Mark Kovacs
Mark Kovacs, Ph.D., CSCS, is the senior manager of strength and conditioning/sport science for the United States Tennis Association. In this role, he overseas all sport science–related areas. The mission of the sport science department is to produce, evaluate and disseminate sport science and medicine information relevant to tennis. Kovacs was a collegiate All-American and NCAA doubles champion at Auburn University. After playing professionally, he pursued his graduate work, performing tennis-specific research and has a graduate degree in exercise science from Auburn University and a Ph.D. in exercise physiology from the University of Alabama. Kovacs is also a certified strength and conditioning specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), a certified health/fitness instructor through the American College of Sports Medicine, a United States Track and Field Level II sprints coach, as well as a certified tennis coach. Kovacs has published and presented tennis-specific research in numerous top scientific journals, including Sports Medicine, British Journal of Sports Medicine, South African Journal of Sports Medicine, International Journal of Sport Physiology and Performance, and The Psychologist, as well as presenting at dozens of national and international conferences. Kovacs is a co-author of the tennis conditioning text Tennis Training: Enhancing On-Court Performance, and he is currently an associate editor of the Strength and Conditioning Journal. He was awarded the 2008 NSCA Strength and Conditioning Journal Editorial Excellence Award. Prior to joining the United States Tennis Association, Kovacs was an assistant professor of exercise science and wellness at Jacksonville State University. Mark and his wife, Mary Jo, live in Boca Raton, Florida.
