U.S men face lawn drought

June 30, 2008

WIMBLEDON, England - Rafael Nadal has helped his nation cure its longtime aversion to lawn tennis, and he'll be one of three Spanish men playing today in the fourth round at Wimbledon.

Switzerland, France, Russia and Croatia have two players apiece among the final 16. Britain, which last won the men's singles title in 1936, advanced one man to the second week, as did Australia, Germany, Serbia and even the island of Cyprus.

And the United States? None.

The nation that produced Andre Agassi, Don Budge, Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, Pete Sampras and Bill Tilden finds itself in a slump. And there's no sign of a turnaround.

"We've been struggling for a long time, and it has just gotten worse," said Gene Mayer, a former top-five player who coaches privately in New York. "We just are producing no players."

For the first time since 1926, only one U.S. male - No. 102 Bobby Reynolds - reached the third round at Wimbledon. He lost Friday.

The problem isn't just on grass. At last year's French Open, American men went 0-9, their worst showing on the Roland Garros clay in at least 40 years. The last U.S. male to win a major title was Andy Roddick at the U.S. Open in 2003.

The drought is less noticeable on the women's side only because of the Williams sisters. They and Bethanie Mattek were the lone Americans to survive the first week at Wimbledon.

U.S. men went 5-12. Eight lost in the first round, and Roddick and James Blake lost in the second.

Reynolds was left to explain why U.S. fortunes continue to decline.

"In the States you have basketball, baseball, football, golf," he said. "You have so many avenues that people can try out."