Serbian Tennis Team Beats U.S. Tennis Team in Davis Cup Quartefinal

As you know American tennis team lost to Serbia in a Davis Cup quarterfinal today. I discussed the results of that match with a tennis coach.

Djokovic twisted his ankle in the beginning of the match and took anti-inflammatory drug during the match. Despite of his injury he won confidently. Sam Querrey had nothing against his aggressive and powerful play. What do you think about the match?

I thought Novak Djokovic would retire. That was a horrendous-looking fall. Sam Querrey played reasonably well, but he was playing against #1 player in the world.

Can John Isner and Sam Querrey improve their game? Did American tennis team miss a chance to win Serbia and reach the semi-finals?

Both Querrey and Isner have probably come close to their potential. To go higher they have to compete with men who are faster and more coordinated. There is no one to blame for the U.S. team losing. The Bryan brothers lost in a great match, and Novak Djokovic was automatically worth two points barring an even more severe injury than he suffered.

I found the following thought on a tennis forum. Do you agree with this statement?

“Jack Sock and Steve Johnson is that they are following the recent American male tennis player paradigm of big serve, big forehand, poor backhand, poor movement, limited athleticism. As one can see by looking at the top of the ATP ranking list, great footwork and movement are key. Even the extra tall guys like Tomas Berdych and Del Potro have great footwork for their size. Also a backhand that will not break down under pressure is very important.”

I agree with the statement, but that doesn’t mean it implies a solution. Jack Sock and Steve Johnson are using what they have, some size and some strength. There are no Americans as talented as Roger Federer or Novak Djokovic, or Pete Sampras or Andre Agassi, or for that matter, Gael Monfils or Alexandr Dolgopolov. There are no Americans as fast or as fit as David Ferrer or Rafael Nadal, or Michael Chang. American best athletes gravitate toward the NFL, NBA or MLB. I have said before, and will say again, any person with enough motivation and adequate coaching can make the top 200. To end up with Sampras you have to start with Sampras.