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Hello and thank you for visiting MattsTennis.com.
I’m Matt Steverson, USRSA Master Racquet Technician and USPTA Certified tennis professional at Maitland Community Park. This site is designed to give you full insight into all my services, from lessons and classes at the park to full-service racquet stringing and grip replacement, and limited-quantity inventories of used and discontinued racquets.
I’ve been a tennis player since 1973, and was one of the players to start the program at NAIA powerhouse Auburn-Montgomery. I’ve taught tennis, either full- or part-time, since 1978.
I was one of the first stringers to be certified by the United States Racquet Stringers Association (USRSA) in 1986, and now hold the USRSA’s highest level of certification, Master Racquet Technician (MRT).
I self-published the newsletter Racquetech (some of which was featured on the Tennis Warehouse website), which helped usher in detailed equipment analysis, and examined ultra-lightweight racquet technology for the April 1999 issue of Tennis magazine. I’ve strung racquets at many top high school and college tournaments, and have handled tournament stringing for many top professional players, in addition to countless local casual and tournament players.
Do you need a racquet strung? Please click here to see my stringing rates. Please note, I’m also stringing racquetball racquets.
Please feel free to use my experience to help improve your game, either by using the tips and procedures outlined here, or by working directly with me. I can be reached by e-mail or by phone (407.701.9351). Also, check out my blog at groundstrokes.blogspot.com
Important Announcement
I’m proud to announce my association with the area’s newest tennis shop, Center Court Tennis. Located in the Springs Plaza at the intersection of SR434 and Wekiva Springs Rd. in Longwood (right by Sanlando Park), Center Court offers a great selection of tennis clothing and gift items, along with a low-cost racquet demo program featuring Yonex and Fischer frames, along with selected models of other brands.
Best of all (I think), I’ll be providing stringing and racquet services. Every brand and model of string I offer is available at the prices shown on my string price sheet (to see the strings and prices, click here).
I’m also offering racquet customizing and grommet replacement, and will be available to answer any questions you may have about racquets, strings or anything tennis-oriented.
My friend Stephanie Bagley has put together a well-stocked shop in a convenient location with friendly service. What more could you ask for? Stop in and take a look soon, call them at 407-772-0177, or check out www.centercourt-tennis.com.
Change of Place
Many of you who have been students of mine, and some who have watched from the sidelines, know of the recent turmoil in the Seminole County tennis programs. While ill-advised and largely unnecessary in my opinion, the Seminole County Leisure Services Department has taken it upon themselves to institute changes in the operations and staffing of Seminole County’s tennis programs. One of the changes has resulted in my departure as tennis professional at Sylvan Lake Park.
I felt that I had done an admirable job of building a program at Sylvan Lake, and that I had sacrificed a lot of time, trouble and income to do it. It seemed that these sacrifices were unnoticed and unappreciated by the powers-that-be at the County. Following what I felt was a poor offer from them -- one that would have me changing not only jobs, but locations, depending on which story you believe -- I decided to leave the service of Seminole County as of March 1. The decision to leave was not an easy one, and I still feel badly about leaving. Remember: I left the County, not any of you.
I am currently in the process of securing other locations from which to teach, and hope to be close by so that I can continue the relationships I have enjoyed with my students. I will be starting at Maitland Community Park on Monday, March 10, and will add other locations closer to the park as time goes by. Please stay tuned to this site for further information.
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I was fortunate enough to score tickets for the semifinals of the Bausch & Lomb Championships at Amelia Island last month, and had a fine time. The facility is top-notch, and some of the tennis was excellent.
Unfortunately, Lindsay Davenport took ill and had to default to Maria Sharapova in one semi, but the second match between Alize Cornet and Dominika Cibulkova was pretty exciting, as were the doubles semis. I have a few observations following.
1.Cornet has a nice all-round game, and should vault up the rankings in the next year.
2.Cibulkova will always be height challenged, and her serve is a pretty weak arm swing.
3.All eight doubles players I saw – Meghann Shaugnessy, Nathalie Dechy, Victoria Azarenka, Elena Vesnina, Bethanie Mattek, Vladimira Uhlirova, Anabel Medina Garrigues and Virginia Ruano Pascual – in addition to both singles players, head net skills ranging from good to outstanding, but their knowledge (or at least execution) of the transition game was sadly lacking. Can we start teaching that again?
4.Bethanie Mattek appears to have lost 10-12# since I last saw her play, appears to be in very good shape, and is finally wearing “normal” tennis clothes. What a relief!!
5.Ruano Pascual looks like she works out for a living, rather than playing tennis! She must spend every non-tennis minute in the gym. She sets a shining example of work ethic, in my opinion.
6.Women’s tennis on clay is not shown in its best environment. A faster court would better showcase these ladies skills.
I ‘m saddened that this is Bausch & Lomb’s final year sponsoring the event: they’ve been a great partner with the WTA for many years. I hope the tournament finds a new sponsor and stays at Amelia for many more years. If you get a chance to go, do it. The club is great, the atmosphere superb, and the people are friendly. Besides, you may see me!!!
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As the year has passed, here is my Best of 2009 List:
Match of the Year: While the Federer/Roddick Wimbledon final was exciting, nothing could touch the Nadal/Verdasco semi in Australia: 5 hours of Sunday punches.
Mouth of the Year: Serena Williams
Racquet of the Year: Yonex RDiS 300: a great stick for a wide variety of players, easily customized.
String of the Year: Tecnifibre NRG2
Stringer of the Year: Much as I’d like to pick myself, the nod has to go, once again, to Tim Strawn of Grand Slam Stringers for his endless contributions to stringers everywhere.
Diamond of the Year (every year): Neil
Player of the Year: Roger Federer
Mystery of the Year: Why did Serena get off so easily? She carries 80 grand in her sock, for crying out loud!
Wimps of the Year: The WTA and ITF (not only for the Serena debacle, but for refusing to step up and do something about the endless “grunting“ in the women‘s game)
Shoulder of the Year: Maria Sharapova
Knee of the Year: Rafael Nadal
Belly of the Year: David Nalbandian
Doping of the Year: Xavier Malisse/Yanina Wickmayer
Dope of the Year: Serena Williams
Tragedy of the Year: Matthew Montcourt dies in his 20s
Tennis Announcer of the Year: no winner
Book of the Year: “Open” by Andre Agassi
Baby of the Year: The Federer twins (tie: can’t tell ‘em apart, anyway)
Comeback of the Year: It was like Kim Clijsters never left
Drama of the Year: The seesaw fifth set between Federer and Roddick at Wimbledon
Drama Queen of the Year: Serena Williams (obviously) and Roger “Tear Ducts” Federer
Technology of the Year: Prince EXO3
Turnabout of the Year: Novak Djokovic doing his absolute best to get back on the crowd’s side
I Don’t Get It of the Year: Dinara Safina
Upset of the Year: Robin Soderling ends Nadal’s French streak
Why Must We always Talk About You of the Year: Serena Williams
Seminar of the Year: Grand Slam Stringers Symposium
Tennis Website of the Year: If you have to ask…
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