Former Tennis Pro Andy Ram Talks Tennis Wisdom

Andy Ram

Kings County Tennis League recently had the pleasure of speaking with retired tennis pro Andy Ram. Andy, who hails from Israel, is best known for his performance in Men’s Doubles; in 2008, he and his partner Jonathan Elrich ranked fifth in the world.

Today, Andy serves as the CEO of Pulse Play, a social tennis smart watch for scorekeeping and rankings. Though Andy no longer competes on the court, his continued involvement in the tennis community positions him as an excellent resource to players of all abilities. Whether you’re just learning the game or have been playing for decades, we hope that Andy’s tennis advice works to your advantage.

How were you introduced to tennis?

My father introduced me to tennis when I was five years old. As an ex-soccer player who experienced multiple injuries, he wanted his kids to play non-contact sports.

Who were your role models as you first learned the game?

Jimmy Conners, Boris Becker, Stefan Edberg, but my favorite was definitely Andre Agassi.

What advice would you give to a discouraged young player who hasn't yet mastered the basics?

Always remember you're there to enjoy the game. If you combine your dedication and commitment with a smile, you'll both master the basics and enjoy the journey getting there.

What do you think is the greatest mental/emotional benefit of playing tennis?

Balancing the competitive nature of the game with respect and sportsmanship. This is a huge part of the game and something you can extend to your life outside the court.

What is the greatest tennis-related challenge you've had to overcome in your career?

Coming back to the game from injury. In 2002, I underwent two surgeries: one on my knee and the other on my back. I was on crutches for three months and out of the game for a year. Starting again from zero to get back to pro-level was the toughest challenge I ever experienced, but I persevered and I did it.

Pulse Play's social integration is building a global community of tennis players. How do you feel that tennis builds community in general?

What I love about tennis is how naturally social it is. It's an international sport that brings people together.

What is your favorite thing about tennis?

I love the game of tennis because there is no age limit. You can play it from the age of five years old to 90 (and I actually know some 90-year-olds who play it!). It's a sport you can enjoy for life, and from which you can benefit physically, mentally and socially.

Pro Tennis: Wimbledon Women's Winner - Petra Kvitova

Since there was no class this past weekend due to the holiday, I thought we'd continue our Pro Tennis series because there was plenty of Wimbledon this weekend. Click to learn more about Wimbledon's Men's winner, Novak Djokovic who was featured in our tennis pro series last year. This post is dedicated to the Wimbledon women's winner, Petra Kvitova (Czech).

This is Petra's second Wimbledon win, she won previously in 2011 by beating Maria Sharapova (6-3, 6-4). This year, she defeated Bouchard (6-3, 6-0) to win the title. In 2012, she reached the semifinals of the Australian Open and the French Open. Her highest career-ranking was world no. 2 in 2011. Her current ranking is 4th in the world. Kvitova went pro in 2006.

Fun facts: Kvitova is left-handed. She hits with a double-handed backhand. She also plays basketball and volleyball.

For more information on Kvitova, check out her website or her Wikipedia page.

Pro Tennis: Arthur Ashe

Last Saturday, KCTL took it's players, volunteers and parents to the US Open's Arthur Ashe Kids Day at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, NY. It's a great day for the kids to watch the professionals practice (there were Nadal, Federer and Djokovic sightings!), get on to the courts for tennis games, and watch live musical performances. But it's also a day to talk about Arthur Ashe and his legacy on and off the court.

Arthur Ashe (1943-1993) was the first, and is still the only, African American male to win the US Open (1968) and Wimbledon (1975). He also won the Australian Open in 1970, and made it to the quarterfinals at the French Open in 1970 and 1971. As a doubles player, he won the Australian Open (1977) and French Open (1971). He also made the finals in Wimbledon (1971) and the US Open (1968).

After Ashe retired in 1980 after heart surgery, he became an author, a civil rights activist, chairman of the American Heart Association, a commentator for ABC Sports, captain of the U.S. Davis Cup team, and founder of the National Junior Tennis League (that KCTL is a part of.)

In 1983, with Harry Belafonte, Ashe founded the Artists and Athletes Against Apartheid. From the Arthur Ashe Learning Center website, "His commitment and efforts toward this cause were such that when Nelson Mandela, a political prisoner of the South African government for 27 years, was first set free and was asked whom in the U.S. he wished to have visit, he said, 'How about Arthur Ashe?'"

Arthur Ashe died in 1993 from AIDS-related pneumonia. He and his doctors believed he contracted the virus during his second open-heart surgery through blood transfusions. A year before his death, he went public with his illness. Ashe also founded the Arthur Ashe Foundation for the Defeat of AIDS and Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health.

In 1979, he was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame. In 1983, he was inducted into the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Hall of Fame. In 1985, he was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. In 1986, Ashe won a sports Emmy.

After his death, President Clinton posthumously awarded Ashe the Presidential Medal of Freedom. And in 1993, he received the Award for Greatest Public Service Benefiting the Disadvantaged. The main stadium at the US Open, the Health and Wellness Center at his alma mater at UCLA, and an ESPN ESPY award are all named in his honor. In 2005, the USPS released a commemorative Arthur Ashe postal stamp.

To learn more about Arthur Ashe:

• Arthur Ashe Wikipedia Page
• Arthur Ashe Learning Center

Pro Tennis: #1 Women's Doubles – Roberta Vinci and Sara Errani

According to the Women's Tennis Assocciation (WTA) the current #1 women's doubles team is Sara Errani (Italy) and Roberta Vinci (Italy). Together, they've won the 2012 French Open, US Open and Australian Open. To say the least, 2012 was a very good year for the team. Vinci is ranked #11 in Singles while her doubles partner, Errani, is ranked at #6. In 2012, Vinci made it to the quarterfinals in women's singles at the U.S. Open, but her partner Errani edged her out, 6-2, 6-4. Errani went on to lose to Serena Williams in the semifinals, 6-0, 6-1.

Sara Errani was born in Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy and has trained as a teenager in both Florida and Valencia, Spain. Errani is right-handed, with a two-handed backhand. She's know as a "clay-court" specialist and is "renowned for her use of strategy on the surface—including her tendency to position herself well, and to return serves early." She won the 2012 French Open (on clay) in singles defeating Maria Sharapova. Learn more about Sara Errani.

Roberta Vinci was born in Taranto, Italy. Vinci has won 27 WTA Tour titles, eight in singles and 19 in doubles. She is right-handed with a one-handed backhand. Vinci is self-described as nice, clever, polite. Learn more about Roberta Vinci.

VIDEO: Youth Tennis Inspiration

We're approaching mid-season, and I thought that instead of just posting the usual video tutorial, I'd post a few inspiring videos. KCTL is determined to bring tennis to the kids because we truly believe kids can learn so many things about themselves and life through the game of tennis, and that everyone should have the opportunity to play if they so choose.

Here's a quick video from the USTA highlighting that yes, Under 10 youth tennis is definitely real tennis. And these kids are yes, real tennis players. If you disagree, swing by the KCTL courts the next time we have a public event. We'll change your mind!

For more inspiration, here's a video of Serena Williams playing at age 12.

Lastly, here's a video from PlaySportsTV for our players and coaches. Sometimes it can be hard for younger kids to keep the ball in the court as they begin to rally with each other. Try a "juggle rally" to keep the ball in play longer. Watch the video on YouTube.

Pro Tennis: Andy Murray

On Saturday, July 6, Andy Murray broke a 77-year dry spell for Britain. He won London's grand slam, Wimbledon aka The Championships, by beating Novak Djokovic 6-4 7-5 6-4. It was an impressive match, you can watch match highlights here.

Andy Murray is Scottish and British and currently ranked #2 in the world. The past year has been a solid one for him, he won the gold at the 2012 Olympics beating Roger Federer, and Murray won the 2012 US Open beating Djokovic.

Murray's been playing tennis competitively since the age of 11. Later at 16, he was diagnosed with bipartite patella, where the kneecap remains as two separate bones instead of fusing together in early childhood. During matches, you'll see Murray frequently hold his knee due to the pain caused by the condition. It's incredible that he can play and win with an ailment like that!

Murray's playing style includes groundstrokes with low error rate, an nuanced ability to anticipate and react and quick transitions from defense to offense. Murray is one of the top returners in the game, returning fast serves with his excellent reach and ability to anticipate. For this reason, Murray is rarely aced. Murray is known for being one of the most intelligent tacticians on the court, often constructing points. It's also been suggested that Murray has the best lob in the game.

For more information, visit his Wikipedia page.

VIDEO: Mini-Court Tennis, Even for the Pros

As our players become more proficient in their strokes, and at the end of the year tournament, we have them play points, games and matches on youth-sized tennis courts. Generally this means, court sizes of 36' x 18' for kids under 8 and 60' x 21' for kids over 9.

Sometimes the older or more advanced youth athletes dislike playing on such a small court. They want to move up to the adult-size court so they can really whack the ball around. But there is much to gain from practicing on a small court -- so much that even the pros do it!

Check out this short video of Novak Djokovic rallying with Dusan Vemic in 2011 on a small court. They get in 68 hits before stopping!