Three American players who will surge up rankings in 2012 – Part One: Donald Young
American tennis has several athletes waiting in the wings who are primed and ready to climb the rankings in the coming year. They are young, energetic and trained since the childhood to reach a plateau where they can viably take
the brass ring that shines tantalizingly in front of them.
Currently holding the 43rd spot in the ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) World Rankings, 22-year-old American prodigy, Donald Young, is among the fastest rising tennis stars of the Unites States. Making his debut
in an impressive age of 15, the African-American has had many expectations levied upon him.
The American is yet to win his first championship title but his improving game play depicts that he just inches short of one. Being a left-hander, Young possess the natural angle he generates with his forehand to trouble a number
of right-handed players on court. He is among some crafty American players and his abilities are appreciated by many.
Despite of possessing huge talent and potential, Young has yet fallen short of delivering his best during this ATP season. He took of 2011 as the world number 127 and has climbed up 83 places in 10 months to reach the number 43
spot in men’s rankings. The 22-year-old has a 19-15 winning record for the running year but he is surely capable of doing much better.
Young played his first major tournament of the current year at the Australian Open and made it to the main rounds after registering three straight sets victories in the qualifiers. He was ejected in the very first round of the
Grand Slam tournament, losing to Croatia’s number one, Marin Cilic in straight sets. The American suffered early round exits in a number of events to follow, naming the tournaments in San Jose, Memphis, Delray Beach, Houston and Master Series 1000 events in
Indian Wells and Miami.
The 22-year-old finally won an ATP Challenger Tour event in Tallahassee, defeating his fellow compatriot, Wayne Odesnik, in three sets. He was also runner-up at another Challenger tournament in Savannah but his drought continued
at the World Tour-level tournaments. Young was disposed of in the opening round of the Wimbledon Championships at the hands of the other American contestant, Alex Bogomolov in a four-setter.
The American carried on with his brilliant performances in the Challenger events but his bad patch in the ATP World Tour tournaments continued in Atlanta and Newport. Young finally made it to his first World Tour 500 event in front
of his home crowd in Washington but was outplayed by the world number 54, Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic, 3-6, 3-6, in straight sets. Nevertheless, his world ranking swelled to number 89 after his run in Washington.
He carried on his good form in the US Open campaign as well and outplayed Lukas Lacko of Slovakia, world number 14, Stanislas Wawrinka and 24th ranked Argentine Juan Ignacio Chela to reach the round of 16. He was blown
away by the then world number four, Andy Murray of Great Britain in straight sets to end his last Grand Slam voyage of the year but jumped to number 55 in the men’s ranking immediately.
Young reached his first World Tour final at Bangkok after upsetting world number nine, Gael Monfils of France in the semis but it was again Murray who crushed his dream of clinching his first championship title in the final. He
played his most recent tournament at the Shanghai Masters and was ejected in the second round by Wawrinka this time but his brilliant runs in prior tournaments too him to world number 43 spot in ATP rankings.
Young is a technically sound player and it is anticipated by a number of analysts that he will certainly surge up a long way in the world rankings in the coming year.
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