Sampras Sees A Shift Of Interest In American Men’s Tennis Players

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 10th January 2014

Sampras Sees A Shift Of Interest In American Men’s Tennis Players

epa02942773 US tennis star Pete Sampras serves the ball to former world number one Marat Safin of Russia during an exhibition match to inaugurate the new Tennis China Open center court in Beijing, China, 30 September 2011. EPA/DIEGO AZUBEL |

Pete Sampras is at a loss to explain the massive drop in popularity and top players experienced by US men’s tennis. But the former No. 1 has made a stab at an explanation in an American radio interview.

The multimillionaire tennis retiree who will dabble a bit in senior tennis in the coming months by way of distraction to his days on the golf course and at home in Los Angeles, said that the world has caught up to the traditional grand slam tennis nations, changing the balance of power on court

“I think the world has gotten a little bit better. Through television and the internet, it seems like there are just more people playing tennis,” said the 42-year-old. “Look at the top players in the world, you got Rafa (Nadal) being from Mallorca and (Novak) Djokovic being from Serbia and Roger (Federer) from Switzerland.

“Twenty years ago, maybe tennis wasn’t popular in those countries, now they are and the best athletes from these countries are playing tennis and not just playing soccer. So it’s a combination of those things.”

Sampras tried to put in a good word for the weak current US lineup which is headed by the towering John Isner on 14th. Sam Querrey will only the 46th for a few more days before he falls form the top 50. Meanwhile, Canada boasts two men in the top 30, both seeded for the Australian Open.

“The American players today are doing as well as they can and it’s just they are a level or two behind,” said Sampras. “The world has gotten better: maybe they start younger, maybe college tennis in this country isn’t quite what the satellite tour might be in Europe. There are a lot of different reasons.

“At the end of the day, I think the world has gotten a little bit more into tennis and all these great athletes are playing tennis and they are not just playing soccer.”

Topics: 10sballs, John Isner, Novak Djokovic, Pete Sampras, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Sam Querrey, Sports, Tennis, Tennis News