January 2026 Newsletter

Happy New Year!

Let's Hope that 2026 is a Year of Peace

Calendar of Events

Date, Time	Event
Friday,  January 9  9:30 a.m.	Women's 65+ Home Match
Monday,  January 12 9:30a.m.	Women's 50+ Home Match
Monday,  January 19 1:30 p.m.	Board Meeting
Wednesday,  January 21 Noon	Men's SMIL Home Match
Friday,  January 23 9:30	Women's 65+ Home Match

Volunteers of the Year:   Eugenio Ovalle and Takako Ichikawa

The first service award goes to Takako Ichikawa.  Takako  has been a mainstay in helping the Club function over the past years. She is a very active member of the Club,  and participates in several tennis groups. More importantly, she has done a fantastic job helping with many wild card tournaments and social events over the past several years since she came to Rossmoor and joined the Club. She is a ready volunteer and her quiet competence has been a real asset .

The second service award for 2025 goes to Eugenio Ovalle. As you may know, Eugenio first received a service award back in 2018 for his work as the dedicated coordinator of the Wednesday workshop clinics  In the seven years since 2018, Eugenio has continued to bring his expertise, enthusiasm, and energy to his weekly tennis clinics.  Scores of Rossmoor residents have sharpened their skills and been inspired to enjoy tennis thanks to Eugenio. Thus, he is the most deserved first two-time recipient of the annual service award..  

Rossmoor Tennis Club 2025 Year in Review

What an incredibly fun year of tennis we've enjoyed in lovely Rossmoor! Between competitive league play, welcoming drop-in sessions, engaging clinics, and exciting tournaments, 2025 has been a remarkable season for our tennis community.

Drop-In Tennis: A Thriving Social Hub

Drop-in tennis continues to flourish with sessions on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, where anyone and everyone is welcome. These sessions regularly fill at least two and often three courts with players enjoying our gorgeous setting and friendly atmosphere. Whether you played tennis years ago and want to get back into the game or you're looking to improve your skills, drop-in tennis offers the perfect opportunity to play almost every day of the year. If you're not playing tennis, you're missing out—come join us!

Men's Tennis: Excellence and Fellowship

The Rossmoor Men's Tennis Team wrapped up another successful year in the Senior Men's Inter-club League (SMIL), competing against seven other clubs including Round Hill, Crow Canyon, Blackhawk, Oakland Hills, Moraga, and two teams from Heather Farm Park in Walnut Creek. The league runs from September through early July, with a summer break in August.

With approximately 60 members, the men's team practices every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, typically drawing 12 to 24 players per session—usually filling 4-6 courts with members enjoying both fellowship and skill development. Over the year, 30 Rossmoor players participated in matches held every other week, usually involving three to five teams. Captain Bernie Wolf and Co-Captain Stuart Coffey provided strong leadership throughout the season.

The men's team not only competes well against other clubs but also celebrates individual achievements. Notably, Larry Barclay and Al Peters won the Northern California over-85 tournament for the second consecutive year—a remarkable accomplishment!

Women's Tennis: Competing with Heart

Rossmoor fielded both a 50+ and a 65+ women's team this year, and both competed impressively against clubs drawing from much larger communities.

The Buckeyes, our enthusiastic 50+ B1 League team of twenty-two women, played in the East Bay Women's Tennis League from September to March with fourteen matches scheduled against six teams. After the first five matches, the team's record stood at one win, two ties, and two losses.

The combined women's teams celebrated their community spirit with a festive Halloween “tennis palooza” and potluck luncheon for current and former players, strengthening bonds both on and off the court.

Inter-Community Rivalry

Our long-standing rivalry with The Villages produced exciting competition this year. We celebrated victory when hosting them at Rossmoor, though we fought hard but came up short in the away match. These spirited contests showcase the high level of play and camaraderie in our tennis community.

Community Programs and Sustainability

The Rossmoor Tennis Club (RTC) ran two weekly tennis clinics open to all Rossmoor residents, welcoming players at all skill levels who wanted to return to the game or improve their abilities.  Additionally, there are wildcard tournaments with various formats the first Saturday of each month that all residents are able to play.

RTC also maintained an innovative tennis ball recycling program. Players place used balls from matches into recycling cans, which are then repurposed for the tennis ball machine. After this second use, the balls are delivered to a local sports shop where they're sent to a recycling center. There, they're ground up and used as a base layer under playground equipment—a sustainable solution that benefits both our community and the environment.

Social 

The Club also hosted 8 summer BBQs and 2 hosted parties during the year, including a fabulous Holiday Party in December.  Additionally, the club hosted wildcard tournaments with various formats the first Saturday of each month in which all residents are able to play

Leadership Transition

As we close out 2025, we recognize Emily's two years of dedicated leadership as she concludes her term. We're grateful for her service and welcome new board members joining the team while thanking those who are stepping down. These transitions ensure fresh energy and continued excellence for our tennis club.

Looking Ahead

The Rossmoor Tennis Club continues to thrive as a welcoming community where players of all levels can enjoy competitive matches, improve their skills, and build lasting friendships. We're proud of our accomplishments in 2025 and excited for another great year ahead. Whether you're a seasoned player or picking up a racket for the first time in years, there's a place for you on our courts!

A timely reminder from last January ...

As all Ball Machine members should know, the Ball Machine should never be used when the courts are not 100 percent dry. Using damp balls will destroy the Ball Machine. A new industrial strength ball machine costs in excess of $8,000, which is not in the RTC's budget at present.

Regrettably, [last year] "a member recently used the Ball Machine on court 2 when the court was damp/wet and all the balls in the Ball Machine hopper and the basket had to be discarded. Currently there are not enough good used recycled balls to refill the Ball Machine. The Ball Machine will be out of operation until the ball supply is replenished. Accordingly, the Friday Ball Machine clinics are also suspended until further notice."

Let's make sure we don't repeat this unfortunate event

Rossmoor Tennis Club 2025 Year in Review

What an incredibly fun year of tennis we've enjoyed in lovely Rossmoor! Between competitive league play, welcoming drop-in sessions, engaging clinics, and exciting tournaments, 2025 has been a remarkable season for our tennis community.

Year End Holiday Party

Was as much fun as in past years. Click below to check out the pictures

Drop-In Tennis: A Thriving Social Hub

Drop-in tennis continues to flourish with sessions on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, where anyone and everyone is welcome. These sessions regularly fill at least two and often three courts with players enjoying our gorgeous setting and friendly atmosphere. Whether you played tennis years ago and want to get back into the game or you're looking to improve your skills, drop-in tennis offers the perfect opportunity to play almost every day of the year. If you're not playing tennis, you're missing out—come join us!

Men's Tennis: Excellence and Fellowship

The Rossmoor Men's Tennis Team wrapped up another successful year in the Senior Men's Inter-club League (SMIL), competing against seven other clubs including Round Hill, Crow Canyon, Blackhawk, Oakland Hills, Moraga, and two teams from Heather Farm Park in Walnut Creek. The league runs from September through early July, with a summer break in August.

With approximately 60 members, the men's team practices every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, typically drawing 12 to 24 players per session—usually filling 4-6 courts with members enjoying both fellowship and skill development. Over the year, 30 Rossmoor players participated in matches held every other week, usually involving three to five teams. Captain Bernie Wolf and Co-Captain Stuart Coffey provided strong leadership throughout the season.

The men's team not only competes well against other clubs but also celebrates individual achievements. Notably, Larry Barclay and Al Peters won the Northern California over-85 tournament for the second consecutive year—a remarkable accomplishment!

Women's Tennis: Competing with Heart

Rossmoor fielded both a 50+ and a 65+ women's team this year, and both competed impressively against clubs drawing from much larger communities.

The Buckeyes, our enthusiastic 50+ B1 League team of twenty-two women, played in the East Bay Women's Tennis League from September to March with fourteen matches scheduled against six teams. After the first five matches, the team's record stood at one win, two ties, and two losses.

The combined women's teams celebrated their community spirit with a festive Halloween “tennis palooza” and potluck luncheon for current and former players, strengthening bonds both on and off the court.

Inter-Community Rivalry

Our long-standing rivalry with The Villages produced exciting competition this year. We celebrated victory when hosting them at Rossmoor, though we fought hard but came up short in the away match. These spirited contests showcase the high level of play and camaraderie in our tennis community.

Community Programs and Sustainability

The Rossmoor Tennis Club (RTC) ran two weekly tennis clinics open to all Rossmoor residents, welcoming players at all skill levels who wanted to return to the game or improve their abilities.  Additionally, there are wildcard tournaments with various formats the first Saturday of each month that all residents are able to play.

RTC also maintained an innovative tennis ball recycling program. Players place used balls from matches into recycling cans, which are then repurposed for the tennis ball machine. After this second use, the balls are delivered to a local sports shop where they're sent to a recycling center. There, they're ground up and used as a base layer under playground equipment—a sustainable solution that benefits both our community and the environment.

Social 

The Club also hosted 8 summer BBQs and 2 hosted parties during the year, including a fabulous Holiday Party in December.  Additionally, the club hosted wildcard tournaments with various formats the first Saturday of each month in which all residents are able to play

Leadership Transition

As we close out 2025, we recognize Emily's two years of dedicated leadership as she concludes her term. We're grateful for her service and welcome new board members joining the team while thanking those who are stepping down. These transitions ensure fresh energy and continued excellence for our tennis club.

Looking Ahead

The Rossmoor Tennis Club continues to thrive as a welcoming community where players of all levels can enjoy competitive matches, improve their skills, and build lasting friendships. We're proud of our accomplishments in 2025 and excited for another great year ahead. Whether you're a seasoned player or picking up a racket for the first time in years, there's a place for you on our courts!

Happy Holidays!

Calendar of Events

Dec 6, 10:00 a.m	Women Only Wildcard
Dec 8, 9:30 a.m	Women's 50+ Home Match
Dec 10, Noon	Men's SMIL Home Match
Dec 15, 5:30 pm	Christmas Party ! [Fireside Room]

Racquets for Richmond Park Kids

Aaron Phelps, Richmond Parks & Rec Director with Bart Ostro. David Hickey not present (picture top right)

To tennis players there is nothing more important than finding the right racquet. Over time, the quality of the metal racquet has drastically improved, due to changes in the composition of the metal as well as the weight, size and the type of strings used. These changes are important and can impact the power, spin, the racquet speed when hitting the ball, and even the stress that it will put on the arm and wrist of the player. Consequently, tennis players are constantly updating their racquets and end up with older racquets sitting in their storage areas. Two members of the Rossmoor Tennis Club, David Hickey and Bart Ostro, decided to make good use of these older racquets. The idea was to find an underserved population and donate the used racquets and tennis balls. A call was put out to members of the Club to contribute racquets that they were no longer using. Over time about 40 racquets were donated to the cause. In addition, since Bart is also a member of a tennis club in Oakland, he was able to obtain about 40 or more racquets.

The next task was to find a group that would make good use of these racquets. After searching for and contacting multiple schools, tennis clubs and recreation centers, it was decided to donate the 80 racquets along with hundreds of tennis balls to the Richmond Parks and Recreation Center. Aaron Phelps, the Director of the Center, was very pleased to get the racquets and balls and said they would definitely put them to good use in the Richmond schools. The Tennis Club tries to provide these services not only to schools but also to the Rossmoor community as well. For those interested, we provide free use of the ball machine along with instruction on forehand, backhand and serving.

More Ways to Play:

• Every Sunday 8:30 - Open Play…..Just Show up!
• Every Tuesday and Thursday 9:00 - Drop-In tennis on courts 3 and 4. All levels of play.
• Every Wednesday 10:00 - Basic, Intermediate and Advanced Skills with Eugenio. Just Drop In!
• Every Friday 10:00 - Ball Machine Clinic. Get a few pointers from an advanced player

Linda Hague, Publicity
Rossmoor Tennis Club

November 2025 Newsletter

Happy Thanksgiving !

And no, Chris did not write this. It is reposted from the Monthly Newsletter

Calendar of Events

Nov 2, 10:00 a.m.	Mixed Doubles Wildcard
Nov 3, 9:30 a.m	Women's 50+ Home Match
November 7, 9:30 a.m.	Women's 65+ Home Match
November 17, 1:30 p.m	General Meeting at Creekside
November 26, Noon	Men's SMIL Home Match
December 15	Holiday Party !

Please welcome our new members:

• Guita Bahramipour Daniel Pesavento
• Tom Brzezinski John Poon
• Sally Canan John Radebold
• Susan Curtin Henry Rosen
• Alejandra Galeano Vargas Christopher Wong
• Susan Lutz

You can find their contact information on the Tennis Club Website as well as the phone ap.

TENNIS-A-PALOOZA!

Twenty five women from the two women's tennis teams gathered on Halloween morning, dressed in festive black and orange, for a spirited morning of unconventional tennis games. After warming up, the players competed in three creative challenges.

The first event tested serving precision: players aimed to topple a can of tennis balls positioned on the service “T". Yvonne Merrick claimed victory with an impressive 2 direct hits while Anna George and Linda Hague each recorded successful single knockdowns

Next came a no-bounce volley game where Laura Kim and Lily Chao emerged as champions with their quick reflexes and steady hands at the net.

The morning culminated in an elimination style Queen of the Mountain competition with Terry Quinlan and Yvonne Merrick outlasting the field to share the title. Runners up on the same team were Guita Bahramipour and Sue Curtin, both new Rossmoor reside

Left to right: Susan Curtin, Yvonne Merrick, Lily Chao, Laura, Kim, Anna George, Linda Hague, Terry Quinlan, Guita Bahramipour

... and the rest

Court 7 now has a ball hopper and storage bin for balls. The rainy season is approaching, so kindly return the balls to the water proof container under the bench when leaving the court.

Please note that sign ups for the ball machine are available on site only after signing up at the kiosk. Advanced sign-ups are not permitted

Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can. Arthur Ashe

Calendar of Events

Oct 3 10:00 am	Women's 65+ Home Match
Oct 4 9:00 am	Wild Card Tournament
Oct 6 10:00 am	Women's 50+ Home Match
Oct 16 5:30 pm	New Members Party *
Oct 17 10:00 am	Women's 65+ Home Match
Oct 27 10:00 am	Women's 50+ Home Match

* New Members Welcome Party is at the Stanley Dollar

Saluting Mary Benin: An Outstanding Tennis Leader

It's time to salute one of the most outstanding women in our tennis club, Mary Benin. When Mary moved to Rossmoor in 2021, she wasted no time making her mark on the tennis community. She immediately jumped into league play and quickly took on leadership roles as both team player and captain of the 65+ team.

Her impact extended far beyond her initial involvement. Mary demonstrated exceptional vision and initiative by starting the 50+ team during the 2023-2024 season, showcasing her natural leadership and organizational abilities. She also took on the responsibility of organizing Monday morning team practices across 3 to 4 courts, displaying remarkable coordination skills and unwavering dedication to helping fellow players improve their games.

Mary came to these captain responsibilities with extensive experience, having successfully led at least 15 day and night teams in the Phoenix area before her move to Rossmoor. Her leadership philosophy is evident in everything she does—she doesn't simply participate but actively works to elevate everyone around her, making her exactly the kind of member who helps a tennis community truly thrive.

Currently, this busy and accomplished woman serves on the Board of the Women's Tennis League and holds the position of Vice President of the Tennis Club Board. Her commitment to leadership will continue to grow as she prepares to assume the role of President in the new year.

Mary's impressive background includes a distinguished 30-year career as an Associate Professor of Sociology at Arizona State University. She graduated from Vanderbilt University and earned her PhD in Sociology from the University of Nebraska, providing her with valuable insights into group dynamics that clearly benefit her tennis leadership roles.

Beyond her extensive tennis involvement with three teams and numerous leadership positions, Mary maintains a rich and balanced life. She finds joy in playing the cello, cherishes time spent with her daughter and two grandchildren, and enjoys hiking. Her ability to excel in so many areas while contributing so generously to our tennis community makes Mary truly deserving of our recognition and appreciation.

Rackets for Kids

Two members of the Rossmoor Tennis club are rallying community support for a charitable cause that could change the game for young athletes. David Hickey, and Bart Ostro have lodged a drive to collect used tennis rackets for donation to the Oakland parks and recreation department. The drive begins on October 1st and ends October 15. The donated rackets will be distributed to young players who cannot afford to purchase their own equipment, removing a significant barrier to participation in the sport. Rossmoor neighbors wishing to contribute can drop off previously loved rackets at collection boxes located at the Gateway entry and at the Buckeye kiosk at the tennis courts.

Update on Renovation of Courts 7 and 8

As most members are aware, courts 7 and 8 are in critical need of major renovations to provide a smooth and safe playing surface. While $250,000 was initially included in the 2025 RWC budget for these essential repairs, those funds have since been removed.

In response, a group of board members will be presenting a request to the Planning Committee at their October 9 meeting to secure funding for the repair of these two courts. The safety and quality of our tennis facilities are paramount to our community.

If you have questions about this initiative or would like to help advocate for these necessary repairs, please contact Bart Ostro.

Happy Labor Day!

Calendar of Events

Sep 6 9:00 am	Men-Only Ladder Wild Card
Sep 6 5:30 pm	Club Hosted BBQ *
Sep 17 Noon	Men's SMIL Match against Oakland Hills Tennis Club
Sep 20 5:30 pm	End of Season BBQ*

*Club Hosted BBQ: Club will provider grill items, soft drinks, beer and wine. Bring a dish to share and place settings

* End of Season BBQ: BYOB grill items, a dish to share and place settings

Women's Teams News:

The 2025-26 season for women's tennis begins in September. The Rossmoor women have two teams in the East Bay Women's Tennis League. We have a 50+ B1 level team and a 65+ A2 level team. The 50+ team is led by Carol Pillsbury and Yvonne Merrick and has 21 members. The 65+ team is led by Mary Benin and Terry Quinlan and has 17 members.

The 50+ league team will have their home matches on Mondays and will have a total of 7 matches at home between October 3rd, and March 9th. The 65+ league team will have their home matches on Fridays and will have a total of 8 home matches between October 6 and April 17th. All matches will start at 10:00 with the courts reserved at 9:30 for warm-ups.

We are excited to begin a new season of interclub play. We enjoy the competition and the chance to meet new players. Some of the players from visiting teams have become Rossmoor residents and members here, so having tennis players from the east bay play at our lovely facility is good advertising.

If you are someone who would be interested in finding out more about either team, please email Carol (cpillsbury1952@gmail.com) or Mary Benin (mary.benin@gmail.com).

The History of The Tiebreak....

Tennis tiebreakers were introduced to address the problem of excessively long sets that could theoretically continue indefinitely under the traditional scoring system. The modern tiebreaker was developed by Jimmy Van Alen and first used at the 1970 US Open, though it took several years for all major tournaments to adopt it. Initially, tournaments experimented with different formats, including sudden-death tiebreakers and best-of-nine-point systems, before settling on the current standard. Wimbledon was the last major to embrace the tiebreaker, finally introducing it in 1971 for all sets except the fifth set in men's matches and third set in women's matches, maintaining this tradition until 2019 when they adopted a first-to-seven tiebreaker at 12-12 in the final set.

The standard tiebreaker operates as a first-to-seven-points system, with the requirement that the winner must lead by at least two points. Players alternate serving after every point, with the first server delivering one serve, then the opponent serving the next two points, and this pattern continuing throughout. Serving switches from the deuce court to the advantage court and back with each serve. Players change ends after every six points to account for any court advantages like wind or sun. Some tournaments have adopted variations, such as the "super tiebreaker" or match tiebreaker (first to 10 points, win by two) used in doubles or as a decisive third-set replacement, while others employ different formats like the fast4 tennis scoring system that uses first-to-four tiebreakers at 3-3 in each set.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

The Coman Tiebreak:

The main difference between the standard tiebreak and the Coman tiebreak lies in when players change ends during the tiebreak, while the scoring system remains identical. In both formats, players compete in a first-to-seven-points system (win by two), with the same serving rotation where the first player serves one point, then players alternate serving two points each. The scoring progresses numerically (1, 2, 3, etc.) rather than using traditional tennis scoring.

The key distinction is the changeover timing. In the standard tiebreak, players change ends after every six points and at the conclusion of the tiebreak. However, the Coman tiebreak has players change ends after the first point, then after every four points (at 1, 5, 9, 13, 17, 21, etc.), and at the end of the tiebreak. The common system was developed by players at the Balboa tennis club who realized it was unfair to wait six points before changing sides as this could give one player a significant advantage, if court conditions, like wind, sun, or surface of regularities favor, one end. Additionally, each server serves on the same side they served for the entire match. The more frequent changeovers in the Coman system help ensure more equitable playing conditions throughout the tiebreak.

Suggested Amendment to RTC Rules for Access and Use of Buckeye Tennis Court Complex

Court Courtesy Guidelines

We recognize that Courts 7 and 8 currently have playing surfaces that some members find challenging due to rougher, uneven conditions. To help ensure everyone gets quality court time while maintaining our spirit of community and fairness, we ask for your cooperation with the following courtesy guideline:

**When Courts 1-6 are in high demand:**

- Players who have enjoyed Courts 1-6 for **one hour** (singles) or **one hour and thirty minutes** (three or more players) are kindly asked to consider rotating to available courts when approached by waiting players

- This applies even when Courts 7 or 8 may be open, if the waiting players express a preference not to use those particular courts

This guideline helps balance court access while acknowledging that all players deserve an enjoyable tennis experience. We appreciate your understanding and continued cooperation in making our tennis community welcoming for everyone.

*Thank you for helping maintain the friendly, considerate atmosphere that makes our tennis complex special!*

Two "Friendly" Reminders:

Let's keep the wildlife off the courts...... please close the gates when finished playing.. . .. And, remember, the ball machine and equipment is only to be used by members who have paid the additional fees for its use, not by family members or friends.

Linda Hague, Publicity
Rossmoor Tennis Club

Calendar of Events

Aug 2 9:00 am	Wild Card Tournament
Aug 9 5:30 pm	Summer BBQ *
Aug 16 5:30 pm	Summer BBQ *

* Bring your own table setting, something to grill, and a dish to share

New!!! Substitutes List . . .

There is now a tennis substitutes list which can be found both at the tennis kiosk as well as the website.. (After signing in to the website, click on Members > Substitutes and, "voila!" the list with names, email addresses, and phone number

The Brightwork Open Tournament Coming Soon

The Brightwork Open, a Level 4 USTA tennis tournament, is scheduled for August 5th-10th, 2025. This tournament is free to spectators, and is the best pro tournament easily accessible to RTC members. Many RTC members have enjoyed watching matches at this tennis tournament in past years.

Play is scheduled to start no earlier than 9:00 a.m. according to the USTA. Matches will be held at Moraga Country Club and St. Mary's College. The tournament is a single elimination format with a 128 draw limit.

Here's a more detailed breakdown:

• Dates: Tuesday, August 5th to Sunday, August 10th, 2025.
• Location: Moraga Country Club (main site) and St. Mary's College (for the first two days).
• Start Times: Play begins no earlier than 9 AM each day.
• Singles Matches: 2 out of 3 full sets, with a new can of balls provided for the third set (and every set in the final).
• Doubles Matches: 2 out of 3 sets with a 10-point tiebreaker in lieu of a third set (except for the final).
• Draws: The Men's Doubles draw will be posted by 8:00 AM on Wednesday, August 6th, and the Women's and Mixed Doubles draws will be posted by 8:00 AM on Thursday, August 7th.
• Registration: Registrations for players closes on July 28th, 2025.

The U.S. Open Tennis Tournament Begins August 24 ...
Here's a brief history of the Event:

The U.S. Open Tennis Tournament has its origins dating back to 1881, when it began as the U.S. National Championships. Initially held at the Newport Casino in Newport, Rhode Island, the tournament was originally an exclusive event for amateur players from affluent social circles. The men's singles was the first event contested, with women's singles added in 1887. For decades, the tournament moved between various locations, including the West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, Queens, where it resided from 1915 to 1977. During this era, the tournament maintained its amateur-only status, which meant that professional players were excluded from competition until the Open Era began in 1968.

The modern U.S. Open as we know it today truly emerged with the dawn of the Open Era, when amateur and professional players were finally allowed to compete together. In 1978, the tournament found its permanent home at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, Queens, where it has remained ever since. The venue has undergone numerous expansions and renovations, including the addition of Arthur Ashe Stadium in 1997, which became the largest tennis stadium in the world. The tournament has grown from a small amateur competition to one of tennis's four Grand Slam events, attracting the world's best players and hundreds of thousands of spectators annually. Notable for its hard court surface and unique atmosphere, the U.S. Open has been the site of countless memorable matches and has played a crucial role in tennis history, including breakthrough moments for players like Billie Jean King, John McEnroe, Serena Williams, and many others who have left their mark on the sport.

A Reminder: Many ways to Play

• Every Sunday 8:30 - Open Play…..Just Show up!
• Every Tuesday and Thursday 9:00 - Drop-In tennis on courts 3 and 4. All levels of play. Contact Marc Parham (marc.parham@gmail.com) to be included in his email notifications.
• Every Wednesday 10:00 - Basic, Intermediate and Advanced Skills with Eugenio. Just Drop In!
• Every Friday 10:00 - Ball Machine Clinic. Get a few pointers from an advanced player.

* Court #7 has a hopper with used balls to practice serving.

Linda Hague, Publicity
Rossmoor Tennis Club

Calendar of Events

Jul 5, 5:00 pm	Summer BBQ Hosted by The Tennis Club. Please register
Jul 9, Noon	SMIL Men's Match with Blackhawk CC
Jul 19, 5:00 pm	Summer BBQ BYOB, BYO food to grill + table ware
Jul 21, 1:30 pm	General Meeting Fairway Room, Creekside

A brief history of Tennis Scoring.....

Tennis scoring has its origins in medieval France, where the game was called "jeu de paume" (game of the palm). The unusual scoring system of 15, 30, 40, and game likely derives from the medieval French practice of advancing around a clock face, with each quarter representing 15 minutes. However, that theory has been debunked since the first reference to tennis scoring is in the 15th century, and at that time clocks measured only the hours (1-12). Another theory suggests that when a player scored, they would proceed to move forward by 15 feet on the 45-foot courts giving rise to the 15-30-45 progression.

The term "love" for zero points probably comes from the French word"'oeuf" (the egg), symbolizing nothing. The scoring reached its modern form when lawn tennis was codified in England during the 1870s by Major Walter Wingfield and later refined by the All England Croquet Club, which hosted the first Wimbledon tournament in 1877. The "deuce" system, requiring a two-point advantage to win a game, was established to ensure a clear victor, while the set structure (typically first to six games, winning by two) provided a longer format for matches.

Reminder. . . . .

The ball machine and equipment in the ball machine shed is to be used ONLY by members who paid the additional fees for its use. No other family member(s) or friends are allowed to use the equipment.

DID YOU KNOW?....... TENNIS PLAYERS LIVE 9.5 YEARS LONGER

A happy group of tennis players finishing up a drop-in drill with Eugenio.

Eugenio provides a free drop-in drill every Wednesday at 10:00 a.m.

Calendar of Events

Jun 7, 9:00 am	Wild Card Tournament
Jun 14, 5:00 om	Summer BBQ

Why is the French Open called ROLAND GARROS?

Roland Garros was a pioneering French aviator who made significant contributions to early aviation, particularly during World War I. Born in 1888, he was already an accomplished pilot before the war, having made notable flights including the first aerial crossing of the Mediterranean Sea in 1913. When WWI began, Garros joined the French air service and became deeply involved in the development of fighter aircraft tactics and technology.

Garros is most famous for developing an innovative solution to a critical problem in early aerial combat: how to fire a machine gun through a spinning propeller without destroying it. In April 1915, he fitted steel deflector plates to his propeller blades, allowing bullets to be fired straight ahead while deflecting any rounds that would hit the propeller. This crude but effective system gave him a significant tactical advantage, and he achieved several aerial victories before being shot down and captured by German forces. The Germans studied his captured aircraft, leading them to develop the more sophisticated interrupter gear system that would dominate air combat for the rest of the war.

As tribute to this aviator and innovator, France named the prestigious French Open Tournament and tennis complex after this war hero.

The Rossmoor 50+ East Bay Women's Tennis League

... concluded their 2025-26 season with a solid fifth-place finish. Throughout the season, the team demonstrated consistent performance across fourteen matches, splitting evenly between home and away venues. Their record reflected competitive play with six victories, five defeats, and three draws.

The dedication of the team's twenty-one members was evident in their collective achievement of 975 games played over the course of the season. Under the leadership of Team Captain Carol Pillsbury and Co-Captain Yvonne Merrick, the group maintained strong cohesion and sportsmanship throughout their season.

Both captains have committed to returning for the upcoming season, ensuring continuity in leadership for this accomplished group of athletes. Women interested in joining this dynamic tennis community are encouraged to reach out to either Carol or Yvonne for more information about team participation.

You can't buy happiness, but you can play tennis and that's kind of the same thing

Linda Hague, Publicity
Rossmoor Tennis Club