Which currently playing American has the most wasted talent

[IDon'tKnowMuch]

My answer has to be Steve Johnson, If you look at his game he has a forehand and a serve that are at least top ten worthy, but has no backhand. His fitness also seems spotty I have watched a few tournaments with him cramping just this year. I think that he could have been a top ten player and a dark horse at a few majors if not for these technical flaws.

 

[CosmosMpower]

Ryan Harrison, watched him play in person and he has no patience. Mumbles and criticizes himself for every bad shot and seems really impatient.

 

[Shaolin]

Probably DY. Should have gotten a real coach years ago instead of just his parents.

 

[DRII]

Querry!

really no reason, besides horrible mental strength, that he couldn't have been top 8 and consistently contending for slams.

unlike the other American players he actually has a decent BH along with his monster FH and huge serve.

he also moves quite well for his size.

 

[TennisLBC]

Jack Sock has talent but no brains.

Edit: After thought about the question, I now think that none of this guys are a waste of talent. I should not replied that Sock has no brains; he's alright has a two double slams and is one of highest ranking single player with double titles in a slam. That is not a waste of talent.
There are guys with more talent, that's all.

 

[BeatlesFan]

Ryan Harrison, watched him play in person and he has no patience. Mumbles and criticizes himself for every bad shot and seems really impatient.

I too have seen Ryan play in person many times. But he doesn't fit the criterion since he has little innate talent to waste. Donald Young by far has more talent. Ryan is just a hard worker with minimal natural ability. The Donald actually has talent, just poor decision making on court, horrible coaching by his parents and no particularly big weapon.

 

[beltsman]

Sock because he has the tools for a good serve, monster FH, and touch at the net. But his shot selection, movement, and fitness are holding him back - all things he can actively improve upon.

 

[K-H]

Querrey. He's doing more with it now. But with his huge serves and powerful groundies from both wings he should be in top 15. His movement is good for a talk fella as well. He hits as hard as anyone when he's on from both wings. He should be doing better. Just needs to believe in his self more. And he's starting to it seems.

 

[r2473]

Michael Russell. Guy is only 39 years old and is retired already?

 

[Defcon]

A lot of players have nice strokes. That doesn't mean talent. Everyone in the ATP top 500 is talented by that definition.

 

[xFullCourtTenniSx]

Donald Young. The guy who destroyed the junior circuit, then went pro for several years, failed, and went back to win the Wimbledon junior title in his last year of eligibility.

 

[Shaolin]

Honestly they're all about where they should be. It's not lack of hard work that's holding them back.

Ability-wise none are on par with classic talent wasters like Monfils, Safin, Rios, Nalbandian etc.

 

[Simon_the_furry]

Donald actually has talent, just poor decision making on court, horrible coaching by his parents and no particularly big weapon.

My tennis coach got double-breadsticked by Donald Young when he played college.

 

[mavsman149]

Are we sure Young and Kozlov are talented?

 

[Shaolin]

Are we sure Young and Kozlov are talented?

I saw that thing live…pretty horrifying.

 

[mavsman149]

I saw that thing live…pretty horrifying.

That is just awful, I'm sorry you had to be there!

 

[Shaolin]

That is just awful, I'm sorry you had to be there!

Just watched on tv…luckily Ive never seen anything like that the times Ive been to IW in person.

 

[Booger]

Jack Sock is the only guy on tour who I'd bet isn't taking PED's.

 

[Ronaldo]

Probably DY. Should have gotten a real coach years ago instead of just his parents.

If he gets a new coach he will have to pay him and lose that sweet bedroom above his parents garage.

 

[Vanilla Slice]

Not much talent to begin with so not much wasted.

Overall, Querrey is having a late career resurgence but he was never expected to be that successful so it's not like he has wasted much. If he goes far in a slam I'm rooting for him!

 

[MichaelNadal]

Definitely Sam imo.

 

[West Coast Ace]

My answer has to be Steve Johnson, If you look at his game he has a forehand and a serve that are at least top ten worthy, but has no backhand. His fitness also seems spotty I have watched a few tournaments with him cramping just this year. I think that he could have been a top ten player and a dark horse at a few majors if not for these technical flaws.

Regrettably, I agree (except for the fitness part - he's in great shape - cramps happen). Really nice guy - and proved at USC and on the tour (after he got in some semblance of shape) that he knows how to figure things out and win matches. But not working on his BH when he was a junior and college player and winning almost everything is unconscionable. I can only assume the obsession with winning took over and there was no thought of 'polishing his game to get ready for the move into the pro ranks'. I can't understand how those fortunate enough to have unlimited access to top level coaching don't learn all the strokes.

 

[Moveforwardalways]

Jack Sock is the only guy on tour who I'd bet isn't taking PED's.

Agree. Jack is a few PEDs away from the top 10. But right now he plays like a normal human with insane skills instead of a super human with insane skills.

 

[SLD76]

None of them


They aren't that talented to begin with

 

[BeatlesFan]

Jack Sock is the only guy on tour who I'd bet isn't taking PED's.

Curious why you think this? Is someone like, say, Nick, on PED's?

 

[Luckydog]

None.
They all have no talent to waste.

 

[tennisaddict]

Donald Young. Guy has so much variety yet will dump million simple FH into the net under even slight pressure .

When he stops making those errors can be easily top 20. That is a large shift in his ranking .

Querrey obviously can improve but he already made it to 15-20. At most he can be around 10.

ISner over achieved. Sock has met his ceiling .

I like Jared and think he can be easily top 25.

 

[okdude1992]

Steve Johnson is an overachiever if anything. Has a pretty good serve, forehand, and movement. But isn't elite at any of those things, and also has holes in his game.

Querrey is the best of the bunch by far. I know he had some injuries, but there's no reason he should've spent most of his career in the #30-60 range.

Young had the most potential as a junior, but he never developed much past that. Given his skillset, he's ranked about where he should be. Harrison is a similar situation

 

[Fabresque]

DY, if he actually got a good coach and stopped playing a junior style of play in the pros, he'd be top 10 easily. No weapons on court, no good shot making, bad serve, headcase. So many problems with him. If he got a coach Instead of his parents, he'd be very good.

Querrey has a style to match that of players in the top 10, but he never used it to his full potential because he wasn't confident at all. Sock still has time and Harrison was always crap imo. Johnson is disappointing because if he fixed his BH he'd at least be top 15. Isner over achieved with his play style, so at least somebody fulfilled their potential to the max.

The new crop of players isn't looking too good besides maybe Tiafoe and Donaldson. Kozlov and Fritz are massive headcases, especially Kozlov who has one of the worst shots on tour (seriously where is his back swing lmao).

 

[Bartelby]

You have to have talent to waste in order to have wasted talent and Australia seems to specialise in that.

 

[70後]

feeling the US guys give me isn't that they don't have talent or less than their European counterparts but that somehow the thinking isn't there.

The women are fine.