Jack Sock’s run at the French Open was notable not only as the first time the 22-year-old reached a Grand Slam round of 16 in singles.
He also became the youngest American man since Pete Sampras in 1993 to advance that far at Roland Garros. Tennis may be an individual sport, but national pride still counts – as he and his countrymen are reminded with every early exit at the majors.
Seeking to reverse those slipping fortunes, the U.S. Tennis Association in 2008 hired Patrick McEnroe as its first general manager of player development. A more centralized model was the goal but also what proved to be the challenge in a nation that values individuality. McEnroe’s successor, Martin Blackman, inherits a modified approach that tries to respect individuality while still finding ways to use the centralized system to improve players.
It’s a balancing act facing federations in several sports as the U.S. tries to stay at or return to the top. The angst is even felt in basketball. In announcing a coaching standards initiative in February, USA Basketball Chairman Jerry Colangelo echoed earlier criticism from Kobe Bryant that some of the game’s fundamentals and nuances aren’t taught properly at the youth level.
The 45-year-old Blackman, who was hired in April, has had a front-row seat to these issues in tennis. As an elite junior, he trained alongside future Grand Slam champions Andre Agassi and Jim Courier under coaching great Nick Bollettieri. He played in college and on tour, and he has worked for the USTA, served as the director of a local training center, and founded his own tennis academy. The biggest reason the USTA must now step in, he said, is the soaring cost of developing a potential star.