Tag: Australian Open

U.S. Men Continue to Disappoint in Grand Slams (Australian Open)

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Julius Caeser is credited with saying, “Veni, vidi, vici” (I came, I saw, I conquered). Clearly Caeser was not in charge of the USTA Player Development program.

Of the 12 American players entered in the Australian Open 9 were first round losers (Ryan Harrison, Bradley Klahn, Tim Smyczek, Rhyne Williams, Wayne Odesnik, John Isner, Steve Johnson, and Michael Russell).

  • Jack Sock finished the tournament 1-1 and exited in the second round.
  • Donald Young and Sam Querrey won 2 matches before bowing out in the third round.

Overall the 12 men won 5 matches and lost 12.

Based on the performance of the U.S. men in this and previous Grand Slam events, it is clear the USTA needs someone with a Julius Caesar mindset to take charge of USTA Player Development.

Note:  In 2003 Roger Federer won his first Wimbledon. There have since been 43 Grand Slams Including that event and the most recent Australian Open. Only eight men have won titles during that period:

  • Roger Federer 17
  • Rafael Nadal 13
  • Novak Djokovic 6
  • Andy Murray 2
  • Stanislas Wawrinka 1
  • Juan Martin del Potro 1
  • Gaston Gaudio 1
  • Andy Roddick 1
  • Marat Safin 1

As an aside, Murray defeated Djokovic in the finals of both his Grand Slam victories, del Potro upset Federer in his only Grand Slam victory, and Wawrinka upset Nadal in the most recent Grand Slam. In other words, at least of the trio (Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic) have been in the finals of all but three Grand Slams since the 2003 Wimbledon tournament.

It is safe to say that Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic have dominated the sport for the past decade.  Unfortunately, they are only part of the reason the U.S. continue to disappoint in Grand Slams. A major part of the problem is the USTA Player Development program.

 

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.

 

A Shift in Power for the Grand Slams?

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Without a doubt Wimbledon is the premier tennis tournament in the world. It was the first held in 1877 and is the oldest Grand Slam. The inaugural U.S. Championships where held four years later, in 1881, followed by the French Open in 1891. Finally, the first Australian Open was held in 1905.

With the increased importance of China, India, and surrounding countries, a shift in power may be in place that favors the Australian Open. This shift would be driven by the increased population and television viewership in these countries and the fact that they are in the same time zone as Australia.

This is illustrated by the following summary of viewership for select Grand Slam events.

U.S. Open

  • 2012 US Open Men’s Finals – 16.2 million viewers watched Djokovic beat Murray (Source: AP).
  • 2012 US Open Women’s Finals – 17.7 million viewers watched Serena Williams beat Vika Azarenka (Source: AP).
  • 2002 US Open Women’s Finals – 20.1 million viewers watched Serena Williams beat Venus Williams (Source: AP)

French Open

  • 2011 French Open Women’s Finals – 65 million viewers in China watched Li Na defeat Francesca Schiavone (Source: Xinhua)
  • 2011 Australian Open Women’s Finals – 135 million viewers in China watched Li Na lose to Kim Clijsters. (Source: Sydney Morning Herald).
  • 2013 Australian Open Women’s Finals – The projected viewership in China was estimated to be greater than 200 million for finals – Vika Azarenka beat  Li Na. (Source: Sydney Morning Herald).

The increased prominence of the Asian market will ultimately impact the other Grand Slam events and the relative strength of tennis in the U.S. Consider the following questions:

Despite its tradition, will the Australian Open continue to reside “Down Under”, or will it be relocated to a more centrally located  Asian-Pacific city?

  • How much will the prestige and importance of the Australian Open increase given the size of the Asian market?
  • Will other majors be added to accommodate tennis in Asia?
  • How much will excitement over players such as Li Na increase the number of participants in China and around the world?
  • How will increased viewership in Asia impact the role of the USTA in global tennis?
  • With projected growth of the sport in Asia, will American players ever dominate the Grand Slams to the extent that the Williams sisters have?
  • Because of the time zone difference, will the U.S. be able to capitalize off the projected increase in popularity of tennis in Asia.

It will be interesting to see what changes occur in the Grand Slams over the next ten years.

 

Performance of U.S. Men and Boys at Australian Open was (You Fill in the Blank)

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Ho hum! The Men’s bracket of the Australian Open was just another win by the Big Three.

In 2003 Roger Federer won Wimbledon and Andy Roddick won the U.S. Open, this was Federer’s first Grand Slam title and the last time an American man won a Grand Slam. Since then Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic have won 9 of 10 Australian Opens, 8 of 9 French Opens, 10 of 10 Wimbledons, and 7 of 10 U.S. Opens – combined they have won 34 of the last 39 Grand Slams.

The performance by the American men and junior boys was (you fill in the blank).

Men’s Open

Overall the 8 American men were 6-8 at the Australian Open.

First Round

Ryan Harrison, Sam Querry, Brian Baker, Tim Smyczek, and Rajeev Ram won their first round matches.

Michael Russell, Steve Johnson, and Rhyne Williams lost in the first round.

Second Round

Sam Querry won his second round match.

Ryan Harrison, Brian Baker, Tim Smyczek, and Rajeev Ram lost their second round matches.

Third Round

Sam Querry lost his third round match.

The age and world ranking of the American men who participated in the Australian Open are listed below (source: Australian Open website).

  • Sam Querry, 26, ranked 22.
  • Brian Baker, 28, ranked 57.
  • Ryan Harrison, 21, ranked 64.
  • Michael Russell, 35, ranked 94.
  • Tim Symczek, 26, ranked 125.
  • Rajeev Ram, 29, ranked 130.
  • Steve Johnson, 24, ranked 175.
  • Rhyne Williams, 22, ranked 194.

There isn’t a club player in the United States who would love to play as well as these 8 players. Unfortunately, the top American men are not elite players.

Junior Boys

Overall the 3 junior boys were 1-3.

First Round

Mackenzie MacDonald won his match and Martin Redlicki and Thai-Son Kwiatkowski lost their matches.

Second Round

Mackenzie MacDonald lost his match.

The ITF rankings show there are 4 American junior boys ranked in the top 20 junior boys and 6 in the top 50. Kwiatkowski has the highest ranking at #14. MacDonald is ranked 17th and Redlicki is ranked 45th.

Over the past 25 years, the USTA has spent millions of dollars on player development. The results of this and other tournaments suggest that has been a (you fill in the blank) investment.

 

U.S. Women – Hope and Change at Australian Open

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Very early this morning Mountain Standard Time, Victoria Azarenka maintained her number one ranking with the defense of her title at the Australian Open. For the Americans, the theme of the tournament was hope and change – led by Serena Williams and Sloane Stephens. There is hope that the change in American women’s tennis will include players who have the potential to consistently play at the level of the Williams sisters.

Oddly enough, Taylor Townsend was absent. As the 2012 junior winner, Townsend was given an automatic slot in the qualifying tournament for the Open; however, she reportedly did not enter the event because the USTA did not provide sponsorship funding. (Last fall, the USTA chose to stop funding her because she was “out of shape.”)

The Americans were represented by 3 junior girls and 11 women.

Junior Girls

Overall, it was a weak performance for the girls (3-3).

First Round

Jamie Loeb and Alexandra Kiick won their first round matches.

Christina McHale lost in the first round.

Second Round

Kiick advanced and Loeb was defeated.

Third Round

Kiick lost to eventual champion Ana Konjuh.

Women’s Open

Overall, the 11 American women won 14 matches and lost 11. Serena and Venus Williams accounted for 6 of the 14 wins and Sloane Stephens added another five victories.

First Round

Jamie Hampton, Varvara Lepchenko, Serena Williams, Sloane Stephens, and Venus Williams won their first round matches.

Lauren Davis, Christina McHale, Vania King, Melanie Oudin, Coco Vandeweghe, and Madison Keys lost their first round matches.

Second Round

Jamie Hampton, Serena Williams, Sloane Stephens, and Venus Williams won their second round matches.

Varvara Lepchenko lost in the second round.

Third Round (Round of Sixteen)

Serena Williams and Sloane Stephens won their third round matches.

Jamie Hampton and Venus Williams lost their third round matches.

Quarterfinals

Stephens upset Williams in the best win of her career.

Semifinals

Stephens was ousted by Azarenka.

Stephens demonstrated that she may have the ability to follow in the footsteps of the Williams sisters.

Unfortunately the other “talent” appears to be several notches below Stephens. The other unknown in the equation is Taylor Townsend. It seems rather bizarre that the USTA would drop sponsorship of her at a time when she was number 1 in the world in juniors. Hopefully that situation can be resolved to the benefit of all parties.

 

Three Reasons the U.S. Fails to Dominate Men’s Tennis

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If you were asked to list three reasons the United States does not dominate men’s tennis what would you say?

The politically charged response is, “The USTA is doing a horrible job with player development, America’s best athletes play other sports, and American kids choose to be well-rounded, rather than focused on individual sports.”

A less controversial response to the question is, “Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic.” The 3 Ss – (Swiss, Spaniard, and Serbian) have had an unprecedented death grip on the Grand Slam trophies since 2004. And they have a lot at stake in the upcoming French Open.

• If Federer captures the top prize, he will become the third player to complete a double career Slam. A win at Roland Garros would up his total of Grand Slams to 17.

• If Rafael Nadal wins he will surpass Bjorn Borg with seven French titles.

• Djokovic currently holds three consecutive Grand Slam titles. A win would make him the second player of the Open Era to hold all four titles at once. The only other player to do that was Rod Laver.

The following results show the dominance of Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic in Grand Slams since 2000. (Each name is followed by a fraction. The top number represents the number of Grand Slam wins through that tournament and the number on the bottom is the total number of career Grand Slams won by the player. Players with only one win do not have a number listed by their name).

Australian Open
2000 Andre Agassi (6/8)
2001 Andre Agassi (7/8)
2002 Thomas Johansson
2003 Andre Agassi (8/8)
2004 Roger Federer (2/16)
2005 Marat Safin (2/2)
2006 Roger Federer (7/16)
2007 Roger Federer (10/16)
2008 Novak Djokovic (1/5)
2009 Rafael Nadal (6/10)
2010 Roger Federer (16/16)
2011 Novak Djokovic (2/5)
2012 Novak Djokovic (5/5)
Since 2004 the trio has won every Australian Open except 2005. Federer has won four Australian Opens.

French Open
2000 Gustavo Kuerten (2/3)
2001 Gustavo Kuerten (3/3)
2002 Albert Costa
2003 Juan Carlos Ferrero
2004 Gastón Gaudio
2005 Rafael Nadal (1/10)
2006 Rafael Nadal (2/10)
2007 Rafael Nadal (3/10)
2008 Rafael Nadal (4/10)
2009 Roger Federer (14/16)
2010 Rafael Nadal (7/10)
2011 Rafael Nadal (10/10)
Since 2005 Nadal and Federer have won every French Open. Nadal has won six total wins.

Wimbledon
2000 Pete Sampras (13/14)
2001 Goran Ivanišević
2002 Lleyton Hewitt (2/2)
2003 Roger Federer (1/16)
2004 Roger Federer (3/16)
2005 Roger Federer (5/16)
2006 Roger Federer (8/16)
2007 Roger Federer (11/16)
2008 Rafael Nadal (5/10)
2009 Roger Federer (15/16)
2010 Rafael Nadal (8/10)
2011 Novak Djokovic (3/5)
Since 2003 the trio has won every Wimbledon tournament. Federer has won six.

U.S. Open
2000 Marat Safin (1/2)
2001 Lleyton Hewitt (1/2)
2002 Pete Sampras (14/14)
2003 Andy Roddick
2004 Roger Federer (4/16)
2005 Roger Federer (6/16)
2006 Roger Federer (9/16)
2007 Roger Federer (12/16)
2008 Roger Federer (13/16)
2009 Juan Martín del Potro
2010 Rafael Nadal (9/10)
2011 Novak Djokovic (4/5
Since 2004 the threesome has won every U.S. Open. Federer has won five U.S. Opens.

Beginning with Wimbledon in 2003 through the Australian Open in 2012, Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic have won 31 of 35 Grand Slams.

Although American purists may long for the days of Sampras vs. Agassi or Connors vs. McEnroe, the remaining 2012 Grand Slams will be tennis at its finest. In three months we will know if the 3Ss continue their stranglehold on the sport and make it 34 of 38 Grand Slams.

 

Australian Open – Promise for American Women’s Tennis

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With the exception of John Isner (2-1) and Serena Williams (3-1), the 21 American men and women made a weak showing at the Australian Open.

Fortunately, the results were better on the junior side. In total the 13 boys and girls posted combined winning records.

There is a glimmer of hope that the next generation of U.S. tennis greats is on the horizon, particularly for those worried about who is going to be the face of American women’s tennis when the Williams sisters retire.

Typically American juniors don’t flock to the Australian Open. It is a long and expensive trip.Such was the case in the Boys’ Singles.

Three Americans entered. Conner Farren and Trey Strobel were ousted in the first round. McKenzie McDonald had a much better showing. He had four wins and 1 loss (semifinals).

Ten American girls entered the singles draw. Their results are listed below.

Round of 64
The girls had a combined record of 7-3.
Winners: Stephanie Nanta, Julie Elbaba, Krista Hardebeck, Taylor Townsend, Samantha Crawford, Kyle McPhillips,

Christina Makarova.
Losers: Sachia Vickery, Catherine Harrison, Gabrielle Andrews.

Round of 32
The girls had a combined record of 5-2.
Winners: Krista Hardebeck, Taylor Townsend, Samantha Crawford, Kyle McPhillips, Christina Makarova.
Losers: Stephanie Nanta, Julie Elbaba.

Round of 16
The girls had a combined record of 2-3.
Winners: Krista Hardebeck, Taylor Townsend.
Losers: Samantha Crawford, Kyle McPhillips, Christina Makarova.

Quarterfinals
The girls had a combined record of 2-0.
Winners: Krista Hardebeck, Taylor Townsend.
Losers: None.

Semifinals
The girls had a combined record of 1-1. Townsend beat Hardebeck in the semifinals.
Winners: Krista Hardebeck, Taylor Townsend.
Losers: None.

Finals
Townsend won the championship and finished 6-0.

Combined, the 10 American girls had an 18-9 record.

Given these results, American tennis fans can look forward to the French Open with anticipation.

 

Weak Showing by American Singles Players – Australian Open

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This past weekend, Victoria Azarenka and Novak Djokovic were crowned Men’s and Women’s Champions at the Australian Open. The showing by the American players was dismal – with Serena Williams reaching the round of 16 and John Isner the round of 32. While they are wonderful players, neither Williams (30) nor Isner (almost 27) are in the prime of their careers.

The lack of success of the top players, in yet another Grand Slam event raises a number of questions.
• Many of the top players in the world train and practice in the United States. We have great coaches and great facilities, why don’t we have more of the top players? Why can foreign players come to the U.S. and become elite and the same doesn’t happen with American players?
• During the time the USTA Player Development Program has been in place there have been few successes, as measured by Grand Slam singles wins. There are roughly 25 million U.S. tennis players. With hundreds of millions of dollars invested in player development, why hasn’t the USTA program produced more elite players?
• Are American youth really interested in playing tennis at a highly competitive level? Are they willing to dedicate themselves to tennis between the ages of 8 and 18 or would they rather participate in a variety of activities while they are growing up?
• Has the sport become too structured with lessons, leagues, drill sessions, camps, and tournaments? Are players participating in these activities without learning how to practice or to tactically and mentally play the sport?
• The day of riding your bike to the park and playing all day is gone. Back in the day, players learned from playing pick-up games and adults. Was that possibly a better way to learn the sport?
• Is it too expensive for America’s youth to become elite tennis players? Are there too few clubs or recreation facilities where they can afford to learn to play?
• Are youth too consumed with computers, television, game boys, social media, and the electronic age to play tennis?
• Tennis is a challenging sport to master. Has the age of instant gratification made tennis less appealing?
• There are a number of sports options, including extreme sports. Is tennis too boring or is it perceived to be too boring?
• Is tennis properly marketed to America’s youth? Are introductory programs engaging youth or are they turning them off to the sport?
• Are America’s best athletes playing team sports where they can receive greater notoriety?
• Has the level of competition risen to the point that it is unrealistic to expect the U.S. to dominate the way they once did? If so, why are the Russian and Eastern European players having such success?
• Is the lack of success a sign that Americans have lost their drive to excel?
• Just as the U.S. is not the top country in sports such as cricket, does it really matter anymore that we no longer dominate tennis?

The results for Americans are listed below.

U.S. Men’s Results
Round of 128
The ten U.S. men players had a promising start – 6 wins and 5 losses.
• Winners – Andy Roddick, Ryan Sweeting, Mardy Fish, Sam Querrey, John Isner, Denis Kudia, and Donald Young.
• Losers – Michael Russell, Ryan Harrison, Jesse Levine, and Alex Kuznetsov.
Round of 64
The American players were not up to the task in the second round – 1 win and 5 losses.
• Winners – John Isner.
• Losers – Andy Roddick, Ryan Sweeting, Mardy Fish, Sam Querrey, and Donald Young.
Round of 32
The lone American player lost. NO AMERICAN MEN ADVANCED PAST THE ROUND OF 32 – 0 wins and 1 loss.
• Losers – John Isner.

The 11 American men won 7 matches and lost 11.

U.S. – Women’s Results
Round of 128
The 10 U.S. women players broke even in the first round – 5 wins and 5 losses.
• Winners – Christina McHale, Serena Williams, Sloane Stephens, Jamie Hampton, and Vania King.
• Losers – Varvara Lepchenko, Irina Falconi, Bethanie Mattek-Sands, Alison Riske, and Madison Keys.
Round of 64
The remaining American women posted a winning record in the second round – 3 wins and 2 losses.
• Winners – Christina McHale, Serena Williams, and Vania King.
• Losers – Sloane Stephens and Jamie Hampton.
Round of 32
Competition was tougher in the round of 32 – 1 win and 2 losses.
• Winners – Serena Williams.
• Losers – Christina McHale and Vania King.
Round of 16
This was the end of the tournament for the American women.  NO AMERICAN WOMEN ADVANCED PAST THE ROUND OF 16 – 0 wins and 1 loss.
• Loser – Serena Williams.

The 10 American women won 9 matches and lost 10.

The U.S. had 21 singles entrants – 16 wins 21 losses. Only John Isner (2-1) and Serena Williams (3-1) had winning records.

American tennis fans can only hope for a better showing at the French Open in 4 months.