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.