Donald Young, can he do well on the ATP tour?

Question

Last year, Donald came close to beating Davydenko in the pilot pen. Right now he is playing Gael Monfils and not doing well. Do you think he will be a great player ranked in the top 10 someday with slams and a large number of career titles? Or will he just be some no-name who never makes a breakthrough?

Answer 1

I think he can do well, I reallt started paying attention to Young during that Davydenko match and he really showed some guts and potential to do good. I know last year during the Davis Cup Young did some practicing with Roddick and Blake and they took some time with him and they said he's definitely got potential. Donald is still pretty young and he has allot of time to develop his playing style and strength, even Mcenroe said he liked the way he looked. I think in time we'll see things from this kid.

Answer 2

Maybe somewhere down the line if he grows.  He still looks like a kid.  He's a small guy to me compared to the men on the tour and right now I think getting taller (gaining strength) is what he needs to go the next level.

Answer 3

He needs a lot of work in his game. The Monfils match was horrible. Monfils was struggling and Donald couldn't even take advantage of it, spraying balls all over the place.

Like many of the American players, he focuses too much on raw power and not enough control. The same one dimensional game that Roddick has. Unless he can learn to chase down everything and get balls back in play consistently, like Daveydenko, he's going to need more weapons in his arsenal like Federer and Nadal.

At the moment, I just don't see that happening with the direction Donald's game is going in.

There are just too many better players out there and not many of them will get into the top 10.

Answer 4

Sadly, he will be lucky to break into top 75, let alone Top 10. he doesnt have enough game, enough power, and continually gets out hit. The expression on his fathers face said it all. As if he were thinking to myself, " I invested all this/my money into him, and this is th ebest he coudl do".  I mean his expression as well as his Mom and coach said it all this evening. Even more sad, is that American tennis has no up and comers, future stars to speak of, and our present top athletes are either on steady decline, injured, or/and getting on with age. Young looked lost out there, and unless he commits himself, all hsi time, 100% to strengthen himself and his game, he will just be wasting his time, as well as his family's.

Answer 5

Yes, I think he will be because he is so young and he has much time to learn stuff. He is my favorite player, but it sucks because he loses so early I rarely see him play.

Answer 6

He hasn't looked good at all ... he looks confused on the court alot of times ... I don't know how strong his psyche is .... right now ... I wouldnt bet that he breaks the top 20 ....

Answer 7

I hope so. I know that Mr. Bollettieri has said that there will be great things from him, and he's great, but so far, he's been sorta like Monfils. Supposed to be a new generation player but a streaky. Too bad, he's losing right now pretty badly.

He hasn't lived up to it. John Isner is better. What happened to Isner so far?

Answer 8

Nope and I wish he would've been. He's not the best lefty American. Jesse Levine is. Levine chose to take a year of college before going pro and he played players like Isner and Devvarman (47 match win streak) to improve his game. He and Young have played several time since Levine and Young went pro and Levine won all of them.

Same with Isner. He's played Isner a few times this year and each time he won handily. While the both of them may have a higher rank then Levine, it's obvious that he's not only one of the best young American talents, but a future great. (Don't forget Querrey)

Lastly, a player known as Roger Federer called Jesse Levine last year to practice with him. He asked Levine because he saw talent in his and wanted to play the best lefty to better prepare for Nadal. If that doesn't tell you enough about Levine, then maybe the fact that the score of the Federer-Levine match was a close 6-4, 7-5!