Tennis:Europe

07/06/2025

Bringing home a little hardware from Pragje. Kids racked up a ton of wins the past few days. Gonna ride that momentum to Barcelona today!

07/03/2025

Grinding here at practice. Boys getting ready for their first tournament tomorrow!

04/29/2025

Now that everyone has returned from spring break and the spring school tennis or tournament seasons
are reaching their peak, there is still time to make your summer plans to include TENNIS: EUROPE. Just a few
more spaces remain to complete our summer 2025 teams, which will play 5 Universal Tennis Association (UTR) tournaments in just 24
days to improve your UTR rating for college tennis coaches (about twice as many UTR matches as you would play
in the States). We start with a ticket to Wimbledon, then two junior tournaments in the Czech Republic,. followed by
a junior tournament and a satellite tournament in Barcelona and capped off by a round robin junior tournament
in The Netherlands. We also have fun social activities, see major sights and are treated like royalty by our European tennis friends.
This will be our 51st summer with almost 6000 past participants. Contact Director Martin Vinokur
at: http://www.tenniseurope.com, telephone: 1-203-322-9803 or by text at: 1-203-554-4590.

Now in our 51st summer with over 5730 past participants, here is your chance to improve your tournament mental toughness and strategy on the European red clay against challenging competition.

02/21/2025

Tennis: Europe Director Dr. Martin Vinokur recently completed a podcast on Lisa Stone's Parenting Aces blog.
He was zoom interviewed along with 2024 junior player Max Spillerman and Max's mother Dorothy of Penna.
The interview will give you background on the operation of
Tennis:Europe along with the many benefits which
Max and his older brother Garrett before him, gained.

To access, go to:

Welcome to Season 14 Episode 2 of the ParentingAces Podcast, a proud member of the Tennis Channel Podcast Network. This week, Lisa talks with the creator

12/14/2024

The red clay courts of Europe teach players to think, create and learn strategy and tactics to win points. When our players first arrive in Europe, the emphasis is on learning to slide/footwork on the clay. European players are usually quite fit, so running and fitness take priority. Points can be quite long and most points end with an unforced error, not with overpowering an opponent. In fact, our junior players soon realize that placement, depth on shots and opening up a court wins points. You can hit your best overhead, a sure winner on hard courts, but on clay, it comes back most times. The ability to think out a point, the ability to think ahead two or three shots, when to use a drop shot...all are skills you learn on Tennis: Europe. When Europeans come to the USA, they adjust rapidly to hard courts, which is why their results give them a serious edge in international competition. No secret that college coaches heavily recruit Europeans for their own college teams.

USTA player development has maintained that playing red clay is essential to develop a better game on all surfaces. Junior Development + Clay courts = Success. And don't forget that, above all, playing on clay is a lot of fun!

11/19/2024

Our Team Coaches:
I am often asked how we select the Coaching Staff for Tennis: Europe, since Coaches are such an important part of the trip. Coaching Candidates contact us and then review our job description and application.
This application includes writing about 6 to 8 essay answers to hypothetical questions (what would you do in this situation or that one). We then check four character references (2 tennis and 2 off court) each candidate gives us. The final step is an in-person or telephone hour-long interview, giving the candidates the chance to ask us questions about the job and for us, to ask them additional situational questions, split between tennis and off the court issues.
Once the candidates are thoroughly screened, we have a professional company do a thorough background screening check from a criminal check to driving check. If the candidate checks out in all aspects, we will then offer them a position. We have them read and reread our 70 page Staff Handbook, and two zoom orientation sessions.
Our coaches range from college tennis coaches and assistant coaches to USPTA certified teaching pros. Ages 21 and up, average age late 20s and 30s. We have two to three Coaches per 14-16 player team. This is a very rewarding, but challenging position.
As Director, I also spend considerable time with each team in Europe, besides the male and female coaches. Questions? Just let me know at: [email protected]

11/12/2024

Tristan Bradley Follow-up: In our last Facebook entry, we mentioned 2017 Tennis: Europe participant Tristan Bradley winning the Division 3 national singles title in May 2024. Because he lost a
season due to Covid, he was granted an extra year of eligibility by the NCAA. He has used it to transfer from Bowdoin to USC (California), a Division I school, where he is taking his Master's degree in business. He is also an integral part of the USC tennis program, which is ranked # 50 preseason in Division I.

Tristan Bradley - THIS SEASON: Tristan Bradley is in his first season at USC, and fifth overall. BOWDOIN: Went 26-2 in his senior season, as he claimed

11/06/2024

Founding Director Dr. Martin Vinokur has announced his 51st Summer of taking junior players 13-18 to European claycourt tournaments from June 27 until July 22 or July 13. Tennis: Europe will offer two trips at both school varsity or strong JV level and one team for substantial ranked players. We will play in The Czech Republic, Spain, Holland, Switzerland and Italy. Our goal is to follow up on the work of your home local clinic or academy by improving your strategy and mental approach to matches. We see the world in a team atmosphere for an impactful personal growth experience. For more details, see our newly revised website at: www.tenniseurope.com Or phone Martin at: 1-203-322-9803 for more details. What separates Tennis: Europe from others is our 50 years of experience, 5750 past participants and 400 past coaches.

We are most proud of the achievements of many of our past participants in their later lives. The most recent example is a 2017 Tennis: Europe participant. Tristan Bradley of Chadds Ford, Pa., who, playing for Bowdoin College in Maine, this past May won the NCAA Division 3 national singles championship. He was also named "Senior of the Year" by Division 3 Coaches. Congratulations Tristan!

12/25/2021

First, all of us at Tennis: Europe want to wish you and your families a most
Happy Holiday Season and Hap[py New Year 2022!

As we continue to monitor Covid, we again realize that this pandemic can change on an almost daily basis, as we are still 6 1/2 months away from our departure dates. We are taking two new steps added to our safety protocols: 1) all participants, players and coaches, will be required to be vaccinated to travel with us; and 2) we are extending our full refund of deposit (no-risk) from Feb. 1 to April 1. Please note also that we are flexible on locations and can change countries or states we travel to, based on the guidance of our health advisors/ doctors.

Tennis: Europe Newsletter

The Chinese Peng Shuai Concern and WTA Response

Rarely does the mainstream media have intensive coverage and crossover between sport and international relations that Peng's revelations that she was sexually assaulted by a former vice minister of China, as indicted in her
November social media accusation. Then we have the response of the International Olympic Committee with its two telephone calls with Peng, and more forcefully by Women's Tennis Association Chief Executive Steve Simon, praised as the many who stood up to China by cancelling, at least for now, all future WTA tour events in China. Then the International Tennis Federation weighed in to state all ITF junior and men's tournaments would continue in China so the Chinese people would not be blamed by losing tournaments.
What are we to make of all of these media headlines? A few years ago, when I was writing my doctoral dissertation - which later became a published book - my theme was the interaction between sports and politics, how nations
used sports competition to advance their own political goals. At the time, this was during the later stages of the Cold War and Eastern Europe was trying to advance its prestige and world standing by delivering Olympic and other triumphs.
In a way, the Peng situation, combined with the recent USA announcement that its diplomats, but not athletes, would boycott the upcoming Winter Olympics in Beijing once again demonstrates the close relationship of politics and sports.
But instead of bragging rights because of sports achievements, China is being forced to the defensive, trying to prove that Peng is actually safe and healthy. Even though she could well be under house arrest and censored in any further comments.
What makes this so interesting is that rarely is tennis in the forefront of international issues, demonstrating what an international scope our sport has.
Various commentators are also pointing out that the WTA is sacrificing millions of dollars in tournament profits by suspending WTA tournaments in China. And it also shows the solidarity of past and present tennis players in supporting Peng.
This is an issue which may be resolved when the world is in Bejing in February for the Olympic Games and IOC officials can meet Peng in person.
Or it could linger on longer as a part of the ongoing antagonism between China and the West which includes the origins of Covid, genocide of minorities, threats against Taiwan and control over Hong Kong.
Recent past conduct by China seems to support a strong position, that is, one taken by WTA CEO Simon, which in turn is supported by most of us involved in tennis from the junior through the pro tour levels. We can only applaud Peng for speaking out and hope that the New Year will bring brighter and happier days for her.

Spring Tennis Season: As we prepare for the start of the spring tennis season, as early as late January at some colleges and mid to the end of March for cold weather high school areas, I strongly urge you to play a few tournaments between now and tryouts. Reason? So you are mentally ready and prepared for the tryout matches. At many high schools, you play one set against several different opponents in a winner take all system, whereby the winners make the team and the losers are out and have to wait another year. Part of this problem, which I observed as State Tennis Coordinator of school tennis in New York is that often coaches have two weeks or less to try out a team and determine who plays where, and match results are the most objective way to make those difficult decisions.

New Holiday Tennis Movies: King Richard featuring Will Smith documents how Richard Williams developed Serena and Venus into World Champions. While we may not agree with all of his methods, the movie gives you an idea of what and how he accomplished that goal. There is also a new documentary out
about the life of Arthur Ashe which stresses his off the tennis court achievements besides his trail-blazing on the court victories.

Looking Back on Tennis: Europe History

Spotlight on our Tennis: Europe Coaches:

Last month, we used this space to thank our many top caliber coaches who have made our Tennis; Europe participants better match players. In fact, six of our past coaches have already indicated they wished to return for our Summer 2022 tennis tours. Their past experiences with us will make our trips
even better than before!

Just to highlight the accomplishments of some of our past Tennis: Europe Coaches:

*Three of our Coaches won NCAA National Team Championships:
*Jamie Ashworth, Women's Coach at Duke, won 2 NCAA Division I
titles. Jamie was a player on Tennis; Europe and then served two years
as a Coach.
Eric Hayes, coaching at Mercer, where he now runs a WTA Challenger
each October, coached on the tour for a decade and had players ranked ATP #1 in doubles and top 50 in singles. Eric coached our National Team
in the 90s and early 2000s.
*Tony Bresky, our Assistant Director for a summer, led Wake Forest Men's
Tennis Team to the NCAA Mens Division 1 title just three years ago
*Dave Schwarz coached our Tennis; Europe French Med. Team for a
summer and won two Division 3 Mens team championships at Middle-
bury and last year, his Claremont Mudd Scripps Womens Team won
the Division 3 title. Dave's Assistant, Rob Barr, on our staff for 5
summers, was the assistant coach when MID won in 2011 (Rob is now
the interim head women's coach at Middlebury.
Ben Shapiro, on our staff for 5 summers, was the Assistant Women's
Coach at Wesleyan when they won the 2019 Div. 3 Championship.
Craig Kardon of Dallas, a player with Tennis Europe in the late 70s,
and has been a pro tour coach for many years. He has coached Coco Vandeweghe, Ze Zhang of China, Xavier Malisse of Belgium, Mary Pierce,
and Martina Navratilova among many others. He won the World Team Tennis Coach of the Year four times and was also named the USPTA "Touring Pro of the Year."

I am sure I have left out some of our other deserving past Tennis: Europe
Reply
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11/23/2021

Nov. 23 Tennis: Europe Newsletter for page
Have you ever thought about a career in TENNIS ?

There was a common theme at the last two professional tennis coaches' conferences which I have attended. There is a serious shortage of tennis coaches, teaching pros and
tennis management positions. Fact: The average age of a tennis teaching pro is 51.
Fact: In the next decade, literally thousands of coaches are expected to retire. Fact:
Unbeknown to most high school and college tennis players, you can earn a good living in tennis; many tennis directors earn six figure salaries. Equally important, tennis is a really worthwhile and rewarding career, as the sport improves your health while enhancing personal growth, friendships and meeting people from all over the world through sport. Fact: Since Covid began, tennis has added 3 to 4 million new players because it is considered the #1 safest sport. This is one reason there is a shortage of tennis coaches.
Fact: You do not have to be a playing superstar or on the pro tour to teach tennis at a high level. In fact, the top tennis directors have often been those who were mediocre during their playing days,

What is the pathway to a tennis career? There is no one best pathway, but these days,
many students enroll in Professional Tennis Management courses, offered by colleges as diverse as the University of Florida, Ferris State, Pace (NY) and dozens of others. Other prospective coaches are mentored by their school or junior development coaches; in fact, the USPTA has a mentoring program pairing an experienced coach (I was a mentor a year ago myself! with a coach just in the early stages of their career. Additionally, USPTA, USPTR and the USTA all offer career counseling and job listings.

As mentioned at the most recent conference, most juniors and college players are unaware of the financial rewards of teaching and coaching tennis with substantial fringe benefits like pension plans, healthcare and other insurances. And it takes attending only one "Hall of Fame" dinner to know how much those in the profession appreciate the opportunities they have had in and through tennis.

Congratulations to Past Players & The Tennis; Europe Family on your College
Acceptances

Although it may seem early to talk about college acceptances, some of our past and future players have already been recruited and committed to the college of his/her choice.
Among them are:

Aidan William, Butler University, Indiana
Savanna Kollock, Davidson College, North Carolina
Gordon Whitwell, Old Miss
Fernando Baumeister, Vassar (NY) College

If any of our present seniors are accepted, tennis or otherwise, let me know so I can include it in our next newsletter. Your hard work on and off the court has made this accolade possible. And don't forget your parents who made it all possible with years of commuting to lessons and tournaments!

Looking Back on Tennis; Europe History

As we approach the Thanksgiving holidays, we at Tennis; Europe have much to be thankful for. Starting with 5 participants in 1973, we grew and grew in the intervening years to as many as 8 to 10 teams and well over 100 participants. While Gary and I were the Directors,
we owe so much to our summer coaching staff who were with you the players 24 hours a day. We have been blessed to have such a talented, communicative and well-organized staff and for our players, it is our coaches you remember most. Many of our coaches returned to our staff year in and year out...Jeremy Munson of California owns the record for longevity with 15 summers of work for us (and he was a past player as well). Looking ahead, many of our coaches will be returning once again for summer 2022, thus assuring us of expertise and experience as we head to Europe or the West Coast of the USA.