The performance of the American men at the 2013 French Open was at the opposite end of the spectrum from the women. Ten players entered the tournament, four made it to the second round, and two played their final match in the third round. Combined, they had a total of six wins and three losses.
Unfortunately, the outlook for the future is more of the same. Only 4 of the 10 American entrants were born after 1990, i.e. they are less than 23 years of age.
The record and birth year of the American men follows:
First round losers (0-1)
- Alex Kuznetsov, 1987
- Michael Russell, 1978
- Rhyne Williams, 1991
- Steve Johnson, 1989
- James Blake, 1979
- Denis Kudia, 1992.
Second round losers (1-1)
- Jack Sock, 1992
- Ryan Harrison, 1992
Third round losers (2-1)
- John Isner, 1985
- Sam Querrey, 1987.
Without a doubt, every player on this list is a talented player. Unfortunately none of them have made a name for themselves as consistently strong performers in the Grand Slams.
Will we see a breakthrough performance for the American men in the 2013 Wimbledon? Can John Isner’s big serve carry him to a strong performance? Will one of the younger players advance into the third or fourth rounds? Not likely.