Junior Challengers Off to Strong Start

We have a terrific group of young girls and boys ages 7-14 from more than 10 Boston.area communities playing in the novice to intermediate Garden City Junior Challengers.

Playing on the clay courts at the Charles River Country Club every week, the children play three short, friendly and casual matches over an hour and half.  Using a round-robin format, the Junior Challengers are complementary to regular tennis instruction, allowing childen to experience the serendipity of match play. 

Everyone agrees the highlight has been the post-match “buddy bench," during which players share with their opponent what they did well on the court. 

Buddy Bench Quote of the Week:  

“He (my opponent) had great sportsmanship and a funny sense of humor. Great match. I just had so much fun.” 

Why the Junior Challengers?

Our goal is to create a tournament atmosphere for younger players that fosters learning, self-reflection, and social etiquette. Benefits include the following: 

• Playing with friends and making new ones (versus the more isolating tournament experience of playing against others).

• Developing children's integrity, one line call at a time.  

• Learning how to improve through the “buddy bench” process.

• Emphasizing to parents the power of sharing positive feedback; for example, telling kids “I love to watch you play.”  

• Helping parents to discuss appropriate behavior with their child (e.g., “I don't care about your results, but I do care about the way you conduct yourself.”) 

• Encouraging children to arrange matches on their own with other kids with whom they have played a good match.

July/August Schedule and Registration Link

• Friday, July 19 (Longwood Cricket Club)

• Tuesday, July 23 (Charles River Country Club)

• Tuesday, July 30 (Charles River Country Club).

• Tuesday, August 6 (Charles River Country Club)

• Tuesday, August 13  (Charles River Country Club)

Click here to register children in the program. If you have any questions, please contact Junior Challengers Tournament Director Sophie Wax at sophiawax23@gmail.com or text/call (617) 678-4658.

The Garden City Junior Challengers is supported with a $40,000, four-year grant from the New England Tennis & Education Foundation in memory of Isadore Singer, a Newton resident and MIT mathematics professor.  The grant supported the Newton Family Tennis Festival in October 2022 and development of the Garden City Tennis Series, a co-ed tournament experience for players of all levels. 

Thank you to FoNT board member Sophie Wax, FoNT advisor Dave Fish and Charles Rivers Country Club Racquet Sports Director Christo Schultz for organizing the Junior Challengers.

Want to learn more about the value of children’s casual match play? 

Tune into this panel discussion with Dave Fish, former Harvard men's varsity coach, Sophie Wax, co-captain of the Tufts University women's team, and Dickie Herbst, former ATP Player and USTA national junior development coach.

FoNT Panel Recording (start at 1 min)
Panel AI Summary

Special Olympics Tennis Volunteering
by Bruce Brumberg

Special Olympics Massachusetts tries to offer an inclusive space for athletes with intellectual disabilities to train and compete.

As a member and sponsor of FoNT and a high school tennis coach, volunteering to help coach the Newton players at the yearly Special Olympics at Harvard on June 8 offered me an opportunity to give back and share my enjoyment of tennis. Many of the other coaches, including FoNT member Constance Cork, and the adult athletes, participated in a weekly tennis program run by Newton Athletes Unlimited in partnership with the Newton Parks, Recreation and Culture Department.

It was a rewarding and inspiring experience as these athletes with intellectual challenges, many with Down syndrome or autism, are thrilled to receive and eager to get coaching. While accepting their own limitations, they are proud, determined, and competitive.

It also taught me how many aspects of tennis can be confusing, such as hitting serves into the correct box, where to stand in doubles, how to properly grip the racket, and scoring. Despite these challenges, each athlete seemed to thrive and find joy in their own way at the event, often with family and friends watching.

Newton South Court Resurfacing Completed

Sports Tek Athletic Surfaces, Newton’s tennis court repair and maintenance vendor, has finished resurfacing eight hard courts at Newton South High School in early July.  This work completes crack repair, repainting, and relining of the 12 courts, four of which were finished last fall. 

This $165,000 project represents the latest initiative by the City of Newton Department of Parks, Recreation and Culture and the Mayor’s Office to safeguard the largest bank of high school tennis courts in the Greater Boston area. 

Situated in a large wetland in the South Meadow Brook watershed, the Newton South courts crack frequently due to hydrostatic pressure and winter freezing and thawing cycles of the wetland.  In addition, the ability to make repairs to the foundation is limited due to the stormwater pipe system beneath the courts.

Furthermore, when courts were replaced in 2017, the asphalt paving vendor laid down seams east-west across the width of the courts on both sides of the net, resulting in structural weaknesses. On asphalt courts, north-south seams running vertically between courts are the gold standard. 

In the future, whenever the city deems the courts at their end of life and requiring full replacement, it will consider state-of-the-art post-tensioned concrete courts with a 20-year no-crack warranty. Lexington and Framingham have installed post-tensioned concrete courts in the past year, and the Needham Select Board is considering a $2 million replacement of its high school courts. 

In a letter dated March 29, 2024, The Friends of Newton Tennis recommended that the City Council prioritize $165,000 in funding for crack repair, resurfacing, and relining of  Newton South High School courts. The funds come from a combination of the city’s tennis instructional revenues, FoNT’s annual donation, and the Parks, Recreation and Culture revolving account. Other repairs in the pipeline include fixing cracks and net anchors at Newton North and fixing cracks and surface issues at Cabot Park.

Friends of Newton Tennis has finished its 2024 Court Audit of Newton's 65 Hard and Clay Courts and presented it to the Department of Parks, Recreation and Culture. Thank you to the volunteers who helped compile this year’s in-depth audit, which helps the city set maintenance and repair priorities.

Newton South Girls Advance to State Semis in June

In the state D1 Girls State Tournament Semi Finals, Newton South (10-5) lost  4-1 to #2 Boston Latin (14-2). 

Here is a blow-by-blow wrapup of the exciting Round of Eight action directly from Coach Noura Guermazi: #6 Newton South Girls Tennis Team  (9-5) beat #3 Westford Academy

“After our first doubles team (the Sayers sisters, Lauren and Julia) won our first point, then Julia Arboleda lost third singles and we were tied 1-1. Shortly after that, we lost our second doubles match (Mana Hayashida and Julia Lee) and we were down 1-2.

At first singles, Olivia Whitaker lost the first set 1-6 but took the second set 6-3, and then started a third set. Meanwhile, second singles player Manel Guermazi had taken the first set 7-5, lost the second set 3-6, and started a third set!  She was tied 3-3 in her third set when Olivia won her third set and our second point.

At this time, we are tied 2-2 with Westford! 

So it was up to our second singles to bring the trophy home! Well ... Manel did just that;  she won that third set 6-3!!!! The club was closing at 4 pm, and we finished at 4:05 pm! Phew!

Just thought you would appreciate the drama!”

Local Tennis News Nuggets

Newton North Senior Advances to State High School Singles Final:  Lochlan Seth, a four-star college recruit from West Newton, won three matches in straight sets to become a finalist in the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association singles championships in early June. In the finals at Longfellow Tennis Club in Wayland, Seth lost in a tight three-set match to Connor Liona of Westford Academy. Seth will play tennis at D1 Colgate University in the 2024-25 season.   

Newton North Boys Loses Squeaker in State Championships: The #3 ranked Newton North boys tennis team (16-2) lost a hard-fought 3-2 battle to rival #6 Brookline in the Round of Eight in the state team championships.  In the two previous meetings this season, Newton North won 3-2 on a home and away basis. 

Newton Seniors Dominate Hardcourt Slam in Connecticut.

Congratulations to three local residents who won their divisions in singles at the USTA New England Senior Hardcourt Slam at Guilford Racquet Club, May 30-June 2:

• Men's 50s singles and doubles winner: Alastair Chapman (Newtonville)

• Men's 55s singles winner: Carlos Lopez (Newton Centre)

• Men's 70s singles and doubles winner: Stan Mescon (Newton Highlands)

Tennis IQ Podcast:

Williams’ Sisters Coach, Strategic Play, and Footwork 

Rick Macci is a coaching legend, well known for his role in the development of Venus and Serena Williams as two of the greatest players in history (as depicted in the movie, King Richard). Listen to Tennis IQ Podcast’s conversation with Rick here.

Ryan Harrison is a former top 40 professional singles player, and a Grand Slam doubles champion. He is now the Head Coach at Harrison Tennis Academy and he's working with several pro players. Learn about his philosophy of better player, better results in this discussion.

Dave Bailey is the world's foremost authority on tennis footwork. I believe you will love this conversation with Dave, and you may even find yourself booking a four-day trip to Orlando to work with him. :)

Tennis IQ Podcasts are co-produced by FoNT Board member and sports performance coach Brian Lomax, Ed.D. Reach Brian at 774-285-4179 and brian.d.lomax@gmail.com

Getting in Tennis Shape 

Garden City Tennis Series sponsorship partner Cardio High Fitness offers tennis players a unique interval training program designed by a tennis player. The program improves speed, strength, endurance and range of motion. Click here to try a free class or email info@cardiohigh.com for more details.

How We Get Things Done

When you receive an email from FoNT about membership, year-end donations, or tennis tournaments, please respond by joining, giving funds (of any amount), or registering to play.  

Since 2021, this combination of grassroots fundraising has allowed FoNT to contribute $60,000 to repair and maintain city courts (including resurfacing, nets, net poles, and center straps), purchase windscreens for the high schools and some parks, and schedule special events (such as our 2022 Family Tennis Festival and annual Garden City Doubles Championships). 

More importantly, our grassroots fundraising demonstrates to city officials that FoNT is a cohesive community of racquet sports enthusiasts who value their municipal courts. This community interest becomes important when the City Council appropriates funds for capital-intensive racquet sports projects (such as court resurfacing at Newton North and South high schools and proposed pickleball courts at Albemarle Park). 

As Mayor Ruthanne Fuller said at our November 2023 check-passing ceremony,

“FoNT is the role model for positive, hard work that makes a difference in the life of city residents. And you do this in a way that builds community.”  

So, please give what you can to support tennis in Newton. Your contribution makes a huge difference.

Link to membership/donations 

Want to get involved?

The Friends of Newton Tennis are always looking for individuals who want to support and grow tennis in Newton. If you are interested in helping with any of the tournaments or our other work (e.g., fundraising, membership, communications, annual court audit, advocacy for tennis and other racquet sports), please email Tom Friedman at thomasharoldf@gmail.com