American men’s tennis in a shameful condition
In the past, American male tennis players like Andre Agassi, Arthur Ashe, Michael Chang, Jimmy Connors, Pete Sampras, John McEnroe and Jim Courier dominated the world of tennis with their world-class play and sporting flair. They were undoubtedly considered as the very best, not only in America but all over the world. And when they fought against the top- ranked tennis players in the world; they last much longer.
All of above-mentioned tennis players from the United States of America won Grand Slam tournaments. These precious players were much focused, slowly working their way to the top-ten in the ATP.
Pete and Chang announced their retirement back in 2002, whereas Agassi bid farewell to the sport four years back in 2006. And thereafter, America’s once honoured spot as one of the top tennis powers in the world dwindled into obscurity.
American’s tennis men’s side was once known for its adept stars and ferocious players. But what’s going on today? Are there any standards to look up for the league players? Mardy Fish, Andy Roddick, John Isner, James Blake and Sam Querrey have together won just a single Grand Slam title. Roddick back in 2003 won the United States Open crown at the Flushing Meadows.
Now let us throw some light to the tennis happening in year 2010. The 2010 Legg Mason Tennis Classic tournament is going on at the moment in Washington. The competition is considered as one of the top-twenty ATP events. It is serving as a tune-up tournament prior to the US Open competition in Big Apple and, therefore, has drawn a large number of international tennis stars.
The tournament this season featured a total of forty-eight contenders in its main draw. Out of the top-sixteen seeded players, only four players were Americans namely John Isner, Andy Roddick, Mardy Fish as well as Sam Querrey.
The tournament turned out to be a tragedy for the Americans, as it proceeded. The Washington tennis admirers experienced a total American extermination that has never occurred in the forty-two years history of the tournament in Washington D.C. This season, there is not even a single American player in the quarterfinal round of the Legg Mason Tennis Classic tournament.
Sam Querrey was knocked down by the Serbian tennis ace, Janko Tipsarevic in the second round of the championship. John Isner on the other hand, was pushed out by a Belgian player Xavier Malisse in a total of three sets.
Mardy Fish missed a total of three break points in the third set of his third round with Marin Cilic, and as a result, he lost the match.
However, the greatest shocker of all of them was none other than Andy Roddick. Roddick was crushed by a French tennis player, Gilles Simon who is not even listed in the top thirty -five world rankings by the ATP, in the third round of the Legg Mason tennis Classic tournament.
As a result, all the top-seeded US contenders were kicked out of the championship prior to the quarterfinal rounds in D.C.
A total of eight remaining players at the Legg Mason tennis Classic will be contesting in the later stages of the tournament for the final spot and the tennis enthusiasts will be watching the rest of the tournament without any single USA player.
Does the present scenario imply that this is the end of American men’s tennis? What a shameful condition it is for a country that produced some of the greatest tennis players in the past and hosts the best tennis festivals, but is not able to produce a single champ this year.
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