Jay Berger Steps Down As Head of Men’s Tennis For USTA Player Development

March 21, 2017 | By New York Tennis Magazine Staff

The head of men’s tennis for USTA Player Development Jay Berger announced that he will be stepping down from his role in early June after serving in the position since it was created in 2008.

“Jay has done a tremendous job over the last nine years to support the development of the most promising generation of young men we’ve had in more than a decade,” said Martin Blackman, the USTA Player Development General Manager. “It’s important for us to bring in someone who can maintain that momentum, continue to develop relationships with our top male juniors, collegians and pros and optimize the support that we give to our top American players. I’m grateful Jay has decided to stay on through June to make that transition as smooth as possible.”

Berger began his time with the USTA in 2003 as a national coach and was named the head of men’s tennis when the Player Development program of the USTA started to expand. He will remain in the role until June as he helps his successor transition into the new role.

“It has been an honor to serve as the USTA’s head of men’s tennis for the last  nine years, under great leaders like Patrick McEnroe, Jose Higueras and Martin Blackman,” said Berger. “As I look toward the next challenge in my career, I have the utmost confidence in the future of American men’s tennis under Martin’s leadership.”

Below is more information on Berger and his time heading up American men’s tennis, from the USTA:

“Since Berger took over the role in 2008, men's tennis in the U.S. has blossomed. There were two American men age 21 or younger in the Top 200 that year, compared to eight U.S. men ranked in the world's Top 200 today. Moreover, the U.S. led all nations with 14 men entered in the Australian Open main draw this January, and seven of those players were age 20 or younger, marking the first Grand Slam tournament since the 2006 US Open that featured seven American men under the age of 21.

In addition to serving as head of men's tennis, Berger was the head coach of the U.S. Men’s Olympic tennis teams at the London Games in 2012, when Bob and Mike Bryan won gold in doubles, and in Rio in 2016, when Jack Sock and Steve Johnson took home the men's doubles bronze medal and Sock won gold and Rajeev Ram captured silver in mixed doubles. Berger also coached the U.S. Davis Cup team for 12 years under captains Patrick McEnroe and Jim Courier.

Prior to joining the USTA, Berger was the head men’s and women’s coach at the University of Miami. As a player, he was ranked as high as No. 7 in the world, won three ATP titles and reached the quarterfinals of the US Open and French Open in 1989. In two seasons as a player at Clemson, Berger was 91-22 in singles and earned All-America honors in 1986. He reached the fourth round of the 1985 US Open as the USTA Boys’ 18s national champion."


New York Tennis Magazine Staff
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