McEnroe fallout
Okay, so it has been a day since P-Mac was announced as the new GM of Elite Player Development in the US. Charles Bricker talks about it here and here. I certainly believe it is a step in the right direction, especially since the USTA is now going to support kids no matter where they train. That is a big move, and I think it is the right one.
What do you think about the new plan?
Any change that invests in tennis from the bottom-up is a great one. Focusing on training a solid group of American junior players can only help the future of professional tennis.
I think one of the reasons we haven’t seen too many new American champions lately is that kids aren’t really exposed to tennis that much anymore. There is barely any coverage on regular TV stations like there used to be when I was a kid. If American kids don’t get to witness the glory of a tennis champ holding that Grand slam trophy over their head, they’re missing out on a chance to get really psyched about the sport. I’ve heard a lot of tennis champs say that’s what inspired them to start playing; seeing some great champion on TV. Tennis coverage has really nose-dived in the past 10 years. Sure tennis is popular in Florida and California, but not so much in other parts of the US. Plus, it’s pretty much a rich kids sport. Even one day a week lessons add up pretty fast for a middle class family.
Couldn’t agree more. The television coverage in the US has gone from bad to worse. ESPN dropped both Indian Wells and the Sony Ericsson Open. These are major US tournaments that no longer were showcased on the nation’s leading sports provider. Things are definitely moving in the wrong direction in terms of coverage.
I think this is exactly what we need right now. The USTA hasn’t been interacting and helping juniors along at all. Some juniors who can’t travel need an alternative like this, like me. You graciously granted me a scholarship, and I think the USTA should have a similar program to yours. P-Mac certainly was a great choice to me.