Donald Young- the future of American tennis

Hey i'm wonderin whether u guys no a lot about the African-American Donald Young? he is only 15 and yet he won 2 rounds of qualies in Los Angeles before losing in 3 sets to Andy Ram. I've heard him being compared to Marcelo Rios and Pete Sampras. Brad Gilbert said he will be making some serious noise in about 2 years. Does any1 else have anything on him. I am not an ESPN insider so i'm not able to look at the article about Young in the ESPN Magazine. i do not subscribe to any magazines. can someone give me the scouting report on donald young?

He's playing a Challenger this week, in Lexington I believe, see if he does anything there. He doesn't have impressive results so far, can't even get past the second round of a junior slam, so we'll see if he's got anything. I think he turned pro way too early, doesn't have the body for it, but the rumor is that his parents wanted/needed the money to support his training (must of used up all their money for the J Lo sized rock he wears in his earlobe). People can say whatever they want about him, but I've lost track of 'the next big American' players that were hyped and never materialized. I'll just wait for the results.

Donald Young is playing in the Lexington Challenger. He is a wild-card and takes on 6th seeded Serbian Dusan Vemic in the first round. He is in the same quarter of the draw as the Double Delgados, Jamie Delgado of Britain and Paraguay's Ramon Delgado. I think at last year's Newport Hall of Fame tournament, Dusan Vemic beat Mardy Fish. So this guy isn't too bad.

Donald lost his first round match to the 30 year old Serb Dusan Vemic in 3 sets, 6-1,2-6,6-2. Thats an encouraging result considering that Vemic is twice the age of Donald.

Hey i'm wonderin whether u guys no a lot about the African-American Donald Young? he is only 15 and yet he won 2 rounds of qualies in Los Angeles before losing in 3 sets to Andy Ram.
I find this unreal :D:D:D GO Donald!!

Donald lost in the Orange Bowl 18s final yesterday, as a 15 year old!! I cannot wait to see more of this kid in the coming years

Newsweek has an article about him this week:
Advantage: Big Talent (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6732972/site/newsweek/)

Donald won the AO Juniors yesterday in straight sets. This kid could be REAL BIG. Congrats Donald! Sounds like a good kid with a good head on his shoulders, too.
=========

D. YOUNG/ K. Sun Yong

6 2, 6 2

An interview with:

DONALD YOUNG


THE MODERATOR: Tomorrow Donald will become No. 1 and he'll be the youngest No. 1 junior since the rankings began, and also he's the youngest junior Grand Slam winner.
First question, question.

Q. What do you think of that?
DONALD YOUNG: I'm really excited actually. I mean, I really don't know what to say. I mean, I'm really excited. Been wanting to win this tournament for a while and it happened so I'm really excited.

Q. At what point did you think you won, when you got the break at 4 All?
DONALD YOUNG: Well, the first set well, I knew coming into the match, he was tired. He had like four three setters. I mean, I just wanted to work him, move him around, keep him out there a little while. It happened. He got tired, and I started playing better, so I won.

Q. Midway through that second set, you got a bit frustrated.
DONALD YOUNG: Yeah, I was getting upset because I started rushing and missing, because he just started getting it in play and not hitting any pace on the ball. But I just kept it in play and attacked him, and I won.

Q. When you lost the Orange Bowl final to Tim, you seemed almost inconsolable.
DONALD YOUNG: I don't know. I was really upset after that. I was expecting to win, because I beat him before. He came out a different person and started playing a lot better than he had ever played before. I was surprised, and he got me.
But hopefully it will never happen again.

Q. Back then you seemed so upset. Could you envision just a month later here you are?
DONALD YOUNG: No, I really couldn't. Coming into this tournament, I was telling my parents, he's like you're going to win it. I'm like, No, I'm going to lose, first or second round. Obviously, that didn't happen.

Q. What do you think is different in your game in the last six, eight months? I've seen you lose in the first round in a couple of these events. You just sort of stormed your way through here.
DONALD YOUNG: I think it's confidence more now. I mean, I feel like I'm capable of playing with the players and not they're all bigger. They're all bigger pretty much than me anyway, but I feel like I can play with them and they're a little closer to my age. About to be 19 this year. Some of them, they were like 18.
But I just had a lot more respect for the ones last year. Now I feel like I'm up there with the rest of them.

Q. Did what happened at the Orange Bowl help you?
DONALD YOUNG: Yeah, I think, yeah, it helped me a lot. Now I'm not taking anybody for granted. I might say they're a scrub or something. But, I mean, I'm not really serious about it. But now I don't take anybody for granted.

Q. When you won, you sank to your knees and yelled something and repeated it. Do you remember what that was?
DONALD YOUNG: I just said, "What, what," a couple times.

Q. You said, "What"?
DONALD YOUNG: Yeah, "What." I mean, it's like I mean, I didn't know. Obviously I was so excited.

Q. When you go home at night and watch some of these matches, Roddick and Hewitt, Safin, what are you thinking? How big a gap do you think there is between where you are now and getting to that next level?
DONALD YOUNG: Obviously, a big gap because, I mean, they're out there getting to the main Slam finals or whatever.
But when I get bigger and older hopefully, you know, I can be up there in a couple years or try at least.

Q. Do you have confidence that, "I can do that someday"?
DONALD YOUNG: Yeah, I mean, if I'm playing the same players. Most of the players I'll probably play will be in the Juniors, I mean, or some of the ones that are out there now, but they'll be getting a little older. Hopefully so.

Q. The fate of a successful junior like yourself in the US, particularly with the USTA, you're a little young, but Andy, they kind of pounce on you with all these expectations coming your way. How do you think you're going to deal with that, or do you have any idea that it was happening?
DONALD YOUNG: Well, I just try to keep playing and winning and playing good. If that comes with it, it comes with it, which it does. So, I mean, I just try not to focus on it.

Q. Who have you been talking to here, if anyone, among the main draw players?
DONALD YOUNG: No one actually. No one. Because we're in a separate locker room, like far away from the rest of them. So no one really.

Q. Do you know any of them?
DONALD YOUNG: Yeah, I talk to Roddick. But, I mean, I saw him like one time, and that was about it. That was it. So I didn't really see any other pros, except walking by them.

Q. How much of an advantage do you get from the lefty look, from guys not facing that very often?
DONALD YOUNG: A lot because, I mean, most players are righties. They don't get to practice with lefties a lot anyway. So, I mean, different spins. It just helps.

Q. Have you played many lefties?
DONALD YOUNG: Yeah, one tournament I played all lefties, and I didn't like it. I don't even like playing lefties myself, so I see how the righties feel.

Q. What does it mean to be No. 1?
DONALD YOUNG: A lot. I mean, I've wanted to be No. 1 since I started playing ITFs or whatever. But it's here now, so I don't really know.
It's kind of like no feeling to it. I mean, I thought it would be it is awesome, but I thought it would be a lot I mean, I don't know. It just feels like nothing now.
But I'm excited about it (smiling).

Q. Maybe it needs to sink in?
DONALD YOUNG: Yeah, right. Maybe tomorrow when I see actually No. 1 by my name, then I'll realize it.

Q. Granted you just walked off the court, but does this sort of accelerate your plans in terms of wildcards and challengers, that kind of thing?
DONALD YOUNG: No, not really. I try to stay on the same plan or whatever, play a couple more pro tournaments. But still play all the junior Slams or whatever. You know, hopefully I can come back next year and see what happens.

Q. Gael Monfils almost won the junior Grand Slam. You have one now. Is that a goal of yours?
DONALD YOUNG: Yeah. I think that's most people's goal when they win the first one. See how it goes. Yeah, but I'm not going to try to put the extra pressure on myself.

Q. Any idea how you're going to celebrate tonight?
DONALD YOUNG: No, not really. I don't know. Watch a movie. I don't know really because my parents are talking about going to the casino, but I can't go in. So there's no point. I don't know, I'll just sit outside, I guess.

Q. Do you have to wait for them outside?
DONALD YOUNG: Yeah, right.

Q. Maybe they'll bring you a drink.
DONALD YOUNG: No (smiling).

Q. What is important to you besides tennis?
DONALD YOUNG: My parents. I mean, family. I mean, tennis, obviously, school. I mean, normal things that's important to everybody else. I mean, nothing special.

Q. No other secondary hobby or anything?
DONALD YOUNG: No. I mean, I used to play baseball and soccer, but I was okay, not too good. I was obviously better at tennis, so I stuck with tennis.

The commentator on Eurosport Germany was also mentioning him during the Lleyon vs Marat final and he was very impressed by him and full of compliments.

Is anybody here who has seen him playing in person or (if possible) on TV already?
Any possible descriptions what he does on the court? Is he a sort of Nadal, or sort of Monfils, to what player could you compare him best?

yea, donald young is the future of american tennis, and is a wildcard in this years SAP Open in san jose, along with james blake, that's pretty much all i know besides all the other stuff you said.

Neely, I know he's still pretty small (5'9 or so) but of course he's only 15. and I think he's supposed to be pretty crafty on court, being a lefty and all. I've read that he will have to beef up his serve bigtime to compete with the big boys... but I don't really know what kind of shots he has or anything :(

:sad: sorry you lost today, better luck next time! :)

Is anybody here who has seen him playing in person or (if possible) on TV already? Any possible descriptions what he does on the court? Is he a sort of Nadal, or sort of Monfils, to what player could you compare him best?I've only seen him play a few points (last year at the Junior U.S. Open when he was having a meltdown on court). I thought he looked very gangly & awkward & very small even for a junior.

Johnny Mac says Young is the only player he's ever seen play that has has "hands like him [Johnny Mac]." Taylor Dent compares him to Marcelos Rios. Here are several lengthy profiles that have been written about Young recently with comments from several current and former players:

http://www.menstennisforums.com/showpost.php?p=1542352&postcount=6

http://www.menstennisforums.com/showpost.php?p=1765555&postcount=32

http://www.menstennisforums.com/showpost.php?p=1900205&postcount=40

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050717/SPORTS/507170430/1004/SPORTSRCA CHAMPIONSHIPS
Fresh face could be the next U.S. tennis star
Black phenom Donald Young, a pro at age 15, could be the next U.S. star -- regardless of color
By Tracy Dodds
tracy.dodds@indystar.com
July 17, 2005

The word from Atlanta, through Chicago, to the office of the RCA Championships in Indianapolis on Friday morning was that Donald Young had a sprained wrist and would have to withdraw from this week's professional tennis tournament.

The response from Indianapolis, through Chicago, to Atlanta was that the youngster simply could not be a no-show. No way.

"We need him here for so many reasons," RCA tournament director Rob MacGill said Friday. "We're going to find a way to make this happen. We're working with the ATP on a request to make his first match on Tuesday or Wednesday to give the wrist time to heal."

By Friday afternoon, Young had agreed to make the trip from his home in Atlanta.

"We wanted to do what was best for the tournament," said Young's manager, Gary Swain, whose office is in Chicago.

Young also was expected in Indianapolis for a Black Expo appearance this weekend.

As if being ranked No. 1 among the world's junior players and being a 15-year-old professional still trying to win a match in a pro tournament isn't enough, Young has all the social duties that go along with being a high-profile black athlete in what is traditionally not a black sport.

That's a lot of responsibility. Asked how he handles the pressure, Young said: "It's normal now."

Young turned pro at 14 when he signed with Swain of IMG, the multinational management and marketing organization that represents the biggest of the bigs: Tiger Woods and Peyton Manning, John McEnroe and Venus Williams. Swain lined him up with "substantial" sponsorship deals. Young is paid to wear Nike shoes and clothing and use Head rackets.

The sponsorship money allows him to choose from a world of tournaments and allows his parents the freedom to travel with him. In the past few months, he has played in Mexico, Australia, Italy, Belgium, France and Great Britain -- where he made the semifinal round of the Wimbledon junior competition.

Everywhere he goes, there is much ado. It's as normal for him to see his name in the Times of London as in The New York Times.

It always has been normal, in his experience, for tennis players to be black. After all, he was raised by black tennis players.

His mother, Illona, played tennis at Iowa Wesleyan, and his father, Donald, played at Alabama State. They met while playing mixed doubles.

Donald grew up on the courts while his parents taught at Tennis in Motion in Chicago. They now teach at the South Fulton Tennis Center in Atlanta and take turns accompanying their son to tournaments.

So Young's position on the importance of being a black player of such high profile is: "Most of the time, I don't really think about it."

It's a big jump

Young's goal here, assuming the swelling in his left (racket) hand and wrist has subsided, will be to win a match. He has accepted wild cards into five previous professional tournaments and was eliminated in the first round each time.

That, of course, has been cited as evidence that he went pro too soon.

His manager and his father disagree.

"He has always played up," Swain said. "At 10, he played 12-and-under, at 12 he played 14s, at 14 he played 18s. That's what has helped him to accelerate at such a great pace.

"This next jump (to the pros) is the most difficult jump."

Young was playing up in January when he won the Australian Open junior title at 15, becoming the youngest boy to win a Grand Slam junior.

Young's father added: "The beauty of it is he has the opportunity to get as many matches as he needs in juniors, as well as testing his wings with the pros.

"If he played week in and week out on the pro tour and kept losing, that could hurt his confidence. But he can still play juniors while he gets his strength. He has the best of both worlds."

The 5-9, 145-pound Young, who has good hands and sound strategy, doesn't have the strength of male pros.

His mother said it's easy for those closest to Donald to remember that he's still a boy.

"Sometimes we have to remind others when they start comparing him to grown men," she said.

Young isn't second-guessing his move to the pros.

"I haven't really broken in yet," he said. "I don't feel I should be beating (Andy) Roddick or (Roger) Federer or any of the guys in the top 50."

He agrees playing top competition is the way to get better.

"There are advantages, and there are no disadvantages," he said.

Yes, he gave up his NCAA eligibility, "But that doesn't mean I can't go to college," he said. "It just means I can't play tennis for a college."

Been here before

Young said he accepted the wild card into the RCA Championships because it was a tournament he always watched, and he likes Indianapolis. He has played here in the annual Midwestern Tennis Association Championships, a competition sanctioned by the American Tennis Association, the oldest black sports organization in the country.

The American Tennis Association has been around since 1916 and helped launch the careers of stars Althea Gibson and Arthur Ashe.

The USTA's Rodney Harmon, who used to direct the league's multicultural department, says Young has gone beyond being noted as the next black tennis star. Now, as director of men's tennis for the USTA's High Performance program, designed to develop the next wave of U.S. talent, Harmon has a different perspective.

"I think he's one of the next great American players," he said.

"Blacks have been around in tennis for many, many years. We've done a pretty good job of promoting the sport at the grass-roots level. The biggest problem is making the move from recreational tennis to professional tennis. That's where we lose some talent because of the cost."

The USTA has made diversity a top priority the past several years.

A recent poll of 25,000 households conducted by the USTA and the Tennis Industries Association indicated that one of three new tennis players are either black or Hispanic.

"Donald Young is among the young Americans I want to see playing on the final weekend of the U.S. Open," said Harmon, who is not concerned about Young's move to the pro ranks. "In Europe, there's no difference between amateurs and pros."

Harmon is concerned only with Young's development.

"He's our most talented young player," Harmon said.

Asked how long it will be before he can compete on the pro level, Young said: "I just want to see what I can do. . . . Maybe two years; maybe three years."

I really want to see this kid play and the 'touch' that everyone is talking about... good luck to him.

Ima get Jim to introduce us :D We're the same age, perhaps I can get in with him :lol:!!

Still no ATP win.. :sad: What to do? I think Satellites/Futures!

What is Donald Young up to? He won AO last year? What's he doing now?

Looks like he hasn't played anything yet this year. I read somewhere that he's done with juniors (Even though he's still young enough to play obviously) and that he's gonna play Futures and stuff instead?

Looks like he hasn't played anything yet this year. I read somewhere that he's done with juniors (Even though he's still young enough to play obviously) and that he's gonna play Futures and stuff instead?

Ahh obviously took my advice ;) I think it's probably a good idea, though. Good luck Don!

Looks like he hasn't played anything yet this year. I read somewhere that he's done with juniors (Even though he's still young enough to play obviously) and that he's gonna play Futures and stuff instead?

Still Young enough...oh Deb! :D

HAHAHA I made a pun and didn't even know it;)

HAHAHA I made a pun and didn't even know it;)

haha..yea it was good I picked up on that otherwise you could have gone your whole life without being funny! ;)

He played the F1 Futures tournament in Tampa last week and lost in the first round (final in doubles, lost to Tecau/Kuznetsov). Pretty sure he is entered in F2 Kissimmee this week, and may go to Waikoloa for qualies on Friday (that might be risky, his ranking is probably too low tomake the cutoff there).

He played the F1 Futures tournament in Tampa last week and lost in the first round (final in doubles, lost to Tecau/Kuznetsov). Pretty sure he is entered in F2 Kissimmee this week, and may go to Waikoloa for qualies on Friday (that might be risky, his ranking is probably too low tomake the cutoff there).

Did Andy play futures and stuff? I thought he just went straight from Juniors to pros...and was winning tournements and beating big names and such.

Lost first round again this week to Kryvonos.

Did Andy play futures and stuff? I thought he just went straight from Juniors to pros...and was winning tournements and beating big names and such.He played some challengers and did well. He was lucky that there was a lot of attention surrounding him, like Young has, so he got a lot of wildcards in early 2001. He happened to do well at a few tourneys, and got his ranking up high enough pretty quickly. He also wasn't 16 when he started.

Here's his 2000 Activity: http://www.atptennis.com/en/players/playerprofiles/playeractivity/default.asp?year=2000&query=Singles&player=R485&x=11&y=1
And 2001 activity: http://www.atptennis.com/en/players/playerprofiles/playeractivity/default.asp?year=2001&query=Singles&player=R485&x=4&y=6

this kid is honestly over rated.

Please God. Please!!!!!!! A round 1 miracle over Henman isn't too much to ask, is it?

A waste of a perfectly good W/C in Miami :sad:

does anyone have footage of DY, heard so much about him ,but still haven't seen him play.

What has happened to Donald Young? I used to hear that he was going to be the next great American male tennis player, but it seems like any more he can't even win Matches. Were people all that wrong about him?

Nothing is wrong with him, he's young. He just won the Easter Bowl this past weekend.

Nothing is wrong with him, he's young. He just won the Easter Bowl this past weekend.
Well that's good, but when he tries to play an ATP event he gets beat. I guess he needs to develop more before he can be expected to win ATP events.

I mean, he's like 16 years old. or maybe he's 17 now. I think it's to be expected. Of course he's gonna lose to guys more experienced, older, and more physically developed than he is.

I mean, he's like 16 years old. or maybe he's 17 now. I think it's to be expected. Of course he's gonna lose to guys more experienced, older, and more physically developed than he is.
I hadn't realized he was still young (oh my no pun intended). I just have been hearing people talking about him for some time that I thought he was at least somewhat older than 16 or 17.

Donald defeated Marcus Fugate 6-3 6-1 and will play Jesse Levine for a spot in the USO main draw. :yeah:

Donald knocked off Bobby Reynolds to advance to the quarterfinals of the Louisville challenger. It's the farthest he's ever advanced in a non-futures pro tournament. It's good to see him improving.

good win and good for him. QF in a challengers is the best he's done? wow

Yeah, but he's just a few months over 17. I'm not sure that Querrey, for example, would have done any better if he had gone pro as young as Donald did.

oh i know, i just thought he had made a challenger semi.

has he officially turned pro?

Yeah. I think he did when he was 14 or 15. That's probably when Nike came a callin'.

This kid ---------No. 1 2009

Also, not just this kid

We have four kids, include Sam

This kid ---------No. 1 2009

Also, not just this kid

We have four kids, include Sam


hahahah are you serious?? or is this a joke. I like Donald, and hes a cool guy, But he will not be Number 1 in the World. Hopefully he will be able to become a Pro, and help out American tennis. But chances are, he will have a tough time.

hahahah are you serious?? or is this a joke. I like Donald, and hes a cool guy, But he will not be Number 1 in the World. Hopefully he will be able to become a Pro, and help out American tennis. But chances are, he will have a tough time.He's already a pro :)

Yes, he told people he is a pro, and he has a ranking, wow.. I was defining pro as Top 100, so i change my words. Hopefully he will be able to become a top pro.

He's not even 17 and a half yet and hasn't even really gone through his growth spurt. Give him a little time :)

Young lost in the Orange Bowl semifinals to the eventual winner, Alex Luncanu of Romania. I wonder if that's his last junior event. I suppose that he'll play the National Hardcourt Championships in August if he's not a sure bet to get a U.S. Open wild card, but that's probably it.

Does anyone know if he is going to try and qualify at any of AO series events or AO itself. Maybe he needs a year or two on the challenger circuit. I am going with patience here. There is no doubt that he has talent, he just needs a breakthrough.

Young lost to Michael Lammer 1-6, 6-3, 6-1 in the final of the first U.S. Futures event of the year. It's the furthest he's advanced in a professional tournament, so it's a good start to the year for him. He won his first four matches in straight sets.

He'll be playing in another Futures event next week, along with Ryan Sweeting, Scoville Jenkins, and Nikita Kryvonos. That will be an interesting tournament to follow.

According to an AP report, Young beat Lammer 6-4, 6-3 (link below). The draw on the USTA site still has Lammer winning. Hopefully this will be clarified soon.

http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/tennis/news/story?id=2731364

lol interesting, that's quite a disparity in information. but the ATP Draw shows Lammer winning..
http://www.atptennis.com/en/common/TrackIt.asp?file=http://www.atptennis.com/1/posting/2007/614/mds.pdf

Colette Lewis from ZooTennis has reported that Lammer won, and she was at the event. That's an embarrassing mistake for the AP.

:haha: http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/tennis/news/story?id=2731364

Donald beat the highly touted young "American" Ryan Sweeting 6-4 6-2 in the first round of Joplin Challenger. Witten up next, let's keep it going Donald. :yeah:

Not too much of a surprise, considering Ryan had been in Ostrava. But good for him nonetheless :)

Japanese now, Seth? :lol: