At The Net: Rupie Mukherjee, Advantage Tennis Clubs

Over the last several years, the adult programs at Advantage Tennis Clubs have seen a significant increase in not just participation, but also quality. By combining expertise and passion, along with a cohesive team of people running things, Advantage Tennis Clubs remains at the forefront of tennis growth in New York City.

And much of that success, specifically at Advantage’s Manhattan Plaza Racquet Club location, can be attributed to Rupie Mukherjee, the Adult Programs Director at the historic facility.

Mukherjee has served in that role since 2024, and has been an integral part of the innovative adult programs that are not just bringing new people into the sport of tennis, but also providing existing players with the type of pathway that resonates with them.

“Growing the sport as much as we can and continuing to expand the sport of tennis is the goal we have at Advantage, at Manhattan Plaza, but also my own personal ones as well,” said Mukherjee. “We want people to feel like they are part of the New York tennis community, and the Advantage community.”

Mukherjee’s rise to the Adult Programs Director was a rapid one. She moved to the United States in 2020 to play college tennis at Dominican University in New York. After a four-year college tennis  career and upon graduating, Mukherjee faced a common dilemma: what’s next?

After playing tennis for her entire life, she thought she wanted to do something away from the game. She moved to Brooklyn and put down  a deposit on an apartment near where she planned to take a marketing job. But soon after, Mukherjee came to the realization that the tennis court was where she wanted to be, and tennis was an industry that she wanted to be a part of.

“After I finished college tennis, I had this thing in my mind that I didn’t want to play tennis ever again. I actually told myself, I’ll do anything except work in tennis,” Mukherjee recalls. “I was prepared to take the marketing job, but right before I was supposed to start, I told them I wasn’t able to take the job.. I couldn’t picture myself working at a desk all day, and dealing with the notion of that being the end of my tennis life was something I didn’t want to face.”

As fate would have it, a chance encounter with Gabe Slotnick of the Manhattan Plaza Racquet Club would help her make her way back into the tennis world. After meeting with him and seeing the club, she knew that’s where she wanted to work. She started as a camp coordinator helping out with social media. Soon after, in December 2024, she moved into a role as the Assistant Adult Program Manager, and last September, was promoted to the Adult Programs Director.

“Rupie has been a tremendous asset to the Advantage Tennis Clubs team at Manhattan Plaza since the day she arrived,” said Slotnick. “Her passion for teaching tennis to all ages, combined with the warm, friendly way she connects and engages with colleagues, club members and students alike is truly remarkable.”

It’s that connection she develops with her students that make her such an effective teacher. Despite being in her early 20s, younger than the majority of people in the adult programs, the management at Advantage saw someone with a high level of maturity, and the capability to run the show.

“Rupie brings immense energy to every task she undertakes, and is deeply committed to helping every student, doing everything in her power to make that happen,” said Slotnick. “Her organizational and administrative skills, combined with her leadership style are far superior to others her age, making her an invaluable Director of Adult Programs. She truly cares about each player’s development, checking in with them daily and constantly finding ways to improve the experience for everyone who steps through the door at Manhattan Plaza Racquet Club.”

Over the course of the last two years, those players who had barely picked up a racquet prior to walking through the Manhattan Plaza doors, have progressed up to higher levels. So not only is the participation climbing, but a pathway to improvement is in full effect.

It’s that pathway, and seeing the improvement of the players in the program and their increased motivation to get better, that brings Mukherjee the most joy in her job. Despite being younger than the majority of the students under her tutelage, she looks at herself as a proud tennis mom.

“When I see their passion, it really brings out this pride in me and I love to see it,” she says. “I feel like they are all my kids. I have seen many of them start from scratch and now they have improved so much, it makes me so proud and happy. And so I want to do more of that. I am in a manager role now so I am not on court as much as I used to be, but I try to get on court whenever I can to make sure I stay connected to the players.”

Tennis is a sport that can have a profound impact way beyond the training sessions, or the wins and losses that arise from competition. The adults who have picked up the sport of tennis through the programs at Advantage have found so much more than learning how to hit forehands, they have found a community of like-minded individuals who they are able to bond with.

Mukherjee took the ball and ran with it. Through her passion and infectious energy, she has helped exponentially grow the programs.

“I think it’s very important because tennis has so many benefits. It’s great for your body physically, but also great for your mind,” Mukherjee explains. “Everybody has something going on in their life, but getting onto the tennis court is a freeing experience. I remember that’s how I felt when I was playing as a kid. If something happened at school, or I had a fight with my parents, going out and playing tennis would make me feel better. These young adults are able to find a sense of community, and are able to learn about themselves. They put in the effort and find out they had skills they didn’t realize they had. They see the potential in themselves, and it keeps them coming back.”

Tennis often has a high barrier of entry which can discourage young adults from playing. But Mukherjee and the team at Manhattan Plaza Racquet Club and Advantage Tennis Clubs have demonstrated that if done correctly, growth of a facility’s adult programs is attainable.

With the shared goal of expanding our tennis community and keeping players engaged, the sport is in great hands in New York.