USTA Committee Member Jessica McMillen on Growing The Game And Tennis' Place As The Healthiest Sport In The World

In this episode of The Inside-In Tennis Podcast, host Mitch Michaels welcomes Jessica McMillan, a dedicated USTA volunteer and influential figure in Texas tennis, to discuss the growth of the sport, its health benefits, and grassroots development. Jessica shares her journey from managing rap bands in New York to becoming a passionate advocate for tennis in Austin, where she helped elevate the ATX Open and champion programs like Junior Team Tennis (JTT) and red ball tennis for adults and beginners. She emphasizes tennis as the world’s healthiest sport, citing studies showing it can add nearly a decade to one’s life, and highlights its unique blend of physical fitness, lifelong playability, and social connection. Jessica also discusses challenges like court shortages in Austin, creative solutions like Smart Access Locks for school court rentals, and the importance of community and volunteerism in sustaining tennis growth. She passionately advocates for women’s sports, noting tennis’s leadership in equal pay and female athlete visibility, and celebrates rising stars like Peyton Stearns, Taylor Townsend, and Marta Kostik. The conversation concludes with a call to action for listeners to get involved through USTA events and red ball tennis in Austin.