April 5, 2024

Welcome New Board Member Sophie Wax 

Sophie, 21, is a Newton North grad, Tufts University Junior, biomedical engineering major, co-captain of the Tufts women’s tennis team, and 2023 Garden City Doubles Championships competitor.  She began serving a two-year term on the board of directors of Friends of Newton Tennis (FoNT) in January.  After organizing high-performance Battle of Boston tournaments last summer, Sophie will now serve as director of FoNT youth and adult summer tournaments! Welcome Sophie!   

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 

More Opportunities to Play Tennis

The Garden City Tennis Events is growing! This year we will host three types of community tennis events:

• Junior Challengers Series: summertime weekly round robins for kids at Charles River Country Club

• Singles Championships: August 16-18 at Newton North High School 

• Doubles Championships: September 7-8 (for Advanced - High Performance players) and September 14-15 (for Novice - Intermediate players) at Newton North. 

All events are open to city residents and nonresidents. In 2023, our doubles tournament attracted players from 37 Massachusetts cities and towns, eight states, and nine countries. These events offer fun, competition at every skill level, and a chance to meet other tennis players at your level.

To register, go to: https://app.utrsports.net/clubs/904654

For more details, keep reading. 

NEW! Junior Challenger Series

Thursdays, June 13 to August 22, 3:30-7 pm at Charles River Country Club 

This series – offering weekly, level-based round robins for novice to intermediate players ages 7-13 – is the brainchild of new FoNT Board Member Sophie Wax and Charles River Country Club tennis director and Brandeis men’s tennis coach Christo Schultz. 

The Junior Challenger Series will provide fun matches for kids starting out in tennis, hoping to get more involved, or looking to improve. If they have never played a tournament before, we will ease them into the tennis process. The goal is to provide a fun summer afternoon activity for young players. It will be no stress, enjoyable, inclusive, and (did we say it enough?) fun!

Cost: $25 per child per weekly session.  We will waive fees for those who cannot afford the entry fee. 

 NEW! Garden City Singles Championships  

August 15-17 at Newton North High School 

This end-of-summer singles tournament will have a 32-player, co-ed, high-performance draw. To attract the best local high school, college, and adult players, the tournament will offer $1,000 in prize money and gift cards for the winners and runners-up and include a qualifying round for a limited number of open first-round slots.

The event was requested by many Newton residents who have played in the Garden City Doubles Championships and enjoy singles competitions. In future years, FoNT and the City of Newton Department of Parks, Recreation and Culture hope to expand the singles tournament to include novice and intermediate players. 

Cost: $75 per player. Fee waivers available for players who cannot afford the entry fee. 

3rd Annual Garden City Doubles Championships

September 7-8 Advanced to High Performance at Newton North High School

September 14-15 Novice to Intermediate at Newton North High School

This tournament continues to expand after a highly successful 2023 event with 225 players. All players are guaranteed at least three matches, and we will use the well-known Universal Tennis Rating (UTR) level-based Compass format to set up the matches.  We welcome any combination of single- or mixed-gender teams.

On September 7-8, advanced and high-performance high school, college, and adult players are invited to compete for $1,500 in prize money and gift cards. Each player will earn UTR points, which are also applicable to the new USTA World Tennis Number rating. Even if you are not playing, this is a terrific opportunity to come watch some of the top players in the area.  Last year’s tournament included players who previously were on the ATP tour.

On September 14-15, novice and intermediate players age 10 and up are invited to compete for trophies, gift cards, and tennis products. This level-based tournament is designed to accommodate many skill levels and ages. 

Tournament fees: $100 per team. Registration is limited to the first 16 teams per draw/division.

Our volunteer tournament committee includes Ben Baron, Alastair Chapman, Troy Crichlow, Noura Guermazi, Stephanie Lapham, Stan Mescon, Sami O'Reilly, and Sophie Wax.

If you’d like to be involved, please contact Tom Friedman at thomasharoldf@gmail.com.

Newton Players in the News

Alastair Chapman - ranked #3 in National Men's 50 Singles with championships at Grass Court Senior Slam at Agawam Hunt and Rhode Island Clay Court Championships.

Stan Mescon - ranked #2 in Men's 70 National Doubles with Alan Turner (Brookfield, CT) with championship at Wilson World Tennis Classic in Palm Desert, CA.  

Lochlan Seth - four-star recruit who plays #1 for Newton North committed to playing at Colgate University. 

Andy Feldman - former Newton South star plays #4/5 at Connecticut College.

Sophie Wax - former Newton North star plays #3 for Tufts University. 

City of Newton Tennis Instructional Programs

The City of Newton and JXS Tennis Academy are offering spring and summer adult clinics, semi-private, and private lessons, as well as pre-season and summer half-day and full-day camps for children (7-12 years old).  For more information, click on Tennis Instructional Programs.   

Newton Centre Playground Clay Courts Open in May

The City of Newton and JXS Academy expect to open the five historic public clay courts May 1. Membership includes court reservations and discounts on round robins and other events. Adult membership fees are $320 for members and $370 for nonresidents. Membership fees for children and teenage members (6-17 years) are $180 (residents) and $230 (nonresidents). For more information, click on Clay Court Membership. 

Advice Column:  "The Desire to Win" by FoNT Board Member Brian Lomax

Enjoyment, learning and improving, and playing to win are the key components of being competitive. Being obsessed with results isn't a part of it. But you do have to "want to win," and wanting to win isn't as easy as it sounds. Read more here. 

Newton South Girls’ Tennis Looks To Serve Strong 2024 Season

(from Newton Beacon, April 5, 2024 by Sarah Schwartz)

Newton South’s girls’ tennis team Is back In the swing of things.

Led by the strong leadership of head coach Noura Guermazi, the group eyes another fun and successful season.

The team, which reached the 2023 Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association playoffs as the sixth seed, had its first preseason match on Monday, April 1 against Brookline.

Sophomore Olivia Whitaker called the team’s commanding 5-0 sweep a great start for the season and an important confidence booster.

“Having the match really just took a lot of the stress off,” Whitaker said. “To start the season off with a sweep was really important for our morale because at practices, I think all of us were just adjusting to being outside.” 

Junior Jenna Kriensky, who has played many different sports, said the team’s positive and inclusive culture is what makes the group unique. 

“It’s honestly such an amazing environment. Everybody’s so nice and genuinely everybody really, really gets along,” she said.

Click here to read entire article 

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