Many American tennis fans keep hoping that an American will scale to the top and be a dominator in tennis. The time hasn't arrived, not yet, not with the more established American players.
Fritz rose to No. 5 at the beginning of the 2023 season but has dropped down to No. 8. Fritz is a hell of a fighter in matches. Then there's Tiafoe rising to No. 12. He's a harder hitter with more athleticism than Fritz possesses. Yet I sense that neither holds a champion mentality. Currently, both can win an ATP 250 tournament. That's about it. Each might reach the semi-finals of a 500 tournament. In a 1000, I can't see either surviving past the quarterfinals. And in majors, the round of 16 and no further.
Still, American fans can hope that a championship mentality might develop within Korda and Shelton.
On the women's side, I sense that Gauff believes she holds the talent to exceed all other women in the WTA, a necessary quality in rising to the top. Her shortcomings, which we all have seen, have blocked her advancement. Yet her shortcomings ought to be major weapons. I've occasionally seen them in action. Therefore, I believe her development has been hindered in the last year or so by poor coaching. Gauff is still young and ambitious. Maybe a couple years of master coaching will lift Gauff to her dominating destiny.
On the other hand, Pegula remains the top American woman, ranked in the top 5 in the world. She's mastered the tennis fundamentals. But she lacks the power and athleticism to intimidate opponents. In my mind, she has reached her tennis limit and won't be a threat to win a WTA 500, 1000, and certainly not a major tournament.
This might surprise some. In tennis ability and athleticism, Keys has it all. Generally in matches, she starts red hot and dominates. But as the matches proceed to the second and third set, confounding unforced errors off routine shots flood into her game and she loses in the second or third round of tournaments.
Nevertheless, a couple of teenage American women might grant American tennis fans their wishes in the not-to-far-away future.
Fritz rose to No. 5 at the beginning of the 2023 season but has dropped down to No. 8. Fritz is a hell of a fighter in matches. Then there's Tiafoe rising to No. 12. He's a harder hitter with more athleticism than Fritz possesses. Yet I sense that neither holds a champion mentality. Currently, both can win an ATP 250 tournament. That's about it. Each might reach the semi-finals of a 500 tournament. In a 1000, I can't see either surviving past the quarterfinals. And in majors, the round of 16 and no further.
Still, American fans can hope that a championship mentality might develop within Korda and Shelton.
On the women's side, I sense that Gauff believes she holds the talent to exceed all other women in the WTA, a necessary quality in rising to the top. Her shortcomings, which we all have seen, have blocked her advancement. Yet her shortcomings ought to be major weapons. I've occasionally seen them in action. Therefore, I believe her development has been hindered in the last year or so by poor coaching. Gauff is still young and ambitious. Maybe a couple years of master coaching will lift Gauff to her dominating destiny.
On the other hand, Pegula remains the top American woman, ranked in the top 5 in the world. She's mastered the tennis fundamentals. But she lacks the power and athleticism to intimidate opponents. In my mind, she has reached her tennis limit and won't be a threat to win a WTA 500, 1000, and certainly not a major tournament.
This might surprise some. In tennis ability and athleticism, Keys has it all. Generally in matches, she starts red hot and dominates. But as the matches proceed to the second and third set, confounding unforced errors off routine shots flood into her game and she loses in the second or third round of tournaments.
Nevertheless, a couple of teenage American women might grant American tennis fans their wishes in the not-to-far-away future.
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