Submitted by fredy, Jul 30, 2007 13:18

here it goes again,
the day a player beats a player;he becomes the "savior of American tennis". We had that we Andy Roddick and now look at him.Almost 25 years old with just 1 slam to his name but yes I'm sure the name Roger Federer will serve as an excuse to yes excuse Roddick's lack of success.
Let me break it down to you for just one moment if you would Tom,then maybe you'll understand were I'm coming from. Andy Roddick just like James Blake and now Sam Querrey are all born on hard courts and to their defence;they did not learn how to construct points from the start.Take away Roddick and Querrey's serve and they are sub-par players at best.Yes both Rodick and Querrey are "big guys" like Patrick McEnroe keeps on repeating ad nauseam but if you can look past the xenophobia for more than a minute it is fair to admit that players who grew up on clay have better footwork;foot speed than Andy and Sam.
Players who grew up on clay actually from the start with the help on great coaches actually learn to play tennis as if it were a geometry problem and can translate that kind of tennis on all surfaces.
From the one handed slice backhand despite the fact that they grew up playing with two hands;to the famous drop shots to volleys;they show American players how to play the game..
It was interesting to hear James Blake have a discussion with P. McEnroe on how to slow it down and go for less but Blake's response was that his game was to go for broke and that it was a risky game and that he couldn't play any other way.
I do realize that American coaches rely solely on having a huge serve and a huge forehand and the hell with the rest of it. Roger Federer has proven that big serve is not the only weapon that will win you slam;it's rather about placement;footwork;foot speed;point construction;great defense to offense and patience.
Take away Roddick's serve and he is nothing;Federer;Murray;Haas;Gasquet;Dancevic with better return of serve have all broken Roddick's mighty serve and dismantled Roddick piece by piece.
I suggest you focus your articles on asking the USTA to do a better job at coaching these players and suggest them to look for technicians instead of "you got a huge serve" you'll do great kind of coaches.
American players lack the skills to compete right now and the more the USTA waits the more American fans won't tune it to watch foreigners take over like they've done for years now and I can tell you that it won't stop anytime soon.
Jimmy Connors to his credit is trying to make Roddick into a "smarter" player but come on let's face it;the poor bloke can't hit a proper volley even with an empty court in front of him and now he thinks he can serve and volley a la Pete Sampras?
Right now France(men and women),Spain(men) and Russia(men/women) have more men in the top 100 than the USA and they have a lot on young players who haven't even turned pro;that should tell you something and they don't have half as much money the USTA has.
Gasquet; Djokovic; Baghdatis; Berdych and Murray are all better tennis players and will only get better with time because they can play well on ALL SURFACES but Sam Querrey for now whose beaten a perennial choker now best seller James Blake was nothing but a fluke just like Donald Young is.
The USTA with your help Mr Perrotta if you can address this problem should focus on getting real clay courts in the States and focus less on serves but focus more on hitting basic shots the game has to offer and not rely so much on a huge serve and make that sole shot the only thing that defines American players because with all due respect watching Roddick;Blake and the rest of the Americans go out First round at the French(I know i know you hate Roland Garros;clay and the French) but come on it's a slam and Pete Sampras I'm sure is sitting home with plenty of regrets about not winning it and look at how Federer is killing himself to win it.Wasn't it sad to see Roddick got trashed by Federer at the Australian open after famously announcing that the gap was closing on Federer while he was 1-14 and beating Federer at an early tournament to only look like a fool after.Andreev trashing Roddick at Roland Garros wasn't good enough for you? Gasquet coming from 2 sets down and taking down Roddick wasn't enough proof for you? James Blake has NEVER fought back from 2 sets down to win anything; loosing to a 31 year old Juan Carlos Ferrero at Wimbledon after losing to Karlovic up 2 sets up and a break wasn't enough for you at RG;and losing to Gonzalez at the Australian Open;that is the state of American tennis for you Sir.
If being only a hard court "specialist" makes you proud of Roddick and Blake while you in the media bash "dirtballers" of being clay court specialist than shame on you Sir because Federer;Gonzalez;Nadal;Djokivic and Gasquet;Davydenko;Haas are all "dirtballers" but all have way better records in slams this year than Roddick and Blake;the state of dirtballers for you.

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