Eleven writers honored at U.S. Open for winning entries
in the 12th annual U.S. Tennis Writers' Association Writing Contest
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE SEPT. 7, 2011
Flushing Meadows, N.Y.—Just before quarterfinal matches got under way at the 2011 U.S. Open, the press corps assembled in the media center to present awards to 11 writers whose work placed in the 12th Annual USTWA Writing Contest.
"The contest drew about 80 entries from print and online media in the United States and abroad," says USTWA President Emeritus Liza Horan, who coordinated the contest along with USTWA board member Robin Bateman. "We had the largest judging panel in our history, which provided a thorough base for determining close calls in a variety of contest categories."
The esteemed judging panel was comprised of Robin Blackburn, former longtime director of Columbia University's National Magazine Awards and avid player; Mary Conti, a fan and player who works in marketing communications; Darrell Fry, a former sports journalist and WTA Tour staff member who is Sports Media Director for Disney; and Vicki Salemi, a book author and journalist who plays league tennis.
The winners of the 12th annual USTWA Writing Contest, for work published in 2010, are:
FEATURE STORY (Pro Tennis)
1. Doug Robson's "Life in the Doubles Lane" in USA Today
Judges say: "The writer takes the reader on a colorful journey into the variety of paths encompassing the complex relationships of doubles partners (or rather, the courtship and chemistry involved). Although autumn often serves as mating season and disguises itself as speed dating for doubles partners, at the end of the day it's a business partnership and a fact of tour life."
2. Joshua Rey's "What You May Have Missed at the Sony Ericsson Open" in Florida Tennis
3. Doug Robson's "Death Match: The curse of the 2004 French Open lives on" in USA Today
FEATURE STORY (Non-Pro Tennis)
1. Dave Seminara's "One for the Ages: Davis Cup's unlikely record holders" on TENNIS.com
Judges say: "From (ages) 13 to 59, the oldest and youngest Davis Cup players in history share anecdotes and commentary about their crooked paths to the storied international team event—and the record books—in this unique, lively and often humorous profile piece."
2. James LaRosa's "Tennis Uninterrupted: Nothing keeps Leon Sanit, 97, off the court" in TENNIS Magazine
3. Paul Bauman's "It's Schnack Time" in the Sacramento Bee
GAME STORY (Pro Tennis)
1. Greg Couch's "Isner, Mahut Match at Wimbledon Will be Remembered for its Numbers" on AOL Fanhouse
Judges say: "Game, set, match, right? It wasn't that easy for the Isner/Mahut marathon of a match at Wimbledon. The writer painted the picture by interspersing statistics and quotes while placing the reader in the front row to relive the drama."
2. Bill Dwyre's "Warm Embrace for U.S. Tennis" in the Los Angeles Times
3. Joshua Rey's "Tipsarevic Rocks Rattled Roddick out of the US Open" on USOpen.org
GAME STORY (Non-Pro)
1. Cindy Cantrell's "Borg Succumbs to Mac" on TennisLife.com
Judges say: "Borg and McEnroe may be a little slower on the court in their first meeting since Wimbledon 1981, but their rivalry and quotability is as lively as ever in the writer's charming account of their 2010 Champions Cup match in Boston."
2. Joshua Rey's "Sock Rallies past Kudla to Win Boys' Final" on USOpen.org
3. Joshua Rey's "Davis Destroys Gavrilova, France and USA Sweep 16s Semis" on USTA.com
HARD NEWS/ENTERPRISE
1. Bill Dwyre's "Sampras is Robbed of Storied Hardware" in the Los Angeles Times
Judges say: "Tennis icon Pete Sampras becomes an unlikely and unfortunate everyman in this crisp, bet-you-didn't-know story exposing the theft of many of the pro's trophies, plaques and other championship commemoratives from a Los Angeles storage unit."
2. Bill Simons' "Glam Slam: Glitz, Glamour and the History of Tennis Fashion" in Inside Tennis
3. Douglas Robson's "New-Look WTA Tour: Teen phenoms rare, veteran thrive" in USA Today
COLUMN/COMMENTARY
1. Greg Couch's "From Forest Hills to Flushing, Tennis is at Pivotal Moment" on AOL Fanhouse
Judges say: "The writer shares a wistful contemplation of the evolution of professional tennis, presenting in a sometimes hauntingly poetic tone the good and bad of the past and present--framed in the shadows of New York's now-crumbling racquet club in Forest Hills, former site of the U.S. Open."
2. Bryan Graham's "My Sportsman: Surprise French Open Champ Francesca Schiavone," on SportsIllustrated.com
3. Greg Couch's "The Curious Case of Andrea Collarini" on AOL Fanhouse
SERVICE STORY
1. Paul Fein's "The Importance of Momentum in Tennis," on TennisOne.com
Judges say: "Whether manufactured or spontaneous, momentum can make or break the player. The writer explores all facets of momentum and its omnipresence."
2. Paul Fein's "Defend and Conquer" in Australia Tennis Magazine
3. Cindy Cantrell's "Fit for a King" in USTA Championship Magazine
First- and second-place winners received awards engraved with their names; third-place honorees received personalized certificates suitable for framing.