Iconic musicians and American tennis go hand-in-hand

Tennis is beloved by many including iconic musicians. Over the years, some of America's finest music men have supported some of America's finest tennis players at their matches and behind the scenes.

Jon Bon Jovi is a fixture at the Miami Open. He has a nearby house and can easily travel to and from to watch matches. Tennis fans spotted Bon Jovi making a cameo appearance in a recent video when players were randomly asked who their favorite musician is.

Ben Shelton, 21, did not hesitate to answer that Bon Jovi is his favorite. Shelton was not even born when Bon Jovi rose to stardom, but clearly, he has good musical taste which could be another influence from his coach/father Bryan Shelton. The best part of the video is when Bon Jovi is asked the same question, who his favorite musician is, and is spotted by Shelton who shares his answer with him.

Like Bon Jovi, the late Jimmy Buffett was also a tennis fan

Music fans are still mourning the loss of Jimmy Buffett. His t-shirt, shorts, and barefooted concerts were the epitome of joy and summer memories. Buffett was so laid-back that it is hard to fathom that he had a friendship with one of the most hyper American tennis players in history, John McEnroe.

We learned this recently as McEnroe spoke at a Jimmy Buffett tribute concert about how Buffett told him in colorful language that he needed to calm down. Buffett was influential, but that was a tall task trying to alter McEnroe's temperament. McEnroe added that after developing a friendship and hanging around Buffett for the past 15-20 years, he "tried to live by his credo."

When you think about it, a career in professional tennis has many similarities to a musician's career. There is a lot of time spent preparing and working on the craft and countless days and months on the road surrounded by a team of people who tour the world with you.

Taking it one step further, there are similarities between Shelton and McEnroe worth noting. Both are left-handed charismatic players who do not hide their emotions on the court. They sometimes rub people the wrong way with their on-court behavior, but they live with the singular goal of being the best tennis player and athlete possible. And they have good taste in music while "Living on a Prayer" and enjoying a "Cheeseburger in Paradise."

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