Donald Young Caught in Tug-of-War With USTA, Parents

Filed under: ATP, ATP Rankings

So I'm standing with Don and Ilona Young, parents of American tennis prodigy -- one-time tennis prodigy? -- Donald Young, who had just lost his first-round match at the U.S. Open.

Donald had finished a press conference in a small room with a handful of writers, answering questions about whether people should give up on him. And I told the parents this:

Patrick McEnroe says that you are the problem.

It's what McEnroe, head of the United States Tennis Association's player development program, had written in his book. And an agent from IMG, which works with McEnroe and has worked with Young, happened to be standing there. He said he felt the need to interrupt, that McEnroe would never say that, but only that the parents and USTA need to work together.

The Youngs said they hadn't seen the book, but would like to. Luckily, I had a copy about 100 feet away. Wait here. Be right back.

They waited. Then, they read. McEnroe wrote that all his coaches "reported the same thing: love the kid, the parents are a huge obstacle."

"It does say that," Ilona Young said.

They continued to read, to the part that says Young's father talked with McEnroe on the phone, saying his son can't find practice partners in minor league events because he's African-American.

"What!" Don Young said, still looking at the book. "He said that? OK, then. OK. You know what? Never happened."

Never happened?

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