Watch Professional Tennis in Your Neighborhood or Club this Summer (2025)

Season #25 Episode#:32 Shaun Boyce & Bobby Schindler Guests: Elijah Melendez Host: Shaun Boyce Runtime: ~30 minutes Episode Theme: Creating a competitive tennis league focused on team dynamics and high-level play in Atlanta. 🎯 What This Episode Is Really About In this episode, we dive into the story of Elijah Melendez — a former Georgia Tech tennis star and the creator of a new high-level tennis league that’s changing the competitive landscape in Atlanta. Elijah shares the challenges he faced in creating a league tailored for former D1 players and other high-level athletes, while building a strong sense of community and fun. This conversation touches on everything from team dynamics to engaging fans and the unique business model behind the league. 📌 Key Highlights 1. The Birth of a New Tennis League Elijah discusses the problem he saw in the local tennis scene — high-level players, including former college athletes and ex-D1 players, had limited competitive options after their college careers. To fill this gap, he created a tennis league that offers higher stakes, cash prizes, and a team-oriented environment. This league is designed to keep competitive players in the game longer and elevate the level of play in Atlanta. 2. Fostering the Team Tennis Spirit Why is the team dynamic so important in tennis? Elijah explains how he’s working to bring a sense of camaraderie and team spirit into a sport traditionally known for its individual play. For him, the team aspect of tennis is the peak of the sport, offering a unique environment that helps players improve and thrive. 3. How the League Works: Format & Drafting In this league, teams are drafted, creating a “fantasy football”-style experience for players. Elijah explains the process, which involves six clubs and a snake draft format. Teams are made up of 12 players, with four lines of doubles played each match, creating a dynamic, engaging atmosphere for both players and spectators. 4. Collaboration with Other Leagues Elijah also touches on his relationship with Marcus Rucci’s Atlanta Pro League, noting the similarities and differences between the two leagues. They collaborate closely to ensure they target different player demographics while building up the tennis community in Atlanta. 🎤 A Discussion on Behind the Scenes: Building a Community Around Tennis 1. Engaging Fans & Sponsors Beyond just playing tennis, Elijah’s league focuses on building relationships between players and fans. He discusses how members of the clubs hosting the league matches are involved in the experience — from sponsoring teams to interacting with players. This personal engagement makes the matches more exciting and relatable for spectators. 2. Why Club Support Is Essential Elijah shares how club sponsorships play a crucial role in making the league financially viable. Clubs sponsor the teams, and in return, their members get to enjoy an exciting, high-level tennis experience with plenty of opportunities to engage with the players. 3. The Future of the League With the league already growing in popularity, Elijah is focusing on how to improve the structure moving forward. He’s reducing the season length, adjusting the playoff format, and exploring new opportunities to boost fan engagement, including live-streaming matches and offering larger cash prizes for players. 🔑 Why This Episode Matters This conversation is an exciting look at the future of competitive tennis leagues. Elijah’s vision for team-based tennis isn’t just about raising the stakes for the players — it’s about making the sport more exciting and accessible for fans as well. His innovative approach to community building, player engagement, and sponsorship is transforming how tennis is experienced in Atlanta. Whether you're a tennis player, fan, or someone interested in the evolution of sports leagues, this episode offers invaluable insights into how tennis can evolve in new and engaging ways. 🎧 Who Should Listen? Tennis Enthusiasts: Players looking for new competitive outlets and fans wanting to see high-level tennis up close. Coaches and Club Owners: Those interested in the business of tennis and how new leagues are created and sustained. Sports Fans: Anyone curious about how sports leagues are evolving, especially with team formats and fan engagement. Sponsors & Brands: Brands looking to understand the potential of sports sponsorships and how they can help shape the future of tennis. 👂 Why This Conversation Is Essential Tennis is not just changing on the court but also off of it. As the sport continues to grow, leagues like Elijah's are paving the way for new models of competition and fan interaction. By putting players and fans at the center of the experience, Elijah is leading the charge in creating a tennis environment that’s more engaging, community-driven, and high-level than ever before. 👉 Listen now and find out how one man’s passion for tennis is creating a new kind of league that puts competition, community, and player engagement first. Learn more about LIV Tennis: https://livtennisatl.com/ Interesting in playing? Enter the draft here: https://app.utrsports.net/events/292093 Full YouTube Video King of Tennis Answer Shaun Boyce USPTA: shaun@tennisforchildren.com https://tennisforchildren.com/ Bobby Schindler USPTA: schindlerb@comcast.net https://letsgotennis.com/windermere Geovanna Boyce: geovy@regeovinate.com https://regeovinate.com/ This podcast is powered by GoTennis! Atlanta: Membership has its privileges https://letsgotennis.com/ https://letsgotennis.com/join/ https://shop.letsgotennis.com/ https://letsgotennis.com/podcast/ Do you want to read about some good things going on in the world of tennis? https://letsgotennis.com/stories/ Check out our GoTennis! Atlanta Facebook page for deals, updates, events, podcasts, news, stories, coach profiles, club information, and more https://bit.ly/gt_facebook_page Also, you can support this show (and save some $) by shopping at https://letsgotennis.com/shop Or, donate directly HERE Want donate with Bitcoin? Here’s the address: 3EqTU1gQBLoieMeFLC1BQgCUajPpPMCgwB Considering your own podcast? We (obviously) recommend Captivate: This podcast is hosted by Captivate, try it yourself for free.