Stanford men's recruiting class ranked first in nation

   Paul Goldstein recently took another big step in his efforts to rebuild the Stanford men's program.
   The sixth-year Cardinal head coach has compiled the nation's top recruiting class for 2020, according to tennisrecruiting.net.
   Headed to Stanford, which ended the shortened 2020 season ranked eighth, are Great Britain's Arthur Fery, the 12th-ranked junior in the world; blue chippers Alex Lee of Oak Brook, Ill., and Aryan Chaudhary of Santa Clara, Calif., in the San Francisco Bay Area; and Tristan Boyer of Altadena, Calif., in the Los Angeles region.
   Chaudhary is ranked 11th nationally in the 18s, and Boyer was the runner-up to Jenson Brooksby of Carmichael in the Sacramento region in the 2018 Easter Bowl at Indian Wells, Calif.
   The Stanford men have not won the NCAA team championship since Dick Gould won the last of his 17 titles in 2000. Goldstein, playing for Gould, became the first player to compete on four NCAA championship teams (1995-98), a feat also accomplished by USC's Steve Johnson (2009-12).
   The University of California men, ranked 36th, were not ranked among the top 25 recruiting classes.
   In women's recruiting, the Cal and Stanford classes rank third and seventh, respectively. Texas is No. 1 and Georgia Tech No. 2.
   Cal, ranked 38th, added Jada Bui of Ajax, Ontario, Hannah Viller Møller of Denmark and Cami Brown of Irvine, Calif.
   Bui has a world junior ranking of No. 76. Viller Møller was ranked No. 1 in the 12s, 14s, 16s and 18s in Denmark. Brown is the 68th-ranked recruit by tennisrecruiting.net.
   Sixth-ranked Stanford, which has won the last two NCAA team titles and three of the last four, snagged India Houghton of Belvedere Tiburon in the Bay Area and Ana Geller of Argentina.
   Houghton is No. 3 on tennisrecruiting.net's list of recruits. Geller, the sister of Stanford senior Axel Geller, has a world junior ranking of No. 43.

Zamarripa twins surprisingly choose Texas

   Allura and Maribella Zamarripa surprised even themselves by verbally committing to enroll at the University of Texas in 2021.
    The identical twins from Saint Helena in the Napa area are "total California girls," Allura said in the May/June issue of Inside Tennis. "We wanted to stay in California. SoCal, NorCal ... it didn't matter. We just wanted to be in California close to our family. Our initial schools were Stanford, UCLA, Pepperdine, USC. Texas wasn't even on the radar."
   The Zamarripas changed their minds after visiting the University of Texas in Austin.
   "We decided to do a last-minute visit in February," Maribella said, "and we were pleasantly surprised. We chose Texas because we wanted to go pro after college, and Texas had the best opportunities. They play the most pro tournaments, and the resources there are unbelievable."
   In the class of 2020, Aryan Chaudhary of Santa Clara and India Houghton of Belvedere Tiburon will head to nearby Stanford, Katherine Duong of Cupertino will play at Illinois, and Dean Babb of Roseville will attend Columbia.
   Santa Clara, Belvedere Tiburon and Cupertino are in the San Francisco Bay Area. Roseville is a suburb of Sacramento.
   Assuming the Zamarripas follow through on their commitment, they will follow Jenson Brooksby as top Northern California juniors to choose a Texas school. Brooksby, the 2018 USTA boys 18 national champion from Carmichael in the Sacramento region, originally committed to Texas Christian in Fort Worth for 2020 before following renowned coach Brian Boland to Baylor in Waco. Boland won four NCAA team titles in five years (2013-17) at Virginia.
   The Zamarripas almost stunned eventual champions Madison Brengle and Sachia Vickery in the first round of the $60,000 Berkeley Tennis Club Women's Challenge last July, falling 6-7 (5), 6-2 [10-5]. Brengle also won the singles title.
   In 2018, the Zamarripas swept the girls 16 doubles titles in the Easter Bowl at Indian Wells, Calif., and the USTA International Spring Championships in Carson, Calif., in consecutive weeks.

Federer has knee surgery again, plans to return in 2021

Roger Federer slugs a forehand during his 2018 exhibition in San Jose, Calif,
Photo by Mal Taam

   Remember when Roger Federer avoided injuries and there was a men's pro tour?
   Both seem like distant memories.
   The injuries are mounting for Federer. He recently underwent arthroscopic knee surgery for the second time this year and third time in four years. Federer also suffered a groin injury in his epic victory over Tennys Sandgren in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open in January.
   Yet Federer, who will turn 39 on Aug. 8, has no plans to retire. He said he will return in 2021.
   "A few weeks ago, having experienced a setback during my initial rehabilitation, I had to have an additional quick arthroscopic procedure on my right knee," Federer, whose only Northern California appearance came in a 2018 exhibition in San Jose, tweeted today. "Now, much like I did leading up to the 2017 season, I plan to take the necessary time to be 100% ready to play at my highest level.
   "I will be missing my fans and the tour dearly, but I will look forward to seeing everyone back on tour at the start of the 2021 season."
   Federer suffered a torn meniscus in his left knee in February 2016 while running a bath for his twin daughters. He also had surgery on his right knee this past February and had planned to return for the grass-court season before the tour was suspended indefinitely in March because of the coronavirus pandemic.
   In Federer's only tournament of the year, he saved seven match points against Sandgren in the Australian Open before losing in the semifinals to eventual champion Novak Djokovic 7-6 (1), 6-4, 6-3.
   At Wimbledon last year, Federer held two championship points before falling to Djokovic 7-6 (5), 1-6, 7-6 (4), 4-6, 13-12 (3). It was the longest Wimbledon final ever, lasting 4 hours, 57 minutes.
   Federer has won a record 20 Grand Slam singles titles, one ahead of Rafael Nadal and three in front of third-place Djokovic.
   However, the men's and women's pro tours have been suspended until at least July 31 and July 12, respectively.
   The U.S. Open remains scheduled for Aug. 31 to Sept. 13, and the French Open was postponed from May 24-June 7 to Sept. 20-Oct. 4.
   Wimbledon, which had been scheduled for June 29 to July 12, was canceled for the first time in 75 years on April 1. The Summer Olympics in Tokyo were pushed back from July 24-Aug. 9 to July 23-Aug. 8, 2021.
   Federer tops Forbes' annual list of highest-earning athletes, the magazine announced last month.  With $100 million in endorsements and $6.3 million in prize money, Federer became the first tennis player to head the list since it debuted in 1990.
   Trailing Federer in the top five are soccer players Cristiano Ronaldo ($105 million total), Lionel Messi ($104 million) and Neymar ($95.5 million) and basketball star LeBron James ($88.2 million).
   Federer is one of five tennis players in the top 100. The others are No. 23 Novak Djokovic ($44.6 million), No. 27 Rafael Nadal ($40 million), No. 29 Naomi Osaka (the highest-earning female athlete at $37.4 million), No. 33 Serena Williams ($36 million) and No. 40 Kei Nishikori ($32.1 million).

Cobra, Fresno State women's coach, to resign

   Mariana Cobra's stint at Fresno State didn't last long.
   Cobra will resign as the head coach of the Bulldog women effective June 12 after one shortened season, school officials announced Wednesday.
   "After over 10 years of living and breathing for my passion of coaching, I have decided that 2019-20 was my last season as a head coach," Cobra, who plans to move to Oklahoma but did not elaborate, said on gobulldogs.com. "Collegiate coaching has provided me many, many opportunities.
   "Thank you to all of the players and colleagues who have made me a better leader and person over the last few years. Special thanks to (athletic director) Terry Tumey, (associate athletic director) Frank Pucher and the Fresno State athletic family for the support and wonderful experience in my final year of collegiate coaching."
   Cobra, a Brazil native, went 7-7 at Fresno State before the season ended because of the coronavirus pandemic. She had served as the head coach at Division I North Florida (2016-19), Idaho (2014-16) and Northern Iowa (2012-13).
   During her seven years as a Division I head coach, Cobra guided players to 30 all-conference selections and three conference Player of the Year awards.
   "We thank coach Cobra for bringing stability and positive momentum to our women's tennis program during her time on campus," Tumey said. "Her efforts helped elevate Bulldog tennis on the court, in the classroom and in our community. We wish her the best as she moves on to the next chapter of her personal life."
   Fresno State has not named Cobra's successor.

Longtime Cal men's assistant accepts position at club

   Tyler Browne, the associate head coach of the California men's team and a former Bears standout, will become the director of racquet sports at the nearby Orinda Country Club, Cal head coach Peter Wright announced Wednesday.
   Browne recently completed his 13th season on the Cal coaching staff, highlighted by the Bears' semifinal run in the 2016 NCAA Championship in Tulsa, Okla.
   "It's bittersweet to be leaving a place that has been so special to me over my 17-year career – being a student-athlete first from 2003 to 2008, then immediately jumping onto the coaching staff in 2008," Browne said in a news release. "To turn that page has been very difficult for me.
   "I can't speak highly enough of the people that I've been surrounded with here at Cal. To be working with Peter Wright for as many years as I have and then to be mentored by him has been an invaluable experience for which I will always be grateful.
   "Working with administrators and with all the colleagues that I consider my friends over the years has been completely enriching. The relationships that I've built with student-athletes, former teammates and alums has really made Cal special. I wouldn't be the person I am today without those friendships."
   Browne was named the ITA Northwest Regional Assistant Coach of the Year four times (2012, 2015, 2017 and 2019). Cal reached the postseason every year during Browne's tenure and had the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation in 2017. Since 2008, Browne has worked with seven Cal All-Americans, including professional players Ben McLachlan, Andre Goransson, Florian Lakat and Filip Bergevi.
   As a Cal player, Browne went 72-59 in singles and added 46 doubles victories in four years. A product of nearby Walnut Creek, he was ranked as high as No. 56 in singles and No. 12 in doubles. Browne was named to the All-Pac-10 second team as a junior in 2006 and received honorable mention in 2007.
   "Tyler's legacy as a player and coach at Cal is nothing short of remarkable," Wright said. "On a daily basis, he shared his passion for tennis, as well as his fierce loyalty and dedication to our players, team and university.
   "It's been my absolute pleasure to watch Tyler grow from a high-level junior player to an outstanding college player to becoming one of the finest college coaches in the country, earning many titles and coaching awards along the way."

World TeamTennis to play full season at W.V. resort

Sofia Kenin, ranked fourth, headlines the World Team-
Tennis rosters this season. 2018 photo by Paul Bauman 

   World TeamTennis will play its entire season at The Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs, W.V., the league announced today.
   The regular season is scheduled for July 12-30, and the four-team playoffs are set for Aug. 1-2. Play on the men's and women's pro tours has been suspended until at least Aug. 3.
   CBS will broadcast a WTT regular-season match on July 19 and the WTT Final on Aug. 2. CBS Sports Network will carry 13 regular-season matches and the Aug. 1 semifinals.
   WTT will play at least three matches per day at The Greenbrier's 2,500-seat outdoor stadium, and an indoor court will be installed as a backup. In accordance with state health guidelines, WTT will allow up to 500 fans to attend the outdoor matches.
   The nine-team league consists of the two-time defending champion Springfield (Mo.) Lasers, Las Vegas Rollers, Orange County Breakers, San Diego Aviators, New York Empire, Orlando Storm, Philadelphia Freedoms, Washington Kastles and expansion Chicago Smash.
   This season's players include:
   –Sofia Kenin (Philadelphia), the world No. 4 and reigning Australian Open champion.
   –Sloane Stephens (Chicago), the 2017 U.S. Open champion and 2018 French Open runner-up.
   –Grigor Dimitrov (Orange County), a three-time Grand Slam semifinalist.
   –Bob and Mike Bryan (Las Vegas), who have won a record 16 Grand Slam men's doubles titles.
   –Sam Querrey (Las Vegas), a Wimbledon semifinalist in 2017.
   –Tennys Sandgren (Orlando), a two-time Australian Open quarterfinalist.
   –Neal Skupski (New York), last year's WTT Male MVP.
   Kenin won Northern California Challengers in three consecutive years – Sacramento at 17 in 2016, Stockton and Berkeley.
   Stephens grew up in Fresno, the Bryan twins starred at Stanford in 1997 and 1998, and Querrey was born in San Francisco.
   The Bryans, Sandgren and Skupski played for the Sacramento area-based California Dream in 2015, the team's only year of existence.

Suspensions of men's, women's pro tours extended

Arthur Ashe Stadium looms over rows of subway trains in Flushing Meadows, N.Y.
The U.S. Open, still scheduled for Aug. 31 to Sept. 13, could move to Orlando, Fla.,
or Indian Wells, or it could be canceled. File photo by Paul Bauman

   The suspension of the men's and women's professional tours today were extended to July 31 and July 12, respectively, because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
   ATP tournaments in Hamburg, Bastad, Newport, Los Cabos, Gstaad, Umag, Atlanta and Kitzbuhel will not be held as scheduled. The ATP Challenger Tour and the ITF World Tennis Tour during that time also have been suspended.
   WTA tourneys in Bastad, Lausanne, Bucharest and Jurmala (Latvia) were canceled.
   Further updates are scheduled for mid-June (ATP) and June (WTA).
   The U.S. Open remains scheduled for Aug. 31 to Sept. 13 in Flushing Meadows, N.Y., and the French Open for Sept. 20 to Oct. 4. The French Tennis Federation announced on March 17 that Roland Garros would be moved from May 24-June 7 to one week after the U.S. Open.
   The New York Times reported Thursday that the U.S. Open could move from Flushing Meadows, N.Y., to the United States Tennis Association's 100-court training facility in Orlando, Fla., or to Indian Wells, the site of the BNP Paribas Open, but perhaps not in late summer.
   The USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, the site of the U.S. Open, is near the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak in the New York area.
   Cancellation of the two Grand Slam tournaments also is a strong possibility because so many people are needed to hold them and players would have to travel from all over the world.
   Last year's U.S. Open generated $400 million, more than 80 percent of the USTA's annual revenue, according to the Times. The tournament does not have cancellation insurance because of the prohibitive cost.
   Wimbledon, originally scheduled for June 29 to July 12, was canceled for the first time in 75 years on April 1. The Tokyo Olympics, which had been set for July 24 to Aug. 9, were postponed until summer 2021 on March 24.