USTA Eastern Long Island Adult League Kicks Off 2026 Despite Winter Conditions

Freezing temperatures and winter winds did nothing to slow the USTA Eastern Long Island Region's adult league season, which opened 2026 with regional titles, national appearances, and Spring/Summer registration already underway.

The headline result from the early-season push was Point Set Tennis in Oceanside, whose Mixed Doubles 7.0 team captured the division title at the USTA Long Island Regionals. Captains Lori Sarnelli and Melissa Thomas led the squad to the championship, with the team's roster depth cited as a key factor. "Our depth played a big part as so many players were able to play and win important matches," the team said in coverage published by Long Island Tennis Magazine.

The regional win adds to a strong run for the Point Set name on Long Island. A separate team out of Point Set Indoor Racquet Club, captained by Laura Crain and Cristina Handal, made the trip southwest to compete at the USTA National Championships at the end of last year. The club's write-up captured the mood heading in: "There's nothing quite like winning when you are the underdogs. That's exactly how the team out of the USTA Eastern section representing Point Set Indoor Racquet Club felt when it headed southwest to compete in the USTA National Championships." The Long Island Tennis Magazine has since run a standalone headline on that performance: "Point Set Team Wins USTA National Championships."

The broader program is carrying genuine momentum into the spring. The January/February 2026 wrap-up from Long Island Tennis Magazine described "remarkable growth, spirited competition, and strong community engagement" since June, calling Long Island "a tennis region that continues to distinguish itself within the Eastern Section." With Spring/Summer registration now open for 2026, the calendar is already filling up. The 18 & Over Mixed Doubles Sectional Championship is scheduled for the weekend of June 11, with Sectional Championships in Schenectady set for the weekends of September 17-19 (55 & Over 6.0 through 9.0) and September 24-26 (65 & Over 6.0 through 9.0, plus 40 & Over Mixed Doubles).

Facilities across the Island are hosting playoff action across age divisions. The 40 & Over Women's schedule runs through Eastern Athletic Club-Blue Point, Sportime Lynbrook, Glen Head Racquet & Fitness, Sportime Bethpage, and Sportime Syosset. Regional Championships for 18 & Over Women are slated for Carefree Racquet Club, managed by Kathy Miller, who also serves as Adult League Coordinator for USTA/Long Island and can be reached at kathym65@aol.com.

Players new to the league should know the administrative basics before stepping on court. Registration runs through Tennis Link at tennislink.usta.com/leagues, and every team member must be registered before playing a single match. If an unregistered player takes the court, all points won on that court are reversed. Match fees are $30 per player paid to the facility, though home team fees can vary by club. For incomplete courts, captains have 72 hours from the originally scheduled match date to agree on a reschedule, with the home team required to offer two viable options. If no date is confirmed within that window, the League Coordinator steps in and sets it. All grievances go to either the Section League Coordinator or the Adult League Coordinator.

On roster composition, 18 & Over and 40 & Over teams must field a minimum of 65 percent of players at their designated NTRP level, dropping to 50 percent for two-team leagues. That minimum does not apply to Mixed, 55 & Over, or 65 & Over leagues. With next stop: Sectionals already the rallying cry on the Long Island circuit, the region is building toward what could be its most competitive spring in years.