I consider myself an average tennis fan. I watch the Grand Slam tournaments very, very closely; latch on to other important tournaments throughout the year (Indian Wells, Montreal, Cincinnati, etc.), and maybe check the results of the smaller tournaments that occur in the intermediate time. However, I strongly support American athletics of all kind, and tennis is no different. My favorite players are always American; I always convince myself that American tennis is on the rise; and I hope and pray that some Yanks defend home turf each September at the U.S. Open (which is what sparked the idea for this post in the first place).
But is American tennis in good shape?
The simple answer is no. We have one elite men's player (Andy Roddick) and the Williams sisters on the women's side. That's it. Yes, Bob and Mike Bryan are, arguably, the best men's doubles team in the world, but let's be real, nobody follows doubles tennis. However, if you look more deeply at things, the American tennis scene isn't as barren nor depressing as you might think. The results at the top level haven't been there since the days of Sampras/Agassi/Courier, but several young players are showing promise.
With that in mind, I strongly urge you to read ESPN.com's Greg Garber's analysis on the state of American tennis. He delves MUCH more deeply into the issues facing tennis in this country than I could ever dream of. It's well-written and well-thought-out, and gives a lot of pros and cons about the sport in the States. Here are Part I, Part II, and Part III. Read them all at once or read them in separate sittings, I don't care. But you will be doing yourself a favor by reading them.
At worst, when American tennis makes its resurgence (here I go again), you'll be able to tell your friends, "I told you so."
~~ Lank
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