Tennis players, it’s time to prove your mettle and defend your borough’s pride. The Battle of the Boroughs Tennis Challenge will pit the best of adult players against each other while proceeds go toward a good cause—free tennis lessons and activities for children at 40 parks citywide.
The new adult recreational tournament, presented by USTA Eastern, will take place in May and June in New York City parks.
“This is a fun new opportunity for adult players in our parks to get together for a friendly competition representing their own neighborhoods and boroughs,” said Mike Silverman, director of sports for City Parks Foundation.
Adult teams of up to 10 players 19 years old and up, will compete against other teams in their borough before earning a slot in the citywide championships held at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, Queens, on June 15. Registration is $20 per person, and proceeds will support City Parks Foundation’s free youth tennis programs in all five boroughs.
To learn more and to register for the Battle of the Boroughs Tennis Challenge, visit http://eastern.usta.com/boroughs. Deadline for registration is May 6.
Borough Challenges:
Bronx: Crotona Park - May 11
Brooklyn: Prospect Park - June 1
Manhattan: Riverside Park - May 11
Queens: Flushing Meadows - May 11
Staten Island, College of Staten Island - May 11
Citywide Championships:
Flushing Meadows - June 15
How Good Is Tennis for Your Health?
Very good, as it turns out. If you have any hesitation about dusting off your tennis shoes or picking up this sport, read on. We asked Jonathan Gamberg, sports programs manager for City Parks Foundation, to weigh in. Here’s what he said:
- Tennis is one of the best sports to play for aerobic exercise and burning calories. An average hour of tennis will have you burning approximately 500 calories, depending on singles or doubles format and the intensity of play.
- Compared to some of the other sports we see on television these days, tennis is a relatively non-contact sport where there is a minimal risk of injury, making it a sport you can play for an entire lifetime without really ever having to “retire.”
- Tennis is one of the best sports for helping people accommodate stress effectively. Since playing tennis makes one deal with light physical and mental strain, it forces players to develop an increased capacity for dealing with stress.
- Along the same lines, another benefit of playing tennis regularly is a positive attitude about life and a commitment to a healthy lifestyle. It encourages eating healthy and staying away from harmful activities such as smoking.
- Mobility is greatly improved in all areas by playing tennis. Speed, agility, quickness, and acceleration are all tested and heightened by playing, making it a great sport for improving and maintaining all motor skills.
