Tym, raised in
Montville, New Jersey, attended
Boonton High School and played collegiate tennis for the
University of Florida. In 1963 he was SEC champion at No. 1 singles and earned All-American honors, reaching the quarter-finals of the NCAA singles championships. During the 1960s he featured in the six editions of the
US Open and played in doubles main draws at
Wimbledon. From 1987 to 1996 he served as the men's head coach of
Vanderbilt University. He was the personal coach of tennis player
Bryan Shelton. ==Personal life==