Who's Hot?
Prince Hot 100 List - November '09
by Julie Wrege, 20 November 2009
Now that Signing Week is in the rearview mirror, we can break away from college commitments to bring you one a regular TennisRecruiting.net's feature... the Prince Hot 100.
Each month, the Prince Hot 100 features junior players who have been playing great tennis - and winning matches against quality competition. These November lists feature the one hundred boys and girls who most improved their rankings during October 2009.
You can find out more about the Prince Hot 100 - and how the lists are calculated - by reading here.
Here are the Prince Hot 100 lists for November 2009:
We caught up with a few of these top performers...
Girls' Roundup
Kendal Drake (Hilton Head, S.C.)
Kendal Drake is the only girl on the Prince Hot 100 List this month to amass double digit wins with a 10-5 record.
"I would definitely have to give a lot of credit to my coach, Billy Stearns [of the Smith-Sterns Tennis Academy]," said Drake. "Coach Stearns has taught me an aspect of tennis that I was lacking - how to be consistent. I am also bringing a different mentality to the court, and I am fighting much harder for every point. I am more focused on winning - rather than playing some great shots here and there."
Among Drake's 10 singles wins are two over 4-star players and one over 5-star opponent
Kristina Mathis (Daniel Island, S.C.). But Drake cites a doubles championship as her favorite moment.
"Winning the doubles at Kiawah [with partner Meghan Blevins (N. Charleston, S.C.)] was a great test of our mental strength. We were down in every match, and we fought back each time - especially in the finals being down a set and 5-0.
Among her singles matches, the Mathis match does stand out.
"I was really focused in the match because I knew it would be a great test of my improvement. I was patient and aggressive when I had to be - and this combination worked really well. This has now given me a lot more confidence in playing - and beating - other 5-stars."
Drake is a senior at Heritage Academy and is in the middle of the college recruiting process.
"Actually the recruiting process is a little frustrating. It seems the college coaches are generally looking at rankings that are reflecting results from last year.
"I really think that I have turned a corner with my tennis, and I will continue to play really well and win more in the future. My current results are good, and I am happy to have made the Prince Hot 100.
When asked what she is looking for in her college choice, she answered: "I am looking to find a balance of good academics, a fun and hard working tennis team, a coach that I can improve with and a location that has a lot going on. It's tricky because you never really know what you're going to get until you go there. I think I prefer mid- to large-size schools, and hopefully the one I go to will have a great atmosphere, friendly people and a winning tennis team."
This 5'8" right-hander describes her herself as "an all court player. I love to mix up the pace, be an aggressive baseliner and also to come forward and finish off points at the net. My serve is definitely one of my strengths as is my ability to move players off the court using a variety of shots. I also like to think I move well because I am quite athletic and quick when getting to balls."
"Right now our main goal is working on my consistency. I have always had a lot of variety but I never really perfected my game to a point where I was steady. I feel much more comfortable going onto a court now because I know I am not going to give up too many free points."
Her parents, Bernadette and Michael Drake, agree.
"Kendal has a wide range of shots and puts points together nicely. And now she is staying in the points longer and being more patient - her win percentage has really increased.
"Kendal is a quick learner. Once she has internalized what she has been taught, she is able to put things into practice quickly. Being teachable is a good thing in terms of making progression in many areas of life, but I believe we are seeing some of this making a difference in Kendal's recent performances."
Drake was born in London, England and spent twelve years of her life in Singapore. She now resides in Hilton Head Island. She and her older brother Ryan both attended the academy. Ryan graduated last summer and now plays on the Drake University tennis team.
Anna Sanford (Westerville, Ohio)
Being exposed to a wide variety of activities - tennis, swimming, dance, violin, golf, skiing - helped Anna Sanford decide that tennis would be her primary focus.
"She just loves to play," said her parents, Brian and Beth Sanford. "We like that she has life sports that she enjoys, but tennis provides challenges and teaches her discipline - it also seems to best fit her physical strengths."
Sanford was strong physically last month. The 5'7" 8th grader at Olentangy Orange Middle School compiled a 7-2 record in November. That was good enough to earn a career-high ranking - #124 - in the Class of 2014.
Her breakout tournament was the Cincinnati Open, where Sanford posted two wins over Top-100 opponents. She is most proud of her victory over Megumi Chen (McLean, Va.).
"I had lost to Megumi Chen just a couple months ago at The National Championships. She is a good player that I respect, but I didn't execute smart shot selection and manage my match well. I felt I should have been able to win.
"I went into the Cincinnati Open with a positive belief that I would play well against any opponent. My strong mental attitude and the exceptional training I get in the Elite Program at Elysium Tennis Center really prepared me to play well. My serve was solid and I was able to place well-planned shots to get the points I needed to win. I also was able to close out the second set because I was confident and relaxed. Each tournament I play in helps prepare me for the next."
Sanford is an Ohio native, born in Cincinnati. She trains with two private coaches Doug DiRosario and Ross Wilson.
"I'm very fortunate that they work together to develop my game. I train in the Elite program at Elysium Tennis Center in Columbus OH. The teaching staff there is very talented and I am very fortunate to be a part of such a remarkable tennis program. I get to hit with some really talented players.
Right now Sanford and her coaches are fine-tuning her forehand.
"I recently adjusted my grip because they are very big on proper fundamentals for performance and the prevention of injury. Their attention to detail is a big part of my recent improvement. Of course they are also stressing foot work, patient shot selection and the use of my legs in my serve."
Sanford's whole family plays tennis.
"My sister, Alexandra, is 10 and plays competitive tennis also. She is a really good player and I'm hoping someday we can compete in some double's tournaments together.
"My dad got me started when I was really young. He played growing up and wanted us to enjoy the sport.
Her parents know that this improvement is the result of a "long process. Last month some nice results became possible due to her growth in confidence and skills. The challenges and life lessons that tennis provides are helping mold Anna as an athlete and a young lady and it's fun to watch her achieve a few of her goals.
"Anna is a kind compassionate young lady, always eager to meet new friends and share some fun memories. She loves playing with younger siblings at the tournaments and has volunteered for the "Buddy Up" tennis program that teaches kids with Down Syndrome. Although very serious on the court, off the court Anna is warm, friendly and eager to make you smile. Tennis really compliments these traits as she now has friends from many different cities."
Boys' Roundup
Brett Weisberg (Calabasas, Calif.)
It is unusual in sports today to find a player who excels in two sports. But Brett Weisberg does just that - in both tennis and baseball.
Weisberg's goal is to be like Jim Courier, who played both tennis and baseball at the highest level.
"I pitch and play shortstop and second base on my travel team, which is highly ranked in the nation. I think the pitching helps me in my tennis. Over the summer, my team - the So Cal Thunder - made it to the championship game at the Field of Dreams in Cooperstown, New York. There were 103 teams competing. We also made it to the championship game of the USTBA World Series in San Diego, California."
In October, Weisberg was impressive on the tennis court. His undefeated 10-0 record pushed his ranking up over 100 spots - from #270 to a career-best #169 in the Class of 2014.
Weisberg credits better conditioning as key to his improvement.
"I am in much better shape now," said the 5'11" right-hander.
His best wins came in the Upland Open at the Upland Tennis Club.
I am 13-years-old and I played in the Boys' 16s division. I beat the #2 and #6 seeds [Blake Anthony (Malibu) and Rafael Lira (Ojai), respectively] back-to-back."
Weisberg is coached by Calle Hansen, a USPTA professional at the Westlake Tennis Center in Westlake Village, Calif. Right now he and his coach are working on his serve and putting away short balls.
This 5'11" right-hander who attends A. E. Wright Middle School, describes his game as "a baseline game. I like to hit my forehand for winners. My strengths in tennis are my desire to win and my strategy."
The two-sport star cites two athletes as role models - fittingly, one from each sport.
"My favorite professional athletes are Rafael Nadal and Derek Jeter. Nadal has so much heart when he plays and Jeter for his professionalism."
Weisberg is a native of the state of California, born in Tarzana and now residing in Calabasas. His sister Emily plays tennis competitively - she made the Prince Hot100 List in November, 2008, was MVP of her high school tennis league, and is ranked in the top 100 of both the 16s and 18s in Southern California. His younger brother Michael is currently ranked in the top 35 in Southern California.
JonCloudy Petrini (Stamford, Conn.)
We have all heard the old adage "Practice makes perfect!"
Recently, JonCloudy Petrini has been trying to practice as much as possible - and play in as many tournaments as he can.
That plan seems to be working out pretty well so far. The 3-Star junior had a perfect 8-0 record in October, moving him into the Top 300 in the Class of 2011.
"My best win last month was in the semifinals of a local level six against senior Ryan Carr (Madison, CT)," said Petrini. "It was a tough match because I found myself forced to come back after being down 2-5 in the second set."
Born and raised in Stamford, CT, Petrini attends Westhill High School. His sister Vanessa recently signed to play tennis at Rutgers University. She is twice a state champion - and the #1 player in New England.
As a junior, the recruiting process will start getting serious for the younger Petrini later this year. He has started carefully looking into his college choice.
"I am mainly looking in our area. I'm looking for a Division I college with a good team close to home."
The 5'11" right-hander works with Thommas de Lifede at the Stamford Indoor Tennis Academy. He describes his game as an aggressive one.
"I try to come to the net as much as possible and use my volleys to end the point."
His parents, Claudius and Julia Petrini say that their son's recent success is due to his "determination and desire to win. We believe that as Jon matures he is more and more serious in practice and also very ambitious. He has a good athlete and with proper fitness regime he can be a top national player."
Have a look over the Prince Hot 100 lists - and take a look at some of the other players who have stepped up their game.
The next edition of the Prince Hot 100 will be available on December 14.
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Presented by Prince
Prince Sports, Inc., is proud to be the title sponsor of the Prince Hot 100.
Based in New Jersey, Prince is a company of racquet sports enthusiasts whose goal is to create cutting edge, functional and technically advanced products that deliver performance benefits for avid players. The Company's portfolio of brands includes Prince (tennis, squash and badminton), Ektelon (racquetball) and Viking (platform/paddle tennis). The Company has a history of innovation including inventing the first "oversize" and "longbody" racquets, the first "Natural Foot Shape" tennis shoe, the first "synthetic gut" string and the first electronic ball machine.
Today, Prince markets leading technologies in racquets (EXO3), string (Recoil), footwear (Precision Tube Technology) and apparel (Aerotech). It has operations on three continents with distribution in over 100 countries.
For more information on players, products or programs please visit Prince Sports, Prince Tennis, and the Prince EXO3 site.
