The Decline of Tennis in America: Is Tennis in America at its worst?

[cknobman]

Im actually optimistic about our tennis right now. Sure we dont have a sure fire top 10 guy and its not looking like we will have one in the next 3-4 years either.

BUT we do have a few guys that show top 20-30 potential and maybe top 15.

For awhile I was worried once Roddick and Blake were done we wouldnt have anyone inside top 50 or even 75.

Im ready to let go of Roddick and have already let go of Blake.

Oudin gives us some hope of something after the Williams sisters.

With the shaping up of the USTA under Pmac Im hoping in the next 5 years we really see things start turning around.

 

[Fedace]

We need another JP Mcenroe to come out.

 

[drwood]

We need another JP Mcenroe to come out.

No, you just need someone with great talent who doesn't become complacent once they achieve some initial success and are dubbed as the next American phenom (i.e. Andy Roddick, whose game, fitness and variety never improved from the 2003 US Open through the end of last year).

 

[pmerk34]

No, you just need someone with great talent who doesn't become complacent once they achieve some initial success and are dubbed as the next American phenom (i.e. Andy Roddick, whose game, fitness and variety never improved from the 2003 US Open through the end of last year).

Hit fitness is unbelievable what are you talking about? That's almost never been an issue for him. He never improved enough to beat Federer in major finals. there is plenty wrong with with American tennis but Roddick isn't it.

 

[drwood]

That's a great parenting tip. has nothing to do with raising tennis champions.

Of course it does. Ask Venus and Serena.

 

[pmerk34]

Of course it does. Ask Venus and Serena.

Who went to Macci's for free and pretend it never happened.

 

[Bruguera]

It was bound to happen. Actually, it is amazing that the 80s and 90s produced produced some of the best american tennis players thats ever lived and the arguable GOAT in Sampras. But not every era is going to produce the likes of Mac, Pete, Andre and Courier etc.

Once Pete and Andre retired, it was essentially over for America. At least at the top of the sport. Not sure why even way back 10 years ago, commentators and others were suggesting that the likes of Roddick or later on a player like Blake were going to carry the torch. There were never that good and always had gaping holes in their games

 

[drakulie]

USTA sucks. There is your answer of why there is no American Men leading the charge.

 

[drakulie]

Who went to Macci's for free and pretend it never happened.

Agree. They were groomed by, Macci. Not Bolleteri or parents, etc. Although, Richard did a great job building a solid foundation to work from.

 

[eric draven]

Largely true, but most of Agassi's traning came from his father...he only spent 3 years at Bollitieri's academy before turning pro.

And James Blake also has made a significant mark going the college route; only player besides Todd Martin to be a top-5 pro.

But the only USTA born and bred talent that had done anything significant as a pro has been Todd Martin. No person who has gone from start to finish at Bollitieri's academy has become #1...Courier only became #1 after Bollitieri dumped him to focus on Agassi (so Courier actually got real coaching in Jose Higueras), and Agassi only became #1 after he parted with Bolletieri and got real coaching in Brad Gilbert. Sharapova trained with Bollitieri, but got equal training from Robert Lansdorp as well.

My main point was that these are players who didn't come up through the USTA and college ranks. Keep in mind that Blake only spent two years in college before going pro. Martin is the only recent player of note to spend four years in a DI school and then go on to a very successful pro career. Bollitieri in the early days was a proving ground and while I question his coaching prowess there's no doubt that he had the best collection of talent to compete against each other at that time.

 

[pmerk34]

My main point was that these are players who didn't come up through the USTA and college ranks. Keep in mind that Blake only spent two years in college before going pro. Martin is the only recent player of note to spend four years in a DI school and then go on to a very successful pro career. Bollitieri in the early days was a proving ground and while I question his coaching prowess there's no doubt that he had the best collection of talent to compete against each other at that time.

That's wonderful that you question his coaching prowess but how many pros have gone through there? I think he charges 10,000 a month.

 

[dman72]

Yeah, he saw them off the street and just pulled them into his academy b/c they had never picked up a tennis racket before he spotted them...please. Obviosuly they had talent whch was nurtured by their parents for Macci to make that kind of investment in them. Just goes to show that money is no substitute for love, vision and TIME spent with your children.

No excuses.

Right, so the development of tennis players in the US is based on some guy randomly deciding to make a project out of 2 kids. ???? And we wonder why player development is so poor.

It's simple...the best athletes don't play tennis. Period. You whittle them down through Football, Basketball, baseball, soccer, lacrosse, wrestling, and hockey..then you might be able to pick a few off here and there. For any of the above mentioned sports (other than hockey which is crazy expensive), equipment may be a little more expensive than tennis, but coaching...leagues..the things that really train kids to play..they are either invisible or too expensive for most parents to deal with.

 

[Bruguera]

America is primarily focused on the team sport aspect. Thats the way its usually always been. Football, Baseball and Basketball come first and tennis behind these sports

 

[pmerk34]

Right, so the development of tennis players in the US is based on some guy randomly deciding to make a project out of 2 kids. ???? And we wonder why player development is so poor.

It's simple...the best athletes don't play tennis. Period. You whittle them down through Football, Basketball, baseball, soccer, lacrosse, wrestling, and hockey..then you might be able to pick a few off here and there. For any of the above mentioned sports (other than hockey which is crazy expensive), equipment may be a little more expensive than tennis, but coaching...leagues..the things that really train kids to play..they are either invisible or too expensive for most parents to deal with.

The best athlete's in the U.S> is a euphemism for black athletes. And they have hardly ever played tennis.

Connors and Mac were not better athletes than the best black athlete's in 1979. there has to be another explanation.

 

[dman72]

The best athlete's in the U.S> is a euphemism for black athletes. And they have hardly ever played tennis.

Connors and Mac were not better athletes than the best black athlete's in 1979. there has to be another explanation.

Even the best white athletes don't play tennis.

To start, lets establish that tennis is not as much of an athletic sport as any of the team sports except baseball. The court is only 30 feet wide, it doesn't take that much to cover it, as lightning fast as we think Nadal is, any NFL cornerback would smoke him in a shuttle run.

Roger Federer would not be a great football or basketball player even with training....maybe a mediocre point guard in b-ball. Tennis is a skill sport somewhere in between golf and basketball, but it's become more athletic recently than it was in the past.

Most countries with players on the tour have to compete with 2 or 3 sports before tennis. We have maybe 8. I honestly think that's part of the reason the US aren't leaders in the sport.

 

[vicnan]

I don't think it is a case of decline. There are a lot more sports for talented kids to choose from. Golf, e.g., is a lot more popular today among the young. Cost may be another factor.

 

[eric draven]

That's wonderful that you question his coaching prowess but how many pros have gone through there? I think he charges 10,000 a month.

If you know anything about how he ran that operation he hired a number of quality coaches to work with the kids at the academy. He was largely hands off for all but the very best students. Even then he left the actual coaching and development to those under his employment. Nick was a more of a marketing genius than coaching guru.

 

[pmerk34]

If you know anything about how he ran that operation he hired a number of quality coaches to work with the kids at the academy. He was largely hands off for all but the very best students. Even then he left the actual coaching and development to those under his employment. Nick was a more of a marketing genius than coaching guru.

I could not care less. Tennis is a sport for the rich. Middle to upper middcle class families do not have 10k a month for Nick.

 

[JustBob]

The fact is that the USTA's elite player development program isn't very good. The US has historically relied on tennis academies, private coaches, the NCAA and some committed parents to develop players. And that's just not good enough anymore.

 

[Wondertoy]

And if Macci had taught the Sistas how to volley, they would be so much better. Venus would have beaten Cljisters if she didn't dump so many easy volleys. And if Bolleterri taught Agassi how to volley, he may have beaten Sampras at a US Open final.

The main reason why is no hope for American future stars is because tennis is so freakin' expensive! It cost a player's family over $15,000 per year for tournament fees and travel to nationals and that doesn't count court time or teaching pros. So only the rich can afford the sport and they are NOT hungry enough to succeed. All the other team sports are supported by the school systems. The farm system for basketbal and football is college. The players get scholarship and don't have to pay for coaching. Tennis is a skill sport. Someone has to be paid to teach grips, technique, strategy, stroke mechanics. For Macci and Bolleterri, they only teach two strokes, forehand and backhand, no volleys, no slice backhands, no approach shot, no serves, no overheads (the WTA players hit forehands rather than overheads on lobs for crissakes!).

For basketball, you only need a pair on sneakers and a playground hoop. To the hungry eastern europeans, pro tennis is their shot to get the hell out of Serbia, Russia, Ukraine, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, etc. It is analogous to the black athlete in the ghetto using the team sports to get out of the getto. You can't take the same kids and give them a tennis racquet and ask their families to cough up another $20,000-30,000 per year that they don't have to give tennis a shot! No upper middle class tennis player will fight their way out of suburbia like these kids fighting to get out of the ghetto!

The USTA hand picks pushers from the highly ranked 12s to sponsor in their High Performance team. Monetary and travel support to pushers with no weapons because they win in the 12s. They produce the Donald Youngs for the pros, a great junior with no weapons, no hunger and no chance for success.
.

 

[FlamEnemY]

To the hungry eastern europeans, pro tennis is their shot to get the hell out of Serbia, Russia, Ukraine, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, etc. It is analogous to the black athlete in the ghetto using the team sports to get out of the getto. You can't take the same kids and give them a tennis racquet and ask their families to cough up another $20,000-30,000 per year that they don't have to give tennis a shot! No upper middle class tennis player will fight their way out of suburbia like these kids fighting to get out of the ghetto!

Eastern europeans are not nearly as rich as Americans, and don't have nearly as good infrastructure. How come it's 'our shot' when we hardly have the money, coaches and courts compared to our contemporaries?

 

[F10]

It has nothing to do with the money. Money helps and facilitates things but what is really all bout is about talent and hunger for success. Money, big management agencies and sponsors, will always find players with tennis talent.

 

[jrepac]

training

whatever happened to Bolliteri's acadamy by the way? when was the last time someone halfway decent came up from there/was trained by him? it seemed like several successful players did short stints there, then moved onto other coaches. Typically, they were great baseliners but couldn't volley worth a damn (arias, krickstein, courier, agassi, etc., etc)

tennis, by and large, is an expensive sport to pursue full time. particularly if you don't live in the warmer regions of the country

raw talent does make up for a lot of shortcomings...along w/parental "push" as they say (from a long list of "crazy"? tennis parents)...but you don't see too many coming out of the collegiate programs after 4 years having great success

have to wonder what the heck the USTA is doing these days to find and nurture young, talented kids....

back in 86-90 there was a drought of US talent on the men's side...Mac was a mental case and Connors was getting too old (in '87 he was the #1 US Player at the tender age of 35)...but it was only a few years before Agassi, Chang, Courier and Sampras showed up....we can only hope for another talented quartet to appear soon....

 

[T10s747]

It has nothing to do with the money. Money helps and facilitates things but what is really all bout is about talent and hunger for success. Money, big management agencies and sponsors, will always find players with tennis talent.

That's a naive view in today's USTA dominated world. You have to spend tons of $$$ to play nationals to get the ranking points to get noticed and sponsored by the USTA. Richard Williams didn't have the money so the sistas didn't play nationals. He then hyped up the girls and snookered Macci to take them on for free. That's rare. Someone has to notice and someone has to give the player financial support. A young Federer growing up in the USA with no money has no chance of making it.

 

[heftylefty]

Bumped for sad reason.

Went to my mailbox, found my latest issue of Tennis Magazine. On the cover: Ben Johns...World No.1 PPA Tour. Frigging Pickleball.

Tennis in America is dead as disco. And America did it to itself. RIP USA Tennis. Thank the Gods for Canada.

 

[Sampras-Bruguera 1993]

2009?


13 years later.. Yea its dead

 

[slice bh compliment]

That's a naive view in today's USTA dominated world. You have to spend tons of $$$ to play nationals to get the ranking points to get noticed and sponsored by the USTA. Richard Williams didn't have the money so the sistas didn't play nationals. He then hyped up the girls and snookered Macci to take them on for free. That's rare. Someone has to notice and someone has to give the player financial support. A young Federer growing up in the USA with no money has no chance of making it.

Roger played itfs. He was a baller, no matter what the politics had in store.
Hmmm, do you think he might still have made it despite the usta of he were an American in 1998?