http://www.orlandosentinel.com/spor...an22,0,501355.story?coll=orl-sports-headlines
KISSIMMEE -- One is 19 years old, 6 feet 2 with a powerful serve. The other is 16, barely 5-9 with graceful moves and cat-like agility on the tennis court.
Together, junior tennis prodigies Scoville Jenkins and Donald Young could offer American men's professional tennis something it hasn't seen in a history that spans more than 100 years: a storied rivalry on the ATP Tour between two elite African-American men.
Some observers say the Atlanta teens could do for men's tennis what Venus and Serena Williams did for the women's game and what Tiger Woods did for golf.
Already, they have made history by winning major junior championships and earning world rankings. In Kissimmee this week to compete in the Star Island Tennis Classic, both say they welcome the attention but say it's too early to say they're the future of the sport.
"That depends on how good we get," Jenkins quickly points out. "When [Pete] Sampras and [Andre] Agassi were rivals, they were both top 10 in the world."
Jenkins, 19, and Young, 16, still have a long climb ahead of them to reach that point. Young was beaten in the first round of the Star Island tournament and has struggled against adult competition. Jenkins, ranked No. 266 in the ATP rankings and the top-seeded player at Star Island, will face second-seeded Eric Nunez in today's championship match.
But their results in the junior ranks suggest their time is coming. Jenkins became the first African-American in the event's 89 years to win the prestigious U.S. Tennis Association boys 18s national hard-court singles championship in 2004. Young got his own title the next year.
Jenkins' historic victory earned him a wild-card entry into the 2004 U.S. Open, where he was pummeled by a 152-mph serve and defeated in straight sets by Andy Roddick. However, he forced the public to take notice at the next U.S. Open when he traded baseline blows with No. 2-seeded Rafael Nadal of Spain before a nationally televised audience.
Young's name became synonymous with fellow left-hander John McEnroe and Roddick when he became the youngest world junior champ at 16 and finished 2005 ranked No. 1 in the world in boys tennis.
Race perplexes and intrigues them.
Accomplishments with the asterisk of "black" can feel constricting at times, said Jenkins' father, Scoville, and Young's mother, Illona. Race cannot dwarf their talent, but it won't be ignored.
"People bring it up, but it's not something I really think about," Young said.
They find themselves linked but rarely cross paths as their careers take them cities and continents apart. They've only hit against each other twice despite living 45 minutes apart in Atlanta. Jenkins said he was 13 when he saw the then-10-year-old Young trade swings with 15-year-olds.
"He didn't miss many balls," Jenkins said of Young, who has been playing tennis since age 2 and gained the attention of superstars such as McEnroe even before he was a teen.
Overseas travels have broadened their perspectives about race beyond America.
Jenkins, whose mother, Carol, is Chinese-West Indian, said his eyes were opened further as a 14-year-old playing in a tournament in Belgium. "A person on the tour asked me, 'Why is the race thing so big in the United States when here it doesn't matter?' " Jenkins said.
But Jenkins and Young said they know race does matter here. A grin broke across Jenkins' face when asked about the possibility of broadening tennis' appeal the way Woods, his favorite athlete, did for golf. Jenkins wears trademark corn rolls and said he likes how the Williamses, who once donned beaded braids, are marketed.
"It's good to be different," Jenkins said. "I look at the marketing of football players and basketball players on TV, and every year they do something different. With tennis, it's the same thing every year. I definitely want to bring my own flavor."
It's good business as well. Doug Pirnie, IMG sports agency senior vice president, said it is too difficult to speculate on potential endorsement figures but said the payoff could be great. Pirnie's agency represents Young; Jenkins is represented by Octagon sports agency.
"What they can [earn] is unlimited based on how well they do and depending on what the market is wanting at that time," said Pirnie, whose firm also represents McEnroe. "They'll certainly be players to watch."
If Jenkins and Young are halfway as successful as the Williams sisters, they'll become multimillionaires. Venus and Serena Williams have won more than $10 million each on court and have combined to rake in more than $100 million in endorsements with companies such as Nike, Reebok and McDonald's.
Some people say the attention earned by Jenkins and Young may lead to a boon of participation in tennis by black males.
Helyn Edwards, community outreach director for the USTA, said her organization supports the duo's success. Last year, the USTA awarded 82 grants to minority tennis players from youth to college-age athletes. Just 27 went to males, while 55 were awarded to female players.
Edwards said she believes the higher girls numbers are attributed directly to the face that the Williams sisters have put on women's tennis. She said she hopes Jenkins and Young can do the same.
"It would be amazing," Edwards said. "The biggest thing you get is role models."
Earning attention based off their talent and novelty doesn't concern ATP Tour coach Torrey Hawkins. However, Hawkins, who also is black, does worry about the pressure elite black male tennis players face in a sport that hasn't seen a black Grand Slam tournament champion since Ashe won Wimbledon in 1975.
"[America is] partly spoiled and there's not an appreciation for how tough a level that is, and that's the public's downfall," said Hawkins, who has coached Jenkins for seven years. "We have to be realistic. You can't will a tennis player. We're impatient in a lot of areas."
Until the numbers of top-level black male tennis players climb, athletes such as Jenkins and Young could be unfairly expected to shoulder the weight of an entire race, Hawkins said.
They aren't completely alone. Marcus Fugate, Timothy Neilly and Phillip Simmonds are promising young black tennis players on the men's futures tour.
But based off last year's performances, Jenkins and Young could catapult into the national spotlight sooner.
And the world will be waiting.
Shannon J. Owens can be reached at sjowens@orlandosentinel.com.
KISSIMMEE -- One is 19 years old, 6 feet 2 with a powerful serve. The other is 16, barely 5-9 with graceful moves and cat-like agility on the tennis court.
Together, junior tennis prodigies Scoville Jenkins and Donald Young could offer American men's professional tennis something it hasn't seen in a history that spans more than 100 years: a storied rivalry on the ATP Tour between two elite African-American men.
Some observers say the Atlanta teens could do for men's tennis what Venus and Serena Williams did for the women's game and what Tiger Woods did for golf.
Already, they have made history by winning major junior championships and earning world rankings. In Kissimmee this week to compete in the Star Island Tennis Classic, both say they welcome the attention but say it's too early to say they're the future of the sport.
"That depends on how good we get," Jenkins quickly points out. "When [Pete] Sampras and [Andre] Agassi were rivals, they were both top 10 in the world."
Jenkins, 19, and Young, 16, still have a long climb ahead of them to reach that point. Young was beaten in the first round of the Star Island tournament and has struggled against adult competition. Jenkins, ranked No. 266 in the ATP rankings and the top-seeded player at Star Island, will face second-seeded Eric Nunez in today's championship match.
But their results in the junior ranks suggest their time is coming. Jenkins became the first African-American in the event's 89 years to win the prestigious U.S. Tennis Association boys 18s national hard-court singles championship in 2004. Young got his own title the next year.
Jenkins' historic victory earned him a wild-card entry into the 2004 U.S. Open, where he was pummeled by a 152-mph serve and defeated in straight sets by Andy Roddick. However, he forced the public to take notice at the next U.S. Open when he traded baseline blows with No. 2-seeded Rafael Nadal of Spain before a nationally televised audience.
Young's name became synonymous with fellow left-hander John McEnroe and Roddick when he became the youngest world junior champ at 16 and finished 2005 ranked No. 1 in the world in boys tennis.
Race perplexes and intrigues them.
Accomplishments with the asterisk of "black" can feel constricting at times, said Jenkins' father, Scoville, and Young's mother, Illona. Race cannot dwarf their talent, but it won't be ignored.
"People bring it up, but it's not something I really think about," Young said.
They find themselves linked but rarely cross paths as their careers take them cities and continents apart. They've only hit against each other twice despite living 45 minutes apart in Atlanta. Jenkins said he was 13 when he saw the then-10-year-old Young trade swings with 15-year-olds.
"He didn't miss many balls," Jenkins said of Young, who has been playing tennis since age 2 and gained the attention of superstars such as McEnroe even before he was a teen.
Overseas travels have broadened their perspectives about race beyond America.
Jenkins, whose mother, Carol, is Chinese-West Indian, said his eyes were opened further as a 14-year-old playing in a tournament in Belgium. "A person on the tour asked me, 'Why is the race thing so big in the United States when here it doesn't matter?' " Jenkins said.
But Jenkins and Young said they know race does matter here. A grin broke across Jenkins' face when asked about the possibility of broadening tennis' appeal the way Woods, his favorite athlete, did for golf. Jenkins wears trademark corn rolls and said he likes how the Williamses, who once donned beaded braids, are marketed.
"It's good to be different," Jenkins said. "I look at the marketing of football players and basketball players on TV, and every year they do something different. With tennis, it's the same thing every year. I definitely want to bring my own flavor."
It's good business as well. Doug Pirnie, IMG sports agency senior vice president, said it is too difficult to speculate on potential endorsement figures but said the payoff could be great. Pirnie's agency represents Young; Jenkins is represented by Octagon sports agency.
"What they can [earn] is unlimited based on how well they do and depending on what the market is wanting at that time," said Pirnie, whose firm also represents McEnroe. "They'll certainly be players to watch."
If Jenkins and Young are halfway as successful as the Williams sisters, they'll become multimillionaires. Venus and Serena Williams have won more than $10 million each on court and have combined to rake in more than $100 million in endorsements with companies such as Nike, Reebok and McDonald's.
Some people say the attention earned by Jenkins and Young may lead to a boon of participation in tennis by black males.
Helyn Edwards, community outreach director for the USTA, said her organization supports the duo's success. Last year, the USTA awarded 82 grants to minority tennis players from youth to college-age athletes. Just 27 went to males, while 55 were awarded to female players.
Edwards said she believes the higher girls numbers are attributed directly to the face that the Williams sisters have put on women's tennis. She said she hopes Jenkins and Young can do the same.
"It would be amazing," Edwards said. "The biggest thing you get is role models."
Earning attention based off their talent and novelty doesn't concern ATP Tour coach Torrey Hawkins. However, Hawkins, who also is black, does worry about the pressure elite black male tennis players face in a sport that hasn't seen a black Grand Slam tournament champion since Ashe won Wimbledon in 1975.
"[America is] partly spoiled and there's not an appreciation for how tough a level that is, and that's the public's downfall," said Hawkins, who has coached Jenkins for seven years. "We have to be realistic. You can't will a tennis player. We're impatient in a lot of areas."
Until the numbers of top-level black male tennis players climb, athletes such as Jenkins and Young could be unfairly expected to shoulder the weight of an entire race, Hawkins said.
They aren't completely alone. Marcus Fugate, Timothy Neilly and Phillip Simmonds are promising young black tennis players on the men's futures tour.
But based off last year's performances, Jenkins and Young could catapult into the national spotlight sooner.
And the world will be waiting.
Shannon J. Owens can be reached at sjowens@orlandosentinel.com.
I have to confess though all the tennis serves look the same to me. But I am getting better at distinguishing the different serves the more I watch the game. I didn't grow up playing tennis so that is probably why.
