Sadness Clouds Tennis World After the Man Behind Sampras, Roddick, and Capriati’s Success Passes Away

Published 03/16/2024, 6:35 AM EDT

The tennis community has just received some tragic news. Tom Dempsey, the developer of Wesley Chapel’s Saddlebrook, has passed away at the age of 97. Under his management, the training center in the Tampa area became home to some of the greatest players in the tennis realm.

The likes of both former ATP and WTA players, including Pete Sampras, Andy Roddick, Jennifer Capriati, and Jim Courier, shared one common ‘training’ thread during their illustrious tennis journeys. These legendary tennis figures have honed their racket skills at Wesley Chapel’s Saddlebrook, which was purchased and developed by the ‘legendary’ Tom Dempsey.

PGA golfer Dean Refram had originally planned to turn the Tampa property into a country club, but financial difficulties caused the project to come to an abrupt halt. It was Dempsey who later stepped in and decided to purchase the property from Pittway in 1988. He later moved Saddlebrook to Wesley Chapel, where visitors could rent the units. It also provided access to 43 tennis courts that include all four Grand Slam surfaces and two golf courses as well.

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Later, Wesley Chapel’s Saddlebrook became the site for former number-one-ranked players. Both the American tennis icons, Jim Courier and Pete Sampras, rose to the top echelons on the men’s tour after moving to Saddlebrook. Even on the women’s side, the likes of Martina Hingis and Jennifer Capriati became tennis sensations after honing their skills at the tennis center.

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As he was the man behind these tennis veterans’ success on the tennis circuit, Dempsey’s great endeavors are now being commemorated by his friends and family after his passing.

Tom Dempsey’s friend hails him for his ‘truly unique’ vision

As reported by Suncoast, Sal Paolantonio, Dempsey’s friend and a journalist, recently opened up about how Tom Dempsey had the vision to build something exceptional on the property he purchased. He said, “Tom Dempsey had the vision to build something truly unique at Saddlebrook. … I’ve traveled all over the world in the U.S. Navy and now for ESPN — and I can tell you Tom Dempsey was one of a kind.”

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Even his grandson, Masterson Dempsey, talked about how their family witnessed him accomplishing his dreams. He said, “As family members, fortunately, we were beside him and witnessed his dreams actually happen.” What do you think of Tom Dempsey’s great endeavors that became the training site for some of the legendary players? Let us know in the comments section.

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Written by:

Anurag Gusain is a Tennis Writer at EssentiallySports, who blends his innate talent for journalism with a solid foundation in English, earned during his undergraduate years. With more than two years of content creation under his belt, Anurag seamlessly translates his passion for tennis into captivating articles. At ES, he is the go-to voice for all things Serena Williams, skillfully covering both her on-court legacy and off-court endeavors.

Edited by:

Shudh Mukherjee

Sadness Clouds Tennis World After the Man Behind Sampras, Roddick, and Capriati’s Success Passes Away

Tom Dempsey’s friend hails him for his ‘truly unique’ vision

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