Wednesday, June 6, 2007
How to Revive U.S. Men's Tennis
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This past Tuesday, many of the American tennis writers were lamenting that all of the American men in the main draw of the French Open men's singles were eliminated in the first round. There was an abundance of journalists trying to find some saving grace and many attempts to create some silver lining for what is clearly a very dark cloud. My colleague, Bud Collins, even wrote that Andy Roddick's loss might have been a positive. I love you, Bud, but please!
Lets face it. The American men are mediocre at best. Yes, I said it. Mediocre. All the Americans being out on day one has nothing to do with the red clay. It has nothing to do with Americans not playing enough on clay. A lot of people want to blame it on that. I overheard some prominent professional coaches heralding the move of the USTA training center to Evert Academy because of the additional clay court resources and how that is the answer. Sorry, but more clay courts aren't going to make better individual players. More experience on clay may give the U.S. a second-rounder next time, but that won't put the U.S. over the edge.
None of the U.S. men have complete games. Period. None of the US men have learned how to fight through and stay close and then change their games to take advantage of other players' weaknesses or styles. James Blake has probably the most complete game among the U.S. men, but he has no idea, at least in this writer's opinion, how to use the tools he has effectively. Brad Gilbert would have been a top-three player and won a couple of grand slams if his brain had been hitched to ability like Blake's. Apparently, none of the U.S. players have even bothered to read Brad's book, either. Shame. Oh, and didn't John McEnroe serve-and-volley his way to the French Open final?
If you want to know what is wrong with American men's tennis, and American professional tennis in general, look no further then the Evert Academy. Not Chrissie Evert or her facility in particular, but the thought process that says you must have a Bollettieri-style academy to produce a champion. Nothing is further from the truth, and the USTA and USPTA have succumbed to this incorrect thought process.
The great Russian players all have one thing in common. None of them were developed at a tennis academy. The tennis club where the current crop of Russians came from only had one indoor court. The best professionals, and I mean the true champions (think Lindsay Davenport, Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, and even Anastasia Myskina during her French Open winning year) have only achieved true greatness when they left the academy atmosphere and the Nick Bollettieri mindset. If America wants great tennis players, then it's time to get back to the basics.
I do not know Robert Lansdorp well, but have had my share of conversations and e-mails with him over the years. Just about every true champion in the past decade or so has passed through his place after leaving the academy playground. Everyone of those players made a great leap in the rankings right after. Why? Well, it's because he stresses fundamentals, teaches players how to refine and use their strengths to the max, and he also helps them become better thinkers on the court.
Robert Lansdorp is a champion maker. He doesn't have an academy. He isn't a cattle herder in the tennis world. He probably would be the richest coach alive if he had an academy like Bollettieri, but he doesn't. He said it best a year ago in a letter to another tennis publication, "Find someone who knows how to identify talent at a young age and who has shown that he/she knows how to develop and I mean develop youngsters. I don't have time now to discuss academies' involvement, but it is probably a conflict of interest, especially where IMG gets involved. Stop throwing your millions in a wishing well and do something about it."
I couldn't agree more. Want to teach every player how to hit strokes the same basic way? Send them to Nick's place. Want to subscribe to the notion that more court time always equals better players? Send them to Evert's place. Want mediocre American tennis? Just keep sending American kids to tennis academies. Want to make a champion? Want to create a perennial line of champions? Find the best individual coaches, find ways to pay them well enough that they can dedicate themselves to coaching, and then give them one or two players to bring along under their wing.
Roger Federer has the most complete game in tennis today. He wins consistently on all surfaces. Yes, he is a great individual talent. Interestingly, he does not spend time hanging out at a tennis academy trying to get better. When he needs help, he hires a great coach or player and they work it out one on one. Championship level tennis has always been that way.
So, to my journalistic friends, and my colleagues at the USTA and USPTA, please stop trying to blame the poor showing of the Americans on the beautiful red clay of Roland Garros on the lack of clay court time and experience. Please stop trying to paint a rosier picture of American tennis than exists. The American men were all gone because none of them has a game good enough nor the innate ability to counter any other player's game. They are all one way streets. They are all products of the academy mindset.
I'll also give a little credit where credit is due. Nick Bollettieri was a leader in his day with his academy concept. That was 20 years ago. Now everyone is a follower. Is there anything done today the same way it was two decades ago that is still relevant in our lives or society? Do we still play pong on our black and white tube TVs? Leaders are winners. Winners are innovative. Academy tennis is a relic. Do the math.
No offense, but there are so many inaccuracies in your opinion piece that it's patently obvious you don't really follow tennis or know much about it. For instance, your comment that None of the Russian players were developed at a tennis academy? Hello? Sharapova and Vaidasova just to name two big name Russians.
Also, none of the current crop of US men's players were trained and developed at academies, so putting the blame on Chris Evert or Bolleteri is kind of bogus. Do your homework.