Is Jack Sock Emerging as New Hope for US Men’s Tennis?

By
at Internationaled.org

Published: April 14, 2015

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Men from the United States once ruled tennis with an iron grip. Between 1974 and 2003, American males accounted for 46 Grand Slam wins, dwarfing all other nations. But like most dynasties in history, they lost control of their throne and were toppled by players from other countries.

The forecast looked great during the 1970s and 1980s, which were led by the equally volatile and boisterous John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors, who won 15 major titles between them. And they weren't alone. During that era, countrymen like Arthur Ashe, Stan Smith, Roscoe Tanner, Vitas Gerulaitis, Brian Teacher and Michael Chang also took home their own Grand Slam hardware.

As Connors and McEnroe made their exit off the ATP Tour in the early 1990s, they gave way to a new generation of American stars: Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi and Jim Courier.

Throughout that decade, those three would claim 21 of the 40 majors played. Courier won four in the span of eight Grand Slams between 1991 and 1993, but Sampras and Agassi soon passed him by. That duo would develop one of the most competitive and thrilling rivalries ever. 

Sampras, known for his lethal serve and cool demeanor, walked away in 2002 with 14 majors, a record which stood seven years. Agassi, the baseline demon and precocious talent, retired with eight Grand Slams.

When big-hitting Andy Roddick won the U.S. Open in 2003 at age 21, it looked like the U.S. had its star for the next generation. No one could predict that victory would usher in a decade-long drought.



The U.S. men are currently riding an 0-45 streak in Grand Slams singles events. Only Roddick (2004-2005, 2009 Wimbledon and 2006 U.S. Open) has even reached the final of a major. Roddick and John Isner (2011 U.S. Open) are the last ones to go as far as the quarterfinals.

What was once a ripe tennis nation has turned barren.

While Isner, Donald Young, Sam Querrey and ot...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Tennis

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