American Tennis Looks To Querrey To Be Its Savior

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The New York Sun

In this summer of self-loathing for American tennis, Sam Querrey has taken on the role of savior.

It’s an unfair burden for an 18-year-old, but not one that seems to bother Querrey too much. He’s still new to the life of a professional, wide-eyed — and well spoken — when he gives courtside interviews. And no one cares when he loses, at least not yet.

At the Masters Series event in Cincinnati this summer, Querrey nearly supplied a shocker, taking a set from second seed Rafael Nadal, he of the bulging biceps, outrageous topspin, and now legendary willpower. Querrey, who hails from California, eventually lost 6–7(5), 6–2, 6–3, but he did not look bad doing it.

For Nadal, it was a terrible day. He served inconsistently and made far more mistakes than usual. And the courts in Cincinnati were, by all accounts, playing faster than those in Toronto at the Rogers Masters the week before. The combination of the conditions, Nadal’s rustiness since his post-Wimbledon vacation, and Querrey’s power made it difficult for the Spaniard to settle in before the third set.

That being said, there was a lot to like about Querrey’s performance. His serve routinely clocks in at 130 mph or higher, and his motion is simple and rhythmic, especially considering his size (6-foot-6, 200 pounds). The force of his serve and the angle at which he can deliver the ball with his lanky frame, should carry him inside the top 50, groundstrokes aside, Nadal said afterwards.

From the baseline, Querrey has a lot of firepower, especially on the forehand side. His stroke is brief and confident, and he easily applies spin and depth during rallies, or flattens his shots when he needs to finish a point with blistering pace. Against Nadal, he landed several forehands down-theline, often on the run, that left the Spaniard flat-footed — something one rarely sees. On one point, Querrey ran around a backhand and rolled a forehand to the opposite court at a sharp angle for a winner. The preparation and touch in that swing were exquisite.

“Technically is he overall very good,” said Paul Roetert, who runs the United States Tennis Association’s player development program and has watched Querrey’s progress over the years. “And he has such good timing.”

Querrey’s shortcomings are obvious. Though he moves fairly well for a teenager his size, he cannot be described as quick. He is still gangly, though a year or two in the gym ought to help fill out his frame. And at least so far, he shows little interest in approaching the net, where his wingspan would allow him to finish points more quickly (the one volley he hit against Nadal in the last two sets was a doozy, straight into the net).

Roetert said Querrey will remain most comfortable at the baseline, though he expects him to move toward the net more often as his game develops. Querrey’s coach, Grant Doyle, a former pro from Australia, has worked on this aspect of his pupil’s game, Roetert said.

“He does have a very fine volley,” he said.

As far as speed and quickness, Roetert admitted that some physical limitations cannot be overcome, though they might be compensated for in other ways, such as patience and a positive attitude on court, both of which Querrey seems to possess.

“Speed is something you can’t teach very well,” Roetert said. “But don’t forget, he covers a lot of ground with his strides. And he’s a pretty good athlete. I think he’ll do well athletically.”

Querrey’s elders have taken a shine to him. He spent time practicing with Andy Roddick before the Cincinnati tournament began, and James Blake, from whom Querrey took a set earlier this year, has called upon him as a hitting partner, too. He also gets on well with the group during Davis Cup practices.

How far can Querrey go? It’s impossible to offer accurate predictions on such things. He certainly does not have the explosive movement or ability to dazzle like Roger Federer, Richard Gasquet, or Marcos Baghdatis, or the supreme athleticism of Gael Monfils, who is already one of the best movers on the tour despite only being one year Querrey’s senior and a mere two inches shorter. He lacks the craftiness of Andy Murray and does not figure to beat a man like Novak Djokovic, another young star, in a series of baseline rallies, at least at his present level.

It will likely be three or four years before we get some sense of how Querrey will stack up against his talented peers. He does, however, have a few short-term goals for the U.S. Open, where he is a wild card.

“Definitely hoping to go at least two or three rounds,” he said after Cincinnati. “Maybe take out Agassi in a five-setter, night match.”

It’s an impossible goal, as he and Agassi could only meet in the final, and that’s not played at night. But you have to admire his ambition.

tperrotta@nysun.com


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