Michael Joyce takes issue with coaches and others in the tennis industry who consistently rip USTA Player Development for not producing enough top players. Joyce once coached Maria Sharapova, is currently coaching 20-year-old Jessie Pegula, and just launched a new venture, Askmichaeljoyce.com, in order to help aspiring players reach their potential.
Joyce believes that USTA Player Development chief Patrick McEnroe takes too much heat.
“I don't think I could wake up every morning and be blamed for everything wrong in the world,” Joyce told barrybuss.com. “Too depressing...My skin's not thick enough for that. People who are involved in the sport should know better, that know how hard these kids are working and how tough it is out there to be an elite pro. Grown adults slamming the system all day, at a time when we really need to be pulling together.”
Joyce added that private coaches should also shoulder some of the blame.
“I know they know better. I just don't understand what good they think they're doing blasting every move American tennis is trying to make. If these guys are so brilliant and have all the answers, how come the decline in tennis has happened while they have been the unofficial leaders of the private sector? Where are all their players? And don't make me sick with the finger pointing blaming the USTA, or Player Development or Patrick, we're all to blame, private and public. That's partly why I'm launching this venture. We all can do more.”