McEnroe Bucks Tradition with NYC Tennis Academy

Tuesday, 08 March 2011 | by Pat's Picks

Most of the country’s major tennis camps are in Florida.  Never one to conform, John McEnroe decided to start his own in New York City.  Born out of a desire to foster “individuality and creativity in a sport that demands it at the very highest levels,” the New York Times says McEnroe is concerned that the live-in tennis camps in Florida have created “an assembly-line sameness to America’s young players,” one that has stymied the country’s ability to produce a tennis star. More specifically, McEnroe’s concern is that the live-in camps have “churned out baseline huggers overdosing on topspin.” His teaching philosophy is that young players would be better served by spending less time on the court and more time developing other interests.