Venus Williams lends a helping forehand

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Not yet two weeks into their summer venture to improve their games, area tennis players witnessed the benefits of a lifetime commitment to ball striking brilliance. Last Thursday, five members from the two South Philadelphia National Junior Tennis League camps traveled to the East Falls-based Arthur Ashe Youth Tennis and Education Center to learn some valuable pointers from one of the world’s top-ranked female tennis stars.

Venus Williams — ranked No. 3 in the world following last month’s quarterfinal appearance at the Wimbledon Championships — spent about 30 minutes trading groundstrokes with other promising talent.

Fresh off his Jedi Tennis clinics, coach Bryan Hughes accompanied his handful of bashers to Williams’ initial visit to the facility.
“This is a great opportunity for these kids,” Hughes, of the 900 block of Federal Street, said. “NJTL and AAYTE have such an efficient and simple way of inspiring interest in this sport.”

Like Williams, a former world No. 1 and owner of seven Grand Slam championships, Hughes’ charges hail from an area that is not a tennis haven for youngsters. Williams and her top-ranked sister Serena grew up in Lynwood, Calif., which has a population of just over 73,000 and is as famous for giving the world Kevin Costner and “Weird Al” Yankovic as it is for fostering the Williams sisters.

“South Philadelphia has no representation in junior tennis,” Hughes said of the American pipeline for the men’s and women’s professional tours.

Since late June, his nearly two dozen players have been perfecting their strokes at Barry Playground, 1800 Bigler St., and FDR Park, Broad Street and Pattison Avenue. They have totaled an impressive amount of years on the courts of South Philadelphia and New Jersey, but none has played in a tournament.

“Many of them have NJTL experience,” Hughes noted, “and I hope they see today and the rest of the summer as reasons to go around and play some tournaments.”

Junior tennis serves youngsters from the time they are 13 until they hit 19. In his time at Barry, Hughes works with beginers. His FDR Park pupils could all hit the junior circuit, except for Gloucester County, N.J. resident David Azvolinsky, 19, who hopes to play this fall for Rutgers University.

In addition to Azvolinsky, a fan of men’s great Roger Federer, Hughes brought Joe and Chazz Franchinie, twin 16-year-olds of the 1700 block of Jackson Street; Jeremy Emami, 16, of the 1800 block of Shunk Street; and Amira Davis, 13, of the 2400 block of Moore Street.

The quintet joined about 250 other eager players who crowded inside and around the Bruce & Robbi Toll Stadium Court to wait for Williams. Once on the show court, Williams fended off the best shots from four children and one coach.

Minus her customary grunts, the international star let her smile contrast with the darkening clouds. She and her foes gave everyone’s heads a workout as they intensified the pace of their strokes during their rallies. Though nobody from Hughes’ band battled the towering champion, everybody loved the action.

“It was great,” Azvolinsky, who has played for five years, said.

“It was good to see her hit,” Joe Franchinie, who, along with his brother, took up the game six years ago, said.

Davis, whose foray into tennis began only two weeks prior to the event, was easily the most charged.

“My mom got me into tennis,” she said. “I play so many sports, and one day she asked me if I knew about Venus Williams. I told her ‘no,’ so she bought me a book about her.”

Of the local players, Davis came the closest to interacting with Williams, as she joined the flood of spectators hoping for an autograph or, at least, a few words of encouragement.

“No autograph but that’s OK,” Davis, a member of the Barry Plaground team, cheerfully said.

Williams capped her evening by leading the Washington Kastles to a victory over the Philadelphia Freedoms in World TeamTennis action. The Kastles won last year’s championship of the 36-year-old league that consists of men’s and women’s singles and doubles play and mixed doubles competition.

At the Pavilion at Villanova University, Williams played singles, doubles and mixed doubles against her former team. The league allows stars a respite from the grind of traveling overseas, as all matches occur in the United States.

The local teens did not catch her evening endeavors, but her afternoon efforts inspired Azvolinsky and Joe Franchinie.

“We’re going to play as soon as we go back to FDR,” the latter said.

Their eagerness is common among the more than 6,500 children and young adults whom AAYTE instructs yearly. To those ages 4 through 18, the organization offers year-round tennis, education, life skills and leadership development programs and programs in schools, recreation centers and faith-based institutions. Last Thursday’s event drew players from Philadelphia, assorted locations in New Jersey, Ardmore and Norristown.

Hearing Azvolinsky and Franchinie’s plan, Hughes knew the day’s effect.

“These kids are so eager to give new stuff a shot. They want to understand what they’re doing. Today can show them where they may end up going,” Hughes said.

Contact Staff Writer Joseph Myers at jmyers@southphillyreview.com or ext. 124.

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