The phrase “tennis academy” brings to mind settings like Florida and California, with aspiring young stars practicing serves and groundstrokes and doing tennis drills from dawn to dusk.  It’s a formula that parents see as the best way to give their kids the best chance — realistic or not — at a scholarship or the pros.

John McEnroe has another idea in mind.

Drawing from his own experiences growing up in New York, having developed his game there and achieved some of his greatest successes on the U.S. Open courts, McEnroe this week announced the formation of the John McEnroe Tennis Academy, part of Sportime at Randall’s Island, a 20-court complex which opened less than a year ago.  On a teleconference on Wednesday, McEnroe discussed the motivation behind the new endeavor.

“If you know me, this is something I’ve wanted for a long time, having grown up in the New York area,” said the four-time US Open champion,” and seeing tennis somewhat disintegrate here.   “So it seemed only natural for me to put together a tennis academy [here].  I used to play other sports on Randall’s Island, when I was in high school at Trinity.   They’ve put in hundreds of millions of dollars, including this tennis facility.  It’s great for the City of New York.”

McEnroe, 51, can’t recall a great player having come from New York in the past 25 years.

“I’m living proof of someone who can live a ‘normal life,’ go to school and play other sports, and succeed in tennis,” he added.

The experiment could be considered a risky one, given the current economic climate and the seemingly diminished level of interest in tennis in the U.S.  But Claude Okin, CEO of Sportime Clubs and the N.Y. Sportimes World TeamTennis franchise, is confident that the Academy will be a huge hit, with two McEnroes — John and his younger brother Mark, general manager of the Randalls Island site, leading the way.

“This is not a trial balloon,” explained Okin. “The Academy is constructed and funded, there are almost 3000 tennis players using the facility now, and 1000 juniors playing now; many have had the treat of interacting with John this year – under the radar, as he has begun to put the tools in place.”

While discussions have already taken place with the USTA, the sport’s governing body and promotional engine in this country, Okin says the project is a go regardless.

“Whether or not we end up in quasi-partnership with the USTA, and as we add sponsors, the John McEnroe Tennis Academy is going to be here for a while and produce players,” he said.  “And most importantly, it will maintain enough independence that can reflect the wisdom and inspiration of John McEnroe, a pretty independent guy.

Therein lies some of the dilemma.  For as much as John McEnroe has meant to American tennis in the past three decades-plus, he has maintained an independence that, coupled with some criticism of the USTA and its strategy in growing the game, has made a partnership seem less likely, even if his other brother, Patrick, is general manager of USTA Elite Player Development.

“For many years, I talked to the USTA about this type of thing at the tennis center, naming it the John McEnroe Tennis Academy, but I was unable to get through,” he said.  “Now I have this tremendous opportunity to work with Claude and his people at a facility that is as good or better than the Tennis Center.  With the tens of millions [the USTA] make[s] in a single year I would think that it’s in their best interest and the sport’s best interest to welcome us with open arms and provide us with money that they provide other programs.”

The Academy will open in September, with a summer’s worth of activity at Sportime and the July World TeamTennis season helping to generate interest.  The Academy will hold open tryouts for youngsters ages 8-16 interested in attending the Academy, with at least one boy and one girl earning scholarships for the fall.  The tryouts will be held on July 14 (boys) and July 19 (girls) and will tie in to WTT Sportimes matches those evenings, in which McEnroe will participate.

McEnroe has a vision for those kids and the others that find their way to Randall’s Island.

“My academy, based here in the world’s greatest city, will provide a balance of world-class tennis and fitness training, along with a New York experience, so maybe our kids will be a little more creative, a little more intense, and will be able to think on their feet a little better, like any New Yorker,” he said.  Over time and with my guidance and that of our hand-picked coaches and pros, I think our students will see great success.”