San Francisco Tennis Club Tourney's

[LeeD]

Guys, there's an informal tournament at Watergate in Emeryville, put on by RonnieLouie (2nd oldest of the Louie clan from SanFrancisco) around 11AM on Sunday this weekend. Ronnie was a former lower level A Norcal player. There are 6 courts there, but I don't know the format.
I can't show, my g/f want's to go windsurfing by 1PM.
Oh, back in the mid '80's, I'd played maybe 40 sets of singles on the 19th Ave courts, watching cars speeding by.

 

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

Split which way? Long ways, or does the net bisect the different surface feel?

Net bisects the difference surfaces. Like this.

 

[esgee48]

Correction regarding cost of play at GGP:
M-F $2.00 per court for 90 minutes
Sat & Sun $5.00 per court for 90 minutes ($6.00 if reserved)

 

[LeeD]

I suppose it's 2 bucks per player? So doubles matches lose out.
Just plain $2, hardly seems worth anything.

 

[Fintft]

19th AVE and Vicente is rough, unfinished, butt ugly.
19th STREET and Valencia is two courts that were recently resurfaced, play within the confines of 3 story houses, and is also next to a public swimming pool.

Ah the pool must be indoor then, correct? B/c outside I remember soccer, basketball fields + a structure for kids.

 

[LeeD]

There are NO outside public pools in SanFrancisco since Fleishacker closed a while ago.

 

[eastbayliz]

Tournaments at San Francisco Tennis Club

Tournaments..at The San Francisco Tennis Club..I am getting set up to win (!?) my first NTRP match at 4.0. My record as a 4.5 is 0-5. Coming back to tennis in adulthood has been much more difficult then I first thought it would be. From my vantage point I think the courts at the club are fantastic. BTW someone should start up a tennis in the bay area thread. I pretty much have given up that anyone here besides me is interested in tournaments at SFTC. Have I given up to soon?!

 

[eastbayliz]

Net bisects the difference surfaces. Like this.

[/QUOTE


My first thought.....is this real?! Wow.

 

[tacoben]

RE: SFSU Courts

I do too. However:

Con:
- It's slow as hell there, courts are like sandpaper. Some people like it, but I don't.
- Some of the courts are simply uneven, ESPECIALLY the middle rows, court 9 and beyond. If you look at the lines from a certain angle, you can see the unevenness. And if you hit your spot right, you can get some monster kick serves without trying.
- Whoever positioned the courts need to be fired. Depending on the time of the day, one side of the court stares directly into the sun.

Heard from a reliable source that, SFSU courts will dwindle down to a few to make way for student housing. How soon, I don't know, but my source is an SFSU employee. I don't think they have a tennis team anymore?...I don't even know if they have a club team? Rumors that the Channing courts in Berkeley will also go the way for student housing.

 

[LeeD]

While Channing courts are nicely green, well surfaced, and conveniently located, they're seldom used, take up 1/4 block of prime real estate, and the public get's kicked out if any students want the courts. Good riddance.

 

[beernutz]

While Channing courts are nicely green, well surfaced, and conveniently located, they're seldom used, take up 1/4 block of prime real estate, and the public get's kicked out if any students want the courts. Good riddance.

Why shouldn't students get priority access to those courts? They are owned by the university.

 

[LeeD]

There are 8 courts in a row. The top two and the bottom two have grass growing out of the cracks and along the backfence, so aren't favored.
That leaves 4.
Say two sets of students are using 2 of the courts.
That leaves 2 playable courts.
Say one is in use by the public, and you want to use the other. Any student has rights to YOUR court, and you must vacate.
AND, except for one lone block, there are parking meters on every parking place.

 

[beernutz]

There are 8 courts in a row. The top two and the bottom two have grass growing out of the cracks and along the backfence, so aren't favored.
That leaves 4.
Say two sets of students are using 2 of the courts.
That leaves 2 playable courts.
Say one is in use by the public, and you want to use the other. Any student has rights to YOUR court, and you must vacate.
AND, except for one lone block, there are parking meters on every parking place.

Why shouldn't students get priority access to those courts? They are owned by the university.

 

[LeeD]

I did read your post.
Hence the..... they can make it into student housing, who cares! ......

 

[beernutz]

I did read your post.
Hence the..... they can make it into student housing, who cares! ......

So apparently your problem is reading comprehension?

If the courts are "seldom used" why would students kicking the public off them be something of concern? Even if that did happen
Why shouldn't students get priority access to those courts? They are owned by the university.

 

[LeeD]

OK, you want to debate....
How about groups of University students going to public courts, like the RoseGarden, and rotating thru for what seems like 4 hours. Usually 5-12 players are hanging around (I mean the university students), taking up 2 courts out of the 3 availible public courts.
Is that fair?
They ARE public, but also they have their own two courts only 5 blocks away!

 

[beernutz]

I don't really want to debate, I just wanted you to answer my question about your statement.

But I'll play along. How do you know they are all UC Berkeley university students and even if they are, why shouldn't they have access to the public courts since they are members of the public? As long as they follow the same rules for using the public courts as everyone else does shouldn't they have a right to use the courts? And if these students are using these public courts why don't you go use the 'seldom used' UC Berkeley courts?

 

[LeeD]

They were wearing UCBerkeley sweatshirts, T shirts, and some with logo'd sweats and shorts.
At their own courts, usually Channing, Durant, Euclid, or whereever (Hellman usually has serious players), most students OCCUPY the courts, talk at the net, sit and enjoy the sun, but seldom actually PLAY any tennis. They spend hours strolling for loose balls, then talking again, then both coming to net to TALK, then it's one ball, and the talk begins.
If it's fine with you, I hope YOU can wait for them.

 

[sureshs]

Why are freeloaders taking courts away from students who are paying through their noses for an education?

 

[beernutz]

They were wearing UCBerkeley sweatshirts, T shirts, and some with logo'd sweats and shorts.
At their own courts, usually Channing, Durant, Euclid, or whereever (Hellman usually has serious players), most students OCCUPY the courts, talk at the net, sit and enjoy the sun, but seldom actually PLAY any tennis. They spend hours strolling for loose balls, then talking again, then both coming to net to TALK, then it's one ball, and the talk begins.
If it's fine with you, I hope YOU can wait for them.

Whether it comes to describing how you tossed footballs 75 yards in the air as a scrawny junior high student or how you determine that a group of random young people you see on tennis courts all attend the same university or what they all do on said courts, you are a master of embellishment lee. Clearly it would be a more productive use of my time to bang my head against very hard objects. Enjoy your triumph.

 

[LeeD]

No triumph, I'm a BSA fan.
But if someone in their highest teens wear all UCBerkeley wear, ARE 5 blocks from UCBerk, and EVERYone of their friends wear UCBERK wear, it allows for some assumptions.
I wear UCBerkeley ADVENTURE T shirts, pants, sweats, and everyone asks if I go to the University. I'm 64.

 

[beernutz]

No triumph, I'm a BSA fan.
But if someone in their highest teens wear all UCBerkeley wear, ARE 5 blocks from UCBerk, and EVERYone of their friends wear UCBERK wear, it allows for some assumptions.
I wear UCBerkeley ADVENTURE T shirts, pants, sweats, and everyone asks if I go to the University. I'm 64.

Ok you sucked me in for one more comment. I grew up in a relatively small but well-known university town and I attended three different universities over the course of my matriculation, and I now have worked at two other different universities. Also as part of my job over the last 20 years I've been to dozens of university campuses.

My point is that I don't think in all those experiences over what amounts to about the last 30 years of my life I have ever seen such a consistently-dressed group of college students as the ones you describe which are ALWAYS identifiable on the public courts in question. So my conclusion is that either you are embellishing the facts or that you are delusional. Frankly, I could go either way on that one.

 

[eastbayliz]

Wow what a turn the last few hours have taken since I have played a few sets on some local public courts. I love public courts. I love courts for students.Tennis courts are a great thing as I see it. Prime real estate over courts? No thanks. Now....to prepare for a 6:30 pm 4.0 singles match Friday night at San Francisco Tennis Club. I'll take some serves at Mosswood and say hi to the kids I teach and then get on the BART and get some good mojo going. BART to Market and bus/taxi to SFTC. And I will really enjoy playing (hopefully winning)on some pristine courts.

 

[Major]

Thank goodness I go to a grad school in the bay area with superb courts/access. The private clubs around here sound terrible.

 

[eastbayliz]

Enjoy your time in Graduate School-I know I did! I don't know much about or really care about private clubs unless I am playing a tournament. I learned to play on public courts, got coached on public courts and now am lucky enough to teach tennis to kids on...yeah you guessed it. I see it as a privilege to play on super nice courts when I get the opportunity. Which of course will be this Friday night at SFTC!

 

[4sound]

All the public courts in SF with list of Lights and Hitting Walls.
http://sftenniscourts.com

There is also City College and SF State, Lincoln HS, Lowell HS.

 

[USS Tang]

Question for LeeD: what is "BSA"?

 

[tennis tom]

Whether it comes to describing how you tossed footballs 75 yards in the air as a scrawny junior high student or how you determine that a group of random young people you see on tennis courts all attend the same university or what they all do on said courts, you are a master of embellishment lee. Clearly it would be a more productive use of my time to bang my head against very hard objects. Enjoy your triumph.

BSA's and Triumphs are brands of English made motorcycles. I don't know why some folks here are always bashing LeeD, and thinking he makes this stuff up, I grew up in the same neck of the woods and it all rings true, you can't make that stuff up and why would you? Growing up at Golden Gate Park and on the neighborhood public courts I saw some of the tennis legends he speaks of Tom Brown, Whitney Reed, Rosie Casals, I got recruited by the Louie's mother to play with then when they were little.

That was when Norcal was a tennis powerhouse, Don Budge grew up on Oakland public courts. Norcal can't even sustain an ATP tournament anymore, just lost the SAP--tennis can't compete with all the other things to do, like wine tasting and chasing after food trucks. Ever since the Bezerkly Frankentian social scientists took hold of the brains of the locals and made "competition" a dirty word, tennis went down hill around frisco. Now it's all about league's and being the best of the mediocre nationally.

 

[LeeD]

Another Louie family hitting partner! Brother's in arms.
BirminghamSmallArms
Don't forget CeciMartinez, a top 20 woman's pro who lived right next door to DupontCourts on 32nd and Clement. I got to hit with her maybe my 4th day there, as I was hitting the wall pretty successfully (30+ shots mostly) and she can down to see who can be that consistent besides the great GregDarshanbow (former A level player, never practiced, only played sets).
Oh, those college students. If there were 12 of them, at least 8 word tops with "UCBERK" on them. That's enough sign FOR ME, that they are students at the University. Maybe not enough signs for everyone, but FOR ME, that's a solid indication.

 

[LeeD]

Tom T...
Chuck White, Greg Shepard, Rich Williams, Art Larsen, George Ponticoff, Henry Pon, Ron and Eric Lee, Mark and Mike Gee, Greg, Michael, and Kevin Howard, Andy Luchesi, Jeane Luchesi, Arlene Cohen, Don Nordlinger, Marcie/Ronnie/Ceci/Marissa/Mareen Louies, Tracy Houks, ByronNepomecino, .....and countless more than I had the pleasure to play against and practice with thru 3 years of play at GoldenGatePark in the late '70's.

 

[USS Tang]

OK. I'm one-half NorCal. My mother grew up in Berkeley and went to UC Berkeley (Class of '43). I ended up here in Transchoptankia. far far away from Calif. But, one time in the early 60s, I watched Whitney Reed play here in a tournament. To my amazement, he lit up a cigarette on one of the change-overs. What a great guy! What an American! NorCal knows how to produce them.

 

[LeeD]

Whitney was an old, white hair'ed, balding dude by the time I played there, and I never got on court with him.
I did practice with TomBrown 4 times, maybe 5.
Current g/f is class of 2000 at Berk.
George Ponticoff, the old drunk, smoked a cigarette AND held a beer in his non racket hand while PLAYING!

 

[USS Tang]

Also, Jeff Borowiak. Another Berzerklian. I saw him play here in Transchoptankia at a tournament. Tom Brown was a lot older, if I'm not mistaken.

 

[LeeD]

Well, from the East Bay, Brad and Dana Gilbert, Susan Brown, York, Jeff, and Jerry Jue (I taught the two kids how to swim), Ed Lee.
Tom was 55 around 1978, imagine hitting with a guy that old..... he told me JohnMurio used to be able to beat him in the '60's. John's son was Bob, another hitting partner of mine for a short time.

 

[woodrow1029]

Just as an aside, Clubsport over in Pleasanton has indoor courts, which are pretty nice. I'm not a member but some friends of mine are. I think monthly dues are around $200, which is not bad considering Clubsport is a pretty comprehensive fitness center (weights, aerobics, pilates/yoga/classes, pool, daycare, etc) in addition to the tennis. And I don't think members pay any extra for court time.

I would probably join if I was closer (I live about 30 mins away).

Members do pay extra for court time at ClubSport in Pleasanton and Fremont, unless you are a Gold Member (which I am), then court time is included in the membership.

I believe now, however, you only get courttime included with your membership at your "home club". Currently mine is Pleasanton, but we are switching to Fremont.

The thing about Pleasanton is that the ceiling is WAY too low. At Fremont, the lights are really bad.

 

[LeeD]

Low ceilings are a drag. MtTamRacketClub has ceilings about 30' high, just enough for racket clearing lobs to be clean winners. I lost straight sets to the number 1 5.0 there back in the mid '90's. His low lobs were superb!

 

[woodrow1029]

Low ceilings are a drag. MtTamRacketClub has ceilings about 30' high, just enough for racket clearing lobs to be clean winners. I lost straight sets to the number 1 5.0 there back in the mid '90's. His low lobs were superb!

I don't even think ClubSport Pleasanton is 30' on the ceilings.

 

[SVP]

Yeah, you might be right.
I did remember seeing 2 courts on Broadway, just before entering the tunnel, and we lived the next street up, Pacific, like 1527, 3rd floor.

1527 Pacific Ave. Was that Ping Yuen?

I played at the courts on San Pablo Ave. in the late 70s. Cal students tended to avoid those courts in West Berkeley because they were afraid of the neighborhood I think.

I took lessons in the early 80s in Golden Gate Park from a guy who was in McEnoroe's band back then.

 

[LeeD]

I lived in 1527 Pacific Ave. from 1952 until 1957. The only PingYuen I know was the restaurant on Grant Ave. around Jackson and Washington.
The SanPablo courts, all 6, were more black just 2 years ago. Now it's mostly 1/2 and 1/2, and everyone is really friendly and welcoming.
I taught beginner group lessons on court 5 in 1979. Killed my game right away

 

[JoeR]

Which of course will be this Friday night at SFTC!

Good luck tonight in your tournament!

 

[JoeR]

Sooooo. I called the SFTC this afternoon, to see if spectators were welcomed.

Sadly, the attitude on the phone kept me from wanting to attend.

First they wanted to know if I was a member... then they asked if I knew anyone who was playing or was just "someone off the streets".

I'm glad to hear they are hosting tournaments, but man oh man. Doesn't sound like the common folk are welcomed in their illustrious club.

 

[eastbayliz]

Sooooo. I called the SFTC this afternoon, to see if spectators were welcomed.

Sadly, the attitude on the phone kept me from wanting to attend.

First they wanted to know if I was a member... then they asked if I knew anyone who was playing or was just "someone off the streets".

I'm glad to hear they are hosting tournaments, but man oh man. Doesn't sound like the common folk are welcomed in their illustrious club.

Hey Joe-

I am really surprised that they were so rude. As an competitor, I have always felt welcome there-even though I would never have the kind of money to play at a place like that. The tournament director recognizes me as the poor sucker who keeps losing but keeps showing up the next tournament. Really a good guy IMO. The tournament (in my view) is totally open to tennis players interesting in watching. And it would be really worth your time to watch the huge draw in the Men's Open. Along with NTRP from 3.0-to 4.5. I played in the 4.0 looking for my first win as an adult competitor. I would say just stroll in and go up to the balcony where you have a great view of the first 4 courts and a so so view of the next row back. You live in SF?

 

[eastbayliz]

Good luck tonight in your tournament!

Thanks Joe! Lost 6-4, 6-2. Hard on the ego and wallet but I am committed to give this tennis thing another go as an adult player.

 

[eastbayliz]

Friday night at The SFTC club NTRP tourney was in my view a nauseating experience that left me feeling really, really down. My forehand is my best shot but my nerves literally made my arm feel like 5,000 pounds. One forehand literally hit court before my side of the net..btw I am playing 4.0 down from playing 4.5. I need more practice playing sets so I don't fall apart from like this. I hate having such a lousy attitude post match. Just a few weeks I played Women's Open and was delighted to take two games from a hotshot Junior player that I later discovered is ranked #2 in 18 and Under in NorCal. Forget the next tourney at SFTC-I am going to invest the entry free in a lesson from a local pro here in The East Bay (Oakland to be exact.) Somehow this rant is making me feel a little better about my disappointing showing. :???:

 

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

Friday night at The SFTC club NTRP tourney was in my view a nauseating experience that left me feeling really, really down. My forehand is my best shot but my nerves literally made my arm feel like 5,000 pounds. One forehand literally hit court before my side of the net..btw I am playing 4.0 down from playing 4.5. I need more practice playing sets so I don't fall apart from like this. I hate having such a lousy attitude post match. Just a few weeks I played Women's Open and was delighted to take two games from a hotshot Junior player that I later discovered is ranked #2 in 18 and Under in NorCal. Forget the next tourney at SFTC-I am going to invest the entry free in a lesson from a local pro here in The East Bay (Oakland to be exact.) Somehow this rant is making me feel a little better about my disappointing showing. :???:

Are you located in the east bay, or SF? I'm in SF, and I'm always looking for more singles play.

SFTC is a tough place to play if aren't used to it.

- It's stuffy as hell. Like I said earlier, for such an expensive and fancy place, you can't turn on the AC?!
- It's loud as hell. There's always a constant drone/humming going on. It's so loud that you can't vocally call shots out because your opponent won't hear you from across the net.
- The lack of space beyond the doubles alleys is just bad planning.

 

[sam_p]

Hey Joe-

I am really surprised that they were so rude. As an competitor, I have always felt welcome there-even though I would never have the kind of money to play at a place like that. The tournament director recognizes me as the poor sucker who keeps losing but keeps showing up the next tournament. Really a good guy IMO. The tournament (in my view) is totally open to tennis players interesting in watching. And it would be really worth your time to watch the huge draw in the Men's Open. Along with NTRP from 3.0-to 4.5. I played in the 4.0 looking for my first win as an adult competitor. I would say just stroll in and go up to the balcony where you have a great view of the first 4 courts and a so so view of the next row back. You live in SF?

Indeed, no problem with spectators! And full bar and pub food. Calling front desk probably got someone who was harried and busy checking people in. The place was PACKED last night.

 

[eastbayliz]

Are you located in the east bay, or SF? I'm in SF, and I'm always looking for more singles play.

SFTC is a tough place to play if aren't used to it.

- It's stuffy as hell. Like I said earlier, for such an expensive and fancy place, you can't turn on the AC?!
- It's loud as hell. There's always a constant drone/humming going on. It's so loud that you can't vocally call shots out because your opponent won't hear you from across the net.
- The lack of space beyond the doubles alleys is just bad planning.

I am in Oakland!

 

[eastbayliz]

Indeed, no problem with spectators! And full bar and pub food. Calling front desk probably got someone who was harried and busy checking people in. The place was PACKED last night.

Hey Sam! Were you playing last night? I played on the very back row of indoor courts. Should have stayed after and watched some matches but I was in such a bad mood after my match that I left.

 

[sam_p]

Hey Sam! Were you playing last night? I played on the very back row of indoor courts. Should have stayed after and watched some matches but I was in such a bad mood after my match that I left.

I am a member there Liz and play there all the time. Was indeed playing last night and unfortunately we bit the big one in 4.5 doubles...

 

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

I am a member there Liz and play there all the time. Was indeed playing last night and unfortunately we bit the big one in 4.5 doubles...

As a member yourself, how do you justify the absurd annual costs on top of court usage fees?