Patrick McEnroe resigns USTA post

New York: Patrick McEnroe is stepping down as head of the US Tennis Association`s player development program, he announced Wednesday at the US Open.

McEnroe, brother of US tennis legend John McEnroe and a former US Davis Cup captain, said he had decided he didn`t want to move to Florida, where the USTA expects to have a multi-million dollar facility up and running in Orlando by 2016.

"That was the impetus to do this now," McEnroe said in press conference. "It was not so much the time commitment -- it was the location."

McEnroe, who also works as a television commentator, will stay on in his position as the USTA searches for a successor, USTA executive director Gordon Smith said.

Smith added that he thought McEnroe had provided a "great foundation" to the program designed to identify and nurture talented players.

He said McEnroe`s departure was not related to the fading fortunes of US men in the pro ranks. Not one American man reached the fourth round of the US Open, and Andy Roddick in 2003 remains the last American man to win a Grand Slam title.

Smith said he believed talented young players could turn that around and the development program has played a role in that.

"We are not as far along on the boys," he said, but noted America had three of four semi-finalists in the Wimbledon junior boys tournament and both finalists.

"So we are really gaining steam," he said.