Five Questions With...Marcia Frost
Author of "American Doubles"FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Liza Horan
330 Third Ave.
New York,
212-682-6829
liza@tenniswire.org
05/23/08 -
"Five Questions With..." is a series featuring exclusive interviews with important industry people. You will learn something with each edition."Marcia Frost is a longtime writer and photographer specializing junior and college tennis. Her first book, American Doubles ...the Trials ...the Triumphs ...the Domination, was published by Mansion Grove House this month. She is editor of CollegeAndJuniorTennis.com and writes for Tennis.com and other publications.
What prompted you to write this book?
It all began with an article I did in 2006 for Tennis Championships Magazine on the new USTA combined ranking, giving juniors a national ranking based on their singles and their doubles wins. Since 2006 was the first year the U.S. Open Boys' Doubles Championship had American winners and finalists, the article was focused on that. As I collected quotes and facts, I realized just how much the U.S. dominated in the world of doubles--not only in the juniors, but on all levels.
After I finished the article I felt there was just so much more to say. I pitched the idea to a few publishers and I liked Mansion Grove House's vision for the book. I was excited to plan the book's finish at the (2007) Davis Cup final and it became even more of a culmination when the Bryans clinched it!
Doubles is wildly popular among recreational players. Any thoughts as to why it is not treated on equal footing among pro competition?
Doubles has been long treated as the secondary event that tournament directors put on the back burner for when there are courts available. I don't think people don't want to watch doubles, I think they are just put on at the worst times--late into the evening, first thing in the morning. But doubles is so much fun to watch! It's constant action.
Both the ATP and the WTA have started initiatives to make people more aware of the excitement of doubles and I think it is fantastic. This year's campaign from the men's circuit is "Doubles Rules" while the women have gone with "Love it." Both tours are going all out with constant promotion and trying to get the matches played at better times. I think, if you can get the people to doubles matches, they will make it a habit.
What has contributed to America's success in doubles? Is there something about the American spirit that lends itself to the doubles game?
I think it's a combination of personality and court surface. The "rush" mentality that Americans have been accused of--[that it is] keeping them from winning on the clay courts in singles--is an asset in doubles, the game where everything needs to keep constantly moving. In general, we play much more hard court tennis in the U.S. than anywhere else and that's great practice for the serve and volley game of doubles.
Also, the collegiate system is a big part of it. Nowhere else has the college tennis system the United States does. Doubles is played at every college tennis match. (As Americans) we are raised to play it and continue to play it through college tennis.
You've been covering college and junior tennis over the course of 17 years. Did you learn anything while writing this book?
Honestly, I was happily surprised to find the amount champion American doubles players ran deeper than I had originally thought. I only began covering pros some the last few years because I had watched and gotten to know some of the kids who turned professional and I enjoyed following their careers. I still found out that I had so much more to learn in all three genres when I started writing this book! The book required a ton of research and I considered it a tremendous learning experience.
What's the outlook for American doubles?
The outlook is great! The Bryan brothers, who just turned 30 [on] April 28th, are not slowing down in any way. I think they have many more titles left in them. In the mean time, there are lots of great American doubles players coming up. I'm excited to see young professionals like John Isner, Ashley Harkleroad and Donald Young make it a point to play doubles as well as singles. And it's also wonderful to see teams like Scott Lipsky and David Martin, who have become doubles specialists after many years of playing together. And Bobby Reynolds, who with Rajeev Ram had the record of the most doubles titles on the USTA Pro Circuit last year, also won another singles title just last week.
The future for American doubles is bright and I think Patrick McEnroe (the new USTA General Manager of Elite Player Development) will make sure the game he loves keeps going.
Archive of "Five Questions With..."
