US Tennis Congress - Train with the Top Coaches in America
What: Learn from the Best Tennis Coaches in the USA in one place
When: Oct 11-14, 2013
Where: Atlanta, GA
* Check out their USA Today story published earlier this week!
* The founder P.J. Simmons, is the creator of the site The Road to 4.5 Tennis which I came across several months ago. I highly recommend it to any tennis player who wants to be the best they can be... * I also believe that with the right training, nutrition and the proper routine *anyone* can play 4.5 level tennis. I have trained under several of these world-class coaches and can personally recommend the quality of their instruction and level of professionalism. The coaches and speakers at this Tennis Congress have helped me tremendously towards reaching my personal goal of becoming #1 Mid-Atlantic Men's 4.0 Singles (2011-2012)
About USTC:
The idea behind the USTC is simple but new: to give passionate adult recreational players (NTRP level 2.0-5.0+) an inspiring, intensive, in-person opportunity to learn from a world-class faculty about all aspects of training necessary to advance to the next level (technique, movement, strategy, fitness, injury prevention, and mental conditioning)—using both on-court training and innovative and dynamic off-court techniques. What’s most unique is that each US Tennis Congress builds the curriculum around the individual needs of those who take part.
Exclusive Discount Code Discount: Use"JACKYUSTC" when registering
$100 off the Aces program
$100 off the Slam program
$100 off the Grand Slam program
Some useful links if you're gearing up for Playing some USTA Tennis Tournaments soon:
Janko Tipsarevic (SRB)[8] vs. David Ferrer (ESP)[4] (9/6 @ 1:30 PM)
The last men's quarter-final will be played NLT 1:30 PM. Also now with Federer out of the draw as of last night, the men's field is wide open! That was a terrific match between Berdych and Federer - who knows, maybe this is the year that Murray will finally win his first major?!
Also on the women's side, many are predicting a Serena vs Sharapova face-off and rematch.
Also, you'll be able to see both Men's and Women's Doubles semi-finals in the next few days.
Remember that the outer courts will have the top juniors all playing during the day so hopefully you'll be able to see some future stars in action too!
Thurs and Friday - Ticket Deals: 2-for-1 prices still available
Example: 2012 Hurricane Isaac Rains moving through East coast on Tues/Wed
So it looks like the remnants of Hurricane Isaac is going to be passing through the NYC area this Tuesday and Wednesday! This means a lot of moisture and possibly long extended periods of rain for Tues and into Wed this mid-week after Labor Day!
How to BUY or SELL tickets when there's 50%+ chance of Rain in forecast. Look for falling ticket prices a day or two ahead of a storm! People will often panic and sell great seats at well below cost.
For all US Open Series tournaments, there are no roof courts.
Be smart and do not risk holding a "wet ticket". Instead, if it looks like rain just buy a ticket for the following day.
Rained out the whole day? Rescheduled match with 5PM cut-off*
In previous US Opens when there have been long rain delays, matches with late start times can become moved to the next day*.
Also if no matches have started before 5pm, ticket holders usually get to come back the next day. If this happens two days in a row then you can actually see a big backlog of the Men's and Women's 4th round and QF matches
Therefore, when there is a 60% chance of rain in the forecast especially for the first Tuesday and Wednesday, look for great matches starting Thursday you might want to think ahead! Remember what I said last year? Seems like deja vu all over again for this US Open 2nd week
This can sometimes be a great opt for NYC fans who are can stick around the US Open the day after to get cheap tickets for Semi's and Finals if they cannot complete the necessary matches to have a Sunday Final. I was able to get great seats and witness Nadal complete his career grand slam in 2009 because of rain.
Q: Are there any military personnel discounts?
A: There are no military personnel discounts available.
Make the US Open more "Tennis Fan-Friendly"
I think that the USTA should show a bit more generosity back to the FANS and its USTA members than it has this year. Yes, it is important that it earns enough money as a non-profit, but the US Open should not just be about making the most money with big sponsors. Unfortunately, the most expensive corporate seats and suites sold usually go to those who are not even tennis players or do not regularly follow tennis. How is that fair?
[Disappointed that Rafael Nadal was not playing in this year’s Open, Ruben Martin Vadillo and Mayte Rodriguez Gil, visiting New York from Madrid, did not bother purchasing tickets for the event.
“It’s too expensive,” said Vadillo, a 31-year-old physical therapist.]
The practice courts on P1-P4 could soon be going away soon too...now there is construction that pretty much bottlenecks that entire section of the US Open.
Waiting for USTA to step up
Many tennis fans who waited patiently for some affordable nose-bleed 1st week day tickets never got any this year. They were sold at full price and we've heard a lot of feedback from normally loyal US Open fans. Tickets for optimal days such as labor day weekend and Semi/Finals Weekend were sold out too quickly (possibly for scalping reasons).
Fill in more empty stadium seats, upgrade more fan seats!
Would it not make sense that we try to generate more sold-out sessions instead of leaving all these empty seats out there, like we did tonight at Andy Roddick's last match (only 1/3 full according to the commentators).
Suggestions to the USTA and the US Open
How about just some discounted Grounds Passes so we do not "gentrify" this sport in the US? Low-income and middle-class American tennis fans want to see good tennis too.
How much extra does it really cost USTA to have one extra fan on the premise? How about some discounts for children so that they can witness some great matches and dream big to play one day in Ashe Stadium. How about discounts for seniors and our active military personnel? If most of the smaller US Open series tournaments are already doing this with family 4-packs and 10% off promos for USTA members, then isn't it about time??
Remember this is an ATP 1000 Master's Series Event combined with WTA women at the same event. With over $5M of prize money this year so you can be sure that you'll be able to see the elite Top 20 players play even closer than you would at the US Open. I highly recommend tennis fans to check this out, if you can make it.
Or have your valid USTA Membership ID number available when ordering at the box office. www.cincytennis.com.
Pick up your free gift for the Monday or Thursday USTA member sessions.
More info here: https://www.wsopen.com/events/usta_member_appreciation/
They have always been a very strong force behind promoting tennis even back during the days I was attending Georgia Tech. Many great tennis players originate from this section of the country.
USTA Virginia hosted another USTA tennis block party at the 9th Annual Asian Festival.
With the Mobile Smashzone arena for the kids with free Citi Open tickets for volunteers. They have generously supported multi-cultural tennis and active military members and families in the Washington, DC area. USTA VA is also the strongest voting member of the USTA Mid-Atlantic Section.
We thought we would share some tips on the best way to guarantee that you'll be able to see the top players in action, even if you only have just one day to visit NYC and the US Open.
We have the secret on how you can still buy those tickets right now for 50% off - until they are sold out. Also you will be sitting closer to the top stars in Arthur Ashe Stadium (ex: Row 1-2) for much, much less than those $1,000+ celebrity seats you see during the finals.
How can you buy these "VIP" tickets and get special event access???
Tennis-Bargains Tip: After you try it and want more, consider getting the 726' Cyber Flash Reel to save more money
Tennis Cost Savings: why buy Tennis Strings in a Reel
Example:
One String Package = 40 ft of string, typically enough for 1 racket set ($7.49/set)
One Reel Package = 720 ft, which about 18 sets of string...so $75/reel is just ($4.16/set!)
Update: I have just purchased this myself and simply requires an Amex card and a Twitter account (which you can register for free). Thanks to Slickdeals users for breaking this deal to us. Deal ends 3/31/12.
Instructions:
Sync your AMEX card to your Twitter account
Tweet this message from that same account: #AmexTix50
Hit @ in Twitter at the top left and check to make sure you got the following confirmation message:" _____ thx for enrolling in #AmexTix50 offer. Spend w/ synced Card & receive credit. See terms: http://t.co/daW8icVV"
Check your registered email and you should receive the following an email:
- AMEX: You Synced. You Tweeted. You Saved.Congratulations! By using your synced American Express® Card ending in _____, yousaved $xx.00 on your purchase at xxxxx. Expect a statement credit in 3-5 days.
Checking my Amex Account a couple days later shows that it worked!:
03/16/2012 Fri AMERICAN EXPRESS COMNEW YORK NY
-50.00
Amex Credit
Doing Business As: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
Merchant Address: 200 VESEY ST
NEW YORK
NY
10285
UNITED STATES
Use Gift Card for any Ticketmaster Events later!
Now you can use the $100 Gift Card to purchase tickets for tennis events, including the 2012 US Open!
Nike has a new sale with 20% off all Clearance Items for a limited time with Coupon Code: FULLCOUNT (Exp soon). Shipping is free for $100+ orders or otherwise $8 Flat-rate. Tax where applicable.
Three time Grand Slam Champion Maria Sharapova takes on the World's No. 1 player, Caroline Wozniacki followed by the most decorated player of all time, Roger Federer, against long-time rival and former No. 1 and US Open Champion Andy Roddick.
Go here to the Ticket Link
Click "Find Tickets >>"
Select the "Any Price" drop-down menu and select the $50 tickets
Under "Special Promotions and Offers" - enter this promo code "USTA10" for $10 OFF! Like us on Facebook to get more!
Access "Preferred Seating American Express Tickets", using code: 8002973333
Note: These discounted tickets may get sold out quickly, with more released in small quantities in the next couple weeks.
New to DC? If you're brand new to the DC area, I'd recommend instead going to a free Meetup.com for local area DC 20's and 30's players of all levels. Disclaimer: I am one of the contributors and also participate in giving drills and tennis games.
Also, I would recommend that you try tenniscentral.net which is basically a LinkedIn for tennis players. The free app is nice, and they host events regularly. The creator is a friend of mine and a former Davis Cup player, so he knows tennis.
Background: I have played on the TennisDC singles league in a couple different skill divisions. I was referred by a friend and decided to rejoin once but that's it. The organizer, Steve, is mainly concerned about building his own network but has not provided much value after you play the first season and play the other players.
From a tennis player's perspective, what I enjoyed was the emphasis this league puts on playing more tennis with players that are nearby and who play at the same skill level. The best thing to do is to get the email/phone number contact of your partner and later on you can just coordinate matches outside of TennisDC.
There really is no good incentives to stay, at least I wasn't offered any usable perks besides a free season. After a few seasons, the perks went away and it was time to find better options that do not require a membership.
End-of-Season Playoff Groups
Also unique to TennisDC, at the end of a season, the top qualifying players with enough match wins within each skill section are put into a playoff bracket. This is great for those who want to have a bit more tennis after the season is over. I have played in the playoffs before and all matches are generally competitive, with the winners and runners-up earning a free season and entry into the National year-end tournament in Miami against winners from all the other 30+ Tennis League Network (TLN) cities!
Match Scheduling Flexibility
Matches are scheduled independently with the other players in your skill section (and they automatically adjust you based on your performance). Scheduling is more flexible and each player posts their "Home Court" location preference so that you can find an play, someone, nearby your neighborhood. Many times if you hit it off well, you can meet a tennis buddy or become regular practice partners.
Tennis League for Major US Cities
In general, TennisDC makes for a great way to meet other tennis players when you've just recently moved to a big city or trying to get back into the game for just a few weeks. It does not commit you to a club membership or USTA team's schedule if you're busy.
Like many tennis fans, we shop at Amazon.com for their price-matching, wide selection (including Tennis Deals) and free shipping over $25.
So here are a few tips for 2012 that will help you save even more money. Hope this comes in handy when you do your online shopping!
Tennis Magazine (Feb 3, 2011): "polyester string accounts for more than 70 percent of string sold in Europe, and the majority of the world’s top juniors are polyester or co-poly string players."
Andre Agassi: "polyester string, which creates vicious topspin has turned average players into greats, and greats into legends." (Open, p.343)
Topspin Cyber Flash has almost all the benefits (the best spin, durability and power) of expensive Luxilon strings, at roughly half the cost when buying in bulk*
It is similar to buying a generic instead of a brand name.
My suggestion is to buy a set or two of Cyber Flash and try it out first. It works especially well if you like other polyester strings or hit a fast, hard ball. It is also good for the chronic string breaker who like to hit with topspin. String it at least 10% lower in tension than your normal non-poly string to get maximum spin.
Buying in Bulk - Save More with Free Shipping!
If you like the string and decide you want more, I would recommend that you get the jumbo reel of Cyber Flash 17 to save even more. Each package normally has 40 feet, but reels come in longer strands that you simply measure and cut only what you need to use. It is very economical and I buy reels in order to keep multiple rackets strung fresh a few times a month.
Reel - Topspin Cyber Flash 1.25 17g 720 ft - ($74.90/reel...or just $4.16/set!)
Cyber Flash Reel(720') or 18x Packs for $75 [you save 80%!] with FREE SHIPPING
My Experience with Cyber Flash
I have been using the Topspin Cyber Flash 1.25 for several years now with great tournament results. As you can see, I tried it and liked it so much that I bought a full reel myself. I switched from using a full set of Luxilon Ace 18 poly to now using the Cyber Flash exclusively in the mains for much more Spin and Power. The durability is also comparable to the Ace 18, but only at around half the price.
This Cyber Flash 1.25 is the #2 Most Reviewed string on the entire site
with 178 reviews, plus a huge popular following of over 70,000 viewer hits.
It also
received one of the very best "Performance to Price Ratio" out of all strings.
Play-Testing results
My style of play is heavy topspin from the baseline and I enjoy creating angles with spin and control when counter-punching against stronger opponents.
My recommendation is that you string it at least 10% lower than your normal non-poly strings. For me, I found that around 55-57 lbs was the ideal tension. Anything higher made it a tad stiff and lost its spin and power potential. Surprisingly, even after several days, as the tension got lower, it seemed like it would pocket the ball even better.
Spin (5/5)
The spin is incredible. Both Topspin and Slice, you get ridiculous amounts of each in my normal ground strokes now. Whereas before with other polys I could get a solid kick serve, with this string, I can use the same motion and it becomes almost an American Twist (lefty kick spin) serve. Definitely a lot of fun to hit with and drives my opponents nuts.
Power and Control (4/5)
Like many other polyester strings, this has a decent amount of power. I like that it is also a softer poly, which is arm-friendly. When I used Luxilon strings in the past (ALU power), I eventually developed tennis elbow even though it offered great performance. I now use only soft, thin polyester strings for normal play.
Durability (4/5)
These strings would usually last me 3-4 weeks (playing 10-12 hours a week) before they started moving or required changing because of the tension loss. I love that my Cyber Flash strings stay straight and I do not have to worry about them moving around or adjusting them between points. I noticed that if I kept them in, they would eventually break after 5-6 weeks because I normally hit with a lot of topspin against strong players with fast serves.
Touch/Feel (3/5)
The main weakness of this string and most poly's is that it lacks a bit of touch and feel for dropshots and finesse shots like touch volleys because of the firm string bed. I would recommend mixing this with a softer cross string like the Cyber Blue 17 if you want to have the best of both worlds.
Here are some close-up shots of the Cyber-Flash 17 strings (on the main). On the picture to the right, you can see the Cyber Blue 17 strings for the crosses (which you can get 10% off as well with my promo code) - this is a very good cross string and very popular as hybrid for a softer feel/touch combo. Here is our review on Cyber Blue (a bit less spin, more control for big hitters).
Under Armour will donate 10% of all proceeds to the following
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Cancer at Mercy, The Tyanna Foundation.
Tennis Express - Help fight against Breast Cancer by buying Pink Products at Tennis
Express. Purchases will go towards a charitable donation from Tennis Express to Serve Up a Cure
Select items are now 30% off with shipping within USA for most items at $1.99.
"Now for a limited time, receive $1.99 flat rate USA Ground Shipping on
any size order. To receive this special offer, orders must be placed by
midnight EST on October 5, 2011."