T.F. website www.neseniortennis.org Senior Tennis 2011 – 3 Editor’s Corner... with Dick Ernst Cliff Richey – Facing his Toughest Challenge By Jerry Johnson Cliff Richey was one of my tennis heroes when I was a young guy learning the sport. I saw him play at the Longwood Cricket Club and also on TV. I loved his game. I loved his tenacity, his never-give-up-an- inch attitude on the court, his intense concentration, his desire to win. I loved the fact that he played with a Bancroft Player’s Special. So, I started playing with the same racquet. I wanted to be like Cliff. To me, Cliff displayed all the attributes of a champion on the court. I was also proud for him when he became the number one player in the U.S. and one of the top players in the world. I was to learn that Cliff Richey is also a hero to many people off the court as well. His toughest challenge – fighting depression most of his life – reveals his tenacity and never-give-up approach to life in his new book. A few months ago I befriended Nancy Richey on Facebook. Nancy and Cliff Richey indubitably are the best sister/brother duo to have ever played the game. Nancy is a winner of two Grand Slam singles titles and four Grand Slam doubles titles. She is also a member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Nancy had that same fire on the court that Cliff displayed, and I admired that. One day Nancy posted something on Facebook which caught my eye. It had to do with a book that Cliff had written: Acing Depression – A Tennis Champion’s Toughest Challenge. Nancy’s posting included a website for Cliff’s book. I went to the website and read: “Acing Depression is a firsthand account of the life and tennis career of Richey, providing readers with his real-life drama – on and off the tennis court. Richey’s depression is a constant theme, from his genetics and family history, to the tensions of his professional tennis career and family life, to his eventual diagnosis and steps to recover from his condition. Jimmy Connors, the five-time U.S. Open champion and a friend of Richey’s, penned the Foreward for the book.” My reaction was “Cliff Richey suffered from depression!” I could hardly believe it. I wanted to read the book and find out what happened. I also wondered if I could talk with him. So, I sent Nancy a message on Facebook, telling her a little about myself as a player and writer and asked if I could talk with Cliff. She replied back with his phone number. I called the number almost immediately. Cliff picked up the phone. My goodness, I was talking with Cliff Richey, a hero of my youth! I told him a little about myself as a New England player and writer of tennis stories and poems. We spoke for about an hour. He shared stories about some of his great matches against Stan Smith, Arthur Ashe, Rod Laver, Ken Rosewall, Zeljko Franulovic and many others. He told me about a number of his best wins and tough losses. He also went into some detail about the clinical depression he suffered from throughout his career. He was extremely open about everything. I was impressed with his candidness. I then asked Cliff if he could send me an autographed copy of his book. I said I would like to write a story about him and his book. He said, “Sounds great!” I then asked if he could have Nancy also sign the book. He replied with “Why don’t you ask her? She’s right here.” Holy mackerel! I was now talking with Nancy Richey! I felt like a kid in a candy store! Nancy, too, shared many stories about her career, her terrific battles with the likes of Margaret Court, Ann Haydon- Jones, Maria Bueno and Billy Jean King. She also freely told me about the depression that affected Cliff’s life. I sensed a strong bond between Nancy and Cliff. Both were gracious, warm, articulate and open. When I got off the phone, I said to myself: “I can’t believe it! I just spoke with Cliff and Nancy Richey!” I thought: “Years ago when I watched Cliff play tennis at Longwood, I did not get depressed. On the contrary, I got psyched up! I loved his fight, his never- give-up-on-any-point attitude. I wanted to be like him.” Little did anyone know, including Cliff, that he Continued on page 37 4 – Senior Tennis 2011 NESTF President’s Message Another fine New England outdoor tournament season concluded in September. The special New England Senior Slam events, initiated in 2010 by the vision and commitment of NESTF Board members Ken and Dorcas Miller, were again our USTA section’s best attended. They attracted an average of 105 competitors for each surface: hardcourt, clay, and grass. The Millers were honored in June at Newport as USTA NE’s Family of the Year for their past service; they also deserve our ongoing thanks for their continued time-consuming devotion to their remarkable contribution to senior tennis. For the second straight year, almost every summer weekend provided an opportunity for seniors to enter a very enjoyable weekend tournament. For example, during less than four months between late May and mid-September, I played in eight fun, well-run sanctioned tournaments and two regional Cup competitions (Friendship and Atlantic Coast.) Senior players in New England greatly benefit from the subsidies that NESTF awards to a number of such events, providing funds to make them more appealing for players.