1st?

Have enjoyed these past two posts on young American players.

God,

How about giving us mortals a chance to be first once in a while?

Dear Pete
I'm a relative newcomer to this site and enjoy your efforts....but.....and there's always a but (I'm sitting on one right now)(insert rim shot here) why do you have such mixed emotions about Federer? What do you know that we don't? I'll tie this query(insert yet another rim shot here)in with the latest missive on young Americans. If Querry or Donald Young (don't laugh) or Britton, Harrison etc. were to shatter in 6 years what it took Sampras 13 years to do would you be fully supportive of them? I know you're a Sampras guy, I bought the biography, but to impugn Fed's manhood like you sometimes have along with Wertheim is kind of low. Atleast L. Jon acknowledges that Fed's enormo-success in spite of his sometimes fragile mind-set is probably the single most amazing thing about him. I would agree on that but Fed only looks weak in light of Rafa's unreal can-do determination. Take away Rafa and Fed would have dominated this sport unlike any athlete has ever dominated any sport. As for his feminine qualities, i.e. the Wimbledon outfits, I admit that this year's addition was more than a little bit too Anna Wintour-y but cut the guy some slack....he's just having fun with it and you know as well as anyone what a hideous grind it is being at the top. Federer seems like the only guy in my lifetime who's trying to enjoy it. Okay Jimbo probably did too. Recent mild digs at Fed by both Sampras and Agassi are.....well let the backlash begin I guess. That Fed held this inevitable backlash off for so long is yet another feather in his cap. Oh well, everyone's a critic including me. Nevertheless,keep on fighting the good fight for tennis. One last question though and this might sting a little. Your writings have spirit, some mild humor and interesting insights. Having read the Sampras book I was disappointed to find that pistol Pete is every bit as boring as they always said he was. I like Pete but jeez what a snoozefest! Put his thoughts up against McEnroe's and Spadea's and poor Pete gets double-bageled. As for Fed let us not forget how insanely generous it was of him to play those exhibitions with Pete in 2007/08. Fed had NOTHING to gain from those matches and a whole lot to lose. Sampras had nothing to lose and everything to gain. If nothing else you should appreciate Federer more for that. I've never heard Roger bad-mouth Pete....ever!..............your friend, GOD

p.s. Britton's comments about Fed's unreal forehand and feeding it when he knew he shouldn't just to see it gives me hope for the kid....he's game.

thanks a lot for the post, pete
Really, I mean it.

I'm sitting at dinner in San francisco right now with the guy that Harrison beat yesterday (he was pretty pissed). I got on my phone to look up a wine, and TW was the home page with this article.

Oops!

Hey, everyone. :)

Fun post - will keep an eye out for Harrison. This bit struck me:

"Wow, I could have done a few things better, yet the guy who beat me went all the way to the third round of the Open.’ It gave me a little confidence that’s paying off now.”

usually being fans of the top guys, we tend to forget that getting to the third round of a Slam is actually a great achievement, looked at from a different perspective.

"No American male has won a Grand Slam title in six years – the longest dry spell for the US in the history of the game."

Six years? Pfft. ;-)

is four comments to get to Federer on a non-Federer-related post a record, I wonder? LOL.

*waves to GOD*

Isn't the title of the post missing?

Every post is related to tennis one way or another and tennis is related to Federer. See, it was only one degree of separation.

Pete, I'm curious -- are all these posts on up-and-coming young Americans from a sense that there is still a huge void to fill, or that it is being filled now? Very interesting post. Will have to keep an eye out for Harrison.

God, you have to understand, Federer is not American. :)

Anyhoo, it's good to hear about some up and comers, Harrison sounds like a keeper.

Pete, now I think I see why the Devin Britton piece. But honestly, this one made a bit more sense, as a 17-year-old who was five points away from qualifying for the U.S. Open is a big deal.

As for the six-year slam drouht for American tennis, I think there are two words for that -- Federer and Nadal. And if one considers that they may be the two best male players in the Open era (certainly Federer has earned the title, and Nadal's clay-court dominance rivals Borg's), it's a bit harsh to point fingers of shame at the American's efforts. In any other generation, Roddick would might ultimately own 5 or 6 slam trophies.

I believe your comment about Harrison joining Rafa and Gasquet as being the only current player to win an ATP match at 17 is wrong. Lleytton Hewitt won an ATP tournament at 16 ( beating Agassi en route).

Oh yeah - i liked this post too! I'm really enjoying reading about these 'youngsters'.. just to get introduced to them a bit.

vetmama - hope you bought the poor guy a beer or 2... :)

slice - agree about the title draught. I mean, seriously, seems like every country is in the same boat as the US...

I don't think I can blame Federer and Nadal for the UK's 73-year wait in men's singles GS titles. A 6 year drought looks pretty good to me. :)

Or is that just Wimbledon? Can't think of any others though.

I watched Ryan's match against Zemlja in Sacramento, then watched him go on to beat Michael Lammer the next day.

Even though his play was uneven in both matches, he struck me as a cool customer for being barely 17. (Maybe it's his ridiculously deep voice.).
There is a quiet professionalism about him.

I also liked his variety. He took every short ball as an opportunity to get to the net.
Definitely thought he was someone to watch.

vetmama: what's your connection to these young players? I know you've put them up from time to time. It must be fun to know them when they're just starting out and watch them (hopefully) move up the rankings.

GOD you are hilarious.
To Jewel's point, yes,six years are like toddler years compared to the Brits AARP membership.
To S_D point that the Fedal era has taken the game to a whole other level. No shame on the youngsters. Only time will tell.
Pete..am enjoying reading about the young ones.

I'm really enjoying hearing about the young guys in the pipeline for the US! Thanks for the insight. I look forward to following Harrison, Briton, et. al next year and hope for great things.

Slice N Nice - great point about the American title drought. I really had not thought of it that way. I supposed its become a knee jerk thing to say "what's wrong with American tennis." But, although there is reasonable explanation for lack of major titles, I think the question was legitimately raised at points over the last few years when Americans would fail to advance a player into the third round at RG, for example. Roddick has been the only one for a long time who had a shot a winning majors (and no doubt he would have a few more if it were not for Fed ... I don't recall Nadal getting in his way in any majors that he had a chance to win).
Based on recent history, these young guys may be coming up with a slightly different attitude and realizing that there is a lot to be gained from going to Spain, for example (in Pete's last piece) and learning to grind it out with some of those guys, It all bodes well!

Very interesting piece, thanks.

Bodo says harrison won the atp match at 15, not 17. meaning the stat was correct.

Yep. Two words:

Tommy Ho.

It just goes to show - you never know. Maybe the kid will be good. If he has as good a career as, say Ginepri, it will be a success in comparison to some of the U.S.' most highly touted players.

From Wikipedia:

"Thomas "Tommy" Ho (born June 17, 1973, in Winter Haven, Florida) is a former professional tennis player from the United States.

Ho first came to the tennis world's attention as an exceptionally successful junior player. He won several junior tennis events in the 1980s, and set a number of 'youngest-ever' records.

In August 1988, Ho became the youngest-ever male player to play in the main draw of the US Open at the age of 15 years and 2 months. He lost the first round match to Johan Kriek 6–4, 7–6, 7–6. That same month, Ho became the second youngest male player to win a main draw match at a top-level tour event when he beat Matt Anger in the first round at Rye Brook 6–4, 3–6, 6–4, just after Argentina's Franco Davín."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_Ho

all o you are a bunch of losties, have'nt u ever heard of jamie morgan. Was best player in all australian high schools at the age of 12, career derailed by injuries.