"The tennis/education combination": Chris Evert disagrees with John McEnroe telling kids to choose college over tennis
Tennis NewsSaturday, 11 November 2023 at 12:00
Former world number one Chris Evert has expressed disagreement
about the comment of seven-time Grand Slam winner John McEnroe.
The 64-year-old recently made a comment where he advised
youngsters who are interested in playing tennis to opt for college rather than
joining tennis academies.
"All studies show, both physically & mentally, it’s
healthier for kids to play other sports," said McEnroe. "For every
person you hear that succeeds, there’s a million that don’t. Not everyone’s
Carlos Alcaraz, he’s one in a billion. He’s just a freak. He’s an incredible
player, but most kids have no business doing that.”
Evert, who is often regarded as one of the greatest players
in the history of women’s singles tennis in the Open era having won as many as
18 Grand Slam titles in her illustrious career, while responding to McEnroe in a post on her official
account on the social media platform X — previously known as Twitter — disagreed
with those comments and suggested that tennis academies can help youngsters in getting
scholarships as well.
"I agree with John on many levels, but not every Tennis
Academy’s goal is to grind out professional tennis players, but to help kids
earn tennis scholarships to get into good colleges. The tennis/education
combination is the goal!"
Azeem Siddiqui is a seasoned sports journalist and data analyst with a strong background in both digital media and live sports production.
He began his journalism career working with partners of The New York Times and has since contributed to several leading international sports publications, including Fox Sports Asia, Calciomercato, and GiveMeSport. Since 2023, Azeem has been part of the TennisUpToDate team, where he has played a key role in sustaining the platform’s growth and ensuring tennis fans receive timely and reliable coverage of the sport’s biggest stories.
In addition to his editorial work, Azeem has extensive experience as a data analyst in live sports broadcasting—particularly in cricket—where he combines analytical precision with creative storytelling. He has collaborated with multiple production companies and cricket boards worldwide, delivering real-time insights and data-driven narratives during live match coverage.
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