[tealeaves]

I wonder if a tennis player goes professional, they must have given up their studies. So is it possible for a tennis player completing college, or even graduating from a university?

I am really curious to know about it. I hope they won't pick up their schoolbag and go to school after they retire

[Sharp]

Mario Ancic has university degree, I can't remember any other player.

[Truc]

Too bad you didn't get more answers, I find it interesting too. I don't follow the WTA, but it seems to me there are more examples on the women's tour, like Zvonareva, Petkovic...

I think it's pretty rare in French tennis. I know that Florent Serra tried to do both, but he gave up. Simon also registered in economics after the high school, but it didn't last long, it's hardly worth a mention - or it is worth a mention as in he precisely found it too difficult to manage both at the same time.
The players of the Lagardère Team (Gasquet, PHM & Co.) were given a possibility to study at Sciences Po, a quite prestigious political science school in Paris, but it's more a publicity stunt of Lagardère imo, I doubt anybody takes it seriously. I haven't heard anything about it since this special program was launched.

I have the vague impression it's more common in Germany, but I struggle to find any example of a male player, from the top of my mind, so it might be wrong.
I know Meffert pulled out of the last events in 2009 to graduate (in sports studies), but it must be more common for Challenger players like him anyway.

[sammy01]

blake has a degree in stupidity

[xohxmyx]

Originally Posted by sammy01

blake has a degree in stupidity

i *like* this

it would kind of be hard to be a professional athlete and a sucessful student, because to become the best you need alot of time to devote to the sport and alot of the players have been doing this since they were in there early teens and i assume alot of them probably didnt even finish high school.
maybe they would choose to study something once there done with the sport? i've heard del potro would like to study architecture maybe when he is done witht he sport.

[Sean]

All those American jocks went to college right like Blake, Isner etc.

[Kezzi]

Interesting topic.
I remember reading a blog from our national doubles star Rogier Wassen. He says he was given a full scholarschip by the ATP at Phoenix University. He's trying to get his bachelor in business and he studies in the afternoon.
So I guess there are opportunities to get a degree. Also in NL a lot of colleges here have special arrangements for students that are professional sportsplayers, musicians, etc.

[tealeaves]

Originally Posted by sammy01

blake has a degree in stupidity

I just feel sad for the young athletes, they need to give up schools for sports. If they are luckily to become the top athletes, they can earn a lot of buck, but how about those not-so-successful ones?Awwwwww, going to colleges and universities at a young age is just it's different if you go to college/uni at the age of..30?

[Noleta]

Originally Posted by sammy01

blake has a degree in stupidity

[-Valhalla-]

In general, only boxers have less formal schooling than prefessional tennis players.

[Action Jackson]

Michael Russell is studying Business at the moment.

[kna]

Somdev Devvarman graduated in 2008 from the University of Virginia with a degree in sociology.

[star]

Originally Posted by Sean

All those American jocks went to college right like Blake, Isner etc.

All?

I think very few. JMac went for one year to Stanford to please his mom.

[smucav]

Originally Posted by Sean

All those American jocks went to college right like Blake, Isner etc.

Blake & Isner attended college, but neither earned a degree.

Of the American players in the top 300, these players attended college:
Isner: University of Georgia, four years
Blake: Harvard University, two years
Rajeev Ram: University of Illinois, one year
Jesse Levine: University of Florida, one year
Robert Kendrick: University of Washington, two years; Pepperdine University, two years (degree?)
Michael Yani: Duke University, four years (degree)
Ryan Sweeting: University of Florida, one year
Jesse Witten: University of Kentucky, four years (degree)
Lester Cook: Texas A&M, four years (degree?)
Ryler DeHeart: University of Illnois, four years (degree)
Todd Widom: University of Miami, one year

(Also notably, Blake Strode graduated from University of Arkansas, Fayetteville in 2009 & deferred law school at Harvard University to play in the ATP. He's currently ranked #545.)

Some non-Americans who attended college:
Benjamin Becker: Baylor University, four years
Kevin Anderson: University of Illinois, three years
Somdev Devvarmann, University of Virginia, four years (degree)
Prakash Amritraj, University of Southern California, four years (degree?)

Many top doubles players attended college as well:
Bryans: Stanford University, one year
Mark Knowles: UCLA, two years
Mahesh Bhupathi: University of Mississippi, one year
Wes Moodie: Auburn University at Montgomery, two years; Boise State University, two years (degree)
Simon Aspelin: Pepperdine University, four years (degree?)
Robert Lindstedt: Fresno State University, ? years; UCLA, ? years
Eric Butorac: Ball State University, one year; Gustavus Adolphus College, three years (degree?)
Travis Parrott: University of Georgia, three years; University of Portland, one year (degree?)
Ashley Fisher: Texas Christian University, four years (degree)