The Future of American Women’s Tennis?

Okay, so this is supposed to be a professional tennis column. Well, sue me!

Actually, this is a professional tennis column, or at least one inspired by a professional tennis player. I was talking to a former Sony Ericcson WTA Tour player who hails from my neck of the woods, and she reminded me of the times about a decade or so ago when she and a couple of other great players trolled the courts playing high school tennis here on the Jersey Shore.

We talked about where the future of American women's tennis was coming from, and talked in detail about how in the past they used to come from the high school and college system. Even on the men's side, it used to be a right of passage to win or do well in one's high school state tournament, then go off to college for at least a year and dominate at the college level, and then wind up on the pro tour.

Well, with the advent of the huge dollars and the amount of finances at stake, players hit the tour often before they even really begin high school, and never go through the old system. They are getting younger and younger, burning out quicker, and leaving the game without any true or lasting role models, role models so key to sow the seeds of tennis for decades to come.

Yes, Marissa Irvin, Laura Granville, Jenny Hopkins, and Lisa Raymond all had distinguished collegiate careers. But they are clearly the exception on the WTA Tour right now. It's a shame, because hiding on the courts of a local school near you may be a good tour player who will never see the tour.

I have one such team and group of girls right here at my old alma mater, Wall High School, here in Wall Township, New Jersey. Arguably one of the best teams in the state, having won the Central Jersey Group III championship and coming within a set of winning the Group III championship over the number one ranked team in the state, these girls have what it takes to make it on the tour some day. Their names are Carly, Caitlin, Collette, Lauren, Alexis, Julianne, and Brianne. This team is about as deep as a high school team can get (without recruiting), and in my opinion, at least three of these players could be top-200 tour players in time, with some additional coaching and playing time. I was fortunate to be able to watch them play this season.

Most of these girls play USTA tournaments, have USTA rankings, and are regarded as solid players. Some, like senior and team leader Julianne, will be recruited by Div. I teams and will go on to play at the college level. Julianne will do well, but as with other college players, will probably never get a chance at the tour. The decision of the USTA to eliminate the automatic wildcard into the main draw at the U.S. Open for the U.S. collegiate men's and women's champions pretty much sets the tone for how collegiate tennis is regarded currently.

This decision, and many others like it recently, force good, solid players to choose between maturing their games in college or making an ill-timed, ill-fated attempt at the tour. Inevitably, those that choose an education and four years of working on their games will not get to reap the rewards they deserve.

Everyone keeps asking where the next generation of U.S. women on the WTA Tour will come from. Hey, Mr. Kantarian and Mr. Scott, and all of you at the top of the USTA and WTA Tour, the future of American tennis is here, on the courts at Wall High School, and the courts at the high schools and colleges all across this great nation. You just have to look there.

Thanks girls (and Coach Nardino) for giving me a great fall of women's tennis. You are all tour champions to me. Oh, and Brianne, I will always be your biggest fan...