How Tennis Coach Madison Appel Is Helping Clients Ace Their Game

Madison Appel understands the pressure that comes along with being a professional athlete. After the New York native rounded out her senior season playing Division I tennis at Indiana University Bloomington (where she claimed 78 career singles wins and 100 career doubles wins), Appel briefly went pro.

A few years in, however, Appel says she noticed her relationship with the competition was changing. Instead of feeling passionate about her sport, the game started to feel like a chore. Rather than lose her love of the game entirely, Appel made the choice to step away from her sport at the professional level in favor of a career as a tennis coach and content creator.

Today, Appel is one of the sport’s fastest-rising personalities. She serves as a brand ambassador for Lululemon and can often be spotted in the stands at major tennis tournaments, from the U.S. Open to the Miami Open.

“Tennis is the kind of sport where, if you aren’t living, breathing and loving it every single day, it’s incredibly difficult to keep pushing at that level. Stepping away was hard, but it was also the first step toward finding a healthier relationship with the sport,” Appel, who last played professionally in 2021, tells SI Swimsuit. “The transition into coaching and content creation ultimately gave me a new way to love the sport. It didn’t take me away from tennis—it gave me a new way to contribute to it. I was able to take everything the sport had given me and build a career centered around coaching, community and making tennis feel exciting again.”

Madison Appel | Courtesy of Madison Appel

These days, Appel finds joy in bringing together her local community through the sport of tennis. She coaches everyone across all skill levels, from young children to adults picking up a racket for the very first time. So, what can potential clients expect from one of Appel’s private lessons in New York City? A personalized, high-energy experience that is “probably a little more fun than you were expecting,” she jokes.

“I meet every player where they are, whether they’re holding a racket for the first time or trying to sharpen a specific part of their game,” Appel explains of her approach. “I want everyone to leave having learned something concrete, pushed outside their comfort zone and, most importantly, excited to come back.”

In addition to private lessons, Appel also hosts “Courtside With Madison” community events in New York City, the Hamptons and Miami, in which she brings together tennis lovers for an afternoon of hands-on play. Earlier this year, Appel held one such event at the Miami Open, where she got to see two attendees form an instant friendship upon meeting. It’s these moments, she says, that she finds most fulfilling.

“Courtside With Madison” attendees | Courtesy of Madison Appel

“People come at every skill level, play together, make new friends and sometimes fall in love with tennis for the first time,” she explains of the community events, adding that she hopes to bring the series to Los Angeles in the near future. “ ... For me, making tennis more approachable means giving people both the confidence and the opportunity to get on a court and creating a community that makes them want to come back.”

And while tennis can sometimes get a bad rap for being an intimidating, elite sport (think country club fees and pricy wardrobes), Appel’s No. 1 piece of advice for those new to the game is to simply pick up a racket and get out there.

“You don’t have to be good or know exactly what you’re doing,” she says. “You don’t need the perfect outfit, a club membership or a beautiful forehand. If you enjoy it and want to take it more seriously, then I’d recommend finding a coach who can help you with the technical side. But the first step is just getting yourself on a court. Everything else can come later.”

While Appel’s days are booked and busy with lessons and content creation, she is of course finding time to take in the U.S. Open, which is currently being played at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, N.Y. And as the finals draw closer on Saturday, Sept. 12 and Sunday, Sept. 13, she is rooting for a U.S. player to come out on top.

“I have a feeling the Americans are going to have a really strong tournament,” Appel predicts. “I can feel it in the stands and I’m not even playing the match. I’m really excited to watch them and see how far they can go. Hopefully we get to see an American bring home the title!”

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