Tag: tennis

Veterans Day Celebration Honors Service, Showcases Tennis

DD Kullman On Nov. 11 the IronOaks Tennis Club and Sun Lakes HOA3 proudly co-hosted A Veterans Day Celebration, a day filled with heartfelt tributes, athletic excellence, and community connection. Held at the IronOaks Tennis Club courts, the half-day event honored veterans for their service and featured exhibition matches by the Grand Canyon University (GCU)…

70 Never Looked So Good!

Barb Jorgensen A combination of women tennis players from IronOaks and Cottonwood Tennis Clubs have united to play in a 70+ USTA League in the East Valley. This Queens of the Court team is led by Diane James (captain) and Barb Jorgensen (co-captain). Diane works in legal court cases, thus, the play on the name.…

Kwong’s Tennis Tip

Tennis Tip: Think Outside the Crosscourt Box As players, we often default to the familiar—the reliable crosscourt return. It’s what we drill, what we see, and what we expect. But here’s the truth: Sticking to that pattern makes you predictable, and predictability gets punished. There are two high-opportunity zones most players overlook: 1. The Center…

Communication Is Key: How to Create a Winning Team Strategy in Tennis

Have you ever considered how much communication influences your performance in match play? Many doubles players ask only basic questions like, “Do you prefer the Ad or Deuce side?” or “What’s the score?” However, effective communication goes far beyond these surface-level exchanges. To truly excel, you and your partner need a strategic game plan—a shared…

Tennis Participation Grows to More Than 25,000

Dannette Hunnel Even as pickleball’s popularity surges, tennis participation in the United States rose to 25.7 million players in 2024, the sport’s fifth consecutive year of growth, says the U.S. Tennis Association, citing an analysis of numbers drawn from two studies not yet fully released. The jump of 1.9 million players from 2023’s total of…

Jason Morton Memorial Tennis Classic

Michele Renahan The Jason Morton Memorial Tennis Classic returned to the courts at IronOaks Fitness and Racquet Center in Sun Lakes. The IronOaks Tennis Club hosts this USTA tournament, which has a long history in Sun Lakes. The annual Jason Morton Tennis Classic runs Feb. 26 through March 2 and is named after the longtime…

Stay Strong in a Sport You Love with Masters Tennis

DD Kullman IronOaks Tennis Club (IOTC) offers a new spin on tennis, ideal for beginning players or those with injuries or mobility challenges. Masters Tennis sounds like it’s reserved for seasoned champions, but it’s almost the opposite. Masters Tennis is very similar to the actual sport of tennis, except it’s played on a smaller, 60-foot…

End of Season Gatherings for Cottonwood Ladies Leagues

Dannette Hunnel and Susie Dunn In December the Cottonwood Ladies Tennis Leagues gathered to celebrate the end of the Fall Tennis Season. Food, laughs, and prizes took place. All came away with an appreciation of individual accomplishments, full bellies, and new recipes. The CTC tennis players are wonderful bakers and decorators, too. From Susie Dunn,…

Time to Register for the Senior Games!

Jacque Texeira January is registration month for the Senior Games at Sun Lakes. Go to our website at www.sunlakesentertainment.com and sign up for events today. It’s easy to do. First, you will declare your community. Then proceed to select the game(s) you want to play. Sign up for as many as you like. Finally, check…

Exciting Update on Short Court Tennis at Cottonwood

Maryann Sinerius Last spring, we introduced short court tennis as an innovative addition to our club offerings. To gauge interest, we opened our courts to all Cottonwood homeowners during club hours (Monday mornings at 7 a.m.) throughout the summer. We’re thrilled to report that this experiment was a resounding success! More than 100 residents purchased…