Tag: Australian Open

Strong Showing by American Juniors at 2018 Australian Open

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Both the American boys and girls had stronger than usual showings at the 2018 Australian Open. Hopefully this is a sign of good things to come at upcoming Grand Slams in 2018.

For the American boys, #7 seed Sebastian Korda, son of former Czech tennis star Petr Korda, won the championship.  He defeated the #2 and #6 seeds (Miladinovic and Tseng) on his way to the title, and ended the tournament 6-0.

Both Andrew Fenty and Sangeet Sridhar dropped their first round matches. Fenty was the #13 seed.

Jaycer Lyeons and Tristan Boyer were 1-1, Lyeons lost to an unseeded player and Boyer was ousted by the #2 seed, Miladinovic.

Drew Baird had a solid tournament, reaching the round of 16 and finishing 2-1.

In 2017, only 4 American boys participated and they finished with a disappoint total of 3 wins and 4 losses. The 2018 Australian Open results were much stronger. The 6 American boys finished 10-5 this year.

The American girls also had a strong showing. In 2017, the 7 American girls won 4 matches and lost 7. In 2018, the  8 American girls were 9-8. FUN FACT: The combined total of wins for the 7 American girls was the same as the combined total for the 18 American women who competed in the main draw.

Three of the girls lost in the first round: Con Gauff, Niluka Madurawe, and Hurricane Tyra Black. Gauff and Black lost to unseeded players and Madurawe was ousted by the #13 seed Vismane.

Peyton Stearns and Nicole Mossmer were 1-1, as they bowed out in the round of 32 to seeded players.  Stearns fell to #1 seed Wang and Mossmer lost to #10 seed Sun.

Elysia Bolton and Alexa Noel posted 2 wins and 1 loss.  Bolton was the #12 seed. She was defeated in the round of 16 by finalist Burel.  Noel was the #7 seed. She lost to #9 seed Wang in the round of 16.

Finally, Dalayna Hewitt finished the tournament 3-1. She had an upset victory over #4 seed Carle in the first round,  followed by wins over two unseeded players. Hewitt lost to finalist Burel in the quarterfinals.

Typically, very few Americans play the Australian Junior Open and their performance is usually lackluster. The results were different in 2018. Based on what happened in Melbourne, look for a strong showing at the French Open and Wimbledon junior tournaments in a couple of months.

 

 

International Junior Competition is Stronger – American Juniors Struggle at Australian Open

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The talent in the junior division at the Grand Slams has become more diverse over the years. As a result, both the American boys and girls faced stiff competition in the Australian Open Juniors competition, but both managed to have players reach the round of 16.

Nicole Mossmer, J. Rodriquez-Benito, Caty McNally, Hurricane Tyra Black, and Natasha Subhash lost their first round matches. Both Carson Branstine and Taylor Johnson posted 2 wins and 1 loss as they bowed out in the round of 16.

To illustrate the diversity of the draw, the 8 quarterfinalists represented 8 countries:    Canada, Great Britain, India, Japan, Russia, Switzerland, Taiwan, and Ukraine.

Overall, the 7 American girls won 4 matches and lost 7.

In the boys draw Olukayode Ayeni and Trent Bryde lost in the first round. Tristian Boyer won his first match before losing in the second round.

Alexandre Rotsaert won two matches before losing in the round of 16.

Overall, the 4 American boys won 3 matches and lost 4.

As was the case in the girls draw, there was also significant geographic diversity on the boys side. The 8 quarterfinalists represented the following 7 countries: China, Cyprus, (2) France, Hungary, Finland, Israel, and Russia.

It is easy to be critical of the USTA Player Development Program for the fact that none of the American juniors advanced past the round of 16. Typically very few American juniors play the Australian Junior Open and their performance is often lackluster.

In addition, it is easy to see that a number of countries other than the United States are developing world-class players. With stronger and greater geographic diversification, it is even more challenging to for the USTA to develop the top junior players in the world. Look for better things at the French Open and Wimbledon.

 

Making American Tennis Great Again – The Williams Sisters

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A group of American women had noteworthy accomplishments at the 2017 Australian Open. For a few days they made American tennis great again.

CoCo Vandeweghe showed that she is a rising star for the Americans. The question is whether she will become a consistent top 10 contender or flame out like others before her.

Nicole Gibbs and Jennifer Brady demonstrated that it is possible to go the route seldom taken. They played college tennis before joining the professional circuit full-time. Most players avoid college and work with the USTA Player Development Program instead. Gibbs played three years at Stanford and was an All-American and two-time NCAA single champion. Brady was an All-American in her two years at UCLA.

Mirjana Lučić-Baroni, a 34-year old Croatian, surprised many by reaching the semifinals before being ousted by Venus Williams. Lučić-Baroni was a top junior in the late 1990s before dropping off the screen. Her comeback now includes a spot in the top 50 in the world. It remains to be seen if she has the staying power to maintain her current ranking.

These were great accomplishments; however, they were overshadowed by the success of the Williams sisters. Their journey to the finals t will likely be their last Grand Slam singles finals against each other as Serena captured her 23rd Grand Slam singles final with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over the 36-year old Venus.

Led by the Williams sisters, the American women were a dominant force Down Under. Of the 18 Americans, only 7 were defeated in the first round: Louisa Chirico, Madison Brengle, Christina McHale, Lauren Davis, Vania King, Anna Tatishvili, and Kayla Day. This group of young women have experienced success as junior players, but struggled in their transition to the professional game.

Five women won their first round match before being bumped in the second round: Samantha Crawford, Shelby Rogers, Varvara Lepchenko, Julia Boserup, and Irina Falconi.

Alison Riske and Nicole Gibbs posted two wins before exiting in the round of 32.

Jennifer Brady exited in the round of 16 with three wins, while Vandeweghe was 5-1 before losing in the semis. Coco”s victories included a convincing upset of Angelique Kerber in the quarterfinals.

Overall, the American women won 30 matches and lost 17. Combined, the Williams sisters won 13 of the 30 matches won by American women.

Congratulations to Serena for adding her 23rd Grand Slam and to Venus for showing the world that a 36-year-old woman can play tennis with the best of the young whippersnappers. For a few days in Melbourne, these ladies helped make American tennis great again.

 

American Men Have Weak Performance at Australian Open

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Both the past director of USTA Player Development, Patrick McEnroe, and the current director, Martin Blackman, have spoken highly about the group of American junior boys who are transitioning into the professional ranks. Several of these youngsters took that step at the 2016 Australian Open. Their results showed they have potential, but it is clear they are the new kids on the block.

There were 14 American men in this year’s Grand Slam Down Under. The six first-round losers included newcomer Taylor Fritz and veterans Bjorn Frantangelo, Sam Querrey, Ryan Harrison, Brian Baker, and Donald Young.

Six of the eight remaining players were ousted in the second round with 1-1 records. Noah Rubin, the only youngster, was accompanied by the following players with more experience Denis Kudla, Austin Krajicek, Rajeev Ram, Tim Smyczek, and Jack Sock.

Journeyman Steve Johnson was ousted in the third round with a 2-1 tournament record.

John Isner, was defeated in the round of 16 with a 3-1 record. As is usually the case, he held his seed (#10). Overall the American men won 9 matches and lost 14.

Hats off to Novak Djokovic for capturing his sixth Australian tournament. He is now tied with Roy Emerson for the most number of Australian Open singles tournaments.

Historically, only a handful of Americans juniors have participated in the Australian Open. Only three American boys entered the junior event this year. Ezekiel Clark lost in the first round. Ulises Blanch exited in the second round (1-1) and Liam Caruana lost in the round of 16 (2-1).

Once again the Australian Open proved the current American men are capable of playing at the professional level, but they are no match for the world’s elite players. Time will tell if Fritz, Rubin, and their peers can hang with the best in the world.

Next stop French Open.

Women’s Australian Open 2016-Hats off to Serena

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For the second consecutive Grand Slam Serena Williams was denied in the finals. This time Angelique Kerber delivered the knockout punch in a magnificent three-set match at the Australian Open. Williams loss begs the question, “Who will be the face of American tennis (not just women’s tennis) when Serena retires?”

Seventeen American women were entered in the first Grand Slam of 2016. Only eight advanced to the second round. The nine first-round losers included Alison Riske, Christina McHale, Sloane Stephens, Anna Tatishvili, Coco Vandeweghe, Samantha Crawford, Victoria Duval, Venus Williams, and Bethanie Mattek-Sands.

The three second-round losers included Irina Falconi, Nicole Gibbs, and Vania King. They were all 1-1.

Another three Americans lost in the third round including Varvara Lepchenko, Madison Brengle, and Lauren Davis. Each of these players had 2-1 records.

Madison Keys held her #15 seed by losing in the round of 16. She was 3-1 overall.

On a day-to-day basis, Williams continues to be untouchable, even though she won 6 of 7 matches and had to settle for the second place trophy.

So which of the American women is going to fill Serena’s shoes when she retires?

Martin Blackman began to address that question ten months when he was picked to head USTA player development. During his short tenure he has indicated that we need to produce more quality tennis players as a way of producing a few elite players.

While ten months isn’t time enough to turn a ship that sunk many months ago, the presence of the American juniors at the 2016 Open was abysmal. Maria Mataes was the lone competitor and was trounced 6-1, 6-1 in the first round of the Girls Junior event. Clearly the U.S. has a ways to go before there is quantity and quality.

While all of the American women athletes are outstanding players, only Madison Keys and Sloane Stephens have demonstrated they may have the potential to become  elite players. In the case of Stephens, her stock has fallen sharply over the past year.

Americans can only hope that Serena finds the fountain of youth. While there is reason to feel good about what if being said by Blackman and those in the USTA Player Development program, the future of American men’s and women’s professional tennis remains bleak.

Hats off to Serena Williams for another great performance!

American Women Dominate Australian Open

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At the dawn of the Open era for tennis, the best women players were Australian. For example there were 6 Aussies, 1 Brit, and 1 Swede in the quarterfinals of the 1970 Australian Open.

Looking at the quarterfinalists for the Women’s Australian Open in five-year increments from 1970 to 2015 (see chart below), it can be seen that the depth of the women’s field improved and the range of countries increased. There are 23 countries listed on the table. At the same time the number of elite players remained small and they dominated the sport – Williams sisters, Sharapova, Graf, Seles, Sanchez, Navratilova, and Evert.

In this snapshot the Americans had the highest number of quarterfinalists (20), followed by Australians (11). Interestingly enough, the American women did not become a force at the Australian Open until 1980. Since then, at least 2 American women have been in the quarterfinals. Most recently, 2015, there were three American women (Madison Keys and the Williams sisters).

It is worth noting the USSR, Russia, and Belarus also had a total of 11 quarterfinalists. Many think that Anna Kournikova was the first Russian/Soviet player to hit the scene. Because she was so popular it is easy to forget that there were a number of great Russian women players over the years.

The combination of the increased depth, greater number of countries represented, and marketing by the WTA have greatly increased the appeal and drawing power of women’s professional tennis.

For additional details on the Australian Open go to its website, http://www.ausopen.com/.

australian open

Australian Open – Aussies and Americans Used to Dominate Tennis

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The Open era of tennis began in 1968 and with it came more good players from a variety of countries. This can be seen in the chart below which is a sample of the number of players by country in five-year increments who reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open.

In 1970 the Australian Men’s Open featured 4 Aussies, 2 Americans, 1 Brit, and 1 Dutch player. Five years later (1975) the quarterfinalists included 6 Aussies, an American, and a Russian. In 1980 there were 4 Americans, 3 Aussies, and 1 Argentinean. During the 1970s and early 1980s, the Americans and Australians dominated tennis.

Fast forward to 2000, 2010, and 2015. In those three years each of the quarterfinalists was from different countries.

A closer look at the data shows the United States had the greatest number of quarterfinalists, 19; however, 15 of them made the top 8 prior to 2000. The results reflect the lack of production from the USTA Player Development program in recent years.

Australia went through a dry spell in player development similar to what is currently happening in the U.S. For this sample, they had the second highest number of players, 15, in this snapshot. Most of the quarterfinalists from Down Under played in 1970, 1975, or 1980.

For additional details on the Australian Open go to its website, http://www.ausopen.com/.

Australian Open

 

Seven Outfits for Serena

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Several years ago Serena Williams was featured in a 30-second video for the WTA’s ad campaign, Strong is Beautiful. In the ad she stated, “Before every slam I pick out seven outfits. SEVEN – one for every match I need to win. I wouldn’t pick seven outfits if I didn’t plan on wearing them all.”

For the sixth time Willams wore all 7 outfits at the Australian Open. And for a change, the American women had an exceptional AO.

Sixteen American women entered the tournament. Combined, they won 30 matches while losing 15. Seven Outfits for Serena

Grace Min, Alison Riske, Sloane Stephens, and Taylor Townsend bowed out in the first round. At one point Stephens and Townsend were thought to be the replacements for the Williams sisters as America’s top players. That certainly wasn’t the case this tournament.

Twelve American women advanced to the second round.

Nicole Gibbs, Anna Tatishvili, Irina Falconi, Lauren Davis, and Christina McHale lost in the second round. It should be noted that Tatishvili changed her country of representation from Georgia to the United States in April 2014.

Three of the seven Americans who advanced to the third round were ousted: Bethanie Mattek-Sands, Varvara Lepchenko, and Coco Vandeweghe.

Four American women remained in the draw as play began in the round of 16.

Madison Brengle lost in the round of 16s and Venus Williams was defeated in the quarterfinals.

Up and comer Madison Keys was defeated by Williams in the semifinals, while Russians Maria Sharapova and Ekaterina Makarova battled it out in the other half of the draw.

Williams defeated Sharapova 6-3, 7-6 in the finals. The loss made Sharapova 2-17 lifetime against the 2015 champion.

The win at this year’s AO gave Williams 19 Grand Slam victories, 1 more than Chris Evert and Martina Navritilova. Next on the list is Steffi Graf, with her Open-era record of 22 major titles and Margaret Court, the victor in 24 Grand Slam singles events.

Congratulations to Serena Williams for getting to wash her seven outfits on the way to another title!

American Juniors Have Mediocre Outing at 2015 Australian Open Juniors

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The nine American juniors who played the 2015 Australian Open juniors had limited success.

Raveena Kingsley (3-1) advanced to the quarterfinals before losing to Katie Swan. Swan actually lives in Wichita Kansas, but represents Great Britain.

Kingsley was joined by Jessica Ho (1-1) and Olivia Hauger (1-1), who won a round before losing. In 2014 Hauger (3-1) was a quarterfinalist.

Raquel Pedraza (0-1) and Mia Horvit (0-1) both dropped their first round matches.

The boys had similar results. Taylor Harry Fritz (3-1), the number three seed was upset in the quarterfinals.

Sameer Kumar (2-1), won two matches and William Blumberg (1-1) lost in the second round.

Michael Mmoh (0-1) lost in the first round. Last year Mmoh was 1-1.

Overall, the boys were 6-4 and the girls were 5-5.

Here’s to a larger contingency of players and a stronger showing at the French Open in June.

American Men Out in First Week of Australian Open

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Week one of the 2015 Australian Open has come and gone – and so have all of the American men.

Sad to say, their performance supported the comments made by Pete Sampras at a recent IPTL press conference. He stated that he doesn’t see any American men on the horizon who are capable of breaking into the top ten. Sampras was asked to comment on the reasons for the demise of the American me. He was diplomatic and mentioned there were a lot of reasons.

Many in the industry would say the crux of the problem is the inept USTA Player Development program. Without any star American men, young boys don’t aspire to be tennis players, much as they did when Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras were at the top of their games.

In addition, some feel that American kids have too many options. The sport has enjoyed growth around the globe and young players from other countries are motivated than you Americans.

This year there were only 7 men in the Australian Open, compared to 12 last year. Fortunately Tim Smyczek and Michael Russell qualified, otherwise there would have only been five Americans.

John Isner is the constant for the American men. He was seeded in 19th and he held his seed. He won two matches prior to bowing out in the round of 32. Steve Johnson was also 2-1.

Denis Kudia, Sam Querrey, and Michael Russell were first round losers.

Donald Young and Tim Smyczek both won a match before losing in the second round. To Smyczek’s credit, he took Rafael Nadal to five sets before bowing out.

Overall the men won six matches and lost seven.

The Grand Slams are much more fun to follow when there are American men playing during the second week of the tournament!