SF Tennis Freak

Archive for the ‘GLTF’ Category

I’m a big proponent of sharing my personal experiences for the purpose of helping others. To that end, I will chronicle my 2013 USTA league experiences with that purpose in mind, In writing about my personal match struggles, physical and/or mental, as well as my triumphs, my goal is to help others who are also struggling realize that their struggles are common. I’ll also share solutions, tips, and tricks that work for me in the hope that they will do the same for others.

My match reports will contain opponent, date, location, weather conditions, match result (personal and team), and match notes. In order to provide the best context for these reports, I’ll list all relevant information on me, my game, and my idiosyncrasies in this initial post. Any changes in my physical status or relevant equipment issues will be mentioned as needed.

Without further ado, here’s all you’ll ever need to know about me and my game.

Level: 4.0

Plays: Right-handed, equal preference for singles or doubles

Racquet: Head Speed MP 315

Strings: NXT 16 and Stamina 17 (hybrid), 52 pounds.

Age: 49

Physical Status: I ‘m a former professional dancer with damage to my joints and connective tissue. Had shoulder surgery to remove bone spurs 6 years ago, and knee surgery to remove damaged patellar cartilage 4 years ago. Both surgeries were on my (dominant) right side, and I still do some of the rehab exercises to help maintain strength in the surrounding muscles, and to help guard against future injury/surgery.

I’ve adjusted my diet to help manage joint inflammation and pain instead of turning to massive doses of ibuprofen.  Additionally, I take two supplements (All Flex and AminoSculpt liquid collagen). The changes have helped significantly, but I still occasionally take ibuprofen to help with post-match pain and inflammation.

On match days I drink Cytomax (a good source of slow-release carbs) to help sustain my energy and electrolytes.  It also aids my post-match recovery.

Technical Game: I have a strong topspin forehand, and a competent two-handed backhand that has become more reliable over the years. I’ll also hit one-handers and slices as needed. Net game is solid but unspectacular.

Mental Game: My mental game has gotten better as I’ve learned to relax and stay positive on the court (though some of my friends might disagree with that assessment). Like many, I sometimes get too keyed up, anxious, or negative when playing.  I’ve worked hard to learn techniques from mental tennis books on the (like Tennis: Winning the Mental Match) to better understand match stress and the ways it can affect my game.

Privacy disclaimer: I’ve learned from past experience that even when I think I’m writing only about myself, I need to respect the privacy and identity of others. To that end, anyone mentioned in these reports has given permission for use of their name, or has authorized a suitable “nom de tennis”.

And now, on with the 2013 4.0 Adult Season!

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.

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.

This was a busy weekend for the GLTF, as two of the Women’s USTA adult league teams were playing at Districts (one in Alameda and one in Sunyvale).  Match times were the same for both locations.   I wanted to make a point to cheer at least one of the teams on and do a write up, but I unfortunately had to choose which location to cover.  Just for scheduling and distance, I opted to see the Longshots play in Alameda at the Harbor Bay Club on Saturday.

My apologies to the Sweetshots.  Wish I could have been there as well.

After a winning day on Friday, the Longshots continued their strong run by sweeping the doubles against Lafayette for a 3-2 victory.  First up on the main show court was doubles with Tara and Jeane.   I arrived with the match already in progress thanks to the wonderful traffic on 880, but the match was already well under control.  Tara and Jeane played great tennis to come away with the first win.

Claire played in the first singles match-up, and tried hard in her “sacrifice” singles position.  But her opponent was just too tough.  To her credit, Claire kept an amazingly positive attitude on court and kept playing hard until the last point.  Even afterward she was upbeat and quite funny in this brief chat we had while watching the second doubles.  It’s pretty funny, and I can see myself hanging out with Claire and laughing my butt off the whole time.  The clip is published with her blessing. 🙂

Claire V. interview at Districts (AUDIO)

Click here or on the picture at right for the image gallery

Next up was the duo of  “Down the line” Donna and “Pato” Penny (please excuse me if I’m butchering nicknames too badly!).  They were on and through quickly, with a strong beat-down of their opponents in straights.  The last two matches were the doubles duo of  Penny-Kathy, and Nicole in singles.  I think there was some kind of a curse on court #2 at Harbor Bay for our “singles ladies”.  First Claire, and then Nicole … locked in tough battles without easy access for team support.  From what I could see through the fence, Nicole played tough but came out on the losing end.

So there it was… match on the line with a must-win for Penny and Kathy.  And wouldn’t you know that they came through a tough battle on the main show court for the clinching victory.  If this had been day 3 I’m sure there would have been a mad dash on the court with jumping and scrumming.  But with a final tough day of play the ladies settled for high fives, hugs, and Coronas!

It was great watching the Longshots compete so well under such tough conditions.  The team support was also great to see.  These ladies like playing together and it showed!  A note of thanks to all of them for welcoming me into the fold for pictures and questions.  To quote Tara (who came up to me after her win with Jeane), “I saw you taking our picture… who are you?”.  Thank god I could explain myself adequately and it didn’t get ugly. 😉

In all seriousness, they were great to be with on a sunny Saturday afternoon.  I wish I could have come back Sunday to cheer the Longshots on.  Jeane e-mailed later in the day that they lost their last match to end 2-1 in round robin play, same as the Sweetshots.  But I’m sure it was still a great effort from all… even at 8AM on a Sunday!  Congratulations to both teams, and all the best for your off-season and a repeat performance next year.