Tennis Briefs(5): Register for March Play Days; More

Get a $50 Gift Card for Hosting a March Tennis Play Day in Florida

Tennis facilities and organizers can fill-up their programs with kids this March — and receive a $50 Gift Card from the USTA.

Visit www.YouthTennis.com/host to register or call 1-800-990-8782 and the first 2,000 event hosts will receive a $50 Amazon.com* Gift Card.**

The USTA is supporting World Tennis Day which is kicking off with the BNP Paribas Showdown at Madison Square Garden on March 10. Youth Tennis advertising will run during this prime event, featuring Roger Federer, to drive parents to www.YouthTennis.com to find an event. Host an event to get new players in the game.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to connect more families to your programs!

* Amazon.com is not a sponsor of this promotion. Except as required by law, Amazon.com Gift Cards (GCs) cannot be transferred for value or redeemed for cash. GCs may be used only for purchases of eligible goods at Amazon.com or certain of its affiliated websites. For complete terms and conditions, see www.amazon.com/gc-legal. GCs are issued by ACI Gift Cards, Inc., a Washington corporation. All Amazon (c) IP of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. No expiration date or service fees.
** No purchase necessary. Registration on www.YouthTennis.com starts at 12:01 on Jan. 15, 2015 and ends at 12:01 on March 30, 2015. United States Tennis Association Incorporated reserves the right to substitute in its soled discretion, limit of 1 GC available to the first 2,000 registered events. USTA is not responsible for delivery or redemption. (c) 2015 United States Tennis Association Incorporated. All rights reserved.

Visit www.YouthTennis.com/host.

One-On-One Doubles Shootout Rocks Daytona Women’s USTA Pro Circuit Event

Twelve professional women tennis players and 11 local male players fought it out on Jan. 20, 2015 in a “Battle of the Sexes” One-On-One Doubles Shootout during the $25,000 Daytona Women’s Pro Tennis Championships at the Florida Tennis Center.

Tournament Director John Hudson oversaw the three-hour round robin tournament featuring first-to-three game short sets, and no-ad scoring in the fun crosscourt-only one-on-one doubles format.

In the final WTA tour player Asia Muhammad defeated former Stetson University player Max Levanovich 3-1. In the semifinals Muhammad beat WTA tour player Nicole Melichar, while Levanovich bested WTA tour player Jackie Cako 3-0.

“This was the first One-On-One Doubles Tournament held at a USTA Women’s Pro Circuit stop,” said Ed Krass, founder of One-On-One Doubles and director of the College Tennis Exposure Camp. “The high level of serve-and-volley play displayed by the ladies was superb.”

Quickly becoming known as the “third game of tennis,” One-On-One Doubles is the half-court, serve-and-volley singles game played on the doubles court.

Players must serve-and-volley on both serves or lose the point, and the returner can stay back or come in. The doubles alley is in play, and there is a divisible line through the middle of the court, and all points are played crosscourt only.

For more information visit www.oneononedoubles.com.

Inaugural ‘Take Stock in Children’ Tennis Festival in Lakewood Ranch

The inaugural Take Stock in Children Tennis Festival will be held at the Lakewood Ranch Tennis Center, featuring show court exhibition matches with former tennis greats and local IMG prodigies, a live band, and end-of-day party among other activities.

The event will start at noon on Saturday, May 2, 2015 at the Lakewood Ranch Tennis Center, located at 8488 Legacy Blvd., Lakewood Ranch, Fla.

Tickets are $10 for general admission, and $50 for VIP which includes access to the VIP lounge, free food and drink, and mingling with the tennis legends.

Mikael Pernfors will take on Jimmy Arias in the Legends Exhibition.

“It will be a great day for an amazing cause,” says organizer Rob Hendrickson. “For every dollar we raise, we will get matching dollars from the Florida Prepaid College Foundation — that means more deserving children and their parents can realize the dream of a college education and all the opportunities it affords.”

Take Stock in Children is a non-profit mentor program that helps local boys and girls escape the cycle of poverty and achieve academic and personal success through four-year scholarships to a Florida state college.

FHSTCA Regional Tennis Team Coach Workshop Jan. 31

The Florida High School Tennis Coaches Association will host the FHSTCA Regional Tennis Team Coach Workshop on Jan. 31, 2015 from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at the Jonesville Tennis Center in Gainesville, Fla.

Sessions will include Group Dynamic Warm Up and Games (On Court); Singles Drills for High School Tennis Players; Doubles for College Preparation; Are You Using All The Tools Available To You; Games, Games, & More Games; Q&As and more.

For the full workshop schedule and more info go to www.fhstca.org/trainingcertification/fhstca-training.

Florida’s Horvit Among U.S. Girls at Australian Open Jrs.

Raveena Kingsley (16, Parkton, Md.), ranked No. 27 in the world among girls’ ages 18 and under, leads a group of American girls that includes Jessica Ho (18, Wexford, Pa.), Mia Horvit (17, Parkland, Fla.), Raquel Pedraza (16, Claremont, Calif.) and 2014 Australian Open quarterfinalist Olivia Hauger (17, Tulsa, Okla.) playing in the 2015 Australian Open Junior Championships on Jan. 24-31 in Melbourne.

U.S. girls in the qualifying draw are Madison Bourguignon (17, Boynton Beach, Fla.), Ally Miller-Krasilnikov (17, Delray Beach, Fla.), and Stephanie Hazell (17, Irvine, Calif.).

Taylor Townsend (2012) and Kim Kessaris (1989) are the only Americans to win the Australian Open girls’ singles title, while Madison Brengle (2007) and Lindsay Davenport (1992) were finalists.

Taylor Fritz and Michael Mmoh, two of the Top 10 juniors in the world, will headline the American boys.

While many American teens will be playing events on the USTA Pro Circuit in January, the No. 5-ranked Fritz (17, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.) and No. 7-ranked Mmoh (16, Temple Hills, Md.), along with William Blumberg (16, Greenwich, Conn.) and Sameer Kumar (17, Carmel, Ind.) will attempt to follow Andy Roddick (2000) and Donald Young (2005) as Australian Open boys’ singles champions.

Florida’s Stefan Kozlov was a finalist last year.

All U.S. juniors playing in the singles main draw will receive a stipend from USTA Player Development to help offset expenses. Full-time personal coaches accompanying main draw singles player(s) will also receive a stipend to offset expenses as a part of the TEAM USA initiative. USTA National Coaches Jamea Jackson and Brad Stine will provide support to all American junior players in Melbourne.

For draws and more info go to www.AUSOpen.com.