[Voo de Mar]

This is widely open thread, but maybe we would discuss what has happened to the American tennis that players representing the United States are weaker than ever and plenty of American MTF members don't like them.

Here's summary of the best American appearances at the US Open in the Open era:

1968: W - Ashe, QF - Ralston, Gonzales
1969: SF - Ashe, QF - Buchholz
1970: SF - Richey, QF - Ralston, Smith, Ashe
1971: W - Smith, SF - Ashe, QF - Froehling, Graebner, Riessen
1972: F - Ashe, SF - Gorman, Richey, QF - Smith, Tanner
1973: SF - Smith, QF - Connors
1974: W - Connors, SF - Tanner, QF - Smith, Ashe
1975: F - Connors, QF - Dibbs
1976: W - Connors, QF - Dibbs, Stockton
1977: F - Connors, SF - Solomon, QF - Stockton, Gottfried
1978: W - Connors, SF - Gerulaitis, J.McEnroe, QF - Walts, Gottfried
1979: W - J.McEnroe, F - Gerulaitis, SF - Connors, Tanner, QF - Dibbs, Dupre (!!!)
1980: W - J.McEnroe, SF - Connors, QF - Teltscher, Tanner
1981: W - J.McEnroe, SF - Gerulaitis, Connors, QF - Teltscher, Tanner, Manson
1982: W - Connors, SF - J.McEnroe, QF - Tom Gullikson, G.Mayer, Harmon
1983: W - Connors, SF - Scanlon, Arias, QF - Dickson, Teltscher
1984: W - J.McEnroe, SF - Connors, QF - G.Mayer
1985: F - J.McEnroe, SF - Connors
1986: QF - Wilkison
1987: SF - Connors, QF - J.McEnroe, Gilbert
1988: SF - Agassi, QF - Connors, Rostagno, Krickstein
1989: SF - Agassi, Krickstein, QF - Connors, Berger, Mayotte
1990: W - Sampras, F - Agassi, SF - J.McEnroe, QF - Krickstein, Wheaton
1991: F - Courier, SF - Connors, QF - Sampras
1992: F - Sampras, SF - Courier, Chang, QF - Agassi
1993: W - Sampras, QF - Chang
1994: W - Agassi, SF - Martin
1995: W - Sampras, F - Agassi, SF - Courier, QF - Chang, P.McEnroe
1996: W - Sampras, F - Chang, SF - Agassi
1997: SF - Chang
1998: SF - Sampras
1999: W - Agassi, F - Martin
2000: F - Sampras, SF - Martin
2001: F - Sampras, QF - Agassi, Roddick
2002: W - Sampras, F - Agassi, QF - Roddick
2003: W - Roddick, SF - Agassi
2004: QF - Agassi, Roddick
2005: F - Agassi, SF - Ginepri, QF - Blake
2006: F - Roddick, QF - Blake
2007: QF - Roddick
2008: QF - Roddick, Fish
2009: 4R - Isner
2010: 4R - Fish, Querrey
2011: QF - Roddick, Isner
2012: 4R - Roddick, Fish
2013: 3R - Smyczek, Sock, Isner
2014: 3R - Querrey, Isner
2015: 4R - Isner, Young
2016: 4R - Sock
2017: QF - Querrey

American tournaments between Wimbledon and US Open in the first year of a new tennis decade (last 30 years):

1980: Newport, Boston, Washington, South Orange, North Conway, Columbus, Indianapolis, Stowe, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Atlanta (11)
1990: Newport, Washington, Los Angeles, Cincinnati, New Haven, Indianapolis, Schenectady, Long Island (8)
2000: Newport, Los Angeles, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Washington, Long Island (6)
2010: Newport, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Washington, Cincinnati, New Haven (6)

 

[TennisOnWood]

Just look that bloody strike until 2006 (without '86 and '04,of course)

And since Pete made his first Grand Slam 1/2 in 1990. only 7 players achieved that after him

 

[borracho]

what happened is that they all play the same game like robots.

 

[ossie]

virtually all of them are all-serve clowns nowadays so its no surprise to see them fail

 

[screenerluv]

americans dominated tennis for decades, now it is a more global sport.

 

[careergrandslam]

american players are serve only mugs, they have nothing else.

and america dominated tennis when hardly anyone in the world played tennis.
now that the rest of the world plays tennis, there is more competition and america is relegated to a 2nd rate tennis power.

 

[Montego]

Sam Q will triple bagel Federer in the final 2010 :rocker2:

 

[Jomp1]

I do think Querrey and Isner got at least some potential, but serve alone is not taking you very far and certainly not in big tournaments. They're simply not talented enough these days.

 

[andylovesaustin]

I'm ok with it, actually. I've always enjoyed the international aspect of tennis.

I just think.. there's a lot more competition as far as sports are concerned. There's just a lot more money to be made in sports and endorsements. I just other sports like golf (for God's sake) has passed tennis in popularity in the U.S..

It just pisses me off the dismal coverage the U>S. open get here. It's a crying shame.

I was thinking extreme sports might have sort of cut into the tennis talent?

I really don't know.. but I just think tennis isn't as popular here. It's a vicious cycle!

 

[Henry Chinaski]

Tennis has changed and the modern game is best learned on clay courts, which are comparitavely rare in the US.

That's the best explanation I have and I await someone to improve upon it.

"Temporary lull" is another possibility. These things can be cyclical.

 

[andylovesaustin]

Tennis has changed and the modern game is best learned on clay courts, which are comparitavely rare in the US.

That's the best explanation I have and I await someone to improve upon it.

"Temporary lull" is another possibility. These things can be cyclical.

Yeah, I think you may have a point. I've always thought clay court players could more easily convert to fast courts than the other way around. I really have a problem with American men players in particular taking this attitude of, "We aren't clay court players."

I blame Pete Sampras! LOL... And Johnny Mac to an extent.

Connors could play on clay and so could Courier and Andre.. Chang could play on clay.

Maybe clay takes too much patience for American players? We Americans as a culture seem very expedient..

This is off-topic, but I was watching Shaun White at the most recent skateboard competition in Portland. For all his "rock star-ness" that guy is a competitor. He's very focused in competition, and he's patient. He doesn't freak-out when he takes a fall because he KNOWS he can hit it ultimately.

Anyway, a lot of our current male American tennis players just don't seem as patient.. or they develop the swagger before the results.

I'm just talking for conversation.. because I really don't know, but it just seems the men players don't have a lot of respect for clay, and that's a big mistake.

 

[Voo de Mar]

Yes, clay can be a crucial factor. There's lot of points to gather there, many tournaments in a season including Grand Slam and 3 Masters Series tournaments. Querrey and Isner played a final in Belgrade what's some progress but it's relatively meaningless tournament anyway. There's less ATP tournaments in the United States, so maybe less occasions for the youngsters to get some experiences. Tennis has become a global sport as earlier mentioned, the last final in New Haven is significant: Stakhovsky of Ukraina against Istomin of Uzbekistan. But well, there were other nationalities without Top 100 players in the previous decades (Cyprus, Kazakhstan, Serbia) and... any American in the round 16 what's really embarrassing.
I think it can be complex, also obesity can be a factor because it's a serious problem in the recent years in America. Maybe too many young Americans who prefer spending time with fast foods instead of going to sports fields and in the consequence with each year less distinctive talents in different sports

 

[ChinoRios4Ever]

Voo: Isner lost in R3 this year

Nowadays even poker is more popular than tennis in the US, that tells for itself about of their tennis moment. Americans doesn't matter a damn about this sport.

 

[Voo de Mar]

Voo: Isner lost in R3 this year

Thanks, I was copying a lot I hope there aren't other mistakes

 

[Ozone]

I dont get it. We are very young. Querrey and Isner ranking will keep improving, and Mardy should make a run as well. Young 18 year-old Ryan Harrison will be in the top 10 in less than 5 years. I expect Querrey to make the top 10 very soon, after he takes out Stan and Rafa

 

[Voo de Mar]

I dont get it. We are very young. Querrey and Isner ranking will keep improving, and Mardy should make a run as well. Young 18 year-old Ryan Harrison will be in the top 10 in less than 5 years. I expect Querrey to make the top 10 very soon, after he takes out Stan and Rafa

USA is the most successful nation of the Open era. Players mentioned by you look like a joke in comparison to the previous generations. First bad sign was 10 years ago but suddenly A-Rod popped out with his amazing serve and did some damage. Even if Fish and Blake haven't fulfilled expectations they are better than the new generation.

 

[River]

american players are serve only mugs, they have nothing else.

and america dominated tennis when hardly anyone in the world played tennis.
now that the rest of the world plays tennis, there is more competition and america is relegated to a 2nd rate tennis power.

You singlehandedly destroyed any credibility you had with that one statement.

By saying American dominated /tennis itself/ for so long cause everyone else didn't play tennis means you practically shit on a huge, huge, huge majority of tennis legends. I don't recall Americans outside of the great Sampras that dominated other Grand Slams aside from the US Open. Before you make stupid comments like that, do your research.

USA is the most successful nation of the Open era. Players mentioned by you look like a joke in comparison to the previous generations. First bad sign was 10 years ago but suddenly A-Rod popped out with his amazing serve and did some damage. Even if Fish and Blake haven't fulfilled expectations they are better than the new generation.

Roddick was the last great American of the past generation, sad to say. Regardless how much he's hated by MTF, you can't really take away the fact that he's represented America as best he could by himself after Agassi retired. The fact that he's consistent is very good as well.

But as much as I like Isner and Querrey, it's really not looking too good.

 

[Voo de Mar]

Roddick was the last great American of the past generation, sad to say. Regardless how much he's hated by MTF, you can't really take away the fact that he's represented America as best he could by himself after Agassi retired. The fact that he's consistent is very good as well.

I can't stand him recently as well but no doubts for me that he's one of the 5 best players of the past decade. No signs that some player born in the early 90's would be - in the current decade - as good as Roddick was.

 

[out_here_grindin]

USA is the most successful nation of the Open era. Players mentioned by you look like a joke in comparison to the previous generations. First bad sign was 10 years ago but suddenly A-Rod popped out with his amazing serve and did some damage. Even if Fish and Blake haven't fulfilled expectations they are better than the new generation.

Did you expect America to continue to abolsutely dominate as the tennis world expanded and other nations started to producetop talent?

 

[Voo de Mar]

Did you expect America to continue to abolsutely dominate as the tennis world expanded and other nations started to producetop talent?

No, and from my perspective current trend is good, only Spaniards have two players in the Top 10.