Meet Stephen Amritraj, UTR’s Chief Tennis Officer

Stephen is joining UTR as the Chief Tennis Officer, leading the charge to build UTR’s relationship with the elite tennis community. Stephen comes to UTR from the USTA, where he served as the Director of Collegiate Tennis, developing and creating the USTA Collegiate Pro Circuit as well as overseeing the College MatchDay series at the USTA National Campus in Orlando. Prior to the USTA, Stephen played at the junior, collegiate (go Duke!) and professional level, and also served as a USTA National Coach. Stephen has a wealth of knowledge and experience in the tennis world and we’re thrilled to have him on board! Tell us what you’re most excited about for UTR? I joined UTR because, at the end of the day, I believe UTR is going to provide everyone with the opportunity to play more tennis more often and make the sport as a whole even better. It’s truly an unprecedented opportunity have a positive impact on a sport that I - and millions of people around the world - love. How do you believe UTR can impact the game? I have played and been involved in tennis in some capacity for my entire life, so I know where the game is strong but also where it can improve. UTR has a clear vision of how it is going to grow the game for the future. Number one, tennis today is incredibly fragmented. The UTR Powered by Oracle system will inclusively unify the sport, from beginners to pros on a single rating - regardless of age, gender, location or economics. UTR is providing best in class technology, access, analytics and connectivity that will make tennis better, more affordable, safer and more enjoyable for all those who play. I truly believe UTR will change the game of tennis for the better and empower every tennis player, fan, coach and event organizer around the world. How did you get involved in tennis? I basically started playing tennis when I was in the cradle. My father Anand and my Uncle Vijay led India to the Davis Cup final in 1974 before refusing to play in apartheid South Africa in protest and went on to have long tennis careers. So, I pretty much grew up in the sport and started playing seriously when I was 8 years old. Tennis has given me everything in my life. From lifelong friends and a sense of purpose to a college scholarship at Duke University and global education on the tour, to dreams coming true in working for American tennis and meeting my future wife, Alison. I have seen almost every side of it as a son to a junior, collegiate, and professional player to a coach to a promoter to an administrator to a fiancée. I’ve been in it my whole life and will be in it for the rest of my life. Why did you decide to become involved in the professional/business side of the game? After a series of injuries, I ended my playing career but still loved the sport, so I decided to go into coaching. I was lucky to work with great players like Mardy Fish, Sam Querrey, Steve Johnson, Danielle Collins, Rajeev Ram, Austin Krajicek, and many others. But my passion was always the business of tennis and trying to improve the sport on a macro level. How do you think the tennis can continue to grow and resonate with players? Tennis is a fraction of what it could be mostly because connectivity and access within the sport has always been so difficult. Access to affordable play, with players at the right level, on courts that are close by are some of the major obstacles to the growth of the game. However, all of those major issues and more can be tackled by technology. UTR is working to do just that and is leading the effort to improve the game at every level through innovative technology and analytics. Lightning Round Favorite player: Alison Riske Favorite tournament: Davis Cup Forehand, backhand or volley: Volley Clay, hard or grass: Grass How often do you play? Once every couple weeks What’s your UTR? Sadly, from where I was, I’m now a 10.5, but feel like I have serious room to improve!