Category: Grand Slam Results

American Women Have Solid Australian Open

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Sloane Stephens’ upset of Serena Williams in the quarterfinals of the 2013 Australian Open showed she had the potential to be a difference maker. A year later Stephens has proven to be a solid performer in the Grand Slams and Williams is hitting on all cylinders despite being a year older.

Unfortunately, both players fared better in the 2013 Open than this year. In 2014, they each won three matches before bowing out in the round of 16.

Americans Lauren Davis and Alison Riske had solid tournaments, winning two rounds before dropping out in the round of 32.

Madison Keys, Irina Falconi, Varvara Lepchenko, and Christina McHale posted 1-1 records. All lost in the second round.

Sachia Vickery, Venus Williams, Vania King, and Bethanie Mattek-Sands each dropped their first round matches.

Overall the American women won 14 matches and lost 12.

The real story is the impact that Na Li’s victory will have on the sport. Reportedly, more than 120 million fans in China cheered her on as she won the title on her third attempt. Her accomplishments will likely spawn a tennis boom in China. Greater interest in this market may increase the importance of the Australian Open as a Grand Slam.

Na LI’s victory raises a series of questions. Will 2014 be a year where the tested veterans such as Williams and Li dominate? Will the next level of pros such as Sharapova and Azarenka  visit the winner’s circle more often in 2014? Will the younger crowd (Simona Halpe, Sloane Stephens, Eugenie Bouchard) play deeper into the tournaments?

Check back a year from now for more answers about the American women.

 

American Juniors Have Solid Performance in 2014 Australian Open

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Five American juniors had moderate success in the 2014 Australian Open.

Only two Americans played in the Boy’s Juniors:

  • Michael Mmoh was 1-1 and lost in the second round.
  • Stefan Kozlov was 5-1. The 15-year old was soundly defeated in the finals by Alexander Zverev.

Three Americans played in the Girl’s Juniors:

  • Michaela Gordon was 0-1.
  • Katrine Steffensen was 1-1 and lost in the second round.
  • Olivia Hauger was 3-1.  The high school sophomore upset the #1 seed in the 2nd round in straight sets. In the quarterfinals she lost to finalist Janet Fett in three sets.

The American juniors were few in numbers, but they made their presence felt.

 

American Junior Girls Have Solid Performance at U.S. Open – Boys Performance is Subpar

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The Americans had a strong contingency of junior players with 16 boys and 15 girls in the 64 draws.

Junior Girls

First-round losers for the American girls included:

  • Usue Maitane Arconada
  • Jamie Loeb
  • Raveena Kingsley
  • Johnnie Renaud
  • C. Quellet-Pizer

Ten American girls advanced.

In the round of 32, the following six players were defeated:

  • Christina Makarova
  • Claire Liu
  • Kaitlyn McCarthy
  • Brooke Austin
  • Katerina Stewart
  • Peggy Porter

Four American girls advanced.

In the round of 16 Michaela Gordon and Catherine Bellis were ousted.

Louisa Chirico lost in the quarterfinals.

Tornado Alicia Black dropped a third set tiebreaker in the finals.

Overall, the American girls won 18 matches and lost 15.

There is mixed news in these results. Eleven of the fifteen girls lost in the first two rounds. Chirico exited earlier than expected and Black had a stronger than anticipated performance.

There are a group of American junior girls who have potential to be difference makers on the WTA Tour. At the same time, there are a number of strong foreign players who are equally as talented.

Junior Boys

The performance of the American boys was subpar.

Of the 16 American boys entered, 10 lost their first round match:

  • Taylor Harry Fritz
  • Tommy Paul
  • Alex Rybakov
  • Francis Tiafoe
  • Reilly Olpeka
  • JC Aragone
  • Luca Corinteli
  • Jared Donaldson
  • Stefan Kozlov
  • Ernesto Escobedo

Only 6 of the 16 American boys advanced.

In the round of 32, Daniel Kerznerman and Noah Rubin were defeated. Four American boys advanced.

In the round of 16 Martin Redicki, Mackenzie MacDonald, and Cage Brymer were ousted. Only one player advanced.

Collin Altamirano was defeated in the quarterfinals.

The 16 American boys won 11 matches and lost 16. Twelve of the sixteen boys lost in the first two rounds and only one player reached the quarterfinals.

While the American boys are incredibly talented, as a group they have not fared well against their foreign competitors. The USTA Player Development program appears to be ineffective, particularly in developing world-class male players, i.e. players capable of winning Grand Slams.

 

U.S. Open 2013 – Serena Delivers Again

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There were high expectations for the American women at the 2013 U.S. Open.

  • Would Serena continue to dominate?
  • Was Venus capable of advancing in the singles bracket?
  • Would Sloane Stephens continue to make her mark on the big stage?
  • Would other up and coming players (Madison Keys, Victoria Duval, Jamie Hampton, Mallory Burdette, or Sachia Vickery) have a breakthrough tournament?

The American women had a solid start as 10 of the 19 women won first round matches. First-round losers included:

  • Grace Min
  • Mallory Burdette
  • Nicole Gibbs
  • Maria Sanchez
  • Varvara Lepchenko
  • Lauren Davis
  • Vania King
  • Madison Keys
  • Shelby Rogers

Half of the remaining women advanced to the second round (64). Second-round losers included:

  • Sachia Vickery
  • Victoria Duval
  • Venus Williams
  • Coco Vandeweghe
  • Bethanie Mattek-Sands

Five women advanced.

Jamie Hampton and Christina McHale were the only two women to lose in the third round (32).

Three women advanced.

In the round of 16 Serena Williams thumped Sloane Stephens and Daniela Hantuchova ended Alison Riske’s unexpected run.

Williams was also convincing in her quarterfinal and semifinal matches. Her only challenge came from Victoria Azarenka in the finals. Williams captured her fifth U.S. Open and 17th Grand Slam.

Combined, the American women won 22 matches and lost 18. In 2013 Williams was virtually unbeatable in the Grand Slams, but her days as the top women’s player are numbered. But there is hope for the American women. Despite losing badly to Williams, Stephens showed she is a player to be reckoned with and Riske showed potential.

The next generation of Grand Slam champions and WTA frontrunners includes a group of talented young American women. Unfortunately, it also includes a group of equally talented women from other countries who will be vying for the top spots.

 

Hope and Change – American Men Out with a Whimper at U.S. Open

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Hope and change were on the minds of the 15 American men who entered the 2013 U.S. Open. There was hope their fortunes would change and they would have a better outing than in previous Grand Slams.

Unfortunately, the American men combined to win 11 matches while losing 15. In the first round there were 8 winners. The 7 first-round losers included:

  • Brian Baker
  • Steve Johnson
  • James Blake
  • Michael Russell
  • Collin Attamirano
  • Rhyne Williams
  • Ryan Harrison.

There was hope that James Blake would end his 13 year career by playing deep into the draw. Unfortunately, he lost a five-set match in the first round. Though he was never a Grand Slam winner, he was a world class competitor and a great representative of U.S. tennis. He will be missed.

Second round (round of 64) losers included:

  • Rajeev Ram
  • Donald Young
  • Denis Kudia
  • Bradley Klahn
  • Sam Querrey

Only three men moved to the third round (round of 32).

Third round losers included Tim Smyczek, Jack Sock, and John Isner. In other words, no American men advanced to the round of 16.

For the second consecutive Grand Slam the American men went out with a whimper.

If there is to be hope for improvement in American men’s tennis, it will be necessary for change to occur in the philosophy and management of the USTA Player’s Development program.

Strong Performance by American Girls at Wimbledon Juniors – Weak Showing by the Boys

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The finals matches of the Wimbledon junior championships illustrate how tennis has become a strong international sport.  An Italian defeated a Korean in the finals of the boys’ singles and Switzerland’s top player defeated an American in the girls’ finals.

The performance of the American boys at Wimbledon was nearly as dismal as their counterparts in the mens’ event.  Spencer Papa, Noah Rubin, and Luca Corinteli fell in the first round.

Stefan Koslov fared slightly better; he won three matches before losing in the quarterfinals.  Overall the boys won three matches and lost four.

Of the five American girls, only Louisa Chirico (15) and Taylor Townsend (5) were seeded.  Overall the five girls won 12 matches and lost five.  Dasha Ivanova and Johnise Renaud lost in the first round. Jamie Loeb won three matches (3-1) before losing in the quarterfinals, Louisa Chirico won four matches (4-1) before losing in the semifinals and Taylor Townsend won five matches (5-1) before bowing out in the finals.

This was the second consecutive strong showing for Chirico and Townsend. Chirico lost in the semifinals and Townsend lost in the quarterfinals at the French Open.  The U.S. girls are likely to have a strong showing at the U.S. Open in late August. Stay tuned!

 

Wimbledon 2013 – Upsets or Changing of the Guard

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Most sports enthusiasts expected the Cubs to win the World Series before either Marion Bartoli (seeded 15th) or Sabine Lasicki (seeded 23rd) reached the finals of Wimbledon 2013.  Based on their seeds they were projected to exit the tourney in the round of 16 and 32.

With due respect to both players, the consensus was that the Jamaicans would win the Olympic bobsledding gold medal before Bartoli would reach the finals at the All England Lawn Tennis Club in the same year as Lasicki.  Their presence in the finals raises the question, “Were the upsets at Wimbledon 2013 an anomaly or were they a sign that a new era of women were joining the top ranks?”

While it is an accomplishment to be ranked in the top 10, only 5 of the top-ranked women (rankings prior to Wimbledon), have won Grand Slam women’s singles events.  The players and their birth years are:

  • Serena Williams  1981
  • Victoria Azarenka  1989
  • Maria Sharapova  1987
  • Agnieszka Radwanska  1989
  • Sara Errani  1987
  • Na Li  1982
  • Angelique Kerber  1988
  • Petra Kvitova  1990
  • Caroline Wozniacki  1990
  • Maria Kirlenko  1987

On average the top 10 players are 26 years old. While this is young by most standards, some of the upsets at Wimbledon are an indication that about half of the top 10 are closer to the end of their careers than to their peak competitive years and their ability to win a Grand Slam singles title.  Serena Williams and Na Li are both over the 30 while Kvitova and Wozniacki are the youngsters at 23.

The American women have a chance to make their presence felt as the changing of the guard continues to unfold over the next 18 months. The 14 American women Wimbledon entrants and their birth year follow:

  • Serena Williams  1981
  • Alison Riske  1990
  • Mallory Burdette  1991
  • Bethanie Mattek-Sands  1985
  • Madison Keys  1995
  • Varvara Lepchenko  1986
  • Sloane Stephens  1993
  • Jamie Hampton  1990
  • Christina McHale 1992
  • Alexa Glatch  1989
  • Lauren Davis  1993
  • Melanie Oudin  1991
  • Coco Vandeweghe  1991
  • Vania King  1989

Nine of the players lost in the first round:

  • Burdette, Hampton, Davis, Oudin, and Vandeweghe are 23 years old or younger.
  • Mattek-Sands, Lepchenko, Glatch, and King are at least 24 years old.

Most of the first round losers are young and have potential for success in future Grand Slams.

Overall the American women won 12 matches and lost 14. First round winners included Serena Williams, Alison Riske, Madison Keys, Sloane Stephens, and Christina McHale. With the exception of Williams the other four are 18 to 23 years old.  McHale lost in the second round and Riske and Keys were third round losers. Williams was upset in the round of 16 and Sloane Stephens lost in the quarterfinals.

Stephens has demonstrated that she is a force to be reckoned with.  Her losses in the 2013 Grand Slams follow:

  • Australian Open – lost to Azarenka (winner) in the semifinals.
  • French Open – lost to Sharapova (finalist) in the quarterfinals.
  • Wimbledon – lost to Bartoli (winner) in the quarterfinals.

On August 26, the U.S. Open begins.  At that time the next step in the evolution of women’s tennis will be showcased. It will be interesting to watch the role that the American women play in the changing of the guard.

 

USTA Men’s Player Development Missing In Action

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Wimbledon 2013 began on Monday June 24, and by Thursday June 27, the 11 American men entrants had been dismissed.

First round losers and their birth years included:

  • Steve Johnson  1989
  • Ryan Harrison  1992
  • Wayne Odesnik  1985
  • James Blake  1979
  • Sam Querrey  1987
  • Alex Kuznetsov  1987
  • Michael Russell 1978

These seven players captured 8 sets while losing 24.

The second round was even more depressing as the remaining four players won only 1 set. Second round losers and their birth years included:

  • Bobby Reynolds  1982
  • Denis Kudia  1992
  • John Isner  1985
  • Rajeev Ram  1984

These 11 American men are tremendous athletes – that is not the issue. Since its inception the USTA has spent millions of dollars on player development without producing any Grand Slam competitors or winners.  A closer look at birth years of America’s top men players shows that most are in the same age range as the current top 10 in the world.  In other words, they are closer to retirement than to winning a Grand Slam.  Querrey and Isner are currently ranked in the top 25 (closer to 25 than 1), but they are not serious competitors for a Grand Slam title.

A look at the top 10 men players in the world and their birth years shows:

  • Novak Djokovic  1987
  • Andy Murray  1987
  • Roger Federer  1981
  • David Ferrer  1982
  • Rafael Nadal  1986
  • Tomas Berdych  1985
  • Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 1985
  • Juan Martin Del Potro 1988
  • Richard Gasquet  1986
  • Stanislas Wawrinka  1985.

Only Steve Johnson, Ryan Harrison, and Denis Kudia provide a glimmer of hope for the future.  Looking further down the food chain, the top American juniors include Noah Rubin (third round loser at the French Open), Stefan Kozlov (second round loser at the French Open), and Spencer Papa and Luca Corentelli (first round losers at the French Open).

The future of American men’s tennis is very clear. The USTA Men’s Player Development has not been ready for prime time for a long time – if ever. That is not likely to change in the months ahead.

 

Chirico and Townsend Lead American Juniors at French Open

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The results of the American juniors at the French Open paralleled their adult counterparts – the boys were subpar, while the girls had a solid performance.

The four boys posted a combined record of 3-4. Only Noah Rubin reached the third round.

The record of the American boys follows:

First round losers (0-1)

  • Luca Corenteli
  • Spencer Papa

Second round loser (1-1)

  • Stefan Kozlov

Third round loser (2-1)

  • Noah Rubin

The four girls fared better as Louisa Chirico lost in the semifinals.

First round loser (0-1)

  • Christina McKenzie

Second round loser (1-1)

  • Jamie Loeb

Third round loser

  • None

Quarterfinals loser

  • Taylor Townsend (3-1)

Semifinals loser

  • Louisa Chirico (4-1).

The performance of both the boys and girls at the French Open was better than the Australian Open.   Here’s to a strong performance at Wimbledon!

 

Serena Williams Leads Field of American Women in French Open

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For the first time in years, the American women made their presence known at the French Open. The 15 American women in the 2013 event  won a total of 23 matches, while losing 14. Serena Williams led the way by capturing her second title at Roland Garros.

On a positive note, 10 of the 15 players were born after 1989. In other words, there appears to be a group of talented players waiting in the wings to fill in when Serena Williams retires.

The record and birth year of the American Women follows.

First round losers (0-1)

  • Grace Min, 1994 Coco Vandeweghe
  • Christina McHale, 1992
  • Venus Williams, 1980
  • Coco Vandeweghe, 1991
  • Lauren Davis, 1993.

Second round losers (1-1)

  • Mallory Burdette, 1991
  • Madison Keys, 1995
  • Shelby Rogers, 1992
  • Vania King, 1989
  • Melanie Oudin, 1991

Third round losers (2-1)

  • Varvara Lepchenko, 1986

Fourth round losers (3-1)

  • Bethanie Mattek-Sands, 1985
  • Jamie Hampton, 1990
  • Sloane Stephens, 1993

Finals

  • Serena Williams, champion (7-0), 1981.

On to Wimbledon, where the U.S. women should make an even stronger showing.