International Tennis Federation
Press Release: March 22, 2021
The ITF has today confirmed, following consultation with the Croatian Seniors Tennis Association (host organiser) and other tournament stakeholders, that the 2021 ITF Seniors (50-55-60) World Championships in Umag, Croatia, originally scheduled to take place from 6-19 June 2021, will now be played from Sunday 29 August to Saturday 11 September. The event will remain in Umag, with the Team event running from 29 August – 3 September, before the Individual event from 4-11 September.
The ITF Seniors Committee has taken this decision in light of the ongoing situation, globally and in Croatia, with significant travel restrictions remaining in place for many nations and regions. At this time, too much uncertainty remains to allow participants to make the necessary arrangements for an event of this scale in June. The health and safety of everyone involved remains the foremost priority.
The rescheduled Seniors World Championships will immediately proceed the ITF Young Seniors World Championships which begin on 12 September. The ITF Young Seniors World Team and Individual Championships remain scheduled to take place in Umag from 12-25 September as well as the Super Seniors World Team and Individual Championships on Mallorca, Spain from 10-23 October 2021.
Players and teams are advised not to book any travel or accommodation until the tournament fact sheets have been published, approximately 4 months prior to the event.
https://www.manlylawn.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/POST-seniors-e1555388790419.png152200Rob Muirhttps://www.manlylawn.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/manly-lawn-tennis-club-logo.pngRob Muir2021-03-26 06:28:372021-03-26 06:28:37ITF Seniors World Championships Rescheduled to Aug 29 – Sept 11, 2021
USTA National March 2021
This article was originally published on USTA.com, February 11, 2021
Tennis is the perfect social-distancing sport—and the numbers continue to prove it.
Tennis participation in the U.S. increased by 22% in 2020, with 21.64 million people hitting the courts, according to recent data from the Physical Activity Council’s Participation (PAC) report produced by Sports Marketing Surveys. The survey and report monitor more than 120 different sports and activities participated in by Americans.
Of the more than 21 million Americans saying they played tennis last year, 6.78 million were either new or returning/lapsed players. Nearly 3 million of those were first-time players, a 44% increase over new players in 2019. Additionally, the 3.82 million Americans who returned to the sport after time away was a 40% increase over the same measure in 2019.
“We are thrilled that so many new and existing players came back to the sport—especially in what was such a challenging year for so many people,” said Mike Dowse, USTA Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director. “These new participation numbers are a testament to the hard work, passion and commitment of a united industry that worked together to ensure that tennis not only survived, but that it thrived.
“Even though we continue to face challenges, it’s evident that many people recognize tennis as the ideal social-distancing sport, which puts it in a great position to continue to grow and allow people to stay active and social in a healthy and safe manner.”
In addition to the increase in participation highlighted in the PAC report, the Tennis Industry Association—the trade association that assists in monitoring the entire U.S. tennis industry—reported that racquet sales in the entry-level category have seen significant year on year growth of nearly 40%.
With its inherent social distancing, along with many other health benefits, tennis continues to show strength in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. To that end, the USTA—with input from the USTA Medical Advisory Group—established in 2020 a series of recommendations and guidelines on how to play tennis safely for both players and facilities. Additionally, a recent study, which analyzed the surface of balls used in various sports, showed that tennis balls used during normal play are unlikely to put players at risk of developing COVID-19.
Tennis’ positive health impacts are well documented, and have recently been further highlighted by one of the largest sport-specific studies to date. The study, published in the July 2020 edition of the Journal of Medicine and Science in Tennis, showed that those who play the sport have higher general, physical, social and mental health scores than the general population.
“We are excited to see these positive trends and such significant growth in our sport,” said Craig Morris USTA Chief Executive, Community Tennis. “We are energized to continue putting forward key industry partnerships and quality programming to ensure new and existing players of all ages and abilities have the best experience playing the sport for a lifetime.”
In order to capitalize on the momentum surrounding participation, the USTA collaborated with leading manufacturers and mass retailers to include a “Net Generation” hangtag on over 400,000 youth racquets sold by various mass sporting goods and tennis retailers across the U.S. Beginning in early Q2, the hangtags will include information about Net Generation, the official youth tennis brand of the USTA, via a QR code announcing local play opportunities and access to the free youth USTA membership, all aimed at making it easier for kids to get into the game.
After fulfilling more than $10 million in funding to combat the pandemic in 2020, the USTA will continue to provide resources to certified providers and facilities across the country to ensure new and existing tennis players have access to quality programming that is safe and fun.
Each year the Physical Activity Council conducts the largest single-source research study of sports, recreation, and leisure activity participation in the nation. The PAC is made up of eight of the leading sports and manufacturer associations that are dedicated to growing participation in their respective sports and activities. To download the recent PAC report, please visit the council’s official website.
https://www.manlylawn.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/POST-Tennis4Life-e1555388595767.png152200Rob Muirhttps://www.manlylawn.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/manly-lawn-tennis-club-logo.pngRob Muir2021-03-26 06:25:252021-03-26 06:25:25U.S. tennis participation surges in 2020, Physical Activity Council (PAC) report
Hello, my name is Alberto, for friends of the Manly Law tennis club Alby, sorry for my English but after 4 years I have forgotten the language.
In 2015 I was lucky enough to be welcomed by your club during my stay in your fantastic country for 6 months by the group of veterans who trained on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
Sometimes during the year I exchange a few emails with Mr. Owen Kennedy who is truly a special person.
I wanted to share this memory with you and take this opportunity to greet all the members whose names it is impossible to remember but in particular George and the Irishman, Charles!
As soon as the pandemic is over I can’t wait to be able to visit you again because I really miss Australia so much.
I really hope you read my email and maybe you can also publish it on your site.
Greetings from your Italian friend ALBY
Alberto Casella
https://www.manlylawn.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/POST-news-e1555388843470.png152200Rob Muirhttps://www.manlylawn.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/manly-lawn-tennis-club-logo.pngRob Muir2021-03-15 12:39:082021-03-15 16:47:50Greetings from ALBY: our Italian friend
Congratulations Matthew! You have been selected to represent the Sydney Metropolitan Region at the 2021 NSW 12/U State Teams Championships.
The teams in the 12/U Girls Championships will play for the Jan O’Neill Cup and the teams in the 12/U Boys Championships will play for the Tony Roche Cup.
The aim of the Championships is to provide the State’s best 12 and under players with first class competition against players from across the state in an enjoyable team atmosphere, whilst introducing the educational aspect of on-court managers.
Teams will comprise of four players, each playing a singles and doubles match in each round of play. Play offs will commence on Sunday afternoon with all teams involved in the play offs.
Players are expected to arrive at the venue by 7:45am on the 27th March for team photos and the opening ceremony. Each player will receive a team shirt and players are asked to wear black shorts or skirts.
Parents are asked to carefully view the spectator behaviour document attached to this email before they agree to participate in this event. Poor spectator behaviour will not be accepted at this event.
Event Details
Date: 27-28 March 2021 Venue: Bathurst Tennis Centre Address: 217 Durham St, Bathurst, NSW, 2795
https://www.manlylawn.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/POST-news-e1555388843470.png152200Goss Editorhttps://www.manlylawn.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/manly-lawn-tennis-club-logo.pngGoss Editor2021-02-28 08:31:252021-02-28 08:34:25Rising star: Matthew Curtis
One day, Novak Djokovic’s dominance at the Australian Open will come to an end. Such is the reality of time — the opponent that champion athletes can stave off but never defeat.
Sunday at Melbourne Park, Djokovic left no doubt that his time is still now at Rod Laver Arena, routing Russian Daniil Medvedev 7-5, 6-2, 6-2 to win his ninth Australian Open title.
More significantly, Djokovic claimed his 18th Grand Slam, closing the gap on career rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, who are knotted at a men’s record 20 majors each. Against a Russian challenger who was riding a 20-match winning streak, Djokovic, 33, staged a breathtaking display of pace, power and precision to dispatch Medvedev with ruthless efficiency.
Djokovic won 14 of the last 18 games and roared in triumph less than two hours after the first ball was struck, keeping intact his record of never having lost an Australian Open final.
Djokovic’s relative ease in claiming the title on Sunday underscored his very real prospect of matching or surpassing the men’s record 20 majors shared by Nadal and Federer. That’s not to say that Nadal won’t be favored to win a 14th French Open in June or that a ninth Wimbledon is beyond Federer’s reach, at 39. “Roger and Rafa inspire me,” Djokovic said afterward. “I think as long as they go, I’ll go. In a way it’s a race who plays tennis more, I guess, and who wins more. It’s a competition between us in all areas. But I think that’s the very reason why we are who we are — because we do drive each other, we motivate each other, we push each other to the limit.”
Djokovic’s dominance Sunday also underscored the gap that remains between the sport’s Big Three — Federer, Nadal and Djokovic — and the younger rivals seeking to dethrone them, particularly at Grand Slam events. Said Medvedev, 25, a multi-linguist, astute tactician and delightful interview: “We are talking about some Cyborgs of tennis — in a good way. They are just unbelievable.”
https://www.manlylawn.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/POST-goss-e1555388932669.png152200Rob Muirhttps://www.manlylawn.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/manly-lawn-tennis-club-logo.pngRob Muir2021-02-22 06:20:142021-02-22 11:29:22[The Washington Post] Novak Djokovic claims his 18th Grand Slam singles title
MELBOURNE, Australia — The tennis court becomes a fun house mirror when the player across the net is Hsieh Su-Wei, the queen of the overhead drop shot, whose wicked spins, clever angles and two-handed shots from both sides can rattle her opponents.
Naomi Osaka, a three-time Grand Slam champion, sighed audibly on Sunday when informed that her reward for fending off two match points against Garbine Muguruza was a meeting with Hsieh, who clinched her place in the quarterfinals while Osaka was struggling to solve the problem that was Muguruza.
“She’s one of those players that, for me, if it was a video game, I would want to select her character just to play her,” Osaka, the 2019 champion, said. “Because my mind can’t fathom the choices she makes when she’s on the court.”
Osaka, 23, added, “It’s not fun to play her, but it’s really fun to watch.”
Hsieh, 35, is more accomplished in doubles, where she and her partner, Barbora Strycova, arrived at Melbourne Park as the top seeds and exited in the second round. A three-time Grand Slam champion in doubles, Hsieh had never advanced to the quarterfinals in singles in 37 prior Grand Slam singles main draw appearances.
“She’s probably going to smash me on the court,” Hsieh said cheerfully. “I try to play my game, do my job, see what happens.”
https://www.manlylawn.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/POST-goss-e1555388932669.png152200Rob Muirhttps://www.manlylawn.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/manly-lawn-tennis-club-logo.pngRob Muir2021-02-16 06:19:042021-02-16 09:34:51NYTimes: At 35, a Tennis Magician Brings Her Tricks to a First Quarterfinal
While some players blamed strict virus measures for their troubles at the event, Jennifer Brady of the United States thinks it might have helped her advance.
Image
Jennifer Brady after her win over Kaja Juvan in the third round.Credit…Asanka Brendon Ratnayake/Reuters
The talk of the Australian Open is not just who made the arduous journey to the second week, but whether a so-called “hard quarantine” has taken a toll on players who did not.
Several had to remain in their hotel rooms around the clock — deprived of a five-hour break for training and treatment afforded to everyone else — for 14 days after arriving if a passenger on their flight had tested positive for the coronavirus.
Though Tennis Australia has not released a complete list of the players who were in hard quarantine, at least 26 players in the women’s singles draw were in the stiffer quarantine, including 12 of the 32 seeded players.
Two former Australian Open champions, Victoria Azarenka and Angelique Kerber, lost their first-round matches after going through the hard quarantine. Six other women who had endured it reached the third round, but all lost in decisive straight sets.
“I mean, there’s no escaping the fact that we were in the room for two weeks before a Slam — that’s not how you prepare for a Slam,” said the 21st-seeded Anett Kontaveit, who lost on Saturday evening to Shelby Rogers.
Image
Brady said she believed a strict quarantine benefited her physically and mentally.Credit…Matt King/Getty Images
Yet consider the case of Jennifer Brady, the only woman who was in hard quarantine to advance to the second week.
Seeded 22nd, Brady has not only survived, but soared: She defeated Aliona Bolsova, 6-1, 6-3, in the first round on Tuesday and went on to victories over Madison Brengle (6-1, 6-2) in the second round on Thursday and Kaja Juvan (6-1, 6-3) in the third round on Saturday.
“At first I was a little bummed, and then I was like, OK, I’m fine,” Brady, of Pennsylvania, said of the hard quarantine in an interview on Saturday. “There’s worse things out there in the world than being stuck in a room for 14 days. It’s not the ideal preparation before a Grand Slam, but if you looked at it, you’d see you still have eight days before your first match at the Grand Slam.”
Brady said she slept more than usual during the 14 days, often not waking up until around 11 a.m. She worked out twice a day, at noon and around 5 p.m. Brady’s coach, Michael Geserer, said that while Brady used tennis balls, a stationary bicycle and weights, her most important work was mental.
https://www.manlylawn.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/POST-goss-e1555388932669.png152200Rob Muirhttps://www.manlylawn.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/manly-lawn-tennis-club-logo.pngRob Muir2021-02-16 06:09:262021-02-16 09:33:47NYTimes: How a ‘Hard Quarantine’ Benefited a Player at the Australian Open
“Point violation: thinking your God’s gift,” Sacha Baron Cohen’s character – an Aussie tennis umpire somewhere between Shane Warne and The Castle’s Darryl Kerrigan – tells tennis young gun, sometimes brat and part Australian Greek god Nick Kyrgios.
Kyrgios doubles over and cracks up, as he tries to remain in character. The unlikely pair are filming at Melbourne’s famous Kooyong tennis club for a new Uber Eats campaign to premier on Monday for the start of the delayed Australian Open.
AFR Weekend was granted an exclusive interview on the closed set. Since speaking to Kyrgios, friends, family and colleagues have all had one question: “What’s he really like?” as they wonder aloud if the bad boy of tennis could really be on the verge of a remarkable story of redemption.
Wednesday night’s bizarre mid-match meltdown after a time violation at an Australian Open warm-up event reminded us how fragile those hopes might be.
“I’m not f—ing moving. It’s like you guys do it to just be funny. Bro, I was serving. Why’d you have to call it?” Kyrgios fumed, putting down his racquet and walking off to his courtside chair, before ultimately winning the match.
Nick Kyrgios on set with Sacha Baron Cohen for an Uber Eats ad in Melbourne this week. Patrick Durkin
There are also signs his relationship with girlfriend Chiara Passari has imploded.
But the public remains desperate for him to keep “bad Nick” at bay and finally deliver on his unlimited potential.
“I can definitely feel a bit of [public] warmth on my side but it doesn’t really change how I go about things. I’ll always be my own man, I’ll be comfortable in my own skin,” Kyrgios tells AFR Weekend, as the polarising star opts to stand and stare ahead, shifting his weight impatiently, as he listens to our questions.
Nick Kyrgios has deleted on social media photos of his girlfriend Chiara Passari, who has left a cryptic message on her Instagram about “cheaters” and turned her account private. Instagram
The 25-year old, who has won more than $US8.5 million in prize money, claims his decision to stay home in Canberra through most of last year because of the pandemic and barely play a match has left him refreshed, recharged and ready to win.
“I feel like it’s completely refreshed me, I feel like I’m hungry and I haven’t played in a while, so it feels new to me a little bit, but at the same time I think it was just a good time to get back to the basics – my family, friends and just be normal again,” he says.
“The last couple of months, last three to four months, I’ve been training pretty hard, definitely the first month or two I didn’t touch a tennis racquet at all, I just wanted to completely chill and I’ve literally been doing nothing.”
Wednesday night’s outburst adds to a long list of show-stopping meltdowns, fines for a lack of effort, as well as public beefs with Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Stan Wawrinka.
The ongoing controversy has scared off sponsors including Bonds and Malaysia Airlines, although lucrative deals with Nike, Yonex and Uber Eats remain.
His mercurial, entertaining but dividing style also continues to win fans. Melbourne’s public cheered his criticism of Djokovic after the Serbian star’s list of quarantine demands, and for shooting down complaints from Bernard Tomic’s girlfriend about washing her own hair in lockdown.
“You see people losing lives, you can’t complain, you can’t complain about being in a hotel for a couple of weeks,” Kyrgios tells AFR Weekend. “They are setting up a tournament for you to play and we are being paid more because we haven’t been allowed to play, I just don’t think there’s any time for complaining.”
‘He likes to do unpredictable stuff’
A pivotal turning point in the Kyrgios redemption story came last year when he shed tears over the catastrophic Australian bushfires he called “bigger than tennis” and raised over $90,000 towards the Bushfire Appeal, including $200 for every ace he hit.
“It’s obviously nice having some more support behind me. Last year with the bushfires and everything going I felt like everyone really got behind me,” he says.
He has continued work on his NK Foundation, which offers low-cost access to sport and education for underprivileged youth.
He also seemed to find happiness – for a while – with girlfriend Passari, although a cryptic Instagram message from her this week about “cheaters” sent media into overdrive on their relationship.
Kyrgios appears to have deleted multiple couple photos from his social media and Passari has since made her Instagram private.
Team Kyrgios has also brought in the respected marketing, publicity and crisis management expert Tristan Hay, who is well known in rugby league and NBA circles.
But like all things Kyrgios, another controversy, meltdown or public spat never seems far away, and his fellow tennis stars will still take some convincing.
“He likes to do unpredictable stuff,” says Stefanos Tsitsipas – Kyrgios’ sometimes doubles partner and one of the few players he might call a friend on tour – who admits Kyrgios is the “black sheep” of the tour.
“He is just very hyperactive, he hates to lose, trust me, he just hates to lose, I didn’t expect it myself,” Tsitsipas recently told the No Challenges Remaining podcast.
“He likes attention. He has his own personality which stands out. Some people love it … a lot of people hate it and don’t understand it.
“I think all sport needs that. It’s entertainment, it’s fun, it’s something unique and special not many players have. As long as he is not disrespectful – he may have been a few times and that’s not cool – but when he is in total respect of the game and does the right thing, he is just really fun to watch.”
https://www.manlylawn.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/POST-goss-e1555388932669.png152200Rob Muirhttps://www.manlylawn.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/manly-lawn-tennis-club-logo.pngRob Muir2021-02-08 07:43:112021-02-08 08:06:24Is Nick Kyrgios heading for redemption?
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The Australian Open and all the regular interstate leadup tournaments for the season’s first tennis major will be staged in Melbourne in January in a bid to minimize risks for players traveling and quarantining during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tennis Australia will transfer the tournaments from Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Hobart to Melbourne, where a quarantine and practice hub and a bio-secure playing hub will be set up for the sport’s elite players. Australia’s international borders are restricted, and there is still differing domestic traveling restrictions between states.
Tennis Australia said logistics, including draw sizes and scheduling, were being worked through for the weeks ahead of the Australian Open, which is due to start Jan. 18. Mark Handley, who is the ATP Cup general manager and tournament director for the Brisbane International, said the decision to move all Australia’s tournaments to a secure hub was done to provide some certainty for the players and allow them enough time to prepare for the Australian Open.
https://www.manlylawn.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/POST-news-e1555388843470.png152200Rob Muirhttps://www.manlylawn.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/manly-lawn-tennis-club-logo.pngRob Muir2020-11-21 08:42:242020-11-21 08:42:25TENNIS AUSTRALIA TO RELOCATE SUMMER TOURNAMENTS TO VICTORIA
Tennis – French Open – Galeries Lafayette Rooftop, Paris, France – Spain’s Rafael Nadal poses with the trophy after winning the French Open yesterday REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes
With the tennis season almost ending, World No. 2 Rafael Nadal will play at the Paris Masters 2020, followed by the year-end ATP World Tour Finals. Last year, Nadal withdrew from Paris Masters ahead of his semifinal clash because of an abdominal injury.
Injuries have been no stranger to Nadal. His career has been plagued with serious knee problems, which have forced him to take long breaks from the tour on multiple occasions. Recently, during an interview, Angel Ruiz Cotorro, doctor of the Spanish Tennis Federation and of Rafael Nadal, mentioned that Nadal can prolong his career if his body copes well physically and doesn’t get injured too often.
Tennis – French Open – Roland Garros, Paris, France – Spain’s Rafael Nadal in action during his semi final match against Argentina’s Diego Schwartzman REUTERS/Charles PlatiauPIN IT
“I think that as long as the body supports him, he has enthusiasm and works every day as he is doing, because every time he plays better tennis, because we really have Rafa left for a few years. It depends on many situations, if the injuries respect him, but physically he is now very well,” said the doctor.
Cotorro says Rafael Nadal is the strongest mentally
Ruiz Cotorro believes that Nadal’s recent win over Novak Djokovic in the French Open final was a testament to Spaniard’s mentality. Nadal clinched a record 13th Roland Garros title and equaled Roger Federer‘s record of winning 20 Grand Slam championships.
Tennis – French Open – Roland Garros, Paris, France – Spain’s Rafael Nadal reacts during the final against Serbia’s Novak Djokovic REUTERS/Christian HartmannPIN IT
The doctor acknowledged that Uncle Toni’s guidance and intense training over these years has helped Nadal in becoming one of the best competitors of the sport.
“Currently, he is a player who has all these acquired routines; I think he is the mentally strongest of all the tennis players on the circuit and possibly in the history of tennis,”said Cotorro