Will America ever produce a world number one in Men’s Tennis again? – Tennis Special
The inception of computers has made it relatively easier to keep a record of match scores and player rankings thus enabling it to analyze that America has not had a world number one man or women in the top rank since the last 7
years.
The last US male tennis player to make it to world number one ranking was Andy Roddick, bringing home the Grand Slam Title in 2003 against Juan Carlos Ferrero at the US Open. Thus making him the last American player to ever achieve
men’s single Grand Slam Single Title. Still, he hasn’t stop trying and has reached the finals at Wimbledon three times and US Open once, only to lose to Roger Federer.
Statistical analysis of the past 20 years or so unfolds favourably for the Americans; they had consecutive world number one from 1992 to 1999, Jim Connors being the first American after John McEnroe in 1984.
Followed by Pete Sampras; who had his hold on tennis and world number one ranking for six chronological years (the only other being Reggie Doherty of Britain) Sampras is also the only player standing with eight consecutive Grand
Slam wins and another seven continuous wins at Wimbledon in a span of eight years. He is also the last American to have won Wimbledon in 2000. In 1998, Sampras lost his number one ranking to another American player Andre Kirk Agassi.
Agassi, known by critics as the best service returner, has played 21 US Open tournaments from 1986 to 2006 and has had continuous 26 match victories at the Australian Open from 2000 to 2004. Agassi lost his world number one title
to Gustavo Kuerten in the final at the Tennis Masters Cup in Lisbon.
What followed after was a dry spell from 2000-2003 for the Americans. Eventually the Higher Powers rained Andy Roddick who was the US male tennis player to make it to world number one ranking.
American tennis players have moderately dominated the scenes from the beginning of tennis; a walk down history portrays its self in this manner; In 1960’s Pancho Gonzales held a paramount eight time
numero uno del mundo from 1952 to 1960 with the exception of 1953, making his mark in the Guinness world records. William Tatem TilddenII also known as Bill Tildden has held his position for times seven times along with players from Britain and Australia
each. Jack Kramer along with Pete Sampras; both being American have upheld their titles for a total of six times each. William Larned in the early 1900’s along with Don Budge of the 30’s has managed a five time record. The 30’s saw yet another four time number
one-Ellsworth Vines. Bobby Riggs also shared the prestige of hold the record for four times. 70’s witnessed yet another exemplar Jimmy Connors; although America did not have any player ranked number one in late 80’s and early 90’s they managed to produce
two players who ruled the tennis world for a decade, Pete Sampras and André Agassi.
However, when one talks about procedure, performance and execution, Europeans are far better in present times and are ahead of them because of their technique and skill. The Americans, on the other hand, are good at an aggressive
game but that has been long lost, mostly the play is on slower courts, players are not rushing to the net instead are baseline rallies. However, the Americans are expected to bounce back in another six or so years.
The celestial powers have bestowed the Americans with a number of Maestros in the history of tennis and by analyzing the facts one cannot argue; that there can be a possibility of America producing another world number one though
the current regime of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Andy Murray, makes the chances appear very slim. Although the currently ranked top ten American, Mardy Fish is slowly making his way up the rankings, it remains to be seen if he has what
it takes to overtake the top four.
Disclaimer: The ideas expressed in the article are the writer’s own personal views and have nothing to do with bettor.com’s editorial policy.
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