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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Aug. 20, 2009

Sixteen writers named winners in the 10th Annual U.S. Tennis Writers' Association Writing Contest

TENNIS Magazine leads pack with three awards

New York City--Deftly written articles on subjects ranging from Open Era tennis to present day gambling and stories on Venus and Serena Williams, Rafael Nadal and Vitas Gerulaitis were among the judges' top picks as winners in the 10th Annual USTWA Writing Contest.

"This year's contest represented the most diverse pool of entries yet," says USTWA President Liza Horan. "We had more than 30 writers submit about 100 entries, and there are newspapers, magazines and websites represented among the 13 winning publications."

Double winners include San Francisco Chronicle's Bruce Jenkins, RealClearSports.com's Tim Joyce, and Paul Fein, whose winning work was published by TennisOne.com and Sportstar. TENNIS Magazine was the winningest publication with three articles garnering awards.

The award-winning entries, all of which were published in 2008, were selected by a judging panel comprised of Robin Blackburn, former longtime director of Columbia University's National Magazine Awards; John Martin, writer and adjunct professor at Columbia University's journalism school; and Joan Whitlow, a columnist for The Star-Ledger in New Jersey.

The awards will be presented during the USTWA Annual Meeting on Sept. 9 at the U.S. Open media center. First- and second-place finishers receive engraved awards and those who placed third receive certificates suitable for framing.

The annual contest is open to all tennis writers. For more information, visit www.USTWA.org.

Results of the 2008 USTWA Writing Contest

HARD NEWS/ENTERPRISE
1st Place: "Evidence Shows Something Terribly Corrupt in Infamous Match" by William Weinbaum and John Barr, published on ESPN.com on Feb. 7.
Judges say: "The details about the notorious match between Nikolay Davydenko and Martin Vassallo Arguello. The reporting and work shows. In other hands, this could have been deadly dull and confusing. Great writing gives us an intriguing story."
2nd Place: "Special Report: Tennis Facility Construction" by Liza Horan, published on DailyTennis.com on Oct. 30.
3rd Place: "Gimelstob: Volleys of Abuse" by Bill Simons, published in the August issue of Inside Tennis.

COLUMN/COMMENTARY
1st Place: "Williams Sisters Get it Right" by Bruce Jenkins, published in the San Francisco Chronicle on July 8.
Judges say: "Can a player's behavior on court influence the outcome of a match? The Williams sisters prove shot-making is what counts and leave court antics to their opponents. Of course they are not totally immune. The writer reveals many things the sisters do right and may not get credit for while bad behavior goes undetected in the guise of 'entertainment.'"
2nd Place: "U.S. Open Laying Seeds of Discontent" by Tim Joyce, published on RealClearSports.com on Sept. 3.
3rd Place: "Pushing 50, McEnroe Still a Spoiled Brat" by Tim Joyce, published on RealClearSports.com on Aug. 29.

FEATURE STORY (PRO)
1st Place: "Vitas Gerulaitis: He Brought Life to the Party" by Cindy Shmerler, published in the September isssue of TENNIS Magazine.
Judges say: "A remarkable account of the rise and fall of Vitas Gerulaitis in the words of
his friends, family, and contemporaries. It is told, television documentary-style, only with quotes, from interviews and published works. With a narrative arc that draws the reader from moment to moment in Gerulaitis’s life, this is a superb story. What gives it life is the searing honesty and clarity of the quotes, and the deft editing of remarks to their essence."
2nd Place: "Still the King?" by Joel Drucker, published on TennisWeek.com on Aug. 25.
3rd Place: "King's Victory over Riggs in 1973 Changed the World" by Paul Bauman, published in the Sacramento Bee on Aug. 12.

FEATURE STORY (NON-PRO)
1st Place: "A Port in a Storm" by Stephen Tignor, published in the May issue of TENNIS Magazine.
Judges say: "A superb retelling of the modern open-era history of tennis as seen through the events of 1968, the year of riots (in Paris and Chicago), revolution (or counter-revolution in the streets of Prague), renunciation (Lyndon Johnson’s abdication of the White House throne), and rebirth (tennis opened its doors to professionals and created a new era of sport). Measured, undistracted by hyperbole, coherent and fondly focused on the wider meaning of events."
2nd Place: "The Doyenne of the Dollar Bill" by Doug Robson, published in the May issue of TENNIS Magazine.
3rd Place: "Nothing Junior About Bangoura's Accomplishments" by Jim Martz, published in the June issue of Florida Tennis.

GAME STORY PRO
1st Place: "Rafael Nadal is the new king of England..." by Filip Bondy, published in the New York Daily News on July 7.
Judges say: "A masterful, compelling account of the greatest match, told with vivid quotes and observations, a deft touch, and a grand sense of tennis history."
2nd Place: "Queen of the Keys" by Richard Evans, published on TennisWeek.com on April 5.
3rd Place: "Sweet Vindication for Federer" by Bruce Jenkins, published in the San Francisco Chronicle on Sept. 9.

SERVICE STORY
1st Place: "Ten Reasons Why Topspin is Essential on Clay" by Paul Fein, published on TennisOne.com in August.
Judges say: "Among many how-to-hit-topspin articles, this one makes the reader want to hit topspin. A history lesson and a tennis lesson in readable prose."
2nd Place: "The Art of Anticipation" by Paul Fein, published in Sportstar on June 14.
3rd Place: "Tennis, Everyone?" by Robin Bateman, published in the November issue of Parks & Recreation.

No awards were named in the category of GAME STORY (Amateur).

Stay tuned to www.USTWA.org for new on the 11th Annual USTWA Writing Contest, which will cover work published in 2009.

For more information, contact Liza Horan, 212-844-9274.

About the USTWA
The U.S. Tennis Writers’ Association works toward the welfare of tennis media workers on issues ranging from the rights of the press to expanding the profession by increasing tennis coverage by the media and creating opportunities for future writers. Officers of the organization are: President Liza Horan of TennisWire.org; V.P. Cindy Cantrell of Tennis Life; V.P. Jim Martz of Florida Tennis; and V.P. Mark Winters of Tennis Life, Secretary Cheryl Rice Jones of Tennis Life; and Treasurer Ann LoPrinzi of the Trenton Times. 

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