Sam Querrey Reaches US No. 1

Written by: Staff on 13th March 2013

Sam Querrey Reaches US No. 1

epa03594649 Sam Querrey of the US hits a return shot to Marinko Matosevic of Australia during their second round match in the US National Indoor Tennis Championships at the Racquet Club of Memphis in Memphis, Tennessee, USA, 21 February 2013. EPA/TANNEN MAURY |

Yes, the soft-spoken somewhat laid-back California native is the newest American No. 1. After his doubles partner John Isner lost in the opening round of Indian Wells, Querrey has marched into the BNP Paribas Open fourth round where he will meet No.1 Novak Djokovic.

Isner was defending final round points from Indian Wells last year and Querrey was only defending round of 64 points, so he is all but guaranteed to reach at least No. 20 when the next set of rankings are released, which means the United States tennis community won’t have to deal with not having a top 20 male for the first time since the rankings began in 1973.

Querrey has been consistent since he returned from elbow surgery in the fall of 2011 .He has not been spectacular, but he’s been good enough to keep himself relevant , winning 2012 LA, reaching the semis of Washington and the quarters of Paris/Bercy Masters where he upset Novak Djokovic, the last time that the Serbian has lost a match.

But Querrey has been mediocre at the majors, failing to advance to the fourth round in his last four Grand Slams.

Still, Querrey is quite pleased to at least hold the US top spot at least once. Although would likely be more satisfied winning the BNP Paribas Open title or say reaching the semifinals of a Slam.

“It means a lot. It’s a great feeling,” he said. “I feel like I have worked hard to earn it. Everyone seems like they’ve got their shot with Andy [Roddick] and Mardy [Fish] and James Blake] and John [Isner], and so I feel like it’s my turn now. But those guys are right on my heels and we will keep pushing each other. I know they want it, too. Hopefully we will just keep pushing each other and we can all keep moving up the rankings.”

However, as Querrey says, while being the No. 1 American is an honor, in a world-wide sport being your nation’s top players doesn’t mean that much.

“They congratulated me, but I don’t think it means a whole lot, where it’s a worldwide sport,” he said. “I think the most important thing is your world ranking. I don’t feel any different. I don’t think they felt any different. It’s another tournament next week, you know, No. 1 American, No. 2 American, No. 3 American.

Mentally it doesn’t feel like a huge change.”

©Daily Tennis News Wire

Topics: American tennis news, ATP tennis news, BNP Paribas Indian Wells, BNP Paribas tennis news, John Isner, no.1 American tennis player, Novak Djokovic, Sam Querrey, spors