Among the top eight men, there was no American in London at the ATP World Tour Finals of tennis. Andy Roddick would have been there, but he had to withdraw because of an injury. He would have been the sole American representative to play in the singles competition at the prestigious year end round robin event. The Russian Nikolay Davydenko won it, defeating the likes of Rafael Nadal (Spain), Roger Federer (Switzerland) and Juan Martin del Potro (Argentina) along the way.
Spain, winner of the 2008 Davis Cup, and finalist in the 2009 Davis Cup, had two players in the singles competition in London, Nadal and Fernando Verdasco.
To be fair, two Americans, Bob and Mike Bryan were in London. They won the doubles championship.
This London tournament was called the Masters Grand Prix when it was played at Madison Square Garden between 1977 and 1989. To win it is no small feat, as you must play a succession of the best of the best. Pete Sampras, the last American to win it, almost swept the title through the whole decade of the 1990s when it was played in Germany. Sampras won in 1999, 1997, 1996, 1994 and 1991. Andre Agassi won it in 1990. John McEnroe won it in 1984, 1983 and 1978. Jimmy Connors won it in 1977. Jim Courier was a finalist in 1991 and 1992. Arthur Ashe and Michael Chang were runners up in 1978 and 1995, respectively.
The eras of Ashe, Connors, McEnroe, Sampras and Agassi were golden years for American men’s tennis. Clearly, some American men are playing good tennis today, including Roddick, James Blake, Mardy Fish, Sam Querrey, Robby Ginepri and John Isner. But one still frets a bit about where the next American champions will come from.
The USTA is trying to do something about that. The USTA is training top young tennis prospects at its two national training centers, in Boca Raton, FL., and Carson, CA. In November, 2009 the USTA announced the opening of a third national training center - USTA Training Center-East – at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, N.Y.
And the USTA is partnering with regional training centers, hoping to eventually name a dozen around the country. The first two to open were in College Park, MD and Atlanta, GA.
To check out what goes on at one of these centers, a day trip to College Park, MD seemed in order. And who could resist a chance to see future American tennis champions being formed right on site? To see the littlest phenomenon, standing no more than two feet tall, whacking the ball like a future Serena Williams or Andre Agassi? To see 16 year-old juniors with dazzling footwork and heavy top spin balls that appear glued to the court? To meet soft spoken Frank Salazar, 2008 United States Olympic Committee Development Coach of the year?
That was Ray Benton’s offer. “Come out to College Park and see our kids train, he said. Benton is a respected name in tennis, so the only real question was whether to drive the 30 miles from a Virginia suburb of Washington, DC to the Junior Tennis Champions Center in College Park (JTCC) where Benton is the CEO, or to take the Washington DC Metro to the College Park station just minutes from the JTCC.
The trip by Metro was enticing. Seventeen year old Dennis Kudla of Arlington does it round trip every day. Dennis has been gong to the tennis center since he was eight years old. He trains for tennis and attends school on site. Ranked among the top 25 in the International Tennis Federation ranking for boys, Dennis recently signed a pro contract and already has an endorsement contract with a major apparel company.
Dennis played his first pro match at the 2008 Leg Mason Classic in Washington DC when he partnered with fellow JTCC teen phenom, Junior Ore in a doubles match. Dennis and Junior lost that match, but that only seemed to whet their appetite for a chance at a pro tennis career.
More recently, Dennis, along with fellow JTCC teen Mitchell Frank of Annandale, played in the junior grand slam event at the 2009 French Open at Roland Garros. Before his match Dennis got to hit in a practice session against Rafael Nadal. That was a high point of the trip to Paris, since neither boy was able to win their match. But as the boys are taught at the JTCC, losing is part of the game of competitive tennis. What’s important is learning as much, or more, from your losses as from your wins.
Brandon Riddle, an 8-year old from Germantown, MD, started his learning early. He has been playing tennis since he was three. Brandon now trains regularly at the JTCC, and even at his tender age has his sights on playing pro tennis. Brandon once hit with Anna Kournikova at a clinic for tennis kids, a Washington Kastles’ World Team Tennis – JTCC publicity event. That only made him more eager to pursue his tennis ambition.
Ndindi Ndunda an eleven year-old who measures only 4 feet, 10 inches tall ranks among the top girls, twelve and under. She trains at the JTCC. Ndindi also has her sites set on a pro tennis career. In an article in the Daily Nation, Ndindi is quoted as saying, “I like to win, … I work hard because I have high expectations.” Ndindi probably inherits some of her ability and drive from her mother Jane, who was a top tennis player in Kenya before coming to the United States in 1990.
If you would like to visit the JTCC you can be their guest on Wednesday, December 9, 2009 from 10 am to12 pm to watch friendly doubles play featuring Melanie Oudin, John Isner and the Bryan Brothers. Bob and Mike Bryan will direct a special clinic for JTCC students, parents, supporters, and TCCP members.
You might even see a future winner of the ATP World Tour Finals.
Locals can become members of the tennis center at College Park for social and club tennis.
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