A Collection of Charitable Articles by Nell Graham Sale
December 2022 | Nell Graham

Hound Ears Club - Boone, NC
August 23. 2022
The Hound Ears Club in Boone, NC hosted an NSMTA awareness Day on August 23rd with 20 players representing North Carolina, Florida, Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, Kentucky & Alabama. The players enjoyed a fun and competitive mixer event giving the participants a chance to meet new players and learn about the NSMTA.

 Noble Hendrix, NSMTA director, provided an overview of the Association and described the many benefits of membership to the Group. Noble distributed NSMTA long sleeve shirts to the winners, and a link to the website was provided to all participants.

Adult Tournament Rankings
USTA
July 2021

The Adult Tournament Rankings have been published on the USTA’s website. The Adult National Standings Lists will be published on a weekly basis on USTA.com, with publication occurring on Tuesdays.

Click here for the National Standings list. We’ve made it easier to view men’s Singles, Individual Doubles and Team Doubles.

• Once you have clicked on an age group, you can search the list by name.

• To help understand how your ranking is calculated please view the Rankings information video here.

• For more Adult Rankings FAQs please click here.

A special shout-out goes to the NSMTA Members and Board of Directors in the top 10!

The ITF World Tennis Number
USTA
April 2021

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) World Tennis Number is a new, single global tennis rating for all players, regardless of age, ability or gender. It will be one of the most advanced and easy to use rating systems in tennis, and comes with many benefits for those that deliver tournaments and events, as well as players. The USTA, along with over 100 other international governing bodies to-date, will be adopting the ITF World Tennis Number.

THE ITF WORLD TENNIS NUMBER AND USTA EVENTS

The ITF World Tennis Number is currently being tested for quality assurance which will determine when the number officially launches. When the number first launches, it will be piloted as a tool for select ranked USTA Junior Tournaments and for player groupings in the USTA Junior Circuit events on a national level. Sections will use it at their discretion for Section events. In the future, the ITF World Tennis Number will be incorporated into more events to help with seeding, level groupings, level-based play, and to design fair matches for casual play. 

The ITF World Tennis Number will not replace NTRP ratings or USTA ranking. The ITF World Tennis Number rating is an ongoing representation of a player’s performance relative to their opponents and reflects match play that includes both wins and losses.  USTA rankings reflect player wins and performance only in ranked USTA Tournaments.

Please visit this page for ongoing updates as the ITF World Tennis Number is implemented.  

ITF WORLD TENNIS NUMBER PLAYER BENEFITS

Players with USTA accounts who play in select USTA Tournaments will see their number in their profiles when it is ready to launch. The ITF World Tennis Number will provide many benefits for tennis players:

• Ability to help identify opponents or partners of a similar skill level

• Find evenly-matched opponents wherever you are in the world

• Largest searchable online tennis community

• Additional entry acceptance criterion for ITF tournaments

To learn more about the ITF World Tennis Number, how it's calculated and other basic FAQs, click here.

Share your thoughts about the World Tennis Number on the NSMTA Forum

The USTA condemns anti-Asian violence
Marisa Grimes
March 2021
Originally published on USTA.com, March 18, 2021

Since the start of the pandemic a year ago, we’ve witnessed a disturbing and reprehensible increase in violence against Asian Americans. Fueled largely by ignorance and dangerous rhetoric, these senseless acts of violence continue to plague many areas of our country and have now become an epidemic in themselves. Seemingly every night, the news brings new reports of assaults on Asian Americans, their businesses, and their communities. It illustrates how far we still need to go to heal the divisions in our society.

 We are a nation of many races, many cultures, and many beliefs. That is what makes this country great. When any group is targeted with violence and hatred, we should all be outraged. The attacks against our Asian American neighbors and friends, and their communities and businesses is not only criminal, it strikes at the very heart of what we are supposed to stand for as a country and as a society. And that affects us all.

Every one of us has the ability to speak out against this violence and take action to represent and support all of the diverse communities around us. The USTA is committed to taking a leading role in doing just that, and we have pledged to work with our partners in local communities and employees to increase understanding and empathy, and set an example of the critical importance of representation, inclusion and acceptance—at this time and at all times. Anything less is simply unacceptable.

Many things in this world are out of our control, but one thing we can control is how we treat one another. Let’s all do our part to stand up and speak out against injustices such as the violence against Asian American communities. There’s strength in numbers and together, our voices will be amplified and resonate against hate and ignorance.

The USTA urges you to check out Stop AAPI Hate to learn more about this issue and ways to be an ally to the Asian community. There also are many resources available to build a better understanding of the history and lived experience of Asian-American and Pacific Islander communities. Here is a list of 10 books recommended by experts that will help provide context around the recent rise in violence against these communities. 

1. The Making of Asian America: A History by Erika Lee

2. Orientals: Asian Americans in Popular Culture by Robert G. Lee

3. Members Only by Sameer Pandya

4. The Color of Success: Asian Americans and the Origins of the Model Minority by Ellen D. Wu

5. Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning by Cathy Park Hong

6. All You Can Ever Know by Nicole Chung

7. To Save the Children of Korea: The Cold War Origins of Korean Adoption by Arissa Oh

8. Yellow: Race in America Beyond Black and White by Frank Wu

9. The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui

10. Margins and Mainstreams: Asians in American History and Culture by Gary Y. Okihiro

Visit the external links below for more information:

• Staying informed about the rise in hate crimes against Asian Americans across the country

  • Stop AAPI Hate National Report

  • The U.S. Is Seeing a Massive Spike in Anti-Asian Hate Crimes

• Reporting incidents

  • Stand Against Hatred

• Standing up and honoring the grief and fear held by AAPI members of our community

  • Safety Tips for Those Experiencing or Witnessing Hate

History-making US Open umpires hope to inspire next generation of women officials
Victoria Chiesa
March 2021
This story was originally published on USopen.org, March 22, 2021

When Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova played for the Wimbledon title in 1984, the chair umpire, the late Georgina Clark, earned her own place in tennis history as the first woman to officiate a women’s singles final at the storied All-England Club. In the 37 years that have followed that historic event, women have become much more prominent figures in the umpire’s chair at tennis tournaments globally, and in the last two decades, an eye test confirms a further move towards full equality: women are umpiring men’s matches much more frequently.

That said, in that time, only four women have been tasked with overseeing a men’s singles championship at a Grand Slam tournament—three of those at a single event, the US Open. After Sandra de Jenken of France officially broke the glass ceiling in 2007 by umpiring the men’s final at both the Australian and French Opens, three different women — Eva Asderaki-Moore from Greece, Alison Hughes from Great Britain and Louise Azemar Engzell from Sweden — have taken charge of a US Open men’s final: Asderaki-Moore in 2015, Hughes in 2018 and Azemar Engzell in 2020.

In a position where not getting noticed is often the goal, each nonetheless made an important impression in New York, and hope that their presence in the chair will help to open doors for more women to follow in their stead.

“What we’re trying to do is to inspire other women to get involved in tennis, get involved in officiating, because if we don’t have many women who start, then we don’t have them later on,” Asderaki-Moore said.

“We want to help empower other female officials around the world… to show them that we’re there for them, that we want to listen to their issues and that we’re there to help them in any way that we can.”

Different though their origins may be, these women share much that helped earn them their own places in tennis history. Long before they became quiet stalwarts of the game, they all picked up the sport much closer to home and were eventually introduced to officiating as teenagers.

They progressed through their early international certifications at organized ITF schools in six different European countries—encapsulating the sport’s global nature—while earning both officiating experience at tournaments and university degrees.

“Once I got started, I just kept going, and a moment came where there was nothing else that I wanted to do,”  said Asderaki-Moore, who was a nationally-ranked junior player in Greece, and later became the first woman from her country to attain elite international officiating certification. “I was 16 years old when I was a line umpire for the first time at my tennis club in Chalkida. They asked us as players to help out and I thought, ‘Why not?’. Three years later, when I went for my white badge in 2000 in Luxembourg, that was the first time that I’d ever even traveled overseas. Starting back then, I never thought I would be the official that I am today.”

“Tennis was a hot subject in Sweden when we had our great era of players, so I played quite a lot as a child,” said Azemar Engzell, who hails from Sollentuna, north of the Swedish capital of Stockholm. “But the local club where I was playing didn’t really have a lot of girls, so I played with some boys. One of them, his mother was a line umpire, and we had the first level of umpire courses at our club.

“I was 15 when I called lines for the first time in qualifying at an ATP Challenger. In 1996, when I was 16, I started calling lines at our tour events in Bastad and Stockholm. But to one day work Wimbledon, or to one day do a Grand Slam final — that was never something I thought would actually happen.”

“My first on-court experience was at a local club tournament… as the only line umpire. I was so nervous,” recalls Hughes, who was born in Scotland, raised in Newcastle upon Tyne, and began officiating in 1992 after spells as a junior player and working at a tennis club and in schools as a coach. 

“I remember my dad driving me there… and I think I came off court and I said, ‘I don’t want to do that again!’ Obviously, I got over that pretty quickly.”

Over the years, the trio have developed into three of the most recognizable faces in the umpire’s chair: Hughes was the first of the three to be promoted to gold badge status — the highest certification level in international tennis officiating on a scale that builds from white, bronze, and silver — at the end of 2003. Asderaki-Moore and Azemar Engzell followed at the end of 2007 and 2008, respectively.

“What we’re trying to do is to inspire other women to get involved in tennis, get involved in officiating, because if we don’t have many women who start, then we don’t have them later on." - Eva Asderaki-Moore

To date, they have built a decorated on-court portfolio of nearly three dozen Grand Slam singles finals between them; selections to five Summer Olympics; and appointments to officiate at both the Billie Jean King Cup (formerly Fed Cup) and Davis Cup Finals. 

As three of 10 women from 10 different nations currently working as gold badge chairs umpires on tour, they have seen the progress in their profession first-hand — due, in no small part, to their own longevity.

“You can see that there are more women umpires, more women doing men’s matches, more women doing men’s matches on big courts in later rounds of tournaments,” Asderaki-Moore said. “Even now on the ATP, there is a woman [Aurélie Tourte from France] on their team of officials.

"A few years ago, that was inconceivable, but now it’s happening.”

But there is still much more work to be done: according to ITF data, just over 20 percent of internationally-certified officials worldwide are women. To help attract a new generation to the profession and retain them, all three of these accomplished officials play a role in the mentoring and performance evaluation of promising colleagues every year. Both Azemar Engzell and Hughes have also attained gold badge status as chief umpires, which affords them the opportunity to lead officiating teams at tournaments in an off-court capacity.

“When I first started, there were a lot of people, British officials and others, who took me under their wing… so I try to give back as much to officiating that I received,” said Hughes, who has six women’s singles finals at Wimbledon among the highlights on her résumé.

“When I started, there were women involved and women at the top level, but there’s definitely been more who’ve come through, even in the last four or five years, and more doing more high-profile matches. We have a great group of young women right now, and hopefully, we can just keep expanding on that.”

“For women officials or women who want to become officials, I think tennis has come very far in comparison to many other sports, but it can, of course, be better,” Azemar Engzell added. “Whatever we can do to help younger officials, I think we have to do. It’s one of the most important parts of our job.”

In recent years, some of the advice and guidance they’ve offered has extended beyond the rules of tennis. While at the top of the profession, Azemar Engzell and Asderaki-Moore each have had two children, making them a part of a small circle of mothers within the game’s best chair umpires, and a valuable resource for colleagues also considering starting a family.

“I always had in my head that I wanted to have a family… but at the time I had kids, we didn’t have any other female chair umpires who had them. Now, we have three moms working full-time,” said Azemar Engzell, who has an 8-year-old son and a 5-year-old daughter.

“I had good support from my bosses, who let me organize my schedule the way that I wanted, which allowed me to feel it out and to decide what I wanted to do. In the beginning, it was not easy. When I’m at the job, when I’m there on-court, I have to almost shut the family part out of my mind. It all takes such a big part of you, and I think that was my biggest struggle.

"After my second [child], I wasn’t sure if I was going to come back, and I was open about that. I hadn’t worked really that much after the [2015] Fed Cup Finals in November, and my daughter was around six months old when I went back to New York for the US Open the next August. I worked there for two weeks… and I just remember saying, ‘I love it.’ I said at the time that coming back after being away from tennis for a period like this makes you realize how much you love it and what it gives to you.”

“To be honest, before I had kids, I was always thinking, ‘I can’t do this. Once I have a family, I’m going to stop.’ And then I had a family and I didn’t want to stop,” added Asderaki-Moore, whose two sons are 2 1/2 years, and 15 months old. “My husband was also very supportive in that he said, ‘You really like what you do, so don’t stop. We’ll find a way to make it work,’ and we do… but it’s inevitable that you miss things.

"When I was at the US Open last year, for example, I missed when my second son started crawling. I woke up in the morning one day to a video on my phone. It’s part of the package, but what I say to other women who come to me and ask me about it is, the flip side is when I’m not at a tournament, I don’t have to go to an office. I have the best of both parts. I get to go do my job, which I love doing, and I get to be a full-time mom at home, which I also love doing.”

“I was just in Australia for five-and-a-half weeks, which was by far the longest period that I’ve been away at once,” Azemar Engzell continued. “I understand the people who say, ’How do you go and leave?’, but when I see it compared to other parents I know… I see the privilege of what I have. I can do what I love to do, and have all the time I have with my kids when I’m at home. I see the positives of what all of this has given me.”

With nearly two decades of experience and thousands of matches behind them, it’s apparent that tennis has given all three more than just a professional vocation, and they all say that they plan to stick with the sport for as long as life lets them.

“Life takes you on an adventure sometimes. My mindset when I first entered officiating was just to enjoy it, to go out and to be involved in tennis in a different way. My goal was to be working on the lines at Wimbledon. I never thought it would be my full-time career, and I never thought I'd still be involved 20, 25, 30 years after I first started,” Hughes said.

“I look back on the years, and I've gotten some really, really good memories and good friends throughout the whole time, and that is something that makes you want to keep going, as well as the challenge of stepping on court. I can't see myself walking away any time soon. Tennis has been part of my life for so long and, hopefully, it will continue to be part of my life for long in the future.”

NSMTA Announces New President Steve Duffel and Additional Board of Directors for 2021
Keiko Kimball Gouty
kkimball@nsmta.net
Press Release January 20, 2021

The National Senior Men’s Tennis Association, a 501(c)(3) established in 2018, has announced the appointing of new NSMTA President, Steve Duffel, and the addition of three new Board Members. Tony Dawson from Sydney, Australia, and now residing in Keller, Texas, has participated on the ATP tour and in both Wimbledon and the Australian Open. The third Texan on the board, from Austin, Texas, is Certified USPTA Elite Professional Larry Eichenbaum. NSMTA advocate James “Noble” Hendrix is a retired general surgeon, farmer, government official, pilot, small business founder and consultant from Stuart, Fla. They officially began their 3-year term on January 1, 2021, and joined founding Board Members Mas Kimball, Jerry Thomas, and Ed Trost. Founding President Jimmy Parker (2018-2020) will remain on the Board along with Geoff Cykman, who joined the board in April 2020.

NSMTA Mission Statement: The purpose of the National Senior Men’s Tennis Association is to foster tennis competition among senior men on a nationwide basis. Our primary goal is to increase interest, raise awareness of the health benefits from participation, improve the quality of senior events and provide support to other established charities serving underprivileged children and seniors in the tennis community. We also aim to provide a forum for communicating with members for exchanging information and ideas amongst members, and to provide input to the United States Tennis Association that would be of benefit to senior men’s tennis.

Taking over the reins as NSMTA President from Tennis Hall of Famer Jimmy Parker, is Steve Duffel from Little Rock, Ark., who is one of the NSMTA Founding Members.

Duffel, a former President of USTA Arkansas and USTA Southern, previously served on the USTA Southern and the USTA Adult Competition Committee. He has also served as Chairman and Trustee of the Southern Tennis Foundation, the Arkansas Tennis Patrons Foundation leading to receiving numerous awards for his outstanding work and dedication to the game.

An inductee in several Halls of Fame, including the USTA Arkansas Hall of Fame and the USTA Southern Hall of Fame, Duffel has also received the President’s award and Jacobs Bowl, the highest volunteer award given by USTA Southern. He has served on more than 25 USTA, USTA Southern, and USTA Arkansas Committees.

Steve has earned the No. 1 state ranking in Arkansas several times and represented USTA Arkansas as a member and Captain of the Arkansas Senior Cup Team. He served as team Captain and Player of USTA Southern’s Intersectional Team, winning the overall championship 14 out of 16 years. President Duffel continues to play on the national senior tournament circuit.

“Many thanks and gratitude to Jimmy Parker for his stewardship of the NSMTA through its founding and infancy,” Duffel said. Founding Board Member Mas Kimball adds, “Congratulations to Steve on taking over the reins. Although Jimmy's are big sneakers to fill, we do not doubt that Steve more than measures up to handle the job with each of us and the new board members ready to continue giving 100% effort to this most worthwhile and fruitful endeavor.”

Read more about the NSMTA Board of Directors

Black tennis pioneers celebrated in new International Tennis Hall of Fame exhibit
Victoria Chiesa
December 2020
Originally published on USTA.com, December 14, 2020

More than a century of Black tennis history is being celebrated in a new virtual exhibit from the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

Breaking The Barriers: The ATA and Black Tennis Pioneers, unveiled by Newport on Dec. 10, offers a chronicled look at Black tennis history from the late 19th century to the present day, from the struggles and evolution of the sport for Black people, to the lives and careers of its champions and trailblazers. The exhibit also chronicles the history of the American Tennis Association (ATA), which was founded in 1916 from a collaboration of Black tennis clubs, and remains the longest continually-operating African-American sports organization in the nation. 

Through a collection of interactive imagery and videos, the exhibit explores five distinct time periods of Black history in the sport—Creative Survival (1874-1910); Entree (1910-1938); Reform (1938-1955); Participation (1955-1965); and Liberation (1965-Present)—paired with a concurrent timeline of African-American history overall. With Hall of Famers Arthur Ashe, Althea Gibson and Dr. Robert Johnson, their coach and mentor, previously immortalized in the museum's annals, this exhibit showcases not only their influences, but a host of individuals and organizations who fought for opportunity and equality in tennis for Black people. 

Among others highlighted from various eras are Rev. W.W. Walker, who organized the first interstate Black tennis tournament in Philadelphia in 1898; Mary Ann “Mother” Seames, who taught Black children the game as early as 1906; Ora Washington, an eight-time American Tennis Association national champion in the 1920s and also had a Naismith Hall of Fame-caliber basketball career; and Jimmie McDaniel, a four-time ATA national champion who famously played Hall of Famer Don Budge in a historic, interracial exhibition match in 1940. Virginia Glass, the first female president of the ATA; Art Carrington, an ATA competitor, tennis promoter and historian; and Gibson, the first-ever Black player to win a major, are among those who offer first-person perspectives on the ATA in archive footage. 

In the present, Breaking The Barriers chronicles the history-making careers of Serena and Venus Williams, both on and off the court, and the influence the sisters have had on the current group of Black tennis professionals—from Sloane Stephens, Madison Keys and Frances Tiafoe, to Coco Gauff and the next generation.

Focused largely on  U.S. tennis, Breaking The Barriers is part of a multi-faceted initiative by the International Tennis Hall of Fame to educate fans and spotlight Black tennis history. Additional programs in development include a future exhibit looking at Black tennis history worldwide, virtual programs with guest speakers in February 2021 in Black History Month, and an Arthur Ashe virtual reality experience in the museum based on the 1968 US Open. 

Historians Dale Caldwell and Art Carrington helped to develop the original version of the exhibit, displayed at the 2007 US Open, and to date, Breaking The Barriers: The ATA and Black Tennis Pioneers continue to be the most-requested traveling exhibit in the International Tennis Hall of Fame collection.

 Explore the exhibit at breakingbarriers.tennisfame.com.

USTA fulfills more than $10 million in funding commitments to ensure the viability
of tennis amid COVID-19
Arthur Kapetanakis
December 2020
Originally published on USTA.com, December 16, 2020

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the USTA announced a series of financial and service-based commitments to bolster and support the tennis ecosystem in the United States. Through the leadership of Michael Dowse, USTA CEO and Executive Director, more than $10 million in funding commitments has been fulfilled in 2020.

For his efforts in bringing the tennis industry together in fighting the pandemic, Dowse was named “Person of the Year” for 2020 by Racquet Sports Industry Magazine for his dedication to improving the sport and business of tennis. Also as part of the magazine’s “Champion of Tennis Awards,” the 2020 US Open was named “Innovative Tennis Event of the Year” for showing on the world’s stage that a major tennis event could be hosted safely.

Between the USTA’s financial support and the US Open’s role in showcasing tennis as the perfect social-distancing sport, tennis participation has skyrocketed in the U.S., with recent data and information surrounding racquet sales and participation demonstrating that the tennis industry has shown strength amid the pandemic.

“The tennis industry, like most industries and areas in this country, was hit incredibly hard by the fallout of COVID-19. The USTA recognized that keeping the tennis ecosystem alive, and putting it in a place to come out of the pandemic in a strong position, was the most important and pressing concern for the association,” said Dowse. “Although many in the tennis community did face hardships, by properly and strategically providing financial and technical aid to our key constituents, we were able to effectively help providers, facilities and programs navigate these difficult times and continue to operate and deliver tennis at the local level. Tennis is the ideal social distancing sport, and we are seeing positive trends in the industry that show many individuals are turning to tennis at this time to stay active and healthy.”

A breakdown of the USTA’s over $10 million in 2020 financial aid is below:

Facility Recovery Grants
Targeting tennis facilities in need of assistance in reopening following the various periods of shutdown or closing, a total of $4.5 million was awarded to more than 1,450 facilities across the country. These grants impacted close to 11,000 teaching pros who manage more than 17,500 courts. In addition to the grants, the USTA created recommendations and guidelines for facilities to best ensure tennis was offered in a way that most effectively mitigates risk.

Certified Tennis Professional Membership Grants
These grants were awarded to ensure that certified tennis professionals will be able to renew their membership fees in 2021, allowing these individuals to maintain liability insurance, remain Safe Play compliant and continue to have access to educational opportunities. In total, more than 9,500 coaches have been awarded this grant, with $2 million going directly to the USPTA and PTR to cover the dues fees for these professionals.

NJTL
The USTA Foundation provided a series of grant, scholarship and aid packages to NJTL chapters across the country. More than 110 chapters received $3.8 million in direct funding or services, while more than $1 million in clothing and equipment was provided to these organizations. Scholarships for players and college-bound student-athletes were given to 100 individuals, totaling $500,000. Technical assistance and direct training were provided by the USTA Foundation, as well, helping chapters to navigate the process of applying for Paycheck Protection Program loans, resulting in more than 65 chapters being awarded nearly $10 million in government support.

Senior International World Championship Dates, Selection Guidelines and Eligibility Information
Keiko Kimball Gouty
KKimball@nsmta.net
November 2021
Article information courtesy ITF, USTA, and Carolyn Nichols, SeniorTennisBlog. 

The International Tennis Federation has officially announced that the ITF Seniors (50-55-60) World Team & Individual Championships are now scheduled to be held in Umag, Croatia in June 2021.

The full schedule of ITF Seniors World Championships in 2021 is finally set with the Young Seniors World Team & Individual Championships also in Umag from September 12th through 25th and the ITF Super-Seniors World Team & Individual Championships in Mallorca, Spain from October 10 to October 23, 2021.

The ITF Seniors Committee approved the alternative venue to hold the 50-55-60 World Team Championships from Sunday, June 6 through Friday, June 11. The 50-55-60 World Individual Championships will follow from Saturday, June 12 to Saturday, June 19, 2021. This follows the decision announced last month that the Championships would not be held as originally scheduled in Boca Raton & Palm Beach Gardens, Florida due to the ongoing effect and uncertainty surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic.

The ITF will continue to monitor the global impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and work closely with tournament hosts and the relevant authorities to prepare for this event. The priority in all decision making will remain the health and safety of participants. Nations and players are also advised to wait until the tournament fact sheet is published, expected in January 2021, before making travel and/or accommodation arrangements.

ITF Juniors & Seniors manager, Matt Byford, says “The ITF is delighted that an alternative host for our Seniors World Championships has been secured so quickly and would like to thank the Croatian Seniors Tennis Association, Croatian Tennis Association, Plava Laguna and the City of Umag for their cooperation. The World Team & Individual Championships are a great highlight of the ITF Seniors calendar and it is fantastic for our playing community that they can now look ahead to June 2021 after the unfortunate cancellation of the event this year.”

Are you eligible to participate? Below are the Senior International Team Selection Guidelines

By Board approval, the USTA Senior International Selection Committee has extended and revised the eligibility requirement and timelines as follows:

• Approved 24-month USTA Category I USTA National Championship eligibility requirement, the option to participate in one USTA Super Category II National Tournament or one USTA Category II National Tournament within the last 24 months or participation in one Designated Open Sectional Championship within the last 12 months to fulfill the eligibility requirement; and

• Approved to lengthen the selection time period for results that will be considered for selection from 24 months to 36 months.

The following are the 2021 ITF Young Senior, Senior, & Super Senior World Championship Team USA player selection guidelines:   

1. Application Deadline. Any player who wants to be considered for selection to Team USA must complete the application posted on the USTA website. The application deadline for Team USA consideration must be at least one month in advance of the selection date. Selection dates differ for ITF Young Seniors, Seniors and Super Seniors Teams. Application deadlines and selection dates will be posted on the USTA website.

Only players who have met, or plan to meet, the Minimum Tournament Play requirements set forth in Section 7 below should apply for consideration in that age group. Top players from younger age divisions who will be aging up are encouraged to apply to the age division to which they are aging up. Players who fail to complete the application for Team USA Consideration by the published deadline will not be considered for the team selection.

All players are urged to pay special attention to the Minimum Tournament Play requirement in Section 7. It is the player’s responsibility to meet this requirement. The Senior International Team Selection Group cannot waive this requirement. 

2. Eligibility List. The names of players who have completed the application for Team USA Consideration will be posted on the USTA website as a Preliminary Applicant List within three days of the Application Deadline.  Existence on this list does not confirm that the players have met the minimum play requirements.

If you believe your name is omitted from the Preliminary Applicant List in error, or there is data missing or incorrect on your player record, you must contact Robert Gorden within five days from the date the Preliminary Applicant List is published. The Final Applicant List will be published on that date on the USTA website.

Note: USTA reserves the right to contact additional players if a team cannot be filled by players on the Final Applicant List.

3. Citizenship, ITF Regulations. All players must be in good standing with the USTA, be a U.S. citizen (or be in the process of obtaining U.S. Citizenship, see the paragraph below for details), have a current valid U.S. passport, lived in the United States for 24 consecutive months and not represented any other country during the period of 36 months immediately preceding the event.  A player must also have a current ITF IPIN in order to play for Team USA.

Successful completion of the Safe Play program is REQUIRED for all players who wish to participate as a member of Team USA. The successful completion of the Safe Play program must be accomplished within 14 days following a player's selection to Team USA. Any player who does not complete the Safe Play program will NOT be allowed to become a member of Team USA. Please refer to Section 12 of these Guidelines for further information regarding the Safe Play requirement.

In some circumstances, players may be eligible to play for Team USA before obtaining U.S. Citizenship.  A player can apply for a waiver to play for Team USA only if he/she is in the process of obtaining U.S. Citizenship.  This waiver process, should that player be selected to Team USA, will be facilitated by USTA. If a player wants to take advantage of this possibility, he/she must submit the following at the time of team application:

• Copy of passport of current country of citizenship

• Copy of U.S. permanent resident card or visa

• Completed ITF Player Eligibility Form

• Copy of official documentation detailing your U.S. Citizenship application, complete with application date and current application status.

  • In the event you have obtained an attorney, please include a letter from your attorney (on letterhead) detailing your U.S. Citizenship application, complete with application date and current status.

• A letter to the ITF addressing the following questions and topics:

  • Are you married to a U.S. Citizen?

  • Do you have any children who are U.S. Citizens?

  • Explain what it means to you to play for Team USA.

  • When were you first eligible to apply for U.S. Citizenship?

  • On what date did you apply for U.S. Citizenship?

  • Detail the current status of your application for U.S. Citizenship.

  • If you did not apply for U.S. Citizenship immediately upon becoming eligible, please explain your delay in application.

 If you have questions about this process please contact the Adult Tennis Department.

4. Team Makeup. Each team will consist of four (4) total players.  Player selection may include consideration of a player’s doubles record.  A doubles “specialist” may be considered for selection, but is not required in the event other players selected for a team have strong records in singles and doubles.

5. Physical Condition. Players must certify that they are in good health and are prepared to undertake the extensive travel and strenuous physical exertions that will be required of team players. Any player who develops a health/physical problem that could prevent them from competing at any level required by team play at any time up to the date of travel should contact the USTA Adult Tennis department immediately regarding their physical condition. Failure to do so will be considered poor sportsmanship and thus potentially impacting future team consideration.

In the case of a selected player who must withdraw from the team due to injury or illness, a medical certificate from a health professional must be submitted to the USTA Adult Tennis department in accordance with ITF Seniors Regulations.

 6. Age Division Considered. A player may only be selected to represent Team USA on one team in each calendar year.

7. Minimum Tournament  Play. A minimum of one USTA Category I National Championship is required to be played in singles or doubles (not mixed doubles) in the age division for which a player is seeking selection within the 12 months prior to the posting of the Final Applicant list on the USTA website.

In the case of a player aging up from a younger age division into an older age division, the minimum requirement to play in one USTA Category I National Championship in singles or doubles can be met in the younger age division. Meeting the minimum play requirement does not mean a player will be selected to play for Team USA.

It is the player’s responsibility to meet this requirement. The Senior International Team Selection Group cannot waive this requirement.

 8. Records Considered. A player’s record will be considered for the 24 months prior to the Final Applicant lists published on the USTA website (the “selection time period”).  In the event an alternate must be selected to replace a previously selected player, only player records for the selection time period will be considered. The dates the Final Applicant lists are posted (which determines the selection time period) vary annually depending on the scheduled dates of the ITF World Team Championships. If the published dates for the World Team Championships are changed for any reason, the Senior International Team Selection Group shall have the right to extend the selection time period at its discretion.

 In the event that the Selection Committee deems an age-up applicant’s 24-month player record insufficient in terms of head-to-head matches with other applicants, the Selection Committee may in its discretion, review and weigh the age-up applicant’s record outside of the 24-month period.

Player records for the selection time period as published to Tennislink and itftennis.com will be considered.  It shall be the player’s responsibility to make certain that the player’s record published on Tennislink and itftennis.com is accurate.

Significant direct and indirect wins and losses against players and teams during the selection time period (as defined in the previous paragraph) will be considered. NTRP divisions results shall not be included.

Rankings/Standings will not be considered in the selection process.

Results in sanctioned tournaments, including team events that earn ranking points, will be considered. Results from different age divisions are also considered. The following are the most important criteria without regard to priority:

• Results from USTA Category I National Championships

• Results on the surface of the applied for, upcoming World Team Championship

• Results in the age division being considered (or in the case of a player aging up, results in that player’s actual age division)

• Recent results

• Length and strength of a playing record in singles and/or doubles. 

9. Sportsmanship. Players selected to represent Team USA must be in good standing with the USTA. Exemplary sportsmanship is expected from every team member. As representatives of the U.S., all players are expected to conduct themselves in accordance with the highest standards of sportsmanship at all times. Captains are authorized to make all decisions as to lineups. Team members shall abide by the captain’s decisions. Players are expected to support the captain and uphold the “TEAM” concept. Player behavior in relation to tournament officials, the event, other players, fellow teammates, and/or the captain will be considered by the Selection Committee in future team selections.

The following are examples of poor sportsmanship which could prevent a player from qualifying or being considered to represent Team USA:

• Disqualification or default by a USTA or ITF certified referee or umpire for poor conduct while participating in a USTA or ITF sanctioned event

• USTA warning or suspension by any USTA district, section or national grievance committee related to a player’s poor conduct

• Written grievance filed and verified by an ITF Official, Tournament Referee, USTA Representative, or USTA Cup player relating to play while on a Cup team

• Suspension from play by the ITF under the Code of Conduct of the ITF Seniors Regulations

10. Selection Date. Notice of the timeline of the selection process including the selection date will be published on the USTA website no later than five months prior to the selection date. In the event of a change in location and/or dates for a cup, the Selection Date may need to be revised at the discretion of the Senior International Team Selection Group.

11. Team Selections. Players selected to represent Team USA will be posted on the USTA website within three business days of the date of team selection. Due to withdrawal, injury or official grievances, Team USA players are subject to change up to the starting date of the competition.

12. Safe Play guidelines. In order to represent Team USA all players must successfully complete the Safe Play program, which consists of a criminal background screen and training concerning athlete abuse prevention. The USTA has streamlined this requirement through its website. To begin the process, please visit www.usta.com/safeplay and select “Get Approved.” There is no cost to you to complete the process.

The training can take up to two hours to complete, but does not need to be completed in one sitting. The successful completion of the Safe Play program shall be accomplished within 14 days of a player’s selection to Team USA.

Of particular note:

• The criminal background screen meets the criteria requirements set forth by the USOPC. Should you participate in any event governed by the USOPC or train at a USOPC facility, this background screen can be shared electronically to satisfy the USOPC requirement.

  • The training is required and provided by the U.S. Center for SafeSport; an independent organization focused on protecting and supporting the wellbeing of all athletes within the Olympic movement. It outlines the core concepts behind creating a safe and positive sport environment and addresses how to identify and prevent sexual misconduct and abuse.

  • The training also provides the legal requirements for reporting a concern about abuse and how the reporting process works as well as how to recognize, respond to and prevent various forms of misconduct, including bullying, hazing, harassment and physical and emotional abuse.

The Safe Play process must be completed in order for you to participate on Team USA. Please do not delay as background screen results can take up to 10 days to complete.

13. Grievances. Any player who feels an error was made in the selection process may file a grievance with the USTA Grievance Committee.  That player may do so by sending a letter outlining the details of the grievance sent by first class, certified, or registered mail.  It should be sent to the Grievance Chairperson, c/o USTA Office of the General Counsel, 70 West Red Oak Lane, White Plains, New York 10604, within thirty (30) days following the date on which the alleged grievance occurred. No appeals or requests for review will be considered by the USTA Senior International Team Selection Group.

If there are any inquiries regarding the guidelines listed above, please contact the USTA Adult Tennis department.

ITF World Championships Dates and Locations 

The ITF Seniors Committee is pleased to communicate the following dates and venues for the 2021 World Team & Individual Championships.  

2021 Seniors World Championships (50/55/60)

• Location: Umag, Croatia

• Team Event: Sunday, June 6 - Friday, June 11, 2021

• Individual Event: Saturday, June 12 - Saturday, June 19, 2021

• Applications Open: December 1, 2020

• Application Deadline: January 10, 2021

• Players who have applied for consideration will be listed on the Preliminary Applicant List posted on USTA.com: January 13

• Deadline to notify the USTA of any omissions to the posted Preliminary Applicant List (cutoff date for 24 month period for which to consider results): January 18

• Team selection posted to USTA.com and players will be notified of their status: February 10

• All paperwork (excluding travel itinerary) due to USTA staff (including player agreement, media packet, copy of passport, & IPIN): March 10

• Players may make their travel arrangements: April 10

• Travel arrangements due to staff: May 10

 
2021 Young-Seniors World Championships (35/40/45)

• Location: Umag, Croatia

• Team Event: Sunday, Sept. 12 - Friday, Sept. 17, 2021

• Individual Event: Saturday, Sept. 18 - Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021

• Applications Open: March 1, 2021

• Application Deadline: April 10, 2021

• Players who have applied for consideration will be listed on the Preliminary Applicant List posted on USTA.com: April 13

• Deadline to notify the USTA of any omissions to the posted Preliminary Applicant List (cutoff date for 24 month period for which to consider results): April 18

• Team selection posted to USTA.com and players will be notified of their status: May 10

• All paperwork (excluding travel itinerary) due to USTA staff (including player agreement, media packet, copy of passport, & IPIN): June 10

• Players may make their travel arrangements: July 10

• Travel arrangements due to staff: August 10
  

2021 Super-Seniors World Championships (65/70/75/80/85)

• Location: Mallorca, Spain

• Team Event: Sunday, Oct. 10 - Friday, Oct. 15, 2021

• Individual Event: Saturday, Oct. 16 - Saturday, Oct. 23, 2021

• Applications Open: April 1, 2021

• Application Deadline: May 1, 2021

• Players who have applied for consideration will be listed on the Preliminary Applicant List posted on USTA.com: May 5

• Deadline to notify the USTA of any omissions to the posted Preliminary Applicant List (cutoff date for 24 month period for which to consider results): May 10

• Team selection posted to USTA.com and players will be notified of their status: June 1

• All paperwork (excluding travel itinerary) due to USTA staff (including player agreement, media packet, copy of passport, & IPIN): July 1

• Players may make their travel arrangements: August 1

• Travel arrangements due to staff: September 1

2021 Florida Tournament Schedule
October 2020 - updated 11/25/2020
Thanks to George Wachtel, Senior Tennis & Fitness and Alan Messer, Senior Men’s Tennis for providing much of this information.

Many of us are looking forward to the Florida tennis season kicking off. With the continuing effects of Covid, this schedule is subject to change. We will continue to update the schedule as information is released.

One of the many new 2021 tournament changes is that categories are now levels. Levels 1, 2 and 3 are national tournaments while 4, 5, 6 and 7 are local sectional events. Please review the new nomenclature:

• Level 1 - Previously all Category 1 (except indoor)

• Level 2 - Previously most Category 1 indoor, most Super Category 2, some Category 2

• Level 3 - Previously some Category 2, most Category 3

• Level 4, 5, 6 & 7 - Local tournaments

The Planned Schedule

Dates: January 6-10, 2021 - CANCELLED as of 11/15/2020
Tournament: NSMTA Larry Turville Memorial Super Senior Doubles Championship
Location: Sterling Oaks Country Club - Naples, FL
Level 3 (previously CAT3, no ITF points)
This event now in its fourth year and is moving to Sterling Oaks Country Club in Naples. Rogelio De Haro, who has been at Sanchez-Casal, will be relocating over to Sterling Oaks and team up with Paul Barrus there. According to Mas Kimball, “the event will continue to be a doubles only event, ages 55 – 80, played in a flight round robin format with single elimination playoffs for winning teams from each flight. Depending on the number of entries, we will attempt to guarantee every team at least 3 matches.”

Dates: January 11-15, 2021 - CANCELLED as of 10/28/2020
Tournament: West Coast Super Senior Grand Prix
Location: World Tennis Club - Naples, FL 
Level 3 (This event is a newly designated Level 3; no ITF points)
TD Mark Vines has confirmed this tournament is cancelled.

Dates: January 18-24, 2021 - CANCELLED as of 10/30/2020
Tournament: West Coast Super Senior Grand Prix
Location: Sterling Oaks Country Club - Naples, FL
Level 2 (previously SCAT2)
This event is moving from Sanchez-Casal and will be returning to Sterling Oaks where it was held previously.

Dates: January 25-29, 2021
Location: GT Bray Park - Bradenton, FL
The location and dates are tentative at this time and an alternate venue and dates are being explored.

Dates: February 8-12, 2021
Location: Meadows Country Club - Sarasota, FL

Dates: February 22-28, 2021
Tournament: Raymond James Super Senior Grand Prix
Location: St. Petersburg Country Club - St. Petersburg, FL
Level 2 (previously SCAT2)
Tennis Director Tommy Judson has been replaced. The facility is going to host again and will probably be streamlined with some of the off court amenities. This is currently a go and will be held.

2020 French Open: Schedule, how to watch, news, scores and analysis
ESPN.com
September 2020

The 2020 French Open is underway after the Grand Slam was postponed from May to September because of the coronavirus pandemic. Unlike the US Open, 1,000 fans will be allowed to attend per day.

Three-time defending champion and men's favorite Rafael Nadal looks to tie Roger Federer's record of 20 men's major singles titles and extend his own record of 12 French Open crowns. Federer is out of competitive tennis until the start of the 2021 season because of a setback in his recovery from surgery on his right knee.

Serena Williams' quest to tie the overall Grand Slam singles mark of 24 held by Australian Margaret Court continues. Simona Halep, the 2018 champion, leads the women's field without 2019 champion Ashleigh Barty, who chose not to defend her title over concerns about COVID-19 and a lack of proper preparation time. Also out: US Open champion Naomi Osaka, citing a sore hamstring and tight turnaround time.

Here's all you need to know about the French Open, including the schedule, day-by-day results and analysis from Roland Garros in Paris.

2020 French Open schedule and coverage

• Dates: Sept. 27 through Oct. 11

• French Open scoreboard | Men's schedule | Women's schedule

• Men's singles bracket | Women's singles bracket | Draw analysis

• Men's Grand Slam winners | Women's Grand Slam winners

• Play Tennis Major Pick'em: Paris

How to watch the French Open
Daily live coverage will be broadcast on NBC Sports, Peacock and Tennis Channel and streamed on NBCSports.com/live and the NBC Sports app.

USTA Announces Changes to Membership Structure
Michael Dowse, Chief Executive Officer & Executive Director
michael.dowse@usta.com
August 2020

Over the last year, we’ve been evaluating our current membership model in the spirit of better fulfilling our mission to grow and develop tennis. We formed the Membership Transition Advisory Group (MTAG), composed of Section EDs and Presidents, National board leadership and National staff, who looked at best-in-class membership models, conducted research to better understand the needs and wants of our providers and players, and aligned behind a new, scalable engagement model that we will now be working toward moving into market.

For many years, we’ve recognized the need to evolve and change our membership model. As part of our journey, we’ve made major leaps in local initiatives, launched Net Generation, and began implementing our Digital Transformation with a single USTA Account and our new Serve Tennis platform. We’ve created a solid foundation for the future of the USTA and the future of tennis, and I’m pleased to share key outcomes and next steps. 

The MTAG team recommended the following, and on August 5th, 2020, at the Semi Annual Meeting of the Membership, key bylaw changes tied to Family and Lifetime were approved by the association.  

• Junior Membership at no cost

• Membership Organizations at no cost

• Cease selling Family and Lifetime options

• Cease selling multi-year memberships (3 and 5 year)

• Maintain Adult and Senior 1-year membership costs ($44 and $42 respectively) with the vision that one day soon those options will also be at no cost

The new Engagement Model we are working toward is simple: create an account, whether you are a provider or a player/fan, get access to free benefits, customize your experience with add-in benefits, and get rewarded for playing or growing the game. We are eliminating barriers to play and opening up a new experience to allow our constituents to more easily find themselves in the game.  

To better understand timing and what you can expect:

• Junior Membership at no cost starts NOW

• The MTAG group has a sub-committee working on Section and District impacts with the agreed-to changes, especially among Member Organizations

  • As such, Member Organization at no cost will not take effect until January of 2021 at the earliest

• Family, Lifetime and multi-year memberships are no longer offered

  • Family members will be notified with separate communications about implications and direction

  • Lifetime members will still be recognized, with special distinction and opportunity for enhanced benefits 

  • Multi-year members will term out 

• Over the next 3 months, we are working on new messaging for the USTA, further consolidating our benefits, and simplifying our message, a task that will not be done in a silo

• We will also be messaging our providers and consumers with these changes over the next week

To better help understand the changes made, please refer to these FAQs. We will be sharing additional updates as we work toward our vision. I want to congratulate all who have dedicated their time, efforts, and energy over the years to get us to where we are today. This is a critical phase for the USTA and certainly a step forward in the best interest of tennis. 

Statement on Current Events
Chairman of the Board and President of the USTA - Patrick Galbraith
Statement released June 1, 2020

Tennis is a sport that embraces all players, regardless of age, race or religion, gender and sexual orientation or nationality. It is a sport that is built on respect – respect for one another, and for the game itself. It is a sport with a long history of striving for equality and a proven record of trying to level the playing field of opportunity.

At the USTA, we challenge ourselves daily to embody the core values of inclusion and respect, and we challenge all Americans to do the same.  The African-American community is an integral part of our tennis family and the USTA stands unwaveringly against racism and injustice of any kind.  We know that African-Americans have faced extraordinary hardships during our country’s history, and we are extremely disappointed, angry, and heartbroken that this community--and other communities of color—still face these agonizing and inexcusable hardships and dangers. 

With an overwhelming sense of sorrow, we recognize this as unjust. Generations of tennis players have been inspired by the examples set by Althea Gibson, Arthur Ashe, Billie Jean King, and many more, who were instrumental in removing barriers to fairness and justice by epitomizing tolerance, inclusion and respect. 

The USTA encourages all of us to reflect on the message and legacy of the exemplars of our sport to listen to the African-American community; and together seek answers that heal our communities. It is time to engage with our friends and colleagues of color, and to stand in solidarity with them.  We know that these efforts are simply not enough, but as we consider our humanity and the humanity of all, we hope it is a strong beginning.

10 Point Tiebreaker Survey Results
Ed Trost
etrost@gmail.com
March 2020

Thanks to all who participated in our first survey which focused on the use of a ten-point tiebreaker in lieu of a full third set. We had a tremendous response to the survey with over 1100 of you responding. This represented an 18% response rate which is excellent.

Before I summarize the findings, please indulge me for a moment as I would like to acknowledge the feedback received from some of you about the wording of a few of the questions being ambiguous and/or unclear. Forty years ago, my Ph.D. dissertation included a survey that took several months to develop. As those of you might know, when testing for the validity of a questionnaire there is much pain-staking work involved. Unfortunately, this survey did not go through the same rigors as the one I used in my prior life, and so I take full responsibility for the wording and perhaps the ambiguity of some of the questions.

Having said the above, I feel confident that the survey did elicit some interesting points from which tournament directors and the USTA might benefit.

When respondents were asked whether a tiebreak should be used up to the quarterfinals (Question 1), the results were split pretty much down the middle with a slight edge in favor of a full third set after the quarter finals. Likewise, when asked if the tiebreaker should be implemented for all age groups, again, results were split close to 50-50.

The last 4 questions did highlight that the majority of players will still play tournaments regardless of whether a tiebreaker is implemented or not, including National Category I, Super Category II and Category II events. When faced with either playing a tournament or not, players overwhelmingly would play a tournament even if a tiebreaker was in place.

We all recognize that change is sometimes difficult to accept. Given the trend of tiebreakers being implemented in tournaments, it is gratifying to see that the majority of players will continue to play tournaments.

To see the results of the 10 Point Tiebreaker Survey CLICK HERE.

Thanks again for your participation in the survey. Should you have any additional feedback, please do not hesitate to contact me at etrost@gmail.com, or any other member of the Board of Directors!

Cheers!
Ed Trost
NSMTA Board Member

ITF 2020 Senior Championships
December 2019

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) will hold the following Seniors World Team & Individual Championships in 2020. Tournament specifics include:

2020 ITF Young Seniors (35-40-45) World Team & Individual Championships
Umag, Croatia

• Team Championships
  Sunday 13 September to Friday 18 September 2020. If there is inclement weather, matches may be played on Saturday 19 September.

• Individual Championships
  Saturday 19 September to Saturday 26 September 2020.

• Locations
  Umag sites include ATP Stadium, Umag Tennis Academy (Katoro), TC Umag, TC Park, TC Punta and Polynesia.

2020 ITF Seniors (50-55-60) World Team & Individual Championships
Team Championships: Boca Raton, Florida; Individual Championships: Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

• Team Championships
  Sunday 26 April to Friday 1 May 2020. If there is inclement weather, matches may be played on Saturday 2 May.

• Individual Championships
  Saturday 2 May to Saturday 9 May.

• Locations
  Team Championships - Boca Raton, Florida.
  Individual Championships - Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

2020 ITF Super-Seniors (65-70-75-80-85) World Team & Individual Championships Mallorca, Spain

• Team Championships
  Sunday 11 October to Friday 16 October 2020. If there is inclement weather, matches may be played on Saturday 17 October.

• Individual Championships
  Saturday 17 October to Saturday 24 October 2020.

• Locations
  Mallorca (east) sites include Font de sa Cala, Hotel Na Taconera, Club Aguait, Tenis Son Besso and Canyamal.

ITF 2020-21 Seniors Committee Announced
December 2019

The International Tennis Federation has announced the members of 21 Committees and Commissions for 2020-21. More than 190 individuals from over 70 countries have been named to the various groups.

The Seniors Committee includes:

Salma Mouelhi Guizani (TUN) - Chair and Board of Directors
Danilo Carrera-Drouet (ECU)
Carol Clay (USA)
Shane Cooke (IRL)
Jermille Danclar (TTO)
Georgi Krumov (BUL)
Martin Lager (SWE)

USTA and ITF Make Changes Affecting Players Competing in 2020 ITF Tournaments
milagros.sequerahuss@usta.com
November 2019

The USTA Adult Tournaments Department continues to work collaboratively with the ITF Seniors Tour to provide more playing opportunities at home and abroad for American players. The main goal is to enhance competition, grow tournament entry numbers, and increase the number of tournaments in the United States with ITF world ranking status.

Following recent communication to Nations from the ITF, we want to highlight the changes that will come in to effect in 2020 for players competing in ITF tournaments:

• Players will no longer pay an annual fee to compete on the ITF Seniors Tour and will be able to register with the ITF through the IPIN system at no cost.

• Players will pay a reduced IPIN fee of $6.00 (USD) for each 2020 ITF Seniors tournament that they play, in addition to the tournament entry fee. All players must pay their entry fee and IPIN fee before their first match.

• Players will be required to make an IPIN payment for their first eight (8) tournaments within a calendar year. Players will not be required to pay an IPIN fee beyond this.

With these changes, the USTA Adult Department has worked collaboratively with the ITF to agree on a strategy for American players playing at home. Given the fact that there are over 50 events in the United States with ITF status, the USTA wishes to provide players a fair and suitable financial agreement for 2020.

The outcome of this is an agreement between the USTA and ITF as follows:

• All U.S. players playing in USTA Category 1 and Super Category 2 events with ITF status are exempt from the IPIN fee through an agreement between USTA and ITF.
  ◦ Therefore, any player who plays a tournament in the United States with ITF status shall be exempt from IPIN fees during 2020.
  ◦ This exemption only applies when playing in the United States. American players playing outside of the United States will be required to pay the ITF IPIN fee per tournament as specified by the ITF.

• It is required that all American players competing in 2020 USTA Category 1 and Super Category 2 events with ITF status register for an ITF IPIN. Registration with the ITF is now free from November 1st, 2019. Players must register at http://ipin.itftennis.com and click on ‘Sign up now’ to obtain an ITF IPIN number before the tournament begins.

• Each USTA Category 1 tournament will continue to have ITF Grade A status in 2020.

• ITF has agreed to ten (10) additional U.S tournaments at ITF Grade 1 status. Therefore, in 2020, there will be a total of twenty (20) ITF Grade 1 tournaments in the United States.

The USTA is excited to have reached this agreement with the ITF, as it will have a positive impact on the age-group players and tournaments. If you have any questions as it relates to this matter, please do not hesitate to contact milagros.sequerahuss@usta.com.

Milagros Sequera Huss – USTA
Manager, Adult Tournaments

Matt Byford – ITF
Manager, Seniors Tour

USTA® | ITF® - International Tennis Federation

ITF Announces Strategic Developments For Seniors Tennis In 2020 And 2021
communications@itftennis.com
August 2019

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) has today (August 22, 2019) announced a series of improvements to the ITF Seniors Circuit for 2020 and 2021 following the publication of the 2019-2021 ITF Seniors Strategic Development Plan in January this year.

The changes are motivated by the ITF’s mission to make seniors tennis the leading competitive sport for participants aged 35 and over and to increase the number of players, nations and tournaments on the ITF Seniors Circuit from 2020 onwards.

More than 25,000 players between the ages of 35 and 95 currently compete on the ITF Seniors Circuit on an annual basis, with more than 400 tournaments taking place around the world. The ITF Seniors World Team and Individual Championships (in Young Seniors, Seniors and Super-Seniors categories) remain a highlight in the season. Over 800 players representing 48 nations competed in the ITF Seniors World Team and Individual Championships (covering age categories from 50+ to 60+) in Portugal earlier this month.

Among the most important improvements to the circuit are revisions to entry-level tournaments (Grade 4) to provide a greater number of competitive opportunities and appropriate formats, designed both to cater for the huge number of players who already compete and to attract new players to the circuit.

Additionally, a new tier of tournaments will be introduced in 2021 to provide more frequent, high-quality events for elite players. The new level will sit just below the World Championships in terms of prestige and ranking points on offer.

Overall, the number of different grades of competition will reduce to six by 2021 providing a simplified structure for the circuit.

Other improvements from 2020 will include:

• Removal of an upfront fee for players to register for an annual ITF Seniors IPIN (the online registration system for all players).

• Players will pay an IPIN fee per tournament to help attract more players from more nations to register and play in ITF Seniors tournaments

• Drive of doubles-only and shorter length tournaments, particularly at entry level

• Standardization of tournament naming to enable current and potential players to better understand the level and location of events

The ITF Seniors Committee, ITF Seniors Player Advisory Panel and ITF Seniors Tournament Director and Referee Panel were all consulted during the process and approved the improvements.

Matt Byford, Manager, ITF Seniors, said: “The ITF is excited for the future of Seniors Tennis and remains committed to our mission of making Seniors Tennis the leading competitive sport in terms of participation for those aged 35 and over. These changes are designed to enhance the sport and help achieve our objectives. We look forward to working with our players and member nations to grow the number of tournaments and to encourage more players to enjoy the many benefits of competing in ITF Seniors tournaments.”

Ross Duncan, ITF Seniors Player Advisory Panel Member, said: “I am beyond excited about the recent changes the ITF have made to re-structuring ITF Seniors Tennis from 2020 onwards. A lot of careful thought went into the changes with the players’ needs being at the forefront. I am confident that these changes will continue to grow the Seniors game that we all love so much.”

Carmen Perea, ITF Seniors Tournament Director & Referee Panel Member, said: “The changes the ITF is looking to make are very positive. To name just some of them: reinforce doubles events, ranking points for consolation events, IPIN fee changes and better control of tournament entry fees. All this will facilitate the greater participation of players and help the organization of ITF Seniors tournaments, especially at Grade 3 and 4.”

All details regarding today’s announcement for Seniors Tennis can be found on the ITF website.

College Tennis Alumni Network - Opportunity To Reunite
Mark Winters
mwinters@nsmta.net
July 2019

In tennis there are always special times and special places, along with very special people…

When thoughts turn to having played on a college or university tennis team and the friendships that blossomed during those years, many National Senior Men’s Tennis Association members have wonderful recollections. Often “looking back…” brings about smiles, not only about the matches played, but the overall fun that was part of the times. These reflections include thoughts of teammates who were part of the events and the roles that they played.

The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) has initiated the College Tennis Alumni Network to bring former college or university players together. It is an opportunity for individuals who shared so much to reunite. And, it’s free.

It’s easy to become involved in this meaningful program. Go to www.collegetennisalumni.com to sign up.

U.S Players to Get More Points
Michael Hughes, USTA Adult Tournaments
October 2018

The USTA, in collaboration with the International Tennis Federation (ITF), is excited to announce that, starting in 2019, American players will have access to considerably more ITF World Ranking points when competing in men's and women's 35s-85s events in the United States. In the past, the majority of ITF World Ranking points have been available exclusively in Europe. This change will also provide players the opportunity to climb the world rankings without the need for international travel.

Players, with an ITF IPIN, will now get more points as a result of upgrades to the ITF grade assigned to USTA Category I National Championships, also known as Gold Ball tournaments, and 10 Super Category II adult tournaments. Category I National Championships will be upgraded from ITF Grade 2 to ITF Grade A, while 10 Super Category II adult tournaments will now have ITF Grade 1 status.

"Starting in 2019, the ITF is pleased to upgrade key Category I National Championships and Super Category II adult tournaments in the United States to Grade A and Grade 1 status, respectively, in recognition of the proven success of American players on an international level, the volume of players competing in adult tournaments and the high standard of tournament organization and delivery at these events," said Matt Byford, ITF Seniors Tennis Manager.

We are excited to welcome these changes in 2019 as we get ready for another great year. To view the 2019 USTA Adult National Tournament schedules, please click here.

ARCHIVES

Adult Tournament Rankings
USTA
July 2021

The ITF World Tennis Number
USTA
April 2021

The USTA condemns anti-Asian violence
Marisa Grimes
March 2021

History-making US Open umpires hope to inspire next generation of women officials
Victoria Chiesa
March 2021

NSMTA Announces New President Steve Duffel and Additional Board of Directors for 2021
Keiko Kimball Gouty
January 2021

Black tennis pioneers celebrated in new International Tennis Hall of Fame exhibit
Victoria Chiesa
December 2020

USTA fulfills more than $10 million in funding commitments to ensure the viability of tennis amid
COVID-19
Arthur Kapetanakis
December 2020

Senior International World Championship Dates, Selection Guidelines and Eligibility Information
Keiko Kimball Gouty
November 2020

2021 Florida Tournament Schedule
October 2020

2020 French Open: Schedule, how to watch, news, scores and analysis
ESPN
September 2020

USTA Announces Changes to Membership Structure
Michael Dowse
August 2020

Statement on Current Events
Patrick Galbraith
June 2020

10 Point Tiebreaker Survey Results
Ed Trost
March 2020

ITF 2020 Senior Championships
December 2019

ITF 2020-21 Seniors Committee Announced
December 2019

USTA and ITF Make Changes Affecting Players Competing in ITF Tournaments in 2020
November 2019

ITF Announces Strategic Developments For Seniors Tennis In 2020 And 2021
August 2019

College Tennis Alumni Network - Opportunity To Reunite
Mark Winters
July 2019

U.S Players to Get More Points
Michael Hughes
October 2018