TopCourt brings fans closer than ever to top pros

Taylor Meyer was just two years old when he hit his first forehand, and now the entrepreneur is smacking the tennis world with an innovative platform that is breaking down the game's barriers.

Meyer spent most of his childhood begging his father to stay on the court a little longer and quickly developed a deep connection to the sport. His passion would lead him to winning multiple USTA National Open medals and becoming a four-star recruit, leading to a spot on the University of North Carolina's men's tennis team.

The UNC Tarheel eventually graduated with a degree in chemistry and an MBA from UNC's Kenan-Flagler School of Business. But, before dipping his toes into the entrepreneurial tech scene, Meyer continued to learn and perfect his craft, just as he did on the tennis court. He obtained another master's degree, this time in computer science from Harvard University.

It's not enough to be consistent or fast in tennis—one has to have an arsenal of weapons to be among the best. Meyer's educational background proves that consistency was never in the plans, but instead, building a wealth of knowledge and experience to deliver a platform like no other: TopCourt.

The name speaks for itself. If one has ever played "king of the court," the ultimate goal is to reach the top court. It's where the best of the best battle it out and now tennis fans of all ages, backgrounds and experience levels can join in on the high-level action. The digital platform which launched last month, gives fans the opportunity to learn from the game's top names on a more personal level.

Meyer, the co-founder of Hyperspace Ventures, a software development and venture capital company that assembles tech product for numerous early-stage companies, began to notice an opportunity shift in the online learning and entertainment space. Combining his passion for entrepreneurial endeavors and his love for tennis, he began creating this bridge between top players and fans.

“If you can get people learning and inspired from some of their favorite players, then they are going to be exponentially more likely to go play themselves," Meyer said. "They are going to be more likely to go watch Tennis Channel, attend events, and go see their favorite players in action. We felt that would be really good for the game of tennis.”

World No. 8 Belinda Bencic looks directly into the camera, giving off the feeling that she is talking directly with users. The top Swiss player openly demonstrates a detailed half-volley drill she frequently uses and explains why.

"This is a drill I definitely do all the time," Bencic says during the TopCourt practice. "I did it from my early years, from the start, when I was just six-years-old and I'm still doing it, because actually this is the biggest part of my game and this is something that helps me a lot."

Bencic, along with Eugenie Bouchard, the Bryan Brothers, Fernando Verdasco, Sloane Stephens and many more top names, make up the site. Meyer is hoping the highly-engaging content will inspire more people to pick up a racquet and play.

"We tried to include curriculum even from the pros that would be applicable for someone who is super advanced and looking to really train aggressively and get to that next level, and maybe play pro one day," Meyer said. "Then, we have a lot of content that is tailored more for the beginners, and trying to help teach some of the basics and fundamentals of tennis."

Starting at $15 a month, fans have access to an extensive content library, with a new player being added to the TopCourt roster each month. If Grand Slam champions aren't incentive enough to inspire viewers to hit the court, the site also implements gamification to motivate consumers. Autographed memorabilia, tickets to events, and even VIP passes to TopCourt player shoots are among some of the prizes for watching and growing the game.

“We just had a winner from Canada and they will actually be able to hit with the player in our next shoot, which is a very rare experience," Meyer said.

It's indeed a very rare experience, but TopCourt's shelf seems to be fully stocked with rarities. It wasn't easy getting the world's best ATP and WTA players to support the innovative platform's mission. It was a hurdle that couldn't have been cleared without connections leading them to partners who would fully get behind the platform and push for continued success.

"No one wants to be involved in something that doesn’t exist yet, because more times than not it’s not going to be something that is great or something that they are excited to be a part of," Meyer explained. "It’s hard to imagine. It doesn’t exist."

Now, players and the entire tennis realm no longer needs to imagine. Meyer's concept is in full bloom, which has led to players reaching out and inquiring on how they can participate. Meyer's stacked lineup has the entrepreneur thinking of when two of the sport's greatest icons will make their debut on the digital space.

“We would love to see Federer and Nadal get involved and join in on the mission, that would be fantastic for the game of tennis and a real blast to work with them," Meyer said.

As for now, Meyer and the small team at TopCourt are constantly working on enhancements, pushing live updates every couple of weeks. Fans can expect TopCourt to be hitting IOS, Android and even Apple TV devices in the near future. Meyer's goal is to continue identifying ways to make learning tennis fun, exciting, and most of all inspiring.

In order to do so, Meyer is patching a hole in the storytelling aspect of tennis. Fans and enthusiasts have become accustomed to seeing their favorite players in one setting, competing for titles in arenas and that's it. TopCourt is making major winners more accessible to not just tennis enthusiasts, but possibly the sport's next generation of Grand Slam champions. Now, the world can learn what goes on inside a top pro's brain and even what they are like off the court.

“People like to see what their idols are thinking and why they make the decisions that they make," Meyer said. "Also with the upcoming generation, I think people are very intrigued with who people are off the court and how their brains tick and what their story is.”

In the coming weeks, TopCourt viewers can expect to see Aryna Sabalenka and an insightful class taught by Paul Annacone and Taylor Fritz.

"It can be in the United States, but certainly all over the world too, where you may not have access to a top coach. There are not that many around. You may not have access to world class facilities, but you like the game of tennis and you grew up watching Tennis Channel, watching all these tournaments and I think this enables those people to get out there and play and improve.”

From his first backswing as a toddler, to launching entrepreneurial winners, it's Meyer's champion-like mindset that will continue to unveil the unimaginable.