ATP World Tour: American men’s tennis is quietly being revitalized
It’s been quite some time since American tennis players were relevant on the ATP World Tour. Is recent success a sign of brighter times?
One of the most unfortunately true narratives on the men’s side of the tennis world is that American players have drifted into irrelevance. While Serena Williams redefines dominance on the women’s draw, no American man has won a Grand Slam event since 2003.
14 years removed from when Andy Roddick appropriately won the US Open, a revitalization of American tennis on the men’s draw is quietly in the works.
The current American, “Stars,” of the ATP World Tour are running out of time to end the Grand Slam drought. John Isner is 32 years of age and ranked No. 21 in the world, and Sam Querrey is 29 years of age and ranked No. 23.
True as that may be, every revolution begins with a spark, and bother Isner and Querrey have provided one in recent weeks.
Querrey broke a dry spell with an unforgettable run to the semifinals at Wimbledon 2017. Querrey upset No. 12 seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the third round, outlasted Kevin Anderson in the fourth round, and stunned world No. 1 Andy Murray in the quarterfinals.
It was not only an incredible moment for Querrey, but the first Grand Slam semifinal appearance by an American male since 2009.
Querrey has now reached the quarterfinals at back-to-back Wimbledon events—and the second year in a row that he’s defeated a member of the Big Four. A year before he defeated Murray in 2017, he shocked Novak Djokovic in 2016.
The momentum from Wimbledon 2016 seems to have carried over into 2017, as he’s defeated four Top 10 players in 2017 alone: Murray, Rafael Nadal, Dominic Thiem, and Tsonga.
Whether or not Querrey elevates his game to the next level, the fact that young American players have seen him experience such resounding success could be influential.
Fast forward to July 21, and two more American men are making noise, with Isner and Bjorn Fratangelo slated to meet in the semifinals at the Hall of Fame Open in Newport, Rhode Island.
For Isner, it could be the start of something bigger—a personal return to form and the continuation of a nationwide revitalization.
Isner hasn’t won an ATP World Tour tournament since 2015—a cold stretch that broke a streak of six consecutive years with at least one title. If he closes out the Hall of Fame Open in style, however, he could create momentum leading up to the US Open.
It’s there that Isner, as well as Querrey and a small group of rising American stars, can send a powerful message to the tennis youth of America.
As it presently stands, the best chance for the American tennis scene to rediscover its form is 24-year-old Nebraska native Jack Sock. He’s in the midst of the best year of his professional career, and is currently the highest-ranked American player on the ATP World Tour.
The No. 17 player in the world has won two titles in 2017, accumulating a 23-10 record overall, and an 18-5 record on hard courts.
There may not be an Andre Agassi, a Pete Sampras, or even an Andy Roddick, but that doesn’t mean that hope has been lost. Sock is a rising star, Isner is always relevant, and Querrey is experiencing significant success in Grand Slam events.
Beyond that group, Steve Johnson is 27 years of age and ranked No. 31 on the ATP World Tour, and 25-year-old Ryan Harrison is one of the Top 40 players on tour.
Furthermore, 20-year-old Jared Donaldson, 19-year-old Frances Tiafoe, and 21-year-old Ernesto Escobedo are already Top 70 players. All three can be found in the Top 10 of the Race to Milan rankings, with Tiafoe leading the pack at No. 7.
Not far behind them is 19-year-old Taylor Fritz at No. 12—a promising young talent who’s coached by former American standout Mardy Fish.
Throw in the likes of Stefan Kozlov, Noah Rubin, Reilly Opelka, and Tommy Paul, and the future is bright for American tennis. The key for the current generation is to continue making process, and thus set a good example for the younger players.
It’s then that the drought can end and sustainable success can be achieved.
There’s no guaranteeing that a turnaround will be achieved by the current generation of stars, nor the players on the rise. What’s become quite clear, however, is that the future is brighter than the past has been cloudy.
As difficult as it may be, the best possible approach for fans to take would be a combination of patience and proud support.
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The question is: Which American player will be the first to rise up and crack the Top 10 on the ATP World Tour?