SF Tennis Freak

Archive for 2012

It’s been awhile since my last posting, but trust me when I tell you that I got a lot planned for my December postings. 😉

Before I get started with those, however, I wanted to share my little moment in the sun: my GLTF member spotlight. The Gay and Lesbian Tennis Federation of San Francisco (GLTF) is a great organization that I’ve been fortunate enough to be a part of for many years. I won’t go through my history with the organization, though I will say that it’s been fruitful as well as fruit-filled! I’ve been a member for many years, so I was bound to get my turn in the member spotlight section. It’s usually only shared with GLTF members in the Members-only section of the website, but I’m sure that it’d be okay to share my spotlight answers with you all.
[As if you don’t already know way too much about me already. :-)] 

GLTF MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

General Information

City: San Francisco
USTA Rank: 4.0
Gender: Male
Job: Web Designer/Wannabe Writer
Relationship Status: Partnered
Blog: www.sftennisfreak.com

What got you started with tennis?

I’ve always loved tennis since I was a kid and saw Arthur Ashe winning Wimbledon, but only played sporadically until around ’96. That’s when I started playing more with a friend of mine here in San Francisco toward the end of my career as a dancer. After I retired from performing, I started playing as much as I could… I guess to make up for lost time.

What helped you grow your own game most?

The biggest strides in my game happened when I finally started taking lessons. My first instructor in the club was Kerry Mitchell. He was brutal when it came to assessing your game, actually saying things like “Your forehand and footwork are terrible!”. But he also cared about helping you to improve. Before I took lessons with him my game would break down under the slightest stress. Afterward, I knew I had a better technical foundation to see me through the rough patches. I don’t have as much time for lessons as I used to, but take with Marla Reid whenever I can. She has helped me to have a more positive outlook on court, which is pretty key.

What have you done personally to help grow the game?

I’m not sure if I’ve done anything to “grow the game” on a large scale. I love the game and want to help others love it too. Maybe my writings have helped people who aren’t huge tennis fans have a better understanding of the players and why they’re all pretty incredible.

On a more immediate front, I will always feel a sense of pride in how I helped grow one important aspect of the game for the GLTF. When I first started as webmaster for the club, players had to send checks in to register for events or bring their checkbook/cash to the courts on the day of the event. So I researched a ton of options and finally found a way to introduce online payments to all of our club events, including the USGO. And we’ve never looked back. THAT makes me very proud.

What do you like most about tennis?

I love the simplicity of tennis. It’s not an easy game, but it’s a very simple game. It’s also great that we get to play year-round, outdoors and under the sun, in a city like San Francisco. On those perfect playing days with the perfect temperature, I can’t think of anything else I’d rather do.

Do you have any tennis goals?

My primary goal whenever I step onto a tennis court is to have fun and enjoy the moment. Granted, it’s easier when you’re playing well or winning. But it’s important to me regardless. I’ve had two surgeries: one on my right knee, and the other on my right shoulder. Both are on my dominant/hitting side. After the shoulder surgery there was a real chance I might not be able to play again. So I try to enjoy every moment I can knowing how close I was to never coming back.

What is your favorite [racquet/surface/tournament/shot]?

Favorite racquet: my current one (the Head Speed MP)
Favorite surface: hard court
Favorite tournament: Wimbledon
Favorite shot: Inside-out forehand

Does any one tennis memory stand out?

Three tennis memories stand out to me, all in different aspects of my relationship to the game. The first is my winning shot in a semifinal match that put me and my partner George Torrellas into the final of the Sissenstein Doubles tournament. We lost in the final, but the shot I hit was a screamer forehand pass down the line on the net man. I yelled and dropped my racquet afterward. The second is the feeling I had when I walked into the ballroom at the Westin St. Francis for my banquet when I was director of the USGO. Everything looked so spectacular that I got a little emotional. The third memory is from Miami when I ran into Mary Carillo while walking on the grounds at the Sony Ericsson. I called her and she came over to me. I rambled on about how much I loved her and how much we all did in San Francisco, and she got quite a kick out of it. I have a picture with her that always brings a smile to my face.

When you aren’t playing, what else do you like to do?

When I’m not playing tennis, I like to watch TV (Grimm, RuPaul’s Drag Race, The Ultimate Fighter, Raising Hope, Family Guy) or write for my blog sftennisfreak.com.

If you’re a Bay Area LGBT tennis player, check out the GLTF at www.gltf.org.

As tennis’ International Hall of Fame was preparing to announce its’ induction class for 2012, information was coming to light about a previously-inducted Hall of Famer and abuse allegations that seemed too hard to ignore. But that’s exactly what officials at the Hall of Fame appeared to do, infuriating many in the tennis community.

The subject of this firestorm was Bob Hewitt; a standout doubles player in his day who won all of the Grand Slam doubles titles for both Men’s and Mixed doubles. In later years, he went on to become a junior coach. This is where the story goes horribly wrong. Instead of coaching his young charges, he preyed on them sexually. Some of the victims, all young girls, were as young as 12. By all accounts the abuse was widespread and systemic.

A criminal probe was launched in early 2011. By the fall of 2011, word had spread of the allegations, and several witnesses had come forward against Hewitt. Mary Carillo even did a “Real Sports” story on the Hewitt allegations. But that’s as far as it got in terms of the tennis world.

Hall of Fame officials initially declined action because there was no criminal complaint on the matter. Finally, Tony Trabert, then president of the ITHOF, promised to conduct an investigation on the matter. But he never followed through. By the time the 2012 crop of inductees was being named, the matter had reached the boiling point because of the ITHOF’s inaction.

Mark Stenning, Hall CEO, publicly admitted in May that no investigation had been conducted. When an investigation was finally complete, it resulted in Hewitt’s suspension from the Hall of Fame on November 15, 2012. His plaque has been removed, as well as all other to him on Hall of Fame materials. Hewitt is “suspended” because they felt that expulsion was only appropriate if he were found guilty in a criminal proceeding. But for all practical purposes, Hewitt has ceased to be a Hall of Famer.

Stenning said afterward, “In hindsight, we certainly could have handled this more swiftly.”

You think?

Better late than never, I guess. Don’t get me wrong. I’m all for “due process”, but it took the Hall of Fame well over a year to take action on this matter, in spite of the pleas of many respected members. To their credit (because I do believe they should be given some credit) they spared no expense to investigate the matter once it became clear that Trabert had dropped the ball.

I’m not sure their late-game heroics can make up for their earlier inactivity, at least not for the victims. It’s easy to say you’re sorry after the fact when there are consequences. But it would have been much better if someone at the Hall of Fame had done the right thing from the outset, especially since the Hall of Fame is supposed to embody the best of tennis. And there was nothing “best” about this.

Articles for further reading and discussion:

• http://www.sport24.co.za/tennis/bob-hewitt-victim-speaks-out-20120705

• http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2012/11/15/bob-hewitt-suspended-from-tennis-hall-fame-after-allegations-sexual-abuse/QxC7zbtLwwsHCjDY5wdkJK/story.html

• http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/iteam/2011/11/hbos-real-sports-takes-a-look-at-bob-hewitt-sex-abuse-allegations

• http://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/kwazulu-natal/jhb-tennis-mom-to-sue-bob-hewitt-1.1143921#.ULXB8Id9J8E

“I play tennis for a living even though I hate tennis, hate it with a dark and secret passion and always have.“

Andre Agassi, Open.

It was a shockingly unexpected comment from one of the game’s greats, and a hero to many, me included. However, all things change with time. And if the huge smile on Andre’s face during the ‘BILT by Agassi and Reyes Champions Showdown’ (part of the PowerShares series) was any indication, he’s had a change of heart.

The final events of the PowerShares series are coming up this week in Denver and Anaheim, with Andre participating in both for a shot at finishing in the top three for a share of the $1M prize money. I had a chance to chat with Andre before his matches in San Jose, and one thing is certain: Andre is having the time of his life these days, and is wholeheartedly enjoying his association with a sport that was once the source of great turmoil and pain.

The 42 year-old Vegas showman lit up the arena with comprehensive victories over Jim Courier and John McEnroe. It was vintage Agassi: smacking backhands to the corners, crushing forehands, and blasting service returns winners at will past the net-charging McEnroe. When I asked Andre before the match how he was able to juggle his business ventures while still playing competitively in events such as this, he jokingly responded, “You’ll see tonight that I don’t spend too much time playing tennis anymore“.

To the contrary, Andre’s play was an impressive display of shot-making. Both Courier and McEnroe did their best to keep the ball out of Andre’s strike zone with high topspin, low angled slices, and deeply chipped shots with very little pace. It was a strategy that probably would have worked against most other players, but not against a guy like Agassi with the ability to hit the ball cleanly on the rise from both sides, no matter where he is on the court. It was inspiring tennis.

The best part of the evening, hands down, was seeing the joy on Andre’s face as he played. It’s a fitting reward for a guy who once hated tennis “with a dark and secret passion”. In fact, Andre’s current state of happiness with the game of tennis is palpable. It’s given him everything he holds dear, including his wife of eleven years, Stefanie, and their two kids, Jaden and Jaz. Steffi, in particular, provides the stability that allows him to pursue his passions.

“I have a strong infrastructure and great people around me certainly. But my wife is where it begins, because without that foundation at home none of this would be possible.”

The biggest slice of “this” is most certainly Andre’s work with his Andre Agassi Foundation For Education, helping disadvantaged kids get the education needed to succeed in life, and the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy. Andre’s continued efforts on behalf of the foundation have helped grow its’ endowment to over $550M to help build charter schools across the country.

“Am I a philanthropist? Yeah, I give a lot of money, but I feel there should be more to it. I came to the conclusion that what I am is a facilitator. I bring a lot of people together to create a vision, to get involved, to put leadership in place and get people to go above and beyond” (Bob Cohn, “Tennis no longer 1st in Agassi’s life“, TribLIVE, Oct. 14, 2012).

As if his foundation work wasn’t enough, Andre has created the ‘BILT by Agassi and Reyes’ line of training equipment with his good friend, Gil Reyes. The philosophy behind the BILT machines is one of maximizing training while also protecting the athlete’s body and joints. As Andre put it, it’s a bit “surreal” how it’s all come together – the culmination of their work together, combining all the knowledge they’ve amassed over the years of Andre’s time on tour.

“This particular time in my life is really special because it’s a full-circle kind of journey for me to see the sport give a platform and allow me to do some of the things I care about off the court. To watch what Gil did for me… and see it turn into a business that will help others like it helped me.”

Even with his loaded schedule, Andre still finds time to enjoy the current generation of top players. When I asked if he thought his best play could match up with that of the “Big Four”, his answer was a quick and decisive “No”. He went on to say, “The game has gotten better, and it keeps getting better. What these guys do now is they have as much offense as I ever thought of having, and their defense is far superior.” But when asked if he can still take a good rip at a ball like the old days, he smiled and said, “Oh yeah.” Having witnessed his demolition of Courier and McEnroe, I agree.

Andre has always been one of the greatest ball strikers to ever play the game. But six years removed from his dramatic retirement at the US Open, he’s that and much more. Andre is a man who’s driven to give others the opportunity for education that, ironically, he never had. And he’s gone from hating tennis to realizing its’ potential to help others achieve success and personal happiness.

We should all be so lucky.

I want to take a moment away from tennis to tell you about my brush with greatness the other day on my way home from work. As some of you may have heard (lol), on Sunday, the San Francisco Giants won the World Series in dominating fashion over the Detroit Tigers. They swept Detroit off the field, winning four straight games. It was great stuff to watch, especially that last pitch by Romo that froze Cabrera at the plate for the final out. Amazing!

On Monday, I was on my way home from work in San Mateo, listening to reports of the Giants having just landed at SFO (as I was driving by SFO), when all of a sudden a CHP officer on my right started weaving for a traffic break. I got out in front of him, but it occurred to me that this was THE traffic break that was going to allow the team to get back to ATT Park during the commute. In that instant I knew what I had to do: follow the team back to the park for homecoming.

After the 2010 win, I missed out on much of the festivities and ended up kicking myself over it. I didn’t get a t-shirt, or go to the parade/rally at City Hall. I watched on TV and felt slightly removed from it all, and maybe even a little bit jealous when I saw Bruce and the players showing off the trophy to the crowds at the park. I didn’t want to miss out for a second time.

I waited on the side of the road by Candlestick Park for the buses to go by, then followed them onto 280 and down to King Street as they headed for the ballpark. The gods were smiling on me as I was able to immediately park at the only available meter just off the exit. I put in a token amount of change, and then hauled ass the few blocks to the park so that I could be there for the team as they got off the buses. My timing wasn’t great, as I missed Panda getting off the bus with the World Series trophy overhead. And the crowd was so deep that I could barely see Hunter Pence high-fiving the crowd in front of me. Still, I was there to soak up the atmosphere and share in a bit of civic pride, and felt successful on both fronts.

As much of a whiz as I seem to be with all of my tech toys, I kept having issues with my phone’s camera. So I didn’t get any good pics of the players AS THEY SPED OFF IN THEIR CARS IMMEDIATELY AFTER GETTING THERE!!! That was pretty disappointing, but I guess you can’t blame them. I did get a chance to see a few of them drive off from my perch on the traffic island right opposite the ballpark driveway, and that was pretty cool. I saw Sergio Romo, Pablo Sandoval, and Tim Lincecum. They all had their windows down, and it was cool to cheer for them and see their smiles in response.

The top picture is just a cool view of the Posey banner I had from my traffic island location. The middle picture is of sportscaster Ken Wayne interviewing a woman in front of me. Coincidentally, I was watching his local coverage after the win on Sunday. I think he would have interviewed me if I had any amount of orange and black on, but I didn’t. 🙁 Hence, the bottom picture with my new t-shirt in front of the statue of Willie Mays!

I’m also including a short video just to show how crowded it was down there while we waited. Crowded, but not out of control thankfully. After all the players left, the staff thanked us all for coming down and started to bring down the barricades. I walked over to the Dugout and got my official t-shirt, well worth the price at forty bucks. I’m not a big baseball fan, but I’m certainly aware of those moments when sports can unite a city. This was definitely one of those times, and in a setting that was better than the million+ throng today at the parade and rally.

Move over Rafa, I think my new sporting crush is Sergio Romo. 🙂

Over 230 tennis players participated in the 2012 United States Gay Open.  Held over the Memorial Day weekend at Stanford’s Taube Tennis Center, champions were crowned in 16 events.

The Men’s Open division has traditionally been the highlight of the Monday finals, as everyone gathers to see the top guys “duke it out”. This year’s winner was Toby Hays from Mountain View, CA. Toby defeated Gordan Paitimusa 6-3, 6-7(3), 6-3 in a final punctuated by great shot-making and dramatic shifts in momentum.

I introduced myself to Toby (and his partner Elisban) at the tournament’s Sunday night banquet. There’s often a perception that the Open level players aren’t very friendly or approachable.  This couldn’t have been further from the truth with Toby, who was gracious and very easy to talk to after a long day on the courts.

He agreed to be interviewed for my tournament player profile.  And thankfully, his victory in the final ensured a happy subject for the interview.

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When did you start playing tennis? And at what point did you realize you were pretty good at it?

My whole family plays, so I started early – probably age 4 or 5. My parents wanted us to have a “lifetime sport” like tennis or golf, and I gravitated to tennis.

My main sport as a kid was gymnastics, so I did that most of the year, and then I would play junior tennis tournaments in the summer. I had some success, but I wasn’t committed to playing year-round, so I never really broke through into the top level. But I guess high school was the time when I felt like I was playing pretty well.

Did you play all through high school and into college?

I played tennis in high school, and I had a great coach who really helped my game. My junior and senior year I played #1 singles, and senior year I got to the quarterfinals of the state tournament. Also during high school, I transitioned from gymnastics to diving, and diving became my sport. It was easier to stand out as a diver because there are many fewer divers than tennis players. So I competed as a diver in college (Dartmouth) for 4 years.

Did you ever think about pursuing the goal of being a professional player?

I never felt quite that serious about tennis, and never fully committed. My parents really emphasized well-roundedness, so I liked competing in a variety of sports, and I also took academics seriously. I always knew that sports would be a big part of my life, but more as a recreational, fun activity.

How did you get involved with the GLTA circuit of tournaments?

I didn’t play much tennis for about 10 years (during college and medical school). Then I moved to Oakland in 2005 for my pediatric residency (at Children’s Hospital Oakland). I started hitting occasionally with one of my classmates, so I slowly got back into it. Then I met Dave Campbell, ex-USGO tournament director and GLTF member, through a friend of a friend at a party, and he told me about Cal Cup and the GLTA. My first event was Cal Cup in 2008, and that’s actually where I met (my partner) Elisban!

(Note: The Cal Cup competition pits the top players from the GLTA clubs of San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego.)

I loved watching you guys play doubles, and only afterward discovered that you were “life” partners.  How did you meet? Who spoke to whom first?

We were both recruited for Cal Cup in SF in 2008, but neither of us could get to the practices, so we met at Golden Gate Park and didn’t even know that we were teammates at first. We watched each other’s matches and kept an eye on each other. Eventually I introduced myself.  I actually introduced myself to his sister first, which I thought would be ingratiating.

Playing doubles with someone you’re dating can be tricky. Are you and he able to leave your losses/disagreements on the court when you go home?

It’s been tricky to learn to play together. But the benefits of having tennis as a shared activity far outweigh the challenges. Because we know each other so well, and we’re very comfortable with each other, we’re more likely to say what we’re thinking. Also, a slight change in tone of voice or a subtle facial expression has a lot of meaning behind it.  There’s no hiding our true feelings on the court.

Generally, we get over our losses and disagreements pretty quickly. We do have to hash things out occasionally, but we can move on pretty well.

Let’s talk about your match against Gordon Paitimusa in the finals.  Had you played Gordon before that USGO final?

The only other time we had played each other was at Cal Cup in SF in October, 2011, but it was doubles. I got a glimpse of his lethal forehand then, and I think he’s just been steadily improving.

There were dramatic momentum swings that seemed, in part, due to Gordon’s uneven level of play (great shots followed by sprayed shots). What do you think contributed to the momentum swings?

I think there were multiple factors. The wind was tough because it wasn’t consistent in its direction and speed. I also tried to mix up my shots so that he couldn’t get into as much of a rhythm (some loopy shots with lots of topspin, and some flatter, harder shots). It’s also a different feeling to play in front of a crowd on a stadium court like that, so I think that contributed as well.

Do you think that playing someone as young as Gordon (born in 1991) gave you an advantage because you have more experience with tournament play?

I think experience does help. I was able to identify an effective strategy and stick with it i.e. mix up the pace and try to keep it to his backhand. One of the biggest assets of his youth is his amazing foot speed – he’s ridiculously fast!! I couldn’t believe the shots he could get to, and that he could get there with enough time to rip winners. He hit some unbelievable shots that whizzed by me – all I could do was say “nice shot.”

What was the key to your victory?

I was able to keep the ball deep enough to his backhand. The times when my ball dropped short he could run around and rip a winner, so the key for me was keeping the ball deep.

What were you least happy with about the match?

I was frustrated that I missed a lot of short balls – I felt like I constructed some points well waiting for the short ball, and on numerous occasions I was unable to put the ball away.

Where do you keep your trophies? And which one is your favorite?

I have some trophies at home, and a few in my office at work.  My favorite trophy is this most recent USGO one, because it’s my best win.

What was the first thing you did when you got home after your win?

I took some ibuprofen, sat on the couch, and watched bad reality TV.

Final question. Because inquiring minds want to know, what do you mean by “bad reality TV”?  Give me an example.

My favorite “bad reality TV” show is American Idol. My favorite “good reality TV” show is So You Think You Can Dance.

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When the discussion turns to reality TV, it’s time to wrap things up!
Thanks to Toby for being so open and generous with his time.
Congratulations on the win, and to all the other winners/finalists as well. See you next year for USGO 2013.

While most people are relaxing this Memorial Day weekend, hundreds of tennis players from all over the United States (and internationally) will be participating in one of the oldest gay and lesbian sporting events in the world.

For over thirty years, the Gay & Lesbian Tennis Federation of San Francisco (GLTF), a USTA NorCal Community Tennis Association, has hosted the United States Gay Open (the USGO) over Memorial Day weekend. What began as one of the only competitive outlets for gay and lesbian tennis players is now one of North America’s largest all-inclusive LGBT tennis tournaments. This year’s event will take place at Stanford’s Taube Stadium.

I served as tournament director in 2004 and am well-acquainted with the logistics involved in running a successful USGO. It’s a massive undertaking. Tennis courts, balls, water, trophies, volunteers… everything associated with running a large tournament, must be accounted for months in advance. It’s a rewarding task, but not for the faint of heart.

This year’s tournament director is Alex Lin, who also ran the 2011 event. Though his schedule before the tournament is “crazy busy”, I managed to grab him for a few questions about his involvement with the tournament, and what we can expect from the 2012 edition.

How long have you been a member of the GLTF? Were you involved on the board prior to becoming the USGO tournament director?

I’ve been a member since 2002. And no, my first USGO experience was as a volunteer in 2009.  I helped (then tournament director) Dave Campbell run the consolation matches.  I guess I did too good of a job, and ended up getting recruited to handle the registration portion of the event in 2010.

Why did you decide to take on the challenge of the USGO?

I did it because no one else wanted to do it. (Joking) Really, I did it because I enjoy event planning. And planning a tennis tournament was something I never thought I would do. So it was a good opportunity to challenge myself to see what I could bring to the event.

What has been the most rewarding aspect of running such a large tournament?

Meeting so many different people – whether it’s face to face at board meetings, or the email exchanges with players on a different continent followed by an eventual meeting at the tournament.

Conversely, what’s been the most challenging aspect?

The same as rewarding – meeting and dealing with so many different people and personalities, and trying to solve people’s issues related to the tournament.  People who haven’t been in this position really don’t understand that this is a full-time job for the entire month prior to the tournament. And it’s done by a volunteer.  Each person with their different issue only sees that little part the concerns him or herself, while I must keep the entire picture of the tournament in mind.

For those not familiar with the USGO (United States Gay Open), can you give me a quick rundown on the tournament (number of events, participants, etc.)?

We have 17 events this year with 240 players.  It’s a four-day tournament, during which players could have as many as 4 matches in a day. So it’s quite exhausting on the body. My goal is to provide as much for the players as possible so that all they have to worry about is their tennis.

What are the highlights of the 2012 tournament?

We’re featuring night matches on Friday, taking advantage of the great courts at Stanford University’s Taube Center.  One of our new events is doubles consolation, which is rarely seen at other tournaments.  Doubles players often get the short end of the stick compared to singles players, so I wanted to make it a satisfying event for everyone.

Lastly, what’s been your funniest moment as the tournament director?

Reading this question, and trying to come up with an answer.
Tournament play starts at 8AM each day over the Memorial Day weekend. Everyone is invited to come out and cheer on the contestants. Visit http://www.usgotennis.org for more information.