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There was much talk before and after the 2010 US Open about the downfall of American tennis, particularly men’s tennis. The last time an American man has won a major championship was 2003. Andy Ruddick capture the US Open that year, and there has been a drought since that time. In sports it’s not that unusual for trends to be cyclical, and the American fans and pundits may be expecting too much. Though, you can’t blame the people for asking the question, “Were the American players”. There is such a rich tradition of players from the US winning major titles and being ranked in the top 10.
Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, Andre Agassi, and Pete Sampras helped US to remain atop the tennis world throughout the prior decades. Andy Ruddick looked to follow in that tradition and be a factor among the top two or three players for many years. Andy achieved the world’s number one ranking and has had his ups and downs since. His greatest misfortune was being on tour at the same time when Roger Feeder was at his absolute peak. James Blake is another prominent player of note for the US over the last few years. James was always a strong Davis Cup player and a factor in tournaments when he was playing his best.
Since Andy Ruddick and James Blake have peaked and the US Open was once again a disappointment for American men, the state of men’s tennis in America is being scrutinized. Younger players such as John Inner and Sam Quarry will be looked to the most to gauge the future of American success. But, it may be the players just behind Quarry and Inner that will bring the game back to its full glory in the US. Ryan Harrison, Jack Sock and Denis Kula are all juniors who had an impact at the open one way or another. Ryan Harrison qualified for the main draw and beat 20th ranked Ivan Bulimic in the first round. Ryan lost in the second round in a thrilling five set match settled by a tiebreaker. Jack Sock and Denis Kula met each other in the junior finals, with Jack Sock winning.
