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Published Friday, June 27, 2008

The red, white and black and blue of tennis

Are you a frustrated American tennis fan? I know I am.

Thursday was just the latest set back for the red, white, and blue. Andy Roddick and James Blake, both heralded top 10 players in the world, were upset in second round play at Wimbledon.

Both were overwhelming favorites to reach the fourth round. And since they were to meet in Monday's fourth round, the U.S. was guaranteed to have at least one player in the quarterfinals.

But Rainer Schuettler and Janko Tipsarevic took care of that. Unless you are dedicated tennis fans, you probably have knowledge of neither.

Schuettler, a German, had a good season and a nice run at Wimbledon back in 2005.

He has struggled since, but won in five sets over Blake, taking the final two 6-4, 6-4.

Tipsarevic gives great effort but has no where near the talent of a Roddick. He closed out the American in four closely competitive sets.

A poor showing in Paris on clay is one thing. But when Bobby Reynolds is the last American male standing and the only one to reach the third round of Wimbledon, we've got problems.

Reynolds bowed out on Friday, losing in four sets to Feliciano Lopez. No American male makes the second week of Wimbledon. Hard to fathom.

Blake has all the physical ability in the world. He has a complete arsenal of shot-making. But he needs to be more mentally tough. Blake is now 3-11 for his career in five-setters.

Roddick showed promise when he first came on the scene. And he's had his moments since. Roddick won the 2003 U.S. Open and was runner-up in London in 2004 and 2005.

He was also runner-up to Roger Federer in the 2006 U.S. Open.

Losing to Federer is acceptable. Having a serve and forehand like his and losing to Tipsarevic is unthinkable. There are aspects of his game where he's got to improve.

Roddick's return game showed signs of coming around under the tutelage of former great Jimmy Connors. But the Connors-Roddick camp split earlier this year. Roddick had a good run shortly after but has fallen off that form in recent months.

I'm not sure where America turns from here. There are some quality youngsters coming up through the ranks such as Reynolds, Jesse Levine, John Isner, and Donald Young. But these players aren't nearly to the level of a Blake or Roddick.

Talent should match the resources and venues we have. Maybe too many kids are going with soccer and golf and turning their backs on tennis. There's not a deep following for high school tennis and most American college teams are ladened with foreign representation.

Although the men disappointed, at least our women have done better. But one would expect good results on grass from Venus and Serena Williams. Bethanie Mattek has also given the U.S. a lift, upsetting 2007 Wimbledon finalist Marion Batoli on Friday in straight sets.

Serena has also secured a fourth round position and looks in proper form. I can see the fire in her eyes and that drive has me thinking title. Betting favorite Maria Sharapova made an early exit so I feel Serena is the player to beat.

Venus will have her chance today to reach Monday's fourth round. She faces Maria Martinez Sanchez of Spain and should have little trouble against the Spaniard.

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