Most every  article or broadcast preview of the U.S. Open I’ve seen focuses on the obvious questions, as though most tennis journalists are sharing notes– will Nadal win his first Open?  Can Federer reclaim another title?  Is Murray going to cash the U.S. Open Series bonus check for obscene millions and go to Disney World [...]

As soon as I write a post about Americans hoisting trophies in the summer hardcourt tournaments, the news all turns bad.   Roddick, Querrey, Isner and Fish all lose early in Washington. Roddick falls to 11 in the rankings, marking the first time since the ATP rankings began that there are no American men in the [...]

It’s not alway easy writing a blog about American men’s tennis (remember those Wimbledon predictions?) but the past two weeks have produced plenty of fodder, especially this weekend.  Sam Querrey wins his fifth title of the year, coming back on no less than Andy Murray.  The Bryan brothers set the all time record for doubles [...]

It’s about time the USTA amps up the U.S. Open Series with a real tennis town — Hotlanta.  Good to see Atlanta joined by L.A., Washington and San Diego on there too.  One day we’ll quit making the ATP tour pass through Indianapolis and Cincinnati, towns known more for farm shows and fast cars than [...]

Last year, two American juniors bound for the pro circuit — Devin Britton and Jordan Cox — played an epic three-set semifinal in the boys singles.  Cox, then 17, won 6-3, 6-7 (5), 16-14, the final set lasting 83 minutes (which in the pre-Isner/Mahut days seemed liked a long time). Cox lost in the finals (pictured [...]

6-4, 3-6, 6-7, 7-6, 70-68.
Epic. Unbelievable.  Amazing.  Classy.  Gracious. 
Aces 112 to 103.
Eleven hours, five minutes.

Below is a selection from Xan Brooks’ live blogon the guardian.co.uk page.  Never has a live blog been so spontaneously brilliant, so fun to read:
9.25pm: Last thoughts before I ring me a hearse. That was beyond tennis. I think it was even beyond survival, because there is a strong suggestion (soon to be confirmed by doctors) [...]

After Andy Roddick’s heartbreaking loss last year to Roger Federer at Wimbledon, an anxious U.S. Davis Cup captain Patrick McEnroe visited the London house where Roddick’s camp mourned.  He asked Roddick about playing in the U.S. team’s quarterfinal match with Croatia the next weekend, a grueling task on red clay. Roddick, “hemmed and hawed,” and McEnroe knew [...]

I’ve been updating this blog more infrequently than I’d like over the past few months, in part because of a new job but also due to the distraction of a major renovation of our row house in Philadelphia.  I didn’t think this project — tearing down and rebuilding the brick three-story front of a 103-year-old row [...]

Jim Courier often does not get his due when American tennis players are discussed, but  he is the only one to win two French Opens (‘91, ‘92) since pros started playing Grand Slams 42 years ago.  And he is one of only three Americans in history to win the tournament twice (the others being Frank [...]