Latest News

25-Aug-2010
Q&A with Erica Perkins: Campus Showdowns
They are going on now - and at a college near you. Campus Showdowns - one-day, short-format tournaments that take place on college campuses across America - are open to everyone from juniors and amateurs to college players and professionals. These tournaments give junior players a unique chance to check out college - as well as the level of competition. Erica Perkins of USTA Player Development stops by to talk about this joint initiative between the USTA and ITA.

23-Aug-2010
Prince Hot 100 List - August '10
Today we announce the August edition of the Prince Hot 100. The Prince Hot 100 features 100 boys and 100 girls who have been playing outstanding tennis. These players have substantially improved their rankings over the past month.

20-Aug-2010
Sock and Redlicki Crowned National Champions in Kalamazoo
Any USTA gold ball is special, whether it's the second or the 20th. But a gold ball won at Kalamazoo has something extra attached - a place on the long list of National Champions and a trip to New York to play at the U.S. Open. Jack Sock, the 18s champion, and Michael Redlicki, who triumphed in the 16s, survived a week of heat, humidity and rain disruptions to finish atop the 192-player fields gathered for the tournament's 68th year.

19-Aug-2010
Rogers and McPhillips Claim Gold in San Diego
San Diego played host to drama in its first Girls' 18s Nationals - third-seeded Shelby Rogers outlasted No. 4 Nicole Gibbs 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (4) to take the title. In the 16s, top-seeded Kyle McPhillips won the singles title with a 6-0, 6-3 victory over No. 7 Spencer Liang. Rogers and McPhillips won the coveted gold balls that go to the champions - along with wild cards into the main draws of the U.S. Open women's and junior events.

19-Aug-2010
Paul Comes Back to Take Girls' 14s
Jessie Lynn Paul of Greenville, N.C., won her first super national championship last weekend, and she survived three match points in a remarkable semifinal to do it. The next day, Paul defeated Lauren Goodman of Fort Wayne, Ind., 6-3, 6-2 in a final that was a one-hour, 42-minute grind of steady baseliners.

18-Aug-2010
Benjamin Tso Wins Boys' 14s Nationals
Top-seeded Benjamin Tso completed his 14-and-under career in grand style by winning the singles title of the USTA Boys 14 National Championships at McFarlin Tennis Center. Tso, from Lexington, Mass., won his first USTA gold ball with a 7-6 (6), 7-5 victory over seventh-seeded Henrik Wiersholm of Kirkland, Wash., in a tightly played match which lasted for over two hours.

18-Aug-2010
Kaitlyn McCarthy wraps up Girls 12s Nationals
Kaitlyn McCarthy was pleased - but not surprised - at the USTA Girls 12 National Championships. The rising seventh-grader from Cary, N.C., won her first singles national title Saturday, Aug. 7, with a 6-4, 6-0 victory over No. 1 seed Sofia Kenin of Pembroke Pines, Fla., at Windward Lake Club in Alpharetta, Ga.

17-Aug-2010
With Flourish, Levine Strikes Gold In Little Rock
After competing mostly in the 14s, Robert Levine wanted to test his skills against his peers one last time. At the Clay Courts last month, he won doubles gold and lost by a hair in the semis in singles. Last week, he added a singles gold ball, overcoming Clay Courts runner up and fourth seed Nathan Ponwith 6-3, 6-2.

16-Aug-2010
Hard Court Championship Week
Last week, the best American juniors were competing for gold balls at the USTA National Championships all across the country. National titles were awarded for both boys and girls in all four age divisions. TennisRecruiting.net announces its Championship Week coverage - with photo galleries and articles that celebrate the best of the best in junior tennis.

13-Aug-2010
Becoming Aware of Yourself
Personal awareness refers to your ability to know yourself as a tennis player and as a person. You can develop your strong points even further. Developing a sound and thorough personal awareness will help you identify your strong points, limitations and areas for improvement.

11-Aug-2010
Talking with Brett Karpman of Queens University
Julie Wrege recently chatted with Brett Karpman, head coach of the men's and women's tennis programs at Queens University in Charlotte, N.C. The two talked about college tennis and recruiting in general - but they also discussed some issues specific to NCAA Division II tennis.

7-Aug-2010
San Diego Now Home to USTA Girls 18 and 16 National Championships
College coaches used to have to split their recruiting time between Northern California and Southern California to scout players. But the travel just got a whole lot easier. For the first time in history, San Diego and the George E. Barnes Family Jr. Tennis Center are playing host to the USTA Girls' 16s and 18s National Championships.

6-Aug-2010
Florida back in first at USTA Boys' 18 Team Championship
It's been a long time since the team from the Florida section held up the trophy at the USTA Boys' 18 Team Championship, but they were back in the winners' circle this year with a steamy finish. Florida defeated the Midwest section 4-3 at the University of Illinois' Atkins Tennis Center.

5-Aug-2010
Jordan Cox, Shane Vinsant Top Seeds for USTA Boys 18 and 16 National Championships in Kalamazoo
Jordan Cox won the 2008 16s singles title in Kalamazoo, demonstrating his ability to cope with the pressure and pomp surrounding a final at the pinnacle of boys junior tennis in the United States. Can he do the same in the 18s this year as the top seed? And in the 16s, top seed Shane Vinsant has the highest ITF junior ranking in the field at 73 - closely followed by No. 2 seed Mitchell Krueger at 79. Colette Lewis breaks down the field of the USTA Boys 18 and 16 Nationals.

3-Aug-2010
July Aces
The USTA National Clay Court champions usually dominate July's roster of aces, but with the extensive coverage the Tennis Recruiting Network put together last week, the focus instead will be on the juniors and collegians past and present who collected other titles during the month.

2-Aug-2010
Conversation with Tyler Thomson of Minnesota
Ross Greenstein of Scholarship For Athletes chats with Tyler Thomson, head coach of women's tennis at Minnesota. Thomson comments on all aspects of the recruiting process - and he gives advice to players on how to approach college tennis.

30-Jul-2010
Price Captures Girls' 18s Clays in Memphis
Living just minutes from each other in suburban Atlanta, 17-year-olds Caroline Price and Whitney Kay had met many times throughout their junior tennis careers. When they met in the final of the USTA Girls' 18 Clay Court Championships in Memphis, it was Price that emerged victorious - capturing the title with a 6-3, 6-3 win.

30-Jul-2010
Fratangelo Returns to Winners' Circle in 18s
There is a lot at stake at the USTA National Boys' 18 Clay Court Championships. In addition to the USTA Gold Ball, the winner receives a qualifying wildcard into the ATP World Tour event at Delray Beach in February - as well as direct entry into the U.S. Open Junior Championship main draw and a wildcard into a USTA Pro Circuit Futures event. Second-seeded Bjorn Fratangelo was excited to win all those prizes with a 6-4, 7-5 victory over Alexios Halebian in the title match.

29-Jul-2010
Redlicki Earns Gold Ball in Delray Beach 16s
Michael Redlicki threw his head back, bellowed out "Come on" and then shook hands with Gordon Watson at center court after he rallied to win the USTA Boys' 16s National Clay Court Championship 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 at the Delray Beach Tennis Center July 25.

29-Jul-2010
Floridians Take Homecourt Advantage in Girls' 12s
The Polo Club of Boca Raton, an exclusive gated community that boasts 29 Har-Tru courts, was the site for the girls' 12 event of the USTA National Clay Court Championships. Two Floridians - Sofia Kenin and Cristina Rovira - marched through the draw and met in the final. The two had met before, splitting their previous two matches. The rubber match - and USTA gold ball - would go to Rovira, who posted a 6-2, 7-5 victory in the final.

28-Jul-2010
Black Wins Tiebreaker Over Shiskina in 14s Final
Tornado Ali Black lived up to her nickname as she saved match point in the third set and pulled out a 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (4) victory over 14th-seeded Maria Shishkina to win the USTA Girls' 14s National Clay Court Championships at the Frank Veltri Tennis Center at Plantation Central Park on Sunday. The match - completed just seconds before a downpour - featured dramatic twists and turns.

28-Jul-2010
Top-seeded Kerznerman Rules Boys' 14 Clays
As irony would have it, the Jimmy Evert Tennis Center in Fort Lauderdale seemed to be the only place in Florida where it was raining every day enough to disrupt play. The delays didn't bother #1 seed Daniel Kerznerman or #9 seed Benjamin Tso - who dropped only one set between them before the finals. Kerznerman took the title with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 victory.

27-Jul-2010
Wildcard Hayley Carter Wins 16s Clays
Unseeded Hayley Carter, a wildcard who wasn't sure she'd be allowed into the tournament less than a week before it began, emerged with a hard-earned trophy and USTA gold ball in the steamy Girls' 16 National Clay Court Championships. Carter, from Columbia, S.C., overcame third-seeded Jamie Loeb 6-3, 3-6, 6-0 in the championship match this past Sunday.

27-Jul-2010
Tarheel Hero Kodali Takes 12s Clays
Down a set and 5-3, Anudeep Kodali was unflustered. He pumped himself up, moved his feet and used his ever-reliable forehand to put away the few short balls that came his way. In a 200-minute match with many momentum swings, the North Carolina native emerged victorious. He won his first USTA gold ball at the Boys 12s Claycourts National Championships 4-6, 7-6(4), 7-6(6).

26-Jul-2010
Clay Court Championship Week
The USTA Clay Court Championships have concluded around the country. This week, TennisRecruiting.net has roundups of all the action from the Boys' 12s to the Girls' 18s - from Virginia Beach to Fort Lauderdale. Check out coverage of all the tournaments - and meet the latest gold ball winners of all ages. Get ready... for Clay Court Championship Week.

23-Jul-2010
Catching Up with Vinay Bhamidipati
Harry Cicma recently got the chance to sit down with Vinay Bhamidipati, a former New Jersey high school state champion who went on to play college tennis at Columbia. Cicma and Bhamidipati talked about junior and college tennis, life after competitive tennis, and how tennis has helped prepare him for life.

19-Jul-2010
Prince Hot 100 List - July '10
Today we release the July edition of the Prince Hot 100. The Prince Hot 100 features 100 boys and 100 girls who have been playing outstanding tennis. These players have substantially improved their rankings over the past month.

15-Jul-2010
ITA Summer Circuit Fills Competition Gap for College and Junior Players
Last Saturday 128 players took to the Western Michigan University courts with a variety of motives - to size up their games, stay sharp over the summer months, prepare for the fall college season and test their conditioning in two-a-day matches in the summer heat and humidity. Colette Lewis of ZooTennis.com took in the ITA Summer Circuit tournament - here she provides a wrap-up of both the tournament and the program.

12-Jul-2010
Talking with Delaware's Amanda Halstrom
A little over a year ago, Amanda Halstrom was a 4-Star senior from New York on the recruiting trail. Fast forward to today, where Halstrom is about to start her sophomore year at the University of Delaware. Halstrom posted a 27-7 singles record during her freshman campaign, playing as high as #2 in the lineup, and she earned the UD Team Sportsmanship Award. Donovan Tennis Strategies talks with Halstrom about college tennis and recruiting.

9-Jul-2010
Advantages of Division III Tennis
Although there are many ways to explore college choices, there is a large group of schools that is often overlooked by top juniors - the 300+ programs that make up NCAA Division III. The D-III tennis blogger stops by to discuss why Division III can be a great option for all American juniors, from 1 star to 5 stars, boys and girls alike.

1-Jul-2010
June Aces
June marks the transition from clay to grass, so it's no surprise there were junior aces from both surfaces last month. College tennis was also in the spotlight, with recent stars demonstrating its role as a stepping stone between junior and professional tennis.

30-Jun-2010
Quick Takes with Middlebury Coach Dave Schwarz
Just a month ago, the Middlebury men's tennis team hoisted its 2010 NCAA Championship trophy, the second team title for the Panthers. Harry Cicma of NBC Sports fired off a few questions to Middlebury Head Coach Dave Schwarz shortly after his championship.

28-Jun-2010
Recruiting Terms and Calendar for 2010-11
July 1st marks the beginning of another recruiting year. Recruiting expert Dede Allen reviews important dates on the calendar for all ages - and she also has a primer on basic recruiting terms.

24-Jun-2010
Adding to a Tennis Legacy: A Conversation with USC's Peter Smith
Peter Smith completed his eighth year as men's head coach at the University of Southern California exactly the same way he finished his seventh, leading the Trojans to the NCAA team title. Colette Lewis sat down with the 2010 Wilson/ITA Coach of the Year to get his views on some of the major issues in junior and college tennis.

22-Jun-2010
Former Rutgers Captain Greg Schweitzer
Greg Schweitzer served as captain and played #1 at Rutgers University. After a successful college career, Schweitzer went on to earn a #75 world doubles ranking on the ATP tour. Harry Cicma caught up with Schweitzer to talk about his career, the significance of Rutgers and NCAA tennis, and advice he would give to junior tennis players today.

21-Jun-2010
Growing a Champion
At any given time at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy we have students attending from over 72 different countries from socioeconomic groups that range from those on full scholarship to those of incredible wealth. As diverse as the group is there are certain key traits we look for in indentifying future champions.

18-Jun-2010
Prince Hot 100 List - June '10
Today we release the June edition of the Prince Hot 100. The Prince Hot 100 features 100 boys and 100 girls who have been playing outstanding tennis. These players have substantially improved their rankings over the past month.

17-Jun-2010
Mamalat, Lipman Bring Home Grasscourt Titles
Whether it was home cooking, family experience or simply games that work well on grass, unseeded Anna Mamalat and Maxx Lipman made their advantages work for them last week at the ITF International Grass Court Championships at the Philadelphia Cricket Club.

15-Jun-2010
Conversation with Santa Clara's Derek Mills
Ross Greenstein and Scholarship For Athletes caught up with Derek Mills, coach of men's tennis at Santa Clara. Mills comments on how junior tennis players should approach the recruiting process - as well as his recruiting philosophy.

14-Jun-2010
2010 Top NCAA Division III Women's Classes
The Tennis Recruiting Network wraps up its spring recruiting class rankings with a look at the D-III women. Today we present our list of the Top 25 NCAA D-III women's recruiting classes for 2010. As with the men, the top spot is held by the Amherst Lord Jeffs.

11-Jun-2010
2010 Top NCAA Division III Men's Classes
The Tennis Recruiting Network presents its recruiting class rankings for NCAA Division III conferences. Today we present our Top 25 D-III men's recruiting classes for 2010. Many of the usual suspects are up near the top - including NCAA Tournament runner-up Amherst at the head of the class.

9-Jun-2010
NCAA D1 Update: Non-Traditional High School Courses
If you are considering playing Division I athletics, you MUST become aware of a newly-adopted NCAA proposal. The NCAA has begun identifying "non-traditional" courses from various high school programs that do not meet the parameters of the newly-adopted proposal.

8-Jun-2010
Tennis has the Power to Help!
I traveled to Ethiopia in December with one thing in mind: bring my adopted son back to America, be a father to him, and give him a better life. My eyes were opened to a world that I'd never seen before. I didn't realize how large of an impact it would have on me. I encountered a culture where people are extremely gracious, wonderfully spiritual and tremendously resilient - all characteristics that I strive to embody in my life.

7-Jun-2010
2010 Top Mid-Major Women's Classes
TennisRecruiting.net picks up where it left off on Friday with more rankings of mid-major recruiting classes. Today we present the Top 25 mid-major women's recruiting classes for 2010.

5-Jun-2010
May Aces
Singles, doubles, red clay, green clay, hard courts, college, junior and pro: May brought 13 aces from all kinds of places.

4-Jun-2010
2010 Top Mid-Major Men's Classes
The Tennis Recruiting Network continues its series of recruiting class rankings with the first of our mid-major conference rankings. We present the Top 25 mid-major men's recruiting classes for 2010. And these teams are not just strong... they are Army strong.

3-Jun-2010
Gullickson and Klahn Lead U.S. Sweep of NCAA Singles and Doubles Titles
For the second consecutive year, Americans claimed the men's and women's singles titles at the NCAA Division I individual championships, with U.S. players also capturing both doubles titles Monday to complete the sweep.

2-Jun-2010
New Jersey Legend Mickey Cook
Harry Cicma speaks with New Jersey tennis legend Mickey Cook. Cook currently serves as the head tennis coach for Monmouth University's Division I men's tennis team, and was previously a Big East Coach of the year at Rutgers University. Cook was a top NCAA regionally-ranked tennis player at Rutgers, and he is considered to be one of the best players in New Jersey High School state history.

31-May-2010
Top Women's Classes - 2010 Spring Rankings
Today, the Tennis Recruiting Network unveils the Top 25 Women's Recruiting Classes for the Class of 2010. The University of Georgia may be disappointed that they did not get the chance to compete on their home courts at this year's NCAA tournament, but they have to be excited about the future. The Bulldogs are the clear choice for top recruiting class. Take a look at how all the teams stack up.

28-May-2010
USC Wins Back-to-Back NCAA Titles with Win Over Tennessee
2009 in College Station, Texas... 2010 in Athens, Georgia... For the second year in a row, the University of Southern California are NCAA men's tennis champions after a 4-2 victory over Tennessee Tuesday night at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex. The Trojans took out the top two seeds in two days at college tennis' version of the Final Four.

27-May-2010
Stanford Women Earn 16th National Title with Thrilling 4-3 Victory over Florida
The Stanford Cardinal returned to the top of college tennis Tuesday, claiming a dramatic 4-3 victory over the Florida Gators. After more than four hours, the championship had come down to the No. 3 singles match between freshman Mallory Burdette and Florida senior Marrit Boonstra. Burdette broke Boonstra to serve for the third set at 6-5, and then she sealed the 6-4, 6-7, 7-5 victory - starting a Cardinal dogpile.

25-May-2010
NCAA Division III Men's Tennis Preview
The NCAA Division I team finals take place today, but the Division III championships are just getting underway. Today, the author of the Division III Tennis Blog stops by with a preview of the Men's Final 8 which starts today on the campus of Oberlin College in Ohio.

24-May-2010
Top Men's Classes - 2010 Spring Rankings
Today we release our spring rankings of the Top 25 Men's Recruiting Classes. New commitments - including a number of Blue Chip and international players - have moved a number of teams up and down. The Duke Blue Devils still check in at #1, but there are fresh faces in both the Top 10 and Top 25. Take a look at the results of our most recent poll.

21-May-2010
Conversation with Vanderbilt's Ian Duvenhage
The team at Scholarship For Athletes talked with Ian Duvenhage, head coach of men's tennis at Vanderbilt. Duvenhage talks about the recruiting process, what he looks for in players, and his approach to coaching.

20-May-2010
Choosing a Tennis Academy
Dede Allen answers the question: "I have a child who is being recruited by a few tennis academies. As a parent, how do I handle these situations?"

18-May-2010
Prince Hot 100 List - May '10
Today we release the May edition of the Prince Hot 100. The Prince Hot 100 features 100 boys and 100 girls who have been playing outstanding tennis. These players have substantially improved their rankings over the past month.

17-May-2010
Badgers stop Illini's NCAA Run
With the exception of 2006, when they weren't allowed to host because of the controversy of the "chief" logo, the Fighting Illini men have hosted the first rounds of the NCAA Championships a dozen years. This year, however, the results were very different than they had been for the vast majority of those events. The Wisconsin Badgers got the job done.

14-May-2010
NCAA Tournament Roundtable - Part II
The NCAA Division I Tennis Championships start today. The top men's and women's college tennis programs face off in first-round action across the country, with all teams competing for tickets to Athens, Ga. and a spot in the Sweet 16. Check out insights from our college tennis contributors - and see who their picks are for the champions.

13-May-2010
Scout, Sponsor, Mentor, Technician: Wilson's Adam Schaechterle
As a poetry major at Northwestern University, Wilson's Adam Schaechterle is as surprised as anyone to find himself Tour and Junior Manager of the Americas after less than four years in the Racquet Sports division of the global sporting goods company. Colette Lewis caught up with Schaechterle at the Easter Bowl.

12-May-2010
USTA Eastern Section's Camp A.C.E. to be held in July
Former Australian Open semifinalist Chanda Rubin and former US Olympic coach Rodney Harmon will be teaching this summer at Camp A.C.E., the annual overnight camp run by the United States Tennis Association's Eastern Section. Camp A.C.E., for players age 14-17, will be held July 25-31 at Ramapo College of New Jersey.

11-May-2010
Tennis Manga Graphic Novel to Benefit Agassi Foundation
Tennis Manga is the first in a series of graphic novels that follow a junior tennis player through her career. Created by Catherine Chen, a sixteen-year old USTA junior competitor from Southern California, all proceeds benefit the Andre Agassi Foundation for Education.

10-May-2010
NCAA Tournament Roundtable - Part I
This weekend, the NCAA Division I Tennis Championships get underway. 64 men's and women's college tennis teams will head to campus venues around the country to compete in first- and second-round action. The winners will make up the Sweet 16 and head to Athens, Ga., to compete for the team title. Today, our college tennis contributors preview the tournament.

7-May-2010
Overview of the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Process
High school tennis players interested in competing in college probably know that they need to take care of their academics and athletics. But they should also need to understand the overall recruiting process. For players and parents interested in NCAA Division I or II tennis, below is a quick overview of the NCAA initial-eligibility process.

6-May-2010
April Aces
Although the majority of April's aces are from the two important California junior hard court tournaments, many other teenagers excelled on the clay, indicating their readiness to contend at the upcoming spring majors in Europe.

5-May-2010
Stretch Your Way to Better Tennis
The game of tennis is much more than just striking a ball. When you watch matches you will see all types of hitting styles, various strategies, and lots of variety in movement on the court! Unlike raw natural ability and common sense, mobility is something you can actually improve with practice. Here are some tips on things you can do to improve flexibility and mobility.

4-May-2010
Eight Questions with Peter Wright
Peter Wright and the California men's tennis team have had another strong year in 2010. The Golden Bears are hoping to hear they will host the first two rounds of the NCAA team tournament when the pairings are announced tonight on ESPNews (5-6pm EDT). Hear what Coach Wright has to say about college tennis and recruiting.

3-May-2010
New, Improved Look at TennisRecruiting.net
The TennisRecruiting.net website has gone through many changes over the years. But today is one of the most obvious - with the launch of a bold, new look. Better organization and a beautiful layout should make TennisRecruiting.net even more popular among junior tennis players, parents, and coaches.

29-Apr-2010
Conversation with Northwestern's Arvid Swan
The team at Scholarship For Athletes talked with Arvid Swan, head coach of men's tennis at Northwestern. Hear what Swan says about the college recruiting process.

26-Apr-2010
NCAA Rules Update - Enrolling After Graduation
This winter, the NCAA passed bylaws specifying how long high school graduates can wait before enrolling in college. As originally written, those bylaws would effect all graduating classes - starting with this year's class of 2010. There is some recent news on this - the possibility of a 6-month grace period that would protect the Class of 2010.

23-Apr-2010
Kyle McPhillips, Gordon Watson have Golden Easter Bowl
Kyle McPhillips and Gordon Watson each have a collection of gold balls at home from winning national titles. This past weekend, they both added to their collections - capturing titles in the 16s division of the Easter Bowl Championships in Rancho Mirage, Calif.

22-Apr-2010
Fratangelo and Hardebeck Continue Winning Ways with Easter Bowl ITF Championships
Bjorn Fratangelo and Krista Hardebeck may be reigning Clay Court champions, but they have shown their dominance extends to faster surfaces too. Fratangelo followed up her USTA Spring National Championships with a title last week at the ITF Easter Bowl. Hardebeck joined him in the Easter Bowl winner's circle, less than a week after capturing the International Spring Championships.

21-Apr-2010
Gabrielle Andrews and Jordan Belga take gold in 14s Easter Bowl
Blue Chip athletes Gabrielle Andrews and Jordan Belga both laid claim to Easter Bowl Championships this past weekend in California in the 14s division. Their marquee matchups against Kimberly Yee and Stefan Kozlov, respectively, had plenty of drama - with both matches going to three sets.

19-Apr-2010
Prince Hot 100 List - April '10
Today we release the April edition of the Prince Hot 100. The Prince Hot 100 features 100 boys and 100 girls who have been playing outstanding tennis. These players have substantially improved their rankings over the past month.

16-Apr-2010
Southern California Wild Cards Kosakowski and Hardebeck Capture International Spring Championships
Krista Hardebeck and Daniel Kosakowski made the most of their wild cards into the ITF Grade 1 International Spring Championships last week at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., claiming their first international junior titles without leaving their section.

13-Apr-2010
Spring Signing Week '10: Top 100 Update
'Twas the night before Signing Day... and TennisRecruiting.net brings you another look at the Top 100 boys and girls who had yet to commit. A few more in the Class of 2010 have made decisions - and several more plan to announce this week.

12-Apr-2010
Spring Signing Week '10: National Roundup
Signing Week gets started with our national roundup. Take a look at comments from boys and girls who have made verbal commitments to colleges all across the country.

8-Apr-2010
Top Player to Top Coach: Georgia Tech's Bryan Shelton
Bryan Shelton's resume as a college and pro player is impressive. He was an All-American at Georgia Tech, and he reached a career-high ranking of 55 on the ATP tour. But since returning to his alma mater to lead the women's program, his performance as a head coach has eclipsed even the considerable accomplishments of his playing days.

1-Apr-2010
March Aces
No April Fools in this group of aces, who excelled not only in North America, but in Europe, Asia and South America too. A special mention goes to a pair of former college teammates who are winning Futures doubles titles at a rate even the Bryan brothers would envy.

31-Mar-2010
Countdown: Signing Day, NLI - What Does It Mean?
Last November, TennisRecruiting.net had one of its biggest weeks in terms of visitors during the Fall Signing Period. And in just a couple weeks, we will do it all again - we kick off our Spring Countdown to Signing Day coverage. But what does it all mean? Dede Allen breaks down terms like 'Signing Day' and 'National Letter of Intent'.

30-Mar-2010
Countdown: Girls' War Room
The Countdown resumes with our first look at the Top 100 girls in the senior class. We talked with these top-ranked girls to find out where they are in the recruiting process. Find out who is going where - and how your favorite school is doing...

29-Mar-2010
Texas Tech Wins Thriller over Oklahoma to Claim Blue Gray Championship
The championship match in the 2010 Blue Gray National Tennis Classic came down to a pair of Big 12 foes: #16 Texas Tech and #17 Oklahoma. The final moved indoors - and the hotly-contested match ended after four hours with Tech's Raony Carvalho clinching the 4-3 victory at No. 1 singles. Colette Lewis was in Mobile, Ala., to cover the event.

26-Mar-2010
Countdown: Boys' War Room
Many of the top boys committed during Fall Signing Week last November, but a number of top targets are still available. We talked with many of the higher-rated recruits from the senior class to find out where they are in their decision process. Some have decided, some have narrowed their list, and many are still wide open.

25-Mar-2010
Collins, Fratangelo Collect National Titles at Spring Championships
Mobile's azaleas hadn't yet bloomed, and for most of last week, the USTA Spring 18 National Championships were played in weather more reminiscent of November than March. But for champions Bjorn Fratangelo and Danielle Collins, the chilly and breezy conditions barely registered - a gold ball radiates a warmth all its own.

19-Mar-2010
Countdown to Signing Day
The clock has finally run out on the Groundhog-predicted six more weeks of winter. It's time for spring - and the Tennis Recruiting Network kicks off its Spring Countdown to Signing Day. April 14th is the first day of the Spring Signing Period - when seniors can sign National Letters of Intent to play college tennis at Division I or Division II schools. Our "Countdown" brings you a courtside seat to the action.

18-Mar-2010
Eight Questions with Traci Green
Harvard Head Coach Traci Green talks about a number of subjects... what she looks for when recruiting players, advice for young players looking to compete collegiately or professionally, and the kinds of experiences she has had in college coaching. Her comments provide insight to prospective players and parents.

17-Mar-2010
Talking with Virginia Tech's Jim Thompson
In college men's tennis, the Atlantic Coast Conference has always been packed with strong teams. This year, one of the hottest teams in the conference - as well as the nation - is Virginia Tech. Harry Cicma of NBC Sports recently got the chance to sit down with Hokie Head Coach Jim Thompson.

15-Mar-2010
Prince Hot 100 List - March '10
Today we release the March edition of the Prince Hot 100. The Prince Hot 100 features 100 boys and 100 girls who have been playing outstanding tennis. These players have substantially improved their rankings over the past month.

12-Mar-2010
Sizing Up the Opposition
One of the most important skills that any tennis player can have is the ability to size up their opponent quickly and easily. Knowing how to read their opponent starting at the warm-up gives a player a distinct advantage. Whether playing for high school, college, a recreational league or even in the professional ranks, the ability to size up your opponent is a huge advantage.

11-Mar-2010
A Pro Circuit Summer
We may be amidst a frosty (and endless) winter in these early days of 2010, but college student-athletes and junior players around the country are already thinking of summer; and not just about flip flops and tank tops, but about their ambitions, opportunities, and a tournament schedule that will begin shortly after final exams. For the best collegiate and junior student-athletes, the few months of summer freedom are not lost.

8-Mar-2010
Conversation with Case Western Coach Todd Wojtkowski
The team at Scholarship for Athletes talked with Todd Wojtkowski, head coach of men's and women's tennis at Case Western Reserve.

5-Mar-2010
Tennis Academies: Best Road to College Tennis?
There are more players at tennis academies looking for college scholarships or placement than there are those looking to turn professional. Preparing for a professional career takes years, but often, parents look to tennis academies for a short-term sprint of improvement to help the player get the attention of college coaches. Does this work?

4-Mar-2010
February Aces
February's mid-winter aces always include those who excel on indoor courts, collegiate and otherwise. However last month there was also good news from the South American clay court circuit, where two young Americans captured ITF junior titles on the surface known to present the biggest challenges for them.

1-Mar-2010
Taney's Comeback Leads No. 8 Michigan Women Past Fifth-ranked Baylor
College dual matches can't be scripted. Too much can happen over the course of three doubles and six singles matches. But last week the Michigan women earned two 4-3 victories over visitors from Texas by following a similar storyline - win the doubles point, then add victories at the 4, 5, and 6 singles spots.

26-Feb-2010
Steve Johnson Interview
Steve Johnson, a USC sophomore from Orange, CA, sits down with Scholarship For Athletes to discuss being a Trojan and his transition from juniors into the top of the collegiate tennis rankings. He is currently ranked #1 in Men's singles and #13 in doubles. He helped USC bring home a national championship title in 2009.

25-Feb-2010
Building a National Powerhouse
When Brian Boland arrived in Charlottesville in the fall of 2001, Virginia had never won an ACC title or more than a round in the NCAA team championships. Boland went to work, and the accomplishments are piling up: three straight undefeated ACC seasons, two consecutive undefeated regular seasons, two NCAA semifinal appearances, three NCAA individual titles, and now three straight ITA Men's Team Indoor titles. Here is Colette Lewis' conversation with Coach Boland.

22-Feb-2010
A European Tennis Adventure
I got to travel to England and France in January - thanks to the USTA - to play in a couple of tennis tournaments. It was my first trip to Europe and was a great experience. I wrote about in my diary, parts of which are published here.

18-Feb-2010
Virginia Tops Tennessee For Third Consecutive ITA Men's Indoor Championship
The Virginia Cavaliers won their first ITA Team Indoor championship two years ago in Seattle and their second last year in Chicago. On Monday, they claimed their third straight title, defeating Tennessee 4-1 at the sweetest of locations, their home courts at the Boar's Head Sports Club in Charlottesville.

15-Feb-2010
Prince Hot 100 List - February '10
Today we release the February edition of the Prince Hot 100. The Prince Hot 100 features 100 boys and 100 girls who have been playing outstanding tennis. These players have substantially improved their rankings over the past month.

12-Feb-2010
NCAA Rule Change - Enrolling After Graduation
The NCAA recently passed bylaws that are relevant to college-bound junior tennis players. These bylaws specify new rules: how long a high school graduate can wait before enrolling in college - and the kinds of competition in which the student-athlete can engage. Dede Allen discusses these new bylaws.

11-Feb-2010
Colette Lewis on Junior and College Tennis
Junior and college tennis is a passion for many people, but perhaps none more so than Colette Lewis. Lewis, who blogs about amateur tennis at ZooTennis.com and is a weekly contributor at TennisRecruiting.net, has carved out a niche as a freelance junior and college tennis journalist. She writes for TENNIS, SMASH, the USTA, and the New York Times, and she contributes to the Tennis Channel. We moved Lewis to the other side of the microphone - getting her take on all things tennis.

8-Feb-2010
Ivy Focus
The Ivy League is an athletic conference featuring eight of the most selective colleges in the country. Those institutions are also able to field strong tennis teams - seven of the sixteen programs are ranked in the latest Campbell/ITA Rankings. We talked to several Ivy League coaches about their programs and players.

5-Feb-2010
January Aces
The bulk of January's 14 aces come from Arizona, where the USTA Winter Nationals concluded on the first day of 2010. But Australia, England, Mexico, South America and Florida were sites of outstanding performances from other young competitors throughout the month, and an exciting idea from the USTA also made the grade.

4-Feb-2010
North Carolina Earns Berth in ITA Team Indoor by Defeating Host Notre Dame
The North Carolina Women's Tennis Team travelled to South Bend, Indiana to face Notre Dame on its home courts. On the line was a trip to the ITA Team Indoor next week in Madison, Wisc., a trek every UNC team has made for the past six years. That streak is now seven, with the second-seeded Tar Heels posting a 5-2 win over top-seeded Irish.

1-Feb-2010
Top Women's Classes - 2010 Winter Rankings
Hundreds of high school seniors - including almost 80 of the Top 100 - have signed or verbally committed to college programs. How did your favorite school do? You can find out now - as The Tennis Recruiting Network produly presents its Winter Rankings of the Top 25 Women's Recruiting Classes for 2010.

29-Jan-2010
Conversation with Oklahoma Coach David Mullins
Sooners Women's Head Coach David Mullins recently signed the top two players in Oklahoma: Whitney Ritchie and Mia Lancaster. Both women are five-star recruits with impressive singles resumes. Even more stellar are their doubles credentials. They attend the same high school and as a pair share five national doubles titles and a state title.

28-Jan-2010
Talking About Your Tennis: Media Training for Juniors
Andy Roddick, Serena Williams and Melanie Oudin aren't professors, but junior players at the USTA Training Center Headquarters learned important lessons from the three American stars last fall at a media relations session in Boca Raton, Fla.

25-Jan-2010
Top Men's Classes - 2010 Winter Rankings
Throughout the fall and winter, tennis players have reported verbal commitments to us at a steady rate. Our commitment lists have swelled to include almost 600 senior boys and girls - and more arrive each day. The Tennis Recruiting Network is excited to take a look at how various schools are doing... with our long-awaited winter poll to determine the Top 25 Men's College Tennis Recruiting Classes.

22-Jan-2010
Conversation with Brown's Jay Harris
The Brown Bears are coming off a 2009 season where they went 18-10 overall and 4-3 in the Ivy League. Many of last year's key contributors have graduated, but head coach Jay Harris adds a crop of talented freshmen to his team for 2010. Harry Cicma of FiOS1 and WRNN sat down with Coach Harris to talk about his teams - past and present - and about playing tennis in the Ivy League.

21-Jan-2010
Sanon and Rinaldi Earn Tennis Plaza Cup 18s Titles
Top seed Bianca Sanon and unseeded Michael Rinaldi approached the Tennis Plaza Cup in unsettled states of mind, yet the two Floridians managed to focus on the task at hand to emerge with championship trophies over the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend.

18-Jan-2010
Prince Hot 100 List - January '10
Today we release the January edition of the Prince Hot 100. The Prince Hot 100 features 100 boys and 100 girls who have been playing outstanding tennis. These players have substantially improved their rankings over the past month.

14-Jan-2010
Nine Intriguing Questions for 2010
2010 marks the fifth new year for TennisRecruiting.net - and the fifth edition of "Intriguing Questions" from columnist Colette Lewis. Lewis asks nine questions that may bear answers in the first year of the new decade.

12-Jan-2010
Copper Bowl Wrapup - 16s and 18s
Top juniors in the boys and girls 16s and 18s divisions kicked off the 2010 national tournament schedule with some memorable tennis at the annual Copper Bowl tournament in Tucson, Arizona.

11-Jan-2010
Copper Bowl Wrapup - 12s and 14s
On the first week of 2010 new arrivals and competitors from the previous week's Winter Nationals converged at the Hilton El Conquistador in Oro Valley for the annual Copper Bowl. In the younger divisions, Girls 14s top seed Dasha Ivanova upheld her ranking and lost only one game in the finals. Two seed Parris Todd and five seed Liam Caruana upset the top seeds in their 12s division; and Boys 14s third seed Augustus Ge prevailed over the two-seed.

8-Jan-2010
The Community/Junior College Option
In light of the extensive publicity about the price of a college education - some states have raised their tuition over 70% over the past ten years - it is sad that more families do not consider local community or junior colleges as a great option. Really, it is a great option... not just the 'last choice' option.

7-Jan-2010
December Aces
December's aces always center on the three major international junior tournaments in Florida, and this year, for the first time since I began covering these events, 16 different players claimed titles. The other two aces are U.S. teenagers who claimed Australian Open wild card berths with victories last month in the USTA's playoff tournament.

5-Jan-2010
Winter Nationals Part II - 16s and 18s
Three Californians and an unseeded Georgian celebrated the arrival of a new decade in style, winning USTA 16s and 18s national titles on a sun-kissed New Year's Day in Scottsdale, Arizona.

4-Jan-2010
Winter Nationals Part I - 12s and 14s
The first day of 2010 was picture perfect for tennis in Tucson. The top-seeded players for all four divisions came through all the way in straight-sets victories in the finals. By noon on New Year's Day, Alexandra Letzt, Gabrielle Andrews, Spencer Furman and Gage Brymer each was crowned singles champion.

31-Dec-2009
Chiang Topples Favorites to Claim Junior Orange Bowl Title
Unseeded Californian Yuki Chiang made her final 14-and-under tournament a memorable one, defeating the top three seeds en route to the Junior Orange Bowl girls 14s title last week. She finished with a flourish, downing No. 1 seed Brooke Austin 6-3, 6-3 in the championship match held at the University of Miami's Neil Schiff Tennis Center.

28-Dec-2009
Relationship Advice from a Pro
I am often asked to share words of advice to newlyweds at their wedding receptions. It wasn't until I married Cindi that it dawned on me how similar marriage is to playing doubles in tennis. Below are my tips on how to increase your odds of creating a winning doubles team... both on the court and off.

18-Dec-2009
The Mystique of Ivy League Tennis
An Ivy League education is amongst the most well-respected in the world. Such schooling also represents the most expensive and exclusive of American higher education. Ivy League schools are exceptionally costly and do not offer athletic scholarships. Even so, top-ranked American athletes are still eager to participate in Ivy League education and collegiate athletic programs.

17-Dec-2009
Mina, Dabrowski Win 18s Championships, Halebian and Addison Capture 16s Titles at Dunlop Orange Bowl
The summer-like heat and humidity in Miami last week proved no obstacle to Dunlop Orange Bowl boys 18s top seed Gianni Mina of France, who won the Grade A championship. Canadian Gabriela Dabrowski, the girls 18s champion, was unseeded and ranked outside the ITF Junior Top 40 coming into the tournament.

14-Dec-2009
Prince Hot 100 List - December '09
Today we release the December edition of the Prince Hot 100. The Prince Hot 100 features 100 boys and 100 girls who have been playing outstanding tennis. These players have substantially improved their rankings over the past month.

10-Dec-2009
American Champions Abound at 2009 Eddie Herr
At the 2008 Eddie Herr, Americans took home half of the singles titles, with four champions calling the United States home. Last week they improved on last year's impressive showing, taking six of the eight titles and sweeping both the 12s and 16s age divisions.

7-Dec-2009
Q&A with Carlos Brandon Florez
For freshman Carlos Brandon Florez, opportunity came knocking almost as soon as he donned the Saluki maroon and white in fall 2009. The number one player of the team graduated and the next in line was out with an injury. Ali Jones caught up with Florez during the holiday break to talk tennis, school, and his new life away from his family.

4-Dec-2009
November Aces
There's no off season for aces, with November providing notable achievements from those competing at the ITA Indoor early in the month to the Eddie Herr at the end. And we're all thankful for the contributions of a truly exceptional ace retiring after more than 30 years of service to junior tennis.

30-Nov-2009
Reflections on Recruiting - and on Being Recruited
"Recruiting, recruiting, recruiting". Those words found my ears repeatedly during my first interview with Princeton. After five years as head coach, I can reflect on my recruiting successes and disappointments. Here are eight lessons that I drew from my experiences - covering players, their families, and coaches.

27-Nov-2009
Eddie Herr Preview: 16s and 18s
Yesterday, Colette Lewis previewed the younger age groups at the Eddie Herr. Today she takes a look at the 16s and 18s divisions.

26-Nov-2009
Eddie Herr Preview: 12s and 14s
One of the pleasures of attending the Eddie Herr International tournament year after year is the opportunity to watch the progress of junior players from their pre-teen years through young adulthood. In the first of a two-part preview of this year's tournament, I'll look at some of the youngest competitors, most of whom are seeking the thrill of their first major international championship.

23-Nov-2009
Conversation with Providence Coach Kyle LaBranche
There is a family dynasty in the Tennis Department at Providence College. After Carl LaBranche led the men's and women's teams for more than a decade; his son, Kyle, has taken over as the new women's tennis head coach. Kyle is one of the hot young prospects in the world of Division 1 coaching, and I recently caught up with the Lady Friars new leader.

20-Nov-2009
Prince Hot 100 List - November '09
This week we release the November edition of the Prince Hot 100. The Prince Hot 100 features 100 boys and 100 girls who have been playing outstanding tennis. These players have substantially improved their rankings over the past month.

16-Nov-2009
Pac-10 Sweeps Titles at ITA Intercollegiate Indoor Championships
With their regional competitions held outdoors, the Pac-10 players who won entry into the ITA Indoor had to adapt quickly once they arrived at Yale University. They did just that, with teams from Stanford earning an unprecedented sweep of the doubles title, and Steve Johnson of the University of Southern California and Jana Juricova of California-Berkeley capturing the singles titles at the Cullman-Heyman Tennis Center in West Haven, Conn.

10-Nov-2009
Fall Signing Week '09: National Roundup
Signing Week is now underway, and tomorrow seniors can start signing their National Letters of Intent. Today, we hear comments from boys and girls across the country in our National Roundup.

9-Nov-2009
Fall Signing Week '09: Blue Chip Update
The "countdown" is over - Signing Week has arrived! We start off by taking one last look at the Blue Chip boys and girls. There are several commitments and updates, and four of the Blue Chips are announcing their college choices this week - right here at TennisRecruiting.net.

5-Nov-2009
October Aces
October's baker's dozen of aces range in age from 11 to 23, and posted their wins in locations equally as diverse - Germany, Japan, Tulsa, Okla., Bolivia and Curacao, to name just a few of the places where these champions were crowned.

4-Nov-2009
Observations from the 2009 US Open
This year's US Open was an exciting one! For the first time in six years, a new men's champion was crowned... congratulations Juan Martin Del Potro. Kudos also go out to Kim Clijsters who proved all the naysayers wrong... Both players brought excitement and a renewed and much-needed spark of interest to the game.

31-Oct-2009
USTA/Mid-Atlantic Section to Hold College Showcase at Old Dominion
On Nov. 14, the United States Tennis Association/Mid-Atlantic Section will host its 1st Annual College Showcase Day, giving students from the region a chance to learn about the wide range of opportunities in college tennis. The showcase will be held at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia and include a Round Robin tournament for high school players.

30-Oct-2009
All-Americans vs. Futures
Marc Lucero takes a look at college tennis as an alternative to playing futures as a path to development.

29-Oct-2009
Capra and Gibbs Join U.S. Fed Cup Team's Title Quest
An invitation to join the United States Fed Cup team as hitting partners is exciting enough, but Beatrice Capra and Nicole Gibbs have additional reasons to savor the experience: it's the finals, it's in Italy, and they are going together.

23-Oct-2009
Countdown: Blue Chip Boys
Another week in the books, which brings us another week closer to Signing Day. Today, we take a look at the top American boys: the Blue Chips. Find out where they are in their decision process - which boys have made their decisions, and which ones are still wide open. Check out our lists right now...

22-Oct-2009
Bouchard and Bangoura Emerge as Pan-American Champions in Damp and Chilly Tulsa
The weather in Oklahoma felt more like December than October, but for Eugenie Bouchard and Sekou Bangoura Jr. there were no gifts, nothing to suggest a festive holiday. Instead, there were long days waiting for an indoor court, grueling matches and frustrating moments. Yet both handled every challenge last week, claiming their first ITF Grade 1 titles at the University of Tulsa's Michael D. Case Tennis Center.

19-Oct-2009
Prince Hot 100 List - October '09
Today we release the October edition of the Prince Hot 100. The Prince Hot 100 features 100 boys and 100 girls who have been playing outstanding tennis. These players have substantially improved their rankings over the past month.

17-Oct-2009
USTA Eastern Section to Hold 23rd Annual College Showcase Day
On Nov. 8, the United States Tennis Association Eastern Section will host its 23rd Annual College Showcase Day, giving students from across New York, New Jersey and Connecticut a chance to learn about the wide range of opportunities in college tennis. The showcase will be held at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens and include a Round Robin tournament for high school seniors.

16-Oct-2009
Countdown: Blue Chip Girls
With signing week just a few short weeks away, we check in with the top girls in the senior class. This year's Blue Chip recruits talked with us about their decision process. Some have made verbal commitments, some have confirmed or taken their official visits, and several are still wide open. Take a look and see where things stand...

15-Oct-2009
Smith Claims Two Titles for Volunteers at D'Novo ITA All-American Championships
The weather was damp and cool in Tulsa last weekend, but the dreary conditions didn't faze Tennessee junior JP Smith, who became the first player to sweep the singles and doubles titles at the All-American Championships since Harvard's James Blake accomplished that feat in 1998.

12-Oct-2009
Countdown to Signing Day
We are now less than a month away from Signing Day. November 11th is the first day of the one-week fall signing period, the only opportunity this calendar year for seniors to sign a National Letter of Intent with a Division I or Division II school. As always, The Tennis Recruiting Network is here to keep you up to date on all the happenings.

9-Oct-2009
WTA Tour Player Julie Ditty Looks Back on Vanderbilt With Fond Memories
If you are going to miss your induction into your alma mater's Hall of Fame, competing in the US Open certainly qualifies as a valid excuse. Former Vanderbilt star and current WTA Tour player Julie Ditty was competing in the main draw of the women's doubles event at the US Open during her scheduled induction ceremony, so Ditty's family accepted the award on her behalf.

5-Oct-2009
Top Prospects for '09-'10 Season
Three Star Recruit? Or Four Star? You can find out right now, as The Tennis Recruiting Network proudly presents the 2009-10 edition of Top Prospects.

2-Oct-2009
What's your Mental Game Plan?
Tennis players of all levels are used to the concept of 'practice makes perfect'. In this search of perfection athletes will spend a great deal of time, blood, sweat and tears pounding the ball on the court and sometimes also in the gym. However, many of these players are missing the most important muscle of all. The six inches between your ears! This is probably good news to those of you who do take your mental game seriously. Your opponents are giving you an edge!

1-Oct-2009
September Aces
The year's final major supplied our junior aces, but current and former collegians also claimed the spotlight, excelling in competition from Gainesville and Waco to Manila and Johannesburg, and nearly everywhere in between.

28-Sep-2009
The Perfect Athlete
When I think about the perfect athletes throughout history, a few names come to mind. Jordan. Gretzky. Nicklaus. Palmer. Oh... and Tiger, even though he missed the cut and collapsed at the two most recent majors. History's perfect tennis player? I plead the fifth.

25-Sep-2009
Managing Energy to Perform at Your Best
Seth Kaplan of Elite Performance Coaching talks about strategies to reduce stress and recover energy so that junior tennis players have the energy resources to compete at the highest levels - and perform at their best.

18-Sep-2009
Prince Hot 100 List - September '09
This week we release the September edition of the Prince Hot 100. The Prince Hot 100 features 100 boys and 100 girls who have been playing outstanding tennis. These players have substantially improved their rankings over the past month.

17-Sep-2009
Notes and Observations on 2009 U.S. Open
The final junior slam of the year is now history, and with Great Britain's Heather Watson and Australia's Bernard Tomic capturing the girls and boys titles, that makes eight different players claiming the championships this year. This year's US Open provided plenty of drama and surprises - here are a dozen impressions.

14-Sep-2009
Down, but Not Necessarily Out
Coming back from a serious injury is never an easy thing to do, especially if your career depends on the health of your body. Rehabilitation takes commitment, hard work, perseverance, and, most of all, patience. Nick Bollettieri discusses inspiring comeback stories from injury.

10-Sep-2009
How to be the Ideal College Tennis Parent
College coaches are loathe to say anything to insult parents. After all, parents have made many sacrifices to support their children through junior tennis. However, in candid conversations away from the office, there have been comments we can learn from reflecting their opinions about American players and their parents. A common topic is that of the American Tennis Parent.

7-Sep-2009
Would I have Coached Rafael Nadal Differently to Prevent Injuries?
Since the French Open, I have been asked by the media, fans, friends, and just about everyone else whom I've encountered about Rafael Nadal. They all want to know if I would have coached him any differently as a youngster and as a professional to prevent injuries. I can honestly and definitively say, "Absolutely not!"

4-Sep-2009
US Open Junior Preview
India's Yuki Bhambri and France's Kristina Mladenovic will be the top seeds in this year's U.S. Open Junior Championships, but they're better off reflecting on their previous Junior Grand Slam titles than on the past history of No. 1 seeds in the year's final major.

3-Sep-2009
August Aces
The aces of August include the eight USTA national junior champions, three girls who couldn't play the nationals but captured a coveted team title that same week, an award-winning coach and three competitors who excelled on the ITF circuit.

1-Sep-2009
Questions and Answers with Mallory Cecil
For Mallory Cecil, it's already been a year of nearly unbelievable accomplishments, yet she still has time to add another chapter or two. As a first-semester freshman at Duke University, Cecil helped the team win the NCAA women's title in May and followed it by winning the NCAA women's singles championship without dropping a set less than a week later.

27-Aug-2009
Where Are They Now? Paul Goldstein
Few Kalamazoo competitors are remembered as fondly as Paul Goldstein, who won three consecutive singles titles at the USTA Boys Nationals, winning the 16s in 1992, and the 18s in 1993 and 1994. Add a doubles title with Scott Humphries in 1994, and his sportsmanship award in 1992, and it's little wonder Goldstein was welcomed like an old friend when he returned to Kalamazoo several weeks ago for the professional exhibition that opens the event.

25-Aug-2009
Video Conversation with Andy Brandi
Former University of Florida Women's coach Andy Brandi discusses his experiences with recruiting - and what junior players should be doing right now to get ahead. Brandi coached at UF for 17 years and holds an amazing record of 460-43. He was the fastest coach to reach the 400 career win mark, doing so in just 435 matches. Brandi's Gators have 14 national indoor championships and 3 NCAA championships. He is now a coach at the Harold Solomon institute in Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

24-Aug-2009
Questions and Answers with Fairfield Coach Ed Paige
Fairfield University coach Ed Paige has been involved with the sport of tennis for thirty years as a player, coach, and writer. He has been the editor of World Tennis magazine and Tennis USA. He has also been involved with junior tennis, and his sons Nolan (16) and Sayer (12) are nationally-ranked juniors. James Hill talks with Coach Paige about the benefits of attending a traditional high school.

21-Aug-2009
McHale Sweeps Final Girls' 18 Nationals in Berkeley
After eight days of unusually warm sunshine, the Girls' 18 Nationals ended with the first sweep in nine years. Third-seeded Christina McHale was the victor and her ride to the winners' circle wasn't even very bumpy.

21-Aug-2009
Lauren Davis defends 16s crown, extends win streak to 39
Lauren Davis has a shelf-load of trophies at home, including the fourth USTA gold ball that she earned at the 2009 Girls 16s National Hardcourt Championships this week. But trophies are not what drive Lauren to play tennis. She loves to compete more than anything else. This year, the Ohio native returned to San Diego to defend her title and earn another shot at the U.S. Open wild card that goes to the winner.

20-Aug-2009
Buchanan and Austin Add Their Names to List of Kalamazoo Champions, Earn Invitations to US Open
Chase Buchanan marched along a very direct path to the 18s National title at Kalamazoo College's Stowe Stadium, Gonzales Austin took a more winding road in capturing the 16s championship, but both reached their ultimate destination: Flushing Meadow, New York and the US Open.

19-Aug-2009
Albo Goes Three Sets to Claim 14s Title
Jake Albo of Plantation, Fla., is now the proud owner of a USTA gold ball. Albo, the No. 6 seed at the USTA Boys 14 National Championships, won the coveted prize with a 1-6, 6-3, 6-2 hard-fought singles victory over No. 4 Gregory Garcia of Poway, Calif., at McFarlin Tennis Center.

19-Aug-2009
Carter Earns Title in Girls' 14 Nationals
Two broken strings didn't decide who won the USTA Girls 14 Nationals, but it was certainly a turning point. Christina Makarova of San Diego led Hayley Carter of Hilton Head, S.C., broke strings in all of her rackets when leading in the first set, and Carter won all but one of the remaining games to win the match 7-5, 6-1.

18-Aug-2009
Wiersholm Prevails in All-Washington Marathon Finals
A mere 20 days after Henrik Wiersholm flew home with the doubles gold ball from the 2009 National Claycourt Championships, he added another two: both singles and doubles gold from the Boys 12s National Hardcourt Championships in North Little Rock, Arkansas. Blue-chip recruit and third-seed Henrik defeated fellow Washington state native and sixth-seed Spencer Furman 7-5, 5-7, 7-6, in a match that lasted almost four hours.

18-Aug-2009
Hance Perseveres in Girls' 12s Final
Kenadi Hance was the higher seed in the singles final of USTA Girls 12 National Championships on Friday. But history - and the first set - told another story. Hance had never beaten her opponent, sixth-seeded Carolyn Xie of San Diego. And Xie was the champion of the Southern California sectionals, where Hance had placed third. After a poor start, Hance finally solved her singles nemesis, and doubles partner, defeating Xie 2-6, 6-3, 6-0.

17-Aug-2009
Prince Hot 100 List - August '09
This week we release the August edition of the Prince Hot 100. The Prince Hot 100 features 100 boys and 100 girls who have been playing outstanding tennis. These players have substantially improved their rankings over the past month.

11-Aug-2009
Video Conversation with David Roditi
David Roditi joined the ATP tour in May, 1996 and achieved a career high doubles ranking of 41. During David's Pro career, he served as a member of the ATP Tour Players Council. He has reached the finals of four ATP Tour Doubles events and has represented Mexico in the Davis Cup. David was a three-time All-American at Texas Christian University (TCU) who was runner-up in the NCAA Doubles Championships in 1995 and finished third in 1996.

10-Aug-2009
The Bollettieri Development System
In the early stages of my career, I realized that if I worked longer and harder than anyone else and surrounded myself with loyal, committed people, I could be somebody. I realized that if I learned from my defeats and had the support of my friends, I could make an impact on children. This has been my life's work, and it has paved the way for what has become the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy at IMG Academies.

7-Aug-2009
Major Surprises at the Girls' 18 Nationals Not Likely
While there are always upsets along the way, the end is not usually far from the seeding at the USTA Girls' 18 National Championships, and this year doesn't look to be much different. Look for one of the top seeds - Kristie Ahn, Gail Brodsky, Christina McHale, and Lauren Embree - to go the distance next week in Berkeley.

6-Aug-2009
Alex Domijan and Jack Sock Top Seeds for USTA Boys 18 and 16 National Championships in Kalamazoo
For generations, Kalamazoo has welcomed the nation's top junior boys, who converge on the courts of Kalamazoo College and Western Michigan University not only for a chance to compete against the best in a pressure-packed setting, but also for the festival of junior tennis the tournament has become. This year, the tournament's 67th, top seeds Alex Domijan and Jack Sock are expected to assume starring roles.

5-Aug-2009
July Aces
The majority of July's aces come from the USTA Clay Court National Championships, but beginning with the Wimbledon junior championships and ending on the U.S. hard courts, there were other performances during the month that put international juniors and U.S. collegians in the spotlight too.

4-Aug-2009
Video Conversation with Lou Belkin
Lou Belken is an Arizona State University coaching legend. With more than 26 successful seasons under his belt, he holds an overall record of 312-309. Belken has guided his Sun Devils teams to NCAA post season berths in 14 of the past 20 years, including five berths in the NCAA Sweet 16 and one quarterfinal appearance. He has trained and produced 14 All-American players and 28 All-Pacific 10 selections.

3-Aug-2009
Conversation with Devin Britton
A year ago, Devin Britton was a Blue Chip senior in the Class of 2009. After heading to Ole Miss in January to play the college dual season, Britton is now the reigning NCAA singles champion - and he recently made the decision to turn pro. Harry Cicma of NBC News caught up with Britton to reflect on his recent past and look forward to the U.S. Open.

1-Aug-2009
TennisRecruiting.net and Babolat Announce Partnership
TennisRecruiting.net is proud to announce that Babolat, the first company to have specialized in racquet sports and the world leader in the production of natural gut strings, will be the presenting sponsor of the Girls' College Recruiting Lists this fall. The Girls' College Recruiting Lists - presented by Babolat - rank U.S. high school and middle school girls by graduation year using a time-tested head-to-head ranking system.

31-Jul-2009
Sock, Fratangelo Win Titles at The Beach
As match point had been sealed, Jack Sock pumped his fist in a vociferous manner as he came to the net and shook hands with Sekou Bangoura. He had good reason. Sock successfully controlled the match with an overpowering serve won the boys' 18s division at the USTA Clay Court National Championship in Delray Beach, Fla. Afterwards, top-seeded Bjorn Fratangelo defeated Jack Withrow for the title in the 16s division.

30-Jul-2009
Unseeded Hardebeck Captures Clay Court Title in First Girls 18s National Championship
Fourteen-year-old Krista Hardebeck faced all sorts of challenges in her first National Championships in the 18s division. From an unfamiliar surface, to bad weather, to an early round third-set tiebreaker, she survived them all, and with a 6-2, 6-3 win over No. 17 seed Gabriella De Simone in the final, which was played indoors at the Tunica National Tennis Club due to rain, Hardebeck made sure her first USTA ball was a gold one.

29-Jul-2009
McPhillips dominates at the Girls 16 Clays
Second-seeded Kyle McPhillips of Willoughby, Ohio won all seven of her matches at the USTA Girls 16 National Clay Court Championships in Virginia Beach in straight sets, capping a week of dominance with a 6-2, 6-2 triumph over No. 3 Ashley Dai of Temple City, Calif. Sonny Dearth, who was on hand to take in the victory, wraps up the final days of the tournament.

28-Jul-2009
Juniors Make Splash for New York Buzz
In a league that serves as a "Who's Who" of tennis each July, the WTT's New York Buzz could have been overlooked for what they weren't. No Hall of Famers or former No. 1s strengthened their roster. No journeymen or comeback kids were on their team. Playing against some of the most decorated professionals to ever play the game, New York had no pros. But look no further for the future of American tennis than the Albany-based Buzz.

27-Jul-2009
Panel Discussion: Challenging Players (Part 2)
More coaches weigh in on the question: "What do college tennis coaches do to challenge and develop players of different abilities?"

24-Jul-2009
Prince Hot 100 List - July '09
This week we release the July edition of the Prince Hot 100. The Prince Hot 100 features 100 boys and 100 girls who have been playing outstanding tennis. These players have substantially improved their rankings over the past month.

23-Jul-2009
The Man Behind the Texas College Tennis Blog
Last spring, tennis bloggers welcomed a new website and a new voice in college tennis world. During its first year of existence, the Texas College Tennis blog had neither a name nor face attached to it. But at the NCAAs in College Station, I met its creator, and he agreed to answer the many questions I had about his connection with college tennis in Texas and his decision to start a blog dedicated to it.

21-Jul-2009
Video Conversation with Jerry Noyce
Jerry Noyce played varsity tennis at the University of Minnesota (UM) and coached the varsity men's tennis team for 15 years. As co-founder of the UM Baseline Club, Jerry was instrumental in endowing all men's tennis scholarships at UM and securing significant contributions to construct an on campus tennis facility. As a tennis professional, Jerry coached playing professionals David Wheaton and Ann Henricksson. Here he discusses what coaches look for in their recruits.

20-Jul-2009
Visualization: Envisioning Success
Visualization is a mental preparation technique in which you create positive performance images in your mind before practice and competition. Integrating visualization as part of your pre-performance routine can help you to perform at your very best.

17-Jul-2009
College Tennis: Myths versus Realities
Sue Hansen, founder of SCCAC, takes on some of the college recruiting myths that she frequently encounters in her role as a private college athletic consultant: 1) matriculation eligibility rules, and 2) home schooling as it relates to recruiting.

16-Jul-2009
Athletic DNA Launches Clothing Line with Juniors in Mind
When facing global sports apparel and shoe giants like Nike and Adidas, how does a small startup hope to have an impact? For Athletic DNA, a new Seattle-based company, the answer is simple: focus on tennis, and start where the sport starts - in the juniors.

14-Jul-2009
Video Conversation with Dick Leach
USC legend Dick Leach led the Trojans for 23 years, capturing three NCAA championships (1991, '93 and '94). His teams advanced to the NCAA semifinals eight times and to the quarters three times. He has an overall record of 529-133 for an unbelievable 0.799 winning percentage. Here, Coach Leach talks about what coaches look for in their recruits.

13-Jul-2009
What if I Don't get a Scholarship Offer from my First Choice?
Dede Allen addresses the question: "I'm afraid that I might not get a scholarship offer from my first choice - what should I do?" Allen stresses the importance of researching multiple options and alternatives - and encourages players to be proactive.

8-Jul-2009
Summer Session
The summer offseason is upon us. Maybe you played #7 on your college team last year... or you just missed qualifying for the Regionals by one spot. How can you make the most of your summer tennis regimen in order to jump into the line up or achieve that national ranking? Here are a few key elements for success.

6-Jul-2009
Returning Serve
It is a common phenomenon in the game of tennis for players to spend the majority of their time and energy focusing on their serve. Although I am not disputing the importance of a great serve, I like to have my students practice and place more emphasis on developing a great return of serve. The best professional players instantly put pressure on the server with great return of serves. Let's delve a little deeper into this crucial part of the game.

3-Jul-2009
Liversage Prevails in Open Hard Court Championships
People like to say that tennis is the sport of a lifetime. Anyone who was at the Balboa Tennis Club June 8-14 would definitely testify to that as an eclectic cast of characters descended upon San Diego to compete in the USTA National Open Hard Court Championships. For the second straight year, Thomas Liversage found himself in a third set in the championship match, only this time he was facing a much younger player - rising high school senior, Zach Leslie.

3-Jul-2009
Southern California Sectionals Wrapup
At the 107th annual Southern California Jr. Sectional Championships in Fountain Valley, third-seeded Daniel Kosakowski edged No. 4 Zachary Leslie to win the Boys' 18s title 6-7, 7-6, 7-5, while top-seeded Pamela Montez downed Sarah Lee 6-4, 6-2 to capture the Girls' 18s championship.

2-Jul-2009
June Aces
June is the month when red clay gives way to green grass as the tennis surface du jour. Here's a baker's dozen aces who have excelled in Paris, London, and even on hard courts in the U.S.

22-Jun-2009
Goal Setting: A Path to Success
One of the best motivating factors for athletes, as they strive for excellence in sport, is to set performance goals. Setting meaningful goals promotes effort and enhances energy by giving you something to shoot for. Seth Kaplan talks about how to define good goals - and then attain them.

19-Jun-2009
2009 Top Mid-Major Women's Classes
The Tennis Recruiting Network presents its recruiting class rankings for mid-major conferences. Today we present our Top 25 mid-major women's recruiting classes for 2009.

18-Jun-2009
International Grass Courts Veteran Sarmiento and Rookie Davis Claim Titles in Philadelphia
Last week in Philadelphia, Raymond Sarmiento made his third appearance at the ITF Grade 3 International Grass Court Championships and swept both the singles and doubles titles. On the girls' side, fifteen-year-old qualifier Lauren Davis earned the title in only her third ITF-sanctioned event.

15-Jun-2009
Prince Hot 100 List - June '09
Today we release the June edition of the Prince Hot 100. The Prince Hot 100 features 100 boys and 100 girls who have been playing outstanding tennis. These players have substantially improved their rankings over the past month.

12-Jun-2009
2009 Top Mid-Major Men's Classes
Recruiting class rankings are one of the most popular features at TennisRecruiting.net. Today, we present our ranking of the Top 25 mid-major men's recruiting classes for 2009.

11-Jun-2009
Harvard Law or Decatur Futures?
When Blake Strode was growing up, he had two ambitious and unrelated dream careers: pro tennis and law. Both are still vying for his time. He finished his collegiate tennis career at Arkansas ranked #13 in singles and reached the semifinals of last month's NCAA championships. He graduated with a 3.97 grade point average and has been admitted to Harvard Law School. Colette Lewis caught up with Strode at the NCAA Championships and talked with him about his future.

8-Jun-2009
The Recruiting Process - Is It Ever Too Early?
Dede Allen takes on the question: "I'm a junior in high school, is it too early to start the recruiting process?" She advises kids to take care of business in the classroom - and to start organizing their options.

4-Jun-2009
May Aces
The NCAA Division I Championships in College Station Texas produced the majority of May's dozen aces, but several young pros and juniors also excelled last month, on both the red and green versions of clay.

1-Jun-2009
Top Women's Classes - 2009 Spring Rankings
The Tennis Recruiting Network returns with another set of recruiting class rankings. Today we present the spring rankings of the Top 25 Women's Recruiting Classes for the Class of 2009. There is a lot to take in... a change at #1, three different teams earning first-place votes, and a previously unranked program moving into the Top 10. Take a look right away.

29-May-2009
Williams College Repeats as 2009 NCAA Division III National Champs
Big things happen when Williams and Emory square off in the NCAA Division III Women's Championships. The past three times these teams have met, the winner has gone on to claim the title. The result was no different in 2009. After defeating Emory 5-0 in the semifinals, Williams went on and upended top-seeded Amherst College 5-2 for their second consecutive championship and fourth all time.

28-May-2009
Freshmen Britton and Cecil Earn NCAA Singles Titles
Two American teenagers with less than five months of college tennis experience stayed cool under pressure in the Texas heat and humidity Monday, leaving the George Mitchell Tennis Center on the Texas A&M campus with three NCAA championship trophies between them.

25-May-2009
Top Men's Classes - 2009 Spring Rankings
Today we release our spring rankings of the Top 25 Men's Recruiting Classes. New commitments - including a number of Blue Chip and international players - have made for dramatic moves both up and down the rankings. Find out which team - one that did not even appear in our winter rankings - challenged Stanford for the top spot.

22-May-2009
Nadal Does It, Why Can't I?
Rafael Nadal is an incredible player; his physical make-up, movement, tenacity, and "will to win" have ensured his spot in either the #1 or #2 spot in the world.Nadal's game is an extremely "physical" one, which includes his heavy top-spin forehand hit with a full western grip. People love to emulate the top players, so if Nadal hits with a full western grip then they want to, too! But, before you make this game style decision, let's examine the western grip a little closer.

21-May-2009
Duke Women and Southern Cal Men Claim NCAA Titles in College Station
It was the first for the Duke women, and either the fifth or the 17th for the Southern Californian men, but regardless of the number, NCAA championships are always the highlight of a collegiate career. Duke claimed theirs with a 4-0 blanking of California-Berkeley Tuesday evening, while USC downed Ohio State 4-1 in the afternoon contest at the George Mitchell Tennis Center on the campus of Texas A&M University.

19-May-2009
NCAA Division III Men's Tennis Preview
The NCAA Division I team championships are just wrapping up, but the Division III championships start off today. Today, the author of the Division III Tennis Blog stops by with a preview of the Final 8 which starts today in Claremont, Calif.

18-May-2009
Prince Hot 100 List - May '09
Today we release the May edition of the Prince Hot 100. The Prince Hot 100 features 100 boys and 100 girls who have been playing outstanding tennis. These players have substantially improved their rankings over the past month.

15-May-2009
When and How to Send a Video to Coaches
College coaches are always pleased when a student-athlete has done his or her homework. One of the first things most coaches will ask is "do you have a video?" Uness you are staying close to home, coaches may not have seen you play extensively. The college placement video is, therefore, very critical. Here are some tips as to when to create your video and what should be in it.

11-May-2009
Ranking Redux, Part II
Marc Lucero takes a another look inside the junior rankings and how they correlate with performance in college.

9-May-2009
Composure Under Pressure
To gain the mental edge for positive performance, athletes must have the ability to keep their composure in pressure situations. The ability to stay calm, composed, and focused in a fifth set tie-breaker can be the difference between winning and losing. Coping with pressure in those tight situations is difficult, but through mental skills training, athletes can use pressure to their advantage and perform at a high level when the stakes are high.

8-May-2009
NCAA Tournament Roundtable - Part II
Today is the day. The NCAA Division I Championships kick off this weekend all around the country with regional action. The D2, D3, and NAIA championships are all underway. Our college tennis contributors preview college tennis' "Big Dance" - find out what they have to say.

7-May-2009
April Aces
Most of April's aces distinguished themselves in the California junior events, but the always geographically diverse tennis schedule produced notable performances in India, Morocco and Cary, North Carolina too.

4-May-2009
NCAA Tournament Roundtable - Part I
March Madness? How about May Madness! May is tournament time for college tennis. This weekend, the 64 men's and women's teams in the NCAA Division I Tennis Championships will see first- and second-round action. The Sweet 16 for both genders will then head to College Station, Texas to compete for the national title. Today, our college tennis contributors talk about college tennis' Big Dance.

30-Apr-2009
Buckeyes Subdue Illini Again for Fourth Consecutive Big Ten Men's Title
For the sixth straight year the Big Ten Men's Conference Championship came down to Ohio State and Illinois. The first of those two finals, in 2004 and 2005, went to the Fighting Illini, but the past three had belonged to the Buckeyes, and the country's third-ranked team was a decided favorite in Sunday's contest, held at the University of Michigan Varsity Tennis Center in Ann Arbor.

28-Apr-2009
Pop Culture in College Tennis
The end of April. This is one of the most intense periods on the college tennis calendar - with conference tournaments just wrapping up, and the national championships just on the horizon. Marc Lucero keeps things light with a pop culture grid featuring several top college tennis players.

27-Apr-2009
Bears Once Again Roar in Big 12
For the third straight year, the Baylor Bears took home both the men's and women's titles at the Big 12 Tennis Championships. The Texas Longhorns were the challengers in both matches at the Headington Family Tennis Center in Norman, Oklahoma. The Baylor women won by a comfortable score of 4-1, while the Texas men pushed Baylor to the limit in a 4-3 decision.

24-Apr-2009
USTA National Campus Championship - A Firsthand Experience
Jason Franks and the Western Washington Vikings traveled to Surprise, Arizona this past weekend for the USTA National Campus Championships. Franks jotted down a diary during his stay, and he shares those thoughts with us today.

23-Apr-2009
King and McHale Win 2009 Easter Bowl ITF Titles
It was cool; it was hot; it was breezy; it was calm; it was dramatic; it was routine. The 2009 Easter Bowl had a bit of everything last week at the Rancho Las Palmas Resort and Spa in Rancho Mirage, California. And when the last ball had been struck Sunday, there were both veterans and rookies earning the coveted spring titles.

22-Apr-2009
Duke University Captures Title At 2009 USTA National Campus Championship
Duke University beat the University of Wisconsin - Madison 26-21 in Saturday's championship match at the 2009 USTA National Campus Championship at the Surprise Tennis and Racquet Complex. This was the first championship match for either squad and Duke University's first national title.

20-Apr-2009
Notre Dame, South Florida Are Best of BIG EAST
This past weekend, the 2009 BIG EAST Tennis Championships took place on the home courts of the University of South Florida in Tampa. The women's bracket held true-to-form, with #1 Notre Dame facing #2 DePaul for the title, but a surprise men's championship match featured the hometown #3 South Florida Bulls against the #5 DePaul Blue Demons.

20-Apr-2009
Prince Hot 100 List - April '09
Today we release the April edition of the Prince Hot 100. The Prince Hot 100 features 100 boys and 100 girls who have been playing outstanding tennis. These players have substantially improved their rankings over the past month.

17-Apr-2009
Conversation with Syracuse Coach Luke Jensen
One of the most famous coaches in the NCAA is Syracuse head coach Luke Jensen. Jensen, who won the 1993 French Open doubles title with his brother Murphy, is now in his third season as head coach of the Orange. Harry Cicma of NBC News caught up with Jensen during Signing Week.

16-Apr-2009
Frank and Stephens Claim International Spring Championships
Mitchell Frank and Sloane Stephens came into the International Spring Championships seeded ninth, but after a week of outstanding tennis, they emerged with their first ITF Grade 1 titles And as an added bonus, the two 16-year-olds enhanced their positions in the ITF World Junior rankings for the upcoming Junior Slams in Paris and London.

13-Apr-2009
An Inside Look at Tennis On Campus: Western Washington
Western Washington University, located in Bellingham, Wash., just twenty minutes from the Canadian border, is home to one of the oldest and most talented Tennis On Campus club teams in the nation. The Vikings are the only team to have attended all nine of the USTA Tennis On Campus National Championship tournaments. Jason Franks, former president of the team, reflects on his experience.

11-Apr-2009
USTA Tennis On Campus Names UC Davis Club Of The Year
The USTA announced that the University of California, Davis has been awarded the inaugural Club of the Year Award for the 2008-2009 Tennis On Campus season. The USTA Tennis On Campus program will present the University of California, Davis the Club of the Year award during the 2009 USTA National Campus Championship on April 16-18.

7-Apr-2009
Spring Signing Week '09: Top 100 Update
At T-minus-One days and counting before Signing Day, TennisRecruiting.net brings you another look at the Top 100 boys and girls who had yet to commit. A few more in the Class of 2009 have made decisions - and several more plan to announce this week.

6-Apr-2009
Spring Signing Week '09: National Roundup
Signing Week gets started with our national roundup. Take a look at comments from boys and girls who have made verbal commitments to colleges all across the country.

2-Apr-2009
March Aces
The March aces are mostly of the junior variety, but add a couple of pros and a college star, and it's a spring bouquet of tennis excellence.

30-Mar-2009
Countdown: Boys' War Room
Next week is Signing Week. We get you ready with special features all week long. Today, we take a look at the Top 100 senior boys. Our chart shows who is going where - and which schools made the cut.

27-Mar-2009
Countdown: Girls' War Room
The Countdown to Signing Day continues with a look at the Top 100 girls in the senior class. The vast majority of these girls have already made written or verbal commitments, but college coaches are still after these highly-regarded young women. Find out which girls are still open, which have narrowed their lists, and which have made commitments...

26-Mar-2009
Tennessee Beats Alabama to Win Blue Gray Tennis Classic
It has a tradition spanning 60 years, but Blue Gray Tennis Classic chairman Paul Winn had no hesitation in putting this year's tournament at the pinnacle. "It's probably the best weather we've ever had, the best crowd we've ever had and the best support," an enthusiastic Winn said of the annual invitational event that brings 16 top Division I men's teams to Montgomery, Ala. In the championship match, the Tennessee Volunteers defeated Alabama 4-2.

25-Mar-2009
Saba and Capra Capture USTA 18s Spring National Championships
As the rain of the first few days gave way to brilliant sun and ideal playing conditions last week, the USTA 18s Spring National Championships in Mobile, Ala. produced an expected winner, in girls top seed Beatrice Capra, and a surprise one, in boys No. 11 seed Frederick Saba.

16-Mar-2009
Prince Hot 100 List - March '09
Today we release the March edition of the Prince Hot 100. The Prince Hot 100 features 100 boys and 100 girls who have been playing outstanding tennis. These players have substantially improved their rankings over the past month.

13-Mar-2009
Countdown to Signing Day
Don't look now, but we are less than a month away from the beginning of the Spring Signing Period. April 8th is the first day in 2009 when high school seniors will be able to sign their National Letters of Intent - making formal commitments to college tennis programs. As always, TennisRecruiting.net brings you a courtside seat to all the action. Take a look as we preview our special coverage... in the Countdown to Signing Day!

12-Mar-2009
One Step at a Time
Chris Woodruff talks with Colette Lewis about the importance of succeeding at one level before moving to the next.

10-Mar-2009
Furman Coach Sets Record
Furman men's tennis coach Paul Scarpa surpassed a milestone on Friday afternoon, becoming the sport's winningest coach in NCAA Division I history with his 820th victory.

9-Mar-2009
Monica Seles - Two Handed Wonder
Monica Seles holds a special spot in this coach's heart. Her competitive spirit was second-to-none, she is genuinely kind, and her professional accomplishments are numerous and impressive. She will be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2009. Bollettieri reflects on Seles' game - and her contributions to the sport.

5-Mar-2009
February Aces
This February's honors go not only to the 14-and-under "Small Aces" crowned in France, but also to Intercollegiate Tennis Association Team Indoor stars and high-profile juniors making their mark in the pro ranks.

2-Mar-2009
Interview with "The Big Bozz"
Last week I got to spend a couple days with "The Big Bozz" - former Illini and NCAA Champion Amer Delic - at beautiful Amelia National Country Club in Amelia Island, Fla. A couple days of training, golf, and family time, helped the big guy recharge the batteries and get the body to a higher tennis fitness level.

27-Feb-2009
Building Confidence for Elite Tennis Performance
There are a variety of mental skills that are associated with elite performance including motivation, concentration, perseverance, and resiliency. One mental skill stands out from the rest: confidence. Confidence is an internal belief that you can execute at a high level in all situations. Here are three tools you can use to increase your confidence and enhance your tennis game.

23-Feb-2009
1998 NCAA Champion Vanessa Webb
Vanessa Webb constantly looked for challenges as a young tennis player: she was the NCAA women's singles champion in 1998, and she won ten titles on the ITF women's circuit en route to a Top-100 ranking. That same drive has led to success in the boardroom - where the Duke and Wharton graduate already has a number of accomplishments in international business. McCarton Ackerman caught up with Webb to reflect on her tennis career and current endeavors.

20-Feb-2009
Prince Hot 100 List - February '09
This week we release the February edition of the Prince Hot 100. The Prince Hot 100 features 100 boys and 100 girls who have been playing outstanding tennis. These players have substantially improved their rankings over the past month.