In many ways, the US is something of an exception when it comes to sports. In most other countries, talented young athletes are spotted by scouts who sign them up to contracts before then making the move to full professional terms as soon as possible. That is why we see many teenage stars across the world across a range of sports.
But in the US, we tend to promote the college system route to professionalism. Not only do student athletes continue to train and learn the craft of their chosen sports, but they also receive an education that could be very important if dreams of a professional sports career fail to materialize.
Tennis has something of a mixed history on this front. If you take a look at many of the famous American names in the sport, many of them did attend college. However, the rush to earn a lot of money saw the practice decrease in the last 20-30 years. But now some of the tennis pros featured on the
most popular sportsbooks have emerged after a stint at college level. Why is this happening? And what might the future hold for college tennis athletes?
1980s Heyday
There was a time in the 1970s and 1980s when even the biggest American names in the sport had first honed their skills on the college tennis circuit. Arthur Ashe and Jimmy Connors both represented UCLA for a while, while John McEnroe played for Stanford before going pro. Billie Jean King attended Cal State, while Althea Gibson played for Florida A&M.
But in the 1990s and 2000s, we started to see big-hitting, very successful players coming straight out of high school and going straight into the professional game. Stars like Andy Roddick, Pete Sampras, and Venus Williams inspired many to forego the chance of a college education and attempt to play for big money on the pro circuit.
Expensive to Go Pro
In recent years there has been a steady increase in the number of young tennis prospects deciding to play at college though – and it is not just because it gives them a chance to prepare for a possible future away from the sport. The huge expense of going pro straight from high school has put off many.
For a young player the only way to climb the rankings and have a chance of playing for bigger prizes is to feature in the qualifying events. This can cost a lot of money in travel expenses alone – and that is before the costs of private coaching and employing a team to help is factored in.
Physical and Mental Toughness
There is also the issue of whether a young tennis player is ready for the ATP or WTA circuit, let alone the majors, when they are just 18 years old. There will always be some exceptions but the vast majority of players at that age are not ready to play against opponents five to ten years older than them.
The physical difference between an established professional tennis player and one that has just finished high school is immense. There is also the mental toughness that is needed to compete on a regular basis. Playing at high school level is nothing like the pro circuit and many athletes just would not be able to cope.
Accelerator Program
Obviously, just as there are rankings for players, there is also a hierarchy of events when it comes to pro tennis. Players fresh out of high school will not be able to routinely play in the competitions that enable them to rise through the rankings. We may see even more players coming through from college now that a new accelerator program has been put in place.
In a very positive move from the ATP and the Intercollegiate Tennis Association, a new program takes the top 20 players in the college singles rankings and gives them the option of competing in Challenger-level events. This can give them a head start into competing at the top level in the sport.
New Crop of Players
Since the beginning of the 2000s, there has seemed to be a steadily growing stream of professional US tennis players that have come through the college system. John Isner is probably the poster boy for this phenomenon, reaching a career-high of number eight and making it to the semifinals of Wimbledon.
But there have been other notable success stories. Steve Johnson was arguably the greatest college men’s single player of all time and went on to win multiple ATP titles and an Olympic bronze. Danielle Collins and Ben Shelton have also been successful, while
Cameron Norrie – now representing Great Britain – spent four years at TCU.
International Players
The US college system has not only benefited American athletes, however. There is a growing number of tennis players on the circuit who entered the professional game after reaping the benefits of training and playing at the collegiate level. When the facilities and coaches are not readily available at home, the US can step in to develop these international athletes.
Now, around two-thirds of players in both men’s and women’s tennis at the college level are from overseas. Although there is little chance of achieving financial success for NCAA athletes, the four years of dedicated training and honing skills are seen as an invaluable part of eventually becoming a tennis professional.
Proven Path to Success
More than anything, the success of athletes who have come through college tennis to make it as a professional has inspired more to follow that path. When the big players of the 1990s were going straight from high school to the majors, that was the direction many young athletes wanted to emulate.
But now current college athletes can see the proof and benefits of developing at the NCAA level and know that there will be more of a chance to earn a good living – and be successful – after. Athletes can now see why a college education is just part of the deal and the result is more former students making it in the pro game.
