Tennis Industry magazine

 

PTR Member of the Year: Rodney Harmon

By Cynthia Cantrell

Over the course of his 30-year career, Rodney Harmon has been recognized as a standout college player, touring pro and coach. For his willingness to share his expertise while remaining committed to lifelong learning, he is RSI’s PTR Member of the Year.

“From his outstanding college tennis career that led to a successful run on the ATP Tour to his transformation into one of the top tennis coaches in the world, Rodney has made a significant contribution to tennis,” says PTR CEO Dan Santorum.

A member of the ITA Men’s Collegiate Tennis Hall of Fame, Harmon made a mark with his all-court game at the University of Tennessee and Southern Methodist University. He reached the quarterfinals of the US Open men’s singles in 1982 and turned pro the following year, earning a No. 56 world ranking with wins over Guillermo Vilas, Brian Gottfried, and Tim Mayotte.

After his playing days, Harmon was the men’s coach at the University of Miami, the USTA’s director of multicultural development, director of men’s tennis for USTA High Performance, and the U.S. men’s coach at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Today, he shares his experience through the Tennis Channel, as director of tennis at Deerwood Country Club in Jacksonville, Fla., and as a speaker at PTR events. He is also a longtime supporter of the PTR’s ACE program, which helps bring more diversity to the coaching ranks.

“It was through the PTR that I learned how to teach the fundamentals to adults and young players,” Harmon says. “I’m a very proud member of the PTR.”


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About the Author

Cynthia Cantrell is a contributing editor of Tennis Industry magazine.

 

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