Evert Tennis Academy Review 2026: Cost, Programs, Coaching Staff and What Parents Say

Evert Tennis Academy occupies a specific niche among Florida's academy-dense market: it's the only major program built directly around a living legend's own coaching philosophy, run as a formal partnership with IMG rather than as a fully independent operation. That combination is exactly why it lands on so many shortlists next to IMG Academy itself.

Who founded it, and why the IMG partnership matters

Chris Evert, her brother John, and their father Jimmy — the family patriarch who coached all five Evert children to national titles — established Evert Tennis Academy in 1996 in partnership with IMG. Before co-founding the academy, John Evert served as Vice President of IMG's Tennis Division, working as an agent recruiting and developing tennis talent, which is part of why the academy sits inside IMG's broader sports-management ecosystem rather than operating as a standalone club. Chris Evert's own résumé — 157 career singles titles, 18 Grand Slam singles championships, and seven years ranked world No. 1 — is the standard the academy states it's built to pass on to the next generation of competitive juniors.

Location and facilities

The academy sits at 10334 Diego Drive South, Boca Raton, FL 33428 (phone: (561) 488-2001), on a campus with 23 courts — 12 hard and 11 clay — giving students regular exposure to both primary competitive surfaces without leaving campus. That surface mix matters directly for players targeting both USTA hard-court events and the clay-heavy ITF junior calendar; see our breakdown of clay vs. hard court training for how surface exposure should factor into your decision.

What the tuition actually covers

Evert's published annual fee range is $36,150–$67,950, with the spread driven primarily by enrollment type (day vs. boarding) and training volume rather than age alone. As with most academies in this pricing tier, the top of the range typically reflects full residential boarding plus meals and integrated academics, while the lower end reflects day/commuter enrollment with a lighter training load. Before comparing this figure against other programs, it's worth reading our general tennis academy cost guide, since "annual fee" ranges are rarely apples-to-apples between academies without knowing what's bundled.

Programs offered

• Full-time academy — the core residential/day high-performance program
• Elite training — for the academy's most competitive, tournament-focused juniors
• College Prep — training structured around the recruiting timeline
• Afternoon program — after-school training for local day students
• Adult programs — clinics and coaching for non-junior players
• Summer and holiday camps — short-term entry points for families testing fit before full enrollment

Coaching philosophy

What distinguishes Evert from a generic high-performance academy is that its stated mission is explicit: pass on the "knowledge, passion and competitive spirit" that drove Chris Evert's own career, not a generalized development curriculum borrowed from elsewhere. In practice, that means an academy culture built around match-toughness and mental composure — the qualities Evert herself was known for — layered on top of IMG's shared sports-science and academic infrastructure.

How Evert compares to IMG Academy

Both academies sit in the greater Boca Raton/Bradenton corridor and are frequently shortlisted together, but the comparison isn't quite apples-to-apples. IMG Academy is dramatically larger — 55 courts on a 600-acre multi-sport campus with tuition running $75,400–$99,900/yr — while Evert is a smaller, tennis-focused campus at a meaningfully lower price point. Families who want IMG-caliber infrastructure and brand recognition but a tighter, more personal environment built around one coach's specific philosophy tend to find Evert the more comfortable fit; families prioritizing scale, multi-sport cross-training, and the largest possible peer cohort tend to lean IMG. Read our full IMG Academy cost and alternatives breakdown for the direct comparison.

What a typical week looks like

Full-time students at a program in Evert's tier generally split their day between on-court training blocks, physical conditioning, and school (for boarding and full-day students enrolled in the academy's academic partnership). The 5:1 coaching ratio recorded in our database is meaningfully tighter than the ratio at scale-focused academies like IMG, which typically means more individualized technical feedback per session, though it also means smaller peer training groups than a larger campus offers.

Who Evert tends to fit best

Evert is generally the stronger fit for families who want a program built around one clearly articulated coaching philosophy and a tighter coach-to-player ratio, rather than the scale and multi-sport infrastructure of a campus like IMG's. It also tends to appeal specifically to families drawn to training under a program shaped directly by one of the most decorated female champions in tennis history — see our companion piece on what to look for in a program for girls for more on why that pedigree matters to some families specifically.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Evert Tennis Academy the same organization as IMG Academy?

No. Evert Tennis Academy is an independently branded partnership between the Evert family and IMG — it operates on its own Boca Raton campus, separate from IMG Academy's Bradenton campus, though both benefit from IMG's shared corporate infrastructure.

Does Evert Tennis Academy offer boarding?

Yes, the academy offers full boarding alongside day/commuter enrollment, which is reflected in the wide $36,150–$67,950 annual fee range.

What ages does Evert Tennis Academy accept?

The academy's programs are designed for players roughly ages 9 through 18, spanning junior development through college-prep-focused training.

Does Chris Evert coach on court personally?

Chris Evert is a co-owner and the namesake figure shaping the academy's competitive philosophy; day-to-day, hands-on instruction is delivered by the academy's broader coaching staff, as is standard practice at every major namesake academy in this directory.

Compare your options

Evert is one of 24 academies listed in Florida — before enrolling, it's worth comparing it directly against the state's other premium-tier programs and reading our guide to the best tennis academies in Florida.