Cahill Thinks Querrey Needs To Lower His Slam Expectations / Hires Nainkin away from USTA

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 27th December 2013

Cahill Thinks Querrey Needs To Lower His Slam Expectations / Hires Nainkin away from USTA

epa03567226 Sam Querrey of the United States returns to Thiago Alves of Brazil during the deciding rubber match of the Davis Cup 2013 World Group First Round between the United States and Brazil in Jacksonville, Florida, USA, 03 February 2013. EPA/BRIAN BLANCO |

Darren Cahill has worked with a number of top players including Andy Murray and Ana Ivanovic and as a coach and analysts has a good idea as to what it takes to make it on the circuit. The Aussie is not sure whether American Sam Querrey will reach his stated goal of cracking the top 15 and being able to play with elite contenders.

Querrey is currently ranked No. 46 after reaching a career high No. 17 in 2011. He hasn’t won a title in a year and half and has never pushed into the final eight of a Grand Slam.

“His expectations are not huge going into majors,” Cahill told USA Today. “They sort of need to be the other way around. Mentally he could be stronger in big moments.”

According to the newspaper, Querrey has hired David Nainkin away from the USTA to be his full time private coach. Nainkin had coached him under the USTA umbrella since 2009 but last year Querrey has to share him with Sloane Stephens.

“He came out as a young kid with a lot of expectations, got to the top 20 pretty quickly and struggled with the pressure of thinking he could do much better without putting in the nine yards,” said Nainkin “I think he’s learned that it’s going to take a little more.”

The 26 year old Querrey said he made the decision to ply Nainkin away from the USTA because he needed full time attention from someone he trusts.

“I want someone holding me accountable, pushing me,” Querrey said. “I just want to give myself the chance to see how good I can get and the only way is to have someone with me full time.”

Querrey admits that he got down on himself last year, partly because of injury and partly because he and his fiancée broke off their engagement last summer. He says that in the second half of his career, he wants to have more fun than he had in his first.

“The only thing I want is to enjoy playing tournaments and the process more than I did in the first half,” he said. “I don’t necessarily care what I’m ranked or if I win more tournaments or what, I just want to have fun and really enjoy it because this is something not a lot of people get to do. It’s something really exciting and something I should enjoy every time out there.”

Topics: 10sballs, Ana Ivanovic, Andy Murray, Darren Cahill, Sam Querrey, Sloane Stephens, Sports, Tennis, Tennis News, Usta