TennisIDENTITY

Fila serves up a special BNP Paribas Open accessories collection.

Ready for desert tennis California style? Fila is with this special edition collection designed for the BNP Paribas Open. Included in the group are: a lined French terry backpack, $40; a lined canvas tote with removable matching wristlet, $49; French terry bucket hat, $24; and, comfy memory foam flip flops (great for after play) $30.

File this gear under tennis lifestyle. I love the punchy tournament colors on white and French terry fabric that stipulates lounging at a retro infused Palm Springs resort. Fab tournament mementos.

Only at the BNP Paribas Open.

A NYC Secret. Vanderbilt Tennis Club in Grand Central Station.

Watching great tennis always instills a hankering to play. As you zip in and out of NYC for the US Open make a tennis date at Vanderbilt Tennis Club inside Grand Central Terminal. The view through that window? Ribbons of yellow cabs headed into the hub.

Above the one full court is another great training spot. The facility has taken a half-court, divided it, and runs Playmate chameleon series controllers and feeding machines with automatic ball collectors on each court.  The result is a very intense workout since your opponent never needs to take a break. 

Sensors gather data on your hitting which can then be viewed on a tablet nearby.

 

That's Dadi Zvulun, Manager and Head Pro at Vanderbilt, who kindly showed me around and demo'd the practice court with a few volleys.

Cool place and you don't need to be a member or find a partner to play there. More info at Vanderbilt Tennis Club.

Tennis Travel 2011. World's Top 10 Tennis Resorts and Camps.

Tennis Resorts Online has just published its 2011 list of the Top 100 Tennis Resorts and Camps in the world. I'm a big fan of vacation (who isn't actually) and a tennis vacation...heavenly. Sites were selected based upon reviews by over 2,500 avid tennis playing vacationers. Below, no pay-to-play favors here, just the straight-up on the top 10 in each category:

2011 Top 10 Tennis Resorts:

1. Kiawah Island Golf Resort, South Carolina

2. Rancho Valencia, An Auberge Resort, California

3. La Quinta Resort & Club, California

4. Bio-Hotel Stanglwirt, Austria

5. Wild Dunes, South Carolina

6. Caneel Bay, A Rosewood Resort, U.S. Virgin Islands

7. Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, Hawaii

8. Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort, South Carolina

9. Topnotch Resort & Spa, Vermont

10. Longboat Key Resort & Club, Florida

2011 Top 10 Tennis Camps:

1. Roy Emerson Tennis Weeks, Switzerland

2. New England Tennis Holidays at Sugarbush, Vermont

3. Cliff Drysdale Tennis School at Stratton, Vermont

4. PBI Tennis Camp at Bio-Hotel Stanglwirt, Austria

5. Saddlebrook Tennis, Florida

6. Topnotch Tennis Academy, Vermont

7. Wintergreen Tennis Academy, Virginia

8. Reed Anderson Tennis School, California

9. Vermont Tennis Vacations at The Essex, Vermont

10. Stan Smith Tennis Academy, Sea Pines, South Carolina

Visit Tennis Resorts Online for the full 100 lists and detail on how the locations were ranked. The website, launched in 1999, is run by Roger Cox, the former travel and resorts editor for Tennis Magazine.

 

 

The art of tennis. Courts on canvas.

It's a little early to cover Wimbledon but for those making plans to head that way, here's something you may want to add to your trip. 

The Barber Institute of Fine Arts at the University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, England opens a new art exhibit May 27 entitled "Court on Canvas" Tennis in Art that traces the game from the 1870s through the 21st century. Lawn tennis is a special feature.

Artists back in the early days of the game were said to have been particularly enamored with the tennis addicted as they now had an opportunity to depict movement, particularly that of females. Tennis is one of the first sports that women were allowed to participate in.

According to the museum, the first game of tennis was played in 1859 by Major Harry Gem and friend, Jean Batista Augurio Perera, on a court, down the street from the museum at 8 Ampton Road, Edgbaston. And so there you have it. The history of tennis in art where the game began.

Above is "A Rally" by Sir John Lavery from 1885. Below is something more modern, "The Tennis Players" by Christopher Wood, 1921. Other tennis inspired artists exhibited include: Spencer Gore, LS Lowry, Stanley Spencer, Eric Ravilious, Winnie the Pooh illustrator EH Shepard, David Hockney and Tom Phillips. The iconic 1970s Athena Tennis Girl poster, itself photographed on a tennis court at the University of Birmingham, will also be featured.

The museum is about 1 1/2 hours from Wimbledon or 1 hr. 15 min from London and the exhibit runs through September 18, 2011. Visit The Barber Institute of Fine Arts for more info.

Win a trip for two to the 2009 U.S. Open.

On the Baseline Tennis News and Grand Slam Tennis Tours are are offering up a chance at a trip for two to the 2009 U.S. Open.

This special Labor Day getaway package includes three days and nights at the Le Parker Meridien hotel and luxury suite tickets in Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Toss your name in the hat. I KNOW you want to go.  Learn more and register HERE.

Trip courtesy of: On the Baseline Tennis News and Grand Slam Tennis Tours.

Celebrating Guga, Brazil And Of Course Tennis

Bring flash and a a little Gustavo Keurten passion to your game with this Guga 10th Anniversary Crew from Diadora. The polo pictured here, $67.99 is similar to the one the Brazilian wore during his first Roland Garros Championship. The design is also available as a crew, $54.99. Get it at Tennis-Warehouse.

Look too at the silent auction going on now through October 31 to benefit Instituto Guga Kuerten, Gustavo's charity dedicated to improving the lives of underprivileged kids in Brazil. Ponta dos Ganchos ,  a seriously stunning looking resort in Guga's hometown of Florianopolis is taking bids for stays in the resort's newest luxury sea-side bungalows. They have one fabulous clay court on the water and will bring in a pro just for you if you would like. Email the resort at  reservas@pontadosganchos.com.br for more information or to bid. Image Source

Davis Cup Team Players Announced. Semifinals in Madrid's Plaza de Toros Las Ventas Sept. 19-21. You Can Be There.

The USTA and U.S. Davis Cup Captain Patrick McEnroe just announced that Andy Roddick, James Blake, Bob and Mike Bryan will be representing the U.S. in the Davis Cup semifinals against Spain, September 19-21 . The matches will be played inside the Plaza de Toros Las Ventas in Madrid, a bull-ring that seats 21,000. Either Andy or James will likely face Rafa. That's Rafa, in Spain, on clay. Our guys are going to need a little red white and blue presence in that arena. Get yourselves over there!

If you want to go, you still can and it's easy. Check out what packages Grand Slam Tennis Tours has to offer. One of our friends took a recent tour with these guys and said it was awesome. They have done ALL the work. Pack your racquets. You'll want to find some red clay to test your game too.

Meet Bud Collins and Ashley Harkleroad At the First-Ever, Pop-Up Store in NYC, "US Open Soho"

The USTA just announced its first ever pop-up store, US Open Soho set to open 10 AM - 7 PM, August 22 through September 9 at 129 Prince Street in Manhattan's Soho Shopping District. Check out the expanded, officially licensed US Open offerings including the new Under Armour line, the new US Open DVD game and a vintage clothing line created to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Open Era. 

You can, of course buy some of the offerings online or at the Open but Bud Collins will be in Soho Sunday August 24 at 5:00 PM to sign his book, The Bud Collins History of Tennis; and boys, Ashley Harkleroad will be there signing autographs, Tuesday, August 26 at 5:30 PM. She is riding the tide of "tennis fame." Have fun.

Grow Your Game. Play with Todd Martin at Ginn Hammock Beach Resort in Florida

Extend your warm weather season with a fall trip to Florida and the luxurious Ginn Hammock Beach Resort in Palm Coast (north-east Florida near Jacksonville). The resort is offering a special Todd Martin Weekend, October 3-5 with unlimited tennis, instruction, drills and play with Martin. The weekend for all player levels starts at $455 per person (based on double occ.). Visit Hammock Beach or call 888-246-5500 to learn more and book a reservation. Deadline is September 29.

Federer vs. Sampras, March 10; Last minute seats available

Tennis fans, according to the folks at Stubhub.com, there are still seats available for the Sold Out March 10 NetJets Showdown between Roger Federer and Pete Sampras at Madison Square Garden in NYC. Stubhub is an online ticket reseller. There are a few extra fees involved but it's all outlined on the site. If you are dying to go...here's your chance. Go to www.stubhub.com.