Hana Mandlikova: “American Juniors Don’t Know How To Work Hard”

[Russeljones]

http://www.tennis-prose.com/articles/hana-mandlikova-american-juniors-dont-know-how-to-work-hard/

Tennis legend Hana Mandlikova says American juniors are lazy

here's the full article

Former Grand Slam Champion Hana Mandlikova was asked recently by Totally Tennis Magazine why there aren’t more strong American players today. The Bradenton-based mother of twelve-year old twins who compete in USTA Florida section events offered her opinion…

“Everybody is asking that question. I think it’s…personally, I think they’re spoiled. I don’t think they know how to work hard. They get everything handed to them on a platter. It’s difficult, even with my own kids. I grew up in a middle class family and my dad had two jobs. We had to fight for everything. Kids now don’t have enough will and desire to reach their goals. And they’re not going to reach them with excuses. It’s in every business, not just tennis.”

As for what qualities separate elite players from the other pros who are also great players, the former coach of Wimbledon champ Jana Novotna says: “I think it’s the will to work hard. The seriousness. The talent. And technique. I saw a lot of good players growing up who became too satisfied too easily. They’d be happy to win one or two rounds of a Grand Slam and that’s it for them because they know they had enough money to buy a nice car and nice house and they’re satisfied. For me, I wanted more. My goal was winning Grand Slams, not just having a good living.”

Regarding her coaching time with Novotna, Mandlikova says: “I enjoyed it very much. She was a fighter. But when I started coaching Jana she was very lazy and overweight and it was very hard. After she won Wimbledon, I said, ‘I can’t do it anymore.’ I was done.”

Mandlikova, who won four major titles, think junior players of today should study and learn about the great players of tennis history. “When I grew up I wanted to know all about great players of the past – Rod Laver, Ken Rosewall, Billie Jean King – but a lot of these kids don’t even know who Kim Clijsters is. If you want to be a great player, you should know about players in the past. That bothers me and scares me (that many of today’s juniors don’t know about the great players of tennis history).”

Of her own kids, one who is ranked in the top 25 in the USTA Florida l4s: “They both have talent. I can give them the best preparation and coaches. But in the end, it’s up to the player.”

 

[GoaLaSSo]

She is mostly wrong. There are plenty of kids that work themselves to exhaustion training in the USA. The notion that Americans are lazier than other countries, especially other Western countries, is silly.

The real main problems are...


The USTA system is not good for supporting good young tennis players. If your parents aren't rich, it will be a huge struggle to travel to tournaments and have all the proper gear. Many great athletes come from lower income families, but tennis almost completely excludes them.

Not enough American athletes choose tennis over other sports. It is not that popular anymore. Many other sports reign supreme in terms of watching and playing. I hardly even know people outside of other tennis players that know the rules of the game and/or watch tournaments.

We don't have enough players at full time academies, which is related to the point below. Most of the good kids just play some tennis after a full day of regular school, instead of taking expedited school courses and spending additional time on tennis.

Many parents and kids understand that tennis is not a reliable career choice. Most good players see tennis as a way to have fun and get college scholarships. They don't go for the long haul, since being a pro doesn't pay off unless you are in the top 100. In sports like football, soccer, basketball, baseball, etc. there are thousands (or even more!) of players in each making a stable living.

The Americans that do make it to the highest level usually have minimal training on clay and slower surfaces. They don't have a great grasp of point construction, and their training environment is not helping them on the tour.

 

[coloskier]

We've got a 16 year old kid here that has the talent to be a nationally top ranked junior. Problem is, he loves basketball and thinks that a 5'8" white guy is going to get a basketball scholarship at a major school. He isn't even all conference BB, let alone all state, whereas if he applied himself, he could get a full ride to a top tennis school. That is a lot of the issues that are going on in the USA.

 

[ctoth666]

Another theory: the US is too isolated? Perhaps? Unlike the European countries, for example. I think this could have something to do with it. Yet we once produced great champions and geographically nothing has changed so....

 

[GoaLaSSo]

Another theory: the US is too isolated? Perhaps? Unlike the European countries, for example. I think this could have something to do with it. Yet we once produced great champions and geographically nothing has changed so....

I think this does contribute a bit. Back in the past, the competitive environment in the USA was better and it was worse in Europe. Now that it is swinging the other way this probably plays a factor.

Also, it is much easier to get around than the USA. Continental America is huge and spread out. In Europe you can travel more easily between big cities and have access to more resources.

 

[Devilito]

One big factor is team sports are promoted in school because its easier to organize a class size of 30-40 kids into a few teams than needing 15 tennis courts for 1 vs 1. Individual sports will never be supported in the school system. So unless parents go out of their way to introduce kids to them they will never play it until much later in life, taking away all opportunity they may have had when they were young

 

[jrs]

She may have a point. The last 2 great champions - Venus and Serena came from poor background.

Once they reached the top - there was a period when they got distracted with other stuff and Tennis level dropped.

I wouldn't discount her analysis.

 

[Gonzalito17]

We've got a 16 year old kid here that has the talent to be a nationally top ranked junior. Problem is, he loves basketball and thinks that a 5'8" white guy is going to get a basketball scholarship at a major school. He isn't even all conference BB, let alone all state, whereas if he applied himself, he could get a full ride to a top tennis school. That is a lot of the issues that are going on in the USA.

Good point. Remember Andrew Lake who is a multiple USTA adult national champion. He played tennis and hoops in high school, was a great athlete, opted to play hoops at Marist but didn't make it as professional. Now he's around 40 and a monster of a nationals and ITF player. You have to wonder if he opted for a tennis career if he might have made it big. Tennis is such a hard sport to make it to the top 200. In team sports like baseball and basketball, it's a lot easier.

 

[kiki]

For all her walkabouts,Hana worked very hard,as did all her top opponents no matter talent

 

[Egoista]

well the world is lazy

 

[Gonzalito17]

Four majors for Hana, that's one helluva career. She should be proud and more respected by history. Chrissie and Martina get all the glory from that era.

Is Hana in the Hall of Fame?

 

[tennis24x7]

Another theory: the US is too isolated? Perhaps? Unlike the European countries, for example. I think this could have something to do with it. Yet we once produced great champions and geographically nothing has changed so....

How many French Opens did the champions win?? If I am right not one of them Sampras, Agassi, Chang won 2 French opens a piece. So American tennis has always been about first strike tennis. That probably worked on grass and hard courts but not clay.

 

[AngieB]

Hana, said in part:

"I think it’s…personally, I think they’re (young US players) spoiled. I don’t think they know how to work hard. They get everything handed to them on a platter."

'Regarding her coaching time with Novotna, Mandlikova says: “I enjoyed it very much. She was a fighter. But when I started coaching Jana she was very lazy and overweight and it was very hard. After she won Wimbledon, I said, ‘I can’t do it anymore.’ I was done.”'

'Of her own kids, one who is ranked in the top 25 in the USTA Florida l4s: “They both have talent. I can give them the best preparation and coaches. But in the end, it’s up to the player.” '

______________________________________________________________________________________

Hana is certainly entitled to her opinion but her myopic view seems largely based upon her strict, modest, upbringing and training under communist rule in Czechoslovakia the 1970's/1980's. Hana didn't enjoy a lot of the advantages that US teens had/have and it would seem to her that they are "spoiled" and "have everything handed to them". If she had grown-up in a free country, her opinion might not be as biting.

Also, where it relates to Jana, Hana's lack of empathy points to her Eastern European upbringing. Hana's comments were rude and unnecessary.

AngieB

 

[Mainad]

Four majors for Hana, that's one helluva career. She should be proud and more respected by history. Chrissie and Martina get all the glory from that era.

Is Hana in the Hall of Fame?

Yes, she was inducted in 1994.

http://www.tennisfame.com/hall-of-famers/hana-mandlikova

 

[West Coast Ace]

So she dusted off JMac's 'affluenza' comment from 4-5 yrs ago and made it her own? Wow, great analysis (aka plagiarism).

Not enough American athletes choose tennis over other sports.

Winner. Close the thread. The entrenched team sports - hoops, our football, baseball - siphon off the top talent. Australia has a similar issue - their Aussie Rules Football takes so many incredible athletes. I've been watching the matches this yr (on Fox Sports 2 Fri/Sat nights if anyone's interested) - so many 6'0" to 6'5" talented guys - think of a field with about 30 Nick Krygios' on it.

Then throw in the money it costs to train in tennis AND the mental side - a lot of juniors quit once they start playing better competition and losing - in team sports it really doesn't matter how good your team is - plenty of NFL, MLB, and NBA players don't play on state championship teams - because their teammates weren't good enough.

Having said that, I still laugh at the doom and gloom. The US will have more male champions - just won't happen as frequently as in the past. The money in tennis has gotten so big that it's created competition from other parts of the world.

 

[Down_the_line]

So she dusted off JMac's 'affluenza' comment from 4-5 yrs ago and made it her own? Wow, great analysis (aka plagiarism).

Winner. Close the thread. The entrenched team sports - hoops, our football, baseball - siphon off the top talent. Australia has a similar issue - their Aussie Rules Football takes so many incredible athletes. I've been watching the matches this yr (on Fox Sports 2 Fri/Sat nights if anyone's interested) - so many 6'0" to 6'5" talented guys - think of a field with about 30 Nick Krygios' on it.

Then throw in the money it costs to train in tennis AND the mental side - a lot of juniors quit once they start playing better competition and losing - in team sports it really doesn't matter how good your team is - plenty of NFL, MLB, and NBA players don't play on state championship teams - because their teammates weren't good enough.

Having said that, I still laugh at the doom and gloom. The US will have more male champions - just won't happen as frequently as in the past. The money in tennis has gotten so big that it's created competition from other parts of the world.

What's your take on the American talent in the pipeline on the men's side (Kozlov, Tiafoe etc.) How about the current top 100 Americans outside Isner (Querrey, Johnson, Sock, Young, Klahn)?

No agenda here, just honestly curious about your thoughts.

 

[kiki]

Four majors for Hana, that's one helluva career. She should be proud and more respected by history. Chrissie and Martina get all the glory from that era.

Is Hana in the Hall of Fame?

Hana was like a snipper.You never knew how and when, but certainly the bullet would be coming to you when least expected.

 

[West Coast Ace]

What's your take on the American talent in the pipeline on the men's side (Kozlov, Tiafoe etc.) How about the current top 100 Americans outside Isner (Querrey, Johnson, Sock, Young, Klahn)?

No agenda here, just honestly curious about your thoughts.

Haven't seen the 2 juniors - know they have good rankings in the juniors. But until they start playing men.... Isner, Sock, Johnson, Klahn = big serves, big FH's, not much else. Querrey - not sure what's up with him. Used to have a decent game - could hit a respectable BH and get returns back in play. He either has injuries we aren't hearing about or lost his motivation. Young is obviously limited by his size and lack of a huge weapon. But he's figured out what he can do to carve out a decent career, got serious about his fitness/nutrition, and hang in the 30-100 range - good for him.

 

[oberyn]

How many French Opens did the champions win?? If I am right not one of them Sampras, Agassi, Chang won 2 French opens a piece. So American tennis has always been about first strike tennis. That probably worked on grass and hard courts but not clay.

Jim Courier won Roland Garris in 1991 and 1992. And lost a 5 setter to Bruguera in the 1993 final. I get your overall point, but, Sampras aside, that generation of American players did remarkably well at the French Open.