The road to the world’s top is rarely straight. Even Mees Röttgering, one of the greatest tennis talents of his generation, knows that. The former world number one in juniors is taking the next step in his career via Slamstox and will leave for the United States this spring to play college tennis at Wake Forest University, the reigning national champion.

For Mees, it is not a farewell to his pro dream, but rather a conscious strategic choice. So he also tells in conversation with NU.nl

The former world number one in juniors wants to make the step to the world tennis top via the university circuit. “Nothing has changed about my ambitions,” he said.

About a year ago, tournament director Richard Krajicek broke the news that Röttgering had received a wildcard for the ABN AMRO Open, the Netherlands’ biggest tennis tournament. At seventeen, the young Limburger got a taste of the big time on the Ahoy center court in mid-February. A stunt was not in the cards, but the potential was clearly visible in the finalist of the junior tournament of Wimbledon in 2024.

But a good junior season does not guarantee a quick breakthrough at the seniors, as the past decades have proven more often than not. The left-handed Röttgering – together with the one year younger Thijs Boogaard considered the Dutch hope for the future – did make strides last year, but the road to the top is still long. The world number 623 has now deliberately chosen the route via college tennis.

“Paul Haarhuis, who has played college tennis himself in the past, put me in touch with Wake Forest University,” Röttgering told NU.nl from the US. “That is the reigning champion of the United States. I have already been here at the end of last year and immediately had a good relationship with the players and coaches. Next weekend the new season starts.”

Röttgering says he “thought for a long time” about the important step in his fledgling career. “But because I lived in the south of the Netherlands, it was incredibly difficult to train in the Netherlands. Then I just sit in the car twenty hours a week,” the talent says. The National Tennis Center is based in Amstelveen. “And here in America I was offered a good program. And of course I also get paid well for it, but that is certainly not the main reason.”

College tennis route proven recipe

In recent years, the popularity of the college tennis route on the way to the top has increased. Some 20 years ago, John Isner and others managed to break through via college tennis, but it was not very common. John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors also walked the path in the past, but for them, as Americans, the choice was easier.

Today, college tennis is a tried and true recipe and no fewer than sixteen players with college memberships are in the global top 100. World number eight Ben Shelton is the best known. Röttgering is only too happy to follow his example.

“Reaching the top remains 100 percent my goal. I’m not going to America because I want to study and I like tennis so much. That’s not how I’m in it at all,” stressed Röttgering, who takes only a limited number of courses. “The level of college tennis has increased tremendously in the last decade. There are also just guys playing who are in the top three hundred of the ATP.”

Röttgering says his university gives him the freedom to collect points for the world rankings as well. “They are very flexible. The coaches require in certain weeks that I am there, but in some weeks I also get time off, for example if we play against a somewhat lesser team. I will go off a lot of tournaments in the United States. So for the time being I will play a little less on gravel.”

‘Sometimes you think: where did I end up now?’

Röttgering turned in his first full season on the senior tour last year. The former junior list leader started 2025 as number 868 and moved up a spot or 250. A pro title is still missing from his list of honors and he suffered more defeats than he was used to as a junior player.

“It was actually a mediocre or bad year, but in terms of results it wasn’t too bad. I just need to become more consistent. But traveling with the seniors has been good for me. More than with the juniors you sometimes have the feeling: where did I end up again?”

This week, Röttgering does not have that feeling, as he plays a so-called Future tournament (the lowest category of pro tennis) in Winston-Salem. The complex is a stone’s throw from his university. There, just before his start of the new season, he is still finding his way around campus. “I’ll see how long I stay here. It could be five months, or it could just be four years.”

Mentor Sjeng Schalken applauds choice

Sjeng Schalken acted as a mentor for Röttgering in recent years. The former world number 11 does understand the talent’s choice to go to the U.S.

“It’s a strategic move, a sidestep after going through the knees for a while. This is a way to get stronger as a player,” said Schalken (49). “It’s also a financial issue, because a lot of money goes into college tennis. Think of it as a kind of Bundesliga, where you play seven to eight weeks for your club.”

Schalken has been involved with Röttgering in the background in recent years, and the two also trained together regularly. “Last season was very tough for Mees. The ATP Tour is definitely not a children’s playground and it is very difficult to get through. But absolutely nothing is lost yet.”

“My ambitions have not changed; reaching the top remains my goal.”

Mees Röttgering

The Role of Slamstox

Through Slamstox, Mees is guided in his transition to the United States. From finding the right university to guiding him through the process surrounding college tennis, Slamstox helps athletes combine sports and future smartly, without letting go of their top sports dream.

For Mees, this means training and playing at the top level, less travel time than in the Netherlands and an environment where he can fully focus on his development as a player.

Why college tennis?

College tennis has long since ceased to be an “intermediate step. The level is skyrocketing over the past decade and more and more players are using the college circuit as a springboard to the ATP Tour. In this, Mees follows the example of players like Ben Shelton.

At Wake Forest, he finds everything he is looking for:

• a top sports program
• strong coaches
• close-knit team
• AND the flexibility to play international tournaments in addition and continue to accumulate ATP points

Like Mees, do you want to play tennis and study in America? Then schedule a free introductory meeting now!