For a guy who is in charge and makes over $1 mil in total compensation, Pat Mac sure sounds rather helpless. Its like he knows he has little chance of success and is just riding it out as long as he can.
If tennis players got paid better, meaning good income generation not limited to the top players only, then maybe the school thing will help. Will increase the talent pool beyond just the rich kids. Otherwise, does not matter. Why would one go for tennis knowing the chances of making money is very small? You at least have several kids winning the lottery by being drafted every year in team sports. Better for schools to use their money on education. Unless USTA funds it which won't happen.
That's one of the biggest problems in tennis, it's too top heavy. (money wise)
Serena just won 1.9 million, drop in the bucket for her, but lotto money to the 100th ranked player.
Futures, challengers need to drastically offer more money, many players on those tour lose money.
Not sure it is the prize money at the top. In fact, that makes more chase the prize. The Lotto hits $300 million and many more play it. Make it $1 million to 300 people.....fewer would play. I saw a good increase of girls coming to lessons when it was first reported Sharapova was making $25 mil in endorsements after her Wimbledon win at age 17.
Now if you want to say the USTA should use the crazy salaries it pays to many worthless people, and money wasted on high performance, to instead hold more decent paying future tournaments where US players are given plenty of access, then we are on to something.
You sure about this?
When in doubt, do what Spain does.
KK where have you beenAs a "side job" I coach the local HS tennis team. Football, Basketball, Baseball, Soccer, Wrestling and Volleyball have (brief) Middle School seasons.
Not so for Tennis.
I get only the kids who don't like those other sports to tryout for the tennis team. Patrick McEnroe is correct. The USTA should work with high schools; not against us.
Jr. Team Tennis is a USTA program. It *does* help our high school teams ... but we still have to wait for a kid to decide he/she doesn't like soccer or baseball before we get them in the JTT program. It would be great if the USTA were more supportive of Elementary and Middle School tennis programs.
- KK
Not sure it is the prize money at the top. In fact, that makes more chase the prize. The Lotto hits $300 million and many more play it. Make it $1 million to 300 people.....fewer would play. I saw a good increase of girls coming to lessons when it was first reported Sharapova was making $25 mil in endorsements after her Wimbledon win at age 17.
Now if you want to say the USTA should use the crazy salaries it pays to many worthless people, and money wasted on high performance, to instead hold more decent paying future tournaments where US players are given plenty of access, then we are on to something.
How about the fact that the USTA funds 16 separate sections with buildings, rent, utilities, and staffs- all to the tune of 40 million + annually. Is this really necessary? I agree with your comment on a professional futures circuit for young American pros with decent prize money. I think that would be a big boost for American tennis. Didn't this exist at one time??
The main issue is work ethic and age at when they start playing. If you look at the top European guys they start playing when their 3 or 4. Americans on average start at around 8-10. The second thing is work ethic. The time spent practicing on the court and the pre-gym work out. For people who want to become pros they spend about 8 hours everyday for practice,stretches and workouts!! Americans usually don't even spend half the time! The reason Pete Sampras was so succesful was because he was originally Greek and he had the European work ethic in him. McCenroe and Connors worked EXTREMELY hard. mcCenroe said once in an interview as a junior sometimes he used to spend 6 to 7 hours on the court!! So when this improves America will get their new champion
The reason Pete Sampras was so succesful was because he was originally Greek and he had the European work ethic in him.
The main issue is work ethic and age at when they start playing. If you look at the top European guys they start playing when their 3 or 4. Americans on average start at around 8-10. The second thing is work ethic. The time spent practicing on the court and the pre-gym work out. For people who want to become pros they spend about 8 hours everyday for practice,stretches and workouts!! Americans usually don't even spend half the time! The reason Pete Sampras was so succesful was because he was originally Greek and he had the European work ethic in him. McCenroe and Connors worked EXTREMELY hard. mcCenroe said once in an interview as a junior sometimes he used to spend 6 to 7 hours on the court!! So when this improves America will get their new champion
Hilarious! That famous Greek work ethic, which has transformed Greece into the economic powerhouse of Europe, nay, of the world! The land where people have a God-given right to retire at age 50 and live on the dole for the rest of their lives, and if anyone says otherwise, it is time for another riot.
Hilarious! That famous Greek work ethic, which has transformed Greece into the economic powerhouse of Europe, nay, of the world! The land where people have a God-given right to retire at age 50 and live on the dole for the rest of their lives, and if anyone says otherwise, it is time for another riot.
Lol- yeah that was really a poor example. Pete Sampras undoubtedly worked hard to become a tennis star, but "famous Greek work ethic" ? You have got to be kidding me!
Two businesses AND coaching kinda kept me away. I'm not as regularly on TT as I used to be. Thanks for noticing.....KK where have you been
The USTA does seem to be making better moves these last few years. Good!HS tennis coach here and I agree with Pat. The USTA just funded our elementary school and middle school courts. We are starting the programs and getting kids to start early and get them through the pip line to HS tennis.
So, are you *with* the USTA ... or against them?Problem is our local private tennis academies are selling a dream not to play HS tennis if they want to make it to D1, which is sad. I had two top players fall for the snake oil only to come back and play for my team and do well which gave one of them an edge to get into Yale.
So take that USTA!!!!!!!
Cool. I have no idea if I support them or not because I do not have any idea how their changes will play out long term. Will TAUT make tennis like ping pong or dodge ball? Or will it grow the base of serious players? Will the draw changes lead to epic local play? Or will the changes gradually marginalize tennis to many tennis families? Will high performance in its 4th regime ever reach its goal of a champion?
Hard to say if you support things we have no idea will be great, mediocre, or terrible in the long run.
The main issue is work ethic and age at when they start playing. If you look at the top European guys they start playing when their 3 or 4. Americans on average start at around 8-10. The second thing is work ethic. The time spent practicing on the court and the pre-gym work out. For people who want to become pros they spend about 8 hours everyday for practice,stretches and workouts!! Americans usually don't even spend half the time! The reason Pete Sampras was so succesful was because he was originally Greek and he had the European work ethic in him. McCenroe and Connors worked EXTREMELY hard. mcCenroe said once in an interview as a junior sometimes he used to spend 6 to 7 hours on the court!! So when this improves America will get their new champion
The main issue is work ethic and age at when they start playing. If you look at the top European guys they start playing when their 3 or 4. Americans on average start at around 8-10. The second thing is work ethic. The time spent practicing on the court and the pre-gym work out. For people who want to become pros they spend about 8 hours everyday for practice,stretches and workouts!! Americans usually don't even spend half the time! The reason Pete Sampras was so succesful was because he was originally Greek and he had the European work ethic in him. McCenroe and Connors worked EXTREMELY hard. mcCenroe said once in an interview as a junior sometimes he used to spend 6 to 7 hours on the court!! So when this improves America will get their new champion