Draw Photos

In the "Horse" basketball game, the closest I got to the crown was 3rd. Even here Blenkiron and Muhammad were using this game to drive home a principle they have been explaining to their students at TEAM AGASSI....."Dealing with adversity."

Often times adversity is nothing more then a challenge that makes you stronger; Something that gives you the opportunity to rise to the occasion.

A typical challenge on the court is the behavior or perceived behavior of an opponent. I have played numerous matches where the opponent acts unreasonable, but choosing to allow that to get in your head and bother you is something each player can control. In life there are unreasonable people who do unreasonable things, and dealing with firm patience, speaking up, but not allowing it to upset you, is the only way. If you are doing what you know is right then what is the problem?

No one can take your portion. You only give it away by reacting or letting something bother you. Speak up, or don't, that is your choice, but either way, it helps no one to choose to get upset. As Tim and Ronald Muhammad were pointing out.."Deal with the adversity" by riding on top of it like a wave into stardom. Starring in your own movie where you are challenged and you deal with those challenges with seriousness and fire, yet no anger, no emotionally falling apart. That is the key.

"This is how I deal with adversity" was the cry of Ronald Muhammad, playing with a weak ankle, while doing a running shot. He missed the shot, and lost the game to Blenkiron, but he did not make excuses, blame and complain, he rode the perceived adversity, and at the end put it on the line, and the results were his.

Playing tennis recently after not playing for a long time, I have found that competing gives you such an insight into the various challenges on the court. In my league match last week I experienced once again the various feelings and thoughts that come to a player before, during and after, and it is here that I know matches are won and lost. Having a clear and sound mind is everything in life and tennis. It amazes me how little it is addressed in coaching.

Coaches were every where this weekend as here was the day to compete. Lessons are great but there is nothing better then unbridled competition. VegasTennis.com has been working with tennis professionals for the last year to Bring tennis alive in the Valley. Competition and creating well run and promoted events is a huge part of that. Do you want to play an event that has an incredible draw, an enthusiastic Director that is engaged and loves the whole thing?

At first, in Las Vegas, I saw so many ways to make a tournament better, but no tournament Directors that wanted to do what I saw could and should be done. Then I met Hennessy. Here was a guy who not only was innately interested in the events, the players and the competition as I was, but gave me the o.k. to run with new ideas or ways to make the events better. His tournaments have always been the best, always unconventional with something new and great each year.

Now other Directors have either moved to town, Like Allan Brown, or begun running events, like Ben Coates, and as the events get promoted more, they are more fun to play, more fun to watch, and ultimately more fun. Ben Coates and Jeff Foley at Red Rock just ran the largest junior tournament in the history of Las Vegas, and at the end he and I were talking about how to make the next one bigger and better, including a heated tent, as the chilly weather was the only less then perfect part of a tournament this time of year.

Some Directors might have shunned the extra work of a large event, as running a huge tournament verses a 60-90 person tournament (like this town use to have), is a huge difference. In many cases it means getting to bed at 3-4am and getting up at 7am for game day. But in the end, if done with the right attitude, it works itself out perfectly. Such was the case with Hennessy's Circuits, VegasTennis.com's Ballys Cup, Red Rocks Junior Classic and this Holiday Classic.

To give you an idea, most tournaments were 58-90 entries 2 years ago. Tournaments in the 90's were considered big local tournaments. But it made no sense to me that parents and coaches were leaving town to play, spending thousands to find bigger and better competition out of town, when if all great players in town played every tournament, Vegas would be on fire.... Now that is what is happening, and not just because of VegasTennis.com, but because of many key individuals, a few of which I will now mention.. A transformation in junior and adult tennis is now taking place and it has been for the last year and a half and the results of those efforts and intentions are starting to reveal themselves.

Individuals like Tim Blenkiron, who was the first coach to see what I was trying to do with Junior tennis. He made sure all of his players played events I promoted, even though they were the best in town. Tim also played in all my open draws I promoted and ran, and since men's open tennis in town has gone from almost nothing to large draws every time. Now instead of players having o leave town for junior or adult open competition, players from out of town are coming here.

 Savvas Andrews, also a contributor, placed his daughter in events even though she was clearly the top player. At first she had no competition, but as time goes by she is getting her competition and those under her are getting theirs. Just last week I had the first sizable ladies open singles draw in a long time, and it was competitive. Cristala won, but she had some great competition. Soon I will have to let her play men's open draws like I did with the Thompson twins last year. She is that good. And her father's willingness to put her in local events, along with Tim Blenkiron's getting players in the local draws, has turned Las Vegas District tournaments into highly competitive events. Just last week we had a player come in from North Carolina for the Red Rock, over 15 players from Utah, California, Arizona and North Carolina came in for the BALLY'S tournament. Now this week, Gene Hardman of New Mexico Military Institute brought in 4 of his high school and junior college players. Three of his players made the semifinals, and one the finals. Then Monday and Tuesday the players from New Mexico played at BALLY'S with local players like Cristala Andrews, Frideric Prandecki and Brianna Moyle.

 The player from North Carolina is coming back for Hennessy's Circuit, because when he comes to play VegasTennis, they sence something in the air, and I know most people saw that something this weekend at ClubSport. Back a year ago, the girls and boys 18's draws did not exists or were scant. Now ClubSport had 12 and Red Rock 13 players in the boys 18. The girls still needs improvement. I will work on that. The other draws are very large and now, unlike before, doubles teams are being created and doubles draws are being filled. There is something about doubles that adds to an event. The crowds are usually a bit larger and more engaged.

Many of you may not be as enthusiastic about the state of tennis as I am but I see it happening, and most importantly, I see the effect it is having. Did you notice how much more activity and enjoyable the ClubSport Tournament was. This event was around 130 singles entries, which is a ClubSport record. And you could tell, as most had a more fun and Allan Brown enjoyed it even more, even though it means more work for him. At the end, on the final day, instead of talking about getting it over with, he was discussing the prospects of having a tournament party next time, about many other innovative ways to have an event and make junior tennis better. It is like a ball of fire, gaining momentum as it turns. Like I told Sean Monk this weekend, wait until you see the next VEGASTENNIS.COM BALLY'S CUP...There are so many things that can be done, and "One brick at a time" as Hennessy would say, that building is being built.

Be a part of this by supporting VegasTennis.com. I need to get a grant from the USTA to fund the site. If you could write a letter of support and send it to me at 4316 Fortune Avenue, Las Vegas, NV 89107, that would help when trying to find funding.

I have mentioned numerous times the efforts of Hennessy and his attitude, it goes without saying. From what I have been told he has been promoting the game more effectively then anyone for the last 25 years. And beyond junior tennis, there is adult tennis, of which I am equally involved. In fact, it was my playing and participating on adult tennis that got me starting VegasTennis.com as a hobby. It was not until I saw a flyer for Junior tennis that I even knew such a realm existed. As time goes by I would like to merge the two, and this past BALLY'S tournament I allowed some juniors to play in the adult draws. I see junior players add a dynamic to an event as do adults, and the two compliment one another.

The weekly mini-tournaments at BALLY'S are one night 3 hour tournaments which are not only great for match play, competition and making tennis fun, but bring junior and adult players together into the same scene. There is a added benefit to playing with a more mature and wiser adult player. Equally , there is something fun about the speed and pace of the junior player. One night is a high level 4.5 /5.0 doubles and singles with adult and junior players. The other night is a 3.5 o 4.00 level. Anyone can play, just e-mail me at VegasTenniscom@aol.com or call me a 8822-1081 to get in the draw. I limit it to 16 players each event.

Players like Alan Karafa, his sister Alicia and James Edwards, Gabrielle Gibson, Steven Lambert, Stan Breland, Asia Muhammad, Jasmine Muhammad, Brianna Moyle, Frideric Prandecki, Sara Toti, Trent Alinek, Ismail Diva, Jonathan Fragoso, Candynce Boney and a variety of other juniors and adults play weekly and it also forges a rapport in which players can use to find match play throughout the week.  Even so, it is fun to have everyone come together twice or more a week to just play and compete. This atmosphere provides for that.

VegasTennis.com Mini-Tournament player James Edwards won the boys 16 consolation. He played Alan Karafa. Edwards is a player to watch out for. Full of potential and speed watch him bring about an upset one of these days. He is dangerous once he gets a hold of his speed and power and adds some consistency. Often this is a matter of focus and patience.

Winning the boys 18 and under consolation final was Blake Lamberth. Blake, plays out of ClubSport and was the start player of his Bishop Gorman tennis team, which reached STATE this year and lost to bonanza.

Click here to read about the high school state championships.

As junior tennis grows, so does adult tennis, and Dan Knight at Spanish Trail, is equally responsible and to be acknowledged for keeping the fire alive. His events are first class every time. He was one of the first pro's, having not even used computers himself, who understood and supported and encouraged what I was trying to do. When others saw it as a nuisance, he saw that so much could be done and was happy to see someone doing it.

Many  tennis directors and teaching pro's are too busy teaching and running a facility to promote the game, events and administer tennis tournaments. VegasTennis.com not only has been working with these pro's to make the events more challenging, larger and well run, but more fun as well, with added touches that are fan friendly. Simple touches like hot tea or fresh squeezed orange juice, to more elaborate additions like tournament parties, ping pong tournaments, WILD OATS tents with free food and drinks and elaborate trophies like tennis racquets or silver plates and the coveted "VEGASTENNIS.COM BALLY'S CUP."

Just this past tournament , Allan Brown did a creative move having CD cases as tournament prizes. Many players treated them as yearbooks, getting friends to sign them. This was a cool move and I saw how it worked. Now Hennessy is going to have an incredible tournament entry prize. Wait and see. Remember VegasTennis.com's BALLY'S CUP prizes? Orange shirts, NETPRO trading cards, snack bags from WILD OATS? Soon tournament directors can compete for the best event just like players compete for the best game.

Some have the attitude of hiding and wanting to have a limited field so they can win, or at least not have so many good players to challenge them. While most want the competition, see it as a challenge, something to bring their game to the next level. When I promoted Hennessy's Circuit I wanted the biggest and best ever. The event was a Las Vegas record, 192 entries. I then wanted to make my VegasTennis.com tournament the largest and best ever.. it was 312 entries, a new Las Vegas record, and still the largest local junior tournament ever. When I went to promote Duel in The Desert, I wanted to make it the biggest and best, and I told Clark Hancock when we began I was looking to make it the biggest ever in Utah. At the end he told me it was the largest local tournament in Utah history.  When I promoted Red Rock I went to make it the biggest and best ever, and it was the largest sanction district tournament ever in Las Vegas. When I went to promote ClubSport, I went to make it the best competition, as ClubSport this week was only able to hold 120 entries as members needed some courts, so size was not important. The event was around 130 entrants. This was a club sport record. And to give you an idea of the growth in junior tennis tournaments over the last year, last year this time, the largest junior tournament record was 120 entries, and that was Red Rock. ClubSport had 85 entries last year. Most other tournaments were 58-90 entrants. Summerlin was in the high 90's and the other tournament 101, or around there. Now Lorenzi, which use to have the smaller draws, just had 130 entry's in the summer/fall tournament, and ClubSport just had 130, Red Rock 216 and VegasTennis.com's 312.

This is growth, and a lot has to do with local professionals getting players to the point where they can compete and being willing to step up to the plate and put together quality events.

A relatively new teaching professional in town, Richi Mahlangu, has two sons in tennis. One, Nicholas Mahlangu, just played his first tournament locally, winning in the boys 10 and under 6-2, 6-1, with Keenan Gladd taking second place.

TEAM AGASSI had it's usual way with the draw. Competitors like Kamran Linden winning the 12's with Kristofer Yee taking second in a 6-3, 6-3 battle. Then in the consolation boys 10's Ishmael Gibson won, playing another Agassi player Angel Aguilar. This is the next generation TEAM AGASSI. Then in the 16 boys Stan Breland made it to the finals playing Frideric Prandecki. Frideric Prandecki won in two sets, but Stan did not fall without a fight. Then Candynce Boney Stepped up and took the biggest prize of them all winning the girls 18 draw. Although it was a small draw, it does not matter as she did what many do not do ,she put herself out there, and in doing so walked with a trophy. Taking second, and also putting themselves in the ring is one of Las Vegas's better girl players and one of the most jovial, Brittany Hanna. Hanna was also in the girls 16's draw making it to the finals after beating Jade Frampton in the semifinals.

The girls 18 draw is like the boys 18 draw years ago, small. Through pride and a loss of interest many older players drift away. Over the next year perhaps the girls can be revived like the boys draw has been. Candynce Boney, the states DOUBLES CHAMPION in high school tennis, also made it to the semifinals of the girls 16 draw before losing to eventual winner Cheryl Bon.

TEAM AGASSI has been huge for Las Vegas Tennis. Under Ki Kroll and now under Tim Blinkeron, The Agassi Foundation's Boys and Girls Club Tennis program is a huge infusion of life into Las Vegas Tennis. The team environment is so powerful and their presence so dominant and inspiring that when I do an event, just mentioning that they are playing can fill a draw.

They have respect because of the way these players handle themselves on and off the court. They are here to compete and are not chatty, but off the court cordial and engaged. They train, and take it seriously. I am not one to say "You will be pro", but I do condone doing something with intensity and with no excuses. If you train and play with a 100%, there is no need for blame and excuse making. You know in yourself you did all you could do, and that is what is expected from you. Complete focus, integrity, honesty and intense patience. If you do this you can be satisfied. "I am just here to have fun" is often an excuse. I like to play and have fun, but doing something a 100% is fun to me.

Giving a 100% is an understatement when referring to the little giant Patrick Kawka. Here is a player that day in and day out trains and prepares for the moment of competition. Always a gentleman on the court. Always intense, never quitting. Playing a dominant player 4 years older and 2-3 ft taller, and perhaps 50 lbs bigger, Patrick Kawka was down in the first set 5-2, yet found a way to come back and win 7-5. In the second set, Kawka was down 5-2, yet found a way to come back to win the mach and the boys 14's final 7-5, 7-5. This would be big if it was the first time, but I have seen Kawka , with fire always in his belly, come from behind or dominate older, bigger and in some cases players with better "Games" and "Strokes", but in the realm of champions it is never about form or technique but about will and heart. This player, and there are only a few like this amongst millions, has a huge heart and an esoteric ability to compete. I don't want him to read this and believee he is better then he is or get proud, as this is the enemy of heart. But anyone watching him compete often goes away amazed. If he never goes pro or plays again, he can at least say, "I played with heart."

His father, who works at he MGM and was once a world known acrobat, is rarely pleased. He sees so much that he knows where mistakes and corrections need to be made. Even he at the end of this performance was satisfied. How could he not be. Patrick played like a lion and that is all you can ask for. The winning was icing on the cake.

This is the same Patrick Kawka that I let play in the BALLY'S Adult Holiday Classic. He beat everyone in the men's 4.0 draw except the eventual winner. It was amusing to see little Patrick swipe at he ball and take out grown men 3 times his size and age.

 Look at some of the players coming up now, like James Stutzman, Tiffany Taveras, Ismail Diva, John Tuhill, Zach Macareg, Raul Marinez, Ravi Khilnani, James Edwards... it is just a matter of time before they consistently have a decent game. I have seen it time and time again. Look no further then the example of Gabrielle Gibson, who was losing for years, a laughing stock at clinics when she began, then the time came, and just months ago she won the ClubSport tournament with solid wins in a tough draw. Doesn't mean now she made it and is the queen of tennis. It just means that patience is a virtue and the time will come. Some days you play well while others you suck. So what. "Deal with adversity"... without getting emotional and falling to it. It will make you stronger. One day I will write here about Ravi and Tuthill or Stutzman having their big wins, that is if they don't quit. That is if they see the losses today are no big deal, the bricks you stand on. I am not a promoter of losing. I am a promoter of playing right and clearly seeing what real winning is all about. It is about the game within you. That you exert everything you know is right to put forth and let the rest be as it will. If you are falling apart emotionally, and quitting or allowing yourself to get overwhelmed, that is not winning. Just let it go and move on to the next point.

Building tennis in Las Vegas are pro's like Kevin Bradley, who as a former tour player teaches some of the best players in town out of the sports club. Included in his group are Brittany Hanna, Racquel Martinez and Dominique Aubry.

Then there is Saad Ashraaf, who has, from scratch, with Rick Storozick and Rob Merriman, built one of the best tennis teams in Vegas. TEAM MISSION HILLS. The name is a park they play at but speaks volumes about the heart these players bring to the practice court. Intense and serious Saad has a crew of players that probably otherwise would have drifted off into tennis ether if it were not for his efforts. Part of this team is Gabrielle Smith and Paula Martinez, who took the girls consolation finals trophies. Gabrielle won in two sets. She comes from a tennis family including Mitchell Smith and aunt Jessica Carter from St. George , Utah. John Tuthill, with Mission Hills, also placed taking second in the boys 14 consolation final to Baron Giuffria. Baron's dad Greg was a world known Musician and singer in the band Giuffria. An 80's, jordache wearing long hair, hard rock singer with a #1 hit singles. Tuthill was also on the TEAM TENNIS championship team that went to sectionals and did extremely well against the players in Intermountain.

It  was home club player   Natasha James who won girls 14's over  Danielle Ingwaldson 6-2; 6-4. Natasha did very well, climbing through the draw beating Danielle in two. Her net game intimidates many young players who are not use to that type of play and quick movement to the net.

The Ingwaldson's, including Danielle, Danae and Danica, were just voted tennis family of the year. Dick has his own mini-tennis academy with Leon Vernon, who at the break of dawn every morning, they go play tennis for an hour and a half, then off to school. But what I have noticed is that their tennis play is absent the "You have to" or the pressure which is often applied to many players who would have a similar schedule. I have found that if you create an environment for players to play, they will play. There is no need to force, and I have never seen Dick force or unload with a barrel of frustration on his kids, like many big time tennis parents can get. These girls just quietly get out there and play and over the last year they have come on fire. Young Danae also is often a great help at many of the events I help put together. This family has definitely made an impact on tennis in the Valley.. "One match at a time."

Boys 12 had Warren Schwikert continued the success he has had in the 10's with a consolation win in the 12's

Ernestine Miclat, also of TEAM MISSION HILLS, won her consolation semifinals against he formidable Iesha James before losing in the consolation final to Ali Murphy, who came from Mission Hills but now trains with Ki Kroll.

The big win for TEAM MISSION HILLS came from Cheryl Bon, who last year moved away, but has since come back to the Vegas Valley to see a new and bigger tennis community. Now she won the 16's beating Brittany Hanna in the three set 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 final.

What would VegasTennis be without a Hennessy, Kevin Bradley, Allan Brown, Dan Knight, Ben Coates, Sean Monk, Stephane Matheu, Owen Hambrook, Misha Yevtich and Ted Shively, without the TEAM MONTE CARLO, TEAM AGASSI and now the newly formed TEAM TURNBERRY, Sponsored by VegasTennis.com.

The TEAM environment is what made tennis HUGE in Europe. One player that played in Europe compared European Team Tennis to NBA basketball in the states. Now Vegas is starting to form informal and some formal teams.

Marty Hennessy has put together TEAM TURNBERRY, with a few of the best of the best players in town. Included in this group is Frideric Prandecki, who moved back to the United States after being highly ranked in Poland as a 15 year old. He stormed onto the scene when VegasTennis.com took him down to Utah's Duel in the Desert and he won it beating arguably the best or 2nd best player in the Intermountain, Wesley Hancock. Also on the team is Ryan Gormley, Jonathan Ribaste, and Gustavo Garbim.

Gustavo is this years STATE FINALIST, second to only STATE CHAMPION CAMERON PARKER. Gustavo just won CLUBSPORTS HOLIDAY CLASSIC, and took second at RED ROCK to Utah's before mentioned WESLEY HANCOCK.

GORMLEY'S RECORD speaks for itself, and I already explained in my last article why Ribaste will be one of the toughest players this town has produced.

Taking second in the boys 18 draw was Ananda Sawwmynaden, who was not only a fine athlete, built like a truck, but had a hustle that is the example for all to follow. I myself am a horrible tennis player, but what I have is a no quit hustle which will let me beat quitters and impatient players. A hustler like this always gives himself one more chance.

 I realized the other day when watching someone quit that what separates a quitter from someone who never quits is the attitude of going after every ball 100% even if you believe you have no chance of getting it. I go after every ball, even when it seems there is no way to get it. Then at least I know I never quit. But what I have found is, even though I think I can never get it, by going for it anyway, I often find myself getting balls that I am amazed I actually get, and before I know it I am back in the point. If a bad player like myself can do it, it is great to see a good athlete and tennis player like Ananda play this way. Almost all the New Mexico Military Institute players had this hustle and it not only took them a long way in the draw, but demanded the respect from opponents.

The military Institute has 12 tennis courts in Roswell New Mexico where it is 85 degrees this time of year. The coach has a brother in town and said he is willing to bring his players into town for a good size tournament going forward. Their presence is an asset to the local tennis community and these boys demonstrated a nice discipline and gentleman like behavior. They were a great representation for their school. Had I not seen then play and act I would never look at the schools web site or inquire about it. But after seeing them hustle and their attitude, I looked the schools web site up and talked to the coach about the school. Click here to see the schools web site.

He explained that the private boarding school has an in depth tennis program and has 6 full scholarships for junior college and high school that are available for tennis players in Las Vegas that are interested in tennis and discovering the disciplines of "Man hood." I often saw the VALLEY FORGE MILITARY ACADEMY students near where I grew up and thought that the discipline there may have been good for me, as I was a free spirit as a kid. As I got older, and realized making better choices was to my benefit, that discipline came naturally. People find this in themselves and are either willing to rise to the occasion or not. Perhaps they can find it a military Academy. Ironically, I found it when I moved to Las Vegas. Where all my friends felt I would go to Vegas and go out all the time, I moved to Vegas and have never been healthier. It is not where you are, but what you choose to do and therefore be.

This weekend TEAM TURNBERRY won over TEAM AGASSI, in TEAM TURNBERRY'S first showing. Prandecki, a TEAM TURNBERRY player, beat the often unbeaten STAN BRELAND in two very close sets. While TEAM TURNBERRY has the most recent win, it will take some time to catch up with TEAM AGASSI, which has been winning metal for a long time now.

Also coming on strong recently has been Adam Yee's TEAM DESERT PALM. Adam's students took home a lot of trophy's this past weekend and began to show themselves  competitive starting this past summer at Lorenzi. Desert Palm, almost like a tennis canary, has so many kids from the day school. Adam has succeeded in taking those who are truly interested and creating an environment for them to play in. That is often the secret.. create an environment that is fun and competitive. That is what VegasTennis.com's weekly mini-tournaments are. One night 2-3 hour mini tournaments where many kids from all over come and compete with each other, and each week they always play well into the night enjoying themselves.

TEAM DESERT PALM Anita Lee beat TEAM MISSION HILLS Toby Miclat to win the club sport girls 12's. Anita Lee's dad run's a body shop in case any of you tennis people need your car taken care of by someone you can trust. He has been in Las Vegas doing this for almost as long as Hennessy has been doing tennis.

Other pro's that have contributed a great deal are Ken Shioi at TPC who is training the next generation. And pro's like BALLY'S David Pate, who after hearing about what happened at Desert Palm's tournament that never was, called me and told me I could always use his facility; hence the BALLY'S CUP, VegasTennis.com SUMMER CHALLENGE and the weekly VegasTennis.com Match Play mini-tournaments.

These events have been a staple for this web site and serve as a weekly coming together, fund raiser, and place where I can once in a while play the game that got me into making this web site in the first place. If it was not for the weekly events, the yearly VegasTennis.com tournament and pro's like Allan Brown, Marty Hennessy, Dan Knight, Jeff Foley supporting this web site by having me promote their tournaments, then a lot of the events, tennis and this web site would not be what it is today. It just goes to show what can be done when people come together and do what they know to be right. Magical things can happen. Be a part of it.

This web site and Las Vegas Tennis thrives on your participation. If you are willing to get involved, help with events or anything you might be led to do, e-mail me at VegasTenniscom@aol.com  or call me at 822-1081.

The time is now.