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Professional tennis has four majors, the same as golf. But make no mistake, one of them is miles, or in this case, kilometers ahead of the other three in importance.
The Australian begins the major season, but is fourth in the pecking order of the majors. The French Open in Paris is played on red clay and is the number three major, though the clay court championship of the world.
The U.S. Open is the no. 2 major. That leaves Wimbledon as the most important tennis tournament in the world.
Once, both the Australian and U.S. opens were contested on grass; now both have hardcourts, which make them less special. Wimbledon still plays on grass and that, combined with its rich history, makes it an event like no other.
Dating back to 1877, Wimbledon was first dominated by the Brits. Then came the Americans and Australians, who were great all-court players. The Yankees and Aussies dominated world tennis for decades.
Americans like Big Bill Tilden, Don Budge, Vic Seixas, Jack Kramer, Pancho Gonzales and Tony Trabert helped the USA win the majors for 25 years. Then came Arthur Ashe, Stan Smith, Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe and the hit parade continued.
But over the past 15 years or so, just two Americans have been dominant players on the world scene: Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi.
The last American to win a major was Andy Roddick, who won the U.S. Open five years ago. This year, no American man got past the third round at Wimbledon for the first time since 1926.
So, what has happened to tennis in the USA?
“We've been struggling for a long time, and it has just gotten worse,” said former world top-five player Gene Mayer. “We just are producing no players.”
Mayer said the grass-roots tutoring of earlier periods produced better players.
“It was quality coaches working in intimate settings with players,” Mayer noted. “Now everyone goes to academies so young and you never learn to play tennis.”
While the USA and Australia have taken a back seat in world tennis, countries in Europe, Asia and South America are producing a wave of talented players. Ricardo Acuna, a national coach for the U. S. Tennis Association, thinks Americans are winning less because the game is more global.
“It's more than a drought, it's the world got better,” said Acuna, himself a native Chilean.
He noted tennis is “the biggest or second-biggest sport in many countries. In the U. S. it's like the 30th sport behind many others.” Well, maybe like the fourth or fifth biggest.
The American and Australian women are in the same sinking boat. The Williams sisters, Venus and Serena, have won 14 majors between them.
Otherwise, the well is nearly dry for the American ladies. Now, like the men, the best players come from Europe.
Even the college teams are loaded with foreign players and coaches. From Division I down to Division III, the NCAA tennis tournaments are filled with foreign players.
Wimbledon may see an all-American final this year.
The Williams sisters are on track to meet in the title match Saturday.
When this dynamic duo calls it quits, don't look for any more great American players. Like the Aussies, their game is “down under.”
Fire up the grill, get out the flag for the Fourth of July and enjoy Wimbledon.
And hope the Williams sisters hang around a little while longer.
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