9781422284285

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TENNIS’S GREATEST MOMENTS Americans used to be good at tennis. Many of the sport’s greatest players are, in fact, from America. From household names like Connors and McEnroe to Courier, Sampras, and Agassi, American men have a powerful legacy in the Open Era. On the women’s side, Evert gave way to Davenport, Capriati, and of course, the Williams sisters. Well into their 30s, Venus and Serena Williams remain the lone Americans at the top of the sport, and it has been that way since Davenport was number one in the world a decade ago. Besides the sisters, no other American man or woman has won a Grand Slam singles event since 2003, when Andy Roddick won the U.S. Open. The sisters cannot play forever, and the mantle on the men’s side has long waited to be picked up. Where is the next crop of American stars? One of the prevailing theories is that there may never be any, and the blame for this may lie squarely on the rackets in the players’ hands. Technology killed the American tennis star. In America, coaches teach the attacking, serve and volley game of Sampras and McEnroe. Players are taught to keep points short, coming in behind powerful forehands. The change from natural and nylon to polyester-based string at the turn of the century has all but eliminated this style of play. The polyester strings produce no spring, allowing players with lightweight graphite rackets to crush the ball with massive topspin from anywhere on the court. The result is that baseline players have been able to achieve great success by playing offense from the baseline and beyond. Fitness and court position have replaced shot making to a large degree, a change that has benefited European and South American players who grew up on slower courts. American tennis has been slow to adapt. Tournaments in New York, Los Angeles and San Jose have been relocated to other countries. It may take a few years for coaching to catch up to the way the game is played today, as the next generation of young Americans grows up with the new racket strings and the strategy toward the game that accompanies them. Meanwhile, the past and current generations of stars, using everything from wood and catgut to graphite and nylon have produced the moments that fans love to watch, no matter what country they hail from.

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