MLTC Newsletter – Minutes from EGM

Manly Lawn Tennis Club Newsletter – 25 Sept 2023

In this newsletter you will find the minutes from the EGM, Membership Fees due, Club Championships.

EGM – Last Saturday we used all six courts for social and there was a large number that attended the EGM. All member’s agreed to transfer the contract to Luke Penning from the 1st October. We want to thank Scott for his 40 years of dedicated service to Manly Lawn Tennis Club, its members and the community.

Membership Fees – 

A reminder that Membership Fees are now overdue. If you have not yet paid your fees and are re-joining, please pay ASAP. If you aren’t re-joining or need more time to pay, please let us know so we can put a note on your invoice. All members must be financial to play in the Club Champs.
Club Championships
The tournament will be held on October 14, 15, 21, 22, 28, 29 and Finals Day is November 4. As Denis is travelling, Christine Thompson is running the tournament if you have any queries her contact email is [email protected] 
Best wishes,

Virginia

MLTC Secretary

www.manlylawn.com.au

 

Annual Club Championships Entries Now Open

Entries for the Annual Club Championships are now open.  Events are:

  • Open Men’s singles and doubles
  • Open Ladies singles and doubles
  • Open Mixed doubles
  • A grade Men’s singles and doubles
  • A grade Ladies singles and doubles
  • A grade Mixed doubles.

Open grades are for everyone.

A-Grade is Badge Division 7 or lower for Men; Division 4 and  Thursday Badge for Ladies.

Scheduled dates are October 14, 15, 21, 22, 28, 29 November 4.

Maximum 3 entries per person.

Questions to Denis Crowley
MLTC Club Captain 

MLTC Newsletter 13 Sep 2023

Manly Lawn Tennis Club Newsletter – 13 Sept 2023

EGM 

Save the date 23 Sept, 4pm at the Clubhouse

Membership Fees

Membership fees are due by Thursday. You need to be financial to play in the Club Championships and to make online court bookings.

Club Captain’s Report

CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS DATES
The tournament will be held on October 14, 15, 21, 2,2 28, 29 and Finals Day is November 4
Events will be the same as previous years
Open Men’s. Women’s Singles
Open Men’s Women’s Doubles
Open Mixed
A Women’s Men’s singles
A Women’s Men’s Doubles
A Mixed Doubles
Anyone can enter Open events.
The criteria for A grade Men’s is Division 8, 1,0 11 Badge players and similar standard. Division 6 Badge players and above must play Open events.
Women’s A grade criteria is Women’s Division 4 and Thursday Badge plus players of that standard.
All events will be best of 3 sets with the 3rd set a 10 point tiebreaker.
Open Events will be best of 3 tiebreak sets from semi finals onwards.
If 4 players or less entries only,  a round robin may be played .
Entries will open next week online and close on October 8.
I will be overseas when the tournament is on so Christine Thompson will be organising the tournament. Please give her all your support.

Best wishes,

Virginia

MLTC Secretary

www.manlylawn.com.au

MLTC Newsletter – Badge Finals Report

 Manly Lawn Tennis Club Newsletter – Finals Report

Club Captain’s Report

AND THEN THERE WAS ONE

Manly 5 Men’s were our only winning Badge Team this year as our other two men’s teams were both defeated 5-3 in their respective finals match.
Manly 5 def Hunters Hill 3 at home 5 sets to 2
This was a very high standard match and the Manly team played their best tennis at the right time to defeat a strong Hunters Hill Team.
A fired up Hugo together with Alec set up victory by splitting sets with the pair with the best percentage in division 8 this year. Meanwhile Graham and Tom were beating the other pair in straight sets.With a 3-1 lead at the break Hugo and Alec won their 2 sets against the other pair easily whilst Graham and Tom lost a close set to the better pair.
Time was called with Manly winning 5-2.
Chris Diaz and Denis watched on whilst Richard Badham was getting updated results whilst trekking the Bonnie Hills  of Scotland. Gavin also played one match and was watching on.
There were some strong teams in Division 8 this year but by coming first and getting a home court advantage was the key to success.
Manly 2 Lost 5-3 away at Kooroora
A close loss but nevertheless a successful season for this team.
This was a very strong division also and our guys went down to the wire.
Sam and Warren won 2 sets whilst Bosko and Steve Nettleton won 1 set.
Other team members were Todd Maloney Jono Walker Harry Faeste Steve Wilkins
Nick Horton and Chris Green.
Manly 7 lost 5-3 away at Sydney Olympic Park
A close loss again to a team that had a perfect record in Badge was a gutsy effort.
Our guys played extremely well to a team that consisted of tennis coaches.
Barnaby and Tom won 2 sets and Dave and Stu won one set.
The team can be very proud of their performance this season.
Tony Hamilton captained the team well and played several matches as did Brett Luntz .
Ray Dummett and Mark Flogel also played one match each.
Thursday Ladies
Won 6-2 v Roseville to take 3rd place
After missing the final on percentages our ladies took 3rd place in the playoff
Erryn and Lisa won 4 sets Michelle Lindy 2 sets.
Well played Ladies.
Our thoughts now turn to the Club Championships which will be held in the last two weeks of October.
Details will be announced next week and entries will open then.
Adios amigos

 

Best wishes,

Virginia

MLTC Secretary

www.manlylawn.com.au

 

Gilbert’s Coaching Advice to Gauff: Know what’s coming, and play to your strengths | AskThePro

Brad Gilbert — tennis junkie, junkballer, commentator, coach of legends — had roughly seven minutes to trade his coaching hat for a microphone, to shift from helping Coco Gauff manage her third-round match Friday night to interviewing Novak Djokovic in the tunnel before his.

“Been coming to this place since 1981,” Gilbert, who travels with an espresso machine, said between sips of coffee as he headed to his office, a.k.a. the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, on Saturday morning. “Wouldn’t have it any other way.”

For 40 years, he has been a near-ubiquitous presence in the sport, rising through the 1980s to the No. 4 ranking in the world, despite his quirky, awkward, ugly strokes, then pivoting to coaching and television work, often at the same time, in that hybrid way that is oddly common in tennis. Andre Agassi had him at his side when he won the U.S. Open in 1994, as did Andy Roddick, in 2003.

Now, at 62 and a decade removed from top-level coaching, Gilbert is back in the trenches and quickly becoming a star of this year’s U.S. Open, albeit in a supporting role to the 19-year-old Gauff, who is among the biggest stars of this quintessentially American tennis party. One minute, Gilbert is chatting and applauding Gauff through a practice session. The next, he’s hustling through the crowds, fist-bumping fans who treat him like an old buddy on his way up to the ESPN commentary booth to mingle with a decidedly older set of stars from his era, such as Chris Evert, Patrick McEnroe and Pam Shriver.

“A very funny man,” Gauff said earlier this summer of Gilbert, whose coaching exploits she knew little about, since, as she pointed out with a giggle, they mostly happened before she was born. “I didn’t want to be with someone who’s a wall. But he’s definitely not a wall.”

Tennis fans love and hate his nerdy player nicknames. Stan Wawrinka, the Swiss tank of a player, is “Stanimal.” Carlos Alcaraz is “Escape from Alcaraz.” And on and on.

Last year took an unconventional turn. For nearly a decade, Gilbert had been working with junior players on private courts in California. Then the phone rang with an odd request.

After Gauff lost in the first round at Wimbledon in July, another disappointing Grand Slam result for a player who believes she is ready to win the biggest titles, he got a call from her team. They wanted him to speak with her parents about sharing his been-there wisdom as an adviser alongside Gauff’s new and somewhat-inexperienced coach, Pere Riba.

Gauff’s shortcomings were hardly a mystery: a shaky forehand and serve in tight moments; a struggle to maximize her prodigious strengths — her speed and ability to cover the court, her fitness, her blazing backhand, a laserlike first serve.
Used the right way, those tools have gotten her far. Maybe Gilbert’s brain could get her over the line.

“He loved discussing matchups, how to get to people’s weaknesses,” said Andy Murray, who worked with Gilbert earlier in his career. “It was very focused on the strategy and finding ways to win matches.”

Gilbert and Gauff’s team have kept quiet about the specific ways he has helped her, but anyone who watches him and hears what he says from her box during matches can figure it out: Know what’s coming, and play to your strengths.

“Make it physical, Coco,” is a constant refrain, a reminder that she can chase down balls all night long if she wants to, taking the legs and the heart out of opponents.

Gilbert has little use for the statistics that have come into fashion among many elite teams. He ignores the screen in the coaching box that gives coaches real-time data. “I trust my eyes,” he said.

He has been trying to introduce Gauff to his music, sending her links to songs by Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen and the Eagles. Gauff, a fan of City Girls — a Miami hip-hop duo featuring artists Yung Miami and JT — has yet to share her thoughts.

Still, at the moment, she and her team have every reason to trust his eyes, too. Gauff has won two of her first three tournaments with him on the team, and 14 of 15 matches, including three at the U.S. Open.

Source: .nytimes.com/2023/09/02/sports/tennis/us-open-coco-gauff-brad-gilbert.html

Expert spotlights Novak Djokovic’s health nonsense

Exercise physiologist Nick Tiller, MRes, PhD, has described several scientifically unsupported health products and practices promoted by tennis champion Novak Djokovic. [Tiller N. Novak Djokovic and the pseudoscience grand slam. Skeptical Inquirer, Aug 28, 2023] The dubious practices and beliefs Djokovic has promoted include:
• the TaoPatch, which he calls the biggest secret of his career and wore during the 2023 French Open. (According to the manufacturer, this uses nanotechnology to “convert natural body heat into microscopic beams of light to stimulate the nervous system.”)
• the Pyramid of the Sun, a hill in the Bosnian town of Visoko, said to have been built by an ancient civilization and enshrined with magical healing properties
• “energetic medicine” used by a practitioner who determined Djokovic’s arm strength was diminished when a piece of bread was pressed to his stomach
• “detoxifying” with beverages he prepares for his morning routine
• purifying “toxic” foods and polluted water through “energetical transformation”
• opposition to vaccination.

Mastering Tennis Requires an All-Court Style | AskThePro

The tennis court at Arthur Ashe Stadium appears smooth, but the microscopic structure of sand granules in the acrylic paint significantly affects match dynamics. The size, shape, and density of the sand dictate the ball’s speed post-bounce, with the U.S. Open surface being “medium-fast,” resulting in fewer long rallies and quicker matches. This pace is deliberately chosen by organizers using devices that measure friction and restitution.
Players like Daniil Medvedev have criticized court speeds, as variations can affect match outcomes. For example, the medium-slow courts at Indian Wells play differently than the medium-fast courts in Miami. Organizers try to control court pace; for instance, Wimbledon switched to 100% ryegrass for firmer courts, and the U.S. Open added sand to the line paint to minimize ball sliding.
Despite these efforts, top players like Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek consistently win regardless of surface speed. The pace affects playing styles, with faster surfaces favoring offense and slower ones requiring defensive skills and patience. Rafael Nadal, dominant on slow clay courts, had to adopt a more attacking style for hardcourts. The U.S. Open resurfaces its courts annually to ensure consistency. The surface, made by Advanced Polymer Technology, impacts the ball’s speed, trajectory, and spin.
Ultimately, mastering tennis requires an all-court style, as top players like Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, Alcaraz, and Novak Djokovic have demonstrated their adaptability to different court speeds.

Court speeds at major tournaments in 2023

TOURNAMENT

COURT SURFACE

PACE RATING

French Open

Clay

Slow (29 or less)

Indian Wells

Hard

Medium-slow (30-34)

Western & Southern Open

Hard

Medium (35-39)

Miami Open

Hard

Medium-fast (40-44)

Australian Open

Hard

Medium-fast (40-44)

U.S. Open

Hard

Medium-fast (40-44)

Wimbledon

Grass

Fast (45 or more)

Source:  https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/09/02/sports/tennis/us-open-tennis-court-speed.html

Manly Mens 5, Badge WINNERS Division 8, Winners 5-2

Congrats to Graham, Tom, Hugo, Alex. Team members not shown include Denis, Chris, Richard.

IMG_2664.jpg
Sent from my iPhone

MLTC Newsletter 29 Aug 2023

Manly Lawn Tennis Club Newsletter 29 Aug 2023
Club Captain’s Report
AND THEN THERE WERE THREE.
After the semi finals last Saturday we have three Men’s Teams in next week’s Grand Finals.
Our Men’s 2 Men’s 5 and Men’s 7 Teams all had wins last Saturday.
Unfortunately all our other teams suffered losses and bow out in the semifinals.
They can all be happy with their results this year as they all faced some formidable pairs last Saturday.
Semi Final Results
Division 1 Men’s
Manly 1 Lost 6-2 at home to Voyager
There was some outstanding tennis played here by Voyagers players.
Our guys put up a brave fight but were outhit.
Sean/Andrew Cam/Ben each won a set.
Division 2 Men’s
Manly 2 def Rockdale 4-4 on games.
Rockdale had 2 brothers that lost 10 games in 4 sets and are an excellent combination
However our pairs only lost 8 games to the other pair to manage a 2 game victory
Warren/Sam  Bosko/Netto each won 2 sets.
This win sets up a match next Saturday v Kooroora which will be another close match.
Division 3 Men’s
Manly 3. Lost 5-1 to Killara away
The guys put up a brave effort but Killara were too strong at home.
Sean/Vincent won 1 set whilst Dan/Bede had 2 close sets.
Division 8 Men’s
Manly 5 Won 5-2 at home v Kooroora
Alec/Hugo kept up their good form to win 3 sets from 3.
Tom/Graham won 2 sets to complete the win.
Denis and Chris watched on from the sidelines!
Next Saturday is a home final against Hunters Hill which will be a very tough match.
Division 10 Men’s
Manly 6 Lost 6-2 at home v Sydney University
Sydney University sent a strong team which played smart tennis for Division 10
Gabriel/James won 2 sets. Richard/Brodie played well but the opposition was very good.
Division 11 Men’s
Manly 7 def Royal Sydney 4-4 on games
Tom/Barnaby continued their hot form to win 3 sets whilst Stu/Dave won one set.
Captain Tony kept score from the bench.
This sets up a grand final away at Sydney Olympic Park
The opposition is undefeated all season so could be complacent.
Good luck fellas!
Division 3 Women’s
Manly 2 Lost 5-3 at home v Killara
Killara had a pair who played unbelievable tennis to win 4 sets easily.
The ladies took 3 sets from the other pair .
Kirsten/Carolina 2 sets Krista/Sarah 1 set.
Unfortunately the season is over now but the ladies were minor premiers by a long way and struck an inform pairing in the semifinal.
Division 4 Women’s
Manly 4  Lost 7-0 to Eastern Suburbs away
Kate and Noriko were unavailable so Narelle,Pam ,Melinda and Erryn put up a brave fight but were outplayed.
The ladies also had a good season to finish 3rd.
Thursday Ladies
Won 5-3 in the final round v Roseville at home
Melinda/ Erryn 3 sets Barbara/Lisa 2 sets
Despite this win the team misses the final on percentages.
Equal 2nd on points but a lower percentage than Royal Sydney.
A tough way to finish the season!
Each Badge Season the Manly man and lady with the best set percentage in Badge is awarded a prize.
The Lady winner was Kirsten Bruce with a 78% average
The Men’s Winner was Gabriel Cunha with 83% average
Both were awarded their prizes last Saturday
Congratulations to both members.
SOCIAL TENNIS IS NOW AVAILABLE FROM 11.30 to 6PM EACH SATURDAY
Good luck to our three remaining teams this Saturday.

Best wishes,
Virginia
MLTC Secretary

www.manlylawn.com.au

 

MLTC Newsletter 22 Aug 2023

Membership fee renewals will happen as usual for the club’s new financial year on 1st September and will see a small increase this year due to rising costs of running the club. The fees for 2023-24 will be:

 

Full Member

$495

Intermediate (aged 21-30)

$310

Junior/Student (aged 20 or less in full time study)

$175

Midweek (Mon-Fri)

$310

Overseas

$225

Social

$35

 

We very much hope all current members would like to renew their membership. 

Invoices will be sent via email from 1st September (payment due within two weeks) and can be paid via bank transfer or credit card.  Credit card payments will incur the Ezidebit fee of 1.79% which will be added at the time of payment. There is no fee for payments via bank transfer.  (From 1st Sep, this fee will also be added to online visitor fees, meaning the $12 fee, will become $12.21).

All members must be fully paid up to participate in Club Championships.

If any of the following relate to you, please email Virginia – [email protected] or speak to Sarah ASAP, but definitely before 31st August so we can make the relevant changes before renewals are sent out:

    • You are changing membership category
    • You do not wish to renew your membership
    • Your email has changed and you aren’t able to update it in the player portal
    • You would like to speak confidentially to us regarding financial hardship

We are looking forward to welcoming you back to a great 2023-24 year at the club.

Kind regards,

Virginia, Julia and Sarah

Club Captain’s Report

After the final round of Sydney Badge Manly Lawn has 6 Men’s Teams and 2 Ladies Teams in the semi finals. The Thursday Ladies are in 2nd position with one round remaining.
This is a fantastic result for our club and the best season I can remember in my time at Manly. I put this down to an even spread of players in the correct grades and fewer members going off overseas!
Now let’s finish the season off with a lot of titles.
Round 14 Results
Division 1 Men’s

Manly 1 lost 5-3 to Sydney Uni away.  Cam/Andrew 2 sets Oliver/Alex 1 set
Despite the loss the team still finished in 1st position and play at home on Saturday.
Division 2 Men’s
Manly 2 lost 5-3 away to Kooroora
Bosko/Wilko 2 sets  Todd/Warren 1 set
Finishing in 4th position sees the team play away at Rockdale next Saturday
Division 3 Men’s
Manly 3 def Kooroora 3 away 6-2
Fernando/Vincent 3 sets Bede/Dan 3 sets
This team has played excellent tennis in the second half of the season to claim 3rd position and play Killara away next Saturday
Bede has improved greatly throughout the season and has a formed a good partnership with Dan and or Fernando. Unfortunately Milton will be away for the finals but this team can still go all the way.
Division 5 Men’s
Manly 4 lost 6-2  to Wests
Rob/Geoff 2 sets. This team has struggled at times for players with injuries and overseas travel affecting the results.Finished in 6th position.
Division 8 Men’s
Manly 5 def Killara 9. 7-1 at Keirle Park
This big win claims 1st position and a home semi on Saturday against Kooroora.
Alec/Hugo 4 sets Tom/Graham 3 sets
We hoped to play Marrickville in the semis but unfortunately they finished 5th as The PM has not played lately and maybe his Rabbitohs will suffer the same fate and miss the finals in the NRL!
Division 10 Men’s
Manly 6 lost 8-0 to Roseville
This big loss cost the team 1st position but 2nd position sees them play Sydney Uni at home next Saturday.
Division 11 Men’s
Won 4-4 on games v Collaroy
TonyStu 1 set and Barnaby/ Tom kept up their good form to win 3 sets.
Finishing in 2nd position sees them play Royal Sydney at home on Saturday.
Division 1 Women’s
Manly 1Lost 5-3 at home to Roseville
Nicola/Bryanne 3 sets
This grade has been very strong this season but has seen some close results and a good grounding for Ruby in her tennis experience. Finished 8th.
Division 3 Women’s
Manly 2 Won 5-2 at home v Beecroft
Sarah/Krista 4 sets Carolina/Kirsten 1 set with 1 unfinished
The team has finished in a runaway 1st position and play at home next Saturday against Killara.
Manly 3 Won 4-4 away v Chatswood
Christine/Larissa 3 sets Shelley/Penny 1 set
Despite defeating the 2nd team and drawing with the 3rd team in the last two matches, the Ladies miss 4th position on percentages. Still this is a new team and has had a great season and will be favourite to win Division 3 next year.
Division 4 Women’s 
Manly 4 A washout on grass at Sydney Uni.  Finishing in 3rd position
This team has had a great season also and play Eastern Suburbs away next Saturday
Thursday Ladies
Lost 7-1 away at Cooper Park
Michelle/Sally 1 set
Now in 2nd position and need a win this Thursday to secure 2nd position
The Men’s 1 Team plays at home at 2.50pm this Saturday against Voyager.
This will be a tough match as Voyager will have a strong team and Blake is possibly still away playing tournaments.
The Ladies 2 Team and Men’s 6 Teams also play at 2.50pm whilst the Men’s 5 and Men’s 7 Teams play at noon.
Social Tennis is still on from 11.30am to 2.30pm.
Good luck to all our teams on Saturday.
Good luck also to The Bulldogs who play Manly on Sunday. (They need lots of it)
Denis Crowley

 

Best Wishes
Virginia
MLTC Secretary

www.manlylawn.com.au

 

Richard Makes Wimbledon Debut!

Richard (Steeds) qualified for the MT700 – British Closed event, part of the Masters Tour (formerly known as IFT events).

Held at Wimbledon’s AELTC facility, matches were played on the Aorangi practice courts. Previously, some matches were on main courts but now exclusively on Aorangi. Aorangi offered excellent facilities including change rooms, physio, and a kitchen. The only complaint — no beer on tap, Pimms was on tap! Beer was $A12 a bottle!

Open to various age groups, from 30 to 90 in 5-year intervals, some matches were also at the AELTC Community Tennis Centre Raynes Park. The latter has grass and indoor courts available for public hire.

Richard played in the Men’s +60 and Men’s doubles +60 events. He won his first round singles played at Aorangi and played my doubles later that day. A strong match losing to a good pair. He reported that the courts were slower than Manly’s mod grass courts.

Day 2 at Raynes Park: Richard played the 4th seed in singles. It was a windy morning that turned rainy by 1:15pm, leaving the match unfinished at one set each. The match resumed indoors at 6pm. Transitioning to an indoor court proved challenging and his opponent adapted more quickly. Ultimately, Richard lost the match.

What a great experience! Well done Richard!!

 For more details, refer to the tournament’s website: https://itfmasters.tournamentsoftware.com/sport/draws.aspx?id=0B1E26CB-E355-4374-B4CC-4210C93AA60E.

 

2024 AUSTRALIAN MASTERS TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS

2024 AUSTRALIAN MASTERS TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS
HOBART, TASMANIA
Teams Week: 14-19 January 2024
Individuals Week: 21-26 January 2024
Venue: Hobart & Surrounds, Tasmania

You and your friends will enjoy this event if you:

  • Enjoy competitive team doubles in a friendly spirit.
  • Wish to represent your State competing against other states and overseas teams.
  • Wish to play in your own age group or younger.
  • Would like to form your own team of 5-8 players in your own age group or younger
  • Wish to nominate individually for a team.
  • Like to participate in the social events that are included.
  • All players representing Tennis Seniors NSW in each team will need to wear the same State uniform.
  • Uniforms orders please contact Sharon Killen [email protected]

Nominations & Selections:
  • Form your own team or enter individually, EACH player must complete a Nomination Form.
  • Team nominations must be received on or before Friday 6th October 2023 to [email protected].
  • Individual Championship entries close in December.

More information and useful contacts: