What happened to US men's tennis?

[heftylefty]

What happened to US men's tennis is quite simple.

Tennis moved from being an elitist, country club sport to become a sport that require equal parts athleticism and skill. The Tennis Establishment in the US ignored the memo. As a result of living the past, and believing its own hype of American Exceptionalism, the rest of the world passed us by to the point they can't even see the US in the rear view mirror.

If there's any doubt; look at the physical giants America has playing tennis and ask could these guys mover like their NBA counterparts at the same build. The next American Male capable of winning a Slam in Singles does NOT play tennis.

 

[giantschwinn]

The USA does not get the best male athletes this country has to offer. Basketball football baseball soccer take the best. In Europe football take the best tennis is 2 or 3 its simple

I wouldn't call baseball a sport or the players athletes. Bunch of fat guys sitting in the dugout.

 

[dahcovixx]

Tennis moved from being an elitist, country club sport to become a sport that require equal parts athleticism and skill.

If there's any doubt; look at the physical giants America has playing tennis and ask could these guys mover like their NBA counterparts at the same build. The next American Male capable of winning a Slam in Singles does NOT play tennis.

Ya, long ago...

I dont think alot of nba players would do well at tennis. Different skill set, didnt laubraun cramp after 40mins because the gym was 88 degree's? Imagine him in 3 out of 5 at the AO, would hurt his groin after losing the first set.

I dont think you know much about US player development. You have it exactly backwards, the goals have changed. The problem is that they are trying to create a player instead of letting one develop naturally. Takes away from the coaches glory if they didnt build the student, cannot open their own academy.

Pretty disrespectful to paint all of the players with the same brush when your focus is on Isner, Opaleka and Querry (size doesnt always win, only in nba).

 

[heftylefty]

Ya, long ago...

I dont think alot of nba players would do well at tennis. Different skill set, didnt laubraun cramp after 40mins because the gym was 88 degree's? Imagine him in 3 out of 5 at the AO, would hurt his groin after losing the first set.

I dont think you know much about US player development. You have it exactly backwards, the goals have changed. The problem is that they are trying to create a player instead of letting one develop naturally. Takes away from the coaches glory if they didnt build the student, cannot open their own academy.

Pretty disrespectful to paint all of the players with the same brush when your focus is on Isner, Opaleka and Querry (size doesnt always win, only in nba).

Isner, Querry and Opaleka are horrible movers and they are the best America has to offer.
And what I see & know about US player development is a lack of US male tennis players having any impact on the tour.

 

[mike danny]

I think it's poor teaching at the academy.

 

[navigator]

Wawrinka started playing tennis at the age of eight, and played once a week until he was eleven, when he started to practice three times a week.

This is one of those tennis myths that won't go away. If you go to Stan's wikipedia entry there's no information to substantiate this claim from the link that's provided (nor anywhere else, for that matter). Shortly after this statement is a (contradictory) statement that Dimitri Zavialoff has been coaching Wawrinka since he was 8. (I doubt a big time coach like Zavialoff would have taken on a player who dedicated one day a week to the sport for the first 3 years.) This statement is verified by a link to a legitimate reference. He started playing satellite tournaments at 15 and won the Junior French Open at 17. But he only started playing tennis more than once a week at 11? Please. I guess Zavialoff was extraordinarily patient - "So, Stan, are we going to train today? Nope, we trained Tuesday, see you next Tuesday." Seriously, pretty much every single one of these "junior late bloomer" tennis stories turns out to be baloney once you dig a little deeper.

 

[muddlehead]

The “inner city.” What does that mean ? I live in Manhattan. Which neighborhood(s) would be considered the “inner city” ? I want to scout for tennis talent.

The only tennis book I failed to finish was Patrick McEnroe's bio. Agree the guy is a d-bag.

Aside from that, love this map.

 

[marc45]

I wouldn't call baseball a sport or the players athletes. Bunch of fat guys sitting in the dugout.

Are you writing this with a quill?

I wouldn't call baseball a sport or the players athletes. Bunch of fat guys sitting in the dugout.

man, are you living in Babe Ruth's era?...even he was an outlier

 

[SuperJ]

I can only speak to what I see locally but I see a few problems with tennis here:
1) an influx of bad coaches. It's predatory and disgusting.
2) USTA Quickstart
3) USTA dropping the ball on tournaments
4) Society becoming soft. Kids don't have even the basic athletic skills anymore

 

[r2473]

That ends this year. No ********, fedr, or ned means Opelka Jack Sock is the clear favorite for USO 20

I know what you meant to say

 

[r2473]

What happened to US men's tennis is quite simple.

Tennis moved from being an elitist, country club sport to become a sport that require equal parts athleticism and skill. The Tennis Establishment in the US ignored the memo. As a result of living the past, and believing its own hype of American Exceptionalism, the rest of the world passed us by to the point they can't even see the US in the rear view mirror.

If there's any doubt; look at the physical giants America has playing tennis and ask could these guys mover like their NBA counterparts at the same build. The next American Male capable of winning a Slam in Singles does NOT play tennis.

Are you saying that the rest of the world has NBA type athletes playing professional tennis?

That Federer, Djokovic and Nadal don't fit the "outdated" country club model? That these guys are NBA style athletes and not "traditional" tennis athletes?

Are you suggesting that the best athletes from other countries are playing tennis and not soccer (for example)?

 

[beltsman]

What happened to US men's tennis is quite simple.

Tennis moved from being an elitist, country club sport to become a sport that require equal parts athleticism and skill. The Tennis Establishment in the US ignored the memo. As a result of living the past, and believing its own hype of American Exceptionalism, the rest of the world passed us by to the point they can't even see the US in the rear view mirror.

If there's any doubt; look at the physical giants America has playing tennis and ask could these guys mover like their NBA counterparts at the same build. The next American Male capable of winning a Slam in Singles does NOT play tennis.

There is a veiled comment here..

hmm...

 

[heftylefty]

Are you saying that the rest of the world has NBA type athletes playing professional tennis?

That Federer, Djokovic and Nadal don't fit the "outdated" country club model? That these guys are NBA style athletes and not "traditional" tennis athletes?

Are you suggesting that the best athletes from other countries are playing tennis and not soccer (for example)?

What I am saying is that American tennis players, regardless of size, are not at the same athletic level as the rest of the professional tennis world. I used the NBA as an example because America's best players are roughly the size of basketball players.

 

[heftylefty]

There is a veiled comment here..

hmm...

There is nothing veil about my comment. If you like, replace NBA with MLS or MLB or NHL.

 

[PistolPete23]

Don’t worry y’all. Wait another 17 years and my son will be ready to bring the glory back to US tennis. The athleticism is already apparent but he might need some help with finesse. Looking to easily break 6 ft. in height, and I’ll make sure he has all the tools currently lacking in American players. Kinda want him to go to college though ...

 

[r2473]

What I am saying is that American tennis players, regardless of size, are not at the same athletic level as the rest of the professional tennis world. I used the NBA as an example because America's best players are roughly the size of basketball players.

Give a Federer, Djokovic and Nadal athletic equivalent in another sport so I can have an idea of what you mean.

Just list American athletes in other spirts that would be “on par” with the rest of the world athletically.

Next, please tell me why your argument makes sense when players like Monfils haven’t won a slam. Great player, obviously. But America has had top 10 talent too.

 

[Bartelby]

America produces lumbering beanpoles who serve well. This seems to be what he is saying.

He then goes on to say that tennis gets the lumbering beanpoles whereas basketball gets the athletic beanpoles.

It's all just personal observation, so hardly an argument that needs unpicking.

Give a Federer, Djokovic and Nadal athletic equivalent in another sport so I can have an idea of what you mean.

Just list American athletes in other spirts that would be “on par” with the rest of the world athletically.

Next, please tell me why your argument makes sense when players like Monfils haven’t won a slam. Great player, obviously. But America has had top 10 talent too.

 

[r2473]

America produces lumbering beanpoles who serve well. This seems to be what he is saying.

He then goes on to say that tennis gets the lumbering beanpoles whereas basketball gets the athletic beanpoles.

It's all just personal observation, so hardly an argument that needs unpicking.

The argument just doesn’t make sense when one sees who has dominated tennis the past 20 years.

 

[tennis24x7]

Don’t worry y’all. Wait another 17 years and my son will be ready to bring the glory back to US tennis. The athleticism is already apparent but he might need some help with finesse. Looking to easily break 6 ft. in height, and I’ll make sure he has all the tools currently lacking in American players. Kinda want him to go to college though ...

Everything was going good until you mentioned college. His tennis will go to the dumps if he plays NCAA college tennis, please send him to Europe

 

[Deleted member 768841]

Don’t worry y’all. Wait another 17 years and my son will be ready to bring the glory back to US tennis. The athleticism is already apparent but he might need some help with finesse. Looking to easily break 6 ft. in height, and I’ll make sure he has all the tools currently lacking in American players. Kinda want him to go to college though ...

Everything was going good until you mentioned college. His tennis will go to the dumps if he plays NCAA college tennis, please send him to Europe

That’s kinda the thing though, isn’t it? There’s so much of a focus in the United States to go to a college, get a degree or play for a team. There isn’t much or any of a focus on what could be done by not going to college. Granted most high-paying jobs that aren’t self-employment require a college degree, and self-employment doesn’t pay much either unless you really take off.

 

[heftylefty]

The argument just doesn’t make sense when one sees who has dominated tennis the past 20 years.

Even if there were no Fedalovic, this crop of Americans tennis players would still struggle to make the semis of Slams.

And since you brought up Monfils, stack up his last two seasons against the Americans. There are more "Top" Americans looking up at him as opposed ahead of him. But this isn't about Monfils; it's about the rest of the world is passing the USA in professional tennis on the men side.

 

[tennis24x7]

That’s kinda the thing though, isn’t it? There’s so much of a focus in the United States to go to a college, get a degree or play for a team. There isn’t much or any of a focus on what could be done by not going to college. Granted most high-paying jobs that aren’t self-employment require a college degree, and self-employment doesn’t pay much either unless you really take off.

He can go to college just not for tennis though, they are made to play so much day in and day out that they are alomost burnt out by the time they leave.

 

[Crazy Finn]

American men in USO 2020

1R = 22
2R = 9
3R = 3
4R = 1
QF = 0

 

[JackSockIsTheBest]

I think tennis has evolved but american tennis has not. They need to stop relying on serve and power, they need to build some clay courts all over the country and send their coaches to Europe/bring coaches from Europe. Then kids will have a better baseline game.

yes i would dream to go to europe but I live in Oahu Hawai'i which is far away and i am a junior player with sock serve, thiem forehand, nakashima backhand, and a pretty good net game. With the addition of im probably one of the only ones who knows how to slide and i can chase down balls like de minaur. But one thing i gotta work on is my fitness overtime because I get tired after one match.

 

[Pheasant]

Tennis doesn’t crack the top 5in men’s sports In the U.S. That’s all there is to it. A good baseball player, football player , or basketball player can earn 20 million a year guaranteed. They get contracts of guaranteed money going for 200-300 million dollars. An average player in those sports makes 5 million a year. Bench-riders make 500k a year

Tennis players make chicken feed compared to those big sports.

Women’s tennis is a much different story here. Tennis is where women make the most money in sports. Thus, US women do great in tennis.

 

[Sosuke Aizen]

The US gets second rate athletes like Jack Sock, Opelka, Isner, Querrey etc to play tennis. These guys are all big lumbering one dimensional power players with terrible movement. If you took some of the top inner city athletes and trained them since early childhood the Americans would dominate again. Serena Williams is the perfect example of an elite American female athlete that was trained since an early age. She has obliterated the competition due to her athletic superiority. If you took some top NFL wide receivers and trained them in tennis since early childhood I’m sure they would dominate. Tennis like boxing is now a niche second rate sport unfortunately.

Which inner city did Sampras and McEnroe come from?